Bible2020

Recent events have grown our understanding of what it means to be church. Previously we said, 'the church is the people, not the building', now we are living that truth. As we grow in our understanding, and seek to let that shape our practice as we emerge from lockdown, it leads us to another question - what is the purpose of the church? Why exactly does God need a people? Now, if you asked any church - you could come up with as many answers as there are people in the ch

The advice to 'be yourself' is nothing new. In fact if comes in our reading today. Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking t

Repeated words matter - they drive a point home. And you can't miss the repetition in today's reading. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:2-6 Did you

Just down the road, someone is building a new house. Each day, I pass it and see the progress that has been made - and it is flying up! Timber frame construction means the walls and roof are up in no time, and it's onto the job of fitting out. Today, we read on in Ephesians 2 which uses the image of construction to show how God is building his church. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his hous

Our bodies are one, but sometimes one part of our body can inflict a lot of pain. We have a sore head, or an upset stomach or a nasty cought which disturbs our peace. When it comes to the church. Jesus has not simply made us one, but he has brought all the parts of the body to live in perfect peace. To work in harmony, not simply to exist alongside each other. And he did so at great personal cost. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroy

You' can't argue with the logic. A hand looks different from a heart; a foot from an ear; a stomach from a lung - all different, but all come together to make up one body. And that's the logic Paul uses when he teaches about the body of Christ. Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the

What is God's aim for his church? For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what i

From fitness to dieting and relationships to aging, just some examples of the things which people long to discover the secret to. We long for a key which unlocks our struggle and makes it easy! Church growth fits into that same category. We want our churches to be successful and grow - so what's the secret, what is the key? Today's passage doesn't give us one key, but two. Two key ingredients which make up a successful recipe for church growth. Now those who had been scat

Watching and hearing a one man band is quite a marvel. One person, playing so many instruments at the same time and putting out a decent tune - that takes a whole load of co-ordination and skill! But one person can never match the sound of even a small band, let alone a full orchestra. Many people, playing together in harmony is so much better. In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews beca

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God

Through are readings, and in a much more tangible way in our experience over the past few months we have been reminded that the church is people not a building. We are the church. Today's reading, describes the unity of the early church. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God

Whenever you are building, a firm foundation is essential. And that principal holds for the church too. Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:16-18 Meditating on this passage can

Back in the day, when it came to building a new church, you found the highest point in the parish, and built there. Naturally, you put a big spire on top, just to make sure the church could be seen for miles around. Today, if you walk past a church on a hill, the doors will be shut. Unable to open due to COVID-19, the church has went invisible - retreating to front rooms and kitchen tables, or is it more visible, broadcasting over YouTube? Our readings over the next 2 1/2 w

Peter is bringing his sermon to a conclusion, as he seeks to explain what is going on. He has reached back into the Old Testament, he has traced the life of Jesus, now he say - look this was just the next stage. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. Acts 2:32-33 Jesus has completed his journey - he is back in heaven. And now, he pours out the Holy Spirit. The obvious question

We pick up where we left off yesterday. Then, Peter was quoting from OT prophecy declaring that the new age spoken about then, has now come. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And ev

It was the question people where asking. It's a natural one to ask when something is going on. We want to know more that what's happening. We want to probe deeper than the event. And so it was on the day of Pentecost. The disciples speaking in a whole variety of languages caused quite a stir, so people wanted to know 'What does this mean?' Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let

​ When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. Wh

Waiting is hard. We are being taught lessons in patience at the minute, and I'm pretty sure we all have more room to grow in that area! From kids waiting for Christmas, to waiting for wedding days, holidays or retirement - waiting it hard. And it is particularity hard, when you don't know exactly how long you are to wait for. That was the experience of Jesus first disciples. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem,

It must have been a lot to take in. There was so much going on that night. Jesus was clear - he would no longer be with them. His disciples minds must have been all over the place. Their hearts would have been torn asunder. Jesus wouldn't be with them any more. He was going to die. Yet, Jesus still loved them. And he wasn't going to do anything that would harm them. He wasn't going to leave them alone. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away.

Yesterday we discovered that we need to be humble. God's kingdom is not built by our might, plans or wisdom - it is built by his Spirit. In todays reading we discover, that even the mighty Spirit is humble. When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father —the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. John 15:26-27 Here, Jesus is speaking. It is just a few h