“In many ways, I am a very boring man. I dress badly, I really like science. And I am partial to watching football. However, in other ways, I am an interesting man. I have a unique sense of dress. I really like science. And I am partial to watching football.” My point is that whether you think I am boring or not is really a matter of perspective. A christian life should be many things: selfless, challenging, transformative, stimulating intellectually, busy, and bring a sense of emotional stability, meaning and peace. But it should not be boring. In fact, if it is boring, you have a problem that you need to address! Jesus came to give us a full and fulfilling life now, and a hope for the future.
Read moreCleopas listened to what they all had to say. He found it hard to believe. The Passover was over and it was time they made their way home to Emmaus. It was a seven mile walk and he did not want to delay setting out. They could discuss the matter on the way. As Cleopas and his companion walked they considered text after text to see if the scriptures supported this turn of events. Did they explain what this rising was? Was He going to be King or not? How could He be if He was dead? Had the plan gone wrong? They conversed earnestly as they walked along the dusty road.
Read moreThe soldiers outside the tomb kept vigilant watch, half of them on watch while the other half slept, turn and turn about, every three hours. As darkness fell, they remained on extra high alert for any Galilean gang creeping up. If anything untoward happened or anyone sneaked by them, they would be executed, either as a squad or by one picked out by lot to answer the crime of all. There was no chance they would doze off.
Read moreudas saw Jesus arrested. He watched as He was taken to the house of Caiaphas the High Priest. But then, in the morning, Jesus was taken before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, as a convicted criminal. And it was then that the truth hit him.
Read moreJesus was led first to the house of Annas, father in law to Caiaphas the high priest for that year. Annas sent Him on, still bound, to Caiaphas where the court had convened and was waiting in his palace. Caiaphas was the one who had pronounced some while previously that it would be a good thing if someone, whether innocent or guilty, should be put to death, rather than spark a riot amongst the people which would bring Roman wrath down on the whole Jewish nation.
Read moreJesus had now finished teaching His disciples and His ministry was at an end. He told them that He was about to be betrayed and that He would die but they did not understand the significance of this. The feast of unleavened bread was about to begin and the disciples asked Jesus where He wanted them to prepare the Passover meal. Jesus had planned for this to be a special meal with His friends, knowing that it was to be the last one, and had arranged a secret location.
Read moreWhen Will The Kingdom Come?
Every day that Passover week, Jesus taught in the Temple. He arrived early in the morning and stayed till late at night. People flocked to hear him from the time he entered the city till the time he left. But at night, when everyone else went back to their homes to eat and sleep, Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives alone to pray.
Read moreJesus entered the Temple and stood in the Court of the Gentiles. What He saw grieved and horrified Him. So He set to and began to throw the traders out. Out went the men who changed people’s money into Temple currency at outrageous exchange rates – just so they could pay their annual taxes. Out went those who sold doves, the minimum sacrifice required from poor people, at high prices. Out went all those who bought and sold. He would not even allow anyone to carry things to sell through the Temple precincts.
Read moreSix days before the final Passover feast, Jesus arrived in Bethany. A supper was prepared for Him at the house of Simon the leper and everyone came. Martha was serving as usual and Lazarus was sitting with Jesus at the table. People turned up not only to see Jesus but Lazarus as well. He was quite a figure now he had been raised from the dead and he used this to preach about Jesus. (The Pharisees were quite annoyed about it and were plotting together to execute him as well as Jesus if they could.)
Read moreI think we should view prophecy a bit like supporting England in a major football tournament. Each time we believe that this time could actually be it. This time I think we actually have a decent squad and a good manager and our build up has been really exciting and positive. When the first whistle starts we genuinely believe that in four weeks’ time we will be lifting the trophy. Devastatingly quickly it becomes obvious that we were wrong, our star players flounder, the youthful hopefuls get overwhelmed by the occasion and it’s clear we still haven’t practised our penalties and we go out. Once again, this time wasn’t it. Do I feel tricked by all the positivity beforehand? No, not at all. I loved all the build-up and even though in the back of my mind there were major doubts, I allowed myself to be caught up in the seeming impossibility of a victory. But one day I know that my belief in the English football team will be rewarded, one day we will win a tournament and I will not regret those previous disappointments at all. In fact, they will make the final victory in a World Cup final all the sweeter.
Read moreWe have been thinking a lot about the Kingdom of God in the past few weeks, taking a few different perspectives. Firstly, there's the historical Kingdom in Israel, where God ruled through judges, prophets and kings, and which foreshadowed a future Kingdom of God that will fill the whole earth. Meanwhile, we can be living and sharing his Kingdom now, albeit in a rather limited way, through the kingship of Jesus and his influence in our lives. However, it is clear that God wants us to be looking forward to Jesus’ return and the establishment of the Kingdom in its fullest sense. This is the great good news which Jesus brought us!
Read moreScience discovers and defines what has been observed. On the basis of such research, theories are devised to explain the facts, and ‘laws’ developed to identify commonly occurring activity. These ‘laws’ are accepted as true and factual until proved false, at which time new ‘laws’ are devised. Science works from observable facts to generate knowledge and understanding.
Read moreLuke18:18-23 recounts Jesus’ dialogue with the Rich Young Ruler. The Rich Young Ruler was doing nothing wrong. However, his walk with God was passive: “Have I killed anybody? Nope. Have I had an affair? Nope. But have I worked out what’s coming between me and God and dealt with it so that I can have an active walk with God?”
Read moreI was watching a Channel 4 documentary the other evening: The Girl who Forgave the Nazis. It told the story of Eva Kor, a holocaust survivor who publicly forgave the Nazis for what they did to her. There was an interesting scene in the programme, in which she discusses her action with other survivors who are not sympathetic. Many have the view that the Nazis should never be forgiven for what they did. One man said they cannot be forgiven because they haven’t asked for forgiveness. And this got me thinking: does forgiveness only take place when someone is sorry?
Read moreWelcome to our new site! We hope you like it. We would like this to be a thought-provoking and active online space to match the atmosphere of our church. But why the lighthouse? It’s fair to say Newbury is about as far from the coast as you could possibly get in this island of ours! But we see ourselves as a lighthouse for a number of reasons.
Read moreOur thoughts on Sunday were on faith and forgiveness. One of the interesting topics that came up was whether God ‘forgives and forgets’. It’s easy to assume that the answer is yes because this is such a common adage, and therefore, we should do the same. But on closer inspection, whilst it is clear we are asked to forgive, I don’t think we are asked to forget.
Read moreI think it’s fair to say there’s quite a bit of mutual misinformation about what other churches believe. When I read online about what Christadelphians believe, I often find that my own beliefs are quite some distance from what Christadelphians apparently believe (e.g. “salvation by works”). I suspect strongly that other Christians have exactly the same issue. Part of this problem is that there will be a large range of views within each denomination on a particular issue. Take any issue, and you will probably find Christians in a different denomination who feel the same about the issue as you, whereas Christians within your denomination differ completely.
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