Britain's Banks too big to save

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00xwsl5/Britains_Banks_Too_Big_to_Save/

In the first five minutes they interview a businessman who shows clear love for his employees as he is forced to lay off some in order to keep his company a float; describes the way the banks operate as conceived in sin.

Do you think the banking system is inherently evil?


Thanks to John R for pointing this one out

John 5 1-24 Father and Son

The Healing (John 5:1-15)
 Jesus meets a man who has been crippled for 38 years and heals him instantly.  Jewish law prohibited all work on the Sabbath, including carrying, so the Jews apparently ignore the healing and focus on law-breaking. The Jews don’t want to worship Jesus they want to blame him. Jesus doesn't get into a technical debate about Sabbath keeping but talks about something much more interesting - His relationship with God the Father.


Jesus is God: stand back in amazement (John 5:16-20)
God the Father works every day, so does Jesus, His son.  The Jews realise He is claiming to be God and want to kill him.  Jesus relationship with God the Father is like a loving father who trains his son and a devoted son who watches and learns from his father.

Jesus is the life giver: believe and change (John 5:21, 25,26)

 Jesus transforms this man’s life. His voice can raise the spiritually dead.  The way to obtain new life is by hearing the word of Jesus and believing (like the Samaritans and the ruler in chapter 4).

Jesus is the Judge: honour him (John 5:22,23; 27-30)

Jesus is the Son of Man who has all authority to judge

His judgment will be just, but we need to honour him now or we will be condemned


To listen to sermons in the John series click here

Mark 10:45 Verse of the year 2011

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

This was our verse for 2011

Jesus talks to His disciples. They are trying to get the best seats one day in the future and arguing over who is the greatest. He tells them that if they want to be really great in His kingdom they must learn to serve.

Jesus himself is the perfect model of service

Jesus Serves He serves throughout His life.
He serves in His sacrificial death paying the price for our sin.

We must serve Serve whoever needs it – whether you think they deserve it or not!
Serve sacrificially
Make service your big ambition - your goal for 2011

What could the church look like with all of us serving like that?

To listen to the sermon about this verse click here

John 4:43-54 Jesus and the royal official

Is the word of Jesus enough for you?

The woman at the well and the other people of Samaria received Jesus with enthusiasm – accepting him as Messiah and Saviour of the world. In contrast when Jesus arrived in Galilee among his own people – they were only interested in seeing him perform miracles.

But a royal official whose son was near to death heard that Jesus had arrived. So he made the difficult journey from Capernaum to ask Jesus to come and heal his son.

Jesus tested the man’s faith by suggesting that he just wanted to see a miracle. Undeterred the man repeated his request that Jesus come and heal his son.

Jesus – with words which showed his supreme authority – released the man with the words “You may go” and “Your son will live”.

The man took Jesus at his word and returned home. On the way, the man’s servants met him to tell him that his son had recovered. When they compared notes – they found that the boy had recovered at the precise time that Jesus had spoken and that the healing had been immediate. So the man’s faith was confirmed.

But Jesus gave him much more than he asked for. When the rest of the family heard how the powerful words of Jesus had brought healing to the boy they also believed. The anguish they had all experienced had been used to bring about their eternal good.

The apostle John wrote this gospel so that we might all believe that Jesus is the Christ – the Son of God and that by believing – we might have eternal life through him.

Will you take Jesus at His word?

To listen to sermons in the John series click here

Nativity on BBC

If you have some time and not sure what to watch on iPlayer, this is definitely worth a look, even though they may have embellished a few things, it is in my opinion a good portrayal. It fills in some of the human responses to what is happening

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00x1699/The_Nativity_Episode_1/

TFTD on Radio 4 and Richard Dawkins' Response

At this link you can listen to the broadcast
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12072115

Here's an angry response from Richard Dawkins. Of course he's got a point about the many bad things the church as an institution has done. But why so angry about sin and the Cross?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/dec/24/pope-benedict-thought-for-the-day

What have you got to sing about? Luke 1:39-55

Why do you sing? Songs express emotion. In Luke 1 we have Mary's song. She sings because she is really happy. There’s three things in particular that she is happy about:

1.       Mary Sings because she believes [verses 39-45]

Mary is told she is going to give birth to a son without a human father. He will be called Jesus. He will be great; He will be like David (descended from David and a great ruler); and He will reign forever. She hears all this and she believes, and so she sings! 

Do you believe? Does it make you happy?

2.       Mary sings because of the Saviour [verses 46-53]

Mary might still have some questions about how God will save through Jesus but she's definitely understood that He will save through Jesus. Mary grabs hold of lots of ideas from the Old Testament and says that this is the way God always saves. He's always worked by turning everything upside down, lifting up the humble and bringing down proud people who think they're so great.

Are you humble and hungry for God to save you? 

3.        Mary Sings because God Keeps His promises [verses 54,55]

God had always been with His people but now at this special moment He is keeping the promises made to Abraham in a surprising way. Mary is so happy. She believes God is saving by shaking everything upside down. She realises this is the moment God brings all His promises to fulfilment.

Do you feel like singing now?