Not ashamed

Take a look at this. I thought it was pretty good.

http://www.notashamed.org.uk/leaflet.php

Nativity - day 1

Short Extract from Day 1 of the Nativity Puppet Show

John 4:1-26 True Worship

Jesus crosses boundaries of racial and religious divide and chooses to go through Samaria and talk with an immoral Samaritan woman. Jesus crosses all boundaries because He is Messiah for everyone, and He calls His people to do the same

Jesus ignores the political questions and makes an offer of living water. Only he can give new life and satisfaction through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus meets our deepest needs because he is the Messiah.

She was living with a man following 5 terminated marriages. Jesus knows all this about her, and more and yet he still makes an offer of life. Jesus knows all about you because He is the Messiah. He calls you to face up to who you are, so you can recognise who He is

Jesus avoids a diversion of talking about what was in the past the correct way and place to worship God. Now for her and for us it’s about Spirit (God’s life giving power) and Truth (personified in Jesus). We must worship God by trusting Jesus at the Messiah – God’s promised King.

He will completely satisfy you. Just ask and He will give.

To listen to sermons in the John series click here

Why Mission? Hmm Not Sure

So apparently we don't need to do global mission so God can save people. It's just so their lives can be better following God's way.

http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/asksteve/whatsthepointofmission.aspx

This doesn't sound right to me. Any comments?

Counterfeit Gods

We recommended this book on Sunday. If you want a longer introduction take a look a this video of Tim Keller speaking at Cambridge earlier this year.


http://vimeo.com/10952075

...and then buy the book.









Or have a look at his introduction on YouTube

BBC Nativity

Not making any recommendations either way about the programme or the organisation writing this review but I thought some of you might be interested in this:

http://www.cte.org.uk/Articles/231905/Churches_Together_in/News_Events/News/The_Nativity_on.aspx?redirected=1

Of course you could always go to Saltworkz Cafe and experience our own Nativity story time every Wednesday in December 2010 at 3.45pm.

John 3:22-36

This last Sunday we were studying the next section in John's gospel. We looked at two things, firstly John the Baptist's attiude that of Jesus becoming greater and him becoming less. John is content with the role that he has been given, He says I am not the Christ, I am the messenger, I am not the bridgegroom, I am the freind who serves and waits on the bridegroom. It is Jesus who is great and I am to become less. The question I posed on Sunday was whether we were content with the roles that God has given, content with the way in which God has called us to serve or whether we were secretly hankering after a greater role, a role with greater prestige, greater standing in the community. Furthermore were were we serving for our glory or to make Jesus great. John the Baptist's example is one we should certainly follow - to be those who are content with the role God has given us and to do all things for the glory of Jesus not ourselves.

The second point we looked at was why Jesus must become greater and we noted five things (listen to the sermon to see them all!). Ultimately though we saw, that he must become greater because Jesus is the only one who can give life, Jesus is the only one who can truly testify about God because He is the only one from above. Thus John concludes with the statement "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. Thus Jesus must become greater because it is only belief in him and him alone not John the Baptist, not us, that will grant someone eternal life. That is why we must become less and he MUST become greater. Who is it you are believing in? One who can give eternal life?

To listen to sermons in the John series click here