Episodes
Sunday Jan 19, 2014
The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World (John 1:29-42)
Sunday Jan 19, 2014
Sunday Jan 19, 2014
In his book Bono:
In Conversation with Michka Assayas, the author says 'Jesus has his rank among the world's great thinkers, there is no doubt. But Son of God? Isn't that a bit farfetched?' Bono responds with a ringing endorsement that indeed, Jesus is not just a great thinker - if he is not the Son of God then he is a lunatic.
Who is Jesus? This is a key question. In this passage from the gospel of John, there are no less than four titles given to Jesus: Rabbi, Son of God, Lamb of God, and Christ/Messiah.
This sermon explores each of those titles and what Jesus' identity means for us.
It was preached at Sunday Night at St John's on 19th January 2014.
It can be used in conjunction with the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link.
Enjoy!
Monday Jan 13, 2014
A bruised reed he will not break - Isaiah 42
Monday Jan 13, 2014
Monday Jan 13, 2014
God is sometimes - perhaps far too often - portrayed as a harsh judge, watching our every move and waiting to punish our mistakes. God IS holy - but he is also gracious and compassionate. God IS transcendent and mighty - but he is also immanent, with us, intimate. When we place too much emphasis on one of these paradoxical axes of God's character at the expense of its contrast, we get a distorted picture of God.
The first servant song, found in Isaiah 42, gives us a picture of the 'Servant of God' who is tender, and gentle. 'A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.' Jesus is that servant - the one who looks beyond the damage to the infinite worth of a human being, the one who brings God's compassion and mercy, his holiness and judgment, his power and his intimacy, together in human flesh.
We are all bruised. This world knocks us around. Jesus looks past the pain to the preciousness - and brings healing and forgiveness.
This sermon was preached at Sunday Night at St John's on Sunday January 12, 2014.
It can be used with the Prezi zooming visuals found at this link.
Enjoy!