Sunday 31 January 2016

Blind Bartimaeus - Mark 10:46 - 52

The crowd is celebrating, Bartimaeus is calling. Jesus is in town which gives the crowd reason to be glad, and Bartimaeus to hope for mercy. The crowd are not interested in Bartimaeus and his interruptions. They rudely tell him to be quiet. They have no respect for him - his name means 'Son of Filth' after all. Yet he calls all the more, using the royal title 'Son of David' - recognising Jesus as the Messiah. The son of filth calls to the anointed royalty of David's line!

Sunday 24 January 2016

Teaching from Friendship - Matthew 18:21 - 22

In the gospels we see (among other things) the developing relationship between Jesus and the disciples. Natural to any relationship is dialogue, with Matthew 18 being one example. Here and elsewhere we see Peter asking a question - in this case a hard question about forgiveness.

[UP] Are you close enough for hard questions?

Challenge: In your triplet wrestle with a question

Sunday 10 January 2016

See Potential - Luke 5:1 - 11

Incredible things are possible because God is with Us! Both the Christmas story and the promise given in Matthew 28:20. This is Jesus, God walking in everyday life among His own creation.

Wednesday 6 January 2016

[OUT] Who are you called to help disciple?

Key Challenge: Pass it on [see if it goes viral!]

Sunday 3 January 2016

Be Disciplers - Matthew 28:16 - 20

Matthew 28 might seem a long way from the beginning of Matthew and the Christmas story, but it has important words for our generation: 'Make disciples ... teach people'. Poignant because culture today would rather have church as an event, in the worst case another experience to consume, yet instead Jesus did life on life, apprenticeship, and walking alongside.