The notes are taken from the weekly Newssheet
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Sunday 3 January
am By my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty Zechariah 4:1-7
Steve Fenton
God’s people were in need of encouragement. Political problems, opposition, low morale and lack of resources were undermining their faith and resolve. God’s word to Zerubbabel through Zechariah, “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit” was a call to trust God and to look to him for help and resources when confronted by seemingly impossible situations.
pm Wanting the Cross to be just for Jesus Mark 8:34-38
David Lockwood
In this passage we are near the very centre of the Christian life. If each day a person were to take one of these sentences locked in the depths of their heart, it would be more than enough to be going with.
Sunday 10 January
am Who do you think you are? Matthew 1:1-17
David Lockwood
How many times have you skipped over the list of names at the beginning of Matthew or wondered why they are there? The genealogy of Jesus answers questions of identity, highlights God’s heart to include all people and also, as part of the larger narrative in chapters 1 & 2, shows God at work in unexpected ways.
pm Good Stewards Genesis 1:1, 11, 24-28
Steve Fenton
Genesis chapter one contains God’s mandate for mankind to manage and care for the earth. But with a third of the world’s rainforests having disappeared over the last fifty years and over a hundred species of plants and animals becoming extinct every day, how are we doing? Most Christians prefer to leave this debate to the environmentalists. But as it is people made in God’s image who suffer as a result of our neglect to care for the earth, ignoring God’s mandate is not an option.
Sunday 17 January
am Staying Focused in the Tough Times Matthew 4:1-15
Steve Fenton
Having just been baptised and received clarity and confirmation of his life’s purpose Jesus was subjected to an intense period of temptation – the temptation to put God second, to compromise on his calling and ultimately to be lured away from God’s best to the devil’s worst. Jesus weathered the storm and changed the course of history as he proclaimed the good news of God’s salvation. We too will be tempted and tested but through it all we need to embrace God’s best, share the good news that Jesus Christ puts us right with God and that we can experience a new life with him now.
pm Jesus and Film - Shawshank Redemption
David Lockwood
Voted as one of the best films of all time, Shawshank Redemption raises a number of themes that relate to everyday life. Want to find out what themes are raised? Interested in hearing what the good news of Jesus has to say about such topics? Come along to the first instalment of the interactive Jesus and Film service where together we will unpack what the Bible has to say.
Sunday 24 January
am How to have influence Matthew 5:1-16 (page 7)
Alastair Curry
This block of teaching is built on the assumption that Christians are different and issues a strong call to us to be different. The challenge to a Christian counter-culture here focuses on our influence in the world, which is to be distinctive (as the ‘salt of the earth’) and radiant (as the ‘light of the world’). This mission brings blessing to ourselves, salvation to others, and ultimately glory to God. We must continually keep guard against the dangers of becoming flavourless Christians, or of becoming hidden Christians.
pm - no service here.
Sunday 31 January
am Two Ways to Live Matthew 7:1-29
Steve Fenton
In this passage Jesus talks about two gates, two paths, two travellers and two destinations (vs. 13-14); he speaks of two builders, two foundations and two outcomes (vs. 24-29); two kinds of plants and two very different kinds of fruit (16-20). Jesus’ essential message is one and the same – hearing God’s word, agreeing with it, is meaningless if we do not act on what we hear, “Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of heaven but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
pm Love that forgives Luke 7:36-50
Dan Foster
In this scene in Luke’s gospel we see a broken woman’s extravagant act of devotion to Jesus. He responds in love - a love that forgives.
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