musings on ministry
I wonder how often we say ‘Thanks’? I wonder how often we say it to the people we are really thankful for? The practice of gratitude is a simple way to completely change your outlook on life. It’s the start of that radical life-change we talked about last week. Thankfulness. Gratitude. Whatever you want to Read More …
We come to the end of our journey through the Gospel of John this Sunday as we tackle john 20:19-31. It’s evening on Easter Day, the disciples are scared and locked in a room. Apart from Thomas. He’s somewhere else. And Jesus appears. A whole load of stuff is happening in this short passage. Jesus Read More …
The Gospel of John is about revelation. Who is Jesus? Who are we? All the encounters we have witnessed as we journeyed through this Gospel tell us the truth about Jesus, the people he met, and about ourselves. The trial before Pilate lays bare humanity. Our humanity. It shows us just where power really lies Read More …
The questions we ask expose our priorities. Are you the king of the Jews? That’s Pilate’s question to Jesus in John 18:28-40. That’s the only question that matters to a political governor. Are you a problem for me? But Pilate is asking the wrong questions… so Jesus asks some of his own. The exchange ends Read More …
John 18:12-27 We jump ahead to Jesus’ trial this week on our journey through Holy Week, but in many ways the trial is secondary, at least for us this week. We’ll explore that story and also the story inside the story… what happens in-between. In the night. Peter’s denials. 1… 2… 3… Standing in the Read More …
John 13:1-17 is about feet… Washing feet… dirty, smelly feet! We usually read this passage on Maundy Thursday so to deal with it this early in Lent gives us the chance to look at it in a very different context. (We have skipped a chapter so it’s worth reading chapter 12… there are lots of Read More …
John 11:1-44… Lazarus. Jesus’ friend. Dying. And what does Jesus do? Something else. There’s no hurry. No rush to see him or any hint that he might save him. So many miracles, so many strangers healed, made whole, restored… why not Lazarus? Again the story is laden with symbolism but there’s some real raw emotion Read More …