Luke 11 vv 1-4, Ecclesiastes 3vv 1-8, 1 John 1-12 The reading from Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time for everything. So is there a certain time for prayer, or is there always a time to pray? John’s first letter speaks of walking in the light. Are we walking in the light as…
Theme introduction Luke 5:12-16 Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy.* When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, ‘Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.’ Then Jesus*stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, ‘I do choose. Be…
When you seek me you will find me if you seek me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:13 Luke 11:1-4, Ephesians 6:10-20 We are gathered to consider prayer. What’s it all about? Well it’s very important for Christians. It was very important for Jesus, then surely it’s important for us. And yet, as I’ve…
The year is 1949. The congregation in the village of Barvas on the Isle of Lewis is in a poor state. Not a single young person attended church. Two old women, one of them 84, the other 82 and blind, were greatly concerned, and made this a matter of special prayer. A verse gripped them:…
Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 95, John 4:5-42, Romans 5:1-11 Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice…
Matthew 16:13-20 2 Timothy 3:10-4:8 An article in a recent issue of Reform magazine asked “what will the church be like in 40 years?” They asked four people in various positions of leadership throughout the church to give their view, and these were published in the magazine. Firstly, they asked Susan Durber, the principal of…
Luke 7:1-10 We were only eleven when the slave traders abducted us. Came and snatched us as we were playing in the fields, back home in Ethiopia. My twin brother and me, like two peas in a pod we were; even our parents sometimes got us muddled up. The slave traders were delighted with us;…
Galatians 1:1-12 I wonder what makes you angry? Driving in Farnham, especially when roads are closed, would seem, from their behaviour, to make many people angry. Many sports fans get angry when their team doesn’t perform as they expect, while politicians cause others to shout at their television sets. Others of us loose our cool…
John 13:31-35 I’m well aware that whenever I go away to any course or conference, there are some people in the church who are dread this, simply because they worry about what new ideas I’ll have come up with. I think that’s rather how the disciples were feeling in this week’s reading. We’re eavesdropping on…
Genesis 18:1-15 Genesis 35:1-7 Luke 24: 13 – 35 A burglar broke into a house and was looking around. He heard a soft voice say, “Jesus is watching you”. Thinking it was just his imagination, he continued his search. Again the voice said, “Jesus is watching you”. He turned his flashlight around and saw a…