As Advent draws to a close, we reflect on the phrase, the thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices. We're reminded daily of the weariness of our world, but what was going on when Jesus was born? Why was the ancient world so weary?
In this talk, we dive into what was happening politically and culturally for the people of Jesus' time, explore what we get wrong about the Nativity, and how by reframing our understanding of Luke 2, we can better understand the Hope that Jesus brings. Because hope does not belong to a select few: it's for everyone.
By Rebekah Covington
Christmas declares ‘Glory to God and on earth, peace’. Peace, which is more than just an absence of conflict, but rather everything being right and good with the world, is what God intends for his world. But we know all too well how peace-less the world can be: there’s a lack of peace globally, in our communities, and in our own hearts and minds.
This is because the lasting peace Jesus promises is always dependent on him. And without him, we can never experience the peace He brings. But when we embrace Him as the center of our universe, our community, our personal lives, he does what no-one else can do. He destroys the peacelessness that afflicts us, and re-creates us so that we have peace with God, other people and ourselves. This is the message of Christmas!
By Ed Flint
Every December, we launch our End of Year Giving Campaign. In this talk, we consider how, as followers of Jesus, we are called to treat money. Paul writes to Timothy with instruction to three groups of people: those who have lost sight of Jesus and who are solely interested in financial gain; those who are materially poor; and those who are wealthy. And, in this context, he exhorts Timothy, and all three groups, to refrain from being distracted.
Our focus is not the love of money, but to take hold of the kingdom of God. It is only here where we are freed from the power money can exert over us to become the generous givers we have been made to be. There is no better use of the resources we have been given than to give them away for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
By Ed Flint
Isaiah 52:13-15; Isaiah 53:1-12
As we wrap up this short series on Isaiah (a fitting moment to enter Advent), we come to Isaiah 53—the Suffering Servant—arguably the text that shaped the early church’s understanding of Jesus’ death and resurrection more than any other. It gives us the clearest Old Testament picture of what Jesus came to do and why it matters for real life.
But it’s not a pretty picture: this is a God who heals by taking the brutality of all human sin and pain on Himself. We ask how this song might shape the way we understand our own suffering, and how it calls us toward compassion and mission in our city.
By Hannah Flint
The Bible never promises us a stress-free life. Indeed, we’re regularly told that, as Christians, we can expect suffering. However we can also always expect God to be our great comforter whatever we face. His comfort is so extraordinarily powerful that even when circumstances are at their most dire, we are lifted up, drawn closer and enlivened in our faith.
God comforts us by his nature, his word, and through the comfort of his people. Isaiah prophesies about God’s comfort coming to his people in distress. In Jesus, and by his Spirit, that same comfort is available to us now and always.
By Ed Flint
Isaiah 35 offers a vision of hope and home to God’s people in exile, hundreds of years prior to Jesus. It poetically speaks of the wildness of God’s compassionate mercy and his surprising power.
From this passage we can see a theme that extends far forward as well, that Jesus has come to give us a forever home that is secure. And because of his love and power—even in the driest, most hopeless places—songs of joy and gladness can spring up in our lives.
As he made a desert road for the exiles from Judah, so he has made a road home for us in the midst of our pain and wilderness-seasons.
By Nelly D’Alessandro
Isaiah prophesies the kingdom of Judah’s downfall at the hands of the Assyrians. The people of God are like a tree felled to a stump. But all is not lost. From that stump, the remnant of Israel, God’s Messiah will come, and he will restore all that has been lost.
On a personal level, we all suffer loss to various degrees. Sometimes we’re responsible, other times we’re not. Jesus, our Messiah, full of God’s spirit, comes to restore all that has been lost: our place in creation, our relationship with God, and our mission to the world.
By Ed Flint
Jesus is the prince of peace, the prince of shalom. Shalom is more than just an absence of conflict. It is everything being made complete and right. In our world, we can be very aware of the darkness. The news is often filled with it. And we have darkness closer to home; in our family relationships as well as in our own personal lives, too.
Jesus has come to dispel all darkness and bring an end to all conflict. But He can only do as much as we let Him have access to in our lives. The more we’re able to let our old selves die, and resurrect with Him, the more peace rules our lives and enables us to bring Jesus’ shalom to a world in need.
By Ed Flint
The early church grew at a phenomenal rate. Churches are supposed to grow. This is because God’s will is that every single person know him and be part of his community of love. So, a church that refuses to grow is outside the will of God.
Growth is always the work of God. We’re simply called to participate in what he’s already doing. He builds the waves, our job is to ride them for as long as we’re able. The way we do that is the way the first Christians did it: they were witnessed what Jesus had done in their lives, and they were empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so.
We’re called to witness and be empowered, to be empowered and to witness. When we all do this, the potential for the growth of Jesus’ church is exponential!
By Ed Flint
Worship is an integral part of what it is to be human. All of us are worshippers. But the only thing worthy of our worship is the God who is infinite. Every other object of our worship will eat us alive. By contrast, worship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, means we enter into the life the Trinity has been, is, and will always be enjoying - glorifying one another, and being glorified by one another.
This worship, rather than robbing us of life, brings us to life. When we worship in Spirit (our spirits connecting with his Spirit, by means of the Holy Spirit’s direction) and in Truth (directing our worship solely to Jesus, the crucified and resurrected Lord of Truth) we engage in true worship. The worship that life was meant for.
By Ed Flint
In Luke's characterization of the early church, he describes them as having "sincere hearts"...but what does that mean? In the context of our modern culture, the definition of sincerity seems to shift depending on who you ask: is it just saying what's on your mind? Is it being "real" (whatever that means)? Does integrity have any role?
Examining the story of Ruth, we see that in God's design for how to live, you cannot separate integrity and sincerity. Our sincerity costs us something in our interpersonal relationships, in that we risk being vulnerable with our true, authentic selves. It is our true authentic selves, however, that God has made us to be and He will use who we are, wherever we are.
Looking at Naomi in the story, we also see the importance of sincerity of our worship. Naomi points us to the reality that sometimes the most honest worship we can offer God is "I'm really mad at you right now". From Ruth and Naomi's story, we know that when we bring our authentic selves before God, He will use it. So we don't need to be ashamed or embarrassed of our doubts, fears, or laments -- we just need to be honest about them and let God lead wherever He's taking us.
By Rebekah Covington
‘A gloomy Christian is a contradiction in terms’ said William Barclay.
So where does the deep joy that the New Testament writers so regularly describe come from? It is found not in our circumstances, but in our roots. We are like trees planted by streams of water, drawing on the life of the spirit. When trouble comes, our roots go deeper - so that even when we suffer, we rejoice. This happens only when we give up pursuing happiness first, and pursue instead Jesus’ righteousness.
When we delight in the law of the Lord (his gospel, his lordship, his care for us, his rule of life), then we are blessed, then we are intrinsically, fundamentally happy!
By Ed Flint
In this talk, we focus on a slightly more emotionally risky aspect of devotion. The part where we share not just what we have, but who we are. It’s the intimacy reflected in a meal in a home, a conversation around a dinner table, a showing of our cards with the courage to be seen. A devotion to friendship.
Friendship can look different in different seasons of life, but some challenges get in the way no matter who or where we are. We will explore a few of these together, and look to the bible for examples of friendship we can look up to. The good news: wherever you are on your friendship journey, you can become a better friend because you have access to the source of love.
By Tavia Grubbs