We finished up our series on John’s 7 statements of Jesus’ I ams with arguably the most clear scene of Immanuel - God with us- in the whole of the bible. It shows Jesus operating in extreme truth, power, and messianic fulfilment but also reveals his profoundly loving humanity. It’s quite a scene to grasp, when we get to grips with how badly our english translations have depicted Jesus’ depth about his grieving friends at Lazarus’ tomb. It’s a bonkers concept to hold in tension: the God of the universe, on the throne, who was victorious in conquering all outworkings of death and destruction in our lives. And a God who became human, to show us how deeply he cares about our pain, grief and loss, and draw near to us in them; We can’t pick one Jesus or the other, the fact that he is both these things is life's work for all of us, as his followers, to hold together.
By Hannah Flint
Do we earn God’s love by obeying his commands? The perfectionist mindset makes it very difficult to understand the concept of unconditional love. In this talk we unpack what Jesus really means when he says “if you obey my commands you will abide in my love”, what his commands are, and how his purposes in everything are to lead us toward joy and life to the fullest.
by Tavia Grubbs
On Jesus’ final night before his arrest and betrayal, his disciples become troubled. Will they be abandoned? Were they right to put their faith in him? Jesus’s response is to reassure them of his identity - He is the fullness of God. But not just this - he is also the way to heaven. Heaven is both a glorious future reality in which all suffering ceases, but also, because of what Jesus achieves on the cross - a present experience. Jesus will never leave us, so we need not be troubled by the thought of being abandoned. And all our troubles recede in the light of heaven - now in part, and in the future forever.
By Ed Flint
Jesus condemns the religious leaders of his time. They were tasked with looking after God’s people, his sheep - but they’ve failed in their task. Jesus announces himself, in contrast, as the one true and Good Shepherd. And he leads his people into safe and bountiful pasture. It’s important for us to separate Jesus, the Good Shepherd, from those who have caused harm to us his sheep. Jesus is always part of the solution, so it’s important not to see him as part of the problem. His desire is to heal and restore those of us who have been hurt, and to renew our intimacy with him.