Episodios

  • June 18th - John 1:40-41

    June 18th - John 1:40-41
    Jun 18 2025
    John 1:40-41 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). There used to be a lot of talk about friendship evangelism – bringing people to hear the good news of Jesus through friendship. I never liked the sound of it. It seemed scheming and awkward to me. I would much rather talk simply about friendship, and that’s exactly what we see in this passage. Friendship is the most natural thing in the world. Andrew met Jesus and then he immediately wanted to share the experience with his family and friends, so he went to find his brother Simon to introduce him to Jesus. I remember speaking to a minister who said that his church had recently distributed thousands of leaflets to local homes inviting people to their services. It was a huge effort, and no one came. That doesn’t mean it was wrong to do, but the minister reflected that it would have been so much better if people had simply invited their friends. In our friendships, we naturally talk about the things that matter to us and which we enjoy, so what could be more straightforward than to offer an invitation to a friend to hear about Jesus? These days, there are so many ways in which people can discover more about Jesus and learn what it means to be a Christian, but most people won’t access a Christian book, website, Alpha or other introductory course, radio station or church without a warm introduction from a friend. We’ve all got a role to play. We don’t need to go on a sophisticated course, read loads of books or develop a clever technique. We just need to be friends. Question Who could you introduce to Jesus? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you for the way in which you have brought new life to me. Help me find more ways of helping others to meet you. Amen
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    3 m
  • June 17th - John 1:26-27

    June 17th - John 1:26-27
    Jun 17 2025
    John 1:26-27 John [the Baptist] told them, “I baptise with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognise. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.” We are familiar with the stories of Jesus and have probably all seen film portrayals of him. It’s hard for us to imagine that there was a time when people didn’t know who he was. He didn’t stand out in a crowd. It seems that only John the Baptist could spot him; he recognised exactly who Jesus was and why he had come to the world. He knew he had a vital ministry of preparing the way for Jesus but that he himself was not worthy of even being his slave. The New Testament clearly proclaims that Jesus is alive today. In the power of the Holy Spirit, he continues to be present in our world, but most people don’t recognise him. Many people see Church as an irrelevance and, according to some surveys, weekly church attendance has now declined to about 5 per cent of the population. There is still some teaching about Christianity in schools, but it’s likely that the majority of the population knows nothing about Jesus. There is an urgent need for us to give people the opportunity to hear about him, and I’m repeatedly thrilled to hear about imaginative initiatives to do so. Every day for the last 30 years, Premier has been seizing the opportunity to speak about Jesus. Millions of people have heard about him through Premier’s radio stations, podcasts and publications. The role Premier continues to play is crucial, and we need to do everything we can to support it. Everyone must make their own mind up about whether they want to follow Jesus, but it’s absolutely vital that they know about him. Just like John the Baptist, we can all play our part in helping to point people to Jesus. Question In what ways might you be able to help people in your community to hear about Jesus? Prayer Lord God, help me to be imaginative and courageous in helping other people to learn more about Jesus. Amen
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    3 m
  • June 16th - John 1:16-17

    June 16th - John 1:16-17
    Jun 16 2025
    John 1:16-17 From God’s abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. People have very different understandings of God. Some see him as being a strict disciplinarian, like a divine policeman. Others see him as a nice old man on a cloud with a flowing beard, very kind but completely cut off from normal life. Then there is the picture of God that we find in John’s Gospel – someone who is unfailingly generous and involved in every part of our daily life. His principal desire is that we should thrive, and he is looking for every possible way of blessing us. That’s what he did long ago when he gave the law to Moses, and then later when he sent Jesus into the world, and that’s still his agenda today. If you head into today with a conviction that God is generous and longing to bless you, it will colour everything that you do. You will be eager to pray, knowing that God loves to hear and respond to your prayers. He doesn’t prevent us from facing the difficulties, disappointments and tragedies which are an integral part of the brokenness of our world, but when you do face challenges, you can be sure that God is present with you and will be working with you to bring blessing to every situation. When Jesus taught his disciples about prayer, he pointed out that it is normal for a human father to give good things to his children. Jesus concluded that if we sinful human beings know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will our heavenly Father give to us through his Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13)? We can be confident that our generous God will always give us the best because his desire is always to be generous. Question In what ways have you experienced God’s generosity? Prayer Lord God, I thank you for your desire to bless every part of my life. Amen
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    3 m
  • June 15th - John 1:10-12

    June 15th - John 1:10-12
    Jun 15 2025
    John 1:10-12 [Jesus] came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognise him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. Rejection is always painful. If you meet with a new group of people and feel unwelcome, it is an uncomfortable experience, but if you are rejected by people who are close to you, it is particularly agonising. Many people have experienced rejection from their parents, children or spouse. There is no way of simply brushing it off. It hurts deeply and is likely to continue to have an impact for years to come. Our verses today speak of the pain that Jesus experienced in coming to the world that he had created with his Father and being rejected. Even though he came to the Jews, his own much-loved people, they had no time for him. That wasn’t the end of the story. Although many rejected him, there were always some people who believed in him. In the Gospels, we see Jesus in regular conflict with the Pharisees, who were extremely committed Jews. They tried to live according to the letter of the Jewish law. Jesus had some extremely harsh words for them, but even they were not wholly opposed to Jesus. Nicodemus was one of their number and he went to Jesus at night, revealing his profound interest in Jesus’ teaching. Another Pharisee, Joseph of Arimathea, was so devoted to Jesus that after his crucifixion, he asked Pilate for the privilege of giving Jesus a decent burial in his own family tomb. On that day of crucifixion, as the Romans carried out the brutal murder of Jesus, the centurion on duty concluded that Jesus was none other than the Son of God. Most people reject Jesus today, but not all. Even among people who would never think of attending church, there are those who have an interest in Jesus and a respect for his teaching. John says the door is open to anyone who will believe in Jesus. If they do, whatever their background, they become children of God, part of God’s eternal family. Question How do you react to the fact that most people in your local community reject Jesus? Prayer Loving God, thank you that you welcome everyone who believes in Jesus into your family. Amen
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    4 m
  • June 14th - John 1:6-8

    June 14th - John 1:6-8
    Jun 14 2025
    John 1:6-8 God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. John was determined to help people to see that Jesus, and only Jesus, is the Light of the World. John the Baptist had a really important part to play, but he wasn’t the light. He simply prepared people to meet with Jesus. John wanted his readers to make sure that they were only looking for life’s meaning and purpose in Jesus. There is a traditional story from the Middle East which I have always loved. It tells of a man hunting for something in the middle of a dusty road. A stranger approached him and asked what he was looking for. “I’m looking for my key,” replied the man. “Where did you lose it?” asked the stranger. “Oh,” the man replied: “I lost it in my house.” The stranger looked puzzled and asked: “So if you lost it in your house, why are you looking for it here in the middle of the road?” The man replied, “Because there is more light out here.” This sums up what is happening in our society. People want to find meaning and purpose for their lives, but they are looking in the wrong place. They need to look to Jesus and find the true light that he came to bring. The role of John the Baptist was crucial, and his task was not to draw attention to himself but to point to Jesus. John couldn’t save people from their sins or give people eternal life, but he knew a man who could, and his ministry was focused on helping people to meet and follow him. Our role is similar to that of John the Baptist. We are never called to draw attention to ourselves, as if we have the answers to people’s needs. Our task is to point to Jesus so they can find new life in him. Question Where do you think people look to find meaning and purpose in their lives? Prayer Lord God, I thank you for all those people who have helped me to meet Jesus. Help me to be faithful in supporting others to follow him. Amen
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    3 m
  • June 13th - John 1:4-5

    June 13th - John 1:4-5
    Jun 13 2025
    John 1:4-5 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. There has been darkness on every page of human history, but the last century saw darkness on a colossal scale. During the terrible dictatorships of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and Mao, many tens of millions of people were killed, but we have also seen horrifying amounts of abuse even within the Church. Every day, we hear stories of darkness, and we feel the weight of pain that is borne by so many people, but there is good news amid this terrible darkness – however hard people may have tried, they have failed to extinguish the light of Christ. There have been determined efforts to destroy the Church over the past century, and there still are today. To those brothers and sisters in North Korea, Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan who live under the most oppressive regimes, we can declare that the light of Christ will never be put out. None of this is to underestimate or trivialise the suffering which many Christians face this very day. The pain and suffering are all too real, and at times the destroyers might seem to have the upper hand. However, we can be absolutely sure that they cannot and will not win. The situations that you and I face each day may not seem so desperate, but we can all see places where it is hard to live for Christ, and where Christians are marginalised and mocked for their faith. On those days when it all feels too much and the devil seems to be winning, we need to go back to these verses and encourage ourselves with the thought that, hard as they may try, the powers of darkness will not have the final word. Question In what way does it encourage you to know that the darkness will never extinguish the light of Christ? Prayer Loving God, I thank you that the light of Christ will shine forever, however strong the opposition. Amen
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    3 m
  • June 12th - John 1:1

    June 12th - John 1:1
    Jun 12 2025
    John 1:1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. Can I be honest? I listened to these words for years without really understanding them. They are often used at Christmas carol services, and they seemed very mysterious to me. John would have been saddened by my reaction because for him and his readers, it was obvious. Everyone knew what he meant by ‘the Word’ or the Logos. This was an expression often used in Greek philosophy which shaped the thinking of his day. He was saying that Jesus was nothing less than God himself, and that when God spoke to the world, he did so in the form of his Son Jesus, the Word. This reminds us of the very beginning of the Bible, where we learn that God created the world. When God spoke, something happened. On day one he said: “Let there be light,” and there was light. There isn’t a distinction between the word and the action. When God sent Jesus as the Word, we see him acting in the most powerful way to bring life to the world. John is very clear about the purpose of his Gospel. He isn’t writing a philosophical textbook but offering an introduction to his friend Jesus. He wants his readers to understand that if they want to know what life is all about, they need to meet Jesus. They need to receive the life he came to bring through believing in his name. In the other three Gospels, we hear about Jesus meeting many different people, but these encounters are all told very briefly. John’s Gospel is different. Here, we find Jesus having long conversations with people. We learn that his purpose was to get alongside people, however complicated their circumstances, and to bring them new life. Jesus is doing exactly the same today. He wants to come alongside us, amid all the complexity of our lives, and show us how he can bring us his abundant life today – a life which is so rich and wonderful that it will never come to an end. Question In what ways has meeting with Jesus changed your life? Prayer Loving heavenly Father, I worship you because you spoke to the world by sending Jesus as your Son. Thank you that in him I can find life today. Amen
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    4 m
  • June 11th - Acts 2:44-45

    June 11th - Acts 2:44-45
    Jun 11 2025
    Acts 2:44-45 All the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. The Holy Spirit transformed every part of the early Christians’ lives. Yes, they were committed to teaching, fellowship and prayer, but they also looked at their possessions with new eyes. They were eager to find opportunities to share their resources with one another according to people’s needs. This is revolutionary stuff. It is really important to ensure that a church’s teaching, fellowship and prayer life are strong, but if they don’t affect our material possessions, something has gone seriously wrong. I don’t believe that there is just one way of doing this. This very brief description of the early Church gives the impression of all the Christians living together in community. It sounds so simple and straightforward, but I don’t think anyone who has lived in community would describe it like that. I remember a well-known Christian leader using one word to describe living in community: “Painful.” When asked to amplify this, he replied: “Very painful.” That doesn’t mean that living in community is wrong, but I certainly don’t believe it is God’s calling for all of us. What is clear is that God calls us to be good stewards of the resources he has put in our hands. They have been given to us so that we can share them with others, and we will only be able to do that if we are aware of others’ needs. When our love for our Christian brothers and sisters leads us to give sacrificially to support them in their need, the Holy Spirit is at work. When our concern for our communities causes us to reach out and show them compassion and care, the Holy Spirit is clearly at work. However, if the presence of the Holy Spirit is only ever seen in worship, there are some serious questions to ask. Question In what way has the Spirit led you to share your possessions with others? Prayer Loving God, help me to be a good steward of all that you have generously given to me. Amen
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    3 m
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