Sunday 28 September 2025: Luke 10:25-37

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

This passage obviously has a significant and powerful message to the people of Jesus’ time and people today about how, in order to truly live up to God’s commandment, we need to break down prejudice and help others, no matter their circumstance, their race, their religion or any other characteristic that makes us think they are different from ourselves.

This parable centres around three key questions that the man of law asked Jesus. The questions were unlikely to have been asked because the man was ignorant, after all we are told at the very beginning that he was an expert in law. He would have been a very learned man, and most likely actually had the attitude that he knew more than most people about everything. So, it is most likely that on this occasion the lawyer stood up to ask Jesus questions in order to try to catch him out. This is not the only time that Jesus has been questioned in that same manner, and Jesus, instead of answering the question, follows this up with another question.

Question 1 – ‘Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’

This question was meant to test Jesus, to see if he would reject what was written in the Law. To the lawyer, Jesus was simply a teacher, and eternal life was something that could be earned through his own merit rather than being a gift from God.

Jesus answers ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read it?’

Of course, the lawyer would have been fully versed with what was written in the Law. After all we are told he was an expert in the law. He most likely would have studied it for many years, teaching others on what it means. So, Jesus instead of rejecting the Law, directs attention towards it. The Lawyer obviously correctly answers the question Jesus has asked and was probably feeling quite smug with himself. He correctly stated that he had to follow the Law and ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.’

Jesus confirmed to the lawyer that he was in fact correct and that if he did this then he would live. Now Jesus was not saying here that if you keep the Law then you will be saved. He never intended anyone could be saved simply by keeping the Law. The purpose of the Law was not to save someone from sin, but to shine a light on our sin.

Jesus is the source of eternal life. Christians receive eternal life by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not through earning it in some way. We have to believe in Him and accept Him as Saviour. Eternal life is the gift we receive when we place our faith in Him.

John 5:24 says, “Whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Question 2 – ‘Who is my neighbour?’

On the surface it appears as though he simply wanted to better understand the Law, but most likely it was that he wanted to limit the extent of the Law. When it comes to loving others as ourselves there is a tendency that we too want to limit this to thinking it applies to those who are close to us. Our neighbours may be considered to be our close friends, family and acquaintances. This question reminds us that we cannot just look at the Word of God on the surface, but we need to dig into the Word to understand the deeper purpose of the message that God wants us to know. Showing love, justice and compassion for everyone no matter who they are, or where they are from is what true obedience to God’s Word means. We need to see everyone as our neighbour. This is what Jesus did when He poured out His love for others, even when He was on the cross.

When we read this encounter between the Lawyer and Jesus, it shows us that no matter how knowledgeable we think we may be about the Bible, no matter how long we have been a Christian, we all need to continually seek to know more about our Lord and Saviour. We all fall way short of true understanding and in applying the Word in practice. This is why we need to continually seek, ask and knock on Jesus’ door to check that how we are behaving and thinking is in line with the teaching of Jesus and God’s command. Love your neighbour as yourself. What this means is reaching out to others to help and show mercy. Not shutting doors because someone appears different from us but treating others with a heartfelt compassion.

Question 3 – v36: ‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’

Well of course we already know the answer, and it appears to be fairly obvious. The Samaritan showed mercy and compassion on a Jew. Now we need to remember that at the time that the relationship between Jews and Samaritans was one of animosity and division. They had different religious beliefs and there were political tensions among them. So, it would have been understandable if the Samaritan in the story was the one who just walked on the other side of the road and turned a blind eye. Let us remember that while to us all Samaritans are Good Samaritans, it was not like this in Jesus’ time. To the Jews, all Samaritans were, by the very fact, bad. This is why Jesus used the Samaritan as the subject of the parable. It was important for those hearing the parable to realise that in fact Samaritans can be good also. It was to break down prejudice. To open their eyes to the fact that kindness towards others should not be restricted only to those who are similar to ourselves. The Good Samaritan isn't a story about how nice 'we' are. It's a story about how one of 'them' helped one of 'us'. 

In this story, it is the Priest and the Levite who walk on the other side. They were from distinct groups within the larger Jewish population, so if anyone would be considered to be a neighbour to the beaten Jew it should have been them. But instead, their actions reveal in them the hardness of their heart and the inability for the Law to instruct them. They are dead in their sin. The Law commanded them to love their neighbour as themselves, but the Law does not give them the power or the desire to obey the Law. It was easier for them to ignore the beaten Jew than to go and help him.

This question shows us that it is easy for us too to overlook who our neighbours are. This may happen because we are focused inwardly rather than being focused on God. When we fail to stop to help someone in need because we are too busy. When we neglect to talk to someone feeling lonely or down because we are thinking about our own needs and problems. This question reminds us to check our hearts and be honest where we have sinned and fall short of God’s command. Loving others as ourselves is not just a good idea, or something nice to do on a Sunday, this is about embracing the love of God and allowing this to shine out of us into the lives of others.

Jesus ends the conversation with a command: ‘go and do likewise’. We do not know how the lawyer responded to this command. Did he listen to Jesus and go and do likewise, or did he simply ignore what he said and walked away? How do we respond to this command? Are we willing to go and do likewise, or are we going to ignore what Jesus wants us to do?

This should encourage us to not just be bystanders by chance, if we happen to be at the same place as someone else, but to actively seek opportunities for us to show the love of God to others. We need to make the effort to step out of the routine and seek ways where we can show kindness to others through sacrificing our time or energy. Making our faith visible to others when we demonstrate acts of love and kindness and treat our neighbour as ourselves.

Sunday 21 September 2025: Luke 12:13-21

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Our reading is a classic example of how the Gospel maintains its relevance to life from Jesus’ time right up to the present day. It starts with an argument about inheritance. How many times these days do we hear of families torn apart by the question of who gets what when a loved one dies? Worse, there are plenty of stories about people who deceptively befriend the vulnerable with the sole intention of inheriting their worldly goods, or those who even turn to murder for the same purpose.

So, it is an emotive topic, and one that no doubt was deliberately intended to find its way into the Gospel because it is one that we can all understand. And Jesus masterfully deals with the question put to him by the man in the crowd by telling a story about a man whom we have come to know as the rich fool.

Apparently, problems like the one raised by the man in the crowd were often brought to Rabbis for them to settle. And many times we will have heard Jesus referred to as ‘Rabbi’, or in the case of our reading from the New International Version, ‘Teacher’. But Jesus responds by pointing to a higher issue which is to have the correct attitude towards the accumulation of wealth. Life is more than material goods, and what is far more important is our relationship with God.

The man’s concern seemed only to focus on his own needs, which seems to align with Martin Luther’s description of sin as ‘the heart turned in on itself’. It is notable that the man appears to consider neither his need for God, nor the needs of those around him, ignoring the consistent demand throughout the Bible that those blessed with wealth should be concerned for the needs of the poor. This is particularly striking, given that the nature of the society in which he lived, would have made the needs of those around him obvious. We only have to look at the plight of many in the middle east today to conclude that not much has changed in two thousand years.

The issue is not only that the man has acted selfishly, but that he has appeared to leave God out of his considerations. This provides the link with the teaching of Jesus in the parable which followed that attention to God, both in His provision for us and His holding us to account, rescues us from both greed and anxiety.

So, Jesus put his finger on the questioner’s heart. When we bring problems to our heavenly Father in prayer, we may often find that He responds in the same way that Jesus did towards the man in the crowd by showing us how we need to change and grow in our approach to tackling our problems. The answers we receive may not be the ones we were seeking or expecting, but rather something more effective in helping us to see the direction that God is prompting us to take.

In this parable, Jesus tells us about a rich man whose fields produce a surplus harvest. Unsure how to store all this abundance, the man makes plans to tear down his smaller barns and build larger ones. He believes he will be able to store enough to relax for several years and live off what he has earned, and we hear that he says he can now eat, drink, and be merry.

It is at this moment that God appears and tells the man that he is a fool, because that very night he will die. What good will all his preparations be in light of death? 

Jesus ends the story in verse 21 by telling the crowds, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich towards God”. 

This story would have been challenging enough for those who originally heard it told by Jesus, but maybe it is more so for us in our modern-day setting because we can relate to the rich man. Our society has taught us to dream of retirement years when we can eat, drink, and be merry, and so perhaps it might not seem wrong that this man would plan for a future where he could relax. We are not told whether he gains his wealth by unjust means. We are not told anything negative about him until God appears and declares him a fool. 

That silence is part of the parable’s power. The man’s mistake isn’t how he made his money. It is what he believed it could do for him. He put his trust in his possessions and not in God. That’s what made him foolish. 

Jesus tells us in verse 15 that a good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, and that we should be on our guard against greed and the desire for those things we do not have. This is the polar opposite of what our modern-day world is telling us. It is not just the advertisements we see in the media, product placements in films, tweets by the famous, or the bewildering persuasion from an array of so-called influencers. It is also from our everyday interactions with those around us; our families, our friends, our neighbours and our colleagues. Jesus is helping us to respond to this ever-present pressure by sharing the truth that fulfilment does not come in the form of an abundance of possessions. It comes from a living and faithful relationship with Him and by doing God’s work wherever we can.

The rich fool in the parable died before he could begin to use what was stored in his huge barns. Planning for retirement, or planning for life before death, is wise – but neglecting to plan for life after death could be disastrous. If we accumulate wealth only to enrich ourselves with no concern for helping others, we face the prospect of entering eternity empty-handed.

So, why do we save money and accumulate material goods? Are we saving for a rainy day, for our later life, to keep-up with our friends and neighbours, or to be secure? Jesus challenges us to think beyond earthbound goals and to use wisely what we have been graciously given for the good of God’s kingdom. Faith, service, obedience and love are the way to become rich in the sight of our Father in heaven. 

Sunday 14 September 2025: Matthew 25:14-30

The Parable of the Ten Talents

The master was clearly a wealthy man to be able to give away that amount, and he entrusted the gold with his servants. He was also trusting them that they knew him and what he would want them to do with his wealth. The first two servants clearly knew what was expected of them. They put the gold to good use and traded it to gain profit for their master and for this foresight they were richly rewarded. They were praised and given even more responsibility. However, the third servant was afraid and mistrusted that his master will be merciful to him. This does not motivate him to do more for his master, instead he is just focused on ensuring he can give him back what was given to him. This lack of trust and his fear, leads to him being scolded and punished.

When you were a child were you ever told that you could be anything you wanted to be. Maybe an astronaut, the prime minister, a scuba diver, etc. Well, the truth is that this just isn’t true. Why? Because the gifts we have and the things we are good at may not match the skills needed for what we aspire to. So, what ends up happening as we grow older is that we find ourselves taking on roles that play to our strengths. God gives us gifts to be who we are. Some of us are good at teaching, some of us are good with figures, some of us maybe good at planning, and some good at music. Whatever your abilities, they are given from God and can be used for God. We can see the glory in God when we use the gifts He has given us to do His work.

In some versions of the Bible gold is translated as talents, which although is a monetary term, is useful for us to think of them as gifts or abilities. Now did you notice in the reading that the servants were not given the same talents, but they were given them according to their abilities. Therefore, the one who was given 5 talents was given them because his master knew he could cope with looking after that large sum of money. Now what this shows us is that life is not equal. We do not all get the same. That may be a little unfair you may be thinking, but that does not mean that it is not fair. What would have been unfair was if the master treated them all equal and gave some of them way too much responsibility that they could not cope. Instead, the master knows them so well that he gives them just the right amount of responsibility according to their abilities. This is the same with God. He does not dish out gifts in equal amounts, but He is fair and gives us just what we need. In Romans 2:11 it says – ‘For God does not show favouritism.’ So while God may not treat us all equally, He is still fair. Like the master in our reading.

Jesus was using this parable to teach that when the Lord returns there will be true servants of Christ and there will be false servants. It is clear to see that the example He uses shows Jesus as the master, and the long journey could be referred to as the period between the two comings of Christ – the first as a man and the second still to come. The three servants represent those living to represent the interests of the absent Lord and are given responsibilities that match their abilities.

When Jesus describes the return of the master, He is referring to Himself and the second coming and the blessings and judgement that will lead to salvation for the righteous and damnation for the wicked.

The first two servants were rewarded for their good judgement of using their abilities to the best use. Verses 21 and 23 say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

The test of their service to their master was not how much they earned, but how hard they tried. They used their abilities to the full and earned 100% of what they put in. They were excited to show their master what they had produced. When was the last time you were excited about something you had done for the Lord? These two servants represent true believers whose reward will be to enjoy the blessings of His eternal kingdom. That should be our goal, not to just sit back and think we have made it, we are going to heaven. We should be constantly working for God and seeking His blessing.

However, the third servant had nothing but insults and excuses towards his master. He accused him of being a ‘hard master’, being unreasonable, and reaping where he had not sown and gathering where he had not scattered. In blaming the master for his lack of work, he made excuses that he was scared and therefore buried the gold. He was an unbeliever and not a genuine servant and this led to his rebuke.

Rather than agreeing with the accusations made by the servant, in verses 26 and 27 the master made a very valid point. If he was guilty of the things that the servant accused him of, then surely the best thing to have done would be to actually put his money to work for him. Therefore, instead of being a valid excuse, the servant further condemns himself and his one bag of gold is taken from him and given to the one who has ten already. Now you may think that is a little unfair to take from the man who has the least and give it to the man who has the most, but remember we have already said that God does not treat us equally, but He is fair and just. Let’s just think about this situation for one minute. The servant with the one talent did not bother to do anything with it, why therefore would the master leave him with it. He wants to put his money to work and as such decides to entrust it with the one who was the most fruitful. That is how you maximise any investment. And this is how God enables His kingdom to grow. Verse 29 says, ^‘For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them’. 

Those of us who desire and are willing to be used for God’s glory are equipped with the means to do so. It is not through our own strength, power, intelligence, determination, words, etc, that we work for God, but it is through the gifts that He has given to us. We are told that the more we do for the glory of God, the more we are enabled to do for Him. Equally, that could also be turned around, that the less we are willing to do, the less we use our gifts for His good, the more stagnant we become. Those who squander what they have will lose that little bit that God trusted them with. Think about this from a church perspective, if we want to be entrusted to work for God, then we must be willing and ready to make sacrifices, for example with our time, getting involved, or helping others.

Then finally we come to the end of the parable. Verse 30 says, ‘And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

When we put our faith in the Lord Jesus and love Jesus, we need to be obedient to Him, and others should see the fruit of the Spirit in those working for God’s kingdom. We can’t just expect to be saved because we simply show up to church and sing hymns. We are all part of a team, God’s team, and we each have gifts according to our abilities. When we love Jesus, obey Him and serve Him, His glory shines through. We need to recognise what may be getting in our way of doing this. Maybe we are too busy (or that’s what we convince ourselves), and yet we find time to do other things. Maybe we are too lazy and get too distracted by other things such as TV or leisure activities. Or maybe we are too unaware, we simply fail to understand what God expects of us and neglect to pay attention.

This parable teaches us an important lesson. We are not bystanders. God has blessed us with many gifts, all given according to our own unique needs and abilities, but God expects us to put these gifts to work. God does not expect us to be like the lazy servant and stand on the sidelines; He wants us to act like the first two servants and make our talents grow and be productive. We should all examine ourselves and ask how we are putting our talents to work for God. We need to spend time investing and serving God, and like the servants in our reading, one day God will say to us, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your master’s happiness.’

Sunday 7 September 2025: Mark 4:26-34

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

We live in a fast-paced world. Everything is moving quicker, especially with the growth of technology. We have high-speed internet access. We have high-tech televisions that can download movies, communicate with our phones and tablets, update our computers, and tell us what to do next, all with the touch of a button.

Technology has sped-up life to such an extent that we live in an instant-moment culture. Life happens in the ‘now’.

The growth of technology has many benefits, of course. Just last week I was talking with some youngsters – they were about 30 years old – wondering what life would be like when they reached my age. They will likely be able to see and do things we can’t imagine at the moment.

Digressing slightly, and talking about the world of work – if I can remember that far back – have you heard some of those office phrases that sometimes get trotted out? Phrases such as blue-sky thinking, circle back, square the circle, idea shower, brainstorm, thinking outside the box, touch base, and of course, singing from the same hymn-sheet! But there is one that maybe we should consider as part of the mustard seed parable and that is ‘seeing the bigger picture’.

Too often, maybe, we have a tendency to look inwards and focus on our immediate concerns and worries. The mustard seed parable suggests to me that the bigger picture is more worthy of our focus. For the Kingdom of Heaven awaits and its riches will be greater than anything we are able to imagine in our current earthly form.

So back to technology. Right now, we can have conversations and relationships with people from different cultures and countries. It’s amazing that we can have a conversation, by video, with friends, family, colleagues or just about anyone from just about anywhere in the world simply through the use of a computer or an app.

One of our visiting speakers pointed out to us recently that technology has enabled God’s Word to spread further and faster than ever, to the extent that it has now reached every corner of the globe. Something for us to ponder on, I think.

But, there are drawbacks to technology because it has sped-up life, and many of us want things to take place now. We no longer want to wait for things to happen. We do not believe we have the time, or energy, for things to take place at a natural pace. If it cannot happen now, or in a short period of time, we believe it is not worth the effort. We want the get-rich-quick plan. We want all that this life has to offer and we want it now.

Also, we sometimes measure ourselves by how we see others. If someone else has a bigger house, then our house isn’t big enough, even if it comfortably houses our entire family. If someone has a bigger car, then we need a bigger car, even if we can’t really afford the payments.

When it comes to faith, are we sometimes tempted to do the same thing? We want all that the Christian life has to offer - today. And sometimes we are not willing to wait. We are, sometimes, unwilling to be patient in our growth in Jesus. If we are not a deeply-devoted, heart-changed person in a few weeks, then, in our consumer-driven mindset, perhaps we are starting to look elsewhere to see what other options are available?

Maybe we will even compare ourselves to other Christians? If we see someone growing in their relationship with the Lord, or in serving the Lord, we may look at ourselves, and get discouraged and say, “Why can’t I be like that?”

Instead of those words being an encouragement of growth, there is a risk that they become a discouragement that leads to separation. This is a separation between ourselves and our community, and ourselves and God. We risk feeling that, if we don’t have the biggest faith, the deepest relationship, or even the best devotional life, that we don’t measure up in the Kingdom of God.

That mindset goes against what I think Jesus is saying in our passage today. Jesus doesn’t use the analogy of the largest thing possible, but instead uses the smallest of seeds in order to point us to a deeper relationship with God.

Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed. When this seed is planted, it grows and becomes one of the largest plants around. It is a plant that can grow as high as 15 feet. Something as small as a mustard seed can reach extraordinary heights when it is planted and allowed to grow.

Sunday 31 August 2025: Matthew 22:1-14

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

When anyone hosts a wedding there is a lot of preparation that goes into it. Not only in terms of the venue, the food, the outfits etc, but most importantly who are you going to invite to share the most important day of your life. So once you have your chosen guest list and you send out the invitations, imagine how it can be if those you have chosen, refuse to come to the wedding. In our reading we learn that those who had been invited to the wedding refused to come. They simply rejected the king’s invitation. But the king does not give up there, he still has faith that they invited guests will accept the invitation. So he sends many servants out to tell then that everything is ready and to come to the banquet. But even the second invitation does not persuade them to come, with them making up excuses about things more important than going to a wedding banquet, or even worse they literally shot the messenger.

Jesus said that the ‘kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.’ A grand banquet such as that for a King’s son’s wedding would be a grand affair and would be eagerly anticipated and cherished. It would be an honour to be invited to such a wedding and therefore those who were invited should have been jumping for joy that they were on the guest list and eagerly accept the invitation. Jesus was illustrating here that many people, just like those invited wedding guests, will ignore God’s invitation to be part of His kingdom, or will simply be too busy with their lives that they do not accept God’s invitation. These individuals are missing out on the greatest banquet and being part of God’s kingdom, or they simply overlooked the wonderful offer that was put to them.

In the parable the king, rightly so, was enraged by the behaviour of the guests, so much so that he sends his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city. So that was the first wedding guest list wiped out.

The king then says to his servants that those who did not want to come to the banquet in fact did not even deserve to come. Their refusal to attend, mixed with violence against the king’s messengers, demonstrates their rejection of the king’s gracious invitation and honour. Their actions also reveal in them a lack of faith and a failure to acknowledge the dignity of the king and his son. The message Jesus was portraying through this parable was to draw a comparison between those in Jesus’ time who were initially called to God’s kingdom, but instead rejected Christ himself, his message and the message conveyed by his disciples. Some of the Jews reacted violently and mistreated and killed the prophets and messengers of God and even had a hand in the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus. This then showed that they were unworthy for salvation in God’s kingdom.

But of course, just because those who were invited did not come, the wedding banquet went ahead. Now we come to the other list of guests. These are the ones who were not invited initially, but to whom the invitation was extended and this included anyone and everyone. All are included and those who wanted to come were welcome. There was no distinction in terms who deserved to come or were important enough to come. The invitation was extended to all, good and bad. Jesus was declaring that this is like the kingdom of God in terms of who is invited into his kingdom. No longer would the kingdom be reserved only for Jews, but that Gentiles were also welcome in God’s kingdom. The Kingdom of God is open to everyone regardless and there is no special birth rite or qualification that is needed.

If you have attended a wedding before you will have probably thought carefully about what to wear to the occasion. After all you know that there are likely to be photographs taken so you want to look your best, you don’t want to look out of place, and you want to feel part of the special day by putting on your best suit or dress. So imagine if you had been invited to the wedding banquet being hosted by the king himself, surely then it is even more important that you show your respect by being properly attired. Well of course you are possibly thinking that those invited secondly weren’t expected to be invited so would not have been prepared, or they may have been poor and could not afford proper wedding clothes. However, at this time it would have been custom for guests to be provided the proper garments if they did not have any. The fact therefore that the man was not wearing wedding clothes is even more significant as he declined to be correctly clothed and therefore lacked righteousness. He attended the wedding but was not committed.

This highlights the importance that just accepting God’s invitation to be part of his kingdom is not enough. The wedding clothes here represent righteousness, where our lives are transformed through faith and a genuine commitment to live the way God wants us to live.

Jesus said, ‘many are invited, but few are chosen’. The invitation of the Gospel goes out too many, but not all will choose to accept it. Some will outright refuse the Gospel message, and some will appear to accept it, but their hearts are not in the right place, and they will eventually be exposed as false.

This then leaves us with a few who are truly chosen. The ones who are called, accept and obey. The only way you can tell whether a person is chosen is by what they do, how they act, and how they obey the word. To be chosen, we have to accept the invitation and respond with genuine faith, repentance and a lifestyle that reflects the God’s grace to be called worthy.

Jesus preached this parable in the temple courts. Back in Matthew chapter 21 from verse 23 we read that Jesus was in the temple teaching when the chief priests and elder came to Jesus and started questioning his authority. In preaching this parable Jesus was firstly claiming that no longer were the chosen few only worthy of God’s kingdom, but this was now extended to Gentiles as well. Jesus was then stating that it is not good enough just to claim to accept God, but you have to truly change your heart and live out God’s word. Imagine if this parable was preached by Jesus today, he may be preaching this to hard-working church-attending Christians. On the outside people who appear to be good and listen to God’s word, but on the inside are hard and lack the one key thing, love. We can be close to God (like those who attended the wedding), but like the man who refused to wear the right clothes, if we fail to clothe ourselves with righteousness, that means being covered in God’s moral standards, justice and love, then we may miss out.

We need to reflect on any distractions or habits that may be keeping us from fully embracing the invitation from God. We need to pray for God to open our hearts to the needs of others and to act in accordance with his will. We need to accept the invitation, and say yes to what God wants to do in our lives.

Sunday 24 August 2025: James 3:1-12

What do you think is the most powerful part of the human body? Our bulging biceps? Our beating hearts? Or our amazing brains? Did you know, for example, that supposedly our brain processes around 70,000 thoughts a day, or that our heart pumps two thousand gallons of blood every 24 hours?

Those parts of our body are amazing, but James tells us in our reading that there is an even more powerful part – our tongues. The human tongue makes-up less than 1% of our body, but it punches well above its weight, because we use our tongues to speak, and our words can have huge effects. Our words can be a powerful force for good, or for bad.

In our Bible passage, James compares our tongues to some other small objects that can have a disproportionate effect in relation to their size.

In verse 3 he says, “When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.” A little piece of metal can make a huge horse change direction.

Verse 4 says, “Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go”. A small rudder can determine whether a whole ship stays afloat or crashes into the rocks!

And in verse 5, James tells us that just a “small spark”, can set a whole forest on fire. A small cigarette or a match can create an inferno – and we have seen plenty of evidence of that during this exceptionally warm summer, haven’t we?

So, small things can have big effects – including our tongues.

Whenever we open our mouths to speak, which is apparently something we do on average 700 times a day, we are wielding a powerful force. Good words can lift our spirits, encourage us, inform us and inspire us. But bad words can break a heart, sow division, or drive us to despair. Friendships and careers, marriages and even churches can all be damaged by bad words. The wrong words can be ‘weapons of mass destruction’.

At the beginning of our reading in verse 1, James suggests that people who use their tongues to teach have a particularly responsible job. They will be strictly judged for what they say. Teachers in schools, leaders in churches and parents of children have a huge responsibility to use words well.

School teachers and parents have the power to shape the lives of children with their words. And church leaders have the huge responsibility of telling people about Jesus and explaining the Bible.

But whether we are teachers or not, our words must always be chosen very carefully. They can have a huge effect on others – both for good and for bad.

I expect we all know the popular saying: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words – or names – will never hurt me.” That phrase actually came up in discussion during one of our Bible studies recently. But the trouble is, if we’re honest with ourselves, that phrase is not true – is it? Because wrong words can be incredibly harmful and hurtful. I’m sure we’ve all been hurt at some time or another by critical comments, harsh words, bullying and bad language.

James says our unruly tongues need to be tamed – just like we tame animals to be pets at home or to perform in a circus. Listen to verse 7: “All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue.”

Our tongues need to be brought under control. We need to make sure we say the right thing at the right time. As James says in verse 10: ^“Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” We should be consistently careful and wise in what we say.

But it’s incredibly difficult sometimes, isn’t it? We have all said wrong things from time-to-time, and we find it really hard to keep our tongues under control. On our own, we can’t always say what’s right; we don’t have the power to be perfect. Verse 2 says we’re all “at fault” for some of the things we’ve said because we are all prone to stumbling.

Human beings can tame roaring lions and birds of prey, but we can’t control our own tongues. That’s because the Bible says our speech shows our heart. To change our words, then, we need a change of heart.

That is the point James is making in verses 11 and 12. Listen to them again: “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig-tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” 

What James is saying is that a plant produces its own fruit. A grape vine produces grapes, and a fig tree produces figs. We don’t see oranges on an apple tree, or plums on a pear tree. And elsewhere in nature, a salt spring can only pour out salt water – it can’t produce pure water.

In the same way, our words are the ‘fruit’ from our hearts – they ‘spring’ out from our soul. If we find ourselves speaking bad words, it shows that there is something wrong with our heart. So, to tame our tongues, we need a new heart.

On Friday, our car wouldn’t start because the battery was flat. We could have used a charger to get us going again, but that would only have been a temporary fix. Without addressing the root cause, the problem would keep on recurring. So, we had to bite the bullet and buy a new battery. And, my word, they are expensive these days! But the change of battery did the trick and the car is running reliably again.

In a similar way, we need to have a change of heart to tame our tongues. We need to tackle the problem with our speech at its source!

Jesus himself taught this, just as James does. Listen to Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:33-35, “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognised by its fruit . . . The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good person brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” 

There’s only one person who can perform the ‘heart surgery’ every one of us needs. And that person is God’s Holy Spirit. Whenever someone becomes a Christian and first puts their faith in Jesus, God’s Spirit enters their heart and begins to change it. It’s what Jesus famously called being ‘born again’.

And when God’s Spirit gets to work on our hearts, our words will change as a result. As our heart is transformed by God, so too our tongue will be tamed. In fact, some of the most noticeable ‘fruit of the Spirit’ in our lives will be a change in how we speak and what we say. If we are eager to grow as disciples of Jesus (as I hope we all are) we should be eager to see improvements in our speech as God’s Spirit gets to work.

So, before I finish, let us consider how we can use our tongues well. What does good and godly speech look and sound like? How can we serve Jesus with our lips as well as with our thoughts and deeds?

Here are three ways I suggest we can serve Jesus with our speech; three things for which we can ask the Holy Spirit to train our tongues. We can serve Jesus with our speech by praising God, by encouraging one another, and by sharing the Gospel.

Firstly, our tongues should be used to praise God. In verse 9, James suggests that, when we “praise our Lord and Father” we are putting our tongues to very good use. Our first duty as Christians is to worship the Lord who has made us and saved us. We can praise Him in prayer, and sing songs to God in gratitude for all He has given us.

Secondly, we should use our lips to encourage our fellow Christians. In Hebrews 10:24-25 it says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Colossians 3:16 calls on Christians to “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.” So, I hope that when we gather together, as we are now, in church on a Sunday, that we don’t grumble or gossip, criticise or condemn, but try to encourage one another in love. I hope we seek to spur each other on to keep living for Jesus and growing in faith.

Thirdly and finally, we should use our tongues to share the Gospel with non-Christian friends and family. The New Testament tells us to always be ready to give a reason for the hope we have, to always be willing to mention Jesus’ name.

When we think about it, perhaps the most loving words we can ever share with someone are words about Jesus; words about the one person who can save us from sin, steer us through life, and grant eternal life beyond the grave.

So, in the power of the Spirit, let’s use our tongues to praise God, to encourage one another, and to share the Gospel. 

Sunday 17 August 2025: James 2:1-13 and 4:1-12

Favouritism Forbidden

James calls us to not just be listeners of the Word, but to be doers of the Word. Not just to hear or read is good enough, we need to also act. In our reading, James is focusing on one of the two most important commandments, ‘to love our neighbour as ourselves’. Think what this means. It means that we should care for others as we would care for ourselves. We should, therefore, be willing to share our possessions, share our time and our energy and, of course, we should share with them the truth so that they have the opportunity to know and love the Lord as we do. All too often our actions are based on ourselves, our self-centredness. How often have you shied away from sharing your faith with others for fear of ridicule or rejection? Are we, therefore, denying them the opportunity of knowing God and receiving His love and grace? How often have we neglected to give someone our time or generosity because we had better things to do or wanted to use our resources elsewhere?

James is showing us in this passage the danger of not following a fundamental commandment. Forget all the other 8 commandments, stick to the royal law he says. The royal law forbids selfish exploitation of others and James focuses on one simple truth, love others, love our neighbours. He is saying that if you only love those neighbours whom you like, who you get on with, who are like minded, who make you feel good, then you are committing a sin. Favouritism is not akin to ‘loving your neighbour as yourself’. What if the other person is not like you, is not the kind of person you would normally be drawn to? This did not worry Jesus. He loved all kinds of people. Sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, those who were lame or diseased and would have been outcast, those who were homeless. If you keep all the other commandments but fail on one, then James is saying you are committing sin. James warns us to not be judgemental, but to be merciful. When was the last time you passed judgement on someone? We were talking last week in our Bible study that when it comes to road rage, we need to remember that none of us are perfect drivers and have likely done what we are angry at another driver for doing. But we need to show mercy and not judgement for there is only one who stands in judgement.

Submit Yourselves to God

Relationships are built upon trust and love, and James shows us the dangers and strife that often exist in relationships. There are so many broken relationships. Unhappy homes, broken marriages, brothers who don’t talk to brothers, parents who don’t take to their children, co-workers who won’t work alongside each other. The sad fact is, as pointed out by James, there are fights and quarrels among us, even in churches. What causes these quarrels? Well, there are many different reasons depending on the circumstances, but ultimately as James points out, these are mostly born out of our selfish desires. That maybe to acquire personal gain, to get our own way, to drive for prestige, etc. Whatever the reason, it is in our nature to be satisfied, to fulfil our desires. So, what is the answer then? Well, James makes this very plain to see. We need to ‘submit ourselves to God and resist the devil. Come near to God and allow Him to come near to us’. James says ‘You do not have because you do not ask God’. Instead of taking things to God in prayer, we try to get what we want by our own desires. James is saying that if we want something, then we should ask God for it. If we ask, and then that prayer is not answered, then maybe our motives were not pure. We wanted something for our own glory, rather than for God’s glory or for the good of others.

James’ message about relationships, how we interact with others and treat others, is one of the most significant messages of living out our faith. Faith without love is simply believing in the Word, but not acting on it. If we were to be content with what God has given us, think about the profound effect this could have on the world. If we loved our neighbours as ourselves and were more interested in sharing than acquiring, then think about the peace that would result. If we were to follow Jesus’s words and store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth, think about the great contentment that would come about across the world.

Our relationship with God, along with our commitment to act in accordance with His Word, can help to strengthen our relationships with others. As our relationship with the Lord grows, our desire to be more like Him grows, and our desire to act in accordance with His Will grows. It does not become a burden to put others first and to love others as ourselves, it becomes a very part of what we want to do.

In chapter 4, James gets us to take a hard look at ourselves with regards to all kinds of behaviours. Greed, conflict, slander and trying to work things out on our own without God’s guidance. James gets us to hold a mirror up to ourselves. What do we see when we do that? Do we like what we see or are we ashamed (I am not of course talking about our physical appearance!). We need to ask ourselves, am I content with what I have, or do I have envious thoughts of those who have more? Do we take things to God, or do we continually listen to our own lies? Do we listen to God, or do we resist when being nudged or directed? Do we speak ill of others or lift others up?

God wants us to have a deep and loving relationship with Him, but an outcome of that relationship should be that He changes how we interact with others. God’s love for us can help us to love others as He loves us all. 

Sunday 10 August 2025: James 5:7-12

As Christians, we must patiently endure hardships and heartaches until Jesus returns. To help us in this endeavour, James provides three examples of patient endurance.

First, he gives us the example of the farmer. Farmers have to be patient with the weather as well as waiting for their crops to sprout and grow. We know it is worth the wait, because the harvest will be valuable.

James paints a picture of a spiritual farmer who is looking for a spiritual harvest. There are seasons to our spiritual life - like there are seasons on the farm. Sometimes our hearts become cold and frosty, and God has to ‘plough them up’ before He can plant His seeds into our life. God sends the sunshine and the rain to water and to nurture the seeds that He has planted. There is growth, but we must be patient for the harvest.

Although farmers are waiting, they are never standing still. They are always doing something that will help and benefit the harvest; their work is focused on what will happen at the end. James is saying we should put our faith into action – keep

working and waiting.

Farmers rarely fight with their neighbours. Rather, they welcome other people and willingly help other farmers out. Serious farmers do not have the time or the energy for arguments with their neighbours – there is too much to do. James may have had this in mind when he says in verse 9, “Don’t grumble against each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”

As Christians, God is producing a harvest in our lives. God wants the Fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, and the only way He can do this is if we surrender to His will and allow Him to grow the fruit in His way.

Second, James gives us the example of the prophets. He was writing to Jewish Christians who would have quickly understood his reference to the Old Testament prophets. Some of these suffering prophets were Jeremiah, Elijah and Amos.

These prophets were mentioned in the New Testament as examples of victory over persecution because, even though the Old Testament prophets were doing what God wanted them to do, they still suffered. The prophets faithfully preached the truth of God, yet they were persecuted.

As Christians today, we must never think that, by obeying what God wants us to do, it will result in an easy life. Jesus was obedient and faithfully did what God wanted Him to do – and yet that led to the cross! The Trials of the prophets remind us of God’s promise that He cares for us when we are going through sufferings for His sake.

The reason why people who speak faithfully and truthfully of God are persecuted, is so that their lives will back-up their message. Today, we need to keep reminding ourselves that our patience in times of suffering is a first-hand demonstration to those around us that what we say is lived out in our lives.

Even if we are going through trials and difficulties, we must keep on speaking about Jesus and what He means to us. We must surrender our lives daily to God and allow Him to grow the fruit in our lives in His way.

Third, James gives us the example of suffering, and it is difficult to find a better example of suffering than Job. His circumstances, his wife, and his friends were all against him. It even seemed that God was against him because, when Job cried out for answers to his questions, there was no reply from heaven.

Nevertheless, Job endured. He was so sure of his faith in God that he persisted in honouring Him – even though he did not understand all that God was doing. That is endurance. Through the suffering, Job met God in a new and deeper way. Through this difficult experience, God was glorified and Job was purified.

The Bible tells us that, as Christians, we will face difficulties, trials, and suffering. Hopefully, these troubles may not be as extreme as the ones that Job encountered, but, to us, they will seem just as challenging. At all times – but especially in challenging times, we are called to turn our hearts wholeheartedly to Jesus. He knows what we are going through.

So, we need to be patient in times of suffering. Like the Farmer, let us keep working and allow God to grow in us the Fruit of His Holy Spirit. Like the prophets, let us keep witnessing so that our lives are a living testimony for what we believe. And like the sufferer, Job, let us remain steadfast in our faith, patient in our suffering and live our lives for the one who faithfully loves us. 

Sunday 27 July 2025: Priscilla

Priscilla lived during the first century AD, a time of significant social, religious, and political upheaval within the Roman Empire. Christianity was spreading rapidly through cities such as Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth and Rome. This era was marked by both intense persecution and expansion, with ‘house churches’ the usual place where the early Christians met.

Priscilla appears in six passages in the New Testament – Acts 18:2, Acts 18:18, Acts 18:26, Romans 16:3, 1 Corinthians 16:19, and 2 Timothy 4:19. It is interesting that Priscilla is always mentioned in connection with her husband, Aquila, and the pair are often cited as a model of marital partnership in ministry. One thing that is quite interesting is that the order in which Priscilla and Aquila, or Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned changes. In fact, half the verses put Aquila first, while the other half put Priscilla first. Language matters and is important so this would not have been a mistake or simply the way the writer wrote it. In the Bible, usually men come before women, brothers are mentioned before sisters and the male pronoun (man) is often used to include both men and women. But with Priscilla, she commanded enough respect, possibly as a teacher or leader, that she was equally mentioned first, but this was done in such a way that it did not diminish her husband or damage their relationship. When we hold women in high esteem and value them, they we often find ourselves mentioning them first.

Acts 18:1-3

“After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.”

This passage not only introduces Priscilla and Aquila but also highlights their shared profession with Paul – a detail that offers insight into their character, values, and active participation in the spread of the early church. The profession of tentmaking holds a deep significance in the New Testament, beyond its practical aspect as a trade. In the ancient world, tents were essential for nomadic peoples and travellers, and tentmaking was a valued skill. Priscilla, Aquila, and Paul were able to support themselves financially through this work, which allowed them to avoid being a financial burden on the young and often impoverished Christian communities they served. Because they were able to earn their own living, as well as their ministry, this demonstrated their integrity and humility. They did not expect others to support them and neither did they exploit their positions as leaders. They were willing to put in the hard graft to earn their keep. This provides us with a powerful example of integrating daily work with spiritual mission. Even though we have work to do, this should not detract from our role in the church. Priscilla, Aquila and Paul used their work of making tents as an opportunity for witness and discipleship. Additionally, tent making was the perfect profession for supporting their role in spreading Christianity. As the early Christian movement spread rapidly across the Roman Empire, the ability to practice their trade wherever they went meant that Priscilla, Aquila, and Paul could travel freely and plant churches in different cities.

Priscilla, like her husband Aquila, was an immigrant. When they were forcefully ordered to leave Rome, they found themselves in Corinth where they met Paul. But that is not where they stayed.

Acts 18:18-19

"Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila."

Pricilla showed great faith and courage in her willingness to leave her home, relocate with her husband, and open her life to the challenges of ministry. The Bible is full of stories of people on the move, but Priscilla and her husband did not just move within their homelands, they moved to strange lands in their mission to spread the news about Jesus. Firstly, they travelled to Corinth and then on to Ephesus where they remained to support the church there. Priscilla’s partnership with Paul, travelling, teaching, and risking her own life, shows courage and conviction.

Priscilla’s most famous biblical moment comes in Acts 18:26, when she, alongside Aquila, instructs Apollos.

Acts 18:24-26

"Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervour and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."

This passage clearly reveals to us Priscilla and Aquila’s discerning spirit and gracious approach to teaching. We know that Apollos was a learned man, and we are told in our passage that he had a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. However, Priscilla and Aquila discerned that he lacked a full understanding of the Gospel for as we are told, ‘he knew only the baptism of John’. Clearly, they wanted to correct Apollos, but rather than calling him out publicly, they invited him into their own home where they could gently explain to him the way of God more accurately to complete his understanding of the faith.  

This example from Priscilla can help to remind us of the importance to steer clear of undermining or criticising others, but nurturing their potential and helping others to grow in their understanding of God. The fact that Priscilla is mentioned first in this passage suggests that she was not just a bystander, or the one to provide the hospitality, but she played a key and leading role in this teaching. This emphases to us the importance of women in the early church and the important role that women can play in the church today.

Priscilla showed great courage, not only in her willingness to travel to foreign lands, but in risking her own life. At this time, being a Christian was dangerous. Christians were persecuted and there was a real danger that someone would be imprisoned or killed for their faith.

Romans 16:3-5

"Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them."

Paul greets Priscilla and Aquila and calls them his co-workers in Christ. They were working with Paul and risking their own lives in doing so. We already know that they were cast out of Rome for their belief, but they did not hide away to blend in. Instead, they travelled extensively across the Mediterranean sharing the Gospel with Paul, which was a dangerous thing to do. This showed great courage from Priscilla. She did not shy away from what was difficult or dangerous, instead she boldly risked her life for Paul to carry the message to other lands.

There are a number of references to Priscilla and Aquila’s house serving as a meeting place for the early church. Christians faced suspicion and persecution and, therefore, meetings often took place in homes because it was safer and more practical for them to gather in private homes rather than in public spaces. This enabled them to worship, teach and encourage one another in a more secure environment.

Romans 16:3-5

"Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house."

1 Corinthians 16:19

"The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house."

2 Timothy 4:19

"Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus."

In a time when Christians often faced suspicion or persecution, opening one’s home was an act of generosity and bravery. Priscilla’s hospitality created space for community, worship, and discipleship, but this was not without risk, which yet again emphasises Priscilla’s bravery. This example from Priscilla inspires us to consider how we can use our homes or other resources to support and nurture fellow Christians in their faith journey.

2 Timothy 4:19

Paul, near the end of his life, requests greetings be sent to Priscilla and Aquila, testifying to their enduring faithfulness and partnership.

Priscilla’s appearances in Scripture are not very long or frequent, however, the legacy that she leaves is profound. Through these few passages we get a glimpse of how Priscilla played a vital role in the early church which is carried forward to today. Not only did she support her husband and Paul, but she also demonstrated her own leadership, teaching and service to the faith. The qualities of Priscilla such as courage, faith and teaching, show us that these things are not bound by gender, but by faith, wisdom and willingness to serve God.

Priscilla’s example encourages us all, especially women, to pursue lives of faith, boldness, and engagement with God’s Word. Cultural circumstances often limited the formal roles available to women in ancient times, and this is true in some cultures or churches today. However, Priscilla’s story testifies to the remarkable ways women contributed to the growth and vitality of Christianity from the beginning and can also remind us of the important role women play in faith today. 

Sunday 20 July 2025: John 20:1-18

Mary Magdalene

Our reading featured one of the most prominent people in the life and ministry of Jesus – Mary Magdalene. She is mentioned several times in the Gospels as a devoted follower of Jesus who was present at His crucifixion and burial. And as we have heard today, she was also the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus.

She was a woman of strong faith who had been healed of seven demons by Jesus, and thereafter, her loyalty to Him was unwavering. She was one of the few female disciples of Jesus and played an important role in the early Christian church. Her story serves as an example of faith and dedication, and of course, she remains an important figure in Christianity today.

Not every Gospel account of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection focuses on the same events and details, but all four tell us that Mary Magdalene witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. So, her connection to Jesus is undeniable.

We can only speculate about what it might have been like when Jesus was about to heal her of those seven demons. Only He could have seen who she really was regardless of her troubled state. Though not many details are recorded about this event, her name is among the few mentioned in the recordings of Jesus’ healings. Having been freed by Jesus’ healing, the friendship she forged with her Lord served as a reflection of her gratitude.

As we build a picture of Mary Magdalene, we find a woman of wealth who had been struck by seven demons. Could that be a mirror on our own society where sometimes the privileged fall into disrepute? But, in this case, Mary’s wealth, and the fact she was freed from her troubled life by Jesus, help us understand why she was so generous and dedicated in her discipleship.

All four Gospels record the presence of women at the foot of the cross. Three – Matthew, Mark and John – mention Mary Magdalene by name. She remained at the cross until Jesus’ body was taken down, and then followed to witness Joseph of Arimathea bury Jesus in the tomb. Having watched Jesus’ burial, she knew the exact location where he had been laid to rest. She must have known the path well enough that she could retrace her steps in the dark on that first Easter morning. 

What must it have been like for Mary to witness an empty grave? Here is a suggestion from a commentator about that moment: “Mary sat with her tears long enough to peer into the tomb and see something the men hadn’t seen. Angels. They asked her why she was crying. She gave the most telling answer: ‘They have taken away my Lord.’" So, here is a woman, confused and grief-stricken, and about to have her tears wiped away as the first to witness the resurrected Jesus after the crucifixion.

Mary reported to the apostles all she had seen and heard. As we heard in the final verse of our reading, the Gospel of John says, “Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.”

Given that, generally, the accounts of women were not held in high regard at that time, it is remarkable that Mary Magdalene should have been chosen to be placed at the heart of this story. Her powerful witness of Jesus was surely put in place to strengthen the faith of others.

Many of the disciples and Apostles went on to live lives of evangelism, and became martyrs for the early establishment of Christianity. But what about Mary Magdalene? There are some who claim she married the Apostle John, and others that she accompanied him to Ephesus. Still more say that she evangelised south-eastern France and spent her last 30 years in an Alpine cavern. One legend tells a story of her and other disciples being stranded on a rudderless boat in the middle of the sea and miraculously coming ashore.

But legends aside, one thing is certain. This woman held a special place in the story of Christianity and was placed there by God. 

Through her eyes, we learn a little more about who Jesus was. He found her in her darkest place and healed her miraculously. She was one of His friends and a faithful follower. To what she thought was the bitter end, she gave her life to follow Him and care for Him. Mary’s actions perhaps spoke the loudest, supporting Jesus’ ministry with all she had to give. May her extraordinary story inspire us to do the same. 

Sunday 13 July 2025: Luke 10:38-42

Mary and Martha

Who do you think you are more like? Are you more like Mary, or are you more like Martha? There isn't necessarily a right answer. Some people will think it is better to be more like Mary, while some people will think they are more like Martha. Some people will think you can't ignore all of the things that need to be done, for example we need to eat, we want to have a clean house, but other people will think that there are other things that are far more important.

I'm sure there are many of us who have felt aggrieved that some people don't ever seem to pull their weight while others do all of the work. It can be quite demoralising feeling like the one who is preparing all the food when others take the glory for doing very little. Everyone else is relaxing having a good time while you're slaving away trying to make sure that all of the chores are done, the house is ready and it's clean, the food is prepared, the drinks are served. It's easy to see why Martha cried out to Jesus for her sister to help. Martha was doing her best to provide for all of the guests and she should have been commended for the hard work that she was doing. She was tending to their every need, making sure that everyone had everything they needed, making sure that they had something to eat, making sure they had something to drink. Martha, we are told in the reading, was distracted by all of the preparations that she needed to do. She was focused on the physical needs of her guests rather than focusing on Jesus. Mary, on the other hand, was not concerned by the work that was needed to be done. She was not worrying about whether people had something to eat or drink, she was not worried about ensuring the house was clean and tidy. Mary's focus was solely about spending time in Jesus is presence.

Of course, food is important, it's one of the key things that sustains life and without it we won't be able to live, but of course food should not become our primary focus. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 verses 24 to 25, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes.”

It's interesting how in our society some people place a value on how busy people are. The busier you are, the more important things you must be doing. We rush here and we rush there, trying to make sure that we've met every need. But that type of frantic life can mean that that takes our focus away from what is important. It can take our focus away from Jesus. Jesus said to Martha, “Martha, Martha you are worried and bothered about so many things.” A lesson we can learn from this passage is that sometimes the best thing we can do is to stop rushing around and worrying about everything and start focusing on Jesus and resting in his presence. We need to refocus on what is important in our life. It's very easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. It's very easy to let the chores take over, after all there is always something to do.

We know that God cares for each and every one of us, but Martha is not so sure. She says to Jesus, “Lord, do you not care?” There is an accusation from Martha to Jesus that he's not paying attention to her, and not paying attention to what is happening and the fact that her sister is not helping her. She says to Jesus, “Don't you care that I'm the one here doing all of the work while my sister just sits there doing nothing. Don't you care about me. Martha was angry at Jesus. She was angry because He allowed Mary to not help her. She was angry with Jesus because she was doing all of the work and Jesus had not recognised it. Martha was accusing Jesus of not caring for her.

Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever felt that Jesus does not care for you or have you questioned where he is when you're in trouble? When you go to God in prayer, but he doesn't seem to listen and there is a silence. Do you ask yourself then, “Does God care for me?” Well of course He does. In Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5 it says, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.”

We know that God cares for us, but of course there may be times in our life when we don't always feel God's presence or feel that He cares for us, but that doesn't mean He doesn't. We cannot base the truth of God on our feelings and our emotions.

In the second part of our reading, we see Martha explode in anger. She has taken just about as much as she can. She has done all the work, fetched and carried and worked up a sweat while her sister just sits at Jesus feet doing absolutely nothing. She comes out of the kitchen in a rage. She says to Jesus, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone, tell her to help me.” This passage is very emotive. You can sense the anger in Martha's voice and you can sense the accusation towards Jesus. Martha doesn't even to refer to her sister by her name but simply calls her ‘my sister’. She is mad at her.

Do you ever get mad at people for things they do or haven't done or do you know people who seemed to take their frustration out on everyone and everything? The Bible teaches us how we need to deal with anger. In James chapter 1 verses 19 to 20 it says. “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

It's right to feel angry at times, and of course it might be justified, but we need to look at the motive for our anger. Martha was angry because she was self-pitying herself. She felt she was getting a raw deal. She felt it wasn't right that she was being treated that way, that she was having to do all of the work while her sister relaxed at Jesus's feet. But we need to look at the cause of the situation. If we go right back to the start of the passage, we know that Martha was distracted with all of her preparations. It doesn't appear that anyone had asked her to do all of the work, but Martha was simply placing that work above Jesus. She was being dragged away by her desire to be the perfect host rather than to spend time listening to Jesus. Her sense of duty got in the way of her doing something far more important, listening to Jesus.

Of course, we all need to take our responsibilities seriously, but the message here is that we should not allow the physical things of life to get in the way of our spiritual life. In verses 41 and 42 Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one.” The one thing Jesus was referring to of course is Him. Jesus was saying there is nothing greater than God. There is no better way of using our time than using it for God. When we put God first in our life, everything else will work out. If we get so distracted by other things, things that take us away from God then we can miss what is really important. As we battle with everyday demands, being pulled in all different directions, having to work hard, or tend to the needs of others, we need to remember to have regular rest in the Lord.

Psalm 62 verses 1 and 2 says, “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress. I will never be shaken.”

I pray that you find time to rest in the Lord today and this coming week and may His presence be a blessing on you all. 

Sunday 6 July 2025: 1 Samuel 2:1-10

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise

Although there are many obvious differences between men and women, there are also many qualities, experiences, thoughts and feelings that we share.

The story of Hannah is centred around her ability or otherwise to bear children – something only a woman can do. As she struggles with her circumstances, both women and men can relate to her experiences, her relationship with God and her response to the blessings she receives.

We live in a society that often encourages us to find our fulfilment in our achievements, in our material possessions and in our leisure time. Hannah was a woman who faced similar temptations, but she learned that it was only God who gave her fulfilling security. After He answered her prayer for a child – Samuel – Hannah praised God for being her Rock of security and her source of satisfaction.

When we are tempted to find our security in our achievements or in the things we possess, let us remember five characteristics of Hannah’s great prayer of praise for God as the Rock of her security.

1. Hannah praised God because He was the Rock who gave her firm strength in the ups and downs of life. When we praise God as our Rock and deliverer, He will help lift our focus above the uncertainty of our circumstances. Achievements come and go, as do possessions, but only God’s security satisfies the longing and hungry soul with what is good and lasting. If we desire lasting peace and security, we need to go to the Rock that is higher than ourselves.

2. Hannah praised God because He lifted her up above the hurtful mocking of her love-rival Peninnah. When people criticise, misunderstand and doubt us, we can be assured that the Rock of our God will shelter us from the storm. Hannah knew that God was all-knowing and that He will judge all sin and pride in His way and in His time.

We should never fear when people attack us, because God’s sovereign power is greater than anyone or anything. David wrote in Psalm 46:1-2 that, "God is our refuge and strength a very present help in the time of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."

Martin Luther wrote his famous hymn based on this verse because he needed to seek shelter in the Rock of God’s protection from the onslaught of abuse he received at the hand of the religious leaders of his day. He wrote, "A mighty fortress is our God. A bulwark never failing. Our helper, He amidst the flood. Of mortal ills prevailing.” And in 1 John 4:18 it says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

Hannah knew that, and she praised God so everyone could join hearts with her in worshiping the Rock who delivers us from evil.

3. Hannah praised God, not because of the gift of a son, but because of the GIVER. We should not focus only on the blessings we receive, but seek the one who blesses as much as the blessings themselves. We should praise God from whom all blessings flow. Hannah knew that she could praise God for His glory, splendour and love in good times and in bad.

And we, too, should praise God in times of feast or famine. We would do well to learn from Paul when he says in Philippians 4:12-13, “I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power."

So, let’s praise God when we are feeling great and when we are feeling down, because His glorious and loving nature are the focus of our desire.

4. Hannah praised God because she knew that there was no other Rock like our Lord. There are so many people, events and temptations that try to replace God as our idol, but they cannot compare to Him. To paraphrase another great hymn taken from Psalm 23, when we praise God as our Rock, our Fortress and our Deliverer, He restores our soul and makes us lie down in green pastures. He leads us beside the still waters. He makes us to walk in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though we may walk in the valley of the shadow of death, we shall not fear because we know He is with us.

We live in a world where evil is all around us, but our Rock is greater than any power. Greater is He who is in us than the one who is in the world. Sing praises to God, the God of all creation. Thank Him for being Lord of all and Lord of our lives. Honour Him for being above and beyond the understanding of our minds. For, as it says in Romans 11:36, “From him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory for ever!”

Praise Him following Hannah’s example and we will find greater power in our personal lives, in our relationships, and in our discipleship.

5. Hannah praised God because He makes the strong weak and makes the weak strong. He replenishes those who are lacking, and strips away wealth from the greedy. He breaks down barriers from those who think they are indestructible and He gives freedom to the prisoners. As Hannah’s prayers says in verse 4: “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.”

God lifts up the feeble and gives friends to the lonely and companionship to those who are without a family. He feeds the hungry and takes away the appetite of those who are hoarding what they have. He gives strength to the weary and humbles the proud. He works wonders to those who believe His promises and He disappoints those who boast of their greatness.

God’s grace is sufficient for whatever we need and He deserves our continual praise despite the way we may be feeling.

This is what the Lord says in Jeremiah 9:23-24: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.”

Let us praise God every morning and honour Him throughout the day as our Rock and our defender. Let us pray as Hannah did in verse 2 of our reading, “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”

When we are confused, disappointed or unsure of what to do, we can always praise God as our Rock who delivers us from any circumstance. Praise to the holiest in the height, and in the depths be praise.