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03. The Price of Love

Wednesday 14th Feb 

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(for more details see here)

 

Pause:

God, You are not the God of chaos, but of calm
God, not of retaliation, but of reconciliation
God, not of anger, but of acceptance
God, not of prejudice, but of perfect peace
 
May we learn to love Your path of peace
May we learn to live in the power of Your peace
 
So Lord, help us now to still ourselves before You:
Be still my body…
Be still my strength…
Be still my mind…
Be still my spirit…
Be still my heart…
Be still my soul…

And here and now,
in this moment of stillness we pray:
Speak Lord, your servant is listening.

 

Today's reading: John 12. 20-36

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I think we probably thought this would be good news to Jesus' ears, but His answer rocked us to the core.

We should have by now been used to Jesus giving surprising responses:
...asking deeper questions...
...probing masked desires...
...finding hidden treasures...
But this seemed to be an easy question - a simple request that we were not used to Him turning down.

"Sir, we would like to see Jesus." the Greeks had asked. 

I mean, who doesn't love it when people want to spend time with them?
Who wouldn't want to be sought out in this way?
  
And surely, there was no question when it came to Jesus. Jesus loved people - in fact He loved people in a way this world has never seen before. His capacity for people could often leave us nervous or exhausted. He has more time for people than there are hours in the day... So, clear the path - Jesus will surely be thrilled to know there are more people for Him to love just queueing up...

But... no. 
Not on this occasion.
And despite all His previous attempts to prepare us, we weren't prepared for this:

A calm resolve fell over His face.
"My time has come. The Son of Man will be glorified. Make sure you hear this, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." 

Jesus' eyes are on another prize. One we didn't fully understand then - but do now.

Like a seed in the Sower's hand, Jesus was about to be cast to the ground. He wasn't thinking about His reputation, or His ego. He wasn't thinking about Himself. He was thinking about a harvest of "many seeds..." To fully love these people waiting to see Him meant saying no to another opportunity in order to yes to the cross. He couldn't be with them right now, but He was going to be prepare a place for them to be with Him forever.
And not just them... You and I too.
And the harvest of "many seeds" to come...

But Jesus isn't finished yet. Not by a long way.
"Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."

Jesus was walking the way of the cross - and inviting us, you and I, to walk it too.
Time fully given over to work of the Kingdom.
Ego surrendered for the purposes of God.
Sacrifice as lifestyle.
That's Jesus.
That's where He is going.
And His question today is as simple as it is difficult: Are you coming too?
 

Reflection:

"As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus set His face like flint towards Jerusalem."

LUKE 9.51

Jesus' focus on walking the way of the cross will not be distracted - not just by obviously bad things but also by other good things. His love is absolutely resolute. His purpose in crystal clear in His mind. His focus is fixed. 

I wonder how often the purposes of God get derailed in our lives when we settle for something good, when God has something great and glorious in mind.
 

Questions:

Lord, Your word tells me that: "This is the day the Lord has made..." so what did You have in mind for today when you created it?

What did You have in mind for me when You created me?

Help me to use this day to step closer into all You have created me for.
 

Prayer:

Take time to digest Jesus' words from this passage:

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’?
But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
Father, glorify Your name.” 


As you enter a time of prayer, use His prayer as a catalyst for your own:
Father, glorify Your name in... (name before Him the activities of this day) 
Father, glorify Your name in... (think of a burden you are carrying right now)
Father, glorify Your name in... (hold before Him your closest relationships) 
Father, glorify Your name in... (name before Him a temptation you regularly face)
Father, glorify Your name in... (speak out the names of people and places you are concerned for)

 I prayed this.

My prayer for today: (if you would like to, please feel free to add your own prayer here):


 


Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

 

Where and When

The church is open for activities throughout the week but if you are just seeking us out it is likely that you will want to come and be a part of our Sunday worship which is core to what we are about.
We meet in the main church building (details here) at 10:30 each week. See our calendar to find out plans for the next few weeks.

Accessibility

There is wheelchair access and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer and church lounge.

Our Sunday Services


Sunday morning services are structured but informal. They include a mix of both contemporary and traditional worship songs and hymns, prayers, readings from the Bible and a sermon that unpacks this. Occasionally we will also have specific updates about ways that God has been working through and in people and activities. Once a month we celebrate communion as part of the service. The last Sunday of the month is usually an Altogether Service when all ages are all together in one place for a more relaxed and activity based time of worship.

We aim to finish at about 11.45 to Midday when we serve free tea, coffee and cold drinks. This is a great opportunity to get to meet people.

Sunday Evening services, either in person or online, tend to be shorter and more reflective and are an opportunity to dig a little deeper into our relationship with God.
 

What about the children and youth?

We have a great programme for children of all ages, for more information about what happens please visit our Children and Youth page.

Getting Connected

 

Small Groups

It is often in smaller gatherings that we can really get to know other people. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some in the afternoon and some in the evening either in the church, in peoples’ homes or online    .
If you are interested in joining a Small Group, let us know and we can put you in touch with the small group coordinator who will be more than happy to find a group that is convenient for you and introduce you to the group leader.

Get Involved

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved with the life of our church. If you'd like to find out more, please let us know.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit
If you would like to discuss anything before you visit the church, get in touch and we can arrange a time to chat with you.
 
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