04. The Cry of Love

Thursday 15th Feb

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Pause:

St. Patrick's Breastplate:

Christ be with me
Christ before me
Christ behind me
Christ in me

Christ beneath me
Christ above me
Christ on my right
Christ on my left

Christ when I lie down
Christ when I sit down
Christ when I arise

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me
Christ in every eye that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me

Today's reading: John 12. 37-50

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As we hear this passage read today, we are standing with Jesus outside the entrance to the Upper Room where Jesus will withdraw from the crowds to spend His final night on earth with His disciples.

He pauses one last time to make a final appeal to the people there. He knows that some of them still don't believe even after all the miracles that they have seen (v37). Other of them do believe in Him, but are scared to out themselves as His followers for fear of the consequences (v42). Still others want to follow Him but their pride can't withstand the hit to their reputation (v43).

And so, looking out into this sea of faces - and seeing hearts hardened by unbelief, fear, shallowness and stubbornness - He can't help but make one final invitation. Jesus doesn't want a single one of them to be lost, for Him it is never too late, and He can't resist a final cry of love:

Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the One who sent me.
The one who looks at me is seeing the One who sent me.
I have come into the world as a Light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

JOHN 12.44-46

Hear the hunger in His voice?
Hear the longing in His heart?

"If you listen to me you are actually hearing the voice of God - and it's a cry of love that rings out for you!
If you look at me you are actually looking at the face of God - and it's glowing with love for you!
So don't stay out in the dark alone - look and listen! Trust me and follow me! Believe me and step into life!"

His words here echo the words with which John opens His gospel:

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.

JOHN 1.9-10

And of course His own words to Nicodemus:

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

JOHN 3.19

Reflection: The Cry of Love

But Jesus has not left this devoid of His light. The One who said: "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” turns to His disciples - that's you and me - and says: "Now you are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden... let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven!"

William Barclay, the bible commentator, writes of Jesus in today's passage:

"From now on He will teach His disciples and in due course will stand before Pilate,
but these are the last words He will address to people at large...
Jesus returns to a thought that is never far away in the Fourth Gospel:
He did not come into the world to condemn, He came to save.
It was not the wrath of God which sent Jesus to us; it was His love."

WILLIAM BARCLAY (The Gospel of John)

Questions for today:

And so we reflect today on we use our words

Do my words condemn people or do they welcome them?
Will I judge others, or will I love them?
Will I hide or dim my light, or will I let it shine?

Prayer:

The Apostle Paul writes

And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

COL 4. 3-6

And so Lord, we pray today for Your:
(take a moment to personalize these - using them as an outline for your prayers...)

Opportunities to share
Open doors for the message
Courage in opposition
Clarity in what is shared
Wisdom in the way we act
Insight to see opportunity
Grace in my conversations
Holy Spirit-inspired words to answer
Openness to everyone

I prayed this.

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

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.

Visitors click here.

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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