As we move closer to Easter we want to take a look at the journey Jesus took as he teaches, acts, and responds to questions that all prepare us as well as his disciples for the meaning behind the journey.
April 24th
Commission | Clare Thompson | 24th of April at 11am
As we move closer to Easter we want to take a look at the journey Jesus took as he teaches, acts, and responds to questions that all prepare us as well as his disciples for the meaning behind the journey.
NOTES
April 24th Commission. Luke 24:47-49
The Journey continues beyond Jerusalem to ‘all nations’. That journey is to be in the power of the Spirit, so Jesus commands us to ‘go’ and ‘stay. We are not to go until we have received power.
As we look beyond Easter towards Pentecost what does it mean for us to ‘tarry’ or to start (like the first Sabbath in Genesis) from a place of rest before obeying that commission? How do we go on to live an empowered life?
Kingdom | Tim Dobson | 17th of April at 11am
As we move closer to Easter we want to take a look at the journey Jesus took as he teaches, acts, and responds to questions that all prepare us as well as his disciples for the meaning behind the journey.
NOTES
April 17th Kingdom: Luke 23:42 onwards Easter Day.
‘Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom’
‘Today- you will be with me in paradise’.
The ‘coronation’ of Jesus is Good Friday, but the power of the Kingdom is expressed in freeing condemned sinners and giving them a place in paradise. That Kingdom power is expressed as inexhaustible life. The transformation of Cleopas and his companion on the road is a continuation of the power that touches the dying thief. It is taking us from despair to hope, so that like them ‘our hearts burn within us’ v 32.
Coronation | Rachel Riddall | 17th of April at 7pm
As we move closer to Easter we want to take a look at the journey Jesus took as he teaches, acts, and responds to questions that all prepare us as well as his disciples for the meaning behind the journey.
April 17th
Cross | Tim Dobson | 10th of April at 7pm
As we move closer to Easter we want to take a look at the journey Jesus took as he teaches, acts, and responds to questions that all prepare us as well as his disciples for the meaning behind the journey.
April 10th
Jerusalem | Philip Jinadu | 10th of April at 11am
As we move closer to Easter we want to take a look at the journey Jesus took as he teaches, acts, and responds to questions that all prepare us as well as his disciples for the meaning behind the journey.
NOTES
Luke 19:28-21:37 (Palm Sunday)
The Triumphal entry inaugurates Holy Week- a week that the gospel writers devote a significant part of their narrative too. What begins with an extravagant welcome appropriate to the Messiah turns into a series of confrontations by Jesus with the religious, nationalistic, financial and political powers located in Jerusalem, and behind them the unseen spiritual powers of darkness. Prophecy flows from Jesus as each of the 6 days of Holy week increase the crisis that propels Jesus to the fulfilment of his ministry until the last ‘it is finished’ of the 7th day.
How do we welcome Jesus into our hearts, and what does he confront and challenge there?
Jericho | Clare Thompson | 3rd of April at 11am
As we move closer to Easter we want to take a look at the journey Jesus took as he teaches, acts, and responds to questions that all prepare us as well as his disciples for the meaning behind the journey.
NOTES
April 3rd Jericho. Luke 18:31-19:27.
Just as the Israelites had to go through Jericho to take possession of the land of Canaan, Jesus goes through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem.
Jesus meets people at Jericho. The blind man- who will not be silenced- ‘sees’ Jesus as ‘The Son of David’ and gets his physical sight in healing (a messianic sign e.g. Isaiah 35:5). He meets Zacchaeus – who is ‘saved’ (v 9). The Messiah is turning things upside down and his kingdom is breaking out in mercy and healing.
The parable of the talents speaks of what Jesus is looking for in terms of Spiritual fruit. What will Jesus find in Jerusalem? And what will he find in us?
Journey | Rachel Riddall | 27th of March at 11am
As we move closer to Easter we want to take a look at the journey Jesus took as he teaches, acts, and responds to questions that all prepare us as well as his disciples for the meaning behind the journey.
NOTES
Luke 13:31-35. 14:25-34
Luke 13 has threatening overtones. Pilate and Herod are both referenced in this chapter as having murderous intent and capacity. Jesus response is definitely not meek and mild. He commits to demonstrating a different kingdom coming (healing and deliverance) as he prepares for the final showdown in Jerusalem.
That sense of going to Jerusalem to die informs his teaching in Luke 14 of the cost of discipleship. That cost is framed in the language of ‘carry their cross’ v 27 and ‘’give up everything’ v33.
Our own journey of discipleship isn’t just a one off experience, but a considered life choice and lifestyle where we count the cost of commitment. Jesus words about ‘hating’ family members (v 26) are metaphors to demonstrate the overwhelming priority of God (it’s a how much more saying- even those we love, compared to the love of God it’s as if they were hated so much higher is our devotion to Him) as well as a non-emotional choice reminiscent of God’s election of Jacob -‘Jacob I loved, Esau I hated’.
The Journey is a narrow road of putting God first in all things, being ‘salty’ people, not losing our savour or backing off from our initial commitments whatever the cost.