Gorse Hill Baptist Church

15-Apr AM; Heb. 13: 1 – 10 & John 13: 34, 35

What does it really mean to be a disciple? Is it simply a matter of blind obedience and then the rest will follow automatically? The answer (as Paul presents it in today’s passage) has two distinct – but interlinked - elements. It is firstly a change in the way we live (vv. 27): as believers we are no longer directed by cultural norms but by our faith in Christ. The second element reflects a change in our thinking and the way we view the world – this will only come when “…...

With a lot of relevant material to go on, it’s hard to decide what to leave out. It’s a big story to tell, simply because we have a big God whose love for us all is at the heart of it. There’s always opportunity to use our circumstances as well as understanding who’s listening, to focus on different aspects of Jesus’ life as we seek to make our portrayal of faith relevant to those around us...

01-Apr PM; John 20: 24 - 31

01-Apr AM; Matthew 28:1 - 15

We can all feel drained from time to time, especially if we've been working particularly hard to finish a key project. The same can be true if we've struggled with relationships, have lost someone we love or are struggle to find or hear God when the going gets tough. At times like this we need a renewed sense of spiritual purpose. We aren't going to get that without a fresh filling of God's Spirit that can only come from a close encounter with God himself...

Estimates vary. No one counted and there wasn’t an entrance fee to make the calculation easier. It’s likely that there well over half a million people crowded into the narrow winding streets of the old city. There were all there for a spectacular show but they got more than they ever bargained for. Passover remains the highlight of the Jewish Festival Calendar. It’s an opportunity for people to celebrate God’s deliverance with communal feasting and worship which engages all the senses...

The harvest is ready and there's no time to waste if the crop is to be gathered at the peak of perfection. It's not just a job for a few - it needs all hands on deck. Anyone who's available has a place on this team and will be duly rewarded for their work. However much work they do and whenever they join the team, the reward is the same: it's exactly what the farmer has promised - no more, no less. Oh, and they will be paid in reverse order, too...

The harvest is ready and there's no time to waste if the crop is to be gathered at the peak of perfection. It's not just a job for a few - it needs all hands on deck. Anyone who's available has a place on this team and will be duly rewarded for their work. However much work they do and whenever they join the team, the reward is the same: it's exactly what the farmer has promised - no more, no less. Oh, and they will be paid in reverse order, too...

Enthusiasm carries us a long way but it's not enough on its own to complete a complex task. We might be inspired and have all the right skills but unless our hearts are really set on achieving the goal, even the efforts of the great and the good to encourage us and urge us on will come to very little. We may hear the word of God (as the nation of Israel did in Haggai's time) but hearing won't sustain us through difficulty unless we are prepared to take on board everything God says...