Don't forget to turn off your mic

There can be no doubt that today was not a good day for Gordon Brown. He was out meeting ordinary voters, and faced a series of questions from a pensioner, which he dealt with reasonably well in front of the cameras. He then got back into his car, and forgetting that he was still attached to a tv mic said some things about the woman asking the questions that he later regretted.

Two thoughts.

1) For those who preach with radio mics attached to their shirts or jackets - remember to turn them off before talking to people after the service - you don't know who might be listening.

2) On a more serious note... What is it that Gordon Brown has got into trouble about? Being caught saying one thing in public and another in private. Of saying one thing to someone's face and something quite different behind their back. How should we judge Gordon Brown for today's behaviour? I'm reminded of someone who said something like, 'whoever hasn't done this themselves - let them throw the first stone'.

The Carrot and the Stick

When it comes to motivation and discipline there are two tried and tested methods - the carrot or the stick. One promises a reward for the right behaviour, the other a punishment for the wrong behaviour.

In this short video we see the success of the carrot.



Today we looked at Hebrews 2 in which we are warned of the importance of paying very careful attention to what we have heard in regard to our faith, in order that we don't drift away. And although there are a few pointers as to what happens if we don't pay careful attention (e.g. not escaping judgement...), the motivation is much more carrot than stick.

The bulk of this chapter is again focused on Jesus. On the truth that he became fully human, that he died on the cross, that his death in some way means we can know forgiveness, that he knows what we are going through in our difficulties and that he is therefore able to help us.

It is important that we pay careful attention to what we have heard. That we spend time studying the Bible and in prayer, and that we put into practice what we learn to be the truth. But our motivation should not be out of fear of what we escape, but rather out of a desire to know better the Jesus who loved us and gave himself for us.

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Healing is in your hands

One of the advantages of being a member of worshiptogether.com is that each week details of a new worship song arrive in my inbox - along with sheet music and a video of the writers singing the song and speaking about how the song came about. Whether you like a piece of music or not is down to personal taste - so sometimes after listening to a few bars I just press delete, other times something really good comes along.

Here's 'Healing is in your hands' by Christy Nockels and a few other guys.

The Good Man Jesus

How would you answer the question 'Who is Jesus?'

A myth? A good man? An influential teacher? A good example to follow?

What about Son of God? Miracle worker? Messiah?

Many people are happy to believe an option from the first set of answers, but not prepared to take a step further and believe that Jesus was anything other than a human being. And so the claims that Jesus was in some way God, that he performed miracles, that he rose from the dead... these all become later additions - creations of the church and the writers of the New Testament - and so, they claim, we have the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith.

Of course there is nothing new in these arguments. Opponents to the Christian faith have known for the past 2000 years that the person and work of Jesus are absolutely central to the Christian faith and therefore if you want to undermine Christianity your best line of attack is the person and work of Jesus. If you water down the claims of the Bible about Jesus you water down people's faith.

Many people will think there is something new, explosive, controversial and revolutionary in what Philip Pullman has done in his latest book 'The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ'. But this is just another re-hashing of an old argument - that has been around for centuries. An acknowledgment of someone in history called Jesus - and a claim that everything we read about Jesus being God, the miracles, the resurrection...these are nothing more than a literary creation of the early church.

Last Sunday we started a new series looking at the New Testament book of Hebrews. A book in which the truth about Jesus is central. Hebrews was written to Christians who were experiencing persecution for their faith, and the temptation to turn back to their old way of life. And if we don't actually believe that Jesus was God, or that his death on the cross has significance for us etc. then why would we continue to believe - especially if it meant hardship or even death?

Hebrews 1:1-4 makes a number of claims about Jesus - that he is God, that he is the creator of all things, and that he continues to be intimately involved in his creation, that he provides forgiveness for sin, and that he is now in heaven, alive and superior to whatever it is that we hold most important in our lives.

'Who is Jesus?' This is the most important question you will ever have to answer.

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Easter Holidays

Here are a few pictures from a great week's holiday.

Taking a rest during a walk on the beach.

Great Nanny had never been in the horse drawn carriage - until now.

The girls really enjoyed the ride.

Climbing in the trees - but watch out...don't trip over the roots.

Hugging trees.

Playing on the beach with Nanny.

Enjoying a walk in the woods.

Another day on the beach.

Brings back memories of the summer!

The Voice of Hope

Here is a song we have been learning recently, The Voice of Hope by Lara Martin.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter.

Good Friday

A song for Good Friday.

Palm Sunday

Last Sunday was Palm Sunday, the day when Christians remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem - with the crowds waving palm branches and throwing their coats onto the road, to provide a first century equivalent of flags and a red carpet. On that day the crowds were welcoming Jesus as Messiah. Of course, by Friday, they would be shouting something else entirely.

Palm Sunday has become a high light in our local church calendar over the last four or five years as hundreds of people from most of the local churches all gather together for a march of witness.

There is plenty of colour and noise as we proclaim the name of Jesus. The march ends in the local shopping centre car park with a time of singing.

We look forward to next year.