After all, when we're at the sharp end of suffering we are bound to ask questions.  We will yearn to explain our experience and as Christians it could go a number of ways:

• Am I suffering because God is punishing me for my sin?
• Does that mean that the gospel hasn't really worked?
• Or that I don't have enough faith in God to sort the problem out?
• Am I suffering because God doesn't love me anymore?
• Or because his hands are tied and he can't help me, despite his good intentions?

Throughout Romans Paul wants to strengthen our faith in the gospel, so it's vital that he gives us the gospel's genuine answer to the tough question of suffering so that our faith in the gospel isn't toppled in life's storms.  So what is Paul's answer?

We saw that the key to Paul's answer is to focus not on this world but on future glory.  That is, the benefits of the gospel in getting rid of all sin and all of its consequences will only be fully realised in the future, in the glorious new creation.  As long as we're in this world we will suffer, and it's only in future glory that our suffering will be over. 

So the big truth to have in our minds is that the future glory far outweighs our sufferings in this life (Romans 8:18).  And if this is our attitude, we're not on our own:

• All of creation is groaning under the curse of sin but, like a mother in the pains of childbirth, creation is looking forward to the far better future of a glorious, perfect and sin-free world (Romans 8:19-22)
• In the same way we Christians, in our decaying and sinful bodies, are groaning as we look forward to the new bodies that we will get when our adoption as God's children is fully realised (Romans 8:23-25)

And wonderfully we also saw that God is on our side to help us through it:

• The Holy Spirit himself, he who dwells in us and has perfect knowledge of the Father's will, is praying to the Father for us in our weakness (Romans 8:26-27)
• And he's praying that the Father's will according to his eternal plan will be brought to completion, that is, that we will make it to our future glorification (Romans 8:28-30)

These are the kinds of truths we should dwell on now, even if suffering hasn't really hit us yet, because it's bound to in the future.  Here are some pointers to help us do that over the weekend:

• Am I prepared to face whatever suffering life throws at me?
• Am I armed with the gospel, with it's huge vision of a perfect new creation, as an antidote to despair in life's painful struggles?
• Am I looking forward to the new creation and having a new body which will be completely free of sin and suffering?
• Do I believe that it's worth remaining firm in my faith in the gospel in order to get there, because it's so much better?
• Do I really know that God is on my side, even when it doesn't feel like it?

And here is the prep sheet for next week's study.

This week at the St Helen's lunchtime meetings, William gave a talk (download the recording on our website) on Luke 20.19-21.4. The surprise of this section of Luke's gospel is that Jesus does indeed detest religion in all its forms. The religious establishment of Jesus' day tried to catch him with questions designed to entrap him. Each time, Jesus responded with such authority and clarity that the scribes and chief priests were silenced.

What was the error in each of their carefully crafted objections? Their questions revealed that their hearts were far from God. They failed to see that God is God of everything and everyone. There is no "sacred" and "secular" divide when it comes to God; everything belongs to him. They knew nothing of the power of God to raise his children from the dead for eternal life. They refused to listen to the very Scriptures they read week in, week out. They cared only for their own reputations and nothing for God's glory. And that is why Jesus hates religion, and why Jesus says of the religious establishment, "They will receive the greater condemnation."

After condemning the religious establishment, Jesus commended a widow who gave two small copper coins to God, worth about £2.50 today. Why? Because she gave everything she had. She gave out of wholehearted devotion to God.

Has someone ever said to you, "It's great that you're a Christian, but that's not for me. I'm not religious." The next time you hear that, perhaps you could say, "You know what? Jesus hated religion, too."

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Isaiah 49:8-12 (ESV)
"...In a time of favour I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, "Come out," to those who are in darkeness, "Appear."  They shall  feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them, And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways, shall be raised up.  Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene."

But the sad fact of the matter is that they've still not understood who Jesus is - and to be honest, we're not particularly surprised about that fact either. The evidence has been there all the way through chapters 4-8 (see 4:13, 4:41, 6:51-52, 7:18). Consistently, in the face of overwhelming evidence, the disciples have not recognised who Jesus is; God's King, the shepherd of Israel, who is none other than God Himself (6:30-52 esp. 6:50).

Shockingly, Jesus verdict on the disciples is that they are no different from the Pharisees or the Herodians; they have hard-hearts. That is to say, the sinful condition of the human heart that Jesus described in 7:1-23 is true of everyone alike, and prevents people from understanding who Jesus is.

Nevertheless, we remember that when Jesus called the twelve to Himself in 3:13-19, He was calling to Himself a new people, a new Israel. So if this new Israel has the same problem as the old Israel, what's the difference? And how come the disciples are in, while the Pharisees, who have exactly the same problem, aren't?

Before we can answer those questions, we need to deal with another big surprise - by the end of 8:30, the disciples have understood who Jesus is. What explains this sudden grasping of Jesus' identity, when just a few verses earlier the disciples seem to be so clueless?

The only explanation can be that Mark has included this story of Jesus' healing of a blind man in between these two event for a reason. Just as Jesus miraculously opens this man's eyes, so He is able to miraculously open the disciples eyes (see 8:18) to perceive who He is. The disciples hadn't worked it out for themselves - Jesus had given them understanding!

So here's the key question that the whole of Ch 4-8 has been building up to: what's the difference between a follower of Jesus and someone who rejects Jesus?

The answer: Only grace.

Questions for Application:

If someone asked you 'why are you a Christian?', what would you say? What would Mark say is the real answer?

What implications does this passage have on our attitudes towards 1) ourselves? 2) evangelism?

If you missed RML this week, you can find Aneirin's review of Ch4-8 here.

And as we move on into a new section in Mark, here are some prep notes for next week.

Luke 20.17-18 (ESV)
"The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him."

Pray that Christians around the City would believe in their hearts that the gospel is indeed good news! Pray that Christians would be filled with joy that they have been forgiven through Jesus Christ. Pray that the good news of the gospel would motivate them to bring friends and colleagues to Christianity Explored. Pray that God would open people's eyes to the good news that Jesus came to bring forgiveness of sins.

Mark 2.17 (ESV)
Jesus said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

That's why it's so appropriate that Paul moves on to assure us that God has provided the complete solution to the problem of sin.  He shows how the work of God the Holy Spirit assures us that sin has been dealt with, sin is being dealt with and sin will fully and finally be dealt with.  Here's a reminder of how:

• Past:  The Holy Spirit joined us to Jesus, who paid for our sin on the cross - we can be sure that we won't be condemned (Romans 8:1-4)
• Present:  The Holy Spirit dwells in us and enables us to focus our minds on God and living in his ways rather than living in constant rebellion towards God - we can be sure that we belong to Jesus (Romans 8:5-11)
• Future: the Holy Spirit gives us an inner sense that we are God's children and that we will therefore inherit all that Jesus inherits in the future - we can be sure that we will receive our inheritance (Romans 8:14-17)

Why not spend some time thinking over and praying through these truths, perhaps with the help of these questions:

• How can this truth help you next time you despair at our own sinfulness?
• How will the Holy Spirit help you when you next feel distant from God?
• How has this changed or added to your thinking about who the Holy Spirit is and what he does for Christians?

 Here is the prep for next week's study.

Jesus uses Scripture to level a warning at the establishment of his day and at the powers that prevail in our day as well. Each of these allusions to Scripture speak of the end that awaits those who oppose God: they will be destroyed. In Isaiah 8, the prophet warns that the LORD will be a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel; the kingdoms of Israel and Judah will fall and be broken because of their rebellion against God. In Daniel 2, God reveals through Nebuchadnezzar's dream that the great kingdoms of the earth, depicted as a statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay, will be smashed to bits by a stone that was cut by no human hand; that stone is the kingdom that shall never be destroyed, set up by the God of heaven himself.

There is nothing surprising about those passages of Scripture, especially to a Jewish audience. Any Jew would have accepted that those who oppose God ultimately will be destroyed. What's shocking is the way that Jesus uses these Scriptures. He is claiming to be the rock of stumbling and the stone that destroys the kingdoms of earth. He is claiming that anyone who rejects him is rejecting God himself!

What's the implication? Just as the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were broken to pieces, just as the empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome were crushed, just as Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in AD 70, so will it be with all human powers and authorities who oppose Jesus. Every human institution, even the most imposing and intimidating, will fall when the Lord Jesus returns.

I wonder if this helps us to be courageous Christians in a world that puts immense pressure on us to conform. As the prophet Elisha once said when he was surrounded by a Syrian army, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And I wonder if this helps us to understand the priority of telling our friends and colleagues about the Lord Jesus. When he returns as God's rightful ruler, it will be too late.

The recording of William's talk is on our website.  Why not listen to it again and forward it to someone, along with an invitation to the rest of the series from Luke?

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Please give thanks and pray for Anthony looking at John's Gospel 121 with colleagues in London and via the telephone/instant messaging in the States.

Luke 20:25(ESV)
"...render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's"

Mark 4:7-9(ESV)
"Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.  And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold adn sixtyfold and a hundredfold."  And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Please pray that the gospel will be clearly explained to many Mandarin-speakers in the City.

Revelation 21.1-4 (ESV)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.'"

“Which of the following is not a gospel in the New Testament?” might have been a question. “Matthew, Mark, Luke, or Cuthbert?” But the contestant would spend a long time discussing how he’d never heard of the gospel of Mark. Members of Mark RML across London would stare at their television screens in disbelief as the individual talked himself into an early departure. “What is wrong with you?!” they would say. “Why can’t you see that the answer is Cuthbert! There is no ‘Gospel of Cuthbert’!”

We’re meant to have a similar reaction to the disciples’ confusion, when we see them again in Mark 8:14-21. Having seen Jesus feed thousands with a simple packed lunch – twice! – it’s incredible that they should be worried about their meagre supplies. But Mark doesn’t want to leave us astounded. The passage takes on a sinister air. After 8 chapters of the disciples fluctuating between spiritual highs (e.g. Mark 6:30) and desperate lows (e.g. Mark 6:52), we find the piercing words of Jesus: “Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear?” (Mark 8:18).

The words are familiar. They’ve come up before. Indeed, Mark has used blindness and deafness as a picture of unbelief throughout his account of Jesus’ life so far. Remember Jesus’ teaching about the parables back in Mark 4:12? Those who failed to understand – the outsiders, rebels against Jesus - were described as seeing but not perceiving, hearing but not understanding. And now Jesus uses the same terms to speak of the disciples. We leap out of our armchairs and shout at the disciples, “What is wrong with you? Why can’t you see that the answer is…”

And then, all of a sudden, they know what the answer is. When asked the simple question in Mark 8:29, Peter answers: “You are the Christ.” Suddenly they see! But how?

Mark tells us the answer with another of his clever sandwiches. In between the disciples failing to understand (Mark 8:21) and seeing who Jesus is (8:39) we have an account of a blind man regaining his sight. It’s a really unusual place to put the story – right in the middle of two sections about Jesus talking with his disciples. It’s also an unusual miracle – we get a lot more detail here than in e.g. Mark 1:34.

The reason is because Mark wants us to see how the man is given sight: Jesus heals him. Jesus is the only one that can make him see. In the same way, Jesus is the only one that can give understanding.

Questions to ponder

If you wanted someone to become a Christian, on what or whom would you rely? Are you sure? Does your attitude and behaviour show that?

Think of all of your friends who are not Christians. Who is the least likely to become a Christian? Really?

What is your attitude to the friend that remains hostile to the gospel after years of speaking and praying? What should it be?

“If your friends aren’t becoming Christians, it’s because you don’t believe hard enough, you don’t speak well enough and you don’t pray frequently enough.” What would you say to this?

Jesus' words in this passage are a major jolt to the system. They are meant to be taken as a wake-up call. Be ready! The end is imminent. And the timing is unknown. The very next thing on God's agenda is the return of Jesus. And only God the Father knows when that day will be.

The world around us is completely ignorant that Jesus will return in glory. For Christians we can be absolutely confident in Jesus' words. All that Jesus prophesied about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD took place. Jesus is now saying in v35 that heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will never pass away. Listen to what Jesus is saying. The end is coming, it's imminent. Jesus is at the very gates. 

People will be busy with everyday life when Jesus comes back. Having breakfast or maybe drinks after work. Getting engaged or walking down the aisle. The world will be caught completely unaware. Jesus will come back, and for those who don't know Him, it will be too late. 

So stay awake! Be ready! The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect! On Sunday 22nd January we will be thinking about what it looks like to be ready.

Questions for reflection:

How prominent is Jesus' return in my thinking?

What difference would it make to my life if I really believed that Jesus could return at any moment?

Mark 8.34-35 (ESV)
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."

Sometimes, we need to hear things that we don't like to hear. For instance, when you go to the doctor's office, you want your doctor to tell you the truth, however hard it is to hear. You don't want your doctor to hide the truth from you to spare your feelings!

I wonder if that's something we can remind ourselves when we come to passages like Luke 20.1-18. Jesus tells us bluntly how wrong we are to rebel against God - not to hurt our feelings or to ruin our day - but for our benefit. Listen to Jesus as he tells the parable of the vineyard and the tenants. It's as if he's saying to us, "Do you see how patient the vineyard owner is? Don't keep rejecting him like the tenants do. Do you see how ugly the tenants' behaviour is? Don't persist in rebellion like they do. Do you see that the owner is right to destroy those tenants? Don't end up like they did."

Jesus tells us truths that are hard to hear because he loves us. We need to see that our rebellion against God is wicked and that we deserve to be destroyed, because only then will we see how badly we need God's mercy and forgiveness. Going back to the doctor's office for a moment, if you have a serious problem, you want the doctor to tell you plainly what it is, especially if there is a cure available!

At the end of his talk, William encouraged us to bring people to this series, even if it seems like a difficult one to hear. If what Jesus says about us is true, then the most loving thing we could do for our friends and colleagues is to make sure they hear what Jesus has to say.

If you missed this week's talk, you can find the recording on our website. Or if you were there, why not listen to it again and consider forwarding it to a colleague, along with an invitation to the rest of the series?

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

John 8.34-36(ESV)
"Truly, truly, I say to everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.  The slave does not remain in the house for ever; the son remains for ever.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Summary Sheet (13-14) for John 6:1-71

Let's face it, Mark 7:27 is one of those verses that makes us stop in our tracks and ask ourselves: 'Is Jesus really saying what I think he's saying here? Is he really telling this woman that she's a dog?'

It's a statement so blunt and degrading that many liberal commentators conclude that Jesus could never have said it, and that this whole episode never really happened. Nevertheless, we need to grasp that Jesus is being consistent with what the Bible  says about the Gentiles  - they were not part of God's chosen people Israel, and therefore of lower status than Israel. His statement may appear callous at first glance, but it forces the woman to give a response that is even more surprising than Jesus' bluntness.

Before we get to that, we need to see the big point that the whole of 7:24-8:10 is making. The three separate incidents mentioned (7:24-30, 7:31-37 and 8:1-10) all take place in Gentile regions, and all apply blessings that Jesus is bringing for the Jews to the Gentiles. So in 7:24-30 we get a very similar story to that of Jairus and his daughter in chapter 5 but for a Gentile woman. 7:31-37 applies the blessings promised to Israel in passages like Isaiah 35 to a Gentile man, and 8:1-10 seems to be a repeat of the feeding of the 5000, but this time for the Gentiles. Notice that the end result is the same - just as with the Jews, 'all ate and were satisfied'.

When we see the common link of 'bread' between 8:1-10 and 7:27-28 (note that v27 literally reads 'Let the children eat and be satisfied first'), we see how remarkable this woman's response is. Not only is she humble enough to accept that, as a Gentile, she doesn't deserve anything from Jesus, but more surprisingly still she understands that Jesus has nevertheless come for the Gentiles too (an understanding which Jesus' response in v27 draws out and which he commends in v29).

Given that this is the first time in Mark's gospel that anyone has understood a parable of Jesus (and a Gentile at that!), it leaves us with a massive question: where has this understanding come from?!

Questions for application:

Given that most of us at RML Mark Tuesday are Gentiles, how does this passage make us feel?

Why do you think we find this passage hard to apply? How do we need to view ourselves in order to apply it correctly?

Why is this passage such incredibly good news for us?

You can find prep notes for next week here.

Hebrews 10.24(ESV)
"...let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works..."

For the Christians to be bold in speaking of Christ to our colleagues
For the Christians to be quick to encourage one another to live for Christ and to honour Him in their speech and behaviour
For more to join the new prayer meeting to pray for colleagues

 Psalm 119:36(ESV)
"Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!"

The City weekend away is 9-11 March in Sunningdale Park.  Download the brochure to learn more and book your place.

The City summer school is over one of two weeks in July in Ashburnham Place.  Download the brochure to learn more, and fill in the booking form to sing up.

Alan Bright, City administrator for St Helen's, tells us more about his first City weekend away.

My first City weekend away was in 2006, with my wife and five of our children, then aged 17 down to eight. I was working for a software company, I had been going to the Thursday lunchtime talks for a few years, and I wanted my family to understand more about the Bible teaching I was receiving during the week and to see a part of my Christian life that was normally hidden from them.

The weekend was a great success. There was good Bible teaching, good food, I deepened relationships with members of the midweek congregations, and my wife and I came away with good new friends. The weekend was also significant for our children: they made new friends, they have kept up with them since, and we continue to see the value of Christian friendships for them.

If you have not come before, do come, with spouse and children if you have them. You will have a great time together under God's word and will develop friendships that will help you serve God in the future.

Alan
alan@christiansinthecity.com

Mark 1.14-15 (ESV)
Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

There is a great deal of confusion about the ‘end times' and it was really helpful to be clear on 4 different things that Jesus tells us to expect:

Firstly, there will be disruption around the world. Wars and disasters that plague this world are normal and to be expected. But they are also birth pains (v8), and therefore are confirmations that this world is passing away.

So there will be disruption, but there will also be distress for Christians. Distress as Christians are persecuted, backsliding, stumbling or even giving up. We can also expect to be surrounded by false teachers in the world around us. The Christian life isn't the easy life, so don't be surprised if you're finding things tough.

Jesus foretold the devastating destruction of Jerusalem which took place in AD70. This gives us both a foretaste of how dreadful the final judgment will be, and confirmation that Jesus' words are absolutely trustworthy.

Finally, Jesus warns us of the great deceptions that will come, with many claiming falsely to be Christ. We are to ignore such claims. When Jesus returns, it will be as clear as lightning in the sky.

So Jesus will return. We can be absolutely certain. Amazingly, Jesus even tells us what life will be like as we wait for his return.

William gave us the challenge to imagine ourselves 50 years down the line, potentially still awaiting Jesus' return.

 How would we view our lives then? Had we lived in light of the fact that this world is passing away, and that Jesus is coming back?

Questions for reflection-

Do I have the right expectations of what life will be like, awaiting the return of Jesus?

To what extent am I living in light of the return of Jesus?

How can I make decisions and live my life daily, reflecting this reality?

•  Empathise with you

•  Give you good rewards

•  Treat you fairly

•  Give you a reasonable amount of freedom

In RML Romans this week we looked at Romans 6:15-23, where we saw that before we believed in Jesus we were "slaves to sin", with no choice but to follow sin's mastery.  But now that we have believed in the gospel and are united with Jesus we have become "slaves to God".  Just like last week, Paul's overall aim is to show that the gospel enables and motivates us to stop sinning.

Well how do the bosses of God and sin compare?  Which boss are we motivated to serve?  Paul compares the two in Romans 6:20-23:

The gospel exposes just what a deceitful and malicious master sin is and what a good and generous master God is.  Let's be thankful that God has set us free from sin to serve him - and let's get on with it!

And here is the prep for next week.

Pray for Richard, Scott, Wendy, Darshika, and many others who are using the Truth at Work notes to read John's gospel with others.  Pray that those reading John would be born again of the Spirit to everlasting life.

John 3.3 (ESV)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

This idea of being excluded isn't unfamiliar to us. We often find ourselves or others without an invite to that special occasion, wedding or birthday party; and it's awkward. But not nearly as awkward as when that person turns up anyway. Don't they know their place? They weren't invited. It's as simple as that. They may all want to be there, but only certain people were invited.

It's surprising, then, that we so rarely remember that most of us were originally “uninvited” to Christianity. When we looked at Mark 7:24-8:10 this week, we were reminded that those who are not Jews were not originally recipients of the promise of God. God had chosen a people for His own possession (e.g. Exodus 19:5), and they were separated from the nations (Leviticus 20:26). Gentiles were without an invite.

But this week we see a woman who knew that the “bread” Jesus had to offer was exactly what she wanted. The bread of Jesus' salvation was worth everything to her, and so she begged Him for it. Jesus' response (“it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to he dogs”) comes as a shock. Why was Jesus calling her a dog, and why was He refusing to give her His salvation? The answer is simple – she was not invited. She was not Jewish. She was not 'one of the children', but part of the uninvited Gentile race.

She was determined to get the bread nonetheless, knowing she was unworthy, but pleading for “crumbs”. So when she gets the bread, it's a great moment. She's been saved! A Gentile got in! But if we're looking at the party as Gentiles, it's not particularly encouraging that there's one Gentile amongst a sea of Jewish people. What hope is there for the rest of us?

The answer: lots of hope. By the end of the passage, we've seen a miraculous feeding all over again, and most of the details are exactly the same as in Mark 6:30-44. Why does Mark tell us about it? Because he wants us to see that the message of the gospel isn't just for Jews – it's for Gentiles too. They weren't originally counted as part of God's chosen nation, but now the message of Exodus-type rescue is going out to the whole world, Jews and Gentiles.

Questions to ponder

When the Queen ended her speech this Christmas with a prayer that all of us would make room in our lives for Jesus, it wasn't because we're a Christian country. On the contrary, we're a Gentile country. The Christian faith was for Israel; but now it's available to us too. How should that make us feel?

In what ways is the Syrophoenician woman of Mark 7:24-30 an example to us? What would it look like for you to have her faith?

In what ways do we, as Christians, take our inclusion in God's people for granted? How would our Friday morning be different if we realised how privileged we are?

Do grab another member of your RML group to talk these questions through, to make sure the study doesn't pass us by without having put anything into practice. For next week's study, have a look at these prep notes.

Why? Because "to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."  If we understand what an amazing and undeserved offer this is, we will take it seriously.

As always, a recording of the talk is available on our website.  Why not forward it to a friend or a colleague who came to a carol service in December?

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Isaiah 42.16(ESV)
"And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them.  I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground, these are the things I do, and I do not forsake them."

Take, for example, the latest film in the Batman series 'The Dark Knight'. If you've seen it you'll remember that scene near the end of the film with the two ferries (if not, this is going to spoil part of it) - the Joker, who's the villain, has rigged both ferries with explosives, and given the people on each ferry the detonator for the other ferry. So the people on each ferry have the option of blowing the other one up, and the Joker gives them 15 minutes to make a decision, after which if one of the ferries hasn't used their detonator, he'll blow up both ships. The tension mounts as we wait to see which one of them will crack first, and there are stages at which people on both ships look like they're about to push the button...but in the end neither of the them does; they both decide to throw away their detonators. By the time the 15 minutes are up Batman has already caught the Joker and stopped him from blowing up both ships anyway. But the point that the film puts across very clearly is this - that basically, deep down, human beings are essentially good.

In last night's passage we saw two very contrasting evaluations of mankind.

First up we've got the view of Israel. When the Pharisees complain to Jesus about His disciples' unwashed hands, at first glance it looks like they're simply suffering from a case of washing-related OCD, given the extensive list in v3-4.  Dig a little deeper though and we notice that to them this wasn't an issue of being trivially picky; v2 and v5 show that they really thought that eating with unwashed hands was an issue of defilement - i.e. that it made someone unclean before God, a very serious issue indeed.

So here in essence is Israel's view - deep down we're basically good, but our problem before God is this external stuff that we can fix by doing lots of religious things. Sound familiar? It's easy to see parallels with the way that people think today: 'The things I do wrong are the fault of society's corrupting influence, and the way to be acceptable to God is to be very religious'.

Jesus, on the other hand, says that the truth about us is very different; that what makes us unacceptable to God is not external factors, but our hearts. Deep down, the heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart. We're the ones to blame. It's our fault.

As we start off reading that list in v21 we might not be feeling too bad about ourselves - so theft, murder, adultery - we might be thinking to ourselves "well I haven't done them, so I'm doing all right". But when we get into v22 things get a bit less comfortable don't they - if we're honest with ourselves we know we're all guilty of those things.

The irony of what the Pharisees are doing, as is the irony of all religious effort today, is that far from solving the problem of sin, it is in itself a sinful practice. Jesus is outspoken in His condemnation of the Pharisees, describing them as hypocrites for following their own made up rules instead of following God's actual commandment. Essentially what the Pharisees were doing were making for themselves a set of rules that were easier to follow than the actual commandments of God, and allowed them to be selfish and still feel justified (as in the case of Corban, a religious-sounding way of avoiding caring for their parents).

This is surely why following rules is still so attractive to people today - tick box religion is a lot less effort than loving God with all our hearts and our neighbour as ourselves. The problem is, it is useless in God's eyes (v7), and simply testifies to Jesus' assessment of our hearts.

So Jesus' verdict is probably not what most people would expect, and it's certainly highly non-politically correct these days, but this is what it is - that at heart, all of us are essentially evil.

Questions for application:

What things do we or might we be tempted to treat as traditions that please God?

In what ways do we try to remove our responsibility from our sin?

Why is it important that we accept the responsibility for our sin?

You can find prep notes for next week here.

John 1.12(ESV)
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.."

Please pray for Christians in the City planning dialogue talks and to ask their colleagues to read a Gospel one to one with them over the next few weeks.

Give thanks for the freedom we have to live and speak for Jesus. Pray that our government would continue to protect our freedom to live and speak as Christians. Pray that we would make the most of the opportunities given to us to share the gospel with friends and colleagues!

1 Timothy 2.1-4 (ESV)
"First of all then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth."

Before reminding ourselves of the answer that we saw on Tuesday from Romans 6:1-14, it would be worth considering why this question matters in the first place – what’s at stake? It turns out to be pretty crucial for a number of reasons:

First, think of Paul, the writer of this letter. If his message about Jesus turns out to encourage people to sin, he’ll be exposed as a shameful peddler of a pretty immoral message.

Second, think of Paul’s readers. They're meant to be strengthened in their faith in the gospel, not weakened in it… but how could a gospel that encourages God's people to act as his enemies do anything but rock your confidence in it?

And finally God himself. The Holy God would be blasphemously slandered if his plan to save the world through Jesus turned out to promote sin, the very problem that it is meant to solve in the first place.

What then is the answer? Yes you guessed it… “BY NO MEANS!” Here are some reminders from Paul’s reasoning:

• How can we who died to sin still live in it? (v2)
• We know that our old self was crucified with [Jesus] in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (v6)
• For one who has died has been set free from sin. (v7)
• So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (v11)

Well that’s the theory. Why not spend some time asking God to strengthen our faith in his good and reliable gospel and to help us grasp how wonderfully we’ve been set free from sin by being united with Jesus in his death? But we would be missing the mark if we failed to put this very liberating truth into practice. Paul writes as a direct and practical implication:

“Do not present your members [body parts] to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness” (v13).

Let’s use this weekend to spend some good time asking God to help us:

• Believe that sin is not our master
• Identify where we are sinning with our bodies
• See where we can use our bodies in his service

And here is the prep sheet for next week’s RML Romans study.

Isaiah 35.10 (ESV)
"And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

Jesus told us that just 'doing things' won't help. In fact, it makes things worse. The Pharisees had lots of religious behaviour to try and deal with sin, but Jesus showed that they were so keen on outward matters that they started teaching things that went against what God has said. Religion doesn't fix the problem.

Why not? Surely with enough hard work we can “make good”?

The devastating conclusion of the passage is that defilement – everything we do wrong, every evil thing – comes “from within” (Mark 7:23). There is nothing we can do to solve the problem of a broken heart.

Mark is deliberately presenting us with a crushing low point. We've seen much of how great Jesus is, but we can't understand how massive is His rescue until we've seen how great is our need. The verdict from Mark 7 is that the need is inexpressibly great. Indeed, our hearts are spouting filth, our defilement before God comes from within, so there's nothing we can do.

We've seen lots about Jesus' rescue in Mark already, and we'll see more next week. Mark is giving us a message of good news (“gospel”, Mark 1:1), and we know that the problem is solved for us if we trust in Jesus. But the problem isn't fully solved for us yet; we still experience a heart problem until the new creation. So for the moment, let's apply what Mark is telling us here.

Some questions to ponder

A non-Christian friend admits that he keeps getting drunk even though he knows it is wrong. What advice do you give him? How quick are we to try to come up with “practical solutions” to fight against sin? What should we do instead?

When David Cameron commemorated the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, he encouraged us to “stand up for our [Christian] values” to “confront the slow-motion moral collapse that has taken place in parts of our country these past few generations”. How does he describe the problem? How would Jesus respond?

How can we be in danger of putting religious practices in the way of what God wants us to do? For example, are there ways we put “Christian service” before service to our parents (Mark 7:11-12)?

For prep notes for next week's study, click here. Finding prep hard or not interested? Find some helpful motivation here.

Isaiah 55.1 (ESV)
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

It may be that having thought such questions at the start of the year, a term of seeing how rich God's word is and struggling through studies on some difficult passages may have already begun to convince you of the benefits of prep. But for those still unconvinced of its importance, here are a few reasons why prep is so important, and then some tips on how to get the most out of prep.

Why is it important to prep?

1) It helps you get further in studies

It's likely that your RML leaders don't get through all of the material they would like to cover in studies (many will come with a number of 'if time permits' questions, which can be cut if time is running short). But the more familiar with a passage you are, the faster you'll be able to get to the main points, and so the more time you'll be able to spend getting even more out of the passage.

2) It is a way of serving your group

Coming in to a study unprepared often means that you'll be playing catch up all the time to those who have prepared and so get to the answer quicker than you. That means you'll either feel like you're not able to contribute much because others seem to understand the passage better than you, or you'll be spending much of the study trying to work out whether what other's have said is right or not because you don't know the passage well enough to have your own opinion about it. Either way, it means you'll tend to be much quieter in the study and won't be much help to the group in getting things out of the passage.

3) It helps you apply better

The faster you get through a study, the longer you'll have to think about application. Not only that, but knowing the passage better will mean that you'll be able to spend more time think about lines of application as you go through the study, as you'll be less preoccupied struggling to work out what's going on.

How do I get more out of my prep?

1) Get a regular time in the diary

We all know what happens otherwise - we get to Tuesday, have that "oh no, it's RML tonight and I've forgotten to prep...again!" moment, and we squeeze prep into 5 minutes somewhere in the day before the study, and it doesn't really help us all that much.

2) Read through the passage a couple of times

Always a good idea when studying the Bible not to assume we've picked up everything on first reading. The second time through is usually when you start to make connections between different parts of the passage and start to see common themes emerging.

3) Aim to get a better grasp of where Mark is going

Mark structures his material in sections, each of which drive towards a main point - it would be good to spend a bit of time thinking about what we've already seen so far in this section and what this passage adds to it.

4) Ask yourself the 'why?' question

It's one thing to understand what Mark wants us to understand, but more helpful is then trying to work our why he wants us to understand that. Particularly, why does Mark tell us this now and not earlier/later in his account?

Honestly, experienced RMLers will tell you, doing prep is well worth it. Let's resolve to be better servants of ourselves and our groups by setting aside proper time for it. If you think you're too busy to prep, take a look at this challenging series of blogs by C.J. Mahaney on time management.

You can find prep notes for next week's study here.

John 6.40(ESV)
"For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

Philippians 3.13-14 (ESV)
"...But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

After a brief nod towards the significance of Christmas at church on Sunday morning there's the Christmas dinner to cook (or help cook!), and then guests/family to entertain, and presents to open, and then that great family film comes on the TV...and suddenly the day is over with only the briefest of thoughts towards what you were supposed to be celebrating in the first place.

With minor variations, that's probably quite a common version of events for many Christians on Christmas Day.

So before a repeat of this familiar routine again this year, why not determine to get into the right frame of mind for Christmas by deciding to start reflecting on its significance now?

Here's a great quote from J.I.Packer, commenting on 2 Corinthians 8:9, which might help you get started:

'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that you by his poverty might become rich.' 2 Cor 8:9

'We see now what if meant for the Son of God to empty himself and become poor. It meant a laying aside of glory...; a voluntary restraint of power; an acceptance of hardship, isolation, ill-treatment, malice and misunderstanding; finally, a death that involved such agony - spiritual, even more than physical - that his mind nearly broke under the prospect of it (see Luke 12:50 and the Gethsemane story). It meant love to the uttermost for unlovely human beings, who through his poverty might become rich. The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity - hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory - because at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he might hang on a cross. It is the most wonderful message that the world has ever heard, or will hear.' (Jim Packer, Knowing God).

Matthew 2.11(ESV)
"And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, adn they fell down and worshipped him...."

Christmas in the City

Three wise men?

WHAT a start we have had to our "Truth At Work" initiative with its training of folks to start studying JOHN 1-2-1 with their various connections!  In fact - through the Wednesday morning and Friday lunchtime Partnerships, plus a few individual groups like Doug Olsen's Monday group, the North Bishopsgate group led by Phil Stitson and BLP law firm's Christian group - well over 150 people have begun to study JOHN and take the notes designed to help them pass on the message of John to others. 
Already positive feedback has started to come in from many who previously have never shared the bible in such a user friendly way with others. Many who, like me, never dreamt that they would be capable of doing so!
What seems a daunting prospect has turned into a realisation that actually God is already at work in the lives of friends, colleagues and family such that they are often more receptive than expected to an invite. The norm is that the reason one thinks someone might agree to look at God's word is very rarely the real reason someone accepts, because under the surface God has already sown some seed!  
What is equally clear is that this initiative is reaching those who would simply not dream of attending a church service and certainly would not attend a group bible study or Exploring Christianity course...but to find out what a Gospel actually says with someone you know and trust ...and be really surprised by it ...well that is different!!
The notes' "tabloid" approach is proving to be highly popular in opening the pages of a book that many have promised themselves that one day they really should see what it says!!
In short, we are a biblically ignorant nation ...where many know there must be more to life than they have so far discovered.  So Christians have a job to do ...a part to play....and what an exciting, fulfilling yet humbling role that is!!

Take a moment to read what some involved have to say.....you might be surprised! Richard Borgonon

I can sum up my 1-2-1 time in John, with the following words; Respect, Breakthrough and Humility.  I have found a new level of respect for God's Word; I have had a breakthrough in my life and seen a breakthrough in others. Then humility has come from a greater understanding of the depths Jesus went to for me and this has strengthened my faith to new levels in every aspect of my life.
Scott

The notes are a great resource to discuss and teach informally the truths about the Lord Jesus and the good news of his Messiahship.  The key response of ‘belief' in his Word is beginning to be seen.  Pray for true deliverance!"
David

1 to 1 John bible study has been a real challenge and great fun to do with friends. What other things would make me feel happier than seeing my friends walk close to God every day and helping others discover the true gospel?
Wendy

It's been very enjoyable studying John 1-2-1 with a colleague from work.  Going through the text and the worldview that John presents in detail has been a learning experience for both of us.
Douglas

Reading through John with a mate from the insurance market in the middle of a busy city café, bringing the reports from when Jesus was with us into a modern day context, is just so exciting!  My friend reaching for his diary keen to book the next study!  Openly praying and supporting someone and introducing them to a Saviour beats anything else.
Nev

It has been a real blessing to work alongside a young Christian and open up God's word with them.  To see him better understand what Jesus has done and is doing in our lives has been hugely encouraging for us both. 
Sarb  

Using the Truth at Work notes has meant that time is efficiently spent talking about the truths of the gospel. I've been really encouraged by seeing the power of God's word at work in one of my friends and having a group of us doing this together means that we can share and pray about our experiences in support of one another.
Phil

I guess that I started out a little fearful but it's helped that we are studying John on Wednesday morning in our groups. Do I know it, what about difficult questions etc etc. ...I think we were both a little anxious!  It's simply wonderful, in fact up there with the best part of the week. We have got closer, we finish with prayers it's a great start to the week.
Paul

Studying 1-2-1 with others has been the highlight of my year.  It's been a privilege to witness God changing people's lives.  Someone said to me "I'm very joyful after the studies and I share my learning with my fiancée"  Personally, my understanding of the bible has improved tremendously through the discussions at prep. sessions.  People offered different perspectives and details to each study and together we've all benefited from one another.  1-2-1 has been a great blessing!
Anon

As mentioned in last week’s blog, our break from RML provides a great opportunity to meet up with another member of your group (especially if they were not at the weekend) and have a think through some of the implications of the talks.

To that end, here’s a few thoughts about what we covered in the first session: “The God who speaks.”

Andrew asked us to imagine we had just woken up in a locked room with no recollection of life before we woke up, no contact with the outside world, and no way of seeing out. How would we know what the outside world was like? We could work out a few things from the inside (e.g. gravity, or pain) but that wouldn’t tell us much about the world outside. We might find someone had a dream about the outside world, but we would never know whether or not it was true. The only way we’re going to find out is if someone from the outside unlocks the door and comes in, and tells us the situation. Excitingly, that is what the Bible says God has done to the locked room of our world. He has revealed Himself to us, supremely in the person of His Son, Jesus (e.g. Hebrews 1:1-3).

We then looked up lots of passages that show that the Bible itself is God speaking. For each of the following passages, have a look at the passage in the Old Testament to see who is speaking, and then see what the New Testament says:

• Genesis 2:24 / Matthew 19:4-5
• Psalm 45 / Hebrews 1:8
• Psalm 22 / Hebrews 2:12
• Psalm 95 / Hebrews 3:7

It’s not just the bits that say “Thus says the LORD”, but the whole of the Bible which is God speaking – including the New Testament! (e.g. 1 Timothy 5:18 quoting Luke 10:7). The Bible regularly speaks of God working by His word (e.g. Psalm 33:6, 1 Peter 1:23), so opening up a Bible has huge implications. What a great spur to open up the Bible every morning!

To help with that Andrew recently mentioned a book called “For the Love of God”, which takes us through the whole Bible each year with some thoughts from Don Carson. Thanks to the Gospel Coalition (and as a Christmas present to you!), you can download a free copy of both volume 1 and volume 2.

Questions to ponder

If someone were to ask you what the Bible was, what would you tell them? What have we seen the Bible says about itself?

What does it really mean to listen to God speak?

Whose voice is most important on your RML table? How can we show that we are most interested in what God has to say?

What do you think is happening when you open your Bible in the morning? How should that change the way you view personal Bible reading?

There will be more reflections on the weekend in the future. Remember the prep notes for our sesion on 4th January 2012 are here, and in the mean time, have a great Christmas!

He's pretty excited about Christmas. But what are you excited about this Christmas? I'm excited about having a break, some fresh country air, good food, and seeing family and friends. 

Of course the big thing that really excited people 2000 years ago, and has done ever since, is King Jesus' birth.  Check out your Carol Service service sheet. Check out the Gospels. And check out Romans once again this Christmas. 

So far during our time in Romans Paul has been very excited. He's been rejoicing in the gospel of King Jesus. Already now God has declared us righteous righteously when we were anything but righteous (chapters 1-4). But that's not all. In the future the implication is a new creation for a new humanity (chapter 5). And all of this comes through Jesus' blood. What a King!

So why not take some time out this Christmas to re-read and rejoice in the gospel of King Jesus so far in Romans? Why not give thanks for some of the things God has taught us in Romans this year?

O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord. A very happy Christmas to you all!

Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday 3rd January 2012 for the next exciting instalment.  You can get preparing now with the help of the prep sheet for our next study.

Please pray for the RBS carol service taking place today. Pray that the gospel would be proclaimed clearly and that people would be given ears to hear. Pray for lasting fruit to come out of the RBS carol service and all the other carol services that took place this week.

John 1:14 (ESV)
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

For Non-Christian Family and Friends

How about getting one of the Good Book Company's evangelistic Christmas cards:

http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/Cards/Christmas/

Or including a little tract inside a Christmas card like Vaughan Robert's Christmas in Three Words:

http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/Christmas-in-Three-Words-citw_186/

Or even buying a small evangelistic book like Christianity Explored:

http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/Christianity-Explored-Evangelistic-Book-cxpp_91/

For Christian Family and Friends

Light reading

If you're looking for something helpful but not too difficult a read, why not pick up one of the RML Mark books of the term, Just do Something by Kevin DeYoung and Words of Life by Timothy Ward? If you've read it, you could even chat through some of the issues with them.

Alternatively, Living the Cross-Centred Life by C.J.Mahaney is an excellent heart-warming little book on the implications of the cross.

Or how about God's Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts, which is a great little Bible overview?

For a good book to get clear on what the gospel is and isn't, look no further than Greg Gilbert's What is the Gospel?

And in terms of how that effects our evangelism, Mark Dever has written a very helpful and clear book called The Gospel and Personal Evangelism.

Intermediate reading

Don Carson's A Call to Spiritual Reformation is an outstanding book on prayer, a must-read.

Knowing God by J.I.Packer is a classic book on the doctrine of God.

The Cross of Christ by John Stott is also a spiritual classic for good reason.

That's only really a start, but it should give at least some ideas of things you could get. Browse the St Helen's bookstall under the gallery after the service this Sunday for more options. Do leave a comment if you're looking for something specific and could use some help, and we'll do our best to get back to you.

At this week's lunchtime talk at St Helen's, William spoke on Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem from Luke 19:28-44. There is no mistaking who Jesus is.

• He fulfilled Zechariah's prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) by riding into Jerusalem on a colt.
• Just as they did when Jehu was anointed king of Israel (2 Kings 9:13), the people spread their cloaks on the road before Jesus.
• The whole multitude of disciples praised God, saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
• When the Pharisees asked Jesus to rebuke his disciples, he answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out." Creation itself recognizes Jesus as the King!

William said that there are at least seven marks of Jesus' sovereignty in this passage. Can you find them all? Download a recording of the talk on our website.

In the flurry of Christmas trees and nativity scenes, mulled wine and mince pies, tinsel and gift wrap, I wonder if this Christmas, we could take a moment to ponder the real meaning of Christmas for Christians.  Jesus the Messiah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, came to earth in human flesh.  He came to bring peace between heaven and earth, peace between God and man.  He came to die on a cross to satisfy God's wrath on our sins.

This Christmas could be a great opportunity to share the true meaning of Christmas with your friends and colleagues.  Watch this Christmas video and share it with someone; it could be a great way into a conversation about Jesus.  Download a City carol service flyer and invite someone to one of our carol services this Thursday at 1pm and 6:30pm or next Tuesday at 1pm.

Most importantly, rejoice and praise God and thank him for Jesus!

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Please pray for Pete having good conversations with colleagues at the moment who have recently come to lunchtime talks.

1 Timothy 1.15 (ESV)
"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ... "

Please pray for the Christians at Hammonds/SSD who were due to have their carol service this evening but it was canceled by the firm.  Please pray they would persevere in inviting colleagues to come to other carol services.

Micah 5.2(ESV)
"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is of old, from ancient days."

Pray that the good news about Jesus will be preached clearly and that people will hear the message.  Pray for fruitful gospel conversations after the service and in the new year.  Pray that the word will find good soil today.

Mark 4:14-20 (ESV)
"The sower sows the word...But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."

As a suggestion, you could work through your hand-outs, looking up the bible references and, in my case anyway, attempting to decipher the scrawled notes you've written.  Repetition helps us remember.  As Andrew said on the weekend, repetition helps us remember.

You could even listen again to the talks; the 2008 vintage (very similar to 2011!) can be found at http://is.gd/wordofgod.

Or I thought Dan's suggestion on the last morning was great - why not meet up with someone from your RML group who wasn't there, and try and explain the key points to them?  If you weren't there, get someone in your RML group to do this for you.    

And while you're at it, you could help each other apply this week's passage...

This week's study

"On 29^th December my true love gave me five gold rings."

It could just be a description of what happened. It could be that my true love was feeling particularly generous, went out to H. Samuel, and gathered enough cash to get me a great gift in the Christmas sales.

But then I tell you that I also received four calling birds.

It's a bit of an odd way to phrase it. And already I'm starting to think that this sounds a bit familiar. But again, it could just be that my true love has a poultry farm and, with a surplus of turkeys kicking around, I got given the excess to cluck around in my garden.

Then I complete the list. Apparently there were also 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. And by mid January my back yard is crawling with men jumping, the sound of drums and pipes, and a vicious fight between seven swans and six geese.

Individually, it might just seem like an interesting detail - a peculiar gift that I received as a Christmas present. By the time you have the whole list, it's quite clear that I'm referring to the Christmas Carol, "the Twelve Days of Christmas". It's not just an accident that all of these gifts correspond - it was deliberate, and it was making a point. Myself and my true love are trying to recreate the carol.

Jesus does something similar in Mark 6:31-56. Mark goes to immense detail to point out the great links between what Jesus does, and what happened in Exodus (see the prep book for references). Individually, it could just be an accident. But by the end, it's clear that Mark is deliberately making a point - the amazing news that Jesus is the long-promised Exodus-type rescuer who will save God's people! Exodus gave an account of an exciting rescue mission (see e.g. Exodus 6:6), and now Mark tells us that Jesus is not just saving individuals, but offering a dramatic Hollywood-scale rescue that's even greater than the one we saw in the Old Testament!

Questions to ponder

How quickly do we narrow the scale of Jesus' rescue?

How significant do I think Jesus' message is? Do I think of it in terms of rescuing just me, or do I see something bigger is going on?

How excited am I about Jesus' rescue? When I speak to my friends and family about Jesus over Christmas, what kind of Jesus do I present?

For prep notes to cover the first study of the new year, click here. And don't forget to check back in a week for a special blog post about the Word of God weekend and an exciting Christmas present!

Pray for Christian women who are married to non-Christian husbands.  Pray that their husbands would hear the word and would be won by their wives' pure and respectful conduct.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)
"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen."

Jesus is coming back.  This is a certainty.  So what is the best thing that we can be doing as we wait for Jesus to return as the King?  Before Jesus left, he entrusted us with the gospel.  When he returns, he will ask us what we have done with it while he was away.  So where will we invest our time and resources during the delay before Jesus returns?

How can we maximise our resources for the gospel during Christmas?  Read Phil Martin's excellent post on how to make the most of Christmas as a Christian entrusted with the gospel.  Listen to a number of Christian City workers share their thoughts on what they will be doing this Christmas as they wait for the return of their King.

Here is one thought that spurs me on when I face rejection or disappointment in evangelism, or when I'm tempted to become complacent with the gospel.  I cast my mind's eye forward to the day when I will see Jesus face to face once more.  And I imagine what it will be like to hear him say to me on that day, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

Keep going!  It's worth it.

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Looking back over the letter as a whole, we can summarise the main message of the letter under 3 main headings.

Identity- Know who we are as God’s elect exiles on our way home to Heaven.

Transformed lives- Be who we are, living radically different lives as Christians in a pagan world.

Gospel Proclamation- Tell others who we are: both proactively proclaiming God’s excellencies 2v9, and reactively as people ask us why we live differently 3v15.

Peter finishes his letter with steadfast assurance for Christians of our home in Heaven to come! Even as we face suffering for a little while in the here and now, “the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” We are to stand firm in this true grace!

Question for reflection: Have I got my true home in my sights?

Isaiah 9.6 (ESV)

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace..."

Mark's accounts of the feeding of five thousand and Jesus' walking on the water are packed with allusions to Israel's experience in the exodus: there's the 'desolate place' (v31, 32, 35 c.f. Exodus 13:20, 15:22, 16:1,3), the impossible number to feed (c.f. Num 11:21-23), the miraculous provision of bread (c.f. Exodus 16:13-15), the organisation of people into groups (c.f. Exodus 18:21), one man going up a mountain (c.f. Exodus 19:2, 24:13), the need for a shepherd (c.f. Numbers 27:15-18), a sea being walked across in the morning (c.f. Exodus 14:22, 24).

Mark clearly wants us to draw the link - the question is, why?

The clue to this is in a curious phrase that Mark uses in v48; 'He meant to pass them by'. At first that appears a bit odd. Was Jesus really not intending to go to the disciples? If not, was it just an accident that He was in the same part of what was a pretty big lake? And what was He doing walking across the water anyway?

These questions are cleared up when we see that this little phrase is yet another allusion back to Exodus, when God's glory 'passed by' Moses (Exodus 33:22). To say that Jesus 'meant to pass them by' then is a hugely significant phrase - it is to say that He meant to appear to them as the God of Exodus! That idea is reinforced in v50, where Jesus literally says 'Take heart: I AM' (c.f. Exodus 3:13-14).

Mark's point is to show us that Jesus is the same God who provided for Israel in the wilderness, and who promised to Himself be the shepherd of His people (Ezekiel 34 - this is a wonderful chapter to read if you've never read it, or even if you have!).

However, v52 ends on a deeply worrying note for the disciples. Given what we've seen in Mark's gospel so far, can you see why? (Compare 6:45-52 with 4:35-41. What are the similarities? What don't the disciples understand?).

To help answer those questions you may want to refer to last week's blog, which will help to fill in some of the bigger picture of what's happening in Mark's gospel.

Questions for Application

How does this passage expand our view of who Jesus is and what He is like?

Read Ezekiel 34.

We may have finished RML for the term now, but the Christmas period would be a great opportunity to spend some time reflecting on what we've learnt in Mark's gospel so far this year. The blog will keep going over Christmas, so keep watching this space. If you're struggling to think of presents for friends and family, tune in next week for some gift ideas!

Please pray for the lunchtime talk today to equip us to persist in serving Christ as we wait for his return. 

Luke 19:17(ESV)
"...."Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities..."

Pray for the interview with Hilary Nicholls.  Pray that the gospel would be presented faithfully and clearly.

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Watch here for James Widdows' thoughts:

Read here for Sim Seamer's thoughts.

Christmas is fantastic opportunity as it is one event we can all theoretically plan for in the City!  Even if the markets crash (again!) it is very unlikely Christmas will be cancelled.  People are usually open to thinking and discussing what they believe at Christmas and so there should be lots of opportunities to strike up conversation with people.  However, it is also important to recognise that it is a huge challenge with things becoming increasingly stressful in the office at year end and everyone's diaries becoming extremely full.  As a Christian I do long to invite people, but equally making the time and actually getting on it is something I really have to gear myself up for.  It is something I have to keep at the forefront of my mind!  Some thoughts:

Personal faith: I find making an invitation particularly hard if I am going through a tough time in my personal relationship with the Lord and this is one thing to really get straight by committing to find time to pray and read God's word.  At the end of the year we are not surprisingly very tired and so getting down to prayer for specific people and praying for great confidence in our glorious faith when inviting them is really essential.

Personal preparation: If someone accepts your invitation there is a high chance they will want to talk about what they have heard so preparing yourself for this is always worthwhile. Reading some familiar bible passages we hear at Christmas and the Old Testament prophecies are a great reminder of the evidence and the hope that is available to everyone who receives Jesus.  Brushing up on a gospel explanation such as 2 ways to live is also worth doing as well as your own testimony of how you became a Christian.

Personal prayer: It goes without saying!  Writing a list of people and praying for them every day on the walk to the office or while waiting at the coffee machine is one of the best things to do!

Personal invites: In my experience handing someone a card in person is always preferable to an email.  You can always follow up with a phone call or email.  Invite with real confidence and enthusiasm!

Personal contact: Always worth introducing the people you invite to other Christian friends who are at the carol service afterwards.  Introduce those you have invited to any Christian friends who are at the carol service. Even if you colleagues think you're a nut-case, hopefully they won't think your friends are too!

Personal response: Be prepared for differing responses as the parables of the sower reminds us.  Some will lap up the message, some will be very opposed and others will pass by without realising what was said.  Trust that the Lord will be working in the lives of everyone we invite.  Often we will never know how, but we can be certain that He is and will continue to do so.

Let's pray and desire for the Lord to work powerfully among us and, in the words of Vijay Menon when praying for the City on a Tuesday morning, ask for a "super bumper harvest"!  I wonder how many more carol services we will need when all the offices under construction around St Helens are full in a few years' time...??

Rohit Trivedi

Normally I invite my group to the carol service by email and normally get 1 or 2 people along. We pray every Monday in November and December for people to come along to a carol service, for chances to chat at office Christmas parties, and that we'd be good witnesses at both. I think that Carol services aren't the aim in themselves, they are often a good start in getting people to church, building friendships with them as we seek to love them as Jesus loved us and share the gospel with them. Even if someone says no to an invite or doesn't reply, they may ask you about your faith later (it has happened to me) because they know you are a Christian.

Len van der Put

Christmas is one of the great seasons of the year. I have loved it from childhood probably for all the wrong reasons: acquisitive, selfish, ooh-anticipation, me, me, me. It's the only chance during the year to sing those glorious, unsurpassed carols and endure the "Frosty the Snowman" stuff.

At school, as the result of a Medieval play performed in a Norman church, Christmas acquired a delicious ‘Medieval' flavour, all shivery up the spine. That's very nice, in this age of anaesthetic, central heating, electric blankets and hi-fi systems.

Obviously it's a time to speak more easily about Christ - and what Christmas can REALLY mean in the midst of all the Santa-insanity that's starts in October. It's a chance to invite people to Carol services. We can also pray that even the most unlikely carol renditions can convey a spark of the light of the Gospel, so that listeners can be touched, and yearn to hear more.   Carols are, by God's grace, among the things which the poet George Herbert referred to in his poem "Sin" -

"Fine nets and stratagems to catch us in

Bibles laid open, millions of surprises."

Christmas is when I find myself very busy with ideas and preparations for my Old Boys reunion, and for gifts to be given to many in the City (old and new colleagues, café owners, waiters... "get ‘em all!" is the motto). I build up a stock of Christmas (and other) stories written, Christmas cards with messages, books, Gospels, music, calendars, goodies - everything and anything where the Gospel message or Bible verses can be included in a discreet, attractive and (hopefully) winning way. Opportunities to be taken, short speeches to be made... all around us....fine nets and stratagems...

The danger is that activity completely swamps prayer and listening for God's Agenda. I usually request prayer for this area.

It is absolutely essential that we pray for blind eyes to be opened at this time of the year - when the message of God's love is proclaimed more overtly. There's a great gulf between our fellow-men and the Gospel - blaring atheism, lack of knowledge, spiritual death, blindness, fear, sincere entrenchment in other religions, various shades of occultism. The task is quite impossible - unless the Lord takes the initiative. "No one can come to me unless the Father draws him," said Jesus. PLEASE let's ask Him to draw men and women in their hundreds this Christmas. In this battle there are more who are for us than are against us. Millions of surprises...

Lord, open the blind eyes! Please may we have an Awakening in the City - for your Glory, Amen!

Mark is a brilliant director, and organises his material similarly in Mark 6:6b-30. He sets the scene clearly with the apostles going out to preach a message of repentance, and everyone has to respond with acceptance or rejection (Mark 6:8-11). But sandwiched in the middle is a peculiar story about Herod, and how he responded to John the Baptist’s message of repentance (Mark 6:18).

To begin with, we’re tempted to give Herod the benefit of the doubt – he was, after all, listening to John (Mark 6:20); he probably thought that his relationship with Herodias was “not that dangerous”. But Mark wants to make it really clear from the start that we’re heading for a car crash. Even when Herod is listening to John, John is bound in prison for the sake of Herodias (Mark 6:17), and she wants to kill him (Mark 6:19). If you really wanted to keep John safe, would you keep him locked up so he has no way of escape?

Of course, Herod’s true colours are exposed in the gruesome story of Herod’s party; and as our heads are left spinning with the macabre detail, we’re left with a sobering thought: there is no middle ground. Repentance is an ‘all or nothing’ thing; and for those who haven’t truly repented, the eerie music has started to swell…

Some questions for thought

When we are told to repent, what makes us want to sit on the fence? How do we try to convince ourselves that the ‘middle ground’ is safe? How does Mark warn us?

Is this passage particularly convicting? Why not turn to prayer and ask for God’s help to fully repent.

Why not take the opportunity to chat through some of these questions with other members of your RML group before next week? For prep notes for the next passage, please click here

Pray for boldness as Christians invite their friends and colleagues to carol services. Pray that many would come, and pray that they would be given ears to hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Pray for Christians who are organizing carol services for their companies: Anand at RBS, Laura at Hammonds, Yolanda at Pinsent Masons, and Theo at BLP.

Mark 10:45 (ESV)
"Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Matthew Roberts stepped us through history, showing that from Creation to the future New Creation, the Church is God's plan for history (Eph 1:10).  Through Jesus' death and resurrection, the soon-to-be Church is taken from death in its former nature (Eph 2:1-3), and raised up with Christ in the heavenly places (Eph 2:4-7), all by God's proactive mercy and grace to us (Eph 2:8-9).

So how do we need to shift our thinking to be in line with God's Word's staggering assertions about the Church? 

Ephesians 4:11-16 also contains another mind shift. I previously assumed that it was the pastors who were the ministers to us, the church members; this translated into an attitude of coming to church and asking myself what I could gain from going. However, in the final session of the weekend away, we were confronted with verse 12 of Ephesians 4, which clearly states that the ministers are in fact, the saints - i.e. us! The pastors are merely God's gifts to us, to equip us to do the ministry so that the Church is built up (v11-12).

This means that I should now ask myself how and where I can serve and minister, to play my part in God's master plan, the Church.  Where can you serve and minister, to play your part in God's master plan, the Church?

This guest entry to the RML Romans blog was written by Victor Khor.  Here are two very practical ways in which you can get involved here and now:

1. Serve your group this week by speaking truths from God's word at RML.  The more thoroughly you have done your prep, the more you will be able to contribute.

2. Log in to our brand new serving website, which Matt demonstrated for us on Tuesday, to find a place where you can be of practical service to our brothers and sisters in the church family.  (If you need a login, please contact Ben Wilkinson).

At the St Helen's lunchtime meetings, we are in the middle of a series called "Seeing salvation" that gets at the heart of the Christian message.  This would be a great series to share with any colleagues who are wondering, "How can we be saved from a world plagued by evil, disease, and death?"

In this week's talk from Luke 19:1-10, we meet Zacchaeus, a rich tax collector whose life is transformed by his encounter with Jesus. Hear what happens when Jesus, the Son of Man who came to seek and save the lost, calls out to Zacchaeus, the man you would least expect to be saved.

As always, a recording of the talk is available on our website.

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Londoners live a full and busy life. However Christmas and the New Year give us a wonderful opportunity to slow down and take stock of the previous year. For many the chance to prayerfully evaluate the previous 12 months is an great time to think about the changes that might be made so that we are living more in line with God's will. One particular area to think through might be our marriage and how we might improve that over the forthcoming year. To help you do that below is a link to William Taylor's excellent talk from the Sunday Morning Congregation on Ephesians 5. It would be a wonderful talk to listen to if you are married, thinking about getting married or know married people. You may want to listen to it with your spouse and then spend some time thinking and talking about the issues it raises.

William Taylor on Ephesians 5

If you would like more great content the links below are from our 'investing in marriage days'.

Investing In Marriage 2011

Investing In Marriage 2010

Notes (12) for John 5:30-47

Summary Sheet (11-12) for John 5:1-47

All of which makes Jesus' travel advice to the twelve in 6:8-9 unorthodox to say the least! Read on though and we start to see some logic behind this apparently bizarre command. Given the physical needs of the twelve, if people did not receive them into their home and thereby demonstrate acceptance of their message of repentance (v11a), then the twelve would be forced to reject them and move on (v11b).

Sandwiched between the sending out (6:7-13) and returning of the twelve (6:30) is a connected story about Herod (we've seen Mark do that before!). Herod's initial response to John's message that he should repent (ring any bells?) of marrying his brother's wife Herodias isn't altogether discouraging; after all, he 'heard him gladly' and he 'kept John safe' (v20) despite Herodias' desire to kill him (v19). Nevertheless, Herod's failure to repent ultimately leads to his downfall - eventually Herodias, who Herod has not given up, gets her wish. Herod, who gets himself into a right mess of a situation, ends up having John executed; which obviously means he can no longer listen to John's message.

The point of the filling of the sandwich (6:17-29) then is the same as the outsides (6:7-13, 30); its not enough just to hear the message, a response of repentance is required. Failure to repent leads to rejection; the message is taken away in judgment (think back to 4:10-12, 24-25...).

Digging a little deeper though, we begin to see a deeper problem with Herod which we've seen other people have in this section of Mark. In 6:14-15, just as they were back in 6:2, people are seeking an explanation of why Jesus is able to do such incredible miracles. Various theories as to his identity are suggested: John the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet...Herod plumps for John the Baptist. Wrong answer, clearly. But if we've read 6:20 carefully, we shouldn't be surprised that Herod gets it wrong. After all, he had a problem of understanding even when John was preaching to him. Not only was he 'greatly perplexed by John's teaching, notice that he also 'feared' John.

That word 'fear' seems a little bit of an odd description at first - that is, until we remember that that's exactly how people had been responding in each of the passages in 4:35-6:6. Back then, whether it was situations that people were fearing or Jesus himself, the common denominator seemed to be that people were responding in fear because they didn't understand who Jesus was (think of the disciples question in 4:41, for example), and so at the same time didn't have faith in him (apart from a couple of individuals).

So Herod's problem is more that just un-repentance. At a deeper level, we see that his problem of un-repentance is in some way linked to a problem of not understanding, particularly not understanding who Jesus is.

And that leaves us with a number of important questions: given that we thought the disciples were insiders who were listening to Jesus, how come they don't understand who Jesus is? Should we be worried about them? Why is it that people don't understand who Jesus is when it seems so obvious? How is this problem of not understanding who Jesus is going to be solved?

All of which are great questions to have in mind as we continue in this section of Mark's gospel...

Questions for Application:

What is repentance not? What does repentance not look like in practice (for the RML group member, for example!)?

Why is un-repentance so dangerous?

Is there anything in your life you've been convicted of that you're not repenting of at the moment?

You can find next week's prep notes here.

For the Christians to be bold in speaking of Christ to colleagues
For the Christians to be quick to encourage one another to live for Christ and to honour Him in their speech and behaviour
For more to join the new prayer meeting to pray for colleagues

Colossians 1.5 - 6 (ESV)
"....of the hope laid up for you in heaven.  Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit adn growing - as it also does among you, since the day you heard and understood the grace of God in truth .... "

Please pray for Christian men and women married to unbelieving spouses, that unbelieving spouses would hear the Word and would be won over by the conduct of their husbands/wives.

Revelation 21.4(ESV)
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

Whether the Met Office had predicted it or not, a storm had arisen that was fierce enough to leave hardened fishermen in fear for their lives; their exclamation in Mark 4:38 assumes there is no other logical response! They see that the boat is capsizing, and they would not even think of trying to negotiate with the weather. Yet Jesus says to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” and there was a great calm (Mark 4:39).

The demon-possessed man is filled with enough demonic power to drown 2000 pigs; he lives among the tombs, and everyone in the neighbourhood knows he is the man to avoid. He is the region’s strongest man, he has broken out of prison on numerous occasions, and the police aren’t even trying to catch him anymore. Yet the legion is intimidated by Jesus’ mere words, and is able only to do what He permits them to do. In an instant, the man is transformed into a vision of civility – ‘clothed and in his right mind’ (Mark 5:15), simply by the power of Jesus’ words.

The bleeding woman has exhausted her options. The embarrassment of the first few months has long passed; now she is faced with the crippling diagnosis from the doctors: “untreatable”. The NHS has run out of options, the private specialists are clueless, there are no overseas clinics for her to turn to. She is penniless and still bleeding. Yet a brief grasp of Jesus’ garment, and suddenly the flow of blood is dried up.

For those of us who are a bit slow on the up-take, and haven’t quite seen what Mark is trying to show us, he gives us an even clearer illustration of Jesus’ miraculous achievement. In case the fear of death wasn’t apparent in the rest of the stories, we see the clearest problem in Mark 5:35 - Jairus’ unwell daughter has actually died. Yet Jesus has clear instruction: “Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36). And, true to His word, the girl is physically raised from death. Immense power!

So what links the Met Office, the Exorcist and the NHS? Mark shows us that Jesus is the King who is immeasurably more powerful than any of them – the one who is able to deal completely with deathly situations. Jesus' command to us is “Do not fear, only believe.” In the face of death, we have no reason to fear, because Jesus is much more powerful than death. Rather, let us have a right fear of Jesus, the formidable One who has authority in the darkest of situations.

Some questions for thought

Some of us will have come face to face with death and seen how greatly it devastates us. Even as young people we will see families torn apart by the death of a child in a road traffic collision or to a cruel disease. What does it mean to trust Jesus in this situation? Jesus doesn’t promise to heal all of our diseases in this life, but how can Christians take comfort when they are facing the doctor, or dealing with the illness of a loved one?

How would this passage help you if you were facing a desperate situation - even your own death? What do we need to remember about Jesus so that we are ready for when hardship comes? What can you do this week to help you remember what Jesus is like from this passage?

Why not take the opportunity to chat through some of these questions with other members of your RML group before next week? For prep notes for the next passage, please click here

Matthew 9:37-38 (ESV)
"The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest."

 At this point in the letter, Peter is writing to encourage Christians who are facing suffering for their distinctive lives. They are to look forward to their home in heaven, but how should they be preparing themselves for dealing with suffering now?

 Peter says they should arm themselves. Not with weapons or military strategies but with the very thinking of Jesus himself. Jesus endured suffering to get to glory. Likewise Christians will suffer now, but glory will come. So we should be prepared and expectant for such trials, and persevere through them, pressing on to heaven.

Questions for reflection:

How armed am I with Jesus' way of thinking?

How can we encourage one another at the 4pm and at RML, to think like Jesus?

Firstly work is good.  From the very beginning, man was created in the image of God, and just as God worked in creation, so man is to work in exercising dominion over the creation (Genesis 1:26-31).  So we can't be so "spiritual" as to consider our work "unspiritual", because the Bible doesn't make that distinction.  And all of our work, however mundane it may seem, is good and significant, because God has commanded us to work.

• How might we be prone to divide our life into the "spiritual" bits that God cares about and the "unspiritual" bits which have nothing to do with God? 

• How does God's word correct our view?

Secondly work is grim, because sin came into the world through the fall of man, and our work was cursed as a part of this (Genesis 3:17-19).  Therefore we have to realise that true fulfilment will never come from what we do and we need to be realistic about what we expect from our working lives.

• Are we ever tempted to buy into the belief of so many around us that our life will be fulfilled by a good career and a satisfying job?

Finally, work should be governed by the gospel.  William showed us that whilst the creation of humanity is the pinnacle of creation, it's not the goal of creation - enjoying God's paradise rest is the goal.  Therefore the essence of being human is not work, but relationship with God, dwelling in his presence.  Since God's goal for this world and our lives is his new creation, we should examine whether our working lives are in line with God's goal.

• Within work, am I an advertisement for Jesus' new creation?

• Beyond work, if God's purpose is to populate his new creation, what am I going to do about it?

If you'd like to hear the talk, look out for it on the Media section of the St Helen's website in the next few days.

Next week we're diving back in to Romans and as ever, it's well worth having a go at the prep.

At the St Helen's lunchtime meetings, William has started a new series called "Seeing salvation" that gets at the heart of the Christian message.  These would be great talks to share with colleagues who are asking, "How can we be saved from a broken world plagued by death, disease, and evil?"

In William's first talk from Luke 18:15-30, we meet a rich young ruler who asks the question we have all asked at one point, "What must I do to be saved?"  Jesus' devastating answer?  "You can do nothing."  The shocked disciples ask, "Who then can be saved?"

But what is impossible for men is possible for God.  In William's second talk from Luke 18.31-43, we meet a blind beggar who recognizes his utter dependence on Jesus and cries out, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Because Jesus is already on his way to die on the cross for that man's sins, he can say to this beggar, "Your faith has saved you."

And it is by God's grace alone that we can go from asking "What must I do?" to crying out "Have mercy on me!"

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Please pray for a seminar this Sunday for Christian students currently applying for jobs post university.

The situation in each case is beyond hopeless; there's the terrifying ring of death about each of them, not just in the case of Jairus' daughter (Mark gives us plenty of detail about each situation so that we get the point). Yet with the minimum of effort, each time Jesus is able to restore normal life. The ease at which He is able to reverse these situations is even more terrifying to those watching. Three times Mark tells us people are afraid of Jesus' power (4:41, 5:15, 5:33)

Nevertheless, the primary response Jesus seems to want from people is not fear, but faith (4:40, 5:34, 5:36, 6:6). There's no need to fear hopeless situations with Jesus, even death, because Jesus has such power. But there's also a sense in which there's no need to fear Jesus if we understand who He is, because Jesus demonstrates His care and compassion in these chapters.

Questions for Application

Do you trust Jesus with your death? What difference does that make to the way that you view life?

What do we learn about Jesus' character? Why is that important?

If you missed the Word of God weekend, you can catch up on the talks by listening to recordings here.

And here are some prep notes for next week.

Matthew 9.38 (ESV)
"...pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest."

Before going on the RML Romans weekend away, I think my default answer to this kind of question would have been something like… “being a dying-to-one’s-sinful-self-daily Christian is far too difficult to do on one’s own -- so that’s why God gave us each other!” *cue warm fuzzy feeling*

However, this past weekend Matthew Roberts pointed us to places in Scripture (e.g. Genesis 1.26, 28 and Revelation 22.5) which bowled us over with how ‘big’ church is – not just in terms of size, but how monumental a part it plays in God’s masterplan!

The Church was always and remains God’s plan for the fullness of time for Jesus to be King over all, sharing His reign with unworthy sinners who trust in the salvation He brings. Therefore, wonderfully, being Christian = being part of Jesus’ church, His body!

As the church, we have a unity much deeper than anything humans share otherwise, and we should actively seek to maintain that unity because it’s going to last forever. What a difference it would make to how we viewed coming to church meetings if we saw ourselves as deeply connected to all these other people in Jesus and sought to build up the body with everything we said and did!

‘I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God.’ (Exodus 6.7)

This guest contribution to the RML Romans blog was written by Sara Ho. If you missed the weekend away on the church, why not catch up by listing to the talks online?

Next Tuesday, we will be taking a break from Romans to think about what it means to be a Christian in the workplace.  William Taylor will be showing us what God's word has to say on the matter - see our flyer for more details.

Praise God for those who are growing in their newfound walk with our Lord Jesus by reading John's gospel!

John 16.8-11 (ESV)
"When the Helper comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgement: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged."

Also take a look at this encouraging clip with Lee, Alexis and Steve from the Annual City Prayer Breakfast.

Give thanks for the Christian group at HSBC who are putting on an in-house carol service this year for the first time. Pray that the preacher would be bold and faithful to the word of God. Pray for Philip as he helps to lead that group.

The idea behind this is not simply because its good to have a reminder of things that we've learnt so far, but more importantly because Mark has arranged his book into 5 sections (you may have noticed this in the prep book), and the material in each section works together to make one big point. When we look at how the big point that each section makes works together with the other sections, we make progress towards understanding what Mark's gospel as a whole is about. Mark 1:1-4:34 forms the first major section in Mark's gospel.

This is a really important principle to get to grips with, and one that is often overlooked. We've hopefully already seen in our studies so far how important it is to understand the context of each passage in relation to the passages before and after it; how much more we can get out of a passage when we do that, and how it helps us to avoid coming to wrong conclusions about the text! But if we go a step further than that and look at how the flow of the ideas in each of the passages in a section works, we'll start to see the big points that Mark is really wanting us to understand. Review studies are intended as a way to help us tie together the material in these bigger sections, and so help us see the more important points that Mark is making.

If you missed this week's review study you can listen to it here. You can also download the hand-out here.

Questions for Application:

How has this first section challenged/changed your view of Jesus?

Try to identify the one or two big things that you've learnt from 1:1-4:34. How do these things change the way you view the world?

How are these chapters going to affect your relationship with God?

John chapter 10 verses 1 and 2 introduce us to three characters that Jesus goes on to teach about in verses 1 to 30: the sheep, the thief and the shepherd.  We are the sheep, and as we ask the big questions in life, will we listen to and follow a thief or the good shepherd?

The thief

The alternative to listening to the good shepherd (10:3) is to listen to thieves (10:1) who are out to destroy us (10:10)!  The leaders in chapter 9 show us what this can look like - trying to turn the healed man away from Jesus (9:28-29) and throwing him out of the synagogue (9:34).  Do we see the alternatives to Jesus in these terms?  Our non-Christian friends are risking destruction because they are following thieves.  I wonder if we actually believe this.  Because if it's true, then the most loving thing we can do is to warn them.

The sheep

Sheep don't strike me as the brightest of creatures but the good news is that becoming one of Jesus' sheep does not mean we need to take on a sheep like brain!  Chapter 10 verse 25 tells us that the miracles Jesus does are signposts to who he is.  This has helped me to understand what we should be doing in evangelism: encouraging our non-Christian friends to examine the evidence and being ready to explain that evidence to them.

But we also need to pray for them to have their eyes opened.  Ultimately people become part of Jesus' flock because he gives them eternal life (v28-29).  We see this illustrated in the healing of the blind man in chapter 9.  He is not just healed physically but also spiritually (9:35-41).

The good shepherd

Being one of Jesus' sheep means submitting our lives to him.  Can we trust him with our lives?  Yes we can!  Jesus loves us so much that he gave his life for us, of his own free will (v11, 15, 17, 18).  If he did that, he must have our best interests at heart.  He came so that we may have life and have it abundantly (v10).  Have we stopped battling with sin?  Start that battle again because Jesus knows what's best for our lives.  Are we still as enthusiastic about listening to the good shepherd as we used to be?  True life is listening to Jesus and following him.  So let's get to it.

John 17.3(ESV)
"And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

Full 9 min version:

Exctract 3 min version:

For more information ...

John 10:10-11 (ESV)
"I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

Even after I was convinced that the historical evidence for Jesus was compelling, I wasn't sure about giving my life to him. What would he do with it? Would I have to give up the things I enjoy and value? Would my life become imbalanced and be consumed by Christian things if I made Jesus my priority?

It came down to whether I believed Jesus when he said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." And unlike so many people who promise everything and deliver so little, Jesus' words aren't cheap. His promise to us cost him his life, which he gave up so that we would not have to die.

Listen to Andrew Sach's talk on the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. The other talks in his three-week series from John 9 and 10 can be found on the website.

Next week, William Taylor will start a new series in Luke called "Seeing salvation."  Join us at St Helen's on Tuesday and Thursday at 1pm.

Dan
dan@christiansinthecity.com

This should be a series that is right on the button in the run-up to Christmas. Click here for a PDF invitation.

How to deal with questions about the St Paul's demonstrations:

How to make the most of a lunchtime talk:

Hear Sim and Rebecca Jemmett talk about how being christian helped them cope with the injury Sim got in Afghanistan

On a human level, there are many ways we see this happen - Jesus points them out in the parable of the sower. All of the four groups of people mentioned hear the word, but only one accepts it. We've probably all experienced these responses in others that we know.

But there's another level to this question that we need to engage with. Last week we saw towards the end of chapter 3 how Jesus responded to rejection: there was no power struggle, He simply rejected those who rejected Him and continued building His Kingdom without them. Nevertheless, one question we didn't see answered was why there was any rejection of Jesus in the first place? After all, we saw the incredible power of Jesus' teaching in ch1. Does this suggest that maybe Jesus didn't have as much authority as we were led to believe? Is He really unable to convince these people of who He is?

The key answer comes in v10-12. Those of us who were taught in Sunday school that parables were nice stories that Jesus told to make it easier to understand what He was saying are in for a bit of a shock at this point. Jesus quotes from a rather confusing passage in Isaiah 6, where Isaiah is specifically instructed by God to go and preach to a people who, he was told, would not only not repent, but rather would become even more confused!

In the same way, Jesus says He is speaking in parables to those on the outside (who we saw last week in 3:31-35 were those who were not listening to Jesus) so that they would not understand. Rather than making things easier to understand then, the purpose of parables is to make the Kingdom of God hidden from those who aren't listening to Jesus.

In other words, Jesus' word is still at work even when people are rejecting it, but it is working in judgment, by confusing them, and hence denying them the forgiveness that Jesus has come to bring (v12).

It's when we understand this that we can see why Jesus keeps stressing things like 'listen' (v3), 'He who has ears to hear, let Him hear' (v9, 23), 'Pay attention to what you hear' (v24). It also makes us take the warnings of the parable of the sower much more seriously.

Application:

How is this passage an encouragement to us? How does it give us confidence in the power of the word?

What is paying attention to Jesus' word going to look like for you in practice? What practical changes do you need to make?

How do you see the different temptations of the parable of the sower around you (eg. What are the particular 'desires of the world' that you most struggle with)? How can you guard against these things happening?

1. Give thanks for a church in Tilburg, Netherlands, which has grasped the vision for international student ministry.  Pray that God would grant them fruit from their efforts and pray more churches in the Netherlands would get involved too.

2. Please pray for a group of French students we are in contact with - that God would put a hunger in their hears for spiritual truth.

3. Pray too for R, a student from Kazakhstan, who is beginning to ask questions

4. Pray for L, from central Asia, who came to Christ 15 months ago, to grow in her relationship with Christ

After the Golden Age of Solomon's reign, the Kingdom has fallen precipitously, and lies divided: Judah in the south and Israel in the north.

Will things ever return to the peak of the Golden Age? Will there be another King who will seek after the Lord with his whole heart?

Well King Asa seems to fit the bill. In chapter 14, Asa seeks the Lord, and the Lord grants a tremendous victory. By chapter 15, Asa is demolishing all the idols, even the precious idols of his own mother! Asa is dedicated and devoted to the Lord. Things seem to be going well...

This model reign is then shipwrecked in chapter 16, when Asa acts foolishly and finds his security in men rather than God. We must look for a different kind of King!

This was written to make Israel long for the reign of a perfect King, who always sought the Lord. In the Lord Jesus, we see absolute obedience, someone who completely sought the Lord. We are to align ourselves with King Jesus and His agenda.

Questions for reflection-

What are the areas in my life where my allegiance is divided, and I find my delight in others things besides Jesus? What might it look like to demolish or root up such idols?

What will it look like for me to be devoted to Jesus with all my heart and soul? At school? At work? At home? At the school gate?

Notes (9) for John 4:16-30

Notes (10) for John 4:27-54

Summary Sheet (8-10) for John 4:1-54

From now on most of us will spend the majority of our waking lives at work. It's a sobering thought, illustrated by this rough calculation (try doing it yourself, see if you get the same):

It assumes that we're about 25 years old now and have about 50 years to live. It even accounts for 10 years of retirement and, still, the office intends to gobble up most of our waking lives from now on. Given that this is the case, have you ever wondered what exactly Jesus wants from us at work? Or why he's arranged things so that we spend most of our lives at work? We're probably better at knowing how Jesus wants us to act with our friends in the pub or with our families or at church than we are at realising what his priorities and purposes are for us in the workplace.

"Wired for work" should be a great chance to think about this issue while many of us are in the early stages of our working lives. Let's think about it sooner rather than later! William Taylor will be giving a talk from the bible about work, followed by discussion and questions to a panel of experienced office-working Christians. See you there. Tuesday 22^nd November, 7:15pm for food, 8pm start, in St Helen's.

Phil Martin
phil@christiansinthecity.com

Ezekiel 36.26 (ESV)
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you..."

Here are three books to get you started:

1. Gospel-Centred Family 

By Ed Moll and Tim Chester,
published by The Good Book Company, 2009.

This book is short.  It has fewer than 75 pages of actual text.  It's nicely laid out with questions to reflect upon and ideas for action.  More importantly, it comes saturated with the gospel.  Four main sections encourage families to be gospel-centred, grace-centred, word-centred, and mission-centred.  If you read only one book on parenting, this would be a good choice.  Read it with others.  Let it be the beginning of many conversations between you and others at church. 

2. Everyday Talk

By John A. Younts,
Published by The Shepherd Press, 2004.

Everyday talk is the unplanned, spontaneous things we say amidst our normal everyday world.  These words have a significant influence in shaping the worldview of our children.  Taking Deuteronomy 6:6-7 as his starting point the author gives many practical encouragements of how parents can use everyday moments to show their children the goodness and wisdom of God.  The emphasis is on grace and the gospel rather than mere advice.  Application questions at the end of each chapter help to make the reader think through for themselves what it would look like in their own life.  

3. Age of Opportunity

By Paul David Tripp,
Published by P&R Publishing, 2001.

Aimed at parents of teenagers, but well worth reading long in advance of that stage of life, this book is a real eye-opener.  Have you ever thought that the attitudes within your own heart will affect your approach to parenting?  Full of grace, and quite a few stories, the author points us to the God who has dealt with our deepest problems, and who equips parents to reach out to their teenagers with wisdom and kindness.  It offers no silver bullet, but gives much food for thought.  It's another book to get the discussion started with other parents at church.   

Jesus would say none of the above. In the second of three talks from John 9 and 10, Andrew Sach showed us what Jesus had to say about those who follow him. They consider the miracles that prove his identity, and they listen to his words. And they do these things because God has taken the initiative by giving to Jesus a people who will follow him.

As Jesus said to those who refused to follow him, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10.25-27) And "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." (John 10.29)

Next week at the St Helen's lunchtime meetings, Andrew will give a talk on the good shepherd, the one whom we should follow.

It's a good thing to be happy about God's amazing solution for us.  Not least because it's a solution which so perfectly fits the otherwise unbeatable problem of sin which Paul has been showing to be unbeatable for two whole chapters by this point. 

But let me suggest that there's much, much more than that to be happy about, if we look beyond what the gospel does for us and see what it does for God.  Because God is all over this good news:

• It's all God's work - he's the one who put his own Son forward as the solution, by his will and his initiative, quite apart from any contribution that any of us have made, and more than that, it's in the face of the appalling way in which we've treated God.

• And it all works to show how great God is, because he is both the just and the justifier, he makes us righteous in a righteous way, and in so doing he reveals just how glorious he is both in his grace and in his perfect justice

It would be well worth taking a few moments to reflect on how the splendour of God revealed in the gospel should change our view of him and our attitude to the gospel.  Here are some questions that might help with that:

• How does the fact that God's solution is perfectly just help me to trust in his gospel?

• How should I feel about God for going to such lengths to come up with such a flawless solution?

• What can I do to make my attitude to the gospel less me-centred and more God-centred?

Once you've spent a day or two pondering these questions, why not turn your attention to the prep for next week's study?

Ultimately, the question on the table for 3:7-35 is this: How does Jesus respond to rejection?

If v7-12 are anything to go by, the answer at least seems to be that he's pretty unfazed by it. In fact, not only does he continue to do the same miraculous things that he was doing at the end of ch1, he does it on an even bigger scale; people come to him from as far as 120miles away (just imagine doing that without modern transport!).

But there's also something in v7 that suggests a more directed action against the scribes and Pharisees - Jesus deliberately 'withdraws' from them. That idea is continued into v13-19, where we see Jesus calling to himself a new people (the calling of the 12 disciples on a mountain mirroring the 12 tribes of Israel at mount Sinai). It's now that we begin to see something of what Jesus meant when he talked about the old and new wineskins in the previous chapter (2:21-22); the old wineskins (Old Israel) wouldn't accept the new wine (Jesus). Jesus would therefore create new wineskins (a New Israel, starting with the 12 disciples).

The point is this: there's no power struggle here between the Pharisees and Jesus. If the Pharisees won't accept Jesus Kingdom, then Jesus will simply continue with His new Kingdom without them.

In v20-35 we then see the first of the 'Markan sandwiches' in Mark's gospel, one of Mark's favourite structural tools whereby one incident is seemingly interrupted by the insertion of another incident in the middle of it. Whenever this happens, it's a signal that Mark wants us to see that the two stories are in fact related, and work together to make a point. Here the structure follows the pattern:

V20-21 Family

      V22-30 Pharisees

V31-35 Family

The Pharisees' complaint, of course, doesn't hold water. As Jesus points out, why would Satan drive out his own evil spirits? That would be a nonsensical thing to do. The seriousness of this accusation is seen in Jesus' response - by claiming that Jesus has an unclean spirit, they are effectively rejecting Jesus' true identity. The shocking response of Jesus here is that the person who rejects who He is will never have the forgiveness of sin that Jesus has come to bring.

The framing of this incident with the apparent rejection from Jesus' own family highlights who actually is in Jesus' new Kingdom at this point - only those who recognise who He is and sit humbly at His feet, listening to Him.

Questions for Application:

How does Jesus challenge our view of Him as meek and mild, always forgiving?

How will this effect the way that we present the gospel to others?

How might this passage apply to the person who says they're a Christian, but that it doesn't really matter what people believe about Jesus?

You can find new week's prep notes right here.

Today we’re launching “Serving at St Helen’s”. A website designed to help us serve the church family.

As a large church it can be hard for people to know what opportunities are available for them to serve the church family. The number of Sunday meetings, mid-week groups and offsite ministries we run can make it complicated to know how and when we might be able to offer our gifts, time and abilities to serve the church family. Serving at St Helen’s is designed to take some of the confusion away. The site allows every church member to simply see what opportunities are available to serve and then volunteer.

If you are a member of a small group at St Helen’s you should have been emailed your log in and password. Why not access the site and have a look to see if there are any opportunities you’d like to volunteer for? If you would like more information about how to use the site then you can look at the ‘how to use’ page or the Frequently Asked Questions page. If you have a further question then you can email me at: serving@st-helens.org.uk

Luke 15:10 (ESV)
"....I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Having looked at God's call for us to seek Him the week before, this week we thought more about the great privileges of God's presence and pardon.
 
Presence

Have we lost the wonder that God would dwell with His people? The whole universe cannot contain God, and yet God chooses to dwell with us. In Solomon's day, God's very presence filled the Temple with terrifying glory and wonder.
 
How does this give us a deeper appreciation of how amazing it is that God became flesh in Jesus, and dwelt with us?
 
Pardon

Solomon prays repeatedly that when God hears prayers, He would forgive.
 
How central is forgiveness in your relationship with God?

 What are we trying to achieve?

To help people hear about Jesus Christ.  What a relief!  We're not trying to persuade someone to be like us or to have our opinions. 
Colossians 1.28 & 29 are a couple of great verses that sum up the aim of 121 personal discipleship.  "Him we proclaim..." we want people to hear about Jesus and that's what happens as we take someone to the Scriptures.  Why do we do this?  "that we may present everyone mature in Christ".  The goal is not primarily to get people to come to our church or behave like us but to be mature in Christ, safe with him eternally.   And we can be confident that as we point people to Christ in the Scriptures we are teaching with "All Wisdom" because in him are "..all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col 2.4)
V29 reminds us that it will be a struggle sometimes but as we step out and struggle depending on God in prayer, He is at work in us and through us... powerfully.

How do we go about it?

1 Thessalonians 2.7-8 gives us an insight into Paul's approach to discipling people.  He taught them the Scriptures - that's where the Spirit's power is - but he also cared for them and shared his life with them.  He modelled the Christian life.  He got to know people and allowed them to know him.  His conduct adorned the Gospel and helped people see what being a Christian is all about.

Who?

Anyone who is hungry and wants to find out more.

How to ask someone to look at John's Gospel with you?

Potential openers

•-          Have you taken a look, as an adult, at what the Gospels say?

•-          Did you know that Jesus Christ is generally recognised as the most influential person who has ever walked the planet?  Do you know why people think that?

•-          Would you like to spend a quick lunch with me looking at what the different religions say? 

•-          Would you like to spend a quick lunch/coffee/breakfast/drink after work looking at the source evidence about Jesus Christ

General tips

-Pray.

- Don't ask them to look at the whole of John initially.  Give people a way out. 

With many people it will probably work well to make use of the ‘Comparing World Faiths and Introducing John's Gospel' might be a good ice breaker and way in and clears a lot of potential objections that people might have.

-Think in advance how and where you're going to conduct the 1-2-1 session.   Consider the person you'll do it with and what they would find most comfortable, eg a quiet space, set a time and stick to it, not too public, try not to embarrass, think about how you're going to conduct the 121 - presentation/questions, etc.

-Questions can be great way to help someone think about a passage for themselves but possibly best not to use them initially as they may make someone feel, ‘put on the spot'. 

-Similarly, asking someone to read out loud might be best avoided in initial one to ones. 

-Don't study a Gospel 1-2-1 with someone of the opposite sex unless they're your spouse!

-Remember you're not trying to get the other person to agree with you.  You're not trying to win an argument.  Leave room for disagreement and doubt.

-Love them.  Over time share your life.  Find out about their family, work, interests, etc.  Show them your life and how following Jesus has impacted the way you approach work, money, your family, etc Develop the friendship outside of the 1-2-1 sessions if at all possible.  Keep a record of things about their family and pray for them regularly.

-Don't try to exhaust every passage you study together.  Consider the big ideas and try to get those across in the time you have rather than getting bogged down in the details.  Good to leave the other person wanting more ...

- Ask if they'd like to continue and arrange a time when you'll next meet before you leave your first session.  But don't force it.  Continue if there is genuine interest.  Let them know that you're keen but that there is space for them to express their genuine questions and doubts. 

- Don't overload them with your expectations or judgements.

- Try to avoid giving them the impression you want them to be ‘religious' and come to your church or that you want to ‘reform' them morally. Keep pointing them to Christ.

- When using the John 121 notes move through them quite quickly but allow space for their questions.

- Throw in your own illustrations and examples of how the passage has changed your life.

- Try using the Truth at Work notes in different ways

- Don't ‘dig up the roots', ie don't continually try and check if they're getting it or changing - allow the Word to do the work.  Be patient - Gospel change may take a long time.

- Make use of other Christians and the witness of Christian lives.  If they become a Christian try to help them plug into a faithful Gospel teaching church.

-Try to avoid a relationship where they see you as a ‘guru' that they are dependent on.  Point them to Christ.

- Think and pray about their needs.

- Are there gaps in their understanding, do they have outstanding questions?

- Are there other books, talks, etc that it would be useful to give them to read/listen to, eg

Knowing God (Jim Packer), Christian biography, Just for Starters, something on the Cross, God's Big Picture (Vaughan Roberts), something on prayer, church, etc.

-Pray

At 1.05 - 1.45pm, Fri 11 Nov at St Helen's there was an opportunity for all City workers to pay their respects and remember those who have made huge sacrifices on our behalf.  Colonel Rob Thomson DSO MBE who is a Christian and commanded 2 Rifles during a tumultous tour of Afghanistan that we may well remember hearing about in the news gave a short talk to help us. ( the invitation )

You may also find this video clip (extract or full version) interesting as Sim and Rebecca Jemmett talk about their experiences from Afghanistan:

Excerpt-

Full 9 min version -

1 John 1.1-3(ESV)
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us - that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ..."

Why should I invite someone?

On the evening of Monday 7 November, we're turning St Helen's into the poshest of posh restaurants and hosting an evangelistic guest event with dinner and wine, a talk from Charlie Skrine, and time for questions during dessert. The timings are:
7.15pm for supper at 7.30pm
8.15pm talk followed by dessert and coffee
9.15pm questions to the speaker

It's probably one of the easiest invites you could ever extend to your non-Christian mates. I love guest events because (1) my friends will actually come when I invite them, (2) I know they'll have a great evening, whatever they make of the talk, and (3) they'll have an opportunity to hear the gospel and meet Jesus.

Why not download the flyer and email it to your friends?

If you're planning to bring someone, you can book places by contacting the St Helen's church office.
Great St Helen's, London EC3A 6AT
t: 020 7283 2231
e: dinner@st-helens.org.uk

What is the talk about?

I wonder if you've heard any of the following responses when you've tried to share the gospel with your friends: "I believe in God, but I don't think we can know what he's like." "I would call myself spiritual, but I don't believe in doctrines and statements of truth." "The forces behind our universe are impersonal. They don't care what we do or what is done to us."

Those are just a few things people have said to me over the years when the conversation turned to God. Most of my friends are happy to acknowledge the existence of God and even pray to him on occasion. But to say that you know who he is and what he's like? Well, that would be presumptuous!

In one sense, they're right. As John says in the opening verses of his gospel, "no one has ever seen God."

But they're only half right, because if God is a person with a face, if Jesus "has made him known," then the guessing games about God are over. We can know who he is and what he's like.

So the question on the table for the evening is: "Could the force behind the universe be a person with a face?"

How can I help?

If you've invited your friends and none of them can make it, you can still help! We need a number of volunteers who work behind the scenes to make the guest event a brilliant evening. Please email me (Dan) at d.hong@st-helens.org.uk if you'd like to help.

And most importantly, please pray! Pray for logistics during the evening, that nothing will get in the way of the gospel being preached and heard. Pray for Charlie as he speaks. Pray that people will come. Pray that people will hear the gospel and believe in Jesus and have life in his name.

Notes (7) for John 3:16-36

Summary Sheet (6) for John 2:23-3:15

Summary Sheet (7) for John 3:16-36

Why should I invite someone?

On the evening of Monday 7 November, we're turning St Helen's into the poshest of posh restaurants and hosting an evangelistic guest event with dinner and wine, a talk from Charlie Skrine, and time for questions during dessert. The timings are:
7.15pm for supper at 7.30pm
8.15pm talk followed by dessert and coffee
9.15pm questions to the speaker

It's probably one of the easiest invites you could ever extend to your non-Christian mates. I love guest events because (1) my friends will actually come when I invite them, (2) I know they'll have a great evening, whatever they make of the talk, and (3) they'll have an opportunity to hear the gospel and meet Jesus.

Why not download the flyer and email it to your friends?

If you're planning to bring someone, you can book places by contacting the St Helen's church office.
Great St Helen's, London EC3A 6AT
t: 020 7283 2231
e: dinner@st-helens.org.uk

What is the talk about?

I wonder if you've heard any of the following responses when you've tried to share the gospel with your friends: "I believe in God, but I don't think we can know what he's like." "I would call myself spiritual, but I don't believe in doctrines and statements of truth." "The forces behind our universe are impersonal. They don't care what we do or what is done to us."

Those are just a few things people have said to me over the years when the conversation turned to God. Most of my friends are happy to acknowledge the existence of God and even pray to him on occasion. But to say that you know who he is and what he's like? Well, that would be presumptuous!

In one sense, they're right. As John says in the opening verses of his gospel, "no one has ever seen God."

But they're only half right, because if God is a person with a face, if Jesus "has made him known," then the guessing games about God are over. We can know who he is and what he's like.

So the question on the table for the evening is: "Could the force behind the universe be a person with a face?"

How can I help?

If you've invited your friends and none of them can make it, you can still help! We need a number of volunteers who work behind the scenes to make the guest event a brilliant evening. Please email me (Dan) at d.hong@st-helens.org.uk if you'd like to help.

And most importantly, please pray! Pray for logistics during the evening, that nothing will get in the way of the gospel being preached and heard. Pray for Charlie as he speaks. Pray that people will come. Pray that people will hear the gospel and believe in Jesus and have life in his name.

John 5:24 (ESV)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."

The Action Bible: God's Redemptive Story,
Illustrated by Sergio Cariello,
Published by David C. Cook, 2010.

With 215 stories and thousands of pictures this Bible story book is remarkable.  Its style is that of a modern comic book or graphic novel.  Its content is full and consistently faithful.

Not many children's books cover as much ground as this one does. Almost every Bible narrative gets a look in, including parts of Samuel and Kings that many of us might be hazy on.  What is particularly impressive is how other types of Bible writing style are included within the stories.  Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are referred to alongside Solomon.  Some visions from Ezekiel and Daniel are included amongst more familiar stories.  All the Prophets are at least summarised in their proper place in Bible history, as are the New Testament letters. 

Boys especially will love this book.  So too will those who are daunted by reading pages of text.  Anyone reading through it will gain a very good feel for the Bible itself.  However, bear in mind that this ‘Action Bible' should not become a substitute for the actual Bible.

For a sample see the story of The Plagues or The Prodigal Son

This week at the St Helen's lunchtime meetings, Andrew Sach gave the first of three talks from John 9 and 10 explaining Jesus' teaching on the alternatives, the thieves and robbers. Click here to listen to the talk.

Stop by St Helen's on Tuesday or Thursday at 1pm to hear the rest of the series. Next week, we'll hear Jesus' teaching on us, the sheep. Click here for more details.

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

If you missed this week's RML on personal Bible reading and prayer, or want to hear what Aneirin said again, you can listen to a recording of the talk here.

It may be that you were left wondering why there is so much emphasis placed on the Bible at St Helen's - in which case we'd love you to join us on the 'Word of God weekend', where we'll be thinking in much greater depth about the nature of God's word and why it is so vital for us to immerse ourselves in it as Christians.

Plus, it's a great opportunity to get to know both your group and others better. You'll need to sign up ASAP to avoid missing out - email Alicia at a.burgess@st-helens.org.uk.

Meeting your Maker

Don't forget about our guest event on Monday 7th November - this will be a great chance to invite our friends to hear the gospel.

The talk will be aimed for people who are "spiritual" and believe in "God", but would reject doctrines or statements of truth about him. In one sense, they're right, for "no one has ever seen God."

But they've only got it half right, because if God is a person with a face, if Jesus "has made him known," then the guessing games about God are over. We can know who he is and what he's like.

So the question on the table at the guest event is: could God be a person, and if so, how do we know this is true?

Next week...

And of course, we continue our studies in Mark's gospel next week, looking at 3:7-35. Roll up, get your prep notes here...

William Taylor, Rector of St Helen's Bishopsgate, recently addressed the `new atheists' in our `Hidden Opportunity - Certain Return' series from Luke 17-18 on Tuesday lunchtimes. His sermon challenges the `new atheists' to be credible scientists who take into account all the evidence and encourages the Christian to be confident of Jesus' miraculous powers as a foretaste of the perfect kingdom to come.

See below for an edited clip. The entire sermon ‘the one' is on our website, along with all the talks from the series.

Notes (4) for John 2:1-12

Notes (5) for John 2:13-25

Summary Sheet (4) for John 2:1-12

Summary Sheet (5) for John 2:13-25

This was the absolute highpoint of Israel's history, the best fulfilment of God's promises of blessing to Abraham (Gen 12.1-2) so far in the Bible story. The nations are coming to God's wealthy and mighty King Solomon. The nations are being blessed, and are blessing him in return.

So what was Solomon doing that was so right, to bring in such a glorious Golden Age? In 1 Chronicles King Saul failed because he didn't seek the Lord. King Solomon sets the right example, in that he seeks the Lord.

2 Chronicles calls us as well, to seek the Lord. As the 4pm congregation, will we be people who seek the Lord, who seek first His kingdom?

King Solomon seeking the Lord is a shadow of the true King, King Jesus who perfectly and completely sought the Lord. Jesus sought the Lord while tempted in the wilderness, in duress in the garden of Gethsemane and with absolute obedience unto death on the Cross.

How does 2 Chronicles give us a richer view of Jesus and help us to delight in Him more?

This coming Sunday we will be looking at 2 Chronicles 6.1-21, why not spend some time looking through it before the service?

William Taylor, Rector of St Helen's Bishopsgate, recently addressed the ‘new atheists’ in our  ‘Hidden Opportunity – Certain Return’ series from Luke 17-18 on Tuesday Lunctimes. His sermon challenges the ‘new atheists’ to be credible scientists that take into account all the evidence and encourages the Christian to be confident of Jesus’ miraculous powers as a foretaste of the perfect kingdom to come.

Below is an edited clip. The entire sermon ‘the one’ is on our website, along with all the talks from the series.

Psalm 2.11-12 (ESV)
"Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.  Blessed are all who take refuge in him."

Please pray for conversations following Maj Gen Tim Cross's talk yesterday.  Pray that those who attended will want to know more about Jesus, who died and rose again.

Luke 18.7-8 (ESV)
"And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

The more we know our Old Testament, the better we will be able to appreciate the truth of the gospel in Romans.  We saw in our study that Paul is not just repeating facts for the sake of it but in this week's passage he really wants us to feel in our bones just what an awful problem sin is.  Interesting then that he goes to the Psalms, which is surely the most overtly feelings-oriented book of the whole Bible. 

A simple question for applying this week's passage would be, do you feel just how big a problem sin is?  If not, why not go over the passage again and let the graphic imagery of the Psalms really sink in?

Why make us feel the problem of sin?  I guess Paul wants us not only to know our need of the gospel but also to feel our need of the gospel - to feel with all our being what glorious news the gospel of Jesus is. 

Having seen that knowing our Old Testament really helps us in getting to grips with Romans, you'll be pleased to hear that in next week's RML Romans evening Andrew Sach is going to be taking us through some key parts of the Old Testament which are particularly helpful for our understanding of Romans. So here's the Romans OT challenge, which is in place of the usual prep sheet:

• Over the course of the next week, read as much of Romans as you can and see how many quotations and allusions to the Old Testament you can spot. 

Do you know the background well enough to be able to understand what Paul's referring to each time? Quite a challenge isn't it?  We hope that next Tuesday will help to shed some light on the dark depths of the Old Testament for you.

On one hand, we have the Pharisees, who were meant to be the shepherds of their day, caring for the people of Israel.  But they are exposed as self-serving rogues by their interactions with a blind man healed by Jesus.

In contrast, Jesus calls himself the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.  He gives them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of his hand.

Which kind of leader will you follow?  In whose hands will you entrust your life?  Click here for a flyer with more details on the series.

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Justifying ourselves seems to be something we do instinctively.  We want others to think well of us, and therefore, we won't admit our wrongs.  We'll go to great lengths to protect our reputation, our position, our decisions, our legacy, our pride.

This week's lunchtime talk from Luke 18:9-17 exposes the ugliness and danger of self-righteousness, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled.

The surprising conclusion?  When we acknowledge our guilt and cast ourselves on God's mercy, we go home justified.  God's verdict on us today is "not guilty."

Listen to William's final talk in the series "Hidden opportunity, certain return" by clicking here.

Which kind of leader will you follow?

Next week, Andrew Sach will start a new series from John 9 and 10: "Wolves in shepherds' clothing."

On one hand, we have the Pharisees, who were meant to be the shepherds of their day, caring for the people of Israel.  But they are exposed as self-serving rogues by their interactions with a blind man healed by Jesus.

In contrast, Jesus calls himself the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.  He gives them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of his hand.

Which kind of leader will you follow?  In whose hands will you entrust your life?  Click here for a flyer with more details on the series.

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Please pray for Dougy as he starts to read John's Gospel 121 with a colleague.

Psalm 62.1-2 (ESV)
"For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken."

But as we saw towards the end of last week, the roots of opposition were beginning to form within the ranks of Israel's religious leaders. That opposition develops throughout the rest of ch2, as we see increasingly hostile reactions to Jesus and His disciples.

It's clear in the way that Jesus responds to the various questions that are put to Him that it's His identity that is being rejected here - the scribes and the Pharisees are failing to understand who Jesus is - the Son of Man (see Dan. 7:13) who has come for sinners, who is the bridegroom of Israel (see Isa. 54:5), who has Kingly authority to rightly interpret the law.

There's also a growing sense of unreasonableness in the questions put to Jesus, such that by the time we get to 3:1-6, its also clear that this rejection isn't a matter of the intellect, but of the heart. The Pharisees are well aware of Jesus' ability to heal - in fact, they're counting on it in 3:2! Yet they will not accept Him as their King.

Here lies the tragedy of the hard-hearted person: they simply cannot see who Jesus is, despite all of the evidence to the contrary.

Questions for Application:

How should we respond to hard-heartedness in people around us? (note: how did Jesus feel in v5?) Why?

Why do we often not respond like that? What does that say about our view of Jesus?

What things does Jesus say about Himself that make us rejoice in who He is and what He is like?

You can find next week's prep notes here.

Philippians 3.13 (ESV)
"...one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of  God in Christ Jesus..."

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John 3:16(ESV)
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Isaiah 9.5(ESV)
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace..."

Essentially Paul is backing up the point he's already made in last week's passage, and he's doing so by blocking off all of the possible escape routes.  He shows that not even the most religiously privileged person with the most James-Bond-like audacity can wriggle out of God's judgement and their need for the gospel.

Did you spot the escape attempts of Paul's imaginary Jewish opponent and how Paul neatly blocked him in on all sides?  Neither having the Jewish law, nor teaching it to the nations, nor having the status of circumcision, nor questioning God's right to judge will get anyone anywhere - because none of these can do away with the fact that God judges sin.

I wonder how you felt, seeing the best that humanity can offer - a devout Jew who has every head start towards pleasing God - still failing to escape God's wrath against sin?  It makes the prospects of escaping God's judgement pretty hopeless doesn't it? 

On the other hand, it gives us all the more reason to put all of our hope in the gospel, which we know is God's power to save us from his wrath against our sin (Romans 1:16-17).

Here are some questions to help us reflect on this part of Romans over the coming days:

• According to God's word in Romans, what proportion of the world's population deserves to escape God's wrath based on their own credentials? 
• What about those people who have all of the brownie points that religion can offer?
• How many effective alternatives are there to the gospel of Jesus?
• How does this change the way we think about the needs of those who don't know Jesus?  Even our friends?

And finally, why not spend an hour at the weekend going through the passage and the prep for next week's study.

In this week's lunchtime talks at St Helen's from Luke 18:1-8, William helped us to see that to answer this question, we must first understand who God is.

If an unrighteous judge will grant justice to a widow because of her persistence, how much more will the God who loves us hear and answer our prayers!

Listen to the third talk in the series "Hidden opportunity, certain return" by clicking here.

Dan
blog@christiansinthecity.com

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

We soon discover that this King has incredible authority - the likes of which has never been seen before (1:22, 28, 37, 45, 2:12).

First we see the authority in Jesus words and teaching - even over unclean spirits, who are subject to his commands (2:21-28). Next we see Jesus' authority over sickness (2:29-34), resulting in an entire city gathering to him within a day!

But then, in the midst of a wave of excitement, Jesus does something very strange - He withdraws to pray, and tells us that, rather than focusing on healing, His priority is to preach (2:35-39)

The next two episodes give us a hint at why that might be.

In 1:40-45 we see Jesus cleansing a leper - leprosy being symbolic of the effects of sin. By this act, the cleansed leper, who had been separated from God's people, is able to return to God's people.

Finally, we see Jesus' authority over sin. Again, Jesus takes us by surprise as rather than immediately healing the paralytic physically (which is what he and his friends were no doubt expecting!) He claims to forgive his sin. Clearly forgiveness of sin is the greater priority in Jesus' eyes. The scribes point out that, since sin is an offense against God, only God should be able to forgive it. But in subsequently healing the paralytic physically, Jesus proves that He is indeed able to forgive sin - which of course, means He must be God! (2:1-12)

In light of all this, can you think why the response of the fishermen, leaving their whole livelihood and their family, makes sense?

Questions for application:

What things stop us from being amazed by Jesus?

How might understanding this passage influence our prayer life? In what way does it give us confidence? In what ways should Jesus' priorities shape what we pray for?

How does this passage persuade us to act like the fishermen, dropping everything to follow Jesus? What might it look like for us to do that personally?

Next week's prep notes can be found here.

23rd October: The Golden Age - 2 Chronicles 6:1-21

30th October: Here 1 The Reliant King - 2 Chronicles 14:1 - 6:4

6 November: Here 2 The Faithful Prophet - 2 Chronicles 18:1-34

I wonder when was the last time we read 2 Chronicles? A number of us have perhaps never read it before. In order for us to get the most out of what the Lord has to say to us, William has asked that we try to read the first 9 chapters of the book by this Sunday.

And here is a link to the Sunday Sermons Titles for the whole of this term.

Please go on praying for Simon Brayton from BLP as he recovers from a serious head operation.

John 1.14 (ESV)
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

We had Simon the Pharisee, who turned out to be a pious fraud as he publicly humiliated Jesus.   He represents everyone who thinks they are decent and good - their treatment of the King of Kings shows this is far from the truth.

And then we had the sinful woman.  Already forgiven by Jesus, she showed just what that meant to her with an incredible demonstration of love.  Washing his feet, kissing him, anointing him with oil - all the things that Simon had neglected to do.   It is absolutely the right response - a guilty sinner, forgiven much, responds by loving much.

Why not re-read the passage and think more about what it meant for this woman to be forgiven and to be told to ‘go in peace.'  Ask yourself whether you're aware of your guilt before God?  If so, have you come to Jesus for forgiveness?  If so, how are you demonstrating your love for Jesus?  As William encouraged us, lets pray that God would write these truths on our hearts.    

William Taylor Rector of St Helen's Bishopsgate recently spoke about Jesus as the one who has power over death and sickness as part of our 'How Great A Salvation' series in Luke at our 6pm series. His sermon quoted Steve Jobs and his fight with cancer. Particularly poignant was Jobs' emphasis on the need to cling on to the belief that at some point in the future we will be able to make sense of life in a way we can't now. William Taylor shows how this yearning for meaning is already answered in the person and teaching of Jesus - in part now, and more fully in eternity. Below is an edited clip.

Jesus and Steve Jobs from St Helen’s Church on Vimeo.

You can watch, listen or download the entire talk or any of the series 'How Great A Salvation' from our free media library.

What will it look like practically to do good in my workplace this week?

How can I better follow in Jesus' steps particularly with regards to unjust suffering?

How should all that Jesus has achieved for me on the cross affect what I think, say and do this week?

Matthew 6.9-13(ESV)
"Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."

There are so many children's Bibles and story books on the market it's easy to be overwhelmed by the choice.  Every publisher seems to have at least one or two on offer - but the quality of the content varies so much.  How do you decide?

Here are a few things to look out for as you flick through a Bible storybook:

Are the stories presented like Aesop's fables? 
That is, are the stories told merely to tell a moral lesson?  Check out what it says about Jesus feeding the 5,000.  If it's all about sharing, you know this book likes its moral tales.

Does God get much of a look in? 
Are the stories told without reference to God?  Is God a minor part in the story?  See what is said about David and Goliath or Daniel in the lion's den.

Does it cover any bad news? 
Do the stories ever mention sin?  We need to know the bad news about ourselves if we are going to hear the good news of the gospel properly.  See what is said about the story of Noah.  If it only mentions animals and an ark, then something's missing.

These are just three ways to quickly get a handle on where a children's Bible is coming from.

To help you along in your choosing here are some Bible storybooks that families here at St Helen's recommend highly:

Click on a cover for further information.

In Romans 2:1-11 Paul moves to address this very question by turning his attention the person who is so busy applauding God's judgement of wicked people that they fail to notice their own shortcomings which place them firmly in the same boat. 

If the pot was rather enjoying the close up shot of the kettle's charred exterior, Paul pans the lens over to the pot itself to highlight its very own blackened base, which is in for the same treatment.  Paul's conclusion is that all people who've sinned, no matter how superior they think they are, face God's future judgement because God judges impartially, on the basis of people's deeds.

So what does this mean for us?  Before we jump into rebuking ourselves for our own finger pointing (right as that may be in general), we should take a moment to ask what Paul is aiming to achieve by telling us this.  We've seen already that Paul is writing to Christians, yet here he is highlighting the problem of people who have "hard and impenitent hearts" (Romans 2:5) and who think they don't deserve God's judgement, i.e. people who have neither understood nor responded to the very basics of the gospel. 

Well if Paul's aim isn't to rebuke us, what is it?  We find a clue if we go back to the starting point for his big argument (Romans 1:16-17).  Paul is persuading us of how great and how necessary the gospel is by showing us how absolutely nobody can survive without it.  He is saying that everybody, pots and kettles alike, are facing God's wrath on the day of God's judgement, and therefore everybody needs the gospel. 

If we miss Paul's aim in writing, we won't be as amazed by the gospel as we should be.  Why not spend some time allowing this truth to increase your amazement at the gospel?  Here are some questions to get you started:

• How would you answer someone who said to you that they're a pretty good person so really would prefer it if you didn't patronise them by suggesting that they need Jesus?
• How has this passage given you a bigger view of the gospel?

And here is the prep for next week's study.

Please pray for Martin, Tom, David and others as they seek to pass on what they're learning from John's Gospel in the City bible studies and Truth at Work to people in their home churches.

Isaiah 65.17(ESV)
"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind."

We'd love you to make it your aim to set aside time one day towards the end of each week to think about what you've been learning on Tuesday evening and think hard about how it applies to you. We hope that this blog will help you to do just that. If you have a regular slot in the morning where you spend time reading the Bible and praying, you might want to use one of those times.

As for this week, Mark doesn't exactly leave us in suspense as he begins his gospel account - he tells us exactly what he believes and what he's writing about straight up front: the good news about Jesus, the King.

This is the King who was promised in the Old Testament, the one would come bringing both judgment and salvation through forgiveness of sin. As John arrives, looking very much like the promised messenger and proclaiming that forgiveness, an entire nation gathers - the sense of anticipation is huge; something massive is happening here!

Then Jesus arrives on the scene. At His baptism, he receives God's seal of approval. Next we see Him going out to battle Satan - a sign of things to come perhaps? Finally, Jesus announces the big news: The King is bringing the Kingdom of God!

It's a fast paced opening to Mark's book, and a number of questions remain: What's this Kingdom going to look like? Who will be included in it? What kind of King is Jesus going to be like? And what is this good news?

We'll be thinking more about those questions as the story unravels over the coming weeks and months.

For now, here are some questions to be pondering off the back of the first study:

1) What does Mark want our attitude to be towards what follows in his gospel?

2) Given this start, what are we expecting the rest of the gospel to be about?

3) Why are we tempted not to find the gospels exciting? Why are these verses so exciting?

4) How do these verses challenge the way we think of Jesus?

You can find next week's prep notes here.

How do we know when that day has arrived?  What will it be like?  And maybe most importantly, how should we live now, knowing that Jesus will one day come back?

These are the questions answered in this week's lunchtime talk from Luke's gospel.  Click here to download the talk.

Other talks in the series "Hidden opportunity, certain return" are available here.

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Tom has given us a few questions to help us think through the implications of this passage for our daily lives.

How at home do I feel in this world?  What would Peter say to me?

Where might I be in danger a) of blending in, or b) of retreating from the world? 

How can I be more proactive in battling sin and doing good (living out the gospel)?

What practical steps will I take this week to put this strategy into practice (particularly with regards to authorities)?

It’s our final top tip for Christian students. If you’ve missed any of the previous 4 make sure you catch up. Today we’re thinking about how we will grow as Christians.

Loving our course is one thing, but university provides another amazing opportunity. An opportunity to grow in our love for God’s word, the bible. Being a student, is a wonderful time to spend growing in our love for God’s word. We said in a previous post that the bible is God’s primary way of speaking today. The bible is like God’s letters to us. If we want to grow in our relationship with God then we’ll need to read those letters, think about them and understand them. The next three years can be a time when you get some bible basics under your belt that will provide a solid foundation for the rest of your Christian lives. Here’s our top tips of how to grow in love for God’s word:

1. Read it everyday. You can get some great bible study notes to help you, why not get some and work through them?

2. Go to a church that wants to put the bible in your hands. Go to a church that wants to teach you to how to handle God’s word.

3. Read books that help. Some books are really useful in helping us understand God’s word. Our very own Andrew Sach wrote one – you could get a copy and work through it on your own or with a friend.

4. Ask for help. I am rubbish at reading my bible, but often I’m too embarrassed to ask for help with it. Don’t be embarrassed we all find reading the bible hard, talk to a friend about what they do and ask them for help, at the very least they can pray for us.

Proverbs 3.5-6 (ESV)
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths."

God is Great
A Toddler's Bible Story Book
By Carolyn Larson
Published by Crossway, 2011.

God Is Great, is a wonderful resource for toddlers.  Seventeen key Bible stories are retold in simple language with bright and clear pictures.  Each story begins with a title focused on God and ends with an application about God too.  The stories describe what God has done in the story of our world, beginning with creation and moving through to the Great Commission. As children learn about the ways in which God has shown his greatness in the past, they will also learn about his character and how he is still great today.

Sample section: Story 5 

Please pray for those in the City battling with illness, family struggles or redundancy.

Romans 12:1-2(ESV)
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Download an electronic invite to the lunchtime talk with Maj Gen Tim Cross at 1.10-1.50pm on Thurs 20 October.

To hear a clip of Tim view the video clip below -

Please pray for the lunchtime talk today at St Helen's.

Proverbs 1.7(ESV)
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge..."

Truth at Work Notes 2 - John 1.19-28

Truth at Work Notes 3 - John 1.29-51

Truth at Work Summary Sheet 2 - John 1.19-28

Truth at Work Summary Sheet 3 - John 1.29-51

Do I have to lose my mind to be a Christian?  Is being a Christian just a blind leap of faith?  Are we believing in spite of the evidence?

What on earth is God doing?  Why isn't he feeding the hungry or healing the sick or bringing world peace?  Why did Jesus come?

These are the questions we've been answering in the latest series "Seeing is NOT believing."  You can download all of the talks here.

I have often been asked these questions in my conversations with non-Christian friends and colleagues over the years.  Most of the time, I left the conversation wishing I had better answers than the ones I gave them!  So this series of talks from the gospel of John proved to be a wonderful resource.  At the end of the series, I felt much better equipped to share the gospel with my mates.  Amazing how a 2,000 year-old testimony from one of Jesus' followers is still so relevant today!

That's one of the reasons I'm so excited about Truth at Work.  Many of our colleagues won't ever step inside a church building, but they may be willing to look at John's gospel with us to meet Jesus on the pages of history.  Click here for tips and resources that help Christians in the City to do just that.

As Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life." (John 5:24)  It's amazing that we can take part in God's work of bringing people from death to life!

Dan
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Psalm 46.1-2 (ESV)
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea..."

More top tips for being a Christian student. Our last post was how to choose a church today is thinking about how being a Christian affects our studies.

It might sound odd, having someone encourage you to love your course, but however much you love your subject over the next three years there will be times when you find it hard to love. Here’s two ways you can do that:

Work hard. Colossians 3v22-23 reminds us to work hard in everything we do. That means we should work hard on our course. It’s a great when Christian students work hard because it backs up our words as we witness to those around us. Treat it like a job, or even like you were at school, doing regular hours every day will help you not get snowed under with work or have to rush too many deadlines.

Think how the good news of Jesus applies to your course. While we are to work hard at our course we should also think about our course from a Christian perspective. That means thinking through things like “what does the bible say about that subject” or “does the bible agree with that assessment or preconception?”. I found this really hard during my course, but the more I did it the easier it got. So why not give it a bash – it would be a great thing to chat through with older Christians, friends in C.U or course mates.

Luke 17:20-21 (ESV)
"The kingdom of God is not coming with signs, to be observed, nor will they say, "Look, here it is!" or "There!" for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."

We’re giving our top tips for Christian students. Today we think about choosing a church.

Church will play a massive part in your spiritual growth while at university. Here’s our top 4 tips:

Get stuck into one church. London is full of churches, you could spend every week of your degree checking out a different one. That would be a disaster. Instead why not shortlist a few churches and try one or two a couple of times in your first term? That way you’ll get a better idea of the church and you’ll get stuck in quicker.

Go to a church that loves Jesus. Now we know most churches would never say that they don’t love Jesus, but what we mean is go to a church that talks about Jesus and his saving work on the cross lots. We live in a country when many churches don’t think Jesus was all that special and didn’t save us on the cross. It sounds barmy, but it’s true. Choose a church that loves Jesus and his work.

Go to a church that loves the bible. The bible is God’s primary way of talking to his people today. If we want to hear God speak at church then we need to look for a church that has the bible at the heart of everything it does. A church that puts the main emphasis on hearing the bible, is a fairly good sign that they love listening to God.

Go to a church that loves people. Again not many churches will say they don’t love people. But here’s what we mean. The bible says everyone is stuffed without Jesus, and so best way a church can show it’s love for people is to encouraging people to share Jesus with others who don’t know Him. Find a church that encourages and equips you to talk to friends about Jesus.

I found William’s talk at our midweek City lunchtime meeting very helpful in answering this question.  It’s so easy to be cowed by the world around us and to be shy or embarrassed about Jesus.  People like Richard Dawkins would say that Christians must be stupid to believe in a kingdom they can’t see.

But according to Luke’s gospel, we can be confident that the kingdom of Jesus is here.  And more than that, anybody can be a part of it!  Jesus accepted the most surprising people into his kingdom simply because they believed in him.

If you missed William’s talk or would like to send it to someone else, click here to download the first in a new series from Luke’s gospel.

Also, look here on Monday for more on the recently completed series on John's gospel.  What a great way to get us excited about learning how to read John's gospel 1-2-1 through Truth at Work.

The City Wire
blogs@christiansinthecity.com

Why then was it that as we studied these words on Tuesday, many of us were excited by the end of the evening? How can our hearts possibly be warmed by a passage that is basically saying that all of humanity has rejected their Creator God and that God in his wrath has therefore handed everyone over to degrading sinful acts?

Enter the context tool... which helps us to see why the author is writing and what the overall point is. Our happy discovery on Tuesday was that Paul is not writing this to make us feel miserable, but that he is showing us how great and necessary the gospel, because it’s the only way in which we can be saved from this mess. If we see in glorious technicolor the disgusting mess we were in, then we can appreciate all the more how vital and how wonderful the gospel is, which has saved us from this mess.

As someone on my table put it, “we should be overwhelmed by how good the gospel is, by seeing how horrible the problem is that it solves.”

Here are some questions to help us think and pray through these truths over the coming week:

• How would you answer someone who told you that the gospel is a nice message if you’re into that kind of thing, but hardly necessary of everybody?
• If the root problem of sin is rejecting God and all other sinful acts are actually a part of God’s judgement, how does that change our view of a) how we think of sin? b) how we think of the world's biggest problem?  

Having had a good chew on these questions, why not have a go at the prep for next week?

Please give thanks for a good start in the evening small groups over the last couple of weeks at St Helen's and for good numbers of City workers meeting together.

Psalm 19 (ESV)
"....The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean enduring forever...."

- What should characterise your small group this year? How could you contribute to making that happen?

- What will longing for the pure spiritual milk look like in practice for us individually this coming year?

This past Sunday, 24th September, the sermon was on 1 Peter 2:4-10. We learnt about Jesus, the living stone of the spiritual house that God is building, and what our part is in this house. Let's be thinking through how we personally can respond to this passage. 

- So far in Peter, what have we learnt about who we are? When in particular do we need to remember this?

- How can we play an active role in 'proclaiming God's excellencies' to others?

Hear Richard Borgonon on what might happen if we ask people to look at John's Gospel with us.

Hear Mark Wheeler on what you could say to encourage someone to look at a Gospel.

A person you're reading John's Gospel with may have questions about the authenticity and historical reliability of John's Gospel.  Below are some documents you could download and give people if they were really interested and also a sketch of some things you could say if appropriate -

1) Can we trust the Bible? & 2) Is the New Testament Historically Reliable?

Who was John?

John was a disciple and a close friend of Jesus  - ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved'.  John was brother of James, son of Zebedee, a fisherman and one of Jesus' inner apostolic circle.  He was therefore a first-hand eye-witness.  He also wrote the New Testament letters 1, 2 & 3 John and Revelation.  He lived longer than the other Gospel writers and probably wrote his Gospel later than the others at around 80-90AD.  It is true there has been some debate over this in recent years among various scholars but the internal evidence of the Bible and external sources seem pretty clear. 

Historical?

We can be confident that John's Gospel is solid historical and credible evidence about what Jesus said and did.  In fact we can be confident that as we come to John's Gospel we can hear the voice of God.    It's a great question to ask and I can give you lots of resources/books, etc that will help you research this issue further if you'd like.  (See recommended resources below.)  But the best way to find out whether John's Gospel is true is to read it and study it for yourself.

Remembering the 4 ‘T's of Translation, Transmission, Trustworthiness and Truth might help deal with a number of questions that might come up.

Translation? - "This is in English, how do I know it is the same as the original Greek?"

Yes, this is an English translation of the Greek text that John wrote.  Translations like the ESV and NIV are very good and the preface to most Bibles will give you a good overview of how the translation team has gone about their work to ensure they have produced a translation from the source manuscripts that is as accurate as possible.

Transmission? - "What about Chinese whispers? Hasn't the Bible/the Gospel been tinkered with down through the centuries?"

No, we can be very confident that what we have in our hands now is what was actually written by the original authors.   We don't have the originals as they were written on papyrus or leather which have since rotted.  But these originals were copied by conscientious scribes who knew they were handling the word of God and took great care not to make mistakes.   We have thousands of these copies that are dated very early that have been found all over the world.  (The earliest part of a copy still in existence dates back to 125 AD and is held in the John Ryland Library in Manchester.) By placing these copies next to each other the literary boffins can easily spot if any particular manuscripts have any errors.  Most serious historians would agree that the case for the historical reliability of the Gospels is very strong.  Indeed it is much better than comparable ancient documents.   

Also, writings from members of the early church show us both that 1) the early church was very rigorous in satisfying themselves that the Gospels were authentic eye - witness testimony and 2) that they were indeed convinced that the Gospels were authentic.  For example Ireneaus' writings support the identification of John the disciple as the author of John's Gospel.

Trustworthy? - Ok, we might have what John and the other Gospel writers wrote but why should we trust them?

The Gospel writers claim to be giving us eye - witness testimony.  For example, John says "This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true" and in one of his letters he says:

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."

It's good to ask ourselves do we have any reason not to trust them?  What reason might they have had for making it up?  The New Testament writers didn't benefit materially or politically from what they wrote;  instead they were severely persecuted and most died for their beliefs.  The Gospel writers put great emphasis on integrity.  John, for example, makes a great deal in his Gospel about there being dependable witnesses to Jesus, himself included.  It would be very deceitful and hypocritical to say this and knowingly ‘make it up'.  The early explosion in the growth of the Christian church shows that many people who were alive at the time of the events recorded believed.  These same people could easily have discredited the Gospels if the public events recorded  in the Gospels were untrue. Thousands of Christians in the first century AD, including those who publicly preached and then wrote down the message were willing to give their lives as martyrs for the resurrected Jesus Christ. People will die for what they believe to be true, but no one will die for what they know to be a lie.

CS Lewis made the point that he had spent his life reading myth and fable but the Gospels do not read like that.  The Gospel writers describe events, locations, names, geography that only an eye-witness of the time would know about.   Archaeology and historical study of names and places back up what the Gospel writers recorded - eg in John 5, John mentions 5 colonnades, which at one time historians thought couldn't have existed until archaeologists found them. 

True?

Read it, think about it and make your own mind up.  The fact that the claims of John and the other gospel writers are so big and significant - Jesus is God, he rose from the dead, he can give us life, etc - coupled with the lack of credible reasons to dismiss the Gospels as historical means it is surely worth investigating John's Gospel for yourself.

For more details you could recommend the following pamplets and books to your friends and colleagues:

John Dickson, The Christ Files (Blue bottle books, 2006)
Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ (Zondervan, 1998)
Lee Strobel, The Case for the Real Jesus (Zondervan, 2007)
Craig Blomberg, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (IVP, 1987)
Paul Barnett, The truth about Jesus: the challenge of evidence (Aquila, 1994)
Paul Barnett, Jesus and the Logic of History (IVP, 1997)
  

Please pray for a new series starting today at St Helen's in Luke.

2 Cor 10:3-4 (ESV)
"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.   For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy stongholds."

Please pray for those going through times of testing in the office and those looking for work.

James 1: 2-4 (ESV)
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Being a Christian student can give us lots of things to think about. In our last post we shared our top 5 tips for making friends with people who don’t know Jesus. Today we’re thinking about making friends with those who do know Jesus.

University is an incredible opportunity to make Christian friends that will last a lifetime, but in the business of London university life we can sometimes get sidetracked. Here’s some things that helped us:

Get stuck in at Christian Union. If you want to find Christians on campus this is the first place to look, this site can help. Sign up in fresher’s week and attend their meetings. Get there early and allow time afterwards to hang out with people.

Get stuck in at church. If you want to find Christians the most obvious place to find them is in church so get to a church. All the same rules apply, get their early and make time to hang out afterwards. These links will help you know when we meet and how to get here.

Make time for people. London is super busy. There are a million things to do and so making time for people is important. Why not set aside regular time every week to meet up with 2 or 3 people in a Starbucks and encourage each other by chatting about what you’ve been reading in your bible, what you heard at church and conversations you’ve been having with flat mates about Jesus.

Don’t be exclusive. Make your Christian friendship groups a place that’s really easy for others to join in. Don’t be a clique, instead be a welcoming place for people that do and don’t know Jesus. Invite others to join you, London can be a lonely city.

Notes for John 1:1-18

Summary Sheet for John 1:1-18

Starting at university in London is one of those exciting and daunting times, particularly for Christian students. Over the next few posts we’ll be giving you our top tips for being a Christian student, here’s our first one. 5 ways to love your university.

During your time at university you’ll make really great friends. In our next post we’ll think about making Christian friends, but for now we want to concentrate on making friends with people who don’t yet know Jesus.Here’s our top 5 tips:

1. Don’t be scared. As Christians we can often feel scared or daunted by those who don’t yet know Jesus the result is that we hide ourselves away from course mates and flat mates who don’t know Jesus. However Jesus is in charge of the whole universe, and wants us to make friends with people who don’t know him yet.

2. Be different. If we don’t feel daunted then the other extreme is being just the same. We need to remember that we are to be in the world, but not of the world. We’re to be godly, that is live as God would want us to. That can be hard, it goes against the grain. It might mean saying no to that extra pint, or not being bitchy about that person in your hall. But it is what we’re called to be.

3. Tell them you’re a Christian. Sometimes we act as if being a Christian is like being part of a secret society. It’s tempting not to tell people we are Christians, but it’s best to make things clear from the start as it only gets harder. This might help you think how you’d explain being a Christian to a friend.

4. Love people. Find a group of mates who like doing the things you like doing. If that means joining the geek society then do, if it means joining a sports club then join. Spend time with them where ever you can, have fun and make friends.

5. Try to talk to them about Jesus. Once you’ve made some friends the temptation will be to not mention Jesus in case it upsets them. Resist the urge to keep quiet, instead ask them what they think of Jesus. Maybe they will have questions, maybe they will want to know more about Him? Either is great and this site will help you answer questions.

Here is the invite with further details.

Firstly Paul's headline for the gospel might sound unusual.  He doesn't say it's a message about a God who sorts out all our problems, or the way to an enriched life, or even simply the message of God's love.  Paul's repeated emphasis when introducing himself is that he is the messenger of the gospel of God's King, King Jesus.  In the gospel the spotlight isn't on us but on Jesus who is God's promised King (Romans 1:1-4). 

The second surprise is that Paul is writing this long letter, setting out what the gospel is in such great detail, to a bunch of people who already believe it.  He is writing to people whose faith was already world famous at the time - and telling them the gospel (Romans 1:8).  It's easy to think that the gospel is really just the doorway to the Christian life, but Paul clearly doesn't limit it to that.  Instead he says he is longing for the chance to strengthen and encourage these Christians in their faith  (Romans 1:11-12), and he's going to do so by telling them the gospel.  According to Paul we need the gospel not only at the start but throughout our Christian lives, because it will strengthen our faith.

What does it look like to know the gospel so well and be strengthened in your faith in the gospel?  Well for Paul it means boasting in the gospel, he says he is "not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16-17).

Why not spend the weekend thinking and praying through the implications of what we learnt on Tuesday?  Here are some questions to get you started:        

• How would you answer a Christian who said that they already know the gospel so would rather study something that was a bit more useful for their day-to-day life?
• What are your aims in studying the gospel this year?
• When faced with the choice of coming to study Romans or watching the Apprentice on a wet Tuesday evening in February, what will be at stake for you and your group?

And here is the prep for next week's study.

2 Timothy 4.1-2(ESV)
"I charge you in the presence of God and of Jesus Christ, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."

Revelation 1:5b-7 (ESV)
"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.  Amen.   Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.  Even so, Amen."

Please pray for the Christian group at Hogan Lovells law firm who are planning an outreach event in a month's time.

John 17.3(ESV)
"And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

John 14.12 (ESV)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father."

That was the question William posed to us as we embarked on a new series in Luke 7-8 at our 6pm service. It is a section which promises to show us the real Jesus. The Jesus who came to usher in God’s great rescue. This week we saw it was rescue from disease, but as we read on we’ll see it’s much more than that. Here are a couple of things it would be good to reflect on:

1) What is my day-to-day view of Jesus? Is it of someone who had the ability, in history, to empty all the hospital beds in Galilee? Is it of someone who is going to wipe out disease on an even bigger scale when he returns? Do I need to inflate my view of Jesus in light of this passage?

2) What was so commendable about the Centurion’s attitude? Do I view myself like that?

You can catch up for free at our media library.

1 Chronicles 16:23-24 (ESV)
"Sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvellous works among all the peoples!"

1 Peter 2.12(ESV) & 3.1-2
"Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."

"...likeweise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.."

Philippians 2.14-16 (ESV)
"Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life...."

2 Samuel 7.22 (ESV)
"...you are great, O LORD God.  For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears."

On Monday and Tuesday I heard about two people who have started professing trust in Jesus after regularly meeting up 1-2-1 with Christians in the City.  On Thursday, I bumped into someone at the lunchtime talk who was overjoyed at the impact reading John's Gospel over the Summer had made on his wife.  He has also found a couple of other friends who are keen to study John's Gospel with him 1-2-1.  On Friday, another City guy mentioned how a colleague who he's known for a long while has now agreed to look at John's Gospel with him.  Imagine this kind of thing happening across the City over the next couple of years.  Let's pray it happens.

Jesus called on his followers to make disciples of others (Matthew 28:18-20).  The prospect probably both excites and daunts us.  Truth at Work however will hopefully help and equip us to get involved in this life changing work,   God in his grace has given us all a unique role to play as he builds his kingdom.  How we seek to pass on the Gospel will look slightly different for all of us but 1-2-1 Bible reading is an excellent way to help others come into contact with the person of Jesus Christ. 

So how can we be involved in Truth at Work?

Simply by praying and offering a friend or colleague the opportunity to go through John's Gospel with us 1-2-1.  Some of us will be helped to do this by joining the City Bible studies in John's Gospel.  (Contact phil@christiansinthecity.com if you'd like to do this either on Wed mornings or Mon or Fri lunchtimes.)  Others won't have time for that but might come to some of the training sessions and prayer meetings being held occasionally as part of the City Bible study programme.  Eg

An overview of John's Gospel - either 7.45-8.30am Wed, 21 Sept in St Andrew's preceded by breakfast; or 1-1.45pm, Fri 23 Sept in St Helen's.

A training session on how to get a 1-2-1 started - either 7.45-8.30am Wed, 28 Sept in St Andrew's preceded by breakfast; or 1-1.45pm, Fri 30 Sept in St Helen's.

And we can all make use of the resources, videos and tips that will be regularly uploaded on to the Truth at Work web page including the Truth at Work notes that are designed to take someone through John's Gospel a chunk at a time.  These will be uploaded roughly weekly from early October.  To receive notifications of these direct to your inbox 'subscribe' and select the 'Truth at Work' option. (You'll need to re-select any previous selections, eg City Prayer Updates.)

How am I going to live today?

How does what I know change the way I will live today, compared to how I otherwise would have gone about my day?

If you were not there on Sunday, or would like to listen to the sermon again, click here.

1 Timothy 4:16(ESV)
"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.  Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers."

So you've just arrived at St Helen's and people have been telling you about this strangely named thing called 'RML'. It sounds interesting, but is it going to be all it's cracked up to be?

Well whether you're still considering joining an RML Mark group this year, or have already decided to come, we'd love to invite you to a welcome evening on Wednesday 21st September. You'll get to meet others in the same situation as yourself, as well as those who have been in RML groups before. It will be a great opportunity to find out just what you can expect from an RML evening.

We'll be having an Italian themed evening, featuring food, decoration and entertainment Italian-style.

Please book to avoid disapointment and to help us to cook enough. You can do this by emailing Amy. If you are reading this late, feel free to turn up on the night, and we'll squeeze you in somehow.

All the key details are on the banner above. See the map below for help finding St Andrew's.

Looking forward to seeing you there,

Arrivederci

William Taylor credits this book as the thing that first got him excited about the idea of studying a Gospel one-to-one with non Christian friends ... about 20 years ago. 

It may have been around a while but it is still an inspiration to the ordinary Christian who wants to reach out to the people God has placed him or her amongst.  Petersen really gets us thinking about the outlook of the people we share the City with.  He gives plenty of principles, practical help and encouraging stories of what has and hasn't worked in his experience over many years.

He warmly shows us that evangelism is something that every Christian can do and is not just for the professionals.  In fact it is essential that we all get involved.  He also removes some of the pain barriers by reminding us it isn't our job to force people to believe but simply to help people meet Christ by bringing them into contact with the Word and sharing our lives.

It's available to buy at the lunchtime talks at St Helen's.

David and Natalia tell us about the student stuff at church that excites them.

On Monday and Tuesday I heard about two people who have started professing trust in Jesus after regularly meeting up 1-2-1 with Christians in the City.  On Thursday, I bumped into someone at the lunchtime talk who was overjoyed at the impact reading John's Gospel over the Summer had made on his wife.  He has also found a couple of other friends who are keen to study John's Gospel with him 1-2-1.  On Friday, another City guy mentioned how a colleague who he's known for a long while has now agreed to look at John's Gospel with him.  Imagine this kind of thing happening across the City over the next couple of years.  Let's pray it happens.

Jesus called on his followers to make disciples of others (Matthew 28:18-20).  The prospect probably both excites and daunts us.  Truth at Work however will hopefully help and equip us to get involved in this life changing work,   God in his grace has given us all a unique role to play as he builds his kingdom.  How we seek to pass on the Gospel will look slightly different for all of us but 1-2-1 Bible reading is an excellent way to help others come into contact with the person of Jesus Christ. 

So how can we be involved in Truth at Work?

Simply by praying and offering a friend or colleague the opportunity to go through John's Gospel with us 1-2-1.  Some of us will be helped to do this by joining the City Bible studies in John's Gospel.  (Contact phil@christiansinthecity.com if you'd like to do this either on Wed mornings or Mon or Fri lunchtimes.)  Others won't have time for that but might come to some of the training sessions and prayer meetings being held occasionally as part of the City Bible study programme.  Eg

An overview of John's Gospel - either 7.45-8.30am Wed, 21 Sept in St Andrew's preceded by breakfast; or 1-1.45pm, Fri 23 Sept in St Helen's.

A training session on how to get a 1-2-1 started - either 7.45-8.30am Wed, 28 Sept in St Andrew's preceded by breakfast; or 1-1.45pm, Fri 30 Sept in St Helen's.

And we can all make use of the resources, videos and tips that will be regularly uploaded on to the Truth at Work web page including the Truth at Work notes that are designed to take someone through John's Gospel a chunk at a time.  These will be uploaded roughly weekly from early October.  To receive notifications of these direct to your inbox 'subscribe'  and select the 'Truth at Work' option.

Psalm 103:11-12(ESV)
"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us."

Please pray for all Christians in the City to see themselves and all their colleagues through the lens of the Gospel.

2 Corinthians 5.16 (ESV)
"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.  From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh."

Central focus will be held on two evenings, Tuesday (7.15 for food, 8pm for the study) and Thursday evening (7.15 for food, 8pm for the study).

Join us on Tuesday the 27th September or Thursday the 29th of September (7.15 for food, 8pm study both evenings) for our introductory study. 

On Sunday at the 4pm service we kicked off with our new sermon series in 1 Peter. Aneirin spoke to us from 1 Peter 1:1-12 about the Christian life. Here are a couple of questions from Aneirin to keep us meditating on this passage.

What is it about being exiles that we find difficult?

How does this passage encourage us to persevere even in trials?

If you are new to St Helens, please do join us this Sunday (11th September) for our next sermon in 1 Peter. Do come along a few minutes earlier if you are able. We have tea & cake together from 3:30 to 4 and it's a great chance to meet people.

We take a minute to meet our friend Tasha from UCCF.

Ephesians 2.10 (ESV)
"For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not  your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Please pray for the start of a new series in John's Gospel starting at lunchtime today with Paul Clarke speaking.

Ephesians 4.11-16 (ESV)
"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ...........speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ....."

At church we get loads of freshers every year, find out what they thought about being a new student in London.

Psalm 142:1-2(ESV)
"With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD, I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him."
Psalm 146:5 (ESV)
"Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob; whose hope is in the LORD his God."

Psalm 1 (ESV)
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers."

At church we get loads of freshers every year, find out what they thought about being a new student in London.

We tore Mairi away from her soppy love novels for a chat.

How did you become a Christian?     I was hugely blessed to be brought up by Christian parents, so no dramatic before-and-after saga. I realised aged 6 or 7 that I wanted to go to heaven when I died, and I knew that I had to ask Jesus into my heart to do that. I just prayed by myself one night, thanking Jesus for dying for me and asking for forgiveness. I didn't feel any different, and prayed the same prayer again the next night! I've definitely been trusting Jesus ever since then.

What's the best thing you've learnt about Jesus this term?     That he is actually really big and to be feared. I think sometimes I'm too matey matey with him - he's the Lord of the Universe and that should make it absolutely incredible that I can have a relationship with him. Wow.

What do you do at church?     I spend time with students, especially reading the Bible one-to-one with girls - lots of chat and tea and applying what the Bible says to our lives!

What does an average day look like?     Hmmm.  I don't know yet

The last track you listened to on your ipod?     It's my husband's iPod, but I always request Jack Johnson.

What's your fave film of all time?     I love Amelie. Quirky and feel-good.

iphone or blackberry?     Iphone, not that I have either, but being on your work email all the time just has to be a bad thing!

Ps3 or wii? wii

Evening Standard or Metro? Evening Standard - it's got a bit more actual news in it

What do you enjoy most about living in London?     So many things to do and people to see - it's a great time of life to be here enjoying the buzz!

What do you enjoy least about living in London?     Not being able to escape to some wild green space. And thinking it's normal to take an hour to get home after having dinner with friends.

Rugby or football?    Rugby - a game for hooligans played by gentlemen; whereas football is the other way round. That's not an original quote, so  please don't blame me.. eek!

Lip gloss or Lipstick?     Gloss all the way. I had a make-up trial for a friend's wedding the other week, and the stylist couldn't comprehend that neither of us had ever worn blush or lipstick before!

Xfactor or strictly (come dancing)?     Neither, cos we don't have a TV. But old episodes of Come Dine with Me on 4oD.

What's your most fave book ever?     This is hard - A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute, or The Morning Gift by Eva Ibbotson, or Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I suppose they're all love stories but with loads of other context and stuff going on.

What's your fave Christian book (apart from the bible)?     I read Guidance and the Voice of God recently and loved it - simply explained, but so so clear about how God speaks and guides, which is a very confused issue for Christians today.

Chinese or Indian?     Chinese

What's your perfect way to spend a day off?     The ideal is a nice slow morning with something special for brunch, like blueberry pancakes. Then something London-y in the afternoon like a park or art gallery, followed by cooking dinner for friends.

Students can be annoying, why did you want to be on the student team?     I grew so much in my faith when I was a student, and I'd love to help others do the same. It's such an important and formative time of life.

When you have some free time what do you like to do with it?     I love playing sport, but I'm less excited about going to the gym, so come and play squash with me! I'm really getting into cooking and love experimenting with new recipes. And nothing beats hanging out with old friends.

It can also be scary, overwhelming, sometimes a bit lonely, feel far from home and all feel a bit alien.

In my first year at UCL I felt all the things I first mentioned, all the fun stuff, the excitement of meeting new people and exploring London and generally spent my time having fun, it was great! But my time at university definitely wasn't without the scary, overwhelming bits either!

And it was at those times that knowing I had a God who loved me and wanted me to chat to him really became a big deal. In fact looking back I reckon the most worthwhile thing I did in my whole three years at university (alongside discovering London’s best coffee shops, clubs and places to go shopping) was to find out who God is and why he’s bothered about me.

As students we spend a lot of time working out what we think about almost everything – from Shakespeare’s sonnets to attachment theory, how fast the universe is expanding, the aftermath of the Algerian War, Keynes’ theory of macroeconomics, gene coding accuracy, and numbers (I don’t know what people who study maths do. . .?!). And we’re told that this is a great thing to do, that we need to think for ourselves – which is definitely great advice. But when it comes to God, our tutors rarely hold the same attitude: “Think about Jesus? Don’t be ridiculous! God doesn’t exist! Isn’t religion just for weak people?”

I’m pretty sure that working out what we think about Keynesian economics won’t have eternal consequences for us, so a bit of time really getting to the bottom of who Jesus is should definitely be on our “to do” list.

In fact, after trying this whole working out who I think Jesus is thing, I can safely say that being on a journey to get to know Jesus is. . . . fun, crazy, different, involves lots of walking (metaphorically speaking!), creative, busy, challenging, international, exciting, dynamic, a time where you're surrounded by people, a chance to figure out who you are.

So, what d’you think? Where are you at with working out what you think about Jesus?

And if you’re not sure where to start, try a church (St. Helen’s maybe???) or find the Christian Union at your university - they’re generally pretty friendly!

Why not start your thinking by chceking out this page?

We love our student bible study groups here at St Helen's. We hope you will too.

For more info check out our small group page.

Hebrews 10.23-25(ESV)
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Isaiah 55.1(ESV)
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

As a group of Christians in London we spent our mid week meeting thinking about how we respond to the London riots.

The looting, burning and destruction of the recent London riots has caused many of us to be concerned over our possessions, homes and safety. Charlie Skrine helped us think about how we might riot proof our lives.

In Matthew 6:19-34 we see how Jesus helps Christians live in times of trouble and distress. We can break the passage into two parts.

Make your treasure riot proof Matt 6:19-24. One of the scary things about the riots were just how easily our treasure was destroyed. Cars, homes and workplaces were burnt in minutes. Jesus tells us to store up treasure where it won’t rust, or be destroyed or stolen. We shouldn’t live for and love things that we find on earth. Our hope security and treasure should not be placed in what we own or find here on earth but in eternity with our heavenly father. The riots have been a great reminder how temporary everything on earth is.

Trust your heavenly father Matt 6:25-34. Jesus goes on to talk about how we shouldn’t be anxious because our heavenly father cares for the birds and the flowers and yet we are more important than them. God will care for us and care for us. Charlie reminded us we have a loving father in heaven so we can trust in Him.

Let’s pray we might be people who store up treasure in heaven and trust God.

Romans 3.10-11(ESV)
"None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God."

Nahum 6-7(ESV)
"Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.  The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him."

1) What difference does it make to my church life to know that I am united to God's people, such that Jesus could pray "that they may all be one"?

2) What changes do I need to make to my attitude to other people in the light of that?

3) How can I help my non-Christian friends see the unified love that we have for each other as a church? What practical steps could I take to make that happen?

St Helen's is a central London church, lots of us have been concerned by the riots. We spent our midweek meeting (summer link) thinking about how should Christians respond to the London riots. Paul Clarke helped us think about how we might stop this happening again.

What were you thinking as you saw the crowds of hoodies gathering? Were you angry? Frustrated? Annoyed? Worried? Scared? Paul pointed out how Jesus responded to crowds when he saw them in Matthew 9:36-38. When confronted with crowds Jesus has compassion because they were harassed and helpless. It’s a challenging thought for us. Do we think those involved in the riots need Jesus? As we watched the mobs attacking the police, torching cars and looting shops were we thinking ‘these poor people need Jesus’?

The truth is only the gospel will change peoples hearts, knowing this Jesus tells us to pray for gospel ministers to be raised up and sent out into this harvest field.

Want to know what will stop the riots and change London for the good? Want to know why we’re so keen to church plant and train leaders of the church? Want to know why we hold onto the gospel so clearly? It’s because it’s the only thing that will change London and the world.The riots remind us of the priority for the gospel to be going out into the world.

In all our prayers for the riots, lets remember to pray to the Lord of the harvest to raise up ministers and send them out into the harvest field of London.

Hebrews 8.10(ESV)
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord:  I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people."

Every so often there are certain events that get everyone talking.  Colleagues in the office express their own opinions and discuss the viewpoints offered by politicians and social commentators that are making the headlines.  We may have a chance to chip in and as 1 Peter 3.15-16 says it may be a time to be "...prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience...."

The situation that Peter is writing about is one where Christians are being persecuted, challenged and questioned about why they are different.  Christians are not being blamed for the riots and looting but nevertheless our attitudes and reactions should stand out as very different from those of the world around us.  With many people asking, "What is the answer to the riots?" the Gospel of Jesus Christ is utterly relevant - we should expect opportunities and be prepared.  

While the knee jerk reactions have included better parenting, better policing and better hip-hop (to name a few!) the Christian's knee jerk reaction should be to turn to the word of God and prayer for explanations and solutions.  There we find ultimate analysis and answers.  There we see where to turn with our fears, where to look for justice, how to understand why people behave the way they do and see how transformation is achieved.

But what can we say?

To begin with perhaps we shouldn't actually say too much but listen hard to what our colleagues are saying.  Trying to find out what they think and what solutions they suggest is a good starting point.  Asking good questions helps us understand their beliefs and their hopes and fears. This will be key to loving them and helping them see why the Gospel is the only real and lasting solution.  (With some of course there may even be practical ways we can support people directly).
Here are a few thoughts on potential questions and a few potential Gospel lines to go down to get us thinking:

Fear/Safety
Potential Questions:What makes you feel safe/unsafe? Do you think it is possible to be totally protected?
Potential Gospel things to say: 
The police, our possessions, homes, wealth, and the government can only ever provide limited protection.  The riots remind us of the fragility of our security.  The Lord is the only safe place to turn for ultimate protection. Psalm 121
Jesus' warning in Matthew 6:19-24 that possessions in this life are not safe from looters is quite apt and his encouragement to store up treasure in heaven very wise. Our hope security and treasure should not be placed in what we own or find here on earth but in eternity with our heavenly father. The riots have been a great reminder how temporary everything on earth is.

Justice
Questions: Why do you want justice? Why do we get angry?  Where does our sense of right and wrong come from, if not from God? Where do you look to for justice? 
Answers:  We have a sense of right and wrong.   Looters may not have been spotted on the various CCTV cameras, or maybe won't receive an adequate punishment. Romans 2:5 points to a day of judgement that lies beyond the courts. A day when God's right judgement will be revealed, a day when everyone will get exactly what they deserve. The day when Jesus returns to wrap up history, a day where every one of us will be held accountable for what we have done and there will be no injustice.

Behaviour/Greed/Materialism
Questions: What makes the greed of the rioters worse than ours? Can we say our hearts are any different?
Answers: Maybe we weren't involved in the riots, but that doesn't mean we don't have the same materialistic heart as those who were looting shops.  What is our heart attitude when we aren't being watched? Do we try and get away with things in a similar way when we can.  Remember how in recent months we've seen greed and selfishness and sin in our bankers, politicians, journalists, the police, etc.  This is a problem that isn't just in a few, but in all of us.   The problem of the heart (Mark 7.21-22) goes beyond superficial explanations of education, gangsta culture, lack of discipline, etc.  The riots are one example of a world that has turned against it's God - Romans 1.28-32.

Solutions
Questions: What solutions do you think will work?  Which people would you trust to make things better?
Answers:  At times like these we naturally look for ‘saviours' and solutions.  
One end of the spectrum of solutions says we need to get really tough. We need to wheel in the water cannons, impose curfews, have armed soldiers on the street, increase the number and power of the police force, bring back the cane, send the youth to Afghanistan or bring more discipline and morality into education. The other end of the spectrum says we need to give youngsters more opportunities to create a life for themselves. They say we need to create more jobs for young people, keep youth clubs open, allow them to get involved in communities more and give them hope and vision for the future.  Both sets of solutions only cover up the deeper problem of people's hearts. Jesus says everyone has a heart problem, a problem that is so significant that it ruins every part of society. But before we despair Hebrews 8:10-12 gives us great hope. It shows how lives can be changed, not through social engineering but by the power of the gospel.  Eg Zacchaeus and the Apostle Paul.  And ultimately only through Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection is there the hope of a new earth where sin is removed and people put each other first and live fulfilled lives as they were intended.

Which University do you study at and what do you study?
I'm at London Met and I study Fine Art.

What was the most exciting thing you‘ve learnt so far?
Studying fine art you don't learn that much really... but painting and chatting about it is fun. I think you learn more about what yourself and what you want to paint than about art.

What's the best thing you've learnt about Jesus this term?
I have learned a lot about how exciting reading the bible can be, and the depth of knowledge it holds just beneath the surface, especially about the strength of will, determination and love Jesus must have had in order to allow himself to be tormented on the cross, while knowing he had the ability to save himself at any moment. That's just an incredible show of God's perfection don't you think?

What do you do at church?
I go to the 6pm service on Sundays where the congregation has a lot of students and young workers and student RML which is basically bible study where lots of different groups study the same bible passages at the same time on Wednesday evenings, but going to St Helens basically involves two things, getting to know and chatting to a huge variety of people who are passionate about God and also eating, everything at St Helens seems to be accompanied by food.

What's the best thing about a student in London?
There is so much to do in London, you never run out of free galleries and events to go to, and its so changeable so I find a lot of inspiration of my art

What's the worst thing about being a student in London?
It takes forever to get anywhere!

What's your favourite animal (and why)?
Erm.... It used to be tigers but they are a bit scary but house cats are far cuddlier.

The last track you listened to on your ipod?
Love the way you lie, Eminem and Rihanna

What's your fave film of all time?
Pan Labyrinth- beautiful!

Rugby or football? Football, only because I actually know how that one works...

Lip gloss or Lipstick? Lipstick

Xfactor or strictly (come dancing)? Britain's got talent occasionally

Chinese or Indian? CHINESE

What's your perfect way to spend a day?
Being outside on a nice sunny day with friends and my camera.

St Helen's is a central London church, many of us have been affected by the riots. We spent our midweek meeting (summer link) asking how should Christians respond to the London riots? As the government and police think about how to stop any repeat of the rioting Paul Clarke helped us as a church think about how things in society can really change.

In the aftermath of the riots there seems to be two general schools of thought about how we can ensure this never happens again. One end of the spectrum says we need to get really tough. We need to wheel in the water cannons, impose curfews, have armed soldiers on the street, increase the number and power of the police force, bring back the cane, send the youth to Afghanistan or impose Sharia law. The other end of the spectrum says we need to give youngsters more opportunites to create a life for themselves. They say we need to create more jobs for young people, keep youth clubs open, allow them to get involved in communities more and give them hope and vision for the future.

While some of these things will help in the short term, changing the behaviour of people, they will only cover up the deeper problem of people’s hearts. The bible says everyone has a heart problem, a problem that is so significant that it ruins every part of society. But before we despair Hebrews 8:10-12 gives us great hope. It shows how lives can be changed, not through social engineering or self help but only by the power of the gospel.

Heb 8:12 shows us that Jesus will start to bring change by bringing forgiveness.

Heb 8:11 shows that Jesus’ death brings relationship with God,

Heb 8:10 shows that this leads to transformed lives.

Sadly anything but the gospel is a sticking plaster because only the gospel has the power to change people, and so society for the better.

Let’s pray that those who took part in and were affected by the riots will hear the good news of the love, forgiveness and community that comes through the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

John 17.3(ESV)
"And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

As a group of Christians in London we spent our mid week meeting thinking about how we respond to the London riots. Andrew Sach helped us think about the justice in the light of the riots. Pointing out 5 surprises about justice from Romans.

1. The riots aren’t a sign of the absence of justice, but actually the presence of justice. Romans 1:28-32 shows that being given over to sin is actually an act of God’s judgement on a society that rejects Him. When these kind of things happen we often think that God doesn’t care, however scripture clearly says that this is a sign of God caring deeply. It’s a sign of God’s anger and judgement on a nation that hates him.
2. Those most enraged by the injustice can be equally guilty of it. Romans 2:1 zooms in on the most self righteous of people, the ones who pass judgement on others. However the passage is a warning that those who pass judgement are, in God’s eyes, guilty of the same thing. Maybe those who are passing judgement weren’t involved in the riots, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the same materialistic heart as those who were looting shops. Those who are passing judgement may not have been out on the street committing crimes on Monday, but what is their heart attitude when they aren’t being watched? Do they try and get away with stuff in a similar way. Those passing judgement could have been tucked up safely in bed as London burned, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the same materialistic lusts, guilt and desires in their hearts.
3. Those who have got away with it won’t get away from it. People may not be spotted on the various CCTV cameras, or maybe won’t receive a punishment because of a justice system under such strain. Romans 2:5 points to a day of judgement that lies beyond the police reports and magistrates courts. A day when God’s right judgement will be revealed, a day when everyone will get exactly what they deserve.
4. It’s ok to want vengeance, but trust it to God. As we see peoples livelihoods, homes and even lives taken it’s easy to want to pick up a scaffolding pole and take revenge. The bible doesn’t pretend that paying people back doesn’t matter, instead Romans 12:14 and :17-19 shows that God will pay people back and that we need to trust in him to do that.
5. God has appointed police and courts to administer his justice. Romans 13:1-4 shows that God is the one who has established our authorities as his servants to ensure justice is done.

Let's pray that we remember these things ourselves and remind others of them, as we speak the truth in love.

St Helen's is a central London church, at our mid week meeting we were thinking about a Christian response to the London riots. Dan and Tom helped us to think about how we might talk to our friends, neighbors and colleagues. They gave us some helpful tips here’s a summary of what they said.

1. It's a great time for us to help people in need. We could use the opportunity to show what a difference it makes being a Christian in the way we help out those in our communities. They suggested we take opportunity to check that those around us are safe, have everything they need and know that we are there to help.
2. It’s a wonderful opportunity to talk to people about Jesus. People will be feeling lots of different ways about the riots. Dan and Tom highlighted a couple of ways people might feel and how we might talk to them about the riots from a Christian perspective.

• Some were angry about the injustice of the riots and so it was suggested we talk to them about a day to come when justice will be done. The day when Jesus returns to wrap up history, a day where everyone will be held accountable for what they have done and there will be no injustice.
• Some were angry because their comfort, possessions and idols (things they love and trust in) were threatened. It was suggested that this is a great opportunity to talk about how weak, fragile and perishing the things they get their joy from are. Instead we could encourage them, as Jesus does in Matthew 6:19-24, to store up treasure in heaven.
• Some were surprised by the amount of evil they were seeing. It was suggested that it was a great opportunity to talk to them about how the bible says that humanity isn’t good, in fact it’s quite evil and what we’re seeing is a clear reminder of how sick we all are. It’s a great opportunity to talk about how we’re all evil and how we all need to rely on Jesus’ death for us.

Maybe you have other experiences of talking to people about the riots, we’d love to hear how it went. Or maybe this will fuel you to be bold in talking about the riots to those around you.

Hebrews 10:23-24(ESV)
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works..."

St Helen's is a central London church, many of our congregation have been affected by the riots. We spent our midweek meeting (summer link) thinking about how should Christians respond to the London riots.

It's concerning times for us in the UK. I wonder how you're feeling about the riots? Some of us are annoyed and angry others are worried or scared. In one way or another we've all been affected by the unusual and scary events of the last few days.

Charlie Skrine asked the question ‘how should we feel about the riots?’ and pointed us to Psalm 121 to see three things that will help during these times:

• The LORD is still in control v1. The psalmist asks where does his help come from in the time of trouble, when he is worried and scared. It’s a great question to ask in times of trouble, where do we look when things go wrong? Often we look to our own strength, ability or wisdom. We place our security in money, or the police, or work. However we need to be more like the psalmist.
• The LORD is our helper and keeper v2+5. The psalmist looks to the LORD, the one who made heaven and earth. The one who is in control and is our helper. The one who is our keeper and our shade. When life gets fearful and worrying we need to turn to the LORD, the maker of the universe for our help and security. We need to trust that he is in control and that he is able to protect and care for us. And look why we can trust in the LORD for protection.
• The LORD doesn't sleep v4. Unlike all our other idols (things we love and trust in) the LORD doesn’t sleep. In fact he is the only one that can keep and protect us. That’s exactly what the psalmist says in v6-8.

2 Corinthains 3.18(ESV)
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

How does Jesus view of his disciples ("I am glorified in them") challenge my view of their writings? If we meet Jesus in their testimony, how does this affect my approach to reading them?

How can I see the devil attacking the word of God today in the wider world, and in my life? How does Jesus prayer give me confidence?

How can I counter his attempts to distract me from the words of the Father?

How can I play my part in helping the disciples testimony to Jesus speed out into the world?

Isaiah 40.28-30(ESV)
"Have you not known? Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength."

I study at King's College London and I've just finished my first year of medicine.

Which University do you study at and what do you study?

What was the most exciting thing you‘ve learnt so far?
Dissection was probably the most exciting thing I've done this year!

What's the best thing you've learnt about Jesus this term?
We've been studying Mark's gospel this year at RML and it's been really awesome looking in detail what Jesus has done for us. Mark also put in perspective for me just how useless we are without Jesus and how much we need him in our lives - something I often forget.

What does an average day look like?
Well, I get up for lectures in the morning (always such a mission) and then spend most of my day on campus. I come back to my halls in the evening and attempt to cook for myself. There's usually something going on in the evenings, whether that's CU or RML at church or just hanging out with friends in halls.

What's your favourite animal (and why)?
I think donkeys are really cute!

The last track you listened to on your ipod?
Raindrops by Regina Spektor

What's your fave film of all time?
The Lord of the Rings!!!

Pop or rock?
Pop

iphone or blackberry?
Definitely the iphone

What do you enjoy most about living in London?
There's so much going on! I don't think I could ever get bored!

What do you enjoy least about living in London?
It's quite expensive

Rugby or football?
Cricket!

What's your fave Christian book (apart from the bible)?
I recently read a book called ‘Just Do Something' by Kevin DeYoung which I found extremely helpful. It gives a really good explanation of the concept of God's will in our lives. I particularly found it comforting to read that no matter what decision we have to make in life, as students, workers etc, we can be assured that everything is ultimately in God's control.

Chinese or Indian?
Well I'm Indian so I like to go for Chinese just to mix it up a bit

Please pray for Edward as he finishes his training scheme at St Helen's and goes to work for the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship.

Psalm 117(ESV)
"Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love towards us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures for ever.  Praise the LORD!"

1 Timothy 6.17-19 (ESV)
"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set our hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.  They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they make hold of that which is truly life."

We dragged Vicky away from shopping in vintage stores and sewing flies into trousers.

Bonjour Vicky! Which University do you study at and what do you study?     I’m at London College of Fashion which is part of University of the Arts London, and I’m doing a BA in Fashion design, specifically womenswear.

What was the most exciting thing you‘ve learnt so far?     How to make a proper fly zip on a pair of jeans.

How did you become a Christian?     For new year’s day 2007 my resolution was to learn more about God and Jesus as I did believe that they existed. Since then the historical evidence that I’ve seen has convinced me that Jesus is who he says he is.

What’s the best thing you’ve learnt about Jesus this term?     What really blew my mind was reading through Mark 15 v.34. I never understood why Jesus’ last words were “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” if his death was always planned out. However I never realised that this sentence is actually a quote from Psalm 22 which, despite being written at least 300 years previously, describes Jesus’ crucifixion really accurately, even down to people casting lots for his clothes. I find it so amazing that we have solid evidence to show us Jesus’ death was always God’s plan.

What’s the best thing about being a student in London?     The opportunities to do placements and make connections to people and companies who have a good reputation within the business I want to work in are really exciting. Artistically there’s inspiration everywhere. The museums and galleries and one-off exhibitions are just brilliant.

What’s the worst thing about being a student in London?     My lectures are in a building just off Oxford Circus which I initially thought was really cool, but attempting to wade through tourists when you’re already half an hour late for a 9am lecture is really not fun.

What’s your favourite animal?     Owls, because I like their attitude.

The last track you listened to on your ipod?     A Life less ordinary by Ash.

What’s your fave film of all time?     Lord of the rings, I can’t pick between the 3 they’re all awesome.

Pop or rock?     ELECTRO!!

iphone or blackberry?     iphone for the i-daft app.

Ps3 or wii?     Wii for Mario Karts, but give me an N64 over either any day.

Evening Standard or Metro?     Evening Standard, but on the tube I’ve always got my nose in a book.

What do you enjoy most about living in London?     Walking around and purposefully getting lost in a new area and discovering exciting things. As long as I have my A-Z on me for when my feet get tired and I need to find a tube.

What do you enjoy least about living in London?     The infrequent but annoying crazy weirdos coming on to you on the bus, and having to watch where you go late at night.

Lip gloss or Lipstick?     Barry M lipstick or Maxfactor lipfinity which is kind of both.

Xfactor or strictly (come dancing)?     Strictly all the way!! My tutor makes the costumes so I get all the inside info.

What’s your most fave book ever?     The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, I can never decide.

Chinese or Indian?     Both, preferably at the same time.

What’s your perfect way to spend a day?     Waking up slowly and wandering over to Ottolenghi in Islington for an almond croissant. Then discovering some kind of vintage fair or shop I’ve never spotted before. Gathering some people for a picnic on South Bank or in Regents park. Squeezing in some kind of art exhibition, probably around Shoreditch somewhere. All rounded up by getting everyone over to mine to watch The Mighty Boosh, play stupid card games and dance around the house.

Thanks for taking time out to talk to us Vicky see you around church.

Ephesians 5.15 (ESV)
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

What difference does it make to life to know that the goal of everything is the glorification of God?

How does it make us feel to know that God is glorified by our coming to know him better?

How ought that shape the way we go through our day?

How does this motivate us to share the gospel with friends and family?

"There can be few Christians in England of my generation who have not benefitted from and are not grateful for the momentous ministry of John Stott, from his expository preaching to his writings.  The impact of The Bible Speaks Today series, The Cross of Christ, Christ the Controversialist and Stott’s remarkable influence in the worldwide Anglican communion, which is now providing such help to us in England, immediately spring to mind. Above all we are thankful for his rigorous focus on and devotion to the person of the Lord Jesus."

Tributes from Hugh Palmer, Richard Bewes and Michael Baughen can be read on the All Souls website.  We extend our love and prayers to his family and friends and to the Church family at All Souls.

2 Cor 1.3-5(ESV)
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too."

We caught Pete between rugby practice and the gym to answer some of our questions.

Which University do you study at and what do you study? I'm at King's College, about to start my second year of medicine.

What was the most exciting thing you‘ve learnt so far? Everything I've learnt last year has just become a big blur since my exams so I really don't know...!

How did you become a Christian? I was brought up in a Christian family and so I always went to church and heard the gospel from a very young age. However, despite believing what I was taught, it wasn't until more recently that God showed me I needed to change the way I lived my life, and start really living for God, rather than just saying it.

How long have you been at St H's? Where were you before? I joined as a fresher in September 2009. I was at Widcombe Baptist Church in Bath before.

What's the best thing you've learnt about Jesus this term? I think I've just gained a better understanding of how awesome and powerful the cross really is.

What do you do at church? I go to the Sunday 6pm service and then stay around afterwards for student supper, where we have some food and look at a particular issue or topic. I also go to the Wednesday evening bible study called RML where we worked through Mark's Gospel over the year.

What does an average day look like? Well an average day in the thick of a semester would be lectures in the morning, probably a pizza or pasta on campus for lunch, a bit more work in the afternoon and then wherever the rest of the day takes me, maybe seeing friends, playing sport or over at St Helen's on a wed/sun evening.

What's the best thing about a student in London? Loads of places to go and things to do, so you can never get bored!

What's your favourite animal (and why)? A dog, although not all of them, but most are very friendly and loyal.

The last track you listened to on your ipod? The Middle by Jimmy Eat World... great song.

What's your fave film of all time? The Bourne Trilogy.

What do you enjoy least about living in London? Transport at rush hour!

Rugby or football? Definitely rugby!

Lip gloss or Lipstick? Gloss??

What's your fave Christian book (apart from the bible)? Well I'm reading ‘Knowing God' by J.I. Packer at the moment which has been really good.

Chinese or Indian? Indian

What's your perfect way to spend a day? I'd probably head out of London to somewhere quieter and just enjoying hanging out with good friends. It would have to be sunny and end with a top quality curry I think.

Thanks Pete, we look forward to seeing you around next year!

Proverbs 3.16 (ESV)
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all  your ways acknowledged him, and he will make your paths straight."

We dragged Charlie off the Thames for a quick chat.

What did you study?     History.

Some people don’t call that studying. How did you become a Christian?     I was brought up by a Roman Catholic mum and a Church of England clergyman dad. That meant we went to church twice every Sunday, one of each. By the time was 10 I’d been to church 2000 times and I was convinced I was good enough for God –I was the most religious person I knew. So, for me, becoming a Christian was accepting I needed to be forgiven. That took me a while and I hated hearing I wasn’t good enough on my own. Now I’m so glad of God’s forgiveness every day.

How long have you been at St H’s? Where were you before?     7 years. Before that I was at Bible College in North London.

What’s the best thing you’ve learnt about Jesus this term?     He thinks of us as his own.

What do you do at church?      I’m the student curate. That could mean that I’m studying how to be a curate, or that I’m the curate who looks after students.

What does an average day look like? Normally working on the bible in the morning for talks or bible studies, and then seeing people from lunchtime onwards. Maybe I’m speaking at a CU meeting in the evening, or at a bible study, or church meeting.

What’s the best thing about being on student team?     Apart from being fun – my student years where when I sorted out my thinking about Christian faith. It’s such a crucial time of life and it’s a privilege to help people while they’re students.

What’s your favourite animal?     Seals –when you paddle past them they come and say hello.

The last track you listened to on your ipod?     Our ipod went missing when we moved house. Maybe somewhere there’s a removals man who could answer that question…

What’s your fave film of all time?     True Lies. Arnold is a comedy genius.

iphone or blackberry?     If someone else is paying –blackberry.

Ps3 or wii?     Either would be too dangerously addictive for me. I’m in 12 step computer game therapy for life.

What do you enjoy most about living in London?     The Thames.

Xfactor or strictly (come dancing)?     Xfactor, but only in the cruel early stages.

What’s your most fave book ever?     Too hard to say. Wolf Hall recently. Tom Clancy for holidays.

What’s your fave Christian book (apart from the bible)?     Christ the Controversialist by John Stott.

Chinese or Indian?     Chinese

When you have some free time what do you like to do with it?     Get on the Thames for an hours paddling. Why would anyone ever join a gym?

Thanks for catching up with us Charlie. If you want to know anything else about the student work here at St Helen's then feel free to drop Charlie an email on charlie@st-helens.org.uk

Please pray for Christians in the City trying to set aside more time to read more of the Bible and useful Christian books over the Summer.  Give thanks for God's gift to the church of good authors and speakers like John Stott who died yesterday.

Philippians 3.17 (ESV)
"Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us."

Sunday 31 July: What Would Jesus Pray For Himself? John 17:1-5

Sunday 7 August: What Would Jesus Pray For His Disciples? John 17:6-19

Sunday 14 August: What Would Jesus Pray For His Church? John 17:20-26

John 17 is a stunning moment in the Bible. It is the moment that we get to eavesdrop on a conversation between God the Son and God the Father as Jesus prays. He has just addressed his disciples for the final time and is only hours from his own death, but in this chapter he pauses to enjoy the intimate communion that he has with his Father. As he speaks we over-hear of the essence of God's plan from all eternity, a plan to glorify his Son and in so doing to glorify himself. It is a plan, hatched before the world began, which will be carried out through the ministry of the apostles and worked out in the unity of the church. It is a plan in which we, as those who have believed in the Son, are wonderfully caught up.

So, as you read and pray in preparation for our time in John 17, it would be worth asking the question, to what extent are my ambitions in line with the ambitions of Jesus Christ? Am I as concerned for the glory of his Father as he is? Do I want to see people coming to enjoy life like he did? Do I pray that his words of life would speed out into all the world? Am I trying to live out the unity that is already ours in my day to day church life? Could I pray Jesus's prayer of John 17.

Check out the 4pm sermon schedule for the rest of the summer.

Tommy P is the new male student worker, he spent a few minutes chatting to us so that we could get to know him a little better.

Which University did you study at and what did you study?    Exeter - the Uni not the posh College and studied Theology. Might sound a doss but I like to think of it as the Queen of the Sciences!     

What was the most exciting thing you learnt?     That the name Derek is actually a Hebrew word for road...    

How did you become a Christian?     Never that bothered with church until I went to Uni, where I was more open to trying new things. I would've liked to have seen myself as a Christian, but knew deep down that I wasn't living as one - so when a Christian I met taught me about Jesus and told me that I had to make the call either way, I knew that Jesus was Lord in my head so I had to follow Him even though I didn't really want too at the time! In time I started to follow him with my heart to and it became more and more of a joy to do so!    

What's your favourite animal (and why)?     Some people bully me and reckon I look like a meerkat! You can decide for yourself...but badgers are my fav cos when I was born I was given a cuddly one and I still have him today!    

The last track you listened to on your ipod?     Arizona by Kings of Leon - Because of the Times is a wicked album, much better than Only By The Night!

What's your fave film of all time?     The original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Watership Down messed me up as a child and I've never looked back!

Pop or rock?     LADY GAGA.

iphone or blackberry?     iPhone - style over content every time.

Ps3 or wii?     The Ps3 remains a big part of my life!

Rugby or football?     Footy definately - I'm a midfield maestro think Vieira or Xabi Alonso...

Lip gloss or Lipstick?     I've no idea what that even means.

Xfactor or strictly [come dancing]?     Xfactor every time! BGT is perhaps better mind.

Chinese or Indian?     I want it all...it's making me hungry right now...duck pancakes followed by lamb bhuna?

What's your perfect way to spend a day off?     Couple of hours of FIFA 10, big fry up, Fighting Talk on the radio, Football Focus on the telly...maybe Gillette Soccer Saturday or I may wanna leave the house by that point and go visit somewhere new in London with the missus!

Students can be annoying, why did you want to be on the student team?     I wouldn't have become a Christian in the first place if it wasn't for people willing to share the good news of Jesus. I know just how important it can be students to make the most of their time at Uni by living totally for Jesus.

Thanks Tommy! We look forward to getting to know you better over the year.

Between cups of coffee we caught up with Sara.

Which University did you study at and what did you study? Imperial college - Chemistry

What was the most exciting thing you learnt? How to make bouncing putty!

How did you become a Christian? I was brought up in a Christian family, and can't remember a specific point when I started following Jesus.  University was a key time for me though, when I really thought through what I believed for myself and grew massively in my relationship with Jesus.

How long have you been at St H's? Since '95! 

What's the best thing you've learnt about Jesus this term? I've loved being reminded from Mark's gospel of how powerful and in control Jesus is.

What do you do at church? I'm a Student Worker which means I spend a lot of my time meeting up with students to study God's Word.

What's the best thing about being on student team? No early mornings!
Working with people who are eager to grow in their relationship with Jesus, and are making big decisions about what it looks like to live for him.

What's your favourite animal [and why]? Leopards - I think they're beautiful and very elusive!

What's your fave film of all time? Ooh, tough - either Breakfast at Tiffany's or Shawshank redemption.

Pop or rock? I don't really do music...
iphone or blackberry? ...or technology....
Ps3 or wii? ...and I've never played on either!!

Rugby or football? What about tennis?

Lip gloss or Lipstick? Neither, but I do like a bit of lip balm

Xfactor or strictly [come dancing]? Strictly Come Dancing

What's your most fave book ever? Memoirs of a Geisha

What's your fave Christian book [apart from the bible]? Knowing God by Jim Packer

Chinese or Indian? Indian!

Students can be annoying, why did you want to be on the student team? Because my time as a student was a time when I grew so much in my faith, and I see that happening again and again in the lives of other students - it's exciting!

We caught up with Matt for a chat.

Which University did you study at and what did you study? I studied at the University of Lincoln, but it was in Hull at the time. I was supposed to be studying Business Studies, that's what my parents and lecturers thought.

What was the most exciting thing you learnt? I wasn't the best student and can't remember much that I learnt.... seriously nothing comes to mind. I guess I learnt that Jesus is more important than a degree.

How did you become a Christian? Although I attended church every week for 19 years it wasn't until I was 19 that God opened my eyes to the gospel. Some American students came to do a two week mission at our church, they told me that Jesus loves me and shows that on the cross. The night before they left to go back home I became a Christian.

How long have you been at St H's? Where were you before? I arrived in Sept 09, before that I worked at a church in Hampstead.

What does an average day look like? An average day would be preparing bible studies and talks in the morning, fuelled by lots of tea (preferably Yorkshire). Lunchtime and into the afternoon sees me hanging out with students as we open the bible together and pray for each other. The evenings can involve either our small group bible studies (RML) or giving bible talks at various C.U's.

What's the best thing about being on student team? Students are ace! They are fun, and frantic and keep me on my toes. They are also super keen to grow in their love for Jesus.

What's your favourite animal (and why)? Badgers are always fun.

What's your fave film of all time? Nothing beats Star Wars, nothing. (that's a big full stop there)

Ps3 or wii? Ps3. The wii is made by girls for girls - if you don't believe me try the bowling game.

What do you enjoy most about living in London? I love London! There is so much to experience in such a small space, it's kinda crazy, but I love it.

What do you enjoy least about living in London? Slow walking tourists, if you don't believe me give it 6 months and you'll agree.

Rugby or football? Football, more specifically the fine footballing skills of the mighty Notts County.

Lip gloss or Lipstick? I only understand this question because I am married, and my wife tells me it's all about the gloss.

Xfactor or strictly (come dancing)? Xfactor, I sometimes envy Simon Cowell's evil genius.

What's your most fave book ever? I don't read much. But Fantastic Mr Fox was always a big fave.

What's your fave Christian book (apart from the bible)? How to Fight for Joy by John Piper changed my life. It's subtitled ‘When I don't desire God' which sums up a little too much of my life. It's great you can read it free online at Desiring God.

What's your perfect way to spend a day off? Oh good question. My perfect day would start with a cooked breakfast, followed by a lovely walk along the Thames with my wife as we sipped the delights of Monmouth coffee. Lunch at a cosy pub with friends, before heading off with the boys to watch the mighty Notts County crush all that lay before them. To celebrate it would be a fine curry with good friends and back home in time for Match of the Day......mmmmmmm perfect.

Students can be annoying, why did you want to be on the student team? You're right students can be annoying. But Uni was an amazing time. Although I didn't learn a lot of about business studies I learnt LOADS about Jesus. My relationship with God grew more than I could ever imagine. Being part of a good church and making good Christian friends was a formational part of my Christian life. If I can help others in a similar way that would be cool.

Thanks for your time Matt.

Which University did you study at and what did you study?     Nottingham - I studied Economics and Philosophy. Loved it, loved it. Econ - loved the trade, development and agriculture. Phil - loved it all.

What was the most exciting thing you learnt?     Hhhmmm... not sure exciting is the word. But Metaphysics rocked.

How did you become a Christian?     I heard a bit about Jesus growing up, through going to a mix of Catholic and Anglican churches here and there at various points. Then when I was around 14 I started reading the Bible for myself - that was a big turning point, but I reckon I was 15 when I finally got that I was a sinner who needed to trust in Jesus' death in my place. It's been an awesome ride getting to know Him since then.

How long have you been at St H's? Where were you before?     I've been here since Summer '05, though in this job since September '08. Before that I was at a groovy Free Church in Nottingham.

What's the best thing you've learnt about Jesus this term?     So many things! Just this morning though I was reading Colossians 2v14-15:  Jesus defeated the powers of hell at the cross, satan cannot accuse us if we're trusting Jesus cos He's paid the price... That's good news!

What do you do at church?     Meet up with students! Mostly international ones!

What does an average day look like?     Praying & preparing Bible studies, meeting up with students to open up the Word, chat and pray.... and planning how to reach more of the world for Jesus!

What's the best thing about being on student team?     Many good things! In particular though I love that I'm on student team in London - where the whole world has come! I get to help build the church in Latvia, China, Spain, Malaysia - pick a country, they're all here! I think that's awesome!

What's the worst thing about being on student team?     Um, dunno.

What's your favourite animal (and why)?     Tricky. Very Tricky. Maybe penguins. Or giraffes. No, I don't know.

The last track you listened to on your ipod?     Ain't got one. Ain't got a TV. Or a microwave. Or a landline. Or a Freezer. Or a fridge. (That last one's a lie). But I've been pumping out the Blind Boys of Alabama most recently on our archaic CD player.

Pop or rock?     Rock.

iphone or blackberry?     Bothered.

Evening Standard or Metro?     Probably Standard.

What do you enjoy most about living in London?     Lots of fun free stuff to do - love the museums. Lots of people from different backgrounds & countries.

What do you enjoy least about living in London?     It's big & busy. So it's hard to see people regularly and build deep friendships.

What's your most fave book ever?     Stop asking me all these really difficult questions man. Maybe 1984.

What's your fave Christian book (apart from the bible)?     Again, tough one. Pilgrim's Progress. Or maybe Screwtape Letters. Or a Call to Spiritual Reformation... it's hard deciding!

Chinese or Indian?     Depends on the day.

What's your perfect way to spend a day off?     Nice. Up around 8am with a leisurely breakfast of cereal, fruit, cup of tea and good long time in the Word. Then off to the gym for a proper hour's work out followed by the steam room. BBQ brunch in the sun round at some friends, then chilling with Wes (my husband) spending time in the British Museum, dinner out together, a walk along the Thames ... beautiful!

Students can be annoying, why did you want to be on the student team?     I LOVED my student days! Never have I had so many opportunities to talk to my mates about Jesus, and it was an awesome time of getting to know Him better myself. It's SUCH a privilege to help others do the same as my job.

Psalm 146.5(ESV)
"Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God."

2 Corinthians 5:16-17(ESV)
"...From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh.  Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Please pray for the Tuesday lunchtime talk today as William starts a new series in Luke 16.

Between drum solos we caught up with Josh.

Josh which University do you study at and what do you study? King's College: Theology

How did you become a Christian? I read the book of Revelation (from the Bible) at about 10, and heard a German evangelist explain the gospel on the telly at about age 15.

How long have you been at St H's? Where were you before? 1 year now. Beforehand I went to a church back at home.

What's the best thing you've learnt about Jesus this term? The only reason I exist is due to Him, and He understands me. That's pretty huge.

What do you do at church? Play the drums occasionally. I did the lunch for ‘Learning for Life' last term, and helped do the youth work on the ‘City Partners' weekend away.

What does an average day look like? Do some Uni work then have a rest.

What's the best thing about a student in London? You're free to do whatever you like, as long as it's financially possible!

What's the worst thing about being a student in London? There's hardly any trees. I miss them.

What's your favourite animal (and why)? Foxes. I like the little ones and would one day like to invest the time into taming one.

The last track you listened to on your ipod? Natasha Bedingfield's ‘I bruise easily'. It just gets me.

What's your fave film of all time? Gladiator! Russell Crowe is awesome.

Rugby or football? Football.

What's your most fave book ever? Favorite fiction book is The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis

What's your fave Christian book (apart from the bible)? Waking the Dead by John Eldridge

Chinese or Indian? Chinese

What's your perfect way to spend a day? Get up early and spend some time reading. Then do something that involves exertion before spending the evening on a beach with a bonfire.

Thanks for your time Josh, you can get back to taming foxes now!

Congratulations, we have nearly reached the end of the RML year, and I can hear the ahhs from here.  But no fear, we still have one more session, before we hand things over to you to show your initiative, by organising ways to keep meeting with one another over the summer.

So for our last session we will be thinking about Gender Matters.  In Genesis 1v27 God says this:

So God created man in his own image,
   in the image of God he created him;
   male and female he created them.

But what does it mean to be created in the image of God?  How are we, men and women, the same?  And how are we different?

And what about some of the tricky things Paul says, that women need to be silent in church, that they should wear head coverings and submit to their husbands?  Is this just because Paul was an out-of-date misogynist, and these things are no longer culturally relevant, or is there something deeper going on?

Thankfully for such a big, and potentially divisive issue, we have a chance to hear Sachy come and teach us what the Bible says on this issue, as well as having time to think and discuss these issues in our groups in a Romans 14 sort of way.

And after all this, we then have a chance for a bit of a party, we may even not start turning out the lights at 9:30, wild!  So do bring some fancy food and drink to celebrate the end of a great year sitting under the Word of God together!

See you then,

2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV)
"...For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.  For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness", has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

Paalm 96.2-3 (ESV)
"Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among all the peoples!"

This Sunday we're starting a new 3-week series on the book of Jude. Aneirin Glyn will be preaching. So what is Jude all about? And how can we at the 4pm be preparing for this series? Below are a few thoughts from Aneirin.

Jude had wanted to write about the wonderful salvation that God's people enjoy. But a serious issue had arisen, of which the Christians to whom he was writing were seemingly unaware. So Jude dispatched this urgent letter warning about those who had crept in amongst them, and appealing to the church to take action.

Jude's letter addresses a perennial danger, with important lessons for us today. Through looking at his letter together we will be reminded of key gospel truths for which we must contend, and we will meet again the God who saves and keeps his people.

Questions to ponder as we read Jude:

What do we discover about the problem that Jude is addressing? Why does it matter?

How are we to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints?

1) What does this miracle teach us about Jesus, his character and his concerns?

2) How does the idea of "feeding" provide a common thread through the passage?

3) What does the dialogue with Peter teach us about what it means to follow Jesus? (See also John 12: 24-26)

4) What do we learn about John and his role?

5) How does this passage help us understand more about life between Jesus ressurection and his second coming?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

Ephesians 5 (ESV)
".....In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his wife loves himself.  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.  Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."  This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church..."

Mark 14 and 15 are extraordinary chapters, as we see Jesus enduring not only the shame and mocking and immense physical suffering of the cross, but then as the land is covered in darkness we see him, though himself totally innocent and unjustly tried, willingly bear the wrath of God for the sins of the world.

Perhaps most poignant of all though is the moment we see the centurion recognise Jesus for who He was - as the temple curtain is torn down, Mark gives us a picture of how Jesus death has enabled this gentile to have access to God - and not just any gentile, the very person who has just been in charge of putting Jesus to death of all people! It brings to mind that great song, The Glory of the Cross:

'What wisdom once devised the plan 

Where all our sin and pride 

Was placed upon the perfect Lamb 

Who suffered, bled, and died? 

The wisdom of a Sovereign God 

Whose greatness will be shown 

When those who crucified Your Son 

Rejoice around Your throne'

There can't be a better way to end the year than by coming again to the foot of the cross in wonder at our saviour.

You can find prep notes for next week here.

Yet our closer study of the text in RML last night opened up a very different picture - this is what God's King is meant to do and Jesus did it!  Mark shows us that Jesus' sufferings were an exact match of King David's description (Psalm 22) and that they were a precise fulfilment of Jesus' own predictions (e.g. Mark 10:33-34).  Jesus must suffer in this way to achieve God's purpose of rescuing his people, of drinking the cup of God's wrath and dying as the Passover lamb.  

The contrast could not be greater - he couldn't look less kingly, and yet at that very moment he was being supremely kingly according to God's purposes.  

So I guess the question for us is, do we recognise that Jesus is supremely God's King of God's world?  A casual observer would say that Jesus doesn't look like much of a king, let alone the supreme King of the world today.  Has God's word from Mark's Gospel persuaded us otherwise?

Here are the prep notes for the last part of Mark's gospel.

The Lord's Supper. What's it all about?

This summer at Learning for Life we have a special one-off session thinking about the Lord's Supper. If you've never been to Learning for Life before, why not come along on Sunday 10th July? We meet in St Andrews from 12.30pm for lunch, followed by a talk and question time finishing at 2pm. It's a real help for those cooking the lunch if you can let us know if you're planning to come.

2 Corinthians 5:11-14 (ESV)
"Therefore,  knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others....
.....For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

How does the truth that this new holy city is the church affect the way we view brothers and sisters in Christ now?

In what ways should our lives reflect the sure and certain hope that life in this city will be so incredibly good?

Would someone looking on at my life realise I'm heading for this certain and glorious future? If not, why?

How do the truths in these verses help us persevere and overcome in the Christian life?

If you were not at church this past Sunday, or would like to hear the sermon again, click here.

Please pray for Helen at Beech to keep going and trusting God.

2. If you had to summarise from the whole section what we've learned about who Jesus is what would you say?

3. How does this passage give us confidence in the witness of the disciples?

4. What do we learn about what it means to believe in Jesus and have life in his name?

5. What confidence does this passage give us that believing without seeing is enough to know Jesus and have life in his name? What is there to rejoice in?

Psalm 86:11-12 (ESV)
"Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear you name.
I give thanks to you, O LORD my
God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name for ever."

1 Timothy 4.16 (ESV)
"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.  Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers."

Well we've reached the end of the book of Romans...but not the end of our time in Romans.

There's no RML this week (because of EMA at St Helen's), but we're going to be spending the following two Tuesday evenings reviewing and applying the whole book. Unlike previous review studies, we're going to spend most of the time around our tables in groups doing a lot of the work for ourselves.

You'll find it really helpful if you could have a think about the following two questions before Tuesday 28th June:

1. Taking each of the four sections in turn (chapters 1-4, 5-8, 9-11 and 12-16), can you summarise the content of each section? Try to come up with a one sentence summary for each section.

2. Now try to identify the thing that holds the whole book together. Try to come up with a sentence of no more than 12 words summarising Paul’s overall purpose for why he wrote the letter to the Romans.

The Tuesday after that (5th July) is the Romans "Medicine Cabinet"...more to follow on that.

But in the meantime, why not spend this week re-reading the whole of Romans -- it'll make the rest of our time in Romans even better!

Have a great week.

I can't remember the last time I saw a shepherd with his sheep around London but I can think of a modern equivalent to the picture in the verse above. Imagine a primary school teacher (I work for a school) takes thirty 5 year old children on a school trip. They are in the middle of London when the teacher (and the teaching assistant) has a heart attack and dies on the spot. What will happen to these children? Will they know where to go or what to do? Will any of them be able to unite their peers and lead them to safety? Frankly this scenario would be an unmitigated disaster; the children would just scatter. Young children might be bold enough to say, like Peter, that in desperate circumstances they would do the right thing; but in reality they'd be hopeless.

Spiritually, without Jesus we are like the disciples, and like 5 year olds without a teacher; we are hopeless. We're unable to save ourselves and we're unable to follow Jesus in the way he requires. He says "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mark 8v34). I certainly find this profoundly humbling; I like to think of myself as something more than a sheep or a child. What about you? Let's try, with the Spirit's help, to be more humble and more reliant on our Shepherd and Saviour Jesus Christ.

We can look to Jesus because he gave himself up to a mock-trial and then to death and God's horrific cup of wrath. He did it willingly, he did it for us and we, like the disciples, are lost without him!

This guest contribution to the RML Mark Wednesday blog was written by Daniel McIntosh. 

And finally, here are the prep notes for next week's RML Mark study.

"If you heard that someone had been raised from the dead, how many eyewitnesses would it take to convince you?"

"What do you think happened to Jesus after he died?"

"On what do you base your verdict?"

In the weeks leading up to Easter, Christian City workers hit the streets of the Square Mile armed with these questions.  Almost 100 people stopped to answer our survey.  Many of us had great gospel conversations with complete strangers, and had fun doing it!

As well as getting people to think about life after death, we learned a lot about how workers in the City think about this thorny topic.

The people we surveyed broke out into three groups.

•1.     About a third (35%) didn't believe in life after death.  Resurrection from the dead is impossible, they said; it doesn't matter how many people say they saw it.  Nothing could persuade them.

•2.     A second group believed in life after death, but didn't know what it would be like.  Ten reliable eyewitnesses would have been enough to convince most of them that someone had risen from the dead.  Maybe they should read a gospel!

•3.     The third group (34%) was the most surprising.  They believed that Jesus had risen from the dead!  But they didn't seem to understand why Jesus' death and resurrection is such good news to those who believe in him.

The bottom line?  Many Christian City workers said they grew more confident in their ability to share the gospel.  And many of the people we surveyed took away gospels to read, wanted to learn more, and heard about the lunchtime talks at St Helen's.

How do I get involved?

We'll be using questionnaires throughout the year to share the gospel and to invite people to talks at St Helen's.  If you would like to be involved, please e-mail me at dan@christiansinthecity.com.

Need some extra motivation to give this a go?  How about listening to William's recent series on Luke's gospel?  God has a passion for the lost, for "there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."  There's a party in heaven every time one person becomes a Christian!

Dan Hong

Please pray on for those battling severe illness at the moment.  Please pray on for Simon Brayton recovering from a brain operation.

Please give thanks for a couple of recent events - held here and in Cambridge - encouraging students graduating this year to have Gospel priorities as they make career choices.  Please pray particularly for those starting work in the City.

Philippians 1:9-10 (ESV)
"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

Iaaiah 35:10 (ESV)
"And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

John 5.24 (ESV)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life."
John 6.63 (ESV)
"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.  The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life."

2 Thessalonians 3.1-5 (ESV)
"Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honoured, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men.  For not all have faith.  But the Lord is faithful.  He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.  And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ."

Q. Mark, where do you work and how long have you been in the City?
I have been in the City for 25 years, I work for an Insurance Company called Ironshore which is a rapidly growing organisation.  The role is challenging and demanding and so St Helen's is a great help in making sure that I keep Christ front and centre in my professional as well as personal life.  I travel a great deal but whenever I am in London I attend the Tuesday lunchtime service.

Q. Who did you invite along to last year's Music event?
I invited colleagues from work and also a couple of friends from home.  The party was eight people and all had been brought-up and educated as Christians although the majority had not made a convicted decision to turn to Christ.

Q. How did you invite them?
I asked everybody to join 'face to face', I invited my wife, who also works in the City for the NHS, and asked three work colleagues to come along and bring their wives too.  It was a great way to draw together work and home relationships.

Q. What sort of response did you get?
Everybody was very positive, and everybody I asked said yes.  It is important to be open about why you are inviting them.  I explained clearly that whilst it was a musical evening the idea was to come along to a church which has great significance to Christians in the City. The important thing was to set aside some time to reflect on Jesus' message and personal faith.

Q. Did it feel like an easy or hard invite?
I just saw it as an opportunity to get people I spend a lot of time with at work to come along to St Helen's.  To be frank I love going to St Helen's so much I would like to encourage as many people as possible to come along and hopefully have their heart's opened to Jesus' gift of love and their own personal relationship with God.

Q.What was the evening itself like?
Beautiful music,  I am on guard against a form of  Christianity that says music is a powerful force that can open hearts and minds but all of the musicians were very talented and modest Christians giving up their time to entertain everybody.  It was a powerful message that everybody recognised.

Q. Was the food any good?
Obviously not as good as my wife's cooking but still excellent considering we were not at home!

Q. What time can you expect to get back home?
The music evening flew past but I guess it lasted for just over two hours.

Q. What did your friends end up thinking about it?
I know that they all enjoyed it far more than they were expecting.

Q. Were you able to follow-up with any of them (if so, how)?
One couple that came along have since started reading the bible with a mutual friend.  I regularly pray for the others and I try to encourage faith based conversation.  It is a serious business 'walking across the floor' to talk about Jesus and I have been lucky so far.  Sometimes it ends up in a difficult conversation and occasionally one faces ridicule. When I worry about whether or not to talk about Jesus or whether I will get a hostile reaction I think about the day that I will stand before Him.  He will know that sometimes I was embarrassed and uncomfortable about talking about Him and that makes me sad.  At the end of the day it has got to make sense to wear your  faith on your sleeve, after all it is not something to be compromised.  Keep in mind those places where people who publicly profess their devotion to Jesus face real danger to themselves; it is pretty easy for us in the UK when one thinks about it.

As we have come to the end of our 1 Chronicles sermon series at the 4pm, we are starting a new 3-sermon series on the New Creation. Tom Nash will be teaching us from Revelation chapters 21 & 22. So we've asked Tom,

'Why are we looking at the end of Revelation?' and 'How can we be preparing ahead of time?'. Here's what Tom said.

"John wants his readers to remain faithful to the end; to be those who overcome.  To exhort them he offers glimpses of current and future realities founded on the person and work of Jesus.  It's an encouraging book at any time but this vision of future glory in chapters 21 to 22, that we will be looking at, should motivate us to keep going and living for Jesus, particularly as many of us may be worn out during a long term and also with a summer break approaching there is the ever present danger of stumbling in the Christian race.  The aim is that this vision given to John by Jesus should refresh and revive us but also spur us on in persevering and holy faith. 

If we had time it would be great to work through the whole book but with just three weeks it affords us the opportunity to focus in on the finishing line that John puts before us to help focus our thoughts now.  The more clearly we can see what God has in store for his people the more we should be encouraged to strive to keep going. 

As you read through Revelation 21 & 22, here are some questions to ponder:

What is significant about the imagery used in these verses to describe the new heaven and the new earth?

What ideas & themes are being picked up from chapters 1-3 in the closing two chapters?

How do these verses, in particular, encourage the perseverance called for throughout Revelation?"

2 Corinthians 4:5-6 (ESV)
"...For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.  For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

It's no longer a secret Ryan Giggs' love life has been revealed. The whole super injunction scandal has been pretty big news over the last few weeks, it's raised questions about privacy, how much we want or should know about the mistakes people make. It's an interesting thing for Christians to think about.

While I don't know of anyone who's taken out a super injunction Christians can often act in a super injunction kind of way. We want to hide our sin from others, not wanting to admit that our Christian lives involve messing up and rejecting God everyday. While we are happy to say the words of the confession together on a Sunday it's a different matter when it comes to admitting our sin to each other. We're inadvertent Super Injunction Christians.

The problem is that sin loves to be kept secret and in the dark, it grows there like a poisonous fungus, all the time feeding us the lie that keeping it secret is best. We end up looking like people that don't really need the gospel because we never admit we mess up. Yet also we fragment as a church family afraid of what people will think of us if they know what we're really like.

However the gospel frees us from that slavery to secrecy. Christians trust in Christ because we recognise we are messed up, broken and sinful rebels, which means we don't need to pretend we're better than we actually are. The gospel means that not only can we recognise our sin in front of God, but that we don't need to hide it from each other either. We no longer need to be Super Injunction Christians instead we can be a community of unconditional love. A community where we can admit our failures knowing that we are loved and forgiven by God and accepted for who we are by each other. Not proud of our sin, but honest that we are sinners, wretched sinners, dependent on our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and his work on the cross.

Romans 1.16-17 (ESV)
"...For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

William left us with a very important application question to think through:

True joy comes from whole-hearted devotion to God. What would it look like for me to give myself to whole-hearted service of God?

Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV)
"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."