Talks by Tim Johnson (Page 7)
The Bread of Life
When we go back to what is at the heart of the Christian faith, we find Jesus, and his revelation of God. There are seven times in the Gospel of John where Jesus said ‘I am’, and gave a series of images that explained who he was. The first we are looking at in this series comes from John 6:35-59, where Jesus spoke of himself as ‘the bread of life’. Tim Johnson looks at what this means, with Jesus as the one who nourishes and sustains those who believe in him.
Is it too late? Good Friday 2017
The Lost series has been building to this moment. The crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday marks the beginning of the most important point in all of time. But is it too late? Have you, or I strayed too far for Jesus to love and forgive? In Luke 23:32-43, a criminal, dying next to Jesus on another cross, asks Jesus to remember him when Jesus comes in His Kingdom. It wasn’t too late for that criminal, and it certainly isn’t too late for us.
To Seek and Save the Lost
In the lead up to Easter we are doing a short series reflecting on what it means for someone to be ‘lost’ when it comes to their spiritual life, and the concern that Jesus had for those who were lost. This week we look at Luke 19:1-10, where the story of Zaccheus shows Jesus’ mission to seek out those who seem to have no hope of coming to God.
Our Relationship with Creation
Our journey through the book of Leviticus brings us to the question of how God’s people should relate to the environment. Tim Johnson discusses Leviticus 17:1-14, how we are to relate to animals and the land in which we live. This speaks to many of our current concerns with the destruction of the natural environment, and our part as Christians in God’s plan to renew the whole world.
Our Relationship with Ourselves
Our series on ‘The Heart of Life’ and the book of Leviticus continues with a reflection on the meaning of the ‘purity laws’ of the Old Testament. Tim Johnson looks at Leviticus 20:22-26, God’s call for his people to be holy as he is holy, how this worked out in their lives, and what it looks like for Christians to make of ourselves a place where God can live.
2017 Combined Launch Service – Our Calling as Christians
We began the first Term of the year together with a combined service, reflecting on our calling as Christians. Tim Johnson gave an interactive retelling of the calling of the first disciples in Luke 5:1-11.
The Early Years of Jesus – Named & Circumcised
This month we think about the stories of the childhood of Jesus. We start with the story of the circumcision and naming of Jesus in Luke 2:15-21, and how it shows the destiny of Jesus as the Saviour of God’s people.
Christmas Eve 2017 – The Wait is Over
On Christmas Eve, Tim Johnson reminds us that while the world is still not all as it should be, because of the birth of Jesus we are no longer waiting for God to act to bring salvation and justice to us.
White (space) Christmas – Worship Fully
In our month leading up to Christmas, we are thinking about how we can celebrate this season in a way that honours the meaning of Jesus’s birth. Tim Johnson looks at why we need to create ‘white space’ in order to see what is important, and how to focus on worshipping Jesus in our whole lives.
Keep Calm & Carry On – Not Ashamed
Our new series is on 2 Timothy, and Paul’s encouragement to Timothy to persevere in living out and spreading the Gospel. Tim Johnson starts at 2 Timothy 1:1-18, looking at why Christians need not be ashamed of the good news of Jesus.
Rebuild – A City in Ruins
Our reflection this holidays on the story of Nehemiah begins with Nehemiah chapter 2, where as the cupbearer to the King, Nehemiah is faced with the challenge of how to be courageous enough to stand up for his people and their home city of Jerusalem.