Interwoven

Flourishing are the ones hungering and thirsting for righteousness  because they will be satisfied. Flourishing are the merciful  because they will be given mercy. Flourishing are the pure in heart  because they will see God. Matthew 5: 5-8 Jesus doesn’t say “Flourishing are the righteous”, but those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness/Justice.  What’s the difference ? What is your reaction ot Viktor Frankel’s Saints, Zombies, and the rest picture ? Where are you ? Read Proverbs 4:18. Is this the language of road/path ? What areas are you hungry to see made right ? List some. How do you feel when you can’t see it happening ? How will it feel to be satisfied ?  (Will it have…

Plow : The first 3 beattitudes

There are three triplets that start the sermon on the mount.  Instead of speaking to the rich and powerful, at the temple or governor’s palace. Jesus speaks the crowd of people who have followed him. Flourishing are the poor in spirit because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Flourishing are the mourners because they will be comforted. Flourishing are the humble because they will inherit the world, Pennington Is this upside down ? What would it be like to be poor, and hear this ? Does Jesus live this out ? (read Philippians 2:5-10) If Jesus’ talk is revolutionary – what is the difference in this kind of revolution ?  As an experiment : Try writing the opposite of the…

The Good Life

Did you/do you ever look at other people and think they are   living the good life? If so, what was it, what is it ? There are four themes highlighted in this message Changes (Change is coming) Matthew links Jesus with the life of Moses. Can you remember any of the links ?  (Hint answers on our webpage notes) Matthew also quotes Isaiah promising a change coming ? What were changes ? (Matt 4:14-16). Jesus then asks people to change because the kingdom of heaven has come near. How does he ask them to change ? Are you open to the possibility that you might change during this series ? Foundations (build your life well) Got any foundation stories…

Heading towards Easter

Prayer of the week – Heading towards Easter You defeater of death, whose power could not hold you, come in your Easter,      come in your sweeping victory,      come in your glorious new life. Easter us,     salve wounds, break injustice, bring peace,      guarantee neighbor, Easter us in joy and strength. Be our God, be your true self,          lord of life, massively turn our life toward your life         and away from our anti-neighbor, anti-self deathliness. Hear our thankful, grateful, unashamed Hallelujah!  Amen.

Are you Sure ?

ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT ? Can you remember times when you found yourself thinking “Are you sure about that”. Times you are glad you did ? Times you wish it hadn’t stopped you? (i.e.have you bungy jumped, fallen for a scam etc) Buechner says “Whether your faith is that there is a God or that there is not a God, if you don’t have any doubts, you are either kidding yourself or asleep. Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving. Doubt is the ants in the pants of faith.” What is he trying to say ? Do you agree ? The story of Thomas and the resurrected Jesus starts in John…

The Merton Prayer – when you don’t know what’s going on.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust…

It is finished

24th march “It is finished”  “Kua oti.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.     John 19:29–30 (NIV) Pete’s Ponderings: The bland back and white checks on one side of the door show that the games are finally coming to an end. Colin’s chewings : So much happens in this moment. In Māori there are two words for finishing, “Mutu” which means finished (this bit) and might ahve to come back to it and…

Thirst

17th March, ‘I am thirsty.’ ” “He matewai tōku.”  28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. John 19:28–29 (NIV) Pete’s ponderings : Pete’s ponderings : This door is parched and dry, coming off at the hinges and and not square in it’s frame. “I thirst” is written in coffee- the second largest commodity traded in the world. It’s written faintly, as if spoken in a parched voice. Even though the tap is open, there’s not a drop…

The Lord’s prayer (from Matthew)

Our father in heaven, May your name be honoured May your kingdom come May your will be done As in heaven, so on earth. Give us today the bread we need now; And forgive us the things we owe, As we too have forgiven what was owed to us. Don’t bring us into the great Trial, But rescue us from evil. (Amen)

Forsaken

10 March (Colin)“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” E tōku Atua, e tōku Atua, he aha koe i whakarere ai i ahau?  At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).   When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”  Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.  With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.  The curtain…