Christ Church Selly Park

Bobbie Frere | Matthew 11:25-30   [Jesus said,] ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ Is Jesus promising a life of ease? As Bobbie explains, far from encouraging us to put our feet up, Jesus challenges...

John Lanchbury | Mark 6:30-44   By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. ‘This is a remote place,’ they said, ‘and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.’ But he answered, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said to him, ‘That would take more than half a year’s wa...

Peter Frere | John 1:35-51   The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ ‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there...

Ben Green | Matthew 4:18-22 | Matthew 28:18-20   As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him. Jesus came to [the disciples] and said, ‘All author...

Dan Parnell | Matthew 2:1-12   After [the Magi] had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented...

Susan Haynes | Isaiah 43:14-21   This is what the Lord says -   he who made a way through the sea,   a path through the mighty waters... ‘Forget the former things;   do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!   Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness   and streams in the wasteland.’ We can learn from and be thankful for what God has done in the pa...

Bobbie Frere | 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18   In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On th...

Ben Green |  2 Thessalonians 2:1-17   Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us - whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter - asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not...

Ben Green |  2 Thessalonians 1   Among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. Paul begins his second letter to a church that continues to suffer severe persecution. Are their hardshi...

Graham Romp | 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28   Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. In all circumstances? Even when the church is suffering severe persecution, as was the case at Thessalonica? Paul ends his letter with some instructions that are timeless but especially ran counter to the culture of his time. As Graham explains...

Ben Green |  Isaiah 52:7-10   How beautiful on the mountains     are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace,     who bring good tidings,     who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion,     ‘Your God reigns!’ This Remembrance service is introduced by Susan Haynes, then, after the reading from a member of the Brownies, Ben speaks about where real peace can be found. Earlier in the se...

Ben Green |  1 Thessalonians 5:1-11   But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. When Jesus returns it will be sudden and unexpected, but we can stil...