City Church Sheffield Podcast

Blessan looks at the role Barnabas played in Paul's acceptance by the apostles, and the developing and discipling of this dangerous new believer.

Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ, who has come to save us. But he comes to save us not from what is on the outside (e.g. the Romans) but from what is on the inside (our aim to get the best out of life). Jesus will be rejected and killed, and if this is what happens to the leader, this is what will happen to the followers. But Jesus leads his followers to heaven too.

Isn’t the Bible just a book of myths from thousands of years ago with very little relevance to modern day UK? Guest speaker Adrian Holloway helps us to look at whether or not the Bible is accurate and trustworthy.

Jesus opens the eyes of the physically blind but he also opens the eyes of the spiritually blind. Because the Kingdom of God has come, we can expect God to heal today, but because it has not yet come in its entirety we should not be troubled that he doesn't heal everybody.

We can enter God's rest today - we don't have to wait till we get to heaven. We can choose, in every situation we face to avoid unbelief and dwell in his rest.

Paul and Silas could have become cynical when they ended up in prison, and concluded either that God had not been leading them or that he had deceived them. But they knew that God had a plan, and even though they may not have felt like praising him, they do so. God always fulfils his plans, but he fulfils them his way, not ours.

Jesus shows us what he is like by his response to three groups of people. He responds with compassion to the eagerness of the crowd in bringing the deaf man to him; he responds to the aggression of the Pharisees by leaving them; and he responds to the confusion of his disciples with commitment to them.

Letting the Word of Christ dwell in us richly enables us to teach and admonish with wisdom as the Word of Christ bubbles up in us, and we will sing psalms about the Father, hymns about Jesus and songs of the Spirit.

Knowing how good God really is encourages us to pursue him as those in whom Christ dwells, and in whom his Spirit he has generously poured out.

Description to follow.

The Bible is not so much an "instruction manual for life", but it is a rich treasure which we can store up in order to encounter Jesus and know him better. Dan unpacks the benefits of letting the word dwell in us richly and provides some practical suggestions for how to go about doing so.

Don’t be dissuaded by fear or sin and turn back to your old way of living. Remember & encourage each other what an amazing secure hope we have been brought into that is greater by far.

The gospel has amazing implications for all people. We are light, designed to make known the good news. The Holy Spirit equips us to speak it to those around us in the places we meet them.

Like the early church, we are called to take the gospel to people, for example by talking with friends and neighbours. But being filled with the Holy Spirit is crucial - we need to ask God for his Spirit.

The Pharisees would not have wanted anything to do with the Syrophoenician woman, but Jesus goes into her territory, and in delivering her daughter he prepares his disciples for the time when the gospel will go to the whole world.

Jesus was fully human, and we have the same power to overcome temptation that he had. He didn't argue or negotiate with temptation but fought it with God's Word.

Moses interceded for the people and represented them to God, and because God was pleased with Moses he promised to be with the people of Israel. Jesus is greater than Moses. God is pleased with Jesus and so God is with us. Let's fix our eyes on Jesus.

Jesus represents a new way which is in contrast with the old way of handed-down traditions and rules, which is represented by the Pharisees. Jesus shows that the Pharisees' worship of God is just play-acting. God is looking for worship from the heart, and so we must guard our hearts.

As those who call on the name of the Lord, we are made holy in Christ so that we can live accordingly, enriched in our speaking and knowledge, and secure for eternity - Jesus will keep us strong until he returns.

Like the disciples in the boat, we are called to be courageous disciples when we face adversity and difficulties by remembering what the Lord has already done for us, because Jesus doesn't leave us but comes to us.

Jesus is training his disciples. As disciples of Jesus, we should neither be passive observers nor arrogantly do things on our own initiative. We need to spend time with Jesus, learn how to cope with interruptions beyond our control, and take risks and steps of faith.

Herod had persuaded Herodias to leave Herod's brother Philip so that Herod may marry her, and John's message of repentance troubled his conscience. John shows us what it's like to live for God. Being different is costly. There is a clash of kingdoms. Do we live for the kingdom of God or the kingdom of "me"?

Jesus sends his disciples to take the good news to the people. But he isn't looking for people who are well-prepared, but people who are willing. He is looking for people whose only support and safety net is God. And he gives them what they really need - his authority.

We can learn from the exploits of David's Mighty Men. Although we are under a different covenant, we have the same God. We no longer fight against human beings as they did, but we should have the same conviction and mindset that they had. Just as they were willing to lay down their lives for David, we should be committed to following Christ no matter what.

Learning from Moses how to handle hardships and learning from the Israelites how not to.