The Street Church

One says he will, and doesn't; the other says he won't, but then does. It's a tale of two sons, two commitments and two different outcomes - but what was the shocking message Jesus had for his listeners with this parable?

Would you sell everything you have to buy a single pearl? What about a piece of land? What was Jesus getting at in these two brief parables?

In part two of our Parables series, we look at a fairly unknown parable in the book of Ezekiel about eagles and vines, and where people place their trust.

We kick off our Parables series by looking at how the prophet Nathan used a parable to confront King David with his own sin. This is the power of the parable - to shock, to get under our skin, and reveal what is hidden. In this Parables series, we'll look at parables and how they act as a picture, a mirror, a window, and a door.

John finishes his letter with encouragement for the Church to know they have eternal life - and that eternal life is knowing Jesus, which we can experience now and will then enjoy forevermore.

Our love as followers of Jesus flows from being infinitely loved by our heavenly Father. This is the source of our love and enables us to love as our Father desires us.

John draws his readers' attention to the Holy Spirit - the one who is in and is greater than the evil one who is in the world. John urges Christians to be discerning of spirits, because not every spiritual thing draws people to the truth and the light.

To be God's child is to love sacrificially - to love how God loved us: by sending his only Son to die for us. John urges Christians to let their faith be proved by their love, and to let our love be shown in radical generosity.

John has called his readers his 'dear children', and he now reveals a marvellous truth - the incredible love that God has lavished on believers, that they get to be called the children of God! John invites Christians to marvel at their adoption into God's family and to ensure their actions reflect the character of their heavenly Father.

What do you do when you want to pray but have no idea where to begin? Jesus’ disciples asked the same question, and his answer shows that prayer was always meant to include other people.

John returns to the first point of his letter: It's all about Jesus. We can know we are true children of God if we don't deny Christ - that he is God in the flesh, he is the way, the truth and the life.

Love for the Lord and one another is compared with loving the world. John says we can know we are true children of God if we don't love the world - don't adopt the way of life of those who oppose God, nor their value system or anything that draws our affection away from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Love is essential. John has written about this previously in his gospel account, when Jesus urged his disciples to love one another. John revisits this call to love one another strongly to his dear children in the faith.

John makes many comparisons throughout his letter, telling believers how they can know they are true children of God. The first of these is that they walk in the light and not in the darkness: choosing holiness over sin and yet being quick to repent when they do sin.

The Church is still young and facing many pressures, not the least of which is a departure of many from the faith. John writes to strengthen Christians in the face of many troubles and urges them to hold fast to their faith - and he begins by bringing their eyes to the Lord Jesus Christ: The Word made flesh!

Creation has been one of God's biggest billboards since day one, but we grow familiar with it as we live amongst it. How can we see the created world afresh and hear our Father's voice calling to us on a daily basis?

There's no such thing as a lone wolf in Christianity - God desires us to be in community and will speak to us through others in that community. We're here to speak the truth in love and be conduits for God's voice to one another.

Perhaps the most difficult way to pin down and also the least understood - God speaks to us through our hearts through impressions, thoughts and instincts. But how can we tell it's God speaking and not just our own thoughts or selfish desires?

One of the gifts of the Spirit used to build up the church is the gift of prophecy. This isn't future-telling, but speaking God's words to encourage and build others up. How do we use this biblically within the body of Christ?

Jesus did not wait for people to come to him. He went through the towns and villages, proclaiming the good news and healing the sick. In this message, Jenny Gill encourages us to take seriously the mission Jesus has given his people and to faithfully play our part in the harvest.

To know the Son, we must know scripture. Scripture is one of the primary ways God continues to communicate clearly and across time to his church.

As we begin a new series about discerning the voice of God, we look at the number one way Scripture says God speaks to us - through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God dwells with his people by his Spirit and causes fruit to grow as we keep in step with his Spirit. He also gives us gifts to use to build and strengthen the church. What are they? Why are they important? And how can we use them? Jenny Gill lands our Spirit series today by looking at the gifts of the Spirit.

So often our minds go to the obvious shows of miraculous power when we think of the Spirit - healing and tongues. But the Fruit of the Spirit is one of the most important outworkings of a life filled with the Spirit. What do we miss when we take the Fruit of the Spirit for granted?

It's one of those secondary issues in Christianity that can often divide people. Is a secondary baptism of the Holy Spirit required, or is a believer immediately filled with the Spirit upon conversion? Does it matter either way? Today, Simon Gill looks at the baptism of the Spirit and what is true for every believer, no matter where they land on this issue.