JOHN: The people's bible commentary - The Task of the Spirit
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - The Task of the Spirit
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
The Task of the Spirit In this final farewell discourse, Jesus has described the two sides, those who are abiding in love with him and his Father and those who are opposed to them all. Although he is going away, this will enable the Holy Spirit to be ‘called alongside’, as the Pa…
Online Mission and Ministry - Techno Christianity
Online Mission and Ministry - Techno Christianity
by SPCK - Pam Smith
Techno Christianity In the beginning . . . I started to go online in the 1990s, shortly after the world wide web became available to people with home computers. I was teaching in a college which had a suite of computers connected to the internet, and having tried it out there I b…
Online Mission and Ministry - Acknowledgements and Introduction
Online Mission and Ministry - Acknowledgements and Introduction
by SPCK - Pam Smith
Acknowledgements Enormous thanks are due to my husband Jim, who has supported my ministry in every way possible over the last ten years, to my sons Sam and Chris and daughter-in-law Sarah for their love and encouragement, and to Gill and Di for cheering me on…
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - Jesus Prays for His Disciples
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - Jesus Prays for His Disciples
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
Jesus Prays for His Disciples Having prayed to be with God in glory, Jesus turns to pray for his disciples who will be left behind. They are only a small frightened group, who still do not really understand what he is saying. At one level, it is not much to show for the fruits of…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - The wonders of God's world
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - The wonders of God's world
by BRF - Rona Orme
The popularity of nature programmes on television indicates how people are fascinated by the wonder and intricacy of the natural world. This is nothing new. The Psalms, written 3000 years ago, are full of amazement at the richness of God's world. From 50 Praise, Pray and Play Ses…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Jesus welcomes everyone
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Jesus welcomes everyone
by BRF - Rona Orme
This session encourages everyone to learn each other's names. Knowing names, and being known, helps everyone to feel that they belong. Christians believe that God knows individuals by name, so it is important to show the same level of care. This session would work well when start…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - In the beginning
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - In the beginning
by BRF - Rona Orme
Whether the first chapter of Genesis is presented as giving a literal account of God creating the earth or as an early explanation of how things began, most children are fascinated by this story. Many children will have heard the Jewish and Christian creation story in RE, alongsi…
Mark The People's bible commentary - Getting Rid of the Son
Mark The People's bible commentary - Getting Rid of the Son
by BRF - Dick France
GETTING RID of the SON In the last study we heard Jesus’ claim, by implication, to divine authority for what he was doing. Now the same claim is made, this time in the form of a fictional story with a transparent meaning. His opponents know exactly what he means (v. 12), but they…
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - The KING is CRUCIFIED
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - The KING is CRUCIFIED
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
The KING is CRUCIFIED Through these seven balanced trial scenes, Pilate moved from mocking Jesus to a grudging respect for his kingship while “the Jews” rejected the rule of God, preferring Caesar. Now Pilate ‘hands him over to them’, using the word for ‘betray’, after the action…
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - REBUKES and Denials
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - REBUKES and Denials
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
REBUKES & DENIALS The scene has moved from the garden to the house of Annas, the old high priest. We have seen that John is building the tension by oscillating between events out in the courtyard and the preliminary hearing taking place in the house.
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - JESUS before the HIGH PRIEST
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - JESUS before the HIGH PRIEST
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
JESUS before the HIGH PRIEST Jesus was taken into the house of Annas, but before we could learn what happened, we were taken out into the courtyard to see how Peter was admitted and his first quiet denial of Jesus. We know from Jesus’ warning to Peter that two more denials are to…
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - NO KING BUT CAESAR
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - NO KING BUT CAESAR
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
NO KING BUT CAESAR Pilate had thought it was all over; Jesus had been whipped and the idea that he was a king duly mocked, so everything was all set for his release, when those wretched religious leaders brought the gods and their offspring into it! Unsettled by this mention of s…
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - HAIL KING of the JEWS
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - HAIL KING of the JEWS
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
HAIL, KING of the JEWS We have had three trial scenes so far: outside “the Jews” have demanded the death penalty, inside Pilate discussed kingship with Jesus, and then came outside again to declare his innocence in an attempt to release him. The rejection of this offer sends Pila…
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - The TEACHER is TAUGHT HEAVENLY THINGS
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - The TEACHER is TAUGHT HEAVENLY THINGS
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
The TEACHER is TAUGHT HEAVENLY THINGS After Jesus’ comparison of the Spirit with the wind, poor old Nicodemus has to ask for yet further explanation (3:9). As ‘a teacher of Israel’ (3:10), he should have known the old prophecies about God giving his people ‘a new heart and a new …
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - The King's Last Words
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - The King's Last Words
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
THE KING’S LAST WORDS The soldiers have finished crucifying Jesus and shared out his clothes; there is nothing left now, but to wait for death to come. John’s focus moves to the foot of the cross, where there are four women: the mother of Jesus; his mother’s sister; Mary wife of …
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - THOMAS: from DISBELIEF to FAITH
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - THOMAS: from DISBELIEF to FAITH
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
THOMAS: from DISBELIEF to FAITH Thomas is immortalized as ‘Doubting Thomas’, an unfortunate nickname which does not do him justice either in this story or earlier in John. He is first mentioned when Jesus is returning to Judaea to raise Lazarus—and Thomas says ‘let’s go and die w…
JOHN: The people's bible commentary - LIFTING UP the SON of MAN