Sunday 7th February

The text for this Sunday was John 15 v 18 - 16 v 4.  (Click here)

Today we had Dave preaching on this text and pointing out that in contrast to most of John's Gospel (sometimes referred to as the Gospel of love.) Jesus here is talking about hate. Not God's hate as the very essence of God is love, but the hate of the world for God, His ways and His people, those who choose to follow Jesus and His ways.

So how are we to behave in the light of this hatred from the world? By loving them and serving them with the love of Christ.

How will this be possible? Through the power of the Holy Spirit which Jesus promised to send us. (John 15 v 26) (click here)

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In the evening we had a time of reflection and prayer lead by Paula and Sarah (the curate from All Saints church, who had been visiting the last two weeks). This culminated in the breaking of bread and the sharing of wine as we remembered Christ who died for all of us and rose again to sit at the right hand of the Father having set us free from our sins by the shedding of His own blood.

What a mighty God we serve, that while we were yet sinners, He died for us (Romans 5v8) to set us free from our past and to enable us to have a relationship with Him, the one true Holy and righteous God whose only desire is to set us free. 

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