On Sunday morning, we finished our short topical series on the God who speaks. We looked at the Bible, the great place where God tells us about himself. We saw that this book is the word of God and the word of the human writers, consistent, and focused on the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a book that shows grace to us over and over again. It can be relied upon, even in its smallest details. Yet there are many challanges to this from our culture today. People complain it is very big and complicated, and yes it is detailed, but the core message is clear to all who want to hear it. God gives us all we need for life and godliness, answers we cannot find in science, and guidance even for modern issues. The outcome of all of this is that we have an incredible gift in the Bible. Like the Psalmist of Ps 119, we should thank God and rejoice in this gift, and use it well and consistently. We should be people of the book who love to learn more about God through his Word.

On Sunday morning, we looked at the issue of authority. This was part of our sermon series on 'the God who speaks'. We all live under authority in our lives, some obvious and some not. We have to obey the government, our employer, and of course God. Yet our decision making is also influenced by factors like the culture around us, what feels good, and what has always been done. We explored the way that other authorities influence us and how the Bible needs to be ultimate over all of these. For this to be true, we need to know our Bibles. We cannot simply rely on the internet or AI for everything. We want to be people who submit to the One who loves us. Consider today how the Bible might be the ultimate authority over the decision you are thinking about right now.

On Sunday morning, we looked at the idea of God speaking personally to us. We thought about dreams, which God used at some important times in the Bible. Or prophecies in the New Testament, mentioned in 1 Corinthians and demonstrated in those like Agabus in Acts. We concluded that we cannot expect God to speak to us with direct advice for our lives, though of course he could if he chose. We need to weigh these things against the Bible. We need to ensure we are centred on Jesus, which is the focus of the Bible, and not only on our personal decisions and lives. It is easy to become very individualistic and not have God's priorities in mind. Take some time to thank God for his Word, and consider what principles of the Bible might be helpful for the decisions you currently face.

On Sunday morning, we started a new sermon series on 'The God who Speaks'. We considered the truth that we cannot just think of God as we'd like, or even discover what he is like by our own efforts. We need God to tell us what he is like. And he has! Creation declares the glory of God to us, but God in his grace has told us far more in his word. He has told us what he is like, what we are like, and what his plans for the world are. And the climax of what God has to say to us is the person and work of Jesus Christ. God's message is one of grace, of us getting what we do not deserve. We are also called to live a certain way and respond well to God's grace. All of these riches have been given to us through God's word. So we should read it, think about it, and live it out. God is speaking to us; let's listen well.

On Sunday morning, we looked at Genesis 16 together. Abram and Sarai had been waiting ten years for the promised son, yet they still remained childless. Instead of continuing to trust God, they tried to make God's promises happen by marrying Abram to Hagar the maidservant. This went spectacularly wrong. All the main players in this account were deeply sinful, and it led to conflict and difficulty for generations. We thought through some marriage-related issues: God calls us to serve him through marriage, not to use marriage towards our sin. Yet, even through all this mess, we saw the grace of God. God saw Hagar in her distress and made promises to her, calling her back. And God sees all of us in our distress too. We are never alone. God cares and sees when no-one else does, and God holds the future.

On Sunday morning, we looked at the covenant God made with Abram in Genesis 15. God confirmed the promises he had made to Abram with an unusual ceremony. While Abram slept, God symbolically walked between the halves of animals laid out. This showed the importance of the promises, and it also underlined that the promises were only dependent on God's actions, not Abram's actions. God then filled out his promises, giving more information and assuring Abram of the future. This whole passage is a great encouragement to Christians. Our future hope is not based on our work, but on God and especially what he has done for us in Jesus. We have confirmation of these promises in the sacraments, and we are encouraged through the word and through gathering with other Christians. We show our trust in prayer, knowing that God remains in charge of our future even on the days we find that hard to see.