The text of John 12:20-36 is a very significant moment in the life of Jesus – especially in relation to his impending death. It happened when some Greeks appeared and sought and audience with him. This was the signal for Jesus that his ‘time had come’…but what did that mean? What did he know? And what significance did it have to his death and resurrection? On this Good Friday, perhaps here are some answers!

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o It’s not over until….
o The Greeks who sought a meeting with Jesus..
o The setting of the text
o What did this mean for Jesus? He knew…

There’s more to the story!
‘Now is the day of salvation…’ (2 Corinthians 6:1)

When the disciples wtached the ‘rich young ruler’ walk away from jesus and miss out on eternal livfe, they were greatly astonished. They hadn’t thought that a rich man like him could ever miss out on salvation. And so in Matthew 19:27-30, they asked Jesus about what would happen to them. What link was there between leaving all to follow him and their reaward…if there was to be one at all?

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• Continuing the story from last week
• The disciple’s shock at Jesus’ words
• Lord, what about us?
• See how the text tells us of …

The search for satisfaction is still on!
Would you rather have….?

When the young man came to Jesus in Matthew 19:16-26 to ask about eternal life, it certainly did not go as the disciples expected it would! The young man went away from Jesus, ‘sorrowful’ and without the eternal life that he had asked Jesus for…although he did still have his money. The text is one of the greatest in the Scriptures for many reasons, especially because it brings eternal life and salvation into focus for us all!

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• A really helpful text!
• The ‘rich young ruler’!
• What Jesus has been teaching about being child-like and children
• See how it tells us of the following questions…

Are you thinking about eternal things?
Have you grasped this principle of the gospel?

When Matthew records that people were bringing their children to Jesus to bless them in Matthew 19:13-15, he also records that the disciples acted as bodyguards of Jesus and tried to protect him from the children! Mark’s gospel records that at this point Jesus rebuked the disciples and went ahead and blessed the children. There’s a point to note there. Jesus was not unwilling to receive them or bless them. However, the disciples most certainly were … to their loss.

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• Further on into Matthew’s gospel!
• All of us are, or once were, children!
• The context of this event, children in the gospels
• See how these verses tell us of …

Prize highly the family unit!
Prize highly the church family unit!

John’s first letter is full of many theological truths that help us to shape our understanding of the gospel. 1 John 1:5-2:2 is a text just like that. In it, John explores themes of light and darkness, confession and cleansing, as well as opening up for us the heart of the gospel message and the path to daily cleansing of our sins.

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• A different text for these reasons
• Why was John writing this letter?
• John’s thesis: God is light and has no darkness…
• See how these verses tell us of …

How can you bring light and darkness together?
The free offer of forgiveness!

The early church was a remarkable witness and a living testimony to Jesus. In this message on Acts 2:42-47, PCV Moderator, Rev Ian Hutton explores Acts 2:42-47 in a search for the ‘basics’ of church life that we should do well and so also be effective in our witness.

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Introduction …

Conclusion

When the Pharisees sought to- trap Jesus by their question about divorce in Matthew 19:1-12, Jesus was not backward in coming forward with his response. While the Pharisees tended to be quite lax with regard to laws about divorce, Jesus insisted that God’s good design for marriage in Genesis 2:18-25 was enough! Interestingly, he said all this in the context of helping and healing others. He was no narrow-minded bigot who cared nothing for people around him. Instead, while holding strong to the Word of God, he also backed up his words with caring deeds.

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‘The King’s response to a hot topic’
• Unlimited forgiveness. Always?
• The Pharisees seeking to trap Jesus…
• Jesus unafraid to answer their questions
• See how these verses tell us of …

Marriage matters!
No additional burdens to those who feel a failure!

After Jesus had challenged his disciples to follow certain steps in order to ensure that conflict between them be quickly resolved, Peter was quick to ask a question and Jesus was quick to give him an answer! All this can be found in Matthew 18:21-35. Peter’s question had to do with ‘how many times he ought to forgive his brother for an offence’ and Jesus’ answer was both plain and then couched in terms of a parable. The parable adds weight to Jesus’ answer, that the forgiveness that Peter should offer to his brother when offended has no limits. None at all.

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• The all-important context
• The question Peter thought of and asked…
• Conflict among the 12?
• See how from these verses we can note…

What is your debt to God?
Where do all these implications touch you the most?

Matthew 18:15-20 is not necessarily a hard text to understand. It has no hard words, for example. However, the application of what Jesus said is quite difficult. While still speaking to His disciples about the issue of true greatness and how humility is a necessary aspect of it, in these verses, Jesus spoke further about the inevitable conflict that will arise between disciples when the path of humility is not taken. There is a way to solve conflict. It’s not an easy path to take, but for true greatness, it will be so necessary.

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In speaking to His disciples in the way that He did in Matthew 18:7-14, Jesus was not going on to some new topic. In fact what he taught in these verses are very closely linked to verses 1-6. He is still talking about greatness and the ‘childlike humility’ that will lead His disciples towards it. While some of what He says in verses 7-14 is a little unclear, the implications of it are not. Those who will be great in the Kingdom will need to be like the Shepherd whose care for that one lost sheep was not just a matter of words.

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A reminder for believers…
An invitation to unbelievers…