What happens when you realise that this whole thing isn’t going to be how you expected? That thing you have waited for and dreamed of for so long turns out to be… hard.

That’s the challenge of today’s passage where we find out what the people of Nazareth think about what Jesus has to say to them about God’s priorities.

When Jesus stands up to read the scriptures in his hometown you could hear a pin drop.  Breath is held… eyes are focussed and everyone is waiting to hear what he will say.

I wonder if that’s how we feel when we read the bible?  Exited… full of anticipation of what we might hear and learn?  I hope so… but I’m not sure it is.

Today in our time together I want to explore why reading the bible together is important and maybe discover some of the reasons why we don’t do it as much as we should.

You will do greater things than these.

Jesus said that to his disciples.  To the ordinary men and women who followed his teaching and tried hard to live the way that he taught them.

When we are faced by a story where Jesus does something we might even go as far as to call unbelievable, I wonder where that leaves us?  Inspired or despondent?  Hopeful or hesitant?

Today we’re going to explore the first sign in John’s story of Jesus and see what turning water into wine might tell us about who God is and what his hopes for us are.

I often wonder if we read some of the stories in the Bible so often that we stop seeing what’s in them.  If we stopped being amazed by the big stuff and we completely overlook some of those small but hugely important details?  In the middle of all that's happening Jesus is praying... and that should tell us something important!

I wonder what we make of the idea of ‘God with us’?  Maybe it’s easier to understand when that’s a baby in a manger.  But what it if it’s more than that?

When Jesus is posted missing his parents are frantic... but where else would he be?

We celebrate the gift of a child... God with us!

we wait for the birth of the Christ-child

Mary's song takes a perhaps unexpected twist though…. so before we get all starry eyed and sentimental… this is two pregnant women discussing the downfall of all earthly empires!

John the Baptist calls them a group of snakes... and this is the good news?  How?