The Cranmer Group Podcast

Reflecting on Colossians 1:9-20 & Luke 23:32-43, Tim asked us the question, "So What?" As we celebrate this Feast of Christ the King, worshipping the One who rules over all, what difference - "So What?" - does Jesus's majesty and rule over all make to us and the way in which we live our lives as his disciples?

Looking at John's encouragement to us to "love with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:16-24), and Jesus's account of who our neighbour is (The Good Samaritan; Luke 10:25-37), Tim encourages us all to see that Biblically-rooted principles of safeguarding are the responsibility of everyone in our church family.

Through stories and the poetry of the World War I British Army Chaplain, Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy - better known as "Woodbine Willie" - Tim reflects on the messages of Paul's Letter to the Romans, chapter 8, verses 31-39, and Revelation, chapter 21, verses 1-7, and the hope, love and new life we find in Jesus Christ.

Bron reflects on Jesus's actions in John 18.1-12, in contrast to those of the hot-headed apostle, Peter; and also looks at the latter's teaching once he had acquired greater spiritual maturity, in 2 Peter 1:1-8. She considers how self-control helps us, as Christians,  to resist the temptation to act on simple, sinful impulses or conform to the ways of the world. True self-control is not a talent we can sustain on our own; rather, it is a gift, exercised in the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which frees us to live according to God's will.

Referring to God appearing to Elijah in the cave (1 Kings 19:7-13) and Jesus speaking about himself in Matthew 11:25-30, Annie speaks of gentleness as 'power under restraint', and of Jesus claiming that gentleness is at the core of who he is, and who God is.

With a bit of congregational heckling(!) and the help of a current very popular TV show, Tim considers how, in the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den (Daniel 6:1-23) and Jesus's teaching in Matthew 25:14-30, God's faithfulness to us inspires us to be faithful to him, showing courage and boldness for our King and His Kingdom.

In our Harvest Holy Communion at St. Mary's Orston, referring to the lessons of Scripture in Exodus 16:1-8, and Luke 10:25-37, Bronwen explores the harvest of goodness in God's provision for us, and the harvest of goodness in the Fruit of the Spirit.

Drawing on David's covenantal kindness to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9:1-13); and Jesus's teaching to his followers (Matthew 25:31-40), that their showing of kindness to others, is as if they are being kind to him; Tim encourages us to allow the Holy Spirit to grow God's kindness in us.

Through the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin in Luke 15:1-10, and Paul's First Letter to Timothy (chapter 1, verses 12-17), Bron highlights Jesus's unlimited patience with each one of us. Illustrated by the figure of the shepherd, searching relentlessly for, and finally finding, the lost sheep (and helped by her own illustrations of making a fruit salad and baking a Victoria sponge!), Bron shares how we're called to show this same, Christ-like patience, both to ourselves and to others.

With some help from one of our family's favourite children's books - and Paul's letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, verses 4-9, and John chapter 14, verses 15-27 - Tim explains how God's gift of peace is one which is based not on the absence of the things which may bring anxiety and care into our lives. Rather, the Fruit of the Spirit which is God's peace, is based on presence - the gift of the Holy Spirit's presence in our hearts, displacing all the chaos which may be swirling around in our lives.