Easter Devotionals - John 12:20-33

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passage is read by Arlette, and the passage is John 12:20-33.

The Prediction

John devotes much of his Gospel to the last six days of Jesus’ life. In John 12, Jesus predicts “what kind of death he was going to die” — one that would loosen Satan’s death grip on the world, raise Jesus in victory from the horrors of the crucifixion and grave, and draw people from all over the world to him (v. 32). But here he also reiterates his sobering template for all who would follow after him and be known as his disciples.

From the early days of his ministry in John, Jesus has been alluding to his “hour” — the appointed time when he would undergo suffering and death for the sins of the world. But through this humiliation Jesus also strangely radiates the “glory” of God to humanity. God “glorifies his name” not only through the earthly ministry of Christ but also his death. John foreshadows this reality early on by concluding “we have seen (or ‘beheld’) his glory … full of grace and truth” (1:14).

Equally striking is the very human Jesus we encounter here, honest enough to admit “now is my soul troubled” (v. 27) as he starts to feel the agony he is about to undergo. It is an amazing picture of a person completely abandoned to God in the face of unspeakable pain, knowing that God’s glory ultimately is the only thing that matters. And it becomes a teaching moment for the disciples as well.

Seeds are living things that must die in order to reproduce; they carry the promise of future life. On the surface, Christ’s death looks to the world like a disaster, but by falling “into the earth” (v. 24), he is able to raise up followers and bring “many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). However, following Christ carries a cost: many of the original disciples were to die excruciating deaths themselves, leading Tertullian to conclude that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Christ’s disciples must always “die” to themselves to find “living hope” (1 Peter 1:3-5) in Christ. Here Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s observation on discipleship rings true: “when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”

Prayer

Risen Lord, you loved us so much that you died to save us from sin. We pray that this reality gives us humility, leads us to praise you always, and gives us a boldness to live fully abandoned to your loving will. In your mercy make these things so, for we pray them in your name. Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Easter Devotionals - Luke 9:18-27

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passage is read by Barny, and the passage is Luke 9:18-27.

The Call

After spending days and nights with Jesus, witnessing his words and works first hand, Peter could make an absolute confession that Jesus was the Christ, the promised one of God. Those further from Jesus were less resolute in their faiths, often believing him to be a prophet, but those who followed him regularly knew that he was not simply a messenger, but the message itself. After Peter’s confession, Jesus tried to help them understand his mission and what it looked like to follow him, but Jesus was not the kind of Messiah they were expecting, and following him was not what they thought it was going to be like.

Jesus issues a clear call to those who might follow him, that allegiance to him requires denying yourself, taking up your cross daily and following him. Then and now his words are difficult. We live in a culture that teaches us to glorify ourselves and to pursue comfort, control and the satisfaction of our desires above all else. To deny oneself and pursue the things of God can feel like death, but that is what Jesus calls us to. He tells us that to follow him we will have to relinquish all control and endure suffering and rejection, but he also promises that this will make us like him. In him, triumph will come through suffering. Jesus is calling us to lose our lives as we know them, but only so that he might give us real and eternal life in him. Do you hear him calling you? Are you willing to deny yourself and take up your cross in order to follow him? Do you trust that he will lead you to life?

Prayer

Gracious God, we thank you that you have revealed your Son to us, that Jesus is the Christ, the deliverer we all need. Please give us the grace we need to follow you. You alone are worthy and we want to give you our lives, but need your help to do so. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Easter Devotionals - Matthew 4:1-11

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passage is read by Shirley, and the passage is Matthew 4:1-11.

The Fast

Here, we learn about three specific ways that Satan sought to tempt Jesus, each one more significant, by challenging his desire for food, urging him to display power sensationally, and encouraging him to use political power to establish God’s kingdom. In this third instance, he was tempting Jesus to bypass the cross. The devil was more than willing to give us all back to Jesus, if only Jesus would worship him instead of God. Skip the suffering, save the people, deny God, do it the easy way. For each response, Jesus relied on Scripture, the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17), to resist.

These temptations occurred following Jesus’ baptism. Right after Jesus was anointed for ministry, the Spirit led him into the wilderness for 40 days and nights of fasting “to be tempted by the devil.” Jesus’ time in the desert reminds us of Moses fasting for the same period on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28). After Moses’ 40 days and nights, God gave him the Ten Commandments for the Israelites. Thus, here we see that Jesus is the new Moses come to fulfill the law that Moses was given.

Prayer

Gracious God, we praise you that you know what it is like to be tempted in every way, as we are. Thank you for showing us how to resist temptation and thank you for enduring the cross and for fulfilling the law, for our sakes, on our behalf. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Easter Devotionals - John 8:1-11

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passage is read by Isaac, and is from John 8:1-11.

The Adulteress

The Law was clear — adultery was a capital offense with two guilty parties: “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die” (Deuteronomy 22:22). In accordance with the Law, therefore, the scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus with an adulterous woman to be stoned. Where was the man? They didn’t care. After all, their concern wasn’t really with the Law. Their concern was with testing Jesus.

But Jesus wasn’t fooled. He said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” Of course, Jesus wasn’t making a recommendation for a new judicial system; no criminals would be held accountable if judges had to be without sin. Jesus was making a point – a point he frequently made to the Pharisees. He often said things to them like, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’” (Matthew 9:13; c.f., Matthew 12:1-8; John 7:21-23). In other words, he was telling them that they were missing the most important part of the Law – that its foundation was love (Matthew 22:34-40; Matthew 7:12; Galatians 5:14). Thus, although they appeared interested in upholding the Law, they were actually breaking it because they weren’t acting on the basis of love, grace, humility and compassion.

So they went away. And Jesus told the woman, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” He didn’t say, “It doesn’t matter whether you sin.” Instead, he said, in effect, “I myself am establishing your righteousness on the foundation of love and grace. Therefore, don’t sin — not because you fear its punishment, but because you have met me and have been saved by grace.”

Prayer

Lord, We exalt the name of Jesus because his righteousness has been imputed to us through grace alone! Therefore, even as we seek to sin no more, let us long for holiness and righteousness out of a deep recognition that we have been saved by grace. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

#RedeemerRecommends - Two Blogs to Help Us Fast Well

This Lent, we are encouraging you to join with others at Redeemer and dedicate yourself to fasting for a day! You might choose a one off day between now and Easter, or aim to fast one day a week for the next 6 weeks, either way you can sign up and let us know you’re joining us below…

On Tuesday we published a blog all about why we’re choosing to focus on Lent this year, but we also wanted to share two blogs with you from Tim Jones over at thinktheology.co.uk. These posts educate us on what Fasting is, why we should be doing it, and how to make the most of the fasting process.

Below is a link to the first post, which focuses on the Spiritual basis of fasting, and how it can benefit us as followers of Jesus (including why that isn’t really the point!)

Tim’s second blog speaks to the practical issues of fasting, and answers some FAQs, with some tips for fully engaging in fasting wisely.

We hope these blogs help to encourage you to join us as we fast this lent, and look forward to praying with you!

Poet's Corner - A New Song

There are times when I feel like, and find myself, singing. But less so in lockdown in my household of one (unless I have the radio on).

One of the highlights of the past few months was sitting at home, on Zoom, in a meet up walking through Ephesians together with friends. We were invited to come with songs and hymns and songs from the Spirit, reflecting Paul's encouragement:

"... be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 5:18-20

What followed was the joy of joined voices giving thanks, using songs we knew from our past walk with Christ. I sang those songs well after the Zoom call closed.

Songs for New Seasons

I find that new experiences also spark new songs, and I love the new songs we hear on a Sunday and through YouTube links we've been sent. God does something new in us during every new season, and this season is no different.

Some of these songs have tunes, some do not. Some are upbeat, some are not. However each song is true, because it's born from a true experience in God's presence.

I encourage you to sing spirit-penned songs, both old and new. Some will only be heard by you and the Lord in your shower, while some can be shared with family and friends. But we're all called to sing.

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A New Song

Oh Lord, grant me a new song.
A start-again-afresh-with-no-regrets song.
One with a bridge to new accord,
a song with which I can get on board.
Something that strikes a stronger chord
with those, who like me,
long to be fully factory restored.

A song with a fresher melody
(and I definitely need a different harmony),
something that's part of a wider symphony
maybe with an occasional solo part
for me.

A song that I get to sing with gusto,
maybe to a slightly quicker tempo,
a step up from my imposed Adagio,
closer to a brisker Allegretto.

Oh Lord, you see me.
You see that I long to sing.

Lord, please wipe me clean
and write a new song in me.

Amen.

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Poet’s Corner is arranged each month by our resident poet, Steve Page. In addition to being a poet, Steve is a deacon at Redeemer, a true friend, a trusted advisor, and a giver of great hugs. You can find more of his poetry at hellopoetry.com and follow him on Instagram.

Lent 2021 with Redeemer - What and Why?

Lent begins tomorrow, as it does every year on Ash Wednesday, and continues for 40 days (46 if you include Sundays), until we reach Easter Sunday.

This year at Redeemer we are encouraging you to join us in observing lent in some way. But before we get on to how you can do that… What is lent, and why are we talking about it?

What is lent?

Lent has been a fixture in the traditional church calendar for many hundreds, if not thousands of years! People with much more knowledge than me are still unsure when exactly the tradition began, but it has certainly been around for a lot longer than Redeemer Church London, or any of our family members!

Traditionally, lent is a 40 day period leading up to Easter Sunday, which prepares believers for Easter through prayer, repentance and self-denial. Many Christians have used this time to commit to fasting, and give up luxuries, to reflect the 40 days which Jesus spent in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13). 

Some choose not to fast on the Sundays during Lent, marking these Sundays as a day of celebration, meeting with God and sharing fellowship with other believers.

Why give something up this year?

Reason No. 1 - Unity
By choosing to observe lent, however you choose to do so, you are joining with other Christians who are doing the same. Not only those at Redeemer, but believers all over the world! Even though we are all going through different stages in our lives, facing different challenges, and fasting from different things, we are united in this season, as we seek to fix our eyes on the same God.

The past year has been tough for many reasons, not least because we’ve been unable to join regularly with other believers to worship, take heart from knowing you are joining with a great number of your brothers and sisters in Christ this lent, even if you are physically separate.

Reason No. 2 - Discipline
As Christians we are called not just to live in freedom today, but to look to the promise of an eternal relationship with God. There are joys which we will experience in the new heavens and new earth that give us strength as we endure the challenges of life right now. This lent we are choosing to sacrifice something which brings us temporary satisfaction, in order to fix our eyes on a God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. By doing this we are cultivating the discipline of maintaining an eternal perspective whatever our current earthly situation. 

During the pandemic it has been so easy to focus entirely on what is happening right now, but we need to lift our eyes to a God who is greater, a God who is ultimately satisfying, a God who is eternal.

Reason No. 3 - Choosing to Trust God
We live in a city and a culture which teaches us to take responsibility for fulfilling our own deep spiritual needs, to put ourselves in charge of our financial stability, our happiness, our identity, our career path. Scripture says otherwise.

God is the source of all that we need, not us. All that is good in our lives is a gift from God! (James 1:17) But we can forget this, we can try and fill the gaps in our lives with other things, be that social media, television, relationships, money, the list goes on. We can aim to make ourselves feel better by complaining, by drinking too much, by hiding ourselves away from the world. Ultimately NONE of these things will satisfy. 

By choosing to fast from something this lent we transfer our faith and our trust off ourselves and back over to God, he is the one who will never let us down, who will never fall short, who will never fail to bring fulfilment and satisfaction.

Why not put your trust in God this lent.

How can I be part of lent at Redeemer?

You can join us as we fast from food for 40 days as a church! By clicking the link below you can add yourself to the list of those at Redeemer who are committing to fast for one or more days during lent. We hope to have someone at Redeemer fasting every day, from now up until Easter Sunday!

Choose to give something up! Check out our social media over the next few days to hear from some members of the Redeemer family about what they will be giving up this lent! You can do the same! I would encourage you to think first about how you would like to grow deeper in your relationship with God this term, and then think about what you might give up to make that happen!

Eternal Life Starts Now

We only need to look out of our windows to see that this world is a wonderful place. As I am writing this, I can hear the sounds of laughter as children make snowmen on a Sunday afternoon in January and I am reminded that God has placed us in a world, in which beauty and joy abound. However, at other times we become painfully aware of how turbulent life on this side of heaven can be. This past year has undoubtedly acted as a reminder for many of us that financial difficulties, loss, loneliness, and many other kinds of hardships, can come quickly and without warning. In such situations we can find comfort in Bible passages, such as in Revelation. 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21:3-4

The vivid and hopeful picture of heaven Revelation paints can make it easy to look forward to the time when we will be taken home by our loving Father. He will be our God and dwell with us. He will wipe every tear away. There will be only rejoicing. The difficulties of life on earth, and resulting feelings of insecurity and hopelessness, can tempt us to look forward to heaven, at the expense of knowing our eternal life has already begun. The truth is that we are not insecure and hopeless, even now. 

The death of loved ones, financial hardships, persecution, and emotional weakness are nothing new to humankind. Jesus’ disciples themselves experienced such times of trouble. The same John who went on to write the Gospel of John, as well as other books in the New Testament, witnessed his brother, James, be martyred for Christ (Acts 12:2). Paul describes how he was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked and more (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). And even Jesus wept over the death of His friend (John 11:35), showing that even our Lord and Saviour is a compassionate God, well acquainted with sorrow and grief. 

A Godly Response

In all of these stories, we see a response of rejoicing and hoping in the most dire situations. This joy and hope is a result of nothing less than the faith and trust in a relationship with Jesus Christ, our God, which does not start when we get to the wonderful heaven that is described in Revelation, but which begins right now when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. This relationship should transform our response to difficult situations life can bring our way.  It has been my mistake in the past to say in difficult times, “If only I were in heaven, where I can live eternally and happily with Jesus”. Of course, heaven will take away weeping from life, but when we begin our eternal life with Jesus, it should change our entire outlook on life right then and now. 

The Bible tells us we can praise God always, finding hope, joy, and strength in Him in the darkest of times. In the Old Testament, Nehemiah beautifully states that the joy of the Lord is the strength of God’s people. This should set a pattern for us, to respond by finding strength and joy in God when we are tempted to despair. 

We can praise God in difficult times, because the Bible is clear to tell us that such situations and experiences will grow and mature us. Suffering allows us to learn endurance, develop our character, and grow in hope, as we see God working and helping us through (Romans 3:3-5). James gives an encouraging description of the outcomes of suffering for believers if we stand firm in God’s grace and truth. 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4

The trials we face in life may hurt us deeply, but they are also producing in us characteristics of a mature Christian. And while Paul assures us that the troubles we face on earth are nothing in comparison to the eternal glory awaiting us in heaven (2 Corinthians 4:27), we can already rejoice in hope now and cling to God in times of trouble, knowing that He is working all things for good (Romans 8:28). We must only trust and obey God, echoing Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 26, that His will be done. But how do we do this when everything around us seems overwhelmingly negative? 

Look to the Son

John states that God has given us eternal life, that this life in His Son, and that we get eternal life when we believe in the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:11-13). It is the relationship with Jesus that should lead us in hope, strength, love, and faith as we go through life, with its ups and downs. We are not alone even now; God has already dwelled with us in human form and, after giving us Jesus, has already given us His Holy Spirit, pouring His love out over us to be with us forever. Whereas in the Old Testament, God dwelled with His people in the tabernacle, He now dwells with us in our bodies. And this is not something that can be taken away from us. Where humans may have left and hurt us, God will never leave nor forsake us. We have complete security in His love and this relationship with Him. The Gospel of John records what Jesus Himself said regarding this. 

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
John 10:28-30

Jobs may have been snatched from us throughout the past year. People may have passed away, or we may have simply not been able to see them when we would have liked to. But really this only shows what has always been true: that the things of this world are fleeting, and that the only thing which truly satisfies and lasts is our relationship with Jesus. 

The Bible is abundantly clear that there is hope for all of us at the end of our walks with Jesus, if we endure and choose to follow Him all the days of our lives. Peter reminds us that while life may be hard in the meantime, Jesus will establish us and restore all things when He comes again (1 Peter 5:10). More than that, James tells us that if we love God and remain steadfast in faith during trials and tests, we will receive the crown of life (James 1:12). There is so much to look forward to!

But we are not there yet and my hope is to encourage you to look to Jesus today and the beauty of a relationship with Him even now, which will transform your outlook on these trials and tests in this world. Psalm 34:18 says that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. He is here for you and close to you, readily available for an intimate and life-giving relationship beginning today. When we humble ourselves before Him and cast our anxieties on Him, He is ready to lift us up and care for us (1 Peter 5:6-7). When we feel weary and burdened, He is ready to give us rest, with his beautifully gentle and humble heart (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus may have placed you in this world, but He did not leave you alone or hopeless. He is the Light of the World and Prince of Peace. All you need to do is commit your sorrows into His hands, and allow Him to be at work in you. 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

Esther-Maria is one of our Redeemer students, a core member of our kids ministry, and is passionate about the word of God. In 2021, she’ll be sharing her thoughts on how scripture should change the way we live our lives! Check back here every month for more.

#RedeemerRecommends - Get uncomfortable....

A few weeks ago at our leadership training evening, Pete recommended a book to all of us, and I decided to order it there and then!

I’m so glad I did, although as I’ve been reading it, there have been moments where I wished I didn’t…

Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community is a book which has made me laugh and cringe in equal measure as it reveals truths about what it feels like to be part of a diverse, bible believing church in 2021.

In a season where I don’t have the opportunity to be part of a physical church gathering every Sunday, the book has hammered home just how much I miss it, while also stirring me to think about what I might do differently once we are able to meet together again.

Keeping Cool

Brett McCracken - the author of the book, and a pastor at an Advance church in California - sums up his main challenge for us in the first chapter.

"When the Christian church is comfortable and cultural, she tends to be weak. When she is uncomfortable and countercultural, she tends to be strong.”

This is a constant challenge for us as a Church and as individual Christians in London, the draw towards being accepted and seen as ‘cool’ is real, and strong! But McCracken reminds us here that we are called instead to holiness, particularly when it comes to cultural touchstones such as sexual ethics and diversity.

Uncomfortable Mission

This is where the benefit of this book really hits home for me, McCracken has not simply written a book to encourage us to be better friends with one another - although reading it will certainly make you appreciate the benefit of church community to an even greater extent! 

Instead, he also emphasises that when we as a church look different from the culture around us, that is when we put ourselves in the greatest position to impact those living in that very culture, and reveal the truth of the gospel to them!

In the final chapter, entitled Countercultural Comfort, he writes:

Regardless of its routine, the reality of the church is revolutionary. However unpopular we are, our purpose is profound. As salt and light, we are the hope of the world.

There are many other essential challenges that are brought to light in the book, from our unhealthy obsession with brokenness, to our discomfort with submitting to the authority of Christ, scripture and church leadership. If you ever feel uncomfortable in church, I would recommend that you read it! You will be reassured to learn that you are most certainly not alone, but also reminded that this uncomfortable feeling likely won’t, and arguably shouldn’t ever change.

But that’s not the whole story…

We are, mysteriously, part of a cosmic plan God has eternally known. And we have an eternal inheritance. The discomfort and disdain we endure in this life as a peculiar people will be a blip in the timeline of our infinite history. We will at last be the perfect church we presently long for; the unblemished bride at an unimaginable wedding feast.

Poet's Corner - A new blog for 2021

Hi there, and welcome to our second brand new blog series here at Redeemer for 2021! Once a month, our resident poet Steve Page, will be sharing with us some of his favourite poetry. We’ll be hearing from a range of voices, from famous poets to some of our very own Redeemer family members. We hope this blog builds you up, and helps you to grow in your relationship with God, maybe it will even stir you to write some poetry of your own!

Without further ado, here’s the first Redeemer Poet’s Corner of 2021…

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Hope

This is my favourite poem on the theme of hope. It calls us to not give up.

(And we know a hope that keeps singing.)

”Hope” is the thing with feathers
Emily Dickinson

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I've heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.

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Jesus was poetic too, using vivid imagery to communicate timeless truths - painting pictures that stick in the mind.

Here's what he had to say on the topic of hope and worry.

Matthew 6:26-34
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

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You might say that Hope is a person called Jesus.

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Poet’s Corner is arranged each month by our resident poet, Steve Page. In addition to being a poet, Steve is a deacon at Redeemer, a true friend, a trusted advisor, and a giver of great hugs. You can find more of his poetry at hellopoetry.com and follow him on Instagram.

Sharing your Faith - A new blog from Redeemer!

Welcome to 2021 on the Redeemer blog! To start off this year we’ve got a few new themed blogs for you, which we’ll be publishing once a month. Today sees the start of our first new blog - Sharing Your Faith! In his monthly posts, Ryan Bentley will be stirring us to share our faith with others, by looking at passages of scripture and giving practical tips. We hope you enjoy his first blog below!

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³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Matthew 25:31-46

So, are you a sheep, or are you a goat?

When we come to dichotomous scriptures like this one we like to think of ourselves as the sheep. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd and his sheep hear his voice. Often times we try and figure out how we can meet the standard of sheep. 

What do I need to do? How do I need to do it? How often do I need to do it? Who do I need to do it to or with?

The more I look at this section of scripture the more fascinated I am by it, but this week I want to leave you with this. The sheep didn’t know they were sheep, and the goats didn’t know they were goats until they were parted by the Shepherd. 

Just sit in that. I’m serious, put your phone down, push yourself away from the keyboard and sit in that.

They had NO clue.

How does this make you feel?

Anxious? Sad? Maybe it makes you feel excited?

However we feel, and whatever category we might put ourselves in, I believe we can learn from this passage! The way I want us to learn from it today is by looking at the responses of the sheep and the goats to their categorisation!

Do you see a difference? 

It took me a while and I’ve been reading the bible for 17 years. I never noticed it until someone pointed it out to me.

The sheep (the righteous ones) didn’t know when they took care of the king, and they listed all of their deeds out one by one. Recounting all of them. The goats? They lumped it all together. They branded everything as “helping” or “ministry”. I think there is a heart posture here that goes all the way back to Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Abel’s sacrifice was from the heart. Whereas Cain’s sacrifice was based on performance. I think the same can be extrapolated here from the sheep and the goats. One is looking at the intimate details whereas the other is defining their performance with broad strokes looking for the common denominator.

Next month we’ll talk about this passage again and focus on another piece of the puzzle but for this week I want you to meditate and think on these things…

• The sheep and goat didn’t know what they were until they were separated by the Shepherd

• When they were separated, they reflected on the Shepherd’s words on two separate levels

I believe God is calling you and me to look at our service to others with a heart posture of love, over a posture of performance. We need not be concerned about which camp we’re in, or who we belong to. We simply know, listen, obey and move. 

Let’s uncomplicate love and service together. Let’s simply focus on the one in front of us.

Ryan Bentley
Ryan moved from Birmingham in 2020 to be part of Redeemer along with his wife Sarah (our families worker) and his two kids, Rhys and Torah! He serves the church full time and his aim is to equip each of us to share the gospel with those around us on a daily basis. You can join his Faith Sharing meetup HERE or find more of his wisdom on Instagram.

Sounds of the Season - Joy to the World

Sounds of the Season

Welcome! It’s December the 22nd, and we’re continuing with our very first Redeemer Digital Advent Calendar! This year, in the lead up to Christmas, we’ll be producing daily content which we hope blesses you, encourages you, and reminds you of the hope that we can celebrate this Christmas!

We’re continuing today with the last of our 4 Advent blogs which have been released every Tuesday until Christmas to make up a series called ‘Sounds of the Season’. Each week we’ve been taking the opportunity to appreciate the deeper meaning behind Christmas music, with a focus on a specific Christmas carol that helps to shed light on the true meaning of this Christmas season.

Today, we look at my personal favourite carol - Joy tothe World! You can hear a version below.

Creation is groaning.

In Romans 8:19-22, creation is described as ‘waiting with eager longing for the revealing of the songs of God’ and that it has been ‘groaning with the pains of childbirth until now’. This year has been a year of difficulty for all of us, but it is not us alone that groans, but creation itself has been groaning, ever since the fall.

It’s not difficult to see the effects that the actions of humans have had on creation, and to recognise the reason that it groans, however as we sing Joy to the World this Christmas, there is an opportunity to remind ourselves that there is hope! Both for creation, and for us!

Heaven and Nature Sing!

Though we recognise that the world in which we live is broken, in many ways beyond repair, we also know as Christians that God promises this won’t always be the case! We sing about it in Joy to the World…

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found, 
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found. 

This verse is inspired by Revelation 22:1-5, where we read of the glorious future promised to those who follow Jesus! A place where there is no curse, no darkness, no pain!

In his book The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis gives us a glimpse of what it might feel like to arrive there.

It was the unicorn who summed up what everyone was feeling. He stamped his right forehoof on the ground and neighed, and then cried: ‘I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. The reason why we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this. Bree-hee-hee! Come further up! Come further in! 
(C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle [New York: HarperTrophy,1984], 213.)

This is the feeling that we sing about when we sing this carol at Christmas!

Joy to the World

I think that’s the reason that this is my favourite carol, because its title describes the effect of Jesus’ birth. He came to bring Joy to the World! The reason that we can look forward to an eternal future where heaven and nature will sing, is not because we’ve found the solution ourselves, but instead because Jesus came! He came to live and die for us, to pay the price for our failings, and bring an end to the groaning of creation forever!

We are in a season of great pain, turmoil and difficulty this Christmas, but it is into the midst of all of those temporary feelings that Jesus comes, and he comes to bring unshakeable, everlasting joy. Joy to the World!

Merry Christmas!

Sounds of the Season - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Welcome! It’s December the 15th, and we’re continuing with our very first Redeemer Digital Advent Calendar! This year, in the lead up to Christmas, we’ll be producing daily content which we hope blesses you, encourages you, and reminds you of the hope that we can celebrate this Christmas!

We’re continuing today with the third of 4 Advent blogs which will be released every Tuesday until Christmas and will make up a series called ‘Sounds of the Season’. Each week we will be taking the opportunity to appreciate the deeper meaning behind Christmas music, with a focus on a specific Christmas carol that helps to shed light on the true meaning of this Christmas season.

Today, we look at another great carol - O Come, O Come Emmanuel! You can hear a version below.

One of the reasons I look forward to carol services each Christmas is that without fail, every year I sing a verse of a carol which I have never heard or sung along to before! O Come O Come Emmanuel seems to be one of those carols which often fulfils that role, it has many verses, which sadly (but often necessarily) need to be trimmed from the performance for the sake of time!

Two verses which are fantastic theologically, but you may not have sung recently, are the focus of today’s blog, and I’ve posted them below.

O come, O come, Emmanuel 
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to thee, O Israel. 

We are all seeking freedom and joy

In a 2017 post on Christianity Today, Ed Stetzer talks of how advent is a representation of our longing for freedom from our separation from God. 

“In this time of waiting, patience is key. We wait, but do so with great expectation, trusting that God will fulfill all of his many promises to us. As believers, we never fear, we do not lose hope, nor do we give into discouragement, because we know how the story ends: Jesus—the long awaited Messiah—is on the move.” 

The whole world longs for the same thing, we are all searching for freedom, joy, prosperity and unity. In the commercialisation of the Christmas season we see an example of how we can so easily seek this satisfaction in temporary things. As advent is a season of anticipation of the coming of Christ for Christians, so for others it is a season of anticipation of the coming of loads of new stuff! Stuff which it is hoped will bring healing, belonging, and value.

The one who brings true freedom and joy

In Isaiah 11:2-5 we read the verses which are the inspiration for part of today’s carol. It describes the Messiah, the one we now know to be called Jesus. He is one on whom the Spirit of the Lord rests, he is one who cares about justice for the poor and those in need, he is the defender of those who are the victims of oppression and wickedness.

This is the one everyone is waiting and searching for, the one who brings true freedom and joy. He fulfils all the longings and desires in us, desires that are too deep to be fulfilled by presents, traditions, or even friends and family members this Christmas.

A question to ask yourself today

Who do you know that needs to learn that Jesus can meet their needs this Christmas? I would encourage you to invite that person to our online carol service - 7:30pm on the Redeemer Church London Youtube Channel - where they will get a chance to meet the one who will fulfil their deepest needs this Christmas.

It may be that you are stirred by the words of Isaiah 11 today, to reach out to the most vulnerable in our society, those who Jesus himself would have sought out. We are running an initiative this year called Love Christmas, where we are aiming to bless others in our borough, and you can get involved by emailing us at hello@redeemerlondon.org

Sounds of the Season - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Welcome! It’s December the 8th, and we’re continuing with our very first Redeemer Digital Advent Calendar! This year, in the lead up to Christmas, we’ll be producing daily content which we hope blesses you, encourages you, and reminds you of the hope that we can celebrate this Christmas!

We’re continuing today with the second of 4 Advent blogs which will be released every Tuesday until Christmas and will make up a series called ‘Sounds of the Season’. Each week we will be taking the opportunity to appreciate the deeper meaning behind Christmas music, with a focus on a specific Christmas carol that helps to shed light on the true meaning of this Christmas season.

Today, we look at another classic carol - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen! You can hear a version below.

Sheep have amazing hearing. In fact, one of the first ways a lamb associates itself with its mother is by learning her voice. Though they have poor depth perception when it comes to sight, they can recognise their shepherd’s call from far off. We are the sheep of God’s pasture, and we are called to hear his voice and to follow his lead, including proclaiming the good news of Jesus to the people he sends us to.

Unto certain Shepherds….

This is exactly what the angels did in Luke 2:8-20, a passage of scripture described in the second verse of today’s carol - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds 
Brought tidings of the same: How that in Bethlehem was born The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy 

The angels came and declared the incredible news of Jesus’ birth, not to the emperor Caesar, or even to King Herod, but instead to lowly shepherds.

Shepherds appear in the bible in many places, and their status changes throughout biblical history, from being an “abomination to the Egyptians” in Genesis 46:34, to a shepherd being anointed king with the selection of David by Samuel (1 Samuel 16:11). Krish Kandiah’s 2017 article “God Turns Up in All the Wrong Places at Christmas” describes shepherds as “considered untrustworthy and regarded as unclean…homeless strangers”. We however are called, as the angels were, to share the good news of Jesus with whoever God calls us to.

The Lost Sheep

The angels visit to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth is not the only appearance of shepherds in the book of Luke. In Luke 15:1-7, Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep, reminding those listening (as well as those reading his words 2000 years later), that in God’s role as our shepherd, her seeks us out when we have gone astray.

Shepherds are not just used by God as an example of those to whom the message of Christmas must be told, but also as those through which the reason for Christmas is revealed. God couldn’t let us go astray, but he sent Jesus that we might be found and brought back to him.

So what role will shepherds play in your story of Christmas this year? 

Perhaps you are challenged to reach out to those who the rest of society might be ignoring this Christmas, and reveal to them something of the true message of this time of year.

Or, perhaps you feel like the lost sheep, and you realise this Christmas might be an opportunity to come home.

However you feel right now, know that the Good Shepherd is calling you. Listen out for his voice.

Redeemer Advent Calendar Blog - Sounds of the Season!

Welcome! It’s December the 1st, and the start of our very first Redeemer Digital Advent Calendar! For the next 24 days in the lead up to Christmas, we’ll be producing daily content which we hope blesses you, encourages you, and reminds you of the hope that we can celebrate this Christmas!

We’re starting off the month with the first of 4 Advent blogs which will be released every Tuesday until Christmas and will make up a series called ‘Sounds of the Season’. Each week we will be taking the opportunity to appreciate the deeper meaning behind Christmas music, with a focus on a specific Christmas carol that helps to shed light on the true meaning of this Christmas season.

Today, we begin with an old favourite - Hark the Herald Angels Sing! You can hear a version below.

Pleased as man with man to dwell…

When we sing this carol together every Christmas as we get to verse 3 there is a specific line that sticks out to me - “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity. Pleased as man, with man to dwell…” This is one of the most incredible truths of the Christmas story, that God himself came to dwell with us. How do we know this? It’s written into his very name - Immanuel, that means God with us! We read in Matthew 1:22-23, a recalling of the prophecy brought by Isaiah and which we can read in Isaiah 7 & 8. In the book of Isaiah, the arrival of Immanuel signals temporary salvation for the people of Judah, but we know that the arrival of Jesus means salvation is available to all people! God became man, that we might be eternally saved from sin and death.

What does that mean?

The question for us today is how do we live out this salvation here on earth, how does our eternal hope influence our life right now?!

One thing we do is we honour and care for our own bodies! Christmas is often a time of indulgence, and though I’m not saying we should ditch our Christmas dinner, it is important to remember that we are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and that we bear the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), it’s important that we look after ourselves physically.

It’s equally important that we choose to honour and care for others. We are called as his disciples to follow the example of Jesus, to be his presence here on earth. Let’s seek this Christmas to be a voice for the voiceless, to care for the vulnerable, victims of abuse, and to meet the needs of those who would otherwise go without. As we celebrate our own rescue from brokenness, we are called to care for others who are broken (James 1:27).

Another thing we are called to do as followers of Christ, is to speak truth in situations where it needs to be heard. There is a tendency in our culture today to think of the spiritual as separate from every day life, but as we sing of Jesus’ coming as a baby, to dwell with us, we are reminded that God wants our relationship with him to impact every aspect of our lives.

We were made for close connection

In 2013, a World Health Organisation study concluded that skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her baby led to increased connection between the two, better feeding, and more robust physiological development.

This is a scientific way of making the point that we were designed to have close connection with the one who made us. We believe as Christians that this means more than just close relationship with our earthly parents, but that we are made for intimacy with our heavenly Father. We are brought near to him in and through Christ! (John 17:22-23)

The TV show Undercover Boss features a CEO disguising themselves as a regular member of staff, and interacting with people at their company they would never normally meet. It is always interesting to see the realisation that though they are leading these people, they don’t truly know them at all. This is not how God loves us, he did not send Jesus simply to observe us, he came to serve, to dwell with us, and to restore us to relationship with our heavenly father.

This Christmas as we sing this carol let’s remember again the wonder that God came to dwell with us.

Wednesday Prayer - November Lockdown

Over the past several months, we often met as a church community on a Wednesday to pray together. As meetups have started, and many of us are now meeting regularly to study Ephesians together, we are no longer meeting together as a church to pray. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop praying! So over here on the blog we’re starting a new series on Wednesdays, giving you a few ideas of what you could be praying for today and for the rest of this week.

Today we’re praying for…..

The Lockdown

I know! It’s an obvious choice, but it seems silly that something would be dominating our conversations with one another and yet not our conversations with God!

So let’s join together in prayer today, focusing on the next 4 weeks, and fixing our eyes on the one who will be unchanging through it all, and who has plans to continue to bless us and help us grow in our faith during this time.

Some key prayer points to help you are listed below.

1. Worship God! It is always crucial to begin times of prayer by reminding ourselves just who it is that we are coming to! We pray to a God who is mighty and more powerful than anything in the universe, he is our creator, our Father, our protector, our peace, our firm foundation. He is greatly to be praised! Before you start to present your requests to God, make sure you first and foremost give him the glory he is worthy of, and in the process stir your faith for what he might do over the coming weeks.

2. Pray for God to grow your personal faith during this time. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be at work in you, to help you establish disciplines of prayer and reading scripture over lockdown. Pray that God would continue to speak to you as you join us for our online services.

3. Pray for your fellow members of the Redeemer family. Pray that God would continue to sustain them during this difficult time. Pray especially for those who might be dealing with loneliness. Pray for opportunities to build community with others in the Redeemer family, be that through one on one outdoor exercise, or calling, texting and meeting together on Zoom. Pray that God continues to move powerfully in our midweek Ephesians meetups! Pray for protection for the vulnerable and healing and rapid recovery for those who contract the virus

4. Pray for those around you that don’t yet have a personal relationship with God. Pray that this time might stir them to ask questions and begin to seek God. Pray for opportunities for gospel conversations with your neighbours and colleagues over the coming weeks. We believe that Jesus will continue to build his church, regardless of the circumstance, so let’s be expecting him to include us in that process even during this time. Pray for healing for those who contract the virus, and for the NHS who are treating those who are critically ill.

There are of course many other things that we can be praying for over the next 4 weeks of lockdown, and I would encourage you to make prayer a priority in this time! I will leave you with a few verses which I feel are a great starting point for us all right now.

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

#RedeemerRecommends - God's Lavish Grace

This week on #RedeemerRecommends, Anna shares with us what she’s been reading this month as part of her internship year with the church!

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I’m not a massive reader. I do try, but I’ll often give up half way through. It has to be a pretty special book for me to make it from cover to cover. Well Gods Lavish Grace made the cut, I made it to the end and I’m ready to go back to the start and read it again. 

Terry Virgo was a prominent leader in the house church movement in the UK and in 1979 he founded Newfrontiers, which is the family of churches that Redeemer London belongs to. Newfrontiers has expanded so quickly in that time and now has over 1500 churches in over 70 nations across the world! When I first heard about this, I was expecting Virgo to be some sort of huge, powerful, superhero type, maybe like Chris Evans in Captain America, but he is in fact quite the opposite. A very mild, humble man, but powerful all the same and in this book he talks about a fundamental truth that we need to grasp if we are going to live in the true freedom and wonder that God has called us to. 

Virgo begins his book describing a pretty familiar story, his own story, of a christian who describes his experience of ‘zealous but rather condemnation driven christianity’. Setting unrealistic resolutions about bible reading or serving more and then feeling guilty when those goals and plans fail. I’m sure I’m not the only person who relates to this story. In the first chapter Virgo describes ‘clouds of condemnation that trouble you even when you are trying to pray.’ Addressing the fact that ‘Reading the bible may have become a chore rather than a pleasure’. He highlights the vicious cycle of trying harder, followed by disappointment and despondence. The good news is that Virgo also explains how we are able to get out of this cycle and really, truly be free!

Have you ever hear a statement that sounds somewhat like this one?

“Only grace can save you BUT the law is required to shape you up and make you holy”. 

Virgo addresses this statement in the opening chapter of his book, saying

’The reality. Of course, is totally the opposite. The law does not impart life, it does not produce righteousness.” 

What a statement! Gods lavish Grace uses the truth of the bible to free us not only from sin but also from the bondage of law-keeping religion into a life where we can walk freely with Jesus.

Virgo goes on to describe that the grace of God is a free gift. We do not have to do anything to earn it. We must understand that our works, will not change how much God loves us, no matter what we do, his grace has saved us. After hearing that, you might ask, so why don’t we just carry on sinning? Luckily for us, Virgo covers that question too! He talks about how Gods grace to us should change the way we live completely! The way we think, the way we behave, the way we give will all be transformed when we fully grasp the grace of God. When we understand that our bondage to the law is broken, when we realise that Gods grace is the only thing that can save us, we will live that life to the full that John talks about in the bible (John 10:10).

Looking for words to describe this book I would have said it is radical, extreme, kind of crazy! But the reality is that this book just speaks truth. Yes its radical, its extraordinary and quite hard to get our heads around but it is biblical truth! God's grace is a fundamental wonder of Christianity and this book explains that extraordinary grace in such a simple and relatable way. It has unearthed some issues in my own faith I didn’t even recognise myself. Understanding grace more has helped me know God more so I would highly recommend this book to any christian who wants to step into the fullness of life and relationship with God. 

Wednesday Prayer - Peace

Over the past several months, we often met as a church community on a Wednesday to pray together. As meetups have started, and many of us are now meeting regularly to study Ephesians together, we are no longer meeting together as a church to pray. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop praying! So over here on the blog we’re starting a new series on Wednesdays, giving you a few ideas of what you could be praying for today and for the rest of this week.

Today we’re praying for…..

Peace

The last couple of Wednesday Prayer blogs have focused on a specific group of people, or area of church life. Today we are focusing on a broader concept, which though it may be more of an unorthodox focus for a blog like this, is still something which it is important to pray for.

I am sure it will not come as a surprise to hear that when we choose to follow Jesus, he gives us no guarantee that our lives will suddenly become easier! Even if you were thinking that going in, if you are someone who has been a follower of Jesus for any length of time, you will now have realised that it is not the case. Though Jesus does not promise us an easy life once we choose to follow him, he does promise that the way we deal with the situations of life will change.

He speaks to this directly in Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

That brings us to our topic of prayer for today, despite the fact that we may feel weary and burdened, we are called to come to Jesus, seeking peace. 


Below are some ways you can focus your prayers on peace today.

1. Pray for diplomatic peace, across the UK and the nations.
   We are in a time of global turmoil in many different ways, and this is putting pressure on political leaders and governments across the world. Please pray at this time for wisdom to prevail, for the Holy Spirit to be at work amongst our political leaders, and that we as the people of God might honour him in the way that we respond to the actions of politicians.
   

2. Pray for peace within our communities.
   London is a diverse city full of people of different nationalities, classes, and religions. These are some of the reasons it is such an incredible city in which to live, however in times of pressure these differences can result in tension within communities. Pray that during this time we would be ministers of peace in our local communities, and that those who live around us would take this opportunity to build bridges rather than walls, and embrace that which unites us rather than focus on what could divide us.

3. Pray for peace in our homes.
   As we experience tighter lockdown restrictions, we are spending more and more time at home, and therefore more and more time in close proximity with those we live with. However much we love spending time with those we love, we all know that concentrated time with others can lead to a less than peaceful environment! Pray for peace in your home, that the Holy Spirit would be present and obvious in the conversations we have and our interactions with one another, especially on the difficult days!

4. Pray for the peace of God to be present in YOU.
   For this final point, I’ll defer to the apostle Paul.

   Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
   Philippians 4:6-7

Amen.

Wednesday Prayer - The Church in the UK

Over the past several months, we often met as a church community on a Wednesday to pray together. As meetups have started, and many of us are now meeting regularly to study Ephesians together, we are no longer meeting together as a church to pray. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop praying! So over here on the blog we’re starting a new series on Wednesdays, giving you a few ideas of what you could be praying for today and for the rest of this week.

Today we’re praying for…..

The Church in the UK

At Redeemer we have been blessed in many ways over the past several months, especially in the way we have been able to continue gathering on a Sunday, at first online, and then over the past month in person. Though it has looked different to what we expected, 2020 has still been a year where church on Sunday has been a regular part of our lives.

But this is not the case for all churches in the UK. Whether it be lack of available technology, local lockdowns or unusable venues, many churches have struggled to continue meeting during 2020. So today we are encouraging you to pray for the church in the UK, see below for some suggestions on specific topics to pray for.

1. Pray for financial provision

2020 has been a year in which many people and businesses in the UK have struggled financially, and the church is not immune to this. As many churches depend almost entirely on the faithful giving of congregations whose personal finances had been hit by the pandemic, there have had to be difficult and painful financial decisions made across the country over the past several months. Please pray for miraculous provision for those churches who are struggling financially at this time, we know that God promises to build his church, so pray that churches will be able to trust that he will continue to do this even through tough times.

2. Pray for spiritual strength

Times are tough right now, in some areas times seem to be getting tougher rather than easier. In situations like this we are reminded how crucial it is that we don’t rely on our own strength to make it through, but that we seek God. As Psalm 46 says, he is our refuge and our strength! Pray for the church in the UK, that at this time we would know the truth of that verse more than ever, and that across this nation the church would be a place of strength, strength that comes from God.

3. Pray for renewed church community

During the past 6 months our worlds have got smaller. Less social interaction, the cancellation of large events, and significantly reduced ability to meet in each others homes have all contributed to a distinct lack of community. For many people, especially those in more isolated parts of the UK, the church is a key part of their community which they haven’t been able to enjoy the benefits of recently. As you pray for the church today pray for the community it brings, for opportunities to renew that sense of community again, whether it be in person or by taking advantage of technology. Pray for those in London and further afield who feel distant from what was once close knit church community, pray for boldness for them to step back into church community, and for a clear vision for the church community as we seek out those on the fringes and welcome them back into church family.

We believe in the power of prayer, and that God not only hears each and every one of us as we pray, but that he loves to be at work in our lives as a result of what we pray! So let’s pray together this week, and be expectant that things will change as a result!

Online Church Continues!

We may have recently begun meeting in person again at Redeemer, but that doesn’t mean our online content has slowed down! Below are details of all the great online content you can still find at youtube.com/RedeemerChurchLondon

Monday Testimony!

Every Monday you can hear from a member of the Redeemer family about how their relationship with God has changed their life! Whether it be through a specific part of scripture, a one off experience, or a gradual transformation. Take the opportunity to be challenged and inspired by what God is doing in the hearts and minds of the people here at Redeemer!

Worship Wednesdays

On a Wednesday we worship! (Well, every day we worship…) but on a Wednesday specifically we release a video created by the Redeemer worship team, which you can use to lift your eyes, your hands, and your voice in worship! Sing, dance and clap along with the team as we seek to give glory to God, and put him at the centre of our lives again as we reach the centre of our working week.

Faith Locked Down

On a Friday we are going to be sharing previews of Redeemer’s new book - Faith Locked Down! A collection of psalms, prayers and poems written by some of our gifted creatives at Redeemer, these videos aim to stir your faith, and remind you that God is at work even in the midst of a difficult year! If you like the videos, why not pick up a copy of the book!

Sunday Services

Although we are meeting physically at the University of West London every Sunday, we recognise that for various reasons, some of you are unable to join us in person. We would love you to continue to join us online, and we’ll be streaming the service live each week. There will still be the opportunity to worship alongside the rest of the church, hear great teaching, and even text in contributions to be shared with those in the room as well as those watching online.

As well as regular new videos, there is already a collection of playlists and videos ready for you to watch right now! So what are you waiting for?! Click the link below to get involved, and don’t forget to subscribe!