Tag: The Cross

First Look 4: The end … or is it?

Discussion Starters What do you fear the most? If you knew that you had six months left to live, would you change anything about your plans and your daily routine? A look at the Bible Today we arrive at the part of the story which Luke gives most attention to. A biographer usually spends most… Continue reading First Look 4: The end … or is it?

“Crushed” (Expository Worship a worked example)

I mentioned in the last post about a song that we had started to sing at Bearwood Chapel a few years back. The song is called  “Jesus Thank you (The Mystery of the Cross).”  In the first verse, you have the line “You the perfect Holy One crushed your Son.”  Some people have expressed discomfort… Continue reading “Crushed” (Expository Worship a worked example)

Discovering the goodness of God at the Cross

At the end of sung worship last week we sang “Ten Thousand Reasons” and then there was opportunity for people to give testimony of God’s blessing even through COVID. It was a moving time and Rich sensitively closed it out with the refrain of another song “Cause all my life You have been faithfulAnd all… Continue reading Discovering the goodness of God at the Cross

Live your new life (Colossians 2:6-15)

What have you got up to this week?  Who has: Visited a pub or café for an outdoor drink and meal? Been to the barbers/hairdressers? Done a bit of non-essential shopping? Stayed away overnight somewhere? Gone to the zoo? These are things that would have seemed commonplace and normal back in 2019 and yet we… Continue reading Live your new life (Colossians 2:6-15)

Scandalised

One of the really sad things about recent abuse scandals in the church is the way they mirror some of the horrific things we see in the world around us.  We should be able to respond and to offer something that is beautifully counter cultural.  Yet instead, we are seen to ape some of the… Continue reading Scandalised

Is Penal Substitution about redemptive violence?

Penal substitution is an aspect of the doctrine of atonement.  It is the belief that Jesus died in our place ad a substitute bearing the penalty for our sin.  One of the objections to it is that it perpetrates “redemptive violence” so that the violence enacted against Jesus is itself seen as redemptive.  Recently in… Continue reading Is Penal Substitution about redemptive violence?