Tag: Themes in the Gospel of John

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Service for Sunday 6th December – Second Sunday for Advent

Hymns, Songs, Readings and other links for Second Sunday for Advent

– Sunday 6th December

Bible Readings:

Key Bible Reading:

If you would like to look up the reading for yourself – simply click the link:

For John 10:1-18: John 10:1-18 NIV – The Good Shepherd and His Sheep – Bible Gateway

Set Readings for today (Second Sunday of Advent):

Isaiah 40:1-11 – One of the classic passages of Scripture so rich in imagery foretelling the coming of the Messiah and what He will be like.  He will level the mountains and raise up the valleys.  He will be like a Shepherd feeding His flock and gather the lambs in His arms.  He is the One, promised of old, who reveals God’s glory to the world and is indeed God Himself.

1Peter 3:8-15a – Peter speaks about the Second Coming and the “Coming Day of the Lord.”  He reminds the Christian community just how precious all God’s people are to God, how they will be protected while they pray and hope for the “Coming Day” when God will bring about His new heaven and a new earth “where righteousness is at home.”  What a beautiful phrase – where knowing Jesus and being in a loving relationship will not be something for “those who want to do that sort of thing,” but which will be front and centre of all that is.         

Mark 1:1-8 – Mark picks up on Isaiah’s words in Isaiah 40, read earlier, and places them in the person and life of John the Baptist.  For us as Christians, we often see John the Baptist simply as a forerunner to Jesus.  But in the work of Josephus, a first century historian and general, he records but half a side about Jesus, but a whole chapter of his work to John.  So John was a much more influential character than perhaps we maybe at first think about.  He was one, if not the leading, alterative voice to the Priesthood in Jerusalem and also to the Pharisaic way of being faithful according to works and of keeping the Torah, the Law in every greater detail to demonstrate how devoted your were and are.  John cuts through all this, faith and holiness for him are not about animal sacrifice and money as in the Temple.  It is not about keeping rules and laws, necessarily, as in the case of the Pharisees, well certainly not as the primary thing.  Faith, for John, is first and foremost about repentance and being willing to receive an ongoing and living relationship with God based on a willingness to confess our shortcomings and to be open to receive His forgiveness, His message of transforming love, and His Kingdom Spirit.  

Hymns and Songs for Second Sunday for Advent:

Traditional:

  1. Advent wouldn’t be Advent without the ‘classic’ “O come, O come, Emmanuel”
  2. To introduce our service a beautiful live instrumental recording by Liz Chappell and Katie Davies:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gG_ec1erv4&feature=youtu.be
  • As per last week – a version set in the context of our Jewish roots with the Christian singer/songwriter Joshua Aaron in a concert recorded at the “Tower of David” (an important historical site probably of Herod’s Palace in the time of Jesus) in Jerusalem.  Not just then culturally relevant, but of a Jewish Christian calling Jesus ‘home’ to his own people.  An amazing backdrop not just for this song but for the whole concert and a powerful witness.  Well worth looking up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFoFOZmSIfY
  • A more traditional version that we would sing in our English Churches – taken from Songs of Praise, with Lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ7gSOXQ6rs

On the theme of Peace as the Second week of Advent:

On the theme of Truth and Shepherding (based on John’s Gospel):

Children and Young People:

Modern:

On the theme of Advent:

  • “Peace” by Bethel Music.  Beautiful gentle song about God being there even when everyone and everything else seems to be slipping away.  Great for anyone finding times tough at the moment: https://youtu.be/uW6xcmqfiY4

On the theme of Truth and Shepherding (from John’s Gospel)

  1. “Love Theory” by Kirk Franklin, speaks both God’s faithfulness to us and our desire to follow Him.
  2. Original Official Video Version: (92) Kirk Franklin – Love Theory (Official Music Video) – YouTube
  3. Lyrics version: (92) Love Theory-Kirk Franklin(lyrics) – YouTube
  4. Cover Version by Mattias Banse: (92) Love Theory – Kirk Franklin COVER – YouTube
  1. “Truth be told” by Matthew West.  Great song about God speaking into so much of modern life.  Great lyrics:
  2. Original Official Video: (92) Matthew West – Truth Be Told (Official Music Video) – YouTube
  3. Lyrics Version: https://youtu.be/LaHNHPgXqig
  4. Cover version by Mayte Levenbach: https://youtu.be/nW7p5sKJsO4
  1. Lauren Daigle’s latest release last week “Everything” – the Starstruck sessions: (92) Lauren Daigle – Everything (Starstruck Sessions) – YouTube
  1. One of the best modern Christmas songs: “Noel” written by Chris Tomlin and sung by Lauren Daigle.  Great to get in touch with the enormity of what Christmas truly means: (92) Chris Tomlin – Noel (Live) ft. Lauren Daigle – YouTube

Videos/DVD:

  1. “Peace – Shalom” – by the Bible Project.  Great word interpretation to help understand our Advent theme and also the Pew News “Thought for the Day” today: https://youtu.be/oLYORLZOaZE
  1. “The Chosen” – Episode 1 – the worldwide phenomenon which is the world crowd funded TV adaptation of the Life of Jesus called “The Chosen.”  Series 1 has already been released and funding for Series 2 is just about complete and due to be released over the Christmas period.

“The Chosen” can be obtained for free, either via YouTube (simply type in “The Chosen” or via an App, which can be downloaded to your Smartphone or Tablet.

Its all very exciting.  Details of how to find Episode 1 on YouTube: (92) The Chosen: Complete Episode One – YouTube

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Service for Sunday 29th November – Advent Sunday

Hymns, Songs, Readings and other links for the Advent Sunday

– Sunday 29th November

A New Church for a New Society: “Themes in John’s Gospel.”

  • Truth – Part A – “In the pursuit of Truth.”

John 18:33-38 & 19:1-16

– “The Spirit of Truth in God’s new world.”.

Bible Readings:

Key Bible Reading:

If you would like to look up the reading for yourself – simply click the link:

For John 18:33-38: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A33-38&version=NIVUK

For John 19:1-16: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+19%3A1-16&version=NIVUK

Set Readings for today (Advent Sunday):

Isaiah 64:1-9 – This passage from towards the end of the Book Isaiah begins by wanting God to come in power and judgement, especially towards those ‘others’ who have fallen away.  But then, in a rather unusual twist, Isaiah both acknowledges Israel’s own shortcomings and failings but then seems to attribute Israel’s unfaithfulness to God “turning His face away.” Very unusual. But there are times perhaps when we can feel the same – that even though we know God does ultimately care, we in our hurt and pain want to believe He doesn’t.

1Corinthians 1:3-9 – This a much more conventional passage.  Paul opens his letter to the young Church in Corinth full of praise and admiration for their faithfulness which he sees in turn as coming from the Lord’s own faithful calling: because the Lord is faithful we, in turn, can be faithful and so bring blessing to each other and the world.  It is perhaps worth pausing and wondering how the same is true today – this symbiotic relationship between God and humanity in order to bring blessing to the world in and through a humanity, which at its best includes us.        

Mark 13:24-end – This is a classic passage we often attribute to Jesus’ Second Coming.  “Be alert, Keep awake!”  For we do not know the day or the hour the Master will return.  The idea of the slave and the Master and their household maybe one we find quite hard to relate to favourably in our modern world – surely, God does not want us to be ‘slaves,’ surely He wants us to be ‘free.’  Well, that may be.  But in first century Israel slavery was not perhaps as we in the twenty first century look in upon it.  It was a much more symbiotic relationship (mentioned earlier) where the slave would receive security, value, food and care in return for their time, effort and loyalty to their Master.  Of course, there were bad Masters, just as there are today.  But in the main each group knew they needed the other, much in the same way that a good Landowner knew that they needed the help and support of their tenant farmers and communities to run their extensive estates back in the sixteen and seventeen hundreds.  It was the backbone of pre-industrial English life.  In this sense, we should perhaps be see being a ‘servant’ of our Lord Jesus as a positive thing, “under His care and wing,” so to speak.  At the same time, such care comes with responsibilities “to be about the Master’s business.”  We have tended to much more desiring of the care and the protection without perhaps always giving due regard to the need to be about His business and work.  “Wake up then!  Be awake!  Open our eyes to what God is wanting us to be and to do in His name, in this time, in this place.”       

Hymns and Songs for Advent Sunday:

Traditional:

  1. Advent wouldn’t be Advent without announcing it with the ‘classic’ “O come, O come, Emmanuel” – I wrote about the long history and continued relevance of this Advent hymn in the Pew News this week, if anyone is interested.  Here:
  2. A beautiful live instrumental recording by Liz Chappell and Katie Davies:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gG_ec1erv4&feature=youtu.be
  3. A version set in the context of our Jewish roots with the Christian singer/songwriter Joshua Aaron in a concert recorded at the “Tower of David” (an important historical site probably of Herod’s Palace in the time of Jesus) in Jerusalem.  Not just then culturally relevant, but of a Jewish Christian calling Jesus ‘home’ to his own people.  An amazing backdrop not just for this song but for the whole concert and a powerful witness.  Well worth looking up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFoFOZmSIfY
  4. A more traditional version that we would sing in our English Churches – taken from Songs of Praise, with Lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ7gSOXQ6rs

On the theme of Truth (based on John’s Gospel):

Children and Young People:

Modern:

On the theme of Advent:

  • “Fix You” originally by the band Coldplay back in 2011, and recently performed again by a female artist Fearless Soul.  The song speaks the words of Jesus and why He came at Christmas both for the world and each individual person’s story within it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsBNDryJYSs
  • “The thrill of Hope – Advent hymn” by Christy Nockels.  A very thoughtful and reflective song about the love and the hope Jesus seeks to bring into the world in every generation.  With lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNuY6I4OtoE

On the theme of Truth (from John’s Gospel)

  1. “Voice of Truth” by Casting Crowns, with lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOw0pM1VmXA&feature=youtu.be
  1. “Song of Truth” by Mark Skelton, with lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyXUiCWGOgU&feature=youtu.be

For fun and as part of this season of looking at the impact of the song and dance “Jerusalema” during Lockdown around the world

  1. “Jerusalema” – English language version by Nora Grand.  Wonderful African video backdrop.  Worth watching just for this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XkZeMrYSvo

Videos/DVD:

  1. “Isaiah 1-39 overview” – by the Bible Project.  Great introduction to where the name “Emmanuel” –  “God with us” comes from, as recorded in Isaiah ch 7.  Helps to set the biblical backdrop against which “Emmanuel” had to come: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0A6Uchb1F8