Friday, September 23, 2016

I AM the Bread of Life


We continue our series on the I AM statements of Jesus. You can read the Introduction here and I AM the Messiah here.

I have chosen as my text what are for me the saddest words on Jesus' lips in the Gospels John 6:66-67

 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
 ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?Jesus asked the Twelve.

Sad, sad words. They bring to my mind the picture of a child all excited about her birthday party until one by one her friends phone up and say: "We're not coming after all" until eventually she turns to the few who are still there and says You do not want to leave too, do you?’ 

Friday, September 9, 2016

Jesus: I AM the Messiah

Sourced here
John 4:1-30
(Please read my introduction to this series here.)

I wonder if there is a more misunderstood and maligned woman in Scripture that the "Woman at the Well"?

What do we know for sure about her? ... Well: 

Intrduction to I AM Series

John’s Gospel cites the phrase “I am” together with seven sets of names to record metaphors for Christ. Jesus says “I am the bread of life” (6:35, 48), “the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5), “the gate” (10:7, 9), “the good shepherd” (10:11, 14), the resurrection and the life (11:25), “the way, and the truth and the life” (14:6), and “the vine” (15:1, 5). These are often called The Seven I Am Statements.  Some however, speak of The Eight I Am statements of Jesus  and include John 8:58 “Before Abraham was, I am.” Others include Jesus’ statement to the Samaritan woman in John 4:26 where, in response to her talking about the Messiah, Jesus says: “I am he.” Still others go beyond John’s Gospel and look to Revelation 1:8 for another I am statement:  “I am the Alpha and the Omega” which is repeated in 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Monday, September 5, 2016

Up to £1m a year spent fixing bad Botox


 The NHS is racking up a multi-million- pound bill to correct botched Botox injections that have left patients in pain or disfigured.