Welcome to the Pastors’ Pen – an update for life at Southern Cross…
Term 2 has kicked off and on Sunday we start our three term series in the gospel of John. I’m
super excited! Are you?!?
The series in John is not to compromise our theme for 2023 – ‘Therefore we do not lose heart’ –
in fact, it is meant to very much strengthen it! For what could be better for our battered
hearts than to spend the rest of the year walking with our saviour and having our hearts
encouraged by him.
I wonder if you have a favourite part of John? They say the account of Jesus’ life by John is
shallow enough for a child to play within, and deep enough for an elephant to swim. I think
my favourite part of John’s gospel is from John 6 and Jesus’ encouragement to feed
on him. Even though when you first read it you may be a little baffled by what Jesus
means by feeding on him. But if you had been journeying through the Bible, your mind would
be prompted by the wilderness wanderings and the daily manner from heaven – daily
provision for famished souls. Isn’t that what Christ offers too? I am so foolish to overlook his
daily provision. Christian leader Sam Allberry looks also to John 6 in his open, personal
battles with his sexuality and he too returns to this passage as a place of hope in the midst of
his loneliness, failures and daily temptations.
Even if a passage doesn’t quickly spring to mind for you, I expect that by the end of 2023 you
will have found one in John – it might even be a passage that stands out for a friend as
you journey together through John using The Word One to One booklets or app!
As I finish, mark in your Term 2 diary our Food for Thought Sunday, on May 28, as we take a
closer look at John 3:16. But of course every Sunday is a great Sunday to invite a friend. Why
not shoot off a text now to a friend inviting them to join you as we begin our journey through
John this Sunday the 30th of April.
Here is the verse from John 6 I need to return to daily…. How about you?
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
SP
