In early 2022 (from mid-January up until Easter time) our sermon series will be looking at what we’re calling “Paradoxology”. The aim is to explore the paradoxes of following Jesus, to challenge some of the cultural narratives of our day and deepen discipleship and enable mission. Our hope for this series is that it is something we do together, not just ideas we consume on a Sunday morning but ideas we meditate and reflect on as well as put into practice. To enable this each week, prior to the teaching on the topic on Sunday, there will be three exercises for people to do during the week. They are:
1/ Meditate: We will all meditate over the week on at least two relevant passages of scripture
2/ Read: We will all read a segment of a book/blog post on the topic
3/ Practice: We will all complete one exercise/habit on the topic
Each Sunday before the talk there will be an opportunity for those that want to share any thoughts or reflections they have on the passages, reading, or practice. Below you can find the details of each week’s exercises if you want to join in or recap. Note that some of the readings were chapters or excerpts scanned from books, for copyright reasons we are not sharing these on the website, but if you want to view them either check back to that week’s email or get in touch with us via the Contact page.
Week 1 – The Great Reversal
As this was an introduction there were no practices for this talk.
Sermon: Click here to listen to the talk on Anchor for free. You can also find it on our Sermon page, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Week 2 — Saving by losing
Meditate: Mark 8 v27-38, Philippians 3 v10-11
Read: The Way of the Lord by Tom Wright, Chapter 8 especially from the bottom of p102 to p106
Practice: Do something new this week that serves others but costs you
Sermon: Click here to listen to the talk on Anchor for free. You can also find it on our Sermon page, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Week 3 — Greatness through service
Meditate: Matthew 20 v20-28, Matthew 23 v1-12, Joshua 24:14-15
Read:
Family service: https://vanessamyers.org/7-ways-family-can-choose-serve-lord/
Kingdom service: https://www.branchesworldwide.org/blog/kingdom-service
Practice: 1) Look for situations in your week where you are in a position of power/authority or expect to be served by someone, look for ways you can serve those people. This could be at school, work, home, or anywhere else.
2) Think and begin to act on some ways you can serve as a family all together, or suggest how we can as a church family.
Sermon: As this was a family service the talk was not recorded for this week.
Week 4 — Strength in Weakness
Meditate: 2 Corinthians 12v1-10, Philippians 4v10-13
Read: Soul Survivor by Philip Yancy, Chapter 13 which is a biography of Henri Nouwen
Practice: Reflect on an area of weakness for you; what could God’s strength look like here? Talk to God about it
Sermon: Click here to listen to the talk on Anchor for free. You can also find it on our Sermon page, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Week 5 – Attacked but Victorious
Meditate: Matthew 4 v1-11, 1 Peter 5 v8-9
Read: The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis Chapter 4 & 12
Practice: Recognise when you are tempted or discouraged, pause, and speak scriptures back to Satan.
Sermon: As this was a family service the talk was not recorded for this week.
Week 6 – ‘Loved though unlovely’
Meditate: Luke 15 v1-7, Luke 15 v8-10, Luke 15 v11-32
Read: Philip Yancy on grace – https://philipyancey.com/q-and-a-topics/grace
Practice: Find a silent space, sit down and pause. Slowly thank God that He loves you, just as you are, despite your failings.
Sermon: Coming this week, apologies for the delay!
Week 7 – Hurt but Free
Meditate: Matthew 18 v21-35, Luke 23:33-34
Read: Amy Orr-Ewing Times article on forgiveness & cancel culture
https://www.amyorr-ewing.com/blog/start-2022-will-cancel-culture-continue-shape-our-common-life
Practice: Pray the Lord’s Prayer regularly this week, be conscious of particular people as you pray the forgiveness lines
Sermon: Coming this week, apologies for the delay!
Week 8 – Different but together
Meditate: 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12 v1-8
Read: Nick Spencer, ‘Human as Gift’, in Comment magazine
https://comment.org/human-as-gift/
Practice: No Practice this week!
Sermon: Click here to listen to the talk on Anchor for free. You can also find it on our Sermon page, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Week 9 – Less is More
Meditate: Matthew 6:19-34; Ephesians 4:15-16
Read: Heart, Soul and Money by Craig Blomberg, Chapter 4
Practice: On a sheet of paper or on your screen have 2 columns. As you go through this week, in the left-hand column, write down things that you have that you are grateful for, e.g. money, possessions, time, abilities, attitudes etc. In the right-hand column note how you can/are sharing those with others.
Sermon: Click here to listen to the talk on Anchor for free. You can also find it on our Sermon page, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Week 10 – Shocked but Hopeful
Meditate: Psalm 69, Isaiah 2v1-5
Listen: A Miroslav Volf podcast interview with a Ukrainian pastor – https://open.spotify.com/episode/69TWx0BfijSaMSxU27cSKV
Practice: Actively do something, give, support, or pray for Ukraine this week.
Sermon: Click here to listen to the talk on Anchor for free. You can also find it on our Sermon page, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.