22nd September 2013

The talk by Jane looks at the parable of the weeds in Mathew 13;24-30 and 36-43. Jesus teaches about living in the world and spiritual sowing and harvesting. How it can be hard to distinguish between good and evil but that judgment will come. It is God who will judge and therefore in the meantime patience and discernment is required.
Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the website.

15th September 2013

Ken Donaldson the CEO of Crossroads Counselling Service is the speaker. He describes the story and ethos of this charity which VPBC have been instrumental in supporting over the years. CCS provides long term counselling to those on low incomes in Tower Hamlets. The bible passage looks at "blessed are the poor in spirit"
Due to microphone problems the first five minutes are low volume but it gets much better.

8th September 2013

This week “communicating Gospel: how do people understand and learn?” The talk thinks about the LISTENER as well as the speaker, The reading is from Matthew 13: 10-17,34,35 and looks at the answer Jesus gave to the disciples question of “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people? (v10).” The parables held the attention of the ordinary people but not just as entertainment but as a means to understanding the things of God and his Kingdom. They were a spur to people to seek to understand more of God.
Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the website.

1st September 2013

The talk is entitled “Jesus and rest. Gospel and Sabbath “and looks at the passage Matthew 12:1-14 where building on his teaching of “ come to me ……and you I will give you rest “ ( Matt 11:28 GNB) acts as the context for the disputes with the Pharisees over the reasons and rules for the Sabbath in the first place. The talk explores some of the Christian as well as Jewish approaches to the Sabbath and the subsequent development of the Lords day celebrated on the first day of the week. The Sabbath rest described in Colossians 2:16,17 and Hebrews 4:4-11 reminds us that Sabbath rest is in the understanding that we live in the grace of God and in discovering what it means to live in the finished work of Jesus and in celebration of the resurrection. Yet which in this present age is still but shadows of the reality of what is yet to come.
Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the website.