Episodes

  • December 23rd - Luke 2:1-3

    December 23rd - Luke 2:1-3
    Dec 23 2025
    Luke 2:1-3 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. A friend of mine once commented to me that he wasn’t bothered whether the story of Jesus’ birth was historically accurate or not. He was happy to accept it as simply a beautiful story. Dr Luke, who wrote this gospel, would have profoundly disagreed. For Luke, the historical context of Jesus’ birth was of crucial importance, so he supplied us with more information than any of the other gospel writers. It was typical of the Romans to conduct censuses. They liked to have a clear account of what was going on throughout their vast empire. Joseph and Mary made the long and arduous journey from Nazareth, in the north of the country, to the ancestral home of Joseph in Bethlehem, not far from Jerusalem in the south. The meticulous historical details are of vital importance because they make it clear that Jesus fully entered into human life. God became part of our world, with all its challenges and difficulties. Jesus arrived at a time of humiliation for the Jewish people as they lived under the oppression of Roman occupation. It was a time of struggle and threat, indeed so much so that not long after Jesus’ birth, his parents were obliged to take him to Egypt to avoid the threat of King Herod, who was insanely jealous at the thought of a rival king turning up in his kingdom. As we celebrate Christmas this year, we do so in a world that is struggling in a vast number of ways. There have never been more displaced people in the world than there are today. There is much violence, fear, brokenness and pain. The wonder of Christmas is that we celebrate that God comes to our world, broken and sad as it is, and offers his gift of new life through Jesus. Just as God didn’t wait for the world to become peaceful and harmonious before he sent his precious son, so too he comes to us amid the present turmoil and offers his gift of peace. Question In what way do the circumstances of Jesus’ birth give you encouragement this Christmas? Prayer Loving Father, thank you for sending Jesus to our troubled world, and for the peace that he offers us today. Amen
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    4 mins
  • December 22nd - Luke 1:78-79

    December 22nd - Luke 1:78-79
    Dec 22 2025
    Luke 1:78-79 “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” There is something very exciting about the start of a new day. I love those times when I am up early in the morning, long before most people are awake. The streets are empty, and you feel that you have the place to yourself, but you know that the day is just about to begin and, within a short time, children will be going to school and the streets will be filled with vehicles. A new day is underway. In this wonderful song of praise, Zechariah recognises that with the coming of the Messiah, a new chapter of history is just about to begin, and his son John will be preparing the way for him. Jesus’ ministry brought light to the world. For hundreds of years, the Jews had been waiting for this moment. There had not only been no prophet in the land, but they had passed through some times of terrible persecution. They were sitting in darkness, but all of that was to change with the coming of Jesus. No longer did people need to languish in the darkness and live in the fear of death. Jesus came to lead them into a new life that would be characterised by peace, love and joy. There is a great deal of cynicism in our society. Many people see life as a constant struggle, and continually getting worse, but Jesus comes to us all today with a message of hope. He offers his light to anyone who will open their life to him, and promises to lead us on the path of peace. Of course, people can choose to shut their eyes and continue to sit in darkness. But for all who open their lives to the new life of Christ, a brand-new day begins. Question In what ways has Christ inaugurated a new day in your life? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the light that now shines in my life through Christ. Amen
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    3 mins
  • December 21st - Luke 1:76-77

    December 21st - Luke 1:76-77
    Dec 21 2025
    Luke 1:76-77 “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.” In his song of praise, Zechariah makes an incredible claim. There had been no prophet in the land for about 400 years, but he claimed that his little son would fulfil that role. More than that, he declared that John would be preparing the way for the long-promised Messiah who would bring salvation to the world. What an amazing moment this was for Zechariah, the elderly priest, who had long believed that he would never be a father! God had very different plans for him. The importance of John the Baptist was not in himself, but in the one to whom he pointed. His role was to prepare the ground for the coming of the saviour of the world. The context may be different, but that is precisely our role. God doesn’t call us to draw attention to ourselves, but to prepare the way for others to meet Jesus. The Christmas season gives us amazing opportunities for pointing to Jesus. Many people who would never normally consider attending a church service during the rest of the year gladly accept an invitation to a carol service. Recent statistics show that about three times as many attend at Christmas as on a ‘normal’ Sunday. Preparing the way for Jesus was tough for John the Baptist. People were not eager to hear his message, and he spent much of his ministry in the desert. His prominent role brought him into conflict with the king and, finally, to his brutal death. No one said that introducing people to Jesus was an easy task, but it is certainly the most wonderful and valuable thing that we can ever do. Question In what ways are you able to introduce people to Jesus? Prayer Loving God, help me to seize every opportunity for helping people to meet Jesus. Amen
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    3 mins
  • December 20th - Luke 1:74-75

    December 20th - Luke 1:74-75
    Dec 20 2025
    Luke 1:74-75 We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. The whole Bible speaks about salvation, and that comes to a climax in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. So, we need to be absolutely clear what salvation is all about. God’s intention for us is to live our lives to the full. His desire is to rescue us from our enemies so that we can live in partnership with him free from fear, sin and anything else that might spoil life. Living with fear totally distorts life. If you are fearful of what others will say and think of you, you will be reluctant to take risks, and every day will be a trial. If you are fearful of medical, financial or relationship difficulties, it will lay a heavy burden on you and change the way you head into every morning. God doesn’t promise to take all our difficulties away from us, but he does promise to set us free from fear as we place our lives into his hands. Sin always spoils. It doesn’t have the ability to do anything else. God’s desire is that we should be set free from our sin, and that is made possible through Jesus’ death on the cross. Through taking upon himself the weight of our sin, Jesus is able to offer us the forgiveness of our sins. All we need to do is to admit that we have sinned, claim his forgiveness and resolve to live a new life. God’s aim for our lives is a wonderful one. He wants us to live righteously. That’s not a word we often use these days, but it simply means doing everything that is right. What could possibly be better than that? Through the salvation that Jesus offers to us, we are able to live a completely new life in which we are set free to be everything that he created us to be. Question How would you explain to another person what salvation means to you personally? Prayer Loving God, I praise you for your gift of new life. Help me each day to live in the power of your Spirit and to act in the way that pleases you. Amen
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    3 mins
  • December 19th - Luke 1:72-73

    December 19th - Luke 1:72-73
    Dec 19 2025
    Luke 1:72-73 “He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant – the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham.” Zechariah’s beautiful song of worship after the birth of his son, John the Baptist, celebrated how God had led his people in the Old Testament. Fundamental to God’s dealings with his people was his covenant. This was the understanding that underpinned God’s relationship with the people of Israel. Importantly, a covenant is two-way. God made certain promises about what he would do, and then he expected the people to fulfil their side of the relationship in response. Although he longed for them to live in partnership with him, he never imposed it. Zechariah pointed back to the covenant that God established with Abraham. To show the intense seriousness of the covenant, God made it with an oath. That might seem strange, since we are used to people using oaths in order to appeal to a higher authority. Clearly, God is in a completely different position as he is the highest authority, so when he made an oath, he did so in his own name, affirming the total seriousness and unchangeability of the covenant. With the coming of Jesus, a new covenant was established through his death on the cross. Central to the old covenant were the sacrifices that people made in the temple, but now, through Jesus’ death on the cross, the ultimate price was paid once for all. There would be no need for further sacrifices. It is on the basis of this new covenant that we can now enter into a daily two-way relationship with God. We can be confident that what God has established can never be changed. He offers to live in covenant relationship with us as we live in obedience to him. Just as with the people of Israel, God will never impose himself on us, but offers to walk with us if we will live in covenantal partnership with him. Question In what way does your covenant relationship with God shape your life? Prayer Loving God, thank you that you are willing to live in partnership with me each day. Amen
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    3 mins
  • December 18th - Luke 1:67-70

    December 18th - Luke 1:67-70
    Dec 18 2025
    Luke 1:67-70 Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Saviour from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.” The birth of John the Baptist was a momentous moment in many ways. John’s mother, Elizabeth, had been astonished to fall pregnant at her advanced age, but also had to cope with the shock of a mute husband. When the baby arrived, neighbours and relatives came together to celebrate. The big question was how the child would be named, and the crowd of well-wishers expected that he would be called Zechariah after his father. But no, Elizabeth had become convinced that his name should be John. They then needed to find out Zechariah’s opinion and, still unable to speak, he wrote down on a writing tablet to everyone’s surprise: “His name is John.” The great joy for this elderly and godly couple was that in their son, John, God’s will was being fulfilled. The promise had been made, long ago, that a saviour would be sent who came from the royal line of David, and John was a crucial part of that long-established plan. Our lives are very different from those of Zechariah and Elizabeth, but the greatest joy of life for us, like them, is to know that we are being obedient to God’s will. Whether our role is high profile or hidden, nothing is greater than to know that we are living our lives in line with God’s plan. In our family, employment, sport, hobbies and church life, we have the privilege of being able to serve God and to see his blessing flowing to other people. Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, the Lord will sometimes call us to do unexpected and surprising things for him, but we can do so in the knowledge that his will is always best. Question What are the blessings that you have received by being obedient to God’s will? Prayer Loving Father, thank you for the privilege of serving you. Help me to be faithful today in doing your will. Amen
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    3 mins
  • December 17th - Psalm 90:10,12

    December 17th - Psalm 90:10,12
    Dec 17 2025
    Psalm 90:10,12 Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. It’s wonderful that so many people are living to the age of 100. In the UK, there are more than 15,000 centenarians, and that figure is about double the number of 20 years ago. However, such long lives are as nothing when placed on the timeline of history, or when we think of our God, for whom 1,000 years are like a day. It is important for us all to listen hard to the psalmist. He observes that 70 years is a typical lifespan, and that some reach 80. In the light of this, he asks God to teach us to realise that life is brief. That could sound sad and morbid, but that would be to forget that every single day of life is a gift that we couldn’t possibly deserve. Facing up to our mortality is actually a very positive thing to do. When we accept that our number of days is limited, we see the preciousness and value of every single day. There is no time to waste, so the question is: “How can we make sure that we get the best out of every single day?” The psalmist responds that this is through growing in wisdom. The Bible has a very practical view of wisdom. It is very different from knowledge, which doesn’t necessarily bring wisdom at all. Wisdom is all about knowing how to live life to the full, and that occurs when God is placed at the centre of our lives. When he is in the place that is rightfully his, we will enjoy good, loving, peaceful relationships and will use our time in ways that bless others, bring joy to ourselves and give glory to God. Such wisdom is completely down-to-earth and enables us to make good decisions amid all the challenges and awkwardness of life. No wonder the psalmist encourages us to grow in wisdom day by day. Question What could you do to grow in wisdom? Prayer Lord God, help me to become increasingly open to your gift of wisdom. Amen
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    3 mins
  • December 16th - Psalm 89:8

    December 16th - Psalm 89:8
    Dec 16 2025
    Psalm 89:8 O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful. Faithfulness is a wonderful word. To find someone who is absolutely trustworthy and dependable is an incredible blessing, and the psalmist is convinced that God is exactly that. He looks into the heavens and reflects on the awesomeness of creation and concludes that God is entirely faithful, unlike anyone else. I am happy to be the owner of lots of insurance policies! I like the security that insurance gives and am more than happy to pay up, but we only need insurance because we live in a world where there is so much uncertainty. Things break and people let us down, and we need to have the cushion of insurance to keep life going. However, when we look to God, we need to take out no insurance against the possibility that he might let us down. We can lean with all our weight on him, knowing that he will never fail us. I love Deuteronomy 33:26-27, where Moses, like the psalmist, speaks of God against the great canvas of creation: “There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendour. The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you.” David Winter, the broadcaster, once commented on that last verse that God has never dropped a catch yet! If you place your life in the hands of God, you can be sure that you are safe for time and eternity. Life challenges us all in innumerable ways and the future is a mystery, but if we know that God will always be by our side, we can go forward with confidence and peace. Question In what way is God’s faithfulness important to you? Prayer Loving God, I thank you that you can be depended upon completely. Help me to trust you with every part of my life. Amen
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    3 mins