Episodes

  • December 28th - Luke 2:21

    December 28th - Luke 2:21
    Dec 28 2025
    Luke 2:21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. My wife Sue and I have three children, and I well recall the long conversations about names which took place before they were born. We talked about names that had been important in the family, biblical names and others that we simply liked. The naming of Jesus was a very different matter. This was the name Gabriel had given to Mary when she had first been informed of her miraculous pregnancy. Jesus was actually a very popular boy’s name at the time and was a shortened form of the name Joshua, which means “the Lord saves”. Because most people at the time only had one name, they were often known by the place from which they came or the name of their father, so Jesus was variously known as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus, the son of Joseph. There would probably have been many children around in Nazareth with the name Jesus, but only one who had come to bring salvation. In Jesus, the name was completely fulfilled. Because Jesus is both fully man and fully God, he was able to open up the way into God’s presence. The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was no longer necessary. Simply through trusting Jesus, we are able, in the words of the writer of Hebrews, to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus spoke wise and wonderful words and told gripping stories. He healed people and performed amazing miracles, but we miss the point of his coming if we don’t recognise that he came to bring salvation. He came to open up the possibility of us being forgiven and made whole, and that incredible offer is as real today as it was when he first came. Many people, then as now, rejected Jesus and his offer of salvation, but to all who believe in him and accept him, he gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12). Question How has Jesus’ offer of salvation affected your life? Prayer Lord Jesus, thank you that you want to be my saviour. I confess my sins, and ask you to set me free from them and give me a new life. Amen
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    4 mins
  • December 27th - Luke 2:18-19

    December 27th - Luke 2:18-19
    Dec 27 2025
    Luke 2:18-19 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. People greeted the birth of Jesus in very different ways. The shepherds were thrilled that they had been given front row seats for this wonderful occasion. It was the last thing that they would ever have believed would happen to them. Having seen the baby just as the angel had promised, they rushed back to their village with the news. The people were astonished. Then there was Mary. Her reaction was very different. She’d had nine months to prepare for this remarkable moment, but even so, she had a lot of adjusting to do. Not only was her way of life completely changed, just as it is for any mother after the birth of her firstborn child, but she also needed to reflect on the awesome implications of bringing up the Saviour of the World. She had a lot to reflect upon, and it’s no wonder that, in Luke’s thoughtful words, “she kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often”. People still respond to the good news of Jesus in a remarkable variety of ways. For some people, it transforms their life in a moment. When they learn that Jesus can forgive their sins and set them free to live a completely new life, nothing looks the same again. I remember one woman telling me that the change was so great that it was as if she had only ever seen life in black and white. Having met Christ, it was now in colour! For many others, finding new life in Christ is a slow and gradual process. No fireworks, no moments of astonishment – just a slow, gradual change of life and outlook. None of this should surprise us. We are all very different from one another, and God meets us not as a job lot but as individuals with very different backgrounds, temperaments and outlooks. Question How did you respond when you first heard the good news about Jesus? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the fact that you come to us as individuals, and that you meet our own particular needs. Amen
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    3 mins
  • December 26th - Luke 2:10-11

    December 26th - Luke 2:10-11
    Dec 26 2025
    Luke 2:10-11 “Don’t be afraid!” [the angel] said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Saviour – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” The news of Jesus’ birth would have been a shock to the shepherds for many reasons. We know these accounts so well that there isn’t any surprise for us, but we need to remember that although the prophet Isaiah had spoken clearly about the coming of a Messiah, that was more than 700 years ago for the shepherds. Over the past 400 years, there hadn’t been a prophet in the land. There was nothing that would have led them to believe that this would be the moment of the Messiah’s birth. Additionally, they were shepherds. They were not seen as responsible members of the community and were generally excluded from religious life. They were outsiders, and would hardly have expected to be the first people to receive news of Jesus’ birth. It was also the middle of the night, and you needn’t be surprised that the sudden arrival of an angelic choir gave them an enormous shock! They were understandably terrified. The news that the angels brought to the shepherds was one of great joy, and that note of joy rings out throughout the Gospel of Luke. Whenever anyone grasps the good news of Jesus, the result is joy. We see that supremely in the three parables of the lost in chapter 15. Firstly, and significantly, there is joy over the discovery of the lost sheep. Although the shepherd had 99 other sheep, he was so joyful at finding this one sheep that he called in his friends and neighbours to share the celebration. Then, when a woman lost one of her ten silver coins in her headdress, she conducted a meticulous search of her house. When the coin was found, she couldn’t keep it to herself and welcomed others to share her joy. Finally, Jesus told the story of the agonising loss of a son. The father longed for the moment when the wayward son might return, even though the son had terribly abused him. When he returned, the father held a banquet to celebrate the moment because he was so full of joy. Joy was at the heart of the good news of Jesus and is the experience of everyone who welcomes him into their lives today. Question In what way have you experienced the joy which Jesus brings? Prayer Loving God, thank you for sending Jesus into the world, and for the joy which he still brings to those who place their trust in him.
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    4 mins
  • December 25th - Luke 2:6-7

    December 25th - Luke 2:6-7
    Dec 25 2025
    Luke 2:6-7 And while they were there in Bethlehem, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. The birth of Jesus was such an incredibly important moment in the history of the world that the circumstances of it are deeply shocking. This was no way to welcome the Son of God, but all of this serves to remind us of the love of God in sending his Son to be part of our broken and disordered world. Many people have questioned why Joseph took Mary on the journey to Bethlehem. He himself was obliged to go because his family line came from that town, but it is unlikely that Mary needed to be there. So why did he take his heavily pregnant wife along with him on the arduous and dangerous 80-mile journey? It is quite likely that he did so because Joseph knew the people of Nazareth might cause problems for Mary due to the unusual circumstances of her pregnancy. Joseph didn’t want to leave her side, so she needed to go with him. In Bethlehem, far from home, there would have been no family members to support Mary. She herself had to wrap her baby in strips of cloth, a task which someone else would normally have performed, and the only place to lay the baby was in the unhygienic setting of an animal’s feeding trough. Hardly an appropriate resting place for a newborn baby, even for the poorest people. Lodging places in little Bethlehem would have been few in number and incredibly basic. Please put out of your mind the sort of ensuite hotel rooms that you may have visited! Accommodation would probably have been in the form of bare rooms off a central courtyard, and travellers would have been expected to take their own food. The innkeeper would only offer food for the animals and a fire on which travellers could cook. Even this incredibly basic accommodation was not available for Mary and Joseph. They were probably left out in a courtyard, where you would expect to find an animal’s manger. All of these details emphasise the wonder of Jesus’ birth and the amazing love of God in sending him to be part of our world. Question What do the circumstances of Jesus’ birth tell you about God? Prayer Lord God, thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus. I praise you for the wonder of your love. Amen
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    4 mins
  • December 24th - Luke 2:4

    December 24th - Luke 2:4
    Dec 24 2025
    Luke 2:4 Because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem. Even today, it’s not a particularly large town with only about 30,000 people – the size of a small market town. However, Bethlehem was full of significance – it was here that Samuel anointed David. The prophet visited the town on God’s instruction to find a king to replace Saul. God told him to visit the family of Jesse, and the proud father happily presented his sons to the prophet. One by one, they met with Samuel, but, impressive as they were, God didn’t consider them suitable. The prophet had to learn that: “People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). David was the youngest of the sons, and such an unlikely choice. They hadn’t even bothered to invite him in from the fields where he was watching over the sheep and goats, but as soon as he came in, the Lord identified him as the new king. David may not have seemed a likely candidate for the role of king, but he went on to become a formidable military commander and a wise leader of his people. In the centuries that followed, the nation continued to look back on David’s reign as the high-water mark in their history. What the people of Israel learned was that God often works in surprising ways, and Jesus coming from David’s family line is a further illustration of that. Who would have thought that the Messiah would enter the world in such a humble way and at such an awkward moment in the nation’s history? Surely the Messiah would be welcomed by kings and rulers, or at least by the chief priest and his entourage, but it was not to be. Jesus came to a young couple who had no profile or seniority, and well away from the important people in the land. This God of surprises whom we meet in the Christmas story is the one we worship today. Time and again, he comes not to the leaders and the powerful, but to the humble people who simply agree to do his will. In a society in which style, profile and image mean so much, we need to remind ourselves that although we tend to look at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. Question How have you seen God working in surprising ways in your own life? Prayer Lord God, help me not to be fooled by people’s appearance, but to see them as you do. Amen
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    4 mins
  • 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