St Barnabas Daily Devotions

Psalms 89:38-52 - Daily Devotion - 15 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park The first part of Psalm 89 was a praise to God. Yesterday we read the central section, in which the writer reminded God of the covenant he made with King David. He describes how God chose David to be his anointed king, and then he quotes 2 Samuel 7, which was where God made a solemn promise that David’s dynasty and throne would last forever. Even if David’s sons rebelled and were punished, God would not break his covenant with David.But it turns out that Psalm 89 was written during the exile, when Jerusalem had been overthrown by the Babylonians, and David’s descendant on the throne had been led away in chains. Today we read the final section.As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus? 38 Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him;You are enraged by Your anointed one.39 You have renounced the covenant with Your servantand sullied his crown in the dust.40 You have broken down all his walls;You have reduced his strongholds to rubble.41 All who pass by plunder him;he has become a reproach to his neighbors.42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;You have made all his enemies rejoice.43 You have bent the edge of his swordand have not sustained him in battle.44 You have ended his splendorand cast his throne to the ground.45 You have cut short the days of his youth;You have covered him with shame.Selah46 How long, O LORD?Will You hide Yourself forever?Will Your wrath keep burning like fire?47 Remember the briefness of my lifespan!For what futility You have created all men!48 What man can live and never see death?Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?Selah49 Where, O Lord, is Your loving devotion of old,which You faithfully swore to David?50 Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants,which I bear in my heart from so many people—51 how Your enemies have taunted, O LORD,and have mocked every step of Your anointed one!52 Blessed be the LORD forever!Amen and amen.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalms 89:19-37 - Daily Devotion - 14 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park Yesterday we read the first section of Psalm 89, which praised God for his faithfulness and his power as the only creator and ruler of the heavens and the earth. God uses his power to bring justice, to tame and crush the proud and those who oppress his people. Today’s we’ll read the central section.As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?19 You once spoke in a vision;to Your godly ones You said,“I have bestowed help on a warrior;I have exalted one chosen from the people.20 I have found My servant David;with My sacred oil I have anointed him.21 My hand will sustain him;surely My arm will strengthen him.22 No enemy will exact tribute;no wicked man will oppress him.23 I will crush his foes before himand strike down those who hate him.24 My faithfulness and loving devotion will be with him,and through My name his horn will be exalted.25 I will set his hand over the sea,and his right hand upon the rivers.26 He will call to Me, ‘You are my Father,my God, the Rock of my salvation.’27 I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn,the highest of the kings of the earth.28 I will forever preserve My loving devotion for him,and My covenant with him will stand fast.29 I will establish his line forever,his throne as long as the heavens endure.30 If his sons forsake My lawand do not walk in My judgments,31 if they violate My statutesand fail to keep My commandments,32 I will attend to their transgression with the rod,and to their iniquity with stripes.33 But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him,nor ever betray My faithfulness.34 I will not violate My covenantor alter the utterance of My lips.35 Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness—I will not lie to David—36 his offspring shall endure forever,and his throne before Me like the sun,37 like the moon, established forever,a faithful witness in the sky.”SelahREFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalms 89:1-18 - Daily Devotion - 13 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.1 I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever;with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.2 For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever;in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”3 You said, “I have made a covenant with My chosen one,I have sworn to David My servant:4 ‘I will establish your offspring foreverand build up your throne for all generations.’”Selah5 The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD—Your faithfulness as well—in the assembly of the holy ones.6 For who in the skies can compare with the LORD?Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?7 In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared,and awesome above all who surround Him.8 O LORD God of Hosts, who is like You?O mighty LORD, Your faithfulness surrounds You.9 You rule the raging sea;when its waves mount up, You still them.10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.11 The heavens are Yours, and also the earth.The earth and its fullness You founded.12 North and south You created;Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.13 Mighty is Your arm; strong is Your hand.Your right hand is exalted.14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;loving devotion and faithfulness go before You.15 Blessed are those who know the joyful sound,who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your presence.16 They rejoice in Your name all day long,and in Your righteousness they exult.17 For You are the glory of their strength,and by Your favor our horn is exalted.18 Surely our shield belongs to the LORD,and our king to the Holy One of Israel.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalms 88 - Daily Devotion - 12 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.1 O LORD, the God of my salvation,day and night I cry out before You.2 May my prayer come before You;incline Your ear to my cry.3 For my soul is full of troubles,and my life draws near to Sheol.4 I am counted among those descending to the Pit.I am like a man without strength.5 I am forsaken among the dead,like the slain who lie in the grave,whom You remember no more,who are cut off from Your care.6 You have laid me in the lowest Pit,in the darkest of the depths.7 Your wrath weighs heavily upon me;all Your waves have submerged me.Selah8 You have removed my friends from me;You have made me repulsive to them;I am confined and cannot escape.9 My eyes grow dim with grief.I call to You daily, O LORD;I spread out my hands to You.10 Do You work wonders for the dead?Do departed spirits rise up to praise You?Selah11 Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave,Your faithfulness in Abaddon?12 Will Your wonders be known in the darkness,or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?13 But to You, O LORD, I cry for help;in the morning my prayer comes before You.14 Why, O LORD, do You reject me?Why do You hide Your face from me?15 From my youth I was afflicted and near death.I have borne Your terrors; I am in despair.16 Your wrath has swept over me;Your terrors have destroyed me.17 All day long they engulf me like water;they enclose me on every side.18 You have removed my beloved and my friend;darkness is my closest companion.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadThis is one of the darkest Psalms of all. Almost all the Psalms of lament end with an expression of trust or hope in God. Psalm 88 is an exception. The writer had been suffering for a long time, and was now lonely, abandoned, close to death, and in near despair.There is one positive thing about the Psalm – this might seem like a small thing, but it’s SO important: Even in the deepest darkness, when he is crying out in agony, he cries out to God. He asks God, just once, to hear his cry for help (v2). He calls him “O LORD God who delivers me” (v1), even though he sees no deliverance.That is enough for this pitiful cry to be included in God’s holy Scriptures. Even this is faith.So, what can I relate to? I’ve had periods of being unable to feel any joy, of feeling overwhelmed and trapped by darkness (v 6-8). So I find it so reassuring that God has consecrated the weakest cry to him, from within the darkness, as faith. Is there anything that reminds me of Jesus? Well, it makes me wonder whether this is how Jesus felt in the garden of Gethsemane, as he stared into the Pit of the wrath of God against all mankind.But most of all, I am relieved and grateful to live on this side of the resurrection of Jesus. This poor Old Covenant saint didn’t have a sure knowledge or picture of hope beyond death. I feel so sorry for him, because he thought the answer to all his terrible questions in verses 10-11 was “No” – “Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and give you thanks? Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave, or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?”It's such a huge blessing that for us, even when we’re in the darkest pit of depression, we know that the resurrection has changed all the answers to a resounding “Yes!”, and that the darkness will one day give way to joy. And this Psalm gives me a new urgency to want my non-Christian friends and family to have that same assurance.

Psalms 86-87 - Daily Devotion - 11 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park A reminder: This month, we are using our do-it-yourself method for reading the Psalms. Each day, after the reading, I’ll ask you to reflect on two questions:A reminder: This month, we are using our do-it-yourself method for reading the Psalms. Each day, after the reading, I’ll ask you to reflect on two questions:1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus? It could be something about his ministry, his suffering and death, his resurrection, his kingdom, or what God has done for us through Jesus.But don’t worry if you can’t always think of something – just read, reflect and pray.~~~Psalm 86A prayer of David.1 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me,for I am poor and needy.2 Preserve my soul, for I am godly.You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You.3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,for I call to You all day long.4 Bring joy to Your servant,for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.5 For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving,rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.6 Hear my prayer, O LORD,and attend to my plea for mercy.7 In the day of my distress I call on You,because You answer me.8 O Lord, there is none like You among the gods,nor any works like Yours.9 All the nations You have madewill come and bow before You, O Lord,and they will glorify Your name.10 For You are great and perform wonders;You alone are God.11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,that I may walk in Your truth.Give me an undivided heart,that I may fear Your name.12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart;I will glorify Your name forever.13 For great is Your loving devotion to me;You have delivered me from the depths of Sheol.14 The arrogant rise against me, O God;a band of ruthless men seeks my life,with no regard for You.15 But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.16 Turn to me and have mercy;grant Your strength to Your servant;save the son of Your maidservant.17 Show me a sign of Your goodness,that my enemies may see and be ashamed;for You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.As you read today about Zion, God’s holy mountain, remember that the New Testament tells us that the true Mount Zion we are looking forward to is the heavenly city where we will dwell with God forever (Hebrews 12:22-24; Revelation 14:1).Psalm 87A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A song.1 He has founded His cityon the holy mountains.2 The LORD loves the gates of Zionmore than all the dwellings of Jacob.3 Glorious things are ascribed to you,O city of God.Selah4 “I will mention Rahab and Babylonamong those who know Me—along with Philistia, Tyre, and Cush —when I say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”5 And it will be said of Zion:“This one and that one were born in her,and the Most High Himself will establish her.”6 The LORD will record in the register of the peoples:“This one was born in Zion.”Selah7 Singers and pipers will proclaim,“All my springs of joy are in You.”REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 85 - Daily Devotion - 9 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.1 You showed favor to Your land, O LORD;You restored Jacob from captivity.2 You forgave the iniquity of Your people;You covered all their sin.Selah3 You withheld all Your fury;You turned from Your burning anger.4 Restore us, O God of our salvation,and put away Your displeasure toward us.5 Will You be angry with us forever?Will You draw out Your anger to all generations?6 Will You not revive us again,that Your people may rejoice in You?7 Show us Your loving devotion, O LORD,and grant us Your salvation.8 I will listen to what God the LORD will say;for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints;He will not let them return to folly.9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,that His glory may dwell in our land.10 Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together;righteousness and peace have kissed.11 Faithfulness sprouts from the earth,and righteousness looks down from heaven.12 The LORD will indeed provide what is good,and our land will yield its increase.13 Righteousness will go before Himto prepare the way for His steps.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 84 - Daily Devotion - 8 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?For the choirmaster. According to Gittith.[A] A Psalm of the sons of Korah.1 How lovely is Your dwelling place,O LORD of Hosts!2 My soul longs, even faints,for the courts of the LORD;my heart and my flesh cry outfor the living God.3 Even the sparrow has found a home,and the swallow a nest for herself,where she places her young near Your altars,O LORD of Hosts, my King and my God.4 How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!They are ever praising You.Selah5 Blessed are those whose strength is in You,whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,they make it a place of springs;even the autumn rain covers it with pools.7 They go from strength to strength,until each appears before God in Zion.8 O LORD God of Hosts, hear my prayer;give ear, O God of Jacob.Selah9 Take notice of our shield, O God,and look with favor on the face of Your anointed.10 For better is one day in Your courtsthan a thousand elsewhere.I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Godthan dwell in the tents of the wicked.11 For the LORD God is a sun and a shield;the LORD gives grace and glory;He withholds no good thingfrom those who walk with integrity.12 O LORD of Hosts,how blessed is the man who trusts in You!REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 83 - Daily Devotion - 7 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?A song. A Psalm of Asaph.1 O God, be not silent; be not speechless;be not still, O God.2 See how Your enemies rage,how Your foes have reared their heads.3 With cunning they scheme against Your peopleand conspire against those You cherish,4 saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation;may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”5 For with one mind they plot together,they form an alliance against You—6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,of Moab and the Hagrites,7 of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,of Philistia with the people of Tyre.8 Even Assyria has joined them,lending strength to the sons of Lot.Selah9 Do to them as You did to Midian,as to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon,10 who perished at Endorand became like dung on the ground.11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,12 who said, “Let us possess for ourselvesthe pastures of God.”13 Make them like tumbleweed, O my God,like chaff before the wind.14 As fire consumes a forest,as a flame sets the mountains ablaze,15 so pursue them with Your tempest,and terrify them with Your storm.16 Cover their faces with shame,that they may seek Your name, O LORD.17 May they be ever ashamed and terrified;may they perish in disgrace.18 May they know that You alone,whose name is the LORD,are Most High over all the earth.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalms 81 & 82 - Daily Devotion - 6 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Psalm 81For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. Of Asaph.1 Sing for joy to God our strength;make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.2 Lift up a song, strike the tambourine,play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,and at the full moon on the day of our Feast.4 For this is a statute for Israel,an ordinance of the God of Jacob.5 He ordained it as a testimony for Josephwhen he went out over the land of Egypt,where I heard an unfamiliar language:6 “I relieved his shoulder of the burden;his hands were freed from the basket.7 You called out in distress, and I rescued you;I answered you from the cloud of thunder;I tested you at the waters of Meribah.Selah8 Hear, O My people, and I will warn you:O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!9 There must be no strange god among you,nor shall you bow to a foreign god.10 I am the LORD your God,who brought you up out of Egypt.Open wide your mouth,and I will fill it.11 But My people would not listen to Me,and Israel would not obey Me.12 So I gave them up to their stubborn heartsto follow their own devices.13 If only My people would listen to Me,if Israel would follow My ways,14 how soon I would subdue their enemiesand turn My hand against their foes!15 Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience,and their doom would last forever.16 But I would feed you the finest wheat;with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”psalm 82A Psalm of Asaph.1 God presides in the divine assembly;He renders judgment among the gods:2 “How long will you judge unjustlyand show partiality to the wicked?Selah3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.4 Rescue the weak and needy;save them from the hand of the wicked.5 They do not know or understand;they wander in the darkness;all the foundations of the earth are shaken.6 I have said, ‘You are gods;you are all sons of the Most High.’7 But like mortals you will die,and like rulers you will fall.”8 Arise, O God, judge the earth,for all the nations are Your inheritance.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 80 - Daily Devotion - 5 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park As you read, keep in mind our two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph.1 Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel,who leads Joseph like a flock;You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,shine forth2 before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.Rally Your mighty powerand come to save us.3 Restore us, O God,and cause Your face to shine upon us,that we may be saved.4 O LORD God of Hosts,how long will Your anger smolderagainst the prayers of Your people?5 You fed them with the bread of tearsand made them drink the full measure of their tears.6 You make us contend with our neighbors;our enemies mock us.7 Restore us, O God of Hosts,and cause Your face to shine upon us,that we may be saved.8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt;You drove out the nations and transplanted it.9 You cleared the ground for it,and it took root and filled the land.10 The mountains were covered by its shade,and the mighty cedars with its branches.11 It sent out its branches to the Sea,and its shoots toward the River.12 Why have You broken down its walls,so that all who pass by pick its fruit?13 The boar from the forest ravages it,and the creatures of the field feed upon it.14 Return, O God of Hosts, we pray!Look down from heaven and see!Attend to this vine—15 the root Your right hand has planted,the son You have raised up for Yourself.16 Your vine has been cut down and burned;they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.17 Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand,on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.18 Then we will not turn away from You;revive us, and we will call on Your name.19 Restore us, O LORD God of Hosts;cause Your face to shine upon us,that we may be saved.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 79 - Daily Devotion - 4 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park This month, we are returning to our devotions through the book of Psalms. For these devotions, instead of hearing someone else’s reflections like we normally do, each day I’ll ask you to reflect on the Psalm yourself using two simple questions:1. What things in the Psalm can I relate to?2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus? It could be something about his ministry, his suffering and death, his resurrection, his kingdom, or what God has done for us through Jesus.But don’t worry if you can’t always think of something – just read, reflect and pray.~~~A Psalm of Asaph.1 The nations, O God, have invaded Your inheritance;they have defiled Your holy templeand reduced Jerusalem to rubble.2 They have given the corpses of Your servantsas food to the birds of the air,the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.3 They have poured out their blood like waterall around Jerusalem,and there is no one to bury the dead.4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors,a scorn and derision to those around us.5 How long, O LORD?Will You be angry forever?Will Your jealousy burn like fire?6 Pour out Your wrath on the nationsthat do not acknowledge You,on the kingdomsthat refuse to call on Your name,7 for they have devoured Jacoband devastated his homeland.8 Do not hold past sins against us;let Your compassion come quickly,for we are brought low.9 Help us, O God of our salvation,for the glory of Your name;deliver us and atone for our sins,for the sake of Your name.10 Why should the nations ask,“Where is their God?”Before our eyes, make known among the nationsYour vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.11 May the groans of the captives reach You;by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.12 Pay back into the laps of our neighborssevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.13 Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture,will thank You forever;from generation to generationwe will declare Your praise.REFLECTIONSNow think about the two questions:What things in this Psalm can I relate to?Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

John 9:39-41 - Daily Devotion - 2 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 39 Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.”40 Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?”41 “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Ness WongToday’s passage concludes the story of John 9 with irony – “that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.” (v 39). Jesus had not just healed a blind man of his physical blindness, but enlightened him spiritually to see and believe in the Son of Man. This healed blind man contrasted starkly with the Pharisees. Although the Pharisees claimed to know God’s law (v 14-16), though they had seen the miraculous evidence of Jesus’ divine power (v 16, 18-20), and though they had heard the blind man’s testimony twice (v 24, 27), they remained blinded to the reality that Jesus indeed was sent from God. And so – Jesus warned them – they remained guilty of their sins and would be judged.At first, I marvelled at the Pharisees’ hard-heartedness. I traced through Jesus’ lengthy dialogue with the Pharisees in John 7–10. He warned them repeatedly that they would die in their sins if they did not repent and believe in Him (John 8:24). While Jesus’ warnings may come across as harsh, each challenge was also a gracious invitation to ask Him for forgiveness and be freed from sin (John 8:34-36). Then I was also struck by my own stubbornness of heart. Although I have sought Jesus’ forgiveness, I often stray back to sinning – particularly in lack of contentment and holding grudges. In this sense I am too much like the Pharisees – I claim to “see”, and I do “see”, but often still act as if I am “blind”. And I heard Jesus calling me to repent.  This passage spurred me to keep praying for people who have had opportunities to hear the gospel and have been encouraged to know Jesus, but have not yet repented and believed – including people in my extended family. I also pray that Jesus will keep opening my eyes to recognise my own sins, and that He will enable me to repent and follow Him. ABOUT THE AUTHORNess is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 9:35-38 - Daily Devotion - 1 May 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 35 When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, He found the man and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man ?”36 “Who is He, Sir?” he replied. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”37 “You have already seen Him,” Jesus answered. “He is the One speaking with you.”38 “Lord, I believe,” he said. And he worshiped Jesus.REFLECTIONSWritten by Ken IpIn these verses, we see how Jesus not only notices the man's boldness in standing up to the Pharisees, he then goes back to find the man, to comfort him and strengthen his faith. It shows that Jesus wasn't just concerned about the man’s physical health; he was concerned with his spiritual wellbeing.In verse 35 Jesus asks him a simple but powerful question: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man’s response shows his genuine gratitude he for the kindness that has been shown to him: “Who is He, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”I find it interesting that here, Jesus clearly reveals who He is, which He didn’t always do until the time came for him to go to the cross. Another instance when Jesus clearly revealed his identity was with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). In both cases, it’s to people on the margins – a man who was blind and thrown out by the Pharisees (v 34) and a woman who was rejected by society. I'm reminded that often God has a heart for those society overlooks. Do we also have the same love for those on the margins? They are often the ones who will respond to Jesus. We all know of people who feel secure in their wealth, knowledge or power, and who don’t see their need for Jesus. Sadly, they think they have everything, but remain spiritually blind.We live in a world where technology may one day be able to cure many causes of blindness, but I'm reminded from this passage that what matters most is spiritual sight – to recognize who Jesus really is, understand our need for Him, and respond to him. In the final few verses, we watch this man's understanding of Jesus grow from “a man” to “a prophet” and finally to the Lord who he worships. Let's pray that as we share the good news of Jesus with others, they too will come to know and worship him as Lord and saviour. ABOUT THE AUTHORKen is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 9:24-34 - Daily Devotion - 30 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 24 So a second time they called for the man who had been blind and said, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”25 He answered, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know. There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!”26 “What did He do to you?” they asked. “How did He open your eyes?”27 He replied, “I already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”28 Then they heaped insults on him and said, “You are His disciple; we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this man is from.”30 “That is remarkable indeed!” the man said. “You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will. 32 Never before has anyone heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do no such thing.”34 They replied, “You were born in utter sin, and you are instructing us?” And they threw him out.REFLECTIONSWritten by Dania MouradWhen I read through this passage, I had many lightbulbs turn on. While it seems like a simple case of “Jesus restores a blind man’s sight,” this miracle unveils so much more. What was first clear to me was the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees – how they saw and heard the man’s testimony, yet they still did not believe. It reminded me of the Israelites in Numbers 13–14, when they were on the border of the promised land and God commanded them to enter and take possession of it. They had seen God part the Red Sea and provide food and water for them in the wilderness, yet they refused to trust him when facing Canaan. It struck me that unbelief is often not a matter of lacking evidence, but of resisting what is already clear because it challenges our control, assumptions, or pride. My prayer is that God removes the veil of unbelief and pride from all non-believers, whether they are atheists or modern-day religious Pharisees. My prayer is also that God continues to strengthen the faith of all believers as we journey with him in this life. I also found myself reflecting on how easy it is, even as believers, to slip into subtle forms of spiritual blindness, by forgetting God’s power and kindness in rescuing us and giving us eternal life through Jesus’ death and resurrection.Another valuable angle of this passage I reflected upon was the testimony of the believer. I believe that despite others’ unbelief, there is still power in our testimony. So often we underestimate our Christian testimony, thinking it’s too little, too basic or too dense, and that people will be scared away by it. But God has brought us to him and healed us in different ways that are powerfully reflective of who he is. My prayer is that even when we share our testimony and others don’t turn to faith, God will grant us the comfort and courage to continue sharing it and trusting in his work. The healed man boldly stood his ground in testifying to who he knew Jesus to be, despite the pressure of the Pharisees. May our faithful God continue to give us his strength to keep sharing our testimony and ultimately sharing the gospel to bring many to Jesus. ABOUT THE AUTHORDania is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 9:18-23 - Daily Devotion - 29 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 18 The Jews still did not believe that the man had been blind and had received his sight until they summoned his parents 19 and asked, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he can now see?”20 His parents answered, “We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can now see or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.”22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadToday’s passage gives us a picture of two different fear responses: threats and staying quiet.I suspect the Jewish leaders were afraid of losing their positions of power and influence if people started believing in Jesus. They responded to their fear by threatening to excommunicate anyone who confessed Jesus as the Messiah. You would think that they would have been eager to consider this man Jesus – after all, the Old Testament prophets had said that when God’s promised salvation arrived, the eyes of the blind would be opened (Isaiah 35:5). But they had already prejudged Jesus – they thought they had too much to lose. The blind man’s parents were afraid for a much more obvious reason: the threats of the Jewish leaders. They respond by staying quiet. They don’t want to talk about how their son had been gloriously healed. Instead, they throw their son under the bus – “Leave us alone, go talk to him.”I can relate to their fear response. I’ve kept quiet instead of speaking up about Jesus. I’ve felt intimidated and nervous when someone challenges me on whether faith in Jesus is credible. But I was also remembering today that as Christians, we really do have the power in us to overcome that fear and not worry about people’s disapproval or threats. It’s not a power of our own, it’s the Holy Spirit who lives in us. In Miriam Bradshaw’s latest prayer letter from Spain, she shared about a boy called Christian who is 16 (and yes, he’s a Christian!). One of his teachers told them to bring a physical book to school to read for one hour a week. He started taking his Bible. Miriam said, “He’s attracted the ire of his teacher but the interest of his friends, two of whom he’s since bought Bibles for too.” What a contrast to the blind man’s parents! I’m sure Christian felt intimidated by his teacher’s disapproval, but he’s a great reminder of the difference that knowing Jesus makes. When you have the assurance of knowing that God is with you and you have eternal life, you can learn to overcome your fear and speak about your faith in Jesus. And God will use our words, in his time, to bring others to find new life in Jesus. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our senior minister.

John 9:13-17 - Daily Devotion - 28 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath. 15 So the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.The man answered, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”16 Because of this, some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.”But others said, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?”And there was division among them. 17 So once again they asked the man who had been blind, “What do you say about Him, since it was your eyes He opened?”“He is a prophet,” the man replied.REFLECTIONSWritten by Queenie FavelleIn today’s passage, we can see that once again the Pharisees have completely missed the point. The reason for the miracle of healing a man born blind is to point to the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, fulfilling Scripture. Instead of seeing that, all they concentrate on is that Jesus healed on the Sabbath – that he “worked” on the Sabbath rather than resting. They were strict about keeping the law, and were quick to condemn others for minor failures, but they had forgotten the purpose of the law. The Sabbath was not just about doing nothing, the purpose of resting from ordinary work for one day in the week was so the people could worship and enjoy God together and remember the life he gives.It is easy for us to point the finger at others. But in the same way, it also draws me back to reflect on why I go to church. Sunday church for Christians is not exactly the same as the Sabbath law under the old covenant, but with both of them, it is all too easy to forget the purpose and turn it into a rule or a formality. For me, is church just a regular routine thing? Am I just going through the motions every Sunday, or do I actually see the purpose of resting from ordinary activities to gather to worship God together? Am I there to just warm the pew, or am I present to eagerly listen to God's word, to be challenged, reminded and encouraged to live God's way? This passage reminds me what a joyous blessing it is to be able to gather with God and his people on Sundays – that we can serve, love and grow together in worshipping and enjoying God together. Let us not take church for granted but cherish the time we have together in loving God and encouraging each other. ABOUT THE AUTHORQueenie is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 9:8-12 - Daily Devotion - 27 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 8 At this, his neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging began to ask, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?”9 Some claimed that he was, but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”But the man kept saying, “I am the one.”10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.11 He answered, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and anointed my eyes, and He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and received my sight.”12 “Where is He?” they asked.“I do not know,” he answered.REFLECTIONSWritten by Ian MuThis passage came at the right time for me, as I was starting to feel like I was unchangeable. This week, a friend of mine was worried that I wasn’t prioritising church and God, and I shared that my struggle has been ongoing, and that I was worried I couldn’t change.But here I am reminded that God can change people. We see the aftermath and the testimony of this blind man who was healed. The blind man listened and obeyed Jesus. Jesus told him to go somewhere, and the blind man, who could not see, went.When he was healed, the people who knew him before were surprised. They were so surprised that they even debated among themselves whether this was the same man. Surely it couldn’t be the blind man, because this man could see. But there was no doubting it – it really was the same man. So the crowd questioned what had changed him.This gave the blind man an opportunity to speak and give credit to Jesus for the change in his life.For me, I feel like I often try to do things on my own. I forget to listen and obey. I focus more on what I can’t do, rather than what God has already done. I end up feeling stuck and unchanged.But this passage reminds me that real change doesn’t come from trying harder on my own, but from listening to Jesus and trusting Him step by step. If God can change a man who was blind from birth, then He can also work in my life too.So instead of focusing on what I can’t change, I want to learn to trust and obey God more each day, and let Him do the work in me. ABOUT THE AUTHORIan is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 9:1-7 - Daily Devotion - 25 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, 2 and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him. 4 While it is daytime, we must do[A] the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”6 When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes. 7 Then He told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadWhat a spectacular way for Jesus to illustrate that he is – as he claimed in chapter 8 – “the light of the world”! The point of the healing wasn’t to say that all Christians with a disability will be healed in this life. At the final resurrection, we will be raised in bodies that are healed of all sickness and disability, but when Jesus says, “Night is coming, when no one can work” (v 4), I think he’s saying that we should not expect the miracles he did in his earthly ministry to continue in the same way.Anyway, the purpose of this healing was to prove that Jesus isn’t just words. He claimed to be “the light of the world” for everyone – the great “I AM”, as we saw yesterday. He is the one through whom the world was made, and he can bring us from the darkness of sin and death and spiritual blindness, to knowing God and finding new life in him. But I think Jesus’s words in this passage are especially comforting to people with a disability or a chronic illness. It’s true that, in a very general way, all the things we suffer come from mankind’s sin in rebelling against God. That doesn’t mean that specific conditions must be because of that person’s sin, or even their family’s sin - Jesus knocks that firmly on the head. But he tells us something far more beautiful as well, when he says about the blind man, “this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him” (v 3). For the person who trusts in Jesus, God uses even disability or chronic illness for his good and life-giving purposes. It might be a long time before we see how that is; and it might be by healing, or it might be by our growth in endurance and hope and joy through suffering. Either way, God is more than capable of using our brokenness to shine the light of Jesus so that other might see him and live. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our senior minister.

John 8:48-59 - Daily Devotion - 24 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 48 The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”49 “I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge. 51 Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”52 “Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death. 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, as did the prophets. Who do You claim to be?”54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say ‘He is our God.’ 55 You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.”57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”58 “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am! ”59 At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.[I]REFLECTIONSWritten by Adam Davies“Who do You claim to be?” What a great question! Who is Jesus claiming to be? He talks about glory, never seeing death, being before Abraham – it seems to be the right question to ask: Who do you claim to be?Either Jesus is crazy or he’s claiming to be way more than just some guy. I’ve heard some people talk about how Jesus is either Liar, Lunatic or Lord. Our answer to that question seems to change everything doesn’t it?Trouble is, I don’t think the Jews who were asking Jesus in John 8 really wanted the answer. “We KNOW that You have a demon” (v 52) – it seems like they’ve already made up their minds. But for us, we really need to figure out whether we think Jesus is a demon possessed loony – delusions of grandeur, someone very unwell, perhaps needing our pity or to be put in care. Or if we think he’s a liar – trying to deceive us like some guru who claims to have answers if we’ll just give some money or sign our lives away to him, but who is just seeking their own gain. Or we realise that he is Lord – that his claims that he was before everything, that God is his Father and gives him the same glory, and that he has authority over life and death are all true, because he is God the Son, the eternal I AM, God come to us in the flesh.Our world seems to have moved from ignoring Jesus the loony, to really hating Jesus the toxic oppressive liar, but I’m thankful to hear from pastors I know that there are people turning up to church for the very first time, eager to know if Jesus might actually be Lord and hold the key to forgiveness and eternal life. I’m certain that he does! ABOUT THE AUTHORAdam is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 8:39-47 - Daily Devotion - 23 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 39 “Abraham is our father,” they replied.“If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41 You are doing the works of your father.”“We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!46 Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Annie DaviesWhen I read this passage I am struck by the strong language in Jesus’s argument with the Jews who didn’t believe in him. The Jews are biological children of Abraham. Their understanding was that they are part of God’s family by birth. However, Jesus says in v44 that their father is the devil! The reason is that the Jews don’t accept Jesus’s message and are trying to kill him. Can you imagine suddenly being told you are not part of God’s family when you thought you were? And then being told your father is actually the devil? It’s even more shocking than the scene in Star Wars Episode V where the noble Jedi Luke Skywalker finds out his father is the evil overload Darth Vader!As Christians we are saved through faith in Jesus, trusting that Jesus took our sins away when he died on the cross for us. We now have the amazing privilege to call God our Father! If God is our Father, verse 47 challenges me to reflect on whether I hear his word and do it. For example, I have been remembering that God loves all people, and his invitation of salvation extends to everyone. However, there are definitely people who I find easier to love than others. And there are people who I am more willing to try to develop a relationship with and share the gospel with than others. When I take my son to swimming lessons, there are other parents sitting around the pool watching their kids in the lesson. There are some parents who I sit next to and may try to engage in conversation, and others who I don’t really want to talk to as they may be from a very different ethnic background or have limited English. This passage challenges me to put aside any personal bias and extend God’s love and his gospel of salvation to all people. ABOUT THE AUTHORAnnie is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 8:31-38 - Daily Devotion - 22 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 31 So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”33 “We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”34 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.37 I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you. 38 I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Rebecca MihasAs I read this passage, I felt both comforted and gently challenged. It’s easy to think that because I believe in Jesus, I must already be living in full freedom, but His words invite me to look deeper.There was a time in my walk with Christ where I felt completely chained by disappointment, sadness, and a sense that I couldn’t move forward. Even though I believed, I felt stuck. What carried me through wasn’t having all the answers, it was holding onto prayer and continuing in His word. Day by day, I chose to stay close to Him, even when I didn’t feel free. I didn’t rely on anything else to get me through that time. I leaned into Jesus for healing and trusted that He is the one who really does set us free.That’s why His words here mean so much to me now: “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” There is something so powerful about simply staying, remaining in Him.And the promise is full of hope: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Not partially free, but truly free! This passage reminds me that even in seasons where we feel stuck, Jesus is gently leading us into real and lasting freedom. ABOUT THE AUTHORRebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 8:21-30 - Daily Devotion - 21 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 21 Again He said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”22 So the Jews began to ask, “Will He kill Himself, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”23 Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”25 “Who are You?” they asked.“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say about you and much to judge. But the One who sent Me is truthful, and what I have heard from Him, I tell the world.”27 They did not understand that He was telling them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me. 29 He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”30 As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.REFLECTIONSWritten by Keith HengpoonthanaThe hard reality is this: there are going to be people who hear or read the gospel but will not believe or understand it. But there will also be those that hear or read the gospel and will accept it as truth that Jesus is one who is sent by God the Father so that we might be saved and not perish in our sins. Jesus makes it clear that those who don’t believe in him will die in their sins.I found Jesus’ words a painful reminder that there will probably be family and friends we care about who will not believe in him. It may well be that you have tried hard to share the good news with them. Jesus had the same experience, since he says he had been telling them “from the beginning” (v.25). This is not the first time they had encountered Jesus declaring he IS “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6), but they still refused to believe and they still did not know Him.Does that mean we should stop sharing the gospel with people like that? Definitely not! It would be wrong to hear Jesus rebuking these stubborn, non-believing Jews, and conclude that there are people we know who can’t possibly be saved. In fact, what really sticks out for me from this passage is the remarkable line in verse 30: “As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.” He also said that more would come to know the truth after he had been lifted up on the cross and glorified (v.28).We can never know who may or may not believe, or when someone will believe, but we do know that it will only be after they hear the gospel truth about Jesus being lifted up and glorified, and Jesus speaking the will of the Father. Some may believe after they hear it for the first time, and others after hearing it a hundred times, or even the very last time before their dying breath. Are you currently praying for a non-believer? Pray that God would help you not to be discouraged and to persevere in sharing the gospel with them, even though it may be difficult to get through to them. Remember that our heavenly Father hears our prayers and only He can save. Are you bold enough to be like Jesus in telling the world the truth? My prayer for you is that by sharing the gospel many would come to believe and be saved. Amen. ABOUT THE AUTHORKeith is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 8:12-20 - Daily Devotion - 20 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”14 Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone; I am with the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18 I am One who testifies about Myself, and the Father, who sent Me, also testifies about Me.”19 “Where is Your Father?” they asked Him.“You do not know Me or My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would know My Father as well.”20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.REFLECTIONSWritten by Bethany RowlandsSometimes I catch myself thinking of God the Father as having a different character or will than Jesus the Son. I used to think of Jesus as helping me to please the Father. I’ve had friends tell me they like the Jesus of the New Testament, but not the angry God of the Old Testament. I’ve read writings that talk of worshipping the Creator while confident Jesus was just a man we can ignore.The passage today in John doesn’t give me room to separate God in that way. Yes, the Father, Son and Spirit have different roles and activities in God’s big plan. The Father sends and the Son is sent. But the passage’s claim is clear that the Father, Son and Spirit have the same goal, the same judgement of sin and the same heart to save sinners.In fact, the passage says that by knowing Jesus, a person knows the Father! They are not separate or different, but they are one. The Father is with Jesus and Jesus came to reveal who the Father is. Jesus said the people listening to Him in John 8 don’t know the Father because they don’t accept Jesus!How I respond to Jesus IS how I respond to the Father. I can’t say I trust Jesus but not the Father. I can’t follow God but not accept Jesus as Lord. The Father and the Son and the Spirit are one God. So the challenge is, do I believe what Jesus said about Himself and the Father, or have I made up a different, fragmented picture of God? When Scripture says something about the Father or Jesus that I don’t like, do I seek to understand God better or do I start to prefer Jesus or the Father over the other? Pray and ask God to help you grow in your understanding and your trust in his character, revealed to us in Jesus his Son. ABOUT THE AUTHORBethany is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 8:1-11 - Daily Devotion - 18 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 Early in the morning He went back into the temple courts. All the people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them. 3 The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them 4 and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”6 They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.7 When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” 8 And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.9 When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there. 10 Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”11 “No one, Lord,” she answered.“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Rebecca SheadI find this passage both intriguing and confronting. Did you notice that the scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus only the woman caught in adultery? By definition, there must also have been a man caught in adultery. The seventh of the ten commandments says, “You shall not commit adultery” (Ex 20:14). And the Old Testament law lays out the consequences: “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death” (Lev 20:10). The Pharisees are displaying their hypocrisy and double standards here by bringing only the woman to Jesus; the man was also guilty! In any case, it’s clear the woman’s sin was very serious. She was condemned by the law and deserved the death penalty.I’m trying to imagine how the woman would have felt when she was brought to Jesus in the temple. Perhaps she felt indignant, because her partner in crime seems to have escaped without judgment. I’m guessing she felt both ashamed and fearful: ashamed, because her sin had been exposed in front of Jesus and all the people gathered in the temple; and fearful, because she deserved the harshest penalty the law could bring. But Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and the woman shows the depth of his love and compassion. Instead of condemning her as the Pharisees wanted, and as she deserved, Jesus offers her another chance. Earlier in the book, we read, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:16-17). The woman is on the receiving end of God’s love. Her shame and fear have turned into surprise and gratitude!It’s so easy to see the sin in others and be critical and judgmental. Instead, we should pray that God will help us to see our own sin. If we’re honest, we will admit that we deserve to be condemned too. Let’s pray that God will help us to turn away from our sin, to accept his offer of forgiveness, and to be thankful and rejoice in the salvation he offers to us and other sinners through Jesus. ABOUT THE AUTHORRebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 7:45-53 - Daily Devotion - 17 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 45 Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring Him in?”46 “Never has anyone spoken like this man!” the officers answered.47 “Have you also been deceived?” replied the Pharisees. 48 “Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law, they are under a curse.”50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who himself was one of them, asked, 51 “Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”52 “Aren’t you also from Galilee?” they replied. “Look into it, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.”53 Then each went to his own home.REFLECTIONSWritten by Linda VuReading John 7:45–53 made me pause and notice how divided people were about Jesus. Some were amazed by Him, others were confused, and the leaders were angry and defensive. What struck me most was how the guards, who were sent to arrest Jesus, came back empty-handed, captivated by His words. The officers could not find any fault in His teaching to justify arresting Him. It made me reflect on the power of truth. They weren’t scholars or religious leaders, yet they sensed there was something different about Jesus.Nicodemus also stood out to me. Even though he was one of the Pharisees, he spoke up and asked whether the law judges someone without first hearing them. His response wasn’t dramatic, but would have taken courage. It reminds me that faithfulness can look like small, quiet moments of standing for fairness and truth when others are against it.Overall, this passage made me reflect on my own response to Jesus. Am I open and listening like the guards? Or defensive like the Pharisees? Or quietly seeking truth like Nicodemus? It encourages me to keep an open heart and to have the courage to respond with honesty, even when others disagree. Sometimes Jesus’ teachings can be hard to accept. Will I become defensive like the Pharisees, making excuses? Or will I listen and accept the truth?Pray with me: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your truth and for speaking words that reach our hearts. Help us to be open and willing to listen, not defensive or hardened. Give us courage like Nicodemus to stand for what is right, even in small ways. Shape our heart to love Your truth and respond with humility and faith. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. ABOUT THE AUTHORLinda is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 7:37-44 - Daily Devotion - 16 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 37 On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’” 39 He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.40 On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”41 Others declared, “This is the Christ.”But still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? 42 Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived? ”43 So there was division in the crowd because of Jesus. 44 Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him.REFLECTIONSWritten by Helen MitryOver the past few weeks at Growth Group we have been studying Jesus through the lens of the Old Testament and seeing how every promise God made points towards him. Today in John’s Gospel we also see how the Old Testament celebrations and rituals were fulfilled in Jesus. It took me a while to write this devotion as there was a lot of cultural context to consider. However after doing some digging, it made sense!We are told that it is the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles for the Jews. A “tabernacle” was a kind of tent, so can you guess what they did to celebrate this festival? Each family would make their own little temporary shelter and camp out for the week! This sounds like a Gus Cameron type of celebration. This festival reminded them of God’s goodness to Israel when they had camped in the wilderness for 40 years after he rescued them from Egypt.Another important theme in this celebration is water, because if you were stranded in the wilderness you would definitely want water! For 7 days they would pour water from the Pool of Siloam on the altar to remind each other that God had provided them with water in the desert. (The Pool of Siloam will feature again when Jesus heals a blind man in chapter 9.)In today’s passage Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” I don’t think it was a coincidence that Jesus chose to preach this message on this day, at this celebration and to this crowd. “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” This is Jesus talking about the Holy Spirit. Jesus is calling the crowd to him – and not just that crowd back them. He is calling us as well. We can come to Jesus thirsty, and he will satisfy our deepest need. We only need to believe in him to receive the Holy Spirit. Come to Jesus, the only source of living water. ABOUT THE AUTHORHelen is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

John 7:32-36 - Daily Devotion - 15 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 32 When the Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Jesus, they and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Him. 33 So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me. 34 You will look for Me, but you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”35 At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What does He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’ and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”REFLECTIONSWritten by Herman TuImagine this: You’ve recruited Stephen Shead to lead your Bible study. You have all been praying for this moment. And he finally comes … and the first words he speaks in front of you all are: “I will do no more Bible studies. Plus, you will not find me at all.” One of your group members says, “He is going back to Chile!” But he says he isn't and you cannot find him.How would you feel? I would be shocked. Confused. Curious. And I would feel utterly stupid. (Of course, I’m not really comparing Stephen to Jesus – that’s just a fun little illustration!)When Jesus arrives on the scene, he performs many miracles and teaches as one with authority. The Jewish people see this and begin to realise that the Christ has potentially come (v25). Could this be the prophesied Messiah who would bring his people into an enduring kingdom? We’re told that some of the Jewish people were starting to believe in Him (v31) – they would have been so excited that he had come.So it’s no wonder that when Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me” (v33), the Jewish people became shocked too. There is a mismatch between expectations and understanding.Then again, many of them did not believe, and they had already tried to seize Jesus (v30). And the religious leaders were still intent on killing Jesus and were trying to arrest him (v32). It’s not surprising that Jesus left them confused – it was not yet his time to die (v30).Thankfully, the Jewish people’s confusion about Jesus helps us to accurately see Jesus.“Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him?” We know! He is going to the cross, to fulfil the mission the Father has sent him to carry out, and to conquer sin and death.“You will look for Me, but you will not find Me.” We know how to find him! They were chasing after the wrong kind of Messiah and so rejected Jesus. But we know that Jesus is the Messiah, and we have found him by trusting in him.“Where I am, you cannot come”? We know! Jesus is seated at the right hand of power.Jesus always had in mind the will of his Father. He knew in miraculous detail where he was going and the pain he would suffer on the cross for us. Give thanks for God’s great rescue plan through His Son. Pray for those who do not see Jesus clearly, that they may see Him as Saviour and Lord over all. ABOUT THE AUTHORHerman is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

John 7:25-31 - Daily Devotion - 14 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 25 Then some of the people of Jerusalem began to say, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Yet here He is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying anything to Him. Have the rulers truly recognized that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You know Me, and you know where I am from. I have not come of My own accord, but He who sent Me is true. You do not know Him, 29 but I know Him, because I am from Him and He sent Me.”30 So they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 Many in the crowd, however, believed in Him and said, “When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?”REFLECTIONSWritten by Rodney ClarkeThis passage is interesting, because for most of his ministry Jesus did not make big public claims to be the Messiah. He waited until it was his time to give his life. But on this trip to the feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, he alluded publicly to being the Messiah.The people who are gathered for the feast are tripped up by Jesus’ claims, because – they think – how could the Messiah come from Galilee? It's the equivalent of saying, “How can the King of the world come from Fairfield?” I suppose recognising Jesus never just comes from human reflection, it comes from true faith which is given by God.You may have heard the saying: “You can't judge a book by its cover.” Well in this case, it’s: You can't judge a person by where they come from … especially if you don’t truly know where they come from! Jesus had total authority from God and came to reconcile man to God and to announce a message of real hope. Jesus came from God, as God’s plan of rescue. But the crowd could only see the humble carpenter who came from Galilee.Sometimes we are blinded to the truth by someone's humble circumstances. In the people’s minds, Jesus didn't meet the requirements of what the Messiah should be. I think we can fall into the same trap sometimes, when we want Jesus to be our Saviour but not our Lord. But that’s not our choice to make. We can only meet Jesus on His terms, not ours. God calls us to recognise Jesus not just as a humble preacher from Nazareth, but as the One who He sent into the world – as God become flesh.Some parts of the crowd wanted Jesus to do impressive miracles and perform signs and wonders on demand – that was what they expected of a "Messiah.” But the real miracle of Jesus is the gospel, the good news bringing hope and reconciliation to God. We all want God to solve our earthly problems right now, but most importantly Jesus can deal with our problem of sin that condemns and separates us from God. So no matter what Jesus’ humble earthly origins were, the work he came to do is truly majestic, Kingly and from God. Maybe you need to do business with God on His terms and be truly transformed and reconciled to Him, by giving your life wholeheartedly to Jesus as both your Saviour and your Lord. ABOUT THE AUTHORRodney is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 7:14-24 - Daily Devotion - 13 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 14 About halfway through the feast, Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach. 15 The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”16 “My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me. 17 If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own. 18 He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?”20 “You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?”21 Jesus answered them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22 But because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath (not that it is from Moses, but from the patriarchs.) 23 If a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses will not be broken, why are you angry with Me for making the whole man well on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Mercy SawIn this passage, people make several judgments against Jesus. Firstly, the Jewish leaders witness Jesus teaching in the temple and are amazed at him. We aren’t told the details of what he taught, but it was clearly of such a standard that they are impressed at his wisdom and authority despite him not having received formal training under their religious teachers. Although they can see that his teaching is powerful, the Jewish leaders judge Jesus as a threat, so they are still intent on killing him. The crowd’s response to Jesus is just as bad. They judge Jesus completely incorrectly and accuse him of being demon-possessed for calling the Jewish leaders out for their evil intentions.Ironically, the judgments made again Jesus expose those who are judging him. Jesus says that the mark of whether a person desires to do the will of God is whether they correctly recognize that Jesus’ authority comes from God who has sent him. Jesus seeks to glorify the Father by obeying him, and thus demonstrates he is the one who is full of truth. In contrast, the religious leaders are caught up with maintaining their authority through their rigid enforcement of the law, and so fail to recognize Jesus for who he is. They condemn him for healing a man on the Sabbath (John 5) rather than seeing that this miracle shows he is the promised Messiah sent by God to fulfil the law.This reminds me that it is possible to have much head knowledge and training in God’s word, but what matters most is to be submitting to the authority of Jesus and his word over my life. This is especially important when we come to parts of the Bible which may challenge our beliefs or call out areas of our lives where we may need to repent and obey God. It also reminds me that we need God’s Spirit to give us discernment to understand his word and see life as Jesus does. Praise God for Jesus and his humility in seeking God’s glory by obeying him, and ask that he would help us to do likewise. ABOUT THE AUTHORMercy is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 7:1-13 - Daily Devotion - 11 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 After this, Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jews there were trying to kill Him. 2 However, the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near. 3 So Jesus’ brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples there may see the works You are doing. 4 For no one who wants to be known publicly acts in secret. Since You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.6 Therefore Jesus told them, “Although your time is always at hand, My time has not yet come. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify that its works are evil. 8 Go up to the feast on your own. I am not going up to this feast, because My time has not yet come.”9 Having said this, Jesus remained in Galilee. 10 But after His brothers had gone up to the feast, He also went—not publicly, but in secret.11 So the Jews were looking for Him at the feast and asking, “Where is He?”12 Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.”But others replied, “No, He deceives the people.”13 Yet no one would speak publicly about Him for fear of the Jews.REFLECTIONSWritten by Tina BoggOne thing that stood out for me when I read this passage is how divided the opinions about Jesus were. This passage starts with Jesus avoiding Judea because the Jewish leaders were looking for a way to kill him, while his brothers were asking him to publicly show himself, and then in verse 12, it says that among the crowds there were mixed opinions, with some believing he was a good man and others thinking he deceived the people. One man, yet so many different beliefs about him and his ministry. In many ways, I guess it is similar in this day and age, when people have lots of different opinions about Jesus: a good teacher, a historical figure, a prophet, or the Son of God. This week I had an interesting chat with someone who only wanted their kids to hear the ‘gentle’ teachings at church – nothing about hell or death, just the good morals and being kind to one another. Jesus and all his teachings have to be taken together, which is why there were – and still are – such divided opinions about him. Without his teaching about sin, why would we need forgiveness? Without his teaching about death and hell, why would we need to be saved?My reflection is to thank God that Jesus didn't hide the truth from us, even when it meant he would be hated, because without all of Jesus’ truth, the good news wouldn't be nearly as good. Be encouraged and pray that God will give you the courage not to hide parts of Jesus' teaching that aren't easy to hear, even if it means you're hated or looked on differently. And if you are treated that way, ask God to help you know and trust that he will use it for his good plan. ABOUT THE AUTHORTina is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 6:66-71 - Daily Devotion - 10 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 66 From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.67 So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?”68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”70 Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 He was speaking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.REFLECTIONSWritten by Rebecca LinRebecca LinWhat stands out to me most from this passage is Simon Peter’s simple yet profound question: “Lord, to whom would we go?” This question is in response to Jesus asking his Twelve disciples if they want to leave him too, after many other disciples turned away from him. As we saw yesterday, this was due to the disciples hearing and understanding some of Jesus’ teaching that they found difficult to accept – that no one can come to him unless the Father enables them to. Yet even after a whole group of people turned their backs on Jesus and his teaching, the question from Simon Peter and the Twelve still rings out loud and clear: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.”I find that I am surrounded by so many words and messages every day, whether it’s the chatter and influence of social media, the latest headlines in the news, or the opinions and advice of friends, family and colleagues. It is too easy for these words to become the thing that I “go to”, for them to shape my mind, occupy my thoughts and influence my decisions. But this passage reminds me that Jesus alone has the true, lasting and precious words of eternal life. Everything else will ultimately fade away and become meaningless. As 1 Peter 1:24-25 says, “the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” This challenges me to cling to Jesus’ words of eternal life above all else and let the other messages around me fade into the background. I am also reminded of the importance of spending time in God’s Word consistently and actually listening to those words of eternal life. Please pray with me that we would all cling onto Jesus’ eternal words, and that as we read His Word each day, we would remember the preciousness of what we get to listen to. ABOUT THE AUTHORRebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 6:60-65 - Daily Devotion - 9 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 60 On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”61 Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)65 Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadYou sometimes hear people say things like: “The greatest miracle of all is when a person comes to faith in Jesus” (hey, I might have said that a few times myself). It seems that Jesus would agree, at least from what he says in verse 65: “no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”Today’s passage helped me appreciate one reason why conversion is always a miracle: because so many things about Jesus are deeply offensive to our corrupted minds. The chapter so far has felt like Jesus trying to say as many offensive things as possible. But when some of those following him (at least for now!) push back and say, “Jesus, you’ve gone too far,” he adds two more offensive claims that are, if anything, even worse.First, he says they will “see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before” (v 62). I struggled to understand this verse, but I think he’s talking about how he will return to his Father’s glory – via the cross. In John’s Gospel, when Jesus talks about being exalted or “lifted up,” the focus is when he is lifted up on the cross. The cross is his throne, the moment when he is declared to be the king (John 19:19-22). Jesus won’t let you receive him as the ascended King without also receiving him as the crucified Saviour, the Word of God who revealed his glory by being mocked, spat on, rejected, and shamed. There’s no easy and smooth road to triumph for Jesus, or for his followers. It goes through the cross.And second, Jesus says, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing” (v 63). I am flesh, so according to Jesus there is nothing at all in me that contributes to me finding life. All my efforts, my sense of self-worth, my dignity, my pride mean nothing and “profit nothing” when it comes to the one thing that matters.Once you recognise and embrace those truths, you’ll finally see where to find the Spirit and true, everlasting life: in the words of Jesus (v 63). But recognising and embracing those truths is always a miracle that can only be the work of the Father, through the Spirit, drawing us to Jesus.Thank God now for so kindly doing that miracle not just in you, but in the hundreds of your brothers and sisters at St Barnabas. And pray by name for someone you know who is still offended by Jesus. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

John 6:52-59 - Daily Devotion - 8 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 52 At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink.56 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your fathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever.”59 Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadA word of clarification first: Jesus isn’t talking about the Lord’s Supper here. He’s speaking in metaphors about his death on the cross, when he would sacrifice his flesh-and-blood body for the sins of the world. When he says, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life” (v 54), he does not mean, “Whoever takes the Lord’s Supper has eternal life”. He means what he said back in verse 47: “he who believes has eternal life.” Of course, the Lord’s Supper is pointing to Jesus’ death as well, but this passage isn’t about the Lord’s Supper. It’s about faith in Jesus.I find this passage a bit shocking. The Jews who have been interrogating Jesus are showing stubborn blindness and unbelief. But instead of dumbing down his message, Jesus makes it even harder to digest (pardon the pun!). It’s like he deliberately chooses the most offensive-sounding and obscure metaphor for his saving work – and as we’ll see tomorrow, they do get offended.And yet, as I reflected on it, I realised a couple of things. First, Jesus doesn’t simply walk away from them. He patiently persists in telling them about his saving death – even if they aren’t going to be able to understand the meaning until after the cross. So maybe this isn’t Jesus confusing them to cut them off from the gospel. Maybe this is Jesus preparing them for a later time, when they will be ready to remember, understand and come to faith. After all, despite their unbelief, he continues repeating the same message of astounding grace and hope – a promise of being raised from death to eternal life, an invitation to be joined to Jesus, remain in him, and receive his life that never ends. How many of the people who were totally confused in this passage went on, after Jesus’ resurrection, to have their eyes opened and be drawn to Jesus by the Father?I feel a little bit validated by Jesus in one of my personal life principles, which is: It’s OK to offend people, but only with the gospel. Some people will be deeply offended when we share the gospel with them. When that happens, we don’t need to back down or be embarrassed by the gospel. But this passage encourages me to remember that their offence might be one stage in their crumbling spiritual resistance to God’s grace, and to trust and pray that God will later bring them to true understanding and joyful acceptance of those words. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our senior minister.

John 6:41-51 - Daily Devotion - 7 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 41 At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’” 43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus replied. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father.47 Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Paul BoggI wonder how many times you have tried to share the gospel and thought the person you talked to wasn’t understanding what you were saying? Or have you tried to share the good news about Jesus with someone, only to be met with grumbling or disbelief? Or have you had someone tell you, “If only God would do this amazing thing, I would believe”?Today’s passage has Jesus talking to a group of people like this. That might seem disheartening, because we can think, “How can I possibly get through to them?” But what Jesus has to say in this passage should give us hope and comfort. Firstly, in verse 44 Jesus tells us that the process of someone believing in him begins with God the Father drawing them in. This means that the ultimate outcome from sharing the gospel message depends entirely on God himself, not on your ability to convince them. This is a great news! It means that we are free to share about Jesus with friends and family and colleagues and encourage them to consider who Jesus is, knowing that Jesus himself says God will draw in whom he decides.Secondly, earlier on in verses 30-31 the people asked: “What sign then will You perform, so that we may see it and believe You? What will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”Now Jesus gives them the answer in verses 48-50: “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die.”.  The people were asking for a sign, and Jesus tells them, “I am the sign – look to me. The bread they ate wasn’t the true bread of life from God, because they died – it was pointing forward to me. So eat of me and live – that is, believe in me and you will live forever.” There is no need for God to perform any more signs or revelations or miracles to bring people to himself. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection are sufficient, and God himself will draw in whose whom he decides.So take heart brothers and sisters, and be bold. ABOUT THE AUTHORPaul is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

John 6:37-40 - Daily Devotion - 6 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 37 Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.39 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Joseph TingTwo words came to my mind as I read this passage: Acceptance and Hope. Jesus said that he will never drive away anyone who comes to Him (v37b). This is 100% unconditional acceptance, which is in such contrast to today’s world view where acceptance in almost any situation is based on pre-conditions – if you accept me as your friend then I will accept you as my friend or teammate; if you fit a certain profile then I will accept you as part of my social group, etc. But Jesus isn’t like that, there is no pre-condition for acceptance by Him, as long as people come to Him. This acceptance however goes much further; it isn’t just acceptance alone. In addition to this unconditional acceptance regardless of our background or who we are, Jesus also promises the Hope of salvation and eternal life for those who believe in Him, by raising them up at the last day (vs 39-40). So firstly, unconditional acceptance by Jesus, and secondly, acceptance into the eternal kingdom of God for those who believe in Him.What gives me absolute assurance is that Jesus is able to do this because He comes from the Father (v38), and he tells us clearly that the Father had sent Him (v39) so those who come to Him and believe in Him will receive this Hope.Have we come to Jesus knowing that He will accept us unconditionally? Have we put our trust in Him, and so put our lives in His hands, knowing that the Heavenly Father sent Him and that He has promised us a place in the Father’s eternal kingdom as long as we believe in Him?If we are still unsure, then let us pray that God will open our eyes and help us see that Jesus is the only way to the Father’s kingdom, so that we don’t lose this open invitation of unconditional acceptance by Jesus, and the hope of eternal life that comes with the acceptance. ABOUT THE AUTHORJoseph is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

John 6:30-36 - Daily Devotion - 4 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”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. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.REFLECTIONSWritten by Mary HongIn this chapter we have been learning about Jesus’ ministry and the miraculous signs that He has been doing, which have led to crowds following Him wherever he goes. We heard how Jesus fed five thousand with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes on the far side of the lake, then crossed back to Capernaum the next morning. It was not long before the crowds come looking for Him again. In yesterday’s passage, Jesus questioned them to show that the reason they came to look for Him was not because they saw the meaning of the signs, but for bread to be physically full and satisfied.So Jesus said to them: “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” (v27)When the crowd hears this, in today’s passage, they yet again ask Jesus for a sign: “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?” (v30) Once again, this does not show their faith, but their blindness. They ask for a sign despite witnessing the miracles Jesus had performed the day before.But Jesus does not answer harshly. He responds by telling them they need to ask for the true bread which comes from heaven: “For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (v33).Not surprisingly, the crowd ask Jesus to give them this bread, but they still don’t understand. Jesus knew that they were not aware the Messiah had already come. So Jesus responded with a clear statement of who he is and what he offers: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (v35) However, they still refuse to see and believe Him as the Messiah (v36).As I reflect on my testimony and the early days when I was finding out more about Jesus, I realise that I can relate to the people in the crowds. In fact, I admit that I would have probably been like them, just coming along for a free meal. I recall making excuses because I was reluctant to accept the truth.Friends, as you reflect on this passage, be reminded that we need faith in Jesus just as much as we need bread. Just as our physical bodies need to be fed, so too do we need to be spiritually fed. Jesus came to be the bread of life that truly satisfies so that we will never hunger and thirst again. I pray we always remain faithful and thankful for the life we have in Christ Jesus. ABOUT THE AUTHORMary is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

John 6:22-29 - Daily Devotion - 3 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 22 The next day, the crowd that had remained on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded it with His disciples, but they had gone away alone. 23 However, some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum to look for Him. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”26 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”28 Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”29 Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Vinh DangFollowing on from Wednesday’s passage, the crowd who witnessed the miraculous signs went looking for Jesus across the sea, which at first seems like a sign of dedication and faith. They even traveled by boat just to find Him. But Jesus reveals in verse 26 that their search was not about understanding who He was. Instead, they were drawn by the miracle of feeding a huge crowd, and they wanted more of what He could give for their physical needs.This challenges me to think about the reasons behind my own faith. Sometimes it is easy to come to God mainly when I want something – for example, help with a problem, or a need in life. In those moments, my focus can become similar to the crowd’s—seeking a miraculous sign or the “bread” rather than seeking Jesus Himself.Jesus’ response shifts the focus from temporary needs to eternal needs. In verse 27, He tells them not to work for food that perishes but for food that lasts forever. This reminds me that many things I spend energy on—success, comfort, possessions—are temporary. They may satisfy me for a moment, but they cannot truly fulfill a deeper hunger.Further on in the passage, Jesus responds to their question, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Instead of listing actions or rules, He simply says that the work of God is to believe in the One He has sent. This tells me that faith is not about earning God’s approval through effort. It is about trusting in Jesus and recognizing Him as the source of true life.This passage encourages me to examine my priorities. Am I chasing temporary satisfaction, or am I seeking the deeper, lasting life that Jesus offers? It reminds me that true spiritual nourishment does not come from temporary things like food or material gain, but it comes from faith in Christ. ABOUT THE AUTHORVinh is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

John 6:14-21 - Daily Devotion - 2 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 14 When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”15 Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.16 When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them. 18 A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified. 20 But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.REFLECTIONSWritten by Lauren SingIn today’s passage, we see the glory of Jesus, who the Old Testament prophets wrote about, and we also see the response of those who have been expecting him.The Jews were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the great Prophet who Moses spoke about in Deuteronomy 18:15, and they had been looking for signs of his coming. Jesus’ teaching and miracles have rightly convinced them that Jesus IS the prophet they were expecting. But Jesus is so much more than just a prophet. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, born as a man to fulfil God's plan to save us. The crowd are also misguided in thinking that Jesus came to be a political leader and to sit on an earthly throne. That is why Jesus, the heavenly king, departs from the approval of the crowd.Jesus then shows his disciples another miracle. Through the disciples' trust in Jesus and Jesus’ care for them, he is able to bring them safely through the storm, back across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. Despite their initial fear at the supernatural help they are receiving from Jesus, he is able to calm them by reassuring them of who he is. Jesus, the Messiah, has complete control over nature and is able to perform miraculous wonders.In response to what we’ve read in John 6, we can thank God for the gift of Jesus, and that Jesus perfectly fulfils the Old Testament covenants and prophesies – fully man and fully God, that He is trustworthy and deserving of all praise and glory. Even in dark times, when it feels like we are rowing a boat against a fierce current in the pitch black of night, may we be able to fully trust in God’s timing and that he will sustain us in His power and strength. ABOUT THE AUTHORLauren is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 6:1-13 - Daily Devotion - 1 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias). 2 A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples.4 Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.7 Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?” 10 “Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them.11 Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.12 And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”13 So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadThis month we are returning to the Gospel of John. John’s purpose in writing this biography of Jesus is to show us that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” so that we might believe in him and find life (John 20:31). In the first few chapters, John has related some of the miraculous signs Jesus did. John doesn’t call them “miracles,” he calls them “signs” because they weren’t just to be impressive. They were like signposts pointing to who Jesus is.By chapter 5, those signs had started to bring heat from the religious authorities, who were suspicious of Jesus … or maybe they just didn’t want their power threatened. Perhaps that heat is why Jesus now withdraws to a more remote Gentile area, across the Sea of Galilee. If so, it didn’t get him out of the limelight. Crowds of Jews followed him there, because of his miraculous healings (v 2). But that gave Jesus another opportunity for a sign of his glory – in this case, feeding a multitude in a remote place.I was intrigued by John’s note that “the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near” (v 4). Why does he include that detail? Perhaps to highlight the connection between this sign and the Exodus. The Passover was God’s great rescue of his people through Moses, and it also led to their journey in the wilderness, where God provided for them with manna from heaven. This signpost-miracle shows that Jesus is far greater than Moses – he is “equal with God” (John 5:18), because he himself is the one who miraculously provides for his people. In fact, later we’ll hear that Jesus is the “bread of life” – he is the true manna from heaven! And he doesn’t just provide enough; when it seems like his people will have nothing, he provides an abundant banquet for them.I found that challenging. Do I really trust that Jesus will provide abundantly more than I need personally, or that we need as a church? His test to Philip – “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?” (when he knew the answer) – felt like a test for me as well. Jesus knows what we need, and that he can do “so much more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). Do we really believe that?Think about some of the things we need at St Barnabas right now. Then bring them to God through Jesus, and ask him to provide out of his abundant kindness, according to his infinite wisdom. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our senior minister.

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 - Daily Devotion - 31 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd. 12 And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.13 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadI remember years ago I was the visiting preacher at a different church. I preached what I thought was a pretty good sermon. Then the service leader, who was their youth pastor, got up to conclude the service, and he gave a one-sentence summary of my sermon that captured the whole message far more clearly than I had managed with all my words. He had a greater gift than I do for getting the essence of something in a few words (which probably isn’t a surprise to anyone…).This final passage in the book of Ecclesiastes wasn’t written by the Teacher, but by the anonymous editor who collected and wrote down the proverbs of the Teacher. Even though this editor only wrote a tiny portion of the final book, I love how he has taken all the Teacher’s profound, challenging, uncomfortable truths, and distilled them into the most important thing we need to hear: There is a great day of judgment coming, so fear God – that is, trust him, and obey him. That message was scattered throughout the Teacher’s work, but this unknown editor has allowed us to see it with crystal clarity.We saw something similar in Sunday’s passage from Matthew: Jesus taught many things, but the most urgent and important thing he preached was the message of “the kingdom of heaven”, that is, the gospel (Matt. 4:17). That gospel includes the same warning of the coming judgment, and the call to “fear God and give Him glory” (see Revelation 14:6-7). But the glorious relief of the gospel is that God has already brought “every deed” and “every hidden thing” into judgment. He judged sin itself “by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin … so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4). The Teacher had a wonderful gift for pushing people who want to exclude God to face the futility of life without him, and to see that it’s impossible for us to get over the problem of death. Maybe there’s someone you need to have that conversation with? But make sure you also include the only solution there is – that Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and whoever believes in him will live and never die (John 11:25-26). ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 - Daily Devotion - 30 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,before the days of adversity comeand the years approach of which you will say,“I find no pleasure in them,”2 before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened,and the clouds return after the rain,3 on the day the keepers of the house trembleand the strong men stoop,when those grinding cease because they are fewand those watching through windows see dimly,4 when the doors to the street are shutand the sound of the mill fades away,when one rises at the sound of a birdand all the daughters of song grow faint,5 when men fear the heights and dangers of the road,when the almond tree blossoms,the grasshopper loses its spring,and the caper berry shrivels—for then man goes to his eternal homeand mourners walk the streets.6 Remember Him before the silver cord is snappedand the golden bowl is crushed,before the pitcher is shattered at the springand the wheel is broken at the well,7 before the dust returns to the ground from which it cameand the spirit returns to God who gave it.8 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher.“Everything is futile!”REFLECTIONSWritten by Stephen SheadEarly on in Ecclesiastes, I mentioned that as the Teacher probes life “under the sun” to try to find something of real and lasting value, he keeps running up against the same huge obstacle: Death. As he reaches the end of his great philosophical work, that’s the topic he turns to once again – or rather, growing old and dying.I think this is one of the most achingly beautiful poems ever written. It’s not an easy poem – there’s imagery that is hard to decipher. But all the images are haunting word pictures of the process of getting old – your body becoming frail, eyesight and hearing growing weak, everything becoming slow and laborious as the spark of life ebbs away, until death arrives and the grave becomes your “eternal home” (v 5). (Well, “eternal” until Jesus returns to raise us! But that’s further than the Teacher can see.)It’s a sad and reflective poem. But I don’t think the Teacher is bitter. In fact, he wants to teach us the antidote to becoming bitter as we get old: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come” (v 1).When I was a teenager, I knew who I wanted to be like when I was old: my grandmother (“Granny” to us). She was widowed when I was little. My grandfather had been a pastor, and he and Granny had known the Lord Jesus and walked with him their entire lives. Granny was strong-willed and strong-minded; but she was also the gentlest soul who loved her Lord, loved people, and wanted more than anything for the gospel of Jesus to reach the ends of the earth.And Granny aged gracefully. So gracefully! There was no bitterness, no resentment at what was happening to her, no anger at God for taking her husband. Only gentleness, love, and a deep thankfulness for her Saviour.Sometimes you hear of people who say, “While I’m young, I want to live it up. I might think about God when I’m older, but I don’t want him to spoil my fun now.” But I think that’s a guaranteed way to become bitter and angry when you’re old – which will harden you to God. You’re training yourself to need to “live it up” and have fun in order to find contentment … which means you’ll be left empty and consumed with frustration when your body starts to break down.That’s why it’s such an advantage to come to your Creator before the “days of adversity” come. Or in New Testament terms: The earlier you give your life to Christ and commit 100% to living for him and his kingdom, the better prepared you’ll be for bad times and for getting old. Please Lord, let me remember you now, and let me grow old like Granny. ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen is our Senior Minister.

Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 - Daily Devotion - 28 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 Cast your bread upon the waters,for after many days you will find it again.2 Divide your portion among seven, or even eight,for you do not know what disaster may befall the land.3 If the clouds are full,they will pour out rain upon the earth;whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,in the place where it falls, there it will lie.4 He who watches the wind will fail to sow,and he who observes the clouds will fail to reap.5 As you do not know the path of the wind,or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb,so you cannot understand the work of God,the Maker of all things.6 Sow your seed in the morning,and do not rest your hands in the evening,for you do not know which will succeed,whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.7 Light is sweet,and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.8 So if a man lives many years,let him rejoice in them all.But let him remember the days of darkness,for they will be many.Everything to come is futile.9 Rejoice, O young man, while you are young,and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.Walk in the ways of your heartand in the sight of your eyes,but know that for all these thingsGod will bring you to judgment.10 So banish sorrow from your heart,and cast off pain from your body,for youth and vigor are fleeting.REFLECTIONSWritten by James DavidsonWhy do we live in a disaster-prone world? It’s because we live in a world under God’s curse due to human rebellion. As the Teacher says, we do not know what disaster may befall us next. Who saw the current war in the Middle East coming and the subsequent spike in fuel prices? Why does God send a flood in one area and drought in another? Why does one tree fall south into an open field and another fall north on to a house? There is so much about this world that we do not know and cannot understand, let alone control.So how are we to live in such a world? The Teacher says there’s no point watching the wind or observing the clouds anxiously trying to predict where the next disaster will come from. That is beyond us and will only lead to neglecting to provide for ourselves. Rather we should work hard and work cleverly to provide for ourselves, so that we will have enough if some disaster does strike – like escalating fuel prices.We should also “cast our bread upon the waters” – that is, we should be generous with any surplus we have, so that others will have enough if disaster strikes them. God has been generous to us in his Son; we should be generous to others so that they can be prepared for whatever disaster is yet to come. ABOUT THE AUTHORJames is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Ecclesiastes 10:16-20 - Daily Devotion - 27 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 16 Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth,and whose princes feast in the morning.17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles,and whose princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.18 Through laziness the roof caves in,and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry,but money is the answer for everything.20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts,or curse the rich even in your bedroom,for a bird of the air may carry your words,and a winged creature may report your speech.REFLECTIONSWritten by James DavidsonThe Teacher says in v19: “A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.”“Money is the answer for everything”? Is the Teacher promoting materialism and the love of money? I don’t think so. A consistent theme in Ecclesiastes is that God gives us every good thing in this world to enjoy. That includes a feast where people relax, eat, drink and laugh together – while avoiding gluttony and drunkenness, of course. The downside of a feast is that it costs money. But if it brings joy, it’s money well spent. But money can also be used for all sorts of other good purposes. It is one of the most versatile of God’s gifts. It can bring joy and happiness in many ways. We can use money to rent or buy somewhere to live, or to purchase a gift for someone, or to visit a friend, or to see the world, or to help the poor, or to spread the gospel. These are all good uses of money.You cannot serve God and Money, but you can use your money to serve God. We must avoid the love of money, but we can love others with our money. So, let’s thank God for the money he has given us, enjoy the good things it enables us to buy, and use it for the growth of God’s kingdom. ABOUT THE AUTHORJames is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Ecclesiastes 10:8-15 - Daily Devotion - 26 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 8 He who digs a pit may fall into it,and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.9 The one who quarries stones may be injured by them,and he who splits logs endangers himself.10 If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened,more strength must be exerted,but skill produces success.11 If the snake bites before it is charmed,there is no profit for the charmer.12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,but the lips of a fool consume him.13 The beginning of his talk is folly,and the end of his speech is evil madness.14 Yet the fool multiplies words.No one knows what is coming,and who can tell him what will come after him?15 The toil of a fool wearies him,for he does not know the way to the city.REFLECTIONSWritten by Susan DucIn life, we expect people to get their “just desserts.” As in today’s passage, we expect (or hope) that the person who digs the pit for a passerby would fall into it themselves; or that the thief breaking through the wall of a house would be bitten by a snake (v 8-9). Another way to describe it is: justice.And yet, there are far too many cases where an honest worker looking to make a living suffers an accident and breaks his back or loses his arm. It’s tough to swallow, but in life, bad things do happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people.Today’s passage acknowledges that life in this world doesn’t always make sense; it isn’t always just. Life is unpredictable, messy and downright puzzling at times. We can take the greatest care and diligently apply our skills, but as with the snake charmer, the snake could bite us just the same (v 11). We can’t completely remove danger nor guarantee success in life.So how does acknowledging these realities help us to live wisely in the world? It’s good for us to remember our creaturely limits: while we can plan and work and organise ourselves, we don’t know where our lives will lead, or even what will happen tomorrow. We are but a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes (James 4:14). In seeing ourselves for what we truly are – fragile and wholly dependent on our heavenly Father – we can seek to live under His hand, as we wait for Him to work out His plans for our good in Christ. When we suffer injustice or are buffeted by waves of suffering, we can endure patiently, like Job did, because we have received God’s compassion and mercy in Christ – and when Jesus returns, we will experience that compassion and mercy fully and forever (James 5:10-11). ABOUT THE AUTHORSusan is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Ecclesiastes 10:1-7 - Daily Devotion - 25 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil,so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.2 A wise man’s heart inclines to the right,but the heart of a fool to the left.3 Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking,and he shows everyone that he is a fool.4 If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post,for calmness lays great offenses to rest.5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun—an error that proceeds from the ruler:6 Folly is appointed to great heights,but the rich sit in lowly positions.7 I have seen slaves on horseback,while princes go on foot like slaves.REFLECTIONSWritten by Elise LeAs I hear the news of what is happening in the world around us, I keep asking myself the question: How can someone who is foolish rise to such great power? I’m sure we can all think of some examples of that when we watch the news. Or maybe you’ve seen this in your personal life – maybe a manager who has treated you unfairly or senior colleagues who get away with doing the bare minimum. Sometimes I get surprised that it’s like that, but what this passage shows us is that we shouldn’t be surprised by fools being promoted and evil being celebrated (vs 6). That’s how things are in a world that is twisted and corrupted by sin.Even though we live in an upside-down and corrupt world, the teacher says that the way and attitude of fools is senseless and irresponsible (vs 3). When I first read this passage, my mind jumped to think about the people around me who live in folly and make irrational decisions. But the more I read it, the more I was reminded that I once lived in foolishness too. My heart is not naturally inclined to the right like a wise person but inclined to the left like a fool (vs 2), because I am a sinner – by nature a child of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). It is so easy to point at the sins of those around us, but Jesus said it is more important for us to pay attention to the logs in our own eyes (Matthew 7:3). There are times when we all still fail to live in step with wisdom, in a way that honours and obeys God. As we see how foolish it is to live apart from God, may we be reminded to continuously repent of our sins and strive to be ABOUT THE AUTHORElise is one of our ministry apprentices.

Ecclesiastes 9:11-18 - Daily Devotion - 24 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 11 I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all. 12 For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.13 I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me: 14 There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”17 The calm words of the wise are heededover the shouts of a ruler among fools.18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,but one sinner destroys much good.REFLECTIONSWritten by Alex ChenThere’s a great reminder in this passage that time and chance happen to all. As the cost of living rises, do you feel that our human labour feels more and more futile? We can’t always get what we expect for working hard, or even receive our just reward. In a world where we seem to face more uncertainty with each new world event, it is more apparent than ever that what we work hard for, what we look forward to, isn’t guaranteed. So thinking about what is humanly smart, or strong, or skilful – how much value are we putting on these things? What does the way we use our time, our ambitions, or our resources say about how much we’re valuing them?In uncertain times, what often comes out of us is greed, selfishness, and even paranoia. Instead of allowing these things to take over, let us in these times be grown in dependence on God, in generosity, and in sacrificial love.Our passage also shows us that in a time of war, wisdom is more important and useful than mere strength. The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is good, and should be pursued – but even then, one sinner can destroy this good. What matters is having a right relationship with God and pursuing him rather than evil.This passage is a helpful reminder of our human limitations in this world – that we do not control time and chance. No one knows their time. But we have a God who does know our world, who created our world – and he knows us too. Will you rightly acknowledge him? Come to him now in prayer, bring your uncertainties to him and the ugly things that uncertainty tends to produce in you, and ask him to grow you in dependence, generosity, and sacrificial love. ABOUT THE AUTHORAlex is one of our Student Ministers.

Ecclesiastes 9:1-10 - Daily Devotion - 23 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield and Bossley Park 1 So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.2 It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.3 This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.4 There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:8 Let your garments always be white,and never spare the oil for your head.9 Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun. 10 Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.REFLECTIONSWritten by Gus CameronLast week someone asked me for some advice about how to speak to their atheist friend. I’ve been reflecting on how sad the atheist world view is. There is no justice in atheism, the good and the bad face the same fate. There is no hope in atheism, life ends in death and that’s it. The best an atheist can offer is to enjoy life as best you can, and then die.Although Ecclesiastes speaks of God, it’s description of meaningless life speaks to our world today.Today’s passage describes a world like that, a world without the God we know, without his justice and love, without Jesus and the hope his death and resurrection give us.Imagine living a life where you believe that “Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.”. Give thanks that we know that “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).Imagine living a life where you believe that there is no justice where “All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad”. Give thanks that we know Christ Jesus, ”who will judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1).In a round about way, Ecclesiastes is showing us that we have the message of life and hope that our world so desperately needs. Perhaps we could be a little more direct with our friends who live as if God does exist and challenge them to see the hopelessness of their world view. And show them the wonder and joy there   is knowing that there is life and hope in Christ Jesus. ABOUT THE AUTHORGus is one of our Assistant Ministers

Ecclesiastes 8:10-17 - Daily Devotion - 21 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 10 Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had done so. This too is futile. 11 When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence. 13 Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.14 There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.15 So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the task that one performs on the earth—though his eyes do not see sleep in the day or even in the night— 17 I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Despite his efforts to search it out, he cannot find its meaning; even if the wise man claims to know, he is unable to comprehend.REFLECTIONSWritten by James BeckI was watching a movie the other day with my fiancée that had a clear good guy and a clear bad guy. Normally, in movies like this, the good guy wins and saves the day while the bad guy gets what they deserve. There is always justice or a happy ending—and in the real world, that’s mostly what we want to happen in bad situations. But too often, it does not. The Teacher here in Ecclesiastes seems to have conducted an experiment on his surroundings and has discovered that, under the sun, it’s the other way around. The wicked get blessed while the righteous or blameless get nothing (verse 14). I think we still see this in our lives or around the world, and we wonder: Isn’t God just? Why hasn't he fixed this? Sometimes, when we have those questions, God might not give us the answers straight away, or we might not fully understand what God has planned, because we are not God. But the Teacher offers some light through his investigation. He notes that the wicked and their pursuit of gain are meaningless. At the end of the day, they will face death like everyone else. But most importantly, they will have a far worse conclusion than people who put their trust in God. If they do not turn to the Lord Jesus and follow Him, they will suffer His condemnation on the Day of Judgment. While it may seem like the Lord is not at work, He still is.There is injustice in the world, but we should be reminded that God will make things right and that His justice will prevail, when the Lord Jesus returns.We have a God who is righteous and forgives us through His Son if we come to Him, but He is also a just God who will not let sin go unpunished. Pray and ask God to always keep you living in the wisdom of that bigger perspective. ABOUT THE AUTHORJames is one of our Student Ministers.

Ecclesiastes 8:1-9 - Daily Devotion - 20 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 1 Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.2 Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God. 3 Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4 For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”5 Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure. 6 For there is a right time and procedure to every purpose, though a man’s misery weighs heavily upon him. 7 Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell him what is to come?8 As no man has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has authority over his day of death. As no one can be discharged in wartime, so wickedness will not release those who practice it. 9 All this I have seen, applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man lords it over another to his own detriment.REFLECTIONSWritten by Andy RowlandsI so often hear and ask for prayers to ask for wisdom. Like the Teacher, we have this instinctive desire for the wisdom we need to act rightly and confidently in uncertain situations. The teacher has been pointing us toward this throughout Ecclesiastes. And here, he teaches us to act wisely in our relationship to authority—which, in his day, meant the king.In Australia, we do not have a king or queen in the same way—King Charles’ power is delegated to our government to rule us. The Teacher wants to show us that it is wise to listen to those in power over us. That obeying the laws of our country is a good and wise thing to do, and takes away the burden of much uncertainty, if we are content to listen to those God has put in power over us. But even as we obey them, we need to remember the limitations of human authorities. They, like us, do not know what is going to come.But every man sits under the power of a higher king, our Lord and Saviour Jesus. Even more than any government, he is the only one who truly has the authority to do whatever he pleases! In his hands are the life and death of every man, and he knows what is to come.  And his are trustworthy hands to hold our lives. In this world where various men lord their powers over others, to the detriment of themselves and of others, he is the one whom we can trust to use his power for not only for his good but also for ours.Jesus, the truly wise one, is the one whose commands are wise to follow not only because he is our ultimate king, but because he is the one who sets us free from wickedness and brings us into everlasting life with him. ABOUT THE AUTHORAndy is one of our Student Ministers.

Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 - Daily Devotion - 19 March 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 15 In my futile life I have seen both of these:A righteous man perishing in his righteousness,and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.16 Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.19 Wisdom makes the wise manstronger than ten rulers in a city.20 Surely there is no righteous man on earthwho does good and never sins.21 Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you. 22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.23 All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me. 24 What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?25 I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness. 26 And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.27 “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation. 28 While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman. 29 Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Matt RadloffWhat does it look like to fear God? For the Teacher, in verse 18, the one who fears God will follow both warnings in verses 16-17. On the one hand, he warns that being overly righteous and making yourself too wise will result in you destroying yourself. On the other hand, he warns that foolishness results in an untimely end. As I read this passage, I find it easy to agree with the second warning, but I find it harder to understand the first. Of course we shouldn’t be foolish, of course we shouldn’t be excessively wicked! But why warn against being overly righteous? Surely that’s a good thing, right? Righteousness is of course a very good thing. God tells us so throughout the Bible. But we’re warned here that if we chase righteousness out of an expectation in ourselves to be perfect, we are only bound for disappointment and crushing guilt. As the Teacher says in verse 20, “Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins”.In a way, the Teacher is half-right. We ourselves can’t expect to be so perfect that we never sin. And if we get that wrong then we will only end up in despair. But there is one man who is an exception to the rule. One man, the righteous one, who never sinned. It’s by looking to Jesus that we see the one man who was perfectly righteous, and perfectly wise. And he was destroyed. Not crushed under his own guilt, but under ours.For us, to fear God is to follow the warning of this passage. To realise that we ourselves can’t be righteous enough on our own. We instead turn to God and his solution. We turn to Jesus, the righteous one. ABOUT THE AUTHORMatt is one of our Student Ministers.