Captivated Podcast

The Bible talks about about mountain moving faith. However, it also talks about faith that makes us like an immovable mountain. That’s the kind of faith we learn about in Psalm 125.

The earliest Christians did not centre belief firstly on a set of ideas or doctrines. Instead, the truth and ideas flowed out of the person and work of the one they confessed and this changed their lives.

The final lines ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ help lead us in worship. They’re a primer to help ignite acceptable praise in our hearts! They lift our minds to the matchless power and glory of our all-consuming God and his kingdom that will one day be fully revealed.

This episode explains why the line “For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory” is in some versions of ‘the Lord’s Prayer’ but not in most modern translations of the Bible. It also explores how the line might have originated.

The words “deliver us from evil” are words of longing and lament, words of hope for all who are weary of the presence of evil. Words that enable us to be real about our present struggle with temptation and evil. Yet words that also remind us of God’s assistance in the struggle, and that final deliverance is secured.

We’re not alone in the struggle against evil. We’re in this together with God and with brothers and sisters all around the world. The words “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” give us a way of expressing the human longing for outside help to save us from seductive and harmful evils in the present, and to ultimately be delivered from every form of evil in the future

Jesus not only asks us to pray “forgive us our sins” but he adds “as we forgive those who sin against us”. The forgiveness of sins is both a wonderful and challenging reality. Praying this prayer each day helps keep the reality of forgiveness central in our prayers and lives. And in Jesus’ words we learn that being forgiven and being forgiving go together.

Asking for forgiveness is part of the disciple’s pattern for prayer! Part of the prayer habit of those who already know God’s forgiveness in Christ! It is because the Lord wants us to know his forgiveness afresh each day that he teaches us to pray "forgive us our trespasses"!

What exactly is Jesus teaching us to ask for when he teaches us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread”?

What kind of picture we should have in our minds when we pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”?

Every time we pray ‘The Lord’s Prayer we surrender ourselves anew to the Lordship of Christ. When we pray the words ‘Thy will be done’ “we invite him to retune our lives, conforming us once again to his priorities and to the imitation of his character."

What does it mean to pray ‘Thy kingdom come’ ? This episode begins to explore this phrase of the prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray and helps answer this question.

The opening lines of the Lord’s prayer teach us a right balance when approaching God in prayer. To know God intimately as our Father is at the same time to know him as holy and worthy of all the worship our lives can bring. This is the tension of the person in true relationship with God.

This episode begins a series taking a fresh look at the prayer known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ that Jesus taught his disciples to pray. The prayer opens with the words, ‘Our Father’. Amazingly, Jesus teaches us to address God the Father in the very same way he does.

As well as being part of a diverse family being part of a Jesus-centred community also means being part of an inclusive family. Which means learning to do life with people very different from us.

Being part of a Jesus-centred family means being part of a diverse family. This is reflected and modelled in the 12 disciples Jesus chose to be his Apostles. Only Jesus could hold such a group together. It’s the same today, the church is meant to be a diverse family who learn to live and minister together in Jesus.

Over the next four episodes we’re going to be thinking about what it means to belong to a Jesus-centred family. This episode highlights how this may well mean letting go our ideal so we can enter fully into the actual Christian community he has placed us in.

Jesus offers us rest not by inviting us to do nothing, but by giving us a lighter and kinder burden. In this episode we finish looking a Jesus invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 which also happens to be the open place where he describes what his own heart is like.

In a world of endless expectations Jesus says, “Come to me… and I will give you rest…” In this episode we continue to explore Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 and think about what it might mean for us today.

Over the next few episodes we’re going to explore Jesus’ invitation to the weary and burdened in Matthew 11:28-30. An invitation that reminds us that Jesus simplifies what the religious often complicate and lightens what religion often makes heavier.

This week we’ve been looking at the story of Peter’s restoration in John 21. Learning that Jesus’ forgiveness is a forgiveness that also helps us forgive ourselves so we can move forward. Well in this episode we also learn it’s a forgiveness that also helps us learn from our failures. Through his failure Peter learned that loving Jesus was not a competition to win!

In this episode we continue thinking about the story of Jesus cooking breakfast for his disciples and restoring Peter in John 21. A story that shows us that like Peter, Jesus helps us forgive ourselves when we let him down.

In the last few episodes we looked at the story of the miraculous catch of fish in Luke 5:1-11. However,in the Gospels there are two miraculous catches of fish. The second is after Jesus’ resurrection when he restores Peter in John 21. We’re going to look at this story in the next few episodes. It’s a powerful story of forgiveness and restoration.

In the last two posts I've been asking the question, 'How amazed are you by Jesus?' We've been exploring the story of the miraculous catch of fish in Luke 5:1-11 and so far we've seen that Simon Peter was amazed enough to both listen to Jesus and recognise who he is. In this episode we'll see he was amazed enough to go one step further

In a this episode we continue to look at the story of the miraculous catch of fish in Luke 5:1-11. In the previous episode I asked the question ‘Are you amazed enough by Jesus to listen to him?’ In this episode I ask ‘are you amazed enough to recognise who he is?’

Over the next few episodes we’re going to be looking at the story of the miraculous catch of fish in Luke 5:1-11 as we explore the question ‘How amazed are you by Jesus? In this episode I ask, ‘are you amazed enough to listen to him?

This episode considers what it means to be found in Christ and know his righteousness as our own. We’re reminded that faith in Christ is a call away from do-it-yourself righteousness to learning heavily upon the only One to can truly change us.

This episode considers how we need to recover the power and beauty of holy imagination if we are to live the Christian life to the full and take hold of all that is or can be ours in Christ.

In this episode I finish looking at the account of Jesus reading from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth. Highlighting that Jesus points to who he is by what he does!

In this episode we continue exploring the account of Jesus visiting his hometown synagogue in Luke 4:14-21 in which he reads from the scroll of Isaiah and announces its fulfilment. In this episode we reach verses 16-21 and the scene is full of suspense as Jesus steps up to read on the Sabbath.

This episode continues to explore the account in Luke 4:14-21 when Jesus read the scroll of Isaiah in his hometown synagogue. Yet before getting to that part Luke tells three details about Jesus that help us get to know him that little bit better.

In the next few episodes we’re going to be thinking about the account in Luke 4:14-21 in which Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah. Revealing his ministry as well as further revealing his identity. In this episode we hear how Jesus’ ministry begins with a confrontation with Satan. Highlighting that he came to overthrow his works.

In this episode we continue to explore the story of Jesus’ first miracle and how it points to the joy and blessing Jesus comes to bring.

In a this episode we continue to explore the story of Jesus turning water into wine. Focusing on the powerful symbolism and message behind Jesus’ choosing the six stone water jars to do it.

In this episode we begin to explore the story of Jesus first miracle when he turned water into wine at the wedding of Cana. What’s this story about? Why not explore it with me over the next few episodes.

In this episode we look at how Jesus’ baptism helps identify him as the hero of a bigger story and also how our baptism pictures us being baptised into this bigger story - God’s story of redemption.

In this episode we continue to explore the story of Jesus baptism and how when it is combined with our baptism, helps picture the great exchange that takes place when we trust in him.

In this episode we continue to explore why Jesus was baptised as we consider how it points to the ultimate purpose for which he came.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus needed to be baptised? In this episode we begin to explore this question by thinking about two aspects of his baptism.

In this episode we finish looking at the story of the Magi in Matthew 1:1-12 by noting the differing responses of Herod, the Scribes and religious leaders and the Magi to Jesus. We still see these same responses today in varying degrees.

As we continue to reflect on the story of the Magi in Matthew 2:1-12, we learn that they need the help the Scripture to learn where Jesus would be born.

A few thoughts on the story of the Magi in Matthew 2:1-12 as we continue Epiphany theme.

Introducing the Christian season of Epiphany. What is it and what’s it all about?