Rector’s Reflections
It was a privilege, on the third Sunday in January to lead, in addition to our morning services, a 4pm Refresh Service at Horndon Church, followed by a 6pm Discovery Bible Group at Orsett Churches Centre.
Our Refresh Services are informal acts of worship, with contemporary worship songs, and give people an opportunity to share. On this particular occasion, our theme was the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the contributions were many and diverse with much to give thanks to God for as well as many things to think about on the subject of unity and what it means for us as a church both locally and globally.
The Discovery Bible Study Group, which is a joint venture with the Wellcome Church, was on the theme of the Temptation of Jesus and the Bible passage was Matthew 4:1-11
The Temptation of Jesus
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.”’
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
The pattern for Discovery Bible Study is that the passage is read and re-read several times and involves retelling it in our own words. We think about what it says about God, Jesus or his plan, about people, what it might say to each one of us and what we might tell other people as a result of this. And we had some great discussions about the different temptations we all face in our daily lives and how praying, spending time drawing close to God, and familiarising ourselves with the scriptures, as Jesus did, can help us to resist temptations.
I really recommend coming along to Refresh or the Discovery Bible Study Group. All are welcome. No previous knowledge is necessary, and both are held on the third Sunday of the month- Refresh at 4pm at Horndon Church and Discovery Bible Study at 6pm at Orsett Churches Centre.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Take care and God bless,
Sue