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In touch
Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues.
Hope and doing good
Better to suffer for doing good . . than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:17)
The news as I write is filled with talk about antisemitism. I found it really helpful to hear Thought for the Day on Tuesday in which Rabbi Charley Baginsky reflected on this topic as a Jew. That brought home to me the impact for many of our Jewish neighbours of what the Prime Minister calls a crisis for all of us. What would it be like if our children had to be accustomed to security measures and training for emergencies at school?
Other issues in the news to which you might refer include modern slavery and the celebration of David Attenborough’s 100th birthday (much covered this week on the BBC). But above all do not forget Christian Aid Week.
Ideas for sermons or interactive talks
When I write for In Touch I often focus on international news - and the war in the Middle East is still with us - but may well have moved on by the time you use this material.
Antisemitism has deep roots in our society. Jews were expelled from England by royal decree in 1290 and Jewish property was seized by the crown. At that time similar action was being taken in other parts of Europe. How much has the church over the centuries helped to fuel antisemitism? It is no accident that the copyright holders of the Revised Common Lectionary have initiated a consultation, one of whose purposes is to reduce the antisemitism which can be read into the lectionary we use.
What would it be like to live as an attacked minority? Or to be blamed for the actions of the government of a State of which one is not a citizen? Yet these are real issues for British Jews today.
Some years ago I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau, a profoundly moving experience, albeit amongst crowds of international visitors. That journey (including a visit to the Galicia Jewish Museum in Kraków) brought home to me the levels of antisemitism in British (and American) society in the years before the Second World War and indeed the levels of scepticism in political circles as evidence of the holocaust began to reach Allied governments. Too many people failed to recognise the evil, partly at least because the same evil was present in our own society. We now know that it was 6 million people, mostly Jews, who died in the Holocaust.
If, along with the writer of 1 Peter, we speak of suffering for doing good, how do we seek to ensure that we find the good in the welter of stories about what often seems to be a largely evil world? It is one thing to recognise the evil in war and injustice and modern slavery across the world; but what might we need to suffer for peace and justice and compassionate humanity closer to home?
Across the world democratic governments have been cutting foreign aid - the work of Christian Aid (and organisations like it) is surely even more important against that background. Are we prepared to stand up publicly for a larger aid budget even if it means higher taxes?
Questions for discussion
- Is Sir Keir Starmer right to argue that antisemitism is a crisis for all of us? And what should Christians be doing about it in Britain today?
- How, in this complex world, do we distinguish between what is evil and what is good? And are we prepared to suffer for the good?
- What can we do in our local contexts to stand up for good and counter evil?
Dudley Coates is a local preacher in the Salisbury Methodist Circuit and a former Vice President of the Methodist Conference.
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Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people
This week joy broke out at a football stadium when Arsenal won their game against Atlético Madrid. With the cheers, the celebrations and fans still singing about it many days later, you’d be forgiven for thinking they’d won the Champions League already. Yet this was just them making it to the final, leading to the criticism: “They haven’t won yet.”
Yet the reason for this celebration comes down to the swell of hope. This wasn’t the final but it was a big moment and one that signified what could be possible after years of struggle. Our passage this week is a pep talk for a big moment. It shows how we too can let joy explode by sharing hope simply by talking about our faith.
Just as Arsenal fans are receiving criticisms for their hopeful cheers and celebrations, Christians can also face harsh words, setbacks, trials and tricky situations. As we explore our verse today we can misquote Ian Wright’s response to the criticism: “Enjoy yourselves, [Christianity's] about moments, and this is a big moment. Enjoy it and let’s hope...”
Don’t miss your moment - don’t miss sharing the hope of Jesus with others.
Lindsay Wright is a freelance writer and designer from Lancashire www.startswithabrew.co.uk
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.
Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 3 May 2026
In touch
Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues.
Belonging and depending
Living stones with Christ the cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-6)
Context
Glenrothan is a tense drama about family and forgiveness. After thirty-five years in the USA, Donal returns to his family-owned whisky distillery in the Scottish Highlands. He left straight after his mother’s funeral and had not been back since. He did not even attend his father’s funeral. His brother Sandy invited him home and to everyone’s amazement he returned. Although Donal had built a life for himself in America, the wounds from that terrible time have never fully healed. Now, with the survival of their treasured family business on the line, Donal hopes to make amends with Sandy – and to find some desperately needed inner peace – before it’s too late.
One of the themes that the film explores is belonging and how belonging is important for a relationship to flourish in a deep and fulfilled way.
This week the long-awaited state visit of the King and Queen to USA is taking place at a time when relations between the two nations have been described as strained. In his historic speech to US Congress, King Charles has called for reconciliation, renewal and prayer that the alliance will continue to defend shared values.
Ideas for sermons or interactive talks
Similarly, one of the themes explored by the writer of 1 Peter in chapter 2 is what it means to be living stones. This is a theme of mutual dependence and interrelationship and how this is enabled by God through Christ the cornerstone.
Members of a family and members of Christian communities do not always agree and it can be challenging to co-exist peaceably but the presence of Christ the cornerstone holds the individuals together. God is worthy of praise for enabling this but we are also challenged to offer this model more widely in our world.
Living stones share a common purpose. Together they bring greater strength. The King calls for reconciliation and renewal between the UK and the USA so that both nations may be stronger together. Here is a challenge to look for opportunities for reconciliation within and between Christian communities.
Questions for discussion
- What does it mean to you belong to a church?
- Who do you depend upon?
- If the church model is so good how can we share it more convincingly with others?
Rev Stuart Wild is a Methodist minister and regular cinema goer when time permits.
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Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people
This time of year is arguably my favourite time of year - in part due to the warmer weather, but mainly due to the plethora of sport:
And yet sport was never really my thing when we were growing up. Yes, we played football on the playground at school and we kicked a ball about in our back garden at home. But I was often one of the last to be picked, never got anywhere near any of the school sports teams and wasn’t involved in sport outside of school.
I struggled to find my place.
And yet, when it came to church life, I somehow kept finding a place. It started out with being asked to operate the ‘OHP’. (If you’re under 30, ask someone aged 40+ what an OHP is!) As I moved into double figures, we were often asked to do a reading or play a part in a drama. As I started to pass my piano exams – I was more a pianist than a sports star as a child – I got invited to play the odd song in church which grew into playing multiple songs as I grew in confidence.
Because I’m human, and the Church is made up of imperfect people like you and me, I still often struggle to find – or know – what my place in the Church is. And yet this final verse from today’s passage in 1 Peter spells it out loud and clear:
‘Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people.’ (1 Peter 2:10a NRSVA).
We – me, you, the person sat next to you – we are the people of God. Not someone who's got it all together. Let’s face it, no-one's got it all together. No – we are the people of God together. Therefore, there’s a place for each of us in the Kingdom of God.
Jonathan Buckley is the Redevelopment Manager at St Paul’s Wordsworth Avenue in Sheffield and the Youth Development Worker at YMCA White Rose in Rotherham.
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.
Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 26 April 2026
In touch
Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues.
Hear His voice
Living with and listening to our shepherd’s voice leads us to life (John 10:1-10).
Context
If, like me, you love vocal music, particularly pop and rock, you may be excited to make your way to one of the two new music-focused openings in London this April: The Music is Black: A British Story, the first-ever exhibition at the brand new V&A East Museum; and the immersive experience David Bowie: You’re Not Alone. On my list to visit outside of London are The Coventry Music Museum and Liverpool’s British Music Experience, having already completed The Beatles sites on a previous trip. Across the country this week and every week there will be live performances from artists, known and unknown, in front of all sorts of audiences. Music – and other live performance arts like poetry, comedy and theatre – draw many of us in. Often it’s the opportunity to hear the sound of the creative human voice, especially a distinctive or much-loved voice, that’s at the heart of the appeal.
Reflection and ideas for sermons or interactive talks
Don’t let God’s voice be a mystery
Pub quizzes and radio shows often include music or mystery-voice rounds, where a short clip of a song or interview is played and you have to guess the song, or the person singing or speaking. It can be quite difficult at times, even when the person is famous – the audience were up to at least 12 wrong guesses on Dermot O’Leary’s Radio 2 show last weekend. But if you’re a real fan of the person or band, it can be incredibly easy. You know that voice, that sound. You love that voice. You’ve spent hours listening to it, spending time with it. You’d recognise it anywhere.
The sheep in Jesus’ story know their shepherd’s voice (John 10:1-10). They have spent time with him, day in, day out, from their earliest moments. He has been calling them by name each day, speaking to them while leading and providing for them. They’ve followed him to pasture and back home to the safety of their fold, all the time listening, following, learning who he is. That’s how they can recognise him. It’s how we can learn to know God’s voice, too. By spending time listening, following, learning, day by day, so that we can recognise it anywhere. That way we will not be led astray, but instead be led into abundant life.
Voice and character
The word “voice” doesn’t just denote an audible sound. We also use it to describe the character that shows through in a person’s writing, the personality that’s distinctively theirs. A strong, consistent voice can win someone a following, whether they’re a poet, comedian, author, influencer, or celebrity chef. Jamie Oliver, according to The Times on Tuesday, has around 7000 subscribers to his Substack newsletter, despite its self-avowed “geeky” content, like deep-diving into his love of vinegar. People know what to expect from him if they follow him, and so those who want what he’s offering, do.
The shepherd’s character in the parable and his offering to them is clear: he knows his sheep individually, caring for them and providing for them consistently. Jesus goes on to make the parallel with his own character explicit: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) His is a voice worth following and a gift worth receiving.
By contrast, other voices may try to distract us or steal us away, even, it seems, by breaking into and acting from within the fold (John 10:1). Knowing our shepherd’s voice and character will help us to know when to run: the voice and character of the bandit will not match up to our shepherd’s, for the “thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”
Questions for discussion
- “I heard that voice and I thought, I know exactly who that is!” The man just ahead of me in the queue for a late-night station snack was greeting an old friend of his and clearly very excited to have found him in the crowd. Have you ever recognised someone you like or love by the sound of their voice, even when you couldn’t see their face? Or perhaps by some other means, like the way that they walk, or their coat on a chair? How do you feel when you spot someone you’re happy to know in a crowded place? What are some of the ways you recognise God’s presence in the midst of a crowded life?
- Who or what might the thief or bandit in the story represent for us today, on the world stage, or in our own lives? The thief manages, it seems, to enter the sheepfold “by another way” (John 10:1). The threat can sometimes be very close, even entering into our communities and safe spaces. In recent weeks the Pope has warned against those who “manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain”. Let us hope and pray that those declaring God’s word out loud this week, or listening along, as part of the “America Reads the Bible” event hear His true voice and character speaking to them.
Rebecca Froley was the launch editor for the Roots website 20+ years ago and now works in web management in the culture and heritage sector (but not at the places mentioned here!). She worships at a Baptist church in the London Borough of Sutton where she helps with the young people’s groups, and volunteers for a small Christian development charity.
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Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people
God giving an abundant life can be hard to imagine in this time of both national and global hardship. With real challenges to the cost of living, youth unemployment, and housing prices, it can feel as though there’s no sunny luscious green pastures ahead or safe still waters to lie down and rest near.
Good shepherds lead their sheep to find pasture in every season and every condition - whether it’s winter when the green pastures are few or summer when the water sources are mostly dried. Even at night-time when the predators come to prey, good shepherds take care of their flock and provide them with all the food, water and protection they need. What time or season do you find yourself in? Where would you like the Good Shepherd to lead you?
When we stay close to God and enter His sheepfold, Jesus says that He will be the gate. He will lie in front of the sheepfold to protect us and keep us safe at night, and during the day He will lead us to green pastures and still waters.
All we need to do is to tune ourselves to hear God’s voice above the noise of exam pressures, peer pressure, or the many other voices and pressures that seek to grab our attention. Then trust that the voice of the Good Shepherd will lead us to find food and water whatever the conditions. How can you tune out the other voices and tune in to God’s voice this week?
Simon Bailey is an Engagement & Participation Youth Worker for the local authority in Central Bedfordshire.
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.
Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 19 April 2026
In touch
Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues.
To follow only Christ
Jesus Christ alone can rekindle our hearts when they falter. (Luke 24:32)
Context
It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell. William T Sherman
William T Sherman (1820-1891) was a Union General during the American Civil War, and he may have been wrong about a lot of things, but he was absolutely right about this: War is hell.
It is hard to imagine a more perfect image of hell than war, with its brutality, immorality and futility. The images that take over our news media – and social media – whenever armed conflict is reported are more hellish, not least because they are real, than anything generated in the mind of the Dutch master of hellish imagery Hieronymus Bosch (c.1450-1516).
Our minds seem endlessly creative when faced with the call to make people suffer. From the club and the sword, through the crossbow and the Maxim gun, to the landmine and the nuclear missile, every technological advance seems to have brought with it new means of slaughter; indeed, many advances have been made only because the research behind them was seen to have military potential, and this trend continues today.
If war is hell, should we ask ourselves why so many people, including many who long for heaven, pursue it with such unshakeable commitment?
Ideas for sermons or interactive talks
In a recent statement, Pope Leo XIV asserted that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war”, adding, “Come back to the table. Let's talk. Let's look for solutions in a peaceful way.” Among the politer parts of President Donald Trump’s response was the suggestion that “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.”
It is rare (but not unknown) for two such powerful leaders to take opposing positions so publicly. Both publicly proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ, and neither is likely to back down and admit that the other is right. Meanwhile, another Christian leader, Franklin Graham (the son of evangelist Billy Graham) responded more equivocally: “I don't support war, but I do believe, at times, there is justification when you're fighting evil.”
The disciples on the Emmaus road were worn down by the political and religious conflicts that obsessed their rulers Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas, and in despair at the execution of their beloved Jesus at the hands of these same leaders. But, as countless Christians have found since then, an encounter with the risen Jesus in simple fellowship at the breaking of bread was able to rekindle their hearts, refocus their minds, and refresh their wills. Previously despairing and exhausted from their journey on foot (no less than 7 miles and possibly as much as 19 miles, depending on the disputed location of this Emmaus), they are filled with spiritual joy and physical energy.
So the task the current situation sets us is not to ask, “Should I support Pope Leo, President Trump or Franklin Graham?”, but rather, “How may I best hear and follow Jesus in this time of escalating division and conflict?”
Questions for discussion
- What did the disciples mean by feeling “our hearts burning within us while he talked with us”, and have we ever felt like this?
- In what ways may we follow Jesus in a time of war, whether the war is in our own country or overseas?
- Some believe that war is always wrong. Others believe that war can only ever be the best of the available evils. Still others believe that war can be just. What do we believe?
Robert Beard is an NHS worker and Church of England priest.
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Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people
Whilst it’s only been a couple of weeks since we celebrated Easter, many of us will be heads down in revision for various exams – SATS, GCSE’s (or National 5’s in Scotland), A-Levels or BTEC’s to name but a few.
Revising for exams of any type, at any age, may not seem to be the most likely time or place to encounter Jesus, or to meet with him. And yet, I think, it’s important to remember two things:
- Jesus cares about our day-to-day normal everyday lives. The joys; the pressures; the good bits; the bad bits; and the boring bits. He cares about your Spanish or English or Maths or Science GCSE or A-Level because he cares about you.
- It’s important to create space amidst the normality and busyness of life to encounter Jesus – and that includes during times of revision and exams and pressures of life.
It was only when the disciples stopped at their home in Emmaus and invited Jesus in to eat with them, thus creating space for Jesus to break bread with them, that they recognised that Jesus had been among them all the time.
Which begs the question – how do we stop and create space for Jesus to meet with us – to break bread with us - amidst the routine day-to-day life of school, work and family life?
- It might be turning your phone off at mealtimes to create space to be present to others with you wherever you may be, as well as to God.
- It might be walking to school or college (with your phone turned off..) rather than getting a lift.
- Or getting off the bus a couple of stops early to create space to pray whilst you walk.
- Or it might be something else.
How are you going to create space to break bread with Jesus today, tomorrow and in the week ahead?
Jonathan Buckley is Youth Development Worker at YMCA White Rose and Redevelopment Manager at St Paul’s Church, Parson Cross, Sheffield.
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.
Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 12 April 2026
In touch
Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues.
Peace be with you
Jesus twice says ‘peace be with you’ (John 20:21 & 26). How does this feel in today’s world?
Context
Two news stories stand out as I write mid week. First is the news that news that human beings have now travelled further from earth than ever before and observed the far side of the moon in some detail. By Sunday they should have returned to earth. Second, was the threat to bomb Iran into the Stone Ages, a threat which was real as I started writing but which seems to have been overtaken by a ceasefire agreement for two weeks. Perhaps war crimes were threatened but not committed.
Ideas for sermons or interactive talks
How do we respond to the resurrection stories in a world riven by conflict? And where the most powerful nation on earth seems to be led by a bully acting rather like a boy in a school playground?
Surely Jesus’ words of peace to his disciples are as much spoken into our contemporary situation as they were spoken in the locked room to the ten disciples and to Thomas. Certainly Pope Leo thinks so despite the attacks on him from what we might call the ‘war party’ in the USA.
Did Trump’s threats amount to war crimes? The Guardian reported on 7 April that ‘Donald Trump said he was “not at all” concerned about committing possible war crimes as he again threatened to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants if Tehran did not meet his deadline . . to reopen the Strait of Hormuz’. There is good reason to think that even what has already happened in Iran does not meet the classic test for a just war.
And what about the story of Jesus’ exchange with Thomas? Especially in a world full of fake news? Was it unreasonable for Thomas to want to see for himself? As someone who is a firm believer in the scientific method, I find myself sympathising with Thomas’ wish for proof. Without lots of scientific evidence it would be impossible to reach for the moon, let alone Mars. Are human beings being unreasonable in wanting evidence about the far side of the moon?
And then there is the fact that these stories of Jesus’ appearances to the disciples in a locked room are quite unusual amongst the resurrection stories because it seems that the disciples recognised Jesus straight away. That is not true of the meeting by the lakeside (John 21:4) or of Mary in the garden (John 20:14) or of the couple on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:16). Even in Matthew’s ascension story, some doubted (Matthew 28:17). Uncertainty and doubt seem to be common in these stories. So, can we reasonably criticise Thomas, or for that matter ourselves, for doubt and uncertainty, especially since in this generation we have not experienced actual resurrection appearances?
Questions for discussion
- Do you sympathise with Thomas? Do you experience doubt and uncertainty? And, if so, about what issues?
- How do we respond to the conflict in the Middle East? Or the conflicts in Myanmar, Sudan and Ukraine which the story about the Middle East has largely driven from the news?
- What do you make of the Artemis space programme? Is it money well spent?
Dudley Coates is a local preacher in the Salisbury Methodist Circuit and a former Vice President of the Methodist Conference.
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Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people
This week's theme: Knowing together can be a difficult theme for anyone who experiences doubt, especially young people who may believe that they are the only ones who don’t ‘know’. These feelings may be exacerbated for those who are living with challenges, or who struggle with the negative content of the news. For some these two will collide, as they worry about cost of living increases due to the Iran war. How do we encourage them that doubt and hope can co-exist, and there is nothing wrong with them or the quality of their faith?
One way is to talk about doubt, to normalise it as a part of faith and knowing. Many famous religious figures have wrestled with doubt, including Pope Francis and Mother Teresa.
Another way is to look around. The world is such an amazing place and can help young people to remain connected to their faith. You could take a walk outside and look at the blossom and leaves as they start to unfurl. Alternatively, have a look at the picture gallery from Artemis II. It is difficult to doubt in the face of such awe-inspiring pictures of God’s creation.
Victoria Etherington is University and Young Adult Chaplain in the York Methodist Circuit.
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.
Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 5 April 2026
In touch
Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues.
Look up to Heaven
The empty tomb connected an earth-bound Mary with God’s heavenly view.
Context
It’s fair to say that the planned launch of Artemis II has come at an odd time. In a week which has seen more deadly rockets blasted around the Gulf region, it’s strange to note that there is this one rocket that has not been pointed at an earthly target but is instead being sent up and away from this world and into space. Artemis II is significant in the world of space exploration as it will take human beings back towards the moon. And whilst this time the rocket won’t land on the moon, this mission will be a vital part of the preparations for establishing a lunar base and human exploration of the planet.
The Artemis mission also has a few ground-breaking elements. The crew will include a woman and a person of colour and the flight may well take them further away from the earth than any other human has ever been, and it will give four more people a perspective of the world very few share.
But, whether you think this is a good or bad idea, think it represents value for money or is an expensive white elephant, love the idea of exploring the beyond or think we should stay focussed on the earth, it’s undeniably a moment. Blasting rockets into space is always dramatic. Even though we stay on the ground they somehow connect us to a world beyond ours. Whether you like spacecraft or loath them, they make us look up and think bigger. Space missions point us all to the heavens.
The Easter story is another, far more powerful and far more significant moment when we are invited to look up and think about worlds beyond our own and, rather than point to the heavens, this story points directly to heaven. When Mary discovers the empty tomb, she is confronted with the reality that the earth-bound Jesus she knew and loved is actually the King of the cosmos. The empty tomb is the ultimate moment of connection between this world and the next. And, unlike a space mission which allows only four astronauts to catch a glimpse of the universe, we are all invited to look up and catch a glimpse of the God of heaven and earth through his Son who died and rose again. Like those heading to the moon, Mary’s story changes our perspective forever and points us permanently heavenwards.
- What resonates for you in this story of heaven meeting earth?
- How does looking up to heaven impact your earthly life?
- When is it important for you in your faith to engage with the story of Jesus’ resurrection?
Prayer idea
Give everyone an outline image of the globe and a pen.
Invite people to write their own prayer on the image of world. Encourage people to think about Mary’s encounter with the God of heaven and earth and shape their prayer in the light of her story.
Fiona Dorman is a freelance leadership consultant and mediator.
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Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people
Who would have thought it possible? Not long before dark on Friday they had watched as his dead body was lifted from the Cross and put in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. Then it was a waiting game. It should have been a prayerful sabbath but it had felt impossible to think positively about God in any way. How could a loving God have allowed an innocent man to endure all that Jesus had suffered? Their world had changed. The things that they held dear had been proved to be baseless.
Yet they were wrong. They had gone to the tomb and found it empty. The angel had told them to return to the others and tell them that Jesus was risen. The earthquake had shaken the earth but the action of God had upended their world. It had appeared that there had been a day in which God had been inactive. But God had been active, and in a way that nobody had really expected.
As we view the world this weekend it is easy to feel as desperate as the women did on that Saturday between Jesus’ death and resurrection. There is so much violence, conflict and suffering. Where is God? What is God doing? For us it is like that Saturday. We cannot see God’s activity but we must trust that God is at work. It may not be on Easter Sunday but one day we will find our world shaken up and transformed. There will be peace. There will be justice. There will be food and shelter for everyone. God is at work and at work for good. It may be quiet. It may be unseen. But the Easter message is that God will bring life and love for all people.
Stuart Wild is a Methodist minister in Lytham St Annes on the Lancashire coast.
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.
Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 29 March 2026
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Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues.
What was he thinking?
Amid the world’s noise (Matthew 21:9), we must listen for God’s still, small voice.
Context
God knows the world is full of noise.
Some very loud noises have their proper place. The pounding of surf (100 decibels), the crash of a thunderstorm (120 dB), and the clicks of a sperm whale (230 dB, but fortunately underwater!) are part of the natural order. The fortissimo of an opera singer (110 dB), the thunder of a rock band (140 dB), the bangs of fireworks (150 dB), the blast of a rocket launch (200 dB), are expressions of human passion, solidarity and drive, and have their place in the modern world.
Few I hope would disagree, however, that some noises should have no place. These are associated with our continuing failure to love our neighbours as ourselves: angry mobs, bombs exploding, or the hammering of intruders on our doors. Here, it is not the decibels that matter, but the physical and psychological destruction of lives, limbs and livelihoods.
Warfare and conflict are at their highest levels since the end of World War 2, with 23 international wars, 67 armed conflicts and 9 military occupations directly affecting 831 million people, a further 110 million displaced from their homes and 305 million people requiring humanitarian aid. Alongside these are the innumerable fights and disputes that bedevil people’s lives in our institutions, social spaces and homes.
Ideas for sermons or interactive talks
The gospels sometimes tell us not only what Jesus said, but also what he thought (Matthew 9:36, 26:37; Mark 1:41, 3:5; Luke 10:21, 22:44; John 11:33). Whether he shared his thoughts, or whether the writers inferred them, they give us insights into his inner life, or how his disciples perceived it.
At other times Jesus remains a closed book; and today’s gospel reading describes such an occasion. We hear his instructions to his disciples before his ride (Matthew 21:1-3), and witness his actions afterwards (Matthew 21:12ff); but throughout that slow progress of a mile or more, the writer focuses exclusively on the crowd.
What was Jesus thinking?
Did he spend the whole ride chatting with the disciples, smiling and waving to the crowds, perhaps greeting people he knew, or blessing children as he passed?
Or did he sit quietly, acknowledging the surrounding people, but otherwise lost in solitary contemplation of what was to come, the process that would follow his return to the centre of hostile Jewish power? Was he listening to that still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12) who had inspired his life, and now asked him to surrender that life in the most barbaric way the Roman imagination could devise?
Previously, he had withdrawn from the crowds when he needed to pray and consider his course of action. Now there was no such escape. Now he was surrounded by excited people; but there was nothing exciting about where he was going.
How often have we found ourselves in the middle of a noisy crowd, a party or family gathering where everyone is either having a marvellous time or shouting and arguing, when we ourselves feel lost and lonely?
Perhaps, on Palm Sunday, Jesus was focusing on the voice of God while a sea of excited faces surged around him. Perhaps we, too, when all around us seems chaotic and insecure, should listen, and help others to listen, for the still, small voice reassuring us that, whatever happens, we are not alone.
Questions for discussion
- What noises make you excited, or fearful?
- Have you ever felt lonely in a crowd? What was it like? What did you do?
- Amid the world’s noise, where do you hear the still, small voice of God?
- How can we help others to hear the still, small voice of God?
Robert Beard is an NHS worker and Church of England priest.
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Royalty, a journey, an interesting mode of transport, and crowds cheering. No this wasn’t Jesus entering Jerusalem, but Greg James completing his mammoth Comic Relief challenge. Described as the ‘most gruelling and absurd challenge yet’ Radio 1 presenter Greg James cycled 1000kms from Weymouth to Edinburgh on a tandem bike, raising over a staggering £4million in the process.
Whilst riding through the countryside of South Yorkshire he was even joined on the bike by Prince William, quite a surreal experience! The crowds that had gathered to cheer Greg on couldn’t quite believe their eyes.
And maybe this is how the crowd who were cheering Jesus on felt. Could they believe what they were seeing? Royalty riding on a donkey! The thing both Jesus’ and Greg’s crowd have in common is that they stopped what they were doing to seek out this special moment, and a special person. From palm leaves to banners, people lifted up encouragement and cheered.
Would you stop what you’re doing to seek out Jesus? Would you gather with others outside of church to celebrate and praise him? Let us take a moment to pray into that with our young people today.
Lindsay Wright is a freelance writer and designer from Lancashire www.startswithabrew.co.uk
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
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Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 22 March 2026
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Wake me up!
Lord, he whom you love is ill. (John 11:3)
Context
This week, there has been considerable concern about an outbreak of meningitis in Canterbury, Kent in which at least two young people have died. The outbreak seems to be centred on a popular student-frequented club. Antibiotics are being given to people who think they may be at risk and the Health Secretary has made a statement to update MPs about the outbreak. Some students are worried they are getting antibiotics too late and about not being vaccinated against the disease.
We can imagine that the disciples must have felt the same panic when they heard that Jesus’ friend Lazarus was gravely ill. They expected that Jesus the healer would drop everything and rush to his bedside. They cannot understand why Jesus delays. In a world without antibiotics, or ambulances, Jesus seems to be sure to be too late.
Reflection
The family of an 18-year-old who died in this meningitis outbreak have said they are ‘beyond devastated’. Everyone involved must be feeling fear and a sense of urgency to do something about the risk of infection. Covid will still linger in people’s minds. All will be scared and those families by bedsides where their loved ones are in a medically induced coma will hope desperately that they will wake up, be healed and whole.
In the story of Lazarus, Jesus takes us to the edge. His heart breaks, and he weeps as we all do in fear and distress at the suffering and death of those we love. Yet he delays for a greater reason and bigger joy. Lazarus wakes to life. God holds us when all hope is gone and only that ‘devastating loss’ remains.
Ideas for a sermon, talk or conversation
The story of Lazarus can help focus our emotions and sense of powerlessness when frail bodies meet serious illness. Imagine how Mary and Martha sent that message to Jesus and what the wait was like for him to appear. What did they hope for? Or think would happen? And how would they make sense of what Jesus does to glorify God in their home? And what on earth was it like for Lazarus to wake up at God’s command? What does it take to know that Jesus has received the message of our prayers and that he will come to save, even if we don’t know how, when or why?
Questions for discussion
- When have you experienced, or heard about, delay in getting help from doctors or hospitals? How can we use our Christian faith to support us through anxiety and frustration when things are slow?
- Outbreaks like this are thankfully rare. What do you think the government could do to better protect people from serious diseases like meningitis?
- Why do you think Jesus still wept for his friend?
Dr Anne Richards is part of the National Public Policy Team at the Church of England, focusing on modern society, popular culture, contemporary spirituality and apologetics
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Wake me up! - a message of hope, of resurrection and new life, even though first we must go through the pain of the cross. For many of our young people, the place of darkness may feel rather more immediate than the joy of resurrection:
- The outbreak of war in the Middle East has myriad implications:
- there will be those with loved ones in the region;
- the inevitable rise in the cost of living due to the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz will be creating financial pressure for families;
- others may be concerned about the impact this war is having on Ukraine.
- The tragic deaths in the meningitis outbreak in Kent;
- The approaching exam season.
It is likely our young people are experiencing disquiet at best. How do we help our groups to process their anxiety so they can genuinely look towards the joy of Easter Sunday?
The human brain is wired to attend to the negatives, or perceived threats, so we must consciously look for the joys in life. Glimmers of joy have the power to calm our nervous system, and we can notice them even in times of darkness. Such things as a rainbow, the buds on the trees, or a favourite meal can all bring micro-moments of joy.
This week encourage your group to notice the small joys, and to share these with one another as we journey towards the cross.
Victoria Etherington is University and Young Adult Chaplain in the York Methodist Circuit.
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.
Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 15 March 2026
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Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues.
See a sporting chance
Like a famous sportsperson, Jesus is judged after healing a blind man (John 9:1-41).
Context
Those participating at the highest level of international sport are often judged by fans and critics alike. These are highly skilled sportspeople who have often committed a large proportion of their lives through training and competition to do their best to win in their selected field. Their levels of skill, dedication and commitment are huge! Their achievements can be monumental. And yet so many of us, sitting at home in our umpire's armchairs, see fit to judge them – sometimes extraordinarily unfairly! Is this what was happening to Jesus, under scrutiny by the Pharisees, in the wake of his healing of a man born blind?
Reflection
Human society has always been prone to judge itself, whether this be individuals, groups of people or whole nations. By what right we assume we can do this has often been brought into question. Throughout the centuries humanity has judged and labelled those who might be considered to be ‘less-than’ by some. These might also be generously referred to as the ‘other’. By what guidelines do we assume the right to do this? Reading through this week’s gospel passage from John 9:1-41, it would seem things were no different in Jesus’ day. We see the hostility of the synagogue towards the ‘other’, echoed by organised religion throughout the centuries. We see the Pharisees refuse to accept change, or even see the possibility of hope in the form of a Messiah. Instead their adherence to ancient rules make them inflexible and blind to the potential in those they regard as flawed and impaired.
Ideas for sermons or interactive talks
- Greg Davies, in his Formula 1 introduction of Channel 4 last Sunday, said “Change isn’t the enemy. Stagnation is.” Is this something of what Jesus was trying to get across to the Pharisees? The blind man’s loss of sight from birth was commonly believed to be due to sin – either his or his parents – but Jesus says that they’ve got it wrong (v.3). It was also believed that acts of healing were not allowed on the Sabbath, but Jesus says get on with it whilst you have my light to see by (v.4-5)! The Jews have awaited the Messiah throughout history and yet these leaders refuse to accept that Jesus could possibly be that Messiah (v.30-33). What does it mean for Jesus to accuse the Pharisees of sin, whilst also claiming judgment over those who may see and those who will become blind (v.39). What did it mean for the Pharisees, for Jesus' disciples or for the blind man himself to have so much change thrown at them? This was change that could potentially create a much more level playing field than many had experienced before. How uncomfortable do you think they might have felt with this change?
- In John 9:1-41 Jesus (along with the man born blind and his parents) confront the disciples, their neighbours and the Pharisees about their concepts of ‘sin’. On their 2025 album, ‘Rushmere’, Mumford & Sons' song ‘Carry on’ also confronts the concept of ‘original sin’ and its human potential for hypocrisy. Take a look at how the lyrics (below) offer relief through accepting our own flaws in preference to imposed moral judgements. They contrast the judgments placed upon us by society or religion with an exploration of individual truth, emphasising the innocence of children as a symbol of purity. The words carry a message of hope and encouragement in the face of a judgemental world:
If this is what it's like to be unholy, man
If this is what it's like to be lost
I will take this heresy
Over your hypocrisy
And count any cost
If this is what it's like to be empty again
If this is what it's like to be adrift
I will take this darkness
Over any light you cast
You and all your original sin
How do the words of such a song speak to us alongside the encounter of Jesus with the man born blind and the challenge of the Pharisees in John 9:1-41? How do the lyrics ‘I will take this heresy over your hypocrisy and count any cost’ speak to us as we witness the amazing sporting achievements of the Winter Paralympians?
Questions for discussion
- How would you offer a sense of hope and encouragement to someone who is struggling with concepts of change in their lives? What encouragement would you share from Jesus' words in John 9:1-41?
- What would you want to say to the Pharisees or anyone else who claims that the blind man’s visual impairment is because of ‘sin’? What do you ‘see’ when you look at this man?
- What can we take away from John 9:1-41 and from the achievements of the Winter Paralympians to give ourselves a sense of hope in our present times and encouragement to persevere through life’s challenges?
Tim Lowe is a minister of the United Reformed Church, serving in the Leeds URC Partnership. Through challenging and changing times in life, alongside the words of Jesus, Tim sees heroes in our Paralympians and hears inspiration in the lyrics and music of Mumford & Sons (especially when he saw them play live in Manchester last November!).
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As I sit down to write on this weeks’ theme of 'What do you see?' I have been met with the news of Team GB winning silver in the Winter Paralympic Games in the alpine combined. This has particular resonance with today’s story since it has been won in the visually impaired men’s category. The event involves paralympians being directed by their guide who skis the course with the athlete and gives verbal signals to the athlete via a Bluetooth communication system.
In today’s story the disciples only see a victim of sin (v. 2). Jesus, on the other hand, sees a person in need of liberation from the societal oppression that existed in 1st century Jewish society, and an opportunity to make real God’s heart for liberation.
It is easy to use our sight to cast aspersions and limitations on people. In so doing, whether intentionally or not, we can reinforce the systemic powers of oppression that exist within our 21st century society. The Winter Paralympics can act as a reminder of the power of the possible when we support each other and act as building blocks, not barriers, to achievement.
So challenge yourself this week to consider what you are seeing when you look at the people around you. What might your unconscious biases be? What limitations and restrictions are you putting on those around you? Then ask God to give you His sight so that you may see people as He sees them.
Simon Bailey is an Engagement & Participation Youth Worker for the local authority in Central Bedfordshire.
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.
Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 8 March 2026
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Peace or conflict?
Samaritans and Jews did not get on. Conflicts persist in today’s world, many with a religious dimension (John 4.5-42)
Context
There are numerous current conflicts around the world many of which, sadly, have a religious dimension. Examples include that between Armenia (largely orthodox Christian as the material for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity reminded us) and Azerbaijan (largely Muslim), that in Myanmar, that in Sudan, that in Nigeria and above all at present that between Israel and the USA and Iran.
Ideas for sermons or interactive talks
At the time of Jesus the land of Palestine was ruled by the Romans. Samaria was between Galilee in the north and Judea and Jerusalem in the south. For hundreds of years the Jews and the people of Samaria had been enemies. They did not agree about where God’s people should worship. Jews worshipped at the Temple in Jerusalem, the Samaritans favoured their own mountain. Most Jews would not travel through Samaria so used a longer route to avoid Samaria and any contact with Samaritans.
There are two key gospel stories around this enmity. One is the familiar story we call the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) told in response to a question from a Jewish legal expert; the other is today’s gospel passage, one of my favourite Bible stories. Despite his instructions to others (Matthew 10:5) or his rejection (Luke 9:52f), it seems that Jesus defied the tradition, travelled through Samaria and met this unnamed woman at a well near Sychar.
There are still small communities of Samaritans in Israel and Palestine but, whatever animosity may still exist, the conflict of the 1st century clearly pales into insignificance against the conflicts of the 21st century world. However, choosing (as Jesus effectively did) to place oneself inside any conflict, large or small, can be a brave thing to do.
As I write on Tuesday Christian responses across the world and in Britain to the renewed conflict with Iran are quite varied. But these comments from Pope Leo XIV seem appropriate to me:
Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue. . . Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I address to the parties involved a heartfelt appeal to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss... May diplomacy recover its role and may the good of peoples be promoted, peoples who long for peaceful coexistence founded on justice. And let us continue to pray for peace.
A very different angle on this story of the woman at the well would be to focus on the woman’s words ‘He told me everything I have ever done’. Would you or I have been persuaded by her testimony? My friend, retired Methodist minister Gareth Hill, may help if you want a different approach.
Finally, at least in your prayers, remember that 8 March is International Women’s’ Day.
Questions for discussion
- How do we respond to the current conflict in the Middle East?
- Have you ever placed yourself inside a conflict - whether simply between neighbours or a much bigger conflict?
- Would you tell your friends about someone who ‘told me everything I have ever done’?
Dudley Coates is a local preacher in the Salisbury Methodist Circuit and a former Vice President of the Methodist Conference.
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The theme for this week's resources – Who are you? - is a question many of us don’t think about that often until something makes us do so. It was a question that my wife and I were asked several times during our adoption journey a few years back.
It’s a question that faces us many times throughout our lives, especially as young people, as we try and work who we are in relation to our friends, family and wider society. Having access to people and situations all over the world via social media makes it an even harder question to navigate.
It’s a question which no doubt many are asking in the Middle East – and millions of others around the world – as a result of the attacks on Iran and their response and counter-responses over the past week.
Who am I/are we when we feel under attack?
And it’s a question that the Samaritan Woman at the Well asked in this week's Bible passage as a result of meeting with Jesus. Who am I in response to this Messiah-like figure who’s offering to give me living water?
Spending time with Jesus – meeting with Jesus – encountering Jesus urge us to ask the question, ‘Who is this Jesus person? Am I going to respond positively and accept the living water, whatever that means; or am I going to reject or ignore the offer and carry on as before?’
The invitation Jesus gave to the Samaritan Woman was to come and drink the living water in the midst of her day-to-day life. It’s the same invitation he gives to us in the midst of our normal everyday lives. How are you/we going to respond to that offer today?
Jonathan Buckley is Youth Development Worker at YMCA White Rose and Redevelopment Manager at St Paul’s Church, Parson Cross, Sheffield.
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.
Sermon and discussion ideas for week beginning Sunday 1 March 2026
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Finding the right question?
Summary
Nicodemus needs imagination, and good will, when questioning Jesus (John 3:1-17).
Context
Our society is asking police and politicians alike to ask searching questions with regards to the Epstein scandal and expects them to find truth. We seem less sanguine when we ask SEND experts to consider questions exploring ways to improve our society’s future. But Jesus encourages Nicodemus to ‘think positive’ as he tries to bring together his scholarship and his experience. What can this tell us about the relationship between diligent study and lived experience, not only in our faith journeys, but as we seek to live Godly lives?
Reflection
Years ago a preacher’s declaration that while adults worshipped at church, children came to learn, annoyed me. It seemed to deny the possibility that learning, exploring and wondering at what our God-given capacities can do, can be a form of worship for adults as well as children. Revelation and consideration are not exclusive alternatives but we often prefer the dramatic story where the atheist becomes a Christian ‘at a crash’ like Hopkins’ Paul The wreck of the deutschland (Part I, final stanza) to the acknowledgment of evolving faith. A crashing conviction perhaps demands less of the individual than Nicodemus finds himself having to do. He must reconcile what he as a scholar understands with what he intuits about Jesus.
Jesus respects Nicodemus’ scholarship. But elsewhere Jesus is sceptical, calling members of the scholarly caste ‘hypocrites’ (Matt 23:13), bent not on honestly expounding Scripture but on disturbing the belief of others. Their motivation is wrong. As politicians, the media and the public start to scrutinise the multiple documents in the Epstein files, what are their motivations? Whilst there are serious legal and moral questions to be asked, is there also a touch of scandal-mongering in some of it? Is passion and a desire for truth in this context comparable with a search for faith? Is it odd that there seems to be acceptance of the virtuous motivation of those charged with uncovering wrongdoing, but suspicion of diligent, questioning research into ways of improving, for example, SEND in schools.
We seem to assume that the difficult and even painful process of finding answers to pressing social questions and putting them into action could - and should - be managed risk-free. Downsides loom large, and gains seem overplayed. Nicodemus initially found Jesus’ inspirational imagery (v.5) less compelling than a dismissive, literal-minded comment! It is perhaps only too easy to shy away from a challenging prospect of potential good, while complacently accepting that people probably are as flawed as they appear.
Sermon ideas
Going back to that preacher. I was unfair. He had a point! He wanted to welcome the children while acknowledging that they weren’t just miniature adults. Explore in a discussion or a sermon ways of helping everyone to learn as well as to meet with God in worship.
Or
Are we too risk-averse in our current society when it comes to trusting politicians or the police or other institutions? Jesus asks Nicodemus to take a risk on him! How does risk fit into Godly lives?
Questions
- Where are you on the spectrum from once-and-for-all belief to life-long questioning?
- How can sharing our diverse religious experiences help us all move forward on our faith journeys gaining trust as we go?
Brenda Vance is a retired university teacher and a URC Elder.
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Questions, questions and more questions
At the moment the news seems to be filled with people being asked questions. Last week Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested and held for questioning. This week it was the turn of Lord Mandelson. Who will be next? We do not know nor do we know what questions these two men have been asked. What we do know, or at the very least hope, is that the purpose behind the questions is to discern the truth.
It was for a similar reason that Nicodemus went to see Jesus. His purpose was to discover the truth about Jesus. He knows that Jesus has come from God but he wants to know more. He has lived a holy life according to the scriptures as he understood them but he wanted to know if that was enough. That was the truth he sought from Jesus.
In the cases of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Lord Mandelson there has been much speculation about the nature of the questioning and it is possible that one day we will find out more about it. We may even discover whether the interviewers got the answers they expected. In the case of Nicodemus John’s account is clear. The answer Jesus gave him was not what he expected.
Nicodemus was not afraid to come to Jesus with his questions and concerns. He was surprised by the answer but legend has it that he became a follower of Jesus. Truth is central to a good life and one way to discern it is to ask questions of Jesus. After all he is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Stuart Wild is a Methodist minister in Lytham St Annes on the Lancashire coast.
Views expressed are the authors' own. Hypertext links to other websites are for the convenience of users only and do not constitute any endorsement or authorisation by Roots for Churches Ltd.
The week in focus is also available via facebook and Instagram.
Roots publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines. FIND OUT MORE.