A Year to Remember
Part 1 – A Year of Adventure

This Sunday, Simon Lace brings us the talk in the latest of our EBC Online services. Once you have watched the video, we encourage you to reflect on the bible text and join us in the prayer that follows below.

To listen to the talk click here.
 
Readings:

John chapter 1 verses 1 to 14 (NLT)
1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
    and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it.
6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

 

Prayer & Reflection

Loving God
Thank you that you embarked on that great adventure. We thank you that You, in your loving kindness and mercy, have made a way for us to be part of Your family. We say thank you, Father, that through Jesus, and through the gift of Your Holy Spirit teaching, guiding and correcting us, You offer us the right to be called Your children. Father, build us in our belief and our faith. Forgive us in our failings and doubts O God, and reassure us once more of Your unfailing love and faithfulness, for I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.


Questions to Consider

1. What are some of the things YOU will remember about 2020?
 
2. As you think about each of those things, how do you feel?

3. What, if any, positives can you take from 2020?

4. What do you make of the idea that God, in becoming human as Jesus, was in a sense embarking on something new and different?

5. Do you think that the Word becoming flesh changed God in some way? How about humankind?

6. What new adventures might you embark upon in the year ahead?

7. How much of a habit is saying “thank you” to God? Might you try to adopt more of an “attitude of gratitiude”?