Peter was speaking to the people – here he addresses the ‘rulers and elders of the people’ and tells them that they had rejected the Messiah, Jesus. In the very next verse he affirms that ‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’
It’s a sad reality that many today reject Jesus and put their trust in substitutes. A famous football manager is quoted as saying ‘Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more serious than that.’ He may well have used hyperbole (exaggeration for effect), but it cannot be said that Peter’s words were hyperbole. Many substitute Messiahs have emerged, but only the True Messiah saves; liberating and setting us free from sin and death.
While many ways are claimed to bring us close to God, Jesus insists, unambiguously, that he is the only way – he said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ (John 14:6). So here is the ultimate reality: do I believe salvation is in Jesus alone, or do I reject him, knowing that ‘Salvation is found in no one else’? You could call that truly a matter of life and death – no hyperbole there!
10:00 Sunday church video meeting
Southcrest Online is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Southcrest Church – Sunday @ 10:00am (online call)
Time: 31st January 2021, 10:00 a.m.
Join Zoom Meeting
The meeting will be followed by a 10-15 minute chat.
10:30 a.m. A local online service?
- Woodgreen Evangelical Church at Worcester weekly online service can be found at their YouTube site.
- Manor Park Church at Worcester also have an online service. You’ll find it at their YouTube site.
(Don’t worry if you are late for either of these, as you can catch up on the YouTube links above.)
11:00 a.m. Hillsong UK online service
https://online.hillsong.com/room/uk
Sung praise: Yet not I, but through Christ in me
Sung by: City Alight
'Yet not I, but through Christ in me' lyrics
What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer There is no more for heaven now to give He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus For my life is wholly bound to his Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine! Yet not I, but through Christ in me The night is dark but I am not forsaken For by my side, the Saviour He will stay I labour on in weakness and rejoicing For in my need, His power is displayed To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me Through the deepest valley He will lead Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome! Yet not I, but through Christ in me No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven The future sure, the price it has been paid For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon And He was raised to overthrow the grave To this I hold, my sin has been defeated Jesus now and ever is my plea Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free! Yet not I, but through Christ in me With every breath I long to follow Jesus For He has said that He will bring me home And day by day I know He will renew me Until I stand with joy before the throne To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus All the glory evermore to Him When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat: Yet not I, but through Christ in me! When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat: Yet not I, but through Christ in me! Yet not I, but through Christ in me! Yet not I, but through Christ in me!
A couple of links for younger ones…
Daily devotionals
Max Lucado’s daily page with brief encouraging talks.
- Max’s page is here – words of help and comfort, daily devotionals
- Here in this video message from last Friday, Max talks of God being alongside us to help us…
Life Connect daily page from Counties on a channel called Counties Connect.
A week ago, Counties Connect students on the Counties training programme contributed to the daily thought: here is another of the trainees, Aaron Shah from Newcastle talking about making choices…
Find the others in this week’s series here.
Angus Buchan daily devotional thoughts. He’s a no-nonsense Christian from South Africa; you may enjoy his direct presentation (or not), but he always gives a strong message from a verse or two from the Bible.
- His daily thought audios are posted here.
- Angus posts his short video thoughts here.
In this 5-minute episode, Angus tells us that after giving your life to the Lord, there will always be times when nothing seems to be going your way. He encourages us to take it in our stride and not to let it affect our walk with the Lord.
Pick up the phone
A phone call can give someone much needed encouragement, as you both focus on all that is good that God has given you this week by his grace.
Do one better and have a video chat: you can do that with WhatsApp, Skype, or Zoom, etc.
Pray for one another
Thank God for his forgiveness and his love and faithfulness. Commit your family and friends to Him and pray for those who are unwell at this time.
Pray for children and students in their studies; for their schools and the teachers and other staff. Continue to pray for all those involved in the vaccine programme; for those whose job is to care for Covid-19 patients; and for those whose treatment has been postponed by the crisis.
Back to news