St Luke's Church Eccleshill - Articles from "The Link"

Can Jesus help?

In March our church bible readings return for “part 2” of the life of Jesus as set out in the middle part of St Luke’s Gospel. I suppose Luke must have believed Jesus could help people - otherwise why would he, a doctor, have bothered to write about him?

After spending the first chapters of his Gospel telling about the things Jesus did, particularly the ways he healed and helped people, Luke goes on to record Jesus’ teaching. Doctors often say that they can prescribe a treatment, but unless the patient makes some effort to stick to it, it won’t work as well as it ought. So maybe Luke is telling us the same thing: Jesus can rescue people, but to stay sorted the people need to let his healing penetrate into their thoughts and mindsets. Jesus is on a journey to Jerusalem, but his disciples are on a journey into discovering what impact Jesus is supposed to make on a person’s life.

Part of us would love to believe that mistakes in this life won’t have lasting consequences. And in one way that’s true, because Jesus can give us the forgiveness that restarts us with a clean sheet. But in another way it’s false, because unless we accept his fixing our lives, they stay broken. And Luke wants us to get fixed.

So during our Sunday readings we’ll be looking at the things Jesus told his disciples, and is telling us today. In a way, it’s very universal: because many people recognise that Jesus was a great teacher. In another way, it’s very narrow, for he tells us that unless we change inside we haven’t a hope. Fortunately he gives us the power to change as well as the desire for it. However, it cost him his life.

Come along and explore his challenge, his invitation, his secrets of how we can be different, his help for our family life, and his journey to the cross.

John Hartley

	*St Luke's Church, Eccleshill - The Link* magazine** The Link is published monthly at 40p (Senior Citizens 35p), and we deliver free within the parish and post copies (at the reader's expense) to those who request it. Please contact us if you would like a free copy for a trial period. March 2007, Page 2.
Home Page. Index of articles: by subject, by date. In this issue: (March 2007) Going for growth, Can Jesus help? Roof, Song. Other articles on the bible.	Can Jesus help? In March our church bible readings return for “part 2” of the life of Jesus as set out in the middle part of St Luke’s Gospel. I suppose Luke must have believed Jesus could help people - otherwise why would he, a doctor, have bothered to write about him? After spending the first chapters of his Gospel telling about the things Jesus did, particularly the ways he healed and helped people, Luke goes on to record Jesus’ teaching. Doctors often say that they can prescribe a treatment, but unless the patient makes some effort to stick to it, it won’t work as well as it ought. So maybe Luke is telling us the same thing: Jesus can rescue people, but to stay sorted the people need to let his healing penetrate into their thoughts and mindsets. Jesus is on a journey to Jerusalem, but his disciples are on a journey into discovering what impact Jesus is supposed to make on a person’s life. Part of us would love to believe that mistakes in this life won’t have lasting consequences. And in one way that’s true, because Jesus can give us the forgiveness that restarts us with a clean sheet. But in another way it’s false, because unless we accept his fixing our lives, they stay broken. And Luke wants us to get fixed. So during our Sunday readings we’ll be looking at the things Jesus told his disciples, and is telling us today. In a way, it’s very universal: because many people recognise that Jesus was a great teacher. In another way, it’s very narrow, for he tells us that unless we change inside we haven’t a hope. Fortunately he gives us the power to change as well as the desire for it. However, it cost him his life. Come along and explore his challenge, his invitation, his secrets of how we can be different, his help for our family life, and his journey to the cross. John Hartley
Top of page.	This web page was last updated on 3rd April 2007.