{"id":76,"date":"2014-09-07T22:08:49","date_gmt":"2014-09-07T22:08:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/?page_id=76"},"modified":"2022-08-01T10:20:36","modified_gmt":"2022-08-01T10:20:36","slug":"old-page","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/?page_id=76","title":{"rendered":"Previous series"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div><strong>12 May 2022 &#8211; John 21:18-25. The King&#8217;s mission.<\/strong> Many of us have a sense of what the mission of Christians should be but we may be less certain where the energy comes from. In particular how are Christians to keep going when times are hard? Today we listen to Jesus&#8217; final instructions to his closest disciples. It is a window into what we wants them to do and also how he thinks they will keep going.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/john-21-2-tpt.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/john-21-2-tpt.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/john-21-2-tpt.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div><strong>5 May 2022 &#8211; John 21:1-17. The King&#8217;s vision. <\/strong>We all long for a sense of purpose and vision in life, yet often we feel listless and distracted. In this week\u2019s Bible reading we see Jesus meeting his disciples at a time when they seem to lack motivation. Today we see how he re-energises them.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tpt-jn-21.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tpt-jn-21.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tpt-jn-21.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div><strong>28 April 2022 &#8211; John 19:17-42. The King&#8217;s Cross. <\/strong>What reasons do our colleagues give for not believing in the Lord Jesus? Lack of\u00a0historical evidence? \u00a0Lack of relevance to them? Lack of reason to look into it thoroughly? \u00a0In John 19 as Jesus goes to his death. John gives us 5 compelling reasons to believe and they all lead towards the cross<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tpt-jn-21.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tpt-jn-21.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/tpt-jn-21.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div>\n<div><strong>6 April 2022 &#8211; <\/strong><b>John 19:1-16. The King&#8217;s Crown.\u00a0<\/b>What lies behind the ambivalence, apathy and indifference we see day-to-day from our colleagues in response to the Christian faith?\u00a0 Today we consider two case studies in response to Jesus&#8217; kingship and think through how we should respond as Christians in the secular workplaces we work in.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-4\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-19.mp3?_=4\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-19.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/John-19.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><b>30 March 2022 &#8211; John 18:28-40. The King of truth.\u00a0<\/b>Our working lives can often be dominated by power-plays and office politics. We try to rise above it, but it is hard not to get sucked in. At the Paddington Talks this week, we will watch the power-play taking place between the Roman and Jewish authorities at Jesus trial and think about how faith in Christ enables us to rise above empire building in the workplace and to seek a greater kingdom.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-5\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/jn-18-3.mp3?_=5\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/jn-18-3.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/jn-18-3.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div><strong>23 March 2022<\/strong> &#8211; \u00a0<b>John 18:12-27 The King\u2019s integrity.<\/b> We hate it when people lie to us or are two-faced. We would like to be thought of as people of integrity ourselves. Yet deep integrity is rare in our world. Our work places are often full of intrigue and backstabbing. As we see Jesus in the centre of a political storm at the end of his life, there is a beauty to his integrity that has much to say into our current culture.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-6\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/John-18-3.mp3?_=6\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/John-18-3.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/John-18-3.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div><strong>16 March 2022 &#8211; John 18:1-11\u00a0The King\u2019s mission.<\/strong> Throughout the history of Christianity, Jesus death on the cross has brought forth devotion from his followers. Whether the cross is familiar territory to you, or even over familiar or if you don\u2019t really get what the fuss is about, we\u2019ll be trying to dig deeper into the reasons for Christians\u2019 devotion to Jesus as we see him go to his death.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-7\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/John-18-1.mp3?_=7\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/John-18-1.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/John-18-1.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div><strong>9 March 2022 &#8211; Genesis 11 &#8211;<\/strong> <b>Wounded pride<\/b>. All of us want to find a sense of significance in our lives. We want to feel valued. We don&#8217;t want to be a nobody. But that desire for significance can distort our behaviour and lead us into self-defeating patterns of pride. Today\u00a0we consider positive and negative ways to express our desire for significance.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-8\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/gen-11.mp3?_=8\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/gen-11.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/gen-11.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div><strong>2 March 2022 &#8211; Genesis 6-8 &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong><b>A heartless God?\u00a0<\/b>Often people in our society picture God as cold, remote and even heartless. Even committed Christians can sometimes feel that God is distant. Today\u00a0as we read the timeless story of the flood and consider what it tells about God\u2019s heart. Far from a heartless God, we will find that God\u2019s heart is passionate and fully engaged in his world.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-9\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/TPT-Gen-6-8.mp3?_=9\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/TPT-Gen-6-8.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/TPT-Gen-6-8.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div><b>23 February 2022 &#8211; Genesis 4. Optimism without naivety.\u00a0<\/b>We love to classify people as optimists or\u00a0pessimists. Glass half-full or glass half empty. Where do Christians fall on this spectrum? Is Christianity a glass half full or glass half empty religion? Today\u00a0we see that as Christians we can be fully\u00a0realistic yet not cynical and fully optimists yet not na\u00efve.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-10\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/gen-4a.mp3?_=10\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/gen-4a.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/gen-4a.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><b>16 February 2022 &#8211; Genesis 3. False freedom<\/b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Many people in our culture and workplaces will think of religion as being constraining. They have a view of\u00a0God as limiting and controlling. Yet so often when we\u00a0pursue\u00a0\u2018freedom\u2019 by disobeying God, we find ourselves enslaved to our desires. The book of Genesis, however, gives us a vision of a God who longs for us to flourish. Today\u00a0we see that the path to\u00a0true freedom is found is seeking Him.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-11\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SSWPGen3.mp3?_=11\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SSWPGen3.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/SSWPGen3.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><b>9 February 2022 &#8211; Genesis 2:4-25. Where we belong<\/b>. All of us long to flourish in life. To live as we were created to. To feel as if we are in the place in which we truly belong. Genesis 2 paints a picture of what it looks like to truly flourish as humanity. Today we reflect on the Bible\u2019s vision of where we belong.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-12\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Gen-4.mp3?_=12\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Gen-4.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Gen-4.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><b>2 February 2022 &#8211; Genesis 2:1-3. Searching for a deeper rest.<\/b> We live in a restless\u00a0society. We live busy lives, we work long hours and working from home has made it harder to keep our boundaries between work and rest. We long for deep rest\u00a0but it seems impossible. Today we consider the deeper\u00a0rest which Jesus brings.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-13\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Gen-22.mp3?_=13\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Gen-22.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Gen-22.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>25 January 2022 &#8211; Genesis 1:26-31. New mission. <\/strong>This week we seek to rediscover a sense of wonder at God\u2019s highlight of creation &#8211; us as humanity created in His image.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-14\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Gen-1b.mp3?_=14\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Gen-1b.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Gen-1b.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>18 January 2022 &#8211; G<\/strong><b>enesis 1:1-25. New beginnings.\u00a0<\/b>We\u00a0live in a beautiful world that invites us to praise and wonder. Yet so often our\u00a0hearts are cold and unmoved in the busyness of life. This week we seek to rediscover a sense of wonder at God\u2019s creation.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-15\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Gen-1.mp3?_=15\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Gen-1.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Gen-1.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><b>11 January 2022 &#8211; Matthew 7:13-28. Kingdom Fruit. <\/b>Stop. Give Way. Do Not Enter.\u00a0 When we see these signs while we are driving, we know that these warnings are there for our\u00a0ultimate\u00a0good and we listen to them.\u00a0 But what about the warnings that Jesus gives us?\u00a0 Do we have the same attitude to Jesus&#8217; teaching?\u00a0 As Jesus ends his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus will call us to a narrower gate, a harder path but ultimately to life.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-16\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Matt-7.mp3?_=16\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Matt-7.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Matt-7.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><b>8 December 2021 &#8211; Matthew 7:1-12. Kingdom Humility.\u00a0<\/b>As we read Jesus\u2019 words in Matthew 5-7, he paints a wonderful picture of the righteousness of his kingdom to come. It is an inspiring standard to live by and yet also daunting. We may feel defeated in the Christian life before we even begin. Today Jesus teaches us how to seek his kingdom without falling into either pride or despair.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-17\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Matt-7.mp3?_=17\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Matt-7.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Matt-7.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>1 December 2021 &#8211; Matthew 6:19-34.<\/strong> <b>Kingdom dreams <\/b>We all know that money can buy us happiness and that worry doesn\u2019t change anything. Yet we instinctively worry and chase after worldly treasures. Today we see Jesus shows us the key to breaking out of the cycle of worry and misplaced dreams.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-18\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Matt6v19to34SSWP.mp3?_=18\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Matt6v19to34SSWP.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Matt6v19to34SSWP.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>24 November 2021 &#8211; Matthew 6:1-18. Hope for a deeper walk with God<\/strong> When we come before God we long to meet with him in a deep way and yet so often we find ourselves distracted and self-conscious. Join us this week as we hear Jesus\u2019 guidance for a deeper walk with God.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-19\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Matt-6v1-18-TPT-v2.mp3?_=19\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Matt-6v1-18-TPT-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Matt-6v1-18-TPT-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>17 November 2021 &#8211;<\/strong> <b>Matthew 5:38-48. Kingdom of neighbourly love.\u00a0<\/b>How are we to treat our neighbours, whether it be colleagues, friends or family, when their actions cause us hurt, loss or grief?\u00a0 Are we to fight fire with fire?\u00a0 Are we to get our own back?\u00a0 We shall see in Matthew 5 that the standard that Jesus holds us to is higher than anything this world has to offer &#8211; a standard that would truly make the world a better place.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-20\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Matt-5v38-48.mp3?_=20\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Matt-5v38-48.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Matt-5v38-48.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>10 November 2021 &#8211;<\/strong> <b>Matthew 5:21-26. Hope in an angry world.\u00a0<\/b>Anger is one of the least attractive human emotions. Yet it\u00a0is everywhere. In society, in our workplaces, at home . . . and in our own\u00a0hearts. Today we will listen to Jesus offer us deep hope in the face of\u00a0our anger.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-21\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/SSWPMatt5v21to26.mp3?_=21\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/SSWPMatt5v21to26.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/SSWPMatt5v21to26.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>3 November 2021 &#8211;<\/strong> <b>Matthew 5:17-21 Kingdom Righteousness.<br \/>\n<\/b><br \/>\nWe all dream of a world in which people treat each other\u00a0with love &amp; kindness not hatred or anger but we have radically different\u00a0ideas of how to get there. Jesus shows us a righteousness that is deeper\u00a0than a cold legalism but richer than the lawless ethics of this world. Today we see something of His vision for the future.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-22\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/TPT-Matt-5v17to20-v2.mp3?_=22\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/TPT-Matt-5v17to20-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/TPT-Matt-5v17to20-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>27 October 2021 &#8211; Matthew 5:1-16. \u00a0The Kingdom for the spiritually in need. <\/strong>In today\u2019s society there is so much confusion about identity and individual freedoms and sadly the same is the case in Christian circles. Jesus&#8217; kingdom as exemplified in the Beatitudes cuts through the noise of identity politics and speaks words of hope.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-23\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Matt-5-v2.mp3?_=23\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Matt-5-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Matt-5-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>20 October 2021 &#8211;<\/strong> <b>Matthew 4:12-25.<\/b> <b>The King of Light. <\/b>We live in dark days that at times can feel oppressive,\u00a0yet Matthew\u2019s gospel describes Jesus as a light shining in the darkness. Today as we consider the hope we find in Christ.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-24\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt4v12to25.mp3?_=24\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt4v12to25.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt4v12to25.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>13 October 2021 &#8211; Matthew 4:1-11. The King who brings righteousness.<\/strong> Many people today long for an inner spiritual experience that will bring lasting hope and strength but reject traditional religion as cold and formal. Jesus would agree with them. Today we hear Jesus call us to a transforming faith of the heart.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-25\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt4v1to11.mp3?_=25\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt4v1to11.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt4v1to11.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><b>6 October 2021 &#8211; Matthew 3. The King who brings transformation.\u00a0<\/b>Many people today long for an inner spiritual experience that will bring lasting hope and strength but reject traditional religion as cold and formal. Jesus would agree with them. Today\u00a0we hear Jesus call us to a transforming faith of the heart.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-26\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt3.mp3?_=26\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt3.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt3.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>29 September 2021 &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong><b>Matthew 2:13-23. The King who brings freedom.\u00a0<\/b>Our world seems to lurch from crisis to crisis in an endless\u00a0cycle of violence &amp; oppression. We see it in Afghanistan, in our cities, &amp;\u00a0in our Bible reading at Paddington Talks this week. Today we see the hope\u00a0Jesus brings in the face of oppression.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-27\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt2v13to23.mp3?_=27\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt2v13to23.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt2v13to23.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>22 September 2021 &#8211; The king of Joy. Matthew 2:1-13.<\/strong> Our lives are a full of decisions, some weighty, some trivial. How do we make those decisions? What drives us? Who do we listen to? Today we consider the joy of a life that allows Jesus to guide us in all things.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-28\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt2v1to12.mp3?_=28\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt2v1to12.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt2v1to12.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>15 September 2021 &#8211; Matthew 1:18-25<\/strong> \u201cYou are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins\u201d \u2013 but isn\u2019t this talk of sin a bit depressing and negative, if not actually oppressive? Today we explore the hope at the heart of the Christian faith.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-29\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt1v18to25.mp3?_=29\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt1v18to25.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt1v18to25.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>8 September 2021 &#8211; Matthew 1:1-17<\/strong> We will be starting a new series looking at the start of Matthew&#8217;s gospel.\u00a0 As we start this new series, we will all be too aware that promises are hardly kept nowadays whether in politics, in the workplace or even amongst friends and family. The wonder of the start of Matthew&#8217;s gospel is that the promises of God on the other hand have not only all been kept but have all been fulfilled in the Lord Jesus. If we long for certainty\u00a0and confidence, then we need to look no further than the promises of God that have all now come to fruition in Jesus.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-30\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt1v1to17.mp3?_=30\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt1v1to17.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SSWPMatt1v1to17.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>14 July 2021 &#8211; John 17 &#8211; Eternal glory.<\/strong> Even though sadly England did not win the Euros, the glory that came from their accolades will soon fade away and be forgotten. But as we see Jesus praying in the garden hours before his death we come to see glory that will never fade away both for himself and for anyone who believes in him.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-31\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Jn-17.mp3?_=31\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Jn-17.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Jn-17.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>7 July 2021 &#8211; <b><span class=\"markf7s103iy6\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Acts<\/span> <span class=\"markioptufhnp\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">6<\/span>:1-7 &#8211;\u00a0<\/b><b>The Christian\u2019s priorities. <\/b><\/strong>What one thing could Christians do to make a bigger impact on our communities &amp; colleagues? How could Christianity move from decline to growth in this country? Today we hear Luke\u2019s strategy for a flourishing church from <span class=\"markf7s103iy6\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Acts<\/span> <span class=\"markioptufhnp\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">6<\/span>.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-32\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/TPT-Acts-6v1to11v2.mp3?_=32\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/TPT-Acts-6v1to11v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/TPT-Acts-6v1to11v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>30 June 2021 &#8211;<\/strong><b>Acts 5:12-42. The unstoppable church. <\/b>Falling church attendance in the West is well documented and many view the continued the decline of the Christian faith as inevitable. Today\u00a0we consider how Christians can find hope for the church today.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-33\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/TPT-Acts-5v12to42v2.mp3?_=33\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/TPT-Acts-5v12to42v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/TPT-Acts-5v12to42v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><b>23 June 2021 &#8211;\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Acts<\/span><b>\u00a04:32-5:11 When Christians fail. <\/b>Nothing discredits the mission of the church more than hypocrisy amongst Christians. The atheist delights to find it and the believer despairs in the face of it. But as we read Luke\u2019s account of the early church he does not airbrush over the first major incident of hypocrisy in the church, instead he chooses to brings it to light and offers us hope in the face\u00a0of it.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-34\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/TPT-Acts-4v32to5v12v2.mp3?_=34\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/TPT-Acts-4v32to5v12v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/TPT-Acts-4v32to5v12v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>16 June 2021 &#8211; Acts 4:23-31 <\/strong><b>A lesson in courage.\u00a0<\/b>Do you ever find it hard to stand up for what you believe to be true? Are you ever reluctant to speak of your faith? Jesus&#8217; first disciples had plenty of reasons to keep their heads down yet they boldly proclaimed their faith. In Acts 4 we consider how they found the courage to stand up for their beliefs.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-35\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TPT-Acts-4v23to31-v2.mp3?_=35\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TPT-Acts-4v23to31-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TPT-Acts-4v23to31-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>9 June 2021 &#8211;<\/strong> <b>Acts 4:1-22<\/b> <b>A wise response to opposition. <\/b>How are we to respond when somebody tries to silence us for\u00a0speaking of our faith? Often we appeal to our human rights and the result is a\u00a0shrill battle of rights \u2013 the right to speak and the right not to be spoken to.\u00a0But in Acts 4, we see the apostles opposed and they take a different\u00a0approach\u00a0that is more edifying and compelling.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-36\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TPT-Acts-4v1to22-v2.mp3?_=36\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TPT-Acts-4v1to22-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TPT-Acts-4v1to22-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><b>2 June 2021 &#8211; Acts 3 Restoration.\u00a0<\/b>Is the Christian gospel exclusive? People nowadays love to claim that Christianity is non-inclusive and against diversity. In the resurrection of Jesus, however, a new age has begun where anyone who calls upon Jesus as Lord can be saved.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-37\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TPT0206.mp3?_=37\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TPT0206.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TPT0206.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>26 May 2021 &#8211; Acts 2:42-47<\/strong> <strong>Why bother with the church?<\/strong> Imagine a community of people united by a common love, sharing everything together joyfully &amp; loving each other generously. According to Acts 2, that is what a true Spirit filled church can be. \u00a0We consider the transformation that God\u2019s Spirit brings to his people as a community.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-38\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-2v42to47-v2.mp3?_=38\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-2v42to47-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-2v42to47-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>19 May 2021 &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong><b>Acts 2:14-41 Why Jesus must take centre stage<\/b>. People today often desire a spirituality without Jesus. We want to know that God is on our side, without being tied to a specific system of belief. Yet the result is often confusing and unsettling. In today&#8217;s passage we consider the joy of a faith with Jesus at the centre.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-39\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-2v14to41-v2.mp3?_=39\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-2v14to41-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-2v14to41-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>12 May 2021 &#8211; <\/strong><b>Acts 2:1-13 The power behind the Church.<\/b>\u00a0The Church often looks weak in our country: ignored, small and underfunded.\u00a0We wonder if it can keep going, we maybe also wonder if we want to be a part of\u00a0something that seems so small and unimpressive. Today\u00a0as we read Acts 2 we see why we might want to be a part of this movement.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-40\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-2v1to13-v2.mp3?_=40\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-2v1to13-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-2v1to13-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>5 May 2021 &#8211; Acts 1:12-26 The church grows . . . despite the church<\/strong> How do we respond when a Christian we trusted lets us down, or is uncovered as a hypocrite or even turns against Jesus completely? This week we will continue our series in Acts 1-6 and see how the early church responded to scandal.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-41\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-1v12to26-v2.mp3?_=41\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-1v12to26-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/TPT-Acts-1v12to26-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>28 April 2021 &#8211; Acts 1:1-11 &#8211; The Ascended Lord.<\/strong> If you were to write a mission statement for your life, what would it be? What are you trying to achieve? What would make this week a good week? We start a new series in the book of Acts and hear Jesus call us to live with a sense of purpose.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-42\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TPT-Acts-1v1to11-.mp3?_=42\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TPT-Acts-1v1to11-.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/TPT-Acts-1v1to11-.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>21 April 2021 &#8211; Mark 9:1-12 &#8211;\u00a0The glory of the Lord.\u00a0<\/strong>Where do we see God most clearly in our world today? Some would say look at creation &#8211; the stars, skies and planets. Others would say look at the way we interact with one another. In this one-off talk looking at the transfiguration of Jesus, Mark makes it clear that there is only one place we need to look to see God fully in all his glory.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-43\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Mark-9-TPT.mp3?_=43\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Mark-9-TPT.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Mark-9-TPT.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>24 March 2021 &#8211; John 16:4-15. Hope in a hostile world.<\/strong> We live in an age when people are open to a deeper spirituality but wary of the Christian faith. How can Christians offer a spiritual experience that will connect with the needs of our age? This week Jesus speaks of the hope that we have as we share the gospel in a world increasingly opposed to traditional forms of faith.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-44\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-16v5to15-v2.mp3?_=44\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-16v5to15-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-16v5to15-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>17 March 2021 &#8211; John 15:18-16:4. Dangerous discipleship.<\/strong> Throughout the history of the Christian faith, Christians have faced persecution and opposition. How are we to respond to this? Why do people hate a faith whose founder taught a message of love? In our passage this week we will see Jesus preparing his disciples for such opposition.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-45\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-15v18to16v4-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3?_=45\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-15v18to16v4-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-15v18to16v4-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>10 March 2021 &#8211; John 15:1-17. The secret of a fruitful life.<\/strong> We all want to make the most of our lives. We all want to live lives that are fruitful and worthwhile. \u00a0In John&#8217;s gospel in this passage, Jesus gives us the solution on how to bear fruit.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-46\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-15v1to17-v2.mp3?_=46\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-15v1to17-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-15v1to17-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><b>3 March 2021 &#8211; John 14:25-31 Knowing God&#8217;s presence.\u00a0<\/b>Whether we have been a Christian for years or are just\u00a0looking into matters of faith, all of us long for a closer experience of God\u2019s\u00a0presence in our lives. At the Paddington Talks we will consider three\u00a0ways that we can draw closer to God.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-47\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-14v25to31-v2.mp3?_=47\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-14v25to31-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/TPT-John-14v25to31-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>24 February 2021 &#8211; John 14:15-24 Finding a deeper experience of faith<\/strong>\u00a0Many of us might feel that we know what Christians believe. We can maybe even recite the Christian creeds. But what does it look like not just to know about Jesus, but to know him personally? When people talk about having a relationship with Jesus, what do they mean? And if I do know Jesus, how can I go deeper in my walk with him? In this week\u2019s passage we see Jesus give a surprising answer to how we can deepen our relationship with him.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-48\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-14v15to24-v2.mp3?_=48\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-14v15to24-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-14v15to24-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>17 February 2021 &#8211; John 14:5-14 The path to hope.<\/strong> We often think about religion as a reaching out into the unknown to seek God or to find some spiritual enlightenment. It is not just a search for information but a search for meaning, for hope and for guidance. In John 14, Jesus announces that in him that search is over. If we know Jesus, we know God. With this claim comes a whole new sense of direction for our lives.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-49\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-14v5to14-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3?_=49\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-14v5to14-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-14v5to14-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>10 February 2021 &#8211; John 13:31-14:4<\/strong>\u00a0When we face difficult times, often our horizons shrink. We can only see the issues before us. We feel that faith should help but it is hard to think beyond what is immediately in front of us. In this passage we see Jesus\u2019s disciples troubled by events. Jesus reassures them by calling on them to lift their eyes from their immediate worries and see the wonderful hope that we have in the cross. His words help us to understand how it is that faith can offer hope in tough times.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-50\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-13v31to14v4-v2.mp3?_=50\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-13v31to14v4-v2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-13v31to14v4-v2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>3 February 2021 &#8211; John 13:1-30\u00a0The Disciples&#8217; Love.\u00a0<\/strong>Many of us know that the word \u2018gospel\u2019 means good news. In\u00a0Jesus we find deep joy, hope and peace. Yet often the Christian life is\u00a0hard. It can be lonely and difficult trying to live for Jesus. In\u00a0John 13-16 we readJesus\u2019\u00a0last words to his disciples before he went to the cross. These chapters take us\u00a0to the heart of what it means to follow Jesus. They are not triumphalistic but\u00a0very down to earth and real. These chapters will encourage Christians to keep\u00a0going in the faith and to be\u00a0fruitful for God. They will also help those\u00a0looking into the faith to get a sense of what it would be like for them if they were to\u00a0start following Jesus.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-51\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-13v1to30.mp3?_=51\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-13v1to30.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/TPT-John-13v1to30.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>27 January 2021 &#8211; Luke 15:25-32 The Father who pleads.\u00a0<\/strong>We work hard to do well at school. \u00a0We work hard to do well at work. \u00a0We work hard to be successful and prosperous. \u00a0Can we apply the same logic of working hard to the Christian faith? We conclude our mini-series in Luke 15 and we look again at the Parable of the Prodigal Son we will see what Jesus makes of those who feel that their hard work entitles them entry into His kingdom.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-52\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/TPT-27-Jan.mp3?_=52\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/TPT-27-Jan.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/TPT-27-Jan.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>20 January 2021 &#8211; Luke 15:11-24 The Father who longs.<\/strong> What does it take to get into God&#8217;s eternal home? Lots of the world&#8217;s religions would say we need to be exemplars of moral conduct. So what hope for those of us who feel we have made a mess of things? This week we look at the Parable of the Prodigal Son and see that there is hope in Christ even for the most abject sinner.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-53\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/TPT21Jan.mp3?_=53\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/TPT21Jan.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/TPT21Jan.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>13 January 2021 &#8211; Luke 15:1-11. The Father who searches. \u00a0<\/strong>In this present age of lockdowns, frustration and turmoil, the world continues to look to vaccines, governments and scientists to come up with temporary salvation. How can Christians have confidence in the salvation that God offers through Jesus, let alone have confidence that this salvation will last all eternity? Luke 15 gives us a glimpse into God&#8217;s salvation agenda &#8211; to search for the lost and invite them to his eternal banquet.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-54\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20210113_140645-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3?_=54\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20210113_140645-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/20210113_140645-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>9 December 2020 &#8211; Malachi 3:13-4:6.\u00a0The search for vindication.<\/strong> Why bother follow Jesus in today&#8217;s day and age? If we look to this world for the answer, we will ultimately be left frustrated and confused. However, if we look to the world to come, we will find the solution lies ultimately in vindication for God&#8217;s people. See how Malachi concludes his punchy book with a stark warning for us all to heed.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-55\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Voice-002-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3?_=55\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Voice-002-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Voice-002-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>2 December 2020 &#8211; Malachi 3:6-12. The search for blessing.<\/strong> \u00a0It is one thing to say that we believe in God as an intellectual way of viewing the world but it is another to say that we trust God as the one in whom we find security and blessing. In Malachi 3:6-12 God calls his people to return to Him not just with their minds but by trusting Him with their dreams.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-56\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TPT-Malachi-3v6to12-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3?_=56\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TPT-Malachi-3v6to12-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TPT-Malachi-3v6to12-online-audio-converter.com_.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>25 November 2020 &#8211; Malachi 2:17-3:5. The search for justice.\u00a0<\/strong>As humanity we have a profound desire for justice. We hate to see wrongdoing go unpunished and we particularly hate to see the selfish flourish. Yet at the same time we are very adept at making excuses for our own short-comings whilst pointing the finger at others. Sometimes even our pursuit of justice can become self-centred and ugly. In Malachi 2:17-3:5 We see God\u2019s people cry out to God to deal with the injustice in their lives. God\u2019s response is to point forward to a more complete and wonderful coming of true justice than they had imagined possible.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-57\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/TPT-Malachi-2v17to3v5-final.mp3?_=57\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/TPT-Malachi-2v17to3v5-final.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/TPT-Malachi-2v17to3v5-final.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>18 November 2020 &#8211; Malachi 2:10-2:16. The search for faithfulness.<\/strong> Sometimes we feel distant from God. He does not seem to answer our prayers. He seems to have withdrawn from us. In Malachi 2, God addresses this feeling yet his answer is slightly surprising. God turns our attention from our relationship with him to our relationships with each other. As he does so he sets our relationship with God in a far wider context.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-58\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/TPT-Malachi-2v10to16-final.mp3?_=58\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/TPT-Malachi-2v10to16-final.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/TPT-Malachi-2v10to16-final.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>11 November 2020 &#8211;<\/strong> <b>Malachi 1:1-2:9. The search for love.\u00a0<\/b>2020 has been a pretty disappointing year so far. How does disappointment in life affect our view of God? We may not be angry enough with God to give up on him, but we might be disillusioned enough to lose interest or passion in our faith. This was the exact situation of the people in Malachi\u2019s day. Join us on Wednesday lunchtime as we begin a new series thinking about the spiritual risks associated with feeling despondent in life.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-59\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/TPT-Malachi-1.mp3?_=59\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/TPT-Malachi-1.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/TPT-Malachi-1.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>4 November 2020 &#8211; Jonah 4<\/strong><strong>\u00a0&#8211; the God who saves the ungrateful.<\/strong>\u00a0It&#8217;s so easy in today&#8217;s culture for ingratitude to seep into everyday life &#8211; whether it&#8217;s about the government, our family life or in the workplace. But what happens when that ingratitude seeps into our Christian faith? Jonah ends his surprising prophecy by warning us of the peril that we face for doing so.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-60\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-4.mp3?_=60\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-4.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-4.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<div class=\"kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q\">\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>28 October 2020 &#8211; Jonah 3 &#8211; the God who saves the repentant.\u00a0<\/strong>Repentance has turned into a dirty word in today\u2019s culture. The idea that we should be mortified at our present state is seen as being contrary to our sense of self identity and self worth. For those who trust in Jesus, however, repentance, far from being a dirty word, is the right response for anyone who fully grasps God\u2019s identity and character. Jonah 3 gives a wonderful lens into this character.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-61\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-3.mp3?_=61\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-3.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-3.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><strong>21 October 2020 &#8211; Jonah 2 &#8211; the God who saves the dead\u00a0<\/strong>Have you ever met someone who has come back from the dead? One would suspect that is unlikely to be the case. But if you had, what would they want you to know? In Jonah 2 we meet someone who has actually died and come back to life and wants us to know from his prayer exactly how he came back to life so that we may do likewise.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\"><\/div>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-62\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-2.mp3?_=62\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-2.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>14 October 2020 &#8211; Jonah 1 &#8211; the God who saves the wicked&#8221;<\/strong> How does one gain salvation?\u201d Have you ever heard this question before? Can one indeed gain salvation? The Book of Jonah tells us emphatically no and that salvation belongs only to the Lord. This week in Jonah chapter 1 we will see that because salvation comes from the Lord, he is gracious and merciful enough to save the most wicked of people, even us.<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-76-63\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-1.mp3?_=63\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-1.mp3\">https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Jonah-1.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><strong>7 October 2020 &#8211; John 12:36-50<b>.\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/TPT-John-12v36to50.mp3\">recording<\/a>] True Belief. <\/b><\/strong>Have you ever found yourself saying something like: \u201cIf only I had been there and seen Jesus myself, then I would believe.\u201d Or &#8220;If only Jesus would appear to us today, then it would be so much easier to believe\u201d. In John 12 Jesus meets people who did see him and who were there but did not believe in him. As he does so he points us to a far deeper and more life changing basis for belief.<\/p>\n<p><strong>23 September 2020 &#8211; John 12:12-19<b>.\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/TPT-John-12v12to19.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0True honour <\/b><\/strong>We live in a culture that tends to see faith as a pathway to self-fulfilment. We talk of &#8220;drawing on our faith\u201d for strength and resilience. We almost talk as if God were there to help us as we pursue our own agenda rather than us existing to worship him. In our passage this week we see Jesus clearly proclaimed as our King. As we see his agenda unfold we realise that it is far more wonderful than our own plans and that he is worthy of all of our praise<\/p>\n<p><strong>16 September 2020 &#8211; John 12:1-12<b>.\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/TPT-John-12v1to12.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0True devotion. <\/b><\/strong>Sometimes we meet somebody whose faith seems not just strong but also beautiful and inspiring. Join us this week at The Paddington talks as we reflect on the beauty of true devotion to Jesus and how we might grow in a generous, loving faith.<\/p>\n<p><strong>9 September 2020 &#8211; John 11:48-59<b>.\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/TPT-John-11v45-57.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>We like to think that we are calm rational beings who make informed decisions about matters of life and faith. Yet the reality is that we are often not as impartial as we think we are. We can be blind to our own motives. It John 11-12, as Jesus begins his journey to the cross people react to him in a variety of ways that often say as much about them as about Jesus. These are verses that will help us to reflect on our own deeper desires and how those desires impact our belief systems.<\/p>\n<p><strong>10 Jun 2020 &#8211; 2 Thessalonians 3<b>.\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/TPT-2-Thess-3.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>The way in which we work has been irrevocably changed thanks to the pandemic. Working from home, online meetings, Zoom work socials, even what we wear to work. But did you know that the Bible makes it clear that the way in which we work is one of the ways we will keep going as Christians until the Lord returns? The last talk in our series in 2 Thessalonians gives us the Bible\u2019s answer why how we work now really does matter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3 Jun 2020 &#8211; 2 Thessalonians 2<b>.\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/TPT-2-Thess-2.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>Eternal life feels like a distant prospect if it is real. What are we to do while we wait?<\/p>\n<p><strong>27 May 2020 &#8211; 2 Thessalonians 1<b>.\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/TPT-2-Thess-1.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>When Christians face so much pressure for following Jesus, be that outright persecution or just flack in the office &#8211; is it really worth it?<\/p>\n<p><strong>20 May 2020 &#8211; Faith in the time of Corona<b>.<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/TPT-faith-Corona.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>We live in extraordinary and painful times. At the very least, our plans for 2020 have all been thrown up in the air; our routines have been destroyed; questions of life death confront us with a whole new gravity.\u00a0What difference does the Christian faith make at a time like this?<\/p>\n<p><strong>13 May 2020 &#8211; <b> John 11:1-44<\/b>&#8211; <b>Faith in the face of death.<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/TPT-John-11v1to44.mp3\">recording<\/a>]<\/b><\/strong> We live in a culture that likes to ignore death and deny ageing. So much so that even when the country is in the grip of a lethal pandemic there is very little talk of what it actually means to die and how we can face death well. Sure we monitor death rates, but largely from the perspective of those left behind. Most of the talk is of the frustrations of lockdown. Jesus, however, tackles the question head on. In John 11, he declares that he will give eternal life to all who trust in him. It is a wonderful promise in our current climate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6 May 2020 &#8211; John 10:22-42 &#8211; <b>Less talk, more action\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/TPT-John-10v22to42.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>Do you ever meet people who always want to talk about religion and faith and philosophy but they never actually seem to get any closer to making up their minds about whether or not the Christian faith is true? They can talk about arguments for and against God for hours, but they seem incapable of committing to a belief system? Talking to them is as frustrating as it is stimulating. In John 10:22-42, Jesus meets just such people. His answer is that it is time to stop talking to look at Jesus\u2019s deeds and to make a decision<\/p>\n<p><strong>29 April 2020 &#8211; John 10:1-21 &#8211; <b>The lonely Christian\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/TPT-John-10v1to21.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>The Christian life can often seem a lonely life. We think it is right to follow Jesus and yet we often find ourselves at odds with the culture around us. In John 10, Jesus promises that he has come to give us life to the full. This is an especially valuable claim right now when life seems so bleak.<\/p>\n<p><strong>26 February 2020 &#8211; Nehemiah 8 &#8211; <b>A people of the word\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/TPT-Nehemiah-8.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>Do you ever find yourself in a church service where everybody else seems to \u201cget it\u201d and you are not sure what the fuss is about? Do you ever wish that your experience of religion engaged your heart a bit more? In Nehemiah 8 we see people gathering for worship with a real sense of expectancy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>19 February 2020 &#8211; Nehemiah 6 &#8211; <b>A people opposed\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/TPT-Nehemiah-6.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>What do we do when we are faced with opposition? How should we respond? Do we push back and get confrontational or do we stay silent and get back in our box? Nehemiah is the case study of what happens when we give ourselves fully to God\u2019s glory \u2013 now see what happens when Nehemiah faces opposition left, right and centre.<\/p>\n<p><strong>12 February 2020 &#8211; Nehemiah 1 &#8211; <b>A people of vision\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/TPT-Nehemiah-1.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>We all want to be people who get things done, who achieve, who are useful to society and to God. Nehemiah was a big achiever but what he offers us is not so much a role model of how to get things done, as a case study of what happens when we give ourselves fully to God\u2019s glory.<\/p>\n<p><strong>29 January 2020 &#8211; John 8:48-59 &#8211; <b>Who do you think you are?\u00a0<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/TPT-John-8v49to59.mp3\">recording<\/a>] <\/b><\/strong>Many people today get put off from talking about religion because religious debates can easily get heated. Far easier to avoid the topic altogether. In John 8 at Paddington Talks this week, we will see people getting angry with Jesus. His response, rather than ducking the issue, is to unmask the pride that so often underlies religious anger and point to a glory that transcends our human factions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>22 January 2020 &#8211; John 8:31-47 &#8211; <b>The freedom of truth<\/b><b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/TPT-John-8v31to47.mp3\">recording<\/a>] <\/b><\/strong>We all like to think that we are open minded. When it comes to matters of religion, however, our discussions are often frustrating because everybody seems so set in their ways. This week at the Paddington Talks, we will see Jesus confront the religious complacency of his day. It is a fascinating encounter. Will we allow Jesus to challenge our own thinking and question whether or not we have also become stuck in our ways when it comes to religion?<\/p>\n<p><strong>15 January 2020 &#8211; John 8:12-30 &#8211; The rescue we&#8217;ve all been longing for\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/TPT-John-8v12to30.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>2020 \u2013 despite all the New Year\u2019s resolutions, the world seems already to be in darkness with division and strife at home or abroad, whether in the Middle East or in Buckingham Palace. Yet in the face of darkness, the light of the world has already come bringing rescue and hope<\/p>\n<p><strong>8 January 2020 &#8211; John 7:37-52 &#8211; The fear of missing out\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/TPT-John-7v37to52.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>No sooner is the season of goodwill and peace to all people over, and there is already turbulence in the Middle East and elsewhere in our society. In John 7, Jesus promises peace and hope to a world thirsty for security. Yet, the people you would have most expected to receive this offer missed out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>20 November 2019 &#8211; John 7:26-36 &#8211; Too much to claim?\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/TPT-John-7v24to35.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>Throughout his life, Jesus promised to lead us into God\u2019s light. He claimed to be the very gateway to God\u2019s glory and hope. For many in his day, whilst they recognised his wisdom, they found his claims too much. The same is true today. In John 7, Jesus challenges the religious and non-religious alike to think deeply about his true identity and so discover the deeper hope which he offers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>13 November 2019 &#8211; John 7:1-25 &#8211; A man of integrity\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/TPT-John-7v1to24.mp3\">recording<\/a>] <\/b><\/strong>We instinctively distrust the politicians and advertisers. We think they are just trying to manipulate us for their own purposes. In the middle of Jesus\u2019s ministry, he faced a PR disaster. People were deserting him in large numbers. In response, Jesus\u2019 brothers gave him some PR advise to get his campaign back on track, but he rejected their gimmicks. Jesus does not want to appeal to our shallow wishes but to our deepest spiritual needs.<\/p>\n<p><strong><b>23 October 2019 John 6:41-71 &#8211; Why so angry? [<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/TPT-John-6v41to71.mp3\">recording<\/a>]<\/b><\/strong>Why do people get angry with Jesus? It makes sense that people might not believe in him, after all his claims for himself are pretty outrageous. But why do people get angry at Jesus? Where does it come from? In our day many atheists, do not just feel indifferent towards Jesus, they are strongly opposed to any form of religion. In Jesus\u2019 own day they were angry enough to kill him. How do we respond when we find that people around us are angry with Jesus, or when we get angry with him ourselves?<\/p>\n<p><strong>16 October 2019 &#8211; John 6:22-40 &#8211; Stunted ambition\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/TPT-John-6v22to44.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>We have all got goals that we chase after in life: targets we want to achieve, experiences we want to enjoy. But what if our ambitions for life are set too low? What if we are exhausting ourselves chasing after goals the are not worthy of our effort? \u00a0In John 6, Jesus helps us to think through what is really worth chasing after in our lives.<\/p>\n<p><strong>9 October 2019 &#8211; John 6:1-21 &#8211; A bumper harvest\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/TPT-John6v1to21.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>&#8220;The harder I work, the luckier I get\u201d, or so they say. But what when I can\u2019t figure out how to work my way out of a situation? or when I am working hard and getting nowhere? In John 6, we find Jesus\u2019 disciples in exactly that situation. Jesus offers them a hope that exceeds their horizons.<\/p>\n<p><strong>25 September 2019 &#8211; John 5:31-47 &#8211; Jesus in the dock\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/TPT-John-5v31to47.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>Many people today see faith as an irrational leap in the dark, as if Christian faith is just wishful thinking plucked out of the air. But as Jesus promises that he can offer eternal life, he calls forth a number of witnesses to show that his claim is grounded in our everyday reality. He wants to shows us that we can believe his promise.<\/p>\n<p><strong>18 September 2019 &#8211; John 5:19-30 &#8211; Jesus&#8217; promise of life\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/TPT-John-5v19to30.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>Jesus promised his followers eternal life. It is a wonderful promise. Whatever our situation, we all long for eternal life. But is it a true promise or is it just wishful thinking? And if it is true, how does it work? Join us on Wednesday at Smiths, at 1pm, as we think about how it is that Jesus can make this outrageous offer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>11 September 2019 &#8211; John 5:1-18 &#8211; Jesus the healer\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/TPT-John-5v1to18.mp3\">recording<\/a>] <\/b><\/strong>We all long for rest. Not the rest of the beach, but a sense of completeness, of life as it\u00a0should be. As we see Jesus heal a lame man on the sabbath, we see that Jesus is the one who can bring complete healing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>22nd May &#8211; 1 Peter 1:1-9 &#8211; Christians are immortal\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/TPT-1Peter1v1to9.mp3\">recording<\/a>] <\/b><\/strong>Christians are supposed to behave differently. We know that. But why? 1 Peter tells us, Christians are supposed to behave differently, because they are different. They have a new joy and a new hope that transforms.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"column\"><strong>Recent Talks: Luke 23-24 Easter Stories<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Some stories are diverting, some are heart rending, a few are life changing, all are worth hearing. This Easter at The Paddington Talks, we will be considering the Easter story through the eyes of those whose lives were changed forever by what they saw that first Easter. They saw a criminal executed, a great man brought low, a missing body. They found new hope, new joy, new purpose. Come and hear their stories.\u00a0It will make you think and may move your heart.<\/p>\n<p><strong>15th May &#8211; Luke 24:13-35 &#8211; The power of the word\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/TPT-Luke-24v13to35.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>All of us experience some level of dissatisfaction in life. It may be rooted in disappointment, despair or just boredom. There are plenty of people out there offering to sell us a product that will transform our lives, yet their solutions lack the depth to bring meaningful change. As Luke tells the story of two people transformed by an encounter with Jesus we see that he offered them a hope that spoke to their very deepest needs and so it is a hope that still speaks to our hearts today.<\/p>\n<p><strong>8th May &#8211; Luke 24:1-12 &#8211; Death defeated\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/TPT-Luke-24v1to12.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>We all face the desperate sadness of death, decay and brokenness in our lives. The shadow of death is inescapable, so for many the claim that Jesus rose from the dead is simply not credible. But as Luke describes the resurrection he shows that it is not just a neat trick that demonstrates Jesus\u2019 power, but it is a victory that gives hope over death, decay and sorrow. It was as the disciples realised the breadth of Jesus\u2019 achievement in his resurrection that they were transformed to a new and deeper faith.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1st May &#8211; Luke 23:44-49 &#8211; The power of the cross\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/TPT-Luke-24v1to12.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>For some the Easter story is deeply moving, personal and life-changing. A source of hope, comfort and challenge. For others it all feels remote. We may not doubt the facts of Easter, we just don\u2019t feel their power. \u00a0As Luke describes Jesus&#8217; death we see those closest to Jesus standing far off, as those who knew little about him lead us into a deeper engagement with the power of Easter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3rd April &#8211; Luke 23:32-43 &#8211; The weakness of the cross\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/TPT-Luke-23v32to43.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>As Jesus died, many mocked him and dismissed him. He looked weak and powerless, a failed King. But one man saw hime differently. He saw that Jesus weakness was his strength. In doing so, he found a greater power and a deeper hope.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"column\"><strong>Recent Talks: John 1-4 The hope of glory<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>27th March &#8211; John 4:27-54 &#8211; <b>The power of true belief<\/b><b>\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/TPT-John4v27to54.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>Sometimes we lack joy in the Christian faith. We believe, but not with the enthusiasm of others. Or maybe we don\u2019t believe in Jesus, but we wish that we did have a faith. In John 4 we see two different groups of people reacting very differently to Jesus. One group receives him with joy, the other holds him at arm\u2019s length. As we compare the reactions of the two groups they will help us to understand our own reactions to Jesus better. They will also help us to think through how we can question what we believe in a way that nurtures a joyful spirit rather than a cold hardness.<\/p>\n<p><strong>20th March &#8211; John 4:19-26 &#8211; <b>True worship?<\/b><b>\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/TPT-John-4v20to27.mp3\">recording<\/a>]<\/b><\/strong>Why should we worship God, and how?\u00a0In this talk from Wes Illingsworth we hear how God is seeking &#8216;true worshippers&#8217;. We hear what Jesus thinks true worship actually is, how it&#8217;s possible and why we should do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>13th March &#8211; John 4:1-18 &#8211; The breadth of God&#8217;s love<b>\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/TPT-John-4v1to18.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>We live in a society that prizes inclusivity and diversity. Yet for all that we esteem inclusivity we are not very good at it. There is something in our nature that tends to throw up barriers between people, to exclude and to divide. In any social context there is an \u2018in\u2019 crowd and there are outsiders. In John 4, we see Jesus embrace a total outsider. As he does so, he shows us something beautiful but more than that he shows us the power behind a radical and lasting inclusion.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6th March &#8211; John 3:22-36 &#8211; The joy of knowing Christ\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/TPT-John-3v23to26.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>As we continue looking through John&#8217;s Gospel, with guest speaker Scott Little, we see something of the Joy of knowing Jesus but are also faced with a key decision: What we believe to be true, and then follow with our day-to-day life, will either lead to eternal life or death.<\/p>\n<p><strong>27th February &#8211; John 3:16-21 &#8211; The decision we all face<b>\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/TPT-John3v16to21.mp3\">recording<\/a>]<\/b><\/strong>Most people in our culture would agree that if there is a God he is loving, but what does his love look like? and if he is loving, how come so many choose to hold him at arms length?<\/p>\n<p><strong>20th February &#8211; John 2:23-3:15 &#8211; The need for a new beginning<b>\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/TPT-John2v23to3v15.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>Many in our society see religion as just a way of finding support in life, a source of inner strength and resilience. But in John 3 Jesus says that we need something far more wonderful and transformative: a fresh start, a whole new beginning.<\/p>\n<p><strong>13th February &#8211; John 2:13-22 &#8211; The uncomfortable God<b>\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/TPT-John-2v13to22.mp3\">recording<\/a>] <\/b><\/strong>None of us wants to play games with God. If He exists, we want to know Him and worship Him appropriately. When Jesus encountered the religion of his day, he called out those who would play games with religion and led the way to a true worship of God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6th February &#8211; John 2:1-12 \u00a0-The banquet to come\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/TPT-John-2v1to12.mp3\">recording<\/a>] <\/b><\/strong>Some people like to make out that God is a cosmic kill-joy and that Christians are uptight and negative people. Even if we don\u2019t buy in to those caricatures, we may still have a lingering suspicion that being a Christian is constraining or a little less fun. As Jesus performs his first miracle, we see him sweeping away old negative images of religion and announcing that he has come to bring us life in abundance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>30th January &#8211; John 1:35-51 -The stairway to heaven\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/TPT-John-1v35to51.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b><\/strong>&#8220;What are you seeking?\u201d is a question that Jesus asked his first followers, but it is also a question that jumps off the pages of John\u2019s gospel to us through the centuries. We do well to pause and reflect on it amidst the busyness of the week. As Jesus gathered his first followers they found in him the fulfilment of all their longings in this world. Their invitation to us is to \u201ccome and see\u201d the hope that Jesus offers to all people through all time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>23rd January &#8211; John 1:19-34 -The king is here.\u00a0<\/strong>John claims that if we know Jesus then we know God. But maybe we\u2019re struggling to see how we can actually know the real Jesus. Or maybe we\u2019re just struggling to make the time. Come and hear how Jesus\u2019 divinely appointed PR agent \u2013 John the Baptist \u2013 show us how we can and why we should.<\/p>\n<p><strong>16th January &#8211; John 1:6-18 -The light in the darkness\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TPT-John-1v5to18.mp3\">recording<\/a>]<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0 Many people today feel that God is distant. Perhaps they feel that he is unknowable or unapproachable or just unreal. As John begins his gospel he shows us that the Christian faith is grounded in the God who has drawn near to us in history.<\/p>\n<p><b><span style=\"color: #000000;\">9th January &#8211; <\/span>John 1:1-5 &#8211; The hope that lasts\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TPT-John-1v1to5.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b>Whether we had a good Christmas or a tough time over the break, there is something mildly depressing about packing away the decorations and heading back to the hard work of a New Year. The holiday season that we had looked forward to may be gone, but in his gospel John points us to a hope that is eternal. He offers a joy that lasts longer than the Christmas trees and a light in the deepest darkness.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"column\"><strong>Recent Talk Series: Philippians<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In our culture the Christian faith is often mocked or marginalised in the media and in our workplaces. Meanwhile, within the church, there can be disunity and grumbling. It is easy to wonder how people ever thought that the Christian faith was \u201cgood news\u201d. The church in first century Philippi faced similar problems of opposition and grumbling, yet as\u00a0Paul wrote to them we find him full of hope, joy and excitement. Over the next past weeks at The Paddington Talks we have been working through Paul\u2019s letter to the Philippians. It helps Christians to think through how we can encourage each other in holding onto the gospel with joy in our workplace. For those looking into the faith, it helps to give an\u00a0understanding of why Christians see their faith as truly good news.<\/p>\n<p><b><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">21st November<\/span> &#8211; Philippians 4:10-23 &#8211; The path to a deeper contentment &#8211;\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/TPT-Phil4v10to23.mp3\">recording<\/a>]<\/b> If you were to ask many people today what they feel that they need in order to be content, they would be likely to talk about issues relating to their circumstances (health, home, family or financial security). As Paul closes his letter to the Philippians, he points them to a deeper contentment, based on God\u2019s riches, which will stand firm though good times and hard times.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>14th November<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; Philippians 4:2-9 The path to a deeper peace [<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/TPT-Phil-4v2to9.mp3\">recording<\/a>]<\/b>\u00a0Many people in our culture view religion as an escape from reality: a chance to step away from the busyness of life to contemplate an other worldly peace. Yet as Paul writes to the Philippians he sees the joy of the Christian faith as one which will shape the detail of our day-to-day lives, including our relationships, our fears and our delights. This is a passage which challenges our preconceptions of religion and shows its relevance to our lives today.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>7th November\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; Philippians\u00a03:12-4:1 A glorious hope [<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Phil-3v12to4v1-Pton-Lunch.mp3\">recording<\/a>]<\/b>\u00a0There is something impressive about an Olympic athlete who throws everything into winning a medal: their dedication, commitment and passion as they orientate their wholes lives to that future goal. According to the Apostle Paul at the end of Philippians chapter 3, the Christian should have a similar passion. As Paul encourages us to fix our eyes on heaven he offers us a hope that will reenergise us all if we feel worn down by the worries and weak pleasures of this world.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>31st October\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; Philippians\u00a03:1-11 When religion is worthless [<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Phil-3v1to11-Pton-lunch.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b>We all like to think that we are fundamentally OK: good, decent upright people &#8211; or at least acceptable. We long for the approval of others, and if we believe in God we long for His approval as well. We normally expect to be accepted on the basis of our background or our achievements \u2013 we were born in a decent home, we\u2019ve lived a decent life. With this craving for acceptance comes exhaustion and insecurity. In this week\u2019s passage in Philippians 3:1-11, Paul speaks of how he used to live for these things and now considers them worthless. He has found in Christ a joy of forgiveness that is worth more than any other achievement or status and which will carry him through any circumstance. It is a passage which takes us to the heart of Christian hope, do come along and bring colleagues if you can.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>24th October\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; Philippians 2:19-29 What makes a good friend?\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Phil-2v19to29-Pton-lunch.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b>We all have people that we look up to and respect. Maybe we follow them on Twitter or read about them in the papers; perhaps we study them at work to see how they achieve so much; as a society we may give them awards or even build them statues. Whoever it is that we look up to, we can be fairly sure that over time we will become more like them. In this week\u2019s passage in Philippians, Paul grounds his teaching about Jesus selfless love by telling us about two Christians who were models of Christ-like love. It is a passage that surely helps us to think about what the authentic Christian life looks like and the grace that lies behind it.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>17th October\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; Philippians\u00a02:12-18 how to live a life worth boasting in <\/b>\u00a0What sorts of things are you most proud of? what are your greatest achievements? What things would you boast about? We continued our series in Philippians, learning from St Paul who tells us what he wants to boast about and how we too can live a life worth boasting about.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>10th October\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; Philippians\u00a02:5-2:11 the path to true glory <\/b>\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Phil-2v5to11-Pton-lunch.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b>How would you measure \u2018success\u2019 in life? Status, achievement, approval or simply comfort? This week we had a closer look at Paul\u2019s letter to the Philippians, where He shows how Jesus gave up all of these and yet achieved true glory, not just for himself but for all of humanity. As we consider Jesus\u2019 life, he profoundly challenges our mindset in terms of our goals and how we spend our energy. Yet Jesus offers more than a vague idealism as we live in a world increasingly divided by rivalries, hurt and bitterness he offers real hope. This passage helped us all think and was a great introduction to Jesus for people who knew little or nothing about him.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>3rd October\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; Philippians\u00a01:27-2:4 the joy found in others <\/b>\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Phil-1v27to2v4-Pton-Lunch.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b>If you were to give yourself a spiritual health check I wonder where you might start? Thinking about your personal devotion to reading the Bible and praying? Maybe reviewing your personal lifestyle and how \u2018good\u2019 a life you think you might be leading? As Paul calls the Christians at Philippi to live a life worthy of the gospel, the place he starts is not with their personal faith but with their unity together: not the unity of a bring and share lunch but the unity that strives together in the face of trials, because according to Paul this is a unity that proclaims the gospel. This is a passage that will challenge believer and non-believer alike to rethink what we value in our relationships with others.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>26th Sept\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; Philippians 1:12-26 the joy of God\u2019s message.\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Phil-1v12to26-Pton-lunchv2.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b>We live in a culture that is increasing suspicious of the Christian faith, if not hostile towards it. Some people may even deliberately stir up trouble for Christians. As Paul writes from a Roman prison, he faces intense and life threatening opposition to his faith and yet we find him full of joy and hope. It is not a false bravado. His perspective is transformed by his faith in Jesus. We can not always control our circumstances but Paul provides valuable lessons in how to change our perspective such that we find gospel joy even if we face intense opposition. We explored\u00a0how this great letter, written hundreds of years ago, can change our lives and transform our workplaces.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>19th Sept\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; Philippians 1:1-11 the joy of God\u2019s people.<\/b>\u00a0<b>[<a href=\"https:\/\/thepaddingtontalks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Phil-1v1to11-Pton-Lunchv2.mp3\">recording<\/a>]\u00a0<\/b>There are now less than 100 days until Christmas. Do you feel exhausted just thinking about all that you have to do between now and then? Sometimes life can feel exhausting. Just keeping going can feel tiring enough. Thinking about God in the midst of everything else can easily feel like one thing too many. We started a new series reading the book\u00a0of Philippians, we find Paul writing to a church that is going well, but may be struggling to keep going. Paul reminds them of the joy of living the\u00a0Christian life. As he does so, he spurs them on to keep going and as we listen in, it is a great tonic to us to keep enjoying living out the Christian life, even as the nights draw in.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"column\"><strong>Other recent talks<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">18th July<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><b> &#8211; Is your spiritual body ready for summer.<\/b>\u00a0This was our last meeting before we took a break over the summer weeks. We looked at 2 Timothy Chapter 3 with a talk entitled \u201cHow to be equipped for every good work\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>11th July\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; What&#8217;s on your mind.\u00a0<\/b>This week at Paddington Talks we had a special open session entitled &#8216;Any Questions&#8217;. Anyone with issues that concern about faith or the bible or what Christians believe etc, was encouraged to\u00a0 bring those along as Chris Hawthorne was available to answer questions as much as possible.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>4th July\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; The wise live with the end in mind.\u00a0<\/b>A meeting designed to be particularly accessible for those who are not yet believers. Regular members were encouraged to invite colleagues<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>21<\/strong><\/span><b><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> Mar<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><b> &#8211;\u00a0 Questions for life.\u00a0 <\/b><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1520930984954_3785\">Wes Illingsworth handled this week&#8217;s topic which was &#8216;the <\/span><span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1520930984954_3785\">Questions for life&#8217;. He emphasised the claim that Jesus provides the answers to life&#8217;s big questions. Guests were encouraged to raise their questions and put them to Wes.\u00a0Christians and unbelievers were also encouraged to come up with their questions too<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><b><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">14 Mar<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><b> &#8211;\u00a0 Questions for life. Training week. <\/b>This<span id=\"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1520930984954_3785\"> week Jason Barrington continued helping us think about the questions people might ask us about Christianity. As we follow up with our colleagues we hope that many of us we will be able to start reading John\u2019s gospel 121 with them. We looked through John\u2019s gospel together to see what questions John himself answers and how we could use the words of Jesus to respond to people<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><b><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">28 Feb<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><b> &#8211;\u00a0 A relationship worth pursuing. <\/b>This was the last in our mini series Mission accomplished &#8211; The glory of cross\u00a0focusing on the account of Jesus death as described in John&#8217;s Gospel.\u00a0The series has been both challenging and thought-provoking. We were really blessed to have Richard Dryer for the final talk. The talk\u00a0was very apt for both Christian and non believers.<\/p>\n<p>Before becoming an ordained minister, Richard was a director at Credit Suisse and then Head of Global Credit at Aberdeen Asset management<\/p>\n<p><b><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">21Feb<\/span>\u00a0 <\/b><b> &#8211;\u00a0 Understanding the Cross. <\/b>Richard Dryer delivered this great talk. Jesus says it was at His death that He and the Father were glorified. If we want to know what God is really like, we need to look at the Cross. There is, therefore, nothing more important than understanding the Cross of Christ.<\/p>\n<p>Before becoming an ordained minister, Richard was a director at Credit Suisse and then Head of Global Credit at Aberdeen Asset management.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>14 Feb\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211;\u00a0 A Glory Worth Worshipping. <\/b>We had a great time last Wednesday with Richard Dryer. Please come this Wednesday and try to bring others with you \u2013 it will be a really good session for both believers and enquirers. We recognise glorious achievements in all kinds of areas \u2013 the Oscars, medals at the winter Olympics, political achievements, etc. Come and hear why what Jesus achieved on a bloody instrument of torture 2000 years ago should still command our attention. Please encourage guests to bring their questions and objections to the Christian faith as Richard will host a time of Q&amp;A after the talk.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>07 Feb\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; \u00a0How to read the Bible with others. <\/b>We all know the bible is great but would we ever open it up with someone else one to one? Could we? Should we? Can we? This week we made attempt to discover why reading the bible with a non-Christian friend or colleague is a super thing to do and realise it isn&#8217;t nearly as difficult or scary as it first sounds. This was our final week thinking about how to share the gospel with others so do make the most of it!<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>31 Jan\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; \u00a0The Greatest Mission Statement Ever. <\/b>All of our companies have mission statements, and we design training programs to help us achieve our goals. This week we discussed the greatest mission statement of all time, which was like taking part in some training of our own to help each one of us with out part in bringing about that objective<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>24 Jan\u00a0<\/b><\/span><b> &#8211; \u00a0Lost for Words &#8211; Answering difficult questions. <\/b>This week we looked into how we can help our friends and colleagues get a right understanding of Jesus\u2019 Gospel.\u00a0 We also looked into how to answer some of the most common and most difficult questions about Christianity.<\/p>\n<p><b><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">15 Nov 2017<\/span> &#8211; Are your relationships miraculous? \u00a0<\/b>This week we returned to our series in Colossans &#8211; The High Octane Life with a talk entitled Christ Centred Relationships: Miraculous Not Mundane. This is a study of Chapter 3 verse 18 to Chapter 4 verse and is designed to help us all grow in our effectiveness as gospel workers in our organisations. The interactive style will allow for plenty of questions and discussions..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>12 May 2022 &ndash; John 21:18-25. The King&rsquo;s mission. Many of us have a sense of what the mission of Christians should be but we may be less certain where the energy comes from. In particular how are Christians to keep going when times are hard? 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