Our Minister
Rev. Bob Jones
Email: minister@knaresboroughurc.org
Tel.: 01423 797042
Revd Bob Jones has been the Minister of the joint pastorate of Bilton Grange and Knaresborough United Reformed Churches since his induction on 12th January 2008.
His call to ordained ministry led him to leave the Royal Air Force, train at the United Reformed College in Cambridge and serve at his first pastorate in Wooler, Northumberland in 1994. Five years later he received a call to serve two churches, St Aidan's URC in Hexham and another in Haltwhistle. He enjoyed his time in Northumberland but felt God has called him to a new adventure in North Yorkshire. Having been born in Yorkshire he has returned 'home' and is ministering in a beautiful area. Bob believes that he has been called to serve these towns, to take God's word alive and active, and commits himself to this challenge in Knaresborough, and Bilton Grange and with our ecumenical partners.
Bob's Blog
September 2011
The learning curve for the Christian is a lifelong activity that does not cease until the Christian departs meets the Saviour face to face! The learning curve is then finished and the Christian will stand complete before their Saviour’s throne. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that while we are on the earth: ‘All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the man or woman of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’ Paul reminds Timothy of the value of scripture. It could be that Timothy had let things slip and Paul was calling him back to scripture and the fact that it is inspired by God! As Timothy needing reminding so do we! The word of God in the Old and New Testaments is given so that we can read and reflect upon our lives and commit them daily to Jesus. It’s what Christians do.
I have a car and when it goes wrong I take it to the garage and they mend it! When my life goes wrong I take it to Jesus who helps me sortmy life out. If I ignore the problem with my car the problem gets worse and the same is true for my life. We need to take our lives and problems to Jesus and he will help us through our problems. For the Christian the Bible is the manual provided for us by God for our benefit.
Paul tells us that the scriptures are useful for teaching and rebuking. Both of these aspects are necessary for our spiritual growth.
Correction and training are aimed at the moral side of the Christian’s life so their life might be right before God. In living such a life, the Christian is equipped to do the work God is calling them to do. They have everything they need to achieve their God-given goal.
We never stop learning about Jesus and what he wants for us. The learning curve is there and we should embrace it with all the God-given strength we have as we step out into autumn and Advent. God is there for us!
July 2011
In June I attended the Minister's Summer School Wydale Hall near Scarborough. The School's chaplain was the Revd Lawrence Moore Director of the United Reformed Churches Centre at Windermere. Here is one part of a reflective session he led for us in the chapel. The reading below is long but it is very good and should provoke some personal reflection and help you on your Christian journey:
I live today in the welcoming embrace of the Father, the healing touch of the Son and the constant presence of the Holy Spirit.
Let us come into God's presence:
I stand in the court of heaven, before the judge who has given his Son for me, Jesus Christ the victim of my sin, who has forgiven me and intercedes for me, and the Spirit who is my Advocate.
And Jesus, who has walked the way of the cross alone, calls me to follow; to lose my life with him in order to find it.
Bible readings: Mark 8:34-38
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
Mark 14:26-31:
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written:
"'I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.'.
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not.""Truly I tell you," Jesus answered, "today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times." But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same.
Mark 15:25-39:
It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left.
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!" In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus
At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"
Response:
I didn't sign up for this. Not whips and nails, splinters and thorns, blood and stink and agony.
I didn't sign up for this. Not failure and despair, discouragement and derision, ignominy and ridicule.
If it comes to this, I want to walk away too-flee like Peter; deny having ever known you.
I, too, am your betrayer. And yet you welcome me to your table, as your dearest friend; for whom you gave your life.
Praise and thanksgiving:
O God, you are rich in mercy. For when I was nothing, you made me something. When I wanted nothing to do with you, you came looking for me to bring me home as a lost child, rejoicing.
When I swore I never knew you, you loved me and called me your friend. When I shouted "Crucify him!" you asked for my forgiveness. When I abandoned you to your lonely road, you shouldered my cross and carried it for me.
You could have done differently. You could have compromised; negotiated; pleaded; dazzled them with your arguments; called on God.
Yet you did not. You submitted to their sentence, bent your back to their whips, spread your hands for their nails, and gave them the Life they demanded.
God on a cross! God bleeding. God dying. The agony of love. The costliness of passion. The price of New Life.
I cannot comprehend such love, cross-scarred God. I can only wonder and celebrate and follow. To whom shall I go? For you alone have the words of eternal life! Amen.
June 2011
Hello Everyone
Joy is part of the Christian's life. The joy of God is with us in each situation. Paul writes in Romans 12:12: 'Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.' Certainly there are moments when we are down and nearly out but Paul encourages with these words in 2 Corinthians 4:9: 'persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed.' In all that we face in our daily living let us remember the words of Jesus from John 14:1 (Jesus comforts his disciples) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." You may be thinking that this is not a cheerful message but I know a good number of people who are struggling with all sorts of things in their personal lives at this moment and I feel directed by the Lord to offer them some hope that comes from the good book, our Bible.
There is a lovely part of Psalm 46 that says in verse 10a:"Be still, and know that I am God." Instead of mentally, and sometime physically, dashing here and there, stop for a short time. Go to a quiet place and ask God to calm you and give you hope. In verse 1 we read: 'God is our refuge and strength, an ever- present help in trouble.' He will be with you to aid and comfort you and as verse two of Psalm 46 says: 'Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.'
God is greater than all our troubles and Jesus says in John 18:18: "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." Be assured the Lord of heaven and earth is at your right hand and in your heart.
To those whose life is fine: praise the Lord! Please pray for any in our church who you know who are having personal domestic difficulties and when you see them, if appropriate give them a hug and listen to them.
Please continue to pray in joy for each Sunday service, the mission through Soup and Sweet, the flower ministry, the forthcoming Holiday Club, Kids Club, Kids.Com, the mid-week service, the Elders and Minister.
I heard this the other day: "so keep your nose in the bible, your hands raised in praise and your knees on the ground in prayer. ' Good advice for Christians!
May 2011
There is a verse of scripture in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 11:3 that reads:
'Whether a tree falls to the south or the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.'
This verse would seem to come from the University of the Obvious and normally we would read it without much thought. The American theologian, R C Sproul, read that verse as a young man and he was converted to Christ through it!
Sproul says that his life was going nowhere like that fallen tree. Eventually, he thought that tree would rot and he felt his life was beginning to rot all ready. R C Sproul gave his life to Christ because of that verse of scripture. Amazing! God uses a wide variety of scripture to speak to people. God's word is powerful as the New Testament book of the Hebrews reminds us in chapter 4:12: 'For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. God knew what R C Sproul needed to read in order to turn his life around and the sharp edged sword of the Spirit brought Sprouls' attention to that scripture. In the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke chapter 24: 13-32) Jesus knew what the two disciples needed to hear so as to lift their hearts and their faith. Indeed the disciples were so affected by what Jesus had said to them they returned after sunset to the other disciples in Jerusalem.
The power of the word of God to change lives is never ending. Please think for a moment about the number of people you know who Christ has brought into his Kingdom... The current statics say they may be 2.1 billion Christians in the world at this moment. (It is difficult to get an exact figure.) Just think of all those Christians Sunday by Sunday and day after day lifting their voices in praise to our risen Lord Jesus Christ. Praise rises day and night from our planet to God in Jesus. Pray for someone you know who needs to hear God's voice and come into his Kingdom. His word will never fail.
April 2011
Praise the Lord! Christian's are encouraged in the Bible to give thanks to the Lord God for his love, grace and goodness. We see this attitude of thanks in the life of our Lord Jesus. We read in Matthew chapter 14, verse 19: 'And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.'
From Jesus' attitude of thanksgiving and faith a multitude of hungry people were fed. On the night of his betrayal Jesus offered up thanks in Matthew chapter 26, verse 26
'While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
When Jesus gave thanks on that night his cross lay before him and through it he would offer salvation to the world. One person who received Christ into his life was the apostle Paul. In Romans 7:25a he declares the following: 'Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! '
When Paul gave thanks for his deliverance he was aware that he was a sinner and he needed Jesus to save him through his cross and resurrection. Paul took the good news of Jesus' salvation to many people who in turn became Christians. From these examples of thanking God lives are changed.
In this month of Lent, Good Friday and Easter we have much to think about, reflect on and praise God for. In sending his Son, Jesus, we realise how much God loves us and wants us to be in a close relationship with him. For all those who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:19:
'Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.'
Our Lord Jesus has delivered us through his cross and resurrection from the bondage of sin to a life of faith, hope and trust as he did for Paul. So let us give thanks always and share with others the saving news of Jesus Christ that they too, in time, will Praise the Lord!