Ncf Sunday Talks

What an unexpected place to meet the Saviour of the World - up a tree! Yet, that is what happened to a hated man in Jericho. Jesus was coming by and Zacchaeus wanted to see Him, so overcome the obstacles that he had. Today, Jesus is still saying, "I must stay at your house today!" to you. Jesus is close to you. Call out to Him and put your trust and hope in Him. It is certainly worth getting rid of the obstacles.The script for the whole Service can be read here.

Peter, one of the leaders of the early Church, had been put in prison due to his faith in Jesus. His spiritual family prayed to God and He supernaturally released Peter. This story in Acts 12 reminds us that God is much greater than our biggest problems, our biggest mistakes and our biggest dreams. He is the vine and we are the branches. Let's all make God front and centre in our lives. We need Him!The script for the whole Service can be read here.

Our earliest ancestors went away from God, deciding to do their own thing. Due to His love for humanity, God had a plan to reconcile His creation back to Himself. On this Easter Sunday, we think again about how God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to die for all of us. Without Jesus dying for us, it would have been impossible to escape our eternal destination of hell. Jesus willingly humbled Himself to wear a crown of thorns and to die on the Cross. We need Him in our lives. We need to repent of our past wrongs and put Him and His desires first in our lives. Jesus is not just a person of history, but a living reality to many millions around the world today.The script for the whole Service can be read here.

Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we term 'Palm Sunday' in a specific way. He came on a donkey, showing that He was bringing peace and in order to fulfill an Old Testament Scripture. The people of that city responded in certain ways. How do we respond when we know that God is particularly with us? Open the door of your heart to God, welcoming Him into your life with humility and then honour Him by your words and actions. The script for the whole Service can be read here.

If we see a medical emergency often we would want to help the person if it is safe and appropriate to do so. We are in a spiritual emergency. God believes in the death penalty - eternal separation from Him. However, Jesus came so that we could be reconciled with God and that penalty could be sorted out forever.God calls us to arise and shine for Him. We have such great news to tell others! We can lavish our love and God's love on others. God calls us to do this and empowers us to accomplish His mission in our lives. Don't give up! You are vital in God's plans to bring change to those who live around you. God still has more for you to do for Him!The script for the whole Service can be read here.

Jesus met a Samaritan woman near a well. What He said to her turned her life around. She then went off to speak to many others about what Jesus has said to her. In this Talk, we are encouraged to get to know Jesus better, as a testimony is always produced when people meet Jesus. Other people need to hear your testimony. Be ready to give it!The script for the whole Service can be read here.

Jesus spoke a lot about forgiveness. It's the nitty gritty of faith. What did He mean though? What didn't He mean? How do we make it part of our lifestyle and not just an occasional event? Jesus came to earth to bring us freedom. Let's keep close to our Lord and see what will happen in our lives and in the lives of others when we abandon ourselves to God.The script for the whole Service can be read here.

God inspired the Bible to be written in order to stimulate us to become more like Him and to do things like Him. God is on a Mission and He has invited all of us to act with Him - through our character and through our actions. We can get involved with His Mission in a wide range of ways. It is good to practice them, but He will also quicken us when they are best to be used for the blessing of other people. Like Jonathan Edwards, let's decide to live for God, even if the people around us are choosing not to. Let's reflect Jesus, the Light of the World, to others in our sphere of influence.The script for the whole Service can be read here.

In the last Talk of this Series, we sum up what we have thought about so far and the implications for our individual lives. Let Jesus wear His crown in your life! Don't quickly scamper out of times of testing. Sometimes God wants to bring you through times of heartache and sorrow so that you can be a blessing to others in the future. The River can be a positive place to be. Allow God to grip you, so that you'll be inspired, anointed and equipped for what He is calling you to do with Him in the coming weeks and months. Like the Apostle Paul we need to rely on God in our life. As we take a posture of humility and submission so we will live well in this current Land of Holiness and Promise.The script for the whole Service can be read here.

Sometimes God gives His People or an individual a decision to make and delaying that decision is simply wrong. In Joshua 24, the Israelites are given a choice between wholeheartedly following God or to go back and worship idols that are powerless and are of no long-term value. We have similar choices today. Will you serve God with all your being or not?The script for the whole Service can be read here.

Humans are resourceful and creative, but often it is only God and His power, anointing and care that will see us through different circumstances in our lives. In this Talk, we explore how the Israelites definitely needed God's supernatural help as they conquered the Promised Land (Land of Holiness). We shouldn't only expect God to work in our church buildings, but in every place we go - this is what happened in Bible times. Has God opened a door for us collectively to go through at this time? Let's submit to God, praying "Your will be done in my life, as it is in heaven." We are fallible and limited in our understanding. God is not! Let's expect Him to work supernaturally in and through us.The script for the whole Service can be read here.

The Israelites entered the Promised Land and saw God do miracles at Jericho. Not everyone followed God's plans though in this land of holiness. They needed to live holy lives in the Holy Land. Being holy means being set apart and consecrated for God and wanting to catch His essence as you spend quality time with Him. We are certainly not good enough without God's merited grace in our lives. Don't turn your back on God, but approach Him reverently. God is our strong fortress!The script for the whole Service can be read here.

Do you like surprises in your life? It depends what it is of course. Does everything make sense in your life? It is all sewn up, neat and tidy? What God did in the Bible and in our modern world doesn't always make sense to us. It doesn't need to. He is God and we are not! He is Sovereign and we are not! His ways are always the best ways in any circumstance in our lives. God has good plans for us. Nothing can separate us from His love. When we are caught off guard by surprises in our lives, then let us run to Him and be safe. The walls of Jericho fell down due to God's plans. God is our strong fortress though! The script for the whole Service can be read here.

The Israelites had crossed the River Jordan and so surely the next step was to concentrate on how to be physically ready for the battles ahead? No! God appeared to Joshua as a theophany (recounted in Joshua 5) and Joshua quickly responded by worshipping God.Let us too be quick to respond when we encounter the living, holy and awesome God! Let Jesus wear His crown, without desiring to wear it ourselves. Let us do as God tells us to do, looking to Him as a priority every day. Amongst all the pressures and busynesses of our lives, let us follow Joshua's example and life our eyes to God. Our help comes from Him."The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe!" (Proverbs 18:10)The script for the whole Service can be read here.

As the Israelites were entering their Promised Land, God reminded them that they hadn't been that way before (Joshua 3:4). They had to totally depend on God by consecrating themselves, to watch God as He acted on their behalf and then to move on at His pace and direction. God might be asking you to move into new territory in 2026. You need to be totally dependent on God too, keep close to Him as He is our primary choreographer! Just as we have heard of God's fame and action from the past, so let us rely on His character and power in our lives today too. The script for the whole Service can be read here.

The people of Israel went to Egypt because it meant freedom from hunger and uncertainty. It was initially a good place to be in. After 430 years, God miraculously brought the Israelites out of that land. What would happen next? Would they prefer the uncertainty of knowing what might occur as they entered the Promised Land? Would they rather have the pain of slavery than trusting God in their new adventure? In our lives, let's give thanks for the past but let us remember that "the name of the LORD is a strong fortress, the godly run to him and are safe." Let us be known for people who have been with Jesus. Whatever the future holds, let's embrace God and His ways in all of our lives.You can read the script for the whole Service here.

God is 100% faithful and good no matter what is going on in our lives. We need Him in our lives! We need Him to interact with His compassion, holiness, gifts and power. We should recognize the beauty of others, we should do something beautiful for Jesus and we should become more beautiful for Jesus ourselves.Let's take off the crown from our heads that really belongs to Jesus and then submit to God. He is worthy! The script for this Service can be read here.

In this short Talk we consider the importance of being captivated by Jesus. Even as a Baby, He changed people's lives. We especially look at Mary and the shepherds in the Christmas story. Ask God to captivate your heart today - that's an important prayer!The script for the whole Service can be read here.

Many people have heard the Christmas story numerous times. In this Talk we consider looking again at three phrases or words within that series of events. What is our hearty attitude like towards God? Do we let Him energize us and give us direction in our lives? Jesus is no longer a Baby. What do you think about Jesus? Will you decide to live under His authority?You can read the Carol Service running order here and the script for the Talk here.

The pilgrimage or journey that we are all on with God can be beautiful and transformational even if there are difficult moments. In this Talk we explore three main things to keep in mind as we travel both with God and with other people. Remember to wear the Fruit of the Spirit as your base layer and to look for gold in others.The script for the whole Service can be read here.Anita is the Pastor of the Elim Church in Loughborough.