John 3:22-30

John 3:22-30 - Daily Devotion - 18 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

22 After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized.

23 Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized. 24 (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)

25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew   over the issue of ceremonial washing. 26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”

27 John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must increase; I must decrease.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Vinh Dang

When I read these verses, I find myself deeply challenged by John the Baptist’s humility. His disciples are worried that people are leaving him to follow Jesus (v 26), but instead of feeling threatened or insecure, John responds with a calm and confident trust in God’s plan (v 27-30). I realise how often I respond differently. When circumstances change or when someone else seems to succeed in ways I wish I could, I feel a need to compare myself with others. I want to have what is familiar, to hold on to what feels like “mine.” But John reminds me that everything I have is a gift from God, not something I earn or deserve or get to keep forever (v 27).

What I find most surprising is John’s joy. He doesn’t simply accept that Jesus must become greater—he celebrates and rejoices Jesus becoming greater and he himself decreasing (v 30). He sees himself as the friend of the bridegroom who is happy just to hear the bridegroom’s voice. This challenges my idea of being joyful about something. I often associate joy with my own success or comfort. John associates joy with Jesus being glorified, even if that means that John must step away from the centre stage. It makes me think of what truly rejoicing looks like. Am I willing to decrease so that Christ can increase?

That sentence—“He must increase; I must decrease”—feels like an invitation to trust that God’s plan in Jesus is bigger and better than my own, and it reminds me to ease up on my own desire for status, personal gain and comfort. It also reminds me that my real purpose should come from aligning my life with Jesus, not competing for attention.

As I reflect on the passage, I feel encouraged to let humility shape my heart, and to celebrate and rejoice in God’s work, even when it shifts the focus away from me. I want to find joy in making Christ greater in all areas of my life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vinh is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

John 3:16-21

John 3:16-21 - Daily Devotion - 17 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

19 And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.” 

REFLECTIONS

Written by Rebecca Mihas

When I read John 3:16–21, I’m reminded again of the amazing depth of God’s love. John 3:16 is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible: “For God so loved the world…”, yet when I stop and reflect, I’m struck by how personal it is. God didn’t just love the world in a general sense; He loved me enough to give His only Son so I could have eternal life. That sacrifice shows how precious His gift really is.

This passage also speaks into times when I’m struggling in my walk with God. When I know I’ve done the wrong thing or acted poorly toward my family, colleagues, or friends, I often withdraw from God. I read my Bible less and pray less, because I feel unworthy of His love and grace. My pride appears, and I don’t want to admit my faults, even though I know I need to. Those are the times when shame makes me want to hide.

But verses 17–18 remind me that Jesus didn’t come to condemn me. He came to save me. That truth brings comfort, especially when I feel like I fall short. God’s heart is not to punish but to restore. Even when I distance myself out of guilt, He still invites me back into His light, not to shame me but to free me.

Verses 19–21 challenge me because they confront my tendency to stay in the “darkness”, in excuses, pride, or fear. God’s light can feel uncomfortable, but His light isn’t meant to harm me. It reveals what needs healing and invites me to grow. Choosing the light means choosing honesty, humility, and transformation.

This passage shows me a love that comforts and challenges me. It reassures me that salvation is a gift, not something I earn. And it calls me to walk in the light, where I continually find grace, freedom, and a God who never stops coming after me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 3:9-15

John 3:9-15 - Daily Devotion - 16 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, and yet you people do not accept our testimony.

12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.†  14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Rebecca Shead

Our family enjoys playing games together, and one that we've tried recently is called Wavelength. There are two teams. One person is given a category with a spectrum between two extremes (like “cold” to “hot”), and a point somewhere in between the extremes. They have to give a clue to help their teammates guess where that point lies – but they’ll need to be on the same “wavelength” to get close. Even if you know the person very well, it's still possible to be on a different wavelength and completely miss the mark!

I can't help but feel sorry for Nicodemus in this passage. Jesus has just told him that for a person to be saved, they need to be born again (v3). I'm guessing that's the last thing he expected Jesus to say! No wonder he's a bit confused – he's not on the same wavelength as Jesus.

But then Jesus rebukes him. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and a teacher, so he would have known his Old Testament very well. He would have been waiting for God to send the Messiah, and should have recognised who Jesus is.

In his kindness, and to help Nicodemus understand, Jesus explains about the salvation that is coming. Moses lifted up a bronze snake on a pole, to save the Israelites who were bitten by venomous snakes when they grumbled against God (v14, see Numbers 21:4-9). He tells Nicodemus that in the same way, the Son of Man (Jesus) will be lifted up.

Of course, we know that he is talking about dying on a Roman cross and rising to new life on the third day, but Nicodemus didn't know that! He was on a different wavelength. And then Jesus said that salvation will be eternal and will come through faith (v15). The Pharisees were dedicated to following the law perfectly to earn God’s favour. They were on a different wavelength.

Many of our family, friends, neighbours, and colleagues are also on a different wavelength. They don’t understand why Jesus is so amazing, and they think faith is about trying to be good. Let’s pray for them this Christmas and help them to get onto God’s wavelength – sharing the good news that Jesus came to die in our place and they can receive his gift of eternal life by trusting in him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 3:1-8

John 3:1-8 - Daily Devotion - 15 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.”

3 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. ”

4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You[B] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

No one. Jesus says, “No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” Lots of people find that offensive, because we naturally tend to think that at least some people (hopefully me!) will be able to earn their way into the kingdom of God, or at least get there without needing much help from God. But Jesus is saying that the only possible way anyone can reach the joy of God’s everlasting kingdom is if God does a profoundly miraculous work in them – a work that none of us can possibly do for ourselves.

Jesus’ language of being born of “water and the Spirit” comes from Ezekiel 36, where God promised his sinful people that one day he would wash their sin away, give them a new heart, and put his Spirit in them to help them obey him (see Ezekiel 36:24-27). What Jesus says to Nicodemus is: That saving work is like a complete new birth – it’s a radical transformation, a new start; and it’s also something you can’t claim any credit for. That would be like claiming the credit for when you were born as a baby! This is 100% the work of God.

That can offend our pride, but I find it a relief, because it means I’m not in control of how and when God gives new birth. It doesn’t (or shouldn’t!) take away my burden for the millions who haven’t yet found life and hope in Jesus, or my desire to share the message of Jesus with as many as possible. But God’s Spirit is the one who ultimately can, does, and will give them that cleansing and transformation that is new life in Jesus.

Today’s reading is amazing timing, because yesterday (Sunday) I baptised 5 members of our Bossley Park morning congregation. Baptism is a beautiful picture of the spiritual realities Jesus is describing here. In the words of the baptism service, it symbolises “the extraordinary work of God in cleansing us from sin and giving us a new heart to trust and serve him.” It was so encouraging to hear the testimonies of these 5 brothers and sisters – to hear how they came to trust in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and the complete assurance they have now of salvation and of God’s love for them. Pray now that God would give us the joy of baptising many more people in 2026 – that his Spirit would pour out new life in Jesus, for his glory.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

John 2:18-25

John 2:18-25 - Daily Devotion - 13 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

18 On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”

19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.”

20 “This temple took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and You are going to raise it up in three days?”

21 But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body. 22 After He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this. Then they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

23 While He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the signs He was doing and believed in His name. 24 But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew them all. 25 He did not need any testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ian Mu

I often hear people say – and I am guilty of doing it myself – “Lord, I promise I will love You more, or I will read and pray more, if You do THIS for me.” When I catch myself thinking like that, I realize I’m kind of acting like the Jews in John 2:18-20, whose faith depended on proof or something they could see. Another example I hear often is, “Lord, give me a sign You’re real, and I’ll believe You.”

I think this is why Jesus didn’t entrust Himself to them in verse 24, He knew their hearts, and their belief was mostly centred around miracles and signs, not on who He truly is. At the same time, I think it’s okay to start believing in Him because of the miracles and signs Jesus did, as long as it leads into a stronger, deeper relationship with Him. Like in verse 22, after He was raised, the disciples truly believed the Scriptures and the words Jesus had spoken. Jesus showed the greatest miracle of all: dying and rising again (verses 18-21). So now the question is: What are we going to do with that proof?

For me, the question becomes, “What now?” We’ve seen the greatest sign, the proof of Jesus dying and rising again. All the things I said I needed to see to pray more, read more, or do more… do I really need those? By even asking, do I truly believe? This passage challenges me to take a hard look at myself and what real faith is. I shouldn’t need more signs to trust God; His ultimate proof is already here. Now the challenge is to be like the Twelve disciples after seeing and believing the “proof” of Jesus’ resurrection, and let that belief guide everything I do.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ian is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 2:12-17

John 2:12-17 - Daily Devotion - 12 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

12 After this, He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples, and they stayed there a few days.

13 When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts[B] He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. 15 So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”

17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Two thoughts struck me as I reflected on this famous episode when Jesus made a mess of the furniture and the livestock in the temple courts. Both thoughts relate to zeal for God’s house.

Before I get to the two thoughts, it’s good to remember how the concept of God’s “house” grew and changed as God revealed himself more fully in Jesus. In the Old Testament, it was the temple – the holy space, God’s dwelling place, where people could (in theory) draw near to God, find forgiveness, and worship him. As tomorrow’s passage will make clear, Jesus himself replaced the temple. He is the true dwelling place of God, through whom we can draw near, find forgiveness, and worship God. And as we come to Jesus, we – the church, the people of God – become God’s “house” (1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 3:6).

My first “zeal” reflection is about the temptation of money in ministry. Originally, the system of providing sacrificial animals for worshippers to buy had a good purpose. If you were a pilgrim travelling to Jerusalem from far away, it would have been very difficult to bring a live animal with you on the journey to sacrifice – and what if you didn’t have one that qualified? However, over time the religious authorities became greedy and corrupt, and they moved the temple market from outside to within the temple courtyard itself, and started looking to maximise their profits.

Jesus was consumed by an unwavering zeal for the honour of God’s name, and wanted nothing to get in the way of people approaching God to find forgiveness and new life – especially not the corrupting influence of money, profits and greed. I’m so thankful that the Anglican Church has fantastic processes and systems for protecting financial integrity and guarding against ministers or church members being greedy … but that doesn’t “cure” the temptation itself. Pray for me, for our staff, for our wardens, and for all those who deal with our finances, that God would give us an unwavering zeal for Jesus’ name, and that we would always long for nothing more than people to come to Jesus and find new life in him.

My second “zeal” reflection is this: As I was reading, it dawned on me that Jesus’ zeal for God’s house is not just his zeal for God’s honour. It’s also his zeal for … us. He was consumed by a pure, perfect, never-wavering desire to bring sinners like us to his Father so that we might find new life. That was what drove him not just to make a whip and drive out sheep and cattle from the temple, but to offer his back to a far more vicious whip and stretch out his arms to cruel nails, so that we might become holy, consecrated to God – his own house, “a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). Praise Jesus for his amazing love!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

John 2:6-11

John 2:6-11 - Daily Devotion - 11 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

6 Now six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification. Each could hold from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.”

So they filled them to the brim.

8 “Now draw some out,” He said, “and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone serves the fine wine first, and then the cheap wine after the guests are drunk. But you have saved the fine wine until now!”

11 Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Tim Mitry

I find it interesting that in John's Gospel, the first miracle or sign that he records is one about wine at a party. He even highlights this event as the first way Jesus chose to reveal his glory, and that this is when his disciples first believed in him.

Wine for a party isn’t what I would expect Jesus to choose for his first miracle to reveal his glory. But one of our ministers helpfully pointed me to reflect on the significance of the Old Testament prophets, who talked about the age of fulfilment as a time of abundant “new wine”. For example, Joel 3:18 (NIV):

“In that day the mountains will drip new wine,
and the hills will flow with milk;
all the ravines of Judah will run with water.
A fountain will flow out of the LORD’S house
and will water the valley of acacias.

Or Amos 9:13-14a (NIV):

“The days are coming,” declares the LORD,

“when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman
and the planter by the one treading grapes.
New wine will drip from the mountains
and flow from all the hills,
and I will bring my people Israel back from exile.

By performing this miracle, Jesus was signalling that He is the one to bring the age of fulfillment and life that God had promised through the prophets.

This helps me reflect on two things. The first is that Jesus is the fulfillment of all God’s promises of restoration, of salvation, and of triumph. The second is that I can trust in God’s provision. He has provided for my greatest need in sending Jesus – which He has done both for Jesus’ glory and out of love for us. He is powerful enough to provide for all my other needs in this life too, and I can trust Him to do that because of His love displayed on the cross.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim is a member of our Fairfield Morning church.

John 2:1-5

John 2:1-5 - Daily Devotion - 10 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.”

4 “Woman, why does this concern us?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Helen Mitry

I love weddings – and we’ve had a fair few weddings from Fairfield Evening church! I love dressing up, I love having a “boogie on the dancefloor,” and I love the food.

Jesus, in today’s passage, was also at a wedding. So far, in chapter 1 of John’s Gospel, we have seen Jesus start his ministry by gathering his first disciples. Maybe this wedding was a chance for Jesus to relax, have fun and celebrate in festivities with his newly made friends? Wrong! Tomorrow we’re going to see that it was to reveal Jesus’ glory (v 11).

Today, what we see is that the wedding went downhill fast, because the wine ran out. In those days, letting the wine run out at a wedding was a major social blunder. It would be like the Crystal Palace reception centre at Canley Heights running out of mud crab at a wedding reception before all the tables are served. It would bring shame on the groom’s family, because it implied that they had failed to provide for their guests. In a small town like Cana, this would be remembered and spoken about in the community for many years.

Jesus’ mother Mary was also at the wedding, and she seemed to think that this would be the perfect opportunity to get Jesus’ ministry started. But Jesus responds by saying, “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come” (v 4, NIV). I found Jesus’ response a bit surprising and not the way you would speak to your mother. My Bible footnote says that the term “Woman” wasn’t one of disrespect. In any case, this is not just a relationship between mother and son, but also between an ordinary woman and the Messiah, and Mary needed to know that it was not yet time for Jesus to reveal his glory fully to the world. That time would come at the cross.

Mary then says to the servants at the wedding, “Do whatever he tells you.” This is such a great example for us. She accepts that Jesus has a grand plan and that he will do it in his own timing. But she also directs people to listen to Jesus and do whatever he says.

Do we expect Jesus to run on our time and our plans, or on his? Let’s trust that whatever he has in store for us is for his glory and for our good.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen is a member of our Fairfield Evening church.

John 1:43-51

John 1:43-51 - Daily Devotion - 9 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

43 The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46 “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”

48 “How do You know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”

49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus said to him, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51 Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Charis Ould

This passage follows on from Jesus calling the first disciples. He continues on to Galilee, and there he finds Philip, and tells him to follow him. This passage reminds me that it is God who brings people to himself. We could never find Jesus on our own, but it is only through Jesus seeking us out and reconciling us to him that we can come to him.

After Jesus finds Philip, Philip then goes and finds Nathanael. He encourages Nathanael that Jesus is the one they have been waiting for, the one who will fulfil all God’s promises through the Old Testament of a saviour, prophet and king. For some strange geographical reason, Nathanael is sceptical – “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” I love Philip’s response: “Come and see.”

So Nathanael takes up Philip’s invitation to come and meet Jesus, but before Nathanael can even reach him, Jesus already knows exactly who he is. He recognises that Nathanael has followed the Israelite law, and is waiting for the one the prophets foretold. That is why Nathanael recognises that Jesus is the Son of God and king of Israel. I’m encouraged that Jesus knows us even before we come to him! He can see our hearts and our intentions. And if we follow him, he promises that we will see even greater things than these.

In the same way that Philip went to find Nathanael after Jesus had found him, I am reminded that I have been found by Jesus and should find others! Christmas is such a wonderful opportunity to do that. Last year at our carols we sang a great song called “O Come and See,” by Nikki Chiswell. I think it reflects this well. Christmas isn’t just about Santa, or food, or presents; it’s about what God has done by sending Jesus.

We have been found by Jesus, so let’s find others and invite them to come and see!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charis is a member of our Bossley Park Morning church.

John 1:35-42

John 1:35-42 - Daily Devotion - 8 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

38 Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked.

They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”

39 “Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus. 41 He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ).

42 Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter).

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ken Ip

The phrase “Lamb of God” might not mean much to the average person on the street today, but for first-century Jewish men like Andrew and Peter, it would have meant everything. It was a phrase loaded with memories and hopes they had carried since childhood.

When they heard “Lamb of God,” their minds would have gone straight to the Passover, the moment when God had rescued their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. Every year they remembered how a spotless lamb was sacrificed so their people could be protected and set free. So when John the Baptist points to Jesus and says, “Look, the Lamb of God,” it would have stirred something deep inside them.

No wonder they were excited. They had been waiting their whole lives for this Messiah, the one who would save their people and make things right. And now suddenly he’s here!

Jesus then turns to them and simply says, “Come and see.”

It's perfect, in that it sums up the whole message of the gospel. God doesn’t push, demand, or make us jump through hoops. He invites us to come to him. He says, “Come and see what I’ve done for you.”

It reminds me that the gospel really is an invitation. Jesus doesn’t tell us to "earn your way to God", or “prove your worth”. Instead, He says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me… and I will give you rest.” That’s so different from all other religions, which focus on what we must do to reach God with rules, rituals, self-improvement, and endless effort.

Today, let's come to Jesus and spend some time reflecting and being thankful for what he has done for us on the cross. And like Andrew, when we have found something wonderful and precious, we will naturally want to share it: “Come and see what I have found!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 1:29-34

John 1:29-34 - Daily Devotion - 6 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him. 33 I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ness Wong

Imagine meeting, for the very first time, the person that you’ve been raving about for years. You were just doing your thing and suddenly, you see this amazing person coming towards you. How would you react?

In today’s passage, I sensed something of John’s surprise and shock when he first met Jesus. John had been telling the Jewish leaders that he was not the ‘the One’ the people of God were waiting for, he was simply telling everyone about ‘the One’ who was much greater than himself (verse 30, see also verses 19-23). Then finally, John sees Jesus in the flesh and exclaims, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (verse 29). John is basically saying, ‘See, everyone, this is the One I have been telling you about. It was never about me, it’s all about Him! I even saw the Holy Spirit come down upon Him! He is the One whom God has sent and the Spirit proves this!’ (verses 30-34).

I felt challenged by John’s response to Jesus on two levels. First, within my own heart, do I eagerly anticipate Jesus’ return? Or have I sunk into complacency and lost this zeal? And secondly, thinking about others, do I readily tell people about Christ and how He came to take away our sins? Do I also let people know that He is coming back again?

John knew that Jesus was coming and he was ready to meet Him. Jesus found him faithfully telling others about Him just as God had sent him to do. Especially as we approach Christmas, I need to repent of my lukewarm heart and ask God to make me ready to share the true reason for season: the hope that I have in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:15).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ness is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 1:24-28

John 1:24-28 - Daily Devotion - 5 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25 asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands One you do not know. 27 He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

28 All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ken Wong

I recently saw a post-match interview for a football game. Without hesitation, the player being interviewed jumped in and said, “I’d like to thank my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ…”. I must admit, it felt a little cringy to me when I first saw it. But the more I think about it, the more I realise there’s something I need to learn from him. Here is a believer who is eager to turn the spotlight to Jesus whenever he has the opportunity.

When I read today’s passage about John the Baptist, I see the same attitude on display. The Pharisees gave John multiple opportunities to turn the spotlight on himself. Yesterday we heard how they asked him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” (v 22). He could have said “Yes, I am the great prophet foretold in the Old Testament.” But by quoting Isaiah 40, he simply calls himself “a voice in the desert.” The important one is not John, but the one he is paving the way for: “the Lord”!

When John is quizzed again in v 25, he again replies by pointing to Jesus. Even though Jesus came after John, so John could have claimed superiority, he emphasises that the one coming is so glorious that John is not even worthy to untie his sandals.

I am challenged by John’s humility and his clear understanding of Christ’s glory. In those moments in life when the spotlight is placed on me, John challenges me to use my voice (and actions) to turn that light onto Christ, who deserves all the honour and praise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken in a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 1:19-23

John 1:19-23 - Daily Devotion - 4 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

19 And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Christ.”

21 “Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“I am a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Keith Hengpoonthana

The passage began with a key question: Who was John the Baptist?

So, I thought I would ask my 3 daughters who they think John the Baptist was.

  • My 3-year-old: “He is a boy and he plays drums.”

  • My 8-year-old: “He is Jesus’s cousin who baptises people.”

  • My 12-year-old: “Isn’t he that dude who eats honey and baptises people and also baptised Jesus when the Spirit came down from heaven in the shape of a dove on him?”

The gospel accounts tell us of a man who appeared in the wilderness, preaching repentance and baptising people in the Jordan river. People travelled to John from all over Judea and Jerusalem in the hope that he was the promised Messiah. But the Jewish leaders were wary and suspicious at the attention the people were giving him, which is why they asked him the question: “Who are you?”

You might sometimes ask yourself, “Who am I?” Today, there are many movies, songs and books that pressure you to “find your identity, your purpose, your true self,” and they promise you’ll find it by looking deep inside yourself. Often, we just end up worrying about how others might perceive us.

I wish I was more like John. He didn’t care what other people thought of him. And he knew his true purpose – not because he looked inside himself, but because he knew God’s promises in the Old Testament. He simply pointed people to Jesus as the Messiah, God’s chosen saviour king. He boldly announces the good news with such conviction that he makes the way “straight” for people to recognise Jesus (v 23). It’s like winding mountain paths are flattened and straightened out, so that it’s as easy as possible for people to see and believe.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:11, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” I thought to myself: “Yeah, there’s no way I can compare with John’s credentials or his zeal for evangelism.” But hold up … Jesus continues by saying, “yet, whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” John was such a bold witness, but he died before seeing the completion of the work of Christ. We know even more clearly than John of God’s plan of salvation through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. We have even more reason to share the good news than John!

What about you: Who would people say you are? I’ve always liked the chorus to the song “Nobody” by Casting Crowns:

“'Cause I'm just a nobody trying to tell everybody 
all about Somebody who saved my soul.
Ever since You rescued me You gave my heart a song to sing.
I’m living for the world to see nobody but Jesus.”

Pray that those words would describe your life and purpose too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Keith is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 1:14-18

John 1:14-18 - Daily Devotion - 3 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”

16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Grace Ip

I recently had a conversation about God with a non-Christian colleague. He said he believed in God, but thought he was distant and far above our everyday lives. In some ways, I can understand why he might feel that way. After all, why would a powerful and Holy God want anything to do with us humans?

John tells us, in verse 14, that “the Word became flesh”, and also that he “dwelt among us”.

I recently learned at church that the word “dwelling” in the original language means “tabernacled”. In the Old Testament, the tabernacle was a temporary place of worship, a tent where God’s presence lived among His people. However, the tabernacle wasn’t a place that you could just visit God whenever you liked – and you certainly couldn’t walk into the presence of God in the most holy place. That was only allowed once a year and only by the High Priest.

Since learning this, I have found verse 14 even more mind-blowing. The God who is more glorious than the whole universe chose to become fully human so He could dwell among us! In other words, God came and set up His tent in our world – not with barriers to keep people away, but as a flesh-and-blood man who people could talk to and touch and be with. Considering the sacredness surrounding the presence of God, it still amazes me that God chose to live among ordinary people as Jesus – entering fully into the human experience, feeling what we feel and walking where we walk. This “incarnation” shows that God is not distant but a loving God who desires a relationship with us and wants us to truly know him. We see this again in verse 18 when John reminds us that through Jesus, we truly see and know God. In Jesus, we can understand God’s character, His compassion, His patience, His mercy, His overflowing and unending grace. And likewise, we know we have a Saviour who understands our weaknesses, struggles and sufferings.

I am deeply grateful that God entered our broken world to reveal His love and bring us back to Him. I am also comforted in knowing that God is not distant, and He intimately understands our thoughts, struggles and sufferings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grace is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 1:6-13

John 1:6-13 - Daily Devotion - 2 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

6 There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe. 8 He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

9 The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Alan Vongsavanh

Today’s passage introduces us to John the Baptist, who was chosen by God to proclaim the coming of Jesus, the saviour of the world. John was sent by God to witness to Jesus and testify that Jesus is the Light of the world, so that those who hear might believe in Jesus and be saved. This makes me think about those who God brought into our lives to “show” us Jesus. You might remember the first person who spoke to you about the gospel, or others on your journey who have spoken to you about Jesus. They were not the Light, but God used them to testify to the Light so that we might believe. Thank God for them in your prayer time today.

The passage then goes on to talk about how the world did not recognise the Light. When we read the Gospels and hear about the true Jesus, and we see things that he did and said that were confronting or shocking, it’s a reminder that the real Jesus doesn’t conform to what we would naturally recognise or expect. Many people who haven’t read the Bible have wrong ideas or assumptions about Jesus, because the world prefers a version of Jesus that is more comfortable and doesn’t demand anything of me. But the Jesus of the Bible is the Jesus we need to accept.

When I read the final verse – that we become children of God not by human means but born of God – it fills me with gratitude. It reminds me that we don't have to come from the right family or background to belong to the family of God, it’s an amazing gift that God gives us simply through receiving the one true Light, Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 1:1-5

John 1:1-5 - Daily Devotion - 1 December 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

The Christmas crazy season is upon us. At least, that’s how I feel. Once you hit December, the rush has begun: there are presents to buy, the diary is filling up, the shops are crazy, everyone is stressed, there’s not enough time. I get anxious just thinking about it.

That’s why I love that we are starting the prologue of John’s Gospel today. This is so necessary for keeping things in perspective, isn’t it? “In the beginning was the Word”: the Word of God, who is himself fully God and was with God, the perfect self-expression of God; the Son of God, eternally begotten from the Father, in a perfect relationship of love and joy with the Father, in the Spirit, from all eternity. Outside of our crazy and stressful world, outside of time and creation itself, there was, is, and will be the light, life and love of God.

The light, life and love of God are eternal constants, never changing, unaffected by our crazy seasons, sustaining all things – and with a plan to rescue us from all craziness, a plan that we can rely on with absolute confidence.

Because the Word has not remained silent. The Light has shone into our darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (v 5). That light, life and love shone at the beginning of time, when God created everything through his Word. And that light, life and love of God blazed into our darkness when the Lord Jesus Christ was born – when the Son of God took on a human nature and was born as a man.

In a couple of days, we will read about how the Word of God entered the hustle and bustle and stress and mess of the world we live in. That first Christmas season was the craziest – when the Word became flesh? (v 14) That’s really crazy, in the best possible way.

But for today, allow the unchanging reality of the light, life and love of God bring you peace and reassurance as you face the Christmas season. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). If he has shone God’s light into the darkness of your life – if you have put your trust in Jesus for your salvation – then know that the darkness can never overcome that light. You can rely on him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

Hosea 14

Hosea 14 - Daily Devotion - 29 November 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,
for you have stumbled by your iniquity.
2 Bring your confessions
and return to the LORD.
Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity
and receive us graciously,
that we may present
the fruit of our lips.
3 Assyria will not save us,
nor will we ride on horses.
We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’
to the work of our own hands.

For in You the fatherless find compassion.”

4 I will heal their apostasy;
I will freely love them,
for My anger has turned away from them.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
he will blossom like the lily
and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
6 His shoots will sprout,
and his splendor will be like the olive tree,
his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
7 They will return and dwell in his shade;
they will grow grain and blossom like the vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

8 O Ephraim, what have I to do
anymore with idols?
It is I who answer and watch over him.
I am like a flourishing cypress;
your fruit comes from Me.

9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
whoever is discerning, let him know them.
For the ways of the LORD are right,
and the righteous walk in them
but the rebellious stumble in them.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

Today we finish the book of Hosea. In this final chapter, we see that God’s great desire is for people to return to him. He wants people to come back to him and say, “Please God, forgive me”. Our confidence is that we know that God will always answer that prayer because Christ Jesus died to wash us clean and God is faithful.

Hosea finishes with a question for us to reflect on: “Who is wise?” Are we wise enough to understand what Hosea has been teaching us? The wise person will recognise their sin and rebellion. They will recognise God’s just judgement on sin. They won’t downplay it or ignore it. The wise person will recognise the idols they have worshipped instead of God and they will repent of their idolatry. The wise person will return to the Lord God and ask for forgiveness. The wise person will be forgiven through Christ Jesus.

The warning in the last verse is also that the rebellious will stumble. The only right path in life is to follow the way of the Lord, every other path ends in destruction. It’s a heavy warning, but it’s the warning we need to hear. It’s a warning that we also need to share with others.

If you have not yet asked God to forgive you through Jesus, please do that now.

If you have already done that, then pray for someone you know who needs to turn to Christ. Pray that God would help you to speak the truth to them, and pray that God would help them be wise to the reality of God’s judgement on their sin, but also to the wonderful assurance and joy of God’s love freely given to us in Christ Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assistant Minister.

Hosea 13:9-16

Hosea 13:9-16 - Daily Devotion - 28 November 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

9 You are destroyed, O Israel,
because you are against Me—
against your helper.

10 Where is your king now
to save you in all your cities,
and the rulers to whom you said,
“Give me a king and princes”?
11 So in My anger I gave you a king,
and in My wrath I took him away.

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;
his sin is stored up.
13 Labor pains come upon him,
but he is an unwise son.
When the time arrives,
he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb.

14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol;
I will redeem them from Death.
Where, O Death, are your plagues?
Where, O Sheol, is your sting?

Compassion is hidden from My eyes.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

If anyone wants evidence that God judges sin, we need to look no further than death. Many of us try to ignore it and just not think about death – and with our amazing health care and endless safety measures, many people manage to delay death until old age. But as Hosea says, our sins are stored up before God (v 12) – or as the NIV puts it, our sins are “kept on record.” That means sinful people must bear their guilt (v 16).

Verse 14 briefly holds out the hope that God might rescue people from the grave. But – at least in Hosea’s time – that glimmer of hope is crushed when God declares that he will not have compassion.

Thankfully, that glimmer of hope bursts to life again in the New Testament, because God has always had an answer: Christ Jesus. Death is not the end for those of us who trust in Christ, because he died on the cross and rose to defeat death. That’s why in 1 Corinthians 15:55 the apostle Paul quotes Hosea, without anything to crush that hope again:

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

Hosea forces us to face the horror of our sin and the punishment we deserve, but in doing that it shows us even more clearly how beautiful it is to know Christ Jesus and the victory over death that he has given us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assistant Minister.

Hosea 13:1-8

Hosea 13:1-8 - Daily Devotion - 27 November 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;
he was exalted in Israel.
But he incurred guilt through Baal,
and he died.

2 Now they sin more and more
and make for themselves cast images,
idols skillfully made from their silver,
all of them the work of craftsmen.
People say of them,
“They offer human sacrifice
and kiss the calves!”
3 Therefore they will be like the morning mist,
like the early dew that vanishes,
like chaff blown from a threshing floor,
like smoke through an open window.

4 Yet I am the LORD your God
ever since the land of Egypt;
you know no God but Me,
for there is no Savior besides Me.
5 I knew you in the wilderness,
in the land of drought.
6 When they had pasture,
they became satisfied;
when they were satisfied,
their hearts became proud,
and as a result they forgot Me.
7 So like a lion I will pounce on them;
like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
8 Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them,
and I will tear open their chests.
There I will devour them like a lion,
like a wild beast would tear them apart.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

Verse 6 of today’s passage reminds me of Western society over the last century. God says: “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.”

The Western world has, in general, been the best fed in history as God has blessed us with great riches. For most of us, our problem is too much food, not too little! But God has also blessed our society with the riches of the gospel message. We have churches in almost every suburb, and Christian principles are engrained in our laws.

Yet where are we now? Our society has become proud and forgotten the Lord God.

And what will be the future? We know that God will not allow rebellion to go on forever, Christ will return as judge.

It should grieve us that a society that has so clearly benefited from God’s plan of salvation in Christ Jesus should turn its back on him. But that is very similar to what is described in Hosea 13. God rescued the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt, only for them to turn their backs on him.

Our prayer should be that many will hear the warning God has given us before it’s too late. But we also pray with confidence, because we know that Christ Jesus died for rebellious people, so those who do come to him will escape that judgement and have life forever with him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assistant Minister.

Hosea 12

Hosea 12 - Daily Devotion - 26 November 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 Ephraim chases the wind
and pursues the east wind all day long;
he multiplies lies and violence;
he makes a covenant with Assyria
and sends olive oil to Egypt.

2 The LORD also brings a charge against Judah.
He will punish Jacob according to his ways
and repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel,
and in his vigor he wrestled with God.
4 Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed;
he wept and sought His favor;
he found Him at Bethel
and spoke with Him there —
5 the LORD is the God of Hosts—
the LORD is His name of renown.
6 But you must return to your God,
maintaining love and justice,
and always waiting on your God.

7 A merchant loves to defraud
with dishonest scales in his hands.
8 And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become!
I have found wealth for myself.
In all my labors, they can find in me
no iniquity that is sinful.”

9 But I am the LORD your God
ever since the land of Egypt.
I will again make you dwell in tents,
as in the days of the appointed feast.
10 I spoke through the prophets
and multiplied their visions;
I gave parables through the prophets.
11 Is there iniquity in Gilead?
They will surely come to nothing.
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?
Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones
in the furrows of the field.

12 Jacob fled to the land of Aram
and Israel worked for a wife—
for a wife he tended sheep.
13 But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt,
and by a prophet he was preserved.

14 Ephraim has provoked bitter anger,
so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him
and repay him for his contempt.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

Today’s passage reminds me of the saying, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” It’s saying that children are often like their parents. In this case, Israel is like their great, great, and a few more, grandfather Jacob whom God renamed Israel.

Jacob was not a nice guy. He was deceitful and scheming right from birth, only interested in looking after himself. But God came and humbled Jacob. He sent an angel to wrestle with him, and Jacob learned his lesson and was a changed man.

In Hosea 12, God is looking at Israel and seeing them act like their ancestor Jacob. They are scheming to make themselves rich, but God is promising to come and humble them too. The question is, will they learn their lesson, or will they continue in their rebellion?

As I reflect on their rebellion, I can’t help but think about the society we live in today, which is consumed by a desire to be rich. People proudly live in full, open rebellion against God. The next time God comes in judgement will be when Christ Jesus returns, and then it will be too late. We need to pray that God will humble them before that day comes. We have the wonderful promise of the gospel! Pray now that God’s Spirit would bring many more to new life in Christ as we share the hope we have in him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assistant Minister.