Psalm 83

Psalm 83 - Daily Devotion - 7 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

A song. A Psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, be not silent; be not speechless;
be not still, O God.2 See how Your enemies rage,
how Your foes have reared their heads.
3 With cunning they scheme against Your people
and conspire against those You cherish,
4 saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation;
may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”

5 For with one mind they plot together,
they form an alliance against You—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,
7 of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
of Philistia with the people of Tyre.
8 Even Assyria has joined them,
lending strength to the sons of Lot.

Selah
9 Do to them as You did to Midian,
as to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon,
10 who perished at Endor
and became like dung on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us possess for ourselves
the pastures of God.”

13 Make them like tumbleweed, O my God,
like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes a forest,
as a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with Your tempest,
and terrify them with Your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame,
that they may seek Your name, O LORD.

17 May they be ever ashamed and terrified;
may they perish in disgrace.
18 May they know that You alone,
whose name is the LORD,
are Most High over all the earth.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 81-82

Psalms 81 & 82 - Daily Devotion - 6 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Psalm 81

For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. Of Asaph.

1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.
2 Lift up a song, strike the tambourine,
play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.
3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,
and at the full moon on the day of our Feast.
4 For this is a statute for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt,
where I heard an unfamiliar language:

6 “I relieved his shoulder of the burden;
his hands were freed from the basket.
7 You called out in distress, and I rescued you;
I answered you from the cloud of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

Selah
8 Hear, O My people, and I will warn you:
O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!
9 There must be no strange god among you,
nor shall you bow to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth,
and I will fill it.

11 But My people would not listen to Me,
and Israel would not obey Me.
12 So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 If only My people would listen to Me,
if Israel would follow My ways,
14 how soon I would subdue their enemies
and turn My hand against their foes!
15 Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience,
and their doom would last forever.
16 But I would feed you the finest wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

psalm 82

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 God presides in the divine assembly;
He renders judgment among the gods:

2 “How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked?

Selah
3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and needy;
save them from the hand of the wicked.
5 They do not know or understand;
they wander in the darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I have said, ‘You are gods;
you are all sons of the Most High.’
7 But like mortals you will die,
and like rulers you will fall.”

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are Your inheritance.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 80

Psalm 80 - Daily Devotion - 5 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph.

1 Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel,
who leads Joseph like a flock;
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
shine forth
2 before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Rally Your mighty power
and come to save us.
3 Restore us, O God,
and cause Your face to shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

4 O LORD God of Hosts,
how long will Your anger smolder
against the prayers of Your people?
5 You fed them with the bread of tears
and made them drink the full measure of their tears.
6 You make us contend with our neighbors;
our enemies mock us.
7 Restore us, O God of Hosts,
and cause Your face to shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt;
You drove out the nations and transplanted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it,
and it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered by its shade,
and the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the Sea,
and its shoots toward the River.

12 Why have You broken down its walls,
so that all who pass by pick its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
and the creatures of the field feed upon it.
14 Return, O God of Hosts, we pray!
Look down from heaven and see!
Attend to this vine—
15 the root Your right hand has planted,
the son You have raised up for Yourself.

16 Your vine has been cut down and burned;
they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
17 Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand,
on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.
18 Then we will not turn away from You;
revive us, and we will call on Your name.
19 Restore us, O LORD God of Hosts;
cause Your face to shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 79

Psalm 79 - Daily Devotion - 4 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

This month, we are returning to our devotions through the book of Psalms. For these devotions, instead of hearing someone else’s reflections like we normally do, each day I’ll ask you to reflect on the Psalm yourself using two simple questions:

1. What things in the Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus? It could be something about his ministry, his suffering and death, his resurrection, his kingdom, or what God has done for us through Jesus.

But don’t worry if you can’t always think of something – just read, reflect and pray.

~~~

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 The nations, O God, have invaded Your inheritance;
they have defiled Your holy temple
and reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
2 They have given the corpses of Your servants
as food to the birds of the air,
the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water
all around Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury the dead.
4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors,
a scorn and derision to those around us.

5 How long, O LORD?
Will You be angry forever?
Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out Your wrath on the nations
that do not acknowledge You,
on the kingdoms
that refuse to call on Your name,
7 for they have devoured Jacob
and devastated his homeland.

8 Do not hold past sins against us;
let Your compassion come quickly,
for we are brought low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of Your name;
deliver us and atone for our sins,
for the sake of Your name.
10 Why should the nations ask,
“Where is their God?”
Before our eyes, make known among the nations
Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.

11 May the groans of the captives reach You;
by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors
sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.
13 Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture,
will thank You forever;
from generation to generation
we will declare Your praise.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

John 9:39–41

John 9:39-41 - Daily Devotion - 2 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

39 Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.”

40 Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?”

41 “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ness Wong

Today’s passage concludes the story of John 9 with irony – “that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.” (v 39). Jesus had not just healed a blind man of his physical blindness, but enlightened him spiritually to see and believe in the Son of Man. This healed blind man contrasted starkly with the Pharisees. Although the Pharisees claimed to know God’s law (v 14-16), though they had seen the miraculous evidence of Jesus’ divine power (v 16, 18-20), and though they had heard the blind man’s testimony twice (v 24, 27), they remained blinded to the reality that Jesus indeed was sent from God. And so – Jesus warned them – they remained guilty of their sins and would be judged.

At first, I marvelled at the Pharisees’ hard-heartedness. I traced through Jesus’ lengthy dialogue with the Pharisees in John 7–10. He warned them repeatedly that they would die in their sins if they did not repent and believe in Him (John 8:24). While Jesus’ warnings may come across as harsh, each challenge was also a gracious invitation to ask Him for forgiveness and be freed from sin (John 8:34-36).

Then I was also struck by my own stubbornness of heart. Although I have sought Jesus’ forgiveness, I often stray back to sinning – particularly in lack of contentment and holding grudges. In this sense I am too much like the Pharisees – I claim to “see”, and I do “see”, but often still act as if I am “blind”. And I heard Jesus calling me to repent. 

This passage spurred me to keep praying for people who have had opportunities to hear the gospel and have been encouraged to know Jesus, but have not yet repented and believed – including people in my extended family. I also pray that Jesus will keep opening my eyes to recognise my own sins, and that He will enable me to repent and follow Him.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ness is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 9:35–38

John 9:35-38 - Daily Devotion - 1 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

35 When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, He found the man and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man ?”

36 “Who is He, Sir?” he replied. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”

37 “You have already seen Him,” Jesus answered. “He is the One speaking with you.”

38 “Lord, I believe,” he said. And he worshiped Jesus.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ken Ip

In these verses, we see how Jesus not only notices the man's boldness in standing up to the Pharisees, he then goes back to find the man, to comfort him and strengthen his faith. It shows that Jesus wasn't just concerned about the man’s physical health; he was concerned with his spiritual wellbeing.

In verse 35 Jesus asks him a simple but powerful question: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man’s response shows his genuine gratitude he for the kindness that has been shown to him: “Who is He, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”

I find it interesting that here, Jesus clearly reveals who He is, which He didn’t always do until the time came for him to go to the cross. Another instance when Jesus clearly revealed his identity was with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). In both cases, it’s to people on the margins – a man who was blind and thrown out by the Pharisees (v 34) and a woman who was rejected by society. I'm reminded that often God has a heart for those society overlooks. Do we also have the same love for those on the margins? They are often the ones who will respond to Jesus. We all know of people who feel secure in their wealth, knowledge or power, and who don’t see their need for Jesus. Sadly, they think they have everything, but remain spiritually blind.

We live in a world where technology may one day be able to cure many causes of blindness, but I'm reminded from this passage that what matters most is spiritual sight – to recognize who Jesus really is, understand our need for Him, and respond to him. In the final few verses, we watch this man's understanding of Jesus grow from “a man” to “a prophet” and finally to the Lord who he worships. Let's pray that as we share the good news of Jesus with others, they too will come to know and worship him as Lord and saviour.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 9:24–34

John 9:24-34 - Daily Devotion - 30 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

24 So a second time they called for the man who had been blind and said, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”

25 He answered, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know. There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!”

26 “What did He do to you?” they asked. “How did He open your eyes?”

27 He replied, “I already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

28 Then they heaped insults on him and said, “You are His disciple; we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this man is from.”

30 “That is remarkable indeed!” the man said. “You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will. 32 Never before has anyone heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do no such thing.”

34 They replied, “You were born in utter sin, and you are instructing us?” And they threw him out.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Dania Mourad

When I read through this passage, I had many lightbulbs turn on. While it seems like a simple case of “Jesus restores a blind man’s sight,” this miracle unveils so much more. What was first clear to me was the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees – how they saw and heard the man’s testimony, yet they still did not believe. It reminded me of the Israelites in Numbers 13–14, when they were on the border of the promised land and God commanded them to enter and take possession of it. They had seen God part the Red Sea and provide food and water for them in the wilderness, yet they refused to trust him when facing Canaan. It struck me that unbelief is often not a matter of lacking evidence, but of resisting what is already clear because it challenges our control, assumptions, or pride. My prayer is that God removes the veil of unbelief and pride from all non-believers, whether they are atheists or modern-day religious Pharisees. My prayer is also that God continues to strengthen the faith of all believers as we journey with him in this life. I also found myself reflecting on how easy it is, even as believers, to slip into subtle forms of spiritual blindness, by forgetting God’s power and kindness in rescuing us and giving us eternal life through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Another valuable angle of this passage I reflected upon was the testimony of the believer. I believe that despite others’ unbelief, there is still power in our testimony. So often we underestimate our Christian testimony, thinking it’s too little, too basic or too dense, and that people will be scared away by it. But God has brought us to him and healed us in different ways that are powerfully reflective of who he is. My prayer is that even when we share our testimony and others don’t turn to faith, God will grant us the comfort and courage to continue sharing it and trusting in his work. The healed man boldly stood his ground in testifying to who he knew Jesus to be, despite the pressure of the Pharisees. May our faithful God continue to give us his strength to keep sharing our testimony and ultimately sharing the gospel to bring many to Jesus.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dania is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 9:18–23

John 9:18-23 - Daily Devotion - 29 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

18 The Jews still did not believe that the man had been blind and had received his sight until they summoned his parents 19 and asked, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he can now see?”

20 His parents answered, “We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can now see or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.”

22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Today’s passage gives us a picture of two different fear responses: threats and staying quiet.

I suspect the Jewish leaders were afraid of losing their positions of power and influence if people started believing in Jesus. They responded to their fear by threatening to excommunicate anyone who confessed Jesus as the Messiah. You would think that they would have been eager to consider this man Jesus – after all, the Old Testament prophets had said that when God’s promised salvation arrived, the eyes of the blind would be opened (Isaiah 35:5). But they had already prejudged Jesus – they thought they had too much to lose.

The blind man’s parents were afraid for a much more obvious reason: the threats of the Jewish leaders. They respond by staying quiet. They don’t want to talk about how their son had been gloriously healed. Instead, they throw their son under the bus – “Leave us alone, go talk to him.”

I can relate to their fear response. I’ve kept quiet instead of speaking up about Jesus. I’ve felt intimidated and nervous when someone challenges me on whether faith in Jesus is credible.

But I was also remembering today that as Christians, we really do have the power in us to overcome that fear and not worry about people’s disapproval or threats. It’s not a power of our own, it’s the Holy Spirit who lives in us. In Miriam Bradshaw’s latest prayer letter from Spain, she shared about a boy called Christian who is 16 (and yes, he’s a Christian!). One of his teachers told them to bring a physical book to school to read for one hour a week. He started taking his Bible. Miriam said, “He’s attracted the ire of his teacher but the interest of his friends, two of whom he’s since bought Bibles for too.” What a contrast to the blind man’s parents! I’m sure Christian felt intimidated by his teacher’s disapproval, but he’s a great reminder of the difference that knowing Jesus makes. When you have the assurance of knowing that God is with you and you have eternal life, you can learn to overcome your fear and speak about your faith in Jesus. And God will use our words, in his time, to bring others to find new life in Jesus.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

John 9:13–17

John 9:13-17 - Daily Devotion - 28 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath. 15 So the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.

The man answered, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”

16 Because of this, some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others said, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?”

And there was division among them. 17 So once again they asked the man who had been blind, “What do you say about Him, since it was your eyes He opened?”

“He is a prophet,” the man replied.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Queenie Favelle

In today’s passage, we can see that once again the Pharisees have completely missed the point. The reason for the miracle of healing a man born blind is to point to the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, fulfilling Scripture. Instead of seeing that, all they concentrate on is that Jesus healed on the Sabbath – that he “worked” on the Sabbath rather than resting. They were strict about keeping the law, and were quick to condemn others for minor failures, but they had forgotten the purpose of the law. The Sabbath was not just about doing nothing, the purpose of resting from ordinary work for one day in the week was so the people could worship and enjoy God together and remember the life he gives.

It is easy for us to point the finger at others. But in the same way, it also draws me back to reflect on why I go to church. Sunday church for Christians is not exactly the same as the Sabbath law under the old covenant, but with both of them, it is all too easy to forget the purpose and turn it into a rule or a formality. For me, is church just a regular routine thing? Am I just going through the motions every Sunday, or do I actually see the purpose of resting from ordinary activities to gather to worship God together? Am I there to just warm the pew, or am I present to eagerly listen to God's word, to be challenged, reminded and encouraged to live God's way? This passage reminds me what a joyous blessing it is to be able to gather with God and his people on Sundays – that we can serve, love and grow together in worshipping and enjoying God together. Let us not take church for granted but cherish the time we have together in loving God and encouraging each other.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Queenie is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 9:8–12

John 9:8-12 - Daily Devotion - 27 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

8 At this, his neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging began to ask, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?”

9 Some claimed that he was, but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”

But the man kept saying, “I am the one.”

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

11 He answered, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and anointed my eyes, and He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and received my sight.”

12 “Where is He?” they asked.

“I do not know,” he answered.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ian Mu

This passage came at the right time for me, as I was starting to feel like I was unchangeable. This week, a friend of mine was worried that I wasn’t prioritising church and God, and I shared that my struggle has been ongoing, and that I was worried I couldn’t change.

But here I am reminded that God can change people. We see the aftermath and the testimony of this blind man who was healed. The blind man listened and obeyed Jesus. Jesus told him to go somewhere, and the blind man, who could not see, went.

When he was healed, the people who knew him before were surprised. They were so surprised that they even debated among themselves whether this was the same man. Surely it couldn’t be the blind man, because this man could see. But there was no doubting it – it really was the same man. So the crowd questioned what had changed him.

This gave the blind man an opportunity to speak and give credit to Jesus for the change in his life.

For me, I feel like I often try to do things on my own. I forget to listen and obey. I focus more on what I can’t do, rather than what God has already done. I end up feeling stuck and unchanged.

But this passage reminds me that real change doesn’t come from trying harder on my own, but from listening to Jesus and trusting Him step by step. If God can change a man who was blind from birth, then He can also work in my life too.

So instead of focusing on what I can’t change, I want to learn to trust and obey God more each day, and let Him do the work in me.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ian is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 9:1–7

John 9:1-7 - Daily Devotion - 25 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, 2 and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him. 4 While it is daytime, we must do[A] the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes. 7 Then He told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came back seeing.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

What a spectacular way for Jesus to illustrate that he is – as he claimed in chapter 8 – “the light of the world”! The point of the healing wasn’t to say that all Christians with a disability will be healed in this life. At the final resurrection, we will be raised in bodies that are healed of all sickness and disability, but when Jesus says, “Night is coming, when no one can work” (v 4), I think he’s saying that we should not expect the miracles he did in his earthly ministry to continue in the same way.

Anyway, the purpose of this healing was to prove that Jesus isn’t just words. He claimed to be “the light of the world” for everyone – the great “I AM”, as we saw yesterday. He is the one through whom the world was made, and he can bring us from the darkness of sin and death and spiritual blindness, to knowing God and finding new life in him.

But I think Jesus’s words in this passage are especially comforting to people with a disability or a chronic illness. It’s true that, in a very general way, all the things we suffer come from mankind’s sin in rebelling against God. That doesn’t mean that specific conditions must be because of that person’s sin, or even their family’s sin - Jesus knocks that firmly on the head. But he tells us something far more beautiful as well, when he says about the blind man, “this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him” (v 3). For the person who trusts in Jesus, God uses even disability or chronic illness for his good and life-giving purposes. It might be a long time before we see how that is; and it might be by healing, or it might be by our growth in endurance and hope and joy through suffering. Either way, God is more than capable of using our brokenness to shine the light of Jesus so that other might see him and live.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

John 8:48–59

John 8:48-59 - Daily Devotion - 24 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

48 The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”

49 “I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge. 51 Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”

52 “Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death. 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, as did the prophets. Who do You claim to be?”

54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say ‘He is our God.’ 55 You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.”

57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”

58 “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am! ”

59 At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.[I]

REFLECTIONS

Written by Adam Davies

“Who do You claim to be?” What a great question! Who is Jesus claiming to be? He talks about glory, never seeing death, being before Abraham – it seems to be the right question to ask: Who do you claim to be?

Either Jesus is crazy or he’s claiming to be way more than just some guy. I’ve heard some people talk about how Jesus is either Liar, Lunatic or Lord. Our answer to that question seems to change everything doesn’t it?

Trouble is, I don’t think the Jews who were asking Jesus in John 8 really wanted the answer. “We KNOW that You have a demon” (v 52) – it seems like they’ve already made up their minds. But for us, we really need to figure out whether we think Jesus is a demon possessed loony – delusions of grandeur, someone very unwell, perhaps needing our pity or to be put in care. Or if we think he’s a liar – trying to deceive us like some guru who claims to have answers if we’ll just give some money or sign our lives away to him, but who is just seeking their own gain. Or we realise that he is Lord – that his claims that he was before everything, that God is his Father and gives him the same glory, and that he has authority over life and death are all true, because he is God the Son, the eternal I AM, God come to us in the flesh.

Our world seems to have moved from ignoring Jesus the loony, to really hating Jesus the toxic oppressive liar, but I’m thankful to hear from pastors I know that there are people turning up to church for the very first time, eager to know if Jesus might actually be Lord and hold the key to forgiveness and eternal life. I’m certain that he does!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 8:39–47

John 8:39-47 - Daily Devotion - 23 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

39 “Abraham is our father,” they replied.

“If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41 You are doing the works of your father.”

“We are not illegitimate children,” they declared. “Our only Father is God Himself.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.

43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!

46 Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Annie Davies

When I read this passage I am struck by the strong language in Jesus’s argument with the Jews who didn’t believe in him. The Jews are biological children of Abraham. Their understanding was that they are part of God’s family by birth. However, Jesus says in v44 that their father is the devil! The reason is that the Jews don’t accept Jesus’s message and are trying to kill him. Can you imagine suddenly being told you are not part of God’s family when you thought you were? And then being told your father is actually the devil? It’s even more shocking than the scene in Star Wars Episode V where the noble Jedi Luke Skywalker finds out his father is the evil overload Darth Vader!

As Christians we are saved through faith in Jesus, trusting that Jesus took our sins away when he died on the cross for us. We now have the amazing privilege to call God our Father! If God is our Father, verse 47 challenges me to reflect on whether I hear his word and do it. For example, I have been remembering that God loves all people, and his invitation of salvation extends to everyone. However, there are definitely people who I find easier to love than others. And there are people who I am more willing to try to develop a relationship with and share the gospel with than others. When I take my son to swimming lessons, there are other parents sitting around the pool watching their kids in the lesson. There are some parents who I sit next to and may try to engage in conversation, and others who I don’t really want to talk to as they may be from a very different ethnic background or have limited English. This passage challenges me to put aside any personal bias and extend God’s love and his gospel of salvation to all people.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Annie is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 8:31–38

John 8:31-38 - Daily Devotion - 22 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

31 So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33 “We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”

34 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

37 I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you. 38 I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Rebecca Mihas

As I read this passage, I felt both comforted and gently challenged. It’s easy to think that because I believe in Jesus, I must already be living in full freedom, but His words invite me to look deeper.

There was a time in my walk with Christ where I felt completely chained by disappointment, sadness, and a sense that I couldn’t move forward. Even though I believed, I felt stuck. What carried me through wasn’t having all the answers, it was holding onto prayer and continuing in His word. Day by day, I chose to stay close to Him, even when I didn’t feel free. I didn’t rely on anything else to get me through that time. I leaned into Jesus for healing and trusted that He is the one who really does set us free.

That’s why His words here mean so much to me now: “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” There is something so powerful about simply staying, remaining in Him.

And the promise is full of hope: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Not partially free, but truly free! This passage reminds me that even in seasons where we feel stuck, Jesus is gently leading us into real and lasting freedom.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 8:21–30

John 8:21-30 - Daily Devotion - 21 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

21 Again He said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”

22 So the Jews began to ask, “Will He kill Himself, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

23 Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

25 “Who are You?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say about you and much to judge. But the One who sent Me is truthful, and what I have heard from Him, I tell the world.”

27 They did not understand that He was telling them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me. 29 He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”

30 As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Keith Hengpoonthana

The hard reality is this: there are going to be people who hear or read the gospel but will not believe or understand it. But there will also be those that hear or read the gospel and will accept it as truth that Jesus is one who is sent by God the Father so that we might be saved and not perish in our sins. Jesus makes it clear that those who don’t believe in him will die in their sins.

I found Jesus’ words a painful reminder that there will probably be family and friends we care about who will not believe in him. It may well be that you have tried hard to share the good news with them. Jesus had the same experience, since he says he had been telling them “from the beginning” (v.25). This is not the first time they had encountered Jesus declaring he IS “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6), but they still refused to believe and they still did not know Him.

Does that mean we should stop sharing the gospel with people like that? Definitely not! It would be wrong to hear Jesus rebuking these stubborn, non-believing Jews, and conclude that there are people we know who can’t possibly be saved. In fact, what really sticks out for me from this passage is the remarkable line in verse 30: “As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.” He also said that more would come to know the truth after he had been lifted up on the cross and glorified (v.28).

We can never know who may or may not believe, or when someone will believe, but we do know that it will only be after they hear the gospel truth about Jesus being lifted up and glorified, and Jesus speaking the will of the Father. Some may believe after they hear it for the first time, and others after hearing it a hundred times, or even the very last time before their dying breath.

Are you currently praying for a non-believer? Pray that God would help you not to be discouraged and to persevere in sharing the gospel with them, even though it may be difficult to get through to them. Remember that our heavenly Father hears our prayers and only He can save. Are you bold enough to be like Jesus in telling the world the truth? My prayer for you is that by sharing the gospel many would come to believe and be saved. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Keith is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 8:12–20

John 8:12-20 - Daily Devotion - 20 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”

14 Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone; I am with the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18 I am One who testifies about Myself, and the Father, who sent Me, also testifies about Me.”

19 “Where is Your Father?” they asked Him.

“You do not know Me or My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would know My Father as well.”

20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Bethany Rowlands

Sometimes I catch myself thinking of God the Father as having a different character or will than Jesus the Son. I used to think of Jesus as helping me to please the Father. I’ve had friends tell me they like the Jesus of the New Testament, but not the angry God of the Old Testament. I’ve read writings that talk of worshipping the Creator while confident Jesus was just a man we can ignore.

The passage today in John doesn’t give me room to separate God in that way. Yes, the Father, Son and Spirit have different roles and activities in God’s big plan. The Father sends and the Son is sent. But the passage’s claim is clear that the Father, Son and Spirit have the same goal, the same judgement of sin and the same heart to save sinners.

In fact, the passage says that by knowing Jesus, a person knows the Father! They are not separate or different, but they are one. The Father is with Jesus and Jesus came to reveal who the Father is. Jesus said the people listening to Him in John 8 don’t know the Father because they don’t accept Jesus!

How I respond to Jesus IS how I respond to the Father. I can’t say I trust Jesus but not the Father. I can’t follow God but not accept Jesus as Lord. The Father and the Son and the Spirit are one God. So the challenge is, do I believe what Jesus said about Himself and the Father, or have I made up a different, fragmented picture of God? When Scripture says something about the Father or Jesus that I don’t like, do I seek to understand God better or do I start to prefer Jesus or the Father over the other? Pray and ask God to help you grow in your understanding and your trust in his character, revealed to us in Jesus his Son.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bethany is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 8:1–11

John 8:1-11 - Daily Devotion - 18 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 Early in the morning He went back into the temple courts. All the people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them. 3 The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them 4 and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”

6 They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.

7 When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” 8 And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.

9 When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there. 10 Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, Lord,” she answered.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Rebecca Shead

I find this passage both intriguing and confronting. Did you notice that the scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus only the woman caught in adultery? By definition, there must also have been a man caught in adultery. The seventh of the ten commandments says, “You shall not commit adultery” (Ex 20:14). And the Old Testament law lays out the consequences: “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death” (Lev 20:10). The Pharisees are displaying their hypocrisy and double standards here by bringing only the woman to Jesus; the man was also guilty! In any case, it’s clear the woman’s sin was very serious. She was condemned by the law and deserved the death penalty.

I’m trying to imagine how the woman would have felt when she was brought to Jesus in the temple. Perhaps she felt indignant, because her partner in crime seems to have escaped without judgment. I’m guessing she felt both ashamed and fearful: ashamed, because her sin had been exposed in front of Jesus and all the people gathered in the temple; and fearful, because she deserved the harshest penalty the law could bring.

But Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and the woman shows the depth of his love and compassion. Instead of condemning her as the Pharisees wanted, and as she deserved, Jesus offers her another chance. Earlier in the book, we read, “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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:16-17). The woman is on the receiving end of God’s love. Her shame and fear have turned into surprise and gratitude!

It’s so easy to see the sin in others and be critical and judgmental. Instead, we should pray that God will help us to see our own sin. If we’re honest, we will admit that we deserve to be condemned too. Let’s pray that God will help us to turn away from our sin, to accept his offer of forgiveness, and to be thankful and rejoice in the salvation he offers to us and other sinners through Jesus.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 7:45–53

John 7:45-53 - Daily Devotion - 17 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

45 Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring Him in?”

46 “Never has anyone spoken like this man!” the officers answered.

47 “Have you also been deceived?” replied the Pharisees. 48 “Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law, they are under a curse.”

50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who himself was one of them, asked, 51 “Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”

52 “Aren’t you also from Galilee?” they replied. “Look into it, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.”

53 Then each went to his own home.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Linda Vu

Reading John 7:45–53 made me pause and notice how divided people were about Jesus. Some were amazed by Him, others were confused, and the leaders were angry and defensive. What struck me most was how the guards, who were sent to arrest Jesus, came back empty-handed, captivated by His words. The officers could not find any fault in His teaching to justify arresting Him. It made me reflect on the power of truth. They weren’t scholars or religious leaders, yet they sensed there was something different about Jesus.

Nicodemus also stood out to me. Even though he was one of the Pharisees, he spoke up and asked whether the law judges someone without first hearing them. His response wasn’t dramatic, but would have taken courage. It reminds me that faithfulness can look like small, quiet moments of standing for fairness and truth when others are against it.

Overall, this passage made me reflect on my own response to Jesus. Am I open and listening like the guards? Or defensive like the Pharisees? Or quietly seeking truth like Nicodemus? It encourages me to keep an open heart and to have the courage to respond with honesty, even when others disagree. Sometimes Jesus’ teachings can be hard to accept. Will I become defensive like the Pharisees, making excuses? Or will I listen and accept the truth?

Pray with me: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your truth and for speaking words that reach our hearts. Help us to be open and willing to listen, not defensive or hardened. Give us courage like Nicodemus to stand for what is right, even in small ways. Shape our heart to love Your truth and respond with humility and faith. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 7:37–44

John 7:37-44 - Daily Devotion - 16 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

37 On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’” 39 He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

40 On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”

41 Others declared, “This is the Christ.”

But still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? 42 Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived? ”

43 So there was division in the crowd because of Jesus. 44 Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Helen Mitry

Over the past few weeks at Growth Group we have been studying Jesus through the lens of the Old Testament and seeing how every promise God made points towards him. Today in John’s Gospel we also see how the Old Testament celebrations and rituals were fulfilled in Jesus. It took me a while to write this devotion as there was a lot of cultural context to consider. However after doing some digging, it made sense!

We are told that it is the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles for the Jews. A “tabernacle” was a kind of tent, so can you guess what they did to celebrate this festival? Each family would make their own little temporary shelter and camp out for the week! This sounds like a Gus Cameron type of celebration. This festival reminded them of God’s goodness to Israel when they had camped in the wilderness for 40 years after he rescued them from Egypt.

Another important theme in this celebration is water, because if you were stranded in the wilderness you would definitely want water! For 7 days they would pour water from the Pool of Siloam on the altar to remind each other that God had provided them with water in the desert. (The Pool of Siloam will feature again when Jesus heals a blind man in chapter 9.)

In today’s passage Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” I don’t think it was a coincidence that Jesus chose to preach this message on this day, at this celebration and to this crowd. “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” This is Jesus talking about the Holy Spirit. Jesus is calling the crowd to him – and not just that crowd back them. He is calling us as well. We can come to Jesus thirsty, and he will satisfy our deepest need. We only need to believe in him to receive the Holy Spirit. Come to Jesus, the only source of living water.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

John 7:32–36

John 7:32-36 - Daily Devotion - 15 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

32 When the Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Jesus, they and the chief priests sent officers to arrest Him. 33 So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me. 34 You will look for Me, but you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

35 At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What does He mean by saying, ‘You will look for Me, but you will not find Me,’ and, ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Herman Tu

Imagine this: You’ve recruited Stephen Shead to lead your Bible study. You have all been praying for this moment. And he finally comes … and the first words he speaks in front of you all are: “I will do no more Bible studies. Plus, you will not find me at all.” One of your group members says, “He is going back to Chile!” But he says he isn't and you cannot find him.

How would you feel? I would be shocked. Confused. Curious. And I would feel utterly stupid. (Of course, I’m not really comparing Stephen to Jesus – that’s just a fun little illustration!)

When Jesus arrives on the scene, he performs many miracles and teaches as one with authority. The Jewish people see this and begin to realise that the Christ has potentially come (v25). Could this be the prophesied Messiah who would bring his people into an enduring kingdom? We’re told that some of the Jewish people were starting to believe in Him (v31) – they would have been so excited that he had come.

So it’s no wonder that when Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me” (v33), the Jewish people became shocked too. There is a mismatch between expectations and understanding.

Then again, many of them did not believe, and they had already tried to seize Jesus (v30). And the religious leaders were still intent on killing Jesus and were trying to arrest him (v32). It’s not surprising that Jesus left them confused – it was not yet his time to die (v30).

Thankfully, the Jewish people’s confusion about Jesus helps us to accurately see Jesus.

“Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him?” We know! He is going to the cross, to fulfil the mission the Father has sent him to carry out, and to conquer sin and death.

“You will look for Me, but you will not find Me.” We know how to find him! They were chasing after the wrong kind of Messiah and so rejected Jesus. But we know that Jesus is the Messiah, and we have found him by trusting in him.

“Where I am, you cannot come”? We know! Jesus is seated at the right hand of power.

Jesus always had in mind the will of his Father. He knew in miraculous detail where he was going and the pain he would suffer on the cross for us. Give thanks for God’s great rescue plan through His Son. Pray for those who do not see Jesus clearly, that they may see Him as Saviour and Lord over all.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Herman is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.