Episode

Emma Thompson

The Lamb of God: Episode 1 – The Cup

Garden

The Lamb of God: A journey through St John’s story of the passion

Our journey to the cross begins with the betrayal and arrest of Jesus. While the other three gospels focus on Jesus’ agony and inner turmoil, John instead focuses our attention elsewhere – on the real reason Jesus is drawn to the cross.

  • Hymn: There is a Green Hill Far Away, recorded and performed at home by Tom and Mandy Green for this podcast.
  • Reading: John 18.1-14 by Julia Hollander. (NRSV)
  • Commentary by Bishop Steven.
  • A minute of silence follows +Steven’s commentary for personal reflection.
  • Taizé: Kyrie, kyrie, eleison.

This episode was produced by the Revd Charlotte Bannister-Parker in collaboration with Steven Buckley and Phil Hind. Music performed under CCLI 535160 and Limited Online Music License LE-0018115. Licenses registered to the Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance. Album artwork ‘Jerusalem’, Charlotte Bannister-Parker.

Image Credit: Shutterstock (1392667502)

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Emma Thompson

The Lamb of God: Episode 2 – The Courtyard

The Lamb of God: A journey through St John’s story of the passion

We see both darkness and light around us in this pandemic – the darkness of human isolation and suffering; the light of love as people reach out to one another. The story of Jesus’ passion takes place in the cold darkness of night, but John tells us that light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.

  • Reading John 18.15-27 by Julia Hollander. (NRSV).
  • Commentary by Bishop Steven.
  • A minute of silence follows +Steven’s commentary for personal reflection.
  • Taizé: Kyrie, kyrie, eleison.

This episode was produced by the Revd Charlotte Bannister-Parker in collaboration with Steven Buckley and Phil Hind. Music performed under CCLI 535160 and Limited Online Music License LE-0018115. Licenses registered to the Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance.

Image credit: Shutterstock (378764134)

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Emma Thompson

The Lamb of God: Episode 3 – The Custom

Sculptures

The Lamb of God: A journey through St John’s story of the passion

The Evangelists invite us to place ourselves in the story through the characters who come and go. Like them, we are both powerful and powerless before this story of the cross.

  • Reading John 18.28-40 by Julia Hollander. (NRSV)
  • Commentary by Bishop Steven.
  • A minute of silence follows +Steven’s commentary for personal reflection.
  • Taizé: Kyrie, kyrie, eleison.
  • Hymn: Amazing Love. What sacrifice, recorded and performed at home by Tom and Mandy Green for this podcast.

This episode was produced by the Revd Charlotte Bannister-Parker in collaboration with Steven Buckley and Phil Hind. Music performed under CCLI 535160 and Limited Online Music License LE-0018115. Licenses registered to the Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance.

Image credit: Shutterstock (259696796)

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Emma Thompson

The Lamb of God: Episode 4 – The Crown

Jesus wearing crown of thorns

The Lamb of God: A journey through St John’s story of the passion

As Jesus rides into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he is making a profound statement of who he claims to be. But in all that follows, Jesus takes this claim to kingship and power and to being God’s Son and God’s Messiah and turns it inside out.

  • Reading: John 19.1-16 by Julia Hollander. (NRSV)
  • Commentary by Bishop Steven.
  • A minute of silence follows +Steven’s commentary for personal reflection.
  • Taizé: Kyrie, kyrie, eleison.

This episode was produced by the Revd Charlotte Bannister-Parker in collaboration with Steven Buckley and Phil Hind. Music performed under CCLI 535160 and Limited Online Music License LE-0018115. Licenses registered to the Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance.

Image credit: Shutterstock (671434105)

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Emma Thompson

The Lamb of God: Episode 5 – The Cross

Crucifixion and sunlight

The Lamb of God: A journey through St John’s story of the passion

As we come to the centre of the story, we travel with Jesus to the cross. No-one takes Jesus’ life. He gives it. What has he done? What has been completed?

  • Reading: John 19.17-37 by Julia Hollander. (NRSV)
  • Commentary by Bishop Steven.
  • A minute of silence follows +Steven’s commentary for personal reflection.
  • Hymn: When I survey the wondrous cross, recorded and performed at home by Tom and Mandy Green for this podcast.

This episode was produced by the Revd Charlotte Bannister-Parker in collaboration with Steven Buckley and Phil Hind. Music performed under CCLI 535160 and Limited Online Music License LE-0018115. Licenses registered to the Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance.

Image credit: Shutterstock (718434559)

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Emma Thompson

The Lamb of God: Episode 6 – The Cave

Relief carving of Jesus

The Lamb of God: A journey through St John’s story of the passion

We end these reflections with much to think about, but hopefully with anticipation: not cast down by the solemn events we have rehearsed but deepened by them. The story is told but is not yet complete.

  • Reading John 19.38-24 by Julia Hollander. (NRSV).
  • Commentary by Bishop Steven.
  • A minute of silence follows for personal reflection.
  • Intercessions followed by The Lord’s Prayer Led by Paul Cowan.
  • Closing message from Bishop Steven.

This episode was produced by the Revd Charlotte Bannister-Parker in collaboration with Steven Buckley and Phil Hind. Music performed under CCLI 535160 and Limited Online Music License LE-0018115. Licenses registered to the Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance.

Image credit: Shutterstock (203336479)

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