Kinlochleven Church - the next service is on Sunday 25 January at 10.00 am led by the Rev. Malcolm Kinnear.
Duror Church - the next service is on Sunday 25 January at 10.30 am led by the Rev. Marion Kinnear.
Nether Lochaber Church - the next service is on Sunday 1 February at 11.30 am led by the Rev. Malcolm Kinnear and held in the church hall.
South Lochaber Parish :
Bible Study - on 20 January at 10.45 in Jeremy's home - continues on "Joseph".
Bible Study - Kinlochleven on 23 January at 11.00 am.
Sunday 18 January 2026 South Lochaber Church - available on YouTube at
Opening Verse ‘All people will see God’s salvation’ (Luke 3:6)
Hymn Come, beautiful Christ,
Radiate Thy beauty in me.
’Tis Thee I adore,
What can I ask more
Than to live for Thee,
beautiful Christ.
Prayer Holy, merciful God we want to live in a way that reflects your goodness, so help us by your Spirit’s power, in Jesus’ name Amen.
Bible Reading Luke 3:12-16,19-20 Tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” John told them. Soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money. Don’t accuse people falsely, be content with your pay.” The people were waiting expectantly and wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah. John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire’. With many other words he preached the good news to them. But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
Message The imprisonment, and subsequent beheading of John the Baptist is a gruesome episode in the gospel history. Jesus began his public work as a continuation of John’s preaching. What happened to John is also an indication of how trouble lay ahead for Jesus.
There have been some gruesome killings in the history of Lochaber. One episode worthy of mention is the Keppoch murders. Alexander Macdonald of Keppoch of Lochaber as clan chief had made himself some enemies by his efforts to end cattle rustling and raiding. He, and his brother Ranald, were murdered by some of their own kinsmen.
This was not the end of the matter. Ian Lom the Gaelic poet, who has been compared to a biblical prophet, was determined to see the perpetrators brought to justice. When this proved difficult, he turned to the Macdonalds of Sleat. This led to a brutal fight. Seven men of the Macdonalds of Inverlair were killed and Ian Lom cut off their heads.
John the Baptist was outspoken over the extra-marital affair of Herod the Tetrarch. He was interested in John’s activities and was not keen to have John executed. But in the end, he was swayed by those around him. Herod divorced his wife and married Herodias, his brother’s wife. He gave in to her demands for the head of John the Baptist. Herod chose wrongly. One wrong choice led to another.
The message of John the Baptist, which Jesus endorsed, was the need for people for a definite turning away from evil. Being baptized was a sign of the old way of life being washed away, with God’s grace and help. If we do not accept this remedy for our human condition, we can be sure all sorts of troubles will return to haunt us.
Biblical standards as John taught include honesty, avoiding greed or jealousy, or undue violence, and showing care for those in need. These are basic Christian standards we should all aim at.
There is a continuation from the message of John to that of Jesus. But with Jesus comes the added dimension that he brings the power of God’s Holy Spirit. The Spirit is fire. Just as a flame burns impurities away so the Spirit of God acts as a cleansing agent in the believer. The Spirit helps us live the Christian life and reflect the goodness and love of the Saviour. Through Christ’s power and the effects of his saving righteousness we are put right with God, made clean, purified from the sinful nature; made new, and brought into union with Christ. None of this is our own doing, it is God’s gracious action in us. That does not mean that all the time we are true to the new identity we have in Christ. We are to let God keep working in us so that we become more Christlike. We should bear that in mind, whenever we are inclined to view the behaviour of others in a censorious attitude.
Prayer Purify my heart, Lord, let me be as gold, or precious silver, all for you. Amen.