Category Archives: Bible

Heaven, Hell and “Love Wins”

Rob Bell, a US megachurch pastor, and renowned speaker and author has set the US evangelical world alight with a controversial book, called “Love Wins” – a look at heaven, hell and the scope of salvation. The UK reaction seems … Continue reading

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An eighty mile journey to build a bridge

Jesus, when he taught, often told stories that provoked and unsettled the status quo.  He draw images and pictures from the world around him, that were familiar to his hearers.  But he would put a little spin on a story … Continue reading

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What do you want me to do for you?

After my sermon teaser last week, perhaps I should write how I have found an answer to the question I posed?  In that post, I asked what you would answer, if Jesus stood before you, and asked: “What do you … Continue reading

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Jesus stands before you…

So Jesus is standing before you, and he is asking a question:  “What do you want me to do for you?”  What do you reply? It seems such an innocent question.  But it penetrates deeply to our core.  This is … Continue reading

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Sermon on the Mount – Salt and Light (Part 1)

So we proceed to the next verses of the Sermon of the Mount (Mt 5:13-16): You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer … Continue reading

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Sermon on the Mount 2

So we come to the Beatitudes in the series on the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:3-12).  These have sometimes been ignored (as impossible to live up to); sometimes seen as Jesus setting the demands of Holy Living so high … Continue reading

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Sermon on the Mount

  Over the next year in our church, I am speaking on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).  Over the last few months, I have been reflecting on the famous inaugural speech from Jesus, as he seems to outline … Continue reading

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Thought for the day

It is all too common for Christians to attempt to do justice to the scriptural narrative by listening to it, learning from it, and attempting to extract a way of viewing the world from it. But the narrative itself is … Continue reading

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Why does God make me ill?

That was the question that Toby, my 4½ year old son, asked a few nights ago, as he was feeling a little off colour.  Ah, I know the answer to that one, I thought. "God doesn’t make you ill.  In … Continue reading

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God’s wrath

There has been an interesting discussion going on at Duncan’s blog, What’s Your Point Caller.  You can find the discussion here.  It peaked my interest as it was a passage we were looking at with the students in their cells … Continue reading

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