Luke 11:21-26 — “But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.” What was Jesus communicating to His audience by way of this little parable about a strong man who is overcome by a stronger man? Did it…
I Kings 12:1-20 — “And the king answered the people roughly… saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” When Solomon’s son Rehoboam went out to meet the people at Shechem he gave what was perhaps…
Matthew 27:41-43 — We often pay close attention to the physical suffering Jesus experienced during His various trials and as He was crucified. We are also careful to ponder the deep spiritual component of His suffering as He was “made sin for us.” What we don’t often think about, is how He felt when He…
Matthew 27:24 — “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.” In this, the first sermon of a new year, we consider Pilate’s actions…
Genesis 4:1-8 — “And Eve said, I have gotten a man from the LORD…” Not only was Cain Adam and Eve’s firstborn son, and the first child ever born, he represented hope after all they had lost. Could this be the one who would crush the serpent’s head and restore the human family to Paradise? Tragically,…
Matthew 2:16-18 — The Massacre of the Innocents is the part of the Christmas story that we don’t like to think about. It’s the part that usually isn’t found in the Nativity play that children perform, nor is it mentioned in the Christmas cards we give to our loved ones. It’s difficult to understand why, in…
Luke 2:19 — “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” In the 9 months leading up to the birth of Jesus, Mary experienced many extraordinary things. Then as soon as her baby was delivered a group of shepherds turned up wanting to see the child! They said they’d seen angels in…
Matthew 24:23-28 — “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not…” The time immediately preceding the return of Christ will be characterised by great deception. There will be false Christs and false prophets who will perform great signs and wonders and thereby deceive many. There will also be…
Matthew 24:15-22 — “Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains…” As we continue our study of the Olivet Discourse we come to an urgent exhortation. When the abomination of desolation is set up in the holy place, Jesus tells those living in Judaea to run for their lives. He paints a bleak and…
Proverbs 22:15a — If someone was to ask you, “What is the greatest danger our children face?” How would you answer? Is it peer pressure? Bullying? Social media? Internet pornography? Consumerism? The secular worldview? These all pose a significant threat to our children’s emotional and spiritual well-being, but the Bible gives a different answer. That’s…