Colossians 3:12-13 — With new life in Christ comes a new way of living, but it’s not automatic. There are sins to be put off and virtues to be put on. That’s what Paul instructs his readers to do in this text – to put on new attitudes and new behaviours as they would new clean…
Luke 6:39-40 — “Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.” What did Jesus mean when He made this statement midway through His sermon in Luke 6? What was He trying to…
Jeremiah 3:22b-25 – “Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.” All through Jeremiah chapter three God invites His unfaithful people to return. In the last three verses there is a response — a simple, beautiful, heartfelt prayer of repentance. As we study this prayer we learn that genuine repentance is more…
Jeremiah 3 — “Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.” In this chapter the prophet delivers a searing indictment against Judah for breaking her covenant with the LORD. She was guilty of adultery on a massive scale. She had openly rebelled and feigned repentance, yet the LORD desired her…
Luke 6:37-38 — “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged…” This is one of Jesus’ better known commands and perhaps one of His more popular in this age of tolerance and postmodern thought. Most people seem to agree that “judging” is a bad thing, but what exactly did Jesus’ mean? Is it always wrong to…
Colossians 3:11 — Race, religion and class. Three phenomena that have divided human societies for millennia and continue do so. Despite the best efforts of governments and progressive organisations prejudice and discrimination remain. We’re told endlessly that we need “to come together” but we simply can’t and that’s because we are so thoroughly broken by…
Luke 6:27-36 — When Jesus told us to “love our enemies,” He didn’t leave us in the dark as to how we’re supposed to do it. He gave us a series of practical instructions and that’s what we think about in this sermon. We also take some time to consider exactly what Jesus meant when…
Colossians 3:9b-10 — Why is a Christian capable of saying “no” to sin? Why should they? It’s because a decisive change has taken place. The “old man” has been put off and the “new man” put on. That’s what the Apostle Paul tells us in these verses and it’s very good news! But what exactly is he…
Luke 6:27-36 — “Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you…” These are among the hardest commands that Jesus ever gave. Our natural inclination is to treat our enemies the way they treat us, but Jesus tells us to do the very opposite! He also tells us why and…
I Corinthians 15:20-23 — Easter Sunday A patient lies on the operating table. They’ve stopped breathing. Their heart has stopped beating. In desperation the doctor applies the defibrillator and after three or four shocks the patient is brought back to life. Was Jesus’ resurrection something like this? Was He simply revived? Was He the same…