Luke 6:13-16 — Jesus chose twelve men from among His disciples to be His Apostles. These men would go on to play a unique and special role in God’s unfolding plan of redemption. It’s also true that these men were called to do what every disciple of Jesus is called to do – that’s what we…
Luke 6:13-16 — As we continue our study in the Gospel of Luke we come to the place in Jesus’ public ministry where He chose from among His disciples the twelve apostles. So what’s the difference between a disciple and an apostle? What makes for a good disciple and why does it matter? These are…
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 — How should a Christian think about time? Our life unfolds as a series of events in linear succession. This movement from beginning to end is inescapable. We are, as it were, bound by time and yet we think about realities outside of time. Why is it that we have a sense of…
Luke 6:12 — It is often difficult for us to receive teaching on the subject of prayer and that’s because it’s a part of the Christian life with which we struggle. Many of us know our prayer life is not what it should be, and yet if there is anything we need to do in…
Genesis 32 — Jacob was alone, afraid and guilty. The next day he was going to meet the brother he had wronged many years before and he was terrified. Out of the darkness came a man and the two of them struggled until the first light of day. Who was this man? Why had he…
John 12:35-41, Isaiah 6:1-10 — In Part 1 we followed the Apostle John’s lead back into the Old Testament and to Isaiah’s famous vision “in the year that King Uzziah died.” We saw the first of four attributes of the pre-incarnate Christ that are powerfully communicated to us. In Part 2 we consider the next three…
John 12:35-41, Isaiah 6:1-10 — The response to Jesus’ public ministry of proclamation was generally one of unbelief. The people of Judea and Galilee did not believe that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. The Apostle John tells us that this response was in-keeping with what the prophet Isaiah had said some 700…
Exodus 1:1-14, 3:1-22 — We all know the famous Nativity scene. By this time of year there is probably one set-up in our local shopping centre! But who exactly is the baby laying in the manger? Why all the fuss about His birth? These are the questions we’re going to explore in this Christmas series. In…
Proverbs 3:19-20 — As Solomon continues to write in praise of wisdom, he says to his son that “the LORD by wisdom founded the earth.” In making this statement Solomon tells us about the nature of God’s creative work. God intentionally, thoughtfully and with great skill created the universe and this has immense implications for the…
Psalm 67:1-2 — In the opening lines of Psalm 67, the author quotes from the most famous benediction in the Bible, the priestly blessing in Numbers 6. Even today this benediction is widely used and much loved in Christian worship. The way the Psalmist uses this familiar text is very interesting. It reveals a deep evangelical…