I just want to pick up two specific phrase in the account of Jesus walking on water. The disciples have set off back across the lake from the site of the miraculous feeding. Jesus stays behind to talk to his Father but he can see that they are struggling against the wind. He walks out… Continue reading “He meant to pass by them” (Mark 6:45-51)
Author: faithrootsdw
What more do we need?
This is a bit of a follow up to my article regarding the abolition of slavery and “a better ethic than the Bible” earlier this week. A lot of the argument concerning the redemptive-movement-hermeneutic boils down to two questions which Michael Bird helpfully crystalised in a twitter discussion. Is it better for something to be… Continue reading What more do we need?
The Shepherd King who feeds his people
If Herod is the pretend king who throws a feast for himself where food is brought to him, food resulting from death, then Jesus is a different kind of king altogether. Jesus is the true king who calls a feast in order to feed his people with life giving bread. The Feeding of the Five… Continue reading The Shepherd King who feeds his people
“She came to him” -on Bathsheba and reading motives into actions
It seems that the argument for Bathsheba being complicit in sin with David rather than a victim of his sin against her comes down to one phrase. In 2 Samuel 11:4, we are told of Bathsheba that “she came to him.” This must indicate consent. There is a major problem with that argument. The problem… Continue reading “She came to him” -on Bathsheba and reading motives into actions
Don’t write your sermon too soon
Yesterday, I mentioned this article which has provoked the latest cycle of sermon length controversy. Now, as I said yesterday, a sermon takes as long as it takes. Some of us might actually need to give a bit longer to our sermons and some of us probably could do with shaving 10 minutes off! However,… Continue reading Don’t write your sermon too soon
A troubled conscience? (Mark 6:14-29)
Jesus was dividing opinions. Some as we’ve seen loved him and wanted to follow him and be close to him, others rejected him outright. A lot were bewildered by him and trying to make sense of him. Who was this man who could heal the sick and calm the waves? So, they tried to make… Continue reading A troubled conscience? (Mark 6:14-29)
What was David’s sin with Bathsheba?
Over the past few years, a little debate has kept cropping up about whether it is right to suggest that David committed adultery with Bathsheba or whether in fact we need to say that he raped her. I wrote a guest post for Steve Kneale here when the debate first came up but it has… Continue reading What was David’s sin with Bathsheba?
Time for God? – Thoughts on sermon length
Every so often a little controversy will brew over how long exactly a sermon should last. This seems generally seeking to split between three precise and seemingly arbitrary times, 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 40 minutes (nothing under 10, over 40 or anything in between the options). The latest controversy seems to have been… Continue reading Time for God? – Thoughts on sermon length
Travelling Light (Mark 6:6-13)
Jesus has called twelve followers to specifically be with him as disciples. The number twelve was symbolic. If he was the new king of Israel, then they represented the beginning of new Israel, twelve apostles for twelve tribes. Now, he sends them out. They become involved in his mission, apostles are those who are commissioned… Continue reading Travelling Light (Mark 6:6-13)
A better ethic than the Bible?
In this article, Michael Bird picks up on some disturbing comments that John MacArthur made about slavery back in 2012. I agree with Bird, that the comments were troubling. MacArthur’s suggestion that benign slavery was possible is utterly wrong headed. There is of course a fundamental difference between sticking with a good institution like marriage… Continue reading A better ethic than the Bible?
