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
Posts
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?
They took offence (Mark 6:1-6)
So far in Mark’s Gospel the primary focus has been on crowds eager to meet Jesus, to hear him teach, to be healed, to bring friends to be healed, to have demons cast out. But that’s only one part of the picture. There are of course the religious leaders plotting against him and there are… Continue reading They took offence (Mark 6:1-6)
What kind of king do you want (Mark 6)
If Mark’s Gospel is about the good news of the imminent kingdom, then this raises the question about the type of king who is coming and whether this is the king that people want. Here in Chapter 6:1-6 we see that many people reject Jesus, he is not the king they want. In his home… Continue reading What kind of king do you want (Mark 6)
Our Future Home
Here’s the latest podcast as we begin to look at the theme of “home.” Audio version on Anchor YouTube:
Faithroots 