Each of the Gospels start a little differently. Matthew and Luke both begin with Jesus’ birth and the nativity story but whilst Luke takes us to the specific day with shepherds and angels, Matthew focuses on the arrival of the wisemen. Luke talks about Gabriel’s appearance to Mary but Matthew focuses on Joseph. John begins… Continue reading A voice crying in the wilderness (Mark 1:1-8)
Tag: Jesus
The Kingdom of God in Mark
Jesus begins his ministry by announcing the “good news” that the Kingdom of God is near.[1] Therefore, if we are to benefit from this good news, we need to understand what Jesus means by the phrase “The Kingdom of God.” Firstly, The Kingdom of God is the fulfilment of God’s promises to Israel. We see… Continue reading The Kingdom of God in Mark
Was Jesus married?
This is the question posed by Premier Christianity in a recent article. Not only that but their editor Sam Hailes lays credence to the claim in this tweet. It is concerning that the editors of a mainstream, Christian publication which was traditionally considered at least broadly evangelical could even consider such a piece worthy of… Continue reading Was Jesus married?
Alone?
I saw this quote and image shared on Facebook the other day. I wonder what you made of it? “From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it’s different. Consider again that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you… Continue reading Alone?
Signs of the Times (Mark 13) – Preaching in a crisis
Over the past couple of weeks as we’ve seen Russian tanks and troops role into Ukraine and the awful spectre of nuclear conflict has been threatened against the West, I’ve written a bit about how we handled apocalyptic literature and questions about the end times. I thought it might be helpful to share an example… Continue reading Signs of the Times (Mark 13) – Preaching in a crisis
Did Jesus come to give us a holiday?
I saw this message the other day. It’s typical of the type of witty one liner that we Christians think makes a fantastic point, putting a bullet in licentious secularism and making the case for the Gospel. However, I fear that it has a different affect. A lot of people will see this as an… Continue reading Did Jesus come to give us a holiday?
First Look 4: The end … or is it?
Discussion Starters What do you fear the most? If you knew that you had six months left to live, would you change anything about your plans and your daily routine? A look at the Bible Today we arrive at the part of the story which Luke gives most attention to. A biographer usually spends most… Continue reading First Look 4: The end … or is it?
First Look 3: What did Jesus say?
Discussion Starters Who is the best teacher that you have ever had? It may not have been a school teacher; perhaps it was an older work colleague, a friend, a sports coach. What made them a great teacher? What is the most important lesson they taught you? A Look at the Bible Read Luke 10:25-37… Continue reading First Look 3: What did Jesus say?
First Look 2 Who is this man?
Discussion Starters How would you define religion? Identify one religion or belief system from the list below and see if you can identify its core beliefs. Do you think the particular belief system you have described is liveable Islam Hinduism Sikhism Communism Humanism Buddhism Or alternatively… If you could ask God one question what would… Continue reading First Look 2 Who is this man?
Introducing the First Look Course
The First Look Course is an opportunity to start to explore the claims of Christianity. It runs for 4 sessions and includes discussion questions and videos to watch. It is based on the eye witness accounts of Jesus’ life reported by an early historian named Luke. You can find his Gospel in the Bible. You… Continue reading Introducing the First Look Course