Cash for questions: Tax, God and Caesar

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Here in the UK, it was the Budget this week and there is much talk about tax and benefits. That also coincided with our Life Group looking at Luke 20:20-26 where Jesus is asked a question about paying taxes Early readers of Luke’s Gospel, perhaps in the late 60s/early 70s of the first century will… Continue reading Cash for questions: Tax, God and Caesar

The time will come

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Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of the Temple is one of the significant events from the last week of his earthly life and finds its way into all the Synoptic Gospels.[1] In fact, some have seen that as a crucial part of our ability to date the writing of the New Testament.[2]  If these events… Continue reading The time will come

Challenged

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Jesus’ manner of arrival has put a cat amongst the pigeons. Ther authorities are increasingly determined to have him killed but also fear the crowds, so they seek ways to catch him out and either bring Roman justice or the wrath of the crowds against him. Read Luke 20:1-8 Jesus spends his time during the… Continue reading Challenged

Why Jesus went to Jericho

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It seems like Jericho could have been seen as a distraction and diversion to Jesus’ disciples (Luke 18-19).  Did they really need to pass through? And of course, once they do, they are delayed by a blind man who interrupts them and a tax collector, a corrupt traitor whose house Jesus decides to stop for… Continue reading Why Jesus went to Jericho

Is your satnav set right? Why we need faith

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This is the text of a sermon I recently preached from Luke 17. Introduction A few years ago, we went on holiday with some friends to a place called West Bay which is down in Dorset and famous as the place where Broadchurch was filmed.  Our friends’ parents had a holiday home there but they… Continue reading Is your satnav set right? Why we need faith

Biblical brackets

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There’s a particular technique that shows up in Scripture where writers want to show that a train of thought is being followed through from start to conclusion.  It functions to bracket various thoughts, points, narratives together and is known technically as an inclusion.  The method use is to repeat a word, phrase or pericope at… Continue reading Biblical brackets

The true and better story (Luke 11:14-54)

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Here’s my outline for a sermon this Sunday. Look out for some articles with additional comment. You can listen to the full talk here introduction Two stories When the stories get muddled …. Which story are we living by? What did Jesus’ opponents think he was doing? (v15) What does Jesus say is happening? (v22)… Continue reading The true and better story (Luke 11:14-54)

The Luke jigsaw puzzle

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We are mid-series in Luke’s Gospel at Church at the moment and I’m also working through Luke as part of a Faithroots Teaching series. I thought it might be worth taking a step back to look at the big picture.