What do you need to see? (Mark 8:8-12)

Yesterday we saw Jesus willingness to repeat a sign to help his disciples get the point.  Today, we find him refusing to play the Pharisee’s game and meet their demands for a sign.  Are those two things in tension? Do they contradict each other? On the one hand, we’ve just said that Christ is more… Continue reading What do you need to see? (Mark 8:8-12)

Peace in the storm (Mark 4:35-41)

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There’s a great storm raging, the waves are battering against the boat and it is being tossed about like a toy by the wind. The sailors are struggling against the storm.  Several of them are seasoned sailors who know these waters well but there’s something different about this storm that fills them with dread. Meanwhile… Continue reading Peace in the storm (Mark 4:35-41)

Defeated enemies (Mark 4:35-5:43)

We now encounter a series of incredible miracles and signs which demonstrate Jesus’ power over the forces of evil and death. First, we see Jesus as Lord over his creation. Jesus travels across Galilee with his disciples. He is asleep in the boat as a storm brews. There are echoes of Jonah’s flight to Tarshish… Continue reading Defeated enemies (Mark 4:35-5:43)

Dead people don’t come back to life

A little while back, I discussed a tweet from Professor Alice Roberts who is the professor of Public Engagement with Science at the University of Birmingham  Here’s the professor’s offering for Easter 2021 which she shared on Good Friday. Some people took offence to the tweet. The professor is entitled to her views, they argued… Continue reading Dead people don’t come back to life

Forgiven (Matthew 9:1-13)

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It’s one of the most wonderful words you can hear isn’t it? You’ve well and truly messed up this time.  You’ve allowed something to catch fire in the microwave and whilst attending to that, you’ve allowed the sink upstairs to overflow so that water has rained through the ceiling into your front room. Then in… Continue reading Forgiven (Matthew 9:1-13)

Miracles

Thunderstorm with lightning above the sea at sunset

I love the account of Jesus calming in the storm in Matthew 8. It’s a fantastic story for telling children’s groups. There’s so much you can do to include the kids in the story, getting them to blow li the wind, using a parachute game to get the wave effect, settling the children down peacefully… Continue reading Miracles

Peace (Matthew 8:23-33)

Thunderstorm with lightning above the sea at sunset

“I just wish things could get back to normal.” Have you heard other people saying that? Have you found yourself saying it too?  If I were to take you back to February and March, how did you feel then? Perhaps you were anxious but there was also the adrenalin of being in this together too… Continue reading Peace (Matthew 8:23-33)