Bitter-Sweet As the people move on from the Red Sea crossing, they search for water but find none in the desert for three days, until they come to a place they name Marah, the name is a play on the Hebrew for bitter. There is something off about the water, it tastes bitter. The people… Continue reading A hungry and thirsty people
Tag: typology
The stories the preacher needs to tell
In a recent sermon on Luke 6, I observed that as we read the Gospel, we can actually see three stories being told. There’s the story of Jesus, the one we obviously expect to be there. However, Jesus is also retelling, or rather acting out the story of Israel. God’s people had experienced exile in… Continue reading The stories the preacher needs to tell
Sent to the city Where are you in the story?
What do you think of the church? How do you think we are doing when you think of Christians, whether that’s the church all around the world. What about the local church, our own church here. How do you think you are doing as a Christian? I’ve tended to hear Nehemiah preached as being about… Continue reading Sent to the city Where are you in the story?
Preaching Nehemiah Christologically
Last Sunday, I preached on Nehemiah 2. As I prepared, it struck me that I’ve normally heard the book preached with the emphasis being on Nehemiah as an example to us. We are to be like him. At it’s best, it is about building faith, at its worst its about building projects. The book has… Continue reading Preaching Nehemiah Christologically
Servitude
The popular version of the Joseph story runs that Jacob spoils his son and is at fault for the brother’s jealousy. This is exacerbated by Joseph’s arrogant boasting about his dreams. However, being sold into slavery changes Joseph making him good, wise and just. Is that a fair rendition? Well, there have been clues along… Continue reading Servitude
Prison
It had seemed like Joseph had fallen as low as possible when he found himself sold as a slave in Egypt. Yet, now he had fallen further still, just when things had looked like they were on the way up again. He now finds himself falsely accused, treated as a criminal and in prison. At… Continue reading Prison
Tempted
The story now switches back to Egypt where Joseph has been sold by the traders. If Judah had failed the test and so was not vindicated or justified when it came to relationships, how would Joseph fare? Read Genesis 39:1-20 The traders sell Jospeh to Potiphar, a commander in the Egyptian army. It seems that… Continue reading Tempted
Choosing Salem
After rescuing Lot, Abram returns to meet some of the kings of the land. How he deals with two of them contrasts sharply (Genesis 14:17-24). The king of Sodom, offers Abram a share of the returned spoils as a reward for his efforts. Abram isn’t interested in this. He refuses point blank. He makes it… Continue reading Choosing Salem
Why study the life of Abraham?
In the Spring, our church did a series on Galatians. Later in the Autumn, we will be working through the book of James. It’s important to read something like James alongside Galatians to help us deepen our understanding of what true faith looks like. Galatians shows us that we are not saved by works, it’s… Continue reading Why study the life of Abraham?
Is Jesus “the true and better Tim Keller”?
Sam Allbery spoke at Tim Keller’s memorial service and made this remark. “Jesus is the truer and better Tim Keller.” It’s one of those immediately quotable and therefore tweetable phrases and so of course people have been tweeting it and reacting to it. Now, there’s a risk of reacting to something out of context and… Continue reading Is Jesus “the true and better Tim Keller”?
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