Romans 3:1 to 4:25. Paul is clear: our righteousness and justification aren’t gained by the things that we do, but only through faith in Christ. We are only “justified freely by His grace”. The things that we do follow as a response of faith from those seeking to be “living the gospel”.
Romans 1: 18 to 2: 29. The themes of wrath and judgement that are dominant in this section of Romans probably aren’t ones we’d pick as our favourites, but understanding them properly is important. John Stott says, “Human anger is mostly unrighteous, irrational, uncontrollable… [but] God’s wrath is driven by His holiness”. We need to hold […]
Through our teaching series in Ruth, we learnt that “Ruth strikingly exemplifies the truth that participation in the coming kingdom of God is decided, not by blood and birth, but by the conformity of one’s life to the will of God through the ‘obedience that comes from faith’ (Rom. 1:5)” [NIV Study Bible, Introduction to […]
Ruth 1. We are introduced to Ruth at a time of bereavement and fear for Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law. When Naomi decides to return home, alone, Ruth’s loyalty and faithfulness emerge. Ruth will not give up on Naomi in the face of adversity, but instead stays with her. Ruth’s actions reflect her saying to Naomi, “Don’t […]
Exodus 3:7 -4:13; Isaiah 6:1-8; Luke 10:1-17 When we are fully “living questionable lives” people around us will notice and ask about our worldview and values. That’s because what we see will be distinctive. It will look and feel different, in good ways. Then the questions will start! This is the way of life for […]
Luke 19: 1-10. How often do we view a meal table as a sacred place? Jesus spent a lot time eating with people, and some He chose to dine with provoked plenty of questions! How often do we show hospitality to other people? Michael Frost says: “The table is the great equalizer in relationships. When […]
Colossians 3:1 to 4:6. What does it mean for us today to be “Living questionable lives”? What will it mean tomorrow, next month, next year? Being intentional and consistent are two keys that will unlock our understanding. So will spontaneity and the unexpected. Here’s how Michael Frost describes it, ” we need the impetus to […]
Matthew 6: 1-10; Luke 11:2 A vital part of our prayer lives is that we understand the intimacy it brings between us and God. To be able to pray “Our Father” is an awesome privilege, and one that we must not take lightly. It binds us in relationship to God. Then we can pray “Lord, […]
Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20. N.T. Wright asks: “Why does Jesus’ resurrection matter?”. One review of a film about the resurrection said this: “the resurrection is the final event of a compelling life, a stormy trial and a vicious death. Paul said he proclaimed Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Here the resurrection […]
Luke 24:1-12 Where will our focus be today? Will we be jubilantly celebrating that Jesus is alive, as we respond to knowing that we are “Alive in Christ”? Or will we be standing in the margins not really too sure what to make of it? As part of our Easter celebrations we will see and […]