John had a blunt message for Israelites who thought they were safe because they were descendants of Abraham, to whom God had promised the land. He said Israel was like a tree which failed to bear fruit. He said the tree’s owner had raised an axe to chop it down.[8] Until John, baptism was reserved for proselytes, non-Israelites who wanted to join Israel. But John said …
Last Sunday, some of our congregation stayed back in our worship hall to decorate it for Christmas … to create a joyful, festive atmosphere … Joyful. So, why does the first gospel reading in the church calendar, in the build-up to Christmas, begin with judgment? … How can that be joyful?
One scholar tells us, “… crucifixion was reserved … for those who resisted the authority of Roman occupation. Naked and fastened to a tree, stake, or cross, located typically at major crossroads, the victim was subjected both to a particularly abhorrent form of capital punishment and to optimum, savage ridicule. The corpse of the crucified was typically left on the tree to rot or as food for scavenging birds.”
The Jews, during their 70-years in Babylon, didn’t have a Temple. Since the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, the Jews haven’t had a Temple. But some Jews, and some Christians, want to build another Temple. Why would God want the Temple – and priests and sacrifices – restored?
Why do people want to build and to destroy large, grand structures – whether the …
In his response, Jesus gave a vital key for reading the Bible. He said we must use our imaginations. He said we mustn’t let our experience limit us. He said we must imagine a new age, an age in which there’s no giving or receiving of persons as if they are objects to be traded.
Five years had passed since he nailed his 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, where he lived.[3] He was invited[4] to the city of Leisnig.[5] He was invited by the church there. He was invited to help them write a law. An ordinance which would establish progressive taxation, taxing the rich more than the poor; the basis for ensuring that everyone, rich or poor, could have a decent life; the basis for everyone having equal access to education; the basis for the welfare state – the reason why healthcare systems in Europe are overwhelmingly public, not private.
This photo I’ll never forget. It’s of my mom, just days after her surgery, hugging my son tightly. Her smile is full, her eyes are shining, and she said through tears, “This was the best birthday of my life.” Every time I look at that photo, it feels like more than a memory — it …
If you were to transport a medieval peasant to a modern megachurch service, the language might be unfamiliar, but the underlying transaction would feel hauntingly familiar. The flashing lights and electric guitars would be bewildering, but the core message—”Give money to this religious institution to secure your divine favour”—would be a concept they understood all …
To honour God, we must do much and avoid much. The Bible has many positive lists[3] and many negative lists.[4] But we know that no one has always done all the positive things, and no one has always avoided all the negative things.[5] The Pharisee left this knowledge out of his description of himself. The tax collector put this knowledge in the centre of his description of himself.
Like Wilberforce, the widow needed justice that private prayer alone would not deliver. We aren’t called to pray passively, hoping that God will change the world on our behalf. Prayer may be the wind at our backs, but sometimes we need to track down the answer in person. As the African proverb says, “When you pray, move your feet.”
