Mark 3:7-35 ‘Oh when the saints, go marching in, O Lord I want to be in that number’. If we understand what is at stake, we’ll want to make sure that we are in that number. But there are many ways to end up outside the people of God. And some who think they’re inside are actually outside. This passage reveals how to make sure we’re in.
Mark 2:18-3:6 In the UK more than half of adults identify as ‘religiously unaffiliated’, or ‘nones’ as they are called. It increases to 70% for those under 30. More and more people want nothing to do with religion – but the good news is, Jesus felt the same way about religion in his day. What is the difference between following Jesus and Christless religion? That’s what this talk explores.
Mark 1:40-2:17 At this time of global pandemic, everyone’s biggest problem is not the coronavirus but sin. And everyone’s biggest need is not a vaccine but the forgiveness of sins. So it’s the best news ever that Jesus has authority to forgive sins and has come for sinners!
Mark 1:16-39 What is the mission of the church? What is the church sent into the world to do? One book on the subject says this is the ‘most discussed and most potentially divisive issue in the evangelical church today’. This question of mission and priority was one Jesus had to confront right at the beginning of his ministry. We do well to learn from him.
Mark 1:1-15 ‘A frankly terrible year’. The New Zealand PM summed up 2020 pretty well. We long for good news. And that is why Mark is such a timely book for us to start going through – because it is about good news for us and our world.
Psalm 121 As Christians we are on a long journey to the heavenly city in the new creation. How are we going to make it? So much could go wrong en route. How do we avoid being consumed by anxiety and fear? This pilgrim psalm is the medicine we need.
1 Kings 21:1-29 ‘Naboth’s Vineyard’ is not a great chapter heading. But this chapter is not actually about vineyards. It’s about injustice. It’s as up-to-date and relevant as George Floyd and Jeffrey Epstein and Asia Bibi, and the lives of millions in our world today.
1 Kings 20:1-43 What comes to mind when we hear the word ‘God’ really matters. If the God in my mind does not correspond to the God who is actually there, I’m worshipping a false god. It’s worthless idolatry. In this chapter something of what God is like is revealed to us, so that we might know him better.
1 Kings 19:8-21 If you just had 1 Kings 18 you might think the life of faith is to be spent camped out on Mt Carmel waiting for fire to come down from heaven. But these chapters about Elijah are a tale of two mountains. What happens on Mt Horeb, the mount of God, is very different – and very important for us to understand.
1 Kings 19:1-8 Normal Christian life and service can be a rollercoaster. It can go from great highs to sudden lows. If we think it’s going to be one unending mountain-top experience, sooner or later we’re going to have a shock. And the danger then is that we become disillusioned and give up. Elijah’s experience helps us to have right expectations.
