Humility and forgiveness — Part 1 A reflection for Good Friday 40 blogs of Lent — day 38 The Galilean ministry of Jesus is over. Over a period of time his ministry has taken him into Gentile lands, first just across the Jordan to Bethsaida, then to Tyre and Sidon, the Decapolis and Caesarea Philippi. …
Continue reading Forgiveness has been brought into the present — Matthew 18:21–27
Psalm 50 — Psalms of Asaph In my introduction to 2001, I said that this year one of the themes of this blog this year would be worship. I have also lamented in the last year the lack of lamenting as part of worship. These next 12 psalms, written by Asaph, are not only laments, …
Continue reading You thought I was exactly like you: Psalm 50:21
Nearly all the meat you eat is male. My great-grandfather was an agricultural worker in North Yorkshire, between Malton and Pickering, near to where the Flamingoland theme park now stands. He moved to West Yorkshire to become a farm owner, running a dairy farm on Hartshead moor. That farm is no longer in the family …
Continue reading Animal husbandry for beginners – Matthew in Advent day 20
Reconciling God's judgement and God's grace God's judgement means that sin will not go unpunished.God's grace means that we do not get what we deserve.God's love means that we are all cared for. How do we reconcile these things? God’s judgement. God's judgement has traditionally been seen in terms of Hell fire, I have no …
Who are you working for? Matthew 7:21-23 The sermon on the mount Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in …
Symbols of the Holy Spirit 4: Fire This blog has been published out of sequence because the planned blog, about the Holy Spirit as a mighty wind coincided with the landfall of Hurricane Dorian. Please pray for the people of the Bahamas and Florida and those in the hurricane's path. You can donate to the …
Matthew's Passion: Living by the sword 40 blog gas of Lent: 20 Matthew 26:47-56 Matthew's Gospel tells the story of Jesus' trial, crucifixion and ascension not as a complete narrative but as a series of encounters between people. What matters to Matthew are the relationships between people, especially between Jesus and the other people. It …
40 blogs of Lent - Day 16 Judgement Messages to the churches - Day 13 Thyatira - Day 1 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. Thyatira is located in western Asia …
Lo! He comes with clouds descending The Advent carol brings us to the next topic. Jesus Christ will return. That is not something we only remember at Advent. The Anglican liturgy remembers that in the communion liturgy: Christ has died Christ is risen Christ will come again The return of Jesus Christ to judge the …
Dogs, pigs and other mammalian insults I'm a pussy cat. Which is fine, but have you ever been called a cow? Or slothful? These insults come in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said: Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and …
