The King’s defence After three parables where Jesus said the chief priests had been shown up before the people for rejecting God Matthew's account moves on to three questions to attack Jesus, followed by a question to them by Jesus. I have mentioned a few times in this series how Matthew likes to group things …
Continue reading Matthew 22:15-22 4 questions 1) Paying Taxes to Caesar
The Kings Instructions Advent 2021 Jesus was a man of his time. Many of his sayings are based on things that not only people would be familiar with, but were seasonal. Fruit picking has always been seasonal work, the fruit is picked when it is ready to be picked. Jesus and his disciples are on …
Continue reading Jesus and the rich young man, part 4 — Matthew 19:30–20:7
The Kings Instructions Advent 2021 Do we have to give up everything we own? After all that is what Jesus asked the rich young man to do in verse 21. Did Jesus beat Marx to the property is theft idea? Free image from PxHere 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed …
Continue reading Jesus and the rich young man, part 3 — Matthew 19:27–29
The glory of Jesus — part 6 40 blogs of Lent — day 33 The temple tax collectors did not come to Jesus, they do not even come looking for Jesus. Peter's reputation of (to use a mixed metaphor) opening his mouth and putting his foot in it has gone before him. Jesus has turned the …
"You know sometimes words have two meanings," wrote Robert Plant in Led Zeppelin's Stairway to heaven, and it is true. Several passages in the Old Testament have an immediate meaning to the people at the time and then a further Messianic meaning, fulfilled in Jesus Christ. As Christmas is almost upon us I will take …
Continue reading Use what you are given? – Matthew in Advent day 18
Faith and money Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield, Sunday 24th November 2019 A slightly warmer, slightly drier morning than some this week and neither of us were involved in the service this week other than being in the congregation, so my wife and I had time for a breakfast of bacon and egg sandwiches before a stroll …
Mission, ministry, media and money Mission This comes first. The mission of the Church is joining in with the mission of God, but that is Church with a big C, the universal church. How a local church, para-church group or individual church fits in with God's plan can, and does, vary greatly. God's mission God's …
Two weeks ago I was treated to a visit to London. We stayed at Canary Wharf, in the East End. From the room we could see the flashing light at the top of the obelisk shaped One Canada Square towering above us. All this built for the financial sector. For much of it's history the skyline …
Making an ass of myself 