Words that Cut Deep

Words that Cut Deep

Do you believe I am able to do this?

Jesus’ question in Matthew 9 is a fundamentally important one. “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Mt9:28) Jesus explicitly asks this question of the two blind men. The same question is implicitly asked of the dead girl’s father, and the woman with the chronic bleeding, and the demon possessed man. Jesus’ question and actions make clear that people need to…

See, Understand, Respond

See, Understand, Respond. If you don’t see correctly, or understand correctly what you see, it is very difficult to make a correct response. Indeed, someone could easily make a catastrophic response if they fail to see or understand accurately. In Matthew 8:23-9:13 Jesus wants us to see accurately who He is, so that we can understand fully the implications of who He…

Are you wise?

As we reach the end of the famous sermon on the mount, Jesus turns up the heat. Rather than an uplifting feel-good finale, Jesus finishes his speech with some of his starkest warnings.  What is the fundamental mistake he wants his hearers to avoid?  Is he deliberately setting an overly-high bar just to show us how we fail?

Make your choice

You cannot serve both God and money. Jesus instructs His disciples in Matthew 6 to not love money. But, most of us are inclined to love money. And we have lots of it! Australians generally, and residents of North Epping in particular, are among the wealthy elite. So, how do we who are Christians deal with Jesus’ words that seem so counter-cultural? Surely, given…

Jesus’ Meritocracy?

Jesus’ Meritocracy In Matthew 6 Jesus seems to indicate that different rewards will result depending on the way disciples live now; specifically how they give, pray and fast. “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:1) How do we reconcile Jesus’ words…

Jesus’ Code of Conduct

The world continues to modify it’s Code of Conduct and typically it moves further away from Jesus’ Code of Conduct. What are disciples of Jesus to understand by Jesus’ assessment and instructions in Matthew 5:17-48? Jesus provides us with instructions which call for radical righteousness and what appears to be calls for self-mutilation for breaches of…

Are you blessed?

Nine times in as many verses Jesus says that various people are “blessed“. If being blessed is a good thing how can Jesus suggest that, “Blessed are those who mourn” and “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me”? Matthew 5  demonstrates that the world only makes…
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