Author Archives: admin

The 500 word manuscript

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I’ve written previously about the dangers and pitfalls of preaching from a full manuscript.  I recognise, too, the problems associated with preaching from no written notes at all.

I won’t go into either of these polarities again just at the moment.  But it leaves the question, how long should a preaching manuscript be?  I have found myself, in recent times, using either of two approaches:-

(a) preparing a Powerpoint presentation is precise and detailed enough to give me the prompts that I need, without recourse to any further notes.…

Understanding the plagues – can science help?

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In his book The Miracles of Exodus (Continuum, 2003), physicist Sir Colin Humphreys argues that a plausible scientific basis can be found for the plagues of Egypt, as recorded in Exodus 7-11.

This is not to suggest that they can be ‘explained away’ as merely natural phenomena.  Rather, accordingly to Humphreys’, the miraculous element lies in their timing and intensity, along with the fact that they were predicted.

Instone-Brewer (Science and the Bible: Insights For An Ancient Text) takes a similar line:

‘These plagues are not portrayed in the language of miracles, except with regard to their timing and their ferocity.

…

How do we get from the Old Testament to Jesus?

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Allan Moseley poses seven questions that can help us to see how the Old Testament points to Jesus.

  1. Is the passage referred to in the New Testament?  For example, Habakkuk 2:3 is directly quoted in Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38.  Sometimes, however, the allusion is not so straightforward, as when, according to Matthew 2:23, it had been written ‘the prophets’ that Jesus would be called ‘a Nazarene’.
  2. Does the OT passage address a theme that is also addressed in the NT?
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What is ‘progressive Christianity’?

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A century ago, it was ‘liberal Christianity’ that was putting out its newer, kinder, more modern agenda for the Christian faith.  Around the time of the millenium (no, not that millenium, but the one we’ve already lived through) it was the Emerging Church that was seeking to free itself from the shackles of traditionalism.  Now, it seems, the most popular self-designation for those disenchanted with orthodoxy is ‘Progressive Christianity’ (PC).

As is the case with all these movements, PC is a bit difficult to pin down. …

Preach only the gospel?

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Should we preach only the gospel?  Whatever the starting-point of the sermon, should we always make a beeline for Calvary and issue an appeal to the unconverted?

It is tempting to answer with an unqualified ‘Yes’.  After all, there is little enough faithful preaching of the gospel these days, so shouldn’t we take every opportunity to do so?  And did not the apostle Paul write, ‘I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified’ (1 Corinthians 2:2).…

Angels

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Angels are:-

A. ttendants of Christ (2 Thess. 1:7), their exalted Head (Eph. 1:21; 22; Col. 2:10)
B. ringers of good tidings concerning our salvation (see on Luke 2:14; 24:4; Acts 1:11; 1 Tim. 3:16)
C. horisters of heaven (Luke 15:10; 1 Cor. 13:1; Rev. 5:11, 12)
D. efenders of God’s children (Ps. 34:8; 91:11; Dan. 6:22; 10:10, 13, 20; Matt. 18:10; Acts 5:19; 2 Thess. 1:7–10; Rev. 12:7), though the latter outrank them and will judge them (1 Cor.…

The call to Christlikeness

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A. God wants us to be like Christ

This is his

  1. eternal purpose – we have been ‘predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son’ (Romans 8:29).
  2. historical purpose – ‘we…are being transformed [or changed] into his image’ (2 Corinthians 3:18).
  3. eschatological purpose – ‘we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him’ (1 John 3:2).

Here, then, are three perspectives: past (we have been predestined), present (we are being changed), and future (we shall be like him), which all point to the same thing: that God wants us to be like Christ.…

Liberal evangelism

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Writing in the Church Times, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, rector of St. Bride’s Liverpool, says that she wants to reclaim evangelism for liberal, progressive Christians such as herself.

What is the gospel of liberal Christianity?  ‘The belief that God’s love is unconditional, and is enough.’

That’s about it.  For the rest, it is about ‘exploring spirituality’.  Liberal theology ‘does not see our salvation as relying on our getting Christianity right.’  It does not believe in ‘original sin’, but in ‘original blessing.’ …

Problem-based teaching of Jesus

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Much of Jesus’ teaching was prompted by problems posed by his friends or his enemies.

Here’s a list, drawn from Mark’s Gospel:-

Mk 2:7 – Who can forgive sins?

Mk 2:16 – Why does Jesus associate with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?

Mk 2:18 – Why don’t the disciples fast?

Mk 2:24 – Why are his disciples doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?

Mk 3:22 – How does Jesus cast out demons?

Mk 6:2f – What is the source of Jesus’ power?…

Does God ‘hate the sin, but love the sinner’?

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It is a well-worn cliche to attempt to separate the sin from the sinner, and to say that God hates the former, but loves the latter.

As with most cliches, there is an important measure of truth here.  We can certainly say that God hates the sin, and yet loves them in the sense that he reaches out to the worst of sinners with the offer of grace and forgiveness.

But the cliche is still only a half-truth.  …