Matthew 7:24-29
Two men each built themselves a house. One built his house on solid bed-rock, the other the shifting sand. Each house seemed fine for a while. But when the rained rained, and the floods rose, and the wind howled, the first house stood firm, but the other collapsed. It all depended on the foundation.
Jesus says that the house built on the bed-rock is like a life built on the foundation of hearing his words and doing them. …
Micah 6:1-8
Courtroom dramas:- Accused, The Brief, The Courtroom, Criminal Justice, Crown Court, Judge John Deed, Kavanagh QC, Rumpole of the Bailey, The Verdict.
Silent witnesses, v1f (Skiddaw watching over Keswick, Matterhorn over Zermatt, Mount of Olives over Jerusalem)
‘Listen to what the Lord says…hear…the Lord’s accusation…listen…for the Lord has a case against his people.’
Jerusalem’s magistrates are crooks, her prophets men-pleasers, her priests money-grabbers, her rich people lovers of violence and her merchants liars and cheats.…
Ian Paul summarises a section of Colin Buchanan’s recent Grove Booklet on ‘Worship in the Letter to the Hebrews’ (The following quote is slightly reformatted):-
The New Testament never uses the hiereus stem, which is translated as ‘priest’ in the English versions, to denote ordained ministers of the church. However, the English word ‘priest,’ which is used to translate hiereus in the Scriptures, is itself etymologically a corruption of the Greek presbuteros, which the Bible translates as elder.
Jared Wilson reflects on a comment of C.S. Lewis (in Mere Christianity), in which Lewis ponders the difference between hating something someone has done and actually hating that person:-
Peter Oakes (in ‘We Proclaim the Word of Life’, eds Paul & Wenham) suggests that preachers (and scholars) might take note of the ‘urban assumptions’ that are apparent in Luke’s Gospel.
The Pew Research Center’s 2013 Global Attitudes survey asked 40,117 respondents in 40 countries what they thought about eight topics often discussed as moral issues.
The question was framed as follows: “Do you personally believe that ____________ is morally acceptable, morally unacceptable, or is it not a moral issue?”
The contrast between the global response and the British response is striking. First, the global response:-
Compare with the British response:-
Much could be said about this, and I refer the interested reader to the link I have given at the top of the page. …
A foundational assumption of those who adopt some version of the ‘New Perspective on Paul’ is that Second-Temple Judaism was a not a religion of works-righteousness, but of grace. ‘Works’ were not seen as the way of meriting salvation, as has often been thought, but rather were the ‘boundary-markers’ of God’s people; the things that marked them out as belonging to him.
I have long viewed this with some suspicion. There seem to be too many instances in the Gospels when people did seek to justify themselves before God. …
The Gospels are about Jesus – his coming, his earthly ministry, his cross and resurrection. The preacher should remember this for the following reasons:-
I here reproduce the wise words of the Westminster Directory for the Public Worship of God on this subject, as found here.
Preaching of the Word, being the power of God unto Salvation, and one of the greatest and most excellent Works belonging to the Ministry of the gospel, should be so performed, that the Workman need not to be ashamed, but may save himself, and those that hear him.
It is presupposed…that the Minister of Christ is in some good measure gifted for so weighty a service, by his skill in the Original Languages, and in such Arts and Sciences as are handmaids unto Divinity, by his knowledge in the whole Body of Theology, but most of all in the holy Scriptures, having his senses and heart exercised in them above the common sort of Believers; And by the illumination of Gods Spirit, and other gifts of edification which (together with reading and studying of the Word) he ought still to seek by Prayer, and an humble heart, resolving to admit and receive any truth not yet attained, when ever God shall make it known unto him.…
The following ‘ten commandments’ will help keep the preacher on the straight and narrow when dealing with Old Testament narratives:-
