How do we rest in the Father’s love and be ready for action in Luke 12?

The Sunday lectionary gospel for Trinity 8 in Year C is from Luke 12.32โ€“40, and offers a slightly odd selection of verses, in that it includes the end of one section of Jesus’ teachingโ€”on trusting God for provision, and so being generous with our possessionsโ€”and the beginning of another, on readiness for the return of … Continue Reading

Why does eschatology matter?

Mark Bonnington writes: Faith hope and love are the three cardinal (or primary) virtues in the Christian faith. As Paul the Apostle wrote: โ€˜Faith; hope; love; these three endureโ€™ โ€˜but the least understood is hope.โ€™ Actually, that last bit is a quote from the late, great, Baptist preacher David Pawsonโ€”a gloss on 1 Corinthians 13 … Continue Reading

Why is the Ascension of Jesus the most important event in the New Testament?

What would you identify as the climax and completion of Jesus’ life and ministry? Surprisingly, this is not a trivial question. One of the key differences between John and the synoptic gospels is that, where the synoptics portray the crucifixion as a necessary but incomplete act on the way to the resurrection, John portrays it … Continue Reading

How do we live in trust, generosity and readiness in Luke 12?

The Sunday lectionary gospel for Trinity 8 in Year C is from Luke 12.32โ€“40, and offers a slightly odd selection of verses, in that it includes the end of one section of Jesus’ teachingโ€”on trusting God for provision, and so being generous with our possessionsโ€”and the beginning of another, on readiness for the return of … Continue Reading

Are we in the ‘end times’?

Yesterday I was the guest on the hour-long ‘Bible surgery’ on Premier Christian Radio, hosted by Maria Rodrigues and recorded over Zoom. It was the first time that I had worked with Maria, and she is a lovely person! Although the programme was an hour long, with songs and breaks my contribution was about 35 … Continue Reading

How do we live in trust, generosity and readiness?

The Sunday lectionary gospel is from Luke 12.32โ€“40, and offers a slightly odd selection of verses, in that it includes the end of one section of Jesus’ teachingโ€”on trusting God for provision, and so being generous with our possessionsโ€”and the beginning of another, on readiness for the return of our Lord. But this selection actually … Continue Reading