When it goes dark, it’s not the time to give up on the light.
Matthew 26:14-16 (my translation, compare NIV)
14 Then one of the twelve — the one called Judas Iscariot — went to the high priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me, and I’ll hand him over to you?” They settled on thirty silver coins. 16 From then, he was looking for the right moment to hand him over.
What did this mean for Jesus? And what did it mean for Judas? This doorway has two sides.
Continue reading “Giving up your king (Matthew 26:14-16)”Open Exodus 6:8-9.
Know anyone who used to go to church? What happened? Disappointed with God? Hurt by people?
What happens when life doesn’t work out as you expected, when pain erodes hope?
There’s an apparent contradiction in the Exodus story:
What happened in between to destroy their faith? Continue reading “When faith fades (Exodus 6:8-9)”
Holy Saturday lies in the shadow of Good Friday’s defeat, the victim held in its tomb.
Artwork by Steve Browne, commissioned by Ross Memorial Uniting Church, Easter 2018.
[previous: Journey to joy (Good Friday)]
When God doesn’t do what you expect.
Open Matthew 11:1-6.
Matthew 11:2-3 (my translation)
2 In prison, John heard what the Messiah was doing and sent his followers 3 to ask him, “Are you the one to come, or do we wait for another?”
Last year I was in a Masters-level class on the kingdom of God. Dr Tidball asked us, “So why did John the Baptist doubt if Jesus was the Messiah?” How could the greatest of all prophets — the one privileged to announce the arrival of the Messiah — doubt if Jesus was the Messiah? Continue reading “Disillusioned with Jesus? (Matthew 11:1-6)”
