Recently a friend emailed me with a question. He’s not yet a Christian but he’s been attending bible studies for a while. The previous night they had used Christian-sounding language that he didn’t understand. He wrote: “They asked me if I had ever ‘given my life to God.’ I was unsure. What does that mean? […]
Yesterday we encountered a mystery. Jesus declares His word publicly – that is, for all. But also He also proclaims it to a particular audience – not everyone has ears to hear. You might think that Jesus takes a laissez-faire attitude to this phenomenon. But no, He pleads “He that hath ears, let him hear.” […]
Having ears is one thing. Having ears to hear is another. Back in Moses’ day he lamented the spiritual deafness of the people: “And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his […]
Jesus has hit something of a brick wall in His evangelism (Matthew 11:20-24). He brings the living and life-giving word of God. He answers every question with the wisdom of heaven. He performs the mighty works of God. He is like a little oasis of paradise walking around planet earth. Everything that He touches turns […]
It’s one of the most famous stories Jesus ever told. A beautiful stranger helps a man left for dead when his own people disdain and forsake him. Those who ignore his sufferings are Levites and Priests – the holiest of the holy. The stranger is a Samaritan – from that race of hated half-breeds to […]
Can people really change? Perhaps we think that, superficially, there can be a make-over. But what about an abiding shift for good in the core of a person? Mark chapter 5 gives us such a picture. In the beginning we meet a man described like this: “A man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had […]
The world is always judging Jesus. At His birth much was made of His name (Matthew 1:18-25). At His death the key issue was His identity (Matthew 26:63-65). And the central question of the Gospels is “What think ye of Christ?” (Matthew 22:42). Sometimes the labels He attracted were true and well-meant, as in “Behold […]
Recently I wrote a post on my other blog about open-air preaching. One commenter responded: “Do you have to bother people with this stuff? Can’t you just stick inside the churches.” This man (not a Christian) perfectly expresses the spirit of the age. We are happy with privatised beliefs. We are content that folks practice […]
I have found this tract useful in open air outreach. It explains the impact of the Bible on our language and our culture. It then goes on to outline the gospel and offer the booklet for free. It has been used effectively in open air evangelism. I hand them out saying “World’s all-time best seller, […]
“She knows my name,” says Ted, amazed. “Some of my best friends don’t know my name.” (There’s Something About Mary.) To be known is an incredible thing. Many a marriage is destroyed when one of the spouses feels unappreciated. As they take up with someone else they will often say, “It’s just that so-and-so really […]
