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It’s OK to be ambitious? Yeah … nah.
My thoughts on Christians and ambition. And why Bill and Ted have a more Christian view of excellence than many Christian views of excellence
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Finding security in an insecure world
As efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic ramp up, we are yet again faced with the reality of how fragile and uncertain our lives and communities are. Do you feel secure? Here is a passage from the Bible that speaks directly to this question.
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A question of security (Ephesians 2:6–7)
As I write this, New Zealand is shocked and grieving. My own nation Australia is shocked and grieving too, along with them. But news stories about terror attacks and shootings in our world are far too common, aren’t they? And whenever we hear of them, they bring to mind all sorts of questions. One of them is the question of security. As we grieve for the victims, we also think a little about ourselves. We wonder whether some day we too might be in the wrong place at the wrong time when a seemingly random attack happens. It’s unsettling. It’s not just a matter of national security; it’s also a matter of our own personal security. Paul is talking in Ephesians 2:6–7 about a security that belongs to everyone who believes in Jesus Christ. It’s not a guarantee of perfect national security or job security or financial security or security in relationships and health. Nor is it a guarantee that we will always feel perfectly secure. But it is still a real security, more unshakeable and deep-rooted than any other kind of security could be. So what is this security, and where does it come from?
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Jesus Christ and the Revolution of Destiny
The Apostle Paul’s letters bear witness to the fact that his identity and his destiny had been revolutionised by his encounter with Jesus Christ.
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Review: C. Marvin Pate. Apostle of the Last Days: The Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul.
Pate argues that the “center” or hermeneutical key to Paul’s letters is found in an apocalyptic inaugurated eschatology.
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Scripture and the Authority of God – again
I notice Tom Wright has re-released his book, Scripture and the Authority of God (first published in 2005). I guess that gives me an excuse to re-post my review of the book [PDF], originally published in The Briefing 330, March 2006. HT Scot McKnight.
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Doctrines Under Threat 3: Nowism
See also my articles: Nowism and Countering Nowism.
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Is God Green Part 2: God and the Future of the World
I’m grateful to Byron Smith who made a few critical comments about a previously published version of this sermon (in five parts: #1, #2a, #2b, #3a, #3b) and helped me to speak more clearly and helpfully in this subsequent version. Talk Outline The story of the world so far… Creation Curse Christ The future of […]
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And while I’m at it – here’s another Easter sermon illustration
To follow up from my previous post: BBC News – World’s oldest man Walter Breuning dies in US aged 114. The world’s certified oldest man, whose advice to others included the observation “you’re born to die”, has passed away aged 114 in the US.
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Free Easter Day Sermon Illustration / Introduction
I’m not preaching on Easter Day this year. But if I were, I’d be using this as my sermon illustration and/or introduction. BBC News – ‘Oldest’ marathon runner Buster Martin dies A London man who claimed to be the world’s oldest marathon runner has died. … He features in a film by American documentary-maker Mark […]
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“Until” is not as significant as it’s made out to be (Romans 11:25)
This is a follow-up to my previous post: What does “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26) mean? Often those who argue for the “eschatological miracle” option in Romans 11:26 (i.e. a wholesale turning of the Jewish people to Christ when he returns) point to the decisive significance of the word “until” in Romans 11:25: […]
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I’m sayin’ something
On the Sola Panel I’m with Tony. When it comes to telling you what to do in response to the issue of climate change, I’m sayin’ nuttin’. But I’m also with Carl Henry as quoted by Tony. So here’s some biblical truths that I am willing to say. Maybe they’ll help you to think more […]
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Replacing the Spirit with the sacraments
I’ve been listening recently to an online lecture series called Space, Time, [Matter] and Sacraments. The speaker (an influential Church of England Bishop called N. T. Wright) posed some very important questions. For example: How is the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection made “real” to us in our own lives now? How is […]
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Is God Green #3: God and the Future of the World
An inconvenient truth? Whatever you think about global warming, you can’t ignore it. It’s already the subject of Hollywood blockbusters. Take the move, The Day After Tomorrow, based on the fear of massive natural disasters caused by climate change. The Day After Tomorrow is, of course, fiction. But ex-American presidential Candidate Al Gore’s movie, An […]
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The Bible doesn’t say
A few weeks ago, Bobby died. It happened quite quickly. On Thursday, he was sitting merrily on his perch. On Friday, he was shivering and looking pretty unimpressed with life. On Saturday morning, he was standing on the floor of the cage with his eyes half open, rocking back and forth. At lunchtime, when the kids and I took him to the vet, he had decided it would be best to have a little lie down. The vet was kind but decisive. We took Bobby home in a very small plastic bag. There were tears. My wife’s former history teacher (that’s a whole other story) dug a hole in the backyard, and another friend of ours found a little mournful-looking stone dog to act as headstone. Family, friends and the former history teacher prayed together that God would comfort us in our loss. Then came the inevitable question from the 6-year-old: “Is Bobby in heaven now?” Hmm. I know that there will be a new, physical creation (Isa 65:17), and it seems like the new creation will contain, at the very least, contented wolves, baby sheep, lions, cattle and humiliated snakes (Isa 65:25). But will there be a spiritual continuity of identity between the Bobby we knew and a particular budgie in the hereafter? There didn’t seem to be enough biblical data to form a meaningful answer. So I answered as I only could: “The Bible doesn’t say”.
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The End of the World as We Know It
My post on the Sola Panel today: Today, millions of Christians across the globe will join together to celebrate the end of the world as we know it. I’m talking, of course, about Good Friday—the celebration of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This is an event of cosmic significance—an event in which the world as […]
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Nowism
There is an insidious and dangerous teaching that I’ve noticed creeping into my church, threatening my Christian hope, and stifling my evangelistic effectiveness. Up to this point, it hasn’t had a catchy title.1 But I want to correct that. I’m going to call this teaching ‘nowism’, from the English word ‘now’, meaning ‘the present age’. […]