Zaccheus the tax collector

Text: Luke Chapter 19 verses 1 – 10

When Ivana Trump stood on the steps of the Trump tower in New York and proclaimed taxes are for the little people’ she was stating what we all know to be true anyway. There are ways round paying taxes, you can put your money in an off shore account, you can decide not to declare any earnings, or even to declare more liabilities than you have to get the money back in tax.

Jeremiah – Chapter 1 – The call and confirmation of Jeremiah

There is something special about a good book. The writer will draw you into the story; they will paint a picture where you always want to know more and as you progress through the book that drawing becomes stronger and stronger so that the further you get the more you want to read. One more page at 10pm turns into falling asleep after midnight.

Judges 6 verses 12 – 16 Gideon

Gideon is someone most people have heard of. He’s a heroic figure whose story of hundreds defeating tens of thousands strikes a legendary cord. For decades he has been held up as someone to be emulated and especially as the church becomes smaller and smaller, Gideon is one of those that preachers have said, why aren’t we more like Gideon, why cant we do the kinds of things he did and change the world around us?

Luke Chapter 24 verses 25-26 The Road to Emmaus – Jesus has entered his glory

Last Thursday Ian Dickie, Calum and myself went to Telford College to give out hot cross buns, palm crosses and a leaflet that talks about Easter to the students. It was good fun and we managed to distribute 100 buns, cross and leaflets in about an hour. What was really interesting was out of 100 people who got the freebies only about 3 to 4 mentioned anything to do with the Christian faith, for the rest it was just a free bun.

Luke 19 28-44 Triumphal Entry (Responding to God)

The Bible teaches and it is one of the basic tenets of Christianity that humankind was created to glorify God. We were never only about ourselves, nor were we meant to serve ourselves.

The fall of man whilst characterised by the snake and apple was actually when we took God off the throne of our hearts and put ourselves there instead. Rather than have a natural inclination of serving and worshipping God our natural inclination became to serve and worship ourselves. It became all about us and the question became what’s in it for me.

Mathew Chapter 1 verses 18 -25 Passion Sunday – The sacrifice of Christ

Today is Passion Sunday. Christians all over the world are today reflecting on the sacrifice of Christ. The sad thing is millions in the world know nothing of this. They consider Jesus to be the good teacher without understanding why he came or why he had to die. We can be just as bad. We know the story of his sacrifice, we have heard about the cross often enough it is central to our faith. Yet how many of us understand the sacrifice of Christ. If your neighbour came to you and asked what Jesus sacrifice meant, could you explain it?

Mark Chapter 10 verses 17 – 31 The Rich Young Ruler – Personal Sacrifice

A few years ago Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and the worlds richest man was asked to speak to an American secondary school assembly. He delivered these 11 rules of life to them, they make for quite interesting reading. (Cf Appendix 1)

Luke Chapter 24 verses 13 – 35 The Way of Mystery

Our world has been rocked in recent days by the earthquake in Haiti. Being in a media driven society we devour pictures of disasters with an avarice that is not healthy. Even today there are still videos of the Asian tsunami from a couple of years ago doing the rounds. Same with the planes that flew into the twin towers in New York; if you want it you can get it online.  Whenever the next disaster hits it will be the same.

Col Chapter 4 The way of Story

Paul as we all know had an interesting life. Although he travelled the Roman Empire spreading Christianity he also spent a few years under house arrest whilst waiting for his appeal to Caesar to be heard. At different times it is believed his house arrest was enforced to varying limits so for a while he could receive visitors who told him how the church was spreading.

Romans 12 1-8 The Way of Community

Before we can appreciate some of what Paul wrote to the Roman Christians we need an understanding of the historical situation that existed when he wrote to them.