9.1 Becoming a Christian and joining a Church is a serious and life changing commitment, and should not be undertaken lightly. Commitment to a Church as a member involves: v) participating regularly in the Lord’s Supper (we invite to the
Silence is golden
In the darkness of night, away from the city, following a violence encounter, in the hands of armed enemies and with no support, Jesus could meet his end. However, it will not be so. His opponents – Israel’s leaders –
Two riddles
Jesus has faced down the bullying leaders of Jerusalem. But he won’t just let them walk away. Instead, he tells one of his parables. The meaning may not be plain to some, but his opponents get it. Jesus is exposing
Answer the question!
Opposition to Jesus is becoming stronger. Given his challenge to worship in the temple, a committee of leaders come to throw hostile questions at him, looking to trap him. But Jesus manages the situation brilliantly, pushing back against the group
Serious, self-denying service
The New Testament is very aware that churches can end up with leaders who abuse their position. Paul reflects on this topic in our verses, as he gives his final speech to the elders from the church in Ephesus (Ac
David’s big tent
Some disputes look insoluble to us: the two sides just can’t agree! But then, suddenly, a solution appears and it’s such a relief! In our verses, James, a pastor in the Jerusalem church, comes up with a great answer to
Three troublesome trips
Paul’s perseverance is a notable feature in the stories we have about him (eg 2Co 11:16-33). Our verses demonstrate this as he returns from an exhausting mission trip not simply to enjoy a rest at home, but to handle a
Elders
Paul and Barnabas were not simply nomadic preachers; they were actually builders (1Co 3:10). They travelled not just to win converts and move on, but to see the kingdom of heaven firmly established on the earth. Hence, having reached Derbe