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June 21 Matthew 10: 24 – 32
We live in an age where financial greed motivates efforts to make things as inexpensive, and impermanent and short lived as possible. With often only a fake appearance of being attractive and usable, this all too quickly disappears and is gone.
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June 14 Matthew 9: 1 – 13
Jesus empowers us to come, follow Him, but we have to get up and start moving as Matthew did so long ago. William Barclay says in his commentary on Matthew, ”that no [one] ever had such faith in possibilities of human nature as Jesus did”. He saw something in the face of this one called God’s gift that others could not see. Jesus saw one who would get up and follow Him.
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June 7th Matthew 28:16 – 20
Today we celebrate the Ascension and the Holy Trinity. This lesson does not speak of the Lord’s ascension but it gives clues to its significance – the great commission to make disciples of all nations and its relationship to the Trinity.
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May 31 Acts 2:1-21 Num 11:24-30 1 Cor 12:3b-13 Jn 20:19-23
Whilst this is a very specific incident, it made me think of my friend back in Hobart, and how often the ‘spirit’ of one person can rub off on another, for good, or ill. It made me ask the questions, “What impression do I make on others? What is it of my spirit that rubs off on other people? Is it something positive or something negative?”
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May 24 Acts 1:6-14 Ps 68:1-10, 32-35 1 Pt 4:12-14, 5:6-11 Jn 17:1-11
The last words Jesus spoke before he was lifted up into the clouds (Acts 1:9) included a call to mission: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” There was no time for Jesus’ disciples to stand gazing into the sky. They had work to do. So do we. And we have the Holy Spirit to help us, as Jesus promised.
