Reading: Mark 1:16-34 Context: What does the immediate response of the fishermen tell us about Jesus’ authority and their recognition of it? Is this a recognition by the men of the authority of Jesus? Did they respond to a command or an invitation? The fishermen’s immediate response speaks more to the appeal of Jesus than […]
Read More WIWO: Mark – Episode 3: The Call to DiscipleshipReading: Mark 1:1-15 Context: Why was John the Baptist’s ministry of preparation necessary before Jesus began His public work? There’s the importance of fulfilling prophecy – a crucial element in terms of ensuring we know that what’s going on has been spoken by God well in advance. Then there’s the nature of what John the […]
Read More WIWO: Mark – Episode 2: The Forerunner’s PreparationFrom that time, Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17 ESVUK) There’s a wonderful word to get someone’s attention in the area where I grew up in England. That word is “Oi!” Even typing it makes me chuckle as I recall the times hearing it. It’s not […]
Read More OTKC 02: RepentKey Episode Scripture: Jonah 1-4 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. (Jonah 3:10 ESVUK) The book of Jonah covers one episode in the life of the prophet. The episode, among […]
Read More For 40 Days – Day 28: Doomsday: ConceptsThey vie for your attention. You cannot give it to them. It is an episode referred to often when looking at the life of Nehemiah. That episode namely being how he was being enticed to leave his work to deal with distractions deliberately set up by his opponents. Some of those who opposed him were […]
Read More JJ 24 #11: This Requires FocusRepent. God is eager to restore. He knows where we belong; He knows our capability. He has great things in store. Repent. To access what God offers, we need to do some things. We need to acknowledge the need for restoration; to confess the condition we find ourselves in that makes restoration necessary; to admit […]
Read More Dryden Shorts: Repent – Restoration Is ConditionalRepent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. We are told that John made this proclamation and then after he was arrested, Jesus would declare the same statement. It is a fascinating one to consider. Made to an audience experiencing the rule of foreigners who hoped to free from that arrangement. Made to an […]
Read More An Announcement and An ActionReturn. This is not real peace. It’s a mirage. This is not true justice. It’s an illusion. This is not righteousness. It’s a parody. This is not good. It’s a counterfeit. This is not love. It is a twisted, corrupted and dissatisfying sham. To do this requires a rejection of the real deal. It requires […]
Read More Dryden Shorts: Return(Reflections and notes on Jesus’ words to the church in Thyatira in Revelation 2:18-29. Explore the previous parts of this series.) The words that Jesus has for the churches is that He is fair and just in His assessments. It is not about flattering anyone to make them feel better about themselves. It’s also not about […]
Read More What The Spirit Says … 08 Thyatira: Tolerating the IntolerableIt’s remarkable that a command can be an invitation and yet that’s exactly what is going on in the good news being declared. It’s not just good news that should bring a smile to the face and cheery feeling in the soul. It’s not the good news that should make us feel better for a […]
Read More King Jesus Says – Repent
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