So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by...  Read More

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.Hebrews 13:7It’s a tricky time to be a leader. High profile failures have (rightly) placed leaders under increased scrutiny. After all, leadership is power. Power to lead people toward evil or power to lead people toward good. Added to this is a lack of trust in authority and ...  Read More

Q. 25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us.Westminster Shorter CatechismI get called a priest all the time. People who don’t know me very well but know that I work for a Church sometimes call me that. No...  Read More

 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full.To the place the streams come from, there they return again.All things are wearisome, more than one can say.The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.Ecclesiastes 1:7-8Ancient wisdom with a timeless truth. Just as the sea is never full, our desire for the pleasures of the senses never seems to be satisfied. Look no...  Read More

Blessed is the one    who does not walk in step with the wickedor stand in the way that sinners take    or sit in the company of mockers,2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,    and who meditates on his law day and night.3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,    which yields its fruit in seasonand whose leaf does not wither—    whatever they do prospers.4 Not so the wic...  Read More

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.Romans 5:19Do you like symmetry? I do. What a wonderful (though ironic) symmetry there is to the gospel. But this too gives us great hope. For just as many (billions) were made sinners. Many will be made righteous through Jesus Christ.Many man...  Read More

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”Matthew 28:18-20Last Sunday (in the sermon) we saw that we...  Read More

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.1 Corinthians 10:31So, we read on Tuesday (and heard on Sunday) - that it’s right for God’s glory to be the purpose of our lives. But what does that actually look like? To use Paul’s words, what does it look like to eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God?Well, let’s think about a couple of commo...  Read More

Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.Romans 10:4It’s hard to imagine being an Old Covenant Israelite. To keep the law of God/Moses is almost inconceivable to us. The first thing that comes to mind is trivial. No bacon! But then there’s the other stuff. The unclean/clean rules that meant separating yourself for periods of time (particular...  Read More

Q. 24. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.Westminster Shorter CatechismAcross history, Kings & Rulers have sent ambassadors and heralds to speak their will to their subjects. God sent prophets. Ordinary humans given the privilege of speaking the very words of God....  Read More

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.1 John 3:18Politicians have probably always been a bit on the nose. But it certainly feels that trust is low at the moment. What is it about them? Part of the problem is that seemingly ‘loving’ words are rarely followed by actions.John’s wise encouragement to his ‘children’ or younger followers of Jesus (John is prob...  Read More

24 You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me,    or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices.But you have burdened me with your sins    and wearied me with your offenses.25 “I, even I, am he who blots out    your transgressions, for my own sake,    and remembers your sins no more.Isaiah 43:24-25On Sunday we saw God’s purpose for all things. It wasn’t firstly love, or mercy or even justice a...  Read More