When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Matthew 27:35–38.It’s Good Friday. But why do we call it good? Well, the truth is, no one is really sure. ...  Read More

Q. 19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.Westminster Shorter CatechismYep. We skipped a couple of questions. Sometimes the old English Puritans could be a bit too thorough. But that can also be hel...  Read More

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.Galatians 6:9-10Wisdom is having a long view of things. The passage today reminds me of the workload before Christmas. For many jobs, the lead up to Christmas means extra work to get eve...  Read More

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.Matthew 4:18-20In the Sea of Galilee, like a stone dropped in a pond, the ripples of Jesus' ...  Read More

Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”Mark 4:8The past decade has seen some incredible challenges for farming in Australia. If it isn’t drought, then it’s floods. Modern farming has many technological advances to help it overcome some of these challenges and yet still there is a struggle. Imagine 2000 ye...  Read More

I delight greatly in the Lord;my soul rejoices in my God.For he has clothed me with garments of salvationand arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,Isaiah 61:10Imagine being a cleaner to a King. You come in every day to dust down the royal apartments. It takes you the whole day just to do the walk-ins (wardrobes). One day, you notice the Royal Robe is hanging on its hook. You can’t help yoursel...  Read More

3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”Matthew 4:3-4Temptation is a part of life. Sometimes it feels like it’s a part of every minute of life. Sometimes it gets tiring and it feels harder not to give in.One thing I’ve...  Read More

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath...  Read More

Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.Westminster Shorter CatechismI think today’s topic is one of the more controversial/strange theological realities, at least to modern eyes an...  Read More

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.Deuteronomy 6:6-7One of the things I love about Village Church is our kids. Oh sure, they are noisy and messy. But they are God’s kids, given to us to raise in the way of the Lord. He has entru...  Read More

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.Matthew 4:10-11I’m a child of a Scientific age. Where the only rational explanation for things is that if it can’t be seen by a microscope, tested in a lab or deduced from maths, then it doesn’t exist. Sometimes I find the exis...  Read More

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.Colossians 1:16The book of Genesis isn’t the only place that talks about creation. Who created all things? Jesus. Who were all things created for? Jesus. Is there anything that Jesus didn’t create? No.How ...  Read More