Most people think the story of Jonah is being obedient to God. It is common to hear the story explained something like this: God told Jonah to go to Ninevah; Jonah wanted to do his own thing instead so caught a boat in the opposite direction; when the sailors threw Jonah overboard because of the... Continue Reading →
Cancelled Debts (Matthew 18:21-35)
Just about every Australian adult lives with a certain amount of debt. For some, it might be a credit card debt of a few thousand dollars. For others, it might be a personal loan for a car, motorbike or overseas trip that could take years to repay. A lot of people have home loans or... Continue Reading →
When Others Wrong Us (Matthew 18:15-20)
Some people might think that Christian communities should be places where everyone is happy, people get along perfectly, and there are never any problems in our lives or in our relationships. The reality is far from this idealised picture of how some people think churches should be. Church communities are full of flawed, imperfect people... Continue Reading →
God’s Lamb (John 1:29-42)
When we go shopping for meat at our local butcher or supermarket, there is usually a range of different meats that we can purchase. For example, we can buy beef, pork or bacon, chicken, or even kangaroo to eat. For a long time, the classic Aussie meat has been lamb. Probably most of us at... Continue Reading →
Peter & Saul (John 21:1-19; Acts 9:1-20)
Do you know what it’s like to see someone for the first time after you’ve had a fight, or they’ve said hurtful things either to you or about you? I hope you’ve never been in that situation, but if you have, you’ll probably know how difficult it can be. Do you ignore what’s happened and... Continue Reading →
The Father’s Love (Luke 15:1-3,11b-32)
There are times in our lives when we can have a disagreement with someone or our relationship with that person can go through a rocky patch. What do we do then? Do we sit back and wait for the other person to make the first move to make things right? Or do we try to... Continue Reading →
So Many Choices! (Ephesians 1:3-14)
Have you ever looked at a menu and found it hard to decide what to order because there were so many good choices? Sometimes we can go to a restaurant or café and something on the menu appeals to us, so we choose it straight away. At other times, however, there can be so many... Continue Reading →