Transformers is a media franchise that includes toys, animated television shows, comics and movies which feature robots in disguise. These robots have the ability to change or transform into other things such as cars, airplanes, animals and even dinosaurs. Transformers began with a line of toys in the mid-1980s that you could change from their... Continue Reading →
Undeserved Help (Matthew 15:21-28)
There are times in life when we all need help. Sometimes, problems can be so big that we can’t see our way through them, or we can’t resolve them by ourselves. These are the times when we can look to someone we trust and who has what’s needed to take care of our problems for... Continue Reading →
A Shared Meal (Matthew 14:13-21)
A long-standing tradition in a lot of church communities is the shared lunch. Many of us will remember halls full of people with long tables overflowing with casseroles, sandwiches, and homemade pies, pasties and sausage rolls, followed by delicious cakes, slices and cream-filled desserts. They were times when people would connect, talk about their lives... Continue Reading →
The Unforced Rhythms of Grace (Matthew 11:16-19,25-30)
When was the last time you learned something new? Some people find the idea of learning really difficult. It can bring up memories of long days at school, memorizing dates, facts and figures by rote, exercises that seemed totally unconnected with real life, or strict punishments if we stepped out of line. For others, learning... Continue Reading →
Acknowledging Jesus (Matthew 10:24-39)
As I drive around the Barossa, at times I see people who are driving towards me raise their hand to acknowledge me. It’s something I’ve often seen motorcycle riders do over the years. They often give each other a wave or a nod to express solidarity and camaraderie to others who share their passion for... Continue Reading →
Mercy Not Sacrifice (Matthew 9:9-13,18-26)
Jesus was associating with the wrong kind of people. In ancient Judea, people assumed that religious teachers would spend their time with followers who obeyed their religious traditions and held to high moral standards. They expected people who knew and taught God’s word to mix with people who knew the ways God wants people to... Continue Reading →
Witnesses (Luke 24:44-53)
There are a lot of movies and television shows set in courtrooms. For example, classic movies such as To Kill a Mockingbird and Twelve Angry Men all include a courtroom scene. More modern courtroom movies include A Few Good Men, My Cousin Vinny, Primal Fear, Legally Blonde, Big Daddy, just about anything by John Grisham,... Continue Reading →
God’s Plan & Purpose (Acts 2:14a,22-32)
Building a house doesn’t happen by accident. A huge amount of planning needs to go into constructing a house, or any sort of building, if it is to serve its purpose and provide a suitable dwelling for the people who will live there. From the footings to the frame, the building materials, colours, internal fittings... Continue Reading →
Life-Giving Grace (John 11:1-45)
Over the last few weeks during the season of Lent, we have been listening to God’s Word for his grace to us in Jesus. We began on Transfiguration Sunday, the Sunday before Lent started, as we heard God’s voice from the cloud instruct Jesus’ followers, including us, to listen to Jesus (Matthew 17:1-9). On the... Continue Reading →
Shining Lights (Matthew 5:13-20)
One of the greatest blessings of the modern world would need to be the electric light. We have them in every room of our homes and workplaces. We have lights on our cars and motorcycles, in our sheds, illuminating the streets of our towns, and even on our mobile phones. We can take these lights... Continue Reading →