Sermons, Articles, and Other Things

We could say that the Book of Ruth is all about decisions that individuals make and the consequences and outcomes of those decisions. It began with a decision by Elimelech to move to Moab and this was followed by another decision by Naomi to stay there after his death. Then other decisions were made by their sons to marry two Moabite girls. A few years later came another opportunity for decision making when the sons died. What would the women decide to do? They decided to go to Israel. And they knew that that decision would lead to further decisions and more outcomes. That should not surprise us because life is made up of decisions. Sometimes, however, several major decisions occur together. The immediate cause for this opportunity was the end of the period of famine in Judah. This change of circumstances seems to have stimulated some self-assessment in Naomi. As far as we know, provision was still plentiful in Moab, so it was not the mere availability of food that caused Naomi to ref

No doubt, there are different ways of considering the ascension of Jesus.  After all, he had predicted that it would take place. He had also prayed about it as we can see from John 17 when he asked the Father that he would be given the glory he had in eternity, before the world was. We should remind ourselves as we think about it that Jesus had told the disciples that it was better for them that he would go away so that the Comforter could come to them. His ascension fulfilled several Old Testament predictions that prophesied of the glory that the Messiah would have. It may seem unusual to suggest, but it looks as if Luke’s focus is also on the disciples in these verses. Note the number of times the words ‘they’ and ‘them’ occur in the passage. Of course, at the same time we are to have our focus on what happened to Jesus at this significant stage in the path of exaltation, but Luke also seems to say, ‘Look what happened to the disciples.’ Is he saying to Theophilus and other later dis

What is the book of Ruth about? What are the reasons why we should consider it? Here are five.  First, it is about people (several are introduced to us in the book, believers and unbelievers, from different races and of different ages).  Second, it is about problems that people can face (famine, ethnic differences, and the social practices that prevented initially the proposed wedding of Boaz and Ruth, practices connected to the laws God had given to his people).  Third, it is about divine providence , how God works in simultaneous situations to fulfil his own will, of bringing a happy conclusion out of a sequence of hindrances and major disappointments, even tragedies.  Fourth, it is about God’s provision for needy women (Naomi, Ruth), although their needs were very different.  Fifth, it is about God’s overall purpose (Elimelech had no idea that one of his sons would marry a Moabitess who would through another marriage become the ancestor of David the king who would commence the ro

When we compare the four Gospel accounts it is clear that Luke compresses together in this passage some details that took place over the next forty days. After all, if we did not know otherwise, we would assume that the ascension took place that same evening whereas we know that it would be another forty days until it took occurred (Acts 1:3). A lot depends on how we interpret the word ‘then’ that occurs in verses 44 and 45. Does it mean that he said those words immediately or does it mean that he said them sequentially over a period of time? It looks to me as if it is sequential, presented here as a summary of his teaching given to his disciples during those days. John tells us that Jesus said something else when he met with the disciples on this occasion: ‘And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld’ (John 20:22-23). Obviously, Je

This prayer was offered to God by Nehemiah, a patriot burdened about the ongoing recovery of his people, who led the government of Judah on two occasions. The first period lasted for twelve years, and it was followed by some time in Babylon. Then he came back to Jerusalem and governed for a second time. No one knows how long this second period lasted. All we have about it, after he corrected the problems listed in Chapter 13 of Nehemiah, is this verse. Several features of Nehemiah’s character are found in both periods, and it is useful for us to remind ourselves of them, because it is inevitable that a person’s character affects his prayer life. An obvious feature was his desire that God’s people should have security in a difficult world, surrounded by enemies, and he revealed his desire in his determination to build the wall during his first term, although he discovered in his second term that the wall had to be used properly by ensuring that its gates were closed on the Sabbath. Anot

Jacob has had to leave the family home because of threats made against him by his annoyed brother Esau. He was leaving at his mother’s suggestion, who had proposed that he go to the home of his uncle Laban in Haran and find a wife there. On the journey he slept overnight near to a place called Luz, which was about fifty miles from Beersheba, and he still had four hundred and fifty miles to go. Archaeologists have discovered ruins of ancient temples at Luz, and that detail may or may not have relevance to what happened to Jacob that night. It could be the case that the living God chose to reveal himself to Jacob in a location where other religions may have seemed attractive and protective, or maybe frightening and threatening. Jacob was leaving the land to which the promises of God were linked, so perhaps he was apprehensive in more ways than one. Luz had a special place in the history of the family. Abraham had built an altar there when he was exploring the land that God had given him.