Today is Pentecost Sunday and today we celebrate the birth of the Church and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is not simply the giver of gifts (as in 1 Cor 12), he is the gift of … Continue reading →

God knows his people in a way which differs from his knowledge of those who reject him.  This explains why Jesus can say that those who do not live in obedience to the Father will be told, “I never knew … Continue reading →

Baptism in/with the Holy Spirit is not explicitly mentioned in the Old Testament.  However, John the Baptist spoke to the people about this experience as if it were something they would understand.  This means that the concept must be congruent … Continue reading →

John the Baptist spoke to the crowds about one who would come after him.  “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  … Continue reading →

This morning I was praying for the Church in Australia and I prayed that we might desire the word of God as if it were bread itself.  In the midst of this prayer I was struck by the idea that … Continue reading →

“The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus.  To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.  He sighed deeply and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a sign?  Truly I tell you, no sign will be … Continue reading →

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ are you a servant of God or a son of God?  The answer is that you are both. The parable of the prodigal son is a well-known story.  The son ran away … Continue reading →

This is a message given to Tabor College combined chapel on 15th March 2107 Today I am calling this the Seinfeld message since it is a message about ‘nothing’.  What that ‘nothing’ involves will hopefully become clear as we go.  … Continue reading →

In the present church climate, there is a great deal of confusion about the nature of Old Testament law. One result of this is that people have been arguing that we don’t need to pay attention to Old Testament prohibitions, … Continue reading →

A sermon for Mt Hawthorn Community Church You are a church which is interested in social justice issues.  Indeed God is quite interested in justice.  Because of your interest in justice, I have chosen a passage for today which puts … Continue reading →

Job understood, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart” (Job 1:21a).  Paul reminded Timothy of this very thing.  “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Tim. … Continue reading →

Today [6/2/17] I have been watching ‘Shaun Micallef’s Stairway to Heaven: Mormons’, a documentary about American Mormonism.  Mormons come across as so clean-cut and moral.  They are keen on family values and relationships.  This stands in contrast to so much … Continue reading →

I have recently had an interaction with some conservative evangelicals regarding the topic of spiritual gifts, specifically those of a more miraculous nature.  I was told that the scriptures are sufficient to equip Christians for mission, and insisting that we … Continue reading →

Today I am going to indulge my desire to write something fictional, but based on a particular Bible verse.  “While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper” (Matt 26:6).  This verse does … Continue reading →

When Jesus had entered Jerusalem before his death, he told several parables about the kingdom of God.  “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  … Continue reading →

On Christmas Day I had a conversation with my nieces and nephews.  One of the things which came up was a discussion of economic systems.  The most surprising thing which came from this conversation was that they felt that they … Continue reading →

Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it … Continue reading →

Saturday’s West Australian (19/11/16) reported the Police Commissioner’s plea for the government to intervene in the lives of seriously at risk children.  The need for intervention is there because some children are growing up in homes where the parents have … Continue reading →

In Micah 6:8 there is a famous statement about the fundamentals of faith: act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.  But just a few verses earlier there is a much less famous statement, which nonetheless we should … Continue reading →

Over the last two days [19-20 Sept] I attended a conference in Adelaide hosted by the gender studies department at University of South Australia.  Much of the terminology and the references to theorists went over my head, since gender studies … Continue reading →

This short message was written as a follow-up to a discussion in church about the kingdom of God, which never comes to an end. The book of Daniel begins with the exile of the nation of Judah to Babylon.  In … Continue reading →

In January 2016 a teenager stole a car and ran over a pregnant woman—Sarah Paino.  She died but the baby was saved.  The sentencing of the teenager was reported recently.  When I heard the news story about the teenager being … Continue reading →

This is a short message delivered to a combined Church gathering addressing the question: “What is God saying to the Church?” We are asking tonight, what is God saying to the Church?  I believe that there is something to be … Continue reading →

I confess that I am very insecure about my own capacity.  Every time I write something and put it in the public sphere, I wonder if I have said something which is not correct.  How can my ponderings on topics … Continue reading →

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.  For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being … Continue reading →

Recently while driving I saw a sticker on a car windscreen which read, “I have no problem with God.  It’s his fan club I can’t stand.”  The quote is attributed to Albert Einstein.  Although I do not know whether Einstein … Continue reading →

A message spoken at a combined church meeting: When I was asked to speak about unity I thought about all the Christians who I have found it very difficult to get on with and consequently avoid ever speaking to.  I … Continue reading →

This is a sermon preached at Ocean Keys Baptist Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe … Continue reading →

In a recently read article about the parents of autistic and intellectually handicapped children it was revealed that the “overwhelming majority” of parents had negative experiences in their churches and with their clergy when it came to accommodating their disabled … Continue reading →