Nahum 2:1-13 Nahum is a prophet who only appears in his own book. He prophecies destruction against Nineveh and Assyria, in a marked contrast to the book of Jonah. We certainly hear the tone of Jonah the prophet in the words of Nahum. This book fits the context of Jonah, and Habakkuk. Here Nahum describes an attack on Nineveh, or perhaps how…

I Kings 9:1-9 Covenant is a key part of the story of God and humanity. There are times when the covenant is unconditional – God will do this thing regardless of what we do; and times when the covenant is conditional – if the people are faithful then God will do this thing. This passage focuses on a conversation between God and…

Psalm 2 The challenging verses at the end of the Psalm can only be read in context of the whole Psalm. The Psalm is a contrast between the rule of God and God’s chosen ruler, and the earthly rulers.  God’s anger and mockery are explicitly named here, in a way that perhaps we don’t think of as normal. God demands a deference…

Acts 2:1-4;  Galatians 4:1-7 [5:16-26]                                                                               Paul writes that the works of the flesh are obvious. And while the duality of flesh versus spirit is a problem, let’s go explore the obviousness. For Paul doesn’t call the works of the Spirit obvious.  Our behavior illustrates that it isn’t obvious, or that we don’t care. There is a strong contrast with the fruits…

Galatians 3:1-9, 23-29            The end of this passage is the familiar part. The start is a bit more aggressive, a bit more John the Baptist, a bit louder than the tone we normally read the familiar part in. Paul does a bit of work here, addressing the people of faith in Galatia and in Marion.            This duality between faith and…

Galatians 1:13-17; 2:11-21                          Paul is here calling the other disciples on the carpet. It’s an odd passage to read a week after the Jerusalem conference, when we just heard about the church opening to Gentiles. It is important that we read the letter carefully, and in the context, remembering the conversation from Acts 15 last week.            What Paul actually seems…

Acts 15:1-18                                           The Jerusalem conference is an important moment in the life of the Church. It is a defining moment. Do people have to join the church through Judaism, or is there another way? Is salvation through the circumcision of Moses alone or is there another way?            Fundamentally, the church and its leaders have to make a decision here.…

Acts 8:26-39            So often our assumption is that missionaries and evangelism and conversion work is just sent to people who have never heard the Gospel. Contained inside that assumption are several others. One is that the Gospel is do obvious, and so compelling, and so irresistible that one only needs to be introduced to it to be converted by it. Of…

Acts 6:1—7:2a, 44-60                       And it should look and sound familiar. When there’s lots of change, there’s lots of issues. There are problems between Jews and Greeks, and a perception of unfairness. There is calling of new leaders, and friction between Jews and Christians.  Stephen reprises the role of Jesus, as all Christians are called to do.            The world needs this…