In the Christian life it's important not just to get off to a good start, but also to finish well. This chapter warns us about dropping out, but also gives us some encouragements to keep us going | 1 Samuel 12
Seeing God
In the second commandment God forbids us from making images of him, because one day he was going to send us his perfect image - Jesus Christ | Exodus 20:4-6
The Messiah and the Serpent
In 1 Samuel 11, God's anointed king does three things:
- He strengthens his people to fight back against the serpent
- He brings hope where all other options fail
- He depends on God's word and is filled with God's Spirit
You shall have no other gods before me
Why is this the first commandment? What does it mean to have other gods? And why does it matter? | Exodus 20:3
Great Sinners and a Great Saviour
We have a tendency to make destructive decisions - but despite our sin, God is stubbornly merciful | 1 Samuel 9-10
The God who Gives the 10 Commandments
God rescues his people and THEN gives them the 10 commandments - it's not about keeping them to deserve being rescued | Exodus 20:1-2
Knowing God and Knowing Ourselves
Just like with Brexit and the US Election, we need to look behind the political change to see what's going on in the lives of the people who clamour for change. This chapter holds a mirror up to two universal tendencies of the human heart, but also points us to the God who can bring good even out of grim situations | 1 Samuel 8
Three Misunderstandings about the Ten Commandments
Even in the church many people misunderstand the Ten Commandments. Many think that:
- they no longer apply
- or that we can keep them to get to Heaven
- or that their only purpose is to show us that we need Jesus.
Before we begin looking at the Ten Commandments, we need to deal with these objections.
Three Reactions to the Coming of Jesus
People have always reacted to the coming of Jesus in one of three ways: Hostility, Indifference or Worship. What will your reaction be? | Matthew 2:1-12
Good News from a Far Country
The fact that this is billed as a time of peace and good will can't mask the fact that we live in a broken world. But if Christmas leaves you feeling empty this year, it's a reminder that you were made with desires this world can't fulfil | Proverbs 25:25