Abraham
Genesis 12:1-3
The ancient cities of the fertile crescent were full of life, excitement, and opportunity. But one day, one man and his close family begin walking out of the city of Ur of the Chaldees, from under the shadows of the Ziggurats, to commit to a nomadic future life. Choosing to leave familiarity behind in search of a new homeland, Abraham only has God’s promise as a touchtone and guide. His decision is a very deliberate one man, to belong to God and belong to the promises for which he hopes. The journey ahead will be very long, but he is spurred on by a conviction in God’s faithfulness. Question remains, what will he belong to when he gets there? Where is “there” anyway? When will belonging to God come to its fullest meaning?
Abraham
Genesis 12:1-3
The ancient cities of the fertile crescent were full of life, excitement, and opportunity. But one day, one man and his close family begin walking out of the city of Ur of the Chaldees, from under the shadows of the Ziggurats, to commit to a nomadic future life. Choosing to leave familiarity behind in search of a new homeland, Abraham only has God’s promise as a touchtone and guide. His decision is a very deliberate one man, to belong to God and belong to the promises for which he hopes. The journey ahead will be very long, but he is spurred on by a conviction in God’s faithfulness. Question remains, what will he belong to when he gets there? Where is “there” anyway? When will belonging to God come to its fullest meaning?
Cornelius
Acts 10:17-26
Peter has good news. The Messiah, the risen Jesus, has come to save the oppressed Jewish race and deliver them back into God’s favour. But who is urgently requesting his presence to explain the wonderful message? Or Roman centurion? A leading figure in the occupying forces military? Surely, God’s favour would not extend to these outsiders? These are opponents of God’s chosen and special people, aren’t they? A centurion, of all people, cannot belong. Peter, perplexed and confused, travels to Caesarea with caution and hesitance. How astonished he is to be welcomed by Cornelius with abundant worship and humble adoration. Perhaps faith knows no bounds. Perhaps the type of person Cornelius had become shows that he truly belonged.
Cornelius
Acts 10:17-26
Peter has good news. The Messiah, the risen Jesus, has come to save the oppressed Jewish race and deliver them back into God’s favour. But who is urgently requesting his presence to explain the wonderful message? Or Roman centurion? A leading figure in the occupying forces military? Surely, God’s favour would not extend to these outsiders? These are opponents of God’s chosen and special people, aren’t they? A centurion, of all people, cannot belong. Peter, perplexed and confused, travels to Caesarea with caution and hesitance. How astonished he is to be welcomed by Cornelius with abundant worship and humble adoration. Perhaps faith knows no bounds. Perhaps the type of person Cornelius had become shows that he truly belonged.
Daniel
Daniel 6:6-30
Cultures clash. And exiled Judean Prince prostrates himself in his room towards the city of Jerusalem and the temple’s distant and destroyed ruins. Years have been spent in lavish, imperial Babylon, serving a monarch holding absolute authority over the entire spread of ancient Near East civilisation. And yet, Daniel’s reverential prayers to his God remain systematic, pious, purposeful and with precise regularity, even when legislation is passed to outlaw prayers to any other being besides the supreme ruler. And when these cultures clash, can Daniel, with his belief in one supreme God, have any place in this government any longer? Is his faith failing him? Does he believe he can become more than meat thrown for captive lions?
Daniel
Daniel 6:6-30
Cultures clash. And exiled Judean Prince prostrates himself in his room towards the city of Jerusalem and the temple’s distant and destroyed ruins. Years have been spent in lavish, imperial Babylon, serving a monarch holding absolute authority over the entire spread of ancient Near East civilisation. And yet, Daniel’s reverential prayers to his God remain systematic, pious, purposeful and with precise regularity, even when legislation is passed to outlaw prayers to any other being besides the supreme ruler. And when these cultures clash, can Daniel, with his belief in one supreme God, have any place in this government any longer? Is his faith failing him? Does he believe he can become more than meat thrown for captive lions?
David
1 Samuel 17:48-51
The giants of voice echoes around the valley; “Send out them and to fight me”. No soldier answers the call; not even King Saul, who stands head and shoulders above his army. So, what inspires a shepherd boy, with no military training whatsoever, to face a hardened, formidable warrior? Armed with only a sling and five pebbles, the youth David marches head on to face the giant. His unswerving belief in an Almighty God provides the ultimate weapon; that as God has protected him as a shepherd in the hillsides around Bethlehem, so he would protect him now. “The battle is the LORD’s”, David tells Goliath “and he will give you into our hand”. These were the last words the warrior heard.
David
1 Samuel 17:48-51
The giants of voice echoes around the valley; “Send out them and to fight me”. No soldier answers the call; not even King Saul, who stands head and shoulders above his army. So, what inspires a shepherd boy, with no military training whatsoever, to face a hardened, formidable warrior? Armed with only a sling and five pebbles, the youth David marches head on to face the giant. His unswerving belief in an Almighty God provides the ultimate weapon; that as God has protected him as a shepherd in the hillsides around Bethlehem, so he would protect him now. “The battle is the LORD’s”, David tells Goliath “and he will give you into our hand”. These were the last words the warrior heard.
Elizabeth
Luke 1:39-56
Mary’s life had been turned upside down by the news she was carrying God’s son. She retreats to the hill country of Judea – to the house of her cousin Elizabeth, who herself is 6 month pregnant with a son. Elizabeth was delighted to see her – as is her baby, who leaps in the womb! The cousins share a wonderful bond; both have been given sons by God. Elizabeth has been barren all her life and never thought she would experience the joy of becoming a mother. All parents wonder what will become their children and Elizabeth and Mary both have had amazing, and unsettling, news. These children are to become pivotal; firstly, by announcing God’s salvation, and lastly, by bringing it. But neither child would have it easy. It’s always hard to become something different or something purposeful. But should that stop you?
Elizabeth
Luke 1:39-56
Mary’s life had been turned upside down by the news she was carrying God’s son. She retreats to the hill country of Judea – to the house of her cousin Elizabeth, who herself is 6 month pregnant with a son. Elizabeth was delighted to see her – as is her baby, who leaps in the womb! The cousins share a wonderful bond; both have been given sons by God. Elizabeth has been barren all her life and never thought she would experience the joy of becoming a mother. All parents wonder what will become their children and Elizabeth and Mary both have had amazing, and unsettling, news. These children are to become pivotal; firstly, by announcing God’s salvation, and lastly, by bringing it. But neither child would have it easy. It’s always hard to become something different or something purposeful. But should that stop you?
The Ethiopian Eunuch
Acts 8:26-39
The chariot gathered pace as the arid landscape stretched out before them. It would be a long journey back home, away from Judea, back to a land of different race, colour and language. The pilgrimage to Jerusalem preserved a shared identity of sorts for this official from Ethiopia but he was still distinctly different from all due Jews who lived in the land of their fathers. So, when a mysterious man came running up to join him and began explaining the ancient scrolls of Isaiah in ways that he had never before imagined, he wasn’t prepared for such a lavish and generous display of inclusion. Delighted, he seized the opportunity to be baptized into the name of Jesus and be welcomed into a new movement that was beginning to cross cultural and racial boundaries. Emerging from the water, history was being made.
The Ethiopian Eunuch
Acts 8:26-39
The chariot gathered pace as the arid landscape stretched out before them. It would be a long journey back home, away from Judea, back to a land of different race, colour and language. The pilgrimage to Jerusalem preserved a shared identity of sorts for this official from Ethiopia but he was still distinctly different from all due Jews who lived in the land of their fathers. So, when a mysterious man came running up to join him and began explaining the ancient scrolls of Isaiah in ways that he had never before imagined, he wasn’t prepared for such a lavish and generous display of inclusion. Delighted, he seized the opportunity to be baptized into the name of Jesus and be welcomed into a new movement that was beginning to cross cultural and racial boundaries. Emerging from the water, history was being made.
Hannah and Samuel
1 Samuel 1:19-28
What sort of society do we want our children to belong to? On her annual visit to the tabernacle, Hannah poured out her soul to her God. A year later, she was pregnant with the child she had so long for. She called him ‘Samuel’, which means ‘heard of God’. In recognition of this fact, she makes an incredible decision – that when Samuel is weaned, she will give him back to God. As a child, Samuel is brought to the tabernacle to be raised there under the guidance of Eli, the priest. A truly remarkable sacrifice for a devoted mother, yet her decision proved to be a wise one; Samuel grew to be one of the greatest prophets Israel had ever seen – a man who had dedicated his life to persuading an entire nation to belong to God
Hannah and Samuel
1 Samuel 1:19-28
What sort of society do we want our children to belong to? On her annual visit to the tabernacle, Hannah poured out her soul to her God. A year later, she was pregnant with the child she had so long for. She called him ‘Samuel’, which means ‘heard of God’. In recognition of this fact, she makes an incredible decision – that when Samuel is weaned, she will give him back to God. As a child, Samuel is brought to the tabernacle to be raised there under the guidance of Eli, the priest. A truly remarkable sacrifice for a devoted mother, yet her decision proved to be a wise one; Samuel grew to be one of the greatest prophets Israel had ever seen – a man who had dedicated his life to persuading an entire nation to belong to God
Jacob
Genesis 28:10-22
On the run from the murderous intent of his twin brother, Jacob stops for the night with only a stone for a pillow. His mother had told him to flee to her brother’s house over 500 miles away. In just a few hours, Jacob’s life had been turned upside down. Where does he belong now? Will he find a welcoming home of his uncle? Answer to his thoughts, as he sleeps, the heavens open and Jacob sees angels ascending and descending between earth and heaven, in this of all places – a reminder that he belongs to God wherever he is. Since God is ever and all-present, does that mean that we, even today, might be able to share that sense of belonging? Can we discover and God who is there at all times?
Jacob
Genesis 28:10-22
On the run from the murderous intent of his twin brother, Jacob stops for the night with only a stone for a pillow. His mother had told him to flee to her brother’s house over 500 miles away. In just a few hours, Jacob’s life had been turned upside down. Where does he belong now? Will he find a welcoming home of his uncle? Answer to his thoughts, as he sleeps, the heavens open and Jacob sees angels ascending and descending between earth and heaven, in this of all places – a reminder that he belongs to God wherever he is. Since God is ever and all-present, does that mean that we, even today, might be able to share that sense of belonging? Can we discover and God who is there at all times?
Jeremiah
Jeremiah 38:6-13
The old Israelite prophet is roughly manhandled and thrown into a cistern. There is no water here; he will not drown; but there is a thick layer of mud into which the old man sinks; he is without hope, it seems, of returning home. His crime? Speaking out against injustice, oppression and corruption; and challenging the King and rulers to return to worship their one God. Perhaps there will be hope when a foreign servant hears of this grave miscarriage of justice, but it will take all the belief Jeremiah can muster to think it possible. Sometimes, like Jeremiah, there is a truth that needs to be told, even if it isn’t always, or whatever, the popular option. But does that make it an untruth? What is truth anyway in this post-modern world.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah 38:6-13
The old Israelite prophet is roughly manhandled and thrown into a cistern. There is no water here; he will not drown; but there is a thick layer of mud into which the old man sinks; he is without hope, it seems, of returning home. His crime? Speaking out against injustice, oppression and corruption; and challenging the King and rulers to return to worship their one God. Perhaps there will be hope when a foreign servant hears of this grave miscarriage of justice, but it will take all the belief Jeremiah can muster to think it possible. Sometimes, like Jeremiah, there is a truth that needs to be told, even if it isn’t always, or whatever, the popular option. But does that make it an untruth? What is truth anyway in this post-modern world.
Joseph
Genesis 37:18-26
Joseph’s brothers looked mercilessly down from the top of the pit. Sibling rivalry is nothing new and it was always going to be difficult for Joseph with 10 older brothers. Especially when their father, Jacob, make it so clear that Joseph was his favourite. That alone caused serious division within this already fractured family; but then came the dreams. Joseph’s brothers were enraged to hear about his visions and how they always seemed to have himself at the centre with the rest of the family bowing down to him. It was time to take matters into their own hands. They soon realised there was nothing to be gained from leaving him in the pit – not when there was money to be made from passing traders is on their way to Egypt. Joseph’s belief that God has a plan for him and his people is about to be tested. Belief in God can lead us down challenging paths that faith in the future that He’s planned for us and spur us on.
Joseph
Genesis 37:18-26
Joseph’s brothers looked mercilessly down from the top of the pit. Sibling rivalry is nothing new and it was always going to be difficult for Joseph with 10 older brothers. Especially when their father, Jacob, make it so clear that Joseph was his favourite. That alone caused serious division within this already fractured family; but then came the dreams. Joseph’s brothers were enraged to hear about his visions and how they always seemed to have himself at the centre with the rest of the family bowing down to him. It was time to take matters into their own hands. They soon realised there was nothing to be gained from leaving him in the pit – not when there was money to be made from passing traders is on their way to Egypt. Joseph’s belief that God has a plan for him and his people is about to be tested. Belief in God can lead us down challenging paths that faith in the future that He’s planned for us and spur us on.
Mary Magdalene
John 20:11-18
Blinded by tears, Mary Magdalene stands outside the empty tomb of the man she had faithfully followed for 3 ½ years. She no longer knows what to believe. Only two days ago, she watched Jesus die an agonising an undeserved death and had come to do the last service she could – that of anointing his body. Yet the huge stone rolled across the entrance has already been removed and his body is missing. She is well aware of the astonishing things that Jesus had done – she herself had been healed of a terrible illness. But since he had now been killed, this would surely be one step too far for her belief, wouldn’t it? And God really brought him back to life, or had someone had taken his body? And how does the gardener know her name? The empty tomb still challenges the onlooker today – what should we believe?
Mary Magdalene
John 20:11-18
Blinded by tears, Mary Magdalene stands outside the empty tomb of the man she had faithfully followed for 3 ½ years. She no longer knows what to believe. Only two days ago, she watched Jesus die an agonising an undeserved death and had come to do the last service she could – that of anointing his body. Yet the huge stone rolled across the entrance has already been removed and his body is missing. She is well aware of the astonishing things that Jesus had done – she herself had been healed of a terrible illness. But since he had now been killed, this would surely be one step too far for her belief, wouldn’t it? And God really brought him back to life, or had someone had taken his body? And how does the gardener know her name? The empty tomb still challenges the onlooker today – what should we believe?
Moses
Numbers 12:3
He was once an Egyptian prince. Moses felt a calling. He knew his heritage lay outside the imperial court and with the race of Hebrew slaves who were being mistreated and abused. And when his anger in search of justice, propelled him to defend his own people, he fled, fearing the consequences. Now he was a humble shepherd, far from any place he could call home. So how did this exiled prince become a leader with the strength and courage to stand up to the cruelty and oppression? What characteristics did he need to display? “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth” it’s to reclaim gentleness and humility to find where real strength lies.
Moses
Numbers 12:3
He was once an Egyptian prince. Moses felt a calling. He knew his heritage lay outside the imperial court and with the race of Hebrew slaves who were being mistreated and abused. And when his anger in search of justice, propelled him to defend his own people, he fled, fearing the consequences. Now he was a humble shepherd, far from any place he could call home. So how did this exiled prince become a leader with the strength and courage to stand up to the cruelty and oppression? What characteristics did he need to display? “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth” it’s to reclaim gentleness and humility to find where real strength lies.
Nehemiah
Nehemiah 2:11-18
The exiled Nehemiah had received a distressing news from his homeland of Judah. Jerusalem, at once great city, had been burned and destroyed. And nobody was interested in rebuilding it. Receiving permission from his employer, King Artaxerxes of Persia, to return home, Nehemiah inspects the damage to Jerusalem by night. It is as bad as he feared that he is not downcast. Inspired by divine promises that in Jerusalem has been, is and always will be, God’s holy city, Nehemiah knows that he can become great again with God’s blessing. He also knows that the people, under the right leadership, can become inspired to be faithful to God once more. The wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt in just 52 days. Rebuilding faith takes longer and is more challenging; but with God as the architect, isn’t it surely worth the effort?
Nehemiah
Nehemiah 2:11-18
The exiled Nehemiah had received a distressing news from his homeland of Judah. Jerusalem, at once great city, had been burned and destroyed. And nobody was interested in rebuilding it. Receiving permission from his employer, King Artaxerxes of Persia, to return home, Nehemiah inspects the damage to Jerusalem by night. It is as bad as he feared that he is not downcast. Inspired by divine promises that in Jerusalem has been, is and always will be, God’s holy city, Nehemiah knows that he can become great again with God’s blessing. He also knows that the people, under the right leadership, can become inspired to be faithful to God once more. The wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt in just 52 days. Rebuilding faith takes longer and is more challenging; but with God as the architect, isn’t it surely worth the effort?
Nicodemus
John 3:1-17
The dead of night provides some kind of cover at least. What was this higher ranking member of the Jewish judiciary thinking by stealing into the shadows of Jerusalem to meet Jesus? Strong conviction brings with it an air of confidence; but Nicodemus could only act with precisely the opposite mentality, plagued with uncertainty and doubt. Perhaps the secret meeting would help him make up his mind about Jesus, the enigmatic and controversial preacher from Nazareth? Indeed, fast-forward some months later and Nicodemus finds himself compelled to make a decision, choosing to be absent from the court win his colleagues condemned Jesus to death, and even demanding that his body is given a proper burial. Sometimes it takes a scandal to bring beliefs to the surface, to force you to make up your mind. And the scandal of Jesus and his death continues to challenge people the world over about what they really believe about the nature of humanity and the existence of God, doesn’t it?
Nicodemus
John 3:1-17
The dead of night provides some kind of cover at least. What was this higher ranking member of the Jewish judiciary thinking by stealing into the shadows of Jerusalem to meet Jesus? Strong conviction brings with it an air of confidence; but Nicodemus could only act with precisely the opposite mentality, plagued with uncertainty and doubt. Perhaps the secret meeting would help him make up his mind about Jesus, the enigmatic and controversial preacher from Nazareth? Indeed, fast-forward some months later and Nicodemus finds himself compelled to make a decision, choosing to be absent from the court win his colleagues condemned Jesus to death, and even demanding that his body is given a proper burial. Sometimes it takes a scandal to bring beliefs to the surface, to force you to make up your mind. And the scandal of Jesus and his death continues to challenge people the world over about what they really believe about the nature of humanity and the existence of God, doesn’t it?
Priscilla & Aquila
Acts 18:1-4
They had no choice but to leave. The Emperor Claudius had banished all Jews from Rome around 53AD – just one ethnic injustice in humanity’s tragic history of racism and anti-Semitism. Leaving their home behind, this couple earn a living making tents in unfamiliar Corinth, of the cosmopolitan port where people come and go. There is no sense of belonging with such transient acquaintances. But getting to know another tentmaker, another Jew named Paul from Tarsus, and hearing the almost unbelievable things he has to say about someone called Jesus, they begin to experience friendship like never before. There is still power to belong where there is a story to share. And the same story hold the same power today?
Priscilla & Aquila
Acts 18:1-4
They had no choice but to leave. The Emperor Claudius had banished all Jews from Rome around 53AD – just one ethnic injustice in humanity’s tragic history of racism and anti-Semitism. Leaving their home behind, this couple earn a living making tents in unfamiliar Corinth, of the cosmopolitan port where people come and go. There is no sense of belonging with such transient acquaintances. But getting to know another tentmaker, another Jew named Paul from Tarsus, and hearing the almost unbelievable things he has to say about someone called Jesus, they begin to experience friendship like never before. There is still power to belong where there is a story to share. And the same story hold the same power today?
Rahab
Joshua 2:1-21
Strangers visiting again? No surprise. She was used to men coming to use her services. Forced to sell her body to survive, Rahab is but one of thousands of women through history who have been pushed into dangerous and humiliating work. But this time it was different. No ordinary visitors, these foreigners from the Israelite nomadic tribes had only come for espionage and would need protection. Recognizing the great things their God had done for them, Rahab pledges allegiance you to another nation and, more particularly, another God. She vows to protect the men and in turn begs protection for herself and. Believing in their assurances, she remains in her house in Jericho, demonstrating her faith with a small token tied from her window – a scarlet thread. And when the city she used to call home crumbles around her, Rahab’s faith is vindicated, and her life is treasured by God. No matter the social background, everyone can become something precious and valuable if they are given opportunity to receive God’s love. Can today’s world still be transformed by the same power?
Rahab
Joshua 2:1-21
Strangers visiting again? No surprise. She was used to men coming to use her services. Forced to sell her body to survive, Rahab is but one of thousands of women through history who have been pushed into dangerous and humiliating work. But this time it was different. No ordinary visitors, these foreigners from the Israelite nomadic tribes had only come for espionage and would need protection. Recognizing the great things their God had done for them, Rahab pledges allegiance you to another nation and, more particularly, another God. She vows to protect the men and in turn begs protection for herself and. Believing in their assurances, she remains in her house in Jericho, demonstrating her faith with a small token tied from her window – a scarlet thread. And when the city she used to call home crumbles around her, Rahab’s faith is vindicated, and her life is treasured by God. No matter the social background, everyone can become something precious and valuable if they are given opportunity to receive God’s love. Can today’s world still be transformed by the same power?
Rebecca
Genesis 25:21-28
20 years is a long time to wait. Rebecca had been barren but the wait was finally over; a result of fervent prayer with her husband, Isaac. But something was not quite right with this pregnancy; it seemed as if an epic struggle was being played out inside her womb. So God told her that she was carrying twins; two boys who would become two nations and be divided. Jacob and Esau, as they would later be named at birth, would be as different from each other, both physically and spiritually, as it is possible to be. And the symbolic struggle in the womb would continue in later life. Knowing the end from the beginning, God could foresee how it would play out; He knows the course our life will take and who we will become. That is not to say that our future is decided for us. We have freedom and choice to drive our life in the direction we wish. He has given us free will. What will we choose to do with it?
Rebecca
Genesis 25:21-28
20 years is a long time to wait. Rebecca had been barren but the wait was finally over; a result of fervent prayer with her husband, Isaac. But something was not quite right with this pregnancy; it seemed as if an epic struggle was being played out inside her womb. So God told her that she was carrying twins; two boys who would become two nations and be divided. Jacob and Esau, as they would later be named at birth, would be as different from each other, both physically and spiritually, as it is possible to be. And the symbolic struggle in the womb would continue in later life. Knowing the end from the beginning, God could foresee how it would play out; He knows the course our life will take and who we will become. That is not to say that our future is decided for us. We have freedom and choice to drive our life in the direction we wish. He has given us free will. What will we choose to do with it?
Stephen
Acts 7:54-60
Making bewildering claims about Jesus in the hostile city crowds would inevitably have drawn attention. And so Stephen finds himself hauled before the court to explain himself amidst accusations of blasphemy. When the officials can stand his penetrating words no longer, however, all judicial procedure is long forgotten in a dramatic fashion as they drag Stephen out to be stoned. His life draining away, Stephen finds inspiration from the words of the dying Jesus showing almost unthinkable mercy. “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”. Ideas are powerful. And when ideas about Jesus and a penetrating message of forgiveness can cause others to produce powerful displays of mercy, it is worth paying attention.
Stephen
Acts 7:54-60
Making bewildering claims about Jesus in the hostile city crowds would inevitably have drawn attention. And so Stephen finds himself hauled before the court to explain himself amidst accusations of blasphemy. When the officials can stand his penetrating words no longer, however, all judicial procedure is long forgotten in a dramatic fashion as they drag Stephen out to be stoned. His life draining away, Stephen finds inspiration from the words of the dying Jesus showing almost unthinkable mercy. “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”. Ideas are powerful. And when ideas about Jesus and a penetrating message of forgiveness can cause others to produce powerful displays of mercy, it is worth paying attention.
Miriam
Exodus 15:19-21
Terrified, they had run for their lives from cruel taskmasters. The large band of slaves arrive on the far side of the Red sea, yet the Egyptian armies pursuing them are engulfed in the raging torrent of water. Relief sets in. Then it’s ecstatic joy as Miriam leads communal singing and dancing in celebration. Shared experiences forge a close sense of community. And shared experiences of God create a very deep sense of belonging. In a society that seems to be increasingly lonely, superiors all the more reason to discover something that can connect people in meaningful ways. Perhaps there is a role for God in this modern world after all? Power generates an overwhelming generosity, which itself brings peace.
Miriam
Exodus 15:19-21
Terrified, they had run for their lives from cruel taskmasters. The large band of slaves arrive on the far side of the Red sea, yet the Egyptian armies pursuing them are engulfed in the raging torrent of water. Relief sets in. Then it’s ecstatic joy as Miriam leads communal singing and dancing in celebration. Shared experiences forge a close sense of community. And shared experiences of God create a very deep sense of belonging. In a society that seems to be increasingly lonely, superiors all the more reason to discover something that can connect people in meaningful ways. Perhaps there is a role for God in this modern world after all? Power generates an overwhelming generosity, which itself brings peace.
Ruth & Naomi
Ruth 1:6-8
Ruth, the young Moabite widow, grasps hold of her mother-in-law, Naomi, herself recently widowed and bereaved of both her children, has lived for several years in a foreign land to escape the famine in Bethlehem. But now she intends to return. To her astonishment, Ruth clings onto her, pledging allegiance to a land and identity that she has never been part of; willing to leave her own people and country behind so she can belong to Naomi is god and there find identity. They both resolved to travel together back to Naomi’s hometown. But will the residents of Bethlehem set the widow, now with her foreign daughter-in-law, back into the society she once abandoned? Should they?
Ruth & Naomi
Ruth 1:6-8
Ruth, the young Moabite widow, grasps hold of her mother-in-law, Naomi, herself recently widowed and bereaved of both her children, has lived for several years in a foreign land to escape the famine in Bethlehem. But now she intends to return. To her astonishment, Ruth clings onto her, pledging allegiance to a land and identity that she has never been part of; willing to leave her own people and country behind so she can belong to Naomi is god and there find identity. They both resolved to travel together back to Naomi’s hometown. But will the residents of Bethlehem set the widow, now with her foreign daughter-in-law, back into the society she once abandoned? Should they?
Thomas
John 20:24-29
Absent, but hearing no end of the astonishing claims made by his friends, Thomas is adamant. Hearsay and rumour would not do. Only hard objective evidence would suffice. He would need to put his own hands in the wounds to believe that the crucified Rabbi, Jesus, was alive once more. Ever since, humanity has continued to pay homage to naturalism, and faith is swallowed up in ever increasing doubt. But will Thomas learn that his friends seemingly gullibility is not a reason to live a life of continued scepticism? When the dead one appears again, will he accept the possibility of something outside of his normal experience? Does society create false limits for itself, failing to accept the evidence comes in many forms? Can humanity learn to believe again without losing rationality and reason?
Thomas
John 20:24-29
Absent, but hearing no end of the astonishing claims made by his friends, Thomas is adamant. Hearsay and rumour would not do. Only hard objective evidence would suffice. He would need to put his own hands in the wounds to believe that the crucified Rabbi, Jesus, was alive once more. Ever since, humanity has continued to pay homage to naturalism, and faith is swallowed up in ever increasing doubt. But will Thomas learn that his friends seemingly gullibility is not a reason to live a life of continued scepticism? When the dead one appears again, will he accept the possibility of something outside of his normal experience? Does society create false limits for itself, failing to accept the evidence comes in many forms? Can humanity learn to believe again without losing rationality and reason?
Zachaeus
Luke 19:1-10
Short in stature and thought little of by his compatriots, Zachaeus the tax collector had very little going for him. Except wealth, of course. How much he had taken as a cut for himself, only he knew. But whatever his financial accounting habits, when the eminent preacher from Galilee was rumoured to be in the town, even the despised Zachaeus was keen to see it. And what surprise when Jesus himself asked to be hosted by this disdained individual very day. Teaching and showcasing grace, Jesus profoundly affects those who spend time with him. Zachaeus himself declares that he would return any miscalculated tax fourfold to those whom he may have wronged, and what joy to hear Jesus exclaims how salvation has visited his house. Transformative power generates an overwhelming generosity, which itself brings peace.
Zachaeus
Luke 19:1-10
Short in stature and thought little of by his compatriots, Zachaeus the tax collector had very little going for him. Except wealth, of course. How much he had taken as a cut for himself, only he knew. But whatever his financial accounting habits, when the eminent preacher from Galilee was rumoured to be in the town, even the despised Zachaeus was keen to see it. And what surprise when Jesus himself asked to be hosted by this disdained individual very day. Teaching and showcasing grace, Jesus profoundly affects those who spend time with him. Zachaeus himself declares that he would return any miscalculated tax fourfold to those whom he may have wronged, and what joy to hear Jesus exclaims how salvation has visited his house. Transformative power generates an overwhelming generosity, which itself brings peace.
