Mark 14:1-9 A few days before Passover, Simon the Leper invited Jesus to a banquet, perhaps to show Jesus his gratitude for being healed from leprosy. As Jesus and the others reclining at the table (the common posture for eating at a banquet), an unnamed woman – probably Mary of Bethany (John 12:3) – “came…
Mark 4:1, 35-41 Life is sometimes compared to stormy seas. Any sailor or fisherman will tell you that storms are part of life for those who are at sea and their families. No matter how hard they try to avoid them, they come. There are storms and difficulties in every human life, whether we like…
Matthew 21:1-11 Human history is full of examples of people, or groups of people in a nation or region, going into a frenzy when they think a saviour has finally appeared and is about to change their lives. Their enthusiasm becomes contagious and grows from happiness to adulation. Usually these persons who are considered great…
Matthew 3:1-12 Have you ever listened to a great speaker’s speech or a preacher’s sermon and been captivated by his voice, vocabulary and the excellent delivery of his message, only to discover that, although you really enjoyed listening to him, you could not remember what the message was all about? It has happened to me.…
1 Corinthians 13 Isn’t it wonderful that the powerful force behind the Gospel of Jesus Christ is love? The most important element in the building of Christ’s church is very simply love – something we often take for granted. Love is the essence of God’s nature; the perfection of human character; the ultimate power in…
Matthew 14:22-36 The Calm Before the Storm (vss. 15-21) When evening approached, the disciples panicked. It was getting late and the people were hungry. How were they going to feed thousands of people? The disciples went to Jesus and asked Him to send the people away. They told Him they did not have the resources,…
Luke 2:1-20 What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Christmas? Be honest. I wonder if we, the believers and followers of Jesus Christ, have paid enough attention to and tried to understand the birth of Jesus Christ, putting the event in its right context. I believe that the way…
Daniel 5 We have often heard the Prime Minister of Canada, his government officials, and the media say that Canada is doing well and that our economy is strong. We have also heard other government leaders say that they are strong and powerful enough to deal with anything and anyone… and yet we know what…
Isaiah 40:28-31 The Bible is full of metaphors and parables that help people understand the message… and themselves! In the New Testament, Jesus often used parables to illustrate what He was teaching. For example, He compared the believers to: Sheep — “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”…
Acts 2:41-47 People ask: “Why is it that today’s church has so little impact?” Some may agree with this observation and try to explain why churches in general are not doing well, or they may say that churches are doing better than ever. You may have your own opinion and observations about the effectiveness of…
