Book: Luke

The crucified and risen Jesus teaches us to interpret the whole Bible through his eyes.

Jesus probably won’t meet our expectations, but will instead set out to convert our expectations and lead us into a new world that exceeds anything we could have expected.

The “things” we so readily put our trust in, or find our identity in, will all fall, and only God’s love and care for us will remain.

God’s mission is much bigger than us, and to play our part in it, we need to live freely and fearlessly and maintain a humble and faithful connection with the traditions and wisdom of the wider Church.

Jesus doesn’t come looking for ready-made heroes, but for the small, damaged and fragile people we are, so that in the company of Jesus, we can become the giants we always dreamed of.

We can take our salvation and just return to normal life, but God calls us beyond normal into a wholeness that grows from praise, prayer and service.

Forgiving the way Jesus does will always be seen as not just disreputable, but even dangerous and criminal.

God sees us as trapped in the rubble of a collapsing world and is desperately seeking to find and rescue us before it is too late.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

God is all ready to heal and free us, but organised religion is not always so quick to agree.

Full-blooded Christian discipleship may cost us some precious relationships and a lot of blood sweat and tears, but we will have plenty of new supporters and it all all be well worth it in the end.

God has created us for relationships, and any values or priorities that are willing to sacrifice relationship for something else will cripple us.