Book: Matthew

Jesus commits himself to the path of redemptive suffering in preference to either fight or flight, and he calls us to follow him in that commitment.

The once and for all sacrifice of Christ and our living sacrifice of ourselves are becoming one sacrifice as we and Christ become one.

Jesus will be there for us in the midst of the storms, but we are to stay together in his boat rather than jump ship in a misguided “display of faith”.

The incoming Kingdom of God often challenges conventional social norms to such an extent that it is perceived as anarchic or even evil.

Jesus calls us to do the hard work to prepare the soil of our hearts an minds, ready to grow the fruits of faith, hope and love.

In Baptism, Christ has united us with himself in his death to sin and his resurrection to radically new life.

Christ’s desire to extend hospitality to us, to welcome us at his table, is so great that he will give even his own life to bring us into the experience of his love. This is the pattern for our call to hospitality too.

You might have been written off as a dead loss (even by yourself), but only respond to the call of Christ, and you will live!

The kingdom of God is celebrating our life together now and our shared hopes and dreams of a world where all might eat and drink, and we are called to do what we can to bring this world about.

Jesus full humanity meant that temptation was real for him, as it is for us. Temptation is not in itself bad, but indicates to us that we have a gift of choice.

The message of the cross cuts against everything that would divide us from one another, and so cuts against everything that would drive us out.

The coming Christ will accomplish his purposes, which will be the best for us but may conflict with what we want from him.