Book: Matthew

Jesus preached a vision of the Kingdom of God that re-orders our lives and communities, and finds an honoured place for those often excluded for not conforming to the pervasive norms of marriage and family.

Jesus shows us that even though there might be many things that don’t seem right to us, we would be wise to let many of them go and only fight the battles that really matter.

Self-interested leaders will frequently manufacture frightening images of an angry dangerous God to silence opposition and maintain their grip on power, but Jesus opens our eyes to these abuses and to the reality of a God of incorruptible love.

We are often afraid to face what must be faced in order to enter the new world God has promised, but God continues to promise an abundance of blessings when we overcome our fears and obey.

God created the earth and gave it to us, but mistreated, it rebels. Jesus, rising form the earth, redeems the earth, so that if can again be our true home.

Jesus calls us to prayerfully persevere for what is right and what is good, to never give up on our quest for the promise of life, and to always hold on to hope for the fulfilment of God’s will and purpose for our lives. 

Until our eyes are opened to discern the dog-domination and pig-powers that oppress us from within our culture, we will continue to be trampled underfoot by them

Where affluence creates consumers, abundance creates neighbours. It is the ethic of possessions which Jesus commends to us as a promise of how God deals with us.

The stories of Moses, Elijah and Jesus on various mountain tops reveals a process of God’s self-revelation as the one who loves us and suffers for us.

The things we have we are to hold with open hands, looking with a generous eye for the oppotunities to share our resources in ways that make a difference.

In the midst of our world, with its trials, sins, hunger, and longing for the rule of love, the prayer of Jesus leads us back to our loving God and Father.

God knows our tribulation and will keep us in the right way if we will trust to do right without fuss and without favour.