So often we try to excuse ourselves from God’s judgment by playing the comparison game saying to ourselves: “At least I’m not as bad as …..”. Romans 2 exposes that heart and says all humanity falls under God’s judgment. 

What is it that causes you to commit to something? Or to have deep convictions? For Paul, it’s nothing other than the good news of Jesus Christ!

Romans opens with a bang. It begins with gospel content before inviting gospel response. In these opening 7 verses, Paul issues both a declaration and an invitation to make Jesus Christ your Lord. 

Jesus - in the way only he can - teaches about pride. In doing so he outlines polar opposites when it comes to mission and motives.

To the most significant question (how we can be saved?), Jesus gives the clearest answer (receive the gift of eternal life with child-like dependence). 

God’s way is always the best way. Nowhere else is that tested than when it comes to the topics of Hell and divorce and remarriage. 

Peter is a classic example of it’s not enough to simply know the right answer to the question: “Who is Jesus?”. More than it being an intellectual activity, claiming Jesus as Messiah involves total and complete life-change. The way of the Messiah, is the way of the Messiah’s people.

Us humans can be too clever for ourselves when it comes to approaching God. Jesus here in Mark 7 makes it very easy when issues a blanket invitation to any and all to approach him. Jesus includes the excluded and he touches the untouchable

Jesus takes a mundance topic like the handwashing. And turns it into a deeply profound diagnosis about the true spiritual condition of every human heart. Our problem is not external but internal! 

When Jesus makes an incredible offer to come to him, it comes with an incredible promise of rest attached. In the end Jesus shows us he has a heart unlike any other and offers a trade to good to refuse.

If you want to get prayer right, you need to get Jesus right. Jesus not only invites us to align ourselves with God’s heart. He also invites us to pray about anything and everything. 

God unveils the details of the who, what, how and when of his promised rescue plan. In the process, we see a model response from Mary - one who takes God at his word, and responds in praise. 

By flagging that the end of all things is near, Peter gives a glimpse of what life can look like in the meantime while we wait. First he outlines how our relationships are to be other-person centred. Then, he describes how Jesus still cares for his church. 

Deep down, we’re all afraid of something. But Peter writes to assure us that in Jesus, we’ve got nothing to fear - even if we get harmed for doing good. 

Peter challenges us that because we are different thanks to Jesus, we’re to live differently. Specifically, how we hope is different, how we live is different and how we love is different. 

Putting God first part is a non-negotiable for a follower of Jesus. But we all know it's easier said than done. Haggai helps us hear the importance of this again with clarity and urgency - that God is to be loved first and He’s to be loved best!

For any church the challenge is to love the truth and love others. 2 John wants to say that we can love others by guarding the truth

With another picture of God’s final judgment, there’s another sobering reality. The call in this picture is to repent!

We are in the midst of a cosmic spiritual battle. Rev 12-14 not only names our enemy, but also prepares us for his tactics. In the end, by knowing our enemy, and being aware of his schemes, there’s a call for patient endurance and being loyal to the Lamb. 

God’s sobering end for this world will be no match for God’s seal and security for his people.