Reading: Matthew 18:8-9 In my previous post I have laid out my first argument on why I believe hell is real—I did not mean to be preachy (apologies, I thought I sounded a bit one!), but rather making stable the ground I am standing on—and if this also helps your faith to be less shaky,…
Reading: Matthew 18:8-9 “But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching…
Reading: Matthew 17:24-27 I had to do a bit of searching about the temple tax, as I do not recall reading about it in the OT. But apparently, it was the atonement money referred to in Exodus 30, paid every time there was a census, and eventually as an annual tax. Now, if it was…
Reading: Matthew 16:21-28 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross…
Reading: Matthew 14:13-21 Many, many years ago I read C.S. Lewis’ “A Grief Observed”. I do not have the book with me anymore, but if I remember everything correctly, it contained 4 entries from the great author’s journal—written just after his beloved wife’s death. I thought I very much related with the anger and despair,…
Reading: Matthew 13:51-52 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” I have always…
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be…
