Funny, how God goes ahead of us. Yesterday I found myself weeping over BBC report of the death of anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny who was long the most prominent voice for democracy in Russia. It was reported that he died ‘suddenly’ in prison where he had been sentenced by the Kremlin to 19 years for …
Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. In the preceding verses the master of the house instructs his servants to, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in …
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of site to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lords favour. The tyranny of …
Then Jesus came to [the disciples] and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. …
But quite the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are [absolutely] necessary; and as for those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, we treat these with greater honor. (AMP) As we take a final look at Paul’s analogy on the body and its many unique parts, [did …
But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked in it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with …
Just as a body though one, has many parts but all its many parts from one body so it is with Christ… The eye cannot say to the hand’ I don’t need you!… On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are …
The Pharisees began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? In this passage …
Read more “Exploring ideas of stigma Part 2: Inclusion & Wholeness”
As he [Jesus] walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in [through] him. I come from a …
Read more “Exploring ideas of stigma Part 1: Sin and healing”
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (for Jews don’t associate with Samaritans). Jesus replied, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would …