Stephen McDonald

Is It Incredible that God Raises the Dead? (Acts 26:1-32)

Christmas is a time of repetition: the favourite carols and the familiar Christmas story. By December, the TV channels have pulled their original content and put on repeats. We repeat the stress, the busyness. And Acts 26 could seem like another repeat. This is Paul’s fifth trial. And it’s the third time Luke records Paul’sContinue reading “Is It Incredible that God Raises the Dead? (Acts 26:1-32)”

When to Die, When to Try (Acts 25:1-27)

It is sometimes said that if we really have faith, then troubles of life won’t trouble us. That if we believe hard enough, then God will deliver us, God will give us whatever we ask help for, whether it is trouble with our health, trouble with our family or our businesses. That what we reallyContinue reading “When to Die, When to Try (Acts 25:1-27)”

‘Shepherd the Flock’ (1 Peter 5:1-14)

Hypocrisy, grumbling, greed. They all reveal a heart that says, “I deserve better than God is giving me.” And that’s one of the oldest lies around. When Satan asked Eve, “Did God actually say ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the Garden’?” (Genesis 3:1), he wasn’t questioning whether God had actually said thoseContinue reading “‘Shepherd the Flock’ (1 Peter 5:1-14)”

“The Burden is Too Heavy” (Numbers 11:1-35)

The biggest problem facing the church is hypocrisy. We saw last week how our local gatherings can so easily be infected. People ‘profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works,’ (Titus 1:16). Yes, we may say that we love God and believe in Jesus. But our actions say the opposite. We canContinue reading ““The Burden is Too Heavy” (Numbers 11:1-35)”

“Put Things In Order” (Titus 1:1-16)

What is the biggest problem facing the Church? It is unbelief? The rise of secularism and atheism? Creeping restrictions on religious freedom? Maybe the problem is out style (of music, of presentation, of buildings)? Is it because our message is irrelevant? Or is it the issues exposed by the Royal Commission into abuse in religiousContinue reading ““Put Things In Order” (Titus 1:1-16)”