Be Perfect

Christians are to do the exact opposite of the turn-of-phrase ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket’. Christians aren’t to be people who are ‘hedging their bets’ – we are to stake absolutely everything on the salvation we have in Jesus Christ.

Wash One Another’s Feet

From John 13.

He was both King and servant – and neither of those titles are reserved to working hours. Love is a full-time occupation, after all. Love in the big things, God on the Earth and God on the cross, but also love in the washing of feet in the basin.

Disciples Make Decisions

From John 6. In which Jesus’ teaching sounds an awful lot like an invitation to cannibalism as far as his disciples are concerned.

Duty + Self Forgetfulness

From Luke 17. May we serve in such a way that we reach the evening and delight in being a part of our master’s household, however menial and tiring the work, rather than bemoaning the aching of our feet after a long day.

Prayer + Self Forgetfulness

From Luke 18. Prayer is about becoming nothing so that God may be everything. That when we decrease, Jesus may increase in our place. We are to be able to say, to use a phrase Miriam Swaffield once used, ‘when you see me, see the one who made me’.

Jesus the Feminist

The Gospels show that Jesus invites, restores and saves women. The only qualification to be a disciple, or one who teaches, leads, heals, serves or prophecies in the name of Jesus is a love of God. And gender could never disqualify anyone from that.