Luke 1:46-55A. INTRODUCTIONIn times of adversity, some people rise to the top, while others fall in a heap.Imagine then, Mary, a girl of probably no more than twelve or thirteen years of age—engaged to be married, with her wedding day less than twelve months away—when...

Luke 1:26-38A. INTRODUCTIONOne of the facts of life is that we are constantly in the need to make plans. There are the big plans in life—one’s with long-term consequences, and one’s that require much thought—like: ‘Where we are going to live?’ ‘What sort of life style...

Mark 10:32-45A. INTRODUCTIONSome people are very ambitious. They may start at the bottom, but they’re not there for very long. And as they climb up the ladder of success, they have the attitude of, ‘Woe-betide anyone who gets in my way’. (And I’ve seen many a...

Mark 10:17-31A. INTRODUCTIONThere are many things that attract our devotion. We can be devoted to family and friends; the need to care for a parent, a partner, a child, or just someone who needs our care. We can be devoted to maintaining our rights, and the defence of...

Mark 10:2-12 & 1 Corinthians 7:1-17A. INTRODUCTION1. The World’s ViewThe topic of divorce and remarriage is a subject that continues to be an issue in society today. Apart from the high divorce rate, there are those who cannot accept divorce on any terms; there...

Mark 9:2-9A. INTRODUCTIONHe was one of the first disciples to be called; he always stands first in the list of disciples; he was part of the inner circle of three; and he was unsure of himself and his suitability to be called by God because, when he was originally...

Mark 7:31-37A. INTRODUCTION1. GossipingHow many times have you shared something that you’ve done, and specifically asked that it be kept confidential, only to find, later on, that your confidence has been broken? It maybe not in the same manner in which you told it,...

Mark 7:1-8, 14-23A. INTRODUCTIONIt has been said that Australians are paranoid about cleanliness. But then, the amount of time we spend washing or in the shower—or the way we go about making sure everything is perfectly hygienic—is often a topic of debate. In...

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56A. INTRODUCTION1. UsIt seems, sometimes, that our lives can be so busy that we have little time to rest. There’s always something that needs to be done, and no sooner have we done one job than another one is waiting our attention. Indeed, sometimes...

Mark 1:21-39A. INTRODUCTIONI don’t really need to tell you, but ask someone today what it means to practice the Christian faith and you will end up with a variety of responses:Some will say that it means living a good life. Some will say it means living according to...