Bridge of Reason

As we are in Easter week here is a sermon from John Chrysostom (the golden mouthed) Read it and you will see why he was called John the Golden Mouthed. These are eloquent truths couched in honest and inspiring invitation. This is the invitation we bring to those to whom we witness and we should never forget the power in it. Are there any who are devout lovers of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Are there any who are grateful servants? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord! Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages! If any have toiled from the first hour, let them receive their due reward; If any have come after the third hour, let him with gratitude join in the Feast! And he that arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss. And if any delayed until the ninth hour, let him not hesitate; but let him come too. And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afr...

  Many will be aware of the protests of parents outside a grammar school in Yorkshire. It is over an image shown in a classroom setting in which racism and blasphemy were being addressed. Feelings have been so strong, voices so strident and demanding, that a teacher has had to go into hiding, fearing for their safety. Students of the school have now signed an online petition asking for the teacher to be reinstated, insisting he is not racist. Clearly, the sacred is important to people of faith, important enough for the voices of the faithful to be raised when they believe what they regard as sacred is being desecrated. As Christians we honour what is sacred to us and understand when people of other faiths might raise their voices in protest when what is sacred to them appears to have been abused. People may wonder then why Christians don't normally react in such strident and intimidating ways when the name of Jesus is traduced, mocked, and used as a blasphemy. We are jealous...

The Paschal Lamb Jehovah's Witnesses have just sat and watched as the memorial meal passes them by, excluding them from the kingdom, separate from Christ, strangers to the covenant of promise, having no hope (Eph.2:12). This coming weekend I am sure they will take every opportunity to tell you our Easter celebrations are pagan and wrong. I hope this article from the archives helps you speak intelligently and biblically in your conversations. If you have encountered Jehovah’s Witnesses at all leading up to the Easter period they may well have been eager to explain to you why they don’t celebrate Easter. The Watchtower website features an article explaining  why Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Easter.  There is also a link to an article explaining  what the Bible says about Easter. Their explanations might, at first glance, look plausible. You might imagine someone doing a book study and hearing these things for the first time being given pause for thought. A close...

We know the story of Lazarus but I want to pose a question: Why did Jesus weep? He knew what he was about to do, that very soon Lazarus would walk out of that tomb, so why did he weep? In the very next chapter (12) we have the extravagant anointing of Jesus by Mary, 'for the day of my burial,' said Jesus. It is in chapter 12 we read of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. These events are that close to Easter. When we think of God's love we consider the events of Easter it's clearest expression, 'For God so loved the world...' (John 3:16) When we speak of God's love to the world that God so loved, this question arises: How can there be a God who loves when we look at the state of the world? The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah asks, “Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy?” (Jer.12:1) The psalmist writes: “I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies ar...

If you have encountered Jehovah’s Witnesses at all over the Easter period they may well have been eager to explain to you why they don’t celebrate Easter. The landing page of JW.ORG currently shows a piece explaining why Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Easter. There is also a link to an article explaining what the Bible says about Easter. Their explanations might, at first glance, look plausible and you might imagine someone doing a book study and hearing these things for the first time being given pause for thought. A closer examination and a wider search on the subject reveals some serious flaws in what they have to say. They have much to say, as many know, about the origin of the name 'Easter' and we will come to that, but in their explanation of their position on Easter they play a trick on the minds of the unsuspecting. After quoting various secular sources they finally come to the Bible and insist: 'The Easter holiday celebration is not based on...