Happy New Year!
We’ve been looking at the story of the Magi or wise men visiting Jesus, now we’ll contast them with the priests and scribes who were present at their meeting with Herod (see yesterday’s Bible reading).
The scribes and priests are also knowledgeable, learned like the Magi. They are called to advise Herod on this apparent threat to his rule – is a new king of the Jews, or the Messiah, really going to be born?
These experts on the scriptures end up helping him with his plan to have the wise men quietly scout things out for Herod, so he can swoop in and violently remove the threat.
But first, Herod needed to know where in Judea this “king” would be born. This was a question the priests/scribes could answer immediately – they knew the scriptures, the history and answer that it’s Bethlehem, the city of David.
The priests and scribes had all the information to know the messiah was coming, and coming imminently. But they did nothing but advise his enemy.
Perhaps in their view, the arrival of the Messiah represents a threat to their power and authority in their culture, and to peace with the Romans. So they go home…Herod will neutralize threat. They advise and move on.
Question: What intellectual risks are involved in following Jesus? How do you calculate those?
Reminder: We are reading the Bible in sync as one community – so check out today’s reading here.
Reminder: The best way to grow spiritually this year is to join our Christianity 101 in the Cafe Course in Pickering starting January 22nd. Register for you and a friend today!
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CloseRyan Sim - September 30, 2013
Monday - A New Idea - Acquaintances to Partners
Being great neighbours means not just knowing names and making small talk, but the relationship actually goes a step further when we start working together. One of my best neighbours ever was a partner in building a deck. I planned to build a deck, bought a book from Home Depot, and got in way over my head. The book seemed to assume perfect conditions, a new house with perfect corners, and not my century home with wonky ones. My neighbour would wander over, find me scratching my head, and give advice, tools, and a helping hand. He wasn’t just helping me, he became my partner, working alongside me. There was something in it for him – he was a shift worker bored during the daytime, and loved building things. There was something in it for me – a new deck, and new skills. It wasn’t planned, it just happened because we knew each other’s names, spent time outside and he was available. Question: When have you unexpectedly partnered with someone for a project?
More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio
From Series: "Won't You Be My Neighbour?"
More Messages From Ryan Sim...
Wednesday - Change It - Revolutionary | October 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Revolutionary | September 30, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Revolutionary | September 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Shepherd | September 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Shepherd | September 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Shepherd | September 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Shepherd | September 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - Act On It - Shepherd | September 22, 2014 | AGT | Watch | Listen | |
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Potential | September 19, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Potential | September 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Potential | September 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Potential | September 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Potential | September 15, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and Power | September 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and Power | September 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and Power | September 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and Power | September 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and Power | September 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and Profit | September 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and Profit | September 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and Profit | September 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and Profit | September 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and Profit | September 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and Philosophers | August 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and Philosophers | August 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and Philosophers | August 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and Philosophers | August 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and Philosophers | August 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and Politics | August 22, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and Politics | August 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and Politics | August 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and Politics | August 19, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and Politics | August 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and Prerequisites | August 15, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers And Prerequisites | August 14, 2014 | Extra | Watch | Listen | |
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers And Prerequisites | August 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers And Prerequisites | August 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers And Prerequisites | August 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and Pagans | August 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers And Pagans | August 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers And Pagans | August 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers And Pagans | August 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers And Pagans | August 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Pork | August 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Pork | July 31, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Pork | July 30, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday- Study It - Pioneer Pork | July 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Pork | July 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Prodigy | July 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Prodigy | July 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Prodigy | July 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Prodigy | July 22, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Prodigy | July 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Progress | July 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Progress | July 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Progress | July 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Progress | July 15, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Progress | July 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Players | July 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Players | July 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Players | July 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Players | July 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Players | July 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Pain | July 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Pain | July 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Pain | July 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Pain | July 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Pain | June 30, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Priorities | June 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Priorities | June 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Priorities | June 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Priorities | June 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Priorities | June 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Proof | June 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Proof | June 19, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Proof | June 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Proof | June 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Proof | June 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Pushback | June 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Pushback | June 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Pushback | June 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Pushback | June 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Pushback | June 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Preaching | June 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Preaching | June 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Preaching | June 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Preaching | June 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Preaching | June 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Practices | May 30, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Practices | May 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Practices | May 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Practices | May 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Practices | May 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Act On It - Pioneer People | May 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer People | May 22, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer People | May 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer People | May 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer People | May 19, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Spirit | May 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Spirit | May 15, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Spirit | May 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Spirit | May 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Spirit | May 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Pioneer Story | May 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer Story | May 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Story | May 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer Story | May 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer Story | May 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - 2014 Status Update - Grace in Lifestyle | May 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - 2014 Status Update - Generosity of Resources | May 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - 2014 Status Update - God in Worship | April 30, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - 2014 Status Update - Groups in Community | April 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - 2014 Status Update - Growth in Discipleship | April 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Resurrection | April 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Good Friday - Death for Jesus | April 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Death is Coming for Jesus | April 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Death is Coming for Jesus | April 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Death is Coming for Jesus | April 15, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - Death is Coming for Jesus | April 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Disappointment | April 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen |