Midweek meetings

An overview of all our Bible studies, prayer meetings and discussion groups.

Sometimes times and places change; please check the Dates & events page for up to date information.

STRATH & SLEAT

Church of Scotland

Minister's blog

Don't even think about it - or, rather, do!

"You shall not murder." Exodus 20.13 The Hebrew verb used here makes it clear that the prohibition is against the premeditated and deliberate killing of one person by another, as distinct from accidental death and the more indiscriminate killing caused by war. Jesus expands the terse command in Matthew 5. 21-26, where he reveals that murder has roots. It begins when a person nurses ill feelings against another. These ill feelings do not have to result in murder but murder is

Promising?

"Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Exodus 20.12 The first 4 of the 10 Commandments focus on our relationship to God; the latter 6 on our relationships with one another. St Paul referred to the 5th Commandment - "Honour your father and mother" - as the first "with a promise" (Ephesians 6.2) because it continues: ".. so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Of course that

Make no mistake

"You shall have no other gods before me." Exodus 20.3 The first commandment! Some might argue that it betrays Yahweh's tyranny, even insecurity. But we wouldn't say that in the context of marriage, would we? We expect the same mutual exclusivity: no other man, no other woman, only you. Yet the fact is that the Bible does not invite us to understand God's exclusive claim on our loyalty as illustrated by marriage. It's the other way around: marriage is to be a reflection of the

Lighten up?

"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." Exodus 20.7 What's the problem? People do it all the time. Even religious people... Yet there is a prohibition on using God's name thoughtlessly up there at Number 3 in the 10 Commandments. Why is it such a big deal? Apart from the obvious (disrespect towards the Lord of the Universe, Author of Life, Saviour of the World, &c), misusing anyone's name undermin

Get rid of your idols!

"You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. Exodus 20.4 The 2nd Commandment is blamed for the resistance to representing sentient beings in Jewish, Islamic and Byzantine art. That resistance might also be applied to our own Presbyterian tradition. The technical term for it is "aniconism". It stems from the fear of introducing rival objects of veneration to the Creator himself, who alone is w

Born again, born free

"Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." John 3.3 The concept of being "born again" has become confused through its association with insensitive evangelism and the American Far Right. Yet we cannot abandon it because it belongs at the heart of Jesus proclamation of the gospel: the Good News that we can enter a new relationship with God and with creation; a relationship which exists within a new dimension of life that never dies an

A sacred trust

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." Exodus 20. 8 No one would argue against the fact that Sabbath observance has changed over the years. Any lingering controversy is over whether this has been for the better. Gone are the days which were dominated by worship and teaching and which, for children, meant sitting in on adult church in the morning, returning for Sunday School in the afternoon and possibly another dose of church in the evening. Now the shops are open an

Temples of God

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" 1 Corinthians 6. 19 The verse continues into the next: "You are not your own: you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies." It is a salutary thought that the care with which the boy Samuel in the Old Testament of the Bible kept house for Eli in the temple of the Lord at Shiloh in Israel is the care with which we should prepare our hearts and

What is humankind's primary purpose?

"Humankind's primary purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." So says the opening Q&A of The Westminster Shorter Catechism (in Modern English). That means praising God is our top priority, from which everything else - mission, evangelism, pastoral care, &c - springs. And it stands to reason: the more we exalt God, the more we magnify his glory, the more convincing our testimony. To certain people, and to all of us in certain seasons of life, that will come natural

Growing up

"Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" Luke 2. 49 The problem with the Lectionary is the way it jumps from Christmas into Easter, omitting so much of the life and teaching of Jesus. In particular we are apt to miss the sole glimpse we have of Jesus' formative years, thanks to Luke, the doctor with an historian's eye for detail. This brief passage (Luke 41-52) offers a fascinating insight into Jesus' upbringing. For example, we learn that it was his parents' pract

1

2

Archive