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If you like watching thrillers, you’ll know the moment in the story when the tables turn. The heroes have their backs against the wall – but suddenly the very thing that their captors or enemies thought they had under their control is turned against them, and the heroes prevail.  The idea repeats itself so often … Read more

Some years ago I watched a fascinating programme about child behaviour.  Ten boys and ten girls (none of whom knew each other) were each invited to a location to live under the same roof for a limited time.  Their behaviour was observed by psychologists, and the aim of the programme was to show how they … Read more

Palm Sunday is such a familiar story to many of us; we celebrate it every year, on the Sunday before Easter Day.  The image of Jesus riding on a donkey into Jerusalem is one etched into our minds, and we usually approach the day with a mixture of excitement and awe.  Excitement that privations of … Read more

The beautiful story of the anointing at Bethany is also one of the most debated – at least, John’s version is.  Why does he change the details?  And does this cast doubt on the reliability of the bible? Let’s tackle this head-on today.  And we have to start by acknowledging that this account does appear … Read more

Today’s passage is one that can be read on two levels.  In narrative terms, it forms a ‘quiet moment’ between the two emotional peaks of the dramatic raising of Lazarus (ch11) and the even more dramatic return to Jerusalem, which ultimately led to his arrest, trial, death and resurrection (ch12 onwards).  Knowing that a very … Read more