SPCK - N T Wright
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Healing of the Paralytic
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Healing of the Paralytic
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Healing of the Paralytic Matthew 9.1-8 ‘Authority’ has had a bad press, in much of the world, for a hundred years and more now. It goes together, in the popular mind, with nasty ideas like ‘repression’, ‘human rights abuses’, and such like. Think of ‘the authorities’, and wha…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Healing of the Demoniacs
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Healing of the Demoniacs
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Healing of the Demoniacs Matthew 8.28-34 I was listening to some music last night that kept surprising me. It was a great symphony, with a wonderful tune that turned this way and that, sweeping us along, catching our emotions and lifting our spirits. Then, just when you thoug…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Calming of the Storm
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Calming of the Storm
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Calming of the Storm Matthew 8.23-27 The sea has always been a symbol of wild, untamable power. You only have to stand beside the ocean, even on a calm day, to sense something of it. There is so much of it, for a start; when the tide comes in, up a beach, imagine how many gal…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Following Jesus
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Following Jesus
by SPCK - N T Wright
On Following Jesus Matthew 8.14-22 What do you always do first thing in the morning? For some, it will be shaving. For others, it will be making a cup of tea. For some, it will be vigorous exercise. For others, it will be reading the newspaper. Put it the other way: if someone fo…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Healing of the Leper and the Centurion's Servant
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Healing of the Leper and the Centurion's Servant
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Healing of the Leper and the Centurion’s Servant Matthew 8.1-13 ‘Who’s in charge here?’ The policeman suddenly appeared in the doorway. Everyone stood still. It had been a wonderful party up to that point; a bit riotous, perhaps, but great fun. Now, we guessed, one of the nei…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Obedience
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Obedience
by SPCK - N T Wright
True Obedience Matthew 7.24-29 There is a long-standing tradition among those who climb mountains in my part of the world. Often the hills, even the low ones, are covered in mist or cloud, and on many tracks and trails there is a good chance of getting lost and missing the way. S…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Two Ways
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Two Ways
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Two Ways Matthew 7.13-23 Driving the car these days becomes more and more complicated. On any given stretch of road there are more and more warning signs. ‘Lane closed.’ ‘Mud on Road.’ ‘Slow Farm Vehicles.’ Not to mention signs telling you how fast you’re allowed to drive, wa…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Prayer
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Prayer
by SPCK - N T Wright
On Prayer Matthew 7.7-12 I hate fundraising. Many people are good at it; many actually enjoy it; but I can’t stand it. I hate asking people for things anyway, and asking for money is the worst of all. As a result, I’m not very good at it. I understand that in some countries it’s …
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Judging Others
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Judging Others
by SPCK - N T Wright
On Judging Others Matthew 7.1-6 William Shakespeare based a whole play on the second verse of Matthew 7. Measure for Measure is classified as a ‘comedy’, and indeed everything works out very well in the end. But much of the play is dark and disturbing. Angelo, a noble but stern l…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - Do Not Worry
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - Do Not Worry
by SPCK - N T Wright
Do Not Worry Matthew 6.25-34 Has it ever struck you what a basically happy person Jesus was? Oh yes, we know that, according to the prophecies, he was ‘a man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief ’. We know that the darkness and sadness of all the world descended on him as he went…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Fasting and Lasting Treasure
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Fasting and Lasting Treasure
by SPCK - N T Wright
On Fasting and Lasting Treasure Matthew 6.16-24 The student looked crestfallen, as well he might. For weeks he had thought he was doing all right. Yes, he hadn’t been working as hard as he could have done; but he was in the college football team, and he was playing in a rock grou…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Lord's Prayer
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Lord's Prayer
by SPCK - N T Wright
The Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6.7-15 I was talking to a friend who had the reputation of being one of the finest preachers in the area. How did he go about it, I asked. He had no particular technique, he said; he just puzzled over the biblical readings that were set for that day unti…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - Piety in Secret
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - Piety in Secret
by SPCK - N T Wright
Piety in Secret Matthew 6.1-6 Once, when living in the Middle East, I went out for a walk in the afternoon. On my way home, feeling slightly hungry, I bought a bar of chocolate at a wayside stall. I got back home, went to my room, made a cup of tea, unwrapped the chocolate and br…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - Loving Your Enemies
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - Loving Your Enemies
by SPCK - N T Wright
Loving Your Enemies Matthew 5.38-48 There was once a father who had to go away from his young family for three or four days on business. Anxious that his wife should be properly looked after in his absence, he had a word with the oldest son, who was nine at the time. ‘When I’m aw…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Adultery and Oaths
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Adultery and Oaths
by SPCK - N T Wright
On Adultery and Oaths Matthew 5.27-37 As I was getting ready to write this section, an email arrived from an old friend in another country. His church, he said, was facing a question that troubles a great many churches in our day. What did Jesus really mean in his teaching about …
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Murder and Reconciliation
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - On Murder and Reconciliation
by SPCK - N T Wright
On Murder and Reconciliation Matthew 5.21-26 It happened again the other day. It is sadly common. A leading politician makes a gesture of contempt towards the opposition. Someone on the other side reacts angrily. Soon dozens of people are on their feet, shouting. Insults fly to a…
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - Fulfilling the Law
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - Fulfilling the Law
by SPCK - N T Wright
Fulfilling the Law Matthew 5.13-20 We all know what happens when a revolutionary party suddenly finds itself in power. It’s one thing to shout angrily from the sidelines, but quite another to form a government and run a country. All sorts of things have to be organized and dealt …
Matthew for Everyone Part 1 - The Beatitudes