Author: Paul Skippen

Jesus continued, “God’s kingdom is like ten young bridesmaids who took oil lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly bridesmaids took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart bridesmaids took jars of oil to feed...

Then Jesus turned and said to the host, “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbours, the kind of people who will return the favour. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits...

Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself. These two commands...

The Pharisees plotted a way to trap him into saying something damaging. They sent their disciples, with a few of Herod’s followers mixed in, to ask, “Teacher, we know you have integrity, teach the way of God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion, and don’t...

When Jesus finished that talk, a Pharisee asked him to dinner. Jesus entered his house and sat right down at the table. The Pharisee was shocked and somewhat offended when he saw that Jesus didn’t wash up before the meal....

“Here’s another story. Listen closely. There was once a man, a wealthy farmer, who planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, put up a watchtower, then turned it over to the tenants and went off on a trip. When it was time to...

On the road someone asked if he could go along. “I’ll go with you, wherever,” he said. Jesus was curt: “Are you ready to rough it? We’re not staying in the best hotels, you know”. Jesus said to another, “Follow me”. He said, “Certainly, but...