Alisdair Longwill

Many people came to Jesus throughout his ministry. One of the more aromatic encounters Jesus had is found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark & John. In John’s account, we read that a dinner was given in honour of Jesus just days before the Passover and his arrest. Present at this ‘dinner party’ were Lazarus (whom Jesus had recently raised from the dead) and his sisters Martha & Mary, and we believe others too*. These friends of Jesus had been deeply impacted by him and his ministry. Lazarus...

During a recent Staff Team meeting, my colleague Lindsay led us in devotions, drawing our attention to John 20:19–23. I’ve read this passage many times and often think of it as the “so I send you” moment. But this time, I was struck more deeply by the connection between Jesus’ greeting— “Peace be with you” —and his commissioning— “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Jesus, ever attentive to the needs of his followers, meets his disciples in their confusion and fear. He offers peace,...

Today we are bombarded with lots of catchy little phrases and sayings. I recently came across this one above and it got me thinking,...