Jesus' disciples, worried about what the future holds a few hours before Jesus will go to the cross, hear one of the most wonderful statements anyone could hear. Yet Jesus was not simply providing comfort for his friends; he was declaring himself to be the only way for anyone, anywhere, to enjoy everlasting life.

Satan's first attack on the believers in Jerusalem was via persecution, outside the church. His next comes from within the church. This solemn passage reminds us of the threat Satan poses to Christ's people, but also of the fact that Christ is greater than our enemy.

Jesus' words in John 11 were spoken at a wake. They are far from mere condolence or wishful thinking. Jesus promises that those who belong to him by faith will, as he has been already, be raised up to everlasting life! What better news could there be in a world of sin and death!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is good news for all people! But preaching that message also attracts opposition from Satan, sometimes in the form of persecution. Christians need to be ready for this, and to preach boldly even in the face of it.

We live in a hungry world - in more ways than one. In describing for us who he is, Jesus uses a picture to emphasise that life in him is full and satisfying. Hungry hearts: come to Jesus!

Peter takes the opportunity to witness following a miraculous healing in Jerusalem. He directs the attention of the Jewish people present to Jesus of Nazareth, crucified in Jerusalem, but risen from the dead, in fulfilment of their own Scriptures!

In both Luke's Gospel and Acts we read repeatedly about the kingdom of God. What is it? What does it look like? This passage gives us part of the answer. The miracles (or 'signs') done in the days of Jesus and his apostles point us forward to the full coming of his kingdom - when there will be no sickness, suffering or death. New life to the full is what the risen Jesus offers the world.

Following the remarkable events of the day of Pentecost, Luke describes what life began to look like for this new community of Jesus' followers in Jerusalem. Here we see marks of an 'ordinary,' local Christian church.

Moses had attempted to save his people at his own time, in his own strength. Decades later, when he felt completely incapable, God called him to that very task! God has a calling for all his people and we need to avoid excuses in fulfilling it. Moses' reluctance to serve is a striking contrast with the willingness of the Lord Jesus to carry out a far more demanding form of deliverance.

The story of Moses' birth and adoption into the Egyptian palace is well-known. But our familiarity with it might blind us to some of the crucial details. Exodus 2 actually tells us about Moses attempting deliver God's people on his own strength - and God over-ruling in his sovereign good purposes.