1 Samuel 28.3-20

The Bible doesn’t pretend magic isn’t real - it takes witchcraft, sorcery, and the supernatural seriously. So why did Saul, the king of God’s people, turn to a forbidden medium? This week, we trace one of Scripture’s strangest nights to a question none of us can dodge: when God feels distant, what are we tempted to turn to instead?

1 Samuel 28.3-20The Bible doesn’t pretend magic isn’t real - it takes witchcraft, sorcery, and the supernatural seriously. So why did Saul, the king of God’s people, turn to a forbidden medium? This week, we trace one of Scripture’s strangest nights to a question none of us can dodge: when God feels distant, what are we tempted to turn to instead?

Matthew 10:34-39

The characterization of Jesus as a peace-loving hippy that the general population holds of our Lord does not actually square with the Biblical account of the Gospels. Jesus said some truly shocking and radical things that polarized the people of his day: Jesus came to bring a sword? Does that sound like following Jesus will mean an easy life? With these words Jesus cuts to the heart of what it means to be his followers: division, opposition, even combat with the world. As Jesus is embraced and accepted by some with joy he will also be vehemently rejected by others with contempt. The result is inevitably a sword: even among those we hold dearest. This is the cost of following Jesus; this is what it means to be his disciple. He must have our supreme allegiance. There can be no middle ground. The call to faith is the call to forsake all and follow Jesus. Have you counted the cost?