Jesus sure had some pretty weird things to say on the surface. He took sin seriously, but he wasn't all about sin management, as many Christians are. So, what did he mean when he said we should cut our hands off and gouge our eyes out?

This is a sermon I preached at St Martin's Community Church in Melbourne, Australia, on 29 September 2024. It focuses on Mark 9:38-50.

I love Henri Nouwen's concept of the wounded healer.

It's the people who have been through intense suffering and come out the other side of it as more compassionate people who are the ones who have the most to give others.

They get it. They don't give pat answers. Their presence touches in a way that is attractive and makes you feel heard.

In this episode, I touch on some of the difficult times I've been going through this year and what they're teaching me.

No, I'm not saying you're going to hell! What I'm questioning is the idea of what the great Christian hope is.

Many of us were taught that the great Christian hope is spending eternity with Jesus up in heaven when we die.

But what if that's not what Christian hope is at all? What if it's actually much better than that? And what would that mean for improving life in this world, right here and now? Does Christian hope have any relevance to this life?