StephenBarkley.com

In a lamp-lit room after a ceremonial meal and a few glasses of wine, Jesus spilled his heart to his disciples. There was an awkward tension in the room. Jesus was troubled, and sent Judas away. The remaining eleven were not sure why he left, but they knew that something didn’t feel right. Jesus took [...]

“The Devil made me do it!” Flip Wilson popularized that phrase in his comedy routines.  Here’s a good example from, “The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress”: While some people just blame everything on the devil to avoid taking responsibility for their actions (it is a pretty convenient excuse), there is a serious truth behind [...]

I love the depth and shock-value of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Can you imagine what it would have been like to hear these words for the first time? You’ve heard don’t murder—I say if you’re angry with someone you’ve already committed it. You’ve heard don’t commit adultery—I say if you’ve lusted after someone, you’ve [...]

Last Sunday was unique. It happens only once every year in my tradition. Since it was the second Sunday of Advent, we sang carols and took time to remember the birth of Jesus. Since it was the first Sunday of the month, we celebrated the Lord’s Supper, and took time to remember his death. Birth [...]

George MacDonald is one of my all-time favourite authors.  I became hooked on him when I realized the esteem C. S. Lewis held for him.  I read Lilith and Phantastes a number of times, not quite comprehending the depths of them yet feeling strangely moved. Next, I read a biography and plowed through his three [...]

Few things are more fun for a teenage boy than sneaking into the girl’s cabins at camp. I remember indulging in a little covert operation once with a friend of mine. We had dodged security and made our way in to the so-called holy of holies. After hanging out for a while, we heard the [...]

There are two verses in the New Testament that just drive me crazy when people misinterpret them. The second one is part our text today. Here they are: Do not worry about . . . what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to [...]

We’re approaching Christmas. Picture Jesus, the newborn infant, lying in a manger. Now answer these questions: Did the newborn Jesus cry like any other newborn or was he supernaturally peaceful? Would the newborn Jesus be recognizable as something different from the rest of humanity by a stranger, or would he look just like any other [...]

I don’t understand why people pray that other Christians would be anointed. I’ve led worship quite consistently for the last decade, and for some reason, “the anointing” people pray for is more important for musicians—at least that’s what I’ve been able to figure out. Everyone knows that while preachers need to be anointed, it’s the [...]

Halloween was highly controversial in Bible College. Half the school was hopped-up on Rebecca Brown and Chick Tracks, while the other half thought Halloween was all about cute kids and candy. I found myself among the candy contingent. That explains why, in my third year of college, my friend and I dressed up like Kiss [...]