Surprising and counterculture would be appropriate words to describe how God often works in this world. The Christian Church for two thousand years has believed and taught that God’s Son became incarnated in the baby Jesus. God’s Spirit made the Virgin Mary’s womb come to life. There was nothing sexual about this impregnation. God didn’t […]
In Colossians 3:16, we are exhorted to let “the Word of Christ dwell in us richly as we teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as we sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” The Lord is calling us to follow Him in this regard. Even though […]
We are approaching the Easter Season. I thought it would be a good time to repost my review of N.T. Wright’s excellent book, “Surprised By Hope”. It provides a great summary of the Christian hope which is taught in the biblical record. Putting Flesh And Bones On The Christian Hope In his book, Surprised by […]
When Colleen and I were married over 21 years ago, we chose Psalm 37:3,4 as our life verses together. Let me quote them for you: Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart […]
In the last month I have been doing a series entitled “Major Messages, Minor Prophets”. It has been a great blessing to be preaching on books of the Bible I have rarely, and sometimes never, preached from. The last 12 books of the Old Testament are called the Minor Prophets, not because the messages are […]
It is no accident that Christ experienced the Transfiguration in Mathew 17. This is a mountaintop experience above all mountaintop experiences. It happened right after Jesus’ first explicit teaching of his upcoming arrest, crucifixion and resurrection in Mathew 16:21. Suffering, spiritual power and glory are always held and experienced in dynamic tension within a Christian […]
We all like to think we have strong character and that our relationships with those in our family and church fellowship are substantive and loving. But I believe that it is in the fiery trials of life and how we respond to them which really determine the quality of our character and relationships. Are You […]
In this blog I would like to look at the last saying of Christ on the cross that is recorded in Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”. Willful Blindness There is a dynamic tension in these words. The “them” that Jesus is talking about must be guilty […]
My dad died 25 years ago, almost right to the day (March 1st). His last couple of days were spent in a coma. But just before he died, a tear streamed down his cheek. It was only one tear, but I believe it communicated much………Sorrow…….”I am going to miss you”…….Regret……..My dad was only 53 years […]
The Power of Biblical Images The manger in Bethlehem, the yoke of an oxen, the cross on Golgotha, the broken bread in the Lord’s Supper are all biblical images which convey important truths about the person and work of Jesus Christ. They also convey important truths about the nature of Christian discipleship in today’s world. […]