David’s days as the privately anointed king on the lam are over. During those years, several psalms describe where David was and how he was doing: Psalms 34, 52, 54, 56, 57, 63, 142. The Philistines killed Saul, allowing David now to step into his role as king. Not all will be easy, for Saul […]
Romans, Lesson 18: Not unto Us, but God
January 21, 2017 by
When we take in the macro structure of Romans, we find: Romans 1-8: God’s inclusion of the Gentiles Romans 9-11: God’s inclusion of Israel Romans 12-15: Gentiles and Jews getting along Has God’s Word Failed? A Look into the Past Read Romans 9:6-9 “counted”: Greek, logizmai, credited, “reckoned.” This is the same word […]
David, Lesson 2: A Man Fleeing for His Life
January 18, 2017 by
Relations between Saul and David worsen while it grows stronger with Saul’s son, Jonathan. Jonathan talked some sense into his father and his pursuit to murder David stopped. Still suspicious, however, Saul again tries to kill David, the “rival” to his throne. David was not safe at the royal court or any permanent residence. He, […]
Understanding New-Covenant Worship as the Fulfillment of the Old
January 17, 2017 by
This lesson is part of individualized instruction in adult catechesis. A deeper understanding of the origins of Christian worship and how it developed was desired. Here it is. Cultural Assumptions in Worship Today, many in the Church assume if God doesn’t forbid something, we may incorporate such a practice into worship. Such a view is […]
The Parable of the Sower Resown
January 16, 2017 by
This is our pastor’s article for our congregation’s newsletter for February 2017. The farmer trundles into the field to plant the seed. You think the farmer blind, for he scatters his seeds like a crazy, reckless, unpredictable man. Is he a farmer, at all? The seeds scatter on asphalt and gravel, among the weeds […]
Romans, Lesson 17: Christ is Our Super-Conqueror
January 14, 2017 by
Still on the topic of suffering in this world, Paul points us to the new world to come. From the past into the future, God keeps us in His care: He foreknew, predestined, called, justifies, and will glorify us in splendor on the Last Day. How then do we respond? Read Romans 8:31 What […]
David, Lesson 1: Introduction; David as a Shepherd, Youth, and Warrior
January 12, 2017 by
Introduction In seven lessons, we will look into David’s life, who becomes the great king of Israel. The lessons, right now, are structured as such: David as a shepherd, youth, and warrior: 1 Samuel 16 – 20 David, a man fleeing for his life: 1 Samuel 21 – 2 Samuel 1 David as King of […]
Romans, Lesson 16: Living in Christian Hope
December 17, 2016 by
In this life, we will experience suffering, for we live in a fallen world. “In Christ,” His suffering is ours—even if we are not suffering for being Christians. If we are in Him, we have what He gives us, which includes being glorified with Him on the Last Day. We know how the story ends—and […]
Romans, Lesson 15: Life in the Spirit Directs us to Our Redemption
December 15, 2016 by
Paul is now going full bore into what it means to be living life in the Spirit. This life in the Spirit is the Christian reality because the Christian is “in Christ,” which Paul earlier revealed takes place in baptism (Romans 3:3-5). Life according to the Spirit and according to the flesh Read Romans […]
Romans, Lesson 14: In Christ
December 5, 2016 by
We finished our last lesson half way through Romans, chapter 7, where Paul began to use the first-person pronoun “I” a lot. He was using a rhetorical technique called “prosopopoeia,” where he writes to represent, not himself, but the typical experience of every Jew when confronted by the Law. In Romans 7:5-6, Paul contrasted life […]
