Author: the Apostle John Date: 90-95 AD Read 2 John 1:1-3 – What does the term “elder” mean in this context? “Elect Lady” John uses the term “elect lady” to refer to a local congregation. We see this further affirmed by a greeting from a sister community in verse 13. What we should take […]
St. Mary Magdalene, July 22nd
July 17, 2012 by
Whenever the New Testament Gospels name the women who followed Jesus, St. Mary Magdalene is listed first (John 19:25 is the only exception), perhaps because she was the first to see the risen Savior alive. Luke 8:2 reports that Jesus had cured her of being possessed by seven demons. Through the centuries, she has often […]
Revelation, Lesson 5: Chapters 2-3
July 16, 2012 by
Chapters 2-3: The Seven Churches Now seeming to revel in the number 7, Jesus gives John a short letter to deliver to the “angel” of each of the seven congregations. But more than that, we have the seven letters organized into a seven-part pattern. This is seven on top of seven. As we learned earlier, […]
Ephesians 1:3-14: Predestination
July 15, 2012 by
Today, we hear about a difficult truth in Scripture: Predestination. Predestination is God choosing someone for salvation, even before He created the world. At first blush, that’s sound crazy, doesn’t it? And so, to learn God’s truths about predestination, we must bind our human reason and let God’s divine Word shape our understanding. For if […]
1 John, Lesson 4: Conclusion
July 3, 2012 by
Eternal Life, Prayer, and Sin Read 1 John 4:13 – Who has eternal life? – What does believing in the name of the Son of God mean? Read 1 John 5:14-15 In 1 John 5:13-15, John moves from the greater to the lesser. If God has given us eternal life in Christ, then […]
2 Samuel 12:11-25: Prayer as the First Resort
July 1, 2012 by
You’re forgiven. So, now what; what do you do now? That’ worth asking, for the Christian life doesn’t end with forgiveness. That’s where it begins. So, what do you do now? And so we ponder our Old Testament reading. But that reading begins where we usually end the story of King David and Bathsheba. Earlier, […]
1st John, Lesson 3: God vs. Antichrists
June 27, 2012 by
Christ vs. Antichrists Read 1 John 2:18-23 Scripture predicts the coming of the Antichrist. The Apostle Paul warns about the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4). Yet, John refers to the coming of many antichrists—not just one. “Antichrist” means “one who takes the place of Christ.” So, anyone or anything that tries to topple Christ […]
The Sinner’s Prayer
June 25, 2012 by
This is our pastor’s next article for the local paper, The Stone County Gazette. As someone brought up as a Southern Baptist, a recent debate taking place within that church body captured my attention. Recently, much discussion has take place on what many call the “sinner’s prayer.” For those of you unfamiliar with such a […]
The Nativity (Birth) of St. John the Baptizer
June 25, 2012 by
John the Baptizer’s dad, Zechariah, is mute. He can’t speak, for when the angel Gabriel had told him that he would have a son, he did not believe. He was too old. His wife, Elizabeth, had already gone through menopause. So, of course he didn’t believe. And so, God judged the lips that denied His […]
Pastor Futrell on Issues Etc.
June 24, 2012 by
On June 21st, our pastor was on Issues Etc., a Lutheran radio talk show. To hear him help explain the Parable of the Prodigal Son, click here http://issuesetc.org/podcast/10390621121.mp3.
