Apart from me, you can do nothing, Jesus decrees, scorching every elegance of language away (John 15:5). Attend to His words, for He doesn’t say someone is disabled but bereft of all ability. What might glint and glimmer from us, is only “wood, grass, or stubble,” nothing eternal (1 Corinthians 3:12). “All things are from […]
1 Peter: Lesson 2 Preparing His Hearers
March 27, 2019 by
Intro In this section, Peter uses classical rhetoric, writing an “exordium” to prepare his recipients for what is to follow. The purpose is to prepare them to be more well-disposed and ready to receive his instruction. So, this section includes no explicit exhortations or commands. Instead, Peter wants his recipients to hear him without being […]
Matthew 16:13-23: Who Do You Say I Am?
March 27, 2019 by
After people demanded proof of His divinity, Jesus questions His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Earlier, the Pharisees clamored, challenging Him to give them a sign from heaven. Do not find this as strange, for lack of faith always wants to sense and experience something, not take God at His […]
1 Peter: Lesson 1
March 27, 2019 by
Introduction Theme The relationship between the Christian and culture as resident aliens in this world. Peter wants the hearers of his epistle to understand who they are before God so they can be who they are in in the world. 1 Peter tells us not so much how we are to think about God, but […]
Exodus 3:1-15: “I AM”
March 9, 2019 by
The Supreme Architect of the universe isn’t remote or indifferent toward us. No, He wants us to live in Him and love Him—this is the story of the Bible. Go back to creation, and you will find a loving God, yearning for Adam and Eve to commune with Him. After the fall, God did not […]
The “I AM,” the Flesh-and-Bone God for Us
March 4, 2019 by
In many ways, our lives are all about knowing God. For this to be, we must understand Jesus, God’s Son, as God incarnate, for “no one comes to the Father except through [Him]” (John 14:6). Still, how can this take place for us creatures born separated from God (Ephesians 2:12)? The Scriptures of God reveal […]
The Apostles’ Creed, Lesson 1
February 6, 2019 by
What is a Creed? Creed comes from the Latin word credere, meaning “to believe.” Our English word “credible” comes from credere, meaning what someone says is believable. So, a creed is a statement of what someone believes or trusts to be true. “I believe the earth is round, not flat,” is an example of a […]
Jonah 1:1-17: The God Hidden within Creation
February 4, 2019 by
“The Word of the Lord,” coming from God Himself, changes what a person receives, from the normal into the supernatural. No longer are words only sound waves. For when something from eternal realms comes to another, they transform the event. The Almighty is speaking in His Word, which means He is also acting and doing. […]
Amos 9:11-15: The Real Celebration
January 29, 2019 by
The shout goes out, “The party’s over!” The last call for alcohol is now past, and the barkeep is locking the door. Perhaps, the fat lady is concluding her song. Soon, the closing curtain descends, covering the stage. Well, people are leaving, and you must wake up in a few hours for work. So, one […]
Walking and Working in our Wilderness
January 21, 2019 by
The season of Epiphany begins with an underhanded Herod and the visit of the “wise men,” Magi, to the infant Jesus. In a way, Herod is like the Pharaoh of ancient Egypt, who stood in God’s way, attempting to keep His children enslaved. So, the Exodus is more than a historical event, also serving as […]
