Unless Christ returns first, we will all face death. Experience teaches us this truth. Death is even more certain than taxes. Our experience on earth, however, cannot tell us what […]
Romans, Lesson 11: God’s Work in Baptism Frees You from the Law
In Romans 5, Paul spoke of what Jesus did objectively for all: save them. He also spoke that faith receives and trusts in what Jesus did and does. We know […]
The “Lament” Psalms, Lesson 7: Psalm 90
Structure This psalm resembles Deuteronomy 32 (vs. 10, 13, and 15) and Genesis 2:4 and 3:19 (vs. 3). We even find the same vocabulary: “dwelling place” (vs. 1, Deuteronomy 33:27), […]
Romans, Lesson 10: Jesus and Adam: One Brings Death, the Other Gives Life
Paul keeps driving home the point that our salvation is God’s doing, not a result of what we do. He earlier described us as being “weak” in relation to God. […]
The “Lament” Psalms, Lesson 6: Psalm 88
Structure Psalm 88 is the darkest of all the psalms, a prayer for help, ending without resolution. The psalmist cries out, with images providing an unflinching view of someone who […]
Church, State, and the Voting Booth
“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God” (Matthew 22:21). Jesus’ words reveal that we live our lives in two kingdoms: The kingdom of […]
Luke 8:9-17: Becoming the Infant
How can you spot a saint? What makes him different from everyone else? For starters, the word “saint” means “holy person.” So, what do you do? You examine how someone […]
Romans, Lesson 9: The Hope We Have in Christ
Paul showed the absurdity of turning what God originally did to bring someone into His Old Covenant into what people did for God. “If the adherents of the Law are to […]
The “Lament” Psalms, Lesson 5: Psalm 51
Structure This psalm is a straightforward confession of rebellion against God with a plea for Him to restore David and the promise of a faithful life in the future. Intimacy […]
Luke 18:1-8: Persistence in Prayer
Oh, how discouragement settles in our bones. We quit when details don’t go our way. We leave when life gets uncomfortable. The pain stabs us, our lungs burn, our legs […]