2 Samuel 18:24-33: The Sordid Tale of King David and Prince Absalom

When an infant enters the world, the parents’ lives turn topsy-turvy. The occasions and energy once spent on their wants and needs go elsewhere, providing for their new child. Devotion […]

Mark 9:14-29: Faith and Faithfulness

In today’s Gospel, Jesus triumphs in a spiritual miracle, casting out a demon.  For us, this is almost unrelatable because we can explain, in some way, people’s bizarre conduct.  In […]

Romans: Lesson 7: God’s Righteousness for Us

In Romans 3:1, Paul started focusing on the Jewish Christians’ sin of insisting on circumcision when Christ fulfilled it on the cross, then instituting His baptism.  The Jewish Christians’ insistence […]

2 Timothy, Lesson 6: Follow and Deliver the Apostles’ Teaching from the Scriptures

Paul just finishing describing false teachers in Ephesus, comparing them to Jannes and Jambres, Pharaoh’s magicians who opposed Moses. In contrast to those false teachers, Paul now commends Pastor Timothy. […]

2 Timothy, Lesson 4: Persevere

Last week, we explored the relationship between Paul and Onesiphorus, how Onesiphorus helped Paul in prison when others had abandoned him, and how Paul prayed for Onesiphorus after he had […]

1 Timothy, Lesson 12: Paul’s Final Words to Timothy

Paul now finishes with his first letter to Timothy.   Personal words from Paul to Timothy as an overseer, continued  Read 1 Timothy 6:11-12 (starting on 12b) What had Timothy […]

1 Corinthians 4:1-5: Pastors as the Stewards of God’s Mysteries

John the Baptizer was a preacher’s preacher, putting the rest of us pastors to shame.  We fuss and fret over preaching what we know God wants us to preach–all because […]

Sunday of the Fulfillment: Jude 20-25: Contend for the Faith Once Delivered to the Saints

We know almost nothing about St. Jude, the author of today’s epistle reading.  In the introduction to his letter, Jude only gives us a few facts about himself.  He tells […]

Jonah

It’s unsettling when you finally realize that you’ve haven’t had all the information you’ve needed.  You go into a business transaction and make a lousy deal because you’ve only had […]