From many a pulpit, a twisted narrative too often resounds. Such preachers clamor to offer people the promise of easy success. How? By peddling God as someone who always rewards faith with material wealth and physical well-being. Can He do this? Yes. Does He pledge to do so? No. Let’s debunk those common fallacies. Struggles, […]
2 Timothy 2:8-13: Remember Christ, Risen from Death
October 11, 2022 by
Scour what life experience teaches us. Do we not secure gnarled callouses, discovering ourselves never far estranged from life’s combat? Suppose someone grows in understanding from his vicious and searing experiences, not enraged or bitter. From these, wisdom is born from those scars we carry, a grit now tempered by compassion. Those same hands will […]
Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30: Chrestos to Christos to Kerdos
September 21, 2020 by
Under house arrest in Rome, Paul can no longer travel. In earlier days, he twice journeyed to Philippi, disembarking at the port of Neapolis. Now, trekking overland, the closer he approaches the city, the more Latin signposts speckle the landscape. Upon entering, wherever Paul turns, Roman Temples and Latin inscriptions fill the eye. The city’s […]
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 […]
The Theology of Suffering (Bad Things Happening to Good People)
December 1, 2018 by
This is the Sunday School Lesson for Dec 2, 2018, changed because of events in the life of our congregation. The only difference from this and the lesson used is this one lacks the graphics. The Theology of Glory versus the Theology of the Cross Before we look into suffering, we need to look […]
Mark 7:24-37: Knocked Down by Sin and Death
September 13, 2018 by
In less than a week, two deaths—Sandy Webb and Donna Kind-Gappa. So close together, we are left unable to make sense of this. Inside, we are a mess of emotions, disturbed and rattled. Somehow, this smacks of betrayal. For if God is real, how can he let this happen, a few days apart? Only a […]
Romans, Lesson 26: What Those in Christ Have
March 25, 2017 by
The stronger brother is chided not to abuse his Christian freedom toward the weaker brother (Romans 14:13-21), for what does not proceed from faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Apart from faith, everything a person does is tainted with sin and, thus, not perfect enough to merit anything before God. So, we turn to Christ to […]
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 […]
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 9: The Hope We Have in Christ
October 22, 2016 by
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 be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is nullified” (Romans 3:14). Someone is an heir because he inherits, not by what he does. […]
