The Name Above Every Name
One of the most beautiful descriptions of Jesus’ willingness to humble Himself for the sake of humanity is found in Philippians 2:6-11. Rather than coming to earth in power and glory as God and King, Jesus instead freely took on the form of a human being to serve others rather than be served. His public ministry climaxed when He gave up His life on a cross . . .
It Is Finished!
When Jesus proclaimed “It is finished” from the cross at Calvary, He declared that what was accomplished would span eternity. This passionate statement represents the pinnacle of God’s redemptive plan for humanity that was formulated by the Triune God before the beginning of time . . .
Come, All Who Are Weary
In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus proclaims, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Christ’s New Commandment
During His earthly ministry, one of the teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus replied that the most important was to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.
The Story of Nicodemus
In this post we will consider the moving story of Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the ruling council of Jerusalem called the Sanhedrin. He was a man of power, prestige, and privilege, yet also, as we will see in scripture, a genuine seeker of the truth. Nicodemus is mentioned three times in the Bible and only in the gospel of John. Yet in spite of the brevity of his story we witness one man’s honest quest for truth and understanding, and his encounter with Jesus, the promised Messiah and Lord of all creation.
Found By the Hound of Heaven
In the 15th chapter of the Gospel of Luke Jesus tells the following parable to the Pharisees and teachers of the law who criticized Him for welcoming tax collectors and sinners who gathered to hear Him: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. . . .
The Story of Malchus
In the gospel of John there is mentioned a man named Malchus, the servant of the high priest, Caiaphas, who accompanies the soldiers and officials sent by the chief priests and Pharisees to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. In a brief skirmish, the disciple, Peter, cuts off the ear of Malchus and Jesus then heals him.
What Do I Know of Holy?
In the Bible God commands His people to, “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev 19:2). Later in the Sermon of the Mount Jesus declared, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt 5:48). How can we reconcile these commands to be holy and perfect with the truth that we’re unable to do so? . . .
From Fear to Faith
For the last few years my dad and I have followed the extraordinary career of Sydney McLaughlin, the current 400 meter hurdle world record holder. Until last week we were not aware that she suffered from crippling fear and anxiety for several years as she believed her value as a person was based on how she performed and what others thought about her . . .
The Lion Is the Lamb
When we think of Jesus one of the images that comes to mind is that of a lamb. John the Baptist, in fact, just before baptizing Jesus, declared Him to be “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” While Jesus described Himself as “gentle and humble in heart”, there is another title of Jesus in Scripture that is the complete opposite of this . . .
A Day In the Life of Jesus
This post includes a day in the life of Jesus from the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark followed by a beautiful meditation on this scripture from Alfred Edersheim’s book, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Every time I read this mediation I feel like I’ve been transported back to first century . . .
Let Your Light Shine
In John 8:12 Jesus made the astounding claim, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his followers that they were to be the light of the world, reflecting his love and grace to a world that desperately needs to hear His message of love and forgiveness . . .
Song of the Stars
This breathtakingly beautiful children’s story imagines all of creation recognizing that the time had finally come for the fulfillment of prophecy, which foretold that at just the right time God would enter the world as a baby in Bethlehem. The story begins, “The world was about to change forever”. And it has . . .
Too Good To Be True? A Paradox!
Have you ever received news that seemed too good to be true? If so, did it turn out to be true? This was the situation with the disciples the first evening after hearing reports of the resurrection of Jesus. When He suddenly appeared to them they struggled to believe He was alive. Scripture indicates “they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement” . . .
Today This Scripture Has Been Fulfilled
Immediately after the 40 day Showdown In The Desert with the devil, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and began his public ministry teaching in the synagogues. He then went to Nazareth where he had been brought up and on the Sabbath went to the synagogue. He took the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and after reading the text, He boldly announced “today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” . . .
Showdown in the Desert
In 2002 well known Christian author, Philip Yancey, published a book titled “The Jesus I Never Knew”. He explains the reason he wrote this book as follows:
“I am not writing a book about Jesus because he is a great man who changed history. I am drawn to Jesus, irresistibly, because he positioned himself as the dividing point of life — my life. According to Jesus, what I think about him and how I respond will determine my destiny for all eternity.” . . .
The Present Presence of God
All of us experience worry, anxiety, and fear in this life. Jesus confirmed this would be the case but assures us that we don’t need to be crippled by these worries. In fact the day before his death He said to his disciples (John 16:33), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” . . .
All Creation Points To Him
In his letter to the Colossians Paul makes this astounding claim about Jesus Christ:
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him . . .
The Significance of the Temple Veil Being Torn in Two When Jesus Died
One of the remarkable events recorded in the gospels was that when Jesus died the thick Temple veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn in two . . .
What is Truth?
Each day of our lives we make decisions based on our understanding of what we believe to be true. How do we come to this understanding? How do we discern if what we hear is true or false? How do we determine whether a person can be trusted? How does this trust develop? . . .