John 7 takes place in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles about six months before Jesus’ crucifixion. As John is prone to doing, he takes an event (like Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman or the feeding of the multitude) and details some of the ripples that emanated from it. In the seventh chapter, the eventContinue reading “Finding Jesus”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
A Question About Heaven
Melissa has asked, “What verses . . . indicate reconciliation w/our loved ones after death?” Once the question of heaven is settled for ourselves, we’re just as interested in seeing it settled in regard to our loved ones, aren’t we? And why shouldn’t we be? Whatever else is true about us, we’re made for relationships. So we shouldn’tContinue reading “A Question About Heaven”
The Wounds of Love
Oscar Wilde wrote a story for children (and children at heart), called The Selfish Giant. The story is about a giant who returns from a visit with an ogre to find his garden (yard) overrun with children from the neighborhood. Being the selfish giant that he is, he angrily banishes them from the garden and buildsContinue reading “The Wounds of Love”
Jesus Wept
Yvonne wants to know exactly what John meant when he wrote, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35)? This verse is part of John’s account of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the dead. This miracle was the final “sign” in John’s highly selective catalogue of miracles that he recorded to lead people to faith and life throughContinue reading “Jesus Wept”
John’s baptism and ours
Brandon asks, Why is baptism used before Jesus? I thought baptism signified Jesus’ death and resurrection. Why would baptism be used by John if that’s what it is for? As the question suggests, the two baptisms are closely related but also have important differences. Think of them like an engagement ring and a wedding ring. The engagement ringContinue reading “John’s baptism and ours”
When A Little Water Gets In Your Boat
The familiar story of Jesus calming the storm is presented by Mark through a series of contrasts (4:35-41). 1) There is an initial contrast in the early actions of the story (Jesus is asleep while the disciples are afraid). 2) Then there is the contrast between their question (“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”)Continue reading “When A Little Water Gets In Your Boat”
Living Like It
Paul prefaces his teachings and instructions to the disciples at Thessalonica concerning the return of Jesus with these words in 1 4:13: Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. And with that,Continue reading “Living Like It”
The Possible Dream
Miguel Cervantes is known to us for writing what is considered the first modern novel, Don Quixote. The Spanish writer was born in the mid-sixteenth century and from what we are able to reconstruct of his life, it was as interesting and colorful as the characters he wrote about. Cervantes was one of seven children. HisContinue reading “The Possible Dream”
War and Peace
Paul tells the disciples at Ephesus not once, but twice, to “put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11,13). These words are part of a larger call to battle in what (by anyone’s point of view) is an extremely militaristic text. We’re to understand in no uncertain terms that there’s a war going on and we’re part ofContinue reading “War and Peace”
Surround Us Lord
We had six inches of snow from what the Weather Channel referred to as Winter Storm Fern during the last week of January. It went eastward through the central states before turning north and heading up to New England. School was out for a week here, so we had our grandsons (8, 10 & 12) over aContinue reading “Surround Us Lord”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 