In Matthew 9:14-17, Jesus refused to mix the new wine (teaching) He brought with the toxic stuff the Pharisees were dispensing. Whether it was His teaching on fasting or some other issue, He wasn’t going to try to fit His teaching and ministry in with theirs (as perhaps the disciples of John were attempting to do). Continue reading “Fresh Faith (1)”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
Forward By Backward
The Torah (law) came through Moses. The call to return to the law came through the prophets. Men such as Elijah called Israel away from their idols and back to God (see 1 Kings 18). It’s no coincidence that after John appeared on the scene, Jesus identified him as the Elijah who was to come and restore all things (Matthew 17;Continue reading “Forward By Backward”
A Rich Text
Rich is a word often used and associated with material wealth. We hear about the Fortune 500—a list of the 500 richest companies in America. Then there is the Forbes 400—a list of the richest people in America. And on it goes. But, of course, rich can be used in other ways. Nutritionists speak ofContinue reading “A Rich Text”
Forgiveness, Confession & Commission
John’s gospel reaches its high water mark with Thomas’ confession that Jesus is his Lord and God (20:28). This is where John wants to bring his readers. He ties everything together by stating in v. 30-31 that the signs he had recorded are for that purpose—to bring people to belief in Jesus and the life that comes from suchContinue reading “Forgiveness, Confession & Commission”
Experiencing The Word Of God
Our family has always liked to hike and over the years we’ve had the opportunity to do so in several states (almost always at state parks). The one thing none of us are blessed with is a great sense of direction, so we appreciate the fact that the trails are always color coded. Most ofContinue reading “Experiencing The Word Of God”
Exploring Off The Coast
Our planet is a remarkable place. It is home to almost eight billion people living on six continents (seven if you count the few hearty souls in Antarctica). In addition to human life, it is populated by all sorts of amazing plants and animals. But most of the life on this planet isn’t visible toContinue reading “Exploring Off The Coast”
Eight-Sided Baptisteries And The Resurrection Of Jesus
There are two rites/ceremonials acts that God has given the church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Both of these are simple actions that symbolize much deeper, greater realities. Singing is singing and praying is praying, but when it comes to baptism and the Supper, there’s something more than what meets the eye. There is water,Continue reading “Eight-Sided Baptisteries And The Resurrection Of Jesus”
Embracing The Unpredictable
It was probably a good thing that Abraham and Sarah didn’t have any children when God called them away from Mesopotamia (Acts 7:2; Hebrews 11:8ff). We’re not given any details about how it all transpired so we have to use our imagination, but when Abraham poked his head inside the tent and told Sarah to startContinue reading “Embracing The Unpredictable”
Dwelling In The Shelter And Resting In The Shadow
Everyone recognizes there’s a difference between knowing what someone said and understanding what they meant. Several times a day we come across situations where we have to decipher the meaning of what we have heard or read. Here are some examples: “We will sell gasoline to anyone in a glass container.” “Students hate annoying professors.” “Happily theyContinue reading “Dwelling In The Shelter And Resting In The Shadow”
“Do You Want To Get Well?”
Who else but Jesus? Would anyone else dare ask a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years if he wanted to get well? Insulting? It certainly could be taken that way, but that wasn’t Jesus’ intent Neither was it something spoken in ignorance of the man’s situation. The text tells us that His question was prompted byContinue reading ““Do You Want To Get Well?””
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 