Category Archives: Opening the Bible

Worship and a Well

One of the greatest discussions in the Bible about worship takes place at a well in Samaria between Jesus and a woman from Samaria. The well was associated with the patriarch Jacob (4:6). Their discussion causes the woman to question whether Jesus is greater than Jacob (4:12). This fits right in with one of the features of John’sContinue reading “Worship and a Well”

Fabulously Clean and Invitingly Empty

Something happened on April 29, 2015 that had never occurred in over a century of major league baseball. The Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox played in Camden Yards and the stadium was . . . . empty. Due to the unrest and violence taking place in the city, the decision was made thatContinue reading “Fabulously Clean and Invitingly Empty”

Come and See

We were on a once-in-a-lifetime family trip to Greece. Our youngest daughter was there as part of her university’s international study program. Everyone had been counting their nickels for quite some time (even having a home-made gift exchange the previous Christmas). Janice and I flew to Raleigh where our oldest daughter and her husband live. From there we flewContinue reading “Come and See”

What Makes A Best Man (or Woman)

John 3:22-30 is a passage that is tucked away between Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus and His visit with the women at the well in Samaria. It’s like the U.S. Grant Memorial which sits between the Washington Monument and the U.S Capitol—by  its very location it tends to be overlooked and under-valued. But as we’ll see,Continue reading “What Makes A Best Man (or Woman)”

A Bookish Approach To The Bible

I was preaching/teaching through Revelation on Sunday nights. We had just looked at the first part of chapter 21 and talked about how although this text is commonly applied to heaven, it’s really about the exalted church that has just been delivered from Roman oppression. On the way home Janice made the comment, “That’s really not that hard to see ifContinue reading “A Bookish Approach To The Bible”

Getting Started in 2 Thessalonians

Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians was written not long after his first one. It’s brief (47 verses) but has at least three objectives. The one that usually gets the most attention has to do with his desire to correct the mistaken view some had formed regarding the return of Jesus (2:1ff). Paul’s subsequent discussionContinue reading “Getting Started in 2 Thessalonians”

Water into Wine

Numerous contemporaries of Jesus speak of good wine not possessing intoxicating qualities (Pliny, Plutarch, Horace, etc.). In fact, they describe in detail the measures taken to produce such a drink. There’s no reason then, other than cultural bias or biblical ignorance, for insisting that when the master of the banquet spoke of what Jesus made as “choiceContinue reading “Water into Wine”

Life at the Tomb

If you want to have some fun, ask a husband and wife to tell you about something memorable—their wedding, the birth of a child, a vacation story, etc. Then just back away and enjoy the moment. It doesn’t matter who starts telling the story, they won’t get too far before the other breaks in toContinue reading “Life at the Tomb”

The Day The Gates Were Carried Off

One of my favorite pictures of the resurrection comes from the Old Testament book of Judges. It is the story where Samson is inside the city of Gaza (Judges 16). His enemies are outside the gates of the city. They are convinced they finally have Samson cornered—they’ll just wait by the gates until he comes out the nextContinue reading “The Day The Gates Were Carried Off”