Category Archives: Opening the Bible

Dinner for 13

With less than twenty-four hours remaining in His life, Jesus holds a meeting with His twelve apostles in an upper room. Luke tells us He “eagerly desired” to do this (22:15). Though He has next to nothing in terms of worldly possessions, He very much wants to leave them with something to mark the moment—somethingContinue reading “Dinner for 13”

We Have Seen His Glory

After Israel had completed construction of the tabernacle, “the glory of the Lord” filled it (Ex. 40:34), providing the nation the occasion to once again witness the greatness of God. So majestic was the Lord’s glory that Moses was unable to enter the tabernacle (v. 35)! Wherever Israel went, God’s glory went with them (v.Continue reading “We Have Seen His Glory”

They Missed It!

John offers more to us about the “funeral” of Lazarus than just his resurrection (though who would wish to minimize the significance of that?). He tells us about two different responses people had to this great miracle of Jesus. One reaction is not surprising; but the other is as disappointing as it is difficult to comprehend. TheContinue reading “They Missed It!”

What Sets Us Free

“Truth” is a big word in the Scripture (and life), so it’s no surprise that we find John employing the word a number of times in his gospel (23).  Fittingly, he initially uses it to tell us that Jesus is “full of grace and truth” (1:14).  There was veracity in the covenant that God brought through Moses, but theContinue reading “What Sets Us Free”

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”