Opening the Bible – Page 41 – A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green

Forever In Gratitude

I remember playing pickup basketball one day at the YMCA when we lived in South Carolina when a couple of guys came in to play. Teams were being picked and we were deciding who was going to guard who and no one wanted to guard one of the guys so I said I would. IContinue reading “Forever In Gratitude”

Faith In Our Father

It’s easy to read the story of the rich young man of Matthew 19:16-26 as a statistical outlier. To be rich and young was not common in the first century (or today). In those times, it would have suggested royalty (which Luke’s account verifies). Beyond that, Jesus told him to sell his possessions and giveContinue reading “Faith In Our Father”

Dealing Decisively With Sin

It can be a challenge to see sin for what it is—especially when it’s our sin. Sensitive people fight the tendency to make too much of their sin and see themselves as the chief of sinners while the less sensitive struggle not to trivialize their transgressions. For all of us, there’s the need for aContinue reading “Dealing Decisively With Sin”

Dead Ends, Predators, And Rotten Fruit

Here’s a text that we need to keep in its context if we are to fully appreciate all that it has to say to us. Just imagine Jesus, itinerant preacher with his rag-tag group of disciples, the carpenter from Galilee who has done no formal study of the Torah (via a rabbi), standing up and takingContinue reading “Dead Ends, Predators, And Rotten Fruit”

Not Trending On Twitter

The people of God look a little strange at times from the world’s point of view. That’s not a 21st century phenomenon or a failure of the church—it’s always been the case. In the first century, Paul told the disciples at Corinth who were part of the wisdom worshipping Greek culture that “in the wisdomContinue reading “Not Trending On Twitter”

(D)anger

Murder is a hit man, a killer for hire! Cold, calculating, ready and willing to terminate someone’s life for the right price. Such a blatant disregard for life is disgusting, isn’t it? No one who hires themselves out to take someone else’s life can be innocent in any sense of the word. You shall notContinue reading “(D)anger”

Crumbs From The King

Jesus is not acting very “Jewish” in Matthew 15. He goes on record as saying (in front of the Pharisees no less), that food does not defile (v. 10-12). He then withdraws into Gentile territory (v. 21), where He is pursued by a Canaanite woman (v. 22). Is Matthew is trying to tell us something?Continue reading “Crumbs From The King”

Clean Hands vs. Clean Hearts

Matthew 15 presents us with a discussion between three groups of people: Jesus, some Pharisees from Jerusalem, and Jesus’ disciples. The section begins in 14:1ff with Herod’s “witness” to Jesus: his guilty conscience is attributing the miracles Jesus is performing to John the Baptist (whom he had put to death). Despite Herod’s confusion, Matthew wouldContinue reading “Clean Hands vs. Clean Hearts”

Sincere Faith

Quick question: What would Paul have been without Timothy? Timothy was Paul’s helper for almost twenty years. What did he do for Paul? Basically, whatever Paul needed to have done. Paul left him at Ephesus to deal with some problem teachers while he went to Macedonia (1 Timothy 1:3ff). He sent him to Thessalonica fromContinue reading “Sincere Faith”

Called And Claimed (2)

There’s a bit more to Matthew’s story though. Maybe it would be more accurate to say that there’s a bit more of Matthew in the wonderful story he’s have us to know about Jesus. At the center of Matthew’s story of the Messiah is his own story that reflects what lies at the heart of Jesus’Continue reading “Called And Claimed (2)”