Matthew 24 concerns the difficult days prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD (v. 15-20, 24). Jesus speaks of political turmoil, famines, earthquakes and persecution that will result in some losing their faith so that they “will betray and hate each other” (v. 10). He then states that “Because of the increase ofContinue reading “Loving in Adversity”
Tag Archives: Jesus
The Beauty of Baptism
Baptism is beautiful—not as something to be exalted in and of itself (it’s meaningless in that sense), but as it is used by God to unite us with Christ. 1. Baptism is where a dead person comes alive. (Colossians 2:12-13). . . . having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised withContinue reading “The Beauty of Baptism”
Romans and the Atonement
How does God make the world right while maintaining His righteousness? How does He treat a person as if they’ve never sinned when in fact, they have sinned (over and over)? How can He treat the violator of His law the same as the one who keeps it and still maintain both the law andContinue reading “Romans and the Atonement”
A look at Romans 1:14-17 (1)
Why aren’t more people more enthusiastic about the gospel (i.e., the gloriously good news about what God has done for us through Jesus)? How does this revolutionary message become secondary, peripheral and ho-hum? I suppose there are many reasons. Here are a few. All of these things (and you can think of more), can getContinue reading “A look at Romans 1:14-17 (1)”
What Jesus Didn’t Say
Considering the circumstances they were facing, Jesus’ words to the seven churches in Asia in Revelation 2-3 are surprisingly brief. They obviously deal with the most vital issues facing those communities. But sometimes it can also be instructive to think about what isn’t said. Is there something omitted that we thought would be there? I can think of three thingsContinue reading “What Jesus Didn’t Say”
Swollen Nets and Shattered Hearts
They had been fishing all night and had nothing to show for it. That meant nothing to take to the market and no wages for their long night’s work. That’s the way it is with fishing sometimes— every fisherman knows that. Peter was a little disappointed and more than a little tired. They were washingContinue reading “Swollen Nets and Shattered Hearts”
What is God Saying to Us?
We’re doing a study of Luke’s gospel at Tenth Street. Our goal is to interact with the text in a way that results in us gaining a clear sense of how God is using it to speak to us today. Of course, this should be the goal of all Bible study, but it can sometimesContinue reading “What is God Saying to Us?”
“What must I do to be saved?”
Most of us are familiar with the story of the three blind men who had an elephant brought to them. They were to tell everyone what the animal was like. One of the men was near the trunk of the elephant. He grabbed it and said, “An elephant is like a mighty snake—a great boaContinue reading ““What must I do to be saved?””
Mary Takes a Trip
Mary’s trip to see her relative, Elizabeth, is one of those episodes that’s unique to Luke’s gospel. In this early section of his gospel, Luke is showing Theophilus how God broke into the world to set up the kingdom of Jesus. Rather than tapping into existing power structures like the Roman Empire or the Jewish aristocracy,Continue reading “Mary Takes a Trip”
Meditating on God’s Word
One of my favorite borrowed sayings goes something like this: “Our goal isn’t to get through the Scripture as much as it is for the Scripture to get through us.” I like that because I know from personal experience how easy it is to get distracted as you work your way through Scripture. You’re busyContinue reading “Meditating on God’s Word”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 