"But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love which with He loved us," Ephesians 2:4 There are many verses in the Bible that start with the conjunction but. This verse is compelling. The previous verses remind us we were dead in our sins and formerly walked in disobedience....
Our Savior once taught, as He often did, in the presence of certain Pharisees. These men were experts in their understanding of the Scriptures and they were the first to boast of their superior spiritual zeal. When Jesus at another time described the hypothetical prayer of a Pharisee congratulating himself...
It’s graduation season, and another batch of young men and women is preparing to leave our youth ministry and move into the next season of life with the new responsibilities, opportunities, dangers, and joys it will hold. Though it does not compare to the experience of our parents, I can’t...
The night before Jesus went to the cross He taught the disciples the importance of clean feet. Getting up from the table, Jesus took a basin of water, wrapped Himself in the towel of a servant, and went from dirty foot to dirty foot – wetting, wiping, drying – as...
Imago Dei is Latin for "the image of God." Imago Dei is an essential theological concept in Scripture, "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the...
Both of my grandparents on my mother’s side were lovers of church music, and both possessed degrees in studying it. Time spent in their home often included listening to recordings and performances of famous classical or church music. My personal library now contains dozens of hymn books that they have...
What’s the difference between Friday and Sunday? This week, quite a lot. On this Easter weekend, we observe Good Friday, but we celebrate Resurrection Sunday. The last week of Jesus’ life was filled with highs and lows. He rode into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey. He was celebrated by the people of...
Turns are usually the most interesting part of…anything that can turn. The turn in the plot while watching a movie or reading a good book. The turn in the road that brings new views and reveals the hidden. The turn of a race car tire when the flag waves, or...
H. A. Ironside recounted a story that a Bishop Potter of New York used to tell of himself. “He was sailing for Europe in one of the great trans-Atlantic liners. When he went on board, he found another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see...
What in the world is going on? That’s a good question this week. After weeks and months of speculation, war has erupted as Russia invaded Ukraine in the largest military action in Europe since World War II. We see the attack on Ukrainian cities, airports, and military facilities with our...
We can’t support and execute a plan if we don’t know it. We can’t align with one worldview while also holding to a competing one. Ultimately our lives must follow a single plan, and we had better hope we don’t make a mistake. Our passage from 1 Corinthians this week...
If you fish, you know the importance of a good net. Whether you fish from the bank, a boat, or wade in a river, having a good net handy can make the difference between landing the big one just having a story about the big one that got away. But...
Recently, one of our Church members went through the painful grief of her father’s death. Hospice did an excellent job of providing a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere for the family to be with him and say their goodbyes. While at his bedside, she had a conversation with someone on the...
In every household with more than one child, perhaps throughout all time, I imagine some version of this scene has played out on a semi-regular basis: Father: “Son, I told you to clean up the Legos.” Son: “But the sister you gave me isn’t helping me!” Parent: “…And? Does that...
Christmas comes only once a year. But it comes every year. God has built repetition into life to serve as a reminder of essential truths. When springtime comes, it reminds us that it will not always be winter, warmer weather will come, and grass and trees will be green again....
Studying John together, I have often found it fascinating how pedestrian the life of Jesus and His disciples was. How many people walked by Jesus and His band of disciples on the roads between Galilee and Samaria without ever having any clue that they had just passed within a few...
The two scenes differed in many ways. The courtrooms bore little direct resemblance. The judges were different. The milieu of family, friends, and press that filled the seats were different. There were also similarities. Defendants stood before juries of their peers facing such serious accusations that their entire earthly future...
What does it mean to be like Jesus? What does it mean to be Christ-like? Becoming like Him is a primary goal of the Christian life, of which we often speak. But what exactly does that mean in practical terms? It’s got to mean more than we just become a...
This past week’s portion of scripture in John 20:10-18 is about the empty tomb and Mary Magdalene. This got me wondering about this remarkable woman. Who was this unlikely servant and follower of Christ? We know that Christ cast seven demons out of her. I didn’t want to hurry too...
It’s not always easy to exhibit an open and devoted life to Christ before the world. In Church or small group Bible studies, we find no difficulty talking about our love and commitment to Christ. But we all know the nervousness when we are with people that either do not...