Can you name the greatest commandment? Jesus said it’s “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” (Mt. 22:37). If you’ve spent any time in church you’ve probably heard that commandment. In most churches I’ve attended though, we easily glide past the greatest commandment and move on to the secondary one: ... [Continue Reading]
Closet Jesus Fans (Mark 11; John 12)
The miracle involving raising Lazarus from the dead was a pretty convincing sight for those who hadn’t yet decided what they thought of Jesus. It’s hard to deny the deity of a man who is able to bring someone else back to life. John (as well as other Gospel writers) tells us that the Pharisees wanted to put Lazarus back to death because of the commotion this miracle was ... [Continue Reading]
Why Jesus Came (Luke 18:15-19:48)
When Jesus showed up on the scene around 2000 years ago, He was stepping into a religious system where people were distant from God. The religious rulers (the Pharisees) had established law after law after law that had to be adhered to for a person to find favor with God. These laws had their origins from the time of Moses, but the Pharisees took the laws to ... [Continue Reading]
A Poor Fig Tree (Matthew 20-21)
Every time I read the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree that was bearing no fruit I have this feeling that the act was out of His character. After all, it wasn’t the tree’s fault that it bore no fruit, and Jesus typically had compassion on the faultless. However, that is a simplistic view of the purpose of the cursed tree: to serve as a symbol of Israel and ... [Continue Reading]
Drinking the Cup (Matthew 19; Mark 10)
As Jesus was traveling with His disciples James and John made an odd request: “can we sit at your right and at your left in your glory?” Jesus was still a political messiah to them, and to sit at his right and left was a request for power with an assumption that Jesus would be ruling politically. Little did they know that their request for such positions ... [Continue Reading]
Saying “Thank You” (Luke 17:11-18:14)
One thing that my parents drilled into me from a young age was the importance of thanking someone when he or she does something for me or gives something to me. If someone gives me a gift, then I need to send a card expressing my gratitude. If someone goes out of his or her way to show kindness, then I need to let him know how appreciative I am. The ... [Continue Reading]
If Only (John 11)
Have you ever had a moment where you wondered where God was? If only He showed up in the situation, then things wouldn’t have turned out the way that they did… I wouldn’t have lost my job… my loved one wouldn’t have died… the accident wouldn’t have happened… things would be different. But since God didn’t show up and things didn’t turn out the way that you ... [Continue Reading]
Faith or Finance? (Luke 16-17:10)
The story of the rich man and Lazarus is a curious one, particularly in light of the perspective of many that hell is not a real place. You can’t spend a lot of time reading the bible only to conclude that Jesus didn’t believe in hell. The story he tells of Lazarus and the rich man is just one example of this, but it also highlights something incredibly ... [Continue Reading]
The Parable of the Loving Father (Luke 14-15)
If you’ve read the Bible before or been in any kind of church, chances are that you have heard the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It’s about a young man who basically tells his father to drop dead and asks for his inheritance so that it can be squandered in selfish living. Before long his money runs dry, his friends run off, and his food runs out, and the young ... [Continue Reading]
More Than Just a Body (Luke 12-13)
Have you ever thought about how you’re more than just a body? I think we all inherently know this. For instance, when we’re at a funeral and see a body, we somehow know that the person isn’t there any longer. The body is present, but something is missing. I understand that I’m in my body. I can see my body through my eyes, and when I look ... [Continue Reading]
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