"And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands in the removal of the body of flesh by the circumcision of Christ" --Colossians 2:11 Paul gives his readers another action of salvation that God has done on their behalf: “In Him, you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands.”…
They Begged Him to Leave
Matthew 8:28-39 is one of the scariest Bible passages, but not in the way you might think. Matthew 8:28-39 [28] When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so violent that no…
Three Gospel Assurances
A new year is here, just over a week old! And every January, the gym is packed! Why is that? Because we crave newness and want to change. Maybe for you, the gym isn’t your thing. But I’m sure that there are probably areas of your life which you want to change. So we try…
Three Gospel Assurances
A new year is here, just over a week old! And every January, the gym is packed! Why is that? Because we crave newness and want to change. Maybe for you, the gym isn’t your thing. But I’m sure that there are probably areas of your life which you want to change. So we try…
What’s Your Response to Jesus?: Quick Notes on Matthew Chapter 2
These thoughts probably aren’t original, but they were the ones I had while reading Matthew 2 this morning. Matthew 2 is all about the responses to the news of Jesus’ birth. 1. Herod was threatened by the news of Jesus’ birth Matthew 2:1-3 Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, [2] “Where is He who has…
Flee to be Free (Zechariah 2:6-13)
With a new year comes a bevy of resolutions to change your life. According to the Bible, change occurs through repentance. Repentance is hard because it means fleeing from the sinful things you love. It means laying down the idols of power, approval and control. But with repentance comes the blessing of freedom. Freedom from…
What Should Be Worn to Church?
After disputes over worship music, possibly one of the most debated issues in conservative church culture is what should be worn to church. Are only suits for men and dresses for women acceptable? Are shorts too casual? In Part 1, I walked through the Bible's storyline with special concern for its theology of clothing. Clothing…
Do you feel like a Loser?
Jim Hamilton commenting on Revelation 12 and how God works through weak things: It's almost as though God shows up on the playground to pick his team, and instead of picking guys who look like they can play, he picks the obviously inferior team...Do you ever look around your life and feel like God has…
Great Walls of Fire! (Zechariah 2:1-5)
“Will things ever turn around?” I think that’s a question all of us have asked ourselves at one time. Zechariah probably asked himself that question on a daily basis. At the time, things look bleak for the returned exiles. Their city lies in ruins. The city walls are torn down. Things seem hopeless. God, however,…
Four Horns and Seventy Years Ago (Zechariah 1:18-21)
Zechariah and his contemporaries are trying to rebuild their lives after seventy years of exile. Back in the Promised Land, the Jewish community faces innumerable obstacles to actually accomplishing anything of significance. Then God sends another vision to Zechariah. After Zechariah sees a vision at night of horses in a valley (1:7-17), God gives him…
Raising Lazarus 