Hebrews 3:1-6
Continuing to expound the supremacy of Christ, the author of Hebrews turns now to address some of the ways that Christ is superior to Moses.
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Greater Than Moses Read More »
John 11:17-27
The words Jesus spoke to Martha on the road outside Bethany were audacious and revolutionary. They called her to a radical trust in a unique person. Examining what Jesus said that day forces us to examine the overall biblical framework of the verb commonly translated “to believe”, in gradations of meaning ranging from simple acceptance of a statement to total trust. Thereby, these words of Jesus call us today to a radical trust and obedience, and address each of us anew: Do you believe this?
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Do You Believe This? Read More »
Hebrews 2:9-3:1
The writer of Hebrews has been taking pains to expound the supremacy of Christ, and will continue to do so as the overarching theme to his letter. At this point, the question needs to be addressed: if Christ is supreme in every way, why did he undergo such a supreme humiliation, taking on flesh specifically to die? This passage explains, in dense, rich, multifaceted language, why Jesus took on flesh, leading us to consider why such a thing was necessary to accomplish the gracious purpose of God.
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For Us and For Our Salvation Read More »
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
The observable facts about the world, and our desires concerning it, open up questions about the meaning of life – is there meaning? Why is there pain? Why can we not make pleasure and goodness last? What, ultimately, is the point of it all? While many schools of thought have arisen to attempt to address it, the outlook of Ecclesiastes (and, ultimately of all of God’s word) stands uniquely in the face of evil, the attractiveness of good, and the ultimate futility of it all. The outlook given here points past the futility to the very purpose it serves in the awesome, gracious plans of God for our good and His glory.
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The Grace of Futility Read More »
Luke 1:39-56
Mary and Elizabeth had both received divine revelation about their respective miraculous pregnancies. When Mary went to visit Elizabeth, we see how God acted in them to further strengthen each other’s faith, and, by extension, ours today.
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Mary and Elizabeth: Confirming Faith and Proclaiming Christ Read More »
Matthew 6:9-13
In the second half of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus turns our attention from God (how he makes himself known, his moral rule, and his purposes) to our own needs, material, moral, and spiritual. This continuing pattern for our own prayer remind us regularly of the extent to which we depend upon the Lord for every aspect of our life, and the extent of his grace in those whom he holds as his children
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Pray Then Like This… (Part 2) Read More »
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
The Bible makes is clear that baptism is important, and a right view on baptism is also important. This raises, therefore several pertinent questions. Why do Christians baptize? Why do Christians get baptized? And why baptism specifically? Why, of all things, did the Lord mandate this particular activity as his chosen way for Christians to welcome new Christians into the church? In this sermon, given for a baptismal service, we examine the answers to these questions, and draw out the impact and implications of this basic practice of Christ’s people.
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Acts 20:17-38
Saying goodbye is a sad and painful part of life for everyone. In fact, the only way to avoid having to say goodbye to anyone is to die very young yourself. Looking at Paul’s third and final goodbye to the believers in Ephesus, we see how, while believers are not exempt from the same sorrows of saying goodbye as everyone else, nevertheless the Gospel radically changes even this aspect of life, reflecting the glory of the gospel of God’s grace.
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2 Corinthians 2:12-16
Continuing our series in personal evangelism, we turn to a passage of Paul’s that brings to light three common elements in life that work against God’s people sharing the good news of Christ. We not only recognize these impediments, but also look at what means God has ordained to combat them, and how all these things fit into the fact of God’s plans and purposes for His people.
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Impediments to Evangelism Read More »
Matthew 25:31-46
In the parables previous to this, Jesus has said much about how His followers are to wait for His return, always ready, prepared to wait, and making use of His resources for His purposes. Now, in the concluding section of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus describes what His followers look like as they wait: Jesus’s disciples love those Jesus loves, not out of seeking reward (though there will be reward for his people) or out of fear of punishment (though there will be punishment for those who are not), but in accordance with their new nature.
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Calling Sheep to Love and Goats to Turn Read More »
