Today is Good Friday. It’s a solemn time to remember and give thanks for what Christ did for us on the cross.Billy had a younger sister who was confined to a wheelchair. He took her to school and brought her from class to class. He was happy to do so. He was caring for his … Continue reading These records tell me all kinds of bad things about you
Jesus Christ
Render to Caesar
In Mark 12, some hypocritical leaders were trying to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar.It was a clever trap. Caesar (the Roman emperor) was a man named Tiberias. He was not very popular, could be very cruel, and levied heavy taxes on the people. The Jews felt like they weren’t fully … Continue reading Render to Caesar
Pulling up a chair for Jesus
"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words" (Matthew 6:7).A man was nearing death. A priest went to visit him in the hospital a few days before he died.The priest noticed that the man had pulled an empty chair up … Continue reading Pulling up a chair for Jesus
As wings burden the bird in flight
It’s no secret that God’s people are to be a people of prayer.Jesus taught us to pray with the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13).In the book of Acts the early church devoted themselves to it (Acts 2:42). Paul taught to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to be “faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). Another translation of that … Continue reading As wings burden the bird in flight
Christs to one another
Can you imagine meeting Jesus face-to-face? What would you say? What would you ask him? What do you think he would ask you?It’s amazing to think that one day we will actually get the opportunity to see and speak with our Lord. Until then we learn about him and hear his voice in Scripture. Augustine said … Continue reading Christs to one another
A leader above all leaders
There’s often more happening in Bible stories than we realize. Take, for example, when Jesus fed 5000 men in the wilderness. Yes, it shows us that Jesus can do miraculous things. But it also demonstrates that he is the new and greater Moses. Here’s what I mean, and why it matters. Moses led God’s people … Continue reading A leader above all leaders
The Messiah’s (questionable) family tree
Matthew’s Gospel begins with a genealogy. By today’s standards, that’s not a particularly exciting way to begin. Wouldn’t you rather start with something attention-grabbing? But in Jesus’ time, it would have accomplished just that. In the ancient world, a genealogy functioned somewhat like a resume. If you wanted to know what someone was really liked … Continue reading The Messiah’s (questionable) family tree
Being knocked down and knocked out are different things
Some people think that being a Christian inoculates you from hardship. Not always. Yes, there are innumerable benefits; God is most certainly a provider, protector, rock and redeemer. At the same time, Jesus warns us against the delusion of smooth sailing. In John 16:33 he says: “In this world you will have trouble.” He also … Continue reading Being knocked down and knocked out are different things
Save Your
When we think of Jesus as “Saviour” we tend to think about his role after our time on earth. That makes sense. After all, he saves us from the consequence of sin and from being on the wrong side of eternal judgment. As (very!) important as those things are, we can sometimes forget that he … Continue reading Save Your
Actual power in the name
Today I invite you to think about the name of Jesus. And how it has power. Actual power. A person’s name represents that person. Think of a royal messenger in the days of old. A herald would proclaim: “In the name of the King…” Everything that followed was as if the King himself was saying … Continue reading Actual power in the name
