The book of Revelation can be intimidating. It is chock full of mysterious symbols: beasts, lampstands, Spirits, numbers, stars, seals, etc. Yet we have to remember the book is a revelation from Christ to His servants. It is also a letter to His church, specifically the seven churches in Asia. Christ used this letter to…
Category: Exegesis
The Gospel According to Hebrews
In a Bible study I attend, we had a good discussion yesterday on Hebrews 4, which draws parallels between the Israelites in the wilderness, the first Century Hebrew recipients of Hebrews, and even us today. The connection is that TODAY they and we were/are invited to enter into God’s rest. Not just His Sabbath rest…
Baptized into the Kingdom: A Homily on Matthew 3:13-17
In case you hadn’t noticed, we live in a fallen world. We all have experienced plenty of examples of this in our lives. We have lost loved ones: parents, spouses, and children. We have experienced strife and brokenness in relationships. We have witnessed crime and addiction. In short, we have sinned against others, others have…
The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand: A Christmas Story
After Jesus was lifted up through the clouds into heaven, two angels appeared to the disciples, asking them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?” Advent is a time of two comings: remembering Christ’s first coming and looking forward to His second. Perhaps during this time, though, some of us have spent…
He Shall Shepherd His Flock in the Strength of the LORD
Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in…
A Study of the Acts of the Apostles
The book of Acts gives us a picture of the growth of the early church. It also gives us a picture of the work God was doing through the Holy Spirit to establish the Kingdom of His Son. The period covered by Acts is unique in world history. It covers the transition from the old…
Are You Hungry? A Homily on Nehemiah 8:1-12
Are you hungry? Well, in just a little while, when we are finished here, we will all leave to go have a meal to satisfy our hunger. Some of us may eat burgers, some of us fish, others of us even pizzas. Maybe some green beans or broccoli. The meals that some of us eat…
The Kingdom of God and Our Hope
During some recent conversations at my church about abortion, Republicans, the mission of the church, and the fulfillment of the cultural mandate, several questions came up about how the mission of the church relates to the cultural mandate and and also what sources have helped some us hold to a preterist and postmillennial view of…
The Shocking Deaths of Abraham and Sarah: Genesis 23:1-20 & 25:7-11
What is shocking about the deaths of Abraham and Sarah? Well, so much about their lives had been about the reversal of curse of death. Isaac their son was the heir through which their descendants would receive that gift. But yet they died without God’s promise of the end of death fulfilled. Is God then…
Psalm 94: Mischief by a Law
Conservatives are handicapped by human nature when seeking to convince liberals that their understanding of the world is wrong, that more government is not going to make things better. No amount of education or persuasion will get the job done. God is not so handicapped. He created us and made us and sustains us. He…