Holy Week
Today is the beginning of Holy Week and it marks the final week of Lent. According to the Catholic calendar today is Palm Sunday which celebrates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, Maundy Thursday which is the time Catholics say the Lord instituted the Mass and the Sacrament of Holy Communion, Good Friday which […]
What’s The Point of a Sermon?
It’s Sunday morning, the Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10), and people are preparing for worship. They expect to enjoy beautiful singing, powerful prayers and the fellowship of the Lord’s Supper. They will reach into wallets and purses and give back to God for the support of the church. But along the way they will hear a […]
On Modesty
Summer is just around the corner. Warm days, beautiful skies and blooming flowers all point toward the changing of the seasons. It’s a marvelous time of year. I know few people who don’t yearn for the coming of summer. But with the turning of the calendar pages comes a decrease in clothing. It’s wise to […]
5 Church Lessons from the Gym
I’m in the gym again. It’s another shot at better health and an improved quality of life. It’s also about being a good steward of my health which is one of the greatest gifts God has given me. But while there I have noticed a few lessons that help me understand the worship better. I […]
Rome Is Burning and I’m Not Worried
Our world is in trouble. Chaos reigns from the shores of Tripoli to the halls of state legislatures. Gasoline prices are at the highest point in almost two years, are rising quickly and show no sign of slowing. Prices at the pump are directly affecting prices at the grocery checkout. Crime is rising; no one […]
Not So Minor Prophets
The Minor Prophets are one of five subsets of the Old Testament. The other four being the Pentateuch, History, Wisdom Literature and the Major Prophets. The grouping includes the books of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Far from being a collection of obscure prophecies from people with […]
Spirit of Desperation
Life moves along nicely most of the time. As a Christian, when troubles does come, we know that we can call upon God for deliverance. Jesus promises to be close and to hear our prayers. The Lord is like the proverbial ace up our sleeve. We keep Him in there, hidden, until just the right […]
“to serve…not to be served”
Service is a hallmark of our faith. The founder of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) said of his own life that he came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). His life was a daily reminder that he surrendered the glories of heaven to come here and serve mankind. He did not seek his […]
The “Smoothing” of the Old Rugged Cross
Crucifixion was a horrible way to die. The Romans intended it that way. A criminal might languish for hours and hours as his life slowly drained away. The very public death was also intended to be humiliating. The near naked man was displayed for all to see and to berate with every conceivable insult. There […]
Apocalyptic Literature
The Bible can be understood. God would never tease mankind by giving him a message only to make it incomprehensible. We can know the truth (John 8:32). But some sections of Scripture are more challenging than others. For example, “the abomination of desolation” from Mark 13:14 can be studied and comprehended but against “Thou shalt […]
