How Jesus Answers the Cries of Our Heart
Many of us have favorite psalms—perhaps even some we’ve memorized—which give us hope in the midst of sorrow, fear, loneliness, or grief.
Jesus fulfills all the deepest cries of our heart. Jesus is God’s ultimate answer to all that the psalmist cried out for. Just as the psalmist turned to God as his salvation in the midst of his sorrow, grief, and fear, we also must turn to Christ as our salvation in our own emotional turmoil.... Continue Reading
Hezekiah My Hero
Re-reading the life and times of Hezekiah has given me a fresh, more positive take on his reign – I’ve recently declared in church ‘Hezekiah is my new hero!’
There is far more to Hezekiah than initially meets the gaze. His reign concluded in a downfall caused by pride, when self-interest finally trumped and eclipsed a career of outstanding service. However, the bulk of his work was devoted to God’s glory, namely to purging the nation of false gods and to cleansing the church of images.... Continue Reading
God Died on the Cross
“O Love divine, what has thou done! The immortal God hath died for me!”
When theologians get hold of stark, paradoxical statements like “God died,” they have an instinct to clarify what is being said. They do not want to remove the shock or the force (that would be very bad theology), but they do want to make sure that the true paradox rather than something else is being communicated. They want to rule... Continue Reading
That’s Not Christian Liberty, That’s Immaturity!
“…Christian freedom is, in all its parts, a spiritual thing."
The Reformers talked about Christian liberty in terms of the gospel, that our consciences are free from the terrors of the law because Christ obeyed in our place and paid for all our sins. Justification by faith alone is very closely related to Christian liberty! Christian liberty is one of those great biblical truths the... Continue Reading
How Can We Take the Lord’s Supper in a Worthy Manner? (Guest Post by John Calvin)
"How shall we, who are devoid of all good, polluted by sin, and half dead, worthily eat the body of the Lord?"
Let us remember that this sacred feast is medicine to the sick, comfort to the sinner, and bounty to the poor. To the healthy, the righteous, and the rich (if any could be found) the Lord’s Supper would be of no value. For Christ is given us for food in the Supper, and we perceive... Continue Reading
The Most Amazing Thing About The Amazing Resurrection Of Jesus
What Jesus said to Lazarus, he says to all who place their faith in him: “Sinner, come forth from your grave and let me take your place.”
Jesus is taking the place of his friend, the underserving sinner. He is unleashing Lazarus from the grip of death by taking his place, right down to the details of his binding burial clothes. He did this for Lazarus, upon whom was the odor of death, and he did it for all those who, now... Continue Reading
That Dreadful Cup and Our Faithful Savior
We would be well-served to consider what was at the heart of the cross.
On the cross Jesus suffered and endured the full weight of God’s holy anger. He took the full weight of an eternal hell compressed and tamped down. Jesus proclaimed upon his last breath, “It is finished.” (John 19:31) What is finished? Among other things, he finished his work of satisfying the wrath of God. He... Continue Reading
God Loves Us Enough to Disappoint Us
What if God, in my season of waiting, is trying to show me that I am not powerful enough to do this on my own?
What I mean is, God often wants to give us something greater than we can see. He often wants to teach us through our trials, instead of making our life trial-free. He wants to bring us to the end of ourselves, so that we will stop trying to earn our righteousness. He wants to undo... Continue Reading
“Biased Facts,” Objective Reality, The Reformation, And The Resurrection
Objective reality can be hidden, distorted, and suppressed for a time but not for ever. The truth will out.
There was no doubt among the authorities and the soldiers as to the facts, as to what had happened. Jesus was raised from the dead, just as he had promised. The authorities had to lie about what had happened because it had happened. Had Jesus’ corpse been stolen it would have turned up. It is... Continue Reading
Are We Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing?
It’s time to tell the old, old story once again–the story of sin atoned for, wrath appeased, heaven secured, and death conquered. No gimmicks, no trinkets, no goofy skits and video clips.
Holy Week is a check-up for the Church. To use a tag line that’s already overused, if your core message for this week is something other than “Christ died for our sins,” you’re doing Christianity wrong. If you want to preach about gender equality or social justice or progressive dispensationalism or the extra Calvinisticum, do... Continue Reading