This prayer—”break the teeth of the wicked”—is not an invitation to hate. It is a request for God to judge justly. In Scripture, teeth represent power and predation (cf. Psalm 57:4; Proverbs 30:14). To “break the teeth” of the wicked is to render their violence harmless. It is to remove the sting and bite of... Continue Reading

Even if we can’t see anything good in the tragic event that triggered our grief, turning to God means that we are headed in the right direction. Pain has the potential to stimulate growth in our relationship with God, since it often reawakens us to eternal realities. In this way, God can use our sorrow... Continue Reading

Many of us have fears, and those fears impact our decisions, our lives, and our activities. Paul here calls God’s people – the church of Corinth, to separate from each and every thing that defiles (ruins) the reality of their status as God’s holy temple. While separating from all that defiles, the byproduct of obedience... Continue Reading

The American Psychological Association says “screen time research has been less than definitive” in part because the technology is so new. They’re beginning to find, however, that “the youngest children don’t learn well from screens.” They say “screens aren’t an effective teaching tool for the baby and toddler set.” What’s worse, “they could displace the... Continue Reading

A good song is the melding of beautiful lyrics with an appropriate melody. We can have the most beautiful lyrics, but if they are trapped in an inappropriate melody, they will lose their luster and perhaps even communicate something that the lyrics do not intend. In the same way, the words/content of our sermon, no... Continue Reading

Community provides the proper context for the proclamation of truth. Notice what our author says, “Let us hold fast the confession” (v.23). This is a reference to the content of what we believe.  If we are going to endure the trials and tribulations of this world, we have to be certain that what we believe—about... Continue Reading

Within the Bible’s covenantal storyline, which Jesus knows well, he can confidently center his disciples’ faith in him precisely because he knows he is the divine Son. No doubt, the New Testament presents Jesus as a model of faith for us, but before we can model our faith after Jesus, Scripture commands us to trust... Continue Reading

“Leading up to this member-initiated congregational meeting, two Q&A sessions were scheduled for members to hear from the Session and for the Session to listen to the members of Saint Andrew’s Chapel. We are trusting that Jesus Christ, as King and Head of the church, will continue to guide, lead, and protect His flock as... Continue Reading

As the Church confessed Christ as the only begotten divine Son of the Father, the Church rightly explained all that Scripture taught, namely that Jesus is Lord and Savior because he is God the Son incarnate. Although, the Nicene Creed employed a slightly different language to explain who Jesus is, such as homoousios (although most of it was directly from Scripture),... Continue Reading

Do you not see that all your talk is just as much an exercise in self-deception here and now as it was to your British forerunners of Jones’s day? Your desired nationalism is a delusion, a fantasy to which you flee all the more as society worsens around us. It’s probably not going to happen... Continue Reading