We're in Leviticus again this week, and it's not too late to get some background on this often misunderstood and challenging book of the Bible!

Check out The Gospel Project's Book of Leviticus Summary.

Read Peter Y. Lee's Invitation to Leviticus at the Gospel Coalition.

Head over to Ligonier and read Scott Redd's 3 Things You Should Know about Leviticus.

Also, as we are about to start Hebrews, we can think of Hebrews as an in-the-Bible commentary on Leviticus, and I recommend reading them together. In doing so, we see clearly how Jesus is the better and perfect prophet, priest, and sacrifice!

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. Read with us!

Early in Colossians 3, Paul is addressing those who have been united with Christ. He begins by  specifically speaking about their identity in the sense that they have died and their lives are hidden in Christ. Because of this identity, we are called to put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. These very things flow from The Word of Christ dwelling in us.

This transformation begins internally. We are not changed by just outward external pressure but rather by The Word applied by The Spirit in our lives. I am reminded in Psalm 1 where it speaks clearly about delighting in the law of The Lord and how it calls us to be like trees planted by the streams of water which brings about fruit and stability in our lives.

As we allow The Word to dwell in us, it does something not only individually but corporately as well, as the body of Christ. It leads us to live in community with one another and challenges us to forgive as He has forgiven us. We are called to bear with each other patiently and to pursue peace as referenced in verse 15.

Not only does The Word call us to community it also calls us to worship in that community. I love the mandate that we find in verse 16 that tells us we should be teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, signing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. I am convinced that when The Word is dwelling richly in us our worship becomes Word centered and Christ exalting. This is why the gathering of the community is so important. We come to encourage one another, to build each other up, and to sit under the teaching of The Word

These very things help direct our lives. Verse 17 tells us plainly that whatever we do, in word or in deed, that we should do everything in the name of The Lord Jesus. It shows how we speak, how we treat others, how we forgive, and how we should pursue unity in the body. It allows us to live and lead others from an attitude of gratitude.

If we desire, as the church, to have a strong faith that fuels unity and not conflict, we need to allow The Word of Christ to dwell richly in us.

This week, we read through Ephesians 6. I can almost guarantee that you’ve seen a coffee
mug, Instagram post, or letterman jacket sporting a verse from this chapter of the book.
Alongside John 3:16 and Philippians 4:13, Ephesians 6’s “Armor of God” subsection is probably one of the most commonly cited passages in all of the Bible. Instead of covering that portion of Ephesians 6, however, I’d like to take a look at one of the preceding sections in an effort to understand how it might apply to our modern context.

Ephesians 6:1-4, subtitled “Children and Parents” in the ESV translation, is not found on
quite as many souvenirs as later verses. Now there’s probably a good reason for that. The
“Armor of God” passage is intentionally meant to remind a believer to fortify themself against
adversity. It makes perfect sense that objects with that verse inscribed would be popular.
However, Ephesians 6:1-4 is intentionally reminding us of something too. In fact, the passage
reminds us of the fifth commandment: to honor your mother and father. I think this
commandment is often one that features heavily in one’s childhood before ultimately
disappearing later in life. Why is that? Culture is probably to blame. It’s no surprise that ancient
cultures were generally more family-focused, as the family was the primary social, economic, and identity-defining unit during that time. It was incredibly common for multiple generations of a family to live under the same roof, often led by senior males like the Roman paterfamilias.

Children were expected to remain obedient to the wishes of their parents well into adulthood.
While some of these aspects have carried into our modern culture, American individualism and economic pressures have ultimately resulted in a greater focus on personal agency rather than appeasing one’s parents. So how do we square this passage? The text instructs us to “obey [our] parents in the Lord, for this is right” before Paul quotes the fifth commandment. I’d argue one can still follow this commandment within the context of modern culture. Although the expectation in the days of Paul might have been to obey one’s parents to the letter, Jesus also says in Matthew 12:50 that (in Christ) one’s family is the broader family of believers not
necessarily your biological family. The more important distinction—also found in Matthew
12:50—is that those who you honor are the ones who do “the will of [Jesus’s] Father in heaven.”

Essentially, freedom in Christ encourages us to identify as followers of Christ rather than
just a “Smith”, “Juárez”, “Chan”, or “Washington”. However, we are still called to honor our
parents, even if the meaning behind that word has shifted a bit culturally. Within our context, I’d argue it’s closer to how we think of respect. Treating one’s parents with kindness and understanding, even if they aren’t fellow believers, is important. You are not bound to the whims of your family in the same way many ancient pre-Christians were, but Christian character invariably includes respect for one’s parents and for all.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. Read with us! 

It is vital for us as Christians to rightly read, interpret, and teach the Bible. Paul likens false teaching to staff infection. He tells Timothy, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene" (2 Tim 2:15–17 ESV). It's easy to misrepresent God by misinterpreting Scripture especially when it coms to types of literature that we are not familiar with. Below are some principles the help you interpret prophets, proverbs, and parables. It's my hope that this can guide you as you read through the Bible.

ABC’s for Interpreting the Prophets, Proverbs, and Parables [1]

PROPHETS
 
The Prophets - “At the most fundamental level, a prophet is someone who is sent by God with a prophecy—that is, a message from him” (Plummer, 299).
 
A. APPLY Deuteronomy

• Deuteronomy is the key to reading the prophets. Prophets are covenant enforcers.
• In Deuteronomy 28, the LORD promises blessings for covenant obedience and curses for covenant disobedience. One of these curses for disobedience was devastation to the land (read portions of Deuteronomy 28).
• Prophets speak out about two things primarily – idolatry and injustice.

Example:
In Joel, we find the prophet Joel telling of a recent locust plague that came upon the land. This has come because of their disobedience (read Joel 1:1-12).

B. BEHOLD Repentance

• The prophets are not simply telling the future. They are predicting the future in order to bring about repentance to their present day.
• The prophets bring a message of destruction, but also a message of salvation. Even though they are not steadfast in love and faithfulness, the LORD is and wants them to be saved.
• Instead of idolatry and injustice, they LORD wants righteousness (love for God) and justice (love for people).
• 2 Chronicles 36:15 - The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers [prophets], because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.

Example: 
Joel calls his hearers to repent. If they repent, they will be saved and blessed (read portions of Joel 1:13-2:27).

C. CONSIDER Christ and the New Covenant

• The prophets are messengers of the Messiah.
• The prophets are messengers of the New Covenant.
• 1 Peter 1:10–11 - Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

Example:
Joel predicts the New Covenant (read Joel 2:28-32). Peter says this prophecy was fulfilled through Christ (read Acts 2:1-40).

Practice: Read Malachi and practice your ABC’s.
How does Malachi APPLY Deuteronomy, or the Law of Moses?
Can you BEHOLD a call to repentance in Malachi?
How does Malachi point forward to make you CONSIDER Christ and the New Covenant?
 
PROVERBS

The Proverbs - Proverbs are “pithy observations on the normal workings of life” (Plummer, 355).

A. ASSUME Exceptions

• Some proverbs assume exceptions.
• Example: Proverbs 10:4 - A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
• While this is generally true, there are people are extremely wealthy and can afford to lie around all day.
• Proverbs are not promises but general principles

Example:
Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. While this is a general principle, it is not a foolproof guarantee, as there are many godly people with wayward kids.
 
B. BELIEVE with no Exceptions
 

• Some proverbs need to be believed without exception.
• “Insofar as a proverb describes a quality of God (holiness, knowledge, etc.), that proverb is true without exemption” (Plummer 358).

Examples:
Proverbs 6:16–19 - There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 11:1 - A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.

C. CONTEMPLATE Wisely

• Some proverbs are seemingly contradictory.

Example:
Proverbs 26:4 - Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.

Proverbs 26:5 - Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

“We must realize the circumstantial nature of proverbs to affirm the truth of both these proverbs. Depending on the receptivity of the fool to rebuke, one of these proverbs will apply to any fool’s folly. . . . Wisdom about the situation is needed” (Plummer, 356).

Practice: Read Proverbs 31:10-31 and practice your ABC’s.
What are some exceptions that we can ASSUME? (Hint: Does a woman today who fears the LORD must learn how to sew and so on?)
What are some things that we should BELIEVE with no exception? (Hint: Look at verses 11 and 30.)
Where do we need to CONTEMPLATE wisely? (Hint: Look at verse 18.)
 
PARABLES

The Parables - "About one-third of Jesus's teaching is in parables.” (Plummer, 396).

A. Pay Attention to ACCUSTOMED Imagery in the Parable

• Just as we automatically think donkey = Democrat and elephant = Republican, “Jesus first-century audience and the early readers of the Gospels also were accustomed to certain stock imagery” (Plummer, 406).
• “Not all details in a parable have significance. Rather, many details simply make the story interesting, memorable, or true to life for the hearers. . . . To attempt [to decode everything] is to head down the misguided path of allegorical interpretation” (Plummer, 408).
  
  

Some Examples of Accustomed Imagery (Plummer, 411):
Stock Image – Father

Significance – God

Scripture – Luke 15:11-32

Stock Image – Son

Significance – Israel, a follower of God

Scripture – Luke 15:11-32
 
B. Pay Attention to the BEGINNING of the Parable

• A lot of parables begin by saying something like, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.”
• This shows us that the primary purpose of parables is to tell us about the kingdom of God.
• “The primary focus of the parables is the coming of the kingdom of God and the resulting discipleship that is required” (Snodgrass via Plummer, 405).
• “The kingdom theme, in turn is often expressed through… ‘the graciousness of God, the demands of discipleship, and the dangers of disobedience’” (Plummer quoting Blomberg, 405).

Examples:
Matthew 13:24 - He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.”

Matthew 18:23 - “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.”

Matthew 22:2 - “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.”

C. Pay attention to the CONTEXT Clues in and Around the Parable

• The gospel writers will tell you why the parable is here.
• “The authors of the Gospels often clue us to the meaning of a parable by including information about why Jesus uttered that parable or by grouping together parables on similar topics” (Plummer, 411).

Examples:
Luke 18:1 (The Parable of the Persistent Widow) - And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Luke 18:9 (The Pharisee and the Tax Collector) - He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:

Luke 15:1–3 (The Parable of the Lost Sheep) - Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable...

“Any interpretation that neglects this authoritative word of guidance is sure to go astray” (Plummer, 411).

Practice: Read Luke 15:11-32 and practice your ABC’s.
Is there any ACCUSTOMED imagery in this parable?
How does the parable BEGIN? (Hint: Even though this parable does not follow “the kingdom is like” formula, what can still learn about the kingdom from this parable.)
What are some CONTEXT clues that help interpret this parable? (Hint: Go back to Luke 15:1. Notice also, the two parables that come before Luke 15:11-32).

         
[1] These lessons are adapted from Dr. Brian Vickers’ video lectures, (Hermeneutics, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) and Dr. Robert Plummer’s 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2010).

When life gets big, it's easy for our fickle hearts and minds to make God seem small. In Job’s story, his life got big and scary very quickly. Throughout his journey, God didn’t speak to him until the last five chapters of the book. God’s speech to Job didn’t offer explanations for his suffering, rather He reminded Job of who He is and how sovereign and powerful He is. In every season, it’s good to be reminded of these truths, and oftentimes, we need to be reminded.

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth” (38:4)?

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it” (38:12-13)?

“Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt, to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man, to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass” (38:25-27)?

“Do you know when mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does" (39:1)?

“Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high" (39:27)?

There is a small break in God’s message with a response from Job. In verses 3-5 of chapter 40, Job answers and says, “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.”

God then proceeds.

“Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his” (40:9)?

“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord" (41:1)?

“Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine” (41:11).

Are you like me?

Sometimes hard-hearted, hard-headed, angry, anxious, depressed?

Look to Job 38-42. Look to the Almighty God who reveals the sufficiency of Himself in the midst of our suffering. Be humbled and feel small against His greatness.

He’s faithful, and he’s good.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. Read with us! 

I grew up in the “Radical” era of Christianity as a teenager. A faithful young man discipled my friends and I by going through David Platt’s book Radical. I love that book and even taught it to youth as a young man. It made me ask the serious question: would I still follow Jesus if I did not have anything? It gave examples of real Christians who had to hide and travel long distances to gather for worship and missionaries who left their entire lives to spread the gospel to all nations. My friends and I were encouraged and wanted to lay down our lives for the sake of the gospel.

But we grew up. We went to college, started working, got married, and started families. This was not the “radical” life we envisioned as youth. Yet, we still worked hard, became faithful husbands, decent dads, and served our local church. Although we were not persecuted across the world, our devotion to an ordinary life is a true example of what it means to follow Jesus.

Take some time to read Luke 18:18-30.

It’s hard to read that passage and not feel sad like the rich ruler. I often think, am I not doing enough? I have not sold all my possessions and given it to the poor. Am I truly following Jesus? God wants us to follow Him, insofar as it does not disrupt the calling He has placed on our lives. However, Jesus does make this clear: if you want to follow Him, you must give up what you love the most. For the rich ruler it was his possessions. For me, it is my lust, impatience, and fear of others. Whatever we value in our life, it is important that we put Christ above it.

Just like a camel cannot enter the eye of a needle, it is impossible to earn merit with God. We cannot work to enter the kingdom of God, because we all have evil hearts. We might appear to obey the commandments, but deep down there are things we love more than God. Alternatively, Jesus says in v.27, “What is impossible with man is possible with God”. We need God to do what we cannot do and change our hearts.

In v.28, Peter states that he and the other disciples have left their homes to follow Jesus. Jesus confirms that those who have left their families will be rewarded (v.29-30). Does that mean that to truly follow Jesus, I have to leave my house and go overseas? While that is a sign of a true Christian, God does not call all of us to do that. We are called to evangelize the people in our lives and support missionaries through both finances and prayer. Moreover, God does call us to daily kill our sin. And if our family is against Christianity, then we must make the hard choice of following Jesus, while still loving our families. 

As I write this, it is the great snowstorm of 2026. I have been trapped inside with my wife and four-year-old son. I might not have to die and lay down my life for Christ, but I do have to die to myself and lay down on the floor to play monster trucks. I might not be sent to the jungle to serve unreached people groups, but I am sent to the kitchen to wash dishes and serve my wife. My life is ordinary, but it is an example of the radical grace God has given me to die to myself and love others.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

The Law of Leviticus boils down to this, and Jesus’ explanation and interpretation of the new covenant also has it at its core: Love your neighbor as yourself. This command in the 19th chapter of Leviticus is cited in three of the four Gospels as Jesus reiterates to the Jews the most important commandment - for it sums up the Law. But what I find interesting is that Jesus doesn’t seem to be telling the Jews anything that they don’t already know.

In Luke 10:25, a lawyer asks Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responds to his question with another question: “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
And then the Jewish lawyer himself condenses the Law to this: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” He quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 as the epitome of the Old Testament, and Jesus affirms his summary.

This principle was understood by the Hebrew people of the day. The seemingly endless instructions of the Law point Israel to loving one another the same way that Jesus points us to love one another in the New Testament. From our viewpoint in current Western society, we cannot fathom returning a neighbor’s ox, picking our vineyards bare, dismantling a diseased house, or calling out “Unclean!” to those around us when we have a contagious illness. But all these ordinances showed Israel what it was in their own context to love your neighbor as yourself. They could see clearly that this was the point. And in Deuteronomy 6, they found the critical extension and underlying prerequisite to this Leviticus command:

Love the Lord your God with everything you have.

These two commandments are THE takeaway.

They are so simple, but not so easy.

Anyone who is honest with themself knows - we cannot fulfill either of these commandments. But Christ, the bridge between the Old and New Testament, the point of the whole of Scripture, the Light of the World, shows us in flesh what it means to live out the Law unhindered by legalism. He shows us what it means to extend love toward God and toward man. He was well aware of the Law. He did not come to abolish it, but to fulfill it.

These posts follow our church-wide reading plan. Read with us!

Foundations are important. My husband and I discovered this first-hand when we were looking for our first house. The real estate agent took us to a “bargain” fixer-upper property with foundation problems.
 
When we stepped into the house, we quickly saw that the foundation problems were indeed serious. Many of the floors were visibly slanted. Some of the doors were difficult to open. And when I placed a pen on the kitchen counter, it began to roll.

We’re living in a time when we’re swamped with advice. Between YouTube videos, self-help books, and self-appointed gurus, it’s easy to become confused. With all this advice available, it’s all too easy to build your life on the wrong foundation.

This week’s Bible reading tells us the main thing that we need to know about finding the right foundation for life in 1 Corinthians 3:10-11. The Apostle Paul says:

[10] According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. [11] For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (ESV)

Paul’s advice about foundations also reminds me of a favorite parable about foundations that I learned as a child. In Matthew 7:24-25, Jesus says:

[24] “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. [25] And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. (ESV)

Without a doubt, foundations are important. As a Christian, the foundation upon which your life is built is the most important of all. As our Bible reading teaches us, Jesus Christ is our foundation. Despite what advice you might find on YouTube or in self-help books, there is no other foundation for a Christian life.

So, how do you build a strong foundation based on Jesus Christ? Whether you’re currently building your own life foundation or helping those entrusted to you (children, grandchildren, family members…) find their firm foundation, you’ll want to turn to some of the resources that God has given us:

1. God’s Word. The Bible is the foremost authority on Jesus and God’s plan for our lives. Try to spend time in it every day.
2. God’s shepherds. Pastors and Godly teachers are an important part of God’s plan for Christian life. If you’re not part of a Godly church, take steps to find one.
3. Godly friends and community. Believing friends are great for accountability and can also be great sources of advice and comfort.
Also, as a Christian, you can communicate directly with God through prayer. Making prayer a regular part of your life also helps you to build that firm foundation.

Is Jesus Christ your rock and firm foundation? Are your children, grandchildren, and other loved ones building a firm foundation for their lives?

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

“This world is not my home, I’m just ‘a passing through.”
 
These words open a lesser known hymn of the early 1900’s, and it seems like the sons of Jacob, and Jacob himself, echo this refrain.
 
As the 70 persons of Jacob’s family come into Egypt, they do so as sojourners. When Pharaoh asks them what their job is, they reply, as instructed by Joseph, “Shepherds.” They go on to say, “We’ve come to sojourn in your land.”
 
Just a few verses later, Jacob will take it one step further. Not only is the family of Jacob, or “Israel”, sojourners in the land of Egypt. Jacob says to Pharaoh that “the days of the years of his sojourning are 130 years.” Jacob equates all the days of his life with days of sojourning.
 
And this isn’t the first time we’ve heard this language in the book of Genesis.
 
Several times in Genesis we hear the word “sojourn” “sojourners” or “sojourning.” A sojourn is a temporary stay. And a sojourner, one who is wandering, traveling, or never fully settled in any one place. We’ve heard it regarding Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Each of the patriarchs is at some time called a sojourner or described as sojourners in a land.
 
On one level they were literally sojourners. They were all traveling from place to place at various points, living in tents, subject to the weather and the land. Out of necessity sojourning at different points in the land of the Philistines and in the land of Egypt, among others.
 
But God’s chosen people are also sojourners in a spiritual sense.
 
The Epistle to the Hebrews points this out in chapter 11, verse 13. In the midst of recounting various people throughout the Scriptures who lived by faith, the author of Hebrews tells us that,
 
“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”
 
In 1 Peter we are urged, “as sojourners and exiles to abstain from passions of the flesh.”
 
So what does it mean that we are sojourners in a spiritual sense?
 
Among other things, we can remember that, as Christians, we are part of another kingdom. Not the kingdom of this world, but the kingdom of God. We’ve been transferred from the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of light. Our king is not an earthly king, but a heavenly one. And our home is not an earthly home, but a heavenly one.
And so, by the grace of God, we live as those who belong not to this world, but to the maker of this world.
 
This world is not our home; we’re just a’ passing through.
 
And yet, God has placed us on this world by his providence. He’s designed that we, for as many days of life as we have, sojourn in this earthly land, knowing that this life, this body, this job, this sickness, this “fill-in-the-blank” are all temporary stops on our way to eternity.
 
So, by God’s grace, we live in the world, but not of it. We make the best use of the time, because the days are evil. And we don’t wish away these earthly days or consider everything on earth inherently bad. We remember that the King of our kingdom has sent us as his ambassadors to this world with a message of reconciliation and repentance. Ours is an already not yet kingdom. And so we proclaim the good news, from one sojourner to another, “Be reconciled to God!”

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. Read with us!

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,8 for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

We are fully aware that in life it is not a question of whether we will walk through suffering, but rather how we might understand it when it happens. Suffering is not meaningless, nor is it accidental. We can, however, move from the weight of the present struggle to the promise of God’s eternal purposes. We do not want to dismiss the struggle, but rather recalibrate our perspective and lean into interpreting the pain through the lens of God’s sovereignty. John Piper once said, “God is always doing ten thousand things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” Although we have limited understanding, His strength meets us right there and allows us to move forward through the current situation, holding onto His goodness.

We see throughout this passage that suffering is not only personal, but there is also a divine and cosmic perspective. Romans 8:20 reminds us that pain is not evidence that God has lost control, but it is proof that the world is not yet as God intends it to be. “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope.” Creation itself is subject to the curse of the fall, but we are reminded that the groaning of the world is not pointless. It is a hope that something better is yet to come. We can find strength in the suffering, knowing that the story is not over yet.

Not only does creation groan, but we see in verses 23–25 that we groan, too. Our groaning is a little different in the sense that although we already belong to Christ, we long for the fullness of our redemption. We long for the glorification of our lives. It is a longing filled with confident expectation rooted in His promises. “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” We learn to walk in strength when we wait on Him rather than demand immediate relief. This is an area I struggle with often. I long for immediacy. I desire and want an answer, and I want it on my time. I am still learning, and I am leaning into Him and reminding myself that, “Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out,” as Piper reminds us.

So we hold fast to verse 26: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” There is an encouragement here, knowing that the Spirit intercedes for us in accordance with God’s will. There is more than a call to endurance here; there is an understanding of how He supplies divine help. The Spirit aligns our weakness with the Father’s will through the finished work of Christ.

As this portion of Scripture comes to a close, we are reminded that God works all things together for good. This means things like suffering, persecution, and weakness are not excluded. I am hopeful to trust God’s promises rather than my preferences. I do not necessarily want to walk through things like suffering, persecution, or weakness, but I do want to lean into Him in the midst of it all. We are reminded in verses 29–30: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Our comfort is not necessarily important, but our conformity to Christ is. Our suffering is shaping us for His glory, not destroying us. Suffering does not have the final word. God does! So when we suffer, let's be reminded that the Spirit will strengthen us in our weakness. His sovereignty will assure us that nothing is wasted, and His promises guarantee us that His glory is certain. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

I don’t remember a time in my life before Ratatouille. To be fair, the now-classic
Pixar film released only a few months after I turned 3 and I imagine I was more focused on
building blocks or finger painting than remembering anecdotes for a blog post I’d write 18
years in the future. By the time I was in elementary school, however, the movie was already a
constant fixture in our house.

If you’re unfamiliar with the plot, Ratatouille tells the story of Remy, a French rat
whose greatest wish in life is to become a professional chef just like his late idol: the chef
Auguste Gusteau. After Remy and his family are evicted from their attic home, Remy is
separated from them and journeys to Paris through the sewers, eventually finding himself
atop Gusteau’s restaurant. Remy eventually befriends Alfredo Linguini, the restaurant’s
garbage boy, and the two become a world-class cheffing duo as Remy “pilots” Linguini by
pulling strands of his hair. Toward the end of the movie, Remy and Linguini must cook a dish
for food critic Anton Ego. Remy chooses to cook ratatouille, which reminds Ego of a pleasant
childhood memory when he eats it. It’s a hit! Ego writes a glowing review and praises Remy,
but when it's revealed that Remy is a rat, Gusteau’s is shut down. Fortunately, with an
investment from Anton Ego, Remy and Linguini are able to open a new restaurant and prove
that—just as Gusteau once said—anyone can cook, even a rat.

So, what does Remy’s story have to do with this week’s readings? Well, this week we
opened Romans and while I read the first three chapters I couldn’t help but notice some
similarities between Paul’s letter and one of my favorite childhood films. Paul makes it very
clear in Romans 1-3 that his commitment is to both the Jews and the Gentiles when it comes
to spreading the gospel. This is best seen in Romans 1:17, which says: “For in [the gospel]
the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall
live by faith.” What Paul is saying is that faith is what matters, not being a Jew or a Gentile.
It’s a radical rejection of the tribal manner in which most ancient peoples viewed themselves
and their neighbors, instead opting to place importance on an individual's relationship with
God through Christ rather than their ethnic or cultural background. Shakespeare’s classic line
“a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” or our more modern idiom “if it walks like
a duck... then it probably is a duck” both get at the same thing: that someone’s essential
nature matters much more than their external characteristics. In Romans, that essential nature
is one’s faith. In Ratatouille, it’s Remy’s culinary gifts.

In both cases, there’s significant pushback despite that essential nature. Gusteau’s is
closed down because Remy is a rat and in Galatians 2:11-14, Paul highlights Peter’s
hypocrisy when he forsakes his fellow Gentile Christians out of fear of what certain Jewish Christians might think. Ultimately, Romans and Ratatouille challenge cultures of hypocrisy
that overvalue the external, while completely ignoring the content of one’s internal identity.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

A few years ago, during a week when I was preparing to preach Genesis 23, I found myself one day bartering for a cup of coffee at Starbucks. I wanted a half-caffeinated cup of coffee, but all they could give me was a half-caffeinated americano. Well…I was not about to pay that extra forty cents. So I started haggling. I asked if I could get an americano for the same price as a regular cup of coffee, and as I did this this text started rolling through my mind and it started piercing my heart, and the Holy Spirit started nudging me. And I began to ask myself, what is forty cents? Is my bartering right now rooted in a love of money? A covetousness? Is my behavior right now growing out of a little faith? Convicted, I said, “Nevermind.” And I paid the extra forty cents and enjoyed my americano. 

In Genesis 23, while trying to purchase a burial plot for his deceased wife, Sarah, we see that Abraham has no interest in bartering with Ephron the Hittite. For “Abraham,” writes H.C. Leupold, in his Exposition of Genesis, “is above such a thing as haggling or driving a shrewd bargain…” Such bargaining,” he continues, “is unworthy of a godly man at all times and is the outgrowth of an unseemly love of money. Under such circumstances Abraham would rather accept the offer, let Ephron take advantage of him and so demonstrate that he stands on higher ground than do his neighbors.”

Abraham understands where his true treasure lies, for his actions demonstrate where his heart lies. He demonstrates in Genesis 23, that his real treasure does not lie within the land. Not even in the land itself. His heart overflows in this words and deeds and from that fount we see that his heart as it says in Hebrews 11 is not set on things of earth, but on things above. 

What about you? Where’s your heart? I saw where my heart was when I started haggling over coffee. And I saw where my treasure lay–in my pocket and behind the counter in that silver carafe. Where do you see your heart today? And why action or words prove to you that your heart is still set on things of this earth. Take some time after this episode to ask the Lord, “Where is my heart?” And then pray for the grace to set it on things above where Christ is.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

At the ripe age of 7, I was entrenched in the world of gymnastics. Having the ability to do the splits was the least impressive thing my little body could do at the time. I spent hours at the gym practicing routines and conditioning, and convincing my parents to buy (yet another) leotard with sparkles. 

The beam, however, was my personal nightmare. 

My coach would say, “If you are going to do something, you have to commit fully, or you could hurt yourself”. There were many times when I would ‘commit’ to something, and mid-flip, mid-jump, mid-action, my mind would bail out in fear. I spent quite a bit of time flat on my back, lying on the mat underneath my archenemy in those days after many falls. 

In Matthew 14:22, Jesus had just finished feeding the five thousand and sent his disciples away, immediately, to start the trek across the sea while he went off on his own to pray. 

A storm arose, and the boat was far from land. It was ‘beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them’ verse 24 says. This was not the first storm that the disciples had experienced while following Jesus (Matthew 8:23-27). The difference is that the last storm they encountered, Jesus was with them in the boat. 

This time, as the wind blew and the waves rose, Jesus came to them — walked right out onto the water in the middle of the night to meet them. Terrified of the storm and the mysterious man heading towards them, the disciples assumed they were being approached by a ghost (vs 26). Jesus, in his kindness, spoke to them: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

What happens next is so typical of Peter. His initial response was to ask Jesus to let him walk on water as well—the audacity. But… Jesus invited him out onto the water. Walking on water, defying all laws of gravity, Peter headed towards Jesus. What Peter thought was a simple request, Jesus knew as a test of Peter’s faith. 

Peter was making progress toward the Lord Jesus when, all of a sudden, he began to notice the wind and waves around him. Panic set in. Immediately, he began to sink. “Lord, save me!” He cried. Again, the gracious and kind Jesus reached out his hand and took hold of Peter. 

“Oh, you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus asks. We do not see a response from Peter or the disciples until they reach the shore and the storm ceases. They all responded by worshipping him and declaring him the Son of God. Obviously.

I see so much of myself in Peter. How often my faith turns little and opens the door to doubt. I see my circumstances as bigger than the Jesus who leads me through them, and I cling to my finite mind and ideas to lead the way when the sovereign God of the Universe is my faithful shepherd. 

Time after time, the Lord reaches out, gives me his hand, and saves my life. 

This story reminds me, in many ways, of my beam journey in gymnastics. “If you are going to do something, you have to commit fully, or you could hurt yourself.” My coach so frequently said that to me seconds before she would catch me mid-air to help save me from serious injury. Much like my coach, Jesus gives us the gift of faith to trust him fully. As we walk in faith, eyes locked on Jesus, we can walk on water, face the storms, and see the beauty of the King of Kings. When faith becomes small, we require extra mercy and grace for Jesus to reach out his hand and pull us out of the drowning. 

Time and time again, the Lord is faithful to reach out his hand — even when we aren’t fully committed, even when we are dripping in fear, and even when we are disobedient and rebellious towards him. Oh, we of little faith, may we find the strong, saving hands of Jesus in the trials and storms of this life over and over again.

His oath, his covenant, his blood
Supports me in the ‘whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay

On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand.

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“And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.”
― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Two years ago, I went through a divorce. I felt so lonely. Going to church felt like I was walking around with a giant “D” hanging over my head and those who came in contact with me would catch the horrific disease of “divorce”. In perspective, that was further from the truth and there were many people, especially those in the household of faith, that helped me walk through that season.

Of those people, was a group of senior citizens, who sat behind me at church. They saw me in my loneliness and invited me to eat with them at Whataburger every Sunday. Through eating taquitos and honey butter chicken biscuits, they listened to me. They heard my story, felt compassion, and related to me through their own trials of divorce. They carried my burdens and prayed for me. I am grateful that they saw me as a brother instead of a strange young man with a failed marriage.

The First Murder

After the fall, Adam and Eve had two sons: Cain & Abel. Genesis 4 details how they both gave an offering to the Lord. Cain gave fruit from the ground and Abel gave the firstborn sheep. The Lord accepted Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. Out of envy, Cain killed his brother. And just like when his parents sinned, God questioned Cain:

“Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”(Genesis 4:9, ESV).

Cain believed it was not his responsibility to care for his brother. Consequently, Cain was given a punishment that was too great to bear (v.13). He was cursed from the ground (v.11) and went away from the presence of the Lord, east of Eden (v.16). 

The Law of Christ

Many of us have fallen victimed to the same sin as Cain. How many times have we been envious of what others have or of their gifts to the Lord? We might not have killed someone, but we have murdered with hatefulness in our hearts (Matt. 5:21-22). Fortunately, we are not entitled to the same curse as Cain, for our savior became the curse for us (Gal. 3:13). We do not have to retreat from the presence of the Lord, because our Lord’s sacrifice brings us close to Him (Eph. 2:13).

Because our savior was perfect, we are now equipped to do good, especially those in the household of faith (Gal. 6:10). Christ has taken care of our needs, so now we should “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). We should help those in the church, until Christ comes and takes us to a place better than Eden. The best way to do that is to be committed to a body of believers and care for them, no matter how different they may be from you. As John Calvin wrote: 

“Whatever, therefore, a godly man is able to do, he should do it for his brothers. He should consider his own interests only insofar as he sets his mind on the general edification of the whole church” (A Little Book on the Christian Life, 37).

I am thankful for those inside the household of faith who have kept me as their brother. Being east of Eden is lonely, but my brothers and sisters in Christ have shown me a full life of belonging to the body.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

Scroll through the slideshow below to see details about our church-wide reading plan. We pray that you would join us, however you can, to grow in the knowledge of God and bear fruit. Remember, this reading plan is meant to be a blessing rather than a burden. 

I came across this poem and wanted to share it:

We're 30.
It's December.
And he asks me what I want
for Christmas this year.

I laugh and say...

Oh, I don't know.
Sleep.
Silence.
Sanity?

He half smiles,
because we both know
I can't have that.

We're 80 now.
It's December.
And he asks me what I want
for Christmas this year.

I look at the tree,
filled with handmade ornaments,
now decades old.
They hang quietly,
untouched.

I look at the lights,
glowing across an empty floor.
No longer full of toy cars, lego,
and crumbs.

I recall the years
where everything felt alive.
The squeals at sunrise.
The torn-open boxes.
The little voices yelling,
"Mama, come see!"

I cry and say,
Oh, I don't know.
Just one more Christmas
when they were little?

He half smiles,
because we both know
I can't have that.

And that's when it hits me.
I got everything
I thought I wanted
when I was 30.
Turns out,
I miss everything I had
when I was 30.
The days are messy,
but they years are magic.
And you can't
get them back.

Enjoy them.

For three things that Jesus knew, four things he did well. We see these in John 13:1-17. The first thing he knew was his time. Verse one tells us that “before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. Jesus knew that he had a limited time on the earth to do what the Father had sent him to do. So knowing that “his hour had come to depart out of this world,” he loved his disciples to the end.

The second thing that Jesus knew was his own. The same verse tells us that Jesus, “having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” Jesus knew who were his, who the Father had entrusted to him. He did not have a ton of followers, nor a global (or for that matter a national ministry), nor did he seek such a huge following or someone else’s flock. Rather he was faithful to the twelve God had given him.

The third thing that Jesus knew was his mission, his Commissioner, and his identity. Verse three tells us that, “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper.” Jesus knew he was on a mission. Jesus knew who it was who had sent him. Jesus knew who he was—a servant. And he came not to be served but to serve.

Because Jesus knew these three things: his time, his own, and his mission, Commissioner, and identity, we see him do four things in this text.

First, he rose from supper. Because he knew that his time was running short and because he knew who God had given him, and because he knew that he was sent to serve whom God had given him for the amount of time that God had given him, he rose from supper. During the most relaxing part of the day, he rose from supper. When work was done, he rose from supper. When the time to be served was at hand, he rose from supper.

Second, he laid aside some things. John tells us that “he laid aside his outer garments.” We can liken this today to Jesus loosening his tie, logging off, taking off his shoes, or laying aside his work clothes.

After he laid aside his outer garments, we see him take the form of a servant. Jesus got down low (“became a horse” for those dads with small children) and served those whom God had given him.

And he served them by washing their feet—even the one who didn’t understand what he was doing (ie, Peter) and even the one who would betray him with clean feet (ie, Judas). He did a noble thing; he did something that John the Baptist said he wasn’t even worthy to do (see John 1:27).

We can learn a lot from this passage, especially as parents. For just like Jesus, the time we have with our own is short—our mission is time sensitive. Knowing then that we do not know specifically when our time (or their time) will be to go to the Father, we must spend each day as if it were our last to complete the mission we’ve been given—to love our own to the end. Every one of us has been summoned to serve. We have not been summoned to seek a flock, but rather to serve the little one(s) already given us. Our title is not Master of the House, but Servant of the House. Because of this, let us daily rise from supper, lay aside work, take the form of a servant, and wash our family from the dirt of the day.

“Do you understand what I have done for you?” Jesus asks in verses 12-17:

[13] You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. [14] If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. [15] For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. [16] Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. [17] If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (ESV)

How can you keep both an eternal and a temporal perspective when it comes to the calling you have received to shepherd your family?

What do you tend to forget the most when it comes to shepherding your family?

• The very small time you have with your family?
• The fact that your primary flock is your family?
• Your mission to serve your family or your identity as servant? 

Take some time to reflect on these questions and read through John 13 again. I pray that your reflection on this text and these questions will help you grow in the knowledge of God and bear fruit. Merry Christmas, and enjoy them.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

The soundtrack of my childhood is varied. Thanks to my mother, with her strong alto voice, eclectic taste in music, and habit of singing while cooking, cleaning, and basically every other daily activity, from an early age I was exposed to a wide variety of music.

As a child I would sing along with Patsy Cline as she went walking after midnight, join with the Righteous Brothers and their Unchained Melody, and walk the tight rope with Stevie Ray Vaughan. But the one voice that really fills my childhood, over and over, is Rich Mullins.

It was through one of his lesser-known songs that I first learned about Psalm 139; although, I didn’t know it at the time when his rough, sometimes pitchy, yet always earnest and prophetic voice sang out, 

“Where could I go, where could I run/Even if I found the strength to fly/And if I rose on the wings of the dawn/And crashed through the corner of the sky/If I sailed past the edge of the sea/Even if I made my bed in hell/Still there You would find me.”

I became a believer when I was 11, around the same time this song was released posthumously. I found great comfort in the imagery the song provided for me, a new Christian. No matter where I went, nothing and no one could snatch me out of the Father’s hands, similar to what Jesus said in John 10.

[27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. [30] I and the Father are one” (John 10:27–30 ESV).

Though the most well-known portions of this Psalm are verses 13-14 and 23-24, those verses lose much of their luster if read apart from the greater message of the Psalm as a whole. Over the years as I’ve read this chapter more and more, I’ve come to see that Psalm 139 is less about me and what I’m like, and more about God and what he’s done.

Starting at the beginning of the chapter, we see the first stanza is full of action. Verbs. These important words tell us what God is like and what he is doing. In just 5 verses we see almost twice that many verbs: we learn that God searches, knows, discerns, is acquainted with, hems in, and lays his hand upon. 

We see in verses 7-12 the omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience of God. He is omnipresent- fully present everywhere. He is omnipotent- he holds all power and nothing is too hard for him. And he is omniscient- he knows everything. 

Then we come to verses 13-14, often quoted verses, and for good reason. It’s verses like this, and Genesis 1:27, among others, that frame our understanding of the value of human life. That each human being has inherent value because they are made in the image of God, even as they’re knit together in their mother’s womb. 

And yet look at the focus of David- “I praise you,” he says to God, “for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works. My soul knows it very well.” Without diminishing the preciousness of human life, as David reflects on his own masterful creation by God, it results not in an inordinate focus on David himself, but in praise to God the Creator. We see again in these verses the work and ways of God. He formed, knitted, made, saw, wove, wrote.

How precious are the thoughts and ways of this God who is so present, so powerful, so wise.

After thinking upon these marvelous ways, David reflects on the folly of those who would position themselves as the enemy of the LORD, asking that they would be silenced and put to an end. He repeats his oath and loyalty to God. 

But this is the same David who says elsewhere, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me…” David knows he isn’t perfect. He knows he isn’t above transgression and sin. He himself could easily walk in folly and place himself as God’s enemy if he doesn’t carefully guard himself. 

And so, David prays, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” I’m reminded of David’s similar plea in Psalm 51. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.”

Who else could search the innermost depths of our hearts, souls, and minds than the one who created and formed them? The one who wrote every single one of our days in his book before we ever lived a single one. 

David ends this Psalm the way he began it. O Lord, you have searched me and known me….Search me, O, God, and know me! You who know when I sit and when I rise, who is ever-present no matter my physical or spiritual location, please lead me in your everlasting and eternal way. Truly our Maker is perfect in all his ways and kind in all he does. 

That song by Rich Mullins goes on to say, “time cannot contain You/You fill eternity/Sin can never stain You/Death has lost its sting/And I cannot explain the way You came to love me/ Except to say that nothing is beyond You.”

Oh God, grant us eyes to see your ways and your work. You are not a god who is far off, but the God who is near. You did not make us and then leave us to our own devices; you foreknew us before the foundations of the world, intricately made us, designed every day of our life, and even still are with us. Truly, Lord, there is nowhere we can go, run, or hide where you are not already present. Our only right response to these marvelous truths is to praise you, Lord, for your wonderful works, and to ask, Oh God, that as you’ve searched and known us, that you would please search and know us. Bring to light any way within us that isn’t pleasing to you, and lead us in your light and your truth. For our great joy, and your supreme glory. Amen.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

Advent is a season of waiting and preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ. John 1 presents a beautiful picture of the incarnation, allowing us to see the glory of Christ. As you read verses 1-3, we see that before creation, before the world began, Christ was. Advent is a season in which we are not merely celebrating the birth of a baby; we are in complete adoration of the sovereign Lord who humbled Himself for our salvation.

Christ came into a world darkened by sin, rebellion, and spiritual blindness. The light of men entered into the darkness, which is the condition of the human heart apart from the glorious grace of Christ. As referenced in verse 5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Darkness cannot overcome the light! The season of Advent reminds us that Christ did not come just to improve humanity, but He came to rescue us, a reminder that His grace shines where we could not provide our own light.

I am reminded of the first verse of the song, “Here I Am to Worship”:

“Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness,
opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You,
hope of a life spent with You.”

This verse is a beautiful representation of what Advent is all about. It speaks of the wonder of the eternal Son of God and how He entered the darkness of this fallen world, bringing light and life to His people and displaying the sovereign act of God’s redeeming grace.

Scripture reveals this truth over and over again:  In Isaiah 9:2, we read that “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” We also read in John 1:9 that “the true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world”. Advent celebrates the divine initiative of God pursuing humanity, not humanity reaching out to God. John Calvin wrote, “Christ was not sent to make a beginning of salvation merely, but to bring it to completion.” The image of “light stepping down into darkness” helps us to see the doctrine of grace alone, otherwise known as sola gratia. We were blind in sin until God opened our eyes.

As we walk through Advent, let's not hold on to our feelings, efforts, or even our traditions, but let's hold on to Christ alone, who brings us closer to God.
 
These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is undoubtedly the most iconic Christmas
story; aside from the literal birth of Jesus, of course. It’s a story very much influenced by its
time period. Dickens wrote it in the London of the mid-1800s, with all of its social inequality
and child labor firmly intact. The infamous protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge, is a metaphor for
the greed of Victorian society. He’s a shrewd money-lender who cares very little about the
other people in his life. He exploits his employee Bob Cratchit, paying him a little over $1 a
week, and suggests that the needy be sent to the prisons or workhouses rather than given
charity. His sole friend, the late Jacob Marley, shared his greed and general lack of empathy, which ultimately lands him in a state of purgatory. On Christmas Eve, the ghost of Marley returns to warn his old friend that if he doesn’t change his ways he too will be doomed to wander the earth with the chains he forged in life.

As the night goes on, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts: the Ghost of Christmas Past,
the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Future. Each spectre teaches
Scrooge some lesson that dramatically shifts his perspective and, on Christmas morning, he
wakes and spends the day as a changed man. He sends the Cratchits a large turkey, donates handsomely to charity, and reconnects with his nephew Fred. “A Christmas Carol” is ultimately about Scrooge’s growth from miserly to munificent (there’s a vocab word for you).

While this classic tale is a product of a uniquely Victorian context, “A Christmas
Carol” shares some significant similarities with Luke 18. In all likelihood Charles Dickens, a
Christian, may have partially based the story on this piece of the New Testament. Luke
18:18-30 features a conversation between Jesus and a ruler. The ruler asks Jesus how he can attain eternal life, to which Jesus responds by saying to follow the commandments. The ruler continues by saying he’s followed them all since he was a boy. Jesus then states in verse 22: “You lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” This saddens the ruler because he is very wealthy and Jesus utters the famous line: “Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

So, that’s that then. The rich have no hope in the hereafter. Of course, I’m being
sarcastic. While riches are a potent metaphor for materialism, Luke 18 is not truly about that
nor is “A Christmas Carol”. Both stories are about letting go of material gain for spiritual
satisfaction. The rich and poor alike have the ability to enter heaven, but Jesus is highlighting a unique struggle that the wealthy ruler has: the inability to forfeit his wealth.

The ruler believes his wealth belongs to him, just as Ebenezer Scrooge does, when in reality it is a temporary luxury during a relatively short time on earth. As we celebrate Advent and Christmas and even New Years this month, take the time to reflect on what you could be positioning above God in your life.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

In the context of our passage, James is writing to people who are suffering. Some are being defrauded by their employers, who are withholding their daily wages. This meant that they could not provide food for their families. James assures them that while they're suffering now, he encourages them to be patient and wait for the Lord's return, and He will straighten out the situation.

I admit that when things are not going well in my life, I tend to have very little patience and want to go riding off in all directions to try to "fix" the situation. Perhaps you're the same. If so, James' advice to his original readers is the same for us: be patient, let God work it out.
James 5:7–12 encourages us to be patient as we await the Lord's coming. The passage begins with the instruction to "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord," using the example of a farmer who patiently waits for the early and late rains for his crops.

A farmer cannot rush a crop to maturity. After sowing seeds, he must patiently wait through the "early and late rains" for the harvest. This involves working diligently—weeding, tending, and protecting the field—but accepting that the growth is ultimately in God's hands.

I have never been a good test taker. The absolute dread that overtakes my entire mind and body before a test is overwhelming. The first test I ever took in college resulted in a grade of 48 (yes, out of 100). I panicked. I sat in my chair and sweated through a shirt, my mind went blank, and I made up most of the answers. Unfortunately, the tests continued throughout college. They were guaranteed. The dread? Remained. The major? Changed. The grades? Increased (thankfully!)

James 1:2-4 describes the test of our faith. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

James does not say if trials come, but when. Suffering is not a glitch in the Christian life; it is part of its design. 

“Count it all joy.”

Some may describe counting our trials as all joy as a naive cheerfulness, but I do not believe that is what James means at all. He isn’t commanding us to smile while our world burns. What he is calling us to is to view suffering through the lens of God’s sovereign purpose. Romans 8:28 solidifies this truth — “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” 

The passage goes on to say, “for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness”. Steadfastness is not passive endurance, hiding in the corner until the storm passes. The steadfastness that is produced in suffering is attached to a faith that clings to Jesus as the winds howl and the night feels too long. That steadfastness is a process that requires time and refinement to grow and mature. 

“And let steadfastness have its full effect.” This points to the maturing of our faith in the midst of trials. As we suffer, God aims to shape us into the likeness of Jesus, that we may “be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” God is faithful to work in and through us in our trials. In fact, trials are one of His most effective chisels, sanctifying and refining us as we get closer to Heaven. 

Verse 12 of James 1 brings the promise of staying steadfast in suffering into full view — “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” The crown of life is not a reward that is earned for suffering perfectly  — it is graciously given to those who love him. We are incapable of having a faith that endures in our own strength, but God, being rich in mercy, is faithful to finish what he began in us. 

Surviving trials is not the goal of James 1:2-4 — beholding Christ through them is.

God is not scrambling around, reacting in chaos to the trials that we experience in this life. He is sovereign. As our faith is tested, we can know that joy is not found in the pain itself, but in the God who stands behind it, working through it, and who promises glory beyond it.

I improved significantly in testing throughout my college career. It was a long road of learning what worked for me, how to study, and that I needed more sleep than the average person. Trials are the same — God sanctifies and refines us to grow our faith and steadfastness through them. Nothing is wasted, and God will be glorified.

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

In late September to early October, many of us get excited for football season, pumpkin spice lattes, and for the Texas heat to finally dip into the 80s. But for our Jewish neighbors, this time of year marks preparation for their most holy day, Yom Kippur. The term means “Day of Atonement” and originates from when Israel sinned by worshiping the golden calf. Moses ascended Mount Sinai again to intercede on behalf of the people for another forty days. When he came down, his face shone, and he carried the Ten Commandments in his hands.
Historically, the Jewish people have commemorated that day each year by fasting for twenty-five hours, while the high priest changes into white garments to perform the sacred service and obtain forgiveness for all of Israel. Yet this was only a glimpse of what our Great High Priest does for us today.

Who Is Melchizedek?

Scripture says little about the mysterious priestly king, but what we do know begins in Genesis 14:18–20. Abram encounters Melchizedek, who is both king of Salem and priest of God Most High. Melchizedek blesses Abram, and in response, Abram gives him a tenth of everything.
The author of Hebrews acknowledges how unusual this is in chapter 7. Melchizedek was not a descendant of Levi. In fact, he is presented as having no genealogy at all. Yet Abraham still gave him a tithe, because the inferior is blessed by the superior. This means Melchizedek was greater than Abraham, the father of Israel.

Melchizedek appears again in Psalm 110:4:
“The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’” (ESV)

Here King David declares that the coming Messiah will be both priest and king. Our Lord Jesus, therefore, is not a son of Levi like the priests, but the promised Son of David and a priest from the order of Melchizedek.

Theologians have long debated whether Melchizedek was a Christophany, an appearance of the preincarnate Christ. Whether that is true or not, the author of Hebrews makes it clear that Melchizedek foreshadowed the true and better High Priest. Our High Priest has neither beginning nor end and is the guarantor of a better covenant (Hebrews 7:22).

What Does Our High Priest Do?

Our Jewish friends continually rely on their high priest to make intercession and offer sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. But our High Priest, Jesus, was the sacrifice once for all. He does not need to clothe Himself in garments of righteousness to serve before God. Instead, He covers us in His own righteousness.

The author of Hebrews summarizes it beautifully:
“For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered himself up. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.” (Hebrews 7:26–28, ESV)
 
Praise God for such great assurance in our salvation!

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

Some say church membership is unnecessary. Some say it is unbiblical. What does the Bible say? In this booklet, John looks at what the Bible has to say about the necessity of church membership. 

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7. I have heard this verse a hundred different times as many of us have and in each time I read the verse or heard the verse preached, it was mentioned as a positive, an encouragement, to uplift. But this verse use to burden me and make me question... “Have I truly kept the faith?”

Oh God, I have been faithless at times.
Oh God, I have doubted You.
Oh God, I have questioned You.
Oh God, I do not understand why at times.
Oh God, why aren’t You answering me?
Oh God, where are You?

Thankfully, we serve a gracious and loving Father who stays true even through our doubts, our uncertainty, our faithlessness.

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful.” 2 Timothy 2:13

Oh God, forgive me.
Oh God, thank you.
Oh God, Your timing is perfect.
Oh God, You always knew.
Oh God, I wasn’t ready.
Oh God, You never left.

Like the story of the Prodigal Son, our great, merciful Father longs for us to come back if even for a moment our faith wavers and we question. God remains faithful. Glory be to God!

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.

When I was in elementary school, I remember visiting a small church in my hometown. I don’t recall what brought me there- whether a friend or an event- but I do remember what I saw there. 

Sitting in a classroom with other kids my age, eyes glued to a Bible story on the television, my jaw dropped. A disembodied hand crashed a party and started writing on the wall in what I was absolutely certain was blood. Even though I was unfamiliar with the Bible at the time, the first few words that Thing wrote were burned in my mind. “Mene mene tekel…” I had no idea what that meant; I had no idea why a Bible story suddenly seemed like a scary movie. Even to this day, when I read this story in Daniel 5, I remember this moment.

Even as an adult, the exaggerated details of my childhood blur with the reality of the biblical text. There was a party going on, but not the fun kind. There was a disembodied hand or finger, which rightfully caused everyone to panic, but the words weren’t written in blood. Thankfully!

What are we to think about this story? 

There are some stories throughout the Bible that, without a doubt, are hard to understand. But if we believe that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (2 Timothy 3:16) then we can certainly learn from these more challenging stories. We can trust that God inspired the earthly, human authors to put them there for a reason.

Let’s consider the context of this specific narrative account. Belshazzar is the current king of Babylon, but his father (predecessor) Nebuchadnezzar had ransacked the temple as he was conquering Jerusalem many years before. At the time, he brought some of the sacred items from the temple to Babylon and placed them in the house of his god (Daniel 1:1-2).

Now, years later, Belshazzar is throwing a party. The food and wine are flowing. The wine is so good, in fact, that the king requests some of the vessels of gold and silver from the temple be brought so they can use those to drink from instead. As they drink, they begin to praise, “the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone” (5:4). It’s as a result of this false idol worship that “the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall” (5:5). 

In a scene that brings to mind Joseph’s experience in Egypt, nobody can interpret the writing until the queen remembers that there is someone who has shown wisdom and knowledge with spiritual matters in the past- Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah. 

Like Atticus in the Maycomb courtroom, Daniel makes a defense for the Most High God. Daniel reminds Belshazzar of his father’s (Nebuchadnezzar) story. He had power and success, but when his heart became proud and hardened, God humbled him, “until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind” (5:21). 

Rather than living as his predecessor did the second half of his life, Belshazzar is living like the pre-humbled Nebuchadnezzar. He has “lifted up [himself] against the Lord of heaven” (5:23) and he’s brazenly used items from the house of God to indulge the flesh and praise false gods.

It’s because of this that, like Daniel interprets to him, his days have been numbered, his kingdom is coming to an end, he has been found lacking, and his kingdom will be divided and given to others. That very night the king is killed. 

Here are a few things we can learn from this challenging story:

Even though God’s people are in exile, he hasn’t forgotten them, and he hasn’t forgotten or contradicted his own character.

Faithfulness- even in exile, suffering, or hardship- is possible as evidenced by faithful Daniel, who was one of the thousands of Israelite exiles living there. 

The one, true God is not like the idols of silver and gold, the work of human hands. Our God is in the heavens. He is the uncreated one, the real and true God, and he does all that he pleases (Psalm 115). 

There are some stories in the Bible that are hard to understand, but God has given them to his people for a purpose. May God be glorified as we dig in (not give up!) when things we read are confusing or hard to understand. 

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” Psalm 115:1

These articles follow our church-wide reading plan. To read with us, click here.