This passage is one of the most gripping and glorious scenes in the Bible as Jesus raises his friend Lazarus from the dead. This story ends in glorious clarity of Jesus’ powerful love, but it begins with cloudy gloom and disorienting confusion. This story opens and Lazarus is gravely ill, and so they call … [Read More…] The Life
Why is the Resurrection so pivotal to our Christian faith? In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul makes it crystal clear that there is no good news if there is no Resurrection. The gospel loses all its power if Jesus did not rise from the dead, for then our faith would be in vain. What we believe … [Read More…] Resurrection: Is It Essential?
Many of us like Jesus—who he was, what he did, how he loved others—but we struggle with his claims of deity. These are edgy claims that catch everyone off guard. What are we to do with Jesus’ unexpected, extraordinary claims? In this passage from John 10, we find four dimensions of the unexpected that … [Read More…] The Divine
When life gets hard, it’s easy to wonder: does God REALLY care about me? Our perspective on God during difficult times is vital for how we respond when these internal thoughts enter our minds. Three responses for a Christian when we are faced with this question: Be healed Throw a party Grow down … [Read More…] Does God Really Love Me?
One of the unique features of the Gospel of John is the attention he gives to the seven “I AM” statements Jesus uttered. In each of these seven statements, Jesus is recorded as saying the phrase ego eimi – “I AM”. This is the Greek translation of the Hebrew YHWH, meaning “I AM Who I … [Read More…] The Shepherd
We live in a time of overwhelming communication, and yet a lot of what is being said or written has little edifying value to our lives. As the messages flow through our devices, truth is often replaced with personal opinion or speculation. The gospel is also being communicated, but many times it is changed into … [Read More…] A Different Gospel
The book of John is a curated collection (events, interactions, and dialogue) written so that the you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that by believing you may have Life in His name. In John 9, the author is again curating the story so that we would more clearly see … [Read More…] The Blinding
What happens when we don’t see the results of obedience? Following God does not guarantee immediate results, so if we focus on the present we can become discouraged and lose motivation to continue pursuing obedience. As we wrap up our series in Malachi, we explore three motivations to continue in obedience. God sees … [Read More…] Is Obedience Worth It?
In this passage from the end of John 8, we catch a glimpse of Jesus’ amazing glory. There are three glorious offers he gives us, but each has a tough reality that we must face. Because when the Son breaks through, we’re either drawn to his beauty or blinded by the light, there really no … [Read More…] The I Am
Has your life ever been changed by an act of generosity? These events can often create astounding impact on our lives. Generosity can change the giver and the receiver. In this passage from Malachi 3, we find the people of God robbing God with their money. Scripture has a lot to teach us about … [Read More…] Are You Robbing God?
