Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy and honored member of the Jewish council. He was also a secret disciple of Jesus (John 19:38). When Jesus died, Joseph immediately went to Pilate and asked for permission to have His body so he could give it a decent burial (vv. 50- …
In verses 14 and 15 Paul comes to two conclusions: 1. The total depravity of man (v. 14). If Christ died for all, then all must be dead in their trespasses and sin …
Paul reveals a wonderful secret that not all people will die but everyone will be changed (v. 51). This will happen very suddenly when the last trumpet is sounded (v. 52). This signals the end of the present age. Two distinct groups will be represented. Those who have died will be raised with …
The first part of this verse is one of the clearest statements in Scripture of what a person has to do to be saved (v. 1). We must love other Christians to be obedient to God’s commandments (vv. 2-3). This love expresses itself in action, not just emotion. Every Christian has ove …
Wicked rulers will not succeed because it is not God’s purpose for the people to be led to ruin by their leaders (v. 30). Elihu pointed out the way the guilty claim to be innocent and promise to sin no more if only someone would point out their sin to them (v. 31-32). Obvio …
As we begin chapter nine the people had just returned to their headquarters in Gilgal after hearing the Word of God read to them from Mount Ebal. It was a time of real spiritual victory, but as is often the case it was also a time for a subtle attack from Satan. When we think we have it made it …
Most of the mighty men listed were from David’s own tribe, Judah. There were also many defectors from other tribes. Saul’s injustice had fostered discontent even among his own tribe, the tribe of Benjamin, so that many deserted him, taking refuge with David. These were all expert …
We cannot be sure when this psalm was written. Some Bible scholars think it was written by Hezekiah when childless, facing death, and with the Davidic line therefore in peril of extinction. It was a very personal psalm where the writer refers to himself 37 times. Yet it is not sinful in …
Jesus urged the disciples to row the boat across the lake to Bethsaida, even before He dismissed the crowd (v. 45). Why would He want to do this? Mark does not tell us but perhaps it was because the people wanted to make Jesus king (Jn. 6:15) and this was the last thing He wanted …
In this passage of Scripture, Christ challenges Peter to leadership. The key issue is Peter’s love for the Lord Jesus and that should be a key matter with us today. It is interesting to note that Peter had denied his Lord three times, and now the Lord asks Peter three times, …