As Jesus travels toward Jerusalem and eventually the cross, He is teaching His disciples and preparing them for the time He will no longer be with them. In the passage we are reading today he is teaching them about forgiveness and faithfulness: Forgiveness (vv. 1- …
Chapter 23 opens with Paul standing before the Sanhedrin presenting his case. Gazing earnestly at the council, he told them he had lived before God, doing his duty with a perfectly good conscience (v. 1). Ananias, a corrupt high priest, order that Paul should be slapped across the mouth to forcibly …
If there is to be reconciliation between God and man, the initiative and action must come from God. These false teachers in Colosse said that the angels could in some way bring men closer to God. But it was only through the blood of Christ that peace was made between God and ma …
These verses emphasize God’s role as sovereign king of the universe. We may make plans, but the answers are from God (v. 1). We think our ways are pure, but God weighs the motives of each of us (v. 2). It says that “the Lord weighs the spirits.” It takes …
Christ died to set us free from sin and from a long list of laws and regulations. He came to set us free but not free to do whatever we want because that would lead us back into slavery to our selfish desires. Paul says to stand fast in our liberty in Christ (v. 1). He often tell …
There are books written by liberal theologians that take the position that the Flood was local. They say that it was confined to the Tigris ?“ Euphrates valley and formed sort of a big swimming pool over there, and that is all there was. May I say that the Bible makes it very clear that there was a …
We find three parables in this chapter that reveal the love and concern Jesus has for sinful men and women (vv. 1-2). The Pharisees had a knowledge of the Old Testament Law and a desire for personal purity but they had no love for lost souls. Jesus attracted sinners whi …
What do you think of when you hear that phrase, “wrath of Godâ€? It is true that hell is an expression of the wrath of God, but that is not what it means in these verses. Many think of the wrath of God as thunder and lightning, and judgment, fire and brimstone, and the sudden destruction that comes …
In this chapter Paul shifts to another problem within the Corinthian church. The same failure of dealing with the immoral brother was also found in cases of lawsuits between church members. It is evident that Paul is disturbed and can hardly believe that members of the Corinthian church are …
Everywhere we look we find temptation to lead impure lives. The writer in this passage seems to be suggesting six ways to survive adolescence by keeping pure and growing in the Lord…