In Luke 19:11-27 we understand the people “thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately”, a false assumption that looked for an earthly kingdom overlooking the fact that a spiritual kingdom had to be established first. Jesus being in the vicinity of Jerusalem, Israel’s capitol, was apparently fueling the false expectation among the people that […]
We say that salvation is free, and so it is, for “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23. However there is a cost of following Jesus, or discipleship, of which He lays out the facts in Luke 14:25-33. First, to hate one’s life and family does not mean […]
Weather you view the story in Luke 16:19-31 as a parable or an actual event the “bottom line” remains the same. Material wealth in itself should not be viewed as a sign of God’s favor and blessing, neither should the lack thereof, in itself, be viewed as a sign of His disfavor or judgment! God […]
In response to a question regarding religious observances in Matthew 9:16-17 Jesus speaks two parallel parables portraying the old covenant with the new, the old life with the new. The old forms of religion, which in this case was ritual fasting suggesting to us somberness and mourning over the brokenness caused by sin, but now […]
In Luke 24 we are told about two of Jesus followers (who were not of the twelve Apostles) going to Emmaus on the day of His Resurrection. They were downhearted and perplexed because they believed He was the Messiah, but three days earlier He had been crucified, and now on this morning some from their […]
A path is a place that is worn by footsteps, or a trail; it is a walkway for people on foot, a line of movement, and also a course of conduct or procedure. Psalm 16 11 says, speaking to God, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; […]
On more than one occasion the Apostle Paul had been imprisoned for the gospel he preached, but on no occasion do we find him sitting there in despair and gloom. Remember in Acts 17 he and Silas conducted a prayer and praise service in a jail cell at Philippi with their feet fastened in the […]
Often the pathway of life is obscure in the distance to our vision. In Joshua 3:3-4 the Israelites have come to such a place having reached the border of Canaan, the land God had promised to give to Abraham and his descendants. The final hurdle was to get across the Jordan River, now in flood […]
Probably one of Israel’s greatest pitfalls, along with Idolatry and Adultery, was their discontentment and dissatisfaction. Time and again we read about their murmuring and complaining against the Lord and against the leadership He set in place, see Exodus 16:7-8; Deuteronomy 1:27 and numerous other scriptures, (and it is quite evident that God takes it […]
During the time of year we call the Passion season our attention is drawn to the sufferings of Jesus after the “Last Supper”, which leads us to focus on His blood that was shed for us. Peter writes, in 1:18-19 of his first epistle that we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ.” In […]