Jesus’ cleansing of the temple was an act of compassion. It was the Gentile courts where the buying and selling were taking place, and Jesus intended His house to be a place of prayer and worship for all peoples. But the cleansing was an act of judgment also. The priests who ran the temple had … Continue reading –>
From the earliest days of fallen humanity, animal sacrifices were God’s chosen means to teach the world the plan of salvation, salvation by grace through faith in the coming Messiah (see Rom. 4:13-16). A powerful example of this truth can be found in Genesis 4, the story of Cain and Abel and the tragedy that … Continue reading –>
I recently watched a video on Youtube.com as two men attempted to cut a hornet’s nest hanging from a tree. They wanted it to fall into an open plastic garbage bag, and only one thing went wrong as the plastic bag failed open properly and bumped into the nest. The hornets were quick to counter-attack … Continue reading –>
Following their 70-year captivity in Babylon, the Jews began to return to Jerusalem. They were excited to be rebuilding their temple, but as the foundation was laid, those who remembered Solomon’s magnificent temple realized that this second temple wasn’t going to be anywhere nearly as nice. Thus, they “wept aloud” (Ezra 3:12, NIV). The people … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Zech. 9:9, Matt. 21:1-46, Rom. 4:13-16, Rev. 14:7-12, Acts 6:7, Matt. 22:1-15. Memory Text:“Have you never read in the Scriptures:‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’ ? ” (Matthew 21:42, NKJV). In Matthew 20:27-28 … Continue reading –>
Through the centuries some people have argued for what is sometimes called “natural law.” Though it comes in many shapes and forms, the idea is that we can derive from the natural world moral principles that can help guide our actions. In one sense, as Christians who believe that nature is God’s “Second Book,” we … Continue reading –>
To truly appreciate today’s story about James and John (and their mom) in Matthew 20:20-27, first read Luke 9:51-56. This event occurred when Jesus and His disciples at first set out for Jerusalem, just days before James and John asked if they could sit on Jesus’ left and right in the kingdom. Read Matthew 20:20-27. … Continue reading –>
Right after the incident with the rich ruler, what happens? “Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?’” (Matt. 19:27, NKJV). Nothing in the text says what prompted this question, but it could easily be in direct response to the rich man’s departure … Continue reading –>
Read Matthew 19:16-30. As New Testament Christians, how are we to relate to this story today? What lessons can we take from it for ourselves? Though not much is told us specifically about this man, we can pick up a few salient points. He was rich, a ruler (see Luke 18:18), and apparently a very … Continue reading –>
One of the worst consequences of the Fall is seen in interpersonal relationships. From Adam trying to blame Eve for his sin (Gen. 3:12) to this moment on earth today, our race has been ravaged and degraded by conflict between individuals. Unfortunately, conflicts are not just in the world but in the church, as well. … Continue reading –>
