The great news of the Bible is that we were created by a loving God who has provided us all a way out of this mess of sin and death through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This is a theme that appears one way or another all through the Bible. We can see … Continue reading –>
The What and How of Clergy Sexual Misconduct Hopefully you’ll live out your days never encountering the type of religious leader who makes an article like this necessary. But for the sake of those who do, and in light of the fact that you might, read on. I want to help all of us better … Continue reading –>
You can view an in-depth discussion of “Jesus in Jerusalem” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV Sabbath School … Continue reading –>
If you had just a few days left to live, what would you do with them? One of the things Jesus did was to tell stories that would leave a deep impact on His listeners. Read Matthew 21:33-46. Who is represented by each of the following? Landowner: Farmers: Servants: Son: Notice Jesus’ quotation of Psalm … Continue reading –>
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 –>
One Sabbath afternoon I received a phone call from the mother of a child I had corrected earlier at church. The girl had smarted off to me when I told her to stay out of a room that was off-limits. The mother told me, “My daughter wants to tell you she is sorry, but before … 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 –>
