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1 Corinthians
Ordinary Church
April 16, 2023
After reading the extraordinary chapter 15 about the resurrection of Jesus and all its implications, chapter 16 seems so ordinary. And yet the ordinary life and ministry of the church is where the promises of the resurrection get lived out now.
1 Corinthians
The Hope of Easter
April 9, 2023
The message of Easter is that Jesus died and came back new. The hope of Easter is that what happened to Jesus will happen to us. We will be raised up to new life in new bodies on a new earth.
1 Corinthians
The Centrality of the Resurrection
April 2, 2023
Some in the Corinthian church were claiming there was no resurrection of the dead. They saw it as a sort of foolish superstition—a belief for unsophisticated Christians. But in our passage, Paul wants us to see that the resurrection is central to everything we believe as Christians.
1 Corinthians
What Is the Gospel?
March 26, 2023
The gospel is not something we believe once and then move on from. It is something we hold fast to, daily. This passage gives us three handles to hold onto: the gospel is historical, theological, and personal.
1 Corinthians
Orderly Worship
March 20, 2023
Paul concludes this section of the letter about the worship life of the church (ch. 11-14) by focusing on the need for order in the worship gathering. Even though our worship gatherings today differ from the Corinthian gatherings, there is much for us to learn here about how to glorify God and edify one another in worship.
1 Corinthians
Build up the Church
March 12, 2023
The Corinthian’s zeal to experience God took the form of elevating certain spiritual gifts and seeking heightened spiritual experiences. Paul does not dismiss these things, but in the context of gathered worship, he calls us to focus our desire on that which builds up the church.
1 Corinthians
Love Never Ends
March 5, 2023
The truest mark of God’s work in a community is not spiritual gifts. The truest mark of God’s work in a community is love. Because, unlike the gifts, love never ends.
1 Corinthians
Pursue Love
February 26, 2023
A church can be gifted and growing, but without love, it has nothing. Love is the mark of spiritual vitality, and love is how people will know we follow Jesus. It is important to cut through the vague ideals of love in our day and get some clarity on what this kind of love looks like in everyday life.
1 Corinthians
The Beauty of Membership in the Body
February 19, 2023
One of the main problems in the Corinthian church was division. They were even dividing over spiritual gifts. So, Paul introduces this metaphor of the human body to illustrate what the church should be like and to show the beauty of membership in the body.
1 Corinthians
True Spirituality
February 12, 2023
Some in the Corinthian church were claiming to have extraordinary spiritual gifts. They were positioning themselves as the “spiritual ones,” and everyone else was a second-class Christian. Paul corrects this thinking with the Corinthians and shows them (and us) the nature of true spirituality.
Mark
A Glimpse of Glory
January 19, 2025
The disciples want to be associated with the glory of the Christ, but they don’t understand what true glory is. So Jesus gives a glimpse of his glory; to show more clearly who he is and to give every disciple assurance in following him.
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Mark
Take Up Your Cross
January 12, 2025
Jesus says he must suffer and die, but the disciples can't see it. When we focus on the things of man, we can't see what God is doing. According to Mark 8, seeing Jesus clearly means seeing why he had to die, and seeing why we must die as well.
Luke
Waiting for the Lord
December 29, 2024
The life of faith is a life of waiting for the Lord. That involves being immersed in God’s story, living with expectancy, and committing to practices that keep us attentive to God.
Matthew
When God Comes to the Bad Guy
December 22, 2024
What happens when God comes to the bad guy in the story, the person controlled by sin? If we want to understand the astonishing reality of Christmas, then we’ve got to understand someone like Herod.
Matthew
When God Comes to the Righteous
December 15, 2024
We often hear about God coming to the spiritual seekers and to the down and out. Joseph’s story shows us what happens when God comes to the good guy. He has to choose: life on his terms or life on God’s terms.
Mark
The Humble Faith of a Gentile Woman
December 8, 2024
When Jesus is approached by a Gentile woman in need, he responds in a way that feels harsh. But looking deeper into this interaction, it teaches us how to come to Jesus and about his unique mission.
Mark
Religion of the Heart
December 1, 2024
In Mark 7, we see two very different approaches to religion. The scribes and Pharisees are focused on the externals of religious devotion. Jesus, meanwhile, pushes beneath appearances to the source of true defilement: the human heart.
Mark
Finding Rest in the Work
November 24, 2024
Our problem runs deeper than having busy lives. We need a rest that only God can give. In this famous story, Jesus reveals himself as the true shepherd who gives us true rest.
Mark
He Came to His Own
November 17, 2024
In this little passage, Jesus came to his own and his own people did not receive him. Why is this account in the Bible and what is God trying to teach us through it?
Mark
Jesus the Warrior King
November 10, 2024
This is the most detailed account of an exorcism in the Bible. It gives us insight into the reality of demonic power, the superior power of Jesus, and the choice we have between the two. The choice is always before us: Is God your life, or is your life your God?
Mark
Who Then Is This?
November 3, 2024
In this familiar story, Jesus calms a storm. But the main point of the story might not be what you think.
Mark
The Parable of the Sower
October 27, 2024
The kingdom of God comes into the world through the Word of God, and bears fruit in those who receive it. Life in the kingdom begins with hearing. Does God’s word stay on the surface of your life or does it take hold of you and change you?
Mark
The Crowds and the Called
October 20, 2024
In these two scenes in Mark 3, we see a contrast between the crowds that had gathered around Jesus and the twelve apostles. As we compare these two groups of people, some defining marks of a follower of Jesus emerge.
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Mark
A Glimpse of Glory
January 19, 2025
The disciples want to be associated with the glory of the Christ, but they don’t understand what true glory is. So Jesus gives a glimpse of his glory; to show more clearly who he is and to give every disciple assurance in following him.
Psalms
Rest for the Restless
August 11, 2024
Many of us journey through life at full speed, trying to accomplish big things, setting our sights on achievement and success. David says genuine rest can't be had that way. It comes, instead, as we embrace our limits, rest like a child, and hope in the Lord.
Mark
The Beginning of the Gospel
September 8, 2024
Mark begins the story of Jesus in the wilderness. He is preparing us for a new exodus and a new covenant. If you want to see the real Jesus, you gotta go into the wilderness. It is a place of redemption, repentance, and renewed sonship.
Psalms
Celebrating Community
August 18, 2024
We were made for community. It seems hard to come by, but this psalm assures us that it is possible because of God's blessing and grace through Jesus.
Galatians
New Creation
November 22, 2020
The gospel is not only the gateway to our life with God. It is also the pathway for our life with him. We are prone to add other things that give us a sense of assurance or belonging, but Jesus plus anything else is a false gospel.
Mark
Son, Your Sins Are Forgiven
September 29, 2024
Four men bring their friend to Jesus, presumably to fix their friend’s biggest problem, his paralysis. But Jesus has an even deeper healing in mind.
Mark
The Authority of Jesus
September 22, 2024
We generally resist any authority but our own. So, what does it take for people with “authority issues” to come under the Lordship of Jesus? We must see that he has authority over everything, and that he uses his authority for our good.
Philippians
A Vision for Change
September 1, 2024
We all desire to change. And yet, true and lasting change can be quite difficult to achieve. What we need is a biblical understanding of how change works, which is exactly what we find in Philippians 2.
Mark
His Message and His Method
September 15, 2024
As Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee, Mark immediately shows us the message of Jesus and the method of Jesus. And both of those things are more radical than they seem on the surface.
Psalms
God’s Promises Are Greater
August 4, 2024
The first half of this psalm is a prayer of the people based on David’s oath to God. The second half is filled with promises from God based on God’s oath to David. And as expected, God’s promises are greater than our prayers.
Psalms
Out of the Depths
July 28, 2024
What do we do with our guilt? Psalm 130 teaches us to cry out to, trust in, and wait for the Lord. With him there is forgiveness, steadfast love, and plentiful redemption.
Mark
He Eats With Sinners
October 6, 2024
No one liked tax collectors, but Jesus befriended them and dined with them. This story teaches us that Jesus draws near to those who know they need him. Whoever thinks he is doing fine will keep him at a distance.