August 21, 2016. This week a group of us got together to do a bible study, and we talked about the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (I know, I keep using my past week as prompts, but I’ve just gotten some good ideas from these discussions!), and during the discussion, someone brought…
Tag: light
Choose your paradigm: Membership or Missional. (Part 2)
February 22, 2015. Last week we began a series that addressed two different paradigms that churches can have, through which they look at the world and the lost. Of these two paradigms, only one is put forth by Jesus. It seems that in our culture today, however, the opposite one is most often the default…
Choose your paradigm: Membership or Missional. (Part 1)
February 15, 2015. I have been listening to a lot of sermons and podcasts recently that have dealt with the mission of the church and how we need to relight our fire. Of particular note was the distinction between two different paradigms in Christianity that we need to be aware of to choose the…
I John 1-5: Walking in the Light.
December 6, 2015. Daily Reading: I John 1-5. Background: The first of three letters that have been persevered, I John is attributed to the Apostle John, author of the gospel that bears his name. The letter is written to what would seem to be believers that the aged apostle held in his care, who he…
Deuteronomy 4-6: Hear, O Israel.
November 16, 2015. Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 4-6. Background: Deuteronomy 1-3. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 4 The people of God: After going over their history in the past three chapters, Moses now turns to the people of God to command their obedience. They were about to enter the promised land, and Moses wanted to remind them…
John 13-15: Discussions with the disciples.
October 3, 2015. Daily Reading: John 13-15. Background: John 9-12. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 13 Jesus’ passover meal with the disciples: As Jesus’ time before the cross is quickly coming to an end, John records one of the last suppers that He and His disciples would experience together before He was delivered over to the…
Luke 11-12: Teachings of Christ.
June 20, 2015. Daily Reading: Luke 11-12. Background: Luke 9-10. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 11 1. Prayer: The opening of this chapter deals with Jesus’ teaching on prayer, as His disciples came and asked Him directly to teach them how to pray, just as John taught His disciples. Here Luke records the Lord’s prayer (see…
Philippians 1-2: To live is Christ.
June 16, 2015. Daily Reading: Philippians 1-2. Background: This letter is a letter of Paul written to the church at Philippi, which was one of the earliest churches in Europe. Paul, along with Timothy and Silas, had visited Philippi on his second missionary journey after being called to the region in a vision at night,…
II Corinthians 4-6: The glory of the gospel.
April 19, 2015. Daily Reading: II Corinthians 4-6. Background: II Corinthians 1-3. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 4 1. The light of the gospel: In the beginning, when all of the universe as we know it was nothing and there was no light, there was God, and God said “Let their be light,”- and light shined out…
Matthew 11-13: Speaking in parables.
February 7, 2015. Daily Reading: Matthew 11-13. Background: Matthew 8-10. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 11 1. John the baptizer and the Messiah: John had come as the one who would prepare the way for the Messiah, a voice crying in the wilderness. As Jesus’ and John’s ministries begin to overlap, John sends messengers to Jesus to…
“Let light shine out of darkness.”
July 20, 2014. “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the…
How can we know?
June 11, 2014. “Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 