The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 John the Baptist was appointed by God to point people to their Savior Jesus. When John saw Jesus coming toward where he was baptizing in the Jordan River, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” But in what way was Jesus a lamb? For nearly fifteen hundred years before this, Jewish believers had been commemorating the Passover Festival with a special meal ...
[God] chose us in [Jesus] before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Ephesians 1:4-6 Do you remember the feeling? You are preparing to play kickball during recess at school. Two captains are choosing players for their teams. They start with the best athletes. Was that you? Or were you picked later? ...
He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. Isaiah 42:2-3 Do you know someone with a voice that commands attention? If you are at a large family gathering and you need to quiet the crowd, there might be someone in your family with a deep and commanding voice to get everyone’s attention. Certain leaders are known for their distinct voice that can capture a nation’s attention with powerful words. If God were to speak ...
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Matthew 4:23 Preaching, teaching, and healing. Those three actions pretty much summarize Jesus’ earthly ministry. He touched a lot of lives during those thirty-plus years. But he’s touched a lot more lives since, like mine. He’s touched my life in ways beyond counting. He’s forgiven my sins. And there are plenty to pardon! He’s given me the peace of knowing that I’m loved by the Father despite myself. He’s reconciled the two ...
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 Right in the middle of the wreckage, God speaks a promise. Adam and Eve have disobeyed. Trust is broken. Shame has entered the world. Everything good now feels fragile. And before the humans say a word—before they apologize, explain, or promise to do better—God talks to the serpent, “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” It’s a strange moment. God isn’t giving instructions. He’s ...
[Abram] … pitched his tent there, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and proclaimed the name of the LORD. Genesis 12:8 “I can worship God at home. I can read the Bible at home. I can pray at home. And so, I really don’t get what the difference is between my worship at home and my worship at church. Isn’t it all the same thing?” Yes. And no. Can I praise my Lord in the privacy of my home? Yes. By myself, can I let ...
What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3 It’s about thirty years after Jesus has risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. His followers have eagerly shared the Good News of what Jesus has done. As a result, many have come to faith in Jesus as their Savior from sin. New congregations are forming. There is even a gathering of Christians in the capital city of the Roman Empire. Moved by the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul sits down to write a letter to these Roman ...
The LORD had said to Abram, “…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1,3 Let’s imagine the life of Abram—this famous figure from the Bible. In our imagination, it’s easy to presume God is coming down every other day to perform a dramatic miracle. It’s easy to picture Abram living a life bursting with high drama, a John Williams soundtrack swelling in the background. And because you and I already know how everything turns out, it’s easy to suppose that, somehow, Abram does too. These presumptions, of course, are wrong. Ninety-nine percent of ...
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe ...
But Abraham replied, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.” Luke 16:25 We all need it, no matter how old or young we are. We need it no matter how much money we have, where we live, where we work, where we worship, or who is related to us. We all need to feel secure, from little ones hugging their stuffed animals to adults paying for cybersecurity. We all want peace of mind. We don’t want ...
