Focal Passage: Leviticus 16:1-10, 29-30 Liberal theologians reject the idea that God would sacrifice His own Son as our substitute (II Corinthians 5:21) to appease His own wrath toward sinners, calling it “slaughter house religion” that is beneath the loving God of the Bible. Yet even a cursory reading of the Old Testament law reveals a people whose lives centered around the sacrificial system. The unfolding of Old Covenant revelation
Focal Passage: Colossians 3:1-5, 12-17 The Apostle Paul was put in prison for preaching the Gospel. While there he wrote letters to encourage the faithful; one of those four ‘prison epistles’ is the New Testament book of Colosssians. This letter was written to exhort believers in the town of Colossee not to be taken in by a current heresy that belittled the Lord Jesus Christ; it claimed that Christ was
Focal Passage: 9:15 The redeeming work of Christ reminds us that separation from the world requires far more than lip service or a handful of moral disciplines. Separation from the world is marked by death. The sacrificial system of the Old Covenant required many tangible reminders of the cost of being set apart from the world. On this side of Calvary, it is easy for us to forget the price
Focal Passage: Psalm 63:1-11 In about the middle of my pastoral years (three decades ago!) ministers of music began introducing “praise and worship songs” into congregational hymn-singing. I especially remember two of those praise songs to this day; they were beloved — and were what I call ‘very singable.’ The words of both songs come directly from Psalm 63, our study-text for today: “Oh God, You Are My God” and
Focal Passage: Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38 How we use our resources says a lot about our worship. The children of Israel gave their earrings to Aaron to construct a golden calf for idol worship, because God had not met their expectations. After the wrath of God brought about the death of 3,000 of their kinsmen (Exodus 32:27-28), the Israelites gave a variety of gold jewelry and many other items for the
Focal Passage: Psalm 40:1-11 Do you have an attitude of gratitude? Or is it more of a “grrrr-attitude?” This week’s lesson on The ATTITUDE in Worship, from Psalm 40:1-11, could help you settle that question. We’re in a series called The Heart of Worship, and frankly, the study today is one of my favorites in the entire series. Is Psalm 40 “Messianic”? Not everyone thinks so. Messianic passages in
Focal Passage: Exodus 25:1-9; 31:1-6 You have heard it said countless times, “The devil is in the details.” Yet, when we read the Bible we learn that Satan’s ultimate concern is the end (deception), not the means. On the other hand, God is in the details. My father was a furniture builder and clearly not a carpenter. He could do much of the work carpenters do, but he demanded much
Focal Passage: Psalm 25:4-15 A gray-haired man and his young grandson were walking outdoors. The boy asked, “Grandpa, can a feller see God?” The grandfather stopped. He scanned the blue sky and the billowing clouds, saw the trees swaying in the wind, and the birds and squirrels flittering about. “Son,” he answered, “If a feller really looks, all he CAN see is God.” Inspired worship happens, when everywhere we look,
Focal Passage: Exodus 1:16-17; 22-2:10 Shiphrah, Puah, and Jochebed. Not everyone will recognize those first two names; many will know the third. They are three brave women depicted in today’s study passage, Exodus 1:16-17; 1:22-2:10. It isn’t an exaggeration to say this “ladies’ trio” helped change the history of the world. Our lesson is called “Treasuring What God Treasures,” and it’s a beautiful story about the sanctity of life. Treasuring
Focal Passage: Exodus 22:21-27; Leviticus 19:9-10 I do not remember who said it, but I was permanently impacted by the thought that every Christian must decide to live a life of either self-preservation or self-sacrifice. The first option looks like the world, and the second one looks like Jesus. My whole life has been spent in an America that chases hard after unrestrained individualism. Ideas that would have been considered
Focal Passage: Leviticus 16:1-10, 29-30 Liberal theologians reject the idea that God would sacrifice His own Son as our substitute (II Corinthians 5:21) to appease
Focal Passage: Colossians 3:1-5, 12-17 The Apostle Paul was put in prison for preaching the Gospel. While there he wrote letters to encourage the faithful;
Focal Passage: 9:15 The redeeming work of Christ reminds us that separation from the world requires far more than lip service or a handful of
Focal Passage: Psalm 63:1-11 In about the middle of my pastoral years (three decades ago!) ministers of music began introducing “praise and worship songs” into
Focal Passage: Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38 How we use our resources says a lot about our worship. The children of Israel gave their earrings to Aaron
Focal Passage: Psalm 40:1-11 Do you have an attitude of gratitude? Or is it more of a “grrrr-attitude?” This week’s lesson on The ATTITUDE
Focal Passage: Exodus 25:1-9; 31:1-6 You have heard it said countless times, “The devil is in the details.” Yet, when we read the Bible we
Focal Passage: Psalm 25:4-15 A gray-haired man and his young grandson were walking outdoors. The boy asked, “Grandpa, can a feller see God?” The grandfather
Focal Passage: Exodus 1:16-17; 22-2:10 Shiphrah, Puah, and Jochebed. Not everyone will recognize those first two names; many will know the third. They are three
Focal Passage: Exodus 22:21-27; Leviticus 19:9-10 I do not remember who said it, but I was permanently impacted by the thought that every Christian must
