Category: Christ

Luke 7 records in Jesus’ ministry a visit to the city of Nain. Nain was located southwest of the sea of Galilee about 8 miles south of Nazareth. There is no indication it was a large city, but verse 11 of the text indicates that when Jesus entered the city, he brought both His disciples, “and a large crowd” with Him.

The city is only known from this account, where Jesus raised a young man from the dead. His mother is famously known as “the widow of Nain.” Perhaps the most significant aspect of this notable miracle Jesus performed is the motivation behind it. We are told the young man was the only son of his widowed mother, and “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her” (13). Continue reading “The Widow of Nain” →

There are some important truths we must consider on the matter of judgment. This has been illustrated through the egregious false statements typically seen on the news following any issue of consequence. The truth does not matter, all that matters is how it can be spun to benefit “our party” or “our interests”.

Our Lord said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). It is important to adjudicate facts, not what we wish to be so. It is important that we be fair. Later in the same chapter, Nicodemus counseled the same basic thing with regard to the judgment they sought against Jesus Himself, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” (51).

Let’s do that now. Was Jesus what men claimed about Him? Concerning those who witnessed Jesus, we are told that some said, “He is good”, while others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people” (John 7:12). After Jesus protested His innocence among them some said, “You have a demon” (7:20). Some who were more impressed with Jesus said, “Truly this is the Prophet” (7:40). Continue reading “What About This Jesus?” →

The triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem is so called because of the response of the people to Him.  This response is written by Mark in 11:9-10.

“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
That comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!”

The event is chronicled in all four gospels—Matthew 21; Mark 11; Luke 19; John 12. The word Hosanna in the text above is a transliteration from the Hebrew into the  English translations, and is an expression of adoration with which the Jews were familiar.  The basic sentiment was an expression seeking to bring well being and victory to Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews.  A literal definition from the Hebrew would be something like — oh save! Continue reading “Hosanna!” →

A discussion of the Two Tabernacles and the ordinances of divine service mentioned in Hebrews 9.

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An examination of Paul’s wonderful sermon preaching on Mars Hill in Acts 17.

Audio

YouTube Video of Sermon

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).

The Word references the Son of God. One of three in the beginning, with the Father and the Holy Spirit. John here affirms the place God’s Son had in creation. As He and the Father are One, God’s Son can truly and fully be referred to as the Creator of all things. He is described as “the light of men” (5).

After the first 5 verses, there is an ellipsis dealing the John the Baptist. John was the one who came to “bear witness of the Light” (6). Notice the word “Light” here is capitalized, emphasizing our point that the “light” is another designation for the “Word”, signifying God’s Son. Hence the capitalized word indicating deity. John the Baptist is not God’s Son. He is the forerunner of the “Light.” “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”  For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight.’ ” (Matthew 3:1-3). Continue reading “The Incarnate Word” →

Most of Acts chapter 2 contains Peter’s gospel sermon. It was at this time God kept His promise to establish the Messianic kingdom, and was the first time the declaration of the ratified gospel of Jesus was preached.

As such it is a significant event and significant message. In examining the first part of the lesson, we note first of all the gospel is proclaimed to be heeded by men (cf. Romans 1:16; 10:17). While some were wrongly thinking that these men who were preaching in tongues were drunk (cf. vs. 13), Peter revealed what was actually in play.

Their baptism in the Holy Spirit and the signs accompanying this event was prophesied in the Old Testament, and Peter brings their minds to this passage (cf. Joel 2). Not only was this a sign that the apostle’s words were to be obeyed, but it also was an indication that God’s ultimate blessing to all men had come. “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (vs. 21).

The text of Mark 10:32-34 states the beginning of the final stage of Jesus’s life as he began his journey to Jerusalem where he would be crucified.

“Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;  and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again’”

As Jesus had already spoken to them twice about His eventual death, no doubt his determination to go directly to the source of his opposition (Jerusalem) was both amazing (“they were amazed”) and troubling (“they were afraid”) to His disciples. For a third time Jesus declares His impending death, this time to the twelve as He took them aside. Continue reading “Jesus Predicts His Death” →

In Acts 8, a eunuch from Ethiopia was traveling a road from Jerusalem back to his home. He was reading from the prophet Isaiah, specifically the beginning of chapter 53 when he met the evangelist Philip. When the eunuch asked Philip, “of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”, Philip correctly answered that the prophecy was about Jesus Christ (Acts 8:34-35).

In truth, there is much said about the Christ in Isaiah’s book of prophecy.  The interesting thing about chapter 53 is that it pictures a Messiah that the Jew of Jesus’ time would have a hard time accepting.  Let’s explain:

“For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2). Continue reading “The Rejected Savior of Mankind” →

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1-2).

The idea of imitating God can be a bit daunting. While we know that we can never attain the pristine heights of God’s righteousness, He nevertheless requires that we do the best we can. The idea is effort, change, commitment. And it is amazing what we can accomplish regarding holiness if we put our hearts and wills to it!

There are two major points here. The first is simple —  walk in love. That is encompassed in the keeping of God’s commandments, and treating others with kindness and benevolence in accord with their needs.

The second point is found in verses 3-7. We must avoid sin.  As verses 8-11 say, “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the world. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”

This is simple to understand. God is for love, and against unrighteousness. To be His, we must be as well!

Question: What do we know about Melchizedek? Answer: Not much. The king of Salem is found only in Genesis 14.  We  know he was a king; He was a priest of God Most High (18); He blessed Abraham (19); Abraham paid a tithe to him (20).

Melchizedek’s Importance: 

• He was a type of Jesus Christ. We know nothing of his lineage, nor his birth or death. As such it is said of him by the Hebrew writer, “having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually” (3). Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, who ever lives as our High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

What we learn from Melchizedek:

• Christ’s priesthood is greater than that of the Levitical priesthood, “but he whose genealogy is not derived from them [the sons of Levi] received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better” (6-7).
• Jesus’ coming as a new high priest, proves that the Levitical priesthood was not perfect, otherwise there would be no need for Jesus to serve as High Priest (11).
• “The priesthood being changed, of necessity there is a change of law” (12). Jesus was from Judah so could not serve as a priest under the Old Covenant. The priestly tribe under the Old Covenant was Levi. Our hope is better as we draw near to God through our great High Priest, Jesus Christ!

A discussion of Jesus’ self-designation as the Bread of Life. It indicates eternal sustenance to those who come to Him. We discuss how to come to Jesus, and the reward we receive.

• Audio
• YouTube Video of Sermon

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Certain unique characteristics of Christ make Him the great and sufficient High Priest for us today. Note the points made by the Hebrew writer in chapters 4 & 5.

Jesus passed through the heavens (4:14). This makes Him great.  His ascension and exaltation (cf. “the firstfruits”, 1 Corinthians 15:23) indicate that His position emanates from the Father in heaven.

Jesus can sympathize with the weakness of men (4:15).  All have been tempted and sin (cf. Romans 3:23). Jesus is uniquely qualified to offer a sacrifice for sin because of His Deity, as seen in the preceding point. But also as One who has been tempted like we have, “yet without sin” (5:15).

He was appointed by God. (5:1-4).  No high priest can simply appoint Himself to the position. In the Old Testament, God appointed the tribe of Levi and the house of Aaron for this important work. The High Priest was the one to offer the sacrifice for the sin of the people. Under the New Covenant the Father appointed Jesus, after the priesthood of Melchizedek as uniquely the High Priest for all of humanity (5:5-6).

Jesus is uniquely qualified and has been perfected by His death, resurrection and ascension. He has become the “author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest…” (5:9-10).

In John 5, we read of the healing of a man who had been lame for a long time. It is an interesting narrative, and one of the first times in Jesus’ ministry that He came under fire by the Jews, who were angry at Jesus for healing this man on the Sabbath day.

Our interest comes from verses 2-4. “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had” (John 5:2-4). Notice that the healing of an individual came if he was the first to step into the pool at the appointed time. Continue reading “Jesus and Healing” →

We are disciples of Jesus of Nazareth. We believe as did Peter and his fellow apostles that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). This faith in the Sonship and Deity of Jesus is an indispensable aspect of our discipleship. It also has great ramifications, specifically in the area of authority, and the legitimacy of receiving worship from man.

Jesus has been given “all authority…in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). This indicates the Father’s intention to establish in His son a new covenant and new kingdom. We are told in the last days that God has “spoken to us by His son, who He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:2). Jesus is uniquely God’s means of redeeming men to Himself. Continue reading “Praise the Lord” →