Recap. To quickly recap, in Posts 23-27 we dealt with a believer’s loss of faith and reasons commonly given for their loss. These included “The believer becoming mad at or disappointed by God,” and “The believer becoming mad at or disappointed by the Church.” This week we conclude our series on Losing Faith by examining … Continue reading “They claim to know God but by their works they deny Him…” Titus 1:16 / Losing Faith Conclusion
Author: Richard
“…Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” [John 19:16] // Jesus’ Death
To this point, we’ve talked about Christ’s birth. And we’ve talked about His resurrection. But we haven’t talked about Jesus’ death. And His death and the manner by which He was executed are just as important as any other aspect of His life and ministry. Why Crucifixion? Crucifixion is not a pretty way to die. … Continue reading “…Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” [John 19:16] // Jesus’ Death
“You alone…have made the heavens…” Nehemiah 9:6 // Inhabitants of God’s Creation
It has occurred to me that we’ve yet to examine the different types of beings which inhabit God’s Creation. An understanding of them is elementary to understanding Christianity. So, with this post we will explore this important facet of our Faith. This post is neither intended to be a scholarly examination nor an exhaustive one. … Continue reading “You alone…have made the heavens…” Nehemiah 9:6 // Inhabitants of God’s Creation
“Go therefore, make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19 // Disciples & Apostles
A common question that I hear from my Christian Friends is, “What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?” Although it has become common to use the terms interchangeably, they really do refer to specific groups of people. Adding confusion to the issue is the fact that all apostles are disciples, but not … Continue reading “Go therefore, make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19 // Disciples & Apostles
“The Pharisees and Sadducees came to (Jesus)…” Matthew 16:1 // Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes
Every Christian is familiar with the terms “Pharisees” and “Sadducees.” These were the most powerful religious sects in Palestine at the time of Christ. But few of us really understand the distinctions that defined them, and how important those distinctions were. Also, many Christians don’t realize that there was a third school of Jewish religious … Continue reading “The Pharisees and Sadducees came to (Jesus)…” Matthew 16:1 // Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes
“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near at hand…” Matthew 3:2 // The Essenes
The Essenes. We’re exploring Jewish Religious Sects. Last week we looked at the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the two sects most often mentioned in the Bible. However, there was a third, also very influential, Jewish religious sect at the time called the Essenes. Fixed dates for the Essenes’ operative years are not known, but it … Continue reading “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near at hand…” Matthew 3:2 // The Essenes
“The chief priests and the elders…assembled…and made plans to…have him put to death.” Matthew 26:3-4 // Origin of the Plot to Kill Jesus
For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been exploring the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes at the time of Christ. We’ve considered their beliefs, their positions in Jewish society, and their effects on Jewish culture at the time. This week, we’ll look at why the Pharisees and the Sadducees felt such antipathy toward Jesus … Continue reading “The chief priests and the elders…assembled…and made plans to…have him put to death.” Matthew 26:3-4 // Origin of the Plot to Kill Jesus
“…on the outside you appear… as righteous but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matthew 23:28 // Modern Day Pharisees and Sadducees
We’ve been exploring the Pharisees and the Sadducees we’ve all heard about from the Bible. This week, I’d like to take the information we learned about these two ancient religious sects and see what lessons we can derive from them for our Christian lives today. To help with that, I offer three observations and some … Continue reading “…on the outside you appear… as righteous but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matthew 23:28 // Modern Day Pharisees and Sadducees
“…and he remained there for forty days…” Mark 1:12 // Lent
An Exploration of Lent for Today’s Christians. For many, this year’s observance of Lent, or the “Lenten Season,” began on Wednesday, March 6th and concludes on Thursday, April 18th. Lent is the time of the Christian Liturgical year when the believer is encouraged to prepare spiritually for Easter which will arrive on Sunday, April 21st. … Continue reading “…and he remained there for forty days…” Mark 1:12 // Lent
“Give us Barabbas!” Luke 23:19 // Lessons from Barabbas
As we move through the Lenten Season (see last week’s post), it has been suggested that we consider some of the more distinctive characters that surrounded Jesus as He approached his crucifixion. This week’s subject will be Barabbas, and what we might learn from what we know of his story. Barabbas appears in Matthew, Mark, … Continue reading “Give us Barabbas!” Luke 23:19 // Lessons from Barabbas
