A week of conflict

One might think that the manner in which Christ entered Jerusalem (Mt. 21:1-11) set the tone for the week. He came being acclaimed and worshipped by the crowds. They sang Messianic songs and welcomed Him with joy. They even declared Him to be “the Prophet” (v. 11), a reference to Dt. 18:15 and an affirmation […]

Grumbling about grace

It is a skill we begin to hone early in life. Its first manifestations are the belligerent screams of a demanding infant at feeding time (or diaper changing time or bath time or getting dressed time). By the time the child is a toddler, the screams morph into whines, mixed with occasion tears. In the […]

The innumerable works of God

Of all the attitudes that might be cultivated towards God, one of the most dangerous is complacency. Because God is majestic and supreme to be bored with Him is sin. Because God is infinitely gracious to all mankind and particularly gracious towards those who belong to Him, to take His work for granted is an […]

All things are possible for God

“If you ask where God’s glory most is seen, I will not point to creation, nor to providence, but to the raising of Jesus from the dead,” said Charles Spurgeon. There is a parallel to that statement. If God’s glory is most seen in the resurrection of Christ, then His glory is likewise seen in the […]

Salvation – a study in contrasts

Mark 10 might be called a study in contrasts. Just as the qualities of oil and water are revealed when they are placed in the same jar, what Jesus says is clarified by two contrasting accounts in this chapter. In the first, the disciples want the children surrounding Christ to be sent away; Jesus wants […]

The danger of self-deception

Construction worker Patrick Lawler thought he had a toothache. He tried painkillers and ice packs but received no relief. Finally he went to the dental office where his wife worked and the x-ray revealed the problem: he had a four-inch nail in his head. Apparently six days earlier Patrick’s nail gun misfired and one of […]

God is…

John tells us that Jesus Christ came to explain the Father (Jn. 1:18). That is, Jesus came to expose or exegete God; He came to give an accounting and revelation of the Father (and at the same time also revealed His own nature and character, Jn. 10:30). Only the Son, who has the very nature […]

Is death reason to doubt God?

This morning I read this sentence from J. I. Packer: “It has become conventional to think as if we are all going to live in this world forever and to view every case of bereavement as a reason for doubting the goodness of God.” And then I read this sentence from Jesus (John 11:14-15): “Lazarus […]

Sin speaks

We are familiar with the truth of 2 Corinthians 4:7 — “…the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” But reading that verse, we might wonder, “Christ is so […]

Pictures of Jesus

M’Cheyne wrote, “Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely. Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace, and all for sinners, even the chief.” Reading Scripture is always because of its value to transform us and sanctify us (2 Tim. 3:16-17). […]

Learn much of Jesus

For two and a half months, we’ve been reading each weekday in the Gospels. What shall we do with all this talk of Jesus? Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ. He is altogether lovely. Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace, and all […]

Jesus and money

Entertainer Sophie Tucker reputedly said, “From birth to age 18, a girl needs good parents, from 18 to 35 she needs good looks, from 35 to 55 she needs a good personality, and from 55 on she needs cash.” And on another occasion she suggested, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Rich is better.” But […]

A complaint against Jesus

We may not admit it, but we like to complain. We are not unlike the Israelites, who escaped from the unjust wrath of Pharaoh and then complained that they didn’t have leeks, garlic, and cucumbers to eat (Num. 11:5). We complain about colds and cold weather — grumbling against God’s sovereignty in various sufferings and […]

Counting the cost and finishing well

In my childhood and early teen years, I was an active baseball card collector. (I still have something around 30,000 cards inhabiting my closet.) One of the things that I would like to do with fellow card-collecting buddies was trade cards. I always tried to be strategic in my trading, and since one of the […]

Stories of grace in unusual places

Tell someone you have a story about grace and they will immediately think you received an unexpected financial gift, a couple struggling to get pregnant finally is with child, or estranged friends were finally reconciled. Jesus also told many stories of grace. But some of those stories didn’t immediately sound so gracious, like the two […]