The believer and his taxes

Part of America’s heritage is a tax-revolt. And since an infamous tea-party, we Americans have quite consistently looked for opportunities to reduce, object to, fight against, and refuse to pay taxes in a variety of different forums. Argumentation against taxation has often also been a frequent topic among believers, who have often sought tax relief […]

Sunday Leftovers (4/4/10)

The work of God to redeem the sins of believers (what we call indwelling sin) — in the lives of people like Peter and his sinful denial of Christ — is a mark of great grace. And it is a reminder that God is not dependent on us; we are dependent on Him. He is […]

The cry from the cross

Two quotes to stimulate your thinking as you contemplate the crucifixion of Christ on this Good Friday morning and His cry from the cross — “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?’ that is, ‘MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?’” (Mt. 27:46; NASB) […]

Christ, the cross, and joy

The longer I walk with Christ, the more I not only love Him, but the more I love the cross. I love to read the crucifixion story. It moves me every time. I love to read about the cross — I have at least a couple dozen books that deal with the singular topic of […]

In due time their foot will slip

Today’s Scripture reading includes Dt. 32:35 — Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.’ It is this verse that served as the text for Jonathan Edwards’ well-known sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an […]

The necessity of a rejected Christ

Over the years, I have I heard others say this, and I have said it too: “Jesus didn’t have to die.” That is a partially true statement, in that Christ was fully blameless, innocent, and untainted by sin. It was “right” for Him not to die. Yet that obscures part of the message of Scripture. […]

How far will you go in your battle against sin and pride?

Jesus said, “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it […]

He did not answer

Several times the Scriptures point to the silence of Christ during His trial. The prophet Isaiah said it would be this way: “Like a lamb that is lead to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth” (53:7). It was indeed that way, as Matthew […]

What disobedience ultimately is

What is disobedience? Ask any child or teen and you will likely get a response something like, “not doing what I was told to do.” That answer is not significantly different from what most adults might say — “disobedience is a failure to do something commanded by a superior or authority figure in one’s life.” […]

How much sin is too much for Christ to forgive?

Even a few minutes of honest reflection and self-examination will convict a man of a vast expanse of sin in his life. Even a redeemed individual will see regular influence of the flesh and ungodly desires in the actions of his life and motives. Sometimes glimpses into the darkness of the soul will leave one […]

The Easter story

One of the things I have done intermittently for many years is to read chronologically through the events of the Passion week. The goal is to contemplate and meditate on the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ and anticipate the celebratory worship of Easter morning. One way you can do that is to purchase a Harmony […]

Three more sentences

Three sentences that were in my notes, but did not make it to my sermon on Sunday — A dead conscience and a misinformed mind is the result of failing to act on truth that has been heard and understood. There is probably no better barometer of our spiritual condition than how we handle the […]

Sunday Leftovers (3/28/10)

It is tempting to look at the crucifixion of Christ simply as the result of the unchecked sin of unredeemed men and the unbelief of the nation of Israel. Considering only the responses of the crowds can lead one to think, “well, if they had believed, then this would never have happened — Christ would […]

It is good for you…

Suffering appears in many different forms. As many different lives as there are, so there are that many different kinds and degrees of suffering. One thing we might be assured of, however. Every person will experience some measure of suffering in life. For the believer, the suffering is an examination to see if he will […]

Talk to yourself

My children somewhat regularly catch me talking to myself — “what did you say, Dad?” “Huh? Oh, nothing. I’m just talking to myself…” And even if it is not audible, everyone engages in much self-talk each day. In fact, the theologian you consult on the most regular basis is almost certainly yourself. For you listen […]