The more we know, the more jaded we often become. And as society has changed over time, our need for heroes has changed as well. There was a time when we wanted people that we could look up to—who were just better than we were in some way, usually in terms of their character. But as time … Continue reading Knowing Jesus: Jesus did not sin
Most of us at some point in our lives have sat in math class, staring at a sheet of paper containing all kinds of equations, some of which quite literally looked like Greek to us! We spotted one of the problems, and we just happen to remember that the teacher worked it out on the board a … Continue reading God requires that you show your work
Last week, we talked about Jesus' focus on seeking the lost. He never missed an opportunity to teach or influence, and displayed a single-mindedness that sometimes seemed like obsession to his disciples. There's an important implication to that: if it's so important to seek the lost, then being lost must be a truly horrible thing. … Continue reading Knowing Jesus: The severity of sin
Jesus came to this world in order to accomplish a number of things, and we read about them throughout scripture—some in Jesus' own words, some revealed to us by the apostles whom Jesus had entrusted with the Gospel message (John 14:26, Matt. 10:27). But there was one particular mission that Jesus seemed to embrace with every moment of his … Continue reading Knowing Jesus: Seeking the lost
We’re all familiar with Philippians 4:13, which says “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” For many of us, Paul’s statement has become a daily encouragement, a rallying cry to success. It’s used in any number of situations: “I can survive this crisis.” “I can win that race.” “Anything I choose to … Continue reading What does “victory in Christ” really look like?