During 2015-16 we enjoyed the fellowship and ministry of a local Presbyterian church. They lovingly afforded me the privilege of their pulpit while they sought a pastor. When the heavenly accounts are settled we will be indebted to this congregation for their kindness to us. The weekly liturgy and encouragement helped us consider Christ’s work in anciently refreshing ways. As would be expected, the weekly liturgy included the Apostles’ Creed. I […]
At 9am on a bright Friday morning Roman soldiers crucified Jesus like they’d done a thousand other derelicts (Mk 15.25). They drove spikes through his wrists. Maybe they toenailed his hands. They drove spikes through his heels on either side of the cross. They shot dice for his clothes. Souvenirs of a man hung there like a carnival sideshow. Another day at the office. The execution was textbook until noon. […]
Dirty. That’s how I felt the next morning after our son’s baseball game. The night before we played a team obviously above our caliber. It’s obvious to everyone in the league they’re using us as practice squads. They were baseball kids. Our team is kids who play baseball. There’s a huge difference. They practice hours a day. We practice an hour per week. Their starting pitcher might as well have […]
“In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him and saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, “I am the Son of God.”‘” (Mt 27.41–43) Tell me if […]
As part of God’s sanctifying providence Christians must endure difficult seasons of frustration. Some will be brief and others lengthy, but they will all test our affections and whittle away our worldliness. Our questions will not always be about God’s power or authority but about his care. Will he indeed mend the wounds he is right to cause? Answers will be few for most of them or at least selfishly […]
“The LORD shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven. Then the LORD will single him out for adversity from all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the […]