Ezra 7 & Nehemiah 8 | Devoted to God’s Word
As we make our way through Ezra and Nehemiah, we are finally introduced to our title character: Ezra. This week we will meet Ezra, the man, and his mission. His pedigree is impressive, tracing all the way back to Aaron, the first High Priest. He is a skillful expert in the Bible and a first-rate…
Read MoreEzra 4 & Nehemiah 4 | Battling Discouragement
Life can be hard. Even the best life is filled with discouragement. Ezra 4 and Nehemiah 4 teach us how to battle discouragement, especially when it comes to those who are committed to doing good. Ezra 4 is about the discouragement that comes through persecution. It is persecution that is public and political. It chronicles…
Read MoreWorshiping in the Ruins | Ezra 3
The big idea for the week: Worship is central to life with God. In worship, we are called to look beyond our present difficulties, celebrate what Jesus has done for us in the past, and look forward with hope to what he will do for us in the future. The Bible says that when Christian’s come…
Read MoreMatthew 28 | Bad Coffee and Missing the Main Thing
Why is it so easy to miss the main thing? In February of 2008, an email was leaked from Starbucks headquarters. It was sent from Howard Shultz, who was transitioning back into the CEO role after an eight-year absence, to the current CEO, Jim Donald: “as we prepare for the 2008 strategic planning process, I want to…
Read MoreEaster Sunday!
Isn’t It Ironic | Matthew 27:27-56
As we prepare for Holy Week, we will examine Matthew’s crucifixion account. Matthew gives us very little information about the physical sufferings of Jesus. There is little about blood, beatings, or flayed flesh. We can imagine it, but Matthew’s focus is elsewhere. He focuses primarily on the mockery Jesus endured. And the primary way he…
Read MoreGood Lord, Deliver Us | Matthew 27:1-26
The Lord’s prayer paints a vision of life in God’s family. That life has three parts: a life of devotion, a life of dependence, and a life of danger. Jesus teaches us to pray daily that we will be delivered from evil. This is a plea for protection. But in our comfortable routines of life, we do…
Read MoreWoe is Me? | Matthew 23
Jesus began his public ministry with one of the most famous sermons ever delivered: the Sermon on the Mount. And here, beginning in chapter 23 is Jesus’ final sermon. As I study this section, I am amazed at the beautiful balance of Matthew’s gospel. This final sermon is almost exactly the same length as the…
Read MoreMatthew 23:1-12
Matthew 23 / The Most “Un-Christian” chapter in the Bible? Matthew 23 is a challenging chapter. In this chapter, Jesus, God’s mighty prophet, calls down seven woes upon the religious leaders of his day. They were diverting people from Jesus and keeping people from the kingdom of God. The “pitch” of Jesus’s prophetic critique is…
Read MoreMatthew 22:15-46 / Controversial Questions / Eternal Answers
Four big questions arise in Matthew 22:15-46. Three are asked of Jesus and one is asked by Jesus. The three questions asked of Jesus are meant to trip him up and trap him. But what they meant for evil, God uses for good. The questions are: It is amazing how timely these questions are. …
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