Because Christ is risen, we rise spiritually. Apart from Christ, our hearts are darkened by sin. We are slaves to sin. We are cursed souls. We are incapable of pleasing God. Even our best moments are tainted by mixed motives and selfish conceit. But in Christ’s death we have found full and final forgiveness. The debt we owed has been paid, and the subsequent curses of our … [Read more...] about We Rise Spiritually
Our Shepherd
In my life, I have once seen a shepherd personally. We were on a mission trip with a group of students, and it was a rainy day. We were traveling up and down windy roads in rural Portugal. Out in the downpour sat a shepherd. I think he had a rain jacket on. (I can’t remember if he had an umbrella.) But there he sat in the rain, watching his flock. That image has stuck … [Read more...] about Our Shepherd
Our Salvation Is Sure
Because Christ is risen, our salvation is sure. When Jesus walked this earth, he made an audacious claim. Jesus said he was the Son of God. He said he was the Messiah. And he said he had come to die for the sins of the world. In fact, just before he was executed, he had a passover meal with his disciples, and he said the bread of the meal, which was broken, … [Read more...] about Our Salvation Is Sure
Resurrection and Sorrow: A Tender Easter
On an Easter kept through a pandemic, I am reminded... Easter does not mean that Christians do not weep, that we do not hang our heads in sorrow when a grandfather says goodbye too soon, when the cancer returns in the young dad, when the smoke smothers a man in his bed, when the strength of the boy is spent, when breath grows short, when legs curl up under covers. We do … [Read more...] about Resurrection and Sorrow: A Tender Easter
The Meaning of Good Friday
On Good Friday we remember the death of Jesus. But why all the hoopla? Lots of people die. Lots of people died on crosses. Why does the death of Jesus stand out? Let's ask Jesus about Good Friday. Jesus clearly understood the immanence, nature, and significance of his future death. Early in his ministry Jesus begins to point to his death and its meaning. Comparing … [Read more...] about The Meaning of Good Friday