Introduction: In this series of messages we have been presenting what is, for many, a very different way of looking at the Scriptures. We have been talking about historical optimism, as opposed to the rampant historical pessimism of the modem evangelical world. But we must be careful in using phrases like “way of looking at …
Pastoral Competence
One of the accusations leveled against conservative believers is the common charge that our pastors are not professionally trained or certified, and consequently, when it comes to counseling parishioners, are in way over their heads. Whether the issue is clinical depression, or dealing with childhood abuse, or fighting addiction, or any other number of serious …
Other Badges of High Honor
I recently wrote on the challenge that ministers face in being faithful to a message that engenders hard opposition, on the one hand, and being the kind of man who has a good reputation with outsiders (1 Tim. 3:7), on the other. Having written all that, this morning I came across a passage in Paul …
Surveying the Text: Chronicles
Introduction Like Samuel and Kings, the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles were originally one book. While it covers much of the same material as Kings, the purpose and point of the book is decidedly different. Written over century after Kings, the book covers down to the post-exilic period, where the Jews were faced with …
What Will Happen Next
Grace and Peace “At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter” (Rev. 1:19). John is then instructed to write down what he has seen. The book of Revelation has many “time stamps” …
Surveying the Text: Kings
Introduction We begin by noting that our books entitled 1 and 2 Kings were originally one book, just as we saw with the Book of Samuel. The reason for this is plain enough—the break happened with the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek, and the Hebrews didn’t write down their vowels until 600 …
Savior of the World #4
Introduction: Many Christians want to avoid millennial wrangles, and in an important sense, they are quite right. It makes little sense to fight with one another about when the divine peace will come. But other Christians want to avoid debate on the subject because they believe it to be unimportant. “After all, is not ‘the …
Anatomy of Plagiarism
Introduction One of the things God expects us to do with His gifts is to turn a profit. We live as stewards of His bounty, and everything we have has been left to us in trust. When the master returns, he asks for a report from his servants. One made five talents off of five, …
What Amazed Jesus
One of the great differences between Jesus and the rest of us is that we are amazed at completely different things. We were amazed when Jesus did a miracle, and Jesus was amazed when the unbelief of man prevented a miracle. “But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given …
The Keys of Death and Hades
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I …