Scripture records of the Lord’s teaching ministry that He taught with authority, and not like the scribes. Scripture tells us in another place to beware of those who hold to the form of religion, but who lack the power of it. The words we read, every week, are powerful. The lyrics of our psalms and …
In or Out
Our baptized children are welcome to the Table, together with us. But just as there are pitfalls in excluding them, so also there are pitfalls in bringing them. We must always remember that covenantal blessings are received by faith; they are not dispensed automatically.
The Sin of Impotence
Our Father and God, You have established Your Church as a royal priesthood in this world, and so we intercede for the nations of men now, confessing on their behalf so that the grace of Your forgiveness will soon be extended to them all. Father, we confess that we as a people have become enamored …
This Mind in You
INTRODUCTION:Conservative Christians know and understand that we deserve to be brought low. We know the law of God, we know our own sinfulness, and we know that the holiness of God casts us down. This is all good, as far as it goes, but we need to follow God’s purposes all the way out. God …
Bread and Wine on Their Level
When we bring a baby home from the hospital, even though that baby doesn’t speak English, we begin speaking to the baby in English anyway. In fact, we speak English to the baby at the hospital. We do this, not because we are confused on the point, but rather because we understand that this is …
An Earthbound People
Our Father and God, You have established Your Church as a royal priesthood in this world, and so we intercede for the nations of men now, confessing on their behalf so that the grace of Your forgiveness will soon be extended to them all. Father, we confess that we have become an earthbound people, a …
Inescapable Politics
Jesus Christ has ascended to the right hand of God the Father. This does not mean that He is now on the other side of the universe. It actually means that His authority is suffused throughout the entire universe. And this is inescapably political. Jesus is a king. Not only is He a king, but …
Christ as the Ziggurat of God
This is Ascension Eve, and we are celebrating the ascension of Jesus Christ above all the heavens. But what does it mean “to ascend”? The symbolic value of high and low is obvious to us—heaven is up and hell is down. Exaltation is up, and humiliation is down. Kings ascend to the throne, and the …
Over You and Your Irritating Neighbor
The first thing that we learn about the Spirit of God in the Bible is that He hovered over matter. God the Father had spoken that matter into existence, and the Word which was powerfully spoken that way was God the Son, God the Word. And then the Spirit came, and He hovered over the …
Way Too Clever
Sometimes we are puzzled by the requirements of Scripture. For example, why would the apostle Paul have to caution the Corinthians in this way? “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed . . .” (1 Cor. 12:3a). Why would a group of Christians need …