The Eternal Son
About 1700 years ago there was a pastor name Arius who threw the church into controversy. He was teaching, “There was a time when the Son was not.” In 325 AD, the shepherds of the church came together to unify its teaching on the Son. They concluded, with apostolic teaching, that the Son is
Pictures Are Limited
We have often tried to capture some beautiful scene with our camera, only to realize that there is no way that the picture can capture or even do justice to what we have seen. Our word pictures and our best vocabularies fall short when we try to express the God revealed in Christ. We
The Full Revelation
The old covenant was lacking until Jesus came. Its words about God were partial and incomplete. These words were shaped by men, trying to express to their contemporary culture what God was like and what He was saying. All fell short of knowing what the Father was really like until One came and said,
Born From God
The eternal Word was with God and was God. The Word, by incarnation, was born from a human so that humans could be born from God. Without Him becoming one of us we could never become one of His. We fall so short of a real appreciation of the incarnation and for the necessity
Being the Temple
Israel’s temple was the place that heaven and earth met. It was the place where God dwelt. Heaven and earth met in the incarnation of our Lord. Heaven came down to us. God became a human to rescue humans. The temple of God “tabernacled among us” (John 1:14), and we saw in Him the
Israel’s Great Shema
The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) calls us, as it did Israel, to love God with our whole being. Jesus called this the greatest commandment of all. Our ability to do this has been hampered by the bondage to sin (Romans 7). Jesus Christ has come to set us free from that captivity and to bring
One Flock
On a starlit night on a Judean hillside a special star lit the night. Shepherds heard that wonderful announcement: “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). What these shepherds did not grasp was that the Great Shepherd in heaven
Seeking Lost Sheep
A shepherd gathered his sheep in a small cave for shelter from the dangers of the night. He counted them just to make sure they were all there. One was missing. He counted again to be sure, 97, 98, 99. Yes, there is one missing. He barricades the others safely in the cave and
Our Shepherd-King
The shepherds (kings) of Israel had failed at compassion and justice so God said that He would intervene and be the people’s Shepherd (Ezekiel 34). From David, the shepherd-king, would come another Shepherd-King (vv. 23-24) who would feed the people. In this Advent season, may we remember that the Messiah is our Shepherd. He
The Speaking God
The God of Israel was often contrasted to idols that could not speak. Ours is a speaking God. The highest representation of this is when the Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us (John 1:14). Look at Jesus and you will see the speaking God. Watch Him and you will hear what God
The Icon Of God
In our computer world icons are the short-cuts that get us to apps and software on which we have come to depend. In the Greek of (2 Corinthians 4:4), we learn that Jesus is the Icon of God. Jesus, by incarnation, came to us so that we might know the God who is. He
Return from Exile
All of Israel did not return from exile, maybe only ten percent. Their land continued to be under foreign domination. Those who did return came to understand that exile would never be fully over until Messiah came. Part of the Christmas message is that Jesus has come to bring us back from the far
King of All
The world wants to restrict Jesus to your private spiritual life. Sadly we have capitulated. The world is fine with that. It does not want His kingdom teachings messing up their lives and values. Jesus wants to bring all things under the dominion of God as the true King of the world. Nothing is
The Light Of A Star
“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness could not put it out...This was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:4-5, 9, NASB). A star pointed to the One who is the “Bright and Morning
What A Savior!
"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21, NASB). When I was lost, He came looking for me and found me. When I confessed my sins, He forgave me. I was unlovable, yet He loved me, a slave and
The Divine Imprint
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” Hebrews 1:3 (ESV). Through Christ, we have become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). We are to be conformed to His image. (Romans 8:29). We are being changed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). The more
Creator And Savior
John said of the Word, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” John 1:3 (KJV). The writer of Hebrews also says, “Through whom also he created the world…he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down
Following The Suffering One
The human soul does not mature without hardship; the testing of soul muscle comes through difficulty. Character is never built in a vacuum. Obedience that is learned through suffering develops fiber in one’s being. We would like to follow a Christ without the difficulties associated with suffering. “The Christ does not suffer”, Peter discovered,
A Spiritual Birthday
On this day in 1951 a nine year old boy truly gave his heart to Jesus. That decision has shaped his entire life. There were many times he lived out the faith in immature ways. He stumbled along the way, but never left the Way. He experienced the grace of a loving Father and
Speaking Grace
“Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more” (John 8:11). This is grace speaking as grace speaks, saying not one thing but two. Grace announces forgiveness with no condemnation, but it also announces divine energy for a new start. We need not return to the old ways. Grace forgives but also offers
God Desires You
Jesus said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13). God has a passionate desire to give Himself to you, to come live inside you. He wants you as His
Knocking And Waiting
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20 (NASB). Entreating! Never demanding. Waiting. His will working with our will. Our heart becomes His home. Every room and closet
Stewards And Rewards
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV). Never forget, good and evil has its consequences and its rewards. Our Christ cares about that. He is
Stewards Give An Account
Jesus told several parables about a returning landowner who required an accounting from his stewards. We are responsible for our actions. We are to own them. Further, we will give an account of our actions, particularly, our actions that cause another to stumble. Our actions, when followed by others, can lead them astray. Judging
Receiving Jesus
The act of receiving Jesus is a responsive act to One who has already received us. The One who loves His enemies does not “non-elect” any of them. He practices what He preaches, “Love your enemies”. He came to save and receive a world that was hostile to Him. You have a right