Some reject Jesus because He doesn't dance to their tune. Since Jesus didn't fulfill the expectations of the Pharisees, they rejected Him. But Jesus didn't reject them. Jesus willingly went to the house of a Pharisee named Simon and accepted his hospitality. Dr. John teaches that this social occasion became a lesson on grace and gratitude. Even the enemies of Jesus were invited to grace.
John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. But later John began to doubt. Dr. John teaches that those doubts evaporated as John saw Jesus, heal the lame, open the eyes of the blind and speak good news to the poor. John the Baptist witnessed the outbreaking of God's Kingdom though the compassionate ministry of Jesus. The Kingdom was evidenced by mercy and power. It still is.
Who takes note of a widow, alone and helpless, walking in the funeral procession of her only son? Jesus does. With compassion He sees the pains of death. With power He commands life back from the dead. Dr. John reminds us that all who are weighted by misery can hope in the power and compassion of Jesus. Our tears are temporary.
We tend to label people into categories and are then surprised when they act in a manner we didn't expect. Jesus' encounter with a Roman Centurion proves that our classifications are false. This Roman soldier contributed funds to his "enemies," cared for a common slave and looked to Jesus for help. In the encounter, not only do we see the soldier tearing down cultural walls, but Jesus reached across them in response to faith.
As creatures of time, the clock never moves more slowly than when we are in pain. In troubles we pray for immediate help and releif. But often God delays. Today Dr. John echoes David's prayer, "How long?" Walk through through this Psalm and discover David's secret to hope and perseverance.
Israel's wilderness journey was a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. The repeated evidences of God's care were peaks, impossible to deny. But the complaints and grumblings were lowpoints of trust. Today Dr. John teaches of a thirsty nation turning against Moses and challenging God Himself. They dared God and tested Him out of anger and doubt. By grace, God reveals Himself mighty and merciful, but He need never prove Himself to any man.
In today's message, Dr. John teaches that since the Church is the Body of Christ, it is the visible representation of Jesus on earth. Therefore, the Church has a physical presence with a street address and a presence in heaven as well. Dr. John teaches on the invisible, universal Church which is one in Christ, holy through the Spirit, inclusive of all who have faith in Jesus and commissioned with purpose by the Father.
We can trip over a curb or broken pavement in the sidewalk. We may fall but then rise to continue our journey. In today's message, Dr. John echoes Jesus' words to the disciples. "You all will fall." They all protested, but every one of them fell. Of the 12, eleven repented and rose to continue their journey of faith. We are foolish to think we can predict our response to a crisis of faith. We lean closely upon the grace of our Lord.
At times, we speak of the deity of Jesus as a way to make a point. We bear witness to others that Jesus is God, so we point to the Scriptures. Dr. John reminds us today from Hebrews that the deity of Jesus is more than an apologetic. It is the hope and comfort for us all in the midst of trial and persecutions.
Psalm 90 ends with five prayers for those who have squarely faced the trouble of life and have found God. Each of these prayers arise out of faith, out of the joyous discovery that trouble is not the last word; instead trouble has been the pathway of discovering God.
In in this portion of scripture we will see Moses reflect on sin, the anger of God and the trouble that we all face.In in this portion of scripture we will see Moses reflect on sin, the anger of God and the trouble that we all face.
Psalm 90 teaches us how to pray, how to come to terms with our sins and how to come to terms with an altogether righteous God. It comes with a request that God would favour us all the days of our lives, but what’s even more significant, it contains a great note of happiness.
We are never facing reality if we are not facing eternity! As long as our lives are consumed by what is seen, we will struggle to have faith in the the things that will be.
We are studying Psalm 73. In it, we will discover a man by the name of Asaph who so doubted his faith, that in his own words, he almost lost his footing and became an unbeliever. Psalm 73 tells us how he found faith after it had almost disappeared.
It's the secret to learning the piano, running a marathon or having a successful marriage. It's called "endurance." One scale at a time, keep your legs moving and offer love and grace each day. Endurance means to keep consistent over the long haul. That applies to our spiritual walk as well. Dr. John offers three keys to endurance of our faith, by which we persevere into glory.
Our culture suggests that sin is a small matter with minimal consequence. God doesn't agree. Today, Dr. John speaks of a warning from Hebrews that jars us. It is a message of hope, not because it makes sin small, but because the truth guides us on a path of life.
A hypocrite wears a mask. It's a mask that hides defaults and conforms to surrounding expectations. In playing a role, hypocrites live fragmented lives. In Jesus, believers can abandon their masks. The grace of forgiveness and His new life in us allows us to drop pretence and live authentically. We are free to draw near to Him, press on with confidence and experience genuine love in community. We become real.
If we can't be good, we try to appear good. We do and say the right things to mask our internal failures. But appearing good can never replace obedience. Nothing replaces our need to do the will of God. It's an impossible task for us. But Jesus always does the will of the Father. Through Him, our requirement for obedience is fulfilled.
It's our default to manage our lives. We try to control the direction and outcomes of our thoughts, words, and deeds. We even try to manage our sin problem by fixing it, balancing the bad with the good or trying to outrun our sin with a fresh start. Dr. John teaches that we can't manage our sins away. Even the sacrifices of Old Covenant could not solve the problem of sin. Only a perfect Saviour has the power to put an end to sin.
Modern sensitivities would want to shape Christianity into a bloodless code of morality. The Bible prohibits it. Christianity is founded upon, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins." Listen as Dr. John teaches about the necessity of not just Jesus' death, but the shedding of His blood. By that sacrifice, we are forgiven.
Distract. Deny. Desensitize. These are the ways many cope with guilt and shame. On our own, we have no remedy to silence our guilty conscience except distract, deny, desensitize. But God has the answer. Today, Dr. John teaches on the grace of a clear, cleansed conscience. It is found in the sufficiency of Jesus.
We are quick to criticize the old once something new arrives. The new car reminds us of how antiquated our old car was! From Hebrews 9, Dr. John teaches on the value of the old covenant, even when the new one has come. The first covenant proclaimed that our sin creates a barrier between us and a holy God. That distance can only be crossed by God's initiative and God's design. Jesus is the only access for sinners to stand before our righteous Creator.
A covenant is a promise. It is the assurance of what will be. So why did God give two covenants to His people, the "Old and the New?" Dr. John teaches from Hebrews 8 to compare the covenants God has made. The new covenant is not a changing of purpose or a contradiction of the old. The covenant made by Jesus in His blood fulfills and enlarges what God had promised at Sinai. The covenant of Calvary grants the assurance of justice and grace.
Every collector knows that the real item is of more value than a copy of it. The book of Hebrews repeats this central truth. The priestly ministry of sacrifices in an earthly sanctuary are symbols that point to the ultimate ministry of Jesus for us all. Dr. John reminds us that symbols are worthy only if they point us to what is real - the full and sufficient sacrifice of Jesus for our sin. Our confidence for redemption lies in genuine sacrifice and service of our true High Priest - Jesus Christ.
To understand the forest, you can't go tree by tree. Trees vary in size, colour, and structure. Is the forest filled with contradictions? Of course not. We understand the whole by the particulars and the particulars by the whole. The same is true of Bible teaching. We need to understand the specifics by understanding the whole of Scripture. Dr. John presents his last criteria for good Bible teaching. Teaching you can trust rests on the inerrancy of God's Word and embraces the whole of God's truth.
It is said that the best way to discern counterfeit currency is to be very familiar with what real currency looks like. If you know the genuine, the false is readily identified. If we are to recognize Bible teaching that is false or imbalanced, we need to be personally familiar with the Scriptures. Today Dr. John calls us to a personal commitment of Bible reading and study of the Scriptures. If we do not have a first-hand taste of the Bible, we can be fed anything.
Some approach the Bible like a set of instructions for life, emphasizing what we should do. We ought to obey the 10 commandments, slay the Goliaths of our life and remain as faithful as Daniel. Their instruction focuses on our efforts and abilities. But the Bible is about God's grace rather than our efforts. Dr. John reminds us that good Bible teaching is about the actions of God, not the efforts of humanity.
Some approach the Bible like a set of instructions for life, emphasizing what we should do. We ought to obey the 10 commandments, slay the Goliaths of our life and remain as faithful as Daniel. Their instruction focuses on our efforts and abilities. But the Bible is about God's grace rather than our efforts. Dr. John reminds us that good Bible teaching is about the actions of God, not the efforts of humanity.
If a love letter is all about the thoughts and feelings of the author, you may wonder if the letter is misguided. Shouldn't the letter be about the beloved? Much of today's Bible teaching is like that. Sermons are filled with our own concerns and problems. But shouldn't Bible teaching be about God? Today Dr. John reminds us that Bible teaching you can trust keeps God center stage. The Bible is not a "How to?" manual, but a testament to His glory.
Psalm 22 was written by David to convey a struggling time in his life. We can identify with his words when we too encounter troubles. Today Dr. John reminds us that the ultimate subject of this Psalm is Jesus Christ. The sufferings of Jesus become not simply a means of sympathy for us, but the deliverance from sin, over death, for all eternity. He is our Saviour.
It's hard to imagine that our difficult times can become a cause of encouragement for others. Yet, you know that it is true. The story of God's deliverance for us becomes hope and joy to those who hear. Listen as Dr. John teaches on David's experience. He was isolated in trouble, but shared God's rescue as cause for community celebration.
The world can be a dangerous place. There are dangers we see and try to avoid. There are unseen dangers that we are susceptible to because of our ignorance. In Psalm 22 David sees that he is surrounded by enemies like bulls and lions - powerful, terrifying. He calls to God for deliverance. Listen as Dr. John teaches that despite our vulnerable places - we are safe with God.
To be forsaken is bad. To be betrayed is worse. In Psalm 22 David thinks of those that have turned their backs to him. They have treated him as if he was valueless. But since God created him, David has value before God. Dr. John reminds each of us that regardless of how others treat us, we find our hope and approval in God.
Psalm 22 is a song about suffering unjustly. It tells the experience of King David. It points to the innocent suffering of Jesus. Perhaps it echoes your own experience. Today, Dr. John begins to unpack this song and reminds each of us that we are not alone. Our pains may tell us that God is distant. Our faith whispers that He is near.
It is readily granted that resurrection sounds too good to be true! In fact, alive from the dead can sound like a fable. But it is no fable. Dr. John walks us through the undeniable evidence for Jesus' resurrection. From the fact of an empty tomb. testimony of eye witnesses and the life changing impact upon believers, the evidence of Jesus' resurrection is credible to believe. It is a foundation for faith.
Death is the inevitability that we all must face. We may try to delay it with healthy regiments and medical procedures - but death arrives for everyone. We are powerless before it. Jesus is not. His resurrection is a victory cry over the grave. Today Dr. John reminds us that while death visits everyone, at His second coming Jesus shares His victory with us all. We shall be raised.
Corruption and decay are laws of this world. A tree grows, falls and turns back to the earth. Time brings a decline to everything and everyone that ends in death. That is the natural order. But resurrection is supernatural. Dr. John teaches on God's great reversal of what has always been. Corruption becomes incorruptible. Weakness becomes power. Death becomes glorious life.
It's understandable that some of the Corinthians had questions about the resurrection, even as we do. Paul taught the certainty of physical resurrection both for Jesus and us. Despite the clarity of this truth, some mystery remains. Dr. John teaches of three metaphors Paul uses to describe the resurrection. A seed and a plant. The variety of life on earth. The glory of the sun and moon. Listen as each illustration points to the wonders of our resurrection.
Resurrection is an event of the past. It also points to our eternal future. But what implication does it have for the present? What difference does the resurrection make for the now? Today Dr. John points to implications of the resurrection for our moral lives. We will find both motivation and hope for godly living. Without the resurrection, we might as well live for today. But the fact of the resurrections leads us to a strong moral center.
We are not simply products of our past. We are shaped by our future. The hope of the resurrection impacts our living today. It grants courage and perseverance to battle for God's Kingdom in the now. It offers comfort and confidence through the victory of our Lord. It assures us that death itself will be defeated for us all.
It would not be hard to convince someone about the certainty of death. It is all around us and undeniable. Paul uses the reality of death passed to all humanity from Adam as certainty of the resurrection promised us in Jesus Christ. All in Jesus Christ will be raised.
Do you believe in life after death? If so, what type of life do we have after death? As Paul responds to the questions and misunderstandings among the Corinthians about the resurrection, he focuses on the fact of physical resurrection. Listen as Dr. John offers seven reasons why physical resurrection is necessary for Jesus Christ and our own hope.
If a confused hiker who has lost his way starts wandering down every path, they are likely to get more lost. It is better to get your bearings and stand on what you know. Then you can find your way. Today Dr. John teaches on the bearings Paul reminded the Corinthians of. Jesus' death. Eyewitnesses to His resurrection. The transformation of His followers. These are our bearings as well.
Before Paul begins to explain the resurrection to the Corinthians, he focuses on the death of Jesus Christ. It stands to reason. There can't be a resurrection unless there is a death. But Paul wants the Corinthians to grip the importance of Jesus' death - in fact it is of first importance. Listen as Dr. John speaks of the penal, substitutionary atonement of Jesus. Our faith rests upon it.
If Hebrews is written to persuade Christian Jews to not return to Judaic ways, what is its relevance to us? While many references to the priesthood of the Old Testament may seem opaque to us, this truth stands. We all need a Priest to intercede for us. Jesus is our High Priest who ushers us before the Father. Listen as Dr. John teaches why Jesus is superior above all. Let these truths be cause for our firm faith and joyous worship to our Lord.
People may cheer for the same team year after year, despite a consistent losing record. You may applaud their consistency, but the fact is, they never taste victory. Today Dr. John speaks of the Priesthood of Jesus, after the order of Melchizedek, doing what the priesthood of Aaron could never do. The superior has surpassed the inferior. The eternal replaces the temporal. Why does it matter? Because only in Jesus is victory assured.
People may cheer for the same team year after year, despite a consistent losing record. You may applaud their consistency, but the fact is, they never taste victory. Today Dr. John speaks of the Priesthood of Jesus, after the order of Melchizedek, doing what the priesthood of Aaron could never do. The superior has surpassed the inferior. The eternal replaces the temporal. Why does it matter? Because only in Jesus is victory assured.
Hebrews establishes that Jesus is our Great High Priest. But there are some questions the readers need addressed. Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi, but of Judah. How could Jesus be a High Priest when He was not from the priestly tribe? Hebrews points to a different order of priests - the priesthood of Melchizedek. Who was he? Dr. John explains who he was and why his priesthood is greater than that of Levi. Jesus is not disqualified as High Priest but magnified greater than any earthly priesthood.
What's the ground on which hope stands? Is it a natural sunny disposition? Is hope the product of a "charmed life" or reading the circumstances around you in the best light possible? If hope is simply an expression of optimism, then those foundations may last for a while and for a few. Today Dr. John teaches on the sure grounding for hope for all believers, in all situations, for all time. Listen and let your hope be affirmed and refreshed.
Many times, we are attracted to bad news. We listen to the whisper of our fears. Having heard the warning of apostacy in Hebrews, now we are consumed by worry that we might fall away! Dr. John speaks of hope in place of fear. The warnings of God are not ignored, but the grace of His hand is greater than the sum of our fears. We are held in the grip of God. We trust Him more than we trust ourselves.
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