Early one morning, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to test Jesus, hoping to find grounds to accuse Him. Jesus responded to them, saying, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” And one by one, her accusers walked away. A little while later, Jesus proclaimed, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in [...]
The Biblical book of Psalms is a collection of poetry, prose, and prayers. Many of the Psalms were written by David, the greatest of Israel’s kings. Several others are attributed to Asaph, a Levite who was appointed as chief minister of worship and song by King David. Still others are attributed to Solomon, David’s son and successor, or to the sons of Korah, Levites who were gatekeepers, songwriters and singers in the Temple. For several [...]
For many of us who have been raised in the cities and suburbs of North America, autumn is about warm soup, brisk walks, colorful foliage, and hoping the winter snow will be manageable. But for those who have been raised in farm country, fall is the season of the harvest. In much of the world, and for most of human history, a good harvest means being able to provide for the family for another year. [...]
Have you ever had the experience of expecting things to turn out one way, but when it comes to it, it turns out to be very different from what you expected? Maybe it was a person. Someone you didn’t really know very well, or someone you had never actually met, but you knew about them. Somehow you had it all worked out in your mind exactly what they were like. But then, when you finally [...]
The Bible tells us that in the beginning, in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve walked with God. Can you imagine it? You wake up in the morning. Have some fresh fruit. Inhale the crisp, clean, fresh morning air. You watch the animals grazing nearby, and then you hear a footstep and the sound of His voice! It’s the Lord God, your Creator! So, you run to Him and walk with Him and talk [...]
The Apostle John reminds us that, on the night He was betrayed, Jesus knew what was coming. As He gathered together with His disciples, preparing to celebrate the Passover, Jesus knew His betrayal would come by the hand of Judas Iscariot. He knew He would soon be returning to His Father, but He also knew exactly what He would have to endure to get there. Knowing all these things, Jesus calmly and lovingly washed the [...]
In the Gospels, we read of the day when Jesus calmed a fierce storm (Matt. 8:23-27, Mark 4:36-41, Luke 8:22-25). On this occasion, Jesus and the disciples were sailing from Capernaum, situated on the northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee, toward the land of the Geresenes in the southeast – a distance of about 11 or 12 miles. As they sailed, Jesus laid down on a cushion in the stern of the boat and [...]
I love the words of the angels to the disciples after Jesus ascended into heaven. After instructing them to remain together in Jerusalem and wait for the promised Holy Spirit, Jesus simply arose from the earth and disappeared into a cloud. From out of nowhere, two angels suddenly stood beside the disciples, saying, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, [...]
On the night of the Passover Feast, the night He was betrayed, Jesus knew exactly what was coming. Knowing He had but a few short hours, He chose to humble Himself and take on the role of a Servant. He laid aside His outer garments and attended to the needs of His disciples by washing their dirty feet (John 13:1-15). In one of the most beautiful Old Testament passages (Isa. 52:13-53:12), the prophet Isaiah writes [...]
It began with the scourging. The Romans were experts at devising torture. A scourge was not just a whip; it was designed to dig into and tear up the flesh. The scourging Jesus received was so severe that He was unable to carry His own cross to His execution (Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26). And crucifixion was more than just a public execution. It wasn’t relatively quick like a hanging or beheading or lethal injection. Crucifixion [...]
