GOOD FRIDAY: IT IS FINISHED APRIL 9, 2020 READ: JOHN 18:28-19:37 “This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.” – John 18:32 Throughout his account of the gospel, John sprinkles in these short little commentaries that give us a better insight […]

MAUNDY THURSDAY: THE HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER APRIL 9, 2020 READ: JOHN 17:1-18:27 “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.” – John 17:22 I love listening to people pray. I have this theory that people talk differently to God than they […]

WEDNESDAY: ABIDE IN CHRIST APRIL 8, 2020 READ: JOHN 15:1-16:33 “No longer do I call you servants…but I have called you friends.” – John 15:15 I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you. Which would you prefer? Since I don’t have time to wait for your response, I’ll just start with the […]

TUESDAY: BE COMFORTED APRIL 7, 2020 READ: JOHN 14:1-31 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” – John 14:6 This verse has been picked apart more than any of the other “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John. People get really offended by this exclusive claim of Christ. When I taught […]

MONDAY: LOVE ONE ANOTHER APRIL 6, 2020 READ: JOHN 13:1-38 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:35 John’s rapid account of the gospel narrative wastes no time in getting to the point. Instead of giving us daily accounts of Jesus’ activities […]

PALM SUNDAY: THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY APRIL 5, 2020 READ: JOHN 12:12-50 “Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you.” – John 12:35 This passage is bookended by prophecies and quotes about Jesus from the Old Testament, but John wants us to know that the disciples only figured this out after the fact. Nobody […]

[Jesus said,] “You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” – John 15:14-15 […]

Every new year, hope springs eternal about the prospect of starting over, at least for the first few days. Eventually, “making all things new” feels like another task that only causes us to feel worse about ourselves, with the mantra “another year, another you” proving itself false yet again. There within the act of all […]

I remember when I first dedicated my life to full time ministry. It was at a campfire service almost 25 years ago. My dad was asking people to come forward and throw their stick in the fire, a symbol of our lives as burnt offerings to God. Believe it or not, I was shy as […]

Doom and gloom seems to be a favorite pastime for many today: sitting around and complaining about how everything is going wrong and how the next generation doesn’t have the same values. It’s easy to join in the chorus of naysayers. Yet, whatever comfort we have in complaining, there is not much hope generated from […]

All Christian parents desire the spiritual wellbeing of their children. We want our children to be saved. We want them to find joy in God’s presence. We cannot imagine heaven being heaven unless our children are there. We want our children to have faith in God, but what are the elements of saving faith? Theologians […]

Luke 10:38-42, 18:18-30 Aside from being primarily the Good News about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Gospels are rich with lessons about the followers of Jesus. It details their coming to know Him, their slow and painful growth, and in some cases, even their falling away. But not all those who […]