“Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1) Most Christians know that Christ has freed them somehow. What does freedom in Christ mean? In one sense, freedom is defined by what we are freed from. Galatians 5 helps us see the borders of…
Category: New Testament
Sheep, Children, and Bumblebees
Scripture says we are sheep and need to be like children (John 10:14; Matt. 18:1-2). Neither of these are flattering images. Sheep must be led. I’ve heard sheep can’t care for themselves or find food and water without help. If this isn’t entirely true of sheep it’s definitely true of children. Kids are loved but…
New-Years-Resolution Christianity
January 1st marks the beginning of the new year in many countries. Some observe this holiday by making a new year’s resolution. A new year’s resolution is a promise to change something about your life (usually for the better). People resolve any number of things: to exercise more, to have better boundaries, to spend…
The Manger and the Cross
“It was not so much that His birth cast a shadow on His life, and thus led to His death; it was rather that the Cross was there from the beginning, and it cast its shadow backward to His birth.” —Fulton Sheen, Life of Christ
I’m Gettin’ Nuttin’ for Christmas
Last December, I had to discipline my four year old son. (I can’t even remember why). I could not have guessed what happened next. He teared up and asked if he would still get Christmas presents. I was shocked. My wife and I *never* leveraged Christmas gifts to get our kids to behave. Why…
Our Favorite Whipping Boy
But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Gal. 2:14). Peter (AKA Cephas)…. It’s always Peter, right? All…
Filling the Empty Tomb
Chloe Last month, our cat Chloe was diagnosed with feline leukemia. Two days later we had to put her to sleep. She was too weak and debilitated. Six weeks earlier, Chloe had a routine checkup. At that time the vet said she was in great health. Losing her in three days’ time was stunning. Our…
Laying Down and Taking Up
Sketch by Patrick Murphy This is why the Father loves Me, because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it…
The Tabernacle of Christ (Part 3)
Please read Part 1 and Part 2… More Than Enough “Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: ‘No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.’ And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than…
The Tabernacle of Christ (Part 2)
In part one, we began comparing the building of Moses’s tabernacle with the body of Christ building itself up in love (Eph. 4:14-16). We will continue this comparison in this post… According to the Pattern Revealed “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all…
The Voice of One 