71 results found

Two gospel thieves

April 5, 2013 | Christ, God, gospel, grace, holiness, jesus, legalism, love, relationship, relativism, religion, truth

“Just as Christ was crucified between two thieves,” so the gospel “is ever crucified between two opposite errors” (Tertullian, early church father). “If our gospel message even slightly resembles ‘you must believe and live right to be saved’ or ‘God loves and accepts everyone just as they are,’ we will find our communication is not

Evangelium: What the gospel is… and isn’t

March 29, 2013 | Christ, easter, evangelism, God, good news, gospel, jesus, news, resurrection

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,  and by which you are being saved” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2 ESV). We’re starting a new 4-week sermon series this Easter weekend talking about the gospel. As the apostle Paul saw the need to remind the church at Corinth of the

Two weeks in God’s story

March 21, 2013 | Christ, Creation, Holy Week, palm Sunday, Passion Week, story, week

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’” (John 12:12-13 ESV). The Bible has been described as

The power of story

March 15, 2013 | Christ, Gary Combs, God, gospel, jesus, power, story, testimony

“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death” (Revelation 12:11 ESV). “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms” (Muriel Rukeyser). “God made man because he loves stories” (Rabbi Nachman). “Tell us another story, Papaw.” I begged my

What kind of neighbor am I?

March 8, 2013 | Christ, God, Good Samaritan, jesus, love, neighbor

“But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” (Luke 10:29 ESV). The expert in the law who sought to test Jesus found himself tested instead. By asking Jesus the question, “Who is my neighbor?” perhaps he thought to limit the extent of the law’s demand by limiting those who

What’s your witnessing love language?

February 28, 2013 | Christ, Christian, evangelism, evangelistic, God, gospel, jesus, love, love languages, witness, witnessing

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13 NIV84). “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. …I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might

The fear of becoming John 3:16 guy

February 22, 2013 | Christ, God, good news, gospel, jesus, sharing, witness, witnessing

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV). Jesus told His disciples that they were to be His witnesses until His return. The disciples obeyed Jesus

Bloom where planted

February 14, 2013 | bloom, Christ, God, grow, increase, invest, Lord, multiply, planted, prosper, rooted

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they

The need for belonging

February 7, 2013 | belong, belonging, Christ, family, friends, God, home, jesus, self-esteem

“And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:6 NIV84). I was eight years old when I learned the need for belonging. I was known as the smart kid in my third grade class at High Point Elementary. My teacher even chose me to represent our class on

Inviting the Kingdom to come

October 31, 2008 | Christ, family, king, kingdom

“Thy Kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10 KJV). “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air