We all face various trials—from minor frustrations at home to tremendous grief; from small setbacks at work to great heartache; from slight opposition from the world to severe persecution. All of us have the need for patient endurance. But a patient endurance that glorifies God doesn’t come so easily in trial. God's word through James gives courage to persevere....
Hebrews 8 teaches that Jesus mediates "a better covenant." How exactly is the new covenant better than the old covenant?...
We’ve all experienced it. Matthew 2:15 asserts that Jesus fulfills the prophet’s words. Then, flipping back to Hosea 11:1, we discover Israel coming out of Egypt. “How did Matthew get that?” we wonder. When comparing the historical, contextual meaning of an Old Testament verse with its appearance in a New Testament context, we often feel tension. How are the NT authors using the OT?...
So what does preaching the gospel to yourself look like? We learned in Part 1 that amazing news that God changes the heart. Yet we also know that change comes through hearing, treasuring, and heeding his word....
I want to explore how the gospel functions in the life of the church. No matter what the church faced, the apostles wove the gospel into the very fabric of the church’s life, ministries, and mission. The gospel never amounted to a “shelved” message for the church. It has ongoing significance....
The Lord’s word speaks pointedly to so many issues we face. Some months ago, our church studied Paul’s speech before the Areopagus in Acts 17:16-34. It took two Sundays, but we drew several inferences. One inference spoke directly to an issue that many, for varying reasons, have been thinking about afresh: racism. Acts 17 gives us at least four truths about all people that, when embraced rightly and applied comprehensively, kill racism....
What is the biblical rationale for church membership? ...
Pornography is one expression of sexual immorality inundating our culture.[i] Grievously, it’s far too common in the church as well. Covenant Eyes reports that “64% of Christian men and 15% of Christian women say they watch porn at least once a month.”[ii] Such statistics hardly represent the biblical imperative: “sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints” (Eph 5:3). Are you among the 64% or the 15%? By God’s grace, you don’t have to be. Are others you know among them? By God’s grace, you can help them not to be. Contrary to popular resolve, Christians can say No to pornography and to any other sexual temptation....
The following reasons remain part of my own arsenal in the fight against lust and sexual immorality. I share them to equip you in the same fight. Part two will come soon, where I develop eight ways to fight sexual temptation. Until then please consider these seriously, especially those of you who may be looking at and thinking about porn. Some of my comments are geared toward men, but much of this post also applies to women....
What is the church? While certainly not exhaustive, here's a brief portrait of the church based on numerous texts from Scripture....
Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, The book of Romans contains magnificent truths that Paul shared with the church. He said some very encouraging things as well as some difficult things. He taught them much solid doctrine revealing God's ways and instructing them in living out the Christian life. The love Paul had for the church is evident. He said he prayed for them ...
Keep ReadingDear brothers and sisters in the Lord, The apostle, Paul, had such a heart for the salvation of others. He had come to personally know the Christ he had persecuted. For Paul, to live was Christ. His relationship with his Lord was the most important thing in his life and of next importance was having others come to know the Savior as well. Although Paul is known as the apo...
Keep ReadingStill grieving for families in Baton Rouge and Minneapolis. Still hurting for my friends who fear for their children. Still angry at all the injustice, whether interpersonal or systemic. Still feeling the thick darkness of sin. Still wondering how and when and what to speak. Still troubled by my own subtle fears of people and death. Ten ways the book of James helps us resp...
Keep Reading“What happens in your elder meetings?” is a question that several brothers ask. Some want to know as a way to evaluate their own elder meeting agendas. Others ask as their church transitions to a plurality of elders, and they needed guidance as “first-timers.” Our meeting times break into three parts: care for one another and prayer for the body, reformation, and r...
Keep ReadingHow does a church determine a budget? What biblical principles should guide the church in evaluating a budget?...
Keep ReadingSome of you may be asking how to practice praying, or how to make prayer a more regular part of your Christian walk? Here are a nine ways to foster a life of prayer....
Keep ReadingWho are “the poor”? And how should we help them? The biblical evidence is clear and overwhelming that God is deeply concerned about the poor, and that Christians are called to mirror His passion for coming to the aid of those in need......
Keep ReadingChristian, what’s your role in the mission to see disciples in disciple-making churches exist among all peoples? Because the Lord has given you the Spirit and promised you the grace to serve him, you have an important role to play in the mission. Is your role to serve and support the mission through local ministries? Or, is your contribution to advance the gospel among t...
Keep ReadingOne of the most breathtaking sentences I’ve encountered in the writings of Paul appears in Romans 15. In the midst of describing his plans to visit Jerusalem, Rome, and ultimately Spain, Paul justifies his travel to Spain by saying that he has fulfilled the ministry of the gospel, even to the extent that he has no more room to work in the regions stretching from Jerusale...
Keep ReadingFor many of us at Redeemer Church, it may be clear why we include both “our neighbors” and “the nations” in our vision statement. But over time new people join our local church and even existing members can forget why we’re so explicit about both neighbors and the nations. Thus, consider the following a brief primer on some of the theology driving the distinction...
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