We know that the Biblical details of Christ’s death and resurrection are central components of the gospel message. The early New Testament Church kept the Passover as a remembrance of Christ's death. The details surrounding His death and resurrection are also an anchor of our faith. To rehearse some of the timing around the events of the week of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, we need to begin with statements Christ gave us and the prophecies in the Old Testament that say He would be … [Read more...] about Time of Christ’s Death and Resurrection
Passover
Anxiety and Broken Relationships
As we delve more into God’s law and its ultimate purpose of restoring broken relationships, first with the Father and secondly man to man, we begin to see that all healthy relationships are based on love that begins with the Father (I John 4:16-19). Godly love (agape) is an outgoing concern away from self. The more we are motivated by a Godly love – God actively working through us – the less we are concerned about ourselves. When Godly love is absent then the void is filled with its … [Read more...] about Anxiety and Broken Relationships
The Passover Effect
The world is thrashing around in a leaderless confusion, leaving masses of people to lead meaningless lives. The world doesn’t understand the purpose for our being on this planet. Few people know why they exist. Most don’t know why they are here or where their lives are supposed to be leading them. They may know what they want and what they don’t want from their leaders, but they don’t even know what good leadership looks like. “As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule … [Read more...] about The Passover Effect
Squander Not This Opportunity
Some years ago, featured on a 60 Minutes program was a musical performance, “Alive & Kickin’”. The cast was all over fifty-five. Their stories were deeply compelling; overcoming drug addiction, renewing life after a criminal past, and family tragedy. These were individuals who, due to the vagaries of life, missed opportunities to sing and perform. They were castaways being given a second chance to find their voice. In a sense, God has given each of us a second chance to live a radically … [Read more...] about Squander Not This Opportunity
Self-Examination: Are We in the Faith
We are subjected to all kinds of tests throughout our lifetime. Some are routine, but others are unavoidable, deeply personal tests: peer pressure, emotional suffering, financial upheaval, and temptation. With a fear of failure, we usually don’t consider these as positive experiences. However, with good preparation we can face self-examination confidently. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is … [Read more...] about Self-Examination: Are We in the Faith
The Impact of the Passover
We can know from careful Bible study the actual Passover is an annual event, not weekly. It’s a much more serious occasion. It is the beginning of God’s plan. Without it, we could go no further. For ancient Israel, the Passover made possible their release from bondage. Later, when God delivered the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai, after a tremendous audio-visual show, He reminded Israel that it was He who brought them out of Egypt (Exodus 19:17-19, 20:1-2). This event was just a physical … [Read more...] about The Impact of the Passover
Expressions of Tribalism
It is difficult to escape the feeling that our world is becoming more divided by the day. For example, we are hearing more about political identity. While it has been quite customary to identify with some political party in terms of general policy, the term has now developed a sharper edge. Amy Chua writing in The Guardian newspaper notes: “When groups feel threatened, they retreat into tribalism. When groups feel mistreated and disrespected, they close ranks and become more insular, more … [Read more...] about Expressions of Tribalism