Sometimes Christians call church buildings, “God’s house.” I hear adults from time to time say, “Kids, stop running in God’s house.” I cringe when I hear that. I cringe because it reminds me of something Jesus said when he and the Samaritan woman were having a conversation around the well. You can read about theirContinue reading “Are church buildings God’s houses? – John 4:1-26, Part 4”
Tag Archives: disciples
When Jesus and John the Baptist had competing ministries – John 3:22-36, Part 2
As Jesus’ ministry was getting underway, we learn in John 3:23 that John the Baptist’s ministry was still going strong too. John hadn’t stopped his ministry just because Jesus was now on the scene. How much time had passed since John baptized Jesus in John 1? If you scan through the days mentioned in JohnContinue reading “When Jesus and John the Baptist had competing ministries – John 3:22-36, Part 2”
Two very different viewpoints on Jesus’ cleansing of the temple – John 2:12-25, Part 3
When Jesus’ disciples thought about Jesus’ wild actions of cleansing the temple, believe or not, it makes them think about a poem, a song, Psalm 69. Only Psalm 22 is quoted more frequently in by the New Testament writers. That means the earliest Christians saw in Psalm 69 numerous connections to the Messiah. If youContinue reading “Two very different viewpoints on Jesus’ cleansing of the temple – John 2:12-25, Part 3”
Three things Jesus’ disciples saw when they observed him – John 2:1-11, Part 4
What do you see when you see Jesus? When you read the stories about his life, or maybe watch a dramatic presentation of the Gospels, what do you notice about Jesus? Perhaps the best place to get information about Jesus is from the people who were eyewitnesses of his life. His disciples walked with JesusContinue reading “Three things Jesus’ disciples saw when they observed him – John 2:1-11, Part 4”
Discipleship begins with the spiritual practice of questioning – John 1:35-42, Part 2
After hearing John the Baptist declare two days in a row that Jesus is the Lamb of God, in John 1, verse 37 we read that John’s disciples stop following John, and they start following Jesus. Jesus hasn’t uttered a word. And because of that, the scene strikes me as humorous. The two disciples justContinue reading “Discipleship begins with the spiritual practice of questioning – John 1:35-42, Part 2”
The backstory of John the Apostle…continued – Gospel of John Into, Part 3
The fisherman we met in the first post of this blog series on the backstory of the Apostle John, brothers James and John, crank out the daily grind of trying to make ends meet in a job that is not very profitable. Day after day goes by. A week here a week there. People areContinue reading “The backstory of John the Apostle…continued – Gospel of John Into, Part 3”
4 Faulty Viewpoints About Work – Colossians 3:22-4:1, Part 3
Each follower of Jesus, no matter their station in life, is called to work as unto the Lord. Working unto the Lord means that we will avoid a faulty view of work. There are at least four faulty views to avoid. The first faulty viewpoint is when people think “working as unto the Lord” is justContinue reading “4 Faulty Viewpoints About Work – Colossians 3:22-4:1, Part 3”
Current Events – The Failure of Ravi Zacharias, Part 2
In yesterday’s post, I told the story of Ravi Zacharias’ moral failure. How did this happen? The reasons are typical for leadership failure. There was a decades-long lack of accountability. Zacharias had too much control and authority in his organization. He was alone in many ways. He was also extremely intelligent and convincing, able toContinue reading “Current Events – The Failure of Ravi Zacharias, Part 2”
What do we have to do to become followers of Jesus? – Acts 15, Part 2
Editor’s Note: This series of posts on Acts 15 is written by guest teacher David Hundert. Thanks, David! The series of five posts begins here. How do people become disciples of Jesus? What do they need to do? This was a hotly debated question in the early church, as the good news about Jesus expandedContinue reading “What do we have to do to become followers of Jesus? – Acts 15, Part 2”
How bamboo can help you understand your role in the mission of God – Acts 13, Part 5
Right about this time every year in my family’s backyard, we have bamboo that grows like mad. In a matter of just a few days, a stalk can grow a couple feet. It’s so fast, I sometimes wonder if I stare at it if I’ll see the motion of the growth! Bamboo is also persistentContinue reading “How bamboo can help you understand your role in the mission of God – Acts 13, Part 5”
Engaging Scripture 