The Lord Jesus Christ is returning one day in glory to judge the world, destroy his enemies, and establish his kingdom in righteousness. But when the Son of Man comes, who will be found righteous so as to dwell in his kingdom (Luke 18:8)? This is the dilemma of fall humanity. Though many put their […]
The kingdom of God—his reign over all creatures, kingdoms, and history— is one of the central themes of the Bible. Scripture is filled with promises concerning God’s future, everlasting, unchallenged, and glorious rule. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man (Dan. 7:13-14), was the sign that God himself had come in the flesh to inaugurate the […]
The puritan preacher, John Flavel, once remarked: “Every man loves the mercies of God, but a saint loves the God of mercies.” In times of trial, suffering, and need, anyone will gladly receive blessings from God; it doesn’t take the new birth to appreciate his mercies. In fact, anyone can perform religious duties and portray […]
The story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is one of contrasts. It is the story of the King who came as a lowly servant, on a donkey rather than a prancing steed, not to conquer nations by force but to conquer hearts by love. Yet this is also a tragic story: though his very […]
How does a disciple of Jesus Christ grow in his or her faith? How do Christians grow in genuine love for one another and delightful obedience to their Lord? Having just been told by Jesus to walk in love, to pay attention to one’s manner of life so that no one is caused to stumble, […]
In Luke 16, Jesus addresses material wealth and kingdom priorities, subtly illustrating for us the true heart condition of the unrepentant. After telling the parable of the dishonest manager, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees—”who were lovers of money” (Luke 16:14)—in order to tell them another parable. While this story, the parable of the rich man […]
One of the major themes of Jesus’ teaching, as well as the rest of Scripture, is the sharp distinction between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God. You either belong to the kingdom of light or the kingdom of darkness. Your values are informed either by the world or by the truths of […]
The third parable of Luke 15, like the two before it, is again about something that is lost. “The Parable of the Prodigal Son” is one of the most well-known and cherished of Jesus’ parables—and for good reason! Many of us have experienced the realities described in the first half of this parable. Though we were […]
At the end of chapter 14, Luke records Jesus proclaiming: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:35). Then, as chapter 15 begins, we read that “tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him,” but “the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled” (Luke 15:1-2). This is the context for the […]
