David’s prayer in Psalm 86, like the prayers throughout the Psalter, is highly instructive and illuminating for our times of communion with God. He makes a total of fifteen requests, yet he is essentially he is calling upon the name of the Lord his God for one thing: grace. In the first seven verses, David focuses […]
On the road to Emmaus, Jesus rebuked two of his disheartened disciples for not understanding and believing all that the prophets had spoken about his sufferings. Since the Messiah was coming to redeem his people from the power of sin and death, it was absolutely necessary that this Anointed One experience the suffering of death […]
Writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul makes a staggering declaration: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. . . . If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:17-19). The claims […]
In the Old Testament, three significant types of people were anointed and set apart for service: prophets, priests, and kings. When Jesus came into the world, he came as the Christ, the Anointed One par excellence. And as the Christ, he holds all three of these offices. As prophet, he reveals the will of God for our […]
After the devil had ended his temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, Luke tells us “he departed from him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). In Gethsemane, however, that time had now come. It was time for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners, to be led like a lamb […]
On the evening before his crucifixion, the true Passover Lamb was surrounded by the most wretched and pathetic of company. One of his disciples was about to betray him; another would deny him three times before morning; and all of them, his friends, would abandon him. Jesus nevertheless continues to love them, encouraging and preparing […]
“Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division” (Luke 12:51). This is one of the more obscure mission statements that Jesus gave during his earthly ministry. While it is true that Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6)—who came to provide the way […]
Continuing his teaching on how we are to treat our enemies, Jesus unfolds further what it looks like to truly love others. Those who expect others to not be judgmental, condemning, or unforgiving, yet fail to extend grace and forgiveness themselves are hypocrites. Only those who have come to know the gospel of the kingdom—of the King who […]
In this passage, we not only see Jesus compassionately healing a leper and a paralytic, but claiming and proving himself to be the forgiver of sins. Though lepers were alienated from the life of the community, as a result of their uncleanness, Jesus willingly stretches out his hand to touch him. Why? To beautifully illustrate that God’s grace is greater than […]
