Amidst all the religions and belief systems of the world, only one is about what God himself has done for our salvation. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not good advice to follow but good news to believe. For while the world says “do,” Jesus Christ says “done”; while the world says “strive”, the risen […]
Christ not only died and rose again to redeem us from the curse of the law. He did so (v. 4): “in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” This is the focus of the next part […]
Romans 6:1-5 gave us an introduction to the believer’s union with Christ in his death and his life. Now, in verses 6-11, pastor Matt looks at the apostle Paul’s explanation of this reality in order to convince us beyond a shadow of a doubt that we can be dead to sin and alive to God […]
At the center of all human history stands the risen Lord Jesus. His resurrection from the dead is, without a doubt, the single most significant event that has ever occurred in the story of our world. And both his cross and his empty tomb concern the entire world—every nation and all creation. God’s gospel, the […]
In the book of Romans, Paul is seeking to unify the church at Rome around his gospel and to enlist their support for his future mission to Spain. To do this, he has to introduce himself and his gospel, which he calls “the gospel of God.” He does all of this in the introduction of […]
In Acts 25-26, the story of Paul as witness on trial for the gospel comes to an epic conclusion before he reaches Rome. Everything has been building up to this moment where, in the providence of God, he gives the reason for his hope before the rulers of all Judea. Paul bears witness that King […]
When Paul stood before the high priest and the Jewish council, he said: “It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial” (Acts 23:6). Over and over, Paul makes this same assertion in his defense speeches in Acts. But why did he understand his all his […]
While it is clear that we are living in an increasingly secular age, it is actually quite religious. More and more people desire a spiritual identity that gives them purpose and meaning in this life, and seek to fill the void left by religion with a host of idols such as entertainment, self-expression, romance, wellness, […]
The main point of Paul’s sermon at Pisidian Antioch was that “God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised” (Acts 13:23). He began with a summary of Israel’s history to show that with the coming of Jesus, God had proven faithful to his promises to rescue humanity. But the question remains: How […]