The Cross wasn’t always the predominant sign of Christianity. For centuries the cross was a pagan symbol of pain and torture. Rome used the cross to strike fear into the hearts of the world and discourage any troublemakers or rabble-rousers, (like Jesus). The cross did not start becoming a positive, publically accepted, symbol of Christianity […]
Tag Archives: Jesus
Speaking of the coming of Messiah, Isaiah 52:15 says, “so shall he sprinkle many nations” it is an allusion to Leviticus 4:6 when God told the priest, interceding for all the people, to “dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the LORD in front of the veil […]
Words are doubled in scripture to stress importance. When Jesus said “truly, truly” before a statement, He was stressing it. He was saying, “pay close attention this is important” When Pilate appeals to the bloodthirsty mob to release Jesus, Luke records “they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” “The double cry reflected intensity,” (1). Jesus emphasized […]
The triumphal entry was in anticipation of what Jesus could do. Heal the sick, feed the hungry, raise the dead, kick Rome’s butt. Often our walk with Christ begins in anticipation of what Jesus can do: bless the finances, salvage the marriage, heal the son or daughter, kick the cancer’s butt. The problem is sometimes […]
Psalm 121 1. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2. My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. 3. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor […]
Jesus spent 3.5 years doing things for others. He healed, preached, taught, even fed people. The crowds were always great because the need was great. But at Gethsemane everything changed. Overnight Jesus went from doing things for others, to having things done to Him. Betrayed, kissed, arrested, passed around, beaten, humiliated, and finally killed. And […]
Galatians 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Neighbor is an old English word that literally means “the boor who is neigh thee.” Basically “the boor who is near you.” Our modern definition of boor is: “an unrefined, ill-mannered person” Sometimes a neighbor can […]
John 13:8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” We have this fallen inclination, like Peter, to try and clean ourselves up before coming to Jesus to clean us. We think: “I better stop doing that, and start doing this.” Which […]
Luke 15:13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.” It is easy for some to disassociate themselves from the prodigal story. And yet if we looked just a little below the surface we would find we […]
We were made to love. Love God, our spouses, our children, our community—everyone. But sin changed everything. What God created to be a blissful experience of mutual trust became a lifetime of suspicion and jealousy. Adam and Eve’s lack of trust is inherited by their children. Culminating in Cain’s jealousy, and eventual murder, of his […]
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