Bart Byl on 2 Corinthians 10.

Series: Power in Weakness (2 Corinthians)

A head of the Church, Jesus is the source, model and standard of authority. True authority encourages obedience to Christ and participation in the mission of his Gospel. And ultimately, all authority aims at his approval.

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Bart Byl on Matthew 28:16-20.

After his resurrection, Jesus commanded his disciples to go into all the world making disciples, “baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Thus we meet the Trinity at the very commencement of the Christian life, where we are plunged into the Triune Name—more precisely, immersed into the Son’s own relationship with the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Bart Byl on Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3.

The church Luke describes in Antioch was an international church in a multicultural city made up of diplomats, business people, migrant workers, and slaves from all over the Roman empire. This new community was the fruit of Pentecost—only the Holy Spirit could have formed this family of God out of such diversity. As an international church in Tbilisi, what special opportunity has God given us to be a witness for the kingdom and the presence of the Spirit?

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Bart Byl on Daniel 7:9-14.

Every Ascension Day, we rejoice that our crucified and risen Saviour ascended to the right hand of God, to take his rightful place as King of King and Lord of Lords. In Daniel’s vision, he saw Jesus entering the throne room of heaven to receive universal, eternal, unconquerable authority. Jesus exercises this for our benefit! The Son of Man is on the throne, and all is well.

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Bart Byl on 2 Corinthians 8.

Series: Power in Weakness (2 Corinthians)

People who've received God's lavish grace can't help it overflowing in practical generosity. Christ's self-giving love for us is the prototype of Christian giving! We are all receivers of grace, and as we receive he transforms us into sharers of that grace as well. It’s all part of our common participation in God’s economy of grace.

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Bart Byl on 2 Corinthians 7:2-16.

Series: Power in Weakness (2 Corinthians)

Paul shares his joy at hearing Titus's report that the Corinthians had responded in true repentance to Paul's tearful letter. But this chapter is really about friendship. Paul show us what it means to be a true friend who shares hard truths with an eye to restoration and with confidence in God's work. The Corinthian church models humble reception of a faithful rebuke and thorough repentance. We learn that true friends help us press on to God.

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Bart Byl on 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1.

Series: Power in Weakness (2 Corinthians)

Paul appeals to the Corinthians to separate themselves from ‘unbelievers’ in their midst: the false apostles. God has called us to be a temple of his presence! Our holiness is the believing response to that promise.

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Bart Byl on 2 Corinthians 6:1-13.

Series: Power in Weakness (2 Corinthians)

Paul urges the Corinthians to respond to God's grace and be reconciled to their apostle, who has fought for their spiritual lives. The gift of God’s Son summons us to respond (now!) in faith, obedience, and expansive love for the new family God has created.

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Bart Byl on John 19:41-20:18.

The first person the resurrected Christ chooses to appear to is Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he cast out seven demons. The moment he speaks her name (“Mariam.”) the joy of recognition fills her heart. She had mistaken him for the gardener, but perhaps she spoke better than she knew, for Jesus came to restore us to the tranquility, abundance, and flourishing Eden we had lost in our sin.

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Bart Byl on Luke 18:9-14.

Of all Jesus’ parables, the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector may be the most disturbing and outrageous. There must have been a shocked silence when Jesus finished. As far as the crowd pressing around Jesus was concerned, the Rabbi had made a terrible mistake—he had sent the wrong man home with God’s approval.

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