The end of Absalom’s rebellion is sad and complicated. All of the main characters represent some aspect of truth. Yet none are without significant blame. We need a better character and we long for a more satisfying ending.

The path of Absalom to rebellion against his father, David, the King of Israel, teaches us to recognize the signs and sources of rebellion against God in our own lives. But David’s path of exile ultimately leads us to our rebellion’s cure.

Drew is the Pastor of Youth and Families at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cherry Hill, NJ where he lives with his wife Meghan and their two children.

In his encounter with the intellectual elite of Athens, Paul’s teaching about the resurrection of Jesus is the source of both curiosity and controversy. But the resurrection is also the proof of God’s control over all things, his right to judge sin, and his grace to forgive it.

Good Friday Service

In the upper room, Jesus counsels and prepares his disciples for the trauma of the coming hours by giving them the context for what was about to happen and a command to love one another.

The resurrection of Jesus is the hinge and climax of a larger and beautiful story to rescue a people for himself from every nation and ethnic group; and unite them in one community that celebrates and proclaims that good news.

We are beggars and murderers in need of healing. Peter offers it the name of the resurrected Jesus.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is our only hope for life out of death, comfort out of grief, and joy out of despair. It is a very intentional act of God that is planned by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied by the Spirit.

The characters in this tragic narrative show how avoiding God’s presence leads to predictable suffering and conflict. But our hope is that God still speaks.

When David is confronted with the depth of his sin and its consequences, he finds restoration through the work of God. To experience this same forgiveness, we need to understand the nature of sin and how our wrongs are removed from our record.