When it comes to the unknown beyond this life, there are few things of which we can be certain. What exactly happens in the moment of death? We don’t know. What is the next life like? Apart from a few vague descriptions in the Bible, we really have no idea. Death has a way of reminding us that when we…

Every parable that Jesus told is meant to teach us about the kingdom of God. Most of the time, when we look closely, we can find Jesus as one of the chief characters in each parable. Jesus is the Good Samaritan who binds up the wounds of the man lying in the middle of the road. Jesus is the merchant…

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord” ( Jer 23:16 ). These words are God’s warning to his beloved church. They are his warning to you. There have…

Twice in Jesus’ ministry, he fed a great crowd with only a few loaves of bread. In Mark chapter 6, Jesus fed five-thousand with five loaves and two fish. Here in chapter 8, Jesus feeds another great crowd of four-thousand men, plus women and children, with seven loaves and a few fish. The miracles appear…

The scribes and Pharisees got a bad rap. When you read the New Testament and encounter them, you know that they are the bad guys. They are the evil empire, the corrupt mob, the plotting villains. You were probably taught to think this way about the Pharisees in Sunday School, but it’s not actually true.…

The most quoted Bible verse by non-Christians is Luke 6:37 , “Judge not, and you will not be judged.” Those who don’t know the first thing about Christ, know this verse. Unbelievers who have no regard for the Jesus or his words are quick to quote these words authoritatively whenever their behavior is…

Our text this morning is taken from the final chapter of Micah, particularly the last three verses: “Who is a God like you, taking away guilt and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love. He will return…

Appearances are often deceiving. Jesus tells a story in which the poor man goes to heaven and the rich man goes to hell. It might appear that Jesus is teaching us about social justice, but he’s not. It might seem like the message of this story is, “Have compassion on the underprivileged,” but that’s…

We live in the Age of Information. The answer to virtually any question is at your fingertips. But for all the collective knowledge of the human race, there’s one question that nobody on earth can answer, “What happens when you die? What exactly is heaven like?” Every few years someone claims to have…

“Doctrine divides but love unites. Doctrine tears down but love builds up.” Perhaps you’ve heard words like these before. Perhaps you have family or friends who say, “Doctrine doesn’t matter. All that matters is love for Jesus.” To many people doctrine is a frightening word. It smells of legalism and…