Even those who have never stepped foot in a church building know to call a traitor by Judas' name.  But who is he really, and why does it matter for us?

The last thing Jesus leaves with his disciples before he gives his life for us in our need is the reminder that following him must always result in concrete acts of love.

Jesus continues his discourse on what it means to live ready for his return, which he explains could come at any time in history.

God has given us a mission! That may sound strange, but it reflects a way of thinking about the world that is deeply embedded in Scripture – it is the idea that God imbues us with a task and a purpose that mirrors God’s loving purpose in sending his...

God established his Church to be a people who are vitally connected to Christ and devoted to each other.  When local churches live like that, they begin to build themselves up toward likeness to Christ; in other words, they do discipleship.

God has intervened in our world and in our lives to redeem us from our sin and bring us into a glorious, eternal life with him in a renewed creation. Our whole life is an astonishingly inadequate response to such a gift, but it is the beginning of...

In the Cross and Resurrection of Christ, the new creation breaks in, and we are invited to participate in it by receiving the forgiveness of sins and by following the way of Jesus, the way of the world set right.

We’ve seen how Messiah is a figure from unexpected yet kingly origins who 1) puts God’s Kingdom on display, 2) restores God’s people to himself, and 3) draws in the nations to the worship of the true God.  But up until this point there has been very...

In this time of year we often have high expectations about how we want things to go. Get the perfect presents, make the perfect meal, and keep all the guests perfectly entertained. But more often than not the holidays pass us by and we’re left feeling...