The Newness of Christ (Luke 5:33-39)
Introduction Jim Johnston The most miserable Christians I’ve seen are those who live with a foot in both worlds. The kind of person Jesus calls to repentance is one who acknowledges his sin. The righteous have no need of Christ. His opponents respond with another question. In comparison with Matthew and Mark, there doesn’t seem to be a chronological connection between Levi’s feast and these questions. The connection is thematic. Why are Jesus and his disciples frequently at odds with…
Introduction to Judges (Judges 1:1-2)
Introduction Dale Ralph Davis The church has her way of dealing with embarrassing Scripture; ignore it. Yet that is difficult to do with Judges. It’s so interesting. Only people who take tranquilizers before sitting down can doze off while they read it. Big Picture: Promised Kingdom > Partial Kingdom > Prophesied Kingdom. Author: Multiple with final editor | single author. Context: Between Joshua and Samuel. Contemporaneous with Ruth. Israel took the land (Josh. 21:43-45). Israel demands a king (1 Sam.…
The Hospitality of Jesus (Luke 5:27-32)
Introduction What kind of people do you allow into your life? Jesus confronted the sin and sickness that surrounded him. Previously, he forgave and healed the paralytic on the account of the collective faith of him and his friends. Now, Jesus returns to the task of calling disciples that began in 5:1-11. But this time, the emphasis is upon the kinds of people Jesus calls. If we will not acknowledge our depravity, we will not hear Christ’s call to follow…
No Ordinary People (Titus 3:9-15)
Introduction It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare… It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe…
Justified by Grace (Titus 3:1-8)
Introduction WCF 9.3 Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation… Accepting this “bondage of the will” is prerequisite for understanding Effectual Calling (WCF 10) and Justification (WCF 11). The Cretans had a reputation for being morally corrupt (1:11). Paul has instructed Titus to establish elders to teach sound doctrine that accords with sound living. In the previous passage we learned that Jesus Christ, not Caesar,…
The Forgiveness of Jesus (Luke 5:17-26)
Introduction Jesus experienced acceptance and rejection. He has performed miracles, called disciples, and brought physical healing to many. HC Q.2 Q: How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die happy? A: Three; the first, how great my sins and miseries are; the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries; the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance. Read Luke 5:17-26…
Adorn the Doctrine of God (Titus 2:9-10)
Introduction Goldingay A slave has no rights and slave owners may assume they are free to do with the slave as they wish and to require of the slave whatever they wish. We have this definition in the back of our minds clouding our interpretation of passages like this. That’s typically unhelpful, because in addition to there being contextual differences, it makes the focus too narrow. Although the institution of slavery is no longer applicable, much of the instruction here…
Trained by Grace (Titus 2:11-15)
Introduction The first episode of Planet Earth 2 contains an intense chase scene. Baby iguanas hatch on a beach to everyone’s delight. They slowly open their eyes for the first time and find themselves surrounded by rocks and empty beach…except for the gigantic snakes! These iguanas literally begin their lives on the run. Only the fast and brave survive. Our lives can often feel like that little naïve hatchling. We have no idea what lurks inside the rocks, just beyond…
The Will of Jesus (Luke 5:12-16)
Introduction “No shirt, no shoes, no service” signs came about in the 60s as a combination of southern Jim Crow laws (legal segregation) and an attempt to ban hippies. In order to receive service one had to clean up! Old Testament ritual laws worked in a similar fashion. In order to worship, one needed to be clean. Jesus experienced ups and downs, acceptance and rejection. Last week, his miraculous provision of fish > the calling of disciples. Here we see…
Sound Living (Titus 2:1-10)
Introduction About ten years ago the White Horse Inn interviewed pastors at a conference. The pastors were asked to explain a few basic Christian doctrines: What is the gospel? What is justification? What is sanctification? Their answers were consistently depressing. The typical rebuttal goes something like this: People are tired of hearing divisive doctrine. What they really need is something relevant and instructive about loving others. Rick Warren said it like this: The first Reformation was about doctrine; the second…