Darkness was over the face of the deep… That’s what was there at the beginning. Darkness. Chaos. Empty. Nothing. This same void descended on the earth on Friday. The same empty nothingness filled the day. The light was being extinguished—the sun refused to shine. The light of this world. The Light of THE world hung His head and gave up …
And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5 The king of the jungle doesn’t live in the jungle. A lion’s primary habitat is grasslands. It’s fair that the origin of the word jungle …
From that time, Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 Have you ever made a wrong turn? I do it all the time. I forget my turn or overshoot my destination. Maybe not all the time, but it happens more than I care to admit. I feel like I’m in good company, …
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17 A plot twist that makes the audience audibly gasp is a writer’s goal. Whether it is for film, TV, or novels—this is the pinnacle of great storytelling. When all the evidence points to this one …
“On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret…” Luke 5:1 It was almost eerie. We were out—which we had been already, but most people were still anxious and respecting space. Not on this night. We were packed in like sardines. The auditorium was …
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 Every step is the way. Every action is formation. Lonnie was among the best supervisors I’ve ever had. It was a summer job at a warehouse, and I had all kinds of tasks that kept me busy. I inspected products and sorted pallets. I checked rodent traps; repainted safety …
“The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” Matthew 4:16 Where is the darkest place you’ve ever been? I was a mile above sea level and in the middle of a cavern. Our family was in Montana, and we had an …
“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2 As I shared yesterday to start my sermon, Martin Luther King Jr. was in London in 1964. He was preaching, and he …
“And behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 “And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God…” Matthew 4:3 It is the subject of poignant movies and television commercials. It is when TV dramas make parents relatable and TV sitcoms provide a …
“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2 The holidays are over—time to do some reflecting. How did you do? Not with your diet or gift-giving or decorating. Instead, grade yourself on your interactions with others. Did you pass with flying colors? Fail? Crash and burn??? The holiday season, if you listen to …
