In the season of advent, as we consider and anticipate the coming of Jesus into the world, our thoughts go to the beginning. But going to the beginning of Jesus’ story is much more difficult than trying to nail down the date and place of manger’s, shepherd’s, and magi, and kings and a census. Jesus’ …
In his “Gospel Primer,” Milton Vincent points out that while the heavens may declare the glory of God there is only one thing that is called the power of God in the Scriptures. Think about these things for a moment: A Tsunami sending waves out for thousands of miles in every direction; a hurricane ripping …
The hymn Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus counseled us to “Put on the gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer” Milton Vincent, in his “Gospel Primer,” points out that all of the spiritual armor given in Ephesians 6 is synonymous with the gospel. He encourages us to take heed of the call to …
John the Baptist was not the Messiah, he was the Elijah figure, the one who would go before the Messiah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. He was a voice crying out in the wilderness “Make straight the way of the Lord.” …
Jesus had asked the religious leadership of Israel about the identity of John the Baptist. Their refusal or inability to answer authoritatively demonstrated their own powerless and fruitless ministry. Soon the different groups of leaders rallied though to try to return the favor. Today, I want to examine Matthew 22 for three stumpers asked by …
Jesus came to cleanse more than temples. We read yesterday of Jesus triumphal arrival to Jerusalem. When he came to the temple he turned over the tables of those changing money and the seats of those selling pigeons. He reclaimed a place in God’s temple for the unclean. And the blind and lame came to …
Jesus rode into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, the coming Prophet, Priest, and King. Yet when he arrived in Jerusalem his reception was mixed. Even by those bringing him in with shouts of Hosanna, there is only a dull sense of the significance of the moment. Mat 21:10-11 And when he entered Jerusalem, the …
Anticipation may have waned by the time first century Jews were looking for their Messiah to come. It was not for lack of desire, surely, but that they had waited so long. It is hard to stay excited about something, even a great deliverance for hundreds of years. But they waited. And they watched. They …
As we sit in this time of shelter-in- place, one thing rings true. I am prone to wander, Lord I feel it. My body wants to wander out of this house into the small city around me, past it into the hills and mountains and woods. Unable to do so, my mind wants to wander. …
For days I have come to sit in front of my computer. I have this great desire to write some profound thing that will be a help to my friends and family and especially the South Hills Baptist Fellowship church family. I have this sense of urgency because of the pandemic sweeping the world as …
