"Teach them to keep all I have commanded" – Jesus
If you’re a parent, and your child says to you, “Is it ok if I steal some Legos?”—what would you say? You’ll probably tell me it depends on the situation. Situation 1: You and the child are in the living room building Legos together. You have your pile. He has his. He points to yours … Continue reading Speaking Law and Gospel
Imagine one day you realize you are a character in a story. You thought your life was your own—that you could come and go as you please; that you had some sway over your future. But then, you begin to hear the voice of your author narrating you in the omniscient third person—explaining your actions, … Continue reading Stranger than Fiction
It’s been called the “Monopoly of our Time.” Created by German board game maker Klaus Teuber, The Settlers of Catan has sold more than 18 million copies worldwide. It’s a deceptively simple game. Players compete to build the most successful colony on the fictional island of Catan. At the same time, the game is rigged … Continue reading 5 Principles for the Bible
Detective Columbo is one of my TV heroes. First impression, he seems like an Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther—out of his league, bumbling, clueless. On the contrary, Lt Columbo is a master sleuth. This is revealed at the end of each episode when Coloumbo tells the second story—the sequence of events that shows, beyond … Continue reading Interpreting the Bible
How would you compare the Bible to other writings? Which is it most like a(n) … A. Encyclopedia? B. Love Letter? C. Self Help Book? D. News Article? Option A. When I was eight, my family got a World Book Encyclopedia set. I loved these books. I would spend hours looking up and reading about … Continue reading The Bible is like a … ?
You’re standing in a crowded walk-way. Someone comes up, looks right at you, pushes you aside, then walks past. You say to them, “Hey, I’m a person, not an object!” A person is a relating being—a living being who relates, connects, and holds conversation with other relating beings. It’s inappropriate to treat a person like … Continue reading Take This Personal (Triune God)
You can’t get to know someone from a distance. My Father-in-Law tells the story of how he met his wife. “I’ve got the perfect girl for you,” his friend John told him. It was September of 1972. The two friends were football players at the college they attended. They were on their way down to … Continue reading Up Close and Personal
Let’s imagine you come from a Christian tradition that practices “believers baptism” over and against “infant baptism.” You might say to your baby-baptizing sister in Christ, “Why does your church baptize babies? Our church waits till they’re old enough to believe. We don’t think baptism saves—automatically. The Bible says we’re saved by faith, not some … Continue reading Why Baptize Infants
The Bible’s Book of Proverbs is a resource for learning Wisdom. Not just any wisdom, but God’s Wisdom is there for us to contemplate and practice if we are willing to apply ourselves. But the real question is not whether you will live by proverbs, but which proverbs? Let me illustrate. See how many of … Continue reading Gain a Heart of Wisdom
How should Christians share the good news about Jesus? Good news is what followers of Jesus are all about. Jesus said, "This good news (gospel) of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations" (Matthew 24.14). So what do we say when we say the good news? I … Continue reading The Good News about Jesus
