Sermons, Articles, and Other Things

One of the problems that Christians face, and often do at communion times, is assurance. Various suggestions have been made for this, such as infrequency of occasions, or wrong ideas about the nature of the Supper by regarding it in superstitious ways. It has been said that there are two types of people who need to be concerned about assurance. One is those who claim to have it, but who should not have it because they don’t live as Christians should. The other type is those who should have it, yet don’t, even although they live as Christians should. But when we think about it, neither of those options really deal with the issue of true assurance, but they do highlight a couple of problems connected to it. The people addressed in Hebrews had lost their degree of assurance. This was one of the reasons for the book being written because the writer wanted them to change direction and resume the spiritual path on which full assurance is found (Heb. 6:10-12). They had become sluggish spiritu...

It is important to observe the connection between verse 1 and the preceding verses at the close of chapter 4. In those preceding verses, Peter has referred to the fact that judgment begins at the house of God, which he seems to say is one way of assessing the various troubles that believers were experiencing. The connecting word ‘so’ at the start of chapter 5 indicates that there is a connection between that situation and his exhortation to the elders. The exhortation comes to them because of the serious state of affairs that existed in society at that time. So Peter begins this section by addressing the elders of the churches to which he was writing. He has the same message for all on them. Although he is speaking to the elders, he addresses them through a letter he sent to all the believers because the elders are described as ‘among you’. So the elders and the others would have heard his message at the same time. Both the elders and the church members would be reminded of the role of...

As has often been observed, Jesus referred to himself as gentle when speaking about his teaching qualifications (Matt. 11:28-30). In his self description he chose to link it with humility, indicating that gentleness and humility are twin features to be expected not only in the teacher, but also in his disciples because it was the case that disciples imitated as well as learned from their teacher. So it goes without saying that a Christian who is making progress in the Christian life will be gentle, and therefore we should not be surprised that it is contained in the list of features that comprise the fruit of the Spirit. Broadranging quality The term translated gentleness has a range of meanings, including forbearance, considerateness and kindness as well as gentleness, and we see an example of that in Philippians 4:5, where the option depends on which Bible version is used. All these outlooks are inter-connected and perhaps are manifestations of the same attitude in different situatio...

Two sets of baptisms are mentioned in this chapter, although another one is implied. The implied one is Timothy because he was already a member of the church in Lystra. If he had not been baptised previously, then Paul would have baptised him before allowing him to join the missionary team on their further travels. Paul, however, did circumcise Timothy for pragmatic reasons in order to make it easier for him and Silas to engage in Jewish evangelism. Yet his chosen reason indicates that circumcision was no longer regarded as important for identifying the professing people of God. That practice had been replaced by baptism. The other two baptisms mentioned in the chapter were regular Christian baptisms, although one set took place in a river and the other in a prison, a fact that indicates that the location does not matter as far as performing the ritual is concerned. Each of the individuals who was baptised knew nothing about the gospel the day before they were baptised. Lydia did not k...

In this verse we have mentioned two of the three compulsory festivals in Israel that every male Israelite was obligated to attend in Jerusalem. The first one mentioned here is better known as Pentecost because it occurred fifty days after the feast not mentioned in this verse, which was the Passover. And the third feast, that of Ingathering which is better known as the Feast of Tabernacles, was connected to harvest thanksgiving. There was a common purpose connected to each of the feasts, which was that the Israelite males were to appear before their God, who is described here by three names. They were given a special promise of security from any invaders during the periods they went to Jerusalem. This instruction was given to a redeemed people and a restored people. They had been redeemed by God from slavery in Egypt by blood and by power. Yet when they came to Mount Sinai, which is connected with the Feast of Pentecost, they had fallen badly when they worshipped the golden calf. God h...

David says in one of his psalms that the gentleness of God had made great. The psalm is one in which David describes life through a series of military illustrations and how God had prepared him for each stage of the battle. So we might find his description of God surprising when he says that God was gentle. Maybe David is using gentleness to describe the contrast between how God treated him and how others treated him. Remember how his brothers treated him with disdain, how Saul tried to kill him, how friends turned against him, how family members conspired to remove. Yet David remained ‘great’ in that he retained his position as king despite his own sins and the opposition of others. How did that happen? He tells us in this verse - the gentleness of God made him great. That was how David regarded the Lord’s dealings with him.  Think of the description of God as Creator in Genesis 1 and 2. How would we describe his way of working? There is no sound mentioned apart from his own cry o...

What is the point of the Book of Hebrews? It can be used for many purposes, that is true. For example, we could do a series on the well-known chapter about the life of faith Chapter 11. Or we could use it to do a study on the nature of angels. Or we could consider the several warning passages it contains about the danger of giving up the faith. Yet I would suggest that the point of the book is that it is designed to help us to look at Jesus. The unknown author of the book tells us in 12:1-2: ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.’ The author uses the common New Testament illustration of a race to depict the Christian life. Obviously a ...