John Piper, in a sermon, “John the Baptist and the Brood of Vipers”- This is the meaning of repentance: a turning of the direction of our life and the affections of our heart, so that we become oriented on God and love the things he loves. John promises the people “forgiveness of sins” in response … More The Issue is Repentance
Coty Pinckney, in a sermon, “A Time for Grace, a Time for Judgment” In today’s text, [1 Kings 13-14] we see that God does not zap Jeroboam after he creates the golden calves. Instead, God reaches out to Jeroboam, in a way that has many parallels with His reaching out to David by Nathan the … More Rejecting Grace
Coty Pinckney asks us to consider Ephesians 4:15- but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, Paul tells us we are to speak the truth in love, and this will lead to growth. If you look at the original language, … More “Truthing” in love…
John Piper, in a sermon from Luke 2, “Preparing to Receive Christ: Looking For the Consolation of israel” God prepares a person to receive Christ by stirring up a longing for consolation and redemption that can come only from Christ. In Relation to the First Coming We can see in this text that this was true of … More Are you eagerly waiting for Jesus’ coming?
John Piper: Calvary Road—Luke 2:6–7 Now you would think that if God so rules the world as to use an empire-wide census to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, he surely could have seen to it that a room was available in the inn. Yes, he could have. And Jesus could have been born into … More Calvary Road
A Big God for a Little People—Luke 2:1–5 Have you ever thought what an amazing thing it is that God ordained beforehand that the Messiah be born in Bethlehem (as the prophecy in Micah 5 shows); and that he so ordained things that when the time came, the Messiah’s mother and legal father were living … More A Big God for a Little People
J.C.Ryle on Zechariah’s Song in Luke 1:67-80 We should notice, secondly, in this hymn of praise, how much emphasis Zachariah lays on God’s fulfillment of His promises.He declares that God has “visited and redeemed his people,” speaking of it in the manner of the prophets as a thing already accomplished, because sure to take place. He … More Standing on the Promises
1 Kings 8:27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!” Solomon makes this amazing statement as he is dedicating a house he built to be a place where God’s presence would dwell in Israel. Even though … More Indescribable!
I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! Psalm 119:32 John Piper: The Need to Be New But forgiveness and cleansing is not enough. I need to be new. I need to be transformed. I need life. I need a new way of seeing and thinking and valuing. That’s why … More The Need to be New
As we read in 1 Kings about Solomon’s construction of the Temple, we need to be reminded that it was a shadow. John Piper comments on this in an introduction to a message, “Jesus: Mediator of a Better Covenant” The tabernacle and temple were a shadow; the official priesthood was a shadow; the animal sacrifices … More Replacement of Shadows with the Reality
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 