Helping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth
When we read the history of Jesus’s crucifixion, we may easily skim over a man named Barabbas. But we shouldn’t overlook him—because, in many ways, we are all Barabbas. Barabbas was a rebel. And so are we.Isaiah 53:6 says, “All
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He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords; who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see (1 Tim. 6:15-16). Let us draw near
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The Holy Spirit often leads me to use songs of worship for the purpose of self-counseling. Today, I’m meditating on the truth that is proclaimed through the lyrics of How Deep the Father’s Love for Us, to keep myself in
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When the Old Testament prophet Isaiah predicted the suffering of Jesus Christ he said, “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief” (53:10). Why? Why would God the Father be pleased to kill His only begotten
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We live in a culture that does not understand the symbol of the cross. Today, the cross has become a mere religious symbol. We do not see its horror. D.A. Carson writes, [T]he cross has become for us such a
Continue readingFirst Peter 2:24 says of Jesus, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” This is one of at least five
Continue readingWhile Jesus hung upon the cross of Calvary, He spoke seven times. Each time He spoke, He revealed an aspect of His divine/human character. Words of Mercy (Luke 23:34) – The first words Jesus spoke from the cross were to
Continue readingFor the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. (Lev. 17:11). In
Continue readingThe concept of atonement permeates virtually every page of Old Testament sacrificial law. According to God’s gracious provision, the Israelites were commanded to bring the appointed sacrifices to the tabernacle or the temple to atone for their sins (Ex. 29:33-37;
Continue readingThe Bible calls Jesus our “Advocate with the Father” (1 Jn 2:1). An advocate is one who pleads for another, a defender, an intercessor. When the apostle John attributed this role to Jesus, it was in the context of defining
Continue readingWhen the Bible refers to someone as being accursed, it means he will be damned forever with no hope of redemption. It is from anathema, which means “the disfavor of Jehovah,” and was used of “the sentence pronounced” or “the
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One of the soberest warnings in the New Testament concerns the manner in which we approach and participate in the Lord’s Supper. Following the apostle’s repetition of Jesus’ command to regularly “do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26),
Continue readingIn preparation for preaching Romans 10:1-4, this Lord’s Day, one of the Romans commentaries I’ve been reading is James Montgomery Boice. Discussing the meaning of Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who
Continue reading[The past couple days, I’ve been thinking a lot about the work of Christ on the cross on my behalf and found this article I first posted in the spring of 2012. So, I’m posting it again.] Crucifixion was a
Continue readingWhen the Old Testament prophet Isaiah predicted the suffering of Messiah he said, “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief” (53:10). Why? Why would God the Father be pleased to kill His only begotten Son?
Continue readingWhile reading a chapter in How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil, by D. A. Carson, I was struck by this excerpt, which introduced to me a poem I had not seen before: “Frequently it is when we
Continue readingAt the climax of the apostle Paul’s description of the humility of Christ, which led to His voluntary submission to the cross as the will of God, is the phrase “even death on a cross.” The humility of Jesus resulted
Continue readingThe Cross of Christ humbles our proud hearts and produces joyful sobriety as we ponder it as the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for helpless, ungodly sinners like you and me. One of the simplest, yet most profound Scripture passages
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By God’s grace, I’m a husband, dad, grandpa, and pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Mayfield Hts, OH. I love Christ because He first loved me.
