We hold these truths to be self-evident …
Summary: The history of the United States is both fascinating and instructive.
Continue reading “Happy 4th of July!”Galatians 3:22b – Letting Go, Grabbing On
… so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
Summary: Paul is very close to his topic. So close that he makes assumptions about his audience and what they know. Deconstructing what Paul says requires us to look into the Old Testament for clues.
Continue reading “Galatians 3:22b – Letting Go, Grabbing On”Ephesians 5:2b – The Second Chance
… just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Summary: Why was it necessary for Jesus to die on the cross? Is it possible for us to fully understand the answer to that question? Probably not, but Scripture provides us with many clues.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:2b – The Second Chance”Genesis 22:3 – Instant Answer
So Abraham rose early in the morning…
Summary: The Bible is full of examples of people being “tested” or, as the KJV says, “tempted.” In this meditation, we look at Abraham’s response to one such situation.
Continue reading “Genesis 22:3 – Instant Answer”Job 1:1 — A Man Named Job
… he feared God and shunned evil.
Summary: Looking for an example of a good father brings us to Job in the Old Testament. Job understands both God and human nature well.
Continue reading “Job 1:1 — A Man Named Job”Seeds – John 12: 24
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Why do we come here? Why bother with this blog? I think the answer might be in today’s verse.
This passage, in the context of John’s gospel, is about Jesus. Like a seed, Jesus has to die before he can bear fruit for heaven. Without redemption for sins, His creation stands condemned. Both He and the Father are righteous and just. They would have to be honest with themselves and find that the whole thing has to be chucked into the garbage bin.
By dying on the cross in the manner He does, Jesus makes it possible to redeem His creation. He now has the power to say to each of us, “Your sins are paid for. You are mine.” In this way, he redeems His creation so it can be salvaged from the trash.
During his ministry, Jesus used seeds as an illustration to explain several heavenly concepts. One of those concepts was the work he was doing on earth (1). He also uses the metaphor for seeds to explain the Kingdom of Heaven (2) and the concept of Faith itself (3). In Mark 4: 28 – 29 Jesus uses the seed illustration to explain that it is not the gardener who makes things grow, but God. Finally, we get to today’s verse where Jesus uses the seed allegory to explain his reason for dying on the cross. He also alludes to our own need to die to this world.
So why bother with this blog?
Continue reading “Seeds – John 12: 24”