christianity

The cross of Jesus displays the most awesome exhibition of God’s hatred of sin, and at the same time the most august manifestation of his readiness to pardon it.

There is a pattern set forth showing some common emphases in the ten plagues. That pattern includes four parts (Ryken, Exodus, 203):

• The Obedience of Moses and Aaron


• God's superior power over Egypt's gods


• Satan's counterfeits


• The perpetual hardening of Pharaoh's heart

For example, a cursory comment may cover the content of three verses, or ten minutes may be spent on one word. The FCF and the relative clarity of different portions of a passage dictate how a preacher organizes the material. Still, a preacher must in some way deal with the entire text, taking special care not to neglect those features that pose

Laments might seem disrespectful, but in fact they are filled with faith—a raw, pure form of faith that simply takes God at his word. Every child is a professional lamenter, as in, “Mom, you said you’d take me to the pool this week! Why haven’t you? I want to go today.” The child is bringing together promise and hope (“Mom, you said . . .”) with

This does not mean that the lenses make the person or name of Jesus magically arise from the bushes of every biblical account. Rather, they enable us to see reflected aspects of divine character and human fallenness that provide or require the grace of God ultimately manifested in the person and work of Christ.

As God's image bearers, part of laying a healthy foundation is accurately defining masculinity by looking through the lens of Jesus as a man. His strength was defined by sacrifice, humility, compassion, and love. He had close relationships with a small group of men. He was a champion of women. Scripture tells us Jesus wept in an encounter of loss,

Here Paul uses the metaphor of clothing—the thing that covers us, identifies us, and describes our function. Paul is reminding us that what we “wear” (that is, the character qualities we put on) to moments of ministry is as important as what we say. The list of character traits Paul gives is a summary of the character of Christ. Paul is saying, “If

“Question: What is the chief End of Man? Answer: Man’s chief End is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”