Focal Passage: Exodus 12:21-32 

From early childhood I remember singing the old hymn, “When I See the Blood.” Taken directly from Exodus 12:23, the hymn reminds us that the Passover points directly to Jesus. As wonderful as the annual Passover celebration was, it would be fulfilled by the Lamb who shed His own blood not to celebrate a past physical deliverance but to provide spiritual deliverance for every generation of people whose sin was covered by His blood. Only the Lamb was worthy to open the scroll and reveal the conclusion of God’s plan of redemption (Rev 5)!

A popular Christian song declares, “I don’t want to leave a legacy. I don’t care if they remember me. Only Jesus.” I respectfully disagree. The song forces a choice between two God-honoring acts. Every believer should strive to combine both by leaving a legacy of faith that points to Jesus. Every generation needs faithful men and women to declare the power and majesty of God, because no one comes to Jesus in the abstract. Rather, believers in every generation place their faith in Christ because of the faithfulness (directly or indirectly) of other believers.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Luke 2:4-14 

“Merry CHRISTmas!” Not “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays,” but Merry CHRISTmas!

Our current series of Bible in Life lessons is entitled Looking Forward to CHRISTmas, and today’s topic is Looking Forward to JOY. The focal passage, Luke 2:4-14, includes one of most read and quoted sentences in the Bible: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night (Luke 2:8, KJV). How many children, teens, and adults have read/recited that verse in various CHRISTmas plays, programs and services!

And how intriguing those 19 words are, providing the scene for the very first and truly “Best CHRISTmas Pageant Ever.” [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Exodus 5:1-4; 6:2-9 

People crave freedom. Unfortunately, many desire an auto- cracy where they answer to no one but themselves. In the poem, “Invictus,” William Ernest Henley declared, “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” Ironically, I have most often heard this poem read over dead men’s caskets. Pharaoh proved to be such a man. 

Pharaoh quickly admitted (Exodus 5:2) that he did not know the Lord and showed that he had no interest in getting to know the Lord. Here we see how bad theology leads to bad practice. Since Pharaoh did not know the Lord, he felt no obligation to obey the Lord. In a culture that contained well over a thousand gods, the true and living God was dismissed as though He were just another deity born out of superstition and added to the pagan pantheon. By rejecting the command to let God’s people go, Pharaoh would see (and yet never believe) that this God alone is worthy of worship.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Exodus 2:23-25; 3:7-15 

“But you promised! Remember?” Have you ever been reminded of a promise made in a moment of desperation that you had quickly forgotten? Whether is was part of negotiating with your child for better behavior or better grades, it clearly meant more to them than it did to you! 

Did you notice in Exodus 2 that it was God who remembered His promise? After 430 years in Egypt (Exodus 12:40), the Israelites had lost much of their distinctive identity as the people of God and had been greatly influenced by more than ten generations of exposure to idolatry. Their groaning under Egyptian slavery was heard by God even when, as far as the text indicates, their cries were not directed to God.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage:Acts 27:31-44 

Life is often pictured as a journey. All journeys start at one destination and travel to another. We are born, which begins our journey in life and we die which ends our journey in life.

Between the beginning and the end, life is full of all kinds of adversities. So many times, we are faced with circumstances that can test our character, drain our strength and darken our souls. 

In our passage this week we find an example of such a journey. Paul is on his way from Caesarea to Rome to stand before Caesar. And, the trip was anything but smooth. Each of us at times, face difficult paths that must be navigated if we are to reach our final destinations. When we consistently read, hear and understand the Word of God, we learn valuable lessons that help us navigate the turbulent waters in life.   [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Acts 26:19-29 

There are many things in life that demand a response. We are faced with these things each and every day of our lives. Some of them are small things that alter our lives very little. Then there are the big things that completely change the direction and outcome of our very existence. And of course, there is everything in the middle, each having varying effects on the way we live our lives. 

Let me give you some examples. A ringing telephone is one of those small things that demands a response. There is nothing more annoying than a ringing phone. We either have to answer it, or do something else like hanging up on the call to end the noise. One might argue, “I don’t have to respond to it at all. I can just ignore it.”  [Read more…]