Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on READ MORE
Pharisees
Jesus is the Sabbath
It was a simple walk through a wheat field that provided an earth-shattering opportunity for Jesus to highlight some powerful insights into the nature of mercy, true rest, life’s greatest purpose, and who it is that is the ultimate arbiter of all things. Consider this historical moment as recorded by a pastor named Mark in chapter READ MORE
Reputation vs. Relationship
Right at that moment when we think Jesus may be watering down the essence of being rightly related to God, we realize that he is actually raising the bar quite a bit higher. The question about fasting, offered by the disciples of both John the Baptist and the Pharisees, as recorded in Mark 2:18 and READ MORE
Select Thoughts on Judgment and Hypocrisy
Consider the following reflections on judgmentalism and hypocrisy, particularly as it relates to the study of Galatians 6:1 and following at Bethel Church. Matthew 7:1-5 is helpful here: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured READ MORE
And So They Ran—An Intro to Galatians: No Other Gospel
Grace is guaranteed redemption at Christ’s expense. It is what makes possible my salvation. It is what makes possible my freedom. Because of the work of Christ on the cross I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). My chains are gone. And yet I pick them up and wear them still. After all, despite READ MORE
Preoccupation with . . . Grace
Jon Lindgren, a self-proclaimed “free thinker” whose blog appears in the Fargo Forum, often provides commentary on how he perceives Christianity and Christians in general, and one of his common themes is that Christians are preoccupied with sin. The honest reality, as much as I hate to admit it, is that he is on to READ MORE