The thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel records an abrupt shift in Jesus’s teaching ministry. Responding to his formal rejection as messianic King by Israel’s
After a seven-decade-long, divinely-orchestrated, and well-deserved disciplinary timeout in Babylonian exile, God’s chosen people are allowed (and encouraged!) to return back to the Promised
In a dramatic shift in tactics, noted by his disciples themselves, Jesus begins teaching the crowds using parables in Matthew 13. But what brought
Up to this point in Matthew’s gospel there has been a consistent and clear proclamation of the nearness of the kingdom of heaven (see
In the Spring of 2020, the Adult Sunday School class at Oakridge began working our way through the book of Acts. What follows are
While the books of Samuel and Kings are hefty, jam-packed, and quick-moving texts, they’re only the first two pairs of a history-rich triplet. We
Suffering and pain, trials and hardships, discouragement and anxiety. These are all guaranteed realities of the human condition—that is, being sinful people living in
In Psalm 84 we see the author describe the longing they feel within themselves to be in God’s presence and worship Him the way
When I was a kid, I used to hate going on road trips. I would get really bored, and even when there were things
Like Samuel before them, the biblical books of First and Second Kings record many exciting and well-known stories that involve many memorable characters throughout
One of the most interesting findings I’ve discovered in Scripture is what the Bible says about the mind. It is fascinating and can be
In Matthew 12, we read one of the most pivotal moments in the entire gospel account: Jesus presents the evidence that he is the
It’s been said that failures are like a compost heap—they stink but are the most fertile part of the garden! We’ve all experienced failure
In the Spring of 2020, the Adult Sunday School class at Oakridge began working our way through the book of Acts. What follows are
The biblical books of First and Second Samuel are, so say it simply, action-packed. And, within the repeated ups and downs of the inspired
Many of us may still remember days past when we started each day in the classroom with the Lord’s Prayer. But why this prayer?
Matthew 12 reads like the transcript of the final scenes of a long courtroom drama—The People v. Jesus of Nazareth. It’s a trial that
In the Spring of 2020, the Adult Sunday School class at Oakridge began working our way through the book of Acts. What follows are
While the identity of the author of Ruth is uncertain, the skill of the author of Ruth is beyond dispute. This little biblical book
When comfortability gets talked about in Christian circles, it tends to be with a bit of a negative tone. “You can’t be effective if