Emphasis on Ministry to Children
The book of Proverbs makes this observation: “Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray”…
Enjoy the Ride
“I am glad it is over,” my friend told me two days after Christmas. Her reasons included all the hectic…
Enriched in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)
The church in Corinth was beset by problems — divided into rich and poor, sophisticated and simple, the talented and…
Enslaved to Righteousness (Romans 6)
In Romans 5, Paul says that Christ saved us even while we were sinners. We are saved by grace, not…
Entering God’s Rest
In chapter two, we saw that the law given to Israel at Sinai, which includes the Ten Commandments, was designed to…
Entering God’s Rest (Hebrews 4:1-11)
The letter to the Hebrews weaves theology and practical application. After each doctrinal section, it urges the readers to do…
Ephesians 1:15-23 – The Divine Knowledge and Power in Christ
Key text:“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the…
Ephesians 1:3-14 – The Divine Purpose in Christ
Key text: “And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he…
Ephesians 2 – Grace and Peace
Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus is filled with numerous theological and practical insights. Chapter 2 takes us from…
Ephesians 2:1-10 – The Divine Grace in Christ
Key text: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with…
Ephesians 2:11-22 – The Divine Reconciliation in Christ
Key text: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the…
Ephesians 3:1-12 – The Divine Mystery in Christ
Key text: “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one…
Ephesians 3:14-21 – The Divine Love in Christ
Key text: “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the…
Ephesians 4:1-16 – The Call to Unity in Christ
Key text: “There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you…
Ephesians 4:25-5:2 – The Call to Good Conduct in Christ
Key text: “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved…
Ephesians 4:7-16 – The Call to Ministry in Christ
Key text: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and…
Ephesians 5 – Christian Life and Marriage
In Ephesians, Paul makes it clear that we are saved by grace, not by our works (Eph. 2:8). But he…
Ephesians 5:15-20 – Be Filled With the Spirit
Transformed by the Spirit Since God cares about what we do, Paul advises: “Be very careful, then, how you live…
Ephesians 5:21-33 – The Call to Submission in Christ
Key text: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up to her to make…
Ephesians 5:8-14 – The Call to Example in Christ
Key text: “ Lesson objective: To understand that the Christian community is called upon to follow the ethical example of…
Ephesians 6:1-9 – The Call to Submission in Christ
Key text: “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will…
Ephesians 6:10-20 – The Call to Armor in Christ
Key text: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God…
Ephesians: The Divine Purpose in Christ – Introduction
“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in…
Equipping Children for Ministry
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs…
Equipping Our Youths for Peer Evangelism
Our goal in youth ministry is to help children, teens and college-age young adults become active followers of Jesus. A…
Eternal Blessings
How thankful we can be for what God has given us! We have physical blessings, of course, but our most…
Eternally God’s Son?
One of the most natural mistakes commonly made with regard to God’s nature is in the assertion that the Logos…
Ev-Angela’s Sermon
Angela showed us an amazing example of evangelism. She invited seven members of the same family to church last month,…
Evaluating Spiritual Gifts
“My friends, you asked me about spiritual gifts,” Paul wrote the Corinthian Christians (1 Corinthians 12:1; quotes are from the…
Evangelism in San Antonio
On Pentecost in San Antonio we had a full house. We were glad to see so many people there. At…
Evangelizing Postmodern Youths
Youth Ministry To lead a person to Christ, you have to reach them where they are and communicate with them…
Even the Worst Things Will Come to an End
Recently I visited Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, and spoke to a number of people about what happened in…
Ever Seen Roasted Corn Grow?
In Southern Africa, we enjoy green maize, or corn, during the summer months. We eat it roasted, cooked, steamed, pounded,…
Every Member Is Needed (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)
One body with many parts (verses 12-16) Paul compares the church to a human body: “Just as a body, though…
Everyone Needs the Gospel (Romans 2)
As part of Paul’s presentation of the gospel, he explains why it is needed. Paul begins with a typical Jewish…
Evidence of Black Africans in the Bible
In 1992, I took a class at Emory University in Atlanta called Introduction to the Old Testament. As I read…
Evidence of the Resurrection
Christians, Jews, and atheists agree that Jesus was crucified and buried. The crucial belief for Christianity is that he was…
Exactly What We Need (Hebrews 7:23-28)
The author then contrasts the mortality of the Levitical priests with the immortality of Jesus Christ: “Now there have been…
Example of the Apostles
Scripture doesn’t actually say that the apostles kept the Sabbath, but they probably did (many Jewish Christians were keeping ceremonial…
Examples of Humility (Philippians 2:14-29)
“Do everything without complaining or arguing,” Paul writes, “so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without…
Exodus: Birth of a Nation
Israel in Egypt Chapters 1:1-12:36 Setting the scene: chapter 1 Exodus opens with a list of “the sons of Israel”…
Expedient Indeed
Jesus said it, so it’s true—and the obedient disciple in me accepts it. But hasn’t always understood it. What is…
Explore the Gospel of John: "That They Might Have Life"
Vital lessons from the Gospel of John New Christians are often advised to begin their Bible reading with the Gospel…
Explore the Gospels: Luke
The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are the two parts of a work addressed to Theophilus…
Explore the Gospels: Mark
A Bible, especially if it is an older version, can look about as inviting to read as a telephone directory….
Explore the Gospels: Matthew
Who was Matthew? Early church tradition attributes this Gospel to Matthew, the tax collector chosen by Jesus to be an…
Exploring 1 & 2 Samuel
What’s in a name? It may seem strange that the books of Samuel are named after a figure who is…
Exploring Deuteronomy
What’s in a name? The name Deuteronomy comes from the Septuagint title Deuteronomion, which means “second law.” The title is…
Exploring Ecclesiastes
What’s in a name? The book begins, “The words of the Teacher [Hebrew: Qoheleth]” (1:1). In the Greek Old Testament,…
Exploring Exodus
What’s in a name? The English name Exodus comes from the Septuagint title for the book, Exodos, which means “road…
Exploring Genesis
What’s in a name? Genesis is a transliteration of a Greek word meaning “origin,” “beginning” or “generation.” This name was…
Exploring Joshua
What’s in a name? The book is named after its leading character, Joshua, who was appointed by God to lead…
Exploring Judges
What’s in a name? Judges records the history of Israel during the generations that came after Joshua. One passage summarizes…
Exploring Leviticus
What’s in a name? The opening word of Leviticus is wayyiqra’, which means “and he called.” The Jews used this…
Exploring Luke
Although the author does not name himself in this book, early church tradition is unanimous in saying that the third…
Exploring Mark
Explore the Gospels: Mark The Fig Tree and the Temple in Mark 11:12-16 Everyone Must Die! A Study of Mark…
Exploring Matthew
Explore the Gospels: Matthew Matthew 1:1-16 – Forty-two Men and Five Women Matthew 1:18-23 – A Virgin Will Give Birth…
Exploring Numbers
What’s in a name? The title of this book in the Septuagint is Arithmoi, which translates into English as Numbers….
Exploring Proverbs
What’s in a name? In the Hebrew Bible, this book begins with the words Mishlei Shelomoh Bhen-Dawid, meaning “Proverbs of…
Exploring Psalms
David plays the kinnor, or lyre. This is the most frequently mentioned instrument in the Bible, found in 42 places….