“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you…” (1Peter 1:3, 4). For the … [Read more…]
Throughout his letters Apostle Paul wrote about many foundational truths and doctrines of the Christian faith such as justification by faith and grace alone, the two natures of Christ, the human condition before and after regeneration, about the present and future things, and the list can go on. A theme is always present in every … [Read more…]
The resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is the central event of human history. Nothing like that happened before and nothing like that has happened since. Paul, the apostle, places the resurrection at the very pinnacle of the Christian proclamation and teaching; or to put differently, the resurrection is the foundation on which Christianity stands (1 … [Read more…]
When it comes to the cross, we look at it retrospectively…that is we “look back” at the events which were unfolding in Jerusalem. As we look back at the cross, we can’t see it clearly…we have to use our imagination extensively. And even if our imagination works perfectly, our view of the cross is still … [Read more…]
Jesus was making his way toward Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-44). This time the journey was made openly (John7:10). It was a special journey, a symbolic journey – a fulfilment of an ancient prophecy. The King was to come surrounded by joy and shouts of acclamation. He did. The crowds were shouting, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of … [Read more…]
For those familiar with the Bible, Nicodemus is the “man who came to Jesus at night”. He was an important man of the Jewish society (John 3:1ff). People were talking a lot about Jesus. There was no better way to separate fact from rumour than to talk with Jesus personally. Perhaps Nicodemus was afraid of … [Read more…]
“For Yours is the kingdom and power and the glory.” (Matt 6:13). We often read about great prayers and the great things that have been accomplished as a result. OT: Moses prays with his hands lifted up and the Israel’s army is winning; NT: The church prays for Peter’s return. As they pray, he knocks … [Read more…]
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt 6:13). Two words stand out in the first part of this petition. The word “lead” seems to imply that God intentionally and actively “leads” the believer into situations which may be harmful to his/her body and soul. The word here translated “temptation” … [Read more…]
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt 6:13). Reading a few verses prior to this (v.13), we can imagine the Pharisees of the day, standing at prominent places, all dedicated to a prayer that was meant to catch the people’s attention. Jesus had something to say about them and … [Read more…]
Every country has its own important days, which are celebrated often with a nation-wide holiday – a day of rest and merriment. In our country we have Australia Day as a national holiday. It celebrates the process that led to the formation of Australia as a country. That process began in 26th January 1788 with … [Read more…]