The Book of Acts
The book of Acts is the fifth of 27 books in the New Testament. The books in the New Testament are arranged as a “mini-library”: gospels (4), history (1), epistles of Paul (14), general epistles (7), and prophecy (1). “Acts” itself, is an abbreviated form of “Acts of the Apostles”, which is found in many […]
I Am a Christian
You’ve probably experienced blank stares when trying to explain the nondenominational aspect of the gospel to someone. To them, the language of Scripture and the denominational world all seems the same. Of course, there’s a difference, and the following points illustrate this in a unique way: I am a disciple of Christ; I seek to […]
A Man’s Foes Shall Be Those of His Own Household
Matthew 10 consists of two significant events: Jesus’ selection of His twelve apostles and His commissioning them to preach exclusively to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel”. This commission included instructions of what they were both to teach and the reaction they should expect from that teaching. Of that reaction Jesus warned, “Think […]
Fewer See the Bible as the Word of God
The Gallup organization reported in July 2022 that a new high of 29% of Americans say the Bible is a collection of “fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by man”. In 1980, 10% of Americans felt this way. As you might imagine, the results fell broadly in line with American’s religious affiliation. For instance, […]
Jesus’ Sermon on the Bread of Life #3
In 1877 Mary Lathbury, inspired by Jesus’ sermon on the bread of life which He preached in the synagogue in Capernaum, wrote the lyrics to the hymn we frequently sing “Break Thou the Bread of Life”. She had true perception of Jesus’ message when she wrote, “Within the sacred page, I seek thee Lord … […]
The Folly of Idolatry #1
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: […]
The Basics of Buddhism #1
Over my career of preaching, Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism have grown in popularity. A lot of people, giving up on “orthodox” or “organized” religion, have become what they term as “spiritual.” Sadly, some Christians have left the true worship of God and the scriptures for these groups, seeking “enlightenment.” Because of this, […]
Jesus’ Sermon on the Bread of Life #2
Were one to casually read John 6 and the apostle’s record of Jesus’ sermon on the “bread of life”, he might overlook the apt analogy the discourse is to the events in which it finds its setting. Jesus had blessed five loaves and two fishes, and with them fed a multitude of 5,000 men beside […]
Legality Does Not Equal Morality #5
Gambling is almost universally accepted. Many groups have raffles, most states have lotteries, and more and more are legalizing casinos. For many years this was not the case as most people recognized gambling as immoral. Now, however, few people see anything wrong with it. The Bible shows us three ways to legitimately acquire possessions. First, […]
Legality Does Not Equal Morality #4
At one time our nation prohibited the sale of alcohol. This only lasted for a short time, as the overwhelming majority of people were in favor of the legal sale and consumption of alcohol. Thought it is legal, it does not make it moral. The Bible repeatedly warns about the dangers of alcohol. The wise […]