Growing Deeper Into the Soil of God's Word to Bear Fruit For His Kingdom
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. (Mark 12:13) I think it's fair to say that when I first looked at this week's passage my response was, "This is hard. I don't really understand what's going on." Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees, and Scribes all come to Jesus with... Continue Reading →
They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked, “And who gave you authority to do this?” (Mark 11:27-28) The day after cleansing the temple, Jesus... Continue Reading →
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no... Continue Reading →
“I will redeem it,” he said. Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you will also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it, because it might endanger... Continue Reading →
Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer. (Ruth 3:9b) Under cover of darkness, Ruth makes her way to the threshing floor where she's been told, by her mother-in-law Naomi, that Boaz will be spending the night. After waiting for the man to fall asleep, she approached quietly, uncovered his feet... Continue Reading →
“As it turned out, she was working in a field belong to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek” (Ruth 2:3b) God’s activity is subtle in the book of Ruth. Excellent timing here, faithful people there. Yet all the while, God continually works fullness and redemption for Ruth and Naomi. There is no more... Continue Reading →
On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11) Gifts. Gifts are always a huge part of our celebration of Christmas. We give gifts to friends and family,... Continue Reading →
And there were shepherd living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9) The angel appeared to the shepherds at work. These young children (most likely) were not... Continue Reading →
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet, “the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’)” (Matthew 1:22-23) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and... Continue Reading →
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and... Continue Reading →
Etz Pri 