Here are some notes on Romans 11 from the ESV Study Bible. 11:1 The majority of Israel failed to believe. Does this mean that God has rejected his people? Paul presents himself as an example of the remnant that has been preserved, a remnant that indicates that God is not finished with Israel and that he will fulfill the promises made to his people. 11:2 God foreknew. S...

ROMANS 9 In Bible college I double majored in Bible and Bible Teaching. My second degree meant I was an education major who was required to student teach to graduate. Since myadvisor knew of my desire to be a student pastor, she arranged for me to be a high school Bible teacher. For seven of my nine weeks this was an amazing opportunity. The students liked me andresonated...

Romans 8 Rom 8:4 "do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Throughout my pre-Christian life, I would often ponder what life was all about; why did things happen the way they did? I wanted to be a scientist, so at various points of my life I thought science would provide an answer. But, science never provided absolutes. Theories and findings cont...

ROMANS 6 Today instead of talking at you I thought I would let you dive into some personal introspection or short time of personal worship. Here is a song, and the lyrics to the song that matches the theme of Romans 6 and what it means to be Dead to sin and Alive to God. Read through the words, and dedicate your day to the loving King who paid your ransom. Creature by...

ROMANS 5 If you missed last Friday's blog, Scott opened our blog entries on the book of Romans with some really good advice; "Don't take any of the next several chapters in isolation." Chapter five kind of forces you to heed that warning. Most translations begin chapter 5 with the word "Therefore." I've heard and read a lot that when you are studying scripture and come ...

ROMANS 4 Romans 4 reveals the consistent nature of God - that He was acting from the beginning of creation to work out His plan. He's always wanted worshippers who approach Him by faith, believing that He is who He says He is, and that He keeps His word to bless those who come to Him (Heb 11:6). Abraham is held up in Romans 4 as an example of God's saving grace. In Abra...

Romans 3 There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. I played baseball growing up. I started with t-ball, graduated to coach pitch, and spent about five years playing goodold-fashioned baseball. Sometime around ...

ROMANS 1 An Important Caution: Don't take any of the next several chapters in isolation. In Paul's letter to the believers in Rome, he begins building a case. But just as when watching a building be constructed you shouldn't make too many assumptions about what the framing says about the finished appearance -- similarly, you should not leap to conclusions based on the ...

MATTHEW 28 Three days after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" (most likely Mary of Clopas referenced in John 19:25) went to the tomb where His body was being kept. While they were there, an earthquake occurred as an angel of the Lord came and rolled back the stone in front of the tomb. Some people think that the angel did this so that ...

Matthew 27 As I read Matthew 27 I am struck by the contrast and the agony of two individuals, Judas and Jesus. One deceives and the other is deceived. Both are pursued by the Jewish leaders, but one for what he can do for them and the other for what He is doing to them. One can't forgive himself, the other forgives his killers. One accomplishes work for the earthly rule...

Matthew 26 What does your worship cost you? Many times when we think about "worship," we think about the music during the worship service. We think about it as a specific action we take at a specific time. But really, worship is any thought, word or action, which attributes our admiration and respect for something. Usually we associate worship with religion, but really...

Matthew 25 A few days ago we read this sober warning by Jesus in Matthew chapter 7: (Matthew 7:21-23)"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mig...

From the ESV Study Bible 24:114 The Beginning of Birth Pains. Jesus previews the general conditions of the earth, which in some sense characterize the entire age, before he returns: sufferings throughout the world (vv. 48), the suffering of his disciples (vv. 913), and the preaching of the gospel to all nations (v. 14). 24:3 The disciples ask two questions: (1) when ...

Matthew 23 As I read through Matthew 23, I can't help but feel convicted and that if there is ever a place I need to guard my heart, it's the message of this chapter. A little disclosure here, I completely believe with all of my heart, mind, and soul that ALL of scripture is God-breathed, Spirit-inspired, and majestically beautiful, but with this section of scripture I ...

Matthew 22 Jesus tackles some big issues in the week between His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his Via Dolorosa - the way of grief - His path to the cross. This is His detractors' last shot at Him and He addresses issues close to their heart - regarding who is saved, how to relate to the rulers of this world, the nature of heaven, the essence of the Law, and the exis...

Matthew 22 In Mathew 22 Jesus uses a wedding banquet parable to describe the kingdom of heaven. Life on earth can be filled with business and distractions that prevent us from attending a feast with our King. God seeks us and desires to celebrate with us, but we often turn a cold shoulder because of our shortsighted focus on the present. As I reflect on my own life and ...

MATTHEW 21 When we think about Jesus there are many images, which immediately come to mind. Around Easter time we usually spend a lot of time think about either the Cross or the Resurrection. If you teach children's ministry maybe the image that comes to mind involves Jesus in a perfectly white robe with a red sash surrounded by children. If you like to party a bit, may...

Matthew 19 Hard Teachings "If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!""[If this is how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God,] then who can be saved?" There are "hard teachings" in this chapter... So hard that it made Jesus' disciples question whether they'd heard him right. So hard that books have been written dealing...

Matthew 18 The disciples asked Jesus a question that most of us have probably pondered at some point: "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Our Sunday school answer would all be to yell out: JESUS! But who, after Him? Jesus, recognizing their heart (as He always does) tries to help them understand that their heart is in the wrong place when they ask this questio...