The Surprising God

This post exegetes Romans chapter 4, providing context for the RCL Epistle reading on 2/25/2024 (Lent 2). This exegesis draws on "The Message of Romans" by John Stott. "Sacrifice of Isaac" by Caravaggio (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction In Romans chapter 3, Paul proclaims the good news that ‘a righteousness from God’ (21) is a gift of grace through justification given to those who place their faith in God to save them (28). Paul grounds this gift in Christ's cross (21-26) and addresses objections to this astonishing truth which is the heart and core of the gospel (27-31).   Now in Romans 4:1-25 Paul uses the Old Testament accounts about Abraham and David to demonstrate how justification by faith is God's one and only way of salvation—both in the Old Testament and the New. Paul uses Abraham as his main example for two reasons. First, he was the founding father of Israel, 'the rock from which (they) were cut' (Is. 51:1f.), the favored ...

This post exegetes 1 Peter 3:18-22, providing context for the RCL Epistle reading on 2/18/2024 (Lent 1). This exegesis draws on commentary from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and  David Wheaton ("New Bible Commentary"). "Resurrection" (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction When times get tough we all need hope. And that’s why Peter wrote this letter to some early Christians facing the prospect of increasing persecution. In 1 Peter 3:18-22, Peter offers hope by giving an important and powerful reminder about who Christ is, and about who we are in Christ. These truths encourage us to keep serving God—even in tough times. Here’s what Peter writes: For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah...

This post draws on commentary from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and Bruce Winter ("New Bible Commentary"). "St. Paul" by Lievens (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction   In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, Paul tells us what God values in his church. Now in chapter 4, he tells us what God values in his ministers. Sadly, many Corinthian believers valued in ministers superficial things like eloquence, secular wisdom and social standing. These false values pitted one minister against another, causing factions and division. Paul corrects them by pointing out that ministry is not about popularity but about service. And he tells them that they need to value in their ministers what God values: faithfulness, humility and love . Let’s look at each one. Faithfulness  1 Cor. 4:1–6 The Greek word for servants is “under-rowers”—the slaves who rowed the Roman galleys. Is one slave considered better than another? “Nonsense!” replies Paul—ministers a...

This post exegetes 1 Corinthians chapter 9, to provide context for the RCL Epistle reading on 2/4/2024 (Epiphany 5). This exegesis draws on commentary from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and Bruce Winter ("New Bible Commentary"). Paul the tentmaker (with permission from Pixabay) Introduction   In the last sermon in 1 Corintihans, we received instruction from Paul concerning three principles to guide the way we live and minister out of the freedom that is ours in union with Jesus Christ: Balance knowledge with love (1 Cor. 8)  Balance experience with caution (1 Cor. 10:1–22)  Balance freedom with responsibility (1 Cor. 10:23–33)  Now we return to 1 Corinthians where in chapter 9 Paul expounds a fourth principle: Balance authority with discipline . Paul illustrates this guiding principle with the example of his own ministry in Corinth—specifically the way he exercised his freedom (“rights”) involving his personal finances.  As an apostle,...

This post replicates (with permission) a handout which Travis M. Stevick prepared for the January 4, 2024 online meeting of the T.F. Torrance Reading Group, which addressed chapter 5 ("Theological Science") of  "The Ground and Grammar of Theology" by Thomas F. Torrance.   A video of this meeting is found at  https://youtu.be/Bz4ybq9KNIU?si=tBO1cJaOJhgEkDFP&t=356 Introduction In the 18th and 19th centuries, the church in the West sent missionaries around the world. It has been remarked upon from many quarters that, in multiple ways, the great fruit of that missionary movement today is the sending of missionaries FROM those other parts of the world back to the West, as Western culture has become increasingly secular and the Western church has lost some of its key focus. Some in the West find this notion offensive. This sometimes takes the form of “Who do you think you are, teaching ME what it means to be a Christian.” This kind of offense is forgivable if indeed t...

This post exegetes 1 Corinthians chapters 8 and 10, to provide context for the RCL Epistle reading on 1/28/2024 (Epiphany 4). This exegesis draws on commentary from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary") and Bruce Winter ("New Bible Commentary"). Ruins of the Temple of Apollo in Corinth (pubic domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction   After answering questions in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 about being a single or married Christ-follower, Paul turns now to another question from the church at Corinth: “Is it permissible for a Christian to eat meat that was sacrificed to an idol?” Though we don’t typically face this issue in our world, we do wonder how we should appropriately exercise the freedom we have in union with Jesus Christ. To help us think about this issue with the mind of Christ, Paul in chapters 8 through 10 gives us four guiding principles:  Balance knowledge with love (1 Cor. 8)  Balance authority with discipline (1 Cor. 9)  Balance experience ...