The Surprising God

This post exegetes 1 John 4:7-21, providing context for the 4/28/24 (Easter 5) RCL Epistle reading. This exegesis draws on commentary from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary"), Stephen Smalley ("Word Biblical Commentary") and Leon Morris ("New Bible Commentary"). "The Master's Touch" by Greg Olsen (used with artist's permission) Introduction  1 John 4:7-21 directs our attention to the heart of the life that is real. That heart is none other than God’s love. And God’s love is the intimate communion of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—a communion we share in union with Jesus. John takes us straight to the nature of this love, beginning by pointing out three profound truths: love is what God is, love is what God did, and love is what God is now doing.  Love is what God is (1 John 4:7–8) 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love do...

This post exegetes 1 John 3:11-24, providing context for the 4/21/24 (Easter 4) RCL Epistle reading. This exegesis draws on commentary from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary"), Stephen Smalley ("Word Biblical Commentary") and Leon Morris ("New Bible Commentary"). "I Feel My Savior's Love" by Greg Olsen (used with artist's permission) Introduction  In John chapter 3, the author is focused on living as the children of God that we truly are. In vv1-10 he explains that we experience this true identity by sharing in Jesus’ righteousness (right living). Now in vv11-24, John explains that sharing in Jesus’ living involves sharing in his loving (and due to divisions in the church, John’s focus is on loving other believers).  In exploring what it means to love people, John notes that humans in our fallen world tend to relate to others at four different levels. The first three, murder, hatred and indifference, are of the devil and yield ...

This post exegetes 1 John 3:1-10, providing context for the 4/14/24 (Easter 3) RCL Epistle reading. This exegesis draws on commentary from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary"), Stephen Smalley ("Word Biblical Commentary") and Leon Morris ("New Bible Commentary"). "Take My Hand" by Greg Olsen (used with artist's permission) Introduction  1 John examines the life that we share by grace with God, through Jesus, in the Spirit. This is the life that is real. In the first two chapters, John describes this life as fellowship with God. Now, in chapter three, he describes it as living as children of God and warns of beliefs and behaviors that keep people from expressing their true family identity. Note 1 John 3:10: This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. The gospel declares that, in and throu...

This year (2024) is the 17th anniversary of the launch of this blog. In celebration, here is a slightly edited version of one of the original posts, published in October, 2007. "Christ and the Rich Young Ruler" by Hoffman (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Those who embrace incarnational Trinitarian theology often ask for a summary that can be used in a brief evangelistic gospel presentation. Here is one for your consideration. 1.  Who is Jesus?  This is life's great question for it addresses one that we all ask: Who am I? Jesus is the Son of the Father, the one filled with the Spirit beyond measure, fully God and fully (now glorified) human. Through him we all have been given "participation in the life of God" (2Pet 1.3). You may not know it, but it is true. Just think of all the ways that God's life has been expressed in your life already. 2.  This life of God is love... joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control. It is a sha...

This post exegetes 1 John 1:1-2:6, providing context for the 4/7/24 (Easter 2) RCL Epistle reading. This exegesis draws on commentary from Warren Wiersbe ("Bible Expository Commentary"), Stephen Smalley ("Word Biblical Commentary") and Leon Morris ("New Bible Commentary"). "Christ with His Disciples" by Mironov (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) Introduction  The New Testament epistle known as 1 John is probably a written sermon in which the elderly apostle John addresses the deep longing in every human heart for what is real —what truly satisfies.  Sadly, many try to fill this longing with things that are transitory—wealth, thrills, power, achievement and even religious knowledge and experience.  Though none of these are wrong of themselves, they do not bring lasting satisfaction.  They are like biting into cotton candy—a quick rush, followed by a mouthful of nothing!  Through his personal experience, John has discovered true satisfaction, no...