Bible, theology, culture, etc.
We have all been deeply influenced by the medium of the internet. Whether or not you are a denizen of the world wide web, the digital ecosystem has affected the vast majority of people in our wider culture. So, even if you don't use social media, don't have a smartphone, and don't read the news … Continue reading How to Be Less Stupid About Difficult Things
Depending on what church you are a part of you might have very different perspectives on what a “deacon” is. Whatever your view is, if you are tempted to think that the role of deacons is something relatively yawn-worthy, something on par with organizing church yard sales or pointless committee meetings, Matt Smethurst would like … Continue reading Book Review: Deacons
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number...- Rev 7:9 At the breaking of the sixth seal, when the wrath of the Lamb is revealed, people cry out with this question: "the great day of... wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Rev 6:17). The following chapter is a response … Continue reading Who are the 144,000 in Revelation?
I am preparing to preach my last sermon on the gospel of Mark and, inevitably, the issue of the longer ending of Mark is something that must be addressed. Rather than writing out my thoughts, I have found James Edward's handling of the issue in his commentary to be a wonderful primer on why we … Continue reading What About The Ending of Mark?
The four horsemen of the book of Revelation have captivated the popular imagination of many. But who are these four horsemen and what do they represent? They are the by-product of the first four seals of the scroll of judgment being cracked open by the Lamb, Jesus Christ, directly following His enthronement in Heaven (Rev … Continue reading What Are The “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”?
What does the Bible say about domestic violence? While men are also victims of domestic violence (see statistics here), I want to look primarily at the circumstances of women as victims of domestic violence, since this is far more common and also (as I will detail below) this is what the Bible warns of most … Continue reading Domestic Violence and the Bible
Art...is a wonderful gift from God. Just as the Lord Himself is not truth and holiness alone but also glory, and one who spreads the beauty of His name abroad over all His works, so it is He, too, who by His Spirit equips the artists with wisdom and understanding and knowledge in all manner … Continue reading Bavinck on the Gift of Art
In the ever-dissolving acids of our postmodern days we have certainly arrived at an ironically unexpected place, a place where I am We and You are They. In one sense, the subjective individualism we usually associate with PoMo is alive and well. If "your truth" tells you something that is contrary to "my truth," so … Continue reading I am We, You are They: A New Credo
1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” 2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain … Continue reading Jesus and the Mountain (Mark 9:1-13)
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save … Continue reading Jesus and Discipleship (Mark 8:34-38)
Marc Sims 