Bible, theology, culture, etc.
https://youtu.be/WG7Lic7kTns Ireland for a long time was the most thoroughly Christianized nations in Europe, retaining a much higher percentage of practicing Christians than any other European country. The authority of the Catholic church in particular was staggering, so much so that many assumed that to be Irish was to be Catholic. Yet, today, Ireland is … Continue reading Ought You Not Rather to Mourn? (1 Cor 5:1-8)
https://youtu.be/Q6Eoq_zYNlE Vincent Van Gogh, the renown Dutch painter, was one of the most prolific artists of all time. In only a short nine years of painting, Vincent created 860 oil paintings and 1,240 sketches, watercolors, and prints over his life, on top of his 900 letters he wrote. He averaged nearly a hundred paintings a … Continue reading Humble Confidence (1 Cor 3:18-4:5)
As Moses is writing the Exodus narrative down, he is doing so with a certain purpose: a theological purpose. Remember: Israel had been in the land of Egypt for 430 years before the Exodus event. That is long enough to have the culture of Egypt seep into the Hebrews. Further, when the Israelites leave, we are told … Continue reading Purging Egypt Out of Israel
https://youtu.be/cOwqXuUyL8U What is the difference between “forced” religion, and true faith? I have found no better summary than the writing of Henry Scougal’s The Life of God in the Soul of Man: “Force and artificial religion,” he writes, “is commonly heavy and languid, like the motion of a weight forced upward: it is cold and spiritless, like … Continue reading You Are God’s Temple (1 Cor 3:1-17)
https://youtu.be/ghpcBXlH3uk And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and … Continue reading A Demonstration of the Spirit (1 Cor 2)
The Exodus represents the archetypical act of Israel’s deliverance in the Old Testament. It is through the triumph of Yahweh over the powers of Egypt (represented by Pharaoh) that all future generations would see and remember the mighty right hand of Yahweh working salvation for their people (Ex 15). However, prior to the fantastic signs … Continue reading The תנן of Exodus 7
https://youtu.be/XFnrysxgr0w Mrs. Turpin, the main character in Flannery O’Connor’s 1964 short story Revelation, may be the most well-written, modern-day Pharisee in all of literature. Mrs. Turpin is a rural, Southern, church-going, landowner who owns a large farm, and believes that God has given her a little bit of everything and the good sense to know … Continue reading God Chose the Foolish (1 Cor 1:26-31)
https://youtu.be/TAxe6fuaprc It’s third grade in Mrs. Baker’s class at Sunset View Elementary. Recess has just begun and you are being lined up by the biggest kids in class to play a game of kickball. Each team captain begins to pick who they want on their team. It’s seventh grade in your third-hour English class. Mrs. Williamson … Continue reading The Folly of the Cross (1 Cor 1:18-25)
https://youtu.be/57IJ-KQBChA What can a church divide over? A church can divide over big issues, or petty things; theological issues, or parenting philosophies. It can look like a few individuals in the church starting rumors, or it can look like a vocal majority voicing disagreement. And the splits aren’t always formal—in fact, most of the time, … Continue reading Is Christ Divided? (1 Cor 1:10-17)
How should a pastor respond to false teaching in his church? With no shortage of heresy, the pages of church history have shown a myriad of examples of how the church has responded to false teachers in the past. From excommunication to execution, Christendom has always, though often imperfectly, fought to defend the faith once … Continue reading “Rebuke Them Sharply”: Critical Rebukes, Gentleness, and Tone in the Pastoral Epistles
Marc Sims 