A few years back I was able to blog through the entire Letter to the Philippians, which was a long and arduous journey. But rich and rewarding too. I hope to do the same with the Letter to the Ephesians. Let me start with Klyne Snodgrass’s introductory words in his commentary on Ephesians to whet … More EPHESIANS 1: Introduction
At first glance, Nehemiah’s rebuilding project of the walls of Jerusalem can seem quite…well…unspiritual. Is it all about brick and mortar? Is the purpose strictly practical and militaristic? Are the walls being rebuilt merely to keep the city safe from enemy attack? I think not. The clue to the deeper motivation behind Nehemiah’s project, and … More NEHEMIAH 4: Gateways Into God’s Presence
At first glance, Nehemiah chapter 3 is a monotonous list of random people doing seemingly mundane tasks (e.g., “So and so repaired such and such gate, putting in the doors and hinges…”). Yet, digging deeper we find a beautiful picture of an entire community — local families, business owners, religious leaders, neighborhoods — all uniting … More NEHEMIAH 3: More than Monotonous
We’re studying the life and mission of Nehemiah at MainStreet this fall. I’m amazed at Nehemiah’s sacrifice, prayerfulness, leadership abilities and perseverance. I have used Nehemiah as a role model as Keri and I have set out with our own burden to rebuild in Mound — not physical walls but a new church community to … More NEHEMIAH 2: They Came From Abroad
Join us at MainStreet this fall as we explore the life and call of Nehemiah.
The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, “Those … More Nehemiah 1 – The Citadel Factor
This was prepared as a guide for a prayer walk about the city of Mound. Enjoy. -JB This fall Nehemiah will be our guide and model for mobilizing MainStreet in the task of restoring the city of Mound for the glory of God. Nehemiah was living in the King’s winter palace when he got word … More Prayer Walking with Nehemiah
“God’s ways are not our ways,” we often say somewhat flippantly. But to what extent are we willing to live into that reality? How far “out there” are we willing to in our obedient to God? Are we willing to follow the Apostle Paul in being “fools for Christ” (1 Cor 4)? Will we risk … More Strong & Courageous 3
I was blessed to be sitting at a table having breakfast yesterday with a fella who was baptized in a high school pool the evening before. Sadly, this is rare for me. By God’s grace I hope to be surrounded by a constant flow of newly baptized believers in the years ahead — and may … More A Cruciform Perspective
In Joshua 4 the Israelites cross the Jordan River after God miraculously parts the waters for them. To commemorate the mighty work of God among them, Joshua has them set up 12 stones to be reminders of God’s faithfulness. “When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men … More Strong & Courageous 2
Enjoy some reflections from the book of Joshua in light of our mission as a church to be moving into territories today with the love, grace, selfless acts of service and the good news concerning Christ and the Kingdom of God. “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your … More Strong & Courageous 1
This is the most significant spiritual lesson I have learned in my entire life – perhaps. There is a world of difference (literally, a “narrative world” of difference) between (1) being a religious person who holds certain beliefs in their head, and (2) a person who has decided that the narrative world of the Bible … More A Different World is Calling You!
Here’s the notes from a message I gave to a youth group awhile back. Always a timely and tough topic. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images… … More American Idols (Rom 1:22-25)
What is the primary task of the disciple of Jesus? When one enrolls in the school of Jesus, or receives the call to give one’s life to following after him, what is the first step? Let’s play fill in the blank. (No cheating or reading ahead for the right answer.) When Jesus chose his twelve … More Enrolled in the School of Jesus (Mark 3:13-15)
Being a Christian today means many things to many people. Going to church. Praying. Reading your Bible. Serving others. Giving generously. But it’s all boiled down to one thing: Walking by faith. I was reading Heb 11:8-12,19 today about Abraham and taking some notes. The DNA for being a radical Jesus follower today can be summed … More It’s Not Rocket Science, Just Faith
Here’s a young Lutheran preacher I found, well, entertaining and sharp — Jonathan Fisk. Tell me what you think about his exposition of Luke 21 — especially the last 5 minutes. Warning: If you’re a Dispensationalist or Tim LaHaye fan, you won’t appreciate this viewpoint.
Jesus was not seeker sensitive. He was not after the crowds. Obviously, his signs and wonders, and authoritative teaching naturally drew crowds. But in the scene below we find Jesus trying to escape the clamoring crowds and find a moment of solitude. Even more shocking, when his disciples tell him of a crowd of people … More The Day Jesus Skipped Church (Mark 1:35-39)
A Cliffhanger And It’s Sequel Take a survey sometime of Bible reading Christians and ask them if they’ve spent more time reading the Gospels or the Book of Acts. The answer is will always be the Gospels. And it’s not even a close contest. But why is this? I think the answer is quite obviously … More Divine Summons 4
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the … More Adventures in Mark 6 (4:35-41)
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. (Mark 4:35-36) Every phrase counts in Mark. There are powerful lessons in the most minute … More Adventures in Mark 5 (4:36)
On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. (Mark 4:35-36) When you follow Jesus, he always drags you to the other side. The … More Adventures in Mark 4 (4:35-36)
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby … More Adventures in Mark 3 (1:35-39)
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they … More Adventures in Mark 2 (1:14-20)
Today we begin an ongoing series of reflections on Mark’s gospel. Saddle up for a discipleship adventure! At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him … More Adventures in Mark 1 (1:9-13)
“…Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like … More PARABLES: Sower, Seed & Soil 3
