Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God … More Christ Hymn 2 (Phil 2:5-11)
Recent Barna Study: 51% Of Churchgoers Are Unaware of The Great Commission Matthew 28:18-20 is the most well-known biblical record of what is commonly referred to extra-biblically as “the Great Commission.” But despite the significance of these and other verses that call Christians to “go and make disciples of all nations,” a surprising proportion of … More The Great Omission
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…” or “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Phil. 2:5) Have you ever tried putting together a puzzle without having the box cover to show you what the finished product is supposed to look like? Without the cover picture we … More Christ Hymn 1 (Phil 2:5)
“Jesus was not just a moralist whose teachings had some political implications; he was not primarily a teacher of spirituality whose public ministry unfortunately was seen in a political light; he was not just a sacrificial lamb preparing for his immolation, or a God-Man whose divine status calls us to disregard his humanity. Jesus was, … More QUOTABLES: Politics of Jesus
What if the fig tree Jesus cursed could tell his side of the story? This is an imaginative retelling of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna!” during his last week, and how his fate was strangely intertwined with the fate of that old tree. … More Tale of the Cursed Fig Tree
Now that I’ve been writing at Daily Illumination for over a decade, its nice to have entire collections of writings for various seasons of the church year. If you’re looking for some inspiration this Holy Week, please consider my Lent/Easter collection of nearly 30 posts here. If you come across anything inspiring, or you want to … More Holy Week Collection
When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand … More Judas in the Mirror (Matt 26:20-28)
I tend to be a bit forgetful at times. I’ll walk upstairs to get something but forget what it was when I arrive. I’m still in my 30s but I swear my short-term memory is fading! The obvious solution for this affliction is to write things down, make lists, or plug it into my iPhone calendar. … More The Palms of His Hands
We’re on a steady incline up the great mountain that is Psalm 119, scaling the heights of God’s Law and the glimpsing the glory of his promises along the way. Each peak is 8 verses, so let’s tackle another this morning — Psalm 119:49-56. Reading the Bible is kind of like watching a tennis match. … More The Theme of My Song (Psalm 119:49-56)
“One of the few clear differences between Christianity and Judaism is the former’s entertainment of the idea of singleness as the paradigm way of life for its followers. . . . Singleness was legitimate, not because sex was thought to be a particularly questionable activity, but because the mission of the church was such that … More QUOTABLES: On Singleness
It’s March 17 again, and that means the international celebration of beer, shamrocks and leprechauns. When I was in grade school we maybe painted a shamrock and called it good. Today schools seem to spend almost the entire week learning about leprechauns and pots of gold on the other sides of rainbows, making “leprechaun traps” … More The Real Story of Saint Patrick
Dear Beloved, I use that salutation purposefully, knowing how strange it must sound to contemporary ears: “Dear Beloved?” We live in an age of quickly shot-off emails and spontaneous texts that begin with an informal “Yo” or “Hey”(if there’s any salutation at all). But let me tell you why I use “beloved” in my weekly … More Beloved
I recently gave a lecture on Reading Revelation Responsibly based on the great book by Michael Gorman by the same title. Needless to say, trying to cover the entire Book of Revelation in 90 minutes is a lofty task. I began with the following illustration: What if a silver DeLorean drove up to your house, the … More Revelation for Today
What if we’ve only preached half the message of the cross for most of the history of the church? What if the message of the cross was meant to be more than a momentary transaction at the foot of Christ’s cross? What if the evangelization of the world prior to Christ’s return requires a community … More American Disciples at the Cross – Part 3
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” -Jim Elliot, Christian martyr killed while bringing the gospel to the Auca Indians in the Amazon Jungle in 1956.
On the one hand, we have a loveless Truth wrapped in verbal explosives running around blowing things up and worsening the divide. On the other hand, we have a soft, squishy inoffensive Love parading herself around as the best way forward for society, but she forgot to pack the Truth when she set out on her journey. … More Tossed by the Waves (Eph 4:14)
I’m a big fan of both U2 and Johnny Cash, so I can’t believe I was unaware of this song. Powerful lyrics and performances. Thanks for sharing, Phil. Enjoy! Written by Bono (U2) Peformed by Johnny Cash I went out walking through streets paved with gold Lifted some stones, saw the skin and bones Of … More The Wanderer
“My husband was laid off work over a year ago and has not been able to find a job. I guess unemployment and its financial impact is our current cross to bear.” “Our marriage has been rocky for many years, and I don’t see signs of improvement at the moment. I guess this is our … More American Disciples at the Cross – Part 2
“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” -DIETRICH BONHOEFFER The creed of contemporary Christianity offers “A God without wrath [who] … More QUOTABLES: The Cross in Our Culture
My sermon this past Sunday made a case that the church, by and large, has embraced one cross and avoided the other. The message of the cross must be two-fold: 1) Bowing in humble repentance at the foot of Jesus’ cross where Christ won the victory and where we receive forgiveness of our sins, and … More American Disciples at the Cross – Part 1
Billy Graham preached to over 215 million people in more than 185 countries in his lifetime. His impact for Kingdom work is significant. Late in his life, he was asked how he would go about making disciples if he was the pastor of a church. His response is recorded in Robert Coleman’s book, The Master Plan … More Who are Your Twelve?
In this series of posts we’re exploring the different ways the Bible confronts the reader and the appropriate response to each. #8 – READING THE BIBLE AS SIGNPOSTS TO CHRIST & THE GOSPEL I used to read the Bible as a long, strange book of OT stories (e.g., David & Goliath, Noah and the Flood, … More THE BIBLE: Signposts to Christ
A repost from February 2012. “You don’t have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world, but you do have to know a few great things that matter and to be willing to live for them and die for them. The people that make a durable … More A Life Worth Living (John Piper)
A repost from 2011. Doubting Thomases abound among God’s people. In fact, if we’re honest, we all play his part many times over in our walk of faith. Yet, some among us are given the spiritual gift of faith, or supernatural insight, discernment and so on. Some in the church are given dreams and visions, … More Spiritual Eyesight & Doubting Thomases
“Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps because I am afraid, and he gives me courage.” … More QUOTABLES: The Hobbit
Kingdom Harbor 