The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew 1:1 The Old Testament begins with a genealogy list in Genesis 5:1 revealing how it all started with Adam. This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness…
Read MoreSometimes a light surprises the Christian while he reads, even when it’s a passage he has seen many times before. As I was rereading (for the fifth or sixth time this Christmas season) Luke’s nativity narrative, I was surprised by a repeated emphasis on the utter certainty of God’s words. Over the years, I’ve given…
Read MoreFor almost thirty years, I’ve devoted the month of December to a special series of Christmas messages of (usually) four messages. Occasionally I’ve gotten an early start, beginning in November and almost always ending the Sunday just before New Years Day. Once we were cheated out of two December Sundays by unusual snowfalls. (In Victoria,…
Read MoreIt’s not about 483 years as much as it is about 69 sabbatical year cycles. Why were the Magi watching for the birth of Christ, when His own countrymen were not? The story of the wise men from the east is recorded in Matthew 2:1-12. The answer to that question requires some speculation, but not…
Read MoreOur July/August 2023 edition of FrontLine focused on “The Gender Controversy.” We interviewed one of our authors, Ben Hicks, about his article, “A Little Compromise Is a Big Deal” and offer the interview to you today in our podcast. You will find the conversation very thought provoking, it will point you to Scripture as the…
Read MoreFor part 1, click here. For part 2, click here. In the previous posts we’ve placed this passage in the larger context of James’ argument and in the larger context of the theology of both Paul and James. And we began unfolding James’ argument in the first part of the passage. In this post we’ll…
Read MoreThe first chapter of Matthew is designed to tell us the origin of the person whom we call Savior and Lord. Matthew begins with the genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth. Note carefully the wording of verse 16. It relates that “Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus.” Prior to this…
Read More[Editor’s note: As you see by the #4 in the title, this is a series of posts. I was talking to brother de Bruyn this morning, doing an interview for an upcoming P&D podcast. “Off-air” I mentioned to him how much I was enjoying these posts on his blog and asked to use one of…
Read MoreSearching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow (1 Peter 1:11). “We should read reverently putting off our shoes from off our feet as Moses did at the burning bush, for if…
Read MoreThere is a growing movement within evangelical Christianity and fundamentalism that treats the revival era, especially the century between 1850 and 1950 with disdain. I am concerned that we do this to our own hurt. While there were excesses within that era—especially the formulaic manipulation of Finney-ism–God also did wonderful works of grace, not only…
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