Many of us have heard about the Great Commission, but rarely do we think about that commission in light of Jesus’ resurrection. Our “going” is a result of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. To accomplish our mission to make disciples from all the nations, we should not be motivated by guilt, but by Jesus Christ Himself. And because He rose from the dead, we can be assured that Jesus will be with us as we obey the Great Commission.
Christ Provides How Jesus Cares (14:13-14) How We Should Respond (14:15-18) How Jesus Provides (14:19-21)
We live in a world full of borders where people are divided between “insiders” and “outsiders.” In Acts8:26-40, we meet a God who has no borders — a God who saves all kinds of people, all over the world. No matter what you look like or where you’ve been, God promises to rescue you. Even if others have kept you on the outside, God wants to make you an insider.
Hark, the voice of Jesus calling, “Who will go and work today? Fields are white and harvests waiting, Who will bear the sheaves away?” Loud and long the master calls you; Rich reward he offers free. Who will answer, gladly saying, “Here am I. Send me, send me”? If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul, You can tell the love of Jesus; You can say he died for all. If you cannot rouse the wicked With the judgment’s dread alarms, You can lead the little children To the Savior’s waiting arms. If you cannot be…
In our current global milieu, we live in a “world of religions,” and increasingly, Christians are confronted with how to relate to these religions. Ida Glaser approaches these issues with clarity and authenticity in her book The Bible and Other Faiths: Christian Responsibility in a World of Religions. As a Jewish Christian who reaches out to Muslims, Glaser has firsthand experience in how crucial and delicate these matters can be. With an important contribution to Christian theology, Glaser helps Christians distinguish between primary and secondary questions, focusing believers on what we can genuinely know and cannot know from Scripture. In…
For those of us who write worship songs, it is easy to fall into the same patterns. By reading lyrics of other songs, especially well written hymns and songs from other cultures, we can be moved to think in new ways and to expand beyond our normal categories. For a sample, check out this hymn shared by Thabiti Anyabwile. How Sweet and Awful Is the Place How sweet and awful is the place With Christ within the doors While everlasting love displays The choicest of her stores. While all our hearts and all our songs Join to admire the feast…
“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.” – Isaiah 11:10 Isaiah’s prophesied to the people of God that a Savior was coming. Through an heir of Jesse, people from all nations would be saved. This was a message of great hope, and hundreds of years later, the people of God would see that the “banner for the peoples” was Jesus Christ. By taking on human flesh, Jesus displayed to the world who God truly is. Jesus proclaimed rescue and…
A friend recently asked me to explain what a hymn is, and it is a great question. Here are a few observations. Feel free to comment and add any of your own. 1. A hymn is not determined by when it was written. The date is irrelevant. Many hymns are being written today — usually more modern in style and easier to sing. 2. Hymns often consist of a progression of lyrics, thus the need for multiple verses. (e.g., progressing from the incarnation to the consummation) 3. Hymns are generally more eloquent and theological, and for that reason, they appeal…
Driving through various parts of Chicago, I was reminded of how scattered and isolated we have become as a nation. This is nothing new, of course, but I realized again how many social and economic barriers we have created amongst ourselves. One block is home to one ethnicity, while across the street is another. As a society, we are not united as much as we think, but broken. Admittedly, it is easy to criticize the Christian church for not being more multicultural and diverse. While there are usually good intentions within our churches, in actuality, very little is done. This…