It would make a great Bible trivia question: “What is the only time mentioned in the Bible where the devil speaks directly to a human being?” The answer: In Genesis, chapter three where the devil speaks directly to Eve: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD…
This post is the second of a three-part series on the Pauline Epistles, the 13 books of the Bible that were written as letters by the Apostle Paul. Today’s focus will be on some of the highlights of the Pauline Epistles. As someone once said, “You can’t begin and end a sermon without a quote…
Text:1 Corinthians 1:1–3: “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord…
Even with the new James Webb Space Telescope we still have the same problem Abraham had; we can’t even begin to count all the stars in the universe.
The great Old Testament patriarch Abraham is known as the father of many nations. This is what his name literally means. But Abraham did not start out that way. He started out as Abram, which means exalted father. He lived in the land of Ur of the Chaldeans. There was nothing special about him. But…
Romans 6:3-5 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in…
Paul’s letter to the Romans follows a familiar pattern that is found in many of his letters. He spends the first several chapters focusing on the Gospel. Then in chapter 12 Paul starts to focus on applying the Gospel to our everyday lives: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to…
[33] “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! [34] For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? [35 ] Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? [36]…
Romans 11:32: “For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.” God has consigned all to disobedience. This does not mean that God causes our disobedience. It means that he leaves us to our own devices. As soon as God removes his support we immediately turn to disobedience. The word…
In a series of sermons based on the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, Dr. David Schmitt, professor of homiletics at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, observes that “Paul’s letter is filled with the power of the resurrecting Christ, bringing life and salvation to all people.” A focus on power is what one would expect when…
Mirror Neurons 