The Attributes of God:

That's My King Matthew 24:29-31 "And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory."               As we enter a new year, we are again confronted with the dreaded "election year."  Every four years, as our country goes through the process of selecting a new president, we are inundated with advertisements, speeches, and political pundits who all proclaim that their candidate is the answer to all the woes of the country and the other candidate is the death-knell of our society.  This election will mark the 16th presidential election in my lifetime.  If there is one thing I have learned, it is that no matter who is elected, they will not provide the answers to the problems confronting our society.  While it is essential that we exercise our right and responsibility to vote, we also need to recognize that no human leader will be able to solve th...

The Coming End Matthew 24:15-28 “Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand).”               Matthew 24:15-28 remains one of the more difficult passages to understand.  These verses, coupled with the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, speak of the period just before the return of Christ.  Theologians have spent countless times debating how the events will transpire and whether the church will be present when the events will happen.  Rather than focus on the debate, we must remember what is inevitable.  In these verses, we find Christ predicting an intense period of judgment and turmoil that will immediately precede the time of Christ’s return.  In Daniel and Revelation, we discover that this will involve a period of seven years when God brings terrifying and cat...

Hope for a World in Crisis Matthew 24:1-14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”               In Matthew 24, the disciples asked what the sign would be when Jesus would return. While they did not fully understand all the events that were about to transpire, culminating in the death and resurrection of Jesus, they did understand that Jesus was going to leave them for a time and that when he returned, he would establish his kingdom.  Thus, the question. Jesus responds with a description of the events of the world that seem to be taken right from today's headlines.  Today the news constantly bombards us with a message of empending doom.  Whenever we turn on the news or read a paper, it points to a rapid descent into destruction.  We hear reports that global warming is causing all types of natural...

The Broken Heart of God Matthew 23:37-29 “How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.”               The imagery of a hen gathering her chicks under her wings is used in the Old Testament of a troubled individual seeking the shelter of God (see Psalms 57:1, 63:7, 91:4; Ruth 2:12). For the Psalmist, the illustration serves to present God as one who provides security for those who seek his comfort, protection, and care.  It speaks of a God who offers to provide a refuge and place of safety for those who are distressed and in fear. After a stern rebuke of the religious leaders, Jesus makes his last public statement to the Jews.  From this point forward, he will turn his attention to his disciples.  Thus his words are heartbreaking for it reveals his heart. In his final statement, he expresses his profound sorrow an...

The Importance of Complete Transformation    Matthew 23:16-29 “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly, you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.               Jesus continues his indictment and condemnation of the religious leaders.  They were rigid in their legalism, for they continually demanded the people to observe external rules and regulations, yet they failed to be genuinely transformed. As Jesus continues to pronounce the judgment upon the Jewish leaders, he denounces their failure to pursue genuine righteousness.  In these, Jesus confronts their lack of integrity and honesty.  Instead of focusing on the importance of being honest in their dealings, they developed an elaborate system in which they could avoid being truthful.  In each of the examples that Christ gives, the religious leaders focused on the minimal requirement needed for rig...

Christ the King Matthew 2:1-12 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews.”               When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem, their simple question sent the city abuzz and caused Herod to become paranoid.  So fearful was Herod of the question that he would later have all the children in Bethlehem under the age of two savagely murdered.  For Herod, the question was unnerving and threatening, for it threatened his authority and position. The question was simple, “Where is He who who has been born King of the Jews?”  It is this question that equally threatens us as well. We find the story of a baby born in the manager appealing.  We relish the baby would come to be the sacrifice for our sins.  We even easily accept that he came as God came in the flesh to communicate God’s word.  But when confronted with a king, we shrink back.  For the people of Israe...

Christ the Priest Hebrews 10:1-18 “For by one offering, He has perfected those who are sanctified for all time.”               In the Old Testament, the Priest played a critical role as the mediator between God and the people.  Because God is infinitely holy, he cannot be associated with or tainted by sin.  Because of sin, people could not gain access to the presence of God.  They needed a mediator.  To provide for this, God made provision for the Priests to serve as the mediator.  They would represent God to the people but also represent the people before God.  As representatives of the people it was their responsibility to perform the sacrifices necessary to atone for the sins of the people.  Furthermore, they would intercede on behalf of the people.              The sacrifices they perfo...