The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a parable of grace. It is the definitive parable of grace. It is about the God who bestows favor on the unworthy and undeserving. This famous parable is often misunderstood because we focus too much on the prodigal son. The star is the loving father, not the prodigal son. The prodigal highlights and spotlights the grace of God. In that regard, the elder brother is just as important as the prodigal son – maybe more.  Luke 15:1-2 is the occasion of the parable: “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Scribes and Pharisees were deemed righteous because they did...

Psalm 1 opens the Psalter with the Lord blessing man.  Psalm 150 closes the Psalter with man blessing the Lord.  In between these poetic bookends, the psalms address all of the vicissitudes of life – from the highest highs to the lowest lows. Warren Wiersbe wrote a book entitled “Meet Yourself in the Psalms.” That’s an apt description of what occurs when you read the Psalms. In the God-breathed writings of the various psalmists, you meet yourself. However, the Psalms – like all of sacred scripture – are about God and his glory, not man and his needs. Our chief end – to glorify God and enjoy him forever – comes into view as the Psalms end. John Phillips said, “The sobs and sighs...

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.  – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14  How should Christian husbands, fathers, and singles act like men?  Love God.  Guard your heart.  Read your Bible every day.  Get a job.  Avoid intoxication.  Tell the truth.  Express sincere gratitude.  Don’t fear emotions.  Adopt an eternal perspective. Take responsibility.  Get up early.  Be trustworthy.  Limit social media intake.  Cultivate meaningful friendships.  Don’t compromise your morals.  Avoid temptation.  Respect your elders.  Do hard things.  Find a place to serve.  Educate yourself.  Make wise investments.  Follow...

“A win-win situation” is a business transaction in which both parties benefit. I get what I want from the deal. You get what you want from the deal. Thus, we both win. This business term can also apply to a situation in which one party benefits regardless. Life’s circumstances are typically good or bad, positive or negative, favorable or unfavorable. Yet there are rare occasions when a person comes out on top, no matter how things turn out. Philippians 1:21 states the ultimate win-win situation: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  Philippians is “The Epistle of Joy.” Paul wrote this letter while under house arrest in Rome, where he awaited trial. He did not know if he...

When he woke up marooned on a deserted island, his first thought was, “Why didn’t I die at sea like everyone else on the ship?” Survival instincts quickly ended this pity party. He collected items that had washed ashore that may come in handy in the days to come. He took branches and made a hut to store his goods. Then, for the first time, he felt he might get through this ordeal. Later, after searching for food, he returned to find his hut burning down. With an angry fist lifted heavenward, he screamed, “Why?” God did not speak. But...

The Lord commanded Moses to erect a tabernacle – a tent of meeting that signified God’s presence with Israel during their wilderness wanderings. It was to be built according to the Lord’s exacting specifications. David desired to build a house for God. Solomon – David’s son and successor – built the temple in Jerusalem. The temple complex had three courts.  The outer court of the temple was the vestibule that was open to the public.  The Holy Place was the inner court where the priests performed their ministry.  The Most Holy Place is where the Lord’s glorious presence symbolically resided.  A curtain separated the outer court from the Holy Place. Another curtain separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. These curtains were not the...

In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning writes about a dynamic young businesswoman who showed signs of stress and strain. The doctor prescribed tranquilizers and asked her to report to him in a couple of weeks. When she came back, he asked if she felt any different. “No, I don’t,” she replied. “But I’ve observed that other people seem a lot more relaxed.”   It’s true, isn’t it, that we usually see other people, not as they are, but as we are. That tendency is the occasion of the Parable of the Lost Coin. Luke 15:1 says, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.”  Tax...

Luke 15:1 says, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.” “Tax collectors” were the most despised men in Jesus’ day. Conspiring with Roman authorities, they sold out their God, families, and nation for ill-gotten gain. “Sinners” may refer to the notoriously immoral. Or the term may refer to irreligious people who did not live in strict adherence to the religious traditions. The cast of ragamuffins gathered to hear Jesus. Luke says it was “all” of them.  Luke 14:35 says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” These social outcasts and spiritual outsiders took Jesus up on this invitation. They did not come to see a miracle or receive a blessing. They drew near to hear the words that fell from Jesus’ lips.  The famous Chicago evangelist,...

Luke 17 begins with two hard sayings of Jesus. The first is a warning to heed. Verses 1-2 say, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.”  The second hard saying is a command to obey. Verses 3-4 say, “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day,...

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 records a trilogy of exhortations. Verse 18 is the longest and broadest: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” This call to thanksgiving is among the practical instructions for Christian living. Yet it is basic etiquette that parents teach children to practice. We may need to be commanded to rejoice and pray. But giving thanks seems to be the most obvious thing to do. We instinctively respond to random acts of kindness by almost thoughtlessly saying, “Thank you.” Yet it is crucial that we hear and heed this command because of its far-reaching implications. Thanksgiving should not be limited to good days, positive outcomes, or favorable circumstances. Give thanks in all circumstances.  Why give thanks in all circumstances? Verse 18 answers: “For this is the will of God...

Sunday morning – January 10, 1982 – Edmund Gravely took off from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in his small plane, heading to Statesville, Georgia, to pick up a new plane he had recently bought. Not long after takeoff, he reported to air traffic controllers that he was turning around because he was feeling ill. Edmund then had a massive heart attack six thousand feet in the air. His only passenger was his wife, Janice. She was not a pilot. But she took the controls and managed to keep the plane in the air for two hours. “Help! Help! Won’t someone...

What is the shortest verse in the Bible? The most obvious answer is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” That answer is right and wrong. John 11:35 is the shortest verse in English translations. In the Greek New Testament, the shortest verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16: “Rejoice always.”   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 records three instructions: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This snapshot of spiritual devotion begins with rejoicing. “Rejoice” was a watchword among early Christians. The Greek term was used as a salutation.  Jesus used it as a greeting in Matthew 28:9.  Paul used it as a farewell in 2 Corinthians 13:11.  We greet one another with “Hello” and “Goodbye.” What encouragement it would be if...