(REFLECTIONS ON 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10) As Paul writes to the church that he, Silas, and Timothy established (Ref. Acts 17), it is a message of encouragement and thanksgiving for their work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope. Yes, the church in Thessalonica was established by Paul, Silas, and Timothy, but not in them […]
(REFLECTIONS ON John 21:1-25) As we reach the last chapter of the Gospel of John, it is an ending, but also a new beginning. Jesus said to Peter after He restored him for denying Jesus, “Follow Me!” Just as Jesus called the disciples at the beginning of His ministry, “Follow Me!“, when it is all said […]
(REFLECTIONS ON John 20:24-31) Earlier, Mary encountered the resurrected Christ and came announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” When it was evening on that day, while the disciples were hiding for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” Jesus showed them […]
(REFLECTIONS ON John 20:1-23) In today’s Scripture, we see an interesting progression from the missing body of Jesus to the knowledge that Jesus is alive. When Mary first came to the tomb, she and those with her saw that the stone had already been taken away from the tomb. Her assumption without looking in to investigate […]
(REFLECTIONS ON John 19:38-42) After Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit, who was there? In today’s Scripture, we read about Joseph of Arimathea, a “secret” disciple for fear of the Jews. We also see the third appearance of Nicodemus, who is the one that first came to Jesus by “cover of night.” At […]
(REFLECTIONS ON John 19:1-37) And so Jesus was crucified. Pilate feared the truth, and found no guilt in Him, but the people were adamant saying, “crucify Him!” The chief priests also made a proclamation that was a tragic confession of self-condemnation saying, “We have no king but Caesar.” Case closed, the Jewish leaders and those that […]
(REFLECTIONS ON John 18:28-40) In today’s Scripture, Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea asked Jesus a very important question, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Why was this question so important? This question was so crucial because it determined whether Jesus was guilty of treason against Rome. Everything in Jesus’ trial was riding on this single issue. […]
(REFLECTIONS ON John 18:1-27) As Jesus moved to the garden where He had often met with His disciples, Judas was also on the move, betraying Him, gathering the Roman cohort, and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 So Jesus, knowing all the things […]
(REFLECTIONS ON John 17:1-26) Jesus is the Christ and the Christ came from glory, the glory that He had with the Father before the world was. And through His death and resurrection, Jesus, the Son, the Christ will return to glory. If Christ was already glorified before, then why did He need to come down to […]
(REFLECTIONS ON John 16:1-33) 33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Jesus said, “I have overcome the world,” and so it is a sign to us that through Him, the world, the tribulations, […]