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When Jesus proclaimed that “the kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15) He drew upon a powerful idea that pervades the Hebrew Scriptures. The prophets, particularly Isaiah and Daniel, spoke of God’s kingdom catastrophically breaking into the world. They described a figure – the Messiah or Son of Man – who would inaugurate God’s …
Continue reading "Jesus and Four Competing Approaches to God’s Kingdom"
In Matthew 19:16-20:16 we read one of Jesus' most challenging conversations, an exchange with a wealthy young man, which is followed by a parable about workers in a vineyard. It is challenging to read both because the wealthy young man struggles with Jesus, but also because the parable quickly touches upon some of our in-built …
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? (Hebrews 12:7) Be encouraged: God disciplines His children because He loves them. Do not lose heart amidst your suffering. Instead, endure it sustained by the truth that God is lovingly at work even here. We …
Continue reading "Finding Encouragement within Suffering: a reflection on Hebrews 12"
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27) Each and every life is made in God's image. Because of this great truth, no life is either less valuable or more valuable than another. To speak of the value of each life reminds …
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a …
Matthew Erickson 