God has a plan. The plan is much bigger than any of us. Mountains we can see; the depths of the ocean we do not. We are each in God’s…
Jerusalem, Jerusalem—people from all over were eager to come to Jerusalem: the city of David, vital heart of Jewish culture and learning, the site of the Temple. There was a…
Growing up, I’d sometimes ask my father for some money. He didn’t often have much, but I don’t recall him ever saying no. Later, when I was away at college…
I wish they had been walking by a field, maybe at sowing time. As it is, “they were walking along the road” (9:57). It’s a dirt road. The road is…
Seven years ago, pastor and student of church effectiveness Thom Rainer identified several reasons why churches have become less evangelistic.[1] Rainer had his Baptist constituency mostly in mind, since Presbyterians,…
Many are called but few are chosen (Mt 22:14). Is this an ad for the Marines? It’s not a really encouraging doctrine, at first glance. How about everyone called and…
Some people get hung up on 144,000. John helps us not to be concerned about that. “I looked,” he tells us, “and there before me was a great multitude…
Bible Text: John 1:29-42 | Preacher: Paul Kucera | Twice in as many days, John the Baptist points to Jesus: “Look, the Lamb of God!” (1:29, 36). Lambs had one…
Bible Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-10 | Preacher: Paul Kucera | How are we supposed to do church? How are we supposed to be church? Those are good questions, even though…
Bible Text: Luke 13:10-17 | Preacher: Paul Kucera | So, eighteen years is a long time, bent over, suffering, for eighteen years. Then there’s Jesus. Maybe she always went to…