Archive for March 2023

Deuteronomy 22-26, Psalm 68, Matthew 27:27-44, Romans 13  Romans 13: How are Christians to relate to the world around them? What are the principles that should guide some of the complicated decisions that inevitably have to be made by Christians as they consider the right way to live in a society and culture that is predominantly non-Christian? Paul,…

Deuteronomy 18-21, Psalm 67, Matthew 27:11-26, Romans 12:9-21 Romans 12:9-21: The great principle of Christian life is summarized in one word: love. It is the golden rule. It is how the greatest commandment is summarized. Love for God. Love for neighbor. The greatest of all is love. But so often in church life, while we know this in…

Deuteronomy 13-17, Psalm 66, Matthew 27:1-10, Romans 12:1-8 Romans 12:1-8: When we ask ourselves how it is that we can follow God, we are really asking three interlocking questions: why should we obey God, what does God want us to obey, and then how do we obey God? In these very practical and important first eight verses of…

Deuteronomy 9-12, Psalm 65, Matthew 26:57-75, Romans 11:25-36 Romans 11:25-36: I’ve always enjoyed this part of Romans where Paul says that he doesn’t want us to be ignorant of this “mystery” and then proceeds to write words that have appeared more mysterious than maybe any others he ever wrote! Certainly, there are variations of opinions on what they…

Deuteronomy 6-8, Psalm 64, Matthew 26:36-56, Romans 11:1-24 Romans 11:1-24: Paul tells the story of Israel and its future salvation, making the point that those who are saved should in no way then be proud. Rather we should fear. For we stand by faith (11:20). What then should we learn from this part of Romans? First, that the…

Deuteronomy 4-5, Psalm 63, Matthew 26:17-35, Romans 10 Romans 10: What is our responsibility for those who are not saved? First, we are called to care. How hard is the heart of some of us that we can walk in the streets with the living dead—those who are not saved—and not think or feel anything about their plight?…

Deuteronomy 1-3, Psalm 62, Matthew 26:1-16, Romans 9:19-33 Romans 9:19-33: “Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.” Here is the key to our response to God: are we pursuing him by faith or by works? Are we working out salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at…

Numbers 33-36, Psalm 61, Matthew 25:31-46, Romans 9:1-18 Romans 9:1-18: The pain of sensing that someone you love is not responding to Christ—that pain is real and hurtful, sometimes extremely so. But what would it be like to know that your whole people —with many exceptions, but still as a group—that your whole people were in danger of…

Numbers 31-32, Psalm 60, Matthew 25:14-30, Romans 8:18-39 Romans 8:18-39: Few words in all of Scripture are more precious than these. Such profundity, but also such practicality. And all encased in a beautiful frame that resonates with the power of the gospel. What can we learn from these words? First (v. 18-25), when we suffer, we should compare…

Numbers 28-30, Psalm 59, Matthew 25:1-13, Romans 8:1-17 Romans 8:1-17: It is impossible to summarize this magna carta of the Christian faith—this summa laude of that majestic Book of Romans, this chapter 8—in a few short words in a devotion. What can we say? First, the chapter as a whole moves from no condemnation (verse 1) to no…