Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18   Do you know what the shortest verse in the New Testament is? The obvious answer is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” It is the shortest verse in our English translations of the Bible. But the shortest verse in the Greek New Testament is 1 Thessalonians 5:16: “Rejoice always.” It is a little verse with big implications.   A Call to Joy   The word “rejoice” is a call to joy. The term was...

  But he replied to one of them, "Friend I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me. Or do you begrudge me my generosity?" - Matthew 20:13-15   In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells the Parable of the Landowner: A landowner went to the marketplace, cut a deal with some eager looking guys for a denarius, and put them to...

  For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. – Psalm 84:11 Psalm 84 is about the heart of a true worshiper. It reads like a Song of Ascent (Psalms 120-134). But it is actually a song of trust. It is a psalm of the Sons of Korah. But we do not know who wrote this psalm. And we do not know the occasion that moved the psalmist to write it. But the message of is clear: Nothing in the world can...

How can I forgive myself? The most faithful response to this question is the reject it as an illegitimate question. The biblical teaching about forgiveness can be summarized in two main ideas: God forgives sinners freely, completely, and sacrificially. Ultimately, divine forgiveness is paid for by the cross of Christ. Christians must forgive those who wrong us, as God has forgiven us for the sake of Christ. That’s it. Sermon over. There is not third point. God has forgiven us and we must forgive others. Period. There are more than 125 direct references to forgiveness in the Bible. But the...

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. – Job 23:10 Trust God’s heart when you cannot trace God’s hand. Have you ever heard this statement before? Have you ever said it before? What does it mean in terms of real-world faith? Job can help us answer these questions. As he suffered, Job complained against God: “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to...

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work o fthe Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. - 1 Corinthians 15:58 1 Corinthians is the most comprehensive doctrinal statement on resurrection from the dead in the New Testament. But there are two practical exhortations in this chapter. Paul exhorts his readers to live as Christians in verses 33-34. And he exhorts his readers to labor as Christians in verse 58. Authentic faith is active faith. True faith works. Real Christians glorify God with their lives, as well as their lips. 1...

Happy birthday! It’s your special day. A party is thrown in your honor. Your family and friends are all there. The music is playing. The food is delicious. The atmosphere is festive. But wait! If this is such a wonderful party, why are you sitting in the corner by yourself? Why is your countenance so sad? Why are you not enjoying yourself? Oh, I get it. It’s your party. But no one is paying you any attention. No one brought you a card or gift. There is no birthday cake. The music is playing, but there is no birthday song....

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of god. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly. – Psalm 52:8-9 In many instances, the opening line of a psalm reveals its dominating theme. Psalm 52 is a case in point: “Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day” (Psalm 52:1). In this psalm, David confronts the wicked...

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. – Psalm 25:4-5 Psalm 25 is a psalm of David. But this is all we know about this historical background of this psalm. The psalm reads like the wisdom literature of Proverbs. In that sense, it compliments Psalm 1. Psalm 1 teaches there are two ways to live – the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked – and bids us...

  Concerning Philippians 4:19, James Montgomery Boice comments... "We come now to what is perhaps the greatest promise in the entire Bible. And it is great because it includes all of the other promises in itself." The wonderful promise of Philippians 4:19 is this: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (ESV). The opening conjunction, "And," is key to understanding this promise. The Philippians were in need. Yet they neglected their own needs to supply what Paul needed to advance the gospel. Now Paul assures the saints that God has not forgotten...

I have always wanted to preach a sermon or teach a lesson entitled, “Give Mark a Minute!” Do you know who John Mark is? John Mark assisted Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 12:25; 13:5). At some point, however, John Mark left the team and returned to Jerusalem (13:13-14). The gospel work continued without him. As Paul and Barnabas prepared for their second missionary journey, Barnabas proposed they bring John Mark. Paul flatly refused. John Mark had gone AWOL the last time. Paul saw no benefit in bringing this ministerial deserter with them again. Disagreement over John...

The Greatest Sign of All The Gospel of John was written to lead the reader to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that there is life in him (John 20:30-31). John makes the point by recording specific miracles of Jesus. John calls them “signs.” The miracles of Jesus point beyond themselves to the true identity of Jesus. They prove that Jesus is the Son of God. John 20:1-23 records the greatest sign of all: the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. Christianity stands on two historical facts: Jesus Christ died on the cross...