Category Archives: grace
others and heaven’s king
Matthew 7:1-12. The theme that ties together the varied instructions in this section of the sermon on the mount is others. The disciples will be tempted to look around at others and see their need for correction. Jesus warns them … Continue reading
Posted in compassion, discipleship, grace, love, ministry, missions, witness
Tagged Matthew 7
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promises from heaven’s king
Matthew 5:1-16. Christ’s message and ministry brought light to a dark land. He now challenges his disciples to live up to that message by being salt and light so that others may see their good works. What is the payoff? … Continue reading
Posted in discipleship, future, grace, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, relationship with God, suffering, witness
Tagged Matthew 5
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taking back the prodigal
Philemon 8-22. Onesimus had not been kidnapped and sold as a slave to Philemon. He was a bondservant. He had found himself in a poor state financially, probably having incurred a debt he could not repay. He needed the help … Continue reading
deeply committed, deeply hurt
Philemon 1-3. Philemon was a good man. He was not just a pew-sitter in Colossae. He hosted a fellowship in his own house. Paul described him as a “beloved fellow worker.” The picture we get from Paul’s words in this … Continue reading
Posted in conflict, courage, deliverance, dependence upon God, forgiveness, grace, trust
Tagged Philemon
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mission: avoid distraction
Titus 3:8b-11. Paul instructs Titus to proclaim the gospel of justification by grace (5) and to also insist that the church devote themselves to good works (1, 8, 14). The good works are in response to the Holy Spirit’s washing … Continue reading
Posted in church, commitment, divisions, faithfulness, genuineness, gospel, grace, sanctification, witness
Tagged Titus 3
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mission: insist on good works
Titus 3:1-8a. Paul is the champion of salvation by grace, apart from works. He teaches that in this text when he says that God “saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own … Continue reading
mission: model a transformed community
Titus 2. God’s grace has appeared to all people, and has brought salvation (11). It has appeared in the person of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness … Continue reading
mission: be devoted to discipling
2 Timothy 2. False teaching had infested Ephesus, so Paul warned Timothy to avoid its “irreverent babble” because it would “lead people into more and more ungodliness” (16). He instructed Timothy not to debate these teachers, because their “foolish, ignorant … Continue reading
Posted in church, commitment, divisions, faithfulness, gospel, grace, holiness, ministry, missions, sanctification, scriptures, witness, works
Tagged 2 Timothy 2
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mission: be stewards of God’s treasure
1 Timothy 1. 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are sometimes called the pastoral epistles, although they were not written by a pastor (Paul was an apostle) and neither Timothy nor Titus were pastors. These two men were missionaries, appointed … Continue reading
Posted in church, deliverance, faith, faithfulness, gospel, grace, sanctification, truth
Tagged 1 Timothy 1
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when Christ comes, the glory will be obtained
2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5. Paul had just assured the Thessalonian believers that Christ had not come yet – that there remained a “strong delusion” to come that would produce an apostate church. He now tells them that they are among the … Continue reading
Posted in church, future, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, hope, missions, perseverance, sanctification, second coming
Tagged 2 Thessalonians 2, 2 Thessalonians 3
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Devotions 