Before we focus exclusively on our passage, I want to consider the wedding at Cana and the temple cleansing together, and why they might have been placed side by side in chapter 2. The gospel writer, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, placed these two accounts next to one another on purpose, […]
Love
Admonishing in Tears
In Acts 20:17-38, Paul gives a final word and farewell to the Ephesus elders with whom he had previously spent three years, laboring in the ministry. In this final speech he reminds them of the gospel which he preached, and warned them of “fierce wolves” that will come to them. Then in verse 31 he […]
The Second Birth and its Purposes: 1 John 5:1-5
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not […]
Bonhoeffer on Christian Community
One of my frustrations with my generation of Christians is that there is an unhealthy obsession with this idea of community. It seems many young people are always looking for that perfect type of community in a church, and when a church doesn’t meet their expectations of what Christian community is supposed to look like, […]
Love Applied – 1 John 4:17-21
17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.19 We love because he first […]