We generally prepare for Christmas by decorating our homes, attending parties, eating too much, and opening gifts. We entertain pleasant thoughts of a placid baby in an idyllic rural setting on a calm night. But for John the Baptist, Jesus’ coming triggered an radically different response. He called people to repent. He said, “…after me comes one … [Read more...]
Recovering Humility—And Boldness
Years ago, G.K. Chesterton observed that humility was becoming misplaced. He wrote, “What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place…A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed. We are on the road to producing a race of men too mentally modest to believe in the multiplication … [Read more...]
A Marvel Universe
Stan Lee, co-creator and writer of many of the most popular Marvel Comics, died Monday at age 95. By his own admission, Lee was not a Christian. In a recent article in Wired magazine, Jim McLauchlin wrote about his many interviews with Stan Lee. Lee believed in an imperfect God and didn’t comprehend the seriousness of human sinfulness. He believed … [Read more...]
The Test of Prosperity
Joseph is one of the most famous individuals recorded in the Bible. And I think we could all agree that he was a man of great faith. He trusted God and boldly spoke about his dreams even though he knew it would make him unpopular with his brothers (and his parents). He continued to trust God even when he was sold as a slave and falsely imprisoned. … [Read more...]
Wise as Serpents
As Jesus sent out his disciples, he wanted them to know that they would face opposition (Matthew 10:16). They would be sheep in the midst of wolves. Those who opposed the gospel would be vicious in their attacks. So Jesus urged them to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” This was not a license to lie or steal. They were to walk in … [Read more...]
A Politically Incorrect Gospel
October 31 marks Reformation Day. It was on this day in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. It signaled an urgent call for reform. Luther fiercely defended any perversion of this biblical truth. And this ultimately led him to confront the Roman church. In 1520 at the Diet of Worms, Luther … [Read more...]
The Attractional Quality of Beauty
This year marked the tenth anniversary of ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. ArtPrize is an international art competition that takes place over 19 days every other fall. More than $500,000 in prizes are awarded. In 2018, there were over 1,260 works created by artists from 41 states and 40 countries displayed in over 165 venues throughout the city. With over … [Read more...]
In the World But Not of It
Have you ever struggled to know how to live out your faith in an environment that is increasingly hostile to the Christian faith? On the one hand, you don’t want to capitulate to the culture. But on the other hand, you don’t want to isolate yourself from the culture. We have been called to share the good news with the world. If we become just like … [Read more...]
Canning the Canned Approach
The incarnation is a revolutionary doctrine. Humanity was alienated from God because of its sin. Jesus, the eternal Son of God and the Creator of the universe, humbled himself and took on the constraints of human flesh. He spoke a language that was readily understood and he employed metaphors from everyday life that resonated with his hearers. With … [Read more...]
In Search of True Justice
It seems hard to believe that seventeen years have passed since the events of 9/11. For those of us who are old enough to remember, the images are vivid we remember where we were as if it were yesterday. Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the attacks, was killed by U.S. military forces in 2011. But somehow, it doesn’t seem that justice was … [Read more...]
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