"Let not your hearts be troubled . . ." The opening words from John 14 frame the balance of this sermon to the disciples. Immediately following the Passover supper and the washing of their feet, our Lord preaches one last sermon to his faithful friends and disciples–a sermon full of longing, full of promise, full of hope, and full of disclosures about their future, the work of the Holy Spirit, and key verses supporting the doctrine of the Trinity. John 14-16 presents a fascinating farewell...
The Passion of Christ is observed by people all around the world as one of the more significant days on the Christian calendar. In certain parts of the world, such as the Philippines, the re-enactments of the crucifixion can go so far as to include actual nails driven through the hands of participants as they wail in pain. Is this the way we are to learn about the crucifixion? Will a re-enactment teach us the truth of the cross? The text of John 18 and 19 teaches us clearly the facts of the...
Prayer is an often practiced, more often neglected, and less often understood practice of Christendom. Counselors prescribe prayer as a means to reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Some approach prayer as Eastern meditation, some as an expression of tongues, and other traditions offer chants in a strict liturgical form. John 17 offers the reader an unusual opportunity to listen to a prayer. Some might say the prayer in John 17 is the prayer of all prayers, the true definition of the...
