Luke 13:22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 3...
Yesterday I walked down a path with a family hat I thought I would not have to walk again. Last year a 17 year old boy in our church was in an accident skateboarding. His brain injuries were severe. He has been in the hospital on life support since. He looked like he was starting to improve but in August he had a Grand Mal seizure and after brain scans, MRI's etc., he was determined to be of no hope of recovery and that he was essentially going to have more seizures until it killed him. This poor family had to face the choice that we had to face 4 years ago. They chose to remove life support and allow him to go home to God. Corinne and I spent yesterday with the family as their son, brother, cousin died. It took a while. My heart was breaking for our friends as we stood with them, prayed with them, and comforted them as they walked this hard road. I don't know why I am posting this except that today I am numb. I don't need comforting....
An excellent question was raised by my good friend and fellow student of the Bible, His Reverend Eminence, Pastor Kelly VanArsdol (sorry brother, I couldn't resist 😁). He asked, "How do you frame this letter to an application to Gentiles since the original audience seems to be a Jewish reader with the 12 tribes? Does it change any of your interpretation or impact any applications?" My response to his question was - "I would start by quoting Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. That being said, the letter was originally written to the 12 tribes who were being persecuted but only those who were believers. The interpretation remains. It is timeless, and applicable to all who believe. Christ said we will suffer for His name sake and James tells us how to behave when suffering as well as when our faith is tested. Our faith gets tested regardless of who we were before Ch...
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