Robert Smelser
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The Passover, the Crucufuxion, and the Lord’s Supper
Our Passover Sacrifice The setting for the last supper eaten by Jesus with His apostles was in contest of the Passover feast. In Exodus 12, the Passover is instituted as salvation from the Angel of Death that would pass through the land of Egypt. Each household was to select a lamb, sacrifice it, and spread… Continue reading
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God in the Flesh
When on Earth, was Jesus strictly a mortal man with a soul no different than you or me – completely separated from God? On the other hand, was Jesus God in the flesh? The Word Becomes Flesh In John 1:14, the gospel author records that the Word became flesh, and Galatians 4:4 records that Jesus… Continue reading
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Lot & Consequential Decisions
We are faced with decisions on a daily basis, and the example of Lot, beginning in Genesis 13, tells the story of a life fraught with difficult decisions. These decisions are not trivial or inconsequential. Rather, many of the decision with which he is faced that have deeply impacting ramifications on his life and that… Continue reading
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Enduring Principles from the Old Testament
Last week, we looked at a few events out of the first five books of the Bible as case studies we can learn by. As Paul writes in I Corinthians 10:1-12, this history of God’s people is recorded to provide a lesson to Christians, and, in this lesson, we are going to take a few… Continue reading
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Obedience, Grace, and Legalism
We throw the term legalism around somewhat casually – especially when looking at the Scribes and the Pharisees. In fact, many of us would be considered legalists by members of other congregations. However, legalism is not necessarily solely defined by one’s concern with adhering to God’s word. Rather, it is in the attitude toward that… Continue reading
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Learning from History
In Genesis 14, right after the story of Lot and Abram parting ways, four Canaanite kings join together to conquer the cities that Lot is in the midst of. Abram takes his 300+ men to defeat these kings to free Lot. This is the first recorded battle of the Bible, and a reoccurring theme emerges… Continue reading
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Who Will You Eat With?
Remember the Pharisees in Matthew 9:10-11 when Jesus was eating with those scorned by the (self-proclaimed) righteous of the day? “…they said to His disciples, Why does your Teacher eat with tax gatherers and sinners?” What if we modernized the words a little? “…they said to His disciples, Why does your Teacher eat with gays… Continue reading
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Changing Habits
Are our habits keeping us from being the Christians we should be. We all have a comfort zone in which we operate, and habits form in that sphere – positive, negative, and neutral. These comfortable habits can be difficult to change, but, if they are keeping us from God, we must find the resolve to… Continue reading
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Spiritual Contentment
Are You Content? What does being content mean to you? The way the Bible uses contentment is to be self-sufficient and able to peacefully exist under any given circumstances. In Philippians 4:10-13, Paul writes about contentment from confinement, and he claims that he can find that contentment in even the most trying of times. Despite… Continue reading
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The Son of Man
Jesus refers to Himself through several “I am” statements and through the designation “Son of man.” In Matthew 16:13, Jesus asks His disciples who they believe He – the Son of man – is, and He seems to use this designation as a means of connecting Himself with the Old Testament and the prophets. It… Continue reading
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