In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day, we come to Jesus’ description of his Second Coming. It will be a day of joy for his followers, but a day of dread, distress, and death for his enemies. It concludes with a message to Christians alive at that time, yet significant to believers in every…
In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day, Jesus tells an extended parable that describes the plot made by tenants of a man’s vineyard to get rid of their master’s son and take ownership of the land. Their treacherous plot ends up in the murder of the master’s beloved son and the master, as expected,…
Just before Jesus entered Jerusalem as Israel’s King, he told a parable that made it clear to his listeners that his kingdom will begin when he returns following a long absence. In the meantime, his true followers must serve him faithfully. The parable ends with an ominous declaration of the ruin that awaits those who…
In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day, Pharisees asked Jesus about the coming kingdom. Jesus’ reply was surprising: the kingdom is among you because the king stands before you. He went on to explain to the disciples that before the kingdom is established, he must suffer and die. But he assured them that he…
As John the Baptist preached the gospel of the Kingdom and immanent unveiling of Israel’s King, the crowds who heard him wondered if John might be the promised Messiah. John emphatically declared, “I am not the Christ” (John 1:20). In Luke’s account, John stresses the vast difference between himself and the Christ. He described Jesus…
What is it that makes your life differ from the life of anyone else in this world? Paul would say, we live by faith, not by sight. And our passage clarifies that: By faith we look at our eternal home and see Jesus there. This vision of a glorious, joy-filled future, viewed by faith, changes…
The Law of Moses explained the rules by which the people of Israel would be governed. It included instructions and consequences for violations. The problem was that the Law had nothing in it that would enable a person to become a law-keeper. It was designed only to manage law-breakers.
