The Catholic Church calls today “Holy Thursday,” and the Protestant tradition “Maundy Thursday.” The name “Maundy” comes from the Latin word for commandment (mandatum) and refers to Jesus’ mandate to his disciples at the last supper: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one […]

From palms to upper room, betrayal to crucifixion, burial to resurrection. Now that is LOVE! “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command […]

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 I love this verse, especially the last sentence, as it is a quote from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 53:5). The very first sermon I […]

We are approaching Holy Week, so it is time to pour God’s kheh’-sed (חֵסֵד) on you. Here it is in context: …I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my kheh’-sed to you. Jeremiah 31:3 This is a noun that can be translated as faithfulness, mercy, steadfast love, loyalty, faithfulness, and […]

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness […]

This Lenten Week’s Hebrew word is my absolute favorite. Often translated simply as PEACE, the word SHALOM is far more complex. This word encompasses completeness in all that you are. When you wish SHALOM upon another, you are speaking about completeness within and beyond them. According to Dave Adamson in his book, 52 Hebrew Words […]

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 2 Timothy 2:5-6 In seminary back in the day, they taught us to call this “substitutionary atonement” as Jesus gave […]