Category Archives: Theology

Where Do You See Yourself in the Good Samaritan Story?

Posted on June 7, 2025 by salooper57

…people who write Bible studies like to ask questions like, “Where do you see yourself in this story? Are you most like the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan?”
I think they should add, “Or are you most like the expert in the law?” Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Faith, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Ascension and Spiritual Gifts (Eph. 4:7-16)

Posted on June 4, 2025 by salooper57

Who would have guessed? Those little pieces were important. And so are the gifts that God gave to each of us. You can say, “My gift is probably not important,” but Jesus gave that gift to you for a reason, and gave you to us for a reason. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church, Church Life, Encouragement, Faith, Mission, Sermons, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

John 3:16: The Bible’s Most Popular Verse

Posted on May 30, 2025 by salooper57

The words “believes in him” deserve careful attention. A strictly literal translation would go, “believes into him.” This is a Johannine phrase, used only in this Gospel and in the First Epistle, but used more than twenty times. What does it mean to “believe into” Jesus, and why did John latch onto this preposition? Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Encouragement, Faith, Peace with God, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is There an Old Testament Confession of Faith?

Posted on May 24, 2025 by salooper57

I once took a class from a teacher who described the God of the New Testament as loving and forgiving, but the God of the Old Testament as angry and vindictive. He had not read the Old Testament carefully enough. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Encouragement, Faith, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Change Is Coming

Posted on May 22, 2025 by salooper57

I am neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but I am going to die on June 23, 2031 – at least according to the website, http://www.deathclock.com … I’ve got 6 years left on earth. They have me dying seven days before our 52nd wedding anniversary. I first read that about 20 years ago, and 2031 seemed a long way off. Seems a lot closer now. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Encouragement, Faith, Sermons, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Work of the Lord: Am I Making Any Difference?

Posted on May 15, 2025 by salooper57

I am neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but I am going to die on June 23, 2031 – at least according to the website, http://www.deathclock.com. .. I first read that about 20 years ago, and 2031 seemed a long way off. Seems a lot closer now. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Encouragement, Faith, Sermons, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

There Is Love: The Amazing Promise of the Resurrection

Posted on May 7, 2025 by salooper57

“Death used to be an executioner, but the gospel has made him just a gardener.”

But what a gardener! When he plants those who belong to Jesus, they rise with a splendor that is indescribable, unspeakable, and full of glory. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Encouragement, Faith, Sermons, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

First Stone in an Avalanche

Posted on April 30, 2025 by salooper57

They now understood that the resurrection – the coming back to life of everyone who had ever died – had commenced. That brought them to the remarkable conclusion that the “last days” had begun and “the renewal of all things” (those were Jesus’s words) was at hand. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Faith, Sermons, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Easter: A First-Hand Account

Posted on April 22, 2025 by salooper57

For the first time I could remember, it wasn’t just me. It was us. I was saying things like, “We should go to the market. We should bake some bread. It felt so good to say “We.”
But we were us only because of him. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church, Faith, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Shall He Be King? (Jesus on Palm Sunday)

Posted on April 15, 2025 by salooper57

As we go through life, doing our work, struggling over hardships, helping others for Christ’s sake, we don’t realize that God is using these things to build us. We won’t fully realize that until we stand before the Lord in glory. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Faith, Sermons, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment