We’ve Lost Christmas as a Spiritual Celebration. Let’s Not Lose Easter Too Recently some groups have banned Easter egg hunts—not the activity but the name. Concerned pundits decry this as political correctness gone awry or the timid majority kowtowing to the vocal minority. Although “spring egg hunt” sounds lame, this new label doesn’t dismay me. […]
Without Good Friday, There Would be No Easter At one time, my dad received his paycheck every other week, on the last day of the workweek. With a smile, he called each of these paydays good Friday. (And he called the other Fridays Passover!) Dad enjoyed good Friday twenty-six times a year. Some years the […]
Korah’s Rebellion Korah (3) is the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi. He leads a rebellion against Aaron, Moses . . . and God. It’s called Korah’s rebellion. The descendants of Levi are set apart from the rest of the Israelites for a special role. They are to work in the tabernacle and […]
It Is Finished Today’s passage: John 19:28–30, with Matthew 27:45–54, Mark 15:33–39, and Luke 23:44–48 Focus verse: Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30) Together, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John combine to record seven things Jesus says on the cross as he dies. One […]
When God Wants to Give You a Second Chance Make Sure You’re Ready to Receive It You’re probably not familiar with Ahithophel in the Bible. His life serves as a lesson in how not to respond to disappointment. Though his name does show up a few times during the reign of King David, Ahithophel is […]
The First Resurrection Today’s passage: Revelation 20 Focus verse: Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:6) With the beast and the false prophet thrown into the lake of fire, only the dragon remains. An angel comes down from heaven. He holds the key to the Abyss and carries a huge chain. […]
Celebrate Jesus for Who He Is and What He Did Palm Sunday mark’s Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It celebrates his arrival. It occurs only a few days before his arrest and execution, and it happens just one week before his resurrection from the dead, which we celebrate on Easter Sunday. All four of the […]
The Two Surviving Sons of Aaron God strikes down Nadab and Abihu for their disobedience. Without any heirs, this means that all the priestly duties now fall to their brothers, Eleazar and Ithamar. Though all four brothers should have served God together, the work now goes to the two remaining sons of Aaron. As a […]
Today’s passage: Matthew 22:34–40 and Mark 12:28–34 Focus verse: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37) After he shares the three parables, the religious leaders—roiling over Jesus’s parable of the tenants—seek to trap him […]
Not Everything That’s Spiritual is Good Here’s the situation. The prophet Samuel is dead. God has abandoned King Saul, and the once-promising ruler is losing his grip on power. Saul prays, but God doesn’t respond. A Desperate King Saul None of the ways Saul has heard from God in the past are working now. In […]