Tag: Jesus

Video Review: The Jesus Film

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 9, 2008

Reviewed by Peter DeHaan

The Jesus Film (also known as Jesus) is a faithful telling of the life of Jesus as presented in the Gospel of Luke. It was shot on location, providing powerful visual support for the written account found in the Bible.

Filmed in 1979, the production seems only somewhat dated, while the message is timeless. The crucifixion scenes are much less graphic than The Passion of the Christ, but effectively portrays the suffering of Jesus nonetheless.

Personally, the most helpful scene was Jesus’ miracle in feeding a multitude of people with a few fish and loaves of bread.

The Jesus Film has been translated into more than 1,000 languages and been viewed by over 218 million people (according to The Jesus Film Project, where you can also watch it online in streaming video).

[Read more reviews by Peter DeHaan of other faith-friendly videos and movies.]Save

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

Praise God or Fear God?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 2, 2008

Praise God or Fear God?

After Jesus performs a miracle—healing a paralytic man—the people were fearful of God, yet full of praise at the same time (this precise wording is not apparent in all translations—see the New Living Translation or the Amplified Bible).

Although it seems like a paradox to simultaneously fear God and praise him, perhaps this is a view we should adopt.

Yes, there are reasons to fear him, but they must be carefully balanced with praising him.

It may be in the midst of that balance that we are able to best connect with him.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Matthew 8-10 and today’s post is on Matthew 9:2-8.]

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Tags Jesus, paradox

Bible Insights

What Are You Afraid Of?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 28, 2008

Jesus is sleeping in a boat; the disciples are crossing the lake. A major strong whips up and the disciples are overwhelmed—remember that several of them were fishermen, so it must have been a bad one to scare them.

In a panic, they wake up Jesus.

He says, “You have little faith; why are you so afraid?”

Upon contemplation, this question of Jesus is eye-opening.

Jesus implies that fear is a symptom of faithlessness. Conversely, if we have faith, there should be no reason to fear.

When we have fears—and we all do—we need to, in faith, give them to Jesus and trust him to take care of us.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Matthew 8-10 and today’s post is on Matthew 8:23-27.]

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Tags faith, Jesus

Bible Insights

When You Give, Pray, and Fast

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 26, 2008

When, Not If

In the book of Matthew, chapter 6, there is a word that is interestingly repeated by Jesus. It is the word when:

“When you give to the needy…” [Matthew 6:2]
“When you pray..” [Matthew 6:5 and 7]
“When you fast…” [Matthew 6:16]

Notice that Jesus doesn’t say if you give, if you pray, or if you fast.

It seems that Jesus is telling us that giving, praying, and fasting aren’t options, but expectations.

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Tags fasting, give, Jesus, pray

Bible Insights

An Example of Obedience in the Life of Joseph

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 21, 2008

An Example of Obedience in the Life of Joseph

Four times, Joseph received instructions from God:

1. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to go ahead and marry Mary (Matthew 1:20).

2. Later, an angel spoke to Joseph in a dream, warning him of the threat on Jesus’ life and instructing him to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14).

3. A third time, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him it was safe to return from Egypt (Matthew 2:19-20).

4. Lastly, Joseph received additional instruction in a dream to go to Galilee and not Judea (Matthew 2:22).

Each of the times God spoke to Joseph, he obeyed without question or delay:

He married Mary, as instructed,
he got up and left for Egypt in the middle of the night,
he later returned to Israel, and
he settled in Galilee.

God can speak to us in various ways: by a dream, vision, or even angels, through the Bible or others, or the Holy Spirit.

However we may hear from God, there is but one acceptable response: to obey without question or delay, just as Joseph did.

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Tags angel, Egypt, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Joseph, Mary

Bible Insights

Jesus was Jewish

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 4, 2008

That statement catches many Christians (that is, followers of Jesus) off guard. It is easy to label Jesus, since he is the impetus for Christianity, as a Christian, even though his time spent on earth was as a Jew.

Indeed, he was born a Jew, into a Jewish culture, and had a clear Jewish lineage. He was raised and educated in Jewish beliefs and traditions.

His ministry was primarily to Jewish people (though he certainly ministered to non-Jews and made it clear that his message was for all people, his focus was the Jews).

In addition, most of his disciples were Jews, as presumably were most of his followers.

In fact, initially Christianity was viewed as a sect of Judaism.

Yes, Jesus was Jewish.

As such, there is much that his followers owe to and can learn from Jewish traditions and beliefs.

This is one important reason to study the Old Testament and to embrace our common ground with our Jewish bothers and sisters.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Acts 26-28 and today’s post is on Acts 28:22.]

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Tags Jesus, Jewish

Bible Insights

The Curtain in the Temple was Torn in Two

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 31, 2008

The “Holy of Holies” (also called “the Most Holy Place” or “the Holiest of all”) was the innermost part of the tabernacle and later, the temple.

It was so sacred that only the high priest could enter it and then only once a year.

When Jesus died, the veil (which was very thick, more akin to a wall) in the temple around the Holy of Holies was torn in two, from top to bottom. This is significant for two reasons:

First, being torn from the top down signifies that it was God’s doing. Since it was 30 feet high, a person would only be able to tear it from the bottom up. In effect, God was saying, I’m changing the old way of doing things.

More importantly, this opened up the Holy of Holies, showing that everyone could now approach God, at any time—not just the high priest once a year.

Jesus changed things indeed, making it possible for all us to directly approach God.

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Bible Insights

A Question With Life and Death Ramifications

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 10, 2008

Peter cried when he realized he had denied even knowing Jesus. [Mark 14:72]

What makes this even more ironic is that earlier that same day he pledged his support to Jesus, claiming to be willing to die with him. [Mark 14:31]

For most people, admitting that we “know” Jesus is a relatively easy thing to do.

Yet Peter was confronted with a seemingly life and death situation: say “yes” and he too could be crucified with Jesus; say “no” and he could avoid further scrutiny, thereby saving his skin.

In the life-in-the-balance pressure of the moment, Peter caved in and said “no.”

In some parts of the world, admitting that you followed Jesus could easily result in death or at least suffering. How well would we fare in such a test?

Would we cave in or be bold regardless of the consequences?

However, beyond the literal, natural meaning of this story there is a more profound supernatural perspective. In the spiritual sense, we can say “yes” we know Jesus and live—forever; saying “no” is what leads to death.

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Tags Jesus, Peter, supernatural

Bible Insights

A Boy (and Jesus) Feed 5,000 People

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 26, 2008

In Matthew 14:14-20 there is the dramatic account of Jesus’ s miracle to feed 5,000 people. This event is also recorded in Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-14.

The people have been with Jesus all day; they are hungry and without food. Jesus asks how much food is available; the report is merely five loaves of bread and two fishes from a boy (John 6:9).

Surely out of more than 5,000 people, other people there also have some food, but they are keeping it to themselves (which seems wise and prudent).

However, one boy is willing to share what he has. Because of that, his small gift is used to feed all those people.

We don’t have to give Jesus something huge or beyond our means, but we do need to give him what we have.

When we do, Jesus can do great things with it, like feed 5,000 people.

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Bible Insights

Responding to the Work of Jesus

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date June 24, 2008

The people of the nearby town who are told of this miracle have two ways to respond:

First, in awe of Jesus’ power and authority, they could turn to him and follow him.

Second, out of fear of the unknown and the uncomfortable, they could reject Jesus and push him away.

They choose the later, insisting that Jesus leave them alone and not bother them any more. How sad.

I wonder, how often are we confronted with the work of God, but fearing the unknown or the uncomfortable, end up pushing him away?

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Mark 5-7 and today’s post is on Mark 5:17.]

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Tags Jesus, miracle