Archive for the ‘Jesus’ Category

Friday and Sunday

Wednesday, March 19th, 2008

One of the more debated events in history is the death and resurrection of Jesus. You can find books and web sites devoted to proving that it did happen, that it didn’t happen, and every variation inbetween.

For Christians, the truth of the resurrection is rather important and worth some serious study.

resurrectionAnswering the question, Can Any scientist today accept that Jesus was resurrected is the ministry of Scibel. The article begins from this assumption:

No one can be certain of all the details of any past event, but here is how it could have happened if all the four accounts are accurate from the viewpoint of their respective sources.

The article is replete with diagrams like the one to the right and does an thorough job of detailing the resurrection from each account given in the bible. If you’ve always wondered how it all happened and why each gospel account seems different this article should help explain some of the reasons why.

From Delve Into Jesus is an article titled, Why did Jesus have to die? The question is an extremely valid one. If Jesus is God and could do all things, then why did he have to die? Here’s the article summary:

When we sin, God’s perfect justice requires that we pay the price. This price is too high for any man to pay for it would require perfect sacrifice, which we cannot do. Jesus Christ took our place and died on the cross to pay the debt because He loves us.

Passion Week

Monday, March 17th, 2008

One of my favorite pieces of music is Bach’s Mass in B minor. The mass flows with dynamic ascents and descents brimming with deep emotion. Every lofty analogy one can make about it is true; yet, it retains worshipfulness through its simplicity. To me, the yearning melodies and emotionalism of Bach’s work create a soundtrack to what we remember during the week of the Passion: those final days before Jesus’ crucifixion.

For the Christian, this week breeds mixed emotions. While we remember Jesus’ death we do so with full knowledge that on Sunday–on Easter, he arises. For the disciples who lived these events the experience was far different.

For them, the week trembled with excitement quickly followed by dread and then let-down. Finally, Jesus was being properly venerated. Finally, they would see their Rabbi get the adulation he deserved. And then in the midst of all that uplift, in the midst of all his previous cryptic sayings coalescing into sensibility, he is brutally killed.

He didn’t mean to take the earthly throne. He knew he was going to suffer death, and for these early followers of Christ it deeply affected their entire worldview.

Many desert him, others leave him, Peter denies him. From riding into the city exalted to hovering crucified. This is the Passion week.

We’ll be showing you resources around the gospel.com community related to the passion week, but maybe a good place to start would be by rereading each gospel account of the passion week:

  • Matthew’s account
  • Mark’s account
  • Luke’s account
  • John’s account
  • The Prayerful Disciple

    Tuesday, November 27th, 2007

    I think we’ve all had questions about prayer: when should I do it, what’s appropriate, what should I say? For the disciple of Christ, prayer is a necessity that shouldn’t be taken for granted; yet, on a personal note, I know I so often do. There’s plenty of information out there to help guide you in your prayer life, from the Prayer of Jabez to the Book of Common Prayer.

    Today, we’d like to highlight Delve Into Jesus, a site that is devoted to providing accurate information about Jesus on the internet.
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    Classic Sermons on Discipleship from SermonIndex.net

    Monday, November 26th, 2007

    Reading the Bible“Jesus said, Follow Me (Matt. 4:19; 9:9).” He called us to be, “set apart, challenged, and taught so we see and adhere to the call and mission Christ gives us. The word “disciple” literally means someone who pledges to be a ‘learner.’ Moreover, it is someone who follows another’s teaching, and adheres to it. It is a commitment and a process to undertake the learning, and, as a Christian, a yearning to imitate Jesus!” —from Call to Discipleship at Into Thy Word Ministries

    Discipleship is answering the call of Christ in your life. This week, the Gospel.com blog is focusing on providing links to community resources that can help you deepen your walk with Christ. We’d like to start by pointing you towards some sermons from Sermonindex.net, which has over 14,000 sermons available online!

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    The Jesus we overlook

    Friday, November 9th, 2007

    JesusChristians rarely have trouble remember that Jesus was God—after all, that’s pretty key to our understanding of the Gospel story. But in focusing on his divine nature, is it possible that we overlook and minimize the fact that he was also fully human?

    Jesus’ dual nature as both God and man is a difficult concept to wrap our minds around, but it’s a important part of Christian belief. Delve Into Jesus offers us some help in understanding this paradox with a new devotional essay, Human God.

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