Light and darkness are contrasted throughout the Scriptures. In John 3, Jesus explained to Nicodemus the hope and grace of God and the means by which He saves. Consider what Jesus was saying as He emphasized this contrast in this conversation.  In John 3:19-21, Jesus said, “This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people...

The phrase “take away” has many different connotations and applications. For a four-year old, it means someone stole their toy. For a basketball player, it means a steal. For a math teacher, it means subtraction. So, what does it mean that Jesus came to “take away the sin of the world”?  In John 1:29, as John the Baptist saw...

New Christians may find themselves wondering, Now what? What do I do? To answer these questions, we may talk with those new believers about Bible reading, prayer, community, and mission. Though these are all good and essentials things, they alone do not capture Jesus’ initial call to His disciples.  When Jesus first began calling disciples, He used two words:...

We’ve all felt some degree of hunger at one time or another. We may have had a long day at work with no time for lunch and come home hungry. We may have had a hard workout and found ourselves craving a large meal shortly afterward. We may have skipped breakfast in a hurry to get to church only...

What gives you hope? It seems like a simple question, and most of us who regularly attend church likely know the “right” answer to the question. However, it’s the most important question for every person who has ever lived because your answer will determine your security and eternity. Unlike the hope the world has to offer, we can have...

As the narrative of Jesus’ early days on earth unfolded, several unique people are introduced who teach us lessons about our own journey. We find the wise men who sought Jesus with persistence, Herod whose power was threatened by this newborn King, and others such as Simeon and Anna—both who demonstrated a remarkable devotion to the Lord.  In Luke...