Sanctify Us

Psalm 80 was a psalm sung by the temple singers in response to the Assyrian threat to the northern ten tribes. The relationship between Judah in the south and Israel in the north was strained—by this point they had been separate nations for many years and often didn’t get along. But even with their checkered past, the people of Judah didn’t want to see Israel fall. This psalm gives voice to their fears and their intercessions on behalf of their brothers to the north. Save us (1-7).  God is identified as the Shepherd of Israel—a title reserved for the king. The people recognize God’s place as their leader, but this is more than the typical notes of praise found in many psalms. There is a plea for God to rise up, wield His power, and save Israel. Even though Israel is the target of Assyria’s dreams of conquest, not Judah, the people of Judah nevertheless identify themselves with their brothers. “Stir up your might and come to save us!”   The tone of the psalm is best understood ...

Third John is a short letter written by the apostle John to a Christian named Gaius. It is a personal and heartfelt letter containing praise for Gaius’ faith along with a serious condemnation of another man—Diotrephes—who was causing problems in the church. Gaius (3 John 1-8).  We are not sure who Gaius was. There are a few people by that name in the New Testament: in Ephesus (Acts 19:29), in Derbe (Acts 20:4), and in Corinth [1]  (Rom. 16:23). But, Gaius was such a common name in the Roman Empire at that time that it is impossible to prove or disprove that that this Gaius is one of those others mentioned. Probably it is someone else entirely. Though we can’t identify him personally, the way John talks about him reveals much about his character.   We can empathize with John’s affection for Gaius and relief at hearing that Gaius was walking in truth (3 John 2-4). We all have brothers and sisters in Christ who live in far away places and at times we wonder how they are doin...

One of the goals of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was to address a serious problem with sin in the church. The situation described in chapter 5 seems to be private and personal, but it has infected the whole church nonetheless. Congregational arrogance (1 Cor. 5:1-2).  Paul begins this section with an indignant tone: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife” (1 Cor. 5:1). What is going on in the church in Corinth is shocking by every standard. Corinth was a wicked city that did not blush at sin, but even here there were limits. Greek, Roman, and Jewish law all condemned incest and had harsh penalties for offenders. This relationship between a man and his stepmother was sinful and was a rare case where even the nonbelievers knew better. Evidently, this had been going on for some time. It was public knowledge and word had spread to the church, the community, and ...

Everyone wants to be happy. It is probably the number one goal of humanity—if I can just achieve my dreams, I will be blissfully happy for the rest of my days. What does joy look like in the Bible? Biblical joy is not dependent on our circumstances.  Many people mistakenly believe that they can’t be happy unless good things are happening to them. It seems easier to be happy when there is more pleasure, more money, more power, more fame, and more freedom. Yet, there are examples all around us of people with plenty of these things who nevertheless are miserable; and on the contrary, there are many who apparently lack the necessary ingredients for happiness but are full of joy anyway.   In John 15:1-11, Jesus uses the image of the vine and the branches to illustrate the connection between Jesus and His disciples. We must “abide” in Him to receive lifegiving spiritual nourishment. At the end of the passage, He says, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy be in you, and th...