In the letter to the church in Sardis in Revelation 3:1-6, Jesus had a surprise announcement for the church and promised a surprise visit if things did not change for the better. The announcement was that, in spite of appearances of vitality, the church was really quite dead, which would have fallen as a huge surprise to the church itself and to everyone who knew the church’s great reputation. Jesus had called the church in Ephesus to remember its earlier works, but Jesus called the church in Sardis to remember something even more foundational: how they received and heard the gospel. His call to them forces us to ask ourselves how we are hearing it today.
As Paul waited in prison, he was able to rejoice in two certain outcomes because of his view of life and death.
After his farewell discourse with his disciples, Jesus prayed his longest recorded prayer in John 17:1-26. He prayed regarding himself, for his original disciples,...
In Exodus, the focus was on coming out of Egypt. Numbers recorded the wandering in the desert between Egypt and the Promised Land. Deuteronomy...