The Bible is redundant in associating the death of Jesus with the exposure and defeat of Satan and the cosmic opponents of God. Yet, it seems that this meaning is rarely expressed and the death of Jesus is discussed mainly in terms of personal salvation. In this Bible study we …
John 13: “When Judas took the bread…Satan entered into him.”
Judas betrayed Jesus for the same primary reason that Peter betrayed Jesus. It’s true that Judas was a thief, but his actions were not mainly driven by greed. Judas desperately wanted Jesus to conform to his idea of a militant nationalistic kingdom of force and power, rather than a Kingdom …
John 21: “Simon…do you agape me?”
The story of Peter is an important “case study” of God’s persistent love to heal and transform an individual. Of all the disciples, Peter was the most vocal in his desire that Jesus become a “prize fighter” Messiah. When Jesus warned of his coming suffering and crucifixion, it was Peter …
Matthew 12:18-20: “He will lead justice to victory”
God’s justice is usually defined in legal terms in the sense of an appropriate punishment that fits the crime. We associate God’s justice with words like wrath, hell, and judgment. How does this description fit with Matthew 12, which describes Jesus as the very embodiment of God’s justice? “Here is my servant whom …
Mark 15: “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?”
We are in the middle of a series on the subject of hell-fire, God’s wrath and next week God’s justice. The subject of hell and God’s wrath are related. For example, the 3rd angels message in Revelation 14 describes those who worship the beast as drinking “the wine of God’s wrath” …
Matthew 3: “The fire that never goes out”
How we understand hell is one of the most important subjects of all in terms of our picture of God. Is hell a place of literal burning fire? For those suffering in hell, how long does it last? Any human subjected to a lake of fire would be instantly consumed. Does this mean …
Luke 15-16: The Rich Man and Lazarus
One of the most surprising teachings about hell among “spiritual giants” of the last 2,000 years is the idea that those in heaven will delight in the sufferings of those who are writhing in the flames. Tertullian, Thomas Aquinas, Isaac Watts, Jonathan Edwards and many others have promoted this view. J.I. Packer doesn’t …
John 18: “My kingdom is not of this world”
From Gethsemane to the Cross, Jesus was tempted to use his power to silence his doubters and to reveal who he was. He had to restrain Peter from using force and reminded him that he could call “more than twelve legions of angels” (Matthew 26:53). In this context, Jesus’s words to Pilate are significant, …
The Lord’s Prayer: More than meets the eye
The Lord’s Prayer has been said and repeated so many times that the significance is easily lost. This short prayer has a depth of meaning that explains both the primary purpose and the complexity of prayer. Many times the Bible says that prayer makes a difference. Jesus said that “if you ask for anything in my name, I will …
Jesus’ Miracles: “Destroying the Works of the Devil” (1 John 3:8)
Every word and every action of Jesus’ life was a part of “destroying the works of the Devil” (1 John 3:8). In this Bible study, we considered how the miracles of Jesus were involved in defeating the Devil – not only in terms of the individual that was healed but also in …