When my son began to play baseball, the coach told him to “take the first pitch.” He promptly hit the first pitch and was confused as to why the coach was upset. It turns out the phrase “take the first pitch” means exactly the opposite of what he thought. It means don’t swing at the […]
On earth, at least. Flawless records, right down to giving “one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple,” are kept above. An unknown disciple, in a story recorded in E.H. Broadbent’s Pilgrim Church, when told that he was to be executed for his faith in Christ, […]
One of the most widespread pictures of Christ that we find in the Bible is that of the rock. He is presented as such in a variety of ways in order to capture the many facets of His person and work. To Israel, He was the rock of provision (1 Cor. 10:3f); to the nations, […]
Throughout the Bible, the rock is a picture of Christ. Whether referring to the stone the builders rejected, the stone cut out without hands, the stone of stumbling and the rock of offense, the living stone, the cornerstone, or the choice and precious stone, the picture is of Christ. And this is why Exodus 33:17-23 […]
Why do so many Christians cooperate with the devil? Are you shocked by such a question? Our Savior is doing the mighty work of building His church. He is actively opposed by the devil, the cunning serpent and roaring lion, who seeks to devour unprepared Christians. When we act in disobedience to our Lord we […]
The title living stone occurs in only this one place in Scripture. Speaking of the Lord Jesus, the apostle Peter writes, “To whom coming, a living stone…you yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house” (literal translation). As is well known, our Lord bestowed on Simon the son of Jonah a […]
“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious…” (1 Peter 2:4) THE BUILDING PROGRAM Why is Christ this precious stone? Scripture calls our Lord Jesus the precious Cornerstone. The cornerstone is the first stone to be set in a foundation, and it determines the position of the entire structure. […]
“There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise… The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks” (Prov. 30:24, 26, KJV). A LOWLY EXAMPLE Here is a scripture that has often been on my mind. There are four small creatures in this […]
Before buying a house, many people hire a realtor. The realtor helps them to find a house that matches their needs. I can remember the day when my wife and I first looked at the house that we would buy. In a way, seeing different things about the house reminded me of Christ. WARNING: UNEVEN […]