509 results for tag: blog
Jesus’ Resurrection made Death our friend (pt 3/4) Brad Jersak
In this post, part 3 of our series asking if Death is now our friend, we will discuss Dying.
Unlike death, our defeated foe, dying is an inevitable reality we can come to accept:
Dying is not the same as death. Dying is a process prior to death. In our previous posts on death, we suggested a distinction between death as a moment or event that we all experience and death as a defunct destiny or destination that we need no longer fear.
To that distinction, let's add two more important clarifications:
We can now regard the event or moment of death as part of the dying process.
And we can treat ...
Eternal Torture – Divine or Human Vengeance? by Greg Albrecht
Hell is a subject many religious people get all hot and bothered about. It's one of the most disputed and controversial teachings within Christendom. The squabbling is not about the surety of judgment for depravity and wickedness. Most Christians agree that there is and will be divine judgment for evil. The battle for hell is all about specifications, temperature and longevity. The debate involves comprehending and communicating divine justice—and in the process humans expose definitions of time and space into eternity.
But the Bible does not suggest that God needs to import our flawed perspectives into the perfec...
The CWR Bible Survey
A Bible Study Tool for You:
The CWR Bible Survey is a fascinating guided journey through the 66 books we call the Bible – a journey designed to help you discover the good news that God has for each of us. In as little as 20 minutes a day, these bite-sized daily lessons can help you stay focused on the meaning of each and every chapter. Enjoy the freedom to explore Bible passages at your own pace. This fresh, thought-provoking approach asks the right questions to help lead you to think and ponder the significance of each passage in your own life. Each lesson is packed with helpful illustrations, maps, graphs and powerful insights into the ...
Q: Has Jesus’ Resurrection made Death our friend (pt 2/4) Brad Jersak
In this post, we will explore how Christ and the NT as a whole describe a fundamental shift in the nature of death in two essential ways as a result of Jesus' resurrection.
(CONT'D from Part 1, which is posted HERE).
How have the death and resurrection of Christ fundamentally changed the nature of death itself?
a. One approach is to say that death itself has changed. Death used to mean “consigned to the grave” (whatever that meant) but then with Paul, death came to mean “present with the Lord.” Death as our destiny shifts radically with Christ’s conquest of hades and the emptying of ...
Believing is Seeing – by Greg Albrecht
Doubting Thomas said he would not believe Jesus had actually been resurrected unless he could see and touch Jesus and thereby “prove” the resurrection. Thomas had to see in order to believe. Jesus, in one of his post-resurrection appearances to his friends, accommodated Thomas, telling him,
“Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God.” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” – John 20:27-29
Living in this scientific and ...
Q: Has the Resurrection made Death our friend? (pt 1/4) Brad Jersak
QUESTION: Has Christ’s resurrection made death our “friend”?
RESPONSE: I have reservations about calling death a friend. But I think it's worth doing an autopsy on death to explore the way Christ’s work changed not only our relationship to death, but changed the nature of death itself.
I want to ask first, how is death not our friend, then how it might now be our friend and finally, how might we talk about death.
So first, and easiest, why is the statement “death is our friend” not true? Most obviously, in 1 Cor. 15—dubbed “the resurrection chapter”—Paul calls death an enemy, and in fact, the last enemy to be destroyed, ...
Righteousness by Law or By Faith – by Greg Albrecht
There's an old story about a young man who asked his rich grandfather, "Grandpa, how did you get so rich?" "Well," said grandpa, "during the Great Depression my family had no money whatsoever. I found two pennies in my old piggy bank, and I bought an apple with those two pennies. I shined that apple up, took it out on the street where people were hungry, and sold it for five cents. Then I took that nickel and bought two more apples for two cents each. I shined them all up, took them back out on the street, and sold them for five cents each."The grandfather paused, and then continued, "That was my first real job. I did real well selling apples during ...
What’s In an Anniversary? – by Ed Dunn
Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground. And when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two – Louis de Bernieres
…a three-fold cord is not easily broken – Ecclesiastes 4:12, KJV
Marriage is not just spiritual communion - it is also remembering to take out the trash – Dr. Joyce Brothers
I had the joyous opportunity last summer to join in with my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and their significant others, to celebrate two landmark events: my mother’s 80th birthday and my parent’s 60th wedding anniversary. The two events, ...
The Ministry of Death OR the Ministry of Life – by Greg Albrecht
He looked at me and said, "It happened while I was in church. It was the end of the service, everyone was standing, and so was I. I was doing the same religious thing that everybody else was doing, the same religious thing I had done for over 25 years. My family was there. My mother was there. It was the same place we always went. We did the things they told us we should. The sermons usually either scolded us or berated us.
"That week the sermon had been another 'you're not good enough' sermon. After the sermon, during the final prayer, the thought hit me, 'You know. This is ludicrous. I am never going to be good enough. I've been trying to do all ...
Did Jesus’ Crucifixion Satisfy God’s Wrath – by Greg Albrecht
An idyllic, beautiful setting surrounds a rambling country estate in rural England. It’s 1935, and this pastoral setting provides the backdrop for the initial scene that plays out in Atonement. During the brief respite between the first and second World Wars, Cecilia Tallis, a rich young lady in her early twenties whose family owns the estate discovers she loves, and is loved by Robbie, a young man whose mother is the housekeeper at the Tallis home.
As the love story begins, we are also introduced to Briony, Cecilia’s younger sister. Briony is an aspiring writer who is, in her coming of age 13-year-old way, envious of the courtship enjoyed ...
Lived Briefly, Died Violently, Rose Unexpectedly – by Greg Albrecht
Friend and Partner Letter from April 2024:
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 4:18).
The Romans had many ways they executed criminals, from decapitation to being eaten by animals in the arena before bloodthirsty mobs – but crucifixion was the worst of the worst. Crucifixion was the most humiliating method of warning everyone against “crossing” the power and might of Rome – the public, graphic, fear-inducing depiction of the absurd futility, from Rome’s perspective, of opposing its might and supremacy.
The cross ...
What About 3 Days and 3 Nights? by Greg Albrecht
Question: What is your view on Jesus' statement that he would be in the grave three days and three nights? I believe Jesus. I do not believe that it was parts of days and nights like some say.
Response: I believe Jesus as well. If you examine the gospels, you will find one verse that mentions "three days and three nights" (Matthew 12:40 ) and another 20 verses that speak of his resurrection as being on "the third day" or "in three days." Since we both believe Jesus, should we seek to better understand one verse in the light of 20, or 20 verses in the light of one?
Today, the day I am writing this, is Friday. Three days from now will be ...
If You Had Only Known What Would Bring You Peace – by Greg Albrecht
After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it.'"
Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They replied, "The Lord needs it."
They brought it to Jesus, threw their ...
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled by Ed Dunn
What a time we’ve lived through together these last few years! How could we have ever imagined a global virus that would lock us down for so long? Or social injustice and unrest that would threaten to tear our country apart? And now, the war in the Ukraine. These have been troubling times, indeed. And yet, we now find ourselves in the midst of a new Easter season. As we do, what perspective can we see in the life of Jesus to help us face and feel his peace during troubling times such as these?
The gospel account is well familiar to us during this special time of year. John 14:1-27 (KJV) gives us a glimpse into a conversation as Jesus ...
Doubt, Faith and Hope – by Greg Albrecht
According to an old story, years ago there was a severe drought in the farm country of Texas. The people were in despair, so they asked the pastor of their little church to pray for rain. The pastor decided to have a town-wide meeting and invite everyone – even people who were not members of his church – to come and pray for rain.
On the day of the prayer service the little church building was packed to the rafters with desperate people. The pastor climbed into the pulpit and looked out on the assembly.
He asked, “Why are we all here today?”
A woman cried out, “We’ve come to pray for rain.” Another person said, ...
It’s Good to Be Alive – by Greg Albrecht
It's one of two times in the year when brick-and-mortar churches have their highest attendance. It's without a doubt the most meaningful time of the year for Christians, but Easter lilies, bunny rabbits, Easter hams, painted and chocolate eggs can take our attention away from the vital life-giving significance of this spiritual victory we celebrate every spring.
Easter signals new life springing from what is seemingly dead and lifeless. Gray gives way to green. Ice melts and snow is replaced by the promise of buds and sprouts. Light overcomes darkness. The light and life that comes bursting from an empty tomb triumphs over death on the cross, a ...
The Exclamation Point of God’s Love – Albrecht and Jersak
Greg Albrecht and Brad JersakGreg Albrecht: Hello everyone, this is Greg Albrecht. We’re going to remember and discuss our Lord’s ultimate sacrifice for us and reflect on his life, death, burial and of course the significance and meaning of his resurrection. Helping us with his insights and observations is Brad Jersak. Brad is Senior Editor of our magazines and a Christ-centered professor, speaker and author from Abbotsford, British Columbia.
Brad, in one sense it seems to me that these two events, the crucifixion and the resurrection, are the crowning jewels in God’s demonstration and revelation of his love for us. When I think of the ...
Coming Home – by Greg Albrecht
Friend and Partner Letter from March 2024:
No doubt you have heard someone say, as they prepare to tell a story which others might have been heard or read before, “stop me if you have heard this before.” You are well aware of this story I want to rehearse, so don’t stop me please! This is one of the best stories ever! Let’s enjoy this brief re-telling again, together!!
Once there was a father with two sons. He loved them both, with all his heart. The youngest of the two sons was a “free spirit.” He was a party waiting to happen, the life of every gathering, a handsome playboy who felt his father owed him a living.&...
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