During World War I, a Protestant chaplain with the American troops in Italy became a friend of a local Roman Catholic priest. In time, the chaplain who moved on with his unit was killed. The priest heard of his death and asked military authorities if the chaplain could be buried in the cemetery behind his…
Revelation 2:10, “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Not long after…
Did you enjoy that extra hour of sleep? When I was in my teens, I thought sleep was a waste of time. After a few months with little to no sleep, my legs buckled one day while I was working with my uncle, and I realized that perhaps I did need a little more sleep.…
It started after Jesus performed several miracles, which should have been sufficient proof of who He was; yet, the Pharisees still asked Him in Matthew 16 to prove who He was. Some translations say they tempted Jesus, while others say they tested Him. Immediately after this, Jesus took His disciples on a two or three-day…
Luke 24:30-31, “Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.” This story is intriguing for many reasons. Luke is the only one…
Acts 27:13-15, “When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. A tempestuous headwind arose, called Euroclydon. So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.” After being falsely accused and put on trial,…
About forty years ago, I was sitting on the living room floor, with my Bible and several commentaries scattered all around me. While reading Revelation chapter 3, I had a thought for a sermon. I recalled a Time Magazine article from my childhood and then began researching the subject. This was several years before the…
John 19:28, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst!” They say that more than 60% of the human body is water, for some, up to 75%. It’s possible to live without food for several weeks, but a person can only live for three…
For a man who wielded considerable power, Pilate is one of the greatest cowards in history. It was not that he could have made a different decision if he had more information. He gave the priest several opportunities to present a compelling case against Jesus, and they couldn’t do it. Pilate told them as much…
Earlier this week, a tragedy unfolded less than five miles from where Marlene and I live. Nine precious lives ended in a fiery crash. Regardless of the investigation’s outcome regarding the truck driver’s responsibility, his life was forever changed. The haunting image of what happened that day will never go away. It happened suddenly, in…