Along the way in our little devotional Saturday Psalm series, we have said that Psalm 22 can rightly be called “the Psalm of Calvary,” given how the Lord Jesus adopts the words of King David for himself, crying out as he hung . . . Continue reading →
Biblical theology
Johnson On The Timing Of The Kingdom
Jesus’ parables sometimes send mixed messages about the timing of the coming kingdom. He speaks the parable of the wedding banquet in response to a fellow dinner guest’s pious-sounding beatitude that seemed to envision a distant future age, “Blessed is everyone who . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 22: The Psalm Of Calvary (Part 2)
As we noted last time, this psalm was written some three thousand years ago and some one thousand years before the life of Christ. According to Matthew 27:46, Jesus quotes a portion of these words as he is suffering and dying on . . . Continue reading →
Psalm 22: The Psalm Of Calvary (Part 1)
Psalm 22 has been called “the Psalm of Calvary” or “the Good Friday Psalm,” for reasons which may be obvious and which I hope become more obvious by the end of this little devotional series. This psalm was written some three thousand . . . Continue reading →
Review: The Reformation as Renewal: Retrieving the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church By Matthew Barrett
The Reformation looms large as one of the pivotal moments of Western history. It stands alongside only a few other major events by which we segment the full sweep of the past two thousand years in our thought. For Christians in the . . . Continue reading →
Johnson: We Need Both Biblical And Systematic Theology
Both systematic theology and biblical theology are essential to our study of Scripture for preaching. One contribution of systematic theology, including the historic creeds and confessions of the church, is to safeguard our interpretation of a particular text, lest we misread (and . . . Continue reading →
The LORD Is With His Pilgrims (Psalms 120–122): O Jerusalem!—Psalm 122
Have you ever been called home? It may be after a long vacation or a business trip. Or maybe you are going home to spend the holidays with family after moving to the other side of the country. There is just something about home. Continue reading →
The LORD Is With His Pilgrims (Psalms 120–122): Help From The Hills—Psalm 121
As we saw in Part 1, the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120–134) were songs the Israelite pilgrims sang on their way to Jerusalem for the annual feasts of Passover, Weeks, and Booths. These fifteen songs are in cycles of three, and Psalm 120 began the first cycle with the psalmist far from God, dwelling in the tents of warlike, deceitful pagans. Continue reading →
The LORD Is With His Pilgrims (Psalms 120–122): In My Distress—Psalm 120
“Are we there yet?” Who among us has not either heard or voiced these words on a long family road trip? The trees fly past in the slightly foggy windows, the road signs mark the distance to our destination, and a small voice pipes up from the backseat. Children are generally (and notoriously) impatient. Continue reading →
Review: A Quiet Mind To Suffer With: Mental Illness, Trauma, And The Death Of Christ By John Andrew Bryant
Objective realities and subjective experiences are different things. They are supposed to match. In a fallen world, they often do not. John Andrew Bryant’s A Quiet Mind to Suffer With tells his story of wrestling with mental illness and coming to rest . . . Continue reading →
A Song Of Hope For Body And Soul: A Series On Psalm 16 (Part 2)
Last time, we looked at verses 1–4, where David seeks refuge in God. In this final part, we will see how David proclaims his trust in the Lord in the remainder of this psalm. David Puts His Trust in God (vv. 5–8) . . . Continue reading →
A Song Of Hope For Body And Soul: A Series On Psalm 16 (Part 1)
In one of the most famous scenes in the Gospel according to Luke, after the Lord Jesus Christ defeated death he appeared to some of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. The despondent followers of the crucified Messiah were walking along . . . Continue reading →
“Come, My People”: The Blessed Hope Of Isaiah 26 (Part 2)—From Tombs To Bedrooms
The city of God awaits the people of God. This was a comfort to the faithful inhabitants of Judah in Isaiah’s day, even as they heard about God’s impending judgment on the earthly Jerusalem. It is also a comfort to Christians today . . . Continue reading →
The Sword Of Judgment And The Shield Of Favor: A Series On Psalm 5 (Part 3)
Having given this wonderful text of Psalm 5 an expositional and pastoral survey in the previous two articles, we return one last time for a third installment, wherein we will consider further implications and applications from this marvelous psalm. With great indebtedness . . . Continue reading →
“Come, My People”: The Blessed Hope Of Isaiah 26 (Part 1)—A Tale Of Two Cities
I remember the thought popping into my head as if it were yesterday: “Why are we doing this?” I was eight or nine, sitting in the back of the family minivan on the way to church. I think this was the first . . . Continue reading →
The Sword Of Judgment And The Shield Of Favor: A Series On Psalm 5 (Part 2)
In looking at Psalm 5, you might notice that there is a structure to David’s prayer. Each section begins with David directly addressing the Lord. Verse 1: “Give ear to my words, O Lord.” Verse 4: “For you are not a God . . . Continue reading →
The Sword Of Judgment And The Shield Of Favor: A Series On Psalm 5 (Part 1)
Many of the psalms are about justice or mercy. Some discuss both; others focus on one or the other. Psalm 5, though it has an element of mercy to it, is primarily a psalm calling for justice—God’s justice. Sometimes, psalms like this . . . Continue reading →
Words and Things December 2023—Acts 20:28
Our story begins in the dining room where Dr. and Mrs. Clark recently hosted my wife and I during our recent visit to Westminster Seminary California for a short teaching stint. Since we never want to pass up an opportunity to be . . . Continue reading →
Temple Turnaround: God’s Directions for Doubters in Psalm 73 (Part 2)
In part one of Asaph’s temple turnaround in Psalm 73, we saw that Asaph had not always held to the truth that “God is good to Israel” (v. 1). First, we observed that even the faithful may have doubts (a crisis of . . . Continue reading →
Temple Turnaround: God’s Directions for Doubters in Psalm 73 (Part 1)
Talking about doubts can seem almost taboo. How many friends have expressed their doubts about faith to you? How many sermons have you heard about doubts? What would your church friends or pastor think if you expressed your doubts to them? Are . . . Continue reading →