Building Church
David Royes
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians explicitly addressed divisions in the church. Among many exhortations, we find that the apostle appeals to the church as God’s temple to call Christians to unity, and a consideration of how they invest their lives. Paul’s exhortation carries particular significance for a young church hiring a full time pastor.
Love God Hates
David Royes
John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) exhorts his readers about a type of love that God hates. He helps his readers navigate the sin of worldliness by offering a sober command, a convincing reason, and a compelling vision. For Further Discussion Why is worldliness so often ignored? How do John’s reasoning and vision compel us […]
Knowing for Certain
David Royes
John affectionately addresses his readers, and offers them 3 ways to know for certain that they have come to know Jesus. Certainty is a theological test, a moral test, and a relational test. For Further Discussion What dangers could arise if John had only written the first or second half of 1 John 2:1? Which […]
Jesus Teaches Life, in His Name
David Royes
Before his crucifixion, Jesus used a captivating illustration that likely informed much of the Apostle John’s thinking as he authored his epistle. Jesus illustrates real life, he explains true joy and fulfills great salvation. For Further Discussion What other implications can be drawn from Jesus’ illustration? How is Jesus’ depiction of joy similar or different […]
The Apostolic Message
David Royes
John continues his epistle by explicitly stating his apostolic message. He offers to his readers a treasured truth about God, a sober truth about ourselves, and an unbelievable truth about Jesus. For Further Discussion What other implications are meant to be drawn from the statement ‘God is light’? Which of the lies in the passage […]
The Incarnate Word
David Royes
The Apostle John was an eyewitness and personal friend of the Lord Jesus Christ. His letters draw a clear connection between belief in Jesus and having life in his name. While his gospel account is written so that his readers might have life in his name, his first letter underscores what it means to know, and walk […]
Shaken Out Of Anger
David Royes
Unrighteous anger is a particularly blinding sin. James not only commands his readers to avoid speaking evil against one another, but in a single verse he cuts to the heart of sinful anger. He speaks of the implied struggle, gives us the sober reality, and points to the crucified savior. For Further Discussion When is […]
A Godly Composure
David Royes
Psalm 131 describes the biblical activity of ‘putting your hope in God’. In this song of ascents, David describes hope as an active rejection of pride, a disciplined act of stillness, and a determined posture for the future. For Further Discussion How does a rejection of pride lead to hope? What other implications can be […]
Resurrection Applied
David Royes
Easter Sunday: When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, the promises that he made to his disciples were no longer hypothetical, they became practical. Jesus prepared his disciples to interpret the resurrection with the words of John 14. He offers his disciples the reality of a troubled heart, the practical comfort of the gospel, and […]
The Centerpiece of Faith
David Royes
Good Friday: Biblical authors assume that their readers know what crucifixion is. Their emphasis was hardly the details of crucifixion or the agony of the cross. Luke shows that the cross is a portrayal of righteousness, a display of human foolishness, and a celebration of justice.
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