Jesus’ clearing of the temple served the same function as the cursing of the fig tree: it exposed hypocrisy and condemned fruitlessness.

For us to better understand the marriage as covenant we need to understand what makes a covenant different from a contract.

The importance of repentance is hard to overstate.

When Paul says that Christians belong to Christ Jesus, it means, at least, that the blessings that are Christ’s are the blessings bestowed on Christians right now.

Given the variety of difficult circumstances in our lives, recalling and trusting the promises of God can feel nearly impossible. Thankfully, our gracious God provides a model for trust through his gracious Son.

Becoming a courageous witness is not based upon our natural strength or abilities; it is based on faith in the absolute power of the Holy Spirit.

Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar: You decide it’s time to pray, so you close your eyes. Fifteen seconds in, out of nowhere, tomorrow’s to-do list pops up and your thoughts are off on a tangent . . .

It is helpful for us to examine our own hearts for signs of legalism, signs of places where we are trusting in or protecting our moral self-sufficiency for our identity.

It stands, then, that if Jesus was not raised, Christ’s sacrifice was deficient, that Jesus’ blood was somehow insufficient to pay the full penalty for sin.

Sadly, because of its inability, and often unwillingness, to adapt to its surroundings, the church lost its point of contact with culture, and with that, its voice and influence. Thus the need for a gospel-centered missional church. But what is a gospel-centered, missional church?