Did Christ Really Rise From The Dead?
No other single issue is more central to the Christian faith than the reality of Christ’s resurrection. In this study, Dave Branon explores historical and biblical evidence that will give…
Topic > Biblical Studies > Themes of the Bible >
On 15th August, we celebrate India’s independence from British rule. To many people “independence” is synonymous with “freedom” and the people who worked hard to make it possible are “freedom fighters”.
However, most of us know that 78 years after independence, many people in the country need freedom from various forms of oppression. Poverty, discrimination and biases based on colour, caste and economic…
Live Like You’re Healed
Two sisters from India were born blind. Their father was a hard-working provider, but he could never afford the surgery that would give them sight. Then a team of doctors came to their region on a short-term medical mission. The morning after their surgery, the girls smiled wide as the nurse unwrapped their bandages. One exclaimed, “Mother, I can see! I can see!”
A man who had been lame since birth sat in his usual spot at a temple gate, begging for money. Peter told the man he didn’t have coins, but he had something better. “In the name of Jesus…
The Whole House
Wearing his striped jumpsuit, James walked across the steamy jail gym and climbed into the portable pool where he was baptized by the prison chaplain. James’ joy multiplied, however, when he heard that his daughter Brittany—also an inmate—had been baptized that same day . . . in the same water. When they realized what had happened, even the staff got emotional. “There wasn’t a dry eye,” the chaplain said. In and out of jail for years, Brittany and her dad both wanted God’s forgiveness. And together, God gave them new life.
Scripture describes another prison encounter—this time with a jailer—where Jesus’…
Food That Says I Love You
I attended a family birthday gathering where the hostess wove the theme of “favorite things” into the decor, the gifts, and best of all, the food. Because the birthday girl loved steak and salad—and white chocolate raspberry Bundt cake—the hostess grilled steak, spun spinach, and ordered that favorite cake. Favorite foods say, “I love you.”
The Bible contains many references to banquets, feasts, and festivals, pairing the physical act of eating with celebrations of God’s faithfulness. Feasting was a part of the sacrificial system of worship practiced by the Israelites (see Numbers 28:11–31), with Passover, the festival of weeks, and new…
Celestial Communion
When Apollo 11’s Eagle lunar module landed on the moon’s Sea of Tranquility on July 20, 1969, the space travelers took time to recover from their flight before stepping onto the moon’s surface. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin had received permission to bring bread and wine so he could take communion. After reading Scripture, he tasted the first foods ever consumed on the moon. Later, he wrote: “I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon the wine curled slowly and gracefully up the side of the cup.” As Aldrin enjoyed this celestial…
God’s Moves
I love a good game of Scrabble. After one particular game, my friends named a move after me—calling it a “Katara.” I’d been trailing the entire game, but at the end of it—with no tiles left in the bag—I made a seven-letter word. This meant the game was over, and I received fifty bonus points as well as all the points from all of my opponents’ leftover tiles, moving me from last place to first. Now whenever we play and someone is trailing, they remember what happened and hold out hope for a “Katara.”
Remembering what has happened in the past…
Outside the Camp
Friday was market day in the rural town in Ghana where I grew up. After all these years, I still recall one particular vendor. Her fingers and toes eroded by Hansen’s disease (leprosy), she would crouch on her mat and scoop her produce with a hollowed-out gourd. Some avoided her. My mother made it a point to buy from her regularly. I saw her only on market days. Then she would disappear outside the town.
In the time of the ancient Israelites, diseases like leprosy meant living “outside the camp.” It was a forlorn existence. Israelite law said of such people,…
Remember and Celebrate
On December 6, 1907, explosions rocked a small community in the US state of West Virginia, producing one of the worst disasters in the history of the coal mining industry. Some 360 miners were killed, and it’s been estimated that this horrific tragedy left behind about 250 widows and one thousand children without fathers. Historians maintain that the memorial service became the seedbed from which the celebration of Father’s Day in the US would eventually grow. Out of great loss came remembrance and—eventually—celebration.
The greatest tragedy in human history occurred when human beings crucified their Creator. Yet, that dark moment also…
“Great Expectations”
Looking back, we can see evidence that points to Jesus as the long-anticipated Messiah. But at the time, He didn’t meet the Jewish people’s expectations. Today on Discover the Word, we consider why Jesus was, and in many ways still is, rejected as their Savior. Hear the conclusion of our series titled, “Great Expectations,” today on Discover the Word!
The Son Of God
In Jesus’s day, the people of Israel admired heroes such as Abraham, Moses, and David. Yet Jesus said He was greater than them all. Today on Discover the Word, the team will examine how Jesus outraged the Jewish leaders by claiming to be God Himself. We’re continuing our series called, “Great Expectations,” today on Discover the Word!
The Awaited Messiah
Your DNA can reveal a lot about you; your hair color, your skin color, even where your family is from. Today on Discover the Word, the team will discuss where Jesus came from and how the Pharisees struggled to understand His earthly and heavenly origins. Another fascinating discussion, today on Discover the Word!
The Lord Of The Sabbath
You would have expected the Jewish Messiah to fit right in with the religious leaders. The thing is, though, they rarely saw eye to eye. Today on Discover the Word, we will discuss why Jesus’s behavior seemed so shocking to the established religious people of His day. Pull a chair up to the table, today for Discover the […]
The Danger Of Expectations
For centuries, Israel had been conditioned to look for a certain kind of Messiah. Today on Discover the Word, we will explore what Israel expected in a Messiah . . . and what they got instead. Join us for the start of a new series called, “Great Expectations,” today on Discover the Word!
Leaving Things From Our Past To Follow Jesus
The Bible teaches that we have new life in Christ. But that also means we have to be willing to let go of some of the things in our old life. Today on Discover the Word, we explore what it would mean for us to leave things from our past behind to follow Jesus. Don’t miss the […]
What Stops You From Following Jesus?
When Jesus called His disciples, there was no time to hesitate. It was, “Come follow me now—or get left behind.” Today on Discover the Word, the team challenges us to let go of the excuses that might be getting in our way. Learn what it means to follow Jesus with no strings attached, today on Discover the Word!
