Exodus on Possessions

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The Kingdom is Not a Mad Scramble for “Enough”

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 16:1–36 , Isaiah 55:1–2, 1 Kings 17:8–16, Matthew 14:13–21, 2 Corinthians 9:6–11, Psalm 23:1–5

I was recently at a eight-year-old’s birthday party, and at this birthday party there was a piñata. All of the kids took turns whacking a paper mache shark with a PVC pipe until eventually the shark b...

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A Brazilian Intercessor

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 2:1, Romans 8:34, Exodus 32:9-14, Hebrews 7:25, John 14:16-17

Max Lucado tells the story of an intercession he experienced in Brazil in 1983. The transition was difficult enough with culture shock, but it was not helped by the fact that their possessions were he...

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The church fathers consistently acknowledged

Author

Curt Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 3:1-7 , Exodus 32:1-6 , Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, Psalm 73:25-26, Matthew 4:1-11 , James 1:13-15

The church fathers consistently acknowledged the beauty and goodness of desire (e.g., Augustine, above), but they were not naive to the potential for desire to be bent by sin. They knew that our longi...

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The Gingerbread Man

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 2:15, Exodus 20:15, Matthew 25:14-30, John 10:10, Psalm 139:13-14, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

There’s a charming story about a little boy who made a gingerbread man. He poured his heart into crafting it, carefully decorating it with candy eyes and a cheerful smile. It was his creation, and he ...

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Author

Fleming Rutledge

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 6:1-10, Exodus 33:18-23, Daniel 10:5-9, Luke 24:13-35, Matthew 16:13-17, Psalm 146:8

Any manifestation that reveals Jesus’ true identity occurs because the power of God is at work upon the eyes, ears, and hearts of the recipients

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Money is Fiction

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Ecclesiastes 5:10, Proverbs 11:4, Exodus 32:1–35, Luke 12:15, 1 Timothy 6:10, Psalm 49:16–17, Matthew 6:24, Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus warns against greed and seeking wealth, because ultimately, money is fiction. Gold coins? Slips of paper? Ones and zeroes in a computer? They only have value because people think they do....

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Author

Marilynne Robinson

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 25:29-34 , Exodus 16:2-4, Song of Solomon 3:1-4, Luke 15:11-24, John 4:13-14 , Psalm 63:1

To crave and to have are as like as a thing and its shadow. For when does a berry break upon the tongue as sweetly as when one longs to taste it, and when is the taste refracted into so many hues and ...

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Author

Tim Muehlhoff & Richard Langer

Keywords

Scripture

Joshua 24:14-15, Daniel 1:8-21 , Exodus 1:15-21, Romans 14:5-6, Acts 4:18-20 , Psalm 15:1-2

We might say that convictions are firmly held moral or religious beliefs that guide our beliefs, actions, or choices.

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Exodus 20:1-17

Author

Rachel Clark

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 20:1-17, Matthew 5:17-48, Matthew 6:25-34

Ancient lens What's the historical context? Covenant first These words spoken by God to the people of Israel were spelled out within the covenant-making process. God has promised to be with t...

liturgy

Honor God's Commandments with Purity

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 20:7, Psalm 19:7-9, Isaiah 6:3-7, Philippians 9:11, Deuteronomy 6:6-9

People: Oh Lord God, You have been gracious to us to give us Your holy Scripture which tells us of Your names, titles, qualities, regulations, word, and works. We should always treat these gifts with ...

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Chess and Surrender to God: The King is Infinity Points

Author

Ryan Bundrick

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 6:33, Exodus 20:3, Deuteronomy 6:5, 1 Corinthians 10:31, James 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:17, Luke 14:26-27, Philippians 3:8

We sometimes imagine surrender to God as emotional starvation. Every pleasure feels suspicious, and every passion feels in competition with our love of God. We think that the more miserable we are in ...

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We are people of desire. We want things

Author

Curt Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 32:22-32, Exodus 33:18-23 , 1 Samuel 1:9-20, Psalm 42:1-2, Mark 10:46-52, John 4:7-26

We are people of desire. We want things. We long for things. It is primal to our nature to yearn. As Saint Augustine reflected, “The whole life of the good Christian is a holy longing. . . . That is o...

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Addictions Attach Desire

Author

Gerald G. May

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 7:15-20, John 8:34, Exodus 20:3-5, Matthew 6:24, 1 John 2:15-16, Psalm 115:4-8

For generations, psychologists thought that virtually all self-defeating behavior was caused by repression. I have now come to believe that addiction is a separate and even more self-defeating force t...

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Joy must be morally clean

Author

Christopher H. J. Wright

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 5:19–23 , 1 Peter 4:3–4 , Psalm 100:1–2, Deuteronomy 16:14, Numbers 25:31:16, Exodus 32:34

Joy must be morally clean. God warned Israel not to be tempted by the kind of debauched “joy” of the Canaanite festivals, which included sexual immorality, drunkenness, gluttony, and idolatry. They ha...

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Author

Christopher Marlowe

Keywords

Scripture

Titus 2:7, Isaiah 61:3, 1 Peter 3:4, Romans 12:21, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Exodus 33:19

Goodness is beauty in the best estate.

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The DIfficulty of Grasping the Unsearchable Riches of the Gospel

Author

Jerry Bridges

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:8, Exodus 14:21–31, Isaiah 55:1–3 , 2 Kings 4:1–7, Luke 15:11–32, Psalm 23:1–6

Some years ago our pastor told an unusual story about a Southern plantation owner who left a $50,000 inheritance to a former slave who had served him faithfully all his life. That was quite a sum of m...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 and Psalm 93

Author

C. Hassell Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Daniel 7:9-10, Psalm 93:null, Romans 8:28, Leviticus 19:2, Exodus 34:6-7, Revelation 21:2

God's Sovereignty The sovereignty of God is a pervasive theme in the Bible, expressed in a variety of ways. Daniel’s vision is one of those expressions and a bit more challenging than the declara...

lectionary

26th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

C. Hassell Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 93:, Romans 8:28, Leviticus 19:2, Exodus 34:6-7, Revelation 21:2

Preaching Commentary God's Sovereignty The sovereignty of God is a pervasive theme in the Bible, expressed in a variety of ways. Daniel’s vision is one of those expressions and a bit more chall...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Mark 2:23-3:6

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 2:23-28, Mark 3:1-6, Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25, Acts 15:37-39, Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 1:24, 1 Peter 5:13, Mark 1:14-15, Mark 2:1-22, Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Exodus 34:21, 1 Samuel 21:1-6, Luke 11:37-54, Mark 2:1-17, Genesis 1:26-31, Genesis 2:1-2, Genesis 3:null, John 19:30

Context Authorship of Mark Mark’s account of the story of Jesus is commonly held to be the earliest of the four canonical Gospels. Early church tradition identifies the author as Mark (or John Mark)...

lectionary

Pentecost

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Acts 2:1-21, Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8, Acts 1:15, Exodus 20:null, Acts 2:9-11, 1 Samuel 10:10, Ezekiel 7:1-14, 1 Kings 19:11-12, Joel 2:28-32, Genesis 11:7-9

Preaching Commentary Clothed with Power I have a daughter who cannot acquire enough clothes. Every birthday, Christmas, or special occasion is an opportunity to shop online for something new. Fashi...

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Author

Oscar Wilde

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 12:1-3, Exodus 16:4 , 1 Kings 17:12-16 , Psalm 23:1-2 , Matthew 14:17-20, 2 Corinthians 9:8

Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.

Quote

Author

John Calvin

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 32:, Jeremiah 17:1-4, Exodus 20:3-6, Psalm 115:1-8, Romans 1:21-23, Galatians 4:8-9, Galatians 5:19-21

Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.

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Joy With Flesh On

Author

Ashley Hales

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 1:31, Exodus 16:4–5, Isaiah 40:31, Mark 10:14–15, John 15:5,11, Psalm 16:11

I have a photo of one of my children: on a day of pure sunshine, he is running down the hillside, leading with his chest, his smile and stride wide as his speed picks up. Running is pure delight. Agai...

lectionary

Third Sunday in Lent

Author

Rachel Clark

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 20:1-17, Matthew 5:17-48, Matthew 6:25-34

Lent 2024: Do This in Remembrance Remembering Deliverance AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? Covenant first These words spoken by God to the people of Israel...

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Building for Glory and Good

Author

Tom Nelson

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 1:26–28, Exodus 35:30–35, Proverbs 8:22–31, Matthew 25:14–30, Colossians 3:23–24, Psalm 104:24

I love watching young boys and girls build things with Legos. Their small, creative masterpieces cannot help but reflect their image-bearing nature and remind us we were all made to make things. When ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Mark 7:1-23

Author

Darren Pollock

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 7:1-23, Mark 7:1-12, Isaiah 29:13, Exodus 12:6-20, Deuteronomy 6:20-25, Joshua 4:1-9

Context Ritual Purity The most important broad contextual issue to address with this passage is the concept of ritual purity, and the ways in which this served as a boundary and identity marker for ...

lectionary

First Sunday after Christmas

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:22-40, Leviticus 12:null, Exodus 13:1-16, Luke 2:47, Luke 2:51

Preaching Commentary Unexpected Circumstances Strange days, unexpected times: a belief-defying announcement of a pregnancy, a wearying journey to be taxed, an uncomfortable birthing bed in a hewn...

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Living in Two Worlds

Author

Ruth Chou Simons

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 12:1-3, Exodus 3:7-10 , Isaiah 40:28-31, John 1:4-5, Romans 8:18-25, Philippians 3:20-21

We all live between two worlds. We are planted here on earth while our hope is in heaven. We are given work to do in temporary soil that, we’re told, has the potential to spring up into unending fruit...

lectionary

15th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Darren Pollock

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, Mark 7:11-12, Isaiah 29:13, Exodus 12:6-20, Deuteronomy 6:20-25, Joshua 4:1-9

Context Ritual Purity The most important broad contextual issue to address with this passage is the concept of ritual purity, and the ways in which this served as a boundary and identity marker for ...

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A Sabbath Box

Author

Wayne Muller

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 20:8-10, Luke 10:41-42

Make a Sabbath box. When you set aside time for Sabbath—whether it is an hour, a morning, or a day—put in the box those things you do not want to use…. You can also use the Sabbath box to hold all the...

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