The Law | The Pastor's Workshop

illustration

Transgression is Pushing Past Good Boundaries

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 2:, Genesis 3:, James 1:14-15, Romans 5:12-19, Psalm 19:7-8, Genesis 11:

After the fall of our first parents, boundaries were something to push past, to transgress. It’s worth pausing to note how we use the word transgression for “sin.” With its Latin roots, “across” and ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Romans 10:8-13

Introduction In Romans 10 we are encouraged to call upon the Lord. Lest we believe that our returning to God is ultimately a matter of works or our own merit, Paul wants us to see that repentance fi...

illustration

Seeing Through the Eyes of Jesus

Author

Richard J. Mouw

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 6:8, Exodus 23:2–3, 6, Proverbs 31:8–9, James 2:12–13 , Luke 6:36–37, Psalm 103:8–10

Christian civility does not commit us to a relativistic perspective. Being civil doesn’t mean that we cannot criticize what goes on around us. …Civility is a different matter, though. I can treat ...

illustration

Interpretive strategies have gone through cycles

Author

R. C. Sproul

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 20:1–17, Genesis 22:1–14 , Micah 6:6–8 , Luke 10:25–37 , Matthew 5:17–20, Psalm 82:3–4

Interpretive strategies have gone through cycles of strict-constructionist (or Originalism) and broad-constructionist (or Living Constitution) perspectives. Originally the procedure of interpreting th...

liturgy

Hear these words from the Letter to the Hebrews:

Author

Eunice McGarrahan

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10-13

Hear these words from the Letter to the Hebrews: This is the covenant I will establish . . . declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, a...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Psalm 19 (Guide B)

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 19:, Matthew 5:17

Introduction During my time in seminary (and the year after I graduated) I spent a lot of time at a church in southern New Jersey. It’s actually how I met Scott Bullock, TPW board member and creator ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Author

Jeff Volkmer

Keywords

Scripture

Deuteronomy 18:15-20, Deuteronomy 1:5, Exodus 18:13-27, Exodus 20:18-19, Exodus 33:11, Deuteronomy 34:10, John 1:21, John 6:14, Acts 3:22-23, 1 Timothy 2:5, Luke 24:27

Context A Copy of the Law or a Second Law? Like the other books in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), the title of the book of Deuteronomy comes from its translation into Greek. The...

illustration

Indian Removal Act's Tragic Consequences

Author

Justin Giboney

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 3:7-10, Micah 6:8, Matthew 25:40, Galatians 6:2, Psalm 82:3-4

In 1830, the Indian Removal Act led to what’s known as the Trail of Tears, in which almost fifty thousand indigenous people were removed from the southeastern United States and relocated west of the M...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Jeremiah 17:5-10

Author

Casey Clark

Scripture

Jeremiah 17:5-10, Psalm 1:

Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Prophetic Struggles The job of a prophet does not appear to have been pleasant. Jeremiah struggles with the message he is entrusted to ...

liturgy

Based on Psalm 1

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 1:

Blessed is the one who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; but whose delight is in the law of the Lord. On his law he meditat...

lectionary

First Sunday in Lent

Author

William Rowley

Scripture

Romans 10:8b-13, Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Luke 4:1-13, Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

The Paradox of Lent | AIM Commentary Introduction Last week’s reading from Joel 2 emphasized the coming day of the Lord and exhorted all of God’s people to repent and return to God. This week, in Ro...

lectionary

Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

Author

Casey Clark

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:12-20, Jeremiah 17:5-10, Luke 6:17-26, Psalm 1:, Psalm 1:

Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Prophetic Struggles The job of a prophet does not appear to have been pleasant. Jeremiah struggles with the message he is entrusted to ...

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

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 10:5-10, Micah 5:2-5a, Luke 1:39-45, (46-55), Luke 1:46b-55

Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Context to the Letter While we don’t have a robust understanding of the context of Hebrews compared to, for example, many of Paul’s let...

lectionary

15th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Darren Pollock

Keywords

Scripture

James 1:17-27, Song of Solomon 2:8-13, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9, 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 ...

series

Psalm 19 | Creation Reflects God

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 5:17, Psalm 19:

Introduction During my time in seminary (and the year after I graduated) I spent a lot of time at a church in southern New Jersey. It’s actually how I met Scott Bullock, TPW board member and creator...

lectionary

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Author

Jeff Volkmer

Keywords

Scripture

Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Deuteronomy 18:15-20, Mark 1:21-28, Psalm 111:, Deuteronomy 1:5, Exodus 18:13-27, Exodus 20:18-19, Exodus 33:11, Deuteronomy 34:10, John 1:21, John 6:14, Acts 3:22-23, 1 Timothy 2:5, Luke 24:27

Preaching Commentary Context A Copy of the Law or a Second Law? Like the other books in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), the title of the book of Deuteronomy comes from its tran...

lectionary

Good Friday

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

John 18:1-40, John 19:1-42, Hebrews 10:16-25, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, John 18:1-19:42, Psalm 22:, Exodus 4:13-15, Romans 5:null, Matthew 27:24, Psalm 22:15, Psalm 69:21, Matthew 25:21

Preaching Commentary The lectionary text from John is an exceedingly long passage, but covers the main events that we commemorate on Good Friday. For that reason, I am going to break up the text int...

blog

S.I.T (Sermon Illustration Tuesday) for the week of 5/27

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 70:null

America's Habit for Lawyers We love to sue people don't we? And just to prove this point, I want to point out just how many lawyers live in the U.S. compared to the rest of the world. List...