This Sunday Paul in Corinth The big news in the news this past week had to do with billionaire actors slapping each other over golden trophies they hand out once a year. The people who buy tickets to their movies and make them billionaires are more, well, ordinary. Paul met billionaire types in Athens. He…

This Sunday The case for Christianity During World War II, Christian author C.S. Lewis delivered a series of informal radio addresses titled “The Case for Christianity.” Through these talks he intended to bring hope to an embattled public. He wasn’t the first, though, to present the compelling argument for the reasonableness of Christian faith. Two…

This Sunday The Hard Way Pain is a reality of life. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. We might be very different, though, in how we respond to it. What do you do when you’re feeling pain? This weekend, learn from the prophet Jeremiah. His was an exceptionally hard and tragic life. He’s even…

This Sunday Noble character We don’t use the word noble like the British, referring to dukes and duchesses or barons and baronesses. When we describe a person as noble, it gives pause. What do we mean? The apostle Paul and his missionary entourage entered a Greek city named Berea where they encountered people whom Dr. Luke…

This Sunday Troublemakers in the world When you read that heading, whom do you think of? You have plenty to choose from! In Acts 17:1-9, people describe Christian missionaries as people who stir up trouble all over the world. Would you agree? Read about Paul’s arrival in the Greek city of Thessalonica in Acts 17:1-9,…

This Sunday Powerful grace You hear of it occasionally: the family of the victim of a horrible crime appears in the courtroom at sentencing to speak to the one convicted. But instead of words of hate, they speak words of grace and forgiveness. How can they do that? Where’s the justice? At the end of…

This Sunday Eager expectations You know what it’s like to groan. When what you feel is beyond words, a groan will have to do. In Romans 8, Paul writes about groaning. Paul, creation, and the Holy Spirit groan. But God not only knows about your groaning, he is eager to encourage you and remind you…

This Sunday The gospel changes lives Just a few miles into the continent, Paul and his missionary entourage met a group of God-fearing women near a river, praying, singing, and listening to God’s Word. One of the women, Lydia, had a fascinating name, job, and social status. But the most interesting thing about her is…

This Sunday Whose voice do you follow? There’s no shortage of advisors, commentators, or people with opinions who would love to “share” them with you. But whose voice do you listen to? You can’t listen to all of them. Do you listen only to voices that agree with you? That could be dangerous. Do you listen only…

This Sunday Know a Timothy? The Apostle Paul met a young man named Timothy while traveling in Turkey. The two struck up a close relationship that lasted a lifetime. But it might not have always been easy. Together, they dealt with issues of an interracial marriage, reputation, traveling, and even minor surgery. The result of…