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  • Some Notes on Acts 27-28

    Some notes on Acts 27-28: *Paul and his shipmates arrive on shore on the 14th day. Whether this is the Sabbath day, the Lord’s Day, or a generic 14th day, doesn’t much matter. What matters is that it is symbolically associated with the Sabbath. *Stoking up a fire on the Sabbath was a capital crime Read more

  • Usury

    Ronald Wallace summarizes John Calvin’s view of usury: “For centuries before Calvin’s day, the Church and most other authorities had applied the Biblical condemnation of usury quite directly to commercial practices, and had prohibited loans at interest. Exceptions had been allowed. Interest had been deemed payable, for example, when the loan could be shown to Read more

  • Emotions

    Emotions

    Emotions are not neutral. Feelings are implicit, reflexive judgments about ourselves, others, and/or the world. If I love something, I judge it worthy of my love. If I feel angry about something, it is because I perceive a situation as unjust or somehow disordered. If I feel joy, it’s because judge that my experience of Read more

  • Random Notes on Ephesians

    In Ephesians 1:3, Paul tells us God the Father has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” A couple notes on this jam-packed verse: 1. Why are the blessings called “spiritual” blessings? The point is not that they are immaterial or non-physical. They are Spiritual blessings with a capital “S.” Read more

  • Preaching and the Eucharist

    I don’t think it’s helpful to think of preaching and Eucharist as in competition for the center of the worship service. They go together, as Doug Wilson says, like cooking and eating. The Word makes us hungry for the meal. The Word and Eucharist work together as inseparable aspects of covenant renewal. Each is incomplete without Read more

  • The Pentecostal Church

    I have preached many sermons on Pentecost over the years. Here are some notes that went with my May 27, 2007 sermon: A few notes on Acts 2, with Pentecost coming up this Sunday: V. 46 says that they ate together with glad and generous hearts. There is an overwhelming note of joy. Earlier in Read more