Genesis 33
Commentary
When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent,” he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance. -Martin Luther Comments and Observations: Early in his monastic life, Martin Luther was consumed with the worry that his righteousness was not great enough. He tried fasting, praying, and self-flagellation in order to convince…
Exodus 11:1-10
Commentary
Sermon Idea: God will fight for His people. Comments and Observations: Everybody loves a hero. Tales of individuals who will champion the cause of someone who is unjustly oppressed fascinate us. True heroes, however, are hard to find. Most of us feel as though others are hardly interested in our struggles. Even if we find…
Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Commentary
Common Misperceptions: It is far too common for us to have images of God that don’t match the way He is described in the Bible. One of those misperceptions is picturing God as a sadistic overlord who watches diligently to make sure no one is violating His commandments. We might be prone to believe that…
2 Samuel 13:1-22
Commentary
Comments and Observations: I love the TV show The Brady Bunch. In almost every episode there is a problem that can be neatly wrapped up in 30 minutes or less. Whether it’s a broken vase, a bruised nose, an injured ankle, or a changing voice; the problem is never insurmountable. There is no crisis that…
Malachi 4
Commentary
Comments and Observations: In his book, The End of Memory, Miroslav Volf gives us a glimpse into the torment he endured while serving in the Yugoslavian army under the (erroneous) suspicion of being a traitor. Because he was a Christian who was married to an American, the communist army suspected him of treason. His time…
Acts 20:7-38
Commentary
Circumstances and Vision: In September, 2012, nine months after being named the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (a cancer of the white blood cells). After coaching only three games as a head coach, Pagano took an indefinite leave of absence in order to undergo treatments at…
Galatians 5:1-15
Commentary
Comments and Observations: Unity is often confused with uniformity. When every individual within a group has the same opinion, practices the same habits, and has the same preferences; unity seems to be natural. What happens, however, when individuals come from different racial, cultural, economic and educational backgrounds? We can be tempted to believe that unity…
1 Timothy 5
Commentary
Comments and Observations: Children have an uncanny ability to notice differences and point out perceived unfairness. Imagine a father who desires to support each of his three children as they graduate. When his oldest son graduates, he co-signs a loan to help him pay for his education. Two years later, when his daughter graduates, he…
3 John
Commentary
Comments and Observations: It’s not too difficult to think of influential Christians throughout the course of history. The Apostle Paul traveled the world, established numerous churches, stood trial for advancing the gospel, and wrote numerous letters that have become part of the New Testament. After his conversion in 387, Saint Augustine became one of the…
Revelation 22:7-21
Commentary
Comments and Observations: Between the years 2000 and 2015, one of the noticeable trends in television programming was the increasing number of reality shows that featured home remodeling projects. Each show had its own unique spin on the same theme of renewing an old home or space. “Trading Spaces” focused on sprucing up a single…
About Bill Sytsma