This morning I happened to pick up my well-worn copy of Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students, a book I have read and re-read over the years. It remains in the top handful of most useful books on the ministry I have ever read. And by chance (or I should say, by providence) I opened the book and read again Spurgeon’s famous chapter called T…
That’s the number of subscribers to the Keep Believing weekly sermon email, according to our webmaster Derek Taylor. The number is the highest ever and continues to climb. I can remember when I started sending out the sermons in late 1998. We started with 15 names and slowly added from there. Each week I would write a brief introduction and t…
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the S…
Many years ago I was asked to perform a graveside service for a man I barely knew. I was young and inexperienced and wanted to say a few words of comfort. I fumbled my way through the ceremony and came to the closing prayer. When I got to the part about the resurrection of the dead, the words stuck in my throat. I could barely finish my prayer. I …
The four gospels do not tell us much about what happened on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We know that after Jesus died, the disciples stayed behind locked doors for fear of the Jewish leaders (John 20:19). Their fear was well-founded because on that Saturday, the chief priests and the Pharisees met with Pilate and asked him t…
Today I will be on WMBI-FM in Chicago from 10-11 AM (CDT) talking with Nancy Turner about “Six Hours That Changed the World.” On this very special Good Friday broadcast, we will use the spoken word interspersed with music to relive the six hours when our Lord hung on the cross. We will focus on the seven sayings of Christ on the Cross. …
“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ’Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46).Luke is the only writer to record the last words of the Son of God. Every word tells us something important:Father—This was Jesus’ favorite title for God. It spoke of the in…
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ’It is finished’” (John 19:30). All of us have unfinished things cluttering up the highway of life.
“Later, knowing that all was now completed and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ’I am thirsty’” (John 19:28).It is one of the ultimate ironies of the biblical story that Jesus cried out “I thirst.” He who is the water of life now dies of thirst. Jesus has not complained at all about his physi…
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34).All eyes focus on the center cross. It is clear the end is near. Jesus is at the point of death. Whatever happened in those three hours of darkness has brought him to death’s door. His strength is nearly gone, the struggle almost over. His chest heaves with every breath, his…