Jesus

What’s so Special about Christ’s Right Hand?

August 27, 2020 // 10 Comments

While writing my book Letters from Jesus, I discovered a lot of gems in scripture. Some of these were hidden in the introductions Jesus gives his letters to the seven churches. Consider this introduction from his letter to the church in Ephesus: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right [...]

Get Your Name in Paul’s New Book!

December 2, 2018 // 8 Comments

UPDATE: This offer has now closed. My thanks to all who signed up. Missed out? There are still plenty of good reasons for signing up on Patreon. My new book, Letters from Jesus: Finding Good News in Christ’s Letters to the Churches, comes out in ebook format in two weeks. And if you act fast, your name could be [...]

The Sign of Jonah

April 20, 2018 // 44 Comments

The scribes and Pharisees could have won the gold medal for insensitivity. One minute they’re accusing Jesus of being in cahoots with the devil; the next they’re asking for some sign of his divinity (Matt. 12:24, 38). Jesus responded by telling them: A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But [...]

Why Did Jesus Ask for Swords?

April 14, 2017 // 39 Comments

He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one… The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.” “That’s enough!” he replied. (Luke 22:36-38) On the night he was betrayed, Jesus commanded his disciples to buy [...]

Coming to the Temple

November 15, 2016 // 13 Comments

Here’s an obscure prophecy about Jesus that probably affects you more than you know: “Behold, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, he is coming,” [...]

Jesus our Tithe

July 21, 2016 // 80 Comments

Many of the laws and traditions of the Old Testament are shadows that are fulfilled in Christ. For instance, the circumcision of Jewish boys points to a spiritual circumcision “not performed by human hands” (Col 2:11). Your old self has been cut off by Christ, which is why some refer to Christ as our [...]

Is Grace a Person?

September 4, 2015 // 79 Comments

People sometimes ask me, “Why do you say grace is another name for Jesus?” or “Why do you say grace is a Person?” They are referring to something I wrote in my book The Gospel in Twenty Questions: Grace isn’t a bunch of rules for you to keep. And grace is not God’s lubricant for greasing the cogs of [...]

The Lord’s Prayer

August 20, 2015 // 46 Comments

There’s a myth that we who preach grace dismiss everything Jesus said before the cross. According to the myth, we disregard the red letters of the Bible as law for to those under law. Nothing could be further from the truth! What sort of followers of Christ would we be if we ignored what Jesus said? Take the [...]

Myth: Hypergrace Preachers Disregard the Words of Jesus

March 4, 2015 // 27 Comments

“Hyper-grace preachers say the words of Jesus are not for us. They have no authority and are irrelevant to the modern church.” One of the strangest claims made against hyper-grace preachers is that we are dismissive of the pre-cross teachings of Jesus. In point of fact, hyper-grace preachers are the only ones [...]

How Should We Read the Words of Jesus?

November 19, 2013 // 47 Comments

Jesus is the greatest preacher of all time. He told stories and preached sermons the whole world needs to hear. The genius of Jesus is that he often preached one message with two punchlines: If you were confident of your own righteousness, you got law, but if you were not, you got grace. Consider Jesus’ story [...]

12 ways Superman is NOT like Jesus

June 21, 2013 // 53 Comments

Another Superman movie has just opened. I’ll probably go see it. I like Superman. What’s not to like? He’s a cool guy. But what puzzles me is how some churches are using Superman to promote Jesus. I kid you not. I read in the paper this morning that the new Man of Steel movie sold a gazillion tickets on [...]

The Root of Obedience

March 26, 2013 // 30 Comments

The other day I was walking with my two little girls to a playground. We were walking along a road that is sometimes used by goods vehicles. My girls were ahead of me and with all the noise and excitement they didn’t notice a van approaching from the right. In a loud voice I told them to stop and they did. Like [...]