Category Archives: Bible Study

Gospel-Centered Parables

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This article, as part of my sabbatical, is a reminder of content you may have missed in 2012.

This is probably the best post I’ve written about how to read the Bible in a gospel-centered way since releasing Christ-Centered Bible Study.

How do we normally read Jesus’ parables? Typically we try to understand the main point and then treat those lessons as instruction for our lives. This is exactly what we should do. However, we shouldn’t stop there. Here are two things to consider:

  1. The moral lessons Of the parables point to Jesus’ work.
  2. The moral lessons Of the parables are given to conform us into the likeness of Jesus.

Learn how this transforms how we read Jesus’ parables and see an example of it in action in the full post: How To Read The Parables With Jesus At Center.

The Best Bible Study Tip Ever

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This article, as part of my sabbatical, is a reminder of content you may have missed in 2012.

Do you find yourself chasing after new Bible study tools? Is there some holy grail out there that will suddenly open the floodgates of truth in the Scriptures?

There is.

It’s simpler and more powerful than you might expect. And you already have it. What’s the secret tool? Thinking the author’s thoughts after him.

How To Read The Parables With Jesus At Center

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All the Bible points to Jesus. It references him directly, foreshadows his work, demonstrates our need for him, records his actions, reflects on the results of his work or anticipates the future he is creating.

This includes passages of scripture from a genre we rarely discuss in a christocentric context: parable.

Who Are Jesus’ Parables About?

We aren’t the main characters in Jesus’ parables. Jesus is.

To even the casual observer, Jesus’ parables obviously teach us how to live. How, then, can I say Jesus is the main character in his parables? Two reasons: Continue reading →

You Are the Christ

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You are the Christ

This is the second in a series of posts examining the identity of Jesus.

Who is Jesus?
You are the Christ
The Son of the living God

“You are the Christ.”

This was the first part of Peter’s answer to Jesus’ question: Who do you say that I am? (Matt 16:15) What does “the Christ” mean?

The first thing we recognize is that Peter referred to a specific individual, not a general office. By saying, “the Christ,” Peter was saying Jesus is one of a kind. But what, specifically, is he?

“Christ” is the Greek word for the Hebrew “Messiah” – our English equivalent is “anointed one.” This refers to God’s anointing on a person for a special task. Many OT figures were called “anointed” but, as we noted above, Jesus was the anointed one – a special figure, apart from those God had anointed before. Continue reading →

All The Commands of James

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The book of James is a book of action. He doesn’t fool around. Everything is practical, “Do this,” or, “Don’t do that.” What commands do you think James gives us most? My gut feeling says something like this:

  • Do
  • Work
  • Act

These are the verbs that come to my mind when I think of James. After all, James is the apostle telling me that I am justified by works along with faith! (James 2:24)

Here are all the commands of James. Continue reading →

The Three Most Prominent Christ-Centered OT Passages

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Torah by Lawrie CateI wrote Christ-Centered Bible Study hoping to help people see how every passage in the Bible points to Jesus. But sometimes it’s not hard to see those connections at all. Here are the three most obvious Christ-centered passages in the Old Testament:

David and Goliath

For whatever reason, this seems to be the most famous passage in “gospel-centered” circles. It’s more popular than the largest, most direct signpost to Jesus in the OT – the Passover. This seems to be the “go-to” Christ-centered passage in the OT.

Last year when I was first captivated with gospel-centrality I took a long, hard look at this passage in a series called Defeating Giants which culminated in the question Continue reading →

Nehemiah 6 – A Leader Confronts Adversity and Points to Christ

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The following is a Christ-focused Bible study I lead at the US Coast Guard Academy specifically focused on leadership. As such, this will not be a full exposition of the chapter. Think of it more as a topical study based in a single text.

Background

Granted permission to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem by the Persian king Artaxerxes (chapter 2), Nehemiah is nearly done rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (v1). Nehemiah 6 shows us that the enemy hinders his progress by Continue reading →