The Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
Pastor Jim Fikkert
The heart of this passage focuses on the true identity of Jesus as evidenced by His power to heal. It is most remembered, however, for Jesus revelation of an “unforgivable sin”. As scholars argue over defining it, Christians worry over accidentally committing it. Meanwhile, any practical application of Jesus’ teaching is lost in the pursuit […]
Lord of the Sabbath
Pastor Jim Fikkert
Much of the Jews’ antagonism toward Jesus centered on their view of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was peculiarly important to the Jew. Just as circumcision marked him as a son of Abraham, so the Jew’s practice of the Sabbath evidenced their relationship with God’s law. The Sabbath was the 4th commandment given to Moses. The […]
Doubt in the Face of Proof
Pastor Jim Fikkert
We all doubt. In all of our lives there are times and circumstances that make us revisit what we believe. As John sits in prison, he has his moment of doubt. He sends a messenger to Jesus to ask the question directly: are you the one? Jesus gives John the answer, then turns around and […]
The Apostles are Instructed
Pastor Jim Fikkert
The gospel creates a shift in our life. This shift is not only evident in the 180 degree changes (death to life, pursuit of sin to holiness); it also shows itself in priority changes. When we are presented with the profound eternal goodness of being in relationship with God, it changes how we look at […]
The Apostles are Comforted
Pastor Jim Fikkert
It is easy to be overcome by what is right in front of you. When we focus on what is right in front of us, we can easily miss out on the truth. In this twisted world, the truth is always buried under a few feet of irony, sarcasm, and lies. The encouragement that Jesus […]
The Laborers Are Few
Pastor Jim Fikkert
The view of the world that Jesus models for us is compassion. We should not look to wage a war with people over various issues. We should not view the culture with an: us versus them mentality. Instead, we should see all people in the world as harassed and helpless. All people are in need […]
Authority Over Nature
Pastor Jim Fikkert
There is fierce hostility to the reign of the king in both the natural and spiritual world. We see in these verses that this hostility can make lives dangerous as storms rage, difficult and destructive as demon possessed men block passage and terrorize a region, and debilitating as broken body and sin leaves a man […]
The Cost of Discipleship
Pastor Jim Fikkert
The cost of salvation is free to us because Jesus paid it all on the cross; free does not mean easy. The cost of following Jesus as a disciple is great because it requires renouncing the life we have been saved from and walking the new life we have been saved to. Those who hoping […]
Healing as Proof
Pastor Jim Fikkert
Immediately after preaching the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus begins to display his saving and healing power as miraculous proofs of his identity as the Son of God. In three examples we see both Jesus power and compassion. With authoritative words Jesus is able to cure the incurable disease of leprosy of a man who […]
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