The resurrection of Jesus Christ has the unique distinction of being both the seminal core of Christianity and the most criticized aspect of Christianity. This is not a coincidence, as the resurrection is a culmination of all the eternal hope, and promise of life found in Christ.
There are certain experiences that have such a strong impact on each of our lives that we remember them with great clarity. Momentous events in the lives of our family such as weddings and births stay with us throughout our lives. Outside of personal experiences, there are also national news events which stay with us. We can remember the place we were and the things we were doing when we heard startling news.
Baptism is an important and central aspect of the Gospel message. It is the process by which one is joined with the blood of Christ; the process by which one conforms to His death, burial, and resurrection; and the process by which one is joined to the body of Christ. However, when one studies the subject of baptism in detail, one discovers that Jesus Christ Himself was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (Mat. 3:15, NASU). For what purpose did this baptism take place? In order to understand this question it is important to first look at the differences between Christian baptism and the baptism of John.
A challenging problem faced by many people in their lives is the problem of debt. There are many possible causes for debts including: unforseen expenses, uncertain labor markets, fluctuating prices, inflation, and simple mismanagement of money. Certain debts have become such a problem for some that they have sought relief from the government in forgiving those debts.
In the Gospel of Luke we are granted a rare view through the window into the childhood of Jesus Christ. It is after the account of Jesus, as a boy of twelve, being “misplaced” for a time in the Temple that a curious reference is found. Luke describes how, as Jesus continued to grow in the house of His parents in Nazareth, “His mother treasured all these things in her heart” (2:51, NASU). What “things” exactly were treasured by Mary as the child Jesus grew to become a man, “increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (2:52)?