My teaching on the meeting in the hill country and Mary's Magnificat from Luke 1. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

Movements come and go, some of them helpful, some not so much. But the Christian’s role in the world remains:

1. Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ

2. Help others in and outside of the church to do the same

Keep to these, and you will bear fruit until the end.

-BA Purtle

I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.  

Matthew 8:11

The bad news is that we have sinned and cannot save ourselves from the wrath we deserve.The Good News has nothing to do with what you have done, what you can do, or what you will do.

It has everything to do with who Christ is, what He has done, and what He will do. “Hear Him!” 

-BA Purtle

NT: 

Paul instructed the gentiles wanting to turn to God that they must:

Love neighbor as themselves (Lev 19:18)

Not commit sexual immorality (Lev 18)

Not use idols (Ex 20:4)

Not murder (Ex 20:13)

Not steal (Ex 20:15)

Not to lie (Ex 20:16)

Not envy (Ex 20:17)

Christian tradition: Paul left Judaism and taught Gentiles a brand new religion and way of life.

-Bill Scofield

The beauty of our life is “hidden” in Christ even from us—it will be fully manifested at His return.  -Mike Bickle

When YHWH had separated Israel from the nations, he purposed to separate Israel from the sinfulness of the nations...so that, eventually, as a royal priesthood, Israel might serve as a mediator between holy YHWH and the unclean nations. -L. Michael Morales

Do you know how valuable worship is? If you don’t know let me tell you in a sentence: worship is so valuable the devil said, “If you’ll just kneel down once...” (Matt. 4:9). You see, as soon as you kneel you acknowledge the other person's superiority. - Leonard Ravenhill

You don’t embrace the discipline of God. You endure the discipline and embrace the promise. Hebrews 12:2, 11:13 - Bob Sorge

I don’t have time or energy to go digging for and criticizing every ill in the global Church. I have more than enough to tend to in my own local church and too many of my own sins to mortify. (cf. 1 Thess. 4:11)  - BA Purtle

Theology 101: Without the redemption of our bodies through resurrection, death would forever be the victor and corruption its eternal sting. - Dr. Michael Svigel

If you love anything in this world more than God, you will crush that object under the weight of your expectations. - Timothy Keller

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 51:11)  

¡MARANATHA! 

Messiah reigning on David's throne in Jerusalem, with twelve more thrones set up for the leaders of Israel's regathered twelve tribes. The resurrection of the dead. Gentiles flowing up to Zion to hear the God of Israel's instruction. This is what the Bible calls "eternal life". - Joshua Hawkins

Paul goes on to encapsulate his argument in [1 Corinthians] 2:12: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” The Spirit is given so that we might understand God’s purpose for (and our enrichment from) the death of the Messiah. The Spirit takes something that is senseless to the world and makes it ultimately purposeful and significant to the believer. Without the apocalyptic framework, however, this logic breaks down into mystical abstraction. The cross simply reveals divine attributes or moral principles. Indeed, the attributes of divine nature are revealed by means of the Spirit illuminating the cross, but those attributes are bound to redemptive history apocalyptically understood. The nature of God is known in the cross only in light of the day of God. For this reason, the debaters of this age and the rulers of this age walk about in ignorance and blindness concerning both Creator and creation. - John P. Harrigan

A deeply rooted tree bears lasting fruit. Fruit is the goal of roots. Yes, study the Bible, learn as much as possible. But realize that the labor to go deep is regrettable if others don't actually hear the message, obey Jesus, and endure until the end as a result. - Joshua Hawkins

In Titus 3, we read: 

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (vv. 4–7) 

This passage seems to be something of a theological synopsis for Paul, since he follows with: “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things” (v. 8). Here again justification is set in light of becoming an heir of eternal life. This inheritance is presumably apocalyptic, associated with “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2:13). The Parousia thus is the defining event within which Paul theologizes about the first appearance of the Messiah, “our Savior” (vv. 4, 6). In this way, we are saved from the wrath and judgment associated with the Parousia by means of the cross. Paul’s understanding of the death of the Messiah as the agency of divine justification and acquittal fits well within a Jewish apocalyptic view of the Parousia. The claim often made that Paul was realizing or redefining his eschatological expectations in his use of “justification” seems unfounded.   

...Paul understood the death of the Messiah as the sacrificial means by which Israel’s God had chosen to reconcile humanity to himself, and this death was understood primarily in context to Jewish eschatology. Divine wrath, judgment, and recompense are coming on the last day. The death of the Messiah propitiates this wrath, justifies the guilty, and pays their debt. In this way, Paul’s presupposed Jewish apocalyptic worldview remains fundamentally unchanged as he theologizes about the crucifixion of God’s Messiah. -John P. Harrigan

The Messiah at God’s right hand making intercession is an allusion to Psalm 110, which is understood apocalyptically elsewhere in the New Testament (cf. Acts 2:34f.; Heb. 10:12f.; 1 Peter 3:22). Thus, the Messiah is presently at the right hand of God waiting to make his enemies his footstool (Ps. 110:1), interceding as a priest in the order of Melchizedek (v. 4), and soon returning “on the day of his wrath” (v. 5) to shatter kings and “execute judgment among the nations” (v. 6). This eschatological judgment seems to be in view when Paul asks, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” (Rom. 8:33). His answer is terse, “It is God who justifies” The death of the Messiah (“Christ Jesus is the one who died,” v. 34) is understood in view of the eschatological judgment and restoration, an acquittal of the charges inherent to the eschatological courtroom. Paul’s primary concern, however, is not in detailing these events, but rather discipleship and a perseverant response to the death of the Messiah in light of such an apocalyptic hope. -John P. Harrigan

My teaching from Luke 1 on the birth of Jesus foretold. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

One way you can test your spirituality is how much you rejoice when you’re ignored; when they leave you out — and you’re eligible and you should be in it, but they leave you out. - Leonard Ravenhill

"Remember, you are not sent to whiten tombs, but to open them." - Spurgeon to preachers

“The Lord will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart” (1 Corinthians 4:5).  

Before you sin in “secret” ponder this. There is no “secret.” - John Piper

“Everything about everybody will be exposed on judgment day.” —J.I. Packer

Theology 101: The ascension of Christ is a cliffhanger, not the series finale.  - Dr. Michael Svigel

My teaching on participation during Communion. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

‘Glory’ was a characteristic theme in apocalyptic thought where it was closely associated with heavenly existence as it is also in Paul’s writings. The future manifestation in glory predicted here (Col 3:4) for the believer has particular reference to his sharing Christ’s likeness (cf. 1 John 3:2, ‘we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is’), and to receiving the glorious resurrection body. - O'Brien

...in the same way the New Jerusalem serves to stir our hearts for the life of the new earth, so the description of the Tabernacle is meant to convey the blessed lot of the redeemed who will find themselves abundantly satisfied with the fatness of God's house.  - L. Michael Morales 

Believer, in the age to come you will be without envy, rejoicing to see your brothers and sisters receive eternal rewards for their good works. Don’t stifle your joy in this age by being envious when other saints flourish. Rejoice with them now, and you too will be rewarded then. - BA Purtle

There are many things men wish to know and wish to be known for knowing.

Nothing compares to knowing God through Jesus. There are many things that men wish to be known for, and many men they wish to be known by.  

Nothing is greater than being known by God through Jesus.

-BA Purtle

Theology 101: By resurrecting our bodies, God will declare, “Death, where is your victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55). In that moment, “Death is swallowed up” (15:54). Once and for all, God will demonstrate that Satan’s attempt to ruin everything was an epic failure. -Dr. Michael Svigel

Jesus washed feet with His hands, but also in His heart. He did no small or menial act of service begrudgingly. Being God, He is the premier example of doing even the most seemingly inferior tasks genuinely and cheerfully, not just outwardly and sanctimoniously. - Derek Kistner