Sound eschatology produces hope grounded in reality, discernment of the times, and sobriety in the Church for holiness and gospel mission. 

Poor eschatology produces false hopes, confusion-laden thoughts of history, and distraction from that which is uppermost in biblical priority. -BA Purtle 

Perhaps...Jesus did think that God's Torah (that is, Leviticus and Deuteronomy) was an outdated set of taboos, but we have no evidence that he did, and, in the behavior of the later church, we actually have counterevidence.... On the evidence of Paul's letters, the Gospels, and Acts, these apostles chose to live in Jerusalem, worship in the Temple, and keep the festivals, the Sabbath, and the food laws. Could they really have understood nothing? - Paul Fredriksen, "What you See", p.89

Yahweh must be faithful to the promises he made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;  

he must protect his reputation in Egypt;

and he must hold fast his heritage,

the people he redeemed through his mighty acts. -Dr. Jim Hamilton

“He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42)  

“Jesus has a lawsuit with the world. His witnesses include John the Baptist, the Scriptures, the words and works of Christ, and later the witness of the apostles and the Holy Spirit.”  - Allison A. Trites

Far from a “complex background” of expectations concerning the kingdom of God, the New Testament shows almost no signs of confusion concerning its basic nature. No one questioned what kingdom John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness, nor did they question Jesus when he was “teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 4:23). None of the disciples asked Jesus what the kingdom entailed when he sent them out preaching, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 10:7), because it was commonly assumed to coincide with “the day of judgment” (v. 15), salvation (v. 22), the coming of the Messiah (v. 23), Gehenna (v. 28), and eternal life (v. 39). -John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified, pp.145-146

Projected to its eschatological culmination, the Messiah/Christ is the one appointed and anointed by God to execute the day of the Lord, raise the dead, judge the wicked, reward the righteous, etc. Thus Peter summarizes the apostolic commissioning: “[God] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that [Jesus] is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42). Paul likewise concludes redemptive history in his preaching to the Athenians: “[God] has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed ” (Acts 17:31, csb).  -John P. Harrigan, Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.121

Unfortunately, at a popular level the term “Christ” often means little more than a sort of last name for Jesus. His proper name was “Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth” (John 1:45, nrsv; cf. Matt. 26:71; Luke 24:19; John 19:19). When his followers ascribed to him the name “Jesus Christ,” or “Jesus the Messiah” (Matt. 1:1, 18; Mark 1:1, nlt), they had in mind a whole host of ideas that are often absent from the consciousness of the modern church. - John P. Harrigan, Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.344

“We have seen that it is characteristic of New Testament Christology that Christ is connected with the total history of revelation and salvation, beginning with creation. There can be no Heilsgeschichte (salvation history) without Christology; no Christology without a Heilsgeschichte which unfolds in time. Christology is the doctrine of an ‘event,’ not a doctrine of natures” -Oscar Cullmann

My teaching on Acts 17 for the Easter morning message. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

Our Disobedience and God’s Mercy: Romans 11:28–32

Theology 101: If Jesus is fully divine, you can hardly read a page of the Old Testament without learning something about him. - Dr. Michael Svigel

At the heart of all Christian discipleship lies this forsaking of all (i.e. Luke 14) for the sake of following and witnessing to Jesus unto death. -John P. Harrigan

If all you sing is songs about the struggle, don't be surprised if you're always thinking about the struggle. - Nick Uva

Theology 101: If you refer to the front of your sanctuary as the “stage,” to the worship service as the “production,” and to the congregation as the “audience,” you need to step back, read Scripture, study church history, then rethink your whole approach to church. - Dr. Michael Svigel

...when [God's appointed King] is sitting on the throne of his kingdom, then he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll before the Levitical priests...

He shall read it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to revere Yahweh your God...

- Deuteronomy 17

-Via Joshua Reese

The only proper way to seek exaltation is to postpone it till death. And for a mere 80 years or so to go low.

“The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:11–12

- John Piper

The biblical doctrine of the New Earth is so encouraging.

Every time I'm tempted to think I'm not getting something I want out of this life, or that I'm being let down by the world, in big ways and small, I'm reminded that God promises me a world of perfection where I will experience all the best things and none of the worst things, for eternity.

Though technically it is called "the New Heavens and New Earth," I prefer just the New Earth because many people have the mistaken idea that eternal life means floating in the clouds in some ethereal heaven forever.

In reality, it promises that this earth will be freed from corruption and decay and fully renewed like a newborn child, and that is where we will live in resurrection bodies with God.

So it is "new" in terms of its upgraded quality, but not "new" in the sense that it is a completely different earth than the one we inhabit today. God's creation of the earth in Genesis 1 was of eternal, eschatological significance, and He never gives up on it or completely destroys it. He only refines, purifies, and renews it for us. - Travis M Snow

It takes TIME to become a man of prayer.

It takes TIME to know the Scriptures.

It takes TIME to raise children, make disciples, and build up local churches.

You're going to have to ditch distractions and probably a hobby or two. Settle it in your heart, then plan accordingly. - BA Purtle

You are just as spiritual as you want to be.

It isn’t God’s problem. It isn’t your environment. It isn’t the church and the backslidden deacons. You read the same Book that Wesley read. You have the same access to the Father. You have the same Holy Ghost to bear witness. - Leonard Ravenhill

“Let others argue over the details of government or reform; I shall preach Christ crucified, for this is the only cure." - Spurgeon

"The preacher must not be a mere echo of the people’s whims, nor a trumpet for the day’s excitements. He is a herald of the King eternal, and his message must not bend to the shifting winds of public clamor." - Spurgeon

In this way, the day of the Lord is also the primary unifying reality of the Scriptures. The Tanakh and New Testament speak the same message because they end in the same event. Consequently they hold to “the same hope” (Acts 24:15, niv). They look forward to the same “new heavens and new earth.” They believe in the same “resurrection of the dead.” They expect the same “glory,” the same “salvation,” the same “inheritance,” the same “kingdom,” etc. The New Testament simply asserts that the Messiah had to suffer before entering his eschatological glory (cf. Luke 24:26; Acts 17:3; 1 Peter 1:11), bearing sin before bringing salvation (cf. Acts 3:18–21; Heb. 9:28), being set forward as a propitiation before the day of wrath (cf. Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2), providing justification in anticipation of the day of judgment (cf. Rom. 5:9; Titus 3:7), and offering redemption in light of the day of recompense (cf. Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14). - John P. Harrigan

Peter— “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

Do not fear pietism such that you neglect pursuing piety. - BA Purtle

The idea that Jesus somehow changed, reinterpreted, or spiritually realized the hope of the Jewish messianic kingdom is a grave misunderstanding. Along with the day of the Lord, the resurrection of the dead, and messianic expectations, the cross did not change the hope of the kingdom of God. Rather, it only amplified the first-century Jewish apocalyptic expectations. Concerning our “entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:11), “we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed” (v. 19). -John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified, pp.4-5

No man can minister healthily or biblically unless his soul is at rest in the finished work of Christ. Are you resting in your accomplishments, your gifting, or your reputation? They are all false and dubious agents of rest. Abandon them now for the superior rest of Gospel Sonship. - BA Purtle

In this way, the day of the Lord is also the primary unifying reality of the Scriptures. The Tanakh and New Testament speak the same message because they end in the same event. Consequently they hold to “the same hope” (Acts 24:15, niv). They look forward to the same “new heavens and new earth.” They believe in the same “resurrection of the dead.” They expect the same “glory,” the same “salvation,” the same “inheritance,” the same “kingdom,” etc. The New Testament simply asserts that the Messiah had to suffer before entering his eschatological glory (cf. Luke 24:26; Acts 17:3; 1 Peter 1:11), bearing sin before bringing salvation (cf. Acts 3:18–21; Heb. 9:28), being set forward as a propitiation before the day of wrath (cf. Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2), providing justification in anticipation of the day of judgment (cf. Rom. 5:9; Titus 3:7), and offering redemption in light of the day of recompense (cf. Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14). - John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified

In this light, the Scriptures are a progressively apocalyptic revelation from God concerning the culmination of history in the day of the Lord, which exorcises sin and death from the heavens and from the earth, restoring to creation its original glory. As such, the Bible is also theologically symmetrical—as it begins in Genesis, so it concludes in Revelation. In the beginning there is the creation of all things by the hand of God, the planting of the garden of Eden with the tree of life, the marriage of Adam and Eve, the victory of Satan through human sin, and the subsequent entrance of death and suffering. In the end, however, there is the new creation of God, the restoration of Eden and the tree of life, the marriage of Jesus (the “last Adam”) and his bride (the redeemed), the overcoming of Satan through the final judgment upon human sin, and the subsequent eradication of death and suffering. The Judeo-Christian faith is set within this broad structure. Protology and eschatology are not parts or aspects of biblical theology; they are, rather, the framework within which all theology is understood. - John P. Harrigan

The order of death under which humanity now languishes will be dramatically overthrown in an event inaugurated by the day of the Lord called “the resurrection of the dead” (Matt. 22:31; Acts 23:6; 1 Cor. 15:21, 42; Heb. 6:2). Lying at the heart of the new creation model, this event will be the ultimate creative miracle of God—“in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet” (1 Cor. 15:52)—instantaneously reversing mankind’s existential train wreck. Indeed, “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” (1 Cor. 15:54). Death is neither normal nor natural. The heart of the Jewish apocalyptic hope is a new heavens and new earth, inaugurated by the day of God, when death itself is overcome and “swallowed up.” - John P. Harrigan

As good creational monotheists, mainline Jews were not hoping to escape from the present universe into some Platonic realm of eternal bliss enjoyed by disembodied souls after the end of the space-time universe. If they died in the fight for the restoration of Israel, they hoped not to “go to heaven,” or at least not permanently, but to be raised to new bodies when the kingdom came, since they would of course need new bodies to enjoy the very much this-worldly shalom, peace and prosperity that was in store. - NT Wright

My teaching on Jesus raising the dead young man in Nain from Luke 7. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2.