...when Jesus returns, He is not going to leave an ounce of evil or suffering on the earth. He has to deal with all sin, even in its seed form, and end all rebellion against Him–even that of their friends or family. He’s going to make sure we never end up in this mess ever again. That is why we should preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to everyone who will listen. I remind them of Isaiah 63 and tell them, “On that Day, if you’re not covered in the blood of Jesus, He will be covered in yours.” This Kingdom is only good news to those on the right side of the Day of the LORD, for those who have put their faith in what Jesus accomplished for us at Calvary. - Grayson Borders, Gen Z and the Day of the LORD, Youtube link

In Zechariah 14, He’s making war against the nations, splitting a mountain in half, and causing his enemies to flee. In Isaiah 63, He’s covered in the blood of those who opposed Him. This Jesus is not fragile or passive. He doesn’t look like the Suffering Servant or Gentle Shepherd we’re used to. He’s a Warrior, dripping in the blood of His enemies. He looks like Someone actually capable of dealing with the evil and suffering in the earth. - Grayson Borders, Gen Z and the Day of the LORD, Youtube link

Biblical faith, interpreted rightly, is a thoroughly apocalyptic faith. Its entire focus is on the Day when God Almighty comes from heaven in blazing fire in the form of a glorified, resurrected, immortal human to save His people. If that never happens, the Christian faith is not even real. - Joel Richardson

"Beware those teachers who become the hero in all their stories." —John MacArthur

The idea that we could change or alter what God has said in the Old Testament through New Testament interpretation essentially turns God into a kid who makes a promise, and then when held to that promise turns around and says “that’s not what I really meant.“ ~ Josh Kriese

(Day 1) Introduction to the Message of Christ Crucified - Dr. John Harrigan

A youtube playlist with Dr. John Harrigan at Oasis Tabernacle Chruch in Ohio. 

Here are all the audio files on Google Drive. 

The product of a true, growing, gospel-centered nature is often gentleness. - Timothy Keller

“A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.” - Spurgeon

The apostle Paul, in describing the spiritual condition of Gentiles prior to the cross, said they were “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” (Rom. 9:22) and were “excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). This is precisely why the opening up of the Gospel to the Gentiles, as recorded in the New Testament, was such a revolutionary concept for many. This is why Peter and all of the early Jewish believers were so shocked when the Spirit was poured out on Cornelius and his non-Jewish household (see Acts 10–11). Although many of the Jewish believers were doubtful at first, after Peter explained how the Holy Spirit had been given to the whole Gentile household of Cornelius as promised in the new covenant, we are told the skeptics “quieted down and glorified God, saying, ‘Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life’” (Acts 11:18). - Joel Richardson, When a Jew Rules the World, p.52

Yet, according to Deuteronomy, the cycle of rebellion-chastisement-repentance won’t continue forever. The grand finale of this pattern that has defined Jewish history appears to be looming. The burden of being the chosen people is becoming increasingly heavy. Jewish tradition (and I include the Apostolic writings here) has long foreseen a time of Jewish hatred engulfing the world just before the Redemption. Yet, this prediction isn’t the foretelling of a time when God’s strength is restricted. Rather, it is the climax and ultimate expression of God’s covenant faithfulness in this present age. He has fixed Himself to this plan to redeem the world, and He won’t choose another way. Israel will be a holy people. Purified by the fires of calamity and international hatred, the people of Israel will one day direct the procession of nations coming to seek the Lord in Jerusalem.[Isaiah 2:2-4] All of the nations will turn back to their Creator and eternal life will be restored to the planet. - Bill Scofield, The Irrevocable Blessing & Burden of Election

These, [the election promises of Isaiah 49:3-6, Psalm 67:1–3, Romans 9:4–5] in the mind of a first century Jew, make up the blessing of being a chosen people. All these elements mediated the nation’s nearness to God. A nearness that they were ultimately called to invite the nations back to.

Yet, they didn’t always steward the blessing in a way that was honoring to the God of Israel. It is here that we find the paradox that being chosen is both a blessing and a burden. Those things that the other nations can get away with, Israel cannot. Turns out, being in an eternal covenant and having an irrevocable calling from the God of Israel is no walk in the park. Being a holy people and stewards of the holy things compels holy behavior. That is, it requires behavior that is different and unique to the way the rest of the nations function. The uniqueness of the God of Israel from the gods of the nations should be reflected in Israel’s uniqueness from the nations around them. The way that the nations behave has never been an acceptable path for the Jewish people. It is a heavy calling and there is no opt-out option for the Jew. Again, it is irrevocable. - Bill Scofield, The Irrevocable Blessing & Burden of Election

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18). 

I believe Jesus is simply saying that he has been entrusted with judging the living and the dead on the last day (cf. John 5:22–27; Acts 10:42; 2 Tim. 4:1). Until that day, his followers are called to disciple the Gentiles into the Jewish narrative (Matt. 28:19a), warning them of the impending day of judgment and baptizing them as a confirmation of their forgiveness and salvation from the wrath to come (Matt. 28:19b). The complete lack of reference to the day of the Lord in modern commentaries concerning Matt. 28:18 is simply astonishing... Such is the product of realized eschatology. -John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.319

Muhammad, Plato, and Caesar Walk into a Bar • TABLE TALKS EP. 4

John P. Harrigan on Emmaus Table Talks Podcast. 

God’s response to the rebellion at Shinar, unlike the flood, was not the destruction of the rebels. It was a plan for their redemption. It began with a dispersion, a universal diaspora. By confusing their languages, the story portrays God dividing them into family groups—later called nations. In the language of Deuteronomy 32:8, God, ‘separated the sons of men’ and ‘set boundaries’ for them here. Here God separated them from one another, but more significantly for the larger story of God’s redemptive plan, from Himself. That is, the story recounts the ‘disinheritance’ of the nations which dramatically affected the Creator’s direct involvement with these families. - Bill Scofield, The Irrevocable Blessing & Burden of Election

Real events evoke real participatory faith. Unfortunately, various delusions throughout history (particularly Hellenistic and naturalistic) have robbed people of the reality of redemptive history. When our narrative of life is distorted, the gravity of sin is lifted. When faith is uprooted from its historical context and bound in an unholy union to theological and ideological abstractions, the human heart quickly disengages. Rather, God calls us to truly trust him in light of a real history of human sin, its real consequences, and the real day when humanity will be judged. In life’s volatile situations, we call to others, “Trust me, and I will lead you through this!” Similarly, our faith and trust are in God, who calls to us, “Trust me, that when my Son comes and consumes the heavens and earth in fire, I will pass over you on the basis of faith in his blood!” We have real historical events—creation, the covenants, the cross, and the day of the Lord—in which our hearts can trust and engage.  -John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.234

Since God and Messiah are united in their work, the “Spirit of God” and the “Spirit of Christ” (Rom. 8:9) are one and the same (cf. Eph. 4:3–5). Those who know Messiah, know God, and vice versa (cf. John 8:19; 12:44– 50; 14:7–11). And those who follow Messiah, follow God, and vice versa (cf. Matt. 10:32–33; 16:23–27). So those who become disciples by repenting at the preaching of the day of the Lord (cf. Matt. 28:18) are commanded to be baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (v. 19)—the Father will judge and restore creation through his Son by the power of his Spirit. -John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.123

My teaching on the Parable of the Sower from Luke 8. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

Now it will come about that

In the last days

The mountain of the house of the Lord

Will be established as the chief of the mountains,

And will be raised above the hills;

And all the nations will stream to it.

And many peoples will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

To the house of the God of Jacob;

That He may teach us concerning His ways

And that we may walk in His paths.”

For the law will go forth from Zion

And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

(Isaiah 2:2–3)

Image via Joel Richardson

In marriage, do for your spouse what God did for you in Jesus, and the rest will follow. - Timothy Keller

As someone who lives in the world of Bible interpretation, I wrestle a lot with the most streamlined way to explain how we should approach the text of Scripture. "Literal" is OK in some contexts, but it will get you into trouble in others, and literalism as an overriding principle tends to produce simplistic fundamentalism.

Thus, I continually land on "historical-grammatical" as the best approach. What did this mean in its historical context, taking into account different genres (e.g., prophecy, poetry, historical narrative, etc.) and what do the words mean? This allows for a degree of literalism when necessary, but also the flexibility to incorporate metaphors and symbols, without resorting to complete spiritualizing, allegorizing, etc. - Travis M Snow

For those interested in such matters --

Supersessionists use Joshua 21.43-45 to argue that Israel's Land promises were totally fulfilled at this point in the Biblical narrative, and are thus no longer pertinent with reference to any future fulfillment.

Yet at the end of Joshua's life, in 23.5, he charges "all Israel" to continue on with their efforts to "possess their land, just as the LORD your God has promised you."

There are many other reasons to see Israel's Land promises as ongoing (once we take in the rest of the Biblical narrative with its variegated prophecies and teachings), but even in Joshua's day, the statement could be made that "not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed," (21.45) though the outworking of full-orbed covenant fulfillment would take place at God's appointed time. In chapter 21, Covenant fulfillment HAD taken place, but there was more to come.

Many previous and subsequent passages establish the significance and centrality of the Land promised to Abraham (expanded land inheritance in light of Rom. 4.13 doesn't negate the original and specific boundaries, nor the national distinction, by the way) -- written by Psalmists, Prophets/Scribes, NT authors, etc. This underscores the fact that we need to labor to obtain a well-rounded Biblical Theology (taking the whole sweep of Scripture in view), and that we need to understand the Biblical language of "fulfillment" more robustly. - BA Purtle

Eschatology drives discipleship. If we want to have a discipleship response as we see in the New Testament, we have to preach the same vision of the future that Jesus preached: a vision that revolves around the Day of the LORD. This vision informs our vision of what God is doing, it strengthens us through trials, it informs how we ought to live in light of our destiny, and it motivates us to self-denial with that end in mind. - John Harrigan, Eschatology Drives Discipleship

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

Jesus taught His followers to pray for the very thing the prophets foretold: the coming of God’s kingdom on earth. 

Jesus did not teach about a coming escape from the earth, but the heavenly invasion of it. 

Not merely an invisible reign in the hearts of believers, but the full execution of God’s will, justice, righteousness, and peace, within all of creation itself.

This prayer is apocalyptic. It longs for the day when the Messiah will sit on David’s throne, judge the nations, and restore all things (Isaiah 9:6–7; Acts 3:21).

Jesus never contradicts biblical, Jewish expectations; He confirms them. -Joel Richardson 

So what did “the church” look like, in practical terms? What set apart the Jewish disciples of Jesus in Jerusalem to distinguish them from the rest of the Jewish people?  “The Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved”. What made “their number” distinct enough from the rest of the people that they might be recognized as a social unit that could be joined? It wasn’t the venue. They assembled in the Temple. It wasn’t their unique spirit-filled worship services; the worship services were liturgical functions led by the Levitical class. The thing that set the earliest church apart from the rest of the Jewish people was their table. They hosted meals for an exclusive table fellowship. - DT Lancaster, The Sacred Fellowship Meal

The presence of hope in the invincible sovereignty of God drives out fear. ~ John Piper

Ritualists may glory in their fourth century doctrines, their fathers, their councils, and their ancient customs; the Bible is primitive enough for us, the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is venerable enough for us; we are content with him and want no more. - Spurgeon

Theology 101: Nobody in the apostolic and post-apostolic early church ever had to wonder when the next communion Sunday would be. Every Sunday in the early church was communion Sunday. - Dr. Micheal Svigel

When a serpent comes across your path speaking lies, you should run from it or kill it. You shouldn’t sit around for a friendly chat. ~ Dr. Ed Welch, "Addictions"

On the last day, when God opens the books of history and charges each and every human being with the crimes they committed while in the body, only those whose names are written in the book of life (by faith in God’s sacrifice on their behalf) will be acquitted. Those without faith in Christ crucified will bear their own sin, and thus they will be thrown into the lake of fire. Then the acquitted will inherit eternal life and will be rewarded according to their righteous deeds. But all of the righteous deeds of the guilty will be for naught, since they will be disqualified. - John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified

Since the majority of Paul’s discussions concerning the cross assume an eschatological context, those who embrace the realization of eschatology in this age logically place Paul’s thought in the context of ecclesiology in this age. Those who hold more closely to a future realization/judgment tend to interpret Paul’s thought along more traditional lines. - John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified

Over time, the theology of the Reformation was codified and dogmatized many times over in various forms, providing a defined platform for Protestant missions and evangelism for the next four hundred years. As historical and archaeological evidence began to mount in the early twentieth century, however, Protestants began to grapple with the Jewish background of the gospel. With the rediscovery of apocalyptic eschatology (Schweitzer et al.) and the proposal of its “realization” at the first coming of Jesus (Dodd et al.), the centrality of the cross began to veer. As inaugurationalism (whether full or partial) came into vogue, many of the traditional categories for interpreting the cross began to be redefined. - John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified

Therefore, the ideal reader of Matthew’s Gospel (i.e., the one familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures) would have been prepared by the time he reached 24:34 to expect η γενεά αυτη ("this generation") to be a reference to the people of Israel viewed collectively (i.e., in corporate solidarity) as unfaithful to their God. This expectation will be demonstrated by examining some of the Old Testament (OT) passages quoted or alluded to by Matthew in his story concerning Jesus to show the presence of this new exodus motif. - Ryan E. Meyer, 'This Generation' in Matthew 24:34

"Genea" [generation] is used in a qualitative sense, not a temporal sense. - Ryan E. Meyer, 

"This Generation" in Matthew 24:34, pdf

Theology 101: Christian leaders must learn to think 4-dimensionally—not only being aware of what’s going on around them but also understanding how it got this way (the past) and where it’s going (the future). - Dr. Micheal Svigel

Realized (kingdom now) eschatology turns the normative Christian walk of embracing the cross, dying to self, patiently enduring, and awaiting our Blessed hope into trying to "manifest" alleged mystical, invisible realities. I rightly refer to it as Gnosticism. It bears a far greater resemblance to the larger worldview of pagan Greek philosophy than to the worldview described in the Bible. -Joel Richardson 

"They have seen Your procession, O God,

The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.

The singers went on, the musicians after them,

In the midst of the maidens beating tambourines."

(Psalm 68:24–25)

Image via Joel Richardson

A large swath of fruitful pastoral ministry is made up of 1) selflessly listening to struggling believers, 2) reminding them of what the Scriptures teach, and 3) praying for the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

The people of God don’t need gurus. They need fathers. - BA Purtle

A covenant that is not explicitly stated but implicitly assumed or hypothetically deduced is by definition not a covenant. ~ Daniel Chammas

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise (Galatians 3:29). 

This means that Gentiles, through faith in Christ, are grafted into the covenantal blessings of Israel. But this inclusion does not nullify the original promises to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, it reveals the Messiah as the hinge upon which those promises swing open to the nations.  - Joel Richardson, Abraham Covenant, Paul, and Galatians 3:16

“They like the Bible least who know it least, and they love it most who read it most.” — Charles Spurgeon

It appears too good to be so.

Forgiveness.

Reconciliation.

Justification.

Adoption.

Communion.

Sanctification.

Future glory.

Balm for a war-torn world.

Everlasting joy.

But it's no fable. It's true- For Christ died, arose, ascended, and is soon to appear.

All hail King Jesus. - BA Purtle

The true test of a man’s spirituality is not his ability to speak, as we are apt to think, but rather his ability to bridle his tongue. ~ Kent Hughes

"In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them. It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem" (Zechariah 12:8-9).

"Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east" (Zech. 14:3-4a).

I see people saying that Jerusalem is the wicked, end-time "Babylon." This is a dangerous teaching that can fuel the already burgeoning antipathy against Jewish people. Consider:

1. God's intention is not to leave the Jews scattered forever, but to regather them.

2. God's intention is indeed to gather the nations against Jerusalem, but in order that He might judge those nations.

3. God's ultimate intention for the City is to make it the capital and jewel of His Kingdom, and not to leave it an eternally barren waste.

To assert otherwise comes from failing to receive the Scriptures as literally true, and from ignoring the oaths that God Himself swore. It requires more cleverness than human beings possess to transform what God has said throughout the prophets into a soup of symbolism and allegories. There are numerous Scriptures to prove the truth of this, but just to focus on one small element:

Christians are commonly taught that when Jesus returns, He will be returning to the Mount of Olives. But what will He be doing when He arrives there? - Nic Uva

Theology 101: Jesus is hope incarnate. When we grieve, we find strength in him. When we lose heart, we long for his coming. At the center of Christian hope stands not a promise, not a principle, not even a prophecy, but a Person—the Lord Jesus Christ. - Dr. Micheal Svigel

My teaching on Jesus's anointing by the sinful woman in Luke 7. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

To those I'm discipling in our local church, I recommend a prayer list made up of the kinds of things they will be glad to have consistently prayed for once they reach the end of their lives. Or to put it another way --- a list of those things or people they'd be ashamed to have neglected in prayer when they stand before God.

Here's a summary of mine:

(PERSONAL)

1. My own remembrance of the Gospel.

2. My personal growth in godliness in every sphere of responsibility (as a disciple, husband, father, grandfather, steward, neighbor, elder, etc.).

3. Power, character, and spiritual gifts to minister effectively.

(FAMILY)

4. My wife's flourishing.

5. The salvation and blessing of God upon my children and grandchildren.

6. Extended family.

(CHURCH)

7. The health and flourishing of my local church/fellow elders and their families, members, other leaders, missional communities, etc.

8. Other churches/ministers I'm in relationship with.

(GREAT COMMISSION/GOSPEL ADVANCE)

9. Salvation of specific neighbors, acquaintances, and for fruit in ongoing Gospel conversations

10. For my city and nation (governmental leaders, citizens, and churches)

11. For the salvation of the lost sheep of the house of Israel - through evangelism now and through the return of the Lord.

12. Mt. 9.37-38 - For Gospel advance among unreached/unengaged peoples.

Your prayer life shouldn't be confined to a list, but it can be helped by one. That has certainly been the case for me. Frankly, some of the things on my list I might forget to bring regularly before God if I didn't have them written down. I have the list posted in the front of my primary reading/studying Bible and turn to it morning by morning. 

I recommend something like this. Obviously, you don't have to do it just like I do -- however suits you best.

But a good number of our people have testified to this simple approach and how it's been helpful to them. If your prayer life has been inconsistent, or you've been neglecting specific focuses of petition that you know ought to be regular petitions, how about making a list? It's a simple and practical step towards a more focused prayer life.

Use it consistently, while asking the Holy Spirit to deepen and widen your devotion and enjoyment of prayer.

Remember, saints: The Father delights in the prayers and supplications of His people. "The righteous cry out and the Lord hears."

-BA Purtle 

    Psalm 118: 22 The stone that the builders rejected

        has become the cornerstone.

Jesus could not fulfill Psalm 118 at his first coming because he had not previously been rejected. It must find its fulfillment in the second coming.

They haven't seen the last of Him. 

 - Chad Brewer, Psalm 118 and the Triumphal Entry

A gentle reminder that from the beginning, belief in the return of Jesus has been one of the most essential doctrines of the historical Christian faith. His return has always been the blessed hope of the Church. Believing in the return of Jesus is not some unique Dispensationalist idea—it's basic Christianity.  - Joel Richardson

If Jesus is just a dead man, wager on any religion or philosophy you want. But if Jesus rose from the dead, all bets are off. - Dr. Micheal Svigel

However, we will see that his [Ireneaus's] eschatological perspective may be described as premillennial and futurist, as he believes in a seven-year tribulation period at the end of the age, climaxing in the return of Christ as king, the resurrection of a righteous as well as the remnant of mortal survivors of the Antichrist’s reign left to repopulate the earth, followed by a thousand-year intermediate kingdom, and concluded with the resurrection of the wicked and ushering in of the eternal renewed creation.  - Dr. Micheal Svigel, Fathers on the Future, Go Deeper Excurses