Moments For You

Matthew 28:19–20 contains what has come to be called the Great Commission. Jesus gave this command to the apostles shortly before He ascended into Heaven, and it essentially outlines what Jesus expected the apostles and those who followed them to do in His absence. It is interesting that, in the... Read more →

The Bible makes it clear that when a person is in a real relationship with God, they will serve God (see Luke 4:8). It’s always been God’s intention to make us like His Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29). When we look at Jesus’ life, there’s no denying that He was a... Read more →

Throughout the last 2000 years Christians have gone to extreme lengths in order to carry out the Great Commission. There are countless examples of Christians who have given up high-paying jobs, sacrificed comfortable lifestyles, and even risked their lives. What could possibly be the motivation behind making such extreme life... Read more →

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Matthew 20:17–28 is an interesting section that is tied together by one theme: Jesus Christ preparing to suffer and lay down His life at Jerusalem. This... Read more →

When you think of the term evangelism, what picture flashes into your mind? A large stadium filled with people? A small booklet with a set of diagrams? A Christian wearing a pin with the symbol of a fish? A zealous believer playing intellectual chess with an atheistic opponent? A salesman... Read more →

In Romans 7:1–6, the marriage relationship is used to illustrate the power of Jesus Christ to change the human heart. “A married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage … you also have... Read more →

One day, a man walked the beach after a storm. Strong tides came in and out. As he strolled the shore, he noticed a little boy grabbing starfish from the sand and feverishly throwing them into the water. The man was intrigued. The beach was littered with starfish. What did... Read more →

Matthew 25:14-30 contains the parable of the talents. In this story, a man is about to go on a long journey to a faraway country. Before he leaves, he calls three of his servants and gives them each a certain number of “talents” (varying amounts of money). While the master... Read more →

People say sometimes that the prayer of our Lord for unity has not been answered and they point to the many different sects and denominations among professed Christians. Of these divisions we very well are ashamed. And yet, despite them all, wherever real Christians get together they enjoy fellowship in... Read more →

Try to put yourself in the mind of one of the eleven apostles on that hill in the first century. Standing on the Mount of Olives they heard the now familiar command, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). Then they watched... Read more →

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11). We started hiking with our children when they were very young. Of course when they’re toddlers, you have to carry them a lot. But as they grew older and got too heavy to carry, they... Read more →

“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same [tuning] fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow” (A. W. Tozer, The... Read more →

When I teach on the Great Commission, I often begin by asking my students, “What is Jesus’ primary emphasis in the Great Commission?” Typically, most students reply, “evangelism.” I then ask them to read the Great Commission from Matthew 28:18–20, after which I ask my question a second time. The... Read more →

“We are looking for volunteers for the _______ ministry.” If you’ve been to church for more than three weeks you’ve likely encountered some sort of announcement asking for help from the church to serve. We understand why: churches have a number of ministries that require volunteers to coordinate service together.... Read more →

On my first day of high school I was six feet tall. When I went to my physical education class the teacher, Mr. Koepp, approached me and introduced himself as the freshman basketball coach. He asked if I had ever played basketball and told me to try out for the... Read more →