Colossians 1:15-20 gives us one of most intense decriptions of who Jesus is and of what he is doing. Each phrase has been studied very closely, and we are very grateful for all we can learn from this text. Paul’s intensity should be understood against a very specific backdrop of false teaching. His answer becomes even more awesome when read as a correction to some very enticing heresy. We have to

This first of four sermons on Paul’s Letter to the Colossians introduces the letter and Paul’s prayer for the church at Colosse (Colossian 1:1-14). On July 18 we will consider the great hymn of praise to Jesus (1:15-20) and its immediate effect on believers (1:21-27). On July 25 we will explore the consequences of what Jesus has done (1:28-2:23). And finally, on August 1, we will ask how we should

Thursday, June 17, 2010 Summary: God answered our prayers and things were very smooth and sweet today. Details: Shortly after I emailed my blog last evening, I was asked to leave the internet café. There was a party for high school graduates, and they didn’t want Americans around. I hiked back to my room and waited for dinner. Again, dinner tends to be slight and served on smaller plates. Sleep

Pastor James writes - Tuesday, June 14, 2010 Summary: Our second day of class was very smooth and I gained two adult students. Details: I walked back after sending my blog last night and sat in the foyer trying to read. A young woman from our team -- Chelsey -- asked me if I played chess. I said yes, and it took me an hour to lose to her. I made one mistake. She clobbered me. I asked her where

Verses 1After 14 years Paul travels again to Jerusalem. There is a debate as to whether this is an additional 14 years after the first visit to Jerusalem (Galatians 1:18), or this includes the first visit, i.e., 17 years after Paul's conversion in Acts 9 or only 14 years. If the latter, then Paul visits Jerusalem around 47 A.D. prior to the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 and is more in keeping with

Verses 1-5Paul writes his letter to the churches of Galatia: Pisidian Antioch, Iconium Lystra, and Derbe, cf. Acts 16:6ff -- after his first missionary journey to them (47/48 A.D.).False teachers had raised questions as to Paul's credentials: should Paul be identified as an apostle? We read in Matthew 10:2 that Jesus appointed 12 disciples, whom he also named "apostles" (i.e., sent ones) so that they

Monday, June 14, 2010 Summary: First day of class with 6, no make it 8 students. Details: I was up again at 5 AM. I had coffee, wrote in my blog, had some quiet time, cleaned up and walked up to the church where we are teaching our English Bible Camp. We did large group introductions of the American team: “My name is Pastor James and I lead group 4.” We sang two songs and then went to our

Sunday, June 13, 2010 Summary: Church in St. Petersburg, shopping, meetings and more meetings Details: I am up at 5 AM. It is raining this morning. I am glad to have more coffee this morning while I write my blog. At 8 AM we hiked over to the bus stop and retraced our steps via public bus and subway to the center of St. Petersburg. Pastor Lief was our host for the morning. His wife prepared bilini

Saturday, June 12, 2010 Summary: Bus tour, 3 hours in the Hermitage Museum, and an hour and a half team meeting Details: I was awake again by 4 AM. It is hard to sleep when it is this light outside. I really wanted coffee this morning! Michael, my roommate, made it down for coffee and instant oatmeal for breakfast by 6 AM. Michael is an interesting fellow. He is 52 and serves as associate pastor

Friday, June 11, 2010 Summary: Seven hours of class and a hike to the internet café Details: I slept well for 7 hours. Although it was only 4:15 AM, it was already light outside. Fondly remembering Dan and Teri Nestel and our mission trip to Kiev in 2006, I was prepared with Folgers single serving coffee bags. There is filtered water in the kitchen, a Braun hot-pot, and I enjoyed a couple cups

Paul's letter to the Galatians has been referred to as the "Magna Charta of Christian Liberty." Martin Luther declared that the Book of Galatians is "my epistle to which I am betrothed. It is my Katie von Bora (his wife)."Luther's lectures on Galatians fills two volumes. He was very prolific in his exegesis. Below is an excerpt of his dedication (1535) to his lectures:"We have taken it upon ourselves

Today is my daughter's 19th birthday. It is also the eve of her graduation. We were asked, as parents, to write personal letters to our graduates, which they will read after tonight's rehearsal in preparation for tomorrow's ceremony. What to say?I remember the small, fragile and precious life who was so dependent upon us for survival. She had pneumonia in both lungs as an infant, just 8-10 weeks