Defeating Goliath
Ben Janssen
The taunts of the giant Goliath brought paralyzing fear upon Saul and the armies of Israel. But David’s confidence in God made him fearless before the enemy. Though we are often tempted to despair, we have a Hero like David who shows us the power of a steadfast confidence in God.
The Blessing of Believing
Ben Janssen
Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection in order to complete the creation of his new community. He then sent them out, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to bring others into the joy of believing in Jesus. Through the witness of the resurrection, Jesus shows up to convert even the hardest skeptics and to […]
Judases Among Us
Ben Janssen
Lurking within the circle of Jesus’s own disciples was a traitor named Judas Iscariot. Jesus not only knew this–he deliberately chose to include Judas into his community. And just as Jesus so graciously appealed to Judas’s treacherous heart, Jesus requires his church today to combat such treachery in our midst with a grace that, if […]
Saved or Judged by the Word
Ben Janssen
While it appears that Christianity has been a great success, winning a following from devotees from all over the world, what can we say about the majority of people who are still unconvinced? Unbelief in the Christian gospel is no argument against its truthfulness. Instead, we find in the Christian gospel an understanding of why […]
Sight for the Blind
Ben Janssen
The man whom Jesus had cured of blindness was publicly shunned and disgraced by the Pharisees for his commitment to Jesus. But Jesus returns to bring the man an even greater miracle than the recovery of his physical sight. Jesus calls the man to trust in him, leading the man to be cured of his […]