1788 results for tag: Greg Albrecht

Battle About the Bible

By Greg Albrecht— What role does the Bible play in our faith? Is it accurate, for instance, to say that the Bible is infallible? Is it accurate to say that the Bible is holy? You might say, well, of course the Bible is holy—that's what it says right there on the front cover of my Bible. It says "Holy Bible." As we consider the battle about the Bible, we're going to study John 5:39-40. Fasten your seat belts. You may feel that some of your cherished notions about the Bible might be questioned as we examine a few sacred cows in the light of John 5:39-40. You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal ...

How Big Is God?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.    The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and ...

Love Is… And Love Is Not – by Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner Letter from May 2022 Love IS patientLove IS kind.Love is NOT envious.Love does NOT boast.Love is NOT proud.Love is NOT rude.Love is NOT self-seeking.Love is NOT easily angered.Love does NOT keep a record of wrongs.Love does NOT delight in evil, rather it rejoices in truth.Love protects.Love trusts.Love hopes.Love perseveres.Love never fails.—1 Corinthians 13:4-7 The ultimate and sublime demonstration and example of love is the Cross of Christ. There is NO GREATER LOVE than Jesus’ voluntary self-sacrifice for us. When the Cross of Christ was buried in the soil of this earth, Jesus was lifted up (John 12:32). When Jesus ...

“You Can Sit Here…” – Greg Albrecht

It was the first day of school for Forrest Gump.  As he walked down the aisle of the school bus his peers noticed the braces on his legs – on Forrest’s first attempt to take an empty seat, the occupant on the two-person bench seat spread his hands out, saying that seat was “taken.” As I recall this happened several times until finally, near the back of the bus, Forrest paused next to an empty seat, receiving a beautiful smile from a lovely young lady seated by the window.  Her name was Jenny and she welcomed him, saying “you can sit here…”  Jenny became, as those of us who have seen “Forrest Gump” know (in my ...

May 2022

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Articles: Closer Than You Know – pg. 1 Reflecting on Grace – pg. 2 Scared Prayers – pg. 5 Memories & Mercies – pg. 7 Quotes & Connections – pg. 8

Just Fans…Or Members of His Team? by Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner Letter from April 2014 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” – 1 Corinthians 15:54 Death has been swallowed up in victory is our victory song! Choirs in heaven sing praises to Jesus, our risen Lord. Here on earth we also sing praises to Jesus and we joyfully remind each other that he is risen! Resurrection Sunday is the grand finale climactic tribute to Jesus because of his triumphant, all encompassing, once and for all – once for all – victory over death and the ...

Victory Through Christ by Greg Albrecht

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:57 Victory! Unless your favorite sports team just won an important game, victory is not a word in high demand over the past few years. So much in our world previously defined as successful and prosperous has changed over the past few years. Of recent dates, instead of progress and growth we have seen and endured much more chaos and upheaval. So many of the routines of daily life are new or at least modified, completely unlike the world before COVID. Physical life can seem to be running smoothly and efficiently until it doesn’t. We all know, ...

The Ultimate Declaration of God’s Grace

Americans are used to hearing the President of the United States make critically important announcements either from the Oval Office, simply speaking to television cameras, or to a combined, televised session of Congress. And, as they begin their term of office, Presidents give an inaugural address, during which many of them attempt to rally the nation behind their clear vision. In 1865, during the final days of the Civil War, addressing a nation tired of bloodshed, Abraham Lincoln, who would be assassinated only 41 days after this address, said, in part: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives ...

Go to Him Outside the Camp

On what we now call Palm Sunday, almost 2,000 years ago Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a humble donkey. He was welcomed by people who had heard him preach—among whom were the poor, the diseased, the disenfranchised and outcasts, all of whom shouted "Hosanna!" to Jesus (Matthew 21:9, 15). Many Christians think "Hosanna" has always been defined as a joyful worship word. It hasn't. Hosanna means "save us now"— it was a cry of desperation, shouted at Jesus by the crowds as he entered Jerusalem. Most who greeted Jesus with "Hosanna" wanted physical relief from their physical problems and afflictions—but, in addition, there may well have been ...

Who Is It You Are Looking For?

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"—John 20:11-15 The religious lynch-mob convened an illegal trial, declared an innocent man guilty and condemned him to death. Of course, it wasn't the ...

Why Did Jesus Die?

Why did Jesus die?" may seem like an easy question, because the answer seems obvious, doesn't it? Normally, most Christians immediately answer the question something like this: "He died to atone, that is pay for, our sins. As the Lamb of God, he took away the sins of the world, redeeming us from sin through his precious blood. He died that we might die to sin, so that he might live in us, producing his righteousness within us." That answer is true—but it's not the whole story. Much of the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, presents the cross of Christ as a forensic event. That is, God uses the language and word pictures of the ...

Exclamation Point on God’s Love: Greg Albrecht with Brad Jersak

  The following is a transcript of an interview with Brad Jersak by Greg Albrecht on the meaning of the Cross           Greg Albrecht: Hello everyone, this is Greg Albrecht. We're going to remember and discuss our Lord's ultimate sacrifice for us and reflect on his life, death, burial and of course the significance and meaning of his resurrection. Helping us with his insights and observations is Brad Jersak. Brad is Editor of our magazines and a Christ-centered professor, speaker and author.   Brad, in one sense it seems to me that these two events, the crucifixion and the ...

His Kiss by Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner Letter from April 2022 While I had many problems with Bible teaching when I was a teenager (particularly how it was interpreted and administered in the church my parents attended), I remember being in favor of one of Paul’s oft-repeated concluding statements in his letters. “Greet one other with a holy kiss” (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12 and 1 Thessalonians 5:26) sounded like wise advice to me, particularly if the kiss involved an attractive female of my age. But before my “gospel of kissing girls because the Bible commanded it” could ever pick up much traction, a stick-in-the-mud ...

I Fought the Law – Greg Albrecht

In 1966 the Bobby Fuller Four recorded a top ten hit called “I Fought the Law”—here are the lyrics in the first verse: I’m breakin’ rocks in the hot sun I fought the law and the law won. The physical image that breakin’ rocks in the hot sun brings to mind is of the endless, soul destroying labor performed by prison inmates—back in the day, soul destroying labor often included breaking rocks with sledgehammers on the proverbial hard rock pile. Prisoners broke the law and now the law returned the favor. Breaking rocks on the hard rock pile is, of course, an intentionally meaningless exercise— and “meaningless exercise” ...

April 2022

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Brad Jersak: The Cross: God's Eternal Mercy Seat – pg. 2 Laura Urista: Trimming the Roses – pg. 5 Richard Rohr: The Saving Power of the Cross – pg. 6 Greg Albrecht: The Meaning(s) of the Cross – pg. 7

Who Killed Jesus? – Greg Albrecht

It's high noon in Dry Gulch. Two lone figures are walking down the dusty street, getting closer and closer to their inevitable face-off. According to religious interpretations, God the Father is the good guy on the streets of Dry Gulch. God is the Lawman—the quickest and fastest draw ever. Nobody ever gets the drop on God. The bad guy? That would be, according to religion, you and me. God the Lawman has said “enough already.” He has called us out and we are approaching the gates of hell. Our mothers told us if we didn’t change our ways, we would pay a severe penalty. Our pastors and priests warned us about God’s wrath. ...

The Meaning of Life – by Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner Letter from March 2016 In one of my favorite Peanuts cartoon strips, Snoopy the beagle sits on top of his doghouse and forlornly ponders: “Where am I going? What am I doing? What is the meaning of life?”   #1 – we are born, we go to school and then, when we grow up, we hope to get a job. BUT is gaining knowledge and having a job the meaning of life? Teenagers and young adults often feel they will find the meaning of life with someone who will love them forever.   #2 – however, when young people get a little older many get a job, find the love of their life, marry and have children many discover ...

Being In Christ

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.—John 15:12-17 When we consider our relationship with God ...

A Covenant – Not a Contract!

There is probably no other human endeavor quite like marriage—sadly, many of these partnerships that begin with such hope and expectation regularly fail. One of the reasons marriages fail is because many see marriage and the entire relationship through the eyes of a contract rather than through the perspective of a covenant. Marriage, an example of a human covenant, can help us to understand the divine relationship God offers to each of us. He offers us the new covenant in Christ, not the new contract in Christ. It's a covenant, NOT a contract! • A contract is a legally binding agreement between two parties, a business agreement which ...

Going to the Dogs

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly." Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." "Yes it is, Lord," she said. "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." ...