Life of Christ

By Al Felder The cross is the greatest picture of love in action. Many people speak of kindness as though it is mainly a feeling—being pleasant, gentle, or friendly. Those qualities matter, but the kindness of Christ goes far deeper. His kindness did not remain in heaven as a thought. It came into the world. It walked among sinners. It served the undeserving. It moved toward the greatest need man has ever had. Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, bu

By Al Felder The world often measures greatness by position, power, recognition, wealth, influence, and control. People want to be noticed, respected, followed, and served. They want the seat of honor. They want their preferences considered first. They want others to adjust around them. Jesus turns that thinking upside down. He said, “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant” (Mark 10:43). Then He pointed to Himself as the perfect example: “For even the

By Al Felder Truth matters. Christians must never act as though truth is optional, flexible, or unimportant. God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). We must identify sin. Error must be corrected. Souls must be warned. The gospel must be taught plainly. Love does not require silence when truth is needed, but we must also face another danger: speaking truth in a way that crushes people. Some people use truth like a hammer when they should use it like a surgeon’s instrument. They are

By Al Felder One of the most beautiful things about the life of Jesus is that He saw people others ignored. He saw the sick when others only saw an interruption. He saw the sinner when others only saw a reputation. He saw the poor when others only saw a burden. He saw children when others thought they were unimportant. He saw the grieving when others did not know what to say. He saw the lonely, the ashamed, the weak, the outcast, and the forgotten. Jesus never treated people

By Al Felder The Golden Rule is often quoted, but one word deserves more attention than it usually receives. Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matthew 7:12). The word is do. Jesus did not merely say, “Think kindly about others.” He did not say, “Feel sympathy for others.” He did not say, “Wish good things for others.” Those attitudes may have their place, but Christ's command goes beyond intention. He says, “do.” The Golden Rule req

By Al Felder Correction is one of the hardest parts of Christian living. Sometimes correction is necessary. Sin must not be ignored. Error must not be treated as truth. Harmful behavior must not be excused. A brother or sister may need help seeing something clearly. A child may need instruction. A friend may need warning. A congregation may need truth spoken plainly. Jesus teaches that correction must begin in a place many people want to skip: self-examination. In Matthew 7:3

By Al Felder Few words of Jesus are quoted more often, and misunderstood more often, than these: “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). Some people use those words to suggest that Christians should never identify sin, never correct error, and never make moral distinctions. However, that cannot be what Jesus meant. In the same chapter, Jesus warns about false prophets and says, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). That requires discernment. Therefor

By Al Felder Sometimes one small word can change the way we understand an entire passage. Matthew 7:12 begins with a word that is easy to rush past: “Therefore.” Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). Many people quote the Golden Rule as though it stands alone. They treat it like a general moral saying: “Be nice to people.” However, Jesus did not give Matthew 7:12 as an isolated prover

By Al Felder Kindness is one of those words people often admire but do not always define carefully. Many think of kindness as a pleasant attitude, a warm smile, or a friendly personality. Those things can be good, but biblical kindness is much deeper. It is not merely something we feel. It is something we do. Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matthew 7:12). That command does not allow kindness to remain still. It gives kindness move

By Al Felder The Golden Rule is easy to understand but hard to live. Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matthew 7:12). Most people agree with that command. Very few would argue against patience, mercy, fairness, respect, and kindness. We all know how we want to be treated. We want people to listen before judging. We want patience when we are slow. We want mercy when we fail. We want kindness when we are hurting. We want forgiveness w

By Al Felder Most people have heard the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. It is simple enough for a child to understand, but deep enough to challenge every Christian for a lifetime. Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). That one sentence reaches into nearly every part of life. It applies at home, at church, at work, in public, online, in conflict, in service, a

By Al Felder Many people think of forgiveness as something simple. If someone is loving, they assume forgiveness should be easy. If God is merciful, they may wonder why sin could not simply be dismissed. Why did forgiveness require the cross? Why did the Son of God have to suffer? Why does Scripture speak so often of blood? Those are not small questions. They reach into the heart of the gospel. The Bible never presents forgiveness as God casually overlooking sin. Forgiveness

By Al Felder John wrote, “And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). That statement reaches to the heart of who Jesus is and why He came. It tells us that the incarnation was not only about God coming near, but about God making His glory known in the Son. But what should we see when we behold His glory? That is an important question, because many people think of glory only in terms of visible brightness, ove

By Al Felder Few truths in Scripture are more sobering and more hope-filled than the return of Jesus Christ. The same Lord who came in humility, lived among men, died for sin, rose in victory, and ascended into heaven will come again. That promise is not a side note in the Christian faith. It is one of the great anchors of the believer’s hope. For the world, the return of Christ will mean judgment, exposure, and the end of false security. But for believers, it means something

By Al Felder Grace is one of the most cherished words in Scripture, but it is also one of the most misunderstood. Many people think of grace only as pardon. They think of it as God overlooking guilt and giving salvation to those who do not deserve it. That is certainly part of grace, and a precious part of it. But grace does more than forgive. Grace teaches. Grace trains. Grace reshapes the daily life of the believer. If grace is understood only as comfort for the conscience,

By Al Felder It is one thing to speak about the Word becoming flesh in Jesus Christ. It is another thing to ask what that truth should produce in those who follow Him. The incarnation is not only something to admire. It is something meant to transform. The Word came into the world in visible form, full of grace and truth. Now those who belong to Christ are called to live in such a way that His character is seen in them. This does not mean that believers become divine, nor doe

By Al Felder Many people often think about the birth of Christ, the ministry of Christ, the cross of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ. All of those deserve deep attention. But another question matters greatly and is sometimes overlooked: What is Jesus doing now in heaven? The answer is not that He has simply finished His work and withdrawn into inactivity. The risen Christ is not absent in the sense of being uninvolved. He is alive, exalted, reigning, interceding, and s

By Al Felder The empty tomb is one of the simplest facts in the gospel record, yet it carries some of the deepest meaning in all of Scripture. The stone was rolled away. The grave clothes were left behind. The body of Jesus was not there. That is not a small detail in the Christian message. It is one of the great declarations of heaven. Many people speak of the empty tomb as a moving symbol of hope, and it certainly is that. But it is more than a symbol. It proves something.

By Al Felder If Jesus died and remained in the grave, then the cross would be only a tragic ending. It might stir emotion. It might inspire sympathy. It might even leave behind the memory of a righteous sufferer. But it would not save. It would not conquer death. It would not secure hope. The resurrection is what changes everything. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not an added detail to the gospel. It is at the very center of it. It is the Father’s public declaration that

By Al Felder When John the Baptist saw Jesus and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), he was not using a random religious image. He was identifying Jesus with one of the deepest themes running through all of Scripture. From the earliest sacrifices to the Passover in Egypt to the offerings under the law of Moses, the lamb was associated with innocence, sacrifice, blood, and deliverance. So when John called Jesus “the Lamb of God,” h