Echoes of Grace

  Introduction Remembered as the ruthless Roman governor of Judea who condemned Jesus to a merciless death on the cross, Pontius Pilate plays a short role in the passion narrative of the gospels, yet the importance of his role cannot be understated. While most Christians with a surface understanding of the Gospels of the New Testament believe that it is easy to understand Pontius Pilate, an in-depth study of the primary source material will show that this Roman prefect is a highly dynamic character who had difficulty in maintaining a balance between his allegiance to the Roman Empire, and the Jewish people he was charged with overseeing. This paper will defend the view that Pontius Pilate was neither a saint nor a ruthless villain, but rather a typical Roman prefect who faced conflict in trying to fulfill his duties. Research Methodology Pontus Pilate appears as a major character in the passion narrative of the gospels, and is mentioned in all four gospels a...

  Introduction Within the history of the church, the Bible has been an inspiration and source of hope for countless millions of Christians, and continues to be adored as the Word of God communicated to common man. Nevertheless, as the Word of God, the Bible contains several passages that pose ethical dilemmas for any serious student of the Bible. These passages include God striking down Uzzah for touching the ark of the covenant while trying to steady it from following (2 Sam 6:1-11), the command to slaughter the Canaanites in order to possess the promised land (Deut 20:16–17), and, perhaps one of the darkest moments in the entire Old Testament, the rape and murder of the Levite’s concubine in Judges 19. The focus of this study will be on an equally disturbing passage of Scripture in that it shows a victorious judge of Israel vowing to sacrifice his only daughter to the Lord. This paper will defend the unfortunate reality that Jephthah vowed to sacrifice his daugh...

Here’s a link to the video of when this sermon was originally given: Longing for the Word – Parkhill Community Church Before we start, let me tell you a quick story of the life of a Bible. This Bible was printed on cheap, rough dime novel mass-market paper, and sported an equally unattractive cardboard binding that made the book look like it was ready to be replaced the day it was made. This particular Bible wouldn’t spend its life on a bookshelf, or in a pew being read once a week by churchgoers. Instead, this Bible found itself buried at the bottom of a sack underneath a load of dry beans that crossed the border into the East African country of Eritrea. Once smuggled into this closed, totalitarian nation, the little Bible became the answer to many, many months of desperate prayer for a copy of Scripture as it was passed on to a young evangelist. Invigorated with zeal for God’s Word, this young man was quick to tell people about the carpenter from Nazareth who came to ...

  I believe that in the beginning God existed in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that in the beginning God created both the heavens and the earth in six literal days, then rested on the seventh day as a witness to his own awesome power. I believe that the earth was perfect in every way, with plants and animals much like the ones we know today. I believe that God created man from the dust of the earth, and woman from the rib of the man. I believe that both the man and woman fell into temptation and rebelled against their Creator. I believe that when sin entered the world, death came with it and led to the fallen creation we know today. I believe that by its own means, humanity is depraved, desiring only what is evil. I believe that God, in his divine providence, appointed righteous men to testify to the truth of God. I believe that the truth that these people were sent to proclaim pointed to Jesus, the only begotten Son of God...

  10 Things Jesus Didn’t Die For             Evangelist Ray Comfort once remarked that he didn’t feel confident in his knowledge of the Bible when he simply knew what it said, but rather knew what it did not say. In that spirit I find that so many non-Christians feel alienated or soured by the impression of Christianity that they receive from their Christian friends and contacts, as well as misconceptions of Christendom as a whole. There really is a lot of truth to the idea that Christians are their own worst enemies. I would love to sit here and write to you and tell you what Christianity is, and what Jesus actually taught and gave His life for, but I know that nobody would read it. Instead, I want to borrow your attention for the next few minutes to help dispel some myths and stereotypes to help you learn just what Christianity isn’t, (and yes, many of these people flock to the local congregations while exudin...