Roger Severino

AFFIRMING BOTH LORDSHIP AND GRACE

May 27, 2015

Jesus is Lord. This is one of the primary confessions of Christians. The word can mean “master” or “boss” but also is a title used to refer to God, who is “Lord of all.” What do we learn about Jesus being Lord from the immediate context of Matthew 7:13-27 and the wider teachings of Scripture?

With Bible in hand, prepare to answer some straightforward questions about this passage. There are two paths (vv. 13-14). What are the characteristics of each one? How do you know if you are on the right path? There are two kinds of prophets, teachers, or Christian...more

REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING

May 21, 2015
Reflections on 1 Peter 2:21-25 In this passage, it is important to see how Jesus’ suffering serves as an example to us, how it is unique and unrepeatable, and the importance of affirming both of these (and in the right order). How Jesus’ Redemptive Suffering is an Example to Us Jesus suffered unjustly, and Peter tells his readers that followers of Christ have been called to such suffering. If...more

The Benefits of Jesus Being Like Us and Not Like Us

May 14, 2015
Reflections from Hebrews 4:14-16 The Bible clearly teaches, and church tradition affirms, that Jesus is fully human as well as being fully God. In today’s world, it is the deity of Christ that is normally assailed, but one of the earliest controversies in the church was in its assertion of the humanity of Jesus. John the Apostle may have been confronting an early form of Gnosticism when he writes:...more

What Happens When Jesus “Looks” or “Sees”

May 7, 2015
Reflections from Matthew 9:35-38 It’s interesting to do a study in the Gospels and reflect on what occurs when Jesus looks at someone or sees a person or a crowd. In the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus saw a large crowd and had compassion on them (Mark 6:34). When Jesus saw the widow of Nain who had just lost her son, he had compassion on her (Luke 7:13). In...more

What We Leave Behind to Follow Christ

April 29, 2015
Reflections from Luke 5:1-11 It would be a day that Simon Peter and his companions would never forget. This is probably not their first encounter with Jesus. Here, once again, they listen to the wise and powerful words of this Rabbi. Then something happens that will change the course of their lives forever. A futile night of fishing turns into an astounding catch of fish at the command of...more

Don’t Just Do Something. Sit There!

April 22, 2015
Reflections from John 15:1-8 Perhaps your view of Christianity is of busy people trying to perform religious duties and do enough good things to ward off the guilt while simultaneously feeling superior to others. Though there are plenty of church folks who fit this description, this is not what it means to be a Christ follower. Jesus invites us into a relationship. Everything flows from that. At one point...more

When Jesus Disappoints You (And It’s a Good Thing)

April 15, 2015
Perhaps you have been disappointed by Jesus in your life. You thought you were doing well, living a good life, honoring him, and suddenly you lose your job, fail to get pregnant after months (years) of trying, or someone you love gets cancer. Life wasn’t supposed to be this way. Maybe you feel that Jesus didn’t come through for you. I have lived long enough to witness the truth...more

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JESUS BEING PROMINENT AND PREEMINENT

April 8, 2015
(Reflections from Colossians 1:15-20) There are a lot of people willing to give Jesus his due. Most sectarian groups that have deviated from historic Christianity have good things to say about Jesus. They are eager to give him a prominent place. Even unbelievers will often reflect positively on Jesus of Nazareth. Such seems to be the case with a group of folks influencing the Colossian church in the First...more

Alternatives to the Resurrection of Jesus

March 31, 2015
Both skeptics and believers alike will tend to agree that a man known as Jesus of Nazareth was executed by Roman crucifixion in the first century A.D. and that his followers came to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Christians have affirmed through the ages that Jesus rose bodily from the dead in a miracle that only God can do. Skeptics obviously do not arrive at the...more

Why You Should Cultivate Both Love and Hate

March 25, 2015
In 1 John 4, the Apostle John tells us two different times that “God is love” (vv. 8 and 16). What a wonderful message! How glorious to realize that the God of the universe is motivated by love and is the origin of love. In fact, we learn that “we love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Love does not originate within us, but we have the...more
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