Scott Rogers

John chapter 6 records details of Jesus’ discussions with those who rejected him. But it’s one of the most disputed chapters of the New Testament. In particular the statement “All that the Father gives me will come to me” is the subject of controversy among Bible teachers. What exactly is Jesus telling us?

The Old Testament scriptures form the foundation for New Testament teaching and theology. But views within the Christian church vary on how to apply the Old Testament stories. Not everyone agrees on how the historical record of the Israelites’ wanderings and entering and conquering the promised land apply to our lives today. What are the spiritual lessons God wants the present-day believer to understand from these historical accounts?

Certain words are very important to the Christian faith. We need to know their meaning if we are to understand the verses that use them, since language shapes our understanding of theology. But over the years misleading definitions of important Christian words have been popularized by preachers or developed from theologies and church teachings.

Jesus’ parable of the talents tells the story of a rich man who entrusts his servants with large amounts of money to invest while he goes on a journey. This parable teaches us about investing in God’s kingdom and answers the question: Is it really worth sacrificing our time, energy, and resources to know God and to serve him?

Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven, God’s rule, in many of his parables. In the parable of the workers in the vineyard he illustrates important principles of God’s kingdom, principles that the religious leaders of his time didn’t fully understand: God’s grace and mercy on the undeserving.