Why did Jesus turn water into wine?

John, one of the disciples of Jesus, records this story of a wedding feast in which Jesus turns water into wine: On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, […]

Is Thanksgiving a Christian Holiday?

Yes and No. As with many traditions, secularism and consumerism have hijacked what had traditionally been a day for America to reflect on the blessings God had bestowed on Americans and their nation. In 1619, as a requirement of their charter, English settlers at Berkley Plantation in Virginia observed the first official Thanksgiving in the […]

Does sin matter if I’m basically good?

What is sin? The Bible defines sin not as a bad deed, but rather anything that we do that separates us from an intimate relationship with God. We can recognize how adultery destroys the trust between a husband and wife often leads to separation. That’s what sin is like, an action that seems to be […]

What is Lent?

In the years immediately following the death and resurrection of Jesus, believers began engaging in a time of focus on their sin and God’s forgiveness of that sin in advance of the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Over time, the church standardized 40 days (not counting Sundays) as a period of reflection and called it Fortieth […]

Why is the birth of Jesus “Good News”?

In a world where daily headlines shout bad news 24/7, there remains one story that is not just good news, but the best news for all of mankind for all time. That good news of Christmas dates back to the creation of the world by God and the creation of man, the only creature who […]

Why celebrate the birth of Jesus in December?

The winter celebration of the birth of Christ dates first appears on a Roman calendar in 336 AD, centuries after the event took place. Scholars believe that there may have been an attempt to co-opt an existing pagan festival that marked the coming of the light after the shortest day of the year. Clues in […]

Should a Christian be celebrating Thanksgiving?

Of course, so long as you recognize that the holiday is not a Holy Day. The traditional celebration is a national reminder of the need to thank God for the many blessings he has poured out on our nation, but its spiritual significance has long been diminished by materialism and a focus on food, family […]

How do we know that Jesus never sinned?

The Word of God proclaims that Jesus was sinless, the perfect sacrifice.  When we trust in God’s Word, we must make a decision to trust it completely, and not pick and choose what we think is right. In Jesus’ time, Pharisees and Sadducees were devoted followers of God’s law laid down more than 1500 years […]

Why are Orthodox churches celebrating Easter this Sunday?

The celebration of the resurrection of Jesus is the most important day in the Christian calendar. That day differs in the western Christian tradition and among churches in areas of the world that have been influenced by the eastern or Orthodox tradition. It all goes back to the Roman Empire and a division that took […]

Does man have a Noble purpose or do we just exist? Part 2

Last week we took an overview approach to answer this question focusing on God’s love. This week we have taken an in-depth search of Scriptures to see what else we can discover about whether or not mankind has a noble purpose ordained by its creator, God. First, what is man that God is mindful of […]