Easter is the most significant event in the Christian church calendar. Without the events of Holy Week, there wouldn’t be a Christian faith. Easter is the reason the Christian church exists! Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his execution on a Roman cross. That moment of resurrection is the core of […]
Is the Bible full of contradictions? At some point every Bible reader, whether they’re a skeptic or a believer, must come to terms with perceived differences and contradictions in the Bible text. And these questions naturally assume a particular urgency around Easter. Why is that? Because the events of Easter—Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection, as […]
Filed under Bible, Easter, Introduction to the Bible, Lent
Sorrow to the Point of Death While urging his disciples to stay and keep watch with him, Jesus tells them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). Can any of us imagine this? Jesus understood the full extent of what was going to happen to him (John 18:4), and […]
This is the fifty-eighth lesson in author and pastor Mel Lawrenz’ How to Live the Bible series. If you know someone or a group who would like to follow along on this journey through Scripture, they can get more info and sign up to receive these essays via email here. Feature: A Book of Prayers […]
Filed under How to Live the Bible
Today is Good Friday. Today we remember the agony experienced by Jesus in his death on the cross, crucified by Roman soldiers. As he hung there he uttered “seven last sayings:” “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” Luke 23:34 “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” Luke 23:43 “Woman, behold […]
This is the twenty-first lesson in author and pastor Mel Lawrenz’ How to Live the Bible series. If you know someone or a group who would like to follow along on this journey through Scripture, they can get more info and sign up to receive these essays via email here. Just released: A Book of […]
Filed under How to Live the Bible
One of the most famous paintings depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is Diego Velázquez’ Christ Crucified: As you can see, it depicts rough-hewn beams, fashioned together perpendicularly. Nailed to those boards is the man Jesus, blood seeping from both hands and both feet. There’s also the crown of thorns, with blood trailing down Jesus’ […]
Filed under Did You Know?, Video
Browse resources for Easter in the Bible Gateway Store. Today is Good Friday, the bleakest moment in the Gospel story. Reading the story of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion today, we have the benefit of knowing that it’s all leading up to the triumph of Easter. But to the Jesus-followers present at the scene, it […]
As we approach Easter Sunday, the events of Holy Week intensify. We’ve already looked at what happened on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Easter week. What about Thursday? [Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, Infographic: What Happened During Holy Week Day-By-Day. Browse resources for Easter in the Bible Gateway Store. Thursday of Holy Week—also known […]
This lesson is part of Mel Lawrenz’ “How to Study the Bible” series. If you know someone or a group who would like to follow along on this journey through Scripture, they can get more info and sign up to receive these essays via email here. One way of studying Scripture is to ponder the […]
Filed under Easter, Holy Week, How to Study the Bible, Lent