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Showing posts with the label Old Testament

The Way of the Towel: Greatness, Redefined by Jesus

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by Bart Denny Central text: John 13:12–17 (NIV) Over the years, in church settings, I’ve done a lot of dishes. I’ve raked a lot of leaves. I’ve painted plenty of church walls. I’ve plunged more than a few clogged toilets. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. But if I’m honest, at this age, with this many years in church, there’s a part of me that wants to say, “I’ve done my time.” I don’t usually say it out loud. I dress it up. I call it wisdom. Focus. Stewarding my time well. But the feeling sneaks up on me. It shows up when another need pops up. When the same few people carry the same load. When I feel tired. It shows up when I think, “Shouldn’t somebody else take a turn now?” And I’ll confess something else: I don’t mind serving. I just want to choose the terms. And if I’m not careful, I start thinking and acting like the low places belong to somebody else. Now let me be even more honest: I don’t struggle with getting my hands dirty. I struggle to keep my ego in check....
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Faith, Hope, and Redemption in the Book of Ruth

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by Bart Denny When life leaves us bitter, where do we turn for hope? That’s the question the Book of Ruth gently answers—not with booming declarations, but with quiet acts of kindness, faith, and God’s hidden hand at work. At first glance, God seems to play only a minor role in Ruth’s story. But by the final chapter, we see that this isn’t just a quaint tale of loyalty—it’s a redemptive thread woven into the tapestry of Israel’s greatest king, David. And ultimately, it’s a foreshadowing of the Redeemer of all humanity: Jesus Christ. Hesed: A Kindness That Goes Beyond If you had to sum up the entire book of Ruth in one word, that word might be hesed —a Hebrew term often translated as “kindness,” though no single English word captures its depth. Hesed is love in action, covenant faithfulness, and mercy. It’s sacrificial and often unexpected. We see hesed in Ruth’s devotion to Naomi, Boaz’s generosity to Ruth, and God’s love through both. Ruth’s story is a living reminder that God...
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A Priest Forever: Christ and Melchizedek Compared

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This paper examines what the author of Hebrews means when he says, referring to Psalm 110, that Jesus is a priest, “forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:6; 6:20; 7:17).[1]   After surveying the scriptural evidence and attempting to gain a clear picture of first century Judaism’s understanding of Melchizedek, this paper will show that the best explanation for the comparisons between Christ and Melchizedek is simply that, like Melchizedek—and quite unlike the Levitical, or “Aaronic” priests—Christ’s priesthood was eternal and independent of lineage.  The ultimate intent of the author of Hebrews is not to make a statement about Melchizedek.  Rather, the author aims to put forth a solid Christology with which his audience, probably comprised of Jewish converts deeply familiar with Hellenistic culture, would acutely identify. The enigmatic nature of Melchizedek has given rise to numerous competing, and perhaps more interesting, theories surrounding the references...
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