Some Old Testament scholars contend that the Proverbs are void of legitimate allusions or connections to Jesus. At first glance, they appear to have a case.  Yet, I am still convinced that the Proverbs also point us to the gospel of Jesus. But, how?

I’ve been going through my old baseball cards recently. I collected during what is known as the “junk-wax era.” That’s a fancy way of saying my cards aren’t worth much. They were so mass-produced that everybody’s grandma bought them mountains of packs. You don’t just have one treasured Bo Jackson card — you have 36 of them. When you’ve got so many of something, you need to create a system for organizing them. 

What does any of that have to do with Jesus? Well, I’m trying to set us up for engaging in a bit of wonder. Scholars have come up with a bit of a system for organizing the miracles of Jesus. 

Think about that for just a second. I don’t have to come up with a system for organizing my 1952 Topps baseball cards. I’ve got one of them. And it’s not the Mickey Mantle; it’s a dog-eared card of a dude I can’t even remember the name of. No need to organize. 

Do you see where I’m going with this? It’s an absolutely amazing thing that Jesus did so many miracles that we have to categorize them. Page after page, Jesus heals the sick, casts out demons, calms storms, and even raises the dead. And these aren’t just random acts of compassion, though compassion flows through every act. These are signs that point somewhere. 

And those categories point somewhere too. They aren’t just arbitrary buckets; they tell us something about Jesus’ mission, his identity, and how he fulfilled long-held Jewish expectations of the Messiah. 

We will explore each of these categories. And along the way we’ll see how these all come together in a remarkable moment when John the Baptist asked a haunting question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

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There's a difference between being watched and being seen. Many of us grew up thinking of God as a holy security camera, waiting to swoop in when we mess up. But, as we see in Scripture, His watchful eye is meant to bring us peace and security.

If your eyes glazed over as you tried to read that word, then you are not alone. But don't be dismayed by multi-syllable theology words! There is rich truth in this term that is not just interesting to study, it is important for building up your relationship with and understanding of the Lord God.

"Systematic theology" is one of those Christian terms that sounds complicated, but is actually something we all should be engaging with — whether you consider yourself a scholar or not. After all, all Christians are theologians. Will you be a good one, or will you fall to false doctrine?

Foot washing is about humbling yourself on purpose. It might mean humbling yourself enough to receive from another. Or it might be humbling yourself enough to do a thankless task. To follow the pattern of foot washing is to take the initiative to serve, not to be noticed. It’s doing what no one else will do and loving others without looking for applause. 

It’s a simple act, really, but it carries with it a ton of significance. We might think of the meaning of communion from four angles: remembrance, proclamation, participation, and anticipation.

Things like anxiety, guilt, and bitterness don’t just stay in the realm of “spiritual” problems. They also show themselves in our bodies. Inner turmoil can have outward consequences. That’s not me saying that if you’re sick it must mean that you’ve got something going on spiritually — that’s too simplistic. But I am saying that we are holistic beings.

I think if I had only one book in the Old Testament by which to proclaim the gospel, this might be it.

The name YHWH is what God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14-15. It points to the reality that God is self-existent. In other words, He doesn’t have an origin. YHWH is derived from the Hebrew verb “to be” (hayah). It’s a name that means “I am.”

So, Haggai is really all about our messed-up priorities, but also about God’s dedication to what does matter. God doesn’t get His priorities messed up. This is the gospel in Haggai. We neglect God, but He does not neglect us.

If we “expect” miracles the way we expect the sun to rise, we are misunderstanding miracles. By definition a miracle is something extraordinary. On the other hand, we may also speak of “expectation” as a kind of openness to God’s power. It’s not presuming upon God but rather a posture of trust — believing that God usually shows up.

A refuge is the place you go for safety. And a refugee is a person who is seeking that safety. God is our refuge. We are the refugee. The safety of a refugee is only as certain as the thing in which he or she is trusting in.