Jesus

In the Bread of Life discourse, Jesus contrasts physical and spiritual hunger. We work for bread to feed our bodies, but to feed our souls, we need God’s gift of life. The Jews sought proof—bread supplied from heaven like manna in the wilderness. But Jesus offered a better provision: Himself. “I am the bread of life.”

We live in an era of specialization. Specialists occupy every field from medicine to law to education. No human, however, qualifies as an expert in impossibilities. Only God can solve an unsolvable problem.

To defend His messianic claims, Jesus called five irrefutable witnesses: God the Father, John who spoke of Jesus as the Lamb of God, Jesus’ own works, the Scriptures, and Moses. Why don’t people accept the witnesses? They see and hear, but their hearts are unmoved and unwilling to believe.

When challenged by the religious elite of His day, Jesus defended His messianic identity with claims that infuriated His enemies but won the hearts of His followers. Jesus claimed to be equal with God, the giver of life, and the final judge.

When Jesus healed a lame man, rather than take joy for his healing, the legalists took issue with the man for carrying his pallet on the Sabbath. What a bunch of fusspots! To oppose legalists in our day, we must focus on truth, confront with conviction, and embrace grace.

When a royal official came to Jesus and pleaded with Him to heal his sick son, Jesus displayed His messianic authority by healing the boy from a distance. As a father, the royal official admitted his needs, loved his children, believed God’s Word, and walked by faith.

Whether or not we like to admit it, we all struggle with prejudice…judging people based on their outward appearance. But Chuck Swindoll calls us to move past our assumptions, to reach everyone with the Gospel.

Often, in an attempt to seem humble, we’ll cut ourselves down or downplay our own abilities. But Chuck Swindoll reveals that self-degradation is not the same as biblical humility.

A lot of Christians refer to themselves as “born again believers.” But what does it really mean to be “born again?” Chuck Swindoll explains why our second birth is essential for spiritual life.

When Jesus first began His earthly ministry, large crowds followed Him…hoping to benefit from His miracles. But Jesus had a much bigger purpose in mind than merely entertaining the crowds!