Yearly Archives: 2017

GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND GOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: WHY ARE THEY SO DIFFERENT?

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GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND GOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: WHY ARE THEY SO DIFFERENT? QUESTION. It seems that in the Old Testament God tends to be more legalistic and harsh, while the New Testament is more about the coming of Christ and the gospel of God’s love and grace. How do we explain this difference between the two? I know that the same God is acting in both testaments, but why this difference? ANSWER. I will make three main points. ONE. One of the most important truths about God (one that is often missed) is that there are … Continue reading →

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S ROLE IN CHRIST’S SUFFERING

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THE HOLY SPIRIT’S ROLE IN CHRIST’S SUFFERING A Communion Meditation by Jack Cottrell In my previous meditation I pointed out that Jesus the SON of God was not the only one suffering at the cross. God the FATHER was also suffering, but in a different way. Jesus as the Son of God was the one who was actually suffering the infinite wrath of God in our place, making our salvation possible. But it was God the Father who, with feelings of deepest agony, was responsible for pouring out that wrath upon his own Son (Rom. 8:32). But here we shall … Continue reading →

SUFFERING AT THE CROSS

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SUFFERING AT THE CROSS — A Communion Meditation Jack Cottrell – Greendale First Church of Christ – October 2017 [Author’s note: I gave this meditation on the same Sunday when I preached a sermon dealing in part with the subject of the Trinity. In the sermon I was pointing out that it was necessary to reveal the fact that God is a Trinity of persons at the beginning of this New Covenant age, because that was the time when God was carrying out the mighty works of redemption (incarnation, atonement, resurrection, ascension, outpouring of the Holy Spirit). The necessity for … Continue reading →

FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2, NUMBER 5 — THE PROPITIATION SENT BY LOVE

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FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2 – NUMBER 5 THE PROPITIATION SENT BY LOVE Jack Cottrell — Summer 2017 Believe it or not, I was once mistaken for a god! In the 1970s I was on a mission trip with Brother Sam Gonzales (now deceased), visiting churches in the Yucatan Peninsula in eastern Mexico. Many of the Christians in the churches there were descendants of the Mayan Indians, who many centuries ago had developed impressive civilizations there. Brother Sam was introducing me to several of these Christians descended from Mayan culture: “Say hello to JACK,” he said. One woman’s … Continue reading →

FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2, NUMBER FOUR — CHRIST THE PROPITIATION FOR THE WORLD

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FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2 – NUMBER 4 CHRIST THE PROPITIATION FOR THE WORLD Jack Cottrell — Summer 2017 In First John 2:1-2 the Apostle John says that Jesus is our Advocate – our defense lawyer who helps us escape the punishment for our sins. He says Jesus is our Righteousness – the One who has satisfied the law’s requirement for punishment in our place. And he says Jesus is our Propitiation – the One who turned the Father’s wrath away from us by taking it on Himself. Here I want to call attention to something else John … Continue reading →

FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2, NUMBER THREE — CHRIST OUR PROPITIATION

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FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2 – NUMBER 3 CHRIST OUR PROPITIATION Jack Cottrell — Summer 2017 Notice how Jesus is described in these first two verses from the second chapter of First John — “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” In previous meditations I have explained how Jesus is our ADVOCATE, … Continue reading →

FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2, NUMBER TWO — CHRIST OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

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FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2 – NUMBER 2 CHRIST OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS Jack Cottrell — Summer 2017 An old familiar hymn goes like this: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!” Another stanza in this hymn says: “This is all my hope and peace: nothing but the blood of Jesus! This is all my RIGHTEOUSNESS: nothing but the blood of Jesus!” Another hymn says, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Another stanza puts it this way: … Continue reading →

FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2 — NUMBER ONE: “I NEED A LAWYER!”

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FIVE COMMUNION MEDITATIONS ON 1 JOHN 2:1-2 – NUMBER 1 “I NEED A LAWYER!” Jack Cottrell — Summer 2017 Crime stories are a popular genre for books and TV shows. From them we learn that when a suspect is arrested and is being questioned about a particular crime, one of the first things he or she says is “I need a lawyer!” The “right to counsel” is guaranteed in the U.S. by our Constitution. When charged with a crime, you have the constitutional right to have a lawyer to assist in your defense. The Sixth Amendment says (among other things), … Continue reading →

Reconciling Prophecies About John the Baptist

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RECONCILING PROPHECIES ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIST Jack Cottrell – June 2017 QUESTION: There seem to be some discrepancies between the two OT prophecies about John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1), and Mark’s citation of them in Mark 1:2-3. Can you shed some light on this? ANSWER: The texts in view here are as follows (ESV translation): Isaiah 40:3 – A voice cries; “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Malachi 3:1 – “Behold I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And … Continue reading →

“THE BODY OF SIN” (ROMANS 6:6) — PART THREE

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[Continued from Part Two] [QUESTION. What does Paul mean by the phrase “body of sin” in Romans 6:6? Is he referring to the physical body? And if so, in what sense is it a body “of sin”?] ANSWER. In Romans six the Apostle Paul presents us with some very good news about what happened to us when we were baptized into Christ. In that moment, he says, our sin-corrupted souls died with Christ and were raised up to walk in new spiritual life. One great benefit of this is that our physical bodies, which in this life are under the … Continue reading →