Author Archives: Jack Cottrell

RAVI AND ME

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RAVI AND ME Let me tell you about the time Ravi Zacharias and I were on the same program. I’m serious. It really happened! Ravi accepted an invitation to speak at Cincinnati Christian University on April 29, 2014. He spoke twice, once in morning chapel and once for an evening banquet. About three weeks before that event, the school president, David Faust, sent me a request. Here is part of it: “As part of the program prior to Ravi’s speech in the evening, I would like to interview you briefly about the ongoing relevance of apologetics, especially as it relates … Continue reading →

SHOULD I BE REBAPTIZED OR NOT?

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SHOULD I BE REBAPTIZED OR NOT? By Jack Cottrell There are so many views about baptism that it is easy to understand how someone could be confused as to whether or not their own baptism was or is valid. If you are a conscientious person who sincerely wants to follow Biblical teaching as closely as possible, then you want to be sure that you have been baptized according to the Bible’s teaching about it. This is especially true since the Bible does say that baptism has something to do with one’s salvation. Let’s say you are a person with a … Continue reading →

HARMONY OF THE RESURRECTION ACCOUNTS

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HARMONY OF THE RESURRECTION ACCOUNTS JACK COTTRELL My effort to harmonize these accounts assumes that the people who are described as being at the tomb and encountering Jesus there did not all leave together from their homes or arrive together at the tomb. I suggest the following possible schedule of events. (Originally there were drawings with #1-8.) 1. After midnight, early hours of the morning, before dawn. Two or more groups of women begin to make their way toward the tomb to complete the burial, with one group including Mary Magdalene, who proceeds more quickly than the others and continues … Continue reading →

Why Do Some Call It the “Eucharist”? A Communion Meditation

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WHY DO SOME CALL IT THE “EUCHARIST”? A COMMUNION MEDITATION BY JACK COTTRELL – APRIL 2018 As we are now preparing to take the emblems commemorating Christ’s death for our sins, I have a question: what do we usually call this part of our worship service? We commonly refer to it as the “communion” service. Where do we get that name? It comes from the King James Version of 1 Corinthians 10:16, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of … Continue reading →

THE BREAD AND THE CUP OF BLESSING

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THE BREAD AND CUP OF BLESSING A COMMUNION MEDITATION – Jack Cottrell, February 2018 Imagine you are sharing a meal with some fellow Christians, and you say, “Brother Smith, will you ask the blessing on our food?” The prayer that follows often includes this: “Dear God, we pray that you will bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies.” “Ask the blessing”? “Bless this food”? Where do we get these ideas and this language? Maybe from our Bibles. The KJV of Matthew 26:26 says, “Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, … Continue reading →

WHAT KIND OF “ROCK” IS PETER?

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WHAT KIND OF “ROCK” IS PETER? Jack Cottrell – February 2018 QUESTION: Does Matthew 16:18 say that the Apostle Peter is the ROCK on which the church is built? Does this support the Roman Catholic teaching that Peter was the first Pope? ANSWER: The text in question is included here, in Matthew 16:15-18: “15 He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ 16 Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ 17 And Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to … Continue reading →

UNITY OF TRUTH: NINE THESES

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UNITY OF TRUTH: NINE THESES Jack Cottrell – January 2018 I am working on a project I call “the unity of truth.” It is mainly a response to the common idea that we have to choose between the unity of the body of Christ and how we understand the truth of God’s word. I have developed nine basic theses, which I am simply affirming here, along with a few Scripture references that help to establish each. I plan to give a brief explanation of the last six of these theses at the Florida Bible Conference on January 24, 2018 (Wednesday) … Continue reading →

“YAHWEH IS HIS NAME” — Exodus 15:3

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“YAHWEH IS HIS NAME” – Exodus 15:3 A sermon by Jack Cottrell – CRA Bible Conference – Kissimmee FL – January 2018 INTRODUCTION. A. In most Old Testament translations, when you see God referred to as “the LORD” (with LORD all capitals), in the original Hebrew this is actually the divine name YAHWEH (which used to be pronounced “Jehovah”). What does “Yahweh” mean? (It does NOT mean “Lord.”) B. Where can we go to find the meaning of Yahweh? We find it in EXODUS 3:1-18. [READ] C. But then a puzzling statement appears in Exod. 6:2-3 – “God spoke further … Continue reading →

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 →