Family Chapel

Whether due to fearful uncertainty regarding the future or the haunting regret of past failures or the overwhelming difficulty of present circumstances, we can find ourselves in a place of doubt, confusion, and uncertainty in following after Jesus. In light of that, the Apostle Paul points us to divine assurance. We have unshakable assurance in Christ because God’s sovereign grace secures our glor...

While we have been set free in Christ, one of the ongoing challenges we face with life in a fallen world is suffering. We find ourselves groaning under the weight of sin and death while waiting for our redemption. But even in our groaning, we can wait with patience because the Holy Spirit groans for us and with us. His intercession and presence encourage us to wait with hope.

Christians can live out their freedom in Christ, which is a freedom from sin and freedom for obedience, through the Holy Spirit. Here, Paul highlights three things the Holy Spirit does to help us live in that freedom. The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to our lives. The Holy Spirit empowers us to fight off the influence of the flesh. The Holy Spirit testifies to our true identity as childr...

Paul explains that although we are free from the law, the law is not meaningless nor evil. For it is through the law that we know the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Furthermore, it reveals the utter weakness of our flesh to keep the law and to fulfill our desire to be good. We want to do good, but we don't. We want to avoid evil, but we fall into it again and again. There is a battle that rages with...

After explaining how we have been set free from sin through our union with Christ, Paul now explains that our freedom from sin leads to our freedom for obedience to God. True obedience to God is willing submission, is in alignment with God's Word, is carried out in all of life, and transforms us to become more like Jesus. While this may seem like a paradox, true freedom is found in obedience to Go...

Paul anticipates that there will be those who seek to take advantage of God's grace by continuing in their sin. But he adamantly states that Christians should not continue in sin because they have been set free from the power of sin through their union with Christ in his death and resurrection. As such, their old life is dead and they have been given a brand new life. From that foundational union...

As Paul has unpacked the blessings that come with justification by faith, he highlights just how great a blessing justification is by presenting a "before" and "after" contrast between where we used to be and where we are now. Before in Adam, we belonged to a fallen humanity condemned to death. But now in Christ, we belong to a redeemed humanity justified for life. Jesus is the "greater Adam", who...

Previously, Paul had just laid out that justification comes by faith and uses Abraham as an example. Now in Romans 5, Paul briefly lays out the multitude of blessings that come with our justification through faith. We have peace with God, and we can now find access into his unending grace. Furthermore, we have joy even in our sufferings because it produces hope. And this hope does not fail us beca...

The Apostle Paul has laid out the heart of the gospel message, which is that we are justified before God not on the basis of our works, but on the basis of what Jesus has done. But how do we receive such righteousness? We receive Christ's righteousness by faith, and by faith alone. In this passage, Paul brings up the example of Abraham to show that God has always justified on the basis of faith al...

Here in chapter 3, we get to the crux, or turning point, of the gospel message. Paul has articulated the fullness of man’s depravity, both Jews and Gentiles alike, and their inability to attain righteousness for themselves. All had sinned, and none could save themselves. But now the righteousness of God, promised and foreshadowed from the Old Testament, has been revealed through the person of Jesu...

After laying out how God's judgment comes upon those who blatantly sin, Paul turns the tables and shows that those who are self-assured, morally-upstanding, and religiously-devout are just as much in danger of God's judgment through their religiosity. Religiosity is the attempt to secure righteousness before God through religious performance. As such, we need to repent of our religiosity just as m...

As Paul lays out the gospel message, he will first explain God's just wrath on all unrighteousness. There is no good news without first knowing the sobering truth of the bad news. Paul explains the fullness of the depravity of the human condition where we were given up to our idolatry, lusts, and rebellion. This highlights not only our utter need for a savior, but also the glory of God's salvation...

With the introductory portion of his letter, the Apostle Paul highlights the central theme of his entire letter: the gospel of God. The gospel of God is the good news of God's salvation for everyone who believes. As such, it fulfills the promises of the Old Testament, it is centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ, and it has a missional impulse to reach all nations.

Andrew was one of the original twelve disciples of Jesus. But he is one of the lesser-known disciples, especially since he was so often overshadowed by his older brother, Peter. But despite Andrew’s relative lack of screen time on the pages of Scripture, there are some very helpful things we can glean from him about Jesus. Through Andrew, we see that Jesus is worth surrendering everything to follo...

As Boaz carries out his work of redeeming Ruth and Naomi, he reflects God's greater work of redemption. Through Boaz, we see that God's work of redemption is motivated by great love, marked by great cost, and secures great renewal. God's work of redemption is perfectly displayed in Jesus, who lovingly lays down his own life to redeem his people.

God's sovereign and loving hand is at work, and rather than lying around in passivity, Ruth decides to take a risk and pursue Boaz, who is a kinsmen-redeemer. Even in the midst of complications, Ruth and Naomi stand resilient and hopeful. This story not only points to Jesus who becomes our very own kinsmen-redeemer, but also reminds us that we may take steps forward in boldness and stand resilient...

After arriving in Bethlehem with Naomi, Ruth decides to glean for food in the surrounding fields in order to survive. As she goes to glean, we see God's steadfast love in action as she stumbles upon the field of a man named Boaz and receives unexpected generosity. God demonstrates his steadfast love through the seemingly random coincidences of life as well as through the exceedingly generous kindn...

After Naomi hears about God's provision of food in Bethlehem, she decides to leave Moab and return home. But having lost everything, she has become bitter. Nevertheless, we see that a genuine faith in God can be marked by overwhelming bitterness towards God. A bitter faith is still a genuine faith, and a faith that God accepts. Naomi is able to maintain genuine faith despite her bitterness because...

The book of Ruth takes place during a very chaotic time in Israel's history and it focuses in on a family that faces great tragedy. But in the midst of tragedy, we see God's sovereignty and God's steadfast love at work. Whether leading us out of suffering or into suffering, God exercises his divine sovereignty and steadfast love. As such, God's sovereignty and steadfast love are to serve as the fo...

The Apostle Paul exhorts believers to live with eternity in mind because this will shape our values, help us to stay on mission, and fill us with hope and anticipation.

A consecrated life is not meant to be lived alone, but rather is lived within the context of community. Community consecrates us as it provides opportunities to live out the Gospel in our relationships with one another. We are consecrated in community by humbly serving one another, as we wage war against sin together, and through caring for the lost and vulnerable among us.