Understand the Bible

The Biblical scholar observed that evil is like a boomerang: the evil that we do comes back to us. God often seems to work like that - we reap a fitting consequence for the evil we have done. In this passage we see what that meant for Pharoah, and how we need to humble ourselves before God or choose to BE humbled. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

One of the biggest and most common questions in the Christian life is "Why?" Why did this happen to me or us; or why does someone not listen to God? The Bible often doesn't answer the 'why' question specifically, but in this passage we have a rare glimpse into the reason why God acted as he did with Pharaoh. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated...

Are there any consequences of ignoring God? If you look round at the world, you might think there aren't - people seem to ignore God with impunity. However, we need to heed the warning of Exodus and guard against the attitude of disbelief and hard-heartedness. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Have you ever looked at the opposition Christians are facing in the world - or maybe even your own life - and thought "what chance do I have?" In this passage, we see how Moses and Aaron were facing impossible odds, and yet they trusted in God and obeyed him. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Have you ever got to the critical moment of a film or a TV show, only to find it interrupted by an ad-break? You might think this passage in Exodus is similar - it seems to interrupt the action. What's the point of genealogies? And why is there a genealogy here? ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Discouragement and impatience are probably two of the hardest things to deal with in life. How do we cope as Christians when things don’t go our way, when reality collides with our expectations? This passage helps us to understand. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bibl...

Have you ever tried to obey God, and then encountered opposition? You might think that obeying God would lead to no opposition, but that is rarely the case. This passage is an encouragement for us, because it helps us to understand why there is opposition - and why we don't have to worry about it. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠c...

In this passage we see how God's plans are put into action. God's plans advance in ways we cannot see, and cannot be stopped by circumstances or disobedience. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - teaching the Christian faith online. Lots more on the website, in...

In the second part of Moses' call, he asks God what to do if the Israelites don't believe him and listen to him. God's reply helps us to understand what it means to be a genuine servant of God, and how to recognise them. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - t...

After reading the first two chapters of Exodus, you might be wondering where has God been? Not absent, but taking a back seat. In Exodus 3, we see the moment when God steps in - and it changes everything. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - teaching the Christian faith on...

In this passage we see God's timing in action: it was frustrating for Moses, but God's timing was perfect. How does this help us to live by faith? ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - teaching the Christian faith online. Lots more on the website, including free cours...

This passage is a well-known Sunday School / children's Bible story - but it has some deep things to say to us. In this passage we see God's providence working in astonishing, amazing, surprising ways. What does that teach us? ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - teach...

In the first part of Exodus, we look at how the world's values are always in tension with God's values. God's blessing and ways are seen as a threat by the world, who want to persecute his people. At the same time, there is encouragement for those who stand up for God. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this final chapter of Romans, Paul finishes by demonstrating that he practices what he preaches about unity. His love for the church in Rome shines through. However, he also gives a stern warning against those who would destroy the unity of the church. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand...

Some people say Christian unity is highly important, some people hardly ever talk about it. This passage from Romans helps to shed light on how important Paul thought Christian unity is, and what unity looks like. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - teaching the Christian faith onl...

Have you ever looked at someone else and thought, "I could never serve God like that"? This is doubly so for the apostle Paul, who seemed to accomplish so much for God. And yet, according to him, we should be encouraged. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - teaching the Chri...

In this passage Paul says that we should bear with the conscience of weaker believers. What does that mean? This is one of the most misunderstood and misapplied passages in Romans - we need to look into it carefully to make sure that we don't miss the point. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand...

Most people think that a moral life is about living without hurting anyone else. But Paul turns that on its head: Paul says that we actually have an obligation to love one another. What does that mean? ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - teaching the Christian faith online. Lots more on...

This is one of the most controversial passages in the New Testament. Paul seems to say that Christians should obey earthly authorities no matter what, because they have been put there by God. But is that really what he means? ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - teaching the Christian faith...

In these final chapters of Romans, Paul is explaining how the gospel should make a difference to our lives. In this passage, we think about how we should be as a church: we should love one another sincerely. This is especially important when we are dealing with people who have done us wrong. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Have you ever listened to a sermon and thought "so what"? What difference does that make? Good preachers apply the Bible and help us to understand what we need to do. Paul, in this passage and onwards, helps us make the gospel that he has been explaining real to our lives. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSI...

Pride is one of the most insidious sins - it can affect us in lots of different ways. In this passage Paul warns us not to be complacent but to be humble in the face of God's plans. He does this by warning the Gentile Christians not to feel superior to the Jews. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the B...

Are all people equally in need of Jesus? In this chapter, Paul looks at the people of Israel and says that all are the same before Christ. What difference does that make to how we live and how we are as a church? ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible - teaching the Christian faith online. Lots more on...

If nothing can separate us from God's love, then what about those who do not Christian? And does that mean God is unfair to choose some and not others? In this passage Paul laments over his own people, the Jews, but shows that God is acting according to his word and promises. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Unders...

In our suffering we might think "is this a punishment?" or "am I on the wrong path?" In this passage we discover that nothing - absolutely nothing - can separate us from God's love. No circumstance, hardship, suffering, persecution - anything. ⛪CHURCH WITH UTB Because church doesn't need to be complicated -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠check it out⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 🖱️ WEBSITE Understand the Bible...