Word Processing

As a local church grows in size (or is forced apart because of a virus!) it can become increasingly difficult to actually know everyone in the community and, thus, to be blessed by everyone in the community. This is unfortunate because there are no unnecessary members (1 Corinthians 12:7), none who are ungifted (Romans 12:6), and not one who isn't called to the "work of service, to the building up...

Says David Hubbard, "Anyone to whom the book of Ecclesiastes is not a puzzle has not yet read it” ( Beyond Futility , 7). This admission from a seasoned scholar is as honest as it is truthful. While this inspired text grapples with the perennially relevant aches for meaning and purpose with which every thoughtful human being is familiar, it does so in ways that are unavoidably humbling, probing, a...

As a local church grows in size (or is forced apart because of a virus!) it can become increasingly difficult to actually know everyone in the community and, thus, to be blessed by everyone in the community. This is unfortunate because there are no unnecessary members (1 Corinthians 12:7), none who are ungifted (Romans 12:6), and not one who isn't called to the "work of service, to the building up...

Today, in our trek through the pages of Scripture, we come to the unique book of Proverbs, a text that calls for the pursuit of and describes the benefits of true wisdom. As one author describes it: "The Book of Proverbs is a book of moral and ethical instructions, dealing with many aspects of life. The teachings in this book guide its readers in how to lead wise, godly lives and how to avoid the...

The war for our heart is raging, and at the end of the day, each of us must ask "what is my final authority?" Or to put it another way: "who's the boss?" Where do I turn for information or comfort? What voices do I allow to have influence in my life? If it's not God and his sufficient and infallible word, we have a problem! Join with Josiah and Andrew as they discuss our recent sermon on Matthew 1...

Of all the books of the Bible, there may not be one that is more consistently beloved, more pastorally accessible, and more desperately read than the Psalms. In the many ways it is unique within the canon of Scripture, not the least of which is that it contains inspired words from God, through people, directed back toward God. As one theologian has noted, "The Psalms are one of the most dearly lov...

After Jesus concludes his parables in Matthew 13, we see him travelling for his ministry of teaching and healing. Unfortunately, we also see the recipients of these messages and miracles drastically misunderstanding who Jesus is. They know lots about his power, but they miss out on his identity. Today on the podcast Josiah and Andrew discuss the importance of knowing who Jesus is, and how we can m...

This week we turn a significant corner in our Cover-to-Cover series. Having traversed the path of the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) and walked the halls of History (Joshua through Esther), we now step into the beautiful chamber of Wisdom Literature. And the first piece of art we see when we enter the room is the book of Job—a fascinating account that addresses the always-relevant, alway...

As we come to the conclusion of Jesus' parabolic teaching in Matthew 13, we are forced to ask the question: what now? What do we do with all of these mysteries, this information that has been revealed? Thankfully, Jesus didn't leave his disciples hanging, and he doesn't leave us either. Instead, keeping to form, he tells them a parable about what to do with what they've received. And by extension,...

Of the Old Testament story of Esther, the book to which we now arrive in our current study , Dr. Tom Constable notes several unique features: "No New Testament writer quoted or referred to it. No church father wrote a commentary on it, as far as we know. It never mentions prayer. It mentions nothing explicitly supernatural." At first glance, then, this section of Scripture seems rather unimpressiv...

With a church made up of people from all sorts of backgrounds, personalities, opinions, and walks of life, there are bound to be times when we find ourselves serving side-by-side with someone that we struggle to get along with. So what do we do? How do we minister well with someone who frustrates us, and what do we do when it becomes clear that it just isn't working? And what does the Bible have t...

"If I were an advertising executive writing promotional copy for the sale of the memoirs of Nehemiah ... I would have an easy and pleasant task before me. Few Bible books address modern concerns so strongly and directly or are so practical" (Boice, Nehemiah : An Expositional Commentary , 9). Indeed, this is true! The book of Nehemiah—the last in the chronological history books of the Old Testament...

In the second parable of Matthew 13, Jesus tells a story about a land-owner, his wheat field, and a dastardly plot by an enemy to contaminate the crop with weeds. Thankfully, a few verses later, we get to listen in as he explains the "answer key" to his disciples, giving us insight into the meaning. So what is the mystery about the Kingdom revealed in this parable, and how do it affect us as we ea...

After a seven-decade-long, divinely-orchestrated, and well-deserved disciplinary timeout in Babylonian exile, God's chosen people are allowed (and encouraged!) to return back to the Promised Land by the providential hand of God at work in the hearts of foreign rulers. This comeback group is a mix of Israelites who remember pre-exilic Jerusalem life and those who were born abroad, never having seen...

In a dramatic shift in tactics, noted by his disciples themselves, Jesus begins teaching the crowds using parables in Matthew 13. But what brought him to this point, why did he shift, and what, then, did he end up talking about? We explored many of these questions and more in our sermon last Sunday, and today in the podcast Josiah and Andrew explore some more. Why are parables so often misinterpre...

While the books of Samuel and Kings are hefty, jam-packed, and quick-moving texts, they're only the first two pairs of a history-rich triplet. We now come in our study to the final duo—the books of First and Second Chronicles. Shane Angland currently serves as a teaching elder at Ennis Evangelical Church in Ennis, Ireland. He has a passion for all things history—the history of doctrine , the histo...

In Psalm 84 we see the author describe the longing they feel within themselves to be in God's presence and worship Him the way He wants to be worshiped. In turn, it causes us to ask some questions about our own feelings towards praising God, particularly when it comes to corporate worship gatherings. While we can, and ought to, worship God any time and any place, we must ask if there is something...

Like Samuel before them , the biblical books of First and Second Kings record many exciting and well-known stories that involve many meorable characters throughout the colourful monarchial period of Israel's history. We've got David's death (1 Kings 2), Solomon's wisdom acquired and demonstrated (1 Kings 3), the building of the Solomonic temple (1 Kings 6), Elijah and the widow's son (1 Kings 17),...

In Matthew 12, we read one of the most pivotal moments in the entire gospel account: Jesus presents the evidence that he is the prophesied and long-awaited Messianic king, and ultimately Israel's leaders at the time reject him. It was a grievous error with world-altering consequences. The verses that follow contain something of an analysis, a post-mortem if you will, of the causes that led them to...

The biblical books of First and Second Samuel are, so say it simply, action- packed . And, within the repeated ups and downs of the inspired narrative are some of the most well-known, oft-quoted, and dearly-beloved stories: Hannah's miraculous pregnancy (1 Samuel 1), the tragic reign of king Saul (1 Samuel 10–31), the anointing of Jesse's youngest son (1 Samuel 16), David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17)...

Many of us may still remember days past when we started each day in the classroom with the Lord's Prayer. But why this prayer? What is its significance, both to the disciples that Jesus taught it to, and to us now, nearly 2000 years later? Today Andrew and Josiah discuss this most famous prayer and how it can be used as a primer or foundation to guide us in a healthy prayer life. Whether you're ne...

While the identity of the author of Ruth is uncertain, the skill of the author of Ruth is beyond dispute. This little biblical book "is one of the most delightful literary compositions of the ancient world" (Block, Judges, Ruth , 603). Interesting dialogue, characterization, suspense, wordplay, and ambiguity abound in this four-chapter section of holy Writ that details a redemptive love story invo...

When comfortability gets talked about in Christian circles, it tends to be with a bit of a negative tone. "You can't be effective if you're comfortable" some have said, or perhaps "God wants you out of your comfort zone". Yet the Bible also refers to God as the "God of all comfort", so there must be something more to discuss here. Then if we throw in discussions of contentment and how it compares....

Today, we welcome to the podcast, Dr. Don Taylor . Dr. Taylor is the Provost and Dean-of-the-College at Briercrest College and Seminary in Caronport, Saskatchewan. In addition to his administrative roles he also teaches a number of courses including biblical Hebrew, wisdom literature, and Old Testament narrative, all of which makes him a great candidate to help us better understand a number of boo...

There are 15 chapters near the end of the book of Psalms that are noted as "Songs of Ascents" that God's people sang while making the trek up to Jerusalem to celebrate feasts and festivals. Over the past two Sundays at Oakridge we looked at two of these psalms, noting the call to unity and blessing. Today on the podcast, Andrew and Josiah discuss these two psalms and topics, and what it looks like...