Murdering a human being is an assault on God. He made us in his own image. Destroying an image usually means you hate the imaged. Murdering God’s human image-bearer is not just murder. It’s treason — treason against the creator of the world. It is a capital crime — and more. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6).

As usual, Jesus takes this up in devastating terms. None of us escapes.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.” But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his br

…

Continue Reading →

We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize . . . but one who in every respect has been tested as we are. (Hebrews 4:15)

Mass murder is why Jesus came into the world the way he did. What kind of Savior do we need when our hearts are shredded by brutal loss?

We need a suffering Savior. We need a Savior who has tasted the cup of horror we are being forced to drink.

And that is how he came. He knew what this world needed. Not a comedian. Not a sports hero. Not a movie star. Not a political genius. Not a doctor. Not even a pastor. The world needed what no mere man could be.

The world needed a suffering Sovereign. Mere suffering would not do. Mere sovereignty would not do. Th…

Continue Reading →

Dear Friends,

Have you ever wondered what became of the innkeeper in Bethlehem who let Mary and Joseph have their baby in his barn?

Did he have little children? When the soldiers came from Herod, did they hunt for the birth place of the dangerous baby and start the slaughter there? What did it cost the innkeeper to house the Messiah in his first hours?

In the poem called The Innkeeper, I tried to imagine what might have happened when the soldiers came. And what Jesus might have said if he showed up 30 years later to talk to the innkeeper about it. It’s fiction. But its aim is truth and hope and joy.

Desiring God and Crossway Books have teamed up to make a new video recordin…

Continue Reading →

Ramez Atallah, the General Director of The Bible Society of Egypt, has given me permission to share this letter. It is at once educational, inspirational, and a call for prayer for the Coptic Church of Egypt.

On Sunday November 4th, I attended the extremely moving ceremony where the new Patriarch (Pope) of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt was chosen. The Nominating Committee had narrowed the candidates from 17 names down to five, after which 2,406 Coptic leaders and laymen prayerfully elected three people, two Bishops and one monk. 

After much fasting and prayer, by most Copts, the leadership of the Church met at the Cathedral and a young, blindfolded child put his hand in a jar contai…

Continue Reading →

I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. . . . He set me apart before I was born, and called me by his grace.

 You were aflame, a Pharisee.
      I  was. Without a flaw.
Then blameless? Perfect purity?
     Yes, in the law.

Did you consent to Stephen's death?
     More than consent, approved.
And did you hear his final breath?
     I did, unmoved.

Did you condemn the innocent?
     More than condemn, blasphemed.
And was your sentence violent?
     It was. They screamed.

Did you not once lament all this?
     Not once. Nor felt regret.
Or feel the …

Continue Reading →

Dear Friends,

I’m excited to tell you about a new free eBook for Advent from Desiring God. It’s called Good News of Great Joy, organized specifically for this Advent, 2012.

Advent is just around the corner. It starts the fourth Sunday before Christmas — this year, that’s December 2 — and is a season of preparation for Christmas Day.

The team here at Desiring God did a deep dive into our thirty-plus-year reservoir of sermons and articles, and selected brief devotional readings for each day of Advent. Our hope is that God would use these readings to deepen and sweeten your adoration of Jesus this Advent.

These daily devotionals correspond to the daily readings in our devotiona…

Continue Reading →

If somebody reads my last blog, “Brothers, the Ministry Is Supernatural” (not professional), and says, “So, then, you think it doesn’t matter if we sing off key, preach incompetently, and don’t provide parking?” my answer is, “That’s just stupid.”

It matters whether you think the only alternative to tacky is “professional.” If the only way you have for urging excellence in your church is to urge “professionalism,” I suggest you need a bigger vocabulary.

The baggage attached to the word “professionalism” is not helpful, if you are trying to be a supernatural people of God. And that is what we want to be: Body of Christ, chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, people of God’s own posse…

Continue Reading →

It’s been ten years since the publication of the book Brothers, We Are Not Professionals. Nothing has happened in the last ten years to make me think this book is less needed. In fact, instead of going away, the pressure to “professionalize” the pastorate has morphed and strengthened.

Among younger pastors, the talk is less about therapeutic and managerial professionalization, and more about communication or contextualization. The language of “professionalization” is seldom used in these regards, but there is quiet pressure felt by many pastors: Be as good as the professional media folks, especially the cool anti-heroes and the most subtle comedians.

The New Professionalism

This is not…

Continue Reading →

---

Watch on Vimeo or see related sermons:

• "Hallowed Be Thy Name: In All the Earth" (1984)
• "Christ: The Lion and the Lamb" (1986)
• "Our Hope: The Appearing of Jesus Christ" (1986)
• "Glorification: Conformed to Christ for the Supremacy of Christ" (2002)
• "To Him Be Glory Forevermore" (2006)

---

All videos from "The Devotional on Glory" —

• Why God Created Us
• Our Failure to Live Up
• Jesus Came into the World
• How the Rescued Life Looks
• The Consummation of All Things

---

Watch on Vimeo or see related sermons:

• "How to Do Good So That God Gets the Glory" (1980)
• "God Works for Those Who Wait for Him" (1982)
• "Without Faith it is Impossible to Please God" (1997)
• "Slaves to God, Sanctification, Eternal Life" (2000)
• "Do Not Be Conformed to This World" (2004)

---

All videos from "The Devotional on Glory" —

• Why God Created Us
• Our Failure to Live Up
• Jesus Came into the World
• How the Rescued Life Looks
• The Consummation of All Things