Matthew 28:18

"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

From Background Notes [BN] for December 3^rd/4^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Yet the rule of Jesus is not tyrannical or cruel. He comes to his throne by way of the cross. Scripture reminds us that human beings “crucified the Lord of glory”. 

Ephesians 5:23b

"Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.”

From Background Notes [BN] for December 3^rd/4^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

“Christ,” on the other hand, is not a proper name. Rather, Christos, refers to Jesus special role as the Messiah (HaMašiaḥ), “the anointed one.”

Matthew 1:21

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins”

From Background Notes [BN] for December 3^rd/4^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The name “Jesus” is his proper name given to him at birth in accordance with the instructions of God’s angel. Based on the Hebrew language, this name means “Yahweh saves.”

Isaiah 40:13-14

"Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?”

From Background Notes [BN] for November 26^th/27^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The kingly Son of Yahweh requires no counselor: he is the counselor.

Romans 12:12

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

From Background Notes [BN] for November 19^th/20^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Hope is actually “waiting” within Hebrew thought, and Jewish people knew a great deal about waiting for promises to be fulfilled. To Paul’s mixed Gentile/Jewish audience, the notion of “hope” had different meanings.

Romans 12:11

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

From Background Notes [BN] for November 19^th/20^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

“Fiery passion and strong determination characterize the zealous person. Paul knew about other forms of zeal of which he did not approve, such as “zeal without knowledge” (Romans 10:2; from Proverbs 19:2).

Romans 12:6

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith.”

From Background Notes [BN] for November 19^th/20^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

“Trust, but verify” works pretty well in this context! If someone makes a claim as a prophet, his words must correspond to the body of truth contained in the gospel.

Romans 12:3

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

From Background Notes [BN] for November 19^th/20^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

In that statement are echoes of Paul’s instruction about not living according to the flesh, but instead, according to the Spirit.

Romans 12:2

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

From Background Notes [BN] for November 19^th/20^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Paul calls, not for a new conformity, but for transformation, using the Greek word
metamorphousthe, from which comes our English term "metamorphosis". The prefix meta implies "change", while morphē refers to the essence of a thing.

Romans 12:1

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

From Background Notes [BN] for November 19^th/20^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Paul "appeals" in strong terms for his readers to render this kind of sacrifice to God. By saying that his appeal is based on the "mercies of God" (Greek: tōn oiktirōn tou theou), he uses covenant language, drawn from God's formal relationship with His people.

Romans 8:34

"Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

From Background Notes [BN] for November 12^th/13^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Condemnation only matters where a successful guilty verdict has been given by the Judge. No such verdict ever came, because “Christ died, rose, and sits at the right hand of the Judge!”

Romans 8:11

"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

From Background Notes [BN] for October 12^th/13^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Following the storyline of ancient Israel in the wilderness, Paul elaborates the Spirit’s indwelling by paralleling God’s Shekinah glory above the earthly tabernacle or the Jerusalem Temple (compare 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19).

Romans 8:1-2

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

From Background Notes [BN] for October 12^th/13^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Charles Wesley began one stanza of his famous hymn “And Can It Be?” with the words “No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine.” He no doubt had been re-reading Romans 8:1!

Romans 5:9

"Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”

From Background Notes [BN] for October 5^th/6^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The door to the kingdom is open, the veil of the Temple has been ripped open, and the holy God stands ready to receive His children home...

Romans 5:8

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

From Background Notes [BN] for October 5^th/6^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Salvation-history took a new turn when “Christ died for the ungodly.” We often refer to the death and resurrection of Jesus as the Christ event because of its epoch-making significance.

Romans 5:6

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”

From Background Notes [BN] for October 5^th/6^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

There is urgency in those words, for they remind us about the extremity of the
human condition by using the word “ungodly”.

Romans 5:3

"…Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

From Background Notes [BN] for October 5^th/6^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The Holy Spirit shapes us through this affliction. Such suffering is not accidental or merely circumstantial, operating in our lives without God’s oversight…