Author: Jim Cantelon

Read Romans 5 & 6

Key Verse: Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Sin kills. Before you dismiss this as an overstatement, think again. Let’s look at it from our point of view. Then, with the Bible’s perspective, we’ll try to look at it from God’s point of view. And let’s take an “innocent flirtation” as our example of sin. It starts with a hungry thought. Depending on your gender it might be something like, “My husband hardly notices me anymore. I have a need to be noticed, to be special,...

January 13, 2021

Alms, Prayer, & Fasting 6:1-18 General Comments on Prayer vv.5-8 I wonder if Jesus was thinking of Ecclesiastes 5:2 at this point: “God is in heaven and you upon earth, therefore let your words be few.” It is clear that prayer has little to do with volume, public visibility, or pious repetitions. Nor does it function as an information bureau (“who can instruct the Lord as his counsellor?” Is. 40:13). Rather, it is secret, intimate and more about listening than talking. It’s a time to hear the Lord speak. So, get into your own room, close the door, and be quiet. Remember,...

Read Romans 4

Key Verse: Romans 4:3 “…Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” How would you feel if you were almost 100 years old, your wife was 90; and you were still childless, even though God had promised you a son? You probably would have given up hope by now. You’d question the accuracy of the promise: at least, thinking that maybe you had misread the lines. But Abraham, “against all hope…in hope believed” (v.18). He “believed God” and this act of faith (the hope plus the act of physically loving his 90-year-old wife)...

Read Romans 3

Key Verse: Romans 3:28 “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of there law.” What does it mean to be “justified”? And who or what is the “justifier”? Well, let us start with the meaning of “justice”. The Bible tells us God is “just” and His nature demands “justice”, especially in the context of man’s injustice. Justice is the reward of virtue and punishment of vice” (Concise Oxford Dictionary). To “justify” is to “show the justice or righteousness of (person,...

Read Romans 1 & 2

Key Verse: Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” Do you ever get tired of preachers? I do, and I’m a preacher! I’ve often tried to analyze this fatigue, and I think I’ve hit on at least one thing about us preachers that makes me tired: we so often hammer away on the obvious. Our sermons are time and again framed around “should”, “woulds”, and scoldings — as though we...

January 11, 2021

This week a “day of infamy” occurred in Washington DC. We all watched it unfold and we’re all troubled not only by the insurrection itself but by the implications. There’s a lot of blame-shifting and/or soul searching going on depending on political ideologies and adherence or non-adherence to conspiracy theories. But, regardless of polarities, no one is immune to the collateral damage from the incitement of riotous behaviour. There’s a profound irony in that this attack on democracy took place on the same day that the USA had a record breaking one day death toll from the Corona virus....

Read Acts 28

Key Verse: Acts 28:20 “…for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” The book of Acts concludes with Paul living under house arrest in Rome. It was a fairly casual confinement — he had only one soldier to guard him, and anyone who wished to do so could visit him. Even here, Paul discharged his duty of proclaiming Christ to his Jewish brethren. In fact, the Jewish leaders from Rome came to hear Paul, and he bluntly confronted them with their hardness of heart in rejecting Jesus. He spoke with passion because he believed, even after all he had been through, that...

Read Acts 27

Key Verse: Acts 27:25 “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.” King Agrippa was impressed with Paul. After hearing Paul’s message, he said to Governor Festus, “This man could have been set free, if he had not appealed to Caesar” (26:32). But appeal to Caesar he had, so Paul must be sent to Rome. It was on the way to Rome by sea that the storm struck. What a storm it was! The “Northeaster” they called it winds of hurricane force creating massive waves, driving the ship before it. Totally out of control, totally...

January 6, 2021

Alms, Prayer, & Fasting 6:1-18 How NOT to Give vv. 2-4 Part 3 As is often the case with language and culture there is a blurring of the lines over time. For example, the “Pharisees” and the “Sadducees” emerged as differing religious sub-cultures in the latter half of the second century before Christ. Their sectarian DNA, however, can be seen as far back as the return of the exiles from Babylon around 537 BC. Once situated again in Judea, they became known as the “Hasideans” and the “Hellenizers”. The Hasideans (or “Hasids” as they...

Read Acts 26

Key Verse: Acts 26:20 “I…declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” I think most of us have done it. Maybe several times. We sin, are stricken in our conscience, confess, and sin the same sin again. For some it’s a lifelong cycle — sin, confess, sin. And it’s not mechanical, either. When we confess, we really mean it. In fact, we often confess with tears, but seem unable to extricate ourselves from the cycle....