1. Rightly distinguishing between law and gospel, as Paul helps us see in 2 Corinthians 3, is, quite literally, a matter of life and death.
  2. God gives us the power and authority to proclaim the forgiveness of sins to burdened sinners who entrust us with their pain, guilt, and defeat.
  3. The law had to have its way with the expert to bring him around (and back) to Abraham's response.
  4. The nefarious thing about idolatry is that just about anything can become your idol: career, family, fame, wealth, status, spouse, you name it, any good thing can become a ‘god-thing” with ease. 
  5. Maybe, just maybe, our goal for 2023 should not be to live more but to die more.
  6. God is not calling us to “grow up.” He is calling us to dependence.
  7. For with God we look not for the order of nature, but rest our faith in the power of him who works.
  8. Through water, blood, and word, the Spirit never stops pointing us to Christ, and even more, giving us Christ.
  9. The reason that God’s commandments are not burdensome is that Jesus has fulfilled them.
  10. Both now and forever, the bruised and crucified Lord nailed to a cross is our assurance of deliverance.
  11. Righteousness before God is possessed only by grace and that through the currency of faith.