Today, the longing for cultural Christianity on both the left and the right hearkens back to an older version of Christendom that was a mixed blessing for the church in the western world. The cultural mediation of Christian views on created order has certainly benefitted the civilization we’ve inherited. But the gospel itself isn’t something that can be reduced to cultural mediation either. Instead, the gospel as a message stands apart from all human accomplishments and achievements, no matter how beneficial they might be.
Josephus does not tell us that Christianity is true, and Christians do not need Josephus to tell them that Christ is risen. But Christianity makes claims about things that happened in public history under identifiable rulers, priests, and governors. For that reason, testimony from outside the church matters.
The student of Scripture should always have a map open next to their Bible as they read. If possible, they should also travel to Israel, not to make a pilgrimage, but to see the context of the land in which these stories took place. These are not fairy tales made up about fictional fantasy lands; these are stories about real people in real places interacting with a real God.

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Martha’s pain is not met by a to-do list. Jesus’ reply is not that she should try harder or change her behavior
The entrance of children into the world reminds our world of the hope of redemption in Genesis 3:15.
The grass withered for them too, but they held on to God’s Word. They knew that was eternal, so they lived in it. They lived in his forgiveness.
Here is the foundational cure for the evils of racism in human society, faith in Christ as definitive for racial identification.
Christian hope means always hope in God and hope in Christ simultaneously without distinction.
With the resurrection of the Christ the mystery of life after death became a lot less mysterious.
There is no life when one is separated from the Promised Land because that will be the place where God will send His Messiah.
Death may speak, and its voice may sound authoritative and decisive. Nonetheless, it is a mere whimper from the grave.
Trusting in Christ’s promise of new life and deliverance pours patience and hope into the way we think and the way we experience life.
Jesus is coming again to renew all things. It may seem somewhat hidden right now, but make no mistake, hope abides.
As we close out an old year, Saint Silvester can remind us God is the Lord of history and He has used and is using even people whose lives sink largely or totally into obscurity to keep the confession of our faith in Jesus Christ alive.
This story of despair met with the hope of the gospel is rightly told by many during the holiday season.