Tag: Jesus

Returning to Give Thanks: Learning from the Grateful Leper

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This article was originally published on CalvaryChapel.com.

“Thou that hast giv’n so much to me,
Give one thing more, a gratefull heart:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Not thankfull when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days;
But such a heart whose pulse may be
Thy praise.“
(George Herbert, “Gratefulnesse,” 1633)

There is a tendency I have noticed in myself: I am quick to pray and ask God for things that I need. In fact, if I were to categorize my prayers, the majority are requests. There is nothing inherently wrong with this; Jesus encouraged us to ask the Father for what we need (e.g., Matthew 7:7-11). When we ask God to do things that are beyond our capabilities, we honor Him because it shows that we believe in his power and ability, and it expresses our reliance on Him. I often encourage our church to honor the Lord by praying for big and great things rather than assuming that such things are “too big” for Him.

However, the tendency I have noticed in myself is that I often fail to stop, reflect, and thank God for the things that He has done, and the prayers He has answered. I am quick to move on to the next need or the next task without stopping to praise God for His provision and His faithfulness.

A Lesson from the Lepers (Luke 17:11-12)

In the Gospel of Luke, we read about a time when Jesus passed between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a certain village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and cried out to Jesus, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

These lepers were helpless, and they were hopeless. Their incurable disease not only destroyed their bodies but also made them outcasts from society. Cut off from their families, communities, and places of worship, their lives were characterized by isolation and suffering.

Leprosy is often recognized as a type, or a picture, of sin and what sin does in our lives. Like leprosy, sin leads to a hardening of the heart, a loss of feeling; it causes a person to lose parts of themselves, and it ultimately ruins them and leads to death. Because there was no cure for leprosy, the fact that Jesus healed lepers was a sign that He was the Messiah (Matthew 11:2-5).

Hearing their cries for help, Jesus had mercy on these ten lepers, and He healed them. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests so that the priests could inspect them according to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 13-14), to verify that they had been healed and pronounce them as clean so they could be restored to society.

Quickly, the ten lepers ran off, overjoyed and eager to have their cleansing verified by the priests — but one of them stopped and turned back. While the others ran off ahead, this one returned and “praising God in a loud voice, he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving thanks” (Luke 17:15-16).

To make the story even more surprising, Jesus points out that the one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan, a group whom many Jews considered themselves superior to. Jesus then expressed His consternation that, whereas ten were healed, only one returned to give thanks and praise God for what he had received.

Pausing to Praise and Give Thanks

This story challenges us to consider our own actions: When God hears your prayers, how do you respond?

Like those lepers, those whose faith is in Jesus have been cleansed from an incurable condition; we have been saved from death and destruction and given a new destiny. Additionally, we have experienced God’s faithfulness through His provision. God hears our prayers and has provided for our needs. How ought we to respond to this?

There is nothing wrong with making requests of God; not only does He invite us to do it, but we honor Him by doing so. However, what we see from this passage is the importance of returning to the Lord, acknowledging what He has done, and thanking Him and praising Him for His faithfulness and goodness.

For those who are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, we have the opportunity to do just that. May this Thanksgiving holiday be a reminder to us to stop and give thanks, and may it spark a habit of thanksgiving in our hearts that lasts throughout the year.

Bible Translations, Manuscripts, and Understanding “Textual Variants”

Published on by nickcady5 Comments

In response to my last post: “Have Verses Been Removed from My Bible?,” a member of White Fields Church contacted me with some further insights and a chart.

I thought this might be of interest to my readers, so check it out and feel free to share thoughts in the comments.

Many people may not realize that differences in verse inclusions across Bible translations often arise from the Greek New Testament edition chosen by the translators.

For instance, NIV translators didn’t “remove” verses present in the KJV; they were simply translating from different underlying manuscripts. These manuscripts have been compiled into two slightly different Greek New Testament editions.

Translation and textual criticism (determining which text is closest to the original) are related but distinct fields. Translation committees generally rely on the textual decisions made by textual critics who compile the Greek New Testaments used for translation.

Most Bible translations today are based on either the Textus Receptus (TR, or “Received Text”) or the Critical Text (CT, like the Nestle-Aland 28th Edition or United Bible Society 5th Edition). The KJV, NKJV, and MEV use the Textus Receptus, while the majority of other translations (such as the ESV, NIV, NASB, NLT, NET, and CSB) use the Critical Text.

Some translations, like the WEB and MSB, use a third option, the Majority Text (MT), which is less commonly known. Bible translations also vary in the number of textual footnotes they provide. For example, the NASB often includes fewer footnotes, while the NKJV has more than average, and the CSB, BSB, and WEB offer extensive notes (they’re the only translations I’ve seen with a note on the variant in Matthew 6:1).

A great resource for studying textual differences is the Text-Critical English New Testament: Byzantine Text Version, which shows the percentage of manuscripts supporting each reading. Sunday’s example was fascinating: most modern translations omit Matthew 17:21 (“But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting”) based on the Critical Text. However, a significant majority (87.7%) of Greek manuscripts do include this verse, whereas only a small fraction (0.6%) omit it.

While simply counting manuscripts isn’t necessarily the best way to determine authenticity, referring to 87.7% as merely “some” rather than “many” or “most” seems misleading.

It’s also unfortunate that the Majority Text and its close counterpart, the Byzantine Text, are so rarely discussed. God has blessed us with a rich manuscript tradition, and I think it’s important to consider the majority of these texts as part of faithfully stewarding this blessing.

Finally, I want to emphasize that I view all major modern evangelical translations as wonderful, reliable gifts from God. I use and recommend them all.

Faith Under Pressure: How Wrestling Through Your Doubts Can Lead to Deeper Faith – with Dr. Philip Ryken

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Have you ever wrestled with doubts about your faith? If so, then you are in good company. The Bible contains several stories of men and women of faith who also had seasons in which they struggled with doubts.

⁠Dr. Philip Ryken⁠ is the President of ⁠Wheaton College⁠ in Wheaton, Illinois. He has a Doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford University, and he is the author of over 50 books. His latest book is called ⁠I Have My Doubts: How God Can Use Your Uncertainty to Reawaken Your Faith⁠.

In this episode Dr. Ryken shares advice for those currently struggling with doubts, with the goal of also helping others to be equipped to help those around them to come to greater confidence in Jesus and a more vibrant faith.

Listen to Dr. Ryken’s previous episode on Theology for the People: ⁠The Role of Beauty in Theology⁠

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Faith Under Pressure: How Wrestling Through Your Doubts Can Lead to Deeper Faith – with Dr. Philip Ryken – Theology for the People

Have you ever wrestled with doubts about your faith? If so, then you are in good company. The Bible contains several stories of men and women of faith who also had seasons in which they struggled with doubts. ⁠Dr. Philip Ryken⁠ is the President of ⁠Wheaton College⁠ in Wheaton, Illinois. He has a Doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford University, and he is the author of over 50 books. His latest book is called ⁠I Have My Doubts: How God Can Use Your Uncertainty to Reawaken Your Faith⁠. In this episode Dr. Ryken shares advice for those currently struggling with doubts, with the goal of also helping others to be equipped to help those around them to come to greater confidence in Jesus and a more vibrant faith. Listen to Dr. Ryken's previous episode on Theology for the People: ⁠The Role of Beauty in Theology⁠ Visit the ⁠Theology for the People website at nickcady.org⁠

The First Council of Nicaea: What Actually Happened & Why Does It Matter?

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When we talk about “the Early Church” many people’s minds immediately go to the first generation of Christianity, recorded in the Book of Acts and addressed in the New Testament. But what happened after that, and why does it matter for Christians living today?

Matt Pursley is the Executive Pastor at Park Hill Church in San Diego, California. He has a Masters in Christian History, and in this episode, Matt and I discuss the First Council of Nicaea: what led to it and what it produced.

We address many of the common misconceptions about Nicaea, and we discuss the early heresies of Marcionism, Gnosticism, and Arianism, and why it’s important for Christians today to understand those heresies, and why they were rejected.

Along the way we also talk about Jordan Peterson, who Matt says is a modern Marcionite, and how the errors of both liberalism and fundamentalism have a similar origin.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

The First Council of Nicaea: What Actually Happened & Why Does It Matter for Us Today? – Theology for the People

When we talk about “the Early Church” many people’s minds immediately go to the first generation of Christianity, recorded in the Book of Acts and addressed in the New Testament. But what happened after that, and why does it matter for Christians living today? Matt Pursley is the Executive Pastor at Park Hill Church in San Diego, California. He has a Masters in Christian History, and in this episode, Matt and I discuss the First Council of Nicaea: what led to it and what it produced. We address many of the common misconceptions about Nicaea, and we discuss the early heresies of Marcionism, Gnosticism, and Arianism, and why it’s important for Christians today to understand those heresies, and why they were rejected. Along the way we also talk about Jordan Peterson, who Matt says is a modern Marcionite, and how the errors of both liberalism and fundamentalism have a similar origin. Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

Youtube LIVE Update + Local Opportunities to Connect

Published on by nickcady6 Comments

Last Thursday I hosted a YouTube LIVE Q&A for the first time, and it went better than I expected!

I answered questions about politics, the Holy Spirit, suicide, and demonic possession – and more people tuned in than I had anticipated!

Here’s the video of that recording if you’d like to watch back. If you turn on the comments, you can see people posting their questions and feedback.

We’re Doing It Again!

Since it went so well, we are going to be doing this more regularly; we’re currently aiming for doing it weekly on Thursdays – so please join us for that, and please help us spread the word about it, so more people can be part of it and ask their questions!

On this particular occasion, I will be going live from the clubhouse of a golf course because I already had a tee time scheduled before we decided to start doing these live Q&A videos! So please join me in praying that the wifi works well at the clubhouse! And if you want to see my golf attire, you’ll have to tune in!

Here’s the link for that scheduled video, and with this you’ll also be able to watch it (or re-watch it) afterwards:

This Weekend: Rhythm at Roosevelt + Live Q&A On Site!

This Saturday (September 21, 2024) is the Rhythm at Roosevelt festival in Longmont, at Roosevelt Park from 2-10 PM.

White Fields Church will have a booth there, so please come by if you attend. We will be handing out popcorn and free swag and hoping to connect with many people in the community.

As part of our time there, we will be doing a Live Q&A, which will be broadcasted on YouTube, and people will have the opportunity to ask questions in person as well.

Here’s the link for that YouTube event, if you can’t come out in person:

Golf Marathon for YoungLife in the St Vrain Valley

On Monday, Sept. 23rd I am participating in a fundraiser to support YoungLife in the St. Vrain Valley. To raise money, I will be playing a marathon of 45 holes of golf in one day!

My wife Rosemary volunteers with YoungLife and both my high schoolers attend their gatherings. YoungLife specializes in building relationships with teenagers, walking with them through the highs and lows of their teen years, and introducing them to Jesus. YoungLife establishes mentoring relationships between Christian adults and teens, many of whom have no connection to church.

If you would like to join in supporting this local ministry with any amount, you can do so by clicking here: St Vrain Valley YoungLife Golf Marathon 2024

Two Different Interpretations and Applications of David and Goliath

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This video is a clip from a message I presented at an Expositors Collective training event, on the topic of Christ-Centered Hermeneutics. I didn’t realize they had isolated this clip and turned it into a video, but I’m glad they did, and I’d love for you to check it out:

A Biblical Theology of Spiritual Growth, & Creating a Discipleship Pathway – with John Whittaker

Published on by nickcady2 Comments

What is a discipleship pathway, and how do you go about creating one? What is the process by which people grow spiritually, and how do we help them do that?

Dr. John Whittaker has served as a pastor and theologian for many years, in different capacities. He is the author of The Listener’s Commentary, an audio commentary of the Bible, that is available online. He is also the host of the Bible in Life Podcast. 

About half-way through the conversation, I show John our church’s discipleship pathway, and he gives his raw, unscripted feedback on it, so make sure to listen until then, to see if our discipleship pathway passed his test!

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

A Biblical Theology of Spiritual Growth, & Creating a Discipleship Pathway – with John Whittaker – Theology for the People

What is a discipleship pathway, and how do you go about creating one? What is the process by which people grow spiritually, and how do we help them do that? Dr. John Whittaker has served as a pastor and theologian for many years, in different capacities. He is the author of The Listener’s Commentary, an audio commentary of the Bible, that is available online. He is also the host of the Bible in Life Podcast.  About half-way through the conversation, I show John our church’s discipleship pathway, and he gives his raw, unscripted feedback on it, so make sure to listen until then, to see if our discipleship pathway passed his test! Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

Cultivating a Heavenward Mindset in an Epicurean World – with Cameron Cole

Published on by nickcady3 Comments

Cameron Cole experienced every parent’s worst nightmare: they put their son to bed one night, and in the morning they awoke to find that he had died in his sleep. However, the message of the Gospel, is that their son did indeed wake up — in a greater and more profound way: he awoke to eternal life with Jesus, his Savior.

In the wake of his son’s death, Cameron did a deep dive into the passages in the New Testament where Paul the Apostle writes about Heaven and eternal life. That study gave birth to his recent book, Heavenward: How Eternity Can Change Your Life on Earth.

In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Cameron about what he learned through this experience, and how it made him more heavenly minded. Cameron also shares about how to the hope of eternal life ought to shape the way we live here and now.

Cameron’s ministry, Rooted, seeks to equip parents and churches to disciple children and students towards lifelong faith in Jesus Christ.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Cultivating a Heavenward Mindset in an Epicurean World – with Cameron Cole – Theology for the People

Cameron Cole experienced every parent’s worst nightmare: they put their son to bed one night, and in the morning they awoke to find that he had died in his sleep. However, the message of the Gospel, is that their son did indeed wake up in a greater and more profound way: he awoke to eternal life with Jesus, his Savior. In the wake of his son’s death, Cameron did a deep dive into the passages in the New Testament where Paul the Apostle writes about Heaven and Eternal Life. That study gave birth to his recent book, Heavenward: How Eternity Can Change Your Life on Earth. In our discussion, Cameron shares what he learned through this experience, and how it made him more heavenly minded. Cameron also shares about how to the hope of eternal life ought to shape the way we live here and now. Check out Cameron’s ministry: Rooted, which seeks to equip parents and churches to disciple children and students towards lifelong faith in Jesus Christ. Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

Does Baptism Play a Role in Salvation? – with Stephen Pomeroy

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Is baptism a requirement for salvation? There are some Christian groups who say that it is and others who say it isn’t. 

In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I am joined by Pastor Stephen Pomeroy of White Fields Community Church, and we look at the Bible verses and arguments which are central to the debate over “baptismal regeneration,” and aim to show you why we believe that every Christian should be baptized, but that, as Christians, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Does Baptism Play a Role in Salvation? – with Stephen Pomeroy – Theology for the People

Is baptism a requirement for salvation? There are some Christian groups who say that it is, and others who say it isn’t.  In this episode of Theology for the People, I am joined by Pastor Stephen Pomeroy from White Fields Community Church, and we look at the Bible verses and arguments which are central to the debate over “baptismal regeneration.” We aim to show you why we believe every Christian should be baptized, but that, as Christians, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org

Loving the Ones Who Drive You Crazy: How and Why Christians Should Pursue Unity in the Church – with Jamie Dunlop

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In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Jamie Dunlop. Jamie is an associate pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church, in Washington D.C. and the author of the book, Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy: Eight Truths for Pursuing Unity in Your Church.

Jamie’s church is only a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol building, and Jamie discusses how their church has navigated some of the difficult social issues of the past few years by determining to be a “Christ alone” type of church.

In this episode, we discuss the goal of Christian unity in the midst of a divided society, and how to pursue it. Where do you draw the lines?  How do you determine which issues are primary issues?  And why is it important to love those who are different from you, in the Body of Christ?

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Loving the Ones Who Drive You Crazy: How and Why Christians Should Pursue Unity in the Church – with Jamie Dunlop – Theology for the People

Jamie Dunlop is an associate pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church, in Washington D.C. and the author of the book, Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy: Eight Truths for Pursuing Unity in Your Church. Jamie's church is only a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol building, and Jamie discusses how their church has navigated some of the difficult social issues of the past few years by determining to be a “Christ alone” type of church. In this episode, we discuss the goal of Christian unity in the midst of a divided society, and how to pursue it. Where do you draw the lines?  How do you determine which issues are primary issues?  And why is it important to love those who are different from you, in the Body of Christ? episodeleave a written review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. People