Winston Churchill said, “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” This is a sad truth, but it still does not shake my convictions regarding democratic process. Somehow the conflicting self-interest of millions achieves better things (though never perfect things) than anything...
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May 17, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Society
So in Chapter 2 verse 15, Matthew deems Joseph’s return to Israel after a quick escape from Herod by hiding out in Egypt for a time to be a fulfillment of Hosea 11:1, which says, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” Many have suggested that such...
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May 15, 2017 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT, Old Testament Studies
Let’s consider the 7th of seven paths of investigation needed to unlock potential rationales behind NT authors’ use of OT texts. Matthew 2:15 says that an historical comment in Hosea 11:1 is “fulfilled” in Jesus’ childhood departure from Egypt. Does this prove that NT writers didn’t care about...
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May 12, 2017 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT
In a day when the worst sin a person can commit personally is to “make someone else feel bad,” Gospel preaching has taken a bit of a hit. We want to preach good news… which is what gospel means, but we seem to imagine that good news is...
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May 10, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Theology
No Comment
One of the benefits of living in a nation of 300 million people is that our society is rife with any kind of anecdotal evidence a person needs to convince themselves that their vision of the world is right. The media has enough fodder to stuff our gaping...
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May 8, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Society
It’s no secret that I’m a dinosaur, a has-been, an old person who is personally responsible for every failing of society, and the primary reason why so many millennials don’t already live in the Utopia they are sure they will be able to create just as soon as...
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May 5, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Worship
Today I want to consider the 6th of seven paths of investigation that a person should take in an attempt to understand a New Testament author’s USE of an Old Testament text. Do texts like Matthew 2:15—in which an historical comment in Hosea 11:1 is said to “be...
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May 3, 2017 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT, Old Testament Studies
Today I want to consider the 5th of seven paths of investigation that a person should take in an attempt to understand a New Testament author’s USE of an Old Testament text. Some falsely imagine that texts like Matthew 2:15—in which an historical comment in Hosea 11:1 is...
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May 1, 2017 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, HAGALAH, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT, Old Testament Studies
In this edited sermon, I consider Jeremiah 45 in historical, grammatical and literary context. Baruch has been called away from a life of promise to play second fiddle to a hated prophet… to share in Jeremiah’s suffering and rejection. He is less than excited by the call...
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April 26, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Bible Backgrounds, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Old Testament Studies
This is a heavily edited message about the power of poetry as a vehicle for the inspired word of God. Poetry is not a mere vessel for the message of poetic sermons, but is part of the message, holding secrets to meaning, and the power of emotive connection....
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April 24, 2017 Andrew Sargent
HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Old Testament Studies
If a person sets the various stories of Hezekiah into chronological order a fascinating pattern emerges. Hezekiah is a man of great faith during a time great crisis. He is all the more remarkable considering his father, who was a true reprobate who sold out Judah to...
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April 21, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Bible Backgrounds, HAGALAH, Old Testament Studies
In our first part, Human Nature, we pondered the reason that so many human attempts to help others prove so disastrous. If we really strive to do good for others and not just to do things that make us feel good about ourselves, we discover just how complex...
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April 19, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Society
This is an edited sermon about the meaning behind Matthew’s claim that Joseph moving to Nazareth was a fulfillment of Scripture. It explores the meaning of “fulfillment” in the New Testament, the history of the city, the nature of Matthew’s use of the prophets, the problem with spelling...
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April 19, 2017 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Language Issues, HAGALAH, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT
No Comment
In our first part, Human Nature, we pondered the reason that it is so hard to really help people. It’s not hard to try to be helpful, people often strive to aid those around them. It is just difficult to really help people. Those who are paying attention...
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April 18, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Society
Ever notice how hard it is to help people? We are always losing the war on drugs, stagnating in the war on poverty, failing to end bullying, never quite able to defeat racism and prejudice, unable to achieve lasting peace or to end war… etc, etc, etc....
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April 17, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Society
In this edited sermon, I address the common misinterpretation of the line in Isaiah 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish. First people fail to quote the whole proverb. It goes, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy...
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April 17, 2017 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Biblical Language Issues, Biblical Studies, Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Old Testament Studies
If you’ve seen the video that was released this week where the man is being dragged off a United Airline’s flight because he refused to exit the plane when asked to do so by authorities, I’m sure you are as dismayed over the situation as I am (hilarious...
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April 14, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Society
No Comment
I am pleased to welcome Othello Mugugu back as a guest blogger today. He originally hails from Zimbabwe, has a Bachelors from Northpoint Bible College, Serves in the American Army, has completed his Masters in Religious Studies from Providence College in Providence Rhode Island. Today he has allowed me to...
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April 14, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Bible Backgrounds, Biblical Language Issues, HAGALAH, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT
No Comment
This is the heavily edited 6th narrative sermon in the Gospel of Mark. Here Mark uses a repeating story structure to portray Jesus as a deified man who overcomes the impossible in bigger than life miracles after the experts of the day have done all that the...
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April 12, 2017 Andrew Sargent
Biblical Theology, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Meeting the Jesus of Mark, New Testament Studies, NT's Use of the OT
This is the 8th narrative sermon in the Gospel of Mark in which Jesus’ confrontation of the Pharisaic regulations called “The Traditions of the Elders,” which are a body of 18 new oral laws passed by the religious leaders in order to drive a wedge of hatred...
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April 10, 2017 Andrew Sargent
101 Most Misunderstood Verses, Bible Backgrounds, HAGALAH, Inductive Study Methods, Meeting the Jesus of Mark, New Testament Studies
