Sermon and Scripture

Scripture studies

Deep dives into a passage or book: context, key words and cross-references.

  1. Scripture studies

    Arians vs Homoousians: The Fight That Defined What Christian Means

    In the early 4th century, a single theological question tore the Christian world apart: Is Jesus God, or did God create Jesus?

    John 1:1-14

  2. Scripture studies

    Baal — The First and Greatest Rival of Yahweh

    Dr. Justin Sledge, Esoterica (YouTube) — "Baal: The First and Greatest Rival of Yahweh."

  3. Scripture studies

    Catholics vs Protestants: The Split That Tore Europe Apart and the Huguenot Massacre

    For fifteen hundred years there was one Western church. One system.

    Romans 1:17

  4. Scripture studies

    Deuteronomy 8:17-18 — The Power to Gain Wealth

    The heart of it is one line. “Remember that it is the Lord your God who gives you the power to gain wealth.”

    Deuteronomy 8:17-18

  5. Scripture studies

    Gnosticism vs the Bible: The Divine Spark, The Matrix, and Why God Jacked In

    Gnosticism keeps resurfacing in modern storytelling because it describes something real. The Matrix, The Truman Show, Westworld, Dark City, Severance.

    John 1:14

  6. Scripture studies

    Hidden Patterns in the Bible: The Same Stories Told Across Thousands of Years

    The Bible was written by roughly 40 different authors over 1,500 years across three continents in three languages.

    Genesis 3; 1 John 2; Matthew 4

  7. Scripture studies

    Hidden Patterns Part 2: The Rock, the Scarlet Thread, the Passover Lamb, and the Three Gardens

    A continuation of the patterns that repeat across Scripture. Forty different authors, 1,500 years, three languages, one design.

  8. Scripture studies

    How Yahweh Became God — The Origins of Monotheism

    Dr. Justin Sledge, Esoterica (YouTube) — "How Yahweh Became God: The Origins of Monotheism."

    Deuteronomy 32:8-9; Isaiah 40

  9. Scripture studies

    James 2:14-26 — Faith and Deeds

    James is writing to Jewish Christians scattered across the Roman world (James 1:1).

    James 2:14-26

  10. Scripture studies

    John 1:1 Deep Dive: Seventeen Words That Hold the Universe

    "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

    John 1:1

  11. Scripture studies

    Joshua 2 / James 2:25 — Rahab: The Prostitute in the Bloodline of Jesus

    Joshua sends two spies into Jericho before Israel's invasion. They end up at the house of Rahab, a prostitute.

    Joshua 2:1-24

  12. Scripture studies

    Knowledge vs Faith: The Bible Says Both

    Gnosticism says knowledge saves you. The Bible says something more nuanced: knowledge EQUIPS you.

    Hosea 4:6

  13. Scripture studies

    Luke 12:48 — To Whom Much Is Given

    Peter asks Jesus (v.41) whether His parable about readiness applies to the disciples or to everyone.

    Luke 12:48

  14. Scripture studies

    People-Pleasing Is Identity Theft: The Cross as Verb, Not Jewellery

    A simple question: which necklace to wear. A cross or a pirate coin.

    Galatians 1:10

  15. Scripture studies

    Prophecies Fulfilled to the Letter: Psalm 22, Isaiah 53, and the Mathematics of Prophecy

    The Bible contains over 300 prophecies about the Messiah, written centuries before Jesus was born. Some are broad.

    Psalm 22:1-18

  16. Scripture studies

    Romans 8:5-8 - Flesh vs Spirit: Two Operating Systems of the Mind

    Paul describes two operating systems that run the human mind. You can't run both at the same time.

    Romans 8:5-8

  17. Scripture studies

    Son of God in Greek — How Mark Frames the Entire Gospel (Mark 1:1, 15:39)

    The Gospel of Mark frames itself between two declarations that Jesus is the Son of God. The first verse announces it.

    Mark 1:1

  18. Scripture studies

    Spiritual Warfare: The Enemy's Playbook, the Armour of God, and How to Fight Back

    The Bible treats spiritual warfare as real, normal, and winnable.

    Ephesians 6:10-18

  19. Scripture studies

    The Bible Is One Story: Paradise Lost, Paradise Restored, and the Journey Home

    The whole Bible is one story. And it has a shape.

    Genesis 2-3

  20. Scripture studies

    The Body as Temple: God Has Always Been Moving Closer

    Both the Bible and Gnosticism agree that something divine is inside you. But they say completely opposite things about what that means.

    1 Corinthians 6:19

  21. Scripture studies

    The Cross Is Not a Leash: Why Being Christ-Like Doesn't Mean Being a Doormat

    There's a tension every Christian in business feels.

    Galatians 1:10

  22. Scripture studies

    The Enemy Has One Move: Every Lie Is a Confession

    The enemy has one move. One.

    Matthew 4:1-11

  23. Scripture studies

    The Enemy's Real Target: Why Every Attack in Scripture Is About Identity

    The enemy has one real target, and it's never the sin itself. The sin is just the tool.

    Matthew 4:1-11

  24. Scripture studies

    The Historical Jesus — From Galilean Peasant to Messianic Accelerationist

    Dr. Justin Sledge, Esoterica (YouTube) — "The Historical Jesus."

  25. Scripture studies

    The Huguenots and South Africa: How French Refugees Built the Cape Winelands

    After Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685, between 200,000 and 400,000 Huguenots fled France.

  26. Scripture studies

    The Origins of Yahweh — From Desert Warrior God to God of Billions

    Dr. Justin Sledge, Esoterica (YouTube) — "The Origins of Yahweh."

    Deuteronomy 32:8

  27. Scripture studies

    When R20,000 Gets Stolen — What Scripture and the Test Reveal About Your Heart

    Say fraudsters steal R20,000 from someone's bank account. It's a lot of money.

    Ephesians 4:26-28; Exodus 20:15; Proverbs 6:30-31

  28. Scripture studies

    When Worship Paints a Target: Why Drawing Close to God Attracts Attack

    There's a pattern that every serious believer notices eventually.

    Job 1:8-12

  29. Scripture studies

    Why the Gnostic Gospels Say Different Things: History Not Mystery

    The Gnostic gospels (Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Philip, Apocryphon of John) were not written by the people whose names they carry.

    1 John 4:2-3