justice

James, Peter, and I

September 28, 2022

by Matthew W. Bassford Acts 12 offers one of the great conundrums of the New Testament. In the first few verses of the chapter, the wicked king Herod Agrippa arrests and executes the apostle James, the brother of John. Shortly thereafter, he arrests Peter with the same intention. However, God sends his angel to rescue…

The Pilate Philosophy

April 14, 2022

by Terry Wane Benton Pilate washes his hands of killing Jesus Matthew 27:24 The Pilate Philosophy is to wash your hands of responsibility and to pretend there is no way to know the truth. “What is truth?” (John 18:38), he asked Jesus. There was also a “cancel-culture” mentality in his presence in the Jews wanting…

Why Do Wars Exist?

March 6, 2022

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Why-Do-Wars-Exist.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 59:1-18 I. In my youth, the Vietnam War was being fought. It was an unpopular war that generated a lot of protest songs. A. One song called “War” by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong exclaimed, “War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!” B. So can wars and acts of…

The Desire for Justice

October 6, 2021

by Doy Moyer Justice is an idea that is not made of materials. It is not something we can physically hold, scientifically measure, or weigh with scales. It is conceptual, grasped only by the mind, and based upon an even more foundational notion about right and wrong, good and bad (which also are non-material). Even…

What I Would Say To My Children

September 30, 2021

by Jefferson David Tant Raising children is, I believe, one of the greatest responsibilities God has given us. By God’s design, a man and a woman have created something which will never cease to exist — a spirit that has been made in the image of God. Can you imagine the awesome feeling of responsibility…

A Trial Lawyer Examines the Trial of Jesus

May 12, 2021

by Larry L. Crain, A trial attorney in civil rights and constitutional law (abridged by Jefferson David Tant) During Easter, many believers reflect on the Crucifixion of Christ. As a lawyer, I have been intrigued by the criminal trial culminating in Christ’s execution. The Gospels give four narratives in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They…

February 14, 2021

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Justice.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 20:1-16 I. Matthew 20:1-16 A. Have you noticed that a lot of people want things that they are not willing to give? B. Take the idea of justice. People want justice for themselves (so long as it is in their favor), but they are not willing that justice lower what…

Christianity, Marxism, and Social Justice

February 2, 2021

by Wilson Adams Marxism is an atheistic and materialistic ideology -nothing exists beyond what we see. Christianity, by contrast, holds to an ultimate and infinite Power (God) – our Creator and Redeemer. CIRCA 1865: Karl Marx (1818-1883), philosopher and German politician. (Photo by Roger Viollet Collection/Getty Images) Marxism says there’s no such thing as a…

What Justice Requires

January 10, 2021

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/What-Justice-Requires.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Micah 6:6-8 I. The concept of justice is rarely applied evenly. A. Justice is the quality of being right or proper. It carries the idea of fair and equal treatment. There is no favoritism with justice. People get what they deserve. B. People want justice when they have been wronged. But…

When Ahab Humbled Himself

December 27, 2020

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton It might seem odd, but I love it when a student in a Bible class asks a deep question — you know, a question that shows the student was thinking far beyond the immediate lesson. This morning, a student was working on a lesson about greed and he planned to use…