“I am he who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” (Revelation 1:18) This verse answers the question posed in my headline. The Bible clearly records that between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, Jesus went to hell and back for us. Pastors and Sunday School teachers have taught us over the years that Satan and all the evil that goes with him were conquered by Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the […]

“The governor answered and said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ They said, ‘Barabbas!’” (Matthew 27:21) In Jesus’ time, the Romans had a long-standing tradition at Passover of releasing one prisoner as a gesture to illustrate its respect for the Jewish holiday. Mark’s account of Pontius Pilate’s decision to release Barabbas covers the exchange between Pilate, the Jewish leaders and others as Pilate struggled with his decision: Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, […]

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2) If you grew up in church, you know the story of Jonah. God asked him to go to Nineveh, a city of 120,000, to help him save them from their own wickedness. Like most of us, when we run from what we think is trouble, we often go somewhere we think we […]

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3) The story is told about a young child who prayed to ask Jesus to come and live in his heart during Sunday School. When he saw his mother, he proudly told her, “Mama, I asked Jesus to come and live in my heart today and take my skin away.” His mother chuckled but later realized that her young child was serious. Several […]