…For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again…. …Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: […]

…How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the

[Christ] is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and

…Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow….Even

…He took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the

…The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the

…Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’”

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that

…“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” …Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” …Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, ‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must

…It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. — Galatians 5:1   What a bold claim! Because Christ came, because he lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death, because he rose from the dead on

[Mel Lawrenz is Minister at Large for Elmbrook Church. His Easter season devotional is Knowing Him: Devotional Thoughts About the Cross and Resurrection ] A few days ago I stood at the base of the Egyptian pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo, as I have before. And again, it took real mental concentration to comprehend the

One of the greatest blessings a person can experience is being forgiven, and then, to be able to forgive others and know how to ask for forgiveness when that is right. But there are so many misconceptions about forgiveness. A message from Psalm 32… [to discuss this, add your comment below] OUTLINE I. WHAT IS

[Mel Lawrenz is Minister at Large for Elmbrook Church and the author of 17 books, including Prayers for Our Lives: 95 Lifelines to God. ] In a teaching as clear and fresh as the blue Sea of Galilee, Jesus said this is how you should pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom