by Matthew Borgstrom | Nov 18, 2021 | Uncategorized
Here is a summary of the significance of John the Baptist’s declaration in John 1:29—while there may have been many lambs used for sacrifices, only God’s lamb would provide the necessary and permanent atonement for sin. No wonder it’s recorded that sinners receive...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Nov 10, 2021 | Uncategorized
In John 1:19-28, we have seen one who is determined to make sure no one thinks of him more highly than he truly is. This is because, even though he had a very significant ministry, he was not given a named role. He merely considered himself a voice crying out in the...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Nov 5, 2021 | Uncategorized
In John 1:15-18, we have seen Jesus Christ introduced as the One who is before all things; the One who has fullness of grace and truth and the One who brought forth the most complete revelation of God ever given. Despite that, we often adopt alternate focal points of...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Oct 26, 2021 | Uncategorized
When John writes in 1:14 that God’s glory was revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, he describes that glory to be full of grace and truth. Grace is undeserved kindness and truth isn’t merely pointing to the content of what Jesus said, namely that it was void of that...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Oct 14, 2021 | Uncategorized
So here is how we should be processing John 1:12-13: 1) Stunned by grace and 2) understanding of rejection. 1) Stunned by grace—If you are in Christ, that means you have received Christ by believing in his name and if you received Christ, it was God’s will for you to...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Oct 7, 2021 | Uncategorized
The end of John 1:4 further explains the life in the beginning part of the verse, in that it was the light of man or light possessed by or given to man. This too, can easily refer to the sustenance of human life, which Leon Morris brings forth when he said:...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Sep 27, 2021 | Uncategorized
In John 6, Jesus exposes the motives of the crowds who were seeking him, namely because he miraculously provided food for them the day before in the feeding of the 5,000. In v.26, Jesus says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Sep 21, 2021 | Uncategorized
According to Heb. 13:17, submission to leaders is necessary because they have a God-given responsibility and a God-examined accountability. Their responsibility is to keep watch over souls. The leaders of a church, who have been verified as possessing the biblical...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Sep 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
Whenever we talk about biblical love, by definition, there’s always a sacrifice involved. What kind of sacrifice is entailed with regards to the gathering of the body of Christ? There are at least 3 of them: 1) The sacrifice of preparation–It takes significant...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Sep 7, 2021 | Uncategorized
Now Peter’s instruction in v.7 should not be compared to throwing your anxiety in the backyard so that you will look at it every day and eventually go pick it up again. No, this is throwing your anxiety off of a moving train as it’s going by the edge of a cliff....
by Matthew Borgstrom | Sep 2, 2021 | Uncategorized
In similar fashion to Christ’s instruction in Matt. 6 from last week, Paul begins Php. 4:6 by outlawing anxiety, but notice what kind of circumstances are included in the prohibition—everything! There is nothing that can happen that is outside the bounds of trusting...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Aug 25, 2021 | Uncategorized
In Matthew 6:34, which is the concluding verse of the section, Jesus shifts the object of worry from specific, tangible things to general, future concerns. In doing so, he acknowledges that typically our anxiety is focused on what is out ahead, so he declares—don’t...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Aug 20, 2021 | Uncategorized
What are some implications of the hostility from the world being used by God as a refiner’s fire—1) God has a sovereign purpose in the hostility incurred by Christians from the world. Notice what Peter doesn’t say—”Don’t be surprised at the trials because...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Aug 5, 2021 | Uncategorized
Part of Paul’s penetrating list of descriptions of love includes what appears at the beginning of 1 Cor. 13:6 (love) does not rejoice in unrighteousness…What are some ways this can occur? First of all, there can be a boasting in the minimizing or...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jul 31, 2021 | Uncategorized
Part of Paul’s descriptions of love in 1 Corinthians 13 include prohibitions from arrogance and boasting. These are self-exalting and others-demeaning characteristics. However, if we’re seeing ourselves as slaves of Christ, acknowledging that anything we have...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jul 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
Why is patience so difficult for us? Solomon sheds some light on it in Ecc. 7: 8b…the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. There is an incredible pride resident in...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jul 9, 2021 | Uncategorized
In this first part of 1 Cor. 13:3, Paul does not use the normal word for give as he does in the 2nd part of the verse, but here it infers a piece-by-piece distribution. What this means is that this isn’t a one-time decision to give a lump sum gift to someone—“Here’s...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jun 25, 2021 | Uncategorized
The praise in Psalm 145 is fueled by recounting abundantly rich truths that are put forth about God’s greatness and goodness. If God’s greatness is most notably manifested in his power, God’s goodness is most clearly seen in his love. Both are essential to equally...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jun 18, 2021 | Uncategorized
In Psalm 139:1, David affirms that Yahweh, the covenant making and covenant keeping Great I AM, has searched him. This is a term inferring an examination or testing. For instance, when the Lord says that he searches the heart in Jer. 17:10, there is a parallel line...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Jun 11, 2021 | Uncategorized
In the final 2 lines of Ps. 131:1, David transitions from what he does not have to what he does not do. Namely, he doesn’t walk in things too great or marvelous for him. At first read, this is shocking because things that are great and marvelous sound like pretty good...
by Matthew Borgstrom | May 29, 2021 | Uncategorized
Based on what is found in Psalms 127 & 128, here are some ways we would know the Lord is fortifying and securing our home and that as husbands and fathers, we fear the Lord: ...
by Matthew Borgstrom | May 21, 2021 | Uncategorized
The content and especially the final section of Deut. 9, begs the question: Why bring all this up in front of all Israel? It seems apparent that the reason is to remind them how and why they were delivered. Moses is implying, “You didn’t become God’s special...
by Matthew Borgstrom | May 11, 2021 | Uncategorized
As Moses recounts multiple examples of Israel’s complaining in Deut. 9:22-23, who is the object of Israel’s complaint or criticism or groaning? Oftentimes the text says it’s aimed at Moses, but the Lord takes it as a direct attack on himself. Likewise, who is...
by Matthew Borgstrom | May 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
In Deuteronomy 9:7, Moses states: Remember, do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness; from the day that you left the land of Egypt until you arrived at this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord. In giving...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Apr 28, 2021 | Uncategorized
For those who do acknowledge that all salvation is by grace alone and have trusted in Christ alone for a righteous standing before God, you must believe that God is for you in your sanctification. Just as God was committed to bring Israel into the promise land, as...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Apr 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
How exactly did he go before Israel to humble their enemies, according to what Moses writes in Deut. 9:3? One way is portrayed in Joshua 2:9 when Rahab explains to the spies why she protected them– the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Apr 16, 2021 | Uncategorized
When one is truly captivated by God’s word, there is a love that causes an abhorrence of all things contrary to it, as portrayed in Ps. 119:163. In other words, because biblical love infers a committed relationship, when we love the word, we are committed to what the...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Apr 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
Upon arriving at Psalm 49:15, we come to one of the greatest contrasts in Scripture, marked by the phrase—But God. Even though man cannot redeem another’s soul because the ransom price is too high (vv.7-9), God can certainly do it. Take note of the certainty and...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Mar 30, 2021 | Uncategorized
Notice a statement in the 2nd line of Ps. 119:153 that is repeated all over this Psalm. His refusal to forget God’s word serves as the ground of his request in the 1st line. Now we need to be careful in our interpretation of this verse. The Psalmist is not putting...
by Matthew Borgstrom | Mar 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
The Psalmist concludes the Nun stanza in Ps. 119:112 with this wonderful expression that is essential for sanctification. The Psalmist has inclined his heart to do God’s commandments forever and ever. He’s not interested in a few days of godly living or a few weeks or...
