Romans 5:12 “Therefore just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin …” (NIV). Observation: Romans 5 is a robust passage uniquely used in the development and defense of the Christian faith. It opens with Paul’s declaration of justification by...

Romans 3:3 “Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?” (NIV). Observation: Paul’s letter to the Romans is a clear-eyed assessment of the depraved spiritual condition of all men, both Jews and Christians. Spiritual darkness is universal without faith in God,...

Psalm 101:2 “I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing” (NIV). Observation: In this brief psalm David beautifully expressed a heart set on pursuit of God alone. He promised to sing of God’s love and justice (v. 1) and to...

Psalm 78:61 “He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy” (NIV). Observation: Psalm 78 begins with parables designed to recount the relational history of God and the Israelites. He blessed and established the nation even as...

Matthew 28:1 “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb” (NIV). Observation: At week’s beginning, the two Marys had for the second time gone to Christ’s gravesite. Arriving after a great...

Psalm 51:4 “Against You, You only, I have sinned.” Observation: David’s adultery with Bathsheba had resulted in her pregnancy (see 2 Samuel 11, 12). To cover his sin, David called her husband Uriah from the battlefield for a home visit, hoping it would deflect from...

2 Samuel 10:3 “The Ammonite nobles said to Hanun their lord, ‘Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy?’” (NIV). Observation: Hanun had succeeded his deceased father as Ammonite king. In an act of kindness, David sent an...

Matthew 20:13 “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?’” (NIV). Observation: This verse is found within the familiar story of workers hired to labor in a vineyard. Some had been hired early in the...

Psalm 106:4–5 “Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise” (NIV). Observation:...

1 Chronicles 15:19–20 “The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the lyres … and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to...