Ecclesiastes 1:11 “There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow” (NIV). Observation: Most of Ecclesiastes is a commentary on life’s futility. The author’s range of vision was necessarily limited...

Romans 16:3–13 “Greet (fill in the blank) … fellow workers in Christ [who] risked their lives for me … who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia … my relatives who have been in prison with me … whom I love in the Lord … tested and approved in Christ...

Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant” (NIV). Observation: In Romans 15, Paul continued his persuasive arguments to the effect that the Gospel is the great...

Romans 14:4(a) “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?” (NIV). Observation: Paul’s question is intended to build harmony within the body by pointing out that all believers are fellow servants of the same Lord, Jesus Christ. The examples upon which Paul builds...

Romans 13:1–2 “The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment upon themselves” (NIV). Observation: Paul’s treatise on our...

Romans 10:3 “Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” (NIV). Observation: Paul continued to express ardent hope that all might be saved, including his beloved fellow...

Revelation 22:8–9 “I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. But he said to me, ‘Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God.’” Observation:...

Revelation 15:3 “And they sang the song of Moses, the bondservant of God, and the song of the Lamb.” Observation: In Revelation 13, John had described astonishing visions of a ten-horned beast with seven heads, each with a blasphemous name, and another beast with two...

Revelation 5:6 “And I saw between the throne … and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain.” Observation: John had been given a vision of heaven’s throne and of one sitting on the throne holding an unopened book in His right hand. One of the elders identified Jesus as...

Revelation 2:7 “To him who overcomes …” Observation: Christ’s revelation to John contains messages to seven types of churches and to believers within. These were specific first-century places, but they were also representative of churches that always exist: Ephesus,...