Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green

Background on James

The letter of James is a bit different than what we’re used to in the New Testament. Most of the NT letters are written to a church (Romans, Corinthians), churches (Galatians, Revelation), or an individual (Timothy, Titus, Philemon). There are a few letters like Hebrews or 1 John where the recipients aren’t identified, so ourContinue reading “Background on James”

We Need More of This!

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21) IContinue reading “We Need More of This!”

A Look at Hebrews 11 (1)

Hebrews 11 is one of those passages that everyone is familiar with and finds inspiration in. The standout stories there sweep across the biblical narrative from Abel to David to Daniel. They provide us with examples of the people of God rising to meet adversity, overcome obstacles, and conquer challenges due to their trust inContinue reading “A Look at Hebrews 11 (1)”

A Look at Hebrews 11 (2)

2. He points them to people. But if the past can be painfully instructive, it can also be powerfully inspiring. The writer’s history lesson isn’t about the average rainfall in the Mediterranean, the political structure they lived under, or the leading export. He wants to tell them about people. But not just any people. People likeContinue reading “A Look at Hebrews 11 (2)”

Hope Is A Good Thing (The Shawshank Redemption)

“Get busy living or get busy dying,” Andy Dufresne tells Red in the Shawshank Redemption.  It’s a great line from a great movie. But like a lot of Hollywood truths, it doesn’t quite translate to the real word. It needs a little tweaking. We’d like to think we’re either living or dying, but it’s not quite that simple. The reality is aContinue reading “Hope Is A Good Thing (The Shawshank Redemption)”

The Third Call

Hebrews 10:19-25 is an instructive text—both for understanding the letter as well as for living as a follower of Jesus today—especially as it relates to community life. This section consists of  two conclusions (punctuated by the word “since”) and three calls (“let us”).  The conclusions are: 1) We have confidence to enter into the presence ofContinue reading “The Third Call”

The Three Appearances of Jesus

The writer speaks of three appearances of Jesus in 9:24-28. Taken together, they encapsulate His work in bringing many sons and daughters to glory. The writer touches on what happened on earth, what is happening in heaven, and what will happen at the end of history as we know it. Jesus’ first appearance is spokenContinue reading “The Three Appearances of Jesus”

Jesus And Living Authentically

There was an athlete who said some things that got them into trouble (I’m being purposely vague here because there’s no need to reveal their identity). To their credit, they reflected upon their words and the consequences of them and later admitted much of what they said was wrong. However, they didn’t regret it becauseContinue reading “Jesus And Living Authentically”

Knowing the Lord

Although the word “covenant” occurs 8 x’s in chapter 8 (and 9 more x’s in chapters 9-10), the overall topic continues to be the priesthood of Jesus. The priestly ministry of Jesus is exercised under the new covenant (8:6), so the writer turns to this as another line of evidence pointing to the superiority ofContinue reading “Knowing the Lord”