Truth For Life Blog

Wallpaper: Grow in Grace

TFL — Mon, 18 May 2026 05:00:00 GMT

“It is impossible to grow in grace as God intends neglecting the Word of God.”
—Alistair Begg

Click below to download your image:

Apple Devices:
iPads
iPhones

Other Devices:
Android Phones
Amazon Fire
Microsoft Surface

Social Media
Facebook Banner
Facebook Post
Twitter Post
Instagram Post

Desktop Computer
Large
Small

How to Teach Kids Theology: Deep Truths for Growing Faith

TFL — Sat, 16 May 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Helping children understand big truths about God doesn’t have to be complicated—and it doesn’t have to wait until they’re older. How to Teach Kids Theology: Deep Truths for Growing Faith is a thoughtful and practical guidebook designed to equip parents, grandparents, ministry leaders, and teachers with a framework for introducing rich biblical doctrine in ways children can truly grasp. Rather than avoiding “deep” topics, this book embraces them, showing how to explore who God is with young children all the way up to college students.

What sets this book apart is its clarity, intentionality, and flexibility. Each lesson is presented in a way that’s adaptable, whether you’re teaching the very young or leading a discussion with young adults. It takes foundational theological concepts—like God’s character, salvation, and the nature of Scripture—and breaks them down into simple, engaging conversations. Each chapter is structured to help parents, teachers, or youth group leaders communicate truth with confidence, offering definitions, discussion prompts, and real-life application. It’s not just about imparting information. It’s about fostering a lasting faith that grows over time.

If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond surface-level Bible stories and into meaningful spiritual formation, this book is an excellent place to start. Applying the instruction in How to Teach Kids Theology will enable you to help children of all ages build a strong, Christ-centered foundation that will guide them for years to come.

Request your copy of How to Teach Kids Theology when you donate to Truth For Life today.

Rooting Out the Weed of Bitterness

TFL — Wed, 13 May 2026 05:00:00 GMT

There’s an old Sunday school chorus that goes like this:

Root them out, get them gone,
All the little rabbits in the fields of corn!
Envy, jealousy, malice, and pride,
They must never in your heart abide.

While its poetry may be marginal at best, the song’s imagery is potent—and the message is remarkably timeless and practical: For all of us, there are weeds in our hearts that need to be rooted out and pests that need to be gotten rid of.

One of the chief among these pesky intruders, the Scriptures tell us, is bitterness. Paul says in Ephesians 4:30–31, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” And in another potent image, the book of Hebrews tells us, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled” (12:15).

It’s quite the thought that bitterness not only grieves the Spirit but also calls in question the reality of our profession of faith. Yet the warnings are clear and dire, and they justify the characterization of bitterness as an insatiable pest and an overpowering weed, stealing away and choking out the fruit that God intends for us.

Identifying the Weed

If we picture bitterness as a weed that sprouts in the heart, then we can imagine ourselves identifying it by its three leaves.

First, we may identify the weed of bitterness by the habit of opposition. A bitter heart is a grumbling heart, and grumblers express themselves through anger, resentment, dissatisfaction, and, ultimately, opposition to much of the benign work that goes on around them. If someone says “black,” they say “white.” If someone says “plain,” they say “plaid.” If someone says “go,” they say “stop.” In the wilderness wanderings recorded in the books of Exodus and Numbers, the people grumbled and opposed Moses because they didn’t trust him—and, more importantly, they didn’t trust God, who chose and called him. Far from merely rebuking Moses when he sinned, they opposed him and rebelled at every opportunity. Those with embittered hearts will consistently do likewise.

Second, we may identify the weed of bitterness by the presence of unbelief. The bitter heart displays an unwillingness to take God at His word. It takes Proverbs 3:5—“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding”—and turns it on its head: It doesn’t believe that God seeks our good or that He is ultimately in control.

There is no alienation in the Christian life such as may be compared to that which emerges from a bitter heart.

Third, we may identify the weed of bitterness by the presence of disenchantment. Unwittingly, unwillingly even, those in whose hearts the bitter weed has taken root find the taste of every joy that God gives to be spoiled. Songs no longer emerge from the heart but only come from the tongue. Handshakes end at the wrist. The Scriptures die on the printed page.

Tragically, we find that, like most weeds, bitterness spreads further the longer it is tolerated and crowds out the crop. And it also isolates: The only company the bitter want to keep are those who share their disenchantment. Indeed, few who have successfully fended off the bitter root will want to keep company with the griping, complaining crowd! There is no alienation in the Christian life such as may be compared to that which emerges from a bitter heart.

Tearing Up the Root

What, then, of the weed’s root? If we want to pull bitterness up and prevent its return, where do we need to lay our hands?

First of all, we need to root out jealousy from our hearts. It is hard to say just how many churches have been rendered useless by jealousies that emerged because someone thought they should be in a certain place that they weren’t or that they deserved something they didn’t get. King Saul, for instance—perhaps the great biblical example of an embittered soul—became hostile when the women of Israel sang, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” He inferred wrongly, “What more can he have but the kingdom?” (1 Sam. 18:7–8).

Second, we need to root out our disobedience against God’s Word. Often, when we find bitterness in ourselves, we won’t have to look far to discover that we’ve rebelled against a clear dictate of Scripture—something that is absolutely crystal clear, yet we refused to do it, and we knew it to be so. Saul’s declension began with those acts of disobedience and folly that precipitated God’s rejection (1 Sam. 13:13–14; 15:17–19). We will not rebel against God’s Word without resenting, at least in some small measure, the Word and the one who gave it.

Where you find bitterness, you will find strife.

Third, we need to root out suspicion from our hearts. Saul’s bitterness was shot through with suspicion. When Saul became jealous of David, he “eyed David from that day on” (1 Sam. 18:9). Suspicious people hunt for hidden agendas and look for malice behind every word and deed. They will have no shortage of resentments to embitter them, since they are skilled at finding them wherever they look.

Fourth, we need to root out strife from our relationships. Saul, again, had no shortage of conflict with David. Where you find bitterness, you will find strife; and where you find strife, you will find bitterness.

Fifth, we need to beware how we respond to our circumstances. Hebrews 12:11 tells us that God may discipline us through hard circumstances, which “seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (emphasis added). In other words, two people may go through the same circumstances (indeed, Saul and David both faced threats to themselves and their kingdoms), but one will bow under the wonder of God’s discipline while the other will resent it. As the old rhyme goes, “Two men looked out from prison bars; one saw mud, the other stars.”

The Weedkiller

Any and all of these things can take root and spread the weed of bitterness among God’s people. We must stand ready to prevent their incursion into our hearts and fellowships. But how? We need a weedkiller.

The best way to deal with bitterness is by cultivating its opposite: grateful forgiveness—namely, in recognition of the great debt from which we ourselves have been forgiven. If God can not only put up with us but also love us, sinful as we are; if God can forgive all our sins, past, present, and future; if God can overlook our faults and weaknesses for the sake of Jesus, then what possible right do we have to resent the faults of others? (See Matt. 18:21–35.)

The best way to deal with bitterness is by cultivating its opposite: grateful forgiveness.

Jesus was an innocent man—the only one who ever truly had a right to be bitter because of how He was treated. Yet His cry from the cross was “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). We can also choose forgiveness—not by repressing our anger at the wrong done but by recognizing that all the sin against us, as well as our own against others, has been dealt with at the cross of Jesus Christ.

Forgiveness is not a glandular condition, not an emotional effulgence. We choose to forgive people. Every time we are wronged, we either forgive, or we don’t. And when we don’t, bitterness will take root.

There is no cure for bitterness like the Gospel of Christ—which is exactly why we should fear that we may be outside of the Gospel if we find that root of bitterness within us. But when we have known Christ’s forgiveness, we will find in it the motive and the power to put on our gloves, grab our tools, get down on our knees, and tend our garden.

This article was adapted from the sermon “Bitterness” by Alistair Begg.

Wallpaper: The Heart of Man

TFL — Mon, 11 May 2026 05:00:00 GMT

“The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Proverbs 16:9

Click below to download your image:

Apple Devices:
iPads
iPhones

Other Devices:
Android Phones
Amazon Fire
Microsoft Surface

Social Media
Facebook Banner
Facebook Post
Twitter Post
Instagram Post

Desktop Computer
Large
Small

Every Hand, One Work: Interdependence in Action

TFL — Wed, 06 May 2026 05:00:00 GMT

When Nehemiah came to Jerusalem in the fifth century BC to help rebuild the then-ruined city, he exhorted the people, “Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision” (Neh. 2:17). Whatever discussion may have ensued isn’t recorded for us, but the people’s conclusion is plain and clear: “They said, ‘Let us rise up and build,’” and “they strengthened their hands for the good work” (v. 18). Chapter 3 of Nehemiah then goes on to catalogue the names of those who answered the call and the places where they served side by side along the whole wall of Jerusalem, from the priests at the Sheep Gate (v. 1) to Hallohesh and his daughters beside the Tower of Ovens (vv. 11–12) all the way around to the goldsmiths and the merchants beside the Sheep Gate again (v. 32).

This catalogue is in many ways matter-of-fact. Nevertheless, it is part of God’s Word, and it is there for our instruction. Among the many lessons we can draw from it is that in the work of God’s people, the principle of interdependence is key. A project of this magnitude could never have been seriously entertained without the mobilization of the entire community, connected with one another, dependent upon one another.

What would it look like for a church to have the kind of interdependence that the people of Israel displayed here? At least three elements are critical.

Taking Responsibility

First, interdependence involves every individual taking responsibility for something. If you had gone about Jerusalem in the days of rebuilding and asked, “Who are you, and where do you work?” one would have been able to say, “I’m Hassenaah, and I work at the Fish Gate,” and another, “I’m Shallum, and I work at the Fountain Gate.” If someone answered, “I don’t know,” you could safely assume they either had not grasped the purpose of the project or had no interest in being involved.

Indeed, in this case especially, the success of the project depended on each party taking responsibility. A wall around a whole city except for one part would still leave the city vulnerable. Jerusalem needed a completed wall, and so all the people needed to take responsibility for their sections.

About the church, Paul reminds us that “the body does not consist of one member but of many” (1 Cor. 12:14). God’s people are seeking to be a city on a hill (Matt. 5:14), proclaiming the Gospel to the world—but one man or woman cannot do it by themselves. God gives gifts to the church to build the church up (Eph. 4:15–16), and each member must take responsibility for the task God has granted.

Setting Aside Disagreements

Interdependence also means setting aside personal disagreements. Building the church is not like building with bricks that all come out of a machine, each exactly the same size. As someone has said, it’s more like building with bananas:¹ some are green, some are mushy, and none of them really fit together neatly.

Not all in Jerusalem were at peace with one another. In fact, at one point, Nehemiah had to intervene in a conflict between poorer farmers and wealthier leaders who were extracting interest from them—likely on loans taken to hold them over while they contributed to the construction of the wall. Nehemiah acted to resolve the injustice and end the dispute (Neh. 5:1–13).

Interdependence will mean operating with one another on the basis of God’s love. A church that reflects the character of Christ will seek to honor God “by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” Doing so will mean striving to follow Paul’s instructions: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil 2:2–3).

Keeping the Purpose in View

Finally, true interdependence will require keeping the purpose in view. Every group along Jerusalem’s wall had an objective, and that was to meet the next group and, together, form an encircling wall. But it could easily have been possible for one group to get so focused on its little part of the project that it forgot what the people as a whole were aiming for.

You can imagine them: “What a quaint little corner we have! Why don’t we build a deck off the wall here?” Maybe someone else says, “We can get some figs from this grove nearby and sell jam off the deck!” Before they know where they are, they’ve lost sight of their real purpose.

In a church, similar things can happen. A preacher, for instance, may grow so consumed with preaching that he loses his sense of the church’s other ministries; then he will be a nuisance, drawing attention to himself and resources to his interests. The woman who runs the bunco night can start to think that the church was established for the sake of bunco. And so we do well to remember that the church doesn’t exist to rearrange the furniture so that everyone inside can feel comfy. It exists to glorify God and to fill the earth with His glory by proclaiming the Gospel where God has set us down. We ought to ask ourselves, “Am I building up the church for God’s glory, or am I building my own personal deck?”

The story is told that when Christopher Wren was building St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, an overseer was making the rounds inspecting the construction. He came upon one worker and asked, “What are you doing?” He said, “I am helping to carve out the loft for the organ.” He came to another and asked, “And what are you doing?” He said, “I am laying the mosaic on the floor.” And so it went until finally, he came to a fellow, away in obscurity, raising up dust and beating with a hammer and chisel on a big block of apparently inconsequential stone. “And young man, what are you doing?” the overseer asked. The young man looked up at him and said, “I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build St. Paul’s Cathedral.” He wasn’t just there with his stone and his little chisel, doing his own little project. He understood that he was part of the whole.

In the church, we don’t each work on our own little projects. We work together for God’s glory, and we depend on one another as we do. God has given us one another so that together we might work toward the goal of making His name known. And by God’s grace, enabled by His Spirit, we can do just that, hand in hand.

This article was adapted from the sermon “Hard-Pressed but Not Crushed — Part One” by Alistair Begg.

Derek Copley and Nancy Copley, Building with Bananas: People Problems in the Church (Exeter: Paternoster, 1978). ↩︎

Alistair Begg on the Gift of His Mother

TFL — Mon, 04 May 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Friend,

I trust this finds you in good heart, enjoying the early days of spring that bring with them the prospect of summer and the salutary awareness that soon the year will be half spent. While it is true that the future comes in at the rate of sixty seconds per minute, these days in particular seem to fly by “swifter than a weaver’s shuttle” (Job 7:6).

Thinking of spring and now entering the month when we celebrate Mother’s Day got me pondering the fact that for more than fifty years, my own mother has been ‘“absent from the body and present with the Lord.” Resisting the temptation to bemoan the fact that she neither saw me married nor met her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, I choose to use this moment to record my gratitude to God for the twenty years I enjoyed with her and to honor her memory. I do so in the hope that it will encourage others not to miss the opportunity time affords to make sure our mothers know how much we love and appreciate them. After all, many things in life come in twos and threes, but for each of us, there is only one mother in the whole world.

In case you are wondering, my mum was one of nine children, born to William and Louise Milliken in Glasgow in 1925. Her Christian faith was expressed in her actions as a wife, mother, friend, and encourager to all. Like a character in George Eliot’s Middlemarch, “the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive.” She was quiet and unassuming, loved animals, fed the birds on wintry mornings, and cared for my sisters, Maureen and Kathleen, and me with unselfish delight. She clearly believed that humor “doeth good like a medicine” (Prov. 17:22 KJV), and her ability to see the funny side of things caused me to do the same. She was part of a huge company that performed unhistoric acts while faithfully living a hidden life but known to and by the living God.

In what turned out to be her final letter to me, she unwittingly gave me a benediction in the words of Psalm 100:4–5:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

If you have ever wondered why the theme music for Truth For Life is the melody of the Hundredth Psalm, now you have the answer!

When I set out to write this letter, I had in mind the idea of addressing Mother’s Day from the perspective of a grandmother (obviously with help from Susan), but that will have to wait for another time. Our two books this month are chosen with family life in mind. I commend them to you warmly, hoping that you will find them immensely helpful. There is no doubt that a well-ordered family out in public is a powerful apologetic for the difference that Christ makes in a heart and in a home.

Day by day, we have visitors here at Truth For Life, and we really enjoy both hearing their stories and being able to thank them for their encouragement. So if you are anywhere near Cleveland in the coming months, please do stop in to say hello.

This comes, as ever with, my love in the Lord Jesus.

Alistair

Wallpaper: Special Love

TFL — Mon, 04 May 2026 05:00:00 GMT

“Devout souls delight to reflect upon those mercies that they have obtained in answer to prayer, for they can see God’s special love in them.”
—C. H. Spurgeon

Click below to download your image:

Apple Devices:
iPads
iPhones

Other Devices:
Android Phones
Amazon Fire
Microsoft Surface

Social Media
Facebook Banner
Facebook Post
Twitter Post
Instagram Post

Desktop Computer
Large
Small

Good News for Parents: How God Can Restore Our Joy and Relieve Our Burdens

TFL — Fri, 01 May 2026 05:00:01 GMT

Parenting is one of life’s greatest joys—but it can also feel overwhelming, exhausting, and, at times, discouraging.

Good News for Parents speaks directly to these realities. Rather than being prescribed a list of self-reliant, behavior-management strategies, though, parents are encouraged to rely on God’s grace—in particular on God’s indwelling Spirit, which nurtures the attributes of the fruit of the Spirit described in the book of Galatians. This book explores how parents can find freedom from anxiety, fear, worry, and stress by leaning into the fruit of the Spirit and embracing God-enabling patience, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, joy, and peace.

Whether you’re navigating sleepless nights, rebellious seasons, or quiet worries about your grown children’s or grandchildren’s future, this book offers the refreshing perspective that our hope is found not in our parenting performance but in God’s faithfulness.

If you’ve ever felt weary in your role or uncertain about the path ahead, Good News for Parents is a timely reminder that you’re not alone and that God’s promises are sufficient for every season of parenting. You’ll be encouraged to rest in the assurance that the same God who calls you to this responsibility also equips and sustains you, offering peace, purpose, and lasting hope along the way.

Request your copy of Good News for Parents when you donate to Truth For Life today.

The Joy of the Christian Sabbath

TFL — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:00:01 GMT

The story’s told of a wintry Sunday evening in a village (we might easily imagine it being in Scotland) when the river that ran alongside both the minister’s house and the church was completely frozen. To the great surprise of the congregation, the minister arrived clutching his skates, flushed from the exercise but otherwise ready to conduct the evening worship.

The elders wasted no time in responding. Immediately after the service, they began to debate whether it was legitimate for the minister to have skated on the Lord’s Day. The argument raged over the question of whether the practicality of the conveyance took precedence over forbearing from recreation on the Sabbath. At last, somebody hit on the vital question: “Pastor, did you enjoy skating up the river?”—the implication being that pleasure and the Lord’s Day must be mutually exclusive!

The dourness of some observers of the Sabbath (also called the Lord’s Day in Christian contexts, where it refers to Sunday) would be humorous if it weren’t so sad. And yet the total ignorance of Sabbath observance by many people today is equally sad. Both groups make the same mistake by thinking that to observe the Lord’s Day means to forgo all things joyful for a twenty-four-hour period. How might they feel differently if they thought about it the way the Bible treats it?

In confronting this question, we will be helped to approach the Sabbath with a due sense of both joy and reverence by considering three overarching biblical truths.

The Sabbath Is a Gift

First of all, we should always remember that the Sabbath is—despite the reputation it has in some circles—a gift. God has provided the Sabbath for our benefit. And if many today are bewildered by the idea of a Sabbath, it is likely because this gift has largely remained unopened.

The Sabbath is, first of all, a gift for remembering (Ex. 20:8), designed to help us recall all the great blessings that God has wrought for our sake throughout history. We can remember it in relation to the wonder of creation: “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day” (v. 11). We can remember it in relation to redemption: “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deut. 5:15). Further, John Murray helps us to understand that since Christians observe the Sabbath on Sunday (rather than Saturday, as the people of Israel did), “the resurrection in its redemptive character yields its sanction to the sacredness of the first day of the week.”¹ So the Lord’s Day acts as a memorial, pointing us to God’s great acts from the beginning of the world to the raising of Christ—and, indeed, beyond.

Along with that, the Sabbath is also a gift of rest and worship. Yet we should bear in mind that this rest is one neither of idleness nor of self-indulgence; it is the rest of relaxation combined with consecration—the separation of something dedicated for a sacred purpose. This gift of consecration is what sets the Sabbath apart from other holidays. In refraining from our normal labors, we are able to offer our undivided attention and devotion to God. In the same way that a couple might set aside a date night, a time into which other matters should not intrude so that they might relax with and for one another, so God has set aside this day for His people to be together with each other and with Him. The goal of the Lord’s Day is God, and everything about it is subservient to and serves the purpose of knowing Him and drawing near to Him.

And ultimately, the Sabbath is a gift of hope. God gives it to us to whet our appetite for all that heaven will mean. If we do not constrain the events of the Lord’s Day in such a way that they are heavenly in their orientation, then we miss the opportunity to enjoy the foretaste of our eternal, blessed rest. In heaven, we will know the purest joy in God’s presence. On the Lord’s Day, we have an opportunity to glimpse what this joy will be like in the corporate worship of His people.

The Sabbath Is a Priority

Because the Sabbath is a gift, given to us by God, then it should be a priority. Just as a date night is purposefully set aside for a spouse, so should the Sabbath be for God and God’s people.

It’s not simply a temporal priority, in the sense that we could put our worship tasks at the front of the checklist, rush through them, and seize the remaining hours of the day for ourselves. It would be a shame to rush through a dinner date so that you can leave your spouse with the dishes and go read a book by yourself. Nor should we honor the Sabbath on the basis of an emotional surge, whereby, if the Spirit moves us on Sunday morning, we get up, and we worship—but if not, we’ll give our attention to something more pressing. No, even if you did not anticipate enjoying date night, it would still be your duty, for the sake of your spouse and your marriage, to do it, to repent of your dread, and to seek joy in it. And so, too, with the Sabbath.

If we treat the Sabbath as a priority, setting it apart from our other concerns and forbidding them to intrude, then we create the opportunity to enjoy the relaxation and consecration of the day: “This is God’s day! This is fantastic! What a delight to have the day to spend with someone I love!” As soon as we establish it in our minds in that way, other preoccupations will quickly become secondary to this overarching priority.

The Sabbath Sets a Cadence

Finally, if and when we prioritize the Sabbath, we should find that it sets a meaningful, even life-transforming cadence. We live in a time of overwork, overcommitment, and overstimulation. One of the reasons many of us find ourselves overwhelmed is on account of the absolute absence of regular, healthy rhythms in our lives. But in the Lord’s Day, God has given us an anchor in the week as we cast off our anxious toil and consider what is most important. It’s a day for recentering and spiritual refreshment, preparing us to return to the new week with the reminder that we were made to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. In His amazing grace and wisdom, He has set within the framework of our humanity this opportunity and privilege for a unique enjoyment of Him.

The Lord’s Day shouldn’t cast a shadow over the week; it ought to illuminate it. If we can learn to accept it as a gift and treat it as a priority, we will enjoy the spiritual drumbeat it sets for our lives and reap the benefits that God offers us in and through it.

This article was adapted from the sermon “The Gift of the Sabbath” by Alistair Begg.

“The Pattern of the Lord’s Day,” in Collected Writings of John Murray, vol. 1, The Claims of Truth (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1976), 221. ↩︎

Wallpaper: No Longer Controlled

TFL — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:00:00 GMT

“If you are in Christ, you are no longer controlled by the pleasures, profits, and honors of our world.”
—Alistair Begg

Click below to download your image:

Apple Devices:
iPads
iPhones

Other Devices:
Android Phones
Amazon Fire
Microsoft Surface

Social Media
Facebook Banner
Facebook Post
Twitter Post
Instagram Post

Desktop Computer
Large
Small

In Working for Christ, There Are No Dead-End Jobs

TFL — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:00:01 GMT

In 1966, British rocker Ray Davies penned these lyrics to the Kinks’ song “Dead End Street”:

What are we living for?
Two-roomed apartment on the second floor,
No money coming in;
The rent collector’s knocking, trying to get in.
We are strictly second-class,
And we don’t understand
Why we should be on Dead End Street.

Davies perhaps thought that if only England could fix poverty (certainly a worthy goal), then all in the country would go swimmingly. The problem is, for men and women of any and every nation, our true predicament—spiritual poverty—is classless. One can climb the ladder of economic success and still find oneself asking, “What am I living for?”

The apostle Paul had an answer to that question: “To me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). Life—the whole gamut, “facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need” (Phil. 4:12)—may have true, eternal purpose and hope only through faith in Jesus, through whom and for whom all things exist (Col. 1:16). Even our best work—no matter how suited to us, no matter how remunerating—cannot give life the meaning that is found in knowing and loving the Lord Jesus Christ.

In parallel passages in both Colossians 3 and Ephesians 6, Paul encourages (of all people!) household slaves to turn to Christ for purpose in their daily work. Though the particulars he addresses are unique to the time and place in which he lived, the principles Paul lays down are relevant to every Christian who labors under someone’s authority, even today.

How We Work

To those who labor under authority, Paul first writes, “Obey in everything those who are your earthly masters” (Col. 3:22), and again, “Obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling” (Eph. 6:5). Christians, simply put, are to be obedient workers, not rebellious—and we’re to be obedient not only in matters agreeable and pleasant but also in matters that are unpleasant and disagreeable.

Of course, there are times when the demands of employers run contrary to the demands of God—and in such cases, “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Paul, however, is dealing here not with the exception but with the normal course of things.

Christian employees are to be obedient employees. They should, in fact, aspire to be the best employees: the kind who work hard not only when the boss is watching, not only to win his favor—“not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers” (Col. 3:22; cf. Eph. 6:6)—but even when no one is watching and there is no possibility of promotion. They should seek neither to benefit the most while doing the least nor to slip out unnoticed at the end of the workday. Rather, they are to keep aware that the Lord sees and values their labor, even if their bosses and coworkers don’t.

The Christian worker, in other words, is not to be like the man in the old joke who had been on the jobsite for a couple weeks when he went to the foreman. “I’ve got no shovel,” he complained. The foreman said, “Well, who cares? You’re getting paid, aren’t you?” The first man said, “Yeah, I’m getting paid, but all these other guys over here have something to lean on, and I don’t!”

Christian employees are to be obedient employees. They should, in fact, aspire to be the best employees.

To be an obedient Christian is to refuse that kind of ethic. Whether the task is menial or grand, the Christian worker is to be wholehearted, letting his or her light shine in a world of people who are simply trying to run down the clock. And we don’t live this way because our bosses deserve it, necessarily—though God may bless us with honorable supervisors if He sees fit. Even then, though, we recognize that ultimately, we serve the Lord Christ. And that revolutionizes what we do on the jobsite.

Who Do We Work For?

Christian workers are therefore to have a different motivation from the people around about them. Whether they are sweeping factory floors, running washing machines, preparing sermons, flying planes, taking temperatures, or whatever else, they’re to keep in mind what Paul said: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23–24).

Whenever you find Christians who don’t give their best to their work, you have found Christians who have forgotten the one for whom they’re truly working. But when someone’s heart is stirred with the privilege of working for Christ, it fills even the most mundane tasks with purpose.

The story’s told of a little boy many years ago watching the King of England’s procession toward Buckingham Palace. He was so eager to see the King’s carriage that he fell over a man, who shouted, “What are you doing, you nuisance!” But the little boy said, “Did you see the golden lamps on the carriage? I polished those lamps!” He expressed the joy of playing a small part in the King’s grand business.

Whenever you find Christians who don’t give their best to their work, you have found Christians who have forgotten who they’re working for.

Think, then, what Paul’s words must have meant to a household slave who got kicked around, who received food and board and nothing else to speak of, who had no hope of advancement. To such a man Paul essentially says, “When you lie down tonight, remember that you have served the Lord and that you will have a reward from Him that no one on earth can give you.” Christians today may feel they have little to gain from doing their jobs well. But when they see the Lord Jesus on the last day, they will understand the significance of a job well done.

The Employer’s Own Master

Of course, it’s not just workers whom the Gospel changes. Christian employers, supervisors, and the like should also demonstrate the fruit of their faith in how they deal with their workers, understanding that they are together accountable to the same Lord: “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven” (Col. 4:1).

Again, we’ll be helped by thinking of what this meant in Paul’s day. The sad truth was that there were very few limitations on how masters could abuse their slaves. They could chain them, sell them, beat them, get rid of them—do virtually whatever they liked to them. Paul’s instructions, then, are striking in their contrast: “You’re a Christian master. That means you’re to provide your slaves with what is right and fair.” Why? “Because you know that you also have a Master in heaven, and you will one day have to answer to Him for how you have treated men and women made in His image.”

The Christian employer today is fenced in by societal norms and labor codes that demand a certain treatment of employees. Even so, they ought not to limit themselves to merely fulfilling the law. Paul, after all, elsewhere instructs the believers in Rome to “outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12:10). Those who follow Christ should recognize that even if they hold a position of authority, they remain servants of a generous heavenly Lord, and they represent His interests in how they treat their employees and so will answer to Him.

The Horizontal and the Vertical

Paul’s primary concern in his instruction is not first of all man’s relationship with his fellows but man’s relationship with God. He tackles the issues first on the vertical plane, understanding that that is the key to the horizontal plane.

That’s why no political or economic system in the world will ever fully cut it when it comes to the workplace. Some may make a better approach than others, but ultimately, unless employees and employers together fear God, any system will eventually face breakdowns due to selfishness. It is (as Ray Davies perhaps would agree) a dead-end street. But when Christ comes to rule and reign in a heart of an individual, that individual becomes a new boss, a new employee, invested with a new purpose and a new hope.

In whatever sphere we find ourselves laboring—at home, in a cubicle, in a trade, or in a high-rise corner office—God is intently interested in how and for whom we endeavor to work. In the days ahead, whether they be full of tasks that energize and enliven us or duties that tax and test us, may we endeavor always to look first and foremost to Christ as the Master whose “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21, 23; cf. Luke 19:17) ought to be the prize we seek above all else.

This article was adapted from the sermons “The Christian at Work” and “Wholehearted Obedience” by Alistair Begg.

Wallpaper: Your Great Power

TFL — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:00:00 GMT

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.”
Revelation 11:17

Click below to download your image:

Apple Devices:
iPads
iPhones

Other Devices:
Android Phones
Amazon Fire
Microsoft Surface

Social Media
Facebook Banner
Facebook Post
Twitter Post
Instagram Post

Desktop Computer
Large
Small

A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation

TFL — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:45:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered, “What’s God’s plan for me? Does He even have one?” The answer is yes! God’s plan for every believer is a lifelong transformation into the likeness of His Son.

So how does that transformation actually happen? The new book A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation explains that many popular ideas about spiritual growth—such as legalism, formalism, and mysticism—do not align with what the Bible teaches about growing in faith. This book helpfully points readers to a biblical understanding of how God works to nurture our spiritual maturity and the essential role believers play in that process.

Drawing from the wisdom and spiritual disciplines of the Puritans and the Reformers, A Heart Aflame for God explains how practices including prayer, Scripture reading, fellowship, self-examination, meditation, and engagement with God’s natural world are routine activities believers are to embrace. Through their example, you’ll see that these disciplines aren’t burdensome obligations but the life-giving means God uses to shape believers’ hearts and facilitate spiritual growth.

A Heart Aflame for God is a refreshing reminder that faith isn’t only meant to be believed—it’s meant to be lived, loved, and intentionally pursued.

A Lesson in Excruciating Trust

TFL — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:00:00 GMT

In 1876, the hymn writer Edgar Stites composed a poem that caught the eye of none other than Dwight L. Moody, who asked his friend Ira Sankey to put it to music. Thus we remember it today:

Simply trusting every day,
Trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.¹

This hymn is a wonderful reminder of the fact that God is trustworthy. Yet there is a challenge represented in that first word: “simply.” “Simply,” of course, does not mean easily. Actually, to trust simply is not only difficult; it is often excruciating. In all the vicissitudes of life, when the right course of action seems to be working against our good, how can we content ourselves to say (to paraphrase Psalm 27:10), “The Lord will care for me”?

This is the challenge that King Saul faced in 1 Samuel 13. As war with the Philistines loomed, prompt action seemed urgent, yet the divine command was to wait. Saul’s folly in the face of these circumstances reminds us that trusting God’s word is crucial, even when doing so seems self-defeating.

The Choice Before Saul

At the time of the events recorded in 1 Samuel 13, Saul was still a new king, fresh off of victory against the Ammonites east of the Jordan (1 Sam. 11). But now the Philistines were on their way with “thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude” (1 Sam. 13:5). Saul’s army was three thousand at its greatest strength, and “there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan” (v. 22).

In the face of overwhelming force and firepower, the men who followed Saul were “trembling” (v. 7) and “scattering from him” (v. 8). With his small force getting smaller by the day, Saul felt the need to take urgent action.

When Samuel had anointed Saul as king, he’d given him clear instructions about this moment: “Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do” (1 Sam. 10:8). This instruction had come along with prophecies and signs that had shown clearly that Samuel was speaking with the authority of God, as a prophet (vv. 9–13). Saul’s task, then, was simply to await the arrival of the prophet and the instruction of the Lord.

Indeed, Saul did not disregard the command, as if to say, “Well, I don’t need to do that.” He believed he did need to do it. He wanted to do it. He trusted and waited while the Philistines approached. He waited the seven days—but Samuel did not come.

So, with the time seemingly up, Saul leaned on his own understanding and took matters into his own hands: “Saul said, ‘Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.’ And he offered the burnt offering” (1 Sam. 13:9)—without Samuel and so against the instruction that the Lord had given.

Simple Trust Abandoned

When Samuel did arrive, in the very moment that the deed was done, Saul offered his excuse:

When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, “Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.” So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering. (vv. 11–12)

We might imagine Saul shifting uncomfortably and essentially saying, “Well, given the circumstances…” Of course, that’s what an excuse is: a set of circumstances that seem to explain an otherwise offensive action. To be sure, there is always an excuse when we seek to disobey God’s word. There is always a set of circumstances that mitigate against simple trust. In this case, Saul had given in to them.

And so the judgment fell:

Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. … Now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” (vv. 13–14)

Saul’s heart was not set on God. Rather, it was moved by fear and misplaced confidence in his own ability. God sought a heart of faith in His king—and in Saul He did not find it.

The Heart of the Matter

Someone might respond, “Wait a minute! We shouldn’t be too hard on Saul. After all, I wouldn’t call his actions foolish. It seems to me that it was the only sensible approach to take: dwindling numbers, attacking force, no-show Samuel. What else could he have done?”

And yet the book of Proverbs challenges us with these words:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. (Prov. 3:5–6)

In the Bible, the “heart” isn’t just an organ. It’s a metaphor for the epicenter of who and what we are. It involves our minds, our emotions, and our wills. To trust God with “all your heart” is to display a deep, settled confidence in God’s care—a confidence resting at the very core of your being, where desires, anxieties, doubts, and disappointments live.

Psalm 14 tells us, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (v. 1). The essence of folly is not dimwittedness. The essence of folly is disobedience: “You have done foolishly.” The fool is someone who lives as though God does not exist or God doesn’t matter. And what happened to Saul in this circumstance was that he finally said, “It matters more that I take this action than that I obey and trust the God who made me king and brought me safe thus far.”

Saul ought to have remembered the word the Lord had given him, simply trusting that if God said it, it was true. Gideon—after some encouragement with the fleece—trusted God and sent his men away (Judges 7:2–8). But Saul was no Gideon. He was not ready to trust as the men dwindled, to trust in the face of massive opposition, to trust when trust was excruciating.

What Shall We Do?

It’s a mistake to think that obeying God is always or even often easy. Trusting God really can be excruciating. As we consider the challenges that face us, perhaps the last thing we want to hear from the Bible is something like “Well, why don’t you ‘simply trust’?”

Yet if we will not trust God’s word, we have nothing to stand on. If we will not trust—in the face of opposition, persecution, hardship—that God will restore to us what the world takes away, why go on at all? As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:19). We will run ahead and seek our own good, fight for our own salvation, and find the effort empty.

But God says, “Put your trust in Me.” Without a hope in us that Christ will carry us on and reward us in the end (1 Peter 3:15; Heb. 11:6), the suffering that attends obedience to God’s word will far outweigh any benefit we can imagine. Yet by “simply trusting every day”—even when that trust is excruciating—we can enter into all the promises and benefits of the Lord Jesus.

This article was adapted from the sermon “Saul’s Folly” by Alistair Begg.

Edgar Page Stites, “Trusting Jesus” (1876). ↩︎

Wallpaper: Cast Our Sorrows

TFL — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:00:00 GMT

“We cast our sorrows on the Lord who walked upon the sea of old and who makes a way for His people through the depths.”
—C. H. Spurgeon

Click below to download your image:

Apple Devices:
iPads
iPhones

Other Devices:
Android Phones
Amazon Fire
Microsoft Surface

Social Media
Facebook Banner
Facebook Post
Twitter Post
Instagram Post

Desktop Computer
Large
Small

Do I Love Money? Eight Telltale Signs

TFL — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Among the most misquoted passages of Scripture is 1 Timothy 6:10, which some may remember as reading, “Money is the root of all evil.”

It’s one thing to notice that it is not money that is the problem but actually “the love of money.” In other words, the rich are not, simply by virtue of being rich, evil. If we’re going to be faithful to the Scriptures, though, we also need to recognize that the fruit of a love for money is not all evil—as in all the evil that ever was—but “all kinds of evils.” Properly, the verse is as it reads in the ESV: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.”

What Paul is expressing is that there is no kind of evil to which the love of money may not lead us if it takes hold. Some have gone as far as apostacy: They have “wandered from the faith,” and in the process “pierced themselves with many pangs.”

It is imperative, therefore, that we ask ourselves, “Am I a lover of money?”

Testing Ourselves

We can consider eight telltale signs, any of which may reveal this sin in our hearts:

First, if thoughts of money consume our days, then we love money. If we set our minds into neutral, and they start drifting toward money—how much we’ve got, how much we’re going to get, how our stocks are doing, whatever else it is—we reveal ourselves to be eager for money.

Second, if the financial success of others makes us jealous, then we love money. If we find that we resent the car, the house, the suit, the purse, the shoes that others have, we will be letting our love of money overrule our love for our neighbors.

Third, if we are tempted to define success in terms of what we have rather than who we are in Christ, then we love money. The measure of ourselves should not be based on the fact that the accounts are full, the house is big, the things are fine, and so on. It should be that Christ Jesus “loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).

Fourth, if we neglect our families in our pursuit of money, then we love it. Someone who loves money will be tempted to skip meals, games, and every kind of time spent together in love, not because of some real necessity but out of a sense of urgency to earn more and more. We do not serve our families by neglecting them for the sake of “providing” for them.

The measure of ourselves should not be based on the fact that the accounts are full, the house is big, the things are fine, and so on. It should be that Christ Jesus “loved me and gave himself for me.”

Fifth, if we close our eyes to the genuine needs of others, then we love money. Paul teaches that when we have abundance, we should provide for need (2 Cor. 8:13–14). If we slink away from giving, as the rich young ruler did (Matt. 19:22; Mark 10:22; Luke 18:23), we show where our heart really is (Matt. 6:21; Luke 12:34).

Sixth, if we live with the fear of losing our money—if we wake up at night and think, “What will happen to me if it’s gone?”—then we love money. “If we have food and clothing,” writes Paul, “with these we will be content” (1 Tim. 6:8). In other words, we do have a real need for some basic resources, for which we can trust God (Matt. 6:25–34; Luke 12:22–31); but we ought not to fear losing what we don’t really need.

Seventh, if we are prepared to borrow ourselves into bondage, then we love money. We can be so consumed with having certain kinds and qualities of things that we refuse to live realistically within our means. It’s one thing to need money to get the basics at the grocery store. It’s another thing entirely if you go to the grocery store in a Rolls-Royce.

Eighth and finally, when God receives our leftovers rather than our firstfruits, it’s safe to say that we love money. If money is not our god, then there should be no hindrance to handing money over to God when He asks it—particularly in supporting the work of the Gospel.

Entrusting Ourselves

Jill Briscoe writes,

Years ago I stopped looking to anyone else but God to satisfy me. I have learned to be content with such things as I have, for He has said that He will never leave me nor forsake me (see Heb. 13:5). There is no man that can love me enough, no child that can need me enough, no job that can pay me enough and no experience that can satisfy me enough. Only Jesus! The compass of my life must be set in His direction and by His direction, and then it will, like a real compass, not be affected by movement!¹

Our witness for Christ in the world depends a great deal on whether our faith in Christ really makes us different. Our whole culture is built on bodies, brains, and bucks. We want status, whether physical, intellectual, or financial—and preferably all three. But the prophet says, “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me” (Jer. 9:23–24).

It’s one thing to need money to get the basics at the grocery store. It’s another thing entirely if you go to the grocery store in a Rolls-Royce.

We may have all these gifts. We may lack them all. The question is: Are they our masters, or do we use them to serve the Master? If we love money, repentance from the love of money will be necessary so that we can serve the Lord. In the Lord’s service, there are not the self-inflicted “pangs” Paul mentions; there is the joy His presence and the promise of His riches.

And so, if after examining ourselves we find ourselves perhaps too attached to the love of money, we can pray with the hymn writer:

Cleanse me from my sin, Lord,
Put Thy power within, Lord,
Take me as I am, Lord,
And make me all Thine own.
Keep me day by day, Lord,
Underneath Thy sway, Lord;
Make my heart Thy palace
And Thy royal throne.²

We ought to aspire to say in sincerity, “Whether I make a buck or not, whether I’m well-known or live in obscurity, whatever I do and wherever I go and whatever it costs, this is what I want you to do, Lord. This is what I want to be for you.” And the promise of God’s Word for the individual who is prepared to say that and mean it is that God will never be that person’s debtor—for there is no good thing that the Lord will withhold from those whose walk uprightly (Ps. 84:11).

This article was adapted from the sermons “Restructuring Our Finances” and “Contentment or Corruption? — Part Two” by Alistair Begg.

Jill Briscoe, Heartstrings (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1997), 33. ↩︎
R. Hudson Pope, “Cleanse Me.” ↩︎

Wallpaper: Miracle

TFL — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:59:59 GMT

“All true faith and all true confession of Jesus is a miracle. Every conversion is a miracle.”
—Alistair Begg

Click below to download your image:

Apple Devices:
iPads
iPhones

Other Devices:
Android Phones
Amazon Fire
Microsoft Surface

Social Media
Facebook Banner
Facebook Post
Twitter Post
Instagram Post

Desktop Computer
Large
Small

Alistair Begg Shares Thoughts from His Recent Travel

TFL — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:45:00 GMT

Dear Friend,

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet (act 1, scene 5), we find this famous quote: “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Hamlet says this after encountering his father’s ghost, arguing against his friend Horatio’s skepticism.

I’ve had that quote in mind over the past few weeks—and not, I must say, as a result of encountering any ghosts! Rather, because of the invitations I accepted to visit several places, it has become clear to me that there are more things going on in the world of biblical Christianity than I previously realized. While I miss my Sunday-by-Sunday pulpit ministry, I am enjoying the privilege of seeing firsthand how God is at work across the US in the lives of so many people.

From Memphis to Manhattan to Phoenix to Lynchburg, the unfolding story is the same: Local Gospel-centered churches are engaged in evangelism and discipleship with an energetic enthusiasm that can put me to shame. The pastors of many of these churches are young (the age of my children), and in spending time with them, I am challenged, encouraged, and mindful of J.C. Ryle’s comment that God “will raise up better servants and brighter stars.” Ryle said this in response to people questioning the future of the church when he and others like him were taken away.

Looking beyond North America’s borders, I am struck by the same sense of evangelistic zeal. As a result of your commitment to the Gospel and your support of our endeavors at Truth For Life, we are in partnership with brothers and sisters in Christ in Pakistan, Brazil, Malaysia, Poland, China, the Philippines, and more.

Together, in many languages, we are saying to our friends and neighbors that we have one story to tell—one that’s vastly different from a worldview that believes there is no creator God, no absolute morality, and no ultimate truth.

Easter provides us with a unique opportunity to follow the example of the apostle Paul in addressing the intelligentsia in Athens. He was courteous and well-prepared. He understood their Stoic and Epicurean philosophies and addressed them with unmistakable clarity by explaining that God made the world and everything in it, that He is Lord of heaven and earth, and that we, His created beings, are accountable to Him. Paul did not shy away from telling his listeners that they had an appointment to meet God, because God has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31). Assurance of this, he explained, is found in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Luke tells us that the response of Paul’s listeners varied: Some mocked, some were open to listening again, and some believed. These are the same reactions we find when we speak with people today. Only God opens blind eyes and softens hard hearts to the truth of His Word, but we have an important role to play by inviting others to come to know Him.

Spurgeon explains the supernatural work of God in salvation as follows: “The mysterious hand of the divine Spirit dropped the living seed into a heart that He had Himself prepared for its reception.” I hope this will encourage all of us to be bold in our witness as we seek to see unbelieving people become committed followers of the Lord Jesus.

On behalf of our entire team, we wish you and your family a blessed, joyful, and Gospel-sharing Easter and extend our heartfelt gratitude for your upholding partnership in Truth For Life.

With my love in the Lord Jesus,

Alistair

Your Only Comfort: Devotions for Hope in Suffering

TFL — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:00:01 GMT

Nineteenth-century preacher Charles Spurgeon was known as the “Prince of Preachers” because of his powerful proclamation of the Gospel. Yet in his personal life, he wrestled with depression, chronic illness, and deep sorrow. As a result, suffering became a central theme in many of his sermons.

Your Only Comfort: Devotions for Hope in Suffering is a newly released thirty-day devotional that presents a collection of excerpts from his sermon archive that explores

why God allows suffering in the world,
why God allows faithful believers to experience prolonged periods of personal suffering,
how believers can endure trials with hope and understanding, and
the relationship between the suffering of Christ and believers’ suffering.

Spurgeon taught his congregation that suffering wasn’t an elective for the Christian; rather, following Jesus makes suffering a required course. Regardless of what season of life you’re presently in, Your Only Comfort is a must-read for every believer who will surely, at some point, experience life’s storms.

Your Only Comfort presents Spurgeon’s original language in all thirty readings, giving readers the opportunity to benefit from his powerful and profound words exactly as he preached them from the pulpit through the text.

This collection of brief devotionals offer a powerful reminder of God’s sovereignty over hardship and will point you away from what’s temporary to what’s eternal.

Request your copy when you donate to Truth For Life today, and share a copy with a friend who’s navigating difficulty.

The Savior’s Love and the Lord’s Supper

TFL — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 04:45:00 GMT

Memorably, and perhaps perplexingly, the account of the Last Supper in Luke 22 begins with a whole lot of rigmarole regarding where the Passover meal is to happen and how the disciples are to discover it. The circumstances are reminiscent of a Cold War spy novel, with signs, code phrases, and secret locations: “A man carrying a jar of water will meet you. … Tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says ….’” (vv. 10–11). We might wonder: Why all the subterfuge? Was Jesus acting out of fear?

A careful consideration of the situation reveals another motivation altogether: deep, abiding love. Jesus’ presence in Jerusalem had caused a spectacle—and yet on the night of the Passover, He wanted privacy so that He could spend time with His dear friends: “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (v. 15). These were His companions. He had called them by name. He had loved them (John 13:1) and called them “to be with him” (Mark 3:14). And so He took pains, as it were, to ensure that on their last night together—as He would, among other things, institute the practice of the Lord’s Supper—they would enjoy the intimacy such a sacred time deserved.

As we consider the Lord’s love for the Twelve as expressed in this scene, we may learn at least two lessons about His love for all of His disciples, across all time.

The Intensity of Love’s Connection

One lesson is simply this: Just as Jesus strongly desired for His disciples to “be with him,” so He passionately longs for intimacy with all of His followers.

In verse 15, the Greek phrase epithymia epethymēsa (“I have earnestly desired”) can be literally rendered “With desire I have desired” (KJV). It employs two forms of the same word used elsewhere for the starving Prodigal’s longing for the pig slop in Luke 15:16: “He was longing to be fed…” The same word is also used for the angels’ longing for the mystery of the Gospel in 1 Peter 1:12: “the things … into which angels long to look.” It is, in other words, an intense desire. During His last joyful moments before the cross, the Lord of the universe—the one who had calmed the raging sea, turned water into wine, and raised the dead—longed, deeply, to spend time with these humble, unimpressive, often foolish men.

Remarkably, this same Lord Jesus has pledged Himself with an intense longing to be our Savior and friend (Matt. 11:19; Luke 7:34; John 15:13–15). In His letter to the church at Laodicea, for instance, Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). It is a picture of remarkable intimacy—the Lord entering the home of our very selves, sitting down at our table, and sharing a meal, conversation, and friendship with us.

During His last joyful moments before the cross, the Lord of the universe longed, deeply, to spend time with these humble, unimpressive, often foolish men.

If we’re honest, we can admit that Jesus is far more willing to grant us friendship than we are to seek it. We ought to ask ourselves, then: Does Jesus live with us? Have we known His companionship? Have we awakened in the morning to the realization that Jesus loves us with such an intense longing? Do we realize that in the reading of the Bible, He speaks to us, and we discover His will? That in the fellowship of His people, He builds us and teaches us? That in the singing of His praise, we discover the wonder of who He is? And that God offers all of this to us because He wants to be with us?

There’s all the difference in the world between going through the motions and connecting with the intensity of Jesus’ love. Is that a difference that marks your friendship with the Messiah?

The Clarity of Love’s Instruction

A second lesson has to do with the practice of Communion itself: As Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He introduced an ordinance to be observed by all believers throughout time, until His return, as a remembrance of the sacrifice He offered and the salvation He secured.

Under the old covenant, the Passover meal memorialized the tenth plague, the sparing of Israel’s firstborn, and the exodus from Egypt. This was God’s great act of salvation for Israel in the Old Testament. Centuries later, on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus had called His coming passion His “exodus” (Luke 9:31 NLT), or “departure” in most English translations. In other words, on that fateful night, all that was anticipated and portrayed in the Passover was about to be fulfilled in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

Today, in certain Jewish households, when the food arrives at the Passover meal, the host will lift the unleavened bread and pronounce, “This is the bread of affliction that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are needy come and celebrate Passover.” The host will then break the bread and pass it around to everyone to eat in silence. Similarly, he will offer a number of blessings over a cup of wine.

All that was anticipated and portrayed in the Passover was about to be fulfilled in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

On the occasion of the Last Supper, Jesus had His own pronouncement to make: “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In other words, He was saying, “I Myself am the Passover bread, and the broken bread is My affliction on your behalf. When you do this, you should remember Me.” With the wine, too, the picture is taken up in the Lord Jesus: “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” The cup calls to mind, then, not the old covenant with Abraham, according to which God brought the people out of Egypt, but the new covenant in the Son’s blood, by which God forgives our sins, puts His law within us, and allows us to know Him (Jer. 31:31–34 ).

The instruction is clear: By His death, in His love, Jesus accomplished a new and better exodus—and if we are His friends, we ought to remember it (John 15:14). Just as the blood of the Passover lamb saved Israel from death and slavery, so the blood of Jesus sets us free from slavery to sin and death, cleansing us from the guilt and power of sin. And in doing so, it draws us into the communion with Him that He so deeply desires and secures our place with Him for eternity (John 14:3).

The Opportunity of Love’s Communion

When we observe the Communion meal in our churches out of obedience to Jesus’ command to “do this,” we have communion with the Lord Jesus, our Savior and friend. He eagerly desires to offer this meal to us.

The Lord’s Supper is not about following rules and regulations. It’s about communion with Jesus. It would be foolish to miss your child’s birthday party and say, “Well, I can be there next year. After all, it’s how I feel for her in my heart that is most important, not that I go to the party itself.” It is foolish, too, to neglect the celebration that the Lord has instituted—indeed, has commanded—out of a misplaced idea that mere faith is the most important thing.

In the Lord’s Supper, we remember the new covenant and the immense love of Christ for us. That is an occasion for solemn joy, and it is not an opportunity to be missed. With a love so intense and an instruction so clear, we ought not to neglect the opportunity to remember and commune with Him.

This article was adapted from the sermon “The Extent of His Love” by Alistair Begg.