Aaron Simms's Blog, page 16
March 1, 2017
Ash Wednesday
Today is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. This is a season of repentance, and the traditional readings from Joel 2:12-19 and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 reinforce this theme. In both texts there is a contrast between those who have a repentant faith and those who do not have faith. Thus, those who have a repentant faith do works which flow from their faith, while those who do not have faith do works simply to gain glory for themselves. The book of Joel puts it nicel...
February 26, 2017
Transfiguration Sunday
After the Israelites were led out of their bondage in Egypt, the Lord had them go to Mount Sinai to receive the Law to show them how they were to live as His people. Then, in Exodus 24, Moses took the blood of a sacrifice and sprinkled it on the people to seal the covenant between them and God. They were to be God’s people, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, as the Lord had said earlier in Exodus 19.
Then, Moses and the elders of Israel went up onto the mountain and saw the God of Isra...
February 21, 2017
The Feast Day of St. Polycarp
February 23rd is the Feast Day of St. Polycarp where his life and martyrdom is remembered.
Polycarp was a friend of the Apostle John and of the early Church Father Ignatius. In fact, Polycarp was appointed as the Bishop of Smyrna by John himself. Like Ignatius and Clement of Rome, Polycarp was part of the second generation of Christians who had received the truth from the Apostles directly.
Polycarp was martyred around 155 AD (February 23rd is the traditional date) in the city of Smyrna by...
February 19, 2017
Perfection – The Sermon on the Mount
In Matthew 5:38-48, which is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we find ourselves again talking about perfection. This text culminates in Jesus’ statement, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” For how can we approach our perfect heavenly Father if we ourselves are not perfect? How can we stand in the presence of the Holy Lord if we ourselves are not holy? Yet, when we look at ourselves in the light of God’s Law, we realize that we do not measure up to this...
February 15, 2017
Suffering and Comfort
The following is a chapter from my book To the End of the Age. There are three “guiding passages” from the Bible, followed by a discussion about how the theme of “suffering and comfort” relates to them.
Guiding Passages
Job 38:1-11
Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell...
February 12, 2017
Rely on Christ
We continue today with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-37). Last Sunday we talked about perfection as we examined Matthew 5:13-20. God’s Law demands perfection in all things. It demands that we be holy as He is holy. Jesus ended by saying, “… unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
In this context, then, we explored how we cannot make ourselves perfect and holy; that is to say, that we cannot achieve a righ...
February 8, 2017
Tips and Recommendations for Reading the Bible
I’m often asked about how to go about reading the Bible and how to better understand and interpret it. So, I’ve put together the following summary of recommendations and tips which I hope will be helpful. I’ve also included a few links below that lead to additional information.
Recommendations for Interpretation
First, remember the “Christian Story.” That is, as you read the Bible think about how the facts, events, and people in the text fit within the larger narrative of God’s actions for...
February 5, 2017
Salt and Light
Matthew’s Gospel, beginning in chapter five, contains Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jesus begins with the Beatitudes where he says that blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those persecuted for righteousness’ sake, and those who are persecuted and ridiculed on account of their faith in Christ.
Thus, the Beatitudes turn the normal operation of the world on its head an...
February 1, 2017
My First Novel
My first novel is now available (Amazon print edition link, Kindle edition link). By the way, if you have “Kindle Unlimited” from Amazon, then it should be free as part of that service.
In the past, I’ve enjoyed reading novels such as True Grit and King Solomon’s Mines. They’re filled with a sense of adventure and a mission or goal which drives the story forward. In True Grit, Mattie Ross seeks revenge on her father’s killer, going into wild territory with a U.S. Marshal and Texas Ranger t...
January 29, 2017
The Beatitudes
The beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 is called the Beatitudes.
Jesus sat down to teach the crowds which were following him and said:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the p...
