Dr Paul Allen

Sprinting legend Usain Bolt pictured in Brunel University's indoor athletics Centre. Usain used Brunel as a European training base prior to the 2009 Berlin Athletics World Championships. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “Love does not brag” ( 1 Corinthians 13:4). Among other things, the Corinthians were boasting about the supposed supernatural spiritual experiences that they were having, hence Paul’s correction. “Brag.” The word has the idea of self-glorification, boasting, and a superficial self-applauder. It speaks of someone who vaunts, displays, and praises self. Why is love antithetical to bragging? Bragging is an expression of self-worship (over and above God ) and self-love (over and above others). All love and glory is channelled to self. Bragging wants attention. It’s an extreme self-worshiper. It will hijack whatever means at its disposal—work, skills, giftedness, ministry—to applaud itself. And if it does not get attention, it will do things like become jealous, angry,...

English: Baby Moses rescued from the Nile (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 2:19–23 “He went and lived in a city called Nazareth , that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: ‘He shall be called a Nazarene ’”(v. 23).  In  Matthew 2 , note how the evangelist has taught us about God ’s providence. We should see that Herod ’s hatred of Jesus and slaughter of the young boys in Bethlehem (vv. 16–18) parallel Pharaoh ’s attempt to kill Moses (Ex. 1:8–2:10).