On April 16, 2008, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Commonwealth of Kentucky may continue using three drugs when executing criminals by lethal injection. Chief Justice John G. Roberts announced the judgment and offered the opinion that carried the day. Six of the associate justices concurred, sometimes also writing their own opinions. Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg dissented in a written opinion that Associate Justice David Hackett Souter joined.

Humans love challenges. Some prefer challenges related to ideas, others to practical things. Whether you prefer to work crosswords, plan Sabbath dinner menus, or enhance production efficiencies, satisfaction results from meeting challenges. This week’s lesson examines challenging sayings of Jesus, a topic to engage both bends of mind.

A new movie called Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed advocates "intelligent design" and promotes itself as a film that uncovers the persecution of educators and scientists for challenging evolution. Starring Ben Stein as questioner - Michael Moore-style, except conservative - the movie banked $3.2 million on its opening weekend.

It has garnered plenty of criticism, and even a lawsuit from Yoko Ono who isn't happy about the movie's use of John Lennon's song "Imagine."

Ernest J. Bursey has written the best short essay on the Sermon on the Mount that you will ever read.

Okay, I’m out on a limb now. I dare you to saw it off.

The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. (John 5:36)

The striking work done by Jesus set him apart. The Gospels list a range of things done by Jesus, but all his individual deeds can be grouped under three main aspects of his work, which are summarized by the following headings: powerful works; forming God’s new people; transforming death into life.

If you have to choose between a savior and a teacher, the savior wins, hands down. At least that is the Christian view, where Jesus as Savior appears to overshadow Jesus as Teacher. The great religions of the world all provide teachers of profound ethical wisdom. Only Christianity announces a Savior who dies in the repentant sinner’s place.

I might have finally figured out why I experienced such mixed feelings while watching on television the authorities take into protective custody 416 or so children of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who lived on the Yearning for Zion ranch in west Texas. Once again, we may have done more harm than good by treating a chronic problem as though it were an acute crisis.

As fledgling free market countries capitalize on the global economy, English language degrees—often available through partnerships with United States-based universities—are indispensable for students with international business ambitions.

Such affiliations with public universities are a chance to offer top-notch degrees and introduce students to the service-based philosophy behind Christian education for Seventh-day Adventist-owned Griggs University, the organization’s president says.

Although he also pinpoints its challenges and dangers, the dean of the School of Religion at Loma Linda University has many good things to say about postmodernism. His name is Jon Paulien and Pacific Press is about to release his new book on the subject. Its title is Everlasting Gospel/Ever Changing World. Any day now it will be available at Adventist Book Centers and Internet retailers.

No topic or series of biblical texts could possibly be more important than this week’s lesson. Even if we devoted thirteen weeks to this topic, we would not exhaust the enormous meaningfulness of getting the “reality of his humanity” right! This is far more than a theological exercise. The personal experiences of every man, woman, and child breathing on this planet today is directly affected by his or her grasp of how “real” Christ’s humanity was! And is!