Advice for Guest Preachers

Craig Schill has some helpful advice for guest preachers here. Having done a bit of guest preaching myself, I think that a number of these points are spot on.

Free Audio: Volume 1 of Unseen God: A Study in the Book of Esther

You can download free audio from the first volume of "Unseen God: A Study in the Book of Esther" preached by Alistair Begg here. This series contains the following messages.

Introducing Esther, Part One (1:1–9)
Introducing Esther, Part Two (1:1–9)
Wine, Women and Self (1:10–2:4)
Providence (2:1–23)
Mordecai and Esther (2:5–23)
God is in Charge (3:1–15)
Fasting, Weeping, Lamenting (4:1–11)
What's Going On? (4:12–17)

Patterns of Evidence: Exodus

The documentary Patterns of Evidence: Exodus has been generating some interest. The trailer looks pretty good (see below). The movie's website contains quite of bit of information and you can access it here. Right now the movie is only being shown on one night, January 19, at select theaters.

Gentile References in Matthew

I have been working in the Gospel of Matthew. This Gospel is often, and rightly, recognized as the most Jewish of the Gospels. But what is less well known is that there is a significant Gentile thread that runs through the book. Although others have surely produced such a list, I could not find one. So here is a list that I came up with. Feel free to suggest other possible references in the comments section.
 
1. The references to Rahab (1:5), Ruth (1:5) and Uriah (1:6),
2. The visit and positive presentation of the Magi (2:1–12)
3. The quotation of Isaiah 9:1–2 (“Galilee of the Gentiles”) (4:15–16)
4. Jesus’ fame spreading throughout Syria (4:24)
5. The reference to the Decapolis, a territory that is seen as less Jewish (4:25)
6. The commendation of the Roman centurion’s faith vis-à-vis Israel (8:10)
7. Jesus’ prediction that, “many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (8:11)
8. Jesus responds positively to the request of the centurion (8:13)
9. The reference to Nineveh rising up at the judgment against the current Jewish generation (12:41)
10. The reference to the queen of the South rising up at against the current Jewish generation (12:42)
11. The reference to Jesus withdrawing to the district of Tyre and Sidon (15:21)
12. Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman with commendable faith (15:21–28)
13. Some see reference to the Gentiles as at least some of those who are gathered for the wedding banquet (22:1–14)
14. Some see reference to the Gentiles as those who treated Jesus’ “brothers” (Jews) with kindness (25:40)
15. The response of centurion at the death of Jesus: “Surely he was the Son of God” (27:55) 
16. The Great Commission’s call to go and make disciples of all nations

Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament 3.2

The latest issue of Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament is available here. Here is a list of the articles with links.

“Was Elihu Right?” by Martin A. Shields 

“Queens, Widows, and Mesdames: The Role of Women in the Elijah-Elisha Narrative” by Joshua Joel Spoestra

“Prophet and Patriarch: Abraham’s Prophetic Characteristics in Genesis” by Jay Todd

“The ‘Seventy Sevens’ (Daniel 9:24) in Light of Heptadic Themes in Qumran” by Ron Haydon

Keener on Kissing

Louis McBride has an extensive quote here related to Acts 20:37 ("And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him," ESV) on kissing in the ancient world from from Craig Keener's Acts 15:1-23:35 commentary. The comments are interesting and give you some idea of the encyclopedic character of Keener's work.

Tips for Writing a Disseration

Most who have written a dissertation know that it can be a bear. Derek Brown has 20 tips here on how to defeat that bear. Many of these tips probably also apply to writing in general.