Podcasts about Centurion

The sermon examines Mark 15:37-39, focusing on Jesus' final cry, the tearing of the temple veil, and the centurion's confession. It emphasizes that Jesus' declaration 'it is finished' signifies the complete payment for sin and the satisfaction of God's wrath through propitiation, redemption, justification, and reconciliation. The tearing of the veil illustrates the removal of separation between God and humanity, granting believers direct access to the Father. The centurion's recognition of Jesus as the Son of God serves as a model for personal faith and public confession. Ultimately, the message calls listeners to trust in Christ's completed work for salvation and to live in the freedom it provides.

This Week on the Toy Power Podcast; we dive back into our regular News Segment - with quite a bit to cover! First off, a recap from Episode 1 (of 4) from Trent's latest Lego Masters Bricktacula Event! Then, an exciting announcement from Cards & Collectables season 2 - now with an official release date! A New 4-Armed Beast is announced for the MOTU Origins line; who is hyped for this?! New Movie MOTU characters announced plus some awesome TMNT plus Ghostbusters multi-packs from Mondo. S7 Silverhawks keep on delivering more characters; & Blokees tease an Absolute Batman. McFarlane announces more Batman related characters; then Robosen showcase the most Superior Decepticon of them all! The Cross-Over nobody asked for? -Transformers X Scooby Doo offer. Sometimes you think that some modern toys can't do any better; but somehow, SH Figuarts said "Hold My Beer!" Lego showcase the first round of Pokémon Mini-Figures plus in scale Pokémon Characters too; all in a very nice looking Build. Then Ben tests the lads with the return of The Quiz! Is it too hard? How many did you know? Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pat McEwen grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania and has carried his work ethic established at an early age throughout his life. In high school he competed in four sports: football, wrestling, men's gymnastics, and track and field. He earned a wrestling scholarship to Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania and set multiple pole vault records during the early days of the sport's transition from rigid poles to the bent-pole era.Pat became a marathon runner with a personal best of 2:36, completed more than 100 Nordic ski races to earn Centurion status, raced bicycles in events including LOTOJA, has 42 years of expert experience in high wind windsurfing explored backcountry skiing, mountaineering, and climbing, and tackled some of the West's most challenging Class V whitewater runs. Professionally, he spent 45 years as a respiratory therapist, including work in trauma ICU, Life Flight, and hyperbaric medicine. If that is not enough, Pat is also a gifted musician, playing multiple instruments and singing in a band called River House Band; the band has performed in over 60 shows a year for the past 3 years.To listen to some of his band's music, visit https://www.reverbnation.com/riverhouseSend us Fan Mail

Centurion coaches Robbie Britton and Sarah Cameron talk through the role of post-race reflection, why and when it’s best done and give tips on how to learn the most from your recent races. To finish they give a practical example of a coach and athlete reflecting together on Robbie’s recent race at the 135km Quebec Mega Trail as part of the World Trail Majors. Visit the store here and enter code PODCAST10 for 10% off all RRP items Find our show partners Precision Fuel and Hydration Planner here: https://www.precisionhydration.com/planner/ Visit the PF&H collection at our store here: https://www.centurionultrarunningstore.com/collections/precision-hydration

There are so many things that I WISH for you. Number 1: That GOD would create in you, ENDURING faith. God is the one who CREATES faith. There are a number of KEY INGREDIENTS that God USES to develop big, active, enduring faith in people. Matthew 8:5-10 (pg. 1,507) v.5: “…a CENTURION came to Jesus, […]

The Centurion7-12-26Matthew 27:54Watch video here

Police have reopened the 2021 death of Deputy National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Sindile Mfazi as a murder investigation. His death was initially attributed to Covid-19 but an exhumation and forensic tests found he was poisoned. Authorities confirm multiple raids were conducted at properties in Centurion linked to SAPS members. Police say a breakthrough has been made and a number of people of interest are being investigated. But no arrests have been made so far. We spoke to Independent Crime Analyst, Dr. Chris De Kock.

Jay Atkins - Sunday, July 5, 2026

This Week on the Toy Power Podcast; we have Special Guest: Sean in the Studio to chat all things DC related, with a big focus on Batman & the wider Justice League themselves. Kicking things off, we have our routine Get-To-Know-You questions. Then with a Fantastic recent visit to see Sean's Awesome Collection in person; we highlight a few things to chat towards; including the very controversial & quickly banned Jarts Toy from the early 1960's. Then we get into a discussion about Batman. Everything from Batman 66' & why that particular TV Run is so special to Sean. Highlights about the Batmobile & it's Origins; all the way covering the dynamic characters in the Show! We next pivot across to the Ground-Breaking Toy-line that was Kenner Super Powers. With Sean's expertise about the line, the variants & waxing on just why this particular Toyline out-shines many other interpretations of Super Heroes in Toy form. Then backing up that Super Powers discussion; we entertain another segment of The Team! This round focusing purely on the Heroes from the Kenner Super Powers Run! (with a purpose adjustment to the line-up, so that some certain characters don't get all the Votes!) - Who would you have picked?? Enjoy this fun filled ep! In this episode we promote Sean's good friend Glenn Pluck - whom crates Fantastic Acrylic Cases for your Toys & Collectables. Be sure to check out his Business site: Ultimate Figure Protection on all the social sites or directly via his Website: www.ultimatefigureprotection.com Milestone Episode #450 will be Broadcast LIVE on Facebook & potentially other streams, on Saturday July 11th @8pm (Adelaide, South Australian time). Tune in for Visual Fun, Interaction & Give Aways! Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode gives a reflection on the extraordinary power of faith and how our faith can shape our lives and impact those around us.

Lesley Groff, Jeffrey Epstein's longtime assistant, was questioned by House Oversight lawmakers about Epstein's use of American Express to book travel for multiple women or girls. CBS reported that Epstein used Amex's Centurion travel service and a Black Card to arrange hundreds of itineraries, many involving women or girls from Eastern Europe, and that Groff was a key point of contact in those bookings. Groff told lawmakers she did not believe she ever arranged travel for anyone under 18 and said she understood the women to be “traveling assistants” who worked for Epstein. She also denied knowing that any of the travel was connected to sexual activity involving Epstein or anyone in his network.Lawmakers pressed Groff on records that appeared to show “decoy flights,” including a 2016 email where she asked Amex to hold a fake Rome-to-London itinerary for a redacted person who would actually be traveling to Miami to see Epstein. Groff said the woman wanted to hide the real trip from her parents, not obtain a visa, while her attorney pushed back on the idea that the booking was visa-related. In another 2012 exchange, an Amex employee flagged that holding a refundable itinerary for visa purposes was against company policy, but Groff later told lawmakers she was simply arranging a ticket and hotel reservation for someone who needed a visa. American Express declined to comment on Groff's testimony, but previously said it regretted having Epstein as a customer and terminated his account after federal charges were filed.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Epstein's longtime assistant grilled by U.S. lawmakers over Amex travel booked for women or girls - CBS News

Mark 15:39: A centurion's confession invites us to consider the beauty and power of the cross, finding in the apostles witness a multifaceted depiction of God's saving work.

Lesley Groff, Jeffrey Epstein's longtime assistant, was questioned by House Oversight lawmakers about Epstein's use of American Express to book travel for multiple women or girls. CBS reported that Epstein used Amex's Centurion travel service and a Black Card to arrange hundreds of itineraries, many involving women or girls from Eastern Europe, and that Groff was a key point of contact in those bookings. Groff told lawmakers she did not believe she ever arranged travel for anyone under 18 and said she understood the women to be “traveling assistants” who worked for Epstein. She also denied knowing that any of the travel was connected to sexual activity involving Epstein or anyone in his network.Lawmakers pressed Groff on records that appeared to show “decoy flights,” including a 2016 email where she asked Amex to hold a fake Rome-to-London itinerary for a redacted person who would actually be traveling to Miami to see Epstein. Groff said the woman wanted to hide the real trip from her parents, not obtain a visa, while her attorney pushed back on the idea that the booking was visa-related. In another 2012 exchange, an Amex employee flagged that holding a refundable itinerary for visa purposes was against company policy, but Groff later told lawmakers she was simply arranging a ticket and hotel reservation for someone who needed a visa. American Express declined to comment on Groff's testimony, but previously said it regretted having Epstein as a customer and terminated his account after federal charges were filed.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Epstein's longtime assistant grilled by U.S. lawmakers over Amex travel booked for women or girls - CBS NewsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

Lesley Groff, Jeffrey Epstein's longtime assistant, was questioned by House Oversight lawmakers about Epstein's use of American Express to book travel for multiple women or girls. CBS reported that Epstein used Amex's Centurion travel service and a Black Card to arrange hundreds of itineraries, many involving women or girls from Eastern Europe, and that Groff was a key point of contact in those bookings. Groff told lawmakers she did not believe she ever arranged travel for anyone under 18 and said she understood the women to be “traveling assistants” who worked for Epstein. She also denied knowing that any of the travel was connected to sexual activity involving Epstein or anyone in his network.Lawmakers pressed Groff on records that appeared to show “decoy flights,” including a 2016 email where she asked Amex to hold a fake Rome-to-London itinerary for a redacted person who would actually be traveling to Miami to see Epstein. Groff said the woman wanted to hide the real trip from her parents, not obtain a visa, while her attorney pushed back on the idea that the booking was visa-related. In another 2012 exchange, an Amex employee flagged that holding a refundable itinerary for visa purposes was against company policy, but Groff later told lawmakers she was simply arranging a ticket and hotel reservation for someone who needed a visa. American Express declined to comment on Groff's testimony, but previously said it regretted having Epstein as a customer and terminated his account after federal charges were filed.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Epstein's longtime assistant grilled by U.S. lawmakers over Amex travel booked for women or girls - CBS NewsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

This Week on the Toy Power Podcast; we have HEAPS of awesome Pop Culture News & Announcements to cover!! But at the very Top of our list, is the extremely exciting announcement that Trent is a contestant again on Lego Masters Australia! This Bricktacular Event will be held over four episodes & he is a part of a team of three - consisting of himself, Alex & Felix! We wish him good-luck in advance! Then onto Toy News with McFarlane Super Powers Officially revealing their wave 14 line-up; plus One:12 Collective announce an awesome Vintage style Punisher figure with ALL the Guns! Another Godzilla figure from Super7 & so many G.I. Joe figures, its hard to keep up with! Star Wars Black Series 'Expands their Universe', plus a neat addition to the Archie Comic Book Figure line-up that rounds out the set of Mighty Mutanimals. A Blind-Box offer of TMNT figs from Playmates that doesn't impress us much; but Batman media announcements & release dates certainly has us hyped indeed. Then we round out the ep with a Classic segment of Reading, Watching, Playing. Ben praises The Absolute Batman Comics, Frank appreciates the Supergirl film, Scot is impressed by the 'Obsessions' film; & Trent is flying the Aussie Flag for the World Cup Soccer! All this & More! Enjoy!! Milestone Episode #450 will be broadcsast LIVE on Facebook & potentially other streams, on Saturday July 11th @8pm (Adelaide, South Australian time). Tune in for Visual Fun, Interaction & Give Aways! Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 8:5-13At that time, as Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.

By Brian McGuire - Like the centurion, we must approach Christ with humility and in faith, acknowledging His authority.

In this episode of RetinaLIVE, Kourous Rezaei, MD is joined by Lejla Vajzovic, MD, FASRS and Aleksandra Rachitskaya, MD, FASRS to discuss their experiences with UNITY® VCS in vitreoretinal surgery. The conversation covers instrument design, workflow, training and the integration of new technology in clinical practice, offering perspectives on collaboration and adapting to evolving surgical tools.  For Important Product Information, visit unityvcs.com. Featured surgeons are paid Alcon consultants. The views expressed are their own. Disclaimers: 1:15, 19:31, 26:25: Compared to CONSTELLATION® Vision System. Based on bench data. 1:47, 2:15, 2:42, 3:19, 9:55: Compared to HYPERVIT 20K 2:15, 2:21, 7:24: Based on bench data. For both 25 Ga and 27 Ga vitrectomy probes. 7:24, 7:54, 18:46: Versus Alcon's Non-Dynamic Stiffener 27+ technology 9:55, 12:21: When the Dynamic Stiffener is fully retracted 16:20: MSLP(4) is 3 times faster than SSLP 23:58: Compared to CONSTELLATION® Vision System. Based on bench data. Mean fluctuation at flow vs. setpoint of 2.36 ± 2.13, 4.19 ± 1.97, 1.84 ± 2.82, and 2.13 ± 2.86 mmHg during phacoemulsification, irrigation/aspiration (IA), vitrectomy, and extrusion/fragmentation, respectively. †IOP setpoint as low as 16 mmHg (posterior) and 20 mmHg (anterior) without exceeding a mean fluctuation of 4.19 ± 1.97 mmHg.   References: Hypervit Directions for Use. TetraSpot Multi-spot Laser Probe Directions for Use. UNIFEYE Directions for Use. Alcon Data on File, 2024. [REF-24644] Alcon Data on file, 2024. [REF-24615] Alcon Data on File, 2024. [REF-24379] Alcon Data on File, 2024. [REF-24615] Alcon Data on File, 2024. [REF-24576] UNITY VCS and CS User Manual. Alcon Data on File, 2024. [REF-27800] Gerardo GS, Chow DR. Shovel and Cut Technique: Beveled Vitrectomy Probes to Address Diabetic Tractional Retinal Detachments. Retina. 2023. 1;43(7):1207-1208 Berrocal MH. All-probe vitrectomy dissection techniques for diabetic tractional retinal detachments: Lift and shave. Lift and Shave. Retina. 2018 Sep;38 Suppl 1:S2-S4. González-Saldivar G, Chow DR. The Shovel and cut technique: Beveled vitrectomy probes to address diabetic tractional retinal detachments. Retina. Published online ahead of print. doi:10.1097/IAE.0000000000002938. Po-Lin Chen, Yan-Ting Chen, San-Ni Chen, Comparison of 27-gauge and 25-gauge vitrectomy in the management of tractional retinal detachment secondary to proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Plos One. 2021:16(3) Kasi SK, Hsu J, Hariprasad SM. Making the Jump to 27-Gauge Vitrectomy: Perspectives. Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging Retina. 2017;48(6):450-456. doi:10.3928/23258160-20170601-02 James M. Lai, et all. Mechanical Property Comparison of 23-, 25- and 27-gauge Vitrectors Across Vitrectomy Systems. Ophthalmology Retina. 2022. Alcon Data on File, 2024. [REF-09694] Alcon Data on File, 2024. [REF-25374] Alcon Data on File, 2024. [REF-24899] Scarfone HA, Rodriguez EC, Rufiner MG, Riera JJ, Fanego SE, Charles M, Albano R. Vitreous-lens interface changes after cataract surgery using active fluidics and active sentry with high and low infusion pressure settings. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2024 Apr 1;50(4):333-338. doi: 10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000001359. PMID: 37938025; PMCID: PMC10959530. Liu Y, Hong J, Chen X. Comparisons of the clinical outcomes of Centurion® active fluidics system with a low IOP setting and gravity fluidics system with a normal IOP setting for cataract patients with low corneal endothelial cell density. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Nov 23;10:1294808. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1294808. PMID: 38076276; PMCID: PMC10704024. Taiki Kokubun, et al. Verification for the usefulness of normal tension cataract surgery. Hanga Beres, et al. Does low infusion pressure microinsision cataract surgery (LIPMiCS) reduce the frequency of post-occulsion breaks? 2022. 66(2) Rauen MP, Joiner H, Kohler RA, O'Connor S. Phacoemulsification using an Active Fluidics System at Physiologic versus High IOP: Impact on Anterior and Posterior Segment Physiology. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2024 Apr 8. doi: 10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000001457. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38595209.   © 2026 Alcon Inc.   04/26   US-UVC-2600054

When is the last time you were caught in a moment of astonishment or wonder? Has someone's faith ever caused you to marvel? We meet an unusual source of faith that causes Jesus to marvel. What can we learn from this man's faith that will help us? Join us today as we look at "Marvelous Faith". Chapters (00:00:00) - Marvelous Faith(00:05:15) - The Letter of Annoyance(00:12:30) - The Centurion and His Approach(00:18:45) - The Centurion's Unworthy Prayer(00:26:13) - Acts of Faith(00:26:49) - Marvelous Faith(00:30:59) - God is Ever Willful

This Week on the Toy Power Podcast; we have another Segment for The Team - this round featuring the arch Enemy of the M.A.S.K. Heroes - Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem - V.E.N.O.M.! We take into effect their Appearances, their Mask's Capabilities & but not limited to; even pulling from their Stats. The usual run-down of: Leader, Muscle, Specialist, Wheelman & of course Vehicle! This was a fun one. Who would you have picked?!? Then Trent flips through the Magazine Pages of old ToyFare issues - in our repeat "From The Vault" segment. This round it focuses on Predictions (from the early 2000's) with us trying to guess what direction the articles where trying to go in. Plus another Fun article focused around the "Dirty Little Secrets" surrounding our beloved: Masters Of The Universe property. How many do we know? How many did you know? Enjoy!Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 19th, 2026 - We welcome the anonymous author of Rise of the Centurion to talk about what it truly means to rise as men of the Church Militant. Then, we welcome back Dr. Anthony Stine to discuss exorcists' warnings to Catholics about the great satanic deception of our time. Links, Show Notes & More - https://thestationofthecross.com/act Email Us! ACT@TheStationOfTheCross.com

June 19, 2026

How big is your God? Join Fr. Juventius Andrade, C.Ss.R., in this compelling episode of Who's Who in the Bible as he explores the powerful story of Cornelius the Centurion. Discover how this Roman officer's encounter with St. Peter became a seismic turning point for the early Church, breaking down ancient barriers between Jews and Gentiles. Fr. Juventius unpacks the profound themes of the 'Gentile Pentecost' and the radical, boundary-shattering truth that God shows no partiality. Are you ready to move beyond exclusive traditions and embrace a truly universal faith? Dive into this enlightening series to see how God's love disrupts our comfort zones and invites everyone to His table. Watch now and let your faith expand!

A Roman centurion seeks a miracle for his dying servant.In this episode, we follow the story of Marcus, a Roman centurion who sets aside his pride to seek out Jesus for the healing of his beloved servant, Tiro. Witnessing the power of faith and humility, Marcus experiences a profound transformation as he encounters Jesus' authority and compassion.Today's Bible verse is Matthew 8:10, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Iwobi's footballing evolution is a masterclass in versatility, maturity, and resilience. Moving well past the early tags of his Arsenal youth days, the 30-year-old midfielder has transformed into a cerebral, high-work-rate tactician who quietly orchestrates the play for both Marco Silva's Fulham and the Nigerian national team.In this episode, we chart Iwobi's incredible tactical maturation and celebrate a massive historical milestone on the international stage:Breaking down his crucial 2025–26 Premier League season at Craven Cottage, where he locked down 29 appearances and over 2,400 minutes as the ultimate, high-IQ connector between defense and attack.Analyzing his underrated statistical dominance, including his clinical performance at AFCON 2025 in Morocco where he led the tournament in line-breaking passes to secure a bronze medal for the Super Eagles.Commemorating his historic 100th international cap against Portugal, joining a legendary tier of Nigerian football folklore alongside Yobo, Enyeama, and Musa.Tune in as we discuss why the numbers never fully capture the third-man runs, pressing traps, and subtle spacing adjustments that make Iwobi the ultimate manager's dream. Alex Iwobi, Fulham FC podcast, Super Eagles Nigeria, Premier League midfielders 2026, Nigeria 100 caps.

Could Wall Street be dramatically underestimating how much the world's biggest tech companies will spend on AI infrastructure? Why are stocks like SanDisk and ASML soaring, and are we witnessing the early stages of a semiconductor supercycle? Where are professional investors finding opportunities beyond Singapore's blue chips, and what does DBS see in Centurion? And what can an AI prediction for the World Cup teach us about investing, probability and spotting opportunities before the crowd does? Hosted by Michelle Martin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 2 of our conversation on spiritual warfare and submitted authority, Elizabeth Powell explores what it truly means to walk in the authority Jesus has given believers.Do Christians have the same authority as Christ? What does the Bible teach about resisting the enemy? Is there a difference between holy boldness and spiritual presumption?Using Scripture from Luke 10, James 4, Ephesians 6, Acts 19, Jude 9, Matthew 8, and more, Elizabeth unpacks a powerful truth: authority in the Kingdom of God is strongest when it is rooted in submission to Jesus.In this episode, you'll discover:✔️ What "submitted authority" really means✔️ Why Jesus modeled perfect dependence on the Father✔️ The difference between authority and arrogance✔️ Lessons from the Centurion, the Sons of Sceva, and Herod✔️ How to recognize spiritual presumption✔️ Practical prayer language for spiritual warfare✔️ Why believers should pray to the fullness of their authority—but not beyond it✔️ How to stand firm without fear, pride, or spiritual swaggerIf you've ever wondered how to engage in spiritual warfare biblically, how to pray with confidence, or how to stay aligned with God's authority, this episode will encourage and equip you.Remember:"I am a covenant son/daughter of God Most High. I am on Kingdom business. And God is entirely responsible for me."

"The Biblical teaching of Unitarianism (One God) versus the teaching of Trinitarianism (3 gods) is outlined. The word "trinity" or related words are not found in the Bible. This teaching only surfaced around AD 350-381. The Bible affirms monotheism not polytheism."Inspiring, What if the most widely held belief about God isn't actually found in the Bible? In this thought-provoking and deeply insightful exposition, we embark on a journey through Scripture to examine the foundations of Trinitarianism versus the Biblical Unitarian position. This is not an attack on sincere believers, but a heartfelt and respectful exploration of what the Bible actually teaches about the Father and His Son.This outstanding presentation moves beyond simple proof-texting to reveal the historical development of the Trinity, the philosophical challenges it presents, and the wonderful, plain reading of Scripture that points to one God, the Father, and one Lord Jesus Christ, His exalted Son. We delve into the concept of divine agency, the personification of wisdom, and the revealing truth of what the early church truly believed.If you have ever wondered why the word "Trinity" isn't in the Bible, or how a plain reading of Acts 2 or 1 Corinthians 15 shapes our understanding of who Jesus is, this video is for you. It's a wonderful opportunity to see the cohesive and logical beauty of the Unitarian understanding of God's plan.**Chapters:**00:00 - Introduction: A Respectful Approach to a Difficult Subject02:08 - Playing Offense: Why We Don't Hold to the Trinity03:22 - The Missing Word: "Trinity" and Later Creeds05:40 - Peter's Testimony: A Plain Reading of Acts 208:27 - When Did the Theory Arise? Historical Truth vs. False Narratives11:30 - The Influence of Philosophy and Pagan Metaphysics13:55 - The Loss of Jewish Influence and the Rise of New Ideas14:36 - The Late Addition of the Holy Spirit as a "Person"15:51 - What Did the Ancients Believe? Jewish Monotheism17:18 - The Paralyzed Man: Authority, Not Divinity22:17 - The Centurion's Faith: Understanding Delegated Authority24:09 - Jesus' Own Words: "My God and Your God"25:00 - The Logical Inconsistencies of the Trinity29:55 - The Attributes of God vs. The Experience of Jesus32:32 - The "Two Natures" Theory and Its Problems35:23 - The Revealing Concept of Divine Agency40:25 - Personification in Scripture: Wisdom and God's Attributes41:45 - Being "Sent": Commission, Not Spatial Travel43:30 - Joseph: A Powerful Type of Christ44:54 - The Problem of Changed Meanings: How Words Shifted46:08 - The "I Am" Phrase: A Self-Identification Idiom48:17 - Translation Bias: How Versions Can Influence Doctrine53:15 - Christ's Current and Future Position: Subordinate and Glorified54:48 - Why It All Matters: Truth, Atonement, and Our Mediator57:49 - Conclusion: Knowing the Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Sent

Sunday Sermon by Kevin JensenFrom three stories about Jesus and his interactions with a centurion, a widow, and a sinful woman, we learn about three traits of our Lord that prompt us to grow in faith in him.Text: Luke 7:1-17, 7:36-50

In this episode our RD James Elson updates on all things Centurion including the coverage we will be sharing over the coming week in the lead up to the South Downs Way 50km and 100 mile over 13-14 June. The main part of this episode is a race review of the Comrades Marathon. Perhaps the most special race on earth. What it's like to take part and a potted history of the race. Enter the code M2C at checkout for 20% off of Mount to Coast H1 and T1 shoes for a limited time only. Visit the store here and enter code PODCAST10 for 10% off all RRP items Find our show partners Precision Fuel and Hydration Planner here: https://www.precisionhydration.com/planner/ Visit the PF&H collection at our store here: https://www.centurionultrarunningstore.com/collections/precision-hydration Watch this video for an idea of the magic of the start of Comrades. James' Comrades race report from 2012 Down - a Comrades documentary

This Week on the Toy Power Podcast; we are giving our thoughts & experiences from our recent visit to the Annual Adelaide Mega Toy Fair! Kicking off with our forceful entry into the event! Scott as the New Organiser has done a fantastic job with table spacing, Real Pop-Culture Cars as an attraction & what kind of things that where on offer for Sale; plus of course our SCORES! We each have quite a diverse range of goodies that came home with us; but as always it was absolutely awesome to socialise with so so many people! Then we begin our Review of the New Masters OF The Universe Film! Kicking off with high level non-spoiler thoughts of the Movie. Tales of Trent & Ben seeing an Advanced screening of the Film - with sacrifices from our families to attend! Then; we dive in head first into a deep discussion that bounces all over the place which analyses the entire Movie - INCLUDING SPOILERS! We touch on everything from Characters, Lore, Tone, Easter Eggs, Credit Scenes; plus the things that don't quite merry up. We even have some of the Chronicles Action-Figures to touch on as well! Please get comfy for this extended episode; all the while celebrating Darren's Birthday too. Enjoy!! Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark 15:37-39. In describing Jesus' death on the cross, Mark includes an amazing confession made by one of the Roman Centurions who was an eyewitness. In this study, Evangelist Gavin Williams focuses on the impact of the Centurion's words and how Mark uses him to deliver the thesis of his book.

Kirk Chrisman

This Week on the Toy Power Podcast; we are leaning into the significance of the Episode number - being FOUR. So we decide to spotlight Twelve of the Key Teams consisting of Four Members throughout Pop Culture History! With each Team / Group mentioned; we address the Teams official Title; the Individual Characters that make up said Group; plus their noteworthy first appearance in Pop Culture History. An in-depth conversation why said Team is significant to each of us in our own personal way & what they really mean to us. With a good mix of Movies, Comics, TV & overall cultural phenomenon's; this is an interesting & unique way to highlight & chat towards some properties that we don't talk about very often... Or the back story to why we continue to talk about some of our Favourite properties so much!! Enjoy! Which Group / Team did we leave off our list; that you would have had on yours? Let us know!!Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When life hits you with something you didn't see coming what comes out of you reveals what's been formed in you. In this message, we look at Luke 7 and the story of the Roman centurion whose faith made Jesus stop in His tracks and marvel, "I have not found such great faith even in Israel." What was it about this man that caused Jesus to pause? And how do we develop a faith like his? Discover what it means to surrender control to the Holy Spirit, detach from a spirit of entitlement, and trust the authority of God's Word even when you don't understand His activity.0:00 - Life's Pop Quizzes2:27 - The Holy Spirit Forms Us5:21 - Surrendering Instead of Running8:12 - The Centurion's Story (Luke 7)11:25 - Faith That Expects Yes, Endures No17:42 - Detaching from Entitlement21:02 - You Can't Earn a Miracle24:41 - Just Say the Word26:37 - All Authority Belongs to Jesus30:18 - Come, Holy SpiritSupport the showMade a decision to follow Jesus? We want to know about it! Fill out our connect card here: https://local.churchcenter.com/people/forms/115766Thank you for your generosity. For information on how to give, visit https://localvineyard.church/give.

The Faith of a Centurion. Matthew 8:5-13. Matthew 15:21-28.

Title: Wrong Uniform, Right FaithScripture Reading: Matthew 8:5-13Series: Be Bold!What truly defines a bold faith: outward appearances and accomplishments, or something far deeper? This message concludes our "Be Bold!" series by exploring what it means to salute the highest authority. We learn that bold faith is not about the uniform you wear, as seen in the Roman Centurion's faith, which transcended his Gentile identity. Furthermore, bold faith is not about the medals you've earned; the Centurion's charitable works were not the basis for his miracle, reminding us that human merit and transactional appeals to God are futile. Ultimately, bold faith is about the commander you salute, exemplified by the Centurion's profound humility regarding himself and unwavering confidence in Jesus's authority to heal remotely. Our boldest faith is found not in our outward identity or personal achievements, but in our humble and confident surrender to the supreme authority of Jesus Christ.

In a sun-drenched Londinium wine bar overlooking the calm Thames, Gaius and Germanicus engage in a spirited debate before an audience of retired centurions from the Eighth Legion. The discussion centers on the "Roman way of war"—characterized by relentless engineering, abundant resources, and the demand for total victory—contrasted against the declining American military reputation. Germanicus identifies seven historical pillars of American power, such as total mobilization and superior technology, which he argues have eroded over the last fifty years. Citing failures in Korea, Vietnam, and more recently in Ukraine and Iran, the speakers suggest that the United States has transitioned from a "redeemer nation" into a state struggling with ineffective, marginal conflicts. The centurions, professional combatants who once fought alongside former gladiators, listen intently as Gaius compares the Roman spirit to the aggressive naval strategies of the Second World War. (1/3)1940 HO CHI MINH

In this profound exploration of Matthew 21:40-46, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb unpack the Parable of the Wicked Tenants and its devastating indictment of Israel's religious leadership. The hosts navigate the complex theological terrain of kingdom transfer, covenant faithfulness, and the identity of God's people across redemptive history. With careful attention to the text's original context and its implications for the church today, they examine how Christ presents himself as the rejected cornerstone—the one upon whom people either fall in repentance or are crushed in judgment. This episode offers rich insights into supersessionism, the remnant theology of Romans 11, and the practical call for Christians to examine whether they're submitting to Christ as the true cornerstone or attempting to usurp his rightful place. Key Takeaways The Self-Condemning Verdict: The chief priests and Pharisees unknowingly pronounce judgment upon themselves when they declare the wicked tenants deserve destruction, demonstrating how the natural conscience can discern God's justice even when blind to personal complicity. Kingdom Transfer as Covenant Transition: The "taking away" of the kingdom represents not the abandonment of God's elect remnant but the historical-redemptive transition from the typological Old Covenant administration to the New Covenant church gathered from all nations. The Cornerstone's Double Judgment: Christ as the cornerstone presents two modes of encounter—those who fall upon him in repentance are broken but healed; those upon whom he falls in final judgment are ground to powder with no remedy. Visible vs. Invisible Church Distinction: The visible identification of God's people shifted from the geopolitical nation of Israel to the universal church, while the invisible elect have always been saved by grace through faith in the coming Messiah. Fear of Man vs. Fear of God: The Pharisees' restraint from seizing Jesus due to fear of the crowds (rather than fear of God) exemplifies how the wicked are dominated by human opinion rather than divine accountability. Infant Baptism and Covenant Community: The joyful inclusion of children in the visible covenant community through baptism reflects God's gracious promise sealed to those who contribute nothing to their own covenant status. Fruit-Bearing as Evidence: The "new tenants" are characterized not by works-righteousness but by evidential fruit—the genuine works that flow from "true and lively faith" worked by the Holy Spirit. Key Concepts The Irony of Self-Condemnation The theological and pastoral power of this parable reaches its climax when the religious leaders, failing to perceive themselves as the wicked tenants in Jesus's story, pronounce harsh judgment upon the hypothetical villains: "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end." This moment mirrors Nathan's confrontation of David after the Bathsheba affair, yet with a tragic difference—these leaders never experience David's repentance. Calvin observes that the natural conscience, even when blind to personal guilt, retains an "hidden impulse to identify with justice." The Pharisees demonstrate total depravity in high definition: they possess enough moral clarity to recognize egregious covenant-breaking in the abstract, yet remain entirely blind to their own embodiment of that very wickedness. This irony serves as both judgment and warning—we all possess an uncanny ability to see sin clearly everywhere except in the mirror. Kingdom Transfer: Covenant Continuity and Discontinuity The phrase "the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit" requires careful theological handling to avoid both replacement theology (in its pejorative sense) and dispensational fragmentation. The Reformed understanding maintains covenant continuity: there has always been one people of God, defined not ethnically but by faith in the Messiah. What changes is the visible administration of the covenant. Under the Old Covenant, the visible church was largely coterminous with ethnic Israel—a geopolitical reality with boundaries, a zip code, and national identity. Under the New Covenant, the visible church explodes these ethnic and geographic boundaries, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham that "in your seed all nations will be blessed." This is not Plan B; it's the eschatological unveiling of what was always intended. The "breaking off of natural branches" (Romans 11) refers to covenant unfaithfulness resulting in exclusion from visible covenant privileges, while the faithful Jewish remnant—the apostles, early believers, and the ongoing elect from Israel—remain fully incorporated into the church. The vineyard hasn't been abandoned; it's been opened to "other tenants" who will render the proper fruit: Gentiles grafted in alongside believing Jews into the one olive tree of God's redemptive purposes. The Cornerstone: Salvation or Destruction Christ's invocation of Psalm 118:22—"the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone"—followed by his dual judgment ("whoever falls on this stone will be broken...on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust") presents two exhaustive options for relating to Jesus. The cornerstone in ancient construction was the foundational stone by which all other stones found their proper alignment and orientation. To fall upon this stone willingly—in repentance, faith, and self-abandonment—is painful. It shatters pride, self-righteousness, and autonomy. But this breaking leads to healing, to being properly "squared" and aligned with reality as God has constructed it. The alternative is catastrophic: to have the cornerstone fall upon you in final eschatological judgment is to experience irreversible, total destruction—being "ground to powder" with no possibility of remedy. The practical application is urgent: we must examine ourselves continually to ensure we're not attempting to be our own cornerstone, measuring righteousness by our own standards, aligning the universe to ourselves rather than submitting to Christ as the measure of all things. Memorable Quotes "There's never a time where that righteousness is removed or unapplied, but we are constantly faced with a choice as to whether we want to be the kind of people who render our fruit unto the Lord, as the faithful tenants when the unfaithful tenants are replaced. Or do we wanna be the people that reap wicked fruit and keep for ourselves?" — Tony Arsenal "The vineyard of God is still let out, the fruit is still demanded, the cornerstone is still laid. Blessed are they who receive him—and also get those babies into church." — Jesse Schwamb "This is not a wall you're gonna run through. Like you're gonna smash into this wall and it's gonna crush you. And if you are not properly assigning the cornerstone its place... the whole thing is gonna crush you." — Tony Arsenal Full Episode Transcript [00:01:05] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 492 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  [00:01:14] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother.  [00:01:18] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother.  [00:01:19] Parable Recap [00:01:19] Jesse Schwamb: Well, the time has finally come for us to close out our discussion in Matthew 21. This is the Parable of the Vine growers, and everybody should just go back and list everything we said so far, but I think here's how we could sum it up. Jesus's authority gets challenged and he sets a trap so beautiful that we should put it into a museum. He tells basically the religious bigwigs, this whole story where tenants speed up servants, they kill the air. They generally behave like it's an HOA literally run by the devil. And then he asks them this question, so what should the owner of the vineyard do And the chief priest. Chest puffed up. Basically shout out the answers to their own indictment. Smoke 'em. Give the vineyard to somebody who isn't garbage. Listen fellas, you just preached your own funeral. So in this we get to see this total depravity in 4K. Sovereign grace skips the credential gatekeepers and it lands on the tax collectors and the gentiles. They elect the vineyard, the self-righteous, get the rock. And we're gonna close out what all of that means, including probably not a small amount of talk about the kingdom being transferred, whatever that means, and maybe a little engrafting. Aah, Romans 11 style. It's all there for us. And that is what is coming up. [00:02:34] Affirmations Setup [00:02:34] Jesse Schwamb: Of course before we can do any of that, we can't even get there. Tony, before we do affirmations, denials, you and I both know it's our contractual obligation. It's what the people want all over the world. If we skip this, there will be some kind of riot revolt. So we gotta start there. Let's not get too excited yet. So I'm curious as always, are you affirming with something or you not against something for this episode?  [00:02:58] Tony Arsenal: I am, I'm affirming, uh, this is gonna be like people are gonna grow and roll their eyes a little bit.  [00:03:04] Infant Baptism Joy [00:03:04] Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming infant baptism today. We had a lovely infant baptism at church, um, and a couple recently had a child. Um, there's been, this was a kind of a particularly, um, poignant baptism. Um, the, the mother was in the hospital for several weeks before the baby was born, um, with some medical challenges, so was in. In the hospital. In the hospital for like, I want to say probably four weeks, which is a long time. Um, they have several other children, which makes it even harder. Um, and then, uh, then the baby was in the hospital for quite some time. He came a little early and then had some other issues. Um, and so this family was out of church for quite some time dealing with these health issues, and we, we all miss them very much. So it was a very sweet moment. Um, and it's just a, a good reminder, right? And, and the way our church does it is, you know, the pastor, the family comes up, they do vows, they do the baptism, but he calls all the children forward and the children come and sit, uh, right in the front row and they watch this all happen. Um. Which is, is very sweet. And you know, I, I went up there with Augie, and Augie was sitting on my lap and he was very, he was like super locked into this, this whole thing, which is, uh, which was nice to see. So I'm affirming infant baptism. It's a beautiful, beautiful picture of the gospel. Um, it's, it's God's promise being sealed to someone who contributes nothing to, um, to that promise contributes nothing to, uh, their own, um, position in the church or status in the church. They contribute nothing. Um, in most cases they're not even aware of what's going on. So I know not all of our listeners are, uh, are covenant infant Baptists, uh, type people. Um, so yes, I get it. You disagree, but there is something just sweet and beautiful, uh, even I think even for people who aren't quite sold on infant baptism. Um, and I think even sometimes for people who are kind of opposed to infant baptism, I think we've commented in the PA past that there's kind of this impulse that I think all Christian parents have that their children should be. Treated in a certain way that's different than how a non-Christian family treats their children. Right. Um, so there is kind of this instinct that the, there's, whether it's a formal status or just sort of a, a way of thinking about things, there is this impulse that the children of believers are somehow set apart in different, and of course, the, the Presbyterian Covenant Baptist, um, position would, would formalize that through the rite of baptism, uh, at least in part. So I'm affirming infant baptism, both theologically, but also just experimentally today. Like it was just, it was just a balm to my soul to see this, um. And like I said, the congregation has been praying for a long time for the health, uh, and the, the welfare of this family, um, and been, you know, doing meal trains and all the stuff that churches do. But it was, it was a very sweet moment, um, to see the pastor scoop this little baby up in his arms and be able to sort of introduce him to the church as the newest covenant member of the congregation. Uh, it was just a very nice moment. [00:05:59] Baptism Dedication Common Ground [00:05:59] Jesse Schwamb: I think you're right. We can all agree that there's something really beautiful about God growing his church, at least the visible church, through just the multiplicative effect of. People having children, there's something beautiful about that, and then welcoming them in an official way into your congregation, into your midst. Interestingly, in my church, there was a baby dedication today and I was also equally moved though like I would say the promises that were invoked during that time, the equipment's made are very different than what you might hear during kind of pedo infant baptism. You're right in that the spirit of this that is like a representation kind of bringing forward of the child to say he or she is part of us and we're making a commitment to raise them in admonition of the Lord is a really lovely thing. It's like a public recognition that God is providing a manifest blessing in our midst, and that he is growing and working out his church and he's doing it by just bringing new people into it who are being, who are the subjects of procreation. Creation itself, but procreation and how can you not be like, just excited about that. And, and also a little bit like it's also, and I'm not trying to denigrate any practice here, but also just on the face also super adorable. Like when you, when you see a pastor scoop up, like you said, a little child, whether that's to pray with them and dedication or to baptize them. Either way, it's super just like lovely and just pulls in your heartstrings. Yeah. In like this very spiritual way, not just in kind of an emotional kind of way.  [00:07:26] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And I, you know, I don't, I think, um, when I think back, you know, Augie's, obviously you know this, but Augie was dedicated, um, Addie was not. Um, but when I think back to the vows we took, when we dedicated Augie, there are some differences, but there's also a lot that's not different like the sure close to like, raise up your child in the church and to like, pray for them and set a good example. And then, and then the sort of reciprocal vows that the congregation typically takes, that the congregation will do what they can to support the family as they, they raise this child and the Lord. Um, you know, even in, even in a lot of contexts, like in the Presbyterian church, I'm in like prayers that this, this child would come to know Jesus and would, would come to confess the faith for themselves and become a full, you know, full communicate member of the church. Like, those things are all present. So as much as I think, um. As much as I wanna acknowledge that infant baptism or, or covenant, I, I say covenant baptism versus, um, sort of like baptist theology writ, large credo Baptist theology, which is covenantal, but differently covenantal in most cases. Right. Um, even though that is a dividing line, and I think like it's a real dividing line. There's a real division that exists and that there's good theological historical reasons why those divisions exist. There still is so much that is the same. Um, in terms of how Baptists and, and Presbyterians or however formed, you know, PR Christians, um, re reflect on and think about their children. There's some differences, but in terms of like. We all want our children to come to know Jesus. We all want their first memory to be worshiping in the church and loving the Lord. We, we don't want them to ever remember a time where the name of Christ was not on their lips as their savior. Um, all those things are the same and even the, the way we promise before God and, and primarily before God, but before others, even the way we promise to nourish them in, in right doctrine and nourish them in good teaching and bring them into the church and, and set a faithful example. All of those things are the same. So I I I, I never want to diminish the fact that there are differences 'cause there are real differences and there are important differences. But I also think we often sort of like. I think because we've talked about this before, like Reformed Baptists and Presbyterians are so close that we have to bicker over the things that are different. It's like you're, it's like when you fight with your brother on whose side of the room it's on. Like you're so close that you have to find the little things to really bicker about and then you really, really bicker about them. And I think that kind of like describes the, the Presbyterian Baptist divide in a lot of ways. I know there's a lot of people that would say like, Lutherans are closer to Presbyterians and those people are just, I dunno, they're just wrong. Um, on, on, maybe on baptism, they're, they're not wrong. But in terms of general theological principles, like, you know, Westminster Confession, London Baptists, confession, like, it, it's 95% the same content. Sure. Um, and 95% like the same confession, not just the same like words, but the same meaning of the words. And, um, so yeah. Anyway, that's my affirmation. Infant baptism. It was a joy. I was happy to see it. Um, uh, we have a ton of little, little babies in the, the church. It's funny 'cause another, another, um. A couple announced today that they were expecting, and we've, we've had basically pregnant women in the church for, you know, obviously like at least nine months if someone is still pregnant. But like we've had, we've had this like rotation of, of women delivering babies for like, at least, probably, at least 16, 18 months of, of constantly having people who are, are expecting, which is really a great joy to see. So I, I love it. I love the church. I love the Presbyterian church. Um, and this was just another great example of, of the beauty of, uh, a robust confessionalism and a robust presbyterianism. [00:11:08] Jesse Schwamb: The way in which you said that made it sound like you're about to make like a grand historical statement. Like, we've had pregnant people in the church since the first century.  [00:11:18] Tony Arsenal: Well, I mean that's probably true, but  [00:11:19] Jesse Schwamb: yeah, it definitely  [00:11:20] Tony Arsenal: true. Not, not our church. Our church has only been around, our particular church has only been around for like 10 years, so I'm sure there have been times during that period where there were not pregnant people  [00:11:29] Jesse Schwamb: pregnant. It just sounded like we were going all the way back as if like to, again emphasize and maybe this isn't, this is as fair statement, like how faithful God has been like from the beginning. There's always been. Pregnant lady Church. Look, look at how faithful God is.  [00:11:42] Mic Grabbing Babies [00:11:42] Jesse Schwamb: And, and this is true, I like to play this game when there is a baby dedication. I'm not sure what the sound system is like in your church, but often our, our pastors wear like the tiny little like Backstreet Boys style. It's probably outdated reference, but microphone that comes over the ear and to the mouth and it's very discreet. But the game I like to play is like once, once he takes the child for a time of dedication or specifically prayer, the, the goal is to see like how long before that baby goes for the mic. Because as soon as like a baby sees a mic right there, it's like, oh yeah, this is the best thing that's happened to me in my tiny little life.  [00:12:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, it's like an angler fish is really what it is. Yes. It's like that glowing bulb that just sits in front of its face and it's, the baby's just gotta grab it. [00:12:27] Jesse Schwamb: It's just too tempting. It's just too tempting. And I, and I love, you can tell like our pastors are really adept at being able to keep the prayer going and like discreetly maneuver the child, keep the child happy. It's, it's really an amazing thing. So altogether, I'm totally with you on so many levels. It's so good to see that happen in the church. And I'm with you on that. We gotta take joy in that For sure.  [00:12:48] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse, what do you got for us tonight?  [00:12:50] Book Breath Pick [00:12:50] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, something that's entirely unlike everything you just said. Certainly. Well, maybe, I guess there is a large spiritual component to this, but it's, I would say, for me, totally unexpected book recommendation and I came across this 'cause it was recommended to me and a while back, the keen or the listener who's been with us for a really long time, or a member that we talked about the book or why we sleep, this book became for me, like the equivalent of that in a totally different kind of topic or genre. It's called breath. The New Signs of a Lost Art by James Nestor and it explores how the way that humans breathe profoundly affects our health, our performance, our longevity. It's a book that is filled with both science and pseudoscience, which the author is really good at distinguishing and calling you to think about those things. But it's really totally changed how I understand like this little pattern in Habits of breathing. And it's a really interesting book of course. Like he draws from a lot of like religious influences, including of course the Judeo-Christian one. And I think that it even drew me back to understanding how God created us. And he did in a very specific way that text's giving some great description to the breadth that he gives us and how he gives us that breath. So if you're looking, I guess, for a little bit of a read, so that might surprise you about something that you might thought was automatic and simple in life and also that might. Be able to bring you some recommendations on how to better your health. Again, we're not doctors, but we are routinely considered among the top 50 healthcare podcasts. Then I would say this would be an interesting book for you to check out.  [00:14:19] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I haven't read it, but it's been recommended to me and one of the, one of the takeaways, actually, I think it might have been my doctor, my my PCP who mentioned this to me is like, if you wanna improve your health drastically, like just make it a practice of breathing through your nose. Yes. Like something that simple and straightforward has pretty significant health impacts of like. Like the way that your brain processes breath when it comes through your nose, the way that like, there's more filtering that happens with breath, so the air that gets to your lungs is cleaner. There's just a lot of, um, I haven't read it. I've, I think I actually have it somewhere, but I have not read it yet. Um, I, I should, I should take a look at it. I, I've heard good things about it.  [00:15:01] Jesse Schwamb: At the very least, if you're a Christian, it'll cause you to marvel again. That's how beautifully complex God has made the human body and how it seems entirely impossible that anyone could even logically reasonably conclude that somehow we are just time plus matter, plus chance, and that all these things got worked out. I don't wanna spoil some of the punchline. A part of the book is about this. Breathe through your nose, which you might think was just kind of an innocuous decision. Breathe through your nose, breathe your mouth. How, how different could it be? They actually do an experiment where they plug their noses, the author and somebody else for, uh, several, like 10 days straight. And do all these these things under medical supervision to see what the impact is. And I'll leave you to read it so you can hear that. There's also something fascinating, absolutely fascinating about carbon dioxide and a study that's done where they actually have people inhale a little bit of carbon dioxide and what it does to the body. In other words, like the system that God has put into play to ensure that the body gets the kind of right amount of oxygen that it needs and how it functions when it's given the warning side of carbon dioxide, even when. Your lung capacity and your oxygen, your blood doesn't change. There's a fascinating section on that. So I didn't expect to be this interested in the book and generally I take a little time before I recommend a book. I finished this a couple weeks ago and I'm still thinking about it. So, and I'm trying to put some things into practice, including I try to do some running and for the longest time I just thought, well, when you run, like even at any like moderate speed, like you have to breathe through your mouth, this book challenges some of that. So lo and behold, I went out and started to try just a little bit to see if I could just breathe through my nose. It turns out it's totally possible, like all this time I just thought that was impossible, like God didn't make us that way, and it's actually improving how I feel when I run and the running that I'm able to do. So I am surprised, I, I'm shocked by all this, and it's just as simple as understanding breath. Who would've guessed.  [00:16:56] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. I mean, I've heard it's a great book. I, I, I. It never ceases to amaze that the, the more we look at the human body, the more we look at God's creation, the more we see the fingerprints of our creators. So not, not  [00:17:07] Jesse Schwamb: right.  [00:17:07] Tony Arsenal: Sounds like a great book. I can't recommend it from personal experience, uh, although I've heard very good things.  [00:17:12] Reading Matthew 21 [00:17:12] Tony Arsenal: So, Jesse, I think we should probably just get into it because this is now week three of, uh, one week episode and, uh, we want to wanna dig in and we wanna wrap it up so we can move on to the next best thing out there, which is of course, the parables of Christ. [00:17:26] Jesse Schwamb: Let's get some. So I'm gonna read for us starting in verse 40 because if you've been tracking then you've already been with us through the first part of this parable, and it's notoriously or variously called parable the vine growers, or I kinda like the husband men, just because that's fun to say, and you don't get to drop husband men like very often. But vine dressers, vine growers, vine workers, it's all the same. But here's starting in verse 40. This is after Jesus has already explained the parable. He set it up for them and he's gonna bring for the indictment. So Jesus says, and therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vine growers? They said to him, he will bring those wretches to a wretched end and he will rent out the vineyard to other vine growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons. Jesus said to them, did you never read in the scriptures the stone, which the builders rejected? This has become the chief cornerstone. This came about from the Lord in his, marvelous in our eyes. Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust. And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they understood that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to seize him, they feared the crowds because they were guarding him to be a prophet.  [00:18:48] Irony Blind Leaders [00:18:48] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, that, that last little section here is just such, it's like dripping with such irony,  [00:18:53] Jesse Schwamb: so good  [00:18:54] Tony Arsenal: that like they, they are so blinded by their own, um, I dunno, ambition isn't, maybe isn't even the right word, but something in that, that neighborhood, they're so blinded by their desire to. Maintain their own status quo, their own uh, their own status. That they fear the crowds because the crowds hold them to be a prophet,  [00:19:15] Jesse Schwamb: right?  [00:19:16] Tony Arsenal: When in reality, like there is a prophet in their midst and much more than a prophet, uh, and they can't see it because of their own blindness. So I'm stoked to get into it. This is such, like we said, this is such a, like on the nose, paril, it's crazy. This is so much like, you know, Nathan's, you are the man kind of parable. Like yes, that's right, except there never is a, you are the man moment for them. They never get it, which is. Stunning. Like I, I, it just sort of is like, I don't even know what to make of that. [00:19:41] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. There is like a wild blindness. I've been thinking about that a lot in our past conversations, but it culminates here. These chief priests and elders, I would say strangely, but I think that this is probably true of all of us, and maybe especially me, perhaps not yet, like perceiving themselves to be the vine growers here in view, they render this verdict of severe justice. It seems like you, you wanna say to them? Like, guys, guys, pull up, hold up a second. Yeah. Take a step back before you overreact here, because you're about to condemn yourselves and in the Greek here, this expression like, miserably destroy these wicked men. Or it gets like this double wretched in our translations. Mostly he will bring those wretches to a wretched end. It's this rhetorical intensification. It's incredible. And I, I think there's at least like two truths here. That come to my mind. One is, we've talked about before, but is in line with what you're saying, that the natural conscience, when not even aware of its own complicity, can still discern the justice of God's judgments. So here are these men who are so prone almost, I think what Calvin says elsewhere, like that we have this hidden impulse to identify with justice. Even when we can't see that we are the ones perpetrating something of injustice, still we can't help but cry out. We can't even help but identify it. And here they. Accurately identify it. And even though they're putting themselves exactly in the cross here, they cannot help but basically cry out that how egregious this behavior is of these vine growers that Jesus has basically, you know, created in this hypothetical environment, even still there, they're filled with rage and the rage gets turned on them. So the Pharisees here, of course, function as this unwitting witness to the righteousness of God's wrath against covenant breakers, even though they, they don't see it.  [00:21:29] Kingdom Transfer Talk [00:21:29] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, the second thing I think that comes to my mind, and maybe this is like more to the point, is that. The verse foreshadows this transfer of the kingdom from the Jewish nation to a new people that would bring forth its fruits, which I realize if I bring that up right now, that we've just committed to like six episodes just on that topic probably. But yeah, but like, we're gonna have to come to it because there's so much here. And the phrase of this, like, let out his vineyard unto other vine growers or husbandman, it does to me like anticipate this calling of the Gentiles and the formation of the Christian Church and in, in this way. It's not to me. The abandonment of the elect, remnant of Israel, but it is like the breaking off of the natural branches and then this engrafting of the wild olive shoots that come through like Allah, Romans 11. So it's, it's not like from one nation to another simply, but from like the carnal seed to a spiritual seed gathered out of all the nations, that that's wild. Right? I, I think that's all in view here. And it's like a kind of a crazy thing to say. It's certainly like a wild thing to say, no pun intended. And I imagine like, unexpected thing to say.  [00:22:38] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:22:40] Supersessionism Clarified [00:22:40] Tony Arsenal: Let's think about that a little bit because I think too, there's, there's almost an element of, um. Man, I'm gonna get a lot of flack for saying this. You're, there's almost like a legitimate replacement theology here, right? Like replacement theology. I got covenant theology, you know, reformed, um, reformed theology often gets slandered as, you know, supersessionism or replacement theology, uh, with this idea that like, it's, it's interest. Uh, you have to have dispensational presuppositions for that phrase to even make sense because like the reformed paradigm is that there is one people of God full stop. And yes, like the identity of the one people of God seems to sort of like morph from the Jewish national people to now like Jews and Gentiles and actually predominantly Gentiles in the scope of like the whole history of the church. But what I mean by this is like, there's a visible church in the Old Testament, in the old, under the old Covenant, and the visible church under the old covenant is the national people of, of Israel. Right. By and large. Right. Um, and there are, there are sort of like Gentile, um, Clingons, not like the Star Trek people, but like gentile, like attachments to that throughout the history of, of Old Testament, um, theology. Um. That visible, that visible identification of this is the people of God being the Jewish people. Uh, these are the people that are the vineyard, the, they're the, the owner or the tenants of the vineyard or the, the visible Jewish people of the geopolitical nation of Israel under the old covenant that does sort of like get superseded by the church in the church age, in the new covenant,  right?  [00:24:24] Tony Arsenal: But where, where Supersessionism or the accusation of Supersessionism goes wrong is that there is this distinction between the visible and invisible church. And that distinction is what prevents us from being like, sort of like true replacement theologians in the way that the, the dispensationalist wanna paint us. So I, I think you're right that there is a lot to say here about the fact that, um, and, and this is where it gets, um. We have to be careful systematically. Right. God, God doesn't have to pivot. He doesn't have like a plan B. It's not like the Gentiles are the plan B, but there is a sense in almost in which the way that this is presented, the way that it appears in the scriptures is actually, yeah, there is almost like this plan B, like there is the geopolitical ethnic people of, of Israel, the Jewish people under the old covenant. And, and they don't do what they're supposed to do. They don't follow the terms of their covenant. They don't accept the kingdom that is bequeathed to them under the terms of the old covenant. And they, they reject that kingdom because of a disobedience. And, and I think what Christ here is narrowing in on is it's not just disobedience, right? It's not sort of like, um, accidental ancillary disobedience. It's not generalized disobedience. It is this sort of like usurpation of God's rightful status as the ruler and king of the nation. That's right. The the people, the, the Pharisees. And the chief priests and the scribes and the Sadducees, they want to be the rulers of the nation. They want to, they, they seem to wanna take the place of God, at least as far as Christ is presenting it. In this, they wanna usurp the kingdom. They want to take the heirs, uh, rightful inheritance, and they want to claim it for themselves. That is not a generalized disobedience, it's a special t type of covenant unfaithfulness that causes God to causes and kind of air quotes that causes God to hand over the kingdom to another people. Right. Partially, I think, uh, we don't need to get into Romans, the Romans 11 stuff, but partially I think because that's actually the way that he's going to ultimately save the Jewish people, right, is by sort of making, making them jealous of the Gentiles. Like there's a, there's a real element of that, that the salvation of the Gentiles is actually for, in some sense is for or unto the salvation of the Jewish people or the, the faithful Jewish remnant that's all here. And, and you can't really get past that in this parable. Um, this is why I think a, a lot of dispensationalist, um, uh, some of the classic dispensational sources would actually see like this, this is not for the Jewish church. This, this is for the Gentiles. This is actually part of the parentheses, um. You know, and, and again, dispensationalist divide all that stuff up differently, but this is a really interesting section for us to talk about that we can't, we can't just gloss over that. [00:27:11] Jesse Schwamb: I certainly don't mean to imply that it's wild because it's unexpected. I think it's wild because interestingly, the Pharisees, the teachers here, they challenge Jesus authority and his response to that is to challenge their covenant faithfulness.  [00:27:24] Tony Arsenal: Right?  [00:27:25] Jesse Schwamb: So it's not just if he turns it around, he uses this opportunity to explain what's going to happen to them as those who are, like you said, were supposed to be representative. And I think critically like the qualifying phrase. That that's using the text here, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. That's like really important because these new vine growers are characterized by their fruitfulness. So this is not like a doctrine of works righteousness, but it's evidential fruit. And that's why, and I had to look this up and the Westminster Confession confession, chapter 16, good works are quote the fruits and evidences of true and lively faith, which I love. I was trying to find that language true and lively faith. So the visible church under that new administration is identified by the fruits of repentance, faith, and obedience worked out by the Holy Spirit. Again, I think that's all that is in view here, that that's a lot to say. But you know, famously, like you've kind of intimated, when we go back to the Old Testament, even we find when the Israelites leave triumphantly from Egypt, that they're accompanied by those outside of Israel. We find that other characters like Grh who continually want to identify with a Yahweh whom God is saving and drawing onto himself and here is kind. Him, Jesus, at least representing as the son of God. That kind of cli climactic view. Speaking from the prophet register again saying, this is what I was saying to Abraham. I said, like from your seed, all these nations in this spiritual sense will be gathered out. So there'll be a single nation as it were in Christ. And even now, I'm telling you, I'm breaking down those boundaries. But I think to your point, importantly Tony, in part because you have failed in the covenant promises and you who were to represent and to heed and to lead, have fallen down. And so now you're gonna trip over this stone and it's going to crush you. And as a result of that, the vine, the vine growers will be, or the vineyard itself will be turned over to those who bear this true and lively fruit.  [00:29:22] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:29:23] Israel Failure Remnant [00:29:23] Tony Arsenal: There's an interesting, um. There's an interesting dynamic here that actually strikes me as kind of similar. It's a little bit more opaque, but similar to, uh, like Joseph in, uh, in Egypt, right when his brothers come and he says, you meant this for evil, but God meant it for good. Mm-hmm. There's a, there's an element of here, we've talked about the parables. That's sort of like systematic theology in story form. Um, there's a reality here that it's both true, that God always intended for the kingdom to be expansive and, and to expand beyond the nation of Israel. To be this universal, global lowercase c Catholic, universal church universal in the sense that it's not bound by any particular nation, by any particular geopolitical reality. Um. That's true, but it's also true that the reason, uh, on a sort of like horizontal level that that's true is that Israel failed. Right? It so God always intended for Israel to fail, yet Israel is responsible for the fact that they failed. Yes, that's right. Um, and, and, and again, we, we, we sort of commented on this before, like there are some in our broader reformed circles that turn this into a sort of antisemitism, like a sort of hatred for the Jewish people. And I don't think, I don't think that there's any warrant in scripture for that. In fact, I think scripture speaks strongly against that. Is that, um. Not necessarily because there's any particular unique special affection that God has for Israel, like, like the modern Jewish people, but, but that, like racism in general is prohibited by the Bible. But I think where we do need to be clear though, is that there is a real failure. It's a true, genuine failure on the part of the first century Jewish. Leaders and people, um, with a faithful remnant. Right? There was, um, we're, we're getting, you know, we're in the springtime and we've already had, uh, we've already had discussions about this. We've already done Easter, but like there is always conversations around Palm Sunday of like, are the crowds that are following Jesus into, into town screaming, you know, yelling, Hosanna? Is that the same crowds that are yelling crucify him a couple days later? Um, I tend to think like, no, like actually, like the people who are saying crucified, crucify Christ are probably like the Jews who live in Jerusalem or like the, primarily the religious leaders. There's a whole host of Jewish believers and kind of the hoy pallo, the, the people out in the country that absolutely follow Jesus. Like they follow him as the Messiah. They, they confess him in many cases. They convince him to be, um, they confess him to be God, to to be the savior, to be the, the figure from Daniel seven, the son of man. Um. There's a reality in which the Jewish remnant absolutely recognize Christ and they persist in the church, right? The earliest Christians were all Jews, and you know, there was a few Gentiles along the way, you know, and maybe not even Gentiles like Samaritans. I don't even know if you would call them gentiles. They're kind of this midway point, but in Jewish gentil. But there are people throughout Christ's ministry, right? Cornelius or not Cornelius, the Centurion recognizes that this is the son of God. Like there are people, the s Phoenician woman, there are people who are not part of Israel proper, who even in the, in the midst of Christ's ministry are recognizing him as God and as Messiah and as the savior of the world. But, but by and large, the earliest Christian movement was Jewish people. It was the faithful remnant of, of Israel who recognized that their Messiah had come. That is true. And at the same time. The, probably the majority, and especially the rulers and the leaders of the Israel, you know, the Jewish faith in the first century absolutely rejected him. And this is what I, this is what I think is wild, is I think sometimes we think that, um, the prophecies and the understanding of Christ and what the messiah, who the Messiah was to be and what to expect, we think of those as like super obscured and super hidden until Christ comes and then all of a sudden they're really obvious. Christ doesn't seem to treat them that way. Right? Right. He tells this parable and they rightly identify that, and this is a, this is such a thinly veiled parable. Like this is like, you killed the prophets. You're going to kill me. And there's going to be consequences. Like he practically says that outright. Um. He treats that as like they should obviously know this, right? The, have you never read in the scriptures, the stone, the builder rejected has become the cornerstone, right? This was the lord's doing. It is, and it is marvelous in their eyes that have you never read?  [00:34:06] Decree in Rejection [00:34:06] Tony Arsenal: That is a, that's a rhetorical question with the implied answer of, of course, you've read exactly like he's not, he's not teaching them something that he anticipated is new to them. He maybe is teaching them something that he anticipated they maybe you didn't recognize. But actually I think probably like, uh, there probably were many among them that were like, oh yeah, we are doing this. But then almost like we're powerless to stop themselves from moving forward in that.  [00:34:32] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:34:32] Tony Arsenal: Sort of like wicked plan. [00:34:34] Jesse Schwamb: Right. Yeah. And I think we could extend that as well to say that this rejection of Christ by this Jewish leadership, which of course was a incredible failure, like you're saying, it wasn't an accident, it wasn't an unforeseen tragedy. So just like interestingly in Acts four in his sermon where Peter quotes from the same Old Testament passage about Christ being the cornerstone, you know, it was prophesied long before. And so the doctrine of God's eternal decree, I think finds v vivid illustration even here. This is all the Lord's doing. Yeah. And even the wicked rejection of the Messiah is serving this purpose, this sovereign purpose of God's great exaltation. And so it's fascinating, and we should marvel at the fact that, again, like God means what he says when he says like He uses what is weak to overcome that which is strong, or to embarrass the strong, he uses that which seems foolish. To make the wise themselves, the ones who are actually foolish in the same way.  [00:35:29] Cornerstone Unites Church [00:35:29] Jesse Schwamb: This very stone, which men in their malice cast aside on that day. God is in his wisdom setting as this chief cornerstone. And I love like that idea of this phrase, this head of the corner denoting that amazing preeminence of Christ, that Christ is not merely included in the building of the new Covenant church. He is its chief and constituent stone that joining together both like the Jew and the Gentile, finally into one structure. And that's really, I think to your point, that's the great mystery of the hidden ages from the past. That that's the thing which Christ is bringing to like this grand display, like out on the stage in the open, in front of everybody. He's drawing it up, he's calling it to account. And so in that way, the same Jesus that was rejected by men is in God's account of inestimable value. And that should be like, I think, familiar to most of us because like there a form tradition has always insisted that. The true theology always issues in doxology and the cross and exaltation of Christ are not merely these facts, which we give these intellectual ascent, but we, we confess them as mysteries which provoke us to adoration of who God is. It's the excellency of Christ expounding at length, like the wondrous conjunction of Christ's humiliation and his exaltation, which finds its pattern here, rejected by men, glorified by God.  [00:36:50] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:36:52] Works Covenant Failures [00:36:52] Tony Arsenal: And, and this is, um, we, we commented in our first, uh, episode on this par ball. This is not isolated to just the rulers of Israel at the time of Christ, right? This is in reality, kind of like a reflection of every failure of the covenant of works. In some sense, every failure to hold the covenant of works boils down to an attempt to make oneself, God. Right. This was Adam's failure in the garden. Um, Eve, Eve was the first person to eat the fruit, but Adam, Adam was responsible for that and he, he also ate the fruit and they, they did so in part because they thought it was useful to make them like God and, and in an illegitimate fashion. And they knew it was an illegitimate fashion. It's not as though Adam and Eve suddenly were like, maybe we can eat the fruit. Maybe like we actually are fine to do it. Like they knew it was still forbidden. Right. They did it anyways. And the Pharisees here, um, are in a real attempt. Um, they are trying to take the role of Messiah for the people. They're trying to be the savior of the people in sort of shepherding and guiding them into this like. Ultra legalistic Puritan, like puritanical in the worst sense, um, kind of approach to the law. Um, this is the, the story of Old Testament Israel, right? What is the first thing that the Israelites do? Um, at Mount Sinai? The first thing they do is try to fashion gods so that they have a tame God that they can control and that they can actually be God's over. So I think this is really key and, and this is where it becomes practical for us, is that. I think we always are faced with a choice, right? There's, there's obviously those who are Christ, who the son is set free. He's set free indeed, and they will never not be his people. Like you never become not justified. If you were justified, you always forever more are justified. Justified is a final. It's, it's the future judgment of God's people dragged and dropped into the present and applied. It's the righteousness of Christ applied. So there, there's never a time where that righteousness is like removed or unapplied, but we are constantly faced with a choice as to whether we want to be the kind of people who render our fruit unto the Lord, uh, as the faithful, the sort of the implied faithful tenants that are going to be brought forward when the, the unfaithful tenants are replaced. Or do we wanna be the people that reap wicked fruit and keep for ourselves? And I think that's, that's really the thing. Like we're either gonna rep. Fruit of wickedness, or we're gonna reap fruit of righteousness. And the only thing to do with fruit of righteousness is surrender it to the Lord. But we often are faced with that choice, like, are we gonna reap our own wicked fruit and keep it all to ourselves right, uh, to our own detriment? Or are we gonna go ahead and be the faithful tenants that give the Lord what he deserves?  [00:39:46] Kingdom Transfer Explained [00:39:46] Jesse Schwamb: We're seeing so much of the simplicity of God here that like you and I have said so many times before that his loving kindness, his long suffering ness is his righteousness, is his justice, is his wrath. And so I think it's helpful, again, to remind ourselves that we're, we are talking, or he specifically is speaking of the kingdom of God here. And again referring to this visible administration of the covenant of grace, not to the inward and invisible kingdom of saving grace, which as you just said, can never be lost from those who possess it, which by the way is a really important distinctive of reform theology. There are many that would disagree with that statement, and I think really much to their harm in, in disagreement with the scriptures themselves, this one in particular, but it is this external administration, the privileges, the ordinances, the oracles of God. That is being transferred from the Jewish nation as a corporate body to a new and broader people of God. And because I know that sounds very extreme, I did look up Calvin and his commentary on this and let me read what he says because this is interesting. I think even this could possibly mis be misunderstood. But here's Calvin who can say it better than I. He says, quote by these words, he means that God would deprive the Jews of the honor and the privilege of being his peculiar people and would call the Gentiles that out of them he might form a church end quote. And going back to what you said earlier, I'm with you. I, I. I mean, this is not, I think as some have wrongly concluded, like replacement theology in like a wooden sense. I, I see this still as like this historical redemptive transition from the typological administration of the old covenant to the eschatological fulfillment of the new. And the elect remnant of Israel is not cast off, but the national like typological privileges are being transferred to the Catholic church, gathered from all nations. And in that, I really do see this wonderful confluence of God's loving kindness, his, his fidelity to the promises that he's made and his wrath being manifested all at once. And somehow Jesus, of course, in complete perfection, can bring that all to bear in this tiny little story.  [00:41:51] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And and isn't it just like the master teacher to like, put all of this baked into this? I mean, that's right. We think of this as like a long parable, like I think,  [00:42:02] Jesse Schwamb: right?  [00:42:02] Tony Arsenal: I think like it's, it's amazing how we think of parables as, you know, like this is a short one. A short one is a couple sentences, a long one is like a half a dozen sentences. Like, and of course like Christ is teaching broader than this. He's teaching more than this. Just, this is what's recorded by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This is what Matthews preserved for us.  [00:42:22] Stone Breaks or Crushes [00:42:22] Tony Arsenal: But you're right, there's so much baked into this little parable and I think, um, there's something to be said about this idea of like. Not only do those who smash against the, the rock, the, the cornerstone, those who smash against the rock, like those who who fall on the rock are broken to pieces, but also the rock falls on others and smashes them to pieces. Right? And, and there's something to be said about the fact that, and I'm not exactly sure how I wanna articulate this, but it's only those who like recognize the proper place of the rock and don't either let it fall on them or don't smash themselves against it. You know, we always joke about like running through a wall. Like this is not a wall you're gonna run through. Like you're gonna smash into this wall and it's gonna crush you. And if you are, if you're not properly assigning the cornerstone it's placed, right? The cornerstone is, is the stone that's placed in the foundation of a building that all the other stones find their orientation and their proper alignment based on. [00:43:26] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:43:26] Tony Arsenal: You might think of this sometimes. I've heard this articulated as like the, the arch stone. I think it's a little bit different than that. Um, but it, the, the idea is the same, right? Like there's a stone in an arch. If you think of like a classic Roman arch, you have these piles of stones until you put the final arch stone in. That, in that stone is what makes the arch stable. Until that point, either side can fall, but if you don't properly set that arch stone where it's supposed to be, then the whole thing is gonna crush you. It's gonna fall down on top of you at some point. I think this is a little different. This is the cornerstone of a, this is more like the cornerstone of a building. This is the stone that the rest of the building, building is oriented against and is aligned with. If you get that wrong, then you have a, you have like a crooked wall, a wall that's not set, that's not straight. It's not stable. What this is saying and what this, this prophecy right from, from Psalm one 10, I think I should probably look it up, but I haven't yet. But this prophecy that Christ is referring to this, this prophetic statement in the Psalms that he's assuming the audience is familiar with, right? I think that's a really important point. Like he's not only assuming that they're familiar with it, there's rhetorical force of kind of like, of course you understand this principle that there is a cornerstone coming. There is something or someone who is coming that all other things will be measured against. And if you're either in alignment with this, with this person who is coming or you're out of alignment with reality, this thing is understood by them. It just is so critical and I think like the, the, a lot of the parables don't have explanations built into them. Some of them do. We've talked about some of them. A lot of them don't, this one does, but it's kind of like a really surprising way to explain it. And there's so much, um, the more that I look at this, the more we talk about it, this really is so similar to David and Nathan, right? Right. When with the, the affair with Bathsheba, he is saying to the Pharisees, look, you're the man. Like, you're the one here. You're the guy. You guys are the wicked tenants that are gonna, you've killed the prophets. Right? Um, I'm losing my, my timeline a little bit, but John the Baptist either had been executed or would be executed shortly at this point, right? So like the, the most recent prophet either was already killed or, or Christ knew of course he was going to be killed. Um, he's saying, look, you guys are the ones that are doing this and you're going to kill me. Right. And this is obviously what the prophecy is, that you think you're going to come against the cornerstone, but in reality you're going to shatter yourself upon me. You think you're gonna come against me, I'm going to crush you. And rather than say, you know, as ba, you know, as David does, where he repents, he, he fasts and he, he refuses to eat. He's, he's in mourning over both the loss of his infant, but, but more so over his own sin, I think is the picture the text gives us. Um, he's mourning trying to uh, sort of like reverse God's decision, but there's a genuine repentance to it, right? That's where we get Psalm 51, like creating, clean me a clean heart, oh God, renew a right spirit in me. There's none of that for the Pharisees, there's none of that for the sadist of the chief priests. They just continue to smash themselves against this rock, not recognizing that it's actually the rock that is crushing them. [00:47:05] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it's, it's a bit like, I'm gonna speak like a little maybe beyond my depth here, but there's a little bit of like that Nathan, like Strategem, and then this is where I'm outside my own experience. And then a little bit like maybe like WWE the rock in terms of like. If you want some come and get some, right? It's a little of both. And of course the passage ends very tragically, well ends humorously by them, you know, saying that at some point they were like, they understood in these parables, again, this is one of three of the same kind of topic of variety, but that Jesus was referring to them, which is funny. You wanna be like, yeah, it took a, took a long enough, I guess, guys, but you finally got it. But then that last sentence of like, they still sought to kill him. So to your point, even after all of this, there wasn't repentance. And we do get these, I think, two very distinct judgements that are depicted here, which you've already kinda led us into this first, like, whoever shall fall on the stone shall be broken. You know, to me, I think that's invoking this idea that in this life, there we are, we can be brought to brokenness through the gospel and to fall upon Christ. And repentance. And faith is to be broken in self, in pride and self-righteous. It's a breaking that does lead to healing. But this second judgment, you know the one, but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder, grind him to dust, I mean. Man, think about what a vivid image that is. I mean, that's like the more terrible of the two. That that's like the, yeah. Final Es logical judgment of those who persist in unbelief and it, it admits there's like no remedy. So there are only two ways to relate to Christ. You either fall upon him willingly in faith and repentance, which is painful, but it is saving, you know, to have him fall upon us in judgment is final in damning, and so that's what Christ presents here. [00:48:48] Psalm 118 in Context [00:48:48] Jesse Schwamb: It's, it's both of these things and you're right, it is brilliant that he goes to Psalm one 18 even that as a setup, because as you've kind of already said, I love to think, of course that's, can you manner the tone in which this was said to these scribes and Pharisees? Because of course the, the secondary indictment here is like, listen, you guys who like your great pride is that, you know, the scriptures really well. Have you read this part is familiar to you. Yeah. Can you tell me where that is? So like, we, we should go there just, just quickly. This is Psalm one 18 because I think that here again is, as I'm hearing it in context. There are some verses surrounding this that I think we might be surprised that they come right on the heels of this idea of the stone. So just a couple verses. In Psalm one 18 being in verse 22, the stone, which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone. This is from Yahweh. It is marvelous in our eyes. Here's the verses that we might not recognize. Come right after it. This is the day which Yahweh has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Oh, Yahweh, save. Oh, Yahweh, succeed. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh. We have blessed you from the house of Yahweh. Yahweh is God, and he has given us light by the festival sacrifice with corns to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I give thanks to you. You are my God, and I exalt you. Give thanks to Yahweh for his good, for his loving kindness endures forever. And so this idea that there's rejoicing in which day, I mean, usually we kinda say that it's like, well, it's a beautiful day out. It's the Lord's day. This is the day that Yahweh is like that. That's true. But also here in particular, it is this blessed day of Yahweh giving the stone, which the builders reject and which has become the chief cornerstone. And that stone is some will run headlong into and shipwreck their lives and others will be crushed underneath it. And guess what? This is the day which Yahweh has made and we're gonna rejoice and be glad in that.  [00:50:41] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:50:43] Mark's Angle on Fear [00:50:43] Tony Arsenal: The other thing I think, you know, we. Should, um, maybe not spend any time on, 'cause we're at like, out, like minute 50 of a 60 minute podcast. But just going to, to Mark's version of this parable real quick. Um, starting in verse, uh, this is chapter 12, verse 12. It says, and they were seeking to arrest him, but feared the people for, they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away. And the, the main difference here, the reason I'm reading this is Mark chooses a d. Concerning them. The verb is, or the preposition is Perry. So it's kind of like this idea that he was, he was sort of speaking around them. He was talking about them. Mark uses the, the preposition, proce, which is not, um, not against, in like the same, uh, direct sense. We might use the word against. That would be something like Kada. Um, but he's, he's speaking this parable towards them or to them, um, against them. He's, he's directing the parable at them. And this is, this is, we, we commented on this a little bit in the, the first episode here. Um, he is speaking to the crowds. But he's telling the parable about or against or concerning the Pharisees and the scribes, and they perceive this, right. The, the gospels here don't say that the crowds perceive this. Right. And I think that's key. Like the Pharisees basically look at this and say, uh, we better get this under control because he's talking about us. Right, right. Like, I'm just picturing Paul Washer's. I'm not trying to say Paul Washer is a Pharisee, although some people would probably make that connection. But like I'm, I'm just hearing Paul Washer's voice saying like, I don't know why you're clapping. I'm talking about you. He's speaking to the Pharisees here. And it's interesting because Matthew associates the, the, uh, Pharisees. Cowardice in acting against Christ, uh, because they fear the crowds and because the crowds believe Christ is a parable or is a prophet Mark associates. And again, both of these things are true, right? This is holy scripture. This is inspired, these are not contradictory accounts. This is facets of the same diamond. Mark associates this with, they fear the crowds. Um, because they had taken him. They, they understood that the parable was being spoken against them, right? So there's this element that the Pharisees are not only understanding that the, the parable is about them, they feared them because the crowds believe that Christ is a prophet and that prophet is speaking this parable against them, right? So like they're, they're recognizing full on that it's only a matter of time before the, the general population, the general people that are listening to Christ recognize that he's overturning. Not only the Pharisees, the entire geopolitical nation of Israel, he's overturning the ethnic based reality, the geopolitical based reality, that God's people have a zip code and that zip code is Jerusalem. That zip code is this little si, this little tract of land the size of like Vermont and New Hampshire in the Mediterranean, like off the Mediterranean Sea. He's overturning that. And the, the Pharisees, the educated people, the, the Sadducees, the chief priests, the rulers, they recognize it's only a matter of time before the people understand what Christ is doing. They, they follow him as a prophet and this is what he's prophesying. And

This Week on the Toy Power Podcast; we are back all back together in the studio again; to bring in all the Latest News! Kicking things off with quite a few MOTU Toy Headlines; branching all sub-categories of the brand - including a Playset! Neca continue to flip through the pages of the Mirage Comics, & questionably bring us Figures from those stories. Playmates announce a 2pk with BLOOD attributes!! As well as a potential Lawsuit to protect their work....? McFarlane continue to produce Batman products & Transformers Missing Link announce a unique offering in the form of G1 Ironhide & Ratchet. Trent gets super nostalgic over Goof-Troop; plus we have more Fighters announced from Jada & McFarlane too. Rounding out the News is a beautiful nod to the influential man that was Jack Kirby; in the form of a street named after him! Then we have a very close in-hand review of the amazingly intricate HeatBoys TMNT Figures. These Figures are absolutely extraordinary; with their Die-Cast designed Mech-Suits. They are honestly like nothing we have seen in the TMNT franchise before!! All this & more! Enjoy!!Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newly released emails and financial records show that Jeffrey Epstein's office relied heavily on the ultra-exclusive American Express Centurion “Black Card” program to quietly arrange travel for dozens of women, many of them from Eastern Europe, while maintaining extreme secrecy around the bookings. The records reveal that Epstein's longtime assistant, Lesley Groff, repeatedly instructed American Express staff to keep flight information hidden, remove email addresses from confirmations, and ensure that travel details were tightly controlled. The documents also describe how fake or temporary itineraries were allegedly arranged for visa purposes, allowing women to secure travel documents using reservations that were later canceled. Internal communications show at least one Amex representative acknowledging that some of the requests were “against Amex policy,” while still offering ways to accommodate them.The records provide a rare inside look at how Epstein allegedly used elite financial services and concierge-style corporate relationships to facilitate the movement of women across borders for years after his 2008 Florida conviction. Emails describe flights being coordinated between cities such as Moscow, Minsk, Miami, Palm Beach, Paris, and New York, with Groff at times referring to groups simply as “the girls.” The documents also show how obsessed Epstein's office was with secrecy, with repeated panic over flight confirmations accidentally being sent to the wrong people. The reporting further highlights how Epstein remained an enormously valuable client for American Express despite being a convicted sex offender, generating massive spending volumes and holding multiple Centurion cards tied to associates and entities connected to his operation. Critics quoted in the coverage argued that the travel patterns, fake itineraries, and visa-related booking requests should have raised obvious red flags about possible trafficking activity long before Epstein's 2019 arrest.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Jeffrey Epstein America Express: How he moved women around the world with his credit card