Podcasts about Cyrene

AUG 23 | Who Is This King? | Mark 15:21-39 ...A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he's calling Elijah.” Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

AUG 23 | Who Is This King? | Mark 15:21-39 ...A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he's calling Elijah.” Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

AUG 23 | Who Is This King? | Mark 15:21-39 ...A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he's calling Elijah.” Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

AUG 23 | Who Is This King? | Mark 15:21-39 ...A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he's calling Elijah.” Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Join us as we dig deeper into last Sunday's sermon from Pastor Gabe Kasper "The Gospel for the Greeks" and hear from Amy Duncan and Nate Zuellig on "You Walk With Me".   Digging Deeper Questions: Where/to whom has God sent you?   What does "Spiritual depth" look like in your life?   An "other focus" doesn't mean we spend our lives worried about what others think of us, or as people pleasers, rather it means we live lives looking to serve others in love. What is challenging about that?   How does receiving grace transform our lives?   Scripture Reading: Acts 11:19-30 19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.   27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. Intro/Outro Song: "Only One" Nate Zuellig ULC Artist In Residence    "You Walk With Me" Housefires CCLI Song # 7130488   CCLI License # 11254293

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Stephen Seized 8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Stephen Seized 8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

Laurent de Cherisey was fresh out of business school and looking forward to earning a lot of money when his sister had a car accident that left her severely disabled. This led him to rethink everything. Including finding faith. He founded what has become a string of houses where accident victims and non-accident victims live side by side. They're called the Simon of Cyrene houses, named after the man Jesus chose to help him carry his cross. The project was financed in part by the box office receipts for the hit comedy Untouchable at the request of the aristocratic tetraplegic accident victim whose story inspired the film. We talk to Laurent about his journey and to some Simon of Cyrene house-dwellers about what's good about these places - why it works bringing together people of very different social classes, ethnic and religious backgrounds and, above all, very different physical and mental capacities. Producer/presenter: John Laurenson Series producer: Rajeev Gupta Editor: Chloe Walker Production coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno

July 19, 2026 - Sunday AM Bible Class This episode walks through Acts chapters 13–15 and examines the recurring challenges every church faces. Using the Antioch congregation as the starting point, Hiram traces the Holy Spirit's call to set apart Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for mission work, highlights the church's diversity and gifted leadership (Barnabas, Simeon/Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, John Mark), and outlines practical principles for stewarding congregational gifts: learn people's abilities, diversify service, avoid comfort, and be willing to send leaders to advance the gospel. The message then addresses opposition from false teachers and religious authorities — illustrated by Elymas/Bar‑Jesus and the proconsul Sergius Paulus — including Paul's Spirit‑empowered rebuke and the tactics for countering error: know and preach the truth, call out destructive teaching when necessary, protect seekers, and hold out hope for those ensnared by falsehoods. The class also covers preacheritis (the tendency to idolize preachers), with the Lystra miracle as a case study and concrete signs and remedies (acknowledge gifts without pledging allegiance, point people to God, and prevent idolatry). Finally, the episode confronts legalism and internal disagreement (the Antioch controversy over circumcision and the Paul–Barnabas split), offering responses such as sound reasoning, firm but generous directives for new believers, trusting God's sufficiency, and recognizing that conscientious disagreement can expand the work rather than destroy it. Throughout, the speaker ties each biblical episode to contemporary application for congregations: how to manage talent, respond to false teaching, evangelize religious people, resist pride and envy, and keep unity of mission amid differences.   Duration 44:42

Go Only Where God Calls, Not Where You Have Asked. Let Him Make Your Decision. Acts 13:1-3 1Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24–25Today's Gospel begins with a triple command that forms the foundation of authentic Christian living: We must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. Let us consider the implications of these commands.First, it is important to note that Jesus uses the word “must.” This is more than an invitation—it is a divine law, given for our eternal good. The Greek word for “must” is “dei,” a term that carries the connotation of necessity, obligation, and divine appointment. It is frequently used in Scripture to express what is required by God's saving plan. More than a suggestion or an ideal for devout souls, it is an absolute necessity for all who wish to follow Christ.Jesus never asks anything of us that He Himself has not already done. Just prior to today's Gospel, Jesus declared that “the Son of Man must suffer greatly” (Matthew 16:21)—and He did. In the same way, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. This is the narrow path that leads to life, the only path that conforms us to Christ and brings us to the glory of His Resurrection. To ignore this necessity is to reject the path of true discipleship.Denying ourselves is, first and foremost, a renunciation of self-centeredness. We must get out of the way so that Christ may reign in us. This means placing God's will above our preferences, ambitions, and desires. Such self-denial is not an end in itself but is a necessary clearing of the soul, making room for divine love to govern our lives. In Heaven, this purification will be complete, making it easy to choose God's will alone. But during our earthly pilgrimage, we face a continual interior battle in which we must repeatedly renounce all that is not of God's will.Today, Christians rightly venerate the Cross as a sacred image of our salvation. However, in Jesus' time, the cross was seen only as a brutal Roman instrument of execution—an image of excruciating suffering and utter humiliation. To take up our cross, therefore, is to embrace what naturally repels us, what evokes fear, and what requires courage, sacrifice, and surrender. This embrace also demands supernatural trust. Only God can bring forth good from such suffering. When we understand this and entrust ourselves to Him, we are able to accept—without rebellion—all that He permits: sufferings, trials, sacrifices, and even death itself, uniting these with the redemptive suffering of Christ.Of the three “musts,” following Jesus might seem the easiest, at least on the surface. Yet true discipleship goes far deeper than simply walking behind Him, being kind, and enjoying life. To follow Christ is to walk in Him, allowing our lives to be conformed to His. It is a lifelong journey of transformation—a participation in His life, death, and resurrection. It requires the daily decision to walk the narrow path of fidelity, humility, and love.Because this triple command is challenging, Jesus offers a divine paradox to help: “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” This offers immediate hope in the face of following Jesus' commands. He further softens the challenge by asking, “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” The “world” and all its enticements cannot compare to the glory achieved by the sacrificial life to which we are called.Reflect today on Jesus lovingly telling you what you must do to inherit eternal life. Once we understand the reward, the means become much easier to accept. Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. Do it today and every day of your life and you will find your life alive and glorified in Christ for all eternity.My selfless and sacrificial Lord, You not only commanded us to deny ourselves and take up our crosses, You first walked that path Yourself, enabling us to follow You as we live in union with You. Free me from every fear of the Cross. Help me to see beyond the immediate hardships it brings, to the glory that awaits those who live a life of sacrifice with You. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross, by Philipp SchumacherSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Everybody has a season when money is tight. But what happens when that season never seems to end?In this episode of The Catholic Money Show, Amanda and Jonathan look at research connecting persistent financial hardship with slower processing speed, and changes in the brain later in life.They also compare two difficult seasons from their own family's story. One unfolded against a backdrop of constant financial instability. The other included even heavier circumstances—but felt less destructive because they had stronger financial systems and deeper trust in God.They discuss:Why financial stress consumes so much mental bandwidthThe difference between simple living and feeling financially trappedHow prolonged money stress can affect decisions, relationships, and your ability to serve othersWhy one difficult year does not define your futureHow to begin creating stability through budgeting, emergency savings, getting a month ahead, and paying off debtWhy financial recovery requires an intentional planHow asking for help—or becoming someone else's Simon of Cyrene—can lighten the loadBeing broke can cost you far more than money. But you do not have to remain stuck in financial chaos.Get practical Catholic money guidance in your inbox every Wednesday:https://walletwin.com/newsletterMusic in this episode is by Dylan Gardner – ⁠⁠⁠⁠check out his album Almost Real⁠⁠ ⁠⁠on ⁠⁠⁠⁠iTunes⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you listen to great music.

(This podcast was previously published on September 13, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   The Old Testament and the children of God:   Moses selected men from the tribes of Israel and they assisted him in judging the people.  There were 600,000 men (plus women and children) in the wilderness so it became too much for Moses to do all the work alone.   Moses' father-in-law suggested another plan for Moses in dealing with the people.   Exodus 18   8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.   9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom HE had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.   10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, WHO hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.   11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly HE (God) was above them.   12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.  

Share, Share, Share; His Message Is For Everyone Acts 11:19-21 19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

Acts 2:1-41 (ESV) 1Whenthe day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound likea mighty rushing wind, andit filled the entire house where they were sitting.3And divided tonguesas of fire appeared to them and rested[a]on each one of them.4And they were allfilled with the Holy Spirit and beganto speak in other tonguesas the Spirit gave them utterance. 5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.6Andat this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.7Andthey were amazed and astonished, saying, Are not all these who are speakingGalileans?8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?9Parthians andMedes andElamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,11both Jews andproselytes, Cretans and Arabianswe hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.12Andall were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean?13But othersmocking said, They are filled with new wine. Peter's Sermon at Pentecost 14But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.15For these people are not drunk, as you suppose,since it is only the third hour of the day.[b]16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17And in the last days it shall be, God declares,that I will pour out my Spiriton all flesh,and your sons andyour daughters shall prophesy,and your young men shall see visions,and your old men shall dream dreams;18even on my male servants and female servantsin those days I will pour out my Spirit, andthey shall prophesy.19And I will show wonders in the heavens aboveand signs on the earth below,blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;20the sun shall be turned to darknessand the moon to blood,beforethe day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.21And it shall come to pass thateveryone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 22Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth,a man attested to you by Godwithmighty works and wonders and signs thatGod did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know23this Jesus,[c]delivered up according tothe definite plan andforeknowledge of God,you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.24God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, becauseit was not possible for him to be held by it.25For David says concerning him, I saw the Lord always before me,for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;26therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;my flesh also will dwellin hope.27For you will not abandon my soul toHades,or let yourHoly Onesee corruption.28You have made known to me the paths of life;you will make me full of gladness with your presence. 29Brothers, I may say to you with confidence aboutthe patriarch Davidthat he both died andwas buried, andhis tomb is with us to this day.30Being therefore a prophet, and knowing thatGod had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne,31he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, thathe was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.32This JesusGod raised up,and of that we all are witnesses.33Being thereforeexalted at the right hand of God, and having received fromthe Fatherthe promise of the Holy Spirit,he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.34ForDavid did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, The Lord said to my Lord,Sit at my right hand,35until I make your enemies your footstool. 36Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain thatGod has made himboth Lord and Christ, this Jesuswhom you crucified. 37Now whenthey heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers,what shall we do?38And Peter said to them,Repent andbe baptized every one of youin the name of Jesus Christfor the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receivethe gift of the Holy Spirit.39Forthe promise is for you andfor your children and for allwho are far off, everyonewhom the Lord our God calls to himself.40And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying,Save yourselves from thiscrooked generation.41So those who received his word were baptized, andthere were added that day about three thousand souls.

fWotD Episode 3366: Diaspora Revolt Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Thursday, 23 July 2026, is Diaspora Revolt.The Diaspora Revolt (115–117 CE, Hebrew: מרד הגלויות, romanized: mered ha-galuyot, or מרד התפוצות, mered ha-tfutzot, 'rebellion of the diaspora'; Latin: Tumultus Iudaicus), sometimes known as the Second Jewish–Roman War, was a series of uprisings launched by Jewish diaspora communities in several eastern provinces of the Roman Empire during the final years of Emperor Trajan's reign. Hostilities began while Trajan was engaged in his Parthian campaign in Mesopotamia, creating a favorable opportunity for rebellion. Ancient sources do not specify the motivations, but they were likely shaped by the Roman destruction of the Second Temple during the First Jewish Revolt in 70 CE, long-standing tensions between Jews and Greeks, the Fiscus Judaicus tax, messianic expectations, and hopes for a return to the Jewish homeland, Judaea.The uprisings broke out almost simultaneously in Egypt, Cyrenaica and Cyprus. Rebel attacks were directed mainly against locals rather than Roman authorities, with ancient authors such as Cassius Dio and Eusebius, as well as epigraphic evidence, reporting extreme violence. There is also a reference in Eusebius to Roman actions against Jews in Mesopotamia, though these events appear to have formed part of a broader local resistance to the Roman invasion of the Parthian Empire, rather than another Jewish uprising.Marcius Turbo, one of Trajan's top generals, was dispatched to suppress the uprisings in Egypt and Cyrenaica. Literary sources suggest that the Jewish population in these regions faced severe reprisals. Meanwhile, General Lusius Quietus quelled the rebellion in Mesopotamia and was subsequently appointed governor of Judaea. It was during this period that the poorly understood Kitos War may have occurred in Judaea, apparently involving unrest among the Jewish population. The diaspora uprisings were likely suppressed before autumn 117, just prior to Trajan's death; however, some unrest may have persisted into the winter of 117–118.The Diaspora Revolt led to the devastation, and in some cases the annihilation, of Jewish communities in Egypt, Cyrenaica, and Cyprus. Significant damage to buildings, temples, and roads is well attested in Cyrene and other parts of Cyrenaica. A festival celebrating victory over the Jews was still being observed eighty years later in the Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus. The war is also believed to have ended Alexandria's early Christian community, which was largely of Jewish origins; the later non-Jewish Christian community adopted traditions that had originated in the city's Jewish population. Thirteen years after the diaspora uprisings, perhaps seeking to eradicate the seat of Jewish unrest, Emperor Hadrian re-founded Jerusalem as a Roman colony; in response, the Jews of Judaea launched the catastrophic Bar Kokhba Revolt. In the aftermath of the Diaspora Revolt, the largest Jewish diaspora communities were concentrated in Mesopotamia, Asia Minor and Italy. Jewish communities reestablished themselves in Egypt, Cyprus, and Cyrenaica during the 3rd–4th centuries CE, though they never reached their former prominence.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:51 UTC on Thursday, 23 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Diaspora Revolt on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Niamh.

Happy feast of St. Mary Magdalene! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell discuss her legacy as the “apostle to the apostles.” Guests include Amy Fahey on the opening of the sainthood cause of novelist and Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Unset, Gary Zimak on the witness of St. Simon of Cyrene, and Matt McDonald from the National Catholic Register to discuss his article about how various bishops like their coffee. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… ***** Collect for the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene O God, whose Only Begotten Son entrusted Mary Magdalene before all others with announcing the great joy of the Resurrection, grant, we pray, that through her intercession and example we may proclaim the living Christ and come to see him reigning in your glory. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. ***** Dr. Chris Hackett, author of Pascal’s Prayers Matt McDonald’s article on how the bishops like their coffee is online at ncregister.com. Amy Fahey’s article about Sigrid Unset is online at firstthings.com. Full list of guestsSupport the show: https://www.sacredheartradio.com/donate-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luke 23, continued Luke 23:26-43 - Crucifixion Whey did they crucify Jesus? Matthew 23:32 Pressed Simon the Cyrene into service (Luke 23:2…

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Eleven and Verse Twenty

Mark Mallett preaches on Mark 15:20-22, Simon of Cyrene. https://www.youtube.com/live/XJaamB4fNy4?si=ErBEaeDh0taNwItQ&t=1487

A @Christadelphians Video: In this **thought-provoking** and **revealing** Bible study, **Christadelphian** brother Roger Lewis presents an **outstanding** exposition of Simon of Cyrene – the man compelled to carry the cross of Jesus. This **wonderful** and **insightful** character study traces Simon's journey from a reluctant Passover pilgrim to a transformed prophet in the early ecclesia. We discover how one dramatic encounter with the suffering Saviour turned Simon's life completely around, and how his family's footsteps spread the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome. Prepare to be inspired to take up your own cross and follow Him.**Chapters** 00:00 – Introduction: Inspiring Characters of Scripture 02:35 – Matthew & Luke: Simon Compelled to Bear Christ's Cross 08:07 – Who Was Simon of Cyrene? A Devout Jew from Africa 12:34 – Walking Behind Jesus: Hearing the Saviour's Words 15:15 – Mark's Revealing Detail: Father of Alexander and Rufus 18:46 – From Compelled Service to Commissioned Preacher in Antioch 25:04 – Paul's Warm Tribute to Rufus and His Mother 28:37 – Remarkable Archaeological Confirmation: The Tomb of Simon & Alexander 35:50 – The Heart of the Lesson: Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me 43:12 – Conclusion: A Call to Shoulder Our Cross Today (ends 44:44)**Bible Verse Category**

This sermon examines the brutal mockery and physical torment Jesus endured prior to His crucifixion, as recorded in Mark 15. Craig highlights how Roman soldiers' cruel jests, including the purple robe and crown of thorns, ironically proclaim the truth of Jesus' kingship while revealing the depth of human depravity. By analyzing details such as Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross, the text underscores Jesus' full humanity and His active concern for others even in extreme weakness. The message emphasizes that the spiritual weight of bearing sin outweighs the physical agony, pointing to the profound mystery of God's love and redemption. Ultimately, the sermon invites listeners to contemplate the unfathomable humility of Christ and the magnitude of the sacrifice made for humanity.

The Face of an Angel Acts 6 by William Klock I hate doing administration stuff.  I'm really glad that John handles our finances so well and makes sure all our bills get paid.  I don't like filling out annual parish reports and get annoyed when I have fill out one for ACNA and another for the REC.  Why can't they just ask the same questions and share the information?  Our church register is stuffed with Post-It notes going back five or six years so I know what to enter in it whenever I eventually get around to sitting down to make all the entries for baptisms, deaths, weddings, membership, and all of that.  And I wonder if Peter had his own First Century Post-It note system for dealing with the dreaded admin work that was perpetually threatening to cut in on his preaching and praying.  Because that's what we come to in Acts 6.  The church has been growing quickly.  There's something like 5,000 Christians in Jerusalem.  We don't know how they were organised.  We know that the apostles and presumable some others regularly spent time in the temple.  But they met together in their homes.  Were they divided into what we might think of as “churches” or “parishes” with an apostle or two overseeing each—or maybe each apostle overseeing two or three groups?  We don't know.  But what we do know is that the twelve apostles were overseeing everything.  They were preaching, they were teaching, they were praying, they were pastoring, they were making sure everyone's needs were met.  And it got to be too much, even for twelve of them.  I get that.  I have a friend who pastors a Baptist church of about 950.  They figured out thirty years ago that they need one elder to every hundred people or so in order to pastor well.  In Acts we're talking at least 500 church members per apostle.  People started falling through the cracks and complaining.  Look at Acts 6.  [Page 1086 in the pew Bibles.] “Now, in those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the ‘Hellenists' raised a dispute with the ‘Hebrews' because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.” As we've seen in Chapters 2 and 4, these first Christians were very aware that they belonged to a new family and they lived accordingly.  They were the beginnings of Gods new Israel.  The Spirit had filled them with love for each other—the kind of love that torah had always envisioned for the people of Israel—and so they began to live it out.  They fellowshipped with each other.  They shared meals together as Jesus' family and they shared with their brothers and sisters who were in need.  They weren't just overflowing with the love and mercy of Jesus; despite most of them having little, as a people they were overflowing with generosity and abundance. And there were plenty who were truly in need.  Widows would normally be looked after by their own family, but when people joined the church—just as in some parts of the world today—it meant being cut off from their families and the support they once had.  The church suddenly found itself providing for a large number of widows.  Maybe it was a language barrier or maybe it has something to do with social connections, but the Hellenists—the Greek-speaking widows—the ones who had come to Jerusalem from the great Jewish diaspora—they were falling through the cracks.  It surely wasn't deliberate.  It was growing pains.  The sheer scope of the church's charity work had become too much for the twelve to handle efficiently.  So the Greek-speaking members of the church take up their cause with the apostles.  The fact that their fellow “Hellenist' believers take up their cause with the apostles, suggests it was a language problem.  Maybe these widows didn't know how or when to ask for food or where to get it and there were simply so church members, that the apostles were no longer able to know the personal needs of everyone.  Whatever the case, the apostles realise they have to do something.  Luke goes on: “So the twelve called the full number of disciples together.  ‘Listen,' they said, ‘It wouldn't be right for us to leave the word of God to serve tables. So Brothers, choose seven men from amongst yourselves who are well spoken of and filled with the Spirit and wisdom.  We will put them in charge of what needs to be done in this matter.  We will continue to pay attention to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” The apostles knew what their primary calling was.  It was to study and to teach and to preach the word and to pray.  Sure, they could do some other things.  But when those other things became so big that it meant taking significant time away from their ministry of the word and their time in prayer, well, it was time for the church as a whole to pick up the slack.  To sort of quote Paul: God gave some to be apostles and other to—well—to fill the other multitude of roles that need filling in the church.  Some are eyes and ears and mouths, others are hands and feet and finger and toes.  The body needs them all.  And this was common sense.  But it also—and I think Luke deliberately frames it this way—it had precedent in Israel's own story.  Think of Israel in the beginning, in the wilderness, just delivered from Egypt, and Moses trying to rule over a thousand and thousands of people and feeling totally overwhelmed.  Luke wants us to see the fledgling church as the new Israel and so he shows us the apostles in the position of Moses.  It's time to choose some well-respected men from amongst the people to help.  Verse 5: “The whole gathering was pleased with what they said.  They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a proselyte from Antioch).  They presented them before the apostles, and having prayed, they laid their hands on them.” It's worth noting: the seven names are Greek names.  One of these men was even a proselyte, meaning he was a gentile who had converted to Judaism and was now a Christian.  Presumably the seven were meant to serve the whole church, but the church chose seven men who were especially able to help with the problem at hand: the Greek-speaking widows.  So the church elects these men, brings them before the apostles for their approval, prays for them, and then it's the church that lays hands on them.  Now, almost every English translation says that it was the apostles that laid hands on these seven, but the Greek text doesn't really bear that out.  It says they, the church, elected the men and brought them to the apostles and there's absolutely nothing in the text that indicates a change of subject before Luke says that “they” laid hands on the men.  The church—probably a representative few—laid hands on the seven, not the apostles. And when we look at what was involved, it suggests even more that it was the church doing the laying on of hands.  There are several words in Hebrew that, in English, all get sort of generically translated as “to lay hands”, but the Hebrew behind the idea here, has the sense of pressing down on something—as if you're sharing or transferring something of yourself to another: your sins to a the scape goat, or the people of Irael “pressing down on” the Levites who will represent them and fill in for their firstborn sons, or Moses pressing his hands down on Joshua and making him his representative and successor.  Remember, the whole point of this is that the apostles knew “serving tables” wasn't their job.  Their job was word and prayer.  It was the job of the wider church to look after the welfare of each other and so it's appropriate that the church not only elects these seven men, but also “ordains” them, if you will. And what were the seven?  Traditionally we've called them deacons.  Deacon comes from the Greek word to serve—in this case to serve (διακονεῖν) tables, which is symbolic of making sure the widows get their charity.  But otherwise, what we see these men doing doesn't look all that much like what we see deacons doing later in the New Testament.  In fact, when the apostles talk about “serving tables”, there's a probably a word play there—“tables” is a banking or accounting term, not just a word for a literal table—that suggests that what these men were really doing was overseeing, administering the distribution of food and, more broadly, the resources of the church.  And if that was the case, they look a lot more like bishops.  I could be wrong, but what I would tentatively suggest, is that these seven men were the first men to be appointed to pastoral office in the church, before that role had split into bishops on the one hand and deacons on the other.  I think these guys were, more or less, both proto-deacons and proto-bishops.  And while their primary duty was to oversee the church's charity, the church chose them because they were full of the Spirit.  And in Acts, what that means is that they were bold and unafraid proclaimers of the good news about Jesus. So, writes Luke in verse 7, because of the apostles could now be devoted to the word to prayer and because these seven men were now ordained to ensure the church was being what the church is supposed to be, “The word of God increased and the number of disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly.  This included a large crowd of priests who became obedient to the faith.”  Brothers and Sisters, when the church—the people and the leaders—are boldly proclaiming the word of God and are diligent in prayer, God will multiply it.  We might miss it, but Luke makes the point: It's not us.  We don't grow the church.  It's God.  The power lies with him.  We need to trust his word and we need to proclaim it.  We need to pray and entrust our ministry to him.  Not gimmicks, not money, not all the other things churches often do to try to make themselves effective.  Just preach God's word and pray.  He'll bring fruit from it.  And be patient, because God works on his own schedule, not ours.  And, we might miss it: Luke makes a point of telling us a significant new step in the church's growth: now it's attracted a crowd of priests.  And that would not have gone unnoticed by the leaders of the temple.  Luke doesn't say anything here, but this means the Jewish leaders are getting more concerned, getting more angry, becoming more inclined to violent action. But, first, Stephen's story.  Look at verse 8: “Stephen was filled with grace and power and performed great signs and wonders amongst the people.  But some from the Freemen's Synagogue, as it was named, and from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia stood up and disputed with Stephen.  They could not, however resist the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.”  Stephen preached in the gospel in the synagogues.  And here's the thing.  Luke makes a point of saying that Stephen wasn't just full of power; he was also full of grace.  We've all heard people speak who are full of power, but are short on grace.  They can be jerks.  Maybe they're right, but just the way they speak makes people angry.  But that's not Stephen.  He's speaking with great grace.  But the folks listening still aren't having any of it.  Not that Palestinian Jews were any more receptive, but Luke kind of gives the sense that maybe these folks—they're all hellenised, diaspora Jews like Stephen—maybe they're overly defensive of their Jewish heritage because they feel deficient in some way for not being Palestinian Jews.  Whatever their motivation, they're angry with what he says and they get even angrier because they couldn't resist him.  And then they get even angrier—we've all seent his happen—they're even angrier, because he's not angry in response. He's full of grace  They couldn't refute what he was saying.  But rather than concede, they dig in and at that point there's only one thing left to do: they make false accusation of blasphemy.  Verse 11: “Then they put up men to say, ‘We heard this man speaking blasphemous words against Moses and against God.'  They aroused the people, the elders, and the scribes.  They set upon him, seized him, and took him in front of the assembly.  They set up false witnesses to say, ‘This man never stops speaking words against this holy place and the law.  We heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses handed down to us.'  Everyone who was sitting in the assembly looked hard at Stephen.  They all saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” It sounds a lot like the accusations against Jesus, when he was accused of saying he would destroy the temple and rebuilt it in three day.  Of course, yes, he said that, but his point was that God was doing something new, that God was about to fulfil his promises, and that God would establish a new temple in which he would come to dwell with his people.  But the Jewish elders didn't hear it that way, not because Jesus wasn't clear, but because they couldn't accept that God was fulfilling his promises through Jesus.  If Jesus was the Messiah, he was doing it all wrong, at least so far as they were concerned.  He couldn't be the one. And now exactly the same thing is happening to Stephen.  We don't have his words, but based on the false accusations against him as well as his defence that will follow in Chapter 7, we have a pretty good idea what he was saying and it was closely related to what Jesus had said.  Just like Jesus, just like Peter, just like the preaching we see through Acts, Stephen told the story of God and his people and how it leads to Jesus. There were four things that were all-important for the Jews and that marked out their identity.  There was the temple; the torah or law; the land of Israel itself and especially Jerusalem, where the temple was; and there was their ethnic identity as Jews—the sons and daughters of Abraham, delivered by God from Egypt when Moses led them through the Red Sea to Mt. Sinai.  Those things marked them out as God's people.  Those things marked them out as separated, as different from the pagan peoples and nations around them.  Compromise those things, and you'd be sliding down a slippery slope into the same idolatry that had got their ancestors exiled to Babylon.  So when Stephen spoke, as any of the Christians would have, about God establishing a new temple or about Jesus fulfilling torah, out came the angry charges of blasphemy. But those first Christians—just like Jesus—were never attacking the temple or the law.  The problem was that Israel—despite knowing her own story so well and so thoroughly—had forgotten where it was going and then failed to recognise how Jesus was bringing it to its climax.  When Jesus or when Peter or when Stephen said that God was doing a new thing, what people like the priests and the scribes, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, people like Saul of Tarsus heard was that these Jesus people were saying was the law and the temple were bad. What Stephen (like Jesus and Peter before him) was trying to say is that the word of God tells a story and that this story was moving forward and, as it moved forward, new things would happen.  This didn't mean that the old things that had happened were bad.  Just the opposite!  They were good.  They were necessary to get the story to the point it's at now.  Imagine you take a trip to Montreal.  First you drive your car to Nanaimo to get to the ferry, then you take the ferry to Horseshoe Bay, then you get off the ferry and get on a bus that takes you downtown, where you take SkyTrain to the airport, where you finally board an airplane that flies you across the country.  The fact that you left your car parked in Nanaimo to get on a ferry or that you left Skytrain to get on an airplane or even that you stopped travelling once you arrived in Montreal, none of that means that the car or the ferry or the bus or the airplane or even the trip itself was bad.  You couldn't get where you are without them!  And, just so, God gave Israel the law.  God gave Israel the temple.  And they were good things.  They were necessary things.  They were gracious things.  They were things that prepared the people for and brought them to the part of the story where Jesus became a part of it. But they tuned this part out.  Some modern Christians do the same.  I'm not sure where it comes from.  Maybe it comes from listening to Luther with only one ear.  But we get the idea that the old covenant was a bad thing.  People will get the wrong idea that the old covenant was about being saved by works and that's why Israel refused Jesus, who came to offer salvation by grace.  A thousand time, no.  If that's what Stephen had been saying, the Jews would have been right to be angry with him, because he would have been wrong.  The status of God's people has never been because of works; it has always been because of grace.  That's part of how the old covenant prepared people and led them to the part of the story where Jesus enters. Other times we just ignore God's story altogether and try to write our own.  But what's often even more dangerous is when we know God's story to a point, but then we lock it down and refuse to let him take it in a new direction.  We do that.  And that's what these folks mad at Stephen are doing.  Jesus just couldn't be where the story they knew was heading; instead, Jesus became a threat to their version of the story. And yet Stephen persisted.  Even as they dragged him before the Sanhedrin with a slate of false witnesses against him.  And think about that.  They're convinced they're in the right.  They're convinced that they represent God and everything that is good and right and true.  They think they're the heaven on earth people.  And yet what do that they do in response to his preaching?  They lie. By their actions they condemn themselves.  And in contrast stands Stephen.  For all his speaking with power, he's full of grace.  And as he stands before the Sanhedrim, as false witness after false witness testified against him, the Spirit, God, transforms—almost transfigures him—to the point that the whole assembly is left staring at him.  Luke says his face became like the face of an angel. As far as literal appearance, I don't know what that means.  But the important thing is that everyone recognised what was happening and in that moment, the Spirit revealed Stephen—and along with him the church—for what he, what they, what we really are: In that moment Stephen was revealed as the face of Jesus' heaven on earth people.  He was actively part of the church living out heaven on earth.  He was preaching the good news about Jesus and he is the fulfilment of God's promise to bring heaven and earth back together.  And in the middle of this controversy, in the middle of the false accusations, in the middle of these men who, despite all the evidence, were digging in their heels and refusing to accept the message about Jesus, refusing to let God lead the story they new so well in a new direction, God himself vindicated Stephen and made him a manifestation of heaven on earth.  Stephen was full of the Spirit, a little temple in miniature full of God's presence.  As if the shekinah—the cloud of glory visibly representing God's presence that had been missing from the temple ever since Israel's exile—suddenly became present with Stephen.  God announcing: “In this man, in this people, through my son, in this gospel I am fulfilling my promises.  Listen to him.” Brothers and Sisters, this should be a picture of us.  The bit where Stephen was transfigured and looked like an angel—whatever that means—that was unique.  But the rest of it, that ought to be us.  A people committed to be a covenant family, not just overflowing with talk of love and grace and mercy, but a family of people where love and grace and mercy are abundant in real, practical ways.  A family where we make a point of doing what needs doing to make sure that nothing gets in the way of that love and grace and mercy.  We ought to be a people of word and of prayer who are bold for the gospel, because we know that the power lies not with us, but with God.  His word, not ours, brings life.  His Spirit has the power to renew minds and regenerate hearts.  And so we pray, entrusting ourselves and our ministry to him and we proclaim not our word, but his.  We tell the story that leads the world to Jesus.  And if we're doing all these things, that word, that story will have power, but our telling of it will also be full of grace. The world, the flesh, and the devil will do their worst.  People will dig in their heels.  People will tell lies about us and about the story and the good news we proclaim.  People may even violently persecute us one day.  But remember: It's all of grace.  The story that leads us through the law and the prophets, through torah and temple, is all about the grace of God towards rebellious sinners, and so is the story that leads to forgiveness and life with God, the story that leads us to Jesus and the Spirit and eventually to the New Jerusalem.  Brothers and Sisters, it's all of grace.  Live the story of God's grace and the light of heaven will permeate the church.  Proclaim the story of God's grace, and that light will being to permeate the world. Let's pray: Lord, fill us with your grace.  And don't just fill us with it; ensure that we're ever and always overwhelmed by the knowledge and understanding of your grace, so that we will live it out in practical terms as your church and so that we will go out with boldness to proclaim your good news, not to win arguments, but make your grace known.  Through Jesus we pray.  Amen.

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own [c]language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and [d]Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?"

This sermon examines the brutal mockery and physical torment Jesus endured prior to His crucifixion, as recorded in Mark 15. Craig highlights how Roman soldiers' cruel jests, including the purple robe and crown of thorns, ironically proclaim the truth of Jesus' kingship while revealing the depth of human depravity. By analyzing details such as Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross, the text underscores Jesus' full humanity and His active concern for others even in extreme weakness. The message emphasizes that the spiritual weight of bearing sin outweighs the physical agony, pointing to the profound mystery of God's love and redemption. Ultimately, the sermon invites listeners to contemplate the unfathomable humility of Christ and the magnitude of the sacrifice made for humanity.

We dig into Acts 6:9, where we read the opposition against the disciples arose, and members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen - Jews of Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia began to argue with Stephen.     The "freedmen" had formerly been slaves but were now freed and had also become Roman citizens. They were frustrated that Stephen was proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus and in verse 10 we read that they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave Stephen as he spoke. Then they hatched a conspiracy against Stephen.    Ultimately Stephen is stoned (chapter 7) and In Acts 8:1 we read that Saul approved of their killing Stephen. The question is:  How did Saul get involved with the people of the Synagogue of the Freedman Why was he there when they orchestrated the attack on Stephen Why was he given the job of taking care of the coats as the others stoned Stephen   Going back to Acts 6:9 we see the province of Cilicia (southeastern Turkey) listed as one of the places that the Hellenistic Jews came from. We read in Acts 22:3-4 that Saul was brought up in the city of Tarsus in the province of Cilicia. Cilicia is where he grew up and he may have even been a member of the Synagogue of the Freedmen.    After Saul's conversion - after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus - About 20 years after Stephen's stoning, we read in Acts 9:29 that Saul moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. Saul talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him.    So is it possible that Saul went back to the Synagogue of the Freedmen to the very place he may have been one of those questioning Stephen. Did Saul go back to this very synagogue to preach to the Hellenistic Jews, many who may have been friends and relatives.   Saul's heart had been changed in his conversion and he knew the power of the risen Lord Jesus. As a result he went back to meet with the very people who had killed Stephen and who now were ready to kill him. Saul knew that without Christ they were lost and so he put his life on the line. He would continue to that in the years that follow.   What an example for each of us, what a powerful testimony to our Lord Jesus Christ.     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/streams       Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

There's a new Niles in the world. Joshua Benedict Rex was born this week, and Dave wants you to know how stressful it all was. For the dad, that is. The pressure. The anxiety. All those things. None of which come to mind right now. Joke's on Dave, though, because Lady Pamela got to the birth center, the midwife offered to break her water, and Joshua arrived eleven minutes later. That's boy number three, bringing the count to three boys and four girls. Adam got the "we're going in" text at the hospital, stopped to pray, and barely beat the birth. The baby's a content little guy. A stereotypical Niles baby, the spitting image of baby Davy. Baptism's in a couple weeks with Uncle Father Sean, godparents are Sarah and Drew, and somewhere in there is a real theology question the guys throw to the priests who listen: can you name godparents after the fact for a baby baptized in a rush? Asking for a Mary.That birth set the whole table. Every time a baby comes into this circle of friends, the men pull their money, buy one nicer bottle of whiskey, sign it with the kid's name, and drink it together. They call it the "baby bottles" tradition. It blends friends into family. And it's exactly the kind of gift that makes you grateful, which is what this whole episode is about.They're recording on a Friday, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, the same day the bishops of America consecrated the entire country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The pour is Glendalough, a pot still Irish whiskey the guys actually visited on pilgrimage. Triple distilled by law, smooth, no burn, and oddly cheap. The bottle shows St. Kevin in cruciform, a bird nesting in his open hand. The pious legend says he held that prayer posture so long the eggs hatched. Jim's scale (Irish edition): 3.96 out of 6.Then the meat: gratitude. Not the bumper-sticker kind. Gratitude is a virtue, a sub-virtue of justice, because it renders to another what's due, first to God who gave us everything. Aquinas lays out three degrees: recognition, expression, repayment. Most of us fail at the first one. We take the morning, the clothes, the breath for granted. St. Bernard calls ingratitude a scorching wind that dries up the streams of grace. God pours, the man doesn't return thanks, the flow stops.The hardest, most masculine turn in the episode is receiving. Men hate it. I don't need your charity. I can carry this cross. But refusing a gift graciously offered isn't humility. It's a wall. Adam's lived on the receiving end through Mary's time in the NICU, and he's learned the Christian paradox: the more graciously indebted you are, the richer your life, because the score is never even. That's not a debt to clear. That's a brotherhood.And the punchline ties it all together. Eucharist means thanksgiving. A man of gratitude is a Eucharistic man. You can't repay God for creating you, so He came down, became one of us, and offered Himself on your behalf. All you have to do is show up. Protect, provide, establish, and give thanks. Raise your glass.TOPICS COVEREDJoshua Benedict Rex Niles is born, baby boy number three, bringing the Niles count to three boys and four girlsDave's tongue-in-cheek case that the dad has it hardest in childbirthLady Pamela's eleven-minute birth at the birth center after the midwife broke her waterThe "kingship" theme running through the Niles boys' names: David, Joseph, and now Joshua Benedict RexWhy every Niles baby is a "cookie cutter" content baby, and Joshua looking just like baby DavyThe wonder that a child somehow looks like both mom and dad, "only God could make a baby look like both"Baptism plans with Uncle Father Sean and godparents Sarah and DrewThe open question for the priests who listen: can you name godparents after the fact for a baby baptized in a rush?The "baby bottles" tradition, the men pooling money for a signed bottle of whiskey to honor each new babyWhy this kind of tradition blends friends into familyRecording on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, and the U.S. bishops consecrating the country to the Sacred Heart of JesusWhiskey of the week: Glendalough pot still Irish whiskey, triple distilled and smoothThe legend of St. Kevin of Glendalough, the bird's nest in his hand and his love of all God's creaturesWhy Irish whiskey is the most approachable place to start, and surprisingly cheapJim's scale (Irish edition): 3.96 out of 6"Better than I deserve, I'm sure," Adam's go-to answer to "how are you?"The man at the pharmacy who'd just lost his wife, and never knowing what people are carryingGratitude as a virtue, and specifically a sub-virtue of justiceThe book of Job as the model of gratitude to the core: "the Lord has given and the Lord has taken away"Why a member of the Body of Christ is doing well no matter what else is going wrongAquinas's three degrees of gratitude: recognition, expression, repaymentWhy recognition is the weak spot for most people, the habit of taking things for grantedThe internal act of the will toward the benefactor as the heart of repaymentThe humility it takes to receive a gift, and why most men refuse charityHow receiving a gift graciously multiplies joy and binds a community togetherThe Christian paradox of being "graciously indebted," and why the score is never evenSt. Bernard of Clairvaux on ingratitude as a burning wind that dries up the streams of graceDeacon Garlick's prayer of thanks as a model for opening prayerMeditating on the magnitude of the Incarnation, the worm-and-the-man analogyWhy real men don't complain or "vent," and complaining as carrying the cross while griping about its weightDying for your family is easy; living for your family is hard, the little deathsAre you willing to get up, eat right, moderate your drinking, and put the phone down for your family?The Malcolm Gladwell mentorship lesson and the hidden cost of remote work, tribal knowledge not getting passed downWhy none of our best fatherhood or business "hacks" are original, and the duty to pass them onSt. John Chrysostom and St. Thérèse of Lisieux: gratitude as the superpower of the soulWhy you won't become holy without the habit of gratitude"People need to be reminded more than they need to be instructed"Keeping the right perspective so you don't live in a false reality the devil wants for youEucharist means thanksgiving, a man of gratitude is a Eucharistic manREFERENCED IN THIS EPISODEBooks & Writings:The Book of Job (the model of gratitude through suffering)The Summa Theologiae by St. Thomas Aquinas, Second Part of the Second Part (the three degrees of gratitude; ingratitude as sin)Malcolm Gladwell's work on mentorship and learning a craft (referenced by Adam)Saints & Church Fathers:St. Thomas Aquinas (the three degrees of gratitude; gratitude as a sub-virtue of justice)St. Bernard of Clairvaux (the "leaky vessel"; ingratitude as a burning wind that dries up the streams of grace)St. Kevin of Glendalough (the bird's-nest legend; love of God's creatures)St. John Chrysostom ("gratitude is the superpower of the soul")St. Thérèse of Lisieux (gratitude and the spiritual life)Simon of Cyrene (carrying the cross with Christ)People:Adam Minihan (host; founder of M6 Marketing; writes The Grounded Builder on Substack)Jim (in studio, keeper of the yummy scale)Lady Pamela Niles (delivered baby number seven)Joshua Benedict Rex Niles (newborn), David Jr., and Joseph Niles (the "kingship" names)Baby Mary Minihan (still in the NICU, the gifts and prayers received)Uncle Father Sean (baptizing Joshua); Sarah and Drew (godparents)Deacon Garlick (his prayer of thanks)Programs & Institutions:The Catholic Man Show pilgrimage (where the guys visited Glendalough)Glendalough Distillery, IrelandSPONSOR BLOCKSponsor: Select International Tours: selectinternationaltours.comWhen Adam and Dave decided to lead their first pilgrimage, one name kept coming up: Select International Tours. They're the best. Having used them, the guys can vouch for it. No matter where in the world you want to go, Select has a tour ready for you. Whether you want to lead a pilgrimage or attend one, head to selectinternationaltours.com and take a look at everything they offer. You won't regret it.

Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the biblical account of Barabbas's release in place of Jesus during His trial before Pontius Pilate, highlighting the political and social dynamics involved. He examines the meaning behind Barabbas's name, Pilate's wavering judgment, and the crowd's role influenced by envy and mob mentality. Fr. Matthias then discusses the details surrounding Jesus's crucifixion, connecting the events to Old Testament prophecies, including the crown of thorns, division of garments, and the mocking by soldiers and religious leaders. He reflects on the significance of Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross and Jesus's message to the grieving women, urging repentance. Fr. Matthias also shares insights on the two thieves crucified alongside Jesus, focusing on the faith of the repentant thief who was promised paradise. The talk concludes with Jesus entrusting His mother to John and the theological implications of Jesus's power and sacrifice. #GoodFriday #JesusCrucifixion #BarabbasRelease #HolyWeek #BiblicalProphecy #StPaulHouston #Coptic #FrMatthias Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Today's class looks at Opposition both then and now: Internal + External Opposition  Complaints + Lies   Internal Opposition - Acts 6:1-7 Acts 6:1 tells us "In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food."    The backgrounds and cultures and languages of these two groups of Jews was different. Hellenistic Jews spoke Greek, Hebraic Jews spoke Hebrew and some of the Greek speaking jews' widows were not receiving the daily distribution of food and thus there is dissension.   Acts 6:2-6 The Twelve gathered all the disciples together to come up with a solution. They chose 7 men (all Hellenistic) who were filled with the Spirit and wisdom to be responsible for this issue, that was the 12 could continue to be devoted to prayer and preaching of the word. Stephen, and 6 others were chosen. The Twelve blessed them to carry out the work.   Acts 6:7 we read that the word of God spread and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly and that a  large numbers of priests also became devote followers of Jesus.   Complaints Then + Now:  Don't ignore complaints Don't get defensive Do address the issues Do act wisely   External Opposition - Acts 6:8-15 Acts 6:8 tells us that Stephen was a man full of God's grace and power and he performed great wonders and signs among the people. We see it is not just the disciples performing wonders and signs.  We do not know what those wonders were, but we know they were "great."     Stephen becomes popular and with the popularity comes persecution. Acts 6:9 we read the opposition arose, and members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen - Jews of Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia began to argue with Stephen.  The "freedmen" had formerly been slaves but were now freed and also Roman citizens. In verse 10 we read that they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave Stephen as he spoke.    Verse 11 tells us what they then did - they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen and to say they heard him speak blasphemously against Moses and God."  It was not true, it was a lie. Acts 6:12 tells how they seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. The tension is growing and anger is ratcheting up.    Acts 6: 13-14 continues with the false witnesses against Stephen and their lies and in verse 15 we read that as they all looked at him in the trial with the Sanhedrin they saw that Stephen's face was like the face of an Angel.     Lies Then + Now: Don't be surprised when it happens Don't yield to the enemy Do trust the Lord Jesus even in the face of lies Do rely on the Holy Spirit   Next we will study the rest of Stephen's story.   This week's READING ASSIGNMENT:   Acts chapter 6-7 (read and reflect on these two chapters together) also read John 8:44 to see where lies originate.     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/streams   Join us Sundays live or on demand from our website  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Be Full Of Faith And The Wisdom Of The Holy Spirit Will Rise In You Acts 6:8-10 8Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

What if the most overlooked passage in Romans holds one of its most powerful truths? Romans 16 reads like a simple list of names—26 people we've never heard of, immortalized in Scripture for reasons that aren't immediately clear. But when we dig deeper, we discover something profound: these aren't just credits at the end of a movie. These are real people with real lives, real struggles, and real faith that changed the world. From Phoebe, entrusted with carrying the precious letter of Romans across dangerous terrain, to Priscilla and Aquila, who risked their lives and opened their home for the church in hostile Rome, to Rufus, whose father Simon carried Jesus' cross—each name tells a story of sacrifice, diversity, and unity in Christ. What emerges is a beautiful picture of the early church: slaves teaching masters, women serving as deacons, Jews and Gentiles working side by side, wealthy and poor united in purpose. The central message challenges us today: Are we building the same kind of diverse, sacrificial, loving community? Would we risk our homes, our comfort, our status for the gospel? And most importantly, do we recognize that God knows each of us by name, just as intimately as He knew these 26 saints? This passage reminds us that God is both infinitely big—breathing out stars—and intimately personal, numbering the hairs on our heads and calling us each by name.**Detailed Notes**- **All Scripture Matters** – 2 Tim. 3:16–17   - All Scripture is God‑breathed and profitable, even “just a list of names” in Romans 16.   - The Spirit intentionally preserved these 26 names to teach us.- **Phoebe (Rom. 16:1–2)**   - Sister, servant (diakonos / deacon), patron (financial supporter).   - Likely carried the only copy of Romans from Corinth to Rome—dangerous, costly, yet faithful.   - Deacons = lead servants; trusted with people, money, and needs.- **Priscilla & Aquila (16:3–5; Acts 18; 2 Tim. 4:19)**   - Fellow workers; risked their necks for Paul; hosted a church in their home.   - Forced out of Rome; everywhere they went, they planted churches.   - Viewed exile and hardship as mission, not punishment.   - Tentmaking friendship with Paul likely began through ordinary vocational contact.   - Lifelong, harmonious partners in ministry.- **Epaenetus (16:5)**   - First convert in Asia; Paul still knows his name and story.   - Firstfruits of a Gentile harvest.- **Andronicus & Junia (16:7)**   - Kinsmen, fellow prisoners, in Christ before Paul, well known among the apostles.   - Likely family Paul once persecuted; powerful testimony of grace and reconciliation.   - Example of costly obedience (imprisonment, suffering).- **Ampliatus & Others (16:8ff)**   - Likely former slave who rose to church leadership.   - Early church mixed slave/free, male/female, Jew/Greek, rich/poor—fulfilling Gal. 3:28.   - Masters sometimes sat under teaching of their slaves; the kingdom inverts status.- **Rufus & His Mother (16:13; Mark 15:21)**   - Probably the son of Simon of Cyrene who carried Jesus' cross.   - Simon's forced interruption became his family's salvation story.   - Rufus' mother became like a mother to Paul.- **Big Themes from the Names**   - Real people, real costs, real love, real partnership.   - Church as family: greeting, thanking, remembering, honoring.   - Diversity and unity under Christ, not human categories.- **God Knows Your Name (Luke 19:1–10 & Survey of Scripture)**   - Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name; salvation comes to his house.   - God calls individuals by name across Scripture (Adam, Noah, Moses, David, Lazarus, Saul, etc.).   - The Creator who names the stars also numbers the hairs on our heads.   - He has not abandoned or forgotten us; He is personal and near.---**Practical Applications**1. **See Yourself as a “Name” God Knows**    - Pray personally: “Lord, thank You that You know me and my situation.”2. **Embrace Servant Leadership**    - Look for ways to be a “Phoebe” or a deacon‑hearted servant this week—meet a practical need.3. **Open Your Home and Life**    - Consider how your home/resources can serve the kingdom, not just comfort.4. **Pursue Gospel Friendships**    - Initiate one new conversation at church; your “tentmaking” connection may become lifelong partnership.5. **Reject Status & Division**    - Examine prejudice (race, class, gender, education). Repent and intentionally honor someone different from you.---**Discussion Questions**1. Which person in Romans 16 stood out to you most and why?  2. How does knowing that God preserved these “hidden” names affect how you see unnoticed service in the church?  3. Where might God be inviting you to turn a hardship or “exile” into a mission opportunity?  4. In what concrete ways can your home or job become a platform for ministry, like Priscilla and Aquila?  5. How have you personally experienced God's “He knows my name” care?  6. What divisions or hierarchies do you see creeping into the church today, and how can we resist them?

Simon, from the city of Cyrene, carried the cross of Jesus after it was placed upon him. Though the burden was unexpected, his act of service became part of the story of Christ's journey to the cross. Simon's faithfulness also left a meaningful legacy for his sons, Alexander and Rufus, who later became active workers in the early church following the resurrection of Jesus.

Discover the profound legacy of Simon of Cyrene in this compelling episode of Who's Who in the Bible. Join Fr. Shane Varghese, C.Ss.R., as he explores the life of the man compelled to carry the cross of Jesus. Through scripture, Fr. Shane examines:The Power of Compassion: How one unexpected moment changed Simon's destiny forever.The Theology of the Cross: Moving beyond symbols to true identification with Christ.Faith and Family: The powerful witness of Simon's sons, Alexander and Rufus.Don't miss this enlightening reflection on transforming life's burdens into meaningful blessings. We invite you to watch the full series to deepen your faith journey and walk with the figures who shaped history!

This sermon on Matthew 27 focuses on the ridicule, rejection, and suffering Jesus endured on His way to the cross, emphasizing that Scripture often highlights the emotional and spiritual persecution surrounding the crucifixion more than the physical suffering itself. Jesus was mocked by religious leaders, political authorities, soldiers, passersby, and even fellow criminals, revealing the tragedy of humanity's rejection of its Creator. The message connects Christ's experience to the lives of believers, reminding Christians that persecution, ridicule, false accusations, and hardship are often part of faithfully following Jesus, just as He warned in Matthew 5 and John 15. A central theme is the call to “take up your cross daily,” recognizing that God can use trials, suffering, and opposition to accomplish His purposes and advance His kingdom. The sermon highlights Simon of Cyrene, who was unexpectedly compelled to carry Jesus' cross, as an example of how God works through seemingly random and difficult circumstances to fulfill a greater plan. By tracing evidence that Simon and his family likely became influential members of the early church, the message demonstrates that God uses even unwanted burdens to shape lives and impact generations. Ultimately, the sermon encourages believers to trust God through whatever cross they are carrying, confident that He has a purpose for every trial and that His plans extend far beyond what can be seen in the moment.

ACTS 2:1:17 - FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT - BRIAN SUMNER - 2026"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.The Crowd's Response5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”Peter's Sermon14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,Your young men shall see visions,Your old men shall dream dreams.”To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible because of people personally partnering through the non profit. God Bless and thank you. †Support the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

Acts 13:1-8 New International Version   13 1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. 6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.

Reading 1Acts 2:1-11When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,they were all in one place together.And suddenly there came from the skya noise like a strong driving wind,and it filled the entire house in which they were.Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,which parted and came to rest on each one of them.And they were all filled with the Holy Spiritand began to speak in different tongues,as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heavenstaying in Jerusalem.At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,but they were confusedbecause each one heard them speaking in his own language.They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,"Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,as well as travelers from Rome,both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,yet we hear them speaking in our own tonguesof the mighty acts of God."Reading 21 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13Brothers and sisters:No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;there are different forms of service but the same Lord;there are different workings but the same Godwho produces all of them in everyone.To each individual the manifestation of the Spiritis given for some benefit.As a body is one though it has many parts,and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,so also Christ.For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.GospelJohn 20:19-23On the evening of that first day of the week,when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,for fear of the Jews,Jesus came and stood in their midstand said to them, "Peace be with you."When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.As the Father has sent me, so I send you."And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,"Receive the Holy Spirit.Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,and whose sins you retain are retained."

Send us a message!We read Luke 23 straight through, sitting with Jesus' trial, crucifixion, and burial instead of saving it for one week a year. We also look at the “side characters” Luke includes and ask what their words and choices reveal about what they really think of Jesus. • why we tend to avoid the crucifixion and why we should not • Pilate's repeated finding of innocence and his eventual compromise • Herod's shallow curiosity and Jesus' silence under accusation • Barabbas released and the crowd's demand for crucifixion • Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross and what it models for discipleship • Jesus' prayer for forgiveness and the criminals' opposite responses • the repentant thief and Jesus' promise of paradise • darkness, the torn curtain, the centurion's confession, and the crowd's regret • Joseph of Arimathea's courage in burial and the women's faithful witness • the question we cannot dodge: what do we think about Jesus right now  At outloudbible.com, you can find free resources to help you study the Bible. And while you're there, send us a message to say hi, or start a conversation about having us at your church or event. If Outloud Bible has been a valuable part of your understanding of the Bible, please consider supporting the ministry by visiting outloudbible.com.Support the showCheck out outloudbible.com for helpful study resources, and to discover how to bring the public reading of God's word to your church, conference, retreat, or other event.

Have you ever considered that each encounter with Jesus in the Gospels is an invitation for you personally?Joe Billmeier guides readers through ten powerful Gospel scenes where ordinary people meet Jesus—and are never the same again. From Bartimaeus the blind beggar who dared to cry out, to Zacchaeus who climbed a sycamore tree, to Simon of Cyrene unexpectedly pressed into carrying the Cross, each story reveals the lasting transformation that comes from meeting Christ face-to-face.

Join us as we dig deeper into last Sunday's sermon from Pastor Marcus Lane "The Gospel at Pentecost" and hear from Amy Duncan and Nate Zuellig on "Fullness". Digging Deeper Questions: When you think of the "work of the Holy Spirit," what typically comes to mind? Why do you associate the Spirit with these activities?   How does the work of the Spirit on Pentecost impact how you view the work of the Holy Spirit? Does it change how you view things in any way?   The beginning of Peter's speech emphasizes that the Spirit seeks to work in all people to bring us to faith and empower us to speak God's truth. How does this shape how you understand what the Spirit is doing in your own life? Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-21 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.   5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."   14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:   17 "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,     and your young men shall see visions,     and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants     in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above     and signs on the earth below,     blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness     and the moon to blood,     before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Intro/Outro Song: "Only One" Nate Zuellig ULC Artist In Residence    "Fullness" Elevation Worship CCLI Song # 7067557   CCLI License # 11254293

In The Tenth Hour: Ten Transforming Encounters with Jesus in the Gospels, Joe Billmeier guides readers through ten powerful Gospel scenes where ordinary people meet Jesus—and are never the same again. From Bartimaeus the blind beggar who dared to cry out, to Zacchaeus who climbed a sycamore tree, to Simon of Cyrene unexpectedly pressed into carrying the Cross, each story reveals the lasting transformation that comes from meeting Christ face-to-face.

John names the promise of the Spirit; Acts shows the fulfillment. Private fear becomes public witness. John 16:12-15 (ESV)“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.Acts 2:1-11 (ESV)When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

St. Simon of Cyrene? Jesus decent to Hell? Can the Trinity be understood? Join us for Called to Communion with Dr. David Anders.

Deacon Tony Mercado, a permanent deacon with the Diocese of Orange in California, offers a reflection on suffering with Jesus.  He talks about what Scripture tells us about Jesus carrying the cross to Calvary and those He encountered, including Simon of Cyrene, and how we can help others carry their crosses in life today. Support the show

On Pentecost, the promise Jesus made becomes reality as heaven crashes into earth with violent wind, tongues of fire, and a Word so powerful it overwhelms every other voice. In this episode we explore how the Holy Spirit doesn't arrive as a vague feeling or private experience, but as God's own speaking—creating faith by putting Christ's death and resurrection into human ears in every language. And in true Martin Luther fashion, the first Christian sermon isn't advice or law, but pure Gospel: you crucified Christ, God raised him from the dead, and forgiveness is now proclaimed for all people without distinction. GOSPEL Acts 2:1-21 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs -- in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine." 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17  'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18  Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19  And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20  The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21  Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' CARE OF SOULS - ADDICTIONIn Care of Souls, a special mini-series podcast from Luther House of Study, Lutheran pastors and theologians come together to explore the deeply personal and pastoral task of preaching to and caring for those struggling with life's challenging situations: addiction, death, family disharmony, and more. Rooted in the theology of the cross and the Lutheran tradition of radical grace, this series offers both theological depth and practical guidance for pastors, church workers, and lay leaders. With conversations, real-life stories, and reflections from the front lines of ministry, Care of Souls equips listeners to enter the broken places of addiction not with easy answers, but with the crucified and risen Christ. Because in the end, it's not about fixing people—it's about preaching the Gospel. Listen to Care of Souls wherever you listen to podcasts or on the Luther House website: Care of Souls - Addiction Support the showInterested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?Email Sarah at sarah@lhos.org or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

By Charles Melear - A number of lessons and principles applying to us can be derived from the story of Simon on Cyrene helping Christ carry His cross.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus  (NOT a Morning Mindset resource)   ⇒ Get a copy of the MM Companion Journal: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/journal ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Acts 13:1–3 - Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. [2] While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” [3] Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Underwrite one daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: Subscribe to the SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish Subscribe to the HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi Subscribe to the CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/   ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus  (NOT a Morning Mindset resource)   ⇒ Join the MMM Prayer Team: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/PrayerTeam ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Acts 2:1–11 - When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. [2] And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. [3] And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. [4] And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. [5] Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. [6] And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. [7] And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? [8] And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? [9] Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, [11] both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Underwrite one daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: Subscribe to the SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish Subscribe to the HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi Subscribe to the CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/   ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

"Mark was an idolater from Cyrene of Pentapolis, which is near Libya. Having come to the Faith of Christ through the Apostle Peter, he followed him to Rome. While there, at the prompting of Peter himself and at the request of the Christians living there, he wrote his Gospel in Greek... Afterwards, travelling in Egypt, he preached the Gospel there and was the first to establish the Church in Alexandria. The idolators, unable to bear his preaching, seized him, bound him with ropes, and dragged him through the streets until he, cut to pieces on rocks, gave up his soul. It is said that he completed his life in martyrdom about the year 68. He is depicted in holy icons with a lion next to him, one of the living creatures mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), and a symbol of Christ's royal office, as St Irenaeus of Lyons writes." (Great Horologion)

What if Simon of Cyrene hadn't been passing by when the soldiers compelled him to carry Jesus' cross? Today, Sinclair Ferguson describes the encounter on the road to Calvary that forever changed Simon and his family. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/simon-who-carried-his-cross/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts