Podcasts about emperor claudius

He, along with his wife Priscilla, is mentioned in the book of Acts and in St Paul's Epistle to the Romans. He and his wife were Jews who moved to Corinth when the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Italy. They were working as tentmakers in Corinth when they met and worked with St Paul, also a tentmaker by trade, who brought them to faith in Christ. From that time onward they worked diligently to spread the Gospel of Christ. The Prologue says that they died at the hands of pagans, the Great Horologion that the circumstances of their repose are unknown.

In this first of a two-part series, The Past Macabre travels back to Late Iron Age Britain before the Roman conquest to explore the world that shaped one of history's most famous warrior queens: Boudica. Her story has been told many times for nearly two millennia, but what is the truth behind the Celtic warrior queen who stood against Rome? Uncover the archaeology of her tribe the Iceni, from sacred sites, workshops, and homesteads. We'll explore the first contacts between Rome and Britain as early as the 2nd century BCE to Caesar's failed invasion in 54 BCE and the uneasy alliances that turned native leaders into Roman client-kings. Then we'll look at how growing disunity amongst the Celts paved the way for Emperor Claudius' invasion in 43 CE.Learn about the hoards of treasure, settlements, burials, and hillforts found across England and what they can tell us about the world Boudica was born into at a time of rapid social, economic, and political change.TranscriptsFor transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/17LinksSee photos related to episode topics on InstagramLoving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!University of Warwick Teaching Resources - BoudicaEast Anglian Archaeology Report on Excavations in Thetford 1980–82New Discovery of Horse Gear Hoard in North YorkshireExperimental Archaeology Video: What did Iron Age women wear?ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion

Marinus and Martha were wealthy Persians; but they sold all their goods and traveled to Rome with their sons Audifax, Habakkuk, Valentine, and Cyrinus, in order to venerate the holy relics of the apostles and martyrs. When the Emperor Claudius asked them why they had come so far, at such cost, to seek the dead in Rome, they answered 'We are servants of Christ, and are come to venerate the holy apostles whose immortal souls are alive with God, that they may be our intercessors with Christ our God.' All of them were sentenced to interrogation and to death if they would not deny Christ. Valentine, who was a priest, was handed over to a General named Asterius. When Valentine healed Asterius' daughter, who had been blind for two years, Asterius and his entire household accepted Christ and were baptised by Valentine. All of them, along with Marinus and Martha and their family, underwent torture and death for the sake of Christ.

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 377The Saint of the day is First Martyrs of the Church of RomeFirst Martyrs of the Church of Rome's Story There were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 15:20). Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in 57-58 A.D. There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a result of controversy between Jews and Jewish Christians, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome in 49-50 A.D. Suetonius the historian says that the expulsion was due to disturbances in the city “caused by the certain Chrestus” [Christ]. Perhaps many came back after Claudius' death in 54 A.D. Paul's letter was addressed to a Church with members from Jewish and Gentile backgrounds. In July of 64 A.D., more than half of Rome was destroyed by fire. Rumor blamed the tragedy on Nero, who wanted to enlarge his palace. He shifted the blame by accusing the Christians. According to the historian Tacitus, many Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims. Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the senate, Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. at the age of 31. Reflection Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Title: The Lawyer Vs. The Tentmaker Text: Acts 24:1-21 FCF: We often struggle defending ourselves with wrong motives or beliefs. Prop: Because God's providence includes wicked people accusing His children falsely, we mut not fear for ourselves but defend the gospel against attack. Scripture Intro: ESV [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 24. In a moment we'll begin reading in the English Standard Version starting from verse 1. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Last time we saw Paul delivered safely from a plot on his life. Now this Roman prisoner has been transported to Caesarea to face his accusers before the governor of Judea, Antonius Felix. But Paul is still not out of danger. What will the apostle face in this trial? Will Felix be reasonable? Will his accusers even show up? Let's look. Stand with me to give honor to and focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Creator and Designer of the Universe and all that is within it, we humbly come before You today to seek clarity. We often face the ridicule, mockery, and disdain of those who are deceived. We often are slandered and maligned, labeled with unkind and unfair labels. Yet we confess and believe that You, our Lord, are the Designer and Maker of all that is. We confess that You have promised that all things work for the good of Your people. And so we must confess that even these things are for our good. Help us Lord to learn from Your servant Paul today. Help us to trust Your infallible plan. We pray this in Jesus' name Amen. Transition: Let us get right to the text this morning to find out what happens to Paul in Caesarea. I.) God's providence includes wicked people accusing His children falsely, so we must not fear false accusations. (1-9) a. [Slide 2] 1 - And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. i. Although the Chief Priests, the Elders, and the Sanhedrin were ready to execute a scheme to kill Paul with very little preparation, to actually bring a Roman suit against Paul would be far more difficult than simply killing him. ii. Paul stayed in Herod's Praetorium for 5 days while Ananias gathered some Elders who would go with him as well as one other important member of their entourage. iii. Although the ESV calls him a spokesperson here, more likely, as other translations indicate, Tertullus was an attorney specializing in Roman Law. iv. His name is Latin, so we recognize that he is probably not a Jew. Certainly not a Jew from Judea. v. So, in the 5 days between Paul's move to Caesarea and his accusers actually arriving, they have been quite busy. vi. They have hired an attorney and have formed their Roman case against Paul. vii. So, what is their case? viii. Well before we get to hear about that, Let's spend some time talking about Felix. Afterall, that is how Tertullus starts his prosecution of Paul. b. [Slide 3] 2 - And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 - in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. 4 - But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. i. Although it would be easy to see this as Tertullus' attempt to butter up Felix, we should recognize that Tertullus is a professional orator and attorney. Nothing he says in these opening remarks are without some purpose. ii. Certainly, part of that purpose would be to ingratiate Felix to their cause. iii. We actually still have some of this in our legal system. We refer to the judges as “Your Honor” and it is generally wise to be on the good side or at least not be on the BAD side of a judge even in our legal system. iv. But Tertullus has built a legal case against Paul and everything he says to Felix about Felix is designed to bring stark contrast between the judge and the accused. To the extent that for the judge to find Paul guilty is because Paul is the opposite of Felix. v. In the text we see a great many things spoken that present Felix in quite the positive light. vi. But what do we know about this man? Was he really a good governor? How long did he serve? And what was his track record? vii. Much of what we know about Antonius Felix is taken from the Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish historian Josephus. viii. Although their accounts of the man are not completely consistent on some details, the fact of the matter is that largely both historians agree on a few key facts. 1. First, Felix was formerly a slave along with his brother Pallas. a. Pallas was a friend and confidant of the Emperor Claudius and was freed from slavery by Cladius' mother. b. Along with Pallas Felix too was freed. c. So his freedom was given on account of someone else. 2. Second, Felix married three times in his life. And because of those marriages he advanced in power and authority. a. His first wife was the daughter of Marc Antony and Cleopatra and his third wife was Drucilla the daughter of Herod Agrippa the First. b. So, once again, because of others he advanced into positions he did not earn. 3. Third, in the situation we spoke of a few weeks ago where Ananias, the high priest of Israel, was sent to Rome for excessive brutality against the Samaritans – you guessed it, Felix was in the middle of this too. a. The man who was governor of Samaria at that time took all the blame instead of Ananias. He was exiled. And guess who took his place? Yep. Felix. b. Again, he was given a position, he did not earn. 4. Finally, both Josephus and Tacitus agree that Felix' governing of the province was marked by increasing unrest and brutality. a. Tacitus says “with savagery and lust he exercised the powers of a king with the disposition of a slave.” b. In AD 55 he put down an Egyptian man who claimed to be the Messiah. We've already talked about this some since Paul was thought to be that man by Lysias. c. Felix put down this Egyptian with mercilessness and brutality. d. And generally speaking, the Jews hated Felix. He continually did things to frustrate them and took rather liberal approaches to their laws. This infuriated especially the Pharisees who had a rather conservative view of scripture. ix. So, in light of this background, what are we to make of Tertullus' words about Felix? x. He says that they are thankful to Felix because he has brought much peace and many reforms. xi. Either Tertullus is just lying or, what is more likely, is that this just shows us the cunning and wickedness of Ananias and the spiritual leaders of Israel. xii. Even though Felix was merciless, savage, and brutal being recognized by even Roman historians as being barbaric – Ananias had no issues with his rule. And that is kind of that problem, right? xiii. Ananias and Felix are two peas in a pod. xiv. Furthermore, the attributes ascribed to Felix are the exact opposite of the charges they are about to bring against Paul. xv. So, what are those charges? c. [Slide 4] 5 - For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world i. Felix is described as a bringer of peace, but Paul is described as a plague. A blight. One who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world. ii. This first charge against Paul is a rather unfair assessment of Paul's history over his missionary journeys. iii. Paul certainly had been involved in a number of riots and angry mobs but we can accurately say that he never instigated them nor did he perpetuate them. iv. In many cases we see Paul leave a city, many times by his own choosing, in order to avoid further unrest. v. We also would point out that it was actually the Jews in every case who started the aggression then hunted Paul down following him from city to city in order to continue to stir people up against him. vi. So, this first charge is exactly backward. Paul incited no riots… the Jews simply hated what he said so much that THEY stirred up people against him. vii. And there is a good bet that Felix knows that this is actually the way it was. Why? viii. The Jews were notorious for causing riots and issues in the Roman Empire for decades. Since before the Romans even controlled Judea. ix. We should also observe how absolutely insignificant this charge is to Paul or Felix at this particular time. x. Even if it were true that Paul started riots in various parts of the Roman Empire, that really has no bearing on this trial before Felix. xi. Even if Felix wanted to find him guilty, he would have to investigate reports from various locations about these incidents. xii. This is why Paul's defense focuses on what has happened in the last few days not in the last several years. Because that is all Felix can really focus on anyway. xiii. But this charge has done its damage. It has compared Felix the peacemaker to Paul the troublemaker. xiv. Paul is starting riots everywhere and Jerusalem is just another in a long list. xv. As we know, Rome doesn't look too kindly on rabble rousers and riot makers. That he is a riot-starting-plague is a serious charge against him. xvi. What is the next charge? d. [Slide 5] and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. i. A second charge brought against Paul is connected to the first. ii. Paul instigates these riots among the Jews because he is the ringleader or peddler of the heresy known as Nazarene. iii. This charge comes somewhat closer to being an issue Felix must deal with since Rome had granted Judaism a special status among religions that could be practiced in the Roman Empire. iv. If the Nazarene teaching of The Way is indeed a heresy of Judaism, then it would not have the same freedoms that Judaism had been given. v. But is Paul really the ringleader? vi. As Paul will go on to testify in future trials, the ringleader is very clearly the Risen Jesus of Nazareth. He is merely a servant of this Jesus. vii. But the fact that he is the leader of this heresy is actually a secondary matter. Paul will go to great lengths in his response not to combat the idea that he is the leader of this group but to deny that it is a heresy of Judaism. We'll get there in a few minutes. viii. Tertullus said that Felix had, through masterful providence, designed many reforms which reinterpreted cultural and religious laws for the better of the people. But Paul is charged with being a leader of a heresy that leads to nothing but riots and unrest. e. [Slide 6] 6 - He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. i. Here is the final charge laid to Paul and it is also related to the previous two. ii. Paul is a plague and incites riots among the Jews because he is the ringleader of the Nazarene Heresy and the proof of that is that he tried to profane the temple with his heretical teachings. iii. This is the charge that could really get him killed. iv. Roman practice throughout the empire was to support the worship of local deities and the prevention of the desecration of any temples or gods. v. They were remarkably syncretistic. And although the Romans did not generally allow the Jews to execute their criminals. When it came to temple desecration the Romans would allow them to execute those who violated their law. vi. So here we see the Jews are fighting for their right to protect their own temple and enforce their own religious laws. vii. This is what is at stake. viii. Felix knows this. ix. If this charge is proven to be true, and Felix does not allow the Jews to execute Paul… then tensions would no doubt continue to rise between Rome and the Jews. x. This is as much a political move as it is a legal one. xi. Of course, what they failed to bring with them is evidence and witnesses… something Paul will point out in his defense. f. [Slide 7] [We wanted to judge him according to our own Law. 7 But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, 8 ordering his accusers to come before you.] i. Every word on the screen is omitted from most modern translations of the bible. Some put the text in brackets with a foot note explaining that there is doubt about the inspiration of these words. ii. It boils down to textual criticism and understanding how we harmonize manuscripts from different times and in different manuscript families. iii. Within the discipline of textual criticism there are several rules or guidelines we follow to determine which manuscripts are closer to the original autographs. iv. [Slide 8] In this particular case, every rule points to this section not being written originally by Luke. v. Most likely it was added in at a later date to attempt to provide commentary on how the Jews may have seen the events unfold. g. [Slide 9] 8 - By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.” i. The final point that Tertullus makes is to abdicate their role as accusers to produce any evidence for their claims and grant that to Felix. ii. This is actually not all that uncommon in Roman cases. iii. As we study Roman culture, Felix would have had absolute authority to not only do the work of Judge and jury but also to do the work of detective. iv. And Tertullus is saying that if Felix cannot substantiate their claims against Paul by interrogating him, then it is Felix's failure to interrogate him properly. v. And here we see some subtle pressure put on a man that everyone knows doesn't deserve the position he is in. h. [Slide 10] 9 - The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so. i. Again, this clues us in to the fact that Tertullus is probably not Jewish. ii. If he was, we are left to wonder who these Jews are. iii. But because he wasn't, the Jews present at this trial are the High Priest and the Elders who had made the journey to Casarea to accuse him. iv. In any case, it seems like the case is closed. v. There are three charges, all of them with serious consequences if they are found to be true. vi. All Felix has to do is say the word and Paul will die. i. [Slide 11] Summary of the Point: What is God's will for Paul? It has been revealed to him by Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus came to him that night in the barracks of the Anatolian Fortress, just after the debacle of the Sanhedrin trial. Jesus told him that he must have courage because just like he bore witness to the gospel in Jerusalem, he must go and do the same in Rome. God is getting Paul to Rome. And yet we see in this text a top-notch attorney has just laid out three charges against Paul all of which could earn him serious penalties and even death. Paul's life hangs on a thread. But we know better. It isn't just that God will prevent this from keeping Paul from going to Rome… but my friends as the weeks go on we will see that these charges will actually serve to get Paul to Rome. Once again, we are reminded that the providential and sovereign hand of God is always working all things according to the counsel of His will. There is nothing that happens that He has not already foreordained. So what does that mean for us? We must not fear what wicked men say about us when they slander us and accuse us falsely. Transition: [Slide 12 (blank)] So what does not fearing men's false accusations look like? If Paul is given a chance to speak, will he just quietly say, “I am trusting the Lord to bring me to Rome safely.” And then sit down? Let's see what Paul does. II.) God providence includes wicked people accusing His children falsely, but we must make a defense of the hope that we have in us. (10-21) a. [Slide 13] 10 - And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. i. Paul is invited by the governor to speak. Felix needs to hear his side of the case, especially since Tertullus invited Felix to examine him. ii. Paul begins by acknowledging Felix's last decade of service in the area. iii. Because he has had such a long tenure, Paul feels confident and even happy to bring his defenses before him. Hoping that he will be reasonable. b. [Slide 14] 11 - You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, 12 - and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. i. Paul pivots and exploits the failure in the first charge against him. ii. Their charge was he had caused riots all over the Roman Empire with Jews. iii. However, Paul points out that he did not do so in Jerusalem only 12 days ago. iv. In this he recognizes that Felix has no jurisdiction or concern about things that have happened in the distant past in other provinces. v. What he is concerned about is what has happened most recently in his province. vi. And most recently, Paul did not cause any issues in the temple, in the synagogues or even in the city itself. vii. Further Paul invites Felix to verify this. viii. There is some question about how to interpret Paul's 12 day comment. We can talk about it more on Thursday, but the best way to see it is as if Paul was saying, “I only spent a total of 12 days in Jerusalem, which isn't enough time to start a riot.” ix. In this way, Paul effectively defeats their first charge. x. They say that I am a plague and a riot maker among the Jews. xi. But I spent 12 days in Jerusalem and neither had time to start a riot nor can they produce one witness to accuse me of stirring up crowds in the temple, the synagogues or even in the city itself. xii. In other words, if this is all related to me being some kind of heretical religious zealot, I am doing a pretty poor job at peddling my beliefs. c. [Slide 15] 13 - Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. i. Paul confronts the other two charges against him with the same general statement. ii. They are unable to prove anything that they have accused him of. iii. They cannot prove that he is the ringleader of the Nazarene heresy, nor can they prove that he attempted to desecrate the temple. iv. But Paul doesn't want to allow them to get away with calling those who follow Jesus, heretics. d. [Slide 16] 14 - But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 - having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. 16 - So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. i. This is actually a brilliant defense used in some of the more famous Roman cases we have documented. ii. The person without admitting to a crime does confess something about themselves that vindicates them. iii. What is Paul saying? iv. Although I am certainly a follower of The Way, The Way is not a heresy of Judaism, but is rather the next step in Judaism. v. It is verified by the law and the prophets which spoke of this time in Judaism where the Messiah would come and give a New Covenant. vi. And a key part of that New Covenant is the belief that both the just and the unjust will be raised from the dead. vii. Now it is clear that Ananias would not believe in the resurrection. He was a Sadducee. viii. But some of the Elders Ananias brought with him no doubt were Pharisees. ix. Really his defense here is that he has not created a heresy of Judaism or another faith altogether, instead he is following what has been prophesied… the real Judaism is following Jesus of Nazareth because He died and rose again just as He said He would. x. And in this way Paul's conscience is clear. He is not doing this for money, for power, or prestige, but because the Fathers of Israel and the prophets spoke of this long ago. e. [Slide 17] 17 - Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. 18 - While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— i. Again, Paul is just clearly proclaiming that he is Jewish. ii. After several years being away, he came to give to the poor (probably the financial relief package he had collected from Asian and Greek churches to bring to the church of Jerusalem). iii. It was while he was being a good Jew, having been purified, in the temple, a place he was supposed to be, doing what he was supposed to do, that they found him. iv. And there were no crowds around him or tumults at all. v. Until what? vi. Until some Jews from Asia. vii. But that's the problem right. viii. Paul actually interrupts himself here… f. [Slide 18] 19 - they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. i. Absent from these witnesses are the Jews who actually stirred up the crowd against Paul. ii. Where are they? iii. Tertullus wasn't in the temple that day. Ananias wasn't in the temple that day. The Elders of Israel weren't there. iv. Where are the Jews from Asia who were there? Why are they not present to make an accusation? v. Why indeed. vi. Paul is aiming for the dismissal of the case here. vii. How? viii. In Roman law, a witness who abandons their responsibility to bring an accusation against someone in court would actually be guilty of a crime themselves. ix. In that case the charges levied without a plaintiff are dismissed and in most cases the trial is dismissed as well. x. But if the charges against him weren't seen personally by the Jews present, what is their experience with Paul? What crimes have they observed him do? g. [Slide 19] 20 - Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, 21 - other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.' ” i. Paul points out that these men should speak concerning what they found him guilty of at the trial before the Sanhedrin. ii. And there lies the rub. iii. That trial was a debacle. iv. They broke out into a theological dispute and brought NO charges against Paul except for theological disagreements. v. Disagreements where SOME OF THEM even AGREED with Paul. It can't be heresy if some of the ruling religious council of Israel agree with what he says. vi. Certainly, at this trial of the Sanhedrin, they did not mention any of the charges which they brought to Felix this day. vii. The only thing they had against him was what he had said bout the resurrection of the dead. viii. Paul points out that the only reason he is on trial is because they want Rome to solve this sectarian dispute between the Jews and the Christians. ix. And that is a great defense… because Rome has no interest in doing that. x. Paul deftly points out in his defense that none of the charges he has been formally accused with were personally witnessed by anyone present at the trial that day. xi. What does that mean? xii. It means that this should be… case dismissed. It is actually a fairly easy decision for Felix to make. xiii. But… we'll wait until next week to find out what he decides. h. [Slide 20] Summary of the Point: God is working in this trial. God is using the false accusations against Paul and really against Christianity to move Paul down the road to Rome. But Paul does not sit idlily by and trust the Lord passively. Instead, he actively trusts the Lord by giving a defense for the hope he has in him. Tertullus made a huge mistake, guided by God's hand. That mistake was to bring into the trial the reputation of followers of Jesus. If this trial was only about Paul… perhaps Paul remains more passive. But Tertullus makes this about the church and if he makes it about the church, he makes it about the gospel. Paul defends the gospel. He flips the script and explains how the followers of Jesus are rooted in the same scriptures and prophets that the Jews also claim and shows how he has not been the cause of trouble but that these Jews are making accusations that they are unwilling to back up in a trail setting. Thus, Paul provides a positive example that when we are falsely accused, we must give a defense for the hope we have in us. We must contend for the gospel. Conclusion: So, CBC, what have we learned today and how then shall we live? Whare are some basics of faith and practice we should observe through this. Basics of Faith and Practice: In many ways, knowing how the book of Acts ends helps us to understand the primary point of teaching or doctrine that Luke is revealing throughout all the events of Paul's journey to Rome. But verse 11 of chapter 23 is the interpretive guide for how we are to apply that doctrinal truth. God's providential hand is guiding Paul through many twists and turns to arrive in Rome at precisely the right time. Meaning that even this strong case against Paul raised with false accusations by a professional attorney is part of that plan God has for Paul. But Jesus' words to Paul help us to know what to do when we are in situations where we don't know the details of God's plan but do know the end of God's plan. God's plan for us, His children, those who are in Christ, is to save us from death and resurrect us to life eternal in His Son. And so our response to every threat, every false accusation, every bad thing we face must depend on those promises which the Lord has given us. In the text today we recognize two specific responses. First is to not fear false accusations of men. Other New Testament writers encourage us to continue living godly lives so that these accusations will bring shame to our accusers and glory to our God the Father. The second response is to defend the gospel from misrepresentations or false accusations. But let us seek to apply these things more specifically this morning. 1.) Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God's providence includes false accusations from wicked people. a. Through the church age, the forces of darkness, working in conjunction with man's natural wickedness, have levied countless false charges against God's people. b. Even a cursory reading of John Foxes' book of martyrs displays that through every age of the church wicked men have hunted down and within the legal government system brought to bear against God's children charges which they did not commit. c. Many times, this led to imprisonment, torture, and even death. d. If God is all knowing, He would have known of these plans of the wicked. e. If God is all powerful, he could have orchestrated events to keep His people from being in such a position. f. If God is all good, he would be highly motivated to not allow injustice to be executed upon His people. g. But because all these are true, we must conclude that God's hidden plan, which He has made since before the foundation of the world, even includes when people falsely accuse us of wrongdoing. h. Once again, I won't belabor the point, because it will continue to come up… i. But the only option we have as bible believing people is to affirm that God providentially orchestrates all events in our lives to accomplish His hidden will. j. Because we know He is all powerful, all good, and all knowing, this must be true. k. What does this mean for us? 2.) De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must not fear what wicked men may do through false charges and injustice. a. We as Americans have a particular hatred of injustice, impingement on our freedoms, or being labeled as guilty when we aren't. b. That is why our legal system was designed to assume the innocence of a person unless it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that we are actually guilty. c. Our culture is shifting to declare guilt and innocence by popular opinion rather than by a court of law, but there is still a tenacious desire in us to defend or prosecute those we feel are innocent or guilty. d. Along with this we might grow fearful or even angry when we are accused of something that we did not do. e. We have all heard stories of people who were convicted in a court of law for doing something which earned them a life sentence or even the death sentence, only to discover 20 years later new evidence that the person did not actually commit the crime. f. Stories like these fuel the fear that we might be misrepresented or even slandered for doing something we didn't do. g. But affirming that God providentially moves in all the events of life to accomplish the counsel of His will allows us to take a step back and do as Jesus instructs in the sermon on the mount. h. Rather than expressing fear or anger over false charges, we should instead rejoice for suffering these false accusations against us. We should rejoice for having the opportunity to suffer for the sake of Christ. i. We don't need to fear what men may do to us or what crazy schemes they may concoct to cancel us. j. We need only to trust the Lord who knows all our ways and has a plan that He has already accomplished to save us from this life and resurrect us to life eternal. k. Of course, God's sovereign decrees dwell in the paradox of human responsibility. And that is the nature of our next application. 3.) Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that trusting God's sovereign providential hand means to do nothing. a. Paul rises in defense here. b. We'll get to why he does this in a moment but for now let us just recognize that Paul acted. c. Paul did not sit back and decline to speak because he knew he would get to Rome since Jesus said it would be so. d. If God told us that we would go to Africa tomorrow and lead someone to Christ, but we never booked a flight or did anything to get ourselves there, well that is just plain disobedience. e. God telling us what will be does not give us liberty to do nothing. f. Instead, just like it always does, belief that God is telling the truth requires us to obey as if it is true. g. Because of this, if we are in the same position as Paul we must… 4.) Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must be ready to give a defense for the hope we have in us. a. While I cannot say that it is morally wrong or a sin to defend ourselves against false charges, I can say that we don't see that happening here for Paul. b. Not really. c. Paul doesn't debate that he isn't the ringleader of the Nazarene Heresy. He doesn't debate that he was involved in riots. d. But he does debate the charge that Christianity is opposed to God's law. Because that cannot be allowed to go unchecked. e. Paul very clearly outlines how he as a follower of Christ did not start a fight in Jerusalem, he was in the temple following the law. f. He says that The Way is rooted in the same Fathers and prophets that all his accusers believed in too. g. For the sake of the gospel and the reputation of Christ followers, Paul makes his defense. Certainly, this vindicates himself to some degree, but it is obvious his aim is greater than that. h. We too must be laser focused on what is important. i. Again, I do not think it is wrong to defend ourselves or even make a legal defense for ourselves if we are accused falsely. But, our primary goal in every instance in life is to make much of the gospel of Jesus Christ and if necessary, contend for it. j. Sadly, oftentimes we care more about defending ourselves than we do the gospel or our gospel witness. k. Natural man is well equipped to defend himself. And this is often our default setting. l. But it takes a spiritually mature person to defend themselves righteously and also prioritize the Kingdom of God in their defense. m. Paul strikes that perfect balance in our text today. And we must strive to emulate him. 5.) Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” In God's courtroom all men are judged by a perfect and just God. a. Though our courts have some of the fairest rules in place to assure that only the guilty are punished for their crimes, the fact of the matter is that the judicial system, even in this nation, is full of injustice. b. It may happen in our lives that we will be falsely accused and though we make a strong defense we are imprisoned or even killed for something we did not do. c. But the Christian worries little about this life. They know that in God's courtroom, the only courtroom that really matters, they will be declared righteous, not of themselves, but on the account of Christ who became their sin so that they might become the righteousness of God. d. We find comfort in the kingdom that is coming… not in the kingdom that is. 6.) Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” The gospel produces a law keeping and blameless church. a. Paul finds it especially necessary for followers of Christ to be known as people who follow the law of God and draw their teachings from the Fathers and the Prophets. b. In our time the gospel has been reduced to a magical prayer that you pray which God is somehow obligated to honor because you said the right words. c. But Paul defends the godly and noble character of the church. Why? d. Because God's true children are godly and holy people. e. In Matthew 7 Jesus talks about those who in the midst of being cast from his presence object on the grounds that they had done mighty works in his name. But Jesus still rejects them because as He says, I never knew you. f. And then the clincher… you lawless ones. Or you lawbreakers. g. You see although the gospel certainly tells us that we cannot earn God's grace or forgiveness and that only Christ can purchase our salvation…. The gospel also clearly teaches us that those who are truly saved are being conformed into the image of Christ. We are, as I said a moment ago, the righteousness of God. h. The fact of the matter is that no man will enter the kingdom of heaven if they purposefully continue to violate God's law. i. So, my friends, if you are here today and you have prayed a prayer – but your life is still lived intentionally violating God's law… then you must realize that you have no hope. j. Those whom the Lord has set free are free indeed. Meaning free not only from the penalty of sin but from its power as well. Let me close with a prayer recorded in the Didache (did-ah-kay) which is a very early record of church worship and teaching. We give thanks to you, Father, for your holy name which you made to dwell in our hearts. Thank you for the knowledge, faith, and immortality which you made known to us through Jesus your Son. To you be glory forever. You, Lord Almighty, created all things for your name's sake, and gave people food and drink for their enjoyment, that they might give thanks to you. And you have blessed us with spiritual food and drink and eternal light through your Son. Above all we give thanks to you that you are mighty. To you be glory forever. Remember your church, Lord, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in your love, and gather it together in its holiness from the four winds to your kingdom which you have prepared for it. For yours is the power and the glory forever. Let grace come and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If any one is holy, let them come! If any one be not, let them repent. Maranatha-our Lord, come! We pray this in Jesus' name, amen. Benediction: May the Lord of Hosts be with you So that you will become greater and greater still, Until you receive that crown of life Which the Lord has prepared for those that love Him. Until we meet again, go in peace.

Poison seeped through the marble corridors of ancient Rome—and one woman mixed every drop. In the Season 36 opener of Serial Killers in History, we track Locusta of Gaul, the herbalist-turned-assassin who helped Emperor Nero carve a blood-stained path to power.What you'll hear:How a captive chemist became the world's first documented serial killerDeadly dinners: the mushroom that felled Emperor Claudius and the draught that doomed BritannicusThe Senate's panic and the birth of Rome's anti-poison lawsModern forensic insights that finally decode Locusta's toxic recipesStay to the end for a teaser of Episode 2—Paris's infamous Affair of the Poisons.

Title: Your Will Be Done Text: Acts 22:22-29 FCF: We often struggle trusting God when we are in difficult situations Prop: Because God providentially works to accomplish His purposes through man's choices, we must trust the Lord. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 22. In a moment we will read from the LSB starting in verse 22. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Since Acts chapter 19 we have been in the final Act of the unfolding narrative of the book of Acts. In his part 2 of this gospel sent to Theophilus, which is designed to assure him of the truth of what he has believed, Luke is demonstrating the continuing saving power of Jesus. The Kingdom of God continues to invade the world through the power of the comforter, the third person of the Godhead the Holy Spirit. This last act began when Paul turned his attention toward going to Jerusalem. God has called him to go there and to suffer in chains. Paul goes willingly even against the advice of others who warn him. He knows the warnings but also knows that God has willed that He go to Jerusalem. This final act is the great culmination of the Lord Jesus' command to His apostles to take the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. And while it is true that the gospel has gone to Rome already… Paul will take it directly to the Emperor's throne. But before he does… he must go through many twists and turns along the way. If you have grown tired of hearing about God's providence and sovereign hand in the book of Acts… the last few chapters are gonna be a bit of a slog for you. Because God's providence will be laced to many of the episodes left in this book as we hasten toward the end. Stand again with me to give honor to and focus on the reading of God's Word. Invocation: Sovereign Lord, You are in absolute control over all that happens. But we also are responsible to act according to Your revealed will and live in this world making wise decisions based on information and resources that You have given us. Help us Lord neither to forget or disbelieve that nothing is outside Your control nor allow us to abdicate the agency we possess to do justly and live wisely. Help us Lord in this text to strike the balance of these two paradoxical teachings so that we may be both in the world but not citizens of it. Bless us with understanding from the Spirit we pray in Jesus' name… Amen. Transition: Let's once again hop right into this new episode of the ongoing adventure of Paul at the hands of the Jews and the Romans. I.) God providentially works to accomplish His purposes through man's sin, so we must trust the Lord. (22-24) a. [Slide 2] 22 - And they were listening to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!” 23 - And as they were crying out and throwing off their garments and tossing dust into the air, i. The following episode is broken up into two scenes. ii. The second scene occurs in the barracks of the Anatolian fortress. iii. The first scene occurs as an interruption to Paul's defense of himself before the mob in Jerusalem. iv. These two scenes compose our two primary points in the sermon. v. In this first scene we see the rather disheartening and disappointing story of how the mob in Jerusalem was listening quite closely to the testimony of Paul. vi. How is that disheartening and disappointing? vii. Partly because the gospel is preached clearly and effectively. 1. Jesus is presented, on full display, as having the same essence and status as God the Father. Jesus is Yahweh. 2. Jesus is the LORD who is obviously not dead but has risen and furthermore is in heaven. 3. Jesus is the LORD whom Paul is persecuting by imprisoning and killing His People, which are people of The Way. 4. Jesus is the name on which Paul was to call for the forgiveness of his sins and to be baptized in the Spirit. 5. Jesus is the name in which Paul was to be baptized in water. 6. Jesus is the LORD who commands Paul's purpose and destiny to go far from Jerusalem. 7. Jesus is the LORD who sends him to the Gentiles. viii. But all of this is so good. And they were listening. When does it become disheartening? 1. When they stop listening. Indeed, they stop listening so aggressively that they interrupt his story. a. Paul is following a typical style of speech one would use to defend themselves in court. b. Scholars point out that the style is truncated and incomplete. c. This clues us in to the fact that Paul wasn't done. d. No doubt he intended to speak about the wonders he had beheld as God did miraculous things and led many pagans to confess this Jewish Messiah as LORD. e. No doubt Paul would have ended by telling them about Trophimus who was one of these and how he did not bring Trophimus into the temple. f. But Paul never got to that part of his defense. Why? Because they interrupted him. g. Why? 2. They interrupt him in anger because of their national pride and racist bigotry against the Gentiles. a. It was the mention of Paul being commissioned by Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, to go and take something Jewish to the pagans… which provoked the crowd to lose their marbles. b. What do I mean by that statement? c. Well first they demand Paul's death. i. Because Paul has the audacity to suggest that the Jewish Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Man, the Son of God, would command him to take the message of hope to the Gentiles – they determined he was unworthy to live. ii. How did they get there? iii. Think of the illustration Jesus uses in Matthew chapter 7 during his sermon on the mount. iv. He says do not give what is holy to dogs and do not scatter pearls before swine. v. Contextually Jesus is talking about correcting ungodly behavior in others. vi. As He completes that teaching he gives this illustration. vii. In the context then this communicates the idea that just as dogs will not make any distinction between temple food that has been sanctified for worship purposes and other forms of food and just as pigs won't differentiate between pearls under their feet verses anything else – so also a man who never desires to be corrected and is convinced he is never wrong should eventually be left alone in his error. viii. We know the Jews generally felt this way toward gentiles. Ther are even biblical references to pagans around them being viewed as… dogs and swine. ix. In other words, if the gospel was so great, and it had a Jewish origin, a Jewish Messiah, and is offered to the Jews first – it would be absolutely unthinkable to offer it to dogs and pigs. x. But what is their mistake? You see it already, don't you? Their mistake is two-fold 1. God never indicated anything but the plan for all the nations to be His portion. a. For a time, Israel was His portion. b. But He makes it absolutely explicitly clear in the Old Testament, that God owns the whole earth and that He will one day reclaim the nations through His Messiah. 2. Secondly, they miss the concept of not being able to determine if someone is a dog or pig until you try to feed them something holy. a. This is the same context where Jesus invites people to knock to receive a good gift from God – much like holy food and pearls. b. This is in the same context where Jesus cautions that false teachers can be judged by their fruit since bad trees bear bad fruit. c. In other words, the entire context essentially says that you can't judge a person by anything but their reaction to holy things. Do they desire holy things or not? xi. They had mistakenly assigned the status of “unworthy of holy things” to people whom God has always said He was going to reclaim. xii. Therefore, in their eyes, Paul is guilty of blasphemy because he has offered the things of God to pagan people. xiii. And all this stems from the question – who are the people of God? xiv. Are they born into it… or are they born again into it? And Nicodemus' interaction with Jesus clearly tells us the answer. xv. Even Nicodemus, a teacher of the law, a member of the Sanhedrin – must be born again. xvi. There are only two families and they are not Jew and Gentile. They are children of the Serpent and children of the Seed of the woman. xvii. Which means you are either born once and die twice or you are born twice and die once. ix. These first century Jews heard the majesty of the gospel. But what prevented them from hearing more? What prevented them from believing? Ultimately – it was their love for their sin. x. Indeed, they loved their national pride and their racist bigotry SO MUCH… that they started tearing off their clothes and kicking up dust. They throw a religious tantrum. They are demanding Paul to be killed. xi. Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. xii. This Jewish mob is the same as every other person who has been given the gospel and has not turned from sin. They actively choose their sin over salvation. Because you can't have both. b. [Slide 3] 24 - the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by flogging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way. i. Here we see the Roman commander being utterly in the dark as to what is going on here. ii. Why is that the case? iii. There are two potential reasons. 1. First, Paul spoke in Aramaic. a. The likelihood that the Roman Commander spoke Aramaic is very small. b. And when the people violently yell against Paul, they probably did so in Greek. c. So, the commander hears Paul speak and suddenly the crowd turns on him. 2. Second, the layers and flavors of all of this are abundantly Jewish. a. Even if he did understand some of it, there is so much pent-up national pride and bigotry here that it would be difficult for someone outside the culture to see it. b. All he knows is that they were listening intently one moment and then just suddenly snapped and demanded his death. iv. Now, since the commander has already tried to get answers from the crowd and come up with pretty much nothing, he intends to flog Paul until Paul confesses what he has done to provoke them to this point. v. Roman commanders were given liberty to beat confessions or statements out of people, especially when all other non-violent forms of questioning had been exhausted. vi. And right here at the climax of the episode and at the end of scene one – let's take a commercial break and take a moment to digest what we've learned.

Deuteronomy 24 verses 1-4 speak of the divorce laws for the Israelites. Divorce was permitted on the grounds of a groom finding in his betrothed some evidence of indecency. The Septuagint Greek version uses the word “pornea” to describe this situation. This word speaks of all kinds of perversions as well as unfaithfulness prior to marriage. When the accused woman was sent away with an annulment of the marriage she was forbidden to remarry. This prohibition also meant that her former husband was not allowed to take her again as a wife. Divorce was to regulate behaviour within the nation of Israel. The Lord Jesus Christ reveals this point to us in Matthew 19 verses 3-9. Divorce is abhorrent to the Lord GOD Almighty as Malachi 2 verses 13-16. Shows. Verses 5-22 speak of several miscellaneous laws. Verse 5 tells of a married man being exempted from warfare for one year after his marriage. Verse 6 is about care and compassion for the poor. Verse 7 prescribes death to be the penalty for kidnapping. Verses 8-9 instruct Israel to faithfully follow the Levitical rules relating to leprosy. Verses 10-15 speak of fair dealing among members of God's people. Every member of Israel were to show care and compassion – ie love for one's neighbour. The day labourer was to receive his wages on the same day as the work had been done. Verse 16 teaches the principle that we alone are answerable for our own sins. Ezekiel 18 clearly elaborates that principle. Verses 17-18 speak of the dispensing of justice to be free from bias and to be carried out with integrity. Verses 19-22 tells of the love of the widows and the fatherless children in a generosity of spirit that is seen in their harvesting practices: not stripping their fruit trees. Psalm 68 verses 1-6 and James 1verses 27 reinforce the message of the love and care to be shown to widows, and fatherless children. In so acting the Israelites were imitating their Heavenly Father. Verse 22 of Deuteronomy 24 states the premise for why they must behave as the LORD commanded. The people of the LORD were responding to the redeeming love that underlies their deliverance from Egypt. The entire chapter 4 of the Song of Solomon concerns the bridegroom's words to his beloved spouse. Verses 1-5 present a cascade of magnificent metaphors in which the groom describes the alluring beauty of his bride. In verses 6-7 he claims to be intoxicated by her love and his passionate desires for her love. Verse 8 expresses his desire to take her to the places where the wild scenery of the natural world causes romantic minds to become elevated in their feelings. Verses 9-15 present sparkling images of his intense desire to be with his captivating companion. The song closes in verse 16 with a wish for the fragrant north wind to stir up the aromatic fragrances of Solomon's spice garden. All of this speaks of the intense love of the groom for his bride, ie the Lord Jesus Christ's love of us. Acts 18 tells of Paul's arrival in Corinth. He chooses to live with Priscilla and Aquila, who had recently arrived in Corinth because the Emperor Claudius had expelled all the Jews from Rome, accusing them of being troublesome. Paul lodges with Priscilla and Aquila because they, like himself, are tent makers. This fine couple are mentioned 6 times in the New Testament, and 3 times Aquila's name is given first, and 3 times Priscilla's is mentioned first. This shows that they are partners who work together in everything – including the teaching of the gospel to private individuals. Some scholars believe that the letter to the Hebrews may have been written by Priscilla. Paul teaches in the synagogue at Corinth every sabbath day – that Jesus is the Christ (Israel's long promised Messiah). When the Apostle is fiercely opposed by the Jews Paul shakes the dust from his clothes as the Lord Jesus Christ had commanded in Matthew 10. Paul hires the house owned by Titus Justus, who accepts the gospel and lives next door to the synagogue. From this house Paul continues his preaching. This preaching results in the conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ of Crispus, who is the ruler of the synagogue, and many others including Crispus' family accept Christ. The atmosphere around the preaching is obviously tense and Paul becomes fearful and the Lord Jesus Christ appears in a night and says: “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people” (Vv9-10 ESV). For eighteen months the preaching continues successfully. During the Consulship of Gallio the Jews make a united attack on Paul bringing him before Gallio. Gallio summarily dismisses their claims and drives them from his presence. The Jews take out their frustration and anger on Sosthenes, the then newest ruler of the synagogue. This avails nothing as we see in 1 Corinthians 1verse 1. Sosthenes accepts the gospel and becomes a baptised believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. After this Paul shaves his hair in Cenchrea and sails from Ephesus to Antioch in Syria to complete his Nazarite vow. After spending time with the brethren in Syria Paul resumes his preaching in Galatia. The chapter concludes with the conversion of Apollos, an eloquent Alexandrian Jew – who had known only the baptism and preaching of John the Baptist. Priscilla and Aquila instruct him in the gospel and baptise him into the Lord Jesus Christ. It becomes obvious from this chapter that any who have not been baptised without a complete understanding of the gospel require to be baptised into the “whole counsel of God”: Acts 20verses 18-27. Acts In Acts 19 Apollos comes to Corinth (this was obviously very shortly after his conversion to Christ). Paul arrives in Ephesus and finds there disciples who had only known the baptism and teaching of John the Baptist. Those disciples, 12 in all, are likewise taught the full truth about the salvation in Christ Jesus and are baptised into that understanding. For three months Paul boldly speaks in the synagogue, until sustained resistance from Jewish foes causes Paul to seek other rooms for preaching. The Apostle hires the rooms of a local philosopher – one Tyrannus. Preaching from Tyrannus' rooms continues for two years so that all who live in the province of Asia hear the gospel. God through Paul supports the preaching by many miracles. Seven sons of an itinerant Jew by the name of Sceva attempt an exorcism on a man who attacks and wounds them – the sons of Sceva flee naked from the house where the attempted exorcism had occurred. God by that means shows Sceva's sons to be frauds. The testimony to the gospel causes many practicers of the dark arts (or magic) to forsake their craft and burn their books to the value of approximately $10,000,000. The chapter next says that craftsmen led by Demetrius, a silversmith himself, cause a riot – believing that Paul's preaching is endangering the sale of the miniature figurines of Diana (also known as Artemis) of the Ephesians. Some of Paul's companions are dragged into the arena by men wanting revenge. Paul attempts to go and answer them but is prevented from doing so by his friends. The riotous crowd take out their anger on a Jew named Alexander. The town clerk dismisses the rioters and disperses the crowd. The town clerk says that Rome may very well want to investigate the cause of the riot. Penned by Warwick Rosser and his team, produced by Christadelphianvideo.org

Acts 18:1-28 - Speaker: Will Galkin - In Acts 18, we see that God is faithful, and the gospel is fruitful even amidst opposition. God sovereignly provides gospel partners like Aquila and Priscilla, turning negative circumstances, such as Emperor Claudius's expulsion of Jews from Rome, into opportunities for ministry expansion. Despite initial rejection by the Jews, Paul's ministry bears remarkable fruit, reaching unlikely converts like Crispus, the synagogue ruler. Furthermore, God protects Paul through the unlikely means of Roman governor Gallio's indifference, granting Paul freedom to preach without fear of persecution. Ultimately, Acts 18 emphasizes God's faithfulness in preparing new laborers, as evidenced by the rise of Apollos, who was discipled by Aquila and Priscilla and powerfully carried the gospel forward.

Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, known to history as Claudius, was the fourth Emperor of Rome.  Of the emperors that came before him and all those who came after him, he was the most unlikely of emperors.  Up until the moment he became emperor, no one during his entire life seriously thought of him as emperor material. When he became emperor, he surprised everyone.  Learn more about Emperor Claudius and his surprising rise to power on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsors Mint Mobile Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/eed Quince Go to quince.com/daily for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Stitch Fix Go to stitchfix.com/everywhere to have a stylist help you look your best Tourist Office of Spain Plan your next adventure at Spain.info  Stash Go to get.stash.com/EVERYTHING to see how you can receive $25 towards your first stock purchase and to view important disclosures. Subscribe to the podcast!  https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/ -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Austin Oetken & Cameron Kieffer   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Update your podcast app at newpodcastapps.com Discord Server: https://discord.gg/UkRUJFh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends of the Rosary,Today, February 14, we celebrate the memorials of St. Cyril (827-869), a priest and a philosopher and his brother St. Methodius (826-885), and St. Valentine, Bishop and Martyr of Rome (died c. 269), patron saint of engaged couples, happy marriages, lovers, etc.In ancient Rome, Emperor Claudius issued a decree forbidding marriage, believing that single men would be better soldiers than married men.Valentine defied this decree and urged young lovers to come to him in secret so that he could join them in the sacrament of matrimony.The Emperor had Valentine arrested and attempted to convert him to Roman paganism. In turn, Valentine tried to convert Claudius to Christianity, at which point the Emperor condemned him to death.He was executed on February 14th, 273 AD in Rome.The Martyrology says, "At Rome, on the Flaminian Way, the heavenly birthday of the blessed martyr Valentine, a priest. After performing many miraculous cures and giving much wise counsel he was beaten and beheaded under Claudius Caesar."Valentine has become the universal symbol of friendship and affection, and February 14 is celebrated as St. Valentine's Day.Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • ⁠February 14, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ETEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play

Please note that the 1st part is in English, and the 2nd part is in Malayalam starting at 14:05 mark.Saint Valentine is the patron saint of love.  In the Roman Catholic church there are three saints with the name  Valentine.  All the three saints were stoned and beheaded for their Christian faith during the time of different Roman emperors.  St. Valentine, officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome, is a third-century Roman saint whose memory is celebrated on February 14.  Valentine day has its roots in paganism.  Lupercalia was a pagan fertility festival celebrated in February, and it had ties to a Roman god.  In an effort to clean up the pagan holiday,  in 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius designated February 14th as Valentine's official feast day.  The new holiday quickly spread to all countries that practiced Christianity. Historically it has commemorated romantic love, but recently it has been expanded to include all types of love.  During the time of Emperor Claudius II, marriage was prohibited for soldiers.  As a priest, Valentine conducted the marriages of couples who were in love. For this reason Valentine was sent to jail. Valentine used this time in jail to reach out to people with the love given by Jesus.  The jailer, Asterius, became friendly with Valentine.  He was impressed with Valentine's wisdom that he asked Valentine to help his daughter, Julia, with her lessons when she visited the jail.  Julia was blind, and the jailer tested his faith by asking him to restore her blind daughter's  eye sight.  Placing his hands onto her eyes, Valentine restored Julia's vision.  The jailer accepted Christianity along with 44 members of his family.  The now faithful jailer then freed all of his Christian inmates.  Emperor Claudius sentenced Valentine to death for not giving up his faith.  Before he was killed, Valentine wrote a last note to encourage Julia to stay close to Jesus and to thank her for being his friend.  He signed the note, “From your Valentine.”  Valentine was beaten, stoned and beheaded on February 14, 270.  St. Valentine sacrificed his life for his faith in Jesus, not for his love for us. There is someone who has done much more for each and every one of us than what St. Valentine did. That is Jesus Christ who is the Son of God.           My name... Cicilysunny@gmail.com

In honor of Valentine's Day, let's explore a profound question from the Christian catechism: What does God's law require? The answer lies in two simple yet powerful commandments, but first, let me share a timely story about the real Saint Valentine.The True Story of Saint ValentineIn the third century, during the reign of Emperor Claudius, a priest named Valentine took a bold stand for love. While Claudius was sending young men to die in meaningless wars, Valentine secretly married Christian couples, knowing that married men were exempt from military service. This act of defiance saved countless lives and allowed young families to flourish. Valentine's commitment to love ultimately cost him his life – he was executed in his 40s for his actions and attempts to evangelize Claudius himself.This story perfectly illustrates the two fundamental commandments that encompass all of God's law.The Two Great CommandmentsAs Jesus teaches in Matthew 22:37-40, all of God's law – every command and prophetic word – can be distilled into two essential principles:* Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind* Love your neighbor as yourselfWhat Does It Mean to Love God?Loving God means:* Enjoying His presence* Obeying His commands* Putting Him first in every area of life* Starting each day by asking: "Is this action motivated by love for God, or love for something else?"What Does It Mean to Love Your Neighbor?The command to "love your neighbor as yourself" isn't about self-love as a prerequisite – it's about extending the same care and consideration to others that we naturally give ourselves. Just as we instinctively seek our own wellbeing, we're called to actively pursue the happiness and growth of others, even when it requires difficult choices.The Heart of the MatterHere's the challenging truth: we can't fulfill these commands on our own. Our natural state is one of selfishness – just watch any baby and you'll see this truth in action. That's why the story of God's law doesn't end with commands, but with Christ.The same God who gave the law on Mount Sinai later sent His Son to a different mountain – Calvary – not just to give us the law, but to fulfill it perfectly on our behalf. Through Christ's sacrifice, we receive both forgiveness for our failures and a new heart capable of truly loving God and others.Practical ApplicationThis transformation shows up in everyday moments:* In how we start our day, choosing to put God first* In how we handle difficult conversations* In how we make decisions that might cause temporary discomfort but lead to long-term growth* In how we extend grace to others, just as we've received graceClosing ThoughtsThe requirements of God's law – loving Him and loving others – aren't just rules to follow. They're an invitation to experience life as it was meant to be lived. Through Christ, we receive the power to move beyond our natural selfishness and into a life marked by genuine love for God and neighbor.As we celebrate Valentine's Day, let's remember the priest who gave his life demonstrating these twin loves, and more importantly, the God who makes such love possible through Christ.This post is adapted from Episode 7 of our weekly catechism series, where we explore the core doctrines of the Christian faith. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amenpodcast.substack.com

In honor of Valentine's Day, let's explore a profound question from the Christian catechism: What does God's law require? The answer lies in two simple yet powerful commandments, but first, let me share a timely story about the real Saint Valentine.The True Story of Saint ValentineIn the third century, during the reign of Emperor Claudius, a priest named Valentine took a bold stand for love. While Claudius was sending young men to die in meaningless wars, Valentine secretly married Christian couples, knowing that married men were exempt from military service. This act of defiance saved countless lives and allowed young families to flourish. Valentine's commitment to love ultimately cost him his life – he was executed in his 40s for his actions and attempts to evangelize Claudius himself.This story perfectly illustrates the two fundamental commandments that encompass all of God's law.The Two Great CommandmentsAs Jesus teaches in Matthew 22:37-40, all of God's law – every command and prophetic word – can be distilled into two essential principles:* Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind* Love your neighbor as yourselfWhat Does It Mean to Love God?Loving God means:* Enjoying His presence* Obeying His commands* Putting Him first in every area of life* Starting each day by asking: "Is this action motivated by love for God, or love for something else?"What Does It Mean to Love Your Neighbor?The command to "love your neighbor as yourself" isn't about self-love as a prerequisite – it's about extending the same care and consideration to others that we naturally give ourselves. Just as we instinctively seek our own wellbeing, we're called to actively pursue the happiness and growth of others, even when it requires difficult choices.The Heart of the MatterHere's the challenging truth: we can't fulfill these commands on our own. Our natural state is one of selfishness – just watch any baby and you'll see this truth in action. That's why the story of God's law doesn't end with commands, but with Christ.The same God who gave the law on Mount Sinai later sent His Son to a different mountain – Calvary – not just to give us the law, but to fulfill it perfectly on our behalf. Through Christ's sacrifice, we receive both forgiveness for our failures and a new heart capable of truly loving God and others.Practical ApplicationThis transformation shows up in everyday moments:* In how we start our day, choosing to put God first* In how we handle difficult conversations* In how we make decisions that might cause temporary discomfort but lead to long-term growth* In how we extend grace to others, just as we've received graceClosing ThoughtsThe requirements of God's law – loving Him and loving others – aren't just rules to follow. They're an invitation to experience life as it was meant to be lived. Through Christ, we receive the power to move beyond our natural selfishness and into a life marked by genuine love for God and neighbor.As we celebrate Valentine's Day, let's remember the priest who gave his life demonstrating these twin loves, and more importantly, the God who makes such love possible through Christ.This post is adapted from Episode 7 of our weekly catechism series, where we explore the core doctrines of the Christian faith. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amenpodcast.substack.com

In this Valentine's Yoga Nidra Immersion, we tune into the full moon, central channel, breath, and inner golden Buddha or Valentine to receive the blessings, courage, and love available in this universe. Feel the cooling effect on your body, as you cultivate a sense of balance and harmony. As you engage in this practice, allow yourself to surrender and fully embrace the transformative power of Yoga Nidra. Open your heart to the possibilities of healing, relaxation, and self-discovery await you on this journey. This Valentine's Day, gift yourself the opportunity to experience the profound benefits of Yoga Nidra. Embrace the practice and allow it to guide you toward deep well-being, inner peace, and self-love. Please read the story of St Valentine below to appreciate the essence of his fearless courage and love that exemplifies this day. Find a quiet place to lie down or be comfortable with headphones and a pillow and listen to this 15 minute Yoga Nidra Meditation Immersion for your self care and meditation practice.Story of St ValentineBy some accounts, St. Valentine was a Roman priest and physician known for the miracles and suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Christians by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus about 270. He befriended his jailer, to perform miracles to teach people the experience and to recognize true love. According to legend, St. Valentine signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer's daughter, whom he had befriended and healed from blindness. After the physician became a priest, he defied the emperor's orders and secretly married couples to spare their husbands from war. According to legend, St. Valentine signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer's daughter, whom he had befriended and healed from blindness.The idea of encouraging them to marry within the Christian church was what Valentine was about. And he secretly married them because of the edict.Valentine was eventually caught, imprisoned, and tortured for performing marriage ceremonies against the command of Emperor Claudius the Second. There are legends surrounding Valentine's actions while in prison. One of the men who was to judge him in line with Roman law at the time was a man named Asterius, whose daughter was blind. He befriended his jailer, Asterious, who became so impressed with Valentine's wisdom that he asked Valentine to help his daughter, Julia, with her lessons. Julia was blind and needed someone to read the material to learn it. Valentine became friends with Julia through his work with her when she came to visit him in jail. He was supposed to have prayed with and healed the young girl with such astonishing effect that Asterius became Christian.In the year 269 AD, Valentine was sentenced to execution all because of his stand for Christian marriage. The story goes that his last words were in a note to Asterius' daughter. He inspired today's romantic missives by signing it, "from your Valentine." So he is the Valentine has come to be known as the patron saint of lovers, miracles, beekeepers, plague, epilepsy, traveling, and true love.Prayer to St ValentineOh, St. Valentine, patron saint of lovers,Miracle worker and a beacon of hope,We gather here today to honor your grace,And seek your blessings in our lives.You, who have been revered throughout the ages,For your unwavering devotion to love,We invoke your presence and guidance,As we navigate the complexities of our own hearts.Blessed St. Valentine, protector of true love,We beseech you to intercede on our behalf,Grant us the courage to love deeply and fearlessly,To cherish and honor the connections we hold dear.In your wisdom, you understood the power of love,And the miracles it can manifest in our lives,We ask for your assistance in finding and nurturing,The love that is meant for us, pure and true.St. Valentine, guardian of beekeepers and travelers,We seek your protection and guidance,As we journey through life's challenges and uncertainties,May your presence bring us strength and resilience.In times of epidemics and illness, you offered solace,We humbly ask for your intercession,To heal those afflicted and bring comfort to their loved ones,May your divine intervention bring an end to suffering.Oh, St. Valentine, patron saint of lovers,We offer our gratitude for your divine presence,May your blessings shower upon us,And may we embody the essence of true love.In your name, we dedicate ourselves to love,To honor the connections we hold dear,And to spread love's light in the world,For love is the greatest miracle of all.Thank you for listening and reading, Much Love, Melissa Shubha AbbottMy 7 books:AmazonEtsy Get full access to The Radiant Paths at melissashubhaabbott.substack.com/subscribe

43 AD. A large Roman armada sails across the perilous English Channel intent on conquest. It is the dawn of one of the most seminal moments in Britain's ancient history.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by archeologist Duncan Mackay to follow in the footsteps of Emperor Claudius, his general Aulus Plautius and the thousands of Roman soldiers charged with conquering Britain - a mysterious island at the edge of the world. Together they unpack the story of the invasion, exploring the rationale of the Roman leaders, the political contours of the British tribes who faced up to them and the arrival of the Emperor to Colchester on elephant-back.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.Theme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic SoundThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

In this episode of Dave Does History, we unravel the mystery behind the death of Emperor Claudius and the dramatic rise of Nero to the Roman throne. Claudius, the unlikely emperor, overcame a lifetime of being underestimated to expand Rome's empire and stabilize its government. But his reign ended under suspicious circumstances—was he poisoned by his ambitious wife Agrippina to secure Nero's ascension? We dive into the intrigue, explore the theories behind Claudius's death, and look at his legacy as a ruler. Plus, we foreshadow the reign of Nero, a young emperor whose rule would lead Rome down a path of tyranny and chaos. Tune in for a tale of political manipulation, murder, and power plays in ancient Rome. Available now on Spotify, iTunes, and wherever you get your podcasts!

Galatians 1:1-2; Acts 11 Matt's YouTube Channel Thanks to everyone who supports TMBH at patreon.com/thetmbhpodcast You're the reason we can all do this together! Discuss the episode here Music by Jeff Foote

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

He, along with his wife Priscilla, is mentioned in the book of Acts and in St Paul's Epistle to the Romans. He and his wife were Jews who moved to Corinth when the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Italy. They were working as tentmakers in Corinth when they met and worked with St Paul, also a tentmaker by trade, who brought them to faith in Christ. From that time onward they worked diligently to spread the Gospel of Christ. The Prologue says that they died at the hands of pagans, the Great Horologion that the circumstances of their repose are unknown.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

Marinus and Martha were wealthy Persians; but they sold all their goods and traveled to Rome with their sons Audifax, Habakkuk, Valentine, and Cyrinus, in order to venerate the holy relics of the apostles and martyrs. When the Emperor Claudius asked them why they had come so far, at such cost, to seek the dead in Rome, they answered 'We are servants of Christ, and are come to venerate the holy apostles whose immortal souls are alive with God, that they may be our intercessors with Christ our God.' All of them were sentenced to interrogation and to death if they would not deny Christ. Valentine, who was a priest, was handed over to a General named Asterius. When Valentine healed Asterius' daughter, who had been blind for two years, Asterius and his entire household accepted Christ and were baptised by Valentine. All of them, along with Marinus and Martha and their family, underwent torture and death for the sake of Christ.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

Full Text of ReadingsThirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 98The Saint of the day is First Martyrs of the Church of RomeFirst Martyrs of the Church of Rome's Story There were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 15:20). Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in 57-58 A.D. There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a result of controversy between Jews and Jewish Christians, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome in 49-50 A.D. Suetonius the historian says that the expulsion was due to disturbances in the city “caused by the certain Chrestus” [Christ]. Perhaps many came back after Claudius' death in 54 A.D. Paul's letter was addressed to a Church with members from Jewish and Gentile backgrounds. In July of 64 A.D., more than half of Rome was destroyed by fire. Rumor blamed the tragedy on Nero, who wanted to enlarge his palace. He shifted the blame by accusing the Christians. According to the historian Tacitus, many Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims. Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the senate, Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. at the age of 31. Reflection Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians. Love the saints? Check out these six titles on Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS | The church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of Jewish and non-Jewish followers. But at one point sometime between A.D. 41-53, Emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people, including Christian Jews from Rome and then allowed them to return five years later (see Acts 18:2). When these Jews returned they found a church that had become very non-Jewish in custom and practice. This created lots of tension so that in Paul's day the Roman Church was divided. People disagreed about how to follow Jesus, they were debating about whether non-Jewish Christians should celebrate the sabbath, eat kosher, or be circumcised. So Paul wrote this letter to accomplish a few things. He wanted this divided church to become unified and for a practical purpose, he was hoping the church would become a staging ground for his mission to go even further west to Spain. For these reasons, Paul wrote Romans. Romans is Paul's fullest explanation of the gospel; the good news that he was announcing about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and it's effect on Creation and the church.

Connie's running out of time to write a play on the roman invasion of Britain for her drama class, so she asks Uncle Chris and his community theatre company to lend her a hand!‘Silence! You're forgetting one thing everyone…I am no longer Uncle Chris…I am the emperor of Rome, and emperors do whatever they like!'

Robert Sapolsky is a professor of biology and neurobiology at at Stanford University, and the recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant. He is the author of "Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will." He joins to discuss the case against free will, and its societal implications.  Robert's Book at www.mightyheaton.com/featured Socrates Sketch:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2QrrYug_VQ&t=35s The Emperor Claudius https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emperor-claudius-killed-a-whale/id1596616667?i=1000546859060&l=ru

Even in the ancient Roman world of ruthless politicking, suspicious deaths and high-stakes schemes, the scandalous reputation of Empress Valeria Messalina stands out. The third wife of Emperor Claudius, she has gone down in history as a sexually insatiable schemer, whose cutthroat deeds kept her at the top of the Palatine court. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Honor Cargill-Martin, author of a new book on Messalina, interrogates the rumours that have long swirled around the empress. (Ad) Honor Cargill-Martin is the author of Messalina: A Story of Empire, Slander and Adultery (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: ​​https://www.amazon.co.uk/Messalina-Story-Empire-Slander-Adultery/dp/1801102597/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices