Podcasts about gentile christians

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comActs 11 Peter returns to Jerusalem, where Jewish believers take issue with him for associating with Gentiles. He recounts his vision of unclean animals and God's command not to call impure what He has made clean. Peter reveals how the Holy Spirit descended on the Gentiles, confirming that God has granted them the repentance that leads to life. Meanwhile, some scattered Jewish believers begin preaching to Greeks in Antioch, and many turn to the Lord. The church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas to Antioch to encourage the new saints, and he ultimately recruits Saul, working with the church there for a year. Disciples of Jesus are first called Christians in Antioch. These disciples hear of a famine in Judea and send funds for the relief of the brethren, which Barnabas and Saul deliver.  Peter introduced something new to the saints in Jerusalem, and they were not initially receptive. However, they were willing to listen as he shared how God brought salvation to the Gentiles. Change is always challenging, especially when it means acceptance of others, but humble hearts will keep open ears and learn to embrace what honors the will of God. Fortunately, this paved the way for more Jews to share the gospel with Gentiles, allowing the church to thrive and expand. Perhaps changing attitudes toward others and a willingness to broaden outreach can benefit local churches today. Ironically, Gentile Christians in Antioch sent funds to assist needy Jewish saints. A thriving fellowship emerges when brethren step beyond their comfort zones.  Compassionate God, thank You for granting us repentance that leads to life. We are unworthy of Your grace, yet we live in the peace and joy of reconciliation with You through Jesus Christ. Please open our hearts to the way You are working to reach others and prepare us to have open arms. Help us to be like Barnabas, a man full of the Holy Spirit and faith and therefore ready to work for Your cause. And like the Christians who sent funds to help their brothers, teach us how to be more generous and involved in supporting fellow believers.  Thought Questions: -       How do you remain open to God's will, even when it challenges your expectations and traditions, like when Peter accepted Gentiles?  -       If God sent you to go and encourage new saints for a year, would you be willing to do it? How can you do such work where you live now? -       New Christians sent funds to help believers they did not even know. How should you emulate that in the way you support needy Christians?

The apostle Paul addresses particular issues between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. Seems it's so hard to get over our cultural differences. That's not the way it's suppose to be in Christ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday, 19 May 2025   And when you go into a household, greet it. Matthew 10:12   “And entering into the house, you greet it” (CG).   The previous verse noted that when a worthy house is found, the apostles were to stay there until they left. Jesus continues with, “And entering.”   Being a participle, the intent is “at the time you enter,” or “while you are entering.” He continues with “into the house.”   The KJV and NKJV say “a house.” This is incorrect. They were to go to houses until they found a worthy one. They were not required to react positively to those in an unworthy house. There is a reason for this, which will be seen in the next verses. For now, the verse finishes with the words, “you greet it.”   This would be the standard Jewish greeting of Shalom lekha, “Peace to you.” These are the Hebrew words Jesus would have used, as is recorded in John 19 –   “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.' 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.'” John 19:19-21   Concerning such visits as the church later expanded, Vincent's Word Studies says –   “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," a tract discovered in 1873 in the library of the monastery of the Most Holy Sepulchre at Constantinople, by Bryennios, Metropolitan of Nicomedia, is assigned to the date of 120 a.d., and by some scholars is placed as early as 100 a.d. It is addressed to Gentile Christians, and is designed to give them practical instruction in the Christian life, according to the teachings of the twelve apostles and of the Lord himself. In the eleventh chapter we read as follows: "And every apostle who cometh to you, let him be received as the Lord; but he shall not remain except for one day; if, however, there be need, then the next day; but if he remain three days, he is a false prophet. But when the apostle departeth, let him take nothing except bread enough till he lodge again, but if he ask money, he is a false prophet." And again (ch. 8): "Likewise a true teacher, he also is worthy like the workman, of his support. Every first-fruit, then, of the products of wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and sheep, thou shalt take and give to the prophets, for they are your high-priests....If thou makest a baking of bread, take the first of it and give according to the commandment. In like manner, when thou openest a jar of wine or oil, take the first of it and give to the prophets; and of money and clothing, and every possession, take the first, as may seem right to thee, and give according to the commandment.”   Life application: Whether the tract noted by Vincent's Word Studies is accurate or not, it is an ancient witness to the fact that people were going around evangelizing. As noted in the previous commentary, people will occasionally come spreading a message or asking for assistance who might not have the best intent for the church. Therefore, wisdom in dealing with others is necessary.   And more, there is no longer a need for wondering if someone is a false prophet based on whether they remain for a certain amount of time or not. The Bible has been compiled and its instructions are set. To determine if someone is teaching falsities, all we need to do is refer to Scripture and find out what it says.   This shouldn't be something we need to do when someone shows up. Rather, it should be something we are doing daily. That way, we will know what the word says and where to find it. When we are presented with false teachings, all we will need to do is go to the Word to ensure we are remembering properly.   Once we have determined they are spreading a false message, we can kick them out to the street curb and tell them to beat it. There is no point trying to convince heretics, charlatans, or grifters that they should turn from their ways. They already know this. What they need is a dose of being evicted from the presence of the church.   That will be much more effective in hopefully waking them up from their ways than all the words we could utter. Sometimes, a tough example is what is needed to get people to change. Jesus overturned the tables at the temple for a reason. Let us not be timid in dealing with false teachers.   Lord God, please give us wisdom and fortitude to stand against false teachers. May we be bold in proclaiming what is true, and may we be intolerant of those who proclaim otherwise. May we not get into back-and-forth argumentation when decisive action is needed. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Peter comes to Antioch and causes trouble: Peter turned to legalism because of peer pressure The Gentile Christians were being mistreated by Peter and the other Jews Paul publicly confronts Peter Paul discusses the legalism issue Why is legalism a sin?   If you want to support the Bible Explained: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries  Website - https://www.p40ministries.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries  Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com  Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-6493869  Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk  Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop  YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle    Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee  https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40   This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries

3-30-25 - Biblical-Literacy Mark Lanier began a new series on Romans. Today's focus merged how to study an Epistle and began an introduction into the book of Romans. 1. How to study Romans, an Epistle, in 8 basic steps.  Historical context  Literary context  Textual analysis  Paragraph exegesis  Theological analysis  Application  Mix-in others  Constant ongoing reflection 2. The occasion of the letter - Mark explains historical context that result in the church in Rome consisting of both Jewish and Gentile Christians with an appeal for unity. 3. The opening of Romans - Learn how Romans differs from Paul's other epistles in his introduction which includes the author, recipients and a greeting. Points for home  God works through history  Gospel is amazing news  You are loved, called, and forgiven

A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday in Lent Galatians 4:21-31 by the Rev'd Dr. Matthew Colvin Our epistle lesson this morning comes from Galatians 4. I know that Pastor Bill preached on it just recently, but I would like to look at it too, from a different angle. It is one of the most controversial chapters in the NT, both for its view of Judaism and for its hermeneutical maneuvers. Paul is concerned for Christians in Galatia. The Judaizers were taunting Gentile Christians with the manifest visible superiority of Judaism: its splendid temple; its priesthood; its Torah; all the society's esteem and honor. And against this, what did Christians have to show? They were hiding for fear of the Jews; they were subjected to persecution and arrest; they had been kicked out of the synagogue and subjected to the ban, excommunication. Above all, there was the disgrace of worshipping a criminal who had been killed by the most shameful sort of execution, crucifixion by the Romans. All this was exploited by Paul's enemies in Galatia, the Judaizers or the circumcision party. Their strategy was to exalt themselves by trying to get the Gentiles to envy them - “They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.” – The verb zeloō means both to be zealous and to be jealous. Paul's enemies are behaving like spiteful middle school girls — not like the righteous women of this church, but like the ones I knew when I was in school — trying to exclude a hated rival by social shunning, in order to magnify their own status. To stop them and shut them down, Paul needs to do more than just answer their case logically. He also needs to undermine their ethos; he needs to subvert the system of value that makes their case so plausible at first glance. They are counting on Paul's readers sharing their value system. Paul wants to make sure his readers do not share it. It is a task that he undertakes in many of his letters. In Romans he addresses the Jews as those who “rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.” He is setting forth the Jewish system of value, the grounds of their boasting. And it was a very good grounds for boasting. The longest book in the Bible, Psalm 119, is one continuing paean of praise to the Law, the Torah. It is full of statements like, “I love thy commandments above gold and precious stones” and “The law of thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” But Paul rips this point of boasting away by asking, “Yes, the Law is wonderful — but do you actually obey it?” In Philippians 3, Paul gathers together all the things that he could have been proud of as a Jew: “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;” That stuff that the Jews think is so valuable? Their circumcision, their membership in one of the two faithful tribes (Benjamin and Judah)? Their zeal, their lawkeeping? It's all worthless. In fact, it's so worthless that I threw it all away. I have something of real value that none of that stuff can give you. In the book of Hebrews, Paul or someone from his circles who thought an awful lot like him has the difficult task of undermining Jewish boasting about the Temple, the priesthood, and the sacrifices — a task that might seem impossible, since these things were instituted by God and everybody knew it. The temple was imposing, gleaming with gold. Paul calls it a “tent”, the sort of makeshift, flimsy structure that you go camping in, and you lie down in it, and there's nothing but a thin layer of cloth between you and the outside, and if it's too windy, the thing is in danger of collapsing; and anyway, it's that way because you're going to take it down and pack it up anyway. That's what he thinks of your fancy temple. Besides, the real temple is in heaven. Your tent is made by human hands; the only Temple worthy of the name is made by God. The priests' ministry was observable; they were dressed in robes; everyone could see their work, and that they had been instituted by God. Paul says, “They keep on dying, which is proof that their work isn't much good. And they have to offer sacrifices for their own sins, not just the people's.” The sacrifices were there for all to see: they had been commanded by God himself. The blood of the sacrifices flowed continually at the temple, on a daily basis. Paul says, “See how they have to do it over and over again? That's because it doesn't really work. They need Jesus. That's the only sacrifice that works, and that's why Jesus only needed to be sacrificed once.” Yes, Paul is a genius at overthrowing his opponents' strongest arguments. He loves to take their most powerful evidence and use it against them. He is a master of rhetorical jujitsu, throwing his opponents to the mat by using the momentum and force of their own attacks. He is like Elijah in the contest with the prophets of Baal, one man against 450, “And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.” In Galatians 4, it is a terribly difficult rhetorical task that Paul faces: his opponents appear to have the Torah, the OT, on their side. It does, after all, command circumcision; it does prohibit the eating of unclean foods; it does tell the stories of Ishmael, Moab, and Ben-Ammi, the ancestors of the rival nations surrounding Israel, all of whom are deprecated as the offspring of incest, slave marriage, or concubinage. These stories account for the origins of the Gentiles around Israel. Israel itself, however, was descended from Isaac, the legitimate son and heir of Abraham. These stories underscore the chosenness of Israel, and the fact that these other nations were not chosen. “Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated” was not just a statement about two sons. It was a statement about two nations: the Edomites and Israel. It says that Israel is the covenant people that God loves, and Edom is not. So it is Paul's opponents, not Paul, who have the easier case to make here: Jewish people are (most of them) descended from Jacob (Israel) and Gentiles are not. And they might have made this case most plainly from the story of Isaac, Abraham's son miraculously conceived by the power of God in Abraham's old age. This is strong rhetorical ground for the circumcision advocates in Galatia. Circumcision is commanded in the Torah for God's people. It is breathtakingly audacious for Paul to argue that a proper understanding of the Torah will lead you to the conclusion that circumcision doesn't matter. Paul calls the Torah a yoke of bondage. I'm not sure we appreciate how bold a move this is. The exodus was Israel's independence day. It's when they came out of slavery in Egypt and became a free nation. Paul says that the circumcizers advocating Torah-obedience in Galatia are like those who wanted to go back to Egypt. It would be like an American saying that the Declaration of Independence is the document in American history that made everyone slaves. But that is what Paul says about the Torah, given on Mount Sinai: that covenant has led to the present state of affairs: Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her children. Now, we know from elsewhere in Paul's letters, especially Romans, that he considered the Law a good gift of God and the reason why the Law was now leading to slavery was because Israel was using it wrongly, not because the Law was bad. The slavery results from Israel's sinfulness, not something wrong with the Law. But here, he doesn't go into that, because he is focused not on the Law as it was given by God, but on the Law as it was used rhetorically by his opponents. You have heard the expression, “He is wrapping himself in the flag”? That is what the Judaizers in Galatia are doing with the Torah: using it as a uniform to distinguish true, Jewish Christians from second-rate, Gentile Christians. And Paul says: You think that you look cool with your bling; but it's really chains to keep you enslaved. Above all, Paul takes the bull by the horns and uses an audacious maneuver to deal with the Judaizers' most powerful weapon: the taunt of illegitimacy. That is the point of the Ishmael story as used by Jews: the Ishmaelites, the Arabs, are illegitimate offspring of Abraham, just as the Moabites and Ammonites were stigmatized as the offspring of Lot's daughters after the destruction of Sodom. Only Jews were the children of Isaac; they had been called into existence by the power of YHWH himself. They were not the product of an ill-conceived attempt at surrogate pregnancy, and with a slave wife. Be aware that the Judaizers have centuries and centuries of social and legal precedent for their view. That line that Paul quotes from Sarah — “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman” — that was a line that Paul's opponents loved to quote. When Sarah said it to Abraham, she wasn't just being mean. The lawcodes of Ur-Nammu and Lipit-Ishtar, from around the same time as Abraham, contained rules about exactly this sort of situation, and they are formulated with exactly the same sort of phrasing: “If a man has a wife a free woman who has born children to him, and he takes a slave wife and she also bears children to him, the children of the slave wife shall not share in the inheritance with the children of the free wife.” Sarah is saying, “Husband, you know the law from when we lived in Ur. This is what we have to do.” And the heretics in Galatia were taking up this two-thousand year tradition of legal and social stigma against children of slavery, and applying it to Gentile Christians. It's a powerful tool of shaming and social marginalization, and it is based on a very foundational text of the covenant: the story of the birth of Isaac. Both the Judaizers and their Galatian Gentile victims believed this text was the word of God. Both believed that the Jews were descendants of Isaac. Paul knows all this. He has chosen to fight them on their strongest ground; he gives them home field advantage. He pours water so that it fills up the trench. And then he incinerates their whole argument like Elijah. The stigma of illegitimacy? He turns it back on the Judaizers. They are the bastards now, the “children of the flesh”; they are “in bondage” with their slave-mother. The Gentile Galatian Christians? They are “children of the promise.” And just as it was back then, the child of the slave woman is persecuting the child of the promise. The two sons are marked not by their circumcised or uncircumcised status but by the slave/free polarity that distinguishes their mothers. Paul has to reach a little bit here. The LXX Greek translation that Paul used here doesn't actually say, “persecuting”. What the LXX says is that Sarah “saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian who had been born to Abraham playing with her son Isaac (paizonta meta Isaac tou huiou autes).” That's the most straightforward way to take it. But the word “playing” can also mean “mocking”. And that's probably how Paul took it. And then he magnifies it into the sibling rivalry from hell by glossing “mocking” as “persecuting”. Where did he get this from? It is transferred from the situation between the Judaizers and the Gentile Christians in Galatia. By casting the rivalry as a conflict between the flesh and the promise, Paul undercuts the Judaizers' use of the Torah. That is why he says, “These are two covenants” — the boldest piece of clever interpretation in the Bible. It is all part of his rhetorical strategy concerning the Torah that he has laid in the previous chapter, Galatians 3. The two covenants are NOT the Old and the New. They are the Torah covenant and the covenant with Abraham (which turns out to find its fulfillment in Christ). And the covenant with Abraham is more original, more foundational, more important, more primary. The law was added 430 years later. The Torah was a stop-gap measure to keep things under control until the fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham. And for Paul, Gentile Christians are that fulfillment: “in you, all the nations — the ethnê — shall be blessed.” This aligns the Gentile Christians with the whole purpose of the Covenant with Abraham, and means that Paul can cast them as the true children of the promise. They are citizens of the only Jerusalem that counts, the “Jerusalem above”. And by citing the line of Sarah, “cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman”, Paul makes clear what the stakes are here: the Judaizers and those who trust in the Torah to be their badge of membership in the covenant are not merely mistaken. They are Ishmaels and they will not inherit. They will be cast out. The Gentile Christians — and faithful Jewish Christians who did not pressure them to get circumcized — will be counted as true members of the covenant with Abraham, and the Judaizing circumcision-pushers will not. Who are the bastards now? Paul revels in what God has done. It is perfectly in accordance with his way of working: "He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning is brought to a quick end.” (Job 5). The Judaizers have fallen into the pit that they have dug: their taunts of illegitimacy rebound on their own heads; the glory of the title of “true children of Abraham” is wrapped around the Gentile believers whom they had stigmatized. Paul's jujitsu victory is complete and total, because it is the victory of Christ, who led captivity captive and triumphed by being crucified. In the end, Paul's fierce warfare over the Galatians has to do with vindicating the honor of Christ, with proving that He has really accomplished all that Paul says he has; with showing that the covenant with Abraham is truly fulfilled in Jesus, because he is the yes and amen. To go back to the Torah is to turn the clock back and engage in historical reenactment; to live a life of live-action-role-playing instead of reality. It is a costly and foolish attempt to gain privilege and honor by denying the completeness and finality of Jesus' work, and attempting to supplement it with another identity in terms of the Torah. The true Exodus is via Christ, not via the Torah. That is part of the meaning of our gospel lesson this morning from John 6. Here the true bread from heaven, Jesus, works a miraculous feeding like the manna of old. But he does it not in order to cause the crowd to envy his disciples; he has no desire for his followers to act like the Judaizers, zealous courting others to provoke them envy. No, his disciples are to be the means by which the bread of life is given to the multitudes — and the two small fish, symbol of Gentiles and of fishing for men, of the fulfillment of Jeremiah 16:16: “Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the Lord, and they shall catch them.” In the end, the nations are to be blessed through the disobedience of Israel. Our time is short, so I will not try to prove this exhaustively, but I want you to see the pattern: Joseph's brothers disobey and sell him into slavery, so that he is carried off to a Gentile land, Egypt, and becomes assimilated to Egyptian ways. But God works it all out so that Joseph's imprisonment in an Egyptian prison works out for the salvation of Joseph's brothers and all Egypt, “to save many alive.” When Jesus touches dead bodies, a woman with a 12 year flow of bleeding that made her unclean, or a leper, what happens? The usual laws of uncleanness work backward: rather than becoming unclean, Jesus makes these people clean. That is the way God has designed the exile of Israel to work: rather than the exiled members of Israel becoming lost and destroyed, they have mingled with the nations and thereby brought it about that in order to keep His promises to Israel, God will save the Gentiles as well. As a result, “In Abraham's seed, all the nations shall be blessed.” Isn't it funny how Satan's schemes always backfire? He is truly the Wile E. Coyote of the Bible. He will have his church be Israel for the sake of the world; thus we are to be true heirs of Abraham, fulfilling the purpose for which He was called. Amen.

This episode is part 7 in a series going through the story of the Book of Mormon.2 Nephi chapters 28-29 continue Nephi's prophecies. These two chapters of the Book of Mormon lash out at what it deems false churches who oppress people and that the clergy teach their own wisdom rather than what comes from the Holy Ghost. While there can be much truth to what is said there, the Book of Mormon's antidote leaves much to be desired.2 Nephi chapter 29 especially mocks later Gentile Christians who claim the Bible is the final Word of God. As God argues to us, according to the Book of Mormon, that we should expect lots more Scripture to come, we can test the Book of Mormon's claims according to the tests in the Bible.Further research:Book of Mormon in videoJoseph Smith: The Prophet of the RestorationThe Book of Mormon online: 2 Nephi [chapters 28, 29]*** Please contribute to the Hurricane relief fund for A.M. Brewster ***We value your feedback!Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!

This episode is part 7 in a series going through the story of the Book of Mormon.2 Nephi chapters 28-29 continue Nephi's prophecies. These two chapters of the Book of Mormon lash out at what it deems false churches who oppress people and that the clergy teach their own wisdom rather than what comes from the Holy Ghost. While there can be much truth to what is said there, the Book of Mormon's antidote leaves much to be desired.2 Nephi chapter 29 especially mocks later Gentile Christians who claim the Bible is the final Word of God. As God argues to us, according to the Book of Mormon, that we should expect lots more Scripture to come, we can test the Book of Mormon's claims according to the tests in the Bible.Further research:Book of Mormon in videoJoseph Smith: The Prophet of the RestorationThe Book of Mormon online: 2 Nephi [chapters 28, 29]*** Please contribute to the Hurricane relief fund for A.M. Brewster ***We value your feedback!Have questions for Truthspresso? Contact us!

Hebrews: Many have been taught that the writer of this epistle addressed it to the Body of Christ, which of course, consists of some Jewish believers but mostly of Gentile Christians. In this verse-by-verse study, Bob Enyart takes the controversial stand that this is actually the epistle to the Hebrews. A crucial issue for those who seek to "rightly divide the word of truth", as the Bible commands us to do, is to understand what has changed regarding the believer and Israel's law, and what has not. So importantly, Hebrews teaches us: "For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law." Pastor Bob works through the book, chapter by chapter, asking God for the wisdom needed to rightly divide and to know what it is that the Lord has for us today!  MP3-CD or MP3 download   BEL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Please consider one of our monthly subscriptions that will not only help support BEL, but they also promote better understanding of the Bible and may equip you to more effectively reach those around you. NEW Monthly Downloads: Enjoy your monthly subscription is download form rather than on disc. Monthly Sermons: Enjoy all of Bob's sermons from the month on Sermon Video DVD, great also to watch with the family. Or, get these on Sermon Audio CDs which are standard audio Compact Discs that will play on any CD player including the one in your car. Or get them on a single Sermon MP3-CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer.Monthly Bible Studies: Enjoy the Scriptures with Bob's Monthly Bible Study DVDs, great too for a small group Bible study. Or get these teachings on a single Monthly Bible Study Audio MP3- CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer.Monthly Topical Videos: Coming to your mailbox, you'll get a Monthly Topical DVD to enjoy one of Bob's great videos specially selected to be entertaining and to teach about life from a biblical worldview.Monthly Best of Bob Shows: Every month our crew selects the eight best BEL shows of the month and for the folks who might have missed some of them, we mail them out on the Best of Bob MP3-CD.Monthly BEL TV Classics: Enjoy Bob Enyart's timeless, popular TV show delivered to your home on the Monthly BEL TV Classics DVDs with great audio and video clarity thanks to our state-of-the-art mastering from the studio-quality Sony beta tapes to DVD!Monthly Donation: For folks who just want to make sure that Bob Enyart Live stays on the air, please consider making a pledge in the form of a Monthly Donation.

Hebrews: Many have been taught that the writer of this epistle addressed it to the Body of Christ, which of course, consists of some Jewish believers but mostly of Gentile Christians. In this verse-by-verse study, Bob Enyart takes the controversial stand that this is actually the epistle to the Hebrews. A crucial issue for those who seek to "rightly divide the word of truth", as the Bible commands us to do, is to understand what has changed regarding the believer and Israel's law, and what has not. So importantly, Hebrews teaches us: "For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law." Pastor Bob works through the book, chapter by chapter, asking God for the wisdom needed to rightly divide and to know what it is that the Lord has for us today!  MP3-CD or MP3 download   BEL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Please consider one of our monthly subscriptions that will not only help support BEL, but they also promote better understanding of the Bible and may equip you to more effectively reach those around you. NEW Monthly Downloads: Enjoy your monthly subscription is download form rather than on disc. Monthly Sermons: Enjoy all of Bob's sermons from the month on Sermon Video DVD, great also to watch with the family. Or, get these on Sermon Audio CDs which are standard audio Compact Discs that will play on any CD player including the one in your car. Or get them on a single Sermon MP3-CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer.Monthly Bible Studies: Enjoy the Scriptures with Bob's Monthly Bible Study DVDs, great too for a small group Bible study. Or get these teachings on a single Monthly Bible Study Audio MP3- CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer.Monthly Topical Videos: Coming to your mailbox, you'll get a Monthly Topical DVD to enjoy one of Bob's great videos specially selected to be entertaining and to teach about life from a biblical worldview.Monthly Best of Bob Shows: Every month our crew selects the eight best BEL shows of the month and for the folks who might have missed some of them, we mail them out on the Best of Bob MP3-CD.Monthly BEL TV Classics: Enjoy Bob Enyart's timeless, popular TV show delivered to your home on the Monthly BEL TV Classics DVDs with great audio and video clarity thanks to our state-of-the-art mastering from the studio-quality Sony beta tapes to DVD!Monthly Donation: For folks who just want to make sure that Bob Enyart Live stays on the air, please consider making a pledge in the form of a Monthly Donation.

2/3/25. Five Minutes in the Word scriptures for today: 1 Corinthians 12:2. Resources: enduringword.com; biblehub.com; logos.com; and Life Application Study Bible. Listen daily at 10:00 am CST on https://kingdompraiseradio.com. November 2021 Podchaser list of "60 Best Podcasts to Discover!" LISTEN, LIKE, FOLLOW, SHARE! #MinutesWord; @MinutesWord; #dailybiblestudy #dailydevotional #christianpodcaster #prayforpeace https://m.youtube.com/@hhwscott

In Romans 15, Paul wants the church to know that now is the time for the gospel to go forth to the nations. With that premise, there are seven things we see in this passage about local churches and their participation in global missions. 1. Local churches are expected to participate in global missions.2. Missions and ministry requires money.3. Local churches should seek to be a blessing to missionaries.4. Local churches should be eager to minister to the poor and those in need, especially believers.5. Gentile Christians should keep a proper perspective on the Jewish people.6. We should be earnestly praying for our missionaries. 7. Everything we do is for the glory of God.

  Hebrews: Many have been taught that the writer of this epistle addressed it to the Body of Christ, which of course, consists of some Jewish believers but mostly of Gentile Christians. In this verse-by-verse study, Bob Enyart takes the controversial stand that this is actually the epistle to the Hebrews. A crucial issue for those who seek to "rightly divide the word of truth", as the Bible commands us to do, is to understand what has changed regarding the believer and Israel's law, and what has not. So importantly, Hebrews teaches us: "For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law." Pastor Bob works through the book, chapter by chapter, asking God for the wisdom needed to rightly divide and to know what it is that the Lord has for us today!        MP3-CD or MP3 download   BEL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Please consider one of our monthly subscriptions that will not only help support BEL, but they also promote better understanding of the Bible and may equip you to more effectively reach those around you. NEW Monthly Downloads: Enjoy your monthly subscription is download form rather than on disc. Monthly Sermons: Enjoy all of Bob's sermons from the month on Sermon Video DVD, great also to watch with the family. Or, get these on Sermon Audio CDs which are standard audio Compact Discs that will play on any CD player including the one in your car. Or get them on a single Sermon MP3-CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer.Monthly Bible Studies: Enjoy the Scriptures with Bob's Monthly Bible Study DVDs, great too for a small group Bible study. Or get these teachings on a single Monthly Bible Study Audio MP3- CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer.Monthly Topical Videos: Coming to your mailbox, you'll get a Monthly Topical DVD to enjoy one of Bob's great videos specially selected to be entertaining and to teach about life from a biblical worldview.Monthly Best of Bob Shows: Every month our crew selects the eight best BEL shows of the month and for the folks who might have missed some of them, we mail them out on the Best of Bob MP3-CD.Monthly BEL TV Classics: Enjoy Bob Enyart's timeless, popular TV show delivered to your home on the Monthly BEL TV Classics DVDs with great audio and video clarity thanks to our state-of-the-art mastering from the studio-quality Sony beta tapes to DVD!Monthly Donation: For folks who just want to make sure that Bob Enyart Live stays on the air, please consider making a pledge in the form of a Monthly Donation.

  Hebrews: Many have been taught that the writer of this epistle addressed it to the Body of Christ, which of course, consists of some Jewish believers but mostly of Gentile Christians. In this verse-by-verse study, Bob Enyart takes the controversial stand that this is actually the epistle to the Hebrews. A crucial issue for those who seek to "rightly divide the word of truth", as the Bible commands us to do, is to understand what has changed regarding the believer and Israel's law, and what has not. So importantly, Hebrews teaches us: "For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law." Pastor Bob works through the book, chapter by chapter, asking God for the wisdom needed to rightly divide and to know what it is that the Lord has for us today!        MP3-CD or MP3 download   BEL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Please consider one of our monthly subscriptions that will not only help support BEL, but they also promote better understanding of the Bible and may equip you to more effectively reach those around you. NEW Monthly Downloads: Enjoy your monthly subscription is download form rather than on disc. Monthly Sermons: Enjoy all of Bob's sermons from the month on Sermon Video DVD, great also to watch with the family. Or, get these on Sermon Audio CDs which are standard audio Compact Discs that will play on any CD player including the one in your car. Or get them on a single Sermon MP3-CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer.Monthly Bible Studies: Enjoy the Scriptures with Bob's Monthly Bible Study DVDs, great too for a small group Bible study. Or get these teachings on a single Monthly Bible Study Audio MP3- CD which will play on an MP3 player, in a DVD player, or in your computer.Monthly Topical Videos: Coming to your mailbox, you'll get a Monthly Topical DVD to enjoy one of Bob's great videos specially selected to be entertaining and to teach about life from a biblical worldview.Monthly Best of Bob Shows: Every month our crew selects the eight best BEL shows of the month and for the folks who might have missed some of them, we mail them out on the Best of Bob MP3-CD.Monthly BEL TV Classics: Enjoy Bob Enyart's timeless, popular TV show delivered to your home on the Monthly BEL TV Classics DVDs with great audio and video clarity thanks to our state-of-the-art mastering from the studio-quality Sony beta tapes to DVD!Monthly Donation: For folks who just want to make sure that Bob Enyart Live stays on the air, please consider making a pledge in the form of a Monthly Donation.

We have embarked on a new series about the book of Galatians. This masterpiece was written by Apostle Paul to the churches in the region of Galatia to address a perversion of the gospel that required Gentile Christians to adopt and practice the requirements of the Mosaic Law in order to be fully accepted into God's covenant family. Listen in as Monica introduces the series and teaches from chapter 1.

Send us a textWhat if your understanding of salvation is turned on its head? Dive into a captivating exploration of predestination and divine election as we unpack Apostle Paul's teachings from the Book of Ephesians. Join us as we challenge the conventional view of salvation being a result of human initiative and examine the profound notion that it is God who initiates faith in individuals. Through an engaging discussion, we reveal how Paul's message to the Gentile Christians in Ephesus reshapes our understanding of God's sovereignty versus human agency. Listen closely as we navigate through scripture and confront the idea that all things, including salvation and condemnation, are orchestrated according to God's will.Throughout this episode, we traverse through biblical passages from First Peter to First Thessalonians, shedding light on the nature of God's justice and the concept of divine election. By contrasting these beliefs with other religious perspectives emphasizing adherence to the law, we invite you to reassess the effectiveness of such practices in achieving salvation. We delve into the implications of predestination on faith, unraveling the complexities of divine love and justice. Our conversation doesn't shy away from differing interpretations and objections, but rather invites you to reflect on the grand scheme of God's plan. Prepare to be challenged and enlightened as we discuss these profound theological ideas.Funny news, Real Talk & Spiritual Growth - Faith that's honest, Deep & Intentional Breaking down faith, culture & big questions - a mix of humor with real spiritual growth. Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Antisemitism must have no place in our outlook as Christians. Take Paul’s case in Romans 11 to heart. In the Old Testament, the Jews were the centerpiece of God’s redemptive work. Yet when Christ came, they waged war against Him and his disciples and were, on the whole, rejected; and “Through their fall . . . salvation has come to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:11). If you’re a Gentile Christian today, don’t pridefully despise the Jews, but be thankful God grafted you into the seed of Abraham. And know their rejection is not final, for “when the fulness of the Gentiles is come,” they will be gathered to Him again (Rom. 11:26-28). Sermon: https://churchandfamilylife.com/sermons/6784ac86239f2b3a92efceba

In this programme, you heard important information about Paul's missionary journeys in the cities of Miletus, Tyre, and Caesarea until Paul and his companions reached Jerusalem. During the journey to Jerusalem, some people kept asking Paul to refrain from going to Jerusalem, but Paul's friends did not understand God's will for Paul. Paul's main purpose in going to Jerusalem was to deliver the donations that had been collected by the churches in the provinces of Antioch and Galatia. Paul hoped that by presenting these donations, unity and reconciliation would be established between Jewish and Gentile Christians. When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, as you heard, the Jews from Ephesus who had come to Jerusalem stirred up a riot in the city and arrested him on the false charge of defiling the temple. As the soldiers were taking Paul away, he asked the Roman soldiers to let him speak to the people.

Daily Dose of Hope December 31 AND January 1, 2024 Day 3 & 4 of Week 40   Scripture: Jeremiah 17-20, 22-23, 26; Psalm 77; James 1-2 Happy New Year, everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve.  Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope.  I realize that I am a day behind on the devotional.  Thus, I am combining the devotional/podcasts for day 3 and 4 of this week.    Our Old Testament reading is in Jeremiah once again.  In chapter 17, Jeremiah is again bringing God's message of condemnation to the people.  They are sinful, trusting in humans rather than God, and not keeping the law.    In chapter 18, God has Jeremiah go to the potter's house where the potter is manipulating the clay; in fact, the clay was marred by the potter's own hands.  God makes the point that he could and would do the same to Judah.  Of course, the people aren't thrilled with this kind of prophecy so they speak out against Jeremiah, who in turn goes to the Lord with a poem of lament.    In response, God has Jeremiah go get a clay jar from the potter.  God has the prophet be very clear with the people.  Because of their sin and disobedience, God will smash the nation of Judah.  And then Jeremiah literally smashes the jar.  He certainly makes the point well.  God then has Jeremiah continue to prophecy disaster.    Again, this does not make Jeremiah very popular.  A temple priest even has Jeremiah beaten for his prophecy.  Jeremiah goes back to God in despair.  He seems to vacillate between complaining and wanting vengeance.  As we read these chapters, I can't help but feel somewhat sorry for Jeremiah.  He is being obedient but things are not easy.    I'm not sure why the reading plan has us skipping some chapters, except that we will go back to them in the coming days.  I'm guessing this is about reading the chapters in chronological order rather than the order they were placed in the book.  The remaining chapters for today are more details of destruction.  It's coming soon.   Our New Testament reading is from the book of James.  Let's start with the first chapter.  The author of this letter is James, the brother of Jesus, who was a leader in the early church in Jerusalem. He addresses it to the twelve tribes dispersed among the nations, so this would include the Jewish community who are now dispersed in the nations around Palestine. Gentile Christians may also be included but this isn't clear.   James doesn't appear to have a specific progression to his letter; he does hop from topic to topic, covering a lot of ground, mostly concerned with matters that will affect the strength and integrity of the listeners' faith.   Now, let's look at verses 19-21, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry...” The power of the tongue is a dangerous thing. Haven't we seen this over and over again? We find commands to control the tongue throughout wisdom literature. In fact, lack of control over our speech almost always leads to issues. There is a definite connection between looseness of speech and anger. Maybe unresolved anger is the root of gossip and angry speech. But let's be clear, a wagging tongue is almost never a good thing.   The verses continue, “...human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” In this case, we might think of righteousness as that which meets God's approval or even the way of doing life for which God approves. Basically, anger leads to the kinds of things which displease God. Period. But there's more. Because of all that stuff we just talked about, “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” Get rid of your old way of doing life that is so rampant in the world and put on your new life like a new set of clothes, your new life in Christ.   My mind immediately goes to 2 Cor. 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” When we say yes to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes and makes a home within us and we literally become new people. We are transformed from the inside out. James seems to be saying that with these new lives, we have to be so careful and aware of the words that come out of our mouths. We don't want to displease God. I might also add, nor do we want to damage the Kingdom. How much damage has been done, how many people have been turned off, because a Christ-follower said an ugly word, gossiped about someone, or demonstrated anger in an unhealthy way? Too much damage, my dear friends, way too much damage. Let's all say “enough is enough” and commit to restraining our tongues.   Let's move on to James 2.  Faith without works is dead. We've probably all heard this more than a few times. But what does it mean? James is very concerned that those around him view faith merely as a verbal confession. He considers this faith to be useless. Rather, true faith always leads us to some kind of actions that are a reflection of that faith. Let's be clear; James is not saying that people are saved by their works. Absolutely not! We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Only our faith in Jesus Christ saves. But, if we truly are Jesus-followers, then there should be some substance to our belief. That should lead to some behavior change, that should inform how we treat people and how we live our lives. We must walk the walk as well as talk the talk.   Ultimately, God knows our hearts. How is it with your soul today? Are you walking the walk as well as talking the talk?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Shalom Aleikhem, my dear listeners, believer and nonbeliver alike! Welcome back to another blog post of #FindingHyerGround - Messianic Jewish Perspectives on Modern Day Events - a Spotify for Podcasters publication now streaming on all major platforms and bringing the Good News of Salvation through Messiah Yeshua to 28 countries including Uzbekistan

Today, we delve into the intersection of faith, tradition, and cultural identity as explored in the book of Romans as the message focuses on the unwavering nature of Jesus Christ amidst political and social turmoil, drawing parallels between the ancient Roman context and modern-day challenges. Pastor Dan explores how the Apostle Paul addressed the cultural and religious tensions among Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome, urging them to prioritize faith over tradition. Listeners are invited to reflect on their own spiritual journey, examining whether they are "culturally Christian" or truly living a life of faith. The episode emphasizes the importance of patience, compassion, and community, encouraging believers to embrace their role as ambassadors for Christ, both within the church and in the wider world. Join Pastor Dan as he challenges us to see each other through the eyes of Christ, fostering a church community that is welcoming, nurturing, and ever-growing in faith.

As we move into Galatians chapter 2 with our sermon series “Undivided,” Mandy Fowler and Lead Pastor Ken Nash discuss the significance of Peter refusing to eat with the Gentile Christians and how we can apply this to ourselves today. 

As we move into Galatians chapter 2 with our sermon series “Undivided,” Mandy Fowler and Lead Pastor Ken Nash discuss the significance of Peter refusing to eat with the Gentile Christians and how we can apply this to ourselves today. 

Full Text of ReadingsFeast of Saint Luke, evangelist Lectionary: 661The Saint of the day is Saint LukeSaint Luke's Story Luke wrote one of the major portions of the New Testament, a two-volume work comprising the third Gospel and Acts of the Apostles. In the two books he shows the parallel between the life of Christ and that of the Church. He is the only Gentile Christian among the Gospel writers. Tradition holds him to be a native of Antioch, and Paul calls him “our beloved physician.” His Gospel was probably written between 70 and 85 A.D. Luke appears in Acts during Paul's second journey, remains at Philippi for several years until Paul returns from his third journey, accompanies Paul to Jerusalem, and remains near him when he is imprisoned in Caesarea. During these two years, Luke had time to seek information and interview persons who had known Jesus. He accompanied Paul on the dangerous journey to Rome where he was a faithful companion. Luke's unique character may best be seen by the emphases of his Gospel, which has been given a number of subtitles:1) The Gospel of Mercy2) The Gospel of Universal Salvation3) The Gospel of the Poor4) The Gospel of Absolute Renunciation5) The Gospel of Prayer and the Holy Spirit6) The Gospel of Joy Reflection Luke wrote as a Gentile for Gentile Christians. His Gospel and Acts of the Apostles reveal his expertise in classic Greek style as well as his knowledge of Jewish sources. There is a warmth to Luke's writing that sets it apart from that of the other synoptic Gospels, and yet it beautifully complements those works. The treasure of the Scriptures is a true gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. Saint Luke is the Patron Saint of: Artists/PaintersBrewersButchersNotariesPhysicians/Surgeons Click here for more on Saint Luke! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Send us a textEver wondered why following all 613 Mosaic laws is considered impossible, and what Paul meant by describing reliance on these laws as a curse? Discover the profound insights from Galatians 3:10 as we explore the complex relationship between Old Testament laws and modern Christianity. Through vivid examples we unravel the impracticality of selective adherence and the danger of legalism. We also tackle the challenge early Gentile Christians faced when pressured to adopt Jewish laws, highlighting Paul's passionate argument against such imposition and the true freedom found in embracing the "law of Christ," where love takes precedence over rigid rule-keeping. Whether you're a seasoned believer or simply curious, this episode promises to leave you with new insights and a deeper appreciation for the message of Galatians and the liberty found in Christ.Support the show

Today's discussion centered around why Paul made such a big deal about the issue of circumcision among Gentile Christians. Ultimately, Paul's concern was with interpreting Scripture/the Old Testament correctly. We concluded by talking about practical implications from Paul's argument in this day and age. 

God's grace, though freely given, is intolerant of self-righteous religiosity, hypocrisy, ethnocentrism, and self-sufficiency, as exemplified by Paul's confrontation of Peter for discouraging fellowship between Jewish and Gentile Christians in Antioch.For the study resources and manuscript go to VBVF.ORG

WEEK FOUR: GOSPEL TRUTH Week 4: Galatians 2:11–21 Even the esteemed Peter, a pillar of the early church, wasn't immune to missteps. As Paul continues his letter to the Galatian churches, he recounts an incident where Peter distanced himself from Gentile Christians for reasons of ceremonial purity. Paul uses this incident to highlight that our salvation comes not through our own actions or external religiosity, but only through faith in the sacrifice of Christ.

In Acts 15, we see Paul and Barnabas in sharp dispute with the Jerusalem Pharisee Christians, who insist that all new Gentile Christians must be circumcised. Paul blows up at this, and thus, the showdown we call The Jerusalem Council. Is baptism the new circumcision?

Daily Dose of Hope September 2, 2024 Day 2 of Week 23   Scripture:  Proverbs 6-7; Psalm 7; Romans 11   Happy Monday and Happy Labor Day!  Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  I do hope you get a break from labor today.  Regardless, spend some time reflecting on how God is at work in your life and our church.    We are starting today with Proverbs 6 and 7.  Solomon is again sharing wisdom to his “son” which may also refer to his students.  In chapter 6, the first part of the chapter deals with laziness, specifically being lazy in financial dealings and also being lazy in general.  Don't be careless with money.  Also, don't expect things to come to you without hard work.  A lot of this seems like common sense but it's really, really important stuff.  Both being foolish with money or being lazy and not taking advantage of the opportunities God presents can lead to poverty.  We will definitely see this theme of self-responsibility in these chapters.    Later in chapter 6 and in chapter 7, there are warnings against adultery or more specifically, the adulterous women.  I used to scoff at these verses, because women are singled out.  This didn't make a lot of sense to me, as women had so little control over their lives at the time.  The chance of them seeking out an adulterous relationship was pretty slim.  But I think we need to look at these examples in a broader context.  Yes, adultery is bad for both women and men.  But adultery is often used in Scripture to describe sin in general.  When they speak of adultery, think of all sinful temptations, anything that could lead to ruin.  This could include adultery, but also addiction, abuse, pornography, financial deception, gambling, violence, gossip, the list goes on and on.  All sin has consequences but there are certain sinful behaviors that can lead to total destruction of our lives.   Next, we move on to Psalm 7.   This is another psalm of lament written by King David.  In it, David is asking God to save him from the vicious attacks of his enemies.  He claims that he is innocent and doesn't deserve this treatment.  Because of his innocence, he asks God to provide justice.  This isn't just David being really mad and wanting God to punish those he doesn't like; David is rather affirming something about God's character – that he a just and good judge.  It ends with David praising and thanking God for his righteousness.  It's basically saying that anyone who sees these attributes of God (his justice, his kindness, his goodness, his perfection, and his righteousness), will inevitably worship him.  How can one not worship a God who is such a just judge and righteous lawmaker?   Our New Testament passage is Romans 11.  Paul is stating that because Israel rejected the Gospel, the Gentiles had the opportunity to receive it.  Interestingly, Paul says that the salvation of the Gentiles was meant to instill a desire in the Jews for the same amazing gift.  But that didn't necessarily happen.  At the same time, the Gentiles really didn't do anything to make the Jews jealous of this gift.  Think about it, Gentile Christians throughout the centuries have had the opportunity to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with Jews, to demonstrate the abundant life that comes by walking closely with Jesus.  While that may have happened occasionally, more often we see Jews treated with persecution, oppression, and violence.    Do you have any Jews in your sphere of influence or circle of friends?  What are their thoughts of Jesus?  Spend some time right now praying for their salvation and how God might be calling you to share the story of Jesus with them.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Sunday, August 25, 2024 - Daniel Ausbun preaching from Acts 10:1-33

Vladimir challenges us as Gentile Christians to share our faith with Jewish unbelievers, making them jealous of what we have in Yeshua. Why? We were offered salvation after His own refused His generous offer. Still He loves them dearly.

St. Paul reminds the Gentile Christians of the terrible way of life that they walked when they lived under idolatry. Such a life was nothing but futility, darkness, ignorance, impurity, and hardness of heart. Instead, now they have received Christ and His truth. Baptized into Him, they have put off the old self, that is, the sinful nature. Through the work of the Spirit, their minds are renewed and they put on the new self, created after the image of God in His righteousness.  Rev. David Boisclair, pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Overland, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ephesians 4:17-24.  "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle to the Ephesians. St. Paul highlights the salvation that God has given to His whole Church by His grace through faith. Because God has given His people this new life in Holy Baptism, we live in thanksgiving to Him as members of one body. 

Every year, on the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av, the Jewish people mourn the loss of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, along with a host of other tragedies that occurred on that same day throughout its history. Why would getting one step closer to its rebuilding instigate a war between Hamas and Israel? What is so important about this ancient building that would prompt a Gentile Christian from Texas to devote his life's work to researching and teaching the world about the Temple? Joseph Good is a pioneer in the modern Messianic movement and one of the world's leading experts on the Holy Temple. If you have ever wondered why the Torah would devote such extensive space to describing the building of the Tabernacle and what prompted David and Solomon to build a Temple and the Babylonian exiles to rebuild it, this episode is for you. – Episode Topics – 0:00 Introducing Joseph Good, leading expert on the Temple. 1:58 A debut on Christian Television. 5:34 Passover Seder research sparked a lifetime of study. 14:43 How a 1967 paratrooper started the Temple Institute. 17:52 A Gentile's contributions to Jerusalem Temple research. 20:15 Current status of rebuilding the Temple. 24:58 Why is the location of the Temple important? 35:15 Why would a red bovine prompt Hamas to attack Israel? 38:16 What are we missing by the absence of a Temple? 42:17 Why would a Christian want to see the Temple rebuilt? 47:02 The key to understanding end-times prophecy – Episode Resources – Sacrifices from a Messianic Jewish Perspective https://ffoz.store/products/what-about-the-sacrifices Jerusalem Temple Study https://jerusalemtemplestudy.com/ Second Temple App https://apps.apple.com/us/app/second-temple/id1489392068 Hatikva Ministries https://www.facebook.com/HatikvaMinistries/ Joseph Good on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@hatikvaministries6566 Rosh HaShanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come https://www.amazon.com/Rosh-HaShanah-Messianic-Kingdom-Come/dp/1976181461 Measure the Pattern https://www.amazon.com/Measure-Pattern-structures-surrounding-Courtyard/dp/1073761096 Messiah Podcast is a production of First Fruits of Zion (https://ffoz.org) in conjunction with Messiah Magazine. This publication is designed to provide rich substance, meaningful Jewish contexts, cultural understanding of the teaching of Jesus, and the background of modern faith from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Messiah Podcast theme music provided with permission by Joshua Aaron Music (http://JoshuaAaron.tv). “Cover the Sea” Copyright WorshipinIsrael.com songs 2020. All rights reserved.

The salvation by grace through faith in Christ is not only for Jews; it is for Gentiles as well. St. Paul especially reminds the Gentile Christians in Ephesus that although they had once been far away from God, they have now been brought near in Christ. Where once there had been division between Jew and Gentile, now there is peace, for Christ has died to reconcile sinners to God. Through Jesus, all who trust in Him have access to God and are joined into the one holy Christian and apostolic Church. Christ is the cornerstone of His Church, and He builds us together into the dwelling place of God.  Rev. Jeremy Swem, pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, MI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ephesians 2:11-22.   "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistle to the Ephesians. St. Paul highlights the salvation that God has given to His whole Church by His grace through faith. Because God has given His people this new life in Holy Baptism, we live in thanksgiving to Him as members of one body.

As we complete reading Paul's letter to the Romans we note his point that “whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” [15 v.4]  “The Scriptures” are, of course, the Old Testament.  Paul wanted the Gentile Christian converts in Rome to realize these Jewish scrolls are now for them as well.  Those who claim to follow Christ today need to realize this too – many think they only need the New Testament, or at most, only the Psalms and Proverbs. One particular reason that Paul gives is the examples of “endurance” in the service of God will give them encouragement and hope.  He writes, ”may the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another …”  [v.5]  When the world around us is godless and falling apart because there is no unifying spirit of faith and vision, it is more important than ever for true believers to be in harmony and to be a source of strength to each other. How desperate the situation of Jeremiah is becoming! His faith is now undergoing greater tests.  We read today how “the priests and the (false) prophets said … ‘This man deserves the sentence of death because he has prophesied against this city …” [26 v,11] Jeremiah is an outstanding example of endurance for us. In our 2 Samuel 23 reading we have “the last words of David … the sweet psalmist of Israel” [v.1].  He says, “The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue. [v.2]  What words we have in his and other Psalms to give us “encouragement” in order to endure. Although not tested at present as Jeremiah was; we know a few that are which we must remember in prayer, but we must not turn to prayer as a last resort as the final king in Jerusalem did,  sending to Jeremiah an urgent message “Please pray for us to the LORD ..” [37 v.3], but it was too late. Returning to our chapter in Romans we notice how Paul selects 4 different quotations from the Old Testament (v.9 to 12) which all relate to what was written under God's inspiration about the involvement of the Gentiles.  The time had now arrived for them to “glorify God for his mercy.” [v.9] Paul had been previously blind to the significance of these Scriptures.  Let us not be blind “to whatever was written in former days” – for as this world becomes even more unstable we will need all the encouragement and spiritual strength the Scriptures provide – remember Jesus said, “the one who endures to the end will be saved.” [Matt. 24 v.13]

Web Description: This podcast deals with supersessionism and replacement theology, two names for a very dangerous belief system that is foundational to the problem of anti-Semitism within the Church. But what we see from both the Old Testament and New Testament is that the premise of this belief system is an impossibility. So I pray with all my heart that we can see removed from the Church, once and for all, these concepts and these doctrines, and we can begin to walk in oneness with our Jewish brothers and sisters.   Show Notes: At the root of supersessionism and replacement theology is the concept that the Jews by disobedience broke their covenant with God, and Christians are the recipients of the new covenant. This is an assumption that the Scriptures do not support. It is true that God promised a new covenant to replace a broken covenant and that Yeshua (Jesus) instituted the new covenant at the Last Supper. These truths, however, do not suggest or imply that Christians have replaced the Jews as God's people.   God sought to replace the bilateral covenant at Sinai with a new unilateral covenant. The covenant at Sinai did not work because at Sinai the children of Israel agreed to follow the Law, something they were unable to do. It is also something that Christians and all humans with human flesh are unable to do. The new covenant that God promised to Judah and Israel is a unilateral covenant, meaning that God does everything. He puts His law in their minds and hearts, fulfilling the requirement of the Law and reaffirming that they are His people.   Therefore, God did not replace the Law, and He did not replace His choosing of Israel. He only replaced the methodology of the covenant itself and how it was formed. God took it from a bilateral covenant into a unilateral covenant. This new covenant now opens the door for everyone to fulfill the Law by faith through grace. The fact that Gentiles can now be included by this grace is wonderful. To twist some Scriptures and say that the failure of a few Jews in the past caused God to reject all Jews and replace them with Gentile Christians is anti-Semitism. It is a form of racism that must be removed from our hearts and from the teachings of the Church.   Key Verses:   •       Hebrews 7:26–27. “A high priest … who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices.” •       Hebrews 8:1–2. “We have such a high priest … a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle.” •       Hebrews 8:6–7. “He is also the mediator of a better covenant.” •       Hebrews 8:8–13. “Finding fault with them, He says … ‘I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT.'” •       Exodus 24:3. “The people answered … ‘All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!'” •       Luke 22:19–20. “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” •       1 Corinthians 11:23–26. “This cup is the new covenant in My blood.” •       Jeremiah 31:29–30. “Everyone will die for his own iniquity.” •       Revelation 20:12. “The dead were judged … according to their deeds.” •       Jeremiah 31:31–33. “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it.” •       Jeremiah 31:34. “I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” •       Jeremiah 31:35–37. “If this fixed order departs … then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel.”   Quotes:   •       “He is not rejecting the people nor is He rejecting the Law. He is recognizing that there is a failure in that covenant, and therefore God is fixing it.” •       “That is the significance of a unilateral covenant—God is going to do it. He is going to do that which man cannot do, Jew or Gentile.” •       “Whoever sins, the Lord will deal with that person individually. So that must be clear, and it flies in the face of the whole idea of replacement theology.”   Takeaways:   1.    Replacement theology contends that the Jews broke their covenant with God because they failed to fulfill the Law, and therefore God rejected them, replacing them with Christians who have the new covenant. The Scriptures prove that this is false teaching. 2.    When Christ instituted the new covenant, He did not do away with the Law or the promises that were given to the people of Israel. The new covenant comes to create in them a heart whereby they can walk in the Law. So clearly, God did not reject the Law nor did He reject His people. 3.    God has not said to the Jewish people, “Your ancestors blew it, and therefore all Jews since then have been rejected.” It does not work that way. The Lord deals with each person individually according to his or her deeds. 4.     God spoke that just as it is impossible to make day or night cease, it is impossible for Israel to cease from being a nation before Him forever. Very simply, God will never reject His people, which erases the very foundation of replacement theology.

Tonite June 11 begins the Feast of Shavuot through June 13. This is the 6th of Sivan on the Hebrew calender -a time where God calls the Jewish people to covenant relationship with Him through the Torah in Exodus 19 and 20. It is also a time where He calls Messianic Believers and Gentile Christians to receive power from the Holy Spirit through baptism by fire in Acts 2. When God calls His people to Mt Sinai , He is saying you will be “My People” and they agree to hear and follow the Holy Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:22-23 reads, “And the LORD said unto Moses, “Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.”A covenant begins which means a type of marriage or union occurs between God and the Israelites- they become one and now the Israelites have a relationship with one who covers them in His mantle ! This same thing happens in the New Testament when Jesus tells His disciples to go to Upper room and wait for the Holy Spirit to come and fire comes forth that they receive His Holy Spirit as a seal of redemption and Yeshua becomes one with the people and again they are mantled by God in His covering!This week He is calling us to come and Be One with Him and receive our identity as His people wearing His splendor and majesty! We are called to consecrate ourselves before receiving such a blessing that will empower us to go forth and carry His word and Spirit in the earth! It is time for a fresh fire touch and a renewed commitment to Be One With Him as He Mantles Us in His covenant glory ! This is a heavy mantle as it means we must leave behind the world and its idols and vow not to have other gods before Him!Assess yourself today and let these false attachments go and receive a new identity in Him as you move forward in the Kingdom of God in the earth. Repent today and ask His forgiveness and receive a fresh touch for a new start as His Holy Son or Daughter Mantled in His glory - carrying His blessing in the earth!Feast of Shavuot or Pentecost is HERE and it's time for your Pentecost offering in accordance with Deuteronomy 16:16-18. Consider giving today to this ministry as God leads. https://candicesmithyman.com/partnership/Do you want to be trained as good disciples or biblical life coach ? Do you need to experience transformation in your souls so you can be the best God is calling you to be. Go to www.dreammentors.orgYou have a week to sign up for our next Ascension class -Maximize Your Prophetic Potential monthly class. Next class is Tuesday June 18 at 10 am or 6 pm EST. You can choose which one. Click here https://dream-mentors-transformational-life-coaching.teachable.com/p/maximize-your-prophetic-potential-course1/?preview=logged_outPut in discount code SA1 for $30 each month and join Candice Live Zoom!Get a copy of Dr Candice new book “365 Prophetic Revelations from Hebrew Calender”-https://amzn.to/4aQYoR0

Send us a Text Message.The idea of “one law for both Israel and the foreigner” appears four times in the Torah. Does this mean Gentiles were under the entire law? We look at each passage to discover the answer. My hope is that this will help us respond more biblically the next time a Torah-keeper cites these verses to argue this issue. I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone quote the verse “There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns with you” (Exodus 12:49) and use this to somehow support the idea that Gentile Christians today are under the Old Covenant law. The idea is that even under the Old Covenant, Gentiles were fully under the law, so the same must be true about  the New Covenant. That there is one law, and we are all under it. There are a number of problems with this line of logic, starting with the fact that that verse does not mean what they think it means. Defending the Biblical Roots of ChristianityOur websiteOur YouTube ChannelProf. Solberg's BlogSupport our Ministry (Thank you!)Chapters00:00 Intro03:57 Exodus 12:4908:44 Leviticus 24:2214:42 Numbers 15:1618:45 NUmbers 15:2926:52 Wrap it up, Solberg

Sermon: Am I Grounded Enough? (Galatians pt. 1)Scripture: Galatians 1:1-9Series: GalatiansTeacher: Rev. Paul LawlerThe specific problem addressed in this passage is the insidious influence of false teachers who were distorting the true essence of the Gospel. They were misleading Gentile Christian converts into believing that adherence to Jewish customs and laws was necessary for salvation. Pastor Paul draws attention to the danger of adding anything to the pure message of Christ, emphasizing that such additions dilute the Gospel's transformative power.Listeners are guided through the Apostle Paul's emotional response to the Galatians' predicament. He highlights the fundamental role of the Gospel not only in initial salvation but also in shaping the ongoing Christian life. Drawing parallels to contemporary issues, Pastor Paul underscores the relevance of the Apostle Paul's admonition against false teachings in today's context.Listeners are invited to contemplate their own grounding in the Gospel and encouraged to discern the authenticity of messages they encounter. Pastor Paul explains the critical importance of remaining anchored in the timeless truths of Scripture.This sermon serves as a timely reminder of the dangers of deviating from the Gospel and the necessity of staying rooted in its unchanging message. Understanding and embracing the Gospel is crucial for initial salvation and foundational for every aspect of the Christian journey.

In Matthew 5:9, Jesus said “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God”. What is this ‘peace' that Jesus is encouraging us to ‘make'? And in particular, what does it look like to cultivate this kind of peace within a Christian community? Join us in Ephesians to hear how Paul encouraged the Jew and Gentile Christians in Ephesus to unify and foster this harmonious peace, despite their cultural differences.

Mike and Ken wrap up Paul's confrontation with Peter over his separation from the Gentile Christians in Antioch. In these three remaining verses, Paul repeatedly uses forms of death, life and the personal pronoun I. Ken and Mike discuss what died, what we died to, Jesus living in us, what we're living for, how we're living now, living in the body, and living by faith. A listener is wondering what three “dream” sponsors the guys would want for the podcast? Also, what are the guys trying to get out of by disappearing? And Ken learns something new about Mike that may expand their audience. What could it be?Passage: Galatians 2:19-21

Daily Dose of Hope April 23, 2024  Day 3 of Week 4   Scripture reading for today – Genesis 45-46; Psalm 108; Galatians 2   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional that complements New Hope's Bible reading plan.  I'm hoping that you are finding this daily reading helpful.  Keep in mind, even when the Scripture passages are difficult, there is purpose in them.  So keep up the good work!   I've always loved the story of Joseph, which we've been covering in Genesis.  Through Joseph, we can learn so much about staying true to our faith, trusting in God, and forgiveness in the most difficult of circumstances.  If you haven't done so already, read through Genesis chapters 45 and 46.  I think we have covered most of the main points in the past few days.  Today, I want to mix it up a bit and start with our New Testament passage.   On we go to Galatians 2.  This chapter provides an interesting discussion about how, early on, the apostles accepted Paul's ministry to the Gentiles and even blessed it.  There was a clear understanding, in Paul's view anyway, that Gentile Christians didn't have to follow Jewish law but needed to simply believe in Jesus Christ.  But the power of criticism is strong.  People within the church were highly upset about this and the apostles started to cave.  They began to profess the need to follow Jewish law again and even stopped eating with Gentiles.  Paul was forced to confront Cephas (Peter), who ministered primarily to Jewish Christians, about his hypocrisy which seemed to be spreading among the apostles.    Let's think about the definition of hypocrisy: to state specific beliefs and values to which one's actions clearly defy. The church has often been accused of being hypocritical, professing one thing and doing another.  Individual Christians have often been accused of being hypocritical, saying one thing and then doing another.  Hypocrisy has been incredibly damaging to the Kingdom.  Paul is calling it out in today's Scripture, as he recognizes how dangerous it is for the new Gentile believers.  It has the potential to not only confuse them, but lead them away from the Gospel message.   The same can be said today.  When we live by the mantra "do as I say but not as I do" then people are turned off.  I've had a number of friends and family members leave the church permanently because they couldn't stand the way those who gathered on Sunday and professed one thing behaved poorly the rest of the week.  Friends, our behavior, attitudes, and words matter to an unbelieving world!  As we continue our week, ask God to give you a hyper awareness of the kinds of things you say and do.  Are you representing Jesus well?  Are we representing Jesus well as a church?  Might I add, even in our social media?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

The confrontation Paul has with Peter continues in these next four verses. Peter had been separating himself from the Gentile Christians, which was to say they weren't right with God. It also said the Jews were better than the Gentiles. But the truth is, everyone is dead spiritually and does acts of sin and needs the saving of Jesus. Ken and Mike discuss what it means to be saved by faith and to be justified by Jesus. They also explore how, although we are saved and justified, we can still fall back into external measures, motivators, and laws. A listener shares they are a new Christian and are thinking about baptism. They have some questions concerning baptism and ask for the guys' help. Also, what would a leaning pulpit help us determine about a church? And are the guys marked as safe from the eclipse on social media?Passage: Galatians 2:15-18

Let's start this morning with three questions, and I want to tell you this right away — I'm not over-speaking here and I'm not kidding — these are the most important questions you could ever ask yourself.What is your heaven?Who is your savior?Where are you now?Over the next 35 minutes I'm asking that each of you think about these questions as we dig into Philippians Chapter 3, and I don't know what each of you are bringing in here today, but I do know that God works by his Spirit through his word and I invite you to humble your heart to that fact. Let's pray:Father in heaven, our great God, you are King from of old and you are working your salvation right now in the midst of the earth. We ask this morning that you work in here, by your Spirit, through your word, for your glory, in Jesus's name, amen. 1) What Is Your Heaven? (verse 3)Look at verse 3. Now Pastor David Mathis talked a lot about this verse last week and it was so good, so we need to start here again this week, especially with that phrase “For we are the circumcision.” What does that mean again? What does Paul mean by calling this church and himself (that's who he has in mind when he says “we”) — what does he mean by “we are the circumcision”?The False TeachingNotice first that the phrase is meant to be a contrast to verse 2. In verse 2, Paul warns about false teachers and calls them dogs, evildoers, and mutilators of the flesh. And last week we learned two things about this: not all of us are dog people. … (there are some good cat people out there); we learned that these false teachers are Jewish false teachers who had been misleading Gentile Christians by telling them that the men had to be physically circumcised in order to really become part of the people of God.The false teachers said that if you wanted to be set apart by God, recognized by God as his people, then you have to obey Jewish laws, and the most central, life-adjusting law was for the men to be circumcised — that wasn't something you just did on a whim; it was a distinctive lifelong marker.And in the minds of the false teachers, circumcision was the marker that meant you were part of the people of God. They conflated the two: To be God's people was to be circumcised. To be circumcised was to be God's people. So, if someone were to say, “we are the circumcision” that's like saying “We are God's people.”Well, in verse 3, that's what Paul is doing. He says: “For we are the circumcision.” He's saying we are the real people of God — not these false teachers and those like them who think you have to be Jewish in order to be the people of God, but it's us, we — Paul who is ethnically Jewish and these Gentile believers — we are the real people of God, not by keeping Jewish laws like circumcision, but by faith in Christ.What They WantedAnd Paul is going to elaborate on that in the following verses and that's where we're gonna focus, but before we do that, I want to step back and ask a broader question … it's the question: What do they want? What did these false teachers want? That's another way of asking: What is their heaven? That's the way to think about “your heaven.” Your heaven is what you most want. I think for these false teachers, the answer is that they wanted to be God's people. That's the irony in what Paul says in verse 3 — These false teachers wanted to be the people of God (and they were trying to tell others how to be the people of God), but Paul says, No, you're actually dogs. You're evildoers and mutilators. We are the real people of God.The false teachers were wrong, but we should know they were probably sincere in what they were doing. And that's true for most false teachers: False teachers tend to really believe the lies they spread. Which is why it takes discernment on our part. The false teachers were spreading lies, but if what they wanted, if what they were after was to be the people of God, that's not a terrible thing. That's a pretty good thing to want. If your heaven is to be God's people, that's a good start to our first question. I mean, there are a lot of worse things to most want in life … Some people most want to be rich and famous. That's their heaven. Some people most want to be comfortable and cared for. That's their heaven. Some people most want to advance their cause at all costs. That's their heaven.So you have the worldly ambitious … and the comfort-loving don't-mind-me's … and the scorch-the-earth zealots — A lot of people fall into those three categories. Everybody has their heaven. What's yours?What do you most want? Pretend that this afternoon you meet a genie who gives you one wish, what are you asking? It can't be for more wishes; every genie shoots that down. What's the one thing you're asking? “What is your heaven?” — hold that question. Now here's the second question:2) Who Is Your Savior? (verses 4–7)Now, our first two questions are closely related. We're not done with the first one, but we need to see something here.We're going to focus on verses 4–7, but notice again in verse 3: After Paul says, “For we are the circumcision” (we're the real people of God) — he explains what that means in three things that we do. Pastor Mathis called these “three marks of what it means to really be a Christian” (verse 3) — We worship by the Spirit of God, we glory (or boast) in Christ Jesus, and we put no confidence in the flesh. And that last one is especially important because that's precisely the opposite of what these false teachers were doing and teaching. These false teachers were saying that in order to be part of God's people, the flesh does matter and you need to make it something you can put confidence in.So Paul directly shuts that down. To be a real Christian is to put NO confidence in your flesh — no confidence in your own efforts and energies as a way to earn God's favor. Christians are done with the flesh.But wait a minute …Confidence in the Flesh?The false teachers (or someone influenced by the false teachers) might hear Paul say that and think, “Well, he's just saying that because he feels sorry for these Gentiles who don't have anything good in their flesh!” “Paul is just stacking the deck in their favor!” It's like this: imagine I'm playing basketball with my four boys, and imagine, hypothetically, that a couple of the boys can't dribble well. They prefer to tuck the basketball like it's a football and run to the goal, hypothetically.Now what if we're about to play a game and I gather the four boys together and said, “Hey, boys, for this game, we put no confidence in dribbling. You don't have to dribble according to the rules of this game.”If I were to say that, the other two boys would say, “The only reason you're saying dribbling doesn't matter is because they can't dribble. This is rigged.”In verse 4 Paul anticipates that being said to him. He anticipates someone saying: The only reason you say flesh-boasting doesn't matter is because they've got nothing to flesh-boast about.And Paul goes like sanctified ballistic here. Notice he changes from the third person “we” in verse 3, and he starts talking about himself. He says: “[we, the real people of God] put no confidence in the flesh — THOUGH I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more.”This is what Paul is saying. He's saying: “You don't have to dribble in this game, but I can dribble. In fact, if anybody thinks he can dribble, I'm actually better.” Then in verse 5 Paul's like, Give me the ball. Let me show you. And he tells us seven things about himself that make him remarkably Jewish. He is so Jewish, and was once so committed to Judaism, that he beats these false teachers in their own game. He outscores them on their own scorecard. Paul was everything (and more) of what these false teachers could only hope to be. And it's fascinating what he says in verse 6 when he says that he was “a persecutor of the church.” This means that Paul has actually been where these false teachers were, except that he was so extreme in his zeal that he didn't just try to make Christianity more Jewish, he tried to end Christianity. Paul was better at doing what these false teachers are trying to do. This is a stunning passage. Paul says I could play your game. I once did — and did better than you. But verse 7. Counted As LossPaul says: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” (More literally, he says here: “But whatever was gain to me, this I counted, because of Christ, as loss.”)He uses an accounting metaphor. And notice that the verb “counted” in verse 7 is in the perfect tense — it's something done in the past. That same verb is used two other times in verse 8 and they're both in the present tense. But first, in verse 7, there was a past action, a past “counting.” There was a time when Paul reconfigured his P&L sheet.He had been running hard in his Jewishness, excelling, accruing, building an impressive resume — lots of religious gains and profit. More than anyone. But then, he took that entire column, all those things he counted as gains, and he said “LOSS.” Why? Why the change? Because of Christ.Paul met Jesus Christ — against all odds. We can read the story in Acts Chapter 9. Paul retells the story himself in Acts 22 and 26. The risen Lord Jesus intervened in Paul's life. Jesus knocked him off his horse and saved him. Paul had been zealous for God, but Jesus told him he had been going about it all the wrong way. Which means, although Paul wanted God, he was trying to get God by trusting in himself. He put his confidence in his own gifts and achievements, which means he looked to these things to be his savior. Questions ConnectionAnd here's where I want you to see how the first two questions are connected: What is your heaven? And Who is your Savior?Your heaven is what you most want. Your savior is who you are trusting in to get you what you most want. We have to get both of these right, but you can imagine how easily this could go wrong. The gate of wrongness is wide here. There more than one way to mess thing up.Like, you could get it wrong both ways: false heaven and false savior. And that's probably none of you in here. All those people are working hard somewhere right now. They're running hard down dead-end roads.But what about true heaven, false savior?That's like Paul. You want God, but your savior is your own flesh. You're trusting in your own gifts and your own achievements to be why God accepts you. I know what that's like. My Own StoryMy heaven for the longest time was to always play baseball at the next level, which meant in high school I wanted to play in college. So I was pursuing that. And one weekend I was at this showcase event — and a showcase event is when you go to this place and try to showcase your skills in front of a bunch of college or pro scouts. Well, at this thing, one of the coaches there who had been recruiting me, about halfway through the showcase, he pulled me aside, and he said, “Parnell, hustle is what makes you good.”It was not a compliment. What he was saying was: “You're not very good, so you have to play really hard.” I was 17 and I remember it to this day (and there are some deep reasons why) but one reason is because I knew he was right. It cemented something for me: if baseball was my heaven, hustle was my savior. I better bust it. I better get after it. But then, I got into this car wreck, and God, in his mercy, started to do a new work in my life, and after about a year, baseball was not my heaven anymore. God became my heaven. I wanted to know him. I wanted to be used by him, so I left baseball and started to pursue theological training to be a pastor.But here's the thing: I was still hustling. I thought: If I want to know God, if I want God to accept me and use me, I have to really play hard. So I did. I had intense spiritual disciplines. I hit the books like I never had before, and I became religiously competitive. Until one early morning in prayer, when everybody else was sleeping and I was really playing hard, I told God that the reason he loved me more than he loved my roommates was because of my hustle. I told God that. And in that moment … I can remember exactly where I was — it was almost like Jesus stepped into the room and he said You've got this all wrong. It's called grace. Grace changed my life.“I Boast No More”See, Jesus is God's grace to us and all of him for us is grace. Which means, you can't be proud about discovering grace because it's only by grace that you know it's by grace. And then it's only by grace that you know it's by grace that you know it's by grace. It's just grace, grace, grace, grace until you get to God who “before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen [a people] in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the creature as the condition or cause moving him thereunto” (1689, 3.5).Go back before time! Go as far back as you can! Turn every angle you want! It's all grace. And when we understand that, our own righteousness just looks stupid. All those gifts and achievements you once boasted in, if you are a Christian there was a time when you counted as loss. We have exposed them as false saviors. And we say:No more my God, I boast no moreOf all the duties I have doneI quit the hopes I held beforeTo trust the merits of Thy SonThe best obedience of my handsDares not appear before Thy throneBut faith can answer Thy demandsBy pleading what my Lord has doneJesus Christ is the only true Savior. He's the only one who gets you God … if God is who you want. Prosperity Gospel?What about those who look to Jesus to be their Savior, but they want Jesus to get them something other than God? What if Jesus is your Savior but your heaven is comfort and ease? So true Savior, false heaven.Well that's what's called the “prosperity gospel” — people who use Jesus to get themselves temporal pleasures. They use Jesus to get something other than God. And of course we think “that's not us!” — right? We would never do that, but this is where we need to stop and think. It's why the third question matters.First, What is your heaven? Second, Who is your savior?3) Where Are You Now? (verses 8–9)In verse 8, Paul is no longer talking about the past, but he's doubling down on his accounting. In verse 7 he said, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”Verse 8: “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”So Paul didn't just get the math right one time, but this is a present counting. A current counting. And then Paul explains more of what this means, verse 8: For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him [Paul wants Jesus. He wants to be found in Jesus] not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith …Those things that Paul once trusted in — his own righteousness — that's all garbage to him now.“Savior” once he called his flesh. “Sewage” now he counts his best.His “own righteousness” does not get him God. The best obedience of his hands does not earn God's favor, but he needs the righteousness of God through faith in Christ — Paul says it twice in verse 9 — he's talking about “the righteousness of God that depends on faith.” That's what he needs.Paul needs GOD to call him righteous which God only does through his faith in Jesus. That goes for you too, for us. Listen: the only way God accepts you is by looking at you and seeing something not of you. I hope that doesn't hurt your feelings. It just means that Jesus, not yourself, Jesus must be your Savior. Jesus is who gets you God.The Ultimate GoalAnd more than that. Look at the first thing Paul says in verse 8. He presently counts everything as loss because of “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” [He's going to pick this back up in verse 10, which we're gonna talk about next week (but to preach the same things to you is no trouble to us and is safe for you). So we'll talk about it now and next week.]What we see in this knowing Jesus is that Paul doesn't just want to be right with God — that's penultimate — but the final goal, the ultimate goal, the real heaven, is a relationship with God through Christ. That is what makes heaven heaven. It's to know Christ. And what's interesting here is that Jesus is not just the means to get you what you want, but Jesus also becomes what you want. Jesus is means and end. To know Jesus is of surpassing worth. That is what is most valuable — to know “Christ Jesus my Lord.” And this is the only time in the New Testament when Paul says it exactly like that. “Christ Jesus my Lord.” There are several times when he says “Christ Jesus our Lord” but here he says “my Lord.”What we see here is both “intimacy and devotion.” Devotion in that Paul has surrendered to Jesus as Lord. Jesus is King and in charge. So we do what Jesus says to do and go where Jesus says to go. Devotion. But it's also intimacy, closeness, in that Paul says Jesus is my Lord — he knows Jesus as my Lord. This is a deep, personal knowing. It's real experience in real relationship. Intimacy. The late commentator Gordon Fee says, “There is something unfortunate about a cerebral Christianity that “knows” but does not know in this way…”We Are Heart-PeopleAnd church, I don't want that to be true of us. Y'all know that we really value doctrine around here — what you think about God and his world matters. The head is important. But Cities Church, we are heart people, and we want heart-knowledge.And what that means at the end of the day, when our thinking is in order, when our doctrine is in line, we just want to know Jesus. Not in an abstract, distant, check-the-box kind of way, but we want to remember his realness in all of life. We want to be alive to the ever-present fact that he is alive. Jesus is near to us. His Spirit dwells within us. He never leaves us. He never forsakes us. I know this is crazy, but it's true — Jesus loves us. Jesus loves me. I want to know him like that. I want us to know him like that. And so, where are you now?Here's a little catechism for you:What is your heaven? My heaven is to be closer to JesusWho is your savior? My only savior is Jesus.Where are you now? I'm pressing on to know Jesus my Lord.That's what brings us to the Table.The TableWe come to this Table glad and grateful — not to work, but to rest; not to do, but to receive. For those of us who trust in Jesus, that's what's going on in this moment.But if you're here and you've not yet trusted in Jesus, it means you're still looking to your own efforts to be your savior. But listen: you can be done with that today. You can count all those things as loss right now and you can put your faith in Jesus. I invite you to do that.For those who don't trust Jesus yet, trust him now. For those of us who do trust Jesus, let's receive his Table and give him thanks.

Welcome to another podcast. Dad went through Acts 20 and preached a sermon. Please enjoy! Paul in Macedonia and Greece After the uproar ceased, (this refers to the riot in Ephesus in the last chapter) Paul sentfor the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.  When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These are probably the leaders from the churches that Paul planted in these cities. It is possible that they are carrying the donations of the Gentile churches to the impoverished church in Jerusalem (see the prophecy of Agabus Acts 11:28). [5] These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, [6] but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days. It seems that Paul and those with him who were Torah observant stayed at Philippi to celebrate Passover. As a faithful Jew you would want to observe the week long feast of Passover. The Gentile leaders moved on ahead to Troas and waited there for Paul to arrive a few days later. This is because the Gentile believers were not obligated to stay for the Passover. Remember the council at Jerusalem. Jewish believers who follow Jesus the Messiah are to remain distinctly Jewish; while Gentile believers who follow Jesus only need to adhere to the four restrictions outlined in Acts 15:20 “to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.” Eutychus Raised from the Dead [7] On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. Note that these Gentile Christians didn't meet on the Jewish sabbath to worship, but on Sunday, the first day of the week. Again, they are not obligated to mimic Jewish customs. If you as a Gentile want to be Torah observant that's fine. However, some denominations today require that their members keep the Jewish sabbath and other dietary laws. This demand is not biblical according to Colossians 2:16-17: Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. The Mosaic laws are a beautiful foreshadow of the reality of Christ. They are not meant to be treacherous, they point to the Messiah. Gentiles should not scoff at them and Jews should not make them a requirement for the salvation of the Gentiles. [8] There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. [9] And a young man named Eutychus, (his name means lucky) sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. [10] But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” Paul echoes the miracles of Elijah and Elisha. Consider the miracle of raising the dead throughout Scripture. Elijah raised the son of the widow at Zaraphath. Elijah took him to his upper room and stretched out over the boy three times and life came back into the boy (1Kings 17). Similarly, Elisha raised the young son of the Shunamite woman. She laid him on Elisha's bed in the upper room. Elisha stretched out over him twice before bringing him back to life (2 Kings 4). Several years later there was a funeral going on where the body of the deceased man was thrown into Elisha‘s tomb. When the dead man's body touched the bones of Elisha he stood up alive (2 Kings 13). At Nain, Jesus touched the bier on which they carried the dead body of the son of a widow. He was immediately raised to life (Luke 7). Jarius' daughter died, when Jesus came and held her hand she came back to life (Luke 8). Jesus called Lazarus out of the grave (John 11). Jesus raised himself from the dead (John 10:18). Peter raised Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9). And here Paul raises Eutychus. This is an interesting parallel with Elijah and Elisha: the boy fell from the upper room and when Paul took him up in his arms the boy came back to life. This puts Paul on par with the great prophets of old, and with the miracles of the apostles. [11] And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, (they were all awake now!) until daybreak, and so departed. [12] And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted. [13] But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. [14] And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. [15] And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. [16] For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders [17] Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. [18] And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, [19] serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; [20] how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, [21] testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. [22] And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, [23] except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. [24] But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. [25] And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. [26] Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, (Paul is innocent because he has been faithful to his calling. Those who hear his message and reject the Lord are responsible for their own condemnation, their blood is on their own heads) [27] for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. [28] Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. [29] I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; We need to examine this idea of wolves. Paul may have been recalling the passage in Ezekiel 22:25-27: The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain. This is a rebuke to the faithless leaders of Jerusalem. The prophets tear the people apart like lions, the priest make everything profane (unclean, impure), and the princes devour their own citizens like wolves. Zephaniah 3:1-4 echoes this same theme. The first mention of a wolf is in Genesis 49 where Jacob blesses his 12 sons before he dies. But curiously, in verse 27 he likens Benjamin to a ravenous wolf: “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil.” Centuries later the first king of Israel, Saul from the tribe of Benjamin, in many ways acted like a ravenous wolf. Especially in the way he hunted David. In the New Testament, Saul of Tarsus, known later as Paul, was like a ravenous wolf devouring Christians until his conversion. Guess what tribe he was from: the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5). [30] and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. [31] Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. [32] And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. [33] I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. [34] You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. [35] In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” [36] And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. [37] And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, [38] being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship. (ESV) Let's revisit the wolf theme I just mentioned. I want you to notice something the Lord pointed out to me: the historical arc of the prophetic picture of the tribe of Benjamin. It starts in Genesis with the word picture of a ravenous wolf. It's not quite a blessing, more of an observation. Over the centuries the tribe of Benjamin had some pretty sordid history. They often acted like ravenous wolves, like during the civil war in the book of Judges. But here in Acts, as the cannon of scripture will draw to a close in a few decades God has done a major redemption story. Paul, who was born a “wolf of Benjamin,” encounters Jesus. He then goes on to write much of the New Testament and spread the Gospel over most of the Roman empire. Do you see it? Benjamin's lineage is prophesied to become like wolves. And they do. King Saul becomes one. Paul is on that same path; but he meets Jesus. Then Paul becomes a sheep, and a protector of the flock of God. Now I often contemplate this idea of God redeeming family lineages. Have your ancestors walked with God? Or did they forsake Him? Where do you fit in the redemption story of your family lineage? Are you at the beginning, the middle, the end? Are you cooperating with Him? Will those you leave behind follow Jesus? How can you avoid becoming a ravenous wolf like King Saul? How can you become humble like apostle Paul?

The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed!Whatever the origins of our English word Easter — and they are apparently too ancient and complicated to trace with certainty, even for Encyclopedia Brittanica — Easter has come to function for us today as a two-syllable designation for “Resurrection Sunday.” That's six syllables down to two.Easter is the highest day in the church calendar, the one Sunday that we specially celebrate the reality which we seek to live in light of every day of the year: that Jesus, the eternal Son of God, who lived on earth in full humanity, and died on the cross on Good Friday, rose again bodily, on Sunday morning.And this Easter we find ourselves at the halfway point of Philippians. In meditating on these verses, with Easter in view, I've paused over this word safe in verse 1. What does Paul mean that his “writ[ing] the same things . . . is safe”?As I was pondering Easter safety this week, I started seeing the word everywhere. Apparently, we are a people very conscious of safety, and very interested in safety, and perhaps hardly realize how much. In the news just this week was more of the Boeing “safety crisis.” And I saw headlines that read, “Eclipse safety: NYS task force has been working since 2022 to prepare for April 8”, “Senators say Meta's Zuckerberg is slow-walking child safety inquiries.”And I found appeals to safety in my own inbox: The city of Minneapolis directed me to get an HVAC “safety check” as part of a home inspection. I saw a message from SportsEngine with the call to action: “Keep your athlete safe.” And I received unwanted marketing emails that offered the option to “Safely Unsubscribe” (in small print at bottom).Some of our constant pursuit of safety is, of course, shallow and misguided and overly fearful. Our modern lives can be filled with petty and disordered desires for safety. And at the same time, there are wise, holy, reasonable desires for safety. That's what Paul appeals to in verse 1:“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.”Easter JoyBefore we focus on “Easter safety,” which will be our theme this morning, let me first say something about “Finally” at the beginning of verse 1. I know there's a preacher joke here. “Just like a preacher! Paul says ‘Finally' when he's only halfway done!”However, this “finally” is actually a loose connecting phrase that can mean “finally” in some contexts, but in others, it can be “so then” or “in addition” or “above all.” The key here is that Paul just mentioned joy and rejoicing in 2:28–29. And before then, he mentioned gladness and rejoicing, twice each, in 2:17–18. And before that, he made a double mention of his own rejoicing in 1:18. Have you noticed how often Paul not only talks about joy in Philippians, but does it in pairs? We'll see it again in 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” It's like he just can't say it enough. To say it just once doesn't seem to do it. He needs to say it again.And Paul is aware of how often he's talking about rejoicing, and doing so in pairs, and so after saying “rejoice in the Lord” in 3:1, he adds a little bit of a defense for it. He wants his readers to know he's aware he might sound like a broken record, but he means it, in the best of ways. He's not being lazy, or simple-minded. He doesn't want to bore them, but to help them, to make them safe. He overcomes whatever dislike or distaste he might have for obvious repetition, and says, “To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.”It's safe to keep saying, Rejoice in the Lord. It's for your good. You can't overdo rejoicing in the Lord. Now, you can underdo all sorts of other things, while rejoicing in the Lord. You can underdo sorrow and grieving. You can underdo seriousness and playfulness. And you can overdo all those. You can overdo all sorts of good things. But joy in Christ, rightly understood, truly experienced, you cannot overdo. You cannot overdo rejoicing in Jesus.Three SafetiesOur question this morning on Easter is, Safe from what? What does Easter joy, the double joy, repeated joy, the great joy of the resurrection of Jesus, which is the beating heart of the joy of Christianity, what does joy in the risen Christ give safety from and how?I see three threats in these verses, and so three safeties for us in the Easter joy of rejoicing in the risen Christ.1) Easter joy gives us safety from foes.To be clear, foes, or opponents (1:28), in and of themselves, are the least concern of these three threats. Still real, but the least troubling on their own. So, Paul says in verse 2:“Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.”So, who are these “dogs” nipping at the Philippians' heels?My family and good friends will tell you I'm not a dog person. I recognize that many of you are dog people. I can respect that — to a degree. Sometimes when dogs come up, I like to say, with a smile, “Well, you know what the Bible says about dogs, don't you?”Let's just say the picture is very negative — but it does have a twist. Dogs were the scum of ancient cities. They were unclean and nasty, like we think of rats today. Dogs would devour dead flesh and lick up spilled blood. And perhaps related to this, the Jews came to associate “Gentiles” (non-Jews) with dogs. Gentiles were unclean, according to the old covenant; they were outsiders. You may recall Jesus's interaction with the Canaanite (Gentile) woman in Matthew 15 (and Mark 7), where he says, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. . . . It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs” — the Gentiles.For Paul, there is an insightful irony in calling these foes “dogs,” because they presume that they are the insiders, and that Gentiles, like the Philippians and us, are the outsiders. We're the dogs, unclean and unsafe, they think — unless we add old-covenant law-keeping (marked by circumcision) to faith in Jesus.We call these opponents “Judaizers.” They tried to Judaize Christianity; they tried to put Christ-believing Gentiles back under old-covenant Judaism, rather than letting them just be Gentile Christians in the new covenant without the baggage of the previous era. These Judaizers went around telling Gentile Christians that, essentially, they needed to become Jews physically in order to be truly saved, and safe. And these Judaizers often dogged Paul's ministry. They followed him around. After he'd bring the gospel to Gentiles, and move on to the next town, they'd sweep in and try to get new Gentile Christians to think they needed to add Judaism to their faith.So, when Paul calls them “dogs,” he's not aiming to insult them but to use instructive irony for the sake of his readers. He's turning the tables to make the point that believing Gentiles are actually the true Jews (spiritually), and these Judaizers have become the new Gentiles, the outsiders, the dogs. Now Christ has come, and been raised, and inaugurated a new covenant. With Easter Sunday, old is gone; behold, new has come. And these Judaizing foes might think of themselves as doing good works, according to the old covenant, but in fact they are “evil workers.” In trying to circumcise Gentile flesh in obedience to the old covenant, they are, in fact, mutilators of the flesh. They have missed how Good Friday and Easter have remade the world.So, how does Easter joy, rejoicing in the risen Christ, make us safe from such foes, these and a thousand others? Specifically, rejoicing in the real Jesus fortifies our souls against trying to add anything to the grounds of our rejoicing. In rejoicing in him — in who he is, in what he accomplished for us at the cross, in his rising back to life, and in that he is alive today and our living Lord on the throne of the universe — we come to know a fullness of joy that will not be flanked or supplemented by anything else. Being satisfied in the risen Christ keeps us from being deceived by other shallow appeals to joy, and keeps us from temptations to try to add to him.Rejoicing in Jesus is practical. Are you seeking to rejoice in him? Do you aim at this, and pray for this? When you open the Bible? When you pray? When you gather with fellow Christians, and when we come to worship together on Sunday mornings, and when you go to work, and when you live the rest of life, are you seeking to rejoice, to be satisfied, to be happy in the risen Christ?So, Easter joy gives us safety from foes.2) Easter joy gives us safety from our own flesh.This is a greater concern — the danger of self-ruin, the threat of our own sinful hearts, various habits and patterns that would lead us to trust in ourselves for salvation. Or, we might say, the way that foes are a real threat to our souls is through our own sin. Foes harm us by deception. Then, being deceived, we move to trust in ourselves. Verse 3:“For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.”Remember from verse 2 these Judaizing foes — who claim to be God's true people, his Israel, the circumcision — they are actually the dogs, the new Gentile outsiders. Because, Paul says, in verse 3, with emphasis, we are the circumcision. We Christians, both Jews like Paul and Gentiles like the Philippians, who — and this is such an important “who” with the sequence that follows. Here we get to the heart of the Christian life, which is the human heart. Oh get this clear on Easter Sunday. Get this heart. Get what it means to be God's new-covenant people. Circumcision of the flesh is not what makes and defines us. Human deeds and efforts and abilities do not make us and define us. Rather, what circumcision of the flesh had been pointing to all along is circumcision of the heart. That is, a new heart, new desires. A born-again soul. New creation in you. God opens the eyes of your soul to the wonder of his risen Son. He changes your heart to marvel at Jesus and rejoice in him. So, here in verse 3 we get three marks of what it means to really be a Christian.One, we “worship (live, walk, serve) by the Spirit of God.” That is, God has put his own Spirit in us. He dwells in us. We have the Holy Spirit. Can you believe that? If you are in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit. God himself, in his Spirit, somehow “dwells in” you. We saw it in 2:13: “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” What power against sin! What power to rejoice in the risen Christ! What power for taking the initiative to love and serve others and gladly do what Christ calls us to do. The risen Christ has poured out his Spirit, and ushered in a new era of history following Easter. Now, God's people are no longer under the tutelage of the old-covenant law, but have his own Spirit at work in us. We do not worship and live in the old era but in the new, with God's own Spirit dwelling in us.And so, two, we “glory in Christ Jesus.” Which is more joy language, but elevated. “Glory” is literally “boast” — we boast in Christ Jesus. “Boasting” is tricky in English because it has negative connotations. So the ESV translates it “glory” (as in 1:26). What makes boasting, or glorying, good or bad is its object. And so we boast, The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed!True Christians are those who glory in Christ Jesus as the sole grounds of our full acceptance with God. So, when someone asks, How do I get right with God? Or, how can I be truly safe — not in the little trivialities of this life but forever? We boast in Christ. “On my own, I'm ruined. But I glory in the risen Christ. I boast in the one who died for me and rose again. He is worthy. I glory in him!”So, “boasting” or “glorying” is stronger language for the rejoicing of verse 1. This is Easter joy. This is double joy. This is joy intensified, joy magnified, joy heightened, joy expanded, joy enriched, joy elevated, joy resurrected.Which means, third, by contrast, Christians are people who “put no confidence in the flesh.” We boast in the risen Christ, not self, for ultimate safety. And if you wonder what “flesh” means here, Paul will make it clear in verses 4–6, as we'll see next week. In sum: putting “no confidence in the flesh” means not trusting in ourselves or any mere human effort or energy to get and keep us right with God. Not any privilege of our birth, nor any natural ability, nor hard work, nor achievement, nor human wisdom — nothing in us or related to us, whether who we are or what we've done. Rather, we glory in Jesus.Which leads then to one last safety that's implicit beneath the first two. So, Easter joy gives us safety from foes and from our own flesh, and . . .3) Easter joy gives us safety from God's righteous fury against our sin.This is the greatest threat of all: omnipotent wrath. The offense of our sin against the holy God is the final danger beneath the other dangers. The reason foes could be a danger is they might deceive us to put confidence in ourselves and our actions. And the reason putting confidence in ourselves is a danger is that this discounts the depth of our sin and leaves us unshielded, unsafe before the righteous justice of God against our rebellion.When Paul says that rejoicing in the Lord “is safe for you,” what's at bottom is ultimate safety, final safety, eternal safety, safety of soul, safety from the divine justice that our sin deserves.But Easter joy keeps us safe from the righteous fury we deserve, because rejoicing in the risen Christ is the way we take cover in the Son of God who came, and died, and was raised, to deal with our sin and usher us safely with him into the very presence of God. You might put it this way: the safest soul in all the universe is the one that rejoices in the risen Christ.Rejoicing in the Lord is a place of great safety, shielded from every real threat, even the greatest. God will not destroy those who delight in him. Delight in him is a stronghold (Nehemiah 8:10), a fortress, a safe place, because God always preserves those who delight in him.So, Cities Church, rejoice in the risen Christ! To say it again is no trouble for me, and safe for you. The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed!Seeds of Joy at the TableAs we come to the Table, let's address a question some of us have on a high feast day like Easter, and in a book like Philippians that accents the importance of rejoicing in the Lord. What if you're not feeling it? What if you don't feel happy in the risen Christ? Perhaps you want to rejoice in Jesus, you want to glory in him, but you're a sinner, your heart's not where you want it to be. One answer, among others, is this Table.This Table is not only for those who are boiling over with Easter delight, overflowing with joy in Jesus. It's also for those who feel their hearts to be sluggish, and know they're not rejoicing in the Lord like they want to, or like they should. And yet, in the ache of that desire is the seed of joy. In the longing. In the wanting is the seed of Easter joy that we come to nourish and strengthen at this Table.If you would say with us this morning, “I claim the risen Christ. However high or low my rejoicing, I know myself undeserving. I put no confidence in my flesh. But I do put my confidence, for final safety, in the risen Christ.” Then we would have you eat and drink with us, for joy.

In this episode, Fr. John and Mary reflect on the momentous events of Acts 10, the story of the 1st Gentile to be baptized, and how much more is in Scripture than we might first realize. Acts 10: 34a, 37-43 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+10%3A+34-+43&version=NCB) ====== Have a comment about this podcast? Contact us! Click To Learn More About ACTS XXIX (https://www.actsxxix.org/)

First Fruits of Zion teaches that the whole Bible, including the Law of Moses, that is, the Torah given to the Jewish people, has relevance and practical application for Gentile Christians. Some Messianic Jews disagree; they argue that the Torah is for Jews only. Today's guests, FFOZ Senior Educator Aaron Eby and Director of Torah Club Damian Eisner are here to challenge the idea that the Torah has nothing to say to Gentiles. – Episode Highlights – Terms are confusing if they are not well-defined. Many people stumble on the Jewish Jesus online but many times the source of the information they stumble on is what we would call Hebrew Roots. First Fruits of Zion is part of Messianic Judaism, and there are some important distinctions. The community of faith is composed of both Jews and Gentiles. But despite us being “one in Messiah,” First Fruits of Zion believes that it is important to maintain our unique identities. Why do we think so, and how do we advise Jews and Gentiles to avoid blurring the lines of distinction? Acts 15 documents an important time in the life of the apostles when they decided on the course of faith for Gentiles who were coming to faith in the Jewish Messiah. What does this passage teach about Jewish and Gentile obligations to the Law? The Sabbath and the Jewish festivals are full of richness in meaning and blessing. What does the remembrance and observance of the Sabbath and the other biblical holidays look like for Jewish people, and what would they look like for a Gentile disciple? – Chapters – 00:00 Welcome to Messiah Podcast. 02:05 First Fruits of Zion is a Messianic Jewish organization, not Hebrew Roots. 13:08 What is distinction theology? 20:00 The apostles' expectation of Gentile disciples. 25:22 Interpreting Acts 15 and Acts 21 and the four prohibitions for Gentile disciples. 29:38 The synagogue has always been a place for Gentiles to learn about the God of Israel. 40:43 What does the distinction between Jewish and Gentile observance of the Sabbath look like? 55:51 How can Gentiles interface with and observe Jewish holidays like Passover and Tabernacles? 01:04:51 Is 1 Corinthians 5:8 an invitation to Gentiles to celebrate Passover? 01:11:34 A biblical model for do's and don'ts for Gentiles. 01:15:23 Gentiles are adopted to be part of the family of God. 01:20:32 First Fruits of Zion does not subscribe to what is commonly known as “one law theology.” – Episode Resources – Restoration: Returning the Torah of Moses to the Disciples of Jesus https://ffoz.store/products/restoration-book From Sabbath to Sabbath: Returning the Holy Sabbath to the Disciples of Jesus. https://ffoz.store/products/from-sabbath-to-sabbath-book The Holy Days: Returning the Biblical Festivals to the Disciples of Jesus. https://ffoz.store/products/the-holy-days-book Messiah Podcast is a production of First Fruits of Zion (https://ffoz.org) in conjunction with Messiah Magazine. This publication is designed to provide rich substance, meaningful Jewish contexts, cultural understanding of the teaching of Jesus, and the background of modern faith from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Messiah Podcast theme music provided with permission by Joshua Aaron Music (http://JoshuaAaron.tv). “Cover the Sea” Copyright WorshipinIsrael.com songs 2020. All rights reserved.

The Line of Fire Radio Broadcast for 10/26/23.