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“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18 NLT) All Christians experience times when we come face to face with overwhelming hardship. For Peter, it was witnessing the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. You can find the story in John 18. Peter simply could not stomach the thought of the Lord’s enemies taking Him away. Frustrated and in despair, Peter drew his sword in defense of his Lord and cut off the ear of one of the men who arrested Jesus (see verse 10). Of course, that’s not what Jesus wanted. The sword was not the answer to salvation. Poor Peter. He was always doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. He was sleeping when he should have been praying. He was talking when he should have been listening. He was boasting when he should have been fearing. And he was fighting when he should have been surrendering. His instincts were 180 degrees off. Peter failed to see that he was fighting the wrong enemy. As the apostle Paul points out in Ephesians 6:12, our enemies are not of flesh and blood. They are principalities and powers, and they cannot be defeated by ordinary measures. Too often we, like Peter, forget that ours is a spiritual battle that requires spiritual weaponry. And we neglect the most powerful weapon in our arsenal—prayer. We are too quick to protest or picket and not quick enough to pray. In his description of the armor of God available to believers to withstand and counter the attacks of our enemy, Paul concludes with this: “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere” (Ephesians 6:18 NLT). Pray at all times. Be persistent. Prayer isn’t just an emergency button we push when we can’t think of anything else to do. It’s an essential communication channel that links us to God, our source of strength, courage, wisdom, comfort, and peace. God supplies us with everything we need for our spiritual battles. But we don’t have to wait until we’re in the thick of the fight to call on Him. Jesus faced opposition throughout His ministry. Passages such as Luke 5:16 give us a glimpse into how He prepared for battle. “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (NLT). And when that opposition came to a head, Jesus headed for Gethsemane, a favorite prayer spot. The reality is that we all will face Gethsemanes in life. For Jesus, Gethsemane was a time of suffering and hardship, a time when He chose to surrender to the will of His Father. You, too, may face similar experiences in life that you don’t understand. You don’t know what lies ahead. But you can trust your unknown future into the hands of a known God. Reflection Question: How can you make your prayers more effective in your spiritual battles? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Takin’ a Walk, host Buzz Knight strolls through the creative journey of Grammy-nominated vocalist Ryan Shaw and acclaimed pianist/composer Ray Angry (The Roots) as they discuss their electrifying new project, Off Broadway. Listeners get an inside look at how a chance collaboration at New York’s 54 Below sparked the idea for an album that reimagines classic Broadway hits through the lens of R&B, soul, jazz, rock, reggae, house, and even classical music, covering material from over 70 years. Ryan and Ray share the story behind the album’s genesis: how producer Scott Jacoby, inspired after witnessing their live chemistry, proposed capturing their synergy in the studio, resulting in a whirlwind two-week recording session that brought together top-tier musicians and bold new arrangements. The duo reflects on the creative freedom and mutual respect that fueled the project, revealing how they pushed each other out of their comfort zones to deliver surprising, genre-blurring renditions of Broadway standards like “Gethsemane” and “Send in the Clowns”. With anecdotes about their favorite tracks, the magic of live improvisation, and the thrill of bringing fresh energy to beloved songs, this episode is a must-listen for music lovers and Broadway fans alike. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes walk, recorded at Scott Jacoby's Eusonia Studio in New York City(and joined by Scott) with two prodigious talents who are redefining what it means to go “Off Broadway”. A Note to our Community Your support means everything to us! As we continue to grow, we’d love to hear what guests you might find interesting and what conversations you’d like us to explore nest. Have a friend who might enjoy our conversations? Please share our podcast with them! Your word of mouth recommendations help us reach new listeners that could benefit from our content. Thank you for being part of our community. We’re excited for what’s ahead! Warmly Buzz Knight Founder Buzz Knight Media ProductionsSupport the show: https://takinawalk.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Takin’ a Walk, host Buzz Knight strolls through the creative journey of Grammy-nominated vocalist Ryan Shaw and acclaimed pianist/composer Ray Angry (The Roots) as they discuss their electrifying new project, Off Broadway. Listeners get an inside look at how a chance collaboration at New York’s 54 Below sparked the idea for an album that reimagines classic Broadway hits through the lens of R&B, soul, jazz, rock, reggae, house, and even classical music, covering material from over 70 years. Ryan and Ray share the story behind the album’s genesis: how producer Scott Jacoby, inspired after witnessing their live chemistry, proposed capturing their synergy in the studio, resulting in a whirlwind two-week recording session that brought together top-tier musicians and bold new arrangements. The duo reflects on the creative freedom and mutual respect that fueled the project, revealing how they pushed each other out of their comfort zones to deliver surprising, genre-blurring renditions of Broadway standards like “Gethsemane” and “Send in the Clowns”. With anecdotes about their favorite tracks, the magic of live improvisation, and the thrill of bringing fresh energy to beloved songs, this episode is a must-listen for music lovers and Broadway fans alike. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes walk, recorded at Scott Jacoby's Eusonia Studio in New York City(and joined by Scott) with two prodigious talents who are redefining what it means to go “Off Broadway”. A Note to our Community Your support means everything to us! As we continue to grow, we’d love to hear what guests you might find interesting and what conversations you’d like us to explore nest. Have a friend who might enjoy our conversations? Please share our podcast with them! Your word of mouth recommendations help us reach new listeners that could benefit from our content. Thank you for being part of our community. We’re excited for what’s ahead! Warmly Buzz Knight Founder Buzz Knight Media ProductionsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Temperament of the Believer - David Hansen - May 18, 2025 Sanguine Actors Salesman Public speakers Politicians Choleric Producers Builders Leaders Scientists Melancholy Musicians, poets Inventors Philosophers Artists Phlegmatic Diplomats Accountants Teachers Bureaucrats Temperaments Phlegmatic (Abraham) Melancholy (Moses) Sanguine (Peter) Choleric (Paul) Phlegmatic (Abraham) stingy, fearful, indecisive, unmotivated, self-protective, spectator diplomatic, practical, efficient, dependable once under way, calm, easy-going, dry humour Phlegmatic (Abraham) examples Flesh: Waited in Haran because of father Terah (Genesis 11). Went to Egypt when Promised Land in famine (Genesis 12). Schemed twice regarding Sara (Genesis 12, Genesis 20). Spirit: Obeyed God and left Ur (Genesis 12). Rescued Lot and thoroughly defeated captors (Genesis 14). Was prepared to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22). Melancholy (Moses) theoretical, pessimistic, moody, upsets infrequent but dramatic, unsociable, rigid gifted, sympathetic, empathetic, great depth, loyal, great ‘composer' theoretical, pessimistic, moody, upsets infrequent but dramatic, unsociable, rigid gifted, sympathetic, empathetic, great depth, loyal, great ‘composer' examples Flesh: “don't send me, I stammer, send my brother Aaron” (Exodus 4). Struck the rock instead of speaking to it (Numbers 20). Spirit: Interceded for his people (Exodus 32). Communed with God (Exodus 33). Sanguine (Peter) weak-willed, unstable, undisciplined, restless, reactionary, easily discouraged, fearful, exaggerates, does not analyze self, enjoys the stage outgoing, warm, exciting to be around, does not stay angry, enthusiastic, easily encouraged, heart on his sleeve, charismatic, outspoken, heart-driven examples Flesh: rebuked the Lord, denied the Lord, blurt-out on Mt of Transfiguration, ran into tomb, took out sword in Gethsemane, went fishing after crucifixion Spirit: More interaction with Jesus than anyone else, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6 - heart right place and usable). First recorded sermon is given by Peter (Acts 1). ‘I have nothing but Christ, walk!' (Acts 3 - no self-orientation). Peter stood and faced down all the ‘PhD' Pharisees and Saducees in the Spirit and with a powerful array of facts (Acts 4). Choleric (Paul) cold, demanding, cranky, crafty, unemotional, sarcastic, inconsiderate, calculating, driven, self sufficient insightful, perceptive, cerebral/cognitive, analytical, ‘doer'. examples Flesh: “..breathing out threatenings” (Acts 9), Mark not allowed to continue (Acts 15:39) Spirit: Undeterred by prospect of prison (Acts 23). Thoughts brought into captivity (II Cor. 10). Strength of the believer (Phil. 4:13). Love toward Timothy (epistles to Timothy). Self - Interest or fascination ? - Understanding or acceptance Philippians 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Forebearance Ephesians 4 2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. in all. Colossians 3 12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Grace We are expected to grow in it. II Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. Final Notes God can and has (and will) use very human humans. Major biblical figures seem to be very ‘real people' (because they were). A transformed temperament is a wonderful (usable) thing.
Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 14 Scripture: John 17:1 - 18:12, Hebrews 7:23-24, Philippians 2:6-11, Matthew 26:36-44, Luke 22:42-46. Today's study focuses mainly on Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, a prayer following His meal with the disciples and the night of His betrayal. Pastor talks in depth about the prayer ⁃ Focusing in on what Jesus says about God's name ⁃ God's name is His character ⁃ God's name is called the tetragrammaton - it is 4 letters but we are not sure of the pronunciation. ⁃ What we do know is that at its root is “To Be” ⁃ The One who always IS ⁃ At Mt. Sinai God told Moses “I Am who I Am, if anyone asks who sent you, tell them I AM has sent you. ⁃ God is always with us ⁃ He does not change - the same yesterday, today and tomorrow - forever! ⁃ He is all powerful ⁃ All merciful ⁃ All loving ⁃ He is gracious ⁃ Jesus reveals the Father's character and shows us the Father's love ⁃ He is One with the Father If you want to know what God looks like — Look at Jesus! Something to think about: what must this have felt like for the disciples to hear Jesus praying this prayer to the Father? ⁃ When we walk with God we walk out of step with the world ⁃ God's word is the Truth - it is a Living Word - Jesus is Truth and speaks only Truth ⁃ Sanctification ⁃ Believers are to be one with Christ and one with the Father and one with each other. One in Body - one mind - the mind of Chris - focused on spreading the Good new in Christ ⁃ God is One ⁃ Suffering for faith ⁃ Experiencing the glory of God ⁃ Submission to God ⁃ Everything Jesus does is for the purpose of saving the world ⁃ He lives to intercede for us Following the prayer, Jesus and His disciples head to the Mt of Olives and into the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus takes 3 of the 11 as He moves further into the garden. He tells them to stay awake and pray as He goes deeper into the garden. He is dealing with unimaginable anguish grief, and anxiety as He prays again to the Father expressing that His sole is overwhelmed to the point of death and prayer for “this cup” to be removed but only if it is the Father's will. Jesus is willing to do what the Father desires, and yet He shares His heart with His Father. Jesus is in so much anguish and agony He is to the point of sweating blood and yet He pushes through in endurance to follow the Father's plan. A total of 3 times He prays and then returns to find the disciples asleep instead of staying awake and praying and trying to understand this is Jesus' greatest hour of need. The solitude and loneliness Jesus experiences must have been painful. He friends will abandon Him, His Father will abandon Him. It is Christ ALONE and He faces it all with the words of His prayer, “Your will be done.” And this is the true picture of Love. Today's study ends with a reading of the betrayal of Jesus and will pick up with this portion of the story next week. Please join us! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus' ministry concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries. Up to Jerusalem is part five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father's plan. As we study Jesus' final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us. This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.
Marjorie Hache vous embarque pour deux heures de rock sous toutes ses formes dans RTL2 Pop Rock Station. Les Irlandais de Fontaines D.C. ouvrent la soirée avec "Before You I Just Forget", avant un hommage à Blur, dont l'album "Parklife" fête ses 29 ans. Les sonorités country queer de Julien Baker & Torres apportent une touche émotive avec "Bottom Of A Bottle" et Rage Against The Machine fait exploser les décibels avec "Killing In The Name". L'album de la semaine, "Even In Arcadia" de Sleep Token, revient avec "Gethsemane". La recommandation de Francis Zégut nous dévoile Coal Noir avec "Who Can Say", un trio parisien aux accents grunge et post-punk. Electric Light Orchestra illumine avec "Mr. Blue Sky", suivi d'une version revisitée de "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" de Rod Stewart par Triggerfinger. En deuxième heure, Jehnny Beth surprend avec "Broken Rib", Cypress Hill nous plonge dans "Superstar" avant une incursion électroclash avec The Dare et son énergique "LCA". The XX adoucissent l'ambiance avec "Crystalised", tandis que MGMT clôturent la soirée avec "Time To Pretend". Et pour conclure en beauté, The Rolling Stones avec une pépite de 1966 "Going Home". Fontaines D.C - Before You I Just Forget The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations Blur - End Of A Century The Hives - Go Right Ahead Julien Baker & Torres - Bottom Of A Bottle Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name Sleep Token - Gethsemane Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face Coal Noir - Who Can Say (Live - Session Bruit D'avril) Electric Light Orchestra - Mr Blue Sky Triggerfinger - Da Ya Think I'm Sexy (Feat. Little Trouble Kids) System Of A Down - Sugar Jehnny Beth - Broken Rib The Cult - Brother Wolf Sister Moon Cage The Elephant - Shake Me Down Jeanne Added - Hey Boy // (Prs Live Mai 2023) Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime Cypress Hill - Superstar The Dare - Lca Royal Blood - Trouble's Coming The XX - Crystalised MGMT - Time To Pretend The Rolling Stones - Going Home Distribué par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
What happens when you stand at the crossroads where the sacred meets the secular, where your identity refuses to fit into neat binaries, and where faith seeks understanding in the midst of doubt? In this deeply personal conversation, Episcopal priest and pioneering womanist theologian Kelly Brown Douglas returns to the podcast to explore theology as a lived experience, not abstract speculation. We dive into her powerful concept of "crossroads theology" – that stable, definite space where the blues singer performs both pain and praise, where Black and Episcopalian identity refuse to be bifurcated, and where God meets us in our full complexity. Kelly unpacks how the dangerous narratives of respectability and white supremacy create false binaries that diminish our humanity, and how Jesus's own crossroads moment challenges our comfortable Christianity. From her nightly prayers on her knees to calling the names of deported families, from finding God in resistance movements to wrestling with faith after Trayvon Martin's death, Kelly shows us what it means to do theology from "the complicated and sometimes contradictory spaces of our living." She reminds us that Christianity has a crucifixion at its center – and it's high time we act like it. Plus, we celebrate Kelly's upcoming appearance at Theology Beer Camp 2025, where she'll be bringing this transformative theological vision to 600 nerdy friends ready to do theology while day-drinking in a sanctuary. Trust me, you don't want to miss this conversation about finding resurrection hope in our Gethsemane moments. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Theology Beer Camp is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craft beer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. This event features a lineup of well-known podcasters, scholars, and theology enthusiasts who come together to "nerd out" on theological topics while enjoying loads of fun activities. Guests this year include John Dominic Crossan, Kelly Brown Douglas, Philip Clayton, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Jeffery Pugh, Juan Floyd-Thomas, Andy Root, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Noreen Herzfeld, Reggie Williams, Casper ter Kuile, and more! Get info and tickets here. Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas is the Canon Theologian at the Cathedral. In 2017, she was named Dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and in 2019, she was appointed to the Bill and Judith Moyers Chair in Theology at Union. You can listen to her previous visit to the podcast here: Resurrection Hope & A Future Where Black Lives Matter Upcoming Online Class: Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, & the Holy Ghost "Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, and the Holy Ghost" is an open-online course exploring the dynamic, often overlooked third person of the Trinity. Based on Grace Ji-Sun Kim's groundbreaking work on the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), this class takes participants on a journey through biblical foundations, historical developments, diverse cultural perspectives, and practical applications of Spirit theology. As always, this class is donation-based, including 0. To get class info and sign up, head over here. _____________________ Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are You a Part of What God Is Doing in Our Country Today? Do You Seek God's Presence in Your Life? MESSAGE SUMMARY: Can you tell what God is up to in the World, in our time, in our church, and in America? Are you a part of what God is doing in the world today, or are you just reacting to what God is doing, thereby, creating conflict and division? Psalms 105 reminds you of God's power in the world if you do seek His presence in your life: “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered.". On the other hand, Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 1:9, warns you of the implications for not including the presence of Jesus in your worldly considerations: “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.”. While the Lord is leading, and directing, it seems that we are wrapped up in our agenda and our way of doing things; therefore, we miss God's presence; and we miss the Holy Spirit in our lives. TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Loneliness. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Presence. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 5:6; Matthew 5:10; Psalms 112:1-6; Psalms 119b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Being in Christ, Part 3”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
In the third week of our Refocus series, we'll see Jesus at His most vulnerable — wrestling with grief, praying with raw honesty, and choosing surrender in the Garden of Gethsemane. We'll talk about what it means to take our unedited emotions to God, why spiritual maturity requires emotional honesty, and how to trust God in our moments of greatest pressure. Join us as we discover why Jesus doesn't just model faith for us — He feels with us.
In Mark 14:12–26, Jesus predicts the disciples' desertion and Peter's denial, then prays in Gethsemane in deep agony while the disciples repeatedly fall asleep; He submits to the Father's will as His betrayal approaches.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/lets-talk-scripture/donations
A Sermon for the Third Sunday after Easter St. John 16:16-22 by William Klock On Easter morning we heard St. John's account of the empty tomb. How Mary Magdalene had come running to the house where he and Peter and the others were hiding. How she sobbed out that someone had taken Jesus' body. How he and Peter ran to the tomb as dawn was breaking and how they found it empty, with the linen graveclothes lying there neatly. And we heard John say that “he believed”. Somehow…inexplicably…Jesus had risen from the dead. John believed in the resurrection of the dead. They all did. It was their hope. But it wasn't supposed to happen like this. Maybe it was fear, maybe it was confusion, maybe he just wanted to be more certain, but he didn't say anything. They went back to the house where the other disciples were. They went back into hiding. Doors locked, windows shuttered, no lights, no fire. When things blew over, they could sneak out of Jerusalem, slink back to Galilee. Maybe they could go back to their old lives and everyone would forget that they'd been followers of Jesus. But then the next week we read from John's first epistle. We read those words: Everything that is fathered by God conquers the world. This is the victory that conquers the world: our faith! That doesn't sound like the same John afraid to even tell his friends that he believed Jesus had been raised from death. And last week we read from Peter's first epistle and he exhorted us to bear patiently with suffering. Peter went from hiding behind locked doors on Easter to boldly preaching the risen Jesus in the temple court just fifty days later. He would eventually find himself proclaiming that gospel in Rome itself, where he would be martyred for that holy boldness. What happened? Brothers and Sisters, hope happened. Jesus, the risen Messiah, appeared to them in that locked room. They saw him, resurrected and renewed and yet still the same Jesus with the scars of the cross in his hands and feet. They saw Jesus risen from the dead. Not a ghost, not a spirt, but Jesus bodily raised. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. It was supposed to be everybody all at once, not just one person even if he was the Messiah. But there he was, proving the old doctrine of the Pharisees and the Prophets and their fathers true—just not the way they expected. But even that's not so much what motivated them to leave their hiding places and to proclaim the risen Jesus to the world. It's what Jesus' resurrection meant. Because Jesus' resurrection was more than just an astounding miracle. Jesus' resurrection was the proof that God's new world had been born, that new creation had begun, that the promises he made through the prophets and the hopes of God's people were being fulfilled. Jesus' resurrection meant that the hopes of God's people were finally becoming reality. Jesus had kindled God's light in the midst of the darkness and they knew the darkness would never overcome it. But as they worked this out, they also realised that while Jesus had inaugurated this new creation, it would be they—Peter, John, Mary, the others, you and I—who would carry and announce God's new creation to the world. Again, this hope, made real, made manifest in the resurrection of Jesus, is what sent the disciples out, not just to announce that God had performed a miracle in raising Jesus, but to announce the God's new creation had been born and that Jesus is its king—and if that proclamation cost them everything, even if it got them killed—they knew that God would raise them and that he would vindicate them, just as he had Jesus. Nothing else changed. They were hiding in that locked and darkened house because—usually—when the authorities crucified a rebel or a revolutionary, they would also round up and crucify his followers. As it turned out, it doesn't seem that anyone was seriously interested in doing that to Jesus' disciples. But they didn't know that. The real danger came when they went out and began proclaiming the good news about Jesus—as they challenged the false gods and the pretend kings of the darkness with the light of the Lord Jesus, as they confronted this fallen world and its systems with God's new creation. That's when they were mocked, beaten, arrested, and martyred. Think of Paul. He was one of the one's breathing threats against Jesus' disciples. He was there looking on while Stephen was stoned, holding coats so people could better throw stones at him. And then as Paul was on his way to round up Christians to bring them before the Jewish authorities, he was met by the risen Jesus. And, again, it wasn't just an amazing miracle that inspired Paul to take up his own cross and to follow Jesus—to follow Jesus and to be beaten, stoned, imprisoned, and eventually murdered for the sake of the gospel. It was hope. It was what the resurrection of Jesus meant. Jesus, risen from the dead, was proof of God's faithfulness and proof that his promises of forgiveness and new life and new creation and of humanity and creation set to rights—everything the Jews (and Paul!) had hoped and longed for—it was proof that it was all true and that it was coming true in Jesus. The light has come into the darkness and the darkness has not and never will overcome it. It was proof that if we are in Jesus the Messiah, we have a share in God's new creation and that no amount of suffering and not even death can take that away. People aren't going to risk their lives to report a miracle. What drove Peter, John, Paul—and all our brothers and sisters since—what drove them to risk everything to proclaim the good news was the knowledge, the assurance, the hope that through that proclamation God's promised new creation would overcome the darkness, the sadness, the tears—that it would make all the sad things of this broken world come untrue—for them and eventually for everyone who believes. The kingdom would spread and grow until heaven and earth, God and humanity are at one again. All of this is what Jesus is getting at in our Gospel today from John 16. It's from the middle of the long teaching that Jesus gave to his disciples when they were in the Garden of Gethsemane, after they ate that last Passover meal with Jesus. Over and over Jesus exhorts them saying things like, Don't let your hearts be troubled…trust God and trust me, too. And: I chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last…If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were from the world, the world would be fond of its own. But the world hates you because you're not from the world. No, I chose you out of the world. And at the beginning of Chapter 16 he says to them: I've said these things to you to stop you from being tripped up. They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will suppose that they are in that way offering worship to God…I have told you these things so that when their time comes, you will remember that I told you about them. I expect the disciples were remembering that part of what Jesus said very well when they were hiding. “Jesus said they'd come to kill us,” they whispered in the dark. What they didn't remember—or at least what they didn't understand were the words we read today. In verse 16 Jesus says: “Not long from now, you won't see me anymore. Then again, not long after that, you will see me.” They expected—like pretty much everyone else—that the Messiah would bring some kind of revolt or revolution. He would overthrow the pagans and take the throne of Israel and, ruling over Israel, he would restore God's people to their rightful place and status in the world. So it's no wonder that when they heard this, they started murmuring amongst themselves. John goes on: “What's he talking about?” some of his disciples asked each other. “What's this business about ‘not long from now, you won't see me, and again not long after that you will see me'? And what's this about ‘going to the Father'?” Maybe Jesus was going to finally do what the Messiah was supposed to do. Maybe he was going to go gather his army and come back to battle the Romans. John writes: They kept on saying it. “What is this ‘not long'?” “What's it all about?” “We don't know what he means!” Jesus was doing that thing again where he would say cryptic things or tell a confusing story. It got their interest and then he could fill them in. Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, John says. “You're discussing with each other what I meant, aren't you?” he said. “You want to know what I meant by saying, ‘Not long from now, you won't see me; and then again, not long after that you will see me.' That's it, isn't it? Well, I'm going to tell you the solemn truth.” I can see them all stopping the whispers and leaning forward. “Yes, Teacher. Tell us what you mean!” So Jesus goes on in the silence: “You will weep and wail, but the world will celebrate. You will be overcome with sorrow, but your sorrow will turn into joy.” I can picture the confused looks coming back to their faces. The Messiah was supposed to make everything all better. He was supposed to set everything to rights and to wipe away all the tears. The Messiah was supposed to bring an end to weeping and wailing! So Jesus gives them an illustration they could understand: “When a woman is giving birth she is in anguish, because her moment has come. But when the child is born, she no longer remembers the suffering, because of the joy that a human being has been born into the world.” And then he adds in verse 22: In the same way, you have sorrow now. But I shall see you again, and your hearts will celebrate, and nobody will take your joy from you.” Even with the childbirth illustration, it was still pretty cryptic. Even with what follows—which we'll come to in our Gospel for Rogation Sunday in two more weeks—even with that, the disciples really didn't understand—yet. It was all there in the Prophets and it was all there in the things Jesus had been teaching. The son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the legal experts. He must be killed and raised up on the third day,” Jesus had said at one point. It doesn't get much clearer than that. And yet the events of that first Good Friday and Easter Day came as a complete surprise to them. But then when they met the risen Jesus it all started to come back to them and it started to fall into place. The wheels started turning. Mental light bulbs started turning on. The one thing left that they needed was the Holy Spirit—but I don't want to get ahead of the story. We're still in that fifty days between Easter and Pentecost. And I think those fifty days must have been some of the most exciting days in the history of the world. The disciples sat with Jesus—risen and glorified, the first bit of God's new creation real and tangible and true right there with them—and he taught them. He went back over the scriptures—no doubt saying things he'd said a hundred times before—but now, in light of the resurrection, it all started to make sense. And I can imagine their excitement growing between being there with Jesus in all his resurrected glory and as they connected the scriptural dots and as they saw how the story they had grown up with, the story they lived every year at Passover, the story that defined who they were, the story they knew so, so, so well began to unfold in a new way. They'd always known it was a great story about the mighty and saving deeds of the Lord, but over those forty days in the presence of Jesus and hearing him teach and explain the story turned into something more glorious than they ever could have imagined. The God they'd known became so much bigger and more glorious than they ever thought he could be. And then it was time for Jesus to ascend and he had to tell them, “Wait.” They were ready and eager and excited to go out into Jerusalem and Judea to start telling everyone the story—the story everyone knew, but now seen in a new and glorious light through the lens of Jesus' resurrection—and about this new hope they knew. God's new creation had finally come and they'd spent the last forty days living in his presence. But Jesus said, “Wait. Your excitement about what God has done is only part of what you need. Wait. Just a little bit—ten more days—so I can send God's Spirit. Couple this good news with the power of the Spirit and not even the gates of hell will stop you!” And, Lord knows, the gates of hell have tried, but the gates of hell had already done their worst at the cross, and Jesus rose victorious. And that's how and that's why those first disciples took up their crosses and followed Jesus. Peter was crucified at Rome, Andrew was crucified in Greece, Thomas was speared by soldiers in India, Philip was martyred at Carthage, Matthew was martyred in Ethiopia, Bartholomew in Armenia, James was stoned to death in Jerusalem, Simon was martyred in Persia, and Matthias in Syria. Only John survived, after being exiled to Patmos. You see, in the risen Jesus they saw the proof that sin and death have been decisively defeated, that the false gods and kings of the old evil age have been exposed, and most of all they saw that God's promised and long-hoped for new creation has been born. The resurrection gave them hope and that hope sent them out to proclaim the good news even though it meant following in the suffering of Jesus. And their stories have been the stories of countless Christians through the ages—of the Christians who died in the Roman persecutions, who died at the hands of the Sassanids, the Goths, the Vikings, the Caliphs, the Turks, the Kahns, the French revolutionaries, the Communists, the Islamists. It's been the stories of countless missionaries who marched into hostile territory for the sake of the gospel, knowing they very well might die for it, but also knowing that the way of the cross is the path into God's new creation. Brothers and Sisters, too often these days we've lost sight of this. Maybe it's the prosperity gospel, maybe it's that we haven't known any meaningful persecution for so long, but we Christians in the modern west seem to have forgotten this. There's no room for suffering and the way of the cross in our theology. We gloss over what look like “failures” in church history. I was listening to a sermon this past week. The preacher was telling the story of a missionary named Peter Milne. Milne was a Scottish minister and part of a group that called themselves “one-way” missionaries. When they shipped out to far off lands to proclaim the gospel, they packed their worldly goods in a coffin. It was symbolic. They were going out as missionaries with no expectation of ever returning home. They would die—one way or another—in the land they went to evangelise. Peter Milne went to the New Hebrides in the South Pacific. It was a land of head-hunting cannibals. Milne wasn't the first to go. Others had gone before and were killed by the natives. Milne was the first to go and to survive and to have a thriving gospel ministry. When he died fifty-some years later in 1924, he was buried in his coffin with the epitaph: “When he came, there was no light. When he left, there was no darkness.” When he'd arrived there wasn't a single Christian on the island. When he died, there wasn't a single person who wasn't a Christian. But here's the thing—and the preacher I was listening to completely missed it: Following Jesus means first taking up a cross. It's not about the glory of “successful” ministry. It's about dying to self, and living for the hope of God's glory and the spread of his kingdom. The preacher I listened to said nothing of the others who had gone before Milne to the New Hebrides and been martyred. They don't fit in with our prosperity and business model theology. We admire their willingness to give their lives for the sake of the gospel, but they sort of get chalked up as failures. But to do that is to miss what it means to follow Jesus, to know the pangs of childbirth, but to also experience the joy that makes the pain and the sorrow pale in comparison. As Tertullian said, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church, but so are all the other good-faith “failures”. There was a week when we were church-planting in Portland that I found myself all alone. Veronica's mom was sick and she and Alexandra had travelled up to Kelowna. The other family that was helping us to get things off the ground had to be away that weekend. It was just me. But The Oregonian newspaper had just run a story on us. I'd had several contacts that week. The show had to go on. We were meeting at a Lutheran Church on Sunday evenings, so I asked the pastor there if one of their organists could come and play that evening. She came and she and I sat there waiting. And 7pm came and went. And 7:05, and 7:15 and we knew no one was coming. I was discouraged and it was obvious. She and I said Evening Prayer together and then she told me her story. She and her husband, a pastor, had been Lutheran church planters in Jamaica for almost ten years. They had a very small group that had asked them to come to help them plant a church and for ten years they tried and nothing ever happened. When they finally decided to quit there were no more people than when they started. She said that she and her husband found the whole thing utterly discouraging. They had made significant sacrifices to be there and nothing had happened. It was tempting to be angry with God. They returned home thinking they were failures and wondering why. They'd been faithful in proclaiming Jesus. They'd spent hours every week in prayer with that little group of people. And then several years later they received a letter. It was from a pastor in Kingston. Not long after they'd left, he'd arrived to plant a church. His group moved into the building left behind by the Lutherans and quickly began to grow and thrive. And he wrote to thank them. “You soaked this place in prayer and you cast gospel seed all through the neighbourhood,” he wrote. He didn't know why it never grew for them, but he knew they'd been faithful and he was now reaping a harvest he hadn't planted and he wanted to thank them for their faithfulness. That elderly Lutheran organist told me that story with tears in her eyes and said, “Be faithful and don't be discouraged. Whatever happens, if you are faithful, the Lord is at work. Some of us plant, some of us water, some of us reap, but it's all the Lord's work.” She reminded me of the hope that lies before me—and that lies before all of us—and that Jesus doesn't just call us to follow him; he first calls us to take up our crosses. Just it was necessary for Jesus to give his life that he might be raised from death, so must we die to ourselves that we might live. Brothers and Sisters, fix your eyes on Jesus. He knew the joy that was set before him and so he endured the cross. He scorned its shame. And because of that the Father raised him from the dead and has seated him at his right hand. His kingdom has been born. Now the joy of the kingdom, of new creation, of God's life is before us. May it be the reason that we take up our crosses and follow our Lord. Let's pray: Gracious Father, as we come to your Table this morning, give us a taste of your great kingdom feast; let us see Jesus, risen from the dead; and make us especially aware of your indwelling Spirit that we might be filled with the joy of your salvation and the joy of your new creation. Strengthen us with joy, so that we will not fear to take up our crosses and follow Jesus. Amen.
The transaction of which this ever-memorable garden now becomes the scene is, with the exception of our Lord's actual crucifixion, perhaps the most awful and solemnizing which even the Scriptures of God contain. How can we approach the consideration of it with sufficient reverence? How can we be deeply enough affected with the insight which it gives us into the sorrow of the blessed Redeemer's soul? Shall we not feel and own our utter helplessness to speak or think of this scene in a manner befitting its amazing and affecting disclosures?
2 Year Gospel Study - week 71 (Friday, 05-09-25) Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 13 Scripture: John 16:1-33, John 17:1-2. In today's teaching we continue with Jesus and His disciples having finished the Last Supper, Judas has left and Jesus and the 11 are walking towards the Garden of Gethsemane. God's call is to radical faith - the kind that allows us to stand strong against the enemy - Jesus shares that they hated Him, they will hate them, they persecuted Him, they will also persecute them. Yet, Jesus assures the disciples by telling of the coming of the Advocate - Holy Spirit - who will testify about Jesus and will bring power and strength and truth. This persecution comes but Jesus doesn't want us to live in fear, but rather to trust and depend on Him. Jesus shares that He must leave, remove His physical presence from the world so that the Father can send the Advocate - Holy Spirit - who will be with us. And no matter what we face the Holy Spirit is with us and lives in us. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, convicts us of righteousness (right relationship with God offered through faith in Jesus who is our only hope because we are sinners). Having the Holy Spirit draws us to righteous living through His power. The Holy Spirit also convicts about judgement because Jesus is the Victor through His death and He shows that the judgement of the Holy God has been carried by the Son of God. The measure of God's love is that: He doesn't give us what we deserve, He gives us Himself. He doesn't give us what we've earned, He gives us what Jesus has earned. He doesn't give us what we've achieved, He gives us what Jesus achieved - and that is resurrection through faith in Him! Jesus telling of the coming of the Holy Spirit was a prediction that He said before His ascension, but then at Pentecost after His ascension - it is our present reality! We are living in the Era of the Spirit. We are called to: live in the power of the Holy Spirit seek the Holy Spirit listen to the Holy Spirit follow the Holy Spirit rejoice in the Holy Spirit! Pastor shares that the Holy Spirit is not an “it,” but rather a Person. The Holy Spirit is God. A real person and we want to seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit and live in relationship with God that the Holy Spirit provides - dynamic and radical faith! Jesus goes on to say that they would see Him for a little while and then see Him no more and that after a little while they would see Him again. The disciples are puzzled but in the days ahead this would all be revealed as truth. Their faith would blossom and grow! And just like His disciples, we too can always be growing in faith and in relationship with God. Jesus prophecies that there will be grief and sadness ahead but it ends with Joy - that because He suffers and dies and rises everything changes. We now are able to come to the Father through Jesus and we can ask the Father anything - we are called to be people who are radical - not only radical in our faith but radical in our prayers because God's will is to accomplish the seemingly impossible. Whatever tribulation we face remember: Jesus has overcome the world Jesus has overcome the adversary Jesus has defeated the devil Jesus has won the final victory And so in Him we have hope and peace. AND the promise of His return. Because of Jesus' victory - we who are followers of Jesus are overcomers, too, through our faith in Him! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus' ministry concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries. Up to Jerusalem is part four of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father's plan. As we study Jesus' final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us. This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.
THIS IS THE LIFE PODCAST There's something powerful about what happened in the garden of Gethsemane. It seems to be late in the evening, and Jesus knew what was coming—suffering, betrayal and the cross. He walked a little farther into the garden, fell on His face, and prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” In that moment, we see Jesus fully engaged in His humanity. He felt the weight and the pain of what was ahead. He wasn't rushing toward the cross. He was honest. He didn't want to suffer. He asked the Father if there was another way. Music Composed By: Mike Outland
Daily Dose of Hope May 8, 2025 Day 4 of Week 6 Scripture – Mark 14:27-52 Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, We are so grateful that your mercies are new every single morning. No matter what our week has been like, we can come to you today afresh and anew. Lord, forgive us for our many failings. We want to do better. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we are back in Mark 14. We will cover Jesus' prediction of Peter's denial, their time in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus' arrest. Let's start with the first portion of today's text. Jesus and the disciples have celebrated the Passover meal in the Upper Room and have moved on to the Mount of Olives. It is here that Jesus predicts that all the disciples will scatter, essentially fall away, when the going gets tough. He refers to a prophecy from Zechariah 13:7 that reads, “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered...' clearly indicating that the shepherd is Jesus Christ himself. Interestingly, Peter makes a very bold, ambitious claim that even if everyone else fell away and disappeared, he would not. Jesus doesn't mince words. He tells Peter that he will betray Jesus three times by that night (or as the text says, by the time the rooster crows two times). But Peter, and all the others, insist that they will follow Jesus even until death. I've thought about this a lot. At this time, the disciples still don't understand Jesus' ministry or purpose. They think they will follow him no matter what but we know what happens. They all scatter once Jesus is arrested. Peter does deny him three times in just a few short hours, consumed with fear for his own safety. When push came to shove, they weren't quite as invested in Jesus' mission as they thought. But then things changed. After the resurrection, the disciples were changed in fundamental ways. Peter, who was initially impulsive and fearful, becomes strong and bold, a superb leader in the early church. After experiencing both the risen Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit, their whole outlook on life is transformed. And all of them, except for John, are martyred for the Gospel. They do end up following Jesus to their own earthly death, just not in the timing they expected. So, I will ask again, would you follow Jesus to the point of giving up your life? If you were being tortured and persecuted for your faith, would you stay faithful to Jesus or would you give in to the pressure and deny Christ? It is not outside the realm of possibility that such a situation could exist for us. Afterall, it does exist for Christians all over the world. I read this quote recently, “If we have not prepared ourselves and our twenty-first century churches to die for Christ's name if necessary, we have not completed our responsibility of preparing disciples.” If this makes us uncomfortable, it should. Because Jesus has called us to a faithfulness that involves more than what we typically think of when we call ourselves Christ-followers. What does it mean to be a disciple? Jesus makes it quite clear and we read it just a couple weeks ago, Mark 8:34-35, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. With that, let's move on in the text. We are heading to Gethsemane, into the garden with Jesus and the disciples. Jesus' soul was restless, he was anguished, and he needed to spend time with the Father. He asks the disciples to pray as well. This is the time when Jesus pleads with God, “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. Jesus knows what he is about to endure. Is this the human side of him not wanting to endure the physical pain and humiliation? Or, is this the divine part of him not wanting to endure the weight of the sin of the world? It could definitely be both. But Jesus was obedient. He knew this was God's will and design. While he asked, my guess is he already knew the answer. Jesus knew what had to be done and he was willing to do it. But we do get a first row view as to the struggle going on within him. Jesus struggled and so it isn't surprising that we will also struggle. Obedience can be really hard. But Jesus gives us this beautiful example of yielding to God's will, no matter what. And he was going to face a tortuous death. Most of the time, our dilemma isn't quite as intense or painful, but it might be. Think of a situation in your life in which you yielded to God's will even though it was hard and painful. How did that affect your faith journey? I just wanted to briefly mention the disciples falling asleep. They have no idea what is going to happen. They are tired after a big Passover dinner and several glasses of wine (there is a lot of wine involved in a traditional Jewish Passover). We see their human weakness here. I feel a little sorry for them. Finally, we head to Jesus' arrest. Judas has already betrayed Jesus. He and the soldiers head into the garden with the intention of arresting Jesus. Judas kisses Jesus on the cheek, letting the soldiers know who to arrest. I can imagine this whole scene being chaotic. No one really knew what was happening, except Jesus. Then, one person standing near him (who we know is Peter from other Gospel accounts) panics and cuts the soldiers ear off. One young man flees naked (some people say this person was Mark, the author, but we really don't know). The whole thing probably happened quickly and the disciples scatter, just as they said they would not do. More tomorrow... Blessings, Pastor Vicki
Today pastor Lloyd Pulley will continue our study in John, with a closer look at The Lord's prayer in the garden of Gethsemane found in chapter seventeen. If your prayer life could use a tune up, please tune in, as together we see how Jesus prays.
Will we dare to diagnose our distractions? This heavy topic is on our mind today as we ponder the lessons from the Book of Proverbs about priorities, and distractions. Stephanie introduces us this week to a new fictitious character, who constantly seeks to maintain herself in a state of numbing and escape from the real world. And so, we look at the ever-increasing numbing that comes from seeking pleasure or relief in the wrong places, so predominant in our culture today. We talk about misplaced loves: we are wired for joy and pleasure and delight, but we need to beware of seeking these in the wrong places, even the “innocent” ones. God is the only safe place for us—in everything, including our delight and joy and pleasure. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom The author of the Book of Proverbs suffered from an acute case of escapism. King Solomon was addicted to women, and to wine (see Proverbs 31:1-9). He learned the lesson, but too late-- from 1Kings 11 to the entire book of Ecclesiastes, Scripture attests to the failure of the world's wisest man to choose delight in God at the twilight of his royal life. Solomon stopped delighting in God's glory and started delighting in his own. Does this mean that our own desire to delight in God, and to escape escapism, is a doomed quest? Not so! Because we have access to the wisdom that is from above the sun--the very wisdom of God through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, in the name of Christ. We have what Solomon never had. Disclaimer – pleasure itself is not a bad thing. We are wired for pleasure and joy and delight. But beware where you seek it! Jesus loved pleasure and joy and delight, and role-models how to place these desires rightly: squarely in the lap of our heavenly Father, on our knees. The questions we are challenged to answer this week: Would we rather garner praise from humans for our own works, or praise from God for our dependence on Him? Would we rather build our own little kingdom, bound in time and space under our own wisdom, and be its ruler for a season -- or be part of the larger, infinite, eternal Kingdom of God with the place of honor of a child? Jesus opened the way of wisdom on the cross by surrendering to the Father, and invites us into the same. His passion was the climax of a life of resisting the temptation to delight in Self-glory. For example, the wilderness temptations were all attempts at distractions from His mission. And, so was Gethsemane: it was the final battle for resolve, the culmination of a lifetime of battles against sin and temptation. Jesus did what we could not do: a life of perfect surrender to God (which is perfect freedom) so that He could give us that freedom through the Cross. Freedom from sin; Freedom from Self; Freedom to surrender to the Son. Why would we want to be our own master, when Christ offers to be the master we could never be for ourselves? What the world needs most right now is our personal intimacy with God. Only then will we be truly equipped to reach the world in His Name. So, Stephanie ends this highly personal episode with several of her own personal tips and experiences of trusting God. They include: - Early morning routine; - Prayer; - Bible study, intake, memorization (raking for leaves and digging for diamonds both); - Discipline; - Worship. Are we PERFECT? NO. But the general direction is a growth in our moment-by-moment dependence on God by His Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord. That's the spirit of the Book of Proverbs. Don't give up. Trust God, not yourself. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/proverbs MEET OUR FICTIONAL GUEST TODAY | LIZ Lizzie loves a good shopping spree. She finds peace in the endless rhythm of browsing the racks, and trying things on, and spending hours in search of the one perfect item she is looking for. She usually does not know what she needs until she finds it, but then, she knows. She jokes that Target has a memory erasing device at the entrance of their stores—she comes in for milk, and leaves with 3 trendy pillows, a pretty dress, and a new kitchen gadget. And then she has to send her husband to the store after work because she forgot the milk. Oh, her husband. He's a good man. Lizzie loves to spend hours on social media. She's been known to let dinner to burn, or forget to get it started, because she was down a rabbit hole on Twitter. Good thing she can order takeout at the click of a button. Her husband is very supportive. Her favorite evenings are spent with a glass of wine—or two—watching her favorite shows. Yes, she has been known to binge watch. She just can't resist the pull of a good story. She loves to bury herself in the comforting world of make-believe characters and their fascinating stories, especially easy romance. Her own life is dull and humdrum—nothing like those exciting adventures. Married, kids out of the house, not much to report. Well, on the surface at least. She doesn't really want to think about the long evenings her husband has to work to provide for them. All this stress is exhausting. Lizzie loves the little cocoon she has woven for herself—all those well-deserved, innocent comforts to escape reality. She remembers a time in life when it seemed like she could handle a lot more—more stress, more activities, more relationships. Maybe it's just part of aging. That's why Lizzie loves to take naps: there is nothing like the feel of drifting away from reality to embrace the sweet comfort of sleep. She just decided to quit her job as a part-time administrative clerk; it is just too much pressure. Yes, it is going to put financial stress on her hard-working husband, but her wellbeing is important, right? He keeps telling her that God will give her purpose and passion. That sounds like too much work. She's not interested. She'd rather stay home and get some rest. Distractions build a smoke and mirror kingdom that will take us away from God's calling on our lives. Because we are wired for joy and hope and faith, we need to see the danger of distractions, even “innocent” ones. Accumulated distractions will build for us a small world of delusion and fantasy. Lizzie is seeking refuge in her little make-believe bubble of comforts. This small escape world only exists in her mind. It is the sum of her misplaced loves. The Book of Proverbs teaches us that wisdom is placing our love in God Himself. No less, no more. God invites us to live out the fullness of our identity in Him. Lizzie is too distracted to care about identity, calling and purpose. She has numbed herself into the comfortable oblivion of manifold distractions. So, unlike Lizzie, let's dare to diagnose our distractions. Let's dare to refuse self-deception and self-numbing. Let's seek to cultivate the root of our hope, our faith, our joy in God Himself. Let's be ruthlessly honest and see distractions as they really are in our own heart, even when comfort beckons. Especially when comfort beckons. And let's dare to ask ourselves: what if God was using our uncomfortable circumstances to personally mentor us into deeper intimacy with Him? Would it make difficult seasons worth it? We have a choice. Our circumstances can distract us away from genuine faith, hope and joy, or they can draw us closer to God. We cannot grow closer to God while building our own little kingdom through self-numbing and worldly comforts. Instead, God invites us to join His bold and ambitious work to build His larger, infinite, eternal Kingdom. To accomplish our purpose in this life, we need to be laser-focused on God's calling over us, and shun the worldly distractions. What the world needs most right now is our personal intimacy with God. Only then will we be truly equipped to reach the world in His Name. Take a listen to Gospel Spice Podcast Episode 390 to find out many more ways that our world aims to distract us from God today. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/ Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!
Luke 22:39-46 May 1, 2025 PM.At our Lord's Table service, we examined what Jesus experienced as he prayed in Gethsemane. We observed that his agony started before the cruel beatings and crucifixion as he sweat blood. We looked at the medical description of this condition (hematidrosis) which was caused by the extreme stress of the situation.
~ Around the Wicket Gate ~Almost Saved, But Altogether Lost Here in Chapter 7, Spurgeon focuses on the sufferings of Christ, urging readers to look to his wounds as the sole cure for sin. He describes Jesus' agony—from Gethsemane to the cross—as the full payment for our guilt. Spurgeon reminds seekers that salvation rests entirely […] The post Chapter 7 : Around the Wicket Gate – A Helpful Survey (of Christ's Wounds) appeared first on Hear Spurgeon.
Are You a Part of What God Is Doing in Our Country Today? Do You Seek God's Presence in Your Life? MESSAGE SUMMARY: Can you tell what God is up to in the World, in our time, in our church, and in America? Are you a part of what God is doing in the world today, or are you just reacting to what God is doing, thereby, creating conflict and division? Psalms 105 reminds you of God's power in the world if you do seek His presence in your life: “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered.". On the other hand, Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 1:9, warns you of the implications for not including the presence of Jesus in your worldly considerations: “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.”. While the Lord is leading, and directing, it seems that we are wrapped up in our agenda and our way of doing things; therefore, we miss God's presence; and we miss the Holy Spirit in our lives. TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Fear. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Faithfulness. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 5:6; Matthew 5:10; Psalms 112:1-6; Psalms 119b:13-24. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Being in Christ, Part 2”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Send us a textThe doctrine of atonement stands at the very heart of Christian faith, yet few truly understand its depth and implications. In this profound theological exploration, we unpack what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane as Christ, the sinless one, took upon Himself the sins of God's elect throughout all human history.We begin by examining how Jesus drank three symbolic cups representing God's wrath against sin - each cup representing the elect from different time periods: those before His incarnation, those during His earthly ministry, and those who would come after His resurrection. This beautiful picture reveals both the comprehensiveness and the particularity of Christ's saving work.The conversation takes a revealing turn as we explore Jesus' parable of the wedding feast. When confronted by the king, the man without a wedding garment was completely speechless - having no defense, no plea for mercy, and no claim to salvation. This powerful imagery illustrates that salvation belongs entirely to God, not to human choice or works. The wedding garment, representing Christ's righteousness, is prepared specifically for those whom God has chosen.Perhaps most encouraging is our discussion of unconditional salvation versus the conditional covenant relationships of the Old Testament. Angels fell, Adam fell, and national Israel failed because their preservation was conditional. In contrast, our salvation under the new covenant is unconditional, secured by God's sovereign grace. This means true believers can never be lost - a profound comfort that distinguishes Christianity from mere religion.Join us for this challenging but ultimately liberating conversation about God's sovereign mercy. You'll come away with a deeper appreciation for the security we have in Christ and a humbler understanding of salvation that puts God's glory - not human choice - at the center.The Balance of GrayGod, doubt, and proof walk into a podcast... it goes better than you'd expect!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show
1st published 1875The Shadow of Calvary is a classic of Christian literature in which Hugh Martin leads us through the garden of Gethsemane to the arrest and the trial of Jesus. Martin interprets these events in the light of the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Chance is that you do not entirely understand what Calvary meant to Jesus. Here Martin leads us through the biblical account of Calvary taking you through every step of the Shadow of Calvary. Most modern preaching and writing simply scraps the surface of God's Word, Martin reaches the heart of the sacrifice and love shown on the cross.
In this powerful Easter series, we journey through the final days of Jesus' earthly ministry and uncover the spiritual blueprint He modeled for every believer. From the cries in the Garden of Gethsemane to the silence of the trial… from the suffering on the cross to the unseen victory in the grave… and ultimately, to His triumphant entrance into heaven carrying His own blood — this is more than a story. It's your inheritance.
Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com If I could put time in a bottle Time is on my side Good times bad times you know Ive had my share Late is late. 30 seconds is late 30 minutes, 5 minutes, 1 minute, 30 seconds is late. Better late than never… NOPE Late is Late. So what is early? It is respect, it is character it is integrity. Time might be the greatest currency to spend in order to show someone just how much you care. Not money, not your talent, not your intelligence but simply hard time. Matthew 26:36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” 39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He didn't ask the disciples to stand and fight. He did not ask them to give him advice or to prepare for life without him at this moment. He simply asked them for prayer… but not just prayer, but an hour of prayer. The disciples are hand fed for 3 1/2 years insight and miracles and the miraculous and more… and in turn Christ asks for one hour… not one month, not one day but one hour. AND at the most crucial time of his life… or should we say just before his death. Look if you really want to impress someone, your spouse, your kids, your pastor your boss your neighbors… Your parents… it does not matter - if you really want to impress them. Give them time!
This message teaches that true spiritual growth is shown by the Fruit of the Spirit, especially patience, not just outward religious habits. Using Job's trials and Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, it shows how God uses hard seasons to purify our hearts and build patience. Patience isn't instantly given—it's developed through daily encounters with God, enduring trials, and staying submitted to His will. Spiritual growth means our character becomes more like Jesus, not just appearing spiritual. In every season, we are called to "stay in the garden," trusting God's timing and process. Notes: https://www.bible.com/events/49426771
"The son of Zebedee and brother of John, he was one of the Twelve. At the call of the Lord Jesus, he left his fishing nets and his father and, together with John, immediately followed Christ. He was one of the three apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries: before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places, going as far as Spain. On his return from Spain, a violent quarrel broke out between the Jews and himself on the Holy Scriptures, and, being unable to withstand him, they hired a magician, Hermogenes. But Hermogenes and Philip his pupil were overcome by the power and truth that James preached, and were baptised. Then the Jews denounced him to Herod, and persuaded one Josias to slander the Apostle. This Josias, seeing James's manly bearing and hearing his clear preaching of the truth, repented and came to faith in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this Josias was also condemned. Mounting the scaffold, Josias begged James's forgiveness for the sin of slander, and James embraced him, kissing him and saying: 'peace be to thee, and forgiveness.' And they both laid their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the sake of the Lord whom they had loved and served. St James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45. His body was taken to Spain, where to this day miracles of healing are performed at his tomb." (Prologue) His relics are venerated at his shrine in Compostela, Spain.
Welcome to the TFC Biblecast! Start your day off right and join us as we take the next 10 minutes to dive into God's word. If we can pray for you, email us at biblecast@tfc.org.
Christ has just celebrated the Passover with his disciples and now they are in a garden named Gethsemane. Other gospels tell us that this had been their pattern over the last few days, so Judas knew where they would be. When Judas arrives he kisses Jesus to identify the man they are to arrest. The mob comes wielding an assortment of weapons, and a certain young man (probably Matthew himself) is so scared that he ducks out of his clothing in order to escape their grasp. Jesus is taken to the Jewish high counsel known as the Sanhedrin where he is tried for blasphemy. It is there that Peter denies his Lord as Christ had predicted. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org
This conversation explores the 26th chapter of Matthew, focusing on key events such as Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, his betrayal by Judas, the trial before the high priest, and Peter's denial. Each segment delves into the emotional and spiritual significance of these moments, providing insights into the themes of faith, betrayal, and redemption.Tune in for part 2 of the Matthew chapter 26 discussion!***GlossaHouse resources are available at our website! - https://glossahouse.com/✏️ ***Sign up for classes with GlossaHouse U - https://glossahouse.com/pages/classes
In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see both the depth of our weakness and the strength of Christ's love. This sermon explores how Jesus doesn't flinch at our failures but instead drinks the cup of wrath, stands in our place, and walks with us through our darkest moments. No matter how far we've fallen, Gethsemane assures us: His love goes farther. Matthew 26:30-46
Wednesday Service | A teaching linking the connection between the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3 & the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36-56 with Pastor Josh BlackVictory Calvary Chapel is a church in Menifee, California. We gather for Jesus, to worship Him, to follow Him, and represent Him wherever we go. To learn more, visit us at www.victorycc.com.
God Sees a Jesus Follower as Being “In Christ”; Therefore, God Sees a Jesus Follower as His Son or Daughter MESSAGE SUMMARY: As Followers of Jesus, you are "In Christ" -- God looks at you, as a Jesus Follower, and He sees Jesus in you. Throughout the Epistles we find: "In Christ" or "In Him". In Galatians 3:14, Paul tells you that your faith in Jesus makes you “In Christ” and a recipient of God's Covenant with Abraham: “so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.". Also, Paul goes even further, in Galatians 3:25-28, to tell you that, through your faith in Jesus, you no longer need any kind of intermediary because you are “In Christ” and you have a personal relationship with God, the Creator of the Universe: “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”. When God sees you, “In Christ" as a Jesus Follower, He sees Jesus, the Son. Therefore, God sees you as His son or daughter. TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Addictions. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Self-Control. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Romans 3:21-26; Romans 6:5-11; Romans 6:22-23; Psalms 63:1-11. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Being in Christ, Part 1”,at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
In a short span of time these two disciples both experienced a level of personal failure which devastated them. Judas, of course, betrayed the Lord by leading the religious officiais to the Garden ot Gethsemane. Peter blatantly and repeatedly denied knowing the Lord while waiting among the crowd outside the high priest's home. Though Judas' sin was more deliberate than Peter's, both men show great remorse tor their misdeeds afterwards, but at this point the similarities end. Judas ends up committing suicide and perishing, while Peter is restored to his relationship with Christ and his call to ministry. So it's helpful for us to look carefully at the way both of these men handled their personal failures. At some point in time most people bitterly disappoint themselves by doing something they never thought they would do, and if that has or will occur for any one of us, we want to avoid the path Judas took and run with Peter to the empty tomb. To purchase Pastor Steve's newest book Understanding Romans: Life-Changing Lessons from Paul's Greatest Letter, visit Amazon. Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.
What if I told you we know the exact words Jesus sang before He went to the garden of Gethsemane?Morning Offering, April 27, 2025For the repose of the soul of Pope Francis. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Every morning, join Father Brad as he begins the day with prayer and reflection. In a few short minutes, Father Brad guides you in prayer, shares a brief reflection grounding your day in the Church's rhythm of feast days and liturgy, and provides you with the encouragement necessary to go forward with peace and strength. Disclaimer: The ads shown before, during, or after this video have no affiliation with Morning Offering and are controlled by YouTubeLet us do as the saints urge and begin our days in prayer together so as a community of believers we may join the Psalmist in saying, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3-4)________________
QUOTES FOR REFLECTION “….the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” ~Hebrews 11:6 “This is the center of the gospel – this is what the Garden of Gethsemane and Good Friday are all about – that God has done astonishing and costly things to draw us near.”~John Piper “When we resist God, we draw near to Satan.”~Beth Moore “Nearness to God brings likeness to God. The more you see God, the more of God will be seen in you.”~Charles Spurgeon SERMON PASSAGEHebrews 7:11-28 (ESV) 11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 20 And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21 but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.'” 22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. 23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
Sermon Summary:This week, we began our five-week "ROOTED" series by examining the fundamental question of identity: who are we at our core? Drawing from Colossians 2:6-10, we explored how our true identity must be rooted in Christ rather than in conditional identities offered by our culture. Just as olive trees in Gethsemane have extensive root systems that allow them to regenerate even after being cut down, our spiritual lives depend on what lies beneath the surface.We discovered that the identity God gives us is secure and unconditional—we are valuable image-bearers (Genesis 1:26-27), purposeful partners in God's restoration plan, and deeply loved children adopted into God's family (Ephesians 1:4-5). In contrast, our culture bombards us with conditional identities based on performance, appearance, achievements, relationships, or interests. These create deep insecurity because they can be lost at any moment.Throughout Scripture, we see God working to restore our true identity. In Hosea, God transforms people from "Not my loved one" to "My loved one." Through Christ, we experience the ultimate identity transformation from outsiders to insiders, from nobodies to somebodies, from servants to sons and daughters of the King.John Newton's journey from slave trader to abolitionist illustrates how embracing our identity in Christ is sometimes a process rather than an instant change. His story reminds us that our pasts don't determine our identity.To live from this secure identity, we recommended two practical steps: daily Scripture meditation (focusing on verses about our identity in Christ) and community confirmation through Table Groups where others can remind us of who we are when we forget. When we're secure in our God-given identity, we become a church where people don't have to put on a show, where being real isn't scary, and where mistakes don't define us.URF WEBSITE: ➤ http://www.urfellowship.comSOCIALS: ➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urfellowship/➤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urfellowship
3:30 - How did Jesus heal the man Peter attacked in the garden of Gethsemane? / 6:28 - How did the priests get around the temple veil? / 10:56 - 1 Thessalonians, what does it mean the dead will rise? / 17:30 - Were females ever circumsised? / 19:15 - Were dinosaurs on the ark? / 24:26 - Followup on how the veil worked. / 33:43 - Will our new bodies be recognizeable/attractive? / 40:42 - Should we trust things from Angel Studios? / 52:03 - What is your outline for preaching the Gospel of Matthew?
Every year many Americans make promises to themselves and others called "resolutions." These commitments to improve behavior are notorious failures. People promise all sorts of things, but usually these can't be kept for more than a month or two into the new year. The problem, of course, is that our will power isn't strong enough to resist the temptations that lure us back to old habits. Appetites, fears, tempers and emotions pull on us until resolve weakens, and once again we fall under their control. We may know what's right to do, but we can't seem to make ourselves do it. After several failed attempts, discouragement sets in, leaving us feeling hopelessly trapped. But a Christian does not have to fall prey to this familiar cycle. We have access to a source of power that can enable us to overcome the forces of our flesh and the temptations of the devil. In the garden of Gethsemene we see Jesus laying hold of this power. He explains the principle to us with the statement, "Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is wiling, but the flesh is weak" (Lk 14:38). In our lesson today, we wil learn the secret of overcoming temptations and of experiencing genuine transformation. To purchase Pastor Steve's newest book Understanding Romans: Life-Changing Lessons from Paul's Greatest Letter, visit Amazon. Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.
The narrative begins with gratitude and highlights challenges leading to Easter. It emphasizes the resurrection as Jesus' victory over death, alongside the significance of his crucifixion. The story includes Jesus' emotional turmoil in Gethsemane and details his suffering during crucifixion. It celebrates the transformative power of faith, encourages acceptance of Jesus for salvation, and explains baptism as a symbol of new life. The content concludes with a prayer for the audience's faith journey.
Welcome to Day 2614 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2614 – The Road To Jerusalem: Why Are You Looking Among The Dead For Someone Who Is Alive? Putnam Church Message – 04/20/2025 Sermon Series: The Road to Jerusalem Message 3: Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? Last week, we explored The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. We answered the question, How do we respond to Jesus' Triumphal Entry today? 1) Believe that Jesus is the Messiah. 2) Serve him as King. 3) Proclaim his praises. This week is the third and final Easter message about The Road to Jerusalem. Today, ask the question, Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? The passage we will cover today is Luke 24:1-12, pages 1642-1643 of your Pew Bibles. INTRODUCTION: Today is Easter, Resurrection Sunday. We have followed Jesus and his disciples on the road to Jerusalem in the last two weeks. Last week, we witnessed Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. But a lot happened in that one week between Palm Sunday and Easter, this week that we often call Holy Week. Let me recap the events of Holy Week for you. On Monday and Tuesday, the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders escalated as he drove out the merchants in the Temple Court of Gentiles. On Wednesday, Judas met with the religious leaders and arranged for Jesus' betrayal. On Thursday, Jesus met with his disciples in the Upper Room and shared the Last Supper with them. Later that night, Jesus was arrested while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Early Friday morning, Jesus was tried before Pilate and sentenced to death. By Friday evening, Jesus was crucified, dead and buried. Saturday was a Sabbath day of rest. And so, at last, we come to Sunday morning. Only seven days had passed since the triumphal entry, but so much had happened in between. Imagine how the disciples felt at this moment. They were in shock from the events of Thursday and Friday. They were in mourning over the death of their Lord and friend. And they were hiding in fear for their own lives. Jesus had warned them that the road to Jerusalem was the road to suffering and the cross, but somehow, they did not understand. But now Sunday morning had arrived, and everything was about to change. (Read Luke 24:5-8 and pray.) 5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man[a] must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.” 8 Then they remembered that he had said this. OPENING PRAYER “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? (
Why Did Jesus Have to Die? In this conversation, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford discuss the complexities of Easter, the significance of Jesus' death, and the implications of sin and sacrifice within the Christian faith. They reflect on the pressures of Easter services, the meaning behind Jesus' crucifixion, and the role of the tabernacle and temple in understanding the relationship between humanity and God. The discussion emphasizes the importance of recognizing the deeper meanings behind traditional beliefs and practices. Further, Mike and Tim explore the profound theological implications of Jesus' incarnation, death, and the significance of the tabernacle in relation to eternal life. They discuss how Jesus' death was not just a human experience but a necessary act to bridge the gap between humanity and God, emphasizing the importance of understanding the humanity of Jesus, especially in the context of the Garden of Gethsemane. The conversation also delves into the mystery of scripture and the human experience, highlighting the need for a nuanced understanding of biblical texts. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Easter Reflections 10:09 - The Significance of Jesus' Death 19:57 - Understanding Sin and Sacrifice 30:05 - The Role of the Tabernacle and Temple 36:53 - The Tabernacle and the Incarnation 42:21 - The Significance of Jesus' Death 49:33 - The Humanity of Jesus and the Garden of Gethsemane 56:43 - The Mystery of Scripture and Human Experience As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV. Our Merch Store! ETSY Learn more about the Voxology Podcast Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy
In this Easter special, we explore the profound teachings about the Savior's suffering in Gethsemane and its eternal implications. We discuss how early Latter-day Saints grappled with the concepts of repentance, eternal punishment, and the infinite nature of Christ's atonement. We also explore the radical truths in D&C 19 that challenge the prevailing 19th-century Protestant beliefs by emphasizing a Savior who deeply desires us to avoid suffering through sincere repentance. Gerrit also draws on connections between biblical texts and early Christian writings, including Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Hippolytus. Most importantly, this episode underscores the Savior's desperate plea for repentance, not out of wrath, but from a profound desire to spare His children from unimaginable suffering. This message of compassion and redemption is especially powerful during the Easter season, and a reminder of the incredible depth of Christ's love and the hopeful promise of forgiveness and spiritual renewal. Sweetwater Rescue Temple Project: Helping the Saints of Lithuania get to the Helsinki, Finland Temple https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/current If you would like to donate, please click on the link: https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org/donate Sign up for our free monthly email: https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
Jesus performed countless miracles and changed lives—but where were those people when He was suffering? We explore this thought-provoking question and what it reveals about human nature, gratitude, and the loneliness of the Cross. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered: 42:42 – Where were the followers, especially those who received the miracles? 44:37 – If Jesus knew he was God and was going to heaven, why was he so distressed in the Garden of Gethsemane?
On Truth For Life, we're tracking the story of Jesus' betrayal and arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. Alistair Begg notes that when most people would've been tempted to run and hide or fight back, Christ's response revealed His majesty and divine mission. ----------------------------------------- • Click here and look for "FROM THE SERMON" to stream or read the full message. • This program is part of a special sermon ‘Jesus Betrayed and Arrested' • Learn more about our current resource, request your copy with a donation of any amount. Helpful Resources - Learn about God's salvation plan - Read our most recent articles - Subscribe to our daily devotional Follow Us YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter This listener-funded program features the clear, relevant Bible teaching of Alistair Begg. Today's program and nearly 3,000 messages can be streamed and shared for free at tfl.org thanks to the generous giving from monthly donors called Truthpartners. Learn more about this Gospel-sharing team or become one today. Thanks for listening to Truth For Life!
On Truth For Life, we're tracking the story of Jesus' betrayal and arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. Alistair Begg notes that when most people would've been tempted to run and hide or fight back, Christ's response revealed His majesty and divine mission. ----------------------------------------- • Click here and look for "FROM THE SERMON" to stream or read the full message. • This program is part of a special sermon ‘Jesus Betrayed and Arrested' • Learn more about our current resource, request your copy with a donation of any amount. Helpful Resources - Learn about God's salvation plan - Read our most recent articles - Subscribe to our daily devotional Follow Us YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter This listener-funded program features the clear, relevant Bible teaching of Alistair Begg. Today's program and nearly 3,000 messages can be streamed and shared for free at tfl.org thanks to the generous giving from monthly donors called Truthpartners. Learn more about this Gospel-sharing team or become one today. Thanks for listening to Truth For Life!