Podcasts about golgotha

"There is no crime to fit this sentence; there is no sentence to fit this crime." The words of the Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate echo across the centuries in Daniel Grace's first novel In the Wake of Golgotha, a daring retelling of "the greatest story ever told." As the specter of Pilate collides with a modern-day incarnation of Judas Iscariot in the shadows of a New York City basement, a profound religious mystery unfolds in a dark and dazzling literary thriller. The book is a bit of a departure for Daniel Grace, the London-born, California-bred former owner of an internationally-acclaimed advertising agency, who now produces award-winning wines at his family's winery, Il Molino di Grace, in Panzano-in-Chianti, Italy, and who has come to believe that his creative pursuits—as a novelist, advertising executive, and vintner—are all of a piece. He joins us on the podcast to discuss his love of wine and literature, and his determination to share the stories to be found in the bones of a well-crafted Super Bowl commercial, in the bottle of an old world Classico or Super-Tuscan wine, or between the lines of his long-awaited debut novel. Learn more about Daniel Grace: Website Instagram Il Molino di Grace Instagram Please support the sponsors who support our show: Ritani Jewelers Daniel Paisner's Balloon Dog Daniel Paisner's SHOW: The Making and Unmaking of a Network Television Pilot Heaven Help Us by John Kasich Unforgiving: Lessons from the Fall by Lindsey Jacobellis Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Libro.fm (ASTOLDTO) | 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 when you start your membership Film Freaks Forever! podcast, hosted by Mark Jordan Legan and Phoef Sutton Everyday Shakespeare podcast A Mighty Blaze podcast The Writer's Bone Podcast Network Misfits Market (WRITERSBONE) | $15 off your first order  Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Wizard Pins (WRITERSBONE) | 20% discount

July 20, 2026Today's Reading: Genesis 2:7-17Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 3:1-21; Acts 16:1-22“but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.There's this Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, where if you eat it, you die in the Garden of Eden. And that kinda feels messed up. Is it a good tree? God said yes. We're not sure. We tend to think that if it's not a trap, it's at least a test. Which says plenty about what you actually think about the God who put it there. We still think He's, if not setting traps for us, at least testing us.A loving God doesn't "test" us with death any more than I, who love you less than God, would test whether or not you remember how a fire drill works by lighting the building on fire. Also, an all-knowing God would know this whole thing plays out poorly. What if the Tree that God called Good was not a test or a trap? What if He called it good because it was given with a good purpose, to reveal who God is? To teach Adam and Eve that all of evil should be contained on a tree for man to behold and know the peace of not having to die because God bore the sin that would kill them for them? What if the tree was good because it was the very first church? Adam and Eve could worship here, celebrate the mystery of the God who hangs evil on the tree that they would not die. The thing is, mystery is only good if you trust the guy behind the curtain. But if the tree wasn't a good thing, then it's pretty solid proof God who put it there wasn't so good either. This is how the serpent tempted. But God met them in the garden, not to destroy, but to promise a child born of woman to hang on a second tree to crush the head of the serpent forever. God saw the tree in the garden. God saw the tragedy that changed you forever. God saw everything that's gone wrong since and hated it too. So He assumes it. Climbs down from heaven to walk up the hill of Golgotha and die on the cross. For you. For them. For those who have faced the tragedies that leave us speechless and bitter and broken. For the forgiveness of all your sins. Your quiet mistrust. Your open rebellion. Jesus died for that. Because God still insists on gathering up all the evil in the world and hanging it on the tree so that death would have no power over us and sin would not define us. Look at the tree of the cross and call it good, because this is who your God is. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What mercy God showed to our race, A plan of rescue by His grace: In sending One from woman's seed, The One to fill our greatest need— For on a tree uplifted high His only Son for sin would die, Would drink the cup of scorn and dread To crush the ancient serpent's head! (LSB 561:3)Rev. Harrison Goodman, Executive Director of Mission and Theology for Higher Things.

In this summer repeat, Patrick and Jonah turn from the mystery of heaven toward the mystery of hell. Beginning again with Christ's words in John 8, “I am the light of the world,” they ask what this light means in relation to darkness, death, and the fallen world.The conversation explores biblical images of hell as distance from God: the belly of the beast, the depths of the sea, the dust realm, the pit, and the powers of death that threaten to bind the human soul to what is passing away. Patrick and Jonah consider how Christ enters this realm not by escaping death, but by passing through it, transforming death itself into a servant of life.Together they reflect on Golgotha as the decisive encounter between the light of Christ and the powers of darkness, and on what it means for human beings to remain connected to heaven on earth even in the presence of despair. At the heart of the episode is the Easter mystery: that the place of death can become the very place where new life begins.Ask us a question here!Support the showThe Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together."

Welcome back to Gnostic Insights and to the Gnostic Reformation on Substack. Dr. Cyd Ropp and Bishop Nathan Wilson Today's episode is the last installment of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of The Gnostic Union. Brother Nathan continues with his illustration of how correct translation of the original Koine Greek of the New Testament changes the way we may interpret Biblical scripture more precisely. The translations he shares come from his freely available Gnostic Christian Truth Bible that you can find online in PDF form, with side by side comparisons of the original Koine with English. I'm including the link here in the transcript of the episode, so if you are listening to this in podcast form, you may wish to go to Gnostic Insights dot com to read the transcript. His Bible and other Gnostic scriptures could use another round of editorial polishing, in my opinion, to insert an indexed table of contents, so it may be a bit difficult to make your way through it. And in next week’s episode, I’ll take a long look at what we’ve been hearing for the last four weeks. If you have anything you would like me to discuss or any questions coming off of Bishop Wilson’s discussion, bring them up and we can talk about them on next week's episode. I know I’m going to want to talk about the role of Sophia and the Divine Feminine and the concept of gender on the ethereal plane. I would also like to talk to you about how the study of history and philology differs from theology and philosophy and how they are not necessarily gnosis. And here at Gnostic Insights, of course, and on the Gnostic Reformation, I avoid talking about gnosis and only share gnosis itself. So I’d like to explain that to you about that as well. So please drop me some comments here at the end of this episode and I can address them in next week’s episode. Bishop Nathan Wilson: So Mark 8:17. All right. So this would be Jesus here. “And having gnosis, he said to them, why reason because you have no bread or do you not understand that the heart of you has been hardened?” So this is among disciples arguing that they have no bread. Jesus having spiritual gnosis, understanding what’s going on, says, “What are you arguing about?” Which is kind of interesting that he mentioned, but I’ll mention something that’s a real kick in the can. So this is in Mark 15:42. And this is a text that no theology want to give you because it would make them feel uncomfortable. And it’s regarding Pontius Pilate having gnosis regarding Jesus crucifixion. So this is a note they definitely do not want. I was kind of thinking about what does this mean? And I figured out what it’s regarding to. Mark 15:45. Okay, so this is Pontius Pilate. I’ll read 15:44 first. “But Pilate wondered if he had already died, having called to him the centurion and questioned him if he had already died. And with gnosis from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.” AI generated image of Pilate questioning the Centurian. The three crucified men were inserted by the AI to symbolically represent the crucifixition of Jesus and the two thieves. Golgotha is actually not that close to the palace window. So that meaning inside knowledge from the centurion has been given to him about Jesus. So that could imply that he was still alive and that Pontius might have been involved in this plot. That’s what that text would imply; it doesn’t necessarily have to mean that. It can just mean that within a knowledge he’s been told by the centurion Jesus is dead, so it can apply that too. So however you want to read that text is up to you. But I found that quite fascinating and I had to really look at that. I’m like, well, I'm sorry, we can’t have that in there. That’s why that’s been censored. But that’s fascinating. So we even have Jesus having a gnosis and leaving an area and that’s in Matthew 12:15. I’ll jump into that too. So there’s a couple of scenes that Jesus has gnosis. There’s even times he has gnosis in regarding what other people were thinking. So having to understand them mentally. So that’s cool. So gnosis appears quite often. It’s just it doesn’t appear in the English text. But in the Old Testament it’s even more. Cyd:That's interesting. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Yes, it is. Very. Okay. So “withdrew from the area” Matthew 12:15 I want. Right. “And Jesus having gnosis, withdrew from there and many great multitudes followed him and he healed them.” Or it can translate to took care of them or cured them all. So that word here we have can be for a therapeia or a therapeo. And this word meaning to heal someone or to spend time with them, to heal them with God’s word or with medicine, to heal them with medical substance, so narcotics. It can be just simply curing them or just spending time with someone so say talking to someone, healing them and their emotions. So healing their emotions. So that’s beautiful. Not just simply Jesus hocus pocus and and leaving. It’s he’s spending time with people. And this word has been used in ancient Greek medical texts for implying medical substances or therapy. So the word therapeia is where our word therapy comes from. So this can be Jesus the therapist. So that’s beautiful. Absolutely fantastic. I like that. So it gives more power to the text. Shows that one person can make a difference. So any one of us can do this and heal multitudes through spiritual touch, through spiritual messaging, through the simple act of love. So that’s powerful. That’s useful. Cyd:And this is something that only people can do. Well, no, actually dogs are very good therapists as well. But I wouldn’t think that an AI therapist or an AI Jesus has any gnosis truly. Bishop Nathan Wilson:I’m not really one big for AI because I think AI is basically just all secondhand information. It’s just built from all our information that we’ve already got. So we have here something else. This is something pretty interesting too. Matthew 16:8. And it’s Jesus having gnosis: “Why do you argue amongst yourselves? You of little faith because you have no bread” [or meaning food.] But say, regarding to the word for artos being bread. So when you have the Jesus prayer, Give us this daily bread, this could translate to give us our daily necessaries of life. That’s much more. So daily maintenance, so being maintained spiritually, being maintained by God, for God giving us the means to live spiritually as well as physically. So it’s much more powerful than just simple, just bread and food. So Jesus speaking a lot of times symbolically. So the symbolic teachings are meant to be useful to all of us. So something that we can practically take on, not simply does something that’s outside of ourselves. So that’s within ourselves that we can actually use. So gnosis. And I’ll go into Matthew 22:18. And that’s with Jesus about having gnosis on the wickedness of the Pharisees. So this doesn’t mean that all Pharisees are bad though. Jesus had Pharisees that followed him. This just means a select few of them. So basically the rich corrupted ones of them. So he was also against the Sadducees too. Mostly Sadducees probably because they were the richer lots. But he was not really a friend to those who were corrupt and using the money that they were given to further subject the people to more condemnation, which Jesus was very much pro-life, was equality where the Pharisees and Sadducees in large numbers were not. Which is a shame. Okay, so 22, I think it was I’m looking for. Matthew 22:18. Okay. Cyd:You know that Old Testament God of the Sadducees and Pharisees doesn’t have love. So they are not getting any gnosis from that Jehovah level. Bishop Nathan Wilson:No. And it goes back to where it’s first worshipped. The first to worship this God, Yahweh, were very violent. They were the Shasu. They were known to force marry the Egyptian and Ethiopian young girls they raided. So when we look at the depictions of the Shasu, they are mixed in colour—they're black, they’re white, they’re copper skinned. They didn’t care what colour you were, they just took. They were looking for sex slaves, basically wives. So what’s interesting is the same river that they used, the Euphrates River, not all of them were river-based pirates. Some were just tent dwelling nomads. But some of them did have the funds or means to use ships. So we certainly had sea people. So some of those sea people were Canaanite raiders. So they’ll use the Euphrates River to go out raiding, to go out to the main street or elsewhere to raid outside of their own lands. Muslim pirates would use the same river to do the same thing. So that’s interesting.[Editor’s note: The speaker appears to be connecting several groups—nomadic Shasu, Sea Peoples, and later Muslim-era raiders. While the Euphrates served as an important transportation corridor, the specific claim that the Shasu or Sea Peoples used it as river-pirates is not clear from the sources consulted by the CoPilot AI and may reflect an interpretation rather than an established historical consensus. Of course, the AIs are relaying to us approved, conventional data, so their data bases would not contain the types of stories Bishop Wilson speaks of.]All in the name of this Jehovah, in the name of Yahweh, in the name of the demiurge, this evil gets done. And it’s always the poor that suffer, the poor and women. And who are the ones that Jesus is speaking to? The poor and to women. So it’s shocking. So most Christians don’t look at this either. A lot of Muslims don’t either, because they will be following Jesus [Isa]. So who they call Isa, they clearly don’t. So the message contradicts. So Muhammad called himself a man of war. Moses as well. But it depends on what version of Moses you’re looking at as well. So during the time of Jesus, as I mentioned, there were different versions of Judaism. There were different Torahs and different Jewish Bibles. So some believed in a peaceful Moses and even a peaceful Abraham. Others believed in Abraham the Pirat. So Abraham the Pirate. And some didn’t take this view. So others believed in Abraham ready to sacrifice his son. And others believed that he was hearing a fallen angel, mistook it for God, and God had to intervene. And we see this sort of in the Essene story somewhat. So that’s more of a Gnostic take. Some Essenes view, because they’re Dead Sea Scrolls, which is a Qumran Essene sect, they believe that it was Belial that was behind the scenes doing this. And God was basically aware that Belial was doing it and would interfere. So he would do this in order for Belial to expose himself and then be shamed. So a very different story. So the story of Job we read is the Pharisee story, which is Satan being in the angelic courts. So being asked by God, so not acting outside of God. So he was only there to test human beings. So Satan’s not the bad guy in that story. It’s Yahweh. But when we look at other stories, it’s different. Even the Ethiopian version is different. They have two stories. One with Belial and the other one with a figure called Mastema, who is the opponent against God trying to cause the sacrifice of Abraham’s son. So, trippy. So this is regarding to the Pharisees as well. “So Jesus, having gnosis of the wickedness of them, said, Why do you test me, you hypocrites?” So this is in reference to the coin, when he showed them the icon. So what’s interesting about that scene is Judas, who was a Zealot, basically, I think it was Judas of Galilee, who rebelled against Rome, he also said the same thing. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”[Matthew 22:21] So when Jesus is speaking in the scene, he doesn’t touch the coin. The icon on there in question is the emperor who is stating, you know, son of Caesar, son of God. Jesus is saying, no, basically give this back to Caesar and give to Israel, God, what is God’s, which is the land. So Israel. But I don’t think it’s more from the land—I think that’s a zealot opinion. I think when he’s talking about this, when he says Israel, I’m thinking he’s looking at the word context and he’s meaning El preserved so those who belong to El. So when he says those who belong to Israel, he’s not saying just anything, he’s talking about the lost sheep of El Elyon. So those were in other lands, lead them back here. So ones who have gone astray, which is interesting. So ones who are worshipping pagan gods or worshipping Yahweh. So he’s saying, bring them back to El, bring them back to God, repentance. This is why the Pharisees and Sadducees disliked him. He had a different God. Some that liked him as well, but they had trouble understanding it. Cyd:Right. Well, and that is still the case. Hey, we’re going to have to wrap this up in just a few minutes. So is there any scripture you would like to make sure that you share before we wrap it up? Bishop Nathan Wilson:Okay. Well, if you like, I can share either the temple scene, which is a Matthew 21:12, or I can share the little, the short scene of the Pharisees being condemned by Jesus for basically dressing up like prostitutes. You might have a, you might have a lot of that. Cyd:Yeah. Okay. That, that looks to be the one you want to share the most. Papyrus Oxyconocus 840 Bishop Nathan Wilson:So I’ll share that one. It’s very short. So this is the text in general. Just this little bit. Okay. The Greek side is on here. [Nathan displays his fragment facsimile.] So I have the Greek side by side. So this is side one and side two. So side two is even shorter. “So before committing injustice, he carefully plans it all.” So this is Jesus speaking about the evil. “Be on guard, lest you suffer the same things as they.” So this is the Pharisees and Sadducees he’s talking about. “For the evil doers among people do not receive punishment only in this life, but also suffer judgment and great torment. And having received them, he brought them into the purification area. And as he was walking in the temple, a certain Pharisee, a high priest named Soreb [conventional translation is Levi; editorial note],” Which is kind of interesting. That word Zoar/Tzoar [uncertain], is Tsa'ar, [uncertain] which is a city condemned by God [but ultimately spared by God; editorial note]. So this is kind of like a pun on the Pharisee leader being punished by God. So like, possibly, maybe a Pharisee Messiah figure. So meaning they’re rejecting Jesus because they already have their Messiah they believe. So that’s something to be taken into a note. So this Soreb [Levi ?] approaches, met them and said, “Zoar, who gave you permission to walk in the purification area and to look upon these holy vessels, not having washed, nor your disciples having their feet baptized, but having being unclean, you have trampled upon this holy place, which is pure, which no one may enter unless you have bathed and changed into the garments of those baptized. Nor does anyone dare to touch these holy vessels.” So they’re in the temple right now in the inner sanctuary, touching the holy relics and not wearing the same baptism clothing as them. They’re not liking this. So this is what Jesus says. “The Savior answered and said to him, Woe to you blind ones who do not see. You wash in these poured out waters in which dogs and pigs have been thrown into day and night. And after washing your outer skin, you wipe it. And just like the prostitutes and flute players anoint themselves and wash and wipe and adorn themselves to cause the desires of men. But from within, they are full of scorpions and all evil. But I and my disciples who you say are not baptized have been baptized in the waters of eternal Zoe. That has come from God. But woe to those…” And the ending is missing. That’s why side two has not been given. [referring to side two of the fragment which is partially destroyed and not in the public domain] Cyd:Right. Now that’s a fragment. Where was that fragment found? Bishop Nathan Wilson:I forgot. The fragment is called Papyrus Oxyconocus 840. But you can just type in P. Oxy 840. I would say that was probably if I’d gone by memory, that might have been discovered maybe in Alexandria, if not maybe in Thrace, but I believe it was Alexandria, Egypt that might have been discovered. There was one, I believe, that was discovered in the Middle East, maybe Jerusalem. But I believe that one there was discovered in Alexandria. I might be wrong about that. I have to relook where that was discovered. But it is important. So a text that has not been given to public domain yet, which is quite a shame. Cyd:Yeah. Well, it’s been delightful talking to you. And you certainly have an encyclopedic knowledge of these ancient texts. It’s very beautiful. It’s very nice being around you. You have the good vibe. Bishop Nathan Wilson:It’s been a pleasure speaking to you as well, Dr. Cyd Ropp. It’s been an absolute pleasure. So I’m stoked. So sorry if I get excited and all that sort of stuff as well. I love meeting new people, especially fellow spiritual people. Always lovely to see, especially Gnostics. Cyd:Yeah. Well, I recommend The Gnostic Union. Go check out the Facebook site. That’s where all the action is, right? It’s the Facebook site. Bishop Nathan Wilson:And on the YouTube, yeah. We can all get together. Cyd:On the YouTube. Bishop Nathan Wilson:I’ve got a few old videos as well. So you can see the difference in my theology, how it’s changed. My whole belief system changed when I start translating, so I found out I was wrong about a couple of other things. So I still keep some old videos because some people might want to hang on to some of those beliefs as well. I have no problems with that. I’m very open-minded and whichever people want to believe, they can believe, as long as we’re loving to each other and kind. It’s all that matters. Being good humans. Cyd:Right. Well, since we’re going to be putting this on your site as well as mine, let me tell people that I have a Substack called The Gnostic Reformation. And my homepage is GnosticInsights.com. Well, it’s just been a blessing. Thank you very much. Bishop Nathan Wilson:You’re welcome. And feel free to share your stuff on The Gnostic Union Facebook page too. If you ever want to share stuff, feel free to. We accept other people’s work too. So feel free to share it. Cyd:How often? I mean, I post weekly. You don’t want me cross-posting weekly. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Oh, that’s fine. We don’t mind. You can post there weekly. We won’t mind. Anything that’s Gnostic, we’ll gladly accept. So we want to encourage all Gnostic schools of thought and everyone that wants to seek it, we want to encourage that. Cyd:Oh that’s excellent. Okay. Well, thank you so much for being with me today, Bishop Nathan Wilson. God bless us all. Bishop Nathan Wilson:God bless as well. Thank you for having me. Cyd:Okay. Bye-bye. Thank you. Well, that’s the conclusion of that long interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of The Gnostic Union. These episodes have been running long, a half hour and more, so I think we’ll keep this one short, and give you a break. Until then, drop some comments and questions that I can address in next week's episode.This interview was recorded via Zoom, and so I have the video of the interview as well as these audios, and I’ve left it as one long video to post to YouTube. So I’m putting it up on YouTube now that we’re done with the audio podcast versions, and you can go to YouTube if you’d like to watch Brother Nathan talking about these things. He does have a few visual aids. His papyrus facsimiles and whatnot are pretty cool to look at. So I encourage you to go to my YouTube channel, Cyd Ropp, and it’s under the Gnostic Insights playlist, and leave a thumbs up. I’m going to try to grow the Gnostic Insights presence there on YouTube. It’s going to take a lot of effort and a lot of support on your part. So please give me a hand here, and let’s kick it off with this Bishop Wilson. The other YouTube video that’s already there is that animated version of my children’s book, Children of the Fullness: A Gnostic Myth. So if you haven’t watched that yet, you could catch it as well. Until then, God bless us all, and Onward and Upward. Until then, drop some comments and questions I can address in next week's episode. God bless us all and onward and upward. Children of the Fullness: A Gnostic Myth is the first gnostic book written for young children. Click here to go to amazon.com

Welcome back to Gnostic Insights and to the Gnostic Reformation on Substack. Dr. Cyd Ropp and Bishop Nathan Wilson Today's episode is the last installment of my interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of The Gnostic Union. Brother Nathan continues with his illustration of how correct translation of the original Koine Greek of the New Testament changes the way we may interpret Biblical scripture more precisely. The translations he shares come from his freely available Gnostic Christian Truth Bible that you can find online in PDF form, with side by side comparisons of the original Koine with English. I'm including the link here in the transcript of the episode, so if you are listening to this in podcast form, you may wish to go to Gnostic Insights dot com to read the transcript. His Bible and other Gnostic scriptures could use another round of editorial polishing, in my opinion, to insert an indexed table of contents, so it may be a bit difficult to make your way through it. And in next week’s episode, I’ll take a long look at what we’ve been hearing for the last four weeks. If you have anything you would like me to discuss or any questions coming off of Bishop Wilson’s discussion, bring them up and we can talk about them on next week's episode. I know I’m going to want to talk about the role of Sophia and the Divine Feminine and the concept of gender on the ethereal plane. I would also like to talk to you about how the study of history and philology differs from theology and philosophy and how they are not necessarily gnosis. And here at Gnostic Insights, of course, and on the Gnostic Reformation, I avoid talking about gnosis and only share gnosis itself. So I’d like to explain that to you about that as well. So please drop me some comments here at the end of this episode and I can address them in next week’s episode. Bishop Nathan Wilson: So Mark 8:17. All right. So this would be Jesus here. “And having gnosis, he said to them, why reason because you have no bread or do you not understand that the heart of you has been hardened?” So this is among disciples arguing that they have no bread. Jesus having spiritual gnosis, understanding what’s going on, says, “What are you arguing about?” Which is kind of interesting that he mentioned, but I’ll mention something that’s a real kick in the can. So this is in Mark 15:42. And this is a text that no theology want to give you because it would make them feel uncomfortable. And it’s regarding Pontius Pilate having gnosis regarding Jesus crucifixion. So this is a note they definitely do not want. I was kind of thinking about what does this mean? And I figured out what it’s regarding to. Mark 15:45. Okay, so this is Pontius Pilate. I’ll read 15:44 first. “But Pilate wondered if he had already died, having called to him the centurion and questioned him if he had already died. And with gnosis from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.” AI generated image of Pilate questioning the Centurian. The three crucified men were inserted by the AI to symbolically represent the crucifixition of Jesus and the two thieves. Golgotha is actually not that close to the palace window. So that meaning inside knowledge from the centurion has been given to him about Jesus. So that could imply that he was still alive and that Pontius might have been involved in this plot. That’s what that text would imply; it doesn’t necessarily have to mean that. It can just mean that within a knowledge he’s been told by the centurion Jesus is dead, so it can apply that too. So however you want to read that text is up to you. But I found that quite fascinating and I had to really look at that. I’m like, well, I'm sorry, we can’t have that in there. That’s why that’s been censored. But that’s fascinating. So we even have Jesus having a gnosis and leaving an area and that’s in Matthew 12:15. I’ll jump into that too. So there’s a couple of scenes that Jesus has gnosis. There’s even times he has gnosis in regarding what other people were thinking. So having to understand them mentally. So that’s cool. So gnosis appears quite often. It’s just it doesn’t appear in the English text. But in the Old Testament it’s even more. Cyd:That's interesting. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Yes, it is. Very. Okay. So “withdrew from the area” Matthew 12:15 I want. Right. “And Jesus having gnosis, withdrew from there and many great multitudes followed him and he healed them.” Or it can translate to took care of them or cured them all. So that word here we have can be for a therapeia or a therapeo. And this word meaning to heal someone or to spend time with them, to heal them with God’s word or with medicine, to heal them with medical substance, so narcotics. It can be just simply curing them or just spending time with someone so say talking to someone, healing them and their emotions. So healing their emotions. So that’s beautiful. Not just simply Jesus hocus pocus and and leaving. It’s he’s spending time with people. And this word has been used in ancient Greek medical texts for implying medical substances or therapy. So the word therapeia is where our word therapy comes from. So this can be Jesus the therapist. So that’s beautiful. Absolutely fantastic. I like that. So it gives more power to the text. Shows that one person can make a difference. So any one of us can do this and heal multitudes through spiritual touch, through spiritual messaging, through the simple act of love. So that’s powerful. That’s useful. Cyd:And this is something that only people can do. Well, no, actually dogs are very good therapists as well. But I wouldn’t think that an AI therapist or an AI Jesus has any gnosis truly. Bishop Nathan Wilson:I’m not really one big for AI because I think AI is basically just all secondhand information. It’s just built from all our information that we’ve already got. So we have here something else. This is something pretty interesting too. Matthew 16:8. And it’s Jesus having gnosis: “Why do you argue amongst yourselves? You of little faith because you have no bread” [or meaning food.] But say, regarding to the word for artos being bread. So when you have the Jesus prayer, Give us this daily bread, this could translate to give us our daily necessaries of life. That’s much more. So daily maintenance, so being maintained spiritually, being maintained by God, for God giving us the means to live spiritually as well as physically. So it’s much more powerful than just simple, just bread and food. So Jesus speaking a lot of times symbolically. So the symbolic teachings are meant to be useful to all of us. So something that we can practically take on, not simply does something that’s outside of ourselves. So that’s within ourselves that we can actually use. So gnosis. And I’ll go into Matthew 22:18. And that’s with Jesus about having gnosis on the wickedness of the Pharisees. So this doesn’t mean that all Pharisees are bad though. Jesus had Pharisees that followed him. This just means a select few of them. So basically the rich corrupted ones of them. So he was also against the Sadducees too. Mostly Sadducees probably because they were the richer lots. But he was not really a friend to those who were corrupt and using the money that they were given to further subject the people to more condemnation, which Jesus was very much pro-life, was equality where the Pharisees and Sadducees in large numbers were not. Which is a shame. Okay, so 22, I think it was I’m looking for. Matthew 22:18. Okay. Cyd:You know that Old Testament God of the Sadducees and Pharisees doesn’t have love. So they are not getting any gnosis from that Jehovah level. Bishop Nathan Wilson:No. And it goes back to where it’s first worshipped. The first to worship this God, Yahweh, were very violent. They were the Shasu. They were known to force marry the Egyptian and Ethiopian young girls they raided. So when we look at the depictions of the Shasu, they are mixed in colour—they're black, they’re white, they’re copper skinned. They didn’t care what colour you were, they just took. They were looking for sex slaves, basically wives. So what’s interesting is the same river that they used, the Euphrates River, not all of them were river-based pirates. Some were just tent dwelling nomads. But some of them did have the funds or means to use ships. So we certainly had sea people. So some of those sea people were Canaanite raiders. So they’ll use the Euphrates River to go out raiding, to go out to the main street or elsewhere to raid outside of their own lands. Muslim pirates would use the same river to do the same thing. So that’s interesting.[Editor’s note: The speaker appears to be connecting several groups—nomadic Shasu, Sea Peoples, and later Muslim-era raiders. While the Euphrates served as an important transportation corridor, the specific claim that the Shasu or Sea Peoples used it as river-pirates is not clear from the sources consulted by the CoPilot AI and may reflect an interpretation rather than an established historical consensus. Of course, the AIs are relaying to us approved, conventional data, so their data bases would not contain the types of stories Bishop Wilson speaks of.]All in the name of this Jehovah, in the name of Yahweh, in the name of the demiurge, this evil gets done. And it’s always the poor that suffer, the poor and women. And who are the ones that Jesus is speaking to? The poor and to women. So it’s shocking. So most Christians don’t look at this either. A lot of Muslims don’t either, because they will be following Jesus [Isa]. So who they call Isa, they clearly don’t. So the message contradicts. So Muhammad called himself a man of war. Moses as well. But it depends on what version of Moses you’re looking at as well. So during the time of Jesus, as I mentioned, there were different versions of Judaism. There were different Torahs and different Jewish Bibles. So some believed in a peaceful Moses and even a peaceful Abraham. Others believed in Abraham the Pirat. So Abraham the Pirate. And some didn’t take this view. So others believed in Abraham ready to sacrifice his son. And others believed that he was hearing a fallen angel, mistook it for God, and God had to intervene. And we see this sort of in the Essene story somewhat. So that’s more of a Gnostic take. Some Essenes view, because they’re Dead Sea Scrolls, which is a Qumran Essene sect, they believe that it was Belial that was behind the scenes doing this. And God was basically aware that Belial was doing it and would interfere. So he would do this in order for Belial to expose himself and then be shamed. So a very different story. So the story of Job we read is the Pharisee story, which is Satan being in the angelic courts. So being asked by God, so not acting outside of God. So he was only there to test human beings. So Satan’s not the bad guy in that story. It’s Yahweh. But when we look at other stories, it’s different. Even the Ethiopian version is different. They have two stories. One with Belial and the other one with a figure called Mastema, who is the opponent against God trying to cause the sacrifice of Abraham’s son. So, trippy. So this is regarding to the Pharisees as well. “So Jesus, having gnosis of the wickedness of them, said, Why do you test me, you hypocrites?” So this is in reference to the coin, when he showed them the icon. So what’s interesting about that scene is Judas, who was a Zealot, basically, I think it was Judas of Galilee, who rebelled against Rome, he also said the same thing. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.”[Matthew 22:21] So when Jesus is speaking in the scene, he doesn’t touch the coin. The icon on there in question is the emperor who is stating, you know, son of Caesar, son of God. Jesus is saying, no, basically give this back to Caesar and give to Israel, God, what is God’s, which is the land. So Israel. But I don’t think it’s more from the land—I think that’s a zealot opinion. I think when he’s talking about this, when he says Israel, I’m thinking he’s looking at the word context and he’s meaning El preserved so those who belong to El. So when he says those who belong to Israel, he’s not saying just anything, he’s talking about the lost sheep of El Elyon. So those were in other lands, lead them back here. So ones who have gone astray, which is interesting. So ones who are worshipping pagan gods or worshipping Yahweh. So he’s saying, bring them back to El, bring them back to God, repentance. This is why the Pharisees and Sadducees disliked him. He had a different God. Some that liked him as well, but they had trouble understanding it. Cyd:Right. Well, and that is still the case. Hey, we’re going to have to wrap this up in just a few minutes. So is there any scripture you would like to make sure that you share before we wrap it up? Bishop Nathan Wilson:Okay. Well, if you like, I can share either the temple scene, which is a Matthew 21:12, or I can share the little, the short scene of the Pharisees being condemned by Jesus for basically dressing up like prostitutes. You might have a, you might have a lot of that. Cyd:Yeah. Okay. That, that looks to be the one you want to share the most. Papyrus Oxyconocus 840 Bishop Nathan Wilson:So I’ll share that one. It’s very short. So this is the text in general. Just this little bit. Okay. The Greek side is on here. [Nathan displays his fragment facsimile.] So I have the Greek side by side. So this is side one and side two. So side two is even shorter. “So before committing injustice, he carefully plans it all.” So this is Jesus speaking about the evil. “Be on guard, lest you suffer the same things as they.” So this is the Pharisees and Sadducees he’s talking about. “For the evil doers among people do not receive punishment only in this life, but also suffer judgment and great torment. And having received them, he brought them into the purification area. And as he was walking in the temple, a certain Pharisee, a high priest named Soreb [conventional translation is Levi; editorial note],” Which is kind of interesting. That word Zoar/Tzoar [uncertain], is Tsa'ar, [uncertain] which is a city condemned by God [but ultimately spared by God; editorial note]. So this is kind of like a pun on the Pharisee leader being punished by God. So like, possibly, maybe a Pharisee Messiah figure. So meaning they’re rejecting Jesus because they already have their Messiah they believe. So that’s something to be taken into a note. So this Soreb [Levi ?] approaches, met them and said, “Zoar, who gave you permission to walk in the purification area and to look upon these holy vessels, not having washed, nor your disciples having their feet baptized, but having being unclean, you have trampled upon this holy place, which is pure, which no one may enter unless you have bathed and changed into the garments of those baptized. Nor does anyone dare to touch these holy vessels.” So they’re in the temple right now in the inner sanctuary, touching the holy relics and not wearing the same baptism clothing as them. They’re not liking this. So this is what Jesus says. “The Savior answered and said to him, Woe to you blind ones who do not see. You wash in these poured out waters in which dogs and pigs have been thrown into day and night. And after washing your outer skin, you wipe it. And just like the prostitutes and flute players anoint themselves and wash and wipe and adorn themselves to cause the desires of men. But from within, they are full of scorpions and all evil. But I and my disciples who you say are not baptized have been baptized in the waters of eternal Zoe. That has come from God. But woe to those…” And the ending is missing. That’s why side two has not been given. [referring to side two of the fragment which is partially destroyed and not in the public domain] Cyd:Right. Now that’s a fragment. Where was that fragment found? Bishop Nathan Wilson:I forgot. The fragment is called Papyrus Oxyconocus 840. But you can just type in P. Oxy 840. I would say that was probably if I’d gone by memory, that might have been discovered maybe in Alexandria, if not maybe in Thrace, but I believe it was Alexandria, Egypt that might have been discovered. There was one, I believe, that was discovered in the Middle East, maybe Jerusalem. But I believe that one there was discovered in Alexandria. I might be wrong about that. I have to relook where that was discovered. But it is important. So a text that has not been given to public domain yet, which is quite a shame. Cyd:Yeah. Well, it’s been delightful talking to you. And you certainly have an encyclopedic knowledge of these ancient texts. It’s very beautiful. It’s very nice being around you. You have the good vibe. Bishop Nathan Wilson:It’s been a pleasure speaking to you as well, Dr. Cyd Ropp. It’s been an absolute pleasure. So I’m stoked. So sorry if I get excited and all that sort of stuff as well. I love meeting new people, especially fellow spiritual people. Always lovely to see, especially Gnostics. Cyd:Yeah. Well, I recommend The Gnostic Union. Go check out the Facebook site. That’s where all the action is, right? It’s the Facebook site. Bishop Nathan Wilson:And on the YouTube, yeah. We can all get together. Cyd:On the YouTube. Bishop Nathan Wilson:I’ve got a few old videos as well. So you can see the difference in my theology, how it’s changed. My whole belief system changed when I start translating, so I found out I was wrong about a couple of other things. So I still keep some old videos because some people might want to hang on to some of those beliefs as well. I have no problems with that. I’m very open-minded and whichever people want to believe, they can believe, as long as we’re loving to each other and kind. It’s all that matters. Being good humans. Cyd:Right. Well, since we’re going to be putting this on your site as well as mine, let me tell people that I have a Substack called The Gnostic Reformation. And my homepage is GnosticInsights.com. Well, it’s just been a blessing. Thank you very much. Bishop Nathan Wilson:You’re welcome. And feel free to share your stuff on The Gnostic Union Facebook page too. If you ever want to share stuff, feel free to. We accept other people’s work too. So feel free to share it. Cyd:How often? I mean, I post weekly. You don’t want me cross-posting weekly. Bishop Nathan Wilson:Oh, that’s fine. We don’t mind. You can post there weekly. We won’t mind. Anything that’s Gnostic, we’ll gladly accept. So we want to encourage all Gnostic schools of thought and everyone that wants to seek it, we want to encourage that. Cyd:Oh that’s excellent. Okay. Well, thank you so much for being with me today, Bishop Nathan Wilson. God bless us all. Bishop Nathan Wilson:God bless as well. Thank you for having me. Cyd:Okay. Bye-bye. Thank you. Well, that’s the conclusion of that long interview with Bishop Nathan Wilson of The Gnostic Union. These episodes have been running long, a half hour and more, so I think we’ll keep this one short, and give you a break. Until then, drop some comments and questions that I can address in next week's episode.This interview was recorded via Zoom, and so I have the video of the interview as well as these audios, and I’ve left it as one long video to post to YouTube. So I’m putting it up on YouTube now that we’re done with the audio podcast versions, and you can go to YouTube if you’d like to watch Brother Nathan talking about these things. He does have a few visual aids. His papyrus facsimiles and whatnot are pretty cool to look at. So I encourage you to go to my YouTube channel, Cyd Ropp, and it’s under the Gnostic Insights playlist, and leave a thumbs up. I’m going to try to grow the Gnostic Insights presence there on YouTube. It’s going to take a lot of effort and a lot of support on your part. So please give me a hand here, and let’s kick it off with this Bishop Wilson. The other YouTube video that’s already there is that animated version of my children’s book, Children of the Fullness: A Gnostic Myth. So if you haven’t watched that yet, you could catch it as well. Until then, God bless us all, and Onward and Upward. Until then, drop some comments and questions I can address in next week's episode. God bless us all and onward and upward. Children of the Fullness: A Gnostic Myth is the first gnostic book written for young children. Click here to go to amazon.com

The weekly Sunday morning sermon delivered by Rev. James WilesMark 15:22-32“And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified him. And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.”1. It was a place of choices.2. It was a place of crucifixion.3. It was a place of cruelty.www.huntsmbc.com

In this episode, Ronn and Mike explore John 19, focusing on the crucifixion of Jesus, its historical and theological significance, and the archaeological insights into the location of Golgotha. They analyze the biblical narrative, its fulfillment of prophecy, and the spiritual implications of Jesus' death. See Details of the DCW Conference: https://brushfire.com/heiserfoundation/dcw26/631039

In this summer repeat, Patrick and Jonah continue their conversation on the mysteries of heaven and hell by exploring what it means for Christ to be “the Lord of the heavenly forces upon earth.” Beginning with John 8:12 and the image of Christ as the light of the world, they consider the ancient experience of the skies, sun, moon, stars, and seasons as living revelations of divine activity.The conversation moves through Psalm 19, ancient sacred sites aligned with the sun, the Hebrew movement away from worshiping created things, and the Christian understanding that the heavenly forces have come to earth through Christ. Patrick and Jonah reflect on how these forces are no longer simply “out there” in the heavens, but are meant to awaken within human beings as light, wisdom, love, and moral strength.Together they ask how human beings can learn to shine without burning out, how community can become a constellation of light, and how Golgotha becomes not only an event in history, but a living reality within us.Ask us a question here!Support the showThe Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together."

God forsaken of God?- We all experience loneliness at some point in life. In the darkness on Golgotha, Jesus was crucified and mocked, forsaken by man, and God the father. Jesus experienced the most extreme form of isolation, so we never have to.

Welcome to Day 2894 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2894 – “The Ultimate Close Encounter”  based on Luke 9:28-36 Putnam Church Message – 05/31/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “The Ultimate Close Encounter.”   Last week's message was “A Shocking Agenda,” in which we learned to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus, which is not the way to lose our life.  According to Jesus, that is the only way to truly find it. Today, we continue with our twenty-sixth message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “The Ultimate Close Encounter.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:28--36, on page 1609 of your pew Bibles. The Transfiguration 28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure,[a] which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving>Jesus, / Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) 34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with grateful hearts. We confess that we often see only what is right in front of us — our problems, our pain, our schedules, our fears, our disappointments. But Your Word reminds us that there is more than what we can see with our eyes. There is glory beyond suffering, resurrection beyond death, and a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Lord Jesus, as we look today at Your transfiguration, open our hearts to see You more clearly. Strengthen our faith. Quiet our fears. Teach us to listen to You. Help us follow You not only when the road is easy, but also when the road leads through sacrifice and suffering. May we leave this place with renewed confidence that Your will, Your way, all the way, is always best. Amen. Introduction: Our Hunger for Something More We live in an interesting age. I think we live in the most exciting age ever. That is why I would love to live another 70 years. We are at the threshold of major breakthroughs in all areas of life. Not everyone agrees with me. On one hand, skepticism is loud. Many people claim that nothing exists beyond what can be measured, tested, touched, or explained by science. They say the material universe is all there is. And yet, at the very same time, interest in the supernatural continues to grow. People watch shows about UFO sightings. They read books about near-death experiences. They watch movies about unseen worlds, spiritual forces, mysterious signs, angels, ghosts, and life beyond death. Even people who say they do not believe in God often feel that there must be something more. Why? Because deep inside the human soul is a longing to know that we are not alone. We want to know that our lives matter. We want to know that suffering is not meaningless. We want to know that death is not the end. We want to know that beyond the visible world lies a greater reality. That longing is not new. It goes back as far as humanity itself. Every culture in every age has looked beyond itself, searching the heavens for someone or something greater. In today's passage, three disciples receive what we might call the ultimate close encounter. Peter, John, and James are allowed to see behind the curtain. For a brief moment, the veil between earth and heaven is pulled back. They see Jesus in glory. They see Moses and Elijah alive. They hear the voice of God the Father. And they learn something they desperately needed to know. In the previous message, “A Shocking Agenda,” Jesus told His disciples that He must suffer, be rejected, be killed, and be raised on the third day. Then He said that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Him. / That was not what they expected. They expected the Messiah to march into Jerusalem, overthrow Rome, and restore Israel's glory. Instead, Jesus spoke of suffering, rejection, death, and surrender. So now, about eight days later, Jesus takes three of them up a mountain to pray. There, He gives them a glimpse of the glory on the other side of the cross. The message is clear: The road of Jesus may pass through suffering, but it ends in glory. Let's look at four truths that will explain this in our bulletin insert. Main Point 1: Jesus Reveals His Glory in the Place of Prayer Luke tells us that about eight days after Jesus said these things, He took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. That detail matters. Luke has repeatedly shown us that Jesus prayed at key moments. He prayed at His baptism. He withdrew often to lonely places to pray. He prayed before choosing the Twelve. He will pray in Gethsemane before the cross. Here again, Jesus goes up the mountain to pray. In Scripture, mountains often become places of divine encounter. Moses met God on Mount Sinai. Elijah heard the gentle whisper of God on Mount Horeb. Later, Jesus would teach on mountains, pray on mountains, and eventually be crucified near Jerusalem on a hill called Golgotha. So, when Luke tells us Jesus goes up a mountain to pray, we should lean in. Something important is about to happen. / As Jesus is praying, His appearance changes. Matthew says His face shines like the sun. Mark says His clothing becomes dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach it. Luke says the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white.  This is not stage lighting. / This is not imagination. / This is not the sun hitting His robe at just the right angle. / The glory that had always belonged to Jesus begins to shine through His humanity. For most of His earthly life, the glory of the eternal Son of God was veiled. People saw a real man from Nazareth. They saw Him tired. Hungry. Weeping. Sleeping in a boat. Walking dusty roads. Sitting at tables. Touching lepers. Holding children. Teaching crowds. / But on the mountain, for a few moments, the veil is pulled back. The disciples see that the One they follow is not merely a teacher. Not merely a prophet. Not merely a miracle worker. Not merely a wise rabbi. / He is the glorious Son of God. Object Lesson: The Covered Lamp Imagine a lamp covered with a thick cloth. The lamp is shining, but the cloth hides most of the light. You may see a little glow around the edges, but not the full brightness. / Now remove the covering. / The light floods the room. That is a simple picture of what happens on the mountain. Jesus does not become glorious for the first time. His glory is revealed. John later writes that the Word became flesh and lived among us, and “we have seen his glory.” Peter later writes that he was an eyewitness of Christ's majesty. / This moment stayed with them. Ancient Context For Jewish disciples, shining glory would immediately connect with the presence of God. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai after speaking with God, his face shone so brightly that the people were afraid to come near him. / But Moses reflected glory.  / Jesus reveals glory. Moses came down from the mountain with God's law. Jesus stands on the mountain as God's Son. / That distinction matters. Jesus is greater than Moses. Greater than Elijah. Greater than every prophet,...

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Khatungmani Khorang

We follow Jesus from the Roman Governor to his headquarters with the soldiers to Golgotha.  While what's taking place may seem tragic, it is all according to the perfect plan and purpose of God.  

The Fathers speak about judgment with a severity that can seem almost excessive to us. They speak of grace withdrawing, of years of tears and repentance, of visions of Christ refusing worship to one who condemned his brother. We recoil at this language because we do not see condemnation as they saw it. We think of it as a minor fault of speech, a passing irritation, a reasonable assessment of another's behavior. The Fathers saw it as an assault upon love itself. A brother is eating early on a Friday. One sentence escapes the lips: “You are eating at such an hour, and on a Friday?” Nothing more. No insult. No anger. Merely an observation with an edge of disapproval. And the grace of God departs. Why? Because in that instant the monk ceased to stand beside his brother and placed himself above him. The movement happened with the speed of lightning. One moment he was in humility; the next he had assumed the place of judge. This is the terrifying thing. Pride does not always arrive with fanfare. It can appear in a sigh. An eye-roll. A sarcastic remark. A sentence that begins, “I just don't understand how someone could…” A comment on social media. A conversation after church. A single word: “Ugh.” The Elder says, “Ugh,” upon hearing of another's bad reputation. A single exclamation. Then Golgotha appears before him. Christ does not rebuke him for fornication, theft, or apostasy. He says something infinitely more frightening: “Before I could pass judgment, he himself has condemned his brother.” In other words: You rushed ahead of Me. You seized what belongs to Me alone. How quickly we do this. We hear of someone's failure, and before our hearts have even softened, we have formed an opinion. We hear of a priest's collapse, a marriage's breakdown, a young person's confusion, a friend's inconsistency, and instantly the mind produces a verdict. We scarcely pause to remember our own darkness. The holy man says, with tears, “He sinned today, but I will surely sin tomorrow.” This is not pessimism. It is truth. The one who knows himself knows that every sin lies hidden within his own heart like sparks in dry grass. Circumstances differ. Opportunities differ. Temptations differ. But the same human nature exists in all. The same weakness. The same instability. If God withdrew His hand for an instant, who among us could stand? The Fathers do not tell us to deny evil. They do not call sin virtue. They simply insist that whenever we see another fall, our first thought should be: There, but for the mercy of God, am I. And then something remarkable happens. The sinner ceases to be an object of analysis and becomes a brother who is wounded. The question is no longer, “How could he do that?” It becomes, “Lord, have mercy upon him—and upon me.” This is why the Elder says that if you see someone sinning with your own eyes, you should first cry out, “Anathema to you, Satan!” The enemy is not your brother. The enemy is the one who delights in dividing us from one another, who tempts one man into sin and another into condemnation. He wins both ways. One falls into the pit. The other stands above the pit congratulating himself. Both are wounded. The Fathers say that nothing harms Christians and monastics more than mutual condemnation. Nothing. Not persecution. Not poverty. Not weakness. But condemnation. Because condemnation makes love impossible. One cannot bear another's burdens while sitting upon the tribunal. One cannot weep for a brother while despising him. One cannot pray from the depths of the heart for someone whom one secretly regards as inferior. The judging heart is incapable of communion. And perhaps this is why the Fathers tremble so greatly before this passion. To condemn another is not merely to commit a fault of speech. It is to act contrary to the entire ethos of the Gospel. We ourselves live only by mercy. Every breath, every confession, every Eucharist, every hope of salvation rests entirely upon mercy. How strange, then, that beggars of mercy become so quickly its gatekeepers. How terrifying that those who stand daily in need of forgiveness can pronounce sentences against others with such speed. The Fathers ask something harder. When another sins, descend. Accuse yourself. Weep. Pray. Remember your own fragility. And if a harsh judgment escapes your lips—as it so often does—repent immediately. Do not excuse it as honesty, discernment, or concern for standards. Call it what it is: a moment in which pride outran love and sought to sit where only Christ may sit. Then return to your place. Not upon the judgment seat. But at the foot of Golgotha. Beside the thieves. Beside all sinners. Beside your brother. Beside yourself. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:15:39 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 29 paragraph 28 00:35:42 forrest: Do I understand the story correctly, there are 4 monks involved? The two sharing a cell, and two elders. 00:36:43 Fr Martin, Arizona: It seem to me that these stories of community members or (even spouses) that become discontented is part of the temptation of acedia, in that we are in the vocation we love and with the person we love but this distaste attacks one to the point that he or she just goes through the motions of vocation or community rather than with devotion or cheerfulness to the vocation or other. What do you think? 00:37:20 Kevin Burke: Reacted to "It seem to me that these stories of community members or (even spouses) that become discontented is part of the temptation of acedia, in that we are in the vocation we love and with the person we love but this distaste attacks one to the point that he or she just goes through the motions of vocation or community rather than with devotion or cheerfulness to the vocation or other. What do you think?" with

Holy Wars — Show Notes: Fight Laugh Feast Documentary In this Fight Laugh Feast documentary, CrossPolitic traces the inescapable question of holiness from Moses at the burning bush through the Great Awakenings, the Crusades, and into the present culture war — arguing that holiness is not private sentiment but public, world-transforming fire. Featuring historical and theological commentary from Joe Boot and others, the documentary confronts counterfeit holiness in both secular activism and charismatic revivalism, and calls Christians to fight a holy war with the weapons God has actually given them: his Word, his Spirit, and his people. Timestamps 0:00 — Intro — Moses, the burning bush, and the holy ground that launched a nation 0:43 — How we've privatized holiness — and who filled the public square when we did 1:53 — Holiness is inescapable: not whether, but which 3:06 — The First Great Awakening — Edwards, justification by faith, and national cohesion 4:14 — From holy ground to holy war: how the Great Awakening built the War for Independence 5:46 — The Second Great Awakening — emotionalism, manipulation, cults, and cultural chaos 9:25 — Activism fills the vacuum — and the turn toward natural law and raw political power 11:03 — Sponsor: Patriot Mobile 12:22 — What holiness actually is: the fiery presence of the triune God 14:36 — Creation, the Fall, sacrifice, and the way back into God's presence 18:44 — Golgotha — the curtain torn, the fire unleashed, we are holy ground 21:38 — Is actual war holy? Just war theory: Augustine, Aquinas, and the Reformers 23:24 — The Black-Robed Regiment, the lesser magistrate, and the War for Independence 27:43 — The Crusades — were they just wars? Separating the first, fourth, seventh, and eighth 31:20 — Counterfeit holiness: BLM as pilgrimage, anti-racism as penance, revivalism as emotional currency 34:20 — The question before this generation: Christ's finished holiness or substitutes that leave ash 34:45 — Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars — speakers, theme, and why we're gathering 36:18 — We are that bush — holy war in family, church, and state until the earth is full of his glory 43:46 — Deus vult — God wills it. He always has. He is doing it. Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme mirrors the documentary: Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — we're nearly halfway sold out. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Patriot Mobile America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Same nationwide 4G and 5G coverage as the major carriers — with U.S.-based customer support and dollars that fund religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Switch today and get a free activation with code CROSSPOLITIC. Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #HolyWars #FightLaughFeast #JustWar #Crusades #ChristianMedia #Holiness

Holy Wars — Show Notes: Fight Laugh Feast Documentary In this Fight Laugh Feast documentary, CrossPolitic traces the inescapable question of holiness from Moses at the burning bush through the Great Awakenings, the Crusades, and into the present culture war — arguing that holiness is not private sentiment but public, world-transforming fire. Featuring historical and theological commentary from Joe Boot and others, the documentary confronts counterfeit holiness in both secular activism and charismatic revivalism, and calls Christians to fight a holy war with the weapons God has actually given them: his Word, his Spirit, and his people. Timestamps 0:00 — Intro — Moses, the burning bush, and the holy ground that launched a nation 0:43 — How we've privatized holiness — and who filled the public square when we did 1:53 — Holiness is inescapable: not whether, but which 3:06 — The First Great Awakening — Edwards, justification by faith, and national cohesion 4:14 — From holy ground to holy war: how the Great Awakening built the War for Independence 5:46 — The Second Great Awakening — emotionalism, manipulation, cults, and cultural chaos 9:25 — Activism fills the vacuum — and the turn toward natural law and raw political power 11:03 — Sponsor: Patriot Mobile 12:22 — What holiness actually is: the fiery presence of the triune God 14:36 — Creation, the Fall, sacrifice, and the way back into God's presence 18:44 — Golgotha — the curtain torn, the fire unleashed, we are holy ground 21:38 — Is actual war holy? Just war theory: Augustine, Aquinas, and the Reformers 23:24 — The Black-Robed Regiment, the lesser magistrate, and the War for Independence 27:43 — The Crusades — were they just wars? Separating the first, fourth, seventh, and eighth 31:20 — Counterfeit holiness: BLM as pilgrimage, anti-racism as penance, revivalism as emotional currency 34:20 — The question before this generation: Christ's finished holiness or substitutes that leave ash 34:45 — Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars — speakers, theme, and why we're gathering 36:18 — We are that bush — holy war in family, church, and state until the earth is full of his glory 43:46 — Deus vult — God wills it. He always has. He is doing it. Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme mirrors the documentary: Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — we're nearly halfway sold out. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Patriot Mobile America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Same nationwide 4G and 5G coverage as the major carriers — with U.S.-based customer support and dollars that fund religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Switch today and get a free activation with code CROSSPOLITIC. Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #HolyWars #FightLaughFeast #JustWar #Crusades #ChristianMedia #Holiness

Holy Wars — Show Notes: Fight Laugh Feast Documentary In this Fight Laugh Feast documentary, CrossPolitic traces the inescapable question of holiness from Moses at the burning bush through the Great Awakenings, the Crusades, and into the present culture war — arguing that holiness is not private sentiment but public, world-transforming fire. Featuring historical and theological commentary from Joe Boot and others, the documentary confronts counterfeit holiness in both secular activism and charismatic revivalism, and calls Christians to fight a holy war with the weapons God has actually given them: his Word, his Spirit, and his people. Timestamps 0:00 — Intro — Moses, the burning bush, and the holy ground that launched a nation 0:43 — How we've privatized holiness — and who filled the public square when we did 1:53 — Holiness is inescapable: not whether, but which 3:06 — The First Great Awakening — Edwards, justification by faith, and national cohesion 4:14 — From holy ground to holy war: how the Great Awakening built the War for Independence 5:46 — The Second Great Awakening — emotionalism, manipulation, cults, and cultural chaos 9:25 — Activism fills the vacuum — and the turn toward natural law and raw political power 11:03 — Sponsor: Patriot Mobile 12:22 — What holiness actually is: the fiery presence of the triune God 14:36 — Creation, the Fall, sacrifice, and the way back into God's presence 18:44 — Golgotha — the curtain torn, the fire unleashed, we are holy ground 21:38 — Is actual war holy? Just war theory: Augustine, Aquinas, and the Reformers 23:24 — The Black-Robed Regiment, the lesser magistrate, and the War for Independence 27:43 — The Crusades — were they just wars? Separating the first, fourth, seventh, and eighth 31:20 — Counterfeit holiness: BLM as pilgrimage, anti-racism as penance, revivalism as emotional currency 34:20 — The question before this generation: Christ's finished holiness or substitutes that leave ash 34:45 — Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars — speakers, theme, and why we're gathering 36:18 — We are that bush — holy war in family, church, and state until the earth is full of his glory 43:46 — Deus vult — God wills it. He always has. He is doing it. Fight Laugh Feast 2026: Holy Wars Join us October 1–3 in Franklin, Tennessee for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. This year's theme mirrors the documentary: Holy Wars — Just War, the Crusades, and the Christian Life. Featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Boot, George Grant, Jared Longshore, Joe Rigney, Ben Merkel, and the CrossPolitic crew. Early Bird pricing ends July 1st — we're nearly halfway sold out. Tickets: https://tickets.flfnetwork.com/holy-wars-conference This Episode's Sponsors Patriot Mobile America's only Christian conservative wireless provider. Same nationwide 4G and 5G coverage as the major carriers — with U.S.-based customer support and dollars that fund religious freedom, constitutional rights, the sanctity of life, and veterans and first responders. Switch today and get a free activation with code CROSSPOLITIC. Website: patriotmobile.com/crosspolitic About CrossPolitic CrossPolitic exists to put Jesus over Politics and reclaim the public square through bold, joyful, biblically grounded media. We confront the chaos discipling America and build the next generation of Christian media infrastructure. Our mission is simple: all of Christ for all of media for all of America. Mainstream media is collapsing. Eighty-seven percent of journalists identify as progressive, and even many conservative outlets prioritize profit over principle. Meanwhile, billions of hours of digital content are discipling the world every day. CrossPolitic stands in that gap, producing courageous, entertaining, truth-filled media for households, churches, and leaders across the nation. Become a CrossPolitic Club Member Support the mission and unlock exclusive content, behind-the-scenes shows, and theology series. https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/menu/checkout Subscribe & Share! Every like, comment, and share helps push Christian media back into the algorithm where it belongs. Follow CrossPolitic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CROSSPOLITIC X: https://x.com/CrossPolitic Facebook: https://facebook.com/crosspolitic Instagram: https://instagram.com/crosspolitic Email List: https://crosspolitic.com/ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NRBTV, DirecTV, Dish, and everywhere podcasts are found. #CrossPolitic #HolyWars #FightLaughFeast #JustWar #Crusades #ChristianMedia #Holiness

“There brake He the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle.” — Psalm 76:3 Our Redeemer's glorious cry of “It is finished,” was the death-knell of all the adversaries of His people, the breaking of “the and the battle.” Behold the hero of Golgotha using His cross as an anvil, […]

Sunday Morning, June 7, 2026Before Golgotha, there was Gethsemane ... Matthew 26:36-46A message delivered by Richard Fleming

June 13th Spring Workshops - REGISTER TODAY https://www.ArcaneResearchSociety.com/2026Craig Williams will be presenting a workshop in two parts...Ayurveda Rahasya: Ayurvedic Alchemy for Spiritual Transformation The Indian science of medicine, Ayurveda, has a vast array of tools for physical, psychological, and spiritual health. The branch of Ayurvedic spiritual medicine, Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa, provides important practices for all types of esoteric practitioners. Rarely discussed in the West, this branch of spiritual medicine connects the Indian sciences of Tantra, Yoga, Ayurveda, and Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) and provides an alchemical vision of karma, health, and spiritual transformation.Aghora Dashan: Vision of the Inner SmashanThe esoteric path of Aghora Marga offers sobering and unique perspectives on the radiant potential of the death experience. The fear of death is perhaps the greatest fear which haunts the minds of individuals resulting in a wide array of delusional behaviors and fear-based illusions. This talk with present key ideas from Tantra and Yoga for psychological healing and preparation for the spiritual womb of Death.Williams is a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.) and certified Ayurvedic practitioner based in Austin, Texas, who runs a private medical practice called Ayurveda Austin: http://www.ayurvedaaustin.comPublished Works“Tantric Physics I / II: Cave of the Numinous / Sacred Body, Space” , Anathema Publishing (Sold Out) New edition forthcoming from Gateway Publishing  “Entering the Desert” , Gateway Publishing  “Cult of Golgotha”, Anathema Publishing (Sold Out) New edition forthcoming from Gateway Publishing  “Desert Meditations: Gnostic Cartography (A Handbook of Agni Yoga)”, Gateway Publishing  “The Aghora Verses / The Aghora Gita”, Gateway PublishingSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/magick-without-fears-frater-r-c-hermetic-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11; St. John 7:37-52; 8:12 Pentecost reveals the God who never ceases to act for our salvation, giving His people exactly what they need—from the Law at Sinai, to the Incarnation, Cross, and Resurrection, and finally the gift of the Holy Spirit. The kneeling prayers for the departed flow naturally from Christ's descent into Hades, for if Christ sought those held by death, His Incarnate Body, the Church, continues to seek them through prayer and love. We pray for the departed not because we possess a detailed map of the afterlife, but because Christians imitate Christ, whose love always seeks healing, relief, and salvation for all.  Enjoy the show! --- Today we celebrate Holy Pentecost. And when we celebrate Pentecost, we are celebrating much more than a single event in Jerusalem nearly two thousand years ago. We are celebrating the God who never ceases to act for our salvation. When Moses encountered God in the burning bush and asked His name, God answered: "I AM WHO I AM." This is not merely a statement about existence. It is a revelation of who God is. He is not distant. He is not passive. He is not absent. He is the living God who is always present and always acting. Throughout the history of salvation, whenever humanity has been in need, God has provided exactly what was needed for our healing and salvation. When the children of Israel were enslaved, He delivered them. When they wandered in the wilderness, He fed them. When they thirsted, He gave them water. When they were attacked, He defended them. When they were lost, He guided them. And when they needed protection from the worst effects of sin and chaos, He gave them the Law. The first Pentecost was the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. And we should remember who it was who appeared there. It was God who spoke to Moses, who appeared in fire and cloud, who gave the Law to Israel, was the pre-incarnate Word of God—the same Christ whom we know from the Gospel. St. Paul tells us that the Law was a guardian and tutor. It restrained evil. It taught obedience. It preserved Israel until the fullness of time should come. The Law was not the final gift. It was the gift God's people needed at that moment. But humanity's deepest problem could not be solved by commandments alone. We needed more than instruction. We needed healing. We needed forgiveness. We needed life. So the same Christ who gave the Law came among us in the flesh. He taught. He healed. He cast out demons. He suffered. He died. He descended into Hades. He rose again. At every stage He was giving humanity what humanity needed. And then, after His Resurrection, He ascended into heaven. At first glance, that seems strange. Would it not have been better if Christ had simply remained visibly among us? Yet He Himself tells the disciples: "It is to your advantage that I go away." Why? Because humanity now needed another gift. The Law had been given. The Incarnation had taken place. The Cross had been accomplished. Death had been trampled down. Now Christ would send the Holy Spirit. At Sinai, the Law was written on tablets of stone. At Pentecost, the Spirit is written upon human hearts. At Sinai, God formed a people. At Pentecost, He fills that people with His own life. At Sinai, God instructed His people from without. At Pentecost, He begins transforming them from within. The Holy Spirit is not an optional addition to the Christian life. He is the very life of the Church. He is the One who unites us to Christ, who makes us temples of God, who heals what is broken, who perfects what is lacking, and who leads us into all truth. Christ ascended so that He might send us exactly what we needed. As St. Nikolai Velimirović loved to remind us, there is no corner of creation into which Christ has not carried His saving love—not Sinai, not Bethlehem, not Golgotha, not the Upper Room, not even Hades itself. And today we celebrate yet another gift that flows from all of this. This afternoon we will kneel for the first time since Pascha. And in the kneeling prayers we pray not only for ourselves. We pray for the departed. To some Christians this seems strange. Why pray for the dead? What can our prayers accomplish? But the answer begins with Christ Himself. Because Christ did not merely die. He descended into Hades. He entered the realm of death itself. As we sing at Pascha: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life." The Harrowing of Hades was not a symbolic gesture. It was an act of divine love. The Lord entered the place of darkness to bring light. He entered the place of bondage to bring freedom. He entered the place of death to bring life. As St. John Chrysostom proclaims in his Paschal Homily: "Hell was embittered when it encountered Thee below." Death thought it had gained a victim. Instead, it encountered Life Himself. Hades thought it had secured its prisoners. Instead, it found its gates shattered and its captives being led forth into freedom. If Christ Himself went to those held by death, why would we not pray for them? If Christ sought those in Hades, why would His Incarnate Body—the Church—cease to seek them? The prayers for the departed are not an embarrassment or an afterthought. They are one of the most natural consequences of Pascha. They are a continuation of Christ's own work. The Scriptures show us that death does not sever the bonds of love within the Body of Christ. Our God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And those who belong to Him remain alive in Him. We do not claim to know every detail of how God's mercy operates beyond the grave. The Orthodox Church has never attempted to construct a detailed system like the doctrine of Purgatory. We know less than some would like. But we know enough. We know that Christ conquered death. We know that He descended into Hades. We know that love never fails. We know that the Church has always prayed for the departed. We know that the Church's liturgical life—from the ancient Liturgies to the kneeling prayers of Pentecost—bears witness to that practice. And we know that Christians are called to imitate Christ. Ultimately, that is the deepest reason we pray for the dead. Not because we possess a detailed map of the intermediate state. Not because we can explain every mechanism. But because this is what love does. Love intercedes. Love seeks healing. Love seeks relief. Love seeks salvation. Love refuses to abandon those who suffer. This is what Christ does. And therefore it is what Christians do. The same Lord who gave the Law at Sinai, who became incarnate, who died and rose again, who descended into Hades, and who poured out the Holy Spirit upon the Church, continues even now to seek the salvation of all. And He calls us to join Him in that work: to pray, to love, to intercede, to hope, and to trust that the God who has always given His people exactly what they needed continues to pour out His mercy upon the living and the departed alike.

What do you do when it looks like darkness has won? In this sermon on John 19:25-42, we are standing right at the foot of the cross at Golgotha—the place of the skull. We see the horrific physical reality of the crucifixion. We see the sham trials before Pilate and the religious leaders. But beneath the cruelty of the Roman soldiers and the mockery of the crowds, we discover an earth-shattering truth: Jesus was in control of it all. Even as He hung between two thieves, gasping for air, Jesus was acting in perfect love. He cared for His mother. He fulfilled ancient prophecies written hundreds of years before His birth. And with His final breath, He cried out: "It is finished." What Does "It Is Finished" Mean For You? In the ancient world, those words were stamped on a debt or a bill to mean one thing: PAID IN FULL. Jesus didn't die by accident. He died as our ultimate Passover Lamb. He became our "scapegoat," carrying every single one of our sins out into the wilderness of death so that we would never have to face destruction. Here is the best news you will ever hear: You don't have to work your way to heaven. There is no good deed you can offer, no amount of money you can give, and no amount of church services you can attend to add to your salvation. Jesus paid the entire debt at the cross. It is over. It is complete. Are You a "Secret Disciple"? We also look closely at Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. For a season, they hid their faith out of fear. But when the moment of truth came, they stepped out of the shadows, risked their reputations, and made a bold stand for Christ. Are you wrapped up in the outward appearance of religion, or does your heart belong to the Savior? There is no sin you have committed that can surpass His grace. Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more! The most important question in all of eternity is this: Will you believe in Jesus Christ today? Will you place your faith in the One who died for your sins and rose again? Scriptures in this video: John 19:25-42, Leviticus 16, Psalm 34, Zechariah 12, and Romans 6. 01:01 - Introduction and the Sham Trials 04:30 – Sacrificial Compassion: Jesus Cares for His Mother 07:00 – "I Am Thirsty": The Physical Agony of the Cross 09:10 – Paid in Full: What "It Is Finished" Really Means 11:15 – The Scapegoat: Leviticus 16 and the Day of Atonement 15:40 – Sovereign Over Death: Jesus Gives Up His Spirit 18:15 – Broken Legs and Pierced Sides: Prophecy Fulfilled 21:30 – Stepping Out of the Shadows: Joseph & Nicodemus 25:00 – The Borrowed Tomb: God is in the Details of Your Story 26:30 – The Ultimate Question: Will You Believe? We want to hear from you! Have you placed your trust in the finished work of Jesus? If you are making a decision to follow Christ today, or if you need prayer, let us know in the comments below! #JesusChrist #John19 #TheGreatestSacrifice #ItIsFinished #Gospel #Sermon #ChristianFaith #Salvation #Calvary

The Golgotha Testament - DJ Olson

If you were standing in that ancient courtyard on Friday morning, where would you have been? Would you have stood up for justice for your Savior, or would you have been right there with the crowd, shouting "Crucify Him!"? As we look at John 19:1-24, we see the unrighteous judgment of the Righteous Judge. Jesus is the King of kings, sovereign over all, who will one day judge the living and the dead. Yet here, as the all-sufficient suffering servant, He is handed over to sinful men in an absolute mockery of a trial. Our initial thought is always, "I would never do that. I would never reject King Jesus." But my encouragement to you is this: I think you think too highly of yourself. When we look at the depravity and the sinfulness in our own hearts, we have to ask the hard question: "Are we still headlong in our sin, rejecting His claims, His person, and His majesty today?" What We Cover Today The Sadistic Mockery & The Flogging: We look at the brutal severity of the beating Jesus suffered. We see the cruel humor of the Roman soldiers shoving a crown of thorns into His skull and wrapping Him in a rag of royal purple, completely unaware of before whom they stood. The Greater Sin of Knowing the Truth: Jesus told Pilate that the ones who handed Him over had the greater sin. The principle is clear: To whom much is given, much is required. What does it mean for us if we know the most about Christianity, but stay the furthest from it? Are we in the greatest danger? "We Have No King But Caesar": We look at the chilling pinnacle of Jewish rebellion. These leaders hated Rome, yet to get rid of Jesus, they traded God the Father for a pagan emperor. Who is the real king ruling your heart when no one is looking? Sovereignly in Control: Even when the world looks completely out of hand, God is in control. From the Roman soldiers playing dice and casting lots for His seamless tunic, every single detail was prophesied hundreds of years prior in Psalm 22. None of this caught God by surprise. 04:39 – The Severe Flogging & Sadistic Mockery of the Soldiers 09:00 – Pilate's Failed Attempt to Meet in the Middle 11:51 – A Rattled Governor 15:10 – God's Sovereignty Over Wicked Governments 18:54 – Examining Our Danger 23:00 – The History of Israel's Disastrous Rebellion 26:30 – Golgotha & The Prophecy of the Seamless Tunic 28:15 – Reaching Out to God While He is Near Where Are You Hiding Your Rebellion? Are you like the chief priests, hiding your rebellion in religious hypocrisy? You wear the right clothes, you say the right words, you pray the right prayers, and you give the right amount of money—but it's just religious attire covering up a heart that rejects His authority. Are you like Pilate, just wanting to do whatever makes your life the easiest? Do God's standards and God's rules get in the way of your fun, your desires, and your plans? Are you pursuing your own comfort above the truth? Are you like the Roman soldiers, with an obvious, hardened heart, finding joy in rebelling against the Lord? Hear this warning: Walking in rebellion against God is like walking toward the edge of a cliff with a blindfold on. You know the cliff is out there somewhere, but when you finally find it, it's too late. God is gracious, and His grace is extended to you moment after moment, step after step. But there is a point of no return. Why keep testing the limits of God's patience? Why keep walking blindly toward the edge? Reach out to God while He is near. Call out to Him today while you still have breath in your lungs. He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and He gave His life so that your rebellion could be forgiven. Turn to King Jesus today. Connect With Us If you want to walk with us verse-by-verse through the Word of God, please Like, Share, and Subscribe. Our Website: FaithBridgeNH.org Support the Ministry: FaithBridgeNH.org/give Join Us This Sunday: 10:30am • 301 S Main St, Manchester, NH #GospelOfJohn #VerseByVerse #Sermon #ExpositoryPreaching #KingJesus #SovereigntyOfGod #Evangelism #Repentance

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email. This week, Jennie sits down with author Daniel Grace to discuss his new novel In the Wake of Golgotha. The conversation weaves together ancient betrayal and modern violence through the intertwined lives of Judas and Pontius Pilate, reborn across two thousand years.Daniel explores how the weight of history follows us. The book opens with a chilling echo of Golgotha, also known as Calvary Hill, the site of history's most well-known execution and death, where one crucifixion sparked a new religion and forever altered the course of humanity, death, and even burial itself. That same shadow appears in present-day New York, where three men are found murdered in a basement, with Pilate's words scrawled in blood on the wall.Jennie and Daniel discuss themes of guilt, redemption, and the graves we inherit, both literal and spiritual, as Jude Issachar and Peter Pheiffer are forced to confront a cycle of violence and addiction that began on that sacred hill in Jerusalem more than two thousand years ago.In the Wake of Golgotha can be purchased anywhere books are sold or through this link: https://www.koehlerbooks.com/book/in-the-wake-of-golgotha/Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.comFamily Tales: A free printable, is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharingSupport the show

In this thought‑provoking episode of the Authority On Demand Podcast (formerly Authors On Mission Podcast), host Danielle Hutchinson sits down with Daniel Grace, author of In the Wake of Golgotha. Grace reframes the crucifixion story by exploring its “collateral damage,” giving Judas and Pilate a second look as complex enablers rather than one‑dimensional villains.Set in modern‑day New York City, the novel follows reincarnated characters Jude Issachar (Judas, burdened by guilt) and Peter Pfeiffer (Pilate, cursed with ignorance) as they grapple with redemption, fate, and violence. Grace also shares how his Tuscan winery inspired his next project, Territorium, a dark tale of buried secrets in ancient vineyards.✨ Key TakeawaysThe premise of In the Wake of Golgotha: collateral damage of the crucifixionReimagining Judas and Pilate as enablers, not just betrayersSparse historical records as a “blank canvas” for storytellingModern reincarnation in NYC: guilt, ignorance, and redemptionThemes of faith, fate, addiction, and state violenceHow winemaking and history inspire Grace's upcoming novel Territorium✨ Whether you're a reader fascinated by fresh takes on history, a lover of dark, thought‑provoking fiction, or someone intrigued by the blend of wine and storytelling, this episode offers a bold new perspective.

This lesson begins in Mark 15:1. Dr. Mitchell reviews the first 14 verses. Here Jesus is before the civil court of Pilate who asked the Jewish leaders, What evil has He done? Then we continue in verse 15. Here Pilate wanted to please the crowd so he released a murder, Barabbas, and delivered Jesus to be crucified. What follows is the scene when the soldiers mocked Jesus and beat Him with a reed and unnecessarily slapped His face repeatedly. Dr. Mitchell brings out several O.T. scriptures fulfilled by our Lord's crucifixion, Ps.22 and Isa.53 and Psalm 69. While on the way to Golgotha, the soldier commandeered a man to help carry Jesus' cross, Simon of Cyrene. Our Lord, on the cross, refused to drink the wine mixed with myrrh, a drug used to deaden the pain. Here is Dr. Mitchell Mark 15:1 on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast.

Pastor Pierre Cragna teaches on the link between the crucifiction of Jesus on Golgotha and the sacrifice of Isaac on Moriah. 

There is no crime to fit this sentence; there is no sentence to fit this crime. Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate's words are echoed by the zealot Judas Iscariot only hours before history takes a bloody turn on a cross atop Golgotha on Calvary Hill. Two thousand years later, these words are found scrawled in blood in New York next to three crucified men hanging on a basement wall. Judas, now Jude Issachar, an enigmatic social worker and part-time professor, and Pontius, now Peter Pheiffer, an unsettled defense attorney at a ravenous global law firm, have lived many lifetimes since their original encounter. However, Jude is aware of his past and is cursed by the fateful lure of the noose and the tree. Peter is damned by a recurring ignorance, a cruel cyclical awakening that creeps up on him as he is compelled to defend a sociopath who crucified three men. ondemned for their role in humankind's darkest betrayal, they must reckon with their pasts-and their futures-after a fateful, bloody collision of violence and addiction two millennia after their sentence began brings these lost souls together once more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

JOHN 19:17-30 - IT IS FINISHED - BRIAN SUMNER - 2025JOHN 19:17-30 "And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, 18 where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. 19 Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was:JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.20 Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.21 Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,' but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.” ' ”22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24 They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:“They divided My garments among them,And for My clothing they cast lots.”Therefore the soldiers did these things.Behold Your Mother25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.It Is Finished28 After this, Jesus, [a]knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit."To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible because of people personally partnering through the non profit. God Bless and thank you. †Support the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

Jesus was arrested and subject to unjust trials before the Jewish leaders and Roman governor Pilate. Though found innocent, He was sentenced to death to appease the crowd. Jesus was scourged, mocked, and forced to carry His cross to Golgotha. There, He was crucified between two criminals, ultimately dying to pay the penalty for our sin. And today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie shows us it all began with betrayal ... by one of His own disciples. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jesus was arrested and subject to unjust trials before the Jewish leaders and Roman governor Pilate. Though found innocent, He was sentenced to death to appease the crowd. Jesus was scourged, mocked, and forced to carry His cross to Golgotha. There, He was crucified between two criminals, ultimately dying to pay the penalty for our sin. And today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie shows us it all began with betrayal ... by one of His own disciples. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people picture Jesus' crucifixion as satisfying an angry God. But the cross wasn't about Jesus changing God's mind about you. It was about changing your mind about God. Drawing from the events of Holy Week—from the Last Supper to Gethsemane to Golgotha—explore why no other method could demonstrate what Jesus came to prove.

Can a Person Really Forgive Your Sins? | Christ For YouJohn 20:19–31 | Easter 2Can a man really forgive sins? Can a pastor really say, “I forgive you all your sins”? Isn't that something only God can do? If Jesus won forgiveness on the cross nearly two thousand years ago, then how does that forgiveness get here to you now? And if it comes through the Word, why does that Word come through the mouth of a man?In this Easter 2 sermon, Pastor Rojas begins with Christ's full satisfaction for all sin and then asks the question every Christian must answer: how do you get that forgiveness? If you cannot go back to Golgotha, and if merely standing at the cross would not have saved even those who were there, then how does the forgiveness Jesus won there get delivered here, to you, now? This sermon shows that God does not tell sinners to go find forgiveness. He brings forgiveness to them through His Word.But if forgiveness comes through the Word, then how do you hear that Word? Through a voice, a mouth, a man. And that is where many object. This sermon answers the common offense people take at absolution and shows from Scripture that Christians really do forgive one another, and that Christ has also instituted a public office in which pastors forgive sins in His stead and by His command. Above all, John 20 shows that Jesus is not merely giving information about forgiveness. He breathes the Holy Spirit on His apostles and says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.” In other words, these words do not merely talk about forgiveness. They give it.This sermon shows why absolution is not arrogance, not Romanism, and not empty ceremony, but the living voice of the risen Christ for terrified sinners. If you have ever wondered how the forgiveness Christ won on the cross gets to you now, why a pastor can say, “I forgive you all your sins,” or why this matters so deeply for the guilty, the burdened, and the dying, this sermon is for you.Subscribe & Share:Spotify: Christ For YouPortuguês: Cristo Para VocêWebsite: ZionWG.orgLooking for a Lutheran Church near you?Support the preaching of God's Word.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/10/26), Hank picks up his overview of the days of Holy Week, arriving at Holy Friday, the day a united Church is brought face-to-face with the fatal torment of Jesus Christ. A torment that began in the garden of Gethsemane following the emotional Last Supper of Holy Thursday. That night, Jesus was betrayed by Judas, disowned by Peter, and arrested by the temple guard. Before Caiaphas the high priest, he was mocked, beaten, and spat upon. The next morning, Jesus—battered, bruised, and bleeding—was stripped and subjected to the brutality of Roman flogging, reducing his body to quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. As Christ slumped into the pool of his own blood, soldiers threw a scarlet robe across his shoulders, thrust a scepter into his hands, and pressed sharp thorns into his scalp. After they mocked him, they took the scepter and repeatedly struck him on the head. A heavy wooden beam was thrust upon his bleeding body, and he was led away to a place called Golgotha. There, the Lord of Glory experienced ultimate physical torture in the form of the cross.Today, as we remember the passion of Christ upon the cross, as we recall his dying words, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit,” we are reminded that we, too, will breathe our last. Whether we are old or young, rich or poor, male or female, we light the sky for the briefest of moments. And then eternity. In the meantime, what we do today will have direct consequences for all eternity. Thus, while the culture seeks to focus your gaze on greatness, Christ rightly focuses your gaze on grace and godliness.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/09/26), Hank resumes his overview of Holy Week with Holy Thursday, the epicenter of the divine narrative. A narrative that begins with the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. If Adam and Eve had rejected the serpent, they would have eaten from the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge would not have been withheld from them. Instead, they were exiled from the Edenic garden and from traversing the slope leading upward toward the peak of deification. Thankfully, the narrative does not end there. For in the panoply of history, a Second Adam clothed himself in fallen humanity. It was above all in his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead that Christ returned humanity to the life of Eden. This then is the great arc of the biblical narrative. From the Tree of Life in the Edenic Garden to the Tree of Life in the eternal garden. An arch that finds its apex with the Eucharistic bounty spilling forth from the trodden grapes of Golgotha's hill. The Last Supper that we commemorate on Holy Thursday constitutes the central mystery of the Church. It is the source and zenith of Church life. By it, we are changed from human multiplicity to one body in Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Within the Eucharistic assembly, divine life flows into us and penetrates the fabric of our humanity. The future life is infused into the present one and is blended with it, so that our fallen humanity may be transformed into the glorified humanity of the new Adam, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Join the daily outreach of Southwest Radio Ministries with Dr. Larry Spargiamino as he delves into 'Golgotha's Groaning' with author Carl Gallups. Explore the encoded images and multidimensional inspiration of the Bible, as Gallups discusses Golgotha and its significant role in biblical prophecy. This insightful audio session invites listeners to ponder the mysteries of scripture and their implications for modern faith.

Join Southwest Radio Ministries for an enlightening discussion with Larry Spargimi, author Carl Gallups, about his new book, 'Golgotha's Groaning.' Explore the profound biblical insights encoded in the Hebrew text, revealing the significance of Golgotha throughout Scripture. Discover how these revelations shed light on the multidimensional inspiration of the Bible, challenging modern misconceptions and deepening understanding for believers. This episode of 'Watchman on the Wall' offers a compelling journey through biblical prophecy and its fulfillment, making it a must-listen for those interested in the divine intricacies of Scripture.

There is a hill outside the city of Jerusalem called Golgotha or also called Calvary. Both words for this hill mean the same thing – “Place of the Skull”. This hill was given its name because of it s shape of a skull. Do you think that was an accident? It was here on top of this skull shaped hill that Jesus was crucified on the cross. Have you ever thought about the meaning behind this? Why there? Nothing was by accident. God was in every detail as he sacrificed his one and only son so that whoever would believe in him would have eternal life. I believe this place was strategic. The cross was on top of the skull because Jesus wants to give you victory over your mind! Did you know it's not only your soul that has been saved, but your MIND has been saved as well. The victory was won over your mind by Jesus on the skull! How absolutely strategic. The evil one fights to take back what Jesus has claimed and most often what he gets is our mind. How successful has he been in your life lately? Have your thoughts been victorious or have they been fear filled, anxious, negative, defeated thoughts? Jesus paid a high price for your victory, why would you ever allow the defeated one to defeat you in your head? Your greatest asset is your mind. Your mind paints a vivid picture and your body responds with every emotion and energy to create the picture. Every choice you make, good or bad, was first a thought in your mind. So, of course your mind is under attack. A relentless, violent, brutal attack, and it's happening every minute of the day. Whatever gets your mind, gets you. Your thoughts are the guide, so the important question is, who is the author of your thoughts? Scripture warns us of strongholds on our mind. 2 Corinthians 10: 4-5, “We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” The word “stronghold” comes from the Greek word ochuroma. This is a Greek word used to describe a prison. The “strongholds” scripture refers to are lies that the devil has ingrained so deeply in your mind and in your belief system that they now hold power over certain areas of your life. These lies create a spiritual fortress of wrong thoughts which becomes your prison. As a prisoner to these thoughts, you begin to view life through the illusion of bondage Satan has put on your mind. Thoughts of worry. Thoughts of fear. Thoughts of anxiety. Thoughts of lack. And eventually, these tangled and twisted thoughts begin to take control of your life. Now, you can't seem to dismiss those thoughts. You can't just shake it off. This stronghold on your mind has overwhelmed you. And if we allow this stronghold to continue, dismissing it as who we are and what we naturally struggle with, it becomes a trap where Satan mentally seduces you and imprisons you with your own thinking. My sister, does this sound familiar? Have your thoughts become twisted and knotted with worry, fear, anxiety, or negativity? This is a strong hold and it is holding you back. Holding you back, you say … from what? Holding you back from the freedom of being who you were created to be and living the life God created you to live. Holding you back from the joy of the Lord. Holding you back from your purpose and your destiny. But remember, your mind is saved! Just like your soul has been redeemed, so has your mind. You are no longer a captive here. Any strongholds the enemy has established in your mind can and must be destroyed. You have been equipped for this battle! The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” Ephesians 6:17 gives us a list of battle gear, and the first is the helmet of salvation. Now how totally ironic is that … where was your salvation bought and secured? On a hill called Golgotha which means “skull”. And it is the helmet of salvation that protects your mind, your greatest asset. Girl, you have supernatural protection wrapped around your head to safeguard your mind from every assault of the enemy. You are covered. Those thoughts of fear, overwhelm and anxiety bounce right off. Phew, phew, phew. Nope, they're not getting in. But, they do get in when we take off our helmet. What is the helmet again? It is the helmet of SALVATION. When we forget it's not just our soul that has been saved, our thoughts are left vulnerable. When we start buying into the lie that says this is just who I am and how I think, we forfeit the saving grace Jesus offers over our minds. Here's a simple step to remember when you know your mind is being assaulted: Tap your helmet. Yip, just give that sweet head of yours a little tap and say “you've been saved and you are protected.” Exodus 14:14 says “The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” This is exactly what we're talking about. The battle over your mind is real and it is vicious, but the Lord will fight for you. Stand there in your helmet of salvation and know you are protected. Any stronghold the enemy tries to use against you has been demolished! His attacks will not be successful. Your mind has been saved and it is protected. If you've taken your helmet off and you've been dancing with worries, fears and regrets, new strongholds have been established. Demolish them now. You have been given that power through Christ Jesus. Declare your mind is precious territory claimed by Jesus. Satan has no right to come marching in here! He has been banished. You've been saved, you don't have to think the thoughts you once thought. You are protected, the attacks will no longer be successful on your mind. Now, keep your helmet on! The evil one is on the prowl like a hungry lion for someone to devour. He goes right for the head. But yours has been saved! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Featured playlist: The Church (That Meets in My Home) — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Yobt1jZDd9Zzn8Ufa-BNciyYv04Cl6mMy books:Exalted: Putting Jesus in His Place — https://www.amazon.com/Exalted-Putting-Jesus-His-Place/dp/0985118709/ref=tmm_pap_title_0God's Design for Marriage (Married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-Married-Amazing/dp/0998786306/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493422125&sr=1-4&keywords=god%27s+design+for+marriageGod's Design for Marriage (Pre-married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-What-Before/dp/0985118725/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_topSupport us - become a CTC Partner: https://crosstocrown.org/partners/crosstocrown.org@DougGoodin

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On Good Friday, Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate early in the morning, declared innocent, yet condemned to death after the crowd chose Barabbas over Him; He was mocked, beaten, and led to crucifixion at Golgotha, where He was nailed to the cross around 9 AM, prayed for forgiveness for His executioners, endured mocking, and showed compassion by promising salvation to a repentant criminal and entrusting His mother to His disciple John. From noon to 3 PM, darkness covered the land as Jesus bore the weight of sin, cried out to the Father, and ultimately declared "It is finished" before giving up His spirit. At His death, an earthquake occurred, the temple veil was torn, and even Roman soldiers recognized His innocence. His body was then taken down, confirmed dead, and placed in a tomb by Joseph of Arimathea before the Sabbath began, marking the completion of the events of that day. __________ John 18:28–37 NLT, Luke 23:6–12 NLT, Luke 23:13–19 NLT, Matthew 27:15–23 NLT, John 19:1–13 NLT, Matthew 27:24–25 NLT, John 19:13–16 NLT, Luke 23:26–29,31 NLT, John 19:17–22 NLT, Mark 15:23 NLT, Luke 23:34a NLT, John 19:19–22 NLT, John 19:23–24 NLT, Matthew 27:39–40 NLT, Mark 15:31 NLT, Luke 23:36–37,39 NLT, Luke 23:40–43 NLT, John 19:25–27 NLT, Mark 15:33 NLT, Matthew 27:46–47,49 NLT, John 19:28–29 NLT, John 19:30a NLT, Luke 23:46 NLT, John 19:30b NLT, Matthew 27:50–53 NLT, Matthew 27:54 NLT, Luke 23:47–48 NLT, John 19:31–33 NLT, John 19:34–37 NLT, Mark 15:42–47 NLT, Mark 15:46 NLT, Matthew 27:59–60 NLT, John 19:39–42 NLT, Mark 15:47 NLT, Luke 23:55–56 NLT __________ Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com Leave a Comment: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/comments __________      

What did Jesus mean when He cried, “Why have you forsaken me?” In this powerful message from our Golgotha to Glory series, we explore how the cross reveals the depth of God's love—showing that Jesus was abandoned so we could be brought near, offering hope to anyone who has ever felt forgotten, rejected, or alone.Let's tune in and listen.Connect with us: @ascentchurchvaConnect with our Lead Pastor: @pastor.tlaneIf you've just made a decision for Christ, we'd love to celebrate with you. Please connect with us through our A-Card here: https://www.liinks.co/ascentchurch

The greatest truth in history hung on a cross, yet those closest to it completely missed it because Jesus didn't meet their expectations of what a king should be. While soldiers mocked and religious leaders sneered, Jesus was accomplishing the ultimate act of grace by refusing to save himself so he could save us. Mark 15 challenges us not to overlook what's right in front of us: God's goodness often looks like weakness, and his greatest glory was displayed in what appeared to be his darkest moment.Series Summary: The religious leaders at the cross hurled a challenge at Jesus: “Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” They demanded proof before faith. But the Gospel of Mark, especially in its story of the Passion, invites us into a different reality: believing in order to see. From the anointing at Bethany to the silent emptiness of the tomb, Jesus' journey subverts our expectations. The one hailed as king is crowned with thorns. The one with power to calm storms submits to arrest. The consistent, sure thread through the chaos is his Word. As the angel at the tomb reminded the trembling women, “He is going ahead of you…just as he told you.” As we study through Mark's Passion, we are invited to follow Jesus—not by sight, but by faith in his sure and leading Word.Add St. Marcus as your church on the Church Center App!Fill out our online connection cardHow can we pray for you? If you'd like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here.

This message explores the weight of our daily choices versus major DECISIONS that define our lives and eternity. We unpack the historical and spiritual significance of Jerusalem's mountains, from Abraham's trial on Mt. Moriah to Jesus' agonizing prayer in Gethsemane. We see Jesus on trial before Pilate and His sacrifice at Golgotha, and how Jesus chose to absorb the debt of human brokenness. Finally, we see that the torn curtain of the temple signifies a God who is now fully accessible to everyone through faith in Jesus. Join us as we anticipate the celebration of Easter, but first have to confront the cross. Speaker: Greg Holder

As the Savior's mortal ministry draws to its sacred climax, the New Testament highlights a devoted group of women whose faith and service quietly shape the final hours of Jesus Christ's life. In the days leading up to the Crucifixion, women appear as faithful disciples who minister with courage and devotion. The Gospels describe a woman in Bethany—identified as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus—who anoints Jesus with precious ointment, symbolically preparing Him for His burial and demonstrating profound spiritual insight. Other faithful women, including Mary the mother of Jesus and Martha of Bethany, had long served the Savior and supported His ministry. Their acts of hospitality, discipleship, and devotion reflect a pattern of covenant service—women who recognized the Savior and responded with love, generosity, and spiritual sensitivity. At the time of the Crucifixion, when many others had fled in fear, several faithful women remained near the cross, becoming eyewitnesses of the Savior's sacrifice. Among them were Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Salome, along with other devoted disciples who had followed Him from Galilee and ministered to His needs. Their presence reflects remarkable courage and loyalty as they comfort one another and remain close to the Lord in His final mortal moments. These women would later play crucial roles in the sacred events surrounding His burial and Resurrection, preparing spices and returning to the tomb in loving service. From the preparation of the Last Supper to the sorrowful vigil at Golgotha, the women of the New Testament stand as powerful witnesses of Christ—models of faithful discipleship who served, mourned, and ultimately rejoiced in the triumph of their risen Redeemer.

Three crosses. Two criminals. One Jesus. Even in his final moments, the criminal on the cross discovered that salvation isn't earned—it's received through faith in Jesus alone. This powerful message from Golgotha to Glory reminds us it's never too late to repent, because what Jesus has done is enough to secure your eternity.Let's tune in and listen.Connect with us: @ascentchurchvaConnect with our Lead Pastor: @pastor.tlaneIf you've just made a decision for Christ, we'd love to celebrate with you. Please connect with us through our A-Card here: https://www.liinks.co/ascentchurch 

And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when He tasted it, He would not drink it. And … they … crucified Him. (Matthew 27:33-35)

When darkness covered the land and Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, something far deeper than physical suffering was happening. In this message from our Golgotha to Glory series, we explore what Scripture teaches about hell, God's justice, and the truth that Jesus experienced the darkness of judgment so that we could receive the light of salvation.Let's tune in and listen.Connect with us: @ascentchurchvaConnect with our Lead Pastor: @pastor.tlaneIf you've just made a decision for Christ, we'd love to celebrate with you. Please connect with us through our A-Card here: https://www.liinks.co/ascentchurch