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NEW YORK — COME TO BOUDU SAVED FROM DROWNING, ROUTINE PLEASURES, AND EXTENDED CLIP LIVE ON NOVEMBER 4TH AND 5TH AT THE BROOKLYN CENTER FOR THEATRE RESEARCH!!! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/extended-clip-live-tickets-1854585257429?aff=ebdsshcopyurl&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp Today's episode is on Pasolini's great The Gospel According to Saint Matthew. We talked about the unique stylistic approach to a bible-thumping arthouse movie. Then, on Malcolm in the Middle, we chatted about Blue Moon, Bonehill Road, and After the Hunt. Send us your questions to be read on the air at extendedclippodcast@gmail.com Get an extra episode every week for $5/mo at patreon.com/extended_clip
Stephen Miran isn’t auditioning to run the Federal Reserve. He’s auditioning to destroy it. Like so many in Trump’s sphere, Miran was selected for his ability to appear like he’s doing the right thing and making the tough choices. In reality, he exists to destroy the thing he’s spent his entire life trying to be a part of. Miran is a highly educated and competent analyst whose academic veneer and projection of empathy belie his craven desire for power and to eradicate the independence of the Fed and place it under direct authority and control of the president. And make no mistake, when Jerome Powell’s term is up, this is who will be in charge of the Fed. Chapters Intro: 00:01:00 Chapter One: The Audition. 00:02:10 Chapter Two: The Power and Powers of the Fed. 00:07:15 Chapter Three: Who Is This Numbnut? 00:13:06 Chapter Four: Consistently Inconsistent. 00:18:34 Bring It Home, Max: 00:23:46 Resources Federal Reserve Board: Stephen I. Miran Barron’s: Last Year, Trump’s New Man at the Fed Thought Rates Were Too Low. What Changed Miran’s Articles + White Papers City Journal: Is Having the Reserve Currency Good for the U.S.? Manhattan Institute: The Fed Isn’t as Independent as It Seems Manhattan Institute: The Fed Doesn’t Need to Cut. Financial Conditions Are Already Loosening. Manhattan Institute: The Fed Is Facing a Changed World. The Case Against Cuts. Hudson Bay Capital: A User’s Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System Manhattan Institute: Reform the Federal Reserve’s Governance to Deliver Better Monetary Outcomes -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In one of the most dramatic turns in Matthew's Gospel, Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ at the very gates of hell. Pastor Don Weiss unpacks how Jesus builds his Church not on perfection but on revelation—and how he calls every disciple to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him.
Date: 11/02/25 Series: Living the Jesus Way Passage: James 4:1-10 Speaker: Rev. Dr. Dan Doriani
Join us in our series, The Gospel According to Genesis, as we read through the story of Jacob wrestling with God. In Genesis 32, we see his struggle and find encouragement that he comes through changed, named, and blessed. Let's tune in now 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
Deuteronomy 9-10: The Gospel According to Deuteronomy Deut 9:1, 4-8, 22-26; 10:1-4, 12-22 Pastor Thomas Hwang
October 1923: The BBC's on-air critics go national... These aren't critics OF the BBC (there were - and are - plenty of those), but critics ON the BBC - a literary critic, a music critic, a drama critic, a film critic... Think Front Row, Barry Norman, The Old Grey Whistle Test, but decades earlier. These weekly shows went national via simultaneous broadcasting - SB - and the BBC's London-centric regular programming started to take over the regional schedules. On London 2LO from 14 June 1923 - and nationally on Thursdays from 18 October - was music critic Percy Scholes. On London 2LO from 18 July - and nationally on Fridays from 19 October - was film critic G.A. Atkinson ('Seen on the Screen'). On London 2LO from 8 August - and nationally on Wednesdays from 17 October - was drama critic Archibald Haddon ('News and Views of the Theatre'), and later James Agate. On London 2LO from 3 September - and nationally on Mondays from 15 October - was literary critic John Strachey. And in more recent years, we add comedy criticism to the list - with some comedy writers. James Cary has written BBC sitcoms for TV and radio, inc his own Bluestone 42, Hut 33, Think the Unthinkable, and for others Miranda, My Hero, My Family and more. He joins us with his opinions on comedy, the BBC, and what he'd do if he were DG. And Miranda Hart - once our boss (I also wrote for the show Miranda) - joins us in a conversation I had for my previous podcast, The Heptagon Club (a podcast of conversations with 7 guests per episode - it was exhausting, so I stopped, for the simpler task of chronicling the history of the BBC...) And our latest clue to our audio festive treat. Ooh... SHOWNOTES: Original music is by Will Farmer. James Cary's books include The Gospel According to a Sitcom Writer and The Sacred Art of Joking, and his podcasts include The Stand-up Theologian. Our survey of what you like/don't about this podcast is here - do please spare 5mins to let me know your thoughts: http://tiny.cc/bbcenturysurvey Thanks to Andrew Barker, our Newspaper Detective, for finding the press extracts. Paul's Substack: https://paulkerensa.substack.com/ Paul's live show on the BBC origin story visits a variety of tour stops: www.paulkerensa.com/tour... INCLUDING new show Four Monarchs and a Mic: The BBC's Royal Engineer at Leicester Comedy Festival on Sat 8th Feb 2026. This podcast is not made by today's BBC. It's just about the old BBC. And occasionally what's ahead. Please like/share/rate/review this podcast - it all really helps. Support us on Patreon (£5/mth - thanks if you do!), for bonus videos, writings, readings etc. It helps us fund books, web hosting, and oddities like... things coming soon... Or a one-off tip to Ko-fi.com/paulkerensa? Thanks! All keeps the podcast going. Next time: Episode 108: An Evening of Mass Telepathy - a centenary dramatic re-enactment of a lost legendary broadcast! More on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio
Deuteronomy 9-10: The Gospel According to Deuteronomy Deut 9:1, 4-8, 22-26; 10:1-4, 12-22 Pastor Thomas Hwang
We continue our series in the Gospel According to Mark—Kingdom Come, God's Reign in a Chaotic World. This week we close out chapter 2 and enter into chapter 3 of Mark's Gospel. After repeated incidents when Jesus casts out demons, heals the sick, and even forgives the sins of a paralytic before healing him—which, of course, raises the ire of the Scribes and Pharisees—Jesus moves on to one of their most sacred theological hills: the Sabbath. Join us as Jesus confronts their legalism while defining the true heart of the Sabbath for them and for all of us. Read Mark 2:23—3:6 in advance to prepare for the message, and remember to bring your Study Guides!
In this edition of Frikkity Frak, We Do Talk Back, we discuss the episode "Quirk: Explosion!!" and connect it to ROmans 12 verse 4-5. Please rate, subscribe, and review this podcast, tell your friends, and if you have any questions, please contact us at frikkityfraktalkback@gmail.com or any of our social media accounts with any questions about this episode or any and all spiritual, nerdy, or general questions.Intro 00:00E163 00:31Romans 12v4-5 05:08Ratings 11:35Outro 14:00@FrikkityF on Twitter@FrikkityFrak on Instagram@FrikkityFrak on Facebook#FaithandFandom #anime #animereview #podcast #MyHeroAcademia #MHA #Bakugo
Mark 2:13-17 I Pastor Eric Brown fmbcbellflower.org The Gospel According to Mark
Send us a textJustice & CompassionOct 26, 2025 • Eric StillmanIn the eighth sermon in "The Gospel According to Isaiah" sermon series, we look at Isaiah 42:1-13 and how Jesus perfectly blends justice and compassion.
In Matthew 11–13, Jesus invites us to trust him by coming to him for rest, learning from him in humility, and treasuring him above everything else. The Kingdom of God isn't a concept to admire but a reality to enter. In this message, we're challenged to stop striving, surrender control, and choose the King himself. Because to choose the Kingdom is to trust the One who rules it.
In Matthew 11–13, Jesus invites us to trust him by coming to him for rest, learning from him in humility, and treasuring him above everything else. The Kingdom of God isn't a concept to admire but a reality to enter. In this message, we're challenged to stop striving, surrender control, and choose the King himself. Because to choose the Kingdom is to trust the One who rules it.
Do you wrestle with the question “How Can I Know?” amidst our worries, fears, and doubts? As we continue our series, The Gospel According to Genesis, we see Abraham wrestle with that very same question. Let's tune in and turn to Genesis 15. 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
Every person has a story that displays the Gospel at work. The blank represents your life, how the Good News of Jesus becomes real and personal in each life - The Gospel of Sarah, The Gospel of Marcus, The Gospel of You. Each week explores how Jesus turns our past into purpose, our pain into testimony, and our story into someone else's lifeline.
To support the ministry of Celebration Church please click here: https://subsplash.com/celebrationchurchtn/giveSubscribe to receive our latest content: https://tr.ee/2b6XuDKlaS...FOLLOW US►► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwmccollum/►► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rwmccollum/►► Twitter: https://twitter.com/rwmccollum#celebrationchurchnashville #online #jesus #celebrationchurch #church #onlinechurch #sermon #nashville....Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Therefore, know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying,"In you all the nations shall be blessed." So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.Galatians 3:6-9The Apostle Paul confronted the confusion created by the Judaizers in the Galatian churches by reminding them that the Gospel, preached to Abraham 2000 years earlier, had promised salvation to all who would believe, regardless of race or nationality. Today, 2,000 years later, we may need to hear that again.We hope you enjoy Pastor Ray's message: “The Gospel According to Abraham.”
In this edition of Frikkity Frak, We Do Talk Back, we discuss "The Final Boss!!" episode pf My Hero Academia and connect it to Colossians 2 verse 12. Please rate, subscribe, and review this podcast, tell your friends, and if you have any questions, please contact us at frikkityfraktalkback@gmail.com or any of our social media accounts with any questions about this episode or any and all spiritual, nerdy, or general questions.Intro 00:00E162 00:33Colossians 2v12 04:45Ratings 08:22Outro 09:47@FrikkityF on Twitter@FrikkityFrak on Instagram@FrikkityFrak on Facebook#MyHeroAcademia #podcast #ChristianReview #BibleStudy #AnimeReview
This week at Echo Church, we dive into The Gospel According to John — where Jesus calls His very first disciples with just three simple words: “Come and see.” In this message, we unpack what it means to truly follow Jesus, not just know about Him. From Peter needing to witness a miracle before dropping his nets, to Nathanael's sarcastic “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”, we see how Jesus meets each of us exactly where we are — curious, skeptical, or running on too little sleep. We talk about how spiritual warfare can look a lot like busyness, why transformation happens through proximity, and how being “covered in the dust of your Rabbi” sometimes means being covered in donut powder too. No matter where you are in your faith journey, Jesus is inviting you to come and see that there are greater things ahead.
Mark 2:1-12 I Pastor Eric Brown fmbcbellflower.org The Gospel According to Mark
In Matthew 8–10, Jesus doesn't just proclaim the kingdom, he demonstrates it. Through healing, deliverance, and mission, the power and authority of the king become unmistakable. In this sermon, we unpack what Jesus' authority means for modern disciples: trust his power and sovereignty, submit to his reign, and bring the news of his kingdom to the world.
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In Matthew 8–10, Jesus doesn't just proclaim the kingdom, he demonstrates it. Through healing, deliverance, and mission, the power and authority of the king become unmistakable. In this sermon, we unpack what Jesus' authority means for modern disciples: trust his power and sovereignty, submit to his reign, and bring the news of his kingdom to the world.
We're in our series, The Gospel According to Genesis, with a message on Abraham's obedience in laying down his son as an offering to God. As we read through Genesis 22, let's lean in now 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
This weekend, we're focusing on building community among Jesus-followers, using the story of the floating axhead to illustrate how we contribute through individual effort and how God provides miraculous intervention to sustain our shared commitment.Join us next weekend at The Branch Church and invite your friends and family!Find out what's going on at The Branch here: https://thebranch.org/eventsTo support this ministry, click here — https://rb.gy/rc53uxDownload Our App – http://thebranch.org/appCheck In — https://rb.gy/htq0qySermon Notes —https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=HyeMOKPa6xxSermon-Based Bible Study — https://thebranch.org/studyRequest Prayer — http://thebranch.org/prayerLike and SUBSCRIBE on YouTube — https://rb.gy/atpff4Like and Follow on Vimeo — https://rebrand.ly/d1ibt93Website — https://thebranch.org/Facebook — https://rb.gy/m4vhz6Instagram — https://rb.gy/p8g1blTwitter — https://rb.gy/xiwg68YouTube — https://rb.gy/icv7x2
This weekend, we're focusing on building community among Jesus-followers, using the story of the floating axhead to illustrate how we contribute through individual effort and how God provides miraculous intervention to sustain our shared commitment.Join us next weekend at The Branch Church and invite your friends and family!Find out what's going on at The Branch here: https://thebranch.org/eventsTo support this ministry, click here — https://rb.gy/rc53uxDownload Our App – http://thebranch.org/appCheck In — https://rb.gy/htq0qySermon Notes —https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=HyeMOKPa6xxSermon-Based Bible Study — https://thebranch.org/studyRequest Prayer — http://thebranch.org/prayerLike and SUBSCRIBE on YouTube — https://rb.gy/atpff4Like and Follow on Vimeo — https://rebrand.ly/d1ibt93Website — https://thebranch.org/Facebook — https://rb.gy/m4vhz6Instagram — https://rb.gy/p8g1blTwitter — https://rb.gy/xiwg68YouTube — https://rb.gy/icv7x2
Text: Nehemiah 9.1-37 Speaker: Lance Williams Date: October 19, 2025
Isaiah, prophesy, Jesus, hope
Message from Rev. Danny Morgan on October 19, 2025
In this edition of Frikkity Frak, We Do Talk Back, we discuss "The End of an Era, and the Beginning" episode of My Hero Academia and connect it to 2nd Kings 2 verse 8.. Please rate, subscribe, and review this podcast, tell your friends, and if you have any questions, please contact us at frikkityfraktalkback@gmail.com or any of our social media accounts with any questions about this episode or any and all spiritual, nerdy, or general questions.Into 00:00E161 00:352nd Kings 2v8 04:20Ratings 10:19Outro 12:20@FrikkityF on Twitter@FrikkityFrak on Instagram@FrikkityFrak on Facebook
The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, a companion of Paul, and the author of the Gospel According to Luke (see Episodes 333-335). The book is essentially Volume Two of his Gospel and records a selective history of the early church following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. In this episode, we cover the first nine chapters which includes: Jesus' ascension, Peter's Sermon at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, miracles performed by the apostles, two arrests, the martyrdom of Stephen, an introduction to Saul (the persecutor) and his conversion on the road to Damascus. Show Notes Twitter | Rumble | BitChute | Spotify | Apple -------------------------------- Support the podcast by shopping at the Truth Quest Shirt Factory. Check out our "Christian Collection" of shirts inspired by this episode.
As we continue our series, The Gospel According to Genesis, we're headed to Genesis 12. After the spiraling down of humanity, we see God's plan of redemption and salvation. It all starts with Him speaking to Abram. Let's lean in now 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 Sermon on the Mount changes everything — not just what we believe, but how we relate to God. In this message, guest preacher Pastor Dihan Lee reminds us that Jesus didn't just give us new rules, he gave us a new reality. God is no longer distant and quarantined in holiness; He's come near, even to dwell within us.
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We all know Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God.” But how do we actually do that? In Matthew 6–7, Jesus shows us that trust is the engine of discipleship. In this sermon, we are reminded that self-reliance is the enemy of Kingdom life—and that only by trusting the Father's goodness can we overcome anxiety, greed, and judgmentalism.
Greg Bryan teaches the good news found in the books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
John 10:7-18,So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”I wonder what comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “abundant life.”David Livingstone (1813–1873) was a Scottish Christian and physician and pioneer missionary, who sailed for Africa in 1840. He spent 16 years in the African wild and returned to London as a hero in late 1856. He had spent the prime of his life encountering physical difficulties and spiritual darkness. And soon he would go back for more.While on furlough, Livingstone spoke to students at Cambridge and explained why he left the comforts of England to serve as a missionary. It had not been easy, and he acknowledged the costs: anxiety, sickness, suffering, frequent danger. He spoke of “foregoing the common conveniences and charities of this life.” But, very memorably, he insisted that this was no sacrifice, but a privilege: “I never made a sacrifice.”The gain of godly sacrifice so outweighed the pains that, in hindsight, it did not feel sacrificial. The sacrifices were real, but the privilege, and joys, far greater.Livingstone embraced the hard life in Africa not just because he found life in Jesus, but because he had found abundant life in Jesus. He wasn't just saved; he was satisfied. He found life to the full. Not minimal life but over-the-top life, more-than-enough life — life spilling over in such joy that he would risk great pains to bring others that great joy.For Livingstone, abundant life didn't mean a comfortable, easy life. It meant he had enough in Jesus, more than enough, to embrace difficulty and discomfort.More Than Just LifeWe come this morning to John 10, and this amazing declaration of Jesus to us in verse 10:“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”I want you to hear Jesus speaking that to you this morning:“I came that you may have life and have it abundantly.”Not just life. Jesus says “have life and have it abundantly.” What is he adding when he adds “abundance”? Why not stop at life. Why say abundant life? That's our focus this morning.As many of you know, I greatly appreciate Don Carson, and named a son after him, and want to give you this preliminary word from him about this abundant life offered to us in John 10. Talking about the image of the shepherd and the sheep, he says that “abundant life” means contented, flourishing sheep, not terrorized by [thieves]; outside the narrative world, it means that the life Jesus' true disciples enjoy is not to be construed as more time to fill (merely ‘everlasting' life), but life at its scarcely imagined best, life to be lived. (Gospel According to John, 385)That is the life Jesus is offering you this morning. Not just more time to fill. Not just getting out of hell. Not just being unstained from the world and watching clean videos or NFL or keeping up with the news. You are invited into “life at its scarcely imagined best.” You are offered “life to be lived,” life worth living.Let me be clear: the main point of this passage is the greatness of Jesus. He is the good shepherd. He enters by the God-appointed door (and doesn't climb in another way, like the Pharisees). He calls his sheep by name, and they hear his voice, and follow him. He leads them out into a life of abundance. And he is the one who genuinely cares for his sheep and willingly lays down his life for them.The main point is the greatness of Jesus.And, get this, the abundant life of the sheep demonstrates the greatness of the shepherd. When the sheep thrive, their shepherd looks great. The shepherd gets the glory in the flourishing, abundant life of his sheep. Jesus is glorified in the satisfaction of his people — and that not apart from him, but in him, conscious of him, recognizing him.Ultimately, we're talking about people here, not sheep. Happy sheep, full of green grass, beside still waters, don't look up and say, “Isn't my shepherd great?” But Christians aren't animals. We're not actually sheep. We're meant to consciously enjoy our shepherd, through his care for us, and say out loud, “Isn't he great?”So, we want to know and experience this “abundant life” that shows the greatness of Jesus. How might Jesus's very words in John 10 help us with what this abundant life is, and is not?I see at least five aspects of this abundant life that Jesus offers us.1. The Abundant Life Is a Rescued Life.The story of our quest for abundance began in a lavish, abundant garden, but quickly came the reality of sin. In a world of yes, our first parents sinned against God's one no and plunged us all into sin and its curse and its misery. We all are born into sin, and we all sin. Ecclesiastes 7:20,“Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.”Everyone in this room has sinned, and sins. And that's the gravest danger in every life in this room: your own sin, my own sin. The biggest threat is not what others have done or might do to us. And not even what Satan himself might do to us. The greatest threat is our own sin, which separates us from a holy God, and deserves his righteous wrath. We have to get this first to be able to move forward in the story of abundance.So, we begin with the Shepherd's rescue. Verse 11, Jesus says,“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”Why would he lay down his life? Because the sheep, his people, deserve to die. We have sinned against him. We deserve eternal separation from him, and eternal condemnation from him. Except that, again in verse 15, “I lay down my life for the sheep.”And that he “lays it down” means that he does it willingly. Intentionally. Purposefully. Jesus wasn't the victim of a first-century accident. Nor was Jesus's life merely “taken from him.” We often grieve the tragic “taking of life,” and we should. And there's a sense in which Jesus was killed unjustly. These same Pharisees he confronts in John 9 and 10 increasingly want to get rid of him and soon will conspire with the Jerusalem elite. In one sense Jesus's life would be taken by sinners.Yet in another, more fundamental sense, no one would take it from him. Look at verses 17–18:“I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.”Who can talk like this? Anyone can choose to lay down their life, but who — who but God himself in human flesh — has authority to take it up again? Oh the greatness of Jesus.The reason Jesus's perfect, sinless life can be effective for the rescuing of his sinful, hell-deserving people is that he lays down his life willingly, on purpose, and he takes it up again.And so, first, the abundant life is a rescued life. Jesus died to rescue us from our own sin. From our sin nature. From past sins. And he is continuing to rescue us from the misery of indwelling sin.That leads us to a second aspect.2. The Abundant Life Is a Relational Life.Forgiveness gets the penalty of sin out of the way that the rescue might lead to a real, personal, life-giving relationship with the Shepherd. To be related and relate to him as persons. To know him and be personally known by him. To love him, and be loved by him, who calls his own by name.Church, this is stunning. This is the heart of the real life, the abundant life. This is the single most important thing to say about “abundant life.” Number 1 was just life. We are sinners; we deserve death. Jesus lays down his own life that our sins might be covered, that we might be forgiven, that we might have life, eternal life, and not misery, forever.But then, to that life, Jesus adds these precious words: “and have it abundantly.” Now we get to the very heart and bottom of this passage: verses 14-15, which is the most important statement in the passage. Look at verses 14-15. Jesus says,“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father . . . .”Did you get that? Let's start with verse 15 and work backwards. Jesus says, The Father knows me, and I know the Father. Amazing. The eternal divine life of the Godhead (talk about abundant!) — Father knowing and loving his Son, and Son knowing and loving his Father.Then see that “just as” at the beginning of verse 15? Jesus makes a claim about an experience of “mutual knowledge” in verse 14 and then he compares it to the “mutual knowledge” between him and his divine Father. And he compares them by saying “just as.” He doesn't say “contrary to” or “unlike.” He doesn't contrast these relationships but says “just as.” He compares them positively. He says they are alike:“Just as my Father knows me and I know my Father, so I know my own [people] and my own know me.”Church, this is the heart of the abundant life. The abundant life is not food and drink and splendid clothes and fancy cars and mansions of glory, and endless hours on devices. What makes this life abundant is knowing and enjoying the Shepherd, and being known and enjoyed by him.Which is why the voice of Jesus is so prominent in John 10. Voice is the medium of relationship. Did you notice how many times his voice in mentioned? Verse 3: the sheep hear his voiceVerse 3: he calls his own sheep by name (how personal!)Verse 4: the sheep follow him, for they know his voiceVerse 16: other sheep too will listen to his voiceHave you ever reflected on how important voices are to relationships? How well could you get to know someone without words? You can see what's on the outside. They can gesture and use facial expressions to try to communicate. But words reveal with clarity what's on the inside. The voice and its words are the primary medium of relationship.And this morning Jesus himself, risen, reigning, glorified, alive, is speaking to us through his words in John 10, saying, in essence, Where are you trying to find life? Your human soul was not only made to live but to live abundantly — lavishly, richly, contentedly, fully. Where are you going for life? Come to me.So, the full-to-overflowing life, the life worth living, life at its scarcely best imagined, abundant life at its height and at its bottom is: Jesus knows his own and his own know him — just as the Father knows him and he knows the Father.The point is this: Come to the Good Shepherd and keep coming. Hear his voice in his word. Enjoy the privilege of prayer. Follow him. The abundant life is life in and with the Good Shepherd. But it is not life with him only. There's a third aspect here.3. The Abundant Life Is an Expansive Life.Life in Jesus expands to include others. It is full to overflowing, and spills over to draw others in. First, other sheep who are fellow believers. The abundant life is not a solitary life. It is a life in relationship with others who have found abundant life in Jesus.And it expands to include “other sheep” not yet in the fold. Verse 16 starts with such an important “and”:“And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”Now we need to clarify a few things about this image of the sheepfold and the gate and the shepherd coming and calling to his sheep. Picture a large, fenced-in, fold, shared by multiple families. The sheep are kept safe in the fold; a gatekeeper guards the one gate, so no one can access the sheep except the owners. When a rightful shepherd comes, he opens the gate, and the shepherd comes in and lifts up his voice. His own sheep know his voice and come to him, and he leads them out to green grass and live the abundant life of sheep, and come back in for safety.But remember, Jesus is here confronting the Pharisees. The sheepfold is the Jewish people. Jesus comes, and lifts up his voice, and his sheep, not the whole pen, but just his sheep follow his voice, and the rest remain.Then in verse 16, Jesus introduces “other sheep that are not of this fold.” That is, not Jews. The Son of God has come; he has entered the fold through the gate as a rightful owner and shepherd. He has lifted up his voice and his sheep are coming to him, not all the Jews, but those who are his. And Jesus says he has “other sheep” not of this Jewish fold: Gentiles.So, there is not only a narrowing when the good shepherd comes, but also an expanding. He keeps calling to Jews, and he calls to Gentiles. And as many “other sheep” as are his, he brings. And the one shepherd makes “one flock” of his Jewish and Gentile sheep.So, the abundant life is not just me and the shepherd, but it is expansive.If anything in us balks at that, we need to know this: Jesus is the kind of shepherd in whom joy increases as other sheep join. Resist the scarcity mindset that would say, If more come, that means I get less of Jesus. It's the opposite. The more that truly come, the more who are truly changed and made holy, the more we see of Jesus, the more we enjoy him, the more he's glorified, the more we're amazed at him, the more we praise him.The reason I began this sermon with David Livingstone is verse 16 brought him to mind. It appears on his gravestone, in the voice of the Shepherd: “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring.”So, the abundant life is a rescued life, a relational life, an expansive life, and fourth, it's embattled.4. The Abundant Life Is an Embattled Life.Embattle means opposed. Challenged. As Jesus calls out his “one flock” from among Jews and Gentiles, his people are drawn out from others, and various tensions and divisions are inevitable. We see it right here in the very context where Jesus is teaching:9:40: “Some of the Pharisees near him . . .”10:19: “There was again a division among the Jews because of these words . . .” So, tension up front with the Pharisees; division among Jews at the end, right on cue. And Jesus mentions robbers and thieves and wolves — that is, opponents and threats. For now, abundant life does not mean an unopposed life. Abundant life is not an easy life, comfortable life. Yes, it is truly abundant life already, in knowing Jesus, but also it is not yet in its fullness, with every enemy defeated and every tear wiped away.There are costs to be counted in this abundant life. Divisions and tensions come. Don't be surprised by them. They will come. We don't need to provoke them unnecessarily. Make Jesus the issue, not your own immaturity. And when divisions come because of him, be careful about how quickly you rush to smooth over tensions. Often unbelievers need the relational tension and felt sense of division to ponder the real issues in life. Don't give in too quick just to keep the artificial peace. Let it sit, and pray. And be ready for them to come around and receive them humbly; be the kind of person in humility that people can expect will receive them back humbly.Life now in Jesus is already abundant, but not yet fully so. Greater abundance is coming. Ephesians 2:7: “in the coming ages [God will] show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” But this life in him even now is abundant enough to be enough in sorrows and pain and suffering.So, abundant life is rescued, relational, expansive, embattled, and finally secure.5. The Abundant Life Is a Kept Life.Abundant life is kept by the good shepherd. He guards his sheep. He keeps us. He keeps us secure, even in the tensions and divisions and many sufferings and sorrows. His ultimate protection is a vital part of what it means to have a good shepherd. Verses 12-13:“He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”But not Jesus. He cares. He says, “I am the good shepherd.” When he laid down his life, he didn't stay dead. If the shepherd's dead, the sheep are goners. But Jesus took up his life again. And he always lives to intercede for us and keep us. His resurrection life is invincible, and he sits in victory on heaven's throne, knowing and protecting (from ultimate harm) every sheep who is his own.Which brings us once more to his Father. What does Jesus mean in verse 17 when he says, “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again”? Is Jesus saying that he earns the love of his Father by laying down his life for us? The point is more subtle.What does a loving father do when his son accomplishes something great? He is overjoyed. He rejoices abundantly. He delights in his son. He loves his son. He's always loved his son, and he feels a special surge of love for his son when he achieves something great.Do you know what is the greatest single achievement in the history of the world? It's this good shepherd laying down his life for his sheep, and taking up his life again in victory, in conquest, in triumph over sin and death and Satan.Which brings us to the Table.Great in the Blood of the CovenantWe worked through Hebrews in 2023, and we finished with that great shepherd doxology in Hebrews 13:20-21. Listen for the connection to John 10:Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.Here the shepherd is great — did you catch that? And the reason he is great, says Hebrews, is “the blood of the eternal covenant.” Jesus shed the redeeming blood. Remember this is about the greatness of Jesus. He did not die by accident. He was no mere victim. No one took his life from him. He laid it down of his own accord. And he took it up again. And so at this Table we remember his greatness.
What if the way we view sex is more important than we think? What if it's really a window into how we view life itself? As we continue in our series through the Song of Songs, we'll come to a moment where two very different visions of sex stand in contrast. And as we explore them, we'll see that they're not just about physical intimacy—they represent two distinct ways of living. One leads to struggle and emptiness. The other, to wholeness and flourishing.
Sermon by Jonathan Stoner at 10:00 a.m. on St. Francis Sunday, October 5, 2025 at All Saints Church, Pasadena. Readings: Jeremiah 1:1-6, The Lamentations of Jeremiah 3:19-26, Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 1:1-14 and Luke 17:5-10. Watch the sermon on YouTube. Please consider pledging to All Saints Church at https://allsaints-pas.org/pledge/, or donate to support the mission and ministry of All Saints at https://allsaints-pas.org/giving/. Any donation, big or small, is appreciated! Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AllSaintsPasadena/. Follow us on Instagram at #allsaintspas. Check out the rest of our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/allsaintspasadena1/videos. Subscribe, like, get notifications every time we post! Enjoy our extensive archive of stimulating and inspiring content!
Greg Bryan teaches the book of Malachi.
We're jumping into The Gospel According to Genesis with a message from Pastor T on the Tower of Babel. "We want to be known. We want to be safe." Let's lean in!Connect with our church: @ascentchurchvaConnect with our lead pastor: @pastor.tlane
Jesus opens the sermon on the mount by flipping our expectation of "the good life" upside down. In his kingdom, the poor in spirit inherit the kingdom, the mourners are comforted, and the persecuted are blessed. In this sermon, Pastor Adam walks through Matthew 5, showing how the promise of Christ's kingdom subverts our expectations of what blessing is, and transforms our motivation from one of anxiety and fear to one of love and faith.
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