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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.

Rahab: From Prostitute to Type of Christ by Autumn Dickson How could I not take some time to speak about Rahab? She was incredible. Here is our introduction to Rahab. Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. Rahab was a prostitute who hid Israeli spies as they were coming to look at Jericho. In exchange for hiding them, she asked them to spare her and her family. They gave her a red cord to put in the window, and all of Jericho was destroyed except for her and her family. In order to understand precisely why she was so great, it's important to understand the background she was born into. Jericho was getting utterly destroyed. There have been times throughout history where the Lord helped His people conquer without utterly destroying everything. Jericho was not one of those times. The land of Canaan was “full” of sin to the extent that destruction was necessary. It was so filled with misery that it needed a clean slate. Except for Rahab. The fact that she's a prostitute during this time period isn't unsurprising. What she's had to go through is not a sign of her moral failings but of her society failing her. We can see the type of person she is from her reactions. She is willing to follow the Lord after hearing the testimony of others. She wants to save her family, not just herself. She utilized her circumstances for the Lord's work. These are not the only reasons Rahab is incredible. The fact that she married is also amazing when you learn what trauma she likely accrued because of her circumstances. This is not a comprehensive list of her good qualities, but I specifically chose these ones. These qualities are what make her like the Savior. Rahab is a type of Christ. Let's talk about a couple of things in her life that reflect the Savior. 1) She is willing to follow the Lord despite what the society around her is doing. Rahab could have been blinded by her own society. She could have followed what everyone else was doing and simply been afraid. Imagine if the rest of the Canaanites had the heart that Rahab had. Imagine if all of them had approached the Israelite army and were like, “We heard how your God protected you and took care of you. We would like to follow Him too.” Imagine if all of us were able to look at what was going on around us and be willing to follow a better way. The Jews were not especially righteous when Christ came to fulfill His mortal ministry. In fact, many of them were evil. If Christ had been born to any other nation, they would have recognized Him as God. Some of the Jews of this time period were too wicked to see Him for what He was. Jesus broke a lot of their made up rules. He followed the Law of Moses perfectly, but He broke a lot of the rules that they had built up around that law. He looked at society and knew there was a better way to live. 2) She wants to save her family, not just herself. Rahab could have followed the spies out. Perhaps that would have been easier than sitting in her home and hoping all the soldiers followed the direction to spare her. We don't know all the reasons why Rahab stayed, but we do know she sought out her family and brought them into her home where they could be protected too. She cared enough about her family that she sought saving them too. Maybe she even felt that being saved wouldn't be worth it if her family couldn't be saved too. Christ's heart also pushed Him to look beyond Himself. Christ is the only One who was perfect enough to go to heaven. He could have come down here, lived perfectly, and gone on to live in heaven forever, but He loved us too much. He put Himself through difficult things in order to save us too. He was concerned with saving His family. He obviously didn't think heaven was going to be good enough without us despite our many failings. He loved us, and looked beyond Himself. 3) She utilized her circumstances for the Lord's work. It was actually important that Rahab was a prostitute. With all of the tension in the air from the Israelite army, it would have been difficult for the spies to get into Jericho. Because she was a prostitute, it allowed them to enter into the city. It wasn't as uncommon for strangers and foreigners to visit brothels in comparison to visiting repectable houses. Not to mention, Rahab's house was within the city wall and allowed them to escape. Now, the fact that she was a prostitute did not mean that the spies went undetected. Somehow, the residents of Jericho noticed the spies and they came knocking. Rahab hid them on the roof before helping them escape. This is actually also an important reflection of Christ. Only Christ was in the correct circumstances to save us. Because of His birth, He held power that no one else had. He had the ability to save us because of His circumstances. But, it was still ultimately His decision to save us. Rahab's circumstances put her in an ideal situation to save her family and help the Lord's work, but her choices and faith were absolutely key as well. Sometimes our circumstances make it difficult to believe that we could ever be like Christ. Sometimes what we've been through or are currently going through make us think that we can't serve. Sometimes our circumstances are the very things that put is in a position to be like Christ. I testify that like Rahab, we are all given opportunities to be like our Savior. I also testify that like Rahab, following the Lord and His prophet will ultimately save us. It doesn't matter where we started; we can make choices that will put us in line with the Lord's people. He can save us, and He can utilize us if we're willing to leave our old lives behind. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Joshua 1–8; 23–24 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

WORD EXPLOSION 2026| Episode 5| The Conspicuous Life of Christ in the Believer | CHIMDI and ADEFUNKE OHAHUNA Welcome to the fifth episode of Word Explosion'26, we continue our profound exploration of the eminent life revealed through Christ Jesus , a life that cannot be hidden because it is designed to be conspicuous. Building from the previous study, this episode uncovers the undeniable reality that when a man truly carries the life and light of Christ, that life becomes visible through both character and conduct. Drawing from the teachings of Scripture and the examples of Jesus and the early disciples, this episode emphasizes that the Christian life was never intended to be silent, concealed, or merely theoretical. The believers in the early Church became so visibly transformed by the life of Christ that they were identified publicly as “Christianos” in Antioch, and later described as men who “turned the world upside down” in Acts 17:6. Their faith was not hidden behind labels, titles, or religious affiliations; it was revealed through undeniable actions. This episode challenges the modern culture of passive Christianity and confronts the growing tendency to profess Christ only in words while concealing Him in lifestyle. Through practical illustrations and deep spiritual insight, we are reminded that true Christianity is not merely a declaration of religion but a manifestation of divine life. The eminent life of Christ produces visible evidence, in speech, conduct, decisions, discipline, and influence. With clarity and conviction, this teaching explains that conspicuous Christianity is not about fame, popularity, or celebrity status, but about becoming visibly different because of the life of Christ within. Just as light naturally reveals itself wherever it exists, the believer carrying the light of Christ cannot remain spiritually invisible. If the life of Christ is truly present, it will inevitably affect environments, relationships, and communities. Referencing Matthew 5:15, this episode powerfully explains that hiding the light of Christ is contrary to the very purpose of receiving it. The believer is called to shine openly, not conceal the testimony of Christ behind compromise, inconsistency, or fear. Just as floodlights illuminate everything around them, the light of Christ within the believer is meant to radiate outwardly for all to see. Episode 5 is a stirring call to sincere self-examination and authentic Christian living. It reminds every believer that the world is not merely waiting for Christian words, but for visible demonstrations of the life of Christ through conspicuous actions, unwavering conviction, and undeniable light. If Christ truly dwells within us, then our lives must reveal Him. The light must shine. Jesus is Lord.

In this episode, Jonah and Patrick continue their exploration of the question of inclusion and exclusion. If Christ's presence is universal, if he has entered into the life of all humanity, what does it mean for each person to recognize him freely? What does it mean to confess him, to commune with him, and to receive his life without turning salvation into a club, a boundary marker, or a ticket purchased through the right words?The conversation moves through the Eucharist, the image of the church, the mystery of the “true” Christian community, and the difference between an earthly institution and the much larger spiritual body of those who come to know the healing power of Christ. Patrick offers the image of Christ as the spiritual sun: not one star among many, but the source whose forces make inner moral life, transformation, and resurrection possible. From there, the question becomes not simply “Who is in?” but “How does each human being come to recognize the one whose light is already shining?”By the end, the episode rests near the road to Emmaus: the disciples have already known Jesus, yet they do not immediately recognize the risen Christ walking beside them. Recognition takes time, unfolding, bread, blessing, and the gradual awakening of the heart. And perhaps this is one of the deep questions of salvation in our time: why does it matter that we come to recognize him consciously, freely, and in love?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."

Share a commentSome religious systems train you to look holy while feeling empty. We sit with Luke 5:33–39 and watch Jesus collide with a spirituality built on resumes, rules, and gloomy public displays. The Pharisees can't stand that His disciples eat, drink, and seem genuinely glad to be near Him and Jesus refuses to play along. He answers with a picture that reframes everything: you don't make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. If Christ is present, joy is not rebellion. It is the appropriate response.From there, we unpack what fasting is and what it is not, why public “seriousness” can become a mask for pride, and how easily spiritual disciplines turn into performance. We also talk about the surprising witness of Christian joy: gratitude in hardship, singing through tears, and a steady confidence that the Bridegroom will never leave His people. The wedding image expands into hope that reaches beyond today's stress, pointing to the Father's house and a celebration that does not end.Jesus then sharpens the point with two unforgettable illustrations: a new garment is not a patch for an old one, and new wine will burst old wineskins. The gospel is not a religious upgrade or a moral add-on. It is new life under the new covenant through the complete, sufficient sacrifice of Christ. We end with a story that captures grace in real time, the moment someone realizes forgiveness is not earned and says through tears, “I can't believe it's free.” If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who's tired of performing, and leave a review with the one line you want to remember.Get instant, biblically faithful answers to your Bible questions. https://www.wisdomonline.org/ask Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Share a commentSome religious systems train you to look holy while feeling empty. We sit with Luke 5:33–39 and watch Jesus collide with a spirituality built on resumes, rules, and gloomy public displays. The Pharisees can't stand that His disciples eat, drink, and seem genuinely glad to be near Him and Jesus refuses to play along. He answers with a picture that reframes everything: you don't make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. If Christ is present, joy is not rebellion. It is the appropriate response.From there, we unpack what fasting is and what it is not, why public “seriousness” can become a mask for pride, and how easily spiritual disciplines turn into performance. We also talk about the surprising witness of Christian joy: gratitude in hardship, singing through tears, and a steady confidence that the Bridegroom will never leave His people. The wedding image expands into hope that reaches beyond today's stress, pointing to the Father's house and a celebration that does not end.Jesus then sharpens the point with two unforgettable illustrations: a new garment is not a patch for an old one, and new wine will burst old wineskins. The gospel is not a religious upgrade or a moral add-on. It is new life under the new covenant through the complete, sufficient sacrifice of Christ. We end with a story that captures grace in real time, the moment someone realizes forgiveness is not earned and says through tears, “I can't believe it's free.” If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who's tired of performing, and leave a review with the one line you want to remember.Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

“But now is Christ risen from the dead.” — 1 Corinthians 15:20 The whole system of Christianity rests upon the fact that “Christ is risen from the dead;” for, “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain: ye are yet in your sins.” The divinity of Christ […]

If the resurrection is real, it should show up in how you give, serve, stand firm, and build the church. Summary After fifteen chapters of correction, Paul ends 1 Corinthians with something surprisingly practical. Instead of more theology, he shows what resurrection faith looks like in everyday life—generosity, partnership, courage, and faithfulness. The resurrection is not just a doctrine to defend; it is a reality that reshapes how believers handle money, relationships, leadership, and service. If Christ truly rose from the dead, then our lives should visibly reflect it. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions Why does Paul begin the final chapter by addressing money and generosity? How does believing in the resurrection change the way we view money and possessions? What does Paul's list of ministry partners reveal about how the early church actually advanced? Why is partnership more important than personality in building the church? How can modern church culture drift toward spectatorship instead of participation? What does Paul mean when he commands believers to "be watchful" and "stand firm in the faith" (v.13)? How does the resurrection give believers courage in a culture that pressures compromise? Why does Paul intentionally honor ordinary, faithful servants at the end of the letter? In what ways can we better recognize and encourage faithful servants in our churches today? If someone looked at your life this week, what evidence would they see that you believe the resurrection happened?

Welcome to Day 2854 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2854 – “He is Risen Indeed!”  based on 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 Putnam Church Message – 04/05/2026 Resurrection Sunday – “He is Risen Indeed!”   Last week's message was: “Behold He Comes!” This covered the entire Passion Week, with the launching point of Zechariah 9:9 Today, our focus is on Resurrection Sunday. Today's message is: “He is Risen Indeed!”  We will celebrate the resurrected Christ and the assurance we have in the salvation that He brings. Our core verses this week are 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 20-23  3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.  20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. 21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.     Opening Prayer Father in heaven, on this Resurrection Sunday, we come with gratitude, wonder, and praise. Open our eyes to see the glory of Your Son. Open our hearts to receive the power of the empty tomb. For those who are joyful, deepen their joy. For those who are weary, strengthen their faith. For those who are grieving, breathe hope again. For those who are uncertain, make the truth of Christ's resurrection clear and living. May this not be just a familiar holiday to us, but a holy encounter with the risen Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Introduction This morning our message is titled: “He Is Risen Indeed!” That is more than a phrase. It is more than a tradition. It is more than a beautiful greeting to exchange on Easter morning. Across the centuries, believers in many lands have greeted one another with words like these: “Christ is risen!” - “He is risen indeed!”  Why has the church loved that greeting so much? Because Easter is not simply about springtime, flowers, new grass, warmer days, or the turning of the seasons. Easter is not the church's way of saying, “Things will probably get better.” Easter is not vague optimism. Easter is not religious cheerfulness. Easter is the declaration that Jesus Christ, who was crucified, buried, and mourned, has bodily risen from the dead. That changes everything. The four Gospels all testify to this glorious truth. Matthew tells us about the earthquake, the angel, and the guards' fear. Mark emphasizes the shock and amazement of the women at the tomb. Luke draws us into the confusion, the angelic reminder, and the burning hearts on the Emmaus Road. John gives us the intimacy of Mary Magdalene in the garden, Peter and John running to the tomb, and the risen Christ calling His sheep by name. Each Gospel brings its own emphasis, but together they proclaim one great truth: The tomb is empty because Jesus is alive. And because He is alive, we do not merely have a memory to cherish. We have a Savior to trust, a Lord to follow, and a living hope to sustain us. Main Point 1: The Resurrection Is a Real Event, Not a Religious Idea At the center of Easter is not a mood, but a miracle. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark or just at dawn, the women came to the tomb. That detail matters. They were not coming to celebrate a victory. They were coming to mourn a death. They brought spices. They expected a sealed grave. They were not looking for resurrection. They were looking for a body. That is why the empty tomb startled them so deeply. Matthew says the stone was rolled away. Mark says they wondered who would move the stone. Luke says they found the stone rolled away and did not find the body. John says Mary Magdalene saw the stone had been moved and ran to tell the disciples. This is not the language of people inventing a legend to comfort themselves. This is the language of startled witnesses who encountered something unexpected. Expanded Narrative In the first-century Jewish world, burial mattered deeply. Graves were places of finality. Bodies were wrapped, laid to rest, and mourned. A large stone meant closure. For Jewish families, proper burial was an act of honor and reverence. No one visited a tomb on the third day expecting a loved one to walk out. That is what makes Easter morning so startling. The women go in sorrow, not anticipation. Peter runs in confusion. John stoops and sees the linen wrappings lying there. Mary stands outside weeping, thinking someone has taken the Lord away. This is not fantasy. This is eyewitness faith born out of astonishment. And the church, that matters because Christianity stands or falls on this. If Christ has not been raised, then our faith is empty. But if He has been raised, then everything He said is true, everything He accomplished on the cross is complete, and everything He promised is secure. Illustration Sometimes people want Easter to mean only that “hope rises” in a poetic sense. But that is like saying a check is valuable because it is beautifully written, even if there is no money in the account. The beauty of the words means little without the reality behind them. The power of Easter is not that it sounds inspiring. The power of Easter lies in the fact that it happened. Object Lesson Bring a sealed envelope and an open envelope. Say: “A sealed envelope means the message is still hidden. But an opened envelope means the message has been revealed. The tomb was sealed, but on Easter morning it was opened. God was declaring to the world that His Son had conquered death.” Related Scriptures 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17 – If Christ has not been raised, our faith is useless. Psalm 16:10 – God would not allow His Holy One to rot in the grave. Acts 2:24 – It was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him. Romans 1:4 – Jesus was shown to be the Son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead. Summary of Main Point 1 Easter is not built on religious imagination but on a real, historical resurrection. The empty tomb, the startled witnesses, and the transformed disciples all point to the same conclusion: Jesus truly rose from the dead. Our faith is not resting on symbolism alone, but on a risen Savior. Main Point 2: The Resurrection Gives Us a Living Hope Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:3: "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, A better phrase is this: a living hope. Not a dead hope. Not a faint hope. Not a wishful hope. Not a seasonal hope. A living hope. Why is it living? Because it is tied to a living Christ. If Jesus were only a memory, then hope would eventually fade into sentiment. But because Jesus is alive, hope lives too. Expanded Narrative Peter knew what he was talking about. He had failed Jesus publicly. He had denied Him three times. He had wept bitterly. By Friday night, Peter's courage was gone. By Saturday, his hope must have felt shattered. But then came Sunday morning. Then came the empty tomb. Then came the risen Christ. The man who once cowered before a servant girl would later stand and preach Christ boldly. Why? Because the resurrection changed him. And Peter later wrote to believers who were suffering. They were not living easy lives. They were facing pressure, hardship, misunderstanding, and persecution. Peter did not tell them to pretend life was simple. He did not tell them to smile more and think positively. He pointed them to the resurrection. That is Christian realism. The New Testament does not deny trouble. It...

If Jesus didn't physically walk out of that tomb, Christianity isn't mistaken — it's meaningless. Summary In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul stakes everything on one historical claim: Jesus Christ bodily rose from the dead. If the resurrection is metaphor, preaching is empty, faith is futile, sin still reigns, and the church is a fraud. But if Christ is raised, then death is defeated, the body matters, sin is judged, and obedience carries eternal weight. The resurrection is not inspirational symbolism — it is the foundation that makes holiness, courage, unity, and endurance rational. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions Why does Paul ground the resurrection in eyewitness testimony rather than personal experience? What collapses in Christian theology if the resurrection is only symbolic? How does treating the resurrection as metaphor subtly reshape views on sin and judgment? Why does Paul say that without resurrection we are "still in our sins" (v.17)? How does the resurrection affirm the goodness and future of the physical body? In what ways does resurrection theology confront modern ideas about identity and embodiment? How does believing in bodily resurrection shape how you endure suffering? Why does Paul connect resurrection to steadfast obedience in verse 58? Where are you tempted toward a "coping Christianity" instead of resurrection certainty? If Christ is truly raised, what area of your life must become more immovable?  

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving to the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea exposes spiritual adultery in ways most churches avoid. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Jeremy Moritz from Trempealeau, WI. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. — 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 If the resurrection didn't happen, what exactly are you believing in? Paul, in this text, turns logical. Some in Corinth were saying there is no resurrection of the dead. So Paul follows the thread. If there is no resurrection, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, preaching is empty. Faith is empty. The apostles are liars. And here is the punch: you are still in your sins. Those who have died in Christ are lost. And Christians are to be pitied more than anyone. This is not a theological subtlety. Paul is not defending a side doctrine. He is protecting the structure of the faith. Remove bodily resurrection, and the cross loses its power. Sin remains. Death wins. Hope evaporates. The resurrection is not inspirational optimism. It's more than just a nice idea the church believes in on a Sunday, once a year. It is a hard reality. It is the verdict of God that sin was paid for, and death was defeated. If Christ is not raised, you have no Savior. But if he is raised? Then everything changes, including you. And your very life, the redeeming of your mind, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the change in your life are evidence of his resurrection. And you should live like it was a real historical event and others should see the visible evidence of this in your life. DO THIS: Finish this sentence in writing: If Christ is not raised, then ________. Then rewrite it: Because Christ is raised, therefore ________. ASK THIS: Do I see how central resurrection is to forgiveness? Would my faith survive if the resurrection were removed? Am I building my life on historical fact—or religious feeling? PRAY THIS: Lord, deepen my understanding of the resurrection. Guard me from treating it as secondary. Anchor my confidence in the risen Christ who defeated sin and death. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Living Hope"

Send us Fan MailThe “victim gospel” sounds compassionate, but it quietly swaps the real problem for a safer one. If the main reason to come to Jesus is that life has been hard, then the solution becomes comfort, coping, and a cleaner story about ourselves. We go the other direction and say the quiet part out loud: the reason we need Christ is sin. Not bad breaks. Not lost jobs. Not ruined relationships. Sin against a holy God, and the crushing guilt that follows when God finally lets us see it clearly.From there, we wrestle with what actually happens when someone is born again. We talk about conviction by the Holy Spirit, why “I'm a good person” is such a stubborn lie, and how God sometimes uses affliction to get our attention, not to earn our salvation. We also tackle election, free will, and the fear-driven teaching that you can lose salvation. If Christ only supplies the “materials” and you have to build the house, then righteousness becomes a project and assurance becomes impossible. We argue that Jesus is the Master Builder, and that justification, reconciliation, and sanctification rest on His work, not ours.We finish with a thoughtful question about “choose life” passages like Deuteronomy 30, how context matters, and why reading Scripture through outside systems can mislead us, with a nod to the Luther and Erasmus debate. If you care about the gospel, repentance, assurance, and what it means that Christ “did it all,” this conversation will sharpen you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving to the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea is the story of a faithful God pursuing an unfaithful people. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Christopher Long from Turbotville, PA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. — 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 What if the one doctrine you assume is safe is the one you've stopped defending? Paul begins by reminding them of the gospel they received, believed, and stand in. Then he defines it. Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He was raised on the third day. All according to the Scriptures. This is not vague spirituality. It is a historical resurrection. And Paul lists witnesses to this history. Names. Groups. Himself. This isn't poetic prose. It's testimony. Christianity is not built on mystical experience. It is anchored in a risen Savior who appeared in history. Then Paul says something personal: "By the grace of God I am what I am." — 1 Corinthians 15:10 The resurrection didn't just validate Jesus. It transformed Paul. It changed the very essence of who he was. And here's the implication we cannot miss: The resurrection of Jesus makes your resurrection possible. If Christ is raised, death is not final. If Christ is raised, sin is not ultimate. If Christ is raised, your future is secure. But if you quietly, in your mind, redefine the resurrection as symbolic… everything shifts. And so does your identity. Don't adjust the gospel in your mind. Today, consider how His resurrection guarantees your resurrection. And then write out, maybe in the comments below, how this affects you, your identity, and your future. It is this that we should be able to communicate to others, as Paul did to believers in Corinth. DO THIS: Consider how the resurrection of Jesus guarantees your resurrection. Write down, in one sentence, why the resurrection matters for you personally. ASK THIS: Can I clearly explain why the resurrection is essential to the gospel? If someone asked me why Jesus had to rise bodily, would I know how to answer? Am I standing on the gospel Paul preached—or one softened by culture? PRAY THIS: Lord, strengthen my confidence in the resurrection of Jesus. Help me stand firmly in the gospel and speak it clearly to others. Let the risen Christ shape how I live today. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Christ Is Risen"

In this message, Pastor Kirt Anderson works through 1 Corinthians 15, the oldest written record of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to ask a question most of us would rather not think about: what actually happens after we die? Pastor Kirt makes a careful distinction between the Greek word "appeared" and softer modern translations, arguing that the bodily resurrection of Jesus is not a subjective spiritual feeling but an objective, historical event. He traces the story of the Apostle Paul, a man who went from hunting down Christians to becoming one of the gospel's greatest voices, as evidence that something real happened on that first resurrection morning.Pastor Kirt also addresses what the resurrection means for ordinary people facing ordinary grief. Drawing on a deeply personal story from his early years in ministry, he turns to Paul's words in Romans and 1 Corinthians to offer something more than comfort: a real, grounded hope that death is not the final word. If Christ rose bodily, then his resurrection is the first installment of a new creation that will one day include all who trust in him, and, Pastor Kirt argues, all of the created order itself. Naples Community Church meets at 849 7th Ave S in Naples, FL. New here? Plan your visit at naplescommunitychurch.org/visit

On the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers, this homily examines the temptation to treat Christ as a figure of the past rather than the Living Lord. It explores how even faithful Christians can reduce Him to something studied at a distance—especially in an age of endless religious content. Grounded in the Church's sacramental and communal life, the message calls us to encounter Christ where He truly speaks: in His Body. The result is both comforting and demanding, as the living Christ not only teaches, but calls us to repentance and transformation.  Enjoy the show! --- Homily for the Myrrhbearers St. Mark 15:43–16:8; Acts 6:1–7 Today we celebrate the holy Myrrhbearers: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, the most holy Theotokos, Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas, Joanna, Salome, Mary and Martha, and Susanna—those who loved Christ enough to come to Him even in death. Their love is beautiful. It is courageous. It is faithful. But it is also, in one very important way, mistaken. They came to anoint a corpse. They came expecting silence, stillness, finality. They came to do one last act of love for someone who was no longer present to receive it. And that is where we must be careful—because we can do the same thing. We sing again and again, "Christ is Risen!" But how often do we live as if He were not? Think about how we relate to the dead. We remember them. We honor them. We reflect on their words. We study what they said, and we try to apply it to our lives. But we do not expect them to speak to us now. We do not expect them to guide us in real time. And this is exactly how many Christians treat Christ. We treat Him as a figure from the past—a great teacher, whose words are preserved in a fixed collection of texts. If we want to know what He thinks, we go back and study what He said, like we would with Plato or any other historical figure. Please—do not misunderstand me. We need the Scriptures. We must study them. But if that is all we are doing—if Christ is only someone we study—then we are treating Him as if He were dead. Because if He were truly risen—if He were truly alive—then we would expect Him to still be teaching. And He is. Christ is alive—not only in heaven—but here and now. He lives in the hearts of the faithful. He lives in His sacraments. He lives most fully as the Head of His Body—the Church. And that means something very concrete: the Church is not a memory. She is not a museum. She is not an archive. She is alive. And here is where the danger comes in—because just as we can treat Christ as if He were dead, we can also treat the Church as if she were dead. We do this when we reduce her to an institution, when we treat her traditions as relics instead of life, when we experience the Liturgy as repetition instead of encounter, and when we assume that nothing truly happens here—nothing new, nothing real—only the preservation of the past. We do this when we think, "I already know what the Church says," "I'll decide how to apply it," or "I'll take what is helpful." But a living body does not work that way. If Christ is alive, then His Body is alive. And if His Body is alive, then it speaks—not just in the past, but now. In the hymns, in the prayers, in the canons, in the counsel of those who are faithful and wise, in the real, sometimes difficult life of the parish—where we are taught through living out our salvation with one another, in patience, repentance, and love—and in the quiet voice that speaks when we have learned to be still. And this leads to the second reaction—the more difficult one. It is one thing to doubt that Christ is speaking. It is another thing to realize that He is. Because "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). A dead teacher can be interpreted. A living Lord must be obeyed. A dead teacher can be studied at a distance. A living Lord sees you, knows you, and calls you to change. And here is one of the ways we avoid this. We listen to the Church—but at a distance. We listen through podcasts, through videos, through discussions online. We hear sermons, teachings, arguments, explanations. And again, these things can be good. But notice what happens when this becomes our primary way of listening. We receive the words, but not the life. We hear, but we are not known. We learn, but we are not accountable. We can pause it, skip it, choose one voice over another, agree or disagree without consequence. In other words, we remain in control. But that is not how the living Christ teaches. The living Christ teaches through His Body—a Body that we must enter, a Body that sees us, a Body that corrects us, a Body that calls us to repentance, a Body that we cannot curate or control. You can learn about Christ anywhere, but you can only be taught by Him within His Body. To receive Christ only as content—even Orthodox content—is still, in a subtle way, to treat Him as if He were not fully alive. Because the Risen Christ does not simply inform us; He forms us. It is much easier to interpret what Christ said two thousand years ago—indeed, much easier to interpret what the Councils and Fathers said hundreds of years ago—than it is to hear what He is saying to you today. Because interpretation can be shaped by our pride, by our ego. Obedience cannot. So how do we learn from the living Christ? The answer is not new. We give our lives—our bodies, our minds, our souls—to Him and to His Church. We pray. We enter into the Liturgy. We love our neighbor. We learn from the Fathers. We seek counsel. We quiet ourselves so that we can hear—not because this is a system, but because this is where He is: ministering to us, teaching us, healing us, enlightening us. The Myrrhbearers came looking for the dead. Instead, they encountered the Living One. And that is the same invitation given to us. Do not come here to remember Christ. Do not come here to study Him from a distance. Do not come here as if nothing real is happening. Come here to meet Him. Because He is not in the tomb. He is not confined to history. Christ is risen. Indeed He is risen—and He is with us, here, now, and always.

In this sermon from 1 Corinthians 15:12–34, we confront one of the most foundational questions of the Christian faith: What if the resurrection isn't real? The Apostle Paul doesn't treat that as a minor theological error—he exposes it as a devastating collapse of the entire gospel. If Christ has not been raised, then our faith is empty, our hope is fragile, and death still has the final word. But Paul doesn't leave us in that darkness.This message walks through the powerful truth that Jesus is not a good teacher buried in a grave—He is the risen King who reigns. His resurrection is not symbolic or merely spiritual; it is bodily, and victorious. And because He is the “firstfruits,” His resurrection guarantees ours. From there, we see how the resurrection reshapes everything. It gives us endurance in suffering, courage in the face of death, and purpose in everyday life. The risen Jesus is not only proof of life after death—He is the reigning Davidic King who has defeated sin, disarmed the enemy, and is putting all things under His feet. That means we don't just wait for resurrection—we live in light of it.This sermon calls us to reject empty faith, embrace living hope, and step fully into the responsibility of life in God's kingdom—marked by righteousness, justice, and sacrificial love.Because the tomb is empty… Jesus reigns.

We all know what it looks like when someone just needs a break; a meal, a hand, a moment of relief. But Jesus consistently goes deeper than that. In Mark 2, four friends tear open a roof to get their paralyzed friend in front of Jesus. And when he gets there, Jesus doesn't lead with healing. He leads with forgiveness. Before the body is restored, the shame is dismantled. The identity is reclaimed. The whole person is seen. If Christ is being formed in us, we won't just meet surface needs... we'll learn to restore what's broken beneath the surface.

In 2 Corinthians 5:1–10, Paul teaches that confidence in our eternal future, guaranteed by the Holy Spirit, frees us to live with purpose, hope, and trust in the present. If Christ has really been raised from the dead, then how we live in the now matters.

“From Fear to Faith” Genesis 3:6-11No More Fear - Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

Send us Fan MailIf you've ever wondered why some Christians live trapped in fear and self-condemnation, we go straight to the root: a gospel that's been quietly mixed with human effort. We walk through Philippians 2:13 and Ephesians 2:10 to show that God doesn't just inspire your growth, He works within you, and the good works you do are the fruit of salvation, not the price tag. That shift changes everything about assurance, repentance, and how you see yourself day to day.We also confront “sin consciousness” head-on. When believers keep calling themselves sinners, it can create a defeatist mindset that ignores what God actually says about the new creation. We talk about the change of heart God gives, why regeneration is not a tune-up of the old self, and how the new birth makes faith possible. Then we tackle the passage people love to weaponize: Hebrews 10:26. We explain why “willful sin” is tied to going back to old covenant sacrifices and why a mere knowledge of truth is not the same as conversion.From there we zoom out to the finished work of Jesus Christ: His incarnation, His perfect obedience under the law, and His substitutionary death. If Christ paid it all, there is nothing left to add and nothing left to fear from God's wrath. That also exposes why purgatory and any “cooperate to be saved” system collapses grace into bargaining. We close with the power of the Word of God, how Scripture equips us for every good work, and why true Christian growth is fueled by what God has done, not what we're trying to prove.If this helped you breathe again, subscribe, share it with a friend who's stuck in condemnation, and leave a review with the question you still have about grace and assurance.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailWhat if the most confusing part of your suffering is not the pain, but what you think it says about God? We start with a listener question about God's preceptive will and “free will,” and that opens into a raw, Scripture-driven conversation about grace, obedience, and why the heart resists God apart from His help.We camp in Philippians 1:29, where Paul says it is “given” to believers not only to believe, but also to suffer for Christ's sake. That one verse forces a different way of thinking about salvation, effectual grace, and the first cause of our faith. Then we pull in 1 Peter 3 to face a hard category most of us avoid: suffering for doing good “if the will of God be so.” Job becomes the lived example, a righteous man who cannot make sense of a trial he did not choose and did not order.We also bring in John 13:16, because it cuts our pride down to size: a servant is not greater than his master. If Christ suffered, we should not treat hardship as automatic proof God has left us. The conversation closes like a family around a table, sharing last thoughts, encouragement, and prayers, with a steady reminder that God reveals Himself through creation, fall, curse, and redemption and our trials are not outside His story.If this helped you rethink suffering, God's sovereignty, or the Book of Job, subscribe for more, share it with a friend who needs steadiness right now, and leave a review so others can find it. What line of Scripture do you hold onto when life hurts?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

If Christ did not alleviate your earthly struggles, would the gospel still be good news? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows that rescue from God's wrath is enough.

We've spent months being formed; through discipleship, through Lent, through Easter. Now we ask the harder question: what does that formation actually look like in real life? In Mark 1, we find Jesus doing something unexpected... he moves toward a man everyone else avoided. Before he heals him, he touches him. He didn't have to. He chose to. That touch restored dignity before the miracle restored health. If Christ is being formed in us, we will begin to feel what he feels and move where he moves. We're looking to close the distance between feeling and moving.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/14/26), Hank concludes his overview of the days of Holy Week, arriving at Pascha—also known as Easter. It is the day in which the body of Christ worldwide celebrates the ultimate game-changer—the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “If I face hardships in life for merely human reasons,” wrote Paul in his first letter to the Corinthian Christians, “what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.' If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” Without resurrection, Christianity crumbles. Thus, in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the apostle Paul provides a four-part argument underscoring the irrevocable reality of Christ's resurrection. Of one thing Hank has become certain—if twenty-first-century Christians would grasp the reality of resurrection like first-century Christians did, their lives would be totally transformed.

In this message, Pastor Duane Brooks explores the necessity of the resurrection—not just its reality–explaining why the bodily resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin of Christian faith. If Christ is not raised, our faith, preaching, and hope are empty—but because He is risen, forgiveness, hope, and eternal life are ours. Message based on 1 Corinthians 15:12-20.To discover more messages of hope go to tallowood.org/sermons/.Follow us on Instagram, X, and YouTube @tallowoodbc.Follow us on FaceBook @tallowoodbaptist

Imagine Jesus joining you for a long walk and you don't even recognize him! Peter Walsh and John Kennedy explore the post-resurrection story of the road to Emmaus. What does it teach us that Jesus isn't recognized until he breaks bread with his friends, how did Luke's community make sense of this deeply Jewish story and Messiah, and how does this story mirror those of Adam & Eve or Abraham & Sarah?Questions for Further DiscussionThemes and ApplicationThis story moves from scripture to table, from Word to Sacrament. Why might both understanding and experience matter in faith?Hospitality becomes the doorway to revelation when the disciples invite the stranger to stay. How can welcoming others open us to God?Once they recognize Jesus, they immediately return to community. Why is faith so often completed in shared witness rather than private insight alone?Personal ReflectionHave you ever realized later that something sacred was happening in a moment you almost missed?What practices help your heart “burn within you” spiritually: prayer, study, service, worship, beauty, silence, community?Is there someone you are being invited to welcome, listen to, or walk beside this week?Broader Spiritual ConsiderationsWhat does it mean that Jesus is recognized not through power, but through shared bread?How might churches become more like the Emmaus road: places where people can bring grief, ask questions, and discover new hope?If Christ can be present unrecognized among strangers, what does that imply about how we treat the people we meet each day?Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

The Bible clearly teaches salvation comes through Christ alone. There is no other path, no other way, and no other possibility. If you will be saved from your sins and forgiven by God, you will come through Christ, and Christ alone.Main Points:1. There are those today who don't like the fact that the Bible proclaims faith in Jesus as the only way to salvation. The exclusivity of Christ is a problem for them. Why can't there be many ways to be saved? Don't all roads lead to God? Why can't we pick and choose a path of salvation that seems to work best for us? 2. Instead of complaining about the lack of multiple ways to be saved, we should be grateful there is a way at all. If Christ had not come to be our savior, if He had not come to rescue us out of compassion and grace, we would be completely hopeless, with no way of salvation.3. We should willingly receive the gift of salvation, provided for us by Jesus. He is offering us a way of salvation. It is the only way to salvation. It is through Christ, and Christ alone.Today's Scripture Verses:“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

“In Christ, I'm Delivered” with Pastor Maurice Johnson is a direct call to identity-driven living. This message confronts the illusion of dry seasons, exposing them as a result of disconnection—not reality in Christ. It challenges believers to reject distractions, speak with authority, and move with purpose. You'll also be pushed to stop diminishing yourself and fully step into your God-given light. If Christ didn't live limited, neither should you We are thrilled to have you with us! Join us every Sunday at 11 AM for a powerful time of worship, teaching, and community. Our current gathering location is:

A Testimony of Truth and TransformationWhat happens when someone raised to believe they have the truth begins to question everything?In a recent episode of the Gospel Today Podcast, Caleb Suko sits down with Melek Steele to explore that very question. Melek's story is of a man deeply formed by the Jehovah's Witness worldview, who eventually found himself confronting its inconsistencies and searching for something more.A Life Shaped by the WatchtowerMelek was a third-generation member of the Jehova's Witnesses, raised from childhood in the structure and teachings of the Watchtower Society. Like many young men in the organization, he was trained early—participating in ministry school, learning how to engage people at their doorstep, and developing the skills necessary to represent the faith publicly. By his late teens, Melek was fully immersed in the community. He served at Bethel, the headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses, and was on a clear path toward leadership. His life revolved around the organization—its teachings, its mission, and its community. From the outside, it appeared structured, disciplined, and unified. But as he would later discover, appearances can be deceiving.Young Melek serving in the Watchtower SocietyCracks Beneath the SurfaceInterestingly, Melek's initial doubts did not come from theological disagreements but rather from lived experiences. As he took on more responsibility within the organization, particularly in shepherding roles, he began to notice a disconnect between the polished image presented publicly and the realities behind the scenes. Situations involving internal conflict and the mishandling of serious issues raised questions he could not ignore. These moments planted seeds of doubt. If this was the “truth,” why did it not align with the integrity and transparency one would expect? Still, walking away was not simple. When your identity, family history, and entire worldview are tied to a belief system, questioning it feels like stepping into the unknown. Melek described this tension clearly:When you believe something to be the only way your entire life and you watch somebody give their life for these beliefs, you feel like if this isn't the truth then there must not be a truth..The Long Road OutLeaving the Jehovah's Witness organization was not a sudden decision. It was a gradual, often painful process that unfolded over several years. Melek began to investigate other belief systems, exploring philosophy and even Eastern religions like Buddhism. While these offered certain insights or practices, they ultimately left him unsatisfied. They lacked something essential—an answer to the deeper questions of truth, purpose, and salvation.At the same time, Melek returned to the Bible, but with a critical difference: he began reading a translation outside of the Jehovah's Witness framework. This allowed him to examine Scripture without the interpretive lens he had always been given. What he found was striking. Certain key passages—particularly those relating to the nature of Christ—stood in direct contrast to what he had been taught. Passages like John 1 and Hebrews 1 began to take on new meaning. The more he studied, the more he realized that the issue was not just organizational inconsistency, but doctrinal error.The Central Question: Who Is Jesus?Everything in Melek's journey ultimately hinged on a clearly defining question: the true identity of Jesus Christ. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus is not God, but a created being—they view him as the archangel Michael. This fundamentally alters the understanding of the Gospel. If Christ is not fully God, then His sacrifice is reduced to that of a mere man. Melek came to see that this view could not account for the full testimony of Scripture. The Bible presents Christ not only as Savior, but as divine, eternal, uncreated, and worthy of worship. This realization drastically changed everything. If Jesus is truly God, then the Gospel is not simply about a man dying for others. It is about God Himself entering human history, taking on flesh, and accomplishing what no mere human could. The weight and power of salvation rest entirely on who Christ is.Sharing the Gospel with Jehovah's WitnessesOne of the most practical aspects of this conversation is Melek's insight into how to engage with Jehovah's Witnesses today.Rather than approaching conversations with confrontation or debate, he emphasizes patience and humility. Many Jehovah's Witnesses are deeply committed, often sacrificing relationships and personal opportunities for their faith. This level of investment cannot be undone in a single conversation. Instead, Melek suggests a relational approach to build trust. He urges people to demonstrate genuine Christian love - to live out the Gospel in a way that challenges the assumption that fulfillment is found only within the organization. He also highlights the importance of understanding their perspective. Are they motivated by fear, tradition, or sincere concern for others? Identifying this can shape how you respond. Finally, he encourages the use of Scripture—particularly their own translation—combined with clear, logical reasoning. Since Jehovah's Witnesses value structured thinking, showing inconsistencies within their framework can be effective over time.A Story That Points Beyond ItselfMelek's journey is ultimately not just about leaving one belief system but finding truth.In a world filled with competing claims, his story reminds us that the question of Jesus' identity is not a minor theological detail—it is the foundation of everything. Getting that question right changes not only doctrine, but ones eternal perspective. And perhaps most importantly, it reminds us that behind every door knock, every conversation, and every belief system, there are real people searching, questioning, and in need of the truth that sets them free.‍

Tuesday April 7, 2026Easter WeekToday's episode brings together three powerful moments that all point to one unshakable truth: God delivers, God raises, and God sends.In **Exodus 12:28–39**, we witness the long-awaited deliverance of Israel finally unfold. After generations of bondage, God's people step out of Egypt in haste—rescued by His power, marked by His provision, and carried forward by His promise. It's a vivid reminder that when God moves, He does so decisively and completely.In **1 Corinthians 15:12–28**, Paul anchors our faith in the resurrection of Jesus. If Christ is not raised, our faith is empty—but because He is risen, everything changes. Jesus is the firstfruits, the guarantee that death is not the end, and that His victory will ultimately put all things under His authority.Finally, in **Mark 16:9–20**, the risen Christ meets His followers in their doubt and fear, then sends them out with purpose. The resurrection isn't just something to believe—it's something to proclaim. Those who encounter the risen Jesus are called to go and share the good news with the world.Together, these passages remind us: we are a delivered people, living in resurrection hope, and sent on mission with a message that changes everything.

If Christ didn't rise from the dead, everything changes—discover why this truth matters for your life.Morning Offering, April 6, 2026Every morning, join Father Brad as he begins the day with prayer and reflection. In a few short minutes, Father Brad guides you in prayer, shares a brief reflection grounding your day in the Church's rhythm of feast days and liturgy, and provides you with the encouragement necessary to go forward with peace and strength. Disclaimer: The ads shown before, during, or after this video have no affiliation with Morning Offering and are controlled by YouTubeLet us do as the saints urge and begin our days in prayer together so as a community of believers we may join the Psalmist in saying, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3-4)________________

In this Resurrection Sunday message from 1 Corinthians 15:19–26, we explore what the resurrection of Jesus truly means. If Christ has been raised, then everything changes—sin is defeated, death no longer has the final word, and hope is secured for all who belong to Him.We are living between the firstfruits and the full harvest—between Christ's victory over death and the day He will return to make all things new. The question is not just did Jesus rise, but do you belong to Him?Mission Church — www.missionlasvegas.com

What do words like lost and alone stir in your heart? And how do they compare to words like saved and united?In this powerful message, we walk through the emotional weight the disciples experienced during the crucifixion of Jesus—and the overwhelming hope that came through His resurrection. This lesson explores the reality of anxiety, the struggle to trust God's plan in uncertain moments, and the undeniable truth that the resurrection changes everything.Focusing on key passages from the book of Matthew and beyond, this sermon highlights:The fear and confusion surrounding Jesus' deathThe repeated predictions of His resurrectionThe proof and power of the empty tombThe danger of rejecting truth for temporary gainThe life-changing hope found in Christ's victory over deathThe resurrection is not just a historical event—it is the foundation of our faith and the assurance of our future.If Christ has not been raised, our faith is futile—but He has been raised, and that changes everything.

Friends of the Rosary,Jesus is Risen, is Risen, indeed!Today, April 5, is Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, the basis of our Christian faith and the Solemnity of Solemnities, when we banish all traces of sadness and express the motive for our joy: Easter means sin destroyed, death overcome, divine life brought back to us, redemption obtained, and the resurrection of our body which is promised immortality.All the mysteries commemorated from Advent until now have pointed toward Easter.By His Death, Christ the Lord destroyed our death and by His Resurrection restored our life.Jesus, who had died on the cross on Good Friday, was raised from the dead by his Father on Easter morning. He returned to heaven in full glory. There, as God and Man, he pleads for us at the right hand of the Father until the day when he who redeemed all men will come to judge them all.St. Peter, in his first discourse to a Gentile, makes the resurrection the basic doctrine and the crowning proof of the truth of the Christian faith.As St. Paul says: “If Christ has not risen, vain is our preaching, vain too is your faith.” (1 Cor 15:14). And like Paul, St. Peter stresses the truth of the resurrection by citing witnesses, including himself, who had not only seen the risen Jesus but had spoken to him and actually eaten with him.From the Gospel of the Mass on Easter Day, we read:“Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you.” (Matt 28:5-7)Repeated often during Easter, the Alleluia, which in Hebrew means “praise ye the Lord,” is an expression of our joy and gratitude for all that God has done for us.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• April 5, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

It is a curious thing how easily we grow accustomed to the dull weight of the world, as though sorrow were the final word, as though death were the great period at the end of every sentence. We live, most of us, as if the story is already written in ink that cannot be altered. The tears of Good Friday, we think, is simply how things are.But then… there is Easter.The Resurrection is not merely a happy ending tacked onto a tragic tale. It is the great reversal, the divine interruption. It is, if you like, the Author Himself stepping onto the stage and insisting that the play shall not end in darkness after all. Death, which seemed so solid, so inevitable, is revealed to be a door—and not a locked one.If Christ is risen, then everything we assumed to be ultimate is, in fact, provisional. Sin is not the final master. Suffering is not meaningless. Even death itself has been, as it were, hollowed out from the inside. The worst thing is never the last thing.This changes not only our destination, but our present. For if death has been defeated, then fear need not govern us like before. We are freed, freed to love recklessly, to forgive extravagantly, to hope stubbornly in places where hope seems absurd. The Resurrection does not remove the wounds of the world; rather, it transforms them. The scars remain, but they shine iridescently. St. Augustine discovered this in the 4th century, when he famously exclaimed, “In my deepest wound I saw your glory and it dazzled me.” And here is the most astonishing part: the Resurrection is not merely something that happened to Christ; it is something that happens to us. We are invited into it. The new life is not postponed until some distant heaven; it has already begun, quietly, like dawn spreading across the Central Valley, once suffocated by dense tule fog.So we must ask ourselves: do we still live as though the tomb is sealed? Or have we begun to live as though it is empty?For if it is empty—and it is—then everything has changed. --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian's homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a time. Give Here: https://frbriansoliven.org/give

What if the resurrection isn't just about historical proof, but about resolving our deepest fears? This powerful Easter message takes us through Matthew 28, where we discover that fear appears four times in just ten verses about the resurrection. We're confronted with a profound truth: everyone fears something, and at the root of our anxieties about aging, failure, or being forgotten lies the ultimate fear of death. The women at the tomb experienced fear, the guards experienced fear, yet their responses were radically different. One group's fear led to self-protection and suppression of truth, while the other's fear was redirected into mission and proclamation. The empty tomb didn't eliminate fear for these women, but it transformed it. They left with both fear and great joy, motivated to move quickly and tell others. We learn that becoming a believer doesn't erase fear but redirects it toward purpose. When we worship the risen Jesus and listen to His teaching, our paralyzing fears dissolve into confident faith. The question we must answer is whether Jesus has all authority in our lives, not just nominal belief but actual obedience born from delight. If Christ truly defeated death, then what remains to fear? This message challenges us to surrender our self-sufficiency and embrace the only One who can redirect our reality of fear into meaning, purpose, and ultimately, resolution.

Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Resurrection! Introduction: If you consider yourself a “believer,” the very foundation of the being a disciple of Christ is the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth after three days in the tomb. As Paul argued in 1 Corinthians 15, if there is no resurrection from the dead, then… Christ has not been raised If Christ has not been raised, then all of scripture is a lie. If Christ is not raised, then our teaching and our faith is worthless and we are still in our sins eternally lost. If Christ has not been raised, we are of all people most to be pitied. Of course, if Christ was raised and reigns as King, then…Instead of the believer being “most to be pitied,” the most to be pitied are those who refuse to believe and take advantage of the resurrection by obeying Jesus. However, the resurrection of Jesus poses a greater issue than just the fact that Jesus raised from the dead. We make a huge mistake if we simply celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus every first day of the week. Jesus and the apostles taught that the resurrection carries with it power that believers are to use in their daily lives.  Paul wrote that we are to comprehend “what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:19-20).  God's Repeated Foreshadowing and Symbology By looking too narrowly at the evidence, here is what I mean. We must not simply examine the evidence for the resurrection of Christ, though that evidence should be examined carefully. There is evidence for the power of God in resurrection throughout scripture. Ephesians 2:4-5 “But  God, being  rich in mercy,  because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses,  made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Every person who is a disciple of Christ should be acutely aware that Jesus' resurrection was intended to bring about both a present and future resurrection. We should be able to see our present resurrection simply by comparing our lives prior to Christ to our present lives.  Therefore it is critical to be reminded that God's resurrection power has been evident long before Christ and long before our transformation. God has always been giving life to the dead.  Genesis 2:7 “then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Until God breathed into Adam the breath of life, Adam was nothing but dead molecules formed out of dirt. We live physically because of the power of God's Spirit breathing life into us. After the sin of the Garden and the pronouncement of the curse of death, God repeatedly illustrated his power and desire to raise us back to life.  Genesis 5 In the midst of 10 generations of, “and he died,” Enoch “walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.”  When God chose Abraham and Sarah through whom the world would be blessed, God intentionally waited until both of them could not have a child before giving life to their dead bodies. Romans 4:17-19 “as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the deadness of Sarah's womb.”  We need to consider the great impact this has on us. If Abraham and Sarah do not have offspring, there is no Israel and there is no Christ and there is no us with hope and the world remain dead. Notice! God purposely did not leave our salvation in the hands of natural reproduction. The salvation of mankind is only in the hands of God and his power to give life to the dead.  To confirm, consider Romans 9:6-8: “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.' This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.”   The implications of this are profound. It is the children of the promise that are counted as offspring. In other words, we are brought to life just as Isaac, not because of “works” or by anything we could have done, but by the power of the Spirit of God implanted in us through the resurrection of Christ.  Therefore, God has tied together the two greatest miracles/signs in the life of Jesus: the virgin birth and the resurrection of Jesus. Even the entrance of Jesus into this world would not be by natural procreation, but by the power of the Spirit of God overshadowing Mary. Now we can see the importance of salvation only coming through our lifelong “obedience of faith” in Jesus Christ (Romans 16:26), and no other way!  As Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born from again.”  John 3:13 “…children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of he flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Disciples Are Living Proof of the Resurrection Story  If disciples' lives do not demonstrate and reflect the resurrection, they are not disciples!  John 20:19 “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.'” This scene represents the condition and faith of the apostles prior to Jesus' appearance to them following his resurrection. The contrast is this scene as Peter and John all the Jewish leaders who condemned Jesus to death: Acts 4:10-13 “let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished.” What caused the change? Nothing but the bodily resurrection of Jesus.  But that was not the only change: Acts 8:3-4 “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” Note the affect that the resurrection had on disciples who were under the threat of imprisonment and death. No fear! Certainly they did not stay and get unlawfully arrested. But neither were they silent. Therefore, Jesus' foundational principle for our future resurrection is our willingness to give up our lives. Matthew 16:24-25 “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'”  Romans 6:3-8 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.”  2 Corinthians 5:14-17 “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  Conclusion:  The above texts give us a clear picture of whether we have hope of a resurrection to life with the Lord.  First, we must be united with him in a death like his as we are buried with him in baptism into death. This is the beginning of our covenant relationship with him. Second, since we have died with him, we no longer live for ourselves but for him who died and was raised.  Finally, please beware that our future resurrection can be either good news or bad news. John 5:28-29 “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”  Berry Kercheville The post Resurrection! appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.

Send us Fan MailIf one weak link can break the chain, how could anyone ever have real assurance? We go straight at the uncomfortable question behind so much anxiety and argument in Christian theology: can salvation be secure if it depends on our performance, our consistency, or even our ability to correctly “hold on”? From Hebrews 7:22, we unpack the claim that Jesus is our surety, the legal guarantor of a better covenant of grace. That means he doesn't merely offer help, he takes responsibility. He pays the debt, fulfills the law we could not fulfill, and secures complete forgiveness and real righteousness before God.The conversation then turns to what happens if we deny that certainty. If the new covenant can fail, what does that imply about Christ's faithfulness and God's promise? We hear from others who press the point that salvation must be “of the Lord” from beginning to end, because we are not a sure foundation. Along the way we draw from the Old Testament storyline of God keeping every promise, and we talk about why cherry-picking verses instead of reading the whole Bible can distort the gospel.We also connect assurance to the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ through 1 Corinthians 15. If Christ is not raised, faith is empty and we are still in our sins. But if he is raised, then God's oath and God's covenant faithfulness become more than ideas, they become an anchor for the soul. You'll also hear a brief hymn that captures the heartbeat of grace: our sins are many, his mercy is more. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs steady ground, leave a review, and tell us what gives you the strongest confidence when doubt creeps in?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Easter centers on the most important message in human history: Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead. In 1 Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul explains that this message is not simply religious tradition—it is the foundation of the Christian faith and the only true hope humanity has in the face of death.Jesus lived an ordinary life for most of His years, but during His three-year public ministry He taught with authority and performed miracles that drew thousands of eyewitnesses across the region. Yet despite the power and compassion of His ministry, religious leaders viewed Him as a threat and pressured Roman authorities to crucify Him. When Jesus died, even His closest followers believed the story was over.But the story didn't end at the cross.On the third day, the tomb was empty. Jesus appeared alive to His disciples, to skeptics like Thomas, to His own brother James, and even to more than 500 people at one time. These eyewitnesses didn't merely claim that Jesus rose from the dead—they built their lives on that conviction and many ultimately gave their lives defending it.Paul explains that the resurrection changes everything. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then faith is meaningless and death remains undefeated. But because Jesus rose, death no longer has the final word. Through the resurrection, God has defeated sin, broken the power of death, and offered eternal life to all who trust in Christ.This message also confronts a deep reality of the human experience: death is unavoidable. Every person eventually faces its grief, its loss, and its questions. Yet the resurrection reveals that death is not the end of the story. Because Jesus conquered the grave, those who belong to Him will also be raised and transformed into eternal life.Without God, we tend to build our lives around temporary pursuits—success, relationships, achievement, or status. But these things cannot ultimately satisfy the deepest questions of life or overcome the reality of death. Only the risen Christ offers the hope that our hearts are searching for.In this message, we explore:✔ Why the resurrection is the most important message ever proclaimed✔ The eyewitness evidence that confirms Jesus truly rose from the dead✔ What the resurrection means for our faith and our future✔ Why death is humanity's greatest problem—and how Jesus defeated it✔ The hope of eternal life for those who trust in Christ✔ Why the resurrection forces every person to consider who Jesus truly isEaster invites each of us to wrestle with the same question people have faced for over two thousand years: What will you do with the resurrection of Jesus?Because if Christ truly rose from the dead, it changes everything.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/03/26), Hank reaches the conclusion of the four-part argument for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, transformation. What happened as a result of the resurrection is unprecedented. In the span of a few hundred years, a small band of insignificant believers succeeded in turning an entire empire upside down. The Twelve—minus Judas, plus Paul—were radically revolutionized. Peter, once afraid of being exposed as a follower of Christ, became a lion of the faith. Paul, the ceaseless persecutor, became the chief proselytizer of the Gentiles. Within weeks of the resurrection, not just a few, but an entire community of thousands of Jews, willingly transformed the spiritual and sociological traditions underscoring their national identity. Of one thing Hank has become certain—if twenty-first-century Christians would grasp the reality of resurrection like first-century Christians did, their lives would be totally transformed.Today, Great and Holy Friday, “he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5 NIV). As Theanthropos (God-Man), the spotless Lamb of God lived a perfectly sinless human life and died a sinner's death to sufficiently atone once for all for the sins of humanity. Isaiah not only foreshadows the death of Christ but His resurrection as well. Isaiah prophetically looks forward toward the resurrection of “a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering” as the earnest of our resurrection on the last day. “After the suffering of his soul,” says Isaiah, “he will see the light of life and be satisfied.” In like fashion, our bodies will be resurrected from the dust of the ground. Jesus, who fulfills the entire mosaic of Old Testament resurrection prophecies left no doubt about this coming resurrection: “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29 NIV). If Christ had not himself been resurrected, the promise that he will resurrect dry bones in scattered graves would be as empty as the tomb guaranteeing its fulfillment.

Is Lent biblical? Should Christians observe it? And how should believers think about spiritual practices leading up to Easter? In this episode, Dr. E answers a question about Lent, church tradition, Easter preparation, and the finished work of Christ. While many Christians use Lent as a season of reflection before Resurrection Sunday, Dr. Easley explains why the Bible does not command Lent and why believers should be cautious when tradition begins to blur the line between grace and religious performance. Dr. E walks through the history of Lent, its connection to the early church and baptismal preparation, and how it later became associated with penance and ritual. He also addresses an important theological issue: if Jesus fully paid for our sins, what role—if any—should practices like fasting, giving something up, or special seasons of repentance play in the Christian life? Chapters 00:00 Why Lent raises important theological questions 00:19 Today's listener question: Is using the word Lent unbiblical? 01:06 Is Lent prescribed anywhere in the Bible? 01:09 The historical origin of Lent in the early church 02:00 How Lent became connected to penance and tradition 02:43 The deeper theological concern behind Lent 03:29 Repentance, forgiveness, and the role of the church 04:11 Why penance and purgatory matter in this conversation 04:47 Why many Protestants still observe Lent 05:30 If Christ fully paid for sin, what's left to do? 06:21 Can intentional Easter preparation still be helpful? 08:18 Ritual, remembrance, and preparing for holy moments 09:28 Why spiritual benchmarks can still be meaningful Key Topics Covered -Is Lent biblical? -What the Bible says about Lent -The history and origin of Lent -Lent in the early church -Lent and Catholic tradition -Penance vs. grace -The sufficiency of Christ's atonement -Should Protestants observe Lent? -Spiritual disciplines before Easter -How to prepare your heart for Resurrection Sunday -Ritual, remembrance, and the Christian life -Easter traditions for Christian families

"If Christ is not raised, we of all people should be pitied the most." In this annual holiday episode, Jared Wilson and Ronni Kurtz talk about the truth and transforming power of the resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus's resurrection offers salvation and forgiveness of sins, but even with eternal life, we need God's constant guidance to navigate life's challenges and doubts. The podcast episode centers on the profound significance of Jesus Christ's resurrection, particularly in light of Resurrection Sunday. It emphasizes that the resurrection is not merely a historical event but the very foundation of Christian faith. If Christ had not risen, the speaker asserts, Christians would be the 'most miserable people,' their beliefs and efforts in vain. This central tenet underscores why Christians dedicate themselves to their faith and trust in their savior. The message reassures listeners that God is not distant but understands personal struggles, having sent Jesus to experience human life, die for sins, and rise again to offer salvation and forgiveness. "What is going on! Are you ready to transform your relationships and walk in your true purpose? I want you to get two incredible books that are going to help change your life! First up, 'Purposely Married' – a powerful book to building a strong, fulfilling marriage. Whether you're newlyweds or have been together for years, this book offers practical advice and insights to deepen your connection and grow together. Get your copy now at www.purposelymarried.com And that's not all! If you're looking to get the most out of your life and live it with meaning, you need to check out '21 Steps To Walk In Purpose.' This book provides a clear, actionable roadmap to help you pursue your true calling. Don't wait – start your journey today at www.walkinpurposenow.com Our mission is to help people reach their God given potential to step out on faith and be a functioning Christian. To encourage and inspire people to get in the race of life and as long as you have breath, we believe it is not too late for you to live out your purpose.

Bourbon Review: Old Fitzgerald Bottle in Bond 7 year Topic: The Work of Jesus Follow us on all your podcast platforms and: Instagram: @manhoodneat X: Manhood Neat (@ManhoodNeat) / X Youtube: Manhood, Neat Podcast - YouTube Reach out: manhood.neat@gmail.com   Show Notes: Topic: The Work of Jesus Christ A disciple grows secure when the work of Christ is understood clearly. Christ Died as Our Substitute: 2 Cor. 5:21 “21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus did not die merely as an example of love. He died in our place.  On the cross: Our sin was credited to Him. His righteousness is credited to us.  This is substitution – the heart of the gospel.  This matters: If Christ's death is only inspirational, we remain guilty.  If it is substitutionary, we are forgiven. Discipleship rests on imputed righteousness, not improved behavior. Christ Reconciled Us to God: Romans 5:10-11 “10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Sin created hostility between humanity & God. Through Christ: Enemies are reconciled. Distance is removed. Relationship is restored. Salvation is relational restoration, not a legal acquittal. This matters because: Discipleship is not self-improvement before a distant God. It is life with a reconciled Father The cross removes alienation and intimacy with God becomes possible because reconciliation is complete. Christ Justifies the Ungodly: Rom. 3:23-24 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory Justification means: Declared righteous by grace through redemption in Christ Justification comes apart from the law; that is, we cannot earn justification through rule-keeping or our own good works. Justification is made possible in the sacrificial death of Christ; it is based on the shed blood of Christ. Justification is the free and gracious gift of God bestowed on those who receive by faith the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Justification demonstrates the righteousness of God. This matters because: Without justification: assurance collapses, performance becomes central, and fear replaces freedom.  We obey from acceptance, not for acceptance. Christ Defeated Sin and Death: Col. 2: 13-15 “13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities[a] and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” The cross disarmed spiritual powers: The record of debt is canceled. Sin's ultimate authority is broken Death is defeated.  Christ's resurrection power makes transformation possible.  We fight from victory, not for victory.

Send us Fan MailA lot of end-times teaching sounds harmless until you follow its logic all the way to the cross. We dig into dispensationalism and its core claim that Jesus arrived to set up a political kingdom, got rejected, and then introduced a “church age” as an interlude before trying again later. If that story is true, it changes everything about how you read the gospels, the purpose of Calvary, and what it means to call Jesus King.We work through the Bible texts people argue over, and we don't skip the uncomfortable implications. If Christ's original mission was an earthly throne in Jerusalem, then his execution starts to look like a legitimate response to sedition. We explain why that conclusion is unacceptable for orthodox Christianity and why the gospel has no Plan B. Then we anchor the discussion in Scripture: Joshua 21's declaration that Israel received what God promised, and Daniel 9:24's six outcomes that point to completion in Christ's death and resurrection, not a postponed prophecy that props up a future seven-year tribulation or a pre-tribulation rapture.We also touch the modern history behind the Scofield Reference Bible, the way political narratives can ride on theological claims, and why tribulation is not just a future countdown but the normal pressure the church has faced for centuries. The through-line is simple: Christ's atonement is the center, God's Word is complete, and any system that sidelines the cross or delays the kingdom should be tested and rejected.If you care about dispensationalism, pre-trib rapture teaching, the Daniel 70th week, the millennium, and the relationship between Israel and the church, this conversation gives you categories and texts you can actually use. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves prophecy charts, and leave a review with the biggest question you're still wrestling with.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 21st of March, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go straight to Exodus 17:2: “Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.” Then we go to Psalm 95:8: “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,…” The Lord says, “Do not contend against Me, do not argue with Me, do not challenge Me.” Never, ever fight with God. He has never lost a fight.Folks, I really want to say to you today, don't challenge God. Remember Job the farmer? After he had been arguing with God, the Lord said, “Stand up like a man and answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Exactly! It is almost ludicrous to challenge God. I have heard some people thump the table. It scares me, “When I get to Heaven, God is going to answer some questions that I have got for Him.” Oh my dear friend, you have no idea Who you are even talking about! If you want to fight, fight with the devil, but never, ever challenge the King of Glory. You know, He is for you, He is not against you. If Christ is for you, no man will stand against you. Why are you arguing with the only One in the world that can help you? “Yes, but I asked God to do this but He didn't do it,” and “I asked God to do that and it hasn't come through.”I want to say something to you. He has never, ever let me down in over fifty years. It brings a tear to my eye when I hear people say, “God is going to answer some of my questions.” Don't contend with the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Go to Him now, today, and repent and say, “I am sorry, Lord, I didn't mean it. Please forgive me.” Do you know what happened to the Children of Israel, when they contended with God? Not one of them, except Joshua and Caleb, actually entered into the Land of Milk and Honey. They all perished in the desert. Only their children crossed over the Jordan. Do not do it today. I want to pray for you:Heavenly Father,I pray for my dear friend, that young girl, that young man who are contending, questioning Your authority, questioning Your love for them. Lord, please today, reassure them that You are in their corner, that You will stand up for them, and that they will have the victory if they have patience and serve You with all of their hearts. I ask this in Jesus' name, amen.God bless you and have a wonderful day.Goodbye.

Watch the Devotion Based on Romans 8:11-18 Beyond the Flag-Draped Case It's not an easy thing to watch the carry team salute the six flagged-draped transfer cases at Dover Air Force Base. It's even harder to read the stories about those fallen service members. These are men and a woman with families and friends and children who expected to receive them home as they walked off an aircraft, not carried in a coffin. When a fallen warfighter is escorted home, the ceremony and honor given to the remains of the body reminds everyone that death is real and painful—but it also reflects the promise that their story is not forgotten. The military honors their name, their body, and their future legacy. God promises even more. “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11). The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will raise our mortal bodies. That same Spirit lives in you. For you who are baptized into Christ's name are baptized into Christ and all he has done. If Christ died and his body was raised never to die again, so also you and I will have bodies that will be raised, no longer subject to aging, disease, or the effects of war, but free from the reign of decomposition, bodies which will live indefinitely. Death does not have the final word. Paul then reminds us why we do not grieve like the rest of the world, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). What is it like? How do we compare it? If you had scales in front of you and placed the weight of suffering and grief on one side of the scale, what would you put in the other that would far outweigh suffering and grief? Paul is saying that the weight of glory is so great that you cannot weigh it. Can you imagine it? Caskets and urns will be opened, and life will be found there where death once reigned. Bodies laid to rest at sea, down in the very depths of the waters, will be raised to live and die no more and God will share his glory with us in heaven for all eternity. Grieve and be sad. But grieve with hope – the sure certainty that since Christ is certainly raised and lives, those who die in Christ will rise to die no more. Yes, there is life eternal beyond the flag-draped case. Prayer: Lord Jesus, you know the grief that fills our hearts when death comes close. Comfort all who mourn, especially the families and brothers and sisters in arms who receive loved ones home not as they hoped. Remind us by your Spirit that death does not have the final word. As you were raised from the dead, so you promise that all who are baptized into you will also be raised to life. Strengthen us to grieve with hope, trusting that the glory you have prepared for your people far outweighs every suffering of this present time. Keep us steadfast in this promise until the day you raise the dead and make all things new. Amen. Written and recorded by Rev. Paul Horn, WELS National Civilian Chaplain to the Military, San Diego, California. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Note: Scripture reading footnotes are clickable only in the web version.

Hello and welcome to the Faith First Podcast where we bring you messages and conversations of just how to walk your faith out in this world. I'm Jonathan Gouthier Associate Pastor here at First Church in Torrington CT and in this episode, I sit down with our Lead Pastor Steve Darr to talk about how God takes us form trauma to triumph. Welcome Steve!In this episode, you'll discover:So much of Scripture links to our spiritual lives, how does the account of the lame man represent things going on in the world today?What is it about trauma that may have us looking for other avenues to be relieved from it? does knowing that Christ overcame_even death help us to return to Him for healing and triumph?In all of the examples you provided in the message, the key person involved in turning it all around was Christ. Why is He so essential to our own turn around stories?The greatest transformation of trauma to triumph is found in the cross of Christ. It is through the cross that we find victory and it is through His resurrection we find the ultimate triumph. If Christ could turn the ultimate trauma into triumph he can do the same for your life.We try to provide some very practical ways to step out in your faith and we pray it is beneficial to you who are listening. If you are new to the Faith First Podcast, I ask you to hit the subscribe button to be notified when our next episode will launch. And until then, know that Christ can transform your trauma into triumph faith first

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Andries Esterhuizen from St. Albert, Alberta. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 8:10-11. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. — 1 Corinthians 8:10-11 Paul intensifies his warning. Yesterday, the issue was stumbling. Today, the word is destroyed. This is no longer theoretical. Paul describes a chain reaction. A believer watches a "knowledgeable" Christian participate. They follow the example. Their conscience collapses. Their faith is damaged. And Paul places responsibility not on the one who followed—but on the one who led. Read it carefully. The destruction does not come from ignorance. It comes from another believer's assuming confidence. The Corinthians thought knowledge made them stronger. Paul says knowledge can be deadly when it is not governed by love for others. When believers with influence normalize what Scripture forbids—or casually participate in practices that blur obedience—the watching believer sees no nuance. They see permission and some walk right back into sin, actions done from ignorance and misunderstanding. They conclude that a certain spiritual conviction is optional. That boundaries are flexible. That obedience is negotiable. And their faith erodes. Paul adds a declaration meant to stop this reckless liberty: "The brother for whom Christ died." At the center of this proclamation is a word that refocuses freedom and a believer's spiritual arrogance. This is no longer about our freedoms. This is about the value of a soul purchased by the blood of Jesus. If Christ went to the cross for them, then their conscience matters. Their faith journey matters. Their preservation matters. Freedom exercised without love can undo what discipleship is trying to produce. Maturity is not measured by how boldly you assert your rights. It is measured by how carefully you guard another believer's faith. It's not you-focused; it's Christ-focused, and others concerned. The call of Christ is not merely about being right, but being responsible. DO THIS: Consider one area where your example carries weight. Choose one intentional act of restraint this week for the sake of another believer's faith. ASK THIS: Who might be encouraged to follow my example without sharing my maturity? Where could my confidence be weakening someone else's conscience? How does remembering Christ's sacrifice for others reshape my freedom? PRAY THIS: Jesus, you laid down your rights for me. Teach me to lay down mine for others. Guard the faith of those around me, and make me a servant who builds rather than destroys. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Nothing Else"