Podcasts about jesus part

TNG 12-28-2025 The Parables of Jesus - Part 3 by The Naples Gathering

Paul felt the weight of sharing the gospel on the Temple Mount. But do you know why? Today, Pastor Bill opens up about the importance of sharing the gospel, weaving in the inspiring story of Paul to illustrate his message. Paul realised his time was running out, with Jesus set to arrive any moment now. He picked that spot to share his message with as many folks as he could. How often do you share the love of Jesus with those around you? If you haven't done it yet, now's the perfect moment! 

Israel tends to pop up in the news quite a bit, doesn't it? It seems like there's a bit of a showdown brewing between Israel and some other nations, or else we'd be seeing missiles flying at Hamas right now. Have you ever thought about how every time Israel comes into the spotlight, it seems to hint at those end times talked about in the Bible? Today, Pastor Bill shares insights on how the conflicts in Israel highlight the truth found in God's Word. It totally matches up with what the Bible says!

As Christians, we love Jesus. All who claim that Jesus is their Lord and Savior do so because they have acknowledged their own sinful state and have realized the power of forgiveness that comes from Jesus' sacrifice. It is easy for us to fellowship regarding what we have been freely given. What may not be as easy for us to define is what we are giving. A true disciple of Jesus receives redemption. That same true disciple is also required to give back as a result of that gift. Wait a minute! Isn't Jesus' gift freely given with no strings attached? Yes, it is free with no strings attached, and because we receive that gift, we are required to care for it. As we shall soon see, this required care thought is the very essence of being a true and genuine follower of Christ. Discipleship Discipleship is far more than loving Jesus—it requires intentional action, sacrifice and transformation. The “therefore” in Romans 12:1, which is the theme verse for this episode, points back to Romans 11, where Paul explains how Israel's temporary casting off opened the door of mercy to Gentiles. This undeserved privilege should fill believers with awe, gratitude and humility. True discipleship begins with recognizing the magnitude of God's gift and responding appropriately. A living sacrifice Paul's instruction to “present your bodies a living sacrifice” introduces the core requirement of intentional self‑denial. Jesus modeled this throughout his earthly life, denying his own will in favor of the Father's—even when it meant suffering. Followers of Christ must likewise abstain from sinful desires, count the cost of discipleship, and embrace the hardships, contradictions and separations that come with walking in his footsteps. These challenges are not meaningless; they produce spiritual growth and prepare believers for eternal glory. Holy and acceptable The call to be “holy and acceptable to God” requires adopting a new mindset shaped by the holy spirit. This new mindset involves continual learning, accurate handling of Scripture, humility and a commitment to godliness. Jesus' own mindset—self‑emptying, obedient and focused on serving God—becomes the pattern for Christian transformation. Finally, Paul describes this sacrificial life as “your reasonable service,” meaning it is the logical response to God's mercy. Full engagement in discipleship includes prioritizing spiritual goals, supporting fellow believers as members of one body, and pressing forward toward the upward call of God. To truly follow Jesus is to live with recognition, awe, gratitude, humility, intentional self‑denial, a renewed mindset, and wholehearted commitment to God's will.  

Mary had an accepting heart, one that remained simple and uncomplicated. And she had a trusting heart, because she had obviously been well trained in the Word of God and knew its promises and prophecies. When this incredible message came to her from Gabriel that she would bear this miracle baby, she was prepared to trust because she knew God’s Word. Let’s look further at this story to get a better understanding of the heart of Mary. When the angel left her, she went to the one person with whom she could share the news, the one person she knew would understand, her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was bearing a miracle baby, too—a child given to her in old age, beyond child-bearing years. It’s interesting to note how Zacharias, Elizabeth’s husband, reacted when the angel told him that his wife would have a special baby. He said: “How shall I know this for certain?” He focused on the facts as he saw them: his body was old, his wife’s body was old, and they could not have children. He doubted the angel’s message and asked for a further sign. Because of his lack of faith, he became speechless and remained that way until his son was born. I’m afraid Zacharias’ reaction is more like what mine would have been, how about you? He considers the circumstances and loses sight of the power of God to change circumstances, and he does a foolish thing—he fails to trust God. Let’s learn a lesson from Zacharias and set our hearts to trust God no matter what. Don’t look at the circumstances when God gives you a promise. God is never limited by any physical circumstances. Gabriel said it to Mary, very succinctly: For nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1:37). When Mary comes into Elizabeth’s presence, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately recognized Mary’s news even before Mary could tell her. She calls Mary blessed, and Mary answers with one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture. It is commonly called The Magnificat, and I encourage you to read it anew this Christmas season, as found in Luke 1:46-55. It is beautiful poetry, but far beyond its literary beauty is its content. Remember, Mary was a young girl, with probably no formal education. But she had obviously been taught the Scriptures, for as she recites her praise to God, she draws from several Old Testament sources. Again, we get a look at the heart of Mary. It is an accepting heart, a trusting heart, and it is a heart of praise. Many women would have focused on the negatives of this situation. Many would have run into Elizabeth and said: “Oh, Elizabeth, what am I going to do? What will I tell people? Will you shelter me? What will Joseph say?  Help me, please Elizabeth.” But Mary had an eternal point of view and a total trust in God, so that she was able to see the real importance of her position and was able to thank and praise God for his eternal purposes, though her life on earth was very difficult. What a wonderful role model this simple lady is for us today. Do you have a heart of praise? That’s what you need to find favor with God, as Mary did. How much time do you spend each day simply praising him for who he is and what he has done for you? Have you ever analyzed your prayer time? How much is just sheer praising the Lord? Notice that Mary used Scripture to recite back to the Lord in praise. That’s a wonderful way to praise God, by reciting Scripture. You could use this wonderful Magnificat for your own personal praise time. I think we also have to take a look at Joseph. I’m sure he was chosen of God for his part in this, as much as Mary was. He could have easily refused to marry Mary. Most men would have done that, under the circumstances. By agreeing to marry her and support her through this birth, he took on a heavy responsibility. Can you picture that trip to Bethlehem? It's almost a hundred miles, so it took days. It must have been a tiring trip for a pregnant woman. We aren't told what manner of transportation they had—perhaps a donkey or a cart or they just walked. But any way you look at it, it's not a trip a very pregnant woman would want to take in those days. But Mary did it and Joseph gently and carefully took care of her. Joseph must have felt great frustration when he realized Mary was going to deliver there, away from home and friends and people to help with Mary and the baby. No doubt God provided for their needs, but it was a very humble birthplace—especially for the one and only one born as a King. But with Mary in hard labor, he finds a place where she can deliver. Of course, life doesn’t get any easier for Joseph. Soon he has to take his wife and this child and flee his country. He has to leave his home and his business and take her to Egypt. Never could he have thought that this would be required of him. But when the angel gives him these instructions, he obeys. Joseph had a very obedient heart and a non-complaining spirit. His love for the Lord and for Mary must have been enormous. And having delivered this little miracle baby, I’m sure he felt a very real sense of responsibility as well as privilege to be able to take care of this God-child for a few years. Mary must have thanked God for Joseph time and again. If you knew, as Mary did, that you were bearing the Son of God, how would you feel when you realized that your delivery room was to be so dismal? After all, Mary knew this child within her was of the Holy Spirit. Everyone else had to take it by faith, but Mary knew that she had never known a man, and yet here she was ready to give birth to a child. How could God allow his Son to be born in such a degrading manner? She must have been puzzled. And then, almost adding insult to injury, while they’re still in this terrible situation, just having given birth, in come these lowly shepherds to find this baby. We don’t know how many there were, but they invade Mary’s delivery room, and come in upon a weary mother and child. Not exactly what you would plan for the reception committee of the King of kings and Lord or lords, right? But Mary allows them in, and we are told she “pondered all these things in her heart.” Instead of questioning or rebelling, instead of being discouraged or disheartened, Mary pondered on everything that had happened, and treasured it up in her heart. In addition to an accepting heart and a praising heart, Mary had a meditative heart. She thought a lot more than she spoke. She remembered what God had said and what he had done, and she stored up the truths and treasures. We need to have hearts that treasure up God’s goodness and God’s promises to us, and hearts that meditate on those things. Then the day came when Jesus left his home and his mother to pursue the ministry God had planned for him, a brief ministry, ending in a crucifixion. He leaves her to become the Savior of the world, and indeed to become her Savior as well, for she was in need of redemption like everyone else. She watched him suffer and die. I can imagine that Mary must have found it difficult to believe at this point that she was “blessed above all women.” Here she is, probably a widow with her beloved Joseph gone, and her precious treasure, her miracle baby, gone as well. Crucified, of all things. If you ever think you’ve got it tough, think about Mary. How could she hold up under this incredible load of suffering and confusion and emotional pressures she endured? She was chosen for this because her heart was right: She had an accepting heart. She kept things very simple and didn’t ask “why’s” and “how’s.” She accepted and she trusted. She had a praising heart, that saw the positive and not the negative. And she praised God from a heart that had been filled with the Word of God. And she had a meditative heart, that treasured up God’s goodness and God’s promises. As we close our thoughts about Mary, the Mother of Jesus, I want to share a chapter from Max Lucado’s book God Came Near. Max does an incredible job of helping us see the incarnation of God becoming Man in new and marvelous ways. This chapter is entitled “Twenty-five Questions for Mary.” Imagine sitting with Mary and asking her: “What was it like watching him pray? How did he respond when he saw other kids giggling during the service at the synagogue? When he saw a rainbow, did he ever mention a flood? Did you ever feel awkward teaching him how he created the world? When he saw a lamb being led to the slaughter, did he act differently? Did you ever see him with a distant look on his face as if he were listening to someone you couldn’t hear? “How did he act at funerals? Did the thought ever occur to you that the God to whom you were praying was asleep under your own roof? Did you ever try to count the stars with him. . . and succeed? Did he ever come home with a black eye? How did he act when he got his first haircut? Did he have any friends by the name of Judas? “Did he do well in school? Did you ever scold him? Did he ever have to ask a question about Scripture? What do you think he thought when he saw a prostitute offering to the highest bidder the body he made? “Did he ever get angry when someone was dishonest with him? Did you ever catch him pensively looking at the flesh on his own arm while holding a clod of dirt? Did he ever wake up afraid? When someone referred to Satan, how did he act? “Who was his best friend? Did you ever accidentally call him Father? What did he and his cousin John talk about as kids? Did his other brothers and sisters understand what was happening? Did you ever think, ‘That’s God eating my soup’?” It is an incredible truth God became flesh and dwelt among us, and for his earthly mother, we can only imagine the joy and the amazement she knew as she watched this miracle baby grow, and the pain she knew because of his sufferings. It will be good in heaven someday to hear her answer some of these questions.

Reason For Hope with Pastor Scott Richards! Sharing the Word one question of the heart at a time. Tags: Evidence for Jesus Part 1

Isn't it nerve-wracking when you finally meet your favourite actor and find yourself tripping over your words? Now imagine being in the presence of the one who brought you into existence! How would you react? Well, in today's message, Pastor Bill tells you more about the glory of God. Being in His presence just makes you want to drop to your knees and worship Him for who He is! All you can think about is how to sing His praises. But you can be in His presence only by believing in Jesus Christ! 

J.John explains why we need to take the Great Commission seriously and share Jesus Christ with our friends and neighbors in a ‘natural’ way. He encourages us to invest in others through prayer, small acts of caring, and by reaching across social barriers. Receive a copy of Jesus Christ: The Truth with a free audio download of “Three Ways to Introduce Your Friends to Jesus " for your donation of any amount! Your Gift DOUBLES to Help Deliver Hope and Joy! Save 2X the marriages and families this Christmas with your life-changing gift today! Get More Episode Resources If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

No matter how much money you rake in or how many loyal followers you have at your command, there's one treasure you can't buy: the joy and peace that only comes from a connection with God. Do you ever get that feeling like something's missing in your life? That's the peace of God, and it seems to be absent from your life right now. Today, Pastor Bill invites you to connect with Jesus on a personal level. With Him in your life, you'll begin to see the world through a new lens, filled with joy and peace!

After 9 months (or more) of long silence, when Zechariah's voice was finally restored, the overflow of his heart was to glorify the Lord. The gospel can overflow our own hearts, not only in a specific season or a special day, but all year long, and every day of our lives. What is overflowing from our hearts this Christmas? It's a good question, a question that the good news of Jesus, our Messiah, can help us answer without fear.

J.John explains why we need to take the Great Commission seriously and share Jesus Christ with our friends and neighbors in a ‘natural’ way. He encourages us to invest in others through prayer, small acts of caring, and by reaching across social barriers. Receive a copy of Jesus Christ: The Truth with a free audio download of “Three Ways to Introduce Your Friends to Jesus " for your donation of any amount! Your Gift DOUBLES to Help Deliver Hope and Joy! Save 2X the marriages and families this Christmas with your life-changing gift today! Get More Episode Resources If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

We continue talking about LEARNING OF HIM. Did you know that not only God has statutes? The devil has statutes too. Whose statutes do we follow? And the last two letters, O, ONLY JESUS. He must have the first place in our affections, our lifestyle, and all our decisions. And lastly W, Willingly.

Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of Jesus, isn't it? But have you ever taken a moment to really explore what Christmas means to you as a believer? Today, Pastor Bill is here to share the true essence of Christmas with you. Jesus came into this world to bear your sins on the cross, offering you a way out of eternal damnation. He defeated death, rose again, and is now sitting on the throne in heaven. He's the reason you're here and able to connect with God. Now that's something to celebrate!

In this message, Pastor Caleb completes the series The Birth of Jesus.  Discussing some of the prophecies Jesus would fulfill, the role of Joseph, and the travels included in Jesus' birth and childhood, all aligned with Old Testament scripture, proving Jesus to be the Messiah.  May Christians know more about themselves as they understand more about Jesus' birth. Send us a textSupport the showFor more information for our church visit AGCSparta.org.

Pastor Gus Brown

The Psalms don't just sing; they signal. We open the Hebrew songbook and find a roadmap to Jesus that runs from identity to destiny: the divine Son who rules, the eternal Priest who mediates, the rejected cornerstone who rises, and the coming King who judges with perfect equity. Rather than treating these passages as vague poetry, we follow the trail the New Testament highlights, connecting Psalm 2, 45, 110, 22, 16, 89, and 118 to moments in the Gospels and to the hope that still stands in front of us.We start with who the Messiah is—God's begotten Son, priest in the order of Melchizedek, sovereign over the nations—and then move into the vivid fulfillments: mockery at the cross, pierced hands and feet, unbroken bones, garments divided, the cry of dereliction, and the promise that the Holy One would not see decay. These aren't scattered proof texts; they form a coherent portrait the apostles preached openly. From calming the sea to becoming the cornerstone, the Psalms anticipate the contours of Jesus' life and mission in ways both specific and sweeping.Then we lift our eyes to what is still ahead. The Psalms promise a world judged rightly, a reign that brings justice without partiality, and a creation that bursts into praise as it is renewed. The apostles anchor this hope in the resurrection and point toward the restoration of all things. Along the way, we reflect on the staggering odds of prophetic fulfillment and why that fuels confidence for the promises yet to be kept. If you're looking to see Christmas as promise kept and the future as promise sure, this conversation will help you read the Psalms with fresh eyes, steady hope, and a clear view of Jesus at the center.Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiI18SseFsQ

Pastor Josh Shideler continues preaching the Advent Series from Isaiah. "As the battle continues, hold on to this Hero."

For those of us who are personally acquainted with the Savior who was born that first Christmas day, Christmas holds particular significance. However, we’ve romanticized the story of Christmas to the place that the manger scene and the people involved seem like actors in a play. We rarely stop to think that they were real people, in anything but a romantic setting. That's why I’d like to bring a little reality to the Christmas story. I want to talk about the most blessed woman who ever lived. And I want to focus on the heart of Mary. What was it about this lady that qualified her for this incredible privilege of bearing the Savior of the world? What was in her heart? Let me begin by pointing out that nowhere in Scripture are we given any indication that Mary is to be worshipped. If she were here, I think Mary would be the first to tell us that she was just a woman, a very simple young lady, chosen by God for a special purpose. But like all of the rest of mankind, she was born of Adam’s race—born according to man—and she inherited the same sin nature that all of us have. When I speak of Mary’s heart, I’m not elevating her to some divine place of sinless perfection. We'd have a hard time relating to her if that were true. But in fact, it is because Mary was just like us—a  regular lady—that we can look at her heart and can identify with her and learn from her. Try to erase all those images of Mary with a halo over her head, and see instead a lady with a wash bucket and children, a small, poor home, with few luxuries or conveniences, and a very special heart. Though Mary came from the line of David, she was a humble lady from a very small, insignificant town, Nazareth. We don’t know anything about her parents, except that they must have been godly people because Mary had a very good knowledge of Old Testament Scripture. We begin to get an idea of the heart of Mary when we think about Gabriel’s announcement to her that she had been chosen to bear the Messiah. Let’s look at that passage in Luke 1:28-38: Gabriel said to Mary: “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her (Luke 1:28-38). Certainly, Scripture makes it clear time and again that Mary was then a virgin and remained a virgin until after the birth of Jesus. Not many people who will be celebrating Christmas this year really believe that Jesus was born of a virgin. Why is it so terribly important that we believe and accept that Mary was indeed a virgin until after Jesus’ birth? Because we know from Scripture that sin entered the world through the seed of man. Had Jesus been conceived through an earthly man’s seed, he could not have escaped the sin nature that is born into all of us. And if Jesus were not sinless, he could never become the sacrifice demanded by God’s righteousness. The virgin birth is not an optional theology. Your whole destiny—and mine—depends upon whether or not it is true. We are acceptable to God when we accept the redemption and forgiveness of our sins made possible because the perfect sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ, paid the debt for our sins. And Jesus Christ was perfect because there was no sin in him passed on to him by the seed of man. He was born of a virgin; the only man who has ever been born of the seed of a woman. That is critical. Can you imagine what Gabriel’s words meant to a little Jewish girl, probably only 15 or 16 years old, of the humblest means, who has heard all her life about David, his kingdom, his reign as King of Israel? And now, she is told her son is going to take David’s place and reign forever. I’m sure Mary had often heard the prophecies of the coming Messiah. But surely she never seriously thought she would be selected as his mother. Can you put yourselves in her shoes, and think of how you might have reacted? It was an incredible declaration requiring enormous faith on Mary’s part. Would you have accepted such a statement face value? How does Mary react? She asks a very simple question, not a question of doubt, not a challenge to the truth of the angel’s statement, but a question of curiosity and logic. To paraphrase she asked: “How can I have a baby, when I’ve never known a man? If you’re not going to use an earthly man for this, how are you going to do it?” To a simple, honest question, Gabriel gives a simple answer: The Holy Spirit will cause this child to be impregnated in your womb, Mary. Therefore, he will be the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Mary’s acceptance of this announcement is absolutely remarkable. Once Gabriel answers her simple question, in the same simple faith and openness, she accepts. Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word (Luke 1:38). Instead of plying Gabriel with hundreds of questions, instead of giving place to all the doubts and fears and insecurities that she must have felt at that time, Mary accepts. Let’s think of some of the normal, natural questions and objections that Mary could have legitimately raised at that point. She could have said: What will I tell my friends and relatives? No one will believe that I have not slept with some man. What will happen to my reputation? What will I tell Joseph? He probably won’t want to marry me now. And if Joseph doesn’t marry me, what will I do to support myself and this baby? I will be an outcast. Worse still, Gabriel, if Joseph so desires he could divorce me or he could have me stoned to death for adultery. Why don’t you, Gabriel, tell everyone else what you have told me? I would appreciate you doing that. Then maybe they will believe me. At least tell everyone in Nazareth, please. Wouldn’t you have asked some of these questions or made some other requests of Gabriel? I’m sure I would have. But not this Mary. Her immediate, unquestioning response is be it done to me according to your word. Now we’re beginning to see the heart of this special lady. An accepting heart. What is required of us in order to have an accepting heart? First, we must stay very simple, and by that I mean uncomplicated. Mary didn’t try to see exactly how everything was going to work out before she accepted. She didn’t let her imagination run wild with all the “what if’s” or “why’s”, as many of us tend to do. She kept it very simple. She accepted from God’s hand what he had asked of her. Do you keep your heart simple? Or do you waste emotions and time and effort in complicating issues? When you know what God wants you to do, do you get all tied up in knots, trying to see every possibility and make sure you know every step of the way before you do anything? You’ll save yourself a lot of grief if you can ask God to give you a simple heart, to help you learn how to un-complicate decisions and situations by simply accepting. Another thing required for an accepting heart is trust. Mary believed with unwavering faith. Can you appreciate the enormity of what she was asked to accept by faith? She was asked to believe that she would become pregnant without ever having relations with any man. And Mary believed. Why do you think Mary so readily believed what Gabriel told her? Do you think it’s possible to just have that kind of trust and faith without any preparation? Was she just born that way? I don’t think so. We know faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. We know from what Mary says later to Elizabeth, her cousin, that Mary knew the Word of God. She had established her faith in God’s Word, so when Gabriel brought this further Word of God to her, she was accustomed to trusting it, and it wasn’t difficult for her to trust it once more. May I say again what I know I’ve said time and again: You’re never going to be able to trust God until you spend consistent, quality and quantity time in his Word. If some great thing comes on you which requires a lot of trust and faith on your part, and you are unprepared because you don’t consistently saturate yourself with God’s Word, don’t be surprised to discover that your faith falters, and you fail the test. You won’t be able to muster up tons of faith on the spur of the moment if you don’t make trusting God a part of your everyday life. And that comes by knowing him through his Word. Are you in the midst of some testing now? Are you under some stress or pressure that requires faith on your part? I hope you’ve been staying in the Word of God, because that’s where that instant faith comes from at those unexpected times when you need it. You need to know the Word of God to have the kind of trust that Mary had. How marvelous it is that, as Paul says in Galatians 4:4: But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law. I pray that you have become a child of God through placing your trust in his Son, the One who was willing to come and be born of a woman so that you and I could be redeemed from the curse of the law and sin. If not, you can have that right now by confessing your sin and allowing that One born in a manger to cleanse you and give to you the full rights as his child. Until you have done that, you can never really understand what Christmas is all about.

As human beings, what do you believe to be our greatest need? It's a fascinating question, isn't it? What do we need most? I think you'll want to stay here with us for today's message, as Ron talks about our greatest need and how God chose to fill it.  

In this Christmas series, Pastor Caleb discusses the events surrounding the birth of Jesus.  The burden of God's calling placed on Mary may have been great, but she was more than able to accomplish it due to her submission to God.  The shepherds also had an invitation to worship the newborn Savior.  They answered the call by accepting the invitation, and it changed their lives.  Send us a textSupport the showFor more information for our church visit AGCSparta.org.

If you want to see a living portrait of faith, look no further than Joseph. We've all been let down or disappointed before. Plans we made got changed, someone canceled on us at the last minute, and maybe there were a few hard feelings. The next time that happens, let's take a lesson from Joseph, step out in faith, and let God do what He does best. Joseph's story comes your way next, as Ron moves ahead in his series, “The Art of Christmas.”  

In part two, we are continuing our focus on the person of Jesus, His roles, His love and His action. Jesus is the King of all Kings, and the one with all authority in heaven and earth, who came as King and redeemer of our lives. He has redeemed us and purchased us from slavery out of love for us, so that we would welcome Him as King of our hearts and lives. GIVE HERE - https://awake.church/give

When we hear the word Christmas, many of us think of all the time spent finding the perfect gifts for the ones we love. God's perfect Christmas gift for us was His Son. In this message, Jill Briscoe offers us the opportunity to have our first real Christmas through accepting the indescribable gift that God has given us. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/508/29?v=20251111

When we hear the word Christmas, many of us think of all the time spent finding the perfect gifts for the ones we love. God's perfect Christmas gift for us was His Son. In this message, Jill Briscoe offers us the opportunity to have our first real Christmas through accepting the indescribable gift that God has given us. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/508/29?v=20251111

Jesus calls us to not only follow Him but to LEARN of Him. The multitudes followed Jesus but only a few became disciples. What does it mean and how do we learn to follow Him?

Friendships centered in God's promise and in an atmosphere of faith are so vital to helping us keep saying yes to God's plan for our lives. Especially when God's word seems challenging or even confusing, who can be an 'Elizabeth' for us, someone who is committed to honoring God and His word, and has seen Him move in their lives? We could almost always settle for someone who will be merely an "echo chamber," confirming what we'd like to hear, but finding an 'Elizabeth' who will celebrate God's word in our lives is a special gift! Then, when we get a chance to be that gift for someone else, we can enjoy the overflow of faith in them, too!

Anne shares from John 1.

Pastor Eric Zellner continues preaching this year's advent series. "God revealed His Servant to provide you assurance."

Pastor Patrick Cobb Luke 3:23-38

Prophecy is only as compelling as its fulfillment, and the prophets of Israel paint a portrait of the Messiah that lands squarely on Jesus—his birth, his mission, his death, and his return. We walk through Jeremiah's promise of a righteous branch and a new covenant written on hearts, then watch Jesus lift the cup and name that covenant in his own blood. Daniel's Son of Man anchors Jesus' favorite title in an eternal kingdom that will not pass away, while the seventy weeks set a clock that points to a Messiah “cut off,” turning the cross from scandal into strategy.Jonah offers the sign of three days hidden before life breaks in, and Micah narrows the map to Bethlehem for a ruler whose origin reaches into eternity. Zechariah brings the details into sharp relief: the humble king on a colt, the thirty silver coins cast to a potter, the pierced one mourned like an only son, the shepherd struck as the flock scatters, and a future scene on the Mount of Olives where the curse is lifted and peace is secure. Each thread tightens the case and widens the hope, showing that God's plan is not a set of lucky guesses but a single story carried across centuries.What rises from these pages is a challenge and a comfort. Many in the first century waited for a warrior and dismissed a servant; yet the path to the crown runs through the cross. Mark 10:45 calls the Son of Man a ransom for many, and John 1 says those who receive him become children of God. That's the heart of Advent for us: learning to recognize the king who arrives lowly so we're ready when he arrives in glory.Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0poiHYf4F8Q

TNG 12-7-2025 The Parables of Jesus - Part 2 by The Naples Gathering

The creator of the heavens and the earth is also the savior of the world. Jesus, the highest name of all, means Salvation. He is the Savior of the world. He is the Light of the world and He is Resurrection and Life. He is above all and through Him all things are held together. The greatest mystery of all is that we can be united with Him - living in union with the Lord of all.

This is tough stuff, but this is real stuff! This is the stuff where theology becomes life change! This is the stuff where truth sets us free! This is where we read Collosians 3 and it's not just a good bible study, but it's words of life and hope and truth that transform us! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1170/29?v=20251111

Today we continue talking about what it means to lay down our lives for Jesus and for one another.

In whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus! Giving thanks through Him to God the Father! That's real life! And it makes sense when you understand what we've been given in Christ! The grace, forgiveness, hope and life we have been given! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1170/29?v=20251111

Anne shares from John 1.

"The Greatness of Jesus"Mark 10:32-45Having recently completed our series “None Like Jesus” let's continue to “Behold Him” by embarking on a new study through the Gospel of Mark. Mark's Gospel is the shortest of the four Gospels and it is action-packed from start to finish – as evidenced by the word “immediately” used over 40 times. Mark wrote to believers, probably Roman believers, who were no strangers to persecution. And he wanted to disciple his readers to be strong in their faith by encouraging them to look to their Mighty Messiah, the Son of God, who remained steadfastly faithful even while becoming their Suffering Servant who died for them. Mark's Gospel is a call to all believers to fearlessly “Follow Jesus” because they can trust Him completely.

We have an invitation to follow someone who will make our lives significantly better—it may not be easier, but it will absolutely be better. Support Your Move with a tax-deductible gift: http://yourmove.is/give/ Get conversation starters based on this episode: https://bit.ly/3J6IXI7 Sign up for exclusive email content every month: https://bit.ly/32SQKoE Find more episodes and other free resources on our website: yourmove.is Check us out on Instagram https://bit.ly/3DZ2q96 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Associate Pastor Jason White concludes a series entitled "Who is Jesus"! It will be a four part series and this weeks subject is that Jesus is my Savior! No matter good or bad we think we are, we ALL have this one thing in common, we all need a SAVIOR!We hope you are encouraged and blessed!Revival Talks is a series of discussions where staff from our church and members of our community sit down and talk about various topics in light of what is going on in our church, our community, and our world.For more information about our church visit us on our website, our Facebook page, and our YouTube.Support the show

Pastor Alan R. Knapp discusses the topic of "The Surpassing Greatness of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus - Part I" in his series entitled "Rev The Book (2X)" This is Part 444 and it focuses on the following verses: Revelation 1:1a

How do we follow Jesus. We begin an acrostic of the word FOLLOW to see from the Scriptures how Jesus wants us to follow Him. In this podcast we talk about Faithfully, Fervently, Obediently, Leaving everything behind, and Laying down our lives.

It’s easy to look at someone and write them off as bad or wrong simply because they are different. But when we do this, we actually put something on ourselves that doesn’t look good on anybody. Support Your Move with a tax-deductible gift: http://yourmove.is/give/ Get conversation starters based on this episode: https://bit.ly/3yr7AdR Sign up for exclusive email content every month: https://bit.ly/32SQKoE Find more episodes and other free resources on our website: yourmove.is Check us out on Instagram https://bit.ly/3DZ2q96 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're all going to follow someone or something. If not Jesus, then who?

There are people who will go out of their way to help someone and expect nothing in return. We like those people and we want to be like them; Jesus extends an invitation that shows us how to be those people. Support Your Move with a tax-deductible gift: http://yourmove.is/give/ Get conversation starters based on this episode: https://bit.ly/3kZsaim Sign up for exclusive email content every month: https://bit.ly/32SQKoE Find more episodes and other free resources on our website: yourmove.is Check us out on Instagram https://bit.ly/3DZ2q96 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.