Podcasts about jewish passover

Daily Dose of Hope May 8, 2025 Day 4 of Week 6   Scripture – Mark 14:27-52   Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, We are so grateful that your mercies are new every single morning.  No matter what our week has been like, we can come to you today afresh and anew.  Lord, forgive us for our many failings.  We want to do better.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are back in Mark 14.  We will cover Jesus' prediction of Peter's denial, their time in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus' arrest.    Let's start with the first portion of today's text.  Jesus and the disciples have celebrated the Passover meal in the Upper Room and have moved on to the Mount of Olives.  It is here that Jesus predicts that all the disciples will scatter, essentially fall away, when the going gets tough.  He refers to a prophecy from Zechariah 13:7 that reads, “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered...' clearly indicating that the shepherd is Jesus Christ himself.    Interestingly, Peter makes a very bold, ambitious claim that even if everyone else fell away and disappeared, he would not.  Jesus doesn't mince words.  He tells Peter that he will betray Jesus three times by that night (or as the text says, by the time the rooster crows two times).  But Peter, and all the others, insist that they will follow Jesus even until death.    I've thought about this a lot.  At this time, the disciples still don't understand Jesus' ministry or purpose.  They think they will follow him no matter what but we know what happens.  They all scatter once Jesus is arrested.  Peter does deny him three times in just a few short hours, consumed with fear for his own safety.  When push came to shove, they weren't quite as invested in Jesus' mission as they thought.   But then things changed.  After the resurrection, the disciples were changed in fundamental ways.  Peter, who was initially impulsive and fearful, becomes strong and bold, a superb leader in the early church.  After experiencing both the risen Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit, their whole outlook on life is transformed.  And all of them, except for John, are martyred for the Gospel.  They do end up following Jesus to their own earthly death, just not in the timing they expected.   So, I will ask again, would you follow Jesus to the point of giving up your life?  If you were being tortured and persecuted for your faith, would you stay faithful to Jesus or would you give in to the pressure and deny Christ?  It is not outside the realm of possibility that such a situation could exist for us.  Afterall, it does exist for Christians all over the world.   I read this quote recently, “If we have not prepared ourselves and our twenty-first century churches to die for Christ's name if necessary, we have not completed our responsibility of preparing disciples.”  If this makes us uncomfortable, it should.  Because Jesus has called us to a faithfulness that involves more than what we typically think of when we call ourselves Christ-followers.  What does it mean to be a disciple?  Jesus makes it quite clear and we read it just a couple weeks ago, Mark 8:34-35, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.    With that, let's move on in the text.  We are heading to Gethsemane, into the garden with Jesus and the disciples.  Jesus' soul was restless, he was anguished, and he needed to spend time with the Father.  He asks the disciples to pray as well.  This is the time when Jesus pleads with God, “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.   Jesus knows what he is about to endure.  Is this the human side of him not wanting to endure the physical pain and humiliation?  Or, is this the divine part of him not wanting to endure the weight of the sin of the world?  It could definitely be both.  But Jesus was obedient.  He knew this was God's will and design.  While he asked, my guess is he already knew the answer.  Jesus knew what had to be done and he was willing to do it.  But we do get a first row view as to the struggle going on within him.   Jesus struggled and so it isn't surprising that we will also struggle.  Obedience can be really hard.  But Jesus gives us this beautiful example of yielding to God's will, no matter what.  And he was going to face a tortuous death.  Most of the time, our dilemma isn't quite as intense or painful, but it might be.  Think of a situation in your life in which you yielded to God's will even though it was hard and painful.  How did that affect your faith journey?   I just wanted to briefly mention the disciples falling asleep.  They have no idea what is going to happen.  They are tired after a big Passover dinner and several glasses of wine (there is a lot of wine involved in a traditional Jewish Passover).  We see their human weakness here.  I feel a little sorry for them.   Finally, we head to Jesus' arrest.  Judas has already betrayed Jesus.  He and the soldiers head into the garden with the intention of arresting Jesus.  Judas kisses Jesus on the cheek, letting the soldiers know who to arrest.  I can imagine this whole scene being chaotic.  No one really knew what was happening, except Jesus.  Then, one person standing near him (who we know is Peter from other Gospel accounts) panics and cuts the soldiers ear off.  One young man flees naked (some people say this person was Mark, the author, but we really don't know).  The whole thing probably happened quickly and the disciples scatter, just as they said they would not do.    More tomorrow...   Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Over the Passover holiday, some 6,315 Jews visited the Temple Mount, a 37% rise over last year. Among them, Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot, where he participated in a prayer service and prostrated himself on the ground in worship — activities that are nominally prohibited for Jews at the flashpoint holy site. Sukkot hailed the “tremendous change” since he was arrested for the same act 14 years ago. Meanwhile, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees the Israel Police, which enforces law and security on the Mount, boasted that a shift in the unwritten status quo that governs the site was a result of his policies. He was up on the mount earlier in the month. In a statement, Ben Gvir said, “I’m happy to see that MK Zvi Sukkot, like many thousands, is prostrating himself and praying at the Temple Mount.. What wasn’t done for 30 years is being done on my watch, and I’m glad to have the honor, by the grace of God, to lead this huge change.” So this week, Berman delves into whether this is such a "huge change" and how we arrived at the current precarious balance. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch. IMAGE: Jewish visitors walk protected by Israeli security forces at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, also known as the Temple Mount complex to Jews, in Jerusalem on April 9, 2023, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, also coinciding with the Jewish Passover holiday. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mother Miriam rejoices in the Paschal season, calling it the richest time of the Church year and the heart of supernatural life. As the Church prays for the soul of Pope Francis, Mother reflects on God's providence—even in confusing or painful seasons—and reminds us of the promise in Romans 8:28: He works all things for good for those who love Him.Mother Miriam also shares a moving reflection on how the Resurrection fulfills the Jewish Passover, reading from Dom Guéranger and weaving in her own journey from Judaism to the Catholic Church. She defends the beauty of Christians honoring their spiritual roots in the Passover, now fulfilled in the Eucharist, and encourages all Catholics to rediscover Eastertide with reverence, knowledge, and joy. The episode ends with listener questions and a heartfelt call to deeper catechesis, confidence in God's plan, and joyful fidelity to Christ—especially in times of trial.U.S. residents! Create a will with LifeSiteNews: https://www.mylegacywill.com/lifesitenews ****PROTECT Your Wealth with gold, silver, and precious metals: https://stjosephpartners.com/lifesitenews +++SHOP ALL YOUR FUN AND FAVORITE LIFESITE MERCH! https://shop.lifesitenews.com/ ****Download the all-new LSNTV App now, available on iPhone and Android!LSNTV Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lsntv/id6469105564 LSNTV Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lifesitenews.app +++Connect with John-Henry Westen and all of LifeSiteNews on social media:LifeSite: https://linktr.ee/lifesitenews John-Henry Westen: https://linktr.ee/jhwesten Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus has set the Easter table richly, for us to partake. Come to His table today through our exploration of Easter, which took place on the very day of the Jewish Feast of First Fruits. What does it mean for us today? The story of Easter is a tapestry woven with complex emotions—the somberness of Good Friday followed by the overwhelming joy of Easter Sunday. The sequence takes us through the contemplation of Jesus' crucifixion, echoing the depth of human suffering and sacrifice. As Christians, we are invited to relive these moments, acknowledging the pain while eagerly anticipating the joy of resurrection. Easter, often referred to as the most important day in the Christian calendar, transcends time and history. It bridges the gap between Jewish traditions and the new covenant established by Jesus. You can purchase the Spring Feasts workbook to take notes while you listen, including the gorgeous visuals we created to accompany your experience: https://www.gospelspice.com/offers/ct6coMYd The Feast of First Fruits mark the beginning of the harvest, while Pentecost signifies its culmination. Both events are intrinsically linked through the work of the Holy Spirit. The First Fruits celebration on Easter sets the stage for the Holy Spirit's coming at Pentecost, bridging the gap between the initial offering and the full harvest, pointing to the birth and growth of the Christian church. The Feast of First Fruits, celebrated the Sunday after Passover, used to hold immense significance in Jewish tradition. Rooted in Leviticus 23:10, this feast involves offering the first barley harvest to God, symbolizing gratitude and the anticipation of a plentiful harvest. It's a day Jews can't eat bread or drink wine until sacrifices are made, an act mirrored by Jesus' Last Supper—where he promised a new covenant symbolized through bread and wine. During the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the practice of communion, tying it to the Jewish Passover. He told his disciples that he would not eat or drink again until he was in God's Kingdom, thus establishing the new covenant. The meal shared at Emmaus is another crucial moment. When Jesus broke bread with his disciples, they recognized him, affirming his authority and lordship. The breaking of bread in this context goes beyond a mere meal; it's a reaffirmation of Jesus' identity and the fulfillment of his promises. Interestingly, Jesus reappears to his disciples but does not partake in the meal at Emmaus. Instead, he later eats fish with another group of disciples, a humble act connecting to his earlier ministry and ultimate sacrifice. This post-resurrection meal underlines his humility and serves as another reminder of the first fruits principle—Jesus is the first fruit of resurrection. Paul's letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:20) highlights that Jesus' resurrection on the Feast of First Fruits symbolizes the future resurrection of believers. Jesus is the firstborn of creation and the first to rise from the dead, promising eternal life for all who follow. The concept of First Fruits extends to envisioning a perfect, sinless world—a harmonized existence in the eternal presence of Christ. This heavenly vision, often referenced in biblical texts, portrays a future where every generation enjoys everlasting peace and the profound joy of being in God's presence. In today's context, the call for revival echoes the ancient practice of offering First Fruits. Believers are urged to be the first fruits of revival in our times, sharing the message of hope and resurrection with a world in need. It's a reminder to live with purpose, reflecting the truly life-changing power of Jesus' resurrection in our daily lives. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. 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Happy Easter!Today Alive Church presents a very special Easter event. It's a mixture of songs, acting (during the songs so you won't miss anything) and a mighty and passionate narration from Ps Adam. Ps Adam takes us from the Jewish Passover and all the way through the Easter story to the end. While addressing different characters in all that, Ps Adam frequently asks the question, "Which One Are You?"

What are the connections between the Jewish Passover and the Christian Easter celebration? History of the Papacy podcast available at https://amzn.to/42LHWxP Passover books available at https://amzn.to/4cA7Ie9 Easter books available at https://amzn.to/4cApHB7 ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Mark's TIMELINE Video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credit: History of the Papacy podcast by Steve Guerra (Sidetrack Episode 16: Easter-Passover Connection Special, 5th June 2014, with guest host Jason G). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” These words from John the Baptist detail the mission of Jesus. But what does this mean for us today? Our good friend Dr. Michael Rydelnik connects with us while in Israel to talk about how the sacrifice of Jesus is demonstrated in the Jewish Passover. Discover how this part of Jewish worship symbolizes the new and living way that Jesus reaches all cultures around the world. We hope you'll gain fresh insights as you prepare to remember the salvation found in the Lamb of God…Until All Have Heard.

The Gathering Storm of Biblical Predictions Richard Ruhling part 2The podcast episode delves into the profound significance of the upcoming Jewish Passover in relation to biblical prophecies, as discussed by Pastor Bob Thibodeau and his guest, Dr. Richard Ruhling. They explore the intricate connections between historical events and modern implications, particularly focusing on the notion of judgment and divine timing that underpins these traditions. Dr. Ruhling elaborates on how the timing of Passover may coincide with significant prophetic fulfillments, encouraging listeners to remain vigilant and spiritually prepared for what lies ahead. The conversation traverses complex themes, such as the potential for geopolitical upheavals and the spiritual ramifications of these events, urging a deep reflection on both personal faith and broader societal shifts. Ultimately, the episode serves as a clarion call to engage with the unfolding narrative of prophecy while fostering readiness for the challenges that may arise in the near future.Takeaways: Pastor Bob Thibodeau emphasizes the importance of understanding biblical prophecies, particularly those related to the Jewish Passover and its implications for contemporary events. The discussion highlights the potential for significant occurrences tied to biblical timelines, urging listeners to be vigilant and prepared for impending changes and judgments. Dr. Richard Ruhling elaborates on historical events and their prophetic significance, suggesting that past occurrences may serve as precursors to future fulfillment of scripture. Listeners are encouraged to engage with their faith actively, to watch for signs, and to be prepared for the culmination of prophetic events that may reshape their understanding of the world. CONTACT INFORMATION: Email: ruhling7@yahoo.com Website: https://healthhappinessanddestiny.com/ Book: “How it All Ends” - on Amazon Book: “The Destruction of Jerusalem” – on Amazon_____________________________________________Check Out These Amazing LinksPastor Bob "HIGHLY" recommends "Captivate.FM" as YOUR podcast host! They have a lot of very helpful features (and more all the time) - and NO CHARGE for the features or upgrades!ModernIQs is a sponsor of the Kingdom Cross Roads Podcast Newsletter: Transform your creative workflow with ModernIQs! Explore AI-powered tools for content creation, from smart question generators to automated blog writers. Streamline and create with ease! Go to ModernIQs.com for more information!Grow your faith and your business with The Faith-Based Business Newsletter! Get practical tips, biblical insights, and strategies for success. Subscribe at

In this podcast, I am sharing 3 stories. The first story is the story of the Israelites as slaves in Egypt. They were made to work hard, building bricks, and their masters were cruel. But God had a plan to rescue them. Moses was chosen to be their leader. When he repeatedly went to Pharaoh and asked for him to free the Israelites, Pharaoh repeatedly said “No.” So God gave the plagues of Egypt to the Egyptians to show Pharaoh that God was in control. Although they were all powerful, the last plague was the most dramatic. God sent an angel to kill all the firstborn babies and the firstborn animals of the Egyptians. But He spared the Israelites. They were to sacrifice a lamb (Passover Lamb) and put its blood on the doorposts of their homes. When the angel came through to kill the firstborn children, he would “pass over” those houses that had the blood of the sacrificed Passover Lamb on the door posts, and spared the Israelites. Following that, God commanded the Israelites to celebrate Passover as a remembrance of God's rescuing them. Don't you just LOVE that theme of rescue throughout the Bible! Now I have another story I want to remind you of. It happened the night before Jesus was crucified on the cross. Jesus was meeting in the Upper Room with his disciples for a very special meal together. It was a very intimate time of sharing for many of them, but for Judas, it was the night he betrayed Jesus with 30 pieces silver. This is the night that Jesus gave them the wine and the bread and said “This is my body which is given for you. This is my blood which was shed for you.” Jesus was telling them that soon He would be sacrificing His life for them, so they could live forever with Him. This was the first communion and it is packed with meaning. Now, here is the reason for telling these two stories together. They are intimately connected. You see, when Jesus met with his disciples for the Last Supper, the night before His death on the cross, they were actually celebrating Passover. They were celebrating God's rescue of His people by way of the Passover Lamb's blood painted on the doorframes. So Jesus' death happened during the Passover celebration- resulting in our death being passed over because the Lamb of God shed His blood for us on the cross! All while they were celebrating the Jewish Passover. WOW! And the most intimate of all events, the Last Supper, is the vehicle for displaying God's grace and mercy on us through the sacrifice of His Son. Again given on Passover. Looking back on this, it's clear to see that Passover foreshadowed our salvation. The gift I referred to above is a worksheet that your students can use to look up Scriptures that compare the Passover rescue to our rescue through Christ. It makes our rescue so much more memorable to see that God was working throughout history, preparing for our rescue. This chart is taken from The Lord's Supper… Let's Get Ready! where this is explained on the kids' level in more detail in this workbook. Here are the links to those things I mentioned in the podcast: Free Passover Parallels Chart The Lord's Supper… Let's Get Ready! Help Me Remember the Plagues of Egypt Laurie@Kidstrength4Life.com Also, I would like to mention that we have been running this podcast for almost three years. It has been fun and I pray it has been beneficial to you. As you probably know, there are costs involved in production. If you would like to come alongside us and help us with costs, you can click on this link and give any amount. On the checkout page, you will see our plan for gifting back to you, as well. To support the broadcast, click below. https://www.kidstrength4life.com/offers/GNFr7f3W Thank you for being a listener and supporting our broadcast! May you have a blessed and peaceful Easter 2025! Laurie

Don't Let Differences Undermine Your Worship1 Corinthians 11:17-22The early church had developed a very lovely tradition in connection with the observance of the Lord's Supper. They had a meal that was called a Love Feast to which each member brought what he or she was able to share. The resources were then pooled, and the whole church sat down to a common meal which provided a beautiful picture of the oneness they shared in Christ. It was a way of creating and developing real Christian fellowship in the church. Then, in connection with the meal, the Lord's Supper was celebrated. This had a certain naturalness to it since Christ had instituted the practice at the close of the Jewish Passover meal.The problem was this got out of hand. Instead of sharing, they were separating.The preachers commentaryThank you for tuning into Daily Bible Benefits Have a good and godly Day

Clint Hufft and Wendy Dahl discuss various spiritual and cultural practices related to the vernal equinox. They explore the significance of the Persian New Year (Nowruz), Wiccan Sabbat (Astara), Christian Easter, Jewish Passover, Hindu Holi, and Hanuman Jayanti. They delve into the origins, rituals, and symbolism of these holidays, such as cleaning homes, setting symbolic tables, and the importance of the moon. They also share personal experiences, including attending sunrise services and candlelight services. The conversation emphasizes the importance of respecting and understanding diverse spiritual practices.

FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text MessageLent is not merely about sacrificing earthly pleasures; it's an invitation to embark on a profound spiritual journey. In our latest podcast episode, we explore Dr. Scott Hahn's revelatory book, *The Fourth Cup*, which bridges the Jewish Passover with the Last Supper and unveils rich insights about Christ's ultimate sacrifice. Through this exploration, we discover how understanding the significance of the fourth cup can enhance our Lenten experience, transforming it into a season of deep reflection and growth.The discussion highlights the traditional four cups of wine consumed during the Passover, each with profound meanings tied to remembrance and liberation. Delving into these themes, we explore how Jesus refrains from drinking the fourth cup during the Last Supper, only to fulfill it on the cross, declaring “It is finished.” This comprehension not only deepens our appreciation for the Eucharist but also emphasizes the essence of sacrifice during Lent—inviting each of us to participate in Christ's love and mission.Join us as we navigate practical ways to engage more deeply with our Lenten practices! Consider picking up *The Fourth Cup*, reflecting on its themes during Mass, and participating in the Stations of the Cross. Let's make this Lent a time for transformation and deepen our relationship with Christ. Ready to embrace this journey? Subscribe, share, and leave a review to connect with us further as we explore the depths of our faith together!Key Points from the Episode:Exploring the significance of Lent in the Catholic faith  Discussing the four cups of wine in the Jewish Passover mealUnderstanding how the Last Supper and the fourth cup symbolize Jesus' ultimate sacrifice  Practical tips for enhancing Lenten practices through reflection and connection to Christ  Other resources: Scott Hahn video talk Transcript from Catholic Fidelity Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!Because we care what you think about what we think and our website, please email David@teammojoacademy.com.

(0:50) Saint of the day – Saint Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris. (2:48) Bible Study: 1 John 2:29–3:6 – God is love and our goal is to be adopted into the family of God. Fr. Simon explains how riotousness is not being a member of a club but being conformed to Christ so that we can be united to the Father. (23:30) Break 1 (24:32) Letters: Father explain how willingly participating in IVF is morally wrong. Father explains why Able’s sacrifice was pleasing to God because it was a blood sacrifice. Fr. Simon explains the meaning of the 4th cup at the Jewish Passover. (41:39) Break 2 (42:00) Word of the Day: The holy name of Jesus (43:33) Phones: Francine - I disagree that lasagna is leavened. nothing is leavened in pasta noodles!! Matthew - How do we love a baby conceived through IVF?

Send us a textWhat if the story of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" held the keys to understanding the essence of Christian faith? Join us as we uncover how Jesus, recognized as the Lamb of God, embodies prophecies and traditions from the Old Testament, culminating in his role as the sinless sacrifice for humanity's redemption. Inspired by Dr. Michael Clore's original message, we trace the profound journey of Jesus' life—from his miraculous virgin birth to the powerful symbolism of his crucifixion that aligns with the Jewish Passover. Experience the fulfillment of ancient prophecies and the profound significance of the virgin birth, highlighting the divine nature of Jesus as essential to Christian salvation.We also venture into the rich symbolism found in the book of Revelation, where a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes represents perfect power and knowledge. This imagery is not just a testament to Jesus' omnipotence and omniscience but also underscores his sovereign authority to fulfill divine promises. Explore how this vision of the exalted lamb aligns with the hymn "Hallelujah Praise the Lamb," celebrating the eternal worthiness and conquest of the Lamb of God. Join us in reflecting on the lamb's eternal significance and its pivotal role in the grand narrative of creation, sacrifice, and ultimate victory.https://www.jacksonfamilyministry.comhttps://bobslone.com/home/podcast-production/

Message for 12/15/2024 "No Unsolvable Problems" by Justin McTeer. *All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted* Matthew 27:57-66 - As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, 58 went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him.59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. 60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. 61 Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. 62 The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63 They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.' 64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we'll be worse off than we were at first.” 65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.”66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it. John 19:38-42 - Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus' body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. 39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. 40 Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth.41 The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42 And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. John 20:19 - That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders Genesis 40:12-15 - This is what the dream means,” Joseph said. “The three branches represent three days.13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer. 14 And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place.15 For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I'm here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.” Genesis 40:23 - Pharaoh's chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought. Genesis 50:19-20 - But Joseph replied, “Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people Psalm 23 - The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 - We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

Jesus has set the Easter table richly, for us to partake. Come to His table today through our exploration of Easter, which took place on the very day of the Jewish Feast of First Fruits. What does it mean for us today? The story of Easter is a tapestry woven with complex emotions—the somberness of Good Friday followed by the overwhelming joy of Easter Sunday. The sequence takes us through the contemplation of Jesus' crucifixion, echoing the depth of human suffering and sacrifice. As Christians, we are invited to relive these moments, acknowledging the pain while eagerly anticipating the joy of resurrection. Easter, often referred to as the most important day in the Christian calendar, transcends time and history. It bridges the gap between Jewish traditions and the new covenant established by Jesus. The Feast of First Fruits mark the beginning of the harvest, while Pentecost signifies its culmination. Both events are intrinsically linked through the work of the Holy Spirit. The First Fruits celebration on Easter sets the stage for the Holy Spirit's coming at Pentecost, bridging the gap between the initial offering and the full harvest, pointing to the birth and growth of the Christian church. The Feast of First Fruits, celebrated the Sunday after Passover, used to hold immense significance in Jewish tradition. Rooted in Leviticus 23:10, this feast involves offering the first barley harvest to God, symbolizing gratitude and the anticipation of a plentiful harvest. It's a day Jews can't eat bread or drink wine until sacrifices are made, an act mirrored by Jesus' Last Supper—where he promised a new covenant symbolized through bread and wine. During the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the practice of communion, tying it to the Jewish Passover. He told his disciples that he would not eat or drink again until he was in God's Kingdom, thus establishing the new covenant. The meal shared at Emmaus is another crucial moment. When Jesus broke bread with his disciples, they recognized him, affirming his authority and lordship. The breaking of bread in this context goes beyond a mere meal; it's a reaffirmation of Jesus' identity and the fulfillment of his promises. Interestingly, Jesus reappears to his disciples but does not partake in the meal at Emmaus. Instead, he later eats fish with another group of disciples, a humble act connecting to his earlier ministry and ultimate sacrifice. This post-resurrection meal underlines his humility and serves as another reminder of the first fruits principle—Jesus is the first fruit of resurrection. Paul's letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:20) highlights that Jesus' resurrection on the Feast of First Fruits symbolizes the future resurrection of believers. Jesus is the firstborn of creation and the first to rise from the dead, promising eternal life for all who follow. The concept of First Fruits extends to envisioning a perfect, sinless world—a harmonized existence in the eternal presence of Christ. This heavenly vision, often referenced in biblical texts, portrays a future where every generation enjoys everlasting peace and the profound joy of being in God's presence. In today's context, the call for revival echoes the ancient practice of offering First Fruits. Believers are urged to be the first fruits of revival in our times, sharing the message of hope and resurrection with a world in need. It's a reminder to live with purpose, reflecting the truly life-changing power of Jesus' resurrection in our daily lives. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! 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[John 3:1] There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. God will never be impressed by your __________________. [John 3:2] After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” We are looking for behavior ________________, and God is looking for ______________ change Jesus is talking about a complete _____________________. True transformation starts from ___________________. [John 3:16-17] “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. Transformation goes deeper than the __________________. [John 7:48-50] “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? 49 This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God's curse is on them!” 50 Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. 51 “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked. God loves to see the work __________________. [John 19:38-42] Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus' body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. 39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. 40 Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. 41 The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42 And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. According to his old way of life, he was ________________, but in this new life, he was ______________. God gives a ___________ life, not a ____________ up life.

From the responsorial psalm: "God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!" A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 2:13-22) Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. The Jewish Passover is near, and many pilgrims travel to Jerusalem to worship at the temple. As Jesus enters the temple area, he finds people selling oxen, sheep, and doves. Money changers are seated there. In response, with a whip made of cords, he drives them all out and overturns the tables of the money changers. And he says to those selling doves, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." John makes clear what would otherwise be puzzling. Jesus refers to the "temple of his Body" in the same way Saint Paul refers to the Spirit that dwells in God's holy temple: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" Where the Spirit of God dwells—our bodies—is not the place for a noisy, cluttered exchange of things and ideas but a quieted dwelling place to receive the person of Jesus. God, as a way to understand the Gospel, let me consider what today's feast represents for the Church and what it means to me. The dedication feast calls attention to the Church on earth as the Body of Christ and a sign of what is yet to be in our eternal dwelling place in heaven. The disciples recognized the zeal of Jesus in the temple area but only after the resurrection came to understand that the temple of the Body would need to die and rise before we also could be restored to eternal life. The Gospel acclamation says, "I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, that my name may be there forever." All thanks and praise to you, Lord, that you have made me to be your holy dwelling place even as I long for my eternal home in the life of the world to come. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Image: Sailko, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:San_giovanni_in_laterano,_interno,_presbiterio_01.jpg --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lectio-divina-daily/support

Celebrate Passover – This story is crafted from Mark 14 12-21 where in Jerusalem it was the season for celebrating the Jewish Passover, that is to remember when the Angel of death passed over the sons of Israel as God brought judgment on Egyptians. Jesus' disciples were pestering him. To find out how you can support this ministry by visiting our website at https://lizardtracks.net. My stories can be found on your favorite podcast, App, or Alexa, search for Lizard Tracks.

Jesus' death on the cross was a sacrificial death. He died for sins. Jesus did not die for his own sins, for he never sinned. He was the only perfect man and sinless spotless Lamb of God. Jesus suffered (died) once for our sins. “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5, 6).Jesus' death on the cross was an unrepeatable death. When Peter says Jesus died once, the Greek word literally means “once and for all.” Jesus died on the Jewish Passover. Scholars suggest that 250,000 sheep would be killed each year at Passover. But that great river of animal blood could never accomplish what the holy blood of Jesus accomplished when He died on the cross for us. What the blood of bulls and goats could never do, Jesus did in his death on the cross. Hebrews 9:12 says, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us”.Jesus' death on the cross was a substitutionary death. His death was the just for the unjust. Jesus, The Just One, took our place on His cross; He bore the penalty of our sin on His cross. Jesus and Jesus alone paid the price for all our sin. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “For He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).Jesus' death on the cross was a reconciling death. He died for our sins, in our place, that He might bring us to God. Listen to how Jude describes us being brought before God after placing our faith in Jesus Christ. Jude 24 says, “To present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy”. Glory to God for His gift of eternal life and fellowship with Him through Jesus Christ our Lord. SELAH

Unpopular week #1 A Godly Man John 2:13-17 Four Qualities of a Godly Man: 1. A Godly man will pursue the Lord It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. John 2:13 It is a spiritual impossibility to pursue Jesus and to pursue sin at the same time The […]

IMAGE DESCRIPTION Oxyrhynchus Papyrus fragment with text of John 6:8-12. 3rd century. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:POxy1596-III.jpg LINKS Words of Jesus ("All the Red Letter Scriptures"): https://www.jesusbelieverjd.com/all-the-red-letter-scriptures-of-jesus-in-the-bible-kjv/    Parallel Passages in the Gospels: https://www.bible-researcher.com/parallels.html#sect1     Miracles of Jesus reference list: https://sunnyhillschurch.com/3301/the-37-miracles-of-jesus-in-chronological-order/    Venetian folk tale of Saint Peter's mom: https://iamnotmakingthisup.net/5663/saint-peters-mom-bless-her-heart/ Judas Boo: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/boo-6377/ Joke Rimshot: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/rimshot-joke-funny-80325/ TRANSCRIPT   Welcome to the Popeular History Podcast: History through Pope Colored Glasses. My name is Gregg and this is episode 0.21h: Sayings of the Savior Part VIII: The Last Gospel   All of these aught episodes are made to let us build our Pope-colored glasses so we can use the same lenses when we look at history together. If you're lost, start at the beginning!   Today we continue our Sayings of the Savior series with a look at the Gospel according to John, covering everything Jesus said there that we haven't yet discussed–yes, still leaving off things like the miracles we did in 0.20 and the parables and other sayings we did in earlier Sayings of the Savior installments--once again leaving you in suspense right before the concluding few chapters discussing Jesus' death and such, which we'll cover as we finish the remaining mysteries of the rosary in future episodes of our Catholic Worldbuilding series.   Before we get into it, a quick reminder that the Gospel of John is the odd one out of the four canonical gospels, that is, the Gospels that made it into the Bible. There are other Gospels, but not others that the Catholic Church holds as part of Scripture, that is, the inspired word of God.   As you likely remember very well from the other episodes unless you're starting here for some reason, and if you're starting here because you don't know where to find the others you can check out the Catholic Worldbuilding section of my website, Popeularhistory.com, in any case, as you probably do recall the other three Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are all known as synoptic gospels, that is, Gospels that should be read together, and clearly have a close relationship, with most of all of them being found in the rest of them. Luke Is the most unique, something like 35% of its material being standalone, much of that parables, some of that is Luke's memorable infancy narrative, while the approximately 20% of Matthew that's only in Matthew is a hodgepodge including Matthew's take on Jesus' infancy, and the 3ish % of material that's unique to Mark is… well Mark is the shortest Gospel so 3% of it isn't much but even so we haven't hit the most memorable bit of that small slice of the synoptics. We'll get there, but of course not yet because like I said today is about John. And I don't mean John Mark, the guy who wrote the Gospel of Mark, which really should be called John because you know, John is his actual first name, Mark's just a second part of it, anyways, uh yes so guy named John wrote half the gospels, don't worry about it, it's fine, one's the Gospel of Mark, one's the Gospel of John. I'm sure that's not confusing anything. Anyways, ignore the fact that I haven't said much about John yet today. I needed to give the Synoptics a bit of a collective farewell before we moved on and it seemed like a bit of statistics might be just the thing to get you all ready for me to change the topic.   Now, though John's Gospel (not John Mark's Gospel) isn't one of the synoptics, there are a few parallel areas I'll flag as we go, so don't think we're leaving the other Gospels behind entirely. Even if we tried, they're a big part of looking at history through Pope Colored glasses overall, which, in case you've forgotten, is the actual main plan for this podcast. Allegedly these worldbuilding episodes are just the background materials for that.   Overall, John stands out as the most theologically sophisticated of the Gospels, which has generally led scholars to argue it's the last-written of the bunch, a stance that actually aligns with tradition that credits the Gospel of John to, well, John, the longest-lived of the Twelve Apostles. Scholars, of course, aren't so sure about that specific attribution, as we've mentioned here and there they often like to think of a school of multiple authors writing the texts attributed to John, not just the Gospel but his three letters and the Book of Revelation.   In any event, that sophisticated theology is on full display right from the beginning of the text, and the opening verses of John, often called the Prologue, are extremely well known and influential within Christianity. Which I know is a given for pretty much every section of the Gospel texts, but I mean like even more so than the average Gospel text. As in, these verses used to be read as an epilogue to nearly every Mass, something that gave it the nickname of “The Last Gospel”.   Let's take it in:   JOHN 1:1-14 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” GREGG First, I'll simply note that it would have been a straightforward enough matter for me to start the podcast here, rather than back in Genesis. In fact, the basics of Christian theology, the trinity I discussed in that first episode before launching into Genesis' actual narrative, all that is more at home in a discussion of these verses than in that creation story, because here is what makes Christian history: the Incarnation. The Word made Flesh. This word and flesh and light and darkness business is also a pretty natural tie-in to the oldest wrong theology in the history of Christianity, and it's fair enough that various commentators have seen hintings at gnosticism in the text of John's gospel. In fact, some have theorized that the Gospel of John was written as a refutation of Gnosticism, but of course I'm treating this as a start-from-scratch beginner friendly kit, so it wouldn't be right of me to just keep saying “gnosticism”, “gnosticism” without spelling out what that means. Oh, and speaking of spelling, it starts with a silent “G”, check out the transcript I'm now consistently creating for the show notes in the episode description if you'd like the full spelling. Gnosticism, in a nutshell, is the idea that the physical world is evil, created by a flawed God. To the gnostics, this evil, broken world is something to be rejected, to escape from. For many of the gnostics, Jesus is the servant of the higher God, and is our ticket out of the icky yucky material, fleshy world. The knowledge of the evil of the world and how to escape from it is the secret that gives gnosticism its name, “gnosis” being Greek for “knowledge”. Gnosticism had a habit of piggybacking off Judaism and Christianity, with Gnostics basically forming secret clubs within the already generally secret Christian communities. We'll talk plenty more about Gnosticism as we go, as it was a sort of theological cancer within the Church for many years, but there's your official high-level overview. Getting back to John 1, the first verse is probably the most famous: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The notion that Jesus has been around since the beginning, as outlined in this chapter, is ultimately what cemented the victory of Catholic theology over Arianism, another wrong belief found among some Christians, aka a heresy, this one teaching that Jesus is not God Himself but is simply a creature-an important creature sure but in the end still one of God's creatures and so not as exalted as God Himself. Like gnosticism, the The Arian refrain of “there was a time when he was not” cannot be be squared with John 1, hence the fundamental importance of The Last Gospel to Nicene Christianity. And yes, we'll talk about what “Nicene” Christianity is in the future, specifically in 0.24. But we'll need to get past the first verse of John to get there. The second verse, “He was with God in the beginning” really solidifies the anti-Arian interpretation, but believe it or not I'm actually not going to repeat the rest of the prologue, because ultimately this section, while very, very,  important to Christian history, isn't one of the sayings of the Savior we're focusing on in this series. So, when does Jesus show up? Well, after a focus on John the Baptist, Jesus appears in verse 36, and speaks in verse 38:  JOHN 1 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” GREGG This particular calling is a favorite of the tv series The Chosen, which I know I've mentioned before but am not expecting to mention again, as we're heading out of their wheelhouse, at last as far as they've gotten up to this point. But it's worth checking out if you've got the time, and let's be honest, if you're listening to this, you probably do. What's next? Andrew and Simon Peter! JOHN 1 40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter ). GREGG This section allows us to introduce the split between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, though first off, there's been many splits and resolutions in that relationship over the years, not just the one in 1054, and second, while there's not currently unity there's not as fundamental a split as there has been previously since the mutual excommunications were lifted sixty years ago. Oh, and we've also made some reference to the difference already, when we were talking about the differences in biblical canons back in 0.7. Anyways, that's all years in the future. For now, just know that the tie-in is that eventually St Andrew would be credited with founding the Church in what wouId become Constantinople, the chief see of Orthodoxy, while St Peter would go down as the first Bishop of Rome, the beating heart of Catholicism. Having Saint Andrew as the first-called of the two--and the first-called Apostle overall–is therefore a point of pride for Orthodoxy, and one that I daresay as I look through these pope-colored glasses is a sorely needed one given Peter's elevation on pretty much every count afterwards. Note that he's already picked up his Peter slash Rocky nickname, much earlier in John than in the other Gospels, for example in Matthew that didn't happen until Chapter 16. Before we move on, I want you to know that I tried to look into Peter and Andrew's mother, considering we featured Peter's mother-in-law already and therefore it would seem to be quite the oversight to skip his actual mother, especially since she was apparently also the mother of Saint Andrew. Plus, it happens to be Mother's day when I'm writing this. But it turns out there's surprisingly little tradition on Peter's mother. Google seems to think her name is Joanna, but she's definitely not the better-known Saint Joanna mentioned at a few points in the Gospels. In fact, she's not a saint at all, according to the one story I did find about her, from, and this is the actual name: iamnotmakingthisup.net. Which isn't exactly an authoritative source but it points to a Venetian folk tale that describes Saint Peter's mother as irredeemable to the extent that Saint Peter has no way to let her into heaven based on her deeds. Which to be clear is incorrect theology considering your deeds aren't what get you into heaven, but let's roll with it. Apparently there was a time she gave someone an onion, so she got to try to climb to heaven via a string of onion roots, an effort which failed but got her promoted to taking care of Heaven's used wine barrels, ‘cause Venice. Speaking of promotions, before Chapter 1 is out Jesus promotes two more randos to disciple status, first Philip, who He tells “Follow me”, and then Nathanael, who gets to hear “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” When Nathanael asks Jesus how He knows him, Jesus replies, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you,” to which Nathanael replies “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” Which leads us to Jesus's reply in the last couple verses: “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” The next chapter begins with Jesus' first public miracle, the miracle of the wedding at Cana, turning water into wine to keep the party going, which we covered in our miracles roundup in 0.20. The next scene is Jesus driving the moneychangers from the Temple, another one that shows up much earlier in John than it did in the synoptics, and always a crowd pleaser. Here's John's version: JOHN 2 13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from  the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.” GREGG Considering John is already talking about the resurrection in Chapter 2, I guess my running gag of treating it as a spoiler is done. In John 3, we have the first appearance of Nicodemus, a man unknown to the Synoptics but a recurring figure in John's account. If you've ever heard the phrase “born-again Christian”, you've got this colorful exchange to thank for the imagery: JOHN 3  Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel's teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” GREGG If you're thinking, “gosh that last part sounds like crucifixion imagery”, good job reading ahead; if you're *not* thinking “gosh that last part sounds like crucifixion imagery”, perhaps It would be helpful if I reminded you that the bronze serpent Moses had lifted up in the wilderness was lifted up in a pole, and that anyone who looked at it, according to Numbers 21, was cured and saved from the “firey serpents” that were plaguing the grumbly Israelites at the time. Interestingly, at least to me, the dominant symbol of healthcare worldwide is another serpent on a pole, which more cautious scholars don't necessarily connect with Moses' bronze serpent as it's definitely a symbol of the Greek god Aesculapius so not a Hebrew slash Jewish thing directly, but still, serpents on poles associated with medicine has to be a relatively limited field. And yet, not as limited as you might think, as there is apparently a shocking amount of controversy over whether to use one serpent or two on a pole to symbolize healthcare. But let's get back to John 3, which doesn't assign any speaking lines to Jesus, though the next few verses are, like John's prologue, a reflection that's proven *quite* influential in the history of Christianity, especially John 3:16, which reads: JOHN 3 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. GREGG The next verse hammers the same sort of anti-gnostic point we saw in the prologue: JOHN 3 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. GREGG So yay world! It's not all bad. Though it is pretty bad. Let's hear the rest of John's reflection without further interruption: JOHN 3 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. GREGG The chapter finishes with a heavy emphasis on John the Baptist, during which John says “He must become greater; I must become less.” So we'll take that and run with it, keeping John as a side character and chasing the sayings of the Savior into chapter 4, another classic scene, this time it's the Samaritan woman at the well. The parenthetical thoughts you'll hear early on are part of John's account: JOHN 4 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” GREGG We've spoken about Samaritans before, though it was during my daily show experiment, specifically in the context of Samaritans Deacon Philip baptized in Acts 8. In case you missed that, in a nutshell the Samaritans are traditionally descendents of the ten “lost” tribes left behind when Assyria invaded the Northern Kingdom of Israel, though the fact that they're generally called the “lost” tribes gives an indication of how that tradition is generally received outside the community. The mountain the Samaritan woman is referencing Is Mount Gerizim, in Samaritan tradition the holiest place on earth and the proper site of worship, never mind that Jerusalem Temple business. So, yes, there are some similarities and some differences between Samaritans and Jews. Oh, speaking of Jews, next time you're talking to a Christian antisemite, remind them that here we have Jesus saying, and I quote, “salvation is from the Jews”. Also note that the woman lied to Jesus and also  had five husbands before her current non-husband partner, which is probably not something Jesus approved of. And yet, no reproach is recorded. Because you don't have to be hammering people's faults all day, every day. Of course, we did stop at an odd point, with Jesus telling the woman–who Eastern Churches know as Saint Photine and consider not only a martyr but Equal to the Apostles, a level of veneration I genuinely wasn't expecting-anyways we left with Jesus telling the future Saint Photine He is the Messiah, and then I just cut things off. Why? Well, because my bible considered that the end of the section, but of course that just begs the question still. The reason we don't see her direct reply is the Apostles show up and interrupt things. Let's continue where we left off: JOHN 4 27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” GREGG Interesting the specific call out for what they didn't ask, perhaps John wants to draw attention to how Jesus was bucking normal expectations here but the disciples were used to it. Anyways, JOHN 4 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. 31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don't you have a saying, ‘It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps' is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” GREGG  One aspect of this section is it has confirmation that my Sayings of the Savior series will always be incomplete, which isn't a surprise, presumably Jesus said lots of things that weren't recorded, in fact John basically says as much towards the end of his Gospel. Perhaps he hit the Samaritans with more of his patented harvest metaphors. Whatever it was, he spent two days at it. After that, Jesus went on a healing spree with miracles I covered in 0.20, including one on the Sabbath that got him into trouble with the local Jewish leaders. Here's the aftermath of that starting in Chapter 5 Verse 16: JOHN 5 16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. GREGG Jesus has a very lengthy response to this pushback, and it's another one that helped solidify Christian theology, so brace yourselves: JOHN 5 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. 24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 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. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. 31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true. 33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. 36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” GREGG The next chapter, chapter 6, opens with a couple extra familiar miracles- feeding the five thousand and walking on water- and then gets real. Like, really real. Like, prepping for some Eucharistic mysteries level real. And the Eucharistic theme is touched off by folks from the five thousand looking for more bread. When they pursue him across the lake, he gives them a big old talk about what Catholics are happy to identify as the Eucharist, which we'll obviously be talking more about as we go. JOHN 6 “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'” 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” 41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven'?” GREGG It's worth noting how controversially this is landing. Let's continue: JOHN 6 43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” 52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” GREGG Controversial for sure, but Jesus certainly shows no indication of a willingness to change analogy–or clarify that he's speaking metaphorically. So believers in the Catholic understanding of the Eucharist are perfectly willing to note that he must indeed be being literal here when he says this next part: JOHN 6 “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum” 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. GREGG After letting many of his followers walk over this whole bread is flesh and you must eat it business, and given passages like this and the Last Supper it's no wonder most Christians are big on the Eucharist, anyways, after that, Jesus turns to the Twelve: JOHN 6 67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) GREGG It's always nice to see Peter stepping up, and it's always fun to queue up the boos when Judas Isacriot gets a mention . In the next section, chapter seven now, we see Jesus interacting with folks in the Feast of Booths aka the Festival of Tabernacles aka Sukkot. The scene naturally starts with Jesus declaring that he will do no such thing. JOHN 7 “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8 You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. GREGG Wait, didn't I promise Jesus at the Festival? What gives? Well, read on! JOHN 7 10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?” 12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders. 14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” 16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” 20 “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?” 21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man's whole body on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” 25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn't this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” 28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29 but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.” 30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?” 32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him. 33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,' and ‘Where I am, you cannot come'?” 37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. GREGG The rest of the chapter is devoted to describing various responses to this preaching, from believing Jesus and accepting Him as the Messiah to wanting to execute him. Here Nicodemus pops up, perhaps unsurprisingly recommending the authorities hear Jesus out. Chapter 8 starts out with something of a tense scene, with Jesus effectively being given power of life and death over a woman who had been caught in adultery–no mention of the man. This woman, like many others, is unnamed in the text. The most common tradition in my experience is to associate her with Mary Magdalene, but that seems to miss the mark on several accounts, not least that John seems to like spelling out connections like that like when we saw Nicodemus pop up again last chapter when he was not only called Nicodemus but also described as “Nicodemus who had gone to Jesus earlier”, which is pretty straightforward. Also, Mary Magdalene's reputation as a reformed prostitute–apparently first popularized by none other than Pope Gregory the Great–doesn't have much of a leg to stand on unless you confuse her with the other Mary of Martha and Mary fame. Anyways, Mary Magdalene or not–probably not–but Mary Magdalene or not, the woman's life is in Jesus' hands: JOHN 8 “3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”” GREGG First off, note the presence of a call to repentance here, because my point earlier was not that it should never happen, but that it does not have to happen every time. This is also the only time we see Jesus writing, which I honestly probably wouldn't be pointing out if it weren't for the fact that we have no idea what he wrote. Like none. You tell me if you have ideas, Popeularhistory@gmail.com. One surprising bit about this passage is that apparently most Scripture scholars argue that it's a later addition, not an original part of the Gospel of John. An early addition, mind you, but an addition nonetheless. From the whole Pope-colored glasses perspective it doesn't matter, the canon of Scripture is settled and this passage is part of it. As we've discussed before, from a Catholic perspective the human authorship is theologically irrelevant. Of course, the number one use for this passage in Catholic water-cooler circles is a mariology joke: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone”... *rock whizzes by*- mom! *drum sting* In verse 12, the scene shifts abruptly, possibly due to the later addition scenario I mentioned a minute ago. Let's pick back up without any gap, and see yet another passage of John's Gospel at pains to explain Christology, which just in case I haven't said it already is the mainstream Christian theological understanding of Christ. Anyways: JOHN 8 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” 19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come. GREGG It's interesting to see Jesus referencing court here, or at least the temple courts, because I've got to say there's no way the argument He's giving would hold up in court. I probably would be pretty skeptical myself if I were one of the Pharisees here. Then again, I definitely get the sense that He's not primarily talking for *their* benefit here. Anyways, let's continue: JOHN 8  21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” 22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come'?” 23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.” 25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” 27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” GREGG This is the high water mark for this group following Jesus. It goes very far downhill as we continue, and understandably as Jesus has some hard things to say. You might also detect some feelings Jesus has about His own fate: JOHN 8 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” 39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham's children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” GREGG Only after being called children of the devil do the Pharisees turn on Jesus here. Some might argue that they were never on his side to begin with, because that's how some similar accounts play out elsewhere in the Gospels, but there's no hint of that here, in fact quite the opposite, remember partway through this section John had noted that some of the Jews were starting to believe in Him and Jesus began speaking to them in particular. This is heavy stuff. Anyways: JOHN 8 48 The Jews answered him, “Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” 49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” 52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” 54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” 58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. GREGG So in the end, let it never be said that Jesus was unwilling to antagonize. Chapter 9 opens with a miracle, and the entire chapter is devoted to the fallout from that miracle. It was the case of a man who had been blind since birth, and we did cover the miracle itself and its immediate aftermath in our miracles series--now that we're making sure we hit all the sayings of the Savior it's time to cover a later portion of the chapter, after the Pharisees conduct an investigation that does not go well for the healed man. We're picking up in Verse 35: JOHN 9 35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” 37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. GREGG The next chapter opens with one of the closest things John has to a parable, and it's a big one: The Good Shepherd. JOHN 10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” GREGG The image of the Shepherd is all over Christianity. Priests are called pastors, bishops carry a shepherd's crook, and archbishops' pallia are made from the wool of lambs from Tre Fontane Abbey in Rome. Of course some overtones of the imagery predate Christ's parable, with the blood of the passover lamb marking Jewish door lentils since the Exodus. More on the Lamb of God soon. Later in the chapter, Jesus gets asked a pretty blunt question, and gives a pretty blunt answer: JOHN 10 “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one. GREGG And, like last chapter, this declaration is not well received: JOHN 10 31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”'? 35 If he called them ‘gods,' to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God's Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. 40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus. GREGG All right, I need to address how I can possibly have hope for everyone when Jesus is walking around calling many of the people he interacts with children of the devil, as he did in chapter 7, and specifically not his sheep, as he does here. It's one thing to hope for universal salvation in the face of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, John's been hitting different. And yet in John 12:32 we'll hear Jesus say “I will draw all people to myself”. How do we get there from here? Well, ultimately, from a Christian perspective, the same way we get anywhere: by the grace of God. Not only at a higher level–the ”draw all people to myself” business is framed as being part of the Crucifixion–but also at a more intimate and personal level. Yes, I am suggesting that calling folks children of the devil is intimate and personal. When my children mess up, I parent them by clearly pointing out what they've done that's wrong and contrasting it to what they should be doing. It's not the warmest, fuzziest part of parenting, but it's an important part of parenting. I submit to you that Jesus is doing the same here. Of course in the end you may well not agree with me. That's to be expected. As long as you're getting something out of listening to all this, and presumably you are since you're a good chunk of the way through episode whatever, carry on. Let's get back to John's narrative. “If you do not believe me, believe the works”, Jesus said, and the next section, Chapter 11, is dominated by one of Jesus' most famous works, the resurrection of Lazarus. Of course we covered that among the miracles, and the Savior is silent outside of that portion, so on to Chapter 12, the anointing at Bethany. Those of you that listened to the daily show and Cardinal Numbers will recall the use I got out of the Martha/Mary dynamic, and I'm not the only one to use this Gospel scene as a parable. Let's go ahead and take it from the top, where it clearly ties in to the resurrection from the previous chapter: JOHN 12 12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. GREGG Judas, Judas. Get yourself together, man. And so we set the stage for one of the most badly applied sayings of the Savior, see if you can spot it: JOHN 12 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” GREGG The interpretation I'm referring to is the idea that because there will always be poor people we should do nothing to help those in poverty. Thankfully, that's straightforwardly rebutted by the beatitudes and by every parable that shows acts of compassion for the least among us as the way to love Christ. This section is, however, a reminder that the “sell the Vatican, feed the world” position is also wrong, not only economically–you'd feed the world for a day and then what–but spiritually as well. We're a physical people, the more our senses are engaged the more fully we can participate in liturgy. And yet for someone who has an allergy to incense, incense isn't going to help them worship, and for someone who has baggage associated with one style or another, they may be served more effectively by another approach. One of the most controversial things you'll hear me say is that there are multiple right answers as far as liturgy goes. Worship is made to draw people to Christ, and people are coming from different places. As long as it's within bounds according to the Church, God can and will supply what is lacking. And sorry for getting into a “what kind of Mass is best” discussion here, that's decidedly looking into the future,  but this passage features prominently in such discussions, and you all know I like teasing things before they properly emerge, so yes, get hype for 0.31: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. John 12 continues with that standard sign that we're coming towards the end of Jesus' time on earth, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus doesn't say anything in John's account, but it's a significant scene, so let's check out John's version: JOHN 12 12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;     see, your king is coming,     seated on a donkey's colt.” 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” GREGG The most particular feature is that last bit, with the frustrated Pharisees still getting a spotlight even among the triumph. John's account is really very interested in that conflict. The next section opens with a surprisingly long message chain: JOHN 12 20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. 27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!” GREGG Jesus is a bit less direct about predicting his death in John than He was in the synoptics, calling it his “glorification”, but it's definitely still there, with the talk of seeds dying to spread growth. You get the sense that it's not really His first choice with His own description of His troubled soul, something that parallels Luke 22:42, Jesus' prayer in the garden at Gethsemane, pretty closely. And, yet while we will discuss that scene and that prayer, we actually haven't gotten to it yet, as Luke has it as part of his overall Passion narrative, a passion narrative being something discussing Jesus' finale of life, patior being a Latin term meaning to suffer, or to endure. By my counting, and folks vary, we're not *quite* to John's passion narrative yet, but the overlap is a sign that we're really very close. Then, God the Father, apparently, speaks, in a first for John's Gospel as John skipped the voice-from-heaven part of Jesus' baptism: JOHN 12 Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. 34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard f

“We are Cities Church” means that we take our orders from Jesus, which he gives to us in the Bible. We are who we are and do what we do because of what he says. That's most basically what it means to be his church. We are a band of his disciples — and a disciple, most fundamentally, is a follower or an apprentice. We are apprentices of Jesus, and a couple of weeks ago we saw that means we get our mission from Jesus. Jesus tells us what we're supposed to do: as his disciples, he sends us out to make more of his disciples.Since the very start of our church a decade ago, that's been our goal. Our mission statement has been a direct quote spoken by Jesus himself in Matthew 28:19, “make disciples.” That's what he said, and so that's what we've been about; that's what we're still about — except that now we just want to say more. When we say “make disciples” we mean “make joyful disciples of Jesus who remember his realness in all of life.”And when we talk about disciples, we have in mind a fourfold calling that we find in the New Testament. First and foremost, #1, a disciple of Jesus is a Jesus-worshiper. Pastor David Mathis showed us this last week and Wow, it was good! We are Jesus-worshipers, Pastor Mathis showed us. Jesus Is Super ClearAnd today we're looking at a second part of our calling: We Are Joyful Servants. And I'll be honest with you: this is a softball sermon. And here's why: There are only two places in Scripture where Jesus just says straight up: Hey, look at what I'm doing, now you go and do the same thing.Now Jesus doesn't need to tell us this plainly to imitate him because, again, that's what a disciple does. To be a disciple, or an apprentice, is to follow your master, and that goes for everything about your master. So in all of Jesus's life and character, we should follow him and conform our way of being into his way of being. But for some reason, Jesus wanted to be super clear about two ways in particular that we should be like him, one is in John Chapter 20, but the first we see here is in John Chapter 13. Seeing John 13:15Go ahead and look at verse 15 here. John Chapter 13, verse 15. You've already heard it read, but I want you to see this again. Verse 15 — Jesus says:“For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”So there's no mystery here to what Jesus is saying, but I just wanna make sure we're all on the same page. The first thing he says is: “I have given you an example.” And what's an example? It's something to imitate. And then Jesus spells it out even more. He says the purpose of the example is … “That you should do just as I have done to you.”See what I mean when I say Jesus is being super clear? He says Here's an example, do what I do. And if we are truly his disciples it means that we're gonna say Okay! I'm in.Are you in? We wanna do what Jesus says! If we're onboard, then it means two things:We're gonna focus on the example of JesusWe're gonna figure out how to do what Jesus does1. Focus on the Example of JesusWhen Jesus mentions his example in verse 15, he's talking about something he just did, which goes back to verse 1. So I'm going to take us back to verse 1, and here's what I'd like to do…Instead of just giving you some bullet-point observations of Jesus's example here, I want to us to try and imagine the scene. Jesus gives an object lesson here. He does a thing that his disciples see, so I want us to try to see it too. I'm gonna ask that you try to use your imagination here as I tell you a story, okay?It had been a crazy week for Jesus (kinda like when we have a crazy week, except this was much crazier). Jesus started the week by coming to Jerusalem. It was the Jewish Passover and the city was packed, but Jesus didn't just enter the city by foot, like he normally does when he enters cities, but this time, he found a young donkey to ride into town, and as he rode it, crowds, who heard he was coming, lined the streets and threw down palm branches, and they said “Hosanna!” (Which is Aramaic for Hooray! Hooray!) “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”And Jesus's disciples are excited. They had just seen Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead! Jewish people were believing in Jesus! This is big, and Sunday to Wednesday is a blur! Greeks are now seeking Jesus, and Jesus says his time has come!There's some confusion among the people (and the disciples) about this, but Jesus is locked in.And then it's Thursday night. Jesus is having dinner with his 12 disciples, and he knew something nobody else knew: At this dinner he knew that within 24 hours he's going to be brutally killed, and everything about everything will change. And he's with these men, these men who he's spent everyday with for the past three years. Can you imagine how well he knew these guys? They were his friends and he loved them. And now he's at the table and he's looking at them, full of love, and he knows how all of this is gonna play out.He knows about Judas. He knows what Peter will do. He knows all the others are gonna run. There will be so much pain. But he also knows he's going home. Jesus knows that the Father is happy with him, that the Father is going to honor him and exalt him, and make him shine. The Father has given Jesus preeminence over all things, and Jesus knows it. Jesus knows who he is. He knows where he's going. And if we could see with our mind's eye what Jesus was seeing in that moment, it's blinding light. It's unspeakable, blazing joy. He's the freest of kings.But then Jesus gets up from the dinner table and he takes off his nice shirt. And he goes and gets a towel (and it was probably a damp towel — you know we always look for damp towels for things like this).He ties the towel around his waist, fills a basin with water, he kneels down, and he takes the feet of one of these guys, and he's starts washing them. I don't need to tell you how gross feet are. The water turns brown, and Jesus is wiping these feet with the towel around his waist. This man created Jupiter. He spoke the oceans into existence and now he scrubs the toes of men, and Peter didn't want him to. Peter said No, Lord, not you. You're never gonna wash my feet.And Jesus said, Peter, if you don't let me wash your feet, you're not with me. And it was an amazing moment. Peter said, Fine! Wash my feet! And my hands! And my head!Peter says I am so with you — but he wasn't that with him, because Jesus is about to tell Peter that he'll deny him. Jesus knew Judas was about to leave dinner early to betray him.Jesus knew everything and he washed all the disciples' feet. And when he finished, he took off the towel, now soaked, and he puts back on his nice shirt, and he goes back to his seat at the table, and all the guys are looking at him, and he says: “Do y'all understand what I just did?” And of course they didn't really understand.So Jesus tells them, “You call me your Teacher and Lord, and you're right. That's who I am.” These guys already recognized that Jesus is the one they're supposed to imitate.So Jesus says, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”And I think we just need to sit in this for a second. This was the most amazing dinner in human history. How could you be one of these disciples and ever have dinner the same way again? This was an unforgettable dinner, for these disciples and for every disciple of Jesus who has come after them.Jesus gives us an example. He demonstrates how he wants us to be. And we need to figure that out. 2. Figure out how to do what Jesus does.We need to figure out how we do what Jesus did. I don't think Jesus means that we should literally wash feet — I mean, you can — but it's more than that. Jesus wants us to be servants. That's the name we'd put on his example. That's what he's demonstrating by washing feet.He wants us to be servants like him, and if we're keeping his example in mind, to be a servant like Jesus means three things:1. We serve at a cost.I want to start here with the cost of serving because there is a real cost … because we're talking about real serving … It's serving, not partyin'.It's serving, not keeping your hands clean from the grit and grim of difficult things — Jesus had to change his clothes!Serving does not mean finding your happy place. Everything does not go perfectly. That's what makes it serving!William Carey and Sacrifice?I love the legacy of William Carey. He was an English Christian who served as a missionary in India from 1793–1834. He's considered to be the father of modern global missions, and he was a Calvinist Baptist. William Carey is my guy. And toward the end of his life, he made this famous quote about all the work and ministry he had done. He said, “I never made a sacrifice. Of this I am certain. It was no sacrifice. It was a privilege.”In the 41 years that William Carey spent in India he had to rack his brain everyday to learn and translate several local languages and dialects. He experienced frequent illness, including malaria and dysentery, often without good medical care.In 1807, he suffered the tragic death of his wife after she got sick. And of and on, over four decades, he faced constant opposition from Hindus and Muslims and he struggled at times with loneliness and isolation.William Carey made a sacrifice. There was a cost to his serving. Now what he means by “I never made a sacrifice” is that the end reward is so good it eclipses the cost. Like after a mother has given birth to her child (Jesus uses this example). Once the baby is born, it's just joy! — so much joy that you're not even thinking about the intense pain that you were experiencing five minutes ago, which was painful (I've been in the room a few times!) But the reward eventually transcends the cost — that's what William Carey is saying. But there's still a cost, and while you're paying, it's not a party.Troubled in SpiritIt is amazing that in this narrative of Jesus serving we're reminded constantly of what these disciples are gonna do. Judas's betrayal is mentioned in verse 2, then again in verse 11 and verse 18, and the whole passage is about Judas from verses 21–30, and then this chapter ends with Jesus foretelling Peter's denial. All of this in this chapter about Jesus serving — do you think Jesus was giddy about all this? You think Jesus would say none of this hurt? That there was no cost? Is that what we see when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane? Already here, at this last supper, John tells us in verse 21 that Jesus was “troubled in his spirit.” And John knows, because, remember, John was sitting right beside Jesus! There was a cost here.Brothers and sisters, if we serve like Jesus we serve at a cost too. And so if I could say so gently, when it comes to serving, some of us need to stop trying to be more spiritual than Jesus — don't ignore the cost; count the cost. And then tell Jesus he's worth it. #2 — to be a servant like Jesus means …2. We serve from freedom. There's something here we need to clarify: Jesus was a servant, we're called to follow his example and be servants too — but servants of who exactly? Are we servants of Jesus or servants of others?And the answer is both. And that might be obvious to you, but I think it's important how this comes through in the text. Jesus doesn't use a lot of servant language in the Gospel of John. The first time he mentions us being servants is one chapter before this one, in Chapter 12, and then there's a few key places in Chapters 13, 15, and 18, and in all these uses — every time Jesus talks about us being “servants” — he's talking about us being his servants (see 12:26; 13:16; 15:15, 20; 18:36). We serve him.And of course we serve others too — that's the whole point of our passage today — when Jesus says “you should do just as I have done to you” he implies “you should do to others.” In verse 36 he repeats the same idea and says, “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”So yes, we serve others, but there's an important connection here we need to see: it's that we can never serve others the way Jesus served us unless we are first his servants. “You Are Serving the Lord Christ”Our calling is to serve Jesus first, and then as his servants, following his example, serving him, we serve others.And I love the way Paul captures this in 2 Corinthians 4:5 — this is a verse to memorize. Paul says about his ministry:“For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.”This is profound. Is Paul serving Jesus or others? He's serving both, but it's even more than that: because in Paul's serving of others, he's actually serving Jesus too. Paul serves Jesus by his serving of others, and in his serving of others he's serving Jesus.William Carey translated the entire Bible into six different Indian languages. He translated part of the Bible into at least 29 different languages and dialects. Which was painstaking work. He would have spent hours and hours hunched over his desk, laboring by candlelight, serving, but get this: he wasn't merely serving the people who would read his translations, but he was serving Jesus! So finally, we have the whole Bible in Bengali! Here, Jesus, it's for you.Hey mom and dad, when you feel at your limit with what you can give your children, and you wonder if it's ever gonna do any good, remember that you're not merely serving your kids in what you do, you're serving Jesus in serving your kids. Here, Jesus, this 10,000th PB&J, it's for you.People at work — employees — when you're tired at work and you'd rather be a hundred other places, you can work heartily for the Lord, not men — because “you are serving the Lord Christ”(see Colossians 3:23–24). Here, Jesus, this report, this project, these tasks, it's for you. We serve Jesus first!And get this: serving Jesus first is the only way we can serve from freedom. The Freedom of a ChristianServing from freedom means that our serving is not constrained by anything. It's not forced by some desired result, but it's willingly! Serving from freedom means we serve because we want to, not because we're trying to get something. And the reason Jesus is the only one we can serve this way is because Jesus is the only person who loves us purely by grace.We don't have to earn his favor or score points — he's already given us his favor! We have all the points! And he has given them to us not because of what we've done — it can never be because of what we've done — but it's all because of his grace.The grace of God is a life-changing discovery. Just ask Martin Luther. Back in the early 1500s, Martin Luther read the Bible and was transformed by the gospel of God's grace. We are saved not by our works, but by God's grace through faith in Christ. And there were a lot of people who did not like that, and one reason was because they said:Hey, if people know they're saved by grace, not by the good works they do, then they will stop doing good works. We have to tell them that their works earn their salvation, so they'll keeping doing them.And in the fall of 1520, Luther published a small treatise called The Freedom of a Christian (still is an amazing book!). And Luther argues that the gospel demolishes that way of thinking. He says the gospel implies two things:1) A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. 2) A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.This is what the gospel does. First, it means we're free!Luther says salvation by grace means “every Christian by faith is exalted above all things so that nothing can do the Christian any harm.” He writes, As a matter of fact, all things are made subject to [the Christian] and are compelled to serve him in obtaining salvation. Accordingly Paul says in Romans 8, “All things work together for good for the elect” and in 1 Corinthians 3, “All things are yours whether … life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ's …”He just rejoices! He says:The cross and death itself are compelled to serve me … This is a splendid privilege and hard to attain, a truly omnipotent power, a spiritual dominion in which there is nothing so good and nothing so evil but that it shall work together for my good … Christians are the freest of kings!It's amazing, brothers and sisters, how free we are in Christ! Ultimately we are untouchable! All by the grace of God, not because of what we do.But then, how does that affect what we do? How do we kings and queens treat one another? Luther says that because we are so free in Christ, all we care about is divine approval and therefore we are freed to serve. Luther writes, [The Christian] ought to think: “Although I am an unworthy and condemned man, my God has given me in Christ all the riches of righteousness and salvation without any merit on my part, out of pure, free mercy, so that from now on I need nothing except faith which believes that this is true.” …Behold, from faith flows forth love and joy in the Lord, and from love a joyful, willing, and free mind that serves one's neighbor willingly and takes no account of gratitude or ingratitude, of praise or blame, of gain or loss. For a man does not serve that he may put men under obligations. … But as his Father does, distributing all things to all men richly and freely, making his sun rise on the evil and on the good, as his Father does, so also the son! [The child of God, the Christian] does all things and suffers all things with that freely bestowing joy which is his delight in God, the dispenser of such great benefits.Brothers and sisters, we serve from freedom, and do you see that it's when we serve from freedom that we serve with joy?That's the third and final point. To serve like Jesus means …3. We serve with joy. We serve with joy — because our salvation is secure in Christ.Because my salvation is secure in Christ, I don't have to serve you to get Jesus to love me. I get to serve you because Jesus loves me. Do you see? Because we are so free, our serving one another is not a have to, it's a get to. We serve as the overflow of our joy in God — joy we have by grace! That's why we are joyful servants.Serving with joy is not an add-on — it's just what makes sense in light of what God has done. And it is the example of Jesus. Jesus knew who he was, he was free, and he knew the cost, and yet the Book of Hebrews tells us that “for the joy set before him, he endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2). Still a cross, still a cost, But joy he found beyond the pain, Joy that carried him from loss to gain.That's what brings us to the Table. The TableAt this table each week, we remember this dinner that we've talked about. We remember the sacrifice of Jesus for us — that Jesus, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved us to the end. The bread and cup represent the death of Jesus, which means, they represent his love. And when we eat the bread and drink the cup, we are resting in his love. This is why this Table is for Christians. This remembrance is for those who have put their faith in Jesus. If you're here this morning and you've not yet done that, you can just pass the bread and cup to the person beside you, but don't pass on the moment. If you're not a Christian, today is the day of salvation. Today you can trust in Jesus. You can just pray, simply: Jesus, I can't save myself — I'm sorry for trying. I believe you died for me, you are raised from the dead.I trust you. Save me.You can just pray that, or something like that. You can rest in the love of Jesus this morning too.The pastors will come, let us joyfully serve you.

John 2:13-25 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. What does this say about God? About people? What is your response? A full transcript can be found at amyburgin.com.

Shalom Aleikhem to my dear listeners! Thank you so very much for listening in and even following me on Spotify or whatever platform you like to use! I do hope you've found great blessing and wisdom in my last two episodes of my Passover series, XXIV & XXV and now it is time to bring this three-part Passover series to a conclusion! In this third and final part of my Passover series, Episode XXVI, I will be unveiling the inseparable connection between the Jewish Kiddush (Sanctification) of the bread and wine at the table at the beginning of every Shabbat and the Lord's Supper also referred to as Communion and how Communion's origins could be traced all the way to both the Kiddush AND the Passover Seder! Messiah Yeshua had blessed and sanctified (LéKâdésh לקדש – to sanctify) the Third Cup of Redemption during His Passover Seder with His Twelve. The very first Communion was done by a Jewish man and it was a Jewish Kiddush during the Jewish Passover, as described in Luke 22… [14] “…When the time came, Yeshua and the emissaries reclined at the table, [15] and He said to them, “I have really wanted so much to celebrate this Seder with you before I die! [16] For I tell you, it is certain that I will not celebrate it again until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God.” [17] Then, taking a cup of wine, He made the b'rakhah and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. [18] For I tell you that from now on, I will not drink the ‘fruit of the vine' until the Kingdom of God comes.” [19] Also, taking a piece of matzah, He made the b'rakhah, broke it, gave it to them and said, “This is My body, which is being given for you; do this in memory of Me.” [20] He did the same with the cup after the meal, saying, “This cup is the New Covenant, ratified by My blood, which is being poured out for you…” Luke (Luk) 22:14-20 CJB‬ This b'rakhah (blessing ברכה) over the wine would most likely sound something like this… “Bârükh Âta ÂDÖNAI, Eloheinu Melekh HaOlam, Boreh Prí HaGafen” ברוך אתה יהוה, אלוהינו מלך העולם, בורא פרי הגפן Blessed are YOU, ADONAI ELOHIM King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine! While the b'rakhah over the bread would most likely be very similar to this… “Bârükh Âta ÂDÖNAÍ, Eloheinu Melekh HaOlam, HaMötzee Lekhem Min HaAretz” ברוך אתה יהוה, אלוהינו מלך העולם, המוציא לחם מן הארץ Blessed Are YOU, ADONAI ELOHIM King of the Universe, who brings forth Bread from the Earth! We are beginning to see just how the Jewish Kiddush and what the Church knows as Communion are Intrinsically connected as we learn that Yeshua's Communion is essentially a micro Passover Seder and the completed work of the Jewish Kiddush that ONLY Yeshua Could accomplish! I do hope and pray that you are just as blessed listening to Episode XXVI as I've been creating this podcast for you! Shalom be upon you all and stay blessed in Messiah Yeshua! https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/sanctification.html https://firmisrael.org/learn/holy-communion-its-purpose-origins-and-power/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gadi-hyer4/support

John 2:13-17 13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 

Jesus Is Worthy Today, Pastor Michael is promulgating a story, seemingly unconnected in purpose and place, about parallels in why folks show up at places. Linking this to Jesus and His stories, the core idea here is “Jesus Is Worthy.” Timeline-wise, this is about 36 hours before Jesus' crucifixion. The next night would be the Passover meal. Jesus is not in Jerusalem at this moment but in Bethany. At this point, the scribes did not like Jesus at all; they saw Him as someone who would challenge the corrupt religious system and corrupt religious leaders, i.e., ‘their' system.  So they plotted and worked with Judas Iscariot on how to plot against Him.  If you understand how worthy Jesus is, there is no amount of giving of ourselves that is too much.  Mark 14:1-2 (CSB Bible Notes) 14:1 The temporal clause—it was two days before—points to the start of the Jewish Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. This means the Sanhedrin plotted to kill Jesus some time between sunset on Tuesday and sunset on Wednesday. 14:2 The Sanhedrin hesitated to act because of Jesus's popularity among the people who had flooded into town for Passover. Today's verses can be found in Mark 14: 1 - 11.  Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. 

It took me a while to get up the courage to clean our garage. It might have taken you time to do it too, if you had seen what shape it was in! I mean, there was the general accumulated "mess" that hadn't been touched for awhile. And then there was the mess left from youth ministry stored there. On top of that, different members of our family and staff had been going, and borrowing and returning, and borrowing and returning, and oh my goodness! The mess was there. Oh, and then there was the mess from various friends who use our garage to store some of their things. All in all, we had discovered a new peak to be climbed. We called it Mount Mess! And there it was right in front of me. So, get on my work clothes, go downstairs, take a deep breath and I almost turned around and gave up. My first thought, "How about we torch it." No, we need to clean it. I thought maybe that would be the simplest answer. No, it's not good. But the question that depressed me was one that you've probably asked while facing a Mount Mess of your own, "Where do I start?" I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Where Do I Start Cleaning?" Our word for today from the Word of God, John 2, and I'm going to begin reading verses 13-16. "When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts, He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple area; both sheep and cattle. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves, He said, 'Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father's house into a market.'" I'll tell you what's incredible about this. This is Jesus' first appearance in Jerusalem. Want to make a good impression? He's going to the big city. You'd think He'd want to make a nice, positive impact there when He arrives. But notice what His first act is. It's not a miracle, it's not a healing, and it's not a sermon. It's an indignity - an attack - against sin in God's house. Now, you and I are living in a world that morally resembles my un-cleaned garage; it is a spiritual mess. Sex has been divorced from love and commitment. Speaking of divorce, it's the most common "answer" for marital problems. Lying is so common you pretty much expect people not to be telling the truth. There's garbage permeating our media input, and it just goes on and on. Where are we going to start cleaning? Well, Jesus will say, "Start by cleaning up My house." That's where He started. 1 Peter 4:17 says, "Judgment must begin at the house of God." A.W. Tozer said, "The Bible will not die in the hands of Communists, or humanists, or atheists, or abortionists. It will die in the hands of its friends because they don't use it themselves." See, we've become amazingly casual about sin. Oh, we're against it, but we flirt with it and we see how close we can get to it. We read about it, we watch it being portrayed, we laugh about it, and we allow creeping compromise to erode what was once a much higher standard in our lives just a short time ago. Jesus takes a whip to sin when it's tolerated in His house, and you're His house now. See, the Bible says we're the temple of the Holy Spirit; He lives in you. Now, you may look righteous compared to the rest of the people around you, but your standard isn't them. It's the personal holiness of Jesus himself. Oh, sure, we should fight the decay in our lost world, but we should turn most of our guns on our own sin - our own compromise. Many people are not considering Christ because they've never seen an alternative in someone their own age who is really living for Christ, demonstrating the difference. The history of revival throughout the church tells us that whenever God's people start hating the sin in their own lives, tens of thousands of people start finding Christ. So, where do I start cleaning with the mess inside my own heart?

Pastor Roger walks us through Mark 14:12-25 and the Jewish Passover and why observing the Lord's Supper is vital as believers.

This week Stevens was led to briefly touch on Jewish feasts, festivals and the sabbath being that the Jewish Passover recently started. Stevens goes through part of Colossians chapter 2 and asks the listener, what does the Bible teach and affirm about feasts and the sabbath, and what did Jesus say?Featured Ad: www.renewedmindsets.comQuestions/Suggestions: www.christalonenetwork.com/contactPrayer Request: www.christalonenetwork.com/prayerImmediate Contact: call/text 407-796-2881

AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports on the growing protests against Israel at U.S. colleges and universities, as the Jewish Passover holiday begins.

Walk with us through the streets of Jerusalem as we retrace the steps of Jesus during the most critical week in Christian history. Our exploration begins with the sound of palm branches rustling and cries of "Hosanna" as Jesus makes his triumphal entry, an act heavy with prophetic fulfillment. We'll uncover the deep connections between the ancient Jewish Passover and the Christian celebration of Easter, delving into how these events still resonate with us today. Revisiting the Gospel of Matthew, we decode the strategic and symbolic choices Jesus made and how they stirred a city into a mixture of excitement and turmoil.Imagine the anticipation of an unfolding divine plan as I recount a personal travel story that draws striking parallels to the Gospel narrative. Life, much like Jesus' journey, can lead us through a series of orchestrated events that leave us in awe of the unexpected paths we tread. We'll reflect on the profound emotions that gripped those who witnessed Christ's entrance to Jerusalem, and how, like a flight attendant's unexpected act of kindness or the innocence of a baby, it's often the unanticipated moments that leave the most lasting impression on our hearts.Finally, we juxtapose the enigmatic provocations of the street artist Banksy with the radical messages of Jesus and the prophets of old. Through storytelling and insights into Banksy's disruptive artistry, we contemplate the power of public symbols in shaping our perceptions and actions. In the end, we're each faced with a decision—will we recognize the transformative message of Jesus as king in our own lives? The choice has never been more poignant. Join us for this profound discussion that weaves together art, faith, and the personal decisions that define our spiritual authority. Support the Show.With Northgate Online, you can join us every Sunday live at 9:00a and 11:00a, and our gatherings are available on-demand starting at 7p! Join us at https://thisis.churchSubscribe to our channel to see more messages from Northgate: https://www.youtube.com/@Northgate2201 —If you would like to give, visit https://thisis.church/give/—Check out our Care Ministries for prayer, food pantry, memorial services and more at https://thisis.church/care—You are welcome at Northgate just like you are. Life may be going great for you or you may have hurts, hang-ups, and habits. No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome at Northgate. We value the process of journey. We believe in the transformative power of Christ. Northgate has a clear vision of transforming our homes, communities, and world by Pursuing God, Building Community, and Unleashing Compassion.—Follow Northgate on Instagram: https://instgram.com/ngatecfFollow Northgate on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsNorthgate/Follow Larry Davis: https://www.instagram.com/sirlawrencedavisSubscribe to Northgate's Podcast (Apple): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/northgate/id1583512612Subscribe to Northgate's Podcast (Google): https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS81ODE2ODAucnNzShare your experience with Northgate by leaving a review: https://g.page/r/CRHE7UBydhxzEBM/review...

We're in the midst of the Muslim holy days of Ramadan, just past Western Christians' celebration of Easter, and looking forward to the Jewish Passover holidays in late April. We often refer to these traditions as the Abrahamic faiths—a reference to the childless man chosen by God in the Jewish Bible to be the father of a great nation, and who's an important figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Today, many who work for religious understanding use Abraham as a point of commonality between those in the three different religious traditions. Not so fast, says Harvard University Jewish studies scholar, Jon Levenson, PhD '75. He says that, a bit like the old joke about the United States, Great Britain, and the English language, Abraham is the common figure that separates Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. "It is surely the case that Jews, Christians, and Muslims have more in common than their adherents believe," he writes in his 2012 book, Inheriting Abraham, "but the patriarch is less useful to the end of inter-religious concord than many think." So how does Abraham and his story play out differently in the three traditions? Why is it important to understand those differences? And if Abraham is not the fulcrum on which efforts for religious conciliation can revolve, what are the areas of commonality that can foster peaceful coexistence, particularly today, when it's needed most? 

Each year at the season of Passover, multitudes of millions of Jewish people from all over the world, as well as those who are not natively born to the Jewish faith and culture, all gather together around each of their local family tables to remember a very special festival that is called Passover in the Bible. Why do they do this? What does it all mean, and particularly, HOW is the Passover table service conducted? With today's episode of Real Israel Talk Radio (with an extended running time of one hour and 42 minutes),  I am going to present to you what I understand and appreciate about the Passover.  I will share with you my version of the biblical Haggadah or retelling of the Passover story. However, I will tell you the story from my point of view rather than from the culturally typical Jewish point of view. This means the readings and explanations that you will hear me speak about from my Haggadah will present according to a more non-traditional Jewish Seder. Essentially, my focus IS NOT designed to elevate the customary "fun" of the Passover with all of its typical table rituals, songs, and ceremonies that have come to shape the Jewish Passover of today. From my point of view, most of those rituals and ceremonies are merely SHADOWS of the True Passover as it relates to an unseen REALITY. My Passover Haggadah is designed to help us understand NOT WHAT the Passover is as a series of songs, prayers, and fun family time, but rather WHO the Passover is from a redemptive point of view. From my point of view, the Passover service is NOT a noun to elevate all the related ceremonies and table rituals of the event because I think this is a mistaken focus. As you will come to see from this program, the Passover is a verb designed to elevate an all-important Messianic redemption, which will point us to the solemn actions of the One called Yeshua, the Messiah. As I understand the event, the Passover, is about honoring the Messianic narratives of the New Covenant. Please, do come along for this journey into learning about the Passover from our presently-unseen Messianic Redeemer – One who WAS, who IS, and who IS TO COME.

Each year at the season of Passover, multitudes of millions of Jewish people from all over the world, as well as those who are not natively born to the Jewish faith and culture, all gather together around each of their local family tables to remember a very special festival that is called Passover in the Bible. Why do they do this? What does it all mean, and particularly, HOW is the Passover table service conducted?With today's episode of Real Israel Talk Radio (with an extended running time of one hour and 42 minutes),  I am going to present to you what I understand and appreciate about the Passover.  I will share with you my version of the biblical Haggadah or retelling of the Passover story. However, I will tell you the story from my point of view rather than from the culturally typical Jewish point of view. This means the readings and explanations that you will hear me speak about from my Haggadah will present according to a more non-traditional Jewish Seder. Essentially, my focus IS NOT designed to elevate the customary "fun" of the Passover with all of its typical table rituals, songs, and ceremonies that have come to shape the Jewish Passover of today. From my point of view, most of those rituals and ceremonies are merely SHADOWS of the True Passover as it relates to an unseen REALITY. My Passover Haggadah is designed to help us understand NOT WHAT the Passover is as a series of songs, prayers, and fun family time, but rather WHO the Passover is from a redemptive point of view.From my point of view, the Passover service is NOT a noun to elevate all the related ceremonies and table rituals of the event because I think this is a mistaken focus. As you will come to see from this program, the Passover is a verb designed to elevate an all-important Messianic redemption, which will point us to the solemn actions of the One called Yeshua, the Messiah. As I understand the event, the Passover, is about honoring the Messianic narratives of the New Covenant. Please, do come along for this journey into learning about the Passover from our presently-unseen Messianic Redeemer – One who WAS, who IS, and who IS TO COME.Support the show

3rd Sunday of Lent Sermon Passage: John 2:13-22Jesus Clears the Temple13 It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers' coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. 16 Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!”17 Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God's house will consume me.”18 But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”19 “All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”20 “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” 21 But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.

Opening Song: Resurrender (https://open.spotify.com/track/2Nwy0vZUuqx41doVX0oN8z?si=f1af69e6a2574ce9) by Brooke Ligertwood and Chris Davenport Lyrics: You're turning over tables And calling for return To our lives upon the altar The things we did at first You're clearing out the temple You're cleaning out the dirt For we are Your territory Lord we are Your Church We are Your people You are our God We are Your temple Make us holy like You are You see a holy nation A flock to consecrate A chosen generation A people called to pray So help us God to please You Where only You can see For every moment matters in eternity We are Your people You are our God We are Your temple Make us holy like You are We are Your children You've set us apart God for Your glory Make us holy like You are Mark Your people with Your presence Make us a place where You delight to dwell May we heed Your hand's correction Oh Lord our Shepherd You do all things well Your love as firm as it is tender Your law is perfect And Your judgments true As we run to resurrender You will restore what we return to You You are restoring as we yield anew If You're calling We're coming We're not walking We're running God we need resurrender So we resurrender So we resurrender Passage: 13 The Jewish Passover was near, and so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and he also found the money changers sitting there. 15 After making a whip out of cords, he drove everyone out of the temple with their sheep and oxen. He also poured out the money changers' coins and overturned the tables. 16 He told those who were selling doves,“Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace! ” 17 And his disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume me. 18 So the Jews replied to him, “What sign will you show us for doing these things? ” 19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” 20 Therefore the Jews said, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and will you raise it up in three days? ” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made. -- John 2:13-22 (CSB) Musical Reflection: Harp Meditation No. 3 by Gretchen Kirby Reflection Notes: This harp reflection features rich, full chords with a strong melody. The tension between major and minor chords reflects the challenges and triumphs of life. Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Preacher: Kathy Maskell Scripture: John 2 Jesus Changes Water Into Wine On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[b] 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his motherand brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. Jesus Clears the Temple Courts 13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover,Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[c] 18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.[d] 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

St Augustine famously said, that in the Old Testament, the New Testament is concealed. And in the New Testament, the meaning of the Old Testament is revealed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that, "All sacred Scripture is but one book, and this one book is Christ (CCC 134). We hear the St John the Baptist and other New Testament writers refer to Christ as the "Lamb of God." But what does this mean? St Paul refers to Christ as our new Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7). but again, what is the significance of this passage? What profound truth was the apostle, inspired by the Holy Spirit, desiring to reveal to us? In this episode we look at the Passover (when Israel was freed from Egyptian bondage) found in Exodus 12, and what it reveals to us about our reception of Christ in the Eucharist. "By celebrating the Last Supper with his apostles in the course of the Passover meal, Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning. Jesus' passing over to his father by his death and Resurrection, the new Passover, is anticipated in the Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist, which fulfills the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the Church in the glory of the kingdom" (CCC 1340). Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. (https://www.drawnear.me/) Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co (https://community.suscipe.co/share/M1CQceCQ6cMeBTIB?utm_source=manual) Click here (https://www.drawnear.me/donate) to become a supporter/patron or access the patron book study! "Like" and follow us on Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/fredandkara) You can even find us on Twitter. (https://twitter.com/fredandkara) Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page (https://www.drawnear.me/booking)." Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us! My Lord & My God Theme: Original Music © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell; Arranged and Performed by Paul Ching

Today we're wrapping up our three-part series, Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas, by looking at parallels between the circumstances of Jesus' birth and the ancient Jewish Passover tradition. Listen as Karen unpacks the significance that Jesus is the Lamb of God, and His life is the very best gift we can all receive this Christmas. Mentioned on today's show: Give to Birds on a Wire Moms to help us carry on our mission in 2024 Watch today's episode on YouTube Messianic Prophecies print out Scripture referenced: Exodus 12:3-27, John the Baptist declaring, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:29)

Message for 12/10/2023 "The Where of Revelation" by Justin McTeer. *All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted* Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 28:11-12 - At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. 12 As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. Daniel 7:13a - As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven Matthew 3:16-17 - After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” Matthew 6:10b - May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven John 2:13-16 - It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers' coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. 16 Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!” Revelation 12:3 - Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. Revelation 12:7-12 - Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. 10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth- the one who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.” Revelation 13:1-2 - Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. 2 This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority. Revelation 13:9-10 - Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. 10 Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword. This means that God's holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful. Revelation 13:11-12a - Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast Revelation 19:11 - Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. Revelation 19:19-20 - Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Revelation 20:10a - Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. Revelation 21:8 - “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 16:5b-7 - “You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments. 6 Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward.” 7 And I heard a voice from the altar, saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just.” Matthew 24:7-8 - Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. Revelation 21:1-7 - Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. Revelation 22:1-5 - Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. 3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. 4 And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever. Life is not indiscriminate bits and pieces, mingled treasure and rubble; It is coherent. - Eugene Peterson

In the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 14, verses 12-16, Jesus's earthly ministry was ending, and his arrest, trial and crucifixion loomed like a threatening dark cloud on the horizon.  He sends two of His disciples into the city and tells them to look for "a man carrying a waterpot.”  This man would lead them to the place where Jesus would observe the Jewish Passover with His disciples.  While performing a task that was usually done by women in this culture, this man is a timeless reminder that there is significance in insignificance.  Preaching during the 2023 Big Enough Conference at the Clay Street Missionary Baptist Church, Shelbyville, Kentucky, Dr. Stubblefield tells us why.      

My son used to sleep and drink and eat football - especially eat. You should have seen him after a game. He was a sophomore lineman, and he played with great intensity. John was one of his teammates. John was, let's say, a hard-living kid who had sampled a little bit of everything. And John knew that my son was a Jesus follower. Well, John came to him after the first week of football practice and he said, "Hey, Hutch! I thought you were a holy man!" My son said, "Well, yeah, what do you mean?" John said, "Well if you're a holy man, how come you hit so hard?" Well, right there he was speaking volumes about what our world thinks Christian manhood is all about and he was wrong. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Those Hard-Hitting Holy Men." Now, our word for today from the Word of God will come from John 2, and I'll begin reading at verse 13. It's a seldom seen view of Jesus. In fact, I've never seen a painting of Him like this. I remember what one young man from Harlem said a while back. He said, "You know, Jesus in those religious paintings, He doesn't look like He could last ten minutes in my neighborhood." Well, listen to the Jesus of John 2. "When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at the tables exchanging money. So He made a whip out of cords and drove them all from the temple area; both sheep and cattle. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves, He said, 'Get these out of here. How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!'" Woah! This is the hard-hitting Jesus; the Jesus we sometimes lose in those pictures of lowly Jesus meek and mild. Now, we don't have a physical description of Jesus, but we do know He was a carpenter before they invented power tools. And that took a lot of strength. We know He spent forty days in the wilderness fasting without food and He emerged strong. And we know that He physically expelled these crooks. He didn't just say, "Would you guys please leave?" Listen; when a man comes to Jesus, this is the Jesus he comes to. And He doesn't lose his manhood, he discovers it. See, I think a man is wired to give himself 110% to something he believes in-a cause he thinks is worth giving himself to. That's why he likes sports; something he can give himself totally to for a little while. Then the game's over or the season is over. Or he gives himself to his business career, to something. I mean, every cause is a letdown, it runs out. A man is still looking for that cause for which he was made. And when a man like Simon Peter, that rugged fisherman, encounters Christ, he says, "This is it. This is the cause I can give my manhood to." As a man, you're going to be incurably restless until you find the Lord that you were built to serve. When you find Him, you discover a better best and a greater intensity than you've ever experienced in your life, plus a new capacity for love, for sensitivity, for courage you never knew before. He exhibited all of those when He paid the ultimate price for you. The man Jesus died for, a man like you and a man like me, knowing our anger, knowing our lust, knowing our selfishness, and taking the price for all of that on Himself; paying the death penalty for your sin and mine. And this man, Jesus, now says, "Give your life to Me and I will make it what it was created to be." This could be the day of a new beginning for you, as you fall at the feet of Jesus, as those men that were His disciples did years ago and you say, "Jesus, I'm Yours." If you want to know more about how to begin a relationship with Him, then go to our website. It's ANewStory.com. Check it out! Listen to Jesus, the God-man, as He says to you, "Follow me." You'll find in His strength an intensity you were created to have in everything you do. And then, like your Master, you'll be one of those hard-hitting holy men.

As believers in Christ, we should be trying to sin less and less. What happens when Christians choose not to deal with sin in their lives? How does it affect not only them, but the church as a whole? Pastor Mat tackles this question and also looks at how the Jewish Passover celebration relates to the believer in Jesus Christ with respect to sin.

In John 11, the tables turn. The crucifixion awaits Jesus. Yet Jesus continues to do God's will and trust His sufficiency. No matter what you are going through, you can trust God's sufficiency, too. Join us for today's study of John 11:45-57. ***** Welcome to Walking in the Word, the Wednesday edition of the Women World Leaders podcast, where we take a few minutes each week to study the Bible together systematically. We offer three very different podcasts each week – so I hope you have your phone set to download ALL of them regularly. We all lead very busy lives, and I LOVE having these podcasts ready to listen to when I have a few minutes alone while driving or even washing the dishes. Besides this, the Wednesday edition, when we open and study God's Word together, on Mondays, Kimberly Hobbs hosts Empowering Lives with Purpose – a 30-minute interview with a different woman of faith. This podcast is meant to inspire you and empower you in your God-given walk. Sometimes, Kimberly interviews someone you might recognize, and other weeks, you will meet someone new. You can be sure that you will gain valuable insights as you listen EACH week. Then, on Fridays we have the joy of Celebrating God's Grace with one of our beautiful leaders. These women are gifted and talented and you won't want to miss a single episode. So download yourself a free gift of encouragement – and get in the habit of sitting in God's lap as He grows you 3 times every week! On this, our Wednesday edition of the Women World Leaders podcast, we are currently walking through the gospels chronologically. If you are new – don't worry – you can jump in right where we are, which, today, is John, chapter 11, verses 45-57 Before we begin, let's pray… Dear Most Holy God – Thank you for who you are and for who you made us to be. God, you formed each of us carefully on on purpose, and you KNEW we would each be listening to this today. You are sovereign, always in control, and your plans are perfect. Father, we give you this time, and ask you to open our hearts so that we will each hear exactly what you want us to know today. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen For the last few weeks, we have been studying the 11th chapter in John's gospel, which you might recognize as the resurrection of Lazarus. We've wondered with the disciples why Jesus didn't go immediately to the side of His dear friends Mary and Martha when they sent word that their brother Lazarus was deathly ill. We've observed in awe of both Mary and Martha's faith as they told Jesus with heartfelt agony that Lazarus would not have died had Jesus arrived sooner. We've related as Jesus comforted the sisters in their grief, even crying with them. We understood when Martha questioned Jesus as He told her to have the stone removed from the grave of her brother, who had been dead and decaying for four days. And, if we imagined realistically, we gasped in awe as we read about wrapped-up Lazarus hobbling out of the tomb and the onlookers obediently going to his side to help unwrap him. Today, we will finish the story as we pick up where we left off last week, John, chapter 11, verse 45 from the New Living Translation… 45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.  Remember, Martha was the do'er, the hostess, and it seems that Mary's giftings were more relational. So it isn't surprising that the Scripture records that many who were with MARY believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. Martha was as much a part of this scene as Mary was, but it seems as if God, in providing what each sister needed, had made certain that Mary had many people around her to carry her through this time. Our personalities are gifts from God. We can trust in the fact that He always knows what we need and will meet us where we are. So, MANY believed in Jesus as a result of this miracle. THAT we can imagine. But although everyone there clearly saw what happened, others had such hard hearts that they used what they saw as ammunition against Jesus. We have seen this before, but this time, the divisiveness of the people was a true turning point. Whether it was the enormity of the miracle, the location, or the timing that spurred the hatred and vitriole against Jesus that erupted, we do know for certain that God was in control. He always has been, He always will be, and He certainly was on this very day when the wheels were set in motion that would lead to Jesus' death on the cross. Verse 46 continues… 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council[a] together. This is where we see the escalation. Some who had witnessed Lazarus' resurreciton, instead of praising and thanking Jesus, went to the Pharisees to report what they had seen. The Pharisees knew the Mosaic law and were not shy about holding it up in a very extreme and overzealous fashion. So in response, they called for a meeting of the high council, the Sanhedrin – the supreme governing body—kind of like the supreme court here in the US. There were smaller sanhedrins at local Jewish centers, but, as they were near Jerusalem, this was the Supreme, or Great, Sanhedrin. This group managed the internal affairs of the nation, which was under the Romans at that time. The council was controlled by the chief priests—it was a family affair. This group banded together, intent on keeping the control they held. These were the elite, the bigwigs, the men who seemed to hold all the power, and weren't about to give it up. I feel compelled to offer an aside here. I feel like the Holy Spirit wants someone listening to know this. For all practical purposes, it looked to the world like these powerful men had the upper hand, and there was NOTHING anyone could do to stand against them. The days to come must have been so frightening for those standing with and for Jesus. And skimming through the story, we all know that they had every right to be frightened. They were seemingly powerless. Jesus WAS crucified. Maybe you are there right now. Maybe you feel like you are up against the world. Perhaps you have been fired despite years of giving your best. Perhaps a spouse has turned against you and even turned your children and your friends against you. Perhaps you feel stuck up against an economy that is rife with inflation and you are just trying to keep your head above water as you feed your children and purchase gas to get to work. Sometimes in life, it feels like all the cards are stacked against you. I'm sure Jesus' followers felt that way as the Sanhedrin, this Great Supreme Council, gathered and proceeded to march forward with their own agenda. But we CANNOT forget the end of the story. JESUS overcame. JESUS rose from the dead. JESUS won! And Jesus will win for you, too! Even as things may seem to be spiraling in your life, keep your eyes on the end of the story. You know it. Jesus wins. Jesus modeled this even as they were plotting against Him. I love Hebrews 12:1-2, which says…  let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a] Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. God's greatness will always win, but sometimes, we have to walk through the mud while keeping our eyes focused on the end goal. The Sanhedrin began to plot…verse 47 continues… “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple[b] and our nation.” 49 Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time,[c] said, “You don't know what you're talking about! 50 You don't realize that it's better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.” 51 He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. 52 And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world. Even as the Sanhedrin plotted, even as they thought they had the upper hand, even as Joseph Caiphas pronounced that it was better for Jesus to die, GOD was in control. We can see this clearly -because what those present at the Great Council were most concerned with, and what they thought they would thwart by killing Jesus, is exactly what came to be – despite their best efforts. They were afraid that their Temple and their nation would be destroyed. Which happened. The Temple was destroyed in the year 70 AD. And we also see God's control as Caiaphas prophesies that Jesus would indeed die, bringing together and uniting all the children of God that were scattered around the world. Caiphas, as he plotted Jesus' death, was prophesying that you and me would be united with God. How incredible is that? Verse 53 continues… 53 So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus' death. 54 As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples. Jesus did not allow those who were coming against Him to derail His mission. He simply pivoted and trusted God. When we are up against the world, we too, can pivot, trusting God control of the situation as we simply do what we are called to do. Verse 55… 55 It was now almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, and many people from all over the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the purification ceremony before Passover began. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, but as they stood around in the Temple, they said to each other, “What do you think? He won't come for Passover, will he?” 57 Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly ordered that anyone seeing Jesus must report it immediately so they could arrest him. They Sanhedrin were determined to win, and they were prepared to pull out all the stops to do so. The people were looking for Jesus. Meanwhile, Jesus was busy, teaching and leading His disciples. Just as He was called to do. Jesus trusted God even when the walls seemed to be caving in. So can we. Let's pray… Dear Most Holy God, We trust your control. Some days are good, and others seem really bad from our point of view, but we trust your control, wisdom, guidance, and direction. We know that you win. Thank you for the assurance that when we follow you, we will win, too. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.  

Welcome to Day 2155 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 22 – The Breaking Point – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 07/10/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 3 Authentication Of The Word – The Breaking Point Today we continue our series, the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, we saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the grave after he had been dead for four days. Jesus proclaimed in verses 25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Today our message will be in two related parts. First, we will read John 11:45-57, starting on page 1670 in the pew Bible. I am overlapping the last two verses from last week to tie in the context, then later in the message, we will cover John 12:1-11, so keep your Bibles open and follow along as I read. 45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” 49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. 55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn't he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him. Have you experienced or been confronted with a  “moment of truth”—that sweet and terrible instant when the truth about some particular unsavory or unethical matter in your life can no longer be denied, minimized, rationalized, or disguised? There it is, in all its stark, unforgiving glory, demanding a choice. You can continue to bury the truth and then live in manic, strained denial for the rest of your days, or you can submit to that truth and then

Welcome to Day 2137 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Gospel of John – 5 – Wine...Coins...and Signs – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 02/20/2022 The Gospel of John – Part 2 Presentation Of The Word – Wine…Coins…and Signs Today we continue our Good News series according to John the Apostle. This message begins with the miracles of Christ. Let's read John 2:1-25. Please follow along on Pages 1648-1649 in the Pew Bible. I would recommend keeping this passage open as we go throughout the message today: John 2:1-25 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that's not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.  Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.  (Major Break in Dialog) It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle,/ scattered the money changers' coins over the floor,/ and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!” Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God's house will consume me.” But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.” “All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days? But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had...

After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) —John 6:1-4, NLT

You probably know the outline of the Exodus story and its main characters: Moses, the Pharaoh, the burning bush, the plagues, the parting of the sea. And, in another realm of the power of story, the words “let my people go” and the arc of liberation from slavery have inspired people in crisis and catharsis across time and cultures. Call it “myth” if you will — as the Greek Statesman Solon said, myth is not something that never happened. It's something that happens over and over and over again. Avivah Zornberg walks us through the Exodus story that is relived in the Jewish Passover and resonates through Easter. She is a modern-day master of midrash — the ancient Jewish art of inquiry for discovering the deepest of meaning in and between the biblical lines. What can look simple on the surface, as she reveals, is a cargo of hidden stories that tell the messy, strange, redemptive truth of us as we are and life as it is. Krista and Avivah Zornberg had this lovely, intimate conversation in the early days of this show, in 2005.Avivah Zornberg is a scholar of the Torah and a modern-day master of midrash. She lives in Israel but grew up in Scotland, the daughter and granddaughter of East European rabbis. And before she taught the Bible, she taught English literature. She is the author of many books, including The Particulars of Rapture: Reflections on Exodus, The Beginning of Desire: Reflections on Genesis, Bewilderments: Reflections on the Book of Numbers, and most recently, The Hidden Order of Intimacy: Reflections on the Book of Leviticus.Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.This show originally aired in April, 2005.

You probably know the outline of the Exodus story and its main characters: Moses, the Pharaoh, the burning bush, the plagues, the parting of the sea. And, in another realm of the power of story, the words “let my people go” and the arc of liberation from slavery have inspired people in crisis and catharsis across time and cultures. Call it “myth” if you will — as the Greek Statesman Solon said, myth is not something that never happened. It's something that happens over and over and over again. Avivah Zornberg walks us through the Exodus story that is relived in the Jewish Passover and resonates through Easter. She is a modern-day master of midrash — the ancient Jewish art of inquiry for discovering the deepest of meaning in and between the biblical lines. What can look simple on the surface, as she reveals, is a cargo of hidden stories that tell the messy, strange, redemptive truth of us as we are and life as it is. Krista and Avivah Zornberg had this lovely, intimate conversation in the early days of this show, in 2005.Avivah Zornberg is a scholar of the Torah and a modern-day master of midrash. She lives in Israel but grew up in Scotland, the daughter and granddaughter of East European rabbis. And before she taught the Bible, she taught English literature. She is the author of many books, including The Particulars of Rapture: Reflections on Exodus, The Beginning of Desire: Reflections on Genesis, Bewilderments: Reflections on the Book of Numbers, and most recently, The Hidden Order of Intimacy: Reflections on the Book of Leviticus.This interview is edited and produced with music and other features in the On Being episode "Avivah Zornberg — Human Becoming, Between Biblical Lines." Find the transcript for that show at onbeing.org.This show originally aired in April, 2005.