Podcast appearances and mentions of John the Baptist

Proper 23 First Psalm: Psalms 20–21 Psalms 20–21 (Listen) Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 20   May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!    May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!2   May he send you help from the sanctuary    and give you support from Zion!3   May he remember all your offerings    and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah 4   May he grant you your heart's desire    and fulfill all your plans!5   May we shout for joy over your salvation,    and in the name of our God set up our banners!  May the LORD fulfill all your petitions! 6   Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;    he will answer him from his holy heaven    with the saving might of his right hand.7   Some trust in chariots and some in horses,    but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.8   They collapse and fall,    but we rise and stand upright. 9   O LORD, save the king!    May he answer us when we call. The King Rejoices in the Lord's Strength To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 21   O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,    and in your salvation how greatly he exults!2   You have given him his heart's desire    and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah3   For you meet him with rich blessings;    you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.4   He asked life of you; you gave it to him,    length of days forever and ever.5   His glory is great through your salvation;    splendor and majesty you bestow on him.6   For you make him most blessed forever;1    you make him glad with the joy of your presence.7   For the king trusts in the LORD,    and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved. 8   Your hand will find out all your enemies;    your right hand will find out those who hate you.9   You will make them as a blazing oven    when you appear.  The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,    and fire will consume them.10   You will destroy their descendants from the earth,    and their offspring from among the children of man.11   Though they plan evil against you,    though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.12   For you will put them to flight;    you will aim at their faces with your bows. 13   Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!    We will sing and praise your power. Footnotes [1] 21:6 Or make him a source of blessing forever (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 110; Psalms 116–117 Psalm 110 (Listen) Sit at My Right Hand A Psalm of David. 110   The LORD says to my Lord:    “Sit at my right hand,  until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2   The LORD sends forth from Zion    your mighty scepter.    Rule in the midst of your enemies!3   Your people will offer themselves freely    on the day of your power,1    in holy garments;2  from the womb of the morning,    the dew of your youth will be yours.34   The LORD has sworn    and will not change his mind,  “You are a priest forever    after the order of Melchizedek.” 5   The Lord is at your right hand;    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.6   He will execute judgment among the nations,    filling them with corpses;  he will shatter chiefs4    over the wide earth.7   He will drink from the brook by the way;    therefore he will lift up his head. Footnotes [1] 110:3 Or on the day you lead your forces [2] 110:3 Masoretic Text; some Hebrew manuscripts and Jerome on the holy mountains [3] 110:3 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 110:6 Or the head (ESV) Psalms 116–117 (Listen) I Love the Lord 116   I love the LORD, because he has heard    my voice and my pleas for mercy.2   Because he inclined his ear to me,    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.3   The snares of death encompassed me;    the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;    I suffered distress and anguish.4   Then I called on the name of the LORD:    “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” 5   Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;    our God is merciful.6   The LORD preserves the simple;    when I was brought low, he saved me.7   Return, O my soul, to your rest;    for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8   For you have delivered my soul from death,    my eyes from tears,    my feet from stumbling;9   I will walk before the LORD    in the land of the living. 10   I believed, even when1 I spoke:    “I am greatly afflicted”;11   I said in my alarm,    “All mankind are liars.” 12   What shall I render to the LORD    for all his benefits to me?13   I will lift up the cup of salvation    and call on the name of the LORD,14   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people. 15   Precious in the sight of the LORD    is the death of his saints.16   O LORD, I am your servant;    I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.    You have loosed my bonds.17   I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving    and call on the name of the LORD.18   I will pay my vows to the LORD    in the presence of all his people,19   in the courts of the house of the LORD,    in your midst, O Jerusalem.  Praise the LORD! The Lord's Faithfulness Endures Forever 117   Praise the LORD, all nations!    Extol him, all peoples!2   For great is his steadfast love toward us,    and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.  Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 116:10 Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore (ESV) Old Testament: 2 Kings 25:8–12; 2 Kings 25:22–26 2 Kings 25:8–12 (Listen) 8 In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 And he burned the house of the LORD and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 10 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile. 12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. (ESV) 2 Kings 25:22–26 (Listen) Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah 22 And over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, governor. 23 Now when all the captains and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite. 24 And Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid because of the Chaldean officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.” 25 But in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down Gedaliah and put him to death along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans. (ESV) New Testament: 1 Corinthians 15:12–29 1 Corinthians 15:12–29 (Listen) The Resurrection of the Dead 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope1 in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God2 has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Footnotes [1] 15:19 Or we have hoped [2] 15:27 Greek he (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 11:7–15 Matthew 11:7–15 (Listen) 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man1 dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet?2 Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,   “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,    who will prepare your way before you.' 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,3 and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear,4 let him hear. Footnotes [1] 11:8 Or Why then did you go out? To see a man . . . [2] 11:9 Some manuscripts Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? [3] 11:12 Or has been coming violently [4] 11:15 Some manuscripts omit to hear (ESV)

Proper 23 First Psalm: Psalms 16–17 Psalms 16–17 (Listen) You Will Not Abandon My Soul A Miktam1 of David. 16   Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.2   I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;    I have no good apart from you.” 3   As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,    in whom is all my delight.2 4   The sorrows of those who run after3 another god shall multiply;    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out    or take their names on my lips. 5   The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;    you hold my lot.6   The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 7   I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;    in the night also my heart instructs me.48   I have set the LORD always before me;    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9   Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being5 rejoices;    my flesh also dwells secure.10   For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,    or let your holy one see corruption.6 11   You make known to me the path of life;    in your presence there is fullness of joy;    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. In the Shadow of Your Wings A Prayer of David. 17   Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry!    Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!2   From your presence let my vindication come!    Let your eyes behold the right! 3   You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night,    you have tested me, and you will find nothing;    I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.4   With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips    I have avoided the ways of the violent.5   My steps have held fast to your paths;    my feet have not slipped. 6   I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;    incline your ear to me; hear my words.7   Wondrously show7 your steadfast love,    O Savior of those who seek refuge    from their adversaries at your right hand. 8   Keep me as the apple of your eye;    hide me in the shadow of your wings,9   from the wicked who do me violence,    my deadly enemies who surround me. 10   They close their hearts to pity;    with their mouths they speak arrogantly.11   They have now surrounded our steps;    they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.12   He is like a lion eager to tear,    as a young lion lurking in ambush. 13   Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him!    Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,14   from men by your hand, O LORD,    from men of the world whose portion is in this life.8  You fill their womb with treasure;9    they are satisfied with children,    and they leave their abundance to their infants. 15   As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;    when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. Footnotes [1] 16:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term [2] 16:3 Or To the saints in the land, the excellent in whom is all my delight, I say: [3] 16:4 Or who acquire [4] 16:7 Hebrew my kidneys instruct me [5] 16:9 Hebrew my glory [6] 16:10 Or see the pit [7] 17:7 Or Distinguish me by [8] 17:14 Or from men whose portion in life is of the world [9] 17:14 Or As for your treasured ones, you fill their womb (ESV) Second Psalm: Psalm 22 Psalm 22 (Listen) Why Have You Forsaken Me? To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David. 22   My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?2   O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,    and by night, but I find no rest. 3   Yet you are holy,    enthroned on the praises1 of Israel.4   In you our fathers trusted;    they trusted, and you delivered them.5   To you they cried and were rescued;    in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6   But I am a worm and not a man,    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.7   All who see me mock me;    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;8   “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him;    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 9   Yet you are he who took me from the womb;    you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.10   On you was I cast from my birth,    and from my mother's womb you have been my God.11   Be not far from me,    for trouble is near,    and there is none to help. 12   Many bulls encompass me;    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;13   they open wide their mouths at me,    like a ravening and roaring lion. 14   I am poured out like water,    and all my bones are out of joint;  my heart is like wax;    it is melted within my breast;15   my strength is dried up like a potsherd,    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;    you lay me in the dust of death. 16   For dogs encompass me;    a company of evildoers encircles me;  they have pierced my hands and feet2—17   I can count all my bones—  they stare and gloat over me;18   they divide my garments among them,    and for my clothing they cast lots. 19   But you, O LORD, do not be far off!    O you my help, come quickly to my aid!20   Deliver my soul from the sword,    my precious life from the power of the dog!21     Save me from the mouth of the lion!  You have rescued3 me from the horns of the wild oxen! 22   I will tell of your name to my brothers;    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:23   You who fear the LORD, praise him!    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,    and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!24   For he has not despised or abhorred    the affliction of the afflicted,  and he has not hidden his face from him,    but has heard, when he cried to him. 25   From you comes my praise in the great congregation;    my vows I will perform before those who fear him.26   The afflicted4 shall eat and be satisfied;    those who seek him shall praise the LORD!    May your hearts live forever! 27   All the ends of the earth shall remember    and turn to the LORD,  and all the families of the nations    shall worship before you.28   For kingship belongs to the LORD,    and he rules over the nations. 29   All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,    even the one who could not keep himself alive.30   Posterity shall serve him;    it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;31   they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,    that he has done it. Footnotes [1] 22:3 Or dwelling in the praises [2] 22:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts like a lion [they are at] my hands and feet [3] 22:21 Hebrew answered [4] 22:26 Or The meek (ESV) Old Testament: Jeremiah 38:14–28 Jeremiah 38:14–28 (Listen) Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah Again 14 King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the LORD. The king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you a question; hide nothing from me.” 15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.” 16 Then King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As the LORD lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life.” 17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. 18 But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.” 19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me.” 20 Jeremiah said, “You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the LORD in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the LORD has shown to me: 22 Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and were saying,   “‘Your trusted friends have deceived you    and prevailed against you;  now that your feet are sunk in the mud,    they turn away from you.' 23 All your wives and your sons shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burned with fire.” 24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no one know of these words, and you shall not die. 25 If the officials hear that I have spoken with you and come to you and say to you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; hide nothing from us and we will not put you to death,' 26 then you shall say to them, ‘I made a humble plea to the king that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.'” 27 Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he answered them as the king had instructed him. So they stopped speaking with him, for the conversation had not been overheard. 28 And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken. (ESV) New Testament: 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 (Listen) The Resurrection of Christ 15 Now I would remind you, brothers,1 of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. Footnotes [1] 15:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 31, 50, 58 (ESV) Gospel: Matthew 11:1–6 Matthew 11:1–6 (Listen) Messengers from John the Baptist 11 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers1 are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” Footnotes [1] 11:5 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13 (ESV)

Psalm 109. John the Baptist preparing the way. My reflections are searchable by Bible chapter here: https://audio.alastairadversaria.com/explore/. If you are interested in supporting this project, please consider supporting my work on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/zugzwanged), using my PayPal account (https://bit.ly/2RLaUcB), or buying books for my research on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/36WVSWCK4X33O?ref_=wl_share). You can also listen to the audio of these episodes on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/alastairs-adversaria/id1416351035?mt=2.

John the Baptist was a powerful prophet, but even he had a moment of doubt. On today’s program, Charles Morris takes a closer look at who John was and how he met Jesus.

Join us for a message from Pastor Jason on October 10, 2021. Pastor Jason preaches from Matthew 11:9-15.  He looks at the story of John the Baptist and a message of encouragement.  For more information about our church visit us on our website or our Facebook pageWebsite: http://revivalcenterag.comFacebook: http://facebook.com/revivalcenterag

Episode 426 - Show NotesWhat an interesting statement! He announces Jesus as the lamb of God, that in itself was strange, but he goes on to make this bold claim: he is the one who takes away the sin of the world.  John, of course, was prophesying Jesus' death on our behalf that would come three years later.To understand John's announcement of Jesus we have to go back to the Old Testament, in fact, we need to go all the way back to the Book of Genesis. In chapter three we see that when Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to cover their sin themselves by sewing leaves together to wear.  But God had to kill an animal Himself and shed its blood in order to provide an acceptable covering for Adam and Eve.  This led to the sacrificial system throughout the Old Testament by which the wrath of God against sin could be satisfied. Each year, Israelites sacrificed a lamb as payment for their sins. The sacrifice did not completely forgive and remove their sins, but it did push it forward one year. Hebrews 10:4 says, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”The Old Testament sacrificial system was one of always looking forward. The people lived with anticipation of a Messiah. They lived in anticipation of complete forgiveness of their sins by God.And then came the day when John the Baptist announces Jesus as the lamb of God. He is boldly saying, “Everyone, this is what we have been waiting for. Our salvation has finally come.”'On the cross, John's words come to prove to be true. Jesus, the sinless lamb of God, would be slain. He would become our sacrifice. He would be our substitute. Jesus would die in our place. The justice of a righteous and holy God would be satisfied. Sin would be accounted for. The payment had been paid.John 1:29 - “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”1 John 2:2 says, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”Revelation 5:9 says, “By your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”5Minute Discipleship.com

Oratorian brother and visual artist Joshua Vargas joins Thomas and James to discuss Season 2 of The Chosen. The series continues to set a high imaginative standard in its portrayal of the Twelve Apostles, each of whom has a distinctive personality and several of whom have beautifully fleshed-out backstories (the calling of Nathanael being one of the standout episodes of this season). Jonathan Roumie continues to shine in his performance as Jesus, and we also find the filmmakers stretching their cinematic chops and experimenting with various methods of storytelling. The Protestant-written show also ventured into more problematic theological territory this season, so a review would be incomplete without an evaluation of its controversial treatment of the Virgin Mary and of Jesus' human knowledge. While falling short of a Catholic view, these allow for some nuance; but the portrayal of John the Baptist is purely disappointing. Watch discussion on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iREGf8C6_tM Links The Chosen, Season 1 discussion https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/chosen-education-in-meditation/ Thomas's interview with Jonathan Roumie on the Catholic Culture Podcast https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-76-playing-jesus-on-chosen-jonathan-roumie/ Buy Brother Joshua's work on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtbyJoshuaVargas Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com/ This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

We come now to the final section of John's opening prologue. In verse 15 we hear part of John the Baptist's testimony to Jesus. He simply testifies to the surpassing greatness of Jesus and hints that there was a time when Jesus was with the Father in the beginning.

Sunday was message 2 in a new series Jesus People. We are in Matthew 9 and the message is called “My Spiritual Priority. Learn to make Jesus a priority in your life.

God sent John the Baptist to give testimony about Jesus so that everyone would hear and believe. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

God sent John the Baptist to give testimony about Jesus so that everyone would hear and believe. (Pastor Gene Pensiero)

Jesus asks, "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'" I. Jesus poses a question. II. Tells a parable. III. Provides an explanation. IV. And concludes with a proverb. 

Mark 6:14-29 and Romans 8:31-39

New tour guides, who finished the tour guide program at the Bethlehem Bible College with me this summer, organized a day trip to Nablus and Sebastia. There were about 35 Palestinians on the bus that took off from Beit Sahour early in the morning. After 2,5 hours we reached the Jacob's well church in Nablus. This church is a very recent building that was built on the location where several churches were built around a water well that is said to be the well that Jacob dug on the land of Shechem. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham who came from Mesopotamia and is considered the founding father of all three monotheistic religions. In this podcast episode you can learn more about the relevance of this water well also in the New Testament of the Bible when Jesus met a Samaritan woman at this well with whom he had a very important conversation about the location of the Temple. Samaritans believed that they should pray to God in the Temple on Mount Gerizim while the Jews prayed in the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus reveals to her his true nature and tells her that the time has come when the location of prayer is not relevant anymore. The woman goes to her village and tells everyone about Jesus. She is considered the first female evangelist.After our visit to the Jacob's well church you can hear more about the archaeological site of Sebastia, a city that was established in the Roman time under emperor Vespasian. We visit the ruins of the forum and basilica, the theater and the Hellenistic tower. Up on the hill are the stairs that used to lead to the Temple for Augustus and behind it a big structure that is often indicated as an iron age palace for the Israelite kings Omri and Ahab, but some archaeologists date the site to later times. And the Byzantine church ruins are also interesting as they give access to a crypt where John the Baptist is said to have been buried, his body that is, after he was beheaded by Herod Antipas. You can hear all about these historical sites in this podcast episodes. With thanks to Ibrahim Khair, Elias Khair, Nayif Gharib, Waffa Sabat and Saleem Anfous.If you want to sign up for the mailinglist, connect on social media or contribute to the podcast you can use the following link: https://podspout.app/storiesfrompalestine

Scripture For Today:Psalm 69:13“But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.”Liar, Hypocrite or Believer pt 5We've been studying the topic of whether you are a “Liar, Hypocrite or a Believer.” This is a very serious topic that a lot of Christian feel uncomfortable talking about. Yesterday, we learned that we can use the Name of Jesus to bind the devil that is trying to hinder us in our prayer life. Unlike Daniel, we do not have to pray for 21 days straight to get our answer to prayers.  Remember, I don't  have time in this type of format to read all of the following scripture verses for you. You can write them down and go look them up yourselves. In the time we have together, I'll just highlight what the Word is saying. Amen! In Ezekiel 18, verses 11-12, we see an evil spirit had convinced this king that he was a god….which is why Ezekiel called him a “prince” which was a derogatory term meaning he was subject to the evil spirit which was empowering him. In Ezekiel 8:2, it says, “the Glory of the Lord” – in the book of Romans it says the Glory of the Lord raised Jesus from the dead!  We don't have time today to track this phrase through the whole Bible…but it would be a good study for you to do so…you will learn a whole lot….amen…but this is good…this is what keeps  you strong in the Lord when you listen to broadcasts like this or tapes and cd's which discuss things like this…amen! Acts 2:1-3 talks about the day of Pentecost…Flames like fire…Malachi talks about the Glory of the Lord from the loins down and the loins up…the GLORY of the Lord is like being covered in flames!  Not these cute little Sunday school pictures of little “click your bic” lighter flames floating around and then sitting on top of the disciples heads and creating a little halo…NO. When the Glory of the Lord came into that room….it fully enveloped each person there with what looked like FLAMES OF FIRE!  Amen!  The Bible describes it as “sitting” on each person…what was happening…as the flames surrounded each person and then ENTERED each person…it appeared to “sit” on them as it went into the bosom of each person there!  John the Baptist said that when the Messiah would come...he would be baptizing with the Holy Ghost and FIRE!  Amen!  The Holy Ghost HIMSELF showed up that day in the upper room…and INTRODUCED HIMSELF to the disciples! Jesus said he was going to SEND the comforter to them….this was Him showing up and saying “howdy do!”  amen!   Now you know why Jesus told them to go to Jerusalem and WAIT for the Holy Ghost…He was going to make a Physical Manifestation of Himself as a form of introduction to the disciples…and those that obeyed and waited got to see something the most of us never get to see….but when we do (and some have seen manifestations of the Holy Ghost at work…I don't have time left to get into that…)…but He Showed UP that day!  Amen! You are a BELIEVER and not a DOUBTER…you have the Holy Ghost living INSIDE of you right now…Jesus said when you got born again…HE and the Father would make their abode in you….so that means you have the Trinity INSIDE OF YOU now!  Amen! So take your Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and USE IT…USE the weapons which God has given you…BIND the devil with the Word of God and then thrust him through with the Sword!  Hit him with some scriptures pertaining to your situation…amen!  Let him have it!  Amen!  Then, get in agreement with your wife or your husband or another believer...and take communion over it! SEAL THE DEAL with a Prayer and the Word of God and you can have what you say! Let's Pray! Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for...

Chelsea and Ryan talk about John the Baptist's death, Jesus feeding the 5,000, and walking on water.

Matthew 15–17 Matthew 15–17 (Listen) Traditions and Commandments 15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,' and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”1 6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word2 of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 8   “‘This people honors me with their lips,    but their heart is far from me;9   in vain do they worship me,    teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'” What Defiles a Person 10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides.3 And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?4 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” The Faith of a Canaanite Woman 21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.5 Jesus Heals Many 29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand 32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. The Pharisees and Sadducees Demand Signs 16 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them,6 “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed. The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees 5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock7 I will build my church, and the gates of hell8 shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed9 in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord!10 This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance11 to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life12 will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” The Transfiguration 17 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son,13 with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon 14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon,14 and it15 came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.16 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”17 Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection 22 As they were gathering18 in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed. The Temple Tax 24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel.19 Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” Footnotes [1] 15:5 Or is an offering [2] 15:6 Some manuscripts law [3] 15:14 Some manuscripts add of the blind [4] 15:17 Greek is expelled into the latrine [5] 15:28 Greek from that hour [6] 16:2 Some manuscripts omit the following words to the end of verse 3 [7] 16:18 The Greek words for Peter and rock sound similar [8] 16:18 Greek the gates of Hades [9] 16:19 Or shall have been bound . . . shall have been loosed [10] 16:22 Or “[May God be] merciful to you, Lord!” [11] 16:23 Greek stumbling block [12] 16:25 The same Greek word can mean either soul or life, depending on the context; twice in this verse and twice in verse 26 [13] 17:5 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved [14] 17:18 Greek it [15] 17:18 Greek the demon [16] 17:18 Greek from that hour [17] 17:20 Some manuscripts insert verse 21: But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting [18] 17:22 Some manuscripts remained [19] 17:27 Greek stater, a silver coin worth four drachmas or approximately one shekel (ESV)

The Gospel of Mark- Mark's gospel cuts right to the chase. Unlike Matthew and Luke, who begin their gospels with the birth of Jesus, Mark begins by showing how John the Baptist was called to pave the way for Jesus and His public ministry.

We learn later in Matthew's gospel that John the Baptist was imprisoned because he had been telling Herod the tetrarch that it was unlawful to have his brother's wife. Herod wanted to kill him, but kept him in prison because he was afraid of the crowds. John the Baptist was a faithful prophet and forerunner to Christ, but he was still just a man who didn't have all of the answers. Today, he asks if Jesus is the one who is to come, or if there is someone else. Christ's response is to point to the signs and wonders he is performing while validating John's ministry. By contrast, Jesus condemns his critics as well as those towns that did not repent after he performed miracles within them.:::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Aaron Colyer and the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Matthew 13–14 Matthew 13–14 (Listen) The Parable of the Sower 13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears,1 let him hear.” The Purpose of the Parables 10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:   “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,    and you will indeed see but never perceive.”15   For this people's heart has grown dull,    and with their ears they can barely hear,    and their eyes they have closed,  lest they should see with their eyes    and hear with their ears  and understand with their heart    and turn, and I would heal them.' 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. The Parable of the Sower Explained 18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.2 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” The Parable of the Weeds 24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds3 among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants4 of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”'” The Mustard Seed and the Leaven 31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” Prophecy and Parables 34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:5   “I will open my mouth in parables;    I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” The Parable of the Weeds Explained 36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. The Parable of the Net 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. New and Old Treasures 51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” Jesus Rejected at Nazareth 53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. The Death of John the Baptist 14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,6 4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. 6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, 7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Jesus Walks on the Water 22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way7 from the land,8 beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night9 he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind,10 he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret 34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. Footnotes [1] 13:9 Some manuscripts add here and in verse 43 to hear [2] 13:21 Or stumbles [3] 13:25 Probably darnel, a wheat-like weed [4] 13:27 Or bondservants; also verse 28 [5] 13:35 Some manuscripts Isaiah the prophet [6] 14:3 Some manuscripts his brother's wife [7] 14:24 Greek many stadia, a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters [8] 14:24 Some manuscripts was out on the sea [9] 14:25 That is, between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. [10] 14:30 Some manuscripts strong wind (ESV)

We can be like John the Baptist today! We explain in today's podcast.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philipians 2:5-11) 26 Moses, when he turned aside, looked at the bush, God was going to send him, but before Moses knew, he said, “Show me Your glory.” You know, sometimes when God does things, He does it in such a funny way, an odd way, peculiar way to the people of this world, it seems foolish to the carnal mind. How that God does things so—so simple, it just confuses the carnal mind. For instance, the virgin birth, and many things that's yet got the carnal mind all broke up. They don't know what to think about it. But God does it. Just like when John the Baptist came. Why, the Scripture said, when the inauguration of Jesus down there, at the river that day, that the… “All the high places would be made low and the low places brought high. And the—the leaves all clapped their hands, and the mountains skipped like little lambs.” Just think of it. And what was it? An old woodsman type of a preacher, with the beard out over his face, like a fuzzy worm, and a big piece of sheepskin wrapped around him, standing on the muddy banks of Jordan, preaching repentance. Amen. (No fine, dressed lace, silks, and satins and whatever it was.) 27 And there's where God spoke from the heaven, and he saw the Spirit of God coming like a dove, falling upon a Man Who'd been born in a manger. See, what the world call great, God calls foolish. And what the world calls foolish, God calls great. That's right. So don't mind to be called foolish. 'Cause remember. You can't have the mind of Christ and the mind of the world at the same time. You can't be in your way and God's way at the same time. You have to get out of your own way to let God have His way. That's the only way you're ever going to do anything. You got to get away from your own thoughts, your own reasons. Don't try to reason; just believe. 28 What if Mary tried to reason about the new birth, or, not the new birth, but the virgin birth. Pardon me. What if she tried to say, “Now, wait a minute. Now, look. I don't know no man. There's never been anyone like that. How would I ever have a child? Oh, you can't tell me that.” She never waited for anything. She just took God at His Word and started thanking God for the baby. Before she felt any life, before she felt anything, before one sign was given to her, she just took the Angel's Word and went rejoicing and praising God, telling everybody she was going to have a baby, knowing no man. God give us some more Marys around Phoenix here, that can take God at His Word and start rejoicing before anything happens. That's what you need. That's all. For she was overshadowed by the Holy Ghost. And when the Holy Ghost truly overshadows a person, they take God at His Word. That settles it, what the Holy Ghost said. 54-0303 - "Witnesses" Rev. William Marrion Branham ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Order your own copy of the Family Altar at http://store.bibleway.org Appreciate what we do? Consider supporting us: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds/support --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ten-thousand-worlds/support

Matthew 11–12 Matthew 11–12 (Listen) Messengers from John the Baptist 11 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers1 are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man2 dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet?3 Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,   “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,    who will prepare your way before you.' 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,4 and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear,5 let him hear. 16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17   “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;    we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”6 Woe to Unrepentant Cities 20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest 25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.7 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath 12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” A Man with a Withered Hand 9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. God's Chosen Servant 15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: 18   “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,    my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.  I will put my Spirit upon him,    and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.19   He will not quarrel or cry aloud,    nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;20   a bruised reed he will not break,    and a smoldering wick he will not quench,  until he brings justice to victory;21     and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit 22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” The Sign of Jonah 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. Return of an Unclean Spirit 43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” Jesus' Mother and Brothers 46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers8 stood outside, asking to speak to him.9 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Footnotes [1] 11:5 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13 [2] 11:8 Or Why then did you go out? To see a man . . . [3] 11:9 Some manuscripts Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? [4] 11:12 Or has been coming violently [5] 11:15 Some manuscripts omit to hear [6] 11:19 Some manuscripts children (compare Luke 7:35) [7] 11:26 Or for so it pleased you well [8] 12:46 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 48, 49 [9] 12:46 Some manuscripts insert verse 47: Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you” (ESV)

Download John 1-2 We are in the Christ Stream reading from the Good News Translation. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis Thank you Lord Jesus for becoming flesh, for living among us, for touching our hearts, for your Cross, for saving us, for loving us... For you.  We are grateful.  Amen. We began the book of John today.  It is the first of John's five books we find in Scripture; John, I Jo., II Jo., III Jo., Revelation. John's gospel is comprised of incidents and teaching that is over 90% unique to John; found only in John, whereas Mt,Mk,Lk are much more similar to eachother  John was closest to Jesus. It was John who was told by Jesus from the Cross to "look after mother." [Mary]. Peter was regularly jousting with John and James for prominence among the disciples. John sat next to Jesus at the Last Supper and leaned upon Jesus. He seemed to know most clearly that 'this was it.'  Back in Galilee, Jesus told Peter in a clear insinuation that Peter would also be executed years from now. Peter immediately refers to John and asks, "what about him...?!"  The other Disciples had to sense that Jesus was closest in heart to John.  One writer wrote, "The Intimate Gospel: Studies in John" in 1978. It is a perfect title for commenting upon one of the most amazing books ever written. 1 - John opens by equating Jesus as "The Eternal Word."  The Truth is that God is God, and what God has said is also God. His Word IS Him. All people can look back on things spoken in the past and blush, "oh heavens, did I say that?" We compare our words now with what we said or believed years ago during school days, or earlier school days and muse, "what on earth was I thinking?" Well we weren't thinking clearly, nor completely. We never totally are prior to meeting Christ Jesus (I John 3:2). After we see Him, we shall be like Him. What Jesus is and says is God. Not so with us, however. God's Word is eternally true, and eternally God.  God's Word is Jesus.  This Word; Jesus came to earth and dwelt among us. The only way we ever find out the eternal truth about God is to dwell with Him. Therefore He came to dwell with us. Jesus is God's grace and truth and therefore He's the one way that we find grace and truth. This news of God's arrival on earth was so vital that it warranted a messenger to go ahead of and announce his entry. This was John the Baptist. In case anyone missed it, Jn./Bpt is a different John than the John who wrote the Book of John. Jesus and John/Baptist meet publicly and Jesus is baptized by John to demonstrate that we are to be baptized also; to put this world and this life away in burial and arise anew in the Holy Spirit to live for our Eternal Savior.  Jesus then calls the first Disciples.  He calls us too, btw! 2 - Jesus walks into a wedding situation and performs his first miracle by turning water into wine. It was not just any wine but the finest of the finest of fine wine. The value of what Jesus made that day was in the realm of $2.5Million in wine if it were to be purchased and served today. This is similar to when Jesus fed the 5,000 and the 4.000.  The farmer's work turns a bag of seed into tons of food every summer. Then there is the miller, then the baker and "voila" there is bread on the table for us to eat.  All this 6-month long process happens in moments in Jesus' hand. How? Jo.1:3 "Through Him all things are made." So the process of winemaking requires years...normally. Jesus' hands can make it happen in moments. And He did. And it was such an excellent product that it made the satiated guests marvel over the flavor and quality. The disciples picked up on who did it but not the wedding guests. Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover three years before He Himself would be the Passover Lamb and cleaned out the Temple area from being a market place. He was angry that God and prayer time with God was being sold to the highest bid that anyone could afford. The distinction here is that Jesus refers to them making the Temple of marketplace.  When He clears the Temple area the week before the Resurrection, He calls what they are doing as making the Temple a "Den of Robbers."   And the reading today ends with a clear reference that Jesus understood human nature. And indeed He did. That is why He came to redeem - for we needed redemption.

Pr. Tom Baker of Law and Gospel Enduring Faith Law and Gospel with Tom Baker

Be not weary in well-doing, for if you don't quit, you will get what you asked for. Of course, that is my rendition of a great scripture that encourages us not to stop praying because we will receive our reward if we continue. How many have given up just before God was going to answer their prayers? The mother of Samuel continues to cry out to God. She said I'd die if I didn't have a son. The mother of John the Baptist cried out all of her life until she was an old lady, and God answered her prayer. So quit trying to figure God out; just believe that he will hear your prayer and bring it to you at the right time in the right place with the right results. Hey, could it be a matter of trust? YOU CAN GIVE HERE=http://www.georgewatkinsministries.com/help-us.html WEBSITE= http://www.georgewatkinsministries.com/home-page.html FACEBOOK=https://www.facebook.com/FaithProducerstv/ Faith Producers address: PO Bx 1006 Mt Vernon, WA 98273 FAITHPRODUCERS INTERNATIONAL PODCAST https://faithproducers.podbean.com/

Episode 808 | Adriel Sanchez and Bill Maier answer caller questions. Show Notes CoreChristianity.com Questions in this Episode 1. What does Revelation 5:6 mean? 2. What is true faith, how do you know if you are a fan or a follower of Jesus? 3. In Matthew 14, what is the significance John the Baptist and his interaction with Herod? 4. How should we pray and minister to those who are near death? 5. Do Christians help to usher in Christ's return? Today's Offer 9 FAQs About Angels and Demons Request our latest special offers here or call 1-833-THE-CORE (833-843-2673) to request them by phone. Want to partner with us in our work here at Core Christianity? Consider becoming a member of the Inner Core. Resources Revelation Bible Study Core Question – How Does Jesus Work Today? Core Question – How Does the Church Relate to the Government?

s5e4 Mark 1:14-20John the Baptist is arrested, Jesus begins his ministry and He calls the first disciplesSOMAScripture - Read and Re-read Mark 1:14-20 (read a section or 2 after this reading as well to understand context a little bit)Observations/Questions - Here are some of our observations and questions we had concerning this text:John the Baptist and Jesus preaching at the same time? Was there a difference in their messages to the Jewish people? Why did John baptize? What did Jesus mean by the time is fulfilled in verse 15?What was significant about repent and believe the gospel to the Jew at the time prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus?Mark seems to take us quickly through the meeting of Jesus with the fishermen - did they possibly know each other already?Fishers of men? What? When? Who?Hired servants? Did these fishermen have a good moneymaking business?Meaning - major takeaways we have gained from this text (not exclusive - just our notes)John the Baptist - Mark emphasizes who Jesus is by showing us John. John's life summarizes the priorities of Jesus.Jesus IS the Good NewsJesus has authority - He is worth following Application - what does this text mean FOR me not necessarily TO meBelieve in the good news!Come after me - not as equals, discipleship for the sake of others - He is worth everything!Group Questions:What do you think was the major attraction for these fishermen to follow Jesus so quickly?What would be the hardest thing for you to leave behind if called?What does Discipleship for the Sake of Others mean? What accomplishment can you look at in life and say it was definitely worth all of the sacrifice? What does Jesus mean to you? What areas in your life need surrendered? What does it mean to be a fisher of men? Describe, compare the lives of the disciples to our lives today...Listen to NH podcasts on www.newhopechurch.cc/listenCheck out Simple Spiritual Practices with Lindsay SterchiThe ALL New Hope Underground Podcast will be kicking off in 2022! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ryan, Chelsea, and Dustin talk about John the Baptist's doubt while in prison, the Roman officer's faith, and the sinful woman who anointed Jesus.

Beheading Of John The Baptist Sunday August 29th 2021 by Duchovny Dom Monastery

Who is John the Baptist, why did he come, and how does he help us understand Jesus? I. John is the prophet whom Jesus defends, vv7-9. II. John is the forerunner who prepares us for Jesus, vv9-10. III. John is ranked greatest but we're greater than him, v11. IV. John is the End of the Prophets and Law, vv12-13 . V. John is the Elijah who is to come, vv14-15

In Matthew 11, while in prison, John the Baptist send his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another?” The one who had sacrificed so much and prepared the way for the unveiling of the Messiah, now sat in prison questioning whether or not he made the right decisions. John was offended at Jesus because of unmet expectations that caused Him to be blind to the activity of Jesus in his day. When things do not go the way we wanted or expected, what should our heart response be towards Jesus?

The narrative of John's Gospel continues as we get introduced to some of the men who would become Jesus' disciples – Andrew, Simon (called Peter), Philip, and Nathanael (called Bartholomew). From the John the Baptist's identification that Jesus is “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” there began a string of people who followed Jesus, told others about Jesus, and brought others to see Jesus for themselves. This pattern has continued now for thousands of years. We will see what it means to follow Jesus and look into why anyone would do it.

Matthew 3–4 Matthew 3–4 (Listen) John the Baptist Prepares the Way 3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”1 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,   “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  ‘Prepare2 the way of the Lord;    make his paths straight.'” 4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” The Baptism of Jesus 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him,3 and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son,4 with whom I am well pleased.” The Temptation of Jesus 4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,   “‘Man shall not live by bread alone,    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,   “‘He will command his angels concerning you,' and   “‘On their hands they will bear you up,    lest you strike your foot against a stone.'” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,   “‘You shall worship the Lord your God    and him only shall you serve.'” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. Jesus Begins His Ministry 12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15   “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,    the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—16   the people dwelling in darkness    have seen a great light,  and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,    on them a light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”5 Jesus Calls the First Disciples 18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”6 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds 23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. Footnotes [1] 3:2 Or the kingdom of heaven has come near [2] 3:3 Or crying: Prepare in the wilderness [3] 3:16 Some manuscripts omit to him [4] 3:17 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved [5] 4:17 Or the kingdom of heaven has come near [6] 4:19 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women (ESV)

An audio recording of chapter 41 of James E. Talmage's classic work, Jesus the Christ. Read by Bradley Ross. Music from Lara St. John, used by permission via Magnatune.com. The original text of this item, including footnotes and endnotes, is available from Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22542/22542-h/22542-h.htm#chapter_41A new dispensation.—Joseph Smith's perplexity over sectarian strife.—The Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ appear to and personally instruct Joseph Smith.—Visitation of Moroni.—The Book of Mormon.—Aaronic Priesthood restored by John the Baptist.—Melchizedek Priesthood restored by Peter, James, and John.—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.—Divine manifestations in Kirtland Temple.—The Lord Jesus Christ appears.—Specific authority of olden dispensations conferred by Moses, Elias, and Elijah.—The Holy Priesthood now operative on earth

Text: Luke 11:1-4 Series: “The Church Your New Pastor Deserves” What was it that Shakespeare said? “All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances. And one man in his time plays many parts.” (As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII). Shakespeare's point of course is that life as we know it is one big stage show, and each of us goes through it playing the roles that have been assigned to us. Perhaps it's the season of life that I'm now in that has caused me to think more carefully about Shakespeare's metaphor. As I transition from this role as Senior Minister of Mountain Brook Baptist Church to whatever the next one will be, how will I negotiate it? Or better yet, how will I perform it, not so much in a way that brings me accolades or applause but instead in a way that makes much of Jesus? And I invite you to join me in answering that question for yourself. For each of us, regardless of our age or life stage, is evolving as well. Our role is changing, whether we realize it or not. And how will we manage it? What will we do to move into our next stage with excitement and anticipation? Does it surprise you that such questions were on Jesus' mind as he made his way toward Jerusalem and the cross? It had become apparent to Jesus that the time had come for him to make his exit from this world and his entrance into the next. The time had come for him to go to the cross. And as was often the case with Jesus, he prepared himself for this climactic role in God's plan of salvation through prayer. As Luke describes the setting, Jesus is praying, and his disciples are watching. No doubt the devotion Jesus has shown them strikes a chord in their hearts and they yearn to know the same devotion in their own lives. And so, one of the disciples approaches Jesus with a request on behalf of the entire group: “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples,” speaking of John the Baptist. It was a common practice in Judaism for rabbis to provide their followers with short, simple prayers they could in turn offer up to God. And Jesus gives them what many students of the New Testament have called “the Model Prayer.” “When you pray,” Jesus tells them, not if you pray. “When you pray, say (these words). What you'll notice immediately about Jesus' Model Prayer that it differs a bit from what we know as the Lord's Prayer from Matthew's Gospel. Luke's version of the prayer is shorter and simpler than Matthew's, which has caused some to question as to which is the earliest. I find that the wrong question. The fact that these versions differ only means that each Gospel writer passed on the prayer in a way that suited their respective audiences. And at the end of the day, our takeaway from both versions is that it matters not so much how we pray but that we pray. For through prayer, we align our desires with God's desires and show God that we are willing and ready to be transformed in whatever ways may be necessary for God's will to be done in us and through us. Chester Nimitz was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Second World War. Any student of history will know that Nimitz was a leader who took prayer seriously. The source of many famous quotes, Nimitz is the person to whom is attributed the poem on the value of unanswered prayer. That prayer goes as follows: I asked God for strength that I might achieve; I was made weak That I might learn humbly to obey. I asked God for health that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity That I might do better things. I asked God for riches that I might be happy; I was given poverty – That I might be wise. I asked God for power; that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness – That I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life – That I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for – But everything I hoped for. Almost despite myself My unspoken prayers were answered. I am, among all men, most richly blessed. The value of unanswered prayer is that when we come before God in prayer, the value of our prayer is not so much God giving us what we want as it is God giving us what we need – the joy of hallowing His name and advancing His kingdom, the satisfaction of receiving bread for each day, the forgiveness of our sins and the grace to forgive those who sin against us, and the mercy of being led down paths far removed from temptation. When you stop and consider what is at stake when we pray, the real marvel is that we do not pray more! There is no question but that Luke, the Gospel writer, understood this truth and included this teaching so that the church for which he was responsible would always be aware of how prayer connects us to the greatest source of spiritual power. And embrace it they most certainly did. For example, think of that story Luke records in his second volume, the book of Acts, the fourth chapter. Peter and John have just been released by the religious authorities in Jerusalem and they have returned to where the rest of the believers have gathered, and a great service of celebration ensues. Luke tells us that as Peter and John explain to the church the miracle of their release, the believers raise their voices together in prayer to God, the place where they were meeting was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking the word of God boldly. Notice the order. They pray and are filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they exit and go out into their world to turn it upside down by speaking the word of God boldly. They pray and they perform. They seek God and God guides them. They become transformed people and they go out into the world to transform people. Wouldn't you love to be a part of a church like that, a church that doesn't lean on its own resources, as abundant as those resources may be, but who leans upon the power that comes to us through prayer and only then leverages those resources to have the greatest impact for Christ in their community and ultimately their world? Then, lets make sure we never step out on the stage God has given us without first having gone to Him in prayer. Let's follow the example of Jesus, who didn't pray only on special occasions but did so continually and committedly. Let's not get bogged down on the details of how to pray and let's instead focus our energies and attention on praying as the Holy Spirit moves us to pray. After all, learning how to be prayerful is a very different thing from learning a rote prayer, even a prayer as significant as the Lord's Prayer. Yes, as the people of God, we at Mountain Brook Baptist Church have been given quite the stage, and each of us has been called to play our part. But if we truly want to move this church forward in the days to come, we will only be able to do so as fast as we can on our knees in prayer. Only then will our performance receive the applause of heaven because our prayers have been answered in ways that overcome the world's darkness so that everything and everyone are bathed in the light and the life of Jesus. Luke 11:1-4

What was John the Baptist doing when he baptized people?  His baptism was not a Christian ritual.  After all, he was baptizing before Jesus' ministry began.  Is Baptism in the Book of Mormon before the time of Christ an error and proof it is not of God?  In this episode of Religion Today, host Martin Tanner explains that "baptism" then called "washing" was performed with anointing and clothing in clean garments, and is described in Exodus in connection with Moses' Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant and in Psalms.  Pre-Christian immersion fonts are described in the Dead Sea Scrolls and were excavated at Qumran.  Hence the Book of Mormon's pre-Christian mention of baptism is not an anomaly, but fits correctly within pre-Christian Judaism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elijah was the premier prophet in the Old Testament, no doubts about that. In Matthew 16, when Jesus and His disciples were in the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked the question, "Who do men say that I am?" Pay attention to the answers the disciples gave. The first name mentioned was John the Baptist. The 2nd was the Prophet Elijah. The 3rd was Jeremiah. In other words, these three prophets were the ones most associated with our Lord's ministry and it's interesting that the first two names, John and Elijah, had the same mantle. The whole point is, the OT prophet that most describes our Lord Jesus was Elijah, and we'll find out why in this weekend's message. 

Scoot talks to St John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard about conditions there 30 days after Hurricane Ida passed through See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the fifteenth episode in Eric Ludy's epic fall Daily Thunder series drawing on the boldness and bravery of the fearless missionary ventures to Irian Jaya (Papua New Guinea) during the twenty-five years from WW2 up until the massive harvest of souls in the 1960's. In this episode he discusses the idea of the “stand-in” in Scripture. Someone who is willing to do the hard work though it ultimately be credited to someone else. This was the role of John the Baptist who famously stated, “I must decrease, that He would increase.” May this also be the declaration of our souls as Christians.  For more information about Daily Thunder and the ministry of Ellerslie Mission Society, please visit: https://ellerslie.com/. If you have been blessed by Ellerslie, consider partnering with the ministry by donating at: https://ellerslie.com/donate/ Support this podcast

After the death of John the Baptist, Jesus withdrew to a solitary place, but the crowd followed Him there. As the evening drew near, the disciples expressed concern. “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late,” they said. “Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” They were stunned by Jesus’ reply. “They do not need to go away,” He told them. “You give them something to eat” (Matt. 14:13–17). Some people like to say that God will never give us what we can’t handle. But those who follow Christ often feel like the circumstances they face are overwhelming. Paul had some remarkable spiritual experiences. In verses 2–4 he even speaks of visions, referring to himself in the third person to downplay the experience. But Paul also struggled with something he describes as a “thorn in the flesh” (v. 7). This unspecified affliction was so troubling that Paul begged God three times to remove it. Instead, the Lord replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (v. 9). Paul delighted in his weaknesses not because he enjoyed them but because God used them to display His power. Paul closes his defense by proving his genuineness on two levels. He reminds the Corinthians that God had validated his apostolic ministry through “signs, wonders and miracles” (v. 12). But more than this, Paul revealed his true character by refusing to imitate the selfishness and arrogance of the false apostles, even though some in Corinth might have preferred it. “After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children,” he explains in verse 14. >> The advice you have heard from well-meaning friends is wrong. God might give you more than you can handle. But God will never give you more than He can handle. Don’t be afraid of weakness. When you are weak, He is strong.

In the first two chapters of Matthew, the gospel-writer covered the advent of Jesus and the many ways in which he fulfilled the Scriptures simply by being born. Today, as we cover chapters 3-4, Matthew jumps ahead to Christ's adulthood and the beginning of his ministry. We meet John the Baptist who fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah of “one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord.'” When John baptizes Jesus, a sign from heaven appears and resounds, testifying to Christ's divine origin. Before beginning his public ministry of teaching, Jesus spends 40 days fasting in the wilderness at which point he is tempted by the devil. Though Israel failed to resist temptation during the 40 years in the wilderness, Christ shows that he is the true son of God by rejecting sin perfectly.:::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Aaron Colyer and the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

s5e3 Mark 1:9-13The baptism and temptation of Jesus...major events and wow does Mark fly through them! SOMAScripture - Read and Re-read Mark 1:9-13 (read a section or 2 after this reading as well to understand context a little bit)Observations/Questions - Here are some of our observations and questions we had concerning this text:Was it Jesus' signal when John was arrested that Jesus would really start His ministry or were they just both following the Holy Spirit?Why is Mark so brief with some major events in the life of Jesus?The dove? Like a dove? Luke uses it differently...so is it a metaphor?Mark loves the word, immediately...why does he use it so often?Mark is the only one that uses "wild beasts" in the wilderness - any significance?Is there any significance to why Mark doesn't tell us anything about the outcome of the temptation event?Meaning - major takeaways we have gained from this text (not exclusive - just our notes)Mark really wants us to know that Jesus is the Lord, better than John the Baptist, proclaimed by God himself and Victor over SatanThere does seem to be a hook involved in this...Mark wants us to listen as the story is going to get better! Application - what does this text mean FOR me not necessarily TO meWalk closer to Jesus - Jesus is God on earth, He is Victor and Overcomer and deserves our worshipModeling Jesus - baptism needs to mean something to us because of Jesus' example, overcoming temptation needs to mean something to usUplift Jesus - He is God, to be worshipped and reveredGroup Questions:Why do you think Jesus allowed himself to be baptized?Why do you think Jesus allowed himself to be tempted directly from Satan? Why do these 2 events seem appropriate at the beginning of Jesus' official ministry? What can we apply specifically to our own lives from Jesus' example in these things? Listen to NH podcasts on www.newhopechurch.cc/listenCheck out Simple Spiritual Practices with Lindsay SterchiThe ALL New Hope Underground Podcast will be kicking off in 2022! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

[Comment: Lens of Humility] Friends of the Rosary: We cannot avoid foul thoughts but we can avoid foul behavior. We were brought into life carrying the original sin. We weren't born Immaculate as John the Baptist, the Virgin Mary, or Jesus Christ himself. It means that we must do our best to cultivate holy virtues and get rid of disordered practices. This is a lifelong battle that we cannot win without the help of the Holy Spirit. We need to ask for grace, mercy, and courage, as we do in every Rosary prayer. Alone we can do nothing, as Jesus revealed. In the first Joyful Mystery, we learn to see the world through the lens of humility, as the Holy Virgin taught. This way we try to abandon ourselves in Jesus and Mary to receive wisdom from above. Ave Maria! Jesus, I Trust In You! St. Vincent de Paul, Pray for Us! + Mikel A. | TheRosaryNetwork.org, New York ____ Today is the Memorial day of St. Vincent de Paul, a French priest in the seventeenth century who founded the Vincent de Paul Society and became a great apostle of charity. —- Live Rosary every day at 7:30 PM Eastern. On-demand at any time.

Head Honcho of Long Island Basketball and Head Coach of the Boys Varsity Basketball Team at St. John the Baptist. First off, my apologies to Jake. We recorded a few months before the pandemic, in the throw of it, and in the throw of it again. But this time, in person, we chop it up at the Chop Shop to discuss his COVID experience, how he balances work, coaching, and life, and what he expects for the upcoming season. All that and more, my conversation with Coach Ellis, now.

Luke 3:1-22 / Kam Pugh Temporarily jumping over the rest of Luke 1 and 2 to pick back up during Advent, we turn our attention to John the Baptist, an unlikely subject of religious text who prophesied about Jesus before He began His earthly ministry. Following John's example, we should preach the good news of Jesus, not afraid to address the issues of the day and speak the hard truth.

Jesus was not the only baby whose birth was foretold in the Gospels. Continuing his exposition of the book of Luke, today R.C. Sproul turns our attention to the birth of another child, the one who would prepare the way for the ministry of Christ. Get R.C. Sproul's Expositional Commentary on the Gospel of Luke for Your Gift of Any Amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/1808/luke-commentary Don't forget to make RenewingYourMind.org your home for daily in-depth Bible study and Christian resources.

Questions Covered: 02:30 – If a pitcher intends to deceive a batter with a pitch, is this considered lying?  07:20 – What is the point of having a priest offer a sacrifice at the altar when Jesus is interceding for us before the Father?  14:53 – Lisa…Mounds, OK…EWTN app….Why did John the Baptist send emissaries out to find out who Jesus was? Didn't he know who he was as his cousin?  18:34 – Is there a theological justification for saying “G—D— it”? Like, I want God to take this bad thing I did and get it as far away from me as possible.  22:10 – Why is the COVID-19 vaccine so controversial when other very common vaccines are made with the same connection to abortion? Why isn't there as much controversy over those?  28:41 – What should I do about the seeming disconnect between Catholic groups and clergy on the morality of vaccines? How should I interpret the different statements between what Bishops say and what Catholics around me say?  35:27 – When did the celestial battle between the devil and the angels take place?  40:00 – Why doesn't the Church issue anathemas anymore?  44:05 – What is Jesus's origin? Was he born in time, or was he from all eternity through the Father?  46:03 – Why did Vatican II change who could touch the host? Before, only the priest could, but now other people can too.  51:20 – How do we know which verses in the Bible we can interpret for ourselves and which ones have a fixed, doctrinally defined meaning?  …