Podcasts about Parousia

In episode 501, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb dig into the parable of the watchful doorkeeper in Mark 13:32–37 — four tightly packed verses that Jesus uses to call his servants to alertness before his return. But this isn't a passage about spiritual caffeine and white-knuckling your way through the Christian life. Tony and Jesse unpack what "stay awake" actually means through the lens of Reformed theology: active, differentiated stewardship in the ordinary means of grace, faithful vocation in every sphere of life, and a corporate ecclesial readiness that belongs to the whole church, not just the individual. This episode reorients the familiar language of watchfulness away from anxiety and date-setting toward the sturdy, quiet confidence of a believer who knows who they are, whose house they serve in, and why that identity drives everything. Key Takeaways "Stay awake" is a command about identity, not performance. The doorkeeper doesn't do what he does to become the doorkeeper — he's already the doorkeeper. Christians are watchful because of who they already are in Christ, not to earn or secure that status. Vocation is not optional waiting — it's active, differentiated stewardship. Christ's ascension corresponds to the master's departure, and the interim period is characterized by each servant being given his own work, reflecting Calvin's doctrine of vocation and the Reformed insistence that the Christian life between the ascension and the Parousia is not passive. Watchfulness is corporate, not merely individual. The church, as the pillar and buttress of truth, is called to a collective readiness. In Presbyterian polity, every act of a valid church jurisdiction is an act of the whole church — meaning each member has a genuine stake in the faithfulness of the whole body. The ordinary means of grace are the means of watchfulness. Prayer, the Word, the sacraments, fellowship, and sitting under preaching are not supplementary to vigilance — they are the very instruments by which God preserves and prepares his people. Two errors must be avoided: speculative date-setting and practical indifference. Uncertainty about the hour of Christ's return is neither an invitation to calculate nor an excuse for carelessness. It is the very grounds for sustained, ordinary faithfulness. The warnings of Scripture are themselves a means of grace. Following Westminster Confession of Faith 17, the sobering warning of verse 36 is not a threat to the elect's final security but a pastoral instrument by which God preserves his people in living, active faith. The rooster-crowing language of Mark 13 anticipates the Passion narrative. The clustering of watchfulness, the night watches, and the crowing rooster in this chapter echoes the Garden of Gethsemane and Peter's denial — a connection particularly resonant given Mark's traditional association with Peter's testimony. Explanatory Paragraphs Vocation and the Active Interim One of the most theologically rich observations in this episode is the way Jesse frames the master's departure as corresponding directly to the ascension of Christ. The key phrase in verse 34 — "each one his task" — is not incidental detail. It reflects the Reformed doctrine of vocation at full strength: every believer, in every sphere of influence, has been given particular work to do on behalf of the Lord during Christ's bodily absence. This is not a passive waiting room existence. It is an active, differentiated stewardship that is deeply personal and yet accountable to the master who owns the whole house. The ascension does not mean abandonment, and the parable makes that clear by the fact that the servants are left in charge — trusted, commissioned, and expected to be about their work when the master returns. The Church's Corporate Readiness A standout contribution of this episode is Tony's move from the individual to the ecclesial. Drawing directly from OPC Book of Church Order, Chapter 3, he argues that church power is not vested in officers alone but in the whole body of believers. This means that when any legitimate church jurisdiction acts — whether in discipline, instruction, or governance — it is the whole church acting. The parable's doorkeeper is therefore not just a figure for personal piety; he is a figure for the corporate watchfulness that belongs to every member of the household. Tony's point is that a Christian who is disconnected from his local church, indifferent to what is being taught and decided elsewhere in the visible church, is not simply failing at individual holiness — he is failing to be awake in the fullest sense the parable intends. The Ordinary Means of Grace as Watchfulness Itself Perhaps the most pastorally stabilizing insight of the episode is Jesse's observation that watchfulness is not some extraordinary spiritual heroism layered on top of normal Christian life — it is normal Christian life. The ordinary means of grace are ordinary precisely because they are the regular, appointed instruments through which God delivers his grace to his people. Prayer, the Word, the sacraments, and fellowship are not preparatory disciplines that get you ready for the real work of being watchful. They are the work. Tony reinforces this by noting that a person who persistently refuses the ordinary means of grace is not simply being unwise — they are declining the offer of God's grace, which is a far more serious matter than mere spiritual lethargy. Memorable Quotes The doorkeeper doesn't do what he does to become the doorkeeper in this parable. He's already the doorkeeper, and the fact that he's the doorkeeper explains why he's given certain responsibilities and certain commands. That's the way it is for us as Christians. - Tony Arsenal The warnings of Scripture are themselves among the ordinary means by which God preserves His people... the sobering possibility of being found asleep functions pastorally not to threaten the loss of the elect, but to press home the seriousness of watchfulness as the fruit and evidence of genuine faith." - Jesse Schwamb When I go into a patient encounter at the hospital, or when I pull up to a red light, or when I order a sandwich at McDonald's and they get it wrong — I bring with me the fact that I am a Christian, the fact that I am a servant of Christ, that I am a doorkeeper in the house of the living God. - Tony Arsenal Full Transcript Jesse Schwamb: [00:01:00] Welcome to episode 501 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony, and this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey, brother.  Jesse Schwamb: Hey, brother. Well, we've got some more kingdom teaching on tap right from the mouth of Jesus. We're going through all the parables, if you haven't been tracking with us so far, and we're finding ourselves in Mark chapter 13. And as J- only Jesus can do, packs four verses with all kinds of rich, robust theology, and it's all in this kind of strange setting, actually. A guy heads out of town. He hands his servants the keys. He tells the doorman, "Hey, watch the place," with the same kind of e- enigmatic and vague energy that I imagine, like, your cable internet provider gives you when they give you an arrival time between now and Friday. And then Jesus lists literally, like, every possible hour He might show up, evening, midnight, rooster clock, dawn. And all of this is for His glory and for our benefits. [00:02:00] And we're gonna somehow try to see if we can take all of these four verses, which are so jam-packed, and fit them into our conversation. That's our challenge, and it's gonna be yours to listen to. So welcome to this episode.  Affirm or Deny Segment Jesse Schwamb: But before we do all of that, it is everybody's favorite time. Well, except for Wicked Scriptures. That is really everybody's favorite time. Second favorite time is where we find something in our lives, Tony, that we either affirm with because it's awesome, it's exciting, want everybody to know about it, or conversely, we deny against something because it's just not that great. We don't like it. Don't waste your time with it. So everybody longs to know, in this conversation, are you affirming with or denying against?  Tony Affirms Psalm Music Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming something tonight. Uh, the listener might remember, I don't know, maybe a month and a half back, I affirmed a particular setting of Psalm 63 in the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. And as I was kind of, you know, looking around for, I wanted to find a track to sort of maybe add to the end of the episode just to sort of, [00:03:00] like, put a point on that. I stumbled on, um, a song, singer, I don't know if you'd call him a songwriter, 'cause he's mostly just writing song- psalms. But he's, he's arranging them. He's, you know, writing the guitar line for it or whatever. Uh, his name is Matthew David Montgomery. Uh, I don't know that you would know him from anywhere, but he's on, um- Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify, wherever. Uh, he does an arrangement of O God Show Mercy to Us, which is Psalm 63, uh, setting A, I believe, in the Trinity Psalter hymnal. But, um, it's, it's in other hymnals, other psalters, uh, under the same name with the same tune. Uh, he has a beautiful singing voice. He does a lot of, uh, what's typically called, like, finger style, uh, guitar picking, uh, which is just very melodious and very gentle and soft. Um, it would be a great addition to, like, your morning devotional time to just, like, pick a psalm that he sings, that he's, he's recorded. Um, you can get most of his stuff for free on, uh, YouTube, or again, if you have Apple [00:04:00] Music or Spotify, it's available there. Uh, again, his name is Matthew David Montgomery, and he's got several, uh, several albums. He has ones that specifically is psalms called Psalms for Singing. Um, and then he has a couple finger style hymn songs, uh, hymn albums that are like, you know, like I don't know, more modern hymns, He Will Hold Me Fast, Only Holy God- Right kinda like Getty, um, Getty-style and City Alight songs, those kinds of sort of that complex of modern hymnody. Um, but he's excellent, and it's excellent theologically rich sound music. Um, I haven't listened to everything, but he seems like he's in kind of that, uh, sort of vein of worship music production producer peoples, um, that are just putting out good, accessible music. I know, like, a lot of small churches, uh, have in the past have had to resort to using tracks like this actually to sort of lead their vocal music. Um, that would be something to think [00:05:00] about. It's simple. It's arranged in a straightforward fashion. Many times it's arranged according to the psalters, which are by, almost by definition are designed for congregational singing. So it's good. It's great. Use it for family worship, listen to in your car. I don't know, workout music. I don't know if you would work out to this, but I guess you could try. Um- I love it ... but yeah, I usually, I usually listen to, um, Oh God, Show Mercy To Us probably, like, once a day. I listen to it usually in the morning to kinda center my day and get my head in the right space. Um, but yeah, it's just good stuff. David, um, Mi- Matthew David Montgomery, uh, the specific one was Psalms for Singing, but, um, all of his stuff is really great.  Jesse Schwamb: All right.  Jesse Affirms Hymn Devotional Jesse Schwamb: People are gonna think we're totally conspiring now, but I promise we're not. This is just how our minds work in collective fashion, that we never speak about stuff together. So my affirmation is right in the same vein. So I'm actually excited about this one because it might just be the golden age of daily books about, like, theological meditation. It might be. And [00:06:00] so this one is really good, and I'm super stoked because I'm kind of on the cusp of this one because I got an advance copy of this book, and it's just out now. It's called Awake My Soul, and it's daily readings, 365 hymn texts taken throughout church history from the Middle Ages to 1900. And each hymn for the day includes s- a suggested tune and then, like, a short historical slash, like, theological meditation. The beauty of this- Wow One, I'm learning all kinds of new hymns that are not my favorite. Two, you can either read them or... There's no music included in this, except that in the back there's an index that will give you... There's, like, a little code every day. This is like a s- it's your own treasure hunt. There's a little code on each day, and if you take that code and go back to the end of the book, what you'll find there is names of popular hymns or songs that you do know the, the tune to, and then you can take that same tune and use the same poetic meter that the hymn is in that you don't know, and guess what? You can actually sing it. So you're prepared every day to sing [00:07:00] music and to sing brand-new music with great confidence and high conviction. So this is, like, the bridge here. Go listen to some good music. And I would say if you wanna buy this, because it is brand new, go to hymnworks.com. It's by P&R Publishing. That's where you'll find the best price. It's, like, 25 bucks. It's a beautiful clothbound, like, handsome two-color printing with a ribbon. And also Passion Week and Advent are clearly marked and can be adapted for use in any calendar year. So there you go. Like, it's the double-barreled affirmation for good singing, good hymns. By the way, for all the brothers and sisters of exclusive psalmody, we see you raising your hands in the back. Actually, if you're doing exclusive psalmody, you're in the front. So we see you in the front, and this- And you're  Tony Arsenal: probably not raising your hands.  Jesse Schwamb: You're definitely not raising your hand. We see your hands  Tony Arsenal: in your pockets. Jesse Schwamb: We see you standing there  Tony Arsenal: stoically.  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. We see your hands in your pockets, never coming out. That's fine. Yeah. Uh, this book also is for you because so much of it is actually just, uh, the psalms adapted for kind of [00:08:00] more, when I say contemporary, between the Middle Ages and 1900 worship. So, uh, there you go. I think this is lovely. Uh, we didn't plan it, but you've got two great resources for daily living and daily singing.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Building Daily Liturgy Tony Arsenal: And, you know, I think, um, there is sort of an element, and I'll be quick about this, where we are set up... We have such a, like, a dearth of riches in terms of accessibility to musical worship. And y- you know, used to think of it as, like, daily devotions, but I think the more, I think the more accurate and I think a, a more theologically rich term is a daily liturgy. Right. Um, you know, with books like Be Thou My Vision, um, by I think it's David Gibson, or, you know, he has, like, the Christmas version and the, um, I think there's an Easter version of it where it really walks you through a, a full daily liturg- liturgy with, like, a call to worship and a, a confession of sin. And, [00:09:00] um, and you could take these resources, whether it's an album like David, uh, or, like, um, David Michael Montgomery. That's a country singer, I think. Whatever the guy is that I recommend. I don't have his name in front of me. Uh, whether it's an album like that or whether it's- Right ... this resource Jesse's talking about, or like I've said before, like, just the trendy Psalter Hymnal app on your phone which will play the music for you and display the words. You can take this and there... I, I hate to say it this way because I know there's a lot of people that, that make good profitable use of sort of like evangelical, I would call it, like, fluffy devo kinda stuff. Uh, which ironically on my list of affirmations of things that are in the queue, there's, there's a devotional resource that even kinda falls into this category. Yeah, there is. But, um, there really is no good excuse for not having some sort of robust daily worship pattern. Right. Um, because you can, you can really make use of these resources to create a pretty cohesive, well put-together, pleasurable kind of [00:10:00] daily worship set or liturgy or experience, I don't know, whatever word you wanna slot in there. Um, a- and really get... Like, really just have an excellent experience out of it, really have good resources. So yeah, I'm, I'm on board. I think it's great. I would love to, I would love to be able to, uh, to take a look at that. So maybe next time we're in the same geographical location you'll have to show me. Jesse Schwamb: Oh, I'll bring it. We'll, we'll do it. It actually doubles as a hymnal because it's all indexed, so you can actually- Yeah ... just use it as a hymnal. I love books that give you two purposes. Oh, that's a double threat book right there. And that means, like, for the spaces taken up in your life and on your shelf it can do more than one thing. That's like having a kitchen appliance that, like, I don't know, is like an air fryer and it brews beer. Like, that's worth- Yeah ... the space all the time  Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I, I just recently found out that they make washers that are also dryers, and they're in the same machine, and- Wow.  Jesse Schwamb: That's transformative ... I  Tony Arsenal: would feel like a millionaire if I had one of those- Reading Mark 13 Parable Jesse Schwamb: 'cause- Well, speaking of [00:11:00] feeling like a millionaire, and I think what you challenge us with is settling in some patterns of daily worship and living for God, it just so happens that Jesus has some instruction for us in that same way- Nice ... in Mark chapter 13. So let me start beginning in verse 32. And if you're tracking along or keeping score at home and you've gone to this chapter, what you're probably gonna find is we're actually in the, the parable of the fig tree, or just at the end. But w- we're not gonna touch that one, not yet, so don't get too excited. We're actually coming right at the end of that. So picking up in verse 32: "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." Now, this is Jesus speaking: "See to it, keep on the alert, for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It's like a man away on a journey who, leaving his house and giving authority to his slaves, each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake – for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the [00:12:00] evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning – lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake." Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  What Stay Awake Means Tony Arsenal: Yeah, it's a good, uh, it's a good parable. And, you know, this is covering a lot of the same ground as other parables that we've, uh, approached. I think what's a little bit, uh, unique or different about this one is that some of the, some of the cautions that we, um, brought out with the other parables, because they were actually longer and had more details, um, some of those cautions don't necessarily apply the same way here. Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Right? We, we talked about the parable of the 10, of the 10 virgins, or the wise and foolish virgins, whatever you wanna call it, and we talked a lot about how this language of, like, stay awake seemed to be misapplied, uh, as, like, falling asleep is foolish. Because in that para- that particular parable, [00:13:00] um, both the wise and the foolish virgins fall asleep. It's not the falling asleep that was the problem, it was the being prepared, um, for the master's return. Uh, in that case, having the proper equipment, having your, you know, your lamps trimmed, your oil ready, all that stuff. In this parable, um, it really is about being awake. Like, being awake is the task. Yes. It's the specific command. That's right. And so our task tonight is to unpack a little bit about what it even means to be awake, what does this parable say to us about that. Um, but I, I think this one falls a little bit more in line with kind of what we maybe... I know this is weird to say. It falls a little bit more in line with what we've been talking about as a, sort of like a little bit of a legalistic approach to some of the parables. This one really does have, I th- I think, has more to do with, uh, the, the sort of production that Christians are expected to have.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: The, the, the holiness, the good works we're expected to have, and how [00:14:00] that plays into kind of our alertness, our, our fittedness for service, uh, and, and maybe ultimately even the way that we're rewarded in the last, the last times or in, in heaven. All of that kinda plays in here, and this is kind of like Mark's equivalent to sort of like the eschatological parables that we talked about at, at the end of Matthew in, you know, Matthew 25 and, and sort of that area  Jesse Schwamb: I totally agree.  Vocation and Stewardship Jesse Schwamb: I think this bad boy, even just the first verse, it's like a compact statement of the doctrine of vocation and providence all wrapped into one. And it's easy to read it and just kind of fly by that stuff and say, "Of course, I need to be aware of what's going on. I need to be aware of God's presence or seek Him in worship." All that's true, but there's a lot in this because, of course, the master's departure here corresponds clearly to Christ's ascension. There's like a real bodily absence that nonetheless does not amount to like abandonment. And then to your point, what I think starts to differentiate us from some of like the [00:15:00] other parables where we've been very careful about parsing this, has been this assignment, each his own work. It's reflecting like a really traditional like Reformed, I think, emphasis, even from like Calvin's doctrine of vocation, that the Christian life between the ascension and the Parousia is not one of like passive waiting, but there is like an active differentiated stewardship, and it's every believer. And even though it's just a sentence, there's like a lot of particularity in this to remind us that each one has a task, and that task is something that you should undertake on behalf and for the Lord  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, and this, um, the other element of this, um, that I think is interesting is, you know, we don't wanna, um We wanna be careful not to try to build entire theological, like edifices, edifices. I'm not sure which word is right. Edifice. We don't wanna build huge theological structures on top of like slight variations in words. And, and I know that, um, that can [00:16:00] sometimes be very popular in our circles and, and I'm, I s- absolutely support the grammatical historical interpretive method. I don't think it's the only el- only, you know, hermeneutic we should think about. But I definitely agree with the words matter and the meanings of the words matter. Right. But we can also go too far in, like, making an entire theological point hang on the particular choice of a verb pars- like a verb tense or mood or whatever. But I think it's interesting, um, w- the sort of what we might call the parable proper starts in verse 34, but in verse 33 it says, "Be on guard, keep awake, for you do not know when the time will come." That's not the parable. That's Christ giving a command to his immediate audience, and then I think vicariously therefore for us. When we get into the parable and it, and it says, uh, that the command for the doorkeeper, right? So the, he, he takes his servants, he puts his servants in charge, and I s- I take that to mean, [00:17:00] like, he leaves the house to them. Like, he leaves them to their task. They're, they're not, they're not having to report to anybody. They just manage the household- Right ... autonomously or independently. Um, each with his work, so there's this idea that, like, each of the servant has their own proper sort of realm of the house that they manage, right? The gardener's managing the garden, the, the house, you know, the, the, um, the, the person who's in charge of the money is managing that. And the doorkeeper, which is a particular role, his task, his charge, his, he is commanded to stay awake. Now, the phrase, the word for stay awake in verse 30, uh, 34 is not the same word that's used in verse 33. Now, I, I have not done the word study on this or, or the c- commentary work to know how significant that is, but we do affirm that the Holy Spirit inspires each individual word.  Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  Tony Arsenal: And I think we could make an argument that sometimes a word is just used, um, at least on a, on a [00:18:00] human level. It, it's just you don't wanna use the same word multiple times. Like, just like anyone writing any sort of pi- piece of work, you don't use the same word repetitively. You vary the words. You use, use synonyms to, to spice it up and to give it some variety. But also, I think there may be some significance in the fact that within the story, within the parable, the command to stay awake is a particular word, and then a different word to stay awake and to be watchful, and there's this repetition, "Be on guard. Keep awake." Like, those are parallel statements. Um, those, that's a significant thing that that word is different  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. It's a huge, I think, reminder that there's all... The- even, again, I can't believe how much is packed. Now that I think about this, we start talking about it into, like, a single sentence. But every believer, like every servant in this house, has been given some kind of task suited to his place. I believe that's what Jesus is trying to impress us with. And that idleness is not an option countenanced by the text because the doorkeeper's [00:19:00] particular charge to watch, like you were saying, functions to me, I think, almost like a synecdoche. Like, it's f- for the whole- Yeah ... household's duty. His vigilance stands for what is in fact required of every servant, since verse 37 will then extend this command to, like, everybody. So just- Yeah ... within, like, this little space of writing or this little space of teaching, I think what we have here is, like, it's realistic for us to say we've got the twin realities that ground really biblical ecclesiology in the interim period. We have Christ's real absence, but that's, like, against, I would say, any collapsing of the already into a fully realized eschatology. And then you have Christ's ongoing ownership and authority over his house, which is the church, against any notion that the church is left to autonomous self-governance. So the house, in other words, re- remains Christ's, and the servants remain accountable to him, not to themselves, like you've just said, and each one is accountable to God in a unique way according to the task that he's given them. So again, this beautiful marriage of [00:20:00] both the responsibility, the providence, and the responsibility that we have before God in being responsible to him, but also that he is governing all things for his good and for his glory.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Doorkeeper Role Explained Tony Arsenal: And you know, I think, um, the word doorkeeper here too, uh, you know, as I peek at the Greek a little bit, the word doorkeeper is also a much broader term than, uh, it might seem. You know, like I think, you know, one of my kid's favorite shows is like Curious George, and there's a character in the, the story that's literally named Doorman, and he's just the guy that like opens the door in the apartment that- Right ... Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat. But the word doorkeeper in, uh, in the Greek here, when applied to a, a female, is understood to be like the janitor. So the doorkeeper might even be considered something more like the master of the house. Like think of like, um-  Jesse Schwamb: Lady's ...  Tony Arsenal: uh, like the, the head butler, right? In like if you think of like Downton Abbey, right? Right. The, the guy who actually like takes care of and like [00:21:00] runs, the house manager or something like that might be a better way to look at it. And I think you're right that his charge to stay awake, to keep alert, it does extend to the entire household, but it also is a particular command for that figure.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Right? So yes, everybody is given their task. This, this person, this doorkeeper, he is, um, called out specifically, individually, right? It's not as though he's the only servant in the house. There's all these other servants, they each have their task, and they're all commanded to keep about their business. The doorkeeper, the master of the house, the, I don't know, head butler, the head ch- the chief janitor, I don't know what you would want, the head custodian of the house, um, and don't think of custodian or janitor in terms of like- Like the school janitor who like cleans the toilets and mops up after the kids throwing up and stuff. The, the janitor or the custodian of the house is really the person who kind of like runs the household, the sort of like head servant of the house. [00:22:00] His command to keep watchful, to be on guard or to be alert is because, um, the, the master's return is sudden and unexpected. Right. And so if the doorkeeper doesn't keep up with things, if he's not awake, if he's not running things, if he's not managing things, if he's not alert and awake, then not only does his task get, get, um, undone... And I think like we think of it like, "Oh yeah, be on guard." You sometimes hear this parable or, or variations of this parable taught as like you gotta keep the wolves out, like he's the guard at the door. Right. I don't think that's what this is getting at. It's really more like if this, if the doorkeeper s- falls asleep on the job, then the entire house falls into disarray, and you can't recover that when the master all of a sudden is at the gate. If you're just the guard, I guess you might be able to snap to attention and like, you know, pull your pole arm or whatever it is up. Like you might be able to snap to attention and kind of fake it. But if you're the guy who manages the entire household and the [00:23:00] whole household is in disarray because you've fallen asleep on the job, there's no recovering from that when the master taps you on the shoulder and says, "Please wake up, I'm home." You just can't recover from that. And so I think that's, that's the element of the story, the element of the parable that we probably need to think about a little bit more is, all right, w- no one of us is the doorkeeper of the church.  Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  Tony Arsenal: But also none of us are not the doorkeeper of the church. So like we all have a role and a responsibility in, in the church to sort of like be a part of, an active part of the church, an active part of God's kingdom, which is not, I'm not trying to say we're all gatekeepers, right? We're not all called to be r- to rule over the church. Like there's a particular office of ruling elder that I would say exists, uh, you know, that's codified in the OPC. But even within other kinds of s- setups, there's usually some sort of elder, you know, setup where there's elders that are not teaching elders. They're not there to like teach and minister and, and preach. They're there to [00:24:00] like govern the church and support the needs of the body spiritually. That's really, uh, you know, like a particular office, but that's also a task and a role that we all share as Christians is to, to sh- sort of, I almost said shepherd, but that doesn't feel right, but it also doesn't feel wrong. To sort of like manage the business of the congregation and the church- That's right ... and the, the invisible church as a whole. That's the task of every Christian, and that's really what this parable's getting at, I think.  Jesse Schwamb: I think so too. And I, I don't wanna, like, build too far a bridge away from that point. I think it's worth sitting there for a second because what occurs to me as you were saying that is I just happened to be reading Calvin's commentary this morning in 1 Corinthians 5, and he builds this whole theological argument around this idea that he, he basically is saying, "Why should the Corinthians mourn over one man's sin?" And he gives two reasons. First, as a consequence of the communion that exists among the members of the church, it's becoming that all should feel hurt at or so it's deadly if one of their members should fall. And the second is when such an erroneous sin is [00:25:00] perpetrated in a particular church, the perpetrator is an offender in such a manner that he pollutes the whole society. That is to say, I think it's kind of in line with what you're saying, that corruption in one place will affect the entire body. That is like falling asleep, pulling away from the mission Being found outside of the mission of God's, uh, for God's glory is something that hurts the church body. And we might ask, like if there is in our own lives a persistent sin, some kind of corruption, then we ought to ask, is there any form of corruption that we're contributing to the body of God? And I think those, these like real consequences of what it means to live in a way where we find ourselves, again, outside of what it means to worship whole heartedly, to worship with heart, soul, and mind, all of which we do imperfectly. Yet at the same time- Yeah ... are we being awake? Are we being made aware? Watchfulness and Rest Jesse Schwamb: I, I wonder if part of what's envisioned here and in view with Jesus' teaching is not just this idea... Almost like I think sometimes we, we say stay awake or we say be [00:26:00] watchful, and of course like I love that Jesus mentions like the four watches. Like that's, I think, like a distinctly kind of Roman division of the night into four three-hour segments. And of course it's gonna suggest to Mark's gentile audience that, and, and underscore this point, that it's not which watch, but that no watch may be presumed safe from the master's arrival. And so I think when we hear that stuff we think, "Well, this means like don't fall asleep." In other words, like there's going to be a test somewhere in your life or all of your life where you're going to be legitimately tempted to take a rest, and you can't take a rest. You gotta keep like just going thrust or no th- you, there's no other choice- Right ... but to give it your all. I think what's better here and what's in view is in all areas of life, are you awake to the reality that God has given you work to do in the spheres of influence that you have, in the particular place in which you live, among the church people whom He has given you to worship with? Are you aware that at all times you ought to be moving and working and for His glory, [00:27:00] even while you are literally sleeping in rest so that you might do those things for the next day? So I- Yeah ... I don't wanna get too hyped up on it's kind of like, again, what's the spiritual equivalent of always drinking Celsius and Red Bull and just like toughing it out- Yeah like with your eyes wide open. It's, it's way more than that.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, uh, this is gonna seem like a weird transition, but it's, it is but also isn't. Um, I, I saw an interesting video the other... I'm getting super nerdy here right now. But, um, I saw an interesting video on YouTube the other day that was talking about how strange it was that there is like a night shift on the Starship Enterprise on Star Trek Next Generation. But, but actually like- It, it demonstrated something to me that, like, even on a, you know, this is obviously a fictional television show, but, like, even on a spaceship where there is no sun, there is no actual reference- Right ... for what a day is, right? We think of a day, and, and rightfully so, it's locked into a 24-hour cycle because of the [00:28:00] way God has created the Earth to spin, and the sun, and the sunrise, sunset, et cetera. But in this fictionalized universe, in this fictionalized world, there's no sunset. There's no, uh, chronology, yet they still divide on, on this, they still divide the day into these three watches. And it's funny, 'cause they talk about how, like, well, there's, there's the day shift, there's the sort of like second shift, and there's the night shift. And they actually even, like, turn the lights down on the ship to simulate a day-night cycle. And, and what it got me thinking about, and I think in the parable, obviously, like, it's the four watches of the night. Um, I play a lot of Dungeons & Dragons, and, like, when you're gonna do what's called a long rest, you have to determine who's gonna set a watch. If you don't set a proper watch, then the dungeon master may make it so monsters show up and you don't get your long rest. This idea that- Even resting is an appropriate and necessary execution of- Right ... the task to be watchful. That's right. Like, I think that's important. If you are, um, i- if you think of like, uh, Lord of the [00:29:00] Rings, right? And they set a watch. Uh, the responsibility of the people who aren't on watch is to make every, every use of that time to sleep so that if something happens, they're alert. And then when also when it's time for them to take watch, they're able to be watchful. And, uh, the other thing I wanna, wanna just comment really quickly on, because I, I, I didn't do a lot of prep for this episode. Big shocker. We don't prep a lot for these episodes. And this is another Markan parable that I'm not super familiar with.  Church Alertness and Power Tony Arsenal: But one of the things that as we're talking through it I'm, I'm becoming more convinced of, is this really is about not just any one individual being alert, although there is implications for us. It's really about the whole church being alert.  Jesse Schwamb: That's  Tony Arsenal: right. Like, the church is the, uh... I, I think it's in, I wanna say it's in Timothy, I don't know where, but the Church is the buttress and pillar of truth, right? So that's not to say we're the, we're the arbiter of truth, but I wanna read this. The... I don't know any other podcasts, although in our circles there [00:30:00] probably are other podcasts that you might hear someone reading out of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church book of Church Order, Form of Government, chapter three, verse, uh, passage one here. Uh, but this is, this is, as I said, uh, BCO chapter three, Form of Government. Uh, and this is, the chapter is titled The Nature and Exercise of Church Power. And when I was coming into the OPC, I don't think I was surprised, uh, in terms of like I thought the theology was different. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was articulated and how clearly it was articulated. So I'm just gonna read the whole section here. It says, "The power which Christ has committed to His Church is not vested in special officers alone, but in the whole body. All believers are endued with the Spirit & called of Christ to join in the worship, edification, and the witness of the Church which grows as the body of Christ, fitly framed and knit together through, uh, that which every joint supplies according to the working and due measure of each part." Sidebar commentary. The BCO doesn't [00:31:00] have proof text, but if they did, they would just be citing to Ephesians 5 here. Um, back to what the text says. "The power of believers in their general office includes the right to acknowledge and desire the exercise of the gifts and calling of the special officers. The regular exercise of oversight in a particular congregation is discharged by those who have been called to such work by the vote of the people." So just to summarize that, officers, at least in the OPC Um, ruling elders are nominated and voted into, into office and essentially, uh, given their powers, their official powers, their official responsibilities, not by the presbytery, uh, and not by some hierarchy, but by the congregation. They call from within.  Church Authority From Congregation Tony Arsenal: But that, that means that the power of the ruling elders, the, the authority of the ruling elders, is not derived from some hierarchy. It's derived from the [00:32:00] authority and the exercise of power of the whole church. And the other thing, I won't read this, but the other thing that I found, um, really interesting that I really like is in Presbyterianism, and, and I, I believe Presbyterianism is what the Bible teaches positively as a command. I know there are other church polities, and I know everybody is trying to figure it out, and we don't all agree. I think Presbyterianism is the right way.  Jurisdictions And Whole Church Acts Tony Arsenal: But either way, um Presbyterianism works on a s- sort of an idea of, uh, jurisdictions, right? And they're kinda concentric circles. They're not necessarily hierarchical, but it's, it's narrow jurisdictions and then broader jurisdictions. And the most narrow jurisdiction is the session of a local church over that congregation. But what's really interesting is that the, the Book of Church Order calls out that when any valid jurisdiction of the church is exercising its authority, it's not just that jurisdiction that's [00:33:00] acting. That's an act of the whole church, the entire Orthodox Presbyterian Church. So in a congregation where someone is in unrepentant sin and that, uh, session makes a decision, votes a decision to excommunicate that person, to remove them from the rolls, consider them to be an unbeliever, that's not just an act of that jurisdiction. I- i- as a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, when some church in Sacramento, California, I don't know if there's an OPC in Sacramento, I assume there probably is, but some church in Sacramento, California, the presbytery or the session excommunicates someone, I am e- I'm engaged in that act. That's an act of the whole church.  Watchfulness Beyond Personal Piety Tony Arsenal: And this, the, the only reason I go there and I bring, I kind of dive into that level of granularity is I actually think that this is kind of what this parable is teaching, is that as individuals, we need to be alert because the whole church acting is the whole church acting. So whether this takes the [00:34:00] form of me just being really un- un- like, locked into my local church and making sure that I'm active in my local church, or whether... And I think there are some of us who are called to this, um, and I think our, our podcast in some levels sort of takes this shape a little bit, are watching what other people in the church are doing and sometimes are offering corrections, right? It is not the case that an average blogger has ecclesiastical authority in the strictest sense, but when I see, or, or anyone who is sort of involved in online commentary, podcast, blogging or otherwise, I see someone in the church teaching something elsewhere and I call that out, that's me sort of fulfilling this command of Mark 13. I'm being watchful Because what that Christian says or does, if they're truly a Christian, actually does have something to do with what I believe. It actually does have something to do with me as a believer. That doesn't mean that you should get up in everybody else's business. That's not what I'm saying. Like, sometimes- Right ... the thing [00:35:00] that's going on in the church over there is just that thing that's going on over at the church there. But for example, there was a pretty high-profile, um, uh, ecclesiastical, I don't know if it was a trial, but like an ecclesiastical deposition, I guess, um, for a presbytery down in the Southwest, um, about some pretty gnarly things that were being said by an elder in the OPC church, and I wrote to that presbytery. They haven't sent it to me yet, but I wrote to that presbytery and said, "Hey, what you did at that meeting is an act of the whole church that I'm a part of. Can you send me the minutes?" And I have a right to do that, because I wanna see what's going on. I wanna understand what statements they're making on behalf of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church of America. Or, I just combined like 1,000 different denominations- Yes, you did. ... into one sentence. But I, I think the point is clear, like the, the parable of the watchful doorkeeper or the porter is not about exclusively, I do think there's an element of it, but it's not about our individual piety. It's about the sort of readiness state of the entire church for [00:36:00] Christ's return, if you really boil it all down  Avoid Date Setting And Indifference Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, so we, I think before we leave verse 35, we, we are at least contractually obligated to say, though we've said it before, that there are two errors here that we should definitely seek to avoid. And because we're talking about, again, this idea that we do not know when the master of the house will come, that is the reason why we wait, and we are watchful, like you just said. But it means that the first is any kind of, like, speculative date setting, which is a fool's errand. We've talked about that at length. Yeah. The second one, again, I think we're contractually obligated to say, is a practical indifference, maybe sometimes dressed as, like, pious agnosticism, like treating the uncertainty of that hour as grounds for some kind of spiritual carelessness rather than heightened attentiveness. So I think where all this wraps up with what you said about one representing all, that, that is the church's responsibility. Yes, you're right. In Timothy we get the command that this is the center and the pillar. So I... That obviously all this coheres with just straight-up biblical [00:37:00] doctrine of assurance and perseverance, because the elect are kept by God's power through faith. So what that means is watchfulness is not some kind of, like, anxious uncertainty about final salvation, but instead it is, like, this disciplined fidelity in the means God has appointed. Ordinary Means Of Grace Jesse Schwamb: And what are those means? Like, I feel like this is where everybody just shouts back, "Ordinary means." You know what I mean? When I say means- ... you say ordinary. Means- Or I should, I should say it the other way around. Ordinary. But this idea that, like, what are those things God has put into our lives, has appointed for us to use, has commanded us to up- obtain for ourselves by his power? It's prayer, it's the word, it's the sacraments. It's a mutual watchfulness within that visible church like you were just describing, and it's precisely because the timing of Christ's return has been sovereignly withheld from creaturely knowledge. So there's actually a lot in this that I think assuages that, that really sensitive Christian conscience, which is like, "Well, are you telling me I have to do more?" That's not what we're saying at all. We're, we're saying, "Do the things which God has empowered you to do." And guess what? Those things [00:38:00] are just very chill, very ordinary things that take on extraordinary influence and power in our lives by the work of the Holy Spirit. So again, it's like this whole thing of saying, like, when we work, we work. When we pray, God works. It's the same kind of thing here. There is work to be done. There is a watchfulness to undertake in all the activities of our lives. But it is not like whatever the, again, the equivalent, like, is of, like, spiritual, I don't know, like shots of espresso and, and Celsius to just try to, like, by all accounts, by your own power, somehow just not sleep. Uh- Yeah ... not sleeping is not what this text is about. It's actually about being aware, worshiping in awareness around all the things, and then devoting ourselves to all the stuff that we keep talking about, to praying, to studies in the scripture, to having family devotions and time of worship, to baptism, and to the Lord's Supper. That's what watchfulness is all about.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:39:00] Yeah, and I, I think, um, you know, this is again I do think this parable has more to do with the idea of kinda getting after it. I, I think that's how we usually talk about it, like getting after holiness. Yeah, it is. Um, I, I think this parable has more to do with that than some of the other parables with similar language that we've talked about. But I, I also think, um, as Reformed Christians, uh, we get the, we get the cart before the horse if we think that even though that's what it's about, that that somehow places the onus on us to do the good works, right? Right. The good works are prepared for us in advance that we might walk in them. And, uh, i- it's not even right to say, like, our responsibility is to walk in them. That's not even quite right theologically. Like, we are going to walk in them. Like, that's, that's the thing, is the doorkeeper is given this charge. He's commanded to stay awake, and in good Augustinian fashion, it's really more along the [00:40:00] lines es- of the doorkeeper is made to stay awake because he's been commanded to. Jesse Schwamb: Yes, that's right.  Tony Arsenal: And I think that's, that's really key.  Fruit Checking And Assurance Tony Arsenal: And yes, there is some- something to say for, uh, fruit checking. And I, I know that there are probably some in our audience that just, like, threw up in their mouth a little bit when I said that. Um, but the, the reality is, a lack of fruit, uh, i- in our life, and by fruit I'm talking about good works. Primarily I'm talking about the ordinary means of grace, like you said. A, a person who is refusing to avail themselves of the ordinary means of grace, right? Right on. Regular church attendance, prayer- Right ... the sacraments, Bible reading, um, sitting under the preaching of the Word, fellowship with other believers. Um, I would even say to some extent regular s- regular financial support of the Church. Mm-hmm. Um, and, and I... There, there are times where that may not be, uh, the most feasible thing, and so that's a decision between you and the Holy Spirit and for you to discuss with your pastor. [00:41:00] But, but the reality is God has given us these ordinary means of grace as a gift and as a way to nourish and support us. When we refuse to take part in those, and I use the word refuse intentionally, when a person refuses to attend church, for the most part most of us who have had a season where we don't, don't attend church, and I, I had a long season when I was in college where I just didn't attend church. There was no good reason for it. I just didn't do it. And if I'm being really honest, it was 'cause at that time in my life I had some sinful patterns that I didn't wanna face up to, right? That's usually what it boils down to.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Um, but for those of us who d- who refuse to, uh, take part and to avail ourselves of the ordinary means of grace, that should really cause us to question our salvation. Not because the ordinary means of grace cause our salvation, but because the ordinary means of grace are exactly as they're called. Exactly. They're the ordinary means by which God delivers His grace to us. So if we're refusing to receive God's grace, it means we're refusing to receive God's grace. And the only people ultimately who are not forgiven are [00:42:00] those who receive to ref- you know, refuse to receive God's grace. So I think this, this passage has more to do with us in an indi- sort of on the individual level, us being actively engaged and partaking in the, uh, the administration of the covenant of grace, to use a more technical term, right? The administration of the covenant of the grace are the visible means of grace. If we refuse to be baptized, if we refuse to partake of the Lord's supper, if we refuse to attend church and to sit under the preaching of the word and to pray, then we are, we are turning down God's offer of grace. That's right. We're taking the gift that He desires to give us, and we're saying, "No thank you." Well, when we phrase it that way, it's a flat rejection of God's grace that we're engaged in.  Church Mission And Readiness Tony Arsenal: But on a, on a sort of like big picture scale I think it has to do also along with these lines that I'm talking about of the Church itself being ready. Well, how does the Church prepare itself for Christ's [00:43:00] return? Again, the ordinary means of grace, right? We prepare ourselves by teaching and ministering, right? C- I think it's Colossians 1:28. If I was on Reformed Forum, I'd have this memorized 'cause it's their, like, theme verse. But, like, equipping every person for the ministry of Christ, equipping every person, making sure every person is, uh, mature and ready. Like, all of those things come together as the primary mission of the Church. And I know this is gonna trigger some people, but, like, evangelism is not the primary mission of the Church. The primary mission of the Church is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, which takes place mostly on the Lord's day. I think all of that, the personal dimension, the corporate dimension, all of that coalesces in this command to be watchful, to stay awake, to be on guard, to s- be about the task, to be in charge of the commands you've been given. All of those different concepts come together in what Christ is talking about here in verse 37 when He says, "I say to you, I say to all, [00:44:00] stay awake." Like- Right ... that's what we're talking about. So it's not as simple as personal piety. It's probably not as complicated as some sort of, like, I don't know, least of these, feed-the-poor schema that happens sometimes. All of that happens. It really is just about the Church being the Church and doing the things the Church does, both on the individual level, but also on the corporate level. Perseverance And Scriptural Warnings Jesse Schwamb: And that's why, as loved ones of God, then we can come to verse 36, which is the full warning, and we actually read it as a great comfort. So it says, "Lest he come suddenly and find you asleep." And after all we're talking about here, the way I read this warning against complacency is entirely consistent with, instead of being contradictory to, the doctrine of perseverance of the saints. Because perseverance is not fatalism, and I'm just... I'm still learning this, loved ones. Like, and even here, what I marvel at is the warnings of scripture are themselves among the ordinary means by which God preserves His people. So I go back to the Westminster [00:45:00] Confession of Faith chapter 17, which notes that, "Believers may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, fall into grievous sins, and so incur God's displeasure, even while never finally falling from grace." So that sobering possibility of, of quote-unquote being found asleep I think functions pastorally not to threaten the loss of the election, of the elect, but to press home I think, like, the seriousness of watchfulness as the fruit and evidence of genuine faith, which is what you're talking about. That, that's kind of like the Reformed theological jam in a sense, and that's why, where I think we'd anchor like James 2, Hebrews 3 and 4. There is, like, a call of the necessity of perseverance in the means as the mark of the true as opposed to be merely, of course, like some kind of profession of discipleship. The visible church, and we talked about this too, mixed as it is, is here warned that the formal membership in the household is no substitute for actual wakefulness. And so I hope we see that warning as not something [00:46:00] that's like, "Well, you gotta, you gotta check yourself every day 'cause if you just step out of line once, if you fall asleep at any little thing, then it just goes to show you that you weren't serious enough." Instead, it's like you said, Tony, like even the warning itself is proof positive that God will save, that He arrests, that He holds everything firm and secure, and that even the setting of the table or the preparing of the good works and then the way in which you walk in them, we might ask, how is it that you are even walking? Yeah. And so even this is all an act of God, whether we speak about that, uh, that justification, that initial positional sanctification, and even the progressive frame as well is all f- happens here because God is in fact doing that good work. So it's a good warning because it reminds us that what's, I think, the particular and special dispensation of the Christian is that in this falling asleep, as the Westminster Confession says, it may mean that we fall even into grievous sins. We're incurring God's displeasure. We're not disrupting our [00:47:00] identity in Christ, but we are disrupting our harmony with Christ. Yes. And so we always want to seek and to live in that kind of beautiful harmony where there is, I think, obedience for a word. There is a special fellowship that comes from being close to God in this way. We should always strive after that and want that very thing, but at no point does the Christian who even falls into grievous sins, as the Confession reminds us, fall outside of God's mercy and grace. Merely we fall outside of God's pleasure, and we r- we're finally returned to grace by His power in our lives, whi- which He Himself affects so that even in our fall, even in our death every day, there is a little bit of resurrection that restores us. Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Rapture Ready Misreadings Tony Arsenal: Yeah, another way, um, another way to put this, um, and I, I don't mean to trugger, trig- to trigger, uh, our dispensationalist friends and family who are listening to the show, um, there are I will speak from my own experience coming out of a dispensationalist framework when I was in [00:48:00] high school and early college. Um, there was a lot of focus on being, quote, "Rapture ready." And I, I think sometimes we can read parables like this to think that stay awake means be Rapture ready. And what that means is, like, in some forms of dispensationalism, and I think probably many forms of dispensationalism, there's this idea that, like, if you're not right with God in, in this sense you're talking about, if, like, you're in disharmony with God when the Rapture comes, you may ultimately be saved, but you're not gonna be saved by the Rapture, which means you're gonna have to deal with the tribulation, and that's no good. So, like, if your piety's not on point when the Rapture happens, all your friends are gonna be taken away, and you're gonna be left behind, right? I don't think it's too much of a characteristic- a caricature to talk about Left Behind when there's an entire dispensational book series about this, right? Right. The whole concept behind the Left Behind novel is that it's populated by people who thought they were Christians who weren't. Uh, and some of [00:49:00] those are because they had a false profession of faith. Some of them were just back- what, what a lot of people would just call backslidden Baptists or backslidden Christians who, who had a genuine profession of faith but just weren't living in a holy fashion. I think we can sometimes read this, whether we're dispensationalists or not, we can read these kinds of parables in light of Rapture readiness. I think it's, it's both more assuring and also infinitely more severe than that. Right. It's not about Rapture ready. It's about whether you're saved or not. Right. Whether you are in the kingdom of God, whether you are among the household of believers. All of the people in view in this parable are members of the master's household, right? Uh, they're all his servants. So it's not as though there are some who are, um, outside of his family that are be given, being given a command to be watchful. There's also no consequence implied for the doorkeeper if somehow he's not watchful. It's more along the lines of if you're in the faith, if you are the doorkeeper or a [00:50:00] doorkeeper in the g- in the king's house, then you ought to be watchful because that's what you do. And so there's no, like, implied consequence. There's no assumption that the doorkeeper somehow won't be watchful. So I think if there's any sort of, like, gut check, status check that needs to happen, it's really more along the lines of are we in the Lord's household or are we not? That's right. That's right. And I think that's, that's what you're getting at. If we're in the Lord's household, if we're members of his house, if we're servants in his kingdom, then we will be awake when the time comes. We will be awake when he returns.  Rooster Crow And Passion Echoes Tony Arsenal: And the other thing, and I'll just throw this out there maybe as a tease. I don't, I don't think there's enough here for us to come back to it next week, uh, although I've been wrong before, and sometimes Jesse and I have conversations right after that turn into the next episode. I think it's really interesting- I don't know if you ran into this when you were reading it, but- Yeah ... verse 35: "Therefore stay awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening or at [00:51:00] midnight or when the rooster crows," that's a very interesting phrase to me- It is, yeah ... "or in the morning." It's just another chapter or two when- Yeah ... we see the disciples fall asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane, right? Gethsemane. Um, the disciples fall asleep. We see language of the watches, right? The, the hours that Christ is alive and dies on the cross are associated with the watches. Right. And then of course the rooster crowing. And it's a very well-known, um, uh, I, I don't wanna call it a fact 'cause that might be too strong, but it's a pretty accepted, uh, theory in, in the sort of, uh, academic understanding of the, the authors of the Gospels that Mark, uh, Mark actually represents Peter's testimony. That the sort of a- apostolic imprimatur of the Gospel of Mark is actually that M- John Mark, probably while he was ministering with Peter, was being told these, this account, and he's collecting Peter's, Peter's [00:52:00] statements on the events of the Gospel It is very interesting to me that this phrase about the rooster crowing associated with being watchful and ready in the service of the master- Yep would appear particularly in the gospel that's asso- associated with Peter. Right. And I'll throw that out there just as maybe food for a discussion- ... in our Telegram chat, but I do think e- even that is sort of for our benefit, right? Right. We're not talking about, uh, this isn't a parable about what happens when you betray Jesus and hang yourself with a rope, right? This isn't, this isn't Judas who never was a believer. If we're drawing this peril- parallel, this is a parable about Peter, or related to Peter's experience, uh, who was restored, who ultimately had a moment of sleepiness, I guess, both physically and, you know, spiritually here. Had a moment of, of sleepiness, but ultimately was awake when the master came. That's right. And I think, like, there's something there for us to tease out, and, and again, [00:53:00] maybe we'll leave that for the Telegram chat. Maybe that's just for your own personal study. I've done zero commentary work, so maybe this is a connection that I feel- ... is super novel, but actually everyone else makes. Um, but I just thought it was really interesting how closely that language, that sequence of the watchfulness, the watch, sleepiness, awakefulness, and the rooster crows, how closely that lines up to the events that w- would be if we were going through Mark sequentially- Yep ... we would be encountering in just a couple chapters, right? In just chapter 15. They're coming up. Um, we're talking about this exact thing. So it's very interesting to me, is it... The Holy Spirit is amazing in how He has put together this. Yes. Even if, even if that is a super tenuous connection, it's still a connection. And- Agreed ... I have a tough time thinking anyone who's familiar with the, the passion accounts would read this and not go, "Woo." That's a lot of language from the passion account. It's a lot of- Yes ... language related to what happened in just a few chapters.  Jesse Schwamb: Yes. I'm with you. Like we said, there's so much that's within these couple of verses, and you'd have to think if you were reading this with brand-new eyes, [00:54:00] with eyes that never seen this text before, and you were just going straight through, you'd come in just a few short chapters to that whole narrative in Gethsemane and be like, "What? Did he, didn't he just, didn't this guy Jesus just say to them- Like be watchful, stay awake. And here they're... Isn't that ironic? Here they are in the garden, and he said- Yeah ... to them again, "Stay awake." They fall asleep. He comes back, he's like, "Could you not watch for one

Send us Fan MailOpening: We catch up on what has been happening in our lives during our hiatus.Main Topic: Did Paul expect Jesus to return during his lifetime? What does 1 Thessalonians reveal about Paul's view of last things? We discuss these questions and more!

Session 6 of 14: The Olivet Discourse - The Parousia of Christ (Robert Van Kampen). The Parousia of Christ Explained | Matthew 24, 1 Thessalonians 4 & the Rapture What does the Greek word parousia really mean, and why is it essential for understanding the Rapture, the Second Coming of Christ, and the Olivet Discourse? In this in-depth Bible study, we examine Jesus' teaching in Matthew 24 and compare it with 1 Thessalonians 4 and Revelation 19 to determine whether these passages describe the same event or different events. By comparing Scripture with Scripture, this lesson explores the biblical meaning of Christ's parousia and why it plays a crucial role in end-times theology. The post The Olivet Discourse – The Parousia of Christ (Robert Van Kampen) appeared first on Bible Prophecy Answers with Alan Kurschner.

In this study of Matthew 24, Pastor Brian Gunter examines Jesus' warning about false Christs, the Great Tribulation, and the meaning of the Greek word parousia. By tracing its use throughout the New Testament, Brian argues that Christ's "coming" in Matthew 24 refers to His bodily Second Coming at the end of history rather than merely the judgment on Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Along the way, he explores key passages that shape the debate and offers a historic Christian understanding of one of Scripture's most discussed prophecies.

In this study of Matthew 24, Pastor Brian Gunter examines Jesus' warning about false Christs, the Great Tribulation, and the meaning of the Greek word parousia.By tracing its use throughout the New Testament, Brian argues that Christ's "coming" in Matthew 24 refers to His bodily Second Coming at the end of history rather than merely the judgment on Jerusalem in A.D. 70.Along the way, he explores key passages that shape the debate and offers a historic Christian understanding of one of Scripture's most discussed prophecies.Watch all of our videos and subscribe to our channel for the latest content >HereHere

In this study of Matthew 24, Pastor Brian Gunter examines Jesus' warning about false Christs, the Great Tribulation, and the meaning of the Greek word parousia. By tracing its use throughout the New Testament, Brian argues that Christ's "coming" in Matthew 24 refers to His bodily Second Coming at the end of history rather than merely the judgment on Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Along the way, he explores key passages that shape the debate and offers a historic Christian understanding of one of Scripture's most discussed prophecies.

In this message, Pastor Paul Drader explores Jesus' teaching in Matthew 24 and the lesson of the fig tree. While many people focus on predicting when Jesus will return, Jesus calls us to something different: living ready today.As we look at His words, we're reminded that faith isn't about fear or speculation. It's about staying awake spiritually, trusting Jesus, and making the most of the time we've been given.Send us Fan Mail

What is Jesus actually coming back for?In this message, Pastor Ken walks through Jesus' words in Matthew 24 and reminds us that His return is not meant to create fear, but hope. As we wait, we're invited to live with anticipation, stay faithful, and remember that Jesus is coming back for His people.Send us Fan Mail

John 17:1-19We walk slowly through John 17 and let the Greek sharpen what Jesus is praying for as he speaks about glory, authority, eternal life, and unity. We connect word studies like doxa, exousia, parousia, logos, cosmos, and hagiadzo to Quaker concerns about the presence of Christ, the true church, and being sent into the world without being shaped by it. • Heaven as sky and as spiritual reality in the Greek word ouranos • Glory and glorify as honor and as God's manifested presence linked to shekinah • Eternal life defined as knowing and experiencing the only true God • Authority exousia as right, power, domain, and sphere of rule • Parousia as presence and why translating it as coming can mislead • Christ and the logos in relation to creation and pre-existence • Cosmos as creation, humanity, and worldliness depending on context • name as essence and character, not only a label • unity as Jesus's repeated prayer and a warning against sectarianism • Sanctify hagiadzo as set apart, purified, and made holy in a Hebrew sense • Quaker language of being favored and grace charis as divine favor, not flattery The quote in our introduction was paraphrased from the Eleventh Proposition of Barclay's Apology. A complete list of our podcasts,  organized into topics, is available on our website.To learn more about Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), please visit  ohioyearlymeeting.org. Those interested in exploring the distinctives of Conservative Friends waiting worship should consider checking out our many Zoom Online Worship opportunities during the week here. All are welcome! We also have several Zoom study groups.  Check out the Online Study and Discussion Groups on our website.   Advices read in these podcasts can be found on page 29 in our Book Of Discipline.We welcome feedback on this and any of our other podcast episodes.   Contact us through our website.

On today's episode, we discuss big “ten‑gallon” theology words as the crew dives into premillennialism, amillennialism, and how to read key end‑times passages without splitting churches over them. Pastor Jimmy Williams lays out the two main views: premillennialism, where Christ returns to establish an intermediate kingdom before the final judgment, and amillennialism, where the present church age itself is the “millennial” reign with Christ already ruling from heaven. From there, they walk slowly through 1 Corinthians 15, unpacking Greek terms, temporal markers like “then” and “after that,” and how the sequence—Christ as “firstfruits,” then the resurrection of those who belong to Him, then “the end”—can be read to support an intermediate kingdom before final restoration. Along the way, they explain concepts such as “firstfruits,” telos (the ultimate “end” or goal), and the Parousia, while also showing how punctuation and translation choices in English Bibles can muddy who “he” refers to or where a sentence really ends. The episode stays irenic and practical, emphasizing that Christians should major on the shared essentials—the return of Jesus, resurrection of the dead, and restoration of creation—while treating rapture timing and millennial charts as important but secondary topics to wrestle with humbly together. Don't miss it!

There are more verses in the entire Bible about Jesus' second coming than His first coming. It also states that no man knows the hour, only the season. Join Pastor Bill as he demonstrates through the Word of God that we can and do know the season.

In explaining the remarkable events of Pentecost, the apostle Peter said that this is what the prophet Joel foretold would happen in the last days, and that this is what would happen before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit ten days after the Ascension of Jesus Christ, we find ourselves living between Pentecost and Parousia.

Main Text: Matthew 21:1-17Jesus approaches His final hour by parading towards Jerusalem with His followers in the midst of explosive reactions by the large crowd chanting “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:9-11).The chapter started with a prophetic act to acclimate His disciples (verses 1-3). He foreknows where the donkeys are and the fact that the owners would lend them. The disciples participated in obedience to the prophetic action in verse 4, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9.The owners complied and the disciples obeyed because … ”The Lord needs them (verse 3).” The prophetic spectacle unfolds before a very large crowd who showed them adulation by “spreading their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them along the road while they cried out words of acknowledgment and worship, identifying Jesus, the miracle worker, as the Messiah, the Blessed Son of David (verses 8-11).The whole city was affected with both exuberance and interest (verses 10-11). After all of this triumphant procession, they arrive at the court of the gentiles in the outer court of the holy temple. Here, Jesus in contrast, Jesus uses some violence to demonstrate His rebuke. What turned His celebrating disposition to one of vivid displeasure (verse 13).The temple became a demonstration of false holiness that was hallow when it comes to those in need of God's help: The people, especially those considered “unclean” in the Old Testament law.Verses 12 – 17His uncharacteristic violent behavior of Jesus (gentle Shepard) verse 12.His message verse 13.The religious establishment were making the house built for prayer and spiritual benefit to a den of robbers (the focus on Commerce and “overcharging” (dishonest money changers?), etc.Not only greedy dishonest commerce but leaving out of their ministry considerations, those considered “unclean” in the Old Testament (“blind, lame, 2 Samuel 5:8; those with physical abnormality (Leviticus 21:7-12) and even children, Matthew 18:1-5, Matthew 21:14-16(.The house of prayer statement in Jesus' rebuke covers more than just praying but also ministering to those spiritually and physically disenfranchised from religious society (21:14-16). Remember when Jesus healed on the Sabbath (the law) Jesus was rebuked by some in the religious leadership; So, the temple was abused by secular minded leadership priesthood, etc. (read Mark 2:23-28).This false holiness was evidenced in some, if not more of the religious leadership: especially the Priests and Scribes.When the chief priests and teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did (for the lame, blind, diseased and poor persons and even the children) … “They became angry” (verse 15). And in contrast the children, not the religious hierarchy, recognized, along with the crowd and His disciples (verses 8-11): They exclaiming “Hosanna in the Highest”; what a radical change!This triumphal entry picture illustrates clearly that even religion given by God on Mt. Sinai can develop wrong priorities: The focus on using religion, even Christianity, for primarily commerce, power, and status. They developed a false idea of holiness without compassion and buildings and related practices without the presence of God, who is love.Even in the Old Testament, this is expounded in Isaiah 58 – What is true fasting (read it).2 Timothy 3:5, producing even Christians that only have a form or an appearance of holiness/godliness but resisting or denying its power to change them. Have nothing to do with them! (unless they repent, Galatians 6:1-2).Finally materialistic commerce focused political and religious priorities are the characteristics of the religious, political economic practices of the Antichrist system, to be destroyed by the Parousia of Jesus: described in Revelation 17, 18, & 19.This is what Matthew's version of Jesus triumphal entry in Matthew 21:1-17 illustrates: Joy, victory transformed by commercially oriented religious people who are then rebuked by Jesus. (See also the church of Laodicea in 3:14-21. But in His rebuked, there is always hope for restoration.AMEN

We believe that verses 4-35 describe the events leading up to the destruction of the temple in AD 70, with two brief comments regarding the Parousia in verses 27-28; 30-31. Verses 36-51 deal with the Parousia.

We believe that verses 4-35 describe the events leading up to the destruction of the temple in AD 70, with two brief comments regarding the Parousia in verses 27-28; 30-31. Verses 36-51 deal with the Parousia.

Parousia // Rev. Jarrett Wallace by Chapel Roswell

What did Jesus actually teach about His return… and why are there so many views on the end times?Today, Pastor Carl Nichols dives into Matthew 24, the meaning of Parousia, the debate around the rapture, and where some modern end-times beliefs came from. Was Christ's return meant to be understood as a secret disappearance… or the public arrival of a King?We explore:What Christians historically agree on about the return of ChristWhy end-times confusion existsDispensational vs Early Church views explainedThe meaning of Parousia, Harpazō, and ApantēsisThe origins of modern rapture theologyWhy readiness matters more than date-settingThis conversation may challenge what you've heard—and deepen your hope in the return of Jesus.“We're not caught up to disappear… we're caught up to welcome a returning King.”

What did Jesus actually teach about His return… and why are there so many views on the end times?Today, Pastor Carl Nichols dives into Matthew 24, the meaning of Parousia, the debate around the rapture, and where some modern end-times beliefs came from. Was Christ's return meant to be understood as a secret disappearance… or the public arrival of a King?We explore:What Christians historically agree on about the return of ChristWhy end-times confusion existsDispensational vs Early Church views explainedThe meaning of Parousia, Harpazō, and ApantēsisThe origins of modern rapture theologyWhy readiness matters more than date-settingThis conversation may challenge what you've heard—and deepen your hope in the return of Jesus.“We're not caught up to disappear… we're caught up to welcome a returning King.”

[2 Pet 1:15-18] The Apostle Peter, knowing his death was near and the Lord's Parousia was coming, urgently reminds the Church of what he personally witnessed on the Mount of Transfiguration: the majestic glory of the beloved Son, visibly approved by the Father. This is not another cleverly devised myth or religious fable; Christianity rests on historically verified, eyewitness testimony of divine power and heavenly majesty. Under the New Covenant, we do not follow a departed teacher or a fabricated story—we follow the risen, glorious Christ whose transfiguration foreshadows His second coming in power, calling us to steadfast faith in the only true and majestic Savior.

Peter warned the church that mockers would come. Pastor Jim Osman works through 2 Peter 3:1-4, examining the identity, motive, and arguments of those who deny the return of Christ—and why their denial is never as innocent as it appears.Two thousand years have passed since the promise was made. That passage of time is precisely what the mockers weaponize. Their question—"Where is the promise of His coming?"—is not a sincere inquiry. It is a denial dressed up as a question, a pattern Osman traces through Jeremiah, the Psalms, and Malachi. When mockers ask "where is," they are not looking for an answer. They are dismissing the promise altogether.Peter exposes their motive as well as their argument. These men follow after their own lusts, and the connection between their sensuality and their denial of Christ's return is deliberate. Deny the coming of Christ, and you deny the coming judgment. Deny the coming judgment, and there is nothing left to restrain the flesh. Osman draws out three strands of this connection: the removal of accountability, the loss of a purifying hope, and the implicit denial of bodily resurrection.The mockers also argue from uniformitarianism—the assumption that because nothing has changed, nothing will. Osman dismantles this philosophy, shows its influence on secular science, and points to the flood as evidence that God has already intervened catastrophically once before.False teachers are not a surprise. They are a sign. Their presence confirms that the last days are here—and that the Lord is still coming. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of Luke 21, we explore Revelation 19 to identify the key participants in Armageddon's final hour. Scripture reveals that Jesus Christ is the central figure, returning in glory at His Second Coming, accompanied by the armies of heaven—angels and faithful Christians clothed in white. We also examine the demonic forces that assemble the nations in rebellion and how these events align with the biblical teaching on the Parousia. Discover why Armageddon is not a moment of fear for believers, but a decisive victory and triumphant union with Christ. For the accompanying study guide to this episode and more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

Welcome to the introductory episode of the Crooked Lines podcast. Join your hosts, Tom and Father Sam French, as they share the inspiration behind this project and the journey of bringing it to life. In this episode, Tom and Father Sam discuss the "crooked lines" of their own lives: the mistakes, trials, and personal challenges that God uses to bring people closer to Him. They move past the "polished" image of the Christian life to explore the messy reality of personal transformation and the desire to live authentically. From a chance meeting over coffee to transforming a junk-filled garage into a 90s-themed studio, they reveal the providential moments and partnership with Parousia that made this show possible.

Revelation 19:11–16 gives one of the clearest and most powerful pictures of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ—Faithful and True, King of kings and Lord of lords. In this episode, Steve Wood explains how the Second Coming, the Parousia, the resurrection of the dead, and the Day of the Lord all describe the same biblical event, and why Scripture does not teach multiple future “comings” of Christ. A clear, Scripture-based look at Revelation 19, 1 Thessalonians 4, and the creeds of the Church that cuts through common end-times confusion. For study guide and more resources, visit us online at www.BibleforCatholics.com.

"Palm Sunday" is not a stand-alone event. It's part of the larger context of the triumphal process of coronation of Christ the King.

When Jesus returns, you will see Him—and you will be like Him!   Thank you for listening to Encourage-Mint. If you've been refreshed, don't forget to subscribe, Leave a review on iTunes, and share a little Encourage-Mint with someone you love. Encourage-Mint is a podcast from Family Radio. These moments are just a taste of what you can hear every day. Listen at FamilyRadio.org or find more encouragement on the Family Radio app.  Get daily Scripture and encouragement by following Family Radio on your favorite social media platforms:FacebookInstagram Twitter

In this short teaching, we examine 2 Thessalonians 2:8 to show why the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) must be future. Paul says Jesus will destroy the lawless one at His parousia (Second Coming)—meaning the Antichrist is active on earth when Christ returns. The post Preterism Problem – AD 70, the Parousia, and the Man of Lawlessness appeared first on Bible Prophecy Answers with Alan Kurschner.

Featured playlist: The Church (That Meets in My Home) — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Yobt1jZDd9Zzn8Ufa-BNciyYv04Cl6mMy books:Exalted: Putting Jesus in His Place — https://www.amazon.com/Exalted-Putting-Jesus-His-Place/dp/0985118709/ref=tmm_pap_title_0God's Design for Marriage (Married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-Married-Amazing/dp/0998786306/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493422125&sr=1-4&keywords=god%27s+design+for+marriageGod's Design for Marriage (Pre-married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-What-Before/dp/0985118725/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_topSupport us - become a CTC Partner: https://crosstocrown.org/partners/crosstocrown.org@DougGoodin

In this episode of the Parousia Podcast, Charbel Raish sits down with Father Michael Lim, a priest of the Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn, to discuss his extraordinary journey from a successful Buddhist real estate agent in Singapore to the Catholic priesthood. Father Michael shares the dramatic "turning point" of his life: a miraculous healing of his sister at a charismatic session that forced him to realize that "Jesus is alive". We dive into the philosophy of Buddhism versus the revelation of Christianity, the power of Christian meditation, and Father Michael's new book, Who Am I? In God Discovering our Christian Identity. Whether you are a lifelong Catholic or someone searching for the meaning of life, Father Michael's testimony is a powerful reminder that God never stops reaching out to His children. Purchase Fr Michael's book at: https://parousiamedia.com/who-am-i-in-god-discovering-our-christian-identity-fr-michael-lim-dr-sunny-hong-lim-hong-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=lim Fr Michael's Website: https://jesusisalive.com.au 00:00 – Preview: "Jesus is alive, He's real". 01:21 – Introducing Fr. Michael Lim and his book Who Am I?. 02:45 – Life in Singapore vs. the "Bush Diocese" of Canberra-Goulburn. 06:22 – Growing up Buddhist: The plan to become a monk at age 40. 07:22 – The Miracle: Challenging Jesus to heal his sister's arthritis. 09:38 – "The rest was history": From the healing to the Tabernacle. 10:49 – Entering the Seminary: Testing the calling. 15:23 – Philosophy vs. Revelation: The difference between Buddhism and Christianity. 19:14 – Dealing with Desire: Why Buddhists and Christians meditate. 23:08 – The "Mantra" and the Elephant: How to focus in prayer. 24:34 – A Prime Minister's Secret: Lee Kuan Yew and Christian meditation. 30:56 – The Identity Crisis: Why modern children don't know God loves them. 34:54 – Image and Likeness: The "Shadow" and the "Object". 46:39 – Encountering Pure Love: Fr. Michael's 30-day silent retreat. 54:21 – The Power of Forgiveness: A daughter's words that broke a father's heart. 59:24 – Goulburn: Restoring Australia's only "Greenstone" Cathedral. 01:01:15 – First-Class Relics: St. Mary MacKillop, St. Bernadette, and more. Parousia Socials: facebook.com/parousiamedia instagram.com/parousiamedia tiktok.com/parousiamedia Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute. Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/

Is the Eucharist just a symbol, or is it something more? In this episode of The Journey to the International Eucharistic Congress 2028, Fr Ben Saliba and Professor Hayden Ramsay are joined by world-renowned theologian Professor Tracy Rowland (University of Notre Dame) to unpack one of the most profound mysteries of the Catholic faith: The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. As we prepare for the ‘Eucharist28' in Sydney, it is vital to understand what we believe and why. Professor Rowland breaks down the theological differences between Catholic and Protestant views and discusses the role of faith in recognising Christ's presence when our senses perceive only bread and wine. Professor Rowland's piece "The Presence of Christ in the Eucharist," is available now on the Eucharist28 website https://eucharist28.org/parishes/the-presence-of-christ-in-the-eucharist JOIN THE MOVEMENT and stay connected in the lead up to Eucharist28 https://eucharist28.org/join-us Eucharist28 Socials: instagram.com/eucharist_28 facebook.com/eucharist28 x.com/eucharist28 Parousia Socials: facebook.com/parousiamedia instagram.com/parousiamedia tiktok.com/parousiamedia   Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute. Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/

12/28/2025, Parousia Preparation, Pastor Jim Fleming by Northern Heights

After a three-year interim, Dad and I finally return to Reinhold Niebuhr's magisterial work, The Nature and Destiny of Man, first delivered as the Gifford Lectures in 1939, then revised and published in 1943. In this episode on vol. 2, we discuss what Dad cribbed from Niebuhr upon his first reading this book 55 years ago (!), the question of metanarratives and what we can (and can't) know about history, why the atonement is necessary, and of course, Sarah's favorite topic, the Parousia of Christ. This year of podcasting ends not with a whimper, but a bang! Looking toward an EIGHTH year of Queen of the Sciences? Show your support by becoming a Patron! Notes: 1. Related episodes: Niebuhr on the Nature of Man, Resurrection according to Macrina and Nyssa, Before Auschwitz, Doctrine to Bible (and Back Again), Cybertech and Personhood, Propaganda, The Image of God 2. Antti Raunio, "Martin Luther and Love" 3. Need more on communism? Try this very digestible approach in Sarah's memoir, I Am a Brave Bridge, about the Hinlicky family's year in Slovakia just after the fall of the iron curtain 4. Need more on the Parousia? Sarah's Forty Facets of the Ascension is now out on all platforms! And, guess what, lots on the Parousia in her Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration, too!  

Episode 4 - Cultivating One's Personal Vocation and Mission This final episode of the series explores how God works powerfully through wounded hearts, generous mentors, and ordinary people who choose to say yes. It reveals that leadership is not reserved for the perfect or the fearless, but for those willing to be shaped through faith, trust, and perseverance. These are stories of personal transformation, where grace meets human weakness and turns it into something fruitful and life-giving. Steve Lawrence invites us to rediscover what it truly means to live with purpose. Through reflection and lived experience, this episode encourages viewers to consider how influence, faith, and courage intersect in everyday life, and how responding to God's call can lead not only to personal renewal, but to meaningful service of others. Visit Steve's website: stevelawrence.com.au altumgroup.net Steve's book Tiny Book for Giant Men: https://parousiamedia.com/the-tiny-book-for-giant-men-steve-lawrence-paperback/ Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/ Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

Episode 3 - Growing a Culture of Faith In this third episode of our conversation with Steve Lawrence, we explore one of the most crucial questions facing our Church, our schools, and our families today: How do we grow a genuine culture of faith? Building on the previous episode's discussion about the challenges within education, Steve reflects on the fundamental truth that you cannot give what you do not have. A culture of faith begins with individuals who are rooted in prayer, silence, and a living relationship with Christ. Throughout the episode, Steve uses powerful imagery—fire that needs dry wood, soil that must be cleared, and seeds that grow only when tended—to illustrate how faith takes shape in the human heart. He speaks about the importance of making space for the Holy Spirit, of embracing silence in a noisy world, and of allowing God's mercy to transform us from within. The conversation highlights the need for authentic witness, reminding us that people are moved far more by lived faith than by instruction alone. We also reflect on the temptations that can arise within church communities, especially the danger of becoming like the “older brother” in the parable of the prodigal son—judgmental, hardened, or blind to our own need for conversion. Steve and Salwa discuss the beauty of welcoming families and children, even amidst the distractions they bring, because a noisy church is a sign of a growing one. They explore the humility required to step aside and allow God to work, as well as the courage to trust His timing in our personal mission and in the life of the Church. Ultimately, this episode is a heartfelt invitation to examine our own hearts and ask how we can personally contribute to a culture of faith. It reminds us that everything begins with intimacy with Christ, openness to grace, and the daily choice to let His love shine through us. Stay tuned for the next episode, where we turn to the themes of vocation and mission—discovering how each of us is called to live out our faith in a unique and transformative way. Visit Steve's website: stevelawrence.com.au Steve's book Tiny Book for Giant Men: https://parousiamedia.com/the-tiny-book-for-giant-men-steve-lawrence-paperback/ Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/ Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

"Hear, O Israel, The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.” Deuteronomy 6:4    Submit a Podcast Listener Question HERE!    Podcasts by Series  Level One Book Study  Level Two Book Study    As we begin our Advent journey—a time of waiting with the children—we hear the message of the prophets, calling us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus and for the fulfillment of the history of the Kingdom of God at the Parousia. Today, Donna Turner helps us ponder the great richness of the prophets and their prophecies for both us and the child.  Donna Turner is a Level III catechist and Formation Leader. She is the Co-Director of the Good Shepherd Center-Memphis, TN, and the volunteer coordinator of CGS at St. Philip Episcopal Church-Memphis. Donna serves CGSUSA as a member of the Formation Advisory Council and the Episcopal Committee. She lives in Germantown, TN.    History of the Kingdom of God Part 1: Creation to Parouisa    Thank you to all our members and our donors who have given to the 2025-26 Annual Appeal and Tina Lillig Memorial Fund. Your donations make it possible for CGSUSA to expand formation opportunities, give mission courses, invest in technology, create catechist and parent resources and publications, and offer many wonderful events that build our catechist community. All of these initiatives help us serve children with love and generosity. The revenue generated from membership fees covers about 55 percent of the cost of the benefits of membership, so philanthropy is essential to delivering excellent support to catechists, ministry leaders, families, and children. To find out more or make a gift, please visit www.cgsusa.org/donate. Thank you!    Podcast Episodes you might be interested in:    Episode 27 – The Mystery of the Incarnation  Episode 53 – The Birth and Infancy of Jesus  Episode 104 – Incarnation and the Annunciation  Episode 105 – Welcoming the Christ Child as a Sacred Act  Episode 128 – CGS Advent in the Home  Episode 129 – The Family in Advent  Episode 132 – The Depth of the Christmas Season      The Religious Potential of the Child  CGSUSA Store      BECOME A CGSUSA MEMBER          AUDIOBOOK:    Audiobook – Now Available on Audible  CGSUSA is excited to offer you the audio version of The Religious Potential of the Child – 3rd Edition by Sofia Cavalletti, read by Rebekah Rojcewicz!  The Religious Potential of the Child is not a “how-to” book, complete with lesson plans and material ideas. Instead it offers a glimpse into the religious life of the atrium, a specially prepared place for children to live out their silent request: “Help me come closer to God by myself.” Here we can see the child's spiritual capabilities and perhaps even find in our own souls the child long burdened with religious information. This book serves as a companion to the second volume, The Religious Potential of the Child 6 to 12 Years Old. The desire to have this essential text available in audio has been a long-held goal for many. The work of many hands has combined to bring this release to life as an audiobook.    Find out more about CGS:       Learn more about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd     Follow us on Social Media-  Facebook at “The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd”  Instagram-  cgsusa  Twitter- @cgsusa  Pinterest- Natl Assoc of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA  YouTube- catechesisofthegoodshepherd 

Episode 2 - The Challenges Facing Catholic Educators Today In this second episode of A Call to Lead, Steve Lawrence joins us again to dive deep into the real challenges facing Catholic educators and school leaders today. From the inspiring role of Barnabas in forming St Paul, to the pressures teachers face in modern schooling systems, this conversation shines a light on the heart of Catholic leadership—encouragement, formation, discernment, and courage. Steve unpacks how the example of Barnabas' mentorship shaped St Paul and what this means for leaders today, reflecting on the essential role of encouragement for principals, teachers, and staff. He explores the tension between authentic Catholic identity and increasing secular pressures, while also addressing the unique struggles educators face from administrative overload and the loneliness of being one of the few faith-filled staff members, to the challenges of teaching sensitive topics in a culture that often misunderstands or resists the Church's perspective. Steve also discusses the importance of strong relationships between schools and families, the impact of social media on young minds, and why the Catholic vision of salvation and the supernatural must once again become central in forming our students. Whether you are a teacher, leader, parent, or anyone passionate about the future of Catholic education, this episode offers wisdom, clarity, and hope for building strong, faith-filled communities in our schools. Stay tuned for the next episode where we explore how to grow a culture of faith. Visit Steve's website: stevelawrence.com.au Steve's book Tiny Book for Giant Men: https://parousiamedia.com/the-tiny-book-for-giant-men-steve-lawrence-paperback/ Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/ Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

2022-04-11 - The Parousia Matthew 21： 1-22 [igPG0IOQjns] by Salvador Flores III

In this episode Charbel sits down with Fr Sam French, one of Australia's most dynamic Catholic voices online. Fr Sam shares the story of his calling, his journey through discernment, and the moment God made his vocation unmistakably clear. He reflects on how both charismatic and traditional expressions of faith shaped him, and how his experience as a vocations director taught him what authentic discernment really looks like. Fr Sam also reveals why he uses humour and culturally relevant content on social media, showing how digital evangelisation can open hearts in surprising ways and make the priesthood relatable. This honest and uplifting conversation is perfect for anyone seeking clarity, direction, or inspiration in their faith. For all of Fr Sam's social links, resources and more visit: www.frsamfrench.com For more information about Fr Sam's Spiritual Conversations Group visit: https://www.manlyfreshwaterparish.org Joseph House Broken Bay Diocese Link: https://www.bbcatholic.org.au/mission/vocations/joseph-house Broken Bay Vocations Link: https://www.bbcatholic.org.au/mission/vocations Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/ Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

In the opening line of Mark's Gospel Jesus is referred to as "the Son of God," except that the Greek phrasing in this instance, somewhat non-typically, lacks any definite article. That this idiom echoes imperial propaganda is seen to be likely when a Roman centurion employs the same wording as he observes how Jesus died on their cross. Dr. Christopher Hays, a return contributor to this podcast, is president of Scholar Leaders and host of Faith on the Road Podcast. Among his publications are When the Son of Man Didn't Come: A Constructive Proposal on the Delay of the Parousia and Eight Million Exiles: Missional Action Research and the Crisis of Forced Migration. Check out related programs at Wheaton College: B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/49x9aP4  M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/3XH7R8U 

This oft-overlooked little epistle of the New Testament is very likely the first extant work of Christian literature—characterized by the apostle Paul's intense pastoral love for his congregation in Thessalonica and comforting hope in the return on the clouds of the Lord Jesus. In this episode Dad and I dig into both these themes, the abundance of family language (some of it startling, to say the least!), explore non-creepy ways to affirm the Parousia, and note early themes of Paul that will stay the course as well as undergo development on the way to his late Epistles. We're in our SEVENTH year! Show your support by becoming a Patron! Notes: 1. Sarah's book Forty Facets of the Ascension is available now! 2. Gaventa, First and Second Thessalonians 3. Malherbe, Paul and the Thessalonians: The Philosophic Tradition of Pastoral Care 4. Related episodes: Apostleship Envy, Triple Predestination, Galatians 1, Galatians 2, Philemon, Romans

In this Parousia Podcast Archive we look back at Charbel's discussion with Dr Scott Hahn on his book "The Decline and Fall of Sacred Scripture: How the Bible Became a Secular Book." What is wrong with Scripture scholarship today? Why is it that the last place one should go to study the Bible is a biblical studies program at virtually any university? Why are so many faithful priests and pastors, and the people in their pews, unaware of the centuries-long effort to turn the sacred Word of God into just another secular text? In The Decline and Fall of Sacred Scripture: How the Bible Became a Secular Book, authors Scott Hahn and Benjamin Wiker trace the various malformations of Scripture scholarship that have led to a devastating loss of trust in the inspired Word of God. From the Reformation to the Enlightenment and beyond, Hahn and Wiker sketch the revolutions and radical figures that led to the emergence of the historical-critical method and the pervasive ill effects that are still being felt today. Purchase the book here: https://parousiamedia.com/the-decline-and-fall-of-sacred-scripture-how-the-bible-became-a-secular-book-scott-hahn-benjamin-wiker-emmaus-road-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=Scott+hahn Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/blog/ Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

In this episode of the Parousia Podcast, Charbel sits down with children's author, Carmel Assaf to discuss her new book "The Donkey in the Mill." Written to encourage families to explore timeless virtues together. Carmel is a teacher and storyteller who has spent her career inspiring young minds in classrooms across the United Kingdom, Russia, and her home country of Australia. She has taught both primary and secondary students, always with a focus on sparking imagination and a love of learning. The Donkey In The Mill - Hardback https://parousiamedia.com/the-donkey-in-the-mill-carmel-assaf-character-for-kids-hardcover/?searchid=0&search_query=donkey+mill Character For Kids website: https://www.characterforkids.com.au Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/ Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

When and how did we get confused about our gender? In this episode of the Parousia Podcast, Charbel Raish talks with Jason Evert (Catholic speaker, author and founder of the Chastity Project) about his latest book, 'Male, Female, Other: A Catholic Guide to Understanding Gender'. They discuss the current brokenness within our culture when it comes to this topic, along with some ideas as to how we can respond with charity and clarity. https://chastity.com/ https://chastity.org/ https://chastity.com/gender/ Male, Female, Other? https://parousiamedia.com/male-female-other-a-catholic-guide-to-understanding-gender-jason-evert-chastity-project-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=jason+evert The Dating Blueprint https://parousiamedia.com/the-dating-blueprint-jason-evert-totus-tuus-press-paperback/?searchid=0&search_query=jason+evert Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

In this episode from our Archives, Fr Spitzer speaks about how the soul can be proven to exist by citing many near-death experiences. To find out more about near-death experiences, and to discover many other ways in which the material sciences do not contradict the Catholic faith, and in fact affirm the Catholic faith, visit www.crediblecatholic.com Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.  

In this episode, Charbel speaks with Fr Daniel Klimek, to explore his deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the power of the Rosary in daily life. Fr Daniel shares the journey of his own Marian spirituality, offering personal reflections that reveal how true devotion to Our Lady always leads us closer to Jesus. He also discusses his new book, With Jesus and Mary, a heartfelt guide for anyone seeking to grow in love for Christ through Mary's example and intercession. The book draws from Scripture, the saints, and the insight of mystics to help immerse readers in the mysteries of the Rosary. Fr. Daniel Klimek brings to life the thought of Pope St. John Paul II, St. John of the Cross, St. Josemaría Escrivá, St. Faustina Kowalska, and mystics such as Venerable Maria of Ágreda and Caryll Houselander, uncovering little-known spiritual treasures that will enrich the prayer and reflection of all.

In this episode Charbel speaks with author Meg Hunter-Kilmer about her books about Saints.The lives of the Saints are one of the most powerful ways God draws people to himself, showing us the love and the joy we can find in him. But so often, these Saints seem distant―impossibly holy or dull or unlike us in race and age and state in life. In Saints Around the World, you'll meet over one-hundred Saints from more than sixty countries, including Saints with different disabilities, strengths, and struggles. All of Meg's books are available at Parousiamedia.com in the link below (AUSTRALIA/NZ/ASIA): https://parousiamedia.com/search.php?search_query=kilmer§ion=product#y=232 USA: https://stpaulcenter.com/search?q=meg%20hunter-kilmer&type=store Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/ Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.

In this episode, Charbel speaks with author Maura Roan McKeegan. Maura is the author of a number of Catholic picture books, including the award-winning Old and New series; Where is Jesus Hidden?; St. Conrad and the Wildfire; The Poorest Shepherd; Julia Greeley: Secret Angel to the Poor; and Seven Clues: A Catholic Treasure Hunt, co-authored with Scott Hahn. Purchase Maura's books here: Australia: https://parousiamedia.com/search.php?search_query=maura+roan+keegan§ion=product#y=528 International: https://stpaulcenter.com/search?q=maura%20roan%20mckeegan&type=store Join the Parousia mailing list at https://www.parousiamedia.com/mailing-list/ Parousia is committed to proclaiming the fullness of truth! If you wish to help us in our mission with a donation please visit our website here https://www.parousiamedia.com/donate/ to learn ways that you can contribute.  

Pastor Alan R. Knapp discusses the topic of "A Sermon on the Edge of the Eschaton: The Threefold Parousia of Jesus Part Five" in his series entitled "Hebrews 2020: We See Jesus" This is Increment 394 and it focuses on the following verses: Hebrews 10:37

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 42 Gary concludes his response to John Piper's book, Come, Lord Jesus. Time statements, context, and other books of the Bible help us to understand what words and phrases in the Bible actually mean. We also need to be careful that we are interpreting biblical words in light of how an ancient audience would understand it, not how a 21st century audience does.