Podcasts about rings

Indie author legend Mike Mollman drops by to talk about the Rings of Adventure anthology—with over 30 short stories from indie authors—and his latest projects.   Grab Mike Mollman's books:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B097RXD8WT?ccs_id=7ab8ab6e-a7b1-4a32-b70f-aba0b4191f2f   Support the Rings of Adventure Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rvb1/rings-of-adventure-anthology     Podcast Website: thetrueandthefictional.com Contact the show: thetrueandthefictional@gmail.com Support the show: Buymeacoffee.com/sttatf Buy Merch: Jabryden.printify.me   Follow us on the socials: FB: Facebook.com/storiesthetrueandthefictional IG: @stories_podcast X: @stories_ttatf Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzIXhRcUvPPAzpCL-_a9N4w   Dropbear/logo designed by Mike Crumbs: Cartooncrumbs.com   Sponsor 1: Rebecca Cassells Buy her books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/.../e/B08WCH6RHG/ X: RACassells_auth IG: Rebecca.cassells.92 FB: Facebook.com/RebeccacassellsbooksTikTok: @rebeccacassellsauthor   Sponsor 2: J.A. Bryden  Website: Jabryden.com Socials: @jabryden   Indie Book Award Winners 2025:   Janelle Schiecke: Socials: J_Schiecke Buy her books: https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B0CCXHKVGH/allbooks?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=aufs_ap_ahdr_dsk_ab&pd_rd_w=XSV9m&content-id=amzn1.sym.b4344408-bcb0-46d7-b9b0-ac31160009fa&pf_rd_p=b4344408-bcb0-46d7-b9b0-ac31160009fa&pf_rd_r=358-0097934-1431222&pd_rd_wg=8hy1R&pd_rd_r=f0f7368c-365a-4c1c-8cc2-4a75595b0f92   Alexander Rob: Socials: @TheStarwald Website: Alexanderrob.com   #indieauthorpodcast #meettheauthor #books #indiebooks #booktube

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION “I miss my home, [although I] don't remember it. Sometimes, I perceive a glimmer of it nonetheless. A longing for a feeling I can't remember or even name. But I know it's real, just beyond the sunset.”~The Stranger, Rings of Power S02E01 “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”~2 Peter 3:13 “You are both free and bound. Free, paradoxically, because, now, you have a home… And bound: to that mystery, precisely, a bondage which liberates you into something of the glory and suffering of the world.”~Zadie Smith, contemporary English writer “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”~John 1:14SERMON PASSAGEPsalm 85 (ESV)1 Lord, you were favorable to your land;   you restored the fortunes of Jacob.2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;   you covered all their sin.                      Selah3 You withdrew all your wrath;   you turned from your hot anger. 4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,   and put away your indignation toward us!5 Will you be angry with us forever?   Will you prolong your anger to all generations?6 Will you not revive us again,   that your people may rejoice in you?7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,   and grant us your salvation. 8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,   for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;   but let them not turn back to folly.9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,   that glory may dwell in our land. 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;   righteousness and peace kiss each other.11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,   and righteousness looks down from the sky.12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,   and our land will yield its increase.13 Righteousness will go before him   and make his footsteps a way.

 Everybody on the Enterprise is working for the weekend, that is until disaster strikes. Matt and Pete clock episode 406, “Off-Hour.” Thanks as always to everyone who supports the podcast by visiting Patreon.com/PhantasticGeek.Share your feedback by emailing PhantasticGeek@gmail.com, commenting at PhantasticGeek.com, or tweeting @PhantasticGeek.MP3

Fantasy author Andrew Johnston drops by for a yarn about his latest WIP, You Killed My Dragon.   Andrew's Website: Authorandrewjohnston.com   Support the Rings of Adventure Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rvb1/rings-of-adventure-anthology     Podcast Website: thetrueandthefictional.com Contact the show: thetrueandthefictional@gmail.com Support the show: Buymeacoffee.com/sttatf Buy Merch: Jabryden.printify.me   Follow us on the socials: FB: Facebook.com/storiesthetrueandthefictional IG: @stories_podcast X: @stories_ttatf Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzIXhRcUvPPAzpCL-_a9N4w   Dropbear/logo designed by Mike Crumbs: Cartooncrumbs.com   Sponsor 1: Rebecca Cassells Buy her books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/.../e/B08WCH6RHG/ X: RACassells_auth IG: Rebecca.cassells.92 FB: Facebook.com/RebeccacassellsbooksTikTok: @rebeccacassellsauthor   Sponsor 2: J.A. Bryden  Website: Jabryden.com Socials: @jabryden   Indie Book Award Winners 2025:   Janelle Schiecke: Socials: J_Schiecke Buy her books: https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B0CCXHKVGH/allbooks?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=aufs_ap_ahdr_dsk_ab&pd_rd_w=XSV9m&content-id=amzn1.sym.b4344408-bcb0-46d7-b9b0-ac31160009fa&pf_rd_p=b4344408-bcb0-46d7-b9b0-ac31160009fa&pf_rd_r=358-0097934-1431222&pd_rd_wg=8hy1R&pd_rd_r=f0f7368c-365a-4c1c-8cc2-4a75595b0f92   Alexander Rob: Socials: @TheStarwald Website: Alexanderrob.com   #indieauthorpodcast #meettheauthor #books #indiebooks #booktube

Maggie and Corey return to the Rings of Power to do some analysis of the Rings of Power Season 3 teaser trailer. Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 131, recorded on August 3, 2026. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/szXMFAv Join us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel / signumuniversity and SignumU Twitch channel / signumu Check the schedule here. / schedule For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/ You can watch or listen to the recordings here. • Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendl... https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subsc... Hosts: Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor https://signumuniversity.org/director... Dr. Maggie Parke https://signumuniversity.org/director... For more information about Signum Studios and Signum Collaboratory, visit Signum Studios https://studios.signumuniversity.org/ Signum Collaboratory https://collaboratory.signumuniversit... For more information about Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/

Maggie and Corey are together in the studio to chat more about Rings of Power Season 3 and Rings & Realms. Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 132, recorded on August 10, 2026. Join us on the Signum University Discord server: / discord Join us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel / signumuniversity and SignumU Twitch channel / signumu Check the schedule here. / schedule For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/ You can watch or listen to the recordings here. • Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendl... https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subsc... Hosts: Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor https://signumuniversity.org/director... Dr. Maggie Parke https://signumuniversity.org/director... For more information about Signum Studios and Signum Collaboratory, visit Signum Studios https://studios.signumuniversity.org/ Signum Collaboratory https://collaboratory.signumuniversit... For more information about Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/

Hal Jordan goes one way and John Stewart the other as the alien threat looms larger beneath the surface. Matt and Pete do Lanterns episode 2, “Trust Fall.”Thanks as always to everyone who supports the podcast by visiting Patreon.com/PhantasticGeek.Share your feedback by emailing PhantasticGeek@gmail.com, commenting at PhantasticGeek.com, or tweeting @PhantasticGeek.MP3

Sci-fi author, Adam Fernandez drops by for a yarn about his books, the Rings of Adventure anthology and a whole lot more. Adam's Website: Adamfernandezbooks.com  Support the Rings Of Adventure Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rvb1/rings-of-adventure-anthology   Podcast Website: thetrueandthefictional.com Contact the show: thetrueandthefictional@gmail.com Support the show: Buymeacoffee.com/sttatf Buy Merch: Jabryden.printify.me   Follow us on the socials: FB: Facebook.com/storiesthetrueandthefictional IG: @stories_podcast X: @stories_ttatf Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzIXhRcUvPPAzpCL-_a9N4w   Dropbear/logo designed by Mike Crumbs: Cartooncrumbs.com Sponsor 1: Rebecca Cassells Buy her books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/.../e/B08WCH6RHG/ X: RACassells_auth IG: Rebecca.cassells.92 FB: Facebook.com/RebeccacassellsbooksTikTok: @rebeccacassellsauthor Sponsor 2: J.A. Bryden  Website: Jabryden.com Socials: @jabryden Indie Book Award Winners 2025: Janelle Schiecke: Socials: J_Schiecke Buy her books: https://www.amazon.com.au/stores/author/B0CCXHKVGH/allbooks?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=aufs_ap_ahdr_dsk_ab&pd_rd_w=XSV9m&content-id=amzn1.sym.b4344408-bcb0-46d7-b9b0-ac31160009fa&pf_rd_p=b4344408-bcb0-46d7-b9b0-ac31160009fa&pf_rd_r=358-0097934-1431222&pd_rd_wg=8hy1R&pd_rd_r=f0f7368c-365a-4c1c-8cc2-4a75595b0f92 Alexander Rob: Socials: @TheStarwald Website: Alexanderrob.com   #indieauthorpodcast #meettheauthor #books #indiebooks #booktube

From '6 Rings & Football Things' (subscribe here): Scott McLaughlin and Justin Turpin discuss the Patriots' 24-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in their second preseason game. How concerning are the team's depth issues? Who have been the biggest standouts throughout training camp? Plus, with Devon Witherspoon signing a new deal a week ago, what's the hold-up with Christian Gonzalez?

Kris and David are back as we discuss the week that was August 16-23, 1994. Topics of discussion include:Hulk Hogan giving a very candid interview to the Gainesville Sun newspaper talking about Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Vince McMahon, joining WCW, and more.The greatness of the Rhodes family vs. Stud Stable feud in Summer 1994.Jesse Ventura having issues as Mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.Antonio Inoki & George Foreman negotiating for a super fight in North Korea in 1995.Super Vader winning the UWFi World Title from Nobuhiko Takada in one of the most famous bouts of the era.Konnan cements his rudo turn in AAA as Los Gringos Locos become a major force.The drama between ECW, Dennis Coralluzzo, and Jim Crockett regarding the NWA World Heavyweight Title tournament seems to be getting smoothed over as everyone comes to an agreement so the tournament can take place.Shane Douglas and Paul E. Dangerously cut promos ECW TV about the tournament, with Shane specifically targetting "Dick Flair."The Gangstas' first big show as main eventers flops and Dave Meltzer speculates on their future as New Jack calls out the Knoxville NAACP on SMW TV.Chris Candido and Tammy Fytch turn on Brian Lee after losing the SMW Tag Team Titles.Doug Gilbert gets suspended in the USWA, so he doesn't have to risk his mane in hair matches…yet.The greatness of Sid Vicious in the USWA and why he was so different there from anywhere else.Austin Idol returning to Memphis in grand fashion.Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler taking viewer phone calls on WWF Sunday Night Slam and what an experience that was.All of that plus so much more on an extremely fun episode of BTS!!!Timestamps:0:00:00 WCW1:03:39 Int'l: AJPW, NJPW, FMW, Michinoku Pro, RINGS, UWFi, JWP, Maharaj Promotions, CWA, AAA, CMLL, & UWA1:39:40 Classic Commercial Break1:43:46 Halftime2:31:07 Other USA: NWA, ECW, NWA Sabu, IWA (OH), SMW, USWA, Mid-South, & GWF4:10:27 WWFTo support the show and get access to exclusive rewards like special members-only monthly themed shows, go to our Patreon page at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets and become an ongoing Patron. Becoming a Between the Sheets Patron will also get you exclusive access to not only the monthly themed episode of Between the Sheets, but also access to our new mailbag segment, a Patron-only chat room on Slack, and anything else we do outside of the main shows!If you're looking for the best deal on a VPN service—short for Virtual Private Network, it helps you get around regional restrictions as well as browse the internet more securely—then Private Internet Access is what you've been looking for. Not only will using our link help support Between The Sheets, but you'll get a special discount, with prices as low as $1.98/month if you go with a 40 month subscription. With numerous great features and even a TV-specific Android app to make streaming easier, there is no better choice if you're looking to subscribe to My AEW and other region-locked services.For the best in both current and classic indie wrestling streaming, make sure to check out IndependentWrestling.tv and use coupon code BTSPOD for a free 5 day trial! (You can also go directly to TinyURL.com/IWTVsheets to sign up that way.) If you convert to a paid subscriber, we get a kickback for referring you, allowing you to support both the show and the indie scene.To subscribe, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, and just about every other podcast app's directory, or you can also paste Feeds.FeedBurner.com/BTSheets into your favorite podcast app using whatever “add feed manually” option it has.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

 It's puppets… IN SPACE! Matt and Pete experience episode 405, “Level-Five Transporter Accident.”Thanks as always to everyone who supports the podcast by visiting Patreon.com/PhantasticGeek.Share your feedback by emailing PhantasticGeek@gmail.com, commenting at PhantasticGeek.com, or tweeting @PhantasticGeek.MP3

A massive cocaine ring bust at Penn State University has resulted in at least 14 individuals facing charges. All but one of the suspects were current or former students at the school when the alleged cocaine distribution happened, with the last co-conspirator being a suspect's father. Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and FOX News Contributor James Gagliano joins Peter Doocy to discuss the shocking details of the operation, who was involved, and how college campus hazing habits have reached criminal levels.The United States' national debt has surpassed $40 trillion. What has brought us to this point, and can we begin to reverse course? Executive Vice President of Market Strategy at the Prairie Operating Company and FOX Business Contributor Lou Basenese joins the Rundown to examine the unchecked government spending and how rising bond yields are impacting the deficit. PLUS, commentary by Colin Reed, Co-founder of South & Hill Strategies. PHOTO CREDIT: PA OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hal Jordan was Earth's first space cop. John Stewart wants to be one. They collide in 2016 against a backdrop of alien intrigue in Nebraska. Matt and Pete take flight with Lanterns episode 1, “Pilot.”Thanks as always to everyone who supports the podcast by visiting Patreon.com/PhantasticGeek.Share your feedback by emailing PhantasticGeek@gmail.com, commenting at PhantasticGeek.com, or tweeting @PhantasticGeek.MP3

Mojo saw a lot guys with nipple rings while on vacation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Top Banks Warn Of Global Economic Collapse As All Lights Flash RED! Trump Declares SoH As US Territory! Hayden Panettiere Dies Suddenly After Exposing Elite Sex-Trafficking Rings! Plus, Trump Explodes When Asked About Girlfriend

Text the Show⭐️ Affiliate item of the week: Milwaukee Electric Tools M12 Compact Inflator. Fastest Cordless Tire Inflator. Top-off a car tire in under 1 minute. (28 - 35 PSI) https://amzn.to/4qieuMiDani Mercy is the host of The Rabbit Hole: Conspiracy Theories, a podcast dedicated to exploring the stories, secrets, and suspicions hiding beneath mainstream narratives. A former U.S. Navy in-flight technician, Dani brings curiosity, skepticism, critical thinking, and fearless storytelling to some of the most controversial topics out there. Her podcast has surpassed 5 million downloads and earned her a 2025 Women Podcasters Award in the Documentary category. Dani's website: https://www.stayskeptical.com/SUPPORTBuy Me A Coffee http://buymeacoffee.com/DangerousinfopodcastSubscribeStar http://bit.ly/42Y0qM8Super Chat Tip https://bit.ly/42W7iZHBuzzsprout https://bit.ly/3m50hFTPaypal http://bit.ly/3Gv3ZjpPatreon http://bit.ly/3G3 SMART is the acronym that was created by technocrats that have setup the "internet of things" that will eventually enslave humanity to their needs. Support the showLeave Voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/DangerousInfoWebsite https://www.dangerousinfopodcast.com/Discord chatroom: https://discord.gg/8feGHQQmwgEmail the show dangerousinfopodcast@protonmail.comJoin mailing list http://bit.ly/3Kku5YtWatch LiveYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@DANGEROUSINFOPODCASTRumble https://bit.ly/4q1Mg7Z Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/dangerousinfopodcastPilled.net https://pilled.net/profile/144176  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DangerousInfoPodcast/SocialsInstagram https://www.instagram.com/dangerousinfo/TwitterX https://twitter.com/jaymz_jesseYouTube https://bit.ly/436VExnFacebook https://bit.ly/4gZbjVa

Hour 1 of Jake & Ben on August 18, 2026 Podcasts, Frat Bro Drug Rings and Doctors. Must be August Top 3 Stories of the Day: Utah Defensive End Lance Holtzclaw is Embracing being a leader for the team, BYU Most Underrated Team According to On3, BYU Moves to Week 0 Next Season. Will Lauri Markkanen be a Leader in the Locker Room for the Utah Jazz? What about Jaren Jackson Jr.?

On this hour of Chase and Big Joe Show they talk about cities who teams won championships in multiple sports in the same year. Plus they react to the latest CFB AP top 25. Big Joe shows off the list of the greatest CFB teams in history and the guys react to it and have some debates. Then Titans linebacker Femi Oladejo joins the show as he is interviewed by Jake Lyman.

!!!Please subscribe and share!!! Hosted by Daniel Coolbaugh For this episode of Season 6, I had the pleasure of interviewing fellow Rings of Adventure Anthology member and horror author Sarah R. New! We had a great chat about her extensive writing experience, why horror, and her future projects. Here is the pre-launch link for Rings of Adventure, it goes live on Kickstarter September 1st! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rvb1/rings-of-adventure-anthology?ref=android_project_share Make sure to check out her newest release and her book and social links in the space below: Author Website: https://sarahrnew.wordpress.com/ Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aldbera/ Author Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Sarah-R-New/author/B0G3MD4HMK?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Author Goodread's Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/48915088.Sarah_R_New Author Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sarahrnew?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Author Substack: https://aldbera.substack.com/ Podcast Channel Links: Patreon: patreon.com/TFSFP Website: https://thefantasyandscififanaticspod.com/ Youtube Channel Subscription: https://youtube.com/@thefantasyandsci-fifanatic2328 Rss.com: https://media.rss.com/thefantasyandsci-fifanaticspodcast/feed.xml Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2aCCUhora9GdLAduLaaqiu?si=cl-8VWgaSrOGDwJg-cKONQ Facebook Group join link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/402724958101648/?ref=share

Software has been sold by the seat for twenty years. Nobody has ever had to promise it worked. Three conversations from the BRAVE archive, on what changes when software starts getting paid for outcomes instead of access, and what has to be rebuilt underneath it. Andres Klaric spent a decade in private equity watching SaaS scale before co-founding Fuse, an enterprise lending platform. His argument: current pricing has no accountability in it, and the profit pool should sit in the outcome rather than the operating system. Rohit Jha co-founded Transcelestial in Singapore to move data over laser links. When the profitable telco side of the business was going well and his own board told him to drop space, he and his co-founder quietly moved capital into it anyway. Ori Sasson, Founder of S2T.AI, on the barbell splitting the tech workforce, and why employers now have to design jobs around outcomes rather than hours. Watch the full episodes: E710 Andres Klaric, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Fuse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aHsI3gj1c0  E698 Rohit Jha, Co-Founder & CEO of Transcelestial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoQXHJnLV04  E702 Ori Sasson, Founder of S2T.AI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axxDAQvqtF0  Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/ai-saas  BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #SaaS #SoutheastAsia #AI #Singapore #TechPodcast #EnterpriseSoftware #B2BSaaS #DeepTech #SpaceTech #FutureOfWork #AIAgents #Startups #VentureCapital #Founders #SEAstartups #Malaysia #Indonesia #Philippines #Vietnam #Entrepreneurship  00:00 The "what" of AI, and the "how" 00:26 Andres Klaric: "We're at peak SaaS" 04:03 What an outcome actually means in lending 09:57 Rohit Jha: the backbone outcomes need 12:09 A ring of satellites to replace undersea cables 16:43 The space pivot the board said no to 18:03 Ori Sasson: redesign the job around the outcome 20:15 The Hollywoodization of the workplace 23:51 The barbell: superstars and everyone else 27:25 The new architecture of tech

Two No. 1's make the Enterprise's mission to Mat'Aar more than black and white. Matt and Pete don their fedora's episode 404, “A Case of Chiaroscuro.”Thanks as always to everyone who supports the podcast by visiting Patreon.com/PhantasticGeek.Share your feedback by emailing PhantasticGeek@gmail.com, commenting at PhantasticGeek.com, or tweeting @PhantasticGeek.MP3

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

We revisit this classic episode where Diallo and LUXXURY break down “7 Rings,” Ariana Grande's smash hit that puts a modern twist on the classic Broadway tune “My Favorite Things.” Grande has since become one of pop's most reliable chart-toppers, tying the record for the most songs by a woman to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. They discuss how Ariana was inspired to write “7 Rings” after a post-breakup shopping spree, and how she and her songwriting team worked in cadences and flows inspired by several different rappers. Plus, the guys peel back the layers of how the famous melody went from the stage and screen to a pop banger several decades later. Join One Song Live! 9/6 @ Skirball Museum TICKETS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today picks up with Matt Handy where we left him at the end of part one...choosing to be homeless and setting up a tent in downtown San Diego.From here, Matt's choices continue to be absolutely insane, eventually culminating a bank robbery with a note claiming to have a bomb in his backpack. Matt ends up in jail on an unrelated charge, but things begin to unravel as various law enforcement agencies start to communicate and suspect Matt for the robbery. This ultimately leads to Matt's recovery journey. After a stop at the infamous LA treatment center, Delancey Street, Matt begins to find his way. Now with years sober and a treatment center owner, Matt has reconstructed his life and reunited with his family.Connect with Matt on InstagramDM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com

The Olympics are supposed to represent something bigger than politics. Athletes from around the world gather in one place, nations compete peacefully, and the entire planet watches. But what happens when the world's greatest sporting spectacle becomes the target of an extraordinary act of terror? In Joe Battaglia's new novel, Beneath the Rings, the Doha 2040 Summer Olympics begin with dreams of gold medals and global unity—and quickly descend into an international nightmare. Twelve Israeli and Lebanese athletes disappear. A shadowy organization called The Obsidian Hand claims responsibility. And then comes the impossible demand: a $500 billion ransom. At the center of the story is veteran journalist Nova Mendelsohn, who finds herself following an ancient Arabic note and an enigmatic local merchant into a conspiracy that stretches from the glittering Olympic Village into the darkest corners of Doha and ultimately into the desert. What begins as a kidnapping becomes something much bigger: a centuries-old grievance threatening to explode into a modern catastrophe. Today, Joe Battaglia joins us to talk about Beneath the Rings, the challenges of writing geopolitical thrillers, the intersection of journalism and fiction, and why the most compelling thrillers often begin with one question.

How many times do you use a bath towel before washing it? The norm is 2-3... but what is more controversial is Anna's confession when it comes to bath towels.   Pick 'em news!  Raven's choices: Steakhouse offers nude dining; Universals' new coaster isn't quiet; and venomous snake in high school football player's helmet! Tom Karrel, author of The Lost Art of Random Conversations, joins Anna and Raven to discuss the importance of meaningful conversation- and how to spend less time on your phone and more time connecting in the real world! Trending today: Someone took the Powerball home, winning over a billion-dollar jackpot after matching all 6 numbers! Also... where are you, Mrs. Kelce?  Am I Close? Producer Justin, the smartest one in the room at all times, quizzes Anna and Raven about what the “Dog Days of Summer” actually are!  How much do you know?  Apparently, the top 2 most stressful days of the year are the days before and the day of back-to-school. Do you agree?  Anna, Raven, Producer Sophia and Producer Justin all admit their most stressful day!  Stephen King, the most talked about man on the Anna and Raven Show, finally called into the show! Whew. What famous person's name would you like to have?  Brandy doesn't like dogs and whenever his mother comes over (every weekend to see the kids), she brings her slobbering, hairy dog. Their youngest always gets hives, the dog leaves hair everywhere, and she can't stand that they eat with the dog bothering everyone at the table for scraps. She wants Eric to tell his mom to leave the dog at home, but he argues that ever since his dad died, this dog is all she has. It means too much to her for him to tell her to “leave it at home”. Would you? Amanda has a chance to win $1,500! All he has to do is answer more pop culture questions than Raven in Can't Beat Raven!   

Kurt, Taylor, and Steve explore Robert Eggers' Nosferatu, breaking down its haunting visuals, Gothic atmosphere, and Bill Skarsgård's chilling Count Orlok. The crew compares the film to previous adaptations while discussing its stunning craftsmanship and whether it deserves recognition as one of the finest modern horror films.

In this episode of the Celebrate Kids Podcast, Dr. Kathy Koch and Wayne Stender explore why sleep is essential for kids as families transition back to school. They discuss why tired brains struggle with attention and self control, and how parents can gradually rebuild healthy sleep rhythms without turning bedtime into a battle. Parents will be encouraged to see rest not simply as a health habit, but as an important part of helping children grow physically, emotionally, academically, and spiritually.

A Balrog with Simon Pegg's voice, a husband missing for two seasons, and zero Harfoots. Jeff Haecker, Fr. Bryan Shackett, Rob Leonardi, and Rob Story pick apart the Rings of Power season 3 teaser and argue over how much of it Tolkien would recognize. The post Rings of Power S3: The Balrog Talks appeared first on StarQuest Media.

We all love making fun of fascists. But Dr. Bret Devereaux makes an art of it. Bret is a historian of antiquity and a Tolkien scholar, and he doesn't suffer fools. He's been going at it with the world of online chud “historians” — the fascists who say they're fighting to defend “Western Civilization,” something they've never bothered to actually try to understand. And he has similarly choice words for the far right billionaire freaks who idolize, and utterly misunderstand, the Lord of the Rings.This is a genuinely delightful conversation for nerds like us. But it's also a serious look into the ways the far right misuses history and literature to advance their fucked up worldviews -- and how we can fight back.Check out Bret's WONDERFUL blog, A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry, at acoup.blog.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Willy,Adam and Dmase talk about Cam Ward vibe check on how he has been performing in practice so far with us getting close to the preseason. Then the guys make a shift to some College Football talk with the countdown to the season. Then Dmase ask a question should announcers get rings to when teams when championships.

Eighty-one years after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the pain of that day and the hope for peace continue to be passed down through generations. Today, those memories resonate beyond borders, carried by the sound of the bell at Nagasaki's Urakami Cathedral, restored last year. This story was first published in August 2025. - 長崎への原爆投下から81年。長い年月が流れた今も、その痛みと平和への願いは語り継がれています。その思いは、昨年復元された長崎・浦上天主堂の鐘の音とともに、国境を越えて響き続けています。2025年8月放送。Listen to SBS Japanese Audio on Tue, Thu and Fri from 1pm on SBS 3. Replays from 10pm on Tue, Thu and Sat on SBS1. Listen to past stories from our podcast. Download the free SBS Audio App and don't forget to visit SBS Japanese Facebook and Instagram page! - SBSの日本語放送は火木金の午後１時からSBS3で生放送！火木土の夜10時からはおやすみ前にSBS1で再放送が聞けます。SBS日本語放送ポッドキャストから過去のストーリーを聞くこともできます。無料でダウンロードできるSBS Audio Appもどうぞ。SBS 日本語放送のFacebookとInstagramもお忘れなく。

Episode 611 features reviews of Spider Man: Brand New Day, Batman: Caped Crusader Season 2, and The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare. Kurt, Krista, Adam, and Katie discuss the latest Spider Man movie, while Kurt tackles Batman and Krista explores the chilling Idaho murder case.

The crew discusses GTA 6's upcoming Netflix presentation, Xbox 360 games potentially coming to PC, rising console and GPU prices, and EA's massive $55 billion buyout. They also cover Quake, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, and Pragmata, before continuing their Top 50 Favourite Games countdown and reviewing Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

A month after the Madison Square Garden wedding, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are reportedly settling into Kansas City and building one life instead of two. Lyla gets into what's being reported about their first month, why Jason Kelce cried harder at his brother's wedding than his own, and the wedding rings that have Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid fielding marriage questions. Plus Andy Reid taking on a rumor that seems to have started with a fake video — and yes, we're still waiting on the dress. Below the fold:

With Alpha shift at each other's throats, the Enterprise gets some much-needed shore leave, but the aftermath of the holiday has explosive repercussions. Matt and Pete vacation with episode 403, “Human Best Friend.”Thanks as always to everyone who supports the podcast by visiting Patreon.com/PhantasticGeek.Share your feedback by emailing PhantasticGeek@gmail.com, commenting at PhantasticGeek.com, or tweeting @PhantasticGeek.MP3

What starts as an interview with comedian (and certified nut from the bowels of Philly) Tommy Pope quickly becomes an hour of complete chaos. From Kanye stories and engagement photos to conspiracy theories about dating apps and hilarious Texas expressions. Everyone debates Southern slang, ugly haircuts, pinky rings, and whether anyone should ever trust reality TV backstories — nobody stays on topic and that's exactly why it works. One of the funniest, most unhinged episodes yet. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Coastal Idiots is a weekly comedy podcast where each week your host Shane and Katherine are joined by a friend or two where they do something very stupid and hilarious. Follow Katherine and Shane so they have a reason to keep going. The show is produced by the marvelous Keida Mascaro. Some of the art on the walls by the great Perry Shall. Music by Gymshorts and Alex Orange Drink. Your favorite idiots are now available wherever you listen to podcasts! Stream video on Spotify or Youtube, to drink in every detail of Katherine Blanford & Shane Torres' shenanigans and insane sketches. Listen to audio on all podcast platforms. Welcome to the ATC family! Let's get weird. Let's get Coastal. Don't forget to call our Coastal Idiots hotline and leave a message, we might just publish it! Coastal Idiots Hotline: (510) 974-3349 More Tommy! IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tommyjpope/⁠ More Coastal Idiots! IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/coastalidiots/⁠ More Katherine! IG⁠: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/itskatherineblanford/⁠ More Shane! IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/shanetorres/⁠ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Produced by Keida Mascaro ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/keidamascaro/⁠ The Cave Podcast Studio ⁠https://keidamascaro.com/the-cave⁠ Presented by: All Things Comedy IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allthingscomedy/⁠ Theme Song by GYMSHORTS IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gymshortsmusic/⁠ Logo & Artwork by Perry Shall IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/perryshall/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In hour one, FOOTBALL IS BACK! How long will we make it through the HOF game? Crowder disputes a take by Norris Cole after he claimed he prefers his career over making 200 Million. Plus, Gino “The Great Gabagool” Torretta previews the College Football season.

Former Heat point guard Norris Cole goes viral after claiming he'd rather have his career than a player who made 400 Million dollars but never won a title. Crowder argues

Matt Handy went from heroin addict to convicted felon to tent-dweller on the streets of downtown San Diego. By choice.Assault with a deadly weapon. Narcotics trafficking. A prostitution extortion ring. Matt did it all, and prison became a revolving door he couldn't escape.In part one, Matt takes us through the chaos: the addiction that ran his life, the crimes that landed him behind bars again and again, and the moment he walked away from every safety net he had left.This is not a redemption story yet. This is the bottom before the climb.Part two drops next week: how Matt built a treatment center, a marriage, and a family from the wreckage.Connect with Matt on InstagramDM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com

SDCC released a ton of news and trailers and we're going to talk about it all! From Doomsday to Lanterns to Rings of Power to Ebenezer?... we've got you covered on this latest episode of the podcast!Time Codes---------------Host Banter: 2:16Nerdy News: 11:45San Diego Comic Con 2026 Recap: 14:41Radical Recommends: 57:54

Out with the old and in with the new! Back to wrap up the felonious foolishness for the season. #loveafterlockup

Jonny, and Joel relay changes under the hood in the latest Minecraft snapshot, discuss dimensional potential in Minecraft Dungeons II, and stretch their minds on the reach of math in Minecraft, and The End.Show notes for The Spawn Chunks are here:https://thespawnchunks.com/2026/08/03/the-spawn-chunks-413-farewell-to-the-end-rings/Join The Spawn Chunks Discord community!https://Patreon.com/TheSpawnChunksThe Spawn Chunks YouTube:https://youtube.com/thespawnchunks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Ol' Web-Head makes his way in the world without his friends but finds out only the lonely have what it takes to get to the bottom of a Manhattan mystery. Matt and Pete witness the dawning of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”Thanks as always to everyone who supports the podcast by visiting Patreon.com/PhantasticGeek.Share your feedback by emailing PhantasticGeek@gmail.com, commenting at PhantasticGeek.com, or tweeting @PhantasticGeek.MP3

 It's thrills and chills on the Enterprise horizon, er, USS Griffin. Matt and Pete recount episode 402, “The Griffin Incident.”Thanks as always to everyone who supports the podcast by visiting Patreon.com/PhantasticGeek.Share your feedback by emailing PhantasticGeek@gmail.com, commenting at PhantasticGeek.com, or tweeting @PhantasticGeek.MP3

Too much is happening at once. We've got repurposed Realdolls being pitched as AI robot teachers....or tutors, since supposedly the difference is crucial. We've got an eight-figure settlement in the case of eBay gangstalking bloggers and doing Jared Leto Joker pranks on them. We've got a wearable tech ring for being a better Evangelical Christian, but also somehow reinventing indulgences. We're grateful for Mattie Lubchansky and Josh Boerman for joining us to rejoice in it all. Check out No Gods No Mayors here! Check out the Worst of All Possible Worlds here! Get the whole episode by signing up to our Patreon here! HUSSEIN ALERT Check out 10k Posts here! MILO ALERT Check out Milo's tour dates here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/liveshows NATE ALERT Nate's band Second Homes has just released their debut album and you can stream it for free here! Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and November (@postoctobrist)

Former Coach Jim Larrañaga analyzes LeBron James' decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers and whether Joel Embiid is prepared to sacrifice his offensive output for championship success. They debate LeBron's place in the GOAT conversation compared to Michael Jordan while examining the defensive deficiencies of the Sixers' roster. The conversation also explores the Miami Heat's need for three-point shooting and LeBron's unprecedented longevity in the NBA.

First Take resumes with Sir Charles ripping King James. After lambasting him for ring chasing while forgetting most NBA stars are three years into retirement by age 40, Chuck says LeBron needs TWO rings with the Sixers to pass Jordan. Then, which QB has the most pressure to win this season and why is it C.J. Stroud? Next, after getting absolutely zero help for Steph Curry this offseason, can we officially close the Warriors championship window? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mal and Jo are at San Diego Comic-Con 2026! They rank their favorite moments of SDCC 2026. They discuss everything from Marvel to ‘Rings of Power' and ‘Lanterns'!Hosts: Joanna Robinson and Mallory Rubin Producers: Carlos Chiriboga, Aleya Zenieris, Jon Jones, and Jamie Yukich Social: Jomi Adeniran Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on PREVIOUSLY ON… Joelle and Rosie travel to San Diego Comic Con to learn more about the upcoming season of The Rings of Power, what to expect from DC's upcoming HBO series Lanterns, and how bloody the new Wolverine video game will be. Plus, there are two huge new projects coming out of Avatar Studios: Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, a cinematic experience, and Avatar: Seven Havens, a twenty-six episode television series. Finally, a fourth season of the Interview with the Vampire/ The Vampire Lestat will be coming shortly, and this time we're following Akasha in her Queen of the Damned series. Follow Jason: IG & Bluesky Follow Rosie: IG & Letterboxd Follow X-Ray Vision on Instagram Join the X-Ray Vision DiscordSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.