Podcasts about samaritan

Hospital M&A Is Up 33%, CommonSpirit Has 250 AI Tools Running & UHS Just Bought a Mental Health AppAugust 31st, 2026. Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan. Three stories, one theme: health systems are making big, deliberate moves. Merging before they have to, deploying AI at scale, and buying digital companies to own the front door to care.

Brian reflects on a season of family transitions, then moves through a series of short devotional and cultural topics: Wendell Berry’s legacy, a take on old fashioned baby names, a critique of Anne Hathaway’s abortion comments, and a look at JD Vance’s candid comments about doubt. The episode also includes a sermon style reading of the Samaritan woman at the well and a meditation on Philippians 2 and the biblical view of the body.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You've probably been told since you were really little that you need to forgive. But when someone hurts you, forgiveness isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, sometimes it feels impossible. So why is it so important?As our thanks for your gift of any amount this month:Devoted: Six Women of the Bible Who Said "Yes, Lord!".Over 6 weeks study: Mary, the mother of Jesus; the Samaritan woman at the well; Sarah; Hannah; the Shunammite woman; and Anna. Each week highlights a different woman, helping you see how God works in seasons of waiting, longing, loss, and joy.Give today

In this sermon, Pastor Scott preaches from John 3:16. God's greatest invitation to us is a love, intimate relationship with Him. We take a look at two stories in the Bible where we see this truth played out: the story of Nicodemus and the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Through their stories, we learn that no matter who you are, what you've done, or where you came from, the God of the universe wants a relationship with you! Check out this sermon to learn more!

What if some of the details in the Gospel of John were designed to remind its original audience of the Scriptures they had recently heard read in the synagogue? Today, Jewish communities read through the Torah on an annual cycle, beginning each year again in the seventh month of Tishri. But during the first century, Jewish communities in the land of Israel followed a Triennial Torah Reading Cycle, reading through the Torah over three years. Evidence suggests that some communities began the cycle in the month of Nisan. This ancient reading cycle opens a fascinating window into the Gospel of John. In this introductory lesson, we explore the work of Aileen Guilding and her book The Fourth Gospel and Jewish Worship. Guilding proposed that many of the themes, images, and even the timing of events in John's Gospel may be connected with the Torah and Haftarah readings being heard in the synagogue. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 provides a remarkable example. When we place the story within the proposed synagogue readings for the month of Shevat (Jan/Feb), an extraordinary collection of connections begins to emerge. The readings include Exodus 2, where Moses meets his future wife at a well, and Hosea 2, with its powerful promise of Israel's restoration: "In that day...you will call me 'my husband.'" Suddenly, John's presentation of Jesus as the Bridegroom coming to reclaim his bride becomes even richer. Another reading takes us directly into the ancient dispute between Jews and Samaritans. Deuteronomy 27:4 instructs Israel in the Masoretic Hebrew tradition to erect an altar on Mount Ebal, while the Samaritan Pentateuch preserves Mount Gerizim—the very mountain at the center of the Samaritan woman's conversation with Jesus: "Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." — John 4:20 Coincidence? Or is John deliberately weaving the synagogue readings familiar to his audience into the story he is telling? Join us as we introduce the Triennial Torah Reading Cycle, examine Aileen Guilding's influential theory, and begin exploring how the Torah, the Prophets, Jewish worship, and the Gospel of John may fit together in ways that modern readers often miss. -------------------------------- www.figtreeministries.org Lesson Handout: https://www.figtreeteaching.com/blog/the-triennial-torah-cycle-the-hidden-key-to-the-gospel-of-john Article: https://www.figtreeteaching.com/uploads/1/1/9/7/119763168/fig_tree_ministries_gospel_of_john_and_triennial_synagogue_reading_v2.pdf Aileen Guilding Life and Work: https://www.academia.edu/2640173/Aileen_Guilding_her_Life_and_her_Work Book "The Fourth Gospel and Jewish Worship" - https://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Gospel-Jewish-Worship/dp/B0014ZYUPQ/ref=sr_1_1_so_ABIS_BOOK?crid=3MA82I0OEKJ7O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.91goByv-PHqn0mD5iyA-ffIUPjIJAa4lpB_X8RBpm_Nmv-6l37ocJcPdF8jRtLX385NXjImzokdeV0-_y54_9gDpHZJfw-3RNNXwWs8IdebfpZ30Xd3Ml1IjnkOkz3t16IeQGiLqB9Hoz5D7Gu9ZutwwnH4zR-4Fsip0LKuGofA7148Grl7s1NxG2BTiHNL-MYOGigjjOLwC3iQSSwSu1lSCmS90uIyMQxqr_AgSLQ0.8mqys_ON7zUWnJTxfrvpJs2oqAE-0Jknc2wRLG5caJE&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+fourth+gospel+and+jewish+worship&qid=1787344134&sprefix=the+fourth+gospel+and+jewish+worship%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1

A location, tradition, or ritual do not determine true worship. It begins with knowing Jesus.In John 4:1–26, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman and reveals Himself as the source of living water and the promised Messiah. Join us as we learn what it means to worship God sincerely, in spirit and in truth.Give Online: https://thebridgechurch.org/give/

In episode 503 of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb conclude their deep dive into Luke 10:25–37 — the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Far from a simple morality tale about helping strangers, this episode unpacks the parable's confrontational legal context, its reversal of expectation, and its profound Christological undertones. Tony and Jesse examine why the lawyer's question about self-justification was always destined to be unanswerable on his own terms, how the priest and Levite serve as a damning mirror for religious professionals, and why the Samaritan's lavish, costly mercy points beyond mere ethics to the gospel itself. The episode also explores the Mary and Martha account that immediately follows, arguing it cannot be read in isolation. Closing with Matthew Henry, the hosts land the discussion squarely on gratitude for Christ, the supreme Good Neighbor. Key Takeaways The parable is fundamentally about self-justification, not mercy ministry. The lawyer's question — "Who is my neighbor?" — is a legal maneuver, and Jesus' answer exposes the impossibility of fulfilling the law through self-effort rather than merely defining the scope of neighborly obligation. Jesus reverses the expected identification of "the neighbor." The listener naturally assumes the beaten man is the neighbor to be loved, but the punchline identifies the Samaritan — the one who showed mercy — as the neighbor, redirecting the question from who must I love to what does love actually look like. The Samaritan's mercy is deliberately, impossibly lavish. His actions — binding wounds, providing transport, paying an open-ended debt for a stranger and likely an enemy — exceed anything a reasonable person would do, pointing to a mercy that transcends mere human virtue. The priest and Levite indict religious professionalism. Their failure is not incidental; it demonstrates that meticulous law observance and ceremonial religiosity can actually obstruct the very love the law commands, hollowing out its spirit while preserving its form. The parable functions under all three uses of the law. For the unregenerate, it terrifies and condemns. For the regenerate, it is a third-use call to Spirit-empowered, grateful obedience. As civil law, it commends a society of compassion over indifference. Christ is the typological Good Neighbor. The Samaritan's actions — pouring oil and wine, bearing the cost, promising to return and settle all debts — carry genuine Christological resonance without requiring a full allegorical reading of every detail. The immediately following Mary and Martha account is thematically inseparable. Luke's editorial placement of that narrative directly after the parable creates a deliberate counterpoint: the one thing necessary is not anxious service but sitting at the feet of Jesus. Key Concepts The Lawyer's Question Was Never Going to Work The lawyer who approaches Jesus in Luke 10 is not a neutral inquirer — he is, as Luke tells us, seeking to justify himself. Tony and Jesse explore what this means with precision: the desire to be justified is not inherently wrong, but the mechanism the lawyer employs — the law — is catastrophically insufficient for the task. When Jesus responds with the parable, he does not sidestep the legal framework; he weaponizes it. The Samaritan's mercy is so extravagant, so far beyond ordinary moral expectation, that it functions not as an achievable standard but as a devastating exposure of how far short every human attempt at law-keeping falls. The command "go and do likewise" is not an encouraging send-off — it is, for the self-justifying lawyer, a door slamming shut. The Samaritan's Mercy Is Intentionally Beyond Reach One of the most important contributions this episode makes is resisting the domestication of the Samaritan's actions into a feel-good story about helping those in need. Tony reframes the scenario in contemporary terms: finding a gravely injured stranger from a hostile ethnic group, providing emergency first aid, transporting them to care, and writing a blank check for all future medical expenses — with no personal obligation to do so. No reasonable person would do this, and that is exactly the point. The mercy described is not aspirationally difficult; it is humanly inconceivable at scale. This is what Christ-like love looks like, and it is precisely what the law demands. The gap between the demand and human capacity is the gospel's entry point. The Mary and Martha Account Cannot Be Separated from the Parable Tony raises a hermeneutical observation that deserves more attention than it typically receives: Luke chose to place the Mary and Martha account immediately after the Good Samaritan parable, and that editorial decision is not accidental. Martha — busy with hospitality and service — looks, on the surface, like the practical application of everything the Samaritan modeled. Yet she is gently rebuked, and Mary, who sits at Jesus' feet, is commended for choosing "the one thing necessary." This creates a stunning theological counterweight: the parable exposes the impossibility of self-justifying law-keeping, and the very next story shows that even well-intentioned merciful activity, when it crowds out receiving from Christ, misses the point. The one thing necessary is always Christ himself. Memorable Quotes If you think you're the good Samaritan, if you think you're the one that's gonna come and rescue people — you're much more likely to see this as a sort of law beat-down. Where those of us who are regenerated and in Christ, this is third-use law. This is us seeing what it means to be holy, and going and doing likewise, trying in our power, recognizing that we can't, and trusting the Lord to accept our feeble attempts. - Tony Arsenal This text is not really to be preached or applied as some kind of bare moral exhortation. It's not 'try harder to be like the Samaritan.' That's totally disconnected from the gospel. It should be preached in a manner that exposes the impossibility of self-justification... and then of course it does point us to Christ as the one whose perfect, costly, self-giving mercy alone satisfies the law's demand on our behalf. - Jesse Schwamb If this parable and our conversation about it does nothing except stirring you to gratitude for the fact that our supreme good neighbor threw us on his donkey and carried us to the public house, and bound up our wounds, and paid for our debt — if it does nothing but drive you to gratitude and thankfulness and wonder, then we've succeeded in our task and we've left you with the Gospel. - Tony Arsenal Full Transcript Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 503 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, at this point, there's one thing that we know for certain, and that is if you're gonna come at the law giver, the one who's composed and written the law, with a legal question to try to entrap the one who has given you the law, you better not miss. And it turns out, in Luke 10 where we've been hanging out, the lawyer who poses Jesus with the question of, "Who is my neighbor?" is a big swing and a miss. Yeah. And we're finally gonna get to all the characters that are part of this amazing parable in this conversation. But of course, there's something we gotta do first. Affirmations And Denials Jesse Schwamb: It, it's everybody's, what I'm led to believe everybody's favorite segment of this entire show. I mean, the crowds out there say, "Why even have a full podcast? Just do affirmations and denials for the entire time." And we, we hear you, because we're borrowing from that beautiful confessional format of the dead reformers to settle all the much not confessional [00:02:00] disputes. So in the great tradition of the Westminster Divines, who of course cannot just simply say, "We like grace," without also clarifying 17 things that grace is not- ... we're now again going to bring you our own binding, authoritative, and entirely unneeded but very official statement of affirmations and denials. It's affirming the things we love and denying things we don't. So Tony, as is our own custom, are you affirming with something or are you denying against something on this episode?  Tony Arsenal: Um, I'm denying something. Uh, it's a sort of a weird situation that has cropped up, uh, online. And I, I try not to use this segment too often to sort of wade into, um, I don't know, the, like, latest social controversy in the Reformed world. But every once in a while I come across something that I feel like you just need to sort of talk about. And, um, many of our listeners are probably already [00:03:00] aware of the situation that I'm gonna talk about, and it's very well-publicized and, and very public. Um, but I'm denying the sort of weirdness that has happened with the G3 Conference. Um, I'm not sure how familiar with G3 you are, Jesse, but for the, the listener who may not be, G3 is a conference, um, primarily run by Baptists, and is, in my understanding, is primarily attended by sort of Reformed-ish Baptists. And I don't, I don't say Reformed-ish to be pejorative necessarily. Um, but it, it's sort of like predominantly, um Non-confessional but not anti-confessional Calvinistic Baptists, sort of think more like covenant framework MacArthur-style Baptists maybe is, is a way to look at it. Um, and a few years ago, one of their main figures, I don't remember exactly what position he held, but it was a relatively high position in, in [00:04:00] the conference. Uh, his name was Josh Boyce. He, uh, w- was caught/confessed to maintaining, like, multiple anonymous or pseudonymous, uh, Twitter accounts and publishing several s- like pseudonym-based Substacks, um, that he used to basically attack the character of not only anyone online that seemed to cross him, but, like, people that he shared an office with. Like, anyone and everyone was targeted by him. And at the time it was a big hullabaloo. He, uh, he resigned. As far as I can tell, he's faded into obscurity and has not sought to come back, although that's always, you know, yet to be seen. But at the time there was very firm statements by the r- remaining sort of board members, leadership of G3, at how inappropriate this was, and how acting anonymously requi- you know, sort of evacuates accountability and, [00:05:00]and all these different things. And it's come out recently, um, just over the last week, that four of the members of the G3 board, um, who are all elders at the same church, had assembled a sort of anonymous dossier of accusations against, um, a- another pastor, uh, that he had been sort of serially plagiarizing sermons. Um, and when nothing really happened when they sent their anonymous dossier, they started distributing this to other, other, like, platforms and other church and m- parachurch ministries, kind of encouraging people to do their own investigation. Um, one such, uh, outlet was ... It's a, it's a, I don't know, sort of a news discernment blogger kind of a thing, um, has done some pretty decent reporting work I think in, in the recent past, although it has sort of a s- storied beginning, um, called Protestia They did just [00:06:00] that. They did an investigation, and in the course of their investigation, they identified who these anonymous, uh, the anonymous reporters were, and it was the same, the very same people who a few years ago, uh, pontificated, uh, at, at length about the importance of accountability and how anonymity has, uh, taken that away. Uh, people that accepted Josh Boyce's resi- resignation for acting anonymously have now done the same thing. They have since, uh, resigned from their church eldership, um, which is gonna be awkward because they haven't resigned from the board of G3, which, uh, the offices of G3 are in the same building as the church that they've now resigned at. Uh, and I guess where, where my denial comes in and the reason that I feel like it, it might be worthwhile for us just to Even reflect on it a little bit is there is an element in the Reformed world that seeks a platform and seeks an audience and seeks notoriety, and I, I was musing [00:07:00] today a little bit on my own Twitter that th- there was a time in my life where that was very much what I wanted. I wanted to be a, a very public, well-known theological voice, and, um, a- and I just have sort of like drifted away from that. And the, the reason I think it's worth mentioning on our show is that we do have an audience. We have a, a modest audience. It's not huge. It's not nothing. Um, but th- there is a real temptation to seek fame and notoriety that is absolutely destructive and really antithetical to, uh, to Christian principles of what it means to serve those around you, to serve with humility, to r- you know, redound any glory that might come to you for your actions to, to the fact that it is Christ who empowers all things and brings all good blessings. So I don't know that I have much more commentary on it. It's just a weird... It's a very weird situation, but it, it seems like it very much has come from a [00:08:00] place of feeling as though minor slights by people you associate with warrant sort of a, a nuclear option like this because, uh... and I don't wanna read too much into motives, but, but it seems like because your reputation and your notoriety is so great that any offense to it needs to be responded to in kind, and that's just not, that's just not the Christian way. So again, I don't know that I have any more commentary or thoughts on it. It just was a weird situation that I'm, I'm like, "Why do we gotta do this to each other, folks?" Like, why are we, why are we biting at each other all the time? Why are we doing these things except from a place of sinful pride? So I'm denying that. I'm denying sinful pride. I'm denying my own tendencies to seek glory in a spotlight. Um, I'm very thankful that God did not, uh, see fit to grant me that desire 'cause it probably would've been even more destructive for me than it has been for these guys. So I'm very happy to live in obscurity, [00:09:00] to serve the local church, to share our voices in this very modest, tiny platform that we have, and perhaps the Lord will see fit to change that one direction or the other, and I'll, I'll be happy to serve at His, uh, at His will. But I'm glad for now that, uh, the, the temptation of international fame has not been something that I even have the opportunity to lay hold of. Um, I'm very thankful for that, that, uh, grace from the Lord.  Jesse Schwamb: I had that light, sarcastic, some might say somewhat humorous opening and affirmations and denials, and you, you just brought the heaviness, which is okay. Sometimes that's, sometimes that's what happens.  Lament Devotional Spotlight Jesse Schwamb: And- Yeah ... I- fortunately, I have an affirmation, but it's, uh, of, like, a weird, heavy kind now that I think about it. So, um, I'm trying to, I'm trying to get everybody on the cusp of good books that I think are coming out. And so here's another one where it's not even gonna be released until September 30th, and so you have plenty of time to go out and find this thing. So P&R Publishing, many may be [00:10:00] familiar, does this whole series, topical series, which are called 31-Day Devotionals for Life, and there's a new one being released by Christine Chappell. It's called Lament: Crying Out in Faith. So I'm affirming with this piece because I've had the joy of been working through some of this stuff, and I think this is some of the best treatment I've ever read, been able to practice, been coached into for lamenting. We've talked before at length about how Christians, especially in the West, often because we just have great lives, we aren't familiar with lament. We don't practice it well. We hardly sing any songs of lament. We're unfamiliar with it. It's like a foreign land to us. And then sometimes when we're, we get convicted we should lament, we kind of interpret that as, "Well, yeah, I, I know I can blow up at God. I can get angry with him and, and that's okay." David does it too, and it's okay to express all your feelings with God. What I like about this work is it cultivates more of a prayer language. It gives voice to pain and grief so that there can be a real healing. It's not just a complaining. It's not just [00:11:00] throwing your voice out into the ether to, you know, wildly pontificate or self-aggrandize about how hurt or upset you are. It enables us to cry out to God in such a way that it promotes emotional authenticity, but at the same time maintains reverence. I think that is, uh, at least what I need. The beauty of this book is somebody you know or yourself need to lament something. Actually, I think we all have something to lament, even as it's getting older or things changing in our lives. So I highly, highly, highly affirm with this book. It's Lament: Crying Out in Faith. P&R does a lot of great publishing in this way. It's just the year of the devotionals, Tony. I don't know why. Yeah. I mean, I even hate to use devotional. It's the year of good resources for daily praise and worship- Yeah ... and lament should be part of our praise and worship. Yeah. So, but doing it in the right way is something I'm learning. I had mixed understanding of it. So this will clarify, encourage, edify in all the ways that I think we need.  Tony Arsenal: That sounds great. I, I do agree with you. I think, um- [00:12:00] Although I think it may be a little bit less so in, in the sort of confessional Reformed tradition just because the Psalms in general play such a prominent role in Reformed worship. Um, I do agree with you that broadly, like, we, we in the Western evangelical w- world don't, we don't know how to do laments. Um, I'm not one of those people that would say im- imprecatory prayers are inappropriate. I know there are some even within the Reformed world that would say im- imprecatory prayers are not appropriate for God's people in, in the new covenant. Um, I don't know that I agree with that, but, but that's another example of, like, that's in the prayer and hymnbook of our people- Right ... and we don't really know how to do it. Yes. So, and, and imprecation and lament are very closely related to each other. They're, they're very similar, um, ways of thinking and they're, they're both kind of modes of prayer that, uh, we don't, we don't really engage in. And so when we do have- when the occasion arises, we're, like, out of practice. So that's a great, uh, a great [00:13:00]affirmation and yeah, a little, a little weirdly heavy. Maybe this is gonna be a, a weirdly heavy episode. Who knows?  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it very well could be.  Good Samaritan Deep Dive Jesse Schwamb: I mean, listen, it was no doubt heavy for the lawyer who stood up- True who was  Tony Arsenal: like- Nicely done ...  Jesse Schwamb: I'd like to justify myself, so Jesus, let me ask you, we took our question, "Who is my neighbor?" I do all these things. I'm down with the law. Yeah. I know all this stuff. And I think we had some really great conversation last time. I'm biased, but I think we had some really fantastic unpacking of the first part of this, and if you haven't heard that yet, you should go back and listen to episode 502. But in this episode, we're really getting into all of these wonderful and somewhat colorful characters. So I'm gonna pick us back up in Luke chapter 10, starting in verse 25. So I'm going back a little bit just to set that proper context for this amazing parable that Jesus tells us. So he says, "And behold, a scholar of the law stood up and was putting him," that is Jesus, "to the test, saying, 'Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' And he said to him, 'What is written in the law? How do you [00:14:00] read it?' And he answered and said, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.' And he said to him, 'You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.' But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' And Jesus replied and said, 'A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. And a priest happened to be going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him, and when he saw him, he felt compassion.'" And he came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them, and he put them on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the [00:15:00] next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, "Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you." Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands? And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, this is one of those parables we, we mentioned, uh, I guess we've invented a new classification of parables called the Big Daddy parables. That's right. Um, uh, this is one of those parables that is so ubiquitous and well-known, uh, that word there, choice there was a little hat tip to my Lutheran friends. Um, so ubiquitous and well-known that I think we actually can, can rush into a common understanding and not, not be right at all about it. And I think the, the way this, uh, uh, the way I've seen this commonly done in, in circles I've run in in the past is this [00:16:00] becomes a parable about mercy ministry. Um, and, and the primary point is about how we serve our neighbors. And I think there certainly is, um, there certainly is an element of that that we can glean from this, that Christ is making a commentary on the fact that, um, the, the, the right way to not only serve your neighbor but to even identify your neighbor, uh, and it's funny because I think this is, this is where I think people go wrong. The, the Samar- or the, um, the, the lawyer is asking, "Who is my neighbor?" Right. And I think we commonly read this, and we read it to say, well, the Samaritan, uh, or the, the guy who got beat up is the neighbor. Right. And so we have to serve our neighbor like the Samaritan did. But the, the, the punchline, whatever, of the story is that the Samaritan is the g- is the neighbor, right? We, we call this the Parable of the Good Samaritan, but we might wanna call it the [00:17:00] Parable of the Good Neighbor. And so it says more about what it means to be a good neighbor than it does to, um, to say about who, who our neighbor necessarily is, right? The, the s- uh, the lawyer was asking, "Who's my neighbor?" And the answer was the one who shows mercy. And there's kind of a weird, there's kind of a weird paradox there, and this is something Jesus commonly does, where, like, He doesn't really answer the question. Um, the, the lawyer is like, "Well, who is it that I have to love," right? "The, I have to love my neighbor as myself, and who is it that I have to love?" And Jesus' answer basically is like, "Well, the good neighbor is the one who showed mercy." Well, that doesn't answer- Right ... His question. So I think we have to be careful when we, uh, we work through this not to just sort of default and jump to what might be called, like, the lowest common denominator interpretation, right? These are things that, yes, um, there is something to say about, uh, mercy ministry and how important it is to serve the, [00:18:00] serve those around us who are in need, right? That's, that's the command that comes out of this or the outcome that comes out of this is Christ is commanding this, um, this lawyer to go and be merciful to others. Um- But if we, if we move too quickly to that, we miss a lot of what this has to say about the nature of justification- Right ... the nature of Christ as, as the capital T good neighbor, right? The, the good neighbor who, who takes care of our sin and pays the debt for us to be restored, right? I don't, like I said last week, I don't think that that is too on the nose. Um, I think we miss the fact that the question, uh, the question is coming from a place, and we talked about this a little bit last week, but and maybe we'll get into it a little more. The question is coming from a place, um, whether you view this negatively, like I think most do, and there's warrant for that, or whether you view it a, a little bit more neutrally or maybe even positively, which is where I land, the desire to justify or to be [00:19:00] justified is not a bad desire. And the, the text doesn't seem to offer a lot of commentary on the fact that the, the, um, lawyer is desiring to justify himself, other than the implied commentary o- of what the parable says about salvation in that someone else needs to save you, so you can't do it yourself in the first place. So I'm excited to get through this. Um, I, I think we're probably gonna be here, we're gonna camp out here for at least another week after this, 'cause there's just so much to this parable. Who knows? Maybe we'll fly through it and it'll be a quick conversation, but I, I don't... That's not really our jam. Um- That's not really what we do But yeah, it, it's, it's a big daddy parable. There's a lot here to unpack.  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. You're right about that. Interestingly, as always, Jesus flips the law, but here the law flipping, like, ends up smacking you in the face because it does start with this inquiry about just identify for me who my neighbors are. If you give me these discrete instructions like the law has given me to do all these things, which by the way, I mean, even that when we have this lawyer saying, [00:20:00] "I've done all these things. I've identified just for instance that the law includes loving the Lord God with everything, every part of who I am." He says like, "Yeah, I've done all these things." This is, I've already accomplished that. So now let me get, become self-justified in confirming I've done all these things. If you just tell me who the neighbors are, I'll be able to say to you, "Yep, I've already done that." Instead, what happens is Christ says, "Here's what neighborly love looks like. And what it's gonna look like is so dramatic and so shocking that you ought to take pity and have concern and show compassion for those not just who are unlike you, but are, like, abhorrent, those who you would even never identify with in the parable of the story I'm about to tell you." So I think there's all of that, like you said, to move away from just kind of categorizing this as a nice homily about how we ought to behave. However, there might be, like, some kind of moralistic theme in this that directs us toward actions of love and generosity, which by the way, could just be common grace. Those exist outside of strict belief and adherence to the gospel, and certainly can be far afield from actually loving Christ. [00:21:00] The other thing that I think sometimes happens with this, and I'm gonna be unpopular on this one, I'm afraid, but is that I think there is often a lot of allegorical excess. And certainly there are people more intelligent than I who really embrace that. So I'm looking at you, Patristic Fathers. Like, you know, if you wanna read some interesting stuff, everybody can go look up Origen or Augustine on this. Yeah. And they allegorize this parable in New England what we would call wicked fine detail. I mean, down, down to everything. So the oil and the- Yeah ... wine, the soil, each of the persons here representing something that in itself, like, everything. And I think that that is okay. What I struggle with on that is, and this is where I'm unpopular, I think, is that- There are a lot of other exegetes, I don't think I'm alone, that would look at this and say, "Yes, there is something about this that draws us into, like, just general typological resonance. I'm not gonna reject that." There are these, like, broader canonical themes of, like, helpless [00:22:00] humanity, like you said, and undeserved mercy. Those all legitimately, I think, echo the gospel truths. But I'm kind of resisting, or I'm prone to resist, treating every narrative detail in this as some kind of, like, independent cipher. Yeah. And so I think I want to come a little bit in criticizing, like, the allegorical method here, that instead what happens when we do that is we're, we're... I think we're obscuring a little bit Christ's actual didactic purpose, which is fundamentally ethical and legal, 'cause that's the question he's answering. He's trying to answer this question, "Who's my neighbor?" And he's gonna do it- Right ... with this definition-shattering example. And so I think, like, the most responsible hermeneutic here affirms that, like we said before, a parable should have a single main point, and it's determined in this context by that punchline, like you said. Um, at the same time, I think we can legitimately, like, permit some restrained theological reflection on, like, that broader resonance with the gospel. I'm not denying that. But without multiplying, like, allegorical [00:23:00] correspondences like the text itself doesn't even make. Even, even coming down to, like, who we see as Christ in the story, while that can be useful and helpful, it's not the same identification that we've seen in other parables. Yeah. So that's what makes this, like you're right, Tony, like, really unique and very interesting because we can draw lots and lots of parallels, and perhaps we should. But at the same time, it's always good to remember what is it that Jesus is on about here? What is it that the hearers were really being prone to understand and mull over and meditate on? And that's, like, this first principle of neighborly love, like you already called out.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, and I, I agree with you, too, is I, I think, um- We can sort of fall into a trap or a pit of assuming that all of the parables are meant to explain the same thing. Sure. And I think, like, within Matthew maybe that's a little bit more, uh, accurate because m- I think all, if not [00:24:00] most of, of the Matthean parables, you know, the Kingdom of God is like, the Kingdom of God is like. So th- like, that repeated f- refrain of, like, the Kingdom of God is... In, in Matthew, Christ is using parables to teach about the mysterious hidden reality of the kingdom in a way that people can understand. Um, this is different, right? This is not a Kingdom of God is like. There is no, um, clear this is like that, uh, introduction to this parable. Right. I, I've actually even read some commentaries that would question the assignment of the title parable to this, because they want to restrict what a parable is to those sort of kingdom, like, explicit simile- Good point ... things. Yeah. So- Right ... but I, I do think, um, w- we, we have to be careful not to run down that road, because this parable is not really... Again, like, it's not explaining what the Kingdom of God is like. This is trying to, um, not trying to, Christ is [00:25:00]articulating a reality that is baked into the law, um, and he's flipping the question on its head, and this is what I think is so, um, so wrong about the allegorical approach, right? Is that the allegorical approach seeks to find symbolism in every discrete character or element of the, of the parable, or of the, the allegory if you wanna, we wanna distinguish it. This really is, is trying to just get at that one point. And what- Mm-hmm ... I think is so, what must have been really just infuriating for this lawyer, um, regardless of what happened after this, right? We don't, we don't get commentary like we do with the rich, young ruler, and the stories are in many ways are very much the same. Like, it's the same basic setup. But we don't get commentary that, like, he went away sad, like we do with the rich, young ruler. We don't know what happened with this guy. We don't know what his reaction... But I, I'm sitting there putting myself in his place, and I'm, I'm thinking through this, and this is one of those things that it's actually hard even to mentally get yourself there. The, [00:26:00] the, each character that is introduced here, um, is a candidate for the neighbor. Right. But the most obvious candidate based on, um, the way we commonly interpret this, is that the dude who gets beat up and left stripped naked is, is the neighbor that we're supposed to love Right? So the lawyer, as he's hearing this parable, as it's being told, and the, the people who are there listening, right, the, the other people that are around, there's this character introduced, "Who is my neighbor? Well, a man was going down to Jerusalem. He fell among roggers, Roger, robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead." Like, the obvious answer is that Christ is introducing this poor, destitute, beat-up, naked dude, uh, as the neighbor that needs to be loved. And so he goes through the whole parable, and you're like, oh, well, like, the, you know, the, the priest and the Levite, they didn't love this guy. Uh, the Samaritan, you know, I think an audience of Jews probably would've been thinking like, "Well, the Samaritan can't be..." You know, the Samaritan [00:27:00] is just a dude. Like, none of these people are loving the, the, the beat-up dude like a neighbor should. Right. And then all of a sudden, Christ flips the script, and the neighbor is not the dude who's laying there naked, half dead, who's been rescued and, and, you know, restored and is being healed. It's actually the Samaritan. And so there's this... We have to... Part of the reason, I think, I mean, I, I, I guess I don't know for sure, but part of the reason I think s- that parables have this, like, reversal of expectation baked into many of them is that it is there to challenge our assumptions, and th- that sort of whiplash effect when you get to the end of it, you're like, "Whoa, that was like he was talking about totally, something totally different than what it seemed like he was talking about." I think that's actually a teaching tool here as well. Right. That the, the whole time you're thinking like, "Oh, this dude is the neighbor, and I've gotta figure out how to love him best," and that's what plays into these mercy ministry interpretations, is thinking that the, the point of the parable is to show us how to take [00:28:00] care of the, the people who need help, when really the point of the parable is the good neighbor. And, uh, we might butt heads a little bit on this, 'cause I think I take probably more of a Christological, uh, topological, typological interpretation than you do. I, I think that the point of the parable is that you can't justify yourself, and the only one who can justify you is the one who's kept the law perfectly. And what does it mean to keep the law perfectly? Well, love the Lord your God, but also love your neighbor as yourself. Well, who's the only person in the story who's loved the neighbor as himself? The one who s- rescues and heals and pays for this poor man who's been, you know, waylaid by robbers. He's the good neighbor who fulfills the law. He's the one who's justified himself. Now, yes, "Go do likewise," there's some echoes there of, of the go and sin no more language that we see in other places, too. So I, I think this parable is more, is more about- A, and this is where it shares some affinity with the rich young ruler, [00:29:00] right? The rich young ruler is told to go and to, to sell everything he has and donate it to the poor and to come and follow Christ. And he says, you know, he, he can't do that. He walks away sad. In this instance, it's the same kind of situation. It's an, a question about how do I fulfill the law? What do I need to do to be saved, to inherit eternal life, to obtain eternal life, whatever the phrasing is. And the answer is, "Obey the law perfectly." And the guy goes, "Well, hey, I did that." And he said, "Well, let me show you how much you didn't do that." And the reality is the only one who did that is Christ, the good teacher, right? I mean, there, there's so many parallels between these two accounts. It, it's almost the same, it's almost the same story. This one just in sort of parable answer form versus a more direct form, which we see with the rich young ruler. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, what I find really fascinating about these is that whereas, like you said, the, some of the other parables, they come under the volitional teaching of Christ. That is, He is presenting forward the topic at hand. So usually it's in the context of conversation, but He essentially makes [00:30:00] the segue. He presents and opens up this new kind of vista to explore. In this case, or in both those cases you talked about, the confrontation really comes from the outside. Of course, God, through Christ, predestined all of these things to pass, so I'm not saying that Christ was caught off guard, of course, by this line of questioning. And presumably He understands that when the lawyer asks this question, He knows that it's from a position of self-justification. So I don't disagree that that might be there, some of that at play, and that really the ultimate end of this would bring, to bring one's self to the realization that you can't do this. At the same time, though, I think almost, especially in this one, I think, uh, it's not that Jesus withholds that, but I read that do, go and do likewise is this is what you said you wanted. You asked me for an answer, and I gave you the answer. You asked for the law- Yeah ... I will give you the law. So I actually don't know how this ended. It doesn't strike me that it ended well, and I think, I don't know if there was some kind of massive realization there, but it's almost as if there is some [00:31:00] obscuring of this. This is like typical parable, parable language where I think if you're there and you're listening, and you're trying to just track with the question and track how that compounds and corresponds with the law, that you would leave more destitute, more confused, and perhaps more angry than before, and certainly not in a position of understanding, "Well, th- this one before me is the Christ." But that's exactly what parables do. So again, I, I think to me- Right ... I see this more as certainly, again, there are these wonderful themes These kind of overtures of the gospel within, but they are dark and very obscured because the man asks a question about the law, and Jesus comes with a message about the law. And like you said, that law is- Yeah ... like, there's almost no grace in his tone as I read it because, not that he is not graceful or full of grace and gracious, but this guy asks for justification under the law. And so it ends with saying, it ends with this really phenomenal phrase, of course, of the lawyer realizing he's got himself [00:32:00] caught in having to respond truthfully in answering the question of who is the neighbor, but of course doesn't identify the neighbor except to say, "Oh, the one who has compassion," as if like he himself couldn't bring himself- Right to say these words. And then for Jesus to say, "Yeah, go do it," is, is kind of like the ultimate nail in the coffin.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and to tell a first century Jew to go and do, to be- Yes ... like a Samaritan is- Yes ... you know, e- even, even though that's not, like, highlighted in the text, you're right. Like, the, the lawyer probably couldn't bring himself to say the Samaritan was, right? And I, I think, um, you know, whether you take, uh, and maybe I'm novel on this. I guess I haven't really read, read a lot of people that take a, a more optimistic approach of this. But whether you take a more optimistic outcome approach or a more pessimistic or neutral, whatever, the, the actual outcome is the same, right? The, the lawyer is asking about self-justification under the law, like you said. Right. And Christ gives him [00:33:00] that. He tells him exactly what that means and what that looks like. And I think the, the impossibility of being the good neighbor as is described in the parable is exactly the sort of beat down of the law that, that, you know, we've talked about in the past is it's not as though, um, the, the, the actions of the Samaritan are not, uh, outwardly impossible, right? We- Right ... it's not unreasonable to think that someone could rescue someone from the side of the road and bring them to ... And like, the scenario itself is not that crazy. But the, the overall complex of the scenario, right? The fact that this man, um, was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, right? The, the ... All of this points to sort of like an impossible circumstance, an impossible situation. And, and the idea that even [00:34:00] within that impossible situation you're still expected to take care of the person who is your enemy, right? The Samaritan seeing a Jewish man beaten by the side of the road- That's right ... and although the parable doesn't specifically call out that he's Jewish, if he's going from Jerusalem to Jericho, there's an implication that he may actually also have been a priest. Um, we, we don't need to get into all the details on that, but there's, there's some good, uh, some good research out there that would point to the fact that the road from Jerusalem to Jericho is, uh, was actually a very common pathway traveled by either priests or Levites. And further evidence is that a priest and a Levite are also on this same road. And so the idea that the Samaritan would, um, would- Sacrifice of himself to take care of someone who very likely considers him to be an enemy, and sacrifices in a pretty significant way. Um, I, I'll, I'll pause and now as you're [00:35:00]talking I'll do all the, the background scrambling to make it look like I know exactly how much- a denari is supposed to, to be, and I know we've talked about it before, it's just not there.  Lavish Impossible Mercy Tony Arsenal: But, but it's not a- Yeah ... it's not a trivial amount of money. That's right. We're not talking about checking this guy into, like, a Motel 6 and, and dropping a couple hundred dollars. We're, we're talking about a substantial amount of money and, and we're talking about a commitment to pay whatever is required. Okay. An unknown amount of money for this man who has been left for dead. We're not talking about a minor injury. The, the robbers beat him up, they took his clothes, and they expected him to die in the desert. He needed to be carried on a donkey. He needed to have immediate first aid attention. We're talking about a, a relatively long-term recovery. So the scenario would be more like, we think of it like, "Oh yeah, I dropped him off at the local hotel for him to sleep it off." The scenario would be more like, "I found a guy on the side of the road. I didn't know who he was. He's, he's of a group of people that would consider me to be their enemy, and he's been shot 100 times, and I'm gonna patch up his [00:36:00] wounds. I'm gonna take him to the hospital. I'm gonna not only pay and say, 'Here, I, I've already used some supplies. Let me pay for that,' but I'm gonna pay for all of his medical bills until he's healed." Like, that's the scenario we're talking about. So it's not, it's not just, like, a good deed that has been done that is maybe, like, a really, really good deed, like it's a really nice thing to do. It's a, it's an outlandishly almost impossible to conceive of doing good deed. N- I don't know anyone, um, who would... And, and I know a lot of really great people. This is not a slam. I don't know anyone who would find a stranger on the road and who is, who's gravely injured and commit to pay for all of their medical care until they're healed. I just don't know anybody who would do that. Right. Um, some might say there's actually some wisdom in that, and, uh, we've talked about how sometimes the parables present a situation where maybe, like, this isn't actually the best practical knowledge. It's there to prove a point. Right. But I don't know anybody who, I don't know anybody who would do that, who, who would even think about doing that. Um, so the, the scenario here is one [00:37:00] of impossible lavish goodness being extended to those who you have no reason to be good to, and probably have reason to not be good to. That's what we're talking about. And so the, when the, the lawyer is told to go and do likewise, he's being told to do something that is impossible to fulfill, or even to conceive of fulfilling. And so there is this element of, like, "You think you can obey the law? Well, let me tell you how much you can't  Jesse Schwamb: obey  Tony Arsenal: the law."  Jesse Schwamb: Right. By the way, this episode is brought to you by State Farm. Like a good Samaritan, State Farm is there. Every time we've been saying good neighbor, I've been just been trying to avoid thinking about- Yeah Jake from State Farm. That's what I've been doing most of this time.  Tony Arsenal: Jake from State Farm?  Jesse Schwamb: Um, I totally agree, of course.  Priest Levite And The Law Jesse Schwamb: Like, what strikes me here is that it's, like you said, there is all this emphasis on what it means to show neighborly love, but the setup is also in those who basically should be showing it but aren't, and that's where we get, can get into this lovely... It's, [00:38:00] it's okay to kinda think through some of these characters. You know, for this priest and the Levite here, and what we know about them is that they, at first it sounds like there, there's almost this sense in the language like the priest falls ab- upon this, this, you know, bloodied man by chance, and that kinda heightens the drama, I think. The priest's confrontation is a little bit unplanned, but it's immediate and unavoidable, and he chooses to cross on the other side of the road, which is of course a deliberate act of avoidance. It's not mere obliviousness. And then the Levi almost goes further, or he came to the place, he saw him closer inspection, you know, greater culpability, and yet he still passes by. I really do wish I could hear this, like, in real time, like be among, because I have to- Yeah ... wonder that there'd be this kind of sense of building in the story. And the people might be kind of getting the sense that the characters that they know and love or should love as the heroes are not gonna be performing that way. And so I think even they're curious. They might be hoping against hope that it's gonna turn out well, but knowing the question and maybe something about Jesus, [00:39:00] they might anticipate that he's gonna go in a different direction. And so again, I think we have to stick with the text here. Like, Jesus doesn't explicitly state the motives of these gentlemen, but it's truthful. What's true- Right ... is that, like, these boys should have known better. You know, a lot of people have speculated that it was for ritual purity concerns or the, another ambush or social distance or just callousness. And I think that ambiguity might be deliberate because, again, what cuts against the lawyer here is whatever the specific excuse, the point is that these, like this kind of professional religiosity and even, like, meticulous law observance are of course not identical with, and probably can even distract or obstruct the love of neighbor that the law itself commands, which is wild, right? Because we talked about how, again, this just shows the law doesn't empower you to do the thing, and in fact, here- Right ... you could essentially abuse the law so that you suck the spirit right out of it and therefore do not do the very thing that it was intended to accomplish. So even this by itself, you just stop the parable here, it's kind of condemning because it's really this [00:40:00] potent warning against some kind of merely external ceremonial, professionalized religiosity that fails to produce, I guess, what Matthew calls, like, the weightier matters of law, like justice and mercy and faithfulness. And, you know, we should understand this because I think those that are from tradition have a certain affinity for the third use of the law as a guide for the grateful Christian living, and that's, you know, kind of what we're talking about here. But it insists that true law keeping is never merely ritual or notional, but it must issue in love, like costly love. Love outside of being inconvenienced is not genuine. I, I guess we'll get there. But, you know, I don't wanna harp on the characters as some are prone to do, but that is, I think, why the characters are here. It's both to set up and show, like, you're about to see that you really do not wanna identify by your own persuasion, by your own presuppositions with the one who's gonna be the hero, that is the, the one that shows neighborly love. At the same time, I'm gonna show you by way of condemnation that those who should exercise the greater love, [00:41:00] that do know better, that should know better, that should emblem- be emblematic of the spirit of the law, have done the exact same thing. Which I can only, uh, hope but believe is what this lawyer heard as well was that he was hearing that he was being stuck into this place before he was even given the question, well, who was the neighbor here? Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, and I, I think, um- There is a real sense in some of the parables that are sort of spoken against people. Um, this one doesn't specifically use that language, but it, it is a targeted, kind of a targeted response. There is a sense that throughout the course of the parable being told, they start to recognize midway through that they're like- Right you are the man. Like, this is one- Right, right ... of those Nathan and David kind of parables where, like, at some point the realization must have dawned on this guy that, like, "I've gotta be somebody in this parable." And I think that's where, where the, the challenging part is, is it's not clear, um, [00:42:00] it's not really clear even at the end of the parable who Christ is intending this guy to be, right? Right. Is he the lawyer or is he the, uh, is he the, the dead man on the side of the road, right? Is he... Or the dying man. Is, is he the l- the priest and Levite who pass by? Is he supposed to be the Samaritan, which would just be wildly offensive. Um, he's not necessarily, like, supposed to be anyone except for the fact that now at th- the punchline of the, the encounter here, Christ says, "Go and be like the Samaritan." And it's kind of like y- you know, if you were really following God's law, you would be the Samaritan in this one- Yeah, that's right ... but you're not. That's right. You're not and you can't be. Um, and so go, go ahead and do likewise.  Christ As True Neighbor Tony Arsenal: Um, I, I do think, too, there is some elements here where, um, I- Again, I, I think I take a little bit more of a typological, Christological-centered approach on this, but I, I don't think they're incompatible. But I do think there's an element here where Christ is also [00:43:00] unveiling, uh, sort of what he would do, like what, what his own plan of salvation is as the good, as the capital G, capital N good neighbor. Um, he is the one who does pour oil and wine on our wounds, right? A- and I don't wanna ... I don't think we need to fly off the allegorical deep end of reading oil and wine to be a reference to the Holy Spirit and t- Right but sometimes those things are evocative, indirect things that should, we should call our mind to those things. Like, I think, um, you know, when Melchizedek comes to bless Abraham and he, he presents him with bread and wine, right? I, I think, like, it's okay for us to go, "Wow, the Holy Spirit really made a point there that's subtle." And I think those little things within this parable drive me to look at this a little bit more along the lines of not only is there this sort of, like, law beat down, you [00:44:00] know, John Bunyan or not, um, Bunyan style, like the, "Moses just beat the crap out of me," kind of a- Right ... kind of a thing from Pilgrim's Progress. There's that, and I think it's really there. But it's also, uh, it's also sort of like this, uh, you know, "Blessed is the one who has ears to hear" side of it of, like, for those who are regenerated and can see the parable, can see the figures in the parable, it is now this beautiful picture of what it is that Christ does for those who cannot do it for themselves, right? And it's almost like the parable becomes a litmus test. If you look at the parable, and as you're reading through it, you sit there and you go, "Yeah, man, I'm like that guy who got beat up and left for dead. That, that really describes me," um, you're gonna get to the end of this and you're gonna be sort of, like, sitting in awe of, like, "Man, I have such a great savior who threw me on his donkey and, and promised to take care of all of my, all of my wounds, and promised to pay whatever it, whatever it cost." Um, y- you know, and all of these elements of, [00:45:00] like, oil and wine and, and all of these things be- kind of become alive to you in a way that someone who sees themselves as the, the good Samaritan, who thinks they're the one who's gonna come and rescue people, or I think increasingly in our day, and it's, it's weird to even say this, I think there are people who would look at this and resonate with the priest and lawyer and actually say, like, "Yeah, they shoulda, they shoulda crossed to the other side of the room." Mm-hmm. I've heard defenses of that in trying to argue that- The priest and the Levite, if they had, if this person was dead, they had touched the dead body, then, you know, they would've been ceremonially unclean. Uh, all of that is, I think, worth speculating about. But the reality is, um, who you see yourself in the parable actually says a lot, I think, about how you see Christ in light of either our ability to fulfill the law or our inability to fulfill the law, and therefore have our need for Christ. If you think you're the good Samaritan, if you think you're the one that's gonna come and [00:46:00] rescue people, that you're gonna be, you're gonna be the good neighbor, you're much more likely to see, uh, to, to be needing this as a sort of a law beat-down. Where those of us who, maybe this is the way you wanna parse it out, right? There's those of us who are, uh, regenerated and in Christ, and this is third-use law, right? This is, this is us- Right ... seeing what it means to be holy, and going and doing likewise, trying in our power, in our, our best to go and do likewise, empowered by the Holy Spirit, recognizing that we can't, and trusting the Lord to accept our feeble attempts- Right and be pleased by them. Right. Um, or maybe if you're not regenerated, this is f- this is first use, right? Right. And, and, and this is actually there to terrify you and to show you your condemnation and to serve as your condemnation. And, and there's even, and I didn't really intend to go all the way with this, but there's, there is also an element in here, and this is where, like, the mercy ministry interpretation comes in, where this is civil, this is civil law, where this is the, the, the, um, you know, the civil use of the law [00:47:00] to restrain evil, to show society what it is to be good, to, to restrain sin. Right. Yes, we want to be, uh, we, I would rather live in a society where people stop and help someone who's stranded or injured on the side of the road than, than a society where people pass by. Um, so I, I think all of those elements are in play here, and we do have to be careful not to take the full-on, like, never go full allegory approach to this, 'cause y- you can really... That's just a good general wisdom for all of, all of the Bible, but especially the parables and other figurative stuff. You can really just go totally far afield of what actually the point of the parable is- Right ... if you're not grounding it in the purpose that Christ is teaching it for, and, and the stated outcome of the parable, right? No one in the Bible makes c- I don't know that anyone in the Bible makes specific commentary on this within scripture, but the, the idea that, like, there's all these hidden meanings, well, if those are the hidden meanings, then why doesn't Christ talk about it? Why doesn't he come back- Right ... and [00:48:00] interpret those symbols later on like he does, like the Parable of the Sower or the Parable of the Seeds or Soils. Um, that one is much more directly allegorical in that the different seeds, the different soils represent specific people with specific s- scenarios. Christ comes and, and does that allegorical interpretation later on in the passage. There's nothing like that here. So I think we have to be really careful not to slip down that road. Jesse Schwamb: I think that it could be all those things. I, I totally agree with you on that. I think it could be all the use cases of the law. I think what makes this so wonderfully complex and a little bit tricky is that when I read this, I actually don't necessarily find myself gravitating toward putting myself in one place or the other. It almost depends on where I am or what's going on in my life. So for example, I think any time that any one of us, and we've all done this as Christians, have quenched the spirit, especially with respect to helping, serving, or loving others as my, our neighbor, then we're firmly in this parable in the place [00:49:00] of the priest and the Levite. Sometimes I think we are the one on the side of the road. We look to the church, to our brothers and sisters to help us, and what do they help us with? Like you were saying, Tony, they help us with that blood and oil. They help us with this, the power of the Holy Spirit, which is given to each one to help and to serve, to identify, to comfort with the comfort we ourselves have been received. And then I do think, and this might be unpopular, that, that sometimes by the grace of God, He empowers us to be the Samaritan, but only through His empowerment. Not, of course, because we're trying to just self-justify or because we're overtly generous in our own merit, but in fact, this is the way we ought to live, and that we ought to commend that kind of behavior to, again, acknowledge it as God-given and to promulgate it, especially among the body of believers. So I do think all three forms of the law are present there, but I do think I tend to, for whatever reason, right or wrong, I tend to tilt a little bit toward that third use here, just to see this as it's not wrong to, of course, to, I think, uh, lay over all of this, all these delightful variables and [00:50:00] details. Again, this idea of blood and oil, n- normative things, normal things, standard things that are being used to address- Yeah ... wounds. They're, they're... Of course, that would've been the practical way which you would've provided some kind of medicinal care to somebody in both that extreme circumstance, but also generally, because nobody's, like, keeping gauze or popping Advil to help this, this poor guy. And so it is- Right ... like this beautiful complexion of, I think, everything that we just talked about, that there is the law present, and depending on where you are, both in terms of your ingrafting into eternity, into the Kingdom of God, and then where you are in life, you- we should read ourselves probably, or l- let me say it this way, not so it's like eisegesis, but, like, that we should see ourselves often at different pli- times maybe playing or being tempted to play the parts of these different characters. And in that we find, I think, ultimately, of course, as you're saying, that Christ is over all, and that He is the one that, of course, perfectly emphasizes all of what it means to be the Savior, the [00:51:00] true loving neighbor who cares and binds and heals completely full stop. And yet there is something instructive here, I think, as well about going and bringing that compassion. I was just thinking, like, as we were talking, that there's such a difference, isn't there, like, in our world between these days, like, pity and compassion? Like, pity often is like, "Yeah, I feel sorry for you," but it strikes me as kind of like the James, is it James 1 or James 2, where it's kind of like, "Oh, you're... I, I'm so sorry that, like, you're, you're hungry and cold. You know what? Go, be warm, and be well-fed." You know, that's like pity. Like, "Yeah, I just- Yeah ... I feel a little bad. I identified with your emotions." Sending  Tony Arsenal: good vibes.  Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I've got- Yeah. Yeah. That's right, right? Sending good thoughts and good vibes your way. I wanna say, like, keep those to yourself 'cause they're probably not all that- Yeah ... good. Um- I  Tony Arsenal: don't want your vibes.  Jesse Schwamb: I don't want your vibes. Get your vibes out of here. What I need is that power of God himself, uh, to bring compassion, and compassion is always wrapped in action. It identifies- Right ... and then goes. It, it's, it [00:52:00] is not self-promoting, it's self-sacrificing. And so that rule of law, which is like the good rule of law, the good teaching, the kind that brings life because it's the Decalogue wrapped in skin perfectly performed by the power of the Holy Spirit through the one who is perfect again in his passive obedience and active obedience. Yes, yes, we need, we need all of that. It's modeled here, I think, to a certain extent, but I think the go and do likewise is actually for all of us, but it's not the kind like we would say, "Well, like, good luck." It's more the- Yeah ... you know the one from whose side the blood flowed. You know the one who is pressed in the garden as if olives under the press leaking oil. You know who that one was, and that one is His spirit resides in you. So now go and do these acts- Yeah ... of mercy. Again, not s- for some kind of meritorious reward, but because you were made for good works, which were set apart for you to do, and part of those good works are [00:53:00] just always being a good neighbor. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, and, and maybe to, to close out, I, I, I think maybe we actually did it. I don't know that we're gonna have to do another episode on this. I guess we'll see after we do- Who would've guessed? ... our postmortem here.  Mary Martha And Final Charge Tony Arsenal: But I, I think part, part of, um, part of what we need to at least acknowledge is that what, what follows this parable, right? This, this goes from a parable of a lawyer seeking to justify himself to now the account of Mary and Martha, and the fact that, uh, that, um, M- Martha, you know, is busy with much work, and Mary is sitting and listening to, to Jesus and is said to have chosen the better part. And I think, like- Mm ... this is something that I think because of the way, like, Bibles are formatted, the way that certain things are sort of, like, extracted out as discrete teaching units, this parable is pulled out and separated from this next part. And I, I think we can [00:54:00] really run into problems when we do that because- You know, even if we, even if we were to sort of treat the scripture as, like, a purely human book, right? Luke chose to put this account of Mary and Martha after this, right? And, and- Right ... probably not just because, like, it happened chronologically. There's no real, um, there's no real necessity that this account of Mary and Martha in this particular story had to happen immediately afterwards. Like, there's no organic link in, in the chronology of the story to drive that, right? And the two aren't related in terms of, like, historical cause and effect or, uh, proximity. There's none of those things. So the only answer as to why this was selected to follow the parable of the Good Samaritan is that there's some thematic connection that drove Luke as an author to put this, put this right following that. And so I think even that should drive us to thinking about, all [00:55:00] right, we've got this statement of go and do likewise, show mercy. Now there's almost this foil that the, the, the person in, in the account in the, the narrative here, and a, a true narrative, right? We're not in parable land anymore, but the person in the narrative that seems to be showing mercy, seems to be taking care of people the most, is actually the one who's chastised a little bit for, for being- Right overly zealous about m- mercy ministry, hospitality ministry- Right ... is what you might call it. She's the one who's like, "Tell my sister to help me with this." And she said, like, "You know, you're always gonna have time to do this, but, like, I'

What if the moment you felt most invisible, rejected, and abandoned was the exact moment God revealed Himself to you?   Most people walk through life feeling completely invisible, carrying deep rejection and shame. We break down why Jesus consistently reached out to the forgotten, from Hagar in the desert to Zacchaeus in the tree and the Samaritan woman at the well. Discover how realizing that God knows your whole story changes your heart and equips you to dig "wells of hope" wherever you go.   Thanks to Maranatha Family Church Downtown in Davao City, Philippines for having me!    "Cry for Revival" Written by Butch Coleto This material is partially generated   Click here to go to the official Revival Cry YouTube channel. To see the Revival Cry podcast on another streaming service, click here.   To support Revival Cry or find out more information, go to revivalcry.org Email us at info@revivalcry.org  Follow @RevivalCryInternational on Facebook and Instagram.   Revival Cry Resources:  ⏵ Be an Evangelist or Do Evangelism ⏵ How to Become a Burning Bush ⏵ Hearing God through His Creation

If you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, please consider visiting the following resources: The Samaritans helpline: 116 123 Refuge domestic abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247 (live chat is also available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Contact-us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *times apply) Safeline domestic abuse helpline: 01926 402 498 Safeline national male survivor helpline: 0808 800 5005 Rape Crisis Helpline: 0808 802 9999 (help is also available at live chat at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/live-chat-helpline/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *times apply) Sexual Assault Support Line: 01708 765200 To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/thecriminalmakeup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we are taking a short break from our usual format for a Summer Sessions feed drop. We are sharing a special episode from Unbehaved, where host Meghan French Dunbar turns the tables and interviews us! We dive deep into how we met during an overnight shift volunteering at the Samaritans, the real story behind building the UK's number one management podcast, and how to stop making decisions based on what other people think. We also discuss why we decided to leave traditional career paths behind to become digital nomads, how we navigate working together as a married couple, and our take on the latest workplace trends like AI fears and shifting DEI dynamics. Check out Unbehaved: Find Unbehaved on your favorite podcast app or visit https://www.meghanfrenchdunbar.com/podcast Connect with Meghan French Dunbar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanfrenchdunbar/ Content Warning: This episode opens with a discussion about a call regarding a suicide in progress from our time volunteering at the Samaritans. If you prefer to skip this section, fast-forward to around the six-minute mark.

Hannah Ennis spent years battling anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts before finding the tools that helped her rebuild her life, and eventually turning that experience into her work as a Self Image Coach.This week, Hannah joins the lads to speak openly about struggling with her mental health from a young age, how things deteriorated through her teens and early twenties, and the moment her family stepped in to get her the help she needed. Her journey took her to Thailand for treatment, where the shock of realising she needed more support than she wanted to admit became a major turning point.The gym became a place of solace for Hannah, and her work now focuses on self image rather than just fitness. Therapy, journaling, nervous system work and learning to sit with difficult feelings have all become part of how she looks after herself, and how she helps others do the same.This episode contains discussions about anxiety, depression, self harm, suicide, addiction and mental health. If you have been impacted by any of the topics discussed in this week's episode, support is available:Samaritans: 116 123Email: jo@samaritans.iePieta: 1800 247 247Text HELP to 51444HSE Drug and Alcohol Helpline: 1800 459 459This episode was sponsored by Rightstyle Furniture. RIGHT PRICE, RIGHT STYLE, RIGHT NOW. Visit rightstyle.ieGet in touch on TalkingBollox@GoLoudNow.com

Remembering country music icon Dolly Parton, details on her death, a look back at her career, and her impact on country music. Also, the U.S.-Canada trade war ramps up, with Canada announcing counter-tariffs. Plus, Darline Graham defeats Ralph Norman in the South Carolina GOP Senate primary runoff election. And, the man who survived a Florida shark attack this weekend thanks to the help of good Samaritan nurses speaks out. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special bonus episode from The Bible Explained, Host Jenn Kokal is joined by Kristy Graham, a dedicated wife, mom, and communications expert at Samaritan's Purse. Kristy shares her personal story of how her family's life was shaped by their involvement with Samaritan's Purse, and how her role in the organization's podcast, On the Ground, has been a game-changer for her faith. Kristy talks about the importance of prayer in the ministry, and how the organization's staff starts each day with Scripture and prayer. She shares stories of the organization's work in disaster relief, including training for doctors and nurses fighting the Ebola epidemic, their response to Hurricane Helene, and helping those devastated by earthquakes in Venezuela. Through these stories, Kristy highlights the impact of Samaritan's Purse's work in bringing hope, love, and comfort to those affected by disaster. Kristy also opens up about her own journey of learning to rely on God's strength, rather than her own. She shares how her role in the podcast has taught her the importance of rest and surrender, and how she's learning to say yes to God's plans, even when they don't make sense to her. Kristy's vulnerability and passion for her work will inspire you to take a closer look at your own faith in the One who comforts, heals, and loves. Listen to On the Ground with Samaritan's Purse to hear more faith-based stories of God's provision. Discover how you can get involved with Samaritan's Purse Learn about Operation Christmas Child Check out LifeAudio for other faith-based podcasts on parenting, studying Scripture, and more.Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Devotion : Nehemiah 4:1-14 / The Angry Samaritan by Community Lutheran Church

In this newscast: A Superior Court judge heard oral arguments this morning over the legality of the city's planned redevelopment of Juneau's Telephone Hill; A former Juneau fire captain has been sentenced to more than a year in prison for assaulting his stepdaughter, and KTOO examines how the city dealt with having a public safety employee charged for child assault; Around 250 U.S. Coast Guard crew members stationed across Alaska and the Pacific Northwest traveled to Juneau for a week-long training. And on Wednesday, they competed in what's called the Buoy Tender Olympics; Sitka teacher Bridgette Reynolds was recognized at Sealaska Heritage Institute's 2026 culturally responsive education conferences earlier this month; A home in Sitka sustained fire damage last week but remains standing thanks to the quick action of a good Samaritan and local emergency responders

11 And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.Et factum est, dum iret in Jerusalem, transibat per mediam Samariam et Galilaeam. 12 And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off;Et cum ingrederetur quoddam castellum, occurrerunt ei decem viri leprosi, qui steterunt a longe : 13 And lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us.et levaverunt vocem, dicentes : Jesu praeceptor, miserere nostri. 14 Whom when he saw, he said: Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean.Quos ut vidit, dixit : Ite, ostendite vos sacerdotibus. Et factum est, dum irent, mundati sunt. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God.Unus autem ex illis, ut vidit quia mundatus est, regressus est, cum magna voce magnificans Deum, 16 And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan.et cecidit in faciem ante pedes ejus, gratias agens : et hic erat Samaritanus. 17 And Jesus answering, said, Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine?Respondens autem Jesus, dixit : Nonne decem mundati sunt? et novem ubi sunt? 18 There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger.Non est inventus qui rediret, et daret gloriam Deo, nisi hic alienigena. 19 And he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole.Et ait illi : Surge, vade : quia fides tua te salvum fecit.St Zephyrinus, was the successor of St Victor. He governed the Holy See for eighteen years. He was martyred under Antoine in the year 217.

Growing up, Beth Moore was taught that 1 Timothy 2 and 1 Corinthians 14 were the whole of what scripture had to say about women: submissive and silent. The founder of Living Proof Ministries and one of the most widely read Bible teachers in America, Moore objects to a hermeneutic limited to those passages. In this episode, Mark Labberton revisits his 2018 conversation with Beth Moore, recorded in the months following her viral open letter, "A Letter to My Brothers." Almost 10 years later, debates over women in leadership and whether women are free to use their full gifts in the full service of the church still roil American Christianity. This episode is an invitation to hear Moore's unique journey—discovering what it means to receive women as teachers and instructors of scripture for the building up of the church—and about the faithfulness of God to one woman's story, as she tries simply to be heard. They discuss the cost of speaking up in 2018 and the backlash that came hardest from women, her decision to repent of her own complicity, the way gender gets used abusively in every part of the church, and what it looks like to keep going with Jesus when the way ahead is cloudy. Episode Highlights "I very much am a big believer in the harbor of the church, that when it functions well … it's such a safe place for me. It was safer than my home, Mark." "Where I have been part of this and complicit in this, I will repent. So here is what I'm fighting for. I am fighting for us, and I don't just mean women. I mean women and men, brothers and sisters." "There is absolutely no world in which I would not have spoken up. … It would've been like expecting a dog not to bark at a burglar." "Where our Christianity … departs Christ-likeness, don't call it Christianity. … So if it is not like Him, it is not of Him." "I may not get it right, but I can no longer lay down to what I know is wrong." About Beth Moore Beth Moore is an evangelist, author, and Bible teacher who founded Living Proof Ministries in Houston in 1994 to teach women the scriptures. Her books and studies, including Breaking Free and So Long, Insecurity, have been translated into more than twenty languages. Her 2018 open letter "A Letter to My Brothers" named the misogyny she had absorbed in conservative evangelical life. She left the Southern Baptist Convention in 2021 and now worships as an Anglican. Her memoir, All My Knotted-Up Life, won the 2024 ECPA Book of the Year. She teaches now on the podcast Living Proof with Beth Moore. Helpful Links and Resources Living Proof Ministries, the organization Beth Moore founded in 1994: https://www.lproof.org "A Letter to My Brothers," May 2018 open letter: https://www.lproof.org/blog/a-letter-to-my-brothers All My Knotted-Up Life, Beth Moore's 2023 memoir: https://www.tyndale.com/p/all-my-knotted-up-life/9781496472670 Show Notes Moore's three-generation household; instability at home; the church as a harbor Receiving her calling at eighteen, off a pre-law political science track The surprise of discovering that theologically orthodox, scripture-loving people read women's ministry differently than her Passion drawn from pain; early trauma and a pattern she couldn't break Hypocrisy, pretense, and dreaming of fulfilled desires Strongholds and sexual sin: what her early context named but never taught people how to fight First Baptist Church Houston as a place safe enough to be corrected and still loved Pastor John Bisagno (1934–2018) asking her to speak on a Sunday night, and her own objection that she was a woman Palpable disesteem for a woman in ministry without academic credentials Playing by rules that others were not keeping Scripture as reason versus scripture as excuse Repenting of her own complicity Luke 8, the women at the resurrection, Paul's fellow workers at the end of Romans Backlash to Moore came hardest from women, including readers who abandoned her studies Asking questions on behalf of women without a microphone Affirming women formally while gender bias persists structurally The Samaritan woman at the well, and a Savior who gives dignity Obedience over clarity when the way ahead is cloudy #BethMoore #WomenInMinistry #Conversing #MarkLabberton #WomenInLeadership #Evangelicalism #BibleTeaching #ChurchToo #Complementarianism Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.

Dennis Agajanian is an award-winning country musician who has traveled the world with Franklin Graham performing at evangelistic crusades and working closely with Samaritan's Purse. Izabella McMillan grew up in communist Romania and at age 13 received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox from Samaritan's Purse, changing her life forever. She later emigrated to the USA and now serves as a spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child. In this conversation with John Coulombe and Wayne Rice, Dennis and Izabella describe how Samaritan's Purse shares the gospel around the world one shoebox at a time. If you have been looking for a way to get your grandchildren involved in a service project during the upcoming holiday season, give this podcast a listen.Website mentioned during this podcast:SamaritansPurse.org/OCC

112 care leavers aged 18 to 24 died last year, according to a government-commissioned review – that's three to four times the rate of their peers.Nick Martin, our people and politics correspondent, has been following the journeys of people leaving the care system for many years.Joining Niall, he shares the stories of those who have lived in care. He tells us about the challenges young people face and the changes that could help them when leaving the system.Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk

This week at Zion, Pastor Jon continued our This We Believe series by opening Scripture to explore what the Bible teaches about Women in Ministry. From Genesis to the early church, we see God consistently calling and empowering women as image‑bearers, leaders, teachers, and partners in His mission.Pastor Jon reminded us that women are not an afterthought in God's story—they are essential contributors to His kingdom. We looked at examples like Deborah, Esther, Mary of Bethany, the Samaritan woman, and the women who first proclaimed the resurrection. At Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out on sons and daughters (Acts 2:17–18), making it clear that a Spirit‑filled church must make room for every gift God gives.The heart of the message is simple: at Zion, we believe biblically qualified women may preach, teach, lead, pastor, and serve—not because culture demands it, but because Scripture reveals it. Our prayer is that every person would encounter Jesus, experience His love, and discover the joy of living according to His good design.This message is part of This We Believe: Exploring the Essential Truths That Shape Our Faith and Who We Are, a series on the authority of Scripture, who God is, the person and work of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit, the purpose of the Church, and our mission in the world.NEXT STEPS:Whether you're exploring faith, growing in your relationship with Jesus, or looking for a church community, we'd love to help you take your next step. Visit zionchurch.com to learn more, plan your visit, and connect with the Zion family.ABOUT ZION CHURCH:Zion Church exists to see the lost saved, the saved ignited, and the world changed. We are passionate in our love for God and relentless in our love for people. We believe Jesus is over everything, God's presence changes everything, and we are called to live on mission together. Whether you're new to faith, searching for a church home, or looking to grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus, there is a place for you at Zion.JOIN US SUNDAYS:8:00AM  |  9:30AM  |  11:00AMLOCATION:1201 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente, CAFOR MORE INFORMATION:www.zionchurch.comSTAY CONNECTED:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zionsanclementeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/zionsanclemente/YouTube: https://youtube.com/@zionsanclementeSupport the show

“Lift your chin” is a phrase we throw around here at Genesis, and one we hope sticks here. We live busy lives in a fairly self- absorbed world, but the Gospel reveals a Messiah who lifted His chin to see and rescue us. Christ changes our lives, places us in a community, and then He shapes the way we see the world around us. As a church, it is our desire to be a community on mission, a family of people who lift our chins to see Jesus, our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, and the nations. As we begin our new school-year rhythms, our Fall vision series will invite us to be a people who lift our chins to see Jesus and then lift our chins to see the world through His eyes. John 4 reveals that Jesus lived his life with a lifted chin, seeking hurting people who needed a Savior. The Samaritan woman was an outsider on every level, including ethnically and morally. Yet Jesus sought her out, and made her feel safe as He gave her the opportunity to see who He really is. As a result, her life was changed and she lifted her chin to see her community to share Jesus with them. Our dream for Genesis is to be a community who sees our neighbors and nations through Jesus’ eyes, and that Genesis would be a place that is safe for anyone no matter their background, religious heritage, struggle, or culture as he or she explores Jesus. And when people find Jesus they would begin to lift their chin and join the mission. This is what it means to be a place for new beginnings.

In this special bonus episode from The Bible Explained, Host Jenn Kokal is joined by Kristy Graham, a dedicated wife, mom, and communications expert at Samaritan's Purse. Kristy shares her personal story of how her family's life was shaped by their involvement with Samaritan's Purse, and how her role in the organization's podcast, On the Ground, has been a game-changer for her faith. Kristy talks about the importance of prayer in the ministry, and how the organization's staff starts each day with Scripture and prayer. She shares stories of the organization's work in disaster relief, including training for doctors and nurses fighting the Ebola epidemic, their response to Hurricane Helene, and helping those devastated by earthquakes in Venezuela. Through these stories, Kristy highlights the impact of Samaritan's Purse's work in bringing hope, love, and comfort to those affected by disaster. Kristy also opens up about her own journey of learning to rely on God's strength, rather than her own. She shares how her role in the podcast has taught her the importance of rest and surrender, and how she's learning to say yes to God's plans, even when they don't make sense to her. Kristy's vulnerability and passion for her work will inspire you to take a closer look at your own faith in the One who comforts, heals, and loves. Listen to On the Ground with Samaritan's Purse to hear more faith-based stories of God's provision. Discover how you can get involved with Samaritan's Purse Learn about Operation Christmas Child Check out LifeAudio for other faith-based podcasts on parenting, studying Scripture, and more. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Pastor Russell Johnson opened the Like Never Before series with the movie cameo, the famous face that flashes on screen and disappears. He said that is how Gentiles looked in Israel's story: Rahab, Ruth, Naaman, Nineveh, rare. Then Jesus arrives and the cameos become regular cast. In John 4:4, the word behind "had to pass through Samaria" is not geography. John uses it for divine necessity, the same compulsion behind the Son of Man being lifted up. Samaria was not a detour. It was the destination. Devout Jews would add days to their journey to avoid that ground, carrying centuries of contempt back to the Assyrian resettlement of 722 BC and the rival temple on Mount Gerizim. Jesus went straight through, sat down tired at Jacob's well at noon, and asked a Samaritan woman with five husbands behind her for a drink. Samaritan, woman, sinner: three walls, walked through on purpose. Pastor Russell showed this was always God's heart, from Genesis 12:3 to Isaiah 49:6, but in the Old Testament grace flowed through the nation. Now God sits on the well Himself. He closed with the first two pastors of Faith Bible Church, Bill Elkins and Dave Anderson, and fifty years of grace now handed forward.

What if God's heart for the world begins with simply opening our eyes to the people already around us? In Part 4 of For the One, Pastor Steve Garcia takes us to John 4, where Jesus intentionally travels through Samaria—a place most Jews avoided—and begins a conversation with one Samaritan woman.  What starts small eventually opens the door for an entire community to encounter Jesus. You don't have to move across the world to begin living on mission. Sometimes it starts with crossing the street, beginning a conversation, or seeing someone differently. Jesus truly is the Savior of the world. The question is whether we're willing to follow Him wherever He leads.  - NEXT STEPS  Looking to take your next step?  We want to help! Text the word NEXT to 909-281-7797 or visit sunrisechurch.org/nextsteps. - GIVE TO SUNRISE CHURCH Imagine what God can do through our giving. You can give today at sunrisechurch.org/give  - FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunriseChurchCA  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunrisechurchca  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/SunriseChurch 

Sunday Evening, August 23, 2026 | S0674 SPEAKER: Jason Hardin DOWNLOAD: Interactive outline WATCH NOW: Livestream S0674

 11 And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.Et factum est, dum iret in Jerusalem, transibat per mediam Samariam et Galilaeam. 12 And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off;Et cum ingrederetur quoddam castellum, occurrerunt ei decem viri leprosi, qui steterunt a longe : 13 And lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us.et levaverunt vocem, dicentes : Jesu praeceptor, miserere nostri. 14 Whom when he saw, he said: Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean.Quos ut vidit, dixit : Ite, ostendite vos sacerdotibus. Et factum est, dum irent, mundati sunt. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God.Unus autem ex illis, ut vidit quia mundatus est, regressus est, cum magna voce magnificans Deum, 16 And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan.et cecidit in faciem ante pedes ejus, gratias agens : et hic erat Samaritanus. 17 And Jesus answering, said, Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine?Respondens autem Jesus, dixit : Nonne decem mundati sunt? et novem ubi sunt? 18 There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger.Non est inventus qui rediret, et daret gloriam Deo, nisi hic alienigena. 19 And he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole.Et ait illi : Surge, vade : quia fides tua te salvum fecit.

In this special, Saturday episode, Jenn is joined by Kristy Graham, a dedicated wife, mom, and communications expert at Samaritan's Purse. Kristy shares her personal story of how her family's life was shaped by their involvement with Samaritan's Purse, and how her role in the organization's podcast, On the Ground, has been a game-changer for her faith. Kristy talks about the importance of prayer in the ministry, and how the organization's staff starts each day with Scripture and prayer. She shares stories of the organization's work in disaster relief, including training for doctors and nurses fighting the Ebola epidemic, their response to Hurricane Helene, and helping those devastated by earthquakes in Venezuela. Through these stories, Kristy highlights the impact of Samaritan's Purse's work in bringing hope, love, and comfort to those affected by disaster. Kristy also opens up about her own journey of learning to rely on God's strength, rather than her own. She shares how her role in the podcast has taught her the importance of rest and surrender, and how she's learning to say yes to God's plans, even when they don't make sense to her. Kristy's vulnerability and passion for her work will inspire you to take a closer look at your own faith in the One who comforts, heals, and loves. Listen to On the Ground with Samaritan's Purse to hear more faith-based stories of God's provision. Discover how you can get involved with Samaritan's Purse Learn about Operation Christmas Child Check out LifeAudio for other faith-based podcasts on parenting, studying Scripture, and more. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The Matts answer listener questions including: Is the Kelly Plan for an early election a non-starter? Is Richard Tice a secret Labour asset? How should we respond to the huge numbers of suicides in the UK each year? And is Wetherspoons right to ban speaker phones? Enjoy!Produced by Matt WithersOFFER: Subscribe to The New World for just £1 for the first month. Head to https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/2matts/You can contact Samaritans day or night, 365 days a year. Call them free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 502 of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony and Jesse begin what promises to be a multi-part deep dive into the Parable of the Good Samaritan — one of the most culturally embedded and theologically rich stories Jesus ever told. But before a single character hits the Jericho road, the hosts ground listeners in something easily overlooked: the charged context in which this parable is told. A lawyer — trained, confident, adversarial — steps forward not to learn but to test. What follows is a masterclass in how Jesus turns the law back on those who wield it as a weapon. This episode covers Luke 10:21–36, explores the covenant of works and covenant of grace, the noetic effects of sin, and why the Good Samaritan is far more than a lesson in being a helpful neighbor. Buckle up. Key Takeaways The lawyer's question is self-contradictory from the start. Asking "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" smuggles a works-righteousness assumption into the very grammar of the question. Inheritance by definition is received, not earned. Jesus does not give the lawyer a new paradigm — He reorients him to the true one. The covenant of grace is not a New Testament innovation. It runs through every Old Testament covenant administration. The lawyer should have already known this. "Do this and you will live" is not a Pelagian concession. Christ is holding out the law's own terms — perfect, total, unrelenting obedience — not to suggest it is achievable, but to expose its impossibility and drive the lawyer (and us) to the only alternative: mercy. "Desiring to justify himself" is more complex than it first appears. Tony argues that the desire to fulfill the covenant of works is not inherently wicked — it is the misguided belief that one can which is the problem. This distinction creates room for reading Christ's response as genuinely merciful instruction, not merely rebuke. The noetic effects of sin mean accurate theology can be deployed in service of self. The lawyer knows the right answers and still uses them to avoid repentance. Correct doctrine alone does not save. The fundamental human problem is not ignorance — it is the will's bondage and the heart's self-love. The parable is primarily Christological, not merely ethical. Jesus is the Good Samaritan. The story is not first about mercy ministry; it is about who binds up our wounds when we are left for dead on the road, unable to save ourselves. The priest and the Levite are not exonerated by their ritual obligations. Considerable ink has been spilled trying to justify their passing by on grounds of Levitical purity concerns. The parable refuses that exit. Everyone in the story — and everyone listening — already knows what the right thing to do was. Key Concepts The Covenant of Works Is Not a Black Box One of the more quietly important arguments Tony makes in this episode is that the covenant of works was never meant to be mysterious or inaccessible. When Jesus responds to the lawyer's question by asking, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" — He does so with a visible assumption: there is a clear, knowable answer, and the lawyer should be able to give it. And he does. Love God completely, love your neighbor as yourself. The covenant of works was always coherent and comprehensible. The problem has never been that its demands were obscure. The problem is that no one — save the Mediator — has ever kept them. Jesus is not introducing a new ethical framework. He is forcing the lawyer to confront a standard he has always known and has never met. The Lawyer as a Warning to Reformed Christians Jesse closes the episode's first movement with a pointed and personal application that cuts across theological self-satisfaction. The lawyer is not a caricature of ignorance — he is a portrait of someone with accurate, affirmed theological knowledge who instinctively deploys it in the service of self-justification the moment he senses conviction. Jesse names this directly as a danger particularly acute in Reformed circles, where doctrinal precision can become a subtle mechanism of self-defense rather than an occasion for repentance. The Reformation's great recovery of grace must not become a new form of the very disease it diagnosed. Knowing the right words about total depravity, the covenant of grace, and the mediator does not exempt anyone from the need to actually be humbled by them. Theology is not armor against repentance — it is, rightly received, the road toward it. Context Is Not Just Setup — It Is Part of the Lesson Tony and Jesse both emphasize that Luke 10:21–24 is not merely throat-clearing before the real content begins. The theological statement embedded there — that the Father has hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to little children, that no one knows the Son except the Father or the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him — is the hermeneutical key to everything that follows. The lawyer approaches Jesus as one rabbi testing another. But Luke has already told his readers that this is not a conversation between equals debating interpretive options. It is the Lawgiver being questioned by someone who does not recognize Him. The parable that follows is not just an answer to a legal question. It is a revelation — the kind that only happens when the Son chooses to give it. Memorable Quotes You do not want to pit the law against the one who has given the law, the one whose character is represented in the law — because you're always going to get owned, and you'll get owned before you realize you've just gotten owned on multiple levels. - Jesse Schwamb Jesus is trying to sort of reorient them back to the true paradigm of grace that is present under all of the Old Covenant administrations. It's not so much a matter of developing a new framework and imposing it on this guy. It's really trying to say, 'Listen — think about this for a second. Think about the fact that, yes, you know you have to love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole strength, your whole mind, and you have to love your neighbor as yourself. You've answered correctly. If you can do those things, you will live.' — with the subtext: and of course you cannot possibly do those things. - Tony Arsenal The fundamental human problem is not primarily ignorance, but the will's bondage and the heart's self-love. It's a problem no amount of correct discipline or doctrine alone can fix apart from some kind of regenerating grace — which is exactly what Jesus is going to illustrate for us in the mercy he's about to display in this parable. - Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript Tony Arsenal: [00:00:00] This parable is not primarily about us figuring out how to do mercy ministry. Like, that's important. It's probably an outcome of this. It's probably something for us to think about. But really, this is actually Christ saying, like, "Hold on a second here, dude." Like, "Let's just think about this." Do you need someone who is going to tell you to pick yourself up off your bootstraps and cross to the other side of the street and leave you to your own devices? Or do you need someone who's gonna throw you on their donkey, who's gonna bind up your wounds, who's gonna pay the innkeeper, and is gonna pledge to pay everything that is owed for your salvation? Right? That's not too on the nose here, I think. Welcome to episode 502 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm [00:01:00] Jesse  And I'm Tony, and this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey, brother.  Jesse Schwamb: Hey, brother. Well, we've got a big one to talk about on this episode. We're marching further and further into all of the glorious parables Jesus told as part of His teaching. And as you and I kind of joked before we began, I mean, what did you call it? Did you say this is, uh, the big daddy?  Tony Arsenal: It's the big daddy, one of the big daddy parables.  Jesse Schwamb: It's one of the big daddy parables. Now, this one is probably second maybe only to the prodigal son. Yeah But in terms of its ubiquity and its kind of just common knowledge in culture, this one ranks right up there. And before I reveal what it is, which you may already know, I was thinking how so many times we look at the Beatitudes as expression of a master class in Jesus teaching the law, and I think that's true. But as I was reading and thinking about this particular parable, I thought, "I don't know. I think this one is, uh, right up there," because [00:02:00] this is like law on law. It's double law. Yeah It's law coming back at the law giver who's trying to use the law to test Jesus, and then Jesus tests him with the law that He himself gave His people. It's... I'm already getting too excited- ... and we've got something to do before we get there. But we're talking about the parable of the Good Samaritan. And so I can't imagine, can I just make a prediction up front? I, you know where I'm going with this, and probably everybody else does. Uh, this is gonna be like two conversations-  Tony Arsenal: At least ...  Jesse Schwamb: probably.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah, at least two.  Jesse Schwamb: Is that fair? Because I realize we, of course, wanna get to the parable itself, and oh, my goodness, how much ink has been spilled. Even going back to, like, if you read, like, Augustine or, like, the early church, like the Patristics, the Church Fathers, there are so much that could be said, and maybe some stuff that just shouldn't be said about all the allegorical potential intent here about these characters. But [00:03:00] there's so much amazing stuff that happens in the opening of this, that's not just the setup, but it is its own lesson, and I'm real excited actually to talk about that with you before we even get into, like, all the good stuff that everybody expects that you wanna talk about. So we're gonna do it all. Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Jesse Schwamb: We're gonna do it all, but it'll take time.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. I'm interested to see if we're even on the same page about where to start reading, 'cause I, I think we might not be, and that's gonna be fun. So we'll, we'll let it fly and see what happens. It'll be our own little, uh, podcast game.  Jesse Schwamb: But, uh, I think- Well, I mean, we're gonna be in Luke chapter 10, but I guess to your point, we should be starting in Luke chapter one to get to this. Yeah.  Tony Arsenal: Exactly. But  Jesse Schwamb: we, we do have to back up quite a bit, and I was gonna ask you about that. Yeah. But I, apparently we're just gonna play that on the fly and see where we go.  Affirmations Denials Segment Jesse Schwamb: But of course, the Reformers had their five solos. Chalcedon had its, what, seven withouts. We've got opinions, and we're just as confident about ours, so of course it's time for affirmations, denials, where we affirm something that we think is good or awesome or [00:04:00] we wanna recommend, and we deny, again, something that is not so great or maybe just plain annoying. So before we talk about the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Tony, what do you got for us on this episode? Are you affirming with something, or are you gonna come in with a denial?  Tony Arsenal: Well, I've got two affirmations. That's fine. One is just- I will allow it ... a declaration of joy, and one is, like, a real affirmation. I, I just can't... It would be remiss of me not to share with our podcasting family that my son August and my daughter Adeline, uh, joined the visible church today as- Hear, hear ... uh, non-communicant members. Uh, Augie and Addie were baptized on the 16th of August of 2026, uh, into the visible church, into the name of Jesus Christ. Uh, was, it was just a great service. Um, it's funny because I've been- been talking with Augie. One of the thing with toddlers when you're doing something big like this is you kinda have to talk about it and practice and rehearse, rehearse it and, and get them ready for it. And up until maybe, like, I don't know, three days [00:05:00] ago, every time it would come up he would be saying, "I don't wanna be baptized. I don't wanna be baptized." And, um, you know, I, I, I, you know, I don't wanna force him to do something, but also, like, I make him eat vegetables. But, um- ... he, I, I think it was nerves, and I think something clicked in his head and all of a sudden he was very excited to be baptized. So, um, it was great. We've been talking about, you know, what baptism is, God's promise to you that if you trust him he'll save you. And so today he- Right ... he was like, "God's gonna make a promise to me to save me." So he was very excited. Nice. And he did a great job just standing quietly and listening to the pastor talk. Uh, and Addie was, was, was just a beautiful little girl, and she, um, she loved it as well. So that's just a bonus affirmation. I don't know that I could get through a podcast without gushing over that.  Glorify App and Devotionals Tony Arsenal: Uh, but the, the affirmation I have, uh, this is an, an app that I think some of our listeners may have heard of. Um, some may roll their eyes at it, to be honest with you. Um, I stumbled on this because, uh, you have an Oura Ring, don't you, Jesse? Jesse Schwamb: I do.  Tony Arsenal: You [00:06:00] do, yeah. So for those who don't know, an Oura Ring is like a little wearable ring that's like a, almost like a fitness tracker, but it tracks biometrics, pulse rate, temperature, all these different things, sleep. Um, there's a startup, uh, that has been doing a GoFundMe or a funding kind of thing for, uh, what they're calling like a Christian version of an Oura Ring. So it does a lot of the same things, sleep tracking, basic biometric tracking. Hmm. But it also has like alerts built in, and it's tied into an app that they use for devotionals. So it'll, it'll remind you to pray. It'll remind you, you know, bring you to an app to do a devotion. But the app it uses is a standalone app that I looked up, and it's called Glorify. Have you ever heard of this app before this evening? I have heard of  Jesse Schwamb: this, yeah.  Tony Arsenal: So Glorify is just a small devotional app. Uh, it's not much different than you would expect based on the name. It is connected to this, uh, to this Glorify ring, which again is, is sort of like an Oura Ring tied into this app. But this app basically is, is [00:07:00] designed to help you complete short daily devotional exercises, and they're usually very brief. They're based on a very brief, um, a very brief passage of scripture. Today's passage, uh, c- there's a quote. So today's quote is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It says, "True love does not consist in finding the perfect person, but in faithfully loving an imperfect one." Not sure why this devotional app is using a romance, uh, quote from Bonhoeffer of all people. But that was today's. Um, and the passage is Proverbs 5:15-17. So it's a, it's a devotional based on two verses, which is fine. So you read the passage. There's a very brief devotional on that passage, and then sort of a guided prayer, and they have both premium and free models. The premium model includes like you can listen to the devotional, you can listen to the prayer. Um, but just for example, today's prayer, it, it's very simple. "Loving Father, thank you for, uh, thank you because you're faithful and unchanging. In a world [00:08:00] marked by broken promises, disposable relationships, you remain the same. Teach me to reflect that faithfulness in my relationships. Help me to love with perseverance, grace, and commitment following the example of Christ. Protect marriages, strengthen families, restore what needs healing. May every relationship be marked by respect, truth, and genuine love. Shape in me a heart of integrity that honors you in both the small and significant choices of life. In Jesus' name, amen." So I think what I love about this, and this, I mentioned last week that there was, this is kind of like, sort of like the fluffy evangelical devotions. Like- Right ... there's not a ton of like solid doctrinal meat- But like, it's still nourishing. And sometimes we need a little bit of help. Sometimes we don't know what to pray, we don't know what to read, we're not sure. Sometimes in, I think in our Reformed circles, we feel like if we're not reading large portions of scripture and reading deep theological treaties or long, complex devotionals, that we're really not doing anything, and that's just not the [00:09:00] truth. So I've been using this in addition to other devotional studies I'm doing. I don't do it every day. I mean, there's some like streak functionality, kinda like habit tracking type stuff that's built into it. Um, but it's nice. It's nice to be able to pick it up, read a very short scripture, a brief devotional thought, and then have some guided prayer. I know one of the reasons I don't pray as often as I ought to is because I struggle to know what and how to pray. So even having some written prayers, I mean, this is why the Psalms are good, things like the Valley of Visions are good. Um, having some pre-written prayers that you genuinely pray but you're not having to come up with in the moment can really help. Right. So the app is called Glorify. I know it's available on iPhone. I'm not sure about Android. I'm sure it probably is. I'm sure they wanna have a pretty broad ecosystem. Um, and, and it's good. Again, it's, it's not anything fancy. It's not anything like super technical. Uh, and as I kind of alluded, like some of it's a little weird. Um, I, I didn't read the proverb. I think maybe the proverb is about romantic relationships, why they're, why they're tying in that, um, Bonhoeffer quote in, in the prayer. [00:10:00] But, um, even that, like it's pretty innocuous. And the quotes, like you don't have to read the quotes. It's not like you have to have to do that. Um, you could jump in, just read the scripture or just read the devotion and just do the prayer and you would be fine. So check it out. It's called Glorify, available on iPhone for sure. I'm pretty sure it's on, on Android. And maybe it's something you add daily, you know, this kinda thing like you do when you're on the bus or you're waiting at the grocery store, something quick you can do when you might be wasting that time just sorta sitting around or scrolling Twitter. Again, Twitter's fine. You can use your leisure time as you see fit. But if you wanna fill it with something like this, something that is more spiritual, then this would be a good option to just add a little bit of, uh, a little bit of nourishment to your diet where you might not otherwise be getting it  Jesse Schwamb: I have no proof of this, but I just keep saying it anyway. It might be that we're living in the golden age of really great- ... daily worship resources. Like, something to actually cultivate, not just, like, a devotional nugget, but something that actually leads you into a pattern and a habit of [00:11:00]worship, giving your attentive focus on Jesus. And I love that. So, uh, uh, 'cause I was just thinking, like, I was trying to look back on some of our past affirmations here. We've talked about the book Walking in Faith. I just gave everybody Awake My Soul last week. You're coming in with the Glorify app. I- we've talked about Dwell, if not recently, we've talked about that for some time. It's like a great Bible reading app, and there's lots and lots of new features, by the way, coming out on that- Yeah that are fantastic. And then, yes, all these other great prayers. I, I see, like, these books on prayer, like, actually, I'm sorry, like, prayer books, I guess, as, like, a great way to kinda... It's like a jumper for your car. You know what I mean? Like, just gets you started. What a, what a lovely thing to come into a place and have a launching pad. And I've been using a lot of Into His Presence, which is a collection of Puritan prayers, sometimes because, for instance, this just happened, where I wanted to pray for someone who was just going through a rough time, a good friend of mine. And I went to that place to kinda start and frame, knowing that I was gonna sit down with him and pray, how I might be able to do that well and [00:12:00] effectively. And these things are just, like, really phenomenal resources. It's just an amazing time to have all these things at our disposal. So that's another great option. It's, it's really more about, like you and I have talked about, Tony, like, whatever gets us into that pattern, whatever gets us, like, authentically experiencing under our own volition, coming in the discipline of sitting before God in daily worship with that expression being pretty broad in its representation- Yeah is to really include something of devotional time in the scriptures, memorization, metabolation, metabolizing. Metabolation, I'm just gonna make that up as, like- ... what happens when you, when you take the scripture and metabolize it into your own life. Meditating on it and, you know, again, maybe looking through the confessions and creeds that have shaped our distilled understanding of what the scripture teaches so that we're enhancing and edifying our mind. We're also engaging the heart, and then we're engaging God and ourselves in communication with Him through prayer. I'm all for anything [00:13:00] that gets us into those rhythms, reminds us of the importance of them, and like we talked about last week, makes it so that when we think about what it means to be married to Christ, so to speak, it's not just about whipping out some kind of marriage certificate to prove that, but that we actually have a frame and a behavioral pattern that fits a married person, that- Yeah how they act, how they think, how they behave, how they communicate, they're never too far away from their lovely spouse in some way or another. And so I think that these tools are great ways to get us exactly into that kind of mindset and practice.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah, absolutely. And like I said, like, I think- In our Reformed circles, we can, you know, we, we tend to be maybe a little eggheaded, and we, we tend to be a little more intellectual and, and a little more, I don't know, studious. And there's nothing wrong with that. Um, but I think sometimes it can breed a sort of, uh, elitism and arrogance. Sure. Uh, this is a perfectly valid devotional tool. Yes. Mm-hmm. And, and I think, [00:14:00] you know, kinda like the old adage, like, well, what's the best translation of scripture? Well, whichever one you're gonna read. Exactly. Like, what's the best devotional tool? Whichever one you're gonna use, whichever one's actually gonna bring you into the Word, uh, on a, on a regular basis. Um, and again, like, two verses of the scripture is two verses of the scripture that you might- Right ... not have other spent time, otherwise spent time reading. And it really is short enough, and it saves your progress. Like, you can do, you can do the quote in the morning, and then you can check the scripture on the way to the, you know, the word work, on a stoplight or whatever. Um, if you have the, the paid subscription, you can listen to this stuff, you know, on the, the bus or whatever. Um, so check it out. Glorify app, they have a ring they're making. It's in funding, I guess, if you wanna check it out, you can check that out too. I am neither affirming nor denying whatever this Glory ring is, Glorify ring. But, um, but yeah, the app is great. The, the app is free, and it's, it's worth even just checking out and adding once in a while to your day  Jesse Schwamb: The glory ring or the glorify ring sounds like almost too Tolkien, even for me  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. It's the one ring to rule all of your devotions. [00:15:00] Uh, and in the, and in the morning bind them. Jesse, save me from the trail I was about to go on, and, and I was gonna speak in the language of Mordor, I think, on accident. Uh, save us from this. What are you affirming or denying?  Jesse Schwamb: That's  Tony Arsenal: beautiful. Please tell me it's the language of Mordor. Elvish AI and Music Pick Jesse Schwamb: Uh, no, but can I just say at the risk of really taking us really far afield so early on, which is not necessarily off-brand for us, I have done this... I, I don't know if I should be ashamed by this or I should be excited by this. But- ... um, the Elvish tongue in the Tolkien universe-  Tony Arsenal: Oh, no. ...  Jesse Schwamb: is like, there's several... If you're super nerdy, you'll know there's like several different kind of iterations or formulas of it, and there's no, like, official language like Klingon, but there ha- it has been studied, and basically, like, it's kind of like the Eugene Peterson of the language. Like, there's, like, just kind of a dynamic equivalent or an expression of words. Anyway, all that to say- ... there's several languages that, uh, Microsoft Copilot will just not [00:16:00] translate because it says, like, "This one, this language doesn't actually exist. There's not enough for me to do anything." Let me tell you something. Tolkien Elvish is not one of those languages, and I actually built an agent, because I have a coworker who can, uh, who can appreciate all this stuff, that takes a text, translates it into this kind of academic high-level Elvish from Tolkien, and then translates it back to English. That makes anything you're saying way better and far more poetic and just absolutely amazing. So if you wanna have some fun, go and do that with whatever your favorite AI model is. Anyway, that's free of charge. Real quick, my affirmation is more music. It just turns out I've found this band, and I've been listening to them a lot. The band's name is Thronebreaker, which is just a phenomenal name, I think, for any group. Uh, it's amazing. Uh, th- this is... I'm gonna read you their description from Spotify. It just says, "Thronebreaker is Christian metalcore built for the bruised, the doubting, and the ones still fighting their way home." And what I've really been [00:17:00] loving about them is it is kind of like Wolves at the Gate adjacent. It's really lovely music. It is melodic, so it's, there's not just that there's that kind of hard edge, but that is present in it. But, uh, the music is really lovely and beautiful, and in part that's because they're going through this, like, drip of releasing music where they're taking, like, old hymns or maybe songs if you're of a certain age like I am of kind of childhood Sunday school- And they're taking the lyrics, not the melody, and they're reimagining them. So they have two versions of Jesus Loves Me that they just released. They have the old We're Gonna Cross, a song called Glory to the King Most High. These songs are just saturated with gospel. Like, they're just all power, all encouragement, and all authority represented in Jesus Christ. They're incredible, and I've j- where I've, what I've been really blessed by is these two versions of Jesus Love Me are just fantastic. Like, they're orchestral. There is a children's kind of chorus at one point, and it got me [00:18:00] singing that song again, and really, maybe to what you were saying before, Tony, like sitting in those three words, which are really phenomenal words to hear. And so I have been surprised at how moved I've been by what really I, I first understood, of course, as a children's song with simple truth that seems, you know, depending on how long you've known some part of the gospel, obvious. And yet I found them all new again, and a, a really lovely way of just sitting in the truth of God in music that I didn't expect to find. So if you're interested in any of that or maybe just curious of what it would sound like if a Christian metalcore band took Jesus Loves Me and turned it into their genre, then honestly you should just go check out Throne Breaker. I mean, you pretty much have to at this point.  Tony Arsenal: I, I don't ever have anything to add to your musical affirmations or denials, 'cause I, I just don't. What I do have to add is that Throne Breaker actually sounds like some sort of really [00:19:00] amazing, like, mace-type weapon in Lord of the Rings. Yes.  Jesse Schwamb: Yes,  Tony Arsenal: it does. Or like a big hammer that a dwarf carries. And I would also like to say that if you ask Google Gemini to translate something into Tolkien English, it not only will do it, it will tell you how to pronounce it.  Google Elf: A ava aini Ilai amel i trona se.  Tony Arsenal: What do you think that was, Jesse?  Jesse Schwamb: No idea.  Tony Arsenal: First of all, that was elevated Quenya, a Quenya. Yes.  Jesse Schwamb: Yes, that's  Tony Arsenal: the one. Classic Quenya.  Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  Google Elf: A leta Ilai amel aima.  Tony Arsenal: I would be willing to bet... Actually, let's do this.  Jesse Schwamb: Ugh.  Tony Arsenal: Uh, we don't give out prizes very often. Uh, I will say to anyone who can tell me what that is, the first person that emails, uh, or, or goes into the Telegram chat, we'll do this. We'll be professional podcasters and drive people to one of our channels. Here we  Jesse Schwamb: go.  Tony Arsenal: The first person who goes to our telephone, our Telegram chat and tells me what that [00:20:00] means, what that, uh, Elvish means, will get a Reformed Brotherhood T-shirt.  Jesse Schwamb: Oh, that is big.  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Jesse Schwamb: That-  Tony Arsenal: So I'm gonna, I'm gonna play it one more time.  Jesse Schwamb: Okay, here we go. Everybody listen. Every- All right, pull over. Stop your vehicles. Here we go.  Google Elf: A leta Ilai amel aima.  Tony Arsenal: There it is, everybody.  Jesse Schwamb: I'm not being a cry- I have a guess, but I, I, I wanna try to win the T-shirt, so I'm gonna- Yes ... wi- withhold. All right. Uh, yeah, that's, that's super fun. Did it, um... Did you also translate it back into English from that  Tony Arsenal: just to see- No, I'll do that later, 'cause that would give away the, that would  Jesse Schwamb: give away the prize. Yeah, it's, it's... We'll have to save that for next week, because that, that is the fun. It creates, like, what I was doing to, to have fun with this coworker is take very technical, like, work-related emails, and I would send it through. It would go through that iterative process, and I actually loved how it, it was talking. Like, it wa- this was an email about risk, and it, it gave, like, these beautiful grand metaphors that didn't sound corny or cheesy. That's the beautiful thing. That's amazing. It [00:21:00] was like true Elvish. Like, you were just like, "I wish I spoke that way all the time about, about risk." And it, like I said, it wasn't just like... You could, you could obviously throw something in and be like, "Make this Shakespearean," or, you know, "Make this, you know, sound like, you know, Milton." This is way better. This is way better, because it's not, like, actually trying to manipulate what you're saying. It's takes, like, the dynamic equivalent of what you said, then translates it back with way more kind of poetic infrastructure while maintaining, like, the essential meaning that you have. I'm, I'm selling this too hard. Everybody just has to go out and try it. So, all right, you know what's at stake here, but here's how you have to win this. If you want a chance, if you want a chance at winning this, you gotta go to t.me/reformedbrotherhood, t.me/reformedbrotherhood, and that link will take you to the Telegram app and our little corner of it, and you're gonna find there's a bunch of chats there. You gotta go to the affirmations or denials chat, and then you gotta put in what is the translation of what Tony just played.[00:22:00] I just love... Isn't it amazing, though, that, like, y- as you discovered, there's more than one version of Elvish available? Yeah. And they do differentiate between the various kinds. This is a big deal. I learned there are actually scholars who have, like, again, filled in kind of like the details of the language- Oh, yeah taking as a basis what Tolkien had there. Yeah. So I think that this is the best. We couldn't have conceived of this if we'd actually tried and planned for it, so-  Tony Arsenal: It's true ...  Jesse Schwamb: it's just better that it all happened in, in real time. It's true. And, and speaking of which, I think now we get to have the fun of figuring out, uh, where in Luke chapter 10 are we gonna begin? Or should we just start in Luke 1 and just let's see how far we can get reading  Tony Arsenal: in this- I could have, I could have Google Gemini read it in elevated Kenya, Quenya I did try to get it to put it in Sindarin, and it wouldn't do it for some reason. I'm not sure. Maybe this anti-Sindarin bias in Gemini,  Jesse Schwamb: man. Disappointing.  Tony Arsenal: It's disappointing.  Jesse Schwamb: Dis- disappointing. So let's kick off some Good Samaritan talk, which again, I think is gonna take us [00:23:00] through maybe in the next couple of conversations, in part because, like I said, we're not even gonna start at, uh, verse 25 because there is so much more that needs to be said, I think, before that. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I, I think actually the proper place to start this, and I, I'm guessing Jesse probably, whether he was there or not, he probably figured out where I was going, uh, over the course of the last 20 minutes or whatever. Um, I actually think the proper place to start, at least one of the proper places to start, is in verse 21. Yeah. Um, and I- we'll talk about why that is. And I'll... I'm gonna read here, um, 21, uh, through the end of the parable. Uh, and this is Jesus talking. He says in this, uh... Well, it, this is, um... Yes, uh, I'll just read it here. "In the same hour He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one who knows who the Son is except... No, no one knows who the Son is [00:24:00] except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Himself.'" Then turning to the disciples, he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see it, and hear what you hear and did not hear it." And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live." But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and he saw him and passed on the other side. So likewise a Levite, [00:25:00] when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. And he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. Whatever you, whatever more you spend I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" And he said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "You go and do likewise."  Jesse Schwamb: I think you're right, of course, to back us up into verse 21 because I don't want to keep saying it's always a setup, but Jesus is certainly giving us like the right context in which... Well, Luke of course is the author here and as he's explaining the teaching of Jesus, he does so well to start out with some irony that we don't realize is gonna be ironic until we get to the, to verse 25 [00:26:00] when we realize who's testing Jesus, who's setting this all up. So this idea that the Holy Spirit, everybody rejoicing in the Holy Spirit and the knowledge and the wisdom, the intelligence that's revealed through the Holy Spirit to all of these lesser people and in particular here emblematic the infants That here we have kings and rulers, and in this case, this beloved scholar of the law, who all have this adventure in missing the point. They think, in fact, they're looking for the one who is to set them free, and they can't even see that it's Him who is before him. And yet, incidentally, God has already revealed all these things to the lowest, to the ones who are the most humble, the meek, the mild, the down and outs, the ones who are weak by the view of everybody else. And so it's amazing that if we just kinda, again, like blow past it into, like, just all the characters, we don't see that the teaching starts actually well above this, that even everything we're about to understand, that unfolds in our lives, ev- every spiritual incarnation and insight that we have [00:27:00] first starts with God himself in his revealing it to us both in his general revelation, but of course, in the specific revelation of his teaching. So I like that you started us there, because I, I'm with you. That's where this whole thing launches off, right?  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Parables Reveal and Conceal Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and as we come into when we very, like very start of this, uh, series, the, the parable series, Jesus sort of embeds a theology of parables into this introduction, right? Or I should say Luke does. But this, uh, this is written a- as though all of this is occurring as sort of one event. Right. And likely it was, right? So sometimes, uh, in the Gospels, events are kind of, like, moved next to each other for thematic reasons. It's possible that that's the case. It seems like this may have actually just been one, one teaching, and I'll, I'll talk about why that is in a second here. Um, but at the very least, this is placed next to each other in the Gospel almost as, like a, "Here's the theology of parables. Now, here's actually that happening in real [00:28:00] time."  Jesse Schwamb: Yes.  Tony Arsenal: And then also, like, a parable kinda demonstrating it, right? So the theology of the parable here is that there are many prophets, kings who desire to see what it is that, that, uh, uh, the disciples are seeing, right? And all things have been handed over to the Father or to, to the Son, by the Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father. No one who knows who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal, right? So the, the theology of parables here presented in Luke is that the parable itself is being used as a way to reveal the Father and the Son to those whom the Son chooses to reveal it to. The Lawyer as the Fool Tony Arsenal: And that leaves us with this lawyer, um, sort of playing, playing the fool in almost like a dramatic sense, right? In a lot of drama, there's kind of like the fool character who's sort of like the foil or the idiot of the thing who's, who's unaware and is almost like made an example of, right? Um, I, I can't think of any examples off the top of my head, but there's often a character in a play who's like, uh, it's [00:29:00] almost like the opposite of the everyman, right? The everyman in a, in a play- Right ... or in a movie is sort of like the outsider who things gets explained to, and he's sort of the proxy for, for the audience. Um, I think like, um, Hawkeye in Avengers is kind of the everyman. He's sort of just like this regular dude swept up in this thing, and oftentimes he's the one that, uh, the big characters are explaining things to. And really what that is is the big characters are explaining that to the audience through this proxy. There's also this concept of the fool in a lot of these plays or movies who's sort of like the dummy, the idiot of the play, who things are explained to, and it's still a way to explain it to the audience, but the character doesn't get it. And so that's kind of, kind of the role that this lawyer is playing in this, this narrative here. He, he steps forward. He's like, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answers his question, and then in this like sort of like stunning moment of, like unawareness, he's trying to justify himself. He says, "Well, who is my neighbor?"[00:30:00] As though that's a question that needed to be asked, right? I think, like, we sort of think of it as like, "Oh, yeah, that's a valid question." I actually don't think it is. Like, it's pretty obvious, in the Old Testament at least, who your neighbor is. It's the people who live immediately with you. It's the other people of Israel. It's the people in your immediate concentric circles, the people you have direct access to. Um, and so then Jesus explains it through this parable, and whether or not he gets it at the end, I guess is maybe a little bit unclear. We can talk about that as we get there. But at least in the beginning, he's portrayed as this sort of, like, fool who doesn't understand what Jesus is saying, and then this parable is taught. So it's this theology of, um, revelation to those whom it is intended to, and further obscuring from those it's intended not to, not to illuminate, which is identical. Uh, maybe it's a different flavor of the same thing, but it's the same thing as what Matthew had and what Jesus taught- Right ... in Matthew with the parables. Jesse Schwamb: Right. It definitely is, again, illustrating, again, God's divine prerogative. I think you really have to do a lot of theological gymnastics [00:31:00] to try to work yourself out of a place here that says, like, "Well, this, this knowledge is accessible to all people."  Tony Arsenal: Right.  Jesse Schwamb: That if somehow we just work hard enough, study hard enough, come even before God with the right attitude or do the right things, that somehow all this will be made plain to us, and that's certainly not the truth here. In fact, again, the ironic setup is you have this lawyer asking this question, which creates this strange contrast because here's a man trained in the law, and he approaches the very wisdom of God to test him while the little children already perceive what this fool cannot. So it's irony upon irony, and then I, I like what you're saying. I think, and we'll get to this to anticipate a bit, I'm reading this as he's hoping that the answer to whom is my neighbor, just like he- he's received the affirmative from Jesus saying, "Yes, you understand. Go and do these things. This is life," and we'll get to all of what that means, I think, as well in terms of the covenant of works and the covenant of grace. But I think he's hoping that the definition of neighbor is gonna mean that he has [00:32:00] already accomplished the thing then, so that if there's somehow- Yeah ... he could just set the right boundaries. He could say, "Ah, yeah, I'm already good then, Jesus. I already, already did all that stuff." So- It's wild to me that it, it all starts with, of course, like some kind of scribal specialist in the Torah, of course, likely some kind of Pharisee by theological alignment. And as I'm looking at the notes here, what I find particularly stunning as we start this out is that Luke, of course, is able to speak several times in this parable to the intent. And so he says right away with great kind of fanfare and description that the intent here from this scribal Torah person was to test or to tempt, which is the same verb used of Satan's temptation of Christ and of Israel's testing of God in Deuteronomy 6, which of course Jesus is gonna quote here later on. So it's not, of course, like sincere inquiry, like you're saying. It, it is like adversarial probing. It is like really profound setup. It is dripping with like [00:33:00] ulterior motive. It's seeking to expose Jesus as either like heterodox or as diminishing the law's demands. And I think we've talked about this before, so Tony, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure in one of the previous parables we talked about sometimes how these get set up with this kind of weird like oxymoronic setting. Inherit Eternal Life Debate Jesse Schwamb: So like this question of se- uh, uh, itself, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  Jesse Schwamb: It's like more than just theologically revealing. Biblically it's self-contradictory, 'cause of course like we talked about inheritance, I think actually when we went through the, the parable of the prodigal. By definition, that's received, of course, on the ba- basis of relationship or promise. It's not earned by performance. And if the inheritance comes by a law, it no longer comes by promise, right? I think that's like Galatians. So the lawyer's question already portray- portrays like some kind of weird works righteous paradigm. E- even if you think he's really after trying to understand the true intent of God's heart [00:34:00] behind the law, he is assuming at least in this question that eternal life is some kind of wage that he can earn rather than a gift to be received by grace through faith. And that's a fundamental error that the entire subsequent exchange, including the parable, is designed to expose. It's both, like you're saying, Tony, he has not learned yet what it means to be in the kingdom of God. He's outside of that, and so he's trying... Now Jesus is bringing in this corrective action, as it were, set up in a story, but he's gonna turn the law on him, which, which I don't wanna get too excited about that yet. But he's... But essentially, here we have somebody who's the expert in the law trying to leverage the law by way of force against the one who he does not understand has all leverage and authority over him, and is in fact the law giver himself So he's gonna, Jesus is gonna drive him to see his own ability to keep the law that he claims to honor, and that's more than just brilliant. This is what the law does. You do not wanna pit the law against the one who has given the law, the [00:35:00] one whose character is represented in the law, because you're always going to get owned, and you'll get owned before you realize you've just gotten owned on multiple levels, and I think that's what basically unfolds here. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, I, I have a little bit of a different take on the, the word inherit here. Um, I don't think what you're saying is wrong, um, but I think there's a little different flavor here, and actually, I, I think it, it still sort of propels us forward to the conversation we have to have, um, about the law and the gospel and the covenant of works, the covenant of grace. The, the Greek that lays under this word is, uh, it's a compound word of the word for, like, lot or portion and the word for law. And so, so the, this force of the word is more along the lines of, like, what shall I do to have a legal right to eternal life? Like- Right ... inherit, I think we hear inherit, and we think of, like, um, like what you get when someone dies, and so, like, obviously there's nothing you do to earn it, and that's certainly an element of the way this [00:36:00] word is used in some instances. I think reading this and kind of how, how the rest of the text plays out, this lawyer is coming forward and he's like, "What do I need to do to have a rightful legal claim to eternal life?" Right? We might even be able, and this is where it comes into the covenant of grace, covenant of works k- kind of paradigm. We might even be able to say that what this lawyer or this person comes forward to ask Jesus is, how do I gain, how do I gain the benefits of the covenant of works, right?  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: Yep. That's language that was developed later that's not, not, like, biblical language in terms of, like, the actual language within the text, but that's the force of what he's saying. What must I do to be a rightful legal... Uh, what must I do to have a rightful legal claim on all of the blessings of the covenant of works, is really the question that's here. And so Jesus' answer is so instructive- Right ... 'cause what he says is, "Well, what's written in the law?" Like, he, he basically says, like, "Well, you should be able to tell me, teacher- Exactly of [00:37:00] the law, like, what, what needs to happen there." And there's an assumption on Christ's part that, like, there is an answer. I think sometimes, sometimes we, we, uh, we make an error in thinking that the covenant of works was never attainable, that it's somehow this, like, um, it's almost like a black box. Like, nobody could know what we have to do to, like, obtain eternal life. That's absolutely not the assumption Jesus makes. Jesus not only knows that there's an answer, it's such a straightforward answer that he expects this scribe to be able to answer it, right? And the scribe can, right? The scribe says, "Well, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, your strength, and your neighbor as yourself," right? The summary of the law. Just good old classic Westminster larger, shorter catechism. Where's the law summarily comprehended? Summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. And then, then again, I don't know the questions exactly, but then it also, like, says, like, "Where does Christ summarize this?" Well, you should love the Lord your God, and you should love your [00:38:00] neighbor as yourself, right? Covenant Works and Grace Tony Arsenal: So the, the lawyer comes forward and says, "What do I need to do to have a legal right to all of the blessings of the covenant of works?" Christ says, "Well, what do you think?" He says, "Well, you obey the entirety of the law." And he says, "You've answered correctly. Do this. Obey the entirety of the law and you will live." So the parable itself doesn't necessarily speak to this law, gospel, covenant of works, covenant of grace paradigm. The, the parable is used to show that not only does this lawyer know what is required of him, but that he won't do it.  Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: And I think that's really key, because even in the parable, within the parable itself, there are these figures that know what they should do, right? I, I think, um, we'll get into it, but there's a lot of ink spilled on almost like, um, explaining [00:39:00] why the priest and the Phar- phar- and the, the Levite almost like did the right thing by going to the other side of the room, and it points to like, well, their priestly and Levitical responsibilities, if they touch a dead body, like they can't do those things, and those things are so important. Like, there's a lot of ink spilled trying to almost explain why what they did is right, when the point of the parable is that actually we all know what the right thing to do in that sense was. And even the most righteous people in the mind of the hearers, the Levites and the priests, the most righteous people, even they don't do what they're supposed to do. Jesse Schwamb: Right.  Tony Arsenal: This, this paradigm, this gospel law paradigm, law gospel paradigm, this covenant of works, covenant of grace paradigm, is so baked into the very like fabric of, of human thought that it's just there. And Christ takes this time to point out to this lawyer, like, "You know what's expected of you." And so that's why the phrase desiring to justify himself is so key [00:40:00] here. I actually think that the, the, the I don't wanna go so far as to say, like, that this person was regenerated in the midst of this conversation, 'cause I don't know that. But I actually think that there's a forward movement of this lawyer as he interacts with Christ that is optimistic. I'm optimistic about it, right? Right. He starts out trying to test Jesus, then he star- then he moves to having a desire to justify himself. I think we hear that, we read that, desiring to justify himself, we automatically think that that's a negative thing. But if we think about justifying himself in terms of what he's talking about, how do I fulfill the obligations of the covenant of works, that's not a bad thing to wanna do. Right. It's not bad to wanna obey God's law and to lay claim to His promises. It's a misguided notion of something we can't accomplish, but in itself, desiring to justify himself is to desire to fulfill the obligations of the covenant of works. That's not necessarily a bad thing. And so I think this is a merciful, a merciful [00:41:00] teaching on Christ's part. He's trying to instruct this guy to say, "Look, you can't do it. And even if you could do it, you wouldn't do it. So let's, let's talk about mercy instead and what that looks like." And that's where we get to kind of the end of the, uh, the end of the parable.  Jesse Schwamb: And again, we have to remember that we know that the intent here is actually to test or try Jesus, so He's certainly being merciful by using this opportunity not to just put him on blast, but to actually provide true instruction. And of course, like, that was, to some degree, this turning the question back would've been, like, a rabbinic pedagogical technique, but theologically, this is what floors me, is from the jump, Jesus refuses to let this man treat Him merely as one more voice among competing rabbis. Yeah. Instead, He holds that lawyer to the standard of God's own revealed word by, like you said, asking not just what does it say, but how do you read it? Mm-hmm. He's pressing not just for, like, some kind of recitation, but for the lawyer's own understanding and application, and Jesus is gonna hold him [00:42:00] accountable to his own hermeneutic. So by, by the time we get the answer, we know as readers, and all those present would've understood, he already knows the right answer, and he's not ignorant to God's requirements. He already summarizes the whole moral law correctly, encompassing both tables of the Decalogue. And so I think that does lead us then to this statement that we probably should spend a little time on, like, do this and you will live, like you introduced for us. Like, what does that even mean? Because i- it's not, like, in my view It's not like a Pelagian or Arminian concession that law keeping actually saves. I mean, it is the covenant of works principle stated truly inexorably that the law as law does promise life to perfect obedience. But that's the exact problem. I, I like what you said that it's not as if we can't understand what it would be to comprehend or contemplate this perfect law and what it means to fall under the covenant of works. It's just that he also presents for us at the same time this covenant of grace in which life is [00:43:00] granted freely through faith in the mediator who alone fulfills all of these laws' demands. So it's wild in this back and forth that's happening here where it's... I don't even know if it's fair to say this is like the most incredible subtext ever. I'm imagining trying to process this in real time and realizing everything that's being said, not just listening to what's being said and like the technical answers going back and forth. But I think like you said, that the Spirit even here is at work, I would like to believe, in the life and at the heart and the mind of this lawyer who's bringing forward this question with nefarious intent first to test and to undermine, and then is being drawn in almost inexorably into this debate to more profound understanding about a covenant based on works that cannot be accomplished, uh, in perfect obedience except through the mediator who organizes and distributes liberally this covenant of grace to his children for whom he has accomplished at least passively and then actively in his obedience in life and death. And so Jesus' reply is, I [00:44:00] think, thus a very genuine like if that functions to expose an impossibility. I, I don't think he's teaching salvation by works here, of course. He is holding out the law's own terms so that the lawyer and everybody else listening, and even us as well, can discover through this narrative which is about to happen the impossibility of self-produced righteousness, which again is what this gentleman is theologically all about. He's trying to justify himself. And that is precisely the pedagogical strategy like Paul uses later when he systemizes all of this by saying that the law was our guardian or school master until Christ came in order that we might be justified by faith. I think- Yeah ... and it's only because God is good to us and we might sit in some of this teaching, I think this is all in play. So, so I ask you, like, have I gone too far with all this? Like, how much do you think in the real time was being processed? And maybe that's a horrible question to ask because we know the Spirit does this work of illumination and enlightenment, and we're on the other [00:45:00] side of this and have this time to sit and to kind of parse and to really kind of just be pickled in all of this. But there's so much happening here, right?  Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. Uh, maybe I'll answer the question a, a little bit of a different way. I think, um- We often can think about Old Testament religion, if we wanna kinda call it that. We think about Old Testament religion as though it was totally uniform and, um, entirely legalistic. Right. Uh, my- the, the listener is gonna panic a little bit when I say this, so please don't freak out, but I, I think N.T. Wright, uh, and some of the new perspective on Paul stuff is a, a little bit helpful in this, in that it gives us a foil to sorta push against. Yes. The new perspective on Paul is this idea that, um- Paul was not saying that Judaism was legalistic and Christianity is a grace-based religion, right? He, m- [00:46:00] um, N- NPP is not, is saying, um, Paul was not correcting New or Old Testament religion. And where they go wrong is that they say that Paul actually retains this concept of covenantal faithfulness, covenantal nomism fidelity. Uh, where I think, where I think they're right is that this idea that, like, the Old Testament religion is entirely legalistic and Paul was just sort of correcting that, I think that's way too simplistic. And the reason I say that is that the Mosaic Covenant for, you know, w- and predominantly this podcast is coming from a sort of Westminster Confession of Faith Presbyterian perspective, give or take, right? The, the broad Reformed tradition would say that the, the Mosaic, uh, covenant, the Davidic Covenant, all of the covenants of the Old Testament, and we can break them up in all sorts of different ways, but all of the covenants of the Old Testament, [00:47:00] um, with maybe the exception of the Noahic Covenant, and there's some debate about that, all of those are They're not just, like, supporting structures for the covenant of grace, but they actually are the covenant of grace in various administrations. If that's true, and of course we believe that it is, if that's true, then the people of those covenants understood that on some level. Right. Right? So to think that, like, people under the administration of the covenant of grace somehow thought that they were operating under a legalistic framework doesn't make any sense. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah,  Tony Arsenal: that's true. So, so where I think that applies here is I think this person coming forward, it's not as though the concept of the covenant of grace... Again, that's language that we would develop later, but the concept that God graciously saves His people by the counsel of His own will, apart from their works of righteousness, apart from their meritorious effort, that God [00:48:00] simply extends His grace and conveys the cov- the blessings of the covenant of works to those who trust in the mediator, those who trust in the one to come, the, the forthcoming serpent-crushing seed, right, if you wanna use- Right language from Genesis 3. The, the idea that God simply graciously conveys the blessings of the covenant of works to those people Um, that's not something that's alien to the Old Testament, right? It's not alien to the, even to the Mosaic economy. The most law-based of all of the Old Testament, um, covenants, even that starts with the concept that these people are God's people who he redeemed out of Egypt, right? Right. The redemption out of Egypt comes before the giving of the law, and the giving of the law is a result of the redemption out of Egypt. So to think that this lawyer comes forward, and again, this had been sort of corrupted and distorted and had become a very works-based, uh, [00:49:00] meritorious-based understanding. But the idea that this framework of a covenant of grace is totally alien to this guy just doesn't, it just doesn't, I think it doesn't play. And so I think rather than us read this as I think sometimes we do, of Christ as kind of like giving this guy, trying to give this guy an entirely new paradigm, or like the rich young ruler is very much a parallel kind of situation. We read this, this guy comes forward, he's like, "What do I gotta do to earn eternal life?" Christ is like, kinda basically says like, "Well, you dum-dum, you can't. And I'm gonna demonstrate for you that you can't by- Right ... taking sort of like this situation that you can't possibly believe that you fulfilled and telling you to fulfill it." That's the outcome of this. We'll get to that when we get to the end of the parable. Um, he's not trying to give them a new paradigm. He's trying, in my opinion, he's trying to sort of reorient them back to the true paradigm of grace that is present under all of the Old Covenant administrations. So it's not so much a matter of like [00:50:00] developing a new framework and impli- like imposing this new framework on this guy. It's really trying to say like, "Listen- Think about this for a second, dude. Think about this, right? Think about the fact that, yes, you know you have to love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole strength, your whole mind, and you have to love your neighbor as yourself, right? You've answered correctly. If you can do those things, you will live. With the subtext, which I think is what you're getting at, the subtext of, like, and of course you cannot possibly do those things. Right. Right. So what's the alternative, my friend? The alternative is not justifying yourself by somehow identifying who the person is that you have to love the most. The, the, the, um, the... Well, we'll get this when we get to the parable itself, but the, the alternative is... This will be interesting, 'cause I'm not sure that we... I don't know where you are on this, but, um, the alternative is that there's someone out there who shows us mercy. [00:51:00] Right. There's someone out there who takes care of our need despite our total inability to do so. Jesse Schwamb: That's right.  Tony Arsenal: That's the alternative to the covenant of works, is the covenant of grace. I m- maybe I'm, like, hinting at it too much, so I'll just say it. Like, Jesus is the Good Samaritan, right? Like, there's something for us to learn about our own justification here and our own- Right ... like, um, our own need to be merciful, to treat people as our neighbors. But just like we talked about when we talked about, like, what does the least of these mean, this parable, uh, I'm totally, like, burying the lede for next, next week, but that's fine. This parable is not primarily about us figuring out how to do mercy ministry. Right. Like, that's important. It's probably an outcome of this. It's probably something for us to think about. But really, this is actually Christ saying, like, "Hold on a second here, dude." Like, "Let's just think about this." Do you need someone who is going to tell you to pick yourself up off your bootstraps and cross to the other side of the street and leave you to [00:52:00] your own devices? Or do you need someone who's gonna throw you on their donkey, who's gonna bind up your wounds, who's gonna pay the innkeeper, and is gonna pledge to play- pay everything that is owed for your salvation? Right? That's not too on the nose here, I think. Right. And, and I really look forward to, like, unpacking that, although maybe we don't need to now, but I think, like, this parable is so much more about how salvation works than it is about, like, what it means to have a good neighbor and to be a good neighbor. I think we get bogged down in that, and I just am really excited to talk more about, like, what I think this parable actually gets at.  Jesse Schwamb: I agree, and it's happening in the contex

If you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, please consider visiting the following resources: The Samaritans helpline: 116 123 Refuge domestic abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247 (live chat is also available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Contact-us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *times apply) Safeline domestic abuse helpline: 01926 402 498 Safeline national male survivor helpline: 0808 800 5005 Rape Crisis Helpline: 0808 802 9999 (help is also available at live chat at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/live-chat-helpline/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *times apply) Sexual Assault Support Line: 01708 765200 To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/thecriminalmakeup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, it's Coco & Cody Dahler while Nish is away at the Fringe! With the recent, shocking news of Jason Arday's death, they're joined by broadcaster and writer Natasha Devon to reflect on the role of legacy media, and where the line is drawn between public interest and pile ons. Also: is Britain living through a ‘nuance drought'? Coco, Cody, and Natasha wrestle with the decline of the ‘critical friend' perspective, and ask how we can bring back the grey area when people are encouraged to pick a side–not just in politics, but wider society. And when pain is preferred to certainty, is Farage the devil we know? They discuss ideological fault lines, false binaries, social media bans, and burning everything down…USEFUL LINKSIf you have been affected by any of the issues raised during this episode, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org Pre-order Natasha's book here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-nuance-drought/natasha-devon/9781837733170 Petition demanding a public inquiry into Jason Arday's death: https://goodlawproject.org/petition/jason-arday-letter/ ‘Farage Fest' AI music video: https://x.com/reformparty_uk/status/2089464382925205526 CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS VANTA: https://www.vanta.com/PSTUKSHOPIFY: https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheukPod Save the UK is an Intelligence Squared production for Crooked Media.Don't forget you can get in touch! Contact us via email: podsavetheuk@crooked.com if you want to share questions, thoughts, or general musings! Like and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK Instagram: https://instagram.com/podsavetheuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheuk BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheuk X: https://x.com/podsavetheuk

NIV 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

It's Wednesday, August 19th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark, Timothy Reed, and Adam McManus 40 European hate crimes against Christians Christians in Europe faced dozens of hate crimes in July. The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe recorded 40 cases last month. Vandalism was the most common incident. In one case, authorities arrested an Islamic-State sympathizer who was planning an arson attack on a church in Hamm, Germany. The highest number of recorded incidents occurred in Germany, followed by France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.   Ebola virus has killed 2,300 people in Congo This year's Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now the deadliest in the country's history. Over 2,300 people have died as of Sunday. And cases have reached about 5,000.  Christian aid groups like Samaritan's Purse are on the ground in Congo. Franklin Graham, president of the Christian relief group, said, “Samaritan's Purse has been on the frontlines of fighting Ebola for more than a decade, and we aren't going to stop now. We are going to do everything we can to help save lives. We want people to know that God loves them, and they are not alone.”  You can donate to Samaritan's Purse relief effort in Congo through a link in our transcript today at TheWorldview.com.  Trump gives $2 billion to Christian non-profits for disaster relief Here in the United States, the Trump administration announced nearly $2 billion in health and humanitarian assistance to faith-based organizations this month.  This includes over $500 million in disaster response funding for Samaritan's Purse and a consortium jointly led by World Vision and Compassion International.  The U.S. Department of State noted, “This historic announcement is the largest allocation of global health foreign assistance to faith-based organizations in over 20 years.” Conservative kicked out of school board meeting over filthy books Texas conservative Bonnie Wallace is suing the Houston Independent School District for removing her from a school board meeting. Wallace, who is a member of Protecting Texas Children, had sought to shine light on the immoral and inappropriate materials children are subjected to in schools. When she stepped up to the podium at first, she said this which was captured on video. WALLACE: “Before you purchase new books, you need to get rid of the 500 filthy books that you have. If there's children in the audience, they need to leave.” BOARD MEMBER: “Ma'am, Point of Order. This is a public hearing.” WALLACE: “I understand that.” BOARD MEMBER: “You will not be allowed to read things that are not appropriate.” WALLACE: “Oh, not appropriate? Then, why are they in your schools?” After she cited the first vulgar reference from a children's book in the school library, the board member said this. BOARD MEMBER: ”Absolutely not! Ma'am, you are now out of order. This is your first warning. One more word, and you will be removed.” After Bonnie Wallace read a second vulgar passage from the book in the children's library, the school board member asked for a police officer to remove her from the meeting. BOARD MEMBER: “Officer, please remove this woman from the podium.” WALLACE: “If you don't like it, remove it so the children don't have access to it!” BOARD MEMBER: “Thank you very much.” Grant Stinchfield, a conservative talk show host on Real America's Voice, was understandably outraged. STINCHFIELD: “That woman you see there, being walked out, simply read one of the books in the school library. Now, if it's not appropriate for a school board meeting, how is it appropriate for our children?” In her lawsuit, Wallace alleged, “This was textbook viewpoint discrimination: Such conduct is ‘an egregious form' of content regulation that the First Amendment almost never tolerates.” Isaiah 5:20-21 says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness. … Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” Planned Parenthood closes Albuquerque, New Mexico abortion mill Planned Parenthood shut down its Northeast Heights abortion facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico last month.  It's the latest closure as the abortion giant consolidates locations in the state.  Bud Shaver, executive director of Abortion Free New Mexico, told LifeNews, “Despite New Mexico leaders pouring taxpayer money into abortion and using government policy to prop up the industry, abortion facilities are still consolidating and closing.” Vaccination rate for kindergartners dropped slightly Vaccination rates for kindergartners dropped slightly during the 2025-2026 school year.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the rate dropped by one percent overall.  Exemptions from one or more vaccines rose to 4.2 percent, up from 3.6 percent the previous year. Christian men, mainline Protestants, and Catholics dissatisfied with church And finally, the American Bible Society released the latest chapter of its State of the Bible: USA 2026 report.  The survey found some population groups struggled with church attendance compared to others. These include Christian men, young adult Christians, mainline Protestants, and Roman Catholics. Gen Z men reported the lowest satisfaction with the churches they attend. Overall, weekly and monthly church attendance remain unchanged from two years ago. The survey did note an uptick in people attending church about twice a year. That amounts to about eight million more Americans attending a church service in 2025 compared to two years earlier. Psalm 84:2 and 10 says, “My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. … For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, August 19th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Craig Ferguson won hearts and minds this summer as he walked the length of the USA - from LA to Boston - just to join the Tartan Army in watching Scotland play their first World Cup match in 28 years.All while raising over £1 MILLION for Scottish Action For Mental Health.In this episode of the RunPod Sprint, he answers all of your questions! His main episode is available to listen to, if you haven't already...If anything you heard on today's episode that has effected you, you can call The Samaritans anytime of day for free on 116123 and if you want to support Scottish Action For Mental Health you can go to samh.org.uk Use code RUNPOD at eightsleep.com/runpod for up to £350 off the Pod 5

Tens of thousands have attended a Trafalgar Square vigil to pay tribute to the late Professor Jason Arday. Plus: Reform proposes a £50bn welfare cut. This episode contains discussions of suicide. If you are affected by any of the issues raised, don't hesitate to reach out to Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan With NoJusticeMTG & Banseka Kayembe.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Pastor Josh teaches us about surrendering our plan, preference, prejudice, pride and politics.Proverbs 14:1212 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.Proverbs 16:99 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.Proverbs 19:2121 Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.Proverbs 3:5-65 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.Matthew 6:25-2625 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?Jeremiah 29:1111 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Matthew 26:36-4236 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”Luke 6:46-4946 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”John 4:7-307 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” 27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.John 4:39-4139 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.Psalm 139:23-2423 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.Proverbs 16:1818 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.Matthew 26:31-3531 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:“‘I will strike the shepherd,     and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” 34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.James 4:1010 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.John 6:1515 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.Matthew 28:19-2019 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”Philippians 1:2121 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.John 3:3030 He must become greater; I must become less.

 23 And turning to his disciples, he said: Blessed are the eyes that see the things which you see.Et conversus ad discipulos suos, dixit : Beati oculi qui vident quae vos videtis. 24 For I say to you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things that you hear, and have not heard them.Dico enim vobis quod multi prophetae et reges voluerunt videre quae vos videtis, et non viderunt : et audire quae auditis, et non audierunt. 25 And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting him, and saying, Master, what must I do to possess eternal life?Et ecce quidam legisperitus surrexit tentans illum, et dicens : Magister, quid faciendo vitam aeternam possidebo? 26 But he said to him: What is written in the law? how readest thou?At ille dixit ad eum : In lege quid scriptum est? quomodo legis? 27 He answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself.Ille respondens dixit : Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et ex tota anima tua, et ex omnibus virtutibus tuis, et ex omni mente tua : et proximum tuum sicut teipsum. 28 And he said to him: Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.Dixitque illi : Recte respondisti : hoc fac, et vives. 29 But he willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour?Ille autem volens justificare seipsum, dixit ad Jesum : Et quis est meus proximus? 30 And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who also stripped him, and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead.Suscipiens autem Jesus, dixit : Homo quidam descendebat ab Jerusalem in Jericho, et incidit in latrones, qui etiam despoliaverunt eum : et plagis impositis abierunt semivivo relicto. 31 And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by.Accidit autem ut sacerdos quidam descenderet eadem via : et viso illo praeterivit. 32 In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by.Similiter et Levita, cum esset secus locum, et videret eum, pertransiit. 33 But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came near him; and seeing him, was moved with compassion.Samaritanus autem quidam iter faciens, venit secus eum : et videns eum, misericordia motus est. 34 And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.Et appropians alligavit vulnera ejus, infundens oleum et vinum : et imponens illum in jumentum suum, duxit in stabulum, et curam ejus egit. 35 And the next day he took out two pence, and gave to the host, and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee.Et altera die protulit duos denarios, et dedit stabulario, et ait : Curam illius habe : et quodcumque supererogaveris, ego cum rediero reddam tibi. 36 Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers?Quis horum trium videtur tibi proximus fuisse illi, qui incidit in latrones? 37 But he said: He that shewed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner.At ille dixit : Qui fecit misericordiam in illum. Et ait illi Jesus : Vade, et tu fac similiter.St Agapitus was martyred when he was only 15 years old. He endured many cruel tortures and was beheaded at Praeneste in Italy in 275 A.D.

JOHN 4: 1-42 SETH BAZACAS WELLSPRING CHURCH NYC 8.16.2026   What if we've misunderstood the woman at the well? In John 4, Jesus crosses every expected boundary to share a simple cup of water with a Samaritan woman whose story is far more complicated than we often assume. Rather than reducing her to her past, Jesus gets close, sees her fully, and offers her living water: a new life that begins to overflow from within. The Table of Encounter explores what can happen when we trade assumption for curiosity, distance for proximity, and secondhand stories for personal encounter. Because Jesus doesn't just want us to hear about him through someone else. He invites us to come close enough to know him for ourselves.   ➡️ Download Church Center to stay up to date on all things happening at Wellspring!  

Professor Jason Arday has been found dead at his home, following intense scrutiny of his personal life and academic career by the media. This episode contains discussions of suicide. If you are affected by any of the issues raised, don't hesitate to reach out to Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan With Michael Walker & Barry Malone.

“Am I my brother's keeper?” — Genesis 4:9 Sometimes we recognize that two things are closely related or even the same, although they appear to be different— and we describe them by saying they are like two sides of the same coin.God's command “You shall not murder” is an example of this. While he orders that we may not harm or kill anyone, God is also calling us to care for and protect our neighbor's life. Although we might think these are two different things, they are very closely related.In Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan, two Jewish religious leaders ignore a man who has been left beaten and half dead on a deserted road. Out of fear, indifference, or a sense that it's not timely or convenient to help, they pass by the bleeding man. Then a Samaritan, someone despised by the Jews in that day, comes along, and he stops to help the man. He binds up the man's wounds and takes him to an inn to be cared for.The flip side of the command “You shall not kill” involves loving our neighbor, just as the Samaritan in this parable did. The Bible is full of calls to and examples of loving and protecting life: feeding the hungry, housing the vulnerable, welcoming strangers, shielding the weak from the powerful, ensuring justice for all, and even loving our enemies.If we fail to love and care for the people around us, we are breaking the sixth commandment. Lord Jesus, just as you have shown love to all, even your enemies, help us to love and care for all the people around us. In your name, Amen.

John 4:1-42 Do you ever struggle with regrets from the past? Or maybe shame over a previous sin? There was a Samaritan woman who dealt with these feelings. And Jesus sought her out to minister to her. What would He say about her sin and her shame? And how could she move on from her past regrets? We consider those questions as we witness this amazing conversation between Jesus and this Samaritan woman.

886 We Have Heard For Ourselves, A Guided Christian Meditation on John 4:37-42 with the Recenter With Christ app The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in  and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.  You can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tense or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable doing so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation John 4 NIV 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." RSV 39 Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me everything I have done." 40 When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41 Many more began to believe in him because of his word, 42 and they said to the woman, "We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world." Reflection on Scripture: The Samaritan woman at the well shared her simple faith in Jesus. That was enough to peak the interest of the whole location where she lived. Yet it was not this testimony that saved. It was Jesus. His presence. His spirit. His words. When the people had heard Jesus themselves, then they came to understand and have faith. Then they heard it for themselves. This is what we all need. As you spend time in scripture, in prayer, in worship, in meditation, you turn your attention from just hearing other people's experience with God and you begin to have your own, or you deepen your own experience. No matter who you are and what spiritual connection you have had with God, to get lax in this area. When this happens we miss out on the beauty and peace that come from proximity to the influence of God's word in our life.  Why on earth would we not graciously drink from the cool water of life that God offers. God offers you His love? How often do you drink of it? How often do you let it flow by without savoring it? Do you constantly feed your faith in God with deep and meaningful personal experience with God's spirit and His words? Go to the source of truth, the source of peace, the source of power and strength.  Take this mediation as a recommittal to spend time with God. Don't outsource your faith. Don't defer what you hold to be true to someone who had their own spiritual experience. Go to God. Go to His word. Go to God in prayer. By all means learn from the wise and learned people, but your faith must grow from within you. The fact that someone else has profound knowledge that has fed their own faith will not be enough for you until you put your focus to grow the roots of your own faith deeper inside of yourself. THen as that faith grows you can constantly nourish it with more knowledge from wise sources.  Many times we see  Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

This week, the Trump administration announced that $2 billion will be given to faith-based organizations providing humanitarian aid, including World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, and Compassion International. We're re-airing a segment in which Mindy Belz discusses the shuttering of USAID during the second Trump administration and why the US has historically offered help abroad. Then, President Trump nominated a new inspector general for the Department of the Interior, who will oversee any review of the recent controversy surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation. Trump nominated Dennis Kirk, an author of The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025. We revisit a conversation between Mike Cosper and David Graham, author of The Project, about the policy ideas behind Project 2025 and how the administration has been enacting them. Finally, tradwives are having a moment, thanks in part to the summer's popular book Yesteryear. Nicole Martin, Russell Moore, Mike Cosper, and Clarissa Moll discuss the phenomenon of tradwives and theobros, as well as how to discern what is genuine and offer true hospitality. REFERENCED IN THE SHOW: After Aid Cuts, US Announces $2 Billion for Christian Groups - CT Emily Belz The Project: How Project 2025 is Reshaping America - David A. Graham GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Mindy Belz is a journalist who has covered wars and victims of conflict in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, and the Balkans. She recounts some of her experiences in a 2016 award-winning book, They Say We Are Infidels. She is the former senior editor at World magazine and has done writing and editing for Christianity Today. David Graham is a journalist based in Durham, North Carolina. He is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he covers politics, criminal justice, music, and other topics. His coverage of the 2020 presidential election won the 2021 Toner Prize for Excellence in National Political Reporting. He was previously editor of The Atlantic's politics section, which won a Webby Award. Nicole Martin serves Christianity Today as President and CEO. She has more than 25 years of nonprofit, academic, ministry leadership, and church engagement experience and has served at CT since 2023 as Chief Impact Officer and most recently Chief Operating Officer. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly news analysis podcast from Christianity Today, with editor-at-large Russell Moore. Each episode offers commentary on current events and headlining news with a roundtable of premier guests, and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Host: Alexa Copeland Associate Producer: Alexa Copeland Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producer: Erik Petrik Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, please consider visiting the following resources: The Samaritans helpline: 116 123 Refuge domestic abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247 (live chat is also available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Contact-us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *times apply) Safeline domestic abuse helpline: 01926 402 498 Safeline national male survivor helpline: 0808 800 5005 Rape Crisis Helpline: 0808 802 9999 (help is also available at live chat at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/live-chat-helpline/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *times apply) Sexual Assault Support Line: 01708 765200 To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/thecriminalmakeup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Thursday, August 13th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Haitian gangs target churches Violent gangs in Haiti are increasingly targeting churches. These gangs control up to 90 percent of the capital of Port-au-Prince. They have killed and kidnapped religious leaders and shut down dozens of churches.  Catholic Bishop Joseph Gontrand Décoste told Aid to the Church in Need, “We are the last remaining retaining wall: moral, ethical, spiritual, and prophetic. … That is why they want to eliminate us.” Christians help victims of Columbia's earthquake Christians are bringing disaster relief to Colombia.  A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the South American country on Monday. The quake killed 250 people and injured thousands more.  Many Christian relief organizations are sending aid to the country, including Samaritan's Purse. Franklin Graham, the president, wrote on X, “We … are currently working to put together an airlift of relief supplies, including emergency shelter tarp and hygiene kits. I encourage you to pray for the people of this country.” Hebrews 13:16 says, “Do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Send a much-needed donation to the Columbian victims of this earthquake through Samaritan's Purse. You'll find the donation link in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com. Mexican Bible Society translates Scriptures into 8 local languages The Bible Society of Mexico is celebrating six decades of ministry this year. The Bible has been translated into eight indigenous languages in the country. And the demand for Bibles is growing as Protestant churches expand their presence.  Efraín Amaro is the head of distribution of the Bible society. He told Christian Daily International, “In 60 years, more than 374 million biblical materials have been distributed. We have reached 13 cities across the country with service and distribution centers.” Revelation 7:9-10 says, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God Who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'” White House Press Secretary Karolien Leavitt embraces motherhood White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, age 28, will be leaving her position to fully embrace motherhood. She and her 60-year-old husband, Nicholas Riccio, have two children together -- their son Niko, 2, and Viviana who is three months. In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump explained that she “will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!” In a statement on X, Leavitt added, “Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime. I am incredibly grateful to President Trump for granting me so many extraordinary opportunities, such as working in the West Wing and spending countless hours in the Oval Office, flying around the world and meeting foreign leaders, and traveling across our beautiful country and meeting Americans from all walks of life. “The truth is, since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary. And that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House.” Titus 2:4-5 says, “Train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” Democrat socialist barely defeated in Wisconsin Socialist Democrats suffered a setback in Wisconsin on Tuesday. Moderate David Crowley barely defeated socialist Francesca Hong in the Democrat primary election for governor. According to NBC, the vote was 39.8% vs 39.3%. Just 3,796 votes separated the two in the statewide race. Leftist candidates had been winning many Democrat primaries this year. Despite being considered a moderate, Crowley believes that killing unborn babies is “healthcare” and must be “protected at all costs.” He made this comment in his victory speech. CROWLEY: “Every one of us has something much bigger to unite around. And that is keeping [Make America Great Again] extremism from bringing the chaos we see in Washington into our neighborhoods right here in the state of Wisconsin. From the very first day that I announced this campaign, I said the real threat wasn't any of my primary opponents. The real opponent has always been Tom Tiffany. That remains true today.” Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor, is currently a member of Congress. The Washington Examiner reports that new Democratic-affiliated polling shows Crowley beating Tiffany by three points this fall, though the race is within the margin of error. Crowley leads Tiffany 47% to 44%, according to the poll by Protect Our Wisconsin, a group backed by the Democratic Governors Association.  Federal gov't gave mega money to religious migrant resettlement groups The federal government funded major religious groups with hundreds of millions of dollars in migrant resettlement grants. The data comes from Brian Chau, the founder of Efforts News. Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk brought attention to this research in a post on X this week. In one case, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops received over $180 million dollars in migrant resettlement grants in 2024. That was over 80 percent of the group's revenue at the time. The contracts ended last year after the Trump administration cut funding to such programs.  Women hold more jobs than men in America Women now hold more jobs than men in the U.S economy.  A report from Indeed's Hiring Lab found the number of jobs held by men declined by 142,000 between February 2025 and February 2026. Over the same period, the number of jobs held by women grew by 298,000.   The report noted, “More jobs are held by women than men in the non-farm economy, not because of a recession, but because of years of eroding male labor force participation.” Americans become skeptical of capitalism Americans are becoming less positive toward capitalism. A new Gallup survey found 54 percent of U.S. adults said they have a positive image of capitalism. That's down from 61 percent in 2010. Thirty-nine percent said they have a positive image of socialism. That's up from 36 percent in 2010. The drop in positivity toward capitalism has accelerated since 2021. Americans trust small, local businesses and churches And finally, Americans tend to trust small, local institutions, according to research from the Barna Group.  U.S. adults put some of their highest trust in local businesses, individual Christians, and small churches. They put moderate trust in Christian pastors, Christian non-profits, and Christian businesses. But they had little trust for megachurches and celebrity pastors.  Compared to 2024, Christian non-profits, charities, and small churches saw the largest growth on the trust index.  Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, August 13th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Welcome to Day 2924 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2924– “Exchanging What's Good for What's Best.” – Luke 10:38-42 Putnam Church Message – 08/02/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Exchanging What's Good for What's Best.”   Last week, our message was “What About My Neighbor's Neighbor?” and we learned that we need to become the neighbor and get back to the basics: Love God, Love Neighbor, Show Mercy. Today, we continue with our thirtieth-second message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: “Exchanging What's Good for What's Best.” Our core passage today is Luke 10:38-42, on page 1613 of your pew Bibles. At the Home of Martha and Mary 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today with grateful hearts, but also with honest hearts. We confess that we are often busy, distracted, worried, and upset about many things. We serve, but sometimes we serve with anxious hearts. We work, but sometimes our work pulls us away from the One we are working for. Lord Jesus, invite us again to sit at Your feet. Teach us that good things must never replace the best thing. Help us learn the difference between faithful service and frantic busyness, between loving hospitality and anxious striving, between doing for You and being with You. Holy Spirit, quiet our minds, soften our hearts, and help us hear the voice of Christ today. Amen. Introduction: Real People in Real Homes One of the endearing qualities of the Bible is its down-to-earth approach to life. The people in Scripture are not presented as plaster saints, polished statues, or untouchable heroes who never lose patience, never misunderstand, never get tired, and never say the wrong thing. They are real people. They have real homes, real families, real personalities, real frustrations, and real disagreements. Abraham gets afraid. Moses gets overwhelmed. David falls terribly. Elijah gets discouraged. Peter speaks too quickly. Thomas doubts. James and John want to call down fire. And Martha gets irritated with her sister in the kitchen. That is one reason the Bible speaks so deeply to us. It does not pretend life is neater than it is. I sometimes wonder if the people in the Bible knew their family moments would be preserved for centuries of readers around the world. If Martha and Mary had known that one brief household squabble would become one of the most famous family scenes in Christian history, they might have said, “Luke, could you please leave that part out?” But the Holy Spirit preserved this moment not to embarrass Martha or elevate Mary as though one sister is good, and the other is bad. This story is much wiser and much more gracious than that. Luke places this scene immediately after the parable of the Good Samaritan. Last week, in “What About My Neighbor's Neighbor?” we heard Jesus say, “Go and do the same.” We were reminded that mercy crosses the road. / Love sees need. / Mercy moves. / Grace sends. / That is important because we might now think, “Then Christianity is all about doing, serving, helping, feeding, bandaging, paying, visiting, giving, and going.” And yes, those things matter. / But now Luke gives us a balancing scene. /After showing us mercy in motion, Luke shows us worshipful attention. / After showing us the Samaritan crossing the road, Luke shows us Mary sitting at Jesus' feet. / After showing us love in action, Luke reminds us that action must flow from relationship. / The point of this passage is not that serving is bad and listening is good. The point is that even good service becomes disordered when it pulls us away from Jesus. Today's message title is: “Exchanging What's Good for What's Best.” And the central truth is this: Jesus does not call us away from service; He calls us to serve from the strength of being with Him. Our passage is Luke 10:38–42 in the New Living Translation. Jesus and His disciples enter a village, and Martha welcomes Him into her home. Her sister Mary sits at the Lord's feet, listening to what He teaches. Martha becomes distracted by the preparations and asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her. But Jesus answers with compassion, saying, “My Dear Martha,” and then tells her that she is worried and upset over many things, but only one thing is truly necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken from her. We have four truths in our bulletin insert today to illustrate this lesson. Main Point 1: Martha Welcomed Jesus, But Busyness Pulled Her Away From Him Luke tells us that as Jesus and the disciples continued on their way, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. John's Gospel tells us that Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus lived in Bethany, a village near Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. Bethany was close enough for Jesus to travel into Jerusalem, yet far enough away to provide rest from the pressure of the city. This little home appears to have become a place of refuge for Jesus. In Luke 9, He set His face toward Jerusalem. He is moving toward the cross. Opposition is increasing. The road is heavy. And here, in Bethany, He is welcomed into a home. Do not miss the beauty of Martha's action. / Martha welcomed Jesus. / That was not a small thing. In the ancient Near East, hospitality was sacred. Travelers depended on the kindness of households. There were no modern hotels on every corner, no drive-through restaurants, no refrigerators full of leftovers, no grocery delivery service. To welcome guests meant real labor. Water had to be brought. Bread had to be prepared. Food had to be gathered, cooked, and served. Space had to be made. Hospitality was not merely social courtesy. It was a moral responsibility. / And Martha does it. She opens her home. She takes responsibility. She sees what needs to be done. Many of us should be thankful for Marthas. Every church needs people who notice what needs doing. Every family needs people who remember the details. Every ministry needs people who prepare, plan, cook, clean, organize, schedule, unlock doors, make coffee, set tables, print bulletins, and quietly keep things moving. Without Martha-like people, many good things would collapse. So, Martha's problem is not that she served. Her problem is that her service became a distraction. Luke says she was “distracted” by all the preparations. The word carries the idea of being pulled away, dragged in different directions. Martha is not simply busy. She is divided. Her attention is stretched thin. She is working for Jesus, but she is being pulled away from Jesus. / That can happen to us too. We can serve the Lord and slowly lose sight of the Lord. / We can work in the church and become irritated with the people in the church. / We can prepare meals, teach lessons, lead committees, visit the sick, give generously, and still grow resentful because the work has become disconnected from worship. Object Lesson: The Full Tray Imagine carrying a tray filled with cups of water. At first,...

Episode 4201 │ August 9, 2026 Two nonprofits repaired hundreds of homes in Western North Carolina. The federal government repaired two. That is not an exaggeration. WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS Scott Kesterson and Don Cox check in six weeks ahead of the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene with a sobering ground report — 73,000 homes still identified as damaged across Western North Carolina, hundreds of families still living in unrepaired houses, a low-income housing grant that shut down for the first time in 20 years in hard-hit Avery County, and a permitting bottleneck now blocking volunteer labor even when the money and manpower exist. Against that backdrop, Scott and Don trace what actually worked: Samaritan's Purse explicitly refusing federal funding because compliance would slow their work, Baptist and Methodist relief teams still running nearly two years later, and Bald Guy Brew's own survival story — ten days of funding left, a single obedient phone call, and a community that rallied around the shop and has kept every employee working since. The episode closes on Don's account of a Bald Guy Brew Monday morning men's Bible study that has grown organically over that same span, a stranger's journaled prayer for community answered the same afternoon she walked into the shop, and the same Luke 18 persistent widow spirit — pray for all things, but do not waver — as the thread connecting personal faithfulness in small things to the recovery of an entire region the federal government has largely abandoned. KEY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED What does the two-nonprofits-versus-two-federal-repairs statistic actually reveal about the gap between government disaster response and church-led relief nearly two years after Hurricane Helene — and why did Samaritan's Purse deliberately refuse federal funding to avoid compliance delays? What happened when Bald Guy Brew had ten days of funding left — and how does the story of a single obedient phone call, a community response, and nearly two years of zero employee turnover model what Scott calls kingdom generosity versus the fire-and-forget giving culture of writing a check to appease God? Why does Don Cox say the hardest thing the Lord calls him to do is get to the roastery before five on Monday mornings — and what does a men's Bible study that has grown entirely through organic multiplication since Helene reveal about the difference between a flash-in-the-pan response to crisis and genuine long-term commitment? ABOUT BARDSFM BardsFM is a daily independent podcast covering faith, liberty, history, and information warfare. Hosted by Scott Kesterson — combat veteran, documentary filmmaker, and rancher. Over 4,100 episodes and 50 million lifetime downloads. New episodes every weekday. bards.fm This episode was researched and produced under the Spatial Terra Intelligence Methodology (STIM v5) — the analytical framework built by Scott Kesterson — with AI-assisted research synthesis at a 70/30 human/AI authorship ratio, fully disclosed. All analysis, conclusions, and editorial judgments are those of Scott Kesterson. BardsFM's archive includes hundreds of episodes on prayer, scripture, and walking the Way of Christ — available free in the full episode catalog. DOWNLOADS Community Sovereignty Framework: click here AFFILIATE LINKS Bards Nation Health Store: www.bardsnationhealth.com MYPillow promo code: BARDS >> Go to https://www.mypillow.com/bards and use the promo code BARDS or... Call 1-800-975-2939.  EMPShield protect your vehicles and home. Promo code BARDS: Click here Treadlite Broadforks...best garden tool EVER. Promo code BARDS26: TreadliteBroadforks.com EnviroKlenz Air Purification, promo code BARDS to save 10%: www.enviroklenz.com Morning Intro Music Provided by Brian Kahanek: www.briankahanek.com Founders Bible 20% discount code: BARDS >>> TheFoundersBible.com Windblown Media 20% Discount with promo code BARDS: windblownmedia.com White Oak Pastures Grassfed Meats, Get $20 off any order $150 or more. Promo Code BARDS: www.whiteoakpastures.com/BARDS Mission Darkness Faraday Bags and RF Shielding. Promo code BARDS: Click here DONATIONS: If you wish to support this podcast directly you can donate here... DONATE: Click here MAILING ADDRESS: Xpedition Cafe, LLC Attn. Scott Kesterson 591 E Central Ave, #740 Sutherlin, OR  97479

Paul Farmer is a charity leader who has spent his life campaigning, fundraising and changing the national conversation around some of the most challenging issues in our society. Currently at the helm of Age UK, he previously spent 16 years as the CEO of Mind, the UK's largest mental health charity. Paul was born in Oxford, the son of a former Benedictine monk and a former nun. He read history at St Peter's College, Oxford, where he met his future wife, Claire. After graduating, he found a role working for a heritage centre and fell in love with the charity sector, moving to the Samaritans. His experiences taking calls from those struggling with their mental health awakened a passion for working in the mental health sector.In 2006 he moved Mind, where he became CEO. He led a fifteen-year campaign that helped to change legislation, and the national conversation around mental health. For the past few years, he has campaigned for older people as Chief Executive at Age UK, and encouraged the public to prepare and plan for a happier, healthier later life. Paul lost his wife, Claire, to cancer in 2019. He lives in West London.DISC ONE: Think - Aretha Franklin DISC TWO: Part of the Agnus Dei from the Mass for Five Voices, performed by The Sixteen with Harry Christophers conducting - William Byrd DISC THREE: Don't Leave Me This Way - The Communards DISC FOUR: Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) - The Beautiful South DISC FIVE: Feeling Good - Nina Simone DISC SIX: Into My Arms - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds DISC SEVEN: Drunk Surfer - Westside Cowboy DISC EIGHT: Sunshine on Leith - The ProclaimersBOOK: A collection of Simon Armitage's poetry LUXURY: A bowling machine with a combination of cricket and tennis balls CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Sunshine on Leith - The ProclaimersPresenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Sarah Taylor and Hannah Hufford Desert Island Discs has cast away many campaigners to the island over the years including Marjorie Wallace, Julia Cleverdon, and Sue Ryder, Baroness Ryder of Warsaw. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

For a limited time, Honeylove is offering up to 50% off sitewide during their Memorial Day sale at honeylove.com/CRIMINALMAKEUP. #honeylovepod If you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, please consider visiting the following resources: The Samaritans helpline: 116 123 Refuge domestic abuse helpline: 0808 2000 247 (live chat is also available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Contact-us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *times apply) Safeline domestic abuse helpline: 01926 402 498 Safeline national male survivor helpline: 0808 800 5005 Rape Crisis Helpline: 0808 802 9999 (help is also available at live chat at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/live-chat-helpline/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *times apply) Sexual Assault Support Line: 01708 765200 To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/thecriminalmakeup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A shooting in Idaho was brought to a conclusion when an off-duty cop and a good Samaritan returned fire. Shootings are almost always stopped by a good guy with a gun. The Democrats have brought in a group of outsiders in order to get more votes only to discover that those outsiders are taking over. No, it's not immigration. This time, it's socialism. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. RFK Jr. went after the media's defense of Anthony Fauci while speaking to CNN's Dana Bash. China got away with releasing a virus on the world, and the American media is still carrying their water. Link to today's sources: https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/sources-august-3-2026 Let my sponsor American Financing help you regain control of your finances. NMLS #182334 nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 800-974-6500 for details about credit, costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Crowder. Average savings based on borrowers who save over $199.99 Take Control of Your Money and claim $5 in US Stablecoin (USA₮)! Download now at http://wallet.rumble.com/crowder and use the code CROWDER5. This is a paid advertisement for Rumble Wallet. Rumble is compensating me for this ad. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Offer available to US residents only. Offer not available in New York State. Must be 18+. Offer is available for a limited time and for the first 1000 wallets activated and funded. Details and full official rules available at http://rumble.com/promoofficialrules. Foundation Daily is made up of premium ingredients to reduce inflammation and stress and promote clean energy and mental clarity. Subscribe now and receive 40% off for life. https://foundationdaily.com/ Share clips from the show! Where to get clips: Telegram: http://t.me/LWCClips Discord: https://discord.gg/nfRAZxEbAV Join Rumble Premium to watch this show every day! http://louderwithcrowder.com/Premium Want to be informed? Check out the 3-in-3 podcast. Here's the best path to victory on the most debated topics: https://threekeyfacts.com/ Get your favorite LWC gear: https://crowdershop.com/ Bite-Sized Content: https://rumble.com/c/CrowderBits Subscribe to my podcast: https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/podcast FOLLOW ME: Website: https://louderwithcrowder.com/ X: https://x.com/scrowder Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/louderwithcrowder Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevencrowderofficial Music by @Pogo