Podcasts about Sanhedrin

In Acts 7, Stephen stands before the Sanhedrin under intense pressure and opposition. Instead of defending himself, he tells the bigger story of what God has been doing all along. From Abraham to Joseph to Moses, Stephen reveals a vast panorama of God's grace and shows how every part of the story points to Jesus. In this message, we see that following Jesus does not remove pressure. Sometimes it increases it. But the invitation of the Spirit is to become the kind of people who keep their eyes on Jesus even in the middle of it. Stephen's life shows that God meets us in the trial, reveals His glory in the struggle, and empowers ordinary people to remain faithful no matter the cost.Even when the world pushes back, heaven is not closed. Jesus is near, the Spirit is present, and God is still writing a story of redemption that is far bigger than what we can see.

This Sunday, we will try to cover all of Mark 14:53-72 and finish the chapter. Mark presents two scenes side by side to once again highlight the contrast between Jesus' faithfulness and His disciples' fearfulness. In the middle of the night, Jesus stands trial before the Sanhedrin, while Peter faces his own moment of testing in the courtyard. Jesus remains faithful to the Father's will even as He is falsely accused, mocked, beaten, and condemned, while Peter, who had boldly promised never to deny His Lord, falters under pressure and denies Jesus three times. Jesus was right in what He told Peter, and now Peter recognizes it. The common thread throughout the passage is the theme of testimony. The word testimony (also testify, witness) appear seven times in verses 53-65, as the religious leaders seek testimony against Jesus, and false witnesses lie about Him. However, Jesus boldly testifies to who He is, while Peter fails to testify at all in verses 66-72. The passage concludes with Peter weeping after hearing the rooster crow and realizing Jesus had been right about His prediction of Peter's denial. Because Jesus remained faithful even when Peter faltered and was fearful, even struggling disciples like us can be redeemed and restored. Peter's story does not end with tears of conviction; it begins there. After His resurrection, Jesus restores Peter and commissions him to feed His sheep. Then, at Pentecost, this weeping weak-willed disciple is transformed into one of the boldest voices for Christ the world has ever known. In the same way, Jesus still redeems and empowers sinners for the glory of His name. I. Beware Of Those Who Seek Testimony Against Jesus (v. 55-59) II. Beware of Rejecting Jesus' Testimony About Himself (v. 60-65) III. Beware Of Failing To Testify About Jesus (v. 66-72)

This exploration of John 3 by Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway on Sunday, March 8th 2026, takes us beyond the familiar verse we've all memorized and into the profound depths of what it truly means to be born again. We discover that Nicodemus wasn't just any curious seeker—he was a respected Pharisee, a ruler sitting on the Sanhedrin, a master of Israel's scriptures. Yet despite all his knowledge and status, he came to Jesus under cover of darkness, representing the spiritual blindness we all experience before encountering Christ. The revelation becomes even richer when we understand the timing: this conversation happened during Passover, the festival celebrating Israel's birth as a nation through the blood of the lamb and the waters of the Red Sea. Jesus wasn't introducing a foreign concept but fulfilling the very pattern God established in Exodus. The Greek word for 'again' also means 'from above,' revealing that our new birth isn't just another start—it's a divine origin, a supernatural transformation. Just as Israel was baptized in water through the Red Sea and in the Spirit through the cloud, we too must experience both water baptism and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This isn't about religious ritual or earning our way to heaven; it's about receiving what God prophesied through Ezekiel—clean water to wash us and His Spirit within us to empower obedience. The question confronting us is whether we'll remain in comfortable darkness or step into the light where our works are exposed but our lives are transformed.

Station of Judgement What happens when truth threatens your expectations? And what do we do when the Jesus in front of us doesn't match the Jesus we prefer? In Week Three of The Stations of the Cross, we step into the Station of Judgment. From the council at daybreak to Pilate's courtroom and the shouting crowd, we watch motivated reasoning unfold in real time. The verdict is chosen before the evidence is heard. Religious leaders defend power. Pilate protects position. The crowd demands a Messiah who matches their anger. Barabbas, the guilty son of the father, walks free. Jesus, the true Son of the Father, stands condemned. This message explores how we do the same—politically, relationally, spiritually—when identity feels threatened and control feels challenged. They didn't crucify Jesus because they lacked evidence. They crucified Him because the evidence threatened their expectations. Luke 22:66-71, Luke 23:13-25 Discussion topics HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word? In Luke 22:66–71, what do you notice about the way the Sanhedrin questions Jesus? What does their response reveal about their posture toward truth? How would you define “motivated reasoning” in your own words? Where do you see it clearly in this passage? What is the difference between condemnation and righteous discernment according to Scripture (Matthew 7:1–5, John 7:24)? HEART – How did it make you feel? Where in your life are you most tempted to practice motivated reasoning — politically, relationally, spiritually? Is there an area where you've been listening to confirm instead of listening to understand? HANDS – What are you going to do with it? Is there a relationship where you need to revisit assumptions you've made about someone's motives?  How can you practice righteous discernment without slipping into condemnation? What is one step you can take to align your expectations of Jesus with who He actually reveals Himself to be? Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

John 2:23-3:15 Born of the Spirit Please turn in your Bibles to the end of John chapter 2. Our sermon text is John 2:23 to 3:15. Chapter 2 so far has included Jesus' miracle, turning water into wine, and his cleansing of the temple. The narrative now shifts from Jesus' actions to his interactions. The end of chapter 2 introduces these interactions. You'll hear that Jesus knows the heart of man (he knows your heart and my heart). And then in chapter 3, we'll hear the first example of that. A man named Nicodemus. Reading of John 2:23-3:15 Prayer "Bullfrogs and butterflies, we've both been born again." I completely forgot about that children's song until Ed Sellers mentioned it this week in a conversation. He didn't even remember I was preaching on John 3. That song was a hit back in the late 1970s into the 80s. It was that same era that President Jimmy Carter called himself a "born again Christian." Billy Graham also used that title often to describe himself and his faith. It was a Christian cultural thing for a while. In some circles it is still used. And it comes right from John 3. I've been thinking a lot about that title "born again." It has not been my preference as far as a title for a Christian. In part, that's because of its typical association with a certain brand of Christianity. The phrase is also in a sense redundant. After all, every true Christian is born again. However, the more I've through about it, the more I appreciate it - maybe not as a title per-se, but at least as a description. It's true. After all someone who believes in Christ is a new creation in him, the old has passed, the new has come. We are tadpoles and caterpillars that have been transformed into bullfrogs and butterflies. It's a helpful description because being born again means that to be a Christian is more than just believing that Jesus existed. It's more than just knowing religious things. There is something deeper that has to happen in your life. And that is what Jesus is teaching here. As I was reading, you probably noticed there are a few things going on in these verses. ·      For one, at the end of chapter 2 we learn that Jesus is still in Jerusalem. It's still the Passover. He was performing miracles (you know, signs as John calls them). And people were believing. However, not everyone who said they believed in Jesus were truly transformed. That is why in chapter 2 verse 24 it says that Jesus "did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people." He knew their hearts. He knew what was truly on the inside. ·      The second thing we learn is related. We're learning more about Jesus. As we've already seen in the first two chapters and which will continue throughout, there's a deepening revelation of who he is… and why he came. In these verses, we come to understand that Jesus does knows the heart of man; furthermore, he has come down from heaven; and he will be lifted up. We'll get to those two things later. ·      And the third thing we learn about is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit plays a significant role here. We are to be born of the Spirit, as it says - water and Spirit. We'll get to that in a few minutes. So, there's a lot going on... But I think we can boil it down to two questions: How does one see the kingdom of God? You know, where should we look in order to find it? That phrase is there in verse 3. And then, how does one enter the kingdom of God? That's in verse 5. Well, the answers to those questions come through a dialogue. The conversation is between someone seeking answers - that's Nicodemus, an esteemed teacher of Israel, and Jesus - the one in whom the wisdom and knowledge of God is found. Ok, to give us a little structure, we'll consider these things in three points. You can see them on page 4: 1. A teacher who must be taught (3:1-2, 9-10) 2. A birth that must be given (3:3-8) 3. A testimony that must be believed (3:11-15) 1. A teacher who must be taught (3:1-2, 9-10) So, #1, again, a teacher who must be taught. I'm talking, of course, about Nicodemus. We're told that he was a Pharisee. Pharisees were prominent leaders known for their careful study of Jewish law. And it wasn't just the law of Moses which we have in the first 5 books of the Bible. But Pharisees were also experts in applying of the law. They had created additional rules with the goal to help people keep it. Pharisees get a bad rap, and often for good reason because many of them were "white washed tombs" as Jesus would call them. However, some really did desired to see reform and for God's people to strive for covenant faithfulness to God. It's just that for most, their emphasis focused on keeping the rules and not a heart love for God. That's one thing about Nicodemus. He is also called "a ruler of the Jews." So, he was more than just a Pharisee, he was a member of the ruling council, called the Sanhedrin. They had significant power. The Sanhedrin were like the Supreme Court and Congress combined into one council. And furthermore, in chapter 3 verse 10, Jesus referred to Nicodemus as a teacher of Israel. He not only had the knowledge, but he had the capability and authority to teach. He had the responsibility to instruct others in matters pertaining to God's law and the covenants and the history of Israel. So, added together, here was a man of great status and responsibility. He was like a lawyer, a judge, a senator, and a renowned professor all rolled into one. And he was there in Jerusalem observing Jesus and his signs. It's possible Nicodemus had even been at the temple when Jesus cleansed it. And notice that Nicodemus was searching. The text explicitly mentions that he came to find Jesus at night. The question is, did the interaction just happen to be at night? In other words, is the reference to night just because that's when it happened? I don't think so. Why would the apostle John mention night if didn't have significance? Most likely, Nicodemus wanted to talk Jesus but didn't want to attract a crowd. Or perhaps he did not want certain Pharisees or council members to know. After all, Jesus had just made a big ruckus at the temple. And so he goes at night and finds Jesus. And before asking any questions, Nicodemus opens with an observation. Verse 2 "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Did you notice that he said "we" and not "I?" "We know." Nicodemus was there on behalf of some of the other Pharisees. And even though he didn't ask a question, there was an implicit question in his statement. They wanted to know, was Jesus from God? Now, remember, we were just told that Jesus knows what is in man. He knows Nicodemus's heart. And at this point in his life, Nicodemus was still in the dark. By the way, it's possible that the reference to "night" indicates more than just the time of day. The apostle John loves contrasts like light and darkness and life and death. Jesus had already been described as the Light of the world. Nicodemus was still in the darkness, but was searching for the light. He was not hostile, like most of the other Pharisees, rather, he was looking for the light. That is why Jesus responded " unless one is born again, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God." Nicodemus was looking but could not yet see. And so, Jesus explains to him how to see and how to enter the kingdom of God. We'll come back to Jesus' answer in point 2, but in the meantime, jump ahead to verse 10. Jesus made a very eye-opening statement to Nicodemus. He said, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?" Here's a man with tremendous credentials and social standing and responsibility. Nicodemus was in a sense a "Hebrew of Hebrews" as the apostle Paul described his own former life. Yet, Nicodemus did not understand. Now, you would have expected Nicodemus to react negatively. After all, Jesus had just accused him of ignorance. But Nicodemus didn't lash out in pride like we will see other Pharisees do. No, it appears that God's Spirit had been at work in his heart. He was a teacher who realized he needed to be taught. Now, we are never told that Nicodemus became born again. However, in chapter 7 he would stand up for Jesus before the chief priests. And in chapter 19, after Jesus' death, it is Nicodemus who brought 75 gallons of precious oils for Jesus' burial. It's kind of like the social media phrase today, "Tell me Nicodemus became a Christian without telling me Nicodemus became a Christian." But at this point… at this first encounter, Nicodemus had yet to understand. He was in the dark. He was a teacher who needed to be taught. 2. A birth that must be given (3:3-8) Which brings us to #2. A birth that must be given. Ok, so "born again." What does that mean? Well, for starters, the phrase "born again" can also be translated "born anew" or "born from above." I think the translation "born again" is the right one. After all, Nicodemus responded by asking, how can someone be born a second time from his mother? Born from above is true but that translation doesn't fit the dialogue. Now, think now about how radical that statement must have been to Nicodemus. Probably a majority of us have heard the phrase "born again" before. Or maybe you've read elsewhere in the Scripture that your heart needs to be regenerated… you needed to become a child of God, adopted into his family. Those ideas are related. But Nicodemus had none of that background. It was very unexpected. Born again? What do you mean? He asked, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" The question was not belligerent. Rather being born again just sounded impossible to Nicodemus. It's similar to what we considered last week. The Jews didn't understand how Jesus could raise a destroyed temple in 3 days. Here, Nicodemus didn't realize that Jesus had a deeper meaning, and so he simply asked the natural question. Jesus responded that to enter the kingdom of God, one needed to be born of water and Spirit. He went on to explain that what is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Nicodemus, your credentials don't matter in the kingdom of God. Your efforts, your labor, your study, your status as a Pharisee nor your status as a member of the Sanhedrin will not get you into heaven. None of those flesh-oriented things get you into the kingdom of God. No, Nicodemus, you need to be born of water and the Spirit. The question is, what does that mean? What does it mean to be born of water and spirit? Well, let's tackle the easier one first. I think we can get our hearts and minds around being born of the Spirit… Jesus is referring to the Holy Spirit. It is God's Spirit who regenerates our hearts. He opens the eyes of our hearts to see and believe. He breathes new life into us as we sang earlier. We were dead and he made us alive. Furthermore, God's Spirit is like the wind, as verse 8 tells us. We can't see the wind, but we know it's there. Branches sway. Wind chimes make music. We hear rustling and whistling when wind passes through trees and in the grass. It's the same with the Holy Spirit. He moves in the hearts of mankind. We can't see him, but we can perceive his regenerating work in others and in our own heart. The Holy Spirit causes us to be born again. It's the water reference that is more difficult. I think, though, that if we consider the context, we can understand what water signifies. The reference to water is most likely the cleansing and renewal that comes with repentance.  Let me give you three reasons: ·      First, in chapter 1, John the Baptist was baptizing with water. It was a baptism of repentance and it signified our need for cleansing. In fact, John the Baptist and his water baptism will be revisited later in this chapter. ·      Second, earlier in chapter 2 we also came across a reference to water. The ceremonial pots were filled with water. Those pots were for purification… they were for cleansing. The water was turned to wine in part to signify our need for Jesus to cleanse us… not by the outward washing by water but by the inward cleansing of our sin. ·      And third, the connection between the symbolic cleansing of water and the Holy Spirit is elsewhere in Scripture. Take, for example, Ezekiel's prophecy in chapter 36. It says that the Lord will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean from all your uncleanliness. It then goes on says the Lord will give us new hearts and put his Spirit within us. So, the cleansing of water and the Spirit. Or consider Titus 4. It says that Jesus Christ "saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness." In other words, we are not saved in our flesh, our works. Rather, it says, "by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." So, the reference to water here is not talking about physical water. Rather it symbolizes our need to be cleansed from our sin. We need to be born of water and Spirit. Let me summarize: entrance into the kingdom of God comes through the cleansing ministry of Christ when the Spirit of God gives you new heart. He reveals your heart of sin and gives you a heart of repentance and faith. And all of it is God's work in us, not our work. To be born again is to be born of the Spirit and not the flesh. None of us here had anything to do with our natural birth.  It just happened to us. Well, new birth is similar in that way. It is God's Spirit who causes us to be born again.  3. A testimony that must be believed (3:11-15) #3. A testimony that must be believed. Well, that brings us to verses 11-15. Notice that at this point, the dialogue has stopped. Instead of a back and forth, Jesus now teaches the teacher of Israel. And what Jesus is now doing is he's pressing into Nicodemus about believing. I want to make a special note here. The "you" at the end of verses 11 and all the "you-s" in verse 12 are all plural. Remember, Nicodemus had come as a representative. He was inquiring on behalf of a group of Pharisees. So, while the Holy Spirit may have been softening Nicodemus's heart, that is not the case for some of the others. That is why Jesus asks a rhetorical question, " If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?." And immediately after saying that, Jesus revealed that he himself is from heaven. He was saying, if you all don't believe that you need to be born again, how will you believe in me, the Son of Man, come from heaven? We came across the Son of Man title at the end of chapter 1. It's a reference to Daniel's prophecy about the Messiah - Remember, the Son of Man was given dominion and power and a kingdom. In other words, Jesus was saying in order for someone to be truly born again, they first needed to believe in his testimony… that he is indeed is God in the flesh. But Jesus doesn't end it there. No he continued. To be born again requires not only belief in his identity, but also belief about his saving ministry. That is what verse 14 and 15 are talking about. It refers to Jesus being "lifted up." That is, lifted up on the cross. We read from Numbers chapter 21 earlier. In the wilderness, God's people had been grumbling against him. And because of that, the people had been inflicted with poisonous serpents. Many died who had been bitten. And so, God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and to hoist it up on a pole. From that point onward, anyone who had been bitten by a serpent could look upon the bronze serpent, and they would live. What God was revealing in the wilderness, is that he would send one who would be lifted up. This one, this Messiah, would spiritually heal sinners condemned to death. You see, it was another pattern that displayed Christ, and more specifically it foreshadowed the cross. So, to be born again is to not only to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but also to believe that he was lifted up on the cross to bring healing from sin. And, of course, when Jesus was talking with Nicodemus, the cross had yet to happen, so he was prophesying what would come. Conclusion So, a teacher who needed to be taught, a birth that must be given, and a testimony that must be believed. Let me conclude by circle back to the two questions being answered: How do we see the kingdom of God and how do we enter it? Well, Jesus has told us. We will not find the kingdom of God through our credentials or our religious knowledge. Nicodemus had all of that and yet he still could not see. No, the kingdom of God is spiritual, and we will only see it through spiritual eyes given to us by the Spirit. And we will only enter it when we are born again. That is, when we are cleansed by the ministry of Christ and renewed by the Holy Spirit. In other words, the path into the kingdom does not come through our own efforts. You do not enter the kingdom of God because your parents are Christians or in Nicodemus's case because he was an Israelite, and a special one at that. No, rather, you need to be born again... You need a transformation from being a tadpole or a caterpillar into a bullfrog or a butterfly. You need a new heart - a heart of repentance that believes in the one who came down from heaven and was lifted up on the cross. Maybe you are like Nicodemus. You've come to Jesus at night because you are seeking. If that's you, pray to him and ask him that he would grant you to be born again… born by water and the Spirit… the cleansing ministry of Christ and new life given to you….

Jesus' trial before the council (Sanhedrin) was unjust, but necessary, for him to be put to death as a substitute for our sin. Peter's denial, an informal trial in the courtyard, increased Jesus' abandonment and suffering. Watch: https://youtube.com/live/QU_3lBt7j38

According to Acts, Chapter 9, Saul, who would later become the Apostle Paul obsessed with hatred and disdain for the followers of Jesus, had requested arrests warrants from the Sanhedrin to travel to Damascus, and bring Christians back to Jerusalem for trial.  But on the Damascus Road, the Risen Lord appeared to him.  Blinded and taken to a house on Straight Street in Damasus, he met Ananias who God had appeared to in a vision.  On Straight Street, their encounter would transform the church and the world.  There, the saint met the sinner, love met hate, the Law met grace, and truth met and conquered the lie.  How does this encounter challenge Christians today?  Listen and learn.  

5th wide line

Don't Bow to the Beast (1) (audio) David Eells 3/4/26  I want to talk to you about refusing to bow to the Beast, but we will first go over a little background.  Many Christians are deceived about the Bride and the leadership of the church. We know God is raising up a new leadership, a Man-child ministry in these days that's going to be the first fruits of those to walk in the steps of Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 16 that He was going to come again as a baby, a Man-child, born to a woman. We read in Revelation 12 that the Man-child is born at the beginning of the Tribulation Period and that the Man-child leads the woman through the wilderness. In studying the Book of Esther, we've learned that “Mordecai” in Hebrew means “little man” and in Persian means “little boy.” Persia was the Beast kingdom that he was under at the time. Both of those mean “Manchild.” In Esther 2:5, it says that Mordecai was in Shushan, the palace. He wasn't just a commoner; he was a ruler, somebody under the king who probably had to do with ruling over God's people. In Esther 2:19-20, it says that he also sat in the “king's gate,” which was the place of government, where the rulers of the conquered nations gathered before the king. Mordecai raised up Esther as the Bride and he “nourished her,” the original word says. He prepared her for this time and he continued to guide her steps all the way through the Book of Esther, all the way through their tribulation. Also, Hegai, the king's chamberlain, was very pleased with Esther, and she required nothing but what Hegai provided. And we need nothing but what the Holy Spirit provides us with. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. This Bride and Man-child are the “sons of God” for whom the creation has been awaiting, the fullness of the sonship of Jesus Christ manifested in His people. In fact, the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon, the Bride who was chosen from among all the fair virgins of the kingdom, was called his “perfect one” (Song of Solomon 5:2). God is going to perfect, to mature His people. Esther was chosen out of all the fair virgins of the kingdom “because the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her Queen” (Est.2:17). But even then she was under the guidance of Mordecai and in verse (20) … Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. So we see that the job of the Man-child is to raise up the Bride and guide her. The Man-child is the head of the Bride, much like the False Prophet is the head of the Harlot. There is a corporate body of apostate people, called the Harlot, and the head of that body is its so-called Christian leadership, which is leading it astray. The Bride is Jerusalem and David was the head of Jerusalem. When Jesus came, He sat upon the throne of David and He was the head of the Bride. John the Baptist said, He that hath the bride is the bridegroom (Joh.3:29), as he saw Jesus leading the disciples. That's a short background, somewhat, and there's much more to the Book of Esther. (Est.3:1) After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. These princes were the people who ruled over the kingdoms over which Ahasuerus ruled, and among those princes was Mordecai, who was over the people of God. Now we see that Mordecai and Esther are two entities whom God uses to save the rest of the people of God from destruction by the Beast. The Beast that was to destroy them is represented here by Haman, who is a corporate body, just as Mordecai represents a corporate body of people. Why would God advance Haman above the other princes? Because throughout history, God has raised up a Beast kingdom over His people in times when His people were in apostasy. Why is God calling His people out of the Harlot? (Rev.18:4) … Come forth, my people, out of her…. It's because there is such an apostasy in the Church, and they've turned away from the Word; they've gone after religions. They are in apostasy and God is calling His people out of that.  This is what the Tribulation is for. Every time God's people have become a harlot, He raised up a Beast to come against them: from Egypt, to Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and now the end-time Rome. We're seeing a worldwide revived Roman Empire being raised up again for the purpose of sanctifying His people and bringing them to repentance. The raising up of Haman, with his authority to destroy the people of God, is what brings God's people to repentance. (Est.3:2) And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate (That's the place where government was, where all the representatives of the nations saw the face of the King.), bowed down, and did reverence to Haman (the Beast); for the king had so commanded concerning him. In Rom 13 we are told to submit to the powers that be. He had given Haman authority over God's people. People don't think that the Lord gives authority to evil in the earth, but He does, and it's for the purpose of bringing repentance. (Job2:10) … What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil… God does bring evil against His people as a chastening and a method to bring them to repentance.  So all the King's servants who were in the King's gate bowed down to the Beast, But Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence (Est.3:2). I would say bowing down with reverence should be given nly to God. However, submitting to man's kingdoms is necessary to obey the Lord.  This is something we find all through the Scriptures. Mordecai, as a type of the man-child, refused to bow down to the Beast. We see the example of Joseph, who was sold into bondage by the Harlot, Potiphar's wife, and came to the position of authority like Mordecai. We see the example of Jesus, who didn't bow down to the Beast; and Moses, who didn't bow down; and Daniel – all these are types of the Man-child, who refused to bow down to the Beast.  (3) Then the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? (4) Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. Who is this accusing Mordecai to the Beast? You remember throughout history how the apostate brethren of Joseph persecuted and came against him and sold him into the hand of the Beast; and the apostate brethren of Jesus, the leadership of apostate Israel, accused Him to the Beast. We're seeing the same thing here; history keeps on repeating. We're not talking about rebellion against Constitutional, political authority here. We're talking about rebellion in terms of not bowing down religiously, of not worshipping the Beast as God. Today, there is a spirit of worship of the Beast by Christians, and there has been for many centuries. Patriotism, pledging allegiance, all these things that saints in past days would never have thought of doing, God's people today think nothing of. They don't understand that there's only one Kingdom – the Kingdom of God – which we should be representing. (5) And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. (6) But he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. Notice that the head over all God's true people is represented here by Mordecai.  In the rest of the story, Mordecai and Esther save all of these Jews from the Beast. Does that mean that all of what we loosely call Christians are going to be saved from the Beast? No, but the true Jews, those who are circumcised in heart, not in flesh, are all going to be saved. All Israel (Romans 11:26) is going to be saved – everybody who is grafted into the olive tree called “all Israel.” They'll be saved from the Beast in one form or another. We see here that Mordecai is one of the princes who sat in the king's gate to represent his people. He was among the other princes who were accusing him. In Ezekiel 17, I've shared a revelation the Lord gave me concerning the Beast of D.S. Babylon, who has brought God's people into bondage. We know that when Babylon conquered the nations, it not only brought apostate Israel into bondage, but they brought people like Daniel and the Hebrews, who were appointed people of God in their time, under the thumb of the Beast kingdom. When we talk about Mordecai, we're talking about the good leadership, but what about the bad leadership that accused him? (Eze.17:2) Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel; (3) and say, Thus saith the Lord God: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had divers colors, came unto Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar: (4) he cropped off the topmost of the young twigs thereof, and carried it unto a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants. This represents the Great Eagle of America which is the head of D.S. Babylon, bringing the leadership of God's people into bondage. In the natural, it's happening; natural Israel is more and more under Kazarian D.S. dominion. Something else is also happening, and that is, that spiritual new testament Israel said to be circumcised in heart is being brought more and more under the dominion of the latest Beast government. Media-Persia of Cyrus/Trump is conquering Babylon, thank God. In fact, as we keep reading, it says (11) Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, (12) Say now to the rebellious house…. Why is it that God is permitting  Beast governments to bring under their authority the spiritual people of God and the “letter” people of God, the natural Jews? It is because they are rebellious houses. The letter Israel is a type and shadow for spiritual Israel. They've rebelled against the covenant that God has given. (12) Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and brought them to him to Babylon. So the king and the princes of both spiritual and natural Israel have been under the dominion of Babylon. What makes a beast a beast? The flesh is in control over the spiritual. The Alliance of nations under Cyrus/Trump is about to be a GESARA covenant. Although we will benefit from this covenant to rebuild the Kingdom of God, it will not last. The next seven verses go on to talk about a covenant that was broken in the middle, exactly as we would expect if it were Daniel's 70th-week covenant of the end-time broken in the middle. God also rebukes them for breaking His covenant and then He talks about another leadership that He's raising up. We just saw the apostate leadership, the king and the princes, brought under the dominion of Babylon, but He talks about a new leadership here. (22) Thus saith the Lord God: I will also take of the l7ofty top of the cedar (An evergreen type of eternal life), and will set it; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it upon a high and lofty mountain. That's referring to the mountain representing the Kingdom of God, spiritual Mount Zion. This was the same description (cropping off the topmost twigs) that God gave in verse four here, referring to the apostate leadership of Israel/Church, but now the Lord speaks of a type of the Israel/Church's new leadership. So, once again, He is talking about a new leadership, “the topmost twig.” (23) In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all birds of every wing; in the shade of the branches thereof shall they dwell. (24) And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I, the Lord, have spoken and have done it. God is bringing down a false leadership over the true people of God, and He's raising up a new leadership. This is just as it was in the days of Jesus and Moses, when the apostate leadership persecuted the Man-child Jesus and then His disciples. In the same way, in the end-time, God is going to bring down the high and the lofty and raise up the lowly to take that position who will walk in the steps of the Lord Jesus, the Man-child of Revelation 12. He came as a Lamb but now as a Lion. We just had a prophecy of the coming Lion, who come manifested in His Man-child body.  So we see here two groups in captivity. In the time of Esther, there were two groups in captivity, and the one persecuted the other, just as the False Prophet in Israel, the Sanhedrin, persecuted the Man-child ministry of Jesus. We see the same thing with Mordecai and these servants of the king who accused him to the Beast. Jesus was accused to the Beast by the corporate False Prophet of Israel. Also, we can go to Daniel and see that when Babylon took God's people into captivity, there was the good thrown in with the bad. (Dan.1:1) In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (the “Great Eagle” in Eze 17.) unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. (2) And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god: and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god. (3) And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in [certain] of the children of Israel, even of the seed royal and of the nobles; (4) youths in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and endued with knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace…. There it is! These are people whom God is raising up who are spotless and blemishless, and they're not equated with the Jewish king and his princes, who were also taken captive. That's the way it was with Daniel. (6) Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. (7) And the prince of the eunuchs gave names unto them: unto Daniel he gave [the name of] Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, [of] Shadrach; and to Mishael, [of] Meshach; and to Azariah, [of] Abednego. Next, these four had to be proven because they wouldn't be defiled by eating the king's food. They wouldn't partake of the Babylonish king's dainties and, since they wouldn't be defiled, they also didn't bow down to the image of the Beast. It's important to know that what we eat is what we are, and if we partake of a beastly doctrine that enables our flesh to rule, we will become a member of the Beast. Our flesh is a member of the Beast kingdom – it is an enemy of God; it's at enmity with your spirit. Partaking of fleshly doctrines is partaking of the Beast's dainties. Anyway, there was nothing but good said about these four Hebrews. (17) Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. … (20) And in every matter of wisdom and understanding, concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his realm. (21) And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus. What we see in the Book of Daniel – twice, in chapters 3 and 6 – is exactly what we see concerning the accusations against Mordecai, the Man-child, by the other leaders. What happened in Jesus' day, when He was accused by the other rabbis, the apostates (and accused to the Roman Beast, too, by the way), we see also in Daniel. The three Hebrews represented the people who would not bow down. Daniel was obviously in leadership, but the three Hebrews refused to bow down to the image of the Beast in Daniel chapter three. It was the image of the Beast because it had the number of the Beast. (Dan.3:1) Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore (60 - there's “6”) cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits (there's “6-6”): he set it up in the plain of Dura…. “Dura” means “a circle,” which reminds us of the earth, and the Gematria for “the earth” or “the world” is 600. So there you have a representation of the world adding up to 666. We're talking about the image of the Beast, and it's made up of, if we look carefully in chapter two, all the peoples and all the kingdoms, one right after another.  Now notice who was commanding the people to bow down to this image: (4) Then the herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages…. The word “herald” is the only Greek word in this text, and it's the New Testament word for “preacher.” So we have apostate preachers over the people of God, commanding them to bow down to the image of the Beast. This is like pledging allegiance. Not everybody bowed down, just as we saw with Mordecai. The other servants of the king who stood in the king's gate bowed down. This was the leadership of the apostate people of God, or the False Prophet. They bowed down to Haman, but Mordecai, the Man-child, refused. We see that they commanded them to bow down, and the people all bowed down, except for the three Hebrews. (8) Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews. They were accused because they refused to bow down to the image of the Beast. Now, God saved them and brought a witness through them of His power to save, even in the fiery furnace that was heated seven times hotter, as in the seven years of the Tribulation Period. “Times” is used in Revelation 12:14, for instance, as in “a time, times, and half a time,” speaking of years. So “seven times” in this text speaks of the Tribulation Period. The three Hebrews refused to bow down. They served the king, obeyed and submitted to the government of the king, but when it came to bowing down, they refused. The world is going to demand this; they're going to make their generic god, and everyone is going to have to serve it and be at peace with others and not witness to others and so on. We have another witness of Daniel himself, who was a type of the Man-child. Daniel refused to bow down, and the same situation happened. There were others with him, who were leaders, who accused him before the Beast: (Dan.6:1) It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom; (2) and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one (“Throughout the whole kingdom” could be an application of what we loosely call “the Kingdom of God.”); that these satraps might give account unto them, and that the king should have no damage. (3) Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. (4) Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Praise God! Those were the false prophets who corresponded to the false prophets in Jesus' day, who sought occasion for false witness against Jesus, and since He had committed no sin, they had to falsely accuse Him. It was the same with Daniel here. The head of the Harlot was the false prophets and false leaders who were accusing Jesus, How is the faithful city become a harlot! … (Isa.1:21). God's people had become a harlot because they had apostatized and were committing fornication with the world. They were receiving the seed of the world, the seed of the Beast kingdom. (Dan.6:5) Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. (6) Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. (7) All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counsellors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Daniel only bowed down to his God; he only asked of his God; he wasn't going to treat the king or the Beast as a god. (8) Now, O king, establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. (9) Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the interdict. (10) And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem;) and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. So he only knelt down to the God of Israel. He refused to bow down to the image of the Beast.  (11) Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. (12) Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's interdict: Hast thou not signed an interdict, that every man that shall make petition unto any god or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. (13) Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the interdict that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. (14) Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him. Notice that it wasn't the Beast that wanted to destroy the Man-child; it was his own brothers. Joseph's brothers were the ones who sold him into bondage to the Gentiles. And, accordingly, Pilate wanted nothing to do with crucifying what he called Jesus, this righteous man (Mat.27:24).  The apostates twisted his arm, exactly as they are doing here. We are headed to the exact same time, when the false leadership over God's people is going to be used to persecute the true leadership. Although all of them are going to be under the same Beast government rule, the leadership of the apostate people of God, just as we saw with Mordecai, is going to bow down to the Beast. Amazingly, people whom you and I have called Christians and thought were Christians will be part of a great falling away. The 10 northern tribes worshipped the image of the beast and were part of a great falling away. They bowed down to the golden calf, or the image of a beast. Now the same thing is happening to what we loosely call Christianity; they have built and bowed down to their golden calf. It's a work of man's hands. It has nothing to do with God or His Word that He created in the very beginning, as far as Christianity is concerned. It's something that they have made themselves, and because it's their own, they're going to want to protect it and defend it and their livelihood along with it. The Man-child ministry is going to be a threat to that because of the truths that will come forth, just as they came out of Jesus. The Bible spoke about Jesus, how He opened His mouth, and things that were hidden from the foundation of the world were revealed. Things that have been hidden are going to be revealed, but also, things that have been hidden in God's people are going to be revealed by this great falling away and by the apostates' siding with the Beast against their brethren. They are Judases, sons of perdition, false prophets. The point here in Daniel is that he still refused to do anything but bow down only to the real, true God, not to just any ruler or generic god, not even to any god that they might call “Jesus.” Many religious images of Jesus are not Him at all. When we read the Bible, we see the true Jesus and His crucified life. That contrasts with what we see now in Christianity. Will the current leadership continue to bring a reproach on Christianity by living so lavishly and fleecing so many people? That's not walking in the steps of Jesus; that's not the crucified life. These people defend that lifestyle as spiritual, and it's a shame. How many airplanes can a person use? God is sending the Beast not only because of the leadership, but also because of the people who don't understand that they should not support people who do such things. The crucified life that Jesus and His disciples walked was a simple life without all the accoutrements of Babylon. They didn't have the fancy temple and the big synagogues, but they had the truth. That was part of the trial. There is a great apostasy, a rebellion, in the church. They're in love with the world, and the things of the world, and the Bible says, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1Jn.2:15). God is proving just who it is who loves Him. The Bride, in the Song of Solomon, ran fanatically after the Bridegroom, so much so that she surprised the other queens, virgins, and concubines. They thought that one Jesus was just as good as another. But the other Jesus' are made by man. They give Jesus a character that's contrary to Scripture, a contrary doctrine, and so on.  Well, Daniel wouldn't bow down, so he had to be thrown into the lion's den and, as you know, God preserved him. God sent His angel. (Dan.6:18) Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him. (19) Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. (20) And when he came near unto the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice; the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? (21) Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. (22) My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. (23) Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God. (24) And the king commanded, and they brought those men that had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den. That's very similar to Revelation 17:16, where the Beast devours the Harlot.  The apostate leaders who accused Jesus were then destroyed, and as we know, there's a great and terrible Day of the Lord coming, when that's exactly what's going to happen. The Beast is going to devour and destroy the Harlot and burn her flesh with fire. So the Beast was basically made a believer in the God of Daniel, just as in the time of Nebuchadnezzar; and, by the way, Daniel chapter seven speaks of the end-time. We know the timing of Daniel's Tribulation because he gets a revelation of the four Beasts, and from his time, which was the time of Babylon onward, is when his revelation started. His vision didn't start with the Egyptian and Assyrian Beasts, which were two that came before Babylon. The Beasts of Revelation, however, start with those two that came before Babylon. Daniel mentions the four Beasts that lead up to the end-time Beast. There was the lion with eagle's wings (Babylon) that was conquered by the Media-Persian bear, then by Greece, then Rome. He was prophesying again of the image of the Beast.  In today's end-times, these entities are still with us. The Lion with Eagle's wings is the British Empire, and the Eagle's wings are the present head of the British Empire and America. This is the Great Eagle, which was then and will be today conquered by the Medo-Persian Bear. So not only were these historic, from Daniel's day on, but they're also an end-time revelation of what's going to happen. We find that this last Beast that he talks about, which was Rome, devours the whole earth. The last Beast, he tells us, was headed up by 10 horns, exactly like Revelation 17. The 10 horns are the ten kings that rule over the Beast kingdom. Among those 10 horns comes up a little horn (Daniel 7:8) that's different, it says, from the rest of the horns. That little horn is a ruler among rulers that will be diverse from all of the 10, and it is the corporate False Prophet. (Dan.7:21) … The same horn made war with the saints…. There it is again! They'll make war on the Man-child and the saints, which is exactly what we see in the rest of the Book of Esther. (Dan.7:23) Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth…. We have had the United Nations, whose place is being taken by the Alliance of nations. The whole earth is inside the body of the last Beast. GESARA Law was signed unanimously by all 209 countries in 2015. Remember that in Daniel's vision of the legs of the image of the beast, Rome lasted from the thighs all the way down to the toes – the iron that was mixed with the clay. It is different in these days because now it has covered; it has devoured, the whole earth. And among those 10 kings is the little horn that comes up to make war on the saints. (Dan.7:20) ... Before which three fell, even that [horn] that had eyes, and a mouth that spake great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows. (21) I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; (22) until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.  So we see the Beast has been given authority to crucify Christ once more. It says that he “prevailed against them.” This False Prophet and the Harlot beneath the False Prophet have been given authority to crucify the flesh of the saints. It doesn't necessarily mean that all will die; that's not the point here. The point is the crucifixion of the flesh of the saints. The Church is in rebellion because the flesh rules. The Beast, in a spiritual way, is ruling over them already because their flesh rules over them already. There has to be a crucifixion for us to bear fruit and come into the Kingdom; therefore, God is raising up this whole worldwide kingdom to come against His people. The little horn represents a religious entity because it's different from the other horns. They are corporate bodies of secular rulers, but the little horn is a corporate body of religious rulers who will bring God's people to their cross, much like they did to Jesus in His day. This is the seed of that same Sanhedrin that's being raised up in our day, no different from the earlier one. The Sanhedrin in natural Israel has been raised up again, and the Sanhedrin in spiritual Israel has been raised up again, too, to crucify the body of Christ again. God just repeats history in larger and larger ways. The spiritual man is not going to be conquered, and the quicker we learn to submit, the more we will be like Daniel, in that the lions' mouths will be closed. The Beast will not be able to devour Daniel. The fire of the fiery furnace, heated seven times hotter, will not be able to devour the three Hebrews because they have refused to eat the king's dainties and they refused to bow down to the image of the Beast, just like Daniel. What we see in Esther is clearly a prophecy of the end-time. The persecution that was raised up against Mordecai, who was over all God's people of the kingdom, will be repeated in our day. Remember, the Beast decided to kill the people of Mordecai. The people of Mordecai, of whom we are speaking, include the Bride, but just as Jerusalem is only part of the Kingdom, the Bride is only part of the people of Mordecai. Not everybody in the Church is going to follow the Man-child. All the righteous Jews in the rest of the kingdom will be delivered from the Beast through the righteous leadership of Mordecai, the Man-child, and Esther, the Bride – a leadership that refused to bow down and a people that refused to bow down, respectively. The true people of God will not bow down. The rest will worship the image of the Beast; they will bow down. God is sending a separation in the form of this image of the Beast. The people who have no faith in their God, no commitment to their God, will find it easier to justify themselves and bow down to the image of the Beast, even change their doctrines, if necessary, and submit to the Beast kingdom. The true people of God are represented by the people of Mordecai, who discover that this leadership is truly the right leadership, like the people who followed Jesus in His day. This represented a people from among natural Israel who were a first fruits to follow Jesus diligently, just as it will be in our day. (Joh.3:29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom…. Even if a person didn't come up to the standard of the Bride which Jesus raised up, He sent them forth unto every place He was about to go to fulfill the Great Commission. The apostles raised up the five-fold ministry as the leadership for the rest of spiritual Israel, just as the latter-day apostles will for the Church. We have some great days coming, some wondrous days. In Esther 3:7-8, it is also revealed that God's people had been rebellious, and that's the reason this is coming today. The best thing we can do is learn to serve the true and living God. Don't bow down to the Beast.

Our reading today begins with an event that is not described in detail, but which must have been another disheartening blow to the early church. Having recently endured the Sanhedrin's execution of Stephen, they now find themselves at odds with Herod who has executed James the brother of John. James was not only one of the twelve, but one of three disciples who witnessed the transfiguration of Christ. Seeing that it pleased the Jews, Herod arrests Peter also in order to execute him. Though his power is great, it is no match for the power of God Almighty, who has other plans for Peter. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

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The Trial of Jesus Coleton's sermon walked through Gospel of Mark 14:53–65 — Jesus before the high priest and the Sanhedrin — and focused on three major truths: The Lack of Evidence, The Injustice, and The Answer Jesus Gives. 1. The Lack of Evidence The passage says: “The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any… Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.” This was not a fair trial. It was rigged from the beginning. ● It was held at night. ● It was held in the high priest's house. ● Witnesses were prepped to testify falsely. ● The entire purpose was to find a reason to kill Him. And yet — they could not find solid evidence. Even the eyewitnesses who had seen Him and heard Him could not produce consistent testimony proving He deserved death. That's staggering. The point made was simple but powerful: If the people who lived at the same time as Jesus — who hated Him and wanted Him dead — could not produce credible evidence to disprove His claims, then what evidence do we have 2,000 years later to dismiss Him? The question was posed directly: “If you don't believe Jesus is who He says He is — what evidence do you point to? Because the people who lived in His time, who hated Him and wanted Him dead, couldn't find any.” The sermon argued that we actually have more evidence to consider the truthfulness of Jesus' claims today — not more evidence to disprove Him. To emphasize Jesus' global impact, the quote from Dr. James Allan Francis was read, describing Jesus as an obscure carpenter who never held office, never wrote a book, never traveled far — and yet: “All the armies that ever marched… all the kings that ever reigned… have not affected the life of mankind upon the earth as powerfully as this one solitary life.” History has been shaped not by Caesar, but by a carpenter from Nazareth. That demands explanation. 2. The Injustice The second focus was the staggering injustice of the trial. Multiple Jewish legal procedures were broken: ● Arrest without formal charges ● Trial during Passover ● Night trial outside the temple courts ● No agreeing witnesses in a capital case ● No 24-hour waiting period before sentencing Jesus was arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced within hours. And yet — none of this hindered God's plan. The sermon pointed to Book of Isaiah 53, written centuries before, which describes the Messiah: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth… From arrest and judgment he was taken away… though he had done no violence.” Their injustice did not derail God's plan — it fulfilled it. A quote from James Stewart captured it beautifully: “They gave Him a cross, not guessing that He would make it a throne… He did not conquer in spite of the evil. He conquered by using it.” That line shaped the heart of this section: God doesn't merely overcome evil — He uses it. This doesn't mean what they did was good. It means nothing can stop what God has determined to accomplish. The application became deeply personal. We often think: ● That relationship ruined God's plan. ● That job loss ruined God's plan. ● My upbringing ruined God's plan. ● Time is running out. But the cross shows otherwise. If God has determined to bless you, no one can stop Him. Their curses can become stepping stones. The example of David was used: Saul tried repeatedly to kill him, but every attempt only moved David closer to the throne. The preacher shared personally about the pain of his parents' divorce — and how God used that painful disruption to bring him to Memphis, where he met his wife. What felt like loss became a pathway to blessing. The message was clear: “What He has decided to do, no one and nothing can stop Him.” 3. The Answer Jesus Gives Up to this point, Jesus had remained silent. If He stays silent, it becomes very difficult to condemn Him. But then the high priest asks directly: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” And Jesus answers: “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” This is the turning point. Jesus gives them exactly what they need to condemn Him. He ensures His own death. He is not trapped. He is choosing. The sermon made this stunning reversal clear: ● He was declared guilty though innocent… ● So that we who are guilty could be declared innocent. Quoting Book of Isaiah again: “It was the Lord's will to crush him… he will bear their iniquities… he poured out his life unto death and was numbered with the transgressors.” Jesus chose condemnation so we could receive justification. A quote from Greg Boyd reinforced the heart of it: “Despite our sin our creator thinks that we are worth experiencing a hellish death for… the cross reveals our unsurpassable worth and significance to God.” At the core of our fears is the suspicion that we are not truly loved — that we are on our own. But the cross answers that fear. You are not the only one fighting for your life. He is fighting for you. He is not against you. He is for you. And He proves it here. He chose death so that you could experience life. The sermon closed with a call to respond: Give Him more of your allegiance. Give Him more of your life. Trust Him more deeply. Because the cross shows: Nothing can stop His plan. Nothing can disprove His claim. And nothing can separate you from His love.

For thousands of years Christians have gathered around the world once a week to remember and celebrate Jesus together. However, is what we call “church” what it was intended to be? This movement that we have been swept up in began with a handful of people who were not terribly sure of what they were doing. In fact, they were mostly unsure and confused in their nature.But by the grace of God, the Holy Spirit empowered them to establish and lead a revolutionary vision creating witnesses of the love and grace of Jesus that has continued even to this day. We are here today because of the ACTS OF THE APOSTLES through the Holy Spirit just weeks after Jesus was crucified and resurrected. This study of the book of Acts should bring us back to purpose of the church and the power of the Holy Spirit.--- Peter and John have been released after bring tried by the Sanhedrin and they ran back to the church to explain what happened and the church joined together in prayer - prayer for boldness, not safety. 

In this message, Minister Alex Ehly walks us through John 2 and Luke 19–23 to show how Jesus moves from cleansing the Temple to entering Jerusalem as King, to redefining power at the Table, and finally standing silent in His Trial. What looks like chaos is actually purpose. What looks like weakness is actually authority. What looks like defeat is actually the beginning of victory.When Jesus clears the Temple, He isn't just flipping tables—He's declaring that access to God is no longer about a building, but about a Person. When He rides into Jerusalem on a colt, He isn't seeking applause—He's intentionally fulfilling prophecy. When He kneels to wash feet at the Table, He redefines greatness. And when He stands silent in His trials before the Sanhedrin, Pilate, and Herod, He shows us a Kingdom that conquers through surrender.This message confronts a deeper question beneath the story:Not Does Jesus exist?Not Is He Savior?But Will I trust Him enough to let Him rule?If you're wrestling with anxiety, control, fear, or the pressure of life's unseen trials, this teaching will help you move from self-rule to surrender—and discover where true peace is found.You can choose again today.

In Paul's defense before the Sanhedrin, he says he is on trial because of the resurrection. Why does Paul bring up the resurrection? Let's find out together as we read Acts 23:1-11 and Isaiah 26:7-21.#WhyTheResurrection #Acts23 #Isaiah26 #PaulDefense #SanhedrinTrial #ResurrectionDefense #Acts231 #Isaiah267 #PaulOnTrial #ResurrectionTruth #LetsFindOutTogether #DailyDevotional #BibleStudy #BookOfActs #ActsOfTheApostles #PaulTheMissionary #ResurrectionOfDead #BiblicalResurrection

Today’s Topics: Joshua Charles joins Terry for Friday with the Fathers 1) Gospel –Matthew 5:20-26 – Jesus said to his disciples:  “I tell you,  unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,  will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Memorial of Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church Saint Gregory, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) In Part 2, Terry and Joshua discuss Early Father of the Church: Saint Pope Leo the Great

Gospel Matthew 5:20-26 Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Reflection The Pharisees were all about righteousness. And the mistake they made is that it didn't matter how you felt or what your intention was, as long as you did the action as perfectly as possible that was somehow pleasing to God. So the Ten Commandments could be followed very rigorously, but at the same time, Jesus is opening up a whole new way of seeing ourselves in our relationships. It's not simply about whether we do negative things to each other or must do good things to each other. It's where are you? What's your intention? The mind in the will can follow those kinds of commands that demand action. Only the heart which is promised to be filled with divinity can love. Can never want to do anything that limits a person's dignity, their value, their worth So the beauty of this passage is in keeping us in touch with our intentions. Caring for one another is the most righteous act that we can perform. Closing Prayer Father, open our hearts to the mystery of you within us so that we can turn to that beautiful presence and know that we can put on your disposition toward the world, toward each other. You are not a judging figure, but you are a forgiving figure. You are a teacher that gives us a sense of the importance of empathy and understanding of one another. Bless us with your way and not the way of a system that ignores the heart's intention. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mishna

Mishna

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Read OnlineJesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20Imagine a wife asked her husband to go to the supermarket and pick up a pound of potatoes. Being literal, he went to the store, found a pound of potatoes, picked them up, set them back down, and returned home. When his wife asks where the potatoes are, he explains that they're still at the store. Confused, she asks why he didn't bring them home, and he responds, “You only asked me to ‘pick them up.'”While this example might be humorous, it illustrates an essential truth about following instructions. The husband might have technically fulfilled the request but missed the deeper meaning. In much the same way, the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus' time scrupulously followed the letter of God's Law but often failed to grasp the spirit behind it.Jesus addresses this issue directly in today's Gospel. The Law, as given by God through Moses, was summed up in the Ten Commandments. But Jesus came to reveal the deeper meaning behind those commands. For example, He explains the true meaning of the commandment, “You shall not kill.”On the surface, one might think that as long as you don't physically murder someone, you are free from guilt. But Jesus shows that this commandment goes far beyond the act of murder. He reveals that the commandment also forbids less serious internal and external sins.Jesus identifies three levels of sin related to this commandment. First is anger. Anger is an interior disposition; of the three sins, it is the least severe. It begins with a judgmental thought or condemnation and often results in feelings of anger. Though feelings are not sinful, allowing anger to take root due to rash judgment or contempt is a sin, even if no further action is taken. Jesus warns that harboring anger makes a person “liable to judgment.”The second level of sin is verbal, specifically calling someone Raqa. This Aramaic term is a derogatory insult, meaning someone is empty-headed or worthless. Such an insult externalizes anger and reveals a more profound disdain for the person and a failure to recognize the person's worth in God's eyes. Speaking this way to someone shows a lack of respect for his or her dignity as a child of God. Jesus warns that those who commit this sin will be “answerable to the Sanhedrin.” In other words, not only will God hold them accountable, but they may also need fraternal correction from family, friends, or the Church if they fail to repent.The most serious offense Jesus mentions is calling someone, “You fool!” In biblical terms, calling someone a fool is more than just an insult; it is a condemnation of the person's character. In Scripture, a fool is someone who rejects God and lives in moral corruption, as in Psalm 14:1, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” To call someone a fool, therefore, is to cast judgment on the person's soul, associating that individual with someone who is cut off from God's grace. Jesus is stern in His warning: those who condemn others this way will be “liable to fiery Gehenna.”Reflect today on Jesus' teaching about the deeper meaning of this and other commandments. Lent is a time of turning away from sin and returning to God. If you struggle with anger, examine its roots. If rash judgment is at the heart of it, seek God's mercy and repent to find peace. If you've hurt others with critical or condemning words, especially if you've judged their moral character, confess this grave sin and remember that God alone is the Judge. Strive to fulfill not only the letter of God's Law but also its spirit, and your life will bear abundant fruit.My meek and humble Lord, though You are merciful, You are also just. I turn to Your mercy today, seeking forgiveness and grace to overcome the sin of anger and all that comes with it. Free me from judgmental thoughts, and help me love others with Your merciful Heart. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Adobe StockSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Reading Acts 4:19-22 where the Sanhedrin threatens Peter and John and tells them not to speak any more in the name of Jesus, but they cannot stop speaking of what they've seen and heard. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 6: Delivered February 5, 1959 Continuing with the idea of Judaism's glorification of the anonymous person, the Talmud says that the participants in the annual “kallah” Torah lectures receive divine reward not according to their intellectual achievements, but according to the amount of discomfort they put themselves through in order to participate. Thus, the diligent ignoramus could receive more reward than the accomplished scholar. Judaism stresses axiological democracy, the equal worth of the great scholar and the little person. Modern Man has yet to live up to this ideal of axiological democracy, and the biggest challenge of today's State of Israel is to live up to this ideal. The Talmud captures this axiological democracy in its dictum, “How do you know that your blood is redder than the blood of your neighbor?” Although Judaism's moral code recognizes the common right to dignity, such that we may not judge or embarrass anyone, it places special emphasis on the dignity on the humble and lowly person, with special injunctions against harming the deaf, blind, orphan, widow, and stranger. Rabban Gamliel the Prince, under the order of execution by the Romans, considered that perhaps he deserved his fate due to once making a widow feel unimportant. This sense of tenderness towards the downtrodden reflects God's own behavior and attitude towards the poor and oppressed, as described in Scripture. Peretz's story “Bontzye Shweig” illustrates this idea as well. This analysis leads to the problem of Jewish loneliness, which requires distinguishing between two different feelings, loneliness and aloneness. Loneliness comes from others inevitably rejecting one's message, one's kerygma. Aloneness comes from the numinous uniqueness inherent in each person. Loneliness brings with it destructive emotions, whereas aloneness is a creative and motivating force. Every person must suffer the loneliness of rejection at some point in life. Next lecture will discuss how Judaism tries to solve the problem of loneliness. Topics triggered by audience questions include the Rosenberg trial, historical controversies among Jews, establishment of a Sanhedrin in Israel, and standardized text for prayer. Jump to: 00:01:15 The Talmudic dictum that reward is granted according to effort 00:08:17 Axiological democracy in Judaism, modern society, and the State of Israel 00:26:24 The human right to dignity and the prohibition to embarrass people 00:44:27 Judaism's concern with the socially anonymous person 00:59:30 Imitatio Dei, imitating God, and the story of the death of “Bontzye Shweig” 01:26:29 Introduction to the problem of Jewish loneliness Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM  The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E6): Judaism's Glorification of the Anonymous Person first appeared on Tradition Online.

A deacon by the name of Stephen has been accused of blasphemy and now stands before the court of the Sanhedrin. False witnesses claimed that he had spoken against the law of God. Today, Stephen turns the tables on his accusers and puts them on trial for refusing to acknowledge Christ. Reciting a brief overview of Israel's history, he plainly shows them that it is Israel who is guilty of rebelling against God and resisting the Holy Spirit. In a rage, they rush to kill him, and Stephen becomes the first known Christian martyr, and as Tertullian later said, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church.” :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Today's episode is going to be incredibly short and tomorrow's episode is going to be rather long. Chapter 6 is really just a preface leading into chapter 7, in which Stephen speaks to the Sanhedrin concerning the history of Israel and their resistance against God. Instead of breaking up that speech in smaller pieces, I thought it would be best to keep that sermon in one piece. Having said all that, today's reading includes the introduction of deacons in the life of the church, whose role is to serve the church and to lead in doing so. Because of their faithful service, those who were called to teach are free to fulfill their role. Stephen is among those mentioned as being chosen as a deacon. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Wide lines

Reading 1Sirach 15:15-20If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you;if you trust in God, you too shall live;he has set before you fire and waterto whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.Before man are life and death, good and evil,whichever he chooses shall be given him.Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.The eyes of God are on those who fear him;he understands man's every deed.No one does he command to act unjustly,to none does he give license to sin.Reading 21 Corinthians 2:6-10Brothers and sisters:We speak a wisdom to those who are mature,not a wisdom of this age,nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.Rather, we speak God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden,which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,and which none of the rulers of this age knew;for, if they had known it,they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.But as it is written:What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,and what has not entered the human heart,what God has prepared for those who love him, this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.GospelMatthew 5:17-37Jesus said to his disciples:"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letterwill pass from the law,until all things have taken place.Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandmentsand teaches others to do sowill be called least in the kingdom of heaven.But whoever obeys and teaches these commandmentswill be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.I tell you, unless your righteousness surpassesthat of the scribes and Pharisees,you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.But I say to you,whoever is angry with his brotherwill be liable to judgment;and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,'will be answerable to the Sanhedrin;and whoever says, 'You fool,'will be liable to fiery Gehenna.Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,and there recall that your brotherhas anything against you,leave your gift there at the altar,go first and be reconciled with your brother,and then come and offer your gift.Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,and the judge will hand you over to the guard,and you will be thrown into prison.Amen, I say to you,you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.But I say to you,everyone who looks at a woman with lusthas already committed adultery with her in his heart.If your right eye causes you to sin,tear it out and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.And if your right hand causes you to sin,cut it off and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body go into Gehenna."It was also said,Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.But I say to you,whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful - causes her to commit adultery,and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,Do not take a false oath,but make good to the Lord all that you vow.But I say to you, do not swear at all;not by heaven, for it is God's throne;nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.Do not swear by your head,for you cannot make a single hair white or black.Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'Anything more is from the evil one."

Third wide line

Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin models what it means to be a faithful apologist. This is part 2 of a two-part study of Stephen's defense. It calls every believer to know the truth, love it more than life, and live it courageously, even in the face of death, as a testimony to the power of the gospel.

After mishnah

התוכן בנוגע להנהגת מרדכי אחרי הנס פורים מצינו דבר פלא: לאחרי שמרדכי ראה איך שע"י ניצל כלל ישראל מגזירת המן, עד שנעשה "משנה למלך" (דרגה הנעלה ביותר שאפשר להגיע בזמן הגלות), הנה במקום להמשיך ב"עסקנות ציבורית"... עלה מבבל לארץ ישראל כדי שיוכל לעסוק בלימוד התורה ובקיום המצוות ונהי' א' מחברי הסנהדרין! ומזה לימוד נפלא לאלו העוסקים בעסקנות ציבורית (או בקו ד"זבולון" בכלל), שכל זמן שיש להם ציווי מנשיא הדור – עליהם להמשיך בעסקנות זו ולא "לברוח מהחזית", ולעבוד מתוך קב"ע והקדמת נעשה לנשמע כחלק מ"צבאות ה'", (כמו ב"צבא" כפשוטו שלא משנה חכמתו של המפקד – לכל לראש יש למלאות את הפקודה של מי שנתמנה להיות המפקד, ועאכו"כ כאשר מדובר אודות ציווי של ממה"מ הקב"ה!), אבל בשעת מעשה צ"ל אצלם תשוקה הכי גדולה לזמן שיוכלו להתיישב וללמוד תורה בהתמדה ושקידה! ובמילא ברגע שמרגיש או קיבל הוראה ברורה שהשלים עבודתו – ה"ה "עלה מבבל"! (וכן לפנ"ז – מנצל כל רגע פנוי ללימוד התורה).ג' חלקים משיחת מוצאי שבת פרשת שמיני ה'תשל"ח ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=20-02-2026 Synopsis After Mordechai's position at the king's gate helped save the Jewish people from Haman's decree, and after Mordechai became second to the king (the highest possible rank one could reach during exile), instead of staying to continue his work on behalf of the public, he went up from Bavel to Eretz Yisroel to occupy himself with Torah and mitzvos and become a member of the Sanhedrin. The wondrous lesson for those involved in work on behalf of the community (or generally the path of Zevulun) is that as long as they have a directive from the Nasi HaDor, they must continue this work and not flee from the frontlines; they should carry out their mission with kabolas ol, carrying out their mission as part of Hashem's army. But at the same time, they must feel the utmost longing for the time when they will be able to sit and learn Torah constantly and diligently. Accordingly, the moment one feels – or receives a clear directive –that his mission is complete, he should “go up from Bavel” (and even before then, he should utilize every free moment for Torah study).3 excerpts from sichah of Motzaei Shabbos Parashas Shemini 5738 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=20-02-2026

Peter and John have just preached the gospel in Solomon's Colonnade after healing a man who was lame from birth. The priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) were annoyed with their preaching, so they seized Peter and John and jailed them overnight. In today's episode they will stand before the Sanhedrin, a counsel of Jewish religious leaders who held court concerning religious matters. Seeing the healed man, the simply threaten them not to preach in the name Jesus. After they are let go, they only request to preach Christ with greater boldness. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Bottom of amud

12 lines from bottom

Packinghouse's Sunday morning worship service from February 15, 2026 Acts 6:8–15 | Pasot Greg Stephen, a Regular Guy with an Uncommon Grace Stephen wasn't an apostle or a leader with a title—he was a faithful servant in the church—and yet God's grace and the Holy Spirit were powerfully on him, proving that spiritual influence isn't about status but about being filled with Christ. As the young Jerusalem church passes a crucial “test of love” by caring for neglected widows and choosing Greek-speaking believers to lead the solution, the church multiplies—and that momentum brings Stephen straight into conflict. When educated opponents in the synagogue can't refute his Spirit-given wisdom, they pivot to slander, false witnesses, and dragging him before the Sanhedrin, showing how people often try to destroy the messenger when they can't defeat the message. The passage ends with a striking picture: Stephen stands in the middle of injustice with a face “like an angel,” a calm that becomes its own testimony and even plants seeds in Saul of Tarsus, reminding us that God uses ordinary believers—and that our response to unfairness can preach louder than our words. - Greg Opean - Sunday, February 15, 2026

Packinghouse's Sunday morning worship service from February 15, 2026 Acts 6:8–15 | Pasot Greg Stephen, a Regular Guy with an Uncommon Grace Stephen wasn't an apostle or a leader with a title—he was a faithful servant in the church—and yet God's grace and the Holy Spirit were powerfully on him, proving that spiritual influence isn't about status but about being filled with Christ. As the young Jerusalem church passes a crucial “test of love” by caring for neglected widows and choosing Greek-speaking believers to lead the solution, the church multiplies—and that momentum brings Stephen straight into conflict. When educated opponents in the synagogue can't refute his Spirit-given wisdom, they pivot to slander, false witnesses, and dragging him before the Sanhedrin, showing how people often try to destroy the messenger when they can't defeat the message. The passage ends with a striking picture: Stephen stands in the middle of injustice with a face “like an angel,” a calm that becomes its own testimony and even plants seeds in Saul of Tarsus, reminding us that God uses ordinary believers—and that our response to unfairness can preach louder than our words. - Greg Opean - Sunday, February 15, 2026

February 15, 2026. Fr. Tyler's homily for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Enjoy! Gospel Matthew 5:17-37 Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. "You have heard that it was said,  You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. "It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife -  unless the marriage is unlawful -  causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. "Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one."

In this Thinking Talmudist episode on Ta'anit 22b, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the Talmudic teachings on rain as a divine blessing (geshem), its timing, and spiritual lessons from stories of Choni HaMe'agel (Choni the Circle-Maker), the greatest rain-maker in Jewish history.Key points:Rain in its proper time — Rains fall moderately (not oversaturating or leaving earth thirsty) on Wednesday and Friday nights (eves of Thursday/Shabbos) when people are home and inconvenienced minimally (demons are out, Shabbos restrictions limit travel).Excessive rain = curse — Too much rain causes mud and ruins crops; sin turns blessings away (Jeremiah 5:25). In Shimon ben Shetach's days, rains fell only on those nights until wheat kernels grew kidney-sized, barley olive-sized, lentils gold-dinar-sized—saved as examples of how sin causes ruin.Choni HaMe'agel's circle — When no rain fell until Adar, Sanhedrin sent for Choni. He drew a circle, stood in it, and swore by God's great Name he wouldn't leave until rain fell. He prayed for moderate rain (not the light sprinkle or torrents that followed); God responded to his merit. He criticized the generation's inability to handle abundance or scarcity, then prayed for rain to stop—wind blew, clouds dispersed, sun shone.Sanhedrin's praise — They likened Choni to Habakkuk (“I will stand at my post”), saying he uplifted a darkened generation through prayer, saved an “innocent” generation, and brought light to their paths.Lessons — Rain is a direct divine gift; balance is key (too much or too little = curse). Choni's oath was risky (could desecrate God's Name if unfulfilled, like Elijah's drought oath). Truthful, pure prayer brings results; merit can override a generation's sins. We must recognize rain as Hashem's hand—not coincidence.The rabbi reflects on modern disconnect from nature (food from fridge/delivery, not fields) and urges gratitude, balance, and prayer for rain as a reminder of Hashem's constant provision._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 6, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on February 16, 2026_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Taanit, #Choni, #Prayer, #Rain, #Geshem, #Blessing ★ Support this podcast ★

In this Thinking Talmudist episode on Ta'anit 23a, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the Talmudic teachings on rain as a divine blessing (geshem), its timing, and spiritual lessons from stories of Choni HaMe'agel (Choni the Circle-Maker), the greatest rain-maker in Jewish history.Key points:Rain in its proper time — Rains fall moderately (not oversaturating or leaving earth thirsty) on Wednesday and Friday nights (eves of Thursday/Shabbos) when people are home and inconvenienced minimally (demons are out, Shabbos restrictions limit travel).Excessive rain = curse — Too much rain causes mud and ruins crops; sin turns blessings away (Jeremiah 5:25). In Shimon ben Shetach's days, rains fell only on those nights until wheat kernels grew kidney-sized, barley olive-sized, lentils gold-dinar-sized—saved as examples of how sin causes ruin.Choni HaMe'agel's circle — When no rain fell until Adar, Sanhedrin sent for Choni. He drew a circle, stood in it, and swore by God's great Name he wouldn't leave until rain fell. He prayed for moderate rain (not the light sprinkle or torrents that followed); God responded to his merit. He criticized the generation's inability to handle abundance or scarcity, then prayed for rain to stop—wind blew, clouds dispersed, sun shone.Sanhedrin's praise — They likened Choni to Habakkuk (“I will stand at my post”), saying he uplifted a darkened generation through prayer, saved an “innocent” generation, and brought light to their paths.Lessons — Rain is a direct divine gift; balance is key (too much or too little = curse). Choni's oath was risky (could desecrate God's Name if unfulfilled, like Elijah's drought oath). Truthful, pure prayer brings results; merit can override a generation's sins. We must recognize rain as Hashem's hand—not coincidence.The rabbi reflects on modern disconnect from nature (food from fridge/delivery, not fields) and urges gratitude, balance, and prayer for rain as a reminder of Hashem's constant provision._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 6, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on February 16, 2026_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Taanit, #Choni, #Prayer, #Rain, #Geshem, #Blessing ★ Support this podcast ★

Acts 22:30-23:24 Paul goes before the Sanhedrin and is interrupted by the high priest in an indignant exchange. As arguments ensue, his hope is found in the words of Jesus. The same needs to be true for us as we face moments of contention within the secular world. Jesus is our hope, but the enemy will try to silence us and the spread of the gospel message. 

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In this shiur, delivered in SKA, Rav Burg explains the inner meaning as to why the Sanhedrin is placed adjacent to the Mizbeach.

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Witness the beginning of Saul's journey as he grapples with the radical faith of Stephen and the unsettling joy of Jesus' followers, igniting a conflict that will change the course of his life. In this episode of The Jesus Podcast, Saul is summoned by the Sanhedrin to help suppress the rapidly growing movement of Jesus’ followers, but his encounter with Stephen challenges his beliefs and reveals the power of humble service. Saul's rising disdain for the People of The Way contrasts sharply with Stephen’s grace and generosity, setting the stage for a transformative confrontation. Today's Bible verse is Matthew 20:26, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.