Podcasts about savior jesus

June 20, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Trinity 3 - Psalm 25:1-2a, 5b, 15, 20; antiphon: Psalm 25:16, 18Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 22:22-23:12; John 18:15-40“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.” (Psalm 25:16, 18)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Loneliness hurts. Suffering hurts. Having troubles hurts. Knowing I've sinned hurts. Being sinned against hurts. There is a lot of hurt in this broken world. Life can often hurt. It is such a gift, then, to realize that God gives us the psalms to pray, sing, and meditate upon. In today's verses, we have the words we need to cry out to God. We get to admit that we are alone and bothered. We get to be honest about what is hurting us and causing us pain. We can share all that burdens us; we can call out when we feel troubled and are in need of forgiveness. We can say that we need help. It is amazing to realize that just as God gives us these words to pray and use, He also promises to hear us when we talk to Him. In fact, He longs to hear our hurts and cares. He loves us and desires for us to bring all that we carry to Him. In fact, He would not have us carry our sins and our burdens at all. He gives them to His Son, our Savior Jesus. And Jesus willingly carries them all to the cross, where He pays for them with His life. He defeats all that is broken by defeating death. He pays the price for our sin and reconciles us to the Father. We died and rose with Jesus and are now mercied, loved, and forgiven. We pray with confidence and hope. We are not alone. Every day, we live under the weight of sin. Luther's Small Catechism teaches us that our Old Adam must DAILY be drowned and die; we continue to struggle with sin and sadness. And yet, the grace that we have from our loving and merciful Heavenly Father is new every morning. We remember our Baptism and cling to the promises that we have in Jesus. We have an attentive, loving, and compassionate God. He hears our prayers and fulfills His promises. We go to the Divine Service and our hope is renewed; we hear our sins forgiven, we hear of the promises and works of God, we eat Jesus' Body and Blood. We are given good Gifts from our loving, Heavenly Father, who hears our prayers and promises to never leave us nor forsake us.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Sing praise to God, the highest good, The author of creation, The God of love who understood Our need for His salvation. With healing balm our souls He fills And ev're faithful murmur stills: To God all praise and glory! (LSB 819:1)Deac. Sarah Longmire, Curricula Curator for Higher Things and Director of Family Life at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee's Summit, MO.

June 17, 2026Today's Reading: John 16:17-33Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 17:1-28; Proverbs 18:1-20:4; John 16:17-33“For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” (John 16:27-28)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.How amazing are these words!?! Jesus is vouching FOR US! He is claiming us before our Heavenly Father. The Creator of the world. The Holy and Perfect God. The Author of Life. This is an amazing gift. God the Father loves YOU. YOU belong to Jesus. In your Baptism, you are covered with Jesus - holy, blameless, and perfect. When God the Father sees you, He sees His Son, our Savior Jesus, and loves. In Communion, you are given Jesus' Body and Blood for your salvation. You are a guest at God's Table and get to feast on His gifts! Jesus was at the creation of the world; Jesus is the Word. Jesus knew what the cost would be once sin entered into the world. Jesus knew He would have to leave His Father, take on flesh, live a blameless life, die a terrible death, and rise again. He knew this was the plan to save sinners from eternal death. And in these verses, as He talks with His disciples before His Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, Jesus is declaring that it is going to happen. He is declaring that you are loved. As we live in this sin-broken world, it can be hard to remember that we are loved. It seems as though all around us, everything is coming apart. We sin daily. We are daily sinned against. Something always hurts. Something always seems to go wrong. Our feelings lie to us. The world would have us focus on just today and wallow in despair. The devil would have us believe the lies that we aren't enough. But the Truth is not found in our feelings, the world, or in the lies of the devil. We are not without hope. In your moments of brokenness, remember your Baptism. Remember that you are not alone. You are covered by Christ and are seen by God the Father. You have the Holy Spirit, and in faith, you pray and cry out to a listening and faithful God. You are loved. Cling to the Truth, even if (and when) your feelings would want to declare something else. Be in God's Word; rejoice in the gift that is God's Law and Gospel for you. Remember that you have been claimed by Jesus, and God the Father rejoices that you are His. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Christ, the way that leads unfailing To the Father's house on high, Christ, the truth that frees the captive, Christ, the life that cannot die. Mediator to the Father, Sacrifice and great High Priest: Lead us to Your heav'nly mansions, There to share Your wedding feast. (LSB 540:5)Deac. Sarah Longmire, Curricula Curator for Higher Things and Director of Family Life at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee's Summit, MO.

Jesus Followers Are Sinners Who Have a Savior Because “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners . . .”; Is Jesus Your Savior Too? MESSAGE SUMMARY: We are all sinners, but we now have a Savior – Jesus. As Paul tells us, in 1 Timothy 1:15-16, that the Gospel provides Salvation for all followers of Jesus, including the worst of sinners -- Paul: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.". Also, Paul, in 1 Timothy 2:3b-6, further points out that God wants all of us to be saved by His Grace through Jesus if we only, as sinners like Paul, reach out to bring Jesus into our lives: “God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”. It is only because of Jesus the Christ that we receive the healing that we need. “I am a sinner who now has a Savior – do you”?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Abba Father, I open my clenched fists to surrender everything you have given to me. Reestablish my identity in you — not in my family, my work, my accomplishments, or what others think of me. Cleanse the things in me that are not conformed to your will. By faith I unite my will to yours so that the likeness of Jesus Christ may be formed in me. In his name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 85). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Loneliness. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Presence. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:15-17; 1 Timothy 2:3b-6; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Psalms 89a:1-13. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Are You Willing to Speak Up and Share, Publicly, Your Relationship with Jesus?”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

They never forgot their past. Moses never forgot how he killed a man in a fit of anger. Paul never forgot how he had savaged the Church of God. Matthew never forgot how, as a tax collector for the Roman Empire, he was considered a traitor to his people. But God forgot their past. He forgave all their sins and called them to proclaim his mercy. Christians are sinners whom God has mercifully called. Only mercy can explain why Jesus brings people to faith and promises them salvation. Only grace can explain how he calls them to serve as they are able, even in the ministry of the gospel. God loves sinners.Support the showMessages from the King is produced by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL.To find out more about King of Kings...Please visit VisitKoK.comLike us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/visitkok)Email us @ info@visitkok.comRemember your Savior Jesus loves you! May he bless you with his grace!

 We believe in the triune God. He is the only true God. The festival of the Holy Trinity is a time to celebrate God revealing himself to us as one God in three persons. The triune God wants his people to teach this mystery in its biblical truth and purity. This festival of the Holy Trinity begins the second half of the Church Year with a proclamation of people being baptized and blessed in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, the only true God.Support the showMessages from the King is produced by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL.To find out more about King of Kings...Please visit VisitKoK.comLike us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/visitkok)Email us @ info@visitkok.comRemember your Savior Jesus loves you! May he bless you with his grace!

Sometimes I find myself working to defend my own honor. Can you relate at all? Do you ever find yourself in situations where you find yourself compulsively needing to correct someone's impression of your behavior? Or defensively reacting to any perceived “slight” toward your honor? In today's episode, we'll take a few minutes to consider another way, and whether our loving Savior Jesus has an invitation for us. Listen in!Read Psalm 62:1-8Questions from today's episode:  In what ways am I inclined to “defend my own honor”? Do I actually believe that both my salvation and my honor can be entrusted to God? Is there an invitation for me here today? How will I respond?

When the disciples were distressed about Jesus ascending into heaven, he assured them, “It is for yourgood that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will sendhim to you” (John 16:7). That Advocate is the Holy Spirit. If Jesus had stayed in the grave, the Holy Spiritwould have had no reason to enter the lives of disciples.But Jesus lives, and it makes a difference. The Spirit provides faith and purpose for life. Pentecost, thecelebration of the special arrival of the Holy Spirit, is the third great festival of the Church, along withthe Nativity and the Resurrection. Pentecost closes the fifty-day period after Easter and ends the festivalhalf of the church year. The Church dresses in red on this day to commemorate the tongues of fire thatmarked the Spirit's gift as well as the blood of the martyrs.Support the showMessages from the King is produced by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL.To find out more about King of Kings...Please visit VisitKoK.comLike us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/visitkok)Email us @ info@visitkok.comRemember your Savior Jesus loves you! May he bless you with his grace!

Opening Prayer Jesus, thank you for the cross. Be honored as we remember you in your sacrifice for us now in communion. In Jesus’ name, amen. The Unfathomable Riches of Christ Each week at Grace Bible Church, we take the Lord’s Supper. We take the bread and the cup just as Jesus commanded us the night before he died. These are touchable, tastable, visible reminders of the reality of our Savior Jesus, who gave himself for us. We’re going to use the Bible. We’re going to use God’s Word to remember, to prep our hearts. For those who do have a Bible, open it to the passage that we just read. We’re going to look only at Ephesians 3:8. Paul begins. He says: “To me, the very least of all the saints, this grace was given.” This is Paul speaking. He was once a persecutor of the church, once a violent enemy of Christians, even approving of their deaths. That’s why he calls himself the least. And when Jesus confronted Paul on the road to Damascus, he didn’t merely say, “Why are you persecuting my people?” He said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Paul never got over that. He never got over the mercy. He never got over the wonder that Jesus would save him and then give him the grace of preaching the gospel. And we must never get over the fact that God extended his mercy to you and to me. It was never because we deserved it. We all were God’s enemies and would have been there cheering on, even committing the crucifixion of our Savior. And then look what Paul goes on to say in Ephesians 3:8. He says: “To me, the least of all the saints was given this grace, to proclaim the good news of the unfathomable riches of Christ to the Gentiles.” Paul says that he was proclaiming the good news. He was proclaiming the gospel of the unfathomable riches of Christ. I love that Paul describes the riches as unfathomable, unsearchable. We could say they’re inexhaustible. They’re without bottom. They’re beyond our ability to measure or comprehend. And that phrase, the good news that he was preaching, that’s what we mean when we say the gospel. We use that word a lot around here: the gospel. We say the good news as shorthand. What’s it shorthand for? Remember this verse for the rest of your life when you hear gospel and say, “Oh yeah, it’s the good news of unfathomable riches in Christ.” The gospel is not a bare minimum message that gets you forgiven and gets you out of hell, as wonderful as that is. The gospel, this good news, brings sinners saved by grace through faith into the immeasurable riches of Christ. We are richly provided for. If you have riches, you have all that you need. You have no lack. And if we think rightly, we actually know that in Christ, we have not only all that we need, but all that we would ever truly want. We will never exhaust these riches. We won’t reach the end of them. You know what? When we are in heaven for eternity, we will never be bored with Christ. Paul already said in Ephesians 2:7 that when God saved us, he saved us so that in the ages to come, he might show us what? The surpassing riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. This means that these riches do not run out, neither in this life nor in the life to come. God’s going to spend the coming ages showing us the surpassing riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Think of it. In a thousand years, that’s a long time. In a thousand years, they’re no closer to being exhausted. In a million years, we’re just getting started. In a hundred million billion years, still enjoying and not yet getting to the bottom of these riches. What Is Ours in Christ So listen to what’s ours in him in the book of Ephesians. I just did a survey of the book to start getting help to shepherd my heart, so I’ll shepherd your heart. What are these riches? This is just in one book, and most of what I share is from Ephesians. I’m just going to start rattling it off. Just sit back and receive. If you’ve read the book of Ephesians, you’re going to know some of this. But I just want you to be overwhelmed with these unfathomable riches: that before the foundation of the world, the Father chose us in Christ, predestined us for adoption, lavished his grace on us in the Beloved, and blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In Christ, we have redemption through his blood, forgiveness of trespasses, justification by his blood, peace with God, no condemnation, the very righteousness of God counted to us. Once we were dead, far off, strangers, aliens, enemies. Now we’re alive with Christ, brought near by his blood, fellow citizens, members of the household of God, beloved children, fellow heirs, members of one body, partakers of the promise. These are not just theological truths, Christian. These are yours in Christ if you’ve been saved by grace. Christ himself is our peace. He’s broken down the dividing wall, made one new man of Jew and Gentile, and reconciled us to God through the cross. Through him, we have access to the Father in one Spirit. We are sealed by the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance, and Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. We have resurrection power at work in us. We are seated with Christ in the heavenly places. We have him as head over all things for the church, exalted over every rule, authority, power, and dominion. We are his workmanship, being built into a spiritual dwelling for God by the Spirit, strengthened through the Spirit in the inner man, rooted and grounded in love, knowing the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, and being built up into the fullness of God. We are being grown up into Christ, nourished, cherished by Christ, sanctified, cleansed by his word, prepared as his bride without spot or wrinkle. Elsewhere, God’s Word says we have a future. We have a resurrection, glorification, an inheritance kept for us, the promise of being forever with the Lord, beholding his face. This is the gospel. In Christ We Get God But here’s what we must not miss. These riches are not detached from Christ. They are not a pile of gifts handed to us while Christ stands off at a distance. The blessings are in Christ, and the blessings of Christ include not only what he gives us, all of those riches, but best of all, we get God himself. This is what Paul means when he says in Philippians, “I count all things loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.” In Christ we get Christ. In Christ we get God. The greatest treasure of the gospel, the greatest riches, is that through Christ, God himself is provided to the believer. We have bold access to the Father, it says right here in this context, through one Spirit. Unfathomable, immeasurable, unsearchable. What kindness provided by Jesus. Every blessing I just named and more, every spiritual treasure, every eternal riches, all of them came through one great exchange. The Great Exchange Listen to 2 Corinthians 5:21, and this is what I want us to have in mind as we take the bread and juice: “God made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” He took what’s ours, we get what’s his. Right? He took our sin, we get his righteousness. He took our death, we get his life. He took our curse, we get blessing. He took our poverty, we get the unfathomable riches in Christ. At the cross, the Son bore the judgment and God-forsakenness that our sin deserved. Think of him. Just hours after he gave us this bread and juice to remember, he hung there and cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” So that all who are in him would never be forsaken, but be united to Christ, have full access to the Father. Bold access. The bread and the cup are reminders for us of this good news, this good news that Jesus did all that was necessary to get us these blessings. It’s done. Paid in full. No more debt I owe. Thank you, Jesus. Invitation to the Table So, believer, before you take the bread, examine yourself. Think: where have you been treasuring lesser things in view of these surpassing riches? In the light of the glory of the gospel in the face of Jesus Christ, these lesser things that we get distracted by, money, success, power, things that you might be willing to turn to instead of Christ, they become seen for what they are. If you’ve fallen for those things, been distracted by them, confess that. Turn now. Take the bread and juice. But if you’re not a believer, if you haven’t turned from yourself to Christ in repentance and faith, let the bread and juice pass when it comes to you. We’re glad you’re here, but this is for those who are Jesus’. But hear me. Christ himself and all the riches that are in the gospel, they’re offered freely to you, received only through Jesus by faith. This exchange, sin for righteousness, death for life, poverty for riches, it’s for any who will come. So talk to me after the service or anyone around you. Come up to the front after; there are people who will pray with you. But please don’t leave here today still separated from Christ and the riches he offers you in the gospel, separated from him. Receive it. Believe. Trust in him. But if you won’t, let the bread and juice pass. Men, please serve us. Believer, take, eat, take, drink. Remember the body given, the blood shed. Remember the great exchange and the unfathomable riches of Christ proclaimed in the gospel, purchased by Christ’s body and blood. And know that you and I will not tire in all of eternity. We will never get tired of receiving, enjoying, searching out the unfathomable riches that are ours in Christ. Take the bread and juice as you’re prepared. The post Communion Meditation: May 24 2026 appeared first on Grace Bible Church.

Without the resurrection of Jesus, my uncertainty can easily lead to anxiety. I am waiting for everything to turn out, and not knowing what will happen is much harder if I think I cannot rely on anyone. It's been a long time since Jesus ascended into heaven. Sometimes I suffer. Has he forgotten about me? He lives, and it makes a difference. I know how my life will turn out, and that certainty about the future helps with life's present difficulties. While I wait in the time between Christ's ascension and his return on judgment day, I know that God will work everything out for my good.Support the showMessages from the King is produced by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL.To find out more about King of Kings...Please visit VisitKoK.comLike us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/visitkok)Email us @ info@visitkok.comRemember your Savior Jesus loves you! May he bless you with his grace!

Without the resurrection of Jesus, I would be tempted to live only for myself. After all, I have to be in good shape before I can be of help to anyone else, right? I think I know what's right for me, and I can identify when other people are standing in the way of my self-improvement. If Jesus is dead, I don't have to worry about what he said or what he thinks. But he lives, and it makes a difference. He takes care of my basic needs. He promises to do more for me than I can imagine. He puts people into my life so I can help them. Now I live for him.Support the showMessages from the King is produced by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL.To find out more about King of Kings...Please visit VisitKoK.comLike us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/visitkok)Email us @ info@visitkok.comRemember your Savior Jesus loves you! May he bless you with his grace!

Opening Prayer Jesus, thank you for the cross. Be honored as we remember you in your sacrifice for us now in communion. In Jesus’ name, amen. The Unfathomable Riches of Christ Each week at Grace Bible Church, we take the Lord’s Supper. We take the bread and the cup just as Jesus commanded us the night before he died. These are touchable, tastable, visible reminders of the reality of our Savior Jesus, who gave himself for us. We’re going to use the Bible. We’re going to use God’s Word to remember, to prep our hearts. For those who do have a Bible, open it to the passage that we just read. We’re going to look only at Ephesians 3:8. Paul begins. He says: “To me, the very least of all the saints, this grace was given.” This is Paul speaking. He was once a persecutor of the church, once a violent enemy of Christians, even approving of their deaths. That’s why he calls himself the least. And when Jesus confronted Paul on the road to Damascus, he didn’t merely say, “Why are you persecuting my people?” He said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Paul never got over that. He never got over the mercy. He never got over the wonder that Jesus would save him and then give him the grace of preaching the gospel. And we must never get over the fact that God extended his mercy to you and to me. It was never because we deserved it. We all were God’s enemies and would have been there cheering on, even committing the crucifixion of our Savior. And then look what Paul goes on to say in Ephesians 3:8. He says: “To me, the least of all the saints was given this grace, to proclaim the good news of the unfathomable riches of Christ to the Gentiles.” Paul says that he was proclaiming the good news. He was proclaiming the gospel of the unfathomable riches of Christ. I love that Paul describes the riches as unfathomable, unsearchable. We could say they’re inexhaustible. They’re without bottom. They’re beyond our ability to measure or comprehend. And that phrase, the good news that he was preaching, that’s what we mean when we say the gospel. We use that word a lot around here: the gospel. We say the good news as shorthand. What’s it shorthand for? Remember this verse for the rest of your life when you hear gospel and say, “Oh yeah, it’s the good news of unfathomable riches in Christ.” The gospel is not a bare minimum message that gets you forgiven and gets you out of hell, as wonderful as that is. The gospel, this good news, brings sinners saved by grace through faith into the immeasurable riches of Christ. We are richly provided for. If you have riches, you have all that you need. You have no lack. And if we think rightly, we actually know that in Christ, we have not only all that we need, but all that we would ever truly want. We will never exhaust these riches. We won’t reach the end of them. You know what? When we are in heaven for eternity, we will never be bored with Christ. Paul already said in Ephesians 2:7 that when God saved us, he saved us so that in the ages to come, he might show us what? The surpassing riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. This means that these riches do not run out, neither in this life nor in the life to come. God’s going to spend the coming ages showing us the surpassing riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Think of it. In a thousand years, that’s a long time. In a thousand years, they’re no closer to being exhausted. In a million years, we’re just getting started. In a hundred million billion years, still enjoying and not yet getting to the bottom of these riches. What Is Ours in Christ So listen to what’s ours in him in the book of Ephesians. I just did a survey of the book to start getting help to shepherd my heart, so I’ll shepherd your heart. What are these riches? This is just in one book, and most of what I share is from Ephesians. I’m just going to start rattling it off. Just sit back and receive. If you’ve read the book of Ephesians, you’re going to know some of this. But I just want you to be overwhelmed with these unfathomable riches: that before the foundation of the world, the Father chose us in Christ, predestined us for adoption, lavished his grace on us in the Beloved, and blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In Christ, we have redemption through his blood, forgiveness of trespasses, justification by his blood, peace with God, no condemnation, the very righteousness of God counted to us. Once we were dead, far off, strangers, aliens, enemies. Now we’re alive with Christ, brought near by his blood, fellow citizens, members of the household of God, beloved children, fellow heirs, members of one body, partakers of the promise. These are not just theological truths, Christian. These are yours in Christ if you’ve been saved by grace. Christ himself is our peace. He’s broken down the dividing wall, made one new man of Jew and Gentile, and reconciled us to God through the cross. Through him, we have access to the Father in one Spirit. We are sealed by the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance, and Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. We have resurrection power at work in us. We are seated with Christ in the heavenly places. We have him as head over all things for the church, exalted over every rule, authority, power, and dominion. We are his workmanship, being built into a spiritual dwelling for God by the Spirit, strengthened through the Spirit in the inner man, rooted and grounded in love, knowing the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, and being built up into the fullness of God. We are being grown up into Christ, nourished, cherished by Christ, sanctified, cleansed by his word, prepared as his bride without spot or wrinkle. Elsewhere, God’s Word says we have a future. We have a resurrection, glorification, an inheritance kept for us, the promise of being forever with the Lord, beholding his face. This is the gospel. In Christ We Get God But here’s what we must not miss. These riches are not detached from Christ. They are not a pile of gifts handed to us while Christ stands off at a distance. The blessings are in Christ, and the blessings of Christ include not only what he gives us, all of those riches, but best of all, we get God himself. This is what Paul means when he says in Philippians, “I count all things loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.” In Christ we get Christ. In Christ we get God. The greatest treasure of the gospel, the greatest riches, is that through Christ, God himself is provided to the believer. We have bold access to the Father, it says right here in this context, through one Spirit. Unfathomable, immeasurable, unsearchable. What kindness provided by Jesus. Every blessing I just named and more, every spiritual treasure, every eternal riches, all of them came through one great exchange. The Great Exchange Listen to 2 Corinthians 5:21, and this is what I want us to have in mind as we take the bread and juice: “God made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” He took what’s ours, we get what’s his. Right? He took our sin, we get his righteousness. He took our death, we get his life. He took our curse, we get blessing. He took our poverty, we get the unfathomable riches in Christ. At the cross, the Son bore the judgment and God-forsakenness that our sin deserved. Think of him. Just hours after he gave us this bread and juice to remember, he hung there and cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” So that all who are in him would never be forsaken, but be united to Christ, have full access to the Father. Bold access. The bread and the cup are reminders for us of this good news, this good news that Jesus did all that was necessary to get us these blessings. It’s done. Paid in full. No more debt I owe. Thank you, Jesus. Invitation to the Table So, believer, before you take the bread, examine yourself. Think: where have you been treasuring lesser things in view of these surpassing riches? In the light of the glory of the gospel in the face of Jesus Christ, these lesser things that we get distracted by, money, success, power, things that you might be willing to turn to instead of Christ, they become seen for what they are. If you’ve fallen for those things, been distracted by them, confess that. Turn now. Take the bread and juice. But if you’re not a believer, if you haven’t turned from yourself to Christ in repentance and faith, let the bread and juice pass when it comes to you. We’re glad you’re here, but this is for those who are Jesus’. But hear me. Christ himself and all the riches that are in the gospel, they’re offered freely to you, received only through Jesus by faith. This exchange, sin for righteousness, death for life, poverty for riches, it’s for any who will come. So talk to me after the service or anyone around you. Come up to the front after; there are people who will pray with you. But please don’t leave here today still separated from Christ and the riches he offers you in the gospel, separated from him. Receive it. Believe. Trust in him. But if you won’t, let the bread and juice pass. Men, please serve us. Believer, take, eat, take, drink. Remember the body given, the blood shed. Remember the great exchange and the unfathomable riches of Christ proclaimed in the gospel, purchased by Christ’s body and blood. And know that you and I will not tire in all of eternity. We will never get tired of receiving, enjoying, searching out the unfathomable riches that are ours in Christ. Take the bread and juice as you’re prepared. The post Communion Meditation: May 10 2026 appeared first on Grace Bible Church.

Without the resurrection of Jesus, I would have to wonder if he wasn't just a human being. If my last view of him is a criminal crucified on a cross, he would look like someone to be rejected. He couldn't even help himself, much less anyone else! But he lives, and it makes a difference. He is the only way to heaven. This gospel message is the most inclusive message in the world. The benefits of the resurrection of Jesus are meant for every man, woman, and child who has ever lived.Support the showMessages from the King is produced by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL.To find out more about King of Kings...Please visit VisitKoK.comLike us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/visitkok)Email us @ info@visitkok.comRemember your Savior Jesus loves you! May he bless you with his grace!

Series: Matthew for TodayPastor Brian KetterMay 3, 2026

Join us for worship and praise of our Savior Jesus! Today's message is, "We believe in the resurrection, Part 2"

Join us for worship and praise of our Savior Jesus! Today's message is, "We believe in the resurrection, Part 2"

Join us for worship and praise of our Savior Jesus! Today's message is, "We believe in the resurrection, Part 2"

Join us for worship and praise of our Savior Jesus!

Join us for worship and praise of our Savior Jesus!

Without the resurrection of Jesus, I would have to choose my own direction in life. I would be terrible at it, because, like a sheep, I can generally see only what's in front of me at the moment, and I get myself into trouble. It is especially difficult for me to look far into my future as planned by Jesus. If he had not risen from the dead, I would be on my own. But he lives, and it makes a difference. I have the reliable direction of the Good Shepherd. He feeds us with his Word. He protects us from the roaring lion, Satan. He is leading us into the green pastures of eternal life. For centuries, the Church has observed this Fourth Sunday of Easter to celebrate that Jesus lives to be our Good Shepherd.Support the showMessages from the King is produced by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL.To find out more about King of Kings...Please visit VisitKoK.comLike us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/visitkok)Email us @ info@visitkok.comRemember your Savior Jesus loves you! May he bless you with his grace!

Join us for worship and praise of our Savior Jesus!

April 23, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: Creed Second ArticleDaily Lectionary: Exodus 38:21-39:8, 22-23, 27-31; Luke 8:1-21“Jesus Is My Lord!” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Creed faithfully gives the biblical facts. All the historical events of Jesus' life, from “conceived by the Holy Spirit,” to “from thence he will come to judge the living and the dead,” come straight from the Bible. When you confess that Jesus is the Father's only Son and your Lord, what do you mean? It means that Jesus is true God and true man in one person. How do you know that? Because He is begotten of the Father from eternity (true God) and born of the Virgin Mary (true man). Jesus is the God-man. The eternal Word made flesh: Immanuel, God with us. Unlike us, Jesus is a human conceived without sin and who never sinned (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21).  And the God-man Jesus, the Father's only begotten Son, is your Lord! What does that mean? It means that Jesus redeemed you, a lost and condemned person (Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18). Lord Jesus is Savior Jesus. Lord Jesus redeems. From the Second Article, “we get to know,” as the Large Catechism teaches, “how he [Jesus] has given himself completely to us, withholding nothing.” This is salvationally huge! Christianity is all about Jesus giving Himself, His life, and His heart to you in order to save you!  This is what it means that Jesus is your Lord. As Lord, He has purchased and won you from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil. When you say “Jesus is my Lord,” you are saying, “Jesus is my REDEEMER.” He brought me back from the devil to His Father, from death to life, and from sin to righteousness.  But how did Jesus do this for you? By making a payment with silver or gold? No! He did it with His holy, precious blood and with His Good Friday innocent suffering and death (1 Peter 1:18-19; 2:21; 3:18; Hebrews 9:26). He is Lord over your sin. His Good Friday death made satisfaction for all your sin. He paid what you owed. And when He rose on Easter Sunday, He defeated death, devoured death— put death to death. This is what it means that He is your Lord! He is Lord FOR YOU and for your salvation! You belong to Lord Jesus. You trust in Him for your salvation, and as you receive the salutary benefits that He won for you in His death through His Word and Sacrament, you “live under Him in His kingdom.” He lords His forgiveness over you so that you live by faith in His “everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness” and so that you too will be raised bodily on the Last Day. Lord Jesus is the first fruits of those that sleep (1 Corinthians 15:20). What a Lord! What a Redeemer!  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Lord Jesus, thank you for giving yourself completely to me to be my Redeemer. 

Without the resurrection of Jesus, I would have little hope for the future. That's how the disciples felt after this death. “We hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:19). Their hope for a better life had died along with Jesus. But he lives, and it makes a difference. My hope for the future is restored. I have victory over the feeling of hopelessness, because the one who heals me and gives me a better life is himself alive. He lives to restore my hope.Support the showMessages from the King is produced by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL.To find out more about King of Kings...Please visit VisitKoK.comLike us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/visitkok)Email us @ info@visitkok.comRemember your Savior Jesus loves you! May he bless you with his grace!

Join us for worship and praise of our Savior Jesus!

Join us for worship and praise of our Savior Jesus!

Today's Reading: Introit for Easter 2 - Psalm 81:1, 7a, 10, 16b; antiphon: 1 Peter 2:2aDaily Lectionary: Exodus 19:1-25; Hebrews 13:1-21“I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (Psalm 81:10)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.“Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.” For Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Asaph was a Levite, a member of David's court. The words of this psalm open to us the scriptures, giving us certainty of who God is, what He has done, and continues to do for His people. The people of Israel are described as stubborn, as those who do not listen or submit to God. Yet God conquers their enemies, delivers them from the land of Egypt. Despite their unfaithfulness and constant idolatry, God continues to care and deliver them. The same is true for us. We have seen all that God has done for us, and yet we still sin much and deserve nothing but God's wrath and punishment. We cannot, by our own reason or strength, believe in Jesus Christ as our God and Lord, or even come to Him. So God becomes the doer, the rescuer, the redeemer of us His people.  God comes down, that ancient Word that gave life to all flesh, puts on human flesh. The Word made flesh comes down, begotten of His Father, born of woman, to subdue our enemies of sin, death, and the devil. He does this not with gold or silver, but with His holy and precious blood by His innocent suffering and death. What is left for us to do then? Die. That's all we can do. God sees our stubbornness, our stopped-up ears, our sin and brokenness, and He overcomes them. His holy Law adjusts our stiff necks, and opens our ears, it kills our sinfulness, our very broken bodies, and kills all free will and go-getter attitude we might bring to the table. All we can do in history towards God is die. That's exactly what God does. He comes, and He dies to the Law in our place, bearing our sin that He might raise us the dead up and declare us His holy people. There's nothing we contribute. We die to sin, and are raised to new life. This is a daily reality we live in, that we would remember the God who brought His people out of Egypt, who fed them, and delivered them. God does the same for us. He does the redeeming, the saving, the life-giving, the absolving. We die to sin in our baptisms daily, and emerge in the daily resurrection to receive our daily bread. That we might receive the bread of life to fill us with the life that we will know fully on the Last Day. We are stubborn and unworthy, so we do all we can do is die. Yet united to our Lord and Savior Jesus, who came down, bore the cross, and rose again. We too shall rise.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Help us to serve you evermore with hearts both pure and lowly; and may your Word, that light divine, shine on in splendor holy that we repentance show, in faith ever grow; the pow'r of sin destroy and evils that annoy. O make us faithful Christians. (LSB 647:3)

Over the next several episodes, the plan is to linger in several verses from Psalm 62, allowing the comfort of this Psalm to find its way deep into our souls. Today we'll focus in on verse 1. At any given point in time, any number of things in our lives can leave us in need of the kind of rest that only God can provide. As we spend just a few minutes together in this episode, we'll take time to consider what might be going on in our own lives right now that points to that need, and then we'll use our time of purposeful quiet to seek out that rest! Let's get started!Read Psalm 62:1-8 Questions from today's episode: Is there anything that your soul needs to find rest from today? As you sit with your Savior Jesus, perhaps quietly repeating this prayer, “as you will, and as you know, Lord, have mercy,” what is His Spirit saying to your spirit? Is there an invitation he is extending to you today? How will you respond?Podcast music written and recorded by Caleb Lieurance

For more information about this group, please visit their website at reformationboise.com. Every weekday at 3:30 am and 7:30 am you can listen to The Gospel for Life on KSPD 94.5 FM and 790 AM Boise's Solid Talk in the Treasure Valley,  Idaho, USA.If you have a question, comment, or even a topic suggestion for the Pastors, you can email them.  Phone: (208) 991-3526E-mail: thegospelforlifeidaho@gmail.comPodcast website:  https://www.790kspd.com/gospel-for-life/to donate on line https://www.reformationboise.com/donate

The hard work of our Savior Jesus. For more on reading through the Bible, click here to visit my website. Have any questions or comments? Email me: pastor@tcnd.org. Produced by Wessler Media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Grand Inquisitor looks at Jesus and says: I know exactly who you are. And we are going to have to kill you anyway. Not because he is confused. Not because he lacks evidence. Because he understands Jesus perfectly — and finds him unmanageable. This Lent, we are confronted with a question. Do we actually want the kind of Savior Jesus is? Matthew 4:1-11

Send us a textIn this 'EPISODE 451 IRAN AND ITS PROXIES, ARE WE EDGING CLOSE TO WORLD WAR THREE? WHAT DID JESUS SAY? MATTHEW 24 AND ISAIAH 24? ARE YOU READY?' author and host Elbert Hardy explains from God's prophetic word, both Old and New Testaments, where we are in prophecy today. We indeed are getting closer by the day. Things are heating up in the Middle East. May God intervene and take charge!Support the showGo to itellwhy.com to read Elbert's books free of charge, no Ads and no requests for money or Email addresses. You can watch faith building YouTube Links to Videos and the listen to Elbert's Life of Christ Audio Book in 30 minute Episodes arranged and read by the author straight from the Bible, but rearranged in logical harmony of the Gospels, Revelation and other scriptures. All FREE of charge in the public interest.

When the ever-virgin Mary's forty days of purification were passed, according to the Law of Moses she took her son Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, to dedicate him to God as her first-born son. At the temple the Lord's parents offered the sacrifice of a pair of doves (Luke 2:22-23), from which we learn that they were poor, since those who were able were required to offer a lamb. At the Temple, the Lord was met by Zacharias, father of St John the Baptist, and by the aged, righteous Symeon, who had awaited the salvation of God for many years. (Sts Symeon and Anna are commemorated tomorrow.) We are told that some Pharisees, seeing the child Jesus recognized as the Messiah of Israel, were enraged, and went to tell King Herod. Realizing that this must be the child of whom he had been warned, Herod immediately sent soldiers to kill Him. But the righteous Joseph, warned in dream, fled with the child and his wife, the most holy Theotokos, into Egypt, and they were preserved.   The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord was observed in Jerusalem at least from the fourth century. Its observance was brought to Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian in 542. In the West it is called the Feast of the Purification of the Mother of God, or Candlemas Day.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260119dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 Jesus Is the Lamb of God John the Baptist was appointed by God to point people to their Savior Jesus. When John saw Jesus coming toward where he was baptizing in the Jordan River, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” But in what way was Jesus a lamb? For nearly fifteen hundred years before this, Jewish believers had been commemorating the Passover Festival with a special meal featuring the meat of a lamb. In this way, they never forgot how God rescued them from slavery in a foreign land. While the angel of death had passed from house to house throughout Egypt, he passed over the homes of all who trusted God’s promise by painting their door frames with the blood of a lamb. Years later, the prophet Isaiah compared the coming Messiah to a lamb who quietly and without complaint allowed himself to be a sacrifice for others. He wrote, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). These and many other prophecies from the Old Testament help us understand why John later called Jesus “the Lamb of God.” He was sent to be our substitute, sacrificed in our place. As innocent as a young lamb looks, Jesus was even more pure at heart. The Passover lambs did not complain as they were led to be killed, partly because they did not understand what would happen to them and could not have done anything to protect themselves, even if they had known. But Jesus knew very well how he would suffer and die—and he had all the power of the Son of God to prevent it, yet he quietly and humbly accepted all of it. As the innocent Lamb of God, he came to stand between us and the punishment we deserved. Because of Jesus' sacrifice in our place, nothing stands between us and peace with God. Prayer: Jesus, Lamb of God, you came to take away the sins of the world. Have mercy on me. You willingly came to be my substitute, and with your death you became my Savior. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260119dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 Jesus Is the Lamb of God John the Baptist was appointed by God to point people to their Savior Jesus. When John saw Jesus coming toward where he was baptizing in the Jordan River, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” But in what way was Jesus a lamb? For nearly fifteen hundred years before this, Jewish believers had been commemorating the Passover Festival with a special meal featuring the meat of a lamb. In this way, they never forgot how God rescued them from slavery in a foreign land. While the angel of death had passed from house to house throughout Egypt, he passed over the homes of all who trusted God’s promise by painting their door frames with the blood of a lamb. Years later, the prophet Isaiah compared the coming Messiah to a lamb who quietly and without complaint allowed himself to be a sacrifice for others. He wrote, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). These and many other prophecies from the Old Testament help us understand why John later called Jesus “the Lamb of God.” He was sent to be our substitute, sacrificed in our place. As innocent as a young lamb looks, Jesus was even more pure at heart. The Passover lambs did not complain as they were led to be killed, partly because they did not understand what would happen to them and could not have done anything to protect themselves, even if they had known. But Jesus knew very well how he would suffer and die—and he had all the power of the Son of God to prevent it, yet he quietly and humbly accepted all of it. As the innocent Lamb of God, he came to stand between us and the punishment we deserved. Because of Jesus' sacrifice in our place, nothing stands between us and peace with God. Prayer: Jesus, Lamb of God, you came to take away the sins of the world. Have mercy on me. You willingly came to be my substitute, and with your death you became my Savior. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

'About the beginning of our Lord's thirtieth year, John the Forerunner, who was some six months older than our Saviour according to the flesh, and had lived in the wilderness since his childhood, received a command from God and came into the parts of the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. Then our Saviour also came from Galilee to the Jordan, and sought and received baptism though He was the Master and John was but a servant. Whereupon, there came to pass those marvellous deeds, great and beyond nature: the Heavens were opened, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Him that was being baptized, and the voice was heard from the Heavens bearing witness that this was the beloved Son of God, now baptized as a man (Matt. 3:13 17; Mark 1:9 11; Luke 3:1 22). From these events the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Chist and the great mystery of the Trinity were demonstrated. It is also from this that the present feast is called "Theophany," that is, the divine manifestation, God's appearance among men. On this venerable day the sacred mystery of Christian baptism was inaugurated; henceforth also began the saving preaching of the Kingdom of Heaven.' (Great Horologion)

Jesus Followers Are Sinners Who Have a Savior Because “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners . . .”; Is Jesus Your Savior Too? MESSAGE SUMMARY: We are all sinners, but we now have a Savior – Jesus. As Paul tells us, in 1 Timothy 1:15-16, that the Gospel provides Salvation for all followers of Jesus, including the worst of sinners -- Paul: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.". Also, Paul, in 1 Timothy 2:3b-6, further points out that God wants all of us to be saved by His Grace through Jesus if we only, as sinners like Paul, reach out to bring Jesus into our lives: “God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”. It is only because of Jesus the Christ that we receive the healing that we need. “I am a sinner who now has a Savior – do you”?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Abba Father, I open my clenched fists to surrender everything you have given to me. Reestablish my identity in you — not in my family, my work, my accomplishments, or what others think of me. Cleanse the things in me that are not conformed to your will. By faith I unite my will to yours so that the likeness of Jesus Christ may be formed in me. In his name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 85). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Anger. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Forgiveness. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:15-17; 1 Timothy 2:3b-6; 2 Timothy 1:8-12; Psalms 89a:1-13 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “The Struggle with Time -- Until I Determine How We Want to Use Our Time, Others Will Determine How Our Time Is Used ”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

What does the name “Savior” tell us about Jesus? Coach Jonathan looks at the powerful meaning of this name and how it impacts your day-to-day life! As a thank you for this month's donation......we'll send you the newest release from author and theologian Dr. Harold Berry on Revelation: Daily Scriptures to Receive, Reflect, and RespondFor Christians who want to go deeper in their understanding of the book of Revelation.Yours with a gift of any amount.Thank you for supporting the mission of Christ.

No one writes about our Savior Jesus better than Isaiah. This week's special Christmas episode looks at Isaiah 52. Our guest is Martin Luther College professor Keith Wessel. 

Discover how God chose an ordinary carpenter named Joseph to play a key role in the greatest story ever told. This powerful Christmas sermon explores Joseph's obedience, mercy, and faith—and reminds us that God still uses ordinary people like you today.In this inspiring message, we dive into:-Joseph's righteous and merciful response to Mary's pregnancy-How Caesar Augustus unknowingly fulfilled prophecy-Why every one of us needs a Savior (Jesus saves!)-The simple, childlike trust that leads to new birthPerfect for anyone feeling insignificant this Christmas. God has a plan for YOU.Timestamps:– Intro: God Uses Ordinary People– The Christmas Story's Nobodies– Joseph: Righteous & Merciful– Joseph Needs a Savior Too– Joseph Submits to God's Plan– The Miracle of New Birth

Born - Part 4:  Born of Women Matthew’s genealogy features an unlikely cast of characters. He includes multiple women—like Tamar, Rahab and Ruth—which was uncustomary for the day. His inclusion of them reveals something about the heart of God and the type of Savior Jesus is. It reveals God’s heart for the outsider, the oppressed and the forgotten and his heart to redeem them. This week, we’ll consider how these truths about his character should transform how we understand him and how we treat others.

Welcome back to the podcast! Join us today as we start a new Christmas series!--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now --The Christmas Family Tree: The Part We Usually SkipMost people love Luke 2 at Christmas—the angels, the shepherds, the manger scene. But few of us slow down for Matthew 1, the chapter that looks like the “skip intro” button of the New Testament. Genealogies feel like the part you breeze through on your Bible-in-a-year plan. Yet Matthew opens the story of Jesus with a family tree on purpose—not to bore us, but to prepare us for what Christmas is really about.Matthew organizes Jesus' genealogy into three sets of fourteen generations (Matthew 1:1–17). It's not intended to be exhaustive; it's designed to make a theological point. Jesus is the promised Son of David, the fulfillment of God's long-awaited plan. But Matthew also includes something shocking for ancient readers: five women—and three of them appear in the very first section of the genealogy.In the first century, writers didn't include women in genealogies, and certainly not women with complicated, painful, or morally messy backstories. But Matthew breaks the rules to highlight a truth at the heart of Christmas: God invites outsiders, sinners, strugglers, and the unexpected into His family. These women tell us what kind of Savior Jesus really is—and what kind of grace He brings.TAMAR — The God Who Sees the Hidden StoryMatthew 1:3 (NLT): “Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).”Tamar's story in Genesis 38 is one of the most uncomfortable chapters in the Bible. She marries into Judah's family, but tragedy and injustice quickly follow. Her first husband dies. The second refuses to fulfill his duty to give her a child. Judah promises his youngest son to her “later,” but he never intends to keep his word.Tamar is left childless, powerless, and trapped in a culture where bearing children was the only path to honor, security, and a future. Judah fails her completely, and out of desperation she takes matters into her own hands—posing as a prostitute to confront Judah's neglect. When Judah discovers what happened, he responds with a shocking confession:Genesis 38:26 (NLT): “She is more righteous than I am.”This isn't a story celebrating deception—it's a story exposing Judah's injustice. Tamar is the wronged one, and yet God sees her, steps into her story, and brings redemption through the birth of Perez—a direct ancestor of Jesus.The lesson of Tamar:God steps into the stories we try to hide.He doesn't turn away from the messy parts of our past—He redeems them. Tamar reminds us that God moves toward the abandoned and overlooked with purpose and...

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. . . . — Luke 1:67 Opening gifts is a big part of our family's Christmas celebration. Each year, our kids are excited to see what they'll receive. But one important part of all this is learning about gratitude. So when they receive a gift, our kids have learned to say, “Thank you!”In response to the birth of John and filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah offered praise and thanks to God. He recalled how God had fulfilled his promises to deliver his people. God had graciously invited his wayward people to love and serve him, and through those people God was bringing forth a Savior (“Jesus”), the promised Messiah (“Christ”), who would bring salvation, forgiveness, and peace.Zechariah and Elizabeth's son, John, would play a unique role in preparing people for the coming of Jesus—and this Savior, Jesus, who is also the Son of God, is the greatest gift we receive at Christmas.When we see this gift, what do we say? Do we too respond with gratitude for God's deliverance and his invitation to serve him? Do we encourage our neighbors and families to see their role in God's plan?May the gifts you give and receive this season remind you of the greatest gift of God's presence in Jesus Christ. And may we all give thanks and grateful obedience in response. Thank you, gracious Father! You have given us so many gifts. And, what's more, your Son has come to bring us forgiveness and eternal life. We give ourselves to you in response. Amen.

How can faith and traditions help us get through grieving during the holiday season?  Today, host Tina Yeager is joined by filmmaker and creative minister Angel Wynn to address navigating grief during the holiday season. Inspired by her own family's struggle after her mother's stroke, Angel Wynn shares the heart behind her new short film, "Last Christmas," which explores the healing power of faith, community, and shared memories. Together, they discuss the pressure to feel joyful during the holidays, the importance of reaching out for support—especially in an increasingly isolated world—and how to offer comfort to those who are hurting. Angel Wynn reveals practical ways to honor lost loved ones, build meaningful traditions, and find hope in the true meaning of Christmas. Whether you're personally grieving or want to support someone who is, this episode offers encouragement, empathy, and actionable advice for finding light even in the darkest seasons. Here's what you'll find in this week's episode: Faith, Community, and Healing: Angel Wynn opens up about how prayer, having a supportive community, and reaching out—even when it's difficult—can make all the difference in moving through grief (not just during the holidays, but all year long!). How Creative Storytelling Brings Light: Discover how sharing stories, both in film and in life, helps us process grief and makes space for hope. Angel Wynn's approach as a creative minister is to let God's light shine through every story she tells, reaching people in ways sermons sometimes cannot. Practical Ways to Support Yourself and Others: Whether you're the one grieving or you know someone who is, both Tina Yeager and Angel Wynn share practical tips—like recreating cherished traditions or simply creating safe spaces for conversation and prayer. Access to "Last Christmas": Ready for an uplifting film that will move your heart without weighing you down? Angel Wynn's "Last Christmas" is streaming FREE on YouTube via Halo Pictures. It's a perfect watch for life groups, with family, or on your own. Join the Movement: Follow Angel Wynn and Halo Pictures for updates on their inspiring projects—or support their work and help more stories that carry the light reach those who need it most. Takeaway Quote: As Angel Wynn shares, "The real meaning of Christmas for me is the good news of Jesus Christ. … Christmas is a place of hope, to know that everything that you're suffering through is not going to last long because our Savior Jesus was here."

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251210dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Matthew 3:4-6 Confess Do you ever wrestle with regret? I’m not talking about how you may regret not buying that stock when it was at $20 per share or eating at that sketchy restaurant and getting food poisoning. I’m talking about the regret of the decisions that have left you with shame. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? There was that time when you took things too far. There was that time when, so enraged, you said or did something you can’t take back. Or maybe there is that constant guilt that you carry around because you know your life choices aren’t the right ones, and you’ve been acting on that urge or behavior, even though you know it is wrong. You know that it is toxic for you and/or your relationships with others, and you’ve gone back to it more times than you can count. The people who came to see John preaching at the Jordan River were just like you and me. They wrestled with guilt. They knew shame. And, tragically, when they went to their religious leaders, they were told, ‘Stop doing that! Be better!’ However, John said something else. When they talked with John, they unburdened themselves of that weight of regret and shame. They confessed to their sins that had weighed them down and left them feeling lost. And do you know what John told them? He assured them of their forgiveness! Whatever guilt or shame has brought regret into your life, confess it. Open your heart to God and confess that sin. Because when we do that, God promises that he has forgiven us because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus has paid for all the things you regret, and he promises that you and I are loved and wanted by him. Prayer: Dear Jesus, forgive me for my past missteps and failures. I am sorry for them. Help me to trust in my Savior Jesus for his forgiveness today and every day. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251210dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Matthew 3:4-6 Confess Do you ever wrestle with regret? I’m not talking about how you may regret not buying that stock when it was at $20 per share or eating at that sketchy restaurant and getting food poisoning. I’m talking about the regret of the decisions that have left you with shame. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? There was that time when you took things too far. There was that time when, so enraged, you said or did something you can’t take back. Or maybe there is that constant guilt that you carry around because you know your life choices aren’t the right ones, and you’ve been acting on that urge or behavior, even though you know it is wrong. You know that it is toxic for you and/or your relationships with others, and you’ve gone back to it more times than you can count. The people who came to see John preaching at the Jordan River were just like you and me. They wrestled with guilt. They knew shame. And, tragically, when they went to their religious leaders, they were told, ‘Stop doing that! Be better!’ However, John said something else. When they talked with John, they unburdened themselves of that weight of regret and shame. They confessed to their sins that had weighed them down and left them feeling lost. And do you know what John told them? He assured them of their forgiveness! Whatever guilt or shame has brought regret into your life, confess it. Open your heart to God and confess that sin. Because when we do that, God promises that he has forgiven us because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus has paid for all the things you regret, and he promises that you and I are loved and wanted by him. Prayer: Dear Jesus, forgive me for my past missteps and failures. I am sorry for them. Help me to trust in my Savior Jesus for his forgiveness today and every day. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Presented by Lauren Stibgen When I think of a servant leader, I think of someone who always places others before themselves—giving to others perhaps when they may not even seem like they can give anything more. Giving without any expectation of something in return. This self-sacrificing giving was embodied by our Lord and Savior Jesus. I think all of us have likely been on the other end of this—someone has done something for us and now they are seeking a favor in return. It's what you would call a quid pro quo or a tit for tat style of giving. I give, and then I want something in return. It feels like a transaction, because it is. This is not servant leadership. This is a transaction. Jesus gave his life for us! For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit (1 Peter 3:18). He sacrificed himself for our sins once and for all! It is a one-way selfless gift that gives us the joy of eternity with our Lord in heaven! What are ways you can give to others? How are you a good steward of your time, treasure, and talent to the benefit of others? Time. More than anything, women at all stages of their career need mentorship. Statistically, women are less likely to receive mentoring, and it is also a fact that those who receive mentoring are five times more likely to progress in their career in the form of a promotion! Perhaps someone needs encouragement. Can you take time to pray with them or have a cup of coffee? Perhaps even taking time to send an encouraging text or a Bible verse would be just what they need. Treasure. This isn't just money; it is the spiritual and eternal riches you have from your salvation. The greatest gift. Giving of your tangible treasure could look like taking a colleague to lunch or buying them a small token of appreciation for a job well done. Perhaps it is preparing a meal for someone in need, which is a combination of using your time, treasure, and hopefully talent! What about your spiritual treasure? How are you giving of this selflessly? Are you telling people about Jesus? Maybe praying for people? Simply being hopeful and being able to give an answer for what your hope is in can be one way to share your spiritual treasure with a colleague. Talent. Are you amazing at something? Maybe you are super organized or love planning a meeting. Offer to help someone else when they need it most!

In this thought-provoking episode, Tony and Jesse delve into Jesus's twin parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price from Matthew 13:44-46. They explore the profound economic metaphor Jesus uses to illustrate the incomparable value of the Kingdom of Heaven. Through careful examination of both parables, they discuss what it means to "count the cost" of following Christ while simultaneously recognizing that no earthly sacrifice can compare to the infinite worth of gaining Christ. The conversation moves between practical application—considering how believers assess value in their spiritual lives—and deeper theological reflections on Christ's perfect sacrifice that makes our entrance into the Kingdom possible in the first place. Key Takeaways The Kingdom of Heaven has such surpassing value that sacrificing everything to obtain it is considered a joyful exchange, not a loss. Both parables show different paths to discovering the Kingdom (unexpected finding vs. intentional seeking), but identical responses: selling everything to obtain the treasure. The parables are not primarily commanding material poverty, but rather illustrating the "sold-outness" required in pursuing the Kingdom of God. Counting the cost of discipleship is not only permissible but necessary to fully appreciate the value of what we gain in Christ. The ultimate treasure we receive in salvation is not merely benefits like eternal life, but God Himself—union with Christ and fellowship with the Trinity. Christ Himself is the one who ultimately fulfills these parables perfectly, giving everything to purchase us as His treasure. The irresistible draw of the Kingdom illustrates how God's grace works in the heart of believers, compelling joyful surrender. Exploring the Incomparable Value of the Kingdom The economic metaphor Jesus employs in these parables is striking—both the hidden treasure and the pearl are deemed so valuable that the discoverers "sell all they have" to obtain them. As Tony and Jesse point out, this transaction reveals something profound about how we should view the Kingdom of Heaven. It's not simply that the Kingdom is valuable; it's that its value so far exceeds anything else we possess that the comparison becomes almost absurd. As Tony notes, "For sure the worth of the kingdom of heaven surpasses anything we could imagine... there's no measure that is satisfying, there's no measure that can actually show us how worthwhile it is." This perspective transforms how we understand sacrifice in the Christian life. When opportunities or comforts are foregone because of our faith, we're not simply losing something—we're experiencing the reality that we've chosen something infinitely more valuable. The parables teach us to view these moments not with regret but with a clearer vision of the treasure we've received in Christ. The Ultimate Prize: God Himself Perhaps the most powerful insight from the discussion is the realization that the ultimate treasure of salvation is not the benefits we receive, but God Himself. As Tony eloquently states: "All of those things are attending gifts. But what we get in salvation ultimately is we get God... we get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We get swept up into the life of the Trinity... We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that." This perspective reshapes how we understand the value proposition of the gospel. It's not merely that we receive eternal life, freedom from suffering, or other benefits—though these are real. The pearl of great price is relationship with God Himself. This helps explain why both men in the parables respond with such dramatic, all-encompassing sacrifice. When we truly grasp what's being offered, nothing seems too great a price to pay. Memorable Quotes "What we get in salvation ultimately is we get God. We get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We get swept up into the life of the Trinity... We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that." — Tony Arsenal "I often say in my own line of work, that cost only matters in the absence of value... it's like at the end of days when we think about the worthiness of our God, that there's no one like him, that he's unequal, that he has no rival, that the gospel is the sweetest message that we're rescued literally from the pit. We'll just say no matter what the cost of us personally, great or small, totally worth it." — Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript [00:00:08] Tony Arsenal: All of those things are attending gifts. But what we get in salvation ultimately is we get God we get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the, the power of the Holy Spirit. We, we get swept up into the life of the, the God of the universe. Like the life of the Trinity indwells us. And we, we become a part of that. We get swept up into that. We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that. [00:00:47] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 469 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. [00:00:54] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother. [00:00:59] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. Discussing the Value of the Kingdom of Heaven [00:01:00] Jesse Schwamb: Speaking of ears to hear, we're back at it again with a whole new, or let's say different parable from our Lord and Savior Jesus. And we've been talking about how really these parables give us this view of the face of heaven through these earthly glasses. And I am pretty interested in our conversation about what's coming up because sometimes we don't like to put too fine a points to our, our point of question to our faith. And in this case, we're gonna get to ask the question, what is it all worth, this kingdom of heaven, this rule and reign of Christ? What is it all about? Who are the beneficiaries of it? And what is it all actually worth? There's a little bit of economics in this, so we're gonna get there. And while we talk and do a little affirming or denying, you should just go ahead write to just skip, go. Do not collect $200 or maybe. Pass, go and collect $200. I dunno. But just go to Matthew chapter 13 and hang out there for just a second. Affirmations and Denials [00:01:58] Jesse Schwamb: But first, I'm always curious to know whenever we talk, are you gonna affirm with something or are you gonna die against something? We've been on a string of lots of affirmations, but I'd like to think that's just because we're fun, loving, optimistic people. But there was a day where we had to do both. And now that I only have to choose one, I do find myself gravitating almost naturally toward the affirming width. But I leave it to you, Tony, are you affirming with or denying against? [00:02:22] Tony Arsenal: I, unfortunately am denying tonight. Technical Issues with Apple Podcasts [00:02:25] Tony Arsenal: So you and I already talked about it a little bit, but uh, I'm denying Apple Podcast Connect. Oh yes. So, uh, I. Obviously, like if you're affected by this, you're not hearing the episode 'cause it's not updating for you. But, uh, if you happen to be using Apple to listen to the podcast and for some reason you're listening somewhere else, maybe you realize that the podcast has not been updating for several weeks. And so you went to a different podcast catcher. Um, apple just decided for some reason that none of our feeds were gonna update. No good reason. So I've got a ticket out to Apple and hopefully we'll get it fixed. Uh, if you do know someone who listens to the show and they use Apple, please tell them to subscribe to something else or to, uh, go to the website. You can get all of the, all of the episodes on our website. You could go to Spotify, you could do something like, uh, overcast or PocketCasts. Um, it really is just Apple. It's, it's the actual account that we use to, uh, to access. Apple's Directory is not pulling new episodes and it's not pulling new episodes on another show that I run as well. So, uh, it's not just this show, it's not our RSS feed. These things happen. It'll, you know, you'll get four or five episodes all at one time. When it, when it corrects itself, usually they're pretty quick. I put in a ticket like late on Friday afternoon, so I didn't expect them to get to it on, uh, Saturday or Sunday. So hopefully by the time you're hearing this, uh, it's resolved. I would hope so, because that means it would be about a week from today. Um, so hopefully they'll have a resolve. But yeah, it's just th thorns and thistles. This is our own, our own, uh, manifestation of the curse here in this little labor that we do. It's, it's thorns and thistles right now, but no big deal. Just, uh, catch up when you can. And, uh, yeah, so denying Apple Podcasts now, really, it's, it's a great service and this is a, a little glitch. It's, it's just a little frustrating. [00:04:20] Jesse Schwamb: The sweat of our brow. Yes. Here it is. We're just toiling over getting Apple to please release our episodes. Well, it'll be your happy day if you use Apple Podcasts and then get a bunch of them all at once. That's fantastic. It's like the gift that is over in abundance. Supporting The Reformed Brotherhood [00:04:36] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it is a good reminder that you just said, Tony, that everybody should go, just take some time. Head on over to our form brotherhood.com. You can find all the other 400 some odd episodes living over there. And while you're over there and you're perusing or searching by topic to see what we've talked about before, you're probably gonna think to yourself, this is so incredible. How is this compendium, this omnibus of all these episodes just hanging out here free of cost? And I'm so glad you're thinking about that because there are so many lovely brothers and sisters who have decided just to give a little bit to make sure that all that stuff gets hosted for free for you Yeah. And for us, so that anybody can go and explore it and find content that we hope will be edifying. So if that's something you're interested in, maybe you've been listening for a while and thought, you know what? I would like to give a little bit one time or reoccurring, we would love to, for you to join us in that mission. You can go to patreon.com/reform brotherhood, and there's all the information for you to give if that's something that you feel you would like to do, and we would be grateful for you to do it. [00:05:32] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. We, we have a group of people who support the show. They make it possible for your, uh, your ear holes to be filled with our voices. And, uh, but again, you know, the costs are going up all around and, and we would, uh, certainly love to have people partner with us. Um, we've committed to making show that the, making sure that the show is free and available. Um, it's never our intention to put anything behind a paywall or to, to barrier and in that way, but we can only do that if there's people who are supporting the show and making, making sure that we've got the funding that we need to, to keep going. So, thank you to everybody who gives, thank you to anyone who's considering it, uh, and thanking anybody who decides to, uh, jump on board with that. [00:06:11] Jesse Schwamb: Right on. We're appreciative who we really are. [00:06:13] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. So Jesse, what are you affirming or denying today? Exploring Open Webcam DB [00:06:16] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, this is what I've kind of done before, but I think I've found a new place for it. I just am continually impressed and fall in love with how great and big and lovely God's world is. So I love these types of sites that give you insight into this great big world, even if it's in unexpected places or maybe in strange places. So I'm affirming with a website called Open webcam db.com. Open webcam db.com. And it's exactly like what it sounds like. It's a database that has something like 2000 live cameras streaming daily from over 50 countries, all searchable by a category. So you can find natural landscapes, airports, construction sites, and one of my recent favorites, honestly, and this is. It's so strange, but kind of awesome is this warehouse, it's called Chinese Robotic Warehouse Buzz, and it's just robots moving pallets around or like stacks of all of these items. It's mesmerizing. But I would encourage you go to open webcam db.com, search for like your stage or your country. You'll find so many amazing things. So I've sat and just watched, you know, between tasks or when you know you just need a break or you're just curious about the world. Like I look, I watched the Krakow Maine Market Square quite a bit because it's. Beautiful and brilliant, and to think about the people moving to and fro and what they're doing, what their lives are like. There's some great scenes from San Francisco Bay. There is a bird feeder in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania that I often watch. So of course, like go out as we've said, and live and breathe and be in your own communities. And as well, if you're looking at scratch that itch of just seeing all these different places, all the different things that are happening in God's created world, I can firmly and unreservedly recommend open webcam db.com for that. [00:07:58] Tony Arsenal: Nice, nice, uh, little known fact at one point, Dartmouth Hitchcock, which is the hospital that I worked for, had to block a penguin cam, uh, because it was causing such a productivity drain combined with an actual measurable decrease in internet bandwidth at the hospital. 'cause so many people were watching this little penguin cam at some zoo in Boston. I think it probably was. Yeah, I, I love this kind of stuff. I think this kind of stuff is great. Uh, I use, uh, Dartmouth College has a, like a live one that I use all the time, especially when we're trying to figure out what the weather's gonna do. You can see it on the camera. Uh, we, we often will, you know, see, especially as we get closer to the season when we're talking about traveling to the beach and whatnot, uh, often look at the ocean grove. Oh, that's right. Uh, pier cam. So yeah, check it out. Uh, sounds like a fun time. Do not share it with too many of your friends at work. Or it may crash the network and Yeah. But [00:08:53] Jesse Schwamb: yeah, for [00:08:54] Tony Arsenal: sure. That was a funny email that they had to send out. I remember that [00:08:57] Jesse Schwamb: for sure. Use, use the penguin cam responsibly. I just did a quick search. There are four different penguin cams. Uh, three of them are in the United States, one is in New Zealand, and you better believe I'm gonna be checking those bad boys out. Yes. I didn't even think about. The penguin feature here and penguins are an amazing animal. Like we could stop right now and just shift our topic to penguins if you want to. [00:09:16] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. ' [00:09:16] Jesse Schwamb: cause there's so much there. And the spiritual truths are so broad and deep, but I just think penguins are kind of undervalued. Birds. Everybody should go check them out. [00:09:26] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. They're, they're pretty cool. [00:09:28] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Um, I'm like, I will watch any Penguin documentary and just be astounded by Penguin. Like, whether they're Emperor Penguins or South African Penguin, wherever. I just think they're phenomenal and hilarious and seem to be living the dream. And he doesn't want a little bit of that. [00:09:46] Tony Arsenal: You just gotta get Morgan Freeman to do the voiceover in any documentary or, or nature documentary is better with Morgan Freeman doing the voiceover. [00:09:55] Jesse Schwamb: Well, I all, this might be a deep cut real quick, but I just learned this, and I'm guessing some of our listening brothers and sisters probably already know this. Maybe you do too, Tony. So, Benedict Cumberbatch, do you know where I'm going with this? Yep, [00:10:06] Tony Arsenal: yep. Pen wing. [00:10:07] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I didn't. I cannot say that word or stumbles over its pronunciation. He did some kind of big documentary in which Penguins played at least some part. Yeah. And they were in an interview. They were giving him such a hard time because they played his reading of it like within the same kind of five minutes. And his, the word just kept degenerating in his mouth every time he said it. So it became like almost undistinguishable from the actual word. And it's like initial pronunciation. It was so hilarious. Apparently it's a big joke on the internet and I just didn't know it. [00:10:38] Tony Arsenal: Especially for someone like Bent Cumberbatch who just is, uh, like he's a world-class voice actor. [00:10:44] Jesse Schwamb: Right. [00:10:45] Tony Arsenal: And like a super smart ude guy and he just can't say the word penguin and penguin. Yeah. [00:10:51] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. He said, you got everybody go look it up. 'cause it is super hilarious. And now it's kind of gotten stuck in my head. But um, again, this suddenly became like the All Penguin episode all of a sudden. [00:11:01] Tony Arsenal: I mean like, he can pronounce his own last name just fine, but the word penguin escapes him. I like to call 'em blueberry crumble bottom or whatever. Crumble bunch. [00:11:11] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, see that's the good stuff right there. That's what everybody we know. This is what you all tune in for. This is what you're missing when Apple Podcast doesn't send everything out on time. Yeah. You're welcome. [00:11:22] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl [00:11:23] Tony Arsenal: Well, Jesse, why don't we, why don't we get into it? Because you know it, it's interesting. Let's [00:11:27] Jesse Schwamb: get into it. [00:11:28] Tony Arsenal: Well, it's interesting because when you, you know, you kind of, we, we sort of do the little lead to the episode and I, I suddenly realized that I think I've been interpreting this parable very differently than maybe you have or other people. Great. Do, uh, because I, I think I, I think I might have a different take on it. Let, let's do it. Yeah. So let's get into it. Uh, do you have the, the text in friend you wanna read? Uh, why don't we just do 44 all the way through 46? We'll do both parables in one reading. We'll come back and talk about it. [00:11:54] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Sorry, everybody. So here's a two for one for you. Beginning in where we're in verse 44 of Matthew chapter 13. This is Jesus speaking. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field again. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Interpreting the Parables [00:12:22] Tony Arsenal: I think maybe this is the, like the beauty of parables, uh, when Christ doesn't give us a interpretation. I, I think we're, we're, we're not free to like make up whatever we want, but these kinds of teaching tools are useful because the fact that there can be multiple interpretations actually is, is probably intentional. [00:12:43] Jesse Schwamb: Right. [00:12:43] Tony Arsenal: So it's funny because I think when you intro the episode here, it sounds like you're going to the kingdom of Heaven being a treasure hidden in a field, being something that we should sell everything we have and go after. And when I read this, I read it as the kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden a field. And the man who is Jesus goes and sells all that. He has. He gives all that he has and buys the field. So, and I, I think this is one of those ones where like. Probably both of those things are in play. Sure. But it's interesting 'cause I've never, I've never really read this and thought about myself as the person who buys the field. [00:13:19] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Interesting. [00:13:20] Tony Arsenal: I've probably heard sermons or read devotionals where people have said that and it just never clicked. And it didn't register until just now. And you were, when you were, uh, introing the parable that maybe you are the, maybe your way of introing your, your interpretation. Maybe that's the dominant one. So I, I looked at a couple quick, um, commentaries while you were speaking and I didn't get a chance to do my commentary reading before the episode. It seems like I'm the weird one. So, but it's interesting, um, 'cause again, I think that's the, kind of the beauty of parables is that sometimes the, the, um. Ambiguity of what the possible meaning could be, probably plays into the, the, um, teaching technique itself. [00:13:58] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I, I think that's fair. I totally can take and understand what your perspective is on this. What I find interesting is that these, we've got these two abutting each other, like the cheek to cheek parallel approach here, and in doing so, there seems to be like kind of an interesting comparison between the two. Actors in this. And I think we should get into that. Like why in one case Jesus is talking about a person who finds this in a field, which by the way, I think the, the thing that jumps out to me first about that person is this person doesn't actually own the field at first. Right. That the treasure is in. So that is interesting. I'm totally with you. But then the second one, so in the first one there's kinda almost like this sense, and I don't wanna like push this too far, but that this person who finds this treasure does so very unexpectedly, perhaps like he's even the hired hand and of course not the one who owns the field. [00:14:48] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:14:49] Jesse Schwamb: And in the second case, we have somebody who almost is volitionally looking for this thing of great value, but finds the one thing above all the other things that they're used to looking for that clearly has the greatest and most. You know, essential worth and therefore the end is always the same in both of 'em. They give everything they have. They're willing for forsake all other things with great joy, recognizing the great value that's in front of them. I think there is a place to understand that as Christ acting in those ways. I think there's also interesting, again, this comparison between these two people. So I'm seeing this as we've got these varied beneficiaries of the kingdom. They both come to this place of the incomparable value of the kingdom, but then there's also like this expulsive power of the kingdom. All, all of that's, I think in there, and again, these are really, really, really brilliant, I think, because the more that you spend time meditating on these, the layers just kind of come and they fall away and you start to really consider, well, why again is Jesus using these two different characters? Why is he using this kinda different sense of things of, of worth what the people are actually after? I think all of it's in play. You're totally right. [00:15:54] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. The Cost and Value of the Kingdom of Heaven [00:15:55] Tony Arsenal: So I think, you know, when we think about the kingdom of heaven, when we think about these perils, we made this point last week, we shouldn't, um, we shouldn't restrict, we have to be careful not to restrict the comparison to just like the first noun that comes up, [00:16:08] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:16:08] Tony Arsenal: So it's not just that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, it, it is like a treasure, but it's like a treasure that's hidden in a field. Yes. And it's not just like a treasure that's hidden in a field, it's a treasure that's hidden in a field which a man found and covered up. Right? So, so like we have to look at that whole sequence. And I think, I think, um, you know, obviously like the, the interpretation that we are the, we're the man who finds the kingdom of heaven and we, you know, we go and buy the field. Um, that, that obviously makes perfect sense now that I'm looking at a few different commentaries. It seems to be the predominant way that this gets interpreted. And we, we look at it and we say, what, well, what does this mean for like our Christian life? Like. What does it mean? Do we have to, do we have to give everything away? Do we have to sell everything we have? Is that the point of the parable? I think some people make that the point of the parable. Um, I'm not convinced that that actually is the point of the parable. Um, because it, you know, it, it, it just, there's lots in the scripture that, that, uh, doesn't seem to require that Christians automatically like, give away everything they have. Um, maybe that's your calling. Maybe it is something that God's calling you to do to sort of, um, divest yourself of your, your belongings, either to sort of fight materialism or greed or, or just because like you're gonna need to have that fluidity and liquidity to your assets 'cause you're gonna need to move around or whatever it is. But I don't think we look at this parable and have like a, like a, a command for a life of poverty or something like that. Right. Um, really this is more about the. Utter sold outness of the Christian to pursue and seek the kingdom of God. [00:17:48] Jesse Schwamb: Right? Right. [00:17:49] Tony Arsenal: And and I think that that's the same in both, even though the way that the person in the parables comes a, comes across the kingdom or they come across this, this thing of great value or thing of great price, that they find their response in both parables is the same. And to me, that that actually tells me that that's more the point of these parables. Um, or, or maybe we shouldn't even think of these as two parables, right? Some of the introductory language that we see in when we transition from one parable to another, we don't really see that here. Uh, and if, if we're gonna follow that, actually we would be going to the next parable would also kind of fall into this. But he says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure. And then in 45 he says, again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. We're gonna run into something like this later on when we get to like the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of lost coins. Where there are these distinct parables, but they're kind of stacked on top of each other in order to make a specific point. All of the parables that are sort of in these parable stacks are making the same point. And so I think it's not so much about like, how do we find the Kingdom of Heaven or how do we come upon the kingdom of heaven? It's more about what do we do once we've come upon it? Once we've thrown it's, that's the point of the parable that we need to unpack. [00:19:03] Jesse Schwamb: That's right. And I would add to that, like who is it that is the beneficiary of this kingdom? We have two different, very different individuals, which I, again, I think, we'll, we'll talk a little bit about, but I'm totally with you. I, I think it's, it's easier, it's almost too narrow and too easy to say. Well, this is really just about like physical ma or about wealth. Like in some way the, what we're being taught here is that you have to get rid of everything of value in exchange for this. In some ways, that almost feels too transactional, doesn't it? As if like what, what we need to do is really buy the kingdom. We express our seriousness about this kingdom or the rule and reign of God by somehow just giving up everything that we own as if to prove that we're really worthy of receiving that kingdom that we prayed enough. Right. That we've done enough, even though that we're contrite enough. Yeah. And all that stands like in direct opposition to the mercy and grace, which God gives to us through his son by the power of the Holy Spirit to bring us into this kingdom. So we know it can't really be about that. And so that leads me back again to just like the lovely details here. And like you've already said in the first case, here's what really strikes me is. For probably most of us in the West, this idea of treasure is novel and maybe romantic. There's a adventure and an energy to it. Because we've all heard stories about this, whether it's like, I don't know, pirates of the Caribbean or the county Mount Cristo. Like there's something about treasure finding some kind of, or national treasure. Sorry, that just came to my mind. Like I couldn't go any further without mentioning Nick Cage. So you know, like there's something there that pulls us in that finding this thing almost unexpectedly in a hidden place of immense worth and value is, has a real draw to it. But I imagine that in Palestine being like a war torn region in Jesus' day, in the way people might store goods of great value in the fields they own. And then of course the owner may never be able to achieve for lots of reasons, including death. And then somebody might stumble upon it. And as I understand the, the laws there, of course, if you were to stumble upon something. I was in somebody else's property and and on earth that thing take it out of the ground. In this case, you would be by law required to bring that back to the person who owned the field. So there's something interesting here that this first person, probably the more meager and humble of the two with they at least respected, like their socioeconomic status is let's, we could presume maybe going about their normal work. They find this unexpectedly in the field and it's immediately recognized to be something of great value that it is to stop and to, again, there's like a measuring that happens behind the scenes. This person at least is measuring of all the things that I own, all things I could possibly own. The better thing for me to do is to consolidate all the rest of my wealth. And this case, again, it's not the message of the story to do this, it's the exemplification of what's happening here. This person is so sold out to ensure that they acquire this great treasure that they stumbled upon, that they will take literally everything else of value that they own to exchange it for this very thing. So I'm totally with you because I think the predominant message here is not like take all your wealth and make sure that you give it to the church or that it goes to ministry or to missions. That may all be well and good and it may all be the kind of calling that you receive. However, I think the principle message here is the kingdom of God is so valuable that losing everything on earth, but getting the kingdom is a happy trade off. Like that's actually a really, really good deal. And so having the omnipotent saving reign of Christ in our lives is so valuable that if, if we lose everything in order to have it, it would be a joyful sacrifice. [00:22:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I think, um, I think there is a level of. Encouragement in Sacrifice and Joy in the Kingdom [00:22:27] Tony Arsenal: Sacrifice that happens for every Christian and. I mean, I, I know there's a lot of people who they, uh, come to faith as young children and we've kind of talked about that as like, that's that testimony that, you know, I think everybody really wants is like they wish they never had a time that they didn't know Jesus and Right. I don't know any parent that I've ever spoken to, and I'm certainly not any different here that doesn't want that testimony for Jesus, but, or for, for their kids in their relationship with Jesus. But. I think most people who come to faith at some point in their life when they're able to remember it, like they, they have a conscious memory of their conversion experience. There is this sort of sense of sacrifice and e even a sort of a sense of loss. Um, I think there, there are times where, and, and you know, I think maybe, um, even people who've always been in the faith, um, they probably can resonate with this. I think there are times when we might look at how our lives could have been different or could be different if we weren't in the faith. Um, and, and sometimes there's a sort of wistfulness to that. Like being a Christian can sometimes be difficult right On, um, you know, maybe you miss a promotion opportunity because you're not willing to work on the Lord's day or because you're not willing to do something unethical. Like you, you miss out on some sort of advancement and you think, well, if I could just, you know, if I could have just gotten past that, like my life would be much different. And what this parable teaches us is. That's an understandable, like that's an understandable emotion or response. Um, and there is this weighing of the cost. And in the parable here, he, like you said, there's this calculation that goes on in the background. He finds this treasure, he makes the calculation that to have this treasure is worth. Everything it's worth everything he has. He sells everything he has, and he buys the field in order to get the treasure right. And, and there's some interesting textual dynamics going on through this chapter. We've talked about how the parables kind of like the imagery across the parables in chapter 13 here of Matthew, they kind of flip certain figures around and almost, it's almost intentional because he is getting the treasure and the treasure. The kingdom of heaven here is like the treasure, but he's also getting the field right. And the kingdom of heaven is, is the field in other parables. Um, but this, this calculation that happens, um. I don't know, maybe my heart is just sensitive to this right now. I, I, I, I feel like a lot of times we look at that sort of wis wistful second glance at what could have been if we were not Christians, and we automatically feel like that's gotta be a sinful impulse. Like, how could I ever even consider what life might have been? Like this parable implies that that's the thing we actually have to do. You have to know and consider what it is you've sacrificed or will be sacrificing in order to make this transaction happen. You can't just blanketly say like, oh, of course. You know, you've gotta, you've gotta count the cost, as it were, and then you have to actually make the purchase. So I think we should look at this as a source of encouragement. Um, like I said, I'm not sure why. I feel like maybe there's, maybe there's just a, a. I dunno, I'm feeling a little weird and charismatic right now. I feel like this is something that I definitely need to be saying, like, I feel like someone needs to hear this. Maybe it's just me that needs to hear this. And that's, I'm tricking myself by thinking of someone else. But we are able, as Christians, I think God permits us and in some sense, maybe even expects and commands us to recognize what we have given to be Christians in order that we might realize how much we have gained with that transaction. It's not just this like remorse or regret, um, for the sake of remorse or regret. It's to be able to see how good and how beautiful and how worth it is the kingdom of God, uh, to, to, to claim that. [00:26:23] Jesse Schwamb: I like that there is a great discipline and a great joy in remembering worth and worthiness. So there's gonna be times, like you said, when it's hard and if you look back, look back at the ministry of Jesus, I've often thought that he's like a poor evangelizer from like modern standards. Yeah. Because often people come to him and say things like. I, I wanna be part of the kingdom of God. Well, what do I need to do to enter the kingdom of God? And here you have like a seemingly a willing convert. And he always says things like this, like, you gotta go count the cost. Yeah. Like is, is this worth it to you? Like you have to deny yourself, you have to hate your own father and your mother, and your wife and children, and brothers and sisters, even your own life. Otherwise you cannot be my disciple. And in this kind of language, it's clear that Jesus is saying you fail often. And maybe this goes back like you're saying, Tony, it's like the parable of the soil that you fail to really take into account what it means to follow with full fidelity, to commit yourself in a fully unencumbered way. Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to consider that? And as human beings, we're just not good often at counting costs. We're not good at thinking about opportunity costs. And it's interesting here that we're called out to say, even if you've already purchased the field as so to speak, that as if you've been saved by Christ, to continue to remember how good it is to be in the kingdom of God. And that the joy. Of knowing as like the Heidelberg Catechism says in the first question that all things are subservient to our salvation. Yeah. That incredible worth of, that should be a source of encouragement in times of great trial and tribulation, no matter how big or small, so that this joy that this person has when they go and sells everything he has and he buys this field, you know those details, like you're saying, do press us. It really comes to us with this idea that we should be able to see plainly why having Christ is more valuable than all other things. If the omnipotence all wise, God is ruling, ruling over all things for our joy, then everything must be working for our good, no matter how painful and in the end, God is gonna triumph over all evil and all pain. So this kingdom is a real treasure. Like it is a, it is a real. A real quantity in our life and our wellbeing and in our spiritual consistency, that'll ought demand some reflection of how valuable it truly is. And then knowing that in our minds, that like influencing our behavior, our other thought patterns, and then our actual feelings about stuff. So that when, like you said, we're passed over, we're looked over, we're ridiculed for something, we go back and we count it all joy to be worthy of being part of God's kingdom, knowing that it was because of the entrance and acceptability and the identity in that kingdom that we experience. Those things, those hardships begin with. [00:29:05] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And, and I, um, I don't want us to miss out on the fact that even as the parable may be encouraging or forcing us to think about. The cost. It, it really is trying to emphasize the great value of the kingdom. Right? Right. We, like I said, we, we don't just count the cost. In order to count the cost for its own sake. We count the cost in order to understand the great blessing that is ours in Christ. Right. All I, I count all that I have as a loss compared to the greatness of Christ Jesus. And, um, I think we just don't often do that. I, I, I think as Christians, that's probably a thought that is in our head more as young Christians, especially if we come to the faith in, in a time in our life where we're aware of things like that. We think about things like that. Reflecting on the Cost of Faith [00:29:59] Tony Arsenal: You know, I was 15 when I first came to faith and, um, I, I don't think I was in a frame of mind as a 15-year-old boy to think about, like. The cost of what I was doing, right? It's not like I was a particularly popular kid. I didn't have a, you know, I didn't, I wasn't unpopular, but it wasn't like I lost a ton of friends when I became a Christian. I didn't really lose anything that was measurable. Um, but I do think that, as, you know, someone now in my forties, looking back at, you know, 15, 20, 25 years of, of Christian life, it's easy to see that things could have been different on a sort of temporal scale. Like my, my life could probably be more comfortable in terms of wealth or opportunities or other things that might, uh, aren't, aren't even bad things necessarily. There is a sense of sacrifice. But again, God has brought us into this kingdom and he's given us parables like this and given us the ability to recognize. That we do have a cost, that there is a cost to be counted in order that we might now look at it and praise him for how great and glorious and valuable the gift that he's given us is. Understanding the Parable of the Pearl [00:31:08] Tony Arsenal: And so I think, you know, I think that's the same basic meaning of this second, second half of the same parable. I guess the, the pearl of great price or the pearl of great value. But it's not exactly the same, right? It's not like Christ is just repeating the same ver, you know, parable with, with different words for variation. Um, every word is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching correction, reproof, and training and righteousness. And I had a, I had a prophet in, uh, in Bible college who would say like, difference means difference. And he was often talking about like minute things, like the difference, um, or why, why is this word used instead of that word? This word would've worked. And, and the author chose that one. There's a reason for that. Difference means difference, but. Christ here chooses to, to tell the parable a second time, um, in a slightly different way. Uh, and Matthew chooses to record these in the same sense next to each other in slightly different ways. So what, what do we, what do we wanna pull out of this second parable that's different and what do we think it's telling us that's a little bit different than the first version Y? [00:32:14] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that's a great question. Diverse Approaches to the Kingdom of Heaven [00:32:16] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, I love this idea because not until really, I was thinking about it this week when I read through them, was I really, again, drawn to the differences between these two main characters. Interestingly, I think in both, and we can make the case that the, the treasure, the kingdom of heaven here represented in both this pearl or in this literal treasure is in a way hidden. Certainly the first man is not necessarily looking for, it's still revealed to him, but the second in a way. And on the other hand, he knew this guy knows treasure. He's been seeking it with diligence in vigor, or at least like this is what he does for a living in his vocational career. He's out there trading pearls, presumably, and he knows something about them and how to evaluate them effectively. And so it's his business and he's dedicated himself to finding them. And apparently he's seen plenty of them over the years. But then all of a sudden, and this is wild, the beautiful, all of a sudden, clearly the search comes to like an abrupt end because he finds this one of immeasurable value, so much beauty exceeding and value exceeding all the other ones. And he doesn't need to search anymore. He just finds the one pearl that he can retire on a pearl with more than everything else. Or anything else that he's ever possessed and he gets it again. He does. And this brings him into symbol two with the first man. He does the same thing, then liquidate everything else and go after this one. Great pearl. So to me, and I'm curious your perspective on this, I'm not necessarily promulgating that. Well, the first one is not a seeker and the second one is like a seeker of of God things. Right? There is though, like you said, a difference in their approach and what they're after. And so I think what we can take from this, at the very least, is that there is diversity in these beneficiaries of the kingdom of God that's covering everybody. And just by these two kind of bookended or polar examples, that's what Jesus draws us to. But I would turn the question back to you. What do you think about this second guy? What do you think about the fact that his business is searching after these things? What? What do we take away from that? [00:34:07] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. The Ultimate Value of the Kingdom [00:34:07] Tony Arsenal: And you know, the thing that drop that jumps out to me immediately in the first parable, the kingdom of heaven is, is like the treasure hidden in the field, [00:34:16] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:34:16] Tony Arsenal: In the second one, the kingdom of heaven is the merchant who's searching, [00:34:20] Jesse Schwamb: right? [00:34:20] Tony Arsenal: Right. The kingdom of heaven is like the merchant in search of fine pearls who finds one. That's right. And so I think that they kind of are like, almost like mirror images of each other, right? One of them is about the treasure and what it takes to come upon it and then obtain it. The second is about the person who is coming upon the treasure and, and finding it. And then what it takes again to obtain that treasure. And I think, I think you're right, there is an element here that. Um, in this second parable, the person who is seeking for this treasure is one he's seeking for the treasure, right? Right. You get the image in this, in this first parable that the dude just kind of stumbles upon it. Um, I've heard this Todd as like, it's actually more like a guy who's just walking through a field rather than like a person working the field. And I'm not sure that matters that much, but there is this sense in the first parable that the guy kind of stumbles upon it. He wasn't looking, it wasn't what he was trying to do, but you're right in the second one, the kingdom of heaven, and this is where I, this is where I think I need to think more about it, is what does it mean for the kingdom of heaven to be like a merchant searching for fine pearls right [00:35:23] Jesse Schwamb: on. [00:35:23] Tony Arsenal: Rather than the pearls being the kingdom of heaven, which is what we see in the first bearable. Um, and I don't know the answer to that question. I think I need to, need to think about it and study it a little bit more. But I do like this distinction that in, in the first case, it's sort of a happy accident. And in the second case, this is, this is the life, this man's life work. He finds he's, he's in search of fine pearls. I'm not sure I know exactly what he's trying to do with the fine pearls. It seems like it implies that he's a pearl merchant or a pearl trader, but then he finds this pearl. He doesn't seek to sell it. He buys it. Right. [00:36:00] Jesse Schwamb: Right. [00:36:00] Tony Arsenal: And, and the, the, the fact that the parable stops with him buying it sort of implies that like. He actually is not going to sell it. He's just gonna keep this pearl. Now before the, the pearls, the, the source of the value of the pearls was kind of in the, the financial gain that selling or trading them could bring. But now he suddenly finds this pearl that is so valuable. It's so great, it's so beautiful. Everything he was working to obtain before all of the money he's gathered by finding and selling pearls in the previous like mode of living. He now gets rid of all of that just to purchase this one pearl and presumably to keep it. And I think that again, is kind of a, kind of a, um, statement on our Christian life is that we, we probably have all sorts of things that we've been doing our whole life and we are seeking to, to move forward in our life. And the kingdom of heaven is kind of the ultimate goal of all of that, for those who are in Christ, for those who are called according to his purpose. The purpose is not just to accumulate wealth. It's not even necessarily, uh, in and of itself to like grow in righteousness. It's to be transformed to the, uh, to the image of God's glory son, for the purpose of making him great, making his name renowned. Right. When we look at that passage in Romans that have kind alluded to, he's, he would transform into the image of Christ so that he might be the first born among many brothers. The Incomparable Worth of Salvation [00:37:24] Tony Arsenal: Ultimately, our, our sanctification and glorification is about making Jesus great and glorified, um, to give him glory, to have our glorification reflect his already intrinsic glory and the gift that he gives us, and I think that's kind of, kind of in play here, is that. Uh, we might have all sorts of goals in our life. We might have goals in our Christian life, um, that are good things that we should strive for, but at the end of the day, all of those things only serve to bring us to the kingdom of heaven, which is this pearl of great price that we, we purchase, we buy it and we just kind of hang onto it. It is its own treasure and it's, it's not about what this, this treasure can bring to us, right? Which is what the fine pearls were before they were about what the merchant can find and sell. It's, it's now about just obtaining the pearl and enjoying that pearl. Um, which I think is a little bit different than, than, um, what I would've thought of with the par before. [00:38:19] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I totally agree with you. I think, I think you're actually onto something with the distinction because I think of. So much of my career has been spent in financial services among people who are buyers and sellers of things. They're traders. And the way I read this was very similar to what you were saying to me. What resonated was if this gentleman or this person is. Trading, collecting these pearls. Presumably they have appreciation for the beauty of the pearl itself. So there is like something innate that draws them to this particular thing. And with that experience and with that knowledge and with that, that appreciation of that beauty. I think when they see this other pearl, it moves from, well, why would I ever sell that? I've seen everything. This is the most beautiful pearl I've ever laid my eyes on. And now I want to keep it for me. I want to have it in my possession. I want to cherish it and not just keep it in the inventory and then turn around and sell it for markup, presumably, because there is no nothing that would be of greater value to this person. 'cause they just sold everything else that they had. So they, it's appreciation for the pearl itself. It's going after that finding and seeking that great beauty. And then that led me right into Philippians chapter four, where Paul writes the church in Philippi, beginning of verse eight. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever's honorable, whatever's just whatever's pure, whatever's lovely, whatever's commendable. If there's any excellence, if there. Anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Practice these things and the god of peace will be with you. So this idea, like you and I, Tony, have talked about like the world has great wisdom, it has great knowledge, it has things that can lead us by way of common grace into certain amounts of peace. But the pearl of great price, the seeking after the going after all these great things is to find the gospel, to be given the gospel it revealed to you. And then say everything else I count as a loss. Everything else is worthless compared to this thing. And if you're a person that can appreciate even just by turn of mind or God's influence in your life, you know, knowledge and wisdom, and you're seeking after that, which is the ultimate expression and representation of those things, and then you find you come upon this pearl of great price, the gospel wisdom and the beauty of God represented in his son Jesus Christ. And you say, this is it. I, I know enough to know, again, by the regeneration that comes through the spirit, this is the real deal. Then I think the message still stands. We come through two different directions into the same final culminating point, which is there is a condition for having this kingdom of God, for having the king on your side as your friend, but the condition isn't like wealth or power or negotiating or intelligence or even good trading behavior or going out and finding the right thing. The condition is that we prize the kingdom more than anything else we own. The point of selling everything in these parables is to simply show where our hearts are at. And so I often say in my own line of work, that cost only matters in the absence of value. Actually, it's true for everything that we. We presumably spend our time or our money on cost only matters in the absence of value. And I think like you and I could do a fun little experiment where I don't know, you ever talking to somebody about something and you're paying a cost to have that service delivered to you and you're, and you're just like totally worth it, like I would do totally worth it. Like, yeah, that's kind of the vibe I'm getting here. It's like at the end of days when we think about the worthiness of our God, that there's no one like him, that he's unequal, that he has no rival, that the gospel is the sweetest message that we're rescued literally from the pit. We're just say no matter what the cost of us personally, great or small, totally worth it, that that's what we'll be saying for all of eternity as we worship him. [00:41:45] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and I think even more than saying, totally worth it. I think when we are given our new eyes to see, and we no longer see through a da a glass dimly, we're gonna recognize saying that it was worth, it is is like it's a pale, like it's a faulty answer to begin with because the, for sure the worth of the kingdom of heaven surpasses anything we could imagine. And in our, you know, locked in little meat brains that we have now, we're kind of com we're just comparing it to. You know, like what, what we could have had or what we, what we've given up. Um, it, it's gonna be an incomparable comparison. Like there's no, there's no measure that is satisfying, there's no measure that can actually show us how, how worthwhile it is. And, you know, we've, we've made a point of it, like the, the blessing of salvation and, and really like what it is that we're getting, uh, in, in the. You know, the Christian understanding of salvation, it's not, it's not an eternal destiny. It's not bigger mansions in heaven. It's not freedom from death. All of those things come with it. All of those things are attending gifts. That's right. But what we get in salvation ultimately is we get God we get union with God, we get fellowship with Jesus Christ in the, the power of the Holy Spirit. We, we get swept up into the life of the, the God of the universe. Like the life of the Trinity indwells us. And we, we become a part of that. Uh, not, not in the, you know, like. Eastern Orthodox deification sense, although I think there's a proper way we can talk about deification. Um, but we get swept up into that. We gain the relationship that the son has with the father by nature. We gain that by grace and nothing can compare to that. There's nothing that we could ever point to. Um, it's funny, my, my wife and I, um, this is a little corny, but, um, we'll often say to, to each other instead of saying, I love you more than anything, we'll say, I love you more than everything. Right. And, and it's, it's a way to say like. You could take all that there is in the world, everything that I have that I could possibly consider and sum up the value. And I love my wife more than that. I love my children more than that. So it's not that I love them more than any one thing, it's that I love them more than everything combined. And this is even greater than that, right? We, we will look back at our lives and if, if it's even in our mind, if we even can, can comprehend anymore. The idea of thinking about what it costs us to obtain this pearl of great value, which is the kingdom of heaven, which is just another way to say, is just fellowship with the God of the universe. Um, we'll look at it and say no matter what it was. No matter what it could have been, I would give everything I, I love God more than everything. Right. Right. There's nothing that could ever possibly be considered that even comes close to what we gain in, in Christ Jesus, in union with, with God. And I think that's the point of this, like I think the guy who, um. Christ's Perfect Sacrifice and Our Response [00:44:58] Tony Arsenal: I think about what it would take for me to even like to sell everything, like the concept of selling everything I own. I'm not even sure how I would do that, to be honest with you. Like, I don't even know the mechanism for that kind of thing. But the idea that there's anything that could be valuable enough that I would just sell every piece of human property that I have, there's probably nothing like that in this world. Like, there probably isn't. And to, to take that comparison and then basically say like, that's just what the kingdom of God is like. 'cause that's the other thing I think we miss about parables is you, you only make a comparison when you can't describe something, um, analytically, right? There's the difference between analogically and analytically Ana lot analytically means we're able to actually quantify and explain it kind of in strict terms, right? I can, I can say that, um, uh, a heavy object ways, X number of grams or it, you know, or, um. Pounds or whatever. I can, I can measure that and make an analytical statement, or I can make an analogy, an analogy that is comparative. Uh, but by definition, or almost by by nature of the thing, when you make that comparison, you're kind of saying like, not only is it like this, but it's actually it, like it's more like this than I can even describe. Right? So when we're talking about the kingdom of Heaven here, and we say it's, it's like, it's like a man who goes, he finds a treasure and then he sells everything. He has to get that treasure. It's infinitely more like that than it actually can be described. Does that make sense? I feel like I'm rambling on that a little bit. Maybe trying to describe something that can't be described is, is hard to do. [00:46:35] Jesse Schwamb: It's, that's, yeah. But yeah, that's, that's very difficult to do. I'm actually totally with you on this. I think I understand clearly what you mean, this idea that no matter how hard we actually try to value it, we'll be incapable of doing so. Yes. And at best, it almost seems like this is a strange command in a way because it's, it's asking us to do in some ways a thing that is impossible for us to do. However, I think what you're saying is it doesn't mean that we shouldn't turn our minds toward that. We're a bit like people who, I don't know if this show is still on PBS, but like, do you know that show, remember that show The Antiques Road Show? Yeah. Where people would like come, they'd ran ransack their homes or their garages with these old antique items and they bring them to this road show where there'd be experts who would value them. And inevitably we'll be like those people who come with what we think is like a. A thousand dollars clock that we got at a garage sale thinking, wouldn't it be great? I know this is valuable. It's probably a thousand dollars. It'll be, look at the return, tenfold return, I'll get on this item, and then instead finding that it's worth $10 million when it's appraised. Yeah, I assume it'll be just like that in the Beautific vision that even maybe for all of eternity will be growing in our appreciation for just how valuable this great salvation is. And yet at the same time, I think what this should encourage us to do is to pray things like God make us real in seeing and savoring Christ in his saving work above all the other things. Yeah. So that, as you said in your example, we would cherish him above everything, above all things that you have that right place in our hearts or that we be inclined to undertake that posture, which says, God, though I cannot understand it in full. Would you help me to see that? Encouragement in Our Spiritual Journey [00:48:08] Jesse Schwamb: And I wanna just say like, as a word of encouragement, maybe I'm speaking more to myself here so everybody else can disregard this if you like, but I think sometimes there can be a little bit of intimidation then when you hear these things and say like, ah, I'm just not, I just dunno if I love God enough, like I wanna love him, or I want to want to love him more. And I think even that posture is appropriate. Yeah. Sometimes there, oftentimes in my personal life, I'll pray something like, God, help me to know how much you love me and would you give me the strength to love you back? So that even that awareness, that energy, that volition, that vitality, that, that heat, all of that, that fire itself is kindled by the Holy Spirit. It's not like we need to like try to again manufacture here. Because the point of these, these stories is not again, that we just find the means to do a transactional exchange here, but that instead we really just sit in the full promises of God. And of course to that, I would say we always need to go back to, to something like Romans eight. I mean, I know that we should, like you said, Tony, the. The standard description we give for the Bible is the one that gives itself, which is that all of it, all of it's is carried along by the Holy Spirit. All of it is God breathe. All of it is useful for something. And yet, of course, I say somewhat tongue in cheek that, you know, if I have 10 minutes to live, I'm probably not gonna the s descriptions of reading a genealogy, I'm going straight from Roman and say, Romans say, I think it's just like the pinnacle of the scriptures. And so just a couple of verses at the end there, because I think this is, this is leading us into what is this great treasure? What is the kingdom of God? Why do we value it so much? What is the saving power? And uh, these verses, I mean, always just entirely get me ready to run through a wall. So this is the end of, of Romans eight beginning verse 35. Who shall separate us from the law of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake. We are being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No. In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us for I'm sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from a love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. [00:50:22] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's a good word. And I, I, I like what you're saying too, is, is I think we, we can. There's this paradoxical thing that happens when the scriptures is trying to encourage us to do something, is we often like to get our, in our own way. And, and actually that becomes a source of discouragement for us. The Bible calls us to something and we know we can't live up to it. And that's actually like part and parcel of, of reform theology to recognize that this is law, like the, the, the, the, you know, maybe not in like the strict sense, like when we talk about dividing the scripture into law and gospel, um. It may not be that this particular passage would fall under that rubric of law normally, but this idea that we need to count the cost and that we need to be treasuring Christ more and more, and then when we feel like I'm just not getting it. I'm just not there. Like, I don't, I don't treasure Christ as much as I so should. Um, that Yeah, that's right. Nobody does. Nobody can, like, that's, that's kind of the point of this, and that's why it's law is it's, it shouldn't drive you in Christ. It should not drive you to despair. Right. It should not drive you to discouragement. It should drive you to gratitude that God saved you anyways. That, that this pearl of great value is still yours even though you can't possibly deserve it. Um, you know, we're, we're a little bit different than the, the merchant and the man who finds the treasure in the field in that we can't sell everything we have and obtain it like they have the ability to do that in the, in the parables. Right. Um, we, we don't, and we never will. And so rather than let that drive you to being discouraged that like you're just not getting. I recognize God is of infinite value and we are finite creatures. So we, we could, uh, value God perfectly. Like whatever that means, and I don't even know what that means, but we could value and cherish and love God perfectly as far as our capacities are concerned, and it still would not be enough to sufficiently merit God's favor for us. Like as much as we can, even in, even in eternity. As much as we can value and worship and love and praise Jesus, he is worth infinitely more than we could ever give, even when we do it perfectly. And this is, this is why you know Christ coming to die, to live on our behalf, to die in our place. Why that's necessary is because only this is a, maybe a different take on it. We, I think we talk a lot about how, um. Only God could, could carry, bear the wrath of God and not be destroyed. Right. Right. Only God could, um, could stand up under his own wrath, could stand up under the wrath of God and bear that punishment and not be destroyed. And so therefore, um, Christ had to be not just a man, but had to be God. But on the flip side. And God requires perfect perpetual obedience, which involves loving the Lord your God, perfectly with your whole heart at all times. Right? Only God can do that too. So it's not just that God. It's not just that G

Last month, VCY held its fall rally and the guest presenter was Chris Katulka from the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. He spoke on the issue: Why Israel Matters. Why does Israel still matter? Chris had this to say in his opening comments concerning the Bible: "From Genesis to Revelation, this book is Jewish, OK? Do you know that your Savior Jesus is Jewish? You know he never went to church, he went to synagogue. He never celebrated Christmas or Easter. That would be awkward, OK? Jesus celebrated Passover. He honored Yom Kippur. He kept the Feast of Tabernacles. He celebrated Hanukkah. Jesus is Jewish and we believe that if you have a passion for God's Word, then you should automatically have compassion for God's chosen people." That pretty much says it all, but we encourage you to listen to this larger portion of audio from the rally as Chris explains how the existence of a Palestinian state would really be a reward to Hamas. He breaks down Genesis 12:3 (the promise to Abraham) and how it extends throughout the entire Bible. Find out why the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Assyrians and numerous other people groups are gone, yet Israel is still in existence. Other points are examined as well, all to show that Israel still matters!

We all allow outside sources to impact our hearts, our minds, and our missions.  This is why we must focus on our Savior Jesus and commune with him daily.  Today, Jon shares part of his story on this. This devotion was originally posted as a blog post on jon-goodwin.com.   As always, please feel free to chat with about this.  Get the conversation started at jon@christianoutdoors.org. If you are in the Western NY area, Jon would love to see you some Sunday at Hartland Bible Church where he preaches every week!