Podcasts about Pharisees

What was Jesus opinion of the Pharisees?  How can we learn from their relationship with Jesus?

Jesus exposes the religious theater of the Pharisees who turn prayer, fasting, and charity into performances staged for human applause rather than acts of love for God and neighbor. Here Christ teaches the perfect prayer, the Our Father, and shows us that genuine righteousness flows from the heart toward God, not from a desire for public recognition. Your Father who sees in secret knows the difference between faith and show.  The Rev. Peter Burfeind, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Union City, MI and Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Marshall, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Matthew 6:1-18.  To learn more about Our Savior and Agnus Dei Lutheran, visit facebook.com/oursaviorunioncity and agnusdeimarshall.com. The Gospel of Matthew bridges Old and New Testaments, presenting Jesus as the promised Messiah who fulfills the Law we could never keep and establishes His kingdom of grace for all nations. Written by a tax collector transformed by pure grace, Matthew reveals Christ as the true Son of David and Emmanuel (God with us) who challenges us with the crushing demands of the Law in His Sermon on the Mount to the sweet comfort of the Gospel in His death and resurrection. From royal genealogy to glorious resurrection, this verse-by-verse study proclaims the One who conquered sin, death, and the devil for us, now delivering forgiveness, life, and salvation through Word and Sacrament as He remains with His church always, even to the end of the age.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Read OnlineThere was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 10:25The question is very good. We should all seek to understand, with all our hearts, what we must do to inherit eternal life. Of course the problem is that this scholar of the law did not ask this question with sincerity and openness. Rather, he asked Jesus this question to test our Lord. This scholar, as well as other scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and elders, was envious of Jesus and sought to find fault with Him. This scholar appeared to be concerned that Jesus was teaching contrary to the Law of Moses. But what does our Lord do? He says nothing more than to put the question back to the scholar, asking him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” The scholar answers correctly, according to the Law of Moses, and Jesus responds to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” Thus, the test was passed.What's interesting and helpful to ponder in this exchange is the way Jesus responds to this scholar. Because Jesus knew the scholar's heart, and because He knew that this scholar was not asking with humility and openness, Jesus responded with great prudence, inviting the scholar of the law himself to answer his own question. Though we are not able to read another's heart in the way our Lord did, we should learn a lesson from Him on how to respond to others who have as their goal to trick, trap, test, and twist our words if they disagree with us. This is especially important in matters of faith and morality. If you are striving to live the Gospel with all your heart and you encounter the “testing” of others as a result of the holy life you are striving for, ponder Jesus' actions here. Too often, when another challenges us or tests us, we become defensive and even offended. As a result, we can enter into arguments back and forth that bear little or no fruit. Jesus did not argue. He did not allow this test to trip Him up. Rather, He only offered responses that could not be doubted. Jesus knew that this scholar was not interested in the deepest spiritual truths. He was only interested in finding fault. Therefore, the deeper and fuller Gospel message could not be offered.We should also learn from this passage the importance of coming to Jesus with an open heart, sincerely seeking the deepest spiritual answers to life. We ought never test Jesus. Instead, in humility, we must believe that He is the source of all truth and that He has every answer in life that we seek. Reflect, today, upon two things. First, reflect upon how completely open you are to all that Jesus has to say. If you were to ask our Lord this question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?,” what would Jesus say to you? Would He only be able to offer you general answers in the form of questions? Or would Jesus see the open and sincere nature of your heart and be able to speak in great depth and detail to you? Second, reflect upon anyone with whom you constantly have to defend yourself for the practice of your faith. If this is your experience, perhaps reexamine your approach, realizing that the deepest pearls of your faith should only be shared with those who are sincerely open and are seeking to embrace them with all their heart. My deep and wise Lord, You and You alone have every answer to life. You and You alone can reveal to me all that I need to know in life so as to achieve holiness and fulfillment. Please open my heart so that I can come to You with humility and sincerity, open to all that You wish to reveal to me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Jesus isn't just the promised human Son of David—He's also the eternal Son of God, revealing both God's faithful promises and His power to surprise and transform our lives.

John 11:45-54English Standard Version45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.

In this powerful message, we dive into Part 2 of our series The War Within, where we shift from confronting tradition to battling religion itself.Many of us are spiritually stuck—not because God isn't willing to move, but because we've placed Him inside a religious box. We've clung to routines, appearances, and outward performances instead of allowing real inner transformation through relationship with Jesus.Are we truly in a relationship with Christ, or just playing church?Scripture Focus:James 1:26 – If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, your religion is worthless.Matthew 23:27 – Don't be a whitewashed tomb—looking good on the outside but dead on the inside.Luke 18:9-14 – The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector reminds us: humility > self-righteousness.2 Timothy 3:5 – Don't reject the power of God while looking religious.Key Takeaways:Religion values appearance; relationship values the heart.Religion leads to pride and judgment; relationship leads to humility and grace.Religion resists the Spirit; relationship makes room for God to move.Religion burdens; relationship brings freedom.God isn't fooled by the show—He sees the heart. It's time to let go of performance-based faith and embrace the real, freeing relationship He offers.If you're ready to stop faking it and start walking with Jesus for real, this message is for you.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Ezra 5-6; Psalm 138; Luke 16 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this October 3rd episode, join your host Hunter as we journey together through Day 277 of our year-long exploration of scripture. Today, we'll open the pages of Ezra chapters 5 and 6, where we witness the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and God's faithfulness to His people. We'll pause with David in Psalm 138 to reflect on gratitude and God's loving kindness. Then, we'll dive into Luke 16, where Jesus shares parables about stewardship, faithfulness, and the powerful story of the rich man and Lazarus—a timely reminder about the true riches found in God, not in material wealth. Along the way, Hunter offers reflections on heart posture, spiritual blindness, and the gift of being “named” and known by God. He closes with heartfelt prayers and practical encouragement to care for both body and soul, reminding us all that as we seek God together—no matter where we are in the world—we are deeply loved. So, grab your Bible, settle in, and let's walk this path of faith together today. The Story of the Named and Nameless: Faith, Riches, and Resurrection Lessons from Ezra, Psalms, and Luke: The Blessings of Faith and Humility Sitting with the Named Ones: Discovering Faith Beyond Riches Ezra's Restoration, David's Praise, and Jesus' Parables on Faithfulness Blindness of Wealth and the Hope of Resurrection: Insights from Luke 16 Walking in Faith: Rebuilding Hearts and Homes in God's Name From Exile to Celebration: God's Faithfulness Through Ezra, Psalms, and Luke Learning Humility and Hope from the Table of Abraham and Lazarus Faith That Sees: Overcoming the Blindness of Comfort and Riches Daily Reading, Daily Renewal: Finding Joy and Strength in God's Word Sure! Here are 30 topical keywords covered in this transcript: Ezra, Temple rebuilding, King Darius, King Cyrus, Jerusalem, Passover, exile, burnt offerings, Haggai, Zechariah, Persian kings, gold and silver cups, Babylonian exile, Psalm 138, worship, faithfulness, God's promises, prayer, humility, protection, resurrection, New Testament, Luke 16, parables, rich man and Lazarus, wealth, generosity, repentance, Moses and the Prophets, eternal life, daily devotion Hunter's Story (Short Bio Format): During a critical period in Jerusalem's history, when the city's temple lay in ruins, Hunter found himself among a resilient group determined to restore what was lost. Inspired by the voices of prophets like Haggai and Zechariah, who urged the people to rebuild in the name of their God, Hunter joined Zerubbabel and Jeshua in rekindling the effort to reconstruct the Temple. Their work soon attracted attention from the authorities: Tataniah, the governor west of the Euphrates, accompanied by his associates, challenged the project, demanding to know who had authorized the reconstruction. Despite the obstacles and scrutiny, Hunter and his companions persevered, guided by faith and the encouragement of the prophets—striving to restore both their temple and their community spirit. Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this October 3rd episode, join your host Hunter as we journey together through Day 277 of our year-long exploration of scripture. Today, we'll open the pages of Ezra chapters 5 and 6, where we witness the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and God's faithfulness to His people. We'll pause with David in Psalm 138 to reflect on gratitude and God's loving kindness. Then, we'll dive into Luke 16, where Jesus shares parables about stewardship, faithfulness, and the powerful story of the rich man and Lazarus—a timely reminder about the true riches found in God, not in material wealth. Along the way, Hunter offers reflections on heart posture, spiritual blindness, and the gift of being “named” and known by God. He closes with heartfelt prayers and practical encouragement to care for both body and soul, reminding us all that as we seek God together—no matter where we are in the world—we are deeply loved. So, grab your Bible, settle in, and let's walk this path of faith together today. Absolutely! Here are 10 thoughtful discussion questions based on the October 3rd, 2025 episode of the Daily Radio Bible: Reflecting on Ezra 5-6, what stood out to you about the rebuilding of the Temple and the challenges the Jews faced? How did God's intervention influence the outcome? In Psalm 138, David expresses deep gratitude and trust in God's faithfulness. Are there recent moments in your life where you experienced God's faithfulness in a personal way? In Luke 16, Jesus shares the parable of the shrewd manager. What lessons do you think Jesus wanted us to learn about stewardship, honesty, and the use of worldly resources? The story of the rich man and Lazarus highlights issues of wealth, privilege, and compassion. How do you see these themes playing out in your own life or in your community? Hunter discusses being blinded by riches and what it means to ‘forget your name.' In practical terms, what are ways we can guard our hearts against spiritual blindness or self-centeredness? What role do faith and trust play in our interactions with others, especially those in need, as reflected in the teachings of this episode? The episode highlights “the named ones”—those remembered in scripture for their faith. Who are the ‘named ones' in your own spiritual journey that inspire you? Hunter encourages listeners to take care of both body and soul. How do you balance spiritual and physical well-being in your daily life? Prayer is central to this episode. How has prayer—either through traditional prayers like the Lord's Prayer, or your own spontaneous prayers—shaped your relationship with God? The episode ends with the reminder that ‘you are loved.' How does knowing and internalizing God's love change the way you approach daily challenges and relationships? Feel free to use these questions for personal reflection or group discussion! Certainly! Here's a comprehensive sequence of topics covered in the episode "Daily Radio Bible – October 3rd, 2025," with sub-topic bullets for each primary topic: 1. Introduction and Purpose of the Podcast Hunter greets listeners and notes the date and day of the Bible journey. Introduces himself as a Bible reading coach, journeying with listeners daily. Emphasizes the goal: to let the Bible guide towards the Living Word, Jesus. 2. Daily Scripture Readings Book of Ezra (Chapters 5 and 6) Prophets Haggai and Zechariah encourage the rebuilding of the temple. Opposition from local officials and the intervention of King Darius. King Darius confirms Cyrus's decree allowing the rebuilding and orders resources to be provided. Celebration and dedication of the completed temple. Celebration of Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Psalm 138 David gives thanks and praises God's unfailing love and faithfulness. Emphasis on God's care for the humble and protection in times of trouble. Affirmation of God's enduring faithful love and the plea not to be abandoned. Luke 16 Parable of the shrewd manager, focusing on faithfulness with worldly resources. Teaching on the impossibility of serving both God and money. Critique of the Pharisees' value system. Parable of the rich man and Lazarus, highlighting the consequences of hard-heartedness and blindness to spiritual poverty. 3. Reflection and Commentary on the Readings Focus on the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Contrast between the nameless rich man (representing spiritual blindness) and Lazarus (a named, faithful individual). Warning about the hardening of heart due to wealth and reliance on status. Emphasis on the hope of resurrection and being known—having a name—by God. The importance of living by faith rather than trusting wealth or reputation. 4. Prayer and Personal Application Multiple prayers for guidance, protection, and for God's purposes to be fulfilled. Petition for peace, love, understanding, and living out God's will in practical ways. Gratitude expressed for God's mercies, creation, and redemption. 5. Practical Encouragement and Farewell Hunter encourages listeners to also take care of their physical bodies (e.g., taking a walk, enjoying nature). Affirms the value of time spent investing in the soul and spirit through Scripture. Personal anecdote about enjoying disc golf and being mindful of seasonal changes. Invitation to return for the next podcast episode and a reminder of God's love for each listener. This episode weaves together Scripture reading, reflection, prayer, and practical life encouragement, offering both spiritual insight and daily life application for listeners. Today we dove deep into the wisdom of Ezra, Psalms, and Luke, exploring how faith, gratitude, and humility can transform both our personal and professional lives. We learned that true success isn't measured by wealth or status, but by the richness of our soul and our generosity toward others. Remember: Invest in what truly matters—your character, your purpose, and your impact on those around you. Let every day be an opportunity to build lasting value, both in business and in life. Absolutely! Here's a LinkedIn post inspired by the October 3rd, 2025 episode of the Daily Radio Bible podcast: On today's episode of the Daily Radio Bible, I was reminded of the power of faith, perspective, and gratitude. Hunter took us through passages from Ezra, Psalms, and Luke—forming a moving meditation on humility, spiritual focus, and the value of small, daily investments in our souls. Here are three key takeaways that resonated with me: Guard against the blindness of privilege: The story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16) serves as a reminder not to let wealth or comfort blind us to our own need for God or the needs of others. Faithfulness in little things matters: Whether it's tending to the tasks at hand, caring for your health, or nurturing your relationships—Hunter encourages us to value the daily “little things” that shape our character. Invest in what truly pays off: As Hunter beautifully put it, spending time listening, reflecting, and drawing near to God is an investment that yields lifelong dividends, unlike many of the distractions that vie for our attention. Let's prioritize what's truly valuable—both in our spiritual journeys and our day-to-day routines. Have you made time lately for what matters most? #DailyRadioBible #Faith #PersonalGrowth #SpiritualWellness #Gratitude Subject: Feasting with the Named Ones – DRB Newsletter for October 3, 2025 Dear DRB Family, Grace and peace to you on this beautiful October day! As always, thank you for joining us on our daily journey through the Bible. Our latest episode, "October 3rd, 2025," is now available, and we're so glad you could share in this time around the warmth of God's love. Today's Readings: Ezra 5-6 Psalm 138 Luke 16 Highlights from This Episode In today's reading, we revisited the incredible story of how faith, perseverance, and God's providence enabled the Israelites to rebuild the temple amidst opposition. As we learned from Ezra, even earthly kings like Cyrus and Darius can become surprising instruments in God's redemption story. Psalm 138 reminded us of God's constant faithfulness, while in Luke 16, Jesus offered the stirring parable of the rich man and Lazarus. A Reflection on Names, Riches, and Faith Host Hunter shared a poignant meditation on the difference between the “named ones” and the nameless in Jesus's story. While the rich man in the parable was left without a name—lost in his riches and blind to his need for God—Lazarus was named, honored, and welcomed at Abraham's side. The reminder for us: our trust belongs not in wealth or reputation, but in the God who raises the humble and knows us by name. Let us nurture hearts that recognize our need for God and rejoice in the gifts—both earthly and eternal—that He freely gives. Daily Encouragement Hunter also encouraged us to move our bodies in gratitude for the life we have, just as we invest time nourishing our souls with Scripture. Whether it's a walk outdoors, a gentle stretch, or simply deep breaths of fresh air, these moments can remind us of God's presence. Let's Pray Together As always, this episode closed with heartfelt prayers of thanksgiving, intercession, and the Lord's Prayer—rooting us in God's goodness and mercy each new day. Action Steps: Take some time today to move your body and thank God for the life and breath you've been given. Reflect on the ways God has named and loved you, regardless of your circumstances. Invite someone to listen to today's episode and join our community of daily Bible readers. Thank you for investing these precious moments into your soul. Until next time, remember: you are loved. In His love, The Daily Radio Bible Team P.S. Have feedback or a prayer request? We'd love to hear from you—just reply to this email! And don't forget to take time to breathe, move, and let God's joy be your strength today. [Listen to the episode] [Visit our podcast page] [Support the DRB]

In this solo episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb explores the profound depths of Jesus' Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. While this parable might seem unassuming compared to others, Jesse reveals how it serves as the "granddaddy" of all parables—offering a God's-eye view of salvation through the ordinary imagery of farming. The episode examines why different people respond differently to the same gospel message, and challenges listeners to consider what kind of soil their own hearts represent. Through historical context and theological reflection, Jesse unpacks how this parable prepares believers for the mixed responses they'll encounter when sharing the gospel and reminds us that the efficacy of salvation depends not on the sower's skill, but on God's sovereign work in preparing hearts to receive His Word. Key Takeaways The Parable of the Sower provides a framework for understanding the various responses to the gospel message, serving as preparation for disciples who would face both acceptance and rejection. Jesus' parables, particularly the Sower, demonstrate how God uses ordinary, mundane things to express profound spiritual truths about His kingdom. The efficacy of salvation doesn't depend on the skill of the sower but on God's sovereign work in preparing the soil of human hearts. God's Word never returns void but always comes back "full" of either acceptance or rejection—it accomplishes exactly what God intends. Historical context matters: Jesus' audience had high expectations for a Messiah who would establish an earthly kingdom, but Jesus was revealing a different kind of kingdom. The Parable of the Sower shows that the kingdom of God isn't received equally by all—some receive it with joy while others reject it outright. Having "ears to hear" is a gift from God through the Holy Spirit, not merely intellectual understanding but spiritual receptivity. The Word That Never Returns Void The power of God's Word stands at the center of the Parable of the Sower. Jesse highlights Isaiah 55, where God declares that His word "shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose." Unlike human words that often fall flat, God's Word always achieves its intended effect. This doesn't mean universal salvation, but rather that God's purposes are never thwarted. When the gospel is proclaimed, it always returns to God "full" of something—either acceptance or rejection. The parable illustrates this reality by showing the various responses to the same seed. This should encourage believers in evangelism: we are simply called to faithfully sow the seed, while God determines the harvest according to His sovereign purposes. Our success is not measured by conversions but by faithfulness in proclamation. Kingdom Expectations vs. Kingdom Reality The historical context of Jesus' ministry reveals a profound disconnect between what people expected from the Messiah and what Jesus actually delivered. Jesse explains how the Jewish people anticipated a conquering king who would overthrow Roman oppression and establish a visible earthly kingdom. Instead, Jesus announced a kingdom that begins in the heart, dividing even families according to their response to Him. The Parable of the Sower anticipates this mixed response, preparing disciples for both acceptance and rejection. This teaches modern believers an important lesson: the gospel will not be universally embraced, even when perfectly presented. Some hearts are like paths, others rocky ground, others thorny soil. Yet we continue sowing because God has appointed some to be good soil—hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the Word and bear fruit. This reality should both humble us and embolden our witness. Quotes "The power of this message is in the message itself, but the medium by which it is delivered... it does pierce the heart. It does pierce through bone and marrow. It does divide because it always returns full of either acceptance or full of rebellion and denial." - Jesse Schwamb "We find ourselves humbled. We find ourselves rushing in, coming into the kingdom, fighting to come into it because God has impassioned us with that same zeal that has accomplished this very thing. He implants it in our hearts, in our minds, in our guts, so that we would come before him and worship him." - Jesse Schwamb "Consider what it means that this good news... that God's word is his deed. This is why... it's such a blessing to live in this period of time where we have such easy access for most of us to the word of God, and that we ought to be zealous about getting that word out to all people because behind it and within it and around it is the full power of the Holy Spirit." - Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript Welcome to episode 463 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast for those with ears to hear. Hey, brothers and sisters, so I am just one half. Of the Reform Brotherhood squad. Tony, of course, wanted to join us on this episode, but it sometimes happens in life. Our schedules were a little bit crazy this week, and God gave us responsibilities that put us in opposite directions for part of the time. And so that means that today on this episode, I thought. You and I, we could just hang out and Tony will be back to join us in the next episode. [00:01:20] Solo Episode and Parable Series Overview But for now, this is one of those solo or formed brotherhood episodes. And if you have been tracking with us, we just started this great and amazing journey on going through all the parables that our Lord and Savior gives to us in teaching us about the kingdom of God and its power. And we just started by talking about the parable of the sower, in fact. In the last episode, we just covered basically the first two soils, the first half of that amazing little story, and I thought it would be really, really great to camp out in that for just a little bit more because even though Tony's not here, the podcast goes on and we, Tony and I never really. Thinking about these things and when we start a series in particular, we always find that we just gotta keep going back on it in our minds ruminating on what we said and what God was teaching us and the conversations like all good conversations that draw your mind back to the things that you talked about, which I should say maybe before I begin in earnest, that is also my denial, which is saying things like, let's camp out in this text now to be. Sure. There's no wrong reason why, or there's no bad reason to say words like that. It's just when I hear myself say them, I think about all the things that Christians say, like saying like, we should camp out in this text, or Let's sit in it for a while. And I think maybe it's because I'm just not into camping or maybe because I think most of the time when you use the phrase like, sit in, it's not. A happy or blessed or joyful thing that you're describing. So I always find that funny, and yet here I am saying it because I just couldn't think of anything better to say except, you know what? We should pause and maybe ruminate a little bit more. On all of this good stuff that's in Matthew chapter 13, where Jesus gives us the parable of the sower, so you can join me in sharing which little Christian phrases maybe you think you hear, we say too much or just become rote or part and parcel what it means to talk. The best way for you to do that is do me a. Go to your favorite internet device and in the browser, type T me slash reform brotherhood, that will just take you that little link to a part of the internet using an app called Telegram where a bunch of brothers and sisters who listen to the podcast are chatting about the podcast, their live sharing prayer requests, and there's even a place for you to share, Hey, what are the things that Christians say that you think. Why do we say that? Why are we always talking about hedges of protection? Why are we always talking about camping out in a text? So that's a place that you can come hang out. So go to t.me/reform brotherhood. [00:03:56] Deep Dive into the Parable of the Sower But enough of that, let's talk a little bit more about this incredible parable that our Lord and Savior gives us in Matthew chapter 13. It's so, so short in fact that I figured. The best parts of any conversation about the Bible is just hearing from God in his word. So let me read just those couple of verses. It's just eight verses beginning in Matthew chapter 13, the parable of the sower. That same day, Jesus went out from the house and sat beside the sea and great crowds gathered about him so that he got into a boat and sat down and the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables saying a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no roots, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seed fell on good soil and produced grain. Some a hundred fold, some 60, some 30. He who has ears let him hear. [00:05:09] Personal Reflections on the Parable I have to say that of all the parables, and we mentioned in the previous episode that this one is kind of the granddaddy of them all. It's a god's eye view on salvation told in this lovely kind of encased way about horticulture and farming and growing plants. But to be totally transparent, I never really got into this parable. It was never really my favorite one. Like of all the things that Jesus says, of all the creative and wonderful terms of phrase, this one for me always just seemed to be lacking That stuff. You know, it doesn't have really strong characters. It's about a sower, seed and soil, and compared to some other things that seems kind of unassuming and. Not very exciting, quite honestly, to me, and it's not as exciting, I think, as stories about, I don't know, losing something of value and then suddenly finding it and rejoicing and having the characters, feeling yourself in those characters as they go about experiencing all the emotions. That Jesus expresses and keyed in these lovely little riddles called parables. And so for this one, it's always been a little bit kind of like a, okay. It's interesting and the point seems fairly straightforward and it just doesn't captivate me as the others. And I've been thinking about about that, how even in this, it just seems like a really normal, mundane, kind of pedestrian expression of a life in that time. And it's all wrapped up in gardening. And throwing seeds into the ground, not even having control of their outcome. And then in this way, though, expressing and explaining this grand narrative and arc of salvation from God's perspective. So it is, again, another lesson in God using ordinary, normal, almost seemingly mundane things to express his power, to express our lack of control and to show so that he does. Did I just say so to, so that he does all things and certainly we get so much of that in this parable, and so it made me think this week after Tony and I talked about it a little bit. Just how it raises a question in this really normative, kind of unassuming, almost boring, if I can say way, this really profound question, which is, will we be this fruitful, fertile soil? Will we be fruitful followers? Of Jesus Christ. And it doesn't just raise this question, I suppose it also gives us some hope, but it also does so with a warning. It is a maybe a little bit of law and gospel even embedded in these simple means of, again, talking about what it means to plant something and to entrust the planting, the acy of the growth there to the soil and the seed, and there's hope. There's warning and there's so much of that that's in this context of the parable, and that's what's led me to wanna talk to you all a little bit about that as we kinda process together more of what this means. [00:08:00] Historical Context and Expectations of the Messiah I was thinking that when Jesus began his ministry, when he's coming forward, he's really announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God. And it's helpful, I think, to meditate as a second on how profound that is, that he comes again, not just as the message, but the messenger and the medium of that message. I was just kinda ruminating on the fact that. Everybody had high expectations. There was no one, I think, with kind of a low opinion of what was about to happen or of what the Messiah was going to bring or what he was going to do. And here you have like explicitly Jesus' hearers, their ancestors would've been taken into exile and captivity because they had broken the covenant with God. And the prophets had made this case for God's punishment because of their idolatry and their injustice. But that message, and you get this especially in in books like Isaiah. Where there's this mixture that's bittersweet. There is not only an exclusive message of woe for the people, but there is at the same time up against sick, almost running parallel. This promise of a day when God, by his own effort in Zeal, would bring about a restoration where he'd set up visibly an earthly reign through his anointed Wanda Messiah. And so I can only imagine if I could. Even partially put myself in the place of these people who are hearing this particular parable, that there is all this sense that we have strayed from God, that we're covenant breakers, but that he has promised to make a way and that his own zeal will very much accomplish this, but it will be visible and earthly, not just spiritual in the sense that we believe these things and we internalize them in the sense for our being, and therefore we speak about them in these kind of grandiose and ephemeral terms. But more than that, that God was going to come and set up an earthly reign, purely manifested in the world in which we live and breathe and have our being. And so two things would happen. Israel's oppressors would be defeated. And God would institute a pure worship and a reestablished pure worship. And so I can't help but think maybe there was some of this expectation. They're, they're seeing this Messiah, this Jesus, the one who speaks with a different kind of authority, come into their midst. And there I think all these things are somewhere in their minds as their processing. Maybe they should be in ours as well. And so there's this portrait that's being painted here of the prophet saying there's gonna be. Restoration and this image of a seed being sown. And then of course you have these metaphors that Jesus is employing in his own time. Very reminiscent of passages like in Isaiah 55, where you find the prophet saying, for as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth. It shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and I shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. What an amazing, glorious promise of God that there is no suboptimal nature. In his expression of who he is and what he's accomplished, that the very thing that he intends to do, he always does, and this word comes back. I think what really strikes me about this passage in particular is the fact that it does not return to God empty. I mean, think about what that means. It's strange in a way. That. In other words, it's full of something. And here I think it's full of response. It's full of anticipation. It's full of this. Like what? What has gone out is now received by the individual and then returns with either acceptance or denial, very much in the same way that we're about to receive it in this parable before us. And in fact, even our ability to understand the parable. This if you have ears, he has ears. Let him hear that itself is an expression. So in other words. The power of this message is again, in the message itself, but the medium by which it is delivered, it does pierce the heart. It does pierce through bone and marrow. It does divide because it always returns full of either acceptance or full of rebellion and denial. And so when we think about the people of Israel. They exactly in that way. They return from exile under Ezra Nehemiah. But even those returns, even those improvements or some of that remediation seems to me like to come short of expectations. You know, Ezra rebuilt the temple, but it paled in comparison to Solomon's original, in fact. If we go to Ezra chapter three, there's like so much honesty as the people are seeing this rebuilt temple. Their response is, is like tragic in a way. So this is Ezra chapter three, beginning verse 12. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers houses, old men. Who had seen the first house as the temple of God wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy so that the people cannot distinguish the sound of the joyful from the sound of people's weeping for the people shouted with a great shout and the sound was heard far away, even in just the setting up the foundation, the base layer. There are those saying this is. This is not like it used to be. Even this is just far piles in comparison and falls very far short of the original. And of course you have Nehemiah's rebuilt wall around Jerusalem. Couldn't even ensure the holiness of God's people. And so everything up to that point. All of it was still just a shadow. It was like a big, giant disappointment, a blemish as it were, on God's people. Even as there was an attempt to restore, there was still this longing from the inside to have the real McCoy to everything made right to have the true Messiah come, not the one that was the type. Not the thing that was the shadow, not the the poor replacement or the analog, but the real thing. And so you have in response to this, you know, some of God's people move into the wilderness and pursue holy living. Some accommodated to Roman occupation like the Sadducees, some retreated into kind of individual individualistic piety or rule keeping like the Pharisees. And then there's all kinds of accounts of God's people in rebellion. Like Simon, the Zealots. There were some who even located themselves under the legitimate, yet Roman endorsed leadership of Herod, you know the Herodians. So you have all of these people you can imagine literally in the same audience. Jesus pushes back and he begins to teach them. And he starts by talking about horticulture. He starts by saying, A sower goes out and he throws all this kind of seed. And it's not difficult to imagine that all of the seed, all the soil, everything is represented in what he's saying right there. And then it's not a story as if like, well, you take this away and try to process it in such a way that you might come to terms with it later on. It's happening in the here and now. Even what he's saying. Even the message that he's communicating is being man made manifest right there in their midst, and it's not returning a void to him. The one who wrote it to begin with is the one who's speaking it, and it's having its desired effect, even as we read it now, and it reads us today. [00:15:13] Jesus' Ministry and the Kingdom of God And so it's amazing that it's on this stage that Jesus steps out and he stands, especially in the synagogue when he reads from the Isaiah scroll. And he announces that the true jubilee has now arrived and it's arrived in him. You know, by the way, what's interesting there is we have, we have no real reason to think that Israel ever really practiced Jubilee as it was outlined in the scriptures. So we have this beautiful instruction for a reset, a pure reset, and one that is liberty and freedom in so many ways, but especially demonstrated in this economic reality. And Jesus commences his public ministry proclaiming the good new. News that the kingdom of God has arrived. I feel like we have to go there, right? Because this is just so good. So in MOOC chapter four, Jesus stands up. He asks for the scroll, and this is what he reads. Loved ones. These are fantastic words. I mean, hear them from the mouth of our Savior. Again, Jesus reads this, the spirits of the Lord is upon me. Because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. It's such incredibly strong and powerful news. We're getting this sense that there are those who are poor that need. To hear that something will be different. That they are her, that they're seen that all of the straining in life and all of their labor is not in vain, but here is one who's come to rescue them and that those who have been set in prison, those who are chained and under duress and find themselves locked up. That here he has come to proclaim liberty to the captives, and then for those that cannot see, that have lost their way entirely, that are groping in the dark, here is one that's coming to recover the sight. Hear that word, not to give it brand new, but to restore that which was originally present to begin with. Imagine the horror of having your sights and then having it taken away that. Knowing that there was something there that was beautiful in your midst, something that was precious to you, and now to have that restored, in fact, like Blind by de MEUs the Greek, there is more when God says, or Jesus rather, says, what do you want me to do for you? The Greek is very clear, just says, sight again, sight again. And I think we like our ancestors and Israel here before us. We ought to be always clamoring and crying. Then I tell God like, son of David sight again. Would you help me to see truly not as the world appears to be, but we spiritual eyes, to know the truth, to understand how much you love me, and would you gimme the strength to love you? Me back love you back by way of giving, yes, this sight. And then for all those who are downtrodden. Where, wherever, and whatever that means, physically, emotionally, spiritually, that here's the one who has come to, again, set you at liberty and then to say, do you know what this time is? This is the time of the Lord's favor. Why? Because the son of man is here and where the son of man is. There is freedom and restoration. There is a new king over all things. There's one who super intends over all of the earth. Who has been given control over all things and has come to win literally the day for those who are rebellious before God, for those who have sinned, who are covenant breakers, who are gospel abusers, while we were at yet enmity with God at the right time, Jesus and his son for us. And so we find that it's like the pretext, it's the context for all of this, and especially this parable. And of course, rather than. Everybody listening to what Jesus has to say here and just being one over being filled with some kind of winsome logic of what's being said here, of being thoroughly convinced. We know that of course it's not just a matter of evidence, but unless the Holy Spirit comes the same spirit, which is upon Jesus, the sin of God, to change us, to open our ears, that we do not hear these things, we don't hear them as we ought to. We do not give them heed. We do not internalize them, and we cannot understand them. And so because of that, rather than of course meeting with universal acceptance, Jesus, of course, he encounters a host of reactions. Some opposed him. The crowds sometimes were way more motivated, like people in our day by novelty or curiosity or by presume rewards or blessings. You can imagine this is what makes, of course, something like the Blat and grab, its kind of gospel, the prosperity of some of our modern evangelical expression, so incredibly dangerous. Because of course people will say, well, if I can get that blessing, of course I want Jesus. Or if I'm gonna be made, well, yes, I'll, I'll find, I'll take Jesus. If I'm gonna get wealth and riches and a 401k, that's gonna suit my every need. Well sure I'll take Jesus. And of course, the blessing, the reward of getting Jesus is getting the son of God, getting the one who restores us first and predominantly. With God the father himself, that all of those blessings are already ours in the spiritual realm because of Jesus. In fact, we've, we've already been placed with him in the heavenly realms. That is the reward. And so sometimes the gods were a little bit more motivated by, this guy's given us bread before. Let's see if there's gonna be another buffet, rather than he says We ought to eat and drink his flesh. That in that is eternal life, and so we get distracted. And so sometimes novelty and curiosity just win the day. And then of course, on the other hand. Some of the most unlikely unseemly, most sinful were responding with incredible joy and embracing Jesus and his announcement. Tenaciously like voraciously, the ones who were humble, who knew that they needed a savior, they needed a reconciliation that was alien and outside of themselves. Something powerful that could defeat even the sin that was within them and bring about a pure and unbridled atonement, unreserved in its ability to clean. These were the ones who were saying, come, Lord Jesus, these were the ones crying out, saying, have mercy on me, son of David. And we like them. Ought to follow that example. And so throughout Matthew's Gospel and Luke's gospel. There's a mixed response throughout the entire ministry of Jesus. And again, what's unique about this parable, I think, is that Jesus comes setting the stage for that unique response. All of those different kind of options and how people will perceive him, how they respond to him, what they will say to him. And so whether as you go through the narratives in the gospels, you look to. The Samaritan Leopard or the blind beggar, or the Chief tax Collector, or the impoverished widow, all of these were those who were forcing their way into the kingdom in response during the good news. There's really something I think that's beautiful about that, that God allows for us to force our way as it were. When we are convicted of this kingdom, that he is the kingdom and that he brings it to us. That we come headlong, rushing in, falling over ourselves to get into that kingdom by the power of the Holy Spirit. And that's why I think, why, why Luke writes in chapter 16 of his gospel. The law in the prophets were until John. Since then, the good news of the kingdom of God is preached and everyone forces his way into it. What a amazing and lovely thing that God allows us. Which is the truth, to force our way into that. So these were the ones who proved to be the fertile soil for the word of the kingdom, not the ones who chose the places of honor or the privilege, or we saw Jesus one of many important priorities to be managed. What we have here is the ones who forced their way in. These were the ones who proved to be the fertile soil, and I'm not gonna steal. Any of our thunder, because Tony and I are gonna talk about that in the next episode. But I bring that up merely to say there's so much that's rich here. When we think about are we as Christians fruitful and fertile? In our following, after the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's Matthew's great theme of reversal, like beginning in the birth narratives of Jesus and continuing through the very end of his gospel count. Even like in his final parable, Jesus forced the confrontation with his opponents by declaring that God would give the kingdom to those who had produce a harvest for God in honor. His son. That's the truth. And so he was more than simply this messenger in these cleverly created stories announcing the arrival of God's reign. He was the one who brought the kingdom. And actually, in fact, Jesus embodies the kingdom because he was the king, not only of Israel, but the royal son of God who would rule the nations. And because of that. He did represent a threat to overthrow to some just as much as he was meant as a salvation and a blessing to others. He is divisive. In fact, what's interesting is if you track Jesus standing up in the temple. And he comes forward and reads from Isaiah. It's interesting where he stops reading. This is really before kind of the, all the language about the second coming back, him really coming not to bring just salvation, but to bring retribution, to bring justice and punishment for those who are God's enemies. And so really this first coming. Jesus is all about this. It's it's all about having the message of God go out in that return void. It's returning full of the response of God's people, full of the response of God's enemies and therefore. This parable, an ex explanation to his inner circle would be understood as an accounting for the surprising range of responses. And even more than I think like an ex explanation, like explicitly it would be this kind of preparation. This kind of, again, setting a table or opening up a pathway for this hard road that lay ahead for those who would remain true to Jesus. These would be the ones who would serve the ultimate purpose of God's great act of sowing in his son to produce a great harvest. And of course. That is partly what lies the hope for us. I mean, I think I said last time we spoke about this, what I appreciate about this teaching is not only that it doesn't pull any punches, but it's just so. Real, it's so resonant because Jesus already gives us some of the breadth and scope or the continuum of the responses so that when we go out and we should so unreservedly that that is by proclaiming Jesus as the king who has come as the kingdom already ushered in as here, but not yet. When we do this, we can expect already that there'll be various responses. So one for us, it takes away the surprise. The second is it does prepare us. That these things might in fact happen. And three, it gives us a sense that, again, the efficacy of salvation. And we're getting, by the way, this view of salvation from, from God isn't again dependent on the skillset of the sower. Instead, it is God's prerogative. It's always God's prerogative. And here as loved ones, you've heard me say again, I must invoke the phrase, we have God doing all the verbs, right? He's the one walking in the field. He's the one reaching in into the seed bag, as it were. He's the one casting it liberally across the ground. He's the one making it grow. All of this is what God is doing. The preparation of the soil, the casting of the seed, the being present in. Farmland. All of this is what God is doing now. We emulate that by design. So now the call is to do what Jesus has done here in Mala for us, and that is that we also go out into the world and we proclaim this good news because what is unequivocally true is that the good news of Jesus Christ. Is for all people. Now, this does not mean that all people will accept it. That is abundantly clear in the message that Jesus gives to us. It does not prevent though us or him from casting it out to all people. We see that really, really. Vividly. Some will be given ears to hear. We ought to pray that our neighbors, our children, those in our churches and our communities, our politicians, we ought to be praying that all would be given ears to hear, and the seed of God's word will accomplish exactly what God intends and Jesus' word, a proclamation announcing the good news of the kingdom of God. We see vividly the point that God's word is. Deed that this word that he spoke speaks is his action. It's not simply that God says what he will do, but that his very act of speaking is the means by which he does that very thing. When we hear God speak to us, it is proof that we are alive. Not only do like dead men tell no tales, I think I've just inadvertently like quoted from Disney's. Um. Pirates movie, but they hear no tells as well. You know, you have been born again, not a perishable seed, but of imperishable through the living and abiding word of God. Incredible. Isn't it? Loved ones like it's incredible this story that to me on the beginning seems like so kind of. Boring and not particularly catchy and maybe not as interesting as some of the others contained within. This is literally all the words of life in the seed that we've seen thrown and in. It is like the continuum we find, not that it emulates the Old Testament, or that it somehow compliments New Testament, but within all within this parable is all of the scriptures and all of the full plan of God and all of his great love for us. That again, while we were at his enemies, he came and on this path, as he walks among the field, he casts the seed. To all, and he, by his power, gives to some these ears to hear. We find ourselves humbled. We find ourselves rushing in coming into the kingdom, fighting to come into it because God has impassioned us with that same zeal that has accomplished this very thing. He implants it in our hearts, in our minds, in our guts, so that we would come before him and worship him, fall down and find. The one who is our savior, who ushers in the visible kingdom of God, the one that is not built merely on political theories, on good rules. The kind of gospel that didn't come to make bad people good, but came to make dead people alive again. And I think that that is the absolute. Untouchable, unfathomable, almost completely un understandable, if you will, truth of this particular parable. I think this is why the Westminster confession describes the word of God, and particularly the preaching of the word as a means of grace. The word is powerful in itself by the spirits of God. I had to quote the Westminster, of course, at least in honor of Tony, so. [00:30:02] Call to Action and Final Thoughts That's my little challenge to you on this short little episode. It's just you and me and I'm saying to you loved ones. Consider this parable again. Consider how palpable this parable is. Consider what God has for us in it. Consider this soils. And then think about what it means that this good news, we see this within it, this vivid point again, that God's word is his deed. And so this is why though we do not create any kind of legalistic, conscription, or prescription around something like daily Bible study. Why? It's such a blessing to live in this period of time where we have such easy access for most of us to the word of God, and that we ought to be zealous about getting that word out to all people because, because behind it and within it and around it is the full power of the Holy Spirit that is always going out into the world and returning full with response and that when God. Speaks his word. He's always accomplishing his act in that very deed. And so it should be a blessing. We should be compelled to find ourselves in it as much as often as we can because what we're finding there is the power of God for us, in us speaking, administering to us to produce in us a great harvest. That's the promise it's coming, and we're gonna get there in the next. Episode, but what I'll leave you with is just those first two soils thinking about if you have ears to hear, if you have been made alive together with Christ, then consider that there was a time when you are one of the other soils and God who's being rich in mercy has rescued you. Not because of work done in righteousness, not because you've come forward and. Elevate your place to the, to elevate your state to the place of deserving poor. Not because like you came forward with, with empty hands and somehow convinced God that you are worthy enough, or sorry enough or contrite enough. But because of his great mercy, and it's that mercy, I think that compels us to say things to Jesus like Son of David Sight again. Son of David, have mercy on me, son of David. You are the real arrival of the Kingdom of God and your word bears testimony and your Holy Spirit has in a great work in my life. And to that end, I want to follow you and I want to ensure that this word that you've given to me is given to all people. So there's work to do, loved ones. And there's a lot there to process. I hope that you will take some time. Think about this in your own way, and as you are processing this as God is speaking to you, as you are joining together with loved ones from literally all over the world who are hanging out and listening to Tony and I chat about this stuff, that again, you would share your own voice, the best way to do that. Why do you make me beg you? Come join the Telegram chat. You'll have a great time. It's super fun. T me slash Reform Brotherhood. I would also be remiss if I didn't on behalf of myself and Tony, thank everyone who does hang out there, everyone who sent us the email, everyone who shares prayer requests or has prayed for us, and as well everyone who makes sure that this podcast. Is free of charge. It comes with its own expenses. It's not free to produce. And so we're so thankful that those who've said, listen, I've been blessed by the podcast, or It's just been important or special to me. God has done something in it. Or God has renewed a different kind of desire and passion to talk about the things of God or to encourage me in my life. I'm so happy if other things have happened. By the way, it's not because of Tony or me. It's because God is good to us. I mean, can I get an amen? I see that hand. In the back, God is good to Tony and me and we're just so thankful that we get to do this. And so if you'd like to join in supporting financially. Every little gift helps. You can go to patreon.com/reform brotherhood patreon.com, reform Brotherhood, and there you can find a way to give one time or reoccurring all of those gifts together. Make sure that there's no payrolls on this bad boy that you're not gonna get any super weird ads in the middle of it. You're just gonna get us talking. We want to em, I would say be emblematic of what we've talked about here, which is. Freely we've received freely want to give. And for those who join and say, I wanna make that possible so that no one has to be compelled to pay for this kind of thing, I love that we are here for that every day of the week and twice on the Lord's day. So next episode, Tony and I are gonna continue in this parable. We're probably, you know, gonna get together. We'll set up our tents, we'll just camp out here for a little bit. So until we get the tents out, we get the s'mores. And we start camping. Honor everyone love the brotherhood.

Jesus sits on a mountainside and turns the world upside down: the poor are blessed, the meek inherit the earth, and persecution becomes cause for rejoicing. Christ calls His followers salt and light, then makes a shocking claim: He hasn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, and unless our righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees, we'll never see the kingdom.  The Rev. Lance O'Donnell, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Oconomowoc, WI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Matthew 5:1-20.  To learn more about St. Paul's, visit splco.org. The Gospel of Matthew bridges Old and New Testaments, presenting Jesus as the promised Messiah who fulfills the Law we could never keep and establishes His kingdom of grace for all nations. Written by a tax collector transformed by pure grace, Matthew reveals Christ as the true Son of David and Emmanuel (God with us) who challenges us with the crushing demands of the Law in His Sermon on the Mount to the sweet comfort of the Gospel in His death and resurrection. From royal genealogy to glorious resurrection, this verse-by-verse study proclaims the One who conquered sin, death, and the devil for us, now delivering forgiveness, life, and salvation through Word and Sacrament as He remains with His church always, even to the end of the age.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

JOHN 9:17-41 - THE SON OF GOD - BRIAN SUMNER - 2025"17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”He said, “He is a prophet.”18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.True Vision and True Blindness35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.' Therefore your sin remains.”To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible becausSupport the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

In this weighty yet hope-filled episode of Tent Talk, Nancy speaks from a place of urgency and preparation as she prepares to travel to Germany and Austria. She reflects on the significance of entering in for ourselves before attempting to lead others, contrasting Pharisee leaders with process leaders who truly carry the life of Christ. With deep conviction, she invites listeners to embrace the fire of God's presence, depend fully on His life within, and walk in the joy of total surrender. This is not about formulas or spiritual trends—it is about Christ, His cross, and the call to be living witnesses in this present hour. Thanks for Listening! I hope that after listening to The Tent Talk Podcast, you'll want to start discussions with your team or small group. These resources can help guide your discipleship journey to maturity and destiny with the Father: Episode Notes & Conversation Guide DOWNLOAD HERE https://nancymccready.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Episode-974-This-Present-Hour.pdf LINKS The Devotional Podcast with Nancy McCready https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2hHjwQ_3Qrp1rhbR9nu68wnBtQY0IHzc The Producer's Way School theproducersway.com Nancy's book, From Trauma to Trust www.amazon.com/dp/B096ZML6R3/ JOIN THE CONVERSATION Every journey begins with a conversation, join us on social media to get started! Facebook: www.facebook.com/nbmccready Instagram: www.instagram.com/nbmccready/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nancymccreadyministries SUBSCRIBE Like what you hear? Subscribe to Tent Talk with Nancy McCready so you don't miss an episode! nancymccready.com/podcast/ ABOUT NANCY MCCREADY Nancy McCready is redefining discipleship across nations, cultures, and denominations. Through Nancy McCready Ministries, she partners with leaders to build deep, transformative discipleship cultures that provoke people to walk in freedom and live as mature sons of the Father. Her powerful message comes from her journey of overcoming abuse, addiction, and self-destruction to walk in true freedom. She now dedicates her life to helping others grow in intimacy with the Father and live unto Him. ABOUT TENT TALK PODCAST Tent Talk with Nancy McCready is a listener-funded podcast dedicated to helping Christians along their journey of a deeper walk with Christ. With the support of donors like you, we are able to help our listeners gain a deeper spiritual understanding and connection with the Father. Thank you for your support of the Tent Talk Podcast! nancymccready.com/giving/ Brought to you by Nancy McCready Ministries nancymccready.com/

5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 5:2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. 5:12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 5:13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 5:14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 5:15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 5:18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. 5:19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 5:22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? 5:23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 5:24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. 5:25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 5:26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

Thus far in Matthew's gospel, we haven't heard complaints from the crowds about any of Christ's teachings or any unrest from his ministry to sick or suffering people, but in today's episode Jesus begins crossing boundaries which had been laid through the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees. After forgiving the sins of a paralyzed man, the scribes claim that Jesus is blaspheming, but he immediately shows them that he has the power to do even greater things through his authoritative word. Similar encounters follow, but the power and authority that Jesus has over Creation simply cannot be denied. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Luke 16:19-31Jesus said to the Pharisees:"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linenand dined sumptuously each day.And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scrapsthat fell from the rich man's table.Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.When the poor man died,he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.The rich man also died and was buried,and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far offand Lazarus at his side.And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,for I am suffering torment in these flames.'Abraham replied,'My child, remember that you receivedwhat was good during your lifetimewhile Lazarus likewise received what was bad;but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is establishedto prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to gofrom our side to yours or from your side to ours.'He said, 'Then I beg you, father,send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,so that he may warn them,lest they too come to this place of torment.'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.Let them listen to them.'He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

Luke 16:19-31Jesus said to the Pharisees:"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linenand dined sumptuously each day.And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scrapsthat fell from the rich man's table.Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.When the poor man died,he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.The rich man also died and was buried,and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far offand Lazarus at his side.And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,for I am suffering torment in these flames.'Abraham replied,'My child, remember that you receivedwhat was good during your lifetimewhile Lazarus likewise received what was bad;but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is establishedto prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to gofrom our side to yours or from your side to ours.'He said, 'Then I beg you, father,send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,so that he may warn them,lest they too come to this place of torment.'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.Let them listen to them.'He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

Luke 16:19-31Jesus said to the Pharisees:"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linenand dined sumptuously each day.And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scrapsthat fell from the rich man's table.Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.When the poor man died,he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.The rich man also died and was buried,and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far offand Lazarus at his side.And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,for I am suffering torment in these flames.'Abraham replied,'My child, remember that you receivedwhat was good during your lifetimewhile Lazarus likewise received what was bad;but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is establishedto prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to gofrom our side to yours or from your side to ours.'He said, 'Then I beg you, father,send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,so that he may warn them,lest they too come to this place of torment.'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.Let them listen to them.'He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

Luke 16:19-31Jesus said to the Pharisees:"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linenand dined sumptuously each day.And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scrapsthat fell from the rich man's table.Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.When the poor man died,he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.The rich man also died and was buried,and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far offand Lazarus at his side.And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,for I am suffering torment in these flames.'Abraham replied,'My child, remember that you receivedwhat was good during your lifetimewhile Lazarus likewise received what was bad;but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is establishedto prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to gofrom our side to yours or from your side to ours.'He said, 'Then I beg you, father,send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,so that he may warn them,lest they too come to this place of torment.'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.Let them listen to them.'He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

Be Graceful with the Ignorant (1) (audio) David Eells - 10/1/25 Giving grace to people rather than always correction should be our norm. Grace is unmerited favor, so no one deserves it. When we speak faith into people, they get grace: “for by grace have ye been saved through faith.” There is a place for condemnation but not in the life of one who truly wants to obey and be holy. These people need grace to do the works of God, but condemnation is contrary to faith and robs them of the very power of God they need to overcome. Brethren, I was once questioned by a dear sister as to why I dealt so gently with a brother who was in an apostate so-called “Christian” religion. My answer may help you know how to deal with someone who is caught up in a false doctrine yet appears to desire truth. Anyone can judge, but love is more acceptable to others and will build them up and help the one who lacks. Dear sister, I can assure you that few know as I do how evil that false religion is. I was thought to be a member of it until I was old enough to walk away. I assume my chat with the brother bothered you. Every time I talk with him, though, he learns more about the Scriptures and gets hungrier for the Word. If I had spoken against his religion immediately, his defenses would have gone up, and I would not be speaking to him at all. This is not God's way of grace. We must be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” as Jesus said in (Mat.10:16). Even a smoldering wick we should not put out (Isaiah 42:3; Matthew 12:20). Jesus confronted the self-righteous Pharisees directly without mercy, but He had mercy on the ignorant and erring who wanted truth. Jesus said to the Pharisees, “If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see: your sin remaineth” (Joh.9:41) and, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin” (Joh.15:22). This man was born again, but he is an infant and knows so little. He needs milk (Hebrews 5:13). Soon, I will be able to tell him clearly and he will be able to hear. Many people have made up their minds with comfortable ideas and don't change easily. If you tell them the big picture up front, they will close you out or leave you, or both. Jesus said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” (Joh.16:12). (Ecc.10:10) If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. I.e., A dull axe bounces out of hardwood, but if you sharpen it so that it enters by a very narrow front, the wood will receive it and then each successive blow can go deeper and deeper. (Ecc 10:11) If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer. The serpent, or flesh, bites when the charmer is not graceful. We have to enable people to overcome their own flesh so they can receive the bigger picture. We have to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves (Mat.10:16). Paul called it as deceivers, and [yet] true” (2Co.6:8) because we are calming and deceiving their old flesh so that we can gracefully get truth into their spirit. (Ecc 10:12)  The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. We should follow God's advice for charming the serpent in them. (1Co.9:19) For though I was free from all [men,] I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. (20) And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; (21) to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. (22) To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. (23) And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof. Self-righteousness demands that we be strong to those who are weak and impulsive, but this same Paul shaved his head, took a vow and circumcised Timothy in order to be acceptable to the Jews so he could share the Gospel with them. However, all of these were things he preached against to the knowledgeable. He would have been a lousy charmer any other way. (Jas.3:17) But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. (18) And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace. I hope you will understand, or at least not judge me in this. I wish we would permit as much difference in doctrine in our assemblies as God commands in Romans, in order that the young may grow up and that we may learn the ways of peace. (Rom.14:1) But him that is weak in faith receive ye, [yet] not for decision of scruples. In other words, not to argue with them, but to teach them with grace. (Rom.14:2) One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs. (3) Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. (4) Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand; for the Lord hath power to make him stand. (5) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. (I.e., let him obey his conscience until he has wisdom.) (6) He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord: and he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. (7) For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself. (8) For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. (9) For to this end Christ died and lived [again], that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. (10) But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God. (11) For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God. (12) So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Rom.14:13) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother's way, or an occasion of falling. (14) I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. (This makes room for the conscience and grace.) (15) For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died. (16) Let not then your good be evil spoken of: (17) for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (18) For he that herein serveth Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved of men. (19) So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. (Let the peace of the Spirit reign in our words.) (20) Overthrow not for meat's sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. (21) It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [to do anything] whereby thy brother stumbleth. (22) The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth. (23) But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (15:1) Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (2) Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, unto edifying. (3) For Christ also pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me. The little brother or sister should be able to fellowship in peace with the elder brother or sister long enough to grow up in the knowledge of God. In these days, many who consider themselves mature in doctrine do not permit those weak in the faith into their fellowship. Give God time to reveal Himself to them. Take them under your wing and be patient with them. The self-righteous and proud do not permit differences of opinion. We need to remember that we did not get where we are, or learn what we learned, overnight. We are not talking about immorality or heresy here. That has to be dealt with as Paul taught. (1Co.5:11) But as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat. Yours in Christ, David P.S. The brother spoken of above is now delivered and Spirit-filled. Glory to God! We all need to remember to accept those whom God accepts. Our hearts should really be burdened for those people around us who just can't seem to get ahold of any faith. They want to please God, but they really can't get ahold of any faith because they have spirits of rejection and religion so anything in their heart is condemnation. They've never been accepted, so they don't feel the acceptance of God either. These people need faith in their hearts, and people around them need to put that faith in their hearts. Often they don't need correction for they know what their problems are. I come from a background of overcorrection, so I know how it tends to make a person feel rejected and hopeless about the future because it takes away every bit of faith. What we have to know and understand is that “the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation” (Rom.1:16).  The Gospel is the good news. When we preach the good news that Jesus has set us free and delivered us to people who are coming from a background of rejection, that's the only thing they need. They don't need more correction or condemnation; they need acceptance. Think of all these Christians who cannot get ahold of faith to get delivered, yet faith is all they need. Nobody has any need but faith. I like what televangelist Robert W. Schambach used to say: “You don't have any problems; all you need is faith in God.” That's so true! It has all been accomplished in Jesus and “the works were finished from the foundation of the world” (Heb.4:3). The only thing that remains is for us to enter into those works through faith and enter into His rest through faith. So people need faith and God knows this. I think one of the devil's largest armies is an army of spirits of rejection, because that's one of the most common spirits around. And maybe I think that because I came from that background and I see it a lot in others. It seems to be such an easy way for the devil to sidetrack people. I think that's why God designed the New Covenant to be the covenant of grace, the covenant of “no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus” (Rom.8:1). We have to learn to accept people with all their problems and all their imperfections the same way that God accepts us in grace. One of our biggest problems is that we need to accept whom God accepts, and when we don't do that, we are judging and having unforgiveness. People who have received rejection have only one need in their life – faith – but what they have instead is condemnation, and you can't have them both at the same time. You have to drop condemnation to grasp faith. You can put that faith in a person by pumping the Word of God into their heart and changing their direction from looking inward to looking outward and upward. Everyone with that problem is always looking inward at what their failure has been and always will be, in their mind. All they can see is their failure and inability, even though pride will not admit it. But since it was God Who designed us and put “this treasure in earthen vessels,” He knows that we are unable and that's part of His plan. We need to be unable; otherwise it's not by grace, it's by works. Part of God's plan is that He put this great “treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves” (2Co.4:7). We need to know that we can't do it. Those people who are under the Law, and looking inward and seeing their failure, are thinking, “I just can't do it!” Well, that's great to know that you can't do it, but if you condemn yourself because you can't do it, then that proves that you're under the Law. When you're condemning “self” because you can't do it, you are proving that you have your eyes looking inward instead of upward. We must keep our eyes on the Lord and what He's done. (Rom.8:31) What then shall we say to these things? If God [is] for us, who [is] against us? (32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? There isn't anything God won't give us to supply our needs. If He would give us Jesus, the most precious, valuable, and sacrificial gift He had to give, surely He wouldn't deny us anything else. Anything else would be insignificant; it would be like the ribbon on the box. If you're giving a great and precious gift to somebody, you're not going to begrudge the ribbon or anything else. God has given us and will give us anything, but He does demand one thing: He demands faith. So instead of rejecting someone because we're looking at the problem or person, we need to learn to put faith in them. Its for whosoever will. (Rom.1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation (Greek: soteria) to everyone that believeth … The Gospel is the “power of God.” The Gospel is the good news, and we need to put that good news in people. They need to hear, “Listen, Jesus set you free” (Romans 6:22). He has made us free from sin; it is already passed and done (Romans 6). I know this can be a hard thing for a person to believe after hearing so much criticism and rejection, even by church and “religious” people who don't know how to put grace into others. All we need is grace, God's favor, and it's hard to receive grace without faith, and it's hard to receive faith if you have condemnation or rejection in your heart. (Rom.8:33) Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; (34) who is he that condemneth? Woe be unto the person who rejects the person whom God accepts! Judgment is upon those who reject people whom God accepts. God wants to put faith in people's hearts, but when we look at their problems, situations and failures, and then get them to look only at those things, rather than at the Savior and His salvation, we steal from them the faith God wants them to have. And many are so prone to do that as religious people! Most people already know where they're going wrong; they just don't know how to get free and go on. The only way for a Christian to get free is to have faith; otherwise, you wouldn't need God because you could save yourself. But He will not permit you to get free and prosper on your own; it is going to be grace through faith in the promises, or it's going to be nothing. We all need to learn how to get grace into people's hearts by speaking grace to them and pumping them full of faith. (Rom.8:33) Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; (34) who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. That verse reminds me of where the angels were asking, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” (Rev.5:2) Who has overcome to open up the seals? It asks, “Who?” And the answer is the Lamb has overcome to open up the seals (Revelation 5:5). They were weeping there because nobody had overcome to open up the seals of judgment and that's true. Nobody has overcome sin to the extent that they can judge without the anointing and wisdom of God. If we step out ahead of God and judge by our own sight and wisdom, we are doing something that only the Lamb has been given authority to do. He loosed the seals of judgment upon the earth; Jesus was the Lamb Who overcame. The Bible says to be ready “to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience shall be made full” (2Co.10:6), but we are quick to correct. Our obedience may not be full, but we're quick to correct and point out, “Here is your problem,” to people who just can't get up off the ground and cannot find faith. We even wonder why they can't find faith and yet we don't speak that faith into them. (Rom.8:35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And that's even with all of our failures and shortcomings. All of us come from different backgrounds, and we all have our own shortcomings and faults. It's very easy for us to see one another's shortcomings and to keep pointing them out, even though they've probably been pointed out to those people from birth (Luke 6:41-42). It's the good news that we need to be preaching more of: “Jesus has set you free.” He bore the curse for us (Galatians 3:13) and set us free at Calvary from everything and we need to accept that. Let me tell you about a guy I knew who had a problem with alcohol and was really condemning himself because he just didn't have the willpower to stay away from the stuff. I told him if it were up to willpower, there wouldn't be any salvation, especially for a Christian. If you could do it with your own willpower, you wouldn't need Jesus and you wouldn't be learning about grace. But he was one of those introverts who was always looking at himself, instead of looking at what Jesus had already done and rejoicing in the salvation Jesus gave him. Many people are like that, and if one can't find faith, that's generally the reason. They are not looking in the right direction; their eye is not single (Matthew 6:22). You're either looking at yourself and your ability, or you're looking at your inability. (Rom.3:28) We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. You know what that says to me? God justifies us and accepts us as righteous before we are perfect, and it has to be before we are perfect. No matter how you see that, it has to be apart from the works of the Law. (Rom.4:1) What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh? (2) For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God. See, when you're condemning yourself, it's because you're expecting yourself to do better, and that's not where success comes from. If you, or any of us, could do better by our own willpower, then we would be justified by our own works. We would be able to glory before the Lord, and that's not possible. (Rom.4:3) For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. That's our job, to put that belief in people to believe God and be counted as righteous. Abraham believed God before he saw the answer, and everybody needs to believe God before they see the answer. We need to believe God for deliverance before we get delivered from our faults. That's the Gospel and that's what faith is; it's calling “the things that are not, as though they were” (Rom.4:17). (Rom.4:3) For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. (4) Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly (that's you and me), his faith is reckoned for righteousness. Now that's God's acceptance and we have to accept whom God accepts. If we don't accept them, then without even knowing it, we'll be speaking the wrong things to those people. We're going to be hurting them and we'll be separating them from God. (Rom.8:1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. That is, those who believe in His salvation. (Rom.4:5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. (6) Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works, (7) [saying,] Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. (8) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin. (9) Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? Stop and think about what circumcision is: it's a cutting away of the flesh. It's a symbol of our deliverance from the bondage of the flesh because it is a cutting away of the foreskin of the flesh. It symbolizes putting to death the flesh that you've been sowing. When you cut off the foreskin, it is a changing of the way you sow; you are not sowing the flesh anymore. The only way that we are going to reap the blessings of God is if we change the way we sow. Notice what Paul says: “Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness” (Rom.4:9). (10) How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? When did God call Abraham righteous? It was before Abraham received the sign of the Covenant, circumcision, which is a type of our deliverance from our old carnal nature. You say, “Well, circumcision is baptism,” and that's true. Paul said in Colossians that circumcision is a type of baptism. (Col.2:11) In whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; (12) having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. Baptism is putting to death the fleshly old man and the resurrection of the new man, “Christ in you.” That's what it's all about – an act of faith whereby we are being united with Christ in death, burial and resurrection. And when we come up out of that water, we say, “I'm a new man. It is Christ Who lives in me; the old man died.” So we reckon it by faith, but the baptism has to be manifested in our life as we are continually dying and letting Christ come to life in us, day by day. Paul said, “I die daily” (1Co.15:31). He brought to life his baptism daily; it was a manifestation coming to pass in his life. If baptism is not manifested in our lives, then that act of faith has no works. The washing of the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26) is putting to death our old man and the new man is coming up continuously. But even before that manifestation, when does God count you righteous? You are reckoned righteous even before circumcision is manifested in your life; in other words, before you are sanctified and holy; delivered completely unto the Lord. How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision (Rom.4:10) before he had manifested this righteousness toward the Lord. God called him righteous for one reason – faith. And that's the way we have to see those who are running after the Lord, even with all their failures. A person's failures don't make any difference. (Rom.4:11) And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them. 2Co.5:17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ (by faith), he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. (I.e. we reckon it accomplished.) 18 But all things are of God, who reconciled (Greek meaning of this word is “exchanged.” He exchanged His righteous life for our fallen life. He reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; (I.e. We preach faith that “we don't live anymore; Christ lives in us.”) 19 to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, (When we, or others we preach to, walk in repentance and faith, our sins and their sins are not reckoned.) and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (I.e. We preach faith that others might receive the exchange of Christ's life for their life.) 20 We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. 2Co.5:21 Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him. In Genesis 15, there are several signs of the Covenant that are manifested. For instance, there is the blood covenant that God made with Abraham. Another example is when God promised Abraham that his seed would be as the stars, a multitude (Genesis 15:5). So God made a covenant with Abraham. In fact, at this time he was called “Abram” and not “Abraham.” This covenant was before he had a name change. A name change symbolizes a change of nature, character and authority. The Hebrew word for “name” is shem, which means “nature, character and authority.” The same as the New Testament's Greek word for “name,” which is onoma. This is a type for us because we're getting a name change, too. Our nature, character and authority are being changed as we are reconciled and become sanctified through our walk of faith in Jesus Christ. “Ah” in Hebrew means “the brother of.” When it was added to Abram's name to make it “Abraham,” it changed his name to mean “the father of a multitude” (Genesis 17:5). So before he could become “the father of a multitude,” or before he could become somebody who would sow the seed and bring forth a multitude, he had to have a name change. And that's what we want to do. We want to sow a seed to bring people out of this world. We want to have spiritual children in this world. But before we can be the “father of a multitude,” we have to be “the brother of” the Lord; we have to come into unity with the Lord by taking His name. As a matter of fact, did you know that “ah” is also a part of the Lord's name, “YHWH”? Translators added the “ah” to make “Jehovah.” A lot of Hebrew names have “ah” in them, and originally that was the taking on of the Lord's name. At any rate, before Abraham's name change, God said to him, “Take me a heifer three years old, and a she-goat three years old, and a ram three years old, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon” (Gen.15:9). (10) And he took him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each half over against the other: but the birds divided he not. The animals were cut in half, which was the way they made the blood covenant. Then the two people making the covenant would walk between the halved animals. But God showed that Abraham would not fulfill his half of the normal covenant when He put Abraham to sleep. (Gen.15:12) And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. I've thought about this, as that's your revelation of your sinful state when you come to know God; it's “a horror of great darkness.” You get a revelation, “Hey, I'm undone!” And there's not a thing you can do about it. (Gen.15:13) And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years. As a type, this was the Israelites when they were in bondage to the world, to Egypt. It was before they were baptized in the Red Sea and went to the Promised Land, so it was a type of them when they were lost and in degeneration. (Gen.15:14) And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. (15) But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. So God put Abraham to sleep and the only thing that passed between the sacrificial halves was the smoking furnace and the flaming torch (Genesis 15:17), which represents the Lord burning up the wood, hay, and stubble of the old life. This means that Abraham could not fulfill his part of the covenant, that there were no works he could add to bring about the blood covenant of our cleansing. And here's another example, again from before Abraham was circumcised and from before he had his name changed: (Gen.17:10) This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised. (11) And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt me and you. And then He calls it my covenant shall be in your flesh (13). So, before Abraham fulfilled righteousness in putting to death his flesh, in the cutting away of his flesh, God called him righteous. And the Lord calls us righteous, not because of where we have attained to in the Lord, but because of election (Romans 9). It's simply just because God has chosen us; He sees the end before the beginning (Isaiah 41:4) and He calls us righteous. And that's the way He wants us to look at other people. He wants us to say, “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Php.1:6). Just as Paul said, “It is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you” (7). In other words, “It is right for me to be thus minded on your behalf that He who started a good work in you will perfect it, will finish it.” It's right for us to be minded that way toward the imperfections that we see in one another. It's to look past them and not to reject or criticize but to say, “God's going to finish the work.” We just saw that before Abraham was circumcised, God had accepted him. Here's another good example: (Rom.9:9) For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. (10) And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac — (11) for [the children] being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, (12) it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. (13) Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. So it was according to election that God accepted Jacob and rejected Esau. When we see the calling of God in a person's life, aside from all their failures and foolishness, God has accepted them. We need to accept them, too, and not be so quick to try to do what is God's work to straighten them out. First of all, we accept them, and then God's work through us is to put faith into their lives because that's the good news of the cross of Christ. It's the good news that He bore their sins on that cross, and they need to realize that. Now let me share this testimony of grace and faith called:   Ministry of Reconciliation E. D. - 04/03/2008 My wife, was infected with the Brownsville and Toronto spirits as a result of attending one of their meetings. Our relationship began to deteriorate as she lost respect for the Word. We separated for what I originally blamed solely on these manifested spirits in her. But the Lord has impressed upon me in the midst of this trial that there is a better way of reconciliation. And as a Christian, it is my duty to be a minister of reconciliation. And I not only abrogated my responsibility to minister to my wife, but I was a purveyor of the bad report by confessing to brethren my desire to leave my wife as a result of the manifesting spirits. I was so effective in speaking anti-faith to my friends that they may feel the need to argue with me concerning her and me reconciling our relationship. Since she was still my wife, I took authority over those Brownsville spirits and according to scripture, commanded those spirits to loose my wife in the name of Jesus Christ. The spirits did leave. She went back to school and got a job. She did not exhibit the signs of the Brownsville spirits, and she requested reconciliation with me on a couple of occasions. The Lord has recently revealed to me that He loves reconciliation, and we should also. Though she tried to reconcile with me, I kept her at arm's length due to mistrust and weighing her spiritual growth according to my standards, rather than the righteous standards in which our Father weighs my spiritual growth. He sees the end from the beginning. As her husband, I denied her the patience, grace and mercy my Father in heaven granted me. It is no surprise that she recently confessed to me that I make her feel she can never reach my expectations. This is when the Lord impressed upon me that I needed to repent of the way I viewed our marriage. I first had to reconcile my mind of how our Father viewed our marriage and see her from an entirely different perspective. I was not walking by faith but walking by sight. As a result, I was judging her. I was denying our Father the opportunity to work His perfect will in our relationship by putting the onus on her and not on my faith in our Father's Word. Eph.5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it. Our Father reminded me of His long suffering, quickness to forgive and forget. If He can do that for me through Jesus Christ, then who am I not to do the same regarding my wife? I failed to see my wife for what she will be by faith but saw her as she was. Heb.11:1 Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. I compared myself to how Christ deals with me and found myself lacking. 1Cor.7:10 But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband 11 (but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife. She felt rejected by me, which was perfectly understandable. Instead of speaking faith I made the gulf wider, pushing her into the arms of another man. But the Lord heard my prayers concerning the other man that he should be removed immediately, and this happened in such a way that both her and I knew it was from the Lord. That is when we began talking to each other and confessing our faults. She confessed she didn't even want to be with that man but felt desperate and unloved. I confessed I was not doing right by her because I was not speaking faith. I was more intent on pointing out her past faults than in realizing the love Jesus Christ displayed for us through His victory at the cross. I didn't realize I was doing this. When I repented and changed the way I conversed with her, I began to see a great change over time in her. She not only became far more receptive to me but to the Word also. She is now like a flower blossoming in the desert. When I speak to any brethren who are going through a similar trial, I tell them, remember, we are to love our spouses as Jesus Christ loved the church. Because that is what their troubled spouse needs. They need to see the love of Christ in us. All it took on my part was to obey the Word of God and lay down myself so she could see true forgiveness and grace. Now I know reconciliation is the Lord's best way. Seeing that we are ministers of reconciliation, I now see my marriage as a part of this ministry. So remember, brethren, speak the end from the beginning for your spouse and speak of things that are not as though they are, because we have the authority in Christ to do this. And my prayer is that our Father restores the spiritual house of all my brethren in similar trials and situations. Amen.

In this Bible Story, Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth. The young man who is healed is then questioned by the Pharisees, for they do not want to admit that Jesus is truly good and had the power to heal. The once blind man stands firm in declaring that no evil man could do what Jesus did. This story is inspired by John 9:1-38. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is John 9:25 from the King James Version.Episode 196: As Jesus and His disciples were passing through the streets of Capernaum, they passed by a man who had been blind since birth. The disciples, misunderstanding the man's condition, thought that his blindness was a result of sin. But Jesus proved to them that the man was not blind because of sin but rather so God could be glorified in healing him. After Jesus had healed the man he was brought in front of the Pharisees to be questioned about his newfound sight. But as they were questioning the formerly blind man, his honest answers revealed their spiritual blindness.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Bible Story, Jesus defends a woman caught in adultery from being stoned to death. She is drug out into the public half naked for all to shame her. Yet Jesus stands up to the religious leaders, and proclaims that whoever was without sin could throw the first stone. Since none of them had a rebuttal for Jesus, they left, and the woman was forgiven. This story is inspired by John 7:1-8:12. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is John 8:7 from the King James Version.Episode 195: The Pharisees once again trying to trap Jesus in His words bring Him a woman caught in the act of adultery. As they were trying to push Jesus into either forgiving the woman against the Law of Moses or stoning her as the Law requires, Jesus pushed them instead. He challenged them to take a look at the sin in their own lives first and the Pharisees began to leave one by one. When all who were left were Jesus and the woman, He spoke words of forgiveness and comfort, sending her on her way saying “go and sin no more.”Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luke 15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'  7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.   8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'  10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.  14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.  16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.' 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.  26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,' he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 31 “‘My son,' the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'”   There is more than one way to get lost. Wandering Indifference Reckless Rebellion Religious self-righteousness     Make your home in Jesus, and let Jesus make His home in you.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS EPISODE: Peter asks a question which prompts a parable on forgiveness Jesus' brothers taunt him Jesus secretly goes to the Feast of Tabernacles He teaches in the Temple Some believe; some don't believe But, the Pharisees and teachers of the law are upset The authorities try to arrest Jesus – twice The Pharisees and teachers of the law try to trap Jesus with a woman caught in the act of adultery  SCRIPTURES USED IN THIS EPISODE: Matthew 18:21-35 Luke 17:3-4 John 7:1-52 Exodus 20:13 John 8:1-11 Leviticus 20:10 Deuteronomy 22:22 FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JesusStoriesThePodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesus_stories_the_podcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JesusStoriesPod YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgJ3Tf0R_aiF-uxG-G97ortxPZMFC7kPu We're on most of the podcast platforms. Just don't forget to subscribe where you listen and leave a rating for us there and on Apple Podcasts. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

In this encounter with Jesus, we look outside of the Gospels for the first time to the book of Acts as we meet Saul the Pharisee. Introduced to us at the murder/stoning of Stephen, one of the first deacons in the new Jerusalem church, by the Pharisees and religious leaders. We discover that when it comes to opposing, persecuting and pursuing the new Christian converts, Saul is unmatched. With the assassination of Charlie Kirk, we have seen a very overt, open and obvious (and sometime demonic) hatred of Christians in America and what they stand for - Saul the Pharisee would give any of those a run for their money when it comes to being evil. So, how did he turn from this open hatred and persecution of Christians to become the Apostle Paul, that we love and respect today? It was a simple encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and in that encounter, we might discover an answer for the American church in how we should respond to what is happening all around us. From Acts 7 and Acts 9  Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

There is an obvious call from Jesus in this past Sunday's parable of Lazarus and the rich man, but there is a deeper spiritual understanding as well. Jesus addresses this parable to the Pharisees, and is calling them, and us, to conversion. He is the Lazarus in the story, the one the rich man does not want to see. He has come to save them, but they have closed their eyes to him and want none of it. The invitation for us to to consider today as the time of conversion. Don't wait until tomorrow. Jesus longs for us to be in relationship with Him today.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Zechariah 1-3; Luke 11 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where every day we journey together through the pages of Scripture, letting God's living Word guide and shape our hearts. In today's episode for September 28th, host and Bible reading coach Hunter invites listeners from around the world to warm their hearts by the fire of God's love. We dive into Zechariah chapters 1 through 3, witnessing powerful visions of hope, divine restoration, and the passionate love God has for His people. Then, we turn to Luke 11, where Jesus teaches on prayer, challenges false religion, and calls us into genuine light—reminding us to ensure that the “light” we cling to is truly from God. As the episode unfolds, Hunter reflects on the importance of stepping out of the shadows and allowing God's radiant love to fill our lives, warning against mistaking tradition or self-righteousness for true light. With heartfelt prayer and encouragement, listeners are reminded of the immeasurable love and grace available to all who seek after God. Whether you're new to the Daily Radio Bible or a longtime listener, today offers fresh inspiration to walk in the floodlight of God's love and truth. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Bring on the floodlights. If all the world's a stage, then I want better lighting. That's what an actor once said, and there's something to that for all of us. On a stage, actors seek out the light; if they're in the shadows, no one sees the story. In the life of faith, we need to do the same. We need to step out of the shadows and turn our faces to the true light—the light of God's love. Jesus urges us in Luke 11, “Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” There are many competing lights in our lives. False lights, religious traditions, self-righteousness, fear-based theologies—all these things pose as light, but in truth, they can keep us locked in darkness, far from the warmth of God's love. Even the Pharisees were caught in this trap: careful with tithes and rituals on the outside, but inside full of greed and indifference to justice and love. Jesus doesn't scold them for vengeance's sake, but out of a desperate, passionate desire for them to truly see, to be roused from their blindness so that the light might finally break through. Friend, the light of Christ has come into the darkness of this world. God's love has shined, unconditional and unrelenting. Jesus is inviting us not just to admire the light, but to fill our eyes with it, to let his presence illuminate every shadow, to let his love reach into every dark corner in us. Queen Sheba and the people of Nineveh responded when they saw the light of God's wisdom and mercy. Religion and pride and fear can eclipse it—but the invitation stands: step into the light. Check your heart—are you following the true light or surrendering to shadows? Let us keep our focus on Jesus, not on ourselves, our accomplishments, or traditions. Let us open ourselves to the radiant, floodlighting love of God. His light has come into our darkness. He is making all things new. So breathe deep, step boldly, and walk in the warmth of his love. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's the prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Jesus speaks a parable to the Pharisees about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus, reminding us that we have been blessed with all the resources that we need to journey from this life to the next. (Lectionary #138) September 28, 2025 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com  

Discussion QuestionsSermon Overview The Pharisees were too busy building their own kingdom to bother with following Jesus in his. Digging Deeper    Read Luke 14:1-241. We can all, at times, find ourselves living for the “kingdom of self” rather than for the Kingdom of God. What are some of the ways you see that happen in your life? (e.g., work, responsibilities, possessions, activities, etc.)2. How does a greater focus on the Kingdom of God (with a corresponding decreased focus on the “kingdom of self”) lead to greater compassion for others?3. What are places and situations where you may be tempted to care too much about what others think of you? (e.g., work, school, neighbors, friends, kids' abilities, etc.)4. Why is it liberating to be freed from living for the recognition of others? What difference will that make at work? Home? Church? Evangelism?5. In verses 13-14a, Jesus encourages us to pursue a generosity that will not be repaid in this life. What could it look like to show compassion and generosity to “the poor, the crippled, the lame (and) the blind”?  6. Jesus promises in verse 14b a reward for moving towards those who can give you nothing in return. What is the reward? Is it motivating? Why or why not?7. “Live for the line, not for the dot” is a common phrase in the history of CrossWay that captures the desire to live now for the life to come (the line) and not for the short few years we have on earth (the dot). If we believe this to be good, how can we help one another pursue it? 8. It is a tragic and grievous reality that many around us fail to heed the invitation into the kingdom Jesus has inaugurated because they are consumed with the things of this world. What might it look like for us (in an appropriate manner) to “compel” those outside the kingdom to lay down their excuses and come join “the banquet” of the kingdom? Prayer

Friends of the Rosary,In today's main reading (St. Luke 16:19-31), Christ Jesus addresses the Pharisees with a parable recounting the history of two men, one in hell and the other in heaven.On this earth, a rich man was focused exclusively on his wealth, excluding all thought of God, what followed after death, and forgetting about his neighbors, despite having knowledge of the teachings of Moses and the prophets.Also, on earth, there was a beggar, suffering also bodily pains. He bore all of this patiently. He was content when getting the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. He never criticized or blamed him, leaving these things to God.Both men die eventually. The beggar goes straight to heaven to a state of endless happiness, with his bodily sufferings ended forever.The rich man goes to hell, seeing his enjoyments come to an end. He is now in forever torments, and he is told that he won't expect any relief. Abraham explains to him why he is in his present state: he abused his time on earth.The foolish man acknowledges that he has no one to blame but himself. He admits that his bad example will lead his brothers still on earth to a like fate.He said, 'Then I beg you, father,send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,so that he may warn them,lest they too come to this place of torment.'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.Let them listen to them.'He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• September 28, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

1. FOCUS ON WHO YOU ARE Philippians 3:4–10 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider EVERYTHING A LOSS because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be FOUND IN HIM, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, (NIV) Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. (NIV) John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (NIV) Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV) 2. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU NEED TO FORGET Philippians 3:12–13 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: FORGETTING what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, (NIV) Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (NIV) 3. FOCUS ON THE GOAL Philippians 3:14 I PRESS on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV) Hebrews 10:35–36 So do not throw away your CONFIDENCE; it will be richly REWARDED. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (NIV)

Jesus said to the Pharisees:"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linenand dined sumptuously each day.And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scrapsthat fell from the rich man's table.Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.When the poor man died,he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.The rich man also died and was buried,and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far offand Lazarus at his side.And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,for I am suffering torment in these flames.'Abraham replied,'My child, remember that you receivedwhat was good during your lifetimewhile Lazarus likewise received what was bad;but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is establishedto prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to gofrom our side to yours or from your side to ours.'He said, 'Then I beg you, father,send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,so that he may warn them,lest they too come to this place of torment.'But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.Let them listen to them.'He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

Mark 10:1-12 // Jonathan NeefIn response to a test from the Pharisees, Jesus offers a profound teaching on marriage, guiding listeners beyond the law of Moses to God's original purpose in creation. This sermon explores Jesus' clear words on the union of one man and one woman, revealing the sacred and permanent nature of a covenant joined by God himself.SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49493232PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2542/responses/new25.09.21

Mark 10:1-12 // Rachel NesseIn response to a test from the Pharisees, Jesus offers a profound teaching on marriage, guiding listeners beyond the law of Moses to God's original purpose in creation. This sermon explores Jesus' clear words on the union of one man and one woman, revealing the sacred and permanent nature of a covenant joined by God himself.SERMON NOTES (YouVersion): https://bible.com/events/49493233PRAYER REQUESTS: https://ccefc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/2509/responses/new25.09.21

Accountability isn't easy—but it's essential. In Matthew 23, Jesus boldly confronts the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, calling out their empty religion while inviting them back to the heart of God through repentance and reconciliation. Accountability, at its core, is about honesty, responsibility, and restoration—whether in our friendships or in our relationship with God. In this message, we explore what healthy accountability looks like: confession, correction, ownership, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Far from being about shame or control, true accountability is a gift—it frees us, grows us, and draws us closer to Christ and one another.(https://slocity.church/im-new) - Click here to fill out a connect card if you're new(https://slocity.church/this-week) - Click here to jump into community(https://subsplash.com/slocitychurch/app) - Click here to download the app and stay connected(https://slocity.church/give) - We dream of being a generous church that trusts God fully and makes a difference. If God has put it on your heart to give, click the link above.

John 9:1-6,As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud…”When we describe a person as polarizing, what do we typically mean? Well, we mean that that person is someone who tends to cause heightened responses in others just about everywhere they go. In other words, were you to follow around a polarizing person throughout their day, you would find in their wake: wave after wave of people who either really, really liked having that person around, or really, really didn't.Typically, we call a person polarizing because of something that's bad within them. Maybe they use foul language. Maybe they lie or cheat. Maybe they treat other people unjustly. It's the darkness within them, that has the polarizing effect. Well, when it comes to Jesus, I think it's safe to say that he is a polarizing person. In fact, I'd dare to say he is the most polarizing person in the history of the world. But unlike so many others, the reason Jesus is polarizing is not because of inward darkness, but light.Jesus is not just good, but so good, and so holy, and so just that when he comes around, he exposes our darkness. He reveals that we're really not as good as we thought. When he does, some turn, and come to the light, and others flee.In this morning's passage, we're going to see Jesus' polarizing effect in full force. And we'll see it in the form of peoples' responses to three claims about Jesus: Jesus Does the Work of GodJesus Is Sent From GodJesus Himself Is God Let's pray, and ask God to help us once more ….So, three polarizing claims about Jesus: Jesus does the work of God, Jesus is sent from God, and Jesus himself is God. We'll begin with that first one.A Man Born BlindVerse 1,“As he [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.”A man who'd likely been sitting out on the roadside, hands held out, all day long, hoping to feel the cold, weighted touch of a coin being dropped into his hand. Verse 8 tells us that this man was a beggar. And the reason he was a beggar was not because he wanted to be. It's not like he grew up dreaming that one day this would be his life — sitting on the side of a road, day after day, as the people of his community passed him by.But, the fact is, he'd been born blind. Light, for whatever reason, had just never reached his eyes. And because of that, there was no job that he could hold. No service that he could offer. He was doomed to a life of begging — looking out for help from a world he had never once seen. And who knows how many people might have passed him by that day prior to Jesus and his disciples. How many people, just like Jesus' disciples, asking the question: “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” But when Jesus and his disciples came by that day, something unique happened. To the question of why he'd been born blind, came an answer that, for once, didn't cite sin as the reason for his blindness. Rather, verse 3:“It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Works of God, in me? Think of it. All this man has ever known is blindness — a kind of blindness thought to be the mark of God's curse over him. Suddenly, he hears: God has a purpose. God has a design. “You mean to tell me I've been made this way to show something good and wonderful about God?” Jesus says, “Yes, and I'm here to make it happen.” Which brings us to our first claim: Jesus does the work of God.1. Jesus Does the Work of GodVerse 4, Jesus says to his disciples,“We must work the works of him who sent me…”We must do it. For,“…night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”You hear what Jesus is saying? I'm the light. And I'm here. But I won't always be. Therefore, the time to work is now.So Jesus spits on the dirt, mashes it into mud, and spreads it upon the man's eyes. Far from improving his vision, at this point, if anything, Jesus has made his vision worse. He's covered over his already blind eyes. But, he doesn't leave the man that way. He tells him, “Go, wash.” And the man does. Verse 7:“So he went and washed and came back seeing.”The man could finally see! He could see! Light, colors, shapes, faces — can you imagine seeing all these things for the very first time in your life!? It's a miracle! And Jesus did it. Because Jesus does the work of God. He calls us to as well. Verse 4 reads,“We must work the works of him who sent me.”What works of God might God be calling you to? What kind word, what helping hand, what giving up of your time might you be able to walk in and say, we're doing it. We're doing the works of God that he has called us to, as a church. Ephesians 2:10,“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”Sabbath WorkNow from here, the formerly blind man is going to get shuffled around a bit. First he'll go before his neighbors, then the Pharisees, then his parents. And the reason he's going to get shuffled around is not mainly because his eyes were opened. See it with me in verse 13. Following a back-and-forth with the neighbors, we read, in verse 13:“They [the man's neighbors] brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.”And now, we've got to ask ourselves, why did they do this? What prompted them, on the heels of such a miracle, to not say, “Let's bring you to the mountains and show you the sunrise. Let's bring you to the riverbank so you can watch the water shine. Let's bring you into the city to show you architecture and design.”But, instead, let's bring you to the Pharisees.What prompted that instinct in them? What made them to think, “hmm, the Pharisees ought to see this”?We find out in the very next verse. Verse 14:“Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.” We've seen this before, haven't we? Back in chapter 5, we had another healing miracle with incredibly close parallels to this one. And there, the problem was that Jesus had worked the miracle on the Sabbath. That had angered the Pharisees then. And not because Jesus had broken one of God's Laws. He hadn't. But because he had broken one of theirs.Now a few chapters later, here we are again. It's the Sabbath. And thanks to the events of chapter 5, the neighbors now know how the Pharisees feel about healing on the Sabbath. And so when Jesus gives sight to this blind man, the neighbors think, “we ought to bring this now seeing man to the Pharisees to find out if this was okay.”Follow along with me at verse 14:“Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.'”Now, it's unclear exactly what the problem was. It seems though that it could have had to do with the mud. After all, John clearly wants us to know about the fact that Jesus made mud. He records that detail twice in verse 6, then again in verse 11, again in verse 14, and again in verse 15.And the Pharisees did have a law concerning the making of a dough, or mud, on the Sabbath. Might seem strange, but think about it: both dough and mud can be associated with work — Dough for baking, Mud or mortar for building. So Jesus may well have made this mud on the Sabbath for that very purpose — to show that the Pharisees laws were not God's.Well regardless of the reason, the fact is: Jesus gave sight to a blind man on the Sabbath and the Pharisees didn't like it. Enter, our second claim: Jesus is sent from God. 2. Jesus Is Sent From GodIt'll begin with the Pharisees claim to the contrary. See it with me in verse 16, some of the Pharisees said,“This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”That's their assessment of him. Jesus is not from God, if he was, he'd obey our laws.But as we read in John 1:1,“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”And as Jesus says in John 3:13,“No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven.”Descended from God.John 5:24, Jesus says,“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.”John 7:29 Jesus claims,“I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.”John 8:42,“If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.”And then, of course, from our text this morning, John 9:4,“We must work the works of him who sent me.”Jesus is from God. The Pharisees take Jesus' work on the Sabbath to be a proof he's not. But what John has been laboring to show us throughout his gospel is that it is because Jesus is from God that he does the works of God, even on the Sabbath. Just as Jesus said back in 5:17,“My Father is working until now, and I am working.”Jesus is from God. He's sent from God to do the works of God. But the Pharisees can't see that. And the reason they can't is because they are spiritually blind. What about the formerly blind man? His physical blindness has been healed, but has his spiritual blindness been healed as well?There's certainly been a progression. First time he's asked about his healing, he seems to know little about Jesus. He simply calls him a man. Verse 11:“The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes.”Then in verse 17, in response to the Pharisees, he calls Jesus not just a man but a prophet. Someone who speaks the words of God and does the works of God. It's quite a statement to make in the presence of these learned, powerful elite who clearly think otherwise. And yet, it's not yet a claim to Jesus' divinity. Something more is needed.Blind ParentsWell, the next group of people to be called in are the man's own parents who confirm to the Pharisees, “Yes,” verse 20,“We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes.”Does that strike you as just a bit odd? Someone has rescued their son from a lifetime of blindness. And yet they don't know who it was? Like, they just didn't think to ask, “Hey, by the way, son, who'd you say it was who healed you?” No, but instead, they tell the Pharisees, verse 21:“Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”You know what they're doing in this moment? They are lying. And they are lying because they care more about their own public perception than their son. See it with me. Verse 22. John is abundantly clear:“(His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.”You see it? His parents knew it was Jesus who had healed their son. And they also knew that if they told the Pharisees that, and even suggested that could mean Jesus was the Christ, they'd be kicked out of the Synagogue — exiled from their community and way of life. So, they lied. And they sicced the dogs on their son instead.“Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”And we might add, speak for himself, by himself. For by now, this man has been sold out by his neighbors, sold out by his parents, and turned over to the Pharisees who have their teeth bared.Verse 24:“So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, ‘Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.' The man refuses to agree with them. 'He answered, ‘Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.'”Verse 26, the Pharisees fire back, asking him the same exact question they've already asked him:“What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” And now, have you ever been on hold with customer service before? Maybe you've called a company about a faulty product, or a project that just wasn't done right. And every time you got through to someone, they just kept asking you the same question, “Sir, could you tell us the reason for your call?” You tell them, then they just transfer you to the next guy.It gets tiring having to answer the same question over-and-over, right? Well, by this time, the man has already given his answer to his neighbors and to these Pharisees. And so, he responds in verse 27, how we'd expect:“I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” Wrong About MosesAnd this is where things get interesting, because Moses is going to get referenced. And, listen, you just know that any time Moses gets mentioned in the New Testament, things are about to get interesting.Here's what they say — Verse 28:“And they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.'” And then, the incredible irony:“We know that God has spoken to Moses.”And they're right. It's true. God had spoken to Moses. And do you know who God had spoken to Moses about? Jesus — the very one they're trying to kill. And Jesus had already told them that, back 5:46,“If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.”Spiritual blindness is a terrifying thing, is it not? The Pharisees have called Jesus a sinner. They've put terror in the hearts of those around them. They've claimed to follow Moses and yet disclaimed the very one he wrote about. Spiritual blindness is terrifying. At least with physical blindness you know your condition. These Pharisees are blind to the reality of God in the world, and they don't even realize it. In fact, they think they can see better than all the others. And when the formerly blind man calls them on this, they think he's the one with the problem, verse 34:“You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?”They are intending to kill Jesus, and yet they say the man in front of him — he's the sinner. And to top it all off, verse 34, they cast the man out of the synagogue.See this man with me now. Quite a day it has been for him, yes? Just that morning, like every other morning of his life, he'd woken up blind. Blind he'd eaten his breakfast. Blind he'd been led to the roadside. Blind he'd sat begging. Now he sees. But the cost of his seeing has involved his neighbors, his parents, and the Pharisees all essentially disowning him — sending him away with the words, “You were born in utter sin” ringing in his ears. Now, he stands, alone. Eyes open, but alone.Has his life improved? Have things gotten better for him? Sure, he can now see, but all he sees is exile. He's on his own. Rejected. Discarded. Cast out. The man is alone. But Jesus does not leave him there. Jesus hears what has happened, and goes after him. Others have sent him away, but Jesus goes out to find him. To speak to him. To give him one of the greatest gifts in all the world — spiritual sight.Verse 35:“Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?'”The man responds, verse 36:“And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”Jesus answers:“You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.”And the man who had been born blind can suddenly see with spiritual sight. Verse 38,“He said, ‘Lord, I believe,' and he worshiped him.”3. Jesus Himself Is GodAnd he worshiped him because Jesus is God. That's our third and final claim — Jesus is God. Here's a Jewish man that was raised up on Moses, the Ten Commandments, and the Hebrew Scriptures. A man who knows God is one, Yahweh is his name. But then he drops to his knees to worship a man named Jesus.In Revelation 19, the same thing happened to one of the angels. When it did, the angel shouted out: “You must not do that!” In Acts 14, the residents of Lystra begin bowing down in worship of Paul and Barnabas. When they do, Paul and Barnabas tear their robes and cry: “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you.”But when Jesus is worshiped, he doesn't protest. He receives.Jesus receives worship because Jesus is God. Jesus does the work of God. Jesus was sent from God. And, Jesus is God.Jesus is a polarizing figure, yes? Just as he'll say near the close of this section, verse 39,“For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”So there really are two choices: spiritual sight or spiritual blindness. Spiritual light or spiritual darkness. Fist shaking at Jesus or knees bowing before him. And so I want to invite you today if you are here this morning, and you want to see. See that Jesus is more than just a man. More than just a prophet. But God himself. Ask him.Jesus, come find me too.Come help me see you are the Son of Man. If you don't, you will remain in darkness. Guilt for your sin, just as Jesus says in verse 41, will remain. Don't live in the dark. Don't stay in your guilt. Ask Jesus to help you see, and he will. He will.If you are here today and like this man can say, I was spiritually blind and now I see: Realize that just as Jesus found this man in his rejection, his isolation, his loneliness, so has he come and found you as well. You see because he gave you eyes to see.Brothers and sisters, never take that sight for granted. It is one of the greatest gifts you could ever receive. Should you lose all and yet still have spiritual sight, you still have all. Treasure your spiritual sight and use it to see and enjoy Jesus every day.The TableNow, what brings us to the table this morning is both the reminder of Jesus' spilled blood and broken body, as well as the promise that one day we will eat a far greater meal with him in Heaven. There, we will finally see him, face-to-face. Because that's what this table represents, I gladly invite those who are trusting in Jesus' death on their behalf, to take and eat this meal with us. If you've not put your trust in Jesus, we ask that you'd let the elements pass for now, and instead take this moment to ask Jesus,Help me to see.

Luke 15:1-32 “All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to him. And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1-2 CSB “So he told them this parable: “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and… Read More »The Friend of Sinners

9-28-25 | To find true relationship with God, we must seek to be in His Presence. This is where we can dwell, abide, live, and grow to be like Him. We'll see you Sunday mornings at Friendship Church at 10:30 for this 7-week series. His Presence is not a place you go, it's a place you stay.

The campaign may have taken well over a year as the goal was to reach every town and village in all Israel. The Pharisees have begun a counter-campaign likely utilizing the network of synagogues to spread their lie. The lie: Jesus is empowered by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, not the Holy Spirit of Yahweh.

The story of the woman caught in adultery from John chapter 8 is one of the most beloved stories of Jesus in the Bible. It is a clash between law, shame, and power on one side—and the mercy of Jesus on the other. The Pharisees tried to trap Jesus in a “no-win” scenario: uphold Moses' law and break Roman law, or show mercy and appear soft on sin. Jesus disarmed them with one sentence, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone,” and left them trapped in their own hypocrisy.The real turning point isn't the debate with the Pharisees but the moment of encounter between Jesus and the woman. Her wrong road—humiliation and manipulation—led her to the right place: standing face to face with Jesus. And in that moment, misery met mercy. Jesus didn't excuse sin, but neither did He condemn her. Instead, He extended forgiveness and called her to transformation.The message for us: Even the wrong roads can lead us to the right place when they lead us to Jesus, and whenever misery meets mercy, Jesus offers a trade: guilt for grace, condemnation for freedom, misery for mercy.

 1 And it came to pass, when Jesus went into the house of one of the chief of the Pharisees, on the sabbath day, to eat bread, that they watched him.Et factum est cum intraret Jesus in domum cujusdam principis pharisaeorum sabbato manducare panem, et ipsi observabant eum. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before him that had the dropsy.Et ecce homo quidam hydropicus erat ante illum. 3 And Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?Et respondens Jesus dixit ad legisperitos et pharisaeos, dicens : Si licet sabbato curare? 4 But they held their peace. But he taking him, healed him, and sent him away.At illi tacuerunt. Ipse vero apprehensum sanavit eum, ac dimisit. 5 And answering them, he said: Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a pit, and will not immediately draw him out, on the sabbath day?Et respondens ad illos dixit : Cujus vestrum asinus, aut bos in puteum cadet, et non continuo extrahet illum die sabbati? 6 And they could not answer him to these things.Et non poterant ad haec respondere illi. 7 And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them:Dicebat autem et ad invitatos parabolam, intendens quomodo primos accubitus eligerent, dicens ad illos : 8 When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the first place, lest perhaps one more honourable than thou be invited by him:Cum invitatus fueris ad nuptias, non discumbas in primo loco, ne forte honoratior te sit invitatus ab illo. 9 And he that invited thee and him, come and say to thee, Give this man place: and then thou begin with shame to take the lowest place.Et veniens is, qui te et illum vocavit, dicat tibi : Da huic locum : et tunc incipias cum rubore novissimum locum tenere. 10 But when thou art invited, go, sit down in the lowest place; that when he who invited thee, cometh, he may say to thee: Friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have glory before them that sit at table with thee.Sed cum vocatus fueris, vade, recumbe in novissimo loco : ut, cum venerit qui te invitavit, dicat tibi : Amice, ascende superius. Tunc erit tibi gloria coram simul discumbentibus : 11 Because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.quia omnis, qui se exaltat, humiliabitur : et qui se humiliat, exaltabitur.Jesus heals a man with dropsy. Short parable showing that God exalts whosoever humbles himself.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” (John 16:13 NLT) “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” One of the core truths that the Holy Spirit guides us into involves righteousness. If you were to ask a random assortment of people whether they consider themselves righteous, most would probably say yes. Most people like to think of themselves as good, relatively speaking. Most people also recognize that there are certain plateaus of goodness. At the top are the saints who sacrifice almost everything to help others. Their goodness puts everyone else to shame, although they would be much too humble to ever acknowledge that. Most of us resign ourselves to the fact that we will never reach their level of righteousness. So, we settle for good enough. We say things like, “I may not always be an angel, but I’m not a devil either,” or “At least I’m not as bad as certain other people,” or “I may not be perfect, but I have a good heart.” We treat righteousness like the cut line in a golf tournament. We just have to be good enough—or just a little better than others. The problem is that, when it comes to righteousness, perfection is the cut line. That’s the truth the Holy Spirit guides us into. The apostle Paul wrote, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). In Jesus’ day, the scribes and Pharisees were revered for their righteousness. They spent their days contemplating and debating the smallest details of God’s law. They observed every ritual. They held themselves to the highest religious standards. Yet Jesus said, “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” (Matthew 5:20 NLT). I remember the first time I read that as a young Christian. I thought, “Now wait a second. Weren’t the Pharisees extremely devout men? How could my righteousness exceed theirs?” Here’s how: Theirs was a false righteousness. Theirs was a self-righteousness. Even their best efforts fell far short of God’s standard of perfection. The Holy Spirit says, “You are not righteous enough on your own. You need the righteousness of Christ imputed into your account because you are a sinner. But if you will trust in Jesus, this righteousness will be given to you.” If we repent, ask God to forgive our sins, and receive Christ as Savior and Lord, we receive His righteousness. So, when God looks at us, He sees the perfect righteousness of His Son. And He welcomes us into His presence forever. That’s the truth the Holy Spirit guides us into. Reflection question: How would you respond to someone who said, “I’m going to Heaven when I die because I’m a good person”? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Crawford Loritts continues his series in Matthew with a look at Jesus’ phrase, “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Crawford begins to list 6 illustrations of such righteousness, beginning with excessive anger.Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/livingalegacySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this concluding lesson of our John 3 introduction series, we trace the remarkable journey of Nicodemus—one of the most overlooked redemption stories in the New Testament. Most readers know Nicodemus from John 3, where he comes to Jesus at night, symbolizing spiritual darkness. But John doesn't leave him there. We next encounter Nicodemus in John 7, quietly defending Jesus against the other religious leaders—signaling a break from the collective “we” of the Pharisees. Finally, in John 19, we see Nicodemus fully transformed, stepping boldly into the light and bringing an outsized amount of myrrh—a burial and resurrection spice—for Jesus' body.

JOHN 9:1-16 - HEALING THE BLIND MAN - BRIAN SUMNER - 2025"Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”He said, “I am he.”10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight.”12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”He said, “I do not know.”The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.”To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible because of people personally partnering through the non profit. God Bless and thank you. †Support the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

Did Jesus come to cancel the Law of Moses—or fulfill it? In this compelling episode, Dr. Paul Sloan joins Dru Johnson to challenge one of the most persistent misunderstandings in modern Christianity: the idea that Jesus and Paul opposed the Torah. Drawing from his book Jesus and the Law of Moses, Sloan explains how legalism, misunderstanding of impurity, and modern Christian readings of Paul have distorted our view of the biblical law. Instead of a rigid checklist of 613 rules, the Torah was a wisdom-guided, relational framework that assumed the realities of sin, forgiveness, and impurity—and offered ways to address them. They explore how Jesus engaged in sophisticated legal reasoning, why Paul continued to participate in the temple sacrificial system even after his conversion, and why the “burden” of the law has been misunderstood. Sloan also critiques how Pharisees are caricatured as villains, with damaging theological consequences—especially for how Christians view modern Jews and Judaism. This episode brings clarity to what Jesus and Paul were really doing with the law—and why recovering this perspective is crucial for theology, biblical interpretation, and interfaith understanding today. To get your copy of Jesus And The Law Of Moses: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781540966384_jesus-and-the-law-of-moses We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles: https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Social Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters: 00:00 Understanding the Law and Jesus' Perspective 02:22 Hurdles in Understanding the Law 05:13 Legalism and Its Misinterpretations 08:20 The Case for Jesus and Paul Abolishing the Torah 11:35 Exploring Dietary Laws and Their Implications 14:33 The Nature of Law and Forgiveness 17:31 Ritual Purity and Its Misconceptions 20:24 Pharisees: Villains or Misunderstood Figures? 23:25 Modern Implications of Ancient Interpretations 24:43 Paul's Observance of the Torah 25:33 The Role of Sacrifices in Early Christianity 31:40 Jesus and the Sacrificial System 34:04 Cultural Critique: Rabbinics and Jesus' Teachings

Mark 3:20-30 (ESV)Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss blasphemy of the Spirit and the unforgiven sin.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=22718The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

Welcome to the Return period! Jeff Cavins joins Fr. Mike to introduce the ninth biblical period, which covers the Israelites' return to Jerusalem, the rise of the Pharisees, and the establishment of common household practices. They explain the pattern of exiles and returns throughout the Bible, starting with Exodus and leading all the way to Jesus' ministry. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comHear directly from Zach Abraham as he shares insights in this FREE “Back To Basics” Webinar, THURSDAY, October 2nd at 3:30 Pacific.  Register now at Know Your Risk Podcast dot com. Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeBarack Obama IS Black Fatigue's Steroid // The Disciples of Nancy Pelosi have a new sacrament  // “The PRIDE Generation's Tragedy of Riches.”Episode Links:Mark Kelly claims that "we currently have a president that at every opportunity seems to look for ways to further divide us as a nation." - "We've never had a president that has spent his time thinking about how he's going to use the DOJ..."Obama: "When I was President, in the aftermath of tragedies... my response was not... to go after my political opponents." FATIGUE: 22 years ago, Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder explained black fatigue perfectly…Pregnant woman takes Tylenol to fight Trump"Now we got Jesus, whose NOT a very 'family values' guy in the scripture, telling us to hate our parents." Also the last minute is wild, as this Lutheran impastor DOESN'T want people to "pick up their cross and follow Jesus" because "I hate these scriptures."What Does God's Word Say?Luke 16:13-1413 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight.4 Blessed are those who mourn,    for they will be comforted.In Matthew 5:4, "John MacArthur's Study Bible explains that "Blessed are those who mourn" refers to two kinds of sorrow: sorrow over the tragedy of life and, more importantly, deep sorrow over one's own sin. This spiritual mourning, distinct from worldly grief, leads to true comfort from God, a comfort that brings lasting happiness and satisfaction in the kingdom of God.5 Blessed are the meek,    for they will inherit the earth."Blessed are the meek" refers to a state of spiritual humility and gentleness where one is strong but under God's control, not ruled by self-will or pride, and will inherit the earth. Meekness involves admitting one's need for others and God, receiving correction, and being willing to put others' needs first, leading to a deep and blessed walk with God. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,    for they will be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful,    for they will be shown mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart,    for they will see God.9 Blessed are the peacemakers,    for they will be called children of God.10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Reading Luke 20:41-47 where Jesus counters the questions of the Pharisees and Sadducees by asking one of his own: whose Son is the Messiah, if David calls Him Lord? Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

In this Bible Story, Jesus heals a man who has been lame and sick for over 38 years. The man had been sick for so long, that he lost all hope of being healed. Feeling helpless, alone, and angry at the world, Jesus changes his life forever, and the Pharisees continue to hate him for his mighty works.This story is inspired by John 5. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is John 5:8 from the King James Version.Episode 191: There was a pool in Jerusalem called Bethesda, where men and women went to be healed by the waters. Laying at this pool was a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. He could never get into the pool to receive healing because no one would carry him. However, Jesus had a plan for this man and asked him if he wanted to be made well. At His word, the man could walk and was healthy once more! But when the Pharisees saw this man they rebuked him for “working” on the Sabbath. Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fr. Mike continues to explain the parables Christ recites in Jerusalem, specifically focusing on the dangers of preaching God's Word without practicing it in our lives. Jesus goes on to speak against the Scribes and Pharisees, reminding us that he's not only the Prince of Peace, but the Way and the Truth. Today's readings are Matthew 22-24 and Proverbs 19:17-20. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.