Podcasts about that jesus

In Luke 3:23-38, Luke presents the genealogy of our Lord Jesus from Mary all the way back in time to the first man, Adam, who also is called the Son of God. Adam was the son of God by creation, Jesus is the Son of God as eternal Deity. And here in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is the God-man, virgin born son, eternal deity and sinless humanity in one undivided person. That Jesus was a real man, Luke gives, in writing to Theophilus, His genealogy tracing his family lineage from Mary all the way back to the beginning of time when God created the first man, Adam. Matthew's genealogy, on the other hand, begins with Abraham and comes forward thru time to Joseph to reveal Jesus as the virgin born son of Mary. As a man, Jesus was to be tested.Here is Dr. Mitchell on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast, Luke 3:23.

That Jesus die for us to give us a second chance so have love for our father our friend that sacrificed his life for us.

Have you ever shared your faith and you thought it went well … only to find out later that it wasn't received well?You got pulled aside by your boss, reprimanded, or maybe got a text that a said it wasn't appreciated?Heartbreaking.Then, the next time you feel like you should share the gospel, you remember that last time … and think, “Maybe I don't want to get into that again?”You're not alone. In fact, that's what our text is all about this week in Acts 18 as Paul feels that pressure. Opposition is rising, the cost is real… and it's then where Jesus meets him and says:“Do not be afraid… keep speaking… don't be silent… I am with you.”(Acts 18:9–10)This isn't a call to be fearless — it's a call to be faithful.Because Jesus hasn't changed. He's still with His people. Still building His Church. Still using ordinary lives to do it.Two Things to Think about:1) Where are you tempted to stay quiet right now?2) What would it look like to take one step of boldness?Two Ways to Pray in Preparation:1) That Jesus would steady your heart when fear creeps in.2) That He would use you to open doors for the gospel this week.

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“We are halfhearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.”~C.S. Lewis, British scholar, writer, and Christian apologist, in The Weight of Glory “The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 am for a glass of water is [the king's] child. We have that kind of access.”~Timothy Keller (1950-2023), Presbyterian pastor, author, and Christian apologist “Without endurance, hope turns superficial and evaporates when it meets first resistances. In hope we start something new, but only endurance helps us persevere. Only tenacious endurance makes hope sustainable. We learn endurance only with the help of hope.”~Jürgen Moltmann (1926-2024), German theologian “We must ask, what are we necessarily affirming about Jesus when we say that he, unexpectedly, lives? What is the basic difference between a living person and a dead one? And surely we must say: the decisive difference between a living person and a dead one is that the former can surprise us as the latter cannot. Socrates, although he remains dead, is still powerful. But if I am surprised by him, this is because of previously inadequate knowledge. Whereas if Jesus lives, he is an agent in my life, and one whom I must expect to act freely, whom I could know perfectly and yet not always anticipate.… That Jesus lives means that his love, perfected at the cross, is now active to surprise us. That Jesus lives means that there is a subject who has us as his objects, and who wills our good in a freedom beyond our predicting.”~Robert Jenson (1930-2017), American theologian, in Systematic Theology “As we have taken the circle as a symbol of reason and madness, we may very well take the cross as a symbol at once of mystery and health. Buddhism is centripetal, but Christianity is centrifugal: it breaks out. For the circle is perfect and infinite in its nature; but it is fixed for ever in its size; it can never be larger or smaller. But the cross, though it has at its head a collision and a contradiction, can extend its four arms for ever without altering its shape. Because it has a paradox in its center it can grow without changing. The circle returns upon itself and is bound. The cross opens its arms to the four winds; it is a signpost for free travelers.”~G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), British Christian apologist, in Orthodoxy SERMON PASSAGERomans 5:1-11 (NIV)1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Gospel John 6:35-40 Jesus said to the crowds, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” Reflection The Old Testament is filled with requirements, laws, regulations that if one followed them, they would receive a blessing from God. Now as Jesus proclaims the New Testament, it is clear that this is not something that you work for and that you try to earn. It is something given, and you need to understand the greatness of this gift. You need to feel the power that it offers you in order to surrender to it and say yes. Yes to the will of my father. That Jesus, the image, the truth. When I receive it, it will bring me to eternal life, to goodness, to love. Closing Prayer Father, we are filled with longings. We hunger for truth. We hunger for peace. We hunger for all those things that we believe will fill us and give us meaning and purpose. Help us to believe that you are that source, and that these are things we need to believe you can give us. And when we turn to you expecting that gift, we are a perfect disposition to be filled with life, nourished, strengthened. And we asked this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bible StudyDon't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: .Sermon NotesIntroduction: Faith and QuestionsPersonal story: moving from assumed faith to examined faithMany people wrestle with intellectual questions about ChristianityThe Bible calls us to a reasoned faith, not blind faith (1 Peter 3:15)1. Does the Resurrection Matter?Christianity is rooted in a real historical eventCore gospel truth (1 Cor. 15:3-4)Christ diedChrist was buriedChrist was raisedIf the resurrection is not true:Faith is empty and powerless (1 Cor. 15:17)No forgiveness, no hope, no victory over deathBottom line: Everything in Christianity rises or falls on the resurrection2. Doesn't Science Disprove the ResurrectionScience studies repeatable, natural eventsMiracles are non-repeatable acts of GodTherefore:Science cannot prove or disprove miraclesImportant distinction:Rejecting miracles is a philosophical assumption, not a scientific conclusionMany serious scientists affirm both science and faith3. What is the Evidence for the Resurrection?We examine it using historical reasoningNot absolute proof, but reasonable, plausible explanationKey Evidence: Transformation of the DisciplesBefore:Afraid, scattered, denying JesusAfter:Boldly proclaiming the resurrectionWilling to suffer and dieKey question:Why would they die for something they knew was a lie?Most plausible explanation:They truly believed they encountered the risen JesusApplication: Faith Engages Mind and HeartChristianity invites intellectual engagementExploring evidence can:Strengthen faithDeepen joy and confidenceThe resurrection is not just a symbol:It is the source of hope, freedom, and victoryDiscussion QuestionsWhat does it look like to practice to love God with all of our minds (Matthew 22:37)?Is it reasonable to believe in miracles? Why or why not?Some suggest that the resurrection was spiritual in nature. That Jesus' soul was going back to God (but not necessarily his body). Does this view square with the biblical text? Consider Luke 24:36-43.If Jesus wasn't raised from the dead, can there still be forgiveness of sins in his name? Why or why not? What are the Apostle Paul's thoughts from 1 Corinthians 15?Additional Resources:Can a Scientist Believe in the Resurrection? Three Hypotheses - Article by Dr. Ian HutchinsonThe Case for Christ by Lee StrobelIs Easter Believable? by Rebecca McLaughlinCan Science Explain Everything? by John LennoxFor a deeper dive:The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas and Michael LaconaThe Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. WrightQuestions?Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Randy Forrester ().

The inspiration of Scripture. It says that no man wrote Scripture on his own, but it was God breathed. It was inspired by the Holy Spirit, right? The Holy Spirit inspired men to write the Word of God. We talked about His salvation. He resurrects. Romans chapter 8 verse 11 talks about that verse. He says, But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. You know, one day the Holy Spirit is going to resurrect us, right? It says in Romans 1.4 that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power from the Holy Spirit because he had the spirit of power. I also put Jesus... Mary's womb and Matthew chapter 1 verse 20 Joseph is thinking about Mary being pregnant and it says while he thought about these sayings behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take to you marry your wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit and That Jesus was deposited in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit, right? He has attributes. He's holy. To lie to him is to lie to God. He's the spirit of holiness. He's omniscient. Omniscient means that he knows everything, right?     Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?              John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today.                 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32             Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.                hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you.           https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F               The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions

He is Rise, He is Risen indeed! This week we celebrate that the tomb is empty. That Jesus rose from the grave. We take a break from our series in Mark and unpack the impact of the resurrection in Luke 24:1-12. 

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. Happy Easter, y'. All. We are In Luke chapter 24 today, verses 13 through 35. Nearly 2000 years ago, almost like. Exactly like 30, 33 AD is when the resurrection happened. Nearly 2000 years ago, some women who were followers of Jesus, they walked to the tomb expecting to carry the spices and to take care of his body and the humbling act of service that they were going to give. But when they arrived at the tomb, they were startled because the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty.> He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.And then they went back and they told the company, they told the rest of the followers of Jesus. And then some of the 12 disciples came and they verified his body is not there. And then began to unfold this message that went forth throughout the day and for all the days that followed up until this day that Jesus is alive. That for 2000 years that message has spread and spread, that it's so immersed in so many different parts of the world. It's so immersed here in the South. There are churches all around right now that are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that are singing songs that make much of the empty tomb, that are preaching messages about his resurrection. There's a familiarity with this message. So much so that if we did call and response like this, if I said, he is risen, you would say, he is present in me. Y'. All. We don't even do that here. I'm not against it. We just don't. But it's. You're so familiar with it that you just are prompted. You jump right into it. We know this. We know this message. It's so clear here. But what I want us to see this morning as we look at Luke 24, is that it's more than just a message that we are. That we know, that we're familiar with. This is something that has to hit us deeper. And that's what we're going to see this morning. So I'm going to pray for us. Then we're going to walk through this wonderful story from Luke 24. Pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that you might help us be present in a way where your good news that you are alive, that you resurrected, and all that comes with that would come to bear on our hearts. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.So, same day, the message that his body is gone, and they're trying to figure out what's going on, there's some confusion. And then we get to Luke 24, to a story that's only in this gospel. And we're going to pick it up in verse 13 says that very day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. Let's pause there. Two of them. So we're going to learn the name of one of them in a moment. It's Cleopas. Okay. And then the other one we never get the name of. We don't know much about Cleopas. We don't. He's not talked about a whole lot. And then another unnamed person which could have been his wife, could have been just another guy, we don't know. But these two, it's going to be clear from the context as we read followers of Jesus, they've been following Jesus quite some time. They are walking on their way to a village called Emmaus. And they were talking with each other, verse 14, about all these things that had happened. So they begin to discuss all of these things on this seven mile journey to this village called Emmaus. Now, seven miles, that's about a two hour plus walk if you stop to do anything, maybe a little bit longer. But they've got the time and they're talking about all the things that have happened. A Good Friday, that we just celebrated on Friday, the events of the morning on Easter morning.> And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?"In verse 15, while they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. So they're talking about all the confusion of where, where is Jesus? Is he actually risen? Is he alive? And all of a sudden Jesus, who's walking from Jerusalem, just starts walking with him. And in that moment you would think they're just going to be so overjoyed. We found him. He's here. He is risen. But it says, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. So Jesus supernaturally puts a veil over their eyes. He's a stranger to them, some type of Jedi mind trick. Just, just, I am not Jesus, I am a stranger. And he just starts walking with them.> "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?"Verse 17. And he said to them, what is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk? So he's a stranger who just jumps in to the conversation, uninvited, I might add. He just jumps on in. I was at Peacewise with someone from our church about a month ago. And if you're at the main cafe area of Peacewise, all the tables are on top of each other. So I'm sitting at a table talking to someone from our church, and then someone beside us is listening in on the conversation. And then all of a sudden, she's like, I can't help but overhear your conversation. And I've gotten older and maybe a little bit grumpier in some ways. And I'm just like, I bet you can't just. We're having a conversation. You don't have to. You don't have to. But I fought it. I put it down. Because I'm like, that's selfishness. We're called to be everyday missionaries. Yes. Join the conversation. Kind of weave her way into it. That's fine. But Jesus does this. He just kind of weaves his way into the conversation and just says, what are you guys talking about? And it says, and they stood still, looking sad, which could be because they're introverts and don't want them in the conversation. Probably not more. Has to do with the substance of what he's about to say right here. Then one of them named Cleopas answered him.> "What things?"So Cleopas looks at Jesus and says, basically, are you living under a rock, bro? You're coming with us from Jerusalem. This is all that anyone has talked about for a week. That Jesus of Nazareth came down on the Sunday before, and he traveled in the city, and they shouted hosanna. There was this great hope for this great prophet, for this great leader, for this great rabbi. And then they crucified. Where have you been? Do you not know what has happened these days? And y', all. Jesus responds with one of my favorite responses in all of the gospels, says.> "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened."I'm just going to be honest. Jesus is playing dumb. He knows good and well what things. And as God, he foreordained them as man. He lived them out and felt all the suffering and the power that came with the cross and the resurrection. He knows good and well with things, but he's being coy and he's playing dumb, which for me is helpful because I play dumb with my kids. Sometimes I will witness something that I see them, you know, fighting. And I've. I've. I've seen it all. And I kind of come up and I'll say, hey, what's going on here? Why is. Why. Why is there crying? What. What happened? Just because I want to hear. What do you have to say? And I hear some version of, well, what happened was, is that I was here, and then she was running, and she ran, like, right into my fist. And it's like, oh, that's a. That's a spin. We're gonna have to talk about that after you get disciplined. Like, that's. He says, what things? He plays dumb. He wants to hear what they have to say. Which I think gives us a partial permission structure to do this if it's for a good thing. So if you're ever wondering, is that sneaky? Kind of. But Jesus does it, and he's perfect, so we'll rock with it. He says, what things? And this is where we see the sadness come out. This is where we see their dashed hopes and the confusion. They give a pretty succinct summary from Palm Sunday to Easter. And they said to him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty indeed, and word, and before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him, which is what we celebrated on Good Friday, that Jesus Christ gave himself over to be arrested, to be condemned, to be nailed to a cross. They say they crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one who would redeem. To redeem Israel. We had hoped that he was the Messiah, the one who was going to fix all of this. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these. These things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it, just as the women had said. But him they did not see. So they tell it all. They tell all the events from Palm Sunday to Easter. And now that Jesus is caught up on the matter, he has something to say about this.> "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."Now, mind you, they still don't know it's Jesus. He's just a stranger. Supernaturally, he's got their eyes veiled. And these two followers of Jesus hear from this stranger, you foolish ones, O slow of heart, to believe all the prophets have spoken. You thought that hope was lost at the cross. You thought that was the end of hope. You don't know that was the very beginning of it. And then he Begins to walk through the Old Testament, begins to walk through from Moses, the law to the prophets, this is going to be Genesis to Malachi, and it begins to interpret to them all the things in the scriptures concerning himself. Y', all. There are moments in history that I just wish I could have been a fly on the wall to witness greatness, to witness a conversation like this happen. Like, if you could have been there. The moment that two people who were talking together realized that if you milked a cow, that you could actually systematize milking and have tons of milk, and the whole history of humanity was blessed because someone discovered something like that. And for those who are lactose intolerant, someone eventually discovered that you could milk almonds. And now we have that. There are moments of greatness that you get to witness that you just wish you could be there to see it. This is one of those moments where Jesus begins to walk through the Old Testament to point to all the different places where he is there. There's so many pictures and images and covenants and moments throughout the Old Testament that point to Jesus Christ. Some would call them Easter eggs. There you go. That are hidden, that point forward to what he is doing in his word. So for a moment, I just want to dream a little bit. We don't know what the substance of this conversation is, but for the moment, I just want to imagine what are some of the places he went to. Where in the Old Testament did he go to to point to himself? Did he start in Genesis 3? Did he start when the curse is being handed down to Adam and to Eve? And all of a sudden, in the middle of this curse, there's this declaration of hope, really the first declaration of the Gospel, that one day that the seed of Eve, the offspring of Eve, would crush the head of the serpent, which is the first declaration that there is a day coming that someone in the line of Eve will come and he will crush the head of evil and Satan and defeat the power of sin and death. Did he start there? Did he keep flipping through Genesis and he gets to the story of Abraham and Isaac on the mount, and he said, do you. Do you remember when Isaac was put on the altar being sacrifices Abraham's one and only son, the promised Son. But then God intervenes and says no and spares him. Do you not see that? That pointed one day to the day when God the Father would not spare his one and only Son, that he'd be raised up on an altar, on the cross to be crucified for the sins of man. That he keep flipping through the Old Testament and get to Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and see, hey, do you see Moses? Do you see how Moses, this mediator, which is a man in the middle between God and man, mediated this covenant, that they would follow the law and they'd be in the promised land. It would go well for them all. That was pointing forward to the day when one day the mediator of a better covenant, Jesus Christ, would come and he would stand between God the Father and mankind, taking on the sins and fulfilling all the perfect righteous requirements of the law. Did he go We've been walking through first and Second Samuel. Did he go to Second Samuel 7? We went through that about a month ago, which is the Davidic covenant, the covenant with David. We looked and we saw how there was a promise that in the line of David there would be someone who would bring an eternal throne, an eternal kingdom, an eternal house, that he take them there and say, do you see how that points forward to the day that one day Jesus Christ would establish an eternal kingdom, an eternal throne. Did he keep taking them through the prophets to show how all the prophets spoke of him? Did he reference how Isaiah called him the man of sorrows, of how Jeremiah called him the righteous branch of how Ezekiel called him the one shepherd, how Daniel calls him the Son of Man, how Hosea calls him the Son who was called up out of Egypt, how Joel calls him the Lord who pours out his spirit, how Amos calls him the tent of David, how Obadiah calls him the Lord who brings his kingdom? Did he go to the story of Jonah in reference back what he taught in the Gospels, that the sign of Jonah, Jonah being in the belly of the fish for three days, points forward to when he would be in the belly of the earth for three days and he would conquer death by stepping out? Did he go to Micah and say that he calls him the ruler from Bethlehem? Did he go to Nahum that says that this is the stronghold and the day of trouble? Did he go to Habakkuk and reference how Habakkuk calls him the Messiah, the Anointed One, which is the language of expectation, that they've been sitting in the for hundreds of years before Jesus comes? Did he go to Zephaniah that calls him the King of Israel, to Haggai, that calls him the Greater Temple, to Zechariah that calls him the king who rides in on the colt, which just happened the week before on Palm Sunday? Did he finish in Malachi, when Malachi talks about How John the Baptist prepared the way for him. He could have gone anywhere from the Old Testament and said, this all points to me that the entirety of the Old Testament is pointing forward to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, man. To be there and to witness and to wonder, what did he walk them through? What a glorious moment to see. And it made quite the impression on them, whatever he walked them through. Because at the end of all of them, they asked him, why don't you spend the night with us?> "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent."So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent that Jesus has left such an impression on them, this stranger, that they can't know who he is. Yet they said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, you're coming with. You're staying with us tonight. So he comes. He stays. So he went to stay with them.> When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight.So they finally get down, ready to eat, and Jesus takes the bread, just like he did a few nights ago when he instituted the Lord's Supper. And he breaks the bread and he hands it to them. And supernaturally the veil is removed and they can see Jesus. And I like to imagine that Jesus was just grinning ear to ear, just, it was me. It was me that walked him through the Scriptures. It was me. And then they don't have a moment to, like, jump across the table and embrace Him. He just gone, just vanishes, supernaturally leaves the building and they're just left hanging, like, what just happened? And then on, in response to this, says,> "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the 11. And those who were with them gathered together, saying,> "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon."Then they told what happened on the road and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. And they, after he vanishes, they just like, we got to get back to Jerusalem. I don't think it took them two hours. I think they sprinted. I think they sprinted all the way back to Jerusalem and they burst through the door where the disciples and all the followers of Jesus are trying to figure out what happened. Comparing and contrasting all the events of the day. And there had to be a moment where they just were like, wait, okay, you are. You're not going to believe what just happened. We just spent, like the whole afternoon with Jesus and we didn't even know he's Jesus. Like, we couldn't see him. He did something to our eyes, and then all of a sudden, he broke the bread and boom, he was there. And then he was gone. But I'm telling you, he's alive. He is risen. And that story has been told and retold and retold for the last 2000 years.Now, there's so many parts of this story that you could post up in that you could focus on. There's not one way to approach this text. I want to focus on one phrase as we close out. It's the immediate aftermath of Jesus appearing to them and then vanishing. It's what they say, did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us? The scriptures, they had. Their eyes were veiled the whole time they're with Jesus until then, but they. They make the connection to something that was happening within them. Like, did our hearts not burn within us when he. When he walked us through the Scriptures, when he taught us what all these events were supposed. Did he not. Did you feel it? Yeah, I felt it. Did you feel it? I felt it. Did our hearts not burn within us when we encountered the resurrected Jesus Christ as he declared the message of the gospel to us? That's where I want to spend the rest of our time, is trying to understand this. It's important to understanding this passage. But more importantly than that, it's one of the most important questions that you could reckon with in your entire life. So let's try to understand this. What they're pointing to is something very specific, and it's very rich how they respond. They're not talking about the literal heart. So when the Scriptures speak about the heart, this is not the literal organ that is pumping blood through your body. What they're talking about when in the rest of the Scriptures, when it speaks of the heart, the heart is the inner self. This is your inner self. And what they're tapping into is, did our. Did our hearts. Did our inner self not burn within us? Were those affections that we were sensing not stirring within us? As Jesus, the resurrected Savior, walked us through the gospel throughout the Old Testament, explained to us the story of redemption from Genesis to him? Did you not sense that holy stirring, that holy burn within us as Jesus began to connect all those dots. That is a picture of what it looks like for God to work within us. This is what it means for the. For the Spirit of God to come at work within us and to change us. And it leads us to the most important question that you could ever reckon with. Does your heart burn within you when you hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Does your heart stir within you when you consider the message of this Jesus? Because here's the deal. You can hear that message over and over and over again. You can know it, you can recount it. And I could. I could walk through it all. I could. We could go through the Old Testament and point out all the places where God is weaving his redemption story together, leading to the cross and the empty tomb. That we could talk about how when you flip from Malachi into the Gospel of Matthew, that Jesus, God takes on human flesh and dwells among us. We can look at how he ministered to the people, how he taught the people, all the miracles that he performed. We can go all the way to the end of each of the gospels where he's betrayed by Judas, where he's abandoned by his friends, where he is given over to Pilate, where he is nailed to a cross, where the full cup of God's wrath is poured out on him. And we can keep going to what we celebrate today, that he was resurrected and that he walked out of the tomb. And that the power of the resurrection, the meaning of the resurrection, means that death doesn't have. That's what we just sang. That death doesn't have to have a grip on us, that through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, we can be made new from old to new, from dead to life, that we can step into an eternal life. And we can keep flipping through the pages and we can celebrate that all of this happens by grace, through faith alone in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. We can see how you can't earn this relationship with God, that you must trust in what Jesus has done. We can look at all of this and consider it. And, and, and what I would. What I would suppose is that many of us are familiar with that. We know that message. We know it. We've heard it. We've heard it over and over again. The central question is not do you know that message. The central question is, does your heart burn within you when you consider that message? Does God stir in you affections, worship, love, joy towards Him? That is the question that we must reckon with. That's what Ephesians, chapter One is getting at in verse 18, when it says, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you? What are the riches of his glorious inheritance? In the saints, the question is, have the eyes of your heart been opened enlightened when you consider the riches of the glorious inheritance that he secures through through his redemptive work? Does your heart burn and stir within you when you consider this? There's an old Puritan pastor named Jonathan Edwards from hundreds of years ago. He has a work called Religious Affections. It's a collection of his writings that are put together. And in this. In Religious Affections, what he's trying to do is make a distinction between false religion and true religion. So dead religion, that's a name only, and true religion, that is a relationship with God that is uniquely different. And he tries to separate this out, even goes to Luke 24, this passage, to be able to help us see that there's something different about true religion, about true relationship with God. There's something about this zeal and this love and this wonder and this worship and this wonder that he stirs within us that exemplifies a new life in Christ that is true, that is different than this false religion that may know all of these things, but God hasn't stirred within this individual affections for him. And when getting to the description of this false religion, I want to read what he wrote. He says here, their love is cold, their desires languid, their zeal low, and their gratitude small. How they can sit and hear of the infinite height and depth and length and breadth of the love of God in Christ Jesus, and of his of giving his infinitely dear Son to be offered up a sacrifice for the sins of men, and of the unparalleled love of the innocent and holy and tender Lamb of God manifested revealed in his dying agonies, his bloody sweat, his loud and bitter cries and bleeding heart. And all this for enemies. He says that you can know these things. You can sit and hear about the height and the length and the depth of the love of God that you can picture and have pictured before you this infinite, infinitely dear Son who is raised up on a cross. And we can bear witness by reading the Gospels. We can hear about his agonies and his suffering and the love that it took to stay on that cross for us. And that he does this all, all this for enemies, to redeem them from deserved eternal destruction, and to bring to unspeakable and everlasting joy and glory. And hear this and yet be cold and heavy and sensible. And regardless that we can be familiar with that message and have a heart that is cold, apathetic, does not care heavy, does not inspire to move insensible, just lacks complete sensitivity to the message of the gospel, regardless, does not consider it, does not regard it, that that is what he's getting at with this false religion.Friends, I, I, I want you to hear this very clearly. I think there are many of us in the south that are very familiar with this message. We know it, we know this message. But knowing doesn't save you. The question is, is that when you consider this message, if you know it, are your is your love cold? Are your desires? Is your zeal low? Is the gratitude small? Do you know it? But it that knowledge does inspire love and worship and affections towards Christ and faith and repentance and obedience and delighting in him over all things. Because if that isn't the fruit of what you say you believe, then the reality is you don't believe the message. Familiarity with the message of the gospel doesn't save. And Jesus may be looking at you this morning and saying, oh friend, slow of heart to believe. Slow of heart to believe this you might know all the Sunday school answers from growing up, and you might wear a cross around your neck and you might be a good, decent person who lives a good, decent life, will one day have a good decent funeral. Or people talk about you as a good, decent man or woman and none of that saves, none of it. What saves is encountering this resurrected Savior. And then your heart begins to burn within you. Your heart, your affections begin to stir within you. And my hope is on this Easter morning as we celebrate the goodness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that he is alive, that he is risen indeed, and all of the eternal implications of hope that come with that. My hope this morning is that as you consider this message, that you might sit honestly before the Lord and you might begin to ask yourself, do I have actually believe this in a way where my heart burns for him, where my heart is stirred for him, where my affections are growing for him. And if you come to the maybe painful reality that that is not the case, my hope this morning is that you would begin to burn, that that stirring would happen in your heart. And I've walked with people long enough to know that sometimes this happens. Sometimes you can feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit beginning to work in your heart. And maybe right now you're trying to convince yourself out of this. Maybe you're trying to say, let's just get to brunch. Let's just get to the rest of the day. I don't want to reckon with this. I don't want to lean into this reality. I just want to move on. I want to press on. But I want to invite you to lean into the heat of that discomfort. Because what Jesus offers you, if he begins to stir and in your heart is a wonderful relationship with him. That is what we say every single Sunday here. That is far better than anything this world has to offer. Everything that you could possibly build your life upon in this world is nothing in comparison to Christ. Paul says it is rubbish in comparison to him. That what you are missing out on is eternally wonderful. So do not deny the heat that is burning within you. Do not run from it. Do not explain it away. Lean into it. I'm going to pray for you in a moment. And my hope is that as I pray, maybe for the first time, you'll lean into the heat. You'll begin to let the Spirit take over your life in a way that transforms you into a new creation in Christ, into someone who loves, worships, follows, and delights in God from now into eternity. But hear this. You must. You must pray. And you must ask Jesus to take over your life. That this cannot be in head knowledge only. This has to be a surrender of the heart to him.So I'm going to pray at the end of all of this. I'm going to be outside that door over there, that connect corner. And as I pray, if you for the first time are choosing to follow Jesus Christ, come talk to me. If you came with a Christian this morning who loves you, talk to him or her. But don't run from the heat. Let it take over. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that right now you might open the eyes of our heart to the reality that you loved us so much that you came. You didn't leave us in our sin and our rebellion against you, but you came and you went to the cross to die for our sins. And that you conquered, you walked out of the tomb conquering the power of death and sin in our lives. And Lord, I pray if there's anyone here this morning that has known this message from their youth, that maybe is young and knows this message can recite it back word for word, but they've never had the burning desire of the stirring of affections towards you. Lord, would you melt their heart this morning? Would you work in their heart this morning? Would you bring them to life and that life into eternity. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.Band's going to come up, we're going to sing and we're going to worship Christ because he's worthy of our worship and worthy of our praise. And if this morning, if that moment right now, you just prayed to follow Jesus Christ, I want to invite you again. Come find me out there at the connect corner. Talk to a friend that brought you, but don't run from it this morning, lean into it.

Subscribe for more Videos: http://www.youtube.com/c/PlantationSDAChurchTV Theme: The Bible is abundantly clear as to how the story of redemption ends. The book of Revelation in particular highlights the fact that the Lamb wins! That Jesus and His Church triumphs over the false prophet, the beast, and his image. Speaker: Pastor N. Abraham Rose Title: Happy Ending Key text: https://www.bible.com/bible/114/REV.19.6-9.NKJV Bulletin/Notes: http://bible.com/events/49587485 Date: April 4, 2026 Tags: #psdatv #redemption #revelation #lamb #Christ #Jesus triumph #prophet #beast #image #happy #end #ending #VictoryIsGuaranteed #TheLambWins #ItEndsWell For more life lessons and inspirational content, please visit us at http://www.plantationsda.tv. Church Copyright License (CCLI): 1659090 CCLI Streaming Plus License: 21338439Support the show: https://adventistgiving.org/#/org/ANTBMV/envelope/startSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John 13:17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. What are “these things” we know to do? That Jesus, our Master and Teacher has given us an example of love for each other: humble service to those who belong to Jesus. That if Jesus humbled Himself to serve us, we ought to follow His example. What is the blessing if we do what we know is right? We are blessed with a clear conscience. We are blessed as we experience Jesus' love for His own. We are blessed as we experience Jesus' joy in our obedience. We are blessed when we know Jesus' body is being cared for. We are blessed because the glory of God rests upon us. Can you think of some other blessings? Please write them in the comments. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

March 15, 2026Today's Reading: John 6:1-15Daily Lectionary: Genesis 41:28-57; Mark 11:20-33“Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.” (John 6:11)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.I wish I had been there. Jesus fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. How great is that? The people there that day thought so. They all ate—all they wanted. Jesus was healing the sick and feeding the hungry. They recognized a prophet when they saw one. They wanted to make Him king. By force, if necessary. But force would not be necessary. Jesus is their king. Just not the kind of king they were thinking of. What Jesus did was pretty great, and they didn't want it to stop! But Jesus had come to do something even greater. He came to lay down His life for them. To heal them from their sin. To give them life not just here and now for a while, but eternal life. And to feed them not with bread and fish, but with His own Body and Blood.That's what we've been focused on this Lenten season. That Jesus has come to lay down His life for us, to give us life. John tells us Jesus knew what He was going to do when He asked Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” Jesus was not making it up as He went! He had only one purpose for His coming, and His feeding of the multitude that day was a foreshadowing of the even greater feeding He had come to do—to feed all people of all times and places with the Bread of Life. With Himself. So just as He did that day, we will soon hear again how Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and gave it to His disciples. But this time, He would say, Do this - keep doing this - in remembrance of Me. And they would. From that day on and to this day, the disciples and the pastors who have come after them feed us with the bread from heaven, the food that gives eternal life in the forgiveness of our sins, the Body and Blood of Jesus. So, while I wish I had been there that day, I then remember that I am! I am every Sunday, as Jesus feeds me through His servant, my Pastor. I have all I need.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve only punishment, You receive us as Your children and provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.Rev. James Douthwaite, pastor of Saint Athanasius Lutheran Church, Vienna, VA and Board Member of the Board for International MissionsAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.

In October 2024, Colby Ryan posted a recording of a prison call with his mother.She told him she'd be exonerated. That Jesus showed her. That everything was according to Chad Daybell's plan.His siblings are dead. His mother killed them. And she still believes she was right.This is Part 5 of "The Chosen Ones," our final episode examining the psychology of spiritual abuse and religious trauma through the Vallow-Daybell case. Today we focus on what happens after — the long, painful work of rebuilding identity when everything you believed has collapsed.For Colby Ryan, it means loving a mother he can no longer reach.For Melanie Gibb, it means living with the question of why she didn't see sooner.For everyone who has left a high control religion, it means carrying a question that never fully goes away: How did I believe this?This episode is for survivors. The answer isn't that you're stupid. The answer is that you're human. Someone exploited your best impulses — your desire for meaning, belonging, purpose.Religious Trauma Syndrome is real. Dr. Marlene Winell coined the term to describe the complex PTSD that results from authoritarian religious environments.The apocalypse Chad Daybell promised never came. But you're still here. And that matters.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #ChadDaybell #LoriVallow #ColbyRyan #TrueCrimeToday #CultSurvivor #ReligiousTraumaSyndrome #Healing #Deconstruction

Today is day 68 and we are in the section on the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed on Jesus Christ the Son of God. Today we are on the eighth line: “was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead” and studying question 68. 68. What does the Creed mean by saying that Jesus descended to the dead? That Jesus descended to the dead means that he truly died and entered the place of the departed. (Psalm 16:9–10; Acts 2:25–32; Ephesians 4:9–10; 1 Peter 3:18–19) We will conclude today with the Second Collect for Holy Saturday found on page 578 of the Book of Common Prayer (2019). If you would like to buy or download To Be a Christian, head to anglicanchurch.net/catechism. Produced by Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Madison, MS. Original music from Matthew Clark. Daily collects and Psalms are taken from Book of Common Prayer (2019), created by the Anglican Church in North America and published by the Anglican Liturgical Press. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Catechism readings are taken from To Be a Christian - An Anglican Catechism Approved Edition, copyright © 2020 by The Anglican Church in North America by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Gospel Luke 6:19-31 Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and 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 scraps that 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 off and 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 received what was good during your lifetime while 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 established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from 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.'" Reflection In the world of the Pharisees, they taught what is called the prosperity gospel. But back then it was just simply an understanding that the more that you follow the rules and regulations, the more perfectly you follow the law, the more you would be blessed by God. And the blessing of God was not to make you into a servant as Jesus explains it, but to make you prosperous, important. And all the things you longed for and needed physically, emotionally would be there for you. It was a misunderstanding completely of what it is that God is asking from us. He's not asking us to do what we're told and then be blessed. He's calling us to something so much more complex and beautiful. To be human beings who live in a world listening to our own needs and the needs of others, and longing for nothing more than to relieve the pain and suffering that they see there. The rich man had no interest in anyone who was suffering because they were considered unworthy. What a radical change. That Jesus had brought to the temple and what an important change that would actually save the world. Closing Prayer Father, one might say that you treated the Pharisees harshly and seem to condemn them, but we know basically inside of you there was a longing and a desire that every single one of them would be touched and transformed and move away from their shallow understanding of what God is really about to something richer and fuller. But as you condemn them, it's so clearly that what you were condemning were their ideas, their ways, not them individually. So bless us with understanding and patience with people who are not seeing the role that God has promised to inspire them and nurture them in. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the Inverted Orthodoxy Podcast! We're Blake, Kyle, and Doug the pastors from Living Springs, here to take you on a weekly adventure through the twists and turns of faith. Got questions? We've got answers, and sometimes more questions! Join us as we explore, celebrate, and embrace the beautiful complexities of belief. This weeks episode covers the following questions: 1. 0:34 into episode AER AER-Sorry this AER is so long... But It got me thinking!I typically agree with most of pastor Kyle's insights... but here are Some pushbacks on his points about Jesus "maintaining his purity" on the cross. I'm struggling to see the full logic of Kyle's argument. An explanation might be nice? I know it's a tough topic to address as you audience is broad, though.The point in question:“I think his purity would have needed to remain intact” (12:00 - Episode 424)Jesus is the perfect unblemished lamb. And biblically, when the New Testament calls Jesus the Lamb, it consistently emphasizes moral innocence and sinlessness rather than physical untouchedness (If that's a word, lol) - see 1 Peter 1:18–19 and Hebrews 4:15.An unblemished lamb according to “the law”: • “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old.”- Exodus 12:5• “If it has any blemish, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.”- Deuteronomy 15:21• “You shall offer a male without blemish from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats.”- Leviticus 1:10Importantly, the inspection of the lamb occurred prior to sacrifice. The act of sacrifice itself involved violence, bloodshed, and death – the physical destruction of the body did not retroactively disqualify the offering. (Jacob Milgrom, Leviticus 1–16)And of course we have the prophetic account:• “Nor shall you break any of its bones.”- Exodus 12:46This is shocking, because even in the brutality of crucifixion, this specific Passover detail is preserved - suggesting intentional theological fulfillment rather than a requirement of total bodily untouchedness. Alluding to: John 19:36This meant:• No disease• No injury• No deformity• No visible imperfectionBut again, in the Old Testament sacrificial system, this referred to the fitness of the offering before sacrifice, not the absence of suffering during the sacrificial act itself. (Milgrom; also Gordon Wenham, The Book of Leviticus)If we are relating this to Jesus… I feel as though most scholars would argue, for Jesus as the sacrificial lamb, this meant (alluding to Pilot also claiming, “I find no guilt in him.”: • Sinless• Pure• Set apart• Examined and found without faultWe see MANY examinations of Jesus' innocence: Pilate - John 19:4; Herod - Luke 23:15; Judas - Matthew 27:4. This mirrors the inspection period of the Passover lamb in Exodus 12:3–6.But it seems like you are claiming Jesus would have needed to remain physically pure/without blemish up until the point of death on the cross?If that standard were applied strictly in a physical sense, the Roman scourging alone — which historically caused severe bodily trauma — would already introduce “blemishes” prior to crucifixion. (William D. Edwards et al., “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ”)Yet Jesus was flogged… beaten… striped… mocked… he was weak… certainly with some physical blemishes before being crucified… He was sinless yet broken. And I'm sure we would all agree that someone being sexually abused is not a sin on their part.Yet to me… This distinction seems to matter profoundly: victimization does not equate to moral impurity. Scripture consistently locates Jesus' perfection in His obedience and sinlessness, not in an absence of physical... or even... I argue... sexual suffering - Hebrews 5:8; 1 Peter 2:22–24. (Thomas R. Schreiner, The Nature of the Atonement, on sinlessness vs. suffering in Christology)I'd argue that the act of Atonement encompasses not just the crucifixion… but also the journey up to the cross… That Jesus was literally… in these moments… taking on the sins of the world. (N. T. Wright, The Day the Revolution Began).Isaiah 53:3–5 presents the suffering servant as despised, afflicted, wounded, and crushed -language that clearly includes pre-crucifixion suffering as part of the redemptive work.So how could you rule out Jesus taking on certain sins for the sake of remaining sexually pure? It seems like a potential slippery slope. Especially when 2 Corinthians 5:21 states that He “became sin” for us — a theological category far broader than physical categories of purity.Now, I'm not saying Jesus most definitely was sexually abused.. I don't think there is enough primary source evidence to come to a conclusive conclusion, and the Bible doesn't explicitly mention sexual abuse… yet we can't rule it out as a possibility.And historically responsible scholarship would agree here: the Gospels explicitly record stripping, flogging, mocking, and public humiliation, but do not explicitly record sexual assault.However... The Bible doesn't explicitly mention a lot of things, yet theologians theorize on all sorts of stuff these days. For example, the Gospels themselves state that not every detail of Jesus' life and ministry was recorded - see John 21:25.As for primary sources… we KNOW the Romans were brutal. Romans viewed anyone who wasn't Roman as the lowliest of lows. Less than human. (Seneca comes to mind as a source).Ancient writers like Josephus and Seneca describe crucifixion as intentionally degrading, dehumanizing, and designed to maximize shame as well as pain.Only non-Roman citizens were crucified. With rare exceptions for treason, crucifixion was primarily reserved for slaves, rebels, and non-citizens - those considered socially disposable.Non-humans would not have been written about. It was beneath them. Which also explains why most surviving accounts come from elite Roman perspectives rather than victim testimonies.Friends and family members of crucified victims were likely not Roman either… which meant they were more likely to be illiterate. And public executions were meant as deterrent spectacles, not as events documented wit=8[-9i 4ergh empathy toward the condemned.Also… if you wrote in opposition to the Romans… you died. This creates an inherent historical documentation bias toward imperial narratives and against victim-centered accounts.Likely not a ton of Primary source documentation from the victim's perspective floating around for these reasons.Which is a standard limitation acknowledged in Roman historiography broadly, not just in crucifixion studies.Jesus did have people write about him, but still, there are certainly pieces missing from Jesus' ministry, and crucifixion, that we do not get to read about in scripture. Again… John explicitly affirms this selectivity in recording events, reinforcing that the Gospel accounts are theologically purposeful narratives rather than exhaustive historical transcripts.Also… in the modern era… publicly shaming someone (splitting their garments)… parading them around naked… would be seen as a form of sexual abuse. Not so much in antiquity… but still, someone today may relate to that reality. Again… not arguing entirely in favour of this perspective (I do recognize the influence of prominent modern feminist theology on this topic)… yet I don't think we can negate the possibility.2. Over 8 years of doing this podcast. Where would you say your greatest shift in a theological view has happened and why?3. Nov 17- On November 16th Pastor Doug spoke about the reality of the resurrection and used a slide graph to show the varying views. My question is where do each of you see yourselves on that graph and what is one thing that hinders your own view of resurrection?Nov17- In what ways do you see the satanic panic still alive and well in the western church.Nov 17- In the words of Nt wright, what if the purpose of following Jesus was to bring heaven to earth, and not to try to get to heaven. How do you think this would work?

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE John 11.1-44 Gordon Dabbs, PhD John 11.25-26 (ESV) I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11.5 (ESV) Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. John 11.6 (ESV) When he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Jesus is not late—He is purposeful. John 11.8 (ESV) The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” “If I'm leading, you're safe — even when it doesn't feel safe.” John 11.11 (ESV) “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” John 11.15 (ESV) For your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. Sometimes our Lord allows situations to move past what we think is the point of no return—not to harm us, but to show us who He really is. John 11.21 (ESV) Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11.22 (ESV) But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. That's not a lack of faith. That's real faith… wounded, but real. John 11.25 (ESV) “I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11.26 (ESV) “Do you believe this?” Not: Do you understand this? Does this make sense? John 11.27 (ESV) “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” John 11.33, 35 (ESV) Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled… Jesus wept. He shares our sorrow before He solves it. Jesus wept. Philippians 1.21 (CEV) If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more. The only people in Scripture who never celebrate their own resurrection… are the ones who had already tasted heaven. John 11.26 - “Do you believe this?” Do you believe… • That Jesus is not just able to give life—but IS life? • When His timing doesn't match yours? • When He feels late? • When He lets the story go further than you wanted? Today, He asks you to believe Him when he says, “I am the resurrection and the life.”Subscribe to PRESTONCREST - with Gordon Dabbs on Soundwise

That Jesus has set us apart from the world and how he can use anybody and their story to advance his kingdom

The author of Hebrews keeps hammering on his one main point: That Jesus is better...than anyone, or anything. His message is better, His redemption is better, He is more than a faithful servant and yet thanks to His human experience, able to uniquely empathize with our weakness.

This past Sunday Dr. Bobby Kelly walked us through John 14:1-7. That Jesus reminds us that trouble is a real part of life, but it does not have to control our hearts. In a world filled with uncertainty and fear, He calls us to trust in God and in Him. Jesus offers hope by promising a prepared place—our true home with the Father—and assures us that we are not left to find the way on our own. He declares that He Himself is the way, the truth, and the life, making a restored relationship with the Father possible. When our hearts are troubled, peace is found by trusting Jesus and following Him as the only way home.

This Sunday, we are in Acts 9:1–19, one of the most gripping passages in the book of Acts—the story of how Jesus stops Saul in his tracks and turns a persecutor into a disciple.But as we'll see, this isn't a story about a man finding his way to God through effort, morality, or religious sincerity. As we see, Saul wasn't searching for Jesus at all.Rather, it's a story about Jesus—about His sovereign and gracious pursuit of His enemies, His power to interrupt rebellion, and the kind of grace He loves to show as He turns opponents into His people and sends them out on His mission.We can't wait to dive into this text together!Two things to THINK about beforehand

Series: Signs & GloryTitle: What happens when Jesus shows up?Scripture:

Introduction: Psalm 115:8 – Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. Ephesians 5:1 – Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. Hebrews 10:28 - Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. John 8:1-11 I Want to Be Like God (John 1:14–18) Grace without TRUTH = Not like Jesus. Truth without GRACE = Not like Jesus. GRACE and TRUTH = Like Jesus. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead John 1:14-18What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Define “glory” (John 1:14). What did John actually see when he says “we have seen His glory”?Do you tend to lean more towards “grace” or “truth” when dealing with someone's sin? Why? What do you need to do to be “full of grace and truth” like Jesus?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Turn in your Bibles to John chapter 1.While you're turning there,just going to ask,we pause for a second and I would ask that you wouldplease pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's word.I will pray for you to have a heart open to receivewhat it is God is telling us here tonight in this passage.All right? Let's pray.Father, we thank you for your word.It's easy tonight to get so caught up in,I guess the decorations and the sentimentality and all of that.But God, this is really no different to what we normally do.We come to worship you, come to know you,come to hear from your word.I just ask Father that your spirit be at work with your word today.In a profound way,make us into the people that you've called us to be.We pray in Jesus' name.And all of God's people said,"Amen, you become like that which you worship."It's a true statement."You become like that which you worship."You know, it's really obvious in children.I mean, just looking back at my life,if you would have found me in the late 70s, early 80s,I would have been walking around with torn pantsand a torn shirt because I was the Incredible Hulk.Remember that show, "Lufa Rigno"?That was me."Aah!"Oh, then you go forward just a couple of yearsand I would have been running around the housewith a sword fighting Skeletor.By the power of Grayskull, I was he-man.Right?And then you go forward a few more years,early 90s, grunge.Ironically, I once again had ripped pants onand the flannel shirt, the mop hair.And you can laugh and make fun of me all you want,but I know some of you got hammered pants in your closet.Some of you ladies back then had a Debbie Gibson haircutbecause you become like that which you worship.It wasn't even my idea, actually.The Bible says this.Psalm 115 verse 8 says, "Regarding idols,it says those who make them become like them.So to all who trust in them,you become like that which you worship."And then we come to church.We come to church and the truth is still the samebecause Ephesians 5:1 says, "Therefore,we imitators of God as beloved children."Like, well, how do we imitate God?By worshiping Him.That's how.It starts with worshiping Him.You're like, "Okay, all right, but how in the world,even worshiping Him, how can I imitate God?"And you know, I think that's one of the most awesome thingsabout the incarnation of Jesus Christ.What we're celebrating at Christmas, God became a man.And I think that's one of the most awesome things.One of the most glorious things is that we get to seewhat God's holiness and love looks like in a humanon this planet interacting with other humans.It's not conceptual. We've seen it.Yeah, the Christmas story. It's a familiar story, right?You know, you've got the manger and the shepherds and the light.But that's Matthew and Luke's version.Matthew and Luke in your Bible give the historical version.But we're looking at John this year.And John gives the theological version.That God became something He's never been without ceasing to bewhat He's always been.It's the miracle of Christmas.God entered the world through childbirth,becoming a real human being while remaining God.So, what do you want for Christmas?When we started this series, we said, "I want to know God."The only way you can know God is through Jesus.Jesus is the revelation of God.He is the living Word of God, right?Then on Sunday, Pastor Taylor gave a message,"I want to belong to God."The only way you belong to God also is through Jesus Christ.It's through Jesus, through His death and His resurrection,that our sins can be forgiven,that we can have the promise of eternal life,that we can be adopted children of God.Tonight, I want to be like God.What do you want for Christmas?Really, all I want is to be like God.This section we're looking at talks about the glory of Jesus Christ.Those who received Him get to know how glorious our God is.And when we worship Him, we do become like Him.Look at verse 14 in John chapter 1.It says, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,and we have seen His glory,glory as of the only Son from the Father,full of grace and truth."Mark that.Grace and truth.Full of grace and truth.Verse 15."John bore witness about Him and cried out,'This was He of whom I said,'He who comes after Me ranks before Me,because He was before Me.'"And from His fullness,we have all received grace upon grace.I love that last phrase, "Grace upon grace."It's just waves and waves and waves of grace.That's Jesus.He's not stingy with His grace.And He tells us in verse 16 thatwe've received from His fullness.We've received from the fullness of grace.You know what that means?We're always in,if you belong to Jesus,you're always in the waves and waves of His grace.Meaning, I can't say,"Well, I came to Christ in 1995.Boy, you should have seen me back then.I really needed His grace back then.I need His grace just as much todayas I did then.And if I live tomorrow,I'm going to need His grace just as much tomorrowas I do today and as I did then."But that's the good news.He says, "Grace upon grace upon grace,that if you're in Christ,you're always in it."He just keeps on giving it to us."On your best day, you're in His grace.On your worst day, you're in His grace."Look at verse 17.He says, "For the law was given through Moses.Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."There it is again.Grace and truth.Grace and truth.The law though, he mentions the law.The law came through Moses.There was no grace in the law.Like you read your Old Testaments.There's only judgment.You break the law.You're guilty.In fact, the New Testament talks about thatin Hebrews chapter 10.Anyone who has set aside the law of Mosesdies without mercy in the evidenceof two or three witnesses.There's no mercy.Just guilt.That's what the law does.The law kills.The law only shows you that you are a sinner.Yet, through Jesus comes...Did you see it again?Grace and truth.What's showing us is that there's a stark contrastto the law with what came in Jesus Christ.Verse 18 kind of sums up the whole passage.It really sums up everythingthat we're celebrating at Christmas.Here it is.No one has ever seen God.The only God who is at the Father's side,He has made Him known.God the Son has made God known.One is saying, "We saw everything that is God.We saw that in Jesus Christ."So what's He like?What has God shown usof His character in Jesus Christ?I mean, what's He like?Well, you notice in this passage,He said it in verse 14,and He said it in verse 17.If you were to say,"Describe God in two words."He does.He says, "Here's what God is like."Two words.Grace and truth.Those two words exemplifiedwho Jesus Christ is,who is the perfect expressionof who God is.Grace and truth.I want to talk about grace and truthfor a few minutes.What is grace?Well, grace is compassion.It's mercy.Grace is kindness and patience.Grace is forgiveness.Read your Bibles.Jesus always manifestsjust a tender, loving grace.So He's full of grace,but it also says He's full of truth.Truth.Jesus always spoke the truth.Read your Bibles.Jesus always upheld the authorityof God's Word.Jesus never told half truths.Jesus never minimized the truth.Jesus never downplayed Scripture,contradicted the Old Testament.Jesus never sugar-coated it.He never watered it down.And He never, not once, ever did Heapologize for what the Bible says.I want to be like God.And when we look at this character of Jesus,it is astounding, full of grace and truth,simultaneously, full.And we could have this temptationto just kind of step backand admire that like, "Wow, isn't that awesome?Isn't that an awesome representation of God?"But you know, and we should do that, yes.But the Bible doesn't tell usthat we should just admire the character of Jesus.The Bible tells us that Jesus' characterisn't something just to impress us.The Bible says that we should imitate His character.I mean, so many times, right,we are called to imitate Jesus.Matthew 11, Jesus says, "Learn from Me."John 13, He was washing the disciples' grimy feet.And Jesus said, "I'm doing this to show you an examplethat you should do the same."Philippians 2, Paul says, "Have this mind,which is yours in Christ Jesus."1 Peter 2, 21 that Pastor Rich just read,says that Jesus is an example,and we should follow in His steps.And then we turn to John 1 here,and it says, verse 16, "From His fullnesswe have all receivedthat we don't worship a distant God.We worship a God according to thiswho is to be received."You see, I can stand up here,and I can talk for hours about Grace and Truth.Don't worry, I know it's Christmas, I'm not going to.But I could.But unless you've received Jesus Christ,this isn't going to matter.Because the Bible tells us that when we truly receive Him,God puts His Spirit in usso that we are able to imitate His character.So that we can truly be His image-bearers.That Jesus was full of Grace and Truth,perfectly full of both 100% Grace and 100% Truth.And this is the profound thing.Jesus was never one or the other.Never lopsided, never compromising one over the other,never wanted the expense of another.John makes it clear, he says,"This is what God is like, Jesus Christ."And if there are two words that sum upthe kind of God we worship, it's Grace and Truth.And we have to get that,because if we're to worship Godand therefore imitate God,if we're to represent God to the world,we have to imitate Grace and Truthas displayed by Jesus.So you know what our problem is.Our problem is we are not perfectly full of Grace and Truth.And the reality is each of us have a tendency to leanmore towards one than the other.Some of you are more Grace people.And some of you are more Truth people.And I just want to show you tonight thatyou can't be content to lean in one direction or the other,because that's not like Jesus at all.Like, well, can you give me an example?Yeah, there is an example I want to show you.Look at John 8.He just turned over in your Bibles a few pages.I want you to see.We're just going to read this and reference this.But if there's one story from Jesus' lifethat demonstrates this full of Grace and full of Truthat the same time, character,if there's one story that would show that, it's this one.John 8 says,"They want each to his own house,but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.Early in the morning, he came again to the temple.All the people came to him and he sat down and taught them,the scribes and the Pharisees brought a womanwho had been caught in adultery.And placing her in the midst, they said to him,'Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.'Now, in the law, Moses commanded usto stone such women.What do you say?'This they said to test himthat they might have some charge to bring against him.Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground.And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them,'Let him who is without sin among yoube the first to throw a stone at her.'And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground.But when they heard it, they went away one by one,beginning with the older ones,and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him.Jesus stood up and said to her,'Woman, where are they?Has no one condemned you?'She said, 'No, Lord.'And Jesus said,Look at this.Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you.''Go, and from now on sin no more.'So if you have an outline,and you're taking notes which we always encourage you to do,I want you to jot a couple of things down here.I want to be like God.Number one, grace without truth is not like Jesus.Grace without truth?That's not like Jesus.Grace without truth is weak enabling.Never holding people accountable.You ignore the transformation power of the Holy Spirit.You disregard the truth that God says in His Wordthat we are called to righteousness and holy living.People who lean more towards gracecare more about being liked than they care about what's right and wrong.But I want you to see in this account in John 8,Jesus wasn't just grace.He didn't say to the woman,'I affirm you.You do you, ma'am.'And look, don't worry about what the Bible says.I mean, they're quoting the Law of Moses.That was a long time ago.That's not really for us.'I affirm you, ma'am.'He didn't say that.He wasn't just grace.You see, Jesus brought truth into it.Jesus says, 'Go, and from now on sin no more.'What Jesus said was,'Adultry dishonors God.'Hey, stop living like that.Okay?Stop living like that.And church, when we are content to overlook sin,when we're content to avoid the hard conversations,when we're ready to affirm people in their sin,that's not like Jesus.And now the truth people are like,'Yeah, give it to Him.Give it to the grace people.Hang on, truth people,because truth without grace is not like Jesus either.'Now look, I know the truth people.We've been around some truth people, haven't we, Aaron?Right now the truth people are like,'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.'How in the world could it be?Like, I thought Harvest Bible Chapter,I thought Bible was your middle name.Like truth is all that matters, right?Truth.It's truth that matters.How in the world could you have truth without grace?We realize in John 1.17 he told us.He told us again, John 1.17,'For the law was given through Moses.'Do you know what that is?Do you know what the law is?It's truth without grace.So let me ask you, was the law truth?This is a shouted out verbal reply question.Was the law truth?Yes, it was.It is.No, it was, it is.The law is truth.100% every letter of God's law in the Old Testament is truth.But there was no grace in the law.We referenced this earlier.This is how the law works.Oh, you broke the law.You're guilty.Now it's time for your punishment.Next, that's how the law worked.And truth without grace leads to cold, detached transactions with other people.That's truth without grace.You messed up.You're done.You're done.It leads to harsh judgment.Truth without grace leaves no room for mistakes.There's no second chances.There's no invitation to repent.There's no encouragement to turn it around.Listen, people who lean more towards truth than grace usually care more about their convictionsthan they care about actual people.And that is a problem.But you see in this John 8 account with the woman caught in adultery, do you notice Jesuswasn't just truth with her?Do you notice that?I mean Jesus didn't say to the woman, they bring the woman before Him, Jesus didn't say,"Hey lady, you know what the law says.You're guilty.There's nothing to discuss."He showed her grace when He says, "Neither do I condemn you."No good lived differently.That's grace.In church when we condemn people, when we are one striking you out, when we refuse toallow people the opportunity to change, that's not like Jesus.So we imperfect people tend to fall on one side or the other.So now that you've heard, I just want to ask you just for fun, which way do you lean?Show of hands.Many of you would say that you're more grace people.Put your hands up if you're more of a grace person.All right?Now raise your hand if you're more of a truth person.I have a note written from the first service.When I asked you the truth people were, they were a lot more bold to put their hands upthan the grace people.I think there's something to that.That'll be a sermon for Easter.Anyways, grace people, look, I love you, but you typically care more about the relationshipthan any sin issue.And that's not good.And truth people, you care more about upholding God's Word than loving someone in the relationship.And that's not complete either.And you know, I've been thinking about this a lot the last couple of weeks.While you do what you do at work, this is what I do at work, I was thinking so much,like what is it that causes people to lean one way or the other?And I was thinking about that, like whether you sit down with a grace person or you sitdown with a truth person, either way.But I was just thinking, like, if you set them down and said, what makes you lean inthe direction that you lean, what would they say?And then it hit me.Do you know what it is?And I'm sure of this.They think they're being loving.I mean, think about it.You sit down with the grace person.Why do you lean more towards grace?Because it's love.I'm loving.That's why my heart is so full of love.I'm so full of love.That's why, and you can't just discard the relationship just because of something theBible says, I'm just so full of love deep in my heart of heart of hearts.I'm so full of love.That's why I'm more of a grace person.But then, you know, if you sat down with the truth person and said, why do you lean moretowards the truth?Do you know what they'd say?It's love.Because what is more loving than giving people the word of our Lord?I mean, come on, Pastor Jeff, you're a pastor.You know this.The most loving thing you can do is tell somebody the truth, right?So that's what I do.I don't mince words.I tell them the truth.That's how I show love.That's how I love them.That's nothing more loving than that.I'm more true because that's the loving thing to do.There's a huge mistake in that line of thinking, isn't there?It's a mistake to think that grace is love because it's not.And it's a mistake to think that truth is love because it's not.You know what is love?God is love.And as a man, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, showed true love by being full of grace andtruth both.Well, that's number three.What do you want for Christmas?I want to be like God.Well, grace and truth is like Jesus.And see, that's the point of the story of the woman caught in adultery.Jesus showed her grace and truth at the same time.Grace, he forgave her.He says, "Neither do I condemn you."That's grace.Truth at the same time.Jesus said, "Your lifestyle is wrong.Go and sin no more."Jesus gave both.He says, "I forgive you.Now let's do better."In church, we need to learn this.We need to be people who represent Jesus accurately, full of grace and truth.Not a group of people that enable in the name of love, not a group of people who condemnin the name of upholding the Word.We need to be a people who demonstrate acceptance and accountability at the same time.Whereas John Piper put it, people who say, "I love you, but this is wrong."Parents, you're going to get that with your kids.Some of you parents need to sit down with your kids and say, "Look, I love you.I accept you, and nothing will ever change that.But this habit you have is wrong, and you need to stop this, and I'm going to help you stopthis because I love you."Do you see that?That's grace and truth both.Some of you have family or friends that are stuck in a sinful lifestyle.Maybe it's an addiction.Maybe they're in an unbiblical relationship regarding marriage and sexuality.You need to sit down and say, "Look, I care about you, but what you're doing is dishonoringthe Lord.Come on, let's get on a better path here.Let's get on track."For some of you, maybe it's even in church.Maybe it's in your small group.Maybe flagrantly in sin, and you're like, "I don't know what to do here.I don't know how to handle them.Here's how you handle them."You pull them aside, and you sit down with them, and you say, "Look, what you're doingis wrong, but I'm going to do everything that I can to help you get on track because I careabout you so much."You see, it's grace that refuses to beat people down, but it's truth that refuses to overlooksin.But what do you want for Christmas?I want to imitate God.The only way to imitate God, to demonstrate a love for God's Word and a love for God'speople is being like Jesus.And according to the Bible, it's full of grace and truth.Our worship team would make their way back up, and our candlelighters would come forward.We're going to close our service by singing to candlelight.Why on Christmas Eve do we sing by candlelight?Because it's pretty, right?It's so pretty.And it's a tradition, but this year, there's another reason that we're doing this.This year, thank you, Ashley, this year, it's also an illustration.In anticipation of this service, you know, I was looking at the order of service andthinking about this moment actually right now.And I was thinking about this flame.I thought, you know what is that flame?But two things perfectly.The flame is light and heat.Right?You can see the light.You'll just have to trust me on the heat.You can try it out if you like, but it's hot.But you see that flame?It's not one or the other.It's light and heat.It can't be one or the other.If you're going to have the flame, you're going to have light and heat both.You could say it is full of both aspects, light and heat.And as we sing, I just want you to look down at that flame and recognize how perfectlyfull it is of both light and heat.Then as you sing, I want you to think about grace and truth.It's like the flame imitating Jesus.You are to be full of both at the same time.We want to thank you for coming out and worshiping our Lord.And it is my prayer that your worship is genuine because then your imitation of Him will alsobe genuine.

THE DEVIL'S RELIGION (Acts 8:5-25) In today's lesson, we will be talking about false religion.  The title of the lesson is The Devil's Religion” for the simple reason that all false religion comes from the Devil.   I want you to recall that the general heading of our study of the book of Acts is “That Old-Time Religion.” For that is exactly what we are learning about, that Old-Time Religion that so many of our parents, and grandparents, and great grandparents worshipped in.  However, in many churches, that Old-Time Religion has not been carried forward into the worship services of today.  Today, progressivism and social ethics have infected many of our churches and denominations.   So, what do I mean when I use the term “Old-Time Religion?”  I mean a religion that is based on the inerrant and infallible Word of God.  Where the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, and the bodily, physical, resurrection of our Lord, and what it means to us, is preached regularly.  That Jesus is the Son of God, and that salvation can only by obtained through Jesus Christ, and your sins are forgiven because God sent His only begotten Son to die on a cross so that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  That your sins are redeemed by the washing of the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  That salvation is given by grace and grace alone, not by works.  Now, I could go on, but that is the general idea of what I mean when I talk about that Old-Time Religion that so many churches have pushed to the wayside in favor of the Devil's religion, which is based on selective parts of the Bible, ignoring the parts they don't like, and being deceitful about the parts they do like.  You see, if you don't teach the whole Word of God, then what you teach is a false religion, or the Devil's Religion.   Click on the link below to hear a message where we ask the question, Do you know God? I'm not asking you, are you a member of this church or any other church. I'm not asking you how religious or upstanding you are. Simon the sorcerer was religious, and he was in bondage, and in bitterness. He didn't know Jesus. If you want to live a victorious Christian life, then beware of the devil's religion, and come find the truth of God's Word and promises found in that Old-Time Religion, that Bible religion. This is a live recording of The Master's Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS. Amen.

The story of Christmas is not just a baby in a manger, the star Bethlehem, and wise men. The story of Christmas is actually the good news of the Gospel itself. That Jesus was born a man to save us from our sins to give us the greatest gift of all... justification by faith.

Dave Brisbin 12.14.25 Christmas is our biggest cultural holiday, but even among those still celebrating Jesus' birth, what do we really know about it? Only Matthew and Luke relate any birth narratives, but Matthew tells only of the visit of the Magi, leaving Luke to give all the birth details we have. And there aren't many. Luke tells us Jesus was wrapped in cloths and laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn. That's it. In any good story, details are critical, never random, always set with purpose. So what do these details tell us? That Jesus' birth followed ordinary Hebrew practice—so unremarkable that those in the house where Joseph and Mary were staying, most likely relatives or friends, didn't even make room for them in their living space. That's what the word mistranslated as “inn” means. Not a hotel, but the interior living space of every Hebrew home that was separate from the cooking space and that reserved for animals. Luke goes on to say that local shepherds are caught up in spectacular sights, and Matthew tells of astronomer-priests who travel a thousand miles to worship at the feet of a poor child they believe is king. How did those right in the house with the holy family miss all this? Truth is, every one of us can only see what we're prepared to see. Confirmation bias eats up the rest. The point these few birth details make is that our God is an unassuming God, a humble, vulnerable God who must be believed to be seen. To see significance under an unremarkable exterior is the preparation, the goal of spiritual formation. If you're already poor and marginalized, it's easier to disregard facades, but no guarantee. The genius of the Magi is that they were wealthy, powerful, educated, and yet still humble, vulnerable, willing to make fools of themselves on a long, risky journey with no guaranteed outcome. If we're to understand Christmas, it will be through the Magi's eyes, because we are wealthy and educated too. To let that go, sell all we have is the only way to see the promise of our star in an unformed child. We will always find our God as a child. Unformed and forming. Are we prepared to see?

Dave Brisbin 12.14.25 Christmas is our biggest cultural holiday, but even among those still celebrating Jesus' birth, what do we really know about it? Only Matthew and Luke relate any birth narratives, but Matthew tells only of the visit of the Magi, leaving Luke to give all the birth details we have. And there aren't many. Luke tells us Jesus was wrapped in cloths and laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn. That's it. In any good story, details are critical, never random, always set with purpose. So what do these details tell us? That Jesus' birth followed ordinary Hebrew practice—so unremarkable that those in the house where Joseph and Mary were staying, most likely relatives or friends, didn't even make room for them in their living space. That's what the word mistranslated as “inn” means. Not a hotel, but the interior living space of every Hebrew home that was separate from the cooking space and that reserved for animals. Luke goes on to say that local shepherds are caught up in spectacular sights, and Matthew tells of astronomer-priests who travel a thousand miles to worship at the feet of a poor child they believe is king. How did those right in the house with the holy family miss all this? Truth is, every one of us can only see what we're prepared to see. Confirmation bias eats up the rest. The point these few birth details make is that our God is an unassuming God, a humble, vulnerable God who must be believed to be seen. To see significance under an unremarkable exterior is the preparation, the goal of spiritual formation. If you're already poor and marginalized, it's easier to disregard facades, but no guarantee. The genius of the Magi is that they were wealthy, powerful, educated, and yet still humble, vulnerable, willing to make fools of themselves on a long, risky journey with no guaranteed outcome. If we're to understand Christmas, it will be through the Magi's eyes, because we are wealthy and educated too. To let that go, sell all we have is the only way to see the promise of our star in an unformed child. We will always find our God as a child. Unformed and forming. Are we prepared to see?

John 12:1-8,Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”And the Lord, in verse 7, defends the way Mary of Bethany expresses her devotion to him.What Mary does in verse 3 is good and right, and I think we can learn from her. So that's the goal of this sermon. All last week, my prayer for today has been that through Mary's example in John 12, the Spirit would reawaken in us Mary-like devotion to Jesus. I want us to learn from Mary how to be more like Mary for the glory of Jesus. To that end, this morning I want to show you seven truths of Mary-like devotion.1. Mary-like devotion is surprising. Verse 1 opens with the setting: we are six days away from Passover, and Jesus has come back to Bethany. Now remember that Bethany is where he raised Lazarus from the dead in Chapter 11, verse 43, but then when the Jewish leaders plotted to kill Jesus, John tells us in verse 54 that Jesus “no longer walked openly” among them, because they were looking for him. The Pharisees wanted to arrest him. So Jesus left that area and went to Ephraim, which gave him more distance from Jerusalem. (Bethany was 2 miles outside Jerusalem, Ephraim was about 15 miles). So by the end of Chapter 11, Jesus is laying low.But Chapter 12 opens here and he's back in Bethany, where news travels quickly to Jerusalem, which means this is dangerous — why would he do it? Why would he come back to Bethany now? It's because Passover is six days away. Remember Jesus has a purpose to accomplish in Jerusalem, and now he's getting closer. But since Jesus is in Bethany they throw a special dinner for him. And because it's Bethany, we would expect our favorite Bethany family to be there. We saw these three siblings in Chapter 11 — Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Now, John knows we'd expect their attendance, so he takes roll in verse 2. Look what he says:“So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served [check her name off — she's there], and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him as table [check his name off — he's just happy to be in the room].And right away that's Martha and Lazarus. Which sibling is missing?Mary. Now look at verse 3 (verse 2 was just a build up to this):“Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.”The first thing I want you to see is that this was not expected. This is a dinner! People are sharing a meal. Martha is staying busy like she does. Lazarus is at the table (you know he's getting seconds). And then Mary, finally, enters into this dining room with a bottle of ointment (or perfume) and she does this extravagant display of worship.Most of us had big dinners a few days ago. Imagine for a minute if something like this happened! It was not on the menu. It's never happened before. This was a surprise! That's the first thing to know about Mary-like devotion. This is not what most people would expect — because it responds in the moment to the glory of Jesus regardless of the context.2. Mary-like devotion is costly.We can see in verse 3 that this perfume was expensive. John tells us that plainly. But he also gives us two details that explain why. It has to do with quantity and quality.First, with quality, this perfume was made from “pure nard.” That's a plant that's grown in India. The root of this plant produced an oil that was collected to make this perfume.So it's a product derived from nature, created by a process, imported from far away — that sounds expensive. (This is why many scholars believe this Bethany family was well off — this perfume would have only been owned by the luxury class of the Mediterranean world.)Second, notice the quantity. John tells us it was a pound — and that's a Roman pound. The Greek word is litra — and it's equivalent to about 12 ounces. So imagine the American pop can. (I don't know the last time you turned a can of pop upside down to pour it out, but it takes a little longer to empty it than you might think.)Twelve ounces is not a little bit. And Mary doesn't have pop, it's perfume — 12 ounces of perfume — that's a lot of a really nice thing. And to give us more of an idea of how precious it is, John tells us the number value in verse 5. Judas says it's worth 300 denarii — which is about a year's wages.So to draw a parallel to our day, this is what we'd call an annual salary, and the average annual salary in the Twin Cities, Google says, is between $80,000–$90,000. So translate this in your imagination... Picture this: Someone at dinner this past week walks into the dining room and pours out $90,000 on somebody else's feet … Again, this is stunning. And the costliness amplifies the surprise! Those two things go together in Mary-like devotion. It's surprising because it's costly.3. Mary-like devotion is humble.Now, for our imagination's sake, it helps to know how people ate together at this culture and time. They didn't use raised tables and chairs like we do, but they used low tables, and sat on cushions on the floor. They “reclined” on the table, like verse 2 says, and their feet were stretched out behind them, away from the table. So Mary approached Jesus, verse 3, while he was sitting like that, and she anointed his feet.This is a key detail. Because with the extravagance of her gift, we might imagine Mary's actions to be surrounded by pomp. Like maybe Mary enters the room and first clears her throat, and makes sure somebody's getting the video, and then she does it. But it's just the opposite.Mary comes into the room, and stays at the feet's distance away from the table. She's not the center of attention. Nobody was probably even looking in her direction, and then she pours the perfume on Jesus's feet and wipes his feet with her hair. This is borderline undignified. She definitely looked a little silly. To everyone's surprise, with likely the costliest thing she's got, she humbles herself at the feet of Jesus in worship — but then the most vivid display of her humility is the use of her hair.In the ancient world, a woman's hair was her glory. It was her honor. This was Mary's strength, but here she turns her strength into a servant's towel … Her radiance into a rag. Her splendor into a sponge. Her crown becomes a cloth. … to wipe feet.Which means, Mary gives the best part of herself for the least part of Jesus. The highest aspect of her presentation (hair) is submitted to the lowest aspect of his (feet).This is profound humility.Mary is not even audacious enough to pray here: “Jesus, take my utmost for your highest.” She just says, “Jesus, take my utmost!” — And I don't care what anybody else thinks. I'm not concerned about appearance. It doesn't matter what people might say. This is all about Jesus. Mary shows us a marvelous self-forgetfulness. Mary-like devotion is humble.4. Mary-like devotion is fitting.This is #4 of 7, and it really is the central truth in Mary's example.So far we've seen that Mary-like devotion is surprising, costly, and humble, but here's where we need to be clear that the only reason any of this makes sense is because of Jesus. And Jesus doesn't just make Mary's actions make sense, he makes them right. Because of who he is, what Mary does is fitting. John calls her act an “anointing,” which is something done to set someone apart for a certain office. The examples we have in the Old Testament are individuals anointed as a priest or king, and we should think especially of kings in the Gospel of John. If you remember, way back in Chapter 1, when Nathaniel first met Jesus he confessed right away that Jesus is the Son of God and the King of Israel (1:49). Then in Chapter 6, verse 15, after Jesus fed the five thousand, the crowd wanted to take him by force and make him king.So we've seen a kingship theme already.But then right here in Chapter 12, the very next day after Mary anoints Jesus, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a young donkey, and the crowd paves the way for him with palm branches, and they say — in verse 13 — “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”So we have every reason to see that Mary's anointing of Jesus is anointing him as King.Because that is who he is. It'll be explicit and public tomorrow in this story, in Jesus's ‘triumphal entry,' but tonight, at this dinner, with Mary, it's implicit and private. In the moment, even Mary doesn't know the full extent of what she's doing, but we as readers can see it. In Chapter 11, we saw her fall at Jesus's feet in grief, here she bows at Jesus's feet in worship.Last chapter she came to Jesus needing his help; now she comes to him just giving him glory.This doesn't mean we ever stop coming to Jesus for help — we do! We always need his help! But sometimes we can also just come to him in simple worship.This is when we come to him, not to ask him for things, but to give him whatever we can because he is worthy — just because he's our king and he's a good king! It is fitting to worship him!Think about this: When was the last time your heart moved toward Jesus, not for what he gives, but for who he is? When was the last time you were simply compelled by the worth of Jesus?The Little Drummer BoyMary's devotion here in Chapter 12 actually reminds me of what used to be one of my least favorite Christmas songs. “Santa Baby” is dead bottom, but not far from there used to be “The Little Drummer Boy.” And the reason I didn't like the song is because for years it didn't make sense to me, and it was kinda irritating. The pa-RUM-pa-pum-pums are distracting. But if we can get rid of that part and focus on the real words in the song, it's actually beautiful. It's a song about a boy who is invited to meet the newborn Jesus (and it's fictional; didn't really happen; we're supposed to use our imaginations). The boy starts the song by saying:Come, they told meA newborn king to see, Our finest gifts to bring,To lay before the king,So to honor himWhen we come You get it? The boy is invited to come meet Jesus, so he does. And in the second stanza he's at the manger, and he speaks to the infant Jesus:Little baby,I am a poor boy tooI have no gifts to bringThat's fit to give a KingShall I play for you on my drum?See, I imagine that's what Mary of Bethany thought. While Martha was busy serving and Lazarus was sitting at the table, Mary thought: The king is here. He's in the room. What do I have that's fit to give a King?And the technical answer is nothing. Nothing we have is enough to match the glory of this King, but Mary thinks I've got that bottle of perfume — just like the boy thought, I've got this drum. And the boy says, “Shall I play the drum?” Mary thinks, “Shall I pour the perfume?” So the boy plays his best, and Mary pours it all. I don't have enough to give you, but I'll give you my best because you're worthy.That's what the song is about. That's what Mary does here. And it's fitting because of the King!And John tells us that the fragrance of her worship fills the entire house. Which means: her personal reverence and self-forgetfulness in recognizing the glory of Jesus becomes uncontainable. Everybody around her can literally sense her devotion for Jesus.5. Mary-like devotion is criticized. This is verses 4–5: But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”Apparently, Judas caught the aroma, but instead of recognizing Mary's act as a surprising, costly, humble, and fitting act of devotion, he criticized her. He immediately liquidated the value of the ointment in his head, and he corrected her decision. That could have been used for something better! That could have been a lot of money to help poor people! Mary is being unwise!Now, before we look closer into the criticism, I just want to note that it happened, and right away, because that's just how things go — even things as wholesome as Mary's devotion.The Bible gives us no impression that devotion to Jesus will be easy — it actually ensures the opposite. There's a Forest Frank lyric my younger boys love. It goes: Jesus promised that the bad would come along, ‘Cause if life is always easyProbably doin' something wrong.That's true. I want everybody to know: when your devotion to Jesus meets difficulty, that's a good sign. The question for us is about our willingness to endure difficulty. Are we willing to be criticized? Are we willing to express devotion to Jesus that others would call wasteful but Jesus calls beautiful?6. Mary-like devotion is vindicated.Let's look closer at what Judas said in verse 5.At face-value, we might think Judas is onto something, because what he says is not untrue. That perfume was worth a lot of money — three hundred denarii/$80–90K — that's a lot of money you can do a lot with. Judas names one possibility. The problem, though, is that he's thinking about it all the wrong way. See, he's thinking about gifts from the giver's perspective, not from God's perspective. He's thinking about everything from earth looking around, not from heaven looking down.In his mindset — the ‘Judas mindset' — all value is monetary, and all that is monetary is a zero-sum category: which means I'm always thinking, “whatever I give here is what I cannot give there.” And see, Judas is so caught up in this mindset — he cares so much about the optimal management of the gift — that he's blind to the One the gift is for. That is what is most striking about verse 5 — it's the absence of anything to do with Jesus. Judas says nothing about him. So Judas not only rebukes Mary here, but he also registers how little he thinks of Who she worships.And if that wasn't clear, John adds in verse 6. He wants us to know that Judas said what he said:“…not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.”Judas was part of a program called ‘Feeding Our Future' …Greed is an ancient sin — it's the root of all evil, and it ruined Judas. (And it's behind the ruin of our state. God help us.)In verse 7, Mary doesn't say anything back to Judas, but Jesus speaks up on her behalf, and he says, first, “Leave her alone.”Which is amazing. Jesus doesn't argue with Judas. He doesn't explain why his mindset is wrong, he first just tells him to stop. Jesus defends Mary, and he makes the issue about himself, because it is!With this perfume Mary has prepared Jesus for the day of his burial, because, verse 8:“…the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”And it's clear now, with the mention of his burial and that he won't always be here, Jesus is talking about his death. Which raises the question for us: Was Mary anointing Jesus as king or preparing him for his death? And the answer is Yes.Again, Mary is doing more here than she realized. She is anointing Jesus as King — it's just that he's a king who will sacrifice his life for his people.He's a King who has come to die. His reign will conquer the grave for good — remember Lazarus — but first Jesus's reign will come through the grave. Our triumphant King will also be a slain Lamb. And John wants us so badly to get this! He gives us hints here in Mary's devotion, but then later in the Book of Revelation he tells us about a vision when saints and angels together pour out their praise to Jesus, and they say, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12)Listen: I want you to know that the final vindication of our every sincere act of devotion to Jesus will come on that day when we see him. If it's Mary-like devotion, it is never wasted. Jesus is worth it. And this brings us to the last point.7. Mary-like devotion is instructive. We're gonna finish how we started: I think we can learn from our sister Mary. It is a gift to us to be able to see her gift to Jesus, and I want us to be more like her. That's been my prayer: that the Spirit would reawaken or awaken in us Mary-like devotion to Jesus.Devotion that is surprising because it responds to Jesus in the moment, even if it doesn't fit the setting. Costly because it brings Jesus our best, humble because it doesn't worry about what others might think, fitting because Jesus is the King and nothing given to him is too much, criticized because it's not supposed to be easy, and vindicated because the King who Mary worshiped is the Lamb who was slain and one day we will see his worth with our own eyes.Mary's devotion is instructive because it shows us what it looks like when a heart is overcome by the worth of Jesus.And what's incredible for us, is that we know more about Jesus's worth than Mary does here. We already know the end of the story! That Jesus who has come will die, will be resurrected, and will come again.So in closing, I want to invite you to ask yourself this: For Advent, in this season of waiting, what is Jesus calling you to do that would simply reflect his worth?That's what brings us to the Table.The TableWe come here to this Table to rest in the worth of Jesus Christ. Let his glory be your comfort by taking refuge in him. That's what it means to trust in Jesus, and that is who this table is for. If you're here and you have put your faith in Jesus, we invite you to eat and drink with us and give him thanks.

We have so much to be grateful for, and most of all we can give thanks for Christ Jesus leaving the heights of heaven and coming to dwell among us, taking our sin, destroying death and making eternity in heaven possible to thise who call upon His name. Chad meditates on this most wonderful hymn from Paul's letter to the Phillipians and calls us to be ever grateful for the finished work of our Saviour. Jeff Anderson sings "You Took the Way Down". Hidden Streams: Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Coming Home for Christmas: 1517 Advent Devotional Face to Face: A Novel of the Reformation by Amy Mantravadi Untamed Prayers: 365 Daily Devotions on Christ in the Book of Psalms by Chad Bird Remembering Your Baptism: A 40-Day Devotional by Kathryn Morales Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug More from the hosts: Chad Bird We have the mind of Christ We have the mind of Christ    Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be exploited,  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Salvation's story You took the way down The Lord of glory You took the way down You came down to earth So we can enter Your rest And wait for the day Every knee shall bow Every tongue confess That Jesus is Lord We have the mind of Christ We have the mind of Christ

For more than 1,400 years, one question has divided the world's two largest faiths: Did Jesus Christ truly die on the cross?Video Version available immediately upon release at 9:00pm ET/8:00pm CT athttps://youtu.be/evsqZ8Q_0s0In this groundbreaking episode of The Last Christian Radio Show, hosts JD Williams and David Paxton take you on a deeply respectful, fact-based journey through Scripture, science, and history to uncover the truth behind one of the most important claims ever made. That Jesus, peace be upon Him, was not crucified, but that it only appeared so.Drawing from the Qur'an, the Bible, medical science, archaeology, and eyewitness history, this powerful episode carefully examines every aspect of the question with sincerity and reverence. Not to attack, but to enlighten.Viewers from the Islamic faith are invited to explore evidence that transcends culture and tradition:• The historical records of Roman executioners, Jewish witnesses, and early Christian scribes, all agreeing that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate.• The medical details of crucifixion proving beyond doubt that the man on the cross died from asphyxiation and cardiac rupture — fulfilling exact prophecies written centuries earlier.• The forensic evidence of the burial cloth, revealing physical wounds matching biblical descriptions, and a mysterious burst of radiant energy that no scientist has ever explained.• The undeniable resurrection appearances. Eyewitness accounts by more than 500 people, recorded not as myth, but as testimony sealed with their own lives.With humility and deep respect for Muslim viewers, JD and David open the Scriptures alongside the Qur'an. Not to argue, but to ask a simple question: If God is truth, can He contradict Himself?This episode is not a debate, it is an invitation. An invitation to search the evidence honestly. To compare revelation with history. To look at the cross not as a symbol of shame, but as the moment when divine mercy met human sin.You'll hear why the Bible's account of Jesus' death and resurrection is not only historically verified, but prophetically consistent from Genesis to Revelation. And how the Qur'an's claim of substitution, written six centuries later, cannot withstand the test of time, witness, or truth.This program speaks to all who love Jesus. Christian and Muslim alike and who sincerely seek to know the truth about His life, death, and destiny. Because if Jesus truly died and rose again, then His words, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” must be taken seriously by every person on earth.Come with an open heart. Search without fear.The evidence will speak for itself.And the truth, as Jesus promised, will set you free.For more information about our International Ministry. Please visithttps://www.lastchristian.net/

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.

Pastor Taylor Shippy - Luke 5:1-11Peter knew these waters. He'd fished them his whole life. But then Jesus shows up one day with what sounded like a bad idea: ‘Push out into the deep water and let down your nets.' Against all logic, Peter did it—and everything changed. This morning we explore what it means to trust Jesus when He calls us to venture out into the 'deep waters.' That Jesus isn't interested in shallow relationships; rather, Jesus wants to invite us to go deeper with Him, to discover more about who He is and also the potential He sees in us.

Matthew 27 starts with Judas hanging himself when he saw that Jesus would not take his kingdom then, but would wrongfully suffer and submit to death. Then follow six sham trials - three before Jewish authorities and three before Roman officials. The marvel of our Lord's submission, his care and compassion for others is evident in the brief record of his crucifixion. Our Lord Jesus was totally in control of his mind despite being brutally scourged by the Romans - scourging was called the intermediate death for many a man died under the flaying of his flesh. Pilate may have hoped that the Jews would have pity on Jesus when he said: "Behold the man". But sadly they did not. Then our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. On the stake he spoke seven wonderful sayings - each of these from the holy Scriptures. Note our Lord Jesus' incredible submission to his wrongful treatment and contemplate the lessons that Peter draws for us in 1 Peter 2 verses18-25. That Jesus had mastery over himself as well as triumphing over his foes the Apostle Paul tells us: Colossians 2 verses 11-15. Jesus was buried in the unused tomb of Joseph of Aramithea, in fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah 53 verse 9. A guard of four temple soldiers was placed at the mouth of his tomb. This would contribute to the incontrovertible evidence that would accompany our Lord Jesus' resurrection.

Are you just a fan of Jesus, or are you a true follower? In Week 5 of our "Summer Bible Stories" series, Hope Collective friend, TJ Poisl delivers a powerful message on what it means to follow Jesus through the inevitable storms of life. Discover how to trade your panic for peace and find strength when circumstances feel overwhelming.This message dives deep into the story of Jesus calming the storm from Matthew 8 and Mark 4, revealing profound truths about faith, trust, and discipleship. If you're going through a difficult season or want to deepen your walk with God, this message is for you.In this message, you will learn:- The crucial difference between being a "fan" of Jesus and a true "follower."- Why God sometimes leads us directly into storms and what He wants to teach us there.- How to find unshakeable peace by trusting God's control.- That Jesus always keeps His promise to get you to the "other side."We are so grateful to TJ for sharing this incredible word with us! You can find TJ at Soul Revival Church.

Matthew 13 is the greatest chapter of parables in all Scripture, containing in all seven parables. Four are centred on "seed" and the other three about understanding, valuing, and teaching others of, and encouraging them to seek and prepare themselves for the Kingdom of God. The parable of the Sower is said by our Lord to be the greatest of, and key to, all parables. The parable of the Sower, called by many the parable of the soils - for in each case the seed sown is identical; the characteristic of the soil is tested and determined on the basis of the individual response to the Word of God - and this parable, together with that of the 'tares', or weeds are the only two explained. That Jesus would use the parable as the foundation of his teaching method, and the reasons for this, were prophesied in Isaiah 6:9-10 and Psalm 78 verses 1-4. Matthew quotes both Isaiah 6 and Psalm 78; and tells us that the predicted response was forthcoming, verses 14-17 for the citation from Isaiah and verses 34-35 for the Psalm. All these parables were spoken in Galilee, by the sea; and they too invariably led to his rejection among his own folk at Nazareth. One of the high points of the chapter are the verses 45-46 where the disciple discovers that in understanding the gospel the pearl of immeasurable price has been found. What are we prepared to sacrifice for this great treasure? Hopefully everything!

How do you convince someone that God is real? That Jesus actually rose from the dead? In this episode, I sat down with Dr. George Barna, one of the top researchers on faith and worldview, to talk about how we can confidently share the truth about Christianity. We're diving into why Jesus is the only way to heaven, how to answer tough questions with grace, and what the data actually shows about our culture's shifting beliefs. This one will fire you up to defend your faith

* You can get the sermon note sheet at: http://family-bible-church.org/2025Messages/25Jun22.pdf * Two weeks ago we turned to the final day of Jesus the Messiah's earthly life and ministry with the consideration of Judas' decision to betray the Messiah. * Last week, we examined the Passover Seder that He held with His disciples. This was event which He declared for which He had passionately desired. * John begins his account of this event by stating, "Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." (John 13:1) * As we continue to consider this important event, we need to consider the "Mind of Christ" which Paul declares Jesus revealed through this moment, and His time on earth. That Jesus, being in the very nature (morphae) God emptied Himself and took on the nature of a servant in order to meet our need (Philippians 2:3-8). * Today, we are challenged to follow His example to have a Servant's Heart ... and to continually ask ourselves, "Who is Greater?" * This message was presented by Bob Corbin on June 22, 2025 at Family Bible Church in Martinez, Georgia.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 2 Sam 6; 1 Chorn 13; Ps 68; Matt 17 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, friends, to another episode of the Daily Radio Bible. It's April 30th and we've reached day 121 in our journey through the Scriptures—a milestone marking the close of another month together in 2025. Today's episode takes us through powerful passages in 2 Samuel 6, 1 Chronicles 13, Psalm 68, and Matthew 17. Hunter, our host, invites us to pause from the rush of life and soak in God's Word, letting it speak deeply into our hearts. This episode delves into the dramatic story of moving the Ark of God, David's uninhibited worship, and the consequences of disregarding God's holiness. We reflect on the blessing that follows reverence and obedience, and the ways God's presence transforms lives and communities. In the New Testament, we ascend the mountain with Jesus, Peter, James, and John for the Transfiguration—a breathtaking vision of God's glory and the Father's resounding call to “listen to Him.” Hunter shares moving insights on how Jesus is the final and living Word, the One who remains when all other voices fade away, and how God is drawing all humanity to Himself for true transformation. We'll close, as always, with prayer—asking God to make us instruments of His peace, to renew our minds and hearts, and to carry us forward in the strength of His joy. So grab your Bible, settle in, and join us as we listen, reflect, and pray together on today's Daily Radio Bible. TODAY'S DEVOTION: The pathway to real transformation is seen here on this mountain. This story is about far more than Jesus' clothes being transformed, made dazzling white, whiter than snow. It's about you and me. It's about the world and all things being transformed. In this story, we are offered a vision and a voice. The first thing we see is that Jesus—he's the final word. He's the one we're told to listen to over and above all else. Not Elijah. Not Moses. Not the writings. Not the Torah. Not Peter. Not me. Not you. Peter witnesses this amazing moment—there he is. Suddenly, Elijah and Moses are speaking with Jesus on the mountain, and Peter, out of fear or pride or probably both, shouts out, “Lord, it's good for us to be here. If you wish, I'll make three tabernacles here. One for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah.” Peter thinks somehow he's going to have some final say here. And so we hear him say those words: “I will make a tabernacle.” Other translations render it, “let us build.” But “let us build” is not the final word. No. Those words are often born out of fear and pride, but they will never be the final word. Individuals and kingdoms and churches are always offering this as the final word—let us build. But fear, which makes us cower, and pride, which puffs us up, will all be subsumed in the end by God's voice, by God himself, the living word. And we see that here. Suddenly, a cloud envelops them, and a voice comes from the cloud. The voice they hear is the Father, saying: “This is my son that I love. Listen to him.” At the sound of his voice, they're terrified. They fall face down to the ground. It's at this point that Jesus comes and touches them, says, “Get up. Don't be afraid.” When they look up, nobody is there but Jesus. Moses, Elijah, gone. Only Jesus remains. No more voices. No more conversations. Only Jesus. The one who is the final word. He's the one that remains, and he—the living word—will envelop all of our fearful pride. His voice will break through all things, and he will make all things new. So let's hear the father's voice on this mountain today. He's pointing us to his son. And not just on this mountain, but on a different mountain. This whole episode is pointing us to Calvary's mountain. And not just Peter, James, and John are being drawn to Calvary's mountain—no, he's drawing all of humanity there to himself. When the Son of Man is lifted up, he will draw all humanity to himself, that he might transform all things—including you and me. And the prayer of my own heart today is that I'll hear the Father well. That I'll see what Peter, James, and John saw. That Jesus is the final word. He is the living word. And through him, he's making all things new. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a 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  

What happens when someone who's been teaching the Bible for 50 years sits down to talk about gospel clarity, gender dynamics in preaching, and why justification still needs explaining?In this episode, Mike Neglia is joined by Elyse Fitzpatrick—author, speaker, and theologian—for a deeply honest and theologically rich conversation. They discuss the subtle ways a “soft prosperity gospel” sneaks into evangelical preaching, the heartbreaking lack of gospel clarity among many churchgoers, and how male preachers can better represent the women in Scripture and the women in their churches.Elyse shares stories from decades of ministry, opens up about teaching through pain, and gives a practical challenge to pastors: listen more. Ask for input. Especially from wise women. And never assume you've taught the gospel enough.Whether you're a pastor, teacher, or church leader, this episode will challenge you to preach Christ more clearly, teach more thoughtfully, and love more deeply.Elyse holds a certificate in biblical counseling from CCEF (San Diego) and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She has authored more than 25 books on daily living and the Christian life. Elyse loves to proclaim the good news of the gospel: That Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, perfectly obeyed all the Law in our place, suffered in isolation and agony as punishment for our sin, died, and then rose again, all for our justification.A frequent speaker at national conferences, she has been married for over 50 years and has three adult children and six really adorable grandchildren. Along with her husband, Phil, Elyse attends Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.Resources Mentioned: Unloved: The Rejected Saints God Calls Beloved by Elyse FitzpatrickAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Unloved-Rejected-Saints-Calls-Beloved/dp/1683597826Faithlife eBook: https://ebooks.faithlife.com/product/305973/unloved-the-rejected-saints-god-calls-belovedBecause He Loves Me by Elyse FitzpatrickAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Because-He-Loves-Me-Transforms/dp/1433519518Faith Resources (eBook): https://store.faithlafayette.org/bctc-feb-12-19-2022/because-he-loves-me-ebook/Rid of My Disgrace by Justin & Lindsey HolcombAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Disgrace-Healing-Victims-Crossway-Paperback/dp/B00DWYWQYOCrossway: https://www.crossway.org/books/rid-of-my-disgrace-tpb/Ligonier: https://store.ligonier.org/rid-of-my-disgrace-paperbackDr. Pamela MacRae – Professor of Ministry to Women, Moody Bible Institute (future guest on the show, author of "How Women Hear the Sermon." In The Moody Handbook of Preaching, edited by John Koessler. Chicago: Moody, 2008)https://www.moody.edu/academics/faculty/macrae-pamela/Step Outside - Crass  https://open.spotify.com/track/1IA4hjxvmyuZVSqS7stEuw?si=bf6a23810ed14d27 Recommended Episodes: Josh White on if it is possible to be too vulnerable in the pulpit: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/is-it-possible-to-be-too-vulnerable-in-the-pulpit-josh-white Trevor O'Keefe on vulnerablility in leadership and in preaching https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/not-a-crowd-to-be-feared-nor-an-audience-to-be-entertained-but-a-family-to-be-loved-trevor-okeefe Justin Holcomb on ministering to victims of sexual assault: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/preaching-gods-grace-to-the-disgraced-with-justin-holcombFor information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/Donate to support the work of Expositors Collective, in person training events and a free weekly podcast: https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective

261. Edible Theology with Kendall Vanderslice   Kendall's Website   John 6:35 NIV "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."   **Transcription Below**   Kendall Vanderslice says "Yes, before you ask, that is my true name."   Kendall is a baker and writer whose best thinking occurs as she works dough between her hands; scribbles down thoughts on pieces of parchment dusted in flour, until she can parse them out later before her keyboard. When she embarked on a career as a pastry chef, she found that her love of bread transformed the ways she read Scripture. Fascinated by God's use of food throughout the arc of the Gospel, she merged her work in the kitchen with academic study of food and theology.   As a graduate of Wheaton College in Illinois (BA Anthropology), she began engaging questions of food and faith. Interested in commensality—or, the social dynamics of eating together—she studied food at Boston University (MLA Gastronomy). Her thesis on church meals sparked a range of theological questions, leading her to Duke University where she wrote a thesis on the theology of bread (MTS). In 2018 she was named a James Beard Foundation national scholar for her work on food and religion.   She lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her beagle, Strudel, her sourdough starter Bread Astaire, and her brood of hens: Judith Jones and the Three Gourmands.   Questions and Topics We Cover: You've studied so much about food and theology . . . are there any favorite lessons or resources that you still think about today? Is there any other science in the bread baking that is fascinating because it also has a richer, deeper spiritual meaning? What's one recipe in the book you're especially excited about?   Other Episode Mentioned from The Savvy Sauce: 47 Relationships and Opportunities that Arise from Using Your Gifts with Founder of Neighbor's Table, Sarah Harmeyer   Related Episodes on The Savvy Sauce: 15 The Supernatural Power Present While Gathering at the Table with Devi Titus Practical Tips to Eating Dinner Together as a Family with Blogger and Cookbook Co-Author, Rachel Tiemeyer Experiencing Joy, Connection, and Nourishment at the Table with Abby Turner Fresh Take on Hospitality with Jaime Farrell   Thank You to Our Sponsor: Dream Seller Travel, Megan Rokey   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and subscribing to this podcast!   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV)   Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   **Transcription**   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:10 - 1:22) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.    Do you love to travel?   If so, then let me introduce you to today's sponsor, Dream Seller Travel, a Christian-owned and operated travel agency. Check them out on Facebook or online at DreamSellerTravel.com.    We were one of those families who joined in the COVID trend of baking our own bread.   And so, I was fascinated even years later when I came across my guest for today, Kendall Vanderslice. She's an author and the founder of Edible Theology. And I've always appreciated different verses being brought to life, even things that we interact with every day, such as salt and yeast.   But God has richer meanings for all of these. And so, I can't wait for Kendall to unpack these in our conversation today. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Kendall.   Kendall Vanderslice: (1:20 - 1:22) Thank you so much for having me. It's great to be here.   Laura Dugger:  (1:23 - 1:30) Would you mind just starting us off by sharing a bit about your background and what led you to the work that you get to do today?   Kendall Vanderslice: (1:31 - 3:46) Sure. So, I have always loved baking. I always, you know, when I was a child, but especially once I was in middle school and high school, I had a lot of anxiety.   And so, when I just ever, anytime I needed to work through any sort of scope of emotions, I would always turn to the kitchen. Working with my hands became this way to sort of ground me and help me find calm in the midst of sort of my mind just buzzing. I was also one of five kids.   So, it was like after everyone had gone to bed and the kitchen was silent, was the only time there was quiet in my house. And so that was kind of always became the source of calm and grounding for me. And so, then when I graduated high school and was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, once again, I turned to the kitchen as a way to try and process what I should do.   And long story short, over time, I realized, oh, maybe actually this work of baking is the work that I am called to do. And so, I ended up taking a very circuitous path to get there. I took a gap year after high school.   I went to undergrad and studied anthropology in college. And in that time, learned that I could, my love of food and my love of the kitchen, I could examine not just in the practice of cooking, but through an anthropological and historical lens, looking at how food shapes community and shapes culture and how culture shapes the foods that we eat. And so, from there, I went and worked in professional kitchens.   But I had all these historical, cultural, theological questions kind of buzzing around at the same time. And, you know, I would go from my work at the bakery on Sunday morning. I would rush from work to church and I would receive communion each week with bread dough still stuck to my arms.   And I started to question, what does this bread that I spend my whole morning baking have to do with this bread that I receive at the communion table? And so that just unlocked a whole new path of what I could do with bread and with my baking beyond just in the kitchen and larger understanding how it shapes our awareness of who God is and how God is at work in our lives and in our communities.   Laura Dugger:  (3:47 - 3:58) Wow, that is incredible. And even today, do you want to share a few of your offerings? Because edible theology was a new concept to me, and it's just fascinating what all you have going on.   Kendall Vanderslice: (3:59 - 5:31) Yeah, absolutely. So, my primary program is that I teach a workshop called Bake and Pray. And so, this is a workshop where I teach people how to bake bread as a form of prayer.   So, we look at the ways that bread is at play throughout the narrative of Scripture, kind of what it is that God is using, why it is that God is using bread as the storytelling device in the narrative of Scripture, and why Jesus would give us bread at the center of Christian worship. But then at the same time, we're learning how the actual practice of baking bread can be a way to connect with God, to find rest and to understand God's presence with us in a very tangible form. So, with that, I also have a handful of books.   Most recently, I released a book called Bake and Pray. It's sort of this workshop in book form. It's a collection of recipes, but also a collection of liturgies, so that you have the tools you need to make your time in the kitchen a time of prayer. I call it a prayer book meets cookbook.    But I also have a handful of other resources, a Bible study or a small group study called Worship at the Table, where it's actually helping people gather around the table and understand how God is at work through the table. And I have a podcast that it was a limited run.   There are 30 episodes called Kitchen Meditations. They are short meditations to listen to while you cook, while you're in the kitchen. So, you can understand the food that you eat more fully and also understand how your time preparing it can be a time of worship.   Laura Dugger:  (5:31 - 5:50) I love that. And there's so much to unpack. But let's just start here with all the things that you've studied with food and theology and gone to school for years and put this into practice.   Are there any favorite lessons that stand out and are maybe ones that you still think about today?   Kendall Vanderslice: (5:51 - 6:57) Well, you know, one of my favorite books that helped shape my understanding of food is a book that was written in the 1960s by an Episcopal priest named Robert Carr-Capin. It's a book called The Supper of the Lamb. This book is just a delightful book to read.   I think everybody should read it. Robert Carr-Capin was he was an Episcopal priest, but he was also a food writer and he also was a humor writer. He and his wife wrote a satirical column together.   And so, The Supper of the Lamb is kind of the culmination of all three. It is this beautiful reflection on a theology of food in the table, but it is hilarious as well. And so, it is written as instructions to host a dinner party that is all built around preparing lamb for eight people in four different ways.   And so, it's reflections on kind of, you know, this revelation, the imagery in the book of Revelation on the marriage supper of the lamb, But then taking that to be a very liberal dinner party that he hosts in his home. And it will forever change the way that you think about food and think about the table and think about how God cares about food.   Laura Dugger:  (6:58 - 7:13) Wow, that's interesting. And even a piece of that that you had highlighted before is community, that food draws us together in community. Are there any lessons or reflections you have on that topic as well?   Kendall Vanderslice: (7:14 - 9:03) Yeah, I mean, so I spend my days traveling the country and visiting churches and eating meals with strangers all the time. This is such a central part of my work. So, my first book was a study of churches that eat together as their primary form of worship.   And so, I had the opportunity to research 10 different churches across the country and look at how does this practice of eating together regularly shape their understanding of community, but also shape their understanding of church and shape their understanding of worship. And what I saw in that practice of traveling and eating with all of these churches was that communities that were built around the table, where their primary rhythm of gathering was this practice of eating together and talking together and dialoguing together. It created such resilience within these communities as they faced conflict and tension within them that their commitment to eating together, but then their understanding of these community meals as being intrinsically connected to the communion table, the meal of bread and the cup that they also shared, it shaped their ability to have conversations and wade into hard topics that communities might otherwise try to say, you know, kind of avoid, because what they believed was that, you know, the table that we gather at regularly is a place that can kind of manage and hold on to those tensions.   And it's a place where these hard conversations can arise. But also at the end of each of these meals, we remember that we are going to share the bread and the cup together and that God has told us that we have been made one in the body and blood of Christ. And so, we have a responsibility to care for one another, even as we argue and disagree and have a really, you know, dig into these hard conversations.   Laura Dugger:  (9:04 - 9:58) That is beautiful. And I think of so many things when you say that. I'm in the book of Acts right now, my quiet time.   And so, the early churches, they were breaking bread together daily. You see that as part of the impact, the outflow that came from that. And then just, I think, gratitude as you share, because I wasn't a follower of Jesus growing up.   Our family went to church. And by the time I was in high school, all of my family were believers, including my siblings. I was the last one.   But the church that we went to, we shared a meal together every Sunday. And those relationships are long lasting. Then you hear about what people are actually going through.   It's such a natural way to dive deeper into that fellowship. And so, I love that you've traveled around and studied this. And I'm also curious if you've connected with one of my past guests, Sarah Harmeyer with the Neighbors Table.   Kendall Vanderslice: (9:59 - 10:03) I am familiar with her work, but I have never actually connected with her.   Laura Dugger:  (10:04 - 10:09) OK, you two. I'll link her episode in the show notes, but I think you two would have a lot of fun together.   Kendall Vanderslice: (10:09 - 10:14) Oh, great. Great, great. I know I've seen some of her tables on.   She's the one who builds tables. Is that right?   Laura Dugger:  (10:14 - 10:15) Yes. Yes.   Kendall Vanderslice: (10:15 - 10:19) Yes. OK. I have seen her tables on Instagram, and they look just absolutely beautiful.   Laura Dugger:  (10:19 - 10:37) I love it. Well, I'd also like to talk about your most recent book, because there's one part where you talk about the sacred language of bread. And I'd love for you just to walk us through some significant scriptures that highlight bread throughout the Bible.   Kendall Vanderslice: (10:37 - 19:43) Yeah, absolutely. So, one of the reasons that I love to think of bread in terms of a language itself is because so often we think of our faith as being something that happens predominantly in our minds, that it is the things we believe about God and the words that we say to God. And it becomes this very sort of mental exercise of worshiping God in our heads.   And we forget that the rest of our bodies and the rest of our lives are a part of how we know God as well, that we were created in these human bodies with all of these senses. And it's only through these senses that we get to know the world around us. And it's in getting to know this creation around us that we get to know our creator as well.   And so when we think of our faith as happening something predominantly in our minds, then when we have these moments where we don't feel like God is present, or we feel like we don't hear from God, or we just don't have the energy to, you know, to read scripture every day, or we feel like we, you know, I'm just like praying and praying and praying, and I've just exhausted the words I have to say. Then it's easy for us to feel like we've been abandoned by God, that we're in this sort of spiritual dark place. But Jesus, he calls himself the word, but, you know, Jesus is the word that was present with God in the beginning.   But Jesus also calls himself the bread of life. And Jesus identifies himself as something deeply tangible. And he offers his own body to us in the form of bread at the communion table.   And so, Jesus is telling us that Jesus is present with us in this very tangible form, something that we can mix together with our hands, something that we can taste on our tongues, something that we can feel in our bellies as we digest it. That Jesus is telling us, like, I am with you in this deeply tangible way. And if you don't feel my presence, and if you don't, you know, hear what I am telling you, or you don't feel like I am listening to you, know that you can eat this bread and have this very tangible reminder that I have promised to remain present with you and to remain faithful to you.   And so, the ways that we see this at work in Scripture, once we understand that, you know, bread is not just a metaphor, that bread is actually something very physical and tangible, a way that God speaks to us, I think it changes the way that we see bread show up in Scripture. That it's not just a handy metaphor that shows up every, all over the place in the Bible, but that Jesus is actually, that God is actually doing something through bread itself.    So, the very first place that we see bread appear in Scripture is as early as Genesis 3:19, “It is by the sweat of your brow that you will eat your bread until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken, from dust you come, and to dust you will return.” So, prior to this point in Genesis, we have the creation accounts, we have, you know, that God has created the garden, placed humanity in the garden to tend to this creation, to care for it. And they are intended to, you know, they are nourished by the fruits of these trees, they delight in God by delighting in God's creation.   And God gave them just one restriction, which was a restriction on what they could eat. And so, in Genesis 3:19, we know that they have failed to honor this restriction that God has given them. And we are now learning the ramifications of that fall.   And one of those ramifications is that the soil is going to sprout forth thistles and thorns. That we will no longer just be nourished by the fruits of the trees, but that we will have to labor in this soil. We will have to labor against a creation that works against us in order to have our nutritional needs met.   But at the same time, God offers us this gift, that it's by the sweat of your brow, you will eat your bread. Our bread, you know, doesn't just grow from a tree. The humanity was probably not eating bread in the garden.   But in this offering of bread, that it's by the sweat of your brow, you will eat your bread. Humans are being told, yes, we will have to labor in the soil in order to nourish ourselves. But also, we are being invited to participate with God in the transformation of creation into something really delicious as well.   So, bread is, at the same time, both this picture of the brokenness of creation and yet also the goodness of God. This blessing, this gift from God in the midst of a broken creation. The production of bread, historically, has required a lot of work.   It requires months and months of laboring in the soil to grow wheat, harvest wheat, thresh it, and then grind it into flour. Turn that flour into dough, gather firewood to heat up an oven, and then turn that dough into bread before finally being able to eat it. So, humanity has long known that it is, you know, there is this deep, this incredible amount of labor required to make bread.   And yet also, bread contains almost all of the nutrients that humans need in order to survive. We can live off of just bread and water alone for a very, very, very long time. And in fact, many humans throughout most of human history have lived off of just bread and water for a very, very, very long time.   So then when we see bread show up in other places in scripture, we see it show up as this picture of God's miraculous provision for God's people. We see it show up as a sign of God's presence with God's people. And we see it as a sign of God's promises to God's people that God will continue this work of restoration until we have this imagery of this renewed creation in the book of Revelation.   So, one picture of that is in this provision of manna for the Israelites in the desert. You know, I think oftentimes for us, we read this story and we think the miracle is like, well, I don't know about you, but I've never opened my front door and had bread strewn across my lawn that I could just go out and gather. But we can still picture just walking into a grocery store and having a whole aisle of bread to choose from, right?   For us, the miracle seems like it just appears out of nowhere, but it doesn't seem all that crazy to just have a bunch of ready-made bread available to you. But for the Israelites, the work of making bread would have been nine months or more of labor between growing wheat, harvesting it, turning that wheat into flour, flour into dough, dough into bread. That's work that was not possible while they were wandering in the desert.   And so, when God is providing this miracle of manna, all they have to do is go out every single morning and gather, and they have to trust day after day after day that God is going to continue to provide. So, then we see a mirror of this in the story of the feeding of the 5,000. Once again, I think the miracle to us oftentimes feels like, you know, well, I've never seen five loaves capable of feeding 5,000 plus people.   But still, we can picture a Costco aisle of bread that probably has enough bread to feed 5,000 people. Just the presence of bread enough for that size crowd doesn't seem all that miraculous. But for the crowd who was gathered on the hillside with Jesus, they would have had a much closer awareness of just how much work was required to grow enough, in this case, barley.   One of the accounts says that it was barley bread. So, to grow enough barley to make enough bread to feed this crowd. And at the very least, in Mark's account of the gospel, we see a very direct link to work and how much work would be required to feed this crowd.   Because in the gospel of Mark, it says that it would take more than half a year's wages to buy enough bread to feed this crowd. So, this distinct connection between labor and hard work in order to feed, to provide the bread for these people. But Jesus circumvents that labor required to either make the bread or buy the bread and just miraculously provides these five loaves to feed 5,000 plus people.   So then on the night before his death, Jesus takes, I think, this imagery one step further. It is not just the labor of making bread that Jesus circumvents in his provision of bread for his disciples. He offers bread to his disciples and says, “This is my body that is broken for you.”   Jesus is circumventing the very work of defeating the curse of sin and death. He has taken the labor of defeating sin and death onto his own body. And he's offering that body back to his disciples and onto anyone who remembers Him in this meal of bread and the cup.   But he's offering to us His body as in the form of bread, as this picture of the labor that Jesus has taken on, the curse that Jesus has taken on so that we can then live in freedom. And so, we're still currently living in this sort of in-between time where we know that Jesus, that Christ has died, that Christ is risen, and we are still awaiting the day when Christ will come again. We're still awaiting this imagery in the book of Revelation where creation is restored.   And I believe our relationship to bread will purely be one of delight and joy and freedom. But right now, we do still experience that brokenness of creation in relationship to bread. But also, bread is still a way in which we can know God, in which we can trust God's promises to us in this very tangible form in which we can believe that God is with us, even when we don't feel it.   Laura Dugger: (19:43 - 22:17) Let's take a quick break to hear a message from our sponsor. Do you have a bucket list of travel destinations? Or maybe you have a special event coming up like a big anniversary, a honeymoon, or even just that first trip to Europe?   If so, you need to call Dream Seller Travel. Dream Seller Travel is located in Central Illinois, but works with clients all across the USA. 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Let them deal with the problems that arise while traveling so you can just enjoy the trip. Dream Seller Travel has been planning dream trips since 2005 to amazing destinations such as Alaska, Italy, Hawaii, Canada, the Caribbean, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, South Africa, Iceland, and more.   Where do you dream of going? You can reach out to Dream Seller Travel at 309-696-5890,  or check them out online at DreamSellerTravel.com. Thanks for your sponsorship.   In line with your brand of edible theology, I'd love to go further into the scripture. That was so fascinating. I feel like you're so succinct in the way that you put that all together.   So, I kind of want to do a deeper dive into a couple of the key ingredients of bread and then have you share their significance both in contributing to food, but also their significance for our own lives. Absolutely. Let's just begin with salt.   Will you share the scripture and insight into salt?   Kendall Vanderslice: (22:18 - 23:20) Yeah. One of the things that I love about salt, I think oftentimes, especially here in America, we have a sort of distorted understanding of the role that salt plays in our food. Oftentimes, we treat table salt.   We usually have table salt that you just add onto your food after cooking it. Maybe you add a little bit of salt while cooking, but for the most part, you just sprinkle on table salt after. And it almost is treated as this kind of added flavor.   But salt actually should not be this added flavor at the end. Salt should be incorporated into the cooking process because salt opens up our taste receptors on our tongues, and it opens up the flavors in the dish. So, salt actually should not be the predominant flavor that we taste.   Salt should be the thing that allows us to taste everything else. And I think when we understand salt in that form, it should reframe our understanding of what it means to be the salt of the earth or to be salt and light in the world. What does it mean that salt is not the thing that itself gets tasted, but salt is the thing that opens up the flavors of everything else around us?   Laura Dugger:  (23:20 - 23:30) Kendall, can you take that even a step further? What does that practically look like for believers really living as salt of the earth?   Kendall Vanderslice: (23:34 - 24:26) I think one of the great joys of the ways that these metaphors at work in Scripture is that we get to continually explore and see what that means for us and where God might be calling us. But I do think that being aware that to be the salt of the earth is to help pull out the best in the communities around us, to pull out the best in the people around us, is just this really beautiful picture of how I think God asks us to work in community. But our job is not necessarily to be the strong presence.   Our job is not necessarily to make sure everyone knows that we are present, but instead our job is to identify and build up and pull out the best parts of the people around us in the communities that we are in.   Laura Dugger:  (24:27 - 24:56) That's so good. I love how you shared that because for me, as you were unpacking it, I was just thinking that we as the salt, when you taste it, you don't want to think, oh, that's salt. You want, like you said, to open it up to others.   And so that's our purpose is to reflect and glorify Jesus and to point to him. So, I'm sure there's countless meanings. Will you also do the same thing and share the significance of yeast?   Kendall Vanderslice: (24:57 - 29:44) Yeah, sure. So, yeast is, you know, also a fascinating, fascinating thing. And we are only really just beginning to understand sort of the microbial world and the role that it plays in our lives, in our bodies, in our world.   And so, it's opening up entirely new understandings of how yeast is at work in scripture. One thing that we have to bear in mind is that the writers of scripture did not actually know what yeast was. We were only able to identify the microbes that are yeast and bacteria in the last 150 years.   And so, prior to Louis Pasteur, humans didn't know what yeast was. They only knew the reactions of yeast. You know, you saw if I mix together, you know, this, if I let this flour and water sit, it comes back to life and I can mix that into more flour and water and it can become bread.   You know, I can mix it in with a lot of water and a little bit of yeast and some hops and it becomes beer. I can mix it in with grapes and it becomes wine. So, we see the reactions, but don't necessarily know what it is that is responsible for those reactions.   So, it is fairly new that we have this, you know, in the scope of human history, it's fairly new that we have this understanding of what are the actual kind of little critters that are involved in this process. And so, I have a really dear friend who she studies theology of the microbiome. So, a lot of her research is all based around, you know, how does this emerging research on yeast and bacteria shape our understanding of what it means to be human?   And so then how does that shape the ways we read in scripture, both passages about yeast and also about what it means to be human? And so it is, I think there's just, it's a field that is ripe for exploration and we are only beginning to scratch the surface of all the beautiful imagery that's at play here. But one of the things that I find most fascinating is that leaven or yeast, it is used as a metaphor for two different things in scripture.   In one passage, it is used as a metaphor for the kingdom of heaven, the parable of leaven, the kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixed into three measures of flour until it leavened the whole batch. But apart from that, yeast is always used as an image of sin, the ways that sin works through community. We have the passage about the leaven of the Pharisees.   I believe there are a few others as well. So oftentimes leaven is used as this picture of sin and the ways that sin sort of multiplies and works through communities. But at the same time, it's this picture of the kingdom of God, that it's this little bit of yeast that slowly multiplies and through its multiplication, it transforms the entire community.   It seems like a strange sort of tension that why would we use the same thing as a picture of both the kingdom of heaven and a picture of sin? And I think it makes more sense when we understand a sourdough culture. So, a sourdough culture is a culture of bacteria and yeast that is used to leaven bread, to raise bread.   So, we all have wild yeast and bacteria living in the air, on the surface of our skin, on the surface of everything around us. This wild yeast and bacteria is what makes the world go round. It's what makes our brains function.   It's what allows our bellies to digest food. It is what sort of makes everything work. And there is always this presence of both pathogenic bacteria and also beneficial bacteria.   That is true within our bodies. That's true sort of all around us. It's true in the sourdough culture that there is always the presence of pathogenic bacteria, but there is also the beneficial bacteria.   And so, to maintain a healthy sourdough starter, you have to feed it regularly. And as long as you feed it regularly and maintain its health, that good bacteria is going to keep the pathogenic bacteria in check. It's when you start to starve that starter that the pathogenic bacteria gets stronger and it overtakes the good bacteria and your sourdough starter goes bad.   And so, I think that's a really beautiful way to think about both how the kingdom of God works and also how sin works in our communities. We live in a broken creation. Sin will always be present.   But when we are digging ourselves, like when we are staying grounded and rooted in scripture, when we're staying grounded and rooted in church community and worship and prayer, when we are maintaining these healthy communities that are rooted to God, then we're able to help keep that pathogenic bacteria, that sin in check. But it's when we do not that it can start to take over and it can spread through a community just as quickly and easily as the kingdom of God can also spread through a community.   Laura Dugger:  (29:45 - 29:58) You just have brilliant answers. Is there any other science in the bread baking that is also fascinating to you because it has a richer, deeper spiritual meaning?   Kendall Vanderslice: (29:58 - 32:22) One of the things that I love, I oftentimes lead these bread baking workshops for groups of leaders, especially church leaders or faith leaders who are oftentimes having to manage just large groups of people where they're constantly facing internal conflict. I don't think anyone who leads a group of people has managed to bring together the people that never have any kind of disagreement. One of the things that I love about bread is that inherent to the structure of bread is tension.   The backbone of bread is this protein called gluten that is made up of two different proteins called gluten and gliadin. Gluten and gliadin have two opposing qualities to them. One likes to stretch and stretch and stretch.   It's what's called the elastic quality. One likes to hold its shape, what's called the plastic quality. When these protein strands unravel, they begin to form bonds with one another and they create this network, this protein network.   That protein network is what captures the carbon dioxide that the yeast releases and that allows the dough to both grow while also holding its shape. The strength and the structure of our bread is fully reliant on tension between these two opposing qualities, these two opposing needs. In order to build that tension in a way that brings strength to the bread, it has to be constantly balanced with rest.   The gluten will let you know when it's starting to get tired. If you don't give it time to rest, then it will just fall apart. It will start to break down on you.   This is something that I think so many of our communities really can learn from right now. That tension is good, that our differences, that diversity in our communities is our source of strength. When these differences rub up against one another and they help expand our understanding of the people around us, our differing needs, our differing convictions, our differing desires, our differing hopes, that can be a source of strength in our communities.   Also, we need to understand when it's time to step away and take time to rest before leaning into those differences even further. I love that bread then is itself this element that Jesus gives us as the sign of our unity in Christ, because it is this picture of our differences coming together and making us one even in our difference.   Laura Dugger:  (32:23 - 32:39) All of this from bread, it's just incredible. Then I even think you write about temperature and scoring the bread. Is there anything else?   We won't get to cover all of it, but any other scientific findings that have been really exciting?   Kendall Vanderslice: (32:40 - 33:33) I think there is so much in bread. I like to say that bread is incredibly simple and infinitely complex. It's made of four basic ingredients, but it can be mixed together in myriad ways.   A baker can commit their entire lives to learning about bread, and they will still have more to learn. We'll never be able to cover it all. I think there's room for endless exploration as far as digging into all that bread has to teach us.   My hope is that this book, Bake and Pray, helps to start to illuminate some of the ways that we see God teaching us through the many different steps in the bread-baking process. I also hope that others will start to get into this practice of baking, and through the practice of baking, they themselves will be able to start to see some of the beauty that God reveals through bread.   Laura Dugger:  (33:34 - 34:38) I just wanted to let you know there are now multiple ways to give when you visit thesavvysauce.com. We now have a donation button on our website, and you can find it under the Donate page, which is under the tab entitled Support. Our mailing address is also provided if you would prefer to save us the processing fee and send a check that is tax deductible.   Either way, you'll be supporting the work of Savvy Sauce Charities and helping us continue to reach the nations with the good news of Jesus Christ. Make sure you visit thesavvysauce.com today. Thanks for your support.   Well, and Kendall, you also have a unique take. You spent years as a ballet dancer, and even with your books, you're just writing about the connection beyond, like you said, just our intellect and our minds to the Lord, but using our whole bodies to glorify God. Can you share some more ways that we can use our bodies to bake and pray and glorify God?   Kendall Vanderslice: (34:38 - 39:09) Yeah, so one of the things that I love when I'm first teaching people about this idea of praying with your body, it is ironic. The whole concept of praying with your body is to try and get us out of our minds and into our bodies. But the idea of praying with our body can feel like a very sort of cerebral or like, you know, the sort of thing that doesn't quite make sense.   And so, the way that I like to help people first get started is through the practice of a breath prayer. So, a breath prayer is a practice of repeating a line of scripture or poetry with every inhale and every exhale. And so, one of the ones that I love to start with is my soul finds rest in God alone, drawn from the Psalms.   And so, as you inhale, you repeat my soul finds rest. And as you exhale in God alone. And so, when I'm guiding others through this bake and pray practice, I have a start by just closing our eyes and I will lead us in this rhythm of breathing and of repeating this line again and again and again.   And then from there, I encourage the group to start to mix up their dough while repeating this line with every inhale and exhale. And I think it helps us to see how our breath, our breath itself becomes, you know, these words of scripture so ingrain themselves in our breathing that we then understand our breathing itself as an offering of prayer to God. And then the movements of our bodies through this rhythm of breathing becomes an offering of prayer to God.   And then we realize that the words themselves are not even necessary, that we can offer, you know, the movements of mixing bread dough, but also of gardening, of knitting, of cooking, of playing with our children, of raking leaves, that all of these things can be ways to offer our movements to God as prayer and to invite God into this practice with us and to pay attention to how God is present in these practices. So, I do hope that, you know, people will take bake and pray and actually bake with it and learn to bake as a form of prayer. But I also love when I hear from potters or I hear from gardeners or I hear from other people that work with their hands regularly who tell me, I read this and I don't think I'm going to start baking, but it has reshaped my understanding of my own, you know, craft and my own vocation.   So, I am excited to hear from others who maybe will take this and say, like, this is how I see this work being a form of prayer. But I first started learning about embodied prayer and practicing it when I got to college. I was in a dance team at my college.   I had grown up as a ballerina. I left the ballet world in high school, and it was a really, really hard. My experience was really wonderful in many ways and really hard in many ways.   I was in the pre-professional ballet world, which is, you know, very, very rigorous, very mentally draining, very physically demanding. And when I realized that I wasn't going to be able to make it professionally, it was just absolutely devastating. It was like my whole world was wrapped around this.   And so, then when I got to college, I was invited to be a part of this dance company. But the dance company was for women who had experienced sort of the ballet world in the way that I had, and who were looking for healing and to understand that our dance could be a form of worship and a form of prayer. And when I first started, I thought that the whole concept was really strange.   You know, I was I did not understand. I was so grateful to have this very just affirming community that I was dancing with. It was really it was the first time that I had been, you know, affirmed in my body and affirmed as a dancer and not just, you know, told all the things that were wrong with me.   But still, I was like, this is a really strange concept that as we're dancing, we're somehow praying. And it really was something that I had to practice again and again and again to understand and to really feel. And so, if someone is listening to this and thinking like this sounds like a really strange concept, I encourage you to just try it.   And it might take a few tries. Maybe try using the liturgies that are in the book to help get you into that practice. And then I hope that as you practice, either praying through baking or through gardening or what have you, that you will just get to experience the ways that God's present with you.   And then that will transform your understanding of your craft.   Laura Dugger:  (39:09 - 39:20) Thanks for sharing that. It's important for us to understand that we are embodied beings. And that points to that awesome truth that God with us, that Jesus was embodied.   Kendall Vanderslice: (39:21 - 39:22) Absolutely.   Laura Dugger:  (39:22 - 39:31) But then, OK, so in your most recent book, Bake and Pray, what's one recipe that you're especially excited about?   Kendall Vanderslice: (39:31 - 41:04) You know, we are just emerging from the season of Advent and Christmas, and those are some of my favorite recipes in the book. One that is so delicious, that is it is a Christmas recipe. It is the Moravian sugar cake, but Moravians do eat the sugar cake all year round.   So, it is kind of a classical Christmas recipe. But here at the Moravian bakeries here in North Carolina, you can get them all year round. So Moravian baked goods are an early Protestant tradition. They actually were Protestants before the Protestant Reformation, they like to say. And they're a pretty small denomination here in the United States.   But they're largely focused in here in North Carolina, where I am, and then a little bit in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. But the Moravian baked goods are known for all of their breads have potato in them. And so, some people, you know, there are other recipes that have like a potato, a potato bread or potato rolls.   When you add mashed potato into baked goods, it makes it really, really moist and tender. It holds on to moisture in the baked good much longer than just flour alone. So, the Moravian baked goods all have mashed potato in them.   But the Moravian sugar cake is one where it's this very rich potato bread. And then you put it into a pan, and you poke holes in it, sort of like if you were dimpling focaccia. And then you pour butter and cinnamon sugar on top and bake it.   And it is like it is a mix between sort of coffee cake and bread. And it is so, so, so delicious. I love it.   Laura Dugger:  (41:04 - 41:09) And there is also just a cute little story in there with the history.   Kendall Vanderslice: (41:09 - 41:28) Oh, yes, absolutely. It is, you know, there's this lore that apparently when men were looking for wives, they would look for women that had thick fingers. Because if they had thick fingers, it meant that they would have bigger dimples in their Moravian sugar cake that would hold bigger pockets of cinnamon and sugar.   Laura Dugger:  (41:28 - 41:42) I love that. I thought that was so funny. Well, Kendall, what are some of the most creative ways that you've been able to pair bread and generosity together to minister to others?   Kendall Vanderslice: (41:43 - 43:24) Yeah, one of the things that I am doing right now is, you know, I'm on the road several weeks of the year leading bread baking workshops in churches all over the country. And I love, love, love that part of my work. But in the last year, I started to really crave a closer connection with my community here in Durham, North Carolina.   But I am traveling the country and telling other people about how to connect to home and how to connect to their communities. And that work keeps me from being able to connect to my own home and community. And so, I decided that when I am home, I want to have a more intentional way of feeding the people immediately around me.   And so, I have this practice on Fridays of bread for friends and neighbors. And so, I'll tell, I'll send out an email to friends and neighbors on Monday and tell them, you know, here's what I'm baking this week if I'm in town. And then they let me know what they want.   And on Fridays, I have this shed in my driveway that I open up and it's got this whole like really fun armoire and that I that I've sort of decorated to be a bread pickup area. And so, on Fridays, my neighbors and my friends all walk over, and they come pick up their bread. And it's just been such a gift to be able to feed my immediate community through bread.   But then also to see and hear them sort of connecting in the driveway as they all come pick up their bread at the same time. And folks who either didn't know one another are starting to connect and find and meet one another. But then also neighbors to realize like, oh, you can get kindle bread, I get kindle bread.   And, you know, it's just so fun to have that very simple point of connection, because it can be feel very easy to feel disconnected from the neighbors that you maybe see all over the place. But just that that time of connection and picking up bread, I think, goes a long way beyond just that particular moment.   Laura Dugger:  (43:26 - 43:36) Generosity is always inspiring. And where can we all go to learn more about edible theology online or all of the other things that you have to offer?   Kendall Vanderslice: (43:37 - 44:05) You can learn more at my website, kendallvanderslice.com. The website is currently sort of under construction. So, I've got a makeshift website up right now where you can find everything.   And eventually I will have more links to all of the edible theology resources. But you can find everything you need at kendallvanderslice.com. You can learn about my workshops. You can learn about my books. You can learn about curriculum, about retreats that I lead. All of it is right there.   Laura Dugger:  (44:06 - 44:24) Wonderful. We will certainly add links in today's show notes so that it's easy to find. And Kendall, you may be familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge.   And so is my final question for you today. What is your savvy sauce?   Kendall Vanderslice: (44:25 - 45:13) Well, I think for me it is allowing myself to use even the simplest moments in the kitchen as a time for prayer rather than trying to rush through the practice of just seeing food as something I have to eat three times a day and something I have to make for myself. To realize that even something as simple as heating up a pot of soup or slicing some bread and smearing it with butter is still an invitation to thank God for this gift of food and the ability to prepare it. And so, I think that small practice alone can transform the way we relate to food and our bodies, but also to try and slow down and have a moment in our day where we avoid just rushing through and take a little bit more intentionality to appreciate the gifts that God has given us.   Laura Dugger:  (45:14 - 45:31) Well, Kendall, I was so intrigued from the first time that I heard about edible theology. And I really appreciate how you shed light on God's profound spiritual truths that are around us and that we can interact with in everyday life. But you also have such a charming personality.   Kendall Vanderslice: (45:32 - 45:38) So, thank you for being my guest. Thank you so much for having me. It's been such a delight to be here.   Laura Dugger: (45:39 – 49:21) One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before?   It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.   We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, would you pray with me now?   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life?   We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.   If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him. You get the opportunity to live your life for him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason.   We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you ready to get started? First, tell someone.   Say it out loud. Get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes & Noble and let me choose my own Bible.   I selected the Quest NIV Bible, and I love it. You can start by reading the book of John. Also, get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ.   I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps, such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you. We want to celebrate with you too, so feel free to leave a comment for us here if you did make a decision to follow Christ. We also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process.   And finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, “In the same way I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

John 5:30-47,I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?These last few Sundays we've been slowly walking through the scene from John chapter 5, which takes place at a pool in Jerusalem called Bethesda. There, a man who'd long been paralyzed began to walk again. Not thanks to medicine or machinery, but a miracle. Jesus, the God-man, had simply spoken, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” … And the man did.Well, the Jewish religious leaders didn't like it, because the day on which he healed the man was the Sabbath. And then they really didn't like it when Jesus defended his action by saying, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” In fact, his words so enraged them that, verse 18, they were:“seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”Faced with the religious leaders' anger, Jesus did not retreat. Instead, the remainder of chapter 5 captures Jesus' response to these leaders in which he makes some of the most stunning claims in all the gospels:Whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise (v. 19).The Father loves the Son, and shows the Son all that he's doing (v. 20).As the Father gives life, so the Son gives life (v. 21).The Father desires people to honor the Son just as they honor the Father (v. 23).Notice these claims of Jesus don't only concern him, but God the Father as well. His claims, in other words, are not merely about him as an individual, but about him and God and how they relate to one another.So it's for that very reason that, when he gets to verse 31, he concedes:“If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.”Not meaning that his words couldn't be trusted. But that since his words concern him and the Father, we should expect them to be backed not only by him, but the Father as well. And through the rest of this chapter, Jesus is ultimately going to show that they are. So what we're going to do this morning is trace Jesus' argument, and see two things: reasons and roadblocks. Reasons to believe Jesus' claims, and roadblocks to believing Jesus' claims.Reasons to believe, roadblocks to believing.Let's pray, and ask for God's help once more….ReasonsSo, reasons and roadblocks. We'll begin with reasons, and Jesus gives four of them. The testimony of (1) John the Baptist, (2) Jesus' own works, (3) God the Father, and (4) Moses. Let's start with that first one, John the Baptist. Turn to John 5:33. This is Jesus speaking.John the BaptistJohn 5:33,“You sent to John [ie. John the Baptist], and he has borne witness to the truth.”Borne witness — testified, spoken aloud, audibly confirmed — the truth of what Jesus himself was claiming. And when did John bear such witness? Well, in chapter one, where he said: That Jesus, though he'd come after him, actually ranks before him because, “He was before him” (1:15). That Jesus, in fact, ranked so high above John, that John was unfit to even stoop down and untie his sandals (1:27). That Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (1:29). That Jesus is the “Son of God.” (1:34).Jesus says,“You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.” Now, lest we get the wrong idea here, Jesus quickly clarifies why it is that he's saying this. It's not because he feels insecure and needs John to back him up. Nor because he feels attacked, and wants to defend himself. Often, those are our reasons for responding. Someone confronts us, challenges us, and our immediate impulse is to pounce and defend. That's not what Jesus is doing here. Rather, as we see in verse 34:“Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.” So that you may be saved. How remarkable? I mean, think about it: Who was he saying this to? The very religious authorities who, according to verse 18, were actively seeking to kill him! I mean, Jesus knows the heart of man. He knew all about Nathaniel in John 1. All about the Samaritan woman in John 4. Jesus knows the heart of man, and Jesus knew these people were wanting to kill him. To destroy him. To put him in an early grave. I mean, how much do you have to hate someone to actually want them dead? And not only dead, but to be the one who causes his death? And yet Jesus, knowing all of that, looks them right in the eyes and says, “Just so you know, the reason I'm saying these things to you is so that you might be saved.” He'd already told them back in verse 24,“That whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.”And now here he is, trying to get them to hear it. Trying to get them to believe it. We asked: How much do you have to hate someone to actually want them dead? How much more do you need to love someone to actually want to save those who want you dead?Friends, isn't Jesus wonderful? Isn't he magnificent? Don't skip over verses like these. Linger long over the heart of God as its revealed in the pages of Scripture. Allow yourself the time to be made glad as you see, “My Savior, is just so good!” He seeks to save his would-be persecutors. So, first reason to believe Jesus' claims is the testimony of John the Baptist. Here's the second reason: Jesus' own works. WorksVerse 36,“But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John [Note: “Greater,” so he's ratcheting up his argument]. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.“Works like, in John 2, when Jesus turned about 150 gallons of water into wine, without even lifting a finger. Or later in John 4, when Jesus healed a man's son who was deathly ill, without even being in the same town as him. And just recently, in John 5, when Jesus told a paralyzed man to stand and the paralyzed man did. The feeding of the 5,000, the walking on the water, the giving of sight to a man born blind — all of these works are still to come. Yet, even now, Jesus says: my works act as words. They proclaim: God has sent me.So, first reason to believe is testimony from John, and second the testimony of Jesus' works. Third, is the testimony of the Father himself. GodVerse 37,“And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me.”This of course is the heaviest hitter in the argument. Should the Father affirm the Son? Well, we need no other evidence. And Jesus is saying that he, in fact, has “borne witness.” But the question again is, when? When did the Father bear witness about the Son?Well at least one place was at Jesus' baptism. There, when Jesus had come up out of the water, the Father's voice rang out from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Mk. 1:11). And look, God tells no lies. God calls something good, he means it. God calls something evil, then that is what it is. God calls someone his beloved Son; with whom he is well pleased. Well, you better believe he is.So, we have the Father's witness in Jesus' baptism. And, I believe we're meant to see we have the Father's witness in all of Scripture as well.Look with me, verse 37,And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures [(ie. God's word) So I see a connection between God's witness, God's voice, God's word, and the Scriptures — all getting at this concept of the Father's witness of the Son] because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.” The Scriptures at that time, the Old Testament, Genesis to Malachi — “They're about me,” Jesus says. The Father's word is about me. And that's why in Luke 24, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus interprets all the Old Testament as things concerning himself (Lk. 24:27). The Old Testament is about Jesus.So, believe the testimony of John, the testimony of Jesus' works, and the testimony of God the Father both at Jesus' baptism and in the Scriptures. Last, believe the testimony of Moses. And this actually signals our transition from reasons to believe, to roadblocks to believing. We've got three reasons to believe. Here's a fourth — it's Moses — but it's at this point Jesus puts his finger upon the roadblock to believing.RoadblocksMosesLet's begin by considering the fact that Jesus has just called all of Scripture to account. Saying the Scriptures, which would've already included the writings of Moses, bear witness about him. So, Moses has already been counted as witness, yes? So, why is it that Jesus references him here specifically? Why does he, as it were, set Moses in the spotlight before them, and say “You know, Moses, he too has borne witness about me”?Verse 45,“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”Why the emphasis on Moses? Well, it's because these religious authorities had prided themselves upon their obedience to Moses. They, in fact, had built their entire lives around following the Laws of Moses. In their minds, they were set apart, and far greater than everyone else, because of their diligent study and expansive knowledge of Moses. Moses was, in this way, their one major stepping stone to self-worth, social rank, and salvation. And Jesus, is going to take a hold of it. You ever watch Charlie Brown as a kid? Charlie Brown, the well behaved, inquisitive, yellow shirt with zig zag stripe, cartoon young boy? If you did, then I want you to imagine the religious leaders right now as Charlie Brown. Jesus is Lucy. And the writings of Moses are the football. You guys remember what Lucy used to always do with Charlie as Charlie ran up to kick the football? She'd hold it, “Hey Charlie, here's the football.” And then just as Charlie ran up and was about to kick it she'd pull that thing away and Charlie's leg would swing on up into thin air carrying his whole body with. Jesus knew these religious leaders. He knew the confidence they had in their grasp of Moses and ability to follow the Laws of Moses. So, Jesus takes Moses' writings, and says, “Religious leaders, this is Moses. You think you got a hang on Moses. You're kicking into thin air.”Jesus puts the writings of Moses right down in front of them and says: You don't even believe his writings. You don't even understand his words. You think that if he were here today, he too would be pointing a finger at me, and yet it is he who wrote of me. And should you continue in your disbelief, it is also he who will stand as your accuser, on the last day.” Again, verse 45,“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope.” And so we've got to ask the question: what's gone wrong here, so as to lead these religious leaders to not even believing the one in whom Moses wrote? What's gotten in their way? What's their roadblock to believing Jesus?Was it merely intellectual? A problem from the neck up? Read Jesus' indictment:You have not heard God's voice (v. 37)You don't have God's word (v. 38)You do not believe the one whom he has sent (v. 38)Therefore, verse 40, “You refuse to come to me that you may have life”And then, verse 42: “But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.”What a daring indictment!“You don't have the love of God within you.”It's like he's saying, “You who accuse me of breaking God's Sabbath, don't even love the God who gave you the Sabbath. You don't love him. You know things about him. You teach things about him. You've convinced others that your life is all about him. And yet if we were to put your heart under the microscope and scour its every corner for signs — what you most enjoy in this life, what you most savor in this world, what your treasure really is — at no point and in no place would we find even a hint of love for the God you claim to worship.”That's what it means for a person to not have the love of God within them. To not have it is to not have it. And why? Why is there no love for God in their heart? Because there's already a love for something else in his place. What is it? What, at bottom, is the roadblock to belief in Jesus? We need everyone in the room, myself included, to ask this question. What, at bottom, is the roadblock to belief in Jesus?Ask it for your unbelieving neighbor, your non-Christian co-worker, your sibling or parent who has walked away from the faith. And ask it for yourself lest you too make shipwreck of your faith in Jesus. What is the ultimate roadblock to belief in Jesus?It's this — uncontested thirst for your own glory. Uncontested thirst for your own glory. That, brothers and sisters, is at the root of unbelief. Not a problem in your mind, not a problem with your upbringing, not a problem with God's so-called lack of evidence. No, no, no. When it really comes down to it, when all is truly laid bare — the reason for man's refusal to bow the knee to Jesus is owing to man's thirst to have others to bow the knee to themselves instead of God.Jesus asks, Verse 44:“How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”Answer, you can't. You cannot seek to glorify yourself and God simultaneously. Why? Because God's glory contests all others. God's glory outshines all others. God's glory makes our glory look small, and we, in our sin, don't like looking small.Think about it: The painter who wants to think himself the greatest in the world, will detest the museums where Da Vinci is celebrated. Just as the writer who wants to think herself the greatest in the world, will avoid the conversations in which Shakespeare is honored. The singer, the actor, the architect, and the salesman; the mother, the teacher, the doctor, and the lawyer — should they prefer the belief that they are the world's greatest — will intentionally and aggressively shield their eyes from the masters of their field so as to not look small standing next to them. They'd rather be blind and think themselves greatest, than open their eyes and realize they aren't. Friends, God is the ultimate Master. The Holy one. The eternal one. The sovereign, glorious, and omniscient one before whom we don't hold a candle. Should you prefer project “increase self-glory,” how could you love, pursue, praise the God who says, “My glory, I will not give to another”?Jesus' question is one we must regularly ask ourselves: “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”So, hear the warning: Belief in God is impossible where praise of self is preferred. Hear that warning, and, now, hear the good news. If you are here today and you take joy in the thought of God being God — being radiant in splendor, held high and celebrated, praised and adored and enjoyed in the heavens…If you know that Jesus is wonderful, and are glad that he's wonderful…If you have tasted how good it is not to have to incessantly labor for even an ounce of momentary worshiped, but to simply delight in worshiping the one whose truly deserving of it anyway…If you treasure being loved, forgiven, and brought near to God, so as to gaze upon his beauty all the rest of your days…If it pleases you to say, “Oh, Father, not to us, but to you be the glory”…Well, it would seem that God has begun a work in you. And your life now as a Christian is a life of simply asking, “God, grow my heart in greater enjoyment of your glory, and greater distaste for my own.” Really, all of the Christian life simply comes down to those two corresponding realities: greater enjoyment of God's glory, greater distaste for your own.ApplicationFor Christians: Ask God, right now, “Search my heart for where uncontested thirst for personal glory still remains. Show me the places, the people, the things in which my prayer of my heart has not been, ‘Hallow be thy name', but ‘hallow be my own.' Convict me, change me, give to me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Turn my inborn impulse away from self-glorification, to the happy life of glorifying you. For Non-Christians: Remember, Jesus said what he did in John 5 “so that people might be saved.” His desire this morning, in other words, is not to be your accuser, but your Savior. Ask him to show you, right now, for the very first time, that his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, is actually that one great thing for which your heart has been craving all along. To show you that it will only be in your celebration of him that everything in you will finally be made whole. God made you to revel in his glory, not rival it. God made you to commune with him, not compete with him. Rest — your real, full, deep, lasting rest can be had if you are willing to throw in the towel of project “increase self-glory,” and take up the song of the glory of God. Do it now. Say: “God, make yourself great in my life now.” And then, enjoy God's glory, to your soul's delight.The TableWell, what brings us to the table this morning is the fact that the Scriptures that bear witness to Jesus — to his glory, his majesty, his identity as the Son — bear witness also to his death. Death on behalf of those who, by nature, scorned him, mocked him, and considered him smitten by God. Death as a piercing for our transgressions and crushing for our iniquities so that by his wounds we could be healed.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 3 of the BE ENCOURAGED! podcast — and let me tell you, this one is something special. Although there was a short break between episode 2 and now to episode 3, I appreciate the grace in getting this out to you later than usual. I assure you, though this will be worth the wait! Today, we're diving deep into the believe series. Believe, is not just as a thought, a feeling, or a hope — but as our guest speaker today puts it, it's an action. As a daily decision. As a powerful, faith-filled posture that shifts how we show up in the world. And to help us unpack this life-giving theme, we are honored — truly honored — to welcome the one and only Carol McLeod to the conversation.Carol is known and deeply loved by readers, television audiences, and other Christians across the country, especially women who have been uplifted by her raw honesty, biblical wisdom, and unshakable hope. She's the President and CEO of Carol McLeod Ministries, a powerhouse speaker at women's conferences and retreats, and the author of more than a dozen books. But more than her titles, it's her testimony that speaks the loudest.In this episode, Carol shares what it really looks like to believe — when the diagnosis is bad, when the healing hasn't come, when life feels like it's falling apart. She doesn't sugarcoat her journey. She talks about fighting cancer, battling through painful seasons, and waking up each day making the bold decision to believe that God is still good. That Jesus is still enough. And sometimes? That's the belief that gets us through.We're also excited to highlight the book, Today is a Verb: Open the Gift of Now in Every Ordinary Moment — because believing isn't just about someday; it's about today. Right here. Right now. In the middle of the ordinary, the laundry folding,l and unchecked to do lists, we're invited to live with expectancy, courage, and unwavering belief in who God is.So if you're struggling to hold on, or just need a fresh reminder that believing is the action that will get you through the hard places you might find yourself in — this episode is for you. Grab your cup of coffee, get on your walk or run, or wherever you are — Let's believe and be encouraged— together.Learn more about our guest speaker: website: https://www.carolmcleodministries.com/Follow host, Jackie Brindle on Instagram@be_encouraged_podcast Subscribe, follow, and write a review today! :)

This Holy Week, as Jesus, "the man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Is. 53:3), walks toward the cross, we ask what it might be to proclaim this as good news. An older evangelism might ask, Where will you go when you die? But in our age of anxiety and despair, maybe we need to shift to: What do you do with your sorrow as you live?  That Jesus walks with us in our sorrows is really good news. That's what we are talking about today with Dr. Andrew Root. He is the Carrie Olson Baalson professor of youth and family ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture and younger generations.  And most recently has written about Evangelism in an Age of Despair: Hope Beyond the Failed Promise of Happiness.Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting April 29 (2025), with the live calls on Tuesdays, 4pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

So, our whole family had to go for blood tests. It was time to check everyone's cholesterol levels, we were told. Now, as our son's blood was being drawn, he suddenly said, "I'm feeling a little weak." Well, that's unusual, because this son was probably the strongest member of the family. But this actually had to do with chemistry not strength, and he proceeded to suddenly go limp and then he passed out. When he came to just a few moments later, his first words were of course, "What happened?" He later said that all he remembered was his eyes opening and seeing a mother's concerned face. Yep, there was Mom! And then that made him think back to a post-operative situation he had had once. Right after surgery he was in the recovery room and he said, "All I remember is opening my eyes and seeing this really old nurse." Well, it's kind of funny how strong those like just waking up impressions are. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Best Part of Waking Up." Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Psalm 17, and I'm going to be reading verse 15. David says, "And I - in righteousness I will see Your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness." Now, I think he's talking primarily here about physical resurrection after he dies. You know, "After I die, I'm looking forward to seeing You." But this can also be applied to a lifestyle like this - waking up and seeing His likeness. There's a coffee company, you might remember, that had a commercial that said, "The best part of waking up is...in your cup." You know? We don't do commercials. Well, rather than their kind of coffee in your cup, I'd like to rewrite that a little bit. The best part of waking up is Jesus in your room. That's what David's saying, "I'm satisfied when I wake up with seeing Your likeness." The early moments of your day kind of set the tone for the day. Is it going to be a stress day, is it going to be a worry day, a dirty day, a negative day, a go-for-it day? So much depends on whether or not you consciously spend your waking moments with Jesus. And let me tell you, that takes discipline. As soon as you've got any control of your thoughts, you come out of that fog and you're starting to be able to think, that's the time, before anything else, to acknowledge Jesus. "Lord, You're here aren't You? Lord, I'm Yours." And in those groggy, getting up and getting ready moments, talk to Him; thank Him for something from yesterday, turn over to Him whatever you know will tend to be dominating your day today. Isaiah put it this way, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You." In the morning it's like 20 different characters are trying to get on center stage in your head, including the devil probably. The night before, make the choice that Jesus Christ is going to be the only one on center stage in the beginning of your day, the beginning of your morning. "Seek first the kingdom of God." Remember that? Maybe that includes seeking Him before you talk with or think about anyone else. Don't check your emails, don't turn on the television, and don't answer the phone. Get up early if you have to, but don't be in anybody else's presence until you've been in His. Seek Him first in your day, in those early groggy moments. That Jesus focus can set your course for the whole day. And after a day begun with the Lord of the universe, you're ready for anything. See, the best part of waking up? Yep, it's waking up to Jesus.

So, our whole family had to go for blood tests. It was time to check everyone's cholesterol levels, we were told. Now, as our son's blood was being drawn, he suddenly said, "I'm feeling a little weak." Well, that's unusual, because this son was probably the strongest member of the family. But this actually had to do with chemistry not strength, and he proceeded to suddenly go limp and then he passed out. When he came to just a few moments later, his first words were of course, "What happened?" He later said that all he remembered was his eyes opening and seeing a mother's concerned face. Yep, there was Mom! And then that made him think back to a post-operative situation he had had once. Right after surgery he was in the recovery room and he said, "All I remember is opening my eyes and seeing this really old nurse." Well, it's kind of funny how strong those like just waking up impressions are. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Best Part of Waking Up." Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Psalm 17, and I'm going to be reading verse 15. David says, "And I - in righteousness I will see Your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness." Now, I think he's talking primarily here about physical resurrection after he dies. You know, "After I die, I'm looking forward to seeing You." But this can also be applied to a lifestyle like this - waking up and seeing His likeness. There's a coffee company, you might remember, that had a commercial that said, "The best part of waking up is...in your cup." You know? We don't do commercials. Well, rather than their kind of coffee in your cup, I'd like to rewrite that a little bit. The best part of waking up is Jesus in your room. That's what David's saying, "I'm satisfied when I wake up with seeing Your likeness." The early moments of your day kind of set the tone for the day. Is it going to be a stress day, is it going to be a worry day, a dirty day, a negative day, a go-for-it day? So much depends on whether or not you consciously spend your waking moments with Jesus. And let me tell you, that takes discipline. As soon as you've got any control of your thoughts, you come out of that fog and you're starting to be able to think, that's the time, before anything else, to acknowledge Jesus. "Lord, You're here aren't You? Lord, I'm Yours." And in those groggy, getting up and getting ready moments, talk to Him; thank Him for something from yesterday, turn over to Him whatever you know will tend to be dominating your day today. Isaiah put it this way, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You." In the morning it's like 20 different characters are trying to get on center stage in your head, including the devil probably. The night before, make the choice that Jesus Christ is going to be the only one on center stage in the beginning of your day, the beginning of your morning. "Seek first the kingdom of God." Remember that? Maybe that includes seeking Him before you talk with or think about anyone else. Don't check your emails, don't turn on the television, and don't answer the phone. Get up early if you have to, but don't be in anybody else's presence until you've been in His. Seek Him first in your day, in those early groggy moments. That Jesus focus can set your course for the whole day. And after a day begun with the Lord of the universe, you're ready for anything. See, the best part of waking up? Yep, it's waking up to Jesus.

Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson are one of my favorite mother-daughter pairs of all time. Both of these women are writers, speakers, and leaders in their own rights, but they also joined forces to write the book we'll discuss today. If you are a parent or grandparent of kids of any age, an auntie, uncle, nanny or teacher or have any interaction with children you love, this episode is for you. It sure was for me. If you want your home and relationships to be drenched in freedom and grace and joy instead of shame or guilt or holy-catfish-how-will-we-possibly-survive-this-season-with-this-child, this episode is for you. A parenting experience rooted entirely in the scandalous grace of God? SIGN. ME. UP. Jessica Thompson is a pastor at Risen Church in San Diego. She has her Master's in Biblical Studies from Redemption Seminary. She is a mother of three adult children and loves the Padres with her whole heart.Elyse holds a certificate in biblical counseling from CCEF (San Diego) and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She has authored more than 25 books on daily living and the Christian life. Elyse loves to proclaim the good news of the gospel: That Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, perfectly obeyed all the Law in our place, suffered in isolation and agony as punishment for our sin, died, and then rose again, all for our justification.A frequent speaker at national conferences, she has been married for over 50 years and has three adult children and six really adorable grandchildren. Along with her husband, Phil, Elyse attends Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.Follow Elyse: @Elyse_FitzFollow Jessica: @revjesslouVisit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KimberlyStuart.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more from this episode.

T'was an OUTRAGE! An Illinois-based company was working on a film about Jesus Christ. The problem? The film would portray Jesus as a drunk bank robber, a “swinging homosexual,” and a big fan of Hitler. Oh, and he'd also be depicted as having an affair with Mary Magdalene. … wouldn't the affair with Mary Magdalene make him bisexual, you ask? DON'T ASK QUESTIONS. In fact, don't bother fact checking any of this! This is all about rage, baby! Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from: “Will Jesus Be Portrayed as Homosexual in an Upcoming Film?” By Barbara Mikkelson for Snopes.com “That Jesus sex movie never existed,” by William Simbro for The Des Moines Register “‘Jesus Sex Film' rumor draws letters from 200,000 people,” by Carol Armstrong for the Dayton Daily News “Crusade revives war on non-existent sex film,” by William Simbro for The Des Moines Register “Jesus sex movie rumor hits state,” by Bernie Schoenburg for The Pantagraph “‘Sex life of Jesus' hoax snares Lodi mayor's paper,” by Rod Leith for The Record “Censor receives complaints about non-existent film depicting Christ as gay,” by Glenn McConnell for Stuff.com “The Jesus sex film scandal,” by Wayne Dean for The Sydney Morning Herald “No U.S. producer found for blasphemous movie,” by Stan Hastey for the Associated Press Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts! Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you'll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90's style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin's previous podcast, Let's Go To Court.

Tonight, my special guest is Rev. Barry Downing who's here to discuss why he believes aliens pulled off some miracles mentioned in the Bible.At Mysterious Radio, we're on an exciting journey to create a space fully supported by our amazing fans, moving away from advertisements altogether! We're thrilled to offer our content exclusively to our wonderful community of Patreon members and Apple Subscribers. You'll get to enjoy every episode without any pesky ads, and we can share our shows with you without any censorship. Plus, joining us unlocks over 900 bonus segments and episodes that will blow your mind! While the price is set to rise to $9.99, you can jump on board right now for just $5, and that's forever! Come be part of The Brain Trust now.Follow Our Other ShowsFollow UFO WitnessesFollow Crime Watch WeeklyFollow Paranormal FearsFollow Seven: Disturbing Chronicle StoriesJoin our Patreon for ad-free listening and more bonus content.Follow us on Instagram @mysteriousradioFollow us on TikTok mysteriousradioTikTok Follow us on Twitter @mysteriousradio Follow us on Pinterest pinterest.com/mysteriousradio Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/mysteriousradio]   The Reverend Barry Downing's credentials are impressive, adding scholarly weight to his theories regarding anomalous and miraculous events as portrayed in the Old and New Testaments. Downing holds a Ph.D. in the relation between religion and science from the University of Edinburgh of Scotland. He also has a bachelor's degree in physics from New York's Hartwick College as well as a degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. Dr. Downing has studied the Bible most of his life. . .  Not unusual for a pastor, but what makes his evangelistic career unique is that he has also studied the UFO phenomena since the mid-1950s. The combination of both pursuits resulted in the 1968 publication of his controversial book, “The Bible and Flying Saucers,” which would lay important groundwork regarding the blending of the divine with the theory that earth has been visited by extraterrestrials in ancient times and that these visitations continue to this day. This work is his long awaited sequel in which he expands upon the polemic issues previously put forth, including that the –  ** Parting of the Red Sea in the Bible's Exodus was accomplished by a cylindrical UFO, a cigars haped ship whose kind is still reported.  ** That Jesus was an extraterrestrial sent to earth to rid the world of sin and wickedness, quoting Biblical text to support his claim.  ** That Jesus left earth in a spaceship to another planet, or perhaps another spatial dimension.  ** That angels were actually aliens and that the “angelic aliens” spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai where he boarded a UFO to receive the Ten Commandments and specifications for the construction of the Tabernacle. It was aliens who guided the ancient Israelites, providing them with manna in the wilderness.  ** In the modern world, Downing contends with mainstream religion's refusal to take the subject seriously. Christian liberals don't want to hear the miracles of the Bible were real and Christian conservatives don't want the miracles credited to simple aliens in flying saucers.

Jesus is real! We have a living, powerful, loving advocate in the person of Jesus Christ. This study gives us a reminder of what's important: That Jesus isn't dead, He conquered death, and He has all the power needed to provide us with what we need.

In this week's episode with Jen Wilkin, we talk about the beauty of an oft-misunderstood and feared book of the Bible: Revelation. Jen reminds us that although the book is filled with symbols and images that might first be hard to understand, that it actually pulls from the rest of Scripture and tells us what we already know! That Jesus is coming back to dwell with his people forever. Jen reminds us that the theme of this book is not condemnation, but comfort. We pray this episode leads you to praise as you remember who is seated on the throne of heaven. FULL SHOW NOTES SERIES RESOURCES DISCUSSION QUESTIONS How does seeing Christ in Psalms excite you to look for him in all of Scripture? How might you take what you've gained from reading Psalms this summer and allow it to open your eyes to see Jesus on every page of Scripture?  What psalms have stood out to you most as you've read through them this summer? Perhaps write a few down to use as prompts for prayer. Perhaps select a few to try to store in your memory. How might you take what you've learned in Psalms this summer and share it with someone? Maybe inviting someone in to read Psalms again with you? Maybe memorizing a psalm to use as you pray for friends?  What might you do or implement based on what you learned in this week's episode? FOR MORE Give to Journeywomen Ministries  Listen on Apple Podcasts | Android | Spotify Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook Leave a rating & review Interviews do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the interviewee or any other resources mentioned.  On the Journeywomen podcast, we'll come alongside you in the seasons and challenges of life to help you know and love God through his Word, to find your hope in the gospel, and to invest deeply in your local church as you go out on mission for the glory of God.