Podcasts about Epistle

As Paul closes Epistle to the Ephesians, he reminds believers that the Christian life is not just about how we begin the journey, but how we continue walking faithfully with Christ to the very end. We see that a worthy walk is marked by steadfast faithfulness, encouragement within the body of Christ, and dependence on the grace of God.

What would you do if you were pressured to support a rebellion that you believed was misguided and doomed to failure? What if the safety of your family and business depended on your answer? In A Ram for Mars (NFB Publishing, 2026), Marcus and Miriam, recently freed slaves from Asia Minor, arrive in Israel buoyed by hopes of finding Marcus's long-lost mother and starting a new life together. They discover that the land is seething with social and political unrest, with anti-Roman parties in the ascendancy. ​Marcus, who grew up in a Roman colony and owes his present prosperity to a Roman master, finds these anti-Roman sentiments perplexing. His uncertainty increases when war breaks out and he's asked to ship supplies to the rebel army, including a newfound cousin who protects the northern front. As his entanglement with the rebellion deepens, Marcus is torn between loyalty to the world in which he was nurtured and the need to secure his family's safety. Then his adopted son runs off to join the rebels. What is he to do? Fans of Conn Iggulden, Ken Follett, and Robert Graves will be captivated by this richly detailed and compelling exploration of the Jewish revolt against Rome (66-73 AD/CE) through the lens of a pro-Roman Jew in the rural district of Galilee. More about A Ram for Mars, as well as the trilogy, “A Slave's Story,” can be found here. Christopher D. Stanley is a social and religious historian who writes about early Christianity and Judaism in the Greco-Roman world. He served for over twenty years as a professor at St. Bonaventure University in western New York, where he holds the title of Professor Emeritus. Dr. Stanley has written or edited ten books and dozens of professional articles on early Christian texts and history and presents papers at academic conferences around the world. The “A Slave's Story” trilogy, which grew out of his historical research on first-century Asia Minor, is his first foray into fiction. He continues to write for the academic world as well, including a recently finished book on sickness and healing in the Greco-Roman world that explores some of the history behind this trilogy, Paul and Asklepios: The Greco-Roman Quest for Healing and the Apostolic Mission (T&T Clark, 2023). Jonathon Lookadoo is Associate Professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea. While his interests range widely over the world of early Christianity, he is the author of books on the Epistle of Barnabas, Ignatius of Antioch, and the Shepherd of Hermas, including The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade, 2023). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

What would you do if you were pressured to support a rebellion that you believed was misguided and doomed to failure? What if the safety of your family and business depended on your answer? In A Ram for Mars (NFB Publishing, 2026), Marcus and Miriam, recently freed slaves from Asia Minor, arrive in Israel buoyed by hopes of finding Marcus's long-lost mother and starting a new life together. They discover that the land is seething with social and political unrest, with anti-Roman parties in the ascendancy. ​Marcus, who grew up in a Roman colony and owes his present prosperity to a Roman master, finds these anti-Roman sentiments perplexing. His uncertainty increases when war breaks out and he's asked to ship supplies to the rebel army, including a newfound cousin who protects the northern front. As his entanglement with the rebellion deepens, Marcus is torn between loyalty to the world in which he was nurtured and the need to secure his family's safety. Then his adopted son runs off to join the rebels. What is he to do? Fans of Conn Iggulden, Ken Follett, and Robert Graves will be captivated by this richly detailed and compelling exploration of the Jewish revolt against Rome (66-73 AD/CE) through the lens of a pro-Roman Jew in the rural district of Galilee. More about A Ram for Mars, as well as the trilogy, “A Slave's Story,” can be found here. Christopher D. Stanley is a social and religious historian who writes about early Christianity and Judaism in the Greco-Roman world. He served for over twenty years as a professor at St. Bonaventure University in western New York, where he holds the title of Professor Emeritus. Dr. Stanley has written or edited ten books and dozens of professional articles on early Christian texts and history and presents papers at academic conferences around the world. The “A Slave's Story” trilogy, which grew out of his historical research on first-century Asia Minor, is his first foray into fiction. He continues to write for the academic world as well, including a recently finished book on sickness and healing in the Greco-Roman world that explores some of the history behind this trilogy, Paul and Asklepios: The Greco-Roman Quest for Healing and the Apostolic Mission (T&T Clark, 2023). Jonathon Lookadoo is Associate Professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea. While his interests range widely over the world of early Christianity, he is the author of books on the Epistle of Barnabas, Ignatius of Antioch, and the Shepherd of Hermas, including The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade, 2023). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

What would you do if you were pressured to support a rebellion that you believed was misguided and doomed to failure? What if the safety of your family and business depended on your answer? In A Ram for Mars (NFB Publishing, 2026), Marcus and Miriam, recently freed slaves from Asia Minor, arrive in Israel buoyed by hopes of finding Marcus's long-lost mother and starting a new life together. They discover that the land is seething with social and political unrest, with anti-Roman parties in the ascendancy. ​Marcus, who grew up in a Roman colony and owes his present prosperity to a Roman master, finds these anti-Roman sentiments perplexing. His uncertainty increases when war breaks out and he's asked to ship supplies to the rebel army, including a newfound cousin who protects the northern front. As his entanglement with the rebellion deepens, Marcus is torn between loyalty to the world in which he was nurtured and the need to secure his family's safety. Then his adopted son runs off to join the rebels. What is he to do? Fans of Conn Iggulden, Ken Follett, and Robert Graves will be captivated by this richly detailed and compelling exploration of the Jewish revolt against Rome (66-73 AD/CE) through the lens of a pro-Roman Jew in the rural district of Galilee. More about A Ram for Mars, as well as the trilogy, “A Slave's Story,” can be found here. Christopher D. Stanley is a social and religious historian who writes about early Christianity and Judaism in the Greco-Roman world. He served for over twenty years as a professor at St. Bonaventure University in western New York, where he holds the title of Professor Emeritus. Dr. Stanley has written or edited ten books and dozens of professional articles on early Christian texts and history and presents papers at academic conferences around the world. The “A Slave's Story” trilogy, which grew out of his historical research on first-century Asia Minor, is his first foray into fiction. He continues to write for the academic world as well, including a recently finished book on sickness and healing in the Greco-Roman world that explores some of the history behind this trilogy, Paul and Asklepios: The Greco-Roman Quest for Healing and the Apostolic Mission (T&T Clark, 2023). Jonathon Lookadoo is Associate Professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea. While his interests range widely over the world of early Christianity, he is the author of books on the Epistle of Barnabas, Ignatius of Antioch, and the Shepherd of Hermas, including The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade, 2023). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/israel-studies

What would you do if you were pressured to support a rebellion that you believed was misguided and doomed to failure? What if the safety of your family and business depended on your answer? In A Ram for Mars (NFB Publishing, 2026), Marcus and Miriam, recently freed slaves from Asia Minor, arrive in Israel buoyed by hopes of finding Marcus's long-lost mother and starting a new life together. They discover that the land is seething with social and political unrest, with anti-Roman parties in the ascendancy. ​Marcus, who grew up in a Roman colony and owes his present prosperity to a Roman master, finds these anti-Roman sentiments perplexing. His uncertainty increases when war breaks out and he's asked to ship supplies to the rebel army, including a newfound cousin who protects the northern front. As his entanglement with the rebellion deepens, Marcus is torn between loyalty to the world in which he was nurtured and the need to secure his family's safety. Then his adopted son runs off to join the rebels. What is he to do? Fans of Conn Iggulden, Ken Follett, and Robert Graves will be captivated by this richly detailed and compelling exploration of the Jewish revolt against Rome (66-73 AD/CE) through the lens of a pro-Roman Jew in the rural district of Galilee. More about A Ram for Mars, as well as the trilogy, “A Slave's Story,” can be found here. Christopher D. Stanley is a social and religious historian who writes about early Christianity and Judaism in the Greco-Roman world. He served for over twenty years as a professor at St. Bonaventure University in western New York, where he holds the title of Professor Emeritus. Dr. Stanley has written or edited ten books and dozens of professional articles on early Christian texts and history and presents papers at academic conferences around the world. The “A Slave's Story” trilogy, which grew out of his historical research on first-century Asia Minor, is his first foray into fiction. He continues to write for the academic world as well, including a recently finished book on sickness and healing in the Greco-Roman world that explores some of the history behind this trilogy, Paul and Asklepios: The Greco-Roman Quest for Healing and the Apostolic Mission (T&T Clark, 2023). Jonathon Lookadoo is Associate Professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea. While his interests range widely over the world of early Christianity, he is the author of books on the Epistle of Barnabas, Ignatius of Antioch, and the Shepherd of Hermas, including The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade, 2023). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

Pastor Joe kicks of a new short series on Sacrifice from the Epistle to the Phillippians.

Hoo, boy… it's great to be back in the saddle at my computer and in front of the microphone! I greatly enjoyed a short break to visit my family in New York, and I appreciate you all sticking with it while the audio has taken a break. I hope the printed materials continued to be helpful. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *This guide covers the readings appointed in the Revised Common Lectionary for the Third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 6), Year A, falling on June 14, 2026. The great festivals of Easter and Pentecost are behind us, and the church now settles into what has been variously called Ordinary Time, the Season after Pentecost, or simply the long stretch of green Sundays that runs all the way to Advent. The lectionary now walks through stories and letters in a more sustained way — not building toward a particular feast but simply listening, week by week, to the long witness of Scripture.This Sunday offers two parallel Old Testament tracks. Track One (semi-continuous) follows the great stories of Israel in order, picking up this week with Abraham and Sarah and the visitors at Mamre. Track Two (complementary) chooses an Old Testament text that lines up thematically with the Gospel — this week, the giving of the covenant at Sinai, where God names Israel a kingdom of priests. Either track will preach. Most congregations pick a track at the beginning of the season and stay with it; this guide treats both fully and lets the preacher choose.The Epistle and Gospel are the same for both tracks: Romans 5 on hope formed in suffering, and Matthew's account of Jesus sending out the Twelve. One quiet continuity is worth noticing as you prepare. Matthew the tax collector, called from his table just last week, appears in today's Gospel in the list of the twelve apostles being sent out. The lectionary is showing us how quickly being found becomes being sent.Matthew the tax collector, called from his table just last week, appears in today's Gospel in the list of the twelve apostles being sent out. The lectionary is showing us how quickly being found becomes being sent.The ReadingsGenesis 18:1–15, (21:1–7)First Reading (Track One) — Sarah LaughsSummaryThree travelers arrive at Abraham's tent in the heat of the day, and Abraham — without yet knowing who they are — hurries to offer extravagant hospitality. Over the meal, one of them announces that Sarah will have a son within the year. Sarah is listening from inside the tent and laughs to herself, silently, as she thinks, at the idea that two old people could still have a child. The visitor knows. He calls out the laugh and asks the question on which the whole story turns: is anything too wonderful for the Lord? Sarah, frightened, denies laughing. He simply says: Oh yes, you did. The optional ending of the reading carries the story forward — the promise comes true, Sarah gives birth, and they name the child Isaac, which means “he laughs.” The laughter that began in skepticism comes back as joy.Key Ideas for Preaching1. Abraham welcomes strangers and ends up hosting God. He does not know who they are when he runs to greet them — he simply treats them like honored guests. What does it look like for your congregation to extend that kind of hospitality to people whose importance they have not yet discovered?2. Sarah's laughter is honest. After twenty-five years of waiting on a promise that never came, she is not pretending anymore. What does it look like to give your people permission to bring their honest doubt to God without dressing it up as faith?3. The question at the heart of the story — is anything too wonderful for the Lord? — is not about whether God can do tricks. It is about whether we still credit God with the capacity to surprise us. Where has your congregation quietly written something off as impossible — about themselves, about each other, about the world — that this text suggests they should hold more loosely?4. If you include the verses from chapter 21, Isaac's name carries the whole arc: “he laughs.” The laughter that began in disbelief comes back as the laughter of joy. What would it mean for your people to trust that God can turn the laughter of skepticism into the laughter of celebration — and that both kinds of laughter can be holy?Significant Cautions• Sarah's laughter is sometimes preached as a failure of faith, with Sarah cast as a cautionary example. The text is gentler than that. She is honest, and God is honest back. Be careful not to turn the scene into a morality lesson about doubt.• The three visitors have been used in some traditions as a kind of preview of the Trinity. The text itself does not make that claim, and forcing it on the passage tends to distract from what is actually happening. Better to let the strangeness of the scene be what it is.• The promise of a child in old age can land hard on people who have prayed for a child and not received one. Be careful not to suggest that those who do not get the miracle are short on faith.Psalm 116:1–2, 12–19The Psalm (Track One) — What Shall I Return to the Lord?SummaryThis is a psalm of thanksgiving from someone who has been heard. The opening lines tell us why the psalmist loves God: because God listened. The middle section asks the question every grateful person eventually asks — what can I possibly give back? The answer turns out not to be a material payment at all. It is to lift the cup of salvation, to call on God's name, to keep the vows made in the day of trouble — and to do all of this publicly, in the presence of all God's people.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The psalmist's love for God begins with being heard. That is a much smaller and more reachable claim than it sounds. What might it do for your congregation to hear that the path to loving God can begin with something as simple as the conviction that God is paying attention?2. The question “what shall I return to the Lord?” is asked by someone overflowing with gratitude, not by someone calculating a debt. Where in your congregation has gratitude turned into obligation rather than response, and how might this psalm soften that?3. The thanksgiving is offered in the presence of all God's people — public, witnessed, communal, not a private feeling kept to oneself. What would it look like to give your people room to name out loud where God has met them?Significant Cautions• “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones” can sound to a grieving person as if their loved one's death is being called a treasure. The line means that God watches over the lives and deaths of God's people with care — not that death itself is a good thing. Handle it tenderly.• “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice” can be heard painfully by someone whose prayers have not been answered the way they wanted. Make room in the sermon for them as well.Exodus 19:2–8aFirst Reading (Track Two) — A Kingdom of PriestsSummaryThe Israelites have just come out of Egypt and are camped at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses climbs the mountain, and God speaks to him with a word for the people. God begins by reminding them of what they have already seen — how God carried them out of slavery on eagles' wings — and then names what they are about to become: if they keep the covenant, they will be God's treasured possession out of all the peoples of the earth, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. Moses brings the message back, and the people answer in a single voice: everything the Lord has said, we will do.Key Ideas for Preaching1. God's word to Israel begins with what God has already done. The covenant is offered to people God has already rescued, not to people who have earned it. Where does your congregation still imagine that their relationship with God starts with their performance rather than with God's prior love?2. A kingdom of priests is a people whose whole life points others toward God. This is not a job for clergy or for a few specially gifted members — it is the identity of the whole community. What does it look like for your people to take seriously that their ordinary lives are meant to be priestly?3. The people's “we will do” comes very quickly. They will, of course, fail to keep it almost immediately. What does it mean to preach this scene knowing both that the commitment is sincere and that it will not hold — and that God enters the covenant anyway?Significant Cautions• “Treasured possession” has been used to claim that one group has been chosen over and against others — including, in tragic stretches of Christian history, to argue that the church has replaced Israel as the chosen people. That is a misreading. Be careful with the language of being chosen so that it does not slide into superiority.• The image of being carried on eagles' wings is beautiful but can be turned into the promise that God always rescues the faithful from hardship. The Exodus story itself does not promise that. Hold the image tenderly for people whose deliverance is still long in coming.Psalm 100The Psalm (Track Two) — The Sheep of His PastureSummaryThe whole psalm is one sustained call to worship — seven imperatives stacked into five short verses. The reason runs through every line: God made us, we belong to God, God is good, God's steadfast love endures forever. It is among the shortest and best-loved psalms in the Bible, often used to open worship.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The psalm is almost all imperatives — commands to worship. Worship here is not a feeling the worshiper has to manufacture; it is something the people are invited to do, and the doing tends to come first. Where might your congregation be waiting to feel ready to worship rather than simply showing up to do it?2. The reason for worship in the psalm is not the worshiper's circumstances but God's character — that God made us, that we belong to God, that God's love endures. What would change if your congregation grounded its praise in who God is rather than in how the week has gone?3. This psalm pairs naturally with the Exodus reading. The people God is forming into a kingdom of priests are the same people the psalm calls to enter God's gates with thanksgiving. The identity and the practice belong together. What might it look like for your congregation to feel both at once?Significant Cautions• The command to “make a joyful noise” has sometimes been turned into the requirement that worship always be exuberant and loud. Joy in worship comes in many keys — including quiet ones. Be careful not to make joyful noise the same as loud noise.• A psalm of pure praise can leave out people who are grieving or hurting, who cannot easily summon gladness. The psalm is one voice in a larger book that also makes ample room for lament. Not every Sunday is Psalm 100 weather, and saying so honestly can be a kindness.Romans 5:1–8The Epistle — Hope That Does Not DisappointSummaryPaul opens this chapter with one of his great summary statements: now that we have been put right with God by trust, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. From there he describes the strange logic of Christian hope. We can even hold our heads up in suffering, he says, because suffering forms endurance, endurance forms character, and character forms hope — a hope that does not let us down, because God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Then he gives the ground for it all: Christ did not wait for us to deserve him. He died for us while we were still weak, still sinners, with no claim on him at all.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The chain Paul builds — suffering, endurance, character, hope — describes what suffering can do, not what it always does. Paul is not telling sufferers that their pain is a tool God is using on them; he is telling people who are already enduring something hard that the road they are walking has been walked before, and it leads somewhere. Where does your congregation need to hear that distinction made plainly?2. The hope Paul describes is not optimism. Optimism depends on circumstances; this hope is poured in from outside — the love of God by the Spirit. How might it help your people to be told that they do not have to manufacture their own hope?3. Christ died for us, Paul says, while we were still sinners — before any of us had cleaned ourselves up to qualify. Where does your congregation still secretly believe that God will love them more once they have improved, and what would change if they let that go?Significant Cautions• “Suffering produces endurance” has been used to silence people whose suffering is real and unjust — to tell them they should be grateful for what their pain is doing to them. That is a cruel misuse. Paul is not blessing suffering; he is comforting people in it. Say so plainly.• “Justified by faith” can be flattened into the idea that what saves us is the strength of our own believing — as if faith were a new thing to achieve. The weight here is on the trustworthiness of God, not the size of our trust. Keep the emphasis where Paul puts it.• Paul's contrast between sinners and the righteous has sometimes been used to draw lines around who counts as truly bad and who counts as basically good. The whole point of the passage is that none of us was on the right side of that line, and Christ came anyway.Matthew 9:35–10:8, (9–23)The Gospel — The Compassion and the SendingSummaryJesus has been moving through the towns of Galilee, teaching and healing, and when he looks at the crowds something gives way in him. They are exhausted, he says — harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. From that compassion comes the saying about a plentiful harvest and too few laborers, and then the response: Jesus summons twelve of his disciples, names them one by one, gives them authority, and sends them out. The instructions are striking. Stay with Israel for now. Take nothing — no money, no extra clothing, no traveling kit. Whatever you have received, give freely. In the verses that follow, the warning grows sober: you will be sent like sheep among wolves, you will be hated, you will need to endure. The mission is real, and so is the cost, and Jesus hides neither. Talk about some straight talk!Key Ideas for Preaching1. The mission begins in Jesus' compassion. Before there is a strategy or a sending, there is a look at the crowds and the sense that they are sheep without a shepherd. What does it look like for your congregation's own sense of mission to begin in compassion rather than in obligation or ambition?2. Among the twelve named and sent is Matthew the tax collector — the very man called from his table in last week's Gospel. The lectionary is showing us how quickly being found becomes being sent. Where in your congregation are people waiting to feel qualified before they are willing to be sent, and what would change if they took Matthew's story seriously about themselves?3. The travel instructions are notable for everything they leave out. No money, no bag, no extra clothes. The mission is meant to be carried out in a posture of vulnerability and dependence on those who receive them. What does it look like for your congregation to do mission in a way that does not arrive with all the answers and all the resources — but with empty hands?4. “You received without payment; give without payment.” The freedom of what has been given is meant to set the temperature of how it is given. Where in your congregation has ministry quietly become a transaction, and how might Jesus' instruction reset it?5. The harder verses about persecution are not meant to glamorize suffering. They are meant to be honest with disciples about what the road can cost. How might your sermon prepare your people for the real costs of faithful witness without making them dramatic about minor inconveniences?Significant Cautions• “The harvest is plentiful” has been used to fuel a kind of urgent recruitment that pressures and manipulates. The compassion of Jesus comes first; the harvest language is meant to motivate prayer (“ask the Lord of the harvest”), not panic.• The instruction to “go nowhere among the Gentiles” is specific to this moment in Jesus' ministry. By the end of Matthew's Gospel, the disciples will be sent to all nations. Be careful not to use this verse to argue for any kind of restriction or favoritism today.• “Shake the dust from your feet” has been used to justify cutting off relationships with people who do not respond the way we want. Read in context, it is permission to keep moving without resentment, not a license for contempt.• The persecution verses — brother betraying brother, being hated because of his name — have been pressed into service to dramatize any modern opposition to a religious agenda as fulfillment of prophecy. Be cautious. Jesus is preparing disciples for a specific kind of cost; he is not handing his followers a script for grievance.• “The one who endures to the end will be saved” can land cruelly on people who are exhausted. The verse is encouragement for the road, not a warning that those who burn out are lost.• The naming of twelve men has been used to argue that leadership belongs to a particular kind of person. The wider New Testament — including Mary Magdalene as the first witness of the resurrection, Lydia, Phoebe, Priscilla, and many others — tells a much fuller story about who is sent.Thematic ConnectionsDepending on which track you follow, the day takes one of two shapes — and both lead naturally toward the same Gospel.On the first track, the day is about God's faithfulness to people whose circumstances make the promise look ridiculous. Abraham and Sarah are old, and Sarah laughs. Psalm 116 gives the voice of someone delivered and overflowing with gratitude. Romans 5 grounds hope not in our endurance but in the love of God poured into us. And the Gospel sends an unlikely set of workers — Matthew the tax collector among them — out into a harvest that needs them. The thread is the stubborn, surprising reliability of God when the human side of the equation looks impossible.On the second track, the day is about identity and mission. Exodus names Israel as a kingdom of priests; Psalm 100 calls the whole earth to worship the God who has made and gathered them; Romans grounds the believer in the love of God; and the Gospel sends the disciples out as the very priestly people God has been forming all along. The thread is the long, patient work of God shaping a people who exist for the sake of the world.The Gospel is the natural preaching center either way. Jesus' compassion and the sending of the Twelve gather both threads — God's faithfulness across generations and the formation of a people who are sent. * If you are on Track One, Romans pairs with Genesis to insist that the church's hope is grounded in God's character, not in our circumstances. * If you are on Track Two, Exodus and Psalm 100 prepare the congregation to hear today's sending as the latest chapter in God's long pattern of making a priestly people. * The psalms work best as sung or spoken responses; either one offers a line worth carrying into the sermon — “what shall I return to the Lord?” or “we are God's people, and the sheep of God's pasture.”If you haven't already, be sure to check out “The Thursday Sermon” (which actually comes out on Wednesday each week) as an example of how these preaching insights can be used. There are also additional “Liturgical Resources” for each week that you are WELCOMED and ENCOURAGED to use in your worship services. Acknowledgment to “Lectionary.pro” will be greatly appreciated. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lectionarypro.substack.com/subscribe

Join us as we study through the Epistle to the Galatians in our sermon series, "The Gospel at Work."In today's podcast, we will be focusing on Galatians 5:2-6.If you have any questions or would like to leave a comment, please feel free to email us at info@ravenswoodbaptist.org

First Sunday after Pentecost Trinity Sunday Old Testament: Genesis 1:1-2:4a 1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." 7So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. 9And God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. 14And God said, "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth." And it was so. 16God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. 20And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky." 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 24And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so. 25God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."27So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." 29God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. 31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. 1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude.2And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. 4These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. Psalm: Canticle 13 Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *        you are worthy of praise; glory to you. Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *        we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *        on the throne of your majesty, glory to you. Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *        we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Glory to you, beholding the depths; *        in the high vault of heaven, glory to you. Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *        we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. Epistle: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 11Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. 13The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

May 30, 2026

Fr. Francisco Nahoe, OFM Conv., has served the Church and the Franciscan Order in Catholic education, campus ministry, parochial ministry, and catechesis. He is a chaplain at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, and focuses his scholarly efforts on Renaissance rhetoric and Polynesian ethnohistory. In Today's Show: How do we resolve the issue of death preceding the existence of humanity? What is the meaning of the "implanted word" in the Epistle of James? In the parable of the ten gold coins, does usury come into play with collecting interest? Was the first time the Holy Spirit came down to Earth Pentecost? What's the best refutation for "Jesus did not know the hour, therefore he is not God"? Should someone impatient avoid evangelizing others? How can the Church make cafeteria and cultural Catholics more zealous? How can someone become devoted to a particular saint?  Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike reflects on the gospel that he has rediscovered while studying through Epistle to the Galatians and shares how deeply the recent study on grace impacted him personally. Sometimes familiar truths can become so common that we forget how life-changing they truly are, and Mike discusses how being reminded of God's grace has renewed his appreciation for the gospel. This episode explores the beauty of salvation by grace through faith, the freedom found in Christ, and why the gospel is not simply the starting point of the Christian life but the foundation we continually return to every day.

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike looks at Epistle to the Galatians 1:10–12 and explores why believers can trust the gospel message that Paul preached. Paul explains that his message did not originate from human wisdom, religious tradition, or popular opinion, but came through a direct revelation from Jesus Christ Himself. Mike discusses how Paul's divine calling and revelation gave him the authority to teach boldly and confront false teaching, even when the message was difficult to hear. This episode reminds us that the gospel we believe is trustworthy because its source is not man, but God Himself through Jesus Christ.

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Epistle reading for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Romans 11:33–36. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. 

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike looks at Epistle to the Galatians 1:10 and the challenge of living for the pleasure of God rather than the approval of people. Paul's words to the Galatians were difficult and confrontational, but they flowed from faithfulness to God and genuine love for the church rather than a desire to please others. Mike explores how the true gospel often requires courage, honesty, and a willingness to stand firm even when the message is unpopular. This episode encourages believers to trust God's truth above public opinion and to live as servants of Christ first and foremost.

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike looks at Epistle to the Galatians 1:6–9 and Paul's passionate defense of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul is astonished that some believers were turning away from the gospel of grace and embracing distorted teachings that added human effort and legalism to salvation. Mike explores the seriousness of Paul's warning that anyone preaching a different gospel is under a curse, ultimately pointing to the eternal consequences of rejecting the true gospel. This episode is a powerful reminder that salvation comes by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone — there is no other gospel that can save.

Send us Fan MailBetween the Seasons Bonus Episode. Excerpts from my Audio Book of Martin Luther's Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians.... You can support my work by purchasing this book in one of three formats.To listen to this audiobook for free on Audible: Martin Luther Commentary On the Epistle to the Galatians: A New Contemporary English Version by Jeremy R McCandless (Audio Download): Martin Luther, Jeremy R McCandless, Jeremy R McCandless, Jeremy R McCandless: Amazon.co.uk: BooksFor Kindle Version:  Martin Luther Commentary On the Epistle to the Galatians.: A New Contemporary English Version by Jeremy R McCandless eBook : Luther, Martin, McCandless, Jeremy R: Amazon.co.uk: BooksTo Buy the Paperback: Martin Luther Commentary On the Epistle to the Galatians.: A New Contemporary English Version by Jeremy R McCandless: Amazon.co.uk: Luther, Martin, McCandless, Jeremy R: 9798277254646: BooksSupport the showThis podcast is not associated with the Bible Project YouTube channel or any other associated podcasts that use the name 'Bible Project'. It is entirely the work of Jeremy R McCandless...Follow and support me on Patreon.Jeremy McCandless | Creating Podcasts and Bible Study Resources | PatreonTo receive my weekly newsletter and keep up to date with all five of my podcasts, subscribe at:Jeremy McCandless | SubstackCheck out my other Podcasts.My History of the Christian Church: https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.comThe L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.comThe Renewed Mind Podcast. My Psychology and Mental Health Podcast:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891The Classic Literature Podcast:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568906To visit my Author page on Amazon and view my entire back catalogue of books on both Amazon and Kindle, and now also on Audible, Visit:Amazon.com: Jeremy R Mccandless: books, biography, latest...

This week in "We Can Be Heroes," we look at the life of Moses and discover that real courage is not the absence of fear, but obedience in the middle of it. From running in fear to standing before Pharaoh in faith, Moses' story reminds us that God doesn't call fearless people—He calls ordinary people who are willing to trust Him step by step. Through powerful moments in The Book of Exodus and Epistle to the Hebrews, this message challenges us to stop letting fear have the final word and start placing our faith in the presence and faithfulness of God. No matter what fear has been shouting in your life lately, God is still calling you forward in faith.

Episode Synopsis:Season Five of the Blessed Hope Podcast is underway.  I know that for many of you, the Book of Romans is your favorite letter in all the New Testament.  When we wrapped up our time in 2 Corinthians a couple of months ago, the clock started on launching Season Five.  I love Romans, I've preached through it twice using the lectio continua style of exposition, and I have lectured on parts of Romans on a number of other occasions.  So I am very excited about season five, and I've worked very hard to get this verse by verse deep dive Bible study ready to go.There can be little doubt that Paul's letter to the church in Rome is one of the most important letters ever written.  As we will discuss in this episode, the Epistle to the Romans has had a tremendous impact upon the course and history of Western Civilization, as well as a huge impact upon the people of God ever since it was written.  For reasons we will address momentarily, the Book of Romans has a clarity and power about it which brings Reformation and renewal to Christ's church whenever it is proclaimed from the pulpit and studied by the people of God. We open Season Five with two episodes devoted to the importance and historical background of the epistle.  In this first episode we'll take a look at the ways in which this letter has impacted the world in which we live, and we'll consider some of the key figures in church history and their testimonies about the influence which Romans has had upon them and their ministries.  The influence of Paul's letter to the church in Rome is truly remarkable.That done, we'll briefly look at some of the main themes of the letter.  What ground does Paul seek to cover in this letter to a church in the very capital of a pagan empire?  Why did the renewed interest in Romans some 500 years ago generate many of the controversies which led to the Protestant Reformation and the split from the Roman Catholic church?  Why does Romans still generate controversies, such as those associated with the New Perspective on Paul?  What about those doctrines long associated with confessional Reformed theology?  Can we find them in Romans?  So, in addition to the themes laid out by Paul in this letter, I'll identify some of the main controversies we will address when we get into the meat of the letter.  I'll also explain my operating assumptions as we open a new season–why am I approaching this letter from an exegetical, theological, historical, and confessional perspective?For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Epistle to the Romans chapter 12 calls believers to respond to God's mercy by offering their lives as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to Him. Paul urges Christians not to conform to the patterns of the world, but to be transformed through the renewing of their minds. The chapter emphasizes humility, unity within the body of Christ, the use of spiritual gifts, sincere love, patience in trials, and overcoming evil with good. Romans 12 reminds us that true worship is not only what we say, but how we live, serve, love, and reflect Christ daily. Hashtags: #Romans12 #LivingSacrifice #TransformedMind #RenewYourMind #LoveInAction #OvercomeEvilWithGood #ChristianLivingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.“Thank you for listening to SendMe Radio — where we share the Gospel, inspire faith, and keep you connected with powerful stories and updates from around the world. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe so you never miss a message.And remember — you can listen to SendMe Radio streaming 24/7 at www.sendmeradio.net or simply say: ‘Hey Alexa, play SendMe Radio.'

Join us as we study through the Epistle to the Galatians in our sermon series, "The Gospel at Work."In today's podcast, we will be focusing on Galatians 5:19-21.If you have any questions or would like to leave a comment, please feel free to email us at info@ravenswoodbaptist.org

He was a "priest of the most high God" (Genesis 14:18-20), who blessed our Forefather Abraham and "brought forth bread and wine," prefiguring the Holy Eucharist, centuries before the Law was given to Moses or Christ became incarnate. The Epistle to the Hebrews (ch. 7) reveals Melchizedek, the Priest-King, to be a type of Christ.

Fr. Francisco Nahoe, OFM Conv., has served the Church and the Franciscan Order in Catholic education, campus ministry, parochial ministry, and catechesis. He is a chaplain at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, and focuses his scholarly efforts on Renaissance rhetoric and Polynesian ethnohistory. In Today's Show: Is there a difference in how to deal with a heretic vs a believer in Titus and Matthew? What is the biblical justification for confession? Why can't animals be baptized? Why does Jesus refer to himself as the Son of Man? Do priests typically keep an archive of their past homilies? Does Gen Z have an increased interest in Catholicism? What is the "desolating abomination" in Matthew 24? And more. Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike looks at Epistle to the Galatians 1:1–5 and the foundation Paul lays for the entire letter. Before addressing correction and false teaching, Paul begins by celebrating the gospel and the finished work of Jesus Christ through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Mike highlights how these opening verses center on God's grace, Christ's sacrifice for our sins, and the deliverance we have through Him. Even in a letter filled with strong warnings, Paul sets the tone by pointing believers back to the hope, freedom, and victory found in the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike focuses on Epistle to the Galatians 1:1 and the calling of the Apostle Paul. Paul opens the letter by establishing that his apostleship was not given by men or human authority, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father. Mike explores how this divine calling gave Paul the authority and responsibility to speak truth to the churches in Galatia, even when the message was difficult to hear. The episode highlights the importance of God-given calling, faithful leadership, and the courage to stand firmly for the true gospel in the face of confusion and compromise. When Paul Speaks, we should listen Mike Conan

Visit www.joniradio.org for more inspiration and encouragement! --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike begins an introductory study through the Epistle to the Galatians, exploring the background, purpose, and urgency behind Paul's powerful letter. Mike discusses the likely timing of the book, the authorship of the Apostle Paul, and the region of Galatia where these churches were located. He also highlights the central issue that prompted the letter — growing threats to the true gospel as false teachers attempted to add legalism and human effort to salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This introduction sets the stage for a deeper look at the freedom, truth, and transforming power of the gospel that Paul passionately defends throughout Galatians.

Why does doing the right thing sometimes feel impossible? Why do feelings of guilt follow us even when we've been forgiven? These aren't new questions. St. Paul wrote his letter to the Romans for a church he had never visited, and yet he addressed the struggles every Christian knows firsthand: the weight of the law, the persistence of sin, the sufficiency of what God has done in Christ. Romans covers enormous ground. Paul moves from the universal problem of sin through justification by faith, the role of baptism, the war between flesh and spirit, God's faithfulness to Israel, and the shape of life together in the body of Christ. There's a reason the Reformation was born in this letter. Join us on Thy Strong Word as we open up Romans, weekdays at 11am or on-demand anytime, at KFUO.org.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

This guide covers the readings appointed in the Revised Common Lectionary for the Day of Pentecost, Year A, falling on May 24, 2026. Pentecost is the fiftieth day of the Easter season — the Sunday on which the church remembers the coming of the Holy Spirit. The lectionary offers several choices at three of the four reading positions this day, which can be confusing. The note below explains the options, and this guide covers all of them.A note on the options (just so you'll know): The lectionary for Pentecost offers these choices. (1) First Reading: Acts 2:1–21 or Numbers 11:24–30. (2) Epistle: 1 Corinthians 12:3b–13 or Acts 2:1–21 (Acts moves to the epistle slot when Numbers is used as the first reading, so Acts is read either way). (3) Gospel: John 20:19–23 or John 7:37–39. The Psalm (104:24–34, 35b) has no alternative. Most congregations will use Acts 2 as the first reading; this guide treats Acts 2 as primary and gives full coverage to all the alternatives.The ReadingsActs 2:1–21First Reading (Primary Option) — The Day of PentecostSummaryOn the day of Pentecost, the followers of Jesus are gathered together when the Spirit arrives with the sound of rushing wind and what looks like fire resting on each of them. They begin speaking in languages other than their own. A crowd gathers — devout Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem for the festival from many different countries — and to their astonishment each person hears the disciples speaking in their own native language. Some are amazed; others mock the disciples as drunk. Peter stands up and addresses them, explaining that what they are seeing is the fulfillment of the prophet Joel's promise: in the last days God will pour out the Spirit on every kind of person, crossing the usual lines of age, gender, and social status, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.Pentecost by Kseniya LaptevaKey Ideas for Preaching1. The miracle at Pentecost is, very specifically, a miracle of communication across difference. The disciples do not all speak one universal language that everyone somehow understands. They speak many languages — the actual languages of the people standing in the crowd. The Spirit does not erase cultural and linguistic differences; it crosses them. What might it look like for your congregation to take this seriously? Real welcome is not everyone becoming the same. It is everyone being met in their own voice.2. Peter's quotation from the prophet Joel insists that the Spirit is poured out on everyone: sons and daughters, young and old, those at the top of the social order and those at the bottom. Every line that might limit who has access to God is named and crossed. Which of those lines does your congregation still tend to observe, even without meaning to? Where might the Spirit be inviting you to cross one?3. The crowd's first reaction is mockery. When the Spirit moves, it sometimes produces confusion and ridicule before it produces understanding. That is worth naming honestly for a congregation that might expect a movement of God to look tidy. What if your people's discomfort with something new is not a sign that God is absent, but a sign that something is actually happening?4. The text begins by saying the disciples were all together in one place. That gathering is named as the setting in which the Spirit arrives. The Spirit is not poured out on scattered individuals here — it comes upon a gathered community. What does this say about why it still matters to show up, to be present together, in a culture that often treats faith as a private matter?Significant Cautions• Pentecost is sometimes called the birthday of the church. That phrase can give the impression that God was not at work among people before this moment, or that the Jewish community from which the church grew has somehow been left behind. Neither is true. Peter grounds the whole event in Jewish prophecy. The church does not replace something old; it grows out of it.• The mockers in the crowd are easy to dismiss as villains or to use as a foil for the faithful. But they are not really villains — they are genuinely confused by something they have never seen before. Be careful about setting up a sharp us-versus-them dynamic between the believers and the skeptics.• The promise that everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved is a quotation Peter draws from Joel and applies to this specific moment. Be careful about lifting it out of the story and turning it into a simple formula that ignores the communal witness and the changed lives that surround it in the rest of Acts.Numbers 11:24–30First Reading (Alternative Option) — The Spirit Shared with the EldersSummaryMoses, worn down by the burden of leading Israel through the wilderness, has cried out to God for help. God tells him to gather seventy elders at the tent of meeting and shares some of the spirit resting on Moses with them, and they begin to prophesy — though only this one time. Two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, had stayed back in the camp rather than coming to the tent, and the spirit comes upon them there too. Joshua, Moses's assistant, is disturbed and asks Moses to stop them. Moses refuses, saying he wishes all of God's people were prophets and that God would put the Spirit on every one of them.Key Ideas for Preaching1. Moses's wish — that all the Lord's people would be prophets — is exactly what Pentecost finally delivers. If you are preaching both this text and Acts 2, you can draw that line clearly. What Moses longed for, the Spirit at Pentecost gives. The Spirit is no longer reserved for a few special leaders. What might change in your congregation if people actually believed that the Spirit had been given to all of them, not just to the clergy?2. Eldad and Medad receive the Spirit out in the camp, away from the official gathering, without having done the expected thing of showing up at the tent. The Spirit moves where it wants. Joshua wants to stop them; Moses refuses. Where in your congregation, or your community, is the Spirit clearly at work in places or people you would not have predicted? Are you paying attention, or are you trying to call them back to the tent?3. Moses's response to Joshua shows a kind of leadership that is not threatened by other people receiving what he has. He does not protect his role; he gladly shares it. Many leaders in church and elsewhere quietly fear that empowering other people will diminish them. What would it look like to lead the way Moses leads here?Significant Cautions• The seventy elders prophesy this one time and never again. It is a moment, not an ongoing gift. Be careful about treating Moses's story as a straight preview of Pentecost in a way that flattens out the genuine newness of what happens in Acts. The connection is real and worth drawing; the two events are not identical.• Joshua is not condemned for wanting to stop Eldad and Medad — he is acting out of loyalty to Moses. Be gentle in using him as a negative example. The instinct to protect structures and proper channels is not always wrong. It is just sometimes misapplied.Psalm 104:24–34, 35bThe Psalm — The Spirit That Renews the Face of the EarthSummaryThis part of the great creation psalm marvels at how varied and abundant God's creation is. Every living thing — from the countless creatures of the vast sea to all the rest — looks to God for food and receives what it needs in its time. When God withdraws, creatures are troubled; when God takes back their breath, they die and return to dust. But when God sends out the divine Spirit — the same word that means breath or wind — they are created again, and the face of the earth is made new. The psalm closes with a vow to sing to God for as long as the singer has life, and a prayer that God will be pleased with the song.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The word for Spirit in this psalm is the same word for breath and wind (ruach )— the same creative power that hovered over the waters at the beginning of Genesis. On Pentecost, this image reaches back across the whole Bible and grounds the coming of the Spirit in something much older than the upper room in Jerusalem. The breath of God has been animating creation from the beginning. (Genesis 1:2) What does it do for your congregation to hear that the Spirit who came at Pentecost is the same Spirit who breathed life into the first creatures?2. The line about God sending out the Spirit so that creatures are created and the face of the earth is renewed is one of the most hopeful sentences in the whole Bible. Renewal is what the Spirit does. How might this widen the frame of your Pentecost sermon beyond the church alone? The Spirit who renewed the earth is the same Spirit poured out on the disciples.3. The mood of the psalm is wonder — delight at what God has made. Could Pentecost be an occasion not just to explain the Spirit but to invite your congregation into that same posture: paying attention, giving thanks, being astonished at what God is doing?Significant Cautions• The psalm describes creatures dying when God withdraws breath. It is part of the rhythm of creation in the psalm, but it can land hard in a congregation where someone is grieving. Be careful not to use this image casually in a way that suggests God has withdrawn from a person's loved one.• The poetry of the psalm is expansive and imaginative. Resist the urge to flatten it into a proof text for a particular view of how creation happened or how it works scientifically. The purpose of the psalm is praise, not explanation.1 Corinthians 12:3b–13The Epistle (Primary Option) — Many Gifts, One SpiritSummaryPaul is writing to a church in Corinth that has been arguing about spiritual gifts — specifically, about who has the more impressive ones. He begins with a basic test of authenticity: only the Holy Spirit enables someone to say Jesus is Lord. Then he describes the wide variety of gifts in the church — wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous works, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation — insisting that all of them come from one and the same Spirit, who distributes them as the Spirit chooses, and all are given for the good of the whole community. Paul closes with the image of the body: just as a body is one but has many parts, so it is with Christ. We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — Jews and Greeks, enslaved and free — and we all share in the one Spirit.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The gifts Paul lists are not awards for spiritual achievement. They are given by the Spirit, however the Spirit chooses, and they are given for the benefit of the whole community rather than the prestige of the recipient. This cuts both ways. It speaks to the person who quietly believes their gift makes them important. It also speaks to the person who quietly believes they have no gift at all. Neither of those positions matches the text. What might happen if your congregation actually believed that every person in the room had been given something for the good of everyone else?2. The body image at the end of the passage looks simple but carries real weight. Every part of the body is needed. No part can opt out, and no part can claim to be more important than another. What does the body of your congregation actually look like? Which members get treated as more important? Which members feel like they barely belong? What would change if everyone took Paul at his word here?3. Paul is not writing a peaceful, theoretical description of an ideal community. He is writing pastoral correction to a real church that is fighting about exactly this issue. That makes the passage more useful, not less. Where is your congregation tempted to rank one another — by gift, by giving, by visibility, by status — and what would Paul have to say about it?4. The last line of the passage says that the unity Paul is describing is already a reality. It happened in baptism. The congregation is not being asked to build unity from scratch; it is being asked to live into something that has already been given. How does it change the way you preach about unity when you stop treating it as a goal and start treating it as a gift to be received?Significant Cautions• Lists of spiritual gifts have sometimes been used to rank Christians, or to claim that one particular gift — often speaking in tongues — is the real sign that the Spirit is present. Paul's whole argument here runs against that use. The Spirit gives whatever the Spirit chooses to give. No person and no group gets to decide which gifts count the most.• Paul mentions the categories of “enslaved or free” alongside Jews and Greeks. He does not, in this letter, challenge slavery as an institution. Be honest about that. The image of being one body in Christ did not, on its own, end the social and economic injustices of the ancient world. Speaking of unity in Christ should not be used to suggest that hard questions of justice take care of themselves.• The unity Paul describes is not uniformity. The whole point of the body image is that the body has many different parts that do different things. Be careful not to use the language of one body to pressure a diverse congregation into one cultural or stylistic expression of worship.John 20:19–23The Gospel (Primary Option) — Peace and the Breath of the SpiritSummaryOn the evening of the first Easter Sunday, the disciples are huddled together behind locked doors because they are afraid. Jesus comes and stands among them and says, peace be with you. He shows them the wounds in his hands and his side, and they are overjoyed. He says it a second time: peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. Then he breathes on them and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit. If they forgive anyone's sins, those sins are forgiven; if they hold them against someone, the sins remain.Key Ideas for Preaching1. Jesus breathes on the disciples and gives them the Spirit. The image deliberately echoes the moment in Genesis when God breathed life into the first human being. This is presented as a kind of new creation. How might it shift the meaning of Pentecost for your congregation to see it as part of God's long pattern of creating and renewing life, rather than as an isolated, one-time event?2. In John's telling, the Spirit is given on Easter evening — not fifty days later. That is a different account than the one in Acts 2. Rather than smoothing over the difference, what would it look like to be honest with your congregation that the two accounts are doing different theological work? John ties the Spirit directly to the resurrection. Acts ties it to the Jewish festival of Pentecost. Both are saying something true about who the Spirit is.3. The commission and the gift come together. As the Father has sent me, Jesus says, so I am sending you — and then he gives them the Spirit. The Spirit is not given for a private spiritual experience. It is given for a sending. What does it mean for your congregation to receive a gift that, from its very first moment, is pointed outward?4. Jesus places in the hands of this community the responsibility of forgiving sins, of releasing one another from what binds. This has caused real argument in the church about authority. But at the very least, what would it look like for your congregation to take seriously the practice of concrete, embodied forgiveness — not as an abstract idea but as something this community is actually called to do?Significant Cautions• The difference between John's account and Acts is real. John puts the Spirit on Easter evening, and Acts puts it fifty days later at Pentecost. Resist the temptation to harmonize them or explain the difference away. Sermons that name the difference honestly tend to land better than sermons that pretend it is not there.• Jesus says that if the disciples retain sins, those sins are retained. Throughout history, this line has been used to justify exclusion, punishment, and harsh church discipline. Be clear that the main direction of what Jesus says here is toward forgiveness — the releasing of what binds people — not toward the exercise of power over those who are kept out.• The locked doors and the fear of the disciples can be used to make the post-Easter community look like a failure. But these are still the people Jesus comes to and the people he sends. Their fear is the starting point of the story, not the verdict on them. Take care not to shame your congregation's own fear when you preach this scene.John 7:37–39The Gospel (Alternative Option) — Rivers of Living WaterSummaryOn the last and most important day of the Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus stands up in the temple courts and cries out, inviting anyone who is thirsty to come to him and drink. Whoever believes in him, he says, will have rivers of living water flowing from within. John then adds a note explaining that Jesus was speaking about the Spirit, who would be given to believers later — after Jesus had been glorified.Key Ideas for Preaching1. The image of rivers of living water flowing from inside a person is one of the most vivid pictures of the Spirit in any of the Gospels. It is not a trickle. It is not a reservoir you fill up once. It is an ongoing, outward flow. The Spirit is not given to be stored. What would it look like for your congregation to think of the Spirit not as something they have, but as something that flows through them on its way to someone else?2. Jesus makes this announcement on the last day of the Festival of Tabernacles, when water was being poured out as a ritual prayer for rain. The crowd would have felt the weight of the image right away. Could your congregation feel what it means to be genuinely thirsty — not mildly curious about God, but actually in need?3. John explains in a brief note that the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified. The coming of the Spirit is tied directly to the cross and the resurrection. How does it deepen a Pentecost sermon to remind the congregation that the Spirit they celebrate today comes as the fruit of what happened at Easter?Significant Cautions• The phrase about living water flowing from within can sound as though the Spirit is essentially a private inner experience of abundance. But the setting here is a public festival, and Jesus is shouting in the middle of a crowd. The water flows outward, not just inward. Be careful with a reading that turns this into a purely personal experience.• Jesus says the scripture has said something about rivers of living water, but no single passage in the Hebrew Bible is a clear match. Different scholars suggest different texts. Avoid confidently pointing to one specific passage as the source without acknowledging that no one is sure.Thematic ConnectionsEvery text appointed for Pentecost points toward the same central claim: the Spirit of God is now given freely, widely, and without the restrictions that once limited who could receive it. * In Acts, the Spirit crosses every linguistic and cultural line in Jerusalem. * In Numbers, it escapes the official gathering and finds two men out in the camp. * In Psalm 104, it is the breath that renews the whole face of the earth. * In 1 Corinthians, it distributes gifts to every member of the body for the good of the whole community. * In John, it is given on Easter evening to a group of frightened disciples and turns them into a sent people — or it is the living water that flows outward from whoever believes.Acts 2 is the natural center for Pentecost preaching. It is the story the day is built around, and its images of wind and fire and languages are difficult to displace. But 1 Corinthians 12 offers a strong complementary angle for congregations that need to hear about the practical, community-shaping work of the Spirit rather than just its dramatic arrival. And for congregations that preached Acts 2 last year and want something different, either John 7:37–39 or John 20:19–23 opens a distinctive door. The psalm works best in worship as a spoken or sung response rather than as the main preaching text, though its image of the Spirit renewing the face of the earth is worth a sentence or two in almost any Pentecost sermon. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lectionarypro.substack.com/subscribe

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike talks about the incredible reality of God's love and how it is not just an idea or theological concept, but a life-changing truth that transforms us from the inside out. Using Epistle to the Ephesians chapter 3 and Epistle to the Romans 5:5 as the foundation, Mike shares how God's love strengthens, anchors, and fills believers through the power of the Holy Spirit. When we truly grasp the depth of Christ's love for us, it changes the way we live, love others, and walk through everyday life.

In this episode of the Maranatha Pursuit series, Uzihel and Brisa Alfaro and I continue our conversation through Epistle of James 5:7–12, focusing on prayer, unity in suffering, steadfast endurance, and wholehearted devotion as we await the coming of the Lord.Together, we discuss the realities of navigating hardship and how establishing our hearts through prayer helps sustain us while living with hopeful expectation. We also reflect on Job as an example of faithful endurance and unpack what James means when he says, “Let your yes be yes.”James reminds us that waiting is not passive; it is a pursuit of steadfast hope, faithful living, and trust in the promises of God.Please leave a comment or review for this episode to help us share this content with others! Connect with us:  Website: https://www.narcelyruiz.com/podcastInstagram: http://instagram.com/upstreampursuitFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/UpstreamPursuit/

In this episode Chuck reflects on the powerful reminder that the Lord's mercies are made new every single morning, at first light. He walks through The Epistle to the Romans and explains how God's grace, freedom, and promises meet us fresh each day no matter what we're carrying. This episode is an encouraging conversation about living without condemnation, trusting the Spirit, and finding hope in the unchanging mercy of God.

284 Intro Historical Theology: Why Church History MattersAfter the apostles died, the church did not disappear. It continued to preserve, defend, and pass down the truth once delivered to the saints. In this episode of Kitchen Table Theology, Pastor Jeff Cranston and Tiffany continue their historical theology series by introducing Clement of Rome, one of the earliest Apostolic Fathers. They explain why Clement matters, what his letter to the Corinthian church reveals about early Christian belief, and how his writings point believers back to Scripture, humility, unity, and justification by faith in Christ alone.00:55 What Is Historical Theology?Historical theology studies how Christian doctrine developed and was defended throughout church history.02:30 The Patristic PeriodAfter the death of the Apostle John, the church entered the patristic period, the era of the early church fathers.04:00 Who Were the Apostolic Fathers?The Apostolic Fathers include Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Papias of Hierapolis, and several key early Christian writings, including The Didache, The Epistle of Barnabas, The Shepherd of Hermas, and The Epistle to Diognetus. 06:15 What Does Orthodoxy Mean?Orthodoxy means right belief, helping Christians distinguish true biblical doctrine from error.07:30 Preserving Apostolic TeachingAfter the apostles died, the church did not disappear. Early Christian leaders helped preserve and defend the teachings handed down to them.11:00 Who Was Clement of Rome?Clement of Rome was an early bishop who lived near the end of the first century and wrote an important letter to the church at Corinth.18:15 Justification by Faith in the Early ChurchClement clearly taught that salvation is not earned by human effort, but received by faith in Christ.20:30 What Clement Teaches Us TodayClement reminds believers to be shaped by Scripture, pursue unity, and trust in Christ alone for salvation.“ Studying historical theology should make us steadier. Clement reminds us that faithful Christians anchor themselves in scripture. We pursue humility.” – Pastor Jeff Cranston

Andronicus is counted as one of the Seventy. He and his fellow-worker Junia are mentioned by St Paul in his Epistle to the Romans: "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles, who also were in Christ before me" (Romans 16:7). Some, troubled that a woman is mentioned as an Apostle, have attempted to translate "Junia" as "Junias," a man's name; but the Fathers are united in treating her as "Junia." It may be that they were husband and wife, like Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18), but the ancient witnesses do not tell us.   Andronicus became Bishop of Pannonia, but did not stay in one place, instead travelling throughout the world to proclaim the Gospel. Both Andronicus and Junia were granted the gift of wonder-working. Both of them suffered for Christ and were finally martyred.

Join us as we study through the Epistle to the Galatians in our sermon series, "The Gospel at Work."In today's podcast, we will be focusing on Galatians 5:19.If you have any questions or would like to leave a comment, please feel free to email us at info@ravenswoodbaptist.org

Seventh Sunday of Easter The First Lesson Acts 1:6-14 When the apostles had come together, they asked Jesus, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. The Psalm Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36 Exsurgat Deus 1 Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; * let those who hate him flee before him. 2 Let them vanish like smoke when the wind drives it away; * as the wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. 3 But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; * let them also be merry and joyful. 4 Sing to God, sing praises to his Name; exalt him who rides upon the heavens; * YAHWEH is his Name, rejoice before him! 5 Father of orphans, defender of widows, * God in his holy habitation! 6 God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners into freedom; * but the rebels shall live in dry places. 7 O God, when you went forth before your people, * when you marched through the wilderness, 8 The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain, at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, * at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 9 You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; * you refreshed the land when it was weary. 10 Your people found their home in it; * in your goodness, O God, you have made provision for the poor. 33 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; * sing praises to the Lord. 34 He rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; * he sends forth his voice, his mighty voice. 35 Ascribe power to God; * his majesty is over Israel; his strength is in the skies. 36 How wonderful is God in his holy places! * the God of Israel giving strength and power to his people! Blessed be God! The Epistle 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. The Gospel John 17:1-11 Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one."

May 16, 2026

Epistle to Philemon has only one chapter, and it is a powerful personal letter from Paul to Philemon concerning Onesimus, a servant who had become a believer in Christ. Paul appeals to Philemon not to receive Onesimus as a servant only, but as a beloved brother in the Lord. The letter beautifully demonstrates Christian forgiveness, reconciliation, humility, and transformation through grace. It reminds believers that the Gospel changes relationships, breaks barriers, and calls us to treat one another with love, mercy, and dignity. Hashtags: #Philemon #Forgiveness #Restoration #BrotherhoodInChrist #GraceAndMercy #ChristianLove #ReconciledInChristBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.“Thank you for listening to SendMe Radio — where we share the Gospel, inspire faith, and keep you connected with powerful stories and updates from around the world. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe so you never miss a message.And remember — you can listen to SendMe Radio streaming 24/7 at www.sendmeradio.net or simply say: ‘Hey Alexa, play SendMe Radio.'

Fr. William Rock, FSSP, serves as Parochial Vicar at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Nashua, New Hampshire. He was ordained in October of 2019 and serves as a regular contributor to the FSSP North America Missive Blog. Fr. Rock is also currently contributing to TAN Books “Year of the Latin Mass.”  Fr. Rock's video contributions can be found on TAN Books YouTube page. Show Resources: Tan Books: Year of the Latin Mass In Today's Show: Where in scripture does it say that we will be reunited with our physical bodies? What does Paul mean when he says, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain"? Where did the month of May being dedicated to Mary come from? If an infant died before they could become baptized, could they have been baptized by desire? What does it mean to be enrolled in the brown scapular? What is the difference between a Gospel and an Epistle? How should Catholics approach accumulating wealth? What is the history of the vigil of Pentecost? And more. Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!

Welcome to our Reveal podcast,Today, we journey through the powerful message of Epistle to the Galatians  a call to live in the freedom Christ has given us while staying aligned with the Holy Spirit.The Apostle Paul reminds believers that salvation isn't earned through rules, traditions, or performance. Instead, we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone. But freedom in Christ isn't permission to live carelessly  it's an invitation to walk daily with the Spirit.“Stay in step with the Spirit,” Paul writes, encouraging believers to reflect the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In a world pulling us in every direction, Galatians teaches us to keep our hearts aligned with God's truth and our lives moving in rhythm with His purpose.To support this ministry and help us continue our God-given mission, clickhere:Subscribe to our channel for the latest sermons:https://www.youtube.com/@revealvineyardLearn more about Vineyard Church Reveal Campus:https://www.revealvineyard.com/Follow us on social media!Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/vineyardrevealcampusFacebook | https://www.facebook.com/RevealVineyard

Revisiting the God-fearer Thesis in the Development of Early Christianity (T&T Clark, 2025) examines in depth the theory, evidence, and trail of scholarly work on god-fearers. Thomas A. Robinson argues for substantial revisions in the depiction of the god-fearer phenomenon, the story of early Christianity and its engagement with both Jews and with the larger Greco-Roman population. Robinson provides a thorough analysis of the god-fearer theory, examining scholarly debate and primary literary and inscriptional materials put forward as evidence for the god-fearer theory. Robinson begins with an exploration of the god-fearing community, its definition, or lack thereof, and its role as a bridge to Christianity in the Greco-Roman world. He then examines the key features of god-fearers, and the scholarly appeal to circumcision as the primary barrier preventing god-fearer conversion to Judaism. The volume concludes with an exploration of Luke's Acts and its readers and a thorough investigation of inscriptional and literary evidence supporting god-fearer theory. Thomas A. Robinson holds a PhD in Religious Studies from McMaster University, having majored in Judaism and Christianity in the Greco-Roman Era and minored in Indian Philosophy. He has taught world religions courses for over thirty years and has published several books on early and modern Christianity, co-authored a world religions text, and developed books and software for New Testament Greek. Among his other publications on early Christianity, he has authored Ignatius of Antioch and the Parting of the Ways: Early-Jewish Christian Relations (Hendrickson, 2009) and Who Were the First Christians? Dismanting the Urban Thesis (Oxford University Press, 2017). Jonathon Lookadoo is Associate Professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea. While his interests range widely over the world of early Christianity, he is the author of books on the Epistle of Barnabas, Ignatius of Antioch, and the Shepherd of Hermas, including The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade, 2023). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

 In this episode, we look to Epistle of James 5:7–12 for encouragement to believers navigating hardship, injustice, and everyday struggles while still living with hopeful expectation. James reminds us that waiting is not passive; it is a pursuit of faithful living, steadfast hope, and trust in the promises of God. Please leave a comment or review for this episode to help us share this content with others! Connect with us:  Website: https://www.narcelyruiz.com/podcastInstagram: http://instagram.com/upstreampursuitFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/UpstreamPursuit/

Join us as we study through the Epistle to the Galatians in our sermon series, "The Gospel at Work."In today's podcast, we will be focusing on Galatians 5:16-18.If you have any questions or would like to leave a comment, please feel free to email us at info@ravenswoodbaptist.org

website www.bishinthenow.com +Youtube – BishInTheNow Bishop Jim’s insightful messages help others find THEIR METRON through M~otivation E~nlightenment T~ranscendence R~enewal O~utreach and N~etworking Watch the video on Facebook:   Here Watch the video on Youtube :   Here Follow Jim Swilley on Facebook to see the videos live Sundays at 11 am – https://www.youtube.com/bishinthenow In this deeply personal and spiritually expansive teaching, Bishop Jim Swilley introduces a new series titled “Align with the Divine: Discovering the New Heaven and Earth From Within.” Using stories from his recent family experiences, encounters in New York, and reflections on Pentecostal spirituality, Bishop Swilley explores the power of alignment — the harmony between thoughts, words, actions, spirit, soul, and body. He argues that inner peace and manifestation come not from striving or controlling outcomes, but from authentic self-acceptance and releasing the need for external validation. The message blends scripture, mysticism, emotional healing, and practical wisdom into a powerful meditation on living without internal conflict. Main Takeaways Alignment Is Harmony Between Your Inner and Outer Life Bishop Swilley defines alignment as living in integrity where your thoughts, words, and actions work together instead of against each other. He references a quote often attributed to Gandhi: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” — attributed to Mahatma Gandhi He explains that misalignment creates internal conflict, which eventually manifests as external conflict. Authenticity becomes the key to peace. “You cannot be inauthentic and in alignment.” — Bishop Jim Swilley Revelation's “No More Sea” Represents the End of Separation Using Book of Revelation 21:1, Bishop Swilley offers a symbolic interpretation of the “new heaven and new earth.” “I saw a new heaven and a new earth… and there was no longer any sea.” — Revelation 21:1 He teaches that in the ancient world, the sea represented fear, division, boundaries, and the unknown. The “new earth” is a consciousness without separation. “The sea represented division. It represented the unknown. It was a border. It was a boundary.” — Bishop Jim Swilley Manifestation Flows Best Without Anxiety Drawing from Epistle to the Philippians 4:6-7, he teaches that peace and manifestation come through non-anxious living. “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” — Philippians 4:6 He reframes manifestation as clarity and flow rather than force. “Manifestation has to come out in clarity.” — Bishop Jim Swilley The More He Accepted Himself, the More the World Changed Around Him One of the strongest sections of the teaching centers on Bishop Swilley's journey after publicly coming out. He contrasts the hostility he experienced years ago with the peace and acceptance he now encounters. “Because I'm so okay with it on the inside, I believe people are picking up and they're okay with it on the outside.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He shares touching stories from his son's wedding and a surprising conversation with a Church of God pastor in New York to illustrate how alignment changes energy and interactions. “Hold On” and “Let Go” Are Both Necessary One of the most memorable metaphors comes from his Pentecostal upbringing. He recalls altar workers shouting contradictory instructions during prayer meetings: “One person saying, ‘Hold on, hold on, hold on,' and another saying, ‘Let go, let go, let go.'” — Bishop Jim Swilley He says both were right. “I'm holding on and I'm letting go simultaneously.” — Bishop Jim Swilley This becomes the central spiritual principle of the message: trust deeply, but release attachment to outcomes. Peace With Yourself Creates Peace With Others Swilley emphasizes that much suffering comes from trying to control or change other people. Alignment means accepting both yourself and others as they are. “The more you are at peace with yourself, the more you're going to be at peace with everybody else.” — Bishop Jim Swilley He teaches that stress, agendas, and unresolved internal conflict block creativity, abundance, and joy. Key Scriptures Referenced Book of Revelation 21:1 — “A new heaven and a new earth” Epistle to the Philippians 4:6-7 — “Be careful for nothing” First Epistle to the Thessalonians 5:23 — Spirit, soul, and body Epistle to the Hebrews 4:12 — Dividing soul and spirit Book of Proverbs 25:11 — “A word fitly spoken” Gospel of Mark 11:24 — “Believe you receive when you pray” Memorable Quotes “When you stop bleeding, you stop attracting the sharks.” — Bishop Jim Swilley “The conflict is where the energy is.” — Bishop Jim Swilley “You want it, and you'll be okay without it.” — Bishop Jim Swilley “You can't be at peace with the world until you're at peace with yourself.” — Bishop Jim Swilley “The agendas are the dams.” — Bishop Jim Swilley

Mother's Day 2026 - Keepin' It Real The Truth About Motherhood Episode 402 In this powerful and heartfelt Mother's Day episode of Relevance For Today, Stephen Lewis steps away from the surface-level celebration and dives into the real heart of motherhood. This isn't just about flowers, cards, and one special day—it's about honoring the sacrifices, tears, prayers, sleepless nights, and unconditional love that mothers pour out all year long. Stephen shares personal stories about his late mother, his incredible wife Barbara, mothers who shaped his life, and the often-overlooked struggles of mothers raising adult children. From the pain of feeling unappreciated to the joy of seeing children finally recognize those sacrifices, this episode is filled with truth, encouragement, biblical wisdom, and real-life perspective. You'll also hear a moving original poem written by Stephen Lewis titled "Mothers: One of the Greatest Heroes God Created", along with a heartfelt challenge for children of all ages to honor their mothers while they still can. Drawing from The Bible and Epistle to the Ephesians 6:2–3, this episode reminds us that honoring our father and mother is not just a suggestion—it's a commandment with a promise. If you've ever been blessed by a mother, spiritual mother, grandmother, adoptive mother, or mother figure… this episode will speak directly to your heart. #RelevanceForToday #MothersDay #ChristianPodcast #HonorYourMother #FaithAndFamily #BiblicalEncouragement #ChristianLiving #StephenLewis #FamilyMatters #MothersAreHeroes #KingdomLiving #JesusChrist #ChristianInspiration #ParentingGodsWay #MothersDay2026

The contentious life and times of the most widely cited book of the New Testament. Written some two thousand years ago, the Gospel of John is the only Christian Gospel to place Jesus at the creation of the world, and the only one where we find the stories of the raising of Lazarus, the woman taken in adultery, and the changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana. The Gospel of John also points an accusing finger at Jesus's Jewish opponents and has been used by medieval crusaders, Protestant reformers, and white supremacists to legitimize antisemitic violence. In The Gospel of John: A Biography (Princeton UP, 2026) Kim Haines-Eitzen traces the legacy of this complex, beautiful, and at times deeply troubling work, from its composition in the late first century to its enduring power today. Haines-Eitzen sheds light on the book's reception by early Christian gnostic and patristic commentators, its use in the Crusades and Reformation, its revered status among American evangelicals, and the many ways it has inspired novels, films, music, and art. The earliest papyrus fragment of an identifiably Christian Gospel is a fragment of John, and John is the only canonical Gospel that depicts Jesus as a savior who teaches openly about his divinity. Haines-Eitzen shows how John simultaneously carries a message of inclusion and intolerance, and how its story teaches us about the nature and enormous influence of scriptural religions. Compelling and provocative, The Gospel of John reveals how this dynamic, malleable biblical work has both unified and divided Christians over centuries of translation, interpretation, and creative reimagining. Kim Haines-Eitzen (Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1997) is a Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Religions with a specialty in Early Christianity, Early Judaism, and Religion in Late Antiquity in the Department of Near Eastern Studies. Her most recent book is Sonorous Desert: What Deep Listening Taught Early Christian Monks and What It Can Teach Us (Princeton University Press, 2022), a project that traces how desert sounds shaped early Christian monasticism and includes field recordings she has made in desert environments. She is the author of Guardians of Letters: Literacy, Power and the Transmitters of Early Christian Literature (Oxford University Press, 2000), a social history of the scribes who copied Christian texts during the second and third centuries; and The Gendered Palimpsest: Women, Writing, and Representation in Early Christianity, which deals with the intersection of gender and text transmission (Oxford University Press, 2012). She is a member of the programs in Religious Studies, Jewish Studies, Medieval Studies, and Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Cornell. For the 2024-25 academic year, she is a Fellow at the National Humanities Center where she is working on a new project, tentatively entitled Earth, Wind, and Fire: A Field Guide to the Apocalypse. To learn more about her recent work and her media appearances, visit her website: http://kimhaineseitzen.wordpress.com Jonathon Lookadoo is Associate Professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea. While his interests range widely over the world of early Christianity, he is the author of books on the Epistle of Barnabas, Ignatius of Antioch, and the Shepherd of Hermas, including The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade, 2023). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network