Podcasts about this jesus

Send us a textWhat happens when we strip away centuries of religious interpretation and confront the actual teachings of Jesus of Nazareth? This Jesus isn't the gentle, apolitical figure often presented in modern Christianity, but rather "a holistically spiritual freedom fighter" deeply concerned with poverty, exploitation, and injustice. In this episode, Bishop Wright has a conversation with Dr. Obery M. Hendricks, Jr., research scholar at Columbia University and former professor at Princeton Theological Seminary. Their conversation reminds us that Jesus as a radical social reformer whose message has been systematically diluted. Dr. Hendricks draws on St. Paul's emphasis on individual spiritual experiences to convey his message. "Paul transformed Jesus' concern for collective social, economic and political deliverance into an obsession with personal piety," Hendricks explains, suggesting that many Christians today understand Jesus primarily through St. Paul's interpretation, which fundamentally altered the trajectory of Jesus' radical message. Listen in for the full conversation.A lifelong social activist, Obery Hendricks is one of the foremost commentators on the intersection of religion and political economy in America. He is the most widely read and perhaps the most influential African American biblical scholar writing today. Cornel West calls him “one of the last few grand prophetic intellectuals.”A widely sought lecturer and media spokesperson, Dr. Hendricks' appearances include CNN, MSNBC, CBS, Fox News, Fox Business News, the Discovery Channel, PBS, BBC, NHK Japan Television and the Bloomberg Network. He has provided running event commentary for National Public Radio, MSNBC, and the al-Jazeera and Aspire international television networks.Learn more about Dr. Obery Hendricks and subscribe to his substack.Support the show Follow us on IG and FB at Bishop Rob Wright.

June 17, 2025Today's Reading: Acts 2:14a, 22-36Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 17:1-28; Proverbs 18:1-20:4; John 16:17-33“this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:23–24)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Peter preaches the best sermon I've ever heard. Jesus saves sinners. You're sinners. It's beautiful in its simplicity, but it completely shapes how to read the Old Testament. The plan and foreknowledge of God was to crucify the Son. For all the prophesy we look through in the Old Testament to find fulfilled in Jesus, there should be no surprise that Jesus dies and rises. David says concerning Him, “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life…” (Psalm 16:10-11) Through the cross. Out of the tomb. No other conclusion was possible. David spoke about the resurrection of Christ as if it was a given, even though it hadn't played itself out in time yet. The resurrection was a given. All the sins are atoned for. The wages of sin is death. So there can be no more death. Of course, there's a resurrection. This Jesus, you crucified, too. Foretold in the Old Testament, He bore your sins. Had there been no David, no Moses, no Patriarchs or faithful kings, Christ would have chosen to save you by bearing the same cross. It's a truth we know. But it also means the Old Testament is for you. Read it to find Jesus there. It's more than just a history of what happened before Christianity. It is the religion of all who have faith in the triune living God. The same religion. The same hope. The forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. That's yours now, too, because this Jesus, whom you crucified, is risen. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Jesus lives! The vict'ry's won! Death no longer can appall me; Jesus lives! Death's reign is done! From the grave will Christ recall me. Brighter scenes will then commence; This shall be my confidence. (LSB 490:1)- Rev. Harrison Goodman, Higher Things Executive Director of Mission and Theology.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.In Clarifying the Great Commission, Rev. Daniel Christian Voth identifies common omissions from our collective understanding of Jesus' farewell discourse—omissions that turn Christ's promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation into a legalistic command. Come and discover a richer understanding of The Great Commission.

June 16, 2025Today's Reading: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31Daily Lectionary: Proverbs 16:1-24; John 16:1-16“‘To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.” (Proverbs 8:4)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. There is an eternal Wisdom, begotten yet in existence before anything was. That's kinda hard to get one's head around. This Wisdom, involved in creation, is called a she by one known for wisdom. Which is kinda hard to get one's head around. I honestly think the weirdest part of it all is that this Wisdom who found such joy in creation actually wants to call out to us who wrecked it with sin. Wisdom calls to us. To untangle the web, we run to the simpler, less weird stuff when Scripture gets too weird. Scripture interprets Scripture. If our interpretation of Scripture from Scripture disagrees with the Nicene Creed, we messed up somewhere and made a heresy instead. That's bad. Let's start with the simplest stuff. God so loved the world that He sent Jesus to die on the cross and rise from the dead to save you from your sins. This Jesus is God of God, light of light, very God of very God. God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. The cross was never a plan B. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This all means there is a pre-incarnate Christ. Before Christmas, the second person of the Trinity was still active. His will was always to save sinners. Before the foundation of the world, the Lamb was slain.  All this isn't just to wrinkle your brain at God being more complicated than we can understand. All this is to wrinkle your brain at God being simpler than we can comprehend. He loves you. Nothing you do can change that. He who made you in love knew you would sin, rebel, and hurt not only yourself but the rest of His creation, His children. He still loves you with unchanging and unchangeable love. This love was manifest when He died on the cross to bear your sins to save you. But if all the past can't change His love, it also means the future can't either. Number yourselves among those saved by the Wisdom that calls out to man in love. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Creator of the stars of night, Thy people's everlasting Light: O Christ, Redeemer, save us all And hear Thy servants when they call. (LSB 351:1)- Rev. Harrison Goodman, Higher Things Executive Director of Mission and Theology.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.In Clarifying the Great Commission, Rev. Daniel Christian Voth identifies common omissions from our collective understanding of Jesus' farewell discourse—omissions that turn Christ's promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation into a legalistic command. Come and discover a richer understanding of The Great Commission.

The five crowns (1)."They do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown." 1Co 9:25 NKJVIn describing our heavenly rewards, the Bible speaks of crowns. Let's look at each and see what we can learn. The first is the victor's crown. "Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" (vv. 25-27 NKJV). Paul points out that athletes who expect to win must actively train. And we, likewise, must retain self-control even in things that, although not inherently evil, can weaken our devotion to God. A pastor explains: Sometimes we have to turn off the television so we can study our Bibles. We have to get up earlier in the mornings to have our daily devotions. We have to exercise self-control in what comes into our minds. We can't watch many of today's television programs or movies-much less the streaming material accessible on our phones and computers-without violating biblical standards of personal holiness. We can't subject our bodies to drug or alcohol abuse or allow immorality to creep into our relationships. We've got to keep our tempers [and tongues] under the control of the Holy Spirit...and we have to depend on God to strengthen us in our resolutions to live disciplined lives." The Bible says, "Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown"-the victor's crown.The five crowns  The victor's crownThe five crowns (2)."What will be our...crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!" 1Th 2:19 NLTThe second crown mentioned in Scripture is the crown of rejoicing. It's given to those who take part in leading others to Christ. The background for this passage is written about in Acts 17, which tells the story of Paul arriving in the city of Thessalonica. He went into the synagogue, "and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining...that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ'" (vv. 2-3 NKJV). Some of his hearers were converted, including a great multitude of devout Greeks and a number of prominent women. As a result, a church was built there. Writing to them later, Paul said that they would be his crown when Christ returned. We should all follow Bill Bright's example; he was one of the best soul winners of the twentieth century. And he once disclosed his secret: "Although I have shared Christ personally with many thousands of people through the years, I am a rather reserved person and I do not always find it easy to witness. But I have made this my practice, and l urge you to do the same: Assume that whenever you are alone with another person for more than a few moments, you are there by divine appointment to explain...the love and forgiveness he [or she] can know through faith in Jesus Christ." When was the last time you shared the gospel with someone? Whenever you do, the Lord is fitting you for a crown of rejoicing.The five crowns The crown of rejoicingShare This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Reading IActs 1:1-11In the first book, Theophilus,I dealt with all that Jesus did and taughtuntil the day he was taken up,after giving instructions through the Holy Spiritto the apostles whom he had chosen.He presented himself alive to themby many proofs after he had suffered,appearing to them during forty daysand speaking about the kingdom of God.While meeting with them,he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,but to wait for “the promise of the Fatherabout which you have heard me speak;for John baptized with water,but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”When they had gathered together they asked him,“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasonsthat the Father has established by his own authority.But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,throughout Judea and Samaria,and to the ends of the earth.”When he had said this, as they were looking on,he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.They said, “Men of Galilee,why are you standing there looking at the sky?This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heavenwill return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”Reading IIEphesians 1:17-23Brothers and sisters:May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelationresulting in knowledge of him.May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,what are the riches of gloryin his inheritance among the holy ones,and what is the surpassing greatness of his powerfor us who believe,in accord with the exercise of his great might:which he worked in Christ,raising him from the deadand seating him at his right hand in the heavens,far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,and every name that is namednot only in this age but also in the one to come.And he put all things beneath his feetand gave him as head over all things to the church,which is his body,the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.GospelLuke 24:46-53Jesus said to his disciples:“Thus it is written that the Christ would sufferand rise from the dead on the third dayand that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,would be preached in his nameto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.You are witnesses of these things.And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;but stay in the cityuntil you are clothed with power from on high.”Then he led them out as far as Bethany,raised his hands, and blessed them.As he blessed them he parted from themand was taken up to heaven.They did him homageand then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,and they were continually in the temple praising God.

In today's text, Jesus reaches the end of His earthly ministry. In a mountain scene, Jesus ascends in resurrected glory from earth to the Father's right hand. As the disciples were gazing into heaven, two angels in white robes stood by them and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” These words continue to fill us with hope today, for any day now the very same Jesus is coming back visibly and physically and we will meet Him in the clouds.

A Sermon for Ascension Sunday Acts 1:1-11 by William Klock The King came to Canada this week and I can help but reflect on how providential this event has been—the King of Canada coming to take his throne in the Senate chamber in Ottawa—in the same week that we remember and celebrate the ascension of Jesus.  I might be tempted to title my sermon: A Tale of Two Kings. So a new Parliament needed to be opened.  A throne speech had to be read.  That's normally done by the Governor General, but these are not normal times.  The new President next door, in what has always been Canada's best friend and ally, is now making economic war and daily challenging the country's sovereignty.  It was time for the Sovereign to come and save the day.  And so the King came, and he ascended to his throne in Parliament, and he read a speech.  The last time the Sovereign did this was almost fifty years ago, so this is no small thing.  And yet the King was here for all of about twenty-four hours.  The speech he read was written by government speech-writers, not by the King.  And even then, it's vitally important in our constitutional monarchy that the King avoid any openly political speech—and so the big concern of the day, the big thing that threatens the nation's economic well-being and sovereignty—was only hinted at obliquely.  And everyone applauded.  And then the King got back into his jet and flew home.  And maybe it's just because I'm an American, but it doesn't seem to me that all the pomp and circumstance and expense really accomplished anything.  The King didn't go to Washington to negotiate peace with the belligerent bully or to rough him up a bit or even to give him a good talking to.  Instead, he came here, he sat in the Senate chamber, and recited back to the government the talking points it gave him.  Again, I mean no disrespect to the King or to Canada's constitutional monarchy, but watching and listening to this week's events as an American—although I suspect even the staunches of Christian monarchists can't help but notice it too—that there's a big—an enormous—difference between the ascension of King Charles III in Ottawa this week and the ascension of Jesus that we read about today in both our Epistle and Gospel. I listened to the throne speech and even though I know that the King can't actually do anything, when it was over I still felt like: What now?  The King flies all this way, he ascends to his throne with great pomp and circumstance, he reads a speech intended to stir patriotic feelings—and even as an American, watching and listening I felt pride for Canada—but then he got back into his airplane and went home.  He didn't do anything about the current crisis.  The enemy is still there.  In fact, the King's talk of Canadian sovereignty just seemed to provoke a new round of fifty-first state talk.  It's kind of a let down.  I don't know what I expect the King should do, but he's a king after all and I sort of have a mental image of him taking off his pinstripe jacket, putting on a shining suit of armour, going to Washington, and popping the President in the nose.  In real life that probably wouldn't solve anything.  It's just that kings are supposed to deliver their subjects in times of trouble and cast down their enemies.  Right?  That's what kings are for. This is why the disciples were so discouraged when Jesus was crucified.  They thought he was the Messiah, the anointed king, and then he got himself killed—and that's not what was supposed to happen to the king.  He was supposed to defeat his enemies and take his throne.  And then Jesus rose from death and he met them and they were so excited to go declare the good news to Jerusalem that Jesus actually had to calm them down and tell them to wait.  Enthusiasm isn't enough.  They also needed the power of God's Spirit—but that's for next week.  But for forty days Jesus has been teaching them.  He's been walking them through the scriptures and showing them how it was there along: the Messiah had to die in order to defeat his enemies and take his throne.  Like I said a couple of weeks ago, those forty days must have been the most thrilling days in all of history as Jesus taught them and as it all came together.  And yet, even then, the disciples were still stuck on the wrong things.  But now I'm getting ahead of myself for today.  Keep this all in mind and let's look at our Epistle again.  The first chapter of Acts.  Luke writes: Dear Theophilus, the previous book which I wrote had to do with everything Jesus began to do and teach.  I took the story as far as the day when he was taken up, once he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to his apostles.   Luke is talking about his Gospel.  He goes on in verse 3: He showed himself to them alive, after his suffering, by many proofs.  He was seen by them for forty days, during which he spoke about God's kingdom.  As they were having a meal together, he told them not to go away from Jerusalem, but to wait, as he put it, “for the Father's promise, which I was telling you about earlier.  John baptised with water, you see, but in a few days from now you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”   So good so far.  Forty days of Bible teaching with Jesus.  All about the kingdom.  He thinks they're ready to do the proclamation part of their new ministry, they just need to wait a minute so he can ascend to this throne and send the Spirit who will empower that proclamation.  Jesus thinks their ready to be set loose on the world.  But have you ever taught something to someone, explaining it to them, and they're nodding and you think they understand.  You're ready to turn them loose.  And then they ask you a question and you realise that they still don't understand the central point of what you've been trying to teach them? I took calculus as a freshman in college.  Twice.  The only class I ever failed.  I understood the instructions.  But no matter how hard I tried and no matter how long the professor explained it to me—I had the benefit of sitting next to him in the church choir—I never understood what it was all about.  I didn't get it.  I thought that at least I could just follow the instructions to solve the equations.  I found that usually worked pretty well with math.  But it didn't with calculus.  So he—or my friends who understood calculus—would explain it to me and I'd say, “Right.  I do this, then this, then this, and so on.”  And they'd smile and say, “Yes!”  Like it was finally sinking in for me.  And then I'd do what I thought were the steps and it wouldn't work and they'd ask me to explain it, and I couldn't, because I never could wrap my head around the concept at the heart of it all. Brothers and Sisters, the kingdom was the heart of everything Jesus was teaching and doing.  And the disciples knew this.  That's, again, why they were so discouraged when he died.  Dead kings don't establish kingdoms.  But now Jesus is alive again and they're excited and especially so because for forty days Jesus has been teaching them even more about the kingdom.  And then they ask, “Master, is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel.”   I remember the look on my calculus professor's face when he through I'd finally got it through my thick skull and how his smile faded away when he realised I didn't get it at all and I can picture the same look on Jesus' face.  Disappointment and exasperation.  I don't know.  Maybe Jesus knew that no amount of talk would get them straight on this and that it would only fall into place once they saw him ascend and once they'd received the Spirit.  But it's clear: despite all the teaching, the disciples still didn't get it. See, this idea of the “kingdom of God”, for the Jews it had become shorthand for the idea that one day the Lord would fulfil his promises, come back to Israel, take up his throne.  He'd defeat Isreal's enemies and he'd set Israel to rights—and then they'd all live happily ever after with God as their king and the pagans under their feet.  They sang songs, like Psalm 2, about the nations raging and the kings of the earth getting together to plot against the Lord and his people.  And in the middle of the song the Lord bursts out in laughter, mocking the nations and their feeble kings.  And then the Lord lets loose his wrath and announces, “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.”  And then the king speaks: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have begotten you.  Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.  You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”  And then the Psalmist can announce to the nations: “Now, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.  Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.”  It's the king in shining armour come to crush his enemies and set his people to rights. They sang songs like the one in Isaiah 52 about the beautiful feet of the one who brings good news and who announces to Zion, “Your God reigns.”  “The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God.”  This was the same song in which they sang about the suffering servant who would be exalted only after he had borne their griefs and sorrows, only after he'd been stricken and afflicted.”  This was the hope of Israel and this is why the disciples had followed Jesus.  They believed he was the Messiah, the king who would rescue his people and defeat their enemies.  Again, for those three days he was in the tomb it looked like they'd been wrong, but now Jesus was alive again.  They knew with absolute certainty that he really is the Messiah.  And so now they're asking him: “Your resurrection put the story back on track, Jesus.  So when are you going to fulfil those old promises, defeat the nations and their kings, and set Isreal on the top of the heap?” And Jesus says to them in verse 7: “It's not your business to know about times and dates.  The Father has placed all that under his own direct authority.  What will happen, though, is that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  Then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth.”   I've noticed a lot of people read this and think that Jesus is saying something like, “No.  It's not time to restore the kingdom.  I'll do that sometime in the future and only the Father knows the date.”  But that's not what Jesus is saying at all.  Think of the pair Jesus met on the road to Emmaus.  They were saying that they'd hoped Jesus was the one who would redeem Israel, but well, he'd been crucified so scratch that idea.  And that's the point when Jesus explains to them that it was actually through his crucifixion that he would accomplish God's long-promised redemption.  Even though it was there all along in songs like Isaiah 52, it doesn't seem to have occurred to anyone that the Messiah would usher in God's kingdom by his suffering and death.  And yet when Jesus says this, suddenly a lot of other things he said and did finally make sense.  Think of the stories—the parables—he told.  Over and over: The kingdom is coming—yes!—but it's not coming like you think.  Instead, the kingdom is coming like seed planted in the ground.  The kingdom is coming like leaven in a lump of dough.  The kingdom is like a man who had two sons.  Or when Jesus and the disciples were approaching Jerusalem and they asked this same question: Is the kingdom finally coming now?  And Jesus said that the kingdom is like a nobleman coming back to see if his servants have been faithful with their stewardship.  Over and over Jesus has been saying, “Yes, the kingdom is coming right now, but you keep missing it because it doesn't look like what you expected. At that last Passover meal Jesus ate with his friends, he told them that he would not drink with them again until the kingdom had arrived. And here they are, these forty days after the resurrection eating and drinking with Jesus as he teaches them.  The kingdom has come, Brothers and Sisters.  Too many Christians live as if the mission of the church is to prepare for Jesus to become king, when the church's mission is, in fact, really all about announcing and living out the reality that Jesus is the king even if his kingdom isn't quite what a lot of people expected. And then, just to make all of this absolutely clear, Luke says in verse 9: As Jesus said this, he was lifted up while they were watching and a cloud took him out of their sight.   We're prone to missing the significance of this image because we're not steeped in the Old Testament the way they were.  The disciples, however, understood exactly what was happening: Jesus was acting out the prophecy of Daniel 7.  That's the chapter were Daniel has this nightmare full of beasts coming up out of the ocean.  It's a vision of the nations and their kings raging against God's people.  But then “one like a son of man” is taken up and exalted on the clouds to sit beside the Ancient of Days.  He's given a kingdom, power, and authority so that all people, nations, and languages should serve and obey him.  It's a vision of the kingdom being restored to Israel.  And now, all through Jesus' ministry, we've heard him talking about himself as this son of man, as Israel's representative, and now—in answer to the disciples' question about the coming of the kingdom—Jesus literally acts out Daniel's vision.  He fulfils it.  In fact, in Matthew's telling of the ascension, Jesus even says—echoing the words of the Ancient of Days in Daniel—“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  So you must go and make all the nations into disciples.” The ascension proclaims: Jesus is king and his kingdom is here.  One day Jesus will return to finish what he's begun, but never forget that it has begun.  As Paul says in Romans 15, “He has to go on ruling until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” So the disciples were thinking that Jesus was going to lead a revolution—like Judas Maccabeus or Simon bar Kochba—except this time it wouldn't fizzle out.  This time it would be successful and it would be forever.  And Jesus is saying (and acting out) that no, the kingdom has been inaugurated and it's going to take shape and grow—the nations will be put under Jesus' feet—not as the disciples take up arms, but as they go out into the world as witnesses of Jesus: as they go out and proclaim the good news that Jesus crucified and risen, is the world's true Lord and as they live out the reality of his kingdom.  Like Jesus did, the disciples would work miracles—miracles that underscored that in the kingdom all the sad thing are beginning to become untrue; and they would live lives transformed by the Spirit's fruit, but maybe more than anything else, they would confront the kings of the present evil age with the reality of Jesus' lordship.  And through their witness, the world would begin to change. It's not a linear, always progressing, always upward change.  That was the idea of theological liberalism a century ago, but two world wars and nuclear bombs and fascism and Communism blew that idea up.  But through the witness of the church, the world is changing.  I've mentioned before Tom Holland's remarkable book Dominion and how, in that book, he writes about the profound changes that the gospel brought to Western Civilisation.  Each generation lives in its own brief age and so, if we don't know anything about history, we're prone to not even noticing the changes that have happened, but happen they have.  Christians began taking in the unwanted girl babies of the Greeks and Romans, left to die of exposure, and we taught the world the value of life.  The influence of the gospel put an end to gladiatorial games and slavery.  The gospel has taught the world mercy and grace, the value of life, the dignity of each person.  And on and on.  The church, when we are faithful witnesses of Jesus and living the new creation life the Spirit gives, builds and spreads the kingdom and someday, when the work is done, Jesus will return—not to take us away, but to restore heaven and earth, God and human beings, and to put an end to death and sin once and for all.  To consummate his new creation. But there's work to do in the meantime.  He created us in the beginning to be his stewards—to cultivate his garden.  That's why, when it came time to set us back on that track, God called and created a special people for himself: to be his representative, to be his stewards, to be his living kingdom in the midst of the old.  And so Luke says, They were gazing into heaven as he disappeared.  Then, lo and behold, two men appeared, dressed in white, standing beside them.  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven?  This Jesus, who has been taken away from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.”   Brothers and Sisters, there's work to do.  Like Jesus said, they needed to wait a few days before going out, so that when they did go out, they would go out in the power of the Spirit.  The kingdom doesn't happen in our power.  But it does happen as we go out to faithfully fulfil the mission we've been given to witness Jesus.  Our task is to go out in faith, to till the soil, to steward the garden.  It's an overwhelming task.  That's why it takes faith to go out and do it.  But we go out in faith knowing that God has given us his Spirit who infuses what we do with divine power.  We go out in faith knowing that in Jesus—at the cross and in the resurrection—God has already done the impossible part.  Now, as Paul wrote, all he has to do is go on ruling until all his enemies have been put under his feet.  There's no “if”.  It's just “until”.  It's a sure thing.  And so is the witness of his church. It doesn't always seem that way.  Sometimes it seems like we're going backwards and things are getting worse.  People won't listen or won't take us seriously.  Sometimes we're tempted to give up.  Sometimes we act like all Jesus did was come to earth to give us a rousing pep talk, then he went back home to heaven.  But read the Gospels and that's not it at all.  He hasn't just gone back to heaven and left us alone.  He's ascended to his throne, where he rules and reigns over his kingdom, which—remember—is like seed planted in the soil and like leaven in a lump of dough and like a man who had two sons.  And one day, through his people—through us—the work of his word and the work of his Spirit will be done.  The world will know his death and resurrection, it will know the forgiveness of sins, it will know the end of death, it will know mercy and grace.  The knowledge of his glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.  Because Jesus died and rose again, because the Lord's word does not return void, and because he does not give his Spirit in vain. Let's pray: O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus the Messiah with great triumph to your right hand in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us for the task you have given, and that we might look forward in hope to the day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.  Amen.

This Jesus is “the stone rejected by you the builders which has become the cornerstone.”

The more we daily release our minds and hearts to Christ, the more we will change. Someone may ask, “What happened to you?” We will say, “This Jesus of Nazareth came into the world with signs and wonders and teaching like never heard before. He came to save humanity. But we put him to death. We couldn't stand that much light. But God's plan would not be thwarted. I crucified Jesus. The Spirit raised me from the dead with Christ. Nothing has been the same. It can happen for you more and more as you repent, change your mind, and believe the gospel.

The more we daily release our minds and hearts to Christ, the more we will change. Someone may ask, “What happened to you?” We will say, “This Jesus of Nazareth came into the world with signs and wonders and teaching like never heard before. He came to save humanity. But we put him to death. We couldn't stand that much light. But God's plan would not be thwarted. I crucified Jesus. The Spirit raised me from the dead with Christ. Nothing has been the same. It can happen for you more and more as you repent, change your mind, and believe the gospel.

These first 4 verses are a jumbled mess. It's really one run-on sentence with a bunch of dependent clauses at the beginning and doesn't get to the main subject and verb until what we have as verse three. In other words, John is really excited to write about what he's writing about. So instead of going verse by verse, we'll talk about the main things he's trying to convey. 1) This Jesus thing really happened. They saw it. Heard it. Touched it. It really happened. John is writing in the late first century to 2nd and 3rd generation Jesus people. By the time they learn about Jesus, it's been 50 years since Jesus physically walked on the planet. You can imagine them having questions - did this really happen? Was Jesus real? Are these stories real? John is giving them reassurance as someone who was with Jesus. He understands it's hard to believe - so he's saying, trust me. I was there. Doubt is there - for all of us. Especially 50 generations or so later, if I have my math correct. Lean into doubt, but don't go alone. Lean into questions, but do it in community. 2) We experienced him. I'll do some 'spaining about the grammar here. He's using the perfect tense - that is, talking about something in the past that still continues to have an impact in the present. 3) John wants them to experience, too. John's experience of the joy that Jesus brings is incomplete unless he shares it with community. It's one of the reasons we gather week after week. It's a shared experience of the divine that continues to transform us in the present. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4 http://bible.com/events/49430871

Preacher: Joel SpruanceDate: 4/27/25Key Scriptures: Acts 4:5–14 (ESV)5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." Acts 2:32-33In the heart of our faith lies a powerful truth: God's promises are not merely words spoken in the silence of time but are living realities that transform our lives. Because the empty tomb is not just a symbol of what was lost; it is a powerful testament to what has been promised and fulfilled. As we reflect on Acts 2:32-33, we are reminded that God's covenant with us is anchored in the reality of Christ's victory over death. "With the stone rolled away, the path to promise opened wide, revealing that God's word is as enduring as the life He restored." When Jesus emerged from the grave, He shattered the chains of sin and death, paving the way for us to experience new life. Therefore, the resurrection is more than an event; it is a pivotal moment that confirms God's unwavering faithfulness. Each promise made by God finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus' triumph over the grave. Remember, this same Abraham's conviction is ours today, as we trust in a God who does not falter in His commitments.Romans 4:20-21 says, "Abraham did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised."When we remain Alive in Christ, we are assured that every promise will be delivered. Life's challenges may tempt us to doubt, but they cannot diminish the power of God's word. Philippians 1:6 encourages us by stating, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Your journey may sometimes feel uncertain, yet remember that God is actively working to fulfill His promises in your life.As you navigate through life's circumstances, I encourage you to hold onto the truth that the resurrection signifies hope and renewal. Just as Jesus emerged from the tomb, you too will rise above the obstacles that confront you. Remember, every hope you have in God's word will become strength, for it is rooted in the certainty that God's promises are alive and at work within you. Amen. Isaiah 40:31 says, "But they that wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; They shall walk, and not faint."Prayer for the Day! Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son and the promises fulfilled through His resurrection. Help us to trust in Your word and to remain steadfast in our faith. May we experience the fullness of life that comes from being alive in Christ. Guide our hearts to recognize Your faithfulness in every situation we face. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

Pastor Hobbs' Resurrection Sunday sermon: This Jesus.

The Gospel is a clear message proclaiming that Jesus Christ died for our sins, rose again, and lives today. This Jesus lives—seen by many, foretold by Scripture, and reigning as Lord and Christ. The post This Jesus Lives appeared first on Preachers Corner.

This Jesus was crucified and rose again.This Jesus will judge those who crucified Him.This Jesus will save those who repent and trust Him

That first Easter was so incredibly unfair. Jesus – the innocent man – was crucified and Barabbas – the man guilty of murder – walked off Scott free. If you were God, would you have done things that way?   Let's Tarry a While It's interesting how when Easter passes us by we kind of quickly forget it and move on. It was a long weekend, it was a great time to have off and have a rest, have some chocolate. It comes, we eat chocolate, we have a long weekend, it goes, that's it, we move on, back to work, back to school, back to the empty house, whatever it is we do day after day and this week on the program and in fact over the coming three weeks we're going to dwell in Easter for a bit longer than just a long weekend. We're going to tarry and stay there a little bit longer. And today's program is the first message in a series that I've called, "The Price He Paid For You" and as well as talking about Easter over the Easter period we're going to do the unthinkable and spend the next few weeks after Easter doing it as well. Can you believe that because it's a big thing this Easter thing? Not as a religious holiday, I don't mean that, I for one am definitely not into religion, it just doesn't work for me. Not talking about religion, I'm talking about this big thing that God was up to at Easter. The thing that Jesus went through, the suffering, the persecution, the beating, the rejection and that death on the cross. You and I are so incredibly special to God which is what makes you and me worth dying for. He's handcrafted us, He's made us, He's set us free in this amazing universe, always loving us but with the freedom He gave us a free will to accept Him or reject Him and when it comes right down to this, according to God, He made us, He loves us, He gave us free will and the point of all of that was for us to know Him and have this fantastic relationship with Him here and now and for all eternity. But it doesn't matter which way we cut it each one of us in our own way we've rejected Him. I know I have, more often than we could ever imagine or count or recall and in doing that we miss the whole point. The whole point of creation, the whole point of life, the plan and the desire of God's heart. When we turned our backs on God and we all have, we miss the whole point of life, that's exactly what the Greek word for "sin" actually means. It means to miss the mark or as we might say today to miss the point. I know when I use the word "sin" people often write in or they call and say, "Come on, this is some kind of old fuddy-duddy concept, get with it Berni, get into today, sin just isn't relevant, it's something that priests or ministers talked about in the 1950's, get with it, it's old fashioned." I know, I know that some people think of sin that way but lets come back to Easter and the central point, the central problem of all creation is that we rejected God. We turned our back on Him, it's hard to come to grips with. People say, 'Well I'm not a bad person, I'm not that bad, I'm okay' but let me ask you, from the moment you were old enough did you put God first? Was God always first in your life? Did you live your life as though you belonged to Him? And the answer for all of us is, "No, we didn't." We've all done things; we've all turned away in our own way, in different ways; we've all turned our backs on God and at that Cross at a time that we now call Easter and we celebrate and we remember, on that cross God calls us home. The consequences, what we should have paid for rejecting Him, were paid for by His Son Jesus; He died to give us a new life. Okay God calls us to a life of sacrifice, God calls us to a life of giving, He gives us a fresh new life, a wholesome life with real joy and because out of His great love He reached out to us through Jesus, He opens the door to a real and dynamic and exciting and beautiful and wondrous relationship with God. At the heart of the message of Easter is the fact that Jesus paid the price of my sin and of your sin, of our rejection of God, our missing the whole point of creation and the fact that Jesus paid the price seems unfair don't you think? Let's have a read, we're going to go to the Bible, if you have one grab it, we're going to open up at John chapter 18 beginning at verse 38 and we're going to read through to chapter 19, verse 16. Here it is: What is truth, Pontius Pilate asked? With this he went out again to the Jews and said, 'I find no basis for a charge against this Jesus but it's your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release the king of the Jews? And they shouted, 'no, not him, give us Barabbas. Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged, the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head, they clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him and again and again and again saying, 'hail the king of the Jews' and they struck him in the face. Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, 'I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.' And when Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe Pilate said to them, 'here is the man'. As soon as the Chief Priests and their officials saw him they shouted, 'crucify him, crucify him. But Pontius Pilate answered, 'you take him, you crucify him. As for me I find no basis for a charge against him.' But the Jews insisted, 'we have a law and according to that law he must die because he claimed to be the son of God.' And when Pilate heard this he was even more afraid and he went back inside the palace. Where do you come from?' He asked Jesus but Jesus gave him no answer. 'Do you refuse to speak to me?' Pilate said, 'don't you realise I have the power either to free you or to crucify you?' And Jesus answered, 'you would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin. From then on Pilate tried to have Jesus set free but the Jews kept shouting, 'if you let this man go you are no friend of Caesars. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.' When Pilate heard this he brought Jesus out and sat him down on the Judges seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement. It was the day of the preparation of the Passover week, about the sixth hour. Here is your king' Pilate said to the Jews but they shouted, 'take him away, take him away, crucify him.' 'Shall I crucify your king?' Pilate asked. 'We have no king but Caesar' the Chief Priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to be crucified. Pretty amazing story we're going to take a look at it in a moment.   An Innocent Man Not much regard for the rules of evidence if indeed there were any rules of evidence way back then. A good friend of mine by the name of Paul is a magistrate. Now, the more I get to know him, the more I realise how gifted Paul is to do that job. I've got to tell you, I'd hate to have to sit in judgment, this one goes free, this one gets locked up. And to make things even more difficult he's a magistrate in the children's court. Now Paul has this really balanced thing happening in his outlook. He weighs this against that in almost everything he does. I was saying to someone else recently that when I look at Paul, what I see is someone that I'm really comfortable with being a magistrate. I'm really glad that this guy is on the bench in the children's court because he's absolutely the right person to be doing it. When you look at the story of the crowd and Pontius Pilate and Barabbas and Jesus and this angry, ugly mob I see some of that in Pilate. When the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate and Jesus had been talking to him about truth, he says, "What is truth?" And he goes out to the mob and he says, "Look, I have looked into this man and I find no case against him, this Jesus." See he wasn't swayed initially in judgment by the religious leaders, who frankly just wanted Jesus dead because Jesus was threatening them. Jesus was going to the people and making sense to them and healing them and caring for them and loving them and standing up for them. That's why the religious leaders wanted Him dead. That's how poisoned that whole rule-based religion scene had become. See Pilate wasn't swayed by the same things that whipped up that mobbed. And all the way through this scene, over and over again, Pontius Pilate finds Jesus "not guilty". In verse 38 he says: ‘Look, I find no basis for a charge against Him'. Again in verse 4 of chapter 19: Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, ‘Look I'm bring him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him'. Verse 6 of Chapter 19: You take him, you crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him. And then again, down in verse 12: From then on Pontius Pilate tried to have Jesus set free. See he was a man who was fairly objective and he found no guilt in Jesus the Christ. Of course there's a marked difference between my friend Paul and Pontius Pilate in that ultimately Pilate was a weak man and he gave in to the crowd. He never changes his judgment mind you, but based on this tradition he just rolls over because of this angry mob. And ultimately he said, "Look, look at the life of Jesus, this man who healed people and who reached out to them and who cared for them, who taught them stuff about life that made sense, of course he's innocent." Innocent of everything except the fact that his goodness, his genuiness, stood out in stark contrast to the manipulation and the deceit of the religious leaders of the day. He threatened their power base, that's why they wanted him dead. Now the other player in this game is Barabbas. Barabbas is an interesting character. His name literally means "Son" which is what "Bar" means, "of the father" – "abba". "Barabbas" son of the father – Barabbas. We'll come back to that a little later. But he is a criminal. John tells us there in verse 40 that he'd taken part in a rebellion. If you go to Matthew's gospel chapter 27 verse 16, Matthew calls him a notorious criminal, so it was well known that this man was a crook. Mark Chapter 15 verse 7 and Luke Chapter 23 verse 19, they both tell us that Barabbas committed murder as a part of an insurrection. So here we have it. A well-known, notorious criminal, a murderer, Barabbas versus Jesus Christ superstar. This Jesus with rock-star status who healed the lame and the sick and the blind and stood up for the oppressed and the needs of the people against all of those of religious rulers from all that manipulation. He exposed the religious hypocrisy of those leaders. Huge crowds followed him, they listened to him, they saw him heal countless people, they saw miracles. The same crowds just a few days before, on the day we now call Palm Sunday, when Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, they threw down palm leaves, they were shouting praises literally calling him "King of the Jews" – their Messiah, their Saviour. Yet now, just a few days later whipped up by the religious leaders, manipulated by them again, here they are, baying for his blood. "Crucify him". What a brutal response. No wonder politicians say that the opinion polls are fickle. There's a great saying: "A week is a long time in politics." And it was certainly true then as it is now. Look at it again. When they're given a choice they say, "We want Barabbas! We want Barabbas!" And of Jesus, "Crucify him!" When Pilate asked them about Jesus they said: "Crucify him". And ultimately Pontius Pilate went against his own impartial judgment. He was weak, he was afraid of the crowd. He had Jesus beaten, he had him handed over to be crucified. Wait for it, instead of Barabbas who got set free. Do you get it. It's a switch, it's a substitution that's going on here. Barabbas the son of the father was the murderer. He should have gone to the cross, but instead he was set free and the innocent Jesus was crucified in his place. And here's what God's saying to us through what happened. Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man. "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." God said that of Jesus. Jesus was also man. He often referred to Himself as the Son of Man. He was human, He was God in the flesh, He was perfect without spot or blemish. He was totally innocent. The Son of God – Jesus; the son of the father, the son of dad – Barabbas. God is a loving Dad. There's a radical concept here introduced by Jesus. The Jews didn't refer to God as Dad but Jesus called Him Abba – Dad. And this man, Barabbas – Bar-abba, son of dad – is the one who gets set free. It's the swap over, it's the substitution. The "Son of God" and the "son of God". Both with the same name. Jesus and Barabbas. The innocent is substituted for the guilty. Jesus went to the cross for Barabbas; Barabbas deserved it but Jesus wore it. Barabbas was the murderer but Jesus was killed. Barabbas was the one who hurt people and yet Jesus suffered in his place. Barabbas – the son of the father – was guilty and he went free. Jesus – the Son of the Father – was innocent and He went to the Cross. And who judged Him? Not Pilate. Pilate wasn't the one that sent Him to the Cross, it was the angry mob and the religious leaders – the very people whom He came to set free, whom He loved, whom He healed, whom He taught. They were the ones that turned against Him. They were the ones who had Jesus crucified. So what does that mean for you and for me here and now?   Who is Barabbas Let me ask you something. Who was Barabbas? There was Pontius Pilate, there was Jesus, there was Barabbas. And then there was the angry mob in this story. To the angry mob, Barabbas was just that criminal and murderer and it was the Passover Festival. The Passover is the celebration of when God was releasing His people out of slavery in Egypt centuries before. He sent ten plagues on Egypt, on Pharaoh. And the final plague was the death of the first-born of all the Egyptians from Pharaoh's son through to a slave's son right through to the first born of all the animals. And yet here was the nation of Israel captive as slaves in Egypt. And God said to them: "Look, get a lamb, kill it, takes it's blood, smear it on the top of the door and the angel of death will pass over your house and you won't suffer that death – that death in the tenth plague." It was only visited on the Egyptians but not on God's people. And the way in which God's angel passed them over was by the seeing the blood of the lamb on the door posts. And so there's this tradition where the Roman Governor at the Passover Festival all these years later would release one criminal to the people. And this year that criminal was going to be Barabbas. Someone who had been part of an insurgency, an uprising; someone who killed multiple people. I mean, the worst sort of all criminals possible is who Barabbas was. Bar-abba – "son of the father", one of God's children. You see, you and I are Barabbas in this story. I said before that attitudes to sin vary enormously in our society and so many people see "sin" as an outdated concept. But the whole point of creation was us to have a relationship with God and to give glory to God but in our free will we rejected Him just as Barabbas rejected God, just as Barabbas went out and sinned. And when we did that we missed the point. And that's what God calls "sin". It's conspicuous, you can't hide it. We're all guilty of that and ‘the wages of sin is death'. See, God is wondrous and perfect and holy and awesome and a loving God and it's hard to imagine love and judgment in one person. Yet my friend Paul, the magistrate, I was talking about him earlier, Paul is a really fair and compassionate man, he's a great husband, he's a wonderful father, but he's also just. I look at him and it gives me some understanding at how those things fit together in God's nature. In His love, instead of letting you and me pay the price, in His love God sends Jesus, His Son, to die in my place. Now you and I might say, "Look, I'm no Barabbas. I haven't killed people. I haven't done all these horrible things." The point is, the moment we turn our back on God, the moment we reject Him, the moment we do one thing wrong – because God is holy, pure, perfect, clean – the moment we sin we deserve death. God's Word tells us "The wages of sin in death", and yet when we put our faith in this Jesus, in this Jesus who died on our behalf, we're forgiven. You too are one of the sons and daughters of Abba – Dad – God. We too are loved by Him and we too can put our faith in Jesus and believe with our hearts and with our heads that on this very first Easter, on that Cross, Jesus paid the price of our sin and when we believe in Him we have complete forgiveness. Finally, Pilate handed Him over to be crucified, so that the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying His own cross He went out to a place of the Skull which in Aramaic is known as Golgotha. Here they crucified Him and with Him two others, one on each side and Jesus in the middle. And Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the Cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews'. Many of the Jews read this sign for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The Chief Priest of the Jews protested to Pilate, ‘Don't write ‘King of the Jews' but that this man claimed to be the King of the Jews.' And Pilate answered them, ‘What I have written, I've written.' When the soldiers crucified Jesus they took His clothes off, divided amongst them in four shares, one for each of them with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in a single piece from top to bottom. Let's not tear it they said, let's decided by lot who gets it. This happened so that the Scripture might be fulfilled which said, ‘They divided their garments among them and cast lots for my clothing'. So this is what the soldiers did. Near the Cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother there and the Disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son and to the Disciple, here is your mother.' And from that time on this Disciple took her into his home. Later, knowing that all was completed and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I'm thirsty.' A jar of wine vinegar was there and so they soaked a sponge in it and put the sponge on a stalk of hyssop plant and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When He'd received a drink Jesus said, ‘It is finished'. With that He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit. That's the price, the price that Jesus paid for you and for me and Barabbas. And as much as we here in the 21st Century might have a cultural problem with the notion of sin, it doesn't change anything. It doesn't change God, it doesn't change who God is, it doesn't change why God created us, it doesn't change the reality that you and I have fallen short of the glory of God. You and I have both rejected God and it doesn't change the reality that He loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son. So many people in our society have this nagging sense of guilt, this nagging sense of inadequacy, this deep down sense that they're not good enough. And the reason is that we aren't good enough. And God comes to us to the Cross of Jesus Christ and cries out and says to us: I love you. You are my Barabbas, you are my child. I love you, I sent my Son to pay the price. Look at my Son, look at the Cross, put your faith in Him and you can have eternal life. A new life, a fresh life, a life that begins now, a life with me that goes on forever. When we believe Jesus we have the forgiveness that Jesus purchased. When we believe the door is flung open into a deep relationship with God, when we believe we have eternal life, we do. Anybody, the worst criminal, you, me even if he had believed … Barabbas.

2:30 Country Star John Rich Shocks Trump with Vaccine Truth Bomb at Star-Studded Secret MeetingConservative Christian country star John Rich claims he got Trump to understand why people booed him when he boasted of Operation Warp Speed toxic injections.  The reactions of Lindsey Graham and Herschel Walker, both at the meeting, are telling.  And so are Trump's actions as both candidate, and on his return, President. 8:58 Fauci's Back: Scapegoat, Alibi, Psychopat      “Depopulationist psychopath” Fauci claws his way back from the wilderness with dire fear mongering about bird flu mutating, bats brewing, and cackling about a deadly outbreak—blaming our “attitude toward science”!     Fauci is the get-out-of-jail card for all the Covid tyranny as his fear theater conditions us for the next lockdown 20:45  Children's Health Defense Restates Their Principles as Founder RFKj Goes to the Dark Side on Measles & MMR      CHD doubles down & drops a gauntlet: the vaccine's risks dwarf the disease, with autism, seizures, and meningitis in its wake      This a test of the medical freedom movement's soul.  Will CHD stand firm as RFKj sells his soul and children's health for power? 34:52 Trump's 104% Tariff Tantrum Ignites Global Chaos and Robot Wars      Trump's jaw-dropping 104% tariff bomb dropped at midnight, plunging the world into economic mayhem.  Trump says he holds all the cards but China is calling the bluff of the bankrupt casino owner      And, Peter Navarro's “ChatGPT tariff math” gets roasted by Elon Musk.  Will Navarro blame the nonsense formula on his imaginary friend that he quotes in his books?  Reason makes the case that Trump and the American people would be better served by a sack of bricks than this econ conman.      Then, Lutnick makes it clear — this is NOT about the American worker.  You will be replaced by robots.  It's billionaires and their corporations that Trump wants to bring in, not jobs. 1:09:31 Wag the DOGE: Trump's Trillion-Dollar Pentagon & Coming Iran WarPentagon budget leaps 12% as the national debt is set to skyrocket to $67 TRILLION in 10 years. Red ink is the color of MAGA now. 1:22:59 British Church Has Jesus Doing Wrestling Smackdowns      Loaves & fishes?  How about literal circus for today's church that feeds on entertainment?      You won't believe the footage!  Watch as a Jesus “lookalike” body-slams foes taking on 2 “wrestlers” with Kung-Fu Chi.    This Jesus isn't turning the other cheek—proof the church is dead, and in its place a cabaret of idolatry1:35:28China's Communist godsUK Easter BanChristians Flee Minnesota Persecution for TennesseeTexas Battles Sharia City Invasion1:47:48 Market Meltdown and Where Does Gold Rush      Trump is finally building a border wall except it's financial.  Will all the king's men be able to put Humpty Dumpty together again after Trump pushed him off the wall?     The stakes are priceless—privacy, freedom, and the future hang in the balance! 2:02:09 Germany's Gold: Trump's Tariff Tantrums Spark Global Trust CrisisTrump's erratic tariff tirades send shockwaves worldwide—now even Germany's scrambling to yank its 1,200 tons of gold from New York's Fed vault 2:11:43 Trump's Trillion-Dollar War Machine Poised to Strike IranCritics like Glenn Greenwald slam him as Bibi's butler, while the military-industrial complex—hello, Elon Musk's SpaceX—rakes in billions. This empire-building spree's bankrupting America and igniting global hate. Now drone strikes into Mexico are on the table with or without the country's cooperation 2:33:37 Trans Killer's Hate-Fueled Rampage Exposed by Kash Patel Document Dump      The Tennessee Star has been fighting for info hidden by the Nashville Police and the FBI.  Now Kash Patel unleashed Audrey Hale's 1,000-page manifesto—revealing a transgender shooter's seething hatred for white kids, women, and Christians     Meanwhile the Supreme Court doubles down, rejecting challenges to New York's gun bans—leaving churches and schools as sitting ducks in “sensitive” zones. 2:43:12 Billionaires' Stadium Scam Busted: Lawmakers Slam Taxpayer Rip-OffDid you realize the billionaire grifters were also getting FEDERAL money for their grandiose sports complexes?  Fed-up lawmakers are pulling the plug on a jaw-dropping $4.3 billion federal handout to filthy-rich sports tycoons 2:46:10 Panama War: Trump & China Lawfare Fight      Trump pressure campaign sees Panama bringing criminal charges against Hong Kong giant, CK Hutchinson as China brings anti-trust charges against the company to stop the sale of ports around the Panama Canal      From cozy 25-year renewals to sudden lawsuits, this is a high-stakes battle for control—and billions. Will Trump and BlackRock seize the prize, or will China's counterpunch sink the deal? You won't believe the twists! 2:53:59 Trump's Third-Term Delusion: Will He Shatter the Constitution for Power?His spellbinding grip on conservatives is flipping the script on everything they once stood for! Term limits? Out the window. Tax hikes? Cheered on. The New American sounds the alarm: Trump's flouting the 22nd Amendment's sacred guard against tyranny, eyeing loopholes like a VP switcheroo with JD Vance—except the Constitution's 12th Amendment slams that door shut.If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to DavidKnight.gold for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to TrendsJournal.com and enter the code KNIGHTFor 10% off supplements and books, go to RNCstore.com and enter the code KNIGHTBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.

2:30 Country Star John Rich Shocks Trump with Vaccine Truth Bomb at Star-Studded Secret MeetingConservative Christian country star John Rich claims he got Trump to understand why people booed him when he boasted of Operation Warp Speed toxic injections.  The reactions of Lindsey Graham and Herschel Walker, both at the meeting, are telling.  And so are Trump's actions as both candidate, and on his return, President. 8:58 Fauci's Back: Scapegoat, Alibi, Psychopat      “Depopulationist psychopath” Fauci claws his way back from the wilderness with dire fear mongering about bird flu mutating, bats brewing, and cackling about a deadly outbreak—blaming our “attitude toward science”!     Fauci is the get-out-of-jail card for all the Covid tyranny as his fear theater conditions us for the next lockdown 20:45  Children's Health Defense Restates Their Principles as Founder RFKj Goes to the Dark Side on Measles & MMR      CHD doubles down & drops a gauntlet: the vaccine's risks dwarf the disease, with autism, seizures, and meningitis in its wake      This a test of the medical freedom movement's soul.  Will CHD stand firm as RFKj sells his soul and children's health for power? 34:52 Trump's 104% Tariff Tantrum Ignites Global Chaos and Robot Wars      Trump's jaw-dropping 104% tariff bomb dropped at midnight, plunging the world into economic mayhem.  Trump says he holds all the cards but China is calling the bluff of the bankrupt casino owner      And, Peter Navarro's “ChatGPT tariff math” gets roasted by Elon Musk.  Will Navarro blame the nonsense formula on his imaginary friend that he quotes in his books?  Reason makes the case that Trump and the American people would be better served by a sack of bricks than this econ conman.      Then, Lutnick makes it clear — this is NOT about the American worker.  You will be replaced by robots.  It's billionaires and their corporations that Trump wants to bring in, not jobs. 1:09:31 Wag the DOGE: Trump's Trillion-Dollar Pentagon & Coming Iran WarPentagon budget leaps 12% as the national debt is set to skyrocket to $67 TRILLION in 10 years. Red ink is the color of MAGA now. 1:22:59 British Church Has Jesus Doing Wrestling Smackdowns      Loaves & fishes?  How about literal circus for today's church that feeds on entertainment?      You won't believe the footage!  Watch as a Jesus “lookalike” body-slams foes taking on 2 “wrestlers” with Kung-Fu Chi.    This Jesus isn't turning the other cheek—proof the church is dead, and in its place a cabaret of idolatry1:35:28China's Communist godsUK Easter BanChristians Flee Minnesota Persecution for TennesseeTexas Battles Sharia City Invasion1:47:48 Market Meltdown and Where Does Gold Rush      Trump is finally building a border wall except it's financial.  Will all the king's men be able to put Humpty Dumpty together again after Trump pushed him off the wall?     The stakes are priceless—privacy, freedom, and the future hang in the balance! 2:02:09 Germany's Gold: Trump's Tariff Tantrums Spark Global Trust CrisisTrump's erratic tariff tirades send shockwaves worldwide—now even Germany's scrambling to yank its 1,200 tons of gold from New York's Fed vault 2:11:43 Trump's Trillion-Dollar War Machine Poised to Strike IranCritics like Glenn Greenwald slam him as Bibi's butler, while the military-industrial complex—hello, Elon Musk's SpaceX—rakes in billions. This empire-building spree's bankrupting America and igniting global hate. Now drone strikes into Mexico are on the table with or without the country's cooperation 2:33:37 Trans Killer's Hate-Fueled Rampage Exposed by Kash Patel Document Dump      The Tennessee Star has been fighting for info hidden by the Nashville Police and the FBI.  Now Kash Patel unleashed Audrey Hale's 1,000-page manifesto—revealing a transgender shooter's seething hatred for white kids, women, and Christians     Meanwhile the Supreme Court doubles down, rejecting challenges to New York's gun bans—leaving churches and schools as sitting ducks in “sensitive” zones. 2:43:12 Billionaires' Stadium Scam Busted: Lawmakers Slam Taxpayer Rip-OffDid you realize the billionaire grifters were also getting FEDERAL money for their grandiose sports complexes?  Fed-up lawmakers are pulling the plug on a jaw-dropping $4.3 billion federal handout to filthy-rich sports tycoons 2:46:10 Panama War: Trump & China Lawfare Fight      Trump pressure campaign sees Panama bringing criminal charges against Hong Kong giant, CK Hutchinson as China brings anti-trust charges against the company to stop the sale of ports around the Panama Canal      From cozy 25-year renewals to sudden lawsuits, this is a high-stakes battle for control—and billions. Will Trump and BlackRock seize the prize, or will China's counterpunch sink the deal? You won't believe the twists! 2:53:59 Trump's Third-Term Delusion: Will He Shatter the Constitution for Power?His spellbinding grip on conservatives is flipping the script on everything they once stood for! Term limits? Out the window. Tax hikes? Cheered on. The New American sounds the alarm: Trump's flouting the 22nd Amendment's sacred guard against tyranny, eyeing loopholes like a VP switcheroo with JD Vance—except the Constitution's 12th Amendment slams that door shut.If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to DavidKnight.gold for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to TrendsJournal.com and enter the code KNIGHTFor 10% off supplements and books, go to RNCstore.com and enter the code KNIGHTBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.

"I want to see..." Luke 18:31-19:10Luke 18:9-14Luke 18:18-23Luke 18:24-2724 Seeing that he became sad, Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”26 Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”27 He replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”What is the fundamental orientation of your soul? Luke 18:35-19:1-1035 As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 36 Hearing a crowd passing by, he inquired what was happening. 37 “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him.38 So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Then those in front told him to keep quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”40 Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to him. When he came closer, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”“Lord,” he said, “I want to see.”42 “Receive your sight,” Jesus told him. “Your faith has saved you.” 43 Instantly he could see, and he began to follow him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”6 So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully. 7 All who saw it began to complain, “He's gone to stay with a sinful man.”8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I'll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I'll pay back four times as much.”9 “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”Zacchaeus & the Blind Man• Zacchaeus was 'small in stature.'• "Salvation (soteria) has come to this house..."Acts 28:28 Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”• What does the word 'salvation' mean in Luke's writing?“Today salvation (soteria) has come to this house,...because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”“Your faith has saved (sozein) you.”Acts 4:9-129 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he was healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing here before you healthy. 11 This Jesus isthe stone rejected by you builders,which has become the cornerstone.12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”"There is salvation (soteria) in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved (sozein).”"There is healing (soteria) in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be healed (sozein).”

A division was forming among the crowd surrounding Jesus. On one hand, were those who opined that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah for the usual obvious reasons like His miracles and His teachings. On the other hand, we those who opined otherwise, principally based on the fact that scriptures declared that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. This Jesus was from Nazareth. They took this to mean that He was born there. No prophet is born in Nazareth, they said. That dilemma could have been resolved quickly and easily if they only investigated more objectively. The problem was that the religious leaders of Israel had something else in mind. Find out more in the homily.

Meanwhile here is a Guy who can walk on water, command the weather - you know, stop practically hurricanes on the lake! He can cast out demons! This Jesus can literally undo infirmities like paralysis, or blindness… But how is it that here - in this garden - He’s giving Himself up so quickly? He’s letting a bunch of knuckle-headed, oppositional, hostile people... He’s just going to give Himself up? So Peter steps up to the plate! He can't let this happen!

Meanwhile here is a Guy who can walk on water, command the weather - you know, stop practically hurricanes on the lake! He can cast out demons! This Jesus can literally undo infirmities like paralysis, or blindness… But how is it that here - in this garden - He’s giving Himself up so quickly? He’s letting a bunch of knuckle-headed, oppositional, hostile people... He’s just going to give Himself up? So Peter steps up to the plate! He can't let this happen!

Do we recognize the majesty of God in this man, Jesus? Do we see it only in the dramatic healing of the man's son, or the majesty of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration? God's majesty is veiled in the person, life, ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But make no mistake: This Jesus is God's majestic Son, Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and Friend!Here's the Michael W. Smith link.

Hi, I'm John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you're listening to Share Life Today. Do you know a young person who wants to change the world? Well today, it seems that young people have an endless fountain of passion for impacting the world. And that's great! But what if we could direct that passion toward transforming the world with the Good News of the Gospel? In the book of Acts, we read about Paul who said, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” And that message of hope changed the world for all of eternity. And it is our privilege and joy to raise up the next generation, to carry on the Good News of Jesus, and to disciple believers who will carry out Kingdom work. Because they will be impacting the world regardless as their generation become the leaders of churches, businesses, and communities. So let us take the time to intentionally disciple the teenagers around us to be able to share their faith. And if you aren't sure where to start, we would love to help. Visit our website at sharelife.today.

John 4:1-26,Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” Before we get into the story here in John 4, and the conversation with the Samaritan woman, I just wanted you to see something unusual and beautiful here about Jesus.In the last chapter, Jesus is ministering to a curious Pharisee, a teacher of the law, a ruler of the Jews — untouchable. And yet Jesus reaches out to him to invite him in, answer his questions, and challenge his thinking, to draw him into the kingdom. This is a guy from the highest, most intellectual, most religious stratosphere of society. . . . And then here, just a few verses later, he's stopping to minister to a sexually-immoral, socially-alienated woman — untouchable. And yet Jesus reaches out to her, engages her questions, and invites her to drink from his fountain of living water. These two couldn't be more different. He's a Jew, a leader in society, steeped in Scripture, rigorously observing the law; he's a man and he comes at night, and we know his name: Nicodemus. She's a Samaritan, and an outcast even in Samaria, in and out of relationships with men, far less familiar with God's law; she's a woman and they meet in broad, scorching daylight; and we don't even get her name. These two people couldn't be more different — and I believe that's utterly intentional. What do I take from it? It doesn't matter who you are this morning, Jesus has something to say to you. It doesn't matter if you're a politician or a prostitute, a priest or a thief, a CEO, a stay-at-home mom, or a college student, a Jew, a Samaritan, or a lifelong Minnesotan — Jesus has something to say to you this morning: something convicting and renewing, something hard and something really, really good. It was true with Nicodemus, and it's true here with this woman, and it'll be true here in this room — if we have ears to hear him.Give Me a DrinkOkay so we read here, verses 1–3, that Jesus leaves Judea because of pressure from the Pharisees (they were getting jealous and angry), and so he heads for Galilee. And you had to go through Samaria to get to Galilee. But “Samaria” was a bad word for Jews. Jews hated Samaritans, and Samaritans hated Jews.But he had to pass through Samaria to get to Galilee, and as he did, he gets tired from all the walking, and so he finds a well where he can stop and get a drink. It's the sixth hour (probably about noon), the hottest part of the day. No one draws water at noon in Samaria. They come earlier or later in the day when it's cooler. No one comes at this time. But while he's there, a woman stops at the well. A “woman of Samaria,” so this is Mrs. Bad Word. And as we'll find out in a minute, she's here at the well in the hottest part of the day for a reason. She's likely ashamed to be around the other women — because of all the men she's been with. Despite all that, Jesus says to her, verse 7, “Give me a drink.” You can tell how surprising it was for him to even talk to her, because of how she responds, verse 9:“How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?' (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)”No dealings. Not even a cup of water in the heat of the day. Why did Jews and Samaritans hate one another? In the beginning, the nation of Israel had twelve tribes, one each for the twelve sons of Jacob. And the capitol of that nation was (and is) Jerusalem. And Israel still had twelve tribes when Solomon was king, but when he died and his son Rehoboam took over, he ruled badly and alienated 10 of the 12 tribes. So those ten split off in a mutiny against Jerusalem. They formed a new northern kingdom, and they made Jeroboam their king. That makes them traitors in Jerusalem. And Samaria was the capital of traitor nation.Foreigners moved into the northern kingdom, and they inter-married with the Jewish people, making the people less and less Jewish over time. Eventually that mixed race is called “Samaritans,” after the capitol city. For the Jews, it was synonymous with “half-breed” or “impure.” They despised Samaritans. One scholar writes,“The ethnic and cultural boundary between the Jews and the Samaritans,” one scholar writes, “was every bit as rigid and hostile as the current boundary between Blacks and Whites in the most racist areas of the United States.” (From Every People and Nation, 163)Imagine refusing someone something as small and critical as water, simply because of their ethnicity. That's how malicious this rivalry was.But Jesus isn't offended. He answers, verse 10, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”You think you've got me figured out, that I'm like every other Jewish guy you've heard about, but you have no idea. If you knew who I was, you wouldn't have waited for me to ask for a cup of water.She's of course confused, so she says,“Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”This water's been just fine, and for hundreds of years. As far as wells go, this is a great well. Why would I need different water? (And besides, if you had better water, what would you even put it in?)To which he replies, Has this water really been enough for you? And if it has, why do you have to keep coming back here like you do? Here's how he says it:“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”What do we learn about this “living water”? When you drink it, you'll never be thirsty again. It might be hard for us to feel what this would have meant in that day. We have clean water everywhere we turn, coming out of every faucet in our homes. In that day, they had to carry these buckets back and forth, back and forth — for drinking, for cooking, for bathing. Water was a huge part of their lives. And Jesus says, you drink from my well, and you'll never be thirsty again. You'll never have to do this walk again. But he goes even further than that. “The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”When you drink this water, you'll never thirst and you'll never die. You're going to live forever.The woman still doesn't totally get it, as we'll see, but she's heard enough to be sold: “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”Give me this eternal water service, the gallons just showing up at my house every day. I don't want to come out here over and over and over again. I hate coming out here in the heat of the day. Please give me some of this special water you're telling me about.“Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.'”Seems straightforward enough. If you want what I'm offering, go grab your husband and we'll talk more. It's not straightforward, though, not at all — and Jesus knows that.“The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.'”A little awkward, but not necessarily a problem (not yet). But, again, Jesus knows more than she thinks he does. “Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.'” Okay, so we're not really talking about water at all, are we? This isn't about Jacob or buckets or H₂O. Her well was men. She had been trying to quench her thirst for love, for security, for life in the arms of romance. He asked her for a drink because he knew how thirsty she was. She was dying of thirst inside, and she had tried well after well after well — Greg, then Ryan, then Jared, then Dave, then Scott, then Tony (who knows what their names were). And she was still so thirsty. She was more thirsty than she was before she met the first guy. Sin is the anti-well, the anti-fountain. And some of you are drinking there every day. Maybe you're like this woman, and you've thrown yourself into relationship after relationship. Maybe your wells are online, in the dark places of the internet. Maybe you're fostering some bitterness or anger. Maybe it's indulging in alcohol, or over-eating, or binge-watching. The first time you put your bucket in, you got enough for a drink. And then a little less, and a little less, and a little less. Now you're scraping the dirty bottom for a thimble, for a drip of water. But you're so thirsty, so you keep trying. Put your bucket down. Whatever it is, put it down and walk away. Don't drink there anymore! Come to the fountain of life and you'll never be thirsty again.And all you have to do is ask. Did you hear that in verse 10?“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”Why would he give it? Because you asked. All you have to do is ask!Right here, in these verses, is a well, a spring — and it will never fail you. You don't even need your bucket anymore, because the well's inside of you. “The water that I will give him will become in him” — in you — “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”Which Well Will You Choose?So which well will you choose? What's keeping you from asking? What's between you and the fountain right now?Jesus overcomes three great hurdles, three great barriers in this story, the kinds of barriers that might be keeping you from coming to the fountain. Three great barriers, and you could summarize them like this: six husbands, two temples, one wall.1. No Sin Is Too GreatFirst, six husbands. Well, five husbands and the boyfriend. But six men wasn't too many. It might have gotten her canceled in town (she had to go draw water by herself in the heat of day), but six men didn't disqualify her from this well. No, these six husbands tell us that no sin is too great. You know that, but I want you to know it. Some of you know it, but you don't believe it. You don't. You think your sins are too great, too bad, too many. This woman's in the Bible to tell you that's not true.We don't find out that she's been with so many men until verse 18, but Jesus already knew in verse 1. He knew and he still stopped to talk to her. He still offered her a drink. He offered her the only drink she'd ever need, the one that would quench and heal all the aching dryness inside of her. He wasn't embarrassed to be seen with her. He wasn't too ashamed of her to bear her sins and make her his own — if she would just ask.So will you ask, will you forsake all your other wells, and drink from this fountain? Will you believe, repent, and be forgiven?2. No Place Is Too FarSecond, two temples. When Jesus knows about all her husbands, she realizes he's a prophet, and so she turns the conversation to how and where to worship. Verse 19:“Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”She's bringing up an argument between Jews and Samaritans. When the northern kingdom split off from Judah and Jerusalem, they built their own temple on Mount Gerizim (that's the mountain she mentions). The Jews in Jerusalem obviously didn't think that temple was legit, though, and so that was another reason to hate each other.She realizes this conversation's not really about water, or even about her husbands, this is a conversation about worship. And worship happens, in her mind, in either that temple or that temple. Jesus says to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”For hundreds and hundreds of years, God's people worshiped in one big temple, a building — 150 feet tall and a million and a half square feet. It's a big, massive dot on Google maps. But it's one big dot. Not anymore, Jesus says. Up until now — up until me — you had to come to a place, a temple to offer right worship to God. Now, you can worship him anywhere. You can worship him at 1524 Summit Ave in St. Paul, Minnesota in a country that won't even exist for another couple thousand years.What do these two temples tell us in the story? That now, no place is too far. The hour has come when true worshipers worship the Father in spirit and truth. True worshipers worship in spirit — not just with our hands, and knees, and gifts, but by the work of the Spirit inside of us. This is what Jesus just told us in the last chapter, verse 5:“Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”And true worshipers worship in truth, that is, they worship according to how God has revealed himself in his word and in the Word made flesh, his Son. Those are the essential ingredients: God's supernatural work in you by the Spirit and God's supernatural revelation in the Bible, most fundamentally in Jesus. And now, in Jesus, if you worship in spirit and truth, you can worship God anywhere.You don't have to come to this building to worship Jesus. You should absolutely join a local church and faithfully attend their gatherings, but you can worship Jesus in the temple high on the mountain or down by a well in the heat of day, in the sanctuary on Sunday morning or alone in your bedroom on your knees. Because of Jesus, you can meet and worship God in any place. And one day soon he will be worshiped in every place, when his glory covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. No place is too far.3. No Wall Is Too HighThird, the wall. Jesus calmed the raging storm with a word, and he brought down the mile-high racial-ethnic-religious wall between Jews and Samaritans with a drink of water (with less than a drink of water, because as far as we know, he never got the drink). This raging hostility — between Jews and Samaritans — this hostility tells us no wall is too high. This Jesus overcomes every conceivable boundary and hostility between us. So what walls seem too high today?Are they in the Middle East or Asia? Jesus had to pass through Samaria — and he has to pass through Iraq, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. He has to pass through Cameroon, the Philippines, and Turkey, where our global partners serve right now. Those are high, high walls. And no wall's too high. Why does he have to pass through those hard places? Matthew 24:14,“This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”One day we will sing, Revelation 5:9, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”Do you want to reach an unreached people with the gospel, to help bring down walls around the world so that people dying of thirst might finally hear about Jesus? You won't find a wall too high. Jesus can bring any wall down, and he can do it with a cup of water. How much more might he do through you?You won't find a wall too high in the Middle East, and you won't find a wall too high in Minneapolis. In your neighborhood. In your family. These walls are a lot closer, so they might look and feel a lot higher, a lot thicker, (in the case of family) a lot more sensitive and painful. How could God ever save him? Or her? There's no sin too great, no place too far, and no wall too high. Do you still believe that — even for them?The Father Is Seeking WorshipAnd why is no sin too great, no place too far, and no wall too high? Because, verse 23, the Father is seeking people like us to worship him.“The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”Despite all the barriers, it's going to happen. Why? Because the God of heaven is out looking for them — he's meeting them at wells and in temples, he's finding them at big Christian conferences and in conversations at the gas station, he's using parents and neighbors and little-league coaches and roommates and co-workers — he's seeking. He's seeking worshipers. Does that sound selfish to you? “The Father is seeking worshipers.” If one of you talked that way, it would be gross, right? If I said, “Pastor Daniel is seeking worshipers who will worship him,” you'd say he shouldn't be a pastor. We'd think he'd lost his mind. We don't like people like this. So why is it any different with God? Why can he do everything he does for his own glory (and he does do everything he does for his glory)? And why can he tell us to do everything we do for his glory? (“Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”)Because he's worthy of all the glory — more than we could ever give him, more than the sun and moon and stars and mountains could ever say — and because his glory is the best news in the world for people like us.Why do I find so much hope and comfort in him seeking worship? Because when this God finds a worshiper, he gives us the spring of living water in him. Worship is our well of living water. And if he wasn't seeking, we'd never find him. That's how blinding sin is. This God reveals his glory by satisfying the dry and weary souls of the undeserving, of the sinful. I want a God like that. And he's the only one there is.And this Father was so relentlessly committed to finding you, knowing you, saving you that he sent his Son into the world to die for you. The woman says, verse 25,“I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.”And Jesus says to her (maybe the clearest, most shocking statement he makes about himself in all the Bible):“I who speak to you am he.”And in that moment, she hears what we've known since verse 1: The normal-looking Jewish man standing by this well, at the heat of day, asking her for a drink, is the Savior of the world, the Son of God, the Messiah.This brings us to the table. One of the sneaky startling things about this passage is hiding in verse 6. We read right over it.“. . . so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well.”Jesus was wearied. It should take our breath away that the Son of God was wearied. He didn't count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself. He got tired like we do, and needed a drink like we do. He was willing to be wearied for you. And far more than wearied, “he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, death on a cross.” This long, hot journey from Jerusalem to Galilee, through terrible hostility, it's a picture of this whole Gospel, of the whole Bible. Jesus was wearied for you, betrayed for you, pierced for you, crushed for you, so that you might worship him in spirit and truth — and never be thirsty again.He's still seeking. Will he find worship in you? This table, this meal is a meal for the members of Cities Church, but if by faith in Jesus Christ you have to come to drink at the fountain of living water, we invite you to eat and drink with us. If you're not yet a believer in Jesus, we'd ask you to let the bread and the cup pass. But let today be the day you put your bucket down and follow Jesus.

Series: Why Jesus?Service: PodcastType: PodcastSpeaker: Steven & ToddOne of life's most important questions: Why Jesus? This Jesus has impacted the world. Let us try to explain why you too should follow him and become a follower of Christ, a Christian.

John 18:15–17 (Listen) Peter Denies Jesus 15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” (ESV)Acts 1:6–14 (Listen) The Ascension 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.1 Footnotes [1] 1:14 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 15 (ESV)Acts 2:1–8 (Listen) The Coming of the Holy Spirit 2:1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested1 on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Footnotes [1] 2:3 Or And tongues as of fire appeared to them, distributed among them, and rested (ESV)

 Welcome to Christ Community's Online Service! Some moments change everything. A few simple words can shift the entire trajectory of your life—You're hired. You're cured. We're pregnant. In Acts 2, thousands experienced a catalytic moment when Peter spoke just a few words: "This Jesus of Nazareth…" In an instant, they saw the truth—they had been waiting for the Messiah, and He had come. But they had crucified Him. Yet, this was not a moment of condemnation, but of rescue. Jesus, the firstfruits of new life, had conquered death and poured out the Holy Spirit, offering freedom and hope. The same truth that changed lives on that day continues to change lives today. When we see Jesus for who He truly is, everything shifts. What if today is your moment? For prayer and to stay connected, please visit: https://www.cccgreeley.org For Giving: https://www.cccgreeley.org/give/ Discussion Guide: https://www.cccgreeley.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2025-2-15-16-Group-Discussion-Questions.pdf Make Breakfast Plans for THIS Saturday!

The resurrected Lord Christ Jesus, our High Priest called our King of Righteousness and King of Peace, is exalted to the right hand of Majesty on High. The more I see Jesus the more everything else submits to Jesus. The post This Jesus appeared first on Jubilee Church.

Over eight weeks, we will consider the substance of the Lord's Prayer - prayerfully seeking to infuse that substance into our own prayers. We will seek to mold our prayers by our Lord's model prayer, communing with our Father God as Jesus himself did. This week, we explore 'Your kingdom come' from Matthew 6:10a.“What a man is on his knees before God, that he is, and nothing more.” - Robert Murray McCheyne When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17Matthew 6:9-13I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the LORD. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. Zephaniah 1:17-18He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15When we pray, “Your kingdom come”, we are submitting ourselves to the priorities of our heavenly King. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…” - Matthew 6:33a When we pray, “Your kingdom come”, we are devoting ourselves to the proclamation of the King's message - the gospel. “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how…”  Mark 4:26-27 When we pray, “Your kingdom come”, we are anticipating the glorious return of our King.“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11 PRAYERS PROMPTSPray that your priorities would be more fully aligned with the kingdom of God.But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness… (Matt 6:33a) Pray that you would be faithful and courageous in proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, the savior of sinners.How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Rom 10:14-15) Pray that you, your loved ones, and your church family would persevere in the faith until our Lord returns.Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25)For sermon media, and Life Group Discussion guide, visit: lifechurchnc.com/prayLife Church exists to glorify God by making disciples who treasure Christ, grow together, and live on mission. Salisbury, NCFollow us online:lifechurchnc.comFacebookInstagramYouTubeTwitter

We can learn much from Matthew's record of the birth narrative of the Lord Jesus.  This Jesus is Messiah; He is the Son David.  

Stress comes in all different shapes and sizes, but whatever its cause, none of us was made to be under constant stress and yet, that's how many people are living. In a constant state of stress.  Well, it's time to do something about it.   A Stress Free Life? Stress. For most of us, that word sends a shiver down our spine, and why wouldn't it? Who wants to be under stress all the time? And that's what it feels like for a lot of us, so what is it? Well, it's a state of mental or emotional strain or tension, and my dictionary adds, "Resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances", although I'm not sure that's always the case. We'll explore some of the main causes of stress in this series, but first, what sort of impact is stress having on our world? Well, a recent study conducted in Australia by the Psychological Institute (and by the way, I'm sure you'd probably find the same results no matter where you live) ... Well, the study found some interesting things about the reach and impact of stress. Here are the headline findings: 12% of people reported experiencing levels of stress in the severe range, with young adults experiencing significantly higher levels of stress and significantly lower levels of wellbeing than the general population. One in three reported experiencing depressive symptoms, with ten percent of these being in the severe range. One in four reported experiencing anxiety, with nine percent of these in the severe range. Young adults, 18-25, reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression than the general population. Although women reported significantly higher levels of perceived stress than did men, this didn't lead to differences reported in their levels of anxiety, depression, or wellbeing. Those people experiencing family or recent relationship-breakdown and those separated reported much higher levels of stress and distress, on all measures. If the relationship-breakdown had occurred more than one year earlier, reported stress levels were about the same as the general population. In the US, things appear to be more extreme. Seventy-three percent of people regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress. Almost half say that stress has a negative impact on their personal or professional lives, and the cost to employers in stress-related healthcare and missed work is estimated, in the US, to be about three hundred billion dollars a year. No wonder we want a stress free life! That idyllic life by the beach is looking pretty good to a few of us at this point. Right? But that's just not realistic and in fact, the reality is that a bit of stress in our lives isn't a bad thing. We enjoy a challenge, for instance, and working under a bit of pressure sometimes produces really good results. It's like a guitar or a violin. If the strings aren't under the right amount of tension and stress, it just doesn't work the way it was meant to. I know for instance after a longish holiday, say three weeks off over Christmas, I'm really looking forward to getting back into the cut and thrust of work. If we had no pressure, no deadlines, life would be missing something; and in any case, sometimes we're hit by circumstances that put us under a lot of stress, whether we like it or not. Take Jesus. He experienced huge stress. Luke 22:39-46: He came out and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives and the disciples followed Him. When He reached that place, He said to them, ‘Pray, that you may not come into a time of trial.' Then He withdrew from them, about a stone's throw away, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.' Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and gave Him strength. In His anguish He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling down on the ground. When He got up from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and He said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray, that you may not come into a time of trial.' The fact that Jesus' sweat was like drops of blood tells us just how severe His suffering was. This was stress, and it only got worse from here, as He was beaten and nailed to a cross. No, that completely stress free life isn't a reality for any of us. Even the rich and famous, in fact sometimes especially those people, suffer enormous amounts of stress. How many superstars have died from drug overdoses? What were they doing there in the first place? What drove them to drugs? The pressure and the stress of fame. So, sometimes stress is desirable; sometimes it's unavoidable, and sometimes we experience it because of our reaction to a particular person or set of circumstances, and yet the Bible says don't be anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6). So what sort of stress are you under right now? Is it the normal cut and thrust of life which, at the end of the day, you kind of enjoy anyhow? Then that's probably not such a bad thing, is it? It's manageable, and you know that with a few adjustments to your life, you could easily get things right under control. Then you're probably in a good balance, but if the stresses that you're under feel like a huge burden, like a heavy load that you're carrying around twenty-four by seven ... well ... that's not such a good thing. We're not made to be under that sort of constant pressure and stress, and yet many people live their lives like that. That's why we're kicking the year off with this series called, "Stress Busters" because God has a lot of things to say about how to alleviate the stress that you're under; lots of practical, powerful things to say. Hey, why should that be a surprise to any of us? God cares so deeply about you; what you're going through; what stress you're under, and the stepping off point for that is what Jesus said. We see it in Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus said: Come to Me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke of easy, and My burden is light. Jesus wants to lighten your load, so over these coming weeks, we're going to discover what He has to say about your stress, because Jesus didn't say this lightly. Jesus didn't say this flippantly. Jesus meant it – come to Me, all you who are weary and who are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Come on! Take My yoke upon you. Learn from Me. I'm gentle. I'm humble of heart, and with Me, you're going to find rest for your souls. Hey, that's a powerful thing, and that's why we're doing a series over these next few weeks called, "Stress Busters" because God wants to deal with the stress in your life.   Stress we Put Ourselves Under You and I have this habit of putting ourselves under pressure and stress needlessly. Don't believe me? Well, right now, we're going to chat about how we do that exactly, and what we can do about changing our habits, because there are more than enough things out there that are going to cause you and me stress, whether we like it or not. There are going to be situations and circumstances completely beyond our control that cause us stress: The loss of a loved one; a difficult boss at work; financial problems; health issues ... There are plenty of things out there that are going to come our way, whether we like it or not, that are going to cause us stress. So, why would we possibly want to needlessly cause ourselves stress? Well, right now, we're going to chat about the main three reasons that we cause ourselves stress. I'd be surprised if you don't recognise at least one of them in your life. The first one is physical. Sometimes we think of stress as an emotional thing, even a spiritual thing; and of course, it is those things, but the physical reality is that God has given you and me a body, and there are three main things that we do to abuse this amazing body that God has gifted us. We eat too much of the wrong stuff, we don't get enough sleep, and we don't get enough exercise. How many times have you heard someone (including me) banging on about our diet and exercise and sleep? And yet still the first and most obvious thing that we can get wrong when it comes to managing our stress is how we treat our body, so come on. If the hat fits, wear it. Are you sick of feeling tired? Are you sick of feeling bloated and stressed and exhausted? Then do something about it. Last year, we had a whole series on the programme called, "Healthy living to a Ripe Old Age" and all of those messages in that series are available in the Resources section of the ChristianityWorks.com website, under the heading of Health. Grab them, listen to them, read the transcripts and please, if you're struggling because you're not treating your body properly, do something about it. 1 Corinthians 6:19: For don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? God expects you and He expects me to look after this amazing body that He's given us, and when we do, let me tell you, our stress levels drop dramatically. The second thing that we do to put ourselves under stress needlessly is constantly second-guessing ourselves: Constantly telling ourselves, "I'm not good enough. I'm not fast enough. I'm not smart enough." You know what that's called? Low self-esteem, and it might surprise you to know that this is a trap that I too find quite easy to fall into. Shocked? Here's how it works for me. I'm something of an achiever. I drive hard at things; I work hard; I try to deliver on-time ... It's just who I am, and when you're that kind of person, you can see not only all the things that you have achieved, but all the things that you haven't yet achieved, and so you start telling yourself, "Come on! You're not working hard enough for God. You should be doing better for God. You should be getting up earlier and working longer and delivering sooner. You need to get more done. Look at all the things you haven't done yet! Oh, Berni, you're failing God." You see how easy it is to do? Or at the other end of the scale, perhaps you only ever see your inadequacies, because you're constantly comparing yourself to other people. Anyone recognise that? It's like that song by Casey Chambers. "Am I not pretty enough or smart enough or liked enough or strong enough or articulate enough or" ... so we find all these ways to put ourselves under enormous pressure, and cause ourselves huge stress by believing this nonsense that we're just not good enough. Have you been there? Then I have a word from God for you today. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7: Now there are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit; there are a variety of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each one, He has given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Did you get that? Each one of us has been given a particular set of gifts and abilities. They're all different, but they're given by the one God; and the gifts He's given you, He's given you by His sovereign will and choice. You are who you are because He made you that way. He didn't make a mistake. You're exactly who God purposed you and made you to be. Get your heart around that, and you're set free from this nonsense of, "Am I not pretty enough? Am I not good enough for God?" Hello? Is anyone listening to this? I for one need constant reminding of this stuff, because I can end up stressing out by having a wrong view of who I am. It's about trading in your self-image for a faith-image from God, and this God says that you're beautiful, and that you're just who you're meant to be. So you've been given gifts by God now to be that person, and to use those gifts. Hallelujah! And finally, the third thing that causes us needlessly to put ourselves under stress is not letting go of the past. So many people are still holding onto the failures and the hurts and the regrets of the past. How many people are living under the reproach of the past? Come on, the past is the past. You and I can't change it, and God is in the business of setting us free from it. Mark this. Before Israel was able to cross over the Jordan River and enter into the promised land, God dealt with their past. Joshua 5:9: The LORD said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away from you the reproach of the past, the disgrace of Egypt.' And so that place is called Gilgal to this day. You've heard that saying, "Don't cry over spilt milk." Right? Yes, wipe it up. Yes, clean up the mess. Yes, learn from your mistakes so that you won't spill the milk again, but don't just stand there and wish you hadn't spilt the milk, and spend the rest of your life living in that one moment of failure, because you can't un-spill the milk. That just doesn't make sense. This Jesus came to set you free from the past, to bind up your broken heart, to give you a vision for the future, a new set of eyes to see, a new set of ears to hear, and a new life to live. Jesus came to lift the reproach of the past off your shoulders, so that it won't cause you any more stress. Come on. There are enough things out there for you to stress out over without your health, without these false feelings of inadequacy, and without your hurts from the past doing it all for you. Do you think?   The Stress of not Enough It seems to me that there are three basic resources that you and I need to get by each day: Time, money, and expertise; and when we're short of any of those three basic resources – time, money, or expertise, that can cause us enormous amounts of stress. Let's start by looking at time. I don't know when the term time-poor started to fall into common usage, but these days, you hear it a lot. People are time-poor. In fact, once you have enough money to cover the basics in your life, time becomes an even more valuable commodity than money, and for many people, time is way too short. ‘If only I had a few extra hours in every day!' I've heard people say. Really? The more affluent we become, the more options we have for spending our time. Take social media. Right at the moment, eleven percent of the world's population are active Facebook-users. Just think about that for a minute, and they are collectively spending seven hundred billion minutes on Facebook each month. That's 1.33 million person-years every month on Facebook, and that doesn't count watching TV and all the other entertainment options available to us. No wonder we're time-poor! So what's changed? Why have we, all of a sudden, become time-poor? ‘Cos we're trying to cram too much into our day. We're always connected. We're always working and chatting, and we've forgotten how to have disconnected, quiet down-time. If that's you, if you're burning the candle at both ends, something has to give, otherwise the stress is going to kill you. Really, and in case you're one of these workaholics, who just has to work eighteen hours a day otherwise civilisation as we know it is going to come to an end, here's a different perspective – God's perspective. Psalm 127:1-2: Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Unless the LORD guards the city, the guards keep watch in vain. It's in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil, for God gives sleep to His beloved. It's simply not God's plan for you to live like that, and I've recorded a whole series of messages on that called "It's Time to Stop Labouring in Vain". You'll find it in the Resources section of our website, ChristianityWorks.com. Now the second thing that causes us stress is a lack of money. Sometimes that's because people simply don't have enough money to get by, but sometimes, it's because we squander the money that we do have on impulse buys or on things we don't need; on food that we bought, and then because of our bad management, it goes off in the fridge, so we throw it out. I want to deal with wastage first because that's criminal. With people starving in the world, wasting money on stuff that we just don't need is criminal, but the problem is that advertisers have it down to a fine art. They seem to be able to get us to part with our money like nothing else, so the question you have to ask yourself, the thing that's going to get you to change your mind, is whether the stress of this is worth it; whether having all those things makes you happy or, at the end of the day, makes you stressed. 1 Timothy 6:9-10: Those who want to be rich end up falling into temptation, and they're trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich, some have wandered away from their faith and pierced themselves with many pains. So ask yourself, "Is it really worth it for me? Really?" Or is it time to get your house in order? Is it time to get money-wise? And again, I've recorded a whole series called, "How to be Money-Wise" that you'll find in the Living in Victory section of the Resources library at ChristianityWorks.com. Sort that out, and the stress goes away. Believe you me, it's worth it. And for those who are poor, desperately poor, let me say this to you: In fact not me, but Jesus. Matthew 6:31-33: Don't worry, saying, ‘What am I going to eat?' or, ‘What am I going to drink?' or, ‘What am I going to wear?' For it's the Gentiles who strive after all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father already knows that you need them all. But strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. God knows what you need, and He will provide it for you. So, Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. But in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Your God will surely provide for you, and once you learn to trust Him to do the things you can't do and provide the things that you need that you can't acquire for yourself, the stress will be replaced by the most amazing peace and assurance. Finally, the other thing that causes us stress when we're without it is expertise. When I look at the ministry of ChristianityWorks that produces these radio-programmes, ok, I'm the front guy; you hear my voice, but without Max on the opposite side of the glass here in the studio and our dedicated team around the world, there simply wouldn't be any radio-programmes. One of the biggest things that you and I can do to cause ourselves stress is not to value and recognise the different abilities and capabilities of the people around us because when we don't cherish them, they desert us. I see this all the time: Leaders who think everybody should be exactly like them, so they drive their people hard and all of a sudden, there's no one left to lead. A true leader recognises other people's gifts and abilities. A true leader encourages and empowers people to be all that they can be, and whether we're leaders or not, we need other people around us who will co-operate in getting things done; because without them, we are going to be under stress with a capital S; because without them, we have to do the things that they're good at, and those things are invariably stuff that we're not good at. There's something incredibly stressful about being a square peg in a round hole. If I had to do Max's job here in the studio, I couldn't do it, and I've tried to get Max on the other side of the glass in front of the microphone, and he's not real keen on that either; because that's not his gig, just as much as what he does is not my gig. It's easy to be stressed by not having enough: Enough time, enough money, or enough expertise. But when we lean on God – hey; when we really trust in Him (come on, really), the stress starts to go away because what we discover is that God provides richly for those whom He loves. He just does. So if you're struggling under the stress of not enough, listen again, please, to this passage from Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Do not lean on your own understanding. In other words, don't look at the problem and keep turning the problem over in your mind, and just seeing the problem which then appears to be bigger than God. Instead, trust in the LORD with all your heart! Don't lean on your own understanding. And in all your ways acknowledge Him, and God will straighten out your paths. God will make it happen. God loves you. Do you get that? God absolutely loves you, and often we are going to be confronted with things that are much bigger than us. Pressure is different from stress. Pressure is out there; stress is our reaction to it, and God doesn't want you stressing out.

ACTS 1:1-11The Promise of the Holy Spirit1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”The Ascension6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

December 27, 2024 Today's Reading: John 21:20-25Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 51:17-52:12; Matthew 2:1-12“So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?'” (John 21:23)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. John died of old age, exiled on Patmos. I wonder if it flavors the way he wrote his gospel. He calls himself the apostle whom Jesus loved. He's clearly brilliant. Especially compared to Peter. He runs faster, too. I used to think John thought a lot of himself. The more I get to know him, the more I wonder if it was the opposite. John was spared the martyrdom that the other eleven received. At one point, I would have assumed John counted it as a mark of favor. Maybe, though, to John, it wasn't. It's great faith that stands steadfast in the face of torture. Unwavering in the face of death. We all like to think we'd do the same, but pray we'd never have to. We all pledged to remain steadfast in this faith and face all, even death, rather than fall away from it, but enough kids stop going to church the week after they make this promise with the help of God at their confirmation that it's a trope. As John grew old on Patmos, I wonder if the apostle whom Jesus loved was the apostle who was afraid he wouldn't.  Bravado often masks insecurity. And sometimes, it's even more terrifying to disappoint someone than to die horribly. Do the subtle boasts John makes really just show how afraid he really is? But he's a fast runner. Way faster than Peter. And he's wicked smart, too. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. There are marks of John throughout his book, but motive is a tricky thing. We don't even understand ourselves sometimes. Today, the church remembers St. John, who had a personality I can't help but speculate about. But the thing he clings to is clear. Christ. His letters are not remembered for his wit or his spats with Peter but for confessing the crucified and risen Lord. This Jesus died and rose not only to cover over John's sins, but to give him courage in the face of his fears. John died of old age but already conquered death in his Baptism. That Baptism gives us the freedom to see him in joy as someone who gives us permission to maybe be afraid, but someone holy nonetheless because of the Christ who washes us clean. One day, you'll die, too. I'm not sure how people will remember you or what credit they'll give to your motives and actions. But you'll go into the grave Baptized, covered. And you'll rise, too.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Merciful Lord, cast the bright beams of Your light upon Your Church that we, being instructed in the doctrine of Your blessed apostle and evangelist John, may come to the light of everlasting life; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.-Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

This whole Christmas celebration thing is of course a birthday celebration. And birthdays are all about celebrating new life. Would it surprise you to know that that's exactly what God has in mind for you to celebrate? Your new life.   SILENT NIGHT There's a bunch of guys in the Bible who I envy. Now I know what you're thinking, the tenth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife or male or female slave or ox or donkey or anything else that belongs to your neighbour. (Exodus 20:17) Yeah, we're not supposed to envy or covet anything because it leads to some really bad behaviour. I get that. But hear me out. If there was anyone I could have been with in the Bible, it would have to be those shepherds who were out there watching their flocks by night. We don't quite know what night it was. But you have to gather by what the angel said to them that Jesus had already been born so I prefer to think of it as Christmas night. Only to them, sitting there in the field watching their sheep, it wasn't Christmas night at all. It was just another night at the office doing what shepherds did. It was a mundane part of their lives. They may have been enjoying the evening. They may not have been enjoying the evening. It doesn't matter. They were doing what shepherds did out there on the side of a hill somewhere just outside Bethlehem. The sun had gone down like it goes down every night. And tomorrow morning the sun was going to come up again, like it did every morning and nothing much changed in between. Maybe the moon was out, maybe not. And in the absence of the bright light and the pollution you and I have to put up with these days, the Milky Way was spread across the firmament in all its glory and all was well with the world. That's the picture, that's what was going on. But on that particular night God had a plan to break into this world in the most amazing and spectacular way. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night and then an angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified but the angel said to them, 'Don't be afraid for see I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people. To you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour who is the Messiah, the Lord.' ‘This will be a sign for you, you will find a child wrapped in bands of clothing and lying in a manger'. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favours.' When the angels had left them and gone into heaven the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go down to Bethlehem and see this thing that's taken place which the Lord has made known to us'. So they went with haste and they found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in a manger. When they saw this they made known what had been told to them about this child and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them but Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all that they'd heard and seen as it had been told to them. (Luke 2: 8-20) I often wonder how I would have reacted had I been with those guys on that starry starry night. I wonder how I would react if that happened to me tonight at home or on the way back from work or whatever mundane thing I happened to be doing tonight. Because for me, the idea of a cosmic light show and angels filling the sky and all that jazz, well for me, it's pretty easy to believe because it happened at a nice safe distance of two thousand or so years ago. Because you and I have watched the kids Christmas pantomimes so many times and sung the Christmas carols so many times, it's become part of our psyche that this thing with the shepherds actually happened. We accept it pretty much without thinking. But bring it back to reality and how would we cope if it happened to us here and now or if we'd been back there with the shepherds' back then sitting in that field on that night. I think I would be petrified like they were to start with. It would be so unexpected, so out of this world, so impossible and yet there they were and it was happening to them and God broke into their world in this startling 'in your face' kind of way. You know something? I believe that that's what God wants to do today in your world and mine. I believe God wants to shake us out of our comfortable little Christmas ritual, our "business as usual" approach to Christmas and get right in our faces and say, "Don't you realise what this Christmas thing is all about? Today, I'm bringing you good news for unto you a Saviour has been born for you". And the reaction He's looking for out of you and me is the reaction that the shepherds had. Because when the angels had left them and gone into heaven the shepherds said to one another, "Well, what are we going to do? Why don't we go down to Bethlehem and see what has taken place that which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste, they didn't dawdle; they went with haste. They found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told to them about this child and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. God wants us to come to Jesus for ourselves – to worship Jesus for ourselves, to tell the world what we've seen. Imagine His frustration, His great frustration when He sees people, like you and me, just going through the motions at Christmas time. Imagine how that makes Him feel when on that first Christmas, He gave to you and He gave to me the single most precious gift that has ever been given in all of human history. So how about it? Will you grab onto this Christmas present with both hands? Will you come to Jesus and worship Him? Will you rejoice at what you've seen? Will you tell people what you've seen? Will you let Christmas impact your heart in the most miraculous way? Well, will you or are you just going to do the same old Christmas ritual this year like you've done for the past umpteen years? Because here's the thing, one day Jesus is coming back. One day, Jesus will return to this earth and when that happens it will make the cosmic light show that the shepherds experienced look like a little sideshow, I'm telling you. When Jesus ascended back into heaven this is what happened: So when they'd come together they asked him, 'Lord is this the time when you'll restore the Kingdom of Israel?' And he replied, 'It's not for you to know the times or the periods that the Father has set by his own authority but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and then you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria and even to the ends of the earth'. When he had said that 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 towards the heaven suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards the heaven? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come again in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. (Acts 1: 6-11) See, that's going to happen one day, just as unexpectedly as the angels appeared before those shepherds, just as unexpectedly as Jesus slipped into the world the first time. One day this Jesus is coming back to judge the living and the dead. One day He will break back into our physical world just as unexpectedly as He did back then. Only this time there will be no mistaking Him, this time He will come just as He left, in amazing glory to gather His own unto Himself. So as yet another Christmas slips by, I'm going to ask you this … are you ready? Because one day Jesus is coming ready or not. And with all my heart, I want to wish you and those whom you love the most radically wonderful Christmas you have ever had.   IT'S ONLY JUST BEGUN Today, as they say, is the beginning of the rest of your life. It's a funny time this time of year just after Christmas and just before we step into the hurly burly of a new year. It's a time of rest and reflection for most of us. For some, it's a time of regret. For others, it's a time of celebration. For some, it's a time of anticipation over what next year will bring. And yet for others, it's a time of fear and worry. At this time of year, we've all experienced those different emotions at different times so let's spend a few minutes looking back on the year that's just been. And perhaps a few minutes looking forward at what might be in the coming year. Christmas is such an incredibly special time because it marks a new birth, bringing a new life into this world is singularly the most special and privileged thing we can ever do. Any parent will tell you that, particularly the mother's in our midst, it's just so special. And it's that new birth that I want to revisit with you today because Christmas is a time to remember that in Christ you and I have a new birth, a rebirth if you will. And there are a few people today I know that need to experience that rebirth for themselves because you're wallowing in the regrets of the past. In the regrets perhaps of things that could have been but weren't, in the regrets of the things that shouldn't have been but were. But in Christ, something special happens. It's a new birth and for many, even for those who heard Jesus talk about it, it wasn't an easy thing to get a handle on. See there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said, 'Rabbi we know that you're a teacher who's come from God for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God'. And Jesus answered him, 'Very truly I tell you that no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again. Nicodemus said to him, 'How can you be born after growing old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?' And Jesus answered, 'Truly, I tell you no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born both of water and of spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, what is born of the spirit is spirit.' ‘Do not be astonished that I say, 'You must be born from above', the wind blows where it chooses and you hear the sound of it but you don't know where it comes from or where it's going. So it is with everyone who is born of the spirit'. (John 3: 1-8) See, that new birth is about a new start in life. You've heard the term being born again Christian. Some people roll their eyes when they say it. They use it as a form of derision but Jesus means it for real. Jesus means it as a new start, as a complete rebirth, a fresh start, the slate wiped clean through faith in Him. Every now and then when I've had a really long day, I'm one of these crazy early starters, so in the late afternoon I might have a short nap and a shower to freshen up. And I come out of the bedroom into the living room and I say to my wife, "Ah, I feel like a new man." In a sense that's what Jesus is talking about because our faith in Him doesn't just bring forgiveness, it brings that 'new man' feeling as He wipes away all our sins and all the regrets and all the consequences of the past. See, new birth equals new start equals new life. When you're born again, the old life doesn't matter anymore, it's completely meaningless because your slate has been wiped clean. The Apostle Paul put it this way, he said: If anyone is in Christ there is a new creation. Everything old has passed away. See, everything has become as new. (2 Corinthian 5:17) So right at this special time of the year, I believe that God wants to give you a new start by reminding you that if you've accepted Jesus as your Saviour and your Lord, then you are a new creation, completely new. And the result of that, is that everything old is gone. It's completely wiped away which makes it completely irrelevant to you today and to all your tomorrow's. The powerfully operative word in this little verse is the short word 'see'. Let's listen to it again, 2 Corinthians 5:17. If anyone is in Christ there is a new creation. Everything old has passed away. See, everything has become new. God is imploring you to look at your life through His eyes. SEE! See that the effect of the new birth that you have in Jesus Christ means that EVERYTHING has become new. The past is gone, forgiven and done and dusted. Now, you can look forward to the New Year ahead in a completely new way, completely uninhibited and unconstrained by the failures and the hurts and the losses and the regrets that you have over your past. Completely unaffected by your low self-esteem, completely unaffected by nasty hurtful things that people have said to you and done to you because by the miraculous power of your complete rebirth in Christ through the Holy Spirit – you are a completely new creation. And as a result of that, everything in your life, everything in your world has become new. SEE! Nicodemus found that hard to believe and hard to understand. You and I can find that hard to believe and hard to understand. But your God wants you to live your life as though the slate of your past has been wiped clean. Because you know something? If you believe in Jesus, it has and what lies ahead of you is a completely new life full of exciting God-type possibilities and amazing things that God wants to do to bless you. And to let His blessing flow out through you into this parched land of people who are in desperate need of a Saviour. To Israel, His chosen people, at the end of seventy years in captivity as slaves in Babylon, He said this: ‘For surely I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, 'plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will hear you. When you search for me you'll find me. If you seek me with all your heart I'll let you find me' says the Lord, 'And I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I've driven you', says the Lord, 'And I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29: 11-14) Do you see? Are you looking? Are you hearing? Do you perceive what God is saying to you through His Word today? God has great plans for you and those plans are about your future. And He has made all provision for you through Jesus, to wipe your slate clean and to restore you and to bless you. And all He needs now is just one thing … He needs for you to take His Word into your heart, to believe it, to act on it as though it's true. Because you know something? It really is. And if you choose to step out into your future, a future that maybe would have been otherwise constrained by regrets and hurts from the past. But if you choose now to step out into your future knowing that the regrets of the past are completely wiped away – completely gone, completely irrelevant – if you choose to believe God and take Him at His Word and believe that you can live your life from this day forward on the basis of what God is saying about you is true, then what you're in fact doing is stepping out into your own rebirth. Christmas is a time of celebration of new life – the life of Jesus who slipped into this world to set captives free, to bind up the broken-hearted, to bring Good News to the poor. This Jesus, He came for you, He came to set you free, He came to bind up your broken heart, He came to bring you Good News and this is the Good News that I bring to you today. Today is the beginning of a new life – a life of freedom and a life of joy and a life of power and yes a life of sacrifice. A life that is so much more than any of us could have ever dreamed. This past year is done and dusted and in Christ you can leave behind. This New Year is full of possibilities, full of potential and in Christ, you can step out into it with the confidence of knowing that you'll be playing your small part in Gods mighty plan. Hey, if that's not Good News, tell me what is.    YES IT'S FOR YOU As you look forward to the rest of your life, I know that some of what we've spoken about today isn't easy to swallow. Especially if you're in the middle of a rough trot. But remember, Mary and Joseph didn't have the big picture of what God was up to back then. They were immersed in trial after trial. But the beauty of it is that you and I do have Matthew, Mark, Luke and John's accounts of what they went through. We know the big picture, we can stand back and see what God was up to in a way that the players back then simply couldn't. To them, it felt like they were being swept along by events completely out of their control. On top of everything, of course, Caesar had declared that a census was to be taken, which in the absence of today's modern technology, meant that Mary and Joseph, like all the other people, had to travel back to their ancestral homes and that was a long slog. But from God's vantage point, these weren't unconnected, random events. These were all part of His plan to usher a Saviour into this world. A Messiah that nobody expected. See, God is the God of the unexpected. There are no events or circumstances that are beyond Him. There are no events or circumstances in your life that escape Him or pass Him by. He's across everything, in absolute detail, in the minutest detail, everything that's going on in your life. And I'm here to tell you that if your Christmas wasn't quite what you wanted it to be, wasn't quite what the advertisers said it should be, if you didn't quite get the standard issue Ho, Ho, Ho kind of Christmas this year, then your God is still with you today. Your God just showed up through His Word. Your God is with you in that place you're in right now. And nothing, not death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate you from the love of your God in Jesus Christ. And that my friend, is worth celebrating not just at Christmas time, but for every day for the rest of your life. And just as He was with Mary and Joseph, even though they didn't have the full picture, even though it was uncomfortable, so He is and forever will be, with you. I've called this series of messages "Old Story, New Twist". I did that for a reason. Because I know that this Christmas story, far from being some distant, archaic tale of which pantomimes are born, is a gritty, real story of the journey of the Creator of the Universe into the lives of men and women, into the lives of you and me. And when we look at that old, old story from His perspective (from the vantage point of heaven's balcony if you will), when we allow God by His Spirit and through His Word to guide us on that journey over the dusty trails that Mary and Joseph trod, we discover a God who is on that same dusty, difficult journey with you and me today. Peter the Apostle in 1 Peter 5 and verse 7 said that we should: Cast all our anxieties on God because he cares for us. So whatever anxieties and discomforts and fears and disappointments you happen to be carrying on your rocky road from this moment forward, this God who is above all your circumstances, this God who is in all your circumstances, this God who sent His Son to lighten your load, wants to take your burdens from you. So how about it? Is it time to hand all that stuff over to Him and to get on the journey and head towards the rest of your life with the joy and the anticipation and the excitement of a new life in Christ for you? Because Jesus came for you. He came to set you free. He came to bring you forgiveness and a future and a certain hope and an eternity with Him. That's what He ushered in, on that very first Christmas. And that, I reckon, is something worth celebrating at Christmas … and beyond.

12. Messiah's Kingdom Zechariah 14:1 - 21 As we saw on Day 12 of this series, from Isaiah 61 to 63, God has commenced doing a good thing through the Servant Messiah. At His first coming as a baby, this Servant Messiah ushered in the Year of the Lord's favour. We live in that period of time now, and it will continue until the Servant Messiah, Jesus Christ, comes again in glory and majesty. He will take those obedient followers to the City of God. For those who reject Him and the free offer of God's grace, there is the Day of Vengeance. Now in Zechariah 14, we get a different perspective. We get a vision of the Kingdom of God at that tie in the future. So let us take a flight with Zechariah, into the future to see what this Messiah's Kingdom is like, where Jerusalem where mentioned, is in fact the New Jerusalem, the City of God! God Will Be King! God will be king and lead the battle (Zechariah 14:3)! The original hearers and readers of this letter would remember how in times past, God has done mighty things for them! Things such as the parting of the Red Sea in order to escape the rampaging Egyptians. Just as God caused the Red Sea to split in two, so says Zechariah, God will split a mountain in two, and leave a valley in the middle to escape their enemies! The Almighty and Living God is coming with His legions of angels and the saints! You can almost feel Zechariah getting caught up in the ecstatic vision! That day, as described in Zechariah 14:6-7, will be unique and special. That day is only known to Yahweh! There will be a special and unusual light! Then in Zechariah 14:8, there will be living water permanently. The old Jerusalem had poor water supply, but the New Jerusalem will have a permanent supply of Living Water! This day sees the end of the "Year of the Lord's Favour" and leads in the new heavens and new earth we discussed a couple of days ago. Zechariah 14:9 "Yahweh will be King over all the earth. In that day Yahweh will be one, and his name one." God will not just rule over Jerusalem, but will rule and reign over all the earth. There is a day approaching with all the world, whether they want to or not, will acknowledge the Messiah's lordship, glory, beauty, majesty and authority to rule over them. There will be One Lord to rule over all. Remember the ancient Israelites used to quote the Shema "Hear O Israel; the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Enemies Defeated! What of those who stand against God and against God's people? They will be defeated and as God's opponents, they will not be able to stand, and won't be able to see or speak. Decay has overtaken them as plaque and panic confuse and debilitate them. So it is with the enemies of God and His people, they wont be able to travel and flee as their transportation will also have decayed. The New Age Has Come In the Kingdom of the Messiah, under His rule, reign and authority, all will be holy. As a result there will be no more sin, death, destruction or decay. Everything will be devoted to the Lord God and His Kingdom. All has been transformed, for the glory and sake of the Servant Messiah. How is Jesus this Messiah? Jesus describes this day in Mark 13:24-27 "But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky." Jesus is the light of the world and giver of Living water! Remember just a few days ago, we discussed this! In Zechariah 14:7, we see again that light of the world shining in the evening and the New Jerusalem flowing with Living Water! Paul writing in Philippians 2:5-11 says "Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." When Jesus ascended into the heavens in Acts 1:1-14, two angels appeared to the disciples saying "You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky." When in the final book of the Bible, Jesus says these words in Revelation 21:5-7 "Behold, I am making all things new." ..."Write, for these words of God are faithful and true." ..."It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son." May it be so, Lord Jesus, and help all of us who love you to overcome and be obedient to You! Through these twelve brief studies in Isaiah and Zechariah, we see the promises of God being fulfilled in the Messiah Servant, Messiah Shepherd, Messiah King, Messiah Prophet, Messiah Priest and Messiah Disciple. This is only fulfilled in and through that God-man, Jesus Christ whose birth we celebrate. But also remember that this Jesus, is no longer a baby in a manger, but will be coming back again one day to rule the world with justice and grace to the praise and glory of Almighty God. Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.

10. Messiah's Rejection Zechariah 11:1-17 So far in our journey we have seen that the future is glory for the Servant Messiah and all those who choose to follow Him! It is a future of hope, joy, excitement, awe, wonderment and glory. But that is only one side of the future. In Zechariah 11, we come to another part of the future; the part of the future which is for all those who would reject God's Servant Messiah. While Zechariah talks in picture language and symbols, the overall message is startlingly clear: those who reject the Messiah, will in the future be rejected by Him! But we are not given the full details here, but rather are told the why it will happen. Judgment is coming Here in Zechariah 11:1-3 we see this judgement coming. The strong barriers of the door are removed! There are no barriers strong enough to escape the judgment of God Almighty. Fire will destroy the mighty cedar trees (Zechariah 11:1), tall pines will fall wantonly (Zechariah 11:2) and fertile land will be decimated as will the places where lions inhabit (Zechariah 11:3). Why are the shepherds crying out in dismay and angst? Not for the land, the trees and animals! No! They were crying out in anguish because of their loss of income! They were too busy ripping off those the people they were meant to lead, rather than leading the people rightly and righteously. They were leaders only for what they could get out of the position they held. They were corrupt, deceitful and arrogant. How were the mighty cedars destroyed and barriers broken down? History tells us that the Roman Empire swept through Lebanon, subduing the entire Lebanese leadership & independent authority under its mighty power. The Good Shepherd Now in Zechariah 11:4-14 we see God offering one last opportunity for the leaders of Israel to obey Almighty God. The leaders of Israel were not looking after the people. Instead they were abandoning them and looking only after themselves. These leaders, or shepherds, as they are referred to here were selling their own people into slavery of other nations and getting very rich because of it (Zechariah 11:5)! It was the height of hypocrisy because they were even praising God for their wealth achieved by disobedience, deceit and lust for money. Zechariah is asked now to play a role - representing the Shepherd Messiah feeding the sheep (Zechariah 11:4). God issues judgment against the people of Israel, particularly the leaders, and will hand them over to their neighbours. Since the leaders showed neither pity nor mercy, neither shall God show mercy or pity on them (Zechariah 11:6). Zechariah continues his role as the Good Shepherd, performing much the same way the Shepherd Messiah will do, when He comes. He tends to caring for the lost, oppressed, poor and afflicted. Just as we have seen earlier that the Shepherd Messiah will do. Now Zechariah takes too staffs, naming one ‘Favour' and the other ‘Union' (Zechariah 11:7). As part of his work, three of the false leaders or shepherds are disposed off within one month. These leaders could have been kings, priests or prophets. Disposed off, because when the Shepherd Messiah comes, He will be as we have seen a Messiah King, Messiah Priest and Messiah Prophet, all simultaneously. But now, in Zechariah 11:8, Zechariah as the Good Shepherd is rejected! The same way that the Shepherd Messiah will be rejected as we saw in Isaiah 53. Good Shepherd Judges Eventually Zechariah the Good Shepherd tires of the people's disobedience and recalcitrant attitudes and behaviour. In Zechariah 11:9-11, he says "I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let those who are left eat each other's flesh." I took my staff Favor, and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was the word of Yahweh." So because of the leadership's disobedience and self-righteousness, God is stopping the covenant between them and this is symbolized by breaking the staff called ‘Favour'. God has always kept His word and was always faithful in keeping His covenants with people and Israel. But because of the Israel's disobedience the covenant was now void and invalid. The Good Shepherd is rejected. The Foolish Shepherd. Now Zechariah is to play a foolish Shepherd. This foolish Shepherd has no time for people who are lost, oppressed, poor and afflicted. He is only interested in himself and his own gain. He will not look out for the sick in order to heal them or feed those who are hungry. This foolish Shepherd is the contrast of Zechariah as the Good Shepherd and of the Shepherd Messiah to come. What is the judgement upon this Foolish Shepherd? His power will be taken away and his intelligence dimmed. The staff, called ‘Union', is broken in order to symbolize the break up of the nation of Israel into north and south. Where is Jesus the Messiah in here? Jesus was offended and dismayed by the behaviour of, and the active disobedience by, the leaders of Israel. He frequently told the Pharisees, Priests and other leaders that they were oppressing the poor, didn't care for the lost, neglected orphans and widows. For example, Matthew 12:34 You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Or Matthew 15:3, where Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, saying "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?" Yes, Jesus spent time judging and condemning the leaders of Israel for their selfishness, deceit and dishonesty. In contrast to the Pharisees and other religious leaders, Jesus as the Good Shepherd, did seek the lost, the orphans, widows and oppressed. He desired to spend time with them, having compassion upon them. He healed the sick, fed the masses, gave wise counsel and proclaimed love to those who were the unloved of society. Jesus when he looked over the crowds, commented that they were like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9v36). Jesus said in John 10v10, that He gives His life that all those who follow Him, will have it more abundantly. Jesus as the Great Shepherd came to earth in order to bring sheep back into the fold; that is to bring people back into a full relationship with God. Jesus here in John 10, is looking ahead to His death on the cross as a means of facilitating the way for people to come back into a living relationship with God. Jesus fed people, but not only physically, but spiritually! Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the Shepherd Messiah as enacted by Zechariah. Jesus the Shepherd Messiah was rejected! Rejected by the leaders of Israel, who accused him of being demon-possessed. Rejected as He hung on a cross for the sins of the world. Rejected because of who He was - the Shepherd Messiah, the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for his sheep, the people of the world. Jesus, the Shepherd Messiah who is also priest, prophet and prince. Priest because He mediates between humanity and God the Father. Prophet because He spoke forth God's word. Prince, because He is a King Messiah and is the Prince of Peace. This Jesus, who through the Holy Spirit, beckons people to come back into relationship with God. Just as a shepherd cares for sheep and seeks any that are lost, so too does Jesus seek out those who are lost and still reject Him. One day it will be too late, and if Jesus is rejected in this life, then in the judgement to come, He will reject all those who reject Him now. Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.

9. Messiah's Invitation Isaiah 55:1 - 56:8 Remember from Day 8, that we talked about the City of God to come, where all those who believe will llive and worship the Lord God Almighty for ever! Who is this invitation for? This invitation to join is to all people of all races and nationalities! But they have to respond to the call! Come, see and taste "Come", cries Almighty God through the prophet Isaiah. Come! The gates to my City are open to all who believe! There is no entry charge, its free! This food is free for all! What is this food? It is mercy and pardon. Mercy from God and pardon for sin for all those who respond to the call God has put out. Everlasting Covenant Disclosed This is the everlasting Covenant (Isaiah 55:5-6) or the new Covenant we have talked about and was proclaimed by other prophets such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Just as each of the previous covenants had a symbol to authenticate the agreement, so does this! Noah's covenant had the rainbow, Abraham had circumcision and Moses had the sprinkling of blood. This new and everlasting Covenant will also have a sign! The sign is disclosed in 55:13 as a everlastingly transformed universe! Amazing! This is the climax of Isaiah so far! This is why the Messiah Servant must suffer in Isaiah 53! This new everlasting covenant does not cancel the other covenants, but rather fulfills them. The final result of the Messiah Servant's work will be everything that Almighty God has promised and all promises of God will find their Amen in the Servant. Everlasting Covenant Result Because of this New Covenant, even though Israel will go into exile, they will return from it stronger. As in Isaiah 55:4-5, David was made a witness to the covenant and leader of people, so too will Israel. Once restored to the land, this Messiah Servant will come from Israel, and Israel will be used to conquer people spiritually for the Lord. And this is no dream, hallucination or fantasy as some of the people of Israel would be thinking. But the thoughts and mind of God is so much higher than mere mortal humanity. For as Isaiah 55:8-9 states "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," says Yahweh. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Just as plants grow when rained upon, so too will Almighty God's plans. His word has gone out and it will not return with nothing (Isaiah 55:11). His word has power to speak the universe into existence. His word will bring a restoration from exile, a redeemed creation and a renewed world (Isaiah 55:12-13). It will be a place of joy and excitement! Come Quickly Everybody! It is with a sense of urgency that Isaiah speaks these words of God. Decisions must be made but guest must come! The spiritual food of mercy and pardon is available to all, but the offer must be taken up! If the offer is rejected, then the consequences are disastrous for the person who does not believe. That is why the command to seek while God can be found, for there will come a time when the gates will be closed and no more admittance allowed. Everlasting Covenant Features What are the hallmarks of this Covenant? Two of the characteristics are justice and openness Justice: Isaiah 5:7 tells us that God had looked for justice but found only injustice and suffering. Those who respond to this Everlasting Covenant will need to administer justice and live obedient lives. They are to do this, because God's righteousness is about be disclosed (Isaiah 56:1). They are to live an obedient life to God, not to earn salvation, but rather as a hallmark of having agreed the New Covenant with God, to symbolize that they are God's people. Openness: This offer is open to all! Just as the nation of Israel was always meant to be a light of God to the nations, so too are the people of the New Covenant. They are to be a light to every nation of God's goodness and glory, extending an invitation to all to join in this life of the New Covenant. They were to accept all those who chose to accept the offer of being bound to God Almighty through this New Covenant (Isaiah 56:3, 6). An obvious example is that of the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:26-40. This man was a eunuch from a foreign land, and according to Isaiah 56:4-7, he was to be welcomed by other acceptors of this New Covenant. All of this resulting from the Messiah Servant's work. Jesus as this Messiah Lets see again from his own life and words how Jesus is this Messiah Servant. This Jesus welcomes the burdened: Matthew 11:28-30"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Are you burdened down with cares, stresses and strains? Come to Jesus today and let him take them. Are you hungering and thirsting after righteousness? Then come to Jesus who offers Living Water and is the Bread of Life. John 7:37-38 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water." Or John 6:35 "Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." Are you seeking God! Then seek! Ask! You will find! Matthew 7:8 "For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened." This is Jesus who said in John 12:46 "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness"! What's more, He said that all those who follow Him are lights to the world as well Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world." That's why Jesus gave the command in Matthew 28:18-20 for His followers to go into all the world to tell about Him. Fulfilling the Covenants Frequently, this Jesus said that He was to fulfill what was written. One example of this is Luke 18:31-33 He took the twelve aside, and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed. For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on. They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again." Primarily though is Jesus' Words in Luke 22 whereby Jesus instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion. Luke 22:19-20 He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me." Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Christians do this regularly as a remembrance of Jesus until He comes again! The bread symbolizes His body broken on the cross and the wine symbolizes His blood shed on the cross. Further more it has other symbolic meanings, all of which symbolize the New Everlasting Covenant - a Covenant guaranteeing salvation! Amongst these meanings are that it: Symbolizes fellowship with other believers in the worldwide church in openness and integrity Symbolizes our dependence on Christ for spiritual life and spiritual food. We receive the benefits of His sacrifice as the Suffering Servant. It signifies in the New Covenant for Christians to tell all others of this offer to come and join. It is also for Christians to live an obedient life to God Almighty, to love justice and be welcoming to all! Thank you. Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.

6. Messiah's Arrival - Zechariah 9:9 - 12 9:9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 9:10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 9:11 As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water. 9:12 Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you. The King is Coming! We have seen in Isaiah that the coming Messiah was a Servant Prophet, a Servant Disciple and a Servant King. Today we switch over to the Book of Zechariah to look at in more detail about this Servant King Messiah. Zechariah gives us a picture of how the Messiah will announce His arrival and what sort of qualities that this Servant King will have. He comes into Jerusalem on a donkey! The phrases ‘Daughter of Zion' and ‘Daughter of Jerusalem' are terms symbolizing God's people who believe. It is a scene of exultation, excitement and emotion. The people recognize this man as their Messiah: their Servant-King. Royalty: He is recognized as the long waited for king. He is "Your King" oh nation of Israel. King is either the Lord God (Isaiah 43:15) or a King from the line of David (2 Samuel 3:17). This King is both and is the definitive king of Isaiah 9:7! He is described as "yours" because this King is not a foreigner but an Israelite! But His arrival is not just for their benefit and gain as Zechariah goes on to clarify. Righteous: In the example of Alexander the Great, we see a ruler who had great vanity, and this vanity caused him to act injudiciously at times. Alexander the Great could have been the fulfillment of the previous section of Zechariah, particularly with his marauding forces. This Kingly ruler however will reign with righteousness and justice. This Messiah King will desire to enact God's Will in all circumstances and at all times - perfect obedience. Throughout the Old Testament, and in Isaiah as we have seen, righteousness is part of the Messiah! Salvation: This Servant King comes with salvation and saving power! The Messiah shows Himself as one who saves and offers salvation to the people. He has come to help and restore people back into an obedient relationship with God. Again as we have seen with Isaiah who wrote about 200 years before Zechariah, righteousness and salvation are combined in the Servant King (Isaiah 45:8; 51:4). Gentle: In this translation, the word lowly is used, but perhaps a better translation is ‘gentle'. The extended meaning of this word in Hebrew signifies one who has known suffering and sorrow, and lives a simple lifestyle. Humility is worn by this Servant King, like a crown. There is no pride in this King, but a gentle and humble spirit. This is reflected again by Isaiah in Isaiah 53:1-3, where the Servant King would endure rejection and suffering. Perhaps the greatest symbol of his gentle humility is the transportation he is on. A donkey. Donkeys were ridden by every class of people. This is to signify that this King is one of the people and arriving unassumingly. What now? Peace reigns: The Servant King Messiah has bought peace with Him! By this, He has established the environment in order for total peace to exist! Peace comes through people telling the good news that Isaiah talked about in Isaiah 52:7. "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"" Peace with God comes only through the sacrifice of the Suffering Servant King of Isaiah 53. A life of obedience to God in all those who follow this Messiah, will bring about peace between people and nations. This Messiah's reign is not limited to Israel but all nations of the world. The second coming of the Messiah is hinted at here, but we will save that for a couple of days time. He releases prisoners: This Messiah will release those who are enslaved to sin and are prisoners to its power. He will deliver them because of the covenant that exists between God and Israel. But this King will have a new Covenant between God and all people of all nations! Where God will live inside those who place their hope in Him. This covenant means all people can be saved and be set free from the guilt and stain of their sinful ways. They will be able to live a life of total obedience to God, by submitting themselves to this King! How is Jesus this King? This prophecy by Zechariah is seen as being fulfilled when as both Matthew and John recall how Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Matthew 21:1-5 - When they drew near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them, and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,' and immediately he will send them." All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." And the scene as recalled by John in John 12:12-15 - "On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet him, and cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!" Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written, "Don't be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey's colt." This is Jesus, the Messiah who was and is a gentle King, reigning righteously, offering salvation and has setup the environment for peace on earth to reign. This Jesus, who through His sacrifice on the Cross enables all people of every nation to have peace with God and have God Himself live inside them. Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.

5. Twelve Days to Christmas Messiah's Sacrifice Please do read Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 In the first Servant Song we saw that the Servant King will provide freedom, self-respect and justice for all. In the second Servant Song it was revealed that the Servant Prophet will bring comfort to people and have compassion on the afflicted. For the third Song we saw that this Servant Disciple will live a perfect life of discipleship, to show that it is attainable and that a life of total obedience to God and trust in God for all things is possible. Then we saw in the last chapter that there will be a big homecoming for the people of Israel and for all nations. During the previous Servant Songs we say glimpses of the suffering this Servant who is both a King and Prophet will endure. Now in this section, this Servant Song we get the full picture of suffering and why He must suffer. This is how people will on the last day be consummated with God and attention is now back on him as 52:13 states "Behold, my servant". Echoing previous passages of where the Servant is God's. This is, as somebody once wrote, "the jewel in the crown of Isaiah's theology, the focal point of his vision." It is as if we are meant to understand that nothing that has been said before is as important as this passage. Without this passage of Scripture, none of the rest makes sense. Let us discover together why that is so. The Servant Exalted The beginning is an adoration of the Servant, as is the song's finale. Sandwiched between them is the description of suffering. This servant acts and speaks with wisdom. How could He be faithful and obedient to God, if He were not wise? Not just any wisdom, but Godly wisdom which flusters and confounds mere human wisdom. This Servant will be raised up! Here Isaiah uses ecstatic language used of God Himself. And what attracts people to this Servant? Certainly not his looks, charisma or appearance for He had no outer beauty that would attract anybody. Verse 14 indicates the level of suffering the Servant will endure. Many are flabbergasted by it! Verse 15 shows the cleansing, the sprinkling indicating a sacrifice. Sprinkling needed to be done with water, oil or blood in order that people could enter into the presence of God. This cleansing, is not for Israel alone, but for all nations and people. He who was considered unclean by many humans (52:14), will be the one to cleanse many other humans from across the world. Then all accusations, and slander against the Servant will cease. The Servant Despised The passage now looks at the Servant through the eyes of the nation of Israel, for it is through their words and actions that others will come to know and understand about the Servant. Even though Israel is disobedient and rebellious, there are still some who fear the Lord (50:10). When those people see the full picture of what the Servant has done, then they will go naturally to tell others about it. Whereas before they would simply be witnesses about God, now they would be witnesses about the saving power of God through the Servant's suffering, death and glorification. What of this Servant? He had grown up like any other boy, just as a plant grows from a root in soil. As time goes on, nothing about Him is special and any promise He showed was decidedly unimpressive. The Servant will be persecuted, despised, rejected, insulted and hideous. So hideously malformed that people could not look at Him. These people considered him an implement of God's deserved torment. That was what the witnesses were thinking. While God ultimately crushed the Servant, it was not because the Servant deserved it. But rather the witnesses realize that they were the ones who deserved punishment and not the Servant. Just as the animals when offered as sacrifices were substitution offerings in Israel's worship, so too was this Servant a substitutionary sacrifice. A sacrifice that through His body being pierced and his being crushed for sin, the Servant has provided a way for others to be comforted and pardoned. That way being at a cost. A cost of the Servant's own life. The Servant Suffers Silently Now a solitary witness speaks out. If this is Isaiah, he was cleansed by God back in chapter 6. but what of his countrymen? How will they be cleansed and how as stray sheep will they be gathered back into relationship with God? The Servant is led to His death, just as a lamb is led to be butchered. This Servant goes quietly and obediently to certain death, through oppression and judgment. His death as an innocent Servant, and buried in the grave with the wicked and guilty. Silent. The Servant Suprises Now in verse 10 we have the surprise! Death is not the end of this Servant! Yes God had bruised Him and caused the Servant to suffer. But, the Servant was an offering for sin! That way the Servant will offer righteousness to all the nation. The Servant's mission will be accomplished! God will raise this Servant from the dead and the Servant will be exalted! His sacrifice will surpass any and all previous sacrifices and be the only and final sacrifice needed! Through His death, the Servant will be able to judge righteously and enable those who follow Him to live righteously. Righteously in the sense that His knowledge and wisdom will cause many people to live new lives that are pleasing to God. A righteousness that only comes from people being in relationship with God, instead of being enemies of God. How is Jesus this Servant? In Acts 8:26-40, the Ethiopian asked the question of Philip "who does the prophet speak about?" Philip replied that it was about Jesus. Jesus Christ who grew up as Luke said "increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men." (Luke 2:52). This Jesus who people called the son of a Nazarene carpenter and who people said "Can anything good come from Nazareh?" This Jesus who did not have anything attractive about him, but the way in which He spoke, the wisdom He imparted and the life that He lived. Jesus Christ who was betrayed by one of his closest friends. This Jesus, who was the Lamb of God, who died on a Roman Cross, after a trial where he was falsely accused, tortured and oppressed. This Jesus, who was rejected by even those closest to Him when He died. This Jesus who cried out "My God! My God! Why have you abandoned me? This Jesus who even though without sin, was buried in a grave for the wicked. This Jesus who rose victoriously from the dead 3 days later, in order to conquer death, sin and the devil. This Jesus, who ascended to the right hand of the throne of God, in the beauty of exaltation and glorification. This Jesus, who alone is the only way that people can one day enter into God's presence when all of history is consummated. This Jesus, the suffering Servant who was a Servant King, Servant Prophet and Servant Disciple. This Jesus, who is the Lord and Saviour of the universe. This Jesus who as fully God and fully human simultaneously, is the only one who could be the full sacrifice demanded of God for the everlasting payment for sin. The Jesus who will judge with righteousness and wisdom, give all people a choice to make - be His disciple and be in a dynamic relationship with God, or go your own way and be astray from God forever. Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.

4. Messiah's Encouragement Isaiah 51:9 - 52:12 Please do read Isaiah 51:9 to 52:12 Be Encouraged People of God! In the first few verses of Isaiah 51, we see that faith is nurtured by listening and hearing. People are encouraged to look back and see what God has done with just one man, Abraham! How from him came an entire nation! This bodes well for the future when all history is consummated - have faith in your God who will lead you into the next world! But for now, don't be afraid of what other people will do - stay close to God, have faith in Him, trust Him patiently and live obedient and righteous lives. For as verse 6 states "my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished." Then we come to a mounting anticipation with baited breath. Quickly the phrase "awake awake" is repeated, as if to give a sense of urgency. The exodus from Egypt, an event remembered well by the nation of Israel and alluded to in verses 9 & 10 of chapter 51, will be surpassed by a new age of righteousness at the end of time. All those "ransomed by the Lord", those set free by God will enter the city of God with joyous singing which will be their crown! Sorrow and sadness will no longer exist! Gladness and joy will be triumphant! Alleluia! Despite many obstacles in the way, the Lord God will reign triumphant. His Messiah, His Servant will deliver you. His Servant will be triumphant. Wake up! Note that the people themselves are to wake up, not the Lord God or His Servant! All that will be fulfilled is not waiting for God, but waiting for people and their spiritual inertia! It's their unwillingness to be obedient to God that is stopping the fulfillment of history! While Isaiah is clearly eager, it seems the nation of Israel is not - they have forgotten about their awesome and Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth! So Isaiah shouts out "Wake up!!" I am your God and you are my people is to remind Israel of the covenant that exists between themselves and God! It is a covenant that signifies relationship, care and commitment! Israel may have forgotten this, but God had not! God is in the relationship, He is trustworthy and faithful, so therefore there is no need to fear! God's commitment is faultless and worthy of obedience! This commitment deserves active obedience on the part of the people of Israel and not their overwhelming spiritual laziness. While overwhelming fear inhibits and destructs, the love of God frees. Isaiah urges them to live an active and obedient life worthy of their freedom and not a life of spiritual inertia and rebellion. One last time, Isaiah urges action when crying "Awake! Awake!" in 52:1. Salvation is nearing and coming quickly, are you ready? Be alert, people of Israel and live as if you are the freed people of God and not as if you are rebellious captors. Be ready, just as your ancestors were the night before the Exodus from Egypt commenced. Be expectant and ready. One difference to note. With the exodus, the Israelites took what they could from the Egyptians - gold, silver, jewelry and clothing. This time, everything will be left behind. All this bears in the mind the Servant. The Servant, who as a King dispenses justice and as a Prophet speaks for God, will usher in this new period. When Isaiah writes in 52:11 "Depart, depart, go out from there", he must be urging people to respond to the Servant. Respond by living a holy and righteous life of obedience to God as one who is on a lifelong pilgrimage. Stop rebelling against Him and love Him who first loved them. Where is Jesus in this? Jesus during his earthly ministry always urged people to be active in obedience to God. Jesus comforted the lonely, oppressed, the weak and the poor. He urged people to come back into relationship with God. With a sense of urgency, He told people to be ready and alert for the day when history will end. Jesus urged his listeners to be spiritually awake. Jesus said in Matthew 11:30 "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Jesus who remarkably stated in John 8:34-36 "Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." When Jesus Christ the Servant King comes back, He will come back like a thief in the night - with surprise! But for those who love and trust in Him, it will be a day of gladness and joy because their King will have returned to gather them. This Jesus who in Mark1:15 issued these words ""The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Truly we concur with Isaiah when he wrote in Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"" Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, through whom is salvation alone. Right mouse click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3.

Acts 17:1-15 English Standard VersionPaul and Silas in Thessalonica17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.Paul and Silas in Berea10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Have you ever noticed that when you get a new car, you suddenly start seeing that car everywhere? It happens with all kinds of things, things that are there every day and we barely notice them, but when we get one for ourselves, or even start to want one for ourselves, we immediately begin taking notice of them. Something similar happens when Jesus comes on the scene and people start to take notice of him. Suddenly, they “see” him everywhere in Scripture and in their lives. This “Jesus lens” transforms not just what they see, but how they see. You can find out more about us at our website www.gracechurchnwa.org It is a priority for us at Grace Church NWA to make LGBTQIA+, all ethnicities and races, those with disabilities, and other marginalized people groups feel accepted, included, and valuable to the life of our community!

Acts 4:5-12 5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”   Key Words: Rulers, Filled, Holy Spirit, Name, Jesus, Cornerstone, Salvation Keystone Verse: And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)   Bulletin

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 26th of September, 2024 and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in 2 Peter 3:4: “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” Then we go to verse 8. Peter said: “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Maybe there are people that you know who tend to mock you a little bit and say: “This Jesus you are always talking about, when is He coming back because the Bible has been telling us for 2000 years that He is going to come like a thief in the night? But we have just heard from the word of God that for the Lord, a thousand years is as one day. So what is the reason then for His postponement? Why is He taking so long to come back? Well, it is a very simple answer - because our beloved Jesus, who loves you so much and loves your family and your loved ones, does not want one person to perish, to go to a lost eternity but He wants all to be saved. You can read that if you go down a little bit further to verse 9. The Lord says that He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. And that is the reason why believers are prepared to risk their lives if necessary, in order to see men and women meet with the Lord.I want to tell you something, and I am maybe going to get a bit emotional, please forgive me, but I am so proud of one of my grandsons. He is going with a team that is being led by one of my spiritual sons, and they are going to be walking up to 20 kilometres a day on narrow, mountain paths. Their sole purpose is to introduce lost souls to Jesus, so that none may perish. I want to say to you today, my dear friend, you and I, we need to look sharp. There are people that unless they are born again and are following Jesus, they are destined to die and go to a lost eternity, and that is why these young people are prepared to take time out, to take money out of their own pockets, pay their own airfares, put rucksacks on and walk for miles in order for one soul to come to Christ. Please pray for them.Jesus bless you and goodbye.

Jesus WANTS Your Help. Your Faith is worth sharing.All around us, strong voices are projecting a version of church that is judgmental, partisan, angry and condemning. Too few people know that there is another kind of church. That Jesus came not to judge or condemn, but to invite us into lives of love, emotional freedom, and compassion.This Jesus is underrepresented. This kind of church needs a voice. Jesus needs your voice.

Acts 1:9-26 9 And when [Jesus] had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it'; and ‘Let another take his office.' 21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when He was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two You have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.   Key Words: Lifted Up, Look, Prayer, Fulfilled, Witness, Apostle Keystone Verse: And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. (Acts 1:9)     Bulletin

2 Timothy 1:12 — What is the focus of Christianity? Some say that Christianity is about simply being a good moral person, while others say that it is about religious experiences. In this sermon from 2 Timothy 1:12 titled “His Forever,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that Christianity from start to finish is concerned with the person and work of Jesus Christ. This Jesus was delivered up for humanity's sins, rose from the dead in victory, and now reigns in heaven. Christians must not be distracted by anything other than Christ, for when Christianity is no longer about Christ, it seeks to be true religion. They must not trust in themselves, but rest wholly in Christ. Christians must understand that their relationship with God is not about their works, but about Jesus Christ's unchanging love for them. This puts the emphasis away from good works (which are important) and points towards the works of Christ. The Christian ought to live a life of good works not because they are seeking to justify themselves, but because they have already been justified in Christ and are secure because He loves them.

2 Timothy 1:12 — What is the focus of Christianity? Some say that Christianity is about simply being a good moral person, while others say that it is about religious experiences. In this sermon from 2 Timothy 1:12 titled “His Forever,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that Christianity from start to finish is concerned with the person and work of Jesus Christ. This Jesus was delivered up for humanity's sins, rose from the dead in victory, and now reigns in heaven. Christians must not be distracted by anything other than Christ, for when Christianity is no longer about Christ, it seeks to be true religion. They must not trust in themselves, but rest wholly in Christ. Christians must understand that their relationship with God is not about their works, but about Jesus Christ's unchanging love for them. This puts the emphasis away from good works (which are important) and points towards the works of Christ. The Christian ought to live a life of good works not because they are seeking to justify themselves, but because they have already been justified in Christ and are secure because He loves them. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29