Podcasts about until jesus

Daily Dose of Hope June 22, 2026   Scripture:  1 Kings 16   Prayer:  Almighty God, We come before you with awe and humility.  We are nothing without you.  We need you desperately, Lord.  Help us gather our scattered thoughts today as we focus on you.  In these next few moments of silence, help us remember that we belong to you.  Help us lay our worries and cares on the throne of your grace...We pray this in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently working our way through 1 Kings.  It's been quite a ride so far!  Let's see what we have in store today.    Our reading on this Monday is 1 Kings 16.  The Northern Kingdom is one, hot sinful mess! King after king, there is disobedience, idolatry, and violence. By the time we get to King Ahab at the end of chapter 16, we think it can't get any worse.  And yet, it really does. Ahab was the worst of the worst. He went above and beyond when it came to deliberately thumbing his nose at God and he took pagan worship to a new level.  Then, there was child sacrifice. To be honest, I wasn't really clear about what verse 34 meant–what does it mean to build the foundations of a city or the gates at the cost of a child? Apparently, infants (alive or dead) would be placed in a container and then literally placed in the masonry of the foundation.  The idea was to ward off evil and please the gods. I have a hard time even typing the words. How absolutely horrific and blatantly against the law of the one true God.   One more aspect of Ahab's total disregard for the Lord–the rebuilding of Jericho. Most of you probably remember the great story of Joshua and the people of God conquering Jericho after circling for seven days. At the time, God warned of death to the person (and their family) who attempted to rebuild the city.  And Ahab rebuilt it.  The author is reminding us that while it might not appear to be so, God's Word still stands. God is still in control. Ahab will not have the final word.  Evil does not win.    And evil does not win today.  It's a good reminder for all of us because there are times when the depravity around the globe can be almost overwhelming.  God will have the final word.  Of course, we live on the other side of the cross.  We know that Jesus has won victory over sin and death.  However, we do live in an in-between time.  Maybe a better way to say it is that the war has been won but there are still some battles remaining.  Until Jesus returns in final victory, evil will still have a place in this world.  When he returns, we can look forward to a time when evil will be vanquished for good.  No more tears, no more violence, no more injustice.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

The only thing that can hinder God from working in our lives is our own opposition to it. In this episode, we follow a man who has given up on healing. Alone and forgotten, he sits by the pools of Bethesda, teetering in an awkward space between hope and bitterness. He resigns himself to a life of suffering... Until Jesus shows up and asks him a question: "Do you want to be healed?"  Today's Bible verse is John 5:6 from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The End of the World Jonathan Parnell Download Psalm 97,The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;let the many coastlands be glad!2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.3 Fire goes before himand burns up his adversaries all around.4 His lightnings light up the world;the earth sees and trembles.5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,before the Lord of all the earth.6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,and all the peoples see his glory.7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,who make their boast in worthless idols;worship him, all you gods!8 Zion hears and is glad,and the daughters of Judah rejoice,because of your judgments, O Lord.9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;you are exalted far above all gods.10 O you who love the Lord, hate evil!He preserves the lives of his saints;he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.11 Light is sown for the righteous,and joy for the upright in heart.12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!This morning I want to talk to you about the end of the world. For as long as there has been a world, humanity has been fascinated with this topic. This has been true of cultures all over the world all throughout history — from Ancient Mesopotamia to Chinese dynasties, from Norse Vikings to sub-Saharan Africa, from medieval Europeans to modern Americans — it's a human thing to wonder about the world's end.And in the Bible itself, the end of the world was on the table right away!In the Book of Genesis, just five chapters in, the Flood could have been the final judgment to end the world — and it would have been if not for the mercy of God!But because of God's mercy, and because of his patience (the apostle Peter tells us), the final end of the world has been delayed. Still.But the end is coming, and that's what I want to talk about this morning. And the real reason I wanna talk about the end of the world is because it's the topic of Psalm 97.There are three parts to the psalm, and I'm gonna title each part with what its mainly about:Part 1, verses 1–6 is Christ will come again.Part 2, verses 7–9 is Every human will respond. Part 3, verses 10–12 is How God's people live in the meantime.We're gonna spend most of our time on Part 3, but first Part 1.1. Christ will come again (vv. 1–6)Psalm 97, verse 1 just picks up where Psalm 96 left off. Psalm 96 envisions all of creation rejoicing, and the last verse of Psalm 96 explains why. This rejoicing is, verse 13,“…before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.”97:1, then, says: Yes, that's right, the Lord reigns and all the earth rejoices, even the coastlands. That's the deepest corners of the earth. The parts way out there.Then verses 2–5 describe the coming of God with this intense imagery. Listen to this: clouds and thick darkness. A throne of righteousness and justice. Fire going before him, consuming his adversaries. Lightning flashes. The earth itself trembles. Mountains melt like wax.To a casual reader, this sounds like a really bad thunderstorm. But when we have the whole Bible in mind, we can pick up the allusion to Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai was when God came down on the mountain to give the law: Exodus 19:18,“Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.”Deuteronomy 4:11,“the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom.”The Final TheophanyThis was an amazing moment in history. The word for it is a ‘theophany' — which means a God-appearing. That's what Sinai was.And now Psalm 97 is describing another theophany — it's a future, final God-appearing, that's envisioned to be like Sinai!That's because the Original Law-Giver and the Final Judge are the same. That's why the imagery is the same, except in this future, final appearing, God comes in the person of Jesus Christ. We know this from the New Testament: John 5:11,“The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.”Matthew 24:30,“Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man… and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”2 Thessalonians 1:7,“the Lord Jesus [will be] revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire…”The end of the world is now what we call the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The God who once descended on Sinai in clouds and fire will appear again finally in the person of Christ, and “every eye will see him” — Revelation 1:7. Everybody will see him, and everybody will respond, one way or another. That's Part 2.2. Every human will respond (vv. 7–9) Humanity is divided into two categories that will be clearest on the final day of judgment.Jesus has called these categories the wheat and the tares. The Psalms use the language of the righteous and the wicked. The New Testament draws the line as between believers and unbelievers — those who are in Christ and those who are not. And when Jesus comes back every eye will see him — those who have been united to him by faith and those who have rejected him. They all will see him, but they're gonna respond differently. Shame for IdolatersVerse 7 tells us the unbelievers (those who reject Christ) will be put to shame — but here they're described as the “worshipers of images” … as those who “boast in worthless idols.” Which is a good reminder! I want you to get this: there is really no such thing as an unbeliever. Everybody believes in something. The question is never if you believe, but who you believe in. So, unbelievers are always more accurately called “idolaters.” They've chosen to reject the one true God, and instead, they've replaced him with some other ‘little-g god' — and for the last hundred years in our society, the ‘little-g god' of choice is the Modern Self. That's the point of theologian Carl Trueman's book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (it's a helpful book written a few years ago).In one sense, modern idolatry is as old as it comes — our society has “exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen” — that's Romans 1:25.But what makes us different today is that, with our technologies, we have said, “I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14) …So we want to create human life … We want to determine our own sexuality …We want to invent our own morality … We want to become super human in our daily lives and live longer than ever … We even want to have the final say on when and how we die … The whole thing is about putting Self in the place of God.That's what transhumanism is — it starts with the myth of exclusive humanism (that's the idea that there is no God, but only us). That paves the way for the idolatry of the Self — the idea that “We are all God.” And right now, it's just so clear that's what's going on. If you look around in our culture, the idolatry of Self is having its moment. But on the day Jesus returns, at the end of the world, every unbeliever/every idolater/everyone who rejects Jesus will be put to shame. That means eternal regret. They will hate the choices they have made. The lies they have embraced will be exposed. And the demonic forces behind the idolatry will also bow the knee in submission to Jesus! (That's the end of verse 7.) The Day is coming. Joy for BelieversBut now in verse 8 notice the contrast to believers, to those who trust in Christ — that's who Zion and Judah represent. It's the people of God. Zion is glad! The daughters of Judah rejoice! And the mention of “daughters” in verse 8 is an idiom for villages or small towns. (This is an insight from Christopher Ash.) He says the idea here is that it's not just the capital city, Zion, that rejoices, but it's all believers everywhere! Even what might seem like the smallest outpost of kingdom of Christ, even the parts way out there, like in the middle of North America — on that day we're all rejoicing together … believers from “every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” … We will all say, “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory!” (Revelation 7:9; 19:7). On that day, verse 9 will be the clearest reality of all:“For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;you are exalted far above all gods.”In other words, Jesus has ultimate supremacy … “every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11).This is what Psalm 97 is getting at. In summary, Psalm 97:1–9 is the Christian hope in a nutshell: One day Jesus is coming back in judgment and salvation — judgment for those who reject him and salvation for those who trust him. And by his grace, church, we trust him. We will rejoice on that day. We will love his future, final appearing! Amen.The big question now is: How do we live in the meantime?3. How do God's people live in the meantime?Now this is the church's question. We ask it together, and the New Testament is all about it. But verses 10–12 in Psalm 97 give us a pretty good answer, and that's what I wanna show you. But I want to help you bring it down more personally. This is a topic that can be so out there and theoretical, but don't let it be. I want you to think, right now: Jesus is coming back one day. Now ask yourself this question: What does God want me to do in this life? How should I live in the meantime?According to verses 10, 11, 12, we see at least three answers. First is this:1. Lead a moral life.This is verse 10, and it's one you need to see. So everybody help me out. Find Psalm 97, verse 10:“O you who love the Lord, hate evil!”“Hate evil” — this is a command, and it's one that we are not set up well to understand. That's because “hate” is a biblically strong word that we use too commonly. And “evil” is a biblically common word that we use too strongly. That make sense? We've weakened the word hate and narrowed the word evil. So we have to slow down and think about this.To hate something is to have an intense hostility against it. It's not a mood, it's a conviction. We shouldn't casually throw the word around about food or weather or sports teams. And evil is anything that defies the moral will of God — anything that is a deprivation or distortion of God's goodness. It's not just the worst, most horrible things nobody likes to talk about. But truly, sin, of every kind, is evil. See, we often define evil horizontally: we think it has to do with how much hurt it causes other people. But the Bible, first, defines evil vertically: the issue is what it says about God.Evil is evil because it defies him, it rejects him, it dishonors him. This is why we must have a God-centered morality.Right and wrong, good and evil, is not whatever you want it to be in the moment. But good and evil — the moral framework of reality — is an objective standard determined by the righteousness of God, and he has revealed this to us as his moral will in Scripture. What a gift!God guides us how to live in harmony with his holiness. He shows us how to lead a moral life, which means we hate evil. I think this is one of the greatest needs in our day for the church's witness. We need moral clarity — the ability to recognize evil, the courage to call evil evil, and the God-centered conviction to hate evil.And that means the evil out there, but it starts first with the evil within our own hearts. It's been said that many Christians today are soft on evil. And wherever that's true, my theory is that we're soft on evil culturally because we're soft on evil personally, and we're soft on evil personally because our vision of God is small … Wherever our understanding of God's glory is frail, and our commitment to his word is weak, we will get this wrong.And if we're ever gonna experience true revival, in our church, in this country, it will include a recovery here. Spurgeon put it plainly. He said, “We cannot love God without hating what he hates.”Until Jesus returns, in the meantime, we're called … you're called … to lead a moral life.Second thing to do in the meantime …2. Lead a hopeful life. This is verse 11:“Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.”A few years back, the Holy Spirit made this verse pop off the page to me. I wrote it out on a notecard and put it on my desk. I think it's a glorious sentence. Notice first that it's an agricultural metaphor, which we see a lot of in Scripture. Light and joy are sown. The focus is on planting, on sowing, but the words “light” and “joy” sound more like a harvest. How do you sow light? How do you plant joy? You don't. You sow something else that, in the moment of sowing, looks different from what you hope it will become.I just re-seeded my front yard. Tall fescue grass: Thick, forest-green blades, cool to the touch on the hottest summer day, firm but humble, durable but inviting, elegant but approachable — oh it will be wonderful! But what I held in my hand, before I dropped it in the ground, looked nothing like that — it looked nothing like what it will become. It was just a seed.That's so much of life, isn't it? Life in this meantime is sowing. It's planting. And a lot of times, we want to judge the future harvest by how the seed looks now. It's such an easy mistake to make. How do we not do that?How can we call it light now in the sowing? How can we call it joy now? The answer is hope. Our hope is in the harvest, and it's so sure — God's promise is so certain — we can say the light is in the ground. The joy is coming, and it's already here. That's what it means to lead a hopeful life.Third thing to do in the meantime …3. Lead a thankful life.This is verse 12:“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!”Rejoicing and thanksgiving — it's the same idea. We rejoice in God and we give him thanks in response to who he is and what he's done. Now, I'm just going to use the word thankful because it's the last word in verse 12 and it encapsulates joy. Thankfulness includes joy. And this is such a fitting way to conclude Psalm 97, and really, to conclude everything. For everyone who trusts in Christ, thankfulness will be the posture of our hearts at the end of the world. We begin doing now what we will do forever. We're called to lead a thankful life today: Colossians 3:15,“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… And be thankful.”1 Thessalonians 5:18,“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”Now, how do we do that? What does it look like to lead a thankful life?I think it comes down to the discipline of daily thankfulness.Very practically, just imagine how you start and end your days. You wake up every morning. We all start there. Now what if, first thing in the morning, when you're awake for your brain to work, you thanked God? Thank him for something specific — a provision, a gift, an experience. Start by thanking him. And then that night, with your head on your pillow, when God has brought you through another day, you end your day by thanking him for it. Even when things are tough, when things go sideways, in the full assessment of everything, there's a reason to be thankful. Give God thanks as you fall asleep, give God thanks when you wake up — and if you do that everyday that becomes a thankful life. It will be a life that honors God until that final day when we step into the eternal morning. This is how we live as we wait for the end of the world, because, as Psalm 97 shows us: Because Christ will come again. And every human will respond to his final appearing, either in shame or joy. And until that day, in the meantime, lead a moral life, lead a hopeful life, lead a thankful life.Father in heaven, the life to which you have called us is a life that you create. Thank you for the Holy Spirit! Thank you for his presence and power day by day, moment by moment. We need him. Thank you that your Spirit brought us from death to life through the gospel. Thank you that he opened our eyes to see Jesus and to know your great love for us.Thank you for the hope that your Spirit guarantees in our hearts — the hope that Jesus will return and make all things new. We long for that day. And we pray, with the apostle John, Come, Lord Jesus!In his name, amen.

A sermon preached by Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli with Foundry UMC, March 29, 2026. “Ignite the Light” series. Palm Sunday.            Text: Matthew 21:1-17   Before the tables are turned; before the coins scatter; before the system is exposed…there is a procession. Crowds gather around Jesus, filling the streets as he makes his way into Jerusalem—waving palm branches, spreading their cloaks on the road, shouting “Hosanna!” But this moment does not begin with the crowd. It begins with Jesus. Everything about the way he enters the city is carefully chosen. He comes from the Mount of Olives—and that isn't a random detail. Because the prophet Zechariah had long promised that when God finally showed up to set things right, God would arrive from that very place. The Mount of Olives was not just a location—it was a signal. And then there's the donkey. Not a warhorse. Not a chariot. A donkey. Again, Zechariah: “Look, your king is coming to you; humble, and mounted on a donkey.” This is not accidental. Jesus is enacting the prophecy. And the people respond. They start waving palm branches—which, to us, might just feel festive—but to them meant something more. Palm branches were part of the Festival of Booths—Sukkot—a time when the people remembered how God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. They built shelters from the branches and lived in them for a week, remembering what it meant to depend on God in the wilderness. And they waved branches in joy—a sign of hope that God would do it again. So when the crowds wave palms at Jesus, they are recognizing what he is doing. “This is the one who will set us free, the one we can depend on.” And then they take off their cloaks and lay them on the road—a sign that they receive Jesus as king. But here's the thing. Jesus lets them do all that—and then immediately begins to redefine what kingship means. Because he doesn't go to the palace. He doesn't go to seize the seat of government. He goes to the Temple, the center of religious life, economic life, the place where faith and money and power are all tangled together. And that's where the light falls. Because when Jesus gets there, he doesn't bless the system. He disrupts it. Tables get flipped. Coins get scattered. “My house shall be called a house of prayer,” he says, “but you have made it a den of robbers.” It's important to understand this wasn't just about a few corrupt individuals. The people changing money and selling doves—they weren't rogue operators. They were the system. Pilgrims had to exchange their currency into Temple currency. Animals had to be purchased for sacrifice. The whole thing was structured, normalized, accepted. It worked. Unless you were poor. Because doves—the ones Jesus specifically names—were the offering of the poor. Which means the system was set up in such a way that even the most vulnerable had to pay into it.  And Jesus walks in and shines a light on all of this. Not just on individual behavior—but on the whole arrangement. Because when the light falls…you start to see things differently. What looks like devotion can actually be exploitation. What looks like order can actually be injustice.  When the light hits the money, you start to see what's really going on. And that pattern doesn't stay in the Temple. It follows Jesus all the way through the week. A disciple slips away and asks, “What will you give me if I betray him?” Thirty pieces of silver. (Mt 26:14-16) And later—after the cross, after the tomb is found empty—more money changes hands. Coins given to soldiers to keep quiet. To bury the truth. To protect the story that those in power want told. (Mt 28:11-15) Again and again in this story—money is used to control, to betray, to silence. And every time, Jesus shines a light on it. And if we're honest we recognize that these dynamics don't just live in this old story. Because Lord knows we are still living in a world where money and power are tangled together in ways that distort truth and burden the most vulnerable. We are living in a moment where those who already have extraordinary wealth are given even more advantage—where access and influence can mean getting a heads-up, an inside track, a chance to profit before anyone else even knows what's coming. We are living in a moment where war is not only a tragedy—it is also an industry. Where violence can drive markets, and suffering becomes someone else's gain. We are living in a moment where proximity to power—family ties, loyalty, allegiance—can open doors and secure advantage, while others are told to tighten their belts and make do with less. And all of it has consequences—rising costs, disappearing jobs, communities carrying burdens they did not create. And we know this is not new. We have long lived with systems where incarceration becomes profit, where human beings are turned into revenue streams. And we are seeing new forms even now—where enforcement is incentivized, where brutal force is rewarded over care, often without the accountability justice requires. If we are willing to let the light fall here—to really see it—then we have to admit: this is not just about a few bad actors. It is about systems. Systems that reward extraction over equity. Systems that protect power instead of people. Systems that make it easier to profit from vulnerability than to alleviate it. And all of it is being baptized by a perverse version of white, so-called “Christian” nationalism. And on this Palm Sunday weekend people have again taken to the streets. Not with palm branches, but with signs. Not shouting “Hosanna,” but crying out for justice, for sanity, for peace. There is still a deep human longing to resist systems where power concentrates, privilege protects itself, and the many are burdened for the gain of the few. But Palm Sunday pushes us deeper than the clever slogans on our signs. The crowd in Jerusalem had a slogan. And within days, many turned away. Because Jesus did not become the kind of king they expected. He didn't overthrow the empire. He didn't seize control or immediately relieve their suffering. He didn't play the game. Instead he exposed it. And that is far more threatening than simply replacing one ruler with another. And the question I always want us to ask of ourselves is this: if Jesus rode into our city, our institutions, our economy, our own lives today, where would the light fall? Where have we accepted what we know is not aligned with the heart of God? Where do we benefit from systems that harm others? Where have we told ourselves, “That's just how it works”? Because the Temple system felt inevitable, too. Until Jesus came in and turned over the tables. // But while that part of the story often gets most of the attention, what happens next is really the turning point. Because once the tables are overturned—once the system is disrupted—something else happens. // People who had been pushed to the edges come forward. Matthew tells us that those who were living with physical disabilities—people who had not been granted full access, full participation, full belonging in the life of the Temple—come to Jesus. And in that kind of system—he heals them. Right there. In the Temple. And that is significant. Because the Temple wasn't just one open space. It was structured in layers, each one marking who could come closer. There was the outer court, where Gentiles could gather—but no further. Then the court of women—closer, but still limited. Then the court of Israel—for men. Then the court of priests. And at the very center, the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest could enter, and only once a year. Every step inward came with restriction—conditions, boundaries about who belonged where. And those boundaries weren't just architectural—they were social and economic, too. Some were kept at a distance because of where they were from. Some because of their gender. Some because the system defined their bodies as lacking purity or wholeness. Some because they simply could not afford the cost of participation. And some—like children—because their voices didn't count. So when Jesus walks into that space, he is not just entering a building. He is stepping into a whole system of managed access to God. And now, in the very place where exclusion had been normalized, Jesus does not reinforce the boundaries. He removes them. He collapses the distance. He restores people not just to health, but to community, dignity, and full participation in the life of God's people. And then—while the religious leaders are indignant—children start shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” The ones with no status. No authority. No voice in the system. They are the ones who recognize what is happening. And Jesus affirms them, quoting Psalm 8, “Out of the mouths of infants… God has prepared praise.” (Ps 8:2) Which means the scene has completely turned. The powerful are outraged. The excluded are restored. The least expected voices tell the truth. This is what the Temple was always meant to be: not a place of transaction, but restoration; not a system that restricts access, but a community where people are brought fully in; not ordered around power, but reordered around mercy. Where value is no longer measured by what can be extracted, but by what can be restored. That is the alternative. Not just tables turned over, but lives turned back toward wholeness. An economy of grace. A community shaped not by profit, but by love. Palm Sunday is not just a parade. It is a confrontation. A moment when Jesus walks straight into the center of power and shines a light on what everyone else has learned to live with. And once the light falls—you can't unsee it.  But the story does not end with exposure. It moves toward restoration. Because following the light doesn't just mean seeing more clearly. It means moving differently. It means loosening our grip on what benefits us when it harms someone else. It means refusing to call something “normal” when it is wounding our neighbors. It means becoming part of God's work of restoration, not just naming what is broken. We've been taught: if you want to understand the system, follow the money. But here—if you want to see the kin-dom—follow what happens when the light falls. Follow the people being brought in. Follow the people being restored. Follow the voices that are finally being heard. Because where the light of Christ falls, the margins begin to disappear, and what was structured around power and greed is reshaped around love. May we have the courage to follow where the light falls—and to take our place in God's restorative work.

Everyone's in the dark on Easter morning. Even when the witnesses see the empty tomb, they still don't really get it.  Until Jesus says Mary's name.  Then she can actually see Jesus.  Jesus calls us by name too so that we can also see him where we are.  The Gospel is based on John 20:1-18.

Other tombs were temporarily emptied, when people were raised from the dead. However, death eventually took each resurrected person back to the grave. Until Jesus, it seemed that death eventually won against everyone. Jesus, however, completely conquered death. He was raised never to die again. Because of his sinlessness, death had no claim on him. […]

Grace & Truth: People Get Ready! Pastor Kent LandhuisTHEME - Pay attention to the signs of readiness. TEXT -  Luke 12:13-56Four questions to diagnose readiness:1. Is your focus now or not now?Luke 12:13-21. Parable of the rich fool.Signs: greed or gratitude.2. Is your strategy wise or not wise?Luke 12:35-41. Parable of the unwise steward.Signs: unfaithful or faithful. 3. Is your posture ready or not ready? Luke 12:42-48. Parable of the thief in the night.Signs: not alert or alert?4. Is your heart trusting or not trusting?Luke 12:54-56.Signs: Afraid or unafraid.NEXT STEPS1. Get ready.2. Stay ready.GO DEEPER: People Get Ready by Curtis MayfieldPeople get ready, there's a train a-comin'You don't need no baggage, you just get on boardAll you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'Don't need no ticket, you just thank the LordThere is a lot that we don't know about the return of Jesus (like the time) but there are some things we do know without a doubt. Three things we know for sure:1. Jesus will return again. (It could be soon.)2. The return of Jesus will be sudden and unexpected. (There will be no time to prepare after he returns.)3. We are called to get ready and stay ready for the return of Jesus.Preparing for Jesus' return requires living a life of active faith, vigilance, and holiness in one's daily duties. This means cultivating spiritual alertness, pursuing holiness, and faithfully living out our calling while wearing the full armor of God. Preparation also involves embracing suffering with hope; focusing on love for God and others; growing in faith through prayer, scripture, community, service, etc.; and reaching out with the love of Jesus to others. Getting ready for the return of Jesus is part of our walk as disciples of Jesus. Until Jesus returns we are called to trust God in all things. Are you ready?“He who calls you is faithful.  He will surely DO IT” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:24

The only thing that can hinder God from working in our lives is our own opposition to it. In this episode, we follow a man who has given up on healing. Alone and forgotten, he sits by the pools of Bethesda, teetering in an awkward space between hope and bitterness. He resigns himself to a life of suffering... Until Jesus shows up and asks him a question: "Do you want to be healed?"  Today's Bible verse is John 5:6 from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever feel like you're giving it your all, but nothing's working? Church hurt? Culture wars? Prayers bouncing off the ceiling? Discouragement: 1. You: 0. That's how Paul felt in Corinth. Until Jesus pulled a midnight mic drop: ‘Don't be afraid. I am with you. I've got people in this city.' Guess what? He still does. Join us: https://www.NewChurch.Love Please Help support more content like this by texting the word “Give” to 832-400-5299.

To live with ready hearts means to live in light of eternity. Paul challenges us in 1 Thessalonians to look forward to the return of Jesus. Heaven is not just about the hereafter, it is about the here and now. Until Jesus returns or calls us home, there is work to be done to bring the ways of heaven to earth.

The book of Acts opens with what Jesus began to do and teach while on earth. As it unfolds, we discover what Jesus continues to do on earth in these last days. Until Jesus returns, there will be no end to his activity, by his Spirit, through his church that proclaims in all the world what his apostles witnessed concerning him. Today, we open the book of Acts to see Jesus reigning in heaven and ruling on earth. Someday we will see him in the new heavens and new earth. Until them, let us continue in faithfulness to him. Grace Community Church exists to build spiritually healthy people for ministry in the world. One of the ways that we pursue this mission is by gathering each Sunday for corporate worship, prayer, and biblical teaching. The corporate nature of this gathering is both edifying to the believer and a witness of God's grace to the world. Sermon speaker is Scott Patty unless otherwise noted.

Title: Have Courage Text: Acts 22:30-23:11 FCF: We often struggle having the courage to share our faith when we face uncertain days. Prop: Because God's unfailing providential plan includes all events, we must courageously proclaim the gospel. Scripture Intro: NET [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 22. In a moment we'll begin reading in verse 30 and on to verse 11 of chapter 23 from the New English Translation. You can follow along in the pew bible or whatever version you prefer. Last week we saw Paul reviled by the sinful Jews and treated with respect by the pagan Romans. In these events we see God's providential hand accomplish His purposes. Even orchestrating the choices of men to compose His perfect story. Today the narrative will advance again in a new Episode. Paul will be granted a hearing before the spiritual leaders of Israel. But in a rare occurrence we will see the righteous character of Paul falter as he faces frustration at the ongoing spiritual rot of the Jews. We will also see the wisdom of Paul to lay a firm foundation for his defense in every trial he will face in the rest of the book. Please stand with me to give honor to and focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Sovereign Lord, You are master of all things. You have decreed the end from the beginning and all things work to accomplish Your will and Your purposes. Indeed, there is nothing too small or too big that You have not already woven together and written for Your ends. In this grand story the gospel shines bright as the center of it all. And as one of Your servants once said, “The whole gospel is contained in Christ.” At the center of Your already written story, is Your Son. We pray that You would make much of this gospel to us today. That Your Spirit would enable us to see it clearly and preach it courageously. We pray this in Jesus' name… Amen. Transition: Let's get right to the text this morning. I.) God's providential plan includes unjust rulers; we must courageously proclaim gospel. (22:30-23:5) a. [Slide 2] 22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer wanted to know the true reason Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council to assemble. He then brought Paul down and had him stand before them. i. So, we see the predicament that the commander is in. ii. He tried questioning the crowd and got nothing. iii. He tried beating it out of Paul and to his horror, discovered that he had bound a Roman citizen. iv. While it makes sense that perhaps he should just ask Paul what the issue is, for whatever reason, he doesn't. v. Perhaps there is an assumption that Paul will not willingly incriminate himself? Perhaps he has tried to question Paul and he has kept silent. vi. What is clear is since Paul is a Roman citizen, this is now a Roman matter. But in order for the commander to send the matter to be judged in a Roman court, he must have a definitive charge from the Jews against Paul. vii. So, he releases Paul and arranges an audience for him with the Sanhedrin and the chief priests. viii. Hopefully the Sanhedrin will either dismiss their case against him or agree on formal charges. b. [Slide 3] 23:1 Paul looked directly at the council and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God to this day.” i. If we would compare Stephen's defense before this same council and Paul's defense before the Jewish mob in chapter 22, we'd see a remarkably similar style. ii. Essentially the defense in each case begins with a look to the past to establish the innocence of the person in the present. iii. They are saying that it is not odd what I am doing, in fact there is a precedent for my actions. iv. This is clearly where Paul is going. He will probably move to remind this council of his zealousness in the pursuit of God and the law. v. His clarity of thought and determination of spirit. vi. In fact, he is probably going to show them that the only thing that deterred, interrupted, and circumvented him not being the exact same person he has always been was the experience he had on the Damasus road with Jesus of Nazareth speaking from heaven. vii. What begins with great promise is met with a strong and violent resistance. c. [Slide 4] 23:2 At that the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. i. There are some things we need to understand about the office of the High Priest in the first century and how that compared to the office in the Old Testament. 1. In the Old Testament, God chose to have the High Priest come from the line of Aaron exclusively. 2. As time went forward, Zadok, one of Aaron's ancestors, because of his unwavering loyalty to God and David and Solomon, became the chosen line from which the High Priest would come from that time forward. 3. In the Old Testament a high priest would serve for the duration of his life and then another would be appointed. 4. But during the 400-year silence where God did not give any Word to Israel, a group called the Maccabees began to normalize the granting of the role High Priest to… well… anyone. 5. As the Romans took over, they began appointing and removing Jewish High Priests to accomplish certain political objectives in the region. 6. Ananias was appointed High priest by King Herod Chalcis, the brother of Herod Agrippa the First. He appointed Ananias High priest around AD 47 and then died shortly thereafter. 7. Josephus, the Jewish historian records that Ananias was harsh, cruel, and greedy. 8. Indeed, in AD 52, right before Paul came back to Jerusalem between his 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys, the governor of Syria sent Ananias to Rome on charges of excessive violence toward the Samaritans. 9. Due to the influence of King Herod Agrippa II, Ananias was acquitted of these charges and returned to his office in Jerusalem. 10. It was no doubt because Ananias was a much better politician than he was a High Priest that he managed to keep his office for as long as he did. ii. Thus, when Paul is ordered to be struck here, we do not see this order coming from a holy and just man called by God to be His High Priest of Israel. iii. Instead, we see this come from a man who has a history of cruelty and violence. iv. A man put in his position by the wickedness and greed of men. v. And he orders Paul to be struck because he has already determined that what Paul is saying is a lie. d. [Slide 5] 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law you order me to be struck?” i. Paul reacts to being physically assaulted as you and I might react. ii. He gives a prophesy and it does come true. Ananias will be hunted down and murdered in his burning home by zealots at the beginning of the revolt in AD 66. iii. However, this prophesy doesn't seem to be spoken with a godly purpose. iv. In fact, it almost seems like a curse in God's name uttered in retaliation for a personal. v. And then he calls Ananias a whitewashed wall. vi. A wall pretending to be strong and fortified but only seems that way because the white wash hides the imperfections. vii. In other words, Paul calls him a hypocrite. viii. Why? ix. Paul calls Ananias a hypocrite because he is presiding over a trial to determine if Paul violated the law but in doing so Ananias violates the law by striking an accused person. x. The Paul we've seen throughout the entire book of Acts has never reacted this way to being persecuted or mistreated. xi. The most he has ever done was to refute false teaching and even demand justice from people who did not treat him as a Roman citizen. xii. And it is here we see the contrast. When Paul announces that he is a Roman citizen, the Roman commander, the Roman centurion, indeed every guard steps back in fear and seeks to treat him with the respect that he deserves and give him the legal rights he deserved as a Roman. xiii. But the High Priest, presiding over the Jewish ruling council called the Sanhedrin, cannot even afford a fellow Jew the rights guaranteed to a Jew. xiv. In a sense, the Romans were better at being Roman than the Jews were at being Jewish. xv. Why does Paul react so strongly? xvi. I think he is supremely disappointed and frustrated at the absolute corruption of the Jewish Spiritual Leadership. And he is fed up with it. And he lashes out. xvii. Counter to many scholars attempt to defend him, I do think Paul reacts in the flesh here. He is not like Jesus who did ask why he was struck but did not insult or curse those who struck him. xviii. Paul doesn't even act as he advises the Corinthians in chapter 4 of 1 Corinthians when he says that when we are cursed, we bless. xix. Paul succumbs to his flesh here out of frustration. Why? Because even the High Priest of Israel is wicked. e. [Slide 6] 23:4 Those standing near him said, “Do you dare insult God's high priest?” i. Here we see the reaction of those near him in this court room. ii. They are aghast that Paul would have the gall to insult the High Priest. iii. Was what Paul said not true? iv. Just because something is true of someone doesn't mean it is any less of an insult to say it to them, in public or in private. v. Also to pronounce judgment on a judge at your own hearing could be seen as an insult. An insult borne of not knowing your place or respecting the authority over you. vi. Paul's response to these men is somewhat of an enigma to us, so let's get to it. f. [Slide 7] 23:5 Paul replied, “I did not realize, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.' ” i. There are two basic points that Paul makes in his response to their protest. ii. First, he did not recognize the High Priest iii. Second, he quotes Exodus 22:28, which is listed in an assortment of miscellaneous laws with little connection between them. iv. So, the primary question of interpretation here is… is it really possible that Paul did NOT know that the person who ordered him to be struck was the High Priest? Wouldn't the High Priest be wearing different robes? Shouldn't Paul know who the High Priest is? Doesn't the fact that the man gave an order and it was followed seem to indicate that he was the High Priest? There are 4 basic views. I'll cover them more fully on Thursday Night. 1. Some scholars point to Paul's eyes as a continued issue. Paul did not recognize the High Priest because he could not see him. 2. Some scholars suggest that this was not a formal meeting of the Sanhedrin and because of this the High Priest was not wearing his robes. 3. Some scholars suggest that Paul simply did not know that Ananias was the High Priest. 4. Finally, other scholars suggest that Paul is being ironic with his statement. Meaning that Paul is saying he didn't know it was the High Priest because High Priest's don't act this way. v. Although each option has their strengths, each option has some significant weaknesses as well. vi. If I was forced to pick one, I'd lean more toward the ironic option. vii. But, in the end it seems best to leave this unanswered. viii. What we do know for sure is that Paul proves that he does know the law and is not intentionally violating it. He desires instead to please God as he tried to say before he got punched in the mouth. g. [Slide 8] Summary of the Point: Although we know that God's plan is for Paul to go to Rome to preach the gospel, in the apostle's mind, this is still not certain. Remember what he told the disciples of Christ before coming to Jerusalem. That if God wanted him to, he is prepared to die for Jesus' name. Paul has no idea how this is going to end. And in the midst of that, he is put in a situation where those who are the religious leaders of Israel, who know the scriptures and have studied them thoroughly, are now in a position to hear the gospel from the lips of one who was formerly among them. All of that comes crashing down when after uttering his first sentence in this hallowed hall, Paul was struck in the mouth. Where should he seek justice when the religious leaders of Israel are unjust? Where should his hope be when his own kinsmen will treat him with less respect than pagans? Paul, in a rare moment of weakness, reacts in anger and frustration over unjust rulers allowed to treat him this way. He has forgotten how the providential hand of God includes unjust rulers. God uses, and orchestrates unjust rulers to accomplish His purposes. Paul corrects himself for his momentary lapse in character but he needs to get back to the reason he is there. He must courageously proclaim the gospel of Christ. Even in these hollow halls of whitewashed walls – he must proclaim the gospel to them. Should we ever be in a similar position, may we remember our primary objective. To give a defense for the hope we have in us. [Slide 9 (blank)] Transition: But one thing he most assuredly realizes because of this interaction, is that he will NOT get a fair trial by this court. And that is why he changes his tactics in the next scene. II.) God's providential plan includes theological opposition; we must courageously proclaim gospel. (6-10) a. [Slide 10] 6 Then when Paul noticed that part of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead!” 7 When he said this, an argument began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) i. Using a rather well-known tactic for defense, Paul decides to sow a little chaos by dividing the council. ii. Paul looks up and notices that the council has both the Pharisee party and the Sadducee party represented among them. iii. We've talked about their primary differences several times before but Luke takes the time to show Theophilius the exact reason that Paul's comments would have elicited such a reaction. iv. The Sadducees only believed that the Pentateuch (The first five books of the bible) was the authoritative Word of God. They denied that there was ever a resurrection of the dead or that after death a person would become an angel or a spirit of some kind. They insisted upon annihilation. v. But the Pharisees affirmed the whole Old Testament as God's Word, they believed in miracles, in angels and spirits, and in the resurrection of the dead. vi. The divide between them was so sharp that it led to many disputes, some of which are recorded in the gospel accounts. vii. So, Paul starts a fight. viii. But we have to ask the question here… Is Paul lying? ix. He shouts that the reason he is on trial is because he is a Pharisee and that he believes in the hope of the resurrection. x. But… that isn't true. Is it? xi. In fact, it is abundantly true. xii. Paul pivots the entire trial to the REAL reason that he is there. He remembers that although he won't get a just and fair trail, that isn't why he is there in the first place. xiii. Although the Jews from Asia accused him of speaking against the law, the people, and the temple, the real reason he is there is because his opponents hate the gospel of Jesus Christ. Something he now has a unique opportunity to proclaim. xiv. So, Paul has three objectives in claiming to be a Pharisee and stating he is on trial because he believes in the resurrection of the dead. 1. His first objective is to gain allies. a. Paul claims to be of the Pharisee party. b. The New Testament scriptures never record for us anywhere that a Sadducee ever came to Christ in conversion. c. In Acts 15 we see that there was an entire group within the church who were comprised of former Pharisees. d. That doesn't necessarily mean that no Sadducee converted. e. But Christianity is MUCH MORE compatible with the Pharisee's perspective on doctrine. f. To the extent that the teachings of Christ's death, burial, resurrection, ascension and future return are not at all compatible with the Sadducee party's doctrine. g. In order to confess Christ, a Sadducee would first need to reject their beliefs. h. So, in some ways, Paul is a Pharisee. i. So, the council is immediately not united against him any longer. 2. His second objective is to end the trial. a. The High Priest has made it clear that this trial is not going to be about establishing clear accusations against Paul. b. It will instead be designed to destroy Paul any way they can. c. If Paul is interrupted by being struck every time he says something the High Priest disagrees with, this will be a long and painful trial. d. So, Paul needs this trial to end. Now. e. The quickest way to do that is to throw a theological grenade in the middle and let them clamor over it. f. Since he is still a prisoner of Rome, he knows this will stop the trial. 3. His third objective is to make the gospel the center of every future Roman trial. a. Paul wisely pivots the entire dispute to be about the main issue. b. The gospel of Jesus Christ. c. This assures him that not only will he go before Roman judges over a purely religious issue and not a legal one… which means barring any injustice in the law, he will be released. d. But also, it means he will have legal right to proclaim the gospel to every Roman judge he encounters since it will include discussion about the resurrection of the dead. xv. So, Paul is not lying about what the trial is about. Because it is most certainly about the resurrection of the dead, meaning Christ crucified, risen, and coming again to reclaim His people. xvi. His statement here is a brilliant way to make the gospel the center of the trials that are to come. b. [Slide 11] 9 There was a great commotion, and some experts in the law from the party of the Pharisees stood up and protested strongly, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” i. Paul's gambit pays off. There was a great commotion and he actually gains unlikely allies. ii. The Pharisees and their experts in the law say they find nothing wrong with Paul. iii. Then they suggest that it is entirely possible that an angel or spirit spoke to Paul. iv. This suggests to us that members of the Sanhedrin were present during Paul's first defense to the Jewish mob. v. The Pharisees are willing to entertain the possibility that Paul was met on the road to Damascus by something… not the risen Messiah, not Jesus the second person of the godhead, but perhaps an angel or a spirit. vi. In this way they simultaneously advocate for their theological position while also not believing the Jesus heresy. As a byproduct of this, they exonerate Paul. vii. This, however, doesn't quite settle the matter… c. [Slide 12] 10 When the argument became so great the commanding officer feared that they would tear Paul to pieces, he ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks. i. The Pharisees would not have the majority view on the Sanhedrin. ii. If they did, the trial would have been over and Paul would have been released. iii. Instead, the Sadducees who held a clear majority continued to argue over the theological matter in question. iv. The Roman commander put Paul before the Sanhedrin hoping they would be able to dismiss or clarify the matter. v. But their fighting over doctrine has led the Romans to conclude that the issue with Paul has nothing to do with legal matters and everything to do with theological ones. Which is true. vi. But as they fight over these issues, it is incumbent upon the Roman Commander to protect his prisoner. vii. So, having received the reason for their treatment of Paul, he brings him back to the barracks and will begin the process of arranging for his next trial. d. [Slide 13] Summary of the Point: In this scene we see how God not only uses unjust rulers to accomplish His will, but He also uses theological disputes to accomplish His will too. God uses this dispute between the Sadducees and the Pharisees to ensure that Paul goes before Roman judges on trial for something they cannot find him guilty for, and in which he can proclaim the gospel as his defense. And that is exactly why Paul comes back to the reason he is there and brings the issue to the surface. He isn't there to dispute these doctrinal issues – but he is there to make this all about the gospel of Jesus Christ. We too should look for ways to turn, even difficult situations to a proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Transition: [Slide 14(blank)] God uses so many things to accomplish His will that we should trust Him without question. But He knows we are weak. And oftentimes, He aids us by supplying clear promises of purpose and plan. In this final scene of this episode, we'll see Christ do just that for Paul. III.) God's providential plan will not be undone, we must courageously proclaim gospel. (11) a. [Slide 15] 11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Have courage, i. After all of the dust settles and Paul spends another night in the barracks, the Lord Jesus comes to Paul again. ii. Jesus stands next to him and tells him… commands him… to have courage. iii. We've seen Paul courageously get up after being stoned and go right back into the city. iv. We've seen Paul courageously face down several Jewish mobs and imprisonments. v. We've seen him courageously go to Jerusalem knowing that he would be imprisoned and suffer for Jesus. vi. He even said that if it was the Lord's will for him, he was not afraid to die for Jesus' name. vii. But today, Paul proved that he was afraid of something. viii. Paul was afraid of his life ending before he completed his race. ix. In 2 Timothy, when Paul faced his second imprisonment by the Romans in Rome. And he was soon to go before Nero and be judged. Almost certainly facing death – he wrote to Timothy and assured him that he was ready to die because he had fought the good and worthy and noble fight, and that the has finished the race and kept the faith. x. But that was after he had completed what Jesus said he would. xi. Today - Paul is afraid. He is afraid that he will stumble before the end. That his life will not accomplish what God has planned for it to. xii. On this night, Jesus stands next to him and provides to him what he needs. xiii. First… a command. xiv. Be courageous. Don't be afraid. xv. Why? b. [Slide 16] for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” i. I haven't forgotten my plan for you. ii. You have borne witness to me in this city. iii. You have testified before men what I have said. iv. You have preached the gospel. v. You have kept the faith and fought the good fight. vi. Don't be afraid… because you must go to Rome. vii. Why? viii. So, you can do the same thing there. ix. Do not be afraid. Be courageous Paul. x. My will will be done. c. [Slide 17] Summary of the Point: God uses various means to accomplish His will. Many of them surprise us because they include evil and unjust people doing evil and unjust things which eventually lead right back to what God wants to happen. But the long and the short of it is that God's providential plan will come about. It will not be broken. It cannot be undone. Jesus assures Paul – You must testify about me in Rome. Not you might. Not you could. You WILL! Everything that happens is a means God has used to accomplish His purposes. So, what is the only response? Courageously proclaim the gospel. Paul you are going to do it… so go and do it courageously. We too should go and courageously proclaim the gospel because our Lord has assured us that the Kingdom is coming and that He is returning. Conclusion: So, what have we learned today CBC and how then shall we live? What are some basic principles we can take away informing our faith and commanding our practice? Basics of Faith and Practice: [Slide 18] Luke continues to develop the theme of God's providence working in various ways to accomplish His will for His church. This last act of the narrative has focused on Paul's going to Jerusalem and then on to Rome. The connective tissue of all this is in verse 11 when Jesus tells Paul overtly to have courage because just as he has proclaimed the gospel in Jerusalem, he must and will do the same in Rome. This becomes our primary lesson of practice. We must courageously continue to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ no matter where we are in life. But all of this is predicated on the fact that God providentially leads all things to accomplish His will. Luke has demonstrated in this episode specifically that God's appointment of unjust rulers and even theological opposition are all orchestrated and used of God to accomplish His purpose. Indeed, part of Jesus' words in verse 11 to Paul are to guarantee him that he will preach the gospel in Rome. Essentially Jesus sums all this up by telling Paul that the providential plan of God cannot be undone and that all things work to accomplish His purpose. And that purpose for Paul is for him to preach the gospel in Rome. Once again, Luke forces us to see an abundantly practical side to the absolute sovereignty of God. But let me try to help you see those practical things. 1.) [Slide 19] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God even uses Opposition and Injustice to accomplish His will. a. In this text we clearly see God use unjust rulers and theological opposition to accomplish the purpose of Paul going to Rome with the gospel. b. The amazing part is that Paul is still two and a half years away from setting foot in Rome. c. Isn't that wild? d. Paul has really just begun this journey to Rome. But Jesus assures him, that he will go and proclaim the gospel. e. We won't linger long on this this morning, but we must again recognize that God's decreed and perfect will cannot be thwarted by anything men do. f. In fact, all things work together to accomplish that good and perfect will. From the insignificant all the way to wickedness and everything in between. g. There is not one rogue molecule in God's creation. There is not anything that God has left to chance or to a free choice of even one member of His created order. h. Isaiah 46:10 teaches us that God has decreed, published, declared or proclaimed the end from the beginning. This is a cohesive novel that God has already written. We are characters in this play. i. Though we experience the play in real time and have the very real perception of freedom of choice and agency, so much so that God holds us accountable for what we choose to do – at the same time, nothing happens that God has not already determined. j. Even God's opponents are Opponents He owns and has designed to accomplish His will. k. We must confess this – otherwise we have a very puny god indeed. l. We must also… 2.) [Slide 20] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God's Sovereignty is the necessary backdrop for proclaiming the gospel courageously. a. If God has left even one man, truly free, and able to freely choose to do things that He did not plan, then we as believers must live in fear of that one person no matter who they are, because at any moment the plan of God could be toppled by their freedom to do what God has not willed them to do. b. Jesus has no right to declare to Paul that he should have courage. Because that one person could prevent Paul from preaching the gospel to Rome. c. But skeptics of the teaching of God's absolute sovereignty do not settle for merely one man but that all men have absolute freedom to make their choices. d. Is Jesus saying have courage Paul because no matter what happens I'll make sure you get there? Or is Jesus telling him to have courage because He has willed him to be there? e. Indeed, looking at all that will happen to Paul over the next two and half years – if we take the first option we are left with a god that is quite puny indeed. He is able to run faster, hit harder, know more, and generally do more – but ultimately, he is little more than a demigod that just slightly better than humans at making sure he gets his way. f. But if we take the second option that Jesus has willed Paul to go to Rome, when we look at the next two and a half years we see that Romans 8:28 and Isaiah 46:10 assure us that Paul experienced all that he did as the plan which God had written for him from before the foundation of the world. g. Indeed, it is only the second option that leads us to any courage to continue our mission. h. If God wills it… then none can oppose it… and if none can oppose it…then how can I fear? 3.) [Slide 21] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that the primary mission of God's people is correcting social ills or theological opposition. a. This application is borne out of Paul's fleshly response and affects many Christians today as we seek to right the social wrongs or theological quagmires of our day. b. Paul was frustrated by the Spiritual leaders of Isarel being experts in the law and occupying such titles as High Priest, being so absolutely devoid of justice and mercy and goodness. c. Indeed, for a moment he cursed them for being hypocrites and demanded justice rather than injustice. d. After an apology, or at least a recognition of the law of God against cursing rulers – Paul refocuses on his primary mission. e. He starts a religious fight. Not to prove out the truth… but to get to the heart of the gospel and make sure it is the primary talking point in every trial that follows. f. Paul gets back on mission. g. And Christian we must get back on mission too. h. We do not exist in the United States of America to right all the country's problems. We don't need to know the scriptures only so we can cast down all the false teachings out there. i. My friends our primary mission is to make disciples – baptizing them and teaching them to follow Christ. j. We can be politically active, we can mourn injustice, we can defend the gospel against error – but these must play second fiddle to our primary mission. k. Which is what? 4.) [Slide 22] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must courageously proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, in season or out of season. a. In times when things are going good for us and in times when the world seems to be crashing down around us – the primary mission of God's people is the same. b. Make disciples. Proclaim the gospel c. Paul told Timothy later to preach the word in season or out of season. d. To be ready to proclaim the truth whether it was convenient or not. e. As far as opportunities to preach the gospel go, standing before a bunch of judges, Jewish and Roman, who could have you killed, doesn't seem to be like the ideal place to preach the gospel of Christ. f. I think we all could think of much less hostile environments to proclaim the gospel. g. But this is Paul's mission. And it is our mission. h. Most of the time our opportunities to proclaim the gospel risk very VERY little. Especially compared to Paul. i. But we have to ask ourselves – If I can't share the gospel when all I'd face is rejection… how can I ever hope to proclaim the gospel when I face death and torture? j. We must be bold in our witness. k. But not just with our words… With our actions too. 5.) [Slide 23] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must not allow uncertainty or irritation to compromise our character or witness. a. We understand Paul's plight. b. Until Jesus tells him in verse 11, he doesn't know what is going to happen in Jerusalem. He doesn't know what the outcome will be. c. But the moment he is put in the hands of the Sanhedrin, he is guaranteed that they will not let him go without snuffing him out. d. We too can become irritated and frustrated when we are uncertain about what is to come. e. We become worriers and can even get impatient and downright rude when we are in a position of uncertainty. f. And when we look to people who claim to be spiritually minded, and their advice or actions prove ungodly… we can get pretty cranky then too. g. What we must realize is that our knowing what is going to happen or the spiritual strength of others cannot be the basis for our holy living. h. The bedrock of faith and practice is Jesus Christ. To know Him in His death and resurrection is the core of being who He has called us to be. i. When we start depending on what we know will happen or on the spiritual strength of others… that's when failure is sure to follow. j. Paul failed in this text. He was not thrilled about being struck in the mouth and essentially called a liar. He was not happy that the supposedly spiritual people of Israel were still failing so badly. k. And for a moment he let it get to him. l. We must trust the Lord. We must be courageous and trust that He is our only hope. He is what gives us life abundant. m. Only then will we maintain holy lives when faced with uncertainty or the failure of others to do justly. 6.) [Slide 24] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored” The gospel of Jesus Christ centers on the resurrection of the dead. a. The resurrection of the dead is the keystone in the concept of the gospel. b. Not just because Jesus rose from the dead, but because all who are in Christ will rise with Him. c. Sin and Death are the problem. d. Although there are many ills we face in society, in our lives personally, and bodily ailments – the greatest plight mankind faces is that we are born in sin and under the wrath of God as children of Satan. e. Satan being condemned as a vile sinner himself, and Satan earning eternal death for himself one day, he wields sin and death as a kamikaze pilot wields his plane. He too will be destroyed by these things. f. And he has succeeded in plunging all of mankind to share his fate. g. That is why we are born his children. Adam has joined him and in Adam we too have joined him. h. The effect of death is its finality. Which wouldn't be so terrible if it were not for sin. Sin is called the STING of death. Why? i. Because all who die… in sin… remain in sin. j. Sin separates us from God. Not in the sense that God can't be in the presence of it but in the sense that God is holy and anything unholy cannot abide His presence. k. And God's wrath is revealed against ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. l. Meaning what? m. Everything unholy will have God's wrath eternally revealed upon it. n. But what if sin could be killed? What if death was not final? o. Do you see what Jesus has done? By His death He has took away the sting of death which is sin. He became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. p. By His resurrection he took away the finality of death being the first fruits of many brothers. q. The keystone of the gospel is the resurrection of the dead. Because in His death and resurrection Christ has defeated both sin and death for His people. And who are His people? Those who endure in turning from their sin and believing on Him. r. Do you want the sting of death removed from you? Do you want to live again? Not in an eternity called a second death… but in something called eternal… LIFE? s. If that is what you desire… don't leave this place this morning without talking to an Elder. We'd love to share with you more about what Jesus has done. [Slide 25 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the Puritan Jeremiah Burroughs Lord, you have given me a portion in the world. You have given me credit and a reputation among others. But what is all this to me, if I am without Christ? If I do not have the one who gives grace to my soul, the one who is my all in all? Lord, you have taught me this day that the distance between you and me is so great that without a mediator, I perish forever. So whatever else you deny me, give me Jesus. It is in His name I pray this… Amen. Benediction: May the God who works wonders, Who has made His strength known among His people, And by His power redeemed them, May He be your joy and may He delight in you always Until we met again, go in peace.

Mark 1:2-8 2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" - 3 "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" 4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."  Discussion Questions 1 Who is someone in your life that helped prepare the way for you? (Spiritually, vocationally, relationally, etc.) 2 Humility before Jesus is vital in our allegiance to Jesus. In your current season of life, what situations, moments, or environments challenge your humility before Jesus and your submission to Jesus the most? 3 Until Jesus returns, we are the construction crew that is preparing the way for the King to enter into the city. Think about your areas of influence and impact. In what ways have you done a good job of preparing the way for Jesus to enter into the hearts and lives of those around you? Where are you/have you struggled? 4 "He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30 In what ways does this verse speak most deeply to you in your season of life?

Thinking he could be successful without God, Ron experienced failure after failure. From being kicked out of the military, to uncovering an addiction to alcohol, Ron realized his life was spiraling out of control. His life was tract to one place - death. Until Jesus stepped in. Listen in as Ron shares how Jesus changed his life. Want to become a partner

In a follow-up to our first message on a invitation to rest found in Matthew 11:28-30, Pastor Nate Galloway breaks down what it looks like, practically, to take steps toward rest. "Until Jesus is enough, we will never find rest." This powerful statement begs the question: "If Jesus was all you had, would He be enough for you?"

When you close your eyes and picture God, what do you see?When you think about the divine, supreme, immortal, eternal, all powerful, self-existent God who the Bible calls spirit and who by nature is invisible, what do you imagine?Until Jesus becomes not just a religious teacher, but the architect of the universe, the king of the cosmos, your very vision of the divine, Jesus stuff will be a nice idea or an interesting thought, but not the reason that you're alive. Seeing, enjoying, savoring, worshiping, adoring Jesus as God is the Jesus stuff. An obsession with Jesus is the Jesus stuff.You will never live a life surrendered to the Jesus stuff, which is the stuff that you were created for, is the stuff that you long for.We'd love for you to subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get updates on our latest content and resources that will help more people know Jesus and people know Jesus more.GIVE : We believe that generosity is golden. Freely we have received and so freely we give back to God. If you would like to give to support the work Jesus is doing here please visit: https://www.elevatecc.church/give.Elevate City Church is a Jesus Over Everything Church that launched in the Atlanta Perimeter area on October 4th, 2020.Jesus Over Everything.Give us a follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatecity.church/Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elevatecc.churchPodcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3H8BBrEFWxGKsTF8wPSvrn?si=epcQMMrmQIiTpeXEnyxMOQPodcast on itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-city-church/id1536637567Visit our website for more information about who we are as a church and how you can get involved.https://www.elevatecc.church/home

The only thing that can hinder God from working in our lives is our own opposition to it.In this episode, we follow a man who has given up on healing. Alone and forgotten, he sits by the pools of Bethesda, teetering in an awkward space between hope and bitterness. He resigns himself to a life of suffering... Until Jesus shows up and asks him a question: "Do you want to be healed?" Today's Bible verse is John 5:6, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Mere Christians of the BibleDevotional: 1 of 5Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. Jesus said to him, “Zacchaeus…I must stay at your house today.”...All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house.” (Luke 19:1-2, 5, 7-9)If you're reading this, chances are you're not a pastor or donor-supported missionary, but a “mere Christian” like me who works as an entrepreneur, barista, or programmer. Today I'm kicking off a new series here on The Word Before Work exploring the lives of some mere Christians in the Bible and what they can teach us about our own work in the present—starting with Zaccheus.After choosing to follow Jesus, modern readers half expect Jesus to call Zaccheus to abandon his “secular” work. But Luke mentions no such calling. Most scholars I've read believe that just as John the Baptist urged the tax collectors he baptized to return to their posts, Jesus likely encouraged Zaccheus to do the same (see Luke 3:12-14). Because as pastor John Piper says, “You don't waste your life by where you work, but how and why.”Believer, as you step into the New Year, trust that “where you work” is exactly where God wants you today. But, like Zacchaeus, ask yourself if God is calling you to re-examine how and why you work.I used to think Zacchaeus was uniquely corrupt. However, according to the Theology of Work Commentary, his actions were likely just “industry standard practice.” Until Jesus opened his eyes, Zacchaeus was blind or indifferent to how his work harmed others. He was “just doing his job.”The lesson for us is clear: Following Jesus as mere Christians requires that we question the conventional wisdom of our workplaces and industries to uncover opportunities for redemption and renewal. Here's a 5-step process to help:Pray for God to reveal how your work might harm others. Identify a common practice in your field worth questioning. Ask why this practice is done this way and what fundamental principles drive it. Evaluate those principles against God's Word. Reimagine the practice with a commitment to God's glory and others' good.Zacchaeus may have done this work alone, but you're more likely to succeed with other believers. Seek out fellow mere Christians inside and outside your field to tackle this together today!

Today, Little Bird wants to sing the PERFECT song for Mary's birthday, and it has to be perfect. So Little Bird worries and frets and gets very anxious that it won't be good enough. Until Jesus shares with her some words of comfort. Sometimes we all need a little break, a little rest. It can be easy to forget that we are enough. “Come to me all you who are weary, and I will give you rest.”Podcast friends! Can you draw some pictures to share with us? Can you draw a picture of Jesus holding Little Bird in the palm of his hand? Or a picture of yourself in Jesus' hands? Or even the whole world in Jesus' hands? What else do you imagine could fit in Jesus' hands? Draw that too and share it with us! Email your drawings to info@stpaulqc.org or share it on our social media pages!

Do you know what the most significant event in history is? It's not the discovery of America or the invention of the iPhone. It's Jesus' death on the cross. As Pastor Mark teaches in today's message, Jesus' death had cosmic importance. It changed the course of history and impacted everyone who lived and ever will live. Until Jesus' death, there was no way to get rid of the problem of sin. Animal sacrifices were only a temporary covering for sins. But Jesus died once and for all sins - past, present, and future sins. When you accept Jesus as your Savior, there's nothing you have to do to earn salvation. Jesus already did everything for you! 

The freedoms we enjoy and the country we love are in jeopardy. As Christians, we're to make a difference. If our voices are not heard, and our votes are not counted, then every evil and worldly philosophy will fill the vacuum. But what if you don't like the candidates or their policies? Or you're unsure of whether Christians should be political? Our guest will offer powerful biblical perspectives on those questions and more. Until Jesus returns, our calling is to be salt and light to a decaying culture. To do so isn't political but biblical. To vote is not only a right but a duty-because Christ alone is the answer for the soul of America. Join us for a timely conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Sunday we will continue to root ourselves in Ephesians 4:1-16 as we look at the calling on the church in this world. We live in the tension of the already/not yet nature of Christ's work and Kingdom. Until Jesus returns, He moves through His people to reach people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. So, we get to be part of that work! It's not always easy, though. Following Jesus doesn't give us a free pass to Heaven or a chance to skip over the suffering, struggle, or temptation of the world we live in. Ephesians 4:15-16 give us an idea of the contrast between immaturity and maturity in Christ. It's a timely passage for us. 

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. — 1 Corinthians 15:20 Do you ever use euphemisms? Euphemisms are nice-sounding phrases that we use to talk about something harsh or difficult. For example, we may say “golden years” rather than “old age.” And many cultures describe dying in terms of “passing away.” Paul describes Christians who have died as being “asleep in Christ.” The ancient Hebrews commonly used “sleep” as a euphemism for death. The accounts of Israel's kings often end by saying “he slept with his fathers” or “rested with his ancestors” (see 1 Kings 2:10). In our reading for today, Paul uses “sleep” several times to describe death. And he does this in a new way in connection with believing in Christ. Apparently some people in the church at Corinth were questioning whether God had truly raised Jesus from the dead. But of course God has done that, Paul says, adding that if God didn't raise Jesus, then his followers would be the most pitiable of all people. Indeed, Jesus is risen! And, as Paul describes it here, all who have died believing in Jesus are merely “asleep” in him. Because of Jesus' victory over sin and the grave, death has been conquered. Paul describes death as “sleep” because death has been defeated! Until Jesus returns, we will all die, but through his death and resurrection we have all been made alive in him. And one day he will raise our bodies again to live with him forever. Thank you, Jesus, for conquering death so that we can live with you—body and soul—forever. Amen.

The only thing that can hinder God from working in our lives is our own opposition to it. In this episode, we follow a man who has given up on healing. Alone and forgotten, he sits by the pools of Bethesda, teetering in an awkward space between hope and bitterness. He resigns himself to a life of suffering... Until Jesus shows up and asks him a question: "Do you want to be healed?"  Today's Bible verse is John 5:6 from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many years, Kim Hughes of our Fairhope community lived a try-harder lifestyle in which the effort she put forth was equal to the emptiness she felt. Half-commitments to the Lord left her striving for comfort in worldly things.   But when He shook up her plans and pursued her heart, Kim finally found herself pursuing Him in return—and also the rich relationship she'd missed out on.   In this episode, you will learn:   – When you receive His grace instead of trying to earn it, you walk closer to Jesus.   – If the Lord has removed you from your comfort zone, pay attention to what His purpose is in your life.   – Until Jesus is enough, nothing ever will be.   Attend a StoryTellers Live gathering!   Give to StoryTellers Live Access more content and become a Patreon Insider

Talk 25   Mark 8:27-38   The Challenge of the Cross Welcome to Talk 25 in our series on Mark's Gospel. If you listened to my Easter Sunday message recently (which was not part of this series), you will remember that we concentrated our attention on the repeated emphasis on the use of the word must in connection with Jesus' death and resurrection.  One of the verses we referred to is found in today's passage: 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. We saw that it was necessary for Jesus to suffer and to die and to rise again because that was the only way we could be saved. But in today's passage we see that this was clearly something the disciples, especially Peter, didn't want to hear. Nevertheless, Jesus went on to insist that not only was it necessary for him to suffer and die, but that if anyone wanted to follow him, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow him (v34). This presented an enormous challenge to his disciples then, and, if we take Jesus' words seriously, it is equally challenging for us today. In this passage we see three challenges: ·      The challenge of confessing who Jesus really is (27-30) ·      The challenge of acknowledging that his death was necessary (31-33) ·      The challenge of taking up our cross and following him (34-38).   The challenge of confessing who Jesus really is (27-30) 27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" 28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ." 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. The important thing here is not what other people – your parents, your brothers and sisters, your friends – say about Jesus. What matters is what you say. And notice that the word is say, not think. Of course, what we say will be affected by what we think, but if we believe that Jesus is who he claimed to be, it's important that we say so. Paul tells us that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). Of course, Peter had not yet come to understand these things, but by divine revelation (see Matthew 16:17) he had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah and was not afraid to say so. Others might see Jesus as an outspoken preacher like John the Baptist, or as a powerful miracle worker like Elijah, or as just another prophet or religious leader, but salvation depends on the acknowledgement and confession that JESUS IS LORD. But, as the next few verses make clear, Jesus was not the kind of Messiah that Peter and the other disciples were expecting. They were certainly not expecting a Messiah who would suffer and die. The challenge of acknowledging that his death was necessary (31-33) 31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." The disciples would have understood that the Son of Man was a title used for the Messiah in Daniel 7:13-14. And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is and everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. This was almost certainly the kind of Messiah they would have been expecting, and Jesus' claims that as the Son of Man he had authority on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:10) and to be Lord of the Sabbath (2:28) would undoubtedly have backed up their conviction. And later in today's passage Jesus uses the title in connection with his coming in his Father's glory with the holy angels (v38), a theme which he repeats in 13:26 and 14:62. So their expectation was not entirely wrong. But it was only half the story. Jesus now had to teach them that certain things had to happen first. The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed. We should not be surprised at Peter's reaction. Surely suffering and rejection and death could not possibly be the role of the Messiah? But in fact they were not only possible. They were essential. The Son of Man must suffer… And Jesus not only rebukes Peter strongly for remonstrating with him, but he repeats the message again and again in chapters 9 and 10 (Mark 9:12, 31; 10:33, 45). But why was his suffering necessary? Why must he die? Because this was the only way that we could be saved. He died for our sins. He died in our place. He took the punishment our sins deserved. He died, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God. There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin. He only could unlock the gate of Heaven and let us in. To be saved we must acknowledge that his death was necessary. Our pride holds us back. Human wisdom rejects the message of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18-19). We hesitate to admit that it was our shortcomings that made it so. But there was, there is, no other way. The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), for me, for you, and if it were not so, would the Messiah have allowed himself to be crucified? The challenge faces every man and woman, every boy and girl. The challenge must be faced, and it must be embraced. To be saved I must accept the fact that Jesus died for me. The challenge of taking up our cross and following him (34-38).   34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.  36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." Having begun to teach his disciples that it was necessary for him to suffer and die and rise again, Jesus now includes the crowd. What he is about to say applies to everyone. Notice the use of the words anyone and everyone. There can be no exceptions. Acknowledge Christ and be saved or deny Christ and perish. The way of the cross is inevitable, not only for Christ, but for all who will follow him. If he must suffer, then we must expect to suffer too. We must take up our cross and follow him. Peter, from whom Mark probably obtained most of the material for writing his Gospel, writing to Christian slaves who were being unjustly punished, reminded them of the suffering of Christ and told them: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21). If the opponents of Christ treated him unfairly, we must not be surprised if they treat us unfairly too. But Jesus said that whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. Throughout the world today there are thousands who are losing their lives because of their faith in Christ. But suffering for the cause of Christ must not be confused with the things we suffer along with the rest of humanity. By no means all that Christians suffer is caused by persecution. Most of our suffering is caused by the fact that we're living in a fallen universe. In Romans 8 Paul tells us that, ever since the Fall, creation has been in bondage to decay and has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time (vv21-22). But our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (v18). Meanwhile we are still eagerly waiting for the redemption of our bodies (v23). So suffering is inevitable. We are not exempt from it. Until Jesus returns we suffer along with the rest of humanity. The difference is that we Christians have hope. If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. So suffering along with the rest of humanity because we're all living in a fallen universe is not the same as suffering for the sake of Christ. It is not taking up our cross to follow Jesus. Yet this is required of every Christian. Jesus says, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. This will mean different things for different people, but if I am not denying myself and actively choosing to make sacrifices for the cause of Christ, can I really call myself a Christian? This choosing to deny ourselves and to live a sacrificial life for Christ is a practical demonstration of what is known as our identification with Christ. When we first came to Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, believing that he died in our place, God counted Jesus' death as our death, and we too were accepting his death as our death. That's why Paul could say that we died with Christ, we were crucified with Christ, buried with Christ, made alive with Christ and raised with Christ. In short, we are identified with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. With this in mind, let's compare verse 31 with verses 34-35. First Jesus teaches them that he, the Son of Man, must suffer many things and be rejected … and that he must be killed and … rise again. Then he says that as his followers his disciples must expect the same: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.   The pattern is the same. Rejection and suffering, followed by resurrection and reward. But of course, we don't want to suffer. We don't want to be rejected. But neither did Jesus. Hear him praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death… My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will (Matthew 26:38-39). Taking up one's cross means saying this daily. Not what I want, but what you want.  Jesus didn't want to suffer and die, but he chose the way of the cross, and so must we. But of course, the cross was not the end of the story. He rose again, and so, says Jesus, will we. What a wonderful promise to all who will accept him, but how serious a warning to those who reject him: If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels (v38) And then he will reward each person according to what he has done (Matthew 16:27). And in Matthew 10 he says: 32 Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. …38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. The choice is ours. And the consequences of that choice are eternal. What choice will you make? Will you accept the challenge of confessing who Jesus really is? Will you acknowledge that his death was necessary for you? Will you take up your cross and follow Jesus?

Tara got sucked into New Age spirituality after her best friend suffered a horrific death. Tarot cards, pendulums, law of attraction, chakras, crystals, yoga, mediums - she did it all. Until Jesus.     Tara was consulting with the ‘spirit of her best friend' on a daily basis for over 9 years… or so she thought. It turns out, this was actually a demon that had been capitalizing on her trauma and wreaking havoc on her life all along.     She speaks to her sanctification and deliverance only made possible in the name of Jesus.     Tara's Instagram: @tnann     –     SUBSCRIBE TO HEAVEN & HEALING PODCAST TO WATCH A NEW TESTIMONY FROM THE AUDIENCE EVERY TUESDAY OF 2024 AND JOIN HOST OF HEAVEN & HEALING PODCAST, ANGELA SCAFIDI, FOR WEEKLY LIVESTREAMS HERE ON THE CHANNEL EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT @ 8 PM CENTRAL     –     Ways to Support the Show:    

Psalm 8:3–6 (ESV) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,DISTINCT: recognizably different from the groupGenesis 1:24 (ESV) And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds…Genesis 2:7 (ESV) then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.Genesis 1:26 (ESV) Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”Adam was an Apostle: representative, messenger, colonizer on behalf of his kingdomAdam was an Exile: because he's away from the kingdom of his citizenshipREALITY: Adam Failed As An Apostilic ExileInstead of representing, delivering the message or colonizing he was flipped and surrendered his citizenshipGenesis 3:23–24 (ESV) therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.As Adam was exiled, many of his distinctions were silenced, through the generations some of his distinctions were fanned into flame. Glimmers. Shadows. Reflections. Until Jesus… and with His coming, our roles as Apostolic Exiles has been reestablished.DISTINCTION REVISITED: HIS SPIRIT WITHIN, HIS PRESENCE WITHOUTADAM/SPIRIT - Genesis 2:7 (ESV) then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.REVISITED: Acts 2:1–4 (ESV) When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.ADAM/PRESENCE - Genesis 3:8 (ESV) And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.REVISITED: Hebrews 13:5 (ESV) …for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”DISTINCTION REVISITED: HIS CALLING, AUTHORITY & POWERADAM: Genesis 1:26–28 (ESV) Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”REVISITED: Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV) And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.DISTINCTION REVISITED: SUPERNATURAL RELATIONSHIPSADAM - Genesis 2:20–24 (ESV) The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.REVISITED John 17:20–23 (ESV) “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.DISTINCTION REVISITED: SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCEADAM - Genesis 1:31 (ESV) And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.REVISITED John 14:12–14 (ESV) “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Our daughter was driving through town with our four-year-old grandson in the back seat. As she passed a local senior housing facility, she said, "Honey, that's where my grandfather lived until he died." At that point, our four-year-old jumped in with a respectful correction of his Mommy's choice of words. "Until Jesus called him home," he said. There was a pause - and then our grandson added - "Someday Jesus will call me home, too." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Just Beyond Your Last Heartbeat." Not bad for a four-year-old! I'm sounding like his grandfather now. But that little guy actually has this death thing figured out better than a lot of us grownup people do, because we don't decide when it's over. God does. And the thing you want to have happen on the day you take your last breath is for Jesus to call you home to heaven. Unfortunately, not everyone's going home. And the alternative is too eternally awful to contemplate. The Bible makes this clear in 1 John 5:11-12. It's our word for today from the Word of God, and it says that we're all in one of two groups, headed for one of two possible destinations. You are in one of these. It says, "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." Notice - it doesn't say eternal life is in His religion or His rules or in living right. No, the only One who can get us to heaven is His Son. Why? Because He's the only One who died to pay for all the sin that we have; sin that makes it impossible for us to enter a holy God's heaven. The Bible then continues: "He who has the Son" - that's the Son of God, Jesus - "He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life." There it is. Either you're totally forgiven or you're still carrying your sin and its penalty. Either you're headed for heaven or you're headed for hell. And Jesus indicated there will be surprises in both places - people that humans would never expect who are going to be in heaven because they pinned all their hopes for spiritual rescue on Jesus. And people in hell who had tons of Christianity but somehow missed Jesus. They never grabbed Him as if He were their only hope. The truth is that your last call could come any time. Speaking to God in Psalm 139:16, King David says, "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." You're not going to die until your work is done. And you can't stay one day longer than when your work is done. And God decides when that is. For a 17-year-old girl who attended a youth event I spoke at, the call actually came in a head-on collision on the way home. And because she had put her trust in Jesus that very night, when she got the call, she was called home, because "He who has the Son has life." You can't postpone God's call. And you can't be ready for it any other way than to be sure you belong to Jesus Christ, the only One who can remove the sin that will otherwise keep you out of heaven. You say, "But I'm a good person." Not good enough; not for a perfect God. That's why Jesus came. Why He died. Why He rose again. That's why He's knocking on the door of your heart, maybe this very day. He wants you in heaven with Him forever. He doesn't want to lose you! But you have to choose that - by consciously and totally giving yourself to Him. Have you ever really done that? If you're not sure you did, you probably didn't. Let this be the day you finally say, "Jesus, I'm Yours. I accept your death on the cross as being for my sin. I turn from running my own life. You are my only hope." If you want to be sure you've begun a relationship with Jesus, and you want to get this settled today, go to our website? It will help, I know it will. It's ANewStory.com. You're another day closer to the day the call will come. It just doesn't make sense to risk one more day without Jesus does it? He's calling you right now to give you to Him, so that one day, when the last call comes, He can call you home. {module Open a chat window - needhim}

Our daughter was driving through town with our four-year-old grandson in the back seat. As she passed a local senior housing facility, she said, "Honey, that's where my grandfather lived until he died." At that point, our four-year-old jumped in with a respectful correction of his Mommy's choice of words. "Until Jesus called him home," he said. There was a pause - and then our grandson added - "Someday Jesus will call me home, too." I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Just Beyond Your Last Heartbeat." Not bad for a four-year-old! I'm sounding like his grandfather now. But that little guy actually has this death thing figured out better than a lot of us grownup people do, because we don't decide when it's over. God does. And the thing you want to have happen on the day you take your last breath is for Jesus to call you home to heaven. Unfortunately, not everyone's going home. And the alternative is too eternally awful to contemplate. The Bible makes this clear in 1 John 5:11-12. It's our word for today from the Word of God, and it says that we're all in one of two groups, headed for one of two possible destinations. You are in one of these. It says, "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." Notice - it doesn't say eternal life is in His religion or His rules or in living right. No, the only One who can get us to heaven is His Son. Why? Because He's the only One who died to pay for all the sin that we have; sin that makes it impossible for us to enter a holy God's heaven. The Bible then continues: "He who has the Son" - that's the Son of God, Jesus - "He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life." There it is. Either you're totally forgiven or you're still carrying your sin and its penalty. Either you're headed for heaven or you're headed for hell. And Jesus indicated there will be surprises in both places - people that humans would never expect who are going to be in heaven because they pinned all their hopes for spiritual rescue on Jesus. And people in hell who had tons of Christianity but somehow missed Jesus. They never grabbed Him as if He were their only hope. The truth is that your last call could come any time. Speaking to God in Psalm 139:16, King David says, "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." You're not going to die until your work is done. And you can't stay one day longer than when your work is done. And God decides when that is. For a 17-year-old girl who attended a youth event I spoke at, the call actually came in a head-on collision on the way home. And because she had put her trust in Jesus that very night, when she got the call, she was called home, because "He who has the Son has life." You can't postpone God's call. And you can't be ready for it any other way than to be sure you belong to Jesus Christ, the only One who can remove the sin that will otherwise keep you out of heaven. You say, "But I'm a good person." Not good enough; not for a perfect God. That's why Jesus came. Why He died. Why He rose again. That's why He's knocking on the door of your heart, maybe this very day. He wants you in heaven with Him forever. He doesn't want to lose you! But you have to choose that - by consciously and totally giving yourself to Him. Have you ever really done that? If you're not sure you did, you probably didn't. Let this be the day you finally say, "Jesus, I'm Yours. I accept your death on the cross as being for my sin. I turn from running my own life. You are my only hope." If you want to be sure you've begun a relationship with Jesus, and you want to get this settled today, go to our website? It will help, I know it will. It's ANewStory.com. You're another day closer to the day the call will come. It just doesn't make sense to risk one more day without Jesus does it? He's calling you right now to give you to Him, so that one day, when the last call comes, He can call you home.

Sermon for the 1st Sunday of Advent. The Scripture readings are Jeremiah 23:6-8; Romans 13:11-14; and Matthew 21:1-9.In a sense, it's always Advent. Until Jesus returns, we are always looking, waiting, and watching for His coming even as we have the fullness of joy (Ps. 16:11) of His coming to us now in His Word and Sacrament.

Continuing our Series “God Encounters of the REAL kind”, today Pastor Kuulei teaches how Saul of Tarsus was convinced the path he was on was the right one...the righteous one. Until Jesus interrupted his life and showed Saul, "I have different plans for you...your life is not your own!"Key Scripture Passages: Acts 7:58, Acts 8:1-3. Acts 9:1-22, Acts 26:9-11

The world is continuing to migrate towards normalizing the demonic.   Until Jesus comes to get us, we have a job to do.  Join Paul and Tiana as they tackle how Christians should be dealing with the issues we are facing.News Articles:LifePetition to boycott Target reaches 10,000 signatures as company stock plummets $9 billionLike Bud Light, Target is experiencing financial losses after consumers boycott their stores following the release of LGBT merchandise for children.Dodgers Apologize, Reverse Ban on Drag Group the Sisters of Perpetual IndulgenceVideo Link: Pole dancing on crucified JesusEverything you need to know about this week's WHO General Assembly 'In a nutshell, the WHO is being installed as a de facto governing body for the global Deep State.To learn more go to www.thewarriorsrising.com

Why is it sometimes hard to tell if someone is truly a Christian? If Jesus' kingdom has come, why are there still wicked people in the world? What awaits believers at the end of the age? These questions, and more, are answered in the parable of the tares. The second parable in a set of seven kingdom parables in Matthew's Gospel, the parable of the tares introduces the idea that the kingdom of God comes gradually, not all at once. Until Jesus returns as Judge and King, believers have been planted in the world as lights, inviting the lost to come and cling to Christ. Want to study the themes in this passage further? Here are a few reflection questions and passages to consider: 1. Read Ephesians 5:7-9, Philippians 2:1-16, 1 John 1:6-8, and 1 John 3:10. What does it look like to walk in the light as a child of God? 2. Consider Matthew 13:25-26 and Matthew 13:38-39 in light of 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 and 1 John 2:18-19. What is one of the strategies Satan uses to try to stop the growth of the church? 3. How would you describe “already-but-not-yet” to someone? (Check out the graphic on Instagram @godbesotted if you need help with this!) 4. What evil in the world or in your life makes you long for judgment? How does knowing that judgment is coming comfort you? Confess to the Lord any ways you may have sought to bring judgment on your own instead of waiting for God's.  5. Spend time in silence before the Lord. Thank Him for His grace in bringing you into His family through His Son. Ask Him who He wants you to share the gospel with and write down their name. Pray for them and seek opportunities to connect with them.  Follow @godbesotted on Instagram for more encouraging content. 

Episode 148: The Daughter's Inheritance  There are a group of five sisters found in two Old Testament passages whom we need to meet. Their names sound funky to our modern ears, but what they carried in their hearts would be of incredible benefit if Christian women today would dare to expect what they expected. In this episode of Mavericks & Misfits, Jeff Lyle addresses the God-given inheritance to women through Jesus Christ. Callings, gifts, anointings and opportunities for Christian women come from God, not men. When Jesus opens a door, no man can close it. Until Jesus opens a door, no woman can walk through it. This episode is hard-hitting and is anything but woke or politically correct. Kingdom people will likely be helped by it… cultural snowflakes will likely melt from it.

Have you ever had to help a toddler learn a basic task, like putting on shoes or using a fork? While the process can be cute, it can also be long and frustrating. But no matter how challenging the journey might get, when we love little ones, we know that the time spent helping them learn and grow is worth it—even if the process takeslots of twists and turns..In the Bible, Christians are often called children of God. Even as adults, we are God's kids, and our spiritual growth and learning can be just as twisting and turning as the average toddler's quest to grow up..As Christians, we can rest in the truth that Jesus knows we have a lot to learn. He loves us, and He won't give up on us. We can trust Him to be patient with us and give us strength as we learn to love others the way He has loved us (1 John 4:19)..Simply put, God is always patient and loving with His children. We can know this is true because He demonstrated His love for us by dying to save us (John 3:16-17). What a promise to rest in: that we are secure in the work of our Savior, Jesus, who died on the cross and rose from the grave. He's never going to give up on us. He WILL complete the work He started in us (Philippians 1:6). So even as we learn and grow, we can look forward to the day when Jesus will return and we will reach full maturity. And in the meantime, our patient God will keep helping us through all the twists and turns. • A. W. Smith.• Do you sometimes get impatient with your own spiritual growth, getting frustrated when you find it difficult to show love to people or resist doing things that you know are wrong? Consider taking a moment to talk with Jesus about these struggles (Hebrews 4:14-16). .• Until Jesus returns, we all continue to struggle with sin. How could the truths from today's Bible passages encourage us when we're struggling? What are some practical ways we could remind each other of God's love, forgiveness, and patience?.And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

Since the beginning, mankind has lost the battle to sin over and over again. Until Jesus. Jesus triumphs over sin & death - and invites us to share in the spoil. - - - - FOLLOW FOUNDRY CHURCH ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisisfoundry Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thisisfoundry/ Website: https://thisisfoundry.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl6HGmpFxxeyyZdeOLRejYA #thisisfoundry

Until Jesus enters Jerusalem, Jesus and His followers have been a minor annoyance. While in Galilee, Jesus was a nuisance to political and religious leaders of the day, but with his coming to the Holy City now Jesus creates a problem. Everything intensifies. In truth, Jesus probably went to Jerusalem many, many times in his life - but Matthew, Mark and Luke structure their gospels to move from Galilee to Jerusalem as a story-telling device. The closer to Jerusalem Jesus gets the more tense the situation, thus setting the stage for Holy Week. Scripture:  Luke 19:28-40 Pastor: Rev. Andy Nixon

Jesus opened the eyes of a man who hadn't ever seen – and He can open your eyes, too! Today our study is from John 9:1-12.  Let's discover together what God wants us to know as we walk through His Word.   **** Welcome to Walking in the Word, the biblical teaching arm of the Women World Leaders' podcast. My name is Julie Jenkins, and I'm honored to be your host. Women World Leaders offers many opportunities to grow, and one of those is our Leadership Connect, which is the third Monday of each month on Zoom. We are just coming off our February gathering, and if you missed it, you missed out! Our teaching this month was centered around developing your gifting as a leader – and I'm telling you, we had SO MUCH fun! If you did miss it, all is not lost! Go to our website, womenworldleaders.com, and sign up for our three-part series on polishing your leadership skills. All of the information is on our website under the events tab. And while you are there, check out all the other things happening at Women World Leaders, and be sure to fill out our contact form so you don't miss out on our NEXT Leadership Connect! If you are new to the podcast – Welcome! We have three offerings for you each week. On Mondays, founder Kimberly Hobbs hosts Empowering Lives with Purpose – a 30-minute interview with a different woman of faith who shares her God story. On Fridays, we have a team of leaders who host Celebrating God's Grace. This is a short podcast full of joy, meant to propel you into the weekend. And today, on Wednesdays, we get to walk through the Bible together as we study scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what He wants us to know today. We are currently walking through the Gospels chronologically, and we invite you to jump in wherever you are. Despite our locations, age, history, or ethnicity,  we are all one family seeking to learn and grow together. Our reading today comes from the book of John, chapter 9, verses 1-12, from the New Living Translation. This is actually a three-part message because there is just SO much packed in this chapter! So, spoiler alert, I will be leaving you with a cliffhanger today! But I do promise that God will teach us, and He won't mind if you open your Bible and read the rest of the story before next week's episode! Before we begin, let's pray… Dear Most Holy God, we thank you today for the provision of your Word. Today, we look forward to reading this story – the account of the man who was born blind who underwent a miraculous transformation in his life. Holy Spirit, you were there when this event occurred, and I ask you to illuminate this scripture for us. Help us read and understand with your eyes. Allow us to glean what you want us to know today from this God story that happened so long ago in a land that is foreign to us. Help us to experience your presence, Lord, as we spend these next few minutes with you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. As we begin our reading today, we know it was the Sabbath, and Jesus had been teaching in the Temple. John 9 picks up as Jesus and His disciples were leaving the Temple, likely finishing up their day. As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. Can you picture the scene? In Jesus' time, there wasn't much a blind man could do but beg, and I can just see this man sitting in the dust on the side of the road. There were probably many people coming and going, but he couldn't see any of them. I imagine he had “his spot” where he sat every day. Some people must have given him money, otherwise, he probably wouldn't have sat there. But I bet many people looked at him in disdain. Not that he could see the looks anyway, but he probably heard the murmurs. As he sat there, suddenly he felt the presence of several people stop in front of him as their shadows blocked out the feel of the setting sun on his face. And then he heard…  2 “Rabbi,” …“why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?” Ah yes, the age-old question. Everyone wanted to know what terrible sin had committed him to this life of destitution. The only life he had ever known. He couldn't remember doing anything terrible, and his parents seemed like good people. But surely he had done something to deserve this life. Everyone else thought so, so it must be true. I do wonder what his story was. We don't know how old this man is, but we do later find out that he is of the age where he could speak for himself – so he had to have been at least 13. And I wonder what his childhood was like and how long he had lived this routine of begging. Perhaps it had been years that he had sat there…listening to the comings and goings of the temple-goers—people attending festivities, worshipping God, and learning from the rabbis. But this man had no means to seek anyone or anything. He was sentenced by his blindness and his perceived sin to sit in the dust as a beggar. And then he heard a kind voice. Presumably, it was the voice of the rabbi, as He answered that ordinary question in a new way. 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins,” … “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. I imagine the man lifted his drooping head. What did he say? My blindness is NOT due to sin? He had never heard that before! And what was it the rabbi had said next? This happened so the power of God could be seen in me? The voice continued…clearly talking to His companions…  4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.[a] The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” This must have been puzzling. These people standing in front of the beggar clearly had tasks, most people that passed by seemed to. And it didn't matter to him who “sent” these people. And yes…night WAS coming…it had been a long day…but what did this person mean that he was the light of the world? And what did it mean that his blindness would allow others to see the power of God? Then the blind man felt someone kneel beside him – he guessed it was the rabbi. He heard him spit and mix the spit with mud. As his mind spun, suddenly he felt a strange mixture – was it the mud? – being smeared onto his eyes. He jerked a bit…when was the last time someone had touched him? And yet this unexpected touch was gentle. The grit seeped into his eyes, and he wasn't quite sure if he had just been assaulted and ridiculed or what was going on. Then he heard the man say… “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” He knew the area well; it was the place where the water was drawn for the Feast of the Tabernacles. He obediently went. Perhaps he felt that he should do as this rabbi commanded, or perhaps he just wanted the gitty mud out of his eyes and that seemed like a good way to accomplish his goal. Scripture is silent on what happened as the man rinsed his eyes. John simply tells us.. So the man went and washed and came back seeing! Can you imagine the wonder? This man had NEVER seen ANYTHING before! And he was sent from his spot on the side of the road with his eyes caked in mud to complete a simple task that would change his life forever! Let's pause to ask the Holy Spirit what He wants US to see in this story. When we met the man, he had no purpose. His life was mundane, and it was a struggle for him just to survive. Yet he wasn't looking for a change because, per everything the world and society screamed, his case was useless. Until Jesus came looking for HIM! The man had no idea who Jesus was, and certainly hadn't been seeking Him out. But Jesus approached this lost, forgotten man huddled on the side of the road. Jesus didn't walk by, judge or belittle him. Instead, Jesus gently met him where he was and performed a miracle that restored his sight and changed his life forever. Does that sound familiar. Even when we aren't seeking God, He is seeking US! Jesus wants to meet you where YOU are! There are days when we don't have the strength or the belief or the will to seek Jesus. But you know what? He will NEVER stop seeking you. He wants to meet you where you are and He longs to open your eyes to see His wonder and glory. Jesus told the man to go wash his eyes. And with that simple act of obedience, the man was healed. God's ways are mysterious, but we don't ever have to questions what He tells us to do. We can trust His care and His provision. And we can always trust His heart. Let's dig a little deeper… The onlookers, including the disciples, were probably dismayed at the fact that Jesus rubbed MUD made of SALIVA and DIRT on the man's eyes. To be honest, it sounds kind of gross to me sitting here today. But the Jewish people had further reason to be appalled, they believed that anything that came from the body – including saliva – would render a person unclean. So according to this belief, saliva mixed with DIRT and rubbed on someone's eyes should have been unclean to the max. BUT Jesus' saliva is different – becaause it comes from Jesus Himself! Jesus is pure perfection – everything about Him is healing, cleansing, and purifying, because Jesus is HOLY. Not only can we trust Jesus – we can trust EVERYTHING about Him! His ways are so far beyond our ways! The disciples were still learning this, too. They were unknowing participants in the world's persecution of this blind man – succumbing to the wrong belief that we are each responsible for the pain in our lives, they pushed him down further and considered him sinful. Even on our best days, we are still human. We are still sinners who unintentionally beat each other down. But by listening to and obeying our perfect and HOLY Jesus can we be all that He has called us to be. And by allowing HIM to heal US – God's glory can be revealed to the whole world! The disciples weren't alone in judging the man. The scripture goes on to illuminate that NO ONE had ever truly looked at or appreciated the man for anything beyond his blindness. Verse 8… 8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!” Either the man had changed so much that those who walked through life with him no longer knew him, or they never took the time to know him in the first place. Sadly, I think we can all relate to this at some level. We all have people in our lives that we dismiss or look past. Let me encouage you to ask God who He wants YOU to see today. When they realized who he was, the people asked the man…  …“Who healed you? What happened?” 11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.' So I went and washed, and now I can see!” 12 “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don't know,” he replied. How WAS he to know where Jesus was? He had never seen Him! He had only heard His voice and felt His healing touch! I very incorrectly used the word “just,” because hearing Jesus' voice and feeling His touch are miraculous occurrences! But aren't you and I in the same boat? I have never seen Jesus, but I have heard His voice and felt His healing touch. Jesus has opened my eyes, too. He pulls me up daily, reminds me to open my eyes, and gives me a purpose in my every day. And I pray that I use His touch on my life to give all the glory and honor to Him! Friend, no matter how beaten down you are, Jesus will NEVER walk by you! He will always stoop down, offer His help, and tell you what steps to take next in your life. Our job is to listen, to respond, to obey. And when we do, He will open our eyes and give us a future that we simply can't imagine. The man's story continues…but we will have to wait for next week to see what happens. Feel free to open to John 9 and read ahead! In fact, I can guarantee that God wants you to! Let's close in prayer… Dear Heavenly Father – you have so much to teach us from this one story - and we haven't even made it half-way through. Already you have reminded us how diligently you seek us, how perfect and trustworthy you are, and that with you, our lives are purposeful and far from ordinary. God – we thank you for seeking us out and opening our eyes to the wonder and glory of you. Teach us to see others as you see them and help us listen only to YOUR voice and YOUR instructions. We love you and we do give you all the praise and honor and glory. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.    

Our lowly bodies . . . will be like his glorious body. — Philippians 3:21 Throughout this month we have focused on the ordinary humanity of Jesus. The point is to take seriously what the Bible says: that Jesus was (and is) fully human, that he became like us in every way, except for sin. Like us, Jesus had muscle aches and headaches. Like us, Jesus needed food and sleep, and he could be hurt and wounded. Like us, Jesus suffered when loved ones died. And like us, Jesus had an appointment with death. So yes, Jesus was like us in every way in his humanity, which is a wonder. But here's something else that is truly wonderful. When Jesus comes again, we will be like him in every way in our new humanity! The Bible doesn't give us much to go on. But there is this much at least. To be human is to be in the image of God. But with us the image lost its shine. Until Jesus. Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), “the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of God's being” (Hebrews 1:3). Now, in his humanity, Jesus is a new creation. He is humanity perfected. And in the end, we will be like him. We won't be divine. But we will be everything human beings are supposed to be. According to the Bible, that's a pretty glorious thing. Jesus, we want to love what you love and do what you would have us do. Because, more than anything, we want to be like you. Amen.

Until Jesus comes again, we pray for that same mindset...

Until Jesus comes again, we pray for that same mindset...

Many people sought Jesus during His ministry on earth. Some went to Him to get healed, and some longed to hear from Him and see His miracles. Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He even spoke as if He were a shepherd who would go out and search for a lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:1-7; John 10:1-18).One such sheep was a man possessed by a legion of evil spirits (Mark 5:1-20). He was separated from his family. The Bible is silent as to what led him to such a sad and lowly state, but Jesus found the man when he was lonely, avoided, rejected, hopeless, and despised.Nobody wanted him. Nobody associated with him. Until Jesus came. This man did not seek Jesus, yet Jesus crossed the lake to find him. Jesus traveled to reach out to him and set him free from evil spirits. And Jesus set him free without cost or condition. As Jesus cared for this man, He cares for us too.Like the man who was possessed, we can know that Jesus pursues us with God's never-ending love. Because Jesus died and rose again for us, we can put our trust in Him and have a relationship with God. If we are in Christ, we can be freed from evil's control. The Holy Spirit empowers us to reject sin, and reminds us of the promise of the resurrection, that one day, we will be freed from sin and death completely.So, no matter what we face—worries dragging us down, fears tormenting us, or other trials we experience in a world that's broken by sin—we can know that Jesus is always with us. In Him, we find true freedom. We have peace even in the midst of struggles, and the promise of ultimate wholeness when Jesus returns and makes all things new. Like the man who was set free from demons, we can be completely freed indeed. • Golda Dilema• What things around you cause you to feel like you are a stranger, despised, avoided, or lonely in this world? Consider taking a moment to talk to God about these things, knowing that He cares for you. • Read Romans 8. How does Jesus's love free us from the power of sin and death? How does His love give us hope for the future and comfort in the present? “So if the Son [ Jesus] sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36 (NIV)

The book of Revelation is eye-opening. Its words are exciting, graphic, sometimes even terrifying as they describe a vision given to the apostle John as he sat in exile on the island of Patmos. In our text for Sunday John wrote about his vision from God: "Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea."I think I can guess that your mind is immediately pulled to think about the new heaven and new earth- what it will look like, smell like, and sound like. But I think what's just as interesting here is what John says won't be there. The sea. Will there be no sea because God isn't a fan of the beach? Or has some kind of aversion to salt water? No. See, the book of Revelation is filled with the literary device of symbolism. And here, the sea symbolizes separation. Separation- the final end of every human relationship. Even the best relationships marriages, friendships- they all end in separation. Until Jesus comes. What John writes about for us is a future where there will be no separation for us. No separation from each other, yes. But so much more significantly, there will be no separation between us and God. And he will wipe every tear from our eyes. And arrived will be the time when there will be such a deep and comfortable connection that God will look right into your eyes and suddenly the pain and the grief and the death will exit your soul in a rush of peace. Arrived will be the time when every sense of alienation will be replaced with a God who will love you, and know you, and appreciate you the way that so deep down and forever you've thought it could be and should be. Every tear will gone wiped away by the finger of God himself. A being who who is so much better than a soul mate. Our soul's source. Our soul's beginning. And our soul's end. 

Helpful Quotes: In the kingdom, we receive comfort in a very different way than we're taught to in American culture. We receive comfort not by, on the one hand, whining in our sense of entitlement or, on the other hand, pretending as though we're happy. We are comforted when we see our sin, our brokenness, our desperate circumstances, and we grieve, we weep, we cry out for deliverance. —Russell Moore— Four Parts of Lament (Mark Vroegop) Turning to GodBringing your complaintAsking boldlyChoosing to trust Until Jesus returns, the world will be marked by tears. Children will continue to be born and their first cry will announce their arrival into a broken world. To cry is human, but to lament is Christian. —Mark Vroegop— Table Discussion Questions: Why do you think it is difficult for us to Lament? What is the big difference between lamenting and complaining? (Hebrews 4:16)What are some harmful things that can happen when we always try to edit our lives (internally or externally) towards the positive? Pray for anyone at your table who is facing a difficult circumstance right now.

We wrap up our 4 part series on the book of Acts and hear all about Paul's retirement in Rome. But that's skipping ahead.First off, the unchanging, infallible Holy Spirit kicks off this episode by changing their mind on Paul going to Jerusalem. But don't worry, Paul ignores it and there is no consequences.Paul has to prove his Judaism to the Christians. If that sounds like it doesn't make any sense, you're right. But in doing so he ends up getting arrested for being harassed. I bet he got t-shirts made, "Paul Lives Matter".He bounces around authority figures judging him and not finding anything wrong that he did, yet still keeping him imprisoned. Until Jesus tells him he needs to go to Rome and appeal to Caesar himself.So Paul goes to Rome where he... wait for it... never actually sees Caesar. He just lives under house arrest for the rest of his life. I think the writer just kinda gave up on plot at this point.Thanks for listening, and thanks for reading these stupid notes!

It begins with a synagogue leader named Jairus begging Jesus to heal his dying daughter. Then, while on his way, Jesus is interrupted by a bleeding woman which delays his arrival to the home of the dying child. But it's too late; the girl had already died and all seems lost. Until… Jesus speaks up and says: “Do not fear, only believe.” Join us as we find ourselves in this story and boldly wonder if we are willing to hear Jesus.

Until Jesus comes back live in peace and live out grace

Until Jesus comes back live in peace and live out grace

A chapter by chapter study of the Old Testament book of Daniel. Fellow students, “Brad's Board Notes” have been included. We invite you to follow along with Brad as he teaches another lesson from God's Word. We are also grateful and humbled that you choose to participate with this Bible study ministry. Please like, share and subscribe if you are led to do so. Thank you. https://www.mannapodcast.com/lessons Brad's Board Notes Daniel 10 Vs 1-3 Effective prayer requires focused attention and vigilance. Vs 4-9 Jesus is the focus of prophecy and the goal of history. Vs 10-14 ‘Reality' is like an iceberg; the unseen spiritual world is far more consequential than the visible physical world. Vs 15-17 Contact with holiness is traumatic; it brings conviction of sin and a need for cleansing. Vs 18-21 Until Jesus returns, God's angels and God's people will be engaged in continual conflict with the forces of Satan. Other Verses: Daniel 1:21; 11:1 James 4:6-8; 5:16b-18 Revelation 1:13-18; 16:13-14 Joshua 5:13-15 Ephesians 6:12-13 1 Corinthians 15:50-52