Podcasts about Verse

Dave Myers discusses Exodus 3:4-5—“So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!' And he said, ‘Here I am.' Then He said, ‘Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.'”

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Eight and Verse One

 Dating as a Christian can be exhausting— especially when you've done everything “right,” but are still waiting on prayers that seem to have gone unheard. Christian Bevere joins Ellen to talk honestly about dating as a Christian with prayer, peace, and discernment. They explore how to wait actively without idolizing marriage, how prayer shapes you in singleness, and how to seek God's will in relationships without fear or striving.Whether you're feeling hopeful, weary, or somewhere in between, this episode will remind you that your life isn't on hold, and God is still at work.Check out Christian's new book, Future Husband, Present Prayers, and her journal, Dear Future Husband Prayer Journal!Scripture referenced:Hebrews 11:1Matthew 25:14-301 Samuel 1:19Ecclesiastes 4:12James 1:17Hebrews 11:6About Christian Bevere:Instagram | Website Christian's favorite Bible study tools:Hosanna Revival Bible (ESV) | Bible highlighters | Verse of the DayGot a question or something on your heart? We'd love to hear it! Drop us a note — your feedback helps us create episodes that truly encourage and inspire.Connect with God with the Every Woman's Bible

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com    Would you rather game: Would you rather put your hand in a blender with lemon juice or kneel on a drill bit in salt water?  Would you rather have a billion dollars and be the fattest ugliest person in the world, or be poor the rest of your life but be absolutely ravishingly beautiful?      Proverbs 15:16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord Than great treasure, and turmoil with the treasure. 17  Better is a portion of vegetables where there is love, Than a fattened ox served with hatred.   Proverbs 15:16–17 offers a profound "this is better than that" comparison, focusing on the relationship between material wealth, spiritual peace, and emotional health. Here are the verses for reference: 16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.   The Philosophy of "Better Than" These verses belong to a category of wisdom literature known as comparative proverbs. They don't argue that being poor is inherently superior to being rich; rather, they argue that the quality of your inner life and relationships is the true multiplier of your happiness. Verse 16: The Spiritual Math "Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it.” I had the profound privilege of working for some of the richest people in the world when I was just 18. They had it all, everything, there was no want in their life… and they were miserable!  The Component of Peace: The "fear of the Lord" in Proverbs refers to a deep reverence and alignment with divine wisdom. This creates a psychological and spiritual foundation of security. The Hidden Cost of Wealth: The "trouble" mentioned often refers to the anxiety, ethical compromises, or sleepless nights that can accompany amassing wealth without a moral compass. The more stuff you have the more stuff you have to take care of, watch over, worry about,  The Takeaway: $Small Assets + High Peace > Large Assets + High Stress$. It's an argument for contentment over accumulation. Verse 17: The Social Climate "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it." The Dinner of Herbs: In the ancient world, a meal of herbs (vegetables) was the "budget" option—the food of the commoner or the poor. The Fattened Ox: This represents the height of luxury—a "choice cut" reserved for royalty or major celebrations. The Emotional Environment: This verse points out that our physical environment is secondary to our emotional environment. A feast tastes like ash if you are eating it with someone you despise, or who despises you. Conversely, the simplest meal is elevated by genuine connection.   Why This Matters Today In a modern context, these verses act as a warning against "the grind" at the expense of everything else. They remind us of two things: Wealth cannot buy a quiet conscience. If the pursuit of "treasure" creates "trouble" (broken integrity, legal issues, or chronic anxiety), the treasure is actually a net loss. Relationships are the ultimate seasoning. We often spend our lives trying to provide the "fattened ox" for our families, but these verses suggest that our families would much rather have "herbs" and a present, loving version of us.

Balanced Belief | 2nd Thessalonians 2:3

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Seven and Verse Sixty 

Verse by verse 

Today, we want to talkabout the past, the present, and the future power and protection that thehelmet of our salvation gives us.  Oursalvation isn't something that just gives us the confidence that I'm saved. I'mgoing to heaven. Putting on the helmet of our salvation each day has the powerto protect us from the fiery darts of the evil one. We see this in three greatdimensions.  First,is our justificationwhich has to do with our past. We remember Romans chapter 5:1: “Therefore,being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”.Our past has to do with the justification that we have before the court of aholy God. We're made at peace with God because we're justified. We arejustified in the fact that we have a right standing before a holy God. All ourpast sins are under the blood of Jesus Christ. That's why Romans 8:1 says, "Thereis therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus."  Myfriend, the moment you got saved, you were placed in Christ Jesus. You werebaptized into Him by the Holy Spirit of God into His body. Now God sees you inChrist and He sees you without sin. That includes all the sins of the past. Thedevil loves to drag up those terrible, terrible sins that you committed in thepast, throw them into your mind to make you think God can't use you today todiscourage you and to drag you down. That is why you must remember God's Wordand you put on the helmet of salvation. You know there's no condemnation. Second,is our sanctificationwhich has to do with the present. God has not only saved us from our past sins,He's presently continuing to sanctify us. This speaks about our presentstanding before a holy God. Romans chapter 6 teaches this so vividly. In Romans6:6 we read: “Knowing this that our old man was crucified with Him that thebody of sin might be done away with and that we should no longer be slaves ofsin for he that has died has been freed from sin”. Verse 14 continues: “Forsin shall not have dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but you'reunder grace”. How wonderful that is. The fact is that even right now, Jesusis saving us. Christ is saving us day by day from sin's power. We no longerhave to sin. Sin is no longer our master. Romans 6:22 assures us with thesewords: “But now, having been set free from sin and having become slaves of God,you have your fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life”. It's a presentprotection against the devil. Third,is our glorificationwhich has to do with our future. One day, we will stand before a holy God andwe will be saved eternally from sin's presence. We will stand in glory. We willbe made just like Jesus Christ. 1 John 3:2-3 tells us about this: “Beloved,now we are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be,but we know that when He is revealed. We shall be like Him for we shall see Himas He is”. Then verse 3 goes on to tell us: “Everyone who has this hopein Him purifies himself just as He is pure”. This future aspect, the hopeof what's coming is what strengthens the helmet. We are motivated to dailycleanse ourselves from sin and live a pure life so the devil has nothing to accuseor condemn us with! Myfriend, the battle is not forever. This darkness is not permanent. The strugglewith sin, “with the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the prideof life”, is not in the future chapter. We will eternally be saved evenfrom the presence of sin and that is our glorification in Christ we will haveat His coming in the future. What a glorious standing we have when we daily puton the whole armor of God. And especially, the helmet of salvation that haspower to protect us from our past sins and failures, to protect us in ourpresent battle with sin, and even to protect us in our future. God bless you, andmay you have a wonderful, wonderful day.

In this powerful and hope-filled episode, I sit down with author and speaker Becky Keife to discuss something many women quietly carry every day: anxiety. Becky shares from personal experience how anxiety, while painful, became the very thing God used to draw her closer to Him and deepen her faith. Together, we explore the difference between shame and honesty, the importance of community, and practical rhythms that help calm the body and steady the soul. From breath prayers to simple peace practices, this conversation offers both spiritual encouragement and real-life tools for anyone feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or emotionally weary. Becky also introduces her devotional A Verse a Day for the Anxious Soul, a 100-day guide designed to help readers inhale truth, exhale trust, and experience God’s peace in everyday life. Whether you struggle with clinical anxiety, seasonal stress, or simply need a reset for your heart because life often feels overloaded, this episode is a gentle reminder that you are not alone, you are not disqualified, and God meets you with compassion right where you are. I’m also giving away a copy of Becky’s book A Verse a Day for the Anxious Soul.To enter: Rate the podcast (five stars if you feel it deserves it

David Johnson discusses Hebrews 11:39-40—“And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

This week, step into the smooth and shadowy groove of the Scary Spirits Podcast as we serenade the season of love—with a twist. Karen and Greg pour their hearts (and a little something stronger) into a spirited review of the 2020 horror film “Cupid.” Like a love song gone wrong, this episode blends romance and chills as our hosts unpack the film's dark take on affection, revenge, and supernatural mischief. And to keep the mood just right, they're sipping on a Valentine's‑themed “Broken Heart Cocktail”—a drink as sweet, soulful, and haunting as the story itself. If you're searching for the perfect mix of Valentine's Day horror, movie reviews, and creative cocktail inspiration, this episode hits all the right notes. Tune in, kick back, and let the conversation drift over you like a classic melody—smooth, warm, and just a little bit wicked. Broken Heart Cocktail • 2 parts Broken Shed vodka• 1 part pomegranate and/or cranberry juice• 1/2 to 1 part Triple Sec or Cointreau Instructions: Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Add pomegranate seeds and/or cranberries for decoration. Source: spiritsreview.com A Brief Synopsis: After being horrendously embarrassed by girls at school, a witch summons an evil entity to exact revenge on everyone who’s wronged her. Some of the topics discussed and highlights of this episode include: Karen tells us the story of Cupid and Psyche. We learn a little bit about love spells. Greg works in an Iron Maiden reference. Our rating of the film: This movie was so bad that it took us 4 cocktails to get through it. Take our online survey! We want to know more about you! Please take our survey. All questions are optional and you can remain completely anonymous if you prefer. Tell us what you like or would like to hear more of! All music on the Scary Spirits Podcast is provided by the band “Verse 13”. Please check them out. You can listen to all their music on their Bandcamp page. Get social with us! Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram Subscribe on YouTube to watch Greg attempt to make all the featured cocktails Follow @ScarySpiritsPod Questions, comments or suggestions? Shoot us an email at info@scaryspirits.com As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small percentage of qualifying purchases through our links.

We're exploring the 16th essential verse from the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. In Chapter 5, Verse 17, Shri Krishna shares the plan for contemplation, forming the seed for Chapter 6. By steadily listening to the Truth, sincerely reflecting, and contemplating with strength, we shift from ego to Spirit and realize our nature as Divinity—Being Joyful and Serene beyond the purest.➡️ To maximize your experience of this season, we encourage you to request your FREE copy of the Essential Love eBook. Incorporating accessible translations and practical application, the eBook accompanies each episode with additional ways to learn, synthesize, and reflect on key insights.

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Seven and Verse Fifty Nine

Jess Yoon stands on business. And she's doing way more than sitting in her little room, typing away. She's tapping into her inner child to great effect! She manifested a Little Golden Book into being and now her Blackpink biography is out in the world! Her picture book Jeong Is Jeong JUST released this month (February 2026), AND her junior novelization of K-Pop Demon Hunters comes out next month!  _________   This episode's book reviews:    SLEEP TIGHT, DISGUSTING BLOB by Huw Aaron SEALS ARE JERKS by Jared Chapman   The artwork for You May Contribute a Verse features our quokka mascot, Versey, and was generously created by the great Maddie Frost! Find her on IG @hellomaddiefrost or on her website Maddie-Frost.com  Our theme music is So Happy by Scott Holmes. You can find more of his music at scottholmesmusic.com   Love the podcast and wanna support more episodes like this? Find Community Shoutouts, Merch and our Patreon here!!  Find us on Bluesky @joshmonkwords, @brennajeanneret, and @jonseym0ur and as always, let us know what you think via a rating, review, or comment!

As we continue to make sense of the Sacrificial system of the Book of Leviticus, today we turn to Leviticus 3 to unpack the idea of Peace Offerings and we'll see that these are extremely relevant to our lives today. Peace offerings point us to the fellowship we have with God once atonement and consecration has occurred, and although we may not still offer these sacrifices to the Lord, these still teach us spiritual principles in that go into walking in peace with God. Join us! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    What was the "nutshell" description of a peace offering that was given in the podcast?  2.    The word "peace" was based on the Hebrew word "Shalom". Shalom meant wholeness, completeness and health. How is that a helpful understanding of the peace with now have with God?  3.    The podcast mentioned several formal times when "Peace Offerings" were offered to the Lord (Feast of Weeks, the Nazarite Vow, the installation of priests). How did these events demonstrate the gratitude of God's people, or the fellowship they had with the Lord, or the desire to seek Him?  4.    Verse 1 doesn't specify what kind of animal was to be offered, nor what gender it was to be, but it does require something for this animal? What was required and what did this reflect in the heart of the worshipper? 5.    What were some of the reasons given in the podcast for the specificity of these sacrifices? 6.    When you think about how the animal innards went to God and the meat went to the worshipper, how does this reflect the Lord's graciousness towards us?  7.    Verse 5 tells us that the "Peace Offering" was to be "on top of" the other offerings (ESV/NIV). How does this help us understand the stages of worship and the subsequent peace the worshipper had with God? 8.    How does Romans 5:1-2 help us understand the peace with have with God through Jesus? In what ways was Jesus an offering for us? 9.    The podcast described the lengthy process that would go into the Old Testament process of reestablishing peace with God. How would this have given the worshiper time to reflect on their situation with the Lord? How can we incorporate a similar kind of contemplation into our relationship with God? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Seven and Verse Fifty Eight

Jeremy Lallier discusses Job 38:4-5—“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know!”

The Levitical System of Offerings doesn't have to be confusing or complex; and today, as we study Leviticus 2 and grain offerings, we see that these simple offerings of "thanks" are directly relevant to our lives today. Join us in unpacking these important truths!  DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    In a general sense, what was the purpose of a grain offering? What was the worshipper "saying" to God? 2.    According to Numbers 28:5, how often were the priests to offer a grain offering to the Lord? What does this tell us about the frequency of the praise we offer to God? 3.    Verse 1 tells us that this was to be "fine flour". What did the podcast explain about what "fine flour" would require of the worshipper? 4.    Also, according to verse 1, what was also added to these grain offerings? 5.    The podcast reflects on the ways that the grain offering was different from a burnt offering and speculates how this might involve the family. What were some of the ideas that the podcast presented? Do you agree or disagree?  6.    Verse 12 says that this offering was to be the "first fruits". What does this mean and how would being a "first fruit" reflect the faith of the worshipper? 7.    Verse 13 says that this offering was to include salt. What were some of the reasons for this, given in the podcast? How does this help us understand the seriousness of these offerings? 8.    How does the grain offering show us that we ought to be giving our best to the Lord? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Joel continues his journey through the Book of Romans, chapter 7, verse 6.

Verse by verse exposition of Daniel ch. 6

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Seven and Verse Fifty Seven

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Leviticus is one of the most daunting books in the Bible, but today we're going to start to unlock the gems that it has to offer... starting with the holy sacrifices of the burnt offering and what it means to be fully consecrated to the Lord. Join us as we see just how important and relevant this book is to our lives in Christ today.  DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    From this opening study of the book of Leviticus, would you describe it as a "worship manual"? Why or why not?  2.    The book of Leviticus derives its name from the Levites. Who were the Levites and what was their role among the Children of Israel? 3.    How did the podcast define "the Law"?  4.    According to the podcast, how did the Law teach the people about God's holiness?  5.    According to the podcast, how did the Law teach the people about the kind of worship that God accepts? 6.    According to the podcast, how did the Law teach the people that God wants to have fellowship with Him? 7.    According to the podcast, how did the Law show teach the people that the worship of God is personal? 8.    According to the podcast, how did the Law teach God's authority over every aspect of our lives? 9.    According to the podcast, how did the Law point to Jesus? 10.    There were several kinds of burnt offerings (daily, sabbath, festal, and voluntary). What set the "burnt offering" apart as the most sacred form of an offering? Why? 11.    What did the burnt offering uniquely show the person who was making the offering? 12.    Verse 2 taught that the animal had to come from the person's own flock (assuming they had one). Verse 3 says that the animal had to be "without defeat" (as in, healthy; not lame and dying). What did this show about the quality of this animal that was to be fully dedicated to God? How does this quality reflect the devotion of the worshipper?  13.    In verse 4, the worshipper was to lay their hands on the animal and identify themselves with it. What was this identification for? What was it supposed to show the worshipper?  14.    In verses 4, 5 & 6, the worshipper was to perform this sacrifice according to these specific steps (this was before the people's fall in Numbers 13). How do you think the offeror's involvement would personalize this ceremony and makes it "real" for the worshipper?  15.    What provision is given in verse 14 for those who could not afford an animal from their herd? What does this show us about the Lord's desire for His people to be in fellowship with Him? 16.    In light of Leviticus 1, how is the Burnt Offering the ultimate act of consecration? How does this reflect our consecration that we have in Christ, today? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

John 14:6-14,Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. 12 “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. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.The goal of this sermon is that we would love to pray and not lose heart. And we're gonna get there, God willing, in three steps — these are three things I want to show you as we work through the passage: What Philip OverlooksWhat Jesus EmphasizesWhat Jesus IntroducesLet's start with Philip. Step #1 …1. What Philip OverlooksWe see Philip speak up in verse 8, and before we talk about what he says, there's something bigger going on here I need to mention: it's that Philip is the fourth disciple who's been named in the last two chapters. And that might not seem like a big deal — because we know Jesus had twelve disciples (and then eleven) — but you may have noticed that for a long stretch in this Gospel, we've not heard much about them.John first tells us about the disciples way back in Chapter 1 — he mentions Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathaniel by name — and they start to follow Jesus. But for several chapters, we don't hear anything about them. Apart from a brief mention in Chapter 6, the focus in this Gospel so far has been Jesus's ministry to the crowds and how he confronts the Jewish leaders. Now the disciples have been present for all that Jesus is doing, but not prominent — they're present, not prominent — until we get to Chapter 12. That's when we see these names reemerge: We hear first about Judas. Then Andrew and Philip say a few things. Then Peter speaks up in Chapter 13. Then Judas again. Then at the end of 13, we see Peter again. At the beginning of 14, we see Thomas. And now, today, we see Philip.So my question is: Why has John gone so many chapters without mentioning these guys by name, and now, all of a sudden, they come into focus?And we don't just hear their names, but we see their foibles. The weaknesses of the disciples are on display.Why does John tell the story this way?The true answer is that we're not exactly sure, but here's my hunch …One thing we learn from how John features the disciples in this section is that the only kind of disciple there can be is an imperfect disciple. Now Judas doesn't count — because Judas wasn't a real disciple — but we see that even among the closest friends of Jesus, his truest disciples, they all have flaws. They all have feet of clay. They all have imperfections. I think that's meant to be a comfort to us. Because at least for now, until we're finally glorified, we're not yet glorified. We are not yet perfect. And so we need to beware the mistake of thinking that faithfulness means ‘getting every single thing right every single time.'Now, of course, we'd like to do that, and there's no excuse for sin. But I'm talking about daily discernment and navigating complexities, especially in troubled-heart situations. I want you to know that impossible standards will crush us. Let me just remind you, church, that: we are saved by the blood of Christ, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, heaven is our home, and, we're just people — each of us is as human as any disciple there has ever been, and Jesus loves us because he loves us. So take a deep breath. We are not going to get every single thing exactly right — and that is okay … as long as we don't do what Philip does here.Devastating MiscalculationNotice what Philip says in verse 8. Jesus says, first, verse 6:I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him. 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”And if we only had what Philip says in verse 8, it's easy to see that he's off.In light of what we've already seen Jesus say in this Gospel, in light of what Jesus has just said in verse 7, Philip is overlooking who Jesus is. That's clear if we only had verse 8, but now notice how Jesus responds, in verse 9:Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father'?I think that's the tone Jesus has here. This is a rebuke from Jesus. And it's a stronger rebuke than Jesus had for Peter and Thomas. We saw those guys last week. They were off too, but Jesus did not respond to them with the same intensity he does to Philip. Now why?Well, it's because Peter and Thomas — in their stubborn resolve and paralyzing uncertainty — they miscalculated themselves, but Philip has miscalculated Jesus. Peter and Thomas got themselves wrong, but Philip gets Jesus wrong. And look: if you get Jesus wrong, you end up getting everything wrong (including yourself).So church, listen up. Do not make Philip's mistake. Do not overlook Jesus. That's step #1.Step #2 …2. What Jesus EmphasizesWe see this in what Jesus says back to Philip. The questions that Jesus asks are more like statements. He asserts two truths about himself in relation to the Father: we can call them revelation and unity. (Revelation is in verse 9; unity is in verses 10–11.)Revelation of the FatherFirst, for revelation, Jesus says (as plainly as you can) that Philip doesn't need to see God the Father because Philip has seen him. “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” God the Son has revealed God the Father.And John has been telling us this from the very start. He says in Chapter 1, verse 18 that “No one has ever seen God” — and you can't see God the Father because he's immortal and invisible; he dwells in unapproachable light whom no one has ever seen or can see (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16). “No one has ever seen God” but Jesus “has made him known.” We saw last week that Jesus is our way to God, that's because first Jesus is God's way to us. Jesus is God's word to us about who he is. In these last days, Hebrews 1:2, God has spoken to us through his Son. And his Son is such a perfect word — Jesus is such the perfect, definitive revelation of God — that literally to see the visible Jesus is to see the invisible Father. That's verse 9, and there's no good illustration for this. It's just facts, Philip! If you see Jesus, you see God. And of course we're getting into the depths of the Trinity here, which is exactly where Jesus takes us in verse 10.Unity with the FatherThe reason Jesus truly reveals the Father is because Jesus truly shares in the Father's own life. The Father and Son have this wonderful unity.Verse 10:“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” [In other words, you should believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.] The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.Okay, we gotta bend our brains here. Hold on tight! We're talking Trinity — that we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity, neither blending their persons nor dividing their essence. The Father is not the Son; and the Son is not the Father — but their divinity is one; their uncreated glory is equal; their majesty is coeternal. We can say it this way: although the Father and Son are distinct persons, the Father and Son have never not been on the same page. One commentator nails it. He writes, Everything Jesus is, has said, and has done is itself also an expression not only of or about the Father but even by the Father. (Klink, 621).And Jesus has shown us this! Jesus has not only said this, but he's lived this way. Every miracle that Jesus performed — turning the water into wine, healing the official's son, healing the paralytic, feeding the five thousand, healing the man born blind, raising Lazarus from the dead — every single time that Jesus did something, it was the Father doing it too.The acts of Jesus are also the acts of the Father.This is unity! To see Jesus is to see the Father, and to have Jesus is to have the Father!So there's no belief in Jesus without also belief in the Father. That's why Jesus says 14:1 — “Believe in God, believe also in me.” There's no other way.If you have Jesus, you have the Father. The only way you can have the Father is if you have Jesus.Hey, I love the song “All I Have Is Christ.” Great song, and, every time we sing it, there's a little theologian's voice in my head that says, “All I have is Christ! And I have the Father! And I have the Spirit!” Because when you have Christ you have the whole Trinity!That's what Jesus emphasizes here! He wants us to know the wonder of his relationship with the Father. That's Step #2. Step #3…3. What Jesus IntroducesThere's a change that comes in verse 12. Jesus goes from talking about his relationship with the Father to talking about our relationship with him. And we did not see this coming. Look at verse 12. Jesus says: “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.”This is the hinge verse in the passage. Verses 13 and 14 will make no sense to us unless we understand verse 12. Notice two things…1. Believers in Jesus will do the same kind of works that Jesus did. We should not think of this in narrow terms — Jesus is not saying we are gonna turn water into wine. He's talking about the broader work of making God known.Jesus did what he did to reveal God, and we're gonna do the same. Jesus already said this in Chapter 13 about our love. He said:“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” As disciples of Jesus, we have a revelatory function. We're witnesses. We make God known. That's one. But also…2. Believers in Jesus will do greater works than what Jesus did in his earthly ministry because Jesus is going to the Father. This is the introduction part. What Jesus says here is new. What's he talking about? How do we do greater works than Jesus?Let me first tell you what Jesus is not saying. The comparison here is not between the works of Jesus and the works of his disciples. Jesus has just said that we are gonna do his same works. The works is the common denominator. So the comparison here is timing! The comparison is between the work of Jesus in his earthly ministry and the work of Jesus from his heavenly throne. This is really important — track with me …There's the work of Jesus before he was lifted up, and there's the work of Jesus after he was lifted up.There's the work of Jesus leading up to his cross, resurrection, and ascension — and then there's the work after his cross, resurrection and ascension, and that's what he's talking about here. It's the work after he has gone to his Father. And that work of Jesus from his heavenly throne will be greater work than when Jesus walked this earth. And that throne-work is the work that Jesus does through us. The “greater works” that believers-in-Jesus do is the work that Jesus does through us from his throne. We could call it works, or we could call it Acts. Like the Book of Acts.The Book of Acts is titled the “Acts of the Apostles” — but a more accurate title would be the Acts of the Ascended Jesus by His Spirit Through His People.And historically, these acts, or this work that Jesus is talking about in verse 12, has rightly been understood as the advance of the gospel in this world. The greater work that Jesus is doing now, through us, is saving sinners. It's when men and women and boys and girls are raised from spiritual death to eternal life. It's when people stop trying to save themselves and start trusting in Jesus. It's when the despairing find hope, it's when the dirty are made clean, it's when the lost sons come home. That is happening now, and Jesus does that work through us — through us … just people …beggars telling other beggars where to find bread. Don't you want to get in on that work! Don't you want Jesus to work through you like that!In this passage, Jesus introduces us to a new day of redemptive history, and we're ready to go. Jesus, give me my assignment! Where do I start?Praying in Jesus's NameWell he tells us in verse 13. And the first assignment is not Go! … it's Ask! And everybody's gotta see this. Chapter 14, verse 13:“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.”Is this a dream? Did Jesus really say this?The keyword in these verses is when Jesus says “in my name.” That's the big question here: What does it mean to pray in Jesus's name?This does not mean merely saying, when you pray, “in Jesus's name.” This is not an incantation. It's not hocus-pocus. We don't pray for our team to win the Super Bowl and add “in Jesus's name.” Jesus is talking about something much deeper and glorious than three words. To pray in Jesus's name means to pray from the inside of Jesus's relationship with the Father. To pray in Jesus's name means we join Jesus in the prayers he's already praying — because he is praying and working right now. See, within the Trinity, for all eternity there has been a conversation going on between the Father and the Son, by the Spirit. Every work of God that has ever touched this world has come from the Son's asking and the Father's giving and the Spirit's accomplishing. And when we pray in Jesus's name, we join that conversation! We participate in that asking!This is why we have such assurance that Jesus will do what we ask — because we are praying his prayers, with his same goal on his same grounds. The goal is the glory of the Father in the Son, and the ground is the righteousness of the Son before the Father. The Son delights to glorify his Father, and the Father delights to give to his Son, and when we pray in Jesus's name, we are right in the middle of that delight. That is why we should love to pray and not lose heart — because we get to pray in Jesus's name.The wonder of prayer is not that it “works” — it's that prayer is fellowship.Praying in Jesus's name is entering into the life and joy of our triune God, and we become part of his greater works. Wouldn't you love to do that? He Saves NowYou know, one day we are going to live in a world where all of Jesus's prayers have been answered. That place is called heaven. It's the Father's house. And Jesus is preparing that place for us now (verse 3). And that throne-work Jesus is doing now, those greater works he's doing until that last day, is bringing more and more people to himself. Jesus is still saving sinners like us. And so if you're here this morning, and Jesus has not saved you yet, he will save you now — if you just turn from your sin and put your faith him. Just tell him: Jesus,I cannot save myself and I'm done trying;you came to save me and I trust you. Believe in Jesus this morning.For those of us who have believed — for those who trust in Jesus, let us love to pray and not lose heart. We get to pray in Jesus's name. And that's what brings us to the Table. The TableThis Table is a table of fellowship. It's where the real and living Jesus meets us together, and he reminds us that we have him — and the Father and the Spirit.We remember that it is only through the death and resurrection of Jesus that we're saved to share in the life and joy of the triune God. If you trust Jesus, if you have entered that fellowship, we invite you to eat and drink with us.

Audio Transcript All right, well, beautiful singing. So I’ve not met you. My name is Aaron and I’m the preaching pastor here. And we’re glad you’re with us. I know sickness is kind of spreading around right now, and so I’m glad that you’re well enough to be with us this morning. So if you have a Bible with you, could open up to the Gospel of Luke. Our texture study today is going to be Luke 6, 2020. If you don’t have a Bible with you, there are pew Bibles kind of scattered throughout if you want to find your way there to Luke 6. Also, the word should be on the screen on either end of the stage if you want to follow along there. And if you’re visiting, if you open up your Bible, please do keep them open. So we do a style of preaching here. Actually, we talk about this in a sermon called Expository Preaching. So I’m going to read the passage, we’re going to pray, and then I’m going to walk us right back through the text. And so please do keep your Bibles open in this time. So Luke 6 starting verse 20. So please hear the words of our God. So Luke wrote, and he lifted up his eyes on disciples and said, blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. For behold, your reward is great in heaven. For so their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. So that’s God’s word for us this morning. Would you please pray with me? Lord, thank you for your word. And Lord, please help me to be a good communicator of your word today. Please give the congregation ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. I pray this all in Jesus name. Amen. Okay, so if you’ve been around here, you know every story starts out, at least for mine. So there we were. So there you were, myself and a man from our home church in Greenway, Wisconsin, and we’re getting together for breakfast. And this is Shortly before my wife, Tia and I were about to move to Louisville, Kentucky for seminary. Now, the man I got breakfast with that morning from our home church is actually a very influential, strong leader in his field. Before he retired, actually, he was the CEO of one of the largest and most profitable companies in the state. Over 7 billion in annual sales. And we got together that morning for breakfast. My friend had a bit of a surprise for me that was very much tied to sobering encouragement that he wanted me to have. Surprise he had for me was an autographed baseball. A baseball that I actually received through some personal connections to a legendary player who signed it for me, a former player, an all time great player named Hank Aaron, who played a good portion of his career for the Milwaukee Braves before that team relocated to Atlanta and then finished up his career for my beloved Milwaukee Brewers. And Hank Aaron not only is one of the greatest players of all time, but he also was my dad’s favorite player when he was growing up. A player that he just adored when Aaron played for both the Braves and the Brewers. In fact, my dad loved Hank Aaron so much that I was born. He named me Aaron after him. And this is something actually my friend knew, and this is one of the reasons why he got this autographed baseball for me, because he knew that it meant a lot to me to have that ball. It’s a pretty sweet gift, pretty thoughtful. But what made that ball even more sweet, even more thoughtful was the sobering encouragement tied to the ball that my friend also wanted to pass on to me. And that sobering encouragement from my friend was reminded me of a different man named Aaron. Not his last name, but his first name, Aaron. Aaron from the Old Testament, who was the brother of Moses. You may remember that now if you remember Moses. So he’s a great leader and prophet, but he also had a stuttering problem. So much so that Moses actually pleaded with the Lord to provide someone who could speak on his behalf, which ended up being his brother Aaron. As Moses spoke on behalf of, or as Aaron spoke on behalf of Moses the prophet who was speaking on behalf of God himself. And for my friend, his sobering encouragement to me through this ball, as I was about to head off to seminary to hopefully get trained to be a preacher, was that every time I look at this baseball, which is currently sitting amidst all my sports treasures in my basement ball, that I see often, by the way, college students, if you’re planning to come to my house next week for pass the pass pastor’s house, I’ll show it to You. But as I look at this baseball with the name Aaron on it, my friend hoped I had the sober encouragement that as I preach like Aaron for Moses, as I preach, I’m speaking on behalf of God from His perfect holy word. Now, obviously, I’m not a prophet like Aaron was as a preacher, but preaching still is speaking God’s word to his people, which, my friend, he wanted this to be a sobering truth for me, sobering as I went to seminary to study there, to study hard, to put forth my best effort in that seminary experience. You also want to be sobering for me one day as I write sermons, as I prep for sermons the way I should, to never cut corners, to give my best effort each sermon I write. You want to be sobering for me as I deliver sermons every time I stand behind the pulpit, that there should be a real, sober sense of what I’m doing, because the weighty responsibility and privilege it is to communicate God’s word. Now, I tell you all this this morning, so sobering this should be for me every time I do this, but maybe even more sobering for me this week, because this week and actually the next couple weeks, my assignment is to preach you from God’s perfect holy word on a passage that is often viewed as the greatest sermon of all time. Meaning my attempt is to give you a sermon from the greatest of all sermons, a sermon that was given by the Lord Jesus Christ, one that he actually gave on more than one occasion. If you’re with us, last week Wes actually mentioned this. I’m going to mention it again today. The sermon we’re about to go through is often referred to as a sermon on the plain, as we learned in our text last week. Verse 17. If you want to take your eyes there, that Jesus gave this sermon, he was standing on a level place. And this sermon on the plain that Luke records is very similar in content to perhaps the most famous of all sermons, that Jesus gave, the Sermon on the Mount, which is recorded in Matthew 5, where Jesus gave that the side of a mountain. Now, I will mention that for some, the Sermon on the Plain here in Luke 6, as well as the Sermon on the mount in Matthew 5. Some believe this actually is like the same event of the exact same sermon. So perhaps there was maybe like a little bit of a plateau on the mountain that gave a level ground for Jesus to preach. And while it is possible that Matthew 5 and Luke 6 record the same event, the exact same sermon, there’s enough little details between the Sermon on the Mount and the sermon on the plain that led many, myself included, to believe these are actually two different events where Jesus preached to two different people, but basically gave the same sermon two different times. You know, as mentioned, to two different people groups, which, by the way, this is actually not a problem. Jesus gave the same sermon at least two times, so. So in this time frame, rabbis are annoying, giving like the same teachings on multiple occasions throughout history, church history, many pastors, myself included, have preached the same passage more than once, where the sermons are very similar. In fact, maybe the most famous sermon, at least in our culture here, that God used to help ignite the Great Awakening first Great Awakening, the sermon titled Sinners in the Hands of Angry God. Maybe you heard that one by Jonathan Edwards. He actually preached that on multiple occasions. So it’s not an issue that Jesus preached the same basic sermon more than once. In fact, knowing that Jesus preached this same basic sermon more than once probably just highlights how important of a message this was from our Lord, which for me further underscores why this is often viewed as the greatest sermon of all time. Okay, now before we get to the text, the sermon that Luke records, just a few things, just a reminder where we’ve been the last few weeks. So. So the ministry of Jesus is now very much in public view. He’s become like the trending topic all over the region, leading more and more to come to him as great crowds were forming around our Lord. And from these crowds included some who Jesus uniquely called to himself to be his disciples, which included some fishermen who we met in chapter five, a despised tax collector who we met in the beginning of chapter six, as well as those listed in our text. Last week, in the middle of chapter six, where none of the disciples seem to be like popular people or influential people, rather they just seem to be like normal, everyday common people like you and me. Yet in his grace, in his wisdom, that is who the Lord Jesus called uniquely to himself, where he’d use these men to become his apostles that in time would like, he would use to completely set the world on his head. Furthermore, as mentioned in previous sermons, but I wanted to mention this again here, as the public ministry of Jesus is in full swing, as the crowds of people are coming to Him. No doubt a large part were coming because of the signs and wonders that Jesus was performing through various healings as well as like exorcism of demons. But the primary reason why the crowds were forming around Jesus because of the primary ministry he had, was actually preaching and teaching, which by the way, would also be the primary ministry that his disciples would have as disciples would be used by God, as mentioned, to turn the world on his head through preaching. So all the different things happening around Jesus, all the things signs he was performing, yet preaching, teaching, giving sermons like the one that we’re about to look at in the text, this is at the center, this is at the focal point of Jesus’s ministry. Which actually leads to the second thing I want to mention here this morning as it relates to sermons and the sermon on the greatest of all sermons of Jesus. The main focus I have to you this morning is to communicate to you from the text, what does the text say? However, as we work through this sermon, the sermon on the plane, I also want to just give you something that I did for myself personally this week was to try to pull insights from the sermon when it comes to preaching. So this is actually a good exercise for me this week as one who preaches often and I thought it would be a good exercise for us as a church as a whole today just to kind of help us think about preaching. What does it look like? What does that mean? Why is it so important mentioned? This is at the heart of the ministry of Jesus and hopefully it means it’s at the heart of our ministry here at Red Village Church as well. We desire preaching and teaching to be the focal point of our church. Not that other things in church life are important, but the pulpit is to me remains central. Many others throughout church history have said as the pulpit goes, so does the rest of the church. So as members, yes, pray for sermons, keep the pulpit accountable. And for some, you at some point you maybe are moving out of Madison. You have to look for another church. Unite to. There are many factors for you to consider discern as you’re trying to find a church. But the pulpit, the sermons really ought to be at the top of your priority list where there’s a steady diet of expositional Christ centered preaching. I hope I do feel for us in this time. So if that is a little bit longer intro, look back with me in the text on the sermon on the plain, they would be looking at just the start of the sermon, verses 20 through 26. So verse 20 we see in the passage that as Jesus stood on the level place, the plain, we see in the text that he began the sermon by lifting up his eyes on his disciples. Okay, not ready. Just a couple things. So first the lifting up of eyes. So commentary is read this week signified from Jesus that there’s like resolve in him, like he has resolve as he’s about to speak mean this is going to be some type of like casual conversation from his pulpit on the plane. Rather, Jesus is about to speak in ways that carried weight significance. Let’s go back to the story I began the sermon with. That’s what my friend was trying to impress upon me. When it comes to preaching, there ought to be a real weight significance that preachers are to understand as they communicate God’s word. By the way, as a church, this is why we pray for those who fill the pulpit, myself included, the preachers will preach with like resolve, resolve to you, the congregation that you have resolve. Actually you take in sermons, right? This should not be something that’s like casual lackadaisical for any of us. A lot of different points. The sermons can have some light hearted elements tied to them, but overall the tone, the tenor should have like sober minded resolve. That’s what Jesus has as he looks up as the disciples. Second, the sermon that Jesus was about to give was primarily meant for his disciples, those he named, verses 14 through 16 that Wes gave us last week. Now I assume other people are there who are listening in. In fact we get the sense when we get to verse 24 does seem like Jesus changes the primary audience that he’s talking to for just a bit there. But the first primary audience of this sermon was to disciples, those who were followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the risk of trying to push this too far, but unless the sermon is clearly intended for those who are not Christian, with some type of evangelistic thrust to it, which Scripture tells us is a thing, sermons, particularly in church life, the primary audience is meant for disciples to teach disciples of Jesus, those who are trusting in him, what it looks like to joyfully follow and obey him, which is certainly the case in this sermon that Jesus gave on the plane, right? This is not a sermon on how one becomes a follower of Jesus, which comes through repentance and faith. Rather, this is a sermon for those who are disciples, those who have repented, who have trusted in Jesus, as Jesus is going to help them to know how to live out their faith in ways that honor him. As Jesus looks at his disciples, we see him begin the sermon, which in our time today this will be in two parts. So the first part will revolve around the blessings that comes by faithfully following after him. Which by the way, this is why this sermon started. It as well as the Sermon on the Mount is often referred to as like the Beatitudes of Jesus with the beatitude word for like blessing. So the first part of the sermon are blessings from Christ. But then the second part, this is a series of woes, strong rebukes for actually not following after him. And we get to the woes. This is the section where I think there’s a little bit of a change in who Jesus is communicating to, as the woes have actually a bit of evangelistic thrust to them, to those who are on the plane who are not yet disciples of Christ, as Jesus is warning them that if they do not repent and believe in him, what would happen? Let’s go back to the blessings, and I want to say I’m going to read them as a whole again with the hopes of like kind of rereading these as a whole. Just capture some of the weight, momentum that I think is there in the sermon of Jesus. And after rereading it again, let me just point out a few things. So look back with me again. John, verse 20. He, Jesus told them, blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry, for you should be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you should be satisfied. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you, and when they revile you and spur your name as evil on account of the Son of man. Verse 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for your reward is great in heaven. For so their fathers did so, for the fathers did so to the prophets. Okay, now just to break this up, a few things I want to point out. So first, just this term, blessing or blessed. So this is a term or phrase that’s actually scattered throughout Scripture, particularly in the Old Testament, where the word blessing is often correlated with wisdom, particularly wisdom in this life. Now, this week I thought about Psalm 1, and I did kind of wonder if Jesus maybe had this passage in mind as he gave this sermon. So in Psalm 1, so blessed or happy is the man who walks in this life in the wisdom of God, where this blessed happy one in this life does not associate with evil. Rather, the blessed happy man is the one who delights in God’s word and obeying God’s word, what plants him like a tree by streams of water. And while the sermon on the plain, this teaching of Jesus on wisdom certainly is tying to some stuff in this life. But it’s a little different in that Jesus connects the ultimate blessing, the ultimate happiness, not in this life, which so much of the Old Testament is, but rather in the life that is to come, the eternal life that Jesus would usher in. So look back with Me again just to see the forward pointing blessedness that Jesus preached on that was to come for his people. So verse 20. Yes, you’re poor now, but for yours is the kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of God that is, yes, here, now. But a kingdom, the fullness of, of it is still yet to come. And when the fullness of kingdom comes, that’s where the fullness of blessedness, happiness will be found, in the life that is to come. Verse 21. Sure, you are hungry in the here and now, but look ahead, you will be satisfied. The future will come and you will be satisfied. Yes, in the here and now, in this life you weep, but in the future, there is a time that is going to come that you will laugh. Yes, in the here and now, in this life there might be people who hate you and exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil because of your faith in Christ. But look ahead to the future, you will rejoice, you will leap for joy, because in heaven there awaits a reward for you. And for us, this is actually really important for us as we think about being disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, in this life we live with wisdom, but we do so even more with our eyes towards that which is to come. That is where wisdom is set to faithfully live out this life with an eye towards that which will last forever. And this is actually so much of the teaching and preaching of Jesus on, on the better country that is to come, the heavenly one, as Jesus reminds us, the scripture reminds us that we’re simply sojourners, pilgrims headed to the promised land. And that’s where the blessedness will fully be experienced, this eternal reality that waits God’s people. Which by the way, this is why we strive to seek up, to store up treasures in heaven. This is why we poured our lives as offering, as an offering to service to God and others. This is why we’re even willing to suffer in this life for the cause of Jesus. Because we know that our suffering is not in vain. To know that one day our eyes will be our tears and our eyes will be dried. That this will all be temporary. And as that day comes, we’ll be replaced with blessedness, with joy, with rejoicing. Second, in this sermon, Jesus is helping his disciples understand the reality that as we live out our faith like in this life, it might bring some painful, unpleasant realities that we’ll have to endure. In the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus talked about the reality of potentially being poor. In the Sermon on the Mount speaks Of being poor in spirit, which is tied to humility and as maybe this is what Jesus is referring to here, the sermon on the plain. But to me this actually feels like Jesus is speaking towards like financial poverty of being poor. Where many throughout church history, including the 12 disciples falling after Jesus in his life, would bring like financial hardships for a host of different reasons which because of financial hardships at times in this present life, in this sermon, God’s people had to battle real physical hunger. Although we mentioned here, the hunger here could also be a hungering for righteousness with the sermon the Mount speaks to. However, I do think that Jesus is actually speaking towards like physical hunger here where plenty throughout church history, including his disciples. They didn’t always know where their next meal might come from, which adds meanings to like the Lord’s Prayer and give us our daily bread. Furthermore, in this life many Christians have faced hardships for being disciples of Jesus. Hardships that even the prophets had to endure. Hardships in the text has caused many to weep. Weeping that has come because of others have hated them or excluded them from certain things. Weeping because of how their name has been reviled and spurned as evil simply because of their faith in Jesus, the Son of Man. Yes, as a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, we live with the joy of eternal life that is to come, which is a joy that we can even experience in different measures in this life. However, that being said in this sermon, for disciples of Jesus, if we faithfully live out our faith, pain, difficulty, hardships, they can be a reality. A reality is part of the cost of following after Christ. A cost that we must count. A cost that many throughout history, including many today face. For us, this is like a hard truth that Jesus is giving to his disciples in this sermon on the plain. This is not like an easy thing for them to hear or for us to hear, which by the way also should be part of what preaching should have. Where at times, as the text calls for it, hard things need to be said, hard things need to be heard. Scripture warns us that sermons just can’t be there just like to tickle our ears, to just maybe tell us what we want to hear. Rather to tell us the hard truth like this, the sermon that we need to hear. As you keep going. As hard as it would have been for disciples to hear this, how being a disciple could bring a lot of hardships towards them in this life, hard things could come their way, but it actually would have been a harder truth for those who are like listening in, who are not yet his disciples, which, by the way, I do recognize might be somewhat true for some of us here this morning. That you’re here, we’re grateful you’re here, but you’re here, you’re not yet a follower of Christ. So in this sermon, after the four blessings, blessings that come for those who by faith follow him, we see in verses 24 through 26, we now see Jesus pronounced four woes, woes that come for not following him. Woes. If you’re not a Christian, I actually want to plead with you to hear hears. It’s almost like ice water, like running down your back, back that causes you to like to wake up and to by faith run to Jesus and the blessedness that he is. So let’s read through the woes again. I want to read them the same way I read through the blessings and ways that hopefully create some momentum and weight that the sermon Jesus had. And then I want to circle back to give some details, details on the Wo. So verse 24 says, but woe to you who are rich, for you received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did, the false prophets. Okay, now a few things here. So first, the four woes, these obviously stand in sharp contrast to the four blessings that Jesus started his sermon with. And this woe here, this is actually used by Jesus in very forceful ways where he’s still having like, resolve in his eyes as he communicates these woes, where through these woes, Jesus communicated like a declaration of like, judgment and misery from God on those who reject him. So I mentioned this in the past, but I want to mention this again. So in Scripture, there’s. There’s really only two ways that one can live. There’s a blessed way that comes from following Jesus, that will result in eternal life with him. But then there’s the woeful way of judgment and misery that will come with eternity apart from Jesus. Since Scripture does not give us some type of middle ground option, yes, this is a hard but important truth for us to hear to understand. This life is headed to two different, very different realities. The blessed way, the woeful way. Second, this word woe is actually something we also see throughout the Old Testament, much like we see the word blessing throughout the Old Testament, where throughout the Old Testament there’s actually woes given to God’s people for entertaining false prophets. What the sermon speaks upon and for us, I think maybe a little bit more subtle ways. So Jesus was giving his sermon here on the plain. This is like a sermon based on scripture, as Jesus is expounding, expositing scripture in light of himself. And this is actually one of the main reasons why we believe expository preaching is so important. If Jesus preached God’s word, should not every preacher and every sermon preach God’s word? Third, do you notice how the four woes, like the four blessings also are grounded in what? That. That which lies ahead. We’re in the kingdom of God as it fully comes. Like everything’s like turned around. We’re in this life. For the Christians who are suffering through hardship, in the end they’re going to be rewarded with blessing upon blessing, the fullness of joy and happiness for all eternity as you get to be with Jesus. But for those who reject God, who might be like receiving some benefits here and now, but in the end, not only will those benefits be removed, but with misery that will never wane. So back to the text. So sure, in this present life one can get rich without God in their life and enjoy some of the temporary benefits that wealth can offer. Where yes, those riches you can use to fill up your stomach. Where yes, in this life one can laugh it up and receive some type of like worldly praise. But if that’s all you have in this life, that’s all you have without God. In the end, not only will those things all vanish, but as mentioned, they’ll be replaced with misery. A couple things just on this back to winter earlier. So poor and hungry. This is why I think real physical poverty. Hungry is what Jesus is speaking to here. Not speaking about some type of poor in spirit or hunger and righteousness. This is how the rich and the full are used. So I think it’s meant to be. In contrast, second, having wealth, a full belly, laughter, reputation, others admire. So none of those things are wrong in themselves in this life. Okay, so don’t be mistaken there. In fact, in this life, those things actually be like blessings from, from God. In this life, the problem lies if we have those things apart from Christ, where these things almost become like idols to us that we’re putting like our hope and our trust in like wealth or reputation. That’s the problem, A problem that we actually must be warned of because those idols in the end will be idols that proved to be vain, where in the end they will not satisfy you, they will not in the end make you happy, they will not deliver to you what you need, which is forgiveness of sin and eternal blessedness of heaven. Only Jesus can offer those things through his death, through his resurrection from the dead, right? Those things in himself are not wrong. In the end, if you do not have Jesus, they’re in vain. They will not satisfy. They will lead you to misery. Which, by the way, kind of on that note, this is why every sermon should point us to Jesus Christ as the only one who will satisfy, as the one that we do desperately need, the One who loves us in such a way that he would die for us to take on all of the woes of God on the cross, where Jesus bore all of the misery, eternal misery upon himself to bear the punishment of our sin, so that through him we could find forgiveness and eternal life and joy forever and ever. Which leads to the conclusion of our sermon today. So let me just get a couple just summary thoughts on this greatest of all sermons of Jesus. So the first two will just be from the text and the last one is just from sermons. So first let God’s Word teach us that which is true. This is why the preaching and teaching was at the center of Jesus’s ministry, right? Jesus is the the way, the truth and the life. And he came to teach us the truth so that by the truth, the truth of God’s Word, that’s how we can be set free. So that by the truth we could have life, abundant life, both now and in eternity. While a sermon might be hard for us to digest, maybe some of the truths here in this passage might be hard for us to digest. These are truths that we need to hear, truths that we need to know, truths we need to believe in, truths we must obey, right? These hard truths are connected to the blessings of God. These harder truths are also connected to the woes of God. So we must hear that which is true. Second thing to where these truths of this text are pointing us to is we’re to live our life in light of eternal life that is to come and the kingdom of God that Jesus promises one day to usher in. So if this is it, just like just this life, nothing more, then sure, eat, drink, be merry, live for self, enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. But Scripture is so clear, including the sermon here from Jesus. The truth is, there’s so much more than just the here and now. There is an eternal life that is to come that for those who have faith in Christ will be the blessed life. Living with Christ in the heavenly places, experiencing the fullness of his joy in the new heavens and new earth. Let’s say it again. For those who reject him, there’s a life of eternal misery and judgment of sin for us. We must live our life in light of this eternal reality that is to come. Even though there could be a great cost in this life for doing so. Cost like suffering and pain. However, we must trust what our suffering that we might suffer for our faith in Christ and eternal life. Not only will Jesus fully comfort us in the text, he will even reward us when the sermon says even a great reward which reward whenever suffering we have in this life. As we get that rewards we’re with Jesus. Any suffering will feel slight and momentary in comparison to the weight of glory that awaits. And by the way, if you’re looking for some help on maybe how to think ahead, like how to live your life with an eternal like view. So there’s great ministry that is called Eternal Perspectives and I find it pretty helpful. So established by a former pastor named Randy Elkhorn who wrote one of my favorite books. I haven’t mentioned this in a little while, so I’ll mention it again. Book called Heaven. And so if you’d want some help to try to think through, you know, how do you live your life in ways that’s looking ahead, you know, I would look to eternal perspective ministry. Read the book on heaven. Especially now if you’re looking to try to read a book for the stretch run of winter that we have left, that’s one I’d recommend. Okay, last one. So be sober minded about preaching. Which brings us back to the start, what my friend wanted me to have as a preacher. But it’s actually not just preachers who are to be sober minded when it comes to preaching. The congregation should as well. Now, when it comes to preaching, obviously none of us can preach a sermon like Jesus. In fact, even the Apostle Paul referred to his preaching as folly, which is true for all preachers. Even more so, right? None of us are apostles like Paul was. It’s folly. Folly where every sermon is like soon forgotten. Almost like a meal that we consume. Soon forgotten. However, scripture tells us that it’s through preaching. That’s how God chooses to manifest His Word in ways that through His Holy Spirit he speaks to his people in ways that we can see. The Lord Jesus Christ that God is using preaching to bring people to faith, to grow us in our faith, to sustain us in our faith, to persevere us in our faith all the way to the life that is to come. So be sober minded when it comes to preaching. If a preacher should have resolve in his eyes, a congregation should have resolve in your ears. So say it again. Please pray for the preaching here at Red Village that God would use it to communicate truth, even hard truth. Please keep the pulpit here at Red Village like lovingly accountable that the word is preached in season and out of season. As a congregation, we never settle for anything less than God’s words exposited in ways that point us to Christ, who he is, what he’s done for us. Have a longing in your heart to hear the word preached. We’re actually seeking to prepare your own heart to receive sermons. By the way, this is also one of the reasons, maybe a primary reason, why we hope you’re actually here every Sunday to take in a steady diet of the word preached. I say it not to guilt you or shame you. Things can happen. But just imagine if you went weeks without feeding your physical body or if you just happen to feed your physical body just like every so often as is kind of convenient, just imagine how weak, how malnourished your body would be. As important it is to feed your physical body to the steady diet, how much more important to feed your souls week in, week out with God’s Word. Yes, most sermons are like meals. You consume them and you forget them. But yes, say it again. That is how God is revealing himself to us, to grow us, to sustain us, to persevere us in the faith. So church, whether you’re preaching God’s word or taking it in, may we all be sober minded when it comes to the word that is preached. Knowing that in the grace of God, the preached word is a pretty sweet gift, a pretty thoughtful gift from a kind and generous God. Let’s pray. Lord, I do pray that you’d help us to not only hear your word but heed to it. Lord, please help us to live rightly in ways that you defined are true for blessedness. God, help us to live in light of that which is to come. I pray for those who might be here this morning, who are not yet disciples of Christ, that today you would open up their eyes to see the beauty of Jesus, that they would turn into him. And Lord, I do pray just for just this pulpit, the sermons that come from it, whether it be me or others. Lord, please help us to rightly divide the word of truth. And Lord, please bless the preaching of your Word for our good and your glory in Jesus name, Amen. The post The Greatest Sermon of All Time – Luke 6: 20-26 appeared first on Red Village Church.

Mark closes out Paul's letter to the Colossians with a reflection on chapter 4. We unpack the subtle stories of the names toward the end, consider Paul's final charge, and remember his chains. www.thevineaustin.org Reflection Questions: 1. At the end of Colossians, Paul instructs the church to share the letter with other church communities (4:16). How might that instruction shape the view the early church had of these letters as sacred, even worthy of being a part of the Biblical canon? 2. What stayed with you from the sermon- either as confusing, curious or encouraging? 3. Verse 2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” How might watchfulness and gratitude fuel a devoted life in prayer? 4. Verses 3-4 say, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” What does it mean to proclaim the mystery of Christ? How does one proclaim a mystery with clarity? 5. Verses 5-6 say, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” What do you notice in this instruction? How might this challenge and encourage The Vine? 6. Paul finishes this letter with the phrase, “Remember my chains.” Why would Paul end with that reminder and image? 7. Paul clearly had a personal mission and challenge to the church - proclaim Jesus in word and deed. What is holding you back from living into that calling and how might you take steps towards a courageous witness?

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Seven and Verse Fifty Six

Play along at home with the lyrics:[intro]She leads a lonely lifeMm, she leads a lonely life[Verse 1]When she woke up late in the morning lightAnd the day had just begunShe opened up her eyes and thought"Oh, what a morning"It's not a day for workIt's a day for catching tanJust lying on the beach and having funShe's going to get you[Chorus]All that she wants is another babyShe's gone tomorrow boyAll that she wants is another babyAll that she wants is another babyShe's gone tomorrow boyAll that she wants is another baby[Post-Chorus]All that she wants - all that she wants[Verse 2]So if you are in sight and the day is rightShe's a hunter you're the foxThe gentle voice that talks to youWon't talk foreverIt's a night for passionBut the morning means goodbyeBeware of what is flashing in her eyesShe's going to get you[Chorus x2][Outro]All that she wants … all that she wants Jump to section:(00:11) Introduction but no waffling like you get on some podcasts. You know the ones.(00:44) Song title, writers' details. Other songs of warning(03:40) To the lyrics! Love 'em and leave 'em and so many variants(04:44) Having babies, master racing, Elon Musk, child protection, surrogates(07:49) The tone of disapproval(08:44) Hunter and fox, beagle, lynx, wolf, vole. STDs(13:30) Addiction to new baby-smell, reversing ageing. Dave takes us through the underlying Filipino and Greek mythologies, myths, legends, fairy tales and fiction(28:23) Theories from the internet (43:50) Misheard Lyrics(49:49) Notable Trivia. Britney and rapping, The Kooks, James Bond theme(53:40) Farewells and ⁠⁠⁠give us money⁠⁠⁠Would you like to appear (well, vocally) on the show? Do you have a pop song or ear-worm from the SMOOTH FM genre that's infested your mind and needs to be investigated? Visit this page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speakpipe.com/lyrics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to record us your own voicemail hot-take on your specific smooth song of suckiness. You could be on a future episode! (you can always email sound files or text your thoughts to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠poidadavis@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if that's easier). Cheers!Find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc @LyricsPodast ... and we're on all your favourite podcasting platforms.Sound clips are included for educational reference, criticism, satire and parody in fair use. Clips remain the property of the respective rights holder and no endorsement is implied. All information and opinion is performed and expressed in-character and does not reflect reality or genuine commentary on any persons (living or dead), bands or other organisations, or their works, and is not recommended listening for anyone, anywhere.

Sermon Notes: John 1:19-34 (I Am Not, but He Is) Please turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 1. We'll be considering verses 19-34 this morning. As you are turning there, let me say that the Gospel of John is a beautiful literary work. Greek scholars marvel at its elegance. Its words are simple, yet it has a depth of poetic beauty in how its themes are interwoven. And because of that, the Gospel of John speaks to both those with little or no background in the Christian faith as well as to those who have studied the Scriptures their whole lives. ·      On one level, the apostle John makes clear who Jesus is, what he has done, and why it matters. ·      And on another level, we are given profound theological insights in a rich literary form. We'll continue to see that as we work our way through the book. As I read, you will hear about John in these verses. This is referring to John the Baptist, not the apostle. Reading of John 1:19-34. Back in first grade, I was asked to give the opening comments for our first-grade play. That involved standing in front of the big curtain. I had a script which welcomed everyone, thanked the teachers, and gave a brief highlight of what they were about to see. The drama teacher told me multiple times to talk slowly and to keep my hands out of my pockets. Which of course, I forgot to do. But nonetheless, I did my part, and then the curtain opened and the play began. Well, the opening 18 verses of John's Gospel are like the prologue to a play. They set the stage for what is to come. We're given the book's background and themes and we're introduced to the main character. As we've studied, verses 1-18 speak of Christ's divine nature as creator and as the light of the world. We were also introduced to John the Baptist who bore witness to the light. We were told of what it means to believe. And then last week, we learned that the Word of God has come to us in the flesh, in the person of Jesus. And when he came, God displayed his glory and grace. All of that was introductory. And as we now get to verse 19, the curtain opens. We don't just hear about Jesus, but we are given story after story of his life and ministry. To say it in another way, verses 1-18 are the theological treatise for the book… and verses 19 to the very end are the historical witness of the book. John makes the upfront argument that Jesus is God in the flesh and that salvation is found in him, and then from verse 19 on, he shows us that this is true by showing us Jesus' life and ministry. Speaking of a prologue, that was my prologue for this sermon. Two points this morning. You can see them in your bulletin. Point number 1: I am not …and point number 2: But he is I am not, but he is. John the Baptist very clearly states that he is not the Christ, but he, that is Jesus, is. 1. I Am Not So, #1. I am not. Let me begin with a little context. It mentions here that John the Baptist was in the town of Bethany… specifically it's just beyond the Jordan River. This is a different town than the other Bethany which was near Jerusalem just over the Mount of Olives. This one was much farther away. It would have taken a day or two to travel there by foot. And in Bethany, John had attracted a crowd and a following. And one of the things he was doing was baptizing. Well, despite the distance, that caused a stir in Jerusalem. News reached the ears of the Jewish leaders, and so, as we read, they sent a delegate. They had two main questions: who are you? (verse 19) and why are you baptizing (verse 25)? John does answer both questions, but he does it in a way that redirects them away from himself and to Christ. I learned something interesting this week. There are people today who believe that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet. They not only venerate John the Baptist, you know, worship him in a way… but they also reject Jesus as the Messiah. Now, it's a relatively small group, several thousand. They live on the border of modern day Iraq and Iran. Their recorded history goes back to the 300s, so they've been around a while. And it's very possible that their roots go all the way back to the 1st century when this book was written. You see, one reason why the apostle John writes these things, is to make absolutely clear (1) who John the Baptist was and wasn't and (2) who Jesus is. And he quotes John the Baptist's words. ·      He was not the prophet Elijah. Yes, he came in the spirit of Elijah – but he was not Elijah in the flesh. The Jews expected Elijah to return. ·      He also makes clear that he was not “the prophet.” That is likely a reference to Moses or even the greater Prophet who was to come after Moses, namely Christ. John denies that as well. But most importantly, in verse 20 – he states unequivocally that he is not the Christ.  He is not the promised Savior who was to come. In the Greek, it's the phrase “ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ χριστός.” I am not the Christ. By the way, “ἐγὼ εἰμὶ” in the Greek is the phrase “I am.” It's the same Greek words that Jesus used in his “I am” statements throughout the book. I am the light of the world. I am the vine. I am the great shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep, etc. And so when John the Baptist says he is not the Christ, it is in part setting up the rest of the narrative in the book. Who is Jesus? He is the Christ - the promised Savior. A few years ago, a friend of mine passed away. He had a sudden heart attack. He was a single guy in his 40s, so he wasn't that old. Vocationally he was a nurse, but interestingly he had also been to seminary. He was a great guy. He loved to participate in ministry and mission work including medical missions. He also had a great Scottish accent. He was originally from the Isle of Skye. As one of his pastors I went to the funeral home shortly after they received his body. I was there with a close friend of his. And I learned something about him that I didn't know before. On his chest, he had a tatoo. It was a Greek phrase. “ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ χριστός.” I am not the Christ. You see, he had been so moved by this verse in John 1, that he wanted to remind himself each day in the mirror who he was not and to whom he should direct people. He was not the Christ… he was not his own savior nor a savior for others, but he had a savior who has come. That is what John the Baptist was doing in these verses. He was redirecting people away from himself and to Jesus. I count 6 times in these verses where John redirects people away from himself and to Christ. No, I am not him but let me tell you and show you who he is. A couple of examples are found in his further answers to the delegation. By the way, they were very persistent, as we read. They asked him, ok, then if you are not Elijah nor the prophet nor Christ, then who are you and why are you baptizing? ·      First, John answers who he was. He quotes the prophet Isaiah. He says, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,'” You see, Isaiah had prophesied that one would come. This prophet's very purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah. John was saying that he is that one. His whole ministry was to direct people to Christ. It was to prepare the people for the arrival of the Lord. ·      And second, John answered why he was baptizing. His answer also revealed Christ. Verse 31 makes that clear. John said, “I came baptizing with water that he might be revealed to Israel.” Here's what that means. John's baptism was about calling people to repentance and warning them about judgment. The water symbolized the cleansing that they needed. It showed them that they needed God to truly cleanse them… and it reminded them that a Savior was promised who would bear their judgment. By the way, this is why we don't connect John's baptism with the baptism that Jesus established. ·      #1, John's baptism was a ceremonial cleansings from the old covenant. That's why the delegate was asking him why he was baptizing since he was not Elijah nor the prophet. ·      #2. John's baptism was not done in the name of Jesus nor the Trinity as Jesus directed. It was very different. ·      #3 …perhaps the clearest reason. In the book of Acts, chapter 19, some of John the Baptists disciples were living in Ephesus. They had only been baptized into John's baptism. The apostle Paul explained to them that John's baptism was only a baptism of repentance. So, John's disciples were then baptized into Jesus' baptism – that is, into the new covenant baptism in Jesus' name. To say it again, John's baptism was to prepare the people's hearts for the coming of Christ. They needed to see their need for a Savior and repent. Ok, to summarize main point #1: John's identity in these verses is directly related to Christ, both in the negative and the positive. The negative - I am not him. And the positive - the very purpose of my life is to point people to him. And point to him, he does. 2. But He Is Which bring us to #2. But He Is John is not the Christ, as he says, and implicit in that statement is that the one to whom John directs people is the Christ. Look at verse 29. This is a new subsection. We read that it's now the very next day. The previous day, John had been answering the delegation about who he was not and that his purpose was to direct people to the Lord. But now, Jesus has come to John. And with absolute clarity, John gives witness to who Jesus is. Look how John describes Jesus in 29. He says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Remember, the apostle John's primary audience was Jewish. When they read or heard this, they would have no questions about its meaning. Jesus is identified as the sacrificial lamb, whom God sent to atone for the sin of the world. Sacrificing lambs had been part of their annual Passover celebration. Back when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, the very last command that God gave them was to sacrifice a lamb. They were to put its blood over their doorpost. And if they did that, the angel of death would pass over them and spare their firstborn. And the angel did spare them. But the Egyptians were not spared. And so Pharaoh released the Israelites from their bondage. Every year they were to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt by sacrificing a lamb. It was both a remembrance of God's deliverance out of Egypt, and a foreshadowing of the deliverance from sin that God would accomplish for them through the Messiah. So here, John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is that sacrificial Lamb – He's the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world… Now, you may be asking, Why is a Lamb of God needed? Why a sacrifice? That is a critical question. As we work our way through the book, the answer will become clear. But in the meantime, let me try to briefly answer. You see, in the heart of each and every human is a rebellion against God and against our fellow man. We see and experience this every day. We see and experience deceit, and anger, and betrayal. Evil exists in many forms – oppression, rape, and murder. And truthfully, if we just search our own hearts, we know our own selfishness and bitterness and desires for that which is not ours. All of those things fall under Scripture's category of sin. Over the years, I've had conversations with friends and family about the truth of Christianity. They've brought up good questions. For example, they've asked, if God really exists or if Christianity is really true, then why is there so much evil in the world. It's a very important question. I've usually respond that Christianity's view of the world includes a very clear understanding of evil and sin. I believe Christianity is true, in part, because it answers the questions of evil… it answers other life questions as well like meaning and morality and existence… including the difficult things in life and our rebellious hearts. Sometimes that will be followed up with the question. But if God is as you say he is, then why doesn't he do anything about it? About the evil and sin… He has. He's sent a Lamb. And that Lamb is Christ, and as John the Baptist says in verse 34, he is the Son of God. He sacrificed himself to deliver us not from the bondage of Egypt, but from the bondage of sin and the corruption of the world. The reason that a sacrifice was necessary goes all the way back to the beginning of the Bible. The very first command that God gave was to not eat of that which was forbidden. And the consequence of doing so was death. We cannot escape the consequences of sin. Those consequences include death and separation from God and his judgment. But God sent his Lamb to be sacrificed on our behalf. As the author of Hebrews puts it, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. And so, when John sees Jesus, he calls him the Lamb of God and as the Son of God. John furthermore testifies that even though he came before Jesus, yet Jesus ranked before him because Jesus was before him. John had said earlier that he was not even worthy to untie Jesus' sandals. That was one of the most lowly of jobs reserved for a servant. John was saying that he wasn't even worthy to do that. Jesus' worthiness so far exceeds our unworthiness. Yet he has come to us. Let me note one more thing about John's testimony. These verses say that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit. John's baptism was a baptism of repentance, but Jesus' baptism is a baptism of the heart. By the way, this is talking about true baptism – not the outward sign like you saw earlier this morning, but baptism of the heart when we receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. And the reason that we can receive the Spirit of God from Christ, is because God's Spirit remains on Christ. Did you notice that phrase used twice? The Holy Spirit descended and remained on him. It indicates God the Father anointing Jesus as King. In the Old Testament, God's Spirit would rest upon God's anointed kings. But God's Spirt would leave when that King departed from God's way, like he did for King Saul. That is why King David prayed in Psalm 51, Lord, take not your Holy Spirit from me. In other words, do not remove your hand of Spiritual blessing on my kingship. May your Spirit remain on me as king of your people despite my sin. By the way, this Holy Spirit anointing of kings is different from the Spirit's work in the hearts of believers… old and new. I just want to be clear about that. What John the Baptist was witnessing in verses 32-34 was God the Father anointing his Son through his Spirit. When it says that God's Spirit remained on Jesus, it was indicating Jesus' eternal kingship. Next week we'll see that title King given to him. And let me mention one more thing about chapter 1. Every single title for Jesus in the entire book of John is introduced in chapter 1. Jesus is the Word of God. He is Christ, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Messiah, He is Rabbi (which means Teacher), King of Israel, and the Son of Man. Some of those we'll come across next week. In other words, this whole chapter bears witness to who Jesus is. Besides John the Baptist and the apostle John, God the Father and the Holy Spirit also bear witness to him. He is the Christ - Lamb of God and Son of God who takes away the sin of the world. I am not, but he Is. Application and Conclusion In Southern California, there's a very interesting solar power facility. It's in the Mojave Desert. It's different because it does not use a single solar panel. No, instead, this facility uses mirrors that direct the rays of the sun to central boilers. The boilers are super-heated by the sunlight reflected off of the mirrors. That causes the water boil, which creates steam, which then turns turbines, and which then generates power. There are 347,000 mirrors there. And as the sun moves across the sky, they all reposition themselves to keep the light shining on one place. Friends, you and I are not the Christ. No, but we are to reflect him and direct others to him. Like John the Baptist, we are to believe the Lamb of God for others to see. We are to testify that he has come to take away the sin of the world. We are to exalt Christ, witnessing to him in all the ways highlighted here. We are in a sense to be like mirrors that direct others to Jesus. And when we all work in concert, God is glorified and Christ is exalted. When people see us individually, they see him. And when people see a church whose members reflect Christ, they will see him. I would argue that our number one responsibility is to show forth Christ. It's tempting to have our number one focus be on other things. I am not saying that we should not have careers or serve our communities in different ways or have opinions about important matters. But if any of that puts the spotlight on us rather than Christ or if it overshadows our witness to him, then we are not fulfilling our responsibility to reveal him. So, May we each recognize that we are not our own savior, nor the savior of others. We are not the Christ… but Jesus is.  May we, like John, direct others to him, the Lamb of God, who is the Son of God and Savior of the world. Amen

Verse by Verse Bible Study on www.thecloudchurch.org through the book of 2 Timothy, covering chapter 2 and verses seven to ten.

BookIt!Verse 5 is BACK. No Remorse reaches a dangerous new level in Part 3 as rivalries collide and chaos takes over.

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Seven and Verse Fifty Five

In this episode of the BiggerPocketsMoney podcast, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench host Ryan Sterling, CEO of NerdWallet Wealth Partners, to discuss the nuances of different financial advisor compensation structures. Whether you're planning your financial future or evaluating advisors, understanding these models can help you make informed decisions that align with your goals. This Episode Covers: The core differences between flat fee and assets under management (AUM) fee models How transparency and client mindset influence fee preferences The conflicts of interest inherent in AUM and commission-based models When AUM fees may be more appropriate for high-net-worth clients Practical scenarios demonstrating long-term cost implications of each model The evolving landscape of flat fee financial planning and industry fee compression Ryan's insights on selecting quality advisors and the importance of credentials like CFP How fee structure impacts client behavior, trust, and long-term financial outcomes To go beyond the podcast: Kick start your financial independence journey with our FREE financial resources Subscribe on YouTube for even more content Connect with us on social media to join the other BiggerPockets Money listeners Connect with Ryan Sterling:  LinkedIn NerdWallet Wealth Partners We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you're starting. Let's get your financial house in order! NerdWallet Wealth Partners, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training and nothing contained herein should be construed as investment advice. NerdWallet Wealth Partners does not guarantee investment results and does not provide tax or legal advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People use Jesus' reply to Pilot, "My kingdom is not of this world" to claim we should have nothing to do with the world, specifically politics and culture. We're about saving souls and such. I seek to disabuse Pietistic Christians of this notion in this episode. We're not to escape the world but to transform it in obedience to the Great Commission. https://mikedvirgilio.com/

Mark Winner discusses 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10—“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

Mother: the word itself evokes warmth and gratitude. In Islam, respecting and valuing our parents is a virtuous act, vital for spiritual growth. Let's celebrate their sacrifices, embrace their wisdom, and understand why our beloved Prophet taught that paradise lies at their feet.

1 Peter 1:6-7Maturity is a life-long process, and it's often through times of testing we mature the most. Some people never get it.

People use Jesus' reply to Pilot, "My kingdom is not of this world" to claim we should have nothing to do with the world, specifically politics and culture. We're about saving souls and such.I seek to disabuse Pietistic Christians of this notion in this episode.We're not to escape the world but to transform it in obedience to the Great Commission.https://mikedvirgilio.com/Watch all of our videos and subscribe to our channel for the latest content >HereHere

How do you pray God's will—without trying to control the outcome? In this episode, we break down what Scripture actually teaches about the will of God and how to pray in alignment with His truth and character. Learn the difference between bold, biblical prayer and self-centered or "manifesting" language, and discover how God's will is revealed through His Word—not guesswork. If you're a woman seeking clarity, confidence, and depth in your prayer life, this teaching will help you pray with boldness, humility, and trust. In this episode, we examine: ✓ What is the will of God? (Romans 12:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Micah 6:8) ✓ How to discern God's will through a renewed mind ✓ The difference between praying boldly and praying selfishly ✓ Why God doesn't always give us a "blueprint" for decisions ✓ How to pray freely without fear of getting it "wrong" ✓ Biblical prayer vs. manifestation theology

Si quieres verte y sentirte bien bajando esos kilos de más que te están sobrando, lo mejor que debes hacer es seguir las recomendaciones médicas. Mantente al día con los últimos de 'El Bueno, la Mala y el Feo'. ¡Suscríbete para no perderte ningún episodio!Ayúdanos a crecer dejándonos un review ¡Tu opinión es muy importante para nosotros!¿Conoces a alguien que amaría este episodio? ¡Compárteselo por WhatsApp, por texto, por Facebook, y ayúdanos a correr la voz!Escúchanos en Uforia App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, y el canal de YouTube de Uforia Podcasts, o donde sea que escuchas tus podcasts.'El Bueno, la Mala y el Feo' es un podcast de Uforia Podcasts, la plataforma de audio de TelevisaUnivision.

When we read the Bible, do we read verses in context—or do we pull a verse, make it about ourselves, and miss what God was actually saying? That happens more often than we realize. But part of growing in our faith is learning how to read Scripture the way it was meant to be read. Today, as we continue in Romans 9—a very controversial chapter—we'll see why context truly matters.

When we read the Bible, do we read verses in context—or do we pull a verse, make it about ourselves, and miss what God was actually saying? That happens more often than we realize. But part of growing in our faith is learning how to read Scripture the way it was meant to be read. Today, as we continue in Romans 9—a very controversial chapter—we'll see why context truly matters.

Verse by Verse Bible Study on www.thecloudchurch.org through the book of 2 Timothy, covering chapter 2 and verses three to six.