Podcasts about without jesus

Without Jesus, we are spiritually blind. Jesus' resurrection replaces our blindness with sight.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. TranscriptGood morning. My name is Chet. I'm one of the pastors here. We are in First Samuel chapter 10, and we're picking up where we left off last week. Last week, we read about Saul being anointed as king. He went looking for some lost donkeys, and eventually, he went to a place where there was a prophet. It turned out that prophet was Samuel. Samuel sees Saul, and God tells Samuel, "That's him. That's the guy I told you was going to be king. I told you you'd see him today." And there he is. He anoints him as king. Saul goes to a dinner where he sits at the head of the table. Then he goes home and tells no one that he has been anointed king.We're going to pick up today where we left off. Spencer told us a little bit about where this ends up with Saul, and that it doesn't go well for him. But we're not there yet in the story, and today we're going to look at how his story begins. It starts off okay. So, we're going to look at verse 17 of 1 Samuel chapter 10. It says this: Now Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mispa. He said to the people of Israel, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I've brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you. But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands."They said they want a king. They're bringing together to give them a king. Normally, in these sorts of things, the first person who gets up and talks pumps some ceremony and highlights the importance of the day. Samuel gets up and says, "You used to follow God who saves you from everything. You've rejected him, and today you won't have God. You'll have some guy." Now, line up. It's not the best start, but they're going to line up. They're going to choose a king by lot.By lot just means a system for randomly choosing. We do some things by lot culturally; we don't call it that, but we draw straws, flip a coin, pull a name from a hat, hold a lottery, or a raffle. Paper rock scissors is just competitive lots where you feel like you won something, even though it was still pretty random.A lot of things were done by lot historically and culturally all over the place. It just means they have a random system for choosing. They would use urim and thummim. They had the breastplate of the high priest that they would use for this at times. They also may have used some other different methods. People trusted that God would give them the answer through this.This is not uncommon to them. We see a whole section of this playing out in Joshua chapter 7, where they are trying to find out who sinned against God, and they walk it all the way down to the household of Achan. So they're going to choose by lot. Samuel, verse 20, brings all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.Now, God already told Samuel who was going to be king. Samuel already told Saul he was going to be king. They're going to do this now by lot. Samuel is going to see, and Saul's going to see, that God is overseeing the lot. But for everybody else, they're just going to see that this is how God works in choosing, and they may not have known or wouldn't have known already that Saul is the one to be chosen. But Benjamin is the tribe he comes from, that Saul is from.It says the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot. Saul, the son of Kish, was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found.So, however they were taking lots and doing this, there was some sort of representative tokens or something used to pick a person because they selected a person who's not there. So the lot falls on Saul, the son of Kish, and he's not there.They looked for him. So they're doing this, and they're like tribe of Benjamin. They move up, and then they do the next process, and they say the clan of the Matrites. Then everybody moves off, and the Matrites come near somehow and then they say Saul, the son of Kish. So is Saul here? Where's Saul? Like, they have to go look for him, and the whole country's here, and now we're looking for Saul. The whole process has stopped to the point that it says, "But when they sought him, he could not be found."Verse 22: So they inquired again of the Lord, "Is there a man still to come?" It slows down so much that they're like, "Let's ask God again." They inquire of the Lord, "Are we waiting for somebody else? Did we do what is happening?" And God says, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage."We know that Saul showed up, but we don't know at what point he hid. Maybe it was right when they said line up. Maybe it was when Benjamin got picked and he thought, "Oh no." Maybe he waited till it was the Matrites, then he was like, "Oh no." But he definitely wasn't there when they said Saul, the son of Kish. The baggage is the luggage that everybody has shown up with; they just piled all their gear up, all their supplies in a certain spot. And Saul goes and hides, which is a real cute look for your new king.So God tells them, "No, I picked the right person. He's hiding." Then it says, "Then they ran and took him from there." I would assume, just trying to picture this, they're excited. They run. I also think that means there's a lot of children involved. They say he's in the supplies, and everybody just takes off. This whole group takes off and finds Saul hiding.I don't know how he hid. The text doesn't tell us. It's possible there was no one near the supplies and he just went there. It's possible he hid. You remember playing hide-and-seek? The better your hiding spot, the more awkward it is to get out of it once you've been caught. We're told that Saul's a big dude. I don't know if he was just tucked behind stuff, and they were like, "God told us you were here," and he came out. Or if he was in stuff, and they had to be like, "Hey man, get up," and he had to crawl out of things. But it's not a good look.They bring him out. Samuel said to all the people, oh sorry, they ran and took him, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. They bring him out, and he's a head taller than everybody. Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people."There are a couple of ways to understand what he's saying there. He possibly is just saying now that he is king, he stands above everybody else. Here's your king, and no one's like him. It's a from now on kind of thing. It's also possible that all he's saying here is look at him, remember what he looks like, and he looks different than everybody. So later, when you see a guy who's taller than everybody, you can say, "Oh yeah, I remember that. That's our king." It's possible he's just commenting on what he looks like. It's also possible that what he means is now he stands above everybody, not literally but figuratively.All the people shouted, "Long live the king." They've chosen the king. They know who it is, and they all shout, "Long live the king."Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, wrote them in a book, and laid it before the Lord. We don't know what he wrote. My guess is it included some of the stuff we've read in Deuteronomy about what a king is supposed to be like. It probably included some things Samuel said—that if you get a king, he's going to do all this stuff—but he gives some restrictions, this is what a king is allowed to do, and duties, here's what he's supposed to do, has to do. He declares it all to everybody, like, "Alright, y'all got a king now and here's what a king can and can't do and should do." He writes it all down and puts it before the Lord.Samuel sent all the people away, each to his home. We're going to get more information about how this plays out. I appreciate the detail. They get everybody together; they choose a king. Then they go play hide-and-seek with the king, find him, then Samuel says, "Look at him." He announces, and then he just goes, "Alright, go home."We're told Saul goes home because they've never had a king before. He doesn't have a palace. He's no castle. They just say, "Here's what kings are allowed to do. You got one. Yay. Go home."It says, "Saul also went to his home at Gibeah." He just was like, "Okay, I'm king now. I'm going home." With him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched.God begins to work and sends brave, capable, valiant men with Saul. But some worthless fellows said, "How can this man save us?" They despised him and brought him no present. Other people were apparently prepared to give something to honor the king. But they're like, "We're not doing it. He'll get no present from us. We don't like him."They despised him, brought him no present, but he held his peace. We're told God touches the hearts of valiant men, and these worthless men reject Saul. But I can't help but feel like the worthless men have a point. They're in a time of war. Part of the reason they've picked a king is they want someone to save them. That's part of the reason Samuel's upset with them: God saves them.But they are constantly at war with the people around them. They want someone to go out and fight their battles. They say, "How can this guy save us?" Saul's start isn't a good one.What do we know about Saul at this point? We've read chapters 9 and 10 and were introduced to him in chapter 9. We know his dad is wealthy. If you wanted to talk about that nicely, you'd say he's from a well-off family. If you didn't like Saul, you'd say, "Yeah, daddy's rich." You could spin that one way or the other.We know his family is wealthy. We know Saul is tall and handsome, so if you wanted to date him, these are the categories you'd pick. I told you a couple of weeks ago that they're not the best ones, but tall, handsome, rich—that doesn't make you king.So far, we've seen him unsuccessfully find donkeys, and then hide when they called his name. That's what we know of Saul. He was humble, but he seems humble to the point of not wanting to do this.I don't know if we would like him. Some people would like that he was tall, might like that he was wealthy, and you might appreciate that he's handsome. But I don't know if we'd pick him as king.In our country, Kennedy and Nixon have a debate, and Nixon was sweaty and people were like, "Seems real sweaty. Can't elect that guy." He lost. I can tell you it's a big deal because I know about it.The first election I was able to vote in was Obama, way after Kennedy and Nixon. If Nixon had been hiding in the back under a table, not well, hyperventilating, and they had to start off by saying, "Candidate Nixon is hiding in the back under a table, breathing in a bag, refuses to come out, says that he'd like to speak to his mother," they would have had a tough time. They would ask Senator Kennedy what he thought about that. But Nixon was just sweaty. He glistened too much on TV, and people said, "Can't trust him." People were kind of right.So there you go. This guy hid. They had to go find him. What makes him special? Why is God blessing and sending valiant men with him? And why are these people called worthless? He didn't win a battle. He didn't accomplish anything. He didn't win a tournament. He wasn't the most anything, really—most tall. I want to show you all what it says.Verse 24: Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen?" Now we know why he's special—the Lord chose him. Therefore, it's worthless to reject him whom the Lord has chosen, and it's a good thing to do to follow him whom the Lord has chosen because he's chosen.That's what makes him special—God, in his divine choosing, chose him.But everybody goes home. Saul keeps his peace. We're going to chapter 11.Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. We've been hearing about problems with the Philistines on the west. Israel is in the middle. Jabesh Gilead is over here on the east, and the Ammonites are over here. The Ammonites have now besieged Jabesh Gilead on the other side of the Jordan.Isn't it nice to live where and when we do, where this doesn't happen as often? Historically, this was super common: an army shows up, you're hanging out, suddenly you see people marching, your walled city is surrounded, and they just besiege it. If you have a big enough army, you're ready to go get some stuff.All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a treaty with us and we will serve you." That phrasing is actually "cut a treaty with us," which is how they would cut a covenant. They would cut up an animal, mingle the blood, then walk through. It's officially called a suzerain and vassal covenant, where you have one ruling authority over a vassal state that will pay tribute, taxes.So they say, "That's a nice besieging army you have there." They send out an envoy and say, "We'll cut a covenant with you and start sending you money. Deal." Nahash says, "Deal." But Nahash the Ammonite said, "On this condition: I will make a treaty with you that I gouge out all your right eyes and thus bring disgrace on all Israel."They're not going to cut up an animal; they're going to cut up you. Line up. I'll pop out all your right eyes and bring shame on all Israel. That'll be the covenant, then you'll owe me taxes.The elders of Jabesh said, "Give us seven days' respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you."That's desperation. What else can they do? They said, "Let us go through all Israel and ask." He says yes, which seems crazy culturally—that he would say yes.They basically say, "Give us a chance to see if someone wants to come kill you. If they do, thanks for waiting. If they don't, you can gouge our eyes out." It makes some sense because his goal was to bring shame on all Israel.They said, "Let us go through all Israel and ask." He apparently says yes because next we hear: when the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter to the people, and all the people wept aloud.They heard the news; they were heartbroken. This is awful. They seem despondent. What are we going to do?The people of Israel have been a loose collection of peoples, tribes, and have never really banded together for some things. That's part of the reason Nahash thinks, "Sure, try to get those people together."Now Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. He's gone back to work. Saul said, "What is wrong that the people are weeping?" They told him the news about Jabesh.The spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all Israel by messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen."Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.Imagine someone rides into your town with two-day-old ox pieces, tosses it down, and says, "Hey." Everybody's like, "What are you doing?" He says, "Saul, our king, cut that ox up." He says, "Get your weapons and muster or he's going to cut your oxen."It's an effective message. The dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they come as one man.Verse 8: When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the people of Israel were 300,000, and the men of Judah 30,000. They told the messengers, "Say this to Jabesh Gilead: Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation."Their city's besieged. To get that message in, these people must cross back through. Nahash knows they're going back in; people are returning now with the answer. When the messengers told Jabesh, they were glad.Verse 10: They said to Nahash, "Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you and you may do to us whatever seems good to you."That phrase is fair translation, or, "We'll come out to you. We'll march out." They intentionally tightrope walk—"We'll come on out; you can do whatever you want to."There's a little eye play on words, too: "We'll let your eyes do what you want to do," which is what they said.Verse 11: The next day Saul put the people in three companies; they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, before sunrise, and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered so no two of them were left together.Nahash surrounded a city, very confident, then 330,000 Israelites showed up in the middle of the night, and it went very poorly for Nahash.Verse 12: The people said to Samuel, "Who said Saul shouldn't reign over us? Bring those men so we may put them to death." Those who stood against Saul did it publicly. After Saul showed he can lead, muster, bring rescue, they said, "Who said Saul wasn't going to be in charge? Let's kill them, too."Those guys are there because they all showed up, and they were like, "No, this turned real quick."Saul said, "Not a man shall be put to death today, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel."Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom." All the people went to Gilgal; there they made Saul king before the Lord. They sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and Saul and the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.So we've seen Saul anointed, chosen, and now solidify as king.We've seen bits and pieces of his character. One thing to keep asking: what makes him special? Why is he special? What's worked here to make this good?Reading the text, God chose him and empowered him. The Spirit of the Lord fell on him, kindled his anger, then Saul acted. The last time we saw him do something good was prophesying when the Spirit fell on him.He's been chosen and empowered by the Spirit. God hasn't just picked out the best guy—he's picked someone and is empowering them.I want to take a moment as a church family, as Christians, those following Jesus, to wrap our heads around what Saul has. We have something even better.What happened for Saul? Something even better has happened for us. So, turn with me to Ephesians 1.Paul writes to Christians about what it means to belong to the Lord. In verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places."That's wonderful. We are blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing."He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him."What makes us special? He chose us. What made Saul special? He was chosen.In the New Testament, he chooses those whom he blesses. We're blessed because he chose us."He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him." If you belong to Jesus, you are holy and blameless because of Jesus, not you. You're blessed because of his choosing, not you.He did this before the foundation of the world. If you're a Christian and wonder why you're special, why did I get to believe this, why me? Because he chose. He did this.When we look at Saul and say, "Why did he choose Saul?" It doesn't tell us why. It tells us some things, but not the reason.Why did he choose me? It says, "In love." It's not in us; it's in his love.We were loved in him, so we love him because he first loved us."He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will."He loves us and brings us to himself, which is wonderful. If you belong to Jesus, you don't get in on a technicality like, "Try not to cause problems; you got in because you trusted in Jesus." No."In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons." He wants you and me, the church, to belong to him, to be enjoyed, to be delighted in.Why does he love me? "According to the purpose of his will."Then it says to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he blessed us in the beloved. Grace is unearned favor—unearned, unmerited, undeserved.What gets praised? Not anything you've done or accomplished; it's grace, glorious grace.You say, "I don't feel good enough." It's not about that. He saved you by glorious grace, and he's wonderful.According to the purpose of his will.This is beautiful—that it's by his divine choosing.Imagine being gathered with the people of Israel and the lot falling to you and saying, "What?"But what we've been chosen for is so much more glorious, wonderful, eternal. It's staggering what he, in his divine purpose and glorious grace, has chosen in the blood.It keeps going. Ephesians 1:7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time—to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."Highlight this: in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.If you're keeping score at home, trespasses are what you brought."According to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom," making known the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ, not in you.He purposed and accomplished it in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him—heaven and earth.This is about Jesus and God's glorious will.If you belong to him, it's because he has made you belong to him.You've been chosen because he's chosen.You brought sin that made the sacrifice necessary, but you didn't earn, achieve, or keep it. It's not about you.If they had gathered the people and said, "Hold on. Let's see if he's good at this. Let's watch him a while."They would all be wrong because God already chose.If you've trusted Jesus, it's in response to his divine choosing.You are kept, held, worked on because of him and what he has done.He has qualified you.It's about him, not you.And if you've met yourself, that's great news.I've had times when I go into a tough conversation prepared, using pep talks, and still fall apart.It's not about your ability to hold it together or keep it.It's not about your ability to earn it.It's about him.Ok, hold on, sorry.Verse 11 repeats, but in him we have attained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.If chosen, it's because he did this.So we who first hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.So he's glorified, praised, exalted.It's not about you.You're involved as the object, the recipient.When you consider your walk with Jesus, you're not the subject or the verb.God is doing the work, Christ is doing the work.You're down here being acted on by a glorious God who divinely chooses, rescues, saves, redeems, and keeps according to the purpose of his will, because of his love, because of his glorious grace, and to the praise of his glory.You shouldn't think, "I must be one of the good ones."God didn't pick you because of something special.You wouldn't conclude you earned or achieved this.You'd conclude you need to praise his glory.Why are you a Christian? Because Jesus is wonderful, good; he redeems, saves, and loves.That would all turn back to praising his glory and grace.But you say, "Saul falls apart. God chooses, Saul loses it."Good point.That's why I said we have something better than Saul.Saul was chosen for a role in an earthly kingdom.He was chosen temporarily as a king in a temporary kingdom.He was empowered by the Spirit for some of what God was going to do, but he ultimately lost it.We in Christ are not chosen by lot.We're chosen by grace.Not chosen by Samuel through lots, but chosen by Jesus through his blood.Chosen for an eternal kingdom.Verse 13: "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation"—that is, Jesus Christ came, died on the cross, rose again so you might have hope and faith.That's proclaimed in baptism: Jesus was dead and buried, and with him we die and bury our sin.Without Jesus, we don't rise, but because Jesus rose, we rise.We are washed clean, made new, given new life; our sin is dead and buried with Christ, and we rise with him with justification—we're made new and whole.That's what we celebrate.The gospel says when you heard it and believed it, believed in him, you said, "It's not about me; it's about him. I don't believe in me; I believe in him."That's your process, your response.You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.Sealed.Saul was empowered; we are too.The New Testament tells us he's empowered us for mission.But we're not just empowered; we're sealed.The promised Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.The Spirit will keep you going until you get the full inheritance of all the blessings of Christ.It's guaranteed; a guarantee is as good as the person who makes it.And it's the God of the universe.You're not just empowered; you're sealed, kept, and guaranteed.Jesus says you're put in his Father's hand, and no one takes anything from the Father's hand.If that's true for me and my sons, 10 and 7, it's true for God.If He's holding something, He's not letting go.It's guaranteed.Sealed by the Spirit, and it's working.He says in chapter 4, "Don't grieve the Spirit by whom you were sealed for the Day of Redemption."You say, "But I'm doing bad stuff, grieving the Spirit, causing problems."He says, "Yes, don't do that, but you're sealed for the day of redemption."That's the Spirit you're grieving—who will be with you the entire time until he brings you to the conclusion of the inheritance, till he gets you where he plans to take you by his purpose.He ends, "To the praise of his glory."Oh, that he might be praised, exalted, lifted up.Do you realize you've been chosen in a lottery far better than being the king of Israel?If you belong to Jesus, you've been chosen by his divine choosing and good pleasure, according to the purpose of his will.He lavished grace upon you, made you his forever, sealed you with the Spirit, and will bring you to the end.May we praise him, honor him, follow him, and not grieve the Spirit.At all points, may we know it is by his glorious grace, accomplished in him, brought about by him, and about him.At no point say, "But I haven't done this," or "I haven't done that."Have you trusted in him? Then stop talking about you.Do you believe in him? Or do you believe in yourself?We say, "No, I believe in him."Therefore, we are made free; we are brought to the end.Praise his name.Let's pray

In the same way that America wouldn't exist without the arrival of the pilgrims, Christianity wouldn't exist without the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. Without Jesus' resurrection, Christianity collapses like a house of cards. What is it about the resurrection of Jesus that makes it the key to Christianity? What does it unlock for your everyday life?  (Easter Sunday 2025)

In Today's Secular Uncertainties, God is Sovereign; and God “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he {God} will” MESSAGE SUMMARY: Political discord and health care uncertainties surround us in all directions today. Without Jesus in our lives, we have reasons to be anxious and fearful. However, Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:31: “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”. The future years may hurt our pride, wallets, and/or our freedom. On the other hand, we should not let the current secular political environment and culture hinder our resolve to continue in our fearless faith in the truth; our constant hope in the future; and our radical love for our neighbors. God has a plan; and, regardless of how things look from our eyes, we must remain faithful to His purpose. Now is the time to draw near to Jesus and to advance His Kingdom. Our gaze must remain on Jesus if we want to walk on the water during the storm. God is the King of Kings and the Sovereign God of the Universe. As Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 4:17 when God told Nebuchadnezzar: “to the end that the living may know that the Most High {God} rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he {God} will and sets over it the lowliest of men.”. God is always involved in our lives, and He gives the government offices “to whom he will”, even if the political processes produce “the lowliest of men {or women}”. Sometimes, we receive the elected officials we need, and sometimes we receive the elected officials that we deserve; but God is always Sovereign and faithful.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be a complainer (Philippians 2:14). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Matthew 6:31; Philippians 4:5-7; Daniel 4:17; Psalms 106c:25-36. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “He Is Risen: From Good Friday To Easter”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

1 Corinthians 15:1-8The Risen Christ, Faith's RealityMoreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (Crucified), and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.The gospel of Jesus was preached. Without Jesus, there is no gospel. Three central effects that centre the gospel.

Peeps. Crème filled eggs. Chocolate. Bunnies. Chicks. Lambs. Lilies. Tulips. Daffodils. They're all fun things that are part of spring. But they actually take us back to the real Easter. While the religions of the East speak of dissolving into the ocean of being, and while Islam and the Christian cults portray an otherworldly future, the Bible promises resurrection. This is different. It's this life laid hold of and turned around. Resurrection is Jesus taking us through the valley of the shadow and out into a happily ever after, complete with best wedding ever. Without Jesus, life ends with a funeral. With him, there is a never-ending feast. A sermon on Easter Sunday April 20th, 2025

The Prodigal God - Part 4:  We Had To Celebrate Exile is a persistent feeling within the human condition because our sin has destroyed the intimacy with God we once experienced. Without Jesus, we’d never be restored to full communion with God. Without Easter, we’d never have access to intimacy with God. Without resurrection, there’s no hope of the future feast for followers of Jesus. 

Without Jesus' resurrection, our faith would be meaningless. Today we celebrate the resurrection of our saviour, Jesus Christ, who not only died for our sins but defeated death itself!

Without Jesus' resurrection, our faith would be meaningless. Today we celebrate the resurrection of our saviour, Jesus Christ, who not only died for our sins but defeated death itself!

This is part 4 of "Last Words," our sermon series at Fusion Christian Church where we examine the final seven sayings of Jesus before he died. What is the significance of Jesus' last words? As we look forward to Easter, it's time to reflect on our Savior's final moments on the cross. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches about Jesus saying "I am thirsty." Beyond the physical, what spiritual drink did Jesus desire from the cross?What is the right kind of thirsty?-You thirst for God's word to be fulfilledWhen Jesus said he was thirsty on the cross, he fulfilled scripture. His desire was that God's word would come to pass through what he did, and he willed it to be so. Like Christ, we should also desire to see God's word fulfilled both in the world broadly and in our lives specifically. God's word does not return void, and we should act in a way that helps bring it to pass. This means we should bear fruit and, especially, that we should preach the gospel. -You thirst for God's righteousness.As Christians, we should desire to be right with God. We should desire goodness, and the only way to be good is through Jesus. If we are to satisfy our desire for righteousness, we must find the source of living water, which is Jesus. When we are in Christ, he renews us through the power of the Holy Spirit and gives us the ability to do good works. Without Jesus, nothing good that we do has any value for us spiritually. We must be made alive together with Christ before we can drink from the water he gives us. Will you choose Christ? Will you desire his righteousness?

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Every artist has a story, and Peter Burton's is one you need to hear. This episode is a deep dive into his journey of faith, resilience, and the power of music to heal. Peter opens up about his struggles with mental health, the pivotal moments that shaped his faith, and the inspiration behind his moving new song, "Where Would I Be." From a broken guitar to a renewed sense of purpose, Peter's story reminds us that God can use even our deepest wounds to bring hope to others. Let's go to the Story House!Connect with Matthew!Newsletter: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/emailsignup ⁠Facebook: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/FB⁠Instagram: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/IG⁠Website: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/website⁠YouTube: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/YT⁠TikTok: ⁠https://matthewwest.lnk.to/TikTok⁠Amazon: Ask Alexa to "follow Matthew West on Amazon Music!"

In this episode of Holy Disruption, host Heather Schott discusses the role of empathy, justice, and righteousness within the Christian church. She is joined by co-host Pastor Les Cody and guest Dr. Christina Crenshaw, who shares her extensive background in Christian education, theology, and leadership. The conversation delves into the church's response to social justice issues, the manipulation of empathy, and the cultural wars surrounding gender identity. The episode also touches on the importance of parents and Christian leaders providing clarity and standing firm in biblical truth. A powerful prayer closes the discussion, aiming to empower families and communities to take a righteous stand.

Jesus says He came that we might have life and have it to the full, that it comes through the Holy Spirit, and cannot be found any other way. (John 10:10, 6:62-64) Without Jesus there would be no way for us to be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven or to have the fullness of life He offers. The way to enter is narrow – it is only through Jesus. Let us seek to understand the implications this has for us in how we live and love others. Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Matthew 7:13-14 with John 10.

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This is part 1 of "Last Words," our sermon series at Fusion Christian Church where we examine the final seven sayings of Jesus before he died. What is the significance of Jesus' last words? As we look forward to Easter, it's time to reflect on our Savior's final moments on the cross. In this sermon we examine his prayer, "Father, forgive them," and ask: why did Jesus pray this?To show you that Jesus is the promised Messiah.The most important question you must wrestle with is whether or not Jesus Christ is the Son of God. To help you find that answer, Jesus fulfilled prophecy on the cross to show that he was from God. Demonstrating the divine character of his mission on earth, Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies. Several of these prophecies indicate that he was not just a human man, but also the Son of God. By praying for those who had wronged him, he demonstrated the intercession he would make for sinners.To show you the power of prayer.In praying for the very people who had put Jesus on the cross, Jesus demonstrated how powerful prayer can be. While he was still on the cross, the thief beside him came to believe that Jesus was the messiah, and a Roman soldier who crucified him exlaimed, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" Jesus' prayer produced immediate effects, and from that we learn to never stop praying for others. Though Jesus was beaten down and exhausted, he still prayed for others. Though the thief on his side seemed hopeless, it was not too late for him to be saved.To show you your need for a mediator.Finally, Jesus came and died so that he could act as mediator between God and men. Without Jesus, we would be hopeless in our efforts to reach God. Through Jesus and him only can we be reconciled to God.Decide for yourself: Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?

It's Witness Wednesday! Todd Friel is back at it with students at Kennesaw State University talking about the existence of God, sin, and repentance. Todd will emphasizes the need for understanding and accepting Jesus Christ for eternal life and salvation. Segment 1: • No Creator, No Moral Standard? – If a painting requires a painter, doesn't a universe require a Creator? Connor acknowledges this but struggles with defining God. • Shifting Morality vs. Absolute Truth – If culture shapes morality, what happens when it changes? Without a divine lawgiver, everything is just opinion. Segment 2: • Every Sin Counts – From lying to lust, Connor realizes that even internal sins are violations against a holy God. • Guilty Without Appeal – Standing before the ultimate judge, what defense does Connor have? Without Jesus, the sentence is eternal. Segment 3: • Religion Without the Gospel? – Tim understands the framework of Christianity—purpose, morality, and structure—but leaves out the cross. Why? • The Core of Christianity – Good works and meaning won't save you. Only the blood of Jesus can pay the fine for your sins. Segment 4: • Faith Must Be Personal – Tim gives intellectual answers but is challenged: Has he truly been born again? Or has he just followed religious tradition? • The Assurance of Salvation – Unlike Connor, Tim confidently recalls the moment he was saved. Do you have that certainty? ___ Preorder the new book, Lies My Therapist Told Me, by Fortis Institute Fellow Dr. Greg Gifford now! https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/liesmytherapisttoldme ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

What if discipleship isn't just another Christian buzzword but the very essence of following Jesus? In this profound conversation with Steven David (known online as Sahil the Disciple), we unpack what it truly means to be a disciple in today's complex world.Steven offers a refreshingly simple yet powerful definition of discipleship as "the art of obedience" - learning to follow Jesus in every aspect of life. Drawing from scripture, particularly John 15 and Matthew 28, he illuminates how abiding in Christ forms the foundation of all discipleship efforts. "Without Jesus, if I am not connected to the Lord Jesus Christ, I can't do anything," Steven explains, highlighting our dependence on divine connection.For those experiencing spiritual dryness, Steven offers compelling wisdom about continuing spiritual practices even when emotions wane. Using marriage as an analogy, he emphasizes that just as spouses don't abandon their relationship during emotional lulls, we shouldn't abandon our spiritual disciplines during desert seasons. Whether you're a new believer seeking guidance, a seasoned Christian mentoring others, or someone navigating a spiritually dry season, this conversation offers practical wisdom for authentic discipleship in today's world. Connect with Steven @SahiltheDisciple on social platforms where he continues to share insights on theology, relationships, and Christian living.Support the show

1. Jesus shows us who we are. (v.14)2. Without Jesus, we are nothing. (v.15-17)3. With Jesus, we are everything. (v.18-22)

Welcome to First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman! Subscribe and join us for online & in-person services every Sunday at 10:30am (EST).Speaker: Pastor Steve Brady

Have you ever heard the saying, “Live your truth,”? Well in today’s message, Pastor JD reminds you there is only one truth and that is found in Jesus! Like your belt holds up your pants, the truth of Jesus is the anchor that holds everything in your life together; or at least He should be. Without Jesus at the center, everything is relative.

In Old Testament times, only the priest could enter the presence of God in the temple. In today's message, Pastor Ken says we all have access to God because of Christ's death and resurrection. We can all run to Him because He gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Without Jesus, we're lost and in need of a savior, but with Jesus we have hope of a new life in Him. Jesus gives you all that you need, trust Him today and see what hope in something other than yourself looks like. Once you do, you won't regret it.

Jesus changes everything about our lives. He died and rose again on the third day for our sins to be forgiven. In today's message, Pastor Mark says the questions of this world don't matter because Jesus is the only way to salvation. Without Jesus, our lives are meaningless, but with Jesus, we have a purpose. Jesus lived a perfect life, so you don't have to. He went to the cross so you can have a relationship with the king of kings. Jesus bridged the gap that was there. Your sins are forgiven! All you must do is believe and trust that He is who He says He is. There's a king who defeated the grave, so you don't have to.

710 To Whom The Word Of God Came, A Guided Christian Meditation on John 10:34-39 with the Recenter With Christ app  The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation John 10 NIV 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”'[d]? 35 If he called them ‘gods,' to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God's Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. NASB 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I said, you are gods'? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified), 36 are you saying of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,' because I said, ‘I am the Son of God'? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may [h]know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39 Therefore they were seeking again to arrest Him, and He eluded their grasp. Meditation on Scripture: Jesus Quotes Psalm 82 to show us that the true power comes from the will and decisions of God. True Goodness comes from God. The Messianic role fulfilled by Jesus came through the power of God. There is a great irony of having Jesus accused of Blasphemy. This scripture is deep and has many lessons but, at this moment I'd like to reflect on this.. Has the word of God come to you? Jesus is the word, spoken of in John 1 that was with God and was God. Awareness about Jesus is the heart of this. Do we understand that the true word referred to here is embodied in Jesus who was sent to the world to make us holy. Without Jesus and the works he came to do, none of the other struggles of life has any eternal meaning. As we put our trust in Jesus we are swallowed up in the power of God over the whole world and every possible dimension and eternal consequence.  In this moment if you haven't done so already, choose to follow Jesus and learn of Him for the rest of your life. If you have already chosen this, then grab hold of that memory and decision and embrace it in your mind and heart. Let us recommit to that. To continually bring our minds and hearts back to that decision. Embrace the things God says in scripture as eternally important and allow that word to take hold in your heart by reflecting on it, reading it, meditating on it, as we are here. Overall we should seek to feast on it.  God cannot blaspheme. It is certainly not blasphemy for God to describe something about Godhood that we dont understand. Had the Jews realized that Jesus was God it would have been ridiculous to call out Jesus for Blasphemy. As we embrace Jesus as the Savior of the world we also embrace His sovereignty about the truth. God can guide you in your life and learning how to receive that is one of the greatest lessons of life.  Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

Episode 767: Without Jesus, There Would Be No Christmas - Who would throw a birthday party and not invite the person whose birthday it is? Let's not leave Christ out of Christmas. Find out more on this episode of Good News with Greg Fritz. Download or request your FREE Study Notes for this series at https://gregfritz.org/study-notes/. Greg Fritz is on a mission to get the truth of the Good News to as many people as possible. The truth is God has a plan and a meaning for your life. You are extravagantly and deeply loved by God, and you were created for a purpose.  Receive a free CD and our newsletter: https://www.gregfritz.org/free-cd/   Follow Greg on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gregfritzministries/  Follow Greg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregfritzministries/ Watch more videos: https://www.gospeltruth.tv/   Learn more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrR9Rsx4h_RqYigda2PysZQ  Email us: info@gregfritz.org  Partner with us:  https://gregfritz.org/partners/ Donate: https://gregfritz.org/donate/

Confounding the wisdom of the world, Jesus Christ became God in the flesh and dwelt among His creation. God's glorious salvation arrived, full of grace and truth. In this message from John 1, Pastor Lutzer shows how Jesus is the divider of humanity, giving us a choice between light and darkness. Without Jesus, we will only manage our darkness. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/172/29

Confounding the wisdom of the world, Jesus Christ became God in the flesh and dwelt among His creation. God's glorious salvation arrived, full of grace and truth. In this message from John 1, Pastor Lutzer shows how Jesus is the divider of humanity, giving us a choice between light and darkness. Without Jesus, we will only manage our darkness. This month's special offer is available for a donation of any amount. Get yours at https://rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. 

DATE: December 15, 2024SERIES: Christmas For All GenerationsTITLE: Joy is hard without JesusTEXT: Luke 1:5-25BIG IDEA: Repentance leads to the joy of salvation.SERMON NOTES: http://tiny.cc/notes20241215RESPOND: http://thecreeksidechurch.org/discovercard

DATE: December 15, 2024SERIES: Christmas For All GenerationsTITLE: Joy is hard without JesusTEXT: Luke 1:5-25BIG IDEA: Repentance leads to the joy of salvation.SERMON NOTES: http://tiny.cc/notes20241215RESPOND: http://thecreeksidechurch.org/discovercard

Saturday, 7 December 2024   But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Matthew 5:32   “And I, I say, to you that whoever if he shall dismiss his wife, except a word of harlotry, he makes her commit adultery. And whoever if ‘her having been dismissed' he shall marry, he commits adultery” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus cited the words of Moses concerning giving a woman a certificate of divorce. Having said that, He next says, “And I, I say, to you.”   As with Matthew 5:28, almost all translations say either “But I say” or “However, I say.” This then sets Jesus' words against those of Moses. But this is not the intent at all. Moses said what he said under inspiration from the Lord. It cannot be that the Lord would now contradict or argue against what was previously written.   Rather, and as seen in the previous commentary, Jesus told the people that Moses allowed for divorce because of the hardness of their hearts. This means that God knew that the people would rebel against Him even more than they did if they were not given this allowance.   However, Jesus now explains what the standard of God actually is, not by contradicting Moses (But), but through an additional explanation of how God perceives such things (And). Understanding this, He next says, “that whoever if he shall dismiss his wife.”   To dismiss means to send her away through divorce. As seen, the law in Deuteronomy said that this could be done for a “word of nudity,” meaning some type of shame that caused the husband to no longer want her. As nothing more specific was cited in the law, it became common for divorce to be allowed for almost any reason. However, Jesus next says, “except a word of harlotry.”   Jesus uses the word parektos, translated as except. The meaning then is that there is but this one exception which is noted as a word. The idea of a “word” is that of a matter. The man finds out that the woman has played the harlot and he resolves to dismiss her because of that. This is the only exception allowed by God's exacting standard.   As for the word porneia, translated as harlotry, it signifies “to sell off.” Thus, it speaks of surrendering oneself from sexual purity, meaning it refers to marital unfaithfulness. With this one exception identified, Jesus says that through any other reason for divorce, “he makes her commit adultery.”   In other words, the woman has not been unfaithful, but because of the actions of the man in dismissing her, he is actually causing her to be an adulteress. To God, the union did not have a sufficient reason for it being ended. But without such a sufficient reason, it means that to Him, it is still considered a legal union.   A piece of paper doesn't change the reality of the state between the two. To further clarify the matter, Jesus finishes the verse with, “And whoever if ‘her having been dismissed' he shall marry, he commits adultery.”   The woman, having been dismissed by her husband for a reason that is insufficient in the eyes of God, is now to be considered an adulteress. As such, the person who marries her is committing adultery with her. God still sees the original union in the light of Genesis 2:24 –   “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”   As this is so, then anyone coming into this union from the outside is violating the union that was first acknowledged as binding by God. One can see why Jesus' initial word should be “And” not “But.” Jesus is speaking with the authority of God because He is God incarnate.   He is explaining what is and is not appropriate based on Scripture. But He is doing it from more than an interpretive angle. He is setting forth the standard of God, something only God can do.   Life application: Jesus has spoken forth the standard concerning marriage. He has given one exception for divorce which is sexual immorality (translated as harlotry above) on the part of the spouse. This excludes divorces for any other reason. As such, the marriage is expected to be honored regardless of any other situation that has arisen.   This is so contrary to the allowances in society that it seems impossible to imagine, but it is what the word has set forth. As noted, Paul gives his own thoughts on such things in 1 Corinthians 7. What he says there should be taken into consideration as well. But the idea of divorce should be repugnant to Christians, not an option that is always available because the spouse doesn't measure up to one's standards in some way or another.   May we be faithful in our marriages, and may we faithfully honor the spouse we chose, thereby honoring God who set forth the idea of marriage at the beginning of man's time on earth.   Lord God, we are so grateful for Jesus who has cleansed us from all impurity. Each of us has been unfaithful in so many ways. Our eyes look to things they shouldn't, and our hearts are easily turned away from the right path. Without Jesus, where could we go from our sins? But because of Jesus, there is a cleansing fountain always there to restore us to You. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.  

Following Jesus is never done by itself. Many things go together with following Jesus, and there are a few things that certainly don't go together with that. In this message, Pastor Scott Savage closes out our Way of Jesus series by sharing 5 things that go together with Jesus. This message is based on Matthew 7:13-29.

Following Jesus is never done by itself. Many things go together with following Jesus, and there are a few things that certainly don't go together with that. In this message, Pastor Scott Savage closes out our Way of Jesus series by sharing 5 things that go together with Jesus. This message is based on Matthew 7:13-29.

When the last artillery rounds were heard on the Western Front and World War I ended, good men of conscience tried to create a global body that would bring lasting peace to the earth. Their hearts were in the right place. History teaches us though that real peace is elusive and rare. John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”We see in Christ that there is no fixing the human heart without Him. He is our peace. When the kids are driving you bonkers, Jesus is your peace. If your finances have collapsed, Jesus is your peace. If you are anxious or frustrated or depressed about anything, Jesus is your peace. And because the Bible tells us that He is truth, we can rely on Jesus' promise to give us peace. Tell Him today that you need His peace. He hasn't left you. Let's pray. Lord, life can be stressful. It's just part of the experience. Thank you that you are literally our peace, and that we can come to you at any time, night or day. In Jesus' name, amen.Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

God's word is compelling and so very practical.  It thoroughly equips us and it still speaks to us today. Today's story takes place in the town of Miletus where Paul is speaking to leaders of the church sharing the difficult challenges and testing he experienced in his three years of mission work in Ephesus. He shares how he humbly did the work God gave him even in the most despairing times he humbly hung on tight to God who brought him through it all. What can we learn from Paul's speech?     1.    Humble Service - we are called to humility before our awesome and mighty God, recognizing all we have and are comes from Him and that we are all in the same condition - sinners. We need a Savior and only God can save us. Humility is needed in understanding this.  We are called to serve God in humility and to humbly server others to use our gifts, time, talents, abilities and opportunities that God gives us to serve Him and bless others.  Our lives are to be lives of Humble Service. Paul goes on to summarize what he taught while in Ephesus: that all must turn to God in repentance and have faith in Jesus. He taught the full counsel of God, not just the popular things but also the things that weren't. He did so without camouflaging God's word or avoiding those things that could be heard as upsetting.  He spoke the full truth to all. Repent and believe the good news is the heart of the Gospel message - come back to the living God in the way we live and walk with a change of heart and mind through Christ.     2.    Steadfast Truth - Speaking the truth in love - that we need to repent before God. Martin Luther says, “When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said repent, He willed that entire life of a believer be one of repentance.”  Repentance is a calling - a daily calling to turn back to God, to daily recognize the importance of walking with Jesus. We are not called to simple religion, we are called to a relationship with God through faith in Jesus, God's Son, who died, rose and is coming again!  We are to live in this truth and to share that truth with others As the story continues, Paul shares how he will go where God leads even though he does not know what lies ahead. He shares how the Holy Spirit has warned him that prison and hardships are coming but even in the face of this knowledge, Paul follows willingly where the Holy Spirit compelled him to go, regardless of danger and threats ahead.     3.    Spirit Directed - we too have a calling from God - to know Him, to rejoice in Him, to receive hi forgiveness in Christ, to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to allow the Spirit of God to guide and direct our lives.  It's not always easy or comfortable, but it is for our benefit and God's glory. We are called to listen to the Holy Spirit, walk in the Holy Spirit, to follow the Holy Spirit, to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal and show us God's goodness. Paul's story concludes with him stating his life's aim is to complete the task the Lord Jesus had given him - the task of testifying to the Good News of God's grace. Pastor shares a personal story regarding this verse, a conversation with a college professor and the place he had this verse inscribed prior to his wedding day. This verse had a profound effect on Pastor life and he shares the impact of visiting the city of Miletus several years ago and being where Paul had spoken these words of Acts 20:24. Without Jesus we are lost - when Jesus breaks into our lives we are changed!!     4.    Life's Commitment - we are to live our lives committed to Jesus. We are to live our lives for Jesus and “finish the race,” the course of our lifetime as planned by God.  Our life is a “race.”  Towards the end of Paul's life he writes the following in 2 Timothy 4:7 - “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” That is our calling, too! We are to run the race with endurance, to follow Jesus as our Savior and Guide, to honor, worship and praise our Heavenly Father, to listen to the Holy Spirit as He speaks into our hearts, to follow where God leads NO MATTER THE DIRECTION.  NO MATTER THE COST. Scripture: Acts 20:17-24, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 https://www.awakeusnow.com Check out the video on our website https://www.awakeusnow.com/living-one Check out the video on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOwUarSm3uJrzLI4thAJNXQj Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

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My wife and I put hundreds of miles on our bikes each year, pedaling the trails around West Michigan. To enhance the experience, we have some extras accessories that we’ve attached to our bikes. Sue has a front light, a back light, an odometer, and a bike lock. My bike has a water-bottle holder. In reality, we could ride our route successfully every day and rack up all those miles without the extras. They’re helpful but optional. In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul writes about another set of accessories—but these aren’t optional. He said we must “put on” these things to be successful in living out our faith in Jesus. Our lives aren’t easy rides. We’re in a battle against “the devil’s schemes” (6:11), so we must be well-equipped. Without the wisdom of Scripture, we can be swayed to accept error. Without Jesus helping us live out his “truth,” we’ll give in to lies (v. 14). Without the “gospel,” we have no “peace” (v. 15). Without “faith” shielding us, we’ll succumb to doubt (v. 16). Our “salvation” and the Holy Spirit anchor us to live well for God (v. 17). This is our armor. How vital that we travel the pathways of life protected from its real dangers. We do that when Christ equips us for the challenges along the way—when we “put on” the armor God provides.

Friday, 27 September 2024   From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17   “From then, Jesus, He began to proclaim and to say, ‘Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens'” (CG).   The previous verse completed the citation from Isaiah concerning the coming Messiah who would appear in the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. With that citation complete, it next says, “From then, Jesus, He began to proclaim and to say.”   The baptism of Jesus has been noted, His temptation in the desert area was explained, and then the imprisonment of John was noted, which was immediately followed by the note that Jesus departed to the Galilee, thus fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy. Matthew's account of the ministry in the area of Galilee now officially begins with this verse.   The narrative clearly and unambiguously shows that Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah's messianic prophecy, just as was the prophecy concerning John from Isaiah that he would be the forerunner of the Messiah.   The logical step-by-step nature of how Matthew is presenting the unfolding of Israel's history in relation to the coming of the Messiah is carefully laid out for us to see. With Jesus as the Messiah on full display, His message is next given in the words, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens.”   It is a letter-for-letter repeat of John's message in Matthew 3:2 –   3:1, 2 – And in those days, comes John the Baptist, proclaiming in the desolate of Judea, 2 and saying, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens.”   4:17 – From then, Jesus, He began to proclaim and to say, “Reconsider! For it has neared – the kingdom of the heavens.”   Jesus is, at this time, noted as being like a herald. He is proclaiming a message of reconsideration to the people of Israel. As they were the Lord's people, this must mean reconsidering their relationship with Him. This is unlike the later reconsideration when the gospel is preached to the Gentiles.   The Gentiles did not have a relationship with the Lord as noted, for example, in Ephesians 2:12 where Paul notes that they stand “without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”   As such, the reconsideration of the Gentiles which Paul mentions in (for example) Acts 17:30, concerns their idea about who God is, not so much their relationship with Him. Once they are presented with the gospel, they reconsider who God is and what He is like, turning to Him through faith in the Messiah.   Jesus, at this time, is proclaiming reconsideration to Israel who is still under the law. He is telling them that the kingdom of the heavens is at hand. John's proclamation was to prepare Israel for the coming of the Messiah who would establish this kingdom. Jesus' proclamation is that He is the One who would establish it.   Life application: There is a false teaching concerning the establishment of Christ's coming that says Jesus came to renew the Mosaic Covenant. Thus, rather than translating verses like Jeremiah 31:31 and Hebrews 8:8, 13 as “new,” these false teachers say “renewed.” This is what is taught, for example, in the Hebrew Roots movement.   The word, in both Hebrew and Greek, means “new.” The word “renewed” is not a possible translation, nor can it even be inferred. There is a complete divide between the Law of Moses and the Covenant of Grace which comes through Jesus' finished work.   This is because Jesus' finished work... well, it finished something. What did it finish? It finished the task He was assigned, which was to be born under the law, live out the law without sinning, and then end the law because the law stands against us. It is not our friend but our enemy in the sense that it only condemns us. Without Jesus, the law can never bring about salvation. That is why Paul wrote this –   “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Ephesians 2:14-16   Jesus “abolished” the “law of commandments and ordinances.” It is speaking of the Law of Moses. It stood opposed to those who were under it. For those who believe in the completed work of the Messiah, salvation is realized. For those who claim that Jesus came to “renew” the Law of Moses, they have believed a false gospel and there will be no salvation.   Man simply cannot give up on himself. It is the sin of pride that says, “I am my own Savior.” Jesus may be a part of the process, but this type of thinking ultimately comes back to self. Give up on self! If you are a part of this heretical sect, come to Jesus today. Be saved through His full, final, finished, and forever work. Come to the cross and lay yourself and your burdens down.   Glorious God, forgive us for always trying to make everything about ourselves. Even in salvation, we greedily claim a portion of the process, as if we have somehow merited grace. But grace cannot be earned. Help us to get this right. May we forever hail Jesus who alone has done it all. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.  

Episode 254-Jesus Loves Me Romans 8:38-39 are some of the most dramatic, poetic and impactful words in scripture. They are so monumental that we sometimes just pass right by them. However, when we finally internalize what they really mean to us it will change how we view God and drive us to trust Him more.   “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 NKJV    For eight chapters in Romans, Paul has been laying out the plan of salvation and sharing who Jesus is and why trusting Him is important. In this conclusion to the first part of Romans, Paul is telling these new believers that Jesus' love for them is a trustworthy foundation  for their faith. It will stand any test they might throw at it. His conclusion is a convincing and persuasive argument that NOTHING, can separate those of us who are in Christ from Jesus love for us which gives us access to Father God.   The depths of God's love is seen in what Jesus did. It should be a big deal for someone to say, “I love you.” As awesome as that is, it's quite another thing entirely for them to tell us that nothing will stop them from loving us. Nothing.    I love my husband. We've been married for 44 years. Not every year was perfect, but the imperfect years were mostly my fault. I say mostly because it does take two, right? See, God gave me a gem when he gave me Roy. He is calm, patience, loving. He has a servant nature that I could never outdo.    He loves me and I love him, but are there things that could separate me from his love? I'm sure there are. But he has already put up with a lot  from me, think 250 more pounds on my body. That still didn't stop him from loving me.   However, if I yelled and screamed at him every day, that would do a lot of damage to our relationship. Are there things that could come between even the most committed couple? Yes, I've witnessed it happen to those who thought they'd be married forever and then out of the blue, something happened to separate them.   My question then is how can God say that there would be nothing at all that could ever stop Him from loving me? We are humans and we aren't perfect. We learned that back in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All means all, everyone, yes, me and you, too.    But here's where Romans 6:23 ESV comes in. “ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This verse solidifies our fate as sinners, but it also gives us the way out. Jesus is God's pure gift of love to us. It is only because of what Jesus did that God can love us.    Without Jesus willfully agreeing to leave His heavenly throne and come to earth as a human, die on the cross, be buried, rise again from the grave, and ascend to heaven, God couldn't love us. We are sinners by nature. It took God with skin on to rescue us when we accept His gift of salvation. If we have accepted Christ, God now sees us through Christ's righteousness and as such we are welcomed into God's presence.    Link for Teresa's Website: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com Link for Overcomers Academy: https://Teresashieldsparker.com/overcomers/ Link for Teresa's Fb page: https://www.facebook.com/TeresaShieldsParker Link for Teresa's IG: https://www.instagram.com/treeparker/ Link for Teresa's Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/treeparker  

Sermon - Mark 9:14-29 - The Church Without Jesus by Community Lutheran Church

Morning Offering, September 1, 2024Every morning, join Father Brad as he begins the day with prayer and reflection. In a few short minutes, Father Brad guides you in prayer, shares a brief reflection grounding your day in the Church's rhythm of feast days and liturgy, and provides you with the encouragement necessary to go forward with peace and strength. Let us do as the saints urge and begin our days in prayer together so as a community of believers we may join the Psalmist in saying, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3-4)________________

Next time you wonder how a good God could allow such sorrowful moments and seasons, will you consider the beautiful blessings they also hold? Notice how those divine presents make you feel in the midst of the treacherous-at-times storms? If you look for him, look for them, you will find his continual blessings. Radiant touches of joy, heart swelling doses of love, generous infusions of peace, and invaluable portions of purpose. SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: The Blessed Life With Jesus By Keri Eichberger Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. (Psalm 84:5) Have you ever heard someone say, “I don't know how they do it,” when referring to someone who doesn't seem to place their faith in Jesus through difficult times, while they're going through their own strenuous struggle? I have. And I've said it. Recently in fact. On multiple occasions.  I 100% don't think I could have survived the rough patches of my life without the Lord to lean on. Like last month, staring out the window as the paramedic lifted my dad on a stretcher into an ambulance while my family was on vacation. The site left me paralyzed with vicious waves of knock-your-breath-out fear. Weakened by the moment, I collapsed in the chair in our rental house, and all I felt I had was the Lord's name to call on, to beg for peace, mercy, and a miracle. I'm pretty sure I would've stopped breathing without his almighty calming hand to hold. And then there were the many days that followed – the unknowns, ups and downs, sleepless nights of worry and what ifs after Dad's sudden stroke – that then slowly became sprinkled with blessings as I began to sturdy my gaze on the Lord. Without Jesus, the chaos of my heart, head, and surroundings would've missed the strength supplied through those around me, along with the peaceful reminders that my cares were being cared for. And regardless of me. Blessings. I would've missed so many blessings without the rock solid foundation of our good God. The Bible says, “Blessed are those whose strength is in you.” Blessed. Yes, I'm learning more and more what it means to have a blessed life. I'm learning it doesn't necessarily mean we will live in a state of constant comfort, contentment, and happiness. Because I'm learning and understanding that quite the opposite is actually true. That this world is really hard, and it hurts. The more and more we live it, in fact. Also true, and I've seen this time and again, that the compounding weights we weather have the capability to crush most people unless they have eyes that see Jesus. An awareness of blessings born with, and beaming through, the burdens, tragedies, and traumas. Reflect with me for a minute. Consider some hard things you have endured or are enduring right now. Can you tie any blessings at all to those difficulties? Maybe an unpleasant, unexpected detour opened a door to a bit of goodness that would otherwise never have been. Possibly a relationship was formed or strengthened through the trial? Perhaps stronger bonds of intimacy were created with the Lord as you clung closer to him? Or you offered or received acts of service that blessed someone or gave you the sweet gift of purpose? These blessings are truly the greatest gifts. They are gifts that the world could never dare to give. This is the blessed life with Jesus. When visiting the hospital recently over my dad's five week stay, when trying to encourage him with the good shining through his hard season, I shared how I've grown closer to the Lord through this difficult storm. Which is priceless. And I'll soon let him know, now that he's just returned home, how I've grown in a closer relationship and connection to my mom too. Yet another precious and priceless gift from God. Yes, God warned us of the trouble and trials to be in our time on earth, but he most certainly promised the good here, too. Aww, thank you, Lord.  Intersecting Faith and Life: Next time you wonder how a good God could allow such sorrowful moments and seasons, will you consider the beautiful blessings they also hold? Notice how those divine presents make you feel in the midst of the treacherous-at-times storms? If you look for him, look for them, you will find his continual blessings. Radiant touches of joy, heart swelling doses of love, generous infusions of peace, and invaluable portions of purpose. God's never failing faithfulness and always available abundance. The blessed life. Which only comes from a life lived close with him. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.