Podcasts about your son jesus christ

Delivered by Gladys from the Parish of Saint Gabriel in the Diocese of Bandung, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 22: 30; 23: 6-11; Rs psalm 16: 1-2a.5.7-8.9-10.11; Yohanes 17: 20-26.MAY THEY BECOME ONE The title for our meditation today is:May They Become One. This sentence comes from Jesus Himself, that is when Heprayed for the apostles, the disciples and all of His followers, at the momentof the last supper. The focus of a prayer of this type continues to inspire allour prayers with the intentions for communion and unity among us. This communion is the fundamentalnature of God's being and existence, namely the Trinity. Based on this, Jesusthen prayed that all of his followers will finally arrive at this goal. Butthere is one simple question as it goes: why does Jesus not reveal: “They mustbecome one”, but instead he says: “May they become one”? The most obvious reason is that Godgives freedom to every human person to choose communion or division anddisintegration. This is the same as the human freedom to choose to obey God ordisobey Him. In this world the battle field and struggle of life will determinewhether one really follows God or otherwise chooses another path to oppose Him.Every human being is blessed with freedom and intelligence to choose the pathto salvation. Another reason that we may not realizeis that preparation is always an important element in the pilgrimage of ourfaith in the world. The prayer of Jesus that we may unite in the world is anencouragement, therefore, we can prepare a strong and dignified unity as sonsand daughters of God. This preparation is like an increase of our passion tolong for eternal communion in heaven. Therefore to each one of us: neitherignore nor play and underestimate any kind of unity of God's children in theworld and rather think only the future communion in heaven. God does not pleasewith this type of belief. The next reason that maybe the highestone is that God is the only one God, and He dwells forever in heaven. To getthere we have to go through a long journey and process. There is no magic gameor highly-expressed transportation to get there. If there is no need of aprocess, then we need only one miracle to bring all of us together to heaven.This is not the way of God. God allows us to follow the process, and so we usethe prayer "May we become one". In all our efforts, we humans hopethat we can achieve the goal of communion with God. God does not want toeliminate the element of hope in us by using the word “must”. Hope is veryimportant for us humans. All our prayers clearly use the words "hopefully"or "may" and "will" or "later", because it is aconcrete sign of our hope.Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O God Almighty, unity in You is our ultimate hope, may the HolySpirit sent by Your Son Jesus Christ unite us in this world in all our ways andsituations as our preparation to enjoy eternal communion in heaven. Hail Maryfull of grace ... In the name of the Father ...

Delivered by Samuel Ivan Gunarsa from the Parish of Mary, the Lady of All Nations in the Diocese of Bogor, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 16: 22-34; Rs psalm 138: 1-2a.2bc-3.7c-8; John 16: 5-11.TRIAL FOR THE WORLD The title for our meditation today is:Trial for The World. Why is there a trial against the world? The court rulesout a just trial for the injustices that are happening in the world. Injusticeis a big sin of people who live and practice the life-style of the world. Thetragedies of war, hunger, corruption and sexual abuse are among the manyinjustices that contribute to the damages of life that our world today has. Jesus Christ specifically mentions theduty of the Holy Spirit who judges as He says, "When He comes, He willconvict the world". The spiritual jugde comes into a condition of theworld that had been renewed through the events of Jesus Christ. The Paschalevents presented Jesus, the apostles and the Early Church as the true witnessesof what is right, good and just that need to be maintained. A life that isright, good and just does not disappear after Jesus' death and ascension intoheaven. The Holy Spirit continues to livethrough this course of life. He teaches and operates the court so that we whohave faith may open our inner and physical eyes, to justify what sin is andwhere grace stands. The heavenly court does not use the law enforcement of thisworld, which are full of compromises and corruptions. The Holy Spirit does nothave flesh and bones, so He will certainly conduct His judgement fairly andwisely. The Spirit will make every believerand the whole world know for certain about sin. Sin is an act against God,namely not believing in Jesus Christ sent by the Father. The consequence of notaccepting God is not being able to enjoy happines and eternal dwelling in God.Sin brings misery to life in this world and must be more miserable in thehereafter. The Holy Spirit also shows what truth,goodness and justice are. Jesus himself lived in that manner and he did defendit to the point of His death. Jesus went up to the Father in heaven whily leavingthis world already graced with the the gift of salvation. His truth liberates,just like a liberation offered to Paul and Silas from imprisonment as told inthe liturgical first reading of today. This is what we need to follow, which isan eternal gain that is to live with the Father in heaven. The Holy Spirit opens the eyes of thewhole world that the judgment for sinners is undeniable. Sinners, andespecially the scandal makers who have plunged many people into sin, must berewarded with extraordinary punishment. They have no place in God. Let us bethe people who are firm to the truth and obedient to the Holy Spirit.Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O God Almighty, we are grateful for Your Son Jesus Christ whoenlightens us in the divine justice. May we sincerely open ourselves to receivethe Holy Spirit that we may remain in the path of truth, the way of JesusChrist Himself. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comJohn 4Jesus passes through Samaria on His way back to Galilee. He sees a Samaritan woman at a well and asks for a drink. She responds by questioning why a Jewish man would speak to her. What follows is a conversation wherein Jesus speaks of a gift from God, living water, that would spring up within her “to eternal life.” The woman is both curious and cautious. Jesus patiently educates her about a relationship with God, independent of nationality. She knows a Messiah is coming, and Jesus openly tells her that He is the One. She believes and tells many others who then come to Jesus and believe in Him. Following this, Jesus returns to Galilee and heals a royal official's son by simply saying, “Go; your son lives.” Luke is the only Gentile author in the New Testament. His gospel is committed to showing that Jesus' kingdom is open to all people. In this chapter, it is likely that the two beneficiaries of Christ's mercy are not Jews. The Samaritans were often maligned by the Jews, and yet Jesus preaches eternal life to a Samaritan woman. The official, whose son is sick, is often determined by commentators to be a Gentile. Salvation and the Lord's help are for those who believe in Jesus and worship God in spirit and truth. This means having hearts of faith and actions consistent with the teachings of the King. All who commit to these things have eternal life, regardless of nationality or background.  Father of Life, we know that living water and eternal life are found in You through Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for sending Him to find sinners like us. Thank You for sending a Savior who searches for a foreign woman with an immoral past. He is a Healer who changes lives in an instant wherever He encounters true faith. We are thankful for Jesus, and we trust in His power to help us. We will honor Him by worshiping You according to His teachings. Help us to worship with humble spirits, with absolute surrender, and with complete commitment to Jesus.  Thought Questions: -       Jesus initiates a conversation with a woman in an uncomfortable setting. Why did He do that and how can you be more like Him? -       True worshipers worship “in spirit and truth”. How do you make sure to do this righteously when it comes to worshiping God? -       The official believed Jesus and then his son was healed. Why is it crucial to believe the words of Jesus to be blessed by Him? 

Delivered by the Vocationist Sisters in Labuan Bajo and Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Exodus 3: 1-8a.13-15; Rs psalm 103: 1-2.3-4.6-7.8.11; 1 Corinthians 10: 1-6.10-12; Luke 13: 1-9TIME TO RETURN TO GOD The theme for our meditation on this 3rdSunday of Lent is: A Time to Return to God. Time is one of the signs that warnsus about the opportunity to meet God. Sunday, for example, is a special timefor the faithful to gather and worship God. Lent is an opportunity every yearfor all of God's people to intensively and fully establish a relationship withGod through the acts of penance. Our time to encounter God can happen at any time andis very personal. God dwells in each of us and each person just needs toactivate awareness, calmness in heart, focus of mind and intimacy inrelationship to be able to experience moments with Him. We don't need to director lead God to come and meet at a certain place and at a particular time. It isprecisely we who provide time and room to meet Him and experience specialmoments with Him. Is meeting God an opportunity to return to Him? Isthis an opportunity for a person to repent from sins and evil acts? All of us aresinners when we meet God, whether on occasion with other believers orpersonally. But not everyone takes that opportunity as a time to return to God.There are still many of us who have not repented and truly experienced a newlife when they encounter God in prayer and worship. For example, a person was attending Sunday worship atchurch. He did not concentrate on every part of worship from opening toclosing. His mind was in chaos or running around. He did meet God while in thechurch, but he did not experience God's presence through the Word that entered andtouched his heart and consciousness. He was very burdened by the problems thatoccurred in his personal and family life. He did not receive Communion in thecelebration of the Eucharist on that Sunday. Any of us may not have repented and returned to theright path when we met the Lord. He is like a fig tree that does not bearfruit, which is ordered to be cut down. He was like the Israelites who werewarned by Moses to remember the Lord and return to Him. He is like theChristians who were warned by Saint Paul not to fall into sin like the ancientIsraelites when they were always against God's will. So, the time for us to return to God is at the time ofGod's warning or command to us to repent. If at this moment the warning isgiven and reaches our ears and hearts, that is the opportunity to repent.Delaying or rejecting it, then the moment or opportunity to change will be lost.Let us pray. In the name of the Father ... O Almighty God,strengthen our faith in every warning and call to return to the way, the truth,and the life, which is Your Son Jesus Christ and our Lord. Glory to the Fatherand to the Son and to the Holy Spirit... In the name of the Father...

Day 1: Mary, Full of Grace From the Gospel according to Luke 1:28 In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. The Angel came to her and said, Rejoice, Full of Grace!  Let us pray: Almighty Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we thank You for bestowing upon Your highly favored daughter all the graces to be Your Son's Mother and to be the Mother of all. We thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to be our redeemer and savior. Thank You for giving us the breath of life and the splendor of Your creations. We thank You, Father, our Lord, and our God, for Your infinite kindness and mercy. How good You are to us, your children. We praise you and worship you, with Your Son, Jesus Christ, and his Mother Mary, our intercessor. To You, we owe everything. We acknowledge humbly that without You, we are nothing. Receive our gratitude and our undying adoration and devotion. We will try to reciprocate Your loving kindness by obeying Your commandments, by loving our neighbors and by earnestly endeavoring to become more like Your Son. We shall continuously affirm Your lordship and celebrate Your goodness and kindness all the days of our life. Amen. The post A Novena for the Annunciation – Day 1 – Mary, Full of Grace appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMark 5Three miracles of Jesus are documented in this chapter. Each is given significant detail. The first is Jesus casting demons out of a man and into a herd of swine. The man is in torment and the demons are many, but they are subject to the authority of Christ. They even ask permission from Jesus to be cast into the pigs. The second miracle is with a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years. Amid a massive crowd, she pushes through and touches His coat and is immediately healed. Jesus praises her faith. The final miracle is raising a synagogue official's daughter from the dead! Jesus tells the man, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” Peter, James, and John are allowed to witness this incredible miracle! Each of these stories tells us something about Jesus' authority. Casting out the demons shows that Jesus controls all the spiritual realms. The demons knew He was “the Son of the Most High God,” and they were powerless against Him. The woman's healing demonstrates Jesus' power over the human body, as He heals her in an instant. The raising of Jairus's daughter proves Jesus can bring life after death. All of this is designed to increase our faith. He controls the demons and casts them away from us. He can heal and protect and help us and our bodies. And not even death can separate us from the power of Jesus, who commands our souls to come and go wherever He chooses.  Great God of glory, we believe in the authority and power of Your Son Jesus Christ. We believe He controls the spiritual world beyond our sight. We know He has power over our bodies and lives. And we live with the assurance that He has the keys to death and hades and will give us life again after physical death. He has proven His ability in the miracles of His ministry and His resurrection from the dead. Please empower us to remember and share these eternal truths. Help us to surrender our lives to His authority.   Thought Questions: -       The man with the demon needed Jesus. You may be overcome by struggles you cannot bear alone. How should you approach Jesus about those?  -       The woman was desperate when she reached for Jesus' cloak. Have you ever felt like that? And what does it look like to reach out for Him? -       The people laughed when Jesus said He would raise the girl. Do you believe Jesus will raise you? How does that affect your daily life? 

“On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Two Turtle Doves ..." which represent the Old and New Testaments, which bear witness to God's relationship with all mankind. God's relationship is begun in the New Testament in His covenant with Abraham and his Descendants and is fulfilled in the New Testament by the new covenant of Christ's life, death, and resurrection. Prayer: Heavenly Father, who came to earth through Your Son Jesus Christ we thank You for the gift of your Son, Your new covenant that we may have an intimate relationship with You, and the gift of Your Word. As we exchange gifts, Father, let us recognize and bear witness to the fact that You have given the greatest gifts of all. Amen. The post The Second Day of Christmas – A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. 3 John 1: 5-8; Rs psalm 112: 1-2.3-4.5-6: Luke 18: 1-8 COUNTING ON THE END OF TIME   Our meditation today has the theme: Counting on the End of Time. The things about the end time is part of our faith. We are going to end the liturgical year which is only two weeks ahead and this are the very moments as we have opportunities to ponder more deeply on the theme of the end of time. Today, our Gospel reading speaks on the meaning of the end of time as the day the Son of Man reveals Himself. Jesus Christ actually spoke about Himself.   The end of time is a reality of faith that will only happen in future. It is not enough for us to understand it by our reason only, and so we indeed need faith to enlighten and teach us. The end of time shows us the real God whom we believe in and rely our destiny. The Lord to whom we praise and render our services will appear to us as He is. Our today's first reading taken from the Second Letter of Saint John invites us to always be faithful to all the teachings of God, especially on the truth of loving one another as children of the same loving Father. This is the sure way for us to arrive at the end of time.   There was once a birthday celebration in a family and the one being celebrated his birthday was an 85-year old grandfather. The celebration was attended by all of his children, in-laws and grandchildren. One of the granddaughters named Felicia asked something to her grandfather which surprised everyone in the family as she said, "Grandpa, have you seen God or haven't?" The grandfather who hugged the little girl Felicia and with warm feeling told the granddaughter: "It won't be long for Granpa to meet and see God directly." Grandfather realized that the end of time for him was near because of his advanced age.   Today we are taught that the end time contains two main things, namely the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and this world will experience an afterlife. The following are some of its characteristics or signs that are indicated in the scriptures: 1) it comes at an unexpected time, 2) when the people of this world are living a normal life, 3) a sudden coming, 4) after a worst persecution to the Church, 5) after a great earthquake, plague, famine in various places and in the sky there will be signs of shocking nature, 6) after the mass apostasy occurred, 7) after the power of Antichrist will be extinguished, 8) when love for needy ones become dry, 9) when the gospel is being preached to all corners of the world, 10) when all the descendants Israel will be saved, 11) when this Church becomes holy and blameless, without any form of stain.   What will be certain for us is actually this: that we will prepare ourselves, and when our own death comes it is the end of time for ourselves as the followers of Christ. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O most loving and merciful Father, on the second coming of Your Son Jesus Christ, may we be found always ready and free from every burden of sin. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...

Can you be a Christian and vote for Donald Trump? In a first for Armed Lutheran Radio, Lloyd and Pastor John Bennett and Reformation Gun Club members — Guillaume and Max Williams, Stuart Burt, Donnie Ross, William Swenson, Steven Clifford, Timothy Johnsrude, and Curtis Heidel — fisk an opinion piece from Time Magazine that tries (and fails miserably) to answer that question. Be sure to check out the YouTube channel to see this and our previous Online Hangouts. Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, The Reformation Gun Club! http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Links of Interest My Christian Faith Won't Let Me Vote for Donald Trump – https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/my-christian-faith-wont-let-me-vote-for-donald-trump/ar-AA1t3T8g Prayer of the Week O almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys that you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Original music by Reformer, copyright 2024.

October 12, 2024 Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 21 - Psalm 112:3-6; antiphon: Psalm 112:1Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 11:1-25; Matthew 12:1-21Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments (Psalm 112:1)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Blessed is the one who fears? Yes! And not only that, but the Psalmist says that we praise the Lord because of this fear.  Isn't it a sin to fear, though? It is a sin to disbelieve, distrust, and to trust other words than the word of God. So the blessedness the Psalmist speaks of is the same fear Martin Luther writes of and that we have proclaimed for years in our Catechism studies… we are to fear, love, and trust in God above all things. Our Lord says in Matthew 10:28, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” And yet, this fear of the Lord isn't terror… it isn't even a quaking or trembling before Him because of uneasiness… there is no uneasiness at all. Jesus our Lord tells us exactly Who He is, what He's done, and that He's doing it for us. Jesus became sin for us… and St. John records in 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart (FEAR NOT); I have overcome the world.”Don't fear the world… there's nothing left to fear. Don't fear death… it's been overcome. We believe, teach, and confess that Christ has justified us and saved us by His blood… but the Psalmist writes that we are blessed: not just in temporal ways, not just eternally, but the God who saved us is pleased to go with us on our way… what a blessing that is.We're blessed that God's stern law causes us to despair of our own righteousness and be brought to our knees in humble repentance before the Lord Who has died to save us. We are blessed that we are redeemed, bought back, reclaimed, washed, renewed, and given a new name in Baptism… He's saved us from evil, from the Evil One, and proclaims that we should cease to do evil. We're blessed because Jesus not only increases our hunger and thirst for righteousness but provides the very feast of forgiveness and righteousness to His church.  Luther puts it this way: “God here praises us for our good life and are promised eternal comfort against all trouble. We are blessed because we are given to a sincere confidence in God's grace.” (Reading the Psalms with Luther: 271)  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, the Reward of them that fear You, and the Defense of Your people, Who in Your Son Jesus Christ, had promised grace and everlasting righteousness to them that believe, establish our hearts by Your grace that, rooted in the faith of Your Word we may be able to stand in the day of trial. Strengthen us to resist the enticing lust of sin, and triumph over Satan, death and hell through Jesus Christ. Amen (“Praying the Psalms with Luther” Psalm 112; page 272)-Rev. Adam DeGroot, pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Rio Rancho, NM.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.In Embracing Your Lutheran Identity, Author Gene Edward Veith Jr. will guide readers through that heritage, starting with the Early Church and moving through the Reformation to Lutheranism today. Readers will learn about key people in the history of Lutheranism, from two teenagers who were the first martyrs of the Reformation, through the Saxon immigrants who left everything behind so they could practice Lutheranism freely, to the Lutherans who have stood strong for the faith in our own day.

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Isaiah 38: 1-6.21-22.7-8; Rs psalm 38: 10.11.12abc.16; Matthew 12: 1-8 FAITH IS CHARACTERISTICATED BY MERCY   The theme for our meditation today is: Faith is Characterized by Mercy. To clarify the life of faith characterized by mercy, we should make a comparison with the faith that is animated by sacrifices. Our Eastern traditions and culture are familiar to sacrifices. Everyone recognizes this as an ancestral religious practice that has been passed down to children and grandchildren to this day.   So in many indigenous traditions and cultures, we know of sacrificial animals and perhaps in some places, the ritual practice even shows a human person to be the sacrificial lamb. Actually, this also happened in the Old Testament before the coming of the Lord Jesus into the world. The main meaning of sacrificial animals is to cleanse the symptoms, dangers and threats that haunt human life. By offering a sacrificial animal, its blood becomes a sign of the solution to an activity, the peace that comes to accompany life together and a new life that will be enjoyed in the future.   When the Lord Jesus was in the world, one of His most basic teachings was to provide correction to faith practices based on these sacrifices. At a certain point, the focus of believers is precisely on offering to the God Most High the blood and flesh of the worshiped animals, on behalf of themselves, their city, and their nation. What's worse is that the prices of these animals are set to soar so high that ordinary people can't afford them. Jesus Christ strongly opposed the practice of such faith.   The Catholic missionary priests and religious men and women who have come to our country to evangelize our homeland, try to enter into the lives of our ancestors and carry out inculturation duties. The Christian faith that originated in the Apostolic Tradition and the Early Church was implemented into our culture's native religious practices and rituals. We can say that this activity was successful and able to grow our Church both nationally and locally. We always witness a practice of faith that is adaptive, in the sense that traditional rituals in the form of sacrificial ceremonies are carried out first, followed by the celebration of Church Sacraments as the culmination of the expression of the Christian Faith which brings to us Divine graces.   A simple question to ponder is: What is the true meaning of the celebration of faith marked by the Sacraments of the Church which we view as the pinnacle of our life of faith? The meaning is that Jesus Christ acts through the Sacraments, perfecting every form of animal blood sacrifice carried out by believers. The Lord Jesus' action, according to today's Gospel, was an act of mercy. This is an act of compassion from the Lord Jesus for the fragility of humans who celebrate their faith. God's total act of mercy is to sacrifice Himself for the salvation of all mankind.   Our faith is actually characterized by God's mercy, through which all forms of sacrifice for us humans are perfected. This faith is what saves us. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O God of all wisdom, accept our daily offerings and unite it with the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior. Glory to the Father... In the name of the Father...

Hard Mode #RTTBROS #nightlight "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." - Hebrews 12:6 (KJV) In our modern world, we often seek comfort and ease above all else. Our children play video games with "easy mode" and "hard mode," often starting with the easier setting. But in life, we don't always have that choice. God's design for our growth often involves challenges and hardships. Just as a gamer must switch to "hard mode" to truly develop their skills, we too must face difficulties to grow in character and faith. The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, allows us to experience trials not to punish us, but to refine us. Consider the words of James: "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." (James 1:2-3, KJV) These "divers temptations" or various trials are not meant to break us, but to make us. They are the training ground where our faith is exercised and strengthened. Like a muscle that grows through resistance, our spiritual fortitude increases through adversity. The great preacher Adrian Rogers often spoke about the necessity of hardship in the Christian walk. While I can't quote him directly, his teachings emphasized that God's love is often demonstrated through His discipline, much like a parent who corrects a child for their long-term benefit. As we face life's challenges, let us remember that we are in a process of apprenticeship under the greatest Master. The apostle Paul reminds us, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, KJV) Let us embrace the "hard mode" of life, knowing that through it, God is shaping us into the image of His Son. May we not shy away from difficulties, but face them with faith, recognizing them as opportunities for growth and closeness with our Heavenly Father. Prayer: Lord, help us to see Your hand in our hardships. Grant us the strength to endure and the wisdom to learn from every trial. May we grow in faith and character, becoming more like Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen. https://linktr.ee/rttbros Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out. https://linktr.ee/rttbros

June 2, 2024 Today's Reading: Mark 2:23-28 (3:1-6)Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 10:1-20; John 10:1-21And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2:27In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Pharisees confront Jesus about the disciples eating on the Sabbath because they plucked the heads of grain themselves. That's too much work. Arguments about doing work on the Sabbath don't make sense to me. Not because of the New Covenant; but because the place I feel the least amount of rest is usually when I'm left with nothing to distract me from my own thoughts. Doing absolutely nothing on a day is a great way to make sure that I feel no rest at all.  Jesus won't bicker with them over how much work counts as rest. Instead, He points to starving David. To the man with the withered hand. Should they have rest, or should they be left alone with what's wrong and do nothing about it? Their answers don't matter. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath is to give rest, not measure it. So Jesus feeds. Jesus heals. Jesus defends those confronted by the accusations of the law by standing and bearing the attacks Himself so that those found guilty might instead just be those who have been given rest.  It's good to do less work on the Sabbath, but only because it's very good to receive the true rest that is in Christ. Go to church. Find forgiveness for your sins in a Christ who defends you from the accusations of the Law. Find a meal that nourishes the soul, the Body and Blood of Him who died that you would live. And there, find healing, not just from the diseases of today, but from death forever. The Sabbath is rest because on it, we receive the Gospel. We hear it, we eat it, and in it, we live.  It will never satisfy those who want to live by the Law. They'll always want something else to measure, but on the Sabbath, Jesus only gives rest to the weary who can't be left alone. Leaving me alone with nothing to do but sit with my thoughts is no rest at all, so leave me with the words and promises of God. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Eternal God, Your Son Jesus Christ is our true Sabbath rest. Help us to keep each day holy by receiving His Word of comfort that we may find our rest in Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. - Rev. Harrison Goodman is the content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols This collection of over 600 hand-drawn Christian symbols by artist and author Edward Riojas will teach you the extensive history of the imagery of the Church. Each symbol is a beautiful and historical connection to generations of Christians that have worshiped before you. A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Now available from Concordia Publishing House. 

Delivered by Retty and Angel from Roh Kudus Church in Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Ruteng, Indoensia. Acts of the Apostles 22: 30; 23: 6-11; Rs psalm 16: 1-2a.5.7-8.9-10.11; John 17: 20-26 MAY THEY BECOME ONE   Our meditation today has the theme: May They Become One. This phrase comes from Jesus Himself, when He was praying for His apostles, disciples and all His followers, during the Last Supper. Such prayer is the inspiration of all our prayers as we work together to build and strengthen fellowship and unity in our lives together.   This unity is actually the fundamental character of the reality of God, namely the Trinity. Then Jesus prayed that all His followers would finally reach the goal of this unity. However, there is a particular question for our curiosity, that says: “Why does Jesus not express: They must be united, instead He says: may they be united or may they become one”?   The most obvious reason is that God gives freedom to every human being to choose unity or division and separation. It is the same as the freedom to choose to obey Him or to choose against Him. In this world, the arena of play and struggle will determine whether everyone truly follows God or otherwise chooses another path. We know well which way that leads to salvation.   Another reason that perhaps we do not realize is that preparation is always an essential element in our pilgrimage of faith in the world. Jesus' prayer that we may be united in the world is an encouragement so that we prepare a strong and dignified fellowship and unity as sons and daughters of God. This preparation is like an appetite for us to long for eternal unity in heaven. Let us never ignore or underestimate any kind of fellowship we have on earth by thinking that there will be a better fellowship and unity in heaven.    Another reason maybe the most important one is that God, the supreme being, dwells forever in heaven. We have to go through a long journey and process in order to arrive in heaven. There is no magic play or speed transportation to facilitate us to arrive in heaven. If there is no process, then it should be only one miracle that can make everyone all together to enter heaven. However, there must be a process, a journey, and a way of purification. Therefore, we should use this phrase "that we may be united".    In all our efforts for realizing that end, we certainly have hope to achieve it. God does not want to eliminate the element of hope in our human life by using the word “must”. Hope is a very important element to our being as humans. All our prayers clearly use the words "hope" or "will" and "may" or "later", because this is a real sign of our hope.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Our almighty God, to be one with You is our utmost hope, and may the Holy Spirit sent by Your Son Jesus Christ unite us in this world in all our ways and situations as an anticipation for us to enjoy an eternal unity in heaven. Glory to the Father ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Devotion for Monday of Holy Week. 25-March-2024. Devotion Text: 1 Peter 2:21-24. Devotion Theme: "Healed By His Stripes!" Also the Annunciation. Preached at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City, Indiana by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert. Collect for Holy Monday: Almighty God, grant that in the midst of our failures and weaknesses we may be restored through the passion and intercession of Your only-begotten Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Collect for The Annunciation: O Lord, as we have known the incarnation of Your Son Jesus Christ by the message of the angel to the Virgin Mary, so by the message of His cross and passion bring us to the glory of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Devotion for Monday of Holy Week. 25-March-2024. Devotion Text: 1 Peter 2:21-24. Devotion Theme: "Healed By His Stripes!" Also the Annunciation. Preached at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City, Indiana by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert. Collect for Holy Monday: Almighty God, grant that in the midst of our failures and weaknesses we may be restored through the passion and intercession of Your only-begotten Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Collect for The Annunciation: O Lord, as we have known the incarnation of Your Son Jesus Christ by the message of the angel to the Virgin Mary, so by the message of His cross and passion bring us to the glory of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Speaker 1:This media has been made available by Mosaic Boston Church. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston or donate to this ministry, please visit mosaicboston.comPastor Andy:Today, we are, if you have not been with us, we are continuing in our service in our series Kingdom Come, The Gospel of Mark and The Secrets of God's Kingdom. Today, I'm giving Pastor Jan a preaching break, and just want to just take up this text with you right now. We are in Mark 10:17-31, the gospel of Mark 10:17-31. Follow along in your bibles or on the screen as I read. This is the Word of our Lord. "And as He was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before Him and asked Him, 'Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' and Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments. Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother,' and he said to Him, 'Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth,' and Jesus looking at him, loved him and said to him, 'You lack one thing. Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor and you have treasure in heaven and come follow Me.' Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God," and the disciples were amazed at His words, but Jesus said to them again, 'Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.' And they were exceedingly astonished and said to Him, 'Then who can be saved?'Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man, it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.' Peter began to say to Him, 'See, we have left everything and followed you.' Jesus said, 'Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for My sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundred fold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life, but many who are first will be last and the last first.'" This is the word of our Lord.Let me pray before I start my sermon. Heavenly Father, we praise You for creating this day. God, You are the creator of all of the heavens and the earth. You pulled from abundance of authority and power and made all that we see. You have made us in Your image and Your creation is glorious, but, Lord, we as people, this creation is tainted by sin, Lord, for we can see Your majesty in all of creation, but we do not turn and worship You, Lord.Further, You show us Your goodness and offering the gospel to us. You sent your Son to communicate Your glory and Your love to us, yet we do not receive it. Lord, we choose just idols, things to worship, things that we think will satisfy us, broken cisterns that never satisfy at the cost of honoring You and putting You in the proper position as lead in our life. Holy Spirit, show us all now just what is gripping our heart, what is trying to pull us away from You, and Lord, just give us the strength and power to follow You, to choose the better portion in Jesus. I pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. To start, I want to direct our attention to the famous verses in this text. I feel like most verses could be, you could say about that, but verses Mark 10:23-25, "And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,' and the disciples were amazed at His words, but Jesus said to them again, 'Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.'"It's hard to not get distracted by the talk of a camel going through the eye of a needle, but these words here contain a talk of the biggest theme of the New Testament. Here in the Lord's famous comments on the case of the rich young ruler who had just turned his back against him and had gone away from him grieved and sorrowful, in these verses, we concentrate, actually, not on the camel going through the eye of the needle or on wealth and possessions primarily, but we are forced to draw our attention to the theme that's really at the heart of all of the New Testament in Mark, the theme of the kingdom of God, the theme of Christ's kingdom, the kingdom of heaven put in other parts of scripture. Our series is called Kingdom Come, The Gospel of Mark and the Secrets of God's Kingdom. All of the message we've been going through, whether we've blatantly discussed this theme and described the kingdom or just talked about specific teachings and aspects in it, they're all about this theme. For Jesus, He Himself told us entry into this kingdom is the most important thing we should seek in this life.Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek you first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you." Jesus said these verses in the midst of a larger comment in Matthew 6:25-34. "Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you'll eat or what you'll drink nor about your body, what you'll put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about your clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon and all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.But if God so closed the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious saying, 'What shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear?' for the Gentiles seek after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all, but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."You see, to Jesus, to us here at Mosaic, the world is in trouble. Men and women are in trouble. The impacts of sin, corruption, folly, and death reign at large despite of all mankind's wisest innovations. We have all that we need and more. In our passage, we talk about in ancient, rich, young ruler. Realistically, all of us probably live better than the ancient rich young ruler, yet we are still unhappy and we're looking for a relief. We're seeking solutions and we're troubled and we're worried and constantly anxious about will we be satisfied in this life. To sum our solution to this constant fight with dissatisfaction and worry, it's a matter of diet, it's a matter of clothing, it's a matter of having the right relationship, it's a matter of technology easing things for us, it's a matter of obtaining more knowledge, it's a matter of going to space to tap its resources, and so on, but what the Lord says, this shall not be. It's all wrong. He's the creator. We're not to live in a state of worry and anxiety or fear of what we'll have today or tomorrow. Jesus says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things will be added unto you." Jesus came specifically to tell us that nothing is more important than entering the kingdom, and that entry into the kingdom is possible.In Mark 1:15, perhaps the theme sentence of the whole book, Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." It's the repentance of faith turning from rebellious sin, turning from idolatry and things that we think will satisfy us apart from God and believing that Jesus will. That's how we can be saved, but as we have seen through Jesus' message and His engagement throughout Mark, the men and women of His own times of His own age and generation, they struggled over this. You would've thought that with such a messenger, that with such miracles that He paired with His message to show His authority, to show that they could trust Him, that everybody would've listened and believed, and that they've gone just running, running into the kingdom of God saying, "Lord, how can I serve You?" but they didn't.They stumbled in Jesus. They questioned, they argued, and the same is today. We are blessed people who get to look back at history and say this happened. There's a reason why history is marked by this Man's coming, the God Man's coming, and we can trust Him. He is on the throne today, especially after He's gone to the cross risen and ascended into heaven. So the lesson behind of what I'm saying so far is that mankind, by nature, we struggle to trust God. As a result of sin, altogether our approach to life is entirely wrong in all its ideas and all of its thinking and the way that we pursue satisfaction, the way that we pursue peace, the way we engage the creation that God wanted us to enjoy and cultivate in communion with Him, and it's because this problem happened in Jesus' time, and today, we have to focus our attention on the matter. Jesus is talking about how can one enter the kingdom of God. That's the question He is answering in Mark. He's talking again about entry in one of the last passages while He's on His path to Jerusalem going to the cross. This is of utmost important to Jesus.What we've been talking about throughout Mark is the kingdom of God, a common element that comes out is that it's always surprising. Jesus, one of the things about the kingdom of God is that you can't really describe it in terms that, one, a fallen believer who because of his sin doesn't have ears to hear, can't really understand it. You have to be in the kingdom to really start understanding what Jesus is talking about. He has to describe, but no single word can describe the joy of salvation. No single word can describe the process and experience of sanctification in a believer's life, the growth and maturity and holiness in the faith. So Jesus has to keep coming up with parables and stories to get us to understand entry into the kingdom and life in the kingdom. Today, our text tells us a tragic story. This is a story about the greatest of natural non-believing men. We have a good man, the rich young ruler, the best of his time, the best of Boston just engaging with Jesus Christ. The result, the start is amazing, the ending of the narrative, ultra depressing. We see that this kingdom of God, it's upside down, it's inside out. It just destroys, bursts our expectations. So this first point, it's surprising, it's shocking. I'm going to break up this topic today talking about when you come to Jesus, when you seek entry into the kingdom of God, get ready to be shocked, searched, and blessed or grieved. When you come to Jesus, when you seek entry into the kingdom of God, get ready to be shocked, searched, and blessed or grieved. I intentionally have very simple language here in the outline because the people who really want very complex outlines and creative outlines and a lot of alliteration, the lofty thinkers, they're the ones who need to be humbled and be brought. You can't see because you're looking for those lofty things in everything the church does. So we're going to make it challenge your senses and humble you as we go through this. You need to be shocked by Jesus, searched and blessed, and you will be blessed or grieved after that happens. So let me go on.When you come to Jesus Christ, get ready to be shocked. By shocked I mean you're going to be surprised. Many of your expectations when you truly come to Jesus and have an encounter with Him, with His word, your expectations of who God is, who Christ is, how you enter the kingdom, how you grow in the kingdom and how you're rewarded for life in the kingdom are going to burst, and you're going to be shocked in the sense that oftentimes what you learn about entry and life in the kingdom, it's going to go against your natural sensitivities and preferences. It's going to insult you and get you angry at times. I emphasize this point because this text, there's a whole lot of shock within it. In specific verses, we have very clearly the Lord just broadly, He's using shocking language just through that intro verse, "It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to go enter the kingdom of God." That's a sign. He's trying to get us ready to really be surprised, but specific verses beyond that, verse 23, "And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,' and the disciples were amazed at His words." These guys who have been walking on missions trips with Him, sitting at His feet, living with Him at the end of His ministry before He gets to Jerusalem, they're shocked by His words and teachings here. Furthermore in verse 26, Jesus repeats Himself, "How difficult it will be for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God," and they were exceedingly astonished and said to Him, "Then who can be saved?" They were exceedingly astonished. They're floored. Further, they asked the question, "Then who can be saved?" This isn't a question. This is an exclamation of Jesus, "This guy is better than me. If He can't get in, how can we get in?" This is offensive. This is absurd. So specifically, these verses mention it, the last verse though, and this verse 31 could be a whole sermon on its own, "But many who are first will be last and the last first." This is Jesus trying to just stir our sensitivity, stir our senses to say, "Things are going to be different. I've established this kingdom through My life, through My faithfulness, through My death, through My resurrection. That's where I'm going and be prepared. It's a call that those who are lowly and humble and deny themselves in this life in My way will be exalted by Me in eternity." This is just to think like this. Those who are last will be first and first last. It's completely contradictory how man thinks, how traditional religion thinks. Only the strong survive. God helps those who help themselves. In the Jewish system, Jewish thought was if you climb a ladder, your goal as a Jew of that day was if you were blessed to get more formal education and training, you became a synagogue ruler, you became a scribe or Pharisee, you made it. So Jesus prepares us with specific shock in these verses, but just broadly, the whole story of the rich young ruler, it's really to shock us, to startle us and get us concerned about our candidacy for entry in the kingdom of God. The tragedy, what the Lord is trying to teach us is a shocking lesson that goodness is not enough to enter the kingdom of God. Goodness, riches, wealth, these things that the world says are indicators of righteousness are at that time they're not good enough. So what do we do? How do you get in? Yes, for us it's easy for believers and non-believers to say bad people shouldn't get in. Those who blatantly rebel, they commit murder, they do heinous, perverted crimes, very clearly, if God's real, if He's good, very clearly they're not getting in. Christian, non-Christian, it's easy to get unity on that. This text, it brings out that not badness, not that badness is wrong, but even goodness is not enough. We can exclude ourselves from badness, but when we hear that goodness is not enough, it's offensive because we're good people. We generally do more good than bad. We try to give more than we receive. When we mess up, we try to correct ourselves, we recycle, we buy local, we try to help our neighbor, we go to church, we give to nonprofits, but the tragedy of the rich young ruler confronts this thinking, for we're to read this passage and see that this guy at the start of the passage, he's presented to be better than us, but he's not good enough to enter.So look at him, look at how well he starts. Verse 17, "And as he was setting out on his journey, a man came up and knelt before Him and asked Him, 'Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'" This is just an astounding engagement. First of all, the text says a man. There's two parallel passages that tell the same story, Luke 18, Matthew 19, and he's just called a man here. Later on in the text it says he had great wealth, but we find out he's young in one of the other parallel passages. He's labeled as a ruler in one of the others. So he's wealthy, he's young. In that day, youth as in our day, youth, who doesn't want a nice charismatic young man saying, "Lord, what must I do to serve you?" How happy are we when we see young people taking an initiative in the community, taking initiative in the church slash synagogue, which is our exact situation now? How often are we excited to see young people, let alone wealthy? This guy would've been the perfect man to run a $5 million campaign to get a church building. This guy was perfect just with these broad descriptions, but looking at the text, look at how he comes to the Lord. All of Mark, we've been dealing with situations where even Jesus, His own disciples are not recognizing Him as Lord. They are essentially questioning His authority or not willing to trust in Him over and over again. It's really only the Gentiles, the people outside of the promises of God who are approaching Jesus with humility and trust and a heart to receive His kingdom and follow Him, but look at His approach. The man, he comes running up to Jesus as Jesus is leaving after a speaking and service engagement. If this man really was a ruler in his day, he was breaking custom here. First of all, it's really hot there, but no, rich man, wealthy man, man of honor did not run. When the visiting teacher came in that society, the leaders of the synagogue weren't going down just running straight to Him. That would've brought some shame and maybe people would've questioned their authority and integrity. Furthermore, it says he ran up and knelt before Him. He gets on his knees. That's just incredible. That is over the top and, again, not something that a man of honor does. Then what's even more notable is that this is a man who sees his need. He's willing to face potential public shame from his esteemed position because he says, "It's Jesus, this teacher, I've been hearing about this." The guy just thought, "He's talking about something that I don't have, eternal life." How many people do you share the gospel with, bring to church and they're like, "Yeah, I don't think I have that," but then they just never come back? They're content to just sit not knowing how to address that need, at least this guy's doing something. Furthermore, he's showing Jesus respect through the running, through the bowing. He's saying, "I see you're a good teacher. I see you've got something." He eagerly wants to hear what Jesus has to say. Then his question, it's not perfect, and I'll get to that later, but he asks a question. He's interested in eternal life. So this guy, he's a very good, exceptional, young man who cares about spiritual matters, and he is approaching Jesus with great eagerness, great zeal to find out the truth. I just want to say, as Christians, we pray for opportunities to share the gospel. We know God's love. We want everyone in our lives to have it if you really know it, and you're praying, "Lord, give me opportunities to share the gospel." How many of you, how thrilled would you be if someone at the lunch table at work said to you, "Andy, I know you're Christian. What must I do to inherit eternal life?" That'd be amazing. We dream for these opportunities. Most of the time we feel like a nag in the sharing and proclamation in public or in relationship. I was flying a couple weeks ago. I like to sit with my Bible open on the airplanes like, "Maybe this person will ask me a question. Lord, Lord, just prepare me and just humble this person. Let them see that I might have an answer for them." I was literally thinking like that reading my Bible on the plane, but it didn't happen, unfortunately, but we pray for these situations. So this guy's approach, it's good. There's something honorable and respectable about him, and you could not imagine anything more from a natural man, a non-believer. This is your friend who works at the biotech company in Boston saying, "There's something in your life that I don't have. What do I do to get it?" So Jesus, He's exposed this need. The man tries to find out how to address this thing that he's lacking and to get it. This is as good as a start as anybody could have. To the disciples of his day, they would've thought that this guy would've walked right into the kingdom of God. That's why they're so amazed that the story ends differently. So can you imagine a better start, but that is not the story. This is not the way the engagement goes. He doesn't walk right into the kingdom. Verse 22 says, "Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions."We're just forced to ask the question, "Why? What's the matter with this young man? What's the matter with his approach? Why did he go away? Why did he not enter the kingdom? Why is he left grieving and despondent, grieving in heart? What's the trouble?" The one phrase answer is this man went away because of his profound misunderstanding of the kingdom of God. That's why the Lord makes the comment in verse 23, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God." He says it again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."It's impossible for a righteous man seemingly perfect on the outside by his own works, by his own volition to enter the kingdom of God, but with God all things are possible. So this grace, we can only be saved by grace. So that's part of goodness does not matter, it's God's grace, but to focus on the shock, Jesus, He shocks with specific verses in this and Jesus shocks broadly with this tragedy. When people draw nears to Jesus, He shocks them. If you really have an encounter with Jesus, if you dig into scripture, if you hear a truly biblical, faithful sermon, if you come to Jesus with a heart and say, "Show me. I want to know who You are. I want to know what Your call on my life is," it's going to be a drastic engagement. There's only one of two directions. If you feel like you've never really been shocked by Jesus, you probably have not gotten close to Him. You're not really understanding the heart of His message. You're not really understanding the impossibility of entering His kingdom and the call to follow Him. So Jesus, He shocks those who draw near to him and He contends that their views of Him need to change, as well as their views of the kingdom need to be shaken up. So a lot of people, they talk about Jesus only as if He was a good man of history. Just like the man in our story, He's a good man. He was a great teacher, a great voice for the poor, great among the philosophers, a great social revolutionary. This is how I used to talk about Jesus when I was insecure to identify as a Christian at my liberal arts college. Perhaps they say He was a prophet among the great prophets, Buddha, Confucius. They say He was one of the greatest the world has ever seen. They think when you talk about Jesus in these ways but don't call Him the Lord, the Savior of man who came to die on the cross to bear the wrath for their sin and rise that they might have resurrection life and joyful, abundant life in eternity.When they say these comparisons, it's really an insult. They're really showing that they don't know who He really is. Jesus is not just any good teacher. He's the Son of God and Son of Man, the living God, the omnipotent God taken on flesh. He can't be categorized in the same genre as fallen man. We need to view Him this way because that's how He viewed Himself. So He's shown us that here a little bit in this text, but He wants us to confront our views of the kingdom of God.A lot of people come to Christianity think that it's just an add-on to what they're already doing in life. This is exactly what the rich young ruler was guilty of. He says, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? What must I do?" This is a man who wants to be doing something. He wants to keep doing what he's already doing, but maybe add a little bit more by his own effort to attain eternal life. We can see right away his approach. He seems flawless, but in his words, there's this pride saying, "I want to be a part of my own salvation. I want to be a part of my entry." He isn't coming as a child. He's not helpless and needy and humble. He is presenting himself as someone who's capable. He's successful in business. He's got good financial capital, not just cash, he's got capital. That's what possessions means later on in the text. He's socially respected in the community. He's got religious success. He wants Jesus to give him what is lacking and maintain the status quo of his life, and that's just not how the kingdom of God works. Jesus says to him, "You lack one thing. Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor and you have treasure in heaven. Come follow me." He's saying, "I'm here to uphold, just overturn your whole life. I'm here to cause upheaval," and it's not really on the outside first, it's on the inside first. Now, I'll elaborate more on that later, but Christianity, it's not an add-on. Jesus said, Mark 2:21-22, "No one sows a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old and a worst tear is made, and no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins and the wine is destroyed and so are the skins, but new wine is fresh for wineskins." Jesus is the fresh wine. If you put Him into an old wineskin, it's going to burst. When you enter the kingdom of God, it's not just like any other habit or study that you take up casually or leisurely or see, "What more could it bring to my life?" He wants to make you entirely new. He is not content to play second fiddle to anything in your life. This is really important because a lot of people, I know people in my life who have engaged Christianity for decades and they're just approaching it as if it's just any old study of history. It's just like any other philosophy, "Let me see what more it can add to my repertoire."No. Jesus says, "I'm the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me." When you enter into the kingdom by this great gift of faith, you should expect your life to some change, some transformation. The rich young ruler knew that what Jesus called him to was so much more than he wanted to do. He thought, "It's just a little bit of sprinkle, a little bit of Jesus into my life and I'll just keep going with everything else."So Jesus, this is all under the point of when you come to Jesus, expect to be shocked. This is when you come to Jesus, expect to be shocked and, really, as you continue in life, expect to be shocked. He's going to keep pushing you toward greater levels of holiness, greater levels of maturity. A lot of people, they don't understand how far, how serious He is about holiness. When you're saved, praise God, you've probably left something, probably a sin that gripped the surface of your life and heart, but He just keeps digging and digging deeper and deeper. A lot of people are shocked how the Lord through marriage puts two people with complimentary parts together, and as iron sharpens iron, they see the endless, endless way that the Lord is just calling them to greater holiness by one day at a time not lashing out at their spouse. When you're a member of a church and you're called to in sickness and in health, stay faithful, continue to gather with one another, continue to love one another as Jesus has loved you and you find out these people are sinners, these leaders are flawed, the Lord is not just calling them to repent and trying to train everybody, He's calling you to greater levels of holiness in the way that you engage the tensions.It's shocking at how far the Lord digs into our identity to get us to grow in the faith, but when you're coming to the faith, when the Lord is shocking you when you're in the faith, how do you respond to that? This text, I think the response is you let Jesus search you. When you come to Jesus, get ready to be searched. By search I mean that Jesus probes your entire being and He looks for defilement, He looks for impurities on the surface of your life and at the heart, and He has perfect vision and He's going to reveal what He sees. If you look at the text, three times in the text it said that Jesus looked at someone. Verse 21, "Jesus looked at him and loved him." Verse 23, "Jesus looked around at His disciples and said ..." Again in verse 27, "Jesus looked at them and said ..." Three times there's this idea of Jesus looking, and I don't think that this is there as an accident. This is one of the unique elements of this presentation, of this story that is not in the other two gospel presentations of it.What we have here in this text is that Jesus, when He's looking at the young man, when He's looking at his disciples, it's a sense of He's giving a holy gaze. It's the Almighty God looking right at us and right through us. In Revelation 1, Jesus is depicted in radiant glory. We just think of a refining fire and having eyes of blazing fire. The apostle John said, the one who had the vision, the Holy Spirit gave the vision to for the Book of Revelation, he says, "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead." You're just exposed when Jesus looks at your life and you realize you can't stand before Him in His holiness.In the next two chapters of Revelation after chapter one, Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus, He looks at seven churches and it seems as if He looks right through them. He understands what's happening. He calls them out for their sin, for their grievances for Him, and it seems like He's speaking into the minds and hearts of the individuals of the body. We think of Jesus telling Nathaniel when He's gathering His disciples, "Nathaniel, I saw you under the tree," and Nathaniel's shaken. The Lord has a special vision. In today's account, we see Jesus as looking, searching the rich young ruler, perceiving what his genuine spiritual sickness was, probing the core of his corruption, and it's amazing. I think his vision, it's just incisive. Within a few lines in an instant, Jesus just shatters this man's identity, reveals his greatest heart issues. So He sees this first and the man approaches Him. He finds one little mistake in his presentation when he says, "What must I do to inherit eternal life? What must I do?" Jesus takes that clue, which suggests that this man thinks he deserves entry into the kingdom based on his own righteousness that he's billed out by his works, by his observance of God's law, and He immediately questions the man's understanding for why he thinks he's a good candidate about the law. He says, "You know the commandments, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother," and he said to Him, "Teacher, all these I've kept for my youth." The man's answer affirms Jesus' suspicion that he thinks he can enter the kingdom upon his own merit, but you see, Jesus' wisdom, His genius in these verses were in the list of commandments that He mentioned, he's only acknowledging the second table of the law that is summarized by love your neighbor as yourself. He's not bringing up any of the first four commandments that talk about love of God. So this man thinks that he's one who should garner entry based on his good status in the community, based on his upholding of the commandments. Jesus, He sees that and He looks at him. He loves him, "There's almost something like something really likable about you. It's cute how you're presenting yourself to me, but you are so unobservant of yourself," and He looks at him and He asks him about one of the heart commandments, "What's the first commandment? You shall have no other god before Me." Jesus, He asks him this, He doesn't ask him this, He just puts His finger on the dot of where his idolatry when he says ... "And Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, 'You lack one thing. Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor and you'll have treasure in heaven. Come follow me.'"He's pressing right on the center of the target, that thing that the man is holding onto that is preventing him from full submission to Christ's lordship, repentance and faith before him. This is what Jesus does. Further, the man says, it says, "Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions." So Jesus, like a surgeon, incisively reveals that this man who's perfect on the outside, he's an idolator. He does not love God first and foremost above everything in his life. He does not think that he was made to worship God and be satisfied by life of communion with Him, and so much so, his grasp on his money, his wealth, and perhaps all the things that it brought was so great that God is standing there right before him inviting him to follow Him, to care for Him, promising him riches in heaven and he wouldn't let go of it.So God, He just searches this man, Christ searches this man super quickly and nothing. This is what he does with all of us. Regardless of whatever good appearances or law-abiding appearances that we can conjure up, Christ can see what our heart truly longs for, and if it's not Him, He's going to expose it. In the case of the rich young ruler, it was his grip on his money. Jesus, He's not revealing that money is an inherently bad thing. There are great saints of history who have had money in scripture. We have Job, we have Joseph of Arimathea, the man who donated his tomb upon Christ's crucifixion. We think of Zacchaeus, who in his repentance used his wealth for God's glory, but money is not evil, but the text shows us that money is something so powerful that it can blind us to its control over us. It's money, there's something specific in Christ bringing this out in this passage. There's a special authority that it can have to us. This man clearly had no self-awareness, but everybody is tempted to clinging to something in this life for satisfaction that is not Jesus. Jesus wants to reveal that to us and root it out. I remember hearing about a story where there were monkey hunters in a jungle somewhere, and the monkeys were so ... What they did was, the hunters, they basically just had to put nuts in a jar and essentially fasten the container to where they put it. The monkeys were so greedy about getting the nuts. Their desire was so set on the nuts that when the hunters would arrive, they just kept their hand and stood there even though it led to their capture, their demise. We are just like the monkeys. People today, we hear the gospel go out, we hear it, we feel its call. We see the peel of a life with Christ, the joy of salvation, but we're unwilling to come when Christ calls us because we won't let go of our grasp around that thing that our heart is in love with. We tend to make, and it's not just rebellious sin, it's often good things that we put in the place of God. So what is it for you? What are you holding onto? If Christ came and He just looked at you, He didn't have to play around with the man with talk of goodness, He says, "You want to talk goodness? God is good. Let's not confuse categories here. Let's not talk about goodness. Your sense of goodness, you don't see it, but it's decided by your culture, your preferences. You want to talk about the law? Okay. I'm going to use the law to try to show your own blindness. That clearly doesn't work. Then we'll look at you and put it, bring you right to your idol." Christ, He could just look at us and call it out.So if He was here today, what would be that thing that you were thinking, that thing, that relationship, that experience, that lifestyle that you think could satisfy you more than Him? He's going to search us and probe us and try to get us to relinquish our grip on such things. Notice the text says, "Jesus looked at him and loved him," when he brought out the man's idolatrous relationship with his wealth, with his possessions. The text says this is loving, this act by Jesus is loving. It's tough love. This is Jesus with the holy gaze trying to help someone come out of their blindness, come out of the slavery to that thing that is dominating their life, that thing that they structure all of their life around to keeping, to retaining, that thing that's preventing them from worshiping Him, and He's trying to free them to come receive forgiveness for their sin, enjoy a life of freedom, a life entrusting Christ to provide for you one day at a time, and it's what is He calling you to let go of.I think we all have those things. Is it a relationship? Is it wealth and the control of your life that it could bring? Is it having a child? Is it your children? What is it? How do we ask? We ask, "Jesus Lord, search me and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts and see if there'll be any grievous way in me." If anyone has walked closely to me, you know that was my verse of 2023. The Christian, you get frightened by this searching at the start of faith because you see what Jesus is going to call you to leave to come and follow Him, but actually, you see the goodness of it and you grow in your profession. You grow in this prayer, "Lord, search me because if there's anything in me that is going to separate, tempt me to leave You, stop following You, if there's anything in me that's going to get in the way of this relationship that I have with You, just root it out, and please be gentle, but if You have to be painful and I'm that blind, just do it." We should grow to appreciate this searching. The Christian should grow, but the thing that happens when you feel the Lord, He's shocking you, He's searching you, it's offensive because our flesh, until Jesus returns, is going to fight and resist. It's going to want to look back and be tempted to cling to those idols. So when we come to Jesus, you should get ready to be blessed or grieved. This is when Jesus is shocking you, He's searching you, you've got two directions to go. We see in this text, these two results. With verse 22, we see the grief in the reaction of the ruler, "Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions." The word for grief used here, it's the word used in the gospels to describe the same grief that Jesus felt on the cross when the Father with whom He dwelt in perfect communion, loving, eternal communion, turns His face away, does not respond to His cries of, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me on the cross?" That same word for grief that talks about just a grief that we cannot fathom, that is the same word used to describe the grief that this rich young ruler felt when he's walking away from Jesus, when Jesus is pressing on that idol. The irony is, this is after he's walking away, he feels this grief. Jesus is actually letting him have what he wants, yet he's walking away despondent, in despair. He's clinging with a vice grip to that idol. It's tearing him apart, yet he's still holding onto it. We don't know. The text says, "Jesus looked at him and loved him." The only way Jesus can actually look at a sinner and idolator and love him is by grace. A lot of people say, "This guy definitely was not saved." The prayer is, hopefully, he saw the folly of his ways, and what did he have to do? He had to repent, go to Jesus, confess his sin of idolatry, of thinking that his wealth could satisfy him more than Jesus, and by confessing his sin, he could have been saved. That's the same with all of us if we catch ourselves in such idolatry. Then when we do that, whether it's in the initial first time that the Lord is searching us or later on perhaps, hopefully in the way that the ruler did, we can experience God's blessing. We see God's blessing, Mark 10:26-31, "And they were exceedingly astonished," the disciples, "and said to Him after the rich young ruler goes away, 'Then who can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.' Peter began to say to Him, 'See, we have left everything and followed you.' Jesus said, 'Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for My sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundred fold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life, but many who are first will be last and the last first.'" For the person who has been searched by Jesus, who repents of their grip on the idols of their heart and follows Him and trusts His position in this life and eternity with Him, these are the most encouraging words. This is not prosperity gospel. These are Jesus' words. We read them at face value. As you engage the shock of just the difficulty of leaving stuff to enter into the kingdom as Jesus instructs you, when you engage Jesus' probing, when you relinquish your grip on these things that keep you away from following Him, He promises to reward you. These verses give us assurance that He sees your sacrifice. He sees your effort to leave, to say goodbye to the old man and live in a resurrected new way when you follow Him.Further, He says, He's not just going to honor in eternity, He's going to honor it in this life. What we're called by Christians upon the moment that we're saved is to follow Him, to trust Him that He will satisfy. We were made for worship for Him. That's what Adam and Eve, they're made to worship and dwell in the garden in perfect communion with the Lord, but they sinned against Him thinking that Satan said, "There's fruit of this world. Taste it. He's withholding something from you," but when we come to Christ and say, "No, God, I see You are enough," He promises to satisfy. Anyone who receives Jesus' call to follow Him and allows Him to stay in the position of Lord of their life and follows Him one day at a time, they know that actually a lot of these earthly things don't matter. The joy of salvation, the joy of peace, the peace that comes when you know that you're right before God, the Father through Jesus Christ, the perfect mediator, the knowledge that God loves you despite having full knowledge of your sin because of Jesus, you know that the joy of salvation is better. These extra benefits, these are just words and promises to give us hope to persevere until the end, but we can ask Him expectantly that He will offer them.There is an element, Mark says with persecutions. So it's not going to be perfect. Our hearts can be tempted towards sin. The creation is still crying out for Jesus' return. We're still in a fallen world, and these persecutions, they're means to test us, to grow us, and we're called to endure through them. I have had the pleasure in the past few weeks of having a rich young ruler of Boston of our congregation approach me and say, "Pastor Andy, I've had this relationship with you for five years, and just want to be honest with you. These whole five years I've checked in with you occasionally once a year, every year, year and a half, and what the Lord has shown me in the past couple months is I've been in grievous sin, just finding my satisfaction and building my kingdom, building my resume, grasping, having a vice grip on relationships that did not honor Him, and I see that that is sin. I see that I was committing idolatry, thinking these things could satisfy me more than God." What did he ask me? He set an appointment with me and he said, "How can I serve?" He knew that the work was finished in his life. He asked me, "How can I serve?" Then he told me he also went online. He heard about Mosaic's campaign for the building fund, and he said, "The Lord blessed me while I was in this period of sin and I just really want to serve Him with my life. I sold the stock that I had." I don't know what a lot meant to him. I don't know the specific amount, but he sold stock that he acquired over this period and he gave it toward the kingdom of God. So praise God, I got to see the Lord move. It's a miracle anytime the Lord does this in a person's life, but we need to trust that Jesus Christ, He is on His throne because He has lived, He has died, He has resurrected, He has ascended, He is in charge still, and He does save people. He gives people conviction by the Holy Spirit to repent of their idolatry, repent of their sin, repent of their self-dependence before Him and convinces them to repent and follow Him. So what was the rich young ruler called to? He was called to faith. It's confusing when you think Jesus has this perfect evangelistic opportunity and he's like, "Why didn't he just tell him to repent and believe?" Well, have faith in Christ. Well, Jesus, He's wiser than us. He knew the hard work that He needed to do on this guy, but we're basically called to be saved and trust Him and trust Him with our salvation and trust Him with provision to help us persevere to the end. When God saved Israel, He said, "People forget the preamble of the 10 Commandments." It's, "I am the Lord thy God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me." When we fully believe that God and Christ has met our deepest need, our guilt, our shame, our sin, our idolatry before Him, our hopelessness, our condemnation, that we are just walking towards apart from Him. When we see that God has met our deepest need through sending Christ to be the propitiation for our sins on the cross, we can trust Him with everything else.Israel was called to trust God after they're delivered from slavery. We are called to trust God when we realized He delivered us from the slavery to our sin. So we seek first His kingdom and all things will be added to us. Let me pray and close there.Heavenly Father, we praise You that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ for we know by Your word and by our personal experience of salvation and His provision as we've walked forward in faith, we know that He is the real rich, young ruler. Lord, we thank You for giving us the perspective to look upon this instance in history, the story, this tragedy, to learn more about how we may enter, to learn that we, by our own efforts, cannot enter, but through Christ, through His efforts, through faith in them we can, but Lord, please embolden our faith, grow our faith, grow our trust that You, as You have saved us, You will always provide for us. You see our effort today to honor You. We ask that You would bless us, preserve us, provide the comfort and strength and care we need to continue to honor You. Lord, we just ask, we pray, sustain us until we receive our reward in heaven. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

Speaker 1:This media has been made available by Mosaic Boston Church. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston or donate to this ministry, please visit mosaicboston.comPastor Andy:Today, we are, if you have not been with us, we are continuing in our service in our series Kingdom Come, The Gospel of Mark and The Secrets of God's Kingdom. Today, I'm giving Pastor Jan a preaching break, and just want to just take up this text with you right now. We are in Mark 10:17-31, the gospel of Mark 10:17-31. Follow along in your bibles or on the screen as I read. This is the Word of our Lord. "And as He was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before Him and asked Him, 'Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' and Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments. Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother,' and he said to Him, 'Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth,' and Jesus looking at him, loved him and said to him, 'You lack one thing. Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor and you have treasure in heaven and come follow Me.' Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God," and the disciples were amazed at His words, but Jesus said to them again, 'Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.' And they were exceedingly astonished and said to Him, 'Then who can be saved?'Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man, it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.' Peter began to say to Him, 'See, we have left everything and followed you.' Jesus said, 'Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for My sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundred fold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life, but many who are first will be last and the last first.'" This is the word of our Lord.Let me pray before I start my sermon. Heavenly Father, we praise You for creating this day. God, You are the creator of all of the heavens and the earth. You pulled from abundance of authority and power and made all that we see. You have made us in Your image and Your creation is glorious, but, Lord, we as people, this creation is tainted by sin, Lord, for we can see Your majesty in all of creation, but we do not turn and worship You, Lord.Further, You show us Your goodness and offering the gospel to us. You sent your Son to communicate Your glory and Your love to us, yet we do not receive it. Lord, we choose just idols, things to worship, things that we think will satisfy us, broken cisterns that never satisfy at the cost of honoring You and putting You in the proper position as lead in our life. Holy Spirit, show us all now just what is gripping our heart, what is trying to pull us away from You, and Lord, just give us the strength and power to follow You, to choose the better portion in Jesus. I pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. To start, I want to direct our attention to the famous verses in this text. I feel like most verses could be, you could say about that, but verses Mark 10:23-25, "And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,' and the disciples were amazed at His words, but Jesus said to them again, 'Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.'"It's hard to not get distracted by the talk of a camel going through the eye of a needle, but these words here contain a talk of the biggest theme of the New Testament. Here in the Lord's famous comments on the case of the rich young ruler who had just turned his back against him and had gone away from him grieved and sorrowful, in these verses, we concentrate, actually, not on the camel going through the eye of the needle or on wealth and possessions primarily, but we are forced to draw our attention to the theme that's really at the heart of all of the New Testament in Mark, the theme of the kingdom of God, the theme of Christ's kingdom, the kingdom of heaven put in other parts of scripture. Our series is called Kingdom Come, The Gospel of Mark and the Secrets of God's Kingdom. All of the message we've been going through, whether we've blatantly discussed this theme and described the kingdom or just talked about specific teachings and aspects in it, they're all about this theme. For Jesus, He Himself told us entry into this kingdom is the most important thing we should seek in this life.Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek you first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you." Jesus said these verses in the midst of a larger comment in Matthew 6:25-34. "Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you'll eat or what you'll drink nor about your body, what you'll put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about your clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon and all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.But if God so closed the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious saying, 'What shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear?' for the Gentiles seek after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all, but seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."You see, to Jesus, to us here at Mosaic, the world is in trouble. Men and women are in trouble. The impacts of sin, corruption, folly, and death reign at large despite of all mankind's wisest innovations. We have all that we need and more. In our passage, we talk about in ancient, rich, young ruler. Realistically, all of us probably live better than the ancient rich young ruler, yet we are still unhappy and we're looking for a relief. We're seeking solutions and we're troubled and we're worried and constantly anxious about will we be satisfied in this life. To sum our solution to this constant fight with dissatisfaction and worry, it's a matter of diet, it's a matter of clothing, it's a matter of having the right relationship, it's a matter of technology easing things for us, it's a matter of obtaining more knowledge, it's a matter of going to space to tap its resources, and so on, but what the Lord says, this shall not be. It's all wrong. He's the creator. We're not to live in a state of worry and anxiety or fear of what we'll have today or tomorrow. Jesus says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things will be added unto you." Jesus came specifically to tell us that nothing is more important than entering the kingdom, and that entry into the kingdom is possible.In Mark 1:15, perhaps the theme sentence of the whole book, Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel." It's the repentance of faith turning from rebellious sin, turning from idolatry and things that we think will satisfy us apart from God and believing that Jesus will. That's how we can be saved, but as we have seen through Jesus' message and His engagement throughout Mark, the men and women of His own times of His own age and generation, they struggled over this. You would've thought that with such a messenger, that with such miracles that He paired with His message to show His authority, to show that they could trust Him, that everybody would've listened and believed, and that they've gone just running, running into the kingdom of God saying, "Lord, how can I serve You?" but they didn't.They stumbled in Jesus. They questioned, they argued, and the same is today. We are blessed people who get to look back at history and say this happened. There's a reason why history is marked by this Man's coming, the God Man's coming, and we can trust Him. He is on the throne today, especially after He's gone to the cross risen and ascended into heaven. So the lesson behind of what I'm saying so far is that mankind, by nature, we struggle to trust God. As a result of sin, altogether our approach to life is entirely wrong in all its ideas and all of its thinking and the way that we pursue satisfaction, the way that we pursue peace, the way we engage the creation that God wanted us to enjoy and cultivate in communion with Him, and it's because this problem happened in Jesus' time, and today, we have to focus our attention on the matter. Jesus is talking about how can one enter the kingdom of God. That's the question He is answering in Mark. He's talking again about entry in one of the last passages while He's on His path to Jerusalem going to the cross. This is of utmost important to Jesus.What we've been talking about throughout Mark is the kingdom of God, a common element that comes out is that it's always surprising. Jesus, one of the things about the kingdom of God is that you can't really describe it in terms that, one, a fallen believer who because of his sin doesn't have ears to hear, can't really understand it. You have to be in the kingdom to really start understanding what Jesus is talking about. He has to describe, but no single word can describe the joy of salvation. No single word can describe the process and experience of sanctification in a believer's life, the growth and maturity and holiness in the faith. So Jesus has to keep coming up with parables and stories to get us to understand entry into the kingdom and life in the kingdom. Today, our text tells us a tragic story. This is a story about the greatest of natural non-believing men. We have a good man, the rich young ruler, the best of his time, the best of Boston just engaging with Jesus Christ. The result, the start is amazing, the ending of the narrative, ultra depressing. We see that this kingdom of God, it's upside down, it's inside out. It just destroys, bursts our expectations. So this first point, it's surprising, it's shocking. I'm going to break up this topic today talking about when you come to Jesus, when you seek entry into the kingdom of God, get ready to be shocked, searched, and blessed or grieved. When you come to Jesus, when you seek entry into the kingdom of God, get ready to be shocked, searched, and blessed or grieved. I intentionally have very simple language here in the outline because the people who really want very complex outlines and creative outlines and a lot of alliteration, the lofty thinkers, they're the ones who need to be humbled and be brought. You can't see because you're looking for those lofty things in everything the church does. So we're going to make it challenge your senses and humble you as we go through this. You need to be shocked by Jesus, searched and blessed, and you will be blessed or grieved after that happens. So let me go on.When you come to Jesus Christ, get ready to be shocked. By shocked I mean you're going to be surprised. Many of your expectations when you truly come to Jesus and have an encounter with Him, with His word, your expectations of who God is, who Christ is, how you enter the kingdom, how you grow in the kingdom and how you're rewarded for life in the kingdom are going to burst, and you're going to be shocked in the sense that oftentimes what you learn about entry and life in the kingdom, it's going to go against your natural sensitivities and preferences. It's going to insult you and get you angry at times. I emphasize this point because this text, there's a whole lot of shock within it. In specific verses, we have very clearly the Lord just broadly, He's using shocking language just through that intro verse, "It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to go enter the kingdom of God." That's a sign. He's trying to get us ready to really be surprised, but specific verses beyond that, verse 23, "And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,' and the disciples were amazed at His words." These guys who have been walking on missions trips with Him, sitting at His feet, living with Him at the end of His ministry before He gets to Jerusalem, they're shocked by His words and teachings here. Furthermore in verse 26, Jesus repeats Himself, "How difficult it will be for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God," and they were exceedingly astonished and said to Him, "Then who can be saved?" They were exceedingly astonished. They're floored. Further, they asked the question, "Then who can be saved?" This isn't a question. This is an exclamation of Jesus, "This guy is better than me. If He can't get in, how can we get in?" This is offensive. This is absurd. So specifically, these verses mention it, the last verse though, and this verse 31 could be a whole sermon on its own, "But many who are first will be last and the last first." This is Jesus trying to just stir our sensitivity, stir our senses to say, "Things are going to be different. I've established this kingdom through My life, through My faithfulness, through My death, through My resurrection. That's where I'm going and be prepared. It's a call that those who are lowly and humble and deny themselves in this life in My way will be exalted by Me in eternity." This is just to think like this. Those who are last will be first and first last. It's completely contradictory how man thinks, how traditional religion thinks. Only the strong survive. God helps those who help themselves. In the Jewish system, Jewish thought was if you climb a ladder, your goal as a Jew of that day was if you were blessed to get more formal education and training, you became a synagogue ruler, you became a scribe or Pharisee, you made it. So Jesus prepares us with specific shock in these verses, but just broadly, the whole story of the rich young ruler, it's really to shock us, to startle us and get us concerned about our candidacy for entry in the kingdom of God. The tragedy, what the Lord is trying to teach us is a shocking lesson that goodness is not enough to enter the kingdom of God. Goodness, riches, wealth, these things that the world says are indicators of righteousness are at that time they're not good enough. So what do we do? How do you get in? Yes, for us it's easy for believers and non-believers to say bad people shouldn't get in. Those who blatantly rebel, they commit murder, they do heinous, perverted crimes, very clearly, if God's real, if He's good, very clearly they're not getting in. Christian, non-Christian, it's easy to get unity on that. This text, it brings out that not badness, not that badness is wrong, but even goodness is not enough. We can exclude ourselves from badness, but when we hear that goodness is not enough, it's offensive because we're good people. We generally do more good than bad. We try to give more than we receive. When we mess up, we try to correct ourselves, we recycle, we buy local, we try to help our neighbor, we go to church, we give to nonprofits, but the tragedy of the rich young ruler confronts this thinking, for we're to read this passage and see that this guy at the start of the passage, he's presented to be better than us, but he's not good enough to enter.So look at him, look at how well he starts. Verse 17, "And as he was setting out on his journey, a man came up and knelt before Him and asked Him, 'Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'" This is just an astounding engagement. First of all, the text says a man. There's two parallel passages that tell the same story, Luke 18, Matthew 19, and he's just called a man here. Later on in the text it says he had great wealth, but we find out he's young in one of the other parallel passages. He's labeled as a ruler in one of the others. So he's wealthy, he's young. In that day, youth as in our day, youth, who doesn't want a nice charismatic young man saying, "Lord, what must I do to serve you?" How happy are we when we see young people taking an initiative in the community, taking initiative in the church slash synagogue, which is our exact situation now? How often are we excited to see young people, let alone wealthy? This guy would've been the perfect man to run a $5 million campaign to get a church building. This guy was perfect just with these broad descriptions, but looking at the text, look at how he comes to the Lord. All of Mark, we've been dealing with situations where even Jesus, His own disciples are not recognizing Him as Lord. They are essentially questioning His authority or not willing to trust in Him over and over again. It's really only the Gentiles, the people outside of the promises of God who are approaching Jesus with humility and trust and a heart to receive His kingdom and follow Him, but look at His approach. The man, he comes running up to Jesus as Jesus is leaving after a speaking and service engagement. If this man really was a ruler in his day, he was breaking custom here. First of all, it's really hot there, but no, rich man, wealthy man, man of honor did not run. When the visiting teacher came in that society, the leaders of the synagogue weren't going down just running straight to Him. That would've brought some shame and maybe people would've questioned their authority and integrity. Furthermore, it says he ran up and knelt before Him. He gets on his knees. That's just incredible. That is over the top and, again, not something that a man of honor does. Then what's even more notable is that this is a man who sees his need. He's willing to face potential public shame from his esteemed position because he says, "It's Jesus, this teacher, I've been hearing about this." The guy just thought, "He's talking about something that I don't have, eternal life." How many people do you share the gospel with, bring to church and they're like, "Yeah, I don't think I have that," but then they just never come back? They're content to just sit not knowing how to address that need, at least this guy's doing something. Furthermore, he's showing Jesus respect through the running, through the bowing. He's saying, "I see you're a good teacher. I see you've got something." He eagerly wants to hear what Jesus has to say. Then his question, it's not perfect, and I'll get to that later, but he asks a question. He's interested in eternal life. So this guy, he's a very good, exceptional, young man who cares about spiritual matters, and he is approaching Jesus with great eagerness, great zeal to find out the truth. I just want to say, as Christians, we pray for opportunities to share the gospel. We know God's love. We want everyone in our lives to have it if you really know it, and you're praying, "Lord, give me opportunities to share the gospel." How many of you, how thrilled would you be if someone at the lunch table at work said to you, "Andy, I know you're Christian. What must I do to inherit eternal life?" That'd be amazing. We dream for these opportunities. Most of the time we feel like a nag in the sharing and proclamation in public or in relationship. I was flying a couple weeks ago. I like to sit with my Bible open on the airplanes like, "Maybe this person will ask me a question. Lord, Lord, just prepare me and just humble this person. Let them see that I might have an answer for them." I was literally thinking like that reading my Bible on the plane, but it didn't happen, unfortunately, but we pray for these situations. So this guy's approach, it's good. There's something honorable and respectable about him, and you could not imagine anything more from a natural man, a non-believer. This is your friend who works at the biotech company in Boston saying, "There's something in your life that I don't have. What do I do to get it?" So Jesus, He's exposed this need. The man tries to find out how to address this thing that he's lacking and to get it. This is as good as a start as anybody could have. To the disciples of his day, they would've thought that this guy would've walked right into the kingdom of God. That's why they're so amazed that the story ends differently. So can you imagine a better start, but that is not the story. This is not the way the engagement goes. He doesn't walk right into the kingdom. Verse 22 says, "Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions."We're just forced to ask the question, "Why? What's the matter with this young man? What's the matter with his approach? Why did he go away? Why did he not enter the kingdom? Why is he left grieving and despondent, grieving in heart? What's the trouble?" The one phrase answer is this man went away because of his profound misunderstanding of the kingdom of God. That's why the Lord makes the comment in verse 23, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God." He says it again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."It's impossible for a righteous man seemingly perfect on the outside by his own works, by his own volition to enter the kingdom of God, but with God all things are possible. So this grace, we can only be saved by grace. So that's part of goodness does not matter, it's God's grace, but to focus on the shock, Jesus, He shocks with specific verses in this and Jesus shocks broadly with this tragedy. When people draw nears to Jesus, He shocks them. If you really have an encounter with Jesus, if you dig into scripture, if you hear a truly biblical, faithful sermon, if you come to Jesus with a heart and say, "Show me. I want to know who You are. I want to know what Your call on my life is," it's going to be a drastic engagement. There's only one of two directions. If you feel like you've never really been shocked by Jesus, you probably have not gotten close to Him. You're not really understanding the heart of His message. You're not really understanding the impossibility of entering His kingdom and the call to follow Him. So Jesus, He shocks those who draw near to him and He contends that their views of Him need to change, as well as their views of the kingdom need to be shaken up. So a lot of people, they talk about Jesus only as if He was a good man of history. Just like the man in our story, He's a good man. He was a great teacher, a great voice for the poor, great among the philosophers, a great social revolutionary. This is how I used to talk about Jesus when I was insecure to identify as a Christian at my liberal arts college. Perhaps they say He was a prophet among the great prophets, Buddha, Confucius. They say He was one of the greatest the world has ever seen. They think when you talk about Jesus in these ways but don't call Him the Lord, the Savior of man who came to die on the cross to bear the wrath for their sin and rise that they might have resurrection life and joyful, abundant life in eternity.When they say these comparisons, it's really an insult. They're really showing that they don't know who He really is. Jesus is not just any good teacher. He's the Son of God and Son of Man, the living God, the omnipotent God taken on flesh. He can't be categorized in the same genre as fallen man. We need to view Him this way because that's how He viewed Himself. So He's shown us that here a little bit in this text, but He wants us to confront our views of the kingdom of God.A lot of people come to Christianity think that it's just an add-on to what they're already doing in life. This is exactly what the rich young ruler was guilty of. He says, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? What must I do?" This is a man who wants to be doing something. He wants to keep doing what he's already doing, but maybe add a little bit more by his own effort to attain eternal life. We can see right away his approach. He seems flawless, but in his words, there's this pride saying, "I want to be a part of my own salvation. I want to be a part of my entry." He isn't coming as a child. He's not helpless and needy and humble. He is presenting himself as someone who's capable. He's successful in business. He's got good financial capital, not just cash, he's got capital. That's what possessions means later on in the text. He's socially respected in the community. He's got religious success. He wants Jesus to give him what is lacking and maintain the status quo of his life, and that's just not how the kingdom of God works. Jesus says to him, "You lack one thing. Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor and you have treasure in heaven. Come follow me." He's saying, "I'm here to uphold, just overturn your whole life. I'm here to cause upheaval," and it's not really on the outside first, it's on the inside first. Now, I'll elaborate more on that later, but Christianity, it's not an add-on. Jesus said, Mark 2:21-22, "No one sows a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old and a worst tear is made, and no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins and the wine is destroyed and so are the skins, but new wine is fresh for wineskins." Jesus is the fresh wine. If you put Him into an old wineskin, it's going to burst. When you enter the kingdom of God, it's not just like any other habit or study that you take up casually or leisurely or see, "What more could it bring to my life?" He wants to make you entirely new. He is not content to play second fiddle to anything in your life. This is really important because a lot of people, I know people in my life who have engaged Christianity for decades and they're just approaching it as if it's just any old study of history. It's just like any other philosophy, "Let me see what more it can add to my repertoire."No. Jesus says, "I'm the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me." When you enter into the kingdom by this great gift of faith, you should expect your life to some change, some transformation. The rich young ruler knew that what Jesus called him to was so much more than he wanted to do. He thought, "It's just a little bit of sprinkle, a little bit of Jesus into my life and I'll just keep going with everything else."So Jesus, this is all under the point of when you come to Jesus, expect to be shocked. This is when you come to Jesus, expect to be shocked and, really, as you continue in life, expect to be shocked. He's going to keep pushing you toward greater levels of holiness, greater levels of maturity. A lot of people, they don't understand how far, how serious He is about holiness. When you're saved, praise God, you've probably left something, probably a sin that gripped the surface of your life and heart, but He just keeps digging and digging deeper and deeper. A lot of people are shocked how the Lord through marriage puts two people with complimentary parts together, and as iron sharpens iron, they see the endless, endless way that the Lord is just calling them to greater holiness by one day at a time not lashing out at their spouse. When you're a member of a church and you're called to in sickness and in health, stay faithful, continue to gather with one another, continue to love one another as Jesus has loved you and you find out these people are sinners, these leaders are flawed, the Lord is not just calling them to repent and trying to train everybody, He's calling you to greater levels of holiness in the way that you engage the tensions.It's shocking at how far the Lord digs into our identity to get us to grow in the faith, but when you're coming to the faith, when the Lord is shocking you when you're in the faith, how do you respond to that? This text, I think the response is you let Jesus search you. When you come to Jesus, get ready to be searched. By search I mean that Jesus probes your entire being and He looks for defilement, He looks for impurities on the surface of your life and at the heart, and He has perfect vision and He's going to reveal what He sees. If you look at the text, three times in the text it said that Jesus looked at someone. Verse 21, "Jesus looked at him and loved him." Verse 23, "Jesus looked around at His disciples and said ..." Again in verse 27, "Jesus looked at them and said ..." Three times there's this idea of Jesus looking, and I don't think that this is there as an accident. This is one of the unique elements of this presentation, of this story that is not in the other two gospel presentations of it.What we have here in this text is that Jesus, when He's looking at the young man, when He's looking at his disciples, it's a sense of He's giving a holy gaze. It's the Almighty God looking right at us and right through us. In Revelation 1, Jesus is depicted in radiant glory. We just think of a refining fire and having eyes of blazing fire. The apostle John said, the one who had the vision, the Holy Spirit gave the vision to for the Book of Revelation, he says, "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead." You're just exposed when Jesus looks at your life and you realize you can't stand before Him in His holiness.In the next two chapters of Revelation after chapter one, Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus, He looks at seven churches and it seems as if He looks right through them. He understands what's happening. He calls them out for their sin, for their grievances for Him, and it seems like He's speaking into the minds and hearts of the individuals of the body. We think of Jesus telling Nathaniel when He's gathering His disciples, "Nathaniel, I saw you under the tree," and Nathaniel's shaken. The Lord has a special vision. In today's account, we see Jesus as looking, searching the rich young ruler, perceiving what his genuine spiritual sickness was, probing the core of his corruption, and it's amazing. I think his vision, it's just incisive. Within a few lines in an instant, Jesus just shatters this man's identity, reveals his greatest heart issues. So He sees this first and the man approaches Him. He finds one little mistake in his presentation when he says, "What must I do to inherit eternal life? What must I do?" Jesus takes that clue, which suggests that this man thinks he deserves entry into the kingdom based on his own righteousness that he's billed out by his works, by his observance of God's law, and He immediately questions the man's understanding for why he thinks he's a good candidate about the law. He says, "You know the commandments, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother," and he said to Him, "Teacher, all these I've kept for my youth." The man's answer affirms Jesus' suspicion that he thinks he can enter the kingdom upon his own merit, but you see, Jesus' wisdom, His genius in these verses were in the list of commandments that He mentioned, he's only acknowledging the second table of the law that is summarized by love your neighbor as yourself. He's not bringing up any of the first four commandments that talk about love of God. So this man thinks that he's one who should garner entry based on his good status in the community, based on his upholding of the commandments. Jesus, He sees that and He looks at him. He loves him, "There's almost something like something really likable about you. It's cute how you're presenting yourself to me, but you are so unobservant of yourself," and He looks at him and He asks him about one of the heart commandments, "What's the first commandment? You shall have no other god before Me." Jesus, He asks him this, He doesn't ask him this, He just puts His finger on the dot of where his idolatry when he says ... "And Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, 'You lack one thing. Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor and you'll have treasure in heaven. Come follow me.'"He's pressing right on the center of the target, that thing that the man is holding onto that is preventing him from full submission to Christ's lordship, repentance and faith before him. This is what Jesus does. Further, the man says, it says, "Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions." So Jesus, like a surgeon, incisively reveals that this man who's perfect on the outside, he's an idolator. He does not love God first and foremost above everything in his life. He does not think that he was made to worship God and be satisfied by life of communion with Him, and so much so, his grasp on his money, his wealth, and perhaps all the things that it brought was so great that God is standing there right before him inviting him to follow Him, to care for Him, promising him riches in heaven and he wouldn't let go of it.So God, He just searches this man, Christ searches this man super quickly and nothing. This is what he does with all of us. Regardless of whatever good appearances or law-abiding appearances that we can conjure up, Christ can see what our heart truly longs for, and if it's not Him, He's going to expose it. In the case of the rich young ruler, it was his grip on his money. Jesus, He's not revealing that money is an inherently bad thing. There are great saints of history who have had money in scripture. We have Job, we have Joseph of Arimathea, the man who donated his tomb upon Christ's crucifixion. We think of Zacchaeus, who in his repentance used his wealth for God's glory, but money is not evil, but the text shows us that money is something so powerful that it can blind us to its control over us. It's money, there's something specific in Christ bringing this out in this passage. There's a special authority that it can have to us. This man clearly had no self-awareness, but everybody is tempted to clinging to something in this life for satisfaction that is not Jesus. Jesus wants to reveal that to us and root it out. I remember hearing about a story where there were monkey hunters in a jungle somewhere, and the monkeys were so ... What they did was, the hunters, they basically just had to put nuts in a jar and essentially fasten the container to where they put it. The monkeys were so greedy about getting the nuts. Their desire was so set on the nuts that when the hunters would arrive, they just kept their hand and stood there even though it led to their capture, their demise. We are just like the monkeys. People today, we hear the gospel go out, we hear it, we feel its call. We see the peel of a life with Christ, the joy of salvation, but we're unwilling to come when Christ calls us because we won't let go of our grasp around that thing that our heart is in love with. We tend to make, and it's not just rebellious sin, it's often good things that we put in the place of God. So what is it for you? What are you holding onto? If Christ came and He just looked at you, He didn't have to play around with the man with talk of goodness, He says, "You want to talk goodness? God is good. Let's not confuse categories here. Let's not talk about goodness. Your sense of goodness, you don't see it, but it's decided by your culture, your preferences. You want to talk about the law? Okay. I'm going to use the law to try to show your own blindness. That clearly doesn't work. Then we'll look at you and put it, bring you right to your idol." Christ, He could just look at us and call it out.So if He was here today, what would be that thing that you were thinking, that thing, that relationship, that experience, that lifestyle that you think could satisfy you more than Him? He's going to search us and probe us and try to get us to relinquish our grip on such things. Notice the text says, "Jesus looked at him and loved him," when he brought out the man's idolatrous relationship with his wealth, with his possessions. The text says this is loving, this act by Jesus is loving. It's tough love. This is Jesus with the holy gaze trying to help someone come out of their blindness, come out of the slavery to that thing that is dominating their life, that thing that they structure all of their life around to keeping, to retaining, that thing that's preventing them from worshiping Him, and He's trying to free them to come receive forgiveness for their sin, enjoy a life of freedom, a life entrusting Christ to provide for you one day at a time, and it's what is He calling you to let go of.I think we all have those things. Is it a relationship? Is it wealth and the control of your life that it could bring? Is it having a child? Is it your children? What is it? How do we ask? We ask, "Jesus Lord, search me and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts and see if there'll be any grievous way in me." If anyone has walked closely to me, you know that was my verse of 2023. The Christian, you get frightened by this searching at the start of faith because you see what Jesus is going to call you to leave to come and follow Him, but actually, you see the goodness of it and you grow in your profession. You grow in this prayer, "Lord, search me because if there's anything in me that is going to separate, tempt me to leave You, stop following You, if there's anything in me that's going to get in the way of this relationship that I have with You, just root it out, and please be gentle, but if You have to be painful and I'm that blind, just do it." We should grow to appreciate this searching. The Christian should grow, but the thing that happens when you feel the Lord, He's shocking you, He's searching you, it's offensive because our flesh, until Jesus returns, is going to fight and resist. It's going to want to look back and be tempted to cling to those idols. So when we come to Jesus, you should get ready to be blessed or grieved. This is when Jesus is shocking you, He's searching you, you've got two directions to go. We see in this text, these two results. With verse 22, we see the grief in the reaction of the ruler, "Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions." The word for grief used here, it's the word used in the gospels to describe the same grief that Jesus felt on the cross when the Father with whom He dwelt in perfect communion, loving, eternal communion, turns His face away, does not respond to His cries of, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me on the cross?" That same word for grief that talks about just a grief that we cannot fathom, that is the same word used to describe the grief that this rich young ruler felt when he's walking away from Jesus, when Jesus is pressing on that idol. The irony is, this is after he's walking away, he feels this grief. Jesus is actually letting him have what he wants, yet he's walking away despondent, in despair. He's clinging with a vice grip to that idol. It's tearing him apart, yet he's still holding onto it. We don't know. The text says, "Jesus looked at him and loved him." The only way Jesus can actually look at a sinner and idolator and love him is by grace. A lot of people say, "This guy definitely was not saved." The prayer is, hopefully, he saw the folly of his ways, and what did he have to do? He had to repent, go to Jesus, confess his sin of idolatry, of thinking that his wealth could satisfy him more than Jesus, and by confessing his sin, he could have been saved. That's the same with all of us if we catch ourselves in such idolatry. Then when we do that, whether it's in the initial first time that the Lord is searching us or later on perhaps, hopefully in the way that the ruler did, we can experience God's blessing. We see God's blessing, Mark 10:26-31, "And they were exceedingly astonished," the disciples, "and said to Him after the rich young ruler goes away, 'Then who can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.' Peter began to say to Him, 'See, we have left everything and followed you.' Jesus said, 'Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for My sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundred fold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life, but many who are first will be last and the last first.'" For the person who has been searched by Jesus, who repents of their grip on the idols of their heart and follows Him and trusts His position in this life and eternity with Him, these are the most encouraging words. This is not prosperity gospel. These are Jesus' words. We read them at face value. As you engage the shock of just the difficulty of leaving stuff to enter into the kingdom as Jesus instructs you, when you engage Jesus' probing, when you relinquish your grip on these things that keep you away from following Him, He promises to reward you. These verses give us assurance that He sees your sacrifice. He sees your effort to leave, to say goodbye to the old man and live in a resurrected new way when you follow Him.Further, He says, He's not just going to honor in eternity, He's going to honor it in this life. What we're called by Christians upon the moment that we're saved is to follow Him, to trust Him that He will satisfy. We were made for worship for Him. That's what Adam and Eve, they're made to worship and dwell in the garden in perfect communion with the Lord, but they sinned against Him thinking that Satan said, "There's fruit of this world. Taste it. He's withholding something from you," but when we come to Christ and say, "No, God, I see You are enough," He promises to satisfy. Anyone who receives Jesus' call to follow Him and allows Him to stay in the position of Lord of their life and follows Him one day at a time, they know that actually a lot of these earthly things don't matter. The joy of salvation, the joy of peace, the peace that comes when you know that you're right before God, the Father through Jesus Christ, the perfect mediator, the knowledge that God loves you despite having full knowledge of your sin because of Jesus, you know that the joy of salvation is better. These extra benefits, these are just words and promises to give us hope to persevere until the end, but we can ask Him expectantly that He will offer them.There is an element, Mark says with persecutions. So it's not going to be perfect. Our hearts can be tempted towards sin. The creation is still crying out for Jesus' return. We're still in a fallen world, and these persecutions, they're means to test us, to grow us, and we're called to endure through them. I have had the pleasure in the past few weeks of having a rich young ruler of Boston of our congregation approach me and say, "Pastor Andy, I've had this relationship with you for five years, and just want to be honest with you. These whole five years I've checked in with you occasionally once a year, every year, year and a half, and what the Lord has shown me in the past couple months is I've been in grievous sin, just finding my satisfaction and building my kingdom, building my resume, grasping, having a vice grip on relationships that did not honor Him, and I see that that is sin. I see that I was committing idolatry, thinking these things could satisfy me more than God." What did he ask me? He set an appointment with me and he said, "How can I serve?" He knew that the work was finished in his life. He asked me, "How can I serve?" Then he told me he also went online. He heard about Mosaic's campaign for the building fund, and he said, "The Lord blessed me while I was in this period of sin and I just really want to serve Him with my life. I sold the stock that I had." I don't know what a lot meant to him. I don't know the specific amount, but he sold stock that he acquired over this period and he gave it toward the kingdom of God. So praise God, I got to see the Lord move. It's a miracle anytime the Lord does this in a person's life, but we need to trust that Jesus Christ, He is on His throne because He has lived, He has died, He has resurrected, He has ascended, He is in charge still, and He does save people. He gives people conviction by the Holy Spirit to repent of their idolatry, repent of their sin, repent of their self-dependence before Him and convinces them to repent and follow Him. So what was the rich young ruler called to? He was called to faith. It's confusing when you think Jesus has this perfect evangelistic opportunity and he's like, "Why didn't he just tell him to repent and believe?" Well, have faith in Christ. Well, Jesus, He's wiser than us. He knew the hard work that He needed to do on this guy, but we're basically called to be saved and trust Him and trust Him with our salvation and trust Him with provision to help us persevere to the end. When God saved Israel, He said, "People forget the preamble of the 10 Commandments." It's, "I am the Lord thy God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me." When we fully believe that God and Christ has met our deepest need, our guilt, our shame, our sin, our idolatry before Him, our hopelessness, our condemnation, that we are just walking towards apart from Him. When we see that God has met our deepest need through sending Christ to be the propitiation for our sins on the cross, we can trust Him with everything else.Israel was called to trust God after they're delivered from slavery. We are called to trust God when we realized He delivered us from the slavery to our sin. So we seek first His kingdom and all things will be added to us. Let me pray and close there.Heavenly Father, we praise You that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ for we know by Your word and by our personal experience of salvation and His provision as we've walked forward in faith, we know that He is the real rich, young ruler. Lord, we thank You for giving us the perspective to look upon this instance in history, the story, this tragedy, to learn more about how we may enter, to learn that we, by our own efforts, cannot enter, but through Christ, through His efforts, through faith in them we can, but Lord, please embolden our faith, grow our faith, grow our trust that You, as You have saved us, You will always provide for us. You see our effort today to honor You. We ask that You would bless us, preserve us, provide the comfort and strength and care we need to continue to honor You. Lord, we just ask, we pray, sustain us until we receive our reward in heaven. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

This week is the last episode of 2023 and the final Online Hangout of the year. Lloyd is joined by Reformation Gun Club members Dan Veldt, Stuart Burt, and Donnie and Peter Ross and then we give away prizes with the help of my Lloyd's daughter, Rylyn. Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, The Reformation Gun Club! http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Duty to Defend: Volume 2 is available! Pick up your copy today in paperback, Kindle, or ePub formats! www.ArmedLutheran.us/books Prayer of the Week Almighty God, heavenly Father, bestow on us Your grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, that in the Last Day when He will come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may then rise to the life immortal; through Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Join the Reformation Gun Club! - http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Shop at GunMagWarehouse* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/mags Get Regular Refills Coffee Subscriptions at Dunkin' Donuts* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Coffee Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook We are back on X (formerly Twitter) - http://www.armedlutheran.us/twitter Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!

This week Lloyd and Pastor Bennett are hanging out with members of the Reformation Gun Club: Stuart Burt, Donny Ross, Mike Thomas, Guillaume Williams, William Swenson, Mike Soost, and Dan Rushing. Be sure to check out the YouTube channel to see this and previous Online Hangouts. Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, The Reformation Gun Club! http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Duty to Defend: Volume 2 is available! Pick up your copy today in paperback, Kindle, or ePub formats! www.ArmedLutheran.us/books Prayer of the Week Almighty God, heavenly Father, bestow on us Your grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, that in the Last Day when He will come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may then rise to the life immortal; through Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Join the Reformation Gun Club! - http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Shop at GunMagWarehouse* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/mags Get Regular Refills Coffee Subscriptions at Dunkin' Donuts* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Coffee Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook We are back on X (formerly Twitter) - http://www.armedlutheran.us/twitter Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!

Delivered by Gabriella Alma Sitolang, Christopher Alden, Alexandra Alysia Sularso (students of SMP Santa Maria Surabaya in Diocese of Surabaya, and Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia. Isaiah 56: 1.6-7; Rs psalm 67: 2-3.5.6.8; Romans 11: 13-15.29-32; Matthew 15: 21-28 OUR FAITH IS TESTED   Our meditation on this 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time has the theme: Our Faith Is Tested. We as members of the Catholic Church are people who believe in Christ. The formal sign is that we have been baptized, as members of the holy Church and have rights and obligations as followers of Christ. We are made up of members of the Church who were baptized as children and who have just been baptized as adults. Some have only been a member of the Church for a year or a few years, while others have been there for longer.   God Himself gives the test through His various available instruments such as His word, sacred activities, Church services, teachings, faith formation and deepening knowledge on divine wisdom and Church social activities. These instruments function at the same time as test materials, in the sense to what extent these remain the main guideline and important reference for us to further grow in faith. The core material is the unchanging or eternal will and teachings of God.   The test or trial for our faith lies precisely in our ability to hold on to and rely on God's will and teachings. Some of us seem to remain enthusiastic and loyal to God, even though they still face difficulties in this world. But not a few of us seem tired, lacking enthusiasm, bored, take it for granted and turn to invitations outside of true faith. This is the first test.   The situation becomes more disturbing and possible conflict in the second test, namely the presence of newcomers or newly baptized people. They may be admirers, aspirants, nomads, foreigners and seekers of truth: by knowing and wanting to follow Jesus they want to join those who already have faith and as members of the Church. Here our faith will be tested: can we accept them with joy, or accept them with suspicion, or accept them half-heartedly, or belittle them to be second class, or see them as a threat and finally reject them?   Our three readings this Sunday teach us the same and very important thing, namely appreciating the good will of people who are classified as late comers, newcomers or foreigners or those who are seeking the truth. It's not enough to appreciate them, but we also have to be able to accept them because who they want to meet is the same God that we believe in. Even God opens His hands and heart to them, so why can't we accept them?   Let's pray. In the name of the Father... Through the holy celebration this Sunday, O Father almighty, may we be filled with gratitude and joy to always strengthen brotherhood and togetherness as people of faith, followers of Your Son Jesus Christ, so that our lives will become genuine more and more in the unity in Your kingdom. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Johanes Bambang and Julia Ayuningtyas Mukti from Community of PUKAT Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia. Numbers 4: 32-40; Rs psalm 77: 12-16.21; Matthew 16: 24-28 IF LIFE CAN BE EXCHANGED   Our meditation today has the theme: If Life Can Be Exchanged. The exchange of goods in ancient times with the barter system, it happened so, for example, bananas brought from the mountains to be exchanged with fish from the sea. Times have changed and the exchange system has also changed, therefore, the term is no longer exchanging goods but buying goods. We use money to buy goods in stores or shopping centers.   Can one's life be exchanged or bought in this way? Let us say someone comes to a money holder, then he is taken by that rich man and some money changes hands to that person's family. Maybe it could happen in this way somewhere in our places, but this incident can be classified as an abnormal act or maybe it's a crime.   This type of exchange occurs in the context of markets and trade. The Lord Jesus teaches us a kind of exchange of life, but not as a market or trade. He presents a new lifestyle in order to achieve the salvation of the soul and body for mankind. For those who choose to follow Him, the main condition is to make a life exchange, namely their personhood and their life's orientation.   The lifestyle of the world that makes us only care about ourselves and live in ease and have the mentality being served, is to be exchanged for a new lifestyle from Jesus which is self-denial with its main identification to be the carrying of the cross. This completes what God has done, which is to buy us from this world at a very high price. We have been made His own marked by our baptism and inclusion into the Church. So we experience a life exchange that includes God's ownership of ourselves and the lifestyle of this world is exchanged for the style of Jesus Christ in the form of self-denial and carrying the cross.   This does not mean that the world, culture and social life no longer belong to us, or that we have lost our position in this world. We actually still experience and have it all, however, we have exchanged a higher quality, namely as followers of Christ. We already have this dignity and every moment of this life we experience how significant we are. The proof is that we promise to be faithful to God in our words and deeds. This is what Moses reminds us not to forget this very important dignity. We maintain this dignity, one of the ways is to emulate the best models in our Church. Saint Clare, whose memorial we celebrate today, can be our model. She is a model of modesty and purity of life.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father... In Your power and mercy, O Father, we want to sanctify ourselves through our words and deeds under the guidance of Your Spirit. May the spirit of self-denial taught by Your Son Jesus Christ always grow strong within us. Hail Mary full of grace... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Johanes Bambang and Julia Ayuningtyas Mukti from Community of PUKAT Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia. 2 Corinthians 9: 6-10; Rs psalm 112: 1-2.5-9; John 12: 24-26 GOD LOVES THOSE WHO GIVE WITH LOVE   The theme for our meditation today is: God Loves Those Who Give With Love. Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Lawrence, a deacon in Rome. He was killed by Emperor Valerianus in the 3rd century. Lawrence was temporarily imprisoned and awaiting execution. He was accused to have kept all of the Church's assets left by Pope Sixtus II (the Second), who had been murdered four days earlier. On the day of his execution Lawrence was ordered to take all property with him for surrender. He headed for the place of execution followed by many sick, crippled, poor, neglected people whom he took care every day. They were all treasures that he had during his life.   Saint Lawrence has really given with his joyful heart. This means that he has given all of his life to serving the poor and sick, and this means he fulfilled God's will and love. He was happy to carry out the work that the Lord himself does. During the execution, he presented his favourite things in the world, namely his life with the little ones and the sick. So he was willing and happy to accept the death penalty upon himself because after his death a spirit of giving will flourish among those who have experienced the love of God.   To give with joy in the heart always puts the focus on the people who need it and those who receive it. Not vice versa to the objects and materials after their quantity or price. If you focus your attention on human persons, depending on their circumstances and needs, material or goods will automatically be included to fulfil them. The focus on humans is much broader and deeper because its scope will include also non-material aspects such as advice, closeness, relationships, psychology, culture and so on. It often happens that if these non-material things can be provided accordingly, the material ones are no longer needed.   When attention and care  given in the priority of human persons either individual or groups, the value and outcome of the service should be about spiritual satisfaction. Someone who gives will become happy and satisfied because he or she renders kindness to others. He or she is filled with a peaceful and joyful mind and heart. Those who receive something are also happy and joyful because they have been helped to get out of life's difficulties. They were filled with a grateful and joyful heart and mind. God designs with His guidance and command, that this act of giving each other should become our Christian way of life that we always practice. So God pleases and blesses people who always give with love. God's highest gift for them is the provision of eternal happiness in heaven.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O God almighty, Your Son Jesus Christ teaches us to give with joy, so strengthen us always with Your Spirit to make this happen in every moment of our lives. Our Father who art in heaven... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Oscar Hadisandjaja and Ronaldo Ferdinand from Saint Peter's School Jakarta, Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Exodus 33: 7-11; 34: 5b-9.28; Rs psalm 103: 6-7.8-9.10-11.12-13; Matthew 13: 36-43 REAL WORLD, NOT A DREAM   The theme for our meditation today is: The Real World, Not a Dream. We have just heard the reading from the Gospel about the meaning of sowing seed and weeds growing with them until the harvest season comes. One element of the meaning of that parable, says Jesus, is the field or planting ground which is interpreted as the world. The world referred to here is the real world where we are here and now.   The real world is filled with our lives. God loves and cares so much for His people in the world, so He sent His only Son to come into the world to save them. Jesus Christ established His kingdom on earth in the form of the holy Church to unite all God's people in the way of salvation, and finally will enter the eternal kingdom of heaven.   This world and human beings who inhabit it become the choice of Jesus Christ. He has intended to die for those entrusted to Him by the heavenly Father. We are sinners or at least our lives are burdened with difficulties because we are living with all kinds of weeds. But Jesus never gives up or stops caring about us. We must do good and try to always be good in every condition, however, around us there are still people who are dissatisfied, who disagree, dislike, and hostile to us. All of that can be categorized as weeds that never make us free. But Jesus Christ remains with us, and the Holy Spirit is faithful to accompany us. This is all the reality in this world.   We cannot avoid this fact. We can only orient ourselves and have the ability that is equipped with all the teachings of truth and goodness of God. Like Moses and God's people who returned from worshiping idols and turned to God, we also try to always be optimistic and have good intentions while living in this real world. This attitude supports our being at home and to be able to actively renew ourselves and the world in which we inhabit. People must be free from dreams, fantasies and perceptions that can make them pessimistic and anti-real world.   Dream of being separated from this real world might be caused by our inability to face the current situation. Maybe this can be likened to the four wheels of a car on the road. The rear wheels keep on dreaming or fantasizing: I want to be in the front position to get first to the destination, but when will I be able to... Many of us often fall into this kind of wishful thinking, which means that they are not comfortable, not optimistic and realistic about this life in this world. Hope that we are not like this, but remain realistic and optimistic. Real life is a school where we must learn.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O God, the Most Merciful Father, You fill the world in which we live with all possibilities for us to develop and renew it under the guidance of Your Spirit. May we always be faithful in the path that Your Son Jesus Christ has walked to love You and our neighbours. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Eva and Callista Virginia Leo from Saint Peter's School Jakarta, Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Exodus 14: 5-18; Rs psalm Exo 15: 1-2.3-4.5-6; Matthew 12: 38-42 SPIRITUAL ADULTERY   The theme for today's meditation is: Spiritual Adultery. The word adultery or fornication is found in the scriptures, both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In our daily use, the term adultery is also part of the conversation everywhere. The most normal intention for an act of adultery is the relationship between a man and a woman like husband and wife without being legally married.   But the scriptures also raise the issue of spiritual adultery which refers to human actions that are unfaithful to God. Many stories in the old testament as well as the new testament show this unfaithfulness. The Lord Jesus was sent by the Father first of all for the scattered Israelites so that they would be gathered and saved. And Jesus had worked so diligently through teaching, awareness, healing, and various miracles in Jerusalem and its surroundings. It is hoped that the Israelites would repent and believe in God.   But they didn't even want to know and believe in Jesus. They asked for signs which in their calculation were sufficient to make them believe. This is what made Jesus angry. They are considered to have committed spiritual adultery, that is, against God by rejecting and not acknowledging Him who came in the name and person of God. This sin of adultery is breaking the covenant between God and the ancestors of Israel.   Being unfaithful and breaking a covenant with God are serious and grave sins. People can easily choose to worship and glorify material things, money, position, pleasures of the flesh, social status, fame as their life partner. Then God is forgotten or left alone. God can be jealous and hurt, so to speak.   The temptation to commit adultery spiritually remains in our current generation, just like the temptation to commit adultery physically and biologically. Moses saw that the temptation was so great for his people when they were wandering after leaving Egypt. Likewise, we are currently faced with the temptations of today. Maybe many of us don't commit spiritual adultery so badly. There are those who are disappointed with God and then avoid to talk to Him, they don't want to communicate, they forget Him for some times. There are those who live their faith during the day worshiping worldly wealth, at night they actively worship God. There is one foot in the Church, the other foot in the fields of corruption, violence, lust of the flesh and all forms of lies. All of this is part of spiritual adultery. All of this must be stopped, swerved and returned to true loyalty to God alone.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father...God Almighty, may Your Spirit help us to always be faithful in the way of Your Son Jesus Christ, and keep us away from all temptations that cause us to lose heart in believing in You and even leave You. Hail Mary... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak Boleng in Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia. Genesis 46: 1-7.28-30; Rs psalm 37: 3-4.18-19.27-28.39-40; Matthew 10: 16-23 BE PREPARED FOR RISKS   Our meditation today has the theme: Be Prepared for Risks. Getting ready is a mental state full of attention and alertness for actions or deeds to be carried out. If the action is something normal, ordinary and planned, readiness can be understood as something normal and ordinary. But if what is faced is a risk or danger that comes often unexpectedly, that readiness must be something extraordinary.   The risk for Israel (Jacob's family) in the land of Canaan who decided to emigrate to Egypt can be classified in readiness to face risks. The most serious thing was that they had to become foreigners in the land of people who did not believe in God unlike them and had to submit to being slaves under Egyptian rule after the death of Joseph. This risk is the same as accepting the reality of crawling on the ground to be trampled by people compared to living in the promised land of Canaan.   Jesus gave a list of risks and dangers that were awaiting for His disciples because they had believed and used His name. The most serious thing was that they had to experience suffering and persecution like Jesus Christ experienced. This means they were to prepare to lose their lives. This risk is heavy and not to become a slave to any human being, but to become a servant of God. This risk is faced with preparedness, not for the fulfilment of physical needs or survival like the Israelites. This is the price of a call to follow Christ. Its real motivation is spiritual.   Preparation for the risks is different from daring to face risks. Being prepared contains a spiritual power where a person is calm, optimistic, confident and willing for whatever form of risk would be faced. If the risk is heavy and unexpected, he will face it with enthusiasm, willingness and smile. If the risk is small, he does not underestimate or just relax. While the one who dares refers to the determination to react against the risks that will be faced. Even clash and conflict in words and actions easily occur between the opposing parties.   As followers of Christ, we deserve to choose an attitude of being prepared, alert and attentive, because this is a priority. The scriptures always give us advice and commands to always be ready, alert and attentive to God's signs. This attitude will be very useful if we are faced with the risks of every choice we make. Choices and decisions related to our faith and calling do have great risks, so we should be prepared to face them.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father... In Your power O Father, enable us to face all forms of risk for choosing to side with You, by following Your Son Jesus Christ. We hope that by going through those risks, we can achieve perfection as You yourself are perfect. Our Father who art in heaven... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia. Genesis 32: 22-32; Rs psalm 17: 1.2-3.6-7.8b.15; Matthew 9: 32-38 JESUS IS NOT AN EQUAL MATCH FOR THE EVIL SPIRIT   Our meditation today has the theme: Jesus Is Not an Equal Match for the Evil Spirit. It is often we find in Matthew's Gospel how Jesus freed people who were possessed by evil spirits and the sickness inflicted by that evil power. The experiences of people who have ever accompanied or served the sick can show us something interesting. People who are sick from any disease are usually calm and ask to be prayed for, blessed, given comforting words or stories. As for those possessed by evil spirits, their circumstances are very complex. Many times the reaction of the possessed person is wild and brutal. He or she makes those who serve tremble and fear. He or she fights anyone who comes toward him or her.   Jesus is the Lord, so He is not at all trembling, afraid and running from evil spirits. Jesus loves people who are sick, while evil spirits don't get affection or mercy but rebuke, push and pressure to get out. The evil spirit himself is frightened when he sees Jesus. He knows Jesus is much stronger, so he is afraid. So often evil spirits also beg for mercy from God.   So it is clear that no matter how evil or brutal the evil spirit is, it is not a match for Jesus Christ. We are lucky to be followers of Christ. We always turn to Jesus to use His power, through His official representative, namely the priest, to drive out evil spirits that possess humans. Every believer can immediately cast out evil spirits by using the name and power of Jesus Christ.   Saint Benedict, Abbot, whom we commemorate today teaches us to fight Satan in Jesus' way, which we can realize through two main weapons, namely work and prayer, ora et labora. When we focus on physical and mental work, then we are strengthened by spiritual activities, the evil spirit can be resisted, or at least we don't give it the opportunity and space to harass us. Because if we underestimate prayer and even forget it, and we also don't work or don't keep ourselves busy, Satan will love to disturb us.   When the opponent is not matched, the interaction and the game is not interesting. What is impressive is that God is with humans and not with evil spirits. Interactions and games become fun because they don't involve rebuke, anger or being scared. Fun games between God and humans are always a process of learning, teaching, purification, stabilization and self-renewal. The game of Jacob and God in a night struggle was a process of purification and strengthening of Jacob's calling because he carried a great mission from God.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father... Following the path of Your Son Jesus Christ to always walk in truth, O Father, we have promised on the day of our baptism to stand firm and be strong against the influence of Satan and evil spirits with all their might. We ask that with the accompaniment of Your Spirit we will be able to overcome their temptations and prefer Your path of truth. Hail Mary full of grace... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia. 2 Corinthians 11: 1-11; Rs psalm 111: 1-2.3-4.7-8; Matthew 6: 7-15 DEVOTIONAL PRAYER   The theme for our meditation today is: Devotional Prayer. The word devotion signifies closeness, liking, dedication and affinity made by a person or some persons of lower rank to its counterpart of higher rank position. A child is devoted to his parents, that means he loves so much and dedicates himself to them. If our prayers are full of devotion to God, it means we dispose ourselves as sons and daughters or children who are obedient and loyal to God.   The prayer of “Our Father” should be considered as a devotional prayer, because it is the prayer of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, which unites all of us as His brothers and sisters, to put ourselves under the protection of the heavenly Father. This devotional prayer contains simple words of praise, glory, thanksgiving and requests. Prayer of children has all these characteristic.   Meanwhile, the prayers of adults, scholars and intelligent people tend to be complicated. They prefer to overwhelm God with beautiful, poetic, pretentious and many words. They tend to convey their abilities and achievements in the world as if they want to show that they are so important before God. Busy with how complicated the contents of the words are, they forget to give thanks to God and ask pardon for their shortcomings.   The “Our Father” is a devotional prayer because it expresses sincerity and commitment that taking part in the Sonship of Jesus Christ is a calling. This means, being far away or even outside Jesus, addressing God as "Father" would be strange and illogical. Devotion really demands sincerity and commitment, which indicates that those of us who are devoted are happy, like and close or just the opposite.   The prayer of “Our Father” is a prayer that is devoted because it is prayed any time we want, it is prayed by the public, it is prayed continuously and it is prayed in all types of worship. In short this prayer is a model for all kinds of prayers of believers. This prayer is translated into various languages and dialects, so that when the pronunciation feels so relevant to local cultural flavours, the interest and love of this prayer is even bigger.   The “Our Father” is a devotional prayer because it uses the word “our”, namely all believers who are devoted to the Father who is in heaven. Communication with the Father through this prayer always puts the Father above and we are below that we are to remain obedient to follow the Father. We never use the word "my" which shows self-priority, or "your" which is not appropriate for two-way prayer communication, between God and the faithful. So, let us be more passionate about our devotion to our Father in heaven through the prayer of “Our Father”.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O Father in heaven, may we always be fervent about praying in the words of Your Son Jesus Christ and our Lord: Our Father who art in heaven... Glory to the Father... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia. 2 Corinthians 1: 18-22; Rs psalm 119: 129.130.131.132.133.135; Matthew 5: 13-16 DON'T LOSE YOUR ENJOYMENT   Our meditation today has the theme: Don't Lose Your Enjoyment. Today the whole Church commemorates Saint Anthony of Padua, a Franciscan priest, an excellent preacher, an evangelist in Europe, doctor of the Church and patron saint of finding lost things. Padua is located in Northern Italy.   Why are saints, like Anthony and his native place so loved, enjoyed and visited endlessly by many people from all over the world? The answer is because they do not lose their beauty, charm, and attractiveness like the Lord Jesus, Our Lady, Saint Joseph, Saint Paul and so on.   When something or someone doesn't lose its appeal, the Gospel reading of today shall compare it with salt that does not lose its salty taste. For the youth a common expression they share among them would be in this manner: don't lose your fun. Once in a convent, after the holy Mass in the morning, a young nun approached the Pastor who had celebrated Mass, with a sad face she said that an older sister, her senior, had moved to another community.   How she felt a great loss, just because the presence of her senior was very important and had a big effect on her. The older nun's passion as a person and as a religious became a magnet for her. The older nun's life story from her candidacy until she made her final vows as a nun really fascinating. Her focus of daily life is indeed to follow Christ. She is truly the bride of Jesus Christ.   The sharing of the young nun may strengthen our belief about being attractive according to the style of Jesus Christ, so that we can make our daily lives so enjoyable for everyone. So the Lord Jesus teaches us to be the salt of the world. The spirit of life that we take from Jesus Christ must not be tasteless, because if it is tasteless we can no longer be the salt to the world, or we cannot make this life on earth beauty and enjoyable.   Saint Paul gives us a way to preserve our saltiness. He emphasized that to all the teachings to us in truth and mystery about Jesus Christ, our response should be: "Yes"! We are not encouraged to respond "No"! When we answer "no" we will only make our lives tasteless. Our “Yes” response already has an endorsement from God in heaven, an irrevocable and unchangeable determination. This way confirms and strengthens our callings as followers of Christ. So never lose your fun! But if it has already lost, don't worry, there is Saint Anthony of Padua who can help!   Let's pray. In the name of the Father... As Your beloved sons and daughters, O Father in heaven, may the blessings of Your grace strengthen us always to be with Your Son Jesus Christ and in the light of the Holy Spirit, salt of this world, so that all human faces can see You and all hearts praise You always in all times. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Manette Maturan from Saint John Bosco Church, Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 13: 44-52; Rs psalm 98: 1.2-3b.3c-4; John 14: 7-14 THE GOOD SHEPHERD BRINGS US THE HEAVENLY FATHER   Our meditation today has the theme: The Good Shepherd Brings Us the Heavenly Father. Our meditation yesterday indicated the lack of understanding of the apostle Thomas on the true identity of Jesus Christ, to which Jesus resolved the problem by revealing Himself as our principal mediator to God the Father. Today, the apostle Philip, who represents many people, shows another type of  lack of understanding, that is the question on the identity of the heavenly Father.   The answer of Jesus is the most decisive, or we can even say the key answer to this problem, because it shows the purpose of all our searches and efforts of our journey on earth. Jesus reveals the existence of the heavenly Father whom He represents because the Father actually embodies in the person of Jesus. That is why, He says in this testimony: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." This also means that hearing Jesus is hearing the Father, living with Jesus is living with the Father. In essence, all come to know and believe that the Father exists and works in Jesus. The Father and the Son Jesus are one.   The unity of the Father and the Son takes place in a relationship of love through communication between them, and this relationship is known as the Holy Spirit itself. So the answer given to Philip and all those who seek to find the ultimate purpose of life is actually the Trinity, the true and final identity of God. There is no better or greater answer than this one. In meeting and living with the Father in Jesus Christ, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit had indeed confirmed the apostles' commitment, and they persevered it until death.   Jesus presents us the heavenly Father with the purpose of making us know the reality of God as He is. God comes to our knowledge through all works of love, kindness and compassion, while we humans are taken up by Jesus Christ to the level where we can encounter the Father. At the moment of incarnation, the Trinity was present in the Son conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, born and was under the care of the modest family of Nazareth. Throughout the public ministry of Jesus, the Trinity was also there to work for our redemption. At the end of our journey in the world, the Trinity in heaven welcomes us for eternal life, the best reward already awaiting us.   For us the followers of Christ, such questions from Philip and Thomas are not supposed to be our questions too. We are not in the position to question or even doubt whether Jesus and the Father are one. Our position is actually what Jesus had determined when He was still on earth. Jesus had made us His brothers and sisters, therefore, He taught us His own prayer the "Our Father" to be our basic prayer. This prayer truly makes us beloved children or sons and daughters of our most loving Father. Jesus is really our good Shepherd, because He knows what we badly need: that is to be the beloved sons and daughters of the heavenly Father. We need only to follow Jesus!   Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O most loving Father, we praise and thank You abundantly for our being Your beloved sons and daughters by our participation in the life of Your Son Jesus Christ. May we continue to live with this status until our death. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Worley Pamilaran from Saint John Bosco Church, Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 13: 13-25; Rs psalm 89: 2-3.21-22.25-27; John 13: 16-20 THE GOOD SHEPHERD ENLIGHTENS UNDERSTANDING   Our meditation today has the theme: The Good Shepherd Enlightens Understanding. Jesus Christ our Shepherd illuminates the world and our hearts with His word. If the word only reaches our ears and stops there, the work of evangelization is still just half way. From listening, our next ability should be that of understanding. God continues making us able to understand Him, by revealing Himself in the Word that we read and meditate it daily.   From the moment of baptism we have been filled with the Holy Spirit and through the Sacrament of Confirmation we are anointed with the fullness of His gifts. One of those gifts poured out to us is the gift of understanding. In today's Gospel the Lord Jesus our good Shepherd teaches us that by understanding His teaching we become His blessed people. He is so pleased with those who not only listen, but also understand. Because through a proper understanding, one's attitudes are made and from there he behaves or acts in the light of that understanding.   This does not mean that there is no understanding in every human being, group of people or culture. But we often have problem in this matter.  It is the fact that human understanding is not perfect. For seeing someone or something, there will be different understanding from one person to another. We normally need discussion or debate in order to find a common understanding that is accepted by all. With regards to the teaching of faith, lack of understanding on the whole teachings or part of it and misinterpretations over the truth of faith often bring us into trouble, even to point of conflict or violence among the people who have faith in the same God.   This is truly the experience of Saint Paul. He experienced how Jesus renewed his way of life and he obtained his new understanding on the following of Christ. Now it was Paul's turn to enlighten the minds and understandings of people who didn't know anything about Jesus Christ. We often experience how easy to make someone from not knowing anything to know something new, such as certain basic understanding of what we intend to teach or to transmit. But it will be so hard and maybe impossible to teach and give new understanding to those who already have their own understanding and belief. Saint Paul had all these kinds of experience.   Our understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ and on the Christian faith is basic for our journey of faith from the moment of baptism until our death. But there is a further duty to do, which is something to do with the renewal and enrichment of our understanding of Jesus Christ and His teachings. Then how to do with that? Maybe this proposal is very simple, but who knows it can be very useful. Students must read one textbook ten times that when they do the exam they will find it easy and enjoyable. But when they read ten texbooks only once, surely they will find it hard in the exam. It is the same for us as we do with Jesus Christ and His teachings.   Let us teach each other to develop our understanding of faith. For those who have better understanding, teach those who haven't. Those who have poor understanding, ask those who have more.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Almighty God, we give You thanks and praises for Your Son Jesus Christ is our true and good Shepherd. Make us to become also good shepherds like Him. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message

Help our weak hearts, O Lord! Incline them to your words, even these words of compassion from Your beloved Son. Help us to behold the glories of our King, and to see His compassionate heart so that ours might be conformed to it. It is Your desire that workers be sent out into the harvest, please make it our desire, as well. Whether we go into the harvest or support others who go, may we reflect the compassionate heart of our King and Shepherd, Your Son Jesus Christ.Thank you for listening to this episode of Declaring His Glory Among the Nations: Daily Scripture Meditations from Pastors Around the World.This show is from The Master's Academy International.If you like this podcast, please subscribe, and leave a review on your favorite podcast app. The Master's Academy International is committed to fulfilling the Great Commission by training indigenous church leaders worldwide.For more information and to learn how to get involved, visit www.tmai.org.► CONNECT WITH US: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tmai.orgInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/tmai_orgTwitter - https://twitter.com/tmai_org► SEE OUR RESOURCES: Field Reports - https://www.tmai.org/updateMinistry Updates - https://www.tmai.org/subscribeOnline Giving - https://www.tmai.org/donateDevotional Book - https://www.tmai.org/devotionalFree Book - https://www.tmai.org/freebook► CONTACT US: Address - 13248 Roscoe Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352Phone - (818) 909-5570Email - info@tmai.org

Delivered by Sisilia Sari from Saint Mark Church Depok, Diocese of Bogor, Indonesia. 2 John 1: 4-9; Rs psalm 119: 1.2.10.11.17.18; Luke 17: 26-37 COUNTING ON THE END OF TIME Our meditation today has the theme: Counting on the End of Time. The things about the end time are part of our faith. We are going to end the liturgical year which is only a week or two ahead and these are the very moments as we have opportunities to ponder more deeply on the theme of the end of time. Today, our Gospel reading speaks on the meaning of the end of time as the day the Son of Man reveals Himself. Jesus Christ actually speaks about Himself. The end of time is a reality of faith that will only happen later. It is not enough for us to understand it by our reason only, and so we indeed need faith to enlighten and teach us. The end of time shows us the real God whom we believe in and rely our destiniy. The Lord to whom we praise and render our services will appear to us as He is. Our today's first reading taken from the Second Letter of Saint John invites us to always be faithful to all the teachings of God, especially on the truth of loving one another as children of the same loving Father. This is the sure way for us to arrive at the end of time. There was once a birthday celebration in a family and the one being celebrated his birthday was an 85 year old grandfather. The celebration was attended by all of his children, in-laws and grandchildren. One of the granddaughters named Felicia asked something to her grandfather which surprised everyone in the family as she said, "Grandpa, have you seen God or haven't?" The grandfather who hugged the little girl Felicia and with warm feeling told the granddaughter: "It won't be long for Granpa to meet and see God directly." Grandfather realized that the end of time for him was near because of his advanced age. Today we are taught that the end time contains two main things, namely the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and this world will experience an afterlife. The following are some of its characteristics or signs that are indicated in the scriptures: 1) it comes at an unexpected time, 2) when the people of this world are living a normal life, 3) a sudden coming, 4) after a worst persecution to the Church, 5) after a great earthquake, plague, famine in various places and in the sky there will be signs of shocking nature, 6) after the mass apostasy occurred, 7) after the power of AntiChrist will be extinguished, 8) when love for needy ones become dry, 9) when the gospel is being preached to all corners of the world, 10) when all the descendants Israel will be saved, 11) when this Church becomes holy and blameless, without any form of stain. What will be certain for us is actually this: that we will prepare ourselves, and when our own death comes it is the end of time for ourselves as the followers of Christ. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O most loving and merciful Father, on the second coming of Your Son Jesus Christ, may we be found always ready and free from every burden of sin. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

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Delivered by Alberta Christina Pertiwi from Santo Herkulanus Church, Diocese of Bogor, Indonesia. Ecclesiastes 1: 2-11; Rs psalm 90: 3-6.12-14.17; Luke 9: 7-9 ANXIETY IS EXPECTED TO PASS QUICKLY The theme for our meditation today is: Anxiety is Expected to Pass Quickly. Anxiety is a mental state that is similar to restlessness, discomfort, fear and worry. It is clear that this mental situation is not positive. Anxiety is opposite to enthusiasm, optimism, joy, pride, and excitement. Basically we want that anxiety in ourselves, our families, the Church and society to pass quickly. Perhaps many of us when we read the first part of the Book of Ecclesiastes about vanity of all things, our fear and anxiety arise spontaneously. There was a high school student after reading this passage himself, he immediately complained to his parents as he said: "Well, then why are we living in this world?" The King Herod was also anxious because he knew that John the Baptist, whom he had killed, had come back to life. He became restless and agitated, and thought that Jesus of Nazareth was the risen John the Baptist. The two examples of anxiety from today's readings come from our own mistakes or sins. This kind of anxiety or restlessness grows through a knowledge and awareness of oneself. A person knows for himself his weaknesses and sins with the help of Divine light, and regrets it, then there is a way for him to change. The renewal act wherever possible will not only eliminate anxiety, but also create or re-create something new. The listeners of the Book of Ecclesiastes will further strengthen their faith in God, so also King Herod was indeed required to see the real Jesus Christ from Nazareth. There is a more serious type of anxiety. That type would occur when our friends or relatives become anxious for our weaknesses, shortcomings and sins. This is hard because they are anxious and in trouble but we ourselves never realize or know about it. In other words, we don't care and still deliberately make mistakes and sins. What's even more dangerous is that if the intention is to endanger our own souls, the souls of others and damage the livelihoods of many people. These anxieties can quickly go away only if everyone is faithful and willing to live justly and righteously. Following God by always being guided by His word is the best choice in this life. Our lives must be pleasing to God alone, that's our responsorial psalm today says. So we not only want to know about Jesus like the King Herod, but we want to follow Him, which is to do the will of the Father in Heaven. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... God the Father in heaven, by always imitating Your Son Jesus Christ and our Lord, we want to empty ourselves by loving You, so help us in this way, Father. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Audio Transcript: This media has been made available by Mosaic Boston Church. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston in our neighborhood churches, or donate to this ministry, please visit mosaicboston.com. Good morning. Welcome to Mosaic Church. My name is Jan, one of the pastors, along with Pastor Shane and Pastor Andy. If you're new or visiting, we'd love to connect with you. We do that through the connection card in the worship guide. You fill it out legibly, and then just toss on the offering basket when it comes around after, and we'll get in touch with you over the course of the week. We have a members' meeting coming up, I think it's September 11th, and we have a membership class, I think it's the following week, September 18th. So if you are a member, plan to come to the members' meeting. If you are not a member, you'd like to become a member, come to the membership class. I think it's in the 18th. All the stuff's in the bulletin. With that said, would you please pray with me over the preaching of God's Word? Heavenly Father, we thank you for the richness of the epistle of Romans. We thank you for the truth of the gospel, that we are completely, totally, utterly at Your mercy. That's how sinful we are. That's how lost we are. That's how dire our situation apart from you. Lord, that's where we want to be, like King David when Nathan comes to him and calls him to repentance and gives him options of punishment. David said, "I'd rather be cast at the mercy of God." So that's what we cry out today, Lord. We plead for mercy. We thank you that Your Son Jesus Christ, He was not given mercy on the cross as He endured Your wrath for our law-breaking. He did that in order to extend mercy to us. We thank You, Lord, and we thank You for the gift of salvation. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. So we today are continuing our sermon series through Romans. We're in chapter nine, verse 14 through 23. Next week, we're going to pause. We'll do a two-week series. We annually do this about our values, our vision, our philosophy of ministry. It's our Love Jesus Simple two-week series. That's next week and the following week because this is a time of the year where a lot of people are church shopping. And if that's you, well, you know what? God told me to tell you this is the church for you. So your shopping experience is over. We've got everything you need. We've got the Word of God. And we need help. We need you. To the sermon. The title is Only at God's Mercy. Have you ever been at someone's mercy, completely at someone's mercy where they have complete leverage over you, power, authority to do you harm or good, and there's nothing you can do to persuade them one way or another? This is how scripture talks about salvation, that we are totally at God's mercy. We're so at God's mercy we can't even cry out mercy unless God gives us mercy to cry out mercy. I remember almost drowning as a kid. I think I was seven or eight. I jumped in the pool and I didn't know how to swim. I didn't think that was going to be a problem, and apparently it was. I tried to yell help, and I knew if I yelled help the lifeguard would help me. I was in a problem, I couldn't yell help. I was drowning. And then some older kid gave me a boost. He gave me a boost, and that's all I needed. You're completely at someone's mercy. It's not just relying on God's mercy, we're completely at God's mercy. That's the plain force of the text, it's so clear. But because it's so clear and the message is so clear, it offends people. It should not. God's sovereignty must be understood against the backdrop of how sinful we are. Everything he said in Romans 1, in Romans 2, in Romans 3, gets to Romans 3 and he says, "No one seeks after God. No one seeks for salvation. No one merits salvation. No one's out there looking for salvation unless God first saves them, unless God pours out mercy on them so that they can start asking for mercy." So this whole salvation process must be traced back to God's mercy, not man's choice or goodness. And Paul, the seasoned apostle, he has taught this truth often, many occasions, and he's heard all the objections and all of them can be distilled into two. And that's the objections that he's dealing with. The first is, "Hey, this just isn't fair. If God wills that some person is saved and another person is not saved and it only, only ultimately is based in God's will, then that's not fair. He's not treating people fairly. He's doing for some what He will not do for others, even though they are equally undeserving." And then along with the not fair charge, God's hit with the, "How can you hold me responsible charge? If I'm just a lump of clay, how can I be responsible for being a lump of clay? That God makes two kinds of vessels from the same lump of clay and the difference between them, which lump of clay is saved and which is lost, it's only in the heart of the creator. Doesn't that make God unjust? I'm not guilty." That's really the objections that he's dealing with. By the way, he knows these objections come when he presents the true teaching of the gospel. So if you're presenting the true teaching of the gospel and you never get these objections, "Hey, that's not fair." or "How can God hold me a responsible?" if you never hear those objections, then you probably do not understand the fullness of the gospel as we'll see in Romans 9. So how do I deal with those tensions because I've been swimming in the depth of the waters of election for the past three weeks? My whole ministry, I've been waiting for this text. I've been chomping at the bit for this one. I wanted to call this one Double Predestination, but that wasn't going to get us all the clicks that we want. Maybe I should have done that. Maybe we still should do that because the elect will be drawn. No, but here's how I deal with it, "I hear what you're saying. It's only terrible if you're a vessel of wrath prepared for destruction. If you're a vessel of mercy prepared for mercy before the foundation of the world, well then it's pretty tremendous that God chose me to be a vessel of mercy. I could have been a vessel set apart for destruction. That choice is not up to me, it's only up to God." And that's where Paul wants to take us. He wants to say, "Christians, stop fighting this. Receive this doctrine. It's a difficult doctrine, but receive it because it's going to deepen your understanding of God. It's going to deepen your understanding of God's grace. It's going to deepen your understanding of mercy. It's going to deepen your whole understanding of Christianity." And then if you ask, "Well, how do I know which I am? Was I predestined to be a vessel of mercy or predestined to be a vessel of destruction?" The only answer I can give you is, have you tried casting yourself at the mercy of God? That it. That's how you discern which one you are. God says to everybody, "Come onto me and I will give you mercy. Cry out for mercy." I've also never met a person that genuinely, heartfelt, repentantly coming to God and saying, "God, give me mercy," and God refuses. I've never met a person like that. So as we dive into this text, throw yourself at the mercy of God. Romans 9:14-23, would you look at the text with me? "What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means. For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I've raised you up, that I might show My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth." So then He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills. You will say to me then, 'Why does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?' But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy which He has prepared beforehand for glory? This is the reading of God's holy, inerrant, authoritative Word. May He write these eternal truths upon our hearts. If you've ever heard a sermon on this text, this is the part of the sermon where I'm supposed to say, "Hey wait, wait, everybody, before you leave, let me just say the text is not saying what you think the text is saying." That's what I'm supposed to say. "He's not saying the thing that's offending you, because if you are offended," and this is what our culture teaches, "your sensibilities are infallible. And if you get offended, then you must be correct." Scripture says, "No, no, no, no, that's not how it works. Who's correct is defined by God and His Word. So no, no, no, I'm here to say, "What the text says, that's what it means. That's what it says. That's as clear as day." My three points: first, is God unjust? Paul's answer and God's answer is, "No, human." Second is, how's that fair? And the answer to that is, "Who are you?" The only thing we can do with this text is cry out for mercy. And once you receive mercy, cry out in praise. So first, is God unjust? His response is, "No, human," and he puts us into our place. "What shall we say then, is there injustice on God's part?" "By no means," that's his answer, "for He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.'" So is God unjust? No, He is not. And then he brings in mercy. What's the connection between justice and mercy? That's what he's wrestling with. One of the things we need to understand is we can never attribute unrighteousness to God in dealing with His creatures because God is holy by definition. And, in order to determine what is right or wrong, what is just or unjust, what is good or evil, the only standard, the line of demarcation that we have is God's character. So God acts justly because God always acts in accordance to His holiness. So everything that God does is always just. God is the definition of justice. When God acts, God acts justly. Why? Because God has a monopoly on truth. God has a monopoly on the law. God, He's literally the one that makes all the rules of what's just and what's unjust. The quotation here that he takes about God saying, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,' God is saying that to Moses, and He's saying that to Moses in the context of Exodus 32 where God gives His law to Moses on Mount Sinai. God writes His law with His finger. In the context of the larger context, God brought Israel out of captivity. He clearly showed all of His power on Pharaoh, on the Egyptians. It was miracle after miracle after miracle, culminating in the Passover where the first-born of everyone's household that was not covered with the blood of the lamb, those people would die. God sent a judgment. God brought them out miracles upon miracles, and then God's like, "All right, you're my people. I have saved you. I've poured My mercy on you. I'm going to give you my law so that you know what my Word, so that you obey and pursue a life of obedience and faith." And so, Moses goes on the mountain, he's pumped, he's with God, he's got the laws, he's excited. And on his way back from the mountain, he finds out that these people are worshiping a golden calf, that Aaron, who's supposed to be his partner in righteousness, well, turns out to be his partner in crime, Aaron made them the golden calf. What they're doing, they're worshiping an idol and having an orgy. That's what's happening. Moses is coming down the mountain, and God says, "I am going to kill everybody. I'm killing everybody. Moses, I'm killing everybody." Moses is like, "God, don't kill everybody because then all the people that we told that you're going to save us, they're going to be like, 'Oh, that God saves people only to kill them.' Don't kill everybody. Don't kill everybody. Let me intercede." So that's what was happening. And then, Moses's intercession is he takes the Levites and he's like, "All right, gentlemen, grab your sword." And then they go through the camp and he says, "Kill your brothers. Just go punish them." And then God on top of that, God's like, "All right, my anger, my wrath is assuaged a little bit." And then he still sends them a plague. That's Exodus 32 in a nutshell. That's the context for this verse. Finally, God's like, "With the remnant of Israel, I didn't kill everybody, I should have killed everybody, with the remnant that I had mercy on, I am going to create a great people with you." Moses says, "God, look, these people, they're exhausting. They're stiff-necked. They're exhausting. God, can You do this, can You show me Your glory? Because that's going to make all this work worth it. I just need Your glory. Can You please reveal your glory to me?" And that brings us to Exodus 33:18-23 where, "Moses said, 'Please show me Your glory." and He said, 'I will make all My goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name, "The Lord." And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,' He said, 'you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.' And the Lord said, 'Behold, there was a place by Me where you shall stand on the rock, and while My glory passes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand, and then you shall see My back, but My face you shall not see.'" So Moses is begging God, "Send me glory. God, send me glory. Show me Your glory." And He said, "I will." This is how God reveals His glory, He says, "This is My name. I am the Lord. And I'm going to really reveal a part of my character that reveals just how glorious I am." And He says, "I will be gracious on whom I will be gracious, and I will have mercy on whom I will show mercy." So He's saying, "Do you want to see how glorious I am, Moses? I choose whom to save, and I choose whom to not save." Mercy implies a benefit one does not deserve. We don't deserve mercy. We're not entitled to mercy. God would have been just to save absolutely nobody, just like He chose not to save the fallen angels. They rebelled, and now they're condemned for all of eternity. There is no redemption for the fallen angels. That was God's decision. But the fact remains that no one has a claim in salvation because no one deserves it. Everyone ultimately will receive what they deserve. Some will be beaten with many stripes and some with a few, but everyone eventually gets what they deserve unless God pours out His mercy on them to satisfy every principle of justice just as He did when He sent His Son to the cross for people's sins. How is that fair? How is it fair that anybody gets saved because Jesus Christ got punished for my sins? How does that make any sense? That's not fair either. Paul's like, "If you want fair, we're all going to hell. Be happy that there's this thing called mercy and that God gives it to some people. And it depends ultimately on God." Romans 9:16, "So, then, it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy." What's the word it mean? What is it referring to? "So then it depends not on human... " Well, it's the word mercy. That's the context of verse 15, and he repeats it again in verse 16. So then it, the mercy, receiving mercy depends not on human will and not on exertion. Man's will and exertion are not for this reason of no consequences. In chapter 10, he's going to be hitting responsibility. You are to repent and belief. "You are to confess the name of Jesus Christ. You are to you trade your sin for a life of righteousness. Yes, receive God's grace. You, you, you, you." But before he gets to the you, he wants to park us here and says, "You can't do a thing unless God gives you mercy." If you think that you have some claim on God's salvation, some right to it, that there is some kind of consideration in you that obliges God to be merciful, you don't understand what mercy is, partially because in the words of Anselm, you failed to consider the terrible weight of sin. As you approach this text, are you coming to this text knowing how unworthy you are, knowing how sinful you are, knowing that we do deserve to be passed by? We deserve to not be chosen to God's kingdom. We deserve not to be adopted into His family, but He chose to give us mercy. He continues in verse 17, "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose, I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.'" So in verse 17, Paul is continuing to list out the illustrations of God's sovereignty now citing the Lord's own words from Exodus 9:16. So he first cited God speaking to Moses, "I will give mercy on whom I will give mercy to." Now it's words that He's speaking to Pharaoh. He says, "There's a flip side to salvation where God does harden specific sinners." And know how the scriptures personified. "It's as if God Himself is saying, because He is for this very person, "I have raised you up that I might show My power on you." The point of this citation is to illustrate that underneath everything that happens in this world, God is sovereign. Pharaoh is definitely an actor in the great drama. He did what he pleased. His exertions were real, but he completely served God in the entire affair. God had a purpose for Pharaoh's life, and the purpose was to not show him mercy. It's clear in Paul's thinking that God raised up Pharaoh for the very specific role in redemptive history. He raised him up and said, "I'm going to bring you to power for the sole purpose to crush you. I'm going to raise up an enemy that I will destroy." You know how we tell everybody, "God has a plan for you," and we quote Jeremiah, and we're like, "God has a good plan for you to further you and prosper you." Well, sometimes that's not true. "Pharaoh, I have a great plan for you. I'm going to raise you up and then I'm going to humiliate you, as I have mercy on these people that you have enslaved." That's what the text is saying. Romans 9:18, "So then, He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills." And now, if you're familiar with the Exodus account, you know the importance of the word hardened, that sometimes it's God hardening the heart of Pharaoh, and sometimes it's Pharaoh's heart being hardened toward God and it's his initiative. And then there's theologians, they go back and forth, they're like, "Well, there's five of these verses and five of these verses, so who's doing the hardening, is it God or is it Pharaoh?" We don't have to go to Exodus. Romans 9 clearly tells us who initiates the hardening. It's God. God, in verse 18, He hardens whomever He wills. God hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he wouldn't release Israel from captivity until God was good and ready to destroy him demonstrably, dramatically, decisively, so that God gets the glory in that whole event. And it's meant to prefigure the atonement of Christ, the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. This text is given to us so that we know in the final, in our salvation, the final, the ultimate decision, it's not ours. It's not ours. And I said this last week, if your theology has you making the decision, ultimately, then you don't know Scripture. In your salvation, who holds the ultimate trump card? Do you make the difference between you going to heaven or hell? If you are the one who makes the difference, then you have the power to save yourself, and salvation isn't a gift. It's not mercy. It's not grace. It's you saved yourself by you calling on the name of God. This Scripture says the only reason you called on the name of God is because God gave you the gift. In all such schemes, God does not do for those who are saved anything that He does for those who are not. So if you teach Arminianism or semi-plagiarism, if you say the person's responsible, then ultimately God just provided the gospel for everybody, but you are the one that has to save yourself. And Scripture clearly does not teach that. And also, if you are the one that did it, then you can always undo it. Scripture says, "No, if God poured out His love on you, you are His forever." God is absolutely free to be merciful to those whom He wishes. He's equally free to harden those whom He will harden. God is merciful, and sinful men and women can do nothing to earn it, nothing to get that mercy. Is mercy truly mercy if it's given for a defined behavior? No, no. It's just God decides whom to give it and whom not to give it. Now, why? Why? We can't say that it's arbitrary because nothing God does is arbitrary. We should say that God does this according to His own sovereign purpose. Sometimes He reveals what the purpose is, like with Pharaoh. Most of the time, He doesn't. Three errors before I move on to the next point. First error we got to avoid in speaking about this topic, some argue that God, He chooses his purpose, and the reason why He does is external to Himself. So He sees something in a person, He's like, "Yeah, I'm going to choose you because I see that you're going to be good in My kingdom. And then, no, you, I can see you're terrible. You're going to be a terrible recruit. I'm not choosing you." That's not how it works. The reason of why one person's chosen and the other isn't, it's only internal to God. God decides. That's it. So we can't go outside of God because Scripture doesn't allow that. The second error is it's just uncomfortable to talk about. Three weeks of election and CG, let's not talk about this. It makes people uncomfortable. Let's just talk about mercy. Let's only talk about mercy, mercy, mercy, mercy. The reason we don't do that is because Scripture doesn't do that, Paul doesn't do that. He doesn't go from chapter eight to chapter 12 and he is like, "Nine through 11, that's the appendix, not everyone can handle it. We're just going to send it to the really, really erudite Christians." No, he gave it to everybody, and we're going through scripture verse by verse and we get to a text and we're going to handle the text even if it makes us uncomfortable, because then we got to ask, "Why am I uncomfortable?" and then you get to deeper issues of, "You know what? I think I'm uncomfortable because I'm in judgment over God, which is sin, and I should repent." And then the third error to avoid is that to assume that we can observe a person, look at them from the outside, and be like, "Yep, you're definitely elect. You dress like you're elect. You have an elect haircut. No, we have no idea who's elect and who's not. You see a human being, that's an image bearer of God. You love them with everything you got, and you share the gospel with them in faith that God has brought this person into your life because they're probably elect and He brought them into your life for the purpose of you ministering to him and telling him about the tremendous gospel of Jesus Christ. And because you know that God is sovereign, God can save them at any moment as they hear the gospel, so our only job isn't to worry, is this personal elect or not? My only job is to preach the gospel, just to explain to them, "Hey, are you a vessel of wrath set apart for destruction? That's what it looks like because your whole life is like a dumpster fire. It looks like you need Jesus a lot. Right now, this isn't working out for you. I know where you're headed. You should jump from this vessel to the vessel of mercy. Instead of going down river to hell, let's go to heaven together and spend eternity." That's my only job, preach the gospel. That's it. And then once people become a Christian, we're like, "You're so proud." And they're like, "Why am I proud?" "Because you think you saved yourself." And you're like, "What do you mean I didn't save myself? I chose Jesus." And then we explain to them that you didn't choose anything, Jesus chose you. So that's good for our humility. Point two is, how is that fair? His only answer is, "Who are you?" That's his only answer Romans 9:19, "You'll say to me then, 'Why does He still find fault? Who can resist His will?'" This is Paul's answer... We could get to all the hypothetical answers. He just says, "Who are you? Who are you, O man, to answer back? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?'" What he's saying is there is a qualitative difference between creator and creation. It's not just quantitative, it's qualitative. He's totally other than we are. God is free completely. Paul doesn't answer as we might expect. There's no logical explanation of how God's will interplay with human responsibility. No, instead of taking the defensive where he is like, "Oh, you raised a good objection," he doesn't do any of that. All Paul says is, "Shut your mouth. That's it. That's the answer. You're a human being. Shut your mouth. You have no right to speak back to the creator. He created you." He could have said, "Well, the human will isn't nullified and you still are responsible." He'll do that in chapter 10, he's going to get the emphasis on, but here he just wants to put us in our place. Sometimes that's what we need. Sometimes we are arguing with God, we're arguing with God. You just need a megaphone from heaven. We don't have one, so just pretend it's me. I'm the megaphone. I've been sent here to tell you, "Shut your mouth. Sit there, be quiet, take God's Word, and meditate on it. It's going to be really helpful." That's why he says, "You're merely a person. How can you judge your own creator? He can do whatever He wants with you. He is the molder. He is the pot-maker." Verse 21, "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump, one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?" And here what he's doing is contrasting the saved and the lost. But more to the point, by putting the matter in this way, he is calculating to be offensive. He is making it unmistakably clear what he is actually saying, that salvation is God's doing, and the difference between the saved and the lost is the sovereign will of God. What this text is clearly saying, and he's going to continue it as he goes through, what he is saying is, "It's ultimately up to God." You have objections, "That's not fair. How can I be held responsible?" Paul's answer is, "Whatever God does is fair. Shut your mouth and ask for mercy." That's what he's saying. Verse 22, "What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory." I don't even need to exegete the text. It's absolutely clear. It means exactly what he's saying, that God, before anything, creates some people to go to heaven and others He creates to go to hell. That's what the text is saying. What's the purpose? "In order to make the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy." The reason He does it is so Christians don't debate this ad nauseam, but for Christians, take it, take this hard truth that humbles us. He wants us to take it and glorify God for it. The reason why I'm so excited about this topic is because I love it. I absolutely, unabashedly love the doctrine of election. My heart gets filled with this incredible warmth when I read it, partially because God is God. This doctrine allows God to be God in all of His greatness in all of His freedom. It's a grander vision of God than just the like buddy Jesus doll, like He's here for you. This God could have made me a vessel of wrath prepared for destruction. I deserved it. God would have been just; He's God. But I'm not a vessel of destruction. I love Jesus Christ, and that's not my doing. I love the Holy Spirit, that's not my doing. I love God the Father, that's not my doing. I love holy Scripture, that's not my doing. I love obeying God, that's not my doing. None of it is my doing. God just chose to make me a vessel of mercy, not because of anything in me. This absolutely levels you with the ground. There's no pride left. There's no ego left. This absolutely shrinks us. I'm telling you, I've learned this from personal experience, I am at my best when I am at my least. You are at your best when you are at your least. When you are the absolutely most humble, that's when human beings are the best. They're kind, and they're gentle, and they're selfless, and they care for other people. You're at your best when there is no ego, where everything you do is because of love for God and love for people. That's why I love the doctrine of election because, first of all, it glorifies God, it humbles me. And I think it's important because it does take humility to receive a word like this. If this is the first time hearing it and you're like, "I don't like any of this. This is real," just check if pride is the thing in the way and repent and receive God's mercy. Nothing humbles me more than knowing I'm only saved by the grace of God. It deepens my thanksgiving and strengthens my sanctification. And yes, there is a dark side of election. Romans 9:6-23 teaches that individuals become Christians only because God, by a free act of His will, chooses them, predestines them to faith and glory. Our turning to Christ in faith is a real decision. We make it. It is essential for us to be saved, but we only turn to Christ because God elected us. If predestination is true, double predestination is true as well even if you don't want to say it out loud. This text teaches it clearly, God chooses who goes to heaven and God chooses who goes to hell. Both human salvation and damnation are sovereign acts of God. But the so-called dark side of election, it only looks dark if you're on the dark side. I'm just telling you, leave. Don't stay in the dark side. And then once you are transferred from the dark side into the light side by faith in Jesus Christ, then from this side, it's awesome. I'm telling you, the doctrine of election, it fills my heart with so much joy. Praise be to God. Now, what do we do as Christians? The tape doesn't make any sense because people are like, "If God is sovereign, then why do I have to do anything if I'm saved already?" If you are saying that the only reason why you do things in Christianity is to not lose your salvation, then you don't know God. You don't know the joy of walking with the Lord. You don't know the satisfaction it is to commune with God, to abide with Him. Once you know God, you don't want to lose your salvation because you don't want lose God. You don't want sin. You want more of God. You want more of holiness. You want more of the Holy Spirit. And once you realize, "Oh wow, God made me a vessel of mercy, then I should be the best vessel of mercy I can be." This is where I'm going to bring in 2 Timothy 2:20-26, where he uses the same concept of vessels, but now he's not talking about unsaved and saved, he's talking about those who are in the household. He's talking about Christians, and he's talking about different levels of use. So this is 2 Timothy 2:20, "Now in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable." In a house, there's different pots, there's different vessels. Some are really nice, the gold and silver. You take those out when the in-laws come. In-laws come, you take the good stuff out. And then for everyday use, you got vessels of wood. You just eat from the wood. Now, the clay vessels were used for something very particular. They were used for going to the bathroom. That's the clay vessel. What he's saying is that vessels of mercy, Christians, you're saved. You will be used by God one way or another. How do you want to be used? Do you want to be used like gold is used in a house, where your work is really important, you're holding the deliciousness, or do you want to be like the clay pot? It's still in the house, it's still useful, but no one really talks about it. What he's saying is there's some Christians that God will use them as an anti-example, where they received the mercy of God and did very little with it, and just pursued a life of sin and the just-barely-Christians. And they weren't used by God. I'm saying this truth because I'm combining this with the teaching of election, because that one should melt your heart. And then you should say, "What should I do? Lord, what do you want me to do? I want to be a vessel of mercy for honorable use." Paul says it in 2 Timothy verse 22, "Flee youthful passions." He's talking about sexual sin. Youthful passions, flee that stuff, dishonorable sin, so that you can be used honorably. "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." What he is saying is, "Flee sin and join a church. Get brothers and sisters in your life. You need community of brothers and sisters who want to fight the good fight of faith. And that's how you become more useful for the Lord." Verse 23, "Have nothing to do with foolish ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will." What he saying is, "God saved you, vessel of mercy. Now cleanse yourself from everything that is dishonorable so that you can be used powerfully in the Lord's house to draw people to repentance so that these unbelievers seeing your life, your life of honor and loyalty to the Lord and love and grace and mercy and thanksgiving and joy, they see that and they want to be part of it." And he's saying, "Maybe God through your witness is going to save some." So that should be incentive enough for us to follow the Lord and to fight sin. That's not fair. How is this fair? Fair, fair, fair, fair, fair. This teaching crushes our will, just completely. It crushes our human will. Here's what I do want to say about this, this is important, it's the only way our will can get freed. Because our will is not free. Our will isn't bondage to sin. That's why we can't choose God. That's why God takes truths like these, crushes our will. And then when our will is absolutely crushed, God can redeem. You need to know that you can't make new wine without crushing grapes. That's the teaching here. The Bible rests a great deal on the will of man, the exercises of that will, and lays the responsibility for condemnation on sinful people on. On them. The Bible says it's our fault; we chose sin. But the Bible unmistakably gives God all the glory for choosing us to salvation. He's absolutely sovereign. We are responsible. How's does it all work together? We'll find out in heaven. But this is true. Why do anything if God is sovereign? It's a silly question. Why do anything? Because God is sovereign. God tells us to do it. He brings us the end and the means. He wants us to pray for people. He wants us to share the gospel. He's told us things to do so we do it. I used to think of election like being recruited to the CIA. They show up out of nowhere, they know about you. They already chose you. But that's because you had a certain set of skills. If that's how you think of election, you're wrong. You had no skills. God actually probably chose you because you have very little skills. That's how God chooses people, like the most unlikely Christian. That's how I think of myself. I'm like, "I don't know why God picked me. I don't know." Here we are. No, no, no, you can't say He picked me because. That's pride. He picked you just because He decided that's how election works. We don't get recruited because the Lord saw some potential. No, the only good thing about us is that God poured out His mercy. But this should still deepen our honor. He doesn't recruit us for a job. That's why a lot of theologians get bogged down in texts like this. What I try to keep saying to the church is we don't need just theologians at this church. We need soldiers that know that the Bible is a battle manual and that we're not just a study, study, study, study and never do it. No, no, no, we're told this to equip us so that we go and we make disciples of all nations. Lord, I'm honored to serve in your army. I'm at your service. What would you have me do? How can I be an honorable vessel? We'll talk about that actually in the next two weeks. Good. And then point three is cry out for mercy and cry out in praise. How can I become a vessel of mercy? That sounds great, to become a child of God, have all my sins forgiven. Well, cry out to Jesus to save you. Jesus Christ went to the cross to save sinners. He shed His blood to pour out His mercy on sinners like me. So cry out. The best example I have of someone crying out to Jesus is a blind man on the road to Jericho. Luke 18:35, "As He drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." And he cried out... " The guy, he can't even see Him. He has no idea if this report is true. He's like, "If there's a chance, I am going to scream at the top of my lungs. This is my one chance in life to scream at the Messiah, and maybe He'll have mercy on me." "'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.'" That's all he said, "Have mercy." "And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me.' And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, He asked him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' He said, 'Lord, let me recover my sight.' And Jesus said to him, 'Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he recovered his sight and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God." Cry out for mercy, and once you receive it, cry out in praise. This is the point of this whole teaching, it is to bring us to loving giving God glory. God, I glorify your name. All glory, all praise to you. The reason I like this, I just love election, I love it, it zooms in on God. It zooms in, and it makes God massive. And when God is massive and we realize this God who is this great, this sovereign, He tells me, "Come onto me if you are burdened with your sin," and He welcomes everybody, so come to Jesus Christ, ask for mercy, receive it, and then Jesus tells you, "You did not choose me, but I chose you." Praise be to God. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we want to worship you now and give you all of the praise and the glory that you deserve. We deserve none of it. We deserve damnation. We deserve hell. We deserve separation from You. Instead, Lord, You came up with this incredible plan to save us. Before the foundation of the world, You chose us. Thanks be to Your Son Jesus Christ. You provided for the means of salvation through Your death, burial, and Your resurrection. We thank you, Holy Spirit, that You're with us. Lord, we pray that you just send elect, send your chosen, send your elect, save them powerfully in this church and show them that You have created us to glorify You, and when we glorify You, we experience the fullness of life. We pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Audio Transcript:This media has been made available by Mosaic Boston Church. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston in our neighborhood churches, or donate to this ministry, please visit mosaicboston.com.Good morning. Welcome to Mosaic Church. My name is Jan, one of the pastors, along with Pastor Shane and Pastor Andy. If you're new or visiting, we'd love to connect with you. We do that through the connection card in the worship guide. You fill it out legibly, and then just toss on the offering basket when it comes around after, and we'll get in touch with you over the course of the week. We have a members' meeting coming up, I think it's September 11th, and we have a membership class, I think it's the following week, September 18th. So if you are a member, plan to come to the members' meeting. If you are not a member, you'd like to become a member, come to the membership class. I think it's in the 18th. All the stuff's in the bulletin.With that said, would you please pray with me over the preaching of God's Word? Heavenly Father, we thank you for the richness of the epistle of Romans. We thank you for the truth of the gospel, that we are completely, totally, utterly at Your mercy. That's how sinful we are. That's how lost we are. That's how dire our situation apart from you. Lord, that's where we want to be, like King David when Nathan comes to him and calls him to repentance and gives him options of punishment. David said, "I'd rather be cast at the mercy of God." So that's what we cry out today, Lord. We plead for mercy. We thank you that Your Son Jesus Christ, He was not given mercy on the cross as He endured Your wrath for our law-breaking. He did that in order to extend mercy to us. We thank You, Lord, and we thank You for the gift of salvation. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.So we today are continuing our sermon series through Romans. We're in chapter nine, verse 14 through 23. Next week, we're going to pause. We'll do a two-week series. We annually do this about our values, our vision, our philosophy of ministry. It's our Love Jesus Simple two-week series. That's next week and the following week because this is a time of the year where a lot of people are church shopping. And if that's you, well, you know what? God told me to tell you this is the church for you. So your shopping experience is over. We've got everything you need. We've got the Word of God. And we need help. We need you.To the sermon. The title is Only at God's Mercy. Have you ever been at someone's mercy, completely at someone's mercy where they have complete leverage over you, power, authority to do you harm or good, and there's nothing you can do to persuade them one way or another? This is how scripture talks about salvation, that we are totally at God's mercy. We're so at God's mercy we can't even cry out mercy unless God gives us mercy to cry out mercy.I remember almost drowning as a kid. I think I was seven or eight. I jumped in the pool and I didn't know how to swim. I didn't think that was going to be a problem, and apparently it was. I tried to yell help, and I knew if I yelled help the lifeguard would help me. I was in a problem, I couldn't yell help. I was drowning. And then some older kid gave me a boost. He gave me a boost, and that's all I needed.You're completely at someone's mercy. It's not just relying on God's mercy, we're completely at God's mercy. That's the plain force of the text, it's so clear. But because it's so clear and the message is so clear, it offends people. It should not. God's sovereignty must be understood against the backdrop of how sinful we are. Everything he said in Romans 1, in Romans 2, in Romans 3, gets to Romans 3 and he says, "No one seeks after God. No one seeks for salvation. No one merits salvation. No one's out there looking for salvation unless God first saves them, unless God pours out mercy on them so that they can start asking for mercy." So this whole salvation process must be traced back to God's mercy, not man's choice or goodness.And Paul, the seasoned apostle, he has taught this truth often, many occasions, and he's heard all the objections and all of them can be distilled into two. And that's the objections that he's dealing with. The first is, "Hey, this just isn't fair. If God wills that some person is saved and another person is not saved and it only, only ultimately is based in God's will, then that's not fair. He's not treating people fairly. He's doing for some what He will not do for others, even though they are equally undeserving." And then along with the not fair charge, God's hit with the, "How can you hold me responsible charge? If I'm just a lump of clay, how can I be responsible for being a lump of clay? That God makes two kinds of vessels from the same lump of clay and the difference between them, which lump of clay is saved and which is lost, it's only in the heart of the creator. Doesn't that make God unjust? I'm not guilty." That's really the objections that he's dealing with.By the way, he knows these objections come when he presents the true teaching of the gospel. So if you're presenting the true teaching of the gospel and you never get these objections, "Hey, that's not fair." or "How can God hold me a responsible?" if you never hear those objections, then you probably do not understand the fullness of the gospel as we'll see in Romans 9. So how do I deal with those tensions because I've been swimming in the depth of the waters of election for the past three weeks? My whole ministry, I've been waiting for this text. I've been chomping at the bit for this one. I wanted to call this one Double Predestination, but that wasn't going to get us all the clicks that we want. Maybe I should have done that. Maybe we still should do that because the elect will be drawn.No, but here's how I deal with it, "I hear what you're saying. It's only terrible if you're a vessel of wrath prepared for destruction. If you're a vessel of mercy prepared for mercy before the foundation of the world, well then it's pretty tremendous that God chose me to be a vessel of mercy. I could have been a vessel set apart for destruction. That choice is not up to me, it's only up to God." And that's where Paul wants to take us. He wants to say, "Christians, stop fighting this. Receive this doctrine. It's a difficult doctrine, but receive it because it's going to deepen your understanding of God. It's going to deepen your understanding of God's grace. It's going to deepen your understanding of mercy. It's going to deepen your whole understanding of Christianity."And then if you ask, "Well, how do I know which I am? Was I predestined to be a vessel of mercy or predestined to be a vessel of destruction?" The only answer I can give you is, have you tried casting yourself at the mercy of God? That it. That's how you discern which one you are. God says to everybody, "Come onto me and I will give you mercy. Cry out for mercy." I've also never met a person that genuinely, heartfelt, repentantly coming to God and saying, "God, give me mercy," and God refuses. I've never met a person like that.So as we dive into this text, throw yourself at the mercy of God. Romans 9:14-23, would you look at the text with me? "What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means. For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I've raised you up, that I might show My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth." So then He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills. You will say to me then, 'Why does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?' But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy which He has prepared beforehand for glory?This is the reading of God's holy, inerrant, authoritative Word. May He write these eternal truths upon our hearts. If you've ever heard a sermon on this text, this is the part of the sermon where I'm supposed to say, "Hey wait, wait, everybody, before you leave, let me just say the text is not saying what you think the text is saying." That's what I'm supposed to say. "He's not saying the thing that's offending you, because if you are offended," and this is what our culture teaches, "your sensibilities are infallible. And if you get offended, then you must be correct." Scripture says, "No, no, no, no, that's not how it works. Who's correct is defined by God and His Word. So no, no, no, I'm here to say, "What the text says, that's what it means. That's what it says. That's as clear as day."My three points: first, is God unjust? Paul's answer and God's answer is, "No, human." Second is, how's that fair? And the answer to that is, "Who are you?" The only thing we can do with this text is cry out for mercy. And once you receive mercy, cry out in praise. So first, is God unjust? His response is, "No, human," and he puts us into our place. "What shall we say then, is there injustice on God's part?" "By no means," that's his answer, "for He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.'" So is God unjust? No, He is not. And then he brings in mercy. What's the connection between justice and mercy? That's what he's wrestling with.One of the things we need to understand is we can never attribute unrighteousness to God in dealing with His creatures because God is holy by definition. And, in order to determine what is right or wrong, what is just or unjust, what is good or evil, the only standard, the line of demarcation that we have is God's character. So God acts justly because God always acts in accordance to His holiness. So everything that God does is always just. God is the definition of justice. When God acts, God acts justly. Why? Because God has a monopoly on truth. God has a monopoly on the law. God, He's literally the one that makes all the rules of what's just and what's unjust.The quotation here that he takes about God saying, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,' God is saying that to Moses, and He's saying that to Moses in the context of Exodus 32 where God gives His law to Moses on Mount Sinai. God writes His law with His finger. In the context of the larger context, God brought Israel out of captivity. He clearly showed all of His power on Pharaoh, on the Egyptians. It was miracle after miracle after miracle, culminating in the Passover where the first-born of everyone's household that was not covered with the blood of the lamb, those people would die. God sent a judgment. God brought them out miracles upon miracles, and then God's like, "All right, you're my people. I have saved you. I've poured My mercy on you. I'm going to give you my law so that you know what my Word, so that you obey and pursue a life of obedience and faith."And so, Moses goes on the mountain, he's pumped, he's with God, he's got the laws, he's excited. And on his way back from the mountain, he finds out that these people are worshiping a golden calf, that Aaron, who's supposed to be his partner in righteousness, well, turns out to be his partner in crime, Aaron made them the golden calf. What they're doing, they're worshiping an idol and having an orgy. That's what's happening. Moses is coming down the mountain, and God says, "I am going to kill everybody. I'm killing everybody. Moses, I'm killing everybody." Moses is like, "God, don't kill everybody because then all the people that we told that you're going to save us, they're going to be like, 'Oh, that God saves people only to kill them.' Don't kill everybody. Don't kill everybody. Let me intercede." So that's what was happening.And then, Moses's intercession is he takes the Levites and he's like, "All right, gentlemen, grab your sword." And then they go through the camp and he says, "Kill your brothers. Just go punish them." And then God on top of that, God's like, "All right, my anger, my wrath is assuaged a little bit." And then he still sends them a plague. That's Exodus 32 in a nutshell. That's the context for this verse. Finally, God's like, "With the remnant of Israel, I didn't kill everybody, I should have killed everybody, with the remnant that I had mercy on, I am going to create a great people with you." Moses says, "God, look, these people, they're exhausting. They're stiff-necked. They're exhausting. God, can You do this, can You show me Your glory? Because that's going to make all this work worth it. I just need Your glory. Can You please reveal your glory to me?"And that brings us to Exodus 33:18-23 where, "Moses said, 'Please show me Your glory." and He said, 'I will make all My goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name, "The Lord." And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,' He said, 'you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.' And the Lord said, 'Behold, there was a place by Me where you shall stand on the rock, and while My glory passes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand, and then you shall see My back, but My face you shall not see.'"So Moses is begging God, "Send me glory. God, send me glory. Show me Your glory." And He said, "I will." This is how God reveals His glory, He says, "This is My name. I am the Lord. And I'm going to really reveal a part of my character that reveals just how glorious I am." And He says, "I will be gracious on whom I will be gracious, and I will have mercy on whom I will show mercy." So He's saying, "Do you want to see how glorious I am, Moses? I choose whom to save, and I choose whom to not save."Mercy implies a benefit one does not deserve. We don't deserve mercy. We're not entitled to mercy. God would have been just to save absolutely nobody, just like He chose not to save the fallen angels. They rebelled, and now they're condemned for all of eternity. There is no redemption for the fallen angels. That was God's decision. But the fact remains that no one has a claim in salvation because no one deserves it. Everyone ultimately will receive what they deserve. Some will be beaten with many stripes and some with a few, but everyone eventually gets what they deserve unless God pours out His mercy on them to satisfy every principle of justice just as He did when He sent His Son to the cross for people's sins.How is that fair? How is it fair that anybody gets saved because Jesus Christ got punished for my sins? How does that make any sense? That's not fair either. Paul's like, "If you want fair, we're all going to hell. Be happy that there's this thing called mercy and that God gives it to some people. And it depends ultimately on God." Romans 9:16, "So, then, it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy." What's the word it mean? What is it referring to? "So then it depends not on human... " Well, it's the word mercy. That's the context of verse 15, and he repeats it again in verse 16. So then it, the mercy, receiving mercy depends not on human will and not on exertion.Man's will and exertion are not for this reason of no consequences. In chapter 10, he's going to be hitting responsibility. You are to repent and belief. "You are to confess the name of Jesus Christ. You are to you trade your sin for a life of righteousness. Yes, receive God's grace. You, you, you, you." But before he gets to the you, he wants to park us here and says, "You can't do a thing unless God gives you mercy." If you think that you have some claim on God's salvation, some right to it, that there is some kind of consideration in you that obliges God to be merciful, you don't understand what mercy is, partially because in the words of Anselm, you failed to consider the terrible weight of sin.As you approach this text, are you coming to this text knowing how unworthy you are, knowing how sinful you are, knowing that we do deserve to be passed by? We deserve to not be chosen to God's kingdom. We deserve not to be adopted into His family, but He chose to give us mercy. He continues in verse 17, "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose, I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.'" So in verse 17, Paul is continuing to list out the illustrations of God's sovereignty now citing the Lord's own words from Exodus 9:16. So he first cited God speaking to Moses, "I will give mercy on whom I will give mercy to." Now it's words that He's speaking to Pharaoh. He says, "There's a flip side to salvation where God does harden specific sinners." And know how the scriptures personified. "It's as if God Himself is saying, because He is for this very person, "I have raised you up that I might show My power on you."The point of this citation is to illustrate that underneath everything that happens in this world, God is sovereign. Pharaoh is definitely an actor in the great drama. He did what he pleased. His exertions were real, but he completely served God in the entire affair. God had a purpose for Pharaoh's life, and the purpose was to not show him mercy. It's clear in Paul's thinking that God raised up Pharaoh for the very specific role in redemptive history. He raised him up and said, "I'm going to bring you to power for the sole purpose to crush you. I'm going to raise up an enemy that I will destroy."You know how we tell everybody, "God has a plan for you," and we quote Jeremiah, and we're like, "God has a good plan for you to further you and prosper you." Well, sometimes that's not true. "Pharaoh, I have a great plan for you. I'm going to raise you up and then I'm going to humiliate you, as I have mercy on these people that you have enslaved." That's what the text is saying. Romans 9:18, "So then, He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills." And now, if you're familiar with the Exodus account, you know the importance of the word hardened, that sometimes it's God hardening the heart of Pharaoh, and sometimes it's Pharaoh's heart being hardened toward God and it's his initiative.And then there's theologians, they go back and forth, they're like, "Well, there's five of these verses and five of these verses, so who's doing the hardening, is it God or is it Pharaoh?" We don't have to go to Exodus. Romans 9 clearly tells us who initiates the hardening. It's God. God, in verse 18, He hardens whomever He wills. God hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he wouldn't release Israel from captivity until God was good and ready to destroy him demonstrably, dramatically, decisively, so that God gets the glory in that whole event. And it's meant to prefigure the atonement of Christ, the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.This text is given to us so that we know in the final, in our salvation, the final, the ultimate decision, it's not ours. It's not ours. And I said this last week, if your theology has you making the decision, ultimately, then you don't know Scripture. In your salvation, who holds the ultimate trump card? Do you make the difference between you going to heaven or hell? If you are the one who makes the difference, then you have the power to save yourself, and salvation isn't a gift. It's not mercy. It's not grace. It's you saved yourself by you calling on the name of God.This Scripture says the only reason you called on the name of God is because God gave you the gift. In all such schemes, God does not do for those who are saved anything that He does for those who are not. So if you teach Arminianism or semi-plagiarism, if you say the person's responsible, then ultimately God just provided the gospel for everybody, but you are the one that has to save yourself. And Scripture clearly does not teach that. And also, if you are the one that did it, then you can always undo it. Scripture says, "No, if God poured out His love on you, you are His forever." God is absolutely free to be merciful to those whom He wishes. He's equally free to harden those whom He will harden. God is merciful, and sinful men and women can do nothing to earn it, nothing to get that mercy. Is mercy truly mercy if it's given for a defined behavior? No, no. It's just God decides whom to give it and whom not to give it.Now, why? Why? We can't say that it's arbitrary because nothing God does is arbitrary. We should say that God does this according to His own sovereign purpose. Sometimes He reveals what the purpose is, like with Pharaoh. Most of the time, He doesn't. Three errors before I move on to the next point. First error we got to avoid in speaking about this topic, some argue that God, He chooses his purpose, and the reason why He does is external to Himself. So He sees something in a person, He's like, "Yeah, I'm going to choose you because I see that you're going to be good in My kingdom. And then, no, you, I can see you're terrible. You're going to be a terrible recruit. I'm not choosing you." That's not how it works. The reason of why one person's chosen and the other isn't, it's only internal to God. God decides. That's it. So we can't go outside of God because Scripture doesn't allow that.The second error is it's just uncomfortable to talk about. Three weeks of election and CG, let's not talk about this. It makes people uncomfortable. Let's just talk about mercy. Let's only talk about mercy, mercy, mercy, mercy. The reason we don't do that is because Scripture doesn't do that, Paul doesn't do that. He doesn't go from chapter eight to chapter 12 and he is like, "Nine through 11, that's the appendix, not everyone can handle it. We're just going to send it to the really, really erudite Christians." No, he gave it to everybody, and we're going through scripture verse by verse and we get to a text and we're going to handle the text even if it makes us uncomfortable, because then we got to ask, "Why am I uncomfortable?" and then you get to deeper issues of, "You know what? I think I'm uncomfortable because I'm in judgment over God, which is sin, and I should repent."And then the third error to avoid is that to assume that we can observe a person, look at them from the outside, and be like, "Yep, you're definitely elect. You dress like you're elect. You have an elect haircut. No, we have no idea who's elect and who's not. You see a human being, that's an image bearer of God. You love them with everything you got, and you share the gospel with them in faith that God has brought this person into your life because they're probably elect and He brought them into your life for the purpose of you ministering to him and telling him about the tremendous gospel of Jesus Christ. And because you know that God is sovereign, God can save them at any moment as they hear the gospel, so our only job isn't to worry, is this personal elect or not? My only job is to preach the gospel, just to explain to them, "Hey, are you a vessel of wrath set apart for destruction? That's what it looks like because your whole life is like a dumpster fire. It looks like you need Jesus a lot. Right now, this isn't working out for you. I know where you're headed. You should jump from this vessel to the vessel of mercy. Instead of going down river to hell, let's go to heaven together and spend eternity."That's my only job, preach the gospel. That's it. And then once people become a Christian, we're like, "You're so proud." And they're like, "Why am I proud?" "Because you think you saved yourself." And you're like, "What do you mean I didn't save myself? I chose Jesus." And then we explain to them that you didn't choose anything, Jesus chose you. So that's good for our humility.Point two is, how is that fair? His only answer is, "Who are you?" That's his only answer Romans 9:19, "You'll say to me then, 'Why does He still find fault? Who can resist His will?'" This is Paul's answer... We could get to all the hypothetical answers. He just says, "Who are you? Who are you, O man, to answer back? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?'" What he's saying is there is a qualitative difference between creator and creation. It's not just quantitative, it's qualitative. He's totally other than we are. God is free completely. Paul doesn't answer as we might expect. There's no logical explanation of how God's will interplay with human responsibility. No, instead of taking the defensive where he is like, "Oh, you raised a good objection," he doesn't do any of that. All Paul says is, "Shut your mouth. That's it. That's the answer. You're a human being. Shut your mouth. You have no right to speak back to the creator. He created you."He could have said, "Well, the human will isn't nullified and you still are responsible." He'll do that in chapter 10, he's going to get the emphasis on, but here he just wants to put us in our place. Sometimes that's what we need. Sometimes we are arguing with God, we're arguing with God. You just need a megaphone from heaven. We don't have one, so just pretend it's me. I'm the megaphone. I've been sent here to tell you, "Shut your mouth. Sit there, be quiet, take God's Word, and meditate on it. It's going to be really helpful." That's why he says, "You're merely a person. How can you judge your own creator? He can do whatever He wants with you. He is the molder. He is the pot-maker." Verse 21, "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump, one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?"And here what he's doing is contrasting the saved and the lost. But more to the point, by putting the matter in this way, he is calculating to be offensive. He is making it unmistakably clear what he is actually saying, that salvation is God's doing, and the difference between the saved and the lost is the sovereign will of God. What this text is clearly saying, and he's going to continue it as he goes through, what he is saying is, "It's ultimately up to God." You have objections, "That's not fair. How can I be held responsible?" Paul's answer is, "Whatever God does is fair. Shut your mouth and ask for mercy." That's what he's saying.Verse 22, "What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory." I don't even need to exegete the text. It's absolutely clear. It means exactly what he's saying, that God, before anything, creates some people to go to heaven and others He creates to go to hell. That's what the text is saying. What's the purpose? "In order to make the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy."The reason He does it is so Christians don't debate this ad nauseam, but for Christians, take it, take this hard truth that humbles us. He wants us to take it and glorify God for it. The reason why I'm so excited about this topic is because I love it. I absolutely, unabashedly love the doctrine of election. My heart gets filled with this incredible warmth when I read it, partially because God is God. This doctrine allows God to be God in all of His greatness in all of His freedom. It's a grander vision of God than just the like buddy Jesus doll, like He's here for you.This God could have made me a vessel of wrath prepared for destruction. I deserved it. God would have been just; He's God. But I'm not a vessel of destruction. I love Jesus Christ, and that's not my doing. I love the Holy Spirit, that's not my doing. I love God the Father, that's not my doing. I love holy Scripture, that's not my doing. I love obeying God, that's not my doing. None of it is my doing. God just chose to make me a vessel of mercy, not because of anything in me. This absolutely levels you with the ground.There's no pride left. There's no ego left. This absolutely shrinks us. I'm telling you, I've learned this from personal experience, I am at my best when I am at my least. You are at your best when you are at your least. When you are the absolutely most humble, that's when human beings are the best. They're kind, and they're gentle, and they're selfless, and they care for other people. You're at your best when there is no ego, where everything you do is because of love for God and love for people. That's why I love the doctrine of election because, first of all, it glorifies God, it humbles me. And I think it's important because it does take humility to receive a word like this.If this is the first time hearing it and you're like, "I don't like any of this. This is real," just check if pride is the thing in the way and repent and receive God's mercy. Nothing humbles me more than knowing I'm only saved by the grace of God. It deepens my thanksgiving and strengthens my sanctification. And yes, there is a dark side of election. Romans 9:6-23 teaches that individuals become Christians only because God, by a free act of His will, chooses them, predestines them to faith and glory. Our turning to Christ in faith is a real decision. We make it. It is essential for us to be saved, but we only turn to Christ because God elected us. If predestination is true, double predestination is true as well even if you don't want to say it out loud.This text teaches it clearly, God chooses who goes to heaven and God chooses who goes to hell. Both human salvation and damnation are sovereign acts of God. But the so-called dark side of election, it only looks dark if you're on the dark side. I'm just telling you, leave. Don't stay in the dark side. And then once you are transferred from the dark side into the light side by faith in Jesus Christ, then from this side, it's awesome. I'm telling you, the doctrine of election, it fills my heart with so much joy. Praise be to God.Now, what do we do as Christians? The tape doesn't make any sense because people are like, "If God is sovereign, then why do I have to do anything if I'm saved already?" If you are saying that the only reason why you do things in Christianity is to not lose your salvation, then you don't know God. You don't know the joy of walking with the Lord. You don't know the satisfaction it is to commune with God, to abide with Him. Once you know God, you don't want to lose your salvation because you don't want lose God. You don't want sin. You want more of God. You want more of holiness. You want more of the Holy Spirit. And once you realize, "Oh wow, God made me a vessel of mercy, then I should be the best vessel of mercy I can be."This is where I'm going to bring in 2 Timothy 2:20-26, where he uses the same concept of vessels, but now he's not talking about unsaved and saved, he's talking about those who are in the household. He's talking about Christians, and he's talking about different levels of use. So this is 2 Timothy 2:20, "Now in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable." In a house, there's different pots, there's different vessels. Some are really nice, the gold and silver. You take those out when the in-laws come. In-laws come, you take the good stuff out.And then for everyday use, you got vessels of wood. You just eat from the wood. Now, the clay vessels were used for something very particular. They were used for going to the bathroom. That's the clay vessel. What he's saying is that vessels of mercy, Christians, you're saved. You will be used by God one way or another. How do you want to be used? Do you want to be used like gold is used in a house, where your work is really important, you're holding the deliciousness, or do you want to be like the clay pot? It's still in the house, it's still useful, but no one really talks about it.What he's saying is there's some Christians that God will use them as an anti-example, where they received the mercy of God and did very little with it, and just pursued a life of sin and the just-barely-Christians. And they weren't used by God. I'm saying this truth because I'm combining this with the teaching of election, because that one should melt your heart. And then you should say, "What should I do? Lord, what do you want me to do? I want to be a vessel of mercy for honorable use." Paul says it in 2 Timothy verse 22, "Flee youthful passions." He's talking about sexual sin. Youthful passions, flee that stuff, dishonorable sin, so that you can be used honorably. "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."What he is saying is, "Flee sin and join a church. Get brothers and sisters in your life. You need community of brothers and sisters who want to fight the good fight of faith. And that's how you become more useful for the Lord." Verse 23, "Have nothing to do with foolish ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will."What he saying is, "God saved you, vessel of mercy. Now cleanse yourself from everything that is dishonorable so that you can be used powerfully in the Lord's house to draw people to repentance so that these unbelievers seeing your life, your life of honor and loyalty to the Lord and love and grace and mercy and thanksgiving and joy, they see that and they want to be part of it." And he's saying, "Maybe God through your witness is going to save some." So that should be incentive enough for us to follow the Lord and to fight sin. That's not fair. How is this fair? Fair, fair, fair, fair, fair.This teaching crushes our will, just completely. It crushes our human will. Here's what I do want to say about this, this is important, it's the only way our will can get freed. Because our will is not free. Our will isn't bondage to sin. That's why we can't choose God. That's why God takes truths like these, crushes our will. And then when our will is absolutely crushed, God can redeem. You need to know that you can't make new wine without crushing grapes. That's the teaching here. The Bible rests a great deal on the will of man, the exercises of that will, and lays the responsibility for condemnation on sinful people on. On them. The Bible says it's our fault; we chose sin. But the Bible unmistakably gives God all the glory for choosing us to salvation. He's absolutely sovereign. We are responsible. How's does it all work together? We'll find out in heaven. But this is true.Why do anything if God is sovereign? It's a silly question. Why do anything? Because God is sovereign. God tells us to do it. He brings us the end and the means. He wants us to pray for people. He wants us to share the gospel. He's told us things to do so we do it.I used to think of election like being recruited to the CIA. They show up out of nowhere, they know about you. They already chose you. But that's because you had a certain set of skills. If that's how you think of election, you're wrong. You had no skills. God actually probably chose you because you have very little skills. That's how God chooses people, like the most unlikely Christian. That's how I think of myself. I'm like, "I don't know why God picked me. I don't know." Here we are. No, no, no, you can't say He picked me because. That's pride. He picked you just because He decided that's how election works. We don't get recruited because the Lord saw some potential. No, the only good thing about us is that God poured out His mercy.But this should still deepen our honor. He doesn't recruit us for a job. That's why a lot of theologians get bogged down in texts like this. What I try to keep saying to the church is we don't need just theologians at this church. We need soldiers that know that the Bible is a battle manual and that we're not just a study, study, study, study and never do it. No, no, no, we're told this to equip us so that we go and we make disciples of all nations. Lord, I'm honored to serve in your army. I'm at your service. What would you have me do? How can I be an honorable vessel? We'll talk about that actually in the next two weeks. Good.And then point three is cry out for mercy and cry out in praise. How can I become a vessel of mercy? That sounds great, to become a child of God, have all my sins forgiven. Well, cry out to Jesus to save you. Jesus Christ went to the cross to save sinners. He shed His blood to pour out His mercy on sinners like me. So cry out. The best example I have of someone crying out to Jesus is a blind man on the road to Jericho. Luke 18:35, "As He drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." And he cried out... " The guy, he can't even see Him. He has no idea if this report is true. He's like, "If there's a chance, I am going to scream at the top of my lungs. This is my one chance in life to scream at the Messiah, and maybe He'll have mercy on me.""'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.'" That's all he said, "Have mercy." "And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me.' And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, He asked him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' He said, 'Lord, let me recover my sight.' And Jesus said to him, 'Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he recovered his sight and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God."Cry out for mercy, and once you receive it, cry out in praise. This is the point of this whole teaching, it is to bring us to loving giving God glory. God, I glorify your name. All glory, all praise to you. The reason I like this, I just love election, I love it, it zooms in on God. It zooms in, and it makes God massive. And when God is massive and we realize this God who is this great, this sovereign, He tells me, "Come onto me if you are burdened with your sin," and He welcomes everybody, so come to Jesus Christ, ask for mercy, receive it, and then Jesus tells you, "You did not choose me, but I chose you." Praise be to God.Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we want to worship you now and give you all of the praise and the glory that you deserve. We deserve none of it. We deserve damnation. We deserve hell. We deserve separation from You. Instead, Lord, You came up with this incredible plan to save us. Before the foundation of the world, You chose us. Thanks be to Your Son Jesus Christ. You provided for the means of salvation through Your death, burial, and Your resurrection. We thank you, Holy Spirit, that You're with us. Lord, we pray that you just send elect, send your chosen, send your elect, save them powerfully in this church and show them that You have created us to glorify You, and when we glorify You, we experience the fullness of life. We pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Community in Labuan Bajo, Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia. 2 Corinthians 9: 6-10; Rs psalm 112: 1-2.5-6.7-8.9; John 12: 24-26 TO SERVE AS GOD SERVES The theme for our meditation today is: To Serve As God Serves. Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Lawrence, a deacon of Rome. He was killed by Emperor Valerian in the 3rd century. Lawrence was temporarily imprisoned and awaiting execution. He was accused of having kept all of the assets of the Church left behind by the Pope Sixtus II who had been killed four days earlier. On the day of execution, Lawrence was ordered to bring all the assets to be handed over. He headed for the place of execution followed by many sick, paralyzed, poor, homeless people whom he cared about every day. They were all the assets he had had for the rest of his life. Saint Lawrence truly gave all his life to serve the poor and the sick, and this means he fulfilled God's will and the mission of the Church. He was delighted in carrying out the work that Jesus himself also does. At the moment of execution, he presented his favorite duty in the world that is a life for the small and sick ones. So he was willing and happy to receive the death sentence because after his death, the passion to serve would grow greatly and widely among people who have experienced God's love. To serve as God serves always puts its focus on people who need and who receive it. A service should not focus on merely objects and materials that are counted for their amount or prices. If the focus of attention is on people with their circumstances and needs, the material or goods will be certainly included. The focus of service on humans is much broader and deeper because it counts more on the non-material aspects such as advice, closeness, relationship, psychology, culture and so forth. It often happens that when these aspects are properly attended, then the material ones will no longer be needed. In the services that give priority on the human person, personal or community, their ideal fruits should be a spiritual satisfaction. Those who serve are happy because they offer kindness to others. They are filled with joy and peace. Those who are served are also happy because they are helped to get out from difficulties and problems of life. They are filled with gratitude and wonder. God puts His power and guidance on them so that this mutual sharing in relationship can take place in the style of Jesus Christ. So God pleases and blesses them. God's highest point of blessing for them is a happy and eternal life in heaven. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Almighty God, Your Son Jesus Christ teaches us to serve one another, may You always strengthen us with Your Spirit to realize this in every moment of our lives. Glory to the Father ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Maria Olivia from the Parish of Kristus Raja, Diocese of Surabaya, Indonesia. Micah 6: 1-4.6-8; Rs psalm 50: 5-6.8-9.16bc-17.21.23; Matthew 12: 38-42 UNFAITHFULNESS The theme for our meditation today is: Unfaithfulness. There was a man who got a job to work outside the city for three to six months. During this time he did not return to his home and family. Communication with his wife and children was done via online messages and video calls. When he returned home after finishing the job, he found out that almost everything in the house was normal and good, except for his two beloved dogs who were no longer familiar with him. The two dogs really ignored him, even though he wanted to play with them. His youngest son, eight years old, said this to him: "The problem is you haven't been close and played with them, so they have become strangers to you." Infidelity that happens in our relationship is caused by many factors, and one of them is that people are not close to each other. They do not communicate, there is no news shared and there is no sharing of attention between them. This also happens between us and the Lord. There is a long history about people who have been unfaithful to God where in the end they must be subjected to the punishment imposed on them because of their infidelity. The Lord Jesus was sent by the Father into the world to bring them back to faithfulness and true faith. The people of God, and especially the Israelites, were expected to be the first to renew this broken relationship and to walk on the new way initiated by Jesus Christ. However, they did not even want to know and acknowledge Jesus. They asked for signs that could help them to believe in Him. This is why Jesus gave them a very strong reaction. They openly opposed God by rejecting and not recognizing that Jesus was sent by God whom they believed according to the faith of their fathers. This is a great sin of unfaithfulness. They preferred such worldly things like money, position, flesh, pleasure, social status and fame. Then, God alone and His teachings brought by Jesus of Nazareth was not their priority. According to our Lord Jesus Christ, this is a sin against the Holy Spirit, and it will never be forgiven. The temptation to deny God by not making Him our priority in life is really very big. In general there are three great temptations that threaten us anytime and anywhere in this world, namely money, power and flesh. The prophet Micah said that we need to be sincere about ourselves. Whether we can overcome the temptation or we are always overcome by it, the world around us is the witness. If we stay with God and let ourselves be guided by the Holy Spirit, we are the ones who overcome temptation. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Our almighty God, may Your Spirit help us to be faithful always in the way of Your Son Jesus Christ, and keep us from all temptations that cause us to be away from Your path. Hail Mary ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Sunday Teaching Series Unveiling our Breakthrough Heritage in the Word 1 Acts 20:32, John 6:63-68, 2 Pet 1:3. Our Inheritance in the Word 1. By redemption, we share divinity with God which connotes dominion. John 1:12, 6:63, Gen 2:7, 3 John 1:2, Matt 10:1, 16:17-19. How to I access my Inheritance? 1. Be born again and remain so. Matt 10:1 2. Be spiritual. 1 Cor 2:14. * We have been redeemed and delivered from the curse of the law and connected to the blessings of Abraham. Gal 3:13-14. What is in the Anointing for me? 1. The anointing destroys every satanic yoke. 2. The anointing supplies help and divine assitance. PRAYERS 1. Oh Lord have mercy upon my family both immediate and extended and let Your saving grace locate every unsaved among us in Jesus name - Ezek.33:11. 2. Every power behind ungodly habits in the lives of any member of my family, I command you to release them today by the blood of Jesus and I command those ungodly habits to die in their lives now in the name of Jesus - Rev.12:11. 3. Every strongman, ancestral powers and altars behind limitations and curses in my family, I bind you today in the name of Jesus and I command your activities in my family to cease in the name of Jesus - Matt. 12:29. 4. Oh Lord, I dedicate my family both immediate and extended to You afresh and I command everything that cannot survive in You and Your Son Jesus Christ to disappear from my family this very hour in the name of Jesus - 1Cor.6:17 5. Every stubborn curses, generational bondages and limitations in my family lineage, I announce to you that we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and now belong to Him. I therefore command you to BREAK NOW in the name of Jesus - 1Cor.6:20. 6. Father by the blood of Jesus we denounce every known and unkown covenant working against the destinis of our family members and we decale those covenants broken now by the anointing of this morning in the name of Jesus. 7. Oh Lord arise, and rescue my family from all forms of satanic bondages and let today mark the beginning of a new chapter in our lives in Jesus name - Ps.107:16. Don't forget to subscribe or follow, Review or comment, listen, download and share Champion's Circle Podcast. Visit https://champion-circle.blogspot.com for details. God bless you.

Delivered by Manette Maturan from Saint John Bosco Church in Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 22: 30; 36: 6-11; Rs psalm 16: 1-2a.5.7-8.9-10.11; John 17: 20-26 MAY THEY BECOME ONE The theme for our meditation today is: May They Become One. This sentence comes from Jesus Himself, that is when He prayed for the apostles, the disciples and all of His followers, at the moment of the last supper. The focus of a prayer of this type continues to inspire all our prayers with the intentions for communion and unity among us. This communion is the fundamental nature of God's existence, namely the Trinity. Based on this, Jesus then prayed that all of his followers will finally arrive at this goal. But there is one simple question: why does Jesus not reveal: “They must become one”, instead he says: “May they become one”? The most obvious reason is that God gives freedom to every human being to choose either communion or division and disintegration. This is the same as the freedom to choose to obey God or disobey Him. In this world the battle field and struggle of life will determine whether one really follows God or otherwise chooses another path to oppose Him. Every human being is blessed with freedom and intelligence to choose the path to salvation. Another reason that we may not realize is that preparation is always an important element in the pilgrimage of our faith in the world. The prayer of Jesus that we may unite in the world is an encouragement so that we can prepare a strong and dignified unity as sons and daughters of God. This preparation is like an increase of our passion to long for eternal communion in heaven. Therefore to each one of us: never ignore nor underestimate any kind of unity of God's children in the world. We should always think on the future communion in heaven. The next reason that maybe the highest one is that God is the only one God, and He dwells forever in heaven. To get there we have to go through a long journey and process. There is no magic game or highly-expressed transportation to get there. If there is no need of a process, then we need only one miracle to bring all of us together into heaven. This is not the way of God. God allows us to follow the process, and so we use the prayer "May we become one". In all our efforts, we humans hope that we can achieve the goal of communion with God. God does not want to eliminate the element of hope in us by using the word “must”. Hope is very important for us humans. All our prayers clearly use the words "hopefully" or "may" and "will" or "later", because it is a concrete sign of our hope. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O God Almighty, unity in You is our ultimate hope, may the Holy Spirit sent by Your Son Jesus Christ unite us in this world in all our ways and situations as our preparation to enjoy eternal communion in heaven. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Community in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 16: 27-34; Rs psalm 138: 1-2a.2b-3.7c-8; John 16: 5-11 TRIAL FOR THE WORLD The theme for our meditation today is: Trial For The World. Why is there a trial against the world? The court rules out a just trial for the injustices that are happening in the world. Injustice is a big sin of people who live a worldly life-style. The tragedies of war, hunger, corruption and sexual abuse are among the many injustices that contribute to the damages of life that our world today faces. Jesus Christ specifically mentions the task of the Holy Spirit as a judge, "when He comes, He will convict the world". The spiritual jugde comes into a condition of the world that had been renewed through the events of Jesus Christ. The Paschal events had presented Jesus, the apostles and the Early Church as the true witnesses of what is right, good and just that need to be maintained. A life that is right, good and just does not disappear after Jesus' death and ascension into heaven. The Holy Spirit continues to live through this course of life. He teaches and operates the court so that we who have faith may open our inner and physical eyes, to justify what sin is and where grace stands. The heavenly court does not use the law enforcement of this world, which are full of compromises and corruptions. The Holy Spirit does not have flesh and bones, so He will certainly conduct His judgement fairly and wisely. The Spirit will make every believer and the whole world know for certain about sin. Sin is an act against God, namely not believing in Jesus Christ sent by the Father. The consequence of not accepting God is not being able to enjoy happines and eternal dwelling in God. Sin brings misery to life in this world and must be more miserable in the hereafter. The Holy Spirit also shows what truth, goodness and justice are. Jesus himself had lived in that manner and he had defended it to the point of His death. Leaving this world as already graced with the gift of salvation, Jesus headed to the Father in heaven. His truth liberates, just like a liberation offered to Paul and Silas from imprisonment as told in the first reading of today's liturgy. This is what we need to follow, which is an eternal gain that is to live with the Father in heaven. The Holy Spirit opens the eyes of the whole world that the judgment for sinners is undeniable. Sinners, and especially the scandal makers who have plunged many people into sin, must be rewarded with extraordinary punishment. They have no place in God. Let us be the people who are firm to the truth and obedient to the Holy Spirit. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O God Almighty, we are grateful for Your Son Jesus Christ who enlightens us in the divine justice. May we sincerely open ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit that we may remain in the path of truth, the way of Jesus Christ Himself. Hail Mary ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Go to Jesus before anyone or anything else. Let Christ establish your plans. Let Christ lead you. Let His Word guide your life. “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 NLT. Commit to Christ. Let Christ rule every area of your heart, life, and business. Let Christ give you witty ideas. Let Christ fill you with His Wisdom. For Wisdom comes from God. Leadership comes from God. Let Christ, the Author of all things lead your life. Let His Word fill your heart. Commit your ways to God—the Author and Finisher of your life and Destiny. If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and are ready to acknowledge Him, say this simple prayer: God, I thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ. I believe that He died and conquering death rose again. Yes God, in the Name of Jesus, I repent of my sin and I turn to You. I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Reading is delivered by Lloyd Francis Baugio and meditation is delivered by Rina Rustiyawati from Saint Peter's School in Jakarta, Indonesia. 1 Samuel 17: 32-33.37.40-51; Rs psalm 144: 1.2.9-0; Mark 3: 1-6 GOLIATH MUST BE DEFEATED Our meditation today has the theme: Goliath Must Be Defeated. The story of David's opposition to Goliath is one of the most interesting and famous in the Old Testament. This story can be a very appropriate learning for us both as individuals and as part of the people of God. We easily put David as a very weak party, but he is actually the winner. The story that is told in the first reading of the liturgy today is enough to teach us about the alignment of the truth, which is God. Victory is its reward. Goliath is depicted as a very big figure, attractive, but at the same time so frightening. Goliath is apt to be a symbol to describe the obstacles we must fight in this world, because if the obstacles are not overcome, goodness and happiness that we hope are not achieved. Here there are at least two big obstacles that really bother us. Often we have to fight the really big power but our condition is as limited as David to Goliath. Christian hope requires us to endure and dare to face such obstacles. The first big obstacle is arrogance. How to fight and finally defeat arrogance? We need to start from a truth, which is to know the root of pride. This root is due to a lack of faith, not even have a faith like Goliath. If a person believes that God is the main ruler of all things and the controller of all, he is always obedient, humble and just depends on God. We humans do have the freedom and intellect to be able to do or be creative, but this is all because God as the creator who makes us his own image and likeness. So, for what purpose to be arrogant but it turns out all that is in us is only a gift or barrowed from God. David appeared as the personification of God to fight the pride that was too outrageous that must be destroyed. If this is left uncontrolled, it will surely be a great disaster. The second major obstacle is violence, both through words and actions. Goliath cursed David and did not see him as human. Likewise the Pharisees had hardness of heart and in action against Jesus. Even their violence also befell theperson who had one hand paralized. If there was no action from God on the sick person, surely he would still suffer. For them, sickness is a curse. We must not be controlled over by arrogance and violence. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Almighty Father, make us followers of Your Son Jesus Christ who are able to fight and overcome the weaknesses and evil of this world. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

“On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Two Turtle Doves ..." which represent the Old and New Testaments, which bear witness to God's relationship with all mankind. God's relationship is begun in the New Testament in His covenant with Abraham and his Descendants and is fulfilled in the New Testament by the new covenant of Christ's life, death, and resurrection. Prayer: Heavenly Father, who came to earth through Your Son Jesus Christ we thank You for the gift of your Son, Your new covenant that we may have an intimate relationship with You, and the gift of Your Word. As we exchange gifts, Father, let us recognize and bear witness to the fact that You have given the greatest gifts of all. Amen. The post The Second Day of Christmas – A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

A Christmas message based on the account of author Henry Williamson of the Christmas Truce on the Ypres salient in 1914. That account, published in the London Daily Express in 1937, reminds us that even during that deadly and bitter conflict, we are all God's children. Pray that we remember that fact in the midst of our modern day divisions. This is a remixed and remastered version of episode 201 released on Christmas Day 2019. The New Armed Lutheran Book "Duty to Defend" is now available! In Paperback: http://www.armedlutheran.us/duty/ For Kindle: http://www.armedlutheran.us/kindle Prayer of the Week O almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys that you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Join the Reformation Gun Club! - http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Shop at GunMagWarehouse* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/mags Get Regular Refills Coffee Subscriptions at Dunkin' Donuts* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Coffee Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Follow us on Twitter - http://www.armedlutheran.us/twitter And search for us on Instagram - http://www.armedlutheran.us/instagram Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!

It's our final new show of 2021 and we're closing it out with Clinging to God & Guns. Lloyd and Pastor Bennett discuss some recent court cases that give us reason to be optimistic about the future of our flawed legal system. Check out our additional content as we discuss a couple of recent Supreme Court cases, exclusive for Reformation Gun Club members. Click here and come join us for as little as $12/year. Segments [00:00] - Blooper [00:28] - Opening and welcome [03:09] - Thanks to our Patrons [04:40] - Final thoughts on 2021 and looking ahead to 2022 [07:11] - The trial of Jussie Smollet [13:31] - The Kyle Rittenhouse Trial [21:26] - The Corrupt Cuomo Brothers [29:37] - The Murder of Ahmaud Arbery [37:26] - Wrapping Up [39:56] - Show Close The New Armed Lutheran Book "Duty to Defend" is now available! In Paperback: http://www.armedlutheran.us/duty/ For Kindle: http://www.armedlutheran.us/kindle Prayer of the Week O almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys that you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Join the Reformation Gun Club! - http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Shop at GunMagWarehouse* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/mags Get Regular Refills Coffee Subscriptions at Dunkin' Donuts* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Coffee Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Follow us on Twitter - http://www.armedlutheran.us/twitter And search for us on Instagram - http://www.armedlutheran.us/instagram Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!

Designed For LoveSeries: Christmas 2021 Speaker: Rev. George SinclairMessiah DowntownDate: 12th December 2021Passage: Romans 13:8-14-------------------Sermons Points:Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when He shall come again in His glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN. Because the Triune God is love, He designed human beings to be loved and to love.In every human being you can see the truth that you are designed - and the truth that the design is bent or broken.In love He came to save you. In love He walks with you. In love He will come to judge the living and the dead, and bring in the new heaven and earth.Gripped by the Gospel, cast off your works of darkness. Put on the armour of light. Walk in the dying of the night to the glory of God and the good of people.

THE WEEK OF TRINITY XXV - SATURDAYLESSON: MATTHEW 24:36‒44“For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man.” Matthew 24:27Christ means to say here: “Do not believe it if some attempt is made to make you believe that Christ is limited to this place or that place and someone tries to lead you from faith to works. I warn you not to fall away from pure faith. You do not know at what hour I will come again. When no one is really expecting it, I will suddenly be here again as quickly as a flash of lightning lights up the heavens. Those who have not kept the faith will then be lost. See to it that the day does not come upon you unawares. Be strong in faith so that you do not become lazy and sleepy and the devil tears you away from faith.”These words are simply written down here one after the other, without order. Matthew heaps up everything here without order. So the following words do not really fit in very well here: “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together” (Matthew 24:28).What He means is that we should not ask for the exact place where Christ will come again. “No matter where I am, we shall probably find each other, as we say, ‘Wherever there is a body, there the eagles will gather together.' Eagles do not fly to some particular spot that they have selected for themselves; but wherever there is a body they gather together. Hence those who are Mine will doubtless find Me. Where I am, My chosen ones will also be.” This text speaks of the end of the Jews and of the world. Matthew mingles this with the signs of the last day. Luke writes of these matters quite clearly.SL.XI.1883,29‒30 AE. 79:324-336PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You have taught us clearly in Your Word that this world will end, and that Your Son Jesus Christ is coming again to judge the living and the dead. Keep us strong in faith so that we are always prepared to meet Christ when He comes again, trusting in His merits and clothes in His righteousness, for Your mercy and truth's sake. Amen. 

On November 3, 2021, the Supreme Court heard arguments in New York Rifle & Pistol Association vs. Bruen -- a case that could make "shall issue" the law of the land around the nation. In this episode, Lloyd and Pastor Bennett review a hysterical amicus brief, filed by a group of Leftist religious organizations, supporting New York's "may issue" concealed carry permit law. An even more in-depth analysis of the brief is available exclusively for Reformation Gun Club members. Click here and come join us for as little as $12/year. Segments [00:00] - Blooper [00:37] - Opening and welcome [03:04] - Thanks to our Patrons [04:36] - "May Issue" vs. "Shall Issue" [09:07] - Responding to Episcopal News Service Article [15:42] - Threats against Places of Worship - Bad Examples [21:58] - The Filers of the Amicus Brief [24:08] - Guns are a Threat to Houses of Worship [25:53] - You Don't Need a Gun [27:23] - Protecting Sensitive Places [31:58] - Are the Filers Idiots or Just Nefarious? [33:59] - Reducing the "Casual Public Carrying of Weapons" [35:58] - Heller, McDonald and Ezell [42:14] - Wrapping Up [43:58] - Show Close Links of Interest Bearing Arms.com - https://bearingarms.com/tomknighton/2021/11/02/supreme-court-gun-case-n51638 Episcopal News Service - https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2021/11/01/episcopal-leaders-warn-concealed-guns-ruling-could-threaten-safety-of-churches-other-sensitive-places/ Amicus Brief - https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-843/193307/20210921185212421_41279%20pdf%20Jacquemot%20br.pdf The New Armed Lutheran Book "Duty to Defend" is now available! In Paperback: http://www.armedlutheran.us/duty/ For Kindle: http://www.armedlutheran.us/kindle Prayer of the Week O almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys that you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Join the Reformation Gun Club! - http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Shop at GunMagWarehouse* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/mags Get Regular Refills Coffee Subscriptions at Dunkin' Donuts* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Coffee Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Follow us on Twitter - http://www.armedlutheran.us/twitter And search for us on Instagram - http://www.armedlutheran.us/instagram Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!

"An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," right? How should we, as Christians, view the ideas of vigilantism and revenge; even as our human nature desires to see bad guys get what's coming to them? Lloyd and Pastor Bennett respond to the case of the father in Spokane, Washington, who saved his daughter from sex slavery and then hunted down and murdered the boy he claims was responsible for selling her. Let the jimmies rustle! Segments [00:00] - Blooper [00:37] - Opening and welcome [02:58] - Thanks to our Patrons [04:11] - Revisiting the Rittenhouse Case [06:58] - The case of John Eisenman from Spokane, WA [07:01] - What the Bible Says about Vengeance [13:39] - What if the State Refuses to Act? [16:14] - What about "an Eye for and Eye?" [21:21] - Our Wicked Human Nature [27:23] - Three Reasons We Should Not Celebrate Revenge [33:38] - Predictions [37:42] - Wrapping Up [39:13] - Show Close Links of Interest https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/spokane-police-19-year-old-murdered-after-selling-girlfriend-into-seattle-sex-trafficking-ring/YHYX2MDKVZGBXAD4KK2HXPARIE/ The New Armed Lutheran Book "Duty to Defend" is now available! In Paperback: http://www.armedlutheran.us/duty/ For Kindle: http://www.armedlutheran.us/kindle Prayer of the Week O almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys that you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Join the Reformation Gun Club! - http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Shop at GunMagWarehouse* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/mags Get Regular Refills Coffee Subscriptions at Dunkin' Donuts* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Coffee Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Follow us on Twitter - http://www.armedlutheran.us/twitter And search for us on Instagram - http://www.armedlutheran.us/instagram Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!

Reading is delivered by Julius Ronald and meditation is delivered by Gracia Meirissa from Saint Peter's School in Jakarta, Indonesia. Haggai 1: 1-8; Rs psalm 149: 1-2.3-4.5-6a.9b; Luke 9: 7-9 ANXIETY SHOULD GO AWAY QUICKLY The theme for our meditation today is: Anxiety Should Go Away Quickly. Anxiety is a mental state in human person that is similar to the situation with restlessness, discomfort, and worry. This mental state signifies a person is in a trouble or negative moment, which is the opposite of excited, optimistic, happy, and cheerful. As human beings who aim to grow healthy physically, mentally and spiritually, we want that anxiety that comes along our personal and collective life is to be going away quickly. Anxiety overshadowed the prophet Haggai and the Israelites when God allowed them to experience that trouble, which was about the Lord's house had not been built and was still in ruins, while His people had already inhabited a fine established and permanent houses. This indeed had caused their hearts fell into great anxiety and discomfort. The King Herod was also restless when he so realized his own crime in the killing of John the Baptist. He became more disturbed if John the Baptist should have returned into life. He was misled of Jesus of Nazareth thought to be the risen John the Baptist. These two examples of anxiety stem from one principle weakness, namely our own mistakes or sins. This type of restlessness or anxiety grows through a process of knowing onself and self-awareness. People know their own weaknesses and sins. Or when a person is led by the divine light, he repents of his sinfulness and this opens the way for him to a new life. This process does not only remove anxiety, but also creates a new spiritual experience. The house of God would be rebuilt eventually, and the King Herod might be able to see the real Jesus. There is another type of anxiety that may be more severe. Our neighbors, whether friends or relatives, become anxious because of our weaknesses, shortcomings and sins. This situation is severe because they are anxious and increasingly in trouble while we ourselves never realize or know the real matter. In other words, a person is still ignorant, he does not care and deliberately he does not know himself about the sin or mistake he has committed. The danger and damage will be inevitable, if this trouble endangers oneself, others and the interests of many people. Anxiety can go away quickly only if everyone is faithful and willing to live justly and righteously. Following God by always being guided by His word is the best choice to be able to produce something good and useful in this life. In other words, our lives must be pleasing to God alone, according to today's psalm. So we not only want to find out information about Jesus, just like the King Herod did, but we want to follow Christ who faithfully carries out the will of the Father in Heaven. Anxiety will certainly go away quickly. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... God the Father in heaven, by always imitating Your Son Jesus Christ and our Lord, we want to empty ourselves because we love You, so fill us, Father with your blessings. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you, ... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Reading is delivered by Catur Lastiatama and meditation is delivered by Bethany Paulite from Saint Peter's School in Jakarta, Indonesia. Joshua 24: 1-13; Rs psalm 136: 1-3.16-18.21-22.24; Matthew 19: 3-12 BOUND FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END Our meditation today has the theme: Bound from the Beginning to the End. Faith directs us to be bound from the beginning to the end, which is the first and final commitment to God. We have a covenant with God. God is eternal and unchangeable in His will towards us. So His commandments, choices, appointments and covenants are valid from the beginning to the end. One of the forms of covenant and commitment proclaimed by the reading today is a marriage union between a man and a woman. The basis for marriage is that every man and woman is created in God's own image and likeness. Each of them is gifted with the ability to choose and to offer one's love for the right partner from the opposite sex. This can happen as it should be thanks to God's intervention. That's why we believe that the love relationship of a man and a woman depends much on God's decisive role. God acts through the Church to follow up on this divine covenant by instituting marriage. A man and a woman who have chosen and loved each other, at the moment of the marriage covenant, the Church acts on it to officiallly declare it legal. Until this point, the bond that has been formed since the beginning is legalized before God, the society and the world, and must be maintained until the end of life. God's covenant must be eternal. What if there is a failure in the marriage life? What would the situation be like if the marriage is not terminated by death? That was the problem Moses already faced with the Israelites who divorced their marriages. This issue came down to the people of Jesus' time, and so on to our day. In essence, any act that breaks and invalidates the marriage contract, according to the Lord Jesus, is a sin of fornication or adultery. This is a grave sin. This sin clearly removes the binding of the beginning and final covenant of God's decree. Breaking a promise with God is basically a human act, not the act of God. This sin is tantamount to not considering God to be holy, who makes human marriage holy Then how to care for and maintain that marriage bond? In the light of God's Word today, we are required to always maintain a spirit of “memoria” or remember that God has done so good and so abundant for us in the history of everyone's life. So we have to be able to respond very well too. We are also very much required to stay in unity. Separation and divorce only hurt and destroy the marriage life that has been built and maintained together. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... Almighty and merciful God, we ask that Your Spirit guide husband and wife to always be on the truth, namely the way of Your Son Jesus Christ. Hail Mary full of grace... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Reading is delivered by Marudut and meditation is delivered by Callista Leo, from Saint Peter's School in Jakarta, Indonesia. 2 Corinthians 9: 6-10; Rs psalm 112: 1-2.5-9! John 12: 24-26 GOD LOVES THOSE WHO GIVE WITH JOY The theme for our meditation today is: God Loves Those Who Give with Joy. Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Lawrence, who was a deacon from Rome. He was killed by the Emperor Valerian in the 3rd century. In one particular moment, Lawrence was temporarily imprisoned and awaiting execution. He was considered the key person who kept all the treasures of the Church, which were left by Pope Sixtus II, who had been killed four days earlier. On the day of his execution Lawrence was ordered to bring along with him and to submit all those riches being kept . Then he went to the place of execution followed by many people who were sick, lame, poor, abandoned whom he had served every day. They were all the possessions of the Church being demanded by the Emperor. Saint Lawrence's life was a perfect example of giving with joy. This means that he had given all of his life for the little and sick ones, and this means that he was indeed carrying out the will of God. He was full with joy in doing the works that the Lord himself already did. At the time of execution, he presented his favorite world which was a life united with those who were absolutely powerless. So he was willing and happy to accept his death sentence because after his death a spirit of giving with joyful heart will grow in the life of those who have experienced God's love. When we give with joy, it is good that we focus on the persons who need and who receive what we give. Our focus is not on things and goods according to their quantity or price. If you focus your attention on people, you will automatically pay attention to the things they need. The focus on persons is much broader and deeper because we also include other aspects such as values, teachings, closeness, relations, psychology, culture and so on. It often happens that when these non-material aspects are properly attended, the material things are no longer our priority. When we give our first attention to the human person, both individual and group, the fruit of this will be our spiritual satisfaction. The one who gives will be happy and at peace because he offers goodness to others. This certainly gives him a positive help for growth. The one who receives attention and goodness is also happy because he is helped to be able to face the difficulty of life. This is really a noble and wonderful experience where people enrinch themselves with gratefulness and mutual appreciation. God guides and blesses such expression of love and we are happy to live together in this way. God's love has no limits, and His most precious gift of happines to us is the gift of eternal life in heaven where all of us will be united in God. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O most loving Father, Your Son Jesus Christ teaches us to give with joy and to be motivated by love, grant that we will always practice this in every moment of our lives. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

THE WEEK OF TRINITY IX - FRIDAYLESSON: HEBREWS 12:18-24Enter not into judgement with thy servant; for no man living is righteous before thee. Psalm 143:2It seems, on the surface, that Christ in this week's Gospel (Luke 16:1-9) actually suggests that we should do good works by means of unrighteous mammon, so that we may obtain eternal life thereby and that those whom we have helped with our mammon may receive us into eternal habitations.Our opponents are not slow to remind us that we have always taught we should not do good works to inherit eternal life and that what we read here seems to be the direct opposite of this doctrine. What are we going to say to this? There are many passages here and there in Scripture which speak of our merits. With these, our opponents think they can set God's mercy at naught and force us to adopt the position that we must satisfy God's justice with our good works. Be on your guard against such views and take up your stand on God's pure grace and mercy alone, saying, “I am a poor sinner, O God; forgive me my sins. I will gladly keep silent about my merits if you will only keep silent about your judgement.”Why was Christ given us as our Mediator? If we want God to enter into judgement with us on the basis of good works, we push Christ aside as our Mediator. And without Christ's work of mediation, we cannot stand before God. Hence, let Him remain your mediator. Seek the cover of His wings as the psalmist advises: “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge” (Psalm 91:4).Let this be your prayer: “O God, I do not presume to claim any merit before you from my works, but devote them to the service of my neighbor, placing all my faith and trust in your pure mercy alone.”SL 11:1452 (14)PRAYER: We give You eternal thanks and praise, heavenly Father, for the riches of Your grace and mercy continually bestowed upon us poor, lost, and condemned sinners, in and through our Savior and Mediator, Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.Editor's note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today's sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 4:291-301.

Reading is delivered by Llyod Francis Baguio and meditation delivered by Jeniffer Arcilla from Saint Peter's School in Jakarta, Indonesia. Exodus 14: 5-18; Rs psalm Exodus 15: 1-2.3-4.5-6; Matthew 12: 38-42 SPIRITUAL INFIDELITY The theme for our meditation today is: Spiritual Infidelity. Infidelity is found in the scriptures, both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In our daily use, the word “infidelity” is part of our conversation everywhere. The most common meaning of an act of infidelity is a deviance and unfaithful relationship with a partner such as a girlfriend, fiancé and lawful marriage spouse. However, the scriptures also reveal the issue of spiritual infidelity. This refers to the sin of believers who are not faithful to God. Many stories in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament show to us about this infidelity. The Lord Jesus was sent by the Father first of all for the scattered people of Israel and to gather them then bring them to salvation. And He had completed that duty so perfectly. It was very much hoped that the Israelites would change and believe in God. But they din't even willing to know and to acknowledge Jesus. They asked for the signs which they considered sufficient to make them believe in Jesus. This indeed had caused Jesus to take a strong reaction against them. They were considered to have committed spiritual infidelity, namely they were against Jesus the Son of God, by rejecting and not acknowledging Him who came in the name of the heavenly Father. The sin of infidelity and adultery had really violated the covenant between God and the forefathers of Israel. Unfaithfulness and the breaking of the covenant with God are serious and mortal sins. People can easily choose to worship and glorify material things, money, position, pleasures of the flesh, social status, fame to become their life partner. Then God is definitely forgotten or left alone. God can certainly be jealous and hurt, if He was in the our position as human beings. The temptation that leads us to spiritual infidelity remains evident even today, the same also temptation to commit adultery in our common understanding. Moses saw that the temptation was so great that his people faced while they were wandering in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. Likewise, we are currently faced with the temptations of the today's world culture. It may be obvious that many of them have been comfortable with some acts of spiritual infidelity. Some are disappointed with God and do not want to communicate with Him. They prefer to go away and forget Him for a while. There are some believers who are mostly worshipers the things of the world during the day, and at night they come to really worship God. Some have their one foot in the Church, while the other foot is in the field of corruption, violence, lust and all forms of lies. All these reflect what is actually spiritual infidelity about. All must stop now. Those who have gone away and lost should find a way to return to the path of truth. Let's pray. In the name of the Father...God almighty, may Your Spirit help us to always be faithful in the path of Your Son Jesus Christ, and keep us away from all temptations that cause us to lose our faith in You and even to abandon You. Hail Mary... In the name of the Father. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Reading and meditation are delivered by Postulant Morin dan Postulant Faith from Formation House of PRR Sisters in Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa. Genesis 46: 1-7.28-30; Rs psalm 37: 3-4.18-19.27-28.39-40; Matthew 10: 16-23 PREPARING TO FACE RISK Our meditation today has the theme: Preparing to Face Risk. Preparation is a mental ability in the human person by having full attention and alertness for certain action or deed that is to be carried out. If the action is normal, ordinary and already planned, the preparation is also normal and ordinary. Yet for the unforeseen risk or danger that followscertain activities or events, the preparation must be something more than the ordinary one. When the Israel (or Jacob's family) from the land of Canaan who decided to emigrate to Egypt, this can be seen as their preparation for facing certain big risk ahead of them. The most serious risk for them should be their being strangers in the land of people who did not believe in God. They had to be treated as slaves under Egyptian rule after the death of Joseph, one of the Jacob's sons. This meant that they had to accept their being trampled on by the unbelievers, compared to their being special and the chosen people in the land of Canaan. In today's reading we see Jesus gives a list of the risks or dangers that had awaited His disciples, as the consequences of believing in Him and bearing His Name. The most serious thing was that they had to experience various sufferings and persecutions like Jesus Himself had experienced. They must be prepared to die. This risk was obviously heavy yet they did not become slaves to any human being here on earth, but to be the servants of God. This risk was faced with preparedness neither to resolve any physical need nor struggle to survive like the Israelites. This risk is the price of a call to follow Christ. Its motivation is very spiritual. A preparation to take risks is different from being desperate to face the risks. Being prepared means there is a spiritual maturity, where a person is calm, optimistic, confident and willing to take any form of risk that will come along. If the risk is heavy and unexpected, he pleases to face it, he is really willing and he is happy to face it. If the risk is small he does not underestimate or just making himself relax. Meanwhile, a person who is reckless or desperate will use all his courage to react and fight against the risks. It is here where violence through words and actions easily occurs. As followers of Christ, we deserve to choose to prepare ourselves, to be alert or to be attentive, because this is a virtue. The scriptures always give us advice and commandments to always be ready, alert and attentive for any sign coming from God. This attitude will be very useful when we are faced with the risks of every choice we make. Choices and decisions related to our faith and calling do have big risks, so we should be prepared to think about it, to strengthen ourselves mentally and to face them in the spirit of our faith. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... In Your power, Father, enable us to face all forms of risk because we have chosen to be faithful to You, by following Your Son Jesus Christ. Grant that by going through those risks, we can obtain perfection as You are always perfect. Our Father who art in heaven... In the name of the Father... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

THE WEEK OF TRINITY - TUESDAYLESSON: EPHESIANS 1:3-14[Jesus Christ] is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20God has forbidden us to worship any strange gods. Now we are told in John that it is God's will that His Son should be honored with the honor with which He Himself is honored. John reports Christ's words to the Jews.“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and greater works than these will he show him, that you may marvel.For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgement to the Son, that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him” (John 5:19-23).These are, I believe, crystal clear words about the deity of Christ. Inasmuch, then, as God commands us to have only one God and to give to no other creature the honor which belongs to God or is God's due, He nevertheless bestows this honor upon Christ; Christ must be God.SL 11:1148 (5)PRAYER: You have shown us in many clear statements and testimonies, Lord God, that Your Son Jesus Christ is true God and deserving of the full honor of the godhead. Keep us ever mindful of the exalted nature of Your Son, that we may also be thereby encouraged to place all our faith and trust in Him as our Savior and Redeemer, in whose name we also ask this. Amen.Editor's note: No American Edition (AE) equivalent for today's sermon excerpt exists at the time of this publication. For an alternate English translation of this sermon, see Lenker, Church Postil—Gospels, 3:405-411.

Reading is delivered by Ivanez and meditation delivered by Natalia Christine, from Saint Peter's School in Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 22: 30; 23: 6-11; Rs psalm 16: 1-2a.5.7-8.9-10.11; John 17: 20-26. MAY THEY BECOME ONE Our meditation today has the theme: May They Become One. This phrase comes from Jesus Himself, when He was praying for His apostles, disciples and all of His followers, during the Last Supper. Such prayer is the inspiration of allour prayers as we work together to build and strengthen fellowship and unity in our lives together. This unity is actually the fundamental character of the reality of God, namely the Trinity. Then Jesus prayed that all His followers would finally reach the goal of this unity. However, there is a particular question for the sake of curiosity, that says: “Why did Jesus not express: They must be united, instead He said: may they be united or may they become one”? The most obvious reason is that God gives freedom to every human being to choose unity or division and separation. It is the same as the freedom to choose to obey Him or to choose against Him. In this world, the arena of play and struggle will determine whether everyone truly follows God or otherwise chooses another path. We know well which way that leads to salvation. Another reason that we may not realize is that preparation is always an essential element in our pilgrimage of faith in the world. Jesus' prayer that we may be united in the world is an encouragement so that we prepare a strong and dignified fellowship and unity as sons and daughters of God. This preparation is like an appetite for us to long for eternal unity in heaven. Let us never ignore or underestimate any kind of fellowship we have on earth by thinking that there will be a better fellowship and unity in heaven. Another reason maybe the most important one is that God, the supreme being, dwells forever in heaven. We definitely have to go through a long journey and process in order to arrive in heaven. There is no magic play or speed transportation to facilitate us to arrive in heaven. If there is no process, then it should be only one miracle that can make everyone all together to enter heaven. However, there must be a process, a journey, and a way of purification.Therefore, we should use this phrase "that we may be united". In all our efforts for realizing that end, we certainly have hope to achieve it. God does not want to eliminate the element of hope in our human life by using the word “must”. Hope is a very important element to our being ashumans. All our prayers clearly use the words "hope" or "will" and "may" or "later", because this is a real sign of our hope. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Our almighty God, to be one with You is our utmost hope, and may the Holy Spirit sent by Your Son Jesus Christ unite us in this world in all our ways and situations as an anticipation for us to enjoy an eternal unity in heaven. Glory to the Father ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Day 1: Mary, Full of Grace From the Gospel according to Luke 1:28 In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. The Angel came to her and said, Rejoice, Full of Grace!  Let us pray: Almighty Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we thank You for bestowing upon Your highly favored daughter all the graces to be Your Son's Mother and to be the Mother of all. We thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to be our redeemer and savior. Thank You for giving us the breath of life and the splendor of Your creations. We thank You, Father, our Lord, and our God, for Your infinite kindness and mercy. How good You are to us, your children. We praise you and worship you, with Your Son, Jesus Christ, and his Mother Mary, our intercessor. To You, we owe everything. We acknowledge humbly that without You, we are nothing. Receive our gratitude and our undying adoration and devotion. We will try to reciprocate Your loving kindness by obeying Your commandments, by loving our neighbors and by earnestly endeavoring to become more like Your Son. We shall continuously affirm Your lordship and celebrate Your goodness and kindness all the days of our life. Amen.

Reading is delivered by Paul Banan and meditation is delivered by Wenchie Thomas (from Saint Peter's School in Jakarta, Indonesia). Isaiah 58: 1-9a; Rs psalm 51: 3-4.5-6a.18-19; Matthew 9: 14-15. FASTING NEEDS PRAYER AND CHARITY Our meditation today has the theme: Fasting Needs Prayer and Charity. The three elements of Lenten spirituality that we have been reflecting upon so far are not independent from each other. Prayer is not an act that has nothing to do with fasting and charity. It's also with fasting and charity. One spiritual practice requires the other two in order to make a person a true believer and consecrated before God and surely become a role model for others. Our today's reflection wants to bring our attention to the fasting that we do through acts of charity and our prayers. In every act of love, a person practices his fasting. Likewise, in the occasion of prayer, a person refills and strengthens his fasting. Both of our readings today illuminate us about fasting that needs prayer and charity. The book of the prophet Isaiah affirms that every act of fasting which is related to the living together among our fellow men and women and according to the will of God, is to release those bound unjustly and severely by evil. All forms of oppression and injustices must be eliminated. The actions or behaviors that deceive and cause trouble to others must be stopped. The hungry and thirsty people should be given the satisfaction of their bodies. Those homeless people are protected. Those who do not have clothes are given necessary clothes. Everything that had been said by the prophet said was then made so concrete by Jesus who carried out the mission of the heavenly Father and His apostles took part actively to support this mission. There were also so many disciples who followed and accompanied Him wherever He went and in every opportunity He was. Living with the Lord Jesus is the same as seeing Him, talking with Him, listening to Him, touching Him, confessing Him, trusting Him, and being with Him forever and ever. These are the important elements that constitute an act and condition of prayer. The one who prays is the one who is with the Lord with his or her whole soul and body. Therefore, Jesus makes it clear to us that true and real fasting is to do this religious discipline with and in the Lord, when His active presence indeed animates our entire lives. If God makes Himself available to be with us, then why do some men and women create their own ways to fast as if the Lord has nothing to do with them? We are not supposed to offer our fasting to anyone else like the one of the Pharisees and scribes, even though Jesus Christ was actually in their midst. Our fasting is precisely what Jesus Christ had taught us, which is to be in the Lord as we do charity on behalf of Him and we are constantly in connection with Him in all times through our words and deeds. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Almighty God, grant us the ability to fulfill the discipline Lent that may bring us to the point where Your Son Jesus Christ wanted us to be. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Reading delivered by Elisabeth Sonia (University Catholic Center Texas, USA) and meditation delivered by Victor Mario Havel (Church of Santo Yohanes Bosco Jakarta, Indonesia) COUNTING ON THE END OF TIME Our meditation today has the theme: Counting on the End of Time. The things about the end time is part of our faith. We are going to end the liturgical year which is only a week or two ahead and this are the very moments as we have opportunities to ponder more deeply on the theme of the end of time. Today, our Gospel reading speaks on the meaning of the end of time as the day the Son of Man reveals Himself. Jesus Christ actually spoke about He Himself. The end of time is a reality of faith that will only happen later. It is not enough for us to understand it by our reason only, and so we indeed need faith to enlighten and teach us. The end of time shows us the real God whom we believe in and rely our destiniy. The Lord to whom we praise and render our services will appear to us as He is. Our today's first reading taken from the Second Letter of Saint John invites us to always be faithful to all the teachings of God, especially on the truth of loving one another as children of the same loving Father. This is the sure way for us to arrive at the end of time. There was once a birthday celebration in a family and the one being celebrated his birthday was an 85 year old grandfather. The celebration was attended by all of his children, in-laws and grandchildren. One of the granddaughters named Felicia asked something to her grandfather which surprised everyone in the family as she said, "Grandpa, have you seen God or haven't?" The grandfather who hugged the little girl Felicia and with warm feeling told the granddaughter: "It won't be long for Granpa to meet and see God directly." Grandfather realized that the end of time for him was near because of his advanced age. Today we are taught that the end time contains two main things, namely the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and this world will experience an afterlife. The following are some of its characteristics or signs that are indicated in the scriptures: 1) it comes at an unexpected time, 2) when the people of this world are living a normal life, 3) a sudden coming, 4) after a worst persecution to the Church, 5) after a great earthquake, plague, famine in various places and in the sky there will be signs of shocking nature, 6) after the mass apostasy occurred, 7) after the power of AntiChrist will be extinguished, 8) when love for needy ones become dry, 9) when the gospel is being preached to all corners of the world, 10) when all the descendants Israel will be saved, 11) when this Church becomes holy and blameless, without any form of stain. What will be certain for us is actually this: that we will prepare ourselves, and when our own death comes it is the end of time for ourselves as the followers of Christ. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O most loving and merciful Father, on the second coming of Your Son Jesus Christ, may we be found always ready and free from every burden of sin. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

On this week's variety show we hear Lloyd's thoughts on the upcoming election, Mia talks about the utility of bullpup shotguns for home defense, Sgt. Bill has advice for training during yet another ammo shortage, and Pastor Bennett debunks a nonsensical article from our favorite heretic: Rev. John Piper. Segments [0:00] - Blooper [0:22] - Opening and welcome [1:40] - Thanks to our Patrons [2:49] - Commentary: Viable Third Parties [19:37] - Mia's Motivations with Mia Anstine [25:57] - Ballistic Minute with Sgt. Bill [29:11] - Pastoral Pontifications with Pastor John Bennett [48:51] - Close Links of Interest John Piper: Policies, Persons, and Paths to Ruin Meet the Cast Lloyd Bailey - http://www.armedlutheran.us/about/ Mia Anstine - http://www.armedlutheran.us/mia/ Sergeant Bill Silvia - http://www.armedlutheran.us/bill/ Pastor John Bennett - http://www.armedlutheran.us/pastor/ Prayer of the Week O almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys that you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Join the Reformation Gun Club! - http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us BUY the new Armed Lutheran Book - Duty to Defend Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Shop at GunMagWarehouse* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/mags Get Regular Refills Coffee Subscriptions at Dunkin' Donuts* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Coffee Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Follow us on Twitter - http://www.armedlutheran.us/twitter And search for us on Instagram - http://www.armedlutheran.us/instagram Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time! [sc name="gun-club-thnks" ]

Proverbs in 365 Devotions For more go to braggingonjesus.com Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. Alright… well, pride goes before destruction… Maybe you’re like me and have heard this quoted many times. Solomon talks about a proud person in both verses 18 and 19. First verse 18 speaks of pride going before destruction but also how a haughty spirit goes before a fall. To be haughty is defined as being arrogantly superior and disdainful in your ways and I’m pretty sure that sums up what it means to be prideful. Also haughty is listed as a synonym for pride. So… from verse 18 it seems pride is like… a precursor to both disasters through life but also destruction… And then in verse 19 Solomon speaks of this person who is apparently also proud but also a companion with others who are proud… and they divide the spoil together. I take that to mean at least all the spoil gained by injustice done in taking advantage of others that Solomon has already spoken of in this chapter. I mean, even today if we look around in life and see haughty, disdainful, arrogant people seeming to succeed and gain riches and lands and great positions of power… these are people obsessed with a kind of greed that obscures the ability to love others… And we can see them dividing the spoil with others who are proud. So where is their fall and where is their destruction in verse 19? Well, I think there is a hint of the coming destruction waiting for them in the phrase (quote) “It is better” “It is better to be of a lowly spirit”. So it is better to be humble and meek than to be rich and proud. And Solomon even adds an extra multiplying factor to highlight how much better it is. He basically says it’s better to be humble even when you live with the poor than rich and companions of the proud. That does not mean that all people of lowly heart are poor… but it does show dramatically how much better Solomon indicates that it is to be humble than prideful. Still, this does not expound on why it is better to be humble than rich and prideful dividing the spoil. So we turn to verse 20 which says: Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. So in these few verses Solomon does not give us all the details of how the prideful and haughty who we see all around us dividing the spoil will come to an end… But he has said it is better to be humble and now he says how it is better if these who are humble meditate on Gods word and trust in the Lord… they will be blessed and discover good. It takes humility to say we have failed… and in actuality the prideful have already experienced some of their falling. By not finding their hope in the Messiah all they have to keep them from a bad end on Judgment day is their own righteousness to hope in and that will lead them to destruction. In that sense its the same today as it was in Solomons day. They were to believe and be joyful in the coming of the Messiah and we believe and find our delight in Jesus who came, lived a righteous life, was paid the wages of my sin with his death on the Cross and rose again giving us power and victory over sins hold in life and death. Thank You Father for this amazing gift of grace for all who look in delight to Your Son Jesus Christ.

Reading by Sr. M. Yolenta, SND (Yogyakarta, Indonesia) and meditation by Shalaza Williams (Jakarta) GOD LOVES THOSE WHO GIVE WITH JOY The theme for our meditation today is: God Loves Those Who Give with Joy. Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Lawrence, who was a deacon from Rome. He was killed by the Emperor Valerian in the 3rd century. In one particular moment, Lawrence was temporarily imprisoned and awaiting execution. He was considered the person who kept all the treasures of the Church, which were left by Pope Sixtus II, who had been killed four days earlier. On the day of his execution Lawrence was ordered to bring along with him and to submit all those riches being kept . Then he went to the place of execution followed by many people who were sick, lame, poor, abandoned whom he had served every day. They were all the possessions of the Church being demanded by the Emperor. Saint Lawrence's life was a perfect example of giving with joy. This means that he had given all of his life for the little and sick ones, and this means that he was indeed carrying out the will of God. He was full with joy in doing the works that he Lord himself already did. At the time of execution, he presented his favorite world which was a life united with those who were absolutely powerless. So he was willing and happy to accept his death sentence because after his death a spirit of giving with joyful heart will grow in the life of those who have experienced God's love. When we give with joy, it is good that we focus on the persons who need and who receive what we give. Our focus is not on things and goods according to their quantity or price. If you focus your attention on people, you will automatically pay attention to the things they need. The focus on persons is much broader and deeper because we also include other aspects such as values, teachings, closeness, relations, psychology, culture and so on. It often happens that when these non-material aspects are properly attended, the material things are no longer our priority. When we give our first attention to the human person, both individual and group, the fruit of this will be our spiritual satisfaction. The one who gives will be happy and at peace because he offers goodness to others. This certainly gives him a positive help for growth. The one who receives attention and goodness is also happy because he is helped to be able to face the difficulty of life. This is really a noble and wonderful experience where people enrinch themselves with gratefulness and mutual appreciation. God guides and blesses such expression of love and we are happy to live together in this way. God's love has no limits, and His most precious gift of happines to us is the gift of eternal life in heaven where all of us will be united in God. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O most loving Father, Your Son Jesus Christ teaches us to give with joy and to be motivated by love, grant that we will always practice this in every moment of our lives. Our Father who art in heaven ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Reading by Lavinia Evangeline Koordi and meditation by Mark Jason Garcia UNFAITHFULNESS The theme for our meditation today is: Unfaithfulness. There was a man who got a job to work outside the city for three to six months. During this time he did not return to his home and family. Communication with his wife and children was done via online messages and video calls. When he returned home after finishing the job, he found out that almost everything in the house was normal and good, except for his two beloved dogs who were no longer familiar with him. The two dogs really ignored him, even though he wanted to play with them. His youngest son, eight years old, said this to him: "The problem is you haven't been close and played with them, so they have become strangers to you." Infidelity that happens in our relationship is caused by many factors, and one of them is that people are not close to each other. They do not communicate, there is no news shared and there is no sharing of attention between them. This also happens between us and the Lord. There is a long history about people who have been unfaithful to God where in the end they must be subjected to the punishment imposed on them because of their infidelity. The Lord Jesus was sent by the Father into the world to bring them back to faithfulness and true faith. The people of God, and especially the Israelites, were expected to be the first to renew this broken relationship and to walk on the new way initiated by Jesus Christ. However, they did not even want to know and acknowledge Jesus. They asked for signs that could help them to believe in Him. This is why Jesus gave them a very strong reaction. They openly opposed God by rejecting and not recognizing that Jesus was sent by God whom they believed according to the faith of their fathers. This is a great sin of unfaithfulness. They preferred such worldly things like money, position, flesh, pleasure, social status and fame. Then, God alone and His teachings brought by Jesus of Nazareth was not their priority. According to our Lord Jesus Christ, this is a sin against the Holy Spirit, and it will never be forgiven. The temptation to deny God by not making Him our priority in life is really very big. In general there are three great temptations that threaten us anytime and anywhere in this world, namely money, power and flesh. The prophet Micah said that we need to be sincere about ourselves. Whether we can overcome the temptation or we are always overcome by it, the world around us is the witness. If we stay with God and let ourselves be guided by the Holy Spirit, we are the ones who overcome temptation. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Our almighty God, may Your Spirit help us to be faithful always in the way of Your Son Jesus Christ, and keep us from all temptations that cause us to be away from Your path. Hail Mary ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Reading by Angela Elliardi and meditatin by Margareth Sembiring THE GOOD SHEPHERD BRINGS US THE HEAVENLY FATHER Our meditation today has the theme: The Good Shepherd Brings Us the Heavenly Father. Our meditation yesterday indicated the lack of understanding of the apostle Thomas on the true identity of Jesus Christ, to which Jesus resolved the problem by revealing Himself as our principal mediator to God the Father. Today, the apostle Philip, who represents many people, shows another type of lack of understanding, that is the question on the identity of the heavenly Father. The answer of Jesus is the most decisive, or we can even say the key answer to this problem, because it shows the purpose of all our searches and efforts of our journey on earth. Jesus reveals the existence of the heavenly Father whom He represents because the Father actually embodies in the person of Jesus. That is why, He says in this testimony: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." This also means that hearing Jesus is hearing the Father, living with Jesus is living with the Father. In essence, all come to know and believe that the Father exists and works in Jesus. The Father and the Son Jesus are one. The unity of the Father and the Son takes place in a relationship of love through communication between them, and this relationship is known as the Holy Spirit itself. So the answer given to Philip and all those who seek to find the ultimate purpose of life is actually the Trinity, the true and final identity of God. There is no better or greater answer than this one. In meeting and living with the Father in Jesus Christ, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit had indeed confirmed the apostles' commitment, and they persevered it until death. Jesus presents us the heavenly Father with the purpose of making us know the reality of God as He is. God comes to our knowledge through all works of love, kindness and compassion, while we humans are taken up by Jesus Christ to the level where we can encounter the Father. At the moment of incarnation, the Trinity was present in the Son conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, born and was under the care of the modest family of Nazareth. Throughout the public ministry of Jesus, the Trinity was also there to work for our redemption. At the end of our journey in the world, the Trinity in heaven welcomes us for eternal life, the best reward already awaiting us. For us the followers of Christ, such questions from Philip and Thomas are not supposed to be our questions too. We are not in the position to question or even doubt whether Jesus and the Father are one. Our position is actually what Jesus had determined when He was still on earth. Jesus had made us His brothers and sisters, therefore, He taught us His own prayer the "Our Father" to be our basic prayer. This prayer truly makes us beloved children or sons and daughters of our most loving Father. Jesus is really our good Shepherd, because He knows what we badly need: that is to be the beloved sons and daughters of the heavenly Father. We need only to follow Jesus! Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O most loving Father, we praise and thank You abundantly for our being Your beloved sons and daughters by our participation in the life of Your Son Jesus Christ. May we continue to live with this status until our death. Hail Mary ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Reading by Wilson Tan and meditation by Felicia THE GOOD SHEPHERD ENLIGHTENS UNDERSTANDING Our meditation today has the theme: The Good Shepherd Enlightens Understanding. Jesus Christ our Shepherd illuminates the world and our hearts with His word. If the word only reaches our ears and stops there, the work of evangelization is still just half way. From listening, our next ability should be that of understanding. God continues making us able to understand Him, by revealing Himself in the Word that we read and meditate it daily. From the moment of baptism we have been filled with the Holy Spirit and through the Sacrament of Confirmation we are anointed with the fullness of His gifts. One of those gifts poured out to us is the gift of understanding. In today's Gospel the Lord Jesus our good Shepherd teaches us that by understanding His teaching we become His blessed people. He is so pleased with those who not only listen, but also understand. Because through a proper understanding, one's attitudes are made and from there he behaves or acts in the light of his understanding. This does not mean that there is no understanding in every human being, group of people or culture. But we often have problem in this matter. It is the fact that human understanding is not perfect. For seeing someone or something, there will different understanding from one person to another. We normally need discussion or debate in order to find a common understanding that is accepted by all. With regards to the teaching of faith, lack of understanding on the whole teachings or part of it and misinterpretations over the truth of faith often bring us into trouble, even to point of conflict or violence among the people who have faith in the same God. This is truly the experience of Saint Paul. He experienced how Jesus renewed his way of life and he obtained his new understanding on the following of Christ. Now it was Paul's turn to enlighten the minds and understandings of people who didn't know anything about Jesus Christ. We often experience how easy to make someone from not knowing anything to know something new, such as certain basic understanding of what we intend to teach or to transmit. But it will be so hard and maybe impossible to teach and give new understanding to those who already have their own understanding and belief. Saint Paul had all these kinds of experience. Our understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ and on the Christian faith is basic for our journey of faith from the moment of baptism until our death. But there is a further duty to do, which is something to do with the renewal and enrichment of our understanding of Jesus Christ and His teachings. Then how to do with that? Maybe this proposal is very simple, but who knows it can be very useful. Students must read one textbook ten times that when they do the exam they will find it easy and enjoyable. But when they read ten texbooks only once, surely they will find it hard in the exam. It is the same for us as we do with Jesus Christ and His teachings. Let us teach each other to develop our understanding of faith. For those who have better understanding, teach those who haven't. Those who have poor understanding, ask those who have more. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Almighty God, we give You thanks and praises for Your Son Jesus Christ is our true and good Shepherd. Make us to become also good shepherds like Him. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Reading by Felicia and meditation by Hadi Witanto WHO ARE WE IN THE LORD Our meditation today has the theme: Who Are We in the Lord. This sentence is not a question to be answered, but a statement about our identity as followers of Christ and the people of God. This theme continues our reflection of yesterday on the first work of God, namely our duty to believe in the Father who sent our Lord Jesus Christ into the world. When we do this work in God's presence and in His name, we don't find in it first of all the Lord is working or doing something. Instead we find in the first place who the Lord is. What sort of identity of God and His real divine being explain who He is to us and we to Him. It is not a work or a duty to do as the first thing that preoccupies our dealing with the Lord, but our participation in His existence and our knowledge about Him that signify our relationship with Him. This way of understanding brings us to the context of the Jews confronting Jesus, when they questioned Him: "What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?" This obviously showed that they prefered more on the work the Lord must do, because they were only after material gains for their own benefit. They jumped to the work and its outcome that could satisfy the stomach. When they could obtain this, their goal of life achieved. Meanwhile knowledge, spiritual wealth in the heart, intimate relationship and mutual trust had not been in the list of their preoccupation, yet actually these all were what the Lord Jesus first of all wanted from them. Jesus confronted their foolishness and we hope can set few lights to their minds, by showing His true identity, "I am the bread of life." This is Jesus Christ whom the Jews were really looking for. This is the same Jesus whom we desire and search in our daily prayers. We leave out other preoccupations because we choose to follow Him, believe in Him, live with Him and united in Him. One interesting example for us today is Saint Stephen who is the first martyr of our Church, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was one of the elected deacons of the Early Church and his witness of faith was strongly rooted on the risen Christ. He was united in body and soul with Jesus Christ and was finally ready to accept the persecution that ended his life. When we come to the level of knowing and understanding Jesus as the Bread of Life, the source of this life, we also know ourselves belong to His divine providence that sustain us. We personally or in community meet the Lord in any given situation, and that's the moment when we create little by little the profile of "other Christ" in each one of us. The face of Christ and His work will be seen in each of us. There is no need to find out or to ask what Christ should do to us like what the Jews did to Jesus. What we should do is what already made by Saint Stephen, which is his life was the same with the life of Jesus Christ. We must do the same. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord our God, to know and to live in You is our purpose of life that Your Son Jesus Christ teaches us to do. Help us always to choose and follow His way and make us able to reject anything that is contrary to Your will. Our Father who art in heaven ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

Reading by Felicia and meditation by Mark Jason Garcia SCHOOL OF OBEDIENCE Our meditation today has the theme: School of Obedience. One of the characteristics of the spirit of Easter is the school of obedience. This school is very different from the various schools that we have arround us, such as schools for military, nurses, police, communication engineering, administration and so forth. Our schools obviously produce a lot of graduates, but did they all graduate or they really qualify in the virtue of obedience? This is a big question. We should be honest to admit the fact that these schools do not provide specific lesson and training to make a student obedient. If so, it maybe more appropriate and better for all schools to take the spirit of Easter to be the lesson for obedience. In the school of obedience, the content of the lesson is Jesus Christ who completely obeyed His Father in order to fulfill the will of the Father, by offering Himself as a sacrifice for the salvation of all humanity. This is the main source for the learning curriculum on obedience to be implemented by all His followers and all other people who in good will follow the will of God. Jesus emphasized that our basic learning in His school is to believe in the One who was sent by the Father and follow the path that He went through, namely carrying out the will of the Father. This must be a common spirit for every follower of Christ. Every form of activity such as our mission, responsibility, commitment, service, and collaboration must refer to this school of obedience. The point is that we all commit ourselves to carry out the will of God. If God's will is faithfully followed, then its expected outcome would be the divine graces that benefit us. The school of obedience is shown in the today's reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Peter and the other apostles were examined in the court then followed by the order from the Jewish leaders that they should be silenced. They were strictly forbidden to preach to the public the gospel of Jesus Christ. But because their education, learning and training on the virtue of obedience had been strongly rooted, they responded with confidence: it is better for us to obey God than to any human being! They had underwent an educative journey with the Master Jesus that focused on the priority of loyalty and obedience to God. By this means and strength, we are taught that any sort of temptation or threat intending to lead us to disobey God must be resisted. Why is the Lord our priority in this school of obedience? Because in Him and from Him all moral teachings, goodness, truth, beauty, glory, and holiness originate. He is the source of all wisdom and intelligence. So if we consistently and faithfully choose to obey him, we will become His obedient sons and daughters in all aspects of this life and we will be able to renew this world. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... Almighty and most loving Lord, may our obedience to You not go in vain and without fruits, but truly a reflection of our commitment to live with the obedience of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/media-la-porta/message

In today's episode, Lloyd talks about the overlooked season of Advent and what we are really looking forward to as Christmas draws near. Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Join the Reformation Gun Club! - http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Download and listen using the RadioPublic app - http://www.armedlutheran.us/Radio Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/Amazon Shop at Shop at GunMagWarehouse* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/Mags Shop for everyday cigar deals at Cigar Page* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Cigar Get Regular Refills at Dunkin' Donuts* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Coffee Join the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org/ Prayer of the Week Almighty God, heavenly Father, bestow on us Your grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, that in the Last Day when He will come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may then rise to the life immortal; through Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on YouTube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Follow us on Twitter @ArmedLutheran - http://www.armedlutheran.us/twitter And search for us on Instagram - http://www.armedlutheran.us/instagram Check Out More at our Website - http://www.armedlutheran.us Subscribe and Listen Apple Podcasts / iTunes - http://www.armedlutheran.us/apple RadioPublic - http://www.armedlutheran.us/radio Google Podcasts - http://www.armedlutheran.us/google TuneIn - http://www.armedlutheran.us/tunein iHeartRadio - http://www.armedlutheran.us/iheartradio Stitcher - http://www.armedlutheran.us/stitcher Spotify - http://www.armedlutheran.us/spotify Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Our Closing Theme A rockin' rendition of A Mighty Fortress is Our God, performed just for Armed Lutheran Radio by Kenny Gates. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!

The week is our Clinging to God & Guns Show inspired by the lessons learned in Lloyd's daughter's confirmation class. We confess in the first article of the Apostle's Creed that God protects and defends us from harm and that raises a few interesting questions regarding gun rights and self defense. Lloyd and Pastor Bennett discuss. Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Join the Reformation Gun Club! - http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Download and listen using the RadioPublic app - http://www.armedlutheran.us/Radio Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/Amazon Shop at Shop at GunMagWarehouse* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/Mags Shop for everyday cigar deals at Cigar Page* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Cigar Get Regular Refills at Dunkin' Donuts* - www.ArmedLutheran.us/Coffee Join the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org/ Links of Interest KCCI.com - https://www.kcci.com/article/update-pastor-allegedly-murdered-at-fort-dodge-church/29345994# KCCI.com - https://www.kcci.com/article/prosecutors-issue-subpoenas-in-murder-of-fort-dodge-pastor/29389622 Prayer of the Week O almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys that you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on YouTube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Follow us on Twitter @ArmedLutheran - http://www.armedlutheran.us/twitter And search for us on Instagram - http://www.armedlutheran.us/instagram Check Out More at our Website - http://www.armedlutheran.us Subscribe and Listen Apple Podcasts / iTunes - http://www.armedlutheran.us/apple RadioPublic - http://www.armedlutheran.us/radio Google Podcasts - http://www.armedlutheran.us/google TuneIn - http://www.armedlutheran.us/tunein iHeartRadio - http://www.armedlutheran.us/iheartradio Stitcher - http://www.armedlutheran.us/stitcher Spotify - http://www.armedlutheran.us/spotify Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Our Closing Theme A rockin' rendition of A Mighty Fortress is Our God, performed just for Armed Lutheran Radio by Kenny Gates. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!

Hey, Momma! This is the final episode of our 4 part series- you can only go so far with unbelief, where is your faith? Do you realize how much God loves you! His love for us is displayed through his various acts of grace/favor and kindness. Today we speak of his ultimate gift of Grace/favor which is Salvation! Take a listen and be encouraged. Here are the scripture used today! 1 john 9:10 ephesian 2: 1-10 Romans 10: 9-13 Prayer of salvation Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ. You said in Your Word that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13) Father, I am calling on Jesus right now. I believe He died on the cross for my sins, that He was raised from the dead on the third day, and He's alive right now. Lord Jesus, I am asking You now, come into my heart. Live Your life in me and through me. I repent of my sins and surrender myself totally and completely to You. Heavenly Father, by faith I now confess Jesus Christ as my new Lord and from this day forward, I dedicate my life to serving Him. Salvation Prayer Credit - Bill Winston Ministries --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

It's that time of year again. Time for our annual Christmas gift list show. For 2016 and 2017 we shared the things we'd like to find under our trees, but this year we are giving you some gift ideas for the shooters in your life. Plus Lloyd and Mia and Pastor Bennett share thoughts of the real meaning of the season. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY COOK'S HOLSTERS. AMERICAN MADE CUSTOM HOLSTERS WITH A 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. Save 15% when you use promo code “armedpodcast” at checkout. www.CooksHolsters.com *Affiliate Disclaimer: Many of the links below are affiliate links we will receive a small commission if purchase items using these links. Sergeant Bill's Gift List Ideas Magazines Reloading Components Training Classes Mia's Gift Ideas Mia's Amazon Shop TMS Outdoors Hunter's Trauma Kit HEATR Cold Weather Gear at WSI Sportswear – Use the promo code LLCO10 for a discount Farm to Feet Socks at Amazon SunJack Portable Solar Charger. Zippo USB Hand Warmer. The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker TroubleShooting by Gabby Franco Taking Aim by Eva Shockey Get Regular Refills Coffee Subscriptions at the Dunkin' Donuts Shop Now! Lloyd's Gift List Ideas Shifting Sands: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story by Ray Keating Cat Crap anti-fog Engraved Gun and Magazine Base pad Stickers from Tejas Products. – Use the promo code “armedlutheran” for a 10% discount Fisher Space Pen BigBlue Solar Battery Charger Zippo Rechargeable Hand Warmers Comfort Series Holster From Cooks Holsters – use the promo code “armedpodcast” for a 15% discount Mac Sports WTC-111 Outdoor Utility Wagon Shooting Chrony F-1 Chronograph Sig Sauer Romeo5 1x20mm Compact 2 Moa Red Dot Sight Clinging to God & Guns with Pastor John Bennett Pastor Bennett shares his Christmas wish list ideas and keeps us focused on the real meaning of Christmas and the gifts we can't buy at the store. Prayer of the Week Almighty God, heavenly Father, bestow on us Your grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, that in the Last Day when He will come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may then rise to the life immortal; through Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Our Closing Theme A rockin' rendition of A Mighty Fortress is Our God, performed just for Armed Lutheran Radio by Kenny Gates. Thank you to our Reformation Gun Club members! Bryan, Dave, David D., David H., David W., Edwin, Frank, Gordon, Jackie, James, Jesse, John B., John N., Kalroy, Lucas, Marc, Robert L., Robert M., Russell, Samuel, and Tyler!

The Reformation Gun Club is a site for supporters of Armed Lutheran Radio. For $2 per month you get access to lots of exclusive content. This week we give you a sample of the great content available to members. Today we share excerpts from our exclusive hangouts with the cast: Mia Anstine, Sgt. Bill Silvia, Pr. John Bennett, and the contributor formerly known as A-A-Ron. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY COOK'S HOLSTERS. AMERICAN MADE CUSTOM HOLSTERS WITH A 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. Save 15% when you use promo code “armedpodcast” at checkout. www.CooksHolsters.com Links of Interest Join the Reformation Gun Club today! Prayer of the Week O almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys that you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Our Closing Theme A rockin' rendition of A Mighty Fortress is Our God, performed just for Armed Lutheran Radio by Kenny Gates. Thank you to our Reformation Gun Club members! Bryan, Dave, David D., David H., David W., Edwin, Frank, Gordon, Jackie, James, Jesse, John B., John N., Kalroy, Lucas, Marc, Robert L., Robert M., Russell, Samuel, and Tyler!

Old Testament: Prov. 31:10-31 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Prov.%2031%3A10-31 2nd Reading: Acts 13:26-31 Holy Gospel:Luke 7:36-50 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%207%3A36-50 Collect: Almighty God, Your Son Jesus Christ restored Mary Magdalene to health and called her to be the first witness of His resurrection. Heal us from all our infirmities, and call us to know You in the power of Your Son’s unending life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

This week we are joined by Charlie Cook, firearms instructor, host and producer of the viral Gun Gram videos and Riding Shotgun with Charlie on YouTube. We talk about how he went from music teacher to firearms instructor, Massachusetts gun laws, and about his fun Gun Gram videos. Plus tips on traveling while armed from Aaron Israel, and dry fire training tips from Sgt. Bill. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY COOK'S HOLSTERS. AMERICAN MADE CUSTOM HOLSTERS WITH A 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. www.CooksHolsters.com Links of Interest YouTube – Charlie Cook YouTube – Riding Shotgun with Charlie Personal Shooting Instruction YouTube – A Mighty Fortress is our God, a Gun Gram by Charlie Cook Special Guest: Charlie Cook This week we are joined by Charlie Cook, a music teacher, firearms instructor, and creator of the Gun Gram and Riding Shotgun with Charlie videos on YouTube. Ballistic Minute with Sergeant Bill In his final Ballistic Minute of 2017, Sgt. Bill shares tips for dry fire practice. Aaron Israel of Fundamental Defense As millions of Americans prepare for holiday travel, Aaron's final tip of 2017 is about airplane travel with a gun. Mia's Motivations with Mia Anstine Mia will be with us for our Christmas Wish List Episode next week. Clinging to God and Guns Pastor Bennett will be with us for our Christmas Wish List Episode next week. Prayer of the Week Almighty God, heavenly Father, bestow on us Your grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, that in the Last Day when He will come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may then rise to the life immortal; through Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Today's Closing Theme is courtesy of today's special guest, Charlie Cook.

Whenever a mass killing happens in America we do nothing. If you define “nothing” as not passing meaningless gun control laws. So says a loopy leftist theology professor who says that because we won't give up our guns, we're no better than the ancient Canaanites who sacrificed their children to Moloch. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY COOK'S HOLSTERS. AMERICAN MADE CUSTOM HOLSTERS WITH A 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. www.CooksHolsters.com Links of Interest HuffPo – The Price of Freedom? Child Sacrifice and the American Gun Cult Eventbrite – Combat & Competition Class, November 18 Ballistic Minute with Sergeant Bill Sgt. Bill talks about using cover and the difference in tactics between competition and defensive shooting. Aaron Israel of Fundamental Defense With all the news about Hollywood's misdeeds, Aaron shares tips for defending against sexual assault. Mia's Motivations with Mia Anstine Mia is travelling and will not be with us this week. Clinging to God and Guns  Lloyd and Pastor Bennett analyze a particularly nasty article written by a Professor at Union Theological Seminary written in the wake of the Las Vegas tragedy. Prayer of the Week O almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, grant us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys that you have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.