Bible Caddie Podcast

In this episode, the guys remember Grayson Murray. By sharing their own personal reflections as well as thoughts from former teammates, coaches, and caddies, the guys honor Grayson as a player and a person. They also offer the hope of the gospel. Through Jesus Christ, we can know with certainty that our sins can be forgiven and that eternal life awaits us. 

In this episode, the guys unpack Paul’s instructions for Christians to be strengthened with the Lord’s strength by putting on the whole armor of God. Because we are in a spiritual war, we need to daily be armed with the Word of God in general and the gospel of God in particular if we are going to stand against the schemes of the evil one. We also have special guest Brad Payne join us to talk about the PGA Championship, Scottie's arrest and other funny stories!

In this episode, the guys unpack Paul’s instructions for the workplace. In Ephesians 6:5-9, we see that light of the gospel, workers are ultimately to work for Christ, not their earthly bosses or masters. Christ is keeping close watch and will one day reward them. Similarly, bosses or masters ought to be aware that the Lord will one day judge their leadership, and He shows no partiality. 

In this bonus coverage episode, Ben and William take on the topic of first importance— the gospel! The gospel is the news of who Jesus is and what He has done to accomplish our salvation through His death and resurrection. We are to receive it by faith, to be daily strengthened by it, and to share it with others so that they might experience the salvation God offers!

In this episode, the guys are joined by their wives to walk through Ephesians 5:22-33, God’s instructions for marriage. They cover the sometimes challenging instruction for wives to submit to husbands and the equally challenging command for husbands to love their wives in the same way that Christ has loved us. Like so many other instructions in the Bible, when these commands are embraced and applied, they lead to our freedom and flourishing.

Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 and 2024 Masters Champion, joins the Bible Caddie podcast the day following his most recent victory. He discusses his recent Masters win and reflects on his performance. Scottie talks about the challenges of playing professional golf and the mental and strategic aspects of the game. He shares insights into his decision-making process and the role of his caddy, Teddy. Scottie also mentions the absence of his wife, Meredith, during the tournament and the importance of her support. Scottie shares his experience of winning the Masters and the support he received from his friends. He discusses the importance of finding his identity in Christ and not in his golf performance. Scottie emphasizes the significance of daily quiet time and reading God's Word to set his mind right and experience spiritual growth. He encourages listeners to prioritize their relationship with God and engage in Bible study and prayer. The conversation concludes with a reminder of God's faithfulness and the transformative power of His Word as they look at one of Scottie's favorite passages. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, the guys unpack Ephesians 5:1-21. These verses show us how we ought to walk through life as God’s beloved children. We are to walk in love, walk in the light, and walk in wisdom. This is fitting for those who have a new identity.

00:00

Excitement for Masters Week and Favorite Moments

07:27

Favorite Traditions and Experiences at Augusta National

14:17

The Importance of Playing Conservatively at Augusta

29:03

The Connection Between Identity and Behavior

38:13

Understanding the Warning

54:14

Guided by the Holy Spirit

In this episode, the guys unpack Ephesians 4:17-32. In this passage, Paul instructs believers to put off their old, stubborn, sinful way of living and to put on a new life of righteousness and holiness. 

In this episode the guys ask, “Why do we call Good Friday ‘good’”? By considering the exchange that happens between Jesus and Barabbas, we see a real life parable of what Christ has done for those who believe. 

In this episode the guys unpack Ephesians 4:7-16. This passage informs us how the church grows and what that growth should look like. They also discuss what kind of church we should be looking for and what our involvement in church should be.

The guys sit down with a men's ministry in Raleigh, NC called "Finding Purpose". Hundreds of men gather together to learn on how we are to become righteous before a holy God.

In this episode of the Bible Caddie podcast, the hosts celebrate Ben Crane's birthday and introduce special guest David Ford. They discuss their golfing experiences in Puerto Rico and Bay Hill, as well as make their picks for the tournaments. The conversation then transitions to a study of the book of Ephesians, focusing on the theme of walking worthy of the calling out of Ephesians 4:1-6. The hosts emphasize the importance of humility in the Christian life and how it is exemplified by Jesus. They explore the concept of humility and its significance in light of the gospel. In this conversation, the hosts discuss the importance of humility, gentleness, patience, and unity in the Christian walk. They highlight Jesus as the perfect example of humility and emphasize the need for believers to follow his example. The hosts recommend a book on humility and discuss practical ways to cultivate these virtues in relationships. They also explore the significance of unity in the body of Christ and the role of prayer in pursuing unity. The conversation concludes with a call to display unity as a testimony to the world.

Summary

In this episode, William Kane is joined by Ben Crane, Webb Simpson, and special guest Ted Scott, one of the greatest caddies in the history of PGA Tour golf. Teddy shares about his relationship with Webb and tells jokes to kick off the conversation. Teddy discusses his journey to becoming a professional caddy and his passion for foosball and pickleball. He also shares memorable moments with golfers like Paul Azinger and Nick Price. In this part of the conversation, Teddy and Webb share fun memories of playing with Bubba Watson in team events. They also discuss Ted's time on the bag for Bubba and his transformation as a player and man in Christ. Teddy and Ben talk about Scottie Scheffler's competitive nature and his impressive ball striking. They also discuss the role of faith in their work and how they leverage their platform for the glory of Christ. The conversation concludes with a Bible time focused on Romans 8:28. They encourage listeners to seek support amongst other believers, turn to God's Word, and find peace and joy in knowing that God is always working for their good.

In this episode, the guys unpack Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21. In these verses, Paul prays that the Ephesians would be strengthened with God’s power by His Spirit so that Christ would make His home in us, so that we could know deeply and profoundly how much He loves us, and so that the fullness of God would govern us and characterize us. What a prayer!

In this episode, the guys unpack Ephesians 3:1-13. In these verses, Paul communicates his unique role as an apostle. The mystery of the gospel was revealed to him so that he could preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, all of which has cosmic implications. The wonderful result is that people from every nation and generation can have confident access to God!

0:00

Wyndham Clark's Impressive Putting Performance

4:41

The 16th Hole at Phoenix

9:54

Keys to Good Golf at TPC Scottsdale

11:11

Picks for the Tournament

14:25

Introduction to Ephesians 3

17:03

Paul's Calling and the Mystery of the Gospel

20:20

The Mystery Revealed to Paul

27:07

Paul's Role as a Minister of God's Grace

31:11

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

34:11

The Plan of the Mystery Revealed

35:30

God's Wisdom Made Known

37:45

The Church as a Display of God's Wisdom

39:18

God's Eternal Purpose

41:19

Boldness and Access to God

48:40

Summary and Final Reactions

In this episode, the guys unpack Ephesians 2:11-22. In these verses, Paul commands the Ephesians to remember where they were apart from Christ— separated from Him and His people and His promises— and thus without God and without hope. And yet, Christ has won peace with God and others through His death on the cross. As a result, the Ephesians believers, and all who trust Christ, are citizens of God’s kingdom, members of His household, even His very dwelling place, because the work of Christ has been applied to our lives.

00:00

Introduction and PGA Tour Announcement

03:31

Negotiations with LIV Tour

07:45

Discussion about Pickleball

10:13

Preview of Pebble Beach Tournament

14:15Introduction to the Book of Ephesians

18:22

The Division between Jew and Gentile

25:00The Unity in Christ

33:30

The Cross as the Ultimate Unifier

36:45

Access to God and Unity

37:21

Peace with God and Others

39:30

Access to Exclusive Places

41:08

New Position in God's People

41:53

Citizenship and Membership in God's Household

43:56

The Church as the Temple of God

45:12

Identity in Christ

46:21

Access to God through Christ's Sacrifice

In today’s episode, we come to one of the most famous passages in the book of Ephesians, and the Bible. In Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul reminds his readers and us about our condition before coming to know Christ. It was worse than we think. Then he will tell us just what it is that God has done for us. And it’s oh so much better than we can even understand. So that’s what we are looking at today. What has God done in the life of the Christian? And what can He do in your life if you’re not yet a Christian?

00:00

Introduction and Weather Update

02:14

Discussion on the Best Coach Ever

05:51

The Mental Side of Sports

08:01

Ben's Victory at Torrey Pines

12:42

Predictions for the Upcoming Tournament

13:01

Introduction to Ephesians 2

16:56

Our Condition Apart from Christ

30:46

But God: The Good News

33:21

Being Made Alive Spiritually

33:53

Receiving the Holy Spirit

36:03

The Gospel of Salvation

38:16

Seated with Christ

40:57

Saved by Grace

44:58

Created for Good Works

In this episode, the guys unpack Ephesians 1:15-23. In these verses, Paul prays that the Holy Spirit would help the Ephesians believers to know God more, to know the hope to which they have been called, to know that they are God’s own inheritance, and to know the immeasurable power of God that is theirs in Christ. This prayer helps us know what to pray and to prioritize for ourselves and those we love.

00:00

Introduction and Weather Conditions

01:27

Appreciation for Coach and Golf Course Conditions

04:10

Discussion on Golf Techniques

07:11

The Impact of Doubles in Golf

08:00

Predictions for Golf Tournament

09:03

Impressive Performance by JT

11:41

Biblical Passage and Prayer

16:23

Dream Dinner Guests

17:41

Importance of Friendship

19:50

Finding Hope and Purpose in Jesus

23:07

Praying for Enlightened Hearts

25:32

Jesus as the Ultimate Source of Fulfillment

28:51

Understanding God's Grace

30:58

God's Love and Pride for His Children

31:20

The Power of God's Love in Christ

In this episode, the guys unpack Ephesians 1:3-14. In this grand introduction to the letter, Paul instructs His readers to praise God for the glory of His grace that is poured out on us in our election, redemption, and in our coming inheritance. 

00:00

Introduction and Golf Season

01:14

Chris Kirk's Comeback

03:03

Picks and Charitable Donations

04:14

Most Embarrassing Moments on the Golf Course

09:03

Introduction to the Book of Ephesians

13:25

Three Enormous Realities for Every Christian

14:08

Election: Chosen and Predestined

18:29

Redemption: Through His Blood

25:11

Inheritance: Sealed with the Holy Spirit

32:38

Redeeming and Restoring the Created Order

44:09

God Lavishes Grace Upon Us

In this episode, the guys introduce the book of Ephesians by unpacking Ephesians 1:1-2. Paul, a former persecutor of the church was writing to the Ephesians, a bustling pagan city in the 1st century to remind them of God’s grace for them and how they ought to live in light of that grace. 

00:00

Introduction and Holiday Highlights

01:11

Christmas Celebrations

02:35

Family Time in Whitefish, Montana For Ben

03:02

New Year's Resolutions

04:03

Golf Predictions for 2024

06:11

Goals for Bible Reading

07:04

Overview of the Book of Ephesians

17:51

Background of the Book of Ephesians

19:23

Author and Audience of Ephesians

22:38

Genre of Ephesians

23:09

Authorship of Ephesians

25:46

Conversion of Paul

28:16

Paul's Purpose and Mission

32:50

Audience of Ephesians

36:39

Introduction to the Book of Ephesians

37:39

The Concept of Grace and Peace

41:59

What to Expect in the Book of Ephesians

46:13

Encouragement for the New Year

In this episode of our Advent series “What Child is This?”, the guys unpack John 1:10-13 by considering how we ought to respond to Jesus as the Word, the Light, and the Son. Because of who He is and what He has done, we ought to receive Him, to believe in His name. When we do, God gives us the right to become His very own children. 

In this episode of our Advent series “What Child is This?”, the guys unpack John 1:14-18 by considering Jesus as the only Son of the Father. The baby in the manger is God the Son, the spitting image of God, the radiance of His glory, the One in whom the whole fullness of deity dwells in bodily form. And it is this Son who communicates to us what we need most— grace and truth.

In this episode of our Advent series “What Child is This?”, the guys unpack John 1:5-9 by considering Jesus as the Light of the World. The baby in the manger is the One who enlightens us as to who God is. He in the One reveals how God saves us. He is the One who illuminates things to show us what they really are. And He invites us to follow Him and find the light of life. Jesus is the Light of the World.

00:00

Introduction and Golf News

01:23

Webb Simpson Challenge

03:12

USGA's Golf Ball Rollback

05:31

Impact of Golf Ball Rollback

09:01

USGA's Leadership and PGA Tour's Response

10:02

Introduction to Advent Series

13:33

Jesus as the Light

19:20

Darkness and Light

23:26

Jesus Reveals God

26:57

Jesus Reveals Salvation

29:07

Jesus Reveals the Way of Life

33:09

Jesus Offers Light and Life

36:51

Jesus is the Light of the World

37:31

Final Thoughts

Thanks for listening!

We are getting into the advent season. Advent is the few weeks each year leading up to Christmas where we remember and celebrate the Lord’s coming, and we look forward to His return. It’s a time to prepare our hearts for Christmas, to really meditate on and consider just what God has done in Jesus Christ. It’s a time to wonder and marvel and stand in awe of God. So that’s what we hope to do on the podcast the next few weeks. We want to slow down and understand and wonder, with God’s help, at the miracle of what God has done at Christmas. 

In the spirit of the season, if we had to put a Christmas song title on this series, it would be this— “What Child is This?” That’s what we want to slow down and consider. Who is this baby in the manger? Who is He? And why is it such a big deal? 

In order to answer that question, each of the next four weeks we will be spending our time in the introduction to John’s Gospel. In John 1:1-18, the apostle John introduces us to Jesus. And he does it by giving Him three different titles, three different names, names that show us who He is. We will spend one week on each of those names, and then our last week before Christmas, we will consider how we ought to respond to who He is.

**Bible study portion starts at 12:00**

We are finishing up our series called “Who do you think you are?” Because our world is having an identity crisis, this entire fall, we have been considering the good news that Bible communicates about Christians. In Christ, we have a brand new identity.

In the first 8 weeks of this series, we looked at different realities that have become true about those believe in Christ. In Christ, we are justified, redeemed, reconciled, adopted, new creations, members of His body, saints, and completely secure in Jesus. This is who we are. If you’re in Christ, this is where you should go for your sense of self worth!

In the last few episodes we made a slight shift. Even we’ve continued with this same theme of our identity, instead of looking at realities that are already true of us, we are now looking at realities that ought to be true of us if we understand what Christ has done for us. We’ve seen that in light of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we ought to be worshipers and disciples and servants of God and others. Today, as we close out this series on our identity, we are going to see that not only should we be worshipers and disciples and servants, but we should also be ambassadors, eager to share the good news of Jesus with others.

**Bible study portion starts at 10:23**

We are continuing in our series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to figure out who they are, to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important. The good news for us is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

In the first 8 weeks of this series, we’ve looked at different realities that have become true about those believe in Christ. Identity defining realities. In Christ, we are justified, redeemed, reconciled, adopted, new creations, members of His body, and saints. We are completely secure in Christ. This is who we are.

In the last couple episodes we made a slight shift. Even though we are continuing with this same theme of our identity, instead of looking at realities that are already true of us, we are now looking at realities that ought to be true of us if we understand what Christ has done for us. Last week, we saw that in light of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we ought to be disciples. By His Word and by His Spirit, we want to follow Him. Today, in light of those same realities, we are going to see that not only should we be disciples, we ought to be servants!

Go check out our socials for the 50th episode giveaway!

**Bible study starts at 8:50**

We are continuing in our series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to figure out who they are, to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important. The good news for us is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

In the first 8 weeks of this series, we’ve looked at different realities that have become true about those believe in Christ. Identity defining realities. In Christ, we are justified, redeemed, reconciled, adopted, new creations, members of His body, and saints. We are completely secure in Christ. This is who we are.

In the last episode we made a slight shift. Even though we are continuing with this same theme of our identity, instead of looking at realities that are already true of us, we are now looking at realities that ought to be true of us if we understand what Christ has done for us. Last week, we saw that in light of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we ought to be worshipers. We ought to praise Him from our hearts and honor Him with our lives. Today, in light of those same realities, we are going to see that we ought to be disciples!

We are continuing in our series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to figure out who they are, to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important. The good news for us is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

So far, we’ve looked at different realities that have become true about those believe in Christ. Identity defining realities. Things that have happened to us or our happening to us that are not up for debate. Those of us who are in Christ have been justified— legally forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight, we have been redeemed—set free from sin’s penalty and power, we have been reconciled— God has made us his friends. We have been adopted into God’s own family. He has made us new creations, giving us spiritual life. He has made us members of His household and citizens in His kingdom. He has made us saints, and because we are saints, we are being sanctified by Him, made more and more like Jesus. And in Him, as we saw in the last episode, we are eternally secure. God will keep us to the end. No one will snatch us out of His hand. All these things are true about our identity now. If you’re in Christ, they’re not up for debate. This is who we are.

In our next four episodes, even though we are continuing with this same theme of our Identity in Christ, we are going to make a minor shift. Instead of looking at realities that are true of us, we are going to look at realities that ought to be true of us if we understand what Christ has done for us. What we should be pursuing or becoming in light of Christ’s work in our lives. Today we will see that for those who know and believe in Christ, we ought to be worshipers.

In this episode of Bible Caddie "Bonus Coverage", William walks through why we should read the Bible. On the last Bonus Coverage we talked about how the Bible makes some very strong claims. It claims to be breathed out by God (2 Timothy 3:16). It claims that the men who wrote were carried along by the Holy Spirit and produced exactly the words that God wanted them to (1 Peter 1:19-21). It claims that every single word in it proves true (Proverbs 30:5). And we are certainly treating it this way. Everything substantive that we’ve said in the last 40 episodes has come from the Bible. But is it trustworthy? Is it reliable? We found out that we can trust it completely! But why should we read it? Will it actually do anything? In today’s episode, William is going to give us 3 different reason that we should!

We are continuing in our series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to figure out who they are, to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important. The good news for us is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

In this series, we’ve seen that the Bible says quite a bit about us both apart from Christ and once we are in a relationship with Jesus. It uses a number of metaphors to communicate what God has done for us in Christ, and what that means for our identity. So far we’ve seen that we are justified— legally forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight, we’re redeemed—set free from sin’s penalty and power, we’re reconciled— God has made us his friends. We are adopted into God’s own family. He has made us new creations, giving us spiritual life. He has made us members of His household and citizens in His kingdom. And in the last episode we saw that He has made us saints. We are set apart for Him. And those He sets apart, He sanctifies. He makes us more like Jesus. Today, we will see that if we are in Christ, not only are we set apart, but we are secure. God will keep us.

We are continuing in our series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to figure out who they are, to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important. The good news for us is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

In this series, we’ve seen that the Bible says quite a bit about us both apart from Christ and once we are in a relationship with Jesus. It uses a number of metaphors to communicate what God has done for us in Christ, and what that means for our identity. So far we’ve seen that we are justified— legally forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight, we’re redeemed—set free from sin’s penalty and power, we’re reconciled— God has made us his friends. We are adopted into God’s own family. He has made us new creations, giving us spiritual life. And in the last episode, we saw that our salvation is not simply individual, there is also a corporate element. Through Christ, we become members of God’s household, part of His people, fellow citizens with the saints in God’s Kingdom. There’s no more elite membership in the whole world. Today, we will consider from Scripture what it means to be a saint.

We are continuing in our series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to figure out who they are, to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important. The good news for us is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

So in this series, we’ve seen that the Bible says quite a bit about us both apart from Christ and once we are in a relationship with Jesus. It uses a number of metaphors to communicate what God has done for us in Christ, and what that means for our identity. So far we’ve seen that we are justified— legally forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight, we’re redeemed—set free from sin’s penalty and power, we’re reconciled— God has made us his friends. We are adopted into God’s own family. And in the last episode we saw that God doesn’t simply work in relationship to us, He works in us. For those of us who are in Christ, God has made us alive, He has given us spiritual life, He has caused us to be born again. The result is that we are new creations with new desires and new purposes with good works that God has prepared just for us to walk in. It is highly personal. Today, we are going to see that even though our salvation is intensely personal, it is not only personal. There is also a corporate element to our identity that is hugely meaningful.

Memory Verse of the Week -

Last Week - 2 Corinthians 5:17

This Week - 1 Peter 2:9-10

**Bible study portion starts at 12:58**

We are a few weeks into a series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to figure out who they are, to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important. The good news for us is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

So in this series, our goal is to consider what the Bible says about us. What does it say about us apart from Jesus? What does it say about us now that we are in a relationship with Jesus? So far we’ve seen the Bible use a number of metaphors to communicate what God has done for us in Christ, and what that means for our identity. We’ve seen that we are justified— legally forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight, we’re redeemed—set free from sin’s penalty and power, we’re reconciled— God has made us his friends. In our last episode, we saw that we are not just friends but adopted into God’s own family. In Christ, He has become our Father and we have access to Him and begin to take on the family likeness and even become His heirs. If you’ve noticed, each of these gospel metaphors has gotten more and more personal. That continues today as we look at the next reality of our identity in Christ where we will consider, in Christ, I Am a New Creation.

**Bible study portion starts at 14:00**

We are a few weeks into a series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important, to figure out who they are. The good news for us, as we’ve seen the last couple weeks, is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

So in this series, our goal is to really consider what the Bible says about us. What does it say about us apart from Jesus? What does it say about us now that we are in a relationship with Jesus? So far we’ve seen the Bible use a number of metaphors to communicate what God has done for us in Christ, and what that means for our identity. We’ve seen that we are justified— legally forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight, we’re redeemed—set free from sin’s penalty and power, and we’re reconciled— God has made us his friends. Today, it gets even sweeter. We are going to find that in Christ we are adopted, made part of God’s own family.

Memory Verse of the Week - 1 John 3:1a - "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are."

**Bible study portion starts at 10:03**

A couple weeks ago we started a new series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important, to figure out who they are. The good news for us, as we’ve seen the last couple weeks, is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

So in this series, our goal is to really consider what the Bible says about us. What does it say about us apart from Jesus? What does it say about us now that we are in a relationship with Jesus? Last week, we learned that in Christ, though we were once enslaved to both the penalty and power of sin, we have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, and now we belong to God! We are forgiven and free. We are redeemed.

Today, we are going to see that in Christ, not only are we justified— legally forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight, and redeemed—set free from sin’s penalty and power, we are also reconciled to God.

Memory Verse of the Week - Colossians 1:21-22

**Bible study portion starts at 12:20**

Lucas Glover, his sweaty pants, the Ryder Cup, how to hit a hard tee shot with confidence and so many more things are talked about during the golf banter section of today's podcast! Stories you've never heard and also Ben claiming that Pickleball is the best sport on the planet... you're not going to want to miss this!

Last week we started a new series called “Who do you think you are?” You don’t have to look long or far to realize that our world is having an identity crisis. Everywhere we look, people are on a constant search to define themselves, to make themselves significant or important, to figure out who they are. The good news for us is that the Bible has lots to say about who we are. It communicates that those of us who are in Christ have a brand new identity.

So we are taking the next 10-12 episodes or so to really consider what the Bible says about us. What does it say about us apart from Jesus? What does it say about us now that we are in a relationship with Jesus? Last week, we learned that in Christ, though we were once guilty, deserving and awaiting God’s judgment, we are completely forgiven of all sin, declared righteous with Jesus’ own righteousness, and God Himself relates to us on that basis. We are justified. This is who we are!

Today, we are going to see that not only are we justified, but we are redeemed. Real quick— this term redemption can be used broadly to describe all of what happens in salvation. Or it can be used narrowly, to talk about the act of being freed from sin and Satan and death. That’s how we are going to approach it today. Romans 6 will be our home base for this study.

**The Bible study portion of the podcast starts at 13:15**

We are starting a new bonus series called "Bonus Coverage!" We won't post these on a regular schedule but will share different bonus episodes when we think there is a topic that needs an extra episode to share specific thoughts on the matter. In this episode of Bible Caddie "Bonus Coverage", William walks through ten reasons why we can trust the Bible. The Bible makes some very strong claims. It claims to be breathed out by God (2 Timothy 3:16). It claims that the men who wrote were carried along by the Holy Spirit and produced exactly the words that God wanted them to (1 Peter 1:19-21). It claims that every single word in it proves true (Proverbs 30:5). And we are certainly treating it this way. Everything substantive that we’ve said in the last 40 episodes has come from the Bible. But is it trustworthy? Is it reliable? In today’s episode, I want to give you ten reasons that have helped convince me.

Over the last 38 Episodes, we’ve been doing our best to introduce Jesus to our listeners or to help each of us get to know Him better. And today, we come to our last week really zooming in on who Jesus is and what He’s done. We’ve seen what He did, how He came, what He taught, what He claimed, why He died, and then last week, we saw that He really did rise from the dead. The facts, the evidence really does point us to the Bible’s explanation— Jesus physically rose from the dead on the third day after His death. 

Today I want us to ask, so what? Why is it such a big deal that Jesus is alive? What does it mean in general? And what does it mean for us? That’s what we’re talking about today. Five Big Implications of Jesus Resurrection!

Well, we’ve been on quite a journey over the last 37 or so episodes. We have been doing our best to look at Jesus from a number of angles. What was He like? What did He do? What did He teach? What did He claim? And then most recently, why did He die? And we saw that even though Jesus was killed by His opponents, apparently it was all according to God’s plan. And He was accomplishing all kinds of glorious things as we’ve seen in the last couple episodes. But in these next couple of episodes, we come to a major moment in the life of Jesus; the major hinge point in Christianity. His resurrection! 

And this couldn’t be a bigger deal. Listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19— 17 “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” He’s saying if Jesus was not raised, if He didn’t physically, bodily, come back from death, Christianity is useless.

So today we need to ask, did it really happen? Was Jesus really raised from the dead? Here’s how we are going to answer that question. We are going to loosely follow the method of a scholar named Gary Habermas who uses what he calls the minimal facts argument. In 2,000 years following the death and resurrection of Jesus, there have been roughly six alternative explanations that have really stuck of what happened to the body of Jesus. Almost every natural or secular explanation for the resurrection, comes back to one of these six. So using Scripture and history, we want to put each of these alternative explanations on trial, and show that the Bible’s explanation of Jesus’ resurrection is the best one. Our hope in this episode is to give us confidence that Jesus really is alive. He really did rise from the dead. 

Jesus is alive! The Bible’s explanation really is the best explanation! Yes it’s supernatural. But friends, God is supernatural. Jesus, who is God, really did live as one of us. And after His death, He really was raised. Physically, bodily, forever. 

We are in our fifth and final week of asking, “Why did Jesus Die?”. His entire life had been moving to this point of His death. This was the reason why He came. In our first week asking this question, we saw that Jesus didn’t just die, He was killed. In our second week, we saw that Jesus wasn’t simply killed, He was laying down His life. Then, we saw that Jesus wasn’t just laying down His life, He was fulfilling Scripture. And then last week, we saw that Jesus was not simply fulfilling Scripture, He was taking our place. On that cross, He was bearing the punishment that we deserve. For those who believe, Jesus’ death saves us from God’s judgment, which we all deserve for our sin. This week, we peel back another layer and we are going to see that God is not simply saving us from something, He is saving us to something. Jesus was dying for us to show God’s love for us and to extend His grace to us, all for His glory.

That’s where we are going today. And we will primarily get there through four short passages— Romans 3:21-26, Romans 5:6-8, 1 John 4:8b-10, 1 John 5:11-13.

We are in our fourth week of asking, “Why did Jesus Die?”. His entire life had been moving to this point of His death. This was the reason why He came. In our first week asking this question, we saw that Jesus didn’t just die, He was killed. In our second week, we saw that Jesus wasn’t simply killed, He was laying down His life. Last week, we saw that Jesus wasn’t just laying down His life, He was fulfilling Scripture. It was all according to plan. This week, we peel back another layer of the onion, and we are going to see that Jesus was not simply fulfilling Scripture, He was taking our place. On that cross, He was bearing the punishment that we deserve. We saw this hinted at at the end of our episode last week in those famous verses from Isaiah 53. “5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” In some way, this death was for our transgressions. For our iniquities. For our sin. He was taking our place. We’ll see how this works today in a few different passages, but we will start in Matthew 26:36-46.

We are in our second week of a new segment in looking at Jesus Christ. We’ve looked at what He did, and how He came, and what He taught, and what He claimed, and now we are asking, “Why Did He Die?” His entire life had been moving to this point of His death. And last week, we saw that He didn’t just die, He was killed. The religious leaders hated Him because He undermined their institutions, exposed who they really were, and threatened their power and influence among the people. So they stirred up the crowd, and they persuaded the Roman authorities. And on Passover weekend 33 AD, they killed Jesus of Nazareth by nailing Him to a Roman cross. Today, we peel back another layer of the onion of what was really going on that Friday in April, and we are going to see Jesus wasn’t just killed, He was laying down His life. We are going to look primarily at two passages this morning. John 10:11-18, where Jesus explicitly says this, and John 18:1-11 where it becomes crystal clear just what He is doing. Join us on this journey!

We are starting a new series today that will get us through the next six weeks are so. And everything we have talked has been leading us to these next few weeks. We’ve asked what was Jesus like? What did He do? What did He teach? And what did He claim? And we’ve seen some pretty amazing stuff. But starting today we are asking, “Why Did He Die?” I’m sure that most listeners know that as a relatively young man, somewhere around Webb and I's age, Jesus’ life was taken from Him. The next few weeks we want to ask, “Why?” What happened? What did it mean? What did it accomplish? I’m sure many people know this already, but Christianity hinges on how we answer these questions. So here’s how we’ll do it. We are going to peel back one layer of the onion at a time. We are going to start toward the surface, and then each week, we will peel back one layer and go deeper into the Bible says so that we really understand what the Bible teaches about Jesus’ death. Here’s what we are going to see in this first week— Jesus didn’t simply die, He was killed. Today, I want us to see why that happened and how that happened. 

What we want to do on today's episode is a little different. Instead of recapping each of these I Am claims, before we move on from this topic of what Jesus claimed, today I want to quickly look at a few other claims that Jesus made in the Gospels. Think of it as like a Bible Caddie Top 10. Our hope is that you wouldn’t view Jesus a good teacher. He’s so much more. So let’s do our Top 10 count down of Jesus’ claims.

Today we are looking at the last of Jesus’ I Am statements in the Gospel of John. The last six weeks we’ve been asking, “What did He claim?” We’ve seen so far that Jesus made a number of huge claims. Claims that if they’re not true, they’re absurd. And if they are true, they demand our attention and allegiance. Today, in John 15, we come to Jesus’ final I Am Statement, the last of these seven claims in this book. In this passage, Jesus offers His last I am statement by communicating that He is the vine and people are branches. We are to abide in Him and He in us so that as His disciples we might bear fruit for God’s glory and our joy. 

We are in week 6 of Jesus’ I Am statements from the Gospel of John. As we aim to get to know Jesus better, we are asking, “What did He claim?” We’ve seen so far that Jesus made a number of enormous claims. Claims that if they’re not true, they’re absurd. And if they are true, they demand our attention and allegiance. Today, in John 14, we come to probably the most famous of all the I Am Statements. In this passage, Jesus claims to be the way, the truth, and the life, and the only way to the Father. This is comforting and clear. And it demands our belief.

We are four weeks into Jesus’ I Am statements from the Gospel of John. We are trying to get to know Him better, so we are asking, What did He claim? As we’ve seen so far, Jesus made a number of enormous claims. Claims that if they’re not true, they’re absurd. And if they are true, they demand our attention and allegiance. Today, in John 11, we come to one of the most shocking claims of all. We’ve got a big chapter, so here is how we will approach it. Instead of reading it all up front, we will take it scene by scene. In a beautiful act of love, Jesus demonstrated His glory through His words, His emotions, and ultimately, through raising Lazarus from the dead, all in order that He might reveal who He is and that many might believe that He is the Resurrection and the Life, the Christ, the Son of God, and by believing have life in His name.