The Read Your Bible Podcast
By Drew Tankersley
The Read Your Bible PodcastApr 22, 2022
Reading: Acts 15
If you’ve been in American church for very long, you’ve likely had to endure a church split. It’s an ugly reality in our American context. Conflict was handled radically different in the early church. Acts 15 provides us a terrific example to follow on how to handle disputes within the church as it relates to matters of church polity and doctrine. We would do well to pay attention to the principles outlined here. If we did, we might see more gospel advancement and less church splintering in our world today.
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Reading: Acts 14
One of the most disconcerting trends over the past few years has been to witness the rise and fall of so many celebrity pastors. These men are put on pedestals and elevated high above the common man and when their humanity inevitably bleeds through the well polished veneer of their public persona, their kingdoms fall like a house of cards and the masses who hang on their every word are crushed by their sin. Many of those same people are the very ones who cast the stones of accusation and judgment on their once idyllic prophet. In Acts 14, the same people who lauded Paul and Barnabas as gods at the beginning of the chapter, by the end are the same ones calling to stone these men. We could learn a lot from this story about the trust people place in our leaders and the humility with which these leaders should channel that devotion to the God who is worthy of all of our praise.
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Reading: Acts 13
A cursory reading of the book of Acts leaves no doubt that one of the unquestionable themes of the book is how the gospel goes. It never stays put. The entire book is a chronicle of the spread of the gospel witness. For the last two years we’ve been inundated with information about the spread of a flu-like pathogen that kept the world in its grips for months. The spread of the virus, regardless of how you feel about it, had global implications and will be remembered for it’s scope and spread. In many ways, almost like a pandemic, the book of Acts depicts the spread of the gospel to the known world, and it’s advancement is something of which we should pay attention.
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Reading: Acts 12
There are several identifiable marks of maturity in the life of a disciple. One of the most important of these marks of maturity is a vibrant prayer life. The book of James tells us that the prayer of a righteous man availeth much. A disciple who is learning the character of Jesus will be like Jesus in that He understands the value of a desperate dependence upon God’s Spirit in his life. Sadly for most of us, our prayer life is rather tepid and unfruitful rather than vivacious and productive. In Acts 12, we see just how incredibly powerful audacious prayer can be and the peace and deliverance that it affords to those who desperately seek the Lord’s rescue and provision through the miracle of prayer.
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Reading: Acts 11
Biologically, human life is dependent upon massive cell replication. Without it, our bodies would quickly die. It’s an ongoing process that never stops so long as we continue to live. Little wonder then that God likens the church to the body of Christ. As Christians, we should learn a thing or two about biology and we would understand how critical it is for us to replicate our DNA into the life of another believer so that they can do the same. It’s a truth demonstrated for us here in Acts chapter 11.
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Reading: Acts 10
Acts 10 clearly records for us what I call a divine encounter. A divine encounter is a moment of spiritual transformation whereby someone comes to faith in Jesus. But behind that encounter is a beautiful story of God’s preparation and the main characters obedience. We see God quite intentionally working in the hard of His apostle Peter while at the same time moving the heart of a Roman soldier named Cornelius. This event is an important scene set in the midst of the Acts narrative because it clearly opens the door of faith to Gentiles. God is quite literally directing the scenes of this divine drama and we would do well to consider the implications of this scene in our own story. There is much to learn so let’s dive in together.
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Reading: Acts 9
Faith always incites peculiar obedience. Just consider some of the radical examples of faith and outright bizarre obedience in light of that faith. Abraham and Sarah having a child, Noah building a boat, Moses commanding the sea to part, Joshua commanding the priest to walk into the Jordan or sound the trumpets expecting walls to fall. Consider Gideon’s conquest with three hundred men, a shepherd boy’s boldness against Goliath. Time and again, God asks us to obey in a peculiar way as a means of growing our faith. Acts 9 is no different. God asks a man named Ananias to go “join himself” to Saul, the official who had just arrived with authorization to persecute Christians, and yet God was telling Ananias to go speak with him. But where would we be in our storyline if Ananias had refused. Obedience is always risky, but also, always worth it.
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Reading: Acts 8
You can learn a lot about the heart of a Jesus follower by watching their treatment of outsiders. One of the most interesting things about Jesus is that people who looked nothing like Jesus actually enjoyed being with Him the most. Jesus liked those who looked nothing like Him. He was called a “friend” of sinners. Jesus wore what was meant as a pejorative term as a badge of honor. For this was why He came, to reach those who were farthest from Him. He would say that those who think themselves to be well have no need of a physician. Jesus had come to those who were deeply in need of Him. Even if they were radically different from Him. I once heard Louie Giglio say, “Of course Jesus ate with sinners, who else would He eat with.” The truth is Jesus came to us when we could not have been more different from He was and if we are to follow Him, we will do the same with those who around us.
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Reading: Acts 7
One of the most powerful events I’ve ever been a part of is a bible study called Secret Church. Gathering with thousands of believers across the globe to study the word of God together for an extended period of time is an incredible experience. The first time I attended this event, I was not prepared for how emotionally effected I would be knowing that I was part of a global event that included those in countries who at that very moment were risking their lives to study God’s word. As we prayed for the persecuted church that night, it was the first moment I had ever done that and it was a moving experience. What was so incredible was that these precious saints were not asking that we pray for their deliverance, but for their faithfulness to the gospel that put their lives at risk. I remember realizing just how deficient my faith was in light of theirs. I was so challenged by their attitude and their endurance. My life was forever changed that evening. As we’ll see today, that faithfulness is has been the legacy of martyrs for the faith since the very beginning.
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Reading: Acts 6
If you've been in church for very long, you’ve likely spotted mismanagement of a dispute within the church. Churches are notorious for either ignoring problems or not efficiently correcting them and as a result the church’s effectiveness and witness is often hindered. But how were disputes handled within the early church? Do we have any precedent for how these controversies were dealt with in a manner such that the work actually progresses and is not hindered? We have just such a case today in Acts chapter 6.
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Reading: Acts 5
The book of Acts outlines for us the story of an unstoppable church. Nothing could withstand the resolve and devotion of the followers of the Way. But what was it that was so powerful that it resulted in such exponential growth? In short, it was the power of the Spirit of God. The Lord pours out His Spirit on those who declare the gospel, and boldly depend on the Spirit. It was the source of their power and it will be the source of ours.
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Reading: Acts 4
Have you ever been around someone who had the undeniable power and presence of God in their life? You couldn’t put your finger on it, but there was just something different about their spirit? Well, it is evident when someone walks in the Spirit of God, touched by His power, filled with His boldness, and marked by His grace. It’s noticeably different. It was noticed in Acts 4 by even the apostles enemies, and it was unstoppable and undeniable.
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Reading: Acts 3
Has something unexpected ever happened at a church service and you weren’t expecting it? I’ll never forget hearing the story of a man who entered a church service walked in and picked up the offering sitting on the communion table and walked out the back door with all of the donations! When he was apprehended, he told the police that Jesus and John F. Kennedy told him to go get it. Needless to say the congregants were a bit stunned. It’s an emotion shared with the devoted Jewish followers who entered the Temple that day in Acts chapter 3. They were stunned at what was happening in their midst. But as we’ll see, this wasn’t just about a curious healing, but a powerful proclamation of the gospel.
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Reading: Acts 2
What are the marks of a healthy church? There are any number of measures whereby men evaluate the effectiveness and growth of a church. But strictly speaking from the book of Acts there are specific qualities that were present in the early church that contributed to its exponential growth and impact. We’ll explore those today from Acts 2.
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Reading: Acts 1
Motivational speaker and creator of the book series Chicken Soup for the Soul, once said, “You can't get the right answers if you’re asking the wrong questions.” As we open the curtain on the book of Acts, we find the disciples asking the wrong questions. But thankfully, Jesus sidesteps their foolish question and His response becomes the outline for the next chapter in the ONE Story of God’s purposes in the world. Before we dive in, let me encourage you to watch the video included in the ONE Story Reading Plan. I’ll link the video in the show notes for today’s episode.
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Reading: Matthew 28
It's one of the most well-known passages in the Bible. It is Jesus’ final command to "go and make disciples of all nations," yet a new study shows a shocking number of American Christians have never heard of what is commonly known as "the Great Commission.” Christian researcher George Barna discovered that half of U.S. churchgoers, a staggering 51 percent, said they had never "heard of the Great Commission" term and among those who had, only 17 percent were familiar with the Biblical passage reference.
Shockingly only 1 in 10 millennials who go to church regularly are familiar with the term. This belies the alarming truth that if most believers can’t identify what it is, how many church-goers are actually doing it? No wonder our society is in shambles. The church must reverse this trend if it is to be a light in an ever darkening world.
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Reading: John 21
John 21 is one of the most beautiful and elaborately constructed moments in all the of John’s gospel. Every single detail in John 21 is intentionally developed to strike a chord with the disobedient disciple. The way in which Jesus lovingly and gently rebukes and restores Peter is sparklingly brilliant. Let’s consider it together today from John 21.
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Reading: John 20
Have you ever thought something was too good to be true? Somehow we believe that when something advantageous occurs in our lives, we struggle to believe it is true. This phenomenon is precisely what happened with the greatest news in all of history. The fact that Jesus was alive was as preposterous to these disciples as it was to those who had murdered Him just days earlier. Yet here He was, standing in their midst! They couldn’t believe their eyes, and maybe that’s the whole point as we’ll see. Genuine faith always predates sight and this nature of faith is the core tenant of our relationship with the Father through Jesus.
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Reading: Luke 24
What if you had the privilege of being in a modular class with none other than the Son of God? I would think that would be a pretty enthralling Bible class. Yet this is precisely what Jesus did for these disciples here in Luke 24 on the road to Emmaus. That had to have been a survey of the Old Testament that these disciples would never forget! Jesus was systematically showing them that every page of the Old Testament testified of His work for them. What a remarkable privilege to behold.
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Reading: Mark 16
Taking up serpents? Drinking poison? Are these really the distinguishing marks of a disciple? Well, if you read the end of Mark 16 they sure sound like it. What are we to make of these bizarre “signs?” Are there other distinguishing marks of disciples that are present in this text that are more in keeping with orthodox theology? We’ll talk about it all today on the podcast from Mark 16.
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Reading: John 19
In the Greek language, it’s the word "tetelestai." The word is translated, “It is finished” and it’s a word that is theologically loaded with import for the believer. On today’s podcast, we’ll consider what it means for us when Jesus hung on the cross and cried, “it is finished.”
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Reading: Luke 23
If you grew up in church like I did, you likely pretty familiar with the account of Christ’s death. Somehow close dozens of years of Good Friday and Easter Sunday services have seared these accounts into our brain and if we’re not careful, we can miss the marvel of just what happened for us at the death of Christ. I want to challenge you today not to gloss over this story but ask God to give you “fresh ears” to hear of all that God has done for us. It’s worthy of our meditation today.
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Reading: Matthew 27
One of the most compelling aspects of Jesus’ trial and execution is the attitude in which Jesus carried Himself. Isaiah says that He would be “like a sheep before her shearers is dumb.” The prophet’s point was that Jesus would do little to defend Himself amid the injustice He suffered. Jesus entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly Peter would say. But just because Jesus’ words were few, the evidence speaks for itself. Pilate asks Jesus, “are you the King of the Jews?” The internal evidence and the body of prophetic utterances fulfilled in this chapter alone confirm that this Jesus is exactly who He said He was and He had come to die and that death would bring forgiveness for all who receive Him.
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Reading: Matthew 26
Holocaust hero and survivor Corrie Ten Boom once wrote, “God has no problems, only plans.” One of the most comforting truths of the Christian walk is the knowledge that God is in control of each moment and is ordering His plans in our lives. It’s a truth that has given me much solace amid the twists and turns of my wife Georgia’s cancer journeys. However that comfort can be threatened when our lives are turned upside down by calamity and chaos. But as we’ll see today in Matthew 26, if God is ordering the darkest moments of history, then we can take heart knowing our days are directed as well.
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Reading: John 17
In his masterful work, The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer wrote, “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.” The same sentiment is echoed by Jesus Himself in John 17 as He speaks about the relationship between unity and witness. They are perhaps some of the most important words the Jesus spoke.
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Reading: John 16
No one likes to suffer. We all run from difficulty, instead craving the comforts of this life. Somewhere along the way, we have been taught the fallacy that our salvation will not be without sacrifice. This teaching has derailed many would-be followers of Jesus when their experience does not meet their expectations. We need to understand that if we truly follow a crucified Lord and Master, we need to prepare ourselves for the inevitable. John 16 gives us a gospel theology of suffering. The word gospel means good news. So what could possibly be good about suffering? Well, Jesus tells us in this important chapter.
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Reading: John 15
Gospel rapper Lecrae Moore once said, “If you live for people’s approval, you will die from their rejection.” Regardless of what you think of Lecrae, he’s onto a truth here that we should consider as we come to John 15. In this chapter, Jesus gives us some of the most incredible insight into why we were created and what it is that will truly give us joy if we have the faith to receive it.
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Reading: John 14
Have you ever struggled to obey God’s word? Is it difficult at times to understand and apply? What we do in these moments is essential. Many times, we fail to understand God’s word because the we ignore the role of the Holy Spirit in our understanding. We need the Spirit’s help to understand these truths and sometimes our acknowledgement of that fact can be the first step to understanding. There is also the matter of obedience. Have you ever had someone try to explain a game to you and you not really understand until you actually begin playing the game. Sometimes this is how the Spirit works in our lives. These truths become more apparent to us as we begin to put them into practice, an obedience and dependence on the Spirit are often required to fully understand God’s word in its fullness.
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Reading: John 13
In the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast, the affable candlestick Lumiere makes a statement in the iconic tune, "Be Our Guest," that is as memorable as it is true. He says, "Life is so unnerving for a servant whose not serving? He's not whole without a soul to wait upon." As we'll see today in John 13, it's more than a catchy phrase. We find our purpose and joy in serving others not because they deserve it but because our Master does.
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Reading: John 11
The great hymn writer William Cowper wrote, “God’s purposes will ripen fist, unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.” In John chapter 11, Jesus allows the bitter taste of death to come to the home of His friends. Though He could have done something to remedy the situation, He quite insensitively allows it to happen. But as we will see today, God’s never wastes pain in our lives, it is always purposeful. That purpose is powerfully revealed for us today in one of the most famous of the Jesus stories.
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Reading: Luke 18
It’s prominent in every children’s bible ever made. “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” It’s one of the most tender moments of Jesus’ ministry, but it underscores how we are to enter the kingdom of God. What did Jesus mean by this statement? Find out today as we look together at Luke, chapter 18.
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Reading: Luke 17
What are the signs of a growing faith? Well, there are several to be sure. But one characteristic that might not be immediately apparent is the presence of a robust gratitude for all that one has been given. It’s a principle outlined for us in Luke 17, and we’ll discover it together on today’s podcast.
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Reading: Luke 16
Does Jesus care how we spend our money? I mean obviously He desires that we give into His kingdom work, but does He care how we spend the rest of it? If we read Luke 16 carefully, I think He does. What He says in these verses should inform the way in which we spend the resources that we receive as a measure of faithful stewardship to God and it has greater repercussions than we at first may realize.
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Reading: Luke 15
Even if you aren't a religious person, you likely have heard of the prodigal son. It's a parable etched in the public conscience. But the real power of the story is not the prodigal son that left but the prodigal son that stayed. This older son is the audience to whom this set of stories is directed. It's a powerful conclusion to a mini-drama played out for the last three chapters. It holds an essential application for us to consider today.
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Reading: Matthew 19
Is taking a vow of poverty required to follow Jesus? A cursory reading of the story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19 might certainly give us pause to think so. But as we dive into the chapter, I think we’ll see Jesus is striking at a much more profound point than possessions. Jesus is challenging the man’s view of how we receive eternal life altogether and it is a core principle of the gospel that we need to understand if we are to genuinely follow Him.
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Reading: John 6
Jesus said some pretty bizarre things to the crowds that gathered to hear His teaching. Those difficult teachings often had a way of culling the crowds of people who flocked to Jesus but had no real interest in following Him. One such example of this is John chapter 6. What Jesus says in these verses are so graphic that many of these nominal onlookers turned away, but for those who remained, they were to them the words of eternal life.
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Reading: Luke 14
Who has the right to become a citizen of the kingdom of God? If that kingdom was ruled by an earthly king, he would surely only allow those with the highest degree of merit and integrity to be a part of his kingdom. He would likely select those with the sharpest intellect, the greatest ability, and the highest character to become a part of the kingdom of God. But that’s just it, this kingdom is upside down. Our King delights in humility of heart and brokenness of spirit. These are the traits that He desires in us. It is a willingness to acknowledge our own sinful inability to enter save through His marvelous grace. It’s a truth powerfully displayed for us in Luke 14.
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Reading: John 4
One of the most helpful observations that I discovered when studying the gospels is that the accounts are often not chronologically arranged. Often the gospel authors arrange their material to highlight certain truths. In John 3 and 4, we are given a powerful contrast f two characters, Nicodemus and the woman at the well. The circumstances of their lives, their interactions with Jesus and response to His message could not have been more different and John brilliantly lays these two accounts next to one another for our consideration.
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Reading: John 3
It’s perhaps the most recognizable verse in all of the Bible. It’s plastered on signs and placards, pasted on billboards, it’s even written in eyeblack on football players these days. But the context of the words of John 3:16 makes them even more poignant and they are worth considering today as we examine John 3.
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Reading: Luke 12
I once heard the acrostic BIBLE stands for “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth” While I’m not of oversimplifying and trivializing the Word of God, it’s not a wrong title. In fact in many ways, Luke 12 outlines for us precisely how we should live after Jesus leaves the earth. It’s a primer on the right perspective of the trivial things of the physical, and the lasting value of the eternal. These things are worth our consideration today from Luke 12.
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Reading: Mark 10
You can’t drive sheep, you have to lead them. These words were the sage advice the aged pastor gave me a few weeks ago as I sought his counsel over a number of things. He encouraged me to realize that ultimately, leadership is about humility and service not gifting and inspiration. Much more can be done to further the spiritual development of the flock through service than through compulsion. It’s a lesson I needed to learn and one beautifully modeled for us today in Mark chapter 10.
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Reading: Mark 9
How do you spot immaturity in the life of a disciple of Jesus? Jesus had a unique way of exposing the immaturity in those He had chosen to follow Him. Often Jesus would ask them a question that would reveal their childish nature. At times, Jesus would intentionally put them in a situation for which they had no answer reminding them of their desperate dependence upon Him and His Spirit to teach them the ways of the Master. Mark 9 reveals several unsightly traits of immature disciples. As we study them today, we should ask ourselves, how many of these are present in our lives?
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Reading: Luke 9
Who do the crowds say that I am? This was the question Jesus posed to His disciples in Luke chapter 9. Apparently there was some confusion on this point. But perhaps the most poignant question Jesus asked was the next one. Who do YOU say that I am? How you answer that question will be the determining factor in your ability to follow Him. It’s a truth powerfully displayed today in Luke, chapter 9.
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Reading: Matthew 8
When I was in college, I traveled as part of a recruiting team. We would go all over the country singing and speaking in chapels and churches recruiting for the school that I attended. We had an athletic director that would go with us at times and speak. He was a favorite in so many of the places we frequented. I can still remember His message that called people to make a decision to follow Jesus. He would say, “in baseball, you’re either safe or out. There is no fence sitting. Jesus said, “he that is not with me is against me.” These were powerful words in my life and they bear repeating today. Jesus ministry always demanded a response.
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Reading: Matthew 7
If you grew up in church like me, you’ve likely learned the song, “the wise man built his house upon the rock.” You’re probably thinking through the motions right now aren’t you. We’re scarred for life, aren’t we? While the song has a great message of wisdom, it leaves out perhaps the most important part of that whole passage. It represents the powerful conclusion of Jesus’ greatest message and it’s critically important that we understand it in its fullness today.
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Reading: Matthew 6
Worry is an emotion that many of us battle each day. But have you ever considered how useless worry is? It’s an emotion that breeds anxiety in our hearts about things over which we have no control. So how do we tackle worry in our lives. Jesus gives us a masterful plan on how to attack it and the effects it has on us here in Matthew chapter 6. It’s a truth I needed today and I have a feeling you might as well.
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Reading: Matthew 5
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us a sneak peak of what life is like in the kingdom of God and its highly counterintuitive and countercultural. The way up is down in most cases. This upside down kingdom stands in stark contrast to the prevailing Jewish religion and it is a profound departure from the pious hypocrisy that often characterized Judaism. Instead, it incites a brokenness, a humility that results from a proper understanding of our sinful nature and our desperate need for God’s grace that transcends the law. This grace becomes the impetus for change in our lives and with every transformed life, the kingdom grows ever stronger.
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Reading: Matthew 4
Most of us have heard the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. From a child, I’ve learned the way to beat temptation in our lives is through quoting the word of God. But as we’ll see on today’s podcast, these aren’t random verses pulled from the air to hurl at Satan amid his fiendish attacks. No these are specific Scriptures utilized for a unique purpose, a purpose we’ll discover together today in Matthew chapter 4.
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Reading: Matthew 3
What is your favorite fruit? Is it an apple, an orange, a pineaple, or is it something more exotic like a kiwi, a pomegranate, or mango? What are the fruits of repentance? According to one article, there are around 2000 types of fruits around the world, but the west only eats around 10% of them? Many of the rest most of the western world have never even heard of. But when it comes to foreign fruits, John the Baptist introduces these Pharisees and Sadducees to some fruits that they had never encountered. As followers of Jesus, these fruits should abound in our lives and they are worth our consideration today.
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Reading: John 1:19-51
He’s one of the more enigmatic characters associated with Jesus. The wild-eyed preacher that lives in the wilderness, eating locusts and honey, covered in camel hair. Likely schooled under a zealot Essene sect of Judaism, John the Baptist must have been quite a peculiar fellow. But he was used mightily by God to announce the entrance of Jesus in the storyline of redemptive history. While his announcement about Jesus is the most important takeaway from his life, his humility can teach us volumes about the nature of true discipleship. It’s a truth we’ll discuss on today’s podcast.
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