Episodes
Monday Jul 29, 2013
TO KNOWINGLY DISBELIEVE (Mark 12:13-27)
Monday Jul 29, 2013
Monday Jul 29, 2013
The criminal justice system in our country makes a distinction between those who commit crimes either ignorantly or accidentally, and those who commit crimes knowingly, willfully, and with malicious intent. This distinction has been playing out in our media for the last several weeks. However, the justice system has a special dislike of those who commit crimes knowingly, willfully, and with malicious intent.
This same principle works in the spiritual realm as well. The Bible is clear that there are degrees of punishment in Hell, as well as levels of reward in heaven. There is no doubt in my mind that a person like Stalin, or Hitler, or Charles Manson, or a person who would intentionally harm a child, has a special place in the hottest, loneliest, darkest, and most pain filled place in Hell reserved for them. It is a place that they will spend the eons of eternity being tormented in.
But imagine the penalty that will be imposed by God on those who have willfully, knowingly, and maliciously rejected Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the sacrifice that He made on the cross for the sins that they have committed.
These people have heard and rejected the gospel message of Jesus Christ on the TV, the radio, in books and magazines, and the personal testimonies of family and friends who told them how a gracious God has sent His only Begotten Son, so that they may have eternal life. They have then compounded this sin by convincing others to reject Christ, or even persecuting those that are Christians. They have made this choice knowingly, willfully, and maliciously.
Listen to this podcast to hear how Jesus Christ exposes the willful ignorance of those that would reject the Word of God and the great Biblical truth of the resurrection of the dead.
Wednesday Jul 24, 2013
JESUS CONFRONTS HIS ENEMIES (Mark 11:27 to 12:12)
Wednesday Jul 24, 2013
Wednesday Jul 24, 2013
How well do you choose the times to confront your enemies, and when it is time to walk away?
Most of us are not real good at making that choice, we either let people walk all over us, or we tend to push our will upon others.
Jesus had spent much of His ministry avoiding a direct confrontation with the religious leadership of the Jews. His previous visits to Jerusalem had been subdued and quiet. Jesus actually spent most of His public ministry walking the countryside between Capernaum and the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and all the points in-between.
He would respond to direct challenges from the local leaders of the synagogue and the representatives sent from Jerusalem to see what was happening. But when it became too contentious, He would simply move on to the next village. Jesus devoted much of His time to teaching the people and performing wonderful miracles of healing the sick and raising the dead. He was developing a great following among the people that would serve Him well at the end of His ministry.
Jesus now becomes much more direct in His confrontation with the Jewish leadership. He makes a triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem, He cleans out the temple courts of the tradesmen that were managed by the chief priest, and then He teaches and heals in the temple without the approval of the chief priests.
Listen to this podcast to learn how Jesus controlled His own destiny as He pushed the Jewish leadership into completing the tasks that the Lord’s Father had sent Him to do. Jesus was driving to the cross. He was in control. He knew what He was doing and where it would lead, but He did it anyway so that you and I could have everlasting life.
Jesus was never more Kingly during His public ministry than He was during this last week before the cross.
Friday Jul 19, 2013
ARE YOU ALL SHOW AND NO GO? (Mark 11:12-26)
Friday Jul 19, 2013
Friday Jul 19, 2013
Are you all show and no go?
For many people religion is about appearances. On every Sunday morning they get out their best pious religion suit and put it on to go to church. They sing the worship songs, they raise their hands, they may even say an amen or two as the preacher gives his sermon. Then they go home, they take off their pious religion suit and put it back in the closet until next Sunday.
They are all show and no go.
Listen to this podcast to learn how God intends for the believer to have fruit to show for his labor. In fact, the day is coming when Jesus will judge the works of a believer to determine the rewards, or the loss of rewards, that believer will receive.
In this lesson, you can learn how to be serious about your desire to work for God, how to have your prayers answered, and how to earn the fruit that God is looking for in your life.
Monday Jul 08, 2013
CAN YOU SEE WHO JESUS IS? (Mark 10:41 to 11:11)
Monday Jul 08, 2013
Monday Jul 08, 2013
Can you see who Jesus is?
The world sees Jesus as prophet, a teacher, but ultimately they see Him as a failure because He was hung on a cross to die the death of a criminal. But the world does not see the purpose of Jesus’ death, or the fact of His bodily resurrection.
The disciples saw Jesus as the Promised King of a Promised Kingdom.
Bartimaeus was blind, but he saw Jesus as the hope of a lifetime. Once he could see he saw Jesus as his Lord and Master.
The Jews of the city of Jerusalem saw Jesus as the prophet of Nazareth of Galillee.
The Bible tells us that Jesus came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many
Listen to this podcast to learn how Jesus came to this earth to be a minister to others and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Who do you see Jesus as? I hope you see Him as the one and only path to eternal life. Jesus wants you to see Him as your Savior and Master.
Sunday Jun 30, 2013
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR JESUS, LATELY? (Mark 10:32-40)
Sunday Jun 30, 2013
Sunday Jun 30, 2013
What have you done for Jesus, lately?
For most of us, we work because we need a source of income. We learn what our employer values, and what they are willing to reward us for, and then we go out and we do it. If you work at a manufacturing facility making some type of part or piece of equipment, then you learn how your employer wants you to make it, and then you do it that way. If your fail to do it in a way your employer wants it done, then they are unlikely to reward you, or to compensate you.
It is the same for the believer. Jesus has a purpose and a plan to share the gospel message of Christ to the whole world. The gift of eternal life in heaven is the free gift of God’s grace and He does not want you to miss it. Those who call Jesus their Master and Savior are the tools that Jesus uses to fulfill this plan.
Jesus, as our Lord and Master, wants His message shared in a way that He values, and He will reward those who will do so.
Listen to this podcast to learn the things that Jesus values and the rewards of a believer. Be ready to stand before Jesus as the Judge of the works you have done in His name and answer the question, What have you done for Jesus, lately?