🎯 IN THIS EPISODE:

In this Star Wars-laced deep dive into Matthew 8, we explore the surprising faith of a Roman centurion who shocked Jesus Himself and everyone else around Him. What does it mean when the empire bows to the Kingdom?

In this episode we talk about:

Why Jesus was amazed by a Gentile's faith and what it says about insiders vs. outsiders

How sacred authority differs from oppressive control

What a modern-day centurion might look like

Why submitting to Jesus doesn’t erase our identity

What it costs to follow Jesus instead of empire in 2025

Whether our churches look more like the Kingdom… or a sanitized version of it

And how fear might be quietly uninviting people from our tables

⏰ TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - What's New with the Gang

08:01 - John Guerra Concert

11:49 - Podcast & Social Media Housekeeping

13:13 - Matthew 8 & Big Idea

15:55 - Roman Centurion Context & Authority

20:48 - Authority, Identity, and Submitting to Jesus

24:14 - Faith of the Centurion vs. Disciples

29:30 - Living by Jesus’ Authority & Faith in Practice

31:12 - Star Wars Metaphors & Real-Life Parallels

36:26 - Cost of Following Jesus & Centurion’s Consequences

38:25 - Radical Inclusion & The Church as the Cantina

42:09 - Boundaries, Fear, and Inviting Others

44:59 - Repentance, Humility, and the Table

47:46 - Centurion’s Transformation & Roman Obligations

49:01 - Where Do We Go Next?

50:07 - Podcast Wrap-Up & Farewell

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman: "00:10:57"

Check out Jon Guerra! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_WcSIC3l9BlUoBJyyoJtpA

🎙️ ABOUT THE SHOW:

Church services happen on weekends. And that's all well and good until we get to Mondays and find ourselves asking, "Now what?"

Welcome to Between Sundays! Join hosts Tyler, Maron, and Barry every Wednesday as they hang out and catch up on the conversations, sermons, and culture of Grace Church.

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Keywords/Hashtags

Tyler, Maron, Barry, Between Sundays, podcast, sermon, Star Wars, Roman Empire, kids' camp, faith, authority, inclusivity, Black Liberation Theology, Howard Thurman, NBA Finals, church community, early church, Jewish believers, Gentiles, transformation, identity, vulnerability, invitation, repentance, humility, Jesus, Matthew's Gospel, centurion, authority figures, pop culture references, Grace Church, social media, podcast discussions, diversity, unity, Christian faith, boundaries, fear, personal reflection, community engagement, grace, mercy, humility, transformative power, historical context, contemporary life.