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Our schedule is a little mixed up and delayed, but here's another installment in the adventure Luke finds himself in while writing to his friend, Theophilos.

Picking up with the scene where we left off last week, Luke tends to a patient. Zephaniah's wife explains why she didn't travel as much as her husband in following the Master. The husband and wife recount one of Jesus' many sermons. One that parallels the sermon on the mount, as recorded by Matthew. ''

As Jesus preaches on Blessings, woes, and putting love into practice, Luke pauses the dialog to clarify points along the way. Returning blessings for curses, or for being struck is controversial. It is still a difficult concept today. Are we really supposed to give up our worldly possessions, just because someone asks for them?

Doing good, lending, treating the sinner with respect, are all ways Christians are expected to demonstrate love to others. It may be humbling, but the eternal reward is great. The sermon is far from over, as Tiberias the fisher hints at when he enters from his daily catch at the lake. Stay tuned for more words from Jesus.

Trivia: One of the voice actors in today's episode performed their lines the morning after having surgery, and with stitches in their throat. Can you guess which one?

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The normally scheduled show is hijacked, and the invaders derail the topic into an audio drama. A crossover of our various show formats that include a past feature of the podcast, Retrobots.

Warning: This show contains Retrobots.

What are Retrobots, and why should you be warned?

Really, they are harmless. They began life over on Keith's other podcast. Retro Radio. I'm told that some people find their synthetic voices annoying, or maybe it's their style of humor. You decide. They try to be helpful, but when we invite them to join the show, they somehow always cause trouble and add a degree of humor. Think of them as digital puppets, who are naive, misinformed, and can be an odd mixture of smart, silly, and childlike. In recent months, since our milestone episode 200, they only make the briefest of appearances. Only enough to tell you what the episode number is before each show.

OK, end of warning.

"Used with permission from Microsoft."

As Keith tries to introduce the anticipated topic, Retrobots barge in to demand more attention, and lines in the show. Somehow, they notice how often Nathan Caldwell has been missing from doing live recordings in the studio. David Retrobot discovers the storeroom where Keith keeps his time machine for his other podcast, and before you know it the whole gang is off on a time-traveling journey in search of the missing Nathan.

We get a false start but escape a disaster when Keith takes control away from David. The ever-helpful Callie synchronizes with the time machine and helps to get us in the right direction in space and time. Just when we think we may have a lead on where Nathan is, we tune our radio to bible teacher, J Vernon McGee to offer insights to how scripture records the events we see unfold below us.

Have we finally caught up with our missing co-host? Is he enjoying a meal of fish sandwiches with the rest of the multitude? Did he join the crew of disciples who rowed their boat out in the face of a storm?

Hey, there won't be any spoilers from me. Just listen and enjoy the fun. Share it with your kids. Tell us what you really think of the Retrobots.

"Used with permission from Microsoft."

Credits

Script: Keith Heltsley

Creative Consultant: Jill Kelley

Special appearances by J Vernon McGee and Nathan Caldwell

Retrobots played by themselves

Notice: No Retrobots were harmed in the production of today's episode. Any similarities to the real Keith or Nathan, living or dead, or any reasonable facsimile thereof, are purely intentional.

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What makes a good role model, and who can be one? Using a recent sermon from Nathan Caldwell, and various sources, Keith presents the need for parents to step up to the role,

Character.

What a good role model is:

* Surrendering to Christ (motive and action),

* guided by , embraces christ,

* alert, Which is even better than being woke.

* consistent, reliable,

* relevant,

* integrity

* honors God as judge of all.

* faithful to do the right thing even in secret),

* credible,

* strength,

* persistence,

* pure heart.

* seeks a good role model to be a good role model,

* humble in mind and heart,

* encourages,

* discerning,

What a role model is not:

* Self serving,

* easily tempted,

* skeptical, or doubtful,

* unfaithful, or not loyal.

* devious,

* compares success to others,

* full of pride,

* insecurity,

* inadequacies,

This list was built from devotional time with these scriptures: 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13; HEBREWS 13:7-8; PSALM 90:8; 2 CHRONICLES 15:7; PHILIPPIANS 3:17; ACTS 9:27-28; JOB 34:2-4.

Spine of a Bible ca. 2001, "Used with permission from Microsoft."

As Nathan presents his sermon on The Value and Cost of Integrity, found in Genesis 39, Keith interrupts to bring other concepts on mentoring into focus. As it is put in Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby and Claude V King:

Take time to consider each child God has entrusted to you. It is an awesome responsibility. Praise God for His willingness to walk with you and to guide you as you teach your children to know and love Him. Be aware that, even when they reach adulthood, your sons and daughters still see you as a role model.

Being a role model never ends. Though a priceless obligation, we too often sell it for pocket change as Nathan points out. The integrity of a role model might win many privileges, as it did for Joseph. but true character stands up to being tempted and put to the test. It's the strength of the Lord that causes flourishing in the end.

A word for pastors and church leadership is meaningful for the regular parent and role model.

In the book, The Leader's Journey, specifically in the chapter THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES AND THE PATH TO TRANSFORMATION p. 131, the author has this to say:

Even leaders are not immune to looking for meaning in the externals. As the spiritual role model in the church, it is tempting to focus on what our lives look like, rather than on what is really going on inside. We measure our significance by the size of our congregation or by how well we are liked or by how highly we are thought of in the community. At workshops and seminars, we are offered a quick fix, three easy steps to church growth, five ways to reduce stress. Or we can buy books and tapes that promise to transform our ministry into a wildly successful one if we only try harder and follow the program. We obsess about the externals and starve our souls.

As a parent or regular guy, replace the references to church or congregation with household. This still applies as you lead your family in daily life

Don't focus on how being a successful role model looks from the outside. Focus on whether you're doing it right, in being true to God's standards. Are you managing the opportunities that come your way with integrity?

Joseph was made an overseer, he had the opportunity. He was still tested. Was he mature enough to pass?

Continuing in the chapter, THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES, AND THE PATH TO TRANSFORMATION p. 131, the author continues with the topic of ”soul neglect”

Genesis 40-41.45

Reviewing King David and a violent protest against him.

Going back to for some background, we learn how bad decisions at the top splash over into other areas.

* David's Adultery with Bathsheba

* Uriah's Death Arranged

* The source of the problem and the attempt to keep it secret.

Continuing to take broad looks at the problem, we skim through , with Nathan's Parable and David's Repentance.

* David doesn't get punished directly, but he doesn't get off without cost.

* His child will not live.

* God promises the sword to never leave the house of David.

Sure enough, death comes to Bathsheba's Son

* The Birth of Solomon is a comfort to Bathsheba.

* Capture of the City of Rabbah is a comfort to David.

The sword has deeper grief for the king than he imagined, as we find in . The source of the problem has already happened, but for the sake of our look at a violent protest, it begins with lust and revenge.

* Amnon Rapes Tamar.

* Absalom Murders Amnon

* At first, all sons thought lost.

* Absalom flees for 3 years while David grieves.

Each of these problems might have had different, and legal results if the desire of lust was taken to the king. If the resulting rape would have been sent to the king for proper judgment, possibly Absalom wouldn't have taken the law into his own hands. But maybe not.

Spine of a Bible ca. 2001, "Used with permission from Microsoft."

Getting to the focus of today's feature, we reach , Absalom is Restored to David.

When the right-hand man to the king, Joab saw David wanted Absalom back, he came up with an elaborate plan to prove his point.

* An elaborate plan with a woman pretending to have a rift in her family similar to the murder that has torn apart the king's family.

* David sees through the ruse.

* Absalom is summoned.

* Absalom welcomed to his home in Hebron, but not allowed to see the king.

Is there now reconciliation? Or is there still matters to resolve?

Absalom seems to have it all going for him. He's handsome and highly praised.

>25 No man in all Israel was as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw. 26 When he shaved his head - he shaved [it] every year because [his hair] got so heavy for him that he had to shave it off - he would weigh the hair from his head and it would be five pounds according to the royal standard.

Two years pass, 4 kids, 3 sons and a beautiful daughter named for her beloved aunt Tamar. Absalom is back home, but is this real restoration? Is it satisfying reconciliation?

27 Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman. 28 Absalom resided in Jerusalem for two years but never saw the king.

Absalom can only find satisfaction with a meeting with his father the king. But first, he needs help from Joab again. He sent twice for the top official to see the king.

29 Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab was unwilling to come. So he sent again, a second time, but he still wouldn't come.

What do you do when you have a problem? What do you do when you feel ignored, lacking in privilege, unwanted, undesired, unheard?

You have a violent protest. Why? Because violence is an effective attention-getter.

30 Then Absalom said to his servants, See, Joab has a field right next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set fire to it!" So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

Featuring the middle part of Jesus' sermon on his being the bread from heaven.

The crowd of 5000, or at least some of them, that had been fed the day before had caught up with Jesus. He had to redirect their misguided focus on how he beat them across the lake, and focus on why he was there. Jesus introduces the topics of life-giving bread and the will of God. The crowd is stuck in the physical realm, and demand a sign, like Moses, and the manna. Once again, Jesus has to remind them that his kind of bread doesn't come from something to do, but the living bread comes through belief.

He puts it plainly in verse 35, "I am the bread of life."

Today we examine the middle part of Jesus' sermon, found in .

Spine of a Bible ca. 2001, "Used with permission from Microsoft."

36

Jesus recognizes the unbelief in the hearts of those listening to him. They have had ample time to see him up close and personal.

37

Jesus knows that he has true believers, the elect. All of those are given to him by the father, and they will surely come to Jesus with not any of them being lost. There is an element of free will here as well, but it isn't in the choice to seek God. It's in choosing to respond to his call.

38

Jesus is emphatic about whose will is driving his mission. It's not him, but the dispatcher, the one sending him. In addition to his previous claim that he is the bread of life, he now claims to have descended out of the heavens.

39

Time to give some good news. The will of this dispatcher, the father, is that the elect will not perish. Not only that, but they will be raised, or made to stand upright on the last day. Jesus further defines this group of people, and their eternal assurance as he continues to the next verse.

40

It is also the father's will that those who both see and believe will have eternal life, and be raised to stand upright with him on the last day.

Wait. Will this elect group of believers be the only ones to be raised? Where does that leave all the folks who come later, and never had the chance to physically see him? Let's consider the possible people groups.

There were those who were present, closely saw Jesus, yet did not believe.

Some saw him and believed. Apostles and other early followers.

Some are born too late to have seen him but believe based on the testimony of others, including the writings of the New Testament authors.

How did his Jewish followers take this good news?

41

The Jews grumbled. Not that the father had a mission to save believers to eternal life. Not over the idea of being raised, stood upright, on the last day. They missed the point. They grumbled that Jesus claimed to have descended as the bread of heaven. Why is that?

42

At least some in the audience were local folks. Clearly, they knew Jesus' parents and his origins very well. Or they thought they did. They had trouble wrapping their minds around being sent from god. Did they totally miss the good news Jesus taught for those who believed?

43

Jesus settles down the grumbling. He repeats the good news of his mission.

44

Refocusing the crowd on what's important, and as good as the news is, Jesus repeats that it isn't an automatic given.

Nobody can come to him (to believe) not unless the father draws him. For the elect, who are drawn (literally means to be dragged along as if tied up), the good news is that the believer will be raised, or stood upright on the last day,

Now, after the grumbling over descending from heaven, Jesus bombs them by being clear that the dispatcher is the father. In the next verse, Jesus goes on to explain a scripture of prophecy.

For now,

An extremely basic introduction to Civics. Civics means government. Keith shares some definitions and the points in the first amendment rights to express ourselves. What does it mean by freedom of speech, or having the right to gather? Does freedom for the press mean there are no responsibilities?

Meanwhile, Nathan tells what scripture has to say on where the government comes from and obeying those in authority. Even bad governmental leaders are put in power by God, although the personal misdeeds of a leader are not condoned by God. The important thing is that no matter what the legal structure in the laws of orderly conduct looks like, they deserve our respect.

Stock photo, "Used with permission from Microsoft."

It's important to know how to behave properly, within the law, and hold the law accountable where it's needed. Christians shouldn't be too entangled in being political activists. Work on being good citizens in your own country, state, or region.

Above all, work on being good citizens in the Kingdom of God.

Spine of a Bible ca. 2001, "Used with permission from Microsoft."

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Based on Luke 6:1-16

Cast and drama.

Luke, Zephaniah, Mrs. Zephaniah (or, Joanna), Jesus, Pharisee

Luke finds his new friend, who teaches him how Jesus made waves with traditional religious teaching.

"Used with permission from Microsoft."

After the late-night of discussing Jesus, Luke is directed by Zephaniah's wife, Johanna where too meet with her husband. In particular, an instance where Jesus disciples were eating grain from a field on the sabbath. Was it really legal for them or not?

Zephaniah describes some nuances of what the law allowed, and some of its restrictions. then he goes on to tell about the challenge of doing good on the sabbath. the attention then moves from the furious religious leaders to a prayerful night in narrowing down the disciples from 72 down to only twelve.

in the end, Luke lends his help in a healing moment between His host, Zephaniah, and his wife.

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