Locust & Wild Honey

"The purpose of the proclamation of the gospel is, therefore, stated in terms not of salvation but of fellowship."  - John Stott, "The Letters of John"

Paul explains the Gospel in terms of salvation. 
John explains the Gospel in terms of fellowship. 

They are both right. This episode focuses on John's terms of the Gospel that produce fellowship with The Father, The Son and the people of God.

This episode of our "CROSS" series is focused on the character and story of Judas. The man who betrays Jesus is a troubling and profound story that we can learn from.  

The WAY Jesus went through the process of the cross, the ridicule, mocking, hatred, and vitriol towards Him, is the example of how we must endure persecution when it comes. And it is coming. It was promised by Jesus Himself. We need thicker skin. This podcast episode is about that.

John 15:18-21 NKJV
 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

The Cross proved that Jesus was a doer of His own teachings. 

• Loving His enemies
• Forgiving His persecutors
• Praying for those who were against Him
• Etc.

When the pressure was on, when He was squeezed, who He really was came out. And, it was beautiful! 

In this mini series, during this season of setting our hearts on the Cross of Christ and His Resurrection, I will be recording some "quick hitters" pertaining to the Cross. 

In this first episode we briefly explore the fundamental idea of the Great Exchange. Where He takes our sin, sickness, unrighteousness, etc. and exchanges it with forgiveness, mercy and His righteousness.  

Jesus said plainly, "They hated me, they will hate you." Understanding why this is so will give us the ability to not return hate with hate, but continue to pursue love and relationship so that they may become children of God too. 

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did,they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

John 10 has a famous passage of Scripture that informs us that "His sheep know His voice". In this podcast about hearing the voice of God we breakdown the basics of how we do that. 

You can hear the voice of God. 

It's one thing to understand "why" you follow Him. Generally it's a response to something He has done. Saved, delivered, healed, etc. 

Yet, There is a greater place of knowing Jesus that moves beyond the "why" to the "what". Answer a very simple question. Answer it from experience, not what you have learned from others. This is the question: 

What is He like? 

Encouragement is extremely Biblical. We are to encourage one another. Here are 5 tips to be an encourager: 

1. Speak Up
2. Be Sincere 
3. Be Less that they can be More
4. Listening is Encouraging
5. Know when to move to Exhortation

You can control your thoughts. God would not command us to have the mind of Christ if it were not possible. In this episode we discuss two passages that have to do with controlling our thoughts. 

A good disciple knows how to take thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. 

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.