One of the greatest sufferings for the human mind is isolation. While physical torture is certainly great suffering, isolation is the greatest spiritual suffering. Penitentiaries will put the harshest criminals in solitary confinement. Secular psychologists argue that being alone will cause great harm to the individual psyche. From a biblical perspective, the psyche is also argued to be the soul. Even the great philosopher Aristotle argued that the psyche [ψυχή] is the soul. Furthermore, English translators of Scripture often translate ‘psyche’ as ‘soul.’ So biblically, we can see that isolation from God the Father is the greatest torment of the soul but can also be a turning point back to God the Father. We can further see Biblically that the soul is life and Jesus’ soul, his very ψυχή was tormented and his body tortured during his Great Suffering and Crucifixion. While Jesus suffered tragedy in his final 24 hours of pain and trial, the greatest suffering that he endured was the temporary separation from the Father. It was this cosmic reality of separation and isolation that was Jesus’ torment more than any other physical pain. Just as the disciples would enter a season of temptation to be sifted like wheat by Satan [Matthew 26:30–35 & Luke 22:31–34], Jesus the Son would be sifted, tortured, falsely tried, and endure the agony of crucifixion. His tormented soul swam in torturous physical abuse while facing the terror of isolation from God the Father. For the Father in Heaven to turn HIS face away from HIS Son was the greatest of all suffering. “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?! Which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!” [Matt. 27:46 & Mark 15:34] Let’s dig into Matthew 26:36–46 together and glean from our LORD on how to pray in great times of depression, anxiety, agony, and fear

“I know who I am. If I just believe in myself, I can accomplish miracles!” This is the message of confidence that sells billions of dollars in self-help books and seminars annually in the United States. The market for this message is big as insecure Americans seek out services and ‘professionals’ to improve their lives. This industry claims to have answers for all spiritual, financial, and health questions. The market is primarily female, but men are getting more involved. The market ranges in categories from curriculums on self-improvement, personal coaching, books, holistic institutes, and motivational speakers. The profits are growing from $13.4 billion in 2022 to $14 billion dollars in 2023.1 The market could easily top $15 billion dollars by 2025. The holistic medicine message is most dangerous in the Church right now since its message claims to be based in spirituality to heal the mind and body. Some in our own congregation have rejected pastoral care in favor of holistic medicine ‘professionals’ claiming to not need the church or spiritual support from church leadership or lay persons. The results are not Christ honoring. The great danger in self-improvement messages is the over-confidence that they produce. Confidence in one’s identity in Christ is always healthy. But confidence in one’s own ability leads to a sinful crash. Improper self-confidence, like that of Peter the night of Jesus’ arrest, is the first step to a fall. We are all prone to be overconfident. Those soon to fall are the most confident, and most foul, in themselves. Those are least safe, who think themselves most secure. Satan is active to lead the prideful mind astray. The over-confident are most off guard. God leaves them to themselves, to humble them. This passage of Jesus’ prophecy of Peter’s (and the disciples’ denial of their LORD) follows a biblical pattern found in the Old Testament Prophets of denial, suffering, and restoration.

Let us dig into Matthew 26:30–35 and glean from God’s Word a warning to turn from one’s own pride and turn to Christ our LORD.

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

Certain people are sometimes not welcome at the table during a meal. We often will send a misbehaving child to his room as a lesson that gathering with the family at the table is a privilege, not an entitlement. The previous verses of Matthew 26:20-25 revealed that our LORD, Jesus, challenged his twelve in preparing to partake in the gift of his body and blood for their salvation. Eleven of the twelve showed honor and humility before their ‘Lord’. But one, a self-entitled disciple, revealed his heart of betrayal toward the ‘Rabbi’, the ‘Teacher’ during the Passover meal. Matthew 26:26-39 is the next passage by Matthew that shows the purpose and intent of the Lord’s Supper that was a part of that Passover Meal as a new form of the meal that only eleven of the twelve disciples received. The symbols of the bread and wine were intended to remind the faithful disciples of the sacrifice of their LORD and a reminder of who were welcome at the table of Christ’s sacrifice for them. He gave all that he was for their redemption. Yet not all of the twelve were present at this portion of the Passover meal. Jesus purposefully invited the faithful who humbly obeyed their LORD to receive the gift of himself for them. One betrayer, the one who symbolically and literally represents now all of humanity’s refusal of the Savior is no longer at the table. It was at this point of the scene in the Upper Room that Jesus taught his remaining eleven disciples the depth of HIS love for them. They received the greatest gift of the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper in a Communion of fellowship with the LORD. Judas, the betrayer, was sent away to ‘do what he must do quickly’ [John 13:27]. Luke’s account indicates that Satan entered Judas prior to the ‘day of Unleavened Bread’ prior to the Passover [Luke 22:3]. John’s account tells us that ‘the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray’ Jesus prior to the supper. [John 13:3] There are four traditional views of the meaning and purpose of the Lord’s Supper. I hope today to briefly help us understand what we receive at the Lord’s Table each time we gather as a congregation. Let us read Matthew 26:26-29 together to discern the meaning of this most important gift of the Lord’s Supper that Christ has given to us.

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

Many have just experienced family gatherings these past weeks of the Holiday Season centered around a table, a shared meal. Some have enjoyed the blessing of family. Others have tolerated the presence of family. Regardless, the shared meal during a celebration can bring either great joy or tragic suffering. We continue in our exegesis of Matthew’s gospel through the final few days of Jesus’s life and earthly ministry. He is in Jerusalem and directs the gathering of his twelve in an upper room of a house to honor the Passover tradition with the prescribed meal. It is here that all the twelve are called out as denyers, but one is specifically called out as a betrayer. The harsh pain of a betrayal often follows a shared meal because the betrayer fawns loyalty to the one he or she despises. You and I may not see the betrayal coming. But Jesus carries his divine trait of omniscience even in his human essence. Our Lord’s insights are powerful as he navigates the Passover evening with his twelve. I believe we can all see ourselves in this passage about the twelve who will all deny our Lord. Yet one of these twelve is a betrayer who willingly becomes the instrument of Satan by which our Lord’s crucifixion will take place. Which one are we? Are we the doubtful disciple who humbly desires to obey Jesus? Or are we no different than Judas in betraying our Lord? This passage shows how the willing sin of men can be directed by God’s providence to accomplish HIS holy purposes without God the Father being blamed for men’s willing betrayal. Let’s read Matthew 26:17-25 and discover together the depths of treachery that led to our Lord’s crucifixion.

This podcast feed hosts the public teaching ministry of Dr. Bryant K. Owens. I am an independent scholar exploring Christian Studies in today’s secular world. I believe that thoughtful Christianity can bring meaningful change in our churches, classrooms, homes, and communities. With years of experience as both a pastor and educator, I am passionate about the historical Christian worldview and the classical, Socratic approach to learning. My work draws from theology, philosophy, ethics, and the humanities, always with a heart for making faith thoughtful and life-giving.

https://bryantowens.substack.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbryantowens/

This fourth Sunday of Advent is the last Sunday morning before we celebrate the birth of our Savior on December 25th. The brokenness of God’s fallen creation at last sees hope in the miraculous incarnation of God’s Son. Today’s text will give us a glimpse into the mysterious yet revealed truth of the Incarnation of God himself as he steps into humanity – resulting in the birth of the Son of God who is holy. Let’s read today’s passage [Luke 1:26-38] … the divine message of God through the angel Gabriel to Mary the Virgin mother of our Lord.

"Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts." -- Zechariah 1:3

Joy to the World is one of the more popular Christmas songs of the English language tradition. This hymn brings remembrance of the rich theology … biblical theology … of the incarnation to the hearer. All the earth responds in a new song of JOY at the arrival of God in the flesh. In contrast, secular Christmas music that fills our airways and streaming services does not have In contrast, secular Christmas music that fills our airways and streaming services does not have the JOY that the rich hymns of the Christian faith convey. One favorite secular song from the 20th century Christmas tradition is the Jazz filled theme to the Charlie Brown Christmas. This song contains no lyrics but the jovial rhythm and head-bobbing beat convey a celebration … a time long gone with innocence and childhood fun. Other songs like “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” just do not seem to reflect the biblical witness of salvation … the good news of salvation and peace. But the ideas conveyed in the hymn, Joy to the World, express in simple ways the fulfillment of the covenant promises of God to his fallen creation. At the pinnacle of this fulfillment is God entering into humanity … taking upon himself what is not of himself … the sin and human dilemma of struggles and battles with thorns and thistles that came as the result of the first man and first woman’s sin. We will sing this wonderful hymn as our closing hymn of worship tonight. So in preparation for the corporate singing of this wonderful classic from Isaac Watts, let’s take a look at the biblical source for the proclamation of singing “JOY to the World”