The Podcast With Marben Bland

Send us a text

Did you know that a foodie is defined as a person who loves and has a refined interest in food? Foodies eat not only out of hunger but also as a hobby.

Well, on this Thanksgiving Day, I think we are all foodies. As I record this message, I am thinking about all the wonderful food that awaits: the stuffing, the dressing, the mac and cheese, the greens, and yes, the turkey with all the trimmings.

Did you know that Jesus is a foodie? Jesus was a foodie because He used meals to engage people and teach important lessons at the table.

In Luke’s Gospel alone, Jesus shares 10 meals—some with His disciples, some with religious leaders and Pharisees, and some with the outcasts of His day. In Jesus’ time, sharing a meal with someone was an act of acceptance—and often, it was who Jesus ate with that got Him into trouble.

During Jesus’ time, the Promised Land given to the Jews had been taken over by the Romans. The Romans commissioned Jewish tax collectors to collect revenue, and many of these tax collectors took advantage of their own people by charging extra to line their own pockets.

Jewish tax collectors were considered outsiders, traitors, and just as much an enemy as the Roman occupiers. So for Jesus, who claimed to be the Son of God, to share a meal with a tax collector would be like Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, having a Big Mac with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia.

But do you know what Jesus, the foodie, did? He shared a meal with a tax collector named Levi. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law complained, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus, the foodie, responded, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

In eating that meal, Jesus was showing that God accepts everyone. 

Along with the wonderful food enjoyed on American tables today, there will likely be another dish on the menu: tension. Tension from family disagreements, political differences, long-festering feuds, or petty grievances. Tension from the stress of travel, the work of cooking all that food, cleaning the house, and later washing the dishes. Tension has become an unfortunate staple of the American Thanksgiving meal. 

But Jesus, the foodie, gives us a constructive way to deal with that tension.

The Bible speaks often about God’s acceptance of us and how we should accept others. When Jesus walked on earth, He was the perfect example of accepting others, no matter their sins or choices. He extended grace and forgiveness to all, and we are commanded to do the same.

Even though Scripture tells us to seek unity and show no partiality, it also warns us to avoid bad company.

1 Corinthians 5:11 says: “Do not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler.”

Jesus, the foodie, shows us that accepting and loving others as God does doesn’t mean allowing them to negatively influence our lives. There is a balance between grace and wisdom.

When I was growing up, it was a custom for each person around the table to recite a Bible verse before the meal.

So, this Thanksgiving, before you enjoy your meal, let me leave you with a verse that I hope will bring you comfort as you deal with the tensions of the day:

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8

Jesus is a foodie, and so are we. Let’s follow His example and enjoy this Thanksgiving Day in gratitude, grace, and unity.

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com

Send us a text

I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of Greater Bethel AME Athens with a living the word moment.  

The story of the prophet Jonah is a Biblical satire with an irony for our times.  

Called by God to deliver his word to the wicket in Nineveh. Jonah instead runs away from his call landing on a ship filled angry sailors during a violent storm, then thrown overboard, where he is swallowed by a whale spending three days and nights in its belly.  

For Jonah the irony and satire is this: despite his desperate attempt to run away from the call of God, Joana says the things that glorify God.  Brining the people witnessing his retreat closer to God.  
  

Bowing to the will of the Lord, Jonah goes to Nineveh.  He says a single sentence “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown!”  With that proclamation the wicket people of Nineveh were converted.

The instruction is clear in this wicket time God is calling.  Despite our protestation His glory will reign, and like Jonah we will be used as his instrument.  May the satire and the irony continue.  

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com

Send us a text

I am Marben Bland, Pastor of Greater Bethel AME – Athens with a living the word moment.   

New York Times Bestselling Christian Author Bob Phillips wrote “Integrity is the first button on the shirt of character. If you get that button right, the rest of the character buttons will fall into place.”    

While God’s command not to lie (Exodus 20:16) is listed as the ninth of the ten commandments integrity, operating within the boundaries of fact and truth is the bedrock of a functional society.  

When the leader of a business, country or church lie, it distorts and numbs the truth causing the people to move beyond distrust to a disbelief of any official proclamation.  Science, fact, and Biblical teaching are discarded instead alternative facts, rumor, and conspiracy theories rule the day.  

As the world continues to operate in the darkness of the lie, God wants his people to stand firmly in the sunlight of truth. Proverbs 10:9 tell tells us that “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out.”

For as Philippians 2:10-1 reminds us that every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to the truth that Jesus Christ Is Lord.  

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com

Send us a text

Praise the Lord!  This weekend at Greater Bethel AME Athens over two days we baptized four people with two saints joining the church.   

In celebration the teaching of the Lord is entitled The Amazing Grace Of Baptism.  Key point from the Matthew 3:13-17 text. 

John the Baptist was baptizing vast numbers of people at the Jordan, summoning them to repent of their sins. 

When he saw Jesus coming, he cried out, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” God’s lamb, of course, the sacrificial lamb, needed to be without spot or blemish or any such thing. 

So, it’s not surprising that when Jesus came to John to be baptized, John resisted Him. John was the sinner needing to be baptized, not Jesus.

So, why did Jesus insist on being baptized? That was the question that John himself struggled to answer, and he wasn’t the last to do so.

The answer is God gave us Jesus to be sin for us. Although Jesus personally knew no sin, Jesus was baptized in order that we might become in Him the righteousness of God that is in us. 

We are in bondage to sin and by being baptized Jesus gave us access to the freedoms of a life lived without sin.  

Three freedoms granted to us by the baptism of Jesus:

1. The Freedom Of God’s Free Will 

God in Deuteronomy 30:19-20 gives us the free will choice to choose life or death, blessings, or curses. In choosing a life with God it will bring generational blessings will come to you and your family. 

2. The Freedom To Live As Wheat Among The Weeds 

Jesus in the Parable of the weeds among the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30) reminds us that as Christians we live in a sinful world. 

3.The Freedom To Live Joyfully, Praising The Lord In Good Times And Bad

Happiness, and difficulties are a way of life. Our faith in God gives us the opportunity to live with joy and praise in the midst of trials and tribulations. God’s chosen people, the Israelites because of sin were exiled into slavery in Babylon. God sent his prophet Jeremiah with a message of hope that despite being in captivity they were to be happy, to prosper and to praise the Lord. (Jeremiah 29:1-14). Psalms 146 commands everything that has breath should praise the Lord. 

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com

Send us a text

Dr. Gerstner asked the mother what the significance of the white gown was. The mother replied, “To symbolize the baby’s innocence.” Dr. Gerstner replied, “If the baby is innocent, then why are we baptizing him?”

To be baptize is both a recognition of our sinful nature along with God’s grace to forgive.   

This week at the end of a divisive campaign there was jubilation for the Trump team, and sadness for the Harris team.  The innocence was driven out of both sides in a sea of negative advertising, malicious internet posts and bombastic rally insults.   

America and its people need the amazing grace of baptism.  The grace that only comes when we humble ourselves admitting our sins.  Submitting ourselves to God’s mighty forgiveness with the knowledge that earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot heal.   

So let us symbolically if not physically be baptized, for cleansing is vital, forgiveness is needed, and grace is required if we are to be the nation that God expects us to be.   

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com

Send us a text

I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of Greater Bethel AME Athens with a Living The Word Moment 

The victory was complete and crushing the conquest of the kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians sent God’s people into exile away from home, family, and their way of life.   

Despite the suffering and separation God was with his people.  He ordained Ezekiel as his prophet to live among the rebellious defeated and exiled Jews.   In Ezekiel 2:3-7 God lays out his marching orders telling his servant three things that we should remember today.   

• First: Do not to be afraid for fear will get you nowhere  
• Second: Do not be dismayed, regardless of the situation we need to have an attitude of  gratitude. 
• Third: Continue to speak the words of God for there is power in the name of the Lord 

In this moment of defeat God’s word is clear, we are not to be afraid, we are not to be dismayed, and we are to continue to speak the words of God for like the Jews our time of liberation will come.  

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com

Send us a text

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com

Send us a text

It’s election eve and there is tension in America.  In a 25-minute sermon from Mark 4:35-41 Pastor Marben Bland, details the tension felt by the disciples as they were buffered by a storm while Jesus was sleeping in the boat.   

Key teachings from Mark 4:35-41 that can help us doing these days of tension:  

1. Tension is normal it will in some form, or another come into our lives. 

2. Jesus is not asleep as we experience tension, all we need is to call out to him. 

3.  Our faith in Jesus will help ease our tension, for it is well with my soul.  

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com

Send us a text

With only hours until election day there is tension in America.  Experts define Tension as being under mental or emotional strain 

A mind that is affected by tension often does not think clearly.  

There was tension in the boat as Jesus was crossing the Sea of Galilee.  A storm came us that was so powerful that even experienced seagoing fishmen who were the disciples of Jesus were feeling the tension.  

As the wind whipped, the waves spilled into the boat Jesus remained at rest in a peaceful sleep.  The terrified disciples thought clearly, calling out to Jesus who rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”

Then he asked the disciples “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?”

In these hours before the election tensions are high.   But our faith is higher and in the mist of all this tension the decision is clear call on Jesus and despite the tension Peace will be still.  

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com

Send us a text

In a sermon from Exodus 14:10-14 Pastor Marben Bland teachers what we should do when in staying still while the Lord fights our battles.  

For More Great Content Go To Marben Bland.com