Sunday we talked about familiarity , how the people closest to Jesus kept missing him while the outsiders found him. But tucked into Mark 6 is a story that didn't make the Sunday message: the execution of John the Baptist. A birthday party, a dancing girl, a drunken promise, and a severed head on a platter. Mark tells it in vivid detail and places it right in the middle of the disciples being sent on mission. This week on the podcast we find out why, and what it means for how we follow.

Show Notes

Primary:  Mark 6:14–29

Parallel account:  Matthew 14:1–12

OT Background:  Malachi 4:5 (Elijah coming), Leviticus 18:16 (brother's wife), Proverbs 6:2 (trapped by your words)

Historical context:  Herod Antipas, Herodias, Salome — confirmed by Josephus, Antiquities 18.5.2

Jesus on John:  Matthew 11:11 — "among those born of women there has arisen no one greater"

Sunday we preached the parable of the sower. But Mark 4 keeps going. Three more parables follow, the lamp under the basket, the seed that grows while the farmer sleeps, and the mustard seed. Short passages. But the claim underneath all three is the same: the kingdom of God is already here, it is growing whether you can see it or not, and it is going to end up much larger than it looks right now. This episode unpacks all three, including the Old Testament background behind the mustard seed that changes everything about what Jesus was saying.

Show Notes

Primary:  Mark 4:21–34

OT Background:  Ezekiel 17:22–24 (great tree, birds nesting), Daniel 4:10–12 (Nebuchadnezzar's tree dream), Isaiah 55:10–11 (word as seed)

Isaiah 6 connection:  Mark 4:11–12 — why Jesus teaches in parables

Greek note:  automatē (Mark 4:28) — the earth produces "by itself"; same root as "automatic"

Rabbinic background:  Mustard seed as proverbial shorthand for smallest possible thing in first-century Jewish teaching

Sunday we saw the trouble Jesus started, forgiving sins, eating with the wrong people, healing on the Sabbath. But tucked into Mark 3 is one of the most feared passages in the Bible: the unforgivable sin. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. People have lost sleep over this. In this episode we look at it carefully, the Jewish background, the specific accusation Jesus was responding to, and why the person who worries they've committed it almost certainly hasn't.

Mark gives us two verses for the temptation of Jesus. Matthew and Luke give us three rounds of dialogue and a full theological showdown. Why does Mark barely mention it? Because Mark isn’t interested in the details of the temptation. He’s interested in the fact that Jesus went, stayed, and came back. The wilderness didn’t stop him.

In this episode we unpack what the number 40 carries in the Old Testament — Israel’s forty years, Moses’ forty days, Elijah’s forty days — and why Jesus passing the wilderness test is the most important thing that happens before his public ministry begins.

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KEY TEXTS FOR SHOW NOTES

Mark 1:12–13 — The wilderness account

Matthew 4:1–11 — The three temptations in full

Luke 4:1–13 — Luke’s parallel account

Deuteronomy 8:3 — Man shall not live by bread alone

Deuteronomy 6:13 — You shall worship the Lord your God alone

Deuteronomy 6:16 — You shall not put the Lord your God to the test

1 Kings 19:1–8 — Elijah in the wilderness

Isaiah 11:6–9 — The peaceable kingdom / wild animals

Romans 5:12–21 — The second Adam thread

Numbers 14 — Israel’s forty years

Exodus 32 — The golden calf while Moses was on the mountain

Ever feel like you know what’s true, you just forget it under pressure?

In Sticky Notes, Pastor Hal uses 1 Peter and 2 Peter to deliver four reminders God keeps putting back in front of us: salvation is a gift, identity is secured in Christ, holiness is what we’re called and equipped for, and the best is still ahead because God keeps His promises. This message is for anyone who’s tired of spiritual drift and ready to live anchored, clear, and hopeful again.

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:12–15, 3:1–2 (plus 1 Peter 1:1–5, 2:22–25; 1 Peter 2:1–12; 1 Peter 1:13–16; 2 Peter 1:3–11; 2 Peter 3:3–13; Joshua 21:44–45; 1 Corinthians 2:9–10; 2 Peter 3:14–18)

In this episode, we dig into Genesis 3 and the role shame plays in pushing people into hiding. From the very beginning, the enemy’s strategy has been deception followed by shame. Adam and Eve hide. They cover. But God does something unexpected, He comes looking and provides a covering they could never make for themselves.

The enemy gives shame.
God gives grace.

Sermon Plus exists to slow things down, explore biblical context, and talk honestly about what following Jesus looks like in real life. This episode is for anyone who has felt distant from God because of shame and is ready to step back into freedom.

If the tithe is a starting point, the New Testament invites us into something deeper. In this Sermon Plus episode, we explore what generosity looks like when it’s shaped by Jesus and formed by grace, not guilt, pressure, or performance.

Using key New Testament passages, we see that generosity flows from grace, grows through intentional rhythms, and reveals where our trust truly rests. This episode reframes giving as participation in God’s mission, not a transaction, and addresses common barriers like fear, control, and distrust with clarity and pastoral honesty.

The goal isn’t pressure, it’s freedom. Not perfection, but formation. New Testament generosity is one of the ways Jesus loosens money’s grip on our hearts and trains us to live open-handed lives.

Scriptures referenced: 2 Corinthians 8:1–9, 1 Corinthians 16:1–2, Matthew 6:1–4, Mark 12:41–44, Philippians 4:14–19, 1 Timothy 6:17–19 (ESV)

Tithing gets argued about a lot, and most modern debates assume the Bible was written for direct deposits and church apps. In Part 1, we slow down, read the key passages in context, and define the tithe using the original Hebrew word ma‘aser (a tenth).

We also walk through what the tithe was doing in Israel’s community life, and we clear away common myths with a short sidebar: Three Things the Tithe Is Not (not a transaction, not a scorecard, not a shortcut to wealth).

You’ll leave with clarity, a simple on-ramp to take a real next step, and a healthier view of generosity rooted in trust, not pressure.

Scriptures referenced: Psalm 24:1, Leviticus 27:30, Deuteronomy 14:22–29, Deuteronomy 26:12, Matthew 23:23, 2 Corinthians 9:7, Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

Prayer is supposed to be personal, but for a lot of people it feels awkward, quiet, distracting, or even disappointing. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why is this so hard,” you’re not alone.

In this Sermon Plus deep dive, we unpack a freeing truth: prayer is relationship, not performance. You don’t need perfect words, long prayers, or a “spiritual voice” to talk with God. He meets you in honesty, weakness, and even silence.

We walk through four common barriers that keep people from praying:

1. “I don’t know how to pray.”

2. “I’m not good with words.”

3. “Prayer feels awkward and distracting.”

4. “I’ve prayed before and nothing changed.”

Scriptures referenced (ESV): Romans 8:26, Matthew 6:7–8, Psalm 62:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9

Simple challenge for the week: five minutes a day, same time if possible, no script, start with honesty. A starting prayer you can use:
“God, I’m here. Help me notice You.”

Some battles don’t give you much warning. One minute life feels steady and the next you’re staring down something that looks bigger than you. In this Sermon Plus episode, Pastor Robbie Foreman unpacks 2 Chronicles 20 and the story of King Jehoshaphat, a leader completely outnumbered and overwhelmed, yet met by a God who fights in unexpected ways.

Instead of strategy or strength, God gives them something stranger. He tells them to take their position, stand still, and trust Him. And then He sends the worship team to the front lines.

This episode explores why gratitude is more than a feeling, it’s a weapon. You’ll see how praise shifts your perspective, steadies your heart, and opens the door for God to work even when the odds aren’t in your favor. If you’re facing pressure, uncertainty, or a battle of your own, this deeper dive will give you practical hope for the middle of the fight.

For those listening in Berkeley County or the Moncks Corner area, this conversation comes from Together Church’s desire to help people know and follow Jesus right where they are.