Wawasee Bible Podcast

Jesus is not only fully God, but became fully human. Because of this truth he understands us better than anyone else. In his humanity Jesus experienced and understands fear and anxiety, and he models a way through it to trust and rest in God's love, grace, and control. Often anxiety boils down to just that, not having control. Thankfully God deeply loves us, is near, and is always in full control. When anxiety and fear set in, we should first pause and recognize it. Name it. Then reflect on what our root fear is and on what is actually true (i.e. God's love, control, and nearness), identifying and rooting out lies and any potential sinful causes of our anxiety. Finally we still need to live our lives, but to reengage with Jesus in the middle of everything. This will be a pattern we need to repeat continually as we seek to pursue Christ even in our anxiety. (It's also noted that for some, anxiety is flat-out debilitating and to overcome it we should seek professional biblical counseling and help.)

Jesus is not only fully God, but became fully human. Because of this truth he understands us better than anyone else. In his humanity Jesus experienced long days, weariness, even sleepless nights when he dreaded what was coming the next day. Jesus understands exhaustion, and he also understands and offers the way through it. Jesus calls us to simply come to him, to take on his yoke and learn from him. He offers the best pace and best fit for us as we follow him. His way is kind, and the load he puts on us is light—because he's with us in it every step of the way. Life is demanding & leaves us exhausted, but Jesus is gentle and lowly—come to him.

Jesus is not only fully God, but became fully human. Because of this truth he understands us better than anyone else. Not only did he create us, he lived as a one of us. And he gets us. In Luke 15 Jesus tells 3 parables that all go together. They show clearly that all of us are known by Jesus, greatly valued by Jesus, and joyfully welcomed by Jesus when we turn to him. Even though we might feel and/or be overlooked, lost, hiding, afraid—we're known by God, he pursues us, and we can run to him. All of us feel insecure, but God seeks us because of our unspeakable worth to him! Jesus meets our insecurity with surety, mercy, grace, and love.

In Acts 20 Paul is wrapping up his 3rd church planting (missionary) journey, leaving the city of Ephesus for the last time. Six years later he writes a letter to the church in Ephesus (as well as the surrounding region). His letter can be neatly divided into two halves. The first half is Paul reminding them of who they are in Christ, and their new identity. The second half is all about how they should then live because of who they are and Whose they are. Our default is to work hard to get it all right, get enough likes on Instagram, climb the corporate ladder, act a certain way, attain a certain status, or please enough people to achieve our desired identity. But the Gospel turns that all on its head. The truth is that we receive our identity, we don't achieve it. Identity first, then activity follows.

Toward the end of his third church-planting (missionary) journey, Paul spends a few months in Corinth (Acts 20:2-3), likely the winter months (1 Corinthians 16:6). While he's there, he writes to the believers he longs to visit—those in Rome. Paul would not make to Rome on his own terms, but as a prisoner (Acts 28:16). It's possible that he was unsure if he'd ever make it, and that's why he writes ahead of time to at least give them in written form all he hoped to teach. In Romans we likely have the "Cliff Notes" of what Paul taught in all of his stops. Romans is a book of "doctrine rightly applied"—it's what to believe and how to behave in light of it. This week Pastor Josh gives a summary of Romans: We’re all sinners who deserve God's wrath, but Jesus took it for us so we can have and choose new life.

In Acts 20 Paul is wrapping up his 3rd church planting (missionary) journey. We see him visit Corinth, Macedonia, Troas, Ephesus and other places for the very last time. He'll leave this region—and the people he dearly loves there—for the last time, never to return, and he knows it. So what does he do? Like Paul, each of us will leave some things in our wake. Some good, some bad. But what will we leave that actually lasts? As C.T. Studd is famous for writing, "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last." The greatest legacy we leave for those we love is to point them to Jesus who loves them even more.

The city of Ephesus was the third largest in the Roman Empire. It was a major commercial port on the Aegean Sea and home to many artisans, beautiful architecture, as well as the capital and religious center of Asia Minor. At the center of life in Ephesus was the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It brought in much wealth, tourism, and renown for Ephesus. After three years of ministry there, Paul was about to move on when a chaotic event happened. The Gospel was having such a profound affect on people's lives that the greater culture of Ephesus was feeling it. As people began following Jesus, they naturally became less interested in Artemis, and the craftsmen who profited from the sale of shrines and other goods surrounding the worship of Artemis began to feel the effects in their pocketbooks. This lead to a near riot that required the mayor of Ephesus (a city of 250,000 at the time) to step in and calm things down. Curiously, he knew the followers of Jesus not for their antagonism toward Artemis, but evidently for their love of Jesus. We're sent out with good news that truly changes lives and must be known by who we're for, not what we're against.

On his 3rd church-planting (missionary) journey, the Apostle Paul spent about 3 years in the city of Ephesus. For about two years he taught daily in the Hall of Tyrannus, teaching about Jesus and reasoning with people. Paul's influence was so great that at one point people were taking his sweat rags and work aprons (from tent-making/leather-working) and taking them in faith to those who were sick and/or tormented with evil spirits, and people were healed. But all of this wasn't due to power in Paul or any of his possessions, but due to God's power. It wasn't about Paul, but God delighted to work through Paul, just as he does us. It wasn't a magic formula but faith in Christ that brought change. The key for us to unlock God's power and change in our own lives is through confession and repentance.

In between Paul's second and third church planting journeys, we're introduced to a man named Apollos. Apollos was a Jew from Alexandria, and he grew to have a great impact on the church in Achaia (Corinth) and become an important partner in the Gospel with Paul over time. Apollos never stopped seeking to grow to know Jesus, and while he was a skilled and eloquent speaker, he was humble enough to receive instruction from others. Apollos used his gifts to build up the church in Corinth and share the good news of Jesus with many. But the key wasn't Apollos, it was God working. As Paul would later write, he planted, Apollos watered, but God provided the growth. What will your 2024 look like? May it be one where you, like Apollos, keep growing and sharing the good news, trusting God to provide the growth!

Dave Bruemmer wraps up our Advent series, "Bright Light", looking at Jesus coming as the light of the world!