Wawasee Bible Podcast

The consistent theme of Scripture is that God loves to be with us. He was with Adam and Eve in the Garden, and when they sinned God intervened with a plan to restore everything to his original plan, so that he could be with us forever. The story of the Bible is tracing the promise God made in Genesis 3:15 to make this happen, and eventually we learn that it will all happen through Jesus! Because God loves to be with us, Jesus—the true Light—came to reveal and explain God to us, and to make it possible for us to be with him forever.

Christmas is often full of family gatherings or other gatherings around food. They can be full of joy, but can also be full of angst, anger, and frustration. When Jesus comes at Christmas, his light shines full of grace and truth toward those who come to him, and enables us to do the same, even in the hardest of relationships. Jesus's very nature, God's default, is to be slow to anger, full of mercy, grace, and truth. The Son of God became one us, perfect in grace and truth, grace and truth for you and through you. How will you shine Jesus's light of grace and truth this Christmas?

The craziest trade in the history of the world is recorded in the Bible. It's an offer of God's grace that's made to everyone. God's grace is given in two ways. First, God's generic grace (common grace, general grace) is given to and received by everyone everywhere. But his specific grace, which offers salvation and righteousness through Jesus, while offered to everyone, is only received by some. It's offered as a trade, where Jesus would take all of our sin and failure and gift us his perfect righteousness and life in return. The only way to accept this trade is through faith in Jesus. Jesus came with an offer to make a trade that's not too late to accept! — But you can refuse it. What will you choose?

This year for Christmas we're looking at the first 18 verses of John's Gospel as he describes the incarnation of Jesus by saying "the true light…was coming into the world." In John 1:1-5 we see that Jesus is eternal and fully God in every way. In fact he was there at the beginning and Jesus is the Creator through home everything was made. He is the source of light and light, and believing Christ is the only hope for true life. God's plan from the very beginning was to send Jesus—the Light—to overcome our darkness.

As Paul leaves Corinth we get a glimpse into his attitude toward God and life. It was an attitude of thankfulness. Thankfulness to Jesus for keeping his promise to keep him safe (surely among many other things). It's also demonstrated in how often Paul exhorts us to be thankful people, as thankfulness is a God-honoring attitude. Understanding the active and passive sides of God's will helps us even be thankful in the hardest circumstances (like Job). Paul's life demonstrates how hard life in this sin-tainted world can be and is. And while many of the difficulties and hardships we face are totally out of our control, the thing that is in our control is our response. Our attitude. Will you choose an attitude of complaint, critique, and grumbling? Or will you choose an attitude of thankfulness in everything?

About a year after this first letter, Paul writes again to the church in Corinth. Paul had already written three letters to the Corinthians (two are now lost). In 1 Corinthians (the second of these letters), he used strong words to correct and teach. Most of the church had responded in the right spirit; there were, however, those who were denying Paul’s authority and questioning his motives. So Paul writes again to defend his ministry, and a recurring focus of his is both a recounting of the hard circumstances he's faced, the comfort God gave him during them, and the encouragement and hope God gave him for the future. In life's hardest circumstances God gives comfort. This is hope, and that hope is Jesus.

In Acts 18, Paul spends 18 months getting the church started in Corinth. Corinth was a decadent, wealthy, and licentious place. A few years after leaving Corinth, Paul writes a series of letters to the church there. In one of those letters, 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to address some divisions in the church and answer questions the had about how to live as Christians in their culture gone mad. Paul addresses numerous issues in the church and culture of that day that could just as well have been written to the Church in America today. Pastor Josh also shares the "3 Circles" method of explaining to the Gospel. — In summary, Paul teaches that the Church's sanity in a world gone crazy is the Gospel.

As Paul gets to Corinth, he's spent a lot time in multiple conflicts and on the run due to his commitment to the Gospel. It's likely he was in need of some encouragement, and God provides it in multiple ways. In Corinth he finds Aquila and Priscilla, works along side them (vocationally and in ministry), and stays with them. Later Silas and Timothy arrive as well. When faced with conflict again from the Jews, God encourages him with people coming to faith in Christ (including multiple Synagogue leaders) and a word of encouragement from Jesus in a dream. We see Paul's obedience and Jesus keep his promises. Like Paul, we can find encouragement from each other, from pursuing God's mission together, and from Jesus himself as we do!

After having to leave Philippi, and then flee both Thessalonica and Berea, Paul makes his way to Athens. When he sees the lostness of Athens Paul is saddened. So he enters into the culture, engages with the people of the city, and shares the message of Jesus Christ and the resurrection. During his time in Athens Paul demonstrates what a good Gospel Conversation might look like, and how to pursue one. He starts with friendship, asks good questions, and keeps it simple! When you share God's story, you don't need all the answers—just your own answer.

The church in Thessalonica was facing lots of struggles and persecution because of their faith. Paul lived it first hand in Acts 17:1-9. After escaping Thessalonica and then Berea, Paul took off for Athens and then Corinth. During his time in Corinth he sent two letters back to the church in Thessalonica over approximately 6 months. In both he expresses his concern for them, and encourages them to keep going in their faith, even though life had gotten so hard for them. In 2 Thessalonians Paul gives instruction about Jesus's return and to not be a lazy Christian. Keep going; Jesus will return, so keep working until he does!