Wednesday in the Word

In this episode, we follow Paul’s own story in Galatians 1:11–24 as he explains where his message came from, why it can be trusted, and how God often works through long seasons that look unimpressive from the outside. Paul insists that the gospel he preached in Galatia was not his invention or anyone else’s—it was given to him by revelation from Jesus Christ—and then he walks through his past, his conversion, and his early years as a believer to prove it. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• Paul’s claim that the gospel he preached is “not man’s gospel” and that he “did not receive it from any man” but through a revelation of Jesus Christ 
• What the gospel is not: not human wisdom, religious speculation, or the result of spiritual experts piecing together their best ideas about God
• Paul’s former life in Judaism—his zeal for the law, his rapid advancement, and his violent persecution of the church—and how that exposes the false promise that law-keeping alone can make us pleasing to God 
• How God took the initiative “before [Paul] was born,” calling him by grace and revealing his Son so that Paul would preach Christ among the Gentiles 
• The timeline of Paul’s early Christian life: his encounter with the risen Jesus, his time in Arabia, and his return to Damascus, read together with the account in Acts 9
• Why Paul describes three “alibis”—Arabia, a brief visit with Peter and James in Jerusalem, and years in Syria and Cilicia—to show that he did not learn his gospel from the Jerusalem apostles 
• How the churches in Judea knew Paul only by reputation: “he who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy,” and why they glorified God because of him 
• The surprising fact that Paul spent roughly 12–14 years in relative obscurity after his conversion, with little visible “success,” and what that teaches us about God’s pace and priorities in ministry 
• How Paul’s question about possibly having “run in vain” speaks to anyone who has labored faithfully with few results, and how Scripture reframes success as obedience rather than numbers or applause 

After listening, you’ll see Galatians 1:11–24 not just as autobiography, but as a window into how God reveals his gospel, confirms his messengers, and quietly prepares a life for lasting fruit. 

Series: Galatians: Living by Faith

Paul opens Galatians with urgency and clarity: there is only one true gospel, and it comes from God, not from human invention. In this episode, we look at Galatians 1:1–10, where Paul establishes his authority as an apostle, summarizes the heart of the gospel in the death of Christ, and warns the Galatians that to turn to a different message is not a small adjustment—it is deserting God himself. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• How Paul introduces himself as an apostle “not from men nor through man,” and why his authority rests entirely on the call of the risen Christ 
• What Paul’s greeting teaches us about grace, peace, and Christ “who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age”
• Why the cross is not just a display of love but a sin-offering that addresses both our guilt and our inner corruption
• How Paul’s description of this age as “the present evil age” contrasts with the coming age of righteousness and helps us understand what it means to be rescued
• Paul’s shock that the Galatians are “so quickly deserting” God by turning to a different gospel—and why desertion is such a serious image for abandoning the truth
• The nature of the false teaching in Galatia: adding law-keeping to faith in Christ and subtly shifting from grace to a gospel of human effort
• Paul’s severe warning that anyone—even an apostle or an angel—who preaches a different gospel stands under God’s curse
• How this passage helps us discern modern distortions of the gospel, whether they minimize sin, make the cross unnecessary, or treat apostolic teaching as outdated
• Why immersing ourselves in Scripture is the best way to recognize counterfeit gospels and to listen carefully to the trustworthy apostolic voice

After listening, you’ll come away with a sharper sense of what the gospel actually is—and what it is not. You’ll see why Paul speaks so strongly in defense of grace, how the cross answers both your guilt and your bondage to sin, and why anchoring your faith in the apostolic message of Christ crucified is the surest protection against every “new and improved” version of the gospel. 

Series: Galatians: Living by Faith

Paul’s letter to the Galatians is spiritual dynamite—written to rescue believers from a distorted gospel and call them back to the cross of Christ alone. In this introductory episode, we trace Paul’s story, the birth of the Galatian churches, and the crisis that led him to write one of the most urgent and passionate letters in the New Testament. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• Who Paul was before and after his conversion—from zealous persecutor to apostle of Jesus Christ (Acts 7–9; Philippians 3)
• How Paul’s early years after conversion (Damascus, Arabia, Jerusalem, and Tarsus) prepared him for ministry to both Jews and Gentiles
• The setting of Galatia: where these churches were located and why their mixed Jewish-Gentile makeup matters for interpreting the letter
• Key moments from Paul’s first missionary journey in Acts 13–14, including opposition, persecution, and the surprising joy of new Gentile believers
• Who the “Judaizers” were, what they were teaching, and why their message sounded close to the gospel—but wasn’t the gospel at all
• Why Galatians is so forceful in tone, including Paul’s confrontations, strong language, and a series of striking contrasts (law vs. promise, flesh vs. Spirit, sonship vs. slavery)
• How Galatians addresses our two deepest problems: guilt before God and the inner corruption that keeps us from true righteousness
• The central claim that forgiveness and real moral transformation both come through Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit—not through law-keeping or religious performance
• How this letter challenges attempts to blend Christianity with other beliefs, cultural expectations, or “spiritual hedging”

After listening, you’ll come away with a clear sense of what is at stake in Galatians: whether we will trust a gospel of grace centered on the cross and the Spirit, or a gospel of human effort clothed in religious language. 

 Series: Galatians: Living by Faith 

May 2023: The podcast is on break for some much needed study time before we start a new series.

In the meantime, you can also listen to any of over 500 previous episodes.

This episode looks at 2 Thessalonians 3:1–18, where Paul closes his letters to the Thessalonians by tying prayer, perseverance, work, and hope together. He asks for prayer that the gospel would spread, reminds believers that the Lord is faithful to guard them, and then addresses the problem of idleness. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• Why Paul begins his conclusion by asking for prayer, and what it means to pray that “the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored”
• How Paul’s own situation in Corinth—facing opposition yet seeing the gospel bear fruit—shapes his request for deliverance from “wicked and evil men”
• The contrast between human unfaithfulness and the Lord’s faithfulness to establish believers and guard them from the evil one
• Paul’s confidence that God Himself will keep the Thessalonians doing what He commands, and his prayer that their hearts be directed to God’s love and Christ’s steadfastness
• The recurring problem of idleness in Thessalonica, and why Paul takes so seriously those who are “not willing to work” but live off the generosity of others
• What it means to “keep away” from an idle brother—not to shun as an enemy, but to stop enabling irresponsibility and to practice loving, corrective distance
• Paul’s own example of working “night and day” so as not to be a financial burden, even though he had a right to support as an apostle
• The strong command, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat,” and how it distinguishes between real, unavoidable need and stubborn refusal to take responsibility
• How financial irresponsibility is not just impractical but spiritually dangerous, revealing what we truly value and whether we are embracing God’s wisdom
• Wise giving: when it is loving to offer support out of gratitude, patronage, or charity—and when continued support actually harms rather than helps
• Paul’s encouragement not to “grow weary in doing good,” especially when others resist correction or take advantage of generosity
• The final prayer to the “Lord of peace” to give peace at all times, and how the hope of Christ’s return shapes the way believers handle work, money, conflict, and endurance

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer sense of how 2 Thessalonians 3:1–18 connects everyday issues like work, money, and boundaries to the larger hope of Christ’s return.

 Series: 1&2 Thessalonians: Between Times

This episode turns to 2 Thessalonians 2:1–17 and the unsettling question: Has the “day of the Lord” already come—and how would we know? Paul reassures a confused young church that Christ has not returned in secret, explains what must happen first, and reminds them that the goal is not to map every detail of the end times, but to hold fast to the truth of the gospel and trust God with the future. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• Why the Thessalonians are shaken about the coming of Christ and “our being gathered together to Him,” and how Paul calms their fears
• How Daniel’s prophecies and Jesus’ Olivet Discourse shape the background for Paul’s teaching about the “man of lawlessness”
• Three broad approaches to end-times passages (all future, all past/preterist, and a mixed “already/not yet” view), and why Christians should hold their conclusions humbly
• A tentative framework for understanding Satan’s power as “bound” by Christ’s first coming and one day “loosed” again before His return
• What Paul may mean by “the rebellion,” the revealing of the “man of lawlessness,” and the mysterious “restrainer” who currently holds that lawlessness back
• The difference between healthy curiosity about prophecy and an unhealthy obsession with dates, charts, and speculative timelines
• How Paul’s main goal is comfort, not controversy—assuring believers that Christ will easily defeat the lawless one “with the breath of his mouth”
• Why biblical illiteracy will be spiritually dangerous when deception increases, and how a love of truth anchors believers when signs and wonders mislead many
• The sharp contrast Paul draws between those who “refuse to love the truth” and those whom God has chosen, called, and is sanctifying through the Spirit and belief in the truth
• What it practically means to “stand firm and hold to the traditions” handed down through the apostles in a world of shifting ideas and growing confusion

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer, more measured way of thinking about 2 Thessalonians 2:1–17—less anxious about decoding every symbol, and more grounded in the central realities Paul emphasizes: Christ will return, evil and deception will not have the last word, and those who love the truth of the gospel are secure in God’s hands. 

Series: 1&2 Thessalonians: Between Times

This episode turns to 2 Thessalonians 1:1–12 and the hard but hopeful question of how to handle suffering for the sake of the gospel. Paul praises a persecuted church for their growing faith and love, then lifts their eyes to the bigger story God is telling, where their endurance will be vindicated, evil will be judged, and God’s justice and mercy will be seen clearly at the return of Christ. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• How 2 Thessalonians builds on the first letter and why Paul writes again so soon
• The specific ways the Thessalonian believers are growing in faith and love right in the middle of opposition
• Why persevering under pressure is “evidence” of God’s righteous judgment and of their place in His kingdom
• How Paul comforts a suffering church by talking plainly about God’s future judgment on those who afflict them
• What Scripture means by “eternal destruction” and being “away from the presence of the Lord,” and why these are two ways of describing the same reality
• The tension many Christians feel about God’s wrath, and why punishment is a necessary part of true justice
• The danger of living only for the present—whether through “fear of missing out” or simple short-sightedness—and the call to recover an eternal perspective
• The two paths Scripture sets before us: humbly receiving mercy through Christ or continuing in rebellion and facing judgment
• How biblical examples like Noah’s flood and Sodom and Gomorrah illustrate both God’s judgment and His rescue of those who trust Him
• Paul’s closing prayer that God Himself would make believers worthy of His calling, strengthen every resolve for good, and glorify the name of Jesus through their perseverance

After listening, you’ll come away with a more sober but also more hopeful view of God’s judgment—seeing it not as a public-relations problem but as the necessary counterpart to His love and justice. 

 Series: 1&2 Thessalonians: Between Times

This episode looks at 1 Thessalonians 5:12–28 and how Paul teaches a young, diverse church to live together in peace. Rather than closing his letter with random bits of advice, Paul weaves together a picture of community life shaped by respect for leaders, patient care for one another, discerning openness to God’s word, and steady confidence in God’s faithfulness. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• Why Paul’s rapid-fire commands at the end of 1 Thessalonians actually form a coherent vision for church life
• What it means to “appreciate” and “esteem” those who labor among us and have spiritual oversight—and how that relates to living at peace with one another
• How power struggles, criticism, and turf wars can fracture a church, and why Paul reframes leadership as service rather than control
• Paul’s call to “admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak” and be patient with everyone, and what that looks like in a mixed, imperfect congregation
• Why refusing to “repay evil for evil” is central to Christian love, both toward difficult believers and toward unbelievers who oppose the gospel
• How “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything” flows from confidence that God is at work in every circumstance, not from pretending life is easy
• What it means not to “quench the Spirit” or “despise prophetic utterances,” and how to stay both teachable and discerning as we listen to those who claim to speak God’s truth
• Paul’s charge to “examine everything carefully, hold fast to what is good, abstain from every form of evil,” and how this guards us from both gullibility and cynicism
• The significance of Paul’s closing prayer to the “God of peace” who will sanctify believers completely and faithfully bring them to the finish line

After listening, you’ll have a clearer sense of how 1 Thessalonians 5:12–28 calls a church away from rivalry, resentment, and suspicion and toward a shared life marked by respect, patience, thoughtful discernment, and hope. 

 Series: 1&2 Thessalonians: Between Times

This episode turns to 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 and the hope bound up with the return of Christ. We look at how Paul comforts believers who are grieving, clarifies what will happen to those who have died in Christ, and explains why the “day of the Lord” should lead us not to speculation or fear, but to steady faith, watchfulness, and encouragement. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• Why Paul does not forbid grief, but calls believers to grieve differently—anchored in the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of our own
• What Paul teaches about those who have “fallen asleep,” and why dying before Christ returns is not a disadvantage but part of God’s good plan
• How the Lord’s return will gather all His people—both the dead and the living—to be with Him forever
• The meaning and context of being “caught up… to meet the Lord in the air,” and why popular rapture scenarios go beyond what this passage actually says
• How 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 fit together to describe the resurrection and the transformation of our perishable bodies
• A brief look at dispensationalism, the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture, and why tying our hope to escape from suffering misses the New Testament pattern
• What Scripture means by “the day of the Lord,” and how the image of a thief in the night and birth pains highlights both surprise and inevitability
• The false promise of “peace and security” from governments, prosperity, or personal planning, and the contrast with the true security found only in God’s kingdom
• Paul’s call to live as “children of light,” awake, sober, and spiritually alert—instead of numbing ourselves with distraction, comfort, or denial
• The armor of faith, love, and the hope of salvation, and the assurance that God has not destined believers for wrath but for salvation through Jesus Christ

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer, more grounded understanding of what 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 actually promises—and what it does not promise—about the return of Christ. 

Series: 1&2 Thessalonians: Between Times

This episode turns to 1 Thessalonians 4:9–12 to ask what brotherly love looks like in everyday life and why Paul moves from sexual integrity to something as ordinary as getting a job. He commends the Thessalonians for their generous love, then urges them to “aspire to live quietly,” mind their own affairs, and work with their hands so that their faith shows up in responsibility, discernment, and trust in God’s care. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• How this section fits into the flow of the letter, as Paul shifts from encouragement to addressing specific problems Timothy has reported
• What Paul means by “brotherly love,” and why biblical love is measured more by how we treat people than by how we feel about them
• The way the Thessalonians’ generosity to believers throughout Macedonia became a visible “labor of love” flowing from genuine faith
• The emerging problem of some believers not working and living off the generosity of others, and how this distorts both love and responsibility
• Paul’s surprising call to “have ambition to lead a quiet life,” and what it means to live within God-given boundaries rather than chasing constant impact
• How “live quietly,” “mind your own affairs,” and “work with your hands” describe a posture of faithful, ordinary obedience rather than withdrawal from the world
• The difference between real, unavoidable need that calls for generous help and irresponsible idleness that we should not enable
• What Proverbs says about laziness, and how taking responsibility for our own needs is part of loving our neighbor as ourselves
• How modern restlessness (“I should be doing more”) and the divide between “spiritual” and “secular” work can keep us from seeing our daily labor as part of our calling
• Why the goal of the Christian life is not “change the world” but trust God, love the people He’s given us, and be faithful to the tasks in front of us

After listening, you’ll be invited to see your ordinary work—whatever it is—as a meaningful part of following Jesus, not a distraction from “real” ministry. 

 Series: 1&2 Thessalonians: Between Times