How could Jesus have died for just the chosen and still have redeemed the entire human race? The Bible seems to send mixed messages on this question, however if we look at the big picture context of these things it reveals a whole new level of meaning. To get answers to these seemingly contradictory Scriptures, watch this quick vlog then listen to our full podcast of the same name.
What does it mean that Jesus died for all, if all haven't heard his name or accepted his message? Does God give everyone an equal opportunity?
Jesus talked about the God's kingdom more than any other subject. The problem is, much of it was seemingly contradictory. Let's look closer...
It is easy to talk about following Jesus but sometimes those around us think we are a little odd. How do we know what to think, do and become to be sure we are truly following Jesus in spite of what is going on around us? What does it really mean to follow Jesus? Good thing for us, Jesus explained it for us!
Loving your enemies is to want good and not harm to come to them. Jesus mapped this out for us, especially in the last days of his life before his crucifixion. Jesus not only taught us in detail how to love our enemies, he showed us in living color how to profoundly care for them. He literally "walked the walk" – all the way to Calvary. As we look back upon the death and resurrection of Jesus, we will see how he was the instruction manual for loving your enemies. How did Jesus show devotion to those who were devious and hostile, attachment to those who antagonized him and affection for those who became his adversaries? For an in depth bible study listen to our inspiring podcast of the same name.
Loving our enemies is probably one of the most difficult concepts that Jesus gave to his followers, however he is probably one of the GREATEST examples of truly living what he spoke. How did he show his love for those who cursed him and eventually killed him? How did Jesus show devotion to those who were devious and hostile, attachment to those who antagonized him and affection for those who became his adversaries? How can we adopt that same attitude of love in our lives? Listen to this week’s inspiring Christian Questions for the answers.
A few weeks ago we began talking about Jesus speaking the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. This was one of the few parables he actually interpreted for his followers, and in that interpretation he revealed it was a prophecy about the difficult future of Christianity. He spoke of false Christians and an entire age when the true and false would grow together – outwardly indistinguishable from one another - until the "harvest" time. We traced some of the corrupting influences through the long history of the church and began to see how the gospel was treated (and mistreated) along the way. Jesus, after speaking the Wheat and the Tares Parable, spoke two other parables. We believe they further described the corrupted condition of Christianity. So, what do these other parables tell us? Are we in danger of being deceived? Is the gospel even intact here and now in our present world?
In today's digital world, there are "internet trolls" that can insult, hurt and make fun of us anonymously. And the real world is hard enough! Is the teaching of Jesus to "turn the other cheek" still as relevant and powerful as it was centuries ago?
Jesus gave many prophecies and you might be surprised to learn that some of them gave his followers then and now a warning about what would happen with this new movement he started. Christianity corrupted! What did Jesus predict and can we see that around us today?
On our 2017 Christmas podcast, we took a unique approach to telling the traditional Christmas story by including various conversations Jesus had as an adult. We found a pattern of who he gave his time to and what secret reveals he shared to these special people. Watch this quick vlog and then listen to the entire program for a new perspective on how attentive this Savior of the World was to our human needs.
