Episodes
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Command #50 - Honor Your Father and Mother
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
None of the Ten Commandments has been so diminished of its power by our modern culture more than honor to one's parents. Independence is the god of our age. The cancer that has infected our time is not merely anti-family, as serious as that threat is. It goes far deeper.
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Command #49 - Do Not Exalt Yourself
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
After passing through Galilee and returning home to Capernaum, Jesus posed a very pointed question to the disciples: "What were you discussing on the way?" Their response was that of a group of children caught red-handed with their hands in the cookie jar. Mark merely says, "They were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest." Jesus had nailed them, and they knew it.
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Command #48 - Do Good To Those Who Hate You
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Jesus does not even leave it at Rejoice when you are persecuted and Love and pray for your enemies. He goes further still. The three-tiered progression of response to ill-treatment in Luke 6 is incredible and completely impractical. The program Jesus outlines is impossible by any earthly standards.
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
Command #47 - Love and Pray For Your Adversaries
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
As world changing as would be the influence of Christians taking the words seriously, Rejoice and be glad when you are reviled and persecuted (Matthew 5:11-12), Jesus goes on to elevate the relation between Christians and their adversaries to a shockingly ambitious level.
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Command #46 - Be Kind
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Biblical literalists more eager to find loopholes in the Commands than to obey them will be the first to point out that Jesus never specifically commanded kindness upon his disciples. We could find no better example of straining at a gnat to swallow a camel.
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
Command #45 - Store Up Treasure in Heaven
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
The Command, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, may also seem an illusive one. A moment's reflection, however, reveals this as one of the most down-to-earth of all Jesus' Commands.
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Command #44 - Seek First God’s Kingdom
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Among the "spiritual" Commands, few are so illusive as this. Jesus concludes his Do not be anxious about your life discussion of the birds of the air and lilies of the the field in Matthew 6 with the words: Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Command #43 - Do Good, Be Good
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
One of the profound mysteries of the Christian Church is that human goodness has not comprised more focus in its theology. While it is true that greater good has been done throughout history by Christianity than any nation, movement, or creed, one is hard-pressed to find goodness at the center of any doctrinal teaching.
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Command #42 - Forgive 70 x 7 Times
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
If we transplant Peter's question and the Lord's response from Matthew 18 into the sixth chapter where the theme of forgiveness emerges out of the Lord's prayer, we would have a succinct teaching on prayer, forgiveness, and the reach of forgiveness.
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Command #41 - Forgive
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
Tuesday Jan 16, 2024
We noted that forgiveness is one of the least understood components of Christian doctrine. Sadly, it is misunderstood by Christians and non-Christians alike.