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Following Jesus by Learning and Living the Bible
Episodes
Monday Oct 12, 2020
Monday Oct 12, 2020
The single most important subject for us to think about is God. Who is he? What is he like? How do who know who He is and what He's like?
A. W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” And I agree that the stakes are that high - it affects our view of others, how we raise our kids, how we treat our coworkers and neighbors, and even how we view and feel about ourselves.
John 1:1-14 has some powerful insights for who God is.
Text:
John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Want to deepen you connection with God?
Free Resource: The #1 key to becoming like Jesus is living our life attached to him. So I've got a gift for you on my website ... a free video series designed to teach you how to read the Bible in a way to deepens your attachment to God. Click the link below.
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Support this ministry:
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
Teaching through Bible books:
The Listener's Commentary on the New Testament is an audio commentary on each New Testament book, explaining its meaning in its original context so you can better understand what it means and live it out.
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Here are some ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Oct 05, 2020
Monday Oct 05, 2020
Galatians 2:11-21 recounts a conflict between the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter, over eating dinner with people. And for Paul, it's a gospel issue!
What Paul says in this passage speaks powerfully to God's people today concerning this present cultural moment. Racism. Identity politics. Status and wealth. Political division. Our differences have never been sharper than they are right now and we need to the gospel to level us and transform the way we relate to our fellow Christians who are different than us.
Following Jesus has implications for who we "one another" with and how we "one another" with them.
Galatians 2:11-21
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Online Courses to help you learn and live the Bible:
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/courses
Want to deepen you connection with God?
The #1 key to becoming like Jesus is living our life attached to him. So I've got a gift for you on my website ... a free video series designed to teach you how to read the Bible in a way to deepens your attachment to God. Click the link below.
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Support this ministry:
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
Teaching through Bible books:
The Listener's Commentary on the New Testament is an audio commentary on each New Testament book, explaining its meaning in its original context so you can better understand what it means.
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Here are some ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Sep 28, 2020
Monday Sep 28, 2020
Are we living in the end times? 2020 has been a crazy year and has so many people asking: are these signs of the times ... is the end near? Is Jesus about to return?
I know this is on lots of Christians minds because I have had emails and phone calls asking me about it. There are new YouTube videos about the end times and fresh predictions of Jesus' return.
But what does Jesus and his apostles have to say about it? Would they say they think we're living near the end times?
In this episode we explore Matthew 24, as well as 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 and 2 Peter 3:10-11 to answer this question.
Bible Passages used in the episode:
Matthew 24:32-36, 42-44
32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.
2 Peter 3: 10-11
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness
FREE MINI-COURSE:
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Support this ministry:
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
Teaching through Bible books: The Listener's Commentary on the New Testament is an audio commentary on each New Testament book, explaining its meaning in its original context so you can better understand what it means.
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Here are some ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Sep 21, 2020
Monday Sep 21, 2020
Sacred vs. Secular.
Sacred music = church music or religious music. Secular music is non-religious.
Sacred activities = religious activities (attending church, reading the Bible, praying). Secular activities is everything else ... which is where we spend the majority of our time - working, cleaning, going to school, and all the stuff of everyday life.
But the Bible doesn't intend for you life to be divided like this.
In a biblical view of the world, everything is spiritual. The only proper division is righteous or unrighteous. And when we live our life unto God, paying the bills is just as spiritual as praying or preaching. Doing homework is just as sacred as doing Bible study.
Discipleship resources for churches and ministries:
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/bible-training-churches
Want to deepen you connection with God?
The #1 key to becoming like Jesus is living our life attached to him. So I've got a gift for you on my website ... a free video series designed to teach you how to read the Bible in a way to deepens your attachment to God. Click the link below.
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Support this ministry:
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
https://www.patreon.com/johnwhittaker
Teaching through Bible books: The Listener's Commentary on the New Testament is an audio commentary on each New Testament book, explaining its meaning in its original context so you can better understand what it means.
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Here are some ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Sep 14, 2020
Monday Sep 14, 2020
In Luke 8:4-18 (the Parable of the Sower) Jesus teaches us a critical truth: hearing the word of God isn't enough; it's the way you hear that really matters.
That means that Bible study alone isn't going to lead to spiritual maturity. In fact, there are some pretty smart people who know more Bible than most people and don't even believe in God or follow Jesus.
In the parable, there are 4 kinds of soils that represent 4 kinds of hearts: a hard heart, a shallow heart, a distracted heart, and a good heart. What makes the difference between the good heart and the other three? Tune it to find out ... and then check your heart!
TEXT
4 When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: 5 “The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. 8 Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As He said these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
9 His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. 10 And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. 12 Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.
16 “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.17 For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. 18 So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”
Want to deepen you connection with God?
The #1 key to becoming like Jesus is living our life attached to him. So I've got a gift for you on my website ... a free video series designed to teach you how to read the Bible in a way to deepens your attachment to God. Click the link below.
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Support this ministry:
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
Teaching through Bible books: The Listener's Commentary on the New Testament is an audio commentary on each New Testament book, explaining its meaning in its original context so you can better understand what it means.
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Here are some ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Monday Sep 07, 2020
"Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Jesus quotes these words when he's being tempted by devil. But the words originally appear in Deuteronomy 8:3, and they provide a real challenge to us as followers of Jesus.
Deuteronomy 8:1-5
“The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.
Want to deepen you connection with God?
The #1 key to becoming like Jesus is living our life attached to him. So I've got a gift for you on my website ... a free video series designed to teach you how to read the Bible in a way to deepens your attachment to God. Click the link below.
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Support this ministry:
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
Or become a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/johnwhittaker
Teaching through Bible books: The Listener's Commentary on the New Testament is an audio commentary on each New Testament book, explaining its meaning in its original context so you can better understand what it means.
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Here are some ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Aug 31, 2020
Monday Aug 31, 2020
Jesus was not afraid to use a little Bible teacher trash talk when dealing with the religious leaders of his day. He often challenged them on their knowledge of Scripture ... which is both fascinating and frightening. These were the Bible experts of the day and yet Jesus questioned their knowledge of the Bible!
Since our spiritual growth is tied to our grasp of the Bible, there's an important lesson in this for us as disciples of Jesus. Do we truly know the Bible? What kind of posture do we have in relationship to the Bible? Do we stand over the text as masters of it or under the text as those who would be mastered by it?
Support this ministry:
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
Want to deepen you connection with God?
The #1 key to becoming like Jesus is living our life attached to him. So I've got a gift for you on my website ... a free video series designed to teach you how to read the Bible in a way to deepens your attachment to God. Click the link below.
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Teaching through Bible books:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Here are some ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Did you know Jesus had to learn the Bible? Have you ever thought about that?
Jesus didn't just somehow automatically know the Scriptures by heart just because he was God in the flesh. He had to study them and learn them, just like he had to learn so many other things as a human being.
And learn them he did.
Read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) looking for all the time Jesus referred to or quoted the Bible. It was just a part of the fabric of his life.
As disciples of Jesus, our goal is to become like Him. That means, we imitate his pattern of life. If Jesus did something, then we aim to do it too.
This means that learning the Bible should be a central aim of our discipleship to Jesus.
In this episode, we mentioned a lot a passages of Scripture. I'll put a few of them below to make it easier to follow along if you want.
Matthew 12:1-7
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Matthew 15:1-9;
15 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’”
Luke 2:40-52
46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Luke 24:25-27
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Want to deepen you connection with God?
The #1 key to becoming like Jesus is living our life attached to him. So I've got a gift for you on my website ... a free video series designed to teach you how to read the Bible in a way to deepens your attachment to God. Click the link below.
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
Or become a patron at
https://www.patreon.com/johnwhittaker
Here are some ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Monday Aug 17, 2020
I don't know a single person who would say they wouldn't like a blessed life. We may have different pictures of what a blessed life is, but everybody wants one.
But that also indicates the problem ... we all have different pictures of what a blessed life is. There are thousands of voices all clamoring for our attention and all promising their version of the good life. Far too often, however, God's people listen to those other voices rather than to the instruction of the Lord.
But Psalm 1 says, "Blessed is the man who ... delights in the Law of the Lord."
Can Bible study really make a difference in your life? Psalm 1 thinks so. In fact, this psalm paints a compelling picture of two ways of life with two very different outcomes. Self-honesty urges us to ask, who do I listen to about how to have a blessed life?
Want to deepen you connection with God?
The #1 key to becoming like Jesus is living our life attached to him. So I've got a gift for you on my website ... a free video series designed to teach you how to read the Bible in a way to deepens your attachment to God. Click the link below.
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Support this Ministry:
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
Check out the Listener's Commentary on the New Testament:
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Here are some other ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Masks or no masks? Protests, riots, and racial injustice. Name calling and labels over political opinions. Needless to say, the present time is contentious ... and Christians aren't immune. In this episode, I seek to inject some biblical wisdom into the situation so that we can better live as the people of God and better glorify God at the present time.
Become a Patron and get access to discounts on courses and bonus podcasts
https://www.patreon.com/johnwhittaker
The Listener's Commentary
https://www.listenerscommentary.com
Want to deepen you connection with God?
The #1 key to becoming like Jesus is living our life attached to him. So I've got a gift for you on my website ... a free video series designed to teach you how to read the Bible in a way to deepens your attachment to God. Click the link below.
https://www.johnwhittaker.net/minicourse
Thank you to all of you who make this ministry possible by your financial support! Do you want to join the team? Set up a one-time or monthly donation at the link below.
http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/
I'd love to connect. Here are some ways to connect with me:
▶️Social Media-I would love to connect with you on facebook and instagram
▶️Email - john@johnwhittaker.net
As always, if you appreciate this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.