By Faith Alone Podcast

What does it mean that Jesus ascended? I might seem as if Jesus went away from us. Far from it, the ascension means we have an advocate in heaven for us, one who is constantly interceding for us. And we are reminded through this message that Christ’s glorious body in heaven is a picture of longing that we have for our own glorious bodily resurrection. This is a public episode. If you would like to...

In these chapters in the book of Job, God finally speaks. In a world that is full of talk, our response to God and his might should not be all about pushing our own way. With a mighty God we should realize our limitations and be silent. Christ is the one who reveals to us who God is in his mighty and power. He also shows us the way by silently submitting himself unto death. Praise God that we have...

Finally another friend, Elihu, who had been silent before, has a chance to speak. Our passage today teaches us to be careful in response to a holy God. We are called to holiness even in difficult times. God is a God of justice - he alone will make all things right. We are called to avail ourselves of the means of grace and wait on the justice of God. And we should endeavor to respond rightly to Go...

Both Bildad and Job believe that God is mighty and awesome, but they have a very different attitude towards what that means. Bildad believes that because of God’s might, he is a God of enmity. Compared to God’s greatness, man is as worthless as a maggot. Yet Job sees this a bit differently. Job speaks even more about the greatness of God. And yet from the depths of the earth to the highest heaven,...

There are many times in our lives when we have lost hope. We’ve been wronged. Our friends fight against us and are no help. Yet out of this arises a hidden hope that seems to come out of nowhere. Job expresses a profound faith in his redeemer, someone who will be his advocate. What we find in this message is that our hope is found in the living redeemer. This is a public episode. If you would like...

That early Sunday morning it was still dark. Mary and John and Peter witnessed the empty tomb. They didn’t understand it, but eventually they would know and believe. We, too, are called to witness the events of the resurrection, and go and tell the good news of the risen Christ. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visi...

Often we look for a king to fight our battles for us and win political victories. Yet what kind of King was Jesus? He wasn’t a military leader, but he was humble, and riding on a donkey. He is the King, and he calls us to be citizens of his kingdom, which is everlasting. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit joshch...

God certainly humbles his people, yet we don’t understand why. In the case of Job, his days were filled with trouble, and he seems to express nothing but despair. Yet even in this kind of humbling there is great hope. We are called to endure, just as Christ endured so that we might be saved. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus e...

What motivates us to continue each day? Even when we don’t understand God, we don’t know his ways, we should rest in the fact that we are known by God. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit joshchristoffels.substack.com

We have a God who is transcendent, who has an independent existence from the world. What Job needed, and what we need, is an advocate, someone who will come near and help us in our time of need. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit joshchristoffels.substack.com

The book of Job is in the form of a contest of wills - a back and forth argument between Job and his supposed friends. Bildad attacks Job for not being in the right. Sometimes the world we live in is upside down. The righteousness we deserve is not always given, and there is not always a cause behind suffering. Yet we are called to persevere despite our circumstances. Our Lord himself had nowhere...

Good friends can be hard to come by. Job knew that well. His life was miserable, he was attacked by the devil, and his friends were of no help. What we need is a good friend in a time of need. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit joshchristoffels.substack.com

Sometimes today we hold to the belief that if something good happens, it’s a result of something good that we’ve done in the past. Job’s friend Eliphaz had the same idea. The suffering that Job is going through must have been an exact result of a sin that he had committed. Yet the Bible shows us that this is not always the case. Sometimes there is suffering we don’t understand, and it’s part of li...

After everything that Job went though, he laments and questions the day of his birth. He asks all of the why questions. Why does God have a man be born, only for him to suffer? Why can’t he get any rest? Yet even when we have questions, the gospel promises answers, even if we wonder if we have lost our relationship with the Lord. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with oth...

Quite often, our suffering doesn’t make any sense. Lives are snuffed out without any rhyme or reason. Job’s suffering was the same. With God’s permission, Satan was allowed to attack all of his wealth and even snuff out the lives of his dear children. And yet in Job’s response, though he is in great pain and things don’t make any sense, he did not sin. We are called to a blameless suffering by con...

The final woman who is listed in the genealogy of Matthew 1 is Mary. Mary had received an amazing promise that the Messiah was conceived in her womb. The song she sang spoke about the way that God had favored her. Favor, or grace, comes to all those whom God has chosen. God lifts up the lowly and he humbles the proud, which is something we need to remember when we are distressed, either from our l...

Bathsheba experienced great brokenness, especially with the actions that David took. He sinned grievously against Bathsheba, against Uriah, and ultimately against God. We, too, grieve the Lord when we sin against a holy God. We are called to take sin seriously and to follow in the way of Christ. He has made a way even for broken people who do not deserve his grace. This is a public episode. If you...

The story of Ruth and Boaz shows us the love of God that comes to those who don’t deserve it. He guides his people all along to redeem them. He moves them from emptiness of fullness, for he has given us a Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit joshchristoffels.substack.com

God uses unlikely people that don’t normally belong to bring about his greater purpose. Though Rahab didn’t formerly belong, she demonstrated her faith in the God of Israel. The evidence of that faith was seen in the hospitality that she showed to the Israelite spies, despite possible danger to herself. She confessed with her mouth the mercies of God, and because of that she, along with her whole...

The season of advent might seem to us like a Thomas Kinkade painting; quaint, nostalgic, peaceful. Yet some stories of advent, like the story of Tamar, does not paint over the gruesome reality of sin and brokenness. Tamar was abused, forgotten, and treated terribly by everyone. But God uses even this mess to bring about a greater purpose than we can even imagine. This is the story of one of the an...

In this season of thanksgiving it is good to be reminded of how we are to be thankful. Our thankfulness is based on our status in Jesus Christ. We are raised with him, which means we are to put away sin and put on an attitude of thankfulness. This thankfulness then leads to fruit in how we treat others. And out thankfulness should lead to thankful worship as the word enters our hearts and is expre...

God’s people have a holy calling to declare to all the nations what an awesome king we have. He reigns and rules over all things! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit joshchristoffels.substack.com

God revitalizes his church through discipleship. This is a discipleship that begins with the glory of God himself. Jesus reflected the glory of God the Father perfectly, even as he submitted himself unto death. God gives a new commandment to his church - a commandment to love. This love is one that is recognized by all people. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other...

Today we see that Christ gives leaders to equip and build up the church. It is Christ himself who gives this gift of leaders to his church. The goal is to help members to attain the unity of the faith as they are built up into maturity. This guards them from being swayed by the latest wind of doctrine but presents to them the truth in love. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss th...

The Great Commission is not some optional command. The church does not get to “opt out” of these marching orders from Jesus. This commission arises out of the great authority that Jesus has as risen, ascended king. It is a commission to make disciples, baptizing and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. He ends the commission with a word of comfort as he promises to be with his people to the ver...