Centered on Christ Podcast

Charlie Kirk, a young conservative political commentator, was murdered in broad daylight yesterday in front of a large crowd. It didn’t take long before that’s all anybody was talking about on social media. The responses to Charlie’s murder ranged all the way from “Well, he had it coming” to “When are we going to start shooting back at these folks?” Some of these kinds of responses came from fello...

Revelation: A Letter of Encouragement Although the book of Revelation is often misinterpreted and misused, it was written to comfort and encourage Christians who were being persecuted for their faith. Beleaguered brethren needed to be reminded that God cared about their struggles. Thus, John wrote to encourage and sustain. Nevertheless, John’s message did not ignore or minimize their sufferings. H...

After Stephen is arrested and falsely charged, he “defends himself” by preaching a sermon. The sermon convicts the Jewish leaders of their sin, and how they are no different than their forefathers who also rejected God’s deliverer, God’s law, and God Himself. Sometimes people respond humbly when God’s word convicts them of their sin. Sometimes not. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centered...

We continue our series asking the question, “What does the Bible say about…” by examining what the Scriptures teach regarding how Christians are to treat wayward brethren. Defining Terms We begin by defining our terms. How we treat First, consider the phrase “how we treat.” This phrase emphasizes how we conduct ourselves when approaching a brother or sister in Christ who has fallen away and become...

Learning by Personal Experience Individuals gain knowledge in two distinct ways. We learn some things firsthand by experience. These are the things we are able to touch, taste, see, hear, or smell. Through empirical observation, we are able to verify the reality of certain truths. This is how the apostle John knew Jesus. In the opening verses of 1 John, he wrote: “That which was from the beginning...

If you’ve ever been to either Disneyland or Disney World, you probably have enjoyed listening to the song, “It’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” on Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. It’s a song that celebrates progress and technological advancements in the United States, and how the hope of things getting better leads to “a great big beautiful tomorrow.” The Upward Trend. The belief that things...

In Acts 6, the growth of the church has led to a problem. Some of the widows in need are being neglected, and the situation is more than the apostles can handle on their own. So, the apostles ask the church to choose mature, godly men to handle this important work so the apostles can continue to focus on their role in the Lord’s church. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.sub...

With this article, we continue our series asking the question, “What does the Bible say about…” We have discussed several topics by opening up the Word of God to find the answers. Our topic today is one that is controversial, stirs up emotions, and, unfortunately, is misunderstood by many. We are going to discover what the Bible says regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Defining Terms Marr...

God does not ask us to do more than we are able. He does, however, expect us to do what we can. Regardless of our talent level, we must use it for the cause of Christ, no more or less. We must do this because of what God and Christ have done for us. God’s Blessings in Christ Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us that we are blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Chris...

It didn’t take long for hypocrisy to rear its head among the Christians in Jerusalem. And you know what happened after that sin was dealt with? The church continued to grow. Also, the apostles are beaten for preaching the gospel, but continued to proclaim Jesus in public and private. This “movement” was being shown to be “of God” and not “of men.” Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredo...

Over the past several weeks, we have examined what the Bible says about itself, vain worship, and “walking in the light.” This week, we continue our series by asking and answering the question, “What does the Bible say about religious confusion and division?” The Cause of Religious Confusion and Division We want to begin with a basic proposition: Religious confusion and division exist not because...

The Bible contains the mind of God (I Cor. 2:9-13). It is a powerful Book (Heb. 4:12) intended to save the souls of the lost (Rom. 1:16-17). It contains all that mankind needs for both life and godliness (II Pet. 1:3). Members of the church of Christ love, cherish, and respect The Holy Bible. They pride themselves on being a “people of the Book.” Believing the Book This writer believes that it is...

While a crowd gathered in Acts 3 out of amazement at the lame man being healed, not everyone was amazed at what happened. The Jewish religious leaders arrest Peter and John, and then command them to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. The apostles and the church are immediately confronted with pressure from the highest-ranking officials in the Jewish government. Who would they listen to? Who woul...

Our behavior matters. This is true whether we are dealing with Christians or non-Christians. It is true when speaking with a neighbor or a stranger. It is also true when we are commenting on social media. Whether we agree or disagree with others, we are obligated to conduct ourselves in a manner consistent with Christianity. We must make sure our behavior is motivated by love (1 Corinthians 16:14)...

Thus far in our study, we have examined what the Bible says about itself and what the Bible says about vain worship . This week, we want to examine what the Bible says about “walking in the light.” I invite you to take a moment to read our text: 1 John 1:5-10. Now that you have read it, if you like to mark in your Bible (as I do), I encourage you to circle/ highlight/underline the following: * “Go...

When individuals imitate something, they copy or mimic that thing. Items or behaviors are reproduced; patterns are followed. Although it is possible to imitate evil, God calls His children to do otherwise. We must imitate Christ (John 13:15), faithful individuals (Hebrews 6:12), and faithful congregations (1 Thessalonians 2:14). Paul also told the Ephesians that we must imitate God. He wrote: “The...

After Peter and John heal a lame man at the temple, a crowd quickly gathers. Peter and John use the opportunity to point the crowd to Jesus, whose authority was the source of healing for the lame man. The sermon that was preached on this occasion exalted Jesus as the Chosen Servant and Prophet that God sent into this world. And it was only through Him that we are “made whole.” Get full access to C...

Thank you Cindy Rodgers , Sherry Wheeler , and many others for tuning into my live video with Drew Suttles ! If you want to watch live the next time, join me for my next live video in the app. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

If your church meets several times during the week, what does the Sunday morning crowd look like compared to the Sunday afternoon or Wednesday night crowd? For most of us, you can take your Sunday morning number and pretty much cut that number in half. And we’ve just sort of come to expect it - “that’s just the way it is.” But is it what God expects of His people? Do we find anything in Scripture...

Last week, we began a new series of articles entitled, “What Does The Bible Say About…” We asked and answered the question, “ What does the Bible say about itself ?” examining seven qualities about the Bible. This week, we want to answer the question, “What does the Bible say about vain worship?” Defining our terms. We want to begin by defining our terms. The word “vain” means “Marked by futility...

Do you remember the day you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ and were baptized into Him? Many may remember the place, the exact date, the person who baptized them, and even the time of day or night it happened. Some may associate a strong emotion with the moment of their baptism – like having tears of happiness or the relief of feeling like a great burden had been lifted. But more than the emotio...

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit comes with power, just as the Lord promised His apostles (Acts 1:5). This chapter is a sermon preached by the apostle Peter to the crowd that gathered, warning them of God’s judgment because of their sin, and offering hope to all who would turn to the Lord for salvation. This chapter shows who the “Lord” is referring to, and how to call out to Him for salvation. Get full...

This summer at the Quitman Church of Christ, we are engaged in a sermon series entitled, “What does the Bible say about…” My goal over the next several weeks is to provide an overview of what we have been studying. I encourage you to have an open Bible by your side to make sure what is said lines up, and to then be honest with the Scriptures. As one Gospel preacher would often say, “If it agrees w...

Christ Came to Save In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he explained why Christ came to the earth when he wrote: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15). Importantly, Paul’s explanation is consistent with Jesus’ own testimony, for He said: “…the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that...

Jesus said the devil has “no truth in him,” and whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks “out of his own character, for he is a liar, and the father of lies” (John 8:44 ESV). Lying originates with the devil. He is the parent of falsehood. The first time the devil appears in Scripture is Genesis 3 in the Garden of Eden. Our “adversary” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV) came to destroy and devour what God had made “very...