FLCBenton, Congregational Podcast

Deuteronomy 9:1–22, the lessons the Israelites should learn, and should not learn, with their entering in to the land of Canaan. Matthew 11:1–19, fasting and self denial, or feasting and celebration? Jesus’ world wanted neither, and our world wants neither.

Practical advice for good living is all very fine, but something greater is here!

Deuteronomy 8:1–20, he humbles us, to lift us up, he disciplines us, as a man disciplines his son – because he loves us! Matthew 10:24–42, just as we share in the authority of Jesus, so his people share in his suffering. But in the end, everyone who acknowledges Jesus, Jesus will acknowledge him before the father in heaven!

Deuteronomy 7:1–29, the joys, and the burdens, of being the only nation on earth that God chose! Matthew 10:1–23, what Jesus was doing in chapters 8 and 9, he now gives authority to his apostles to do in chapter 10.

Deuteronomy 5:22–6:9, hearing the voice of the Lord, two tablets of stone, and the core of obedience and faith for the ancient Israelites, the great Shema. Matthew 9:1–17, something new is happening with the coming of Jesus of Nazareth, and it doesn’t always fit well with the old ways!

Deuteronomy 5:1–21, the 10 “Words“, with special emphasis on the second “word”, “you shall have no other gods before me”, and a little bit on the fourth “word”, “remember the sabbath day by keeping it holy”. Matthew 8:18 – 34, someone says to Jesus, I will follow you wherever you go. Jesus says to another follow me. Jesus’ dealing with both these would be followers needs some explaining.

Deuteronomy 4:21–40, Moses sums up before getting specific: do not corrupt God‘s word, do not worship creatures as God, and acknowledge that there is only one God! Matthew 8:1–17, Jesus heals an unclean leper, cleanses an unclean gentile, and heels a multitude who have come to Him.

Deuteronomy 4:1–20, Moses exhort the people to hold the words of God dear! Matthew 7:13–29, Jesus exhort his disciples to hold His words dear!

Deuteronomy 3:1–29, the terrible judgment of the Lord on the Canaanites, and the apportionment of the land among the first three tribes. Matthew 7:1–12, do not judge, and do not cast your pearls before swine. What??

Deuteronomy 2:16–37, having passed by three lands that the Lord was not giving them, the Israelites wage war on Sihon, King of the first land that the Lord wad giving them. Matthew 6:16–34, the key to the low anxiety life: treasures in heaven!

Deuteronomy 1:37–2:15, we finish the story of Israel’s refusal to go into the promised land, and jump forward 38 years, as they pass through certain lands, that the Lord is NOT giving them, on the way to the land that He IS giving them. Matthew 6:1–15, yesterday we talked about the morality of the new covenant kingdom, today, we talk about religious practices of the new covenant kingdom.

Deuteronomy 1:19–36, what should’ve been a straightforward move from the foot of Mount Sinai into the promised land, becomes a nearly 40 year period of waiting and striving and spiritual discipline in the wilderness. Such is life with God! Matthew 5:21–48, the fulfiller, and transformer of the law explains its original and true meaning to the citizens of the new covenant kingdom.

Deuteronomy 1:1–18, Moses, on the plains of Moab, explains and summarizes and goes over again all that God had commanded his people over the last 40 years. Matthew 5:1–20, we are introduced to Jesus’ actual teaching methods and contents, as he describes for us the character of the citizens of the kingdom of God.

Malachi 3:6–4:6, the Lord does not change like we do, and because of that, we are not consumed! Plus, a prediction about the fearsome day of the Lord, and the coming of Elijah to prepare us for it. Matthew 4:12–25, Jesus’ Galilean ministry of miracles and preaching, the calling of disciples and his great fame is described for us.

Malachi 2:1–3:5, Malachi continues his critique of the priests, then critiques ordinary Israelites for marrying unbelievers, or for divorcing their believing wives, and then makes an awesome and terrifying promise – the Lord himself is coming to his temple. Matthew 4:1–11, Jesus is lead into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, and in this way to prove himself as the worthy messenger of the...

Malachi 1:1–14, through rhetorical questions, the prophet leads the people not only to an observe an outward obedience, but to an inwardly genuine worship of God. Matthew 3:1–17, John the Baptist preaches a true repentance, and introduces the Holy Spirit as a key player in the coming Kingdom.

Nehemiah 9:22–38, the recitation of the history of Israel, and the lessons to be learned from it – that the Lord has been faithful in all his ways, and that we His people, have forsaken his Word. 1 Timothy 6:3–21, Paul finishes his letter to Timothy by focusing on the importance of sound doctrine, and commands Timothy to guard the deposit that has been entrusted to him, that is, the teaching regar...

Nehemiah 9:1–21, the people repent of your sins, worship their Lord, and recite the history of Israel that has led them to this point. 1 Timothy 5:17–6:2, Paul gives Timothy counsel and instruction concerning other elders and pastors in the church.

Nehemiah 7:1–4; 8:1–18, the wall is finally finished, and Nehemiah’s capacity for organization as demonstrated. And, Ezra’s zeal for the word of the Lord, that it be taught to the people, is likewise demonstrated. 1 Timothy 5:1–16, Paul gives Timothy Counsel on how to deal with various kinds of people in the congregation, especially widows.

Nehemiah 5:1–16; 6:1–9, 15–16, Ezra and Nehemiah are described and compared; Nehemiah’s work to help the poor and finish the walls in Jerusalem. 1 Timothy 4:1–16, the great danger of false teaching, and the great value of sound doctrine, in the work of the pastoral ministry.

Nehemiah 4:7–23, the dangerous work of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in the face of physical threats. A little bit about what happened in Jude’s before Nehemiah came on the scene. 1 Timothy 3:1–16, Paul gives guidance to Timothy on what kind of people he should consider ordaining into the office of ministry.

Nehemiah 2:11–20; 4:1–6, Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem and begins the process of rebuilding the city, beginning with its walls. 1 Timothy 2:1–15, universal atonement, but not universalism. Also, like it, or not, a patriarchal church, and a patriarchal world!

Nehemiah 1:1–2:10, the scene shifts from preexilic Israel, and the destruction of Jerusalem, to the returning Judeans who are rebuilding the temple and the city among home are Ezra and Nehemiah. 1, Timothy 1:1–20, in the first of three so-called pastoral epistles, Paul writes to Timothy, the pastor of the church at Ephesus, about maintaining sound doctrine.

2 Chronicles, 36:1–23, the sad end of independent Judah, and the theological explanation for what was otherwise a very complicated time in the history of the world. Colossians 4:1–18, greetings back-and-forth between the saints and the congregations in the early church.

2 Chronicles, 35:1–7, 16–25, the Highwater mark, and the low point in the reign of the pious king Josiah. Colossians 3:1–25, fix your eyes on Jesus who is at God‘s right hand – he is Lord of all, and he is coming again! We ought to live our lives in a way that reflects that truth.