Reading the Gospel

Jesus' intercessory prayer in John 17 has three main sections: the glorification of Jesus, the manifestation of Jesus to his disciples, and Jesus' prayer for the world. The first section discusses how Jesus glorified God by revealing His character and accomplishing the work given to Him. The second section focuses on Jesus' prayer for His disciples, asking God to protect and sanctify them as they...

This episode, based on John Chapter 16, discusses Jesus' departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit's role includes transforming believers' lives to align with God's will, bringing joy and hope through the righteousness of Christ, and convicting believers of the coming judgment, offering salvation to those who accept...

This episode explores the world's hatred towards Christians, who are considered a threat to those who do not wish to embrace the love of God. It also touches on the natural result of sin and Satan's influence, leading to opposition when someone follows God. Persecution, while not initiated by God, is permitted by Him as a means to prune and strengthen believers. The role of the Holy Spirit, referr...

In this episode, we explore the metaphor of the vine and its implications for our spiritual lives. We discuss the importance of abiding in Christ to bear much fruit and the transformative power of pruning in our journey of faith. Additionally, we touch on the balance between joy and trials in our spiritual growth, offering insights into how we can remain connected to the source of life and love. J...

Stan comes to trike the Shepard and scatter the sheep to disrupt and destroy. But Jesus has a good news event in predicting Peter’s denial. Commitment to follow Jesus to prison or death is good, but it is possible to keep it only by the Power from above. An interesting part of this story is when Satan demanded to have Peter, and Jesus did not say no, revealing one of those rules of engagement betw...

The Promise of the Holy Spirit is introduced in the context of unity between the persons of Godhead and our unity with God. The Greek word is translated as Comforter, Helper, Advocate, Counselor, Intercessor, Friend, and Paraclete. All these translations describe the Holy Spirit’s ministry as a continuation of the ministry of Jesus. The Spirit is also a Teacher, building on the teachings of Jesus....

Jesus comforted His disciples by telling them, as a young man tells his would-be bride, that He goes to prepare a place for them in His Heavenly Father’s house. Then He will return to take them home and be together for eternity. And Thomas said that if the disciples don’t know where He is going, how can they know the way there, to follow Him? Jesus answered “I am the Way. No one comes to the Fathe...

The 'new commandment' isn't new in essence, but sets a higher standard. In the Old Testament, the commandment was to love your neighbor as yourself. Now, the commandment to love calls us to a higher standard, to love others as Jesus loved us. This is why we are encouraged to draw closer to Jesus, to understand Him better, and to learn from every expression of His love in every situation.

For this episode, as an exception, we read from all four gospels. This is one of the most intense moments of the last week, remembered even by Jesus many years later. There is a progression of steps in revealing and identifying the betrayer. Each of these steps is an act of mercy and grace, an opportunity to realize what one is doing and turn around. Grace and repentance were available to Judas un...

In the Upper Room, Jesus transitioned from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. Passover was linked to the Old Covenant when Israel was liberated from Egypt and became God’s people at Mount Sinai. But Passover also pointed forward to the coming of the true Lamb of God, that was Jesus Christ. Jesus used Passover elements as symbols of His life and death that we should always remember. The New Cove...

When the disciples prepared the upper room for the Passover celebration, they forgot to figure out who would wash their feet, as customary before dinner. Jesus demonstrated His love for them all the way to this act of humility, usually done by the servants in the house, and washed everyone’s feet. Feet washing is like a mini-baptism, cleansing the sins committed since the baptism. In very clear te...

This is the fourth and final Passover Jesus celebrated with His disciples during His earthly ministry. The next “Passover meal” will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when Jesus will be celebrated and will serve the guests at the same time. What stands out in this event is how God lines up the events in our lives, always having someone ready to use the gifts and talents needed to fulfill His pla...

This is the last parable in the trilogy of Matthew 25. These three parables teach how to wait for the second coming of Christ. In the Ten Virgins, the waiting is passive. In the Talents, the waiting is active and engaging. This parable of the Final Judgement breaks down the active waiting into six categories of service offered to the most insignificant people in our society. The final separation i...

The parable of the talents continues the trilogy of parables about waiting for the second coming of the Lord. The servants who received a significant share of the mater’s property were split into two categories: those who immediately and joyfully invested those talents and gladly returned the talents with a profit, and that servant who dug a hole and hid the mater’s talent. What made the differenc...

Matthew 25 presents three parables that explain Jesus’ teaching about watching and praying as preparation for His second coming. The first parable of waiting is about a wedding event when ten virgins were part of the ceremony. All ten represent genuine Christians who have received Christ’s righteousness (white robes), received the Holy Spirit (oil), and take seriously the preparation for His comin...

This is a bonus episode based on the same chapter from last week, Matthew 24. After a quick review, we focus on the theme of Jesus’ teaching: do not be deceived, by false Christs, false prophets, and by misreading the signs of the end. The abomination of desolation refers first to the Roman army that desecrated the Temple and eventually destroyed it. It will be repeated at a larger scale during th...

While facing the Temple, the disciples asked Jesus two questions: When will be the Temple destroyed? and, When will be the end of the world? (They believed the Temple would last until the end of the age.) Jesus answered each question separately, even if the answers overlap. Jesus emphasized multiple times that most elements of His answer are not signs of the end, just signs that this end is not th...

The final public message of Jesus is a summary of his three years of teaching, calling people out loud to come out of the darkness into the light. We have not been created for destruction. In fact, all people have been created for eternal life and God wants everyone to be saved. Let us respond to His invitation and be faithful in following Him!

When a group of Greeks were looking for Jesus, as noble as this intention may be, they were being used by Satan to derail Jesus’ mission of dying for humanity to save it. After an intense conversation with the Father, Jesus explained to the Greeks and his disciples that the road to heaven is not a straight line, but it has a stopover on the Cross. First, the crucified Jesus will draw us to Himself...

This is a short reading with a profound impact on the soul. It’s a story of extreme sacrifice, which Jesus intended to be part of the Gospel, along with other similar stories. What would you do with the last five dollars in your pocket, with no checks coming in? It’s also a story about simplicity in life, about how much we really need to be happy and fulfill the purpose for which we are created.

After the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes tempted Jesus to entangle Him in His own words and kill Him, Jesus’ tone changed and He exposed their hypocrisy. It was not the weakness of human nature or the sins of the tax collectors and prostitutes that upset Jesus the most, but the duplicity and self-righteousness of the religious leaders. Religious leaders are accountable to God at a higher standa...

After all religious groups of leaders had tried unsuccessfully to entangle Jesus in His own words, Jesus asked them a question related to the Messiah’s divine nature. The main purpose of this question was not to shut their mouths but rather to give them one more opportunity to see his divine origin and mission. One more chance to change their minds and repent of the cardinal sin of crucifying Jesu...

While disputing with the Sadducees, a Scribe asked Jesus, What is the most important commandment? Jesus, referring to the Law of God in its unity, answered that to love is the most important one. To love God and your neighbor. And the Scribe got it, and processed out loud what Jesus said. Like the rich young ruler whom Jesus loved, Jesus’ heart warms up to this Scribe and says he was not far from...

After the Pharisees were unsuccessful in tempting Jesus, the Sadducees thought they would be more successful, and used one of their tried old tricky questions about resurrection. Jesus gave them a quick and surprising answer. But the bulk of His answer addresses the underlying problem, the reading of the Scriptures for an intellectual purpose, to find reasons for your debates, not to know the Pers...

The Jewish leaders tried to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to the Roman government. Jesus answered that it was not immoral or unpatriotic to pay taxes to Caesar, the Roman Emperor, as long as they returned to God what was God’s. In fact, we and everything we have belongs to God, by creation and redemption. We are just stewards of God’s property. And one day we will be accountable fo...