Reasoning Through the Bible

What happens when your soul begins to leave your body? Terry Wright knows that feeling intimately. Terry founded Lifeline Pregnancy Center, combining her nursing background with her passion for supporting women in crisis pregnancies. The center provides education, material support, and shares the gospel with every client.  While standing at a copy machine at Lifeline, she suddenly collapsed and wa...

This is Part 5 of a 5 Part series on the evaluation of Reformed Theology, also referred to as Calvinism. We hope you will join us for this complete series. The age-old theological tension between God's sovereignty and human choice takes center stage in this illuminating episode. We dive deep into the most common criticisms of Reformed Theology and examine how its defenders respond to these ch...

This is Part 4 of a 5 Part series on the evaluation of Reformed Theology, also referred to as Calvinism. We hope you will join us for this complete series. The tension between divine sovereignty and human free will has challenged theologians for centuries. Nowhere is this more evident than in discussions around Reformed Theology (Calvinism), where seemingly contradictory biblical passages paint a...

This is Part 3 of a 5 Part series on the evaluation of Reformed Theology, also referred to as Calvinism. We hope you will join us for this complete series. Does God choose us, or do we choose Him? This age-old theological question lies at the heart of Reformed Theology (Calvinism), and in this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into the biblical text to find answers. Moving beyond theoretical...

This is Part 2 of a 5 Part series on the evaluation of Reformed Theology, also referred to as Calvinism. We hope you will join us for this complete series. The age-old theological tension between God's sovereignty and human responsibility takes center stage as we evaluate Reformed theology and Calvinism. Building on our previous overview of Reformed doctrines, we now assess their biblical val...

This is Part 1 of a 5 Part series on the evaluation of Reformed Theology, also referred to as Calvinism. We hope you will join us for this complete series. Step into one of Christianity's most profound and divisive theological debates as we unpack Reformed theology and Calvinism with clarity and nuance. What exactly is "that election/free will thing" that's caused denominations...

The empty tomb changes everything. When Jesus conquered death through resurrection, He didn't just complete His earthly mission - He transformed human existence itself by proving that death has lost its ultimate power. In this deeply meaningful exploration of Mark 16, we confront the varied reactions to Jesus' resurrection. The women fled in fear. The disciples refused to believe. Even a...

The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ stand as the most profound events in human history—the hinge point upon which everything turns. When examining these world-changing moments, we discover both the raw humanity of those who witnessed them and the divine power that transformed their lives forever. The narrative brings us face-to-face with Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple who kept...

The crucifixion stands as the pivotal moment in human history—the hinge point where everything changed. Join us as we explore Mark's account of Jesus' death, unpacking the profound theological significance beneath the deceptively simple words, "they crucified him." We begin at Golgotha, examining the possible connections between Christ's crucifixion and Abraham's near...

Have you ever wondered who truly bears responsibility for the crucifixion of Jesus? Beyond historical blame, this question cuts to the heart of Christian faith and personal accountability. We journey through Mark 15, examining the final hours before Jesus' crucifixion through a lens both historical and deeply personal. As the narrative unfolds, we witness Pilate's moral failure—recognizi...

Have you ever witnessed a complete miscarriage of justice? The trial of Jesus stands as history's most profound example of how power, jealousy, and fear can corrupt even the most sacred institutions. As the high priest grows increasingly frustrated with contradicting testimonies against Jesus, he finally asks directly: "Are you the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesu...

A kiss becomes the ultimate betrayal in this powerful examination of Judas Iscariot's treachery against Jesus. We dive deep into Mark 14:42-65, uncovering the layers of this pivotal moment that set in motion the most important weekend in human history. Discussed in this session is the perplexing question that has troubled believers for centuries—why would Judas betray Jesus? Rather than focus...

The Garden of Gethsemane stands as one of Christianity's most profound moments – the final hours before Jesus faced his destiny on the cross. In this deeply moving exploration of Mark 14:32-41, we unpack the raw humanity and divine purpose revealed as Christ approaches his darkest hour. From the symbolic setting of Gethsemane (which literally means "oil press") to Jesus sweating dro...

Our journey through Mark's Gospel takes us to one of the most profound moments in Jesus's ministry – the Last Supper with his disciples. In this tender yet pivotal setting, Jesus establishes what Christians now celebrate as Communion, transforming ordinary bread and wine into powerful symbols of his sacrifice. As we explore Mark 14:22-28, we unpack the rich theological significance behin...

Why did Jesus choose to die during Passover? The timing wasn't coincidental but purposeful. Jesus orchestrated every detail of his final days, forcing the religious leaders' hand despite their reluctance to arrest him during the feast. Mark 14:12-21 reveals how Jesus arranged his last meal with extraordinary precision. When the disciples asked where to prepare the Passover, Jesus gave th...

A woman enters the house of Simon the Leper where Jesus is dining. In her hands, she carries an alabaster jar containing perfume worth an entire year's wages. Without hesitation, she breaks the jar and pours every drop of the precious liquid over Jesus' head. As the fragrance fills the room, so does the indignation of the disciples. "Why this waste?" they mutter. "This cou...

What does it mean to live in expectation of Christ's return? In this profound exploration of Mark 13:28-37, we unpack Jesus' teachings from the Olivet Discourse about spiritual readiness and watchfulness. Jesus uses the powerful imagery of a master leaving his household in the care of servants to illustrate our responsibility during His absence. Three times He emphasizes the command to &...

Jesus' Olivet Discourse stands as one of Scripture's most profound prophetic teachings, delivered from the Mount of Olives as He gazed across Jerusalem during His final week before crucifixion. Today we continue to wade into these deep waters, examining a critical section of Mark 13 that points toward Jesus' glorious return. At the heart of our discussion is the question: which port...

The Olivet Discourse represents one of Jesus' most significant prophetic teachings, and in this episode, we continue our study deep into Mark 13:9-20 where Jesus provides both warnings and comfort for believers facing persecution. Jesus begins with a sobering prediction that His followers would face arrests, beatings, and trials before authorities. While directly addressing His disciples, the...

The Olivet Discourse stands as one of Jesus's most profound and challenging teachings – delivered just days before His crucifixion. Seated on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem, Jesus responds to His disciples' awe at the magnificent temple with a shocking prophecy: not one stone would remain upon another. What follows is a sweeping prophetic timeline spanning from the apostolic a...

A theological chess match unfolds in Mark 12:35-44 as Jesus, having weathered a barrage of trick questions from religious leaders, turns the tables with a single profound question that leaves them speechless. Drawing from Psalm 110, Jesus asks how the Messiah can be both David's descendant and David's Lord—a paradox that reveals the divine nature of the Messiah and exposes the limitation...

Love forms the foundation of our entire faith journey. In this profound episode of Reasoning Through the Bible, we explore what Jesus called the greatest commandment of all – the command to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbors as ourselves. During the final week of Jesus' earthly ministry, a remarkable conversation unfolds between Christ and a sincere scribe. Unlike other religio...

What happens when religious leaders try to trap Jesus with clever theological puzzles? In Mark 12:18-27, the Sadducees present Jesus with what they believe is an unsolvable riddle about resurrection – a concept they themselves reject. Their question about a hypothetical woman who married seven brothers sequentially was designed to make resurrection seem absurd. Instead, Jesus turns their challenge...

The religious leaders continue to confront Jesus revealing themselves as failed shepherds, more concerned with public opinion and preserving power than genuinely seeking truth. When they send an unlikely alliance of Pharisees and Herodians to trap Jesus with a seemingly impossible dilemma about paying Roman taxes, they expose their desperation. Their flattering approach – "Teacher, we know yo...

The confrontation between Jesus and the religious authorities reaches a crescendo in Mark 12 with the parable of the wicked vinedressers—a story that's both a judgment and a prophecy.  Standing in the temple courts, Jesus speaks with unmistakable authority as he tells of a landowner who prepared a vineyard with meticulous care, only to have his servants abused and his son murdered by those en...