The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson

Jesus demonstrates his power over death by raising Lazarus from the tomb, highlighting the difference between merely believing and acting on that belief. The resurrection story serves as a powerful metaphor for our spiritual transformation, showing how we must remove our old "grave clothes" after being made alive in Christ. • Martha professed belief in Jesus' power but hesitated whe...

Emotions aren't signs of weakness but gifts from God that allow us to navigate life authentically and connect with others in their suffering. Jesus demonstrates this truth in John 11 when he weeps with Mary before raising Lazarus, showing that true strength includes emotional vulnerability. • Many men mistakenly believe withholding emotion equals strength • Jesus, the strongest man who ever l...

Jesus demonstrates how he meets different personalities in their grief as we continue our study of John 11, showing how he responds to Martha with theological truth while meeting Mary in emotional comfort. • Jesus deliberately arrives four days after Lazarus's death, when Jewish tradition considered someone "dead dead" • Martha (the Type A personality) approaches Jesus with question...

God's timing often differs significantly from our own expectations, as demonstrated in the story of Jesus deliberately waiting before helping Lazarus. We explore why Jesus waited two days after hearing about Lazarus's illness and what this teaches us about trusting God even when His timing doesn't align with our desires. • God's ways and plans are always higher and better than...

Jesus uses the story of Lazarus in John 11 to teach us why bad things happen even to people God loves. We explore five theological realities that explain pain and suffering in the world. • The fall of humanity brought forth pain, strife, and suffering as collateral damage • Demonic attacks cause suffering as Satan seeks to steal, kill, and destroy • Our own sinful choices and poor decisions lead t...

John Harper, a Scottish Baptist evangelist, became one of Christianity's greatest unsung heroes during the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. His extraordinary sacrifice and unwavering commitment to share the gospel even as the ship sank demonstrates a faith that challenges us to examine our own priorities. • Harper was a 39-year-old widower traveling with his 6-year-old daughter Annie and his s...

Harold Lowe, fifth officer of the Titanic, demonstrates extraordinary courage by being the only officer to return to the site of the sinking to rescue survivors after the ship went down. His actions parallel Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan, challenging us to consider whether we merely do what's minimally required or go above and beyond to help others in need. • Harold Lowe managed l...

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Support the show Want to connect? Email communication@coe22.com

Support the show Want to connect? Email communication@coe22.com

We explore five essential attributes of a great man found in Matthew 20, challenging cultural definitions of masculinity with Jesus' counter-cultural teaching on true greatness. • A great man puts Jesus first, including prioritizing Sabbath rest • A great man knows how to endure suffering that comes from pushing back darkness • A great man lives under authority before expecting to receive aut...

Jesus radically redefines greatness through the fourth characteristic we explore from Matthew 20: a great man serves. In stark contrast to worldly leadership that lords authority over others, Jesus calls his followers to a completely different model where true greatness is found in becoming a servant. • Examining how Jesus confronts the mother of James and John when she asks for positions of honor...

Our rebellious culture celebrates individualism, but true greatness comes through living under authority, just as Jesus submitted to his Father's will. • Great men know how to live under authority • Jesus demonstrates submission to the Father in Matthew 20:20-28 • God will not bless rebellion against established authorities • Personal testimony of honoring pastoral authority when planting Chu...

True greatness in God's kingdom comes through suffering, not worldly power or position. The desire for greatness isn't inherently wrong, but it must be pursued God's way, following Christ's example on the cross. • Matthew 20 reveals that great men know how to suffer • Direct correlation between suffering endured and responsibility God entrusts • Jesus asked disciples if they co...

Jesus redefines greatness for his disciples by flipping worldly values upside down and establishing a new kingdom paradigm based on serving others rather than seeking power. • The first sign of kingdom greatness is finding proximity to Jesus rather than pursuing positional power • Jesus never scolded his disciples for wanting greatness, but completely redefined what it means to be great • True gre...

The journey to Golgotha reveals God's masterful plan of redemption across millennia, connecting Abraham's near-sacrifice, David's victory over Goliath, and Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection at the place of the skull. • Mount Moriah: Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac, stopped by God who provided a substitutionary ram with its head caught in thorns • Battle of Elah: David...

We explore how biblical narratives across thousands of years connect at a single sacred location, Golgotha, revealing God's redemptive plan unfolding throughout history. • Connection between Abraham's sacrifice on Mount Moriah and David's battle with Goliath • David's confidence in God rather than weapons when facing the Philistine giant • Why David took five stones (Goliath ha...

David's journey from shepherd boy to giant-slayer unfolds against the backdrop of God's rejection of King Saul and the anointing of a new king. This dramatic story reveals how a teenager's fierce faith propelled him to confront the massive Philistine warrior who had terrorized Israel's army for 40 days. • God rejects Saul as king and sends Samuel to anoint one of Jesse's s...

The story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah reveals profound foreshadowing of Christ's sacrifice when Abraham discovers a ram caught by its horns in a thicket of thorns—essentially wearing a "crown of thorns" as the substitutionary sacrifice God provided. • Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his promised son Isaac on Mount Moriah • Isaac was likely a teenager or young adult who w...

We begin our week-long journey to Golgotha by examining its Old Testament foundations in the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus form the bedrock of Christianity, but understanding their significance requires exploring biblical history that points to this ultimate sacrifice. • Abram's journey begins in Genesis 12 when God promises to make him...

John 5 challenges us to examine whether we rejoice in God's miracles or criticize them like the Pharisees did when Jesus healed on the Sabbath. The passage reveals how religious leaders missed the miracle by focusing on rule-breaking rather than celebrating a life transformed after 38 years of disability. • Jesus heals a man who had been disabled for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda • The rel...

Jesus encounters a man at the Pool of Bethesda who had been paralyzed for 38 years, asking him a simple yet profound question: "Do you want to be healed?" The man responds with excuses rather than a direct answer, revealing our human tendency to blame circumstances rather than take responsibility. • Making excuses versus making things happen in our Christian life • The paralyzed man&apos...

Jesus asks a seemingly obvious question at the Pool of Bethesda: "Do you want to be healed?" This profound inquiry reveals that many people don't actually want healing because they've built their identity around their wounds. • Many resist healing because wounds have become their identity • Some cling to injuries as excuses for destructive behaviors • Others avoid healing becau...

Jesus visits the pool of Bethesda by Jerusalem's Sheep Gate, where society's "invalids" gathered, and demonstrates how our true identity comes not from worldly labels but from Christ's validation. • Sheep Gate was the easternmost gate on Jerusalem's northern wall where sacrificial animals entered • The location was symbolic—people treated like animals gathered at pool...

Jesus reveals the true nature of miracles by performing signs that point to God's greater redemptive story, not just displays of raw power. His healing of a man at the Pool of Bethesda demonstrates how miracles often require a step of faith or obedience from those receiving them. • Miracles in John's gospel are always called "signs" because they point to something greater than...