The Whole Counsel

This week we return to our series on Hebrews with Jordan Thomas. We spent the first episode on the first chapter of the epistle and the second contemplating the command to look upon Jesus. In this episode, John and Jordan take a look at Hebrews 10 and Jesus' bloody, complete, and perfect sacrifice. Show Notes: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/the-offering-of-the-body-of-jesus Check our Jordan's sermon se...

Last week we talked with Jeremy Walker about the first five of six principles in having a balanced reading diet in 2022. This week we pick up with the sixth principle and then get to our annual recommended books list. Show Notes: https://www.mediagratiae.org/blog/recommended-reading-for-2022 Check out Jeremy's podcasts: The Heart of Spurgeon: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-heart-of...

We love books. That is no secret to anyone who has been watched or listened to Media Gratiae over the years. And for long-time viewers, you know we take one or two episodes every year to share some book recommendations for the upcoming year. This year we called on Jeremy Walker to join us in our book recommendation episodes. We will get to specific books next week, but we wanted to spend this week...

John continues discussing the book of Hebrews with Jordan Thomas this week. Taking their cues from Hebrews 12, John and Jordan discuss how we are to live our lives looking unto Jesus. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixin...

This week John is joined by long-time friend and fellow minister Jordan Thomas. You may recognize Jordan as a contributor to the studies Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically and Behold Your God: The Weight of Majesty. John and Jordan are going to spend the next few weeks discussing the descriptions of Jesus found in the book of Hebrews. This week's discussion focuses on Hebrews 1 and the 32...

This week, John and Chuck are back with the series on Salvation in Full Color , looking at the last sermon of Salvation in Full Color called “Final Warning” by Asahel Nettleton. You can watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/Go1D_F57P1Y Show Notes: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/final-warning Purchase your copy of Salvation in Full Color:  http://www.rorbooks.com/index.php/product/salvation-in-full-c...

This week, John and Chuck are back with the series on Salvation in Full Color, looking at a sermon on divine retribution by Jonathan Edwards. It’s an extraordinary kindness that, if all of humanity is heading into judgment, we are given a warning in time to turn away from this end! The One who gives us (His enemies) the warning is the only Being who fully understands what is coming and has provide...

This week John and Chuck discuss the only sermon in Salvation in Full Color preached by a Baptist pastor. We don't know much about Isaac Chanler, but what we do know is very encouraging. At the heart of the very practical sermon, Chanler encourages believers simple to cling to Christ. This is the heart of sanctification and sanctification is the heart of this sermon. Purchase your copy of Salvatio...

William Tennent, Jr. (1705-1777) was the son of William Tennent I, a 17th-century pastor in America and founder of the Log College. Early in life, William Tennent, Jr. was deeply impressed with a sense of divine things and soon determined to devote his life to the ministry of the gospel. He served as the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Freehold. For love of Christ, we persevere, walk in the...

Our producer is taking some time off to be with his newborn daughter this week. Because we have family on our minds and hearts, we wanted to present to you again the episode John recorded with Ryan Bush on Family Worship. You can find the Family Worship study here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/family-worship-study-guide Check out Ryan's Hymn Stories and other Media Gratiae podcasts here: www.media...

Sewall defines love to God as “a grace of the Spirit whereby we esteem and desire God above all and cleave to Him as to our chief good with holy delight from a spiritual sight of His most amiable perfections, as manifested in His word and works, and in the perfection of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We don’t, by nature, love God or find Him desirable. It is only by a work of the Spirit who changes us to...

What happens when God gives spiritual life to a rebellious sinner? What do we mean by the word conversion? John Blair helps us answer these questions, and gives us many more questions to ask regarding the rescuing of fallen people in this week's sermon. Show Notes for the full episode:  www.mediagratiae.org/blog/conversion Purchase your copy of Salvation in Full Color: http://www.rorbooks.com/inde...

God adopting fallen, rebellious humans is one of the most powerful displays of His love. In this very detailed sermon by John Tennent, John and Chuck discuss how human adoption differs from God's adoption and how it applies to every crevice of our lives. Show Notes for the full episode:  www.mediagratiae.org/blog/adoption Purchase your copy of Salvation in Full Color: http://www.rorbooks.com/index...

In this final servant song, God gives us a shocking description of His perfect servant. He tells us, through the prophet Isaiah, that although His servant is of infinite worth and glory will be esteemed by worthless men as worthless. He will be rejected by man, but His sacrifice will be accepted by the Father. Show Notes for the full episode: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/servant-song-vi Want to liste...

If you were describe the coming Messiah, where would you begin? Isaiah begins in a strange place. He starts with the effective ministry of Jesus. He compares the perfect Servant of God with the failing servant in Israel. He contrasts the suffering of Israel due to their sinfulness and Jesus' suffering due to His obedience. There is a great deal to consider in this week episode of The Whole Counsel...

This week we are continuing our series through the Servant Songs of Isaiah. The song in Isaiah 49 is unique because in it we get a glimpse of the internal thoughts of Jesus Christ, His prayers to the Father, and the Father's response to Him. There is great deal we can learn about how to pray, how to respond to God in faith, and how to walk the path Jesus walked during His earthly life. To read the...

Having gone through the backdrop and context of the Servant Songs, this week John begins discussing the first of the songs in Isaiah 42. As John says, this song is like a slowly brightening sunrise.  Show Notes: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/servant-songs-iii Check out the Media Gratiae Podcast Network: www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts  

John is continuing his small detour from Salvation in Full Color to discuss the four Servant Songs from Isaiah. But before we dive into the texts themselves, there is still a bit of foundational work we need to do. Show Notes: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/servant-song-ii Check out the Media Gratiae Podcast Network: www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts  

Chuck is still on vacation and rather than moving forward with Salvation in Full Color without him, we decided to start a short series walking through the Servant Songs of Isaiah. This week John gives important information that we need to have before going into the specific chapters. Check out the Show Notes: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/servant-song-i Check out the Media Gratiae Podcast Network: www...

This week Chuck is on vacation with his family. John wanted to take the opportunity and present you with a trustworthy ministry that has been a blessing to him for decades. That ministry is Chapel Library, a ministry of Mount Zion Bible Church. Listen to this week's episode to learn about how Chapel Library will send you solid, trustworthy resources with a very unique payment method. Visit Chapel...

Samuel Blair was a godly minister and used by the Lord in the Second Great Awakening. He was also a teacher. Blair was much heavier on the doctrine than the application. Blair’s sermon is entitled “The Gospel-Method of Salvation” and his text is Romans 10:4: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” The nature of true faith in Christ. The necessity of faith in...

“Repent, you must either in time or eternity, upon earth, or in hell. You cannot possibly avoid it. The question is not, Shall I repent? for that is beyond a doubt. But the question is, “Shall I repent now when it may reform and save me; or shall I put it off to the eternal world, when my repentance will be my punishment, and can answer no end but to torment me?” And is this a hard question? Does...

John and Chuck are taking a much-needed week off. We thought the time would be best used to reintroduce new listeners to the book we are taking a long soak in on The Whole Counsel, titled Salvation in Full Color. In this inaugural episode of The Whole Counsel (previously The Behold Your God Podcast) John introduces several of the changes to the podcast. We are in a new location, we have a new coho...

John and Chuck have mentioned a few times the importance of the order of the sermons presented in Salvation in Full Color. This week bears the fruit of that importance as it is the first sermon describing the sinner's response to God's rights, our need of regeneration, and the hope of the work of the Spirit. In Seeking the Lord, Devereux Jarratt explains that having a right grasp of God's sovereig...

We have mentioned the beauty and importance of hymns before, but in this special episode, John is joined by Ryan Bush, host of the podcast Hymn Stories, a weekly podcast that gives a glimpse into the lives and stories behind our favorite hymns. During their conversation, John and Ryan discuss why they use hymns in their corporate, family, and private worship over praise choruses and other Christia...