Episodes
Saturday Jul 08, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 52: The Two Builders
Saturday Jul 08, 2023
Saturday Jul 08, 2023
This lesson is on Matthew 7:24-29, the final words of the Lord's great "Sermon on the Mount" in which He talks about "Two Builders". After having given an invitation to salvation in Him with His discussion of "Two Gates" (Lesson 50) and "Two Trees" (Lesson 51), He went on to say that the person who responds to His invitation is like a wise man who builds his life on a solid foundation of rock. The Rock is Himself and His Holy Word. Conversely, the one who does not respond positively by receiving the truth of His teaching and His invitation is like a foolism man who builds his life on the shifting, insecure, sinking sand of this world.
If you really want to know how to survive all the storms of life, the Lord's words we discuss in this lesson give you the answer. Be wise! Heed His advice. Build your life on HIM.
Friday Jul 07, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 51: The Two Trees
Friday Jul 07, 2023
Friday Jul 07, 2023
In His final words before descending the Mount where He spoke what many declare to be His greatest Sermon, the Lord Jesus extended an invitation to His listeners to do some serious self-examining to make certain their salvation was real. He began by inviting any who had not yet entered the Kingdom of God to enter at the strait gate, which is Him! He IS the narrow way that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:14) - see Lesson #50.
In Matthew 7:15-23, in the second part of Christ's extended invitation, He gave a solemn warning about two prevalent dangers that deceive many into thinking they are going to Heaven, when they are really on the broad road to destruction. In this important, but difficult lesson to hear, which is entitled "The Two Trees," He warned to beware of false prophets and to beward of false professions! "Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven . . ." (7:21)!! SERIOUS.
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 50: The Two Gates
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
In the Lord's seventh and final section of His "Sermon on the Mount," He invites His immediate audience - and all of us - to choose between two diverse ways for entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven: (1) Christ's way (which is through Him) and (2) man's way (a merit/work system exemplified by the system of the scribes and Pharisees). There is either the system of grace (where it all a matter of divine accomplishment) or the system of works (where it is all a matter of human achievement, which fails utterly to get anyone into God's holy Presence).
There are only "Two Gates," my friends! One is narrow, for it is Christ and Christ alone. The other is very wide, for it consists of every devised "way" to Heaven man has ever invented. The only problem with the wide gate, is that it leads to destruction, not life.
THIS IS A MOST SERIOUS LESSON FOR ALL PEOPLE TO HEAR! The Gospel is presented and the way to be saved is laid out clearly! SHARE with your non-Christian family and friends!
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 49: The Golden Rule
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Of all the "Rules for the Redeemed" discussed by the Lord Jesus in "The Sermon on the Mount" (the treasure, worry, criticism, and prayer rules), the last is the most well known: "The Golden Rule" (Matthew 7:12). In this study, we take great care to connect this important truth for godly living with the context; thus, we see how it relates to the subjects of judgment (see Lesson 47) and prayer (Lesson 48).
Find out what the difference is between "The Brass Rule of Humanity" and "The Golden Rule of Heaven"! Find out the great difference between what Israel's religious rulers, the ancient philosphers, and the Greek stoics taught about proper treatment of others compared with what Christ Jesus taught! Did you know that "The Golden Rule" is actually a consolidation of all Old Testament teaching (the Law and the Prophets) about human relationships? If ONLY mankind could OBEY this ONE rule!!
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 48: The Prayer Promise! {Ask, Seek, Knock!}
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Are you frustrated with the quality of your Christian life? Do you seriously desire to be a Beatitude-type believer? Do you long to have the righteous motive in your service for the Lord? Have you longed to rid yourself of some harboring bitterness, vengefulness, or maybe a critical spirit? Have you wondered about ways you could and should be investing in heavenly treasure? Have you longed to have greater spiritual discernment? Do you truly want to fully trust God about your needs and your future - and cease worrying? If your answer to any or all of these questions is "Yes," then listen to Jesus' command-prayer-promise, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7).
God will not do for us, apart from prayer, that which He has promised to do for us only through prayer! Though He is Sovereign, that does not mean we receive all the blessings He has for us and desires to give us if we fail to ask for them - "ye have not, because ye ask not" (James 4:2b)! Did you realize that a lot of the frustrations of our Christian lives are the result of not having turned our frustration-energy into prayer-energy!
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Monday Jul 03, 2023
From Matthew 7:1-6 (part of "The Sermon on the Mount"), the Lord Jesus "switched gears" from having taught about having a right perspective toward material things ("The Treasure Rule" - Lesson 45 and "The Worry Rule" - Lesson 46) to having a right perspective toward people!
In this lesson, we discuss both the positive and negative sides of what we call "Teeter-Totter Theology". We also discuss that verse so often taken out of context, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (7:1). There is a righteous form of judging! There is also an unrighteous form of judging - and we need to know the difference! There is also a right way and time to criticize and a wrong way and time to criticize! Again, we need to know the difference. We also need to know how to do honest self-judgment to make sure we are not pointing out someone's "eye-mote," while there is a major "beam" in our own!
Another important lesson from the Greatest Teacher ever, Jesus!
Saturday Jul 01, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 46: The Worry Rule {Christ Teaches on Anxiety}
Saturday Jul 01, 2023
Saturday Jul 01, 2023
This lesson on Matthew 6:25-34 (from the Lord's "Sermon on the Mount") is on the subject of WORRY! Oh dear. With the current Coronavirus Pandemic upon us, this is an extremely important message from the Lord Jesus for all of us to hear and adhere!!
In His words of wisdom, the Lord tells His followers that to worry about earthly matters demonstrates three things: 1. distrust of our Father's Providence, 2. distrust of our Father's Promises, and 3. doubt in our Father's Protection.
What do we do when circumstances arise that appear to be potential situations for worry (anxiety)? We discuss 6 reasons why Christians should NOT worry in the midst of storms (or any time). Listen and sleep well tonight.
Saturday Jul 01, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 45: The Treasure Rule {A Serious Message about Materialism}
Saturday Jul 01, 2023
Saturday Jul 01, 2023
From Matthew 6:19-24 (part of "The Sermon on the Mount"), the Lord taught how Kingdom citizens are to have the right perspective on earthly "treasures," which are merely temporary, as compared to heavenly "treasures," which last forever. The Christian is to set his affection on things above, "For where your heart is, there shall your heart be also".
In this lesson, we discuss how the Christian is to have a single focus and a solitary Master, "For no man can serve two masters . . . ye cannot serve God and mammon [money/material things". This is a serious message for our day of vast materialism!
Friday Jun 30, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 44: How to Pray Effectively - Part II
Friday Jun 30, 2023
Friday Jun 30, 2023
To be effective in our prayer lives so God is honored and pleased by our prayers, we need to fulfill certain Christian "responsibilities". In this second lesson on the Lord's "Perfect Prayer Pattern" from His "Sermon on the Mount". Whereas the first three petitions of the Lord's prayer pattern deal with exalting God, His name, His Kingdom, and His will, the last three petitions (6:11-13) have to do with us (the believers). We discuss these petitions under the headings of (1) or present provision, (2) for past pardon, and (3) for future protection (from temptation and evil).
We also discuss the closing doxology of the prayer ("For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen"), as well as the postscript on the subject of forgiveness found in verses 14 and 15. That postscript has upset a lot of Christians over the centuries, for they think Jesus was saying a person's savlational forgiveness is conditional upon his own forgiveness of others. That is not what He was teaching, and we explain the meaning of those verses in this lesson.
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 43: How to Pray Effectively - Part I
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
Prayer is perhaps the single greatest activity in which the human soul can engage, for in prayer we come face-to-face with God. Prayer is our golden opportunity to give God the opportunity to manifest His power, majesty, love, and providence to His beloved children. Although prayer is one of the most vital aspects of the Christian life, most of us feel it is the area in which we are the weakest. The disciples of Christ obviously felt this way, too, which is why they asked Him to teach them to pray. Thus, He gave them instruction and guidance for proper, effective prayer in Matthew 6:7-15 (part of "The Sermon on the Mount").
First, Jesus spoke about the errors of ineffective prayer (vanity prayers, valueless prayers, and verbose prayers), before He then taught about the essentials for effect prayer (having right relationships, with God and others; having right responsibilites, and making right requests - which is discussed in Part II of this study).
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 42: Beware of Religious Hypocrisy!
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
In Matthew 6:1-18, the Lord Jesus (in His "Sermon on the Mount) continued to emphasize true, heart righteousness by contrasting it with false, hypocritical "righteousness" in the realm of three practical, religious activities: (1) giving, (2) praying, and (3) fasting. His words about giving deal with a person's righteousness as it acts toward others; His words about prayer deal with righteousness as it acts toward God, and His words regarding fasting discuss heart righteousness in relation to oneself.
In this study, we discuss the sins of silent cowardice, selfish complacency, and showy conduct. We learn where the term "blowing your own trumpet" (or "sounding your own horn") originated. We discuss "silent hands" and "secret closets" and the four ways people approach religious responsibilities (only two of which earn God's praise, not the praise of others or the praise of self).
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
Life of Lesson Christ 41: Loving and Living Supernaturally
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
This lesson is on Matthew 5:43-48. Nowhere is there a greater contrast between the false, hypocritical "righteousness" of the Jewish religious rulers of Christ's day and true, godly heart-righteousness than in the Lord's sixth and final illustration on the section of "The Sermon on the Mount" entitled "Reinterpretations of the Law". This greatest contrast deals with LOVE. In no more important area had the scribes and Pharisees so critically departed from God's standards of holiness. Unfortunately, they were far too "in-love" with themselves and their social status to have time or leftover concern for anyone outside their inner circle.
We divide this study into three sections. First, we look at the Mosaic principles about love (Leviticus 19:18), then we discuss the Pharisaic perversion on the subject of love. Finally, finally we look at Christ's persepctive, ewhich is to possess a supernatural love that enables us to love our enemies, pray for our enemies, and to have absolutely no partiality toward any one.
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 40: Resisting Personal Retaliation
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
This lesson is on Matthew 5:38-42. In this section of "The Sermon on the Mount" (5:21-48), Christ was contrasting Pharisaic, external "righteousness" (see 5:20) with God's true, inner righteousness, using examples like murder (Lesson 35), adultery (Lesson 36), divorce (Lessons 37 and 38), and oath taking(Lesson 39). His next topic to use in comparing the teachings propagated by Israel's religious rulers (gross misinterpretations of the Law) and His own teaching dealt with the matter of personal vengeance and retaliation.
We will first look at the Old Testament teaching on the subject of retaliation (the Mosaic principles found in Exodus 21:22-25; Leviticus 24:19, 20; Deuteronomy 19:20, 21), and then see how the Pharisees had perverted that teaching. Finally, we will look at the Lord Jesus' perspective on the subject! He teaches the following: do NOT retaliate even though your dignity is smitten, your security is sued, your freedoms are sacrificed, and your possessions are surrendered. Wow. Turning the other cheek, surrendering your cloak also, going the second mile, and giving to him that asks! Being a Christian is not easy!
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 39: Taking Oaths/Speaking Truth
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
This lesson is on Matthew 5:33-37, part of "The Sermon on the Mount". Throughout this famous sermon, the Lord Jesus was attempting to convey to His listeners the fact that everything a citizen of His eternal Kingdom says or does is important to God. If a Christian is to be an effective witness to this world where fake news, half-truths (which are lies), vain philosophies, false religious, evil cults, and massive deceptions reign, he or she must be a person who guards both his or her heart and tongue to speak only the truth and to keep every vow made to God or man! God looks with great seriousness on every aspect of our lives!
We consider three sections on the matter of "Taking Oaths and Speaking Truth". First, we look at what the Old Testament says on oath-taking (Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21). Then we consider what the Pharisees taught on the matter and, finally, compare the Pharisaic teaching with what the Lord Jesus had to say about it.
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 38: New Testament Teaching on Divorce {And Remarriage}
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Monday Jun 26, 2023
It would be good to precede hearing this message with Lesson 37 from our Life of Christ study, "Old Testament Teaching on Divorce".
This study stems from the Lord's teaching in "The Sermon on the Mount," but we also look at Paul's inspired words in First Corinthians 7:10-16 for further information about the subject of divorce. What are the only two Biblical grounds for divorce? Listen and find out.
What about remarriage after a divorce? Again, listen and find out.
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 37: Old Testament Teaching on Divorce
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Monday Jun 26, 2023
In the Lord's famous "Sermon on the Mount," He went from discussing the matter of adultery to the subject of divorce and remarriage (Matthew 5:31, 32). Coming to a subject like this demonstrates the importance of an expositional, systematic study of Scripture, for it forces us to discuss subjects we may be otherwise tempted to avoid. This topic is difficult and sensitive for many people; it is not one that is taught with joy, but we are commanded to study the whole counsel of the Word of God and not to ignore those things some find offensive, painful, or convicting. It is critical in our day of high divorce rate even among Christians to see the matter of divorce and remarriage through the eyes of God, so, beginning with this lesson and ending with Lesson 38, we will look at what He has to say about this subject in both the Old and New Testaments.
This lesson (and Lesson #38 on "New Testament Teaching on Divorce") is found in our "Caldwell Commentary" series "Life of Christ Vol 2" and "The Sermon on the Mount" (availabe through www.scripturetruth.com).
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 36: Heart Righteousness {Adultery}
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
In Matthew 5:27-30, the Lord Jesus gave the second contrasting, corrective illustration between the rabbinic teaching the people heard wrongly presented to them and His interpretation of the Law. In this section, He spoke about adultery, making it clear that the sin is a lot more than just a physical act. He taught (as He did with murder) that the sin of adultery begins in the heart. The religious rulers, as with most people today, needed a divinely given course on the doctrine of sin. They had lowered the level of God's holy standards to an exteranlism they felt they could achieve, and then they self-righteously convinced themselves God was pleased with their great efforts to master their own standards of "righteousness". They were pious-acting hypocrites!
Saturday Jun 24, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 35: Heart Righteousness {Murder}
Saturday Jun 24, 2023
Saturday Jun 24, 2023
In Matthew 5:21-26 of His "Sermon on the Mount," Christ drew a strong contrast between His teaching on certain key matters of life and the teaching that had been presented to the Jewish people by their leaders for centuries - teaching from the Old Testament that they had both altered and expanded upon so that it was not anything similar to God's original meaning. In each of the six subjects of this section, "Reinterpretations of the Law" (murder, adultery, divorce, oath-making, retaliation, and love), He stressed HEART-righteousness.
Learn what the Lord had to say about the sin of murder! It goes a whole lot further than the actual killing of another person. In fact, every one of us is guilty of "murder" the way the Lord defines it!
The Lord also laid down some very specific steps for reconciliation with a Christian brother or sister in this section of His Sermon.
Friday Jun 23, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 34: The Reliabilty of Scripture!
Friday Jun 23, 2023
Friday Jun 23, 2023
Since the remainder of the Lord's teaching in "The Sermon on the Mount" was based on the Old Testament, He prefaced the remainder of the sermon with a "prologue" (Matthew 5:17-20). In just four very significant verses, Christ affirmed to His listeners the absolute "Reliability of Scripture"!
The Lord's words in this critical passage confirm for us He did not come to destroy the Law and the prophets (the Old Testament), but to fulfill them! He confirmed His belief in the preeminence (the superiority) of Scripture; in the permanence of Scripture; in the pertinence of Scripture, and He understood the purpose of Scripture (obviously, for He is the Author and Finisher of Scripture)!
Thursday Jun 22, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 33: Shake and Shine!
Thursday Jun 22, 2023
Thursday Jun 22, 2023
In Lessons #29 and #30, we looked at the characteristics of Kingdom citizens as presented in the Beatitude virtues. This lesson is about the function of Kingdom citizens! After we have entered onto "The Highway to Happiness," we have a responsibility to the insipid, dark world around us. What is that responsibility as followers of Christ? We are to "Shake and Shine"! We are called by Him to be the salt and light of the world! We are to be salt for a corrupt world and light for a confused world. To put our Christian responsibility in two words, we are to INFLUENCE and ILLUMINATE.
Lord, shake on me Thy savory salt, 'til I am ready to burst!
Fill me so full with righteousness that others for Thee will thirst.
Shine on me Thy radiant light so I almost seem to glow;
Help me, Lord, guide others to Thee, so Thy Truth they also might know.
O Lord, make me salty! O Lord, make me shine!
Use me, dear Saviour, for Thy glory divine.
O Lord, make me salty! O Lord, make me bright!
May I create thirst, and guide men to Thy Light!
Katherine Caldwell
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 32: Highway to Happiness - Part IV
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
The Beatitudes of the opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount are referred to as "The Sacred Paradoxes" (Thomas Watson), for they tell us that opposites often can and do co-exist. The Lord Jesus is "The Master of the Paradox"! Think about some of the seeming contradictions He taught - the first shall be last; giving is receiving; losing is finding; dying is living; serving is ruling, weakness is strength, being His bondslave is being set free; and the least is the greatest. The Beatitudes contain some equally paradoxical statements: the poor are rich; the sad are happy; the meek are winners; the hungry are satisfied - and, strangest of all, the persecuted rejoice! This lesson continues the discussion from Lesson #31 on the final Beatitude, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for My sake".
Why did the Lord spend three times the space on the last Beatitude? Why did He mention the word "blessed" twice in this last Beatitude? What are the three primary types of persecution of Christians? What does it mean if a Christian is experiencing not one of those three types of persecution in his life? How is the believer in Christ to respond to both persecution and the persecutor? And how in the world can a Christian rejoice because he is persecuted (which includes not only physical harm, but verbal abuse, and false witness - including slander)? One more question: is it wrong to be motivated by heavenly rewards to live righteously?
Would you like to hear answers to the above questions? Okay. Push the play button on this message! Enjoy.
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 31: Highway to Happiness - Part III
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
On both a national and a personal level, mankind has a natural inclination toward fighting, quarreling, and warring. Peace has been the most elusive of all goals in the world. According to James (Christ's half-brother) conflicts come from our inner lusts (selfish desires) waging war in the heart (James 4:1, 2). This is not only true for non-believers; it is true for Christians. James was writing to the "brethren". Just think about how divided "the Church" has become since the early days of the Apostolic Church in Jerusalem. This is why it is important for us to understand the Lord's seventh Beatific virtue: peacemaking!
What is a peacemaker? What did the Lord mean by that K? What does a peacemaker do, exactly? How did Jesus set the example of being a Peacemaker? Does it mean always agreeing with everyone, even when they are dangerously wrong or wickedly evil? Why is a true "peacemaker" a soul-winner? What is "the ministry of reconciliation" Paul talked about in Second Corinthians? What are the five basic necessities that comprise a godly peacemaker? Why is it sometimes necessary for the true peacemaker to stir-up trouble in order to make peace? (What?) Did you realize that the Christian peacemaker actually engages in real warfare, for he wrestles not against flesh and blood, but against the evil forces of the kingdom of darkness? All this is discussed in this lesson.
We also begin to discuss the final Beatitude, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake . . . Blessed are ye when men shall revile you . . . and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and exceedingly glad . . . " (Matthew 5:10-12a). How can a believer happily rejoice to the point of exceeding gladness when he is persecuted, reviled, and slandered falsely? That sounds like one of the greatest paradoxes of all, does it not - Happy are the Hated and the Harrassed? Yes, but think of this truth, the reward for those who are willing to be a living sacrifice for Christ, is that they will gain everything - ". . . for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (5:10b)! Compared to what is gained, even a martyr's price is small. We begin our discussion of the final Beatitude in this lesson and continue it in Lesson #32 (so be sure to "follow up").
Monday Jun 19, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 30: Highway to Happiness - Part II
Monday Jun 19, 2023
Monday Jun 19, 2023
In this continuing study of the Lord's Beatitudes, we come to the next three beatific virtues: hungering and thirsting after righteousness, being merciful, and being pure in heart.
There is really no better "self-examination" a person can give himself (herself) with regard to his (her) Christian profession than to ask the Matthew 5:6 test question, "Do I genuinely hunger for the things of God? Do I deeply thirst to know Christ? Am I hungering and thirsting to be like Him in my life?"
What exactly is the Biblical meaning of mercy? What does "they shall obtain mercy" mean? Have you ever heard of "God's Mercy Cycle"? You will in this lesson.
The Purity of Heart Beatitude is the apex of all the others; the reason is the first 5 lead up to it and the last 2 flow out of it. The world asserts that "happy" people are the physically beautiful, rich, powerful, famous, successful, highly educated, and elite. Jesus says the truly happy people are those who are spiritually beautiful, rich,wise, and successful (fruitful) because their hearts have been purified by Him.
Come join us in our continued walk down "The Highway to Happiness"! Who doesn't want to know the key to inner JOY inspite of the chaos, confusion, corruption, and corona all around us? [Yah, I know, there are some people who seem to enjoy being miserable. Do you know why? They've never been down the Beatific Highway.]
This lesson in written form (with Homework Questions) is found in our "Caldwell Commentary" entitled "Life of Christ Vol. 2" or "The Sermon on the Mount" (available through www.scripturetruth.com)
Monday Jun 19, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 29: Highway to Happiness - Part I
Monday Jun 19, 2023
Monday Jun 19, 2023
There must have been an expectant atmosphere among the assembly gathered on the green hillside northwest of Capernaum to hear Jesus speak. Hearts were high with hope for future glory; Rome might soon be chased from their land by an Israeli army under the leadership of this God-sent miracle-worker (another Moses was among them)! No longer would they be poor and hungry as they filled Rome's coffers with their hard-earned money. No longer would they mourn over their oppression, hardships, and constant fears. No longer would Israel appear meek before the mighty Roman "Goliath" who persecuted them (another "David" was among them)!
But when Jesus "opened His mouth, and taught them," the people heard nothing about warfare with Rome. Instead, they heard teaching so full of wisdom, spoken with an authority never before known - yet with a tone of genuine love and compassion that the crowd was mesmerized. Their dry, thirsty souls and starvingly hunger spirits felt the raindrops of Heaven softening the hard, crusty ground of their hearts.
The people that day were hearing the words of the greatest sermon ever preached from the lips of the greatest Preacher Who ever walked the earth! They were the privileged, initial recipients of the Lord's famous, "Sermon on the Mount," which He began with what is called "The Beatitudes". In Lessons #29 to #32 of our Life of Christ study, we refer to the 8 Beatitudes as "The Highway to Happiness".
Sunday Jun 18, 2023
Life of Christ Lesson 28: Sermon on Mount Overview
Sunday Jun 18, 2023
Sunday Jun 18, 2023
The greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest Preacher Who ever lived - the famous "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 4:23-7:29; Luke 6:19-49)! The words of this sermon have been compared to X-rays of our souls; they expose us to ourselves. They convict us to an uncomfortably GOOD place, where we make some serious self-examination regarding the reality of our salvation, the authenticity of our Christian walk, and the level of our Christian commitment.
This lesson is an overview of the entire sermon. In it, we discuss the setting for the sermon, the purpose of the sermon, the reasons for studying it today, and the basic principles in the sermon for believers.
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Daniel Lesson 34: The Great 70 Week‘s Prophecy - Part II
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
The saddest tragedy to ever occur for Israel was when she missed the prophetically foretold day of her long awaited Messiah's arrival. It was not the day of His birth in Bethlehem. It was not the day of His baptism in the Jordan. It was not even the day He officially began His public ministry by suddenly appearing in Jerusalem, going straight to the Temple, and single-handedly cleansing it (another clear fulfillment of Messianic prophecy). None of those events were specifically predicted to the very day of their occurrence by God through one of His prophets. No, the super-tragic day for Israel was when she failed to "do the math" with Daniel's "Great 70 Weeks' Prophecy" and, therefore, missed the proof of His Identity as "Messiah the Prince" which He presented to her on Palm Sunday. Because of her failure to receive Him as her spiritual King on Palm Sunday, she ended up crucifying Him on Passover Thursday (see our podcast on why Christ died on Passion week Thursday).
Not only does this great prophecy predict Messiah's arrival, but also His death, and Jerusalem's coming destruction following His death (which did, indeed, occur in A.D. 70). Furthermore, we discuss the one remaining "week" of seven years for God's overall redemptive program for Israel. That last "week" is the seven-year Tribulation Period (Revelation 6 to 19)! Daniel's prophecy, given in the Fifth Century B.C., also predicted the horrific covenant agreement Israel will make with the Antichrist, the abomination of desolation he will commit in the Tribulation Temple, and, also, the destruction of the Antichrist (yeah!).
This is the most important Old Testament prophecy for you to know - not only to strengthen your confidence concerning Christ's identity as we look back in history, but to strengthen your confidence concerning His plan for the future, which He will fulfill as assuredly and as literally as He assuredly and literally fulfilled all the prophecies relative to His First Coming. Amen.
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Daniel Lesson 33: The Great 70 Weeks‘ Prophecy - Part I
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Did you know Jewish rabbis do not want their people reading "The Great 70 Weeks' Prophecy" of Daniel 9:24-27? Listen to the words of an ancient rabbinic curse (Talmudic Law p. 987, Section 2, Line 28; also Talmud Sanhedrin 97b, Soncino ed, p. 659), "May the bones of the hands and the bones of the fingers decay and decompose, of him who turns the pages of the book of Daniel, to find out the time of Daniel 9:24-27, and may his memory rot from off the face of the earth forever". Pretty harsh words of warning NOT to study this passage of Scripture! Why? Because "The Great 70 Weeks' Prophecy" is the GREATEST PROPHETIC PROOF that JESUS IS THE PROMISED MESSIAH of Israel . . . and Saviour of mankind.
In this lesson, we set the stage for this amazing prophecy. Hang in there and listen attentively (and then procede to listen to Lesson #34). This prophecy is so very crucial to a proper comprehension of eschatology (a study of end times). A person should always "have a handle" on this prophecy before studying the Book of Revelation! A proper understanding of this all-important prophecy refutes the prevalent teaching of Replacement Theology (that God has replaced Israel with the Church; also called "Supersessionism")! A proper understanding of this fantastic prophecy gives STRONG evidence for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church! Furthermore, as stated above, this marvelous prophecy, given to one of the godliest prophets who ever lived (Daniel), provides irrefutible evidence as to the identity of the True Messiah, and He is the One Who presented Himself to Israel on Palm Sunday, which was the very day predicted in this INCREDIBLE PROPHECY (see also our 3 lessons on "The King's Triumphant Entry" on this podcast).
This study is from our "Caldwell Commentary" series. "Daniel; An Extra-ordinary Servant of God in Extra-Ordinary Times, Extra-ordinary Prophecies" (available at www.scripturetruth.com).