SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-31-when-not-to-turn-the-other-cheek
Youtube:
Monday, July 29, 2019
Ward Preacher Podcast Ep 31 - When not to turn the other cheek
This week in the Come Follow Me curriculum, we wrap up the book of Acts. Paul doesn't turn the other cheek, but defends himself, and witnesses of Jesus in all circumstances. Study with me!
SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-31-when-not-to-turn-the-other-cheek
Youtube:
SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-31-when-not-to-turn-the-other-cheek
Youtube:
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Ward Preacher Podcast Ep 30 - You are more than your circumstances
This week's Come Follow Me curriculum brings us to Acts 16-21. Paul triumphs over circumstance by not letting prison get him down, and finding teaching opportunities everywhere. Study with me!
SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-30-you-are-more-than-your-circumstances
Youtube:
SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-30-you-are-more-than-your-circumstances
Youtube:
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Ward Preacher Podcast Ep 29 - The Purpose Of A Chosen People
This week, the Come Follow Me curriculum brings us to Acts 10-15. We focus on the revelations that brought the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentiles, and why there was a chosen people to begin with. Study with me!
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-29-the-purpose-of-a-chosen-people
Youtube:
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-29-the-purpose-of-a-chosen-people
Youtube:
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Ward Preacher Podcast Ep 028 - A Dramatic Turnaround
This week, the Come Follow Me curriculum takes us through the ministry of Stephen and the conversion of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. Study with me!
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-028-a-dramatic-turnaround
Youtube:
Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-961318159/ward-preacher-podcast-ep-028-a-dramatic-turnaround
Youtube:
Friday, July 5, 2019
Applying Gamaliel's Test
The ministry of the apostles begins in the Come Follow Me curriculum this week (Acts 1-5), and the apostles open their work with power and authority.
After being threatened and arrested by the Sanhedrin for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, Peter and John immediately went and preached more of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Naturally, the council was was infuriated by their blatant disregard, and had them thrown in prison. An angel of God came and freed them, but instead of going into hiding, the apostles followed the direction of the angel and went to the temple and again preached the words of life.
The council again arrested the apostles, and the high priest addressed them:
"Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them." (Acts 5:28-33)
The council esteemed themselves highly, and were incensed with the brazenness of the apostles. I imagine they were livid when they realized that killing Jesus had not stopped his disciples as they had hoped.
In spite of the voices on the council that sought to kill the apostles of Jesus, a calm and wise voice was found from a Pharisee named Gamaliel:
"Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." (Acts 5:34-39)
Gamaliel's test was to let the apostles go, and if, as other movements, it were a fad, it would pass in time. If, on the other hand, it were of God, then they should not place themselves in opposition to it. The council agreed that this was a wise approach, and released the apostles, even though they could not resist beating them and threatening them further before their release.
About 2000 years later, it is safe to say that enough time has passed to analyze the results of Gamaliel's test, and draw a conclusion.
On the one hand, the apostles of Jesus were all killed or banished, and the few congregations that had started in various parts of Asia and Europe were relegated to running themselves blindly. Corruption and confusion led uninspired men to make doctrinal decisions, and even when persecution had ended, the authority to act in the name of God had been lost, and some of the scriptures had been altered or disappeared. Secularists tend to look at Christianity as a trendy movement, in which a teacher was posthumously elevated into a deity by some of his zealous followers, and that the enlightenment has brought mankind away from the cult of Christ. They might argue that Christianity has failed Gamaliel's test.
On the other hand, those who clung to the teachings of Christ in spite of apostasy found motivation and inspiration. What scriptures were kept drove passionate reformation efforts, and encouraged men to reawaken faith. Men gave their lives so that others could read the teachings of Christ in their own tongues, and understand in their own languages, just as on the day of Pentecost. Though authority was lost, Christian morality provided critical frameworks for morality and law in western civilization. Even today, there are people all over the world who believe that Jesus Christ is the living Son of God. It is difficult to deny that something more than the proverbs of a teacher have endured these 2000 years.
As much as skeptics deride the idea that Jesus is the actual Son of God, or that his message has contemporary value, perhaps the most convincing evidence that Christianity has passed Gamaliel's test can be found in the experience of a young boy in New England in 1820. A tradition of faith in Christ had crossed oceans and become established in new continents. An English Bible, a book for which men had sacrificed their lives to produce, was available even to an impoverished farm boy. In spite of all the apostasy, the persecution, the deceptions, and the losses experienced by those ancient disciples of Christ, this boy came across a passage in James 1:5 -
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Just as on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God himself touched the heart. That boy would later describe the experience as follows:
"Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know..." (Joseph Smith - History 1:12)
The boy retired to a grove of trees near his home, and offered a prayer. Centuries after his apostles had proclaimed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, he again appeared with his Father.
Of course, the boy was Joseph Smith, who through his prophetic mantel, would help to restore that exact church that Jesus himself had founded anciently. Ultimately, it is safe to say that the faith of Christ has not waned and faded as Theudas or Judas of Galilee... It is alive and well today. Instead of coming to nought, it has endured, and as Gamaliel suggested as a sign of divine providence... it could not be overthrown.
The prophet Joseph would later explain the correct conclusion to draw when applying Gamaliel's test:
"...no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every county and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." (History of the Church 4:540)
Jesus is not gone. He lives. And he is coming to save us all.
After being threatened and arrested by the Sanhedrin for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, Peter and John immediately went and preached more of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Naturally, the council was was infuriated by their blatant disregard, and had them thrown in prison. An angel of God came and freed them, but instead of going into hiding, the apostles followed the direction of the angel and went to the temple and again preached the words of life.
The council again arrested the apostles, and the high priest addressed them:
"Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them." (Acts 5:28-33)
The council esteemed themselves highly, and were incensed with the brazenness of the apostles. I imagine they were livid when they realized that killing Jesus had not stopped his disciples as they had hoped.
In spite of the voices on the council that sought to kill the apostles of Jesus, a calm and wise voice was found from a Pharisee named Gamaliel:
"Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." (Acts 5:34-39)
Gamaliel's test was to let the apostles go, and if, as other movements, it were a fad, it would pass in time. If, on the other hand, it were of God, then they should not place themselves in opposition to it. The council agreed that this was a wise approach, and released the apostles, even though they could not resist beating them and threatening them further before their release.
About 2000 years later, it is safe to say that enough time has passed to analyze the results of Gamaliel's test, and draw a conclusion.
On the one hand, the apostles of Jesus were all killed or banished, and the few congregations that had started in various parts of Asia and Europe were relegated to running themselves blindly. Corruption and confusion led uninspired men to make doctrinal decisions, and even when persecution had ended, the authority to act in the name of God had been lost, and some of the scriptures had been altered or disappeared. Secularists tend to look at Christianity as a trendy movement, in which a teacher was posthumously elevated into a deity by some of his zealous followers, and that the enlightenment has brought mankind away from the cult of Christ. They might argue that Christianity has failed Gamaliel's test.
On the other hand, those who clung to the teachings of Christ in spite of apostasy found motivation and inspiration. What scriptures were kept drove passionate reformation efforts, and encouraged men to reawaken faith. Men gave their lives so that others could read the teachings of Christ in their own tongues, and understand in their own languages, just as on the day of Pentecost. Though authority was lost, Christian morality provided critical frameworks for morality and law in western civilization. Even today, there are people all over the world who believe that Jesus Christ is the living Son of God. It is difficult to deny that something more than the proverbs of a teacher have endured these 2000 years.
As much as skeptics deride the idea that Jesus is the actual Son of God, or that his message has contemporary value, perhaps the most convincing evidence that Christianity has passed Gamaliel's test can be found in the experience of a young boy in New England in 1820. A tradition of faith in Christ had crossed oceans and become established in new continents. An English Bible, a book for which men had sacrificed their lives to produce, was available even to an impoverished farm boy. In spite of all the apostasy, the persecution, the deceptions, and the losses experienced by those ancient disciples of Christ, this boy came across a passage in James 1:5 -
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Just as on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God himself touched the heart. That boy would later describe the experience as follows:
"Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know..." (Joseph Smith - History 1:12)
The boy retired to a grove of trees near his home, and offered a prayer. Centuries after his apostles had proclaimed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, he again appeared with his Father.
Of course, the boy was Joseph Smith, who through his prophetic mantel, would help to restore that exact church that Jesus himself had founded anciently. Ultimately, it is safe to say that the faith of Christ has not waned and faded as Theudas or Judas of Galilee... It is alive and well today. Instead of coming to nought, it has endured, and as Gamaliel suggested as a sign of divine providence... it could not be overthrown.
The prophet Joseph would later explain the correct conclusion to draw when applying Gamaliel's test:
"...no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every county and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." (History of the Church 4:540)
Jesus is not gone. He lives. And he is coming to save us all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)