The revchristruelsen’s Podcast

Damaged Goods (Matthew 27, Part I)

Text for discussion: Matthew 27:1-23

 

Betrayed by Judas, Jesus is delivered from the chief priests and elders (the religious authorities) over to the civil authority, Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea.  

Like the silver coins thrown back at the chief priests and elders by Judas, it is Pilate's wife that wants him to have nothing to do with Jesus.  

Jesus' rejection on every front, is necessary for the salvation of all people, for whom Jesus died.  

All who believe in Him will be saved.  

The hymn: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. (Public domain).

From the Jaws of Defeat (Matthew 26 Part III, Matthew 26:30-74)

The feeling on the night of the Last Supper is a somber and serious one.  The mood of the Passover should be anticipatory of victory, but defeat seems to be on the air . . . .  Beyond human understanding, the betrayal, trial, and crucifixion are a replay of the Passover; they are the greater thing of which the great festival of the Passover is surprisingly, a type, a model.  

The hymn: a completely new recording of Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed.  

A public domain hymn.  

Given and Shed for You (Matthew 26, Part II)

Text for discussion Matthew 26:17-29

What are we to make of Judas?  Was he destined for doom, destruction and damnation even before he was born?

This one answers that question and discusses most importantly what the Lord’s Supper means for us . . . . 

The hymn:  Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me 

A Beautiful Thing (Matthew 26, Part I)

Text for Discussion: Matthew 26:1-16.  

In this passage we learn more about the plot to seize Jesus, and woman anoints Jesus and does a beautiful thing . . . . 

The hymn: Glory Be to Jesus (a public domain hymn)

An Episode about Baptism

This week in church life we commemorate the baptism of Jesus.  This week's lessons recall the baptism of Jesus, and we revisit Matthew 3 in our discussion from an episode originally entitled, "The Great Exchange."  

[All of the lessons and prayers-other than Matthew 3-were recorded January 6, 2023. 

The discussion was recorded June 2022.  

”Of Wise Men and Little Babes” Revisited

Hope you've enjoyed some rest following Christmas.  This one gives you a chance to catch up on the podcasts for those who are behind, and appropriately for the season to come, talks about the wise men.  

So many times the nativity scenes we witness include the wise men.  In reality, the wise men were nowhere to be found until sometime later, when the star led them to Jesus, who was a toddler.  

This one was recorded, May 27, 2022 . . . .  

Text for discussion: Matthew 2.  

Jesus, uncreated, was present before the foundation of the world.  Born into human flesh he was already in danger from the old evil enemy.  God protected His Son until the appointed time . . . .

 

The hymn: A Mighty Fortress

The Eternal Christ, Born into Human Flesh

Did you miss your Christmas celebration due to snow and inclement weather?  This podcast is a celebration of Christmas as I share the message I preached at our Christmas service, entitled: "The Eternal Christ, Born into Human Flesh"

Jesus is God, begotten from all eternity.  He participated in the creation.  He is without beginning and without end . . . .  This God, our Savior came to relieve us of the misery of the human condition, that we might be fully restored, and have life in Him.  

Also shared is a selection of my very best Christmas recordings

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear 

What Child is This?

Away in a Manger

Silent Night

(All are public domain hymns) 

 

Miracle Child, Part III. ”Headed in God’s Direction”

We remember what happened to Jonah who did not head in God's direction.  God turned him around! We choose our own directions in life, often to find that we were swimming upstream, or sometimes we found that thankfully, God brought us to a different place, a better place.  

 

The hymn: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel 

Miracle Child, Part II. ”Salvation from Slavery”

There are many kinds of slavery in this world.  

The out in the open kind is obvious, but slavery to sin, fallenness, and the temptation of the devil is not always so obvious to us . . . yet it is slavery.  

Jesus gives salvation from slavery . . . . 

Hymn:  Once He Came in Blessing #333

The two verses that are sung are public domain.

Miracle Child, Part I. ”How CanThis Be?”

This week a three part series for Advent called, "Miracle Child" 

If life is a miracle in itself, the birth of the Christ child, promised from far more ancient times is an even bigger miracle.  

We flash back to an ancient relative of Jesus who was also a miracle child, Isaac . . . .  

The hymn: The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came #356 

A public domain hymn.