What Jesus Thinks about Religion #7, Part 2
May 21, 2021
The irony used by Jesus here is thick. The Laodiceans had a medical college that specialized in ophthalmology. So Jesus says they need, "salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see." If we understand the background information, it shows us the real impact. We get to the application for ourselves through understanding it's original intention.
Featured Offer
Free Resource | Does the Bible Promote Tolerance or Intolerance?
One group says the Bible is a book about love, mercy, and kindness. They think of the story of the Good Samaritan and of Jesus telling us to turn the other cheek. So how could anyone think the Bible prevents a tolerant society? But for another group, the Bible is far from tolerant. There’s the conquest of Canaan. There’s Elijah killing Baal’s prophets by his own hand. And in the New Testament, Jesus talks often about hell. That’s not tolerant. What then can we say in answer to this question? Get your free resource and learn more today!
Archives
This last letter in Revelation is the most potent and powerful. The lukewarm church at Laodicea parallels us when we keep God at arms's length. There is so much resonance here for us today.
May 20, 2021
Jesus is saying that this spiritual, principled commitment to the Word works, in practice. The church in Philadelphia had held on to the Word, and he was going to hold on to them. We've got to center our lives on God and his Word rather than reaching for what we think is most pragmatic.
May 19, 2021
The church in Philadelphia looked successful but was lacking beauty and meaning and higher connection. We need to have a better way of assessing ministry than simply whether it makes money and gets more people in the door.
May 18, 2021
The trouble with the church at Sardis was that they were resting on their works. They thought these works were enough and they were proud of them. In the letter, Jesus tells them what the real problem is and how to fix it. It's a deep and powerful passage.
May 17, 2021
What do we do with the raw emotions in the Bible? What do we do with these strong, bold statements in the Psalms? They can serve as scriptural therapy for us as we work through our own feelings in a biblical way.
May 16, 2021
Jesus tells the church in Sardis to "Wake up!" We need this too—whether it's a sleepy Sunday morning or the way we're drifting through life. The message to Sardis resonates with us today. Now is the time, let's get going and make the most of our life with Jesus; let's wake up!
May 14, 2021
Jesus' discipline toward us is an expression of his love, just as a father disciplines his child for his good. God shapes us and refines us to make us more the person he wants us to be. Discipline isn't pleasant, but it is for our good, and anything we want to become good at requires discipline.
May 13, 2021
Church is not just an institution, a routine, or a religious ritual. We are in the presence of Christ; we are the body of Christ. The sovereign power of Jesus is at work in church, as shown in the letter to Thyatira.
May 12, 2021
To repent is not to do penance or beat yourself with whips and chains, either physically or emotionally. You can cry and feel really bad, but if you do nothing about it, you still haven't repented. The whole point is changing your mind and going in the other direction.
May 11, 2021
The church at Pergamum had held fast to Jesus' name and did not deny the faith. How had this church, faithful even unto death, become so compromised?
May 10, 2021
See More Episodes
Loading...
*
- 1 Corinthians - To the Church of God
- 20/20 Vision
- 7 Days to Revitalize Your Life
- iTeach - Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
A
B
C
- Christ, Church, and Religion
- Christmas: Can You Believe It?
- Christ's Countercultural Church
- Contend for the Faith
E
F
G
H
I
J
L
M
O
P
Q
R
S
T
- The Apostle of Hope
- The Bible Explained
- The Coming of the Lord
- The Essential Church
- The God Centered Church
- The Gospel and...
- The Gospel of Grace and Peace
- The Gospel of Jesus
- The Heavenly Places
- The Lord's Prayer
- The Spirit of Christmas
W
Loading...
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
J
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
- Salvation
- Science and the Gospel
- Sharing the Gospel
- Sin
- Spiritual Gifts
- Spiritual Growth
- Spiritual Growth for Men
- Spiritual Warfare
T
W
Listen to God Centered Life on
Amazon Echo
Learn How
Learn How
Featured Offer
Free Resource | Does the Bible Promote Tolerance or Intolerance?
One group says the Bible is a book about love, mercy, and kindness. They think of the story of the Good Samaritan and of Jesus telling us to turn the other cheek. So how could anyone think the Bible prevents a tolerant society? But for another group, the Bible is far from tolerant. There’s the conquest of Canaan. There’s Elijah killing Baal’s prophets by his own hand. And in the New Testament, Jesus talks often about hell. That’s not tolerant. What then can we say in answer to this question? Get your free resource and learn more today!