Way of Life: Recent Episodes
J. Thomas Johnson
How did both the Roman government and the Sanhedrin interpret Paul's message, and did their response make a difference?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 8, 2026.
Is a belief in the active involvement of God, angels, and demons in human affairs essential to the Gospel of Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
For additional information regarding the spiritual worldview of the Bible and the present involvement of spiritual beings in human experience, see the following:
"Luke Series - Discussion 12: The Spiritual Forces" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-ery8h-14a837d
"Luke Series - Discussion 25: The Invasion" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-85cqh-1528122
"Luke Series - Discussion 63: Testing the Spirits" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-2rdbd-16c6649
"Deuteronomy Series - Discussion 2: Fearing the Nephilim" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-vxjxm-173f450
"Deuteronomy Series - Discussion 3: Displacing the Demonic" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-emdjd-174adcd
"Deuteronomy Series - Discussion 7: The Intervention of God" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-aeb8c-177c8fa
"Deuteronomy Series - Discussion 9: No Other Gods" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-8wzgy-1796811
"Deuteronomy Series - Discussion 13: Banished Nations" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-dpxxt-17dde05
"gods of the West" series
Podcast - Season 9
Books - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H6GRP37C
"Babel Revisited Second Edition: The Day of the Lord is at Hand"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2GQYQYM
Dr. Michael Heiser's "The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible"
https://www.amazon.com/Unseen-Realm-Recovering-Supernatural-Worldview/dp/1683592719/
Of all the challenges the Gospel of Jesus posed to first century Jewish beliefs about God, what was the challenge that ultimately led to Paul's arrest in Jerusalem?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 24, 2026.
When God sends a prophetic forewarning to His people, is it an opportunity to avoid something or a way of preparing them for something that is unavoidable?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 18, 2026.
How might Paul's final exhortations to the church help to protect us from false teachers and from false teaching?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 11, 2026.
Discipleship to Jesus should have a personal cost, an economic cost, and a social cost. What are these costs, and have Christians been willing to pay them?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
How can miracles be used both to establish faith and to deceive us?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
In today's Old Testament lectionary reading, the prophet Jeremiah cries out to God for rescue. Why did he need rescuing, and what does His prayer mean for us today?
This sermon was preached on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
What is the distinction the Apostles have made between the baptism of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 20, 2026.
What is our responsibility in sharing the Gospel and/or confronting sin, and how are we to respond to resistance?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 13, 2026.
How did Paul proclaim the Gospel in the Gentile context of Athens, and how might his example help us to understand the essentials of the Gospel of Jesus in any context?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
Why did God harden the hearts of so many in Israel against Jesus and the message of the Gospel?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
What is the Gospel of Jesus, and how does its truth effect the nations, cultures, and economies of the world?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
How does God communicate with His people, and how can we be sure a communication is from God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Is God always on the side of peace or unity, or does God sometimes works to divide and separate?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 9, 2026.
What are the ethical requirements of the New Covenant of Jesus and are they different for Jewish Christians and for Gentile Christians?
This sermon was preached on May 2, 2026.
How easy is it to corrupt the core message of the Gospel, and how might we avoid doing so?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
I first passed on this word from the Lord on May 23, 2021. It was then included in the 1st edition of the book "And the Word of the Lord Came...", which was released in August of 2021.
The printed version of this has also been included in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Editions of "And the Word of the Lord Came..." The 3rd edition is available at Amazon.com at the following link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GY821HLV
This was part of a sermon originally preached on January 17, 2021 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Camillus, NY.
Has God forsaken His promises to Israel and turned instead to Gentiles? Has the Church replaced Israel? Is the Church the New Israel? Has Israel become the Church?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
How did false prophets conceal themselves in days of the New Testament, and how do they conceal themselves today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
What is a word of prophecy, and how can we know if it has come from God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
Why did God allow Herod Agrippa to execute James, arrest Peter, and then only act against him when he allowed people to call him an oracle from God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
Why did Jesus choose to rescue Peter from prison after having allowed James to be executed?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
How did the earliest Christians understand Jesus' teaching, "I have been sent only to the lost sheep of Israel;" and how did the earliest Christians understand and embrace prophets?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
What does the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius's household teach us about testing the spirits, being children of Abraham, and what God finds acceptable in His sight?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 7, 2026.
What do the examples of St. Peter and of Tabitha teach us about righteousness and authority in Christian community?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
What does the election of Saul/Paul teach us about the Lordship of Jesus and the authority of the Church?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
What can the evangelistic ministry of Philip tell us about God, the Kingdom of God, and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
Is all the sin the same before God, or are their categories of sin that must be considered separately?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
How did old prejudices harm the early church and inhibit the reception of the Gospel?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
What can some early misconceptions about the Gospel of Jesus teach us about following God today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 24, 2026.
How does the Feast of Passover help us to better understand the Eucharist or Holy Communion?
What does the behavior of Ananias and Sapphira along with God's response teach us about greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
What does the initial isolation of the Church tell us about the advance of the Kingdom of God and God's will for us today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 10, 2026.
What does it mean to pray, speak, or act in Jesus' Name, and are all people authorized to do it?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 3, 2026.
What do the merciful healings of God reveal to us about Jesus and about His kingdom?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 27, 2025.
Why do the instincts of God's people, even those of us in the Christian Church, so often run contrary to God's expressed desire and will?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 20, 2025.
In and through Jesus what has God done uniquely for the people of Israel?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
What do the ways in which God manifested His presence on Pentecost reveal to us about God and about the New Covenant of Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 6, 2025.
What is an Apostle, and are there any living on earth today? And what might we, in the Christian churches today, learn about decision making from the Apostles of Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 29, 2025.
Available today at Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2GQYQYM
"How do the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation instruct us today? What are the four kingdoms prophesied by Daniel? Who is the beast of Revelation? What is the Abomination that Causes Desolation? What are the Seventy Sevens? BABEL REVISITED - SECOND EDITION explores these questions and more as we dig deeply into the dreams, visions, and oracles preserved for us in the First Testament Book of Daniel."
Why did Jesus spend so much time proving He was raised 'bodily' from the dead, and why does God seem to take so long to fulfill His promises?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 22, 2025.
Are Christians really not to judge anybody about anything, or did Jesus mean something else by, "Do not judge"?
Why did the same people who praised Moses and Jesus for their miracles so often disobey and disagree with their teachings?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 15, 2025.
How might Moses's final blessings to the tribes of Israel both challenge and encourage us today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Who were the seven churches of Revelation, and how should we read and understand today what Jesus said to them?
What does the Bible mean when it says that salvation is by grace, through faith, not by works?
What are the seventy sevens prophesied by the angel Gabriel in Daniel, and when will they be fulfilled?
What is the true heart and spirit of the Law that is fulfilled by the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
How did life and relationship with God change for Israel once Moses died, and how has that prepared God's people for Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 25, 2025.
How are we to understand the relationships between all the covenants God has made with humans throughout history, and what does God expect of His people today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
What parts of the journey to follow God are attainable in this life, and which parts are ongoing?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 11, 2025.
Why do the wicked so often prosper, and the godly so often fall behind socially and economically?
If liberty is death, then we must recognize that true freedom comes from which God we serve.
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 4, 2025
What were God's expectations for Israel, and what does that mean for God's expectations for all nations on earth?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 27, 2025.
Who are the Watchers mentioned in Daniel 4, and what do they have to do with the Flood and the End Times?
What does it mean to live lives of gratefulness to God, and what does not doing so reveal about us?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 20, 2025.
The discussion of tithing mentioned in this sermon can be found at the following link:
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-swwwr-186541a
What is the mark of the Beast described in Revelation, and how do we know if we've received it?
Who is the prostitute described in the book of Revelation who sits on seven hills, drunk with the blood of the saints?
What is the Beast prophesied by Daniel and described in Revelation, and how will we know when it has arisen?
Does the Bible teach that Christians will be taken up into heaven bodily before the Millennial Reign of Christ?
How does the Lord feel about those who take advantage of others in financial or commercial settings, and what will God do in response?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
What does the Bible say about the Abomination That Causes Desolation prophesied both by Daniel and by Jesus? How will we know when it has been set up in the Holy Place?
Who is the Antichrist prophesied by St. Paul and St. John? How will we know him when he comes?
What does marrying widows and punishing dirty tactics during fights have to do with God's care for future generations?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 6, 2025.
When God asks us to love our neighbors as ourselves, He has not left us to decide what that means for ourselves. God has told us specifically how to love our neighbors as ourselves. How are we doing?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 30, 2025.
Is divorce allowable for followers of the One, True God? Are there any consequences for those who divorce and/or remarry?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 23, 2025.
Here is a link to J. Thomas's sermon on 1 Corinthians 7:10-16:
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-7nvzg-c622c9
How have we accumulated our wealth and possessions? Have we benefited from practices prohibited by God, or have we acquired what we have by ways approved by God and intended by Him?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 15, 2025.
What do God's requirements with respect to human excrement and sexual excretions tell us about God and about what He expects from us?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 9, 2025.
What does God's judgment of Ammon and Moab have to do with the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats? How do God's rules about participation in the assembly of Israel apply to Christians today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 2, 2025.
Does male-female sexual intimacy create a permanent bond which cannot be dissolved? If that is true, then how should we live?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
How are Christians to live today in light of the Covenant of Sinai's requirements for hunting, building codes, farming, garment-making, and horticulture?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 19, 2025.
Why did God differentiate humanity into male and female, and is this differentiation essential to who we are?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 12, 2025.
How might the requirements of Sinai help Christians today to understand what Jesus meant by loving our enemies?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
How might the Covenant of Sinai's strange requirements for slavery, polygamy, and becoming a parental informant help us to better understand God's intentions for humanity?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
How might God's commands to Israel with respect to corpses help us better to understand Him and better to live?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
How might the Covenant of Sinai's rules of war direct Christians today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 14, 2025.
Why was Israel not to move boundary markers, and what might that mean for Christians today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 7, 2025.
Why did God prohibit the Israelites from peering too deeply into the future, and what does that mean for those of us who follow Jesus today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
Beyond the qualifications for leaders, does the Bible allow for individuals to serve in greater leadership roles like that of Pope or the Patriarch of Constantinople?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 24, 2025.
How do we know what is just, and will God bless us for whatever justice we pursue?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
What does it really mean to worship God in spirit and in truth, and how might the yearly schedule of Israel help us to know what it means to be disciples of Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
How was the Festival of Shavuot (or Sevens) fulfilled in the year Jesus died, rose bodily, and ascended into the heavens, and what might that fulfillment mean for us?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
How might the pilgrimage festivals of Ancient Israel help us to understand what is happening in the natural world today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
What aspects of the Passover should Christians be sure to practice today in our celebration of the Eucharist/Holy Communion?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
What might we learn about creation, the cross, and life itself from the Covenant of Sinai's requirement that all firstling males of Israel's flocks and herds be sacrificed to God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 12, 2025.
What can the Covenant of Sinai teach us about God's ethics of hospitality, generosity, and mercy?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 5, 2025.
What is tithing, how did it work in Israel, and how might it apply to Christians today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Why did God prohibit Israel from eating certain foods, and are there dietary restrictions we should consider putting into practice today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
Who are the two types of people who are most difficult for us to resist if they attempt to lead us into rebellion against God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 15, 2025.
What does it mean for contemporary Christians to obey the Covenant of Sinai?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 8, 2025.
If Jesus taught us to live by the Law of Love, then what precisely is the Law of Love?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
How does the Bible's teaching that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works, come together with the Scripture's insistence that God's people must be people who behave as Jesus behaved and walk as Jesus walked?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
Why did God create the earth as it is? Why did God create humanity and place us upon this earth?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 15, 2025.
We worship what we fear. If we wish to live a life free of fear, we must come to fear only the One, True, God.
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 8, 2025.
How has Israel's displacement of the seven nations of Canaan fulfilled God's plan to save all nations and bless them through Abraham?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 1, 2025.
Why have so many forgotten God's Name, and why do those who remember fear to pronounce it?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
Why does God send prophets; does God still send prophets; and how do we distinguish true prophets from false prophets?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
What can the Ten Commandments tell us about loving our neighbors both in Ancient Israel and today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 11, 2025.
J. Thomas's other sermons on Sabbath eluded to in this discussion can be found at the following links:
Foundations Series - Discussion 2: Margin (Leviticus 19:9-10)
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-na8b3-dc2c46
Living with Margin Series - Discussion 2: A Margin for Contentment (Exodus 20:8-17)
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-2e5j6-12ec736
Luke Series - Discussion 42: Law, Mercy, & the Justice of God (Luke 13:1-17; 14:1-6)
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-anvcq-15dca8c
John Series - Discussion 21: Sabbath (John 7:14-24)
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-advuu-ef733b
1 Corinthians Series - Discussion 32: Sabbath Faith (1 Corinthians 16:1-4)
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-advuu-ef733b
This prayer was first prayed on February 21, 2021. It was a prayer for then, is a prayer for now, and will be a prayer for the days to come.
Why are the Ten Commandments different in Judaism, Roman Catholicism, and Protestantism; what exactly did God require of Israel; and what does God require of Christians today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 4, 2025.
Why did God command Israel to establish six 'cities of refuge', and what might they tell us about murder, capital punishment, and eating meat?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 28, 2024.
Why did God choose the people of Israel, and what does that mean for those of us who have been grafted into Israel by faith in Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 21, 2024.
Why has God prohibited all who worship Him from utilizing carved or sculpted images in our interactions with Him?
This sermon was preached on December 14, 2024.
How is it that both Ancient Israel and the Church have fallen constantly into idolatry, and how might we change course in the future?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 7, 2024.
Why did God refuse to forgive Moses, and what might that mean for us?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 30, 2024.
Why did God call the Israelites to attack some nations while avoiding others?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 23, 2024.
Who were the Anakim, why did Israel fear them, and do we still fear them today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 16, 2024.
What might the administrative organization both of Moses and of the Apostles teach us about leadership in Christian communities today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 9, 2024.
J. Thomas's books can be ordered from Amazon.com at the following links:
"And the Word of the Lord Came..." : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D92ZVM4N
"Babel Revisited": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GTRGT32
"A Faithful Person, Who Can Find?": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KLFKQQK
"The gods of the West": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B75VGYK4
"When God Doesn't Look Like God": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CB55YV8R
What exactly is the Gospel of Jesus, according to Luke?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 2, 2024.
What might the resurrection of Jesus teach us about the nature of reality?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 26, 2024.
Why did God conceal Himself so thoroughly in the Person of Jesus that most of His contemporaries had no idea Who He was?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 19, 2024.
On His way to die, why did Jesus tell the women of Jerusalem to weep?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 12, 2024.
How did God become humanity's enemy, and what has led both our ancestors and ourselves to condemn God to death?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 5, 2024.
How did Satan effectively sift Jesus' disciples as wheat?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 28, 2024.
According to Jesus, what kind of experience, skill, and character qualify a person for leadership in the Kingdom of God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
When Jesus said, "This is my body," and, "This is my blood," what did He mean?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 14, 2024.
What did Luke mean when he said, "Satan entered into Judas," and can the same thing happen to us?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 7, 2024.
What do Jesus' prophecies of the end times tell us both about our history and about our future?
This sermon was preached on August 31, 2024.
How might we know if what we have built for God truly honors God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
When a person reaches deep for inspiration, with whom are they communing?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 17, 2024.
When Jesus said that there will be no marriage in heaven, what did He mean to reveal to us?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 10, 2024.
How does Jesus' response to the question of paying taxes help us to understand what it means to live as exiles in the world?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
Who authorizes a prophet, and how might Jesus have proven His credentials?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 27, 2024.
When Jesus rode a formerly unridden foal of a donkey into Jerusalem, what did He come to offer us?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 20, 2024.
If hope is the currency of the Kingdom, then how would Jesus have us invest it?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 13, 2024.
And the Word of the LORD Came - Second Edition can be purchased at Amazon.com at the following link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D92ZVM4N
Why were the Apostles incapable of understanding Jesus' words when He told them what was going to happen to Him in Jerusalem?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 6, 2024.
Why would Jesus ask a rich, Torah-observant, ruler to sell all he had if he wished to follow Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 29, 2024.
Does prayer only change us, or does prayer change God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 22, 2024.
What did Jesus mean when He said that one would be taken and the other left? Was He talking about 'the rapture' or something else?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
Once we have been accepted into God's Household, what are our responsibilities?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
This word was received in May of 2021, and has been delivered on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
Which household will you choose to serve, the household of the Father or the household of the Rich Man?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, June 1, 2024.
Many are familiar with the Parable of the Prodigal Son, but have we truly understood it?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 25, 2024.
Is it ever acceptable to Jesus to undersell the requirements of the Gospel for the purpose of evangelism?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 18, 2024.
What constitutes generosity and hospitality for Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
Why did Jesus call Herod a 'fox', why did He say that no prophet could be killed outside of Jerusalem, and why did he say that Israel's house was left to them?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, May 4, 2024.
Who will be granted entry into the Kingdom of God, and who will not?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
What if the Kingdom of God is not a place, but an infection?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 20, 2024.
How does Jesus expect Christians to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy?"
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
Did Jesus come to bring peace or fire...or, somehow, both?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, April 6, 2024.
Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God? What are the responsibilities of those who accept the responsibility of leadership?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 30, 2024.
The earlier discussion mentioned in this episode ("Discussion 29: The Patience of God") can be found at the following link:
https://WayOfLife.podbean.com/e/luke-series-discussion-29-the-patience-of-god-luke-937-50/
How is Christian fear to be distinguished from worldly fear, and how might it be that Christians can live at peace and in contentment when the world cannot?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 23, 2024.
What is the hypocrisy of the Pharisees? What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and why is it unforgiveable? Jesus helped His disciples with both questions.
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
Which common leadership motivations and behaviors has Jesus condemned in the Kingdom of God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 9, 2024.
What did Jesus mean when He called His culture an 'evil generation'?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, March 2, 2024.
How did Jesus explain His ministry of exorcism, and how did He explain His intention for full and lasting healing?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 24, 2024.
The two books referenced in this sermon can be viewed here:
"The Unseen Realm," by Dr. Michael Heiser
https://www.amazon.com/Unseen-Realm-Recovering-Supernatural-Worldview/dp/1683592719/
"The Lost World of the Flood, by Tremper Longman III
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-World-Flood-Mythology-Theology/dp/083085200X/
The three sermons referenced in this sermon can be found here:
"Discussion 10: The Test (Luke 4:1-13)"
https://WayOfLife.podbean.com/e/luke-series-discussion-10-the-test-luke-41-13/
"Discussion 12: The Spiritual Forces (Luke 4:31-41)"
https://WayOfLife.podbean.com/e/luke-series-discussion-12-the-spiritual-forces-luke-431-41/
"Discussion 25: The Invasion (Luke 8:22-39)"
https://WayOfLife.podbean.com/e/luke-series-discussion-25-the-invasion-luke-822-39/
What were Jesus' disciples asking when they asked Him how to pray, and how did Jesus respond?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 17, 2024.
What did Jesus praise about Mary in His reprimand of Martha?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 10, 2024.
A word for the nations...
This message can be read in text form at the following link:
https://shadowofthecross.org/2024/03/01/february-8-2024/
How did Jesus explain His command to love our enemies in the context of God's command to love our neighbors?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, February 3, 2024.
What can we learn from the three missions on which Jesus sent His disciples?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
When God calls, do we always or ever have time to deliberate?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 20, 2024.
And the Word of the LORD came...
This message can also be read in text format at the following link:
https://shadowofthecross.org/2024/03/01/january-16-2024/
For those who might need some help discerning true from false, perhaps the following three sermons would be of assistance:
Return to God Part 1: Gospelhttps://WayOfLife.podbean.com/e/daniel-series-return-to-god-part-1-gospel-james-214-26/ Return to God Part 2: Worshiphttps://WayOfLife.podbean.com/e/daniel-series-return-to-god-part-2-worship-1-samuel-1614-23/ Return to God Part 3: Miqdashhttps://WayOfLife.podbean.com/e/daniel-series-return-to-god-part-3-miqdash-genesis-31-7/
Why was it that the disciples could not cure a demon-possessed young man?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 13, 2024.
What is the way of life, and what does it mean to walk upon it?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, January 6, 2024.
What does Jesus' feeding of the five-thousand-plus teach us about worship?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 30, 2023.
How does Jesus heal, and can healing be 'stolen'?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 23, 2023.
The sermon "When Jesus Restores," mentioned in this episode can be listened to
On wayoflife.podbean.com here:
https://WayOfLife.podbean.com/e/mark-series-when-jesus-restores-mark-521-43/
Or on YouTube here:
https://youtu.be/BE-ZryRRdsE
What happened when Jesus invaded enemy territory?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 16, 2023.
Why did Jesus teach the crowds in parables, and what did He mean to teach through the Parable of the Sower?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 9, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of Joseph's final words to his brothers following the death of his father.
This discussion aired on Wednesday, December 6, 2023.
What exactly does it mean to be saved, and what does it have to do with faith?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 2, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of each of the blessings that Jacob bestowed upon his twelve sons.
This discussion was aired on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.
What did Jesus mean when He said that the people of His generation were like children sitting in a marketplace calling to each other?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 25, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of Jacob's handing down of his birthright and blessing to Joseph.
This discussion aired on Wednesday, November 22, 2023.
How is it that John the Baptist became confused about the identity of Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 18, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of Israel's initial settling in Egypt, along with the long term implications of their sojourn.
This discussion was aired on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
What about the centurion's faith 'amazed' Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 11, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of Jacob's acceptance of Joseph's invitation to move his family to Egypt.
This discussion was aired on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.
What does the worship of Baal have to do with the teachings of Jesus?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, November 4, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of the ways in which Joseph chose to respond to the evil his brothers had done to him.
This discussion was aired on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.
Why did Jesus designate twelve of His disciples to be Apostles?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 28, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of Joseph's detention of Benjamin and Judah's plea for mercy.
This discussion aired on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.
When two commands of God cannot both be obeyed at the same time in the same instance, how do we decide which is more important?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 21, 2023.
Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of Joseph's plot to entrap his brother Benjamin.
This episode aired on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
Why did Jesus eat with tax collectors and sinners, and what might that mean for Christians today?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 14, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of the ways in which Jacob's sons tried to convince him to allow them to take Benjamin with them when they returned to Egypt for more food.
What does Jesus' forgiveness of the sins of a paralyzed man tell us about God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, October 7, 2023.
Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of Joseph's first encounter with his brothers after they sold him into slavery.
What does Jesus' cleansing of a man with leprosy tell us about God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 30, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for an exploration of Joseph's rise to a position of significance in Egypt.
How might we learn from Peter's response to Jesus' call?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 23, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of Joseph's interpretations of Pharaoh's dreams.
This discussion was first aired on September 20, 2023.
What are demons? How does one become demon-possessed? How does Jesus set us free?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 16, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for a discussion of dreams and the ways in which God communicates with His people.
What does Jesus' return to His hometown of Nazareth tell us about God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 9, 2023.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion series through the book of Genesis. The first 38 episodes aired in 2020. Joe & Josh now continue their discussions in Genesis chapter 40 with a discussion of the dreams of Pharoah's cupbearer & baker.
In what ways might Jesus have been susceptible to the devil's suggestions?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
What does Jesus' genealogy tell us about God?
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 26, 2023.
"The routines and rituals of religion are means; they are not ends."
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 19, 2023.
“Where is God likely to be found and what is God likely to be doing?”
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 12, 2023.
"There is no way to follow Jesus without beginning in Genesis."
This sermon was preached on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
"Why did the heavenly host return to the heavens after Jesus was born?"
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 29, 2023.
Updates for August 2023 and following...
The "Signing Off" discussion mentioned in this update can be found at the following link: https://WayOfLife.podbean.com/e/signing-off-an-update-from-j-thomas/
Other ways to continue listening:
https://shadowofthecross.org/
https://www.youtube.com/user/jthomasjohnson
"What do righteousness and blamelessness look like in everyday life?"
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 22, 2023.
"Religion must never become the god that we worship."
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 15, 2023.
"If we are to discern God's voice today, we must remember."
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 8, 2023.
"What are the Scriptures, and what questions should we ask when reading them?"
This sermon was preached on Saturday, July 1, 2023.
"Jesus has come to deliver us, not with swords, but with embodied words."
This sermon was preached on Sunday, June 25, 2023.
"What are some implications of Jesus' insistence that the citizens of the Kingdom of God are to live as exiles?"
This sermon was preached on Sunday, June 18, 2023.
"How are we to respond once God stops listening and responding to us?"
This sermon was preached on Sunday, June 11, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"David's treatment of Saul and of Nabal reveal a foible that Jesus warned us against."
This sermon was preached on Sunday, June 4, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"David repented of being a presumptuous person by becoming a person of discernment and prayer."
This sermon was preached on Sunday, May 28, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"Nothing requires more faith in God than speaking the truth."
This sermon was preached on Sunday, May 21, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"When someone makes an accusation against someone we love or trust, how are we to respond?"
This sermon was preached on Sunday, May 14, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"How do we know whether or not we are in the presence of the Holy Spirit of God?"
This sermon was preached on Sunday, May 7, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"Must we be motivated by envy or competition, or is there another way?"
This sermon was preached on the weekend of April 29-30, 2023.
"Why are some people gifted in ways others are not?"
This sermon was preached on the weekend of April 22-23, 2023.
"Outside of Jesus Himself, there may be no fuller embodiment of Jesus' instruction to love our enemies than that of Jonathan."
This sermon was preached originally on Sunday, April 16, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"Why does God seem to withdraw for such long periods of time after speaking with us?"
This sermon was preached on Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"Jesus did not ride into Jerusalem on a donkey to declare world peace, or to declare an end to all conflict, or to earn the right to be called king. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to cut a covenant."
This sermon was preached on Sunday, April 2, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"Neither David nor blind faith is the hero of the story of David and Goliath."
This sermon was preached on Sunday, March 26, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"The battle with Goliath was more than a challenge to pit one human warrior against another."
This sermon was preached on Friday, March 17, 2023.
"Jesus has invited us to imagine a kingdom not of this world--a kingdom we have never seen, nor could we imagine."
This sermon was preached on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at St. John's Episcopal Church in Marcellus, NY.
God sent an evil spirit to torment Saul? What does that mean and what does it tell us about God?
This sermon was preached on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"Coming to God as little children is essential to discipleship."
This sermon was preached on Sunday, March 5, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"Did God command Israel to totally destroy the Amalekites, and if so, why would God give such a command?"
Preached on Sunday, February 26, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"Leaders and followers are both mirrors and makers of each other."
Preached on Sunday, February 19, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
There is a difference between knowing the Scriptures and understanding the Scriptures.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, February 12, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
What is faith, and what does it mean to walk in it?
Preached on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
When we panic where are we looking?
Preached on Sunday, January 22, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
What is baptism? What does it mean to be baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?
Preached on Sunday, January 15, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"God cares about what we do, and He cares particularly about the things we do that we should know not to do or that we have already said we would not do."
Preached on Sunday, January 8, 2023 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, December 25, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
To join us in commemorating virtually this memorial of Jesus’ last Passover with His disciples, you will need to have access to grape juice (or wine) and to unleavened bread (which can be any bread-like food made from wheat that does not include yeast in the ingredients).
This sermon was preached on Saturday, December 24, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, December 18, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, December 11, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, December 4, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, November 27, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, November 20, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
What happens when we die? Do we have souls? What did Jesus mean by 'paradise' or by 'hell'? Where is the final resting place of the righteous and the wicked?
Under the ministry of Samuel and the leadership of King Saul, did God actually command the Israelites to wipe out the nation of Amalek completely?
What is the mark of the beast in Revelation? Why is it 666 (or in some manuscripts, 616)? How do Christians avoid taking the mark?
This sermon was preached on Sunday, November 13, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, November 6, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, October 30, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, October 23, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, October 9, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, October 2, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, September 18, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene in Loudon, NH.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, September 11, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, September 4, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
J. Thomas posted the following update & clarification on our YouTube Channel on Thursday, September 1, 2022. We're posting it here, as well, since it includes not only information about some changes to the YouTube Channel, but also more general explanations, encouragements, and exhortations from J. Thomas.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, August 28, 2022 at Marcellus First Presbyterian Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, August 21, 2022 at Marcellus First Presbyterian Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, July 17, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, July 10, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, July 3, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached originally by John Wesley sometime between 1763 and 1773. The language was updated, edited, and preached by J. Thomas Johnson on Sunday, June 26, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was originally preached by John Wesley in the 1700's. It has been updated, edited, and preached by J. Thomas Johnson on Sunday, June 19, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
The original sermon was preached by John Wesley on May 7, 1775. This updated version was preached by J. Thomas Johnson on Sunday, June 12, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached originally by John Wesley on August 24, 1744 at St. Mary's, Oxford. This updated version was preached by J. Thomas on Sunday, June 5, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
Preached originally on Sunday, May 22, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on May 15, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, May 8, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached originally on Sunday, May 1, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, April 17, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached originally on Sunday, April 10, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, April 3, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
Preached at Marcellus First Presbyterian Church in Marcellus, NY on Wednesday, March 23, 2022.
Preached on Sunday, March 27, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, March 20, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
Preached on Sunday, March 13, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
This sermon was preached on Sunday, March 6, 2022 at Marcellus United Methodist Church in Marcellus, NY.
"J. Thomas Reacts to Richard Rohr's 'Your True Self'" has been created as an encouragement to engage actively with sermons and Biblical teachings by interacting with a preacher's exegesis and interpretive suggestions as they are presented.
The original video can be found on the Doctor Joby YouTube channel at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK_lBkCyCdo&list=WL&index=15.
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this week's episode we conclude our series with a discussion of God's final victory over the gods of Ancient Egypt at the Red Sea/Sea of Reeds.
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this week's episode we discuss God's assault of the god of Family.
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this week's episode we discuss God's assault of the god of Love.
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this week's episode we discuss God's assault of the god of Works.
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this week's episode we discuss God's assault of the god of Self.
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this bonus episode we ask the question, "Does God ever speak through the ungodly?"
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this week's episode we discuss God's assault of the god of Medicine.
Background music in this episode includes:
Almost in F - Tranquillity by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100394
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
Background music in this episode includes:
Ambiment - The Ambient by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100630
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this week's episode we discuss God's assault of the god of Science.
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this week's episode we discuss God's assault of the god of Nature.
The rebellion against God in which humans participate is not simply a human affair. There are spiritual rebels, as well, and, throughout human history, these rebels have presented themselves to humanity as gods, and they have invited human worship. In certain seasons of history, they have made themselves plainly known. In other seasons, they have obscured their true identities, revealing themselves only as ideas or ideologies or inspirational spirits. But, as impersonal as these beings may appear today, the Scriptures reveal that they are personal, spiritual beings, created by the One, true God, and cooperating with fallen humanity in rebellion against Him. In this week's episode we discuss God's assault of the god of Religion.
"J. Thomas Reacts to 'Made by God'" has been created as an encouragement to engage actively with sermons and Biblical teachings by interacting with a preacher's exegesis and interpretive suggestions as they are presented.
The original video can be found on the PreachMagazine YouTube site, which explains thusly...
"Now in its 5th year, Sermon of the Year is a UK-wide Christian event, which promotes the art of sermon writing and preaching. Open to preachers of all ages and all Christian denominations, entrants submitted a 1500 word sermon on the theme of Made by God.
"Four were chosen to go forward to the Grand Final: Paul Harrod, Karen Taylor, Jan Thompson and William Wade."
For the original video visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul16LDuYWrQ
The full conversation which prompted these comments can be found at the following links:
Video: https://youtu.be/XQ9j4Sul4lY
Audio: https://wayoflife.podbean.com/e/crossing-the-jordan-with-joshua-elijah-episode-9-the-torah-of-the-olah-leviticus-68-13/
This sermon was originally written and preached by St. John Chrysostom, the Archbishop of Constantinople, between A.D. 386 and 388.
"Are you waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life?"
Preached originally on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO.
"It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out" (Proverbs 25:2, NRSV).
Preached originally on Sunday, August 8, 2021.
This sermon was preached originally by Martyn Lloyd-Jones sometime during the year of 1963.
A full transcription of this message is available at the following link:
https://shadowofthecross.org/2021/07/08/return-isaiah-11-20/
"The problem with charlatans who manipulate us is that they sometimes succeed in robbing us even of authentic experiences."
Preached originally on Sunday, October 2, 2011 at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO.
One correction... The Roman Empire controlled 5 million square kilometers at its peak, not 90 million.
"The way of the anti-christ is the road of accomplishing God's aims in rebellious ways."
Preached originally on Sunday, August 1, 2021.
"God did not simply dismiss thousands of years of history and the special election of Israel with the ministry of Jesus."
Preached originally on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO.
"We have been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life."
Preached originally on Sunday, July 25, 2021.
"Perhaps it is time this week to repent of our justifications, and set ourselves entirely toward the kind of life and kind of person that only God can bring to life in us."
Preached originally on September 18, 2011 at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO.
"In Ephesians 1:1-14, who are the 'we', and who are the 'you'?"
Preached originally on Sunday, July 18, 2021.
A transcription of this reflection can be found at the following link: https://shadowofthecross.org/2021/07/01/eternal-life-1-corinthians-13/.
In this new Thursday series, J. Thomas preaches sermons written and delivered by preachers of the past.
Today's sermon was preached originally by Rev. Samuel Finley in the "New Presbyterian Church" in Philadelphia, PA on June 9, 1754.
A transcription of this reflection can be found at the following link:
https://shadowofthecross.org/2021/06/25/when-the-deliverer-comes-1-samuel-301-31/
"Through Jesus we learn that prayer is God’s gift to us for intimate communion, not primarily an avenue for transferring information."
Preached originally on Sunday, September 11, 2011 at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO.
"We know that we are to 'test the spirits to see if they are from God,' but what are the 'spirits' and how are they to be tested?"
Preached originally on Sunday, July 11, 2021.
"Because life is sometimes painful and sometimes disappointing--even life with God--then if our faith is to survive these experiences there is no value in concealing our feelings from God."
Preached originally on Sunday, September 4, 2011 at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO.
"Jeremiah has helped us to see what real authenticity with God looks like, and he has modeled before us the kind of prayer that has proven to be essential for the perseverance of God’s people throughout history."
Preached originally on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO.
"Prayer, especially in the face of rejection, is an act of trust and faith."
Preached originally on Sunday, August 21, 2011 at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO.
"We must submit ourselves to God's will for the moment, no matter what our personal feelings might continue to be."
Preached originally on Sunday, August 14, 2011 at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO.
"Jesus’ coming is the last great hope, and the greatest sermon some will ever hear."
Preached originally on Sunday, November 1, 2020 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"It is our responsibility to receive, to remember, and to relay what God has entrusted to us until Jesus returns."
Preached originally on Sunday, September 1, 2019 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
A transcription of this message and also a video presentation of it can be found on our website at https://shadowofthecross.org.
In this episode J. Thomas and Eliyahu respond to viewer comments from Episode 7: The Sin Offering Cont'd.
"Our children, especially during their formative years, should be following us, and we should be following Jesus."
Preached originally on Sunday, August 25, 2019 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
The sermon from which these comments have been excerpted was preached on February 9, 2020. You can listen to the full sermon at the following link:
"Walking in the Dark" (John 12:27-36)
https://wayoflife.podbean.com/e/john-series-walking-in-the-dark-john-1227-36-1605621173/
Listen in as J. Thomas concludes the series through Daniel with a discussion of reality, rebellion, and the salvation of God.
Preached originally on Sunday, May 23, 2021.
In this episode J. Thomas and Eliyahu continue their discussion of the Sin Offering, interacting with the topics of witnessing, vows, uncleanness, and sin.
In this episode, J. Thomas and Eliyahu revisit their discussion of sin seeking a more contextual way of understanding the term.
"We do not know God by our feelings or experiences alone. We know Him as He has promised to make Himself known."
Preached originally on Sunday, March 27, 2016 at New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene in Loudon, NH.
The sermons from which these comments are excerpted can be found in full at the following links:
"The Kindness and Sternness of God" (Daniel 4:1-37): https://wayoflife.podbean.com/e/daniel-series-the-kindness-sternness-of-god-daniel-41-37-1607890403/
"Gracious Consistency" (Daniel 5:1-30): https://wayoflife.podbean.com/e/daniel-series-gracious-consistency-daniel-51-30-1608493987/
"What does the preciseness of Daniel's vision tell us about God, ourselves, and the future?"
Preached on Sunday, May 16, 2021.
This is part two of J. Thomas's and Eliyahu's discussion of Leviticus 4. In this episode they explore the meaning of "unintentional" and conclude the discussion of the sin offering.
Part 1 can be found at the following link: https://wayoflife.podbean.com/e/crossing-the-jordan-with-joshua-elijah-episode-6-part-1-the-sin-offering-leviticus-41-35/
This podcast is part 1 of 2. In this episode J. Thomas and Eliyahu begin their discussion of Leviticus 4 with a discussion of sin.
In this episode, J. Thomas and Eliyahu discuss listener comments to Episode 5: The Offering of Wholeness.
Originally aired on Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
Why were the apostles terrified when Jesus calmed the sea?
Preached originally on Sunday, April 9, 2017 at New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene in Loudon, NH.
This message contains excerpts from J. Thomas's sermon "Sheep of the Good Shepherd - Part 1."
The full sermon can be found at the following link: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-4ynzm-f14041
After about 1/2 hour of personal comments, J. Thomas continues our series through Daniel with a discussion of the spiritual realities that lie beneath the material world around us.
Preached originally on Sunday, May 9, 2021.
In this episode, J. Thomas and Eliyahu respond to listener comments from Episode 4: The Minchah Offering.
"Most of our points of spiritual vulnerability are rooted either in our pride or in our fear, or more often, in both."
Preached originally on Sunday, June 16, 2019 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
In this episode J. Thomas and Eliyahu discuss the Minchah Offering (often translated the "grain offering").
In this video, J. Thomas and Eliyahu respond to listener comments from Episode 3: Introduction to Offering.
"Because Jesus is coming, we must keep testifying."
Preached originally on Sunday, April 1, 2018 at New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene in Loudon, NH.
Humanity and the serpent have long conspired to build a kingdom on earth to rival the heavens. It is time for God's people to come out.
Preached originally on Sunday, April 25, 2021.
In this episode J. Thomas and Eliyahu discuss the temple offerings of Israel and the role they play in Israel's relationship with God.
"Why were we created? Why were we placed here? What does it mean to be a community of faith who follows Jesus?"
Preached originally on September 9, 2018 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
What role does music play in the worship of God in Scripture?
Preached originally on Sunday, April 18, 2021.
In this episode, J. Thomas & Eliyahu discuss the promised blessings and curses of the Covenant of Sinai.
Aired originally on Thursday, April 15, 2021.
"What if this world is as it must be if we are to become what God has intended us to become?"
Preached originally on Sunday, April 21, 2019 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"If we are to find God's will for us, we must look in the place God is willing to speak."
Preached originally on Sunday, February 28, 2021 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"One way to gauge how fully we are living into the kingdom is in the areas of pride, competition, and envy."
Preached originally on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"Slowly and incrementally the church has come to espouse and proclaim a false Gospel. It is time to repent."
Preached originally on Sunday, April 11, 2021.
In this new podcast series J. Thomas Johnson and Eliyahu Lotzar will be talking through the book of Leviticus. In this first episode they introduce themselves and the book of Leviticus.
"When we have chosen to betray the most sacred and solemn of our commitments may we hope for restoration?"
"There are pits out of which people cannot climb on their own. What then are Christians to do?"
Preached originally on Sunday, February 14, 2021 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"Boaz is a man who blesses vulnerability and does not attempt to capitalize on it."
Preached originally on Sunday, February 7, 2021 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"We do not initiate with God...we must respond to His invitation."
Preached originally on Sunday, April 4, 2021.
"With humans it is often never enough, but why do we tire so easily of godliness?"
Preached originally on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"Have you gone all-in with God, no matter the cost, no matter the road?"
Preached originally on Sunday, January 24, 2021 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
Thank you for your prayers as I make a transition from vocational ministry in the Church of the Nazarene to what is next for me. New content will be coming in April 2021!
website: https://shadowofthecross.org
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/jthomasjohnson
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/shadowofthecross.org
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for this discussion of Joseph's early days as a slave in Egypt.
"True love, true loyalty requires the giving of a gift that is desired by the recipient, not simply a gift the giver desires to give."
Preached originally on Sunday, October 4, 2020 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"On what do you fix your eyes?"
Preached originally on Sunday, September 27, 2020 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"It is the fleshly division of the nations that Paul sees as obliterated in Christ."
Preached originally on Sunday, September 20, 2020 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
"God's judgment on a body of believers depends a great deal on how they receive those God has sent and on how they receive those God has not sent."
Preached originally on Sunday, September 13, 2020 at Christ Community Church of the Nazarene in Syracuse, NY.
Rev. Joe Baldinger joins J. Thomas for Genesis's brief sojourn into the family dynamics of Judah, Jacob's fourth born son.