Claim OwnershipReflexion, A Spiritual Community
Subscribed: 34Played: 415
Subscribe
© 2024 Reflexion, A Spiritual Community
Description
Christian based teaching from Chuck Smith, Jr
373 Episodes
Reverse
Back in the days, when I was the pastor of a sizeable church,We would celebrate Christmas with big productions. One year, when the stage was crowded with props and children, the music still ringing in our ears, I went to the microphone with my Bible in hand. As I began to speak, a girl six or seven years old, who had been sitting on a step right in front of me, stood up. She turned around, and with hands on her hips looked up at me and said, “Boring!”- Christmas is a challenge – we run throug...
The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that Godbecame Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this.C. S. Lewis, ". . . In the Christian story God descends to re-ascend. He comes down; down from theheights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity . . . down to the veryroots and sea-bed of the Nature He has created." (C S Lewis)Incarnation literally means “embodied in flesh…or taking on flesh”The union of th...
Jesus is sitting on a mountain overlooking Sea of GalileeHe is teaching a course on “Christian Spirituality”- we are now five weeks into his introduction: The Beatitudes• prior to teaching this course, Jesus had been announcing, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand"◦ the course he teaches is meant to prepare us for that kingdom◦ the Beatitudes reveal characteristics of the abundant life--the truly "good life"• Jesus is not giving us a new list of rules◦ he isn’t telling us what we should be doin...
Welcome back to Jesus’ Sermon On the MountHe begins with the Beatitudes – not to be confused with "benedictions"- they are more like a series of riddles• he describes conditions in which people are already blessed◦ already acceptable to God and discovering the abundant life◦ but what he says sounds like the opposite of abundant life• we would never tell a friend who is grieving, “You’re so blessed”◦ and even in Jesus’ time and culture meekness was a deficit- for this reason, we must pat atten...
Recently, I came across an interesting ad:The caption said, “Free AI Sermon Generator”“Free AI sermon outlines help you preach a confident, creative message. AI sermon starter ideas make your sermon fresh and relevant.”- I realized, from now on my life could be easy; for example,• last week I mentioned my frustration with “kingdom” (bringing to mind the idea of a nation with borders)
Last week I gave my introduction to the Sermon On the MountThis week we’re going to look at Matthew’s introduction- but first, I have a question – and it’s for me as much as anyone:Are we ready for this?- the Lord has made many changes in our exterior lives,• but the big challenge of the Sermon is what it does on the interior◦ we’ve cleaned up our speech; what about our thoughts?◦ we've given up bad habits; what about desires and resentments?• I rationalize my inner life:“My thoughts don't hu...
A couple weeks ago someone told me,“Your next series of talks should be about The Sermon On the Mount”- that title has a pleasant ring to it, doesn’t it?• isn’t that where Jesus talks about birds and lilies? Love your enemies? Do not judge?• it’s like a friend has invited us on an outing:“Hey, go with us to the park for a picnic. We’re going to sing our favorite worship choruses, then share our favorite Bible verses.”- but the reality is, the Sermon isn’t butterflies and rainbows• it doesn’t ...
The prophetic ministry of Elijah provides one of the most entertaining stories in all the Bible. When it comes to phenomenal miracles, Elijah’s only rival would be Moses. His spiritual stature as a man of God is equal to the greatest heroes in scripture, and yet St. James wrote, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours” (Jas. 5:17). Like us, Elijah could be frightened, discouraged, and ready to give up.Elijah would have been a fun person to know– if you like surprises. For instance, this fin...
Psalm 3 is the most loved, most quoted, and best known of all PsalmsThere are lots of reasons for this.It’s short – just six verses. But though it’s so short it’s incredibly deep.It’s simple – easy to understand. The Lord, the shepherd is God. I am the sheep. I get it!And there is something uniquely encouraging, comforting, and empowering about this Psalm.So, this morning, I’d like to give you Psalm 23 as a “fixed focal point” for your faith – through all the different seasons and...
This first sentence of 2 Kings is an odd way to begin a new chapter. The transition from the previous book to this one could have been much smoother. For instance, the last lines of 1 Kings provide all the explanation we need for this new episode:Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria . . . and he reigned for two years. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother . . . . He served Baal and worshipe...
King Ahab left the battlefield, victorious over the Syrians, but he arrived home moody and sullen. In theory, there’s no reason for kings to be “moody and sullen.” If they are troubled, they have counselors. If they feel sad, they have jesters. If they need comfort, the priest is always on call. Having the luxuries afforded them by wealth and power, one imagines they could avoid ever being moody and sullen.Ahab may have assumed he did a good thing, releasing the enemy king who had attac...
Today’s episode requires an explanation, because my plan was to skip this chapter. For the past seven weeks we’ve been immersed in the story of Elijah, but for some reason he does not appear here; not even his name is mentioned. But that is one of the curiosities in this episode that interests me. There are still gifted seers through whom God delivers messages to King Ahab, and these three fill the void that Elijah leaves. However, not even one of the three is named, but each one is ide...
The Elijah with whom we spent time in the previous chapter is hardly recognizable in this episode. He is no longer the prophet who lost heart and had been wallowing in defeat, sulking in a cave. He was transformed. Once again he is on the move, and you would have had to jog to keep pace with his long, rapid strides. Every time his foot hit the ground, it raised a small, meaningful dust cloud. He was on assignment for Yehovah–nothing could stand in his way. The wild and fearless prophet ...
Elijah was excited–an energetic excited–an excited he had not allowed himself to indulge until now. The tide was turning. The entire crowd witnessed God’s answer from heaven. They had been won over. They had chanted, “Yehovah, he is God! Yehovah, he is God!” The king was there too. He saw it for himself. Now he also knew who was the real God.Running off to Jezreel was a bold move for Elijah. King Ahab had a palace there, and the royal family used it to retreat from the demanding affairs...
Elijah found King Ahab sitting off by himself still as a statue, staring into nothing, and his face coated in confusion. Ahab wondered, “What just happened? How could it have happened?” His feud with Elijah had ended suddenly in a phenomenon of fire and blood. His army of prophets failed to rouse their Bah-al god, while from the sky Yehovah answered Elijah with a spectacle never before seen. The king was defeated, but it was a strange loss that left him groping for his next move. Elijah...
There must have been court officials who wished they could restrain King Ahab’s poor decisions and thoughtless actions. But those with enough skill in diplomacy to hold a position in the royal court also had enough sense to value their lives. Ahab was too full of himself to take advise from anyone else, let alone, take orders.However, there was that one exception.From the time Elijah first set foot in Israel, the king willingly listened to him and did as he was told. Perhaps Ahab believ...
The village where Elijah had been living was on the Mediterranean coast, so I find it easy to imagine him walking the shoreline, allowing the onshore breeze to be refreshed. He listens to the rhythm of the waves and the squawking seagulls, and opens his heart to receive the moment. Then, hearing something else, he pauses, and shading his eyes from the glare of the sun’s bright reflection glancing off the ripples that stretch to the distant horizon, he looks and he listens. And now, afte...
Picking up from last week, directed by the word of Yehovah, Elijah came to the home of a widow in Sidon, north of Israel’s border. She had helped Elijah when he was hungry and homeless. She let him stay in her home, in the small room upstairs. She hid him from King Ahab’s spies. And, now, this! Her son was struck down with an illness. Was this the reward for her hospitality and kindness.Who is she? What is her name? We were never told, and now it’s buried in a history archeology cannot ...
Comments
Top Podcasts
The Best New Comedy Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best News Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Business Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Sports Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New True Crime Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Joe Rogan Experience Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Dan Bongino Show Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Mark Levin Podcast – June 2024
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States