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When the Church Married the World: A Turning Point in Christian History Way of the Bible Podcast | Episode #228 Foundation for Ages Part 4 — Church Marries the World For nearly three centuries, the Christian Church endured persecution under the Roman Empire. Believers faced imprisonment, confiscation of property, destruction of Scriptures, and martyrdom. Yet Christianity continued to spread. Then something remarkable happened. The empire that had attempted to destroy Christianity began embracing it. In Episode #228 of the Way of the Bible podcast, we examine this extraordinary transformation and consider its significance through Jesus' letter to the Church in Pergamum, recorded in Revelation 2:12–17. From Persecution to Imperial Favor Under Emperor Diocletian, beginning in AD 303, Christians experienced one of the most systematic persecutions in Roman history. Churches were destroyed, sacred writings burned, and believers executed. Yet persecution failed to eliminate the Church. In AD 313, Emperor Constantine helped establish religious toleration through the Edict of Milan. Christianity could now be practiced openly. A theological controversy soon brought imperial authority directly into Church affairs. Arius, a presbyter from Alexandria, taught that Jesus Christ was a created being rather than eternally divine with the Father. Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea in AD 325 to address the dispute. The council affirmed the full divinity of Jesus Christ and rejected Arius' teaching. By AD 380, Emperor Theodosius I had established Nicene Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. The persecuted Church had become an imperial institution. When the Church Adopted the World's Structures This transformation extended beyond religious toleration. Christian congregations moved from private meeting places and periods of underground worship into magnificent Roman basilicas. Bishops increasingly acquired the recognition, ceremonial privileges, and influence previously associated with imperial officials. Roman administrative structures and cultural practices began shaping Church leadership and worship. The Church gained wealth, prominence, and political protection. But these developments raised troubling questions. Had the Church gained worldly influence while sacrificing some of its spiritual distinctiveness? Christian leaders such as Athanasius and Hilary of Poitiers challenged imperial interference in theological matters. Their concerns remind us that even when governments favor Christianity, political power can threaten the Church's spiritual independence. Jesus' Warning to Pergamum In Revelation 2:12–17, Jesus addresses the Church in Pergamum. He acknowledges believers who remained faithful despite persecution. Yet He also confronts the presence of false teaching and compromise within the congregation. In this episode, we examine the historical Church's relationship with Rome through a prophetic interpretation of the seven letters in Revelation 2–3. Within this framework, Ephesus represents the apostolic Church, Smyrna the persecuted Church, and Pergamum the Church increasingly united with imperial power. The warning is unmistakable: outward success does not necessarily indicate spiritual faithfulness. A Question for Today's Church Nearly two thousand years after Christ's resurrection, believers still await His return. Our calling has not changed. We are to remain faithful to Jesus, grounded in Scripture, discerning toward worldly influence, and watchful for His appearing. The Church does not need worldly power to accomplish God's purposes. It needs faithful believers who trust His Word and follow His Son. As we continue examining the foundations of biblical prophecy, may we remember that our ultimate allegiance belongs not to governments, institutions, or cultural movements, but to Jesus Christ. Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus. Listen to Episode #228 of the Way of the Bible podcast at WayOfTheBible.com.

Foundations for Ages | Part 3: Truth, Love, and Faithfulness Under Persecution Way of the Bible Podcast | Episode #227 Scripture Focus: Revelation 2:1–11; Matthew 24:3; 1 Corinthians 1:18–25 Before we can fully understand what Jesus taught concerning His return and the end of the age, we must understand the biblical and historical foundations upon which His words rest. In Episode #227 of the Way of the Bible podcast, we continue our journey through Scripture and early church history, examining two letters Jesus dictated to the apostle John: His messages to Ephesus and Smyrna. These letters reveal two essential characteristics of authentic Christian faith: love grounded in truth and faithfulness that endures suffering. Ephesus: Defending Truth Without Losing Love The church at Ephesus represented the apostolic church, established under the teaching and oversight of Christ's apostles. Jesus commended these believers for their hard work, perseverance, and refusal to tolerate false apostles and corrupt doctrine. They had protected the fellowship from teachings that threatened the integrity of the gospel. Yet something was missing. Jesus declared in Revelation 2:4: "You have forsaken the love you had at first." In their determination to preserve doctrinal purity, the Ephesian believers had neglected the love that should characterize those who follow Christ. Jesus called them to repent and return to their first works. The lesson remains relevant today. Defending biblical truth is essential, but truth must be expressed through the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ. Smyrna: Faithful Even Unto Death The church at Smyrna faced a different challenge. Its believers experienced poverty, hostility, imprisonment, and persecution. Yet Jesus declared that although they were materially poor, they were spiritually rich. Unlike Ephesus, Smyrna received no rebuke. Instead, Jesus encouraged these believers to remain faithful, even when their testimony might cost them their lives. He promised them the victor's crown of life. One remarkable example of this faithfulness was Polycarp, an early bishop of Smyrna and disciple of the apostle John. According to early Christian accounts, Polycarp was martyred after refusing to renounce Jesus Christ. His testimony exemplifies the courage of believers who valued faithfulness to their Savior above their earthly survival. Three Centuries of Persecution The persecution experienced by Smyrna became increasingly widespread throughout the Roman Empire. From Nero and Domitian through Trajan, Marcus Aurelius, Decius, and Diocletian, Christians faced imprisonment, confiscation of property, torture, and execution. Believers such as Ignatius of Antioch, Perpetua, and Felicity became enduring witnesses to the transforming power of the gospel. Yet persecution did not extinguish Christianity. The church continued to grow as believers carried the message of Jesus into new communities, often because persecution had driven them from their homes. In AD 311, Emperor Galerius issued an edict of toleration. Two years later, the Edict of Milan established broader religious freedom for Christians. The persecuted church had endured. Understanding the End of the Age These events form an essential part of the historical foundation for understanding Jesus' prophetic teachings. His words concerning the end of the age did not occur in isolation. They belong to God's unfolding purposes throughout biblical history, including His promises to Israel and His work through the church. As this series continues, we will examine the remaining letters to the seven churches and consider their significance for understanding the times in which we live. For now, the lessons are clear: Hold firmly to biblical truth. Love one another as Christ has loved us. Remain faithful, whatever the cost. Jesus Christ is the head of His church, and His promises remain trustworthy. Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus.

Blog — Episode #226 Foundations for Ages | Part 2 What happened when Jesus Christ came into the world, died for our sins, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sent the Holy Spirit? Something entirely new appeared in human history. In Episode #226 of Way of the Bible, Foundations for Ages | Part 2, we continue laying the foundation necessary to understand Jesus' teaching concerning His Second Coming and “the end of the age.” The Gospel is more than the message of salvation. Those who believe in Jesus Christ receive new life through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Peter describes believers as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation called out of darkness into God's wonderful light.  To both Jews and Gentiles in the first century, this was astonishing. Paul repeatedly called what God was doing a mystery—something previously hidden but now revealed. Gentiles were becoming heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus. God was doing something new. Yet Jesus also taught His followers to value both new and old treasures. The mature teacher of God's Word must understand both. We cannot properly understand the New Testament while abandoning the Old Testament story from which it came.  That becomes increasingly important as the early Church grows. The apostles faithfully carried out Jesus' Great Commission—preaching the Gospel, making disciples, baptizing believers, and teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded. Their writings circulated among the churches and eventually became the twenty-seven books of our New Testament. At the same time, false teachings and competing writings also spread, forcing church leaders to guard carefully what had been entrusted to them.  Then history presented believers with a profound question. Jerusalem was destroyed. The Temple was gone. The Jewish people were dispersed. Yet God had made unconditional promises to Israel. Had those promises disappeared? Revelation points forward—from Christ and His churches to future judgment, Christ's earthly reign, and ultimately the eternal state when God dwells with His people forever.  And Romans 11 provides a warning that Gentile believers dare not ignore. Paul tells Gentiles not to consider themselves superior to the natural branches. Israel has experienced a hardening in part, but Paul looks ahead to their restoration. Why? Because “God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.” The Church is not an accident in God's plan. Neither has God forgotten Israel. Both belong within the unfolding story of redemption that begins in Genesis and ends in Revelation. And understanding that story matters greatly as we begin asking the question at the center of this series: What are the Signs of the Times? Before looking for signs, we need to understand the ages—and the God who sovereignly directs them. Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus.

Episode #225 — Foundation for Epochs, Ages, Eras Signs of the Times Part 1 “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” — Matthew 24:3 With that question, the disciples opened the door to one of the most discussed—and often disputed—subjects in Scripture. Episode #225 of Way of the Bible, Foundation for Epochs, Ages, Eras, begins our new eight-episode mini-series, Signs of the Times Part 1. But before examining the signs Jesus gave concerning His coming and the end of the age, we're stepping back to establish a biblical foundation.  The Bookends of Scripture The Bible presents an extraordinary arc. Genesis begins with God creating the heavens and the earth. Revelation concludes with a new heaven and a new earth. Genesis contains the Garden of Eden; Revelation reveals the New Jerusalem where God dwells with His people. The Tree of Life appears in Genesis and reappears in Revelation. Sin introduces death and corruption; Revelation describes the removal of death, mourning, pain, and the curse. Humanity hides from God in Genesis; in Revelation, God's servants see His face.  The beginning and ending are remarkably connected. But what happens in between? That's where understanding biblical epochs, ages, and eras becomes important. Preserving the Truth The episode then considers the challenge the early Church faced as believers preserved and interpreted the apostolic writings while confronting competing teachings. Scripture itself repeatedly anticipates this problem. Paul warns Timothy about deceiving spirits. Peter warns of false teachers introducing destructive heresies. Jude urges believers to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people.”  Why does that matter when discussing prophecy? Because our interpretation of the end depends upon the foundation from which we begin. Old Treasures and New Jesus spoke of new wine and new wineskins so that BOTH the old and new wine will be preserved, and He described a teacher of the law in the kingdom of heaven is to bring out new as well as old treasures from his storeroom.  That becomes particularly important when we reach Paul's teaching about the Church and the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul describes a mystery hidden for long ages past, yet now revealed. In Colossians he expresses its magnificent reality: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  Understanding what was revealed before, what was later revealed, and how these truths fit together prepares us to approach Jesus' words concerning the end of the age. Before the Signs, Build the Foundation Eventually, we'll return directly to Matthew 24, Mark, and Luke and examine Jesus' teaching concerning the temple, tribulation, His coming, and the end of the age. But first, we're laying the foundation. As I say at the end of this episode, while the beginning and end of Scripture are relatively easy to reconcile, “the middle gets messed up without a firm foundation built on the Rock.”  That's where our journey begins. Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus.

Episode #224 — A Walk on the Beach w/DrZ [28] Hearing, Listening, and Building on the Rock | Matthew 7:24–27 Episode #224 of Way of the Bible concludes our eight-part mini-series, Response to the Sermon on the Mount Part 2. We take our discussion outside for another Walk on the Beach, continuing our exploration of Romans 8 before returning one final time to Jesus' words about the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24–27.  Our walk begins with an unexpected discussion about lukewarmness. Jesus warned the church at Laodicea that they were neither hot nor cold. Their great danger was self-sufficiency: they believed they were rich and needed nothing while failing to recognize their true spiritual condition. Yet Jesus' response was not abandonment. He called them to earnestness and repentance.  From there, we return to Romans 8 and Paul's magnificent description of the Christian life. Creation itself groans as it awaits liberation from bondage to decay. Believers likewise wait expectantly for the redemption of our bodies. Meanwhile, we are not left alone. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and even intercedes when we don't know what we ought to pray. Paul then reminds us that God is working in those who love Him and has purposed that we be conformed to the image of His Son. Our calling is therefore not passive Christianity. We are invited into growing intimacy with Jesus Christ and union with the Father.  Then comes one of Scripture's great declarations of assurance. If God is for us, who can be against us? Christ died, was raised to life, sits at God's right hand, and intercedes for us. Neither trouble, hardship, persecution, death, life, angels, demons, the present, the future, nor anything else in creation can separate God's children from His love in Christ Jesus.  That brings our two mini-series back to where they began: Matthew 7:24–27. Jesus says both builders hear His words. The difference is their response. One puts His words into practice and builds upon the Rock. The other does not and builds upon sand. But this episode adds another dimension to that distinction: Hearing is not necessarily listening. Hearing is passive. Listening is active and intentional. Listening requires attention, understanding, and a willingness to respond. Jesus Himself tells us in Luke 8:18 to “consider carefully how you listen.”  The parable of the sower reinforces the point. The good soil represents those who hear God's Word, retain it, persevere, and produce a crop. Jesus then tells us in John 14:21 that the one who has His commands and keeps them is the one who loves Him—and to that person He promises to reveal Himself.  So perhaps the appropriate question after sixteen episodes contemplating Jesus' closing words is no longer simply: Have I heard Jesus? Rather: Am I listening? Am I retaining His Word? And am I putting it into practice? That is the path of the wise builder. That is building on the Rock. Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus.

Episode #223 The Truth | Matthew 7:24–27 What did Jesus mean when He said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”? In Episode #223 of the Way of the Bible podcast, we continue Response to the Sermon on the Mount Part 2 by focusing on The Truth upon which godly wisdom is founded. Jesus describes the wise builder in Matthew 7:24–27 as the person who hears His words and puts them into practice.  But what transforms hearing into a life built upon the Rock? We begin by returning to Romans 6 and 7 and the believer's relationship with sin. Grace is never presented as permission to continue deliberately in sin. First John reminds believers that when we sin, Jesus Christ is our advocate with the Father. Yet Scripture simultaneously calls those born of God away from a life characterized by continuing sin.  This brings us to Jesus' words in John 8. Jesus tells Jews who had believed Him that if they hold to His teaching, they are truly His disciples. Then they will know the truth, and the truth will set them free. When they question what freedom He means, Jesus identifies the bondage: “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Then comes the promise: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” There is an important distinction here. It is possible to possess knowledge of the truth without intimately knowing The Truth. What is The Truth? In a name, Jesus. In an event, the Gospel. God loved the world and gave His Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  This leads us into the magnificent eighth chapter of Romans. For those who are in Christ Jesus, there is now no condemnation. Through Christ, the law of the Spirit who gives life has set believers free from the law of sin and death. We have died with Christ, been raised with Him into new life, and received the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live before God. Paul then contrasts two ways of living. The mind governed by the flesh is death, while the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.  And here we reach the heart of this episode. Knowing The Truth isn't merely knowing facts about Jesus. It is intimately knowing Christ and possessing His Spirit. Romans 8 declares that those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. The Spirit brings about our adoption, and by Him we cry: “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children—and if children, then heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.  This brings us all the way back to Jesus' two builders. Two people can hear the same truth. One hears and responds; the other hears and does not. One builds upon the Rock. The other remains upon sand. The question, therefore, isn't simply: Have you heard The Truth? The deeper question is: Do you KNOW The Truth? Because Jesus Christ doesn't merely reveal truth. He sets us free.

Chasing Wisdom | Matthew 7:24-27 What does it mean to be wise? In Episode #222 of the Way of the Bible podcast, we continue our Response to the Sermon on the Mount Part 2 mini-series by examining the wisdom of the wise builder in Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus describes the wise man as one who hears His words and puts them into practice. The foolish man also hears—but does not do what Jesus says.  That distinction takes us deep into the biblical meaning of wisdom. Job 28 describes humanity's extraordinary efforts to search the earth for gold, silver, and precious stones. Yet Job asks a far more important question: “But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?” Scripture reveals a progression from knowledge to understanding to wisdom. Knowledge provides the foundational truths. Understanding brings discernment and insight—the ability to recognize how those truths apply. Wisdom is the skillful application of God's truth to life. Proverbs 24 beautifully connects all three to Jesus' imagery of building a house: “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”  But knowing and understanding what is right does not guarantee that we will do it. Paul describes this painful reality in Romans 7. We may desire what is good while continuing to do the very things we hate. Many believers know this cycle well: we understand that something is destructive, recognize where it will lead, and nevertheless surrender to it. Thankfully, Scripture does not leave us trapped there. Paul's answer is Jesus Christ. Romans 6 teaches that through our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, believers have been set free from sin's mastery. We are therefore instructed to count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus—not offering ourselves to sin, but to God as instruments of righteousness.  Jesus described this same freedom in John 8: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” True discipleship involves hearing His teaching, holding to it, knowing the truth, and walking in the freedom He provides.  This brings us back to wisdom. Job declares that wisdom is more valuable than gold, silver, onyx, crystal, coral, jasper, rubies, or any earthly treasure. Humanity cannot manufacture it or purchase it because its source is God Himself. And Job ultimately gives us the answer: “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.” So chasing wisdom is ultimately chasing after God—learning His truth, discerning His ways, and then actually walking in them. Paul gives us a fitting picture in Romans 12: offer ourselves to God, refuse conformity to this world, and be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then we begin to discern and live according to His good, pleasing, and perfect will.  That is the life of the wise builder. Hear Jesus. Believe Jesus. And put His words into practice.

Episode #221 | Matthew 7:24–27 What makes one person wise and another foolish? Jesus concludes His Sermon on the Mount with the familiar picture of two builders. The wise man hears Jesus' words and puts them into practice, building his house upon the rock. The foolish man hears the same words but does not practice them, building instead upon sand. When the storm comes, one house remains while the other falls with a great crash.  In Episode #221 of the Way of the Bible podcast, we explore a deeper question behind Jesus' illustration: How does someone become wise? Humanity has wrestled with questions of meaning, purpose, life, and death throughout recorded history. We have attempted to answer them through philosophy, human reason, mysticism, religion, and our own determination. Yet Scripture points us beyond ourselves. There is only One Way, One Truth, and One Life. Jesus prayed to His Father, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” The foundation of eternal life—and therefore of the wise builder—is knowing God through Jesus Christ.  Paul makes this connection explicit in 1 Corinthians 3. By God's grace, Paul became a “wise builder,” laying the foundation of Jesus Christ. What believers subsequently build upon that foundation matters. Our works do not purchase salvation; salvation is God's free gift by grace through faith. But how we live after receiving that gift has eternal significance.  Scripture repeatedly teaches that true wisdom belongs to God and is given by God. God gave Solomon extraordinary wisdom and understanding. Proverbs tells us that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Daniel praised God because wisdom and power belong to Him. In the New Testament, Stephen spoke with wisdom given by the Holy Spirit, while Paul tells us that in Christ are hidden “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  Yet Solomon's life also provides a sobering warning. The man to whom God gave extraordinary wisdom eventually allowed his heart to turn toward other gods. The consequences of Solomon's foolishness remained generations later. His story reminds us that receiving wisdom does not eliminate our need to continue walking faithfully with God.  So where does that leave us? James gives a wonderfully simple answer: If you lack wisdom, ask God. And once God gives wisdom, walk in it. The Christian life requires continually putting off the old self and being renewed in our minds. Rather than conforming ourselves to the pattern of this world, Paul calls us to transformation through the renewing of our minds so that we may discern God's good, pleasing, and perfect will.  Being made wise, therefore, isn't merely about knowing more. It is about knowing God, remaining in Christ, receiving wisdom from Him, and then putting His words into practice. That is how we build upon the Rock.

Episode #220 – Stop Being Foolish! Response to the Sermon on the Mount – Part 2 (Matthew 7:24–27) How does a believer move from hearing Christ's words to faithfully living them? Episode #220 of the Way of the Bible podcast continues our study of Jesus' illustration of the Wise and Foolish Builders by issuing a direct challenge to believers: Stop being foolish. Rather than focusing primarily on the unbelieving world, this episode examines Christ's warnings to His own church and calls every follower of Jesus to renewed faithfulness.  The message begins by revisiting Jesus' conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24–27, where two builders hear the same words but respond differently. One builds upon the rock through obedient faith, while the other builds upon sand by refusing to put Christ's teaching into practice. This contrast provides the framework for the episode's central question: What does spiritual foolishness look like in the life of a believer?  To answer that question, the discussion turns to Revelation 3 and Christ's letter to the church in Laodicea. Jesus describes believers who have become spiritually lukewarm—neither fully committed nor openly opposed to Him. They believe themselves to be rich and self-sufficient, yet Christ sees them as spiritually poor, blind, and in need of repentance. His rebuke is not intended to condemn but to restore those whom He loves.  The episode also places this warning within the broader story of Scripture. From Genesis, where humanity's rebellion brought sin and death into the world, to Revelation, where God restores creation and dwells with His redeemed people, the Bible consistently calls God's people to trust Him, reject deception, and persevere in faithful obedience. The Christian life is not merely about entering heaven but about growing into the likeness of Christ through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.  Drawing from 1 Corinthians 3, listeners are reminded that believers will one day give an account for how they have built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Paul urges Christians not to deceive themselves by adopting the wisdom of this world but to pursue the wisdom that comes from God. Spiritual maturity is measured not by knowledge alone but by lives increasingly marked by humility, holiness, and faithful service.  The episode concludes with Christ's gracious invitation: "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." His desire is not merely that believers avoid judgment but that they experience restored fellowship with Him, live as children of light, and prepare faithfully for His return.  Ultimately, Episode #220 reminds us that the call to "stop being foolish" is not a message of despair but of hope. Jesus continues to seek, correct, restore, and strengthen those who belong to Him. The question before every believer is both simple and searching: Will we continue building on the shifting sands of self-reliance, or will we once again build our lives upon the Rock who is Jesus Christ?

Episode #219 – Am I A Fool? Response to the Sermon on the Mount – Part 2 (Matthew 7:24–27) Who is the foolish builder Jesus describes in Matthew 7:24–27? In Episode #219 of the Way of the Bible podcast, that question becomes deeply personal. Rather than examining the foolishness of the world, this episode asks every believer to look inward and honestly consider: "Am I acting foolishly?"  Building upon the previous episodes in this mini-series, we are reminded that all humanity begins life separated from God. Scripture declares that every person is born into sin, spiritually foolish, and unable to rescue themselves. Yet the gospel proclaims God's incredible mercy. Through Jesus Christ, believers are saved, justified by grace, renewed by the Holy Spirit, and given the hope of eternal life.  But salvation is not the end of the journey. One of the central themes of this episode is that Christians can still act foolishly when they ignore God's Word or attempt to live according to the flesh rather than the Spirit. The Apostle Paul's correction of the Galatian believers demonstrates that even sincere followers of Christ can drift from walking by faith into relying upon themselves.  The message then turns to Ephesians, where Paul calls believers to live as children of light. Instead of returning to old patterns of sin, Christians are encouraged to reject immorality, greed, deception, bitterness, and every form of darkness while pursuing gratitude, holiness, truth, and obedience. This is not presented as a way to earn salvation but as the natural outworking of a transformed life.  The episode also highlights an often-overlooked truth in Paul's letter to the Ephesians: God's purpose extends beyond simply bringing people into heaven. Christ has given leaders to equip His people for works of service so that believers may grow into spiritual maturity and "the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." Spiritual growth is the lifelong pursuit of increasing union with Christ through faithful obedience.  Episode #219 concludes with an encouraging reminder: every Christian is capable of moments of foolishness, but through the Holy Spirit we are continually invited to walk wisely, practice what Christ has taught, and build our lives firmly upon the Rock. The question remains before each of us: Am I hearing Christ's words... and putting them into practice?

What does Jesus mean when He speaks of the foolish man who built his house upon the sand? Episode #218 of the Way of the Bible podcast continues our study of Matthew 7:24–27 by examining one of the most sobering descriptions found anywhere in Scripture. While the previous episode explored the source of true wisdom, this message focuses on the opposite question: What makes a person spiritually foolish?  Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount by presenting two builders. Both hear His words, both build houses, and both experience the same storm. The critical difference is not what they heard but what they did with what they heard. The wise man built upon the Rock by responding in obedient faith, while the foolish man rejected God's foundation and built upon sand.  To understand this contrast, the episode traces a consistent theme throughout the Bible. Moses warned Israel against abandoning "the Rock" who had redeemed them. Joshua reminded the nation that God's promises are certain and that rejecting His covenant carries consequences. David declared, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God,'" revealing that foolishness begins not with ignorance but with a heart that refuses God's authority.  The discussion then turns to Romans 1, where the Apostle Paul describes humanity's progression away from God. Although God's eternal power and divine nature are evident through creation, people exchange the truth for lies, worship created things rather than the Creator, and persist in rebellion. These choices illustrate the pattern of the foolish builder—a life established on self rather than on God.  Yet this episode is not merely a warning. It is also a message of hope. Paul reminds believers that every Christian was once spiritually foolish. Through the mercy of God revealed in Jesus Christ, sinners are rescued from darkness, justified by grace, and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Becoming wise for salvation happens the moment a person trusts Christ, while growing in wisdom continues throughout a lifetime of discipleship and sanctification.  The episode also emphasizes that Christians should remember their own past when interacting with those who remain spiritually blind. Rather than responding with pride or condemnation, believers are called to share the gospel with gentleness, respect, and compassion, always prepared to explain the hope found in Christ. Ultimately, Jesus' illustration is about far more than two houses. It is about two eternal destinies. Every person is building upon some foundation. The question each of us must answer is simple yet profound: Are we building our lives upon the Rock who is Jesus Christ, or upon the shifting sands of human wisdom and self-reliance? Episode #218 invites listeners to examine that foundation carefully and to discover the lasting security found only in Christ.

Welcome to Episode #217 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our Twenty-Eight mini-series entitled Response to Sermon on the Mount Part 2. In our last mini-series we addressed the first half of our passage, concerning the “Wise Man” who build his house on the Rock.  On this mini-series we are going to examine the “Foolish Man” who built his house on the sand. This first episode of this mini-series will be an overview of the topic, which will be expanded upon for the remainder of the mini-series.  On our last two episodes of mini-series 27, our focus was on Who Chooses Whom? Does God choose us or do we choose God? While this question is often hidden from open conversation within Christendom, it is central to understanding our faith, the God who created us, and the Savior who redeemed us to become children of the living God. In the end you reach a conclusion that while the answer is conclusive certainty is always in question among believer as there is tension purposefully in the Bible. On our Walk on the Beach episode, we saw the holographic picture of our faith more clearly. God sits outside of time and exists beyond anything he has ever created. Before creation itself, of anything seen or unseen, God was perfected in all aspects of his glorious existence. Nothing can be added to him, nor nothing taken away from him. The Bible begins with God creating the heavens and the earth.  The heavens are not to be confused with the cosmos of sun, moon, and stars, which were created on the fourth day of the six days of creation (Genesis 1:14-19). The heavens are where the angelic beings dwell. So in the beginning we have a supernatural spiritual realm inhabited by angelic creatures who rule the heavens for an undisclosed period.  And we have the earth, a physical object suspended in infinite space in all directions.  While God created the heavens and the earth and sustains all that he creates within the confines of himself, he is not the creation which is outside of himself. It sounds like a conundrum within a paradox yet it is far beyond even that of which we can conceive. And this is not just mumbo jumbo, the ramblings of an idiot, but exactly the state of all things. Our contemplation of God is helpful to understand our existence. I’m talking about me who is writing this and you who are hearing the words I record and upload for this podcast episode. A.W. Tozer’s, The Knowledge of the Holy, is a great starter book into some of the mind-blowing attributes of God that make your head hurt just trying to comprehend them. More detailed and substantially life altering writings are found among authentic particle physicists, biologists, geneticists, cosmologists, and other scientific inquiry fields that have no skin in the game as to where the evidence leads. Scientific endeavors typically dead end not explaining what and how, but rather the answer lies beyond our limitations in our own space-time understanding of reality.  Most simply, all things seen are the result of energy best explained as light that does not whose origin, original and sustaining power source are beyond our dimensionality. Some theorize we are simply a very complex holographic projection from another dimension.

Welcome to Episode #216 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Seventh mini-series entitled Response to Sermon on the Mount. In our last episode, we heard Part 1 of 2 of a discussion on Who Choses Whom? On this walk on the beach epode we will present an overview of this mini-series and close it out with Part 2 of the Who Choses Whom discussion. We’re just going to jump right in, I think you’ll figure it out soon enough. Good morning. It looks like we are it for our walk today. Or should I say rather “our run from our cars in the parking lot into the condo lobby.” I do want to say a special thank you to Jamey who knows the Hotel manager who was kind enough to rent us this nice conference room on short notice. We knew last night this front was going to coming through this morning, and that many of you were already here and others still on your way. So Jamey made a call, terms were agreed upon, and papers were signed.  Once we booked the room, we immediately sent out text alerts, and called many others who did not respond to our change of venue message. Hopefully, everyone who was hoping to be on this walk has made it. Those who didn’t make it will have to listen to the podcast as all the rest who hear these episodes. I’m going to start, even though the coffee and Danish have just arrived. Tommy has agreed to offer a blessing before we serve ourselves. After his prayer, please make your way to the tables at your leisure as you will not distract me… Thank you Tommy, the tables of coffee and Danish are now ready for your enjoyment. I will add, speaking with a wireless mic and having a lecturn to stand behind is much easier than walking backward on the beach or speaking loudly to heard above the surf… Speaking of being heard let’s read our passage for Mini-Series 27. Matthew 7:24-27 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” This is the seminal concluding statement of Jesus’ sermon on the mount. It may be the most written about and beloved of his sermons that is crafted to satisfying drastically different theological positions of both conservative and liberal churches. My approach has been to let the plain thing be the main thing, simply read the text as written and follow the text where may lead.  In this mini-series we’ve been addressing the first half of this passage regarding the wise man (verses 24-25). We’ll cover the second half of this passage (Matthew 7:26-27) on our next mini-series concerning the foolish man who builds his house on the sand.

Episode #215 — WHO CHOOSES WHO? | Matthew 7:24-27 One of the most profound questions in Christian theology is simple to ask but difficult to answer: Who chooses whom? Does mankind choose God, or does God first reveal Himself and draw people to salvation? In Episode #215 of the Way of the Bible podcast, Dr. Philip Zimmerman continues the Response to the Sermon on the Mount mini-series by exploring this question through the words of Jesus and the larger story of Scripture. Beginning with Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus describes the wise man as one who hears His words and puts them into practice, building his life upon the solid foundation of the Rock. From there, the episode expands beyond the immediate passage to examine God's eternal plan of redemption. The discussion traces the biblical narrative from the rebellion of Lucifer before creation, humanity's fall in the Garden of Eden, and the entrance of sin and death into the world. Throughout the episode, listeners are reminded that the Bible is fundamentally God's story of redemption rather than mankind's story of self-discovery. God's purpose has always been to dwell eternally with His redeemed people in perfect fellowship. The episode then focuses on the work of Jesus Christ as God's appointed Redeemer. Through His incarnation, sacrificial death, resurrection, and ultimate victory over sin and death, Jesus accomplishes what fallen humanity could never accomplish on its own. Salvation is presented not merely as forgiveness of sins, but as reconciliation with God and entrance into eternal life. The heart of the episode examines several key passages where Jesus speaks directly about salvation. Matthew 11 reveals that the Father hides spiritual truth from the proud while revealing it to the humble. John 6 teaches that no one comes to Christ unless the Father draws them. John 17 further explains that eternal life consists of knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Rather than presenting these passages as isolated verses, the episode weaves them together into a unified biblical understanding of God's sovereign work in redemption. Listeners are encouraged to recognize both the necessity of God's initiative and the call for every person to hear the Gospel, repent, believe, and be born again through the Holy Spirit. The episode concludes by returning to the hope found in John 3:16-18. God's purpose is not condemnation but salvation through His Son. Those who believe in Jesus receive eternal life and become part of God's eternal family. Finally, Dr. Zimmerman leaves listeners with one more important question. If God chooses those who believe, then who are the "whoever believes" described throughout Scripture? That question becomes the focus of the next Walk on the Beach with DrZ episode, where the conversation continues. Until then, remember: Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus.

Faith Comes from HEARING | Episode #214 In Episode #214 of the Way of the Bible podcast, we continue our study of Jesus' concluding illustration in the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on the opening words of Matthew 7:24: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice...” The emphasis of this episode is on one crucial word: hears.  Jesus teaches that hearing His words is the beginning of a life built upon a solid foundation. Yet throughout Scripture, we see that people can hear the same message and respond very differently. Why is that? The episode explores the distinction between physical hearing and spiritual hearing. Physical hearing involves receiving sounds through our ears, but spiritual hearing involves the heart. Jesus repeatedly emphasized that understanding and responding to God's Word is ultimately a matter of the heart's condition.  To illustrate this truth, we examine Jesus' explanation of the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8. The seed is the Word of God, but the condition of the soil determines the outcome. Some hear and quickly lose the message. Others receive it temporarily but fall away under pressure. Some become distracted by life's worries and pleasures. Only the good soil receives, retains, and produces fruit.  This leads to a deeper question: what makes a heart capable of receiving God's Word? Scripture answers through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Jeremiah describes the human heart as deceitful and beyond cure, while Ezekiel records God's promise to remove hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh. God promises to place His Spirit within His people, enabling them to follow His ways.  The episode then connects these promises to the ministry of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God provides cleansing, renewal, and the gift of His Spirit, making genuine faith possible.  Finally, we arrive at Romans 10:17: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Faith is not merely intellectual agreement. It is the response of a transformed heart that hears the Gospel, believes that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and responds in repentance and surrender.  The episode concludes with a challenge. Jesus is still speaking through His Word today. Some hear and obey. Others hear and remain unchanged. The difference lies not in the message but in the condition of the heart. The question each listener must answer is simple: Do I have ears to hear?