Bible in Life

Since he’s the Spirit of God, that means the Holy Spirit has been around all throughout the biblical story. He was clearly active and involved in God’s work of redemption in the OT:

• You see him right at the beginning hovering over the waters of creation 
• He empowers the craftsmen who build the tabernacle
• He anoints kings and prophets (David prays in ps. 51 for God not to take his Spirit from him) 

But it seems like it’s a pretty spectacular thing - big deal - when he comes on the Day of Pentecost. So what’s the difference between the Spirit’s role in the OT versus now? 

The OT prophets promised there’d come a day when God’s spirit would come in a fuller, grander, more widespread way: 

• Joel 2:28-32
• Ezek 36:27
• Isaiah 44:3

And the New Testament describes the Christian life is life in the Spirit:

• The Holy Spirit renews us--Titus 3:5
• The Holy Spirit seals us as belonging to God--Eph. 1:13; 4:30
• The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our resurrection--  Eph 1:14; Rom. 8:9-11
• The Holy Spirit helps us resist sin--Rom. 8:13
• The Holy Spirit empowers us for godliness and ministry – Eph. 3:16
• The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of Chrislikeness in us – Gal. 5:22-23
• The Holy Spirit testifies that we are children of God – Rom. 8:15-16; Gal. 4:6
• The Holy Spirit helps us pray – Rom. 8:26-27; Eph. 6:18
• The Holy Spirit helps us understand God's love – Rom. 5:5 

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The Holy Spirit, pt. 1.

We are familiar with God the Father. And with Jesus. But the Holy Spirit? Not so much. As one author said, a lot of us feel like He's a the grey blur in our minds eye. In fact, Gordon Fee once said that a lot of Christians, while trinitarian by creed, are "binitarians" in practice. That is, we really only know two members of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit is often unknown. 

Who is He and what's His role in our discipleship to Jesus? 

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The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself: 

https://www.listenerscommentary.com

 

Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible 

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My daughter - she's in her early 20's and has two kids - has been reading through the New Testament this year and then discussing what she's reading with me. I recorded our last conversation so I could share it here on the Bible in Life. We discuss questions out of Hebrews 3-6 ... questions like:

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Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible 

https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways

 

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Do we have the right books in the Bible ... especially in the New Testament? 

What about the so-called "missing gospels"? 

How did these books get chosen and other books get left out? 

Who decided which books were in and which books were out?

All of these questions concern the canon of the New Testament. And there's a lot of misinformation out there about this subject. 

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The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself: 

https://www.listenerscommentary.com

 

Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible 

https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways

 

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Why did God give Israel the food laws? 

No bacon. No ham. No shrimp. 

What's the point? 

And what does it have to do with being holy? 

And how is it connect to non-Jews (gentiles) entering into the family of Jesus?

Support this ministry:

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The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself: 

https://www.listenerscommentary.com

 

Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible 

https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways

 

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Jesus is famous for teaching in parables. In all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), Jesus explains that he teaches in parables so that "seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand." Which raises a serious question...

Didn't Jesus want people to understand his teaching? 

Why would he hide it from them and try to confuse them?

Doesn't he want people to get it so that can repent and be saved? 

In this episode of The Bible in Life podcast, we dig in Luke 8:4-21 to explore this question. 

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The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself: 

https://www.listenerscommentary.com

 

Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible 

https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways

 

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What is the mission of the church? 

Very often there are lots of different answers given to this question. But there shouldn't be. In fact, I am repeatedly surprised how much confusion there is about this. There should be no confusion. 

Jesus made the mission of the church crystal clear. 

This is not something we have to wonder about.There should be complete agreement about this. We don’t get to invent it or make up our own. 

Jesus already told us. 

Matthew 28:18-20

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

How do we do that?

What did Jesus mean by "disciple"? 

Tune in to this episode for a full discussion of this crucial topic.

Support this ministry:

Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.

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The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself: 

https://www.listenerscommentary.com

 

Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible 

https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways

 

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The story of Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts is a shocking story. Two members of the church sell their property, bring the money to the apostles, are called out, and die! Why?

Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira? 

And why did Luke include the story in the book of Acts?

What lesson does the story of Ananias and Sapphira teach?

Support this ministry:

Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.

http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/

 

Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible 

https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways

 

The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself: 

https://www.listenerscommentary.com

 

Connect with me:

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Email - john@johnwhittaker.net

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What does is mean to be led in triumph in Christ and be the fragrance of Christ in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16? 

We like impressive people. People who look good. People who are successful. People who's lives look fun and exciting. Paul's life was none of that, and that made him unimpressive. 

In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, Paul gives us word picture for how he viewed his life and ministry and it's subversive to the normal way we think life and service to God should go. 

 

Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible 

https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways

 

Support this ministry:

Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.

http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/

 

The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself: 

https://www.listenerscommentary.com

 

Connect with me:

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Email - john@johnwhittaker.net

If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.

The cross. Good Friday. 

At the time Jesus was crucified, a cross was an object of horror and a symbol of shame. So vulgar was it, that Romans wouldn't even use the word in polite company.

But now... now the the cross is a wall hanging, jewelry, and a symbol of hope. All because one particular crucifixion changed everything.

More than forgiveness (as great and necessary as that is!), the cross of Jesus provides a whole new world and a whole new way to live!

In this episode we look at how all-encompassing the achievement of the cross actually is. 

 

Support this ministry:

Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below.

http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/

 

Want to get more out of your Bible reading? Free Resource: 7 Ways to Immediately Get More Out of the Bible

https://www.johnwhittaker.net/seven-ways

 

The Listener’s Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself: 

https://www.listenerscommentary.com

 

Connect with me:

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Email - john@johnwhittaker.net

If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.