Bible in Life

In this special bonus episode, John explores how to become the kind of person who is actively kind to people who aren't kind to you. This follows up episode 12 which looked at the meaning of Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:38-42. Jesus' teaching is so contrary to the usual human way of living and we can feel like no matter how hard we try we just can't do it. 

Well that's because trying - even trying hard - won't cut it. 

We need a wiser, more intentional approach than just trying to to be kind when someone treats us badly. We need to train and be prepared so that it's second nature to live this way. And in this bonus episode John reflects on some ways we can do just that.

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It doesn't take long to learn that some people aren't very nice, that some people are gonna treat us poorly. Conventional wisdom has one way to deal with it; Jesus has another. 

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus passes on to us one the most important and most distinctive traits about us who follow Him. This trait set Him and sets us a part from so much that goes on in this world. 

We need to hear what He says here and take it to heart. 

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To support the podcast financially on Patreon, click here. You'll get access to bonus material, help fund the creation of an audio commentary on the New Testament, and support John's Bible teaching ministry.

Blessings!

P.S. And if you haven't done so yet, why don't you swing over to my website (www.johnwhittaker.net) and subscribe for updates and more teachings from John. 

Jesus envisions a world where your word is your bond ... where you don't have to promise or swear or convince people that what you say is true. A world where a handshake is all that's necesary. A world where you can trust each other and count on each other because each and every one of us has complete integrity.

And that world begins right here, with me and you.

Would you share this podcast with a friend? 

-Text them the link

-Post it on social media

To support the podcast financially on Patreon, click here. You'll get access to bonus material and help fund the creation of an audio commentary on the New Testament.

Blessings!

P.S. And if you haven't done so yet, why don't you swing over to my website (www.johnwhittaker.net) and subscribe for updates and more teachings from John. 

Divorce hurts. It hurt people in Jesus' day. It hurts people today. It's not the way it's supposed to be. No one dreams of meeting the love of their life, getting married, and 4 years later having it all end in divorce. 

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks to the betrayal that divorce is ... that it's another way of being unfaithful to your spouse. 

There's great wisdom here, should we choose to receive it. 

And solution isn't to issue an edict that heaps guilt and shame on people who get divorced. The solution is to help people become the kind of person who can live with another person for a lifetime. 

So listen to grasp what Jesus teaches about divorce. 

If you find these teachings helpful, spread the word and share them with your friends via facebook, twitter, word of mouth etc. 

If you want to become a patron and support the show, you can do that by clicking here. You'll get access to bonus material and help fund the creation of an audio commentary on the New Testament. 

We live in a sex-driven society. Sex is used to sell everything from cars to toothpaste! Porn has taken over the internet. But misuse of sex is nothing new. And Jesus has some important wisdom concerning sexual faithfulness and purity. 

In this episode of Bible in Life, John guides us through Jesus' words about adultery, lust, faithfulness and sexual purity. 

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And be sure to share with your friends. 

And if you want to support the show, you can become a patron by clicking here. You'll get access to bonus material and help fund the creation of an audio commentary on the New Testament. 

Just because you've never killed anyone doesn't mean your living the way God designed you to live. And murder isn't the only form of violence towards each other. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus begins to illustrate what surpassing righteousness looks like ... surpassing righteousness goes to the heart of the matter. And that means it deals with your anger, and mine. 

Jesus intends to make us people who are full of peace and free from anger and contempt! 

Wouldn't it be a great world to live in if peace and patience replaced anger and contempt?! That's the vision Jesus has for His followers ... and he has the resources to make it possible.

Remember to share this podcast with you friends via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, good ol' word of mouth or however you like to share these sorts of things!

If you want to become a patron and support the show, you can do that by clicking here. You'll get access to bonus material and help fund the creation of an audio commentary on the New Testament. 

Is the OT Law bad? Did Jesus come to nullify the Law? With all of the wrong people flocking to Jesus, does that suggest that Jesus has no standards? Just how righteous does Jesus expect you to be?

In this podcast, John tackles the thesis paragraph for the Sermon on the Mount - the paragraph that sets up everythng else in the sermon. In this paragraph, Jesus answers the question, How righteous do I have to be?

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In this podcast, John mentions some bonus content on his patreon page that he's just putting together. In a special podcast on that site, John wrestles with how what Jesus says in Matthew 5:17-20 fits with some of the things the apostle Paul says about the law. If you want that bonus material and would like to become a patron and support the show, you can do that by clicking here.

Jesus has an open door policy to His kingdom. And once He's welcomed you in - regardless of where you've come from - he bestow on you a high and holy calling ... and He intends to make you the kind of person that's fit to carry out that vocation. In this episode, John explores Jesus' words describing that vocation and how we can live that out in and through all the parts of our life. 

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Who is welcome in Jesus' kingdom? Who can experience the blessing of His kingdom? In this episode, John explores the opening words of the Sermon on the Mount, traditionally called the Beattitudes. He questions a common understanding that the beattitudes are virtues for us to pursue and offers an alternative approach. 

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Often times, we think of our spiritual life as the religous activities of our life. So we answer the question, How's your spiritual life been lately? by referencing our devotional life - our Bible reading and prayer life. That's important for sure, but Jesus' view of the spiritual is much more all-inclusive and much more down to earth. In Jesus' view, you only have one life - and it's either spiritual or it's not. So your spiritual life includes your whole life, every part of it.

In this episode, we begin our study of the Sermon on the Mount by looking at Jesus' down to earth spirituality and the big picture of the sermon: what's the Sermon on the Mount all about?

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