Monthly Archives: January 2015

“Bye-Bye Jesus!”

Posted on January 25, 2015 by deweybertolini

As you will hear in this PODCAST, on the night before He went to the cross, Jesus made a series of remarkable statements to His disciples, in the Upper Room, during their final Passover Seder together.

John 13-17, those 5 chapters, are often referred to as Upper Room Discourse. They contain rich and rewarding teaching that we’ll dissect and digest in, oh… 3 years or so when we get there. 😉

There is, however, in that wide swath of Scriptural truth one statement that I want to highlight here, that really sets the stage for this discussion.

In John 14, Jesus said this to His disciple Philip, in front of the other 10 (Judas having left to betray Jesus):

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! (vs. 9)

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!

When we began this study of Jesus in HD, we said then, and I remind you frequently, that we are on a journey of discovery. Over two years ago now, we embarked together on an ongoing quest to discover exactly who Jesus is.

In this statement in John 14, Jesus assured us that as we discover together who Jesus is, we are equalling discovering who God is. And this discovery has been nothing short of EXCITING!!!

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!

What we learn about Jesus, we learn about God.

Jesus’ heart is God’s heart.

What Jesus is like, God is like.

What Jesus thinks is what God thinks.

What would Jesus do is what God would do.

And Oh.What.Pleasant.Surprises we have discovered along the way. Soul-enriching, spirit-reviving surprises, that we have uncovered together.

Surprises about the heart of Jesus; surprises about the heart of God.

Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.

THANK YOU for listening! God bless you as you listen.

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Amazing Love, How Can It Be?

Posted on January 18, 2015 by deweybertolini

Well, I’ve got good news for you. Great news, at least as far as Jesus and His disciples were concerned. Just in case you were worried about this.

As you will hear in this PODCAST, Jesus finally got a break in the action.

Finally, mercifully, after His enormously long and draining and tiring day — in which He taught a series of seven parables, sailed to the other side of the sea, stilled a raging storm, sent two thousand or more demons to flight, healed a bleeding woman, raised a dead girl, all of which we have discussed in minute detail over the past (if you can believe it) 4 months — this one singularly momentous day has now finally come to an end.

Then, after an indefinite period of time, Jesus and His disciples once again took to the road.

No sooner did Jesus get out the door, He was met by two blind men, begging Him to heal them.

It is most intriguing to me that of the three Gospel-writers — Matthew, Mark, and Luke — who gave us the record of Jesus’ so-called longest day, it is only Matthew who recorded this encounter with the two blind men.

I have got to ask the reason why. Why did Matthew, and only Matthew include this story? Especially given the fact that we have seen Jesus heal the blind before. This was old news.

Or was it?

Trust me when I suggest that after hearing about this singularly significant story, you may never view God’s love for you the same way again.

Yes, THIS story is THAT significant.

Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.

HAPPY LISTENING, and God bless you as you listen.

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No Wonder They Hated Him, and We LOVE Him

Posted on January 11, 2015 by deweybertolini

OK. So I’ve got to tell you that I find this entire series of events that we will be discussing in this PODCAST…

 

All of which I will remind you took place in less than 36 hours…

This entire series of events that took place in just one day in the life of Jesus… I find to be remarkably REFRESHING, while at the same time to followers of Jesus’ faith utterly unsettling…

Absolutely REVOLUTIONARY to me, while at the same time to the leading rabbis of Jesus’ day disgustingly revolting…

Undeniably IRRESISTIBLE to me, while at the same time to the Torah-teachers of Jesus’ day scorchingly scandalous.

So unsettling, revolting, and scandalous that they hated Him for it. Yet so refreshing, revolutionary, and irresistible that we love Him for it!

It’s been quite a ride, really, this journey that we’re on together. Two years ago, we began our ongoing study of Jesus in High Definition. The stated purpose of which is to rediscover afresh who Jesus really is, and what Jesus is really like.

Much to my surprise and our delight, the biblical picture of Jesus that is continuously emerging EVERY SINGLE WEEK is that of a GENTLE Jesus.

A gentle Jesus who did some of the most delightfully surprising things.

A gentle Jesus who said some of the most surprisingly delightful things.

A gentle Jesus who is every sense of the word irresistible.

Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.

Please, please, please share a link to this podcast with your family and friends.

God bless you as you listen.

And THANK YOU, from my heart to yours, for making this journey with me.

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When Hopelessness Met Gentleness

Posted on January 4, 2015 by deweybertolini

She was a footnote in this chapter of the Jesus Story. But she was NEVER a footnote to Jesus.

And neither are you, as you will be reminded in this poignant PODCAST.

If I had to choose one word to describe this woman — and let me assure you, there are many to choose from, such as desperate, fearful, impoverished, unclean, shunned, rejected, lonely, isolated, alone, damaged — If I had to choose one word to describe this woman, the one word I would choose is invisible.

She was indeed invisible. Totally and completely invisible.

She was invisible to her family, her former friends, her neighbors, her faith community… No one gave a thought to, or cared one whit about, this poor precious woman.

Except for Jesus.

If you have ever been tempted to think that Jesus is mean, harsh, angry, impossible to please, time to meet this woman — who will never look at Jesus the same way again.

And neither will you.

Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it might take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play. And PLEASE, if it is a blessing, consider sharing a link to this podcast with your family and friends.

God bless you as you listen.

 

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