As you are about to hear in the PODCAST, it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?
POV—Point of view. Ours, or God’s?
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A blare of the bugles and a roll of the drums. This PODCAST breaks the seal on a brand new study.
A brief interlude in our ongoing series entitled Paul in High Definition.
Welcome to Galatians in High Definition!!!
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As you are about to hear in this PODCAST, we have come to a defining moment in Early Church History—one precious period of time, two events of staggering significance—of which you and I are the direct beneficiaries.
This will explain so much, and put so much into its proper perspective.
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If you will permit me to quote myself, “It is today as it was then.”
As you are about to hear in this PODCAST: Boy, is it ever today as it was then. All courtesy of the Apostle Paul.
May God use the words of an ancient Prophet to elevate your soul, as they have my own.
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As you are about to hear in this PODCAST, Jesus is in every book, 39 out of 39 books, in the OT.
Genesis: Jesus is the Seed of the woman (3).
Exodus: Jesus is the Passover Lamb (12).
Leviticus: Anointed High Priest (8).
Numbers: Brazen serpent (21).
Deuteronomy: The Promised Prophet (18).
Joshua: Captain of the Lord’s angelic army (5).
Judges: Angel of the Lord (2).
Ruth: Our Kinsman-Redeemer (2).
1 Samuel: The coming Messiah (2).
2 Samuel: Seed of David (7).
1 Kings: Thick cloud of God’s glory (8).
2 Kings: The Lord God of Israel (19).
1 Chronicles: The God of our salvation (16).
2 Chronicles: The God of our fathers (20).
Ezra: Lord of heaven and earth (1).
Nehemiah: God who keeps His Covenant (1).
Esther: The God of providence (Esther).
Job: Our Risen Redeemer (19).
Psalms: The King of glory (24).
Proverbs: Personification of wisdom (8).
Ecclesiastes: The God to be obeyed (12).
Song of Solomon: The one who loves selflessly (SoS).
Isaiah: The Suffering Servant (53).
Jeremiah: The Lord our righteousness (23).
Lamentations: The faithful / compassionate God (3).
Ezekiel: Lord who dwells with His people (48).
Daniel: The Son of Man (7).
Hosea: Picture of God’s redemptive love (3).
Joel: Giver of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2).
Amos: The plumb-line by which all is measured (7).
Obadiah: Destroyer of the wicked (1).
Jonah: The God of second chances (2).
Micah: Messiah to be born in Bethlehem (5).
Nahum: The Lord who is slow to anger (1).
Habakkuk: The Rock of our salvation (1).
Zephaniah: The King of Israel (3).
Haggai: The One who will bring peace (2).
Zechariah: King riding on a donkey (9).
Malachi: The sun of righteousness (4).
No wonder, then, that as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:2 (NASB),
“Like newborn babies, (we) long for the pure milk of the word (including the so-called OT!), so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.”
Peter wrote that the prophets…
“…searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances (of the predicted) sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.”
That time had now come. And as you are about to hear in this PODCAST, it was amazing!
Last week, we made the point that the portrait of Jesus painted in the Old Testament, by the Old Testament prophets, was dramatically detailed and stunningly complete. Just reading the Old Testament leaves the reader with nothing left to the imagination as far as Jesus is concerned.
Oh sure. The New Testament adds a bit of color here, some contours there. Think of the Old Testament as a black & white photo of Jesus in contrast to a New Testament color image—vivid color at that!
The New Testament is not so much new revelation about Jesus—His incarnation, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection—as it is a magnifying glass that allows us to see a bit more detail that was already there on the canvas of Old Testament.
So we are now going to unveil for you that Old Testament canvas, allowing you to see it in all its prophetic glory.
Imagine a blank canvas before you. With each biblical brushstroke, a bit more of the portrait will gradually emerge. Are you ready?
We’ll start with this stunner, right out of the gate.
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It was a sermon for the ages.
As you will hear in this PODCAST, it was originally preached by a layman. He had no formal training in advanced biblical studies. There is no mention of any degrees. No diploma hung on his office wall, if he had an office. We have no indication that he had studied under a leading rabbi, such as Saul studied under Gamaliel.
His only claim to fame? Stephen was (Acts 6:3) “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom”; (6:8) “a man full of God’s grace and power.” And that was certainly enough!
Stephen was a humble, unassuming man, selected by Hellenistic, Greek-speaking Jewish believers in Jesus to be one of “The Seven,” chosen to care for their neglected widows.
Through circumstances not of his choosing, Stephen was suddenly thrust into the spotlight, hauled violently before the Sanhedrin, and forced to testify on his behalf.
But instead, Stephen chose to testify on Jesus’ behalf.
And oh what a testimony it was. You talk about power.
Stephen embodied God’s power as he took the High Court on an exciting excursion through Old Testament history.
And in so doing, provided for us a most-significant warning. One that you and I desperately need to hear.
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God bless you richly as you listen.
There is a beautiful and breathtaking symmetry to the life and ministry of Jesus.
Case in point, as you will hear in this PODCAST, here in John 12, the beloved disciple brings us full circle. You may not see that now. But trust me, you will by the time we conclude this discussion.
Let me give you one tantalizing little hint: This beautiful symmetry to which I refer has little to do with palm branches, but everything to do with lambs.
Now watch this: When John introduced us to Jesus for the very first time, this is what he wrote:
“The next day John (the baptizer) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’”
That’s in John 1.
Here in John 12, this is what we read:
“The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city.”
Now listen: In both cases, at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry in John 1, and here at the very ending of Jesus’ ministry in John 12, it’s all about a lamb.
I know that as you read any or all of the accounts of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as recorded in all four of the Gospels, you may not see a lamb. But trust me, it’s there. Front and center, it’s there.
Just as it is in John 1, so it is here in John 12, Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Miss that, and you miss the whole point of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry, on this — the Sunday before Passover.
Which raises a most intriguing question: Why did Jesus choose to ride into Jerusalem on that Sunday? Jesus could have ridden into Jerusalem on Saturday (If He did, we would call it Palm Saturday!), or on Monday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Thursday.
Why did Jesus choose to ride in on the Sunday before Passover? Answer that, and you get the whole picture.
Here’s a secondary question: Since Passover did not officially begin until that Thursday night (Remember Jesus sharing with the disciples their final Passover seder in Upper room on Thursday night?), why were so many pilgrims in Jerusalem so early on that Sunday?
Answer that, and you get the whole picture.
Which underscores this point: The Bible is God’s picture book, and Jesus’ Triumphal Entry is yet another three-dimensional, High Definition portrait of breathtaking significance. A panoramic masterpiece that, though we studied one portion of the Triumphal Entry last week (Daniel’s prophecy), this picture is far too important to ignore this week.
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God bless you richly as you listen.
Welcome to this introductory lesson that launched the series: Jesus in High Definition.
Two and a half years ago, my faith was in a free-fall. I needed to get back to the basics. Wipe the slate completely clean. Forget about everything I thought I knew and believed about who Jesus was. Forget everything I had ever been taught about who Jesus was. Forget everything I myself had ever taught about who Jesus was.
Back to the beginning I went. With no preconceived ideas about this man, Jesus, I started with His birth and began moving slowly and deliberately throughout His life and ministry.
At Safe Haven, 116 podcasts later, we are at about the halfway mark. It would be the height of understatement for me to suggest that this study has been for me absolutely REVOLUTIONARY. A picture of Jesus is emerging each and every week that is paradigm-shifting in the extreme.
This little blog post is my way of inviting you to come along for the ride. Depending upon your responses, each Thursday I’ll post the next podcast in the series. That way, you won’t have to jump in at #116. You can hear it as we gave it — every week — over the last many months.
I sure hope that you enjoy it!
By harmonizing the four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — we will study the life of Christ in chronological order, from the first utterances of the angels heralding His birth, to His crucifixion and resurrection. It is our sincere hope and expectation that as we immerse ourselves in Jesus’ life and ministry, we will fall more deeply in love with Him (I certainly have!), and become more and more like Him (I certainly hope that I am).
In this first lesson, we will provide you with an overview of the entire Bible — think of it as looking at the boxtop of a puzzle — so that we will understand exactly where the individual “pieces” of the Gospels fall within the grand sweep of the biblical drama.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy our study of Jesus in HD.
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God bless you as you listen. And please, invite others to join us on this journey.
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.
Dewey Bertolini’s Podcast
The Latest News from Jerusalem
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Dewey Bertolini 