S1: If singer and songwriter Matthew West were to visit Israel,
S1: what would he want most to see and why? What
S1: songs would he choose if he were asked to lead
S1: worship on the Sea of Galilee? On another note, how
S1: does he feel about the rise of anti-Semitism in America
S1: and across the globe? Coming up later in today's program.
S1: Matthew West will be in our studio to talk about
S1: Israel music and more. Don't miss this fabulous conversation. Hey,
S1: welcome to the land and the book. Our team leader
S1: is Doctor Charlie Dyer, noted Middle East scholar, author, and
S1: frequent tour guide. I'm John Geiger asking, what does Passover
S1: mean for us as believers in Jesus? Some might remember
S1: the story from the book of Exodus, but there's so
S1: much more to it. For example, did you know that
S1: the Last Supper was actually a Passover meal? Not only
S1: did Jesus and his disciples celebrate Passover, it also foreshadowed
S1: his death on the cross for our redemption.
S2: Jewish people have been keeping the feast of Passover for
S2: thousands of years. Understanding the history and importance of this
S2: holiday will help you better connect with your Jewish friends
S2: and neighbors. And what better way is there to learn
S2: about Passover than to experience a Passover Seder yourself? If
S2: you've never celebrated Passover, our friends at Life in Messiah
S2: would love to partner with you in hosting a Seder experience.
S2: Every year, their staff engage churches and small groups in
S2: an interactive Messiah in the Passover Seder, allowing participants to
S2: taste and see the redemption story. If you're interested in
S2: having someone come lead a Seder in your area, visit
S2: Life in Messiah Org and click on the radio button
S2: there to learn more. That's life in Messiah.
S1: Well, let's switch our focus now toward current events in
S1: the Middle East. The truce between Israel and Hamas is
S1: now entering its second week. How has the exchange of
S1: hostages and prisoners gone so far? What's scheduled to happen
S1: over the remaining five weeks? Charlie, I've got a couple
S1: of questions here, too. I mean, five weeks. If it's
S1: for a week, that's only another 20 prisoners. The math
S1: feels funny to me. Also, you know, why am I
S1: just unsettled by the notion that perhaps all they're doing
S1: is booby trapping tunnels for further defense? Should the IDF
S1: have to return?
S2: Your concerns are well founded, John. There was some initial
S2: uncertainty and angst when Hamas failed to provide the names
S2: of the first hostages to be released, according to the
S2: agreed on schedule. Now, thankfully, the process was only delayed
S2: a few hours. The three young women who were released
S2: brought about an outpouring of joy throughout Israel. Crowds gathered.
S2: People wept as they watched the pictures of the young
S2: women being reunited with family members. In return, Israel released
S2: about 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, 30 for each civilian hostage.
S2: Israel has also agreed to release 50 Palestinian detainees for
S2: every Israeli female soldier who will be released in this
S2: first phase. Now, by the end of this initial hostage exchange.
S2: 33 Israelis are to be released. Your math is correct, John.
S2: They've got to up the number of people being released.
S2: But I think they might do that because for Israel
S2: to get the 33 Israelis back, they're going to give
S2: up 1800 Palestinians. And the Palestinians do want those back
S2: as well. The second group of four hostages to be
S2: released is scheduled to be actually today. And a third
S2: group of three more hostages will be released next Saturday.
S2: So the numbers are there, but they're going to have
S2: to start picking up the number to get to the
S2: total of 33 in the time allowed. The outpouring of
S2: joy over the release of the first three hostages was
S2: tempered somewhat by anxiety over what the release schedule looks
S2: like for the remaining hostages, as well as which of
S2: those hostages are still alive and which are dead. Hamas
S2: has refused to share that information. Shiri and her two
S2: young children are on the list of hostages to be
S2: released during this first phase. Back in November, Hamas said
S2: they'd been killed. However, there's been no real confirmation either way,
S2: so people are waiting and hoping that they're among the living.
S2: This psychological trauma will be played out every week for
S2: the remaining five weeks of this ordeal, as Israel watches
S2: and waits and prays for those still being held. And
S2: once this first six week phase is over, there will
S2: still be 64 Israelis alive and dead in Gaza awaiting
S2: release during the next two phases of the deal. Negotiations
S2: on the two remaining phases is scheduled to begin 16
S2: days after the start of the first phase, or just
S2: over a week from now. The new Trump administration's foreign
S2: policy team is already working to help formulate that second
S2: phase of the cease fire. Those negotiations could likely end
S2: up being more contentious and complicated than the ones for
S2: the first phase of the deal. And of course, they
S2: took almost a year.
S1: Charlie, is it your intuition that there is somebody in
S1: somebody in leadership there in Hamas inside Gaza, who has
S1: a reasonably comprehensive list of who those prisoners are and
S1: their status alive or dead, or are they really not
S1: even sure.
S2: I believe they have that list. You know, Yahya Sinwar,
S2: his brother, is in charge there. He knows who they are.
S2: They just are lying and not giving that information, because
S2: it's to their psychological advantage to keep that tension in Israel.
S1: Well, the signing of the truce was not welcomed by
S1: all members of Prime Minister Netanyahu's ruling coalition who opposed
S1: the agreement and why? And what impact will their decision
S1: have on the coalition?
S2: Well, the main opposition to the deal came from Ben-Gvir
S2: and his Otzma Yehudit party. They formally submitted their resignations
S2: and withdrew from the coalition once the agreement was approved.
S2: The net result is that Netanyahu's coalition dropped from 69
S2: seats in the Knesset to 62 or 63, depending on
S2: the status of one member of Ben-gvirs party who broke
S2: with them to support the coalition. And that's still a
S2: majority in the Knesset, though an incredibly slim one. The
S2: other party that opposed the agreement was the National Religious Party,
S2: led by Bezalel Smotrich, but he and his party chose
S2: to remain in the coalition because, he said, his exit
S2: from the government would have forced new elections. Though he
S2: opposed the deal, he believed it was inevitable, he said,
S2: giving the current political situation. When asked his opinion of
S2: Ben-Gvir choosing to resign over the deal, Smotrich called him
S2: an irresponsible pyromaniac, somewhat of colorful words there for his
S2: former colleague. Smotrich believed the war isn't over, and he
S2: wants to be in the government to help it achieve
S2: the final downfall of Hamas. Once, as he believes Hamas
S2: breaks the agreement, Netanyahu was able to finesse his coalition
S2: into moving forward. However, the budget, the bill to draft
S2: the ultra-Orthodox into the army and bills to reform the
S2: judiciary still remain as battles on the horizon. Those along
S2: with his continuing trial, will definitely keep Netanyahu busy working
S2: to hold his fractious coalition together.
S1: From Moody Radio. This is the land and the book
S1: with our host, Doctor Charlie Dyer. I'm John Geoghegan. We're
S1: looking at current events. Earlier this month, news reports made
S1: headlines announcing the discovery of a biblical era worship site
S1: from the First Temple period inside the city of David.
S1: Many of our listeners have been there. Charlie, how significant
S1: is this find?
S2: Well, the reports described a worship site in the original
S2: city there, dating to the eighth century B.C., which places
S2: it in operation between the times of Uzziah and Hezekiah.
S2: The site is about 1500ft south of where Solomon's Temple stood,
S2: meaning it's a totally different worship site in Jerusalem. That's
S2: assuming it was a worship site. Now here's some of
S2: the rest of the story. First, this isn't a new discovery.
S2: I was given a private tour of the site almost
S2: two years ago, and the excavations actually took place back
S2: in 2010 and 11. So the discovery is almost 15
S2: years old. Now, it takes a long time for archaeologists
S2: to examine everything uncovered, and then to formulate and write
S2: up their conclusions. In fact, because nothing had yet been published,
S2: I was asked not to write or comment on the
S2: tour I was given. But now that a formal article
S2: has been published, I can share what I saw. A
S2: row of rooms were uncovered further up the hillside from
S2: the entrance to the Gihon Spring. A bits of pottery
S2: from the Bronze Age into the Iron Age were uncovered,
S2: along with some other curious markings, including three v shaped
S2: grooves in the floor of one of the rooms. The
S2: problem is that there's nothing really there to help define
S2: the purpose for the rooms, the archaeologists described what they
S2: felt were the base of an altar, along with a
S2: sacred stone pillar. But that altar platform was just an
S2: eight inch high raised area. The stone pillar was simply
S2: a flat stone standing on a pile of rocks eight
S2: inches high. The stone itself was only about 16in high.
S2: They also discovered items that seemed to connect to industry
S2: rather than religion. For example, they found stone loom weights
S2: used in weaving as well as possible grape and olive
S2: oil presses. If it was a religious site, was it
S2: in use prior to the time of David capturing the city,
S2: with the rooms later being repurposed? And were the mysterious
S2: v shaped grooves on the floor part of a structure
S2: to hold possibly animals for sacrifice, or simply places used
S2: to help secure the loom for weaving. The answer is
S2: we really don't know. Religious worship would have taken place
S2: in Jebus prior to David capturing the city. We also
S2: know that Israel kept turning to idolatry even after Solomon
S2: built the temple. But it's possible this could simply be
S2: a case where rooms that may or may not have
S2: been used for ritual purposes simply were repurposed once Solomon's
S2: Temple had been built. The bottom line is that what
S2: I saw really wasn't that impressive, and the now published
S2: archaeological report didn't change my opinion.
S1: Charlie, if you were asked to lead a prayer segment
S1: for a small group at your church lifting up the
S1: Middle East right now. What would be your top three
S1: prayer items that you'd recommend all of us pray for?
S2: Top three I would pray for the other hostages that
S2: still have to be released. Let's just pray that the
S2: deals go through so that they can get back to
S2: their friends and loved ones. Second, I would pray for
S2: incredible wisdom for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his cabinet. And third,
S2: I would just pray for peace itself, for wisdom on
S2: the part of our leadership as we try and redirect
S2: the Middle East and find a way forward. You know,
S2: we're told to pray for peace, and that's one of
S2: the best things we could be doing right now.
S1: Three quick prayer items for the nation of Israel and
S1: the Middle East in general. Thanks for keeping those in mind.
S1: Up next, a conversation with Matthew West. If he were
S1: to visit Israel, what would he most want to see
S1: and why? What songs would he choose if he was
S1: asked to lead worship on the Sea of Galilee? We're
S1: about to talk about his feelings about the rise of
S1: anti-Semitism in America and across the globe. Don't miss this
S1: conversation with singer and songwriter Matthew West. It's all ahead
S1: here on the land and the book from Moody Radio.
S1: You know him for songs like Don't Stop Praying, The
S1: God Who Stays, Do Something. Hello, My Name Is, and
S1: a whole lot more. He's a singer who connects with
S1: us at a level most do not. I'm talking, of course,
S1: about singer and songwriter Matthew West. Hi, I'm John Gager.
S1: This is segment two of The Land and the book.
S1: And let's pause right now. Put our heads together for
S1: a fresh idea that just might point your Jewish friend
S1: to our Jewish Messiah, Jesus. Listen to this. No educated
S1: or religious Jewish person would ever believe in Jesus. Is
S1: that a true statement? Levi Hazen is executive director of
S1: Life in Messiah. What say you?
S3: Well, John, this claim could not be further from the truth.
S3: There have been many, many highly educated Jewish people that
S3: have come to believe in Jesus. We have testimonies of
S3: rabbis who have come to faith, such as the chief
S3: Rabbi of Bulgaria named Daniel Zion. He played a crucial
S3: role in saving hundreds of Jewish lives during the Holocaust.
S3: Or what about today? Doctor James tour. He's a professor
S3: at Rice University, a synthetic organic chemist who has over
S3: 750 research publications. He's been granted over 130 patents and
S3: named one of the top 50 influential scientists in 2019.
S3: He's a Jewish believer in Jesus. So this lie can
S3: simply be responded to with grace and love by giving
S3: multiple examples of Jewish people who do believe.
S1: But grace and love? Shouldn't those characterize any conversation we have?
S3: Absolutely. We're not going to beat someone over the head
S3: into believing in Jesus.
S1: That's Levi Hazen with life in Messiah. Matthew West is
S1: a five time Grammy nominee with more than 250 songwriting
S1: credits to his name. His songs are sung by artists
S1: like Ann Wilson, Rascal Flatts, Scotty McCreery, Michael W Smith,
S1: Amy Grant, Mandisa, Danny Gokey, Casting Crowns, and a few others.
S1: He has recorded 15 studio albums, the latest released in 2023,
S1: a double album, My Story Your Glory and Unless you
S1: live somewhere under a proverbial Rock, you've heard his wonderful
S1: single Don't Stop Praying. Matthew has also written seven books.
S1: More on the way. He and his wife, Emily have
S1: two daughters. And Matthew, it is great to connect with
S1: you on the land and the book.
S4: Thank you for having me today.
S1: It's great. So I have to ask, in your songwriting,
S1: grace is not just an important theme, but a dominant theme.
S1: What is it about grace that escapes so many believers,
S1: and even those of us who have walked with the
S1: Lord for a long time?
S4: Well, I think, uh, the pressure that we put on ourselves,
S4: at least I can speak for myself. That pressure to
S4: be something that is impossible to be, which is perfect.
S4: You know, I grew up a preacher's kid and always
S4: felt like I always had a lot of people watching me,
S4: you know, and maybe even holding me to a different standard. And,
S4: and then I started to kind of hold myself to
S4: that standard. And so I think that's one of the
S4: reasons why that theme of grace shows up in so
S4: many of my songs. Of course, you know, I'm far
S4: from the first one to sing anthems about the message
S4: of grace, you know? And that's what's the most widely
S4: sung song is amazing Grace. That saved a wretch like me.
S4: And so I feel like a lot of my songs
S4: echo that same sentiment, just the amazement. And really a
S4: lot of the songs that I write are reminders to
S4: myself and anybody listening that there is a gift that
S4: each one of us needs. We're all born sinners, and
S4: we're all in need of a gift that we could
S4: never be good enough to earn, or else it wouldn't
S4: be a gift. And so years ago, I wrote in
S4: my journal, sort of a personal mission statement that I'm
S4: going to write and sing songs about what I know
S4: I need, what I know I don't deserve, and what
S4: helps me get up in the morning. And the answer
S4: to all three of those is the word grace. You know,
S4: getting up in the morning knowing that God's not done
S4: with me.
S1: Well, our program, of course, is is very much focused
S1: on the Middle East and Israel in particular. You were
S1: scheduled to go there some years ago. It didn't quite happen.
S1: But if you were to go. Yeah. What are some
S1: of the spots you think would be highlights for you?
S4: Well, I was excited about the entire trip. I wanted
S4: to see it all, of course. And and I was
S4: going to have a pretty great tour guide in Max
S4: Lucado who had gone many times before. He, he and
S4: I are dear friends. That trip got canceled. One of
S4: the things I was most looking forward to is we
S4: were going to be. I was going to get the
S4: chance to lead a group of people in worship from
S4: a boat on the Sea of Galilee. So I was
S4: I was really looking forward to that, and I hope
S4: to do that at some point in the future. But
S4: from everybody I've talked to, that has made the trip.
S4: One of the most common refrains I hear is just
S4: how they felt that it it really brought Scripture to
S4: life in a whole new way. And I felt similar
S4: feelings in recent travels to Rome, Italy, and just some
S4: of my tours that I took, and just seeing where
S4: some of the early Christians were buried and things like that. Like,
S4: you know, it just kind of really puts some things
S4: into perspective. So I have a feeling a trip to
S4: the Holy Land is going to do the same.
S1: Okay. You mentioned Rome. I mean, don't you feel now
S1: that when you open your New Testament and you read
S1: about this town or that town. Oh, gosh. You go.
S1: It's a real place.
S4: It's a real place. Yeah, it's a real people. That's
S4: exactly what. Yeah, that's exactly what people who come home
S4: from Israel share. And so I'm looking forward to taking
S4: that trip once and for all.
S1: Matthew West is our guest today on the land and
S1: the book. We're honored to have him with us. How
S1: do you feel when you're on the road all the
S1: time cranking out songs? How do you feed your soul?
S1: What nourishes you personally? Matthew?
S4: Well, you know, that's one of the biggest challenges is
S4: and I honestly, I feel like God has really done
S4: a work in my life because if I could be
S4: bluntly honest about one of my struggles, it would be
S4: that I feel like sometimes I'll challenge here's here's an
S4: honest question that deserves an honest answer. And I don't
S4: like the answer sometimes. And the question is, Matthew, have
S4: you gotten better at talking about Jesus than talking to him?
S4: And that's a question that somebody like myself, who spends
S4: so much of my life in the public spotlight singing
S4: songs and, and people would look and applaud and go, man,
S4: you're singing about Jesus. That's so great. Yeah, but then
S4: what if I forget to take care of first things
S4: first if I'm singing about Jesus, but I'm not spending
S4: time talking to him. And so a lot of it
S4: can just be as simple as what I did today
S4: of just reading a verse of the day and listening
S4: to a devotional on my phone as I'm sitting on
S4: an airplane, you know, and trying to turn off Instagram,
S4: turn off social media, and turn myself into God's Word
S4: and really focus there, even just for a few moments,
S4: even in the middle of a chaotic schedule. It helps
S4: keep me grounded and it gives me the strength that
S4: I need.
S1: All right, since we're being blunt and brutally honest, let
S1: me ask you this one. How do you cope with
S1: getting off the bus or the plane after a spiritual high?
S1: You're you've done a concert and and then you walk
S1: in the door at home and maybe out of exhaustion.
S1: You're less than gracious with Emily or your kids. You've
S1: just sung all those great songs.
S4: No.
S1: And maybe now it's you that needs to say I'm sorry,
S1: or it's you that needs to hear. Grace wins every time. Yeah.
S1: At moments like that, do your songs comfort you, or
S1: do they make you uncomfortable?
S4: That's a great question. I don't I can't relate to
S4: the hypothetical scenarios you've just raised, though, because I am
S4: the perfect husband and the perfect father. But, you know,
S4: I'd like to say that I think my songs here's
S4: what I think when I write these songs, I hope
S4: that they're for somebody out there in the audience or
S4: somebody who's listening to your show that they need that song.
S4: But I know for certain of one person who needed
S4: the songs that I wrote, and that's me. And so
S4: the songs that I put out, they've been lived in,
S4: they've been lived through, and their message is that God
S4: has shown me, you know, Matthew, I'm inspiring you to
S4: write this song. But it's not just for the masses.
S4: The song is for the singer, too. And so I
S4: think songs, Music, when it's at its best, hopefully is
S4: most importantly going to point people to Jesus. But a
S4: lot of times my songs are nudges in in terms
S4: of conviction to and reminding me. I write a lot
S4: of songs these days about legacy, just thinking about how
S4: do I want to be remembered, what's most important? Focusing
S4: on the right things and being a good husband and
S4: being a good father. So you'll hear those themes come
S4: through a lot in my songs, and that's usually evidence
S4: that that's what I'm wrestling with or that's what I'm,
S4: you know, worried about. Like, oh, have I been on
S4: tour too much? Am I making my family a big
S4: enough priority? So, you know, I think the songs that
S4: I write challenge me just as much as I hope
S4: they challenge somebody out there who's listening to them.
S1: We're having such a great time talking about uncomfortable issues.
S1: Let's stay at it, shall we?
S4: Might as well.
S1: It cannot be that every time you show up for
S1: a concert, you're in a great mood. You're right with God.
S1: You're right with your wife. You're right with your family.
S1: It just doesn't happen. And in the same way, we've
S1: got pastors who are listening, others who are in ministry,
S1: others who are in public positions, and they got to
S1: do what they do regardless of how their world is
S1: broken and dented. So what's your answer? What are you
S1: saying to yourself when it isn't perfect? And you do
S1: got to go out there and sing.
S4: Those are the times when I feel like I reach
S4: a deeper level of dependence on God. And wouldn't you
S4: know it, those wind up being some of the most
S4: special times. It's it's amazing how much my musical journey
S4: tends to mirror my spiritual journey. For example, when I
S4: don't feel like reading my Bible, but I do it anyway,
S4: God shows up and he honors that and he speaks
S4: to my heart. But I don't feel like writing a song,
S4: but I do it anyway. Some of the songs that
S4: I'm singing that have been my biggest hits were on
S4: days where I didn't think I had anything in the tank. Yeah,
S4: same thing when I get on stage. You know, I
S4: love that opportunity to get up on stage. And I
S4: will say, the enemy for years has done a number
S4: on me in moments before I would walk on stage,
S4: just feel like I'd hear the lies of the enemy saying,
S4: who are you to go out there and sing about
S4: God's love and act like you've got it all together? Like,
S4: if these people only knew how messed up you are
S4: or whatever, right? I mean, these are the lies of
S4: the enemy that anybody in ministry might hear, you know,
S4: because it's almost like we're, you know, the enemy wants
S4: us to believe that we're supposed to be somehow superhuman
S4: while everybody in the congregation gets to be just human. Right?
S4: And I think the biggest remedy I've been able to
S4: find to that is running, not walking to the truth
S4: of the scriptures and who God says I am. And
S4: that's why even in my songs, you hear a lot
S4: of Scripture literally song word for word, like, because I
S4: need these reminders of God's grace, of God's strength. The
S4: reminder that I don't have to grow weary in well-doing. So.
S4: So I would say, like, I'm thankful for those days
S4: when I feel like I don't have it. I can't
S4: bring it. I didn't live it today. God forgive me.
S4: And then I feel like my posture is one of
S4: humility before I walk on stage, because I know the
S4: only way I can get up there tonight and be
S4: a testament of God's grace is because of what God's
S4: grace is showing me in my life, that when I
S4: am weak, then I am strong, that his strength is
S4: perfect and his grace is sufficient.
S1: Singer and songwriter Matthew West joins us today on The
S1: Land and the book. Eventually you're going to get that
S1: trip to Israel. Eventually, that moment will come when you're
S1: out on the Sea of Galilee. Based on what you've
S1: done so far. If you were going to do it
S1: next week, what would be your playlist, your song list
S1: for that boat ride right now? What would you go with?
S1: You got three.
S4: Oh, man. Um, well, I was going to make a
S4: joke about, uh, fishing. You know, maybe, maybe, maybe a
S4: fishing song, but probably not. Um, I gotta say, though,
S4: you know, my prayers are with Israel, too. I mean, um,
S4: it's been unbelievable to watch, uh, what has taken place
S4: to watch the anti-Israel rhetoric, you know, even on social media, like,
S4: I mean, I think I made one post that, you know,
S4: just said I was praying for Israel, and it was unbelievable.
S4: The response, the just the vitriol and stuff. So so
S4: that breaks my heart, you know what I mean? So I,
S4: I guess maybe my prayer is that I that I
S4: would when I was there. Hopefully I could sing songs
S4: about healing. Um, songs about, uh, the reminder that Jesus
S4: is coming back. Amen. So I'd have to work on
S4: that playlist, but I think it'd be a pretty special one.
S1: I love the opening line to your single, Don't Stop Praying.
S1: You ask us, what's your impossible for me? I could
S1: tell you what that is. It's several unsaved relatives, okay?
S1: Or a neighbor that I've known for 40 years who
S1: still doesn't know Jesus. Okay, I'm asking you. My question is,
S1: fair or not fair? What's your. Impossible?
S4: I think that's why that song, one of the reasons
S4: that song has resonated is because I think it literally
S4: from the very first line, everybody has an answer to
S4: that question. Yeah. We all face something that looks bigger
S4: than than us. And the reason is, is because it
S4: is we're going to face things that are beyond our
S4: ability because otherwise we wouldn't need God. And so I
S4: love hearing other people share the story of their impossible
S4: for me. You know, I think, uh, these days, I
S4: think your answer is gonna be going to be different
S4: to that question throughout different seasons of your life, I suppose. Yes, sure.
S4: And so these days, I'd say I feel like, um,
S4: parenthood is one where I'm like, I don't know. I'm
S4: in new territory. I've got a daughter who's in college now,
S4: and and I'm struggling with that feeling of empty nester,
S4: you know, that, like, and I'm wondering if, did I
S4: do a good enough job as a dad? And how
S4: do I help continue to, like, raise my kids to
S4: to know the Lord and pursue a relationship with the Lord?
S4: And so sometimes I feel like my impossible is just going, man,
S4: every new season as a parent is unchartered territory for me,
S4: and I'm asking God to show me how to be
S4: a good dad.
S1: If Jesus were to sit in the back row or
S1: front row of one of your concerts, and I assume
S1: you invite him to do that every time, what do
S1: you think he might enjoy most as his favorite? What's
S1: his favorite Matthew West song and why? I think I know,
S1: but but you take a.
S5: Shot at it, you.
S4: Know? That's a great question. I mean, the beauty of
S4: it is that he does promise that we're two or
S4: more of us are gathered in his name, that he
S4: will be there in the midst of us, and that
S4: one of the things that I pray for, and I
S4: think he'd be pleased with the fact that I pray
S4: that every one of my concerts will be not just
S4: a night of entertainment, but that it will be a
S4: night where people feel like they left going. You know,
S4: I spent time with Jesus tonight, and that's the goal.
S4: And I think I would think he would be pleased, hopefully,
S4: that I want my heart posture to be what pleases
S4: him the most, that my desire is not. Did I
S4: sell enough records? Did I sell enough T-shirts? Did I
S4: make them a fan of me? Most importantly, it probably
S4: be the end of the night where at the end
S4: of every concert that I do, I give a gospel
S4: presentation and invite anybody who doesn't know the Lord to
S4: make the most important decision of their life, just like
S4: Billy Graham did when I was a little kid. And
S4: I asked Jesus into my heart. So I'd probably say, man,
S4: more than any one song, it's how all the songs
S4: are leading up to that pivotal moment in someone's life,
S4: where they feel God knocking at the door of their heart,
S4: and then together we pray and they say yes to Jesus.
S4: So that's probably what I would say, hands down the
S4: most important part of my show. Were you going to
S4: guess a certain song? Yeah.
S1: It's grace wins every time.
S5: Grace wins every time.
S1: You think of the mission of Jesus. God so loved
S1: the world that he gave. Yes, sir. For the woman
S1: at the well. Grace wins. Yes. For the worst. In
S1: you and me? Yes. Grace wins.
S4: Yes. Amen to that.
S1: Our time has gone, but it's been a blast. Thank you.
S4: Thank you guys. Great to talk to you today.
S1: Hey, it's Bible questions and answers. Next right here on
S1: the land and the book. This is segment three of
S1: the land and the book Bible questions and answers from
S1: Doctor Gerald Peterman. Boy, this guy knows his Bible, teaches
S1: the Bible, is the field chair of Bible at Moody
S1: Bible Institute. He's very comfortable answering those questions. And if
S1: you want to send yours, it's welcome anytime at the
S1: Land and the Edu. Here's a question what does Passover
S1: mean for us as believers in Jesus? Some might remember
S1: the story from the book of Exodus, but there's so
S1: much more to it. Did you know that the Last
S1: Supper was actually a Passover meal? Not only did Jesus
S1: and his disciples celebrate Passover, it also foreshadowed his death
S1: on the cross for our redemption. Jewish people have been
S1: observing the feast of Passover for thousands of years, and
S1: understanding the history and importance of this holiday will help
S1: you better connect with your Jewish friends and neighbors. And
S1: what better way is there to learn about Passover than
S1: to experience a Passover Seder yourself? If you've never celebrated Passover,
S1: get this. Our friends at Life in Messiah would love
S1: to partner with you in hosting a Seder experience. Every year,
S1: their staff engage churches and small groups in an interactive
S1: Messiah in the Passover Seder, allowing participants to taste and
S1: see the redemption story. So if you're interested in having
S1: somebody come to lead a Seder in your area, just
S1: visit Life in Messiah org and click on the Moody
S1: Radio button there to learn more. That's life in messiah.org.
S1: You ever get tired of questions that come to you
S1: from students? Doctor Peterman I mean, you teach these classes
S1: year after year. Do the questions weary you?
S6: John? No. Absolutely not. Actually, I tell the students when
S6: I'm in the classroom that my favorite thing to do
S6: is answer questions. Really? Because when I'm answering a question,
S6: I know I'm addressing a need. They have. Yeah, this
S6: is on their mind. They want to talk about it.
S6: I could answer questions all period long.
S1: You know, I see that on your face. There's a
S1: smile as you're reading these questions or reacting to them
S1: because you truly do love it. And that's a good
S1: thing because you know your Bible. Let's go to our
S1: first question of the day from Christine. She says, I
S1: have a question about John 15 1 to 8. What
S1: exactly does it mean to abide? I understand from looking
S1: at the definition it means to remain, to continue. So then,
S1: is it correct to say that abiding is the position
S1: of every true believer, or is there something more or
S1: deeper to abiding?
S6: Oh, I just love John 15. You get this illustration
S6: that Jesus gives of the Christian life is about the
S6: vine and the branches. It's a grape vine and we
S6: are branches. We're going to bear fruit if we stay connected.
S6: You only get this in John 15. It's just wonderful,
S6: wonderful stuff. So I love this question. To abide, to remain,
S6: that is, are we staying connected to Christ? Do we
S6: love him? Are we listening to him? Are we praying
S6: to him? Are we being guided by him? Are we
S6: staying in His word? Are we trusting Him in His word?
S6: Because several times in John's Gospel there's another option. It's
S6: a poor option, but there's another option that is, you
S6: get into John six and we find that after Jesus
S6: teaches for a while, some of his disciples stop following him.
S6: This is very bad. And in John six there are
S6: some who believe for a while, then they stop believing.
S6: So one of the things our Lord wants to communicate
S6: to us is hang in there, stay connected to me.
S6: Keep listening, keep trusting, keep obeying. I want to add
S6: one more thing and that is abiding is not about perfection.
S6: Abiding is just being consistently faithful. When we sin, we
S6: don't lose our relationship with God. We can abide by
S6: then confessing the sin just like a husband and wife.
S6: They might get angry, but they still remain husband and wife.
S6: We will always have eternal life in Christ. But what
S6: he's talking about here is that daily hanging in there,
S6: cultivating the relationship with him.
S1: Yeah, this is so important. This idea of abiding Oliver
S1: takes us to the creation age. He says, how do
S1: we respond to the idea that some scientists want to
S1: say carbon dating places the Earth as billions of years old?
S1: It's hard to wrap our minds around such age dates
S1: when you consider how the 40 days of rain caused
S1: a flood to change the contour of the land. When
S1: you see how Mount Saint Helens changed the landscape within
S1: a matter of hours, can we believe creation was literally
S1: six 24 hour days as we know them? It would
S1: seem like at least the sixth day creatures would take
S1: more than 24 hours to evolve. When you consider the
S1: life cycles and seasons your thoughts.
S6: Can we believe in a six day creation? Short answer yes.
S6: But let's talk about a couple of other things along
S6: the way. Actually, carbon 14 dating can only take us
S6: back to around 60,000 years in theory. And even that
S6: has some questions to it. When we come to what's
S6: happening in Genesis, I really believe that what's happening in
S6: Genesis is six literal 24 hour days. This is how
S6: it's being presented in Genesis. The kind of language that's
S6: being used is the typical language you have in the
S6: rest of scripture about typical days. And then when we
S6: come to Exodus, when God is giving the law and
S6: he's talking about the Sabbath on the sixth day, that's
S6: being presented as as a literal week. Now, of course,
S6: there's a lot we don't know about creation, because God
S6: is so rich and deep and majestic. There's a lot
S6: we don't know about creation. But here's my view. In
S6: my view, God created the world with the appearance of age.
S6: What do we have? We have Adam in the garden.
S6: It appears he's full grown. And it appears that the
S6: trees are full grown and they have fruit. And then
S6: when he makes Eve. Thanks be to God. He makes
S6: Eve and brings her and brings her to Adam. It
S6: appears that she is full grown. Certainly. Right. So that
S6: is the appearance of age, even though they're both brand new.
S6: So what other appearances of age might there be embedded
S6: in our world, when in fact there is a six
S6: day creation? I think we. Yes, we can believe in
S6: a six day creation.
S1: Doctor Gerald Peterman answers your questions when you email the
S1: land and the book at Moody. Edu. Thanks for joining
S1: us on this third segment of The Land and the book.
S1: Todd asks what is left to be fulfilled in God's
S1: covenant with Abraham. Could a person not say the promises
S1: to Abraham have already been fulfilled?
S6: Well, a person can say that, but I don't believe
S6: it's true. Are the promises to Abraham in the process
S6: of being fulfilled? Yes they are. Are they all completely fulfilled?
S6: No they're not. That is. What does the promise to
S6: Abraham include? It includes a specific land. It includes a
S6: promised seed or offspring that is family. And then also
S6: the reality that it's Abraham's family that's going to bless
S6: all the families of the world, all the nations on earth.
S6: So do we see the specific land promise starting to
S6: come true? Yes. But what Israel currently occupies is not
S6: all that's promised in numbers 34. So that's beginning to
S6: come true. How about the promise sea? Do we see
S6: millions of Jews in the world? We do. I'd like
S6: to see more. But we see that promise beginning to
S6: be fulfilled. But through Abraham's offspring, all the nations on
S6: earth will be blessed. Let's go to revelation five. What
S6: do we find there? We find that John sees people
S6: from every tribe and tongue and people and nation worshiping God.
S6: That hasn't happened yet. There's still much mission to be done.
S6: But because God has begun to fulfill the Abrahamic promises,
S6: I think we can be sure that he will continue
S6: to fulfill them.
S1: Marvin takes us to an article in the Jerusalem Post
S1: suggesting Jericho is 1100 years old. How did they know
S1: the age of the city? How does this fit in
S1: with the Bible? Who and when did people move into it?
S1: Was it before the flood? From the Bible's point of view,
S1: the flood happened about 4000 years ago. Could the Bible
S1: chronology be skipping time, allowing for the city to be
S1: 9000 years old B.C.?
S6: I appreciate that all that seems to me that there
S6: are several questions in there. I'm not sure I will
S6: get to all of them. Actually, I printed off the
S6: article from the post and read through it this morning. Actually,
S6: the article in the Jerusalem Post says 11,000 years old,
S6: not 1100 years old, suggesting the city had its existence
S6: somewhere around 9000 B.C., something like that. Where does this
S6: number come from? Where does this assertion come from? It
S6: comes from Kathleen Kenyon, who way back in the 1950s
S6: did some excavations there and made some assertions. Now you
S6: have to keep in mind at least a couple of
S6: things that happen when we're talking about archaeology. Many times,
S6: archaeologists make the assumption of the world being billions of
S6: years old, or they make the assumption about evolution. This
S6: can sometimes taint their results. Furthermore, you're absolutely right. A
S6: previous question that came to us has to do with
S6: could the flood have rearranged some things? Could the flood
S6: have caused layers of sediment to be mixed up? Yes, absolutely.
S6: And over the course of time, much of this could
S6: have happened. Now, I don't see that this assertion by
S6: the post really negates the chronology we find in our
S6: Old Testament, because the assertion made by the post is
S6: largely based on evolutionary presuppositions.
S1: Freya has a rather antagonistic comment. She says after a
S1: year of genocide, Moody continues to defend the Israeli government
S1: and provide cover for the countless deaths of Palestinians. You
S1: are a shame to the name of God. How do
S1: you respond, Doctor Peterman?
S6: Freya, let me share this response from the entire land
S6: of the book team. We're concerned by your lack of
S6: understanding of what's really happening in the Middle East. Has
S6: it been genocide? Yes. But it's not been genocide committed
S6: by Israel. The genocide was committed by Hamas on October
S6: 7th when they raped, tortured and killed 1200 Israelis for
S6: simply being in their own homeland. In 1946, the United
S6: Nations declared that genocide is a denial of the right
S6: of existence of entire human groups. It is Hamas, Hezbollah
S6: and Iran that have been trying to destroy Israel and
S6: the Jewish people within Israel. There's something like 2 million Palestinians,
S6: about 20% of Israel's population. And Israel wants those folks
S6: to be safe in their homeland, as they want to
S6: be safe in their homeland themselves. So we do not
S6: wish anyone to die in this region. But we also
S6: believe that Israel has the right to live in their
S6: land without fear of attacks like that of October 7th.
S6: And Hamas, Hezbollah and ultimately Iran have caused the current crisis.
S6: God said he would bless those who bless Israel and
S6: curse those who curse them. That's Genesis 12 three. They've
S6: chosen to curse Israel, and in so doing, they have
S6: set themselves against the God of the Bible.
S1: Thank you for that sobering response, and we thank you
S1: for your questions as well. Yours are welcome again when
S1: you email us at the Land and the book@moody.edu. Charlie's
S1: devotional is next right here. Our grandkids love to play
S1: on the beach. And Charlie, they're they're real good at
S1: constructing things. Towers and moats. And I don't know what
S1: they do, but it's a lot of stuff. It's almost
S1: become a city, but a city built on sand is
S1: ultimately probably not a good idea.
S2: It's not a good idea, John. And that's what we're
S2: going to talk about today.
S1: All right. As we turn toward acts 26, not before
S1: we take in a testimony, though, from somebody who's traveled
S1: to the Holy Land and has a thought for you
S1: and me.
S7: Hi, I'm Rick Warren, and I'd just like to talk
S7: a little bit about my trip to Israel. What really
S7: strikes me is every time this is my third trip here,
S7: and every time I come is, you know, just going
S7: through the various places where Jesus actually was and just
S7: the sense that whether you're on the Sea of Galilee
S7: or you're, you know, in Jerusalem or anywhere along the way,
S7: just the fact that Jesus was actually there, and then
S7: the thought just keeps coming back to me how much
S7: he really loved us and what he was willing to
S7: do for us in the And the sacrifice to come
S7: to earth, to give up his place in heaven, to
S7: come to earth and to make the sacrifices for our
S7: salvation so that we we can honor and bring glory
S7: to him. It's just really makes me very reflective each
S7: and every time I come here. I think the thing
S7: that really stands out to me this time was standing
S7: on the Mount of Olives and just looking down on
S7: the city of David and thinking about the last week
S7: or so that he was here on earth. And that
S7: just really, really struck me this time.
S1: Acts chapter 26 is where we're headed for Charlie Dyer's devotional.
S1: Let's let you get at it, Charlie.
S2: Thanks. And, John, we're going to focus on Caesarea, a
S2: city that was built on sand for many pilgrims to Israel.
S2: One of the first stops on their journey through the
S2: land is the Seaside Theater at Caesarea. The theater, originally
S2: built by Herod the Herod the Great rises from the
S2: sand dunes to greet its visitors. Though restored by archaeologists
S2: and used today for musical performances, the theatre retains that
S2: well-worn look of a structure that faced the Mediterranean for
S2: 20 centuries. The scarred and pocked sandstone hints at the
S2: storms that have lashed at it through the years. Walking
S2: into the theatre brings a sense of excitement, but that
S2: visceral emotional reaction does not come from the height or
S2: the grandeur or the intricate workmanship of the structure. Rather,
S2: it comes from being face to face with a visible,
S2: tangible link to the past, a gateway back to the
S2: time of the Bible. Herod the Great may have walked
S2: across the same stones, his hands brushing against the very
S2: walls you're now touching. The remains of his palace are
S2: just a few hundred yards away. And that's where the
S2: apostle Paul was imprisoned for two years before being taken
S2: to Rome. During that time, Paul spoke boldly to Felix
S2: and Festus, and to the great grandson of Herod the Great,
S2: King Herod Agrippa the Second Luke records these encounters in
S2: acts 24 and 25. Paul's life and ministry is intertwined
S2: with this ancient Roman city on the shore of the Mediterranean.
S2: But those who look beyond the impressive ruins soon see
S2: the fatal flaw in Herod the Great's original design. The
S2: city's foundations did not rest on solid rock. Instead, the
S2: city spread out along the shifting sands of the Mediterranean coast.
S2: Herod's harbor is gone, sunk beneath the waves. The aqueduct
S2: that once brought Caesarea, its life giving water from Mount Carmel,
S2: now stands in complete isolation. Its northern edge disappears beneath
S2: the sand that has relentlessly reclaimed its territory, while the
S2: southern end has been torn away by the Mediterranean, leaving
S2: a gap between the aqueduct and the city it was
S2: built to serve. Vast parts of the ancient city are
S2: now covered by sand. What Herod thought was permanent was
S2: only temporary. The city named after Caesar, built with Roman
S2: technology and intended as a monument to Herod's greatness, hasn't endured.
S2: The buildings may have been grand, but their foundations rested
S2: on nothing more than sand. The entire western side of
S2: the original Hippodrome, the horse racing track between Herod's Palace
S2: and the harbor, is gone. It was washed away by
S2: the relentless waves of some long ago storm that tore
S2: away the sandstone blocks and carried them out to sea.
S2: The Apostle Paul spent two years under guard at Herod's
S2: palace in Caesarea, probably as nothing more than a footnote
S2: in the ledgers of the Roman rulers who governed Judea
S2: from here. But the mission to which Paul had committed
S2: his life was not built on sand. It was anchored
S2: on the solid rock of God's eternal son. As Paul
S2: himself reminded the church at Corinth in one Corinthians 311,
S2: for no one can lay any foundation other than the
S2: one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. Paul's words in
S2: that verse raise an important question in what should I
S2: place my trust? That's likely a question that many who
S2: listen to Paul must have asked themselves. They could see
S2: the visible might of Rome. Could it somehow be less
S2: permanent than God's promise of salvation? Grounded in the death
S2: and resurrection of Jesus Christ? To many in Paul's day,
S2: such a choice must have sounded absurd. Festus, the Roman
S2: governor in Caesarea, after hearing Paul's impassioned message, cried out
S2: in acts 26, Paul, you're out of your mind. He
S2: lived in a magnificent palace with a pool that extended
S2: out into the Mediterranean. He attended Roman plays in the
S2: nearby theater, or listened to the pounding of horse's hooves
S2: as they thundered around the hippodrome next to his palace.
S2: From the palace roof, he could see the other impressive
S2: buildings already standing while hearing the clank of hammers, hitting chisels,
S2: fashioning still more monuments to Rome's greatness. To Festus, Hephaestus.
S2: These stones and statues and monuments were reality. How could
S2: Paul believe that the power of God through Jesus Christ
S2: could be greater than this? That seemed absolutely absurd. It's
S2: been almost 2000 years since Paul Festus and Herod Agrippa
S2: the Second met in the audience hall at Caesarea, originally
S2: built by Herod the Great. Only fragments of Herod's palace remain,
S2: bits of tesserae that once formed grand mosaic floors. The
S2: outline of the pool cut into solid rock and jutting
S2: into the Mediterranean. Pieces of elegantly carved statues that only
S2: hint at the glory that once adorned the site. This
S2: city that was built to honor the name of Caesar
S2: and promote the greatness of Herod is little more than
S2: an archaeological curiosity worn, weathered, world weary. But the message
S2: announced by the Apostle Paul in the room where we're
S2: now standing, spread with power around the globe, and continues
S2: to do so even today. It's almost time to head
S2: back to the bus to continue our journey. But as
S2: you look around one last time, I want to challenge
S2: you to look at Ancient Caesarea and at your own
S2: country in a different light, just as it must have
S2: been in Paul's day. So today, it's easy to be
S2: overwhelmed by the great feats of human accomplishment. The buildings, roads, monuments,
S2: and palatial homes are definitely impressive, and the world around
S2: us encourages us to devote our lives to plans and
S2: projects that seem so grand, so awe inspiring, so permanent.
S2: But what looks permanent is only temporary. Remember, it's not
S2: the structure, but the foundation on which the structure is
S2: built that ultimately provides stability, for no one can lay
S2: any foundation other than the one already laid, which is
S2: Jesus Christ. Edward Mote was born to parents who managed
S2: a pub in England. He grew up not even knowing
S2: there was a god. As a teenager, he became an
S2: apprentice cabinetmaker. maker. His employer took him to a meeting where,
S2: for the first time, he heard a minister share the
S2: message of Christ. He responded and it changed his life.
S2: He did become a successful cabinet maker, but one who
S2: sought to serve Christ in his 50s. He entered the ministry.
S2: He also expressed his love for God through music, writing
S2: about 100 hymns. The words to his best known him
S2: go like this. My hope is built on nothing less
S2: than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the
S2: sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ,
S2: the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.
S2: All other ground is sinking sand. And that leads me
S2: to ask a simple question as we close today, what's
S2: the foundation on which your life is built?
S1: You know, I'm sitting here listening to this devotional, and
S1: I'm thinking about somebody who's saying, boy, I've never made
S1: Christ the center of my life, the foundation of my existence.
S1: What should that person do now? If they'd like to
S1: receive Jesus? Do they pray? What do they say? And.
S1: And what's next?
S2: Well, it's as simple as prayer. Prayer is just talking
S2: with God. That person could say, Lord, I don't know you.
S2: I don't know your son, at least the way that
S2: they've been talking about him. But right now I know
S2: I'm a sinner. I know Jesus died for my sins,
S2: and I want to place my trust in him as
S2: my Savior. And if they pray something that simple, that's
S2: all it takes to make that transaction with God.
S1: And if you've got questions that you'd like answers to,
S1: why not speak with a volunteer now? Who will pray
S1: with you and answer those questions at eight, eight, eight?
S1: Need him 888 and the numbers that spell out need him.
S1: Our time has gone. Always goes too quickly, but we're
S1: always glad to have you with us. I'm John Yeager
S1: for Charlie Dyer. The land and the book is a
S1: production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.