1 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:11,360 S1: Don't you love filling out your taxes? Those forms are 2 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:16,160 S1: so fun and paying up is a sheer delight, right? Wrong. 3 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,760 S1: But the pain of paying taxes is something people understood 4 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,040 S1: in Jesus day as well. Hey, what's the biblical viewpoint 5 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,040 S1: on taxes, especially those that might be paying for things 6 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:31,080 S1: Christians find sinful? Taxes in Scripture. That's our conversation in 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:33,680 S1: just a few minutes. Hey, welcome to the land and 8 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:36,640 S1: the book. Our host, doctor Charlie Dyer, is an accountant. 9 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,240 S1: And no, that's not quite right, is it, Charlie? Not quite. Yeah, 10 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:42,400 S1: but you do a pretty good job with your taxes. 11 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:44,360 S1: You haven't done real early. I do. 12 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,279 S2: I'm obsessive about that. And thankfully, there's nice software that 13 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:48,840 S2: helps me. 14 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,760 S1: Okay, well, we're glad that you're helping us understand what's 15 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,920 S1: going on in the current events side of things, particularly 16 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,080 S1: in the Middle East. We'll get to that after we 17 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,120 S1: think about the the question, how do I share the 18 00:00:59,310 --> 00:01:02,750 S1: gospel with my Jewish friend. It's a good question because 19 00:01:02,750 --> 00:01:05,750 S1: it recognizes the need for a sensitive approach to sharing 20 00:01:05,750 --> 00:01:06,950 S1: with Jewish people. 21 00:01:07,150 --> 00:01:08,830 S2: That's right. And that's why our friends at Life in 22 00:01:08,830 --> 00:01:11,949 S2: Messiah want to help answer that question. They put together 23 00:01:11,950 --> 00:01:14,990 S2: a series of helpful articles on how you can share 24 00:01:14,990 --> 00:01:17,869 S2: the good news with Jewish people around you. You'll learn 25 00:01:17,870 --> 00:01:23,190 S2: about Jewish cultural sensitivities, how anti-Semitism affects Jewish evangelism, the 26 00:01:23,190 --> 00:01:27,630 S2: importance of messianic prophecy, and more. To access the articles, 27 00:01:27,670 --> 00:01:31,110 S2: visit lifein. Messiah. Org, click on the Moody Radio logo 28 00:01:31,110 --> 00:01:33,830 S2: and sign up. You'll receive articles that will equip you 29 00:01:33,830 --> 00:01:36,870 S2: with practical ways to share the good news with Jewish 30 00:01:36,870 --> 00:01:40,910 S2: people around you or online. Find the Moody radio icon 31 00:01:40,910 --> 00:01:42,830 S2: at Life in Messiah Dot. Oh. 32 00:01:44,150 --> 00:01:46,670 S1: And now a look at current events from the Middle East. 33 00:01:46,830 --> 00:01:50,150 S1: This coming Monday evening marks the start of Yom Hashoah 34 00:01:50,430 --> 00:01:54,470 S1: Holocaust Remembrance Day. The timing seems fitting in light of 35 00:01:54,470 --> 00:01:58,150 S1: Iran's ongoing threats to wipe out the State of Israel. 36 00:01:58,420 --> 00:02:01,420 S1: The conflict with Iran took a dramatic turn, though. Last 37 00:02:01,420 --> 00:02:05,420 S1: Tuesday evening, just minutes before President Trump's threatened all out 38 00:02:05,460 --> 00:02:08,820 S1: assault on Iran was to begin. Instead, he announced a 39 00:02:08,820 --> 00:02:12,980 S1: suspension in strikes on Iran in exchange for Iran opening 40 00:02:12,980 --> 00:02:15,579 S1: the Strait of Hormuz. Could this lead to an end 41 00:02:15,580 --> 00:02:18,380 S1: to the war? Or is it only a temporary truce? 42 00:02:18,940 --> 00:02:21,060 S2: You know, right now, John, we don't have a definitive 43 00:02:21,060 --> 00:02:24,419 S2: answer to that question. It'll depend in large measure on 44 00:02:24,419 --> 00:02:27,860 S2: whether Iran halts all its attacks, allows ships through the 45 00:02:27,860 --> 00:02:31,300 S2: Strait of Hormuz and agrees to eliminate its nuclear program. 46 00:02:31,700 --> 00:02:34,619 S2: Prior to President Trump's dramatic announcement of a two week 47 00:02:34,620 --> 00:02:38,419 S2: suspension in strikes. Many were critical of his hyperbolic language 48 00:02:38,419 --> 00:02:40,940 S2: when he said, quote, you know, the whole civilization in 49 00:02:40,940 --> 00:02:44,579 S2: Iran would die once the attack begins. But had people 50 00:02:44,580 --> 00:02:47,540 S2: focused on his actions, I think they would have understood 51 00:02:47,540 --> 00:02:50,540 S2: what he meant. Trump was not threatening to destroy the 52 00:02:50,540 --> 00:02:53,020 S2: Iranian people. He's the one who stood up for them. 53 00:02:53,020 --> 00:02:56,139 S2: When tens of thousands were murdered by the Islamic Revolutionary 54 00:02:56,180 --> 00:03:00,330 S2: Guard Corps. He was focused on dismantling Iran's ability to 55 00:03:00,370 --> 00:03:04,490 S2: attack neighboring states, choking off their support for international terror 56 00:03:04,490 --> 00:03:07,930 S2: and eliminating their pursuit of nuclear weapons. His imagery was 57 00:03:07,930 --> 00:03:11,970 S2: colorful or crude, depending on your perspective, but his actions 58 00:03:11,970 --> 00:03:15,930 S2: have remained very consistent. I always like a historical perspective, 59 00:03:15,970 --> 00:03:19,169 S2: and a historical parallel to what's been happening is what 60 00:03:19,210 --> 00:03:21,410 S2: took place in World War Two. The goal of the 61 00:03:21,410 --> 00:03:24,330 S2: Allies in Europe wasn't to eliminate the German people. It 62 00:03:24,330 --> 00:03:27,369 S2: was to defeat Hitler and remove the Nazi leadership that 63 00:03:27,370 --> 00:03:31,329 S2: started the conflict in Europe, including the Holocaust. It took 64 00:03:31,330 --> 00:03:34,010 S2: an all out military effort to defeat Hitler. We had 65 00:03:34,010 --> 00:03:38,250 S2: to bomb factories, rail lines, bridges, power stations and anything 66 00:03:38,250 --> 00:03:41,330 S2: else that could be used to support the Nazi war machine. 67 00:03:41,650 --> 00:03:44,770 S2: The financial lifeline for the Islamic Republic is its oil 68 00:03:44,770 --> 00:03:47,730 S2: and natural gas. They've used those funds to build up 69 00:03:47,730 --> 00:03:51,250 S2: their nuclear program, support other terror groups and fund their 70 00:03:51,250 --> 00:03:54,410 S2: development of missiles and drones. And by controlling the flow 71 00:03:54,410 --> 00:03:57,040 S2: of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, they proved to 72 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,560 S2: be a strategic threat to the rest of the world. 73 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,600 S2: President Trump was threatening to make it impossible for them 74 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,720 S2: to continue on that pathway. That's what he meant by 75 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,320 S2: his words. War is never a good option, but sometimes 76 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,560 S2: it's the only effective option, especially when confronting an enemy 77 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,400 S2: driven by an ideology of hatred. Once Iran realized that 78 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,280 S2: President Trump was willing to follow through on his threat, 79 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:22,400 S2: they agreed to this two week ceasefire and renewed talks. 80 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,560 S2: The next two weeks, though, are crucial. Iran can't be 81 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,800 S2: allowed to rearm and resume threatening its neighbors. Let's hope 82 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,839 S2: the rest of the world uses this opportunity to also 83 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,880 S2: put pressure on them to change their ways. As you 84 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,200 S2: said earlier, John, this coming week is Yom Hashoah Holocaust 85 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,120 S2: Remembrance Day. And that's a stark reminder of what can 86 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,320 S2: happen if the world waits too long before standing up 87 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:44,920 S2: to evil. 88 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,680 S1: A quick follow up, Charlie. Iran has to know that 89 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:52,200 S1: with satellite technology and spies and so on, they're being watched. 90 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,300 S1: What could they be doing, though, to rearm during this 91 00:04:55,300 --> 00:04:56,820 S1: ten day hiatus. 92 00:04:57,140 --> 00:04:58,779 S2: Well, I think we've done enough damage to them. I 93 00:04:58,779 --> 00:05:00,580 S2: think they would be just trying to dig out right 94 00:05:00,580 --> 00:05:02,980 S2: now and see what they have. Take stock of what 95 00:05:02,980 --> 00:05:03,980 S2: still remains. 96 00:05:04,180 --> 00:05:09,700 S1: Okay. Story number two. Oil, water or accurate information. Charlie, 97 00:05:09,700 --> 00:05:11,900 S1: which of these three items seems to be in short 98 00:05:11,940 --> 00:05:13,940 S1: supply right now in the Middle East? 99 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:15,980 S2: You know, if people were voting here, I think they'd 100 00:05:15,980 --> 00:05:17,460 S2: vote on oil. It would be at the top of 101 00:05:17,460 --> 00:05:19,860 S2: our list. And anyone who's been filling up a car 102 00:05:19,860 --> 00:05:22,099 S2: or truck in the past few weeks has seen that 103 00:05:22,100 --> 00:05:24,700 S2: rise in fuel prices. And that's in spite of the 104 00:05:24,700 --> 00:05:26,940 S2: fact that we actually receive very little oil from the 105 00:05:26,940 --> 00:05:29,979 S2: Middle East. But Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz 106 00:05:29,980 --> 00:05:34,180 S2: sent oil prices skyrocketing worldwide. Now, hopefully, this will start 107 00:05:34,180 --> 00:05:37,700 S2: to decline in the next week or so. Accurate information, though, 108 00:05:37,740 --> 00:05:39,540 S2: especially in the Middle East, also seems to be in 109 00:05:39,540 --> 00:05:43,300 S2: short supply. Political bias the desire to scoop other news 110 00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:46,980 S2: organizations in a 24 over seven news cycle results in 111 00:05:46,980 --> 00:05:51,940 S2: breathless coverage that's often inaccurate, in fact, downright misleading at times. 112 00:05:52,220 --> 00:05:55,690 S2: But while oil and information are definitely in short supply, 113 00:05:55,810 --> 00:05:58,610 S2: water actually might be the most critical shortage facing the 114 00:05:58,610 --> 00:06:01,490 S2: Middle East. Historically, water for the six states in the 115 00:06:01,529 --> 00:06:06,409 S2: Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain 116 00:06:06,410 --> 00:06:10,690 S2: and Kuwait have come from aquifers, which are now severely depleted. 117 00:06:10,930 --> 00:06:14,289 S2: The total renewable surface and groundwater resources of these six 118 00:06:14,290 --> 00:06:18,089 S2: Gulf countries is less, far less than the annual flow 119 00:06:18,089 --> 00:06:21,089 S2: of the Susquehanna River, where I grew up, and that's 120 00:06:21,089 --> 00:06:24,130 S2: for a Gulf population that has grown to 62 million. 121 00:06:24,450 --> 00:06:27,089 S2: The vast majority of the water used by those people 122 00:06:27,089 --> 00:06:31,850 S2: is coming from 3400 operational desalination plants. That's one fifth 123 00:06:31,850 --> 00:06:36,170 S2: of all desalination facilities worldwide. And those facilities are actually 124 00:06:36,170 --> 00:06:38,450 S2: producing even more than that. They're producing a third of 125 00:06:38,450 --> 00:06:42,810 S2: all desalinated water generated worldwide. Now that represents a serious 126 00:06:42,810 --> 00:06:47,570 S2: vulnerability that Iran has threatened to exploit. Several desalination plants 127 00:06:47,570 --> 00:06:50,930 S2: were attacked by Iranian missiles and drones during the conflict. 128 00:06:51,170 --> 00:06:54,400 S2: And while the total number of facilities seems rather sizable, 129 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,800 S2: there are actually just a small number of mega complexes 130 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,440 S2: serving a million people or more. Attacking those larger desalination 131 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,039 S2: plants would be far more disruptive. Humans can go weeks 132 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,880 S2: without food. We can only survive for 72 hours without water. 133 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,320 S2: Both the Gulf states and Iran know the seriousness of 134 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,160 S2: this danger, and that's why Iran was willing to threaten 135 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,840 S2: both the oil and water resources of the surrounding nations. 136 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,760 S2: So right now, water is the resource whose supply is 137 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,000 S2: most vulnerable in the Middle East. 138 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,280 S1: This is the land and the book from Moody Radio. 139 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,440 S1: A look at current events in this opening segment. Hyssop 140 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,720 S1: was considered the most humble of plants, but in Israel 141 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,880 S1: today you can be fined for picking it. Charlie, why 142 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,200 S1: is there a war against hyssop harvesters? 143 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,240 S2: Well, you know, in one Kings four, the writer explained 144 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,120 S2: the vast breadth of Solomon's knowledge by saying he spoke 145 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:46,800 S2: of trees from the cedar that's in Lebanon, even to 146 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:48,880 S2: the hyssop that grows in the wall. And what he 147 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,310 S2: meant was from the most majestic tree to the most 148 00:07:51,310 --> 00:07:55,110 S2: humble and common plant. Solomon knew it all. Well, in Israel, 149 00:07:55,110 --> 00:07:57,390 S2: I'm always on the lookout for hyssop growing in those 150 00:07:57,390 --> 00:08:00,230 S2: walls and other rocky areas. Since it's related to the 151 00:08:00,230 --> 00:08:03,030 S2: oregano family of spices, I love to have people rub 152 00:08:03,030 --> 00:08:05,270 S2: the plant and then smell their hands and ask what 153 00:08:05,310 --> 00:08:08,830 S2: food comes to mind. And eventually someone shouts out, pizza! Well, 154 00:08:09,030 --> 00:08:11,150 S2: hyssop is still used for cooking and sadly though, as 155 00:08:11,150 --> 00:08:14,110 S2: a result it's being illegally harvested almost to the point 156 00:08:14,110 --> 00:08:17,750 S2: of extinction in some places there. Israel's Nature and Parks 157 00:08:17,750 --> 00:08:21,310 S2: Authority has made it illegal to pick hyssop in nature reserves. 158 00:08:21,310 --> 00:08:24,430 S2: They aren't pursuing individuals who are picking small amounts for 159 00:08:24,430 --> 00:08:28,350 S2: personal use. But in two recently publicized cases, they arrested 160 00:08:28,350 --> 00:08:31,870 S2: and fined several individuals found with hundreds of pounds of 161 00:08:31,870 --> 00:08:35,390 S2: hyssop and some other sought after plants. These individuals are 162 00:08:35,429 --> 00:08:38,870 S2: overharvesting the plants, and are even cutting through fences and 163 00:08:38,870 --> 00:08:42,230 S2: forcing open gates to reach restricted areas. They end up 164 00:08:42,230 --> 00:08:45,710 S2: harming the biodiversity there. I'm rooting for the parks authority 165 00:08:45,710 --> 00:08:48,870 S2: on this one. Hyssop was common in Bible times and 166 00:08:48,870 --> 00:08:51,780 S2: it plays a key role in several biblical passages. You know, 167 00:08:51,780 --> 00:08:54,460 S2: it would be a shame if future travelers to Israel 168 00:08:54,500 --> 00:08:56,540 S2: were only able to learn about hyssop from a book, 169 00:08:56,580 --> 00:08:59,020 S2: or from sprinkling oregano on their pizza. 170 00:08:59,140 --> 00:09:02,059 S1: Why don't they just make available hyssop seeds to responsible 171 00:09:02,059 --> 00:09:03,260 S1: farmers who are interested? 172 00:09:03,740 --> 00:09:05,980 S2: I think it's so common to plant that most farmers 173 00:09:05,980 --> 00:09:08,339 S2: don't care for it. Again, it's just a weed that 174 00:09:08,340 --> 00:09:11,020 S2: grows in the rocks, but it's a valuable weed that's 175 00:09:11,020 --> 00:09:13,179 S2: being harvested to extinction in some places. 176 00:09:13,460 --> 00:09:16,140 S1: Well, it's too bad. Yeah. In spite of the war, 177 00:09:16,140 --> 00:09:19,620 S1: excavations continue at hippos on the eastern side of the 178 00:09:19,660 --> 00:09:22,820 S1: Sea of Galilee. This is a really cool place, Charlie. 179 00:09:22,820 --> 00:09:25,500 S1: Tell us about the two recent discoveries, though, from two 180 00:09:25,500 --> 00:09:28,540 S1: different time periods that are 800 years apart. 181 00:09:28,740 --> 00:09:31,060 S2: Yeah. You know, it's a fascinating site. As we saw, 182 00:09:31,179 --> 00:09:33,420 S2: it's open to visitors, but it really wasn't quite ready 183 00:09:33,420 --> 00:09:35,540 S2: for large crowds when we were there. Now, at some 184 00:09:35,540 --> 00:09:37,140 S2: point in the future, though, I think it's going to 185 00:09:37,140 --> 00:09:40,020 S2: be a must see site for tourists. About these two 186 00:09:40,059 --> 00:09:43,540 S2: most recent discoveries. The first is a 2100 year old 187 00:09:43,540 --> 00:09:47,179 S2: lead projectile. It's shaped like a small football, an inch 188 00:09:47,179 --> 00:09:49,970 S2: and a quarter long, about three quarters of an inch wide, 189 00:09:49,970 --> 00:09:52,689 S2: and it weighed just under two ounces. David used a 190 00:09:52,690 --> 00:09:55,330 S2: stone in a sling to kill Goliath, but the inhabitants 191 00:09:55,330 --> 00:09:58,770 S2: of hippies were using lead weights for their slings. What 192 00:09:58,770 --> 00:10:00,930 S2: makes this lead weight so special is that it contained 193 00:10:00,929 --> 00:10:04,929 S2: an inscription that read, quote, learn. The archaeologist believes the 194 00:10:04,929 --> 00:10:08,130 S2: meaning behind the inscription was learn your lesson in the 195 00:10:08,130 --> 00:10:10,530 S2: sense of giving up trying to attack us. And this 196 00:10:10,530 --> 00:10:12,810 S2: LED bullet was found on the south side of the 197 00:10:12,809 --> 00:10:15,450 S2: city down the slope, suggesting it was fired by a 198 00:10:15,450 --> 00:10:18,929 S2: defender there. Now move forward in time, 700 years and 199 00:10:18,929 --> 00:10:21,210 S2: we go from that to an object of peace. The 200 00:10:21,210 --> 00:10:24,689 S2: newest discovery is a marble liturgical bowl discovered in one 201 00:10:24,690 --> 00:10:27,730 S2: of the seven churches during the Byzantine era, from a 202 00:10:27,770 --> 00:10:31,170 S2: lead bullet bearing a sarcastic image to a three basin 203 00:10:31,170 --> 00:10:35,250 S2: marble bowl with religious significance, Hippasus continuing to reveal its 204 00:10:35,250 --> 00:10:36,450 S2: fascinating history. 205 00:10:37,010 --> 00:10:40,530 S1: And that's a look at current events from the Middle East. Well, 206 00:10:40,530 --> 00:10:44,290 S1: what's the biblical viewpoint on taxes, especially those that pay 207 00:10:44,290 --> 00:10:48,199 S1: for things we Christians find sinful? That's our conversation coming 208 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,120 S1: up next here on the land and the book where 209 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,360 S1: our website is the land and the book dot. Oh. 210 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:13,280 S1: Don't you absolutely love working on your taxes? Yes. Those 211 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:17,200 S1: forms are so fun and paying up. Now that's a bonus, 212 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:21,199 S1: a sure pleasure, right? Uh, wrong. But the pain of 213 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,800 S1: paying taxes is something people understood even in Jesus day. 214 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,120 S1: So what's the biblical viewpoint on taxes? Especially those that 215 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,560 S1: pay for things Christians find sinful? Taxes in Scripture. That's 216 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,520 S1: our conversation coming up. Hey, welcome back to the land 217 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,559 S1: and the book segment two. I'm John Gager. Before we 218 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:43,559 S1: ponder today's taxing topic, let's think through a quick idea 219 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:46,580 S1: on reaching our Jewish friends with the love of Jesus. 220 00:11:47,580 --> 00:11:50,900 S1: In First Corinthians chapter nine, Paul states, I have become 221 00:11:50,900 --> 00:11:53,860 S1: all things to all men, so that I may by 222 00:11:53,860 --> 00:11:56,740 S1: all means save some. You ever wonder, how does this 223 00:11:56,740 --> 00:12:01,020 S1: apply to Jewish evangelism? Wes Tabor is with life in Messiah. 224 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:02,220 S1: How does that apply? Wes. 225 00:12:02,660 --> 00:12:05,060 S3: Yeah. In verse 20, Paul says that he relates to 226 00:12:05,059 --> 00:12:08,180 S3: the Jewish people, quote, as a Jew, end quote. That 227 00:12:08,179 --> 00:12:10,939 S3: required no effort because Paul was Jewish. But he goes 228 00:12:10,940 --> 00:12:14,100 S3: on to talk about identifying with both those under the law, 229 00:12:14,140 --> 00:12:17,340 S3: the Jewish people observing the mosaic code, and likely the 230 00:12:17,340 --> 00:12:21,060 S3: rabbinic application of the law and those not under the law. 231 00:12:21,300 --> 00:12:23,420 S3: So on the practical level in acts, we see him 232 00:12:23,420 --> 00:12:26,860 S3: relating very differently when speaking in a synagogue and when 233 00:12:26,900 --> 00:12:30,459 S3: addressing idolaters on Mars Hill in acts 17. In reaching 234 00:12:30,460 --> 00:12:33,740 S3: Jewish people today, we need to understand their worldview, whether 235 00:12:33,740 --> 00:12:37,140 S3: religious or secular, to make the gospel relatable. 236 00:12:37,179 --> 00:12:40,140 S1: Okay, Wes, what would be an example of entering into 237 00:12:40,140 --> 00:12:42,060 S1: their world? Give me an idea here. 238 00:12:42,100 --> 00:12:45,090 S3: Okay. An easy example would be attending a lifecycle event 239 00:12:45,090 --> 00:12:48,290 S3: like a briss, a ritual circumcision or a bat mitzvah. 240 00:12:48,730 --> 00:12:53,330 S3: Holiday celebrations such as Passover, Purim, Hanukkah are great opportunities 241 00:12:53,330 --> 00:12:56,810 S3: to build bridges. Connecting such events with their biblical roots 242 00:12:56,850 --> 00:12:59,449 S3: can open the door for spiritual conversation. 243 00:12:59,490 --> 00:13:04,770 S1: Okay. Good ideas. Westhaven with life in Messiah. Rob West 244 00:13:04,770 --> 00:13:07,370 S1: is the host of Faith and Finance Live, heard on 245 00:13:07,370 --> 00:13:11,930 S1: more than 900 radio outlets every day, including Moody Radio. 246 00:13:12,170 --> 00:13:15,689 S1: Rob also serves as the president of Kingdom Advisors, an 247 00:13:15,690 --> 00:13:20,050 S1: international community of financial professionals who are specialists in delivering 248 00:13:20,050 --> 00:13:24,370 S1: biblically wise financial advice. He's a great friend who has 249 00:13:24,370 --> 00:13:27,330 S1: more financial wisdom in his little pinky finger than most 250 00:13:27,330 --> 00:13:29,810 S1: of us will gather in a lifetime. Hey, welcome back 251 00:13:29,809 --> 00:13:32,250 S1: to the land and the book, Rob. John, what a 252 00:13:32,250 --> 00:13:34,290 S1: treat to be with you. Thanks for the invitation. So 253 00:13:34,290 --> 00:13:36,489 S1: I just got to ask, where do we see taxes 254 00:13:36,490 --> 00:13:40,850 S1: first mentioned or implied in Scripture? You know, the first 255 00:13:40,850 --> 00:13:44,320 S1: instance of taxes in Scripture appears in the account of 256 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:48,920 S1: Joseph's administration in Egypt. So during the famine, Pharaoh granted 257 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:53,120 S1: Joseph authority to manage the land's resources and a national 258 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:56,560 S1: tax system emerged as a part of that stewardship. I'll 259 00:13:56,559 --> 00:14:01,160 S1: take you to Genesis 47, verse 24. It records Joseph's 260 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:05,560 S1: policy at the harvest. You shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, 261 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,400 S1: and 4/5 shall be your own. So this 20% levy 262 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:14,559 S1: functioned as a formal state tax to sustain Egypt's government 263 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:18,280 S1: and food reserves. Now, even earlier than that, taxation was 264 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:22,760 S1: implied in systems of royal tribute and centralized authority. So, 265 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,680 S1: for example, when Abraham rescued lot, he encountered kings who 266 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:31,680 S1: ruled territories and collected resources from their people, suggesting early 267 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:36,600 S1: forms of tribute based governance. However, Joseph's policy is the 268 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:42,790 S1: first explicit structured tax recorded. Are taxes Inherently evil or 269 00:14:42,830 --> 00:14:47,150 S1: do they actually serve a redemptive purpose? Yeah. You know, 270 00:14:47,190 --> 00:14:51,430 S1: taxes in scripture are not portrayed as inherently evil, though 271 00:14:51,430 --> 00:14:55,150 S1: they can certainly be misused. Instead, I think, John, they're 272 00:14:55,150 --> 00:14:58,830 S1: shown as a part of life in an ordered society 273 00:14:58,870 --> 00:15:03,150 S1: under governing authorities. So the clearest biblical framework comes in 274 00:15:03,150 --> 00:15:07,430 S1: Romans 13, where Paul writes, because of this, you also 275 00:15:07,430 --> 00:15:11,470 S1: pay taxes for the authorities. Are ministers of God, pay 276 00:15:11,470 --> 00:15:14,150 S1: to all what is owed to them, taxes to whom 277 00:15:14,150 --> 00:15:17,670 S1: taxes are owed. So here, taxes are tied to God's 278 00:15:17,670 --> 00:15:22,310 S1: provision of civil order, supporting justice and infrastructure and public 279 00:15:22,310 --> 00:15:25,350 S1: responsibility in a fallen world. At the same time, though, 280 00:15:25,350 --> 00:15:30,070 S1: John Scripture acknowledges that taxation can become oppressive when rulers 281 00:15:30,070 --> 00:15:34,070 S1: are unjust. You know, the prophet Samuel warned Israel that 282 00:15:34,070 --> 00:15:36,950 S1: a king would take the 10th of your grain and 283 00:15:36,950 --> 00:15:41,220 S1: burden the people, and heavy taxation under leaders like Rehoboam 284 00:15:41,220 --> 00:15:45,980 S1: contributed to division. So the problem was not taxation itself, 285 00:15:46,180 --> 00:15:50,540 S1: but its misuse. Now Jesus brings clarity in Matthew 22. 286 00:15:50,580 --> 00:15:53,020 S1: You'll know it well, he says, render to Caesar the 287 00:15:53,020 --> 00:15:54,940 S1: things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that 288 00:15:54,940 --> 00:15:59,620 S1: are God's. So taxes belong to the realm of civic duty, 289 00:15:59,940 --> 00:16:03,780 S1: while ultimate allegiance belongs to God. So in this sense, 290 00:16:03,780 --> 00:16:08,540 S1: taxes can serve a redemptive purpose, restraining evil and promoting order, 291 00:16:08,740 --> 00:16:11,700 S1: and reminding believers that their true hope is not an 292 00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:16,100 S1: earthly systems, but in God's kingdom. Taxes in Scripture. That's 293 00:16:16,100 --> 00:16:19,020 S1: our focus today on the land and the book. Our 294 00:16:19,020 --> 00:16:21,740 S1: guest is Rob West, host of Faith and Finance Live, 295 00:16:21,780 --> 00:16:25,980 S1: heard on more than 900 radio outlets every day, including 296 00:16:25,980 --> 00:16:29,380 S1: Moody Radio. So, you know, I can't imagine you took 297 00:16:29,380 --> 00:16:33,580 S1: us to that Luke two announcement of taxation for Joseph 298 00:16:33,580 --> 00:16:36,140 S1: and his family and everybody else. You know, there's no 299 00:16:36,140 --> 00:16:39,290 S1: record of any cheering going on there, nor is there 300 00:16:39,290 --> 00:16:41,810 S1: a record of any revolt. What do we know about 301 00:16:41,810 --> 00:16:46,010 S1: attitudes toward taxes in Scripture, if anything? Yeah, I think 302 00:16:46,010 --> 00:16:51,650 S1: there's a complex but consistent picture of attitudes towards taxes 303 00:16:51,650 --> 00:16:55,490 S1: in Scripture. On one hand, taxes are often associated with 304 00:16:55,490 --> 00:17:00,530 S1: burden and injustice. So tax collectors themselves became symbols of 305 00:17:00,530 --> 00:17:05,530 S1: corruption and Jewish society, often exploiting others for personal gain. 306 00:17:05,570 --> 00:17:11,370 S1: Yet John Scripture doesn't promote rebellion against taxation. Instead, it 307 00:17:11,410 --> 00:17:14,290 S1: calls for a posture of faithful obedience. So I think 308 00:17:14,290 --> 00:17:19,810 S1: the biblical attitude is neither blind approval nor outright resistance. 309 00:17:19,810 --> 00:17:23,050 S1: Taxes are treated as a necessary part of life in 310 00:17:23,050 --> 00:17:29,090 S1: a fallen world, sometimes misused, yet still functioning within God's providence. 311 00:17:29,090 --> 00:17:32,169 S1: So as believers, I would say we're called to engage 312 00:17:32,170 --> 00:17:37,609 S1: them with integrity, with humility and ultimate allegiance to God's kingdom. Alright, 313 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:40,920 S1: now we get to the question, what about Christians who 314 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,720 S1: feel uncomfortable with the causes and policies that their taxes 315 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:49,360 S1: are supporting? Scripture acknowledges this tension, John, by reminding believers 316 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:54,520 S1: that God's people have often lived under imperfect governments. It's 317 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:58,399 S1: worth noting that both Jesus and Paul call us to 318 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:02,080 S1: fulfill our tax obligations, and both were under some of 319 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:06,280 S1: the most oppressive leaders in history. Nero for Paul and 320 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:11,440 S1: Caesar for Jesus. So rather than resolving every policy concern, 321 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:15,520 S1: the Bible calls believers to anchor their response in faithfulness 322 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:19,920 S1: and trust. Jeremiah urged God's people in exile to seek 323 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,120 S1: the welfare of the city and pray to the Lord 324 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:26,000 S1: on its behalf. That was Jeremiah 29 seven. Even when 325 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,600 S1: that city didn't reflect their values in the same way, 326 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:33,960 S1: John Peter instructs Christians to be subject for the Lord's 327 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:38,910 S1: sake to every human institution, while continuing to honor everyone 328 00:18:38,910 --> 00:18:42,710 S1: and fear God. So I think this creates a helpful distinction. 329 00:18:42,869 --> 00:18:46,590 S1: Paying taxes is not the same as endorsing every decision 330 00:18:46,590 --> 00:18:50,630 S1: made by government. As Christ followers, we can remain responsible 331 00:18:50,630 --> 00:18:55,510 S1: for our own obedience and generosity and witness. We can advocate, pray, 332 00:18:55,510 --> 00:19:00,470 S1: and live out kingdom values while recognizing that ultimate justice 333 00:19:00,470 --> 00:19:05,190 S1: and righteousness come not through human systems, but through God's rule. Okay, 334 00:19:05,230 --> 00:19:08,030 S1: that said, is it wrong for believers to criticize or 335 00:19:08,030 --> 00:19:11,790 S1: protest tax items? Why or why not? You know, we 336 00:19:11,790 --> 00:19:16,070 S1: can faithfully disagree with or even protest specific tax policies 337 00:19:16,070 --> 00:19:19,910 S1: without doing wrong, as long as our posture and methods 338 00:19:19,910 --> 00:19:24,190 S1: reflect Christ like character. Scripture affirms both respect for governing 339 00:19:24,190 --> 00:19:29,270 S1: authorities and the responsibility to pursue justice and speak truth. 340 00:19:29,590 --> 00:19:35,409 S1: Taxes themselves are not inherently unjust. Jesus acknowledged paying them. 341 00:19:35,410 --> 00:19:41,090 S1: But particular policies may raise moral, economic or stewardship concerns 342 00:19:41,090 --> 00:19:45,530 S1: that we as Christians, as citizens, can thoughtfully engage in. 343 00:19:45,570 --> 00:19:49,770 S1: Rob West is president of Kingdom Advisors, an international community 344 00:19:49,770 --> 00:19:54,210 S1: of financial professionals who are specialists in delivering biblically wise 345 00:19:54,210 --> 00:19:57,970 S1: financial advice. Boy, can't we all use that. We're thankful 346 00:19:57,970 --> 00:19:59,850 S1: for his insights today on the land and the book 347 00:19:59,890 --> 00:20:03,169 S1: as we talk about taxes in Scripture. So it's not 348 00:20:03,170 --> 00:20:06,330 S1: unbiblical to push for tax reform. Is that what you're saying? 349 00:20:06,570 --> 00:20:10,450 S4: It's not unbiblical to advocate for tax reform. No. Scripture 350 00:20:10,450 --> 00:20:14,570 S4: does not forbid civic engagement. Instead, I think it calls 351 00:20:14,570 --> 00:20:18,130 S4: us as believers to live as responsible citizens who seek 352 00:20:18,130 --> 00:20:21,889 S4: the good of their communities while honoring governing authorities. And 353 00:20:21,890 --> 00:20:26,609 S4: that's really key. You know, taxes themselves are affirmed. Jesus 354 00:20:26,609 --> 00:20:30,170 S4: said again, give to Caesar what is Caesar's. But the 355 00:20:30,170 --> 00:20:35,760 S4: Bible doesn't require silence about how government structure or their 356 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:41,760 S4: use of taxes in democratic societies especially. Participating in policy discussions, 357 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:46,720 S4: including tax reform, is a legitimate expression of stewardship and 358 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:50,119 S4: love for neighbor. So I think ultimately, John, Scripture gives 359 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:55,120 S4: moral principles rather than specific tax systems. And we as 360 00:20:55,119 --> 00:21:00,359 S4: believers can faithfully support reform while remembering our ultimate hope 361 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,680 S4: is not in policy outcomes, but in God's kingdom and 362 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:04,720 S4: his righteousness. 363 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:07,720 S1: All right, here's a painful question. How is paying our 364 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:12,000 S1: taxes and with a reasonable attitude tied to our testimony 365 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:12,800 S1: for Christ? 366 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:16,600 S4: Yeah. It shapes our testimony not only through integrity and 367 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:21,600 S4: obedience clearly, but also through gratitude. Scripture calls us to 368 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:25,960 S4: honor governing authorities and fulfill our obligations, and I think 369 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:31,160 S4: doing so demonstrates a faith lived out in everyday financial decisions. 370 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:34,830 S4: You know, honest compliance. It reflects trust in God. It 371 00:21:34,830 --> 00:21:38,030 S4: reflects humility. And even, I would say, John, a desire 372 00:21:38,030 --> 00:21:42,270 S4: to live above reproach. So it can reframe how we 373 00:21:42,270 --> 00:21:45,270 S4: view taxes. You know, Ron Blue, the the author, one 374 00:21:45,270 --> 00:21:48,910 S4: of my mentors would often say that taxes are a 375 00:21:48,910 --> 00:21:52,869 S4: reminder that income was first provided. You see, you can't 376 00:21:52,869 --> 00:21:56,949 S4: pay taxes on money you never received. So in that sense, 377 00:21:56,950 --> 00:22:01,030 S4: taxes become evidence of God's provision. They're symptomatic of his 378 00:22:01,030 --> 00:22:05,790 S4: faithfulness in supplying work and resources and opportunity. So even 379 00:22:05,790 --> 00:22:10,149 S4: when the burden feels heavy, if we can find gratitude, 380 00:22:10,150 --> 00:22:15,070 S4: that will shift our perspective from resentment to stewardship, we're 381 00:22:15,070 --> 00:22:18,910 S4: returning a portion from what God has allowed us to earn. 382 00:22:18,910 --> 00:22:21,430 S4: And I think that posture strengthens our witness. 383 00:22:21,470 --> 00:22:23,550 S1: Yeah, maybe we've got it all wrong. It's just like 384 00:22:23,550 --> 00:22:26,310 S1: you just said, quoting Ron Blue there. Maybe. Maybe we're 385 00:22:26,310 --> 00:22:28,910 S1: so focused on having to give some that we forget 386 00:22:28,910 --> 00:22:32,780 S1: the fact that we have so much to give. Yeah. Well, 387 00:22:32,900 --> 00:22:35,820 S1: what about those conversations that we inevitably fall into with 388 00:22:35,820 --> 00:22:40,060 S1: fellow believers who maybe disagree with our take on all that? 389 00:22:40,060 --> 00:22:42,899 S1: Let's say they're listening to this conversation and they're still 390 00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:45,939 S1: angry that their taxes are paying for X, Y, and Z. 391 00:22:45,980 --> 00:22:49,220 S1: And boy, they're going to raise some noise about that 392 00:22:49,220 --> 00:22:51,300 S1: and they're going to try not to pay the tax 393 00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:54,939 S1: for that. And how do we engage them lovingly in conversation? 394 00:22:55,460 --> 00:22:59,980 S4: Well, I think just lovingly reminding them that scripture affirms 395 00:22:59,980 --> 00:23:04,859 S4: paying taxes as a normal responsibility of living under authority. 396 00:23:05,060 --> 00:23:07,940 S4: And that's a part of God's system. That's the way 397 00:23:07,940 --> 00:23:11,820 S4: he designed it. Yet I think many Christians reduce the 398 00:23:11,820 --> 00:23:17,020 S4: conversation to frustration or even political debate instead of asking 399 00:23:17,020 --> 00:23:19,980 S4: the right question. And that is, how can we respond 400 00:23:19,980 --> 00:23:22,859 S4: in a way that reflects Christ? I think one common 401 00:23:22,859 --> 00:23:27,740 S4: oversight is forgetting this idea that taxes intersect with our witness. 402 00:23:27,780 --> 00:23:32,449 S4: You know, complaining and cutting corners or treating obligations casually, 403 00:23:32,490 --> 00:23:38,010 S4: it undermines credibility, while honesty and consistency demonstrate integrity shaped 404 00:23:38,010 --> 00:23:40,290 S4: by faith. So I think we just need to get 405 00:23:40,290 --> 00:23:44,490 S4: back to this idea of gratitude, recognizing the incredible responsibility 406 00:23:44,530 --> 00:23:46,890 S4: it is to be a money manager for the King 407 00:23:46,930 --> 00:23:49,890 S4: of Kings. That's a high calling, John, and we want 408 00:23:49,930 --> 00:23:52,449 S4: to take that seriously. We want to live under the 409 00:23:52,450 --> 00:23:57,890 S4: governing authorities. And recognizing our participation in God's system of 410 00:23:57,890 --> 00:24:01,570 S4: authority does not mean automatic endorsement of every policy. 411 00:24:01,609 --> 00:24:04,770 S1: That's key. That's huge. Anything, Rob, that stands out to 412 00:24:04,810 --> 00:24:08,770 S1: you that we as believers might be overlooking or misunderstanding 413 00:24:08,770 --> 00:24:10,170 S1: when it comes to taxes? 414 00:24:10,369 --> 00:24:14,450 S4: Yeah. I'm struck by how Jesus handled the temple tax 415 00:24:14,450 --> 00:24:17,770 S4: in Matthew 17. You know, even though he wasn't obligated, 416 00:24:18,010 --> 00:24:22,290 S4: he chose to pay it to avoid unnecessary offense. And 417 00:24:22,290 --> 00:24:25,410 S4: I think that challenges us to approach taxes, as we've 418 00:24:25,410 --> 00:24:30,159 S4: said today, with humility rather than resentment. And with this 419 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:34,840 S4: idea of gratitude, actually knowing that my response reflects my witness. 420 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:38,160 S4: So I'm reminded that faithfulness isn't just about what I 421 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:42,680 S4: give to God, but also how I live responsibly in society. 422 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:46,720 S4: I believe Jesus would invite us to pay taxes honestly, 423 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,760 S4: to guard our hearts against anger or fear, and to 424 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:53,960 S4: remember that governments are temporary. Our provision, security, and hope 425 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,800 S4: aren't tied to tax systems or policies. But at the 426 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,320 S4: end of the day, to God and His kingdom. 427 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,320 S1: Maybe in 2026, our attitudes are different than they were 428 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,680 S1: in Jesus day. Or maybe not. How would Jesus counsel 429 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,720 S1: us today with regard to taxes? The last word, Rob. 430 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,480 S4: Well, you know, at the end of the day, I 431 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,400 S4: think it's a heart posture. We need to pray for 432 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,359 S4: our leaders. We need to seek wisdom. We need to 433 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:23,160 S4: pursue the welfare of our communities while remembering our primary 434 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:27,990 S4: allegiance is to God's kingdom. So engage tax issues with humility, 435 00:25:27,990 --> 00:25:32,510 S4: with truth and with grace. That reflects both responsible citizenship 436 00:25:32,670 --> 00:25:34,350 S4: and Christian discipleship. 437 00:25:34,510 --> 00:25:36,750 S1: I love it. Heart posture. That's a great way to 438 00:25:36,790 --> 00:25:39,670 S1: land this conversation, even when it comes to taxes. Let's 439 00:25:39,710 --> 00:25:42,990 S1: watch our hearts. Rob West, host of Faith and finance, 440 00:25:42,990 --> 00:25:46,109 S1: president of Kingdom Advisors. It's a blast having you on 441 00:25:46,109 --> 00:25:46,869 S1: this program. 442 00:25:47,070 --> 00:25:48,909 S4: Oh, I always love it. John. Thanks for having me. 443 00:25:48,950 --> 00:25:50,230 S1: All right. We'll let you get back to your busy 444 00:25:50,270 --> 00:25:52,510 S1: day counseling folks, and we'll get ready for a fresh 445 00:25:52,510 --> 00:25:55,590 S1: set of Bible questions here on the land and the book. 446 00:26:06,869 --> 00:26:09,790 S1: Welcome back to the land and the book segment three. 447 00:26:10,109 --> 00:26:12,870 S1: You ever wonder, how do I share the gospel with 448 00:26:12,869 --> 00:26:15,710 S1: my Jewish friend? It's a it's an important question that 449 00:26:15,710 --> 00:26:19,350 S1: people ask. And that question recognizes the need for a 450 00:26:19,350 --> 00:26:22,750 S1: sensitive approach to sharing with Jewish people. Well, our friends 451 00:26:22,750 --> 00:26:25,830 S1: at Life in Messiah want to help answer that question. 452 00:26:26,060 --> 00:26:28,900 S1: and they've put together a series of very helpful articles 453 00:26:28,900 --> 00:26:31,220 S1: on how you can share the good news with Jewish 454 00:26:31,220 --> 00:26:35,540 S1: people all around you, and you'll learn about Jewish cultural sensitivities, 455 00:26:35,540 --> 00:26:40,580 S1: how anti-Semitism affects Jewish evangelism, the importance of messianic prophecy, 456 00:26:40,780 --> 00:26:42,580 S1: and a whole lot more. Now you say, how do 457 00:26:42,580 --> 00:26:47,340 S1: I get these articles? Just visit life.org. Click on the 458 00:26:47,340 --> 00:26:50,700 S1: Moody Radio logo there and sign up. You'll receive the 459 00:26:50,700 --> 00:26:53,740 S1: articles to equip you with practical ways to share the 460 00:26:53,740 --> 00:26:57,060 S1: good news with Jewish people around you or online. You 461 00:26:57,060 --> 00:27:03,220 S1: can find that Moody radio icon at Lifemail in. Hope 462 00:27:03,220 --> 00:27:05,620 S1: your day is going well. I'm John Gieger. Seated across 463 00:27:05,619 --> 00:27:08,340 S1: from me in the studio is the very faithful, very 464 00:27:08,340 --> 00:27:12,460 S1: expert Doctor Gerald Petermann of the Moody Bible Institute faculty. 465 00:27:12,500 --> 00:27:14,260 S1: Always good to see your smiling face, sir. 466 00:27:14,300 --> 00:27:16,820 S5: I don't deserve that praise. It's fun to be here. 467 00:27:16,859 --> 00:27:19,140 S1: It sure is. And it's even more fun to take 468 00:27:19,180 --> 00:27:21,740 S1: time to give a listen to the questions that have 469 00:27:21,740 --> 00:27:23,820 S1: come in to us, and hear what some of the 470 00:27:23,820 --> 00:27:26,409 S1: responses might be. By the way, if you've got a question, 471 00:27:26,410 --> 00:27:28,169 S1: let's just say it up front. You can get it 472 00:27:28,170 --> 00:27:33,930 S1: to us as you email the land and the book@moody.edu. 473 00:27:34,250 --> 00:27:40,290 S1: The land and the book@moody.edu. Marilyn has the honor of 474 00:27:40,290 --> 00:27:42,850 S1: asking our first question. She takes us to the last 475 00:27:42,850 --> 00:27:46,729 S1: book of the Bible, revelation 21, verse 27, where it 476 00:27:46,730 --> 00:27:49,570 S1: says that for the New Jerusalem there shall by no 477 00:27:49,570 --> 00:27:54,050 S1: means enter it anything that defiles or causes an abomination 478 00:27:54,050 --> 00:27:56,930 S1: or a lie, but only those who are written in 479 00:27:56,930 --> 00:28:00,210 S1: the Lamb's Book of Life. Her question since all the 480 00:28:00,210 --> 00:28:02,530 S1: unsaved have been cast into the Lake of fire in 481 00:28:02,530 --> 00:28:06,810 S1: revelation 2015, who or what is left to defile the 482 00:28:06,810 --> 00:28:08,210 S1: new heavens and earth? 483 00:28:08,250 --> 00:28:11,290 S5: I'm so happy that our listeners read and they think 484 00:28:11,730 --> 00:28:14,369 S5: this is a really fun time when we when we 485 00:28:14,369 --> 00:28:18,170 S5: get into revelation 21, we hear over and over how 486 00:28:18,170 --> 00:28:21,210 S5: glorious the new heaven, the new Earth, and the New 487 00:28:21,210 --> 00:28:24,270 S5: Jerusalem are. It comes down from heaven adorned like a bride. 488 00:28:24,270 --> 00:28:28,189 S5: We have several wonderful descriptions of its. Of its light 489 00:28:28,190 --> 00:28:31,869 S5: and its glory and its pearls. And then to get 490 00:28:31,869 --> 00:28:36,590 S5: back to Marilyn's question with the positive descriptions, there's also 491 00:28:36,590 --> 00:28:40,470 S5: negative descriptions. That is to kind of affirm for us 492 00:28:40,710 --> 00:28:43,750 S5: that this place is holy and righteous and good. So 493 00:28:44,110 --> 00:28:47,150 S5: what do we find? We find some kinds of exclusion. 494 00:28:47,190 --> 00:28:50,590 S5: He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. That is, 495 00:28:50,630 --> 00:28:54,190 S5: the sorrow will be excluded. Will the cowardly be there? No, 496 00:28:54,190 --> 00:28:58,110 S5: they will not be there. So I appreciate the question. 497 00:28:58,110 --> 00:29:01,790 S5: That is, when we add these negative descriptions, that kind 498 00:29:01,790 --> 00:29:06,230 S5: of affirms for us the glory of the positive descriptions. 499 00:29:06,230 --> 00:29:08,630 S5: And so we get both together in this chapter. 500 00:29:08,790 --> 00:29:11,270 S1: I have often wondered, as I'm sure many listeners have, 501 00:29:11,270 --> 00:29:13,550 S1: maybe you as well, what is the what is the 502 00:29:13,590 --> 00:29:17,670 S1: source for those tears? Is it a feeling like, wow, 503 00:29:18,190 --> 00:29:20,910 S1: I could have done so much more. Is it disappointment 504 00:29:20,910 --> 00:29:24,860 S1: in my own testimony. Is it regret over loved ones 505 00:29:24,860 --> 00:29:27,020 S1: who aren't in heaven? What's the cause of those tears? 506 00:29:27,060 --> 00:29:29,780 S5: Well, John, I appreciate that. And I'm not sure I 507 00:29:29,780 --> 00:29:34,140 S5: want to exclude anything that is, um, sadness over many 508 00:29:34,140 --> 00:29:36,260 S5: things from the past. Sadness over who's not in heaven 509 00:29:36,260 --> 00:29:38,540 S5: with me that I wish were here, sadness about my 510 00:29:38,540 --> 00:29:42,460 S5: life from the past, griefs and dozens of griefs we've 511 00:29:42,460 --> 00:29:46,020 S5: been through. That is, I think, this image wipe away 512 00:29:46,020 --> 00:29:51,700 S5: every tear, invites all sorts of directions these tears come from. 513 00:29:52,140 --> 00:29:55,500 S5: And all of that sorrow is going to be personally 514 00:29:56,100 --> 00:29:58,860 S5: taken away by our Lord's embrace and his compassion. 515 00:29:58,900 --> 00:30:02,219 S1: You know, I think it might be a fitting bookend to, 516 00:30:02,300 --> 00:30:04,459 S1: you know, Romans 323, if we confess our sins, he 517 00:30:04,460 --> 00:30:06,460 S1: is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and 518 00:30:06,460 --> 00:30:10,860 S1: to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And later, he wipes 519 00:30:10,860 --> 00:30:13,740 S1: away all tears from our eyes. Who knows? Maybe that's 520 00:30:13,740 --> 00:30:18,100 S1: a bookend. All right. Lorraine's question were King Darius and 521 00:30:18,100 --> 00:30:22,730 S1: King Cyrus the same man which the evangelical heritage version 522 00:30:22,730 --> 00:30:23,850 S1: of the Bible states. 523 00:30:24,490 --> 00:30:30,290 S5: Well, I think, um, Lorraine's question comes from Daniel 628, 524 00:30:31,050 --> 00:30:34,090 S5: and I'm reading it from the Legacy Standard Bible. It says, 525 00:30:34,090 --> 00:30:38,970 S5: so this Daniel enjoyed success in the Kingdom of Darius 526 00:30:38,970 --> 00:30:42,730 S5: and in the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian. Now this 527 00:30:42,730 --> 00:30:46,810 S5: makes you think it's two different kings. But actually, that's 528 00:30:46,810 --> 00:30:50,730 S5: a debate amongst Old Testament scholars. And so I went 529 00:30:50,730 --> 00:30:54,610 S5: to the Moody Bible commentary, always extremely helpful. And I 530 00:30:54,610 --> 00:30:58,570 S5: read Michael Rudnick and he says, actually the translation could 531 00:30:58,570 --> 00:31:04,890 S5: be Darius, who is Cyrus. So I'm sorry. I'll answer 532 00:31:04,890 --> 00:31:07,770 S5: this question by saying, I'm not sure this is a 533 00:31:07,770 --> 00:31:09,650 S5: puzzle from our Old Testament. 534 00:31:09,850 --> 00:31:14,650 S1: Stay tuned. We'll find out someday. Yeah. All right. Let's 535 00:31:14,650 --> 00:31:18,090 S1: go to Sophia's question after I remind you that the 536 00:31:18,090 --> 00:31:20,080 S1: email address for you to use as you get your 537 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:26,120 S1: question to us is the land and the book@moody.edu? The 538 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:32,479 S1: land and the book@moody.edu. Sofia is wondering about different words 539 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:36,200 S1: in the New Testament for gladness and joy. She asks, 540 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:39,640 S1: are the words that are translated as happiness and glad, 541 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:43,240 S1: or gladness translated from a different word than those that 542 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,400 S1: say joy or rejoice? And. And how can joy really 543 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:49,360 S1: be continuous? I think that's a really important follow up. 544 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:53,160 S5: Yeah, a great set of questions here. Actually, when we 545 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:57,960 S5: come to our New Testaments and we're in this word group, glad, gladness, joy, 546 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,240 S5: there's three different words. And they get used in a 547 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:04,280 S5: variety of ways. So the first one is Eve. Don't 548 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:06,000 S5: write that down. This will not be on the exam. 549 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,280 S5: You're fine. The first one is to have a kind 550 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:11,640 S5: of a positive mindset. It gets used 14 times. The 551 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:16,240 S5: next one is a Gagliano. Again, don't worry about that pronunciation. 552 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:19,390 S5: This is a word about praise or joy. And this 553 00:32:19,390 --> 00:32:22,750 S5: happens to our Lord Jesus in Luke 1021. At that point, 554 00:32:22,750 --> 00:32:26,190 S5: the Lord Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. This is 555 00:32:26,190 --> 00:32:29,709 S5: the word of Gagliato that one occurs 14 times in 556 00:32:29,710 --> 00:32:32,310 S5: the New Testament as well. Oh, but the most common 557 00:32:32,310 --> 00:32:35,070 S5: word for joy in the New Testament is Carol. This 558 00:32:35,070 --> 00:32:38,910 S5: is the one that Paul uses in Philippians for the 559 00:32:38,910 --> 00:32:43,710 S5: most commonly used word for joy. And yes, Paul does 560 00:32:43,710 --> 00:32:47,150 S5: say in Philippians four, rejoice in the Lord always. Now 561 00:32:47,150 --> 00:32:50,110 S5: I'm going to get myself in trouble, I'm sure, by saying, 562 00:32:50,110 --> 00:32:52,990 S5: I don't take it that when Paul says, rejoice in 563 00:32:52,990 --> 00:32:56,229 S5: the Lord always, he means 24 over seven 365 for 564 00:32:56,230 --> 00:32:59,230 S5: your whole life. I take it he means instead, this 565 00:32:59,230 --> 00:33:02,270 S5: should be the habit of your life. And why would 566 00:33:02,270 --> 00:33:04,630 S5: I say that? I would say that because this is 567 00:33:04,630 --> 00:33:08,190 S5: Philippians four. In Philippians three. What does Paul do? He says, 568 00:33:08,230 --> 00:33:12,790 S5: as I write to you, I weep. MM. So he's 569 00:33:12,790 --> 00:33:15,550 S5: not rejoicing at that moment. I take it that joy 570 00:33:15,550 --> 00:33:18,620 S5: was the most common emotion in his life, but wasn't 571 00:33:18,620 --> 00:33:20,700 S5: one that was always happening. And then what does he 572 00:33:20,700 --> 00:33:23,740 S5: tell us in Romans 1215? Rejoice with those who rejoice 573 00:33:23,740 --> 00:33:27,300 S5: and tell those who weep why they shouldn't. No, I'm sorry. 574 00:33:27,580 --> 00:33:30,180 S5: It's rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those 575 00:33:30,180 --> 00:33:34,180 S5: who weep. So I think joy should be the characteristic 576 00:33:34,180 --> 00:33:34,780 S5: of our life. 577 00:33:34,820 --> 00:33:36,660 S1: Yeah. I mean, you look at people in your church 578 00:33:36,660 --> 00:33:39,420 S1: and you say she is a joyful person. He is 579 00:33:39,420 --> 00:33:42,420 S1: a maybe a critical person, I mean, or whatever it is, right? 580 00:33:42,460 --> 00:33:45,180 S1: That's their thing. And they are not that 100% of 581 00:33:45,180 --> 00:33:49,780 S1: the time. Marlene's question is from Isaiah 25, verses seven 582 00:33:49,780 --> 00:33:53,220 S1: and eight, who are all people and all his people 583 00:33:53,220 --> 00:33:57,060 S1: and all nations? When the Lord destroys the shroud that 584 00:33:57,060 --> 00:34:00,100 S1: enfolds all people, the sheath that covers all nations, it 585 00:34:00,100 --> 00:34:03,340 S1: sounds like anyone alive at that time. We'll see who 586 00:34:03,340 --> 00:34:06,420 S1: Jesus is and will believe. Is that, uh. Is that fair? 587 00:34:06,460 --> 00:34:08,140 S5: Well, I think we're moving in a I think we're 588 00:34:08,140 --> 00:34:10,340 S5: moving in a really good direction. And I really appreciate 589 00:34:10,340 --> 00:34:17,089 S5: Marlene's question. Many scholars refer to Isaiah chapters 24 2526 590 00:34:17,130 --> 00:34:19,650 S5: is kind of a little apocalypse. A lot of it 591 00:34:19,650 --> 00:34:23,609 S5: is talking about the end of the age end times. 592 00:34:24,010 --> 00:34:26,810 S5: So I take it that this refers to the gathering 593 00:34:26,850 --> 00:34:30,649 S5: together of all God's people, and all God's people will 594 00:34:30,650 --> 00:34:34,089 S5: be people from every tribe and tongue and nation, as 595 00:34:34,090 --> 00:34:38,290 S5: we hear in revelation five. So there John says, 24 596 00:34:38,290 --> 00:34:41,410 S5: elders falling down before the Lamb. They sang a new song, saying, 597 00:34:41,450 --> 00:34:44,410 S5: you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people 598 00:34:44,410 --> 00:34:49,649 S5: from every tribe and language and nation. So where does 599 00:34:49,650 --> 00:34:52,930 S5: this promise come from? This promise comes in part from 600 00:34:52,930 --> 00:34:55,450 S5: here in Isaiah 25. But of course, we know it 601 00:34:55,450 --> 00:34:58,129 S5: appears several other times in Scripture. This promise goes as 602 00:34:58,130 --> 00:35:01,650 S5: far back as at least. Genesis 12. What is Abraham 603 00:35:01,690 --> 00:35:05,850 S5: told through you? Every nation will be blessed. 604 00:35:05,890 --> 00:35:07,490 S1: All right. I want to take us to the Psalms 605 00:35:07,489 --> 00:35:09,690 S1: for just a moment. I noticed as I as I 606 00:35:09,690 --> 00:35:12,330 S1: go through the Psalms and try to memorize some of them, 607 00:35:12,330 --> 00:35:15,830 S1: there is often a sort of a rapid switching of tenses. 608 00:35:15,830 --> 00:35:18,069 S1: If I may, I'm gonna take you to Psalm 62. 609 00:35:18,390 --> 00:35:20,870 S1: It says, my soul waits in silence for God alone. 610 00:35:20,910 --> 00:35:24,710 S1: From him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock 611 00:35:24,710 --> 00:35:28,469 S1: and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be greatly shaken. 612 00:35:28,510 --> 00:35:30,510 S1: Then it goes on. Watch this. The very next verse. 613 00:35:30,510 --> 00:35:32,430 S1: How long will you attack a man that you may 614 00:35:32,430 --> 00:35:34,750 S1: murder him, all of you. Like a leaning wall, like 615 00:35:34,750 --> 00:35:38,910 S1: a tottering fence. And then it goes, yeah, they third party. 616 00:35:38,950 --> 00:35:41,509 S1: They have planned only to thrust him down from his 617 00:35:41,510 --> 00:35:44,750 S1: high position. Okay, so what's going on with the rapid 618 00:35:44,750 --> 00:35:45,629 S1: fire switching? 619 00:35:45,870 --> 00:35:48,029 S5: Well, I take it what's going on? And this, as 620 00:35:48,030 --> 00:35:51,069 S5: you mentioned, this happens in several Psalms. What is the 621 00:35:51,070 --> 00:35:54,669 S5: psalmist doing for us? The psalmist is looking back on 622 00:35:54,670 --> 00:35:58,430 S5: some life experience, thinking it over and then bringing it 623 00:35:58,430 --> 00:36:00,950 S5: to us and making a song out of it so 624 00:36:00,950 --> 00:36:04,270 S5: that we can sing it together and kind of relive 625 00:36:04,310 --> 00:36:08,910 S5: that experience and confess the trust, confess the sins that 626 00:36:08,910 --> 00:36:12,590 S5: the writer confesses. And so as the writer then writes 627 00:36:12,590 --> 00:36:17,419 S5: the song. He remembers the painful parts of it and 628 00:36:17,420 --> 00:36:20,100 S5: remembers the glorious parts of it. He remembers the Lord's 629 00:36:20,100 --> 00:36:22,980 S5: intervention in it, and then, as he refers to them, 630 00:36:22,980 --> 00:36:26,260 S5: we find this shifting back and forth. It's actually quite common. 631 00:36:26,300 --> 00:36:28,740 S1: Yeah. One of the things I notice in the Psalms 632 00:36:28,739 --> 00:36:31,900 S1: is that there doesn't seem to be, quote unquote, always 633 00:36:31,900 --> 00:36:36,060 S1: a linear flow to the thought, right? And that's different 634 00:36:36,060 --> 00:36:40,100 S1: for us. We're Westerners. We're geared toward a linear thing. 635 00:36:40,300 --> 00:36:42,540 S1: They weren't so much. Plus, I have to always allow 636 00:36:42,540 --> 00:36:45,260 S1: for the fact that this is poetry here. We're talking 637 00:36:45,260 --> 00:36:46,140 S1: about two as well. 638 00:36:46,180 --> 00:36:52,339 S5: Right? Right. Um, another example happens in Jeremiah 20. Jeremiah's persecuted. 639 00:36:52,820 --> 00:36:56,819 S5: And then we find out he's in deep torment and 640 00:36:56,820 --> 00:36:59,299 S5: he's crying out to God with bitter language. And then 641 00:36:59,300 --> 00:37:02,140 S5: he shifts to praise toward God, and then he's back 642 00:37:02,140 --> 00:37:04,300 S5: to the lament. It's quite common. 643 00:37:04,540 --> 00:37:06,580 S1: Well, we've sure covered a lot of ground today, but 644 00:37:06,580 --> 00:37:09,819 S1: we're not done. Charlie Dyer is back with his devotional next. 645 00:37:22,730 --> 00:37:26,850 S1: Everybody loves stories, but stories with a purpose. Well, you 646 00:37:26,850 --> 00:37:29,970 S1: can't top those. This is segment four of the land 647 00:37:29,969 --> 00:37:32,129 S1: and the book. Charlie, I won't ask you to give 648 00:37:32,130 --> 00:37:35,049 S1: it away, but I understand our current devotional series has 649 00:37:35,050 --> 00:37:36,410 S1: to do with stories. 650 00:37:36,770 --> 00:37:39,930 S2: Exactly right, John. And just like you, I love stories. 651 00:37:39,930 --> 00:37:42,850 S2: I think everybody does. And we're going to see how 652 00:37:42,850 --> 00:37:46,250 S2: Jesus told those stories this week and several weeks to follow. 653 00:37:46,290 --> 00:37:49,130 S1: Okay, a great new series and we're looking forward to it. First, though. 654 00:37:49,170 --> 00:37:53,050 S1: Let's pause for a Holy Land experience. You say, what's that? Well, 655 00:37:53,090 --> 00:37:54,650 S1: listen to this and you'll find out. 656 00:37:58,730 --> 00:38:01,370 S6: Hi, my name is Tom Doyle. I came on Charlie 657 00:38:01,370 --> 00:38:03,770 S6: Dyer's Tour of the land in the book, along with 658 00:38:03,770 --> 00:38:07,649 S6: my wife, Diane. My favorite takeaway from this time was 659 00:38:07,650 --> 00:38:12,400 S6: the visit to Yad Vashem, a memorial and a name 660 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:17,520 S6: the Jewish Holocaust Museum. To me, it exemplifies the spirit 661 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:20,719 S6: of the Jewish people. They do not forget their suffering, 662 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:24,000 S6: but they are ready to forgive their enemies and make peace. 663 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:26,879 S6: They refuse to let the past hold them back, but 664 00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:30,200 S6: rather work tirelessly to build a future filled with hope 665 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:34,680 S6: and blessings for themselves, their children, their children's children, and 666 00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:37,279 S6: all those who are willing to extend a hand of 667 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:41,400 S6: peace and fellowship. God bless Charlie Dyer for this trip 668 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:43,080 S6: and God bless Israel. 669 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:48,440 S1: All right, Charlie, I'm looking forward to today's story. 670 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:52,319 S2: Well, John, I'm right with you. Everyone loves stories. Good 671 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:55,880 S2: communicators know that if an audience starts fidgeting in their seats, 672 00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:58,040 S2: the best way to pull them back is to tell 673 00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:01,319 S2: a story. And the true master of storytelling had to 674 00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:04,799 S2: be Jesus. The Bible only records a small fraction of 675 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:07,359 S2: what Jesus said and did, and much of what it 676 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:10,910 S2: records focuses on the stories he told. So over the 677 00:39:10,910 --> 00:39:13,830 S2: next five weeks, I want to look at seven specific 678 00:39:13,830 --> 00:39:17,629 S2: stories told by Jesus. All seven are found in Matthew 13, 679 00:39:17,870 --> 00:39:21,790 S2: a chapter that signaled a fundamental change in Jesus's ministry. 680 00:39:22,150 --> 00:39:25,109 S2: In the first part of Matthew's gospel, Jesus presented his 681 00:39:25,110 --> 00:39:28,910 S2: claims to be Israel's Messiah. The messages and his miracles 682 00:39:28,910 --> 00:39:31,589 S2: were the resume he laid out to the nation. He 683 00:39:31,590 --> 00:39:35,430 S2: fulfilled the Old Testament predictions, displaying his power over death 684 00:39:35,430 --> 00:39:39,270 S2: and disease, and even demonstrated his mastery over the demonic 685 00:39:39,270 --> 00:39:42,630 S2: forces of the age. Yet in chapter 12, the religious 686 00:39:42,630 --> 00:39:47,630 S2: establishment officially rejected those claims. They couldn't deny the miracles 687 00:39:47,630 --> 00:39:50,310 S2: he'd done, but they refused to accept the fact that 688 00:39:50,310 --> 00:39:53,509 S2: God was the one behind those miracles. And it's at 689 00:39:53,590 --> 00:39:57,069 S2: that point, after the leaders had officially rejected him, that 690 00:39:57,070 --> 00:40:01,750 S2: Jesus began speaking in parables. The Greek word parabole actually 691 00:40:01,750 --> 00:40:05,469 S2: means to place something alongside. The word refers to a 692 00:40:05,469 --> 00:40:09,779 S2: story used for the sake of comparison or illustration. Jesus 693 00:40:09,780 --> 00:40:13,180 S2: begins sharing a series of stories, each of which has 694 00:40:13,180 --> 00:40:16,860 S2: a particular purpose. The first of Jesus's stories in Matthew 695 00:40:16,900 --> 00:40:20,060 S2: 13 is also the longest, and it comes right from 696 00:40:20,060 --> 00:40:23,220 S2: the fields around the Sea of Galilee. As Jesus sat 697 00:40:23,219 --> 00:40:25,300 S2: in a boat and taught the crowd, he might very 698 00:40:25,300 --> 00:40:28,220 S2: well have pointed to a lone farmer off in the distance, 699 00:40:28,219 --> 00:40:31,779 S2: walking through a freshly ploughed field, carrying a pouch or 700 00:40:31,780 --> 00:40:35,820 S2: bag of seeds slung over his shoulder. Behold, the sower 701 00:40:35,820 --> 00:40:39,340 S2: went out to sow. Perhaps some in the crowd inadvertently 702 00:40:39,340 --> 00:40:42,140 S2: turned to watch the man in the distance. But if 703 00:40:42,140 --> 00:40:44,460 S2: they did, it would have only been for an instant, 704 00:40:44,460 --> 00:40:47,819 S2: because they were quickly drawn back to Jesus's words as 705 00:40:47,820 --> 00:40:51,339 S2: he continued speaking. And as he sowed, some seeds fell 706 00:40:51,380 --> 00:40:53,980 S2: beside the road and the birds came and ate them up. 707 00:40:54,620 --> 00:40:58,020 S2: The crowd nodded at this obvious truth. The dirt pathway 708 00:40:58,020 --> 00:41:01,180 S2: running along the field was so packed down from constant 709 00:41:01,180 --> 00:41:03,940 S2: use that it was almost as hard as the rocks 710 00:41:03,940 --> 00:41:07,250 S2: poking through its surface. And a glance back showed a 711 00:41:07,250 --> 00:41:11,009 S2: group of grey and black crows already sweeping in behind 712 00:41:11,010 --> 00:41:13,490 S2: the farmer to peck at the grains that had fallen 713 00:41:13,530 --> 00:41:17,690 S2: on the pathway. Jesus continued, and they were again riveted 714 00:41:17,690 --> 00:41:21,210 S2: by his story, and others fell upon the rocky places 715 00:41:21,370 --> 00:41:24,129 S2: where they did not have much soil, and immediately they 716 00:41:24,130 --> 00:41:26,969 S2: sprang up because they had no depth of soil. But 717 00:41:26,969 --> 00:41:29,770 S2: when the sun had risen, they were scorched. And because 718 00:41:29,770 --> 00:41:33,489 S2: they had no root, they withered away. Every field in 719 00:41:33,489 --> 00:41:36,290 S2: the land seemed to grow an abundant crop of rocks. 720 00:41:36,489 --> 00:41:39,489 S2: As the farmer threw handfuls of seed out over the field, 721 00:41:39,489 --> 00:41:42,090 S2: some landed on the rocks and got lodged into many 722 00:41:42,090 --> 00:41:46,250 S2: small crevices and holes. People knew from experience what would 723 00:41:46,250 --> 00:41:49,009 S2: happen to this seed. The moisture hidden away in these 724 00:41:49,010 --> 00:41:52,009 S2: holes would cause the seed to germinate, but the lack 725 00:41:52,010 --> 00:41:56,130 S2: of soil guaranteed the tender plant would quickly wither and die. 726 00:41:56,810 --> 00:42:00,170 S2: Jesus then continued with his story, and others fell among 727 00:42:00,170 --> 00:42:03,050 S2: the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 728 00:42:03,610 --> 00:42:07,840 S2: Farmers fought a constant battle with thorns and thistles. These plants, 729 00:42:07,840 --> 00:42:10,879 S2: with their purple flowers, look beautiful in the spring and 730 00:42:10,880 --> 00:42:13,840 S2: early summer as they begin to sprout, but they can 731 00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:16,319 S2: soon grow to the height of a man, and their 732 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:19,480 S2: thorns are a painful reminder of God's curse on Adam. 733 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:22,640 S2: Farmers worked hard to keep the thorns at bay, but 734 00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:25,759 S2: the plants still managed to take hold in those areas 735 00:42:25,760 --> 00:42:29,520 S2: that were harder to reach, and their size guaranteed that 736 00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:33,560 S2: any plant competing with them for sunlight and moisture would lose. 737 00:42:34,080 --> 00:42:36,880 S2: But so far, Jesus has only been describing the seed 738 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:39,880 S2: that's fallen along the edges of the field. He ended 739 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:43,040 S2: his story by focusing on the well plowed ground where 740 00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:46,160 S2: the bulk of the farmer's seed landed and others fell 741 00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:49,680 S2: on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, 742 00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:53,760 S2: some 60 and some 30. Most of the grain sown 743 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:56,680 S2: would germinate and grow into a mature head of wheat 744 00:42:56,680 --> 00:42:59,600 S2: or barley, and in a normal year each stalk could 745 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:03,480 S2: produce 30 to 60 kernels of grain, though even more 746 00:43:03,480 --> 00:43:08,259 S2: was possible. Jesus finished telling his story, a story grounded 747 00:43:08,260 --> 00:43:11,700 S2: in real life. But what was the point? What's the truth? 748 00:43:11,700 --> 00:43:14,900 S2: He was trying to teach? The disciples came to Jesus 749 00:43:14,900 --> 00:43:19,379 S2: and asked that very question, and Jesus answer was very direct. 750 00:43:19,620 --> 00:43:22,779 S2: The seed being scattered was the word of the kingdom. 751 00:43:23,260 --> 00:43:25,779 S2: It was the truth of the message Jesus had been 752 00:43:25,780 --> 00:43:29,580 S2: teaching about himself and about the promised kingdom. But what 753 00:43:29,580 --> 00:43:33,180 S2: did the four different types of soil represent? Jesus said 754 00:43:33,180 --> 00:43:36,940 S2: the hard packed pathway represented those who heard the message 755 00:43:36,940 --> 00:43:41,020 S2: but didn't understand. They were the clueless listeners who never 756 00:43:41,020 --> 00:43:44,379 S2: stopped to allow the truth to even penetrate their lives 757 00:43:44,380 --> 00:43:48,060 S2: in any meaningful way. And as a result, the evil 758 00:43:48,060 --> 00:43:50,500 S2: one comes and snatches away what has been sown in 759 00:43:50,500 --> 00:43:54,380 S2: his heart. They heard the message, but it never sunk in. 760 00:43:54,660 --> 00:43:57,460 S2: This allowed Satan to snatch away the truth before it 761 00:43:57,460 --> 00:44:01,540 S2: could make any impact. The rocky soil represented a person 762 00:44:01,540 --> 00:44:04,610 S2: who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 763 00:44:04,850 --> 00:44:07,410 S2: Yet he has no firm root in himself, but is 764 00:44:07,410 --> 00:44:11,609 S2: only temporary. And when affliction or persecution arises because of 765 00:44:11,610 --> 00:44:16,850 S2: the word, immediately he falls away. This was the casual listener. 766 00:44:17,250 --> 00:44:21,290 S2: The message seemed reasonable, but the person had no spiritual depth, 767 00:44:21,290 --> 00:44:24,090 S2: so the truth never took root. And in the end, 768 00:44:24,330 --> 00:44:27,770 S2: an easy life proved more important than a transformed life, 769 00:44:28,010 --> 00:44:32,690 S2: which might require personal sacrifice. Jesus then revealed the thorny 770 00:44:32,730 --> 00:44:36,330 S2: ground represented a person who hears the word and the 771 00:44:36,330 --> 00:44:39,130 S2: worry of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke 772 00:44:39,130 --> 00:44:44,169 S2: the word and it becomes unfruitful. This was the self-centered listener. 773 00:44:44,610 --> 00:44:48,250 S2: The message sounded good and made sense, but ultimately it 774 00:44:48,250 --> 00:44:51,410 S2: was crowded out by all the pleasures offered up in 775 00:44:51,410 --> 00:44:55,569 S2: the present age. Jesus then explained the good soil. It 776 00:44:55,610 --> 00:44:59,450 S2: represented the person who hears the word and understands it, 777 00:44:59,690 --> 00:45:04,719 S2: who indeed bears fruit. This was the committed listener who heard, 778 00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:08,799 S2: understood and responded to the message Jesus had been sharing. 779 00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:13,719 S2: For soils. For ways to respond to the claims of Christ. 780 00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:17,399 S2: And that brings us back to today. Jesus's message is 781 00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:20,640 S2: still being proclaimed in the word, and everyone still has 782 00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:24,319 S2: four ways they can respond to his message. Some are clueless, 783 00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:28,040 S2: while others are casual listeners afraid to make a commitment, 784 00:45:28,040 --> 00:45:31,000 S2: and still others are self-centered. So wrapped up in all 785 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:33,640 S2: that life appears to offer that they're unwilling to let 786 00:45:33,640 --> 00:45:36,719 S2: go of anything, to follow Jesus. And then there's the 787 00:45:36,719 --> 00:45:42,840 S2: good soil. Those who hear, understand, accept, and follow. And 788 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:45,200 S2: the question at the end of the day is this 789 00:45:45,560 --> 00:45:50,200 S2: which soil best describes your heart today? The answer to 790 00:45:50,239 --> 00:45:53,440 S2: that question holds eternal consequences. 791 00:45:54,040 --> 00:45:57,239 S1: Thank you very much, Charlie. A sobering end to that story. 792 00:45:57,719 --> 00:45:59,640 S1: And it should give us cause to say, where am 793 00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:02,790 S1: I with Christ? If you have never received Jesus as 794 00:46:02,790 --> 00:46:05,350 S1: your Saviour, the leader of your life, the forgiver of 795 00:46:05,350 --> 00:46:08,630 S1: all the wrongdoing you've ever done, that choice and it 796 00:46:08,630 --> 00:46:11,750 S1: is a choice is available to you. And if you'd 797 00:46:11,750 --> 00:46:13,830 S1: like to have a conversation with a volunteer who can 798 00:46:13,830 --> 00:46:16,870 S1: answer your questions, who will pray with you, won't put 799 00:46:16,870 --> 00:46:19,390 S1: you on a guilt trip, but we'll put you in 800 00:46:19,390 --> 00:46:22,109 S1: touch with the Saviour of the world. You can do 801 00:46:22,110 --> 00:46:24,950 S1: that now, as you call eight, eight, eight. Need him. 802 00:46:25,230 --> 00:46:29,230 S1: There's no cost because there's nothing to buy. 888. Need him. 803 00:46:30,190 --> 00:46:31,989 S1: Thanks so much for hanging out with us today at 804 00:46:31,989 --> 00:46:34,270 S1: the land and the book. We're always glad to have 805 00:46:34,270 --> 00:46:36,750 S1: you and we welcome you to share any thoughts, any 806 00:46:36,790 --> 00:46:41,989 S1: time with a quick email to the land and the book@moody.edu. 807 00:46:42,030 --> 00:46:44,670 S1: Our website where you can find our podcast and share 808 00:46:44,670 --> 00:46:47,190 S1: it with your friends is the land and the book. 809 00:46:48,230 --> 00:46:50,910 S1: I'm John Gager for Charlie Dyer the Land and the 810 00:46:50,910 --> 00:46:53,469 S1: book is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of 811 00:46:53,510 --> 00:46:54,870 S1: Moody Bible Institute.