Christian Questions Bible Podcast

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John 14:6—How Is Jesus ‘the Way’?
On the night before his crucifixion—and just hours before he would begin a night of unjust treatment that would lead to humiliation, beatings and an eventual crucifixion—Jesus invested unhurried and precious hours with his disciples. His aim was to comfort them, as what they were about to witness would shake them all to their very core. Jesus was assuring them of his care for them and his profound loyalty to his Father, as this loyalty would ultimately bring redemption to them and to the whole world. Jesus’ simple statement of his being “the way, the truth, and the life” would be a key to open up their understanding of what their lives would need to look like. To focus on the meaning of Jesus being 'the way,' we want to draw from Jesus’ final hours with the disciples the night before his crucifixion. This is not merely a directional statement; it’s a profound invitation to walk the path he walked. Highlights 'The way' means more than a path. It reflects Jesus as the journey, the method AND the destination. The Greek word hodos implies a road, a manner of life and a progress toward purpose. Jesus’ way is sacrificial. Even in betrayal and suffering, he continually framed his mission as glorifying the Father. Jesus’ followers were not yet ready to follow him. Jesus introduced his commandment for them to love one another as he loved them. This command would become a foundational requirement before facing the weightier trials of faith. 'The way' would be through a narrow gate and on a difficult road: Matthew 7:13-14 illustrates that following Jesus requires purposeful sacrifice and perseverance. All who follow would need to develop spiritual surefootedness to walk this path. Jesus protects us and guides us, much like a shepherd guarding his sheep (John 10:7–9) Exclusive access point Because he is 'the way,' Jesus is not one of many options; rather, he is the exclusive access point to the Father. While not all follow this path now, his role as 'the way' extends ultimately to all creation (1 Corinthians 15:22). Those called now walk the narrow road, preparing to one day bless the rest. It's personal! Describing Jesus with this metaphor makes it personal. We are called not to merely admire the path Jesus walked, but to walk it ourselves, trusting that every step brings glory to the Father.
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29:12
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29:12
Why Are Many Called if Only Few Are Chosen?
Jesus said, “Many are called but few are chosen.” For many Christians, these words of Jesus should bring a pause and consider moment. What was Jesus saying here? If we believe “God is love,” and we believe Jesus came as our Savior, do we also believe that everyone outside of Christianity, outside of this call, is lost and gone forever? Is this what Jesus was saying? If so, then how does that square with God being love? Is Jesus saying God is love, but only for the few whom He chooses, and the rest of His human creation are essentially garbage? Isn’t that a massive contradiction? If we are willing to examine this statement by Jesus in the light of Scripture, we will find a completely different answer. What we will find is a logic and a harmony founded upon God’s love AND His justice. This statement of Jesus appears at the end of the Parable of the Wedding Feast. To properly understand its meaning, we need to connect it with God's character of love and justice. Reviewing the Abrahamic Covenant is a good place to start. Initially, Israel was called to be the sole source of the “stars of heaven”—a spiritual seed that would bless the world. However, national rejection of Jesus meant they forfeited this opportunity. Still, they weren’t permanently cast off; they remain essential to God’s plan as the “sand of the seashore,” the natural seed who will bless the world on earth. The parable illustrates God’s persistent calling to those who could become true disciples of Jesus: First invitation: Offered through Jesus’ ministry to Israel. Second: Extended at Pentecost by the apostles. Third: Went out to the Gentiles, beginning with Cornelius. This teaches us that discipleship is not based on heritage but on being drawn by God. The “many” called spans time, culture and background, but the chosen are those who respond fully to the invitation. This call involves great responsibility. Discipleship requires self-denial, daily sacrifice, transformation and leaving behind worldly attachments. Like wedding guests required to wear the provided garment, those called must be “clothed” in Christ’s righteousness. Failing to do so leads to exclusion—not eternal torment, but the sorrow of lost opportunity. Those who are chosen become part of a "royal priesthood" and "holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9), called to reflect God’s character and ultimately bless all mankind. Importantly, the rest of humanity is not abandoned. Many scriptures point to a future restoration when all people will have opportunity for salvation. The current calling is simply the first phase of a broader redemptive plan that will ultimately fulfill God's promise to bless all the families of the earth.
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How Do I Reconnect With God?
Many Christians have had the disheartening experience of feeling like they have lost their connection with God. There you were, going along through life’s experiences, and something happens. Whether it is one big change or many little things over time, you wake up one day and realize God seems far away. Now what? Is it over? How do you find your way back to that precious connection that you lost? A good way to understand what to do to reconnect is to observe some of the experiences of the Apostle Peter. We all know how he denied Jesus on the day of his crucifixion. What we don’t often think about is how he got to that point and what it took to draw him back into God’s favor. The third and final time Jesus called Peter to follow him Peter openly and fearfully admitted that he was a sinful man. Jesus called him anyway. Peter’s journey following Jesus would show him just how little he knew about his own faults and how little he knew about what discipleship required. The night before Jesus’ crucifixion... Peter confidently claimed he would never forsake Jesus. In spite of that bold proclamation of loyalty, Peter would deny Jesus three times early the very next morning. His denials escalated from simple avoidance to emphatic rejection. If we have ever alienated ourselves from God ...we have likely gone down a similar road to Peter’s. The good news is we can now learn how to bring ourselves back to God by following the pattern that Peter himself followed. So, what happened? How was Peter’s alienation slowly dissolved and he was able to reconnect? Peter’s experience shows us there are three key steps to reconnecting with God: Prepare Your Mind for Action: Peter running to the empty tomb on the morning of Jesus’ resurrection was taking the first step. Even though he still didn’t understand what was happening, he showed that he wanted to. This was crucial. Be Serious and Reverent: Peter likely wrestled with self-doubt, but God’s grace persisted. Jesus would reaffirm Peter’s efforts through two miraculous personal appearances to him and others on that resurrection day. Embrace Forgiveness & Change: Weeks later, Jesus restored Peter by asking if he loved him. This restoration would come with the profound responsibility of being a shepherd to Jesus’ flock after his ascension up to heaven. For each of us, to spiritually reconnect requires small, intentional steps which include prayer, scripture study and humility. The beautiful message here is that God's faithfulness ensures that even in failure, restoration is possible!
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How Can I Best Share the Gospel With Others?
Forty days after his resurrection, when Jesus was about to ascend up to the Father, he gave his disciples their great commission in Matthew 28. He told them to go and “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the son and the holy spirit.” He told them to teach others to observe all that he commanded and that he would be with them always, even to the end of the age. The message here was simple and yet daunting: preach the gospel everywhere. Find disciples throughout the world and then teach them how to truly follow Christ. To accomplish this massive task, we need God’s spirit and biblical examples of how to present ourselves. So, what are the foundational principles of effectively sharing the gospel? The Apostle Paul helps us identify the key biblical principles of witnessing in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. He began by saying his own mission was to work at identifying with all people to better enable him to witness. Three broad categories of witness opportunities He then pointed out three broad categories of people he was attuned to, and these apply to us as well: To Jews, meaning to those who identified with Jewish customs. For us this would include those who are familiar with Christianity as well. To those with no Christian or Jewish faith who in many cases live very worldly lives. To the weak: those in any category who struggle with many forms of hardship or difficulty. In three specific examples of sharing the gospel with others, both Jesus and the Apostle Paul demonstrated a powerful ability to capture the hearts of those they were speaking with. Their examples demonstrated five basic principles to help us be effective spokespeople for Christ. Recognize: Understand who your audience is, including their values, backgrounds, and beliefs. Respect: Establish common ground through relatable language and genuine respect. Listen: Engage attentively, inviting others to share their perspectives. Awaken: Spark curiosity by presenting unexpected, thought-provoking points that break routine thinking. Teach, Preach, Reason, and Encourage: Present the gospel witness with heartfelt clarity and a focus on God’s redemptive plan. We saw how this all played out in the accounts of Paul before King Agrippa, and then again at Mars Hill in Athens speaking to a pagan audience. We also looked at Jesus encouraging two disciples on the road to Emmaus using these same basic principles. The power of the gospel message combined with these five communication principles reveals a recipe for great opportunity!
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53:05
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53:05
Who Was Deborah and Why Should We Care?
Deborah stands out as one of the inspiring figures in biblical history. As a prophetess, a judge and courageous leader, she rose above all expectations in a society driven by patriarchal influence. Her story, recorded in Judges 4 and 5, recounts her reliance on divine wisdom, as well as her decisive leadership and unwavering faith in God's promises, as she rallied Israel to victory against their oppressors. Superior military technology At the time Deborah served as a judge, Israel as a nation was subjugated by King Jabin of Hazor whose general, Sisera, commanded an army equipped with 900 iron chariots. These chariots were intimidating because they were markedly superior to any of the weapons of warfare Israel possessed. For 20 years, King Jabin and Sisera ruthlessly oppressed Israel until the people finally cried out to God for deliverance. God would answer their cry through the faithfulness of Deborah. Deborah received divine instruction to summon Barak, a military commander, and told him to gather 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. She assured him that God would orchestrate the battle against Sisera at the Kishon River, ensuring victory. However, Barak hesitated and insisted that Deborah accompany him into battle. Deborah agreed but foretold that the ultimate victory—defeating Sisera—would be accomplished by a woman. The battle unfolded dramatically Barak led his forces to Mount Tabor, and Sisera responded by mobilizing his army with their superior military technology. God intervened by sending a sudden, torrential rainstorm, causing the battlefield to flood. Sisera’s iron chariots, once a formidable advantage, become useless in the mud. His army was thrown into panic, and Barak pursued them, wiping out all of Sisera’s forces. Prophecy fulfilled Though Sisera escaped the actual battle, he was killed by a woman who was not even from Israel. This small but important detail reinforces the sovereignty of God, as His word is always fulfilled, even if it is accomplished in unexpected ways. Deborah’s leadership was marked by wisdom, humility and courage. She positioned herself to be used by God, patiently serving in her role as a judge until the time came for decisive action. Her ability to inspire faith and confidence in others played a crucial role in Israel’s victory! Her story clearly reflects the importance of relying on God’s guidance, acting with faith and recognizing godly leadership in unexpected places.
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45:40
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45:40