(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see why)
Focus Question:
What is unique about Christianity?
Intro:
Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?
In all other religious systems, when God exercises his mercy, he does it at the expense of justice. He lays aside justice in order to say, “I forgive you.” But when judges lay aside the interest of justice in order to exercise mercy, you get hopelessness and despair. The distinctive of Christianity is this: Not that God exercises His mercy at the expense of justice, but through it. ~ Michael Ramsden
And there you go…our focus question and answer in the first 30 seconds of the program.
Hey, welcome everyone. In the last couple days we read that the Lamb, Jesus himself, exercises judgment in the last days. And it makes sense, he’s not only fully human, but fully God — the same yesterday, today, and forever.
As we come to the end of reading the New Testament all the way through — and that’s today! — it’s useful to remember that a perfectly fair and just God will judge each according to their works, and while I know you are holy, I am not. I desperately the judge to grant me mercy. Thank you Jesus for being both a righteous judge and the sacrificial Lamb in what you did for me.
New Testament segment:
Welcome to a vision that is either the most beautiful thing ever…or the scariest thing ever.
Passage: Revelation 22
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 21
Words: ~478
Come, King Jesus!
Old Testament segment:
So…a little more about Gog of Magog and some more that we’ll just have to hold in tension. As mentioned yesterday, attempts to identify Gog of Magog are fruitless as are only a few times he’s mentioned in the Bible, and none of them lead anywhere. So…shall we just sit at Jesus feet and trust that he’s honored as we worship him by listening?
Passage: Ezekiel 39
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 29
Words: ~847
Wisdom segment:
Passage: Proverbs 30-31:9
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 42
Words: ~667
The bottom line:
None today. Thanks for being on the journey. We just completed the NT in just over 10 months, and tomorrow we’ll wrap up Proverbs in a special weekend edition.
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) D. A. Carson, ed., NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 1470.
(2) Manfred T. Brauch, “Bride of Christ,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 381–382.