Marked by Grace

Ever wondered about the visible signs of God's covenants? This episode explores one of the most profound questions in biblical theology: What is the visible representation of God's covenant with King David?Pastor Heath Lambert dives deep into covenant theology, explaining how God uses visible signs to represent invisible relationships. Discover why Jesus sitting on His heavenly throne is the ultimate fulfillment and visible sign of the Davidic covenant, and what this means for believers today.KEY TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Introduction: The visible sign of the Davidic Covenant1:04 - What is a covenant? Biblical relationships explained1:46 - Why covenants have visible signs2:40 - Examples of covenant signs: Rainbow (Noah), Circumcision (Abraham)3:46 - Sabbath as sign of the Old Covenant at Sinai4:46 - New Covenant signs: Baptism and Lord's Supper5:29 - The Davidic Covenant explained (2 Samuel 7:12-13)6:41 - Jesus as fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant7:52 - Two ways to fulfill an eternal covenant8:24 - The visible sign revealed: Jesus on His throne9:00 - Why you don't have to see it for it to be "visible"10:03 - Eternal perspective: We will see Him reignKEY POINTS- Covenants Are Biblical Relationships: God uses covenants as the organizing structure for His relationship with humanity and the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation.- Visible Signs Make Invisible Relationships Real: Since we can't see spiritual relationships, God provides tangible signs we can observe - rainbows, circumcision, Sabbath, baptism, and communion.- The Davidic Covenant Promises an Eternal King: God promised David that someone from his family line would sit on the throne forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13).- Jesus Fulfills the Covenant Perfectly: Rather than an endless succession of mortal kings, Jesus - as David's descendant - reigns eternally, never needing replacement.- Christ's Heavenly Throne is the Visible Sign: Jesus currently sits at the right hand of God's majesty in heaven, fulfilling the Davidic covenant as the eternal King.- "Visible" Doesn't Mean Everyone Sees It: Just as circumcision or baptism aren't seen by everyone but are still "visible signs," Christ's throne is visible to those in heaven, making it a legitimate covenant sign.Submit your questions for future episodes to MarkedByGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES2 Samuel 7:12-13 - "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever."Luke 1:32-33 - "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."Hebrews 1:3 - "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."

Wondering if you've missed your chance to start family devotions with older kids? This episode provides biblical wisdom and practical steps for beginning family worship at ANY age, even with teenagers! Pastor Heath Lambert tackles one of the most common questions Christian parents face: starting family devotions when you never did them before. Discover why it's never too late, how to handle the awkwardness, and what family worship looks like as kids grow older.TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Introduction: The importance of family devotions1:10 - Biblical foundation: Ephesians 6:4 command to parents2:18 - Heath's family approach: Read, Pray, Sing formula3:01 - It's never too late to start (even with kids out of house)3:44 - How to start: The honest conversation approach4:42 - Embracing the awkwardness: Why it's normal and okay6:00 - Starting with older kids: What to expect6:52 - How family devotions evolve as children grow8:00 - Deuteronomy 6:6-7: Teaching in everyday moments9:17 - Final encouragement: Start todayMAIN TAKEAWAYS- It's Never Too Late to Start: Whether your kids are toddlers, teenagers, or even adults living away from home, you can begin family worship today.- Be Honest About the Gap: Acknowledge to your family that you should have been doing this and ask for grace as you start.- Expect and Embrace Awkwardness: Family devotions will feel awkward at first - that's completely normal. Don't let discomfort stop you from establishing this crucial habit.- Family Worship Evolves: With younger kids, aim for daily structured time (read, pray, sing). With older kids, focus on creating a culture of ongoing spiritual conversation.- Simple Formula That Works: Read scripture + Pray together + Sing = effective family devotion timeSubmit your questions for future episodes to MarkedByGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCESEphesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."Deuteronomy 6:6-7 - "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

Jesus was fully divine, yet Luke 2:52 says He "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God." How is this possible? In today's episode, Pastor Heath Lambert breaks down this theological question, exploring Christ's active and passive obedience and what it means for believers today.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction to Marked by Grace podcast00:20 How to submit your questions to markedbygrace@fbcjax.com00:39 Today's question: How did Jesus grow in favor with God?00:49 Scripture reference: Luke 2:5201:38 Common questions about Jesus growing in wisdom02:16 God's declaration: "This is my Son with whom I am well pleased"02:40 Understanding Jesus' work on earth02:47 Theological concept: Active and Passive Obedience03:12 Active Obedience explained - Jesus fulfilling all the law03:43 Scripture reference: 1 Peter 2:22 - "He committed no sin"03:59 Passive Obedience explained - Jesus' sacrifice for sinners04:26 Scripture reference: 1 Peter 3:18 - Christ's suffering for sins05:19 How Jesus grew in favor with God - explanation and conclusionKEY POINTS:• Jesus was already pleasing to the Father as Son, but grew in favor through His obedience• "Active obedience" refers to Jesus perfectly fulfilling all requirements of God's law• "Passive obedience" refers to Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross for sinners• While Jesus was fully divine and omniscient, Luke 2:52 shows His human development• Jesus didn't need to grow in His status as Son, but in His earthly mission fulfillment• Jesus grew in favor with God as He progressively accomplished His redemptive work• The Father's pleasure in Christ included both His eternal Sonship and His obedient earthly life• Jesus' complete obedience provides the foundation for our salvation• This theological concept helps us understand both Christ's divinity and humanity• While Jesus was fully divine and omniscient, Luke 2:52 shows His human development• Jesus didn't need to grow in His status as Son, but in His earthly mission fulfillment• "Active obedience" refers to Jesus perfectly fulfilling all requirements of God's law• "Passive obedience" refers to Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross for sinners• Jesus grew in favor with God as He progressively accomplished His redemptive work• The Father's pleasure in Christ included both His eternal Sonship and His obedient earthly life• Jesus' complete obedience provides the foundation for our salvation• This theological concept helps us understand both Christ's divinity and humanitySubmit your questions for future episodes to MarkedbyGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES:Luke 2:52 - "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."1 Peter 2:22 - "He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth."1 Peter 3:18 - "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit."

Heath Lambert addresses a question from a youth minister about how to guide young Christians seeking "closure" after relationships end. Discover how to recognize what people are really asking for beneath this vague term, and respond with biblical wisdom.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction and this week's topic on relationship closure0:35 Context: Youth minister's question about teenage breakups1:37 The problem with "closure" as a vague, undefined term2:35 How to help someone seeking closure: Ask questions and apply Scripture3:32 Category #1: Closure when mistreatment has occurred4:40 Biblical perspective: Reconciliation, not just "closure"5:50 Category #2: Desiring to recover a relationship or understand rejection6:52 The painful reality of unrequited feelings8:41 Finding security in God's love (Ephesians 1:7-8) rather than human approval10:02 Category #3: Confusion about the relationship seeking clarityKEY POINTS:- "Closure" is an ill-defined term that means different things to different people- When someone seeks closure, ask specific questions to understand what they're really seeking- Three common categories of what people mean by "closure":1. Mistreatment that needs addressing - When sin has occurred in the relationship- Biblical category: Reconciliation through confession and forgiveness- May be complicated by circumstances (especially if dangerous behavior occurred)2.Unreciprocated affection - When one person likes the other more- Reality: We must learn to respond maturely to rejection- No amount of "closure conversations" can change someone's feelings- Growth comes through finding security in God's lavish love (Ephesians 1:7-8)3. Genuine confusion seeking clarity - Understanding what happened- May be legitimate or may mask the desire for reconciliation- Can be appropriate when seeking growth-oriented feedback- Must approach with others-centered love, not selfish motivesSubmit your questions for future episodes to markedbyGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES:Ephesians 1:7-8 - "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight."

Heath Lambert addresses questions about narcissism in Christian ministry: Is it widespread in churches, and should those displaying narcissistic traits be removed from leadership? Discover how Scripture reframes this contemporary psychological concern as the age-old spiritual problem of pride.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction to this week's topic on covert narcissism0:50 How the Marked by Grace question process works2:23 The two-part question: Is covert narcissism rampant in church? Should narcissists be fired?2:53 Understanding narcissism from a secular perspective4:11 The biblical equivalent: pride as described in Scripture5:13 Pride as the universal root problem of sinners6:31 Is narcissism (pride) rampant in the church?7:17 Should "covert narcissists" be fired from church positions?7:44 Biblical qualifications and 1 Timothy 3:6 on conceit8:56 The crucial distinction: struggling with pride vs. being "swollen with conceit"KEY POINTS:- Narcissism is a secular psychological term from the DSM describing traits like grandiosity, need for admiration, and arrogance- These characteristics closely align with what the Bible identifies as pride (1 John 2:16)- Pride—the desire to exalt ourselves above others and God—is the fundamental problem of every sinner- All Christians, including church leaders, struggle with pride in some form- The biblical qualification in 1 Timothy 3:6 isn't the absence of pride but not being "puffed up with conceit"- There's a significant difference between a qualified leader who battles pride and seeks to overcome it versus someone who is "swollen with conceit"- Disqualification should be based on biblical grounds (being dominated by pride), not merely secular psychological categories- Judgments about disqualification should come from those close to the person who observe a pattern, not from distant assumptionsSubmit your questions for future episodes to markedbyGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES:1 John 2:16 - "All that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world."1 Timothy 3:6 - "He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil."

Heath Lambert examines a complex interpretive question that's increasingly raised in discussions about homosexuality and Scripture. Learn why attempts to find LGBTQ+ affirmation in the close friendship between David and Jonathan represent problematic biblical interpretation.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction and today's controversial question0:46 Context: A member's conversation with someone claiming biblical support for homosexuality1:19 The key passage: 1 Samuel 20:41-42 and claims about David and Jonathan2:52 The more sophisticated argument about Hebrew terminology4:43 Why this approach to Scripture is fundamentally flawed6:36 Clear biblical evidence that David and Jonathan were not in a homosexual relationship8:31 Analysis of the claim about "offspring" and its implications9:40 How Scripture handles David's actual sexual sin with Bathsheba11:34 The real good news: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and transformation in ChristKEY POINTS:- The argument that David and Jonathan were in a homosexual relationship primarily focuses on 1 Samuel 20:41-42- Some interpreters make claims about Hebrew words for "most" (as in "David weeping the most") and "offspring" to suggest sexual connotations- This interpretive approach forces contemporary LGBTQ+ perspectives onto ancient texts rather than allowing Scripture to shape our understanding- The Hebrew word translated as "most" appears 112 times in the Old Testament and is never used with sexual connotations- The reference to "offspring" between David and Jonathan actually contradicts the homosexual interpretation- When biblical figures sin sexually (like David with Bathsheba), Scripture addresses it directly and honestly- The Bible neither describes nor endorses homosexual behavior between David and Jonathan- Those seeking biblical affirmation for homosexuality are looking for "good news" that their sin is acceptable- The true good news is found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, which both acknowledges sin and offers transformation through ChristSubmit your questions for future episodes to markedbyGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES:- 1 Samuel 20:41-42 - David and Jonathan's emotional farewell- 2 Samuel 11:4 - Scripture's direct description of David's sin with Bathsheba- 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 - "Such were some of you..." - transformation through Christ

Heath Lambert addresses a challenging question facing many Christians today: What should we do with books and resources from Christian leaders who have fallen into sin or been disqualified from ministry? Learn a biblical framework for approaching this increasingly common dilemma.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction and today's difficult question0:45 The context: Many prominent Christian leaders falling from ministry1:42 Paul's words about finishing well in 2 Timothy 4:6-72:52 Important distinctions in types of disgrace and disqualification3:28 Addressing resources from those disqualified by false teaching4:52 Addressing resources from those disqualified by moral failure6:32 How moral failures can "taint" otherwise sound teaching7:58 Bottom line: Balancing gratitude for past benefit with future discernmentKEY POINTS:- Many once-prominent Christian leaders have failed to "finish the race" well (2 Timothy 4:6-7)- We must distinguish between disqualification through false teaching versus moral failure- Resources from those who taught false doctrine should generally be avoided completely- Even if their other materials contain truth, recommending them risks leading others to their false teachings- Moral failures don't necessarily make a teacher's true statements untrue, but they do "taint" their work-Just as many can't separate Bill Cosby's shows from his actions, Christians may struggle to benefit from resources by morally fallen leaders- Consider finding similar resources from leaders who haven't been disqualified when possible- Truth that impacted you positively remains true, regardless of the messenger's later failings- When using such resources, heavy qualification about what you now know is advisableSubmit your questions for future episodes to markedbyGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES:2 Timothy 4:6-7 - "I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Heath Lambert explores why the resurrection of Jesus is essential for salvation, not just a historical event to celebrate once a year. Discover how Christ's resurrection proves His victory over sin and empowers believers to live transformed lives.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction and continuing the resurrection conversation0:45 Is the resurrection important for salvation?1:23 Why we often focus only on Christ's death2:40 The complete gospel: Christ's life, death, AND resurrection3:11 Biblical foundation: Romans 6:3-5 and resurrection power3:45 Two crucial reasons the resurrection matters for salvationKEY POINTS:- Many Christians emphasize Jesus' death on the cross without equal emphasis on His resurrection- While Christ's substitutionary death is central to Christian faith, it's not the complete picture- Complete salvation teaching includes Jesus' perfect life, sacrificial death, AND victorious resurrection- The resurrection provides two essential elements for salvation:Proof that Jesus conquered sin, death, and Satan—without resurrection, Jesus' payment wasn't acceptedPower for believers to live new lives—resurrection power enables righteous livingWithout the resurrection, believers would still be "dead in trespasses and sins"Forgiveness alone only brings us to "neutral"—we need Christ's resurrection life to live righteouslyRomans 6:3-5 teaches that just as Christ was raised to new life, believers can "walk in newness of life"Salvation isn't just about forgiveness of past sins but empowerment for righteous livingSubmit your questions for future episodes to markedbyGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES:Romans 6:3-5 - "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

Heath Lambert examines the historical evidence for Jesus Christ's resurrection. Discover why even skeptics in the first century were convinced by overwhelming eyewitness testimony, and why the resurrection stands as the most well-documented miracle in history.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction and the essential question of Christianity0:52 Two possible responses to the resurrection claim2:07 Why skepticism is understandable but insufficient3:39 The skepticism of Thomas and his encounter with the risen Christ (John 20:25-28)5:52 Over 500 eyewitnesses to the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:5-6)7:34 The apostles' willingness to die for their testimony9:03 The global impact of Christianity as evidence for the resurrectionKEY POINTS:- The resurrection either happened or didn't—there is no middle ground position- Even Jesus' closest followers were initially skeptical of resurrection claims- Thomas refused to believe without physical evidence but was convinced when he saw Jesus- Over 500 people witnessed the resurrected Jesus at one time—overwhelming eyewitness testimony- The apostles went to their deaths maintaining their testimony—no one recanted- No group of people would die for what they knew to be a lie- The global impact of Christianity is better explained by a true resurrection than by a hoax- Jesus' followers transformed from fearful skeptics to bold witnesses willing to die for their testimony- Christianity's world-changing influence began with real witnesses to a real eventSubmit your questions for future episodes to markedbyGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES:John 20:25-28 - Thomas's skepticism and subsequent belief after seeing the risen Jesus1 Corinthians 15:5-6 - Paul's account of Jesus appearing to more than 500 people at one timeEVENT INFORMATION:Join First Baptist Church Jacksonville for a special Good Friday concert celebrating the resurrection. https://fbcjax.com/easter-concert/

Heath Lambert explores the surprising origins of Easter traditions many Christians celebrate. Discover how the Easter bunny, colored eggs, and even the word "Easter" itself have roots in pagan fertility rituals, and learn how to keep Christ's resurrection at the center of your celebration.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction and this week's question about Easter traditions1:00 The pagan origins of the word "Easter" and spring celebrations2:33 How rabbits and eggs became fertility symbols in pagan rituals3:41 The Easter bunny's journey to America through German immigrants4:38 Keeping Christ's resurrection at the center of our celebrationsKEY POINTS:- The word "Easter" comes from Eostre (spelled "Eosre"), a pagan goddess of springtime and fertility- Spring was celebrated as a time when witches of winter were driven away by the return of warmth- Rabbits were this goddess's animal symbol due to their fertility, believed to chase away winter witches- The concept of rabbits delivering eggs combined two fertility symbols despite biological impossibility- German immigrants brought "Osterhase" (Easter hare) traditions to America in the 1700s- Children would create straw nests for the rabbit to fill with colored eggs- These nests evolved into the elaborate Easter baskets filled with candy and gifts we know today- These traditions have absolutely no connection to the biblical account of Christ's resurrection- Christians should be intentional about focusing on Jesus's resurrection during Easter celebrationsSubmit your questions for future episodes to markedbyGrace@fbcjax.comFirst Baptist Church Jacksonville YouTube channel will feature Holy Week devotionals from pastors explaining the significance of each day leading to Resurrection Sunday so stay tuned!