Jesus at 2AM - A Humorous, Intelligent Look at the Bible, Church History & the Life of Faith

We have already witnessed a radical transformation in Paul - from zealous persecutor of the church to faithful Christian. But there is more to come. Paul is called by God to be an apostle (lit. "a sent one"), not to his fellow Jews, but specifically to the Gentile world. It is a mission that revolutionizes his theology, and reveals for him a depth of God's salvation he could never have otherwise imagined. In this episode we examine the Gentile mission and its essential role in the saving of the world. The biblical passage referenced in this sermon is: Ephesians 3:1-13 (NRSV) To see the map referenced in the sermon, CLICK HERE. Want to connect? You can send e-mail here. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

How does one go from being the church's greatest persecutor to its greatest advocate? The short answer, in Paul's own words, is: grace. In this episode, we examine this most central theme in Paul's theology. What exactly is "grace"? How do we experience it? And is it a new development in God's character, or has the God of Israel been demonstrating grace all along? If you've ever sought a deeper understanding of the Christian conception of grace, this is the episode for you. The biblical passage referenced in this sermon is: Gal. 1:11-17 (NRSV) Want to connect? You can send e-mail here. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The letter to the church at Rome - essentially a treatise on the saving work of God across history - is the Apostle Paul's magnum opus and one of the great works of Western literature. It is so profound in its insight and broad in application that we are tempted to read it apart from its context. But it is the work of a very human author, whose internal and external life must be understood. In this prologue to Romans, we meet Paul, the once notorious Saul of Tarsus - zealot and Pharisee. The biblical passage referenced in this sermon is: Acts 7:54-8:1 (NRSV) Want to connect? You can send e-mail here. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

One of the most difficult elements of the spiritual life to accept is that humans are inherently bad at it. That is not to say we cannot make progress (we surely can!). But for every three steps forward there are two in reverse. That's simply how it is. And it is a journey God accepts. What's more, God willfully chooses to walk it with us. And seeing that truth - the enduring presence of God amongst his very "stiff-necked" people- turns out to make all the difference in our day-to-day relationship. The biblical passage referenced in this sermon is: Exodus 33:12-34:9 (NRSV) Want to connect? You can send e-mail here. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The divine commandment of sabbath is stunning and without parallel in the Ancient Near East. Yet YHWH regularly repeats the command to rest and connects it with the covenant bond between Israel and God (so critical was it to God that laboring on the sabbath could be a capital offense!). In this episode we examine both the divine call to work and to rest, and why it is that God (contrary to what we often suspect) literally forbids maximizing our human output - in our own service or in his. The biblical passage referenced in this sermon is: Exodus 31:1-18 (NRSV) Want to connect? You can send e-mail here. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Unheard of in the ancient world was a deity who travelled with his people. There were gods of particular regions (and within those regions lesser deities who controlled the wind here or the rain there), but a god so tied to his people that he sojourned with them, never. Until YHWH called Israel. In this episode we examine the depth of the bond between YHWH and Israel and God's commitment to be present. We also look at the first offering taken, one to build God's "tabernacle" - a voluntary act of giving! The biblical passage referenced in this sermon is: Exodus 24:3-25:9 (NRSV) Want to connect? You can send e-mail here. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

One of the most striking aspects of Israel's God is his concern for human interactions. We've seen this already in the 10 Commandments and YHWH's insistence that his people be marked by justice. But God does not stop a broad principles. In this episode (the first of two), we look at what's known as "The Mishpatim" - the civil law that is to govern day-to-day affairs amongst God's people. It give a remarkable look at God's character and the quality of life that is to define his holy nation. The biblical passage referenced in this sermon is: Exodus 21:1-21, 33-36; 23:4-5 (NRSV) Want to connect? You can send e-mail here. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Unlike the covenant with Abraham, the covenant at Sinai comes with stipulations - obligations which, if met, lead to blessing, but, if ignored, lead to punishment. The most critical of these stipulations we know as the 10 Commandments. In this episode we examine what these commandments actually command and how they function in light of the larger Sinai covenant, in later Judaism, and in the church of the 21st century. The biblical passage referenced in this sermon is: Exodus 19:16-20:21 (NRSV) Want to connect? You can send e-mail here. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

After 40 days in the wilderness, Israel arrives at Mt. Sinai. And it is there the next stage of their growth as God's people begins. It is at Sinai that she is consecrated, and there that God establishes a new covenant - a contract that binds Israel to obedience. YHWH will be her king and she will live out a unique identity in the world - distinct from all other peoples. The question will become: What happens if Israel cannot fulfill her end of the deal? The biblical passage referenced in this sermon is: Exodus 19:1-25 (NRSV) To find out more about Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and how you can help those recovering from natural disaster, CLICK HERE. Want to connect? You can send e-mail here. Or find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.