Dewey Bertolini's Podcast

Let me tell you! If you want to see in crystal-clarity the character and the heart of God, this is it. Right here, right now, in real time, in this PODCAST. This in a breathtaking public display for all the world to see, at which the whole world will marvel. The broken heart of our God whom Peter described as “not wanting anyone to be destroyed (a word that means to destroy fully, to bring to nothing) but (who) wants everyone to repent.” This portrait of our God -- Who persistently pursues everyone in every way, making every effort to bring every sinner to repentance -- comes at very end of Olivet Discourse in Matthew 25. Here we will see, in this parable of the end of the age, the eternal separation of committed Christ-followers from those who defiantly and unrepentantly want nothing to do with Jesus. Plus, we will see their ultimate eternal destiny in what Jesus called “the eternal fire prepared for devil and his demons.” An unpleasant topic, to be sure. But a #Most.Important.One, because we are talking abo

Spoiler Alert: This PODCAST will not be paradigm-shifting. This podcast will be paradigm-shattering. There is so much going on here in Jesus’ conclusion to His landmark End Times Olivet Discourse that I hardly know where to begin. Last week, we saw that Jesus told a parable about ten bridesmaids, five who were wise and five who were foolish. This week, we’ll note that He told a follow-up parable about three servants, two who were faithful and one who was unfaithful. We are fast-winding down our study of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus’ End Times sermon that He gave to His disciples high atop the Mount of Olives. We are soon to pivot from the Tuesday of Jesus’ final week, to the Thursday of His final week, with detailed discussions of His final Passover Seder with His disciples, Judas’ betrayal, the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, His subsequent confinement in Caiaphas’ house, plus Peter’s denial. The countdown clock to Jesus’ crucifixion is ticking; the end of Jesus’ earthly minis

As you will hear in this PODCAST, we are fast-approaching the end of our mini-series within a series, this one having to do with all-things End-Times related. We are, as you well-know, well into the Olivet Discourse. Jesus’ primary teaching on End-Times events, as given on the Tuesday of His final week on earth. In two weeks, we will pivot to the Thursday of Jesus’ final week, including His Upper Room Discourse. It is curiously intriguing to me in the first letter that the Apostle Paul ever penned, 1 Thessalonians, he devoted so much of that letter to a discussion of the End Times. Which tells me that even from the very beginning, the first generation of committed Christ-followers had questions about Jesus’ return, even as they watched and waited for Jesus to come back. There was then, as there is today, much confusion about what was going to happen and when it would happen. One of the most encouraging things that Paul wrote -- you could consider it Paul’s commentary on this podcast’s Matthew 25 passage -- wa

I was away this week, sharing a precious memorial service for my dearly beloved mom with my family. Consequently, I have selected one of the MOST IMPORTANT podcasts that we have recorded in our Jesus in HD series. In this Encore PODCAST, as we continue in our chronological study of the life and ministry of Jesus, we come to Matthew 18:15-17 -- one of the most seriously significant passages in all of the New Testament, the so-called “Church Discipline” passage. Church Discipline, a teaching in many local churches that really rose into prominence in the late 1970’s and became quite the trend. I can remember attending church leadership conferences back then and hearing pastors -- I’ll use word “boast.” -- of the fact that they recently removed individuals from their congregations, thereby “preserving the purity of their churches.” Others would then oooh and ahhh at the boldness of these pastors in confronting the sin in his church and taking decisive action in order to preserve the purity of his church by the pr

As you will hear in this PODCAST, with Jesus’ words here in Matthew 24, the climax of human history as we know it will occur. No one will miss it. No one will mistake it. Everyone will know exactly what it is that is happening and why it is happening! The “it” to which I refer and which I intentionally repeated in the above sentences is Jesus’ Second Coming. What did Jesus say? “Then all the tribes of the earth… will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Quite a contrast to Jesus’ first coming, which you will remember was seen only by a few lowly shepherds out in the remote regions of Bethlehem. When Jesus came the first time, He came not with power and great glory, but as a newborn baby laid in an animal’s manger in the cold of a cave. That was Jesus’ First Coming. In the run-up to the crucifixion, the disciples were understandably fixated on the future, specifically on Jesus’ Second Coming. They were waiting; we are waiting. They were longing; we are longing. They we

As you are about to hear in this PODCAST, with Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:15, words that describe a singularly hair-raising event, the Great Tribulation will begin. A 3½-year period of unprecedented spiritual defection and oppression, along with its resultant worldwide suffering on a scale never seen before on this planet. Don’t take my word for that. Take Jesus’ word for that. In Matthew 24:21, “For then there will be great tribulation, greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.” The Great Tribulation, that will begin with the singular event to which Jesus alluded in Matthew 24:15, and will end with the climax of human history as we know it -- the glorious Second Coming of Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords. Permit me the briefest of reviews. It is absolutely vital that we keep the end-times timeline straight. The next event on God’s prophetic timetable is that wondrous event we commonly call The Rapture, where Christ-followers throughout the world wil

Birth pains. It’s all about the birth pains. As you will hear in this PODCAST, as we enumerate the final three of the six "signs of the times," both Paul and Jesus made it crystal-clear that we are to think of these signs in terms of birth pains. Paul, who borrowed this most-meaningful metaphor from Jesus, used it most-appropriately when he in Romans 8 declared, "For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time." It would not surprise me one bit to hear that some of you -- Or should I say some of us? -- have been groaning a little more than usual this past week. It is all about the birth pains, that increase dramatically in frequency and in intensity as the moment of birth approaches. This troubled planet of ours is undeniably in the later stages of its own labor pains, as it waits in breathless anticipation as the moment of Jesus’ return approaches. So said Paul. So said Jesus. Here in Matthew 24:8, spoken in the Olivet Discourse, on the Tuesday after

Welcome to the Olivet Discourse. The End Times prophetic address that Jesus gave to His disciples high atop the Mount of Olives, immediately to the East of the Holy City, Jerusalem. As you will hear in this PODCAST, that lovely little land that we affectionately call Israel is the center of the world. Literally and metaphorically. Literally, because Israel is the place where the three major continents -- Europe, Asia, and Africa -- tenderly touch and affectionately kiss each other. Which goes a long way to explaining why God chose this modest piece of real estate -- a mere 150 miles long (North-South), 50 miles wide (West-East) -- as stage for the Greatest Story Ever Told. Metaphorically the center of the world because throughout all of human history, the eyes of world have ever been focused squarely on the Middle East -- so called because it sits in the middle or center of the world. And in center of the Middle East sits Israel. So Israel is indeed the center of the world. That said, Jerusalem is the center

Picture him there, a grizzled, stooped, aged apostle, marooned on an island of rock, confined to a cave. See him in your mind’s eye, with quill to parchment, writing fast and furiously in a mad dash to record everything that he is now seeing and hearing. Our old (and at the time of his writing Revelation) very old friend, the beloved apostle John. Writing, as you will hear in this PODCAST, what sounds like fantastical tale in specific, yet an all-too-plausible scenario in the abstract. A story that brings to a climax the epic collision that has plagued this planet and every person who has ever trod its blood-soaked soil since the beginning of history. The climax of the collision of good versus evil. As we were so graphically reminded just last Thursday in the south of France. Here in Revelation both good and evil are personified. Here the wellsprings of good and evil are identified by name. Here this human-history-long all-out war finally, mercifully coming to its end, thankfully with good as the victor, and

“Watch out that no one deceives you.” As you will hear in this PODCAST, given the wild-eyed speculations with which Christian community has historically been bombarded regarding all-things prophecy-related, Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 give us a good warning indeed. A warning which explains why we want to take a sober, strictly-biblical look at what Jesus taught in Matthew 24 - 25 about His Second Coming and the end of the age. Let me remind you that we are now on Tuesday of Jesus’ final week, a mere seventy-two hours before His crucifixion. For the disciples, not to mention Jesus Himself, a head-spinning turbulent few days had just passed, highlighted by the Triumphal Entry and the Cleansing of the Temple. Yet, without trying to be cliched about it, they hadn’t seen anything yet. And frankly, neither have we. So for the moment, as they took a brief breather to gather their thoughts and emotions, Jesus and the twelve disciples huddled on the Mount of Olives and took in the breathtaking view laid out before them

I can’t tell you how excited I am in this PODCAST to break the seal on this, Jesus’ walk through the remainder of human history as we know it. It’s typically referred to as the Olivet Discourse because Jesus gave this prophetic panorama while sitting on the Mount of Olives, immediately to the East of Jerusalem, right across the Kidron Valley from the glorious Temple. One of the most breathtaking vistas in all the world. This is Tuesday of Jesus’ final week. On Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday, on what they would have called Passover Lamb selection day. On Monday, Jesus cleansed the Temple and cursed a fig tree. This Tuesday, a scant 72 hrs before the crucifixion, was significant and confrontational in the extreme. Jesus took on the religious leaders of the day, in a blistering take-down, essentially sealing His fate. (8 times in Matthew 23, Jesus will in effect consign them all to Hell with the fateful words, “Woe to you…”) Jesus explained why He cursed the fig tree (as we discus

One more week of camp. So one more Encore Podcast. My heart goes out to Mother Mary. Her name means “Bitterness.” Sadly, and quite frankly, in many ways Mary lived up to her name.  Being the mother of Jesus was no small task. One that she fulfilled with great dignity. But boy did she face her challenges. In this PODCAST, we will gaze upon a Scriptural snapshot of Mary unlike anything you have ever seen before. Not only that, but we will encounter Jesus in His darkest hour, second only to that night before the crucifixion when He sweat drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. As we do, our love for Him will deepen. Our respect for His mom will broaden. And our understanding of the both of them will stir up within our own hearts a sense of God’s presence in our lives like we’ve never experienced before. Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play. May God richly bless you as you listen!

I’m off doing my camp speaking thing. (I sure would appreciate your prayers: for me, but especially for the campers who are stuck having to listen to me for the week. But I digress.) Anyway, in this PODCAST, you will learn one singularly simple concept which, if you take it to heart, will change your life forever. It is my sense that in contemporary Christian culture in America, we have lost sight of the elegant simplicity spoken of in the New Testament. And consequently, we have lost so much of God’s blessing in the process. So here’s to simplicity, with the hope that your life overflows with God’s bountiful blessing as we together apply this principle to our lives. Please note that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play. Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play. God bless you richly as you listen.

To be perfectly honest with you, the passage here in Matthew 21 is coming -- for me,at least -- at just the right time. And perhaps for you as well. Given the current political climate in our beloved country, and the increasing despair that I have felt as the presidential primary season has now concluded, I so desperately need to hear my own message, courtesy of Jesus. Jesus assured His disciples, “Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” As you will hear in this PODCAST, the irony of what Jesus said is so thick that you could cut it with the proverbial knife. The irony being this: Jesus said those words to the disciples on the eve of His crucifixion in order to strengthen, to fortify their fragile faith. And frankly, to strengthen and to fortify ours. Jesus knew that the events in their lives were about to spin seemingly out of control. The hopes they harbored in their hearts were about to be crushed into the ash heap of history. The Jesus movement in which they played a central role

Welcome to Monday of Jesus’ last week, His Passion week, the final few days leading up to His coming crucifixion. As you will hear in this PODCAST, At the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, way back in John 2 (Podcast #21), Jesus cleansed the Temple for the first time. Now here in Mark 11, at the very end of His ministry, Jesus cleansed the Temple for the second time. A display of uncharacteristic anger, rare to be sure. But a shocking display of anger nonetheless. Quite out of character for a Jesus who described Himself, and who consistently showed Himself to be a Very.Gentle.Jesus. As Jesus walked through the Temple courts that day, something set Him off. Yes, He was understandably upset about the fleecing of the flock that was going on here. To be perfectly pointed about it, these religious leaders were making bank by selling God. Religion had become big business. By the time of Jesus, the Temple Industrial Complex was alive and well and oh-so-lucrative. Sadly, they had discovered in that day what so many

There is a beautiful and breathtaking symmetry to the life and ministry of Jesus. Case in point, as you will hear in this PODCAST, here in John 12, the beloved disciple brings us full circle. You may not see that now. But trust me, you will by the time we conclude this discussion. Let me give you one tantalizing little hint: This beautiful symmetry to which I refer has little to do with palm branches, but everything to do with lambs. Now watch this: When John introduced us to Jesus for the very first time, this is what he wrote: “The next day John (the baptizer) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” That’s in John 1. Here in John 12, this is what we read: “The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city.” Now listen: In both cases, at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry in John 1, and here at the very ending of Jesus’ ministry in John 12, it’s all about a lamb. I know that as you read any or all of the accoun

You talk about a collision of conflicting emotions, welcome to Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into His beloved city of Jerusalem. As you will hear in this PODCAST, all of this emotional turmoil will come to a climax as Jesus paused during His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, gazed longingly at breathtaking panorama, and then suddenly sang this song of lament: “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day.” This your day. The obvious question: What was it about this day that caused Jesus to refer to it with such a pointed specificity? This was, of course, the day on which Jesus chose to make His return to the Holy City, and thus to trigger all of tumultuous events of His turbulent last week. It was, as you may know, the final Sunday before Passover that year, what we call Palm Sunday. This because the people gathered in their thousands, and waved palm branches all along the route of Jesus’ ride on the back of a donkey into Jerusalem. I cannot help but to think that the words of Psalm 137 echoed through Jesus

The Apostle John turned out to be quite the lyricist. One could almost sing some of his melodious verses. In fact, many of us have. As you will hear in this PODCAST, John wasn’t a scholar, not by any stretch of imagination. Quite unlike the Apostle Paul, for example. John engaged in virtually no complex doctrinal discussions involving the nuances of theology, the kinds of stuff in which Paul reveled. John’s Greek is so simplistic that 1 John is invariably the first book every 1st-year Greek student translates. John was a passionate soul, one who wrote far more emotionally than he did academically. Consequently, John had the uncanny ability to relate to us all on such a visceral level that you get the sense that he understood exactly what it’s like to be us -- fragile, fearful, human. When their paths first crossed, Jesus met a rather unremarkable, uneducated fisherman from the provincial little town of Bethsaida. Yet, by the time Jesus got done with him, John became a prolific author (with one Gospel, three l

Meet Blind Bartimaeus, a man who seems at first blush to be nothing more than a bit player in this most dramatic and poignant moment. As you will hear in this PODCAST, this wasn’t the first time that Jesus healed a blind man. Nor is this the first time we have talked about Jesus healing a blind man. Last November, Podcast 141, comes to mind. So I would totally understand if you were tempted to bring to this story a sense of “been there, done that,” Déjà vu all over again. Like, if you’ve seen one blind-man-healing, you’ve seen them all, right? WRONG! As I said just a moment ago, this story is both dramatic and poignant. The implications of this story, both for the Jews of Jesus’ day, and for the entire world in our day, cannot be overstated. This story is indeed dramatic, dramatic in the extreme. Nor can we overstate the emotional state Jesus must have been in at this most significant moment of His ministry, as the final chapter of His life is about to unfold. Emotions that infuse this story with feeling from

You could call this story an epic “Opportunity Lost.” You talk about a guy presented with a once-in-a-lifetime golden opportunity, an opportunity that he squandered. An opportunity that he squandered Badly.And.Sadly. As you will hear in this PODCAST, we're talking about an offer rarely made, and shockingly dismissed. A young man who burst on the scene like a blazing comet streaking overhead, only to flame out and fall out of the sky to come crashing and burning to earth. What a story! One thing’s for sure. Jesus never took a class on Personal Evangelism. Because, to be honest, Jesus Broke.Every.Rule of personal evangelism in this very personal encounter. Here you have what we call in our contemporary Christian culture a seeker coming to Jesus to ask Him one question. THE question. The single most important question. A softball question that any one of us could answer. His question? “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” This young man asked Jesus exactly the right question, to which Jesus gave him exactl