Heir Ship Dirigible

Here we examine the nature of the new leaders of the heavenly government. It is not like an earthly government, wherein power and might and force bring a person into power. The new governors of the world would operate as ambassadors, and therefore imitators, of Christ. They would recognize their full dependency upon God, operating in a spirit of forgiveness, kindness and servitude. We discuss God's nature to forgive, as well as what happens when one fails to reciprocate that forgiveness towards fellow brothers and sisters. The authority which was given to Jesus was passed on to the ecclesia (church) that continued on earth after him. He trained and taught them how to govern the world faithfully through prayer and service to others, ushering in the answer to his prayer: "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."Support the show

Jesus heads over to the northern coasts outside of Israel for awhile, and although he does not appear to have gone there for ministry, one local's persistence pays off as he grants her the miracle she requests.  Later on, we encounter a similar incident of persistence in faith when Jesus heals a blind man.  After several days follow with healings of the masses, Jesus speaks plainly with his closest followers about his identity and his purpose.Support the show

As Jesus makes his way into the wilderness after the death of John the Baptist, he finds a crowd already waiting for him in the place where he had intended to be alone with his closest followers. Rather than avoiding this unexpected turn of events, he changes his plans, instead spending the day healing and teaching them all. This leads into a miracle of provision with the multiplication of food, after which Jesus finally gets his time alone upon the mountain. One of the most extraordinary of all the miracles takes place as he approaches his disciples who are caught in a windstorm, walking to their boat upon the Sea of Galilee. Not only does Jesus walk on the water, but this miracle inspires the faith of Peter who also imitates him and does the same thing! Afterward, Jesus teaches on himself being the bread from heaven, and makes a clear distinction between physical concepts and spiritual truths. After the multiplication of food, the defying of gravity upon the water, and the explanation of taking in the Spiri

After making his rounds throughout the cities of Israel, Jesus returns to his childhood home of Nazareth. As he does regularly, he attends the synagogue on the Sabbath. When it comes his turn to read and expound, he teaches on the present fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in chapter 61. At first, the people are captivated and amazed, but they soon take offense as they realize the deeper implications of the things he is saying. Soon afterward, Jesus believes twelve of his closest followers to be ready to replicate the things which he is saying and doing. He had taught them and trained them one on one, and now he sends them out to the cities of Israel just as he himself had done, commanding them to heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead. Essentially, they were to show and tell that God was establishing His kingdom upon the earth. In the midst of this, Herod executes John the Baptist, after which Jesus and his followers retreat into a desert place for a brief respite.Support the show

Taking a look at only a few days in the ministry of Jesus paints a picture of just how seriously and indispensably he understood the power of faith to be. Exhibiting power over both the physical and the spiritual worlds, both heaven and earth, he shows every day what he later stated to his followers: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."  Not only does he show forth the power of faith, but he constantly uses these examples as teaching moments to show others how to live with exactly the same level of relationship and power. Some events in this episode include Jesus calming a storm, casting out evil spirits, healing a woman and raising a girl from the dead. And all the time he continually encourages those around him to only believe; God is greater than they ever imagined possible.Support the show

Jesus begins to clarify the nature of the kingdom of God: who its inhabitants are, who can enter, and in what order they will enter.  We take a look at how Jesus expounded these truths to the Pharisees, to lawyers, to the common people, and to even a Roman centurion.  He was breaking down all dividing lines; this kingdom that would fill the whole earth was one that went beyond physical ties.  It was a spiritual kingdom that would spread across the whole earth through the power and the fruits of the Holy Spirit of God.  First would come judgment of the old, then would come a building of the new.Support the show

Here we examine perhaps Jesus' most famous teaching which took place upon the Korazim Plateau. This is where Jesus expounds on what it means to be a child of God and to enter the kingdom of heaven. As people flocked to him from far and wide, the question everyone was yearning to know was this: how can we also enter into this new dimension of life which you have found? Healing was flowing from his body. The physical and spiritual worlds listened to him. God provided for him in everything he set his mind to do. People were curious, how can we enter into this same relationship with God, this same rhythm of life? Here, upon the mountainside, Jesus teaches how one enters this kingdom.Support the show

Today we take a look at Jesus’ teaching on judgment.  What is the standard by which people are judged, and who is the one that judges?  We see that Jesus teaches a good and loving God, one who judges no one, and Jesus had come to give life to all who would receive it.  In those days, many leaned on the words of Moses, and if that was where their faith was placed, then by the standards of Moses would they be judged righteous or unrighteousness.  Jesus, as did Paul, taught the foundation of what pleases God: faith.  We look at the importance of why we should allow our lives to reflect our ideal image of who God truly is.Support the show

In this episode, we examine what Matthew, Mark and Luke record as being some of the first acts of Jesus after his return from the wilderness. The thing which everyone immediately notices is the authority with which he speaks, and the power he wields over unclean spirits. As soon as the word spreads, crowds gather from far and wide, bringing with them those who are sick or possessed. We discuss potential origins of evil spirits and what the belief was at that time. We also cover the exposition of Jesus upon the topic of the Sabbath rest.Support the show

Following Jesus' days in the wilderness, he returns to civilization with power like nothing the world had ever seen.  Shortly after choosing his disciples, he attends a wedding in Cana.  Afterward, as was his tradition, he made his way to Jerusalem for the Passover holidays.  In this session, we examine what he did in Jerusalem and what he taught to the more open-minded Pharisees that wanted to know more about him.Support the show

Immediately following the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit drove him into the wilderness to be tested for forty days.  Here we discuss the nature of the questions and temptations that came to test Jesus.  We discuss what Jesus learned firsthand in the wilderness, and we examine the nature of testing in one's life.  Just as Jesus was visited by angels in the end, so are we rewarded when we allow these preparatory periods further to shape us into the image of God.Support the show

Moving through the early years of Jesus and John, we examine the reformation which began with John and was carried to new heights by his second cousin Jesus.  It began with words and resolutions; it matured into power and transformation.  It began with baptism of physical water, and it turned into a baptism of spiritual fire.Support the show

Many events took place around the sign of Jesus' unique birth, and this episode focuses on the similarities of Israel's history that lined up with the early life of Jesus, along with the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy that spoke of a ruler emerging from Bethlehem. I discuss the nature of Jesus, what it means to be born "of the Spirit," and how we in our day can follow the same pattern. Angels, their purposes, and a few stories from personal experience find their mix among the stories of angelic activity that surrounded those exciting early days.Support the show