John Mark Comer Teachings
127 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 days ago - ★★★★★ - 956 ratingsThe teachings of Jesus lead us to a better, fuller life. This was true in the ancient world where Jesus first taught, and it’s still true today. But what does it mean to actually practice the way of Jesus in today’s complex, secular world? In this podcast by Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer responds to that important question through his teachings at Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon. Join us as John Mark provides practical insight on how you can be with Jesus, become like Him and do what He did wherever you are today.
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Episodes
Prayer (ft. Tyler Staton) | Unforced Rhythms of Grace E2
April 12, 2024 09:00 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MB"Prayer is the soil where every other spiritual practice grows." Tyler teaches on the pervasiveness of prayer in every facet of our spiritual walk and its importance in our growth. He challenges us to pray like we believe that God hears and answers. Key Scripture Passage: Hebrews 5v7 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Gillian from Forest Hills, South Africa; Jeff from Ann Arbor, Michigan; Eva...
Nine Practices for a Rule of Life (ft. Tyler Staton) | Unforced Rhythms of Grace E1
April 05, 2024 09:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBWhat is the "yoke" of Jesus? Tyler Staton breaks down Jesus's invitation, helping us to experience the joy and life of Jesus as we follow in his ways. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 11v28-30 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Emily from Lakewood, California; Abraham from Omaha, Nebraska; Eli from Bois D’Arc, Missouri; Steve from Portland, Oregon; and Samara from Lausanne, Switzerland. Thank you...
Hope Like Nothing the World Has Ever Seen
March 29, 2024 09:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MBDo you have hope? John Mark explores the life-changing message of Easter by showing us the hope found in the story of Jesus and his resurrection. Key Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 15v1-28 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Christopher from Superior, Colorado; Jonathan from Langley, BC; Kathy from Colorado Springs, Colorado; Kayne from Phoenix, Arizona; and Ryan from Fort Lauderdale, Florida...
There Are No Accidental Saints | Austin Book Tour Teaching and Q+R
March 22, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 62.3 MB"Godliness is possible, but it is not natural." John Mark discusses some of the foundational ideas from his new book: Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus, Become Like Jesus, Do as He Did. John Mark challenges us to resist the distractions that tempt us to waste our lives, and instead become people of love who live for our eulogies rather than our resumes. To pick up a copy of John Mark's new book, you can purchase it online here, or in person wherever books are sold. This podcast and its ...
Eat It | It Is Written E4
March 15, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBHow do we read the Bible? John Mark talks about the importance of obedience in our reading the Bible, challenging us to not only study the Bible, but meditate and digest it through slow, prayerful reading of the Scriptures. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 24v13-27, 44-48; Joshua 1v7-8; Psalm 1v1-3 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Tim from Paron, Arkansas; Michael from Kettering, Ohio; Keith from...
Shaped | It Is Written E3
March 08, 2024 10:00 - 47 minutes - 43.3 MBWhy read the Bible? John Mark argues that we don't just read the Scriptures to gain information or be entertained, but to be shaped: to become more like the God whose story and character are revealed to us as we read. Key Scripture Passages: 2 Timothy 3v14-18 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jill from Louisville, Ohio; Jess from Brea, California; Jacob from Austin, Texas; Kate from Fargo, Nor...
The Book of Strange New Things | It Is Written E2
March 01, 2024 10:00 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWhat exactly is the Bible? If we misunderstand what the Bible is, we’ll turn in into something it’s not. John Mark makes the case that the Bible is a library of writings that are both divine and human, that together tell a unified story which leads us to Jesus. Key Scripture Passages: John 5v39-40 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Natalie from Sierra Madre, California; Michelle from Nashville,...
The Problem With the Bible | It Is Written E1
February 23, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 62.4 MBWe have a problem with the Bible. More and more followers of Jesus in the west don’t read it, don’t now how to read it, don’t even like it, and frankly, take issue with it. So why do we follow the Bible? In this episode, John Mark looks at how Jesus talked about the Bible, arguing that we believe in the Bible because of Jesus's authority, not the other way around. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 5v17-19; Mark 12v35-36; Mark 12v18-27; Matthew 28v16-18. This podcast and its episodes are paid...
Dreams: Different, Harder, Longer, Better | Discovering Your Identity and Calling (Revamped) E6
February 16, 2024 10:00 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBAre you waiting on a dream from God? John Mark teaches about God's promises through the story of Joseph. He shows us that God's fulfillment of our deepest dreams and desires are often even better than we can imagine, giving us hope and endurance in the different, harder, and longer middle of the story. Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 37v2 - Genesis 45v8; Philippians 4v11-13 Resources for this practice: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/identity-and-calling This podcast and i...
How We Change: Intentional Spiritual Formation | Discovering Your Identity and Calling (Revamped) E5
February 09, 2024 10:00 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBHave you ever tried to change but couldn't make it last? As John Mark taught last week, we're constantly being shaped by our beliefs, habits, relationships, and environment. This week, he tells us how to fight back and create lasting transformation in our lives. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 6v39-40; Romans 12v2; Matthew 5-7 Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/part-six Other Mentioned Resources: Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster The Cost of Disciple...
How We Change: Unintentional Spiritual Formation | Discovering Your Identity and Calling E4 (Revamped)
February 02, 2024 10:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MB"The question isn't, are you being formed? It's, what are you being formed into?" John Mark talks about the various influences that shape our lives and who we become. He challenges us to be intentional with our beliefs, habits, relationships, and experiences to form us into people of love. Key Scripture Passages: Ephesians 4v1-24; Galatians 4v19; Proverbs 4v23 Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/part-five This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circ...
Calling: The Inward Journey | Discovering Your Identity and Calling E3 (Revamped)
January 26, 2024 10:00 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MB"The main thing God gets out of your life is the person you become" - Dallas Willard Our calling isn't just about what we do with our lives: it's also about who we become. John Mark talks about the inward journey: who we are called to be as believers, and how to get there. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 4v18-22; Matthew 9v9-13 Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/part-three Other Resources: The Road Back to You, Suzanne Collins Invitation to a Journey, Robe...
Identity | Discovering Your Identity and Calling E2 (Revamped)
January 19, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 60 MBWho are you, really? John Mark walks us through what the Scriptures tell us about our identity in Christ, helping us step into that reality through faith -- even when our lives don't seem to live up to it. Key Scripture passages: Matthew 3v13-17; Ephesians 1v1-15; Ephesians 4v1-3 Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/week-two This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Janine...
The Journey | Discovering Your Identity and Calling E1 (Revamped)
January 12, 2024 10:00 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBOur identity and calling has ramifications for who we become and what we do with our lives. John Mark lays out a biblical framework for this journey of discovery, encouraging us to embrace this process with community and the Holy Spirit. Key Scripture passages: Matthew 3v13-4v11; John 1v20-28; Matthew 16v13-18; Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/week-one This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks ...
What's Next for the Podcast
January 05, 2024 10:00 - 2 minutes - 1.85 MBWe've got lots of new content coming in 2024! Our new host, Strahan Coleman, gives a quick update on what's upcoming for the John Mark Comer Teachings podcast.
Hope | Advent E2
December 22, 2023 10:00 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBWhen was the last time you were disappointed? In our world, it's easy to put our hope in things that fail us. In contrast to the disillusionment of the world, John Mark talks about the Advent hope of Jesus's birth and second coming, showing us how putting our hope in that reality is the only hope that will never disappoint. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 1v16-38; Luke 24v13-27 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this ...
Joy | Advent E1
December 15, 2023 10:00 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MBAre you happy? Many of us aren't. Yet Martin Luther once said "a Christian should be happy." And Rick Howe argued that "the pursuit of joy is a moral obligation." In a world filled with sorrow and grief, John Mark shows us how the coming of Jesus gives us a path to pursue joy and how we can hold it in tandem with the pain of our lives. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 2v1-20 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episo...
Being with God | Prayer E4
December 08, 2023 10:00 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBHow do we pray when we run out of words? John Mark talks about the practice of contemplative prayer and it's importance in our spiritual formation. He concludes with three primary obstacles to this form of prayer, offering ideas on how to move past these and embrace the depth of this path to life with God. Key Scripture Passages: 2 Corinthians 3v7-18 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Shirley f...
Listening to God | Prayer E3
December 01, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MB"Learning to hear God's voice is the single most important task of a disciple of Jesus." John Mark talks about listening to God, exploring both they why and the how behind it. He challenges us to posture ourselves in surrender and obedience as we lean into a relationship with our creator. Key Scripture Passages: John 10v1-10; Deuteronomy 6v4-5; Matthew 28v19-20 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes ...
Talking with God | Prayer E2
November 24, 2023 10:00 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MBThere comes a moment in our prayer lives when we want to pray our own words to God. John Mark shows us how the ancient practices of gratitude, lament, petition, and intercession help us find words to place our lives before God in love. Key Scripture Passage: Luke 11v1-13 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Emily from Bakersfield, California; Evan from Woodland Park, Colorado; Callie Jane from C...
Talking to God | Prayer E1
November 17, 2023 10:00 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBHow do we pray in a world full of smartphones? John Mark dives into Luke 11 and how Jesus taught his disciples to pray, showing how this prayer orients us to the character of God and how other pre-written prayers can help us grow in our walk with God. Key Scripture Passage: Luke 11v1-4 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Caleb from Avondale, Arizona; Timothy from Toronto, Ontario; Tyler from Gra...
Church is Formation
November 10, 2023 10:00 - 51 minutes - 47 MBDo you ever feel stuck? John Mark speaks to the difference between our role and God's role in our formation journey, inviting us to embrace God's leading by letting go of attachments. He argues that surrender to God's work is a way to go beyond the surface level of our spiritual journey. Key Scripture Passage: John 21v18-19 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Tiffani from Oak Park, Illinois; Ale...
The Three Levels of Faith
November 03, 2023 09:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBWhat do you do when everything falls apart? John Mark talks about overcoming fear in our lives, laying out a three-part journey of growing in faith, where we find deep peace and trust that transcends our circumstances. Key Scripture Passage: Mark 9v14-29 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Kevin from New Richmond, Wisconsin; Nathan from Social Circle, Georgia; Mike from Nashville, Tennessee; Bar...
Future Church for the Future World | Future Church E8
October 27, 2023 09:00 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBWhat gives you hope for the future? John Mark contrasts the negative news cycle of our age with the good news of Jesus: that he's overcome death and is returning that we might walk in his resurrection. Key Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 15v1-28 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Eric from Lake Zurich, Illinois; Matt from Conway, Arkansas; Zodwa from Spring, Texas; Annie from McKinney, Texas; ...
A Community of Contribution in a Culture of Careerism | Future Church E7
October 20, 2023 09:00 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBHow would you work differently if you believed your work was essential to your apprenticeship to Jesus? John Mark argues that a subtle religion emerging in our culture is 'work-ism,' where work becomes the primary system of meaning and identity in our lives. In contrast, he proposes the practice of vocation - 're-weaving glory' by doing everything unto the Lord. Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 1v26-29, 2v8-15 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of month...
A Community of Peacemakers in a Culture of Political Polarization | Future Church E6
October 13, 2023 09:00 - 40 minutes - 37 MBWhat if the way forward in our political moment isn’t sweeping reform, but a meal around the table? As much of the world becomes more divided than ever, John Mark challenges us to become peacemakers by demonstrating God's love through the practice of hospitality. Key Scripture Passages: Mark 2v13-17, Mark 3v13-19, Romans 12v13, 1 Peter 4v8-9, Hebrews 13v1-2 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Je...
A Community of Peace in a Culture of Outrage and Fear | Future Church E5
October 06, 2023 09:00 - 48 minutes - 43.9 MB"If there's anything left of my annoying voice in your memory banks in 20 years, I would hope that you would hear me as a brother in your ear just saying, 'follow Jesus to the quiet and pray.'" All around us, people are angry and afraid. John Mark invites us to become a community of peaceful, 'non-anxious presences' by engaging in the practice of silence and solitude. Through this practice, we learn how to receive the love of God into the deepest places of our pain and fear. Key Scripture ...
A Community of Holiness in a Culture of Moral Relativism | Future Church E4
September 29, 2023 09:00 - 52 minutes - 48 MBHow do we love others in the moral decay of the modern West? John Mark argues that the world needs a community of holiness as the counter-culture to the mainstream. John Mark explores the concept of holiness, a theology of the body, and the practice of fasting as a path to joy in God. Key Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 6v12-20 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Kayla from Cape Girardeau, Miss...
A Community of Orthodoxy in a Culture of Ideological Idolatry | Future Church E3
September 22, 2023 09:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBIn a culture of deconstruction and ideology, how do we stay faithful to Jesus and His teachings? Through the practice of Scripture, John Mark challenges us to deepen our trust in God and the teachings of our rabbi, Jesus. Key Scripture Passage: 2 Corinthians 10v1-5 Resource for this teaching: After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith Without Losing It, AJ Swoboda This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes t...
A Community of Tight-knit Loving Relationships in a Culture of Individualism and Tribalism | Future Church E2
September 15, 2023 09:00 - 56 minutes - 51.4 MBHow do we cultivate deep community? John Mark explores how the practice of community fits into our cultural moment of the loneliness of tribalism and individualism. He challenges us to press into community, even in pain, wounding, and trauma, since it is in community that we will ultimately find our healing. Key Scripture Passage: Romans 12 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Timothy from Mount ...
It's Time to Dream Again | Future Church E1
September 08, 2023 09:00 - 37 minutes - 33.9 MB"This could be our finest moment. This could be the moment not of our death but of our rebirth." John Mark challenges us to dream again about what the Church can and should be in our cultural moment. He invites us to re-examine our Rule of Life as we think about being a counter-culture amidst the secular mainstream. Key Scripture Passage: Psalm 80 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Tammy from ...
Gethsemane Prayer | Gospel of Matthew
September 01, 2023 09:00 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MBHow do we deal with emotional pain? John Mark explores Jesus's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and discusses how His model can help us process through our own moments of pain, turmoil, and disappointment. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 26v36-46 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jimmy from Randle, Washington; Jonathan from Shalimar, Florida; Rachel from Norwich, Norfolk; Diana from Charlot...
The Way of Mercy, Integrity, and Humility | Gospel of Matthew
August 25, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes - 43.3 MBHow do we keep from becoming "pharisees"? In a time when deconstruction is the cultural tide we swim in and disillusionment with pastors is widespread and well-earned, how do we model the way of Jesus? John Mark looks at Jesus's critique of the pharisees in Matthew 23, and explores what it means for us: how we live our lives and relate to our leaders in the church. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 23 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. S...
Love is the Measure | Gospel of Matthew
August 18, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBWhat is life about? John Mark teaches on Jesus's teaching on the two greatest commandments in the Old Testament: to love God and to love our neighbor. He challenges us to examine how we can arrange our lives in such a way that love of God and neighbor is our natural response. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 22v34-40 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to Michelle from Boerne, Texas; Marlys from Augus...
The Marriage Myth (ft. Tammy Comer) | Gospel of Matthew
August 11, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 42.4 MBIs marriage a contract, or a covenant? Is the love that lasts a lifetime a fiery passion of desire, or something else? Is divorce a necessary evil to “be true to yourself,” or a rupture of a deep union? Jesus’ teaching on divorce is based in his vision of marriage, which is as radical today as it was nearly two thousand years ago. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 19v1-10 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode...
If Your Brother or Sister Sins | Gospel of Matthew
August 04, 2023 09:00 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBWhat do we do when other followers of Jesus fall into sin and wander away? John Mark explores Jesus’ teaching on dealing with sin in the church. Even though it's one of the most abused teachings of Jesus, John Mark show that, rightly applied, it has the potential to help the church become everything it's called to be. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 18v10-20 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Thank you all so much! If you’d like to p...
Unless You Change and Become Like Little Children | Gospel of Matthew
July 28, 2023 09:00 - 39 minutes - 35.7 MBJesus’ call for his apprentices to become like children is one of his most misunderstood teachings. John Mark explores the cultural background to Jesus’ words and argues that living like a child -- dependent, humble, and servant-hearted -- is the the key to greatness in Jesus' Kingdom. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 18v1-9 Resources for this teaching: This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Thank y...
On Listening | Gospel of Matthew
July 21, 2023 09:00 - 43 minutes - 40 MBAt the fulcrum point in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus goes up on a high mountain where he is transfigured before his apprentices. Over their fear, the apprentices hear a voice from heaven saying, “listen to him!” Thousands of years later, in our own fears, the call to find a mountain and listen to Jesus is greater than ever. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 16v28-17v13 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Thank you all so much! If you’d like t...
Take Up Your Cross | Gospel of Matthew
July 14, 2023 09:00 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWhat if control is actually an illusion? What if yielding is actually the path to freedom and joy? John Mark explores Jesus' call to deny your self and take up your cross and follow Him. In a culture of hedonism, digital instant gratification, and postmodern propaganda, this call sounds bizarre. But in yielding control to God in trusting love, we enter the Kingdom. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 16v21-27 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly gi...
Who Do You Say I Am? | Gospel of Matthew
July 07, 2023 09:00 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MB"How you answer the question, 'who do you say I am,' will define you." John Mark explores Simon Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ. He shows us that in seeing Jesus rightly, we move from fear to faith. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 16v13-20 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Thank you all so much! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.
Jesus on Becoming a Non-Anxious Presence | Gospel of Matthew
June 30, 2023 09:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBIn this well known, but often missed-out-on story of Jesus walking on the water, we notice the writer Matthew’s key insights from Jesus’ life and teaching about becoming a “non-anxious presence” in a world caught in a vicious cycle of anxiety. We have faith and release control. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 14v22-36 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Natalie from Hays, Kansas; Matthew from Wes...
We’re All Thomas Now | Gospel of Matthew
June 23, 2023 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBJesus warns and encourages his disciples about what will come as they live into his Kingdom mission. What would it look like to live as a disciple, free of all fear, fully alive to his power? Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 11v1-15 Resources from this teaching: This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to Jenna from Rossmoor, California; Amelia from Homestead, Pennsylvania; Leandra from Tomball, Texas; Jo...
A Haunting Way to End a Sermon | Gospel of Matthew
June 16, 2023 09:00 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBWhat do we do the Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount? Jesus ends his manifesto of life in the kingdom of the heavens, not with a pep talk or feel-good story, but with a warning about what happens when we don’t put his teachings into practice. John Mark argues that, in the “information” age, where things go in one ear and out the other, we need to be diligent to do what Jesus taught. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 7v24-29 Resources from this teaching: This podcast and its episode...
Here Comes the Wolf Pack | Gospel of Matthew
June 09, 2023 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBWith so many voices claiming to be the truth, how do we discern what is from God and what isn't? John Mark examine's Jesus's warning to beware false prophets in the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus's three "tests" for who to believe. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 7v15-23 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to Bryce from Austin, Texas; Brett from Mattoon, Illinois; Blake from Birmingham, Alabama; Grego...
The Golden Rule | Gospel of Matthew
June 02, 2023 09:00 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBWe all know the Golden Rule, but do we actually live by it? John Mark teaches on how this summary of the teachings of the Bible was familiar during the time of Jesus, but how Jesus makes it even more radical and powerful. He concludes by challenging us to actually try living by this rule and doing to others what we would have them do to us. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 7v12 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this ...
The Tyranny of Living for the Approval of Others | Gospel of Matthew
May 26, 2023 09:00 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBAre you tired of trying to earn other's approval? John Mark looks at the first of Jesus's teachings of practicing righteousness before others to be noticed by them in Matthew chapter six. He encourages us to break free from the bondage of seeking the approval (or disapproval) of others by doing good works in secret in order to be rewarded not by others, but by our Father in Heaven. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 6v1-4 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community ...
Jesus on His Most Radical Idea: Enemy Love | Gospel of Matthew
May 19, 2023 09:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBIs it practical to love our enemy? John Mark exegetes from Jesus's final teaching in Matthew chapter five on enemy love. He challenges us to take this teaching seriously by showing historical and personal examples of Jesus's way bearing fruit, and encourages us to lean into our questions about this teaching with honestly before God and our communities. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 5v43-48 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special t...
Jesus on Breaking the Chain of Violence | Gospel of Matthew
May 12, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 42.5 MBIs following Jesus really incompatible with violence? John Mark looks into Jesus's teaching about returning evil not with more evil but with good. He wraps up by acknowledging how many of us are resistant to Jesus's ideas on nonviolence, but encourages us to continue to follow and learn from Jesus and not let our conclusions become a source of disunity in the Body of Christ. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 5v38-42 Resource from this teaching (affiliate link): Fight, Preston Sprinkle Thi...
Jesus on Objectification and Oppression | Gospel of Matthew
May 05, 2023 09:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MBWhen Jesus recounts the Laws from the Torah, he doesn’t simply address the behavior, he gets to the heart of sin. John Mark explores Jesus's commandments surrounding lust and divorce and highlights how God's heart is for us to honor one another as brothers and sisters in our we see and interact with one another. He concluded by challenging us to repent for the ways that we have dishonored one another and to step forward into Jesus's plan for human flourishing. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew...
Jesus on Anger | Gospel of Matthew
April 28, 2023 09:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBIs anger wrong? John Mark looks at Jesus's teaching on anger in the Sermon on the Mount, and argues that Jesus is teaching us to guard against nursing a grudge, harboring resentment, and partnering with contempt. Instead, Jesus offers a way forward: reaching out in love and a spirit of reconciliation. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 5v21-26 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to Anh from Dublin,...