Right Start Radio with Pastor Jim Custer
1,271 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 20 ratingsRight Start Radio with Pastor Jim Custer
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Episodes
Ain't Gonna Sin no More - Part 1 of 2
September 17, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBGreed is good! Isn't it? Or is that just in the movies? Coveting, lusting, lying - these are things that come naturally to us. If we were writing our own moral code - as many are trying to do, today - we'd have a very different list of "Thou Shalt Nots" than the one God gave us. How can we be "good without God" when we can't even define good without God? Our discussion in the book of Romans continues with the purpose of the Law. And Jim will begin to talk about grace in this episode, too...
God's Grace To the Many - Part 2 of 2
September 16, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MB"In Adam's fall, we sinned all." If you had been a young child in America in 1690 you would have opened your primer on the first day of school to read that foundational truth: In Adam's fall, we sinned all. Thankfully there came a mirror-image Adam; not rebellious, but righteous; not a grabber, but a giver. We'll get back into Romans 5 where Pastor Jim was talking about the implications of "original sin" on even the youngest humans. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday o...
God's Grace To the Many - Part 1 of 2
September 15, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBSince we start our lives as sinners, what does that mean for babies who die - even babies still in the womb? Our doctrinal assertion that "all are under sin" has profound practical implications - because tragedies do happen, and death may come to the most innocent among us. Does God count them as innocent, or as sinners? We have multiple assurances from the Word of God that these little ones are His. Pastor Jim will explain, in a sermon called, God's Grace to the Many. Listen to Right St...
The Root Problem Of The Human Race - Part 2 of 2
September 14, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBAll sin is a choice - but not necessarily our choice! We're studying Romans 5, grappling with what theologians call, "original sin" - the corruption we inherited from great-grandfather Adam. How can I be held responsible for the bad actions of another, a long time ago? The good news is that, although we became sinners through someone else's sin, we can become righteous through Someone else's merit. Here's Jim to conclude his sermon, The Root Problem of the Human Race. Listen to Right Star...
The Root Problem Of The Human Race - Part 1 of 2
September 13, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBOur culture is fixated on the issue of Identity. The Bible can help us with that! Every human comes into the world with the same identity: Sinner. We are rebels against God by nature as well as by choice. If we don't understand that, we won't grasp the good news as Paul is laying it out for us in the book of Romans. And once again in our study today, Jim will show us the tie to Genesis. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC ...
We Live In A Shaken Up World - Part 2 of 2
September 10, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBWhen we're faced with social and political problems, we instinctively look for social and political solutions. As Christians, we need to mistrust our instincts, and seek counsel from the Word and the Spirit of God. There is something behind the puppet show we see playing out on the news. As distressing as these times are, we may need to remind ourselves often that God is still in control, and everything is working according to His plan. Here's Jim in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2. Listen to ...
We Live In A Shaken Up World - Part 1 of 2
September 09, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBYou are the thumb on the "Coke!" When a carbonated beverage is shaken, there's a buildup of pressure. And that pressure will be released - it's just a matter of time! Our world is like that soda. We're alarmed at the turmoil in the news, but all of that chaos is just the preliminary shaking of the bottle. In God's timing the shaking will stop, and the "thumb" will be removed. Jim will take us to 2 Thessalonians, to shed light on a haunting phrase from the book of Romans. Listen to Right S...
Declared Righteous By Faith - Part 1 of 1
September 08, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBDid David get away with murder? We have the vague idea that David's evil deeds - including adultery and murder - were outweighed by his good deeds, so God gave him a pass. How else can we explain the Lord's gracious treatment of the King? Well, David explains what happened, in Psalm 32... and it doesn't have anything to do with weighing things on scales. God dealt with David the same way He'll deal with us: not by sweeping sin under the rug, but by crediting righteousness. Listen to Righ...
The Testimaony Of Abraham - Part 2 of 2
September 07, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MB"Give me that old-time religion," we used to sing. In Christianity there's a justified bias against the hot, new thing. If a doctrine just sprang up yesterday, you don't have to listen to it; it's not true. The Roman Christians reading Paul's letter had the same outlook. If salvation by grace through faith was real, and not some newfangled heresy, we should be able to trace it back to Abraham, maybe even to Adam. Here's Jim with Part 2 of, The Testimony of Abraham. Listen to Right Start Ra...
The Testimaony Of Abraham - Part 1 of 2
September 06, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBThe self-righteous bunch were always crowing about Father Abraham. "OK," Paul says, "let's talk about Abraham!" In the book of Romans God gives us an explanation of how His plan works, and why. His solution to our sin problem sounds new. It strikes some people as conflicting with the Law, and nullifying promises to Abraham. Paul takes those objections head-on. He shows that Abraham is the poster-boy not for works, but for faith. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on ...
God's Righteousess Demonstrated and Declared - Part 2 of 2
September 03, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBWhat's your retirement plan? I mean, for after this life? A lot of people think they're on one of those "matching contribution" plans: they do a little, God pitches in a little, and when their work on earth is finished they'll be able to take it easy for eternity. But in heaven's accounting system, all our good deeds add up to zero. Your nest egg is a goose egg! Here's Jim in Romans 3. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHK...
God's Righteousess Demonstrated and Declared - Part 1 of 2
September 02, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBWhat's the keystone of the Bible? The keystone of an arch is that central wedge that holds everything together. Both sides push toward it. In God's plan, that essential piece is the Cross, and what happened there. What happened there was propitiation - a sacrifice that turns away wrath. Before Christ, believers were forgiven "on credit," looking forward. Afterward, we look back at that same keystone. Here's Jim to advance our discussion in the book of Romans. Listen to Right Start Radio ev...
Verdict: ALL Mankind Guilty Before The Creator - Part 3 of 3
September 01, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBIf you're looking for the road to heaven, the Law is a dead-end street. "You can't get there from here," as someone joked. We learn in the New Testament that God's commandments were never meant to bring men and women to glory; they were meant to drive us to our knees, and ultimately to conduct us to Christ. The Law reminds us every day that our good works will never be good enough. But there is another Way. Here's Pastor Jim with the conclusion to his sermon, Verdict: All Mankind Guilty Bef...
Verdict: ALL Mankind Guilty Before The Creator - Part 2 of 3
August 31, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBGod has given all of us a Performance Review - and it's not pretty. In Romans 3 we see a doctrine that separates Christianity from all the other supposed answers for mankind. Oh, you'll find plenty of people who'll tell you that you're a good person - you just need a little work. But in this passage we get a devastating appraisal from our Maker. Consider just the kinds of wickedness that come through our words. These sins are poetically ascribed to the tongue, the throat, the mouth. Here's...
Verdict: ALL Mankind Guilty Before The Creator - Part 1 of 3
August 30, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBWe like to imagine that God's "cutoff line" is somewhere below us, but above that other guy. It sounds pretty silly when you say it out loud - that God will "grade on the curve." "If He didn't," we think, "His kingdom would be empty." Wrong, and wrong. In order to appreciate the Good News we must feel the full impact of the bad news: We have zero chance of getting into heaven on our own merits. Here's Jim to continue our series through Paul's letter to the Romans. Listen to Right Start Rad...
God's Patients and Kindness In Judgement - Part 3 of 3
August 27, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBHow many righteous people lived in Sodom? The correct answer is, "Not enough!" We've been looking closely at God's judgment, and finding that it's wrapped in mercy and patience. To pick the prime example: The depravity of Sodom and Gomorrah was intolerable... but the punishment of holy people along with the hell-bound was unthinkable. In Genesis 18, Abraham negotiates a reprieve for the sake of a hypothetical remnant of 10 - but there were not 10 saints in Sodom. Listen to Right Start Rad...
God's Patients and Kindness In Judgement - Part 2 of 3
August 26, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBOne of the most terrifying occasions of God's judgment was the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. But even then, there was mercy. We're going through Paul's list of humanity's crimes against God in the early chapters of Romans. And when we read with an open mind, our Creator will come across as both holy, and compassionate. Jim will take us on another day-trip to the book of Genesis, to see the ultimate example of that. Abraham appealed to the justice of God, and got His goodness in the ba...
God's Patients and Kindness In Judgement - Part 1 of 3
August 25, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBAdam and Eve got their knowledge of God firsthand - from walking and talking with Him. How do all their children know about Him? That's an important question because, in Romans 1, Paul accuses mankind of knowing the truth about God, but deliberately tamping down that truth. It's part of his indictment that will condemn the whole human race. Pastor Jim will show that everyone knows about God because we still bear His image in ourselves, marred as it is; and because of "the law written on ou...
Saved From What? - Part 3 of 3
August 24, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBOur sin doesn't just break God's laws; it breaks us. In order to understand why God is so concerned with the thoughts, words and deeds of "little old me," we have to go back to a time before sin stained the picture. We'll see humans without shame. We can compare that with our own, fallen state. And we'll be saddened by the change to God's image-bearers. Yesterday Jim said there were two rules for Adam and Eve. The first was not to eat of the fruit of a certain tree.... Listen to Right Star...
Saved From What? - Part 2 of 3
August 23, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBPeople think of divine judgment as something out in the distant future. But it's happening now, too. Yes, there will be a "Day" of reckoning, but sin began inflicting its own misery a long time ago. We'll consider both types of judgment as we resume the sermon we debuted on Friday, Saved from What? The book of Romans gives us a good explanation of why our world has lost its collective mind, and Genesis will take us back to a time before it all went pear-shaped. Here's Jim in Romans 1. List...
Saved From What? - Part 1 of 3
August 20, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBOur world seems to have gone insane. The reason for that is found in the book of Romans. Reality, reason and common sense are under fierce attack. If you say "2 plus 2 is 4," you'll be driven from the public square, and perhaps re-educated. How do so many people come to believe nonsense? Well, it starts by "suppressing the truth." Today we begin a survey of Paul's letter to the Romans. It concerns salvation. So Jim starts by asking, Saved from What? Listen to Right Start Radio every Mond...
Taking On the Pharisees - Part 3 of 3
August 19, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBHave you noticed that, whenever Jesus speaks of hell, He's trying to impress on us that it's much worse than we thought? The heretics of our day imagine a kinder, gentler hell - one that's meant to "refine," not punish; and by no means a place of everlasting darkness, solitude and torment. The rich man in the story in Luke 16 may have had the same comforting theology. He certainly hadn't lived his life in the fear of God. Here's Jim to conclude his message, Taking on the Pharisees. Listen...
Taking On the Pharisees - Part 2 of 3
August 18, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MB"Abandon hope, all ye who enter here." Dante's famous sign over the doorway to hell could have added, "American Express not accepted." No credit cards, no cash, no bitcoin. The covetous man in Jesus' story in Luke 16 had spent a lifetime accumulating ashes. He didn't have the price of one drop of water. For the Pharisees, the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus was a simple and powerful rebuke. All their values were upside-down. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX...
Taking On the Pharisees - Part 1 of 3
August 17, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBThe Pharisees got their reputation the old-fashioned way: they earned it! Today the word "Pharisee" is a synonym for "hypocrite." ...a snooty, self-righteous, holier-than-thou phony. And you can throw in "greedy" and "murderous," too.They didn't see themselves that way, of course. In their own estimation they were the guardians of the Law, the thin line between Israel's restoration and the judgment of God. Jesus could have ignored them. Or could He have? Here's Jim with Part 1 of a sermon ...
Demons And Unclean Spirits - Part 2 of 2
August 16, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBDemons don't like to be homeless. On Friday we began looking at unclean spirits, and how Jesus dealt with them. We can see from Luke's Gospel and elsewhere that they look for vacancies - any vacancies. They're always "house hunting," if you will, and that makes them more dangerous than we may have realized. The Lord was warning us, and the nation of Israel: It's one thing to cast out the devil - it's another to keep him out. We'll hear how, as we conclude Pastor Jim's sermon, Demons and Un...
Demons And Unclean Spirits - Part 1 of 2
August 13, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBGod's kingdom isn't fighting a defensive war - Christ is on offense! As we've studied The Life and Work of Dr. Luke, we've noticed some things that Luke alone has preserved and passed on... and some things that he emphasized, like the Lord's respect for women. The good doctor also took note of Jesus' command of the unseen realm; and that's what Jim will bring out today. Satan is compared to a strong man. But a Stronger Man has come on the scene, and He is setting prisoners free. Listen to ...
Your Heavenly Father - Part 2 of 2
August 12, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBSome people are upset when God punishes sinners...others are mad when God pardons sinners! The critics of the Almighty don't understand Him - and Jesus pointed this out quite clearly in His parable about the Prodigal Son. Actually there were two sons in that parable, both in the wrong. The difference was that one "came to his senses." The Father's love looks like He's rewarding sin - to those who believe they're in no need of forgiveness. We'll start in Luke 12 for Part 2 of Jim's sermon, Y...
Your Heavenly Father - Part 1 of 2
August 11, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBEven the World's Greatest Dad - and you know who you are because you have the coffee mug - looks like a jerk, compared to our Heavenly Father! After Jesus taught us to pray to "our Father in heaven," He followed up with explanations about what that Father is like, and the nature of interacting with Him. And this instruction was sorely needed, because human beings can come up with some strange ideas about prayer! We're continuing in the Gospel of Luke. Here's Jim with Part 1 of the sermon,...
One Thing Is Necessary - Part 2 of 2
August 10, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBAre we sons, or servants? Christians are servants of God, of course. And we don't have too much trouble understanding that relationship. But the breakthrough idea that Jesus gave us was that we are sons - and daughters - adopted, reconciled, and filled with a Spirit that dares to call the Ruler of the Universe, "Daddy." We'll go from dinner in Bethany, to the Lord's Prayer today - and Pastor Jim will show how these two episodes are related. Let's start in Luke 10, verse 42. Listen to Righ...
One Thing Is Necessary - Part 1 of 2
August 09, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBMeet a "multitasker" in the Bible: Martha of Bethany. Multitasking is the modern term for what we used to call "distracted." And that's the exact word you'll find in Luke 10 describing Martha. She was busy, she was overwhelmed, she was convinced that everything would fall apart if she sat down for even a few minutes and listened. To Jesus. Sound like everyone you know? The Lord could say to us, "You are anxious and troubled about many things, but One Thing is Necessary. Listen to Right St...
Focus On Loving God - Part 3 of 3
August 06, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBSome people want to love humanity, while hating God. And vice versa, some people say they love God but don't care much for those made in His image. From our study today we'll find out that the "two tablets" are two sides of the same coin; not worth much if you try to split them. In this sermon so far, we've seen Jesus respond to the same question from two different men, and Jim has pointed out that the common issue was focus. Both the Rich Young Ruler and the legal expert were driving hard ...
Focus On Loving God - Part 2 of 3
August 05, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBMeet a man who had everything - and nothing. "Rich but unfulfilled" is so common, it's a cliché. From Solomon, to the billionaires in the tabloids, to you and me, surely we've proven that money can't buy happiness. Much less eternal life. Hear Jesus' reply to the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18:20. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be ...
Focus On Loving God - Part 1 of 3
August 04, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBTwo men asked Jesus the same question. Did He give them the same answer? "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" It's not surprising that both the Lawyer and the Ruler came up with the same question. It's what every human being needs to know: "What must I do to be saved?" "How can I enter into the Kingdom of Heaven?" But the answer we get back may depend on what we're willing to hear, and Who we believe is speaking. Here's Jim with Part 1 of his sermon, Focus on Loving God. Listen to R...
Called To Bare Witness - Part 3 of 3
August 03, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBThe first thing we do, let's school all the lawyers! Yes, Shakespeare had a different verb in there, I think. The legal beagle in this encounter wasn't an attorney in the Roman justice system; he was an expert in religious law. But, like those who work with our legal code, these "lawyers" could twist the text into unrecognizable shapes, making ever-smaller loopholes. Jesus would clear up a complex legal question with a story. We'll start at Luke 10:27 with Jim. Listen to Right Start Radio...
Called To Bare Witness - Part 2 of 3
August 02, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBWe see Jesus heading straight for Jerusalem and crucifixion, but the Cross was not His target! The Lord's ultimate goal was not Calvary; He was aiming toward something beyond that. And it was past the Resurrection, as well. As we'll see Him today in Luke chapter 10, Jesus is putting in place things that will be needed after His Ascension! In His way are the devil, the religious elite... and a legal scholar with a question. Jim brings us the middle segment of his sermon, Called to Bear Witn...
Called To Bare Witness - Part 1 of 3
July 30, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBWe know a great deal about "the Twelve." But what about "the Seventy?" Called to Bear Witness is the sermon we'll begin today. It refers to the Seventy ambassadors that Jesus sent out ahead of Him - and once again we're exploring information that only Luke gives us. If the number "70" seems familiar to you, you might be remembering that God gave Moses seventy elders of Israel to help shoulder his burden - and that that earlier episode was connected with judgment. Listen to Right Start Rad...
Breaking Down The Book Of Luke - Part 3 of 3
July 29, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBImagine if Jesus had ministered, not 3 years, but 30 years! What if the Devil had said, "OK, Jesus, go to the Cross, but what's Your hurry? Just put of off a bit. Think of all the good You could do." It is surprising that Christ walked so quickly and so persistently toward Calvary. We'll get a better understanding of that, today. Previously Jim gave us 4 divisions of the Gospel of Luke. Here's a big pivot-point in Luke's narrative: the Mount of Transfiguration. Listen to Right Start Rad...
Breaking Down The Book Of Luke - Part 2 of 3
July 28, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBFrom the lake, to the mountain! It sounds like we're taking an outdoorsy vacation, but we're really just walking through selected scenes from the Gospel of Luke. Of the 4 large divisions of this book that Jim gave us yesterday, we're now in the second segment: the "General Ministry of Jesus." And even here Luke gives us some details that would have otherwise been lost. We'll end up on the Mount of Transfiguration, but let's start on the lake, where Peter has just caught 2 boatloads of fish...
Breaking Down The Book Of Luke - Part 1 of 3
July 27, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBSome of us have been known to stare at a map for a few minutes before we realize it's upside-down. We've got to get our bearings, whether we're looking at a map or a blueprint or a book, like the Bible. And those of us who grew up in Sunday School, hearing these exciting but disconnected stories about Jesus - we need to dig deeper and understand the structure of what we're reading. How do the stories fit together, to form a greater message? Today Jim will open a new sermon called, Breaking ...
The First Narrative Of Jesus - Part 3 of 3
July 26, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBGuess who's coming to dinner? A Pharisee hosted a meal at his home and invited that Rabbi everyone was talking about - some said He was even a prophet. But an uninvited guest crashed the party. Luke discreetly calls her a "sinner," but we can guess by the Pharisee's reaction what those sins may have been. The fuse had been lit for a moral and theological explosion. But first, let's review a bit of Friday's broadcast to get us back up to speed. Here's Jim in the Gospel of Luke. Listen to ...
The First Narrative Of Jesus - Part 2 of 3
July 23, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBYou have a 'To Do' list, and some of the items have been there a long time. Jesus had a 'Must' list. Yesterday we started picking out the times in Luke's Gospel when the Lord said He was constrained to do something. We'll complete our list of 11 "Musts," today. More than one of them have to do with fulfilling Scripture. Jesus made the startling statement that all of it - all 39 books of the Old Testament - must be accomplished. That's a pretty thorough list. Here's Jim with more of, The F...
The First Narrative Of Jesus - Part 1 of 3
July 22, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBWe won't have meaning in our lives without a mission. We're stressed. We feel like a little too much is expected of us, sometimes - or much too much. But the pressure of responsibility is a distinguishing feature of Jesus' ministry, as noted by Luke. Today we begin a short series on The Life and Work of Dr. Luke. He gave us some observations that none of the other Evangelists did. We'll look at those, and more, beginning with Jim's sermon, The First Narrative of Jesus. Listen to Right S...
No One Greater Than John - Part 3 of 3
July 21, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBJohn may not have invented baptism, but he sure did popularize it! The Jews were familiar with ritual washings, and they used to baptize their new converts to Judaism. John used it as a sign of repentance and commitment to a new way of life. When Christ and Christians adopted water baptism, the symbolism grew much deeper, but it all goes back to what John was doing in the wilderness. Let's rejoin Jim's sermon, No One Greater than John, as the Lord is arguing with the Pharisees in Matthew 22...
No One Greater Than John - Part 2 of 3
July 20, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBLet's talk about sons! Boys - what can you do with them? If you've got 2 sons, one will say "Yes, sir," and then disobey; the other one will say "No," and then obey. Jesus has some thoughts about those lads. Then He tells another parable involving a son, and has a question about the Son of David. But first, let's recap, as Jim's talking about Jesus cleansing the Temple. We're in Matthew 21, verse 12. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) a...
No One Greater Than John - Part 1 of 3
July 19, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBAre you going up to the Temple...or going down to the river? Change is difficult for human beings, and the change that John was instituting was epic. If you were used to sacrificing an animal to cover a sin - and this had to be done by a priest, in the prescribed way, in only one place - then water baptism must have seemed very strange. God was doing a new thing. And change is difficult. Pastor Jim will talk about the "new way of righteousness" in his sermon, No One Greater than John. Lis...
Jesus Continues John's Example - Part 2 of 2
July 16, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBThere are two kinds of people in the world: The wet, and the dry! We may be balk at dividing all of humanity into two groups, but God does not. The Great Divide is between His kids, and the children of the devil; the saved and the lost. In Israel during Jesus' ministry the two crucial categories were: those who had been baptized by John, and those who had not - the "wet," and the "dry." That decision changed everything. Here's Jim to complete his message, Jesus Continues John's Example L...
Jesus Continues John's Example - Part 1 of 2
July 15, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBFor a while the ministries of John and Jesus were contemporaneous; but they were never competitive. Some people imagine that the huggable Jesus came to tear down the religion of the grumpy God of the Old Testament. No way: the Lord didn't even take issue with the prophet we call John the Baptist. He took the baton from John in stride. Their two ministries are like two gears that mesh perfectly. There was continuity, not conflict, from the Old to the New, and that's what Pastor Jim will ...
John's Proclaimation - Part 3 of 3
July 14, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBJohn the Baptizer was the linchpin of God's program. We've paid too little attention to the human "messenger" that Jesus picked as the GOAT - the Greatest of All Time, or at least of Old Covenant times. John is the hinge between the Testaments, he's indispensable. And yet, imprisoned by Herod, still waiting for the King to take the throne of David, he may have felt like a failure. He was certainly having a crisis of faith when he sent to Jesus asking, "Are you the One?" We're in Matthew 1...
John's Proclaimation - Part 2 of 3
July 13, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MBHave you ever been ambushed by your own assumptions? Few of us have had our expectations exploded quite as thoroughly as John the Baptist did. He was a prophet of fire, working for a God who has been called a "consuming fire." When John yields the stage to the One who "baptizes in fire," he expects there to be...well...fire! But divine judgment would be dispensed in a different way, at a different time, than the prophet supposed. We're in Luke, chapter 3 with Jim. Listen to Right Start Ra...
John's Proclaimation - Part 1 of 3
July 12, 2021 05:00 - 22.8 MB"Messiah is coming;" John preached - "watch out!" God's Anointed One, as John the Baptist envisioned Him, wasn't here to hand out candy and preach platitudes; He was here to clean up. The symbols John used for Him were the axe, the winnowing fork, and "unquenchable fire." He was right about all that, of course, but mistaken, too. This investigation of ours started with a simple question: "How did Jesus come to understand His divine identity?" John will figure in. Listen to Right Start Rad...