Partakers Christian Podcasts

Jesus - A Glimpse Of God Part 3

Matthew’s Gospel Portrait

We are on Day 3 of our adventure, looking together at the life of the most amazing person in human history - Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Matthew's Gospel Portrait

Today we will look at the first of our Gospels, Matthew and what that overall teaches us about Jesus Christ of Nazareth. We read about Matthew being summoned to follow Jesus Christ in Matthew 9:9-12 “Jesus … saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill. But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”

Matthew was one of Jesus’ main disciples. He wrote primarily to Jews who knew the Old Testament. Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah to Israel and he also records Israel’s attitude towards Jesus being the long waited for Messiah. Throughout his Gospel, Matthew gives us the genealogy, presentation, and the authentication of Jesus as the Christ Messiah. Matthew then shows the nation of Israel's opposition to, and subsequent rejection of, Jesus as the Christ Messiah. This leads to Jesus' rejection of Israel, due to Israel’s unbelief in him as their Christ. Matthew records in detail the death and resurrection of Christ and concludes with Jesus Christ commissioning the disciples.

Throughout, his Gospel portrait of Jesus, Matthew presents a well ordered and balanced account.

Key writing within Matthew to show what his Gospel is all about are:

Matthew 16:13-20 “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[ loosed in heaven.’ Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”

Matthew 28:18-20 ‘Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Come back tomorrow for Part 4 of our series AGOG, as we continue to look at the life of this most extraordinary person in all human history – Jesus of Nazareth.

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Jesus - A Glimpse Of God Part 2

Jesus - Four Pen Portraits

 We are on Day 2 of our adventure, looking together at the life of the most amazing person in human history - Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

What the Gospels are! In the part of the Bible, we call the New Testament, we have four accounts of the life of Jesus Christ. They are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These are called Gospels. But what is a Gospel? They are called Gospels, because they gave substance to the ‘Gospel’ or ‘Good News’ as described by Paul in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel. I see it as the very power of God working for the salvation of everyone who believes it, both Jew and Greek.”

We know that Jesus Christ during his time on earth wrote nothing. Yet the stories about him were preserved and passed on by Christian teachers and evangelists. For the first thirty years or so, these stories were collated and stored together. That would explain the similarity in the four accounts of Jesus’ life. The Gospels are not an exhaustive biographical detail of all that Jesus Christ did. Similarly they are also not diaries reflecting a daily account of Jesus’ life. Rather, they are selective accounts of His life, and were used by His disciples when preaching about Him. Therefore they would represent the theology of the disciples, as each story about is Jesus is told. That is why they are trustworthy accounts, as well as rooting the life of Jesus Christ in first century Judaism and the Greco-Roman world.

The first three of our Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke are what are called the synoptic Gospels. This is based on their great similarity and possibly use of a common source. Mark is probably the first Gospel as it is shorter in length than Matthew or Luke and it would appear that Matthew and Luke used Mark as a guide and elaborated where required. Matthew, was a disciple of Jesus Christ and writes from his own experiences. Luke writes for the experiences of eye witnesses. Apart from one exception, Mark wrote none of the great discourses of Matthew such as the Sermon on the Mount, nor does Mark show the great parables that Luke does, such as the Good Samaritan. Luke does share large portions of Mark and quite often verbatim, and with a greater use of the Greek language.

Our fourth Gospel, the Gospel of John meanwhile, while still telling about Jesus’ ministry, has vastly different story content. Like Matthew, John also was a disciple and close friend of Jesus Christ. Indeed, John is called the apostle whom Jesus loved. In his Gospel, John reveals Jesus talking about himself much more often than in the other Gospel accounts. For this reason, John was probably written later than the synoptic Gospels.

Come back tomorrow for Part 3 of our series, as we continue to look at the life of this most extraordinary person in all human history – Jesus of Nazareth.

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Jesus - A Glimpse Of God Part 1

Jesus - a baby who will live up to his name.

We are looking at the life of the most amazing person who ever lived - Jesus Christ of Nazareth. We will travel from the time he was born, wander through his life, glimpsing at His meeting other people and wondering at some of his wisdom, which will lead our series culminating at Easter, where we look at the significance of his death and resurrection.

When Jesus was born, his name imbued the very reason he was born. His conception and birth were extraordinary at every level. The name of Jesus, means “one who saves”. The entirety of his birth, life and death were centred on this very role. His role was to save all those who would follow Him. Jesus is the most talked about person in history. Almost everyone has an opinion about him. Jesus was born to confirm God's promises, to reveal God as a Father, and to be our representative before Him. Jesus gave us an example of how to live a holy life to the full. Jesus was not merely a man who received some special power, nor was he some strange creation that was half man and half God. He was much more than those ideas! That Jesus is both human and divine is what makes Christianity unique amongst the world’s religions.

It is why Jesus’ claims to be the only way to God are true and make sense, and it is why millions of people today worship Him and acknowledge Him as their Lord and their God. Tomorrow we will continue to look briefly at the 4 accounts of the life of this most extraordinary person in all of history – Jesus of Nazareth.

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Psalm On Demand - Psalm 85

Psalm 85~~

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. ~~~~

85:1 Yahweh, you have been favorable to your land.

You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.

85:2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people.

You have covered all their sin.

~~~~~

Selah.

~~~~~

85:3 You have taken away all your wrath.

You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.

85:4 Turn us, God of our salvation,

and cause your indignation toward us to cease.

85:5 Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you draw out your anger to all generations?

85:6 Won’t you revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?

85:7 Show us your loving kindness, Yahweh.

Grant us your salvation.

85:8 I will hear what God, Yahweh, will speak,

for he will speak peace to his people, his saints;

but let them not turn again to folly.

85:9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,

that glory may dwell in our land.

85:10 Mercy and truth meet together.

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

85:11 Truth springs out of the earth.

Righteousness has looked down from heaven.

85:12 Yes, Yahweh will give that which is good.

Our land will yield its increase.

85:13 Righteousness goes before him,

And prepares the way for his steps.

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Bible Reading - Psalm 8

Psalm 8

 

1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

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Bible Reading - Psalm 114

Psalm 114

(Read by Heather)

114:1 When Israel went forth out of Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language;
114:2 Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.
114:3 The sea saw it, and fled.
The Jordan was driven back.
114:4 The mountains skipped like rams,
the little hills like lambs.
114:5 What was it, you sea, that you fled?
You Jordan, that you turned back?
114:6 You mountains, that you skipped like rams;
you little hills, like lambs?
114:7 Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
114:8 who turned the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a spring of waters.

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Wednesday Wisdom 19 - Proverbs 19

Wednesday Wisdom

Proverbs 19

G’day! Welcome to Partakers and to Wednesday Wisdom, where we are listening to what the Bible has to say through the Wisdom literature of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. Come on in!

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1 Better is the poor that walks in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hastes with his feet sins.
3 The foolishness of man perverts his way: and his heart frets against the Lord.
4 Wealth makes many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies shall not escape.
6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that gives gifts.
7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursues them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
8 He that gets wisdom loves his own soul: he that keeps understanding shall find good.
9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies shall perish.

10 Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 The discretion of a man defers his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
12 The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.
13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16 He that keeps the commandment keeps his own soul; but he that despises his ways shall die.
17 He that has pity upon the poor lends to the Lord; and that which he has given will he pay him again.
18 Chasten your son while there is hope, and let not your soul spare for his crying.
19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if You deliver him, yet You must do it again.

20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that You may be wise in your latter end.
21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
22 The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord tends to life: and he that has it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
24 A slothful man hides his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that has understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
26 He that wastes his father, and chases away his mother, is a son that causes shame, and brings reproach.
27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causes to err from the words of knowledge.
28 An ungodly witness scorns judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

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Bible Reading - Psalm 137

Psalm 137

(as read by Jenny)

 

137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

137:2 On the willows in its midst, we hung up our harps.

137:3 For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

137:4 How can we sing Yahweh's song in a foreign land?

137:5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.

137:6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you; if I don't prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

137:7 Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, "Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!"

137:8 Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who rewards you, as you have served us.

137:9 Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.

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Bible Reading - Psalm 81 to 85

Psalm 81 to Psalm 85

Often we hear the Psalms one by one, but today we offer you the chance to hear a group of Psalms read as a collection!

Psalm 81

For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph.
1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel,
play the melodious harp and lyre.
3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,
and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
4 this is a decree for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob. 5 When God went out against Egypt,
he established it as a statute for Joseph.

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Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

1 God presides in the great assembly;
he renders judgment among the “gods”:
2 “How long will you defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked?
3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing.
They walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 “I said, ‘You are “gods”;
you are all sons of the Most High.’
7 But you will die like mere mortals;
you will fall like every other ruler.”
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance.

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Psalm 83

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, do not remain silent;
do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,
how your foes rear their heads.
3 With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation,
so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”
5 With one mind they plot together;
they form an alliance against you —
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Byblos, Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia, with the people of Tyre.
8 Even Assyria has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants.
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Psalm 84

For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young — a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.

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Psalm 85

1 You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.
3 You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger.
4 Restore us again, God our Savior,
and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation.

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Bible Reading - Psalms 41 to 45

Psalm 41 to Psalm 45

Often we hear the Psalms one by one, but today we offer you the chance to hear a group of Psalms read as a collection!

Psalm 41

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.
2 The LORD protects and preserves them –
they are counted among the blessed in the land –
he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.
3 The LORD sustains them on their sick-bed
and restores them from their bed of illness.
4 I said, ‘Have mercy on me, LORD;
heal me, for I have sinned against you.’
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
‘When will he die and his name perish?’
6 When one of them comes to see me,
he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;
then he goes out and spreads it around.
7 All my enemies whisper together against me;
they imagine the worst for me, saying,
8 ‘A vile disease has afflicted him;
he will never get up from the place where he lies.’
9 Even my close friend, someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread, has turned against me.
10 But may you have mercy on me, LORD;
raise me up, that I may repay them.
11 I know that you are pleased with me,
for my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 Because of my integrity you uphold me
and set me in your presence for ever. ,
13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.

Psalm 42

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
while people say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’
4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon – from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers have swept over me. ,
8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me –
a prayer to the God of my life. ,
9 I say to God my Rock,
‘Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?’
10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ ,
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God.

Psalm 43

1 Vindicate me, my God, and plead my cause
against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked.
2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?
3 Send me your light and your faithful care,
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God.

Psalm 44

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.

1 We have heard it with our ears, O God;
our ancestors have told us what you did in their days,
in days long ago.
2 With your hand you drove out the nations
and planted our ancestors;
you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish.
3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them.
4 You are my King and my God,
who decrees victories for Jacob.
5 Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.
6 I put no trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name for ever.
9 But now you have rejected and humbled us;
you no longer go out with our armies.
10 You made us retreat before the enemy,
and our adversaries have plundered us.
11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep
and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You sold your people for a pittance,
gaining nothing from their sale.
13 You have made us a reproach to our neighbours,
the scorn and derision of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations;
the peoples shake their heads at us.
15 I live in disgrace all day long,
and my face is covered with shame
16 at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me,
because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.
17 All this came upon us,
though we had not forgotten you;
we had not been false to your covenant.
18 Our hearts had not turned back;
our feet had not strayed from your path.
19 But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals;
you covered us over with deep darkness.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God have discovered it,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?
22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us for ever.
24 Why do you hide your face
and forget our misery and oppression?
25 We are brought down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Rise up and help us;
rescue us because of your unfailing love.

Psalm 45

For the director of music. To the tune of ‘Lilies’. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.

1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme
as I recite my verses for the king;
my tongue is the pen of a skilful writer.
2 You are the most excellent of men
and your lips have been anointed with grace,
since God has blessed you for ever.
3 Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one;
clothe yourself with splendour and majesty.
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously
in the cause of truth, humility and justice;
let your right hand achieve awesome deeds.
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet.
6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.
8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
from palaces adorned with ivory
the music of the strings makes you glad.
9 Daughters of kings are among your honoured women;
at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
10 Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honour him, for he is your lord.
12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,
people of wealth will seek your favour.
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her –
those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

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