podcast

Gospel Expedition: Selling the Birthright

Esau was a cunning hunter, a barbecue pitmaster, his father’s pride and joy, and a man who could get things done. He saw himself as a winner, was powerful and strong.

Jacob was a plain man, dwelt in the tents, and was an accomplished chef, administrator, and an excellent marketer.

Though they were brothers, and were very skilled in their vocations, their rivalry was one of the bitterest this world has ever seen. This rivalry would see Jacob deceiving their father Isaac, and swindling Esau in an underhanded trade agreement over lunch. And this rivalry would see Esau set out to murder Jacob in revenge for his antics.

In Genesis 25:27-34, Esau returns home after a day in the fields. Esau, the older brother, holds the birthright to his father’s estate by default. Being the holder of the birthright, the assumption is that he would also inherit the promises God made to Abraham, which had in turn been handed down to Isaac.

Jacob, the younger brother, knew that God’s promise would be handed down to him. This was a promise God made to Rebekah, his mother. Jacob understood that God’s favor and blessing was upon him, but for some reason, Jacob still felt that he had to be the one to make things happen.

So, when an exhausted Esau returns home after a tough day in the field, Jacob saw an opportunity. This occasion would see Esau denounce his birthright and God’s blessing, and would see Jacob put forth a dubious sales pitch in order to scam Esau out of the birthright.

Listen to The Gospel Expedition’s Episode 25, “Selling the Birthright,” on YouTube or Soundcloud.

New Episode: Jacob Have I Loved…

One of the most amazing things about God, and one of the unique things about the Christian faith, is how God can take a deeply flawed individual and transform him, using him in an amazing way. One of the most iconic stories in the Bible about this is the story of Jacob.

Jacob lived his entire life under God’s favor. God had favored him from the time he was conceived, and throughout his life, Jacob was reminded by God and others of the Lord’s favor upon him. Yet, Jacob continually lived as if he had to work it out on his own. That lack of faith led to some of Jacob’s biggest sins and mistakes, and cost him dearly.

However, by the end of his life, we find Jacob trusting and worshipping God. Take a listen to “Jacob Have I Loved,” from the Gospel Expedition Podcast, via Soundcloud or YouTube, below:

No More Hidden Agendas

John 12 records the powerful moment that Mary anointed the feet of Jesus with the expensive spikenard ointment, which John records was worth about 300 pence, approximately a year’s wage for a laborer.

Why would Mary pour such an expensive ointment on Jesus’ feet? That was the question posed by Judas, who noted that the ointment could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. While John notes that Judas was being dishonest about his intentions, Jesus answers the question.

“Against the day of my burying has she done this.”

This is Mary, the same Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus as He taught, while her sister Martha served dinner. This is Mary, who fell at the feet of Jesus when Lazarus died. And here is Mary, anointing the feet of Jesus.

It seems that every time we see Mary in the scripture, she is at the feet of Jesus. And why wouldn’t she be?

Jesus had given her hope. Jesus had given her redemption. Jesus had lifted her from a life of want, hopelessness and despair to a life of hope, fulness and meaning. Mary was truly living now that she met Jesus, even though her social and financial situation hadn’t changed.

So, since Jesus gave Mary everything that was dear to her, and since He became everything she was about, it makes sense that she worshipped Him with everything that she was, and everything that she had.

Do we see Jesus the same way that Mary does? And do we look to Him for hope, fulfillment and meaning? Or are we still looking to ourselves?

Check out Pastor Leland Acker’s sermon, posted above via YouTube, or below via Soundcloud, and reflect on whether you have the love and faith toward Jesus that Mary had, or whether you are looking for something for this world like Judas was.

What is the Gospel?

“Gospel” is a buzzword that is widely circulated in Christian circles. There’s Gospel music, Gospel preaching, spreading the Gospel and standing for the Gospel.

There are full Gospel churches and Gospel revivals.

With all this talk about the “Gospel,” what is it really? What is “The Gospel?”

Some say that the Gospel is the entire word of God from Genesis to Revelation. However, while the scriptures contain the Gospel from Genesis to Revelation, the scriptures themselves are not the definition of the Gospel.

The Gospel is defined in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, which states that Paul delivered unto the saints at Corinth how Christ “died for our sins according to the scriptures, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Thus, the Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins according to the scriptures.

By giving His life on the cross, our Lord endured God’s punishment for sin, thus removing the condemnation of sin from us. We have been forgiven because our sins have been paid for, and it was Christ that made that payment.

By rising from the grave, Christ defeated death, and brought eternal life to all who believe.

This is the central message of the Bible, and the theme that runs through all the scriptures. The deeper you dig into scripture, the deeper an understanding you gain of the Gospel.

It is through the Gospel that we have salvation. It is through the Gospel that we find peace, and we find deliverance from shame and regret.

In His messages of repentance, Christ urged the people to believe the Gospel. By believing the Gospel, your faith is placed squarely on Christ and you will have salvation. With that salvation, you have the blessed assurance that you will spend eternity in Heaven.

To explore the theme of the Gospel throughout the Bible, check out The Gospel Expedition, posted via YouTube or Soundcloud below:

Gospel Expedition Podcast Expands to YouTube

As part of our ongoing effort to promote the Gospel across all platforms, we are adding the Gospel Expedition podcast to our YouTube channel. By adding the Gospel Expedition to the YouTube platform, the podcast will be available to more listeners and will be readily available to users on an app that is often pre-installed on their smart phones. If you haven’t checked out the Gospel Expedition, give it a listen and let us know what you think.

Following Jesus

This week’s message is the first in “The Real Jesus Christ” series to focus on application. We are instructed by scripture to follow Jesus. What does that mean, and what does that look like? Listen to Pastor Leland Acker’s message via Soundcloud.

What’s Our Advantage? (Romans 3:9-31)

Paul, after demonstrating that religious people are just as sinful as the lost world, answers the question, “What advantage do we have?”

Basically, “If my religion hasn’t earned me any favor with God, what was the point to that?”

Paul answers the question by stating that our advantage was that we were entrusted with the word of God, the Bible. Then, in a theological eloquence that could only be inspired by God Himself, demonstrated God’s grace and salvation of us, in spite of our sinfulness.