The Five-fold Function of Law (Romans 7:7–13)

The Five-fold Function of Law (Romans 7:7–13)

Share a comment [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545810/fan_mail/new] A simple “No” can light up something in us that we didn’t even know was there. Tell people not to feed the bears, and suddenly the bears look hungry. Put up a “stay off the grass” sign, and the lawn starts calling your name. We use that everyday tension to unpack Romans 7 and a hard truth: God’s law doesn’t create evil, but it does expose how deeply our hearts resist limits, and how quickly forbidden things can feel irresistible. We talk through Paul’s own story of being confident, moral, and deeply religious, only to be brought to zero when the commandment truly lands and he meets the Lawgiver. That moment doesn’t just reveal “mistakes,” it reveals a condition. From there we face the deception of sin head-on: the promises of satisfaction that never last, the illusion of safety, the myth of secrecy, the rewriting of shame, and the false security that says grace means nothing really matters. If you’ve ever thought, “It’ll be different for me,” this will hit close to home. We also make the case that the law is holy, righteous, and good because it reveals God’s character, but it cannot heal what it diagnoses. The law works like an X-ray, not a cure, pushing us away from self-righteousness and toward redemption at Calvary rather than confidence at Sinai. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend, and leave a review with the biggest “forbidden fruit” temptation you’ve seen play out in real life. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org [https://www.wisdomonline.org] Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ [https://www.wisdomonline.org/] Support the show [https://app.easytithe.com/App/Form/d39a9be4-01ce-4f82-a3ae-8b860c3ab89e]

The Master’s Men (Pt. 3) (Luke 6:15b-16)

Share a comment [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545810/fan_mail/new] Some of the most important disciples in the New Testament are the ones we barely notice. We wrap up our walk through Luke 6 by slowing down for the “last four” names on the list, and the result is both comforting and confronting. If you’ve ever felt ordinary, overlooked, or unsure your life is making a difference, this conversation reframes what spiritual impact actually means. We talk about James the son of Alpheus, sometimes called James the Less, a man with almost no recorded moments and yet a full calling from Christ. From there we dig into Simon the Zealot and the shocking reality that Jesus put a political firebrand side by side with a former tax collector, turning clashing backgrounds into a living picture of church unity. We also explore Judas the son of James, known as Thaddeus, whose tender question in John’s Gospel highlights how Jesus reveals himself personally, one heart at a time. Then we deal honestly with Judas Iscariot: trusted, involved, and indistinguishable to the group, yet ultimately a traitor. It’s a sobering reminder that exposure to truth is not the same as belief. We close with Matthias, why the apostolic office is unique, and a vivid illustration of the gospel as music played through ordinary instruments in the hands of the Maestro. If this encouraged you, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. What part of the disciples’ story hits closest to home for you? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org [https://www.wisdomonline.org] Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ [https://www.wisdomonline.org/] Support the show [https://app.easytithe.com/App/Form/d39a9be4-01ce-4f82-a3ae-8b860c3ab89e]

The Master’s Men Part 2b (Luke 6:14b-15a)

Share a comment [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545810/fan_mail/new] If you have ever looked at your own faith and thought, “I have failed too many times to be useful,” we want to challenge that assumption. The thread running through these disciples is not their polish, their confidence, or their spiritual pedigree. It is the steady reality that Jesus chooses people who disappoint Him and then shows them, over and over, that He will not fail them.  We spend time with Philip, the practical “facts and figures” disciple, and watch Jesus put a spotlight on his instincts during the feeding of the 5,000. When the math says “impossible,” Jesus invites Philip to see that faith is not built on what we can calculate, budget, or control. A child’s simple lunch becomes the perfect illustration of God’s pattern: He does not need impressive offerings, just an available heart that will place what it has into His hands.  Then we meet Nathanael Bartholomew, who has no hidden agenda but does have a blunt prejudice about Nazareth until Jesus reveals divine knowledge and wins his immediate confession. We also touch Matthew’s calling as a despised tax collector, a clear reminder that Jesus does not call qualified people; He qualifies the people He calls. Finally, we rethink Thomas, not only as the skeptic but as the first to say he is willing to die with Jesus, a picture of love that stays even when optimism is gone.  If this encouraged you, subscribe for more, share it with a friend who feels disqualified, and leave a review so more listeners can find the conversation. What part of your story have you assumed God cannot use? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org [https://www.wisdomonline.org] Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ [https://www.wisdomonline.org/] Support the show [https://app.easytithe.com/App/Form/d39a9be4-01ce-4f82-a3ae-8b860c3ab89e]

The Master’s Men Part 2a (Luke 6:14b-15a)

Share a comment [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545810/fan_mail/new] Two brothers hear a town reject Jesus and instantly reach for the flames. James and John actually suggest calling down fire from heaven, as if spiritual leadership is best done with threats and force. If that sounds extreme, it’s also uncomfortably relatable: when we feel dismissed, we want control, payback, and proof that we’re right.  We walk through Luke’s portrait of the disciples and the surprising logic behind Jesus’ choices. He doesn’t pick people because he needs them, because they look impressive, or because they already know enough. He picks ordinary men because they’re willing to be taught and because he intends to make them into something new. James and John leave security and connections, then wrestle with pride, privilege, and the hunger to be seen. Over time, the “sons of thunder” are reshaped into perseverance, courage, and love, with James becoming the first martyr and John living long enough to be known not for anger but as the apostle of love.  Then we shift to Philip, the disciple who lives in the spreadsheet. When Jesus asks how to feed thousands, Philip can only see the math and the limits. The feeding of the five thousand becomes a targeted lesson: God isn’t waiting for impressive resources or perfect confidence, but for availability and a simple offering placed into the hands of Christ. If you’ve been stuck in pros and cons, budgets, and worst-case scenarios, this one speaks your language.  Listen, then subscribe for more Bible teaching and discipleship conversations, share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one “small offering” you can bring to Jesus right now? Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org [https://www.wisdomonline.org] Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ [https://www.wisdomonline.org/] Support the show [https://app.easytithe.com/App/Form/d39a9be4-01ce-4f82-a3ae-8b860c3ab89e]

The Master’s Men Part 1 (Luke 6:12-16)

Share a comment [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545810/fan_mail/new] Jesus builds a movement without grabbing the obvious power players. No rabbi to cite chapter and verse on command. No scribe to document the moment. No insider with the right family name. When we trace Luke 6, we’re confronted with a Messiah who skips the religious establishment and chooses “dust-covered” learners, men close enough to be marked by his footsteps. We talk through the ancient picture behind discipleship: following so closely behind a master that you wear the dust of your teacher. That image turns Christian discipleship into something concrete and personal, not a label or a hobby. Then Luke pauses on a detail that’s easy to rush past: Jesus spends the entire night in prayer before selecting the Twelve, described with language like a physician keeping an all-night bedside vigil. We unpack what that kind of prayer says about spiritual leadership, pressure, and Jesus’ ongoing intercession for people he already knows completely. From there, two truths sharpen the whole story: Jesus chooses these men not because he needs them, but because they need him, and not because of who they are, but because of who they will become. We look at the surprising mix of backgrounds and personalities, then zoom in on Peter’s slow transformation from unpredictable to steadfast, and Andrew’s quiet faithfulness as the one who keeps bringing people to Jesus. If you’ve ever wondered whether your flaws disqualify you, Luke 6 answers with hope and a next step. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review with one line on what it means to “wear the dust” of Jesus. Explore all of our Biblically Faithful Resources at https://www.wisdomonline.org [https://www.wisdomonline.org] Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/ [https://www.wisdomonline.org/] Support the show [https://app.easytithe.com/App/Form/d39a9be4-01ce-4f82-a3ae-8b860c3ab89e]