Christian Questions Bible Podcast

So much of the philosophy of our society today is built around the idea that “I am the center of my universe, therefore what I want, I truly must have,” so the whole concept of sin becomes very subjective and often not even really relevant in people’s lives. So, is sin as relevant today as it was in the past, or have we outgrown the concept of sin in favor of a much more fluid and progressive understanding of right and wrong?

There is so much that comes to mind when you think of the life Jesus lived here on earth for 33½ years. The Old Testament had an amazing amount to say about his life – much of it written hundreds and thousands of years before he came. This brings up the question – could Jesus have done the things he did and said the things he said simply because he knew the prophecies and wanted to fulfill them, or was it all of his own free will? Stay with us – this is fascinating!

The very definition of “Christian” is one who follows Christ. As Christians, we all know this and we all agree that it is of paramount importance. The big question is, what exactly does it mean to follow Christ? What is our life supposed to look like? What does God want FROM us through Christ and what does God want FOR us through Christ? Is it different for everyone? How do we know if we are on track? What role does trouble play? Do we really have to suffer for Christ?

We all have experiences in our lives that hurt. Sometimes the pain in our lives can feel like a flood - an overwhelming tide that is sweeping us away and we feel all alone. So we try to cope. We try to find something to hold onto or something to do that takes our minds away from the pain of our lives. For some of us, especially for teenagers, what they find to mask their heartache is physical pain they can control and inflict upon themselves. As we invest our time today in discussing positive and negative ways to cope, we dedicate our conversation to those who find themselves coping through self-injury. Our message is simple – there is hope and it can be found!

We all have heard analogies regarding fruit… “That was a fruitful trip.” “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” “What a fruitcake!” “We are hoping the experience bears fruit.” “Please, with a cherry on top!” “He went bananas!” “One bad apple spoils the whole bunch!” You get the idea! Fruit gives us a sensible and understandable way to define life – and it’s tasty too! Not surprisingly, fruit is a centerpiece of New Testament teaching, so let’s take a look!

When you begin to grasp the life and times of Daniel the Prophet, what you find in your hands is pure inspiration, integrity, faith and courage. Here is a man who lived out his entire life far from his home in Israel and who, by God’s grace, turned captivity to a pagan nation into an opportunity to reveal the greatness of the One God and eventually win over the King who made him captive. When we grow up, we should all want to be like Daniel! Stay with us as we continue his story!

Sometimes change is in order. Sometimes it becomes evident that the path we are currently following is not leading us in the best direction and a decision is required to alter not only our direction, but our thinking as well. This is what we are faced with when we profess Christianity. This profession requires us to observe, perceive and follow through on a different life. So, are you ready for that?

As Christians, we all have a sense of the sanctity of marriage. We all know that it is supposed to be ‘til death do us part, yet we also experience about as high a rate of divorce as the rest of our society. Does Jesus give us solid guidelines for marriage and divorce? Should Christians be involved in “no fault” divorces? Do you really have to stay married even if you are not happy? Stay with us as we look into this difficult, sensitive and very relevant matter!

Life, death and taxes – those are three things that we as a race have all come to experience. It is a cycle that we accept and a process we adapt to even though the ending is not to our liking. About 2,000 years ago, a man born of a woman came to change all of that. He was Jesus of Nazareth, born to live so that he could die, so that we – all of us – can live again – beyond the cycle that all of human history has documented. Stay with us as we honor his life, his death, and his kingship!

Jesus knew when his time would be up and his sacrifice would be complete. He knew – down to the very hour – he knew. He understood the pain and suffering that awaited, and he also understood the immense difficulty and challenge that would unfold, not only for him but for his followers as well. So, knowing all of this, what did Jesus do to prepare himself to overcome? Where did he go, how did he act and what did he say? Stay with us as we observe what our Master did to prepare to finish his walk of sacrifice, so we can learn how to handle our own…