The Voice of Hope – Details, episodes & analysis

This episode launches our new series in the book of Acts: The Continuing Acts of Jesus. In this first episode, derived from Guide Through the Bible, Arlin and Anthony frame our study in Acts. They explore the theme that spans the book of Acts—turning the world upside down with Jesus—drawn from Act 4:13 and Acts 17:6. They also look at the progression of the Gospel outlined in Acts 1:8, and how we can take part in its ongoing spread. Through this conversation, they share their questions and what they hope to learn from this study of the book of Acts. […]

Have you seen the Righteous One? In this Easter special, Arlin Horst looks at Paul the Apostle, a man who encountered Jesus in a miraculous way and was transformed. As Arlin explores Acts 22:1-16, he examines Paul’s questions, his actions, and how his encounter with Christ turned him into a bold witness for Him. This episode invites you to reflect: Have you seen Jesus, and has your life been changed by Him? 

In this second part of “The Church of Dangerous Delusion”, we continue our study of the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22. Though this church is lukewarm and blind to its own spiritual condition, Jesus provides a path forward to restoration, which is outlined in his exhortation and compensation. In this last episode examining the churches in Revelation, we are called to reflect on our own spiritual temperature and the promise given to those who overcome.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Revelation: The Voice of Hope
• (00:02:19) - the Church of the Laodiceans
• (00:03:56) - Message of Exhortation to the Church at Laodice
• (00:12:13) - Jesus at the Door
• (00:21:18) - 7 Letters to the 7 Churches of Revelation
• (00:27:03) - The Door of My Heart

I Timothy 2:11-15 I had the privilege, or misfortune, of growing up in the 1960s and 70s. During that time, the concept of authority was trashed in favor of personal autonomy. The mantra of that era was “no one is going to tell me how to live.” It led to the wholesale rejection of moral standards. The young adults of that time eventually grew up – at least they got older. Yet many of them never abandoned their childish ideas about freedom. They carried these with them into places of influence and authority. We believe there are objective moral standards […]

Don’t Be Afraid, Just Believe

Mark 5:21-43 

              Charlotte Elliott was a sickly English woman who developed a long history of refusing to do things she was asked to do because of her illness. Her brother was a pastor, and he was particularly persistent in trying to get her to do something positive. But Charlotte always refused. She’d say things like; “I’m not feeling up to it; I’m an invalid, you know; I just don’t think I can.”

              Charlotte’s brother was trying to raise funds for a school for young women. Once more he asked Charlotte to help … just to go to the event and do something, anything. But again, she refused; she was too tired and too sick. And so, the family went off and left her home alone.

              That night, Charlotte began to think about how her sickness was taking over her life. She began to feel ashamed because she would not risk anything for the Kingdom. She realized that that her illness had become the most important thing, maybe the only thing, in her life. And that night Charlotte heard the call of God.

              Out of her restlessness, out of her self-disgust, she wrote, “Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me, and that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come. Just as I am, and waiting not… just as I am, with many a conflict, many a doubt. Yes, just as I am, poor, wretched, blind… just as I am, I come.” Yes Lord, I’m a mess, but I’m coming.

              In her extremity, Charlotte Elliott was learning a very valuable lesson; that brokenness and the exercise of faith are crucial steps on the way to wholeness.

              As we resume our study in Mark’s Gospel, we come to the account of Jairus’ daughter being raised from death to life and the healing of the woman who had a chronic hemorrhage. There are valuable lessons about faith and fear we can learn as we meditate on this Scripture. From the last several scenes in Mark’s Gospel we’ve seen these themes of fear and faith in Jesus’ control over nature, over demons, and now, over sickness and death. 

              Listen carefully now as I read Mark 5:21 to 43.

              In this text the comparison of faith and fear is clearly illustrated. As we examine these illustrations, we will better understand Jesus’ words, “Don’t be Afraid, Just Believe.” 

The First ILLUSTRATION (of the comparison between faith and fear) is,

              A Devoted Father

              Mark and Luke identify Jairus (JY-RUS) as a ruler of the synagogue. His position surely would have acquainted him with Jesus. The Gospel records tell us that Jesus taught in many of the synagogues of Galilee. Jesus may have spoken more than once in the very synagogue where Jairus was the leader.

              Jairus filled an honorable position. He was most likely prosperous and well respected in the community. But not everything about his life was ideal. Luke implies that his “only daughter” was his only child. Mark adds the endearing term, “little.” For a Jewish man to have no sons was a great misfortune. This misfortune may have made his daughter more precious to him.

              So, his precious little girl is struck with illness and, according to verse 23, her life was slipping away. She was dying. Jairus sought out Jesus as his only hope. Jesus had returned to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, and as was usual, a dense crowd gathered around Jesus. Jairus had to push his way through that crowd to get to Jesus. This is his first visible expression of faith; he believed Jesus could help.

              Notice Jairus’ attitude and his request. He came to Je...

Going to the Dark Side: Part 2

Mark 5:1-20

At the insistence of the demons, Jesus permitted them. By His power, Jesus could have sent them anywhere, even back to the abyss. That fact that He didn’t do that tells us He had a larger purpose to fulfill in this interaction with the demons and the residents. John MacArthur wrote, “By granting permission for these demons to go into the herd of pigs, Jesus was allowing them to put on display the true magnitude of their destructive and deadly force. In so doing, He also highlighted the glorious superiority of His own power.” [1]

              What happened next stunned the bystanders! The entire herd of 2,000 pigs went berserk and stampeded down a steep slope and into the Sea of Galilee to their deaths. This was undeniable proof that the demons had left the man and entered the pigs. It also illustrated the damaging power of the demons on a massive scale. Most importantly, it demonstrated Jesus’ absolute authority over them. They had no choice by to comply with His sovereign command!

              We have many warnings in Scripture that evil will increase as we approach the end of the age. Jesus and the apostles spoke about how evil behaviors will “come out of the closet” and into the mainstream of culture as Satan realizes that his time for deception is growing short. I have witnessed this in my short lifetime.

              For those who follow Christ, confronting evil in society today is much more costly than in the past. But we must not shrink in fear. Instead, we need to “put on the full armor of God so we can stand against the devil’s schemes.” We are not struggling against human beings, but against spiritual forces of evil in this world of darkness working through human beings. We must not retreat in the face of opposition but go boldly forward to confront evil in our time.

              Going to the dark side requires us to cross barriers and confront evil.

Another STEP (in going to the dark side) is,

              Choosing Sides

              Not all demonstrations of Jesus’ power are as dramatic as this one. But one thing is sure; when Jesus shows up you can’t be neutral. You can either accept Him or reject Him, but you can’t ignore Him!

              Those who cared for the pigs and witnessed their dramatic destruction didn’t wait around to see what would happen next. They took to their heels in fear and told everyone they saw about what had happened to the herd of pigs. The text isn’t clear about whether they had seen the transformation in the former demoniac. The news spread like wildfire across the whole region. When people heard about what happened they wanted to see it with their own eyes.

              So, they came to see if what they’d been told was true. And sure enough, the pigs were floating in the water. Even more astounding was the man who had been possessed by many demons sitting with Jesus. He was fully clothed, and his mind was completely restored. He and Jesus were conversing together. And they were afraid. This was the same kind of fear the disciples experienced after Jesus stilled the storm on the Sea of Galilee. It was the realization that they were in the presence of the Holy One.  

              Imagine those who had witnessed these dramatic events retelling them to the curious crowd that had gathered. I see them imitating the behavior of the demoniac, the calm composure of Jesus, and the violent reaction of the herd of pigs. I picture them pointing to the bodies of all those d...

Going to the Dark Side: Part 1

Mark 5:1-20

              What was the purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth? Hint: there’s more than one right answer. In First John 3:8, John answers this question very clearly. In this context, John is writing about the relationship between sin and the child of God. He wrote, “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

              So, the Son of God was revealed so that He might destroy the works of Satan. It seems that John is simply reminding us of what God promised Eve in Genesis 3:15. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” Some versions read that the seed of the woman, Jesus, will “crush” the head of the serpent.

              In the Gospels, we see Jesus doing this very thing. Before He began His public ministry He endured a time of temptation in the wilderness. There, Jesus convincingly demonstrated His power over Satan, specifically, by using the written Word of God. In Mark chapter one, on the Sabbath and in the synagogue, Jesus delivers a man from a demonic spirit showing His mastery over the powers of darkness.

              That brings us to our text for this study, Mark 5:1 to 20. Matthew and Luke also record the details of this amazing event. In the biblical record, not since God cast Satan and his angels out of heaven, have so many demons been simultaneously displaced by one divine command!  

              But before we get to our text, let’s consider the larger context. What was happening just before the events of this chapter? In Mark chapter 4, Jesus was teaching His disciples about the characteristics of the kingdom of God. He compared it to the mystery of a growing plant. The farmer plants the seed, but he can’t make it grow nor can he fully explain how it grows. Furthermore, He implied that the kingdom would start as a very small seed, yet it would grow into a large tree so the birds could come and nest in its shade.

              Then, at the very end of chapter four, we have the account of Jesus sleeping during a wild storm on the Sea of Galilee. He was exhausted from a couple of days of nonstop ministry. They had been so busy that they didn’t even have time to eat! So, immediately, after they leave the crowds behind, He falls asleep in the stern of the boat. When the violent storm erupts, He keeps right on sleeping.

              The disciples are struggling to control the ship and their fear is growing. They are facing the reality that this voyage isn’t going to end well, so they awaken Jesus with a cry of despair; “Don’t you care that we are perishing?” Jesus miraculously stills the wind and the waves and then the disciples are even more terrified. “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

              That question is left hanging, as it were, in the air. In their understanding, only God, the creator of earth and sea can control such things. And that brings us to our text, Mark 5:1 to 20. Listen to Mark’s record of these amazing events.   

              If the disciples were out of their comfort zone during the storm and with Jesus’ response to the storm, the narrative we just read must have compounded their uneasiness. The unpredi...

Is Jesus in Your Boat?

Mark 4:35-41

            Few ships in the world are more famous than the Titanic. She began her maiden voyage on April 10, 1912, from Southampton, England, to New York City. On April 14, the Titanic struck an iceberg and in a few short hours broke apart and sank. More than 1500 people lost their lives in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.

            On the Sunday after the Titanic sank, Belfast, Ireland, was in shock. The Titanic was built by one of the premier shipbuilding firms in the city, and it was considered virtually unsinkable. As you can imagine, the townspeople were devastated. Men met on the city’s streets, grasped each other’s hands, burst into tears, and parted without saying a word. One church lost 16 of its male members to the icy waters; they were all mechanics on the Titanic. And on that dark Sunday, the pastor in that congregation read Mark 4:35 to 41.

            As we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark, we come to this text. It is the dramatic account of Jesus and His disciples on the Sea of Galilee amid a horrendous storm. The title of this study is a question, “Is Jesus in Your Boat?” I hope you can stay with me. Listen now as I read Mark 4:35 to 41.

             As we look at the interaction of Jesus and the disciples in this text, we’ll see that the only unsinkable vessel in history was the little boat occupied by the sleeping Savior. How you answer the question, “Is Jesus in your boat?” will have far-reaching and eternal consequences.  

Consider the Humanity of Jesus

            As I read and meditated on this short text, I was impressed by how few words are spoken. There are several short commands and questions, but they are loaded with so much meaning.

            Jesus makes the first statement; “Let’s cross over to the other side.” It is the evening of what has been a hectic day. The events included the blasphemous accusation by the Pharisees, the visit of the family to rescue Him from the crowds, leaving the crowded house for the sea, teaching parables from a boat, and more parables in the house, and back to the sea again. Now, they are preparing to cross the sea!

            Here is evidence of the humanity of Jesus. He was physically tired, and it was time to find some relief from the pressing demands of the constant crowds. He had been so busy there hadn’t even been time to eat, according to Mark 3:20. Think of the emotional drain that constant ministry put on Him. The needs were endless.

            They were on the west side of the lake and a voyage to the eastern side in the evening would be a delightful and refreshing change for the weary Jesus. Furthermore, the eastern side of the lake was much less populated, making it a good place to rest. But as is often the case with Jesus, there’s more to the story. He has a divine appointment on the other side of Galilee.

            So, they started their voyage. They took Jesus with them in the boat, the one He had been teaching from. Mark is the only one who mentions other little boats with them. People must have gathered around Jesus’ boat to be closer to Him and to hear His teaching.

            It reminds me of our trip to Israel in March 2023. When our tour group visited a site, there were always those who were taking pictures or looking for a place to sit. I tried not to be obnoxious or pushy, but...

The Mystery of the Kingdom

Mark 4:21-34

            In Ephesians 5, in the context of his teaching about marriage oneness, Paul wrote, “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” 

            In First Corinthians 15, he wrote, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” 

            Then in Second Thessalonians 2:7, in the context of the second coming of Christ, Paul wrote,“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” 

            In Ephesians, Paul says the marriage relationship and our union with Christ IS a great mystery. Can you fully explain how the marriage relationship mirrors Christ’s relationship with the Church? I didn’t think so. Then, in Thessalonians, he says the mystery of lawlessness IS already working. Again, the spirit of the antichrist is working in our world, but we don’t fully understand how it will manifest itself just before the coming of Christ.

            However, in First Corinthians 15, Paul informs us that he is SHOWING us (literally, telling us) a mystery. In other words, he is revealing something that wasn’t known before. That’s the biblical definition of a mystery; it’s the revelation of what was previously unknown.

            In Mark 4:11, Jesus said to His disciples, “To you, it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables…”

            The portion of Scripture for our study this time follows immediately after the parable of the soils and is directly related to it. I’ve titled my teaching, “The Mystery of the Kingdom,” and our text is Mark 4:21 to 34. So, listen carefully as I read this text and see if you can pick out the steps that reveal to us the mystery of the kingdom. 

In this text, we observe the several STEPS that reveal to us the mystery of the kingdom.

Before we get into our study, I point out to you Jesus’ emphasis on hearing! In verse 9 of this chapter, He says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Then, in verse 23, He says, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And verse 24, “Take heed what you hear.” Let’s keep this emphasis in mind as we work our way through this text.

The First STEP (that reveals the mystery of the kingdom) is,

            Its Proclamation

            Jesus continues directly from “the parable of the soils” into additional teaching about the kingdom of God. He moves from the field to the house and uses a common item to illustrate His teaching – a lamp.

            Every household in Jesus’ day had these small clay lamps. A small lump of clay was formed into a shallow bowl that would hold a couple of teaspoons of oil, and then one side was pinched into a crude spout.  A wick was laid in that little bowl of oil and out over the spout. After the wick was saturated, you lit the exposed end, and there was your lamp. In the house, these were usually placed on a small shelf or a stone that was left protruding from the wall for that purpose.

            Interestingly, Mark invests the lamp with motion. He ask...

Resurrection Celebration 2024

Selected Texts

We Shall Assemble/There is a Redeemer

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him…

Stricken, Smitten, Afflicted

Surely, he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement for our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

O Sacred Head Now Wounded                     

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb and departed.

Then Came the Morning                                

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Awake, Awake O Earth                     

Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Lift Your Glad Voices                         

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was f...