Rabbit Holes & Meditations - Christian Bible Study

What we heard in parables is now fully out in the open. Coming off the transfiguration, in the disclosure of His death and resurrection, Jesus now spells it out in plain English. What is fascinating is not the revelation itself, but how the disciples take it. They are clearly disturbed by the revelation and don't know how to process it. I think sometimes when we read the Gospels, we leave our empathy on the table and look at scripture from a purely intellectual vantage point. And of course we have the benefit of hindsight. But to empathize just a little, imagine that this is maybe your first significant other. That person has come to you and said, I'm going to die. NOTHING else you hear after that will get processed. You're devastated. This is the state of mind of the disciples in this moment.
 
We, of course, know the rest of the story so we don't want to leave the listener in the same state of confusion. We dig into why Jesus must go to the cross and what His death and resurrection do for all believers. The disciples could only hear the bad news, but the very word Gospel means Good News. So, we fill in the blanks for you, so you are not left hanging.
Notes for Bad News Good News
 
Episode link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/bad-news-good-news/ 

How does your discipleship look? Are you seeing comfort in your relationship? Are you holding back until such a time when you'll have enough time to be fully committed. Are you straddling your commitments to the world and your commitment to Christ. 
Three seeming very reasonable requests to follow Jesus are rejected by Him. How would you fare? 
Notes to Commitment
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/commitment-vs-seeking-comfort-putting-things-off-holding-on-to-your-world/ 

Just off the mountain. Jesus has just revealed the whole plan to Peter, John and James. That trip down the mountain was fruitful, inspirational and rewarding. Then at the foot of the hill, Jesus and the three walk right back into reality. A father is begging for his son to be healed, and Jesus' disciples are unable to exercise the demon. We see Jesus express frustration and a healthy amount of grief. This is not just a watershed moment for these disciples; it is a wakeup call to us! 
Notes to I Do Believe. Help My Unbelief.
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/i-do-believe-help-my-unbelief/ 

We have just witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, and the pieces should be falling into place both for us and those that witnessed the event. Sometimes the best way to read the Bible is to put yourself in the sandals of one of the disciples. We did that and we started asking exactly the same questions. The clarity that comes from approaching the Bible with humble curiosity is awesome.
 
Definitely check the notes on this for a deeper bible study:Notes to Descending the Mountain
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/descending-the-mountain-ascending-in-understanding/ 

We've followed the disciples on this chronological red-letter journey so far covering a period of a little over a two year of Jesus' ministry. Through all of that, we have the benefit of the Bible, the New Testament and 2000 year's worth of commentary and still we find it hard to fathom what happens next!
Some of us want to take Peter aside and say: "Dude, don't you get it!" Sometimes, we want to help Jesus turn the tables over in the temple! We want to wag our fingers at the Pharisees! Are we still asking for signs? If 2000 years has taught us anything, it has taught us that faith trumps seeing. The witness we have in our hand, the Bible, IS the miracle. It is God speaking directly to us: "This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. LISTEN TO HIM!"
 
Notes for "Listen to Him"
Episode link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/listen-to-him/ 

There's a subtle lesson I'm slowly beginning to learn. Start your day in scripture and the rest of your day will follow you. Start your day in the world, in your email inbox, on your phone or social media and you're the follower!
Today, we started in a very well-known passage. Peter has just confessed Jesus as the Messiah but his understanding of what that means led to one of Jesus' sharpest rebukes in the Bible: "Get behind me Satan". Even the reader, and certainly Petere, might stagger in bewilderment at such a harsh response. After all, Peter was only looking out for the best interest of his Messiah. But his interest was in his world view.
Jesus did not leave us hanging. But it may still leave us puzzling. Jesus said: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
It's interesting that you tend to see the things you're focusing on. I know, that sounds circular, but it goes deeper than it sounds. In a world of a million distractions, your eyes rest on where your brain is. That's why starting the day with scripture is so important. It will connect with your day if you simply let it.
Today is no different and I wanted to share where my mind focused and how that related back to the passage that I was reading. Let the spirit be your guide! If you do that, you're in for some amazing discoveries. And so, on with the podcast.
Here's the video that inspired this episode: Video: I’ll Prove It - THE SIMULATION IS REAL 
Notes for Unplug
 
 

We just left Caesarea Phillipi where Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. Shortly after this, Jesus has a discussion to let His disciples know what MUST now happen. It is news the disciples are not quite ready for... though I can't imagine there ever being a good time to bring this up! We walk through this short passage in Matthew 16:21-23, Mark 8:31-33 and Luke 9:22 and then try to empathize with how the disciples would have received the news. We piece together what they had been taught from the law and the prophets. We backtrack some of the experiences with Jesus they were a witness to. We even imagined Jesus telling them flat-out what they should already know. The evidence was there... the heart wasn't ready.
This is so crucial for a Christian to grasp. We can judge in hindsight Peter's bold albeit misguided response, but we should really consider our similarities more than our differences. Honestly, in the moment, I'm right there WITH Peter. I can only apologize later to God for what I thought also. I can't imagine what it must have felt like when Jesus turned to Peter and said sharply: "Get behind me Satan!". Still, I can't count the number of times that that should have happened to me! It's not luck on my part that it has not happened, it's sheer mercy. I'm not sure how I could handle it.
Notes for Get Behind Me Satan
Episode link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/get-behind-me-satan/ 

I loved resting on this passage and digging into it. The full weight of what is happening comes to life when we understand the context and the setting of Caesarea Philippi. We spent some time tracing who they really thought Jesus was and importantly, how they got to their conclusions. From the context and the history, we can also discern how much Peter's confession reveals and what he still has yet to learn.
We also took the same question beyond scripture and asked the same thing about religions around the world. Who do they say that Jesus is? The responses are stunning. They clearly have not studied the gospels! Our response is very simple: check the source material. Stop reinventing who Jesus is to suit your own interests. 
For me, it's pretty simple. You have the choice of what religion you want to follow. If a religion recognizes Jesus, but redefines His nature, diminishes his deity, and/or denies his death and resurrection, then ask "to what end?". All of those religions must reference the same source material, i.e. the New Testament. So, unable to deny His existence, they simply redefine Him. Don't let that happen. If it's you, study the New Testament! If it's someone you know, don't puff up about your religious claims. Simply suggest a mutual study of the Gospels so that that person can make an informed decision. 
 
Notes for Who Do They Say That I Am
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/who-do-they-say-that-i-am-the-confession-of-peter/ 
 

Sometimes the fly on the wall gets the best perspective! We're in a synagogue on a Sunday, of course, and a woman has been coming to this place for 18 years. Everything we see here smacks of cliche'. Jesus healing on the Sabbath. The religious leader of course not having it - though there's not much he can do about it. So, as we went through this passage, we started asking some pretty serious questions. What I love about the Bible, is for every question, there's an answer!
 
Notes for Sickness and Demons
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/sickness-and-demons-god-does-not-always-heal-the-faithful/

We took the opportunity today to step back and look at how we read scripture. Jesus has just come from the Decapolis. He's healed a woman's daughter, a deaf mute, fed 10,000 people on the mountain without only 7 loaves of bread. He warns his disciples to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and then we come into Bethsaida.
A small group of people bring a blind man to Jesus. My first thought, is OK... haven't we seen Jesus heal the blind before? But I persisted, and read through the passage, and I had to sit with it a bit. I got to thinking. Sometimes, we trap ourselves inside the familiar and that's what I was supposed to recognize. If I had skipped this passage, I would have missed something really profound.
After learning my lesson, I took my convictions deeper and laid out a simple outline for how one should read the Bible. I started by asking the question: If you ONLY had the Bible as your resource for understanding scripture, how would you do it? No A.I., No books. Not even a local pastor to help you. Could you read the bible all by itself and gain clear, spiritual clarity. Would you see people that looked like trees walking around... or would you be able to see with clarity?
Notes to Men Shaped Like Trees - Gaining Gospel Clarity
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/men-shaped-like-walking-trees-gaining-gospel-clarity

I had to read this a few times. I'm convinced that this is what's going on. Jesus is in the Decapolis. He has just left a woman who accepts the Jewish perspective of gentiles as dogs. Even the dog eats the crumbs from his master. That segways into this scene. We're in the Decapolis, deep gentile territory. A sea of "dogs" by Jewish standards. 
Here, you don't get the sense of the disciples actively, enthusiastically participating. Something is off. The focus is on Jesus, his miracles, the healing of the deaf mute. And Jesus has to initiate the idea that after 3 days of being with them that the people in this crowd might be hungry! We get an almost repeat of the feeding of the 5000. Here, it's the feeding of the 4000. 
Segway again into the common scene where Jesus is being accosted: show us a sign!" When they get in their boat to go on their way, the disciples have lost the significance of the meaning of what just happened. Jesus has to remind them about the meaning of numbers. It's almost like he is saying: "Ok, guys... let's go over this. What does 12 mean? What does 7 mean? " 
He then tells them to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. We know generally what this means but I think specifically what Jesus is telling them is that they are being taught Jewish pride.... The disciples need to get over their self-aggrandizement of putting their religious culture over all other people. The need to get over what I call DOG-ma. 
 
Notes to Rejecting Religious DOG-ma
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/rejecting-religious-dog-ma/ 

I don't get emotional much when I'm reading something. Today, for some reason, I did. And I had to stop, back up and zoom in on a scene that would have been so easy to blow past.
Jesus is leaving the region of Tyre and Sidon. It was there where he met the woman who famously said even the dog feeds off the crumbs of the master. That was amazing in and of itself. So I picked up here and followed Jesus into the Decapolis. This is still gentile territory, and Jesus goes up on a mountain and sits.
It doesn't take long, and people are ascending the mountain to meet with Jesus. Again, even in gentile territory, his reputation far outpaces his footsteps. In this midst of this somewhat chaotic scramble, Jesus takes one person aside, a deaf mute, and heals him. As I pondered that, the whole scene rushed into my brain from the perspective of that person. And that's where I didn't just read it, I felt it.
Notes for Opening Ears To Hear
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/opening-ears-to-hear/ 

We just saw Jesus proclaim to the Jews in Capernaum: "I am the Bread of Life". That caused quite a ruckus. From here, Jesus retreats into gentile territory for the first time in his ministry and encounters a gentile mother. It's only fitting that from the Bread of Life we see the crumbs of mercy.
 
Notes for Crumbs of Mercy
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/crumbs-of-mercy/ 

Almost every encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees becomes a teaching moment for Jesus and a learning one for us. It starts off simple enough. Jesus and His disciples sat down to eat. The religious elite seem mortified that they did not wash their hands. Jesus has just the opening he needs.
As we were studying this, the surface level stuff became pretty obvious. By now in our red-letter journey, it is almost redundant. Jesus calls the Pharisees out on their hypocrisy... again. This time he brings up the notion of traditions that allow the Pharisees to work around the Law.
We considered some of the traditions of the Jews for examples and then we started looking at some of our traditions clouding our view of Christ. We are become much more aware of our own propensity to be like the Pharisees.
As we walk along this red-letter journey in our podcast, we're learning not to judge the pharisees but to learn from them - maybe as examples of how not to be but maybe how we might already be acting with the same behavior.
That led us to ask, OK - why was the Law not working. Why were they so far removed from righteous living. This got pretty philosophical about the Heart. If what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, how is the heart filled. It seems that our minds fill our heart. But our heart determines where we focus. The whole thing becomes pretty circular, right?
One thing we noticed with the question is without God, the question and answer IS circular! Somehow, God gets in the middle of the process. Of course, then we asked, if this is so, why doesn't God just wave a magic wand and get in the middle of the process for everyone. That would fix the hearts of the Pharisees. I think ultimately, the questioner is meant never to receive a definitive answer. For me, it is one of those prayer subjects I can always go to God with and just have great conversation. He will answer, but he'll never let the conversation close. He's wants you to keep coming back. That's the gem we've discovered. It is not in the answer but in the connection and the conversation with God.
 
Notes to Getting to the Heart of the Matter
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/getting-to-the-heart-of-the-matter/ 

It's easy to look at the scriptures and judge. It's better to look at the scriptures and learn. We often ask: "How could those guys have missed the Messiah?" He was standing right there, healing, casting out demons, raising the dead!
Jesus had just fed a crowd of probably 10,000 people (5000 men plus women and children) and some of them came back and asked for a sign! Hello!
We looked at what they knew. We looked at what their expectations were. We looked at scripture they would have been intimately familiar with. We looked at the possibility that they weren't taught correctly and came to the conclusion that they were not ignorant. And yet, the missed God standing right in front of them. 
Before we judged, we asked, could that happen again. 2000 years later, could we fall into the same trap. The answer is a sobering wake-up call (hopefully).
 
Notes to "When Belief Collides with Expectation"
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/when-belief-collides-with-expectation/ 

The title is intended to be provocative. Of course A.I. is not the bread of life... however you don't have to go far into the web to discover many people that would disagree with you. 
As we were walking through the Red-Letter journey that we've been on, we are just leaving the scene where Jesus has fed the 5000. He sends his disciples onward. He dismisses the crowd and the retreats to the mountain. Later that evening, he heads to Capernaum taking the shortest distance, across the water. That's where we encounter that amazing scene where Jesus is walking on water.
The crowd of Israelites who were left behind figured out that Jesus and His disciples are now gone, and they decide to pursue them, which some of them do using the boats that are available. They reach Jesus on the other side and Jesus basically says to them - "You're just here for the bread."
Two things occurred to me. The Israelites back then, those that followed we not looking for breakfast! Their bread was the King they so desperately sought. John 6:15 reveals this. The second thing that hit me is now, in the present day, what bread are we chasing? What are we seeking to feed us, to save us?
As it turns out, I happened to have watched a video on Youtube by a group of very knowledgeable A.I. experts the night before this bible study. The spirit leads us in odd ways sometimes. That video crashed right into this story and that's how this conversation came about. The Bread of Life in the Modern Day (PDF) is where that conversation with A.I. picks up. So much for our traditional rabbit hole! The sources include the actual video that hung in the air until I connected the dots with today's study.
 
A.I. Discussion -The Singularity is Here: AI is Solving Math, Sora Outpaces Chat-GPT & AI is Designing Chips.
https://youtu.be/VfwNK9OVsrM?si=ntXVk2YoCLQJ9uQh 
 
Notes for Is A.I. The Bread of Life
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/is-ai-the-bread-of-life/ 

Jesus and the disciples are leaving a full day. They never seem to have time to rest. After the feeding of the 5000, Jesus instructs his disciples to take the boat over to their next destination. Jesus dismisses the crowd and retreats to the mountain to pray. After waiting a bit, the disciples move out without Jesus. They encounter rough waters and find themselves struggling against the waves and the wind. Jesus crosses the water on foot. This miracle cements the notion that Jesus is the Son of God. It is the first time in our chronological journey that we see the disciples worship Him. Let's unpack exactly what happened.
 
Notes to Walk With Jesus or Sink in the World
Episode Link: 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/walk-with-jesus-or-sink-in-the-world/ 

The Disciples have returned from their mission. They've seen Jesus over the course of about two years perform every kind of miracle. They've seen Him calm the storms and cast out a Legion of Demons. He's turned water into wine. Now, before they've even had time to reflect on the meaning of their recent mission. With the help of a young boy, Jesus is going to show it to them the meaning of discipleship and giving. 
 
Notes for Even the Smallest Offering
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/even-the-smallest-offering/ 

As we continue following Jesus' words chronologically, we are about halfway through his ministry. Jesus says:  “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” That prayer asked and answered launches the first mission of the disciples. We find accounts in Matthew, Mark and Luke.
To make it real, we have imagined what it might be like in the day of a disciple pair on this mission journey. In fact, we imagined 3 different days with different degrees of success. We want to help people understand the nature of the mission, the task at hand and how the disciples might have handled the instructions given to them by Jesus. We are not trying to rewrite the Gospel! This is merely a way to maybe dramatize, in text form, what a day might have been like and to help understand what they might have had to deal with on a daily basis.
 
Notes for In The Midst of Wolves
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/in-the-midst-of-wolves/

I think typically when this debate comes up in conversation it is initiated by someone who is worried about stumbling. So, let's get that off the table even before we begin the debate. We all sin! I think that your response to sin is the deciding factor. Do you sin in defiance? Do you have regrets? Do you want to fix what you did wrong? The fact that a person is worried enough to ask the question is a good sign! That person's response should be to confess to Christ and ask for forgiveness, which is freely given. 
The format of this Podcast is a little different. It presents the debate. Each person assuming one side of the argument. Does it ultimately answer the question? I'm not sure. Hopefully it will get you thinking though. I can't speak to your particular situation. What I can say about mine is in how I personally respond to my own sin and what I know and understand about the forgiveness and grace of Jesus. I am confident in my salvation. I hate that sin is still part of my life and challenges. I cringe at the thought that each sin is like taking that hammer and striking one of the nails upon which Jesus hung on my behalf. I know that is a potent image but believe me, it helps me in moments of temptation. 
Notes to Once Saved Always Saved
 
Episode link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/once-saved-always-saved/ 

This is why we love Rabbit Holes. As we continue to follow Jesus through the gospels in our Red-Letter journey, we get to the part where Jesus is now going to send out his 12. And we asked, why 12? The answer to that simple question is deep and profound and if you trace it, you end up seeing the entire story of the Bible. 
Ever wonder about the 144,000? 
This is so cool!
Notes to Twelve
 
Episode Link
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/twelve/ 

As we walk with Jesus, we constantly see a stark contrast. We see the helpless, the blind, the sick, the demon possessed being healed. We see the Pharisees and the Scribes deny the very deity of the one who is healing these people. Today we seek to understand why the thoughts and ideas of the Jews of the day split into these two camps. Hopefully we begin to see how these miracles speak to the glory of God and we even recognize meaning of why sometimes the healing doesn't happen. We should never stop trying to understand. The Holy Spirit is always pointing to the one to whom you are to bring your appeals and prayers to. 
Notes to "Their Affliction IS Their Blessing
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/their-affliction-is-their-blessing/ 

I find it sometimes helpful to imagine the scene and the emotion in the moment. We often read the Bible clinically and if you don't put yourself in the scene, you're going to miss it. You read the Bible as much with your heart as you do with your mind. Today, we walk along with Jairus and try to imagine what is going on in his world in this moment. More importantly, what is his emotion. Not what is he thinking, but rather, what is he feeling. This is hard for me, I'm not a super emotional person but I think as the bible opens our hearts, we'll find the emotion we often deny is there. 
Notes for Faith Reveals Awesomeness
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/faith-reveals-awesomeness/ 
 

I think sometimes the subject matter of these passages causes us to not go deeper. It's uncomfortable just on its surface. If you just stop, put aside your preconceived notions and look at this story beyond the blood, you'll see the entire story of the Gospel. As we have followed Jesus through the gospels, every healing is revealing. Every miracle is a microcosm of the Gospel. 
 
Notes for A Touch of Faith
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/a-touch-of-faith/ 

Jesus walks on to the shores of Gergesa. A demoniac approaches Jesus. Now... we've seen Jesus cast out demons before. Why is this any different? Well, the name of the demon is "Legion... for we are many". This is probably the height of depravity and possession. Or more accurately, the height of demonic captivity. Jesus just calmed a raging storm - something His disciples recognize is Messianic. Little did they know that once Jesus stepped out of the boat and onto the shore that taming the raging storm before the boat capsized was child's play for the Son of Man. He not only commands the force of nature, He commands the entire spiritual realm.
 
Notes for Legion
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/legion-jesus-taming-the-spiritual-world/

You know, sometimes you get caught in the middle of some crisis. Your immediate thought is, "OK" how am I going to get myself out of this.". In our Red-Letter journey, today we see the disciples, experienced fishermen, in a boat with Jesus. Jesus is tired and sleeping. A storm comes up that drives these fishermen to the point of panic. We discover how the storm can be a test of faith. "How am I going to get myself out of this?" is not the right response! 
Notes for "When the Storms Come"
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/when-the-storms-come-and-they-will-come/

Every time I get into a small scripture, the larger message pulls me into a direction I didn't expect. Today is no exception. Jesus is explaining the present kingdom using parables. Through these parables I could hear the voice of Noah pleading to those of his day. He remained faithful, building the Ark. That same message is resonating through these parables, and we blow right past them. In the infamous words of the late Voddie Baucham: "If you can't say Amen, you oughta say ouch!". 
The world will be refined by fire, but the refuge already floats on grace. Jesus is the Ark, the door is still open, and the flood of fire has not yet fallen. Whoever enters through Him will be saved. The fire is real, the Ark is ready, and the Captain still calls, “All aboard!”
 
Notes to Echoes of Noah - The Flood and the Fire
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditaions.com/echoes-of-noah-the-flood-and-the-fire/
 

This has one of the shortest parables in the bible. And it's easy to say ok, when you plant a tiny mustard seed, it turns into a great big plant. I get it... and then you move on. But, not so fast. Let's watch the seed grow and see what Jesus is really saying about that very tiny seed.
Notes to Great Things Come in Small Packages
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/great-things-come-in-small-packages/

How many times have we blasted through this parable? The wheat and the tares. Today we slowed down and let the Word speak. What we ended up seeing was the entire story of the Bible unfolding in this simple yet profound parable. Interesting references fall into place. Remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? It's a clue! As it was in the days of Noah? It's a promise! And that pretribulation rapture? Probably not a thing if you listen to Jesus. Oh, and paradise? You're standing on it.
 
Notes to Weeding the Garden
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/how-it-all-begins-weeding-the-garden/

I think most Christians understand the Parable of the Sower. It is very familiar. What may be less familiar are the nuances between the Gospels and how each presents a slightly different, though complimentary view of the parable. We also dig into some of the English translation that trips people up relative to text in Mark 4:11-12: lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 
 
Notes for The Parable of the Sower 
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-parable-of-the-sower/ 
 

It is already filling up the YouTube air waves... Let's step back and take a solid, biblical look at what is going on in Gaza and whether we should be mapping biblical prophecy onto the current peace events in the Middle East. 
 
Here are some of the recent YouTube Headlines (like within the hour!):
"The Dragon's Prophecy" - BlazeTV (Glenn Beck)
"Unbelievable! 6 Million Muslims Report Seeing Jesus in Gaza - Prophecy Unfolding"
"Prophecy Unfolding in Gaza"
"End is Near? See What Just Happened in the Jerusalem Shocked the World"
"GAZA - Palestine: The Truth Written in the Bible"
"The Prophecy has been fulfilled. The worst is to come in Israel"
"Trumps Peace Deal and Daniel's Warning"
Gaza Peace Deal: Did the Final 7 Years Begin?"
 
 
and on and on....  Don't let your hearts be troubled. Yes, stay vigilant but don't buy the hype. 
 
Notes to Is the Gaza Peace Deal Fulfilling Biblical Prophecy
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/is-the-gaza-peace-deal-fulfilling-biblical-prophecy/ 
 

No, it is not in scripture, but we used scripture and the meaning to write this parable. I prayed even before releasing this Podcast. Please listen and consider the source material in light of the intent. 
We start in scripture, where Jesus is called out of a crowd to His mother and brothers. We often are taken aback by Jesus's response. In fact, the emotional response to this passage is often about the rejection of His blood family in favor of His spiritual family. In that exchange we are as stunned as we can imagine his own family would have been and, in that moment, we have lost the message.
In this article, we take a look at the true meaning and then we asked the question. If Jesus is emphasizing obedience, what is it the Pharisees are missing? They followed the law to the letter. To help explain this, we imagined "The Parable of the Willing Pharisee". Let's be very clear that this is NOT A SCRIPTURAL reference, but we used scripture to support its meaning (all noted in the appendix).
Notes to The Parable of the Willing Pharisee
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-parable-of-the-willing-pharisee-imagined/ 

I started this like any other deep dive in Scripture and while I started looking at the external, obvious comparisons between the Pharisees and the Catholic Church - which is important to bring up - I found that my own personal journal crashed right into this scripture and I went down the self-reflection rabbit hole. I think from a personal, more disciple-oriented viewpoint, this becomes much more instructive and helpful. Yes, we need to be discerning about our leadership and our churches but not before the inside of your cup is cleaned. 
Notes for Authentic Change
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmediations.com/authentic-change/

Jesus has just healed a blind and mute man. The crowd who has seen the miracle is speculating that Jesus could indeed be the son of David. The Pharisees have to divert that belief. They can't deny the miracle, so they attack the messenger. That is a very common occurrence, even today! No amount of showing them signs would convince them, they are not after proof, they are looking for escape. They are looking for a way to trap Jesus. It's like what happens when the defendant takes the witness stand. The prosecution issues a series of rapid-fire questions if only to confuse the defendant. They are looking for a way to use what He has said and done as a way to prosecute him, even if everyone knows, and all the evidence points to the fact that he is innocent.
 
Notes to Show us a Sign
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/show-us-a-sign/

Next in our Red-Letter series we encounter a blind mute. These passages (covered in Matthew 12:22-37, Mark 3:20-30 and Luke 11:14-26 are not just about casting out another demon. We've seen that countless times. By this point in Jesus' journey, casting out demons is almost common. 
Jesus heals the blind mute almost as a sidenote. There is a difference here though. This demon is mute. The crowd recognizes the Messianic nature of the healing, but there is another dumb, blind one there that Jesus can't heal. The focus turns to the ones who can actually speak yet are spiritually blind. We discover the meaning of the unforgivable sin. 
Notes to Blind and Dumb
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/blind-and-dumb/ 
 

While I read Matthew 11:27, this was knocking around in my head: Jesus said: “No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him”.
So, let's begin with that seeming paradox -  Matthew 11:27..
Jesus said, ‘All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.’
See me dilemma?
I couldn’t figure out who was giving and who was receiving. Was the Father sending people to the Son, or was the Son sending people to the Father?
The revelation for me came with this understanding: the recognition of how much the Father wants fellowship with his creation. We need to understand His love for us.
Once you grasp that, you begin to see God acting as a team where the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have specific roles to play. The sovereign Father delivers hearts open to transformation to the Son. The Son, by his redemptive work and sanctification redeems them, reuniting God with His Creation. The Holy Spirit indwells the saved individual, completing the Redemptive Circle. God is now in fellowship with you, His creation. God loves you that much!
The entire Bible is a rescue plan where all three persons of the Godhead play a unique role.
This is God's greatest play in the playbook. It is sort of like a quarterback sneak where the quarterback gets the ball back. 
PS: Your the ball ; )
NOTES to the Redemption Circle
 
Episode Link:
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-redemption-circle/

Jesus gives a sharp rebuke to the local cities surrounding his ministry. Not just rebukes but Woe's. This is serious! In Matthew 11 he says to Capernaum (the town of his headquarters) - Mat 11:23-24
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
 
My immediate gut response was: Whoa! Maybe I'd be better off not knowing! That's where this podcast is going. 
 
Notes to Is Ignorance Bliss
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/is-ignorance-bliss
 

Pretend you're presented this in a game of What Would You Do...We are in the end times scenario where the Christian is presented the choice. Receive the Mark and pledge your allegiance to the Anti-Christ or refuse it and suffer the consequences on you own. You walk away from the world and all its support system completely. You live in your home. The mortgage is paid off but your town requires property taxes to be paid through the digital currency. You must carry the Mark for any monetary transaction, including taxes. All the silver you've saved up for such a time as this is useless for this. The law is that you must pay through the digital currency structure. Do you...
1. Anticipate this ahead of time and pay your taxes for your property well in advance. So, you pay property taxes for the next 4 years ahead - covering the time from the implementation of the Mark to the Return of Christ.
2. Make sure that you have secular friends that can pay the property taxes and in return, you could barter with them, and they could pay your taxes through the digital system for you?
 
Notes to What Would You Do?
Episode Link
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/what-would-you-do/ 

What is the fruit of faith? Check Luke 7:36-50. 
What seems like an awkward moment at the home of Simon the Pharisee becomes a beautiful depiction of how one responds to the forgiveness of sin. 
Notes to The Awkward Dinner Party
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-awkward-dinner-party/

We're starting a new feature, today. Once a week, we jump off our Podcast track and jump onto the rails of current news interests in the Christian community. I think more than ever, we are starting to see some prominent figures be more vocal about their religious convictions. Some of these guys have a bigger platform now than they did before they were cancelled. Tucker Carlson is no exception. Today, we land on a podcast between Tucker Carlson and Conrad Flynn. You may have never heard of Conrad Flynn, but his own particular journey is a fascinating discovery that shines a light on societal elites, rock and roll, and even to some extent on the world of artificial intelligence.
The discussion in general was interesting, but what triggered our attention was the part about the elites and A.I. development. A.I. is beyond the point of putting pandora back in the box. Governments and high stakes backers of A.I. systems are betting on the future and some of these people are not looking out for your best interests. It should be no surprise, given the nature of the discussion. So, we launch off of the discussion relative to A.I. and overlap A.I. with biblical end times scenarios. The only conclusion one can draw is "buckle up, hang tight and make sure you're on the bus where Jesus is the bus driver."
The Conrad Flynn interview (Tucker Carlson)
Notes to Elites, The Occult and the role of A.I. in End Times
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations/elites-the-occult-and-the-role-of-ai-in-end-times/ 
 

I did my Bible Study last night with our small church group and got some great feedback that helped me think about this in a more broadly applicable, and maybe less confrontational framework. We live in a world of constant choices. And face it, the guilds in Thyatira existed before Christians entered the picture. The Church drifted away from its first priority. 
We still have to make those choices. We live in the world but not of the world as one of the brothers in my group put it so succinctly. So with the feedback I got from the group and specifically from one of the brothers that I can only describe as my religious coach and mentor, I've produced this podcast regarding persecution in America. This takes a different look at how it happens and how we, as Christians, need to respond. 
The sequence of podcasts on this subject include the following other two recent podcasts (should you want to go back and listen to the entire thing). 1. Why No Christian Persecution In American
2. Sliding into Sodom
3. This one: The Spiritual Dialectic
I did not include notes in this podcast because the material is addressed personally to members of my Bible Study group. I may revise and depersonalize it later on. 

We continue on our Red-Letter journey today and we encounter a Centurion who seeks Jesus to heal his servant-slave. Let's first understand how upside down this is. Romans did not bow to Jews... let alone Roman commanders. Yet this man, commissioned in Capernaum, had probably heard Jesus teaching any number of times. He may have even been commanded as a guard in these situations to maintain peace as the crowds grew around Jesus. Whatever the case, he is very clear on who Jesus is. In fact, he is so clear and believes with all his heart that Jesus is astonished at his faith. 
 
Notes to Astonishing Faith
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/astonishing-faith/ 

We follow up from yesterday's podcast and try to see how compromise works. Ultimately, we are trying to understand how Christians end up compromising with the very things that go against their religion. This is not a left vs right issue. This is not even political. This is how Christians compromise with evil... and that is never good!
 
Notes to Sliding Into Sodom
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/sliding-into-sodom/ 

We wander of the Red-letter trail today. I was asked to host a Bible study about persecution in America, or the lack thereof.
When we talk about persecution in America, most people shrug and say, “We don’t have any real persecution here. Not like China, or North Korea, or the early church.”
But maybe the reason we don’t feel persecution isn’t because it doesn’t exist — maybe it’s because we’ve bent under it. We compromise, we assuage, we bow to the person with the loudest voice.
Let's face it. Americans are pumped up... or puffed up! Our allegiance speaks boldly. We love our football teams. We scream our political allegiances. We whisper the words of Jesus. 
 
Notes to Persecution in America
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/why-no-christian-persecution-in-america-its-not-what-you-think/ 

Don’t Miss Your Ticket to Eternity
Imagine this: by some miracle, you were told tomorrow’s winning lottery numbers. You write them down. You know they’re right. But then you decide not to bother buying a ticket. The next day the numbers are called—and sure enough, they’re the winners. But you have no ticket.
That’s not a money-loss story. That’s a tragedy of unbelief.
Jesus paints the same picture about eternity. In John 3:16, God has given us the winning numbers: “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” But here’s the catch—if you really believe, you will act on it.
John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life.”
Luke 6:46: “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say?”
James 2:17: “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
It’s not enough to say you believe the numbers. If you don’t buy the ticket, you didn’t truly believe. In the same way, it’s not enough to say you believe in Jesus. If you don’t repent, obey, and follow Him, your faith is empty.
On the last day, many will stand before Christ and say, “Lord, Lord!” But He will reply, “I never knew you; depart from Me” (Matt 7:23). Why? Because they heard but never obeyed. They had the numbers—but never acted.
Friend, the winning ticket to eternity is in your hand right now. Christ died, rose again, and offers life to all who repent and believe. Don’t just nod at the truth—obey it. Turn to Christ, confess Him as Lord, be baptized in His name, and follow Him with your life.
Don’t miss your ticket to eternity. The numbers are called. The day is near. Believe—and act—before it’s too late.
Notes to The Parable of the Winning Lottery
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-parable-of-the-winning-lottery/ 

Jesus closes his sermon on the mount with a warning about false prophets. 2000 years later, in the information age, I'm not sure we'd recognize the warning even if the wolf was looking at you straight in the face and said "Baa"! That's a funny picture if it weren't so true. As I dug into this, I reflected on my own journey. When I became a Christian, I wanted to absorb and understand as much as I could and today, there are infinite places to go. I went to different churches. Met with different groups and fellowship leaders. Read hundreds of books, read the bible, listened the bible, listened to sermons online, and devoured everything that I could get my hands on.
It's not an approach I would recommend! But I'm inclined to jump in. To help others, I've created a document that I wish I would have had when i started my journey. The included notes for this podcast. For new Christians, disciples and veteran Christians alike. It's a focus on discernment in the information age.
 
Notes and Discernment Guide to Bible Study
Episode Link
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/when-the-wolf-says-baa/

Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV)“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Did you ever want to dig deeper into this passage? Here's your chance. This presents a very sobering view for every Christian and every person that identifies as Christian. I know that Jesus says the road is difficult. But for me, while it is in some ways, there is such a relief to shed the burdens of the world to follow Christ. It's not a struggle in that sense.
But, in context, you have to understand who Jesus is talking to. The Jews' entire world view was wrapped up in their pursuit of the Law and its demands. While that was not easy either, imagine a life of devotion to that and then this guy comes along and says, "drop all of that. That is not your way to salvation." Imagine the leap of faith. Yes, they had a first-hand account of Christ, his teaching, his miracles. The higher up you got in the Jewish hierarchy, the more difficult it was for them to enter that narrow gate. Perhaps that is one of the reasons Jesus went to the outliers first: the sinners, the Samaritans, the outcasts. They had less to lose. In many ways, they were already condemned. But then, you have to consider the apostles (including Paul). If someone in the Jewish faith, steeped in the Law and Jewish tradition, can go through the narrow gate, and give up his life in the process, what is holding you back?
Notes to Squeezing into the Kingdom
 
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/squeezing-into-the-kingdom-the-narrow-gate/

As we continue our Red-Letter Bible journey, we arrive at Matthew 7:7-12 and Luke 11:9-13. It is so easy to just gloss over this and because of this, our prayers become either very superficial or sometimes even scripted. And that loses the meaning of this passage. To bring it closer to home, I started to think about some of the best podcast hosts that I have listened to, and Joe Rogan comes to mind. He never comes to meeting with a scripted show. He is genuinely curious. 
So, think of it this way. You're Joe Rogan and God is your guest on the show. First you address God's credentials, his reverence, his sovereignty, who he is. And then you start with asking questions. You may not like or agree with the answers sometimes, but you don't sit on the answers, you probe. You want to know the why behind the answer. And then you realize, well, he hasn't quite answered this question. So, you ask again. And you keep asking until you get an answer. Then you probe that answer. If you go through this process in prayer, you have just followed Jesus' prescription for prayer: Ask, Seek and Knock. 
Notes to Ask Seek Knock with Prayer Templates
Episode Link:https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/podcast-with-the-father-ask-seek-knock/ 

They all but created a day online for today! It was Rapture Day! And then it wasn't.
If you’ve followed this podcast from its inception, you’ve heard maybe 10 different podcasts about Rapture. Different theories, different timing abounds, and we’ve covered them all for the most part. So, what do we actually think? It’s interesting because I’m not a pastor but I kind of question those pastors who are discussing the imminence of the rapture. As a new Christian, I haven’t immersed myself in biblical literature for decades. Maybe that's not good BUT it also means I don't come at it with interpretative baggage.  I’m also super analytical and I’m not easily swayed by public opinion. My compass is simple: what does the Bible say? I’ve adopted a Berean style of bible study, and it has served me well.
Some of the people that I do listen to (and even respect in many ways) online seem to track along similar paths when it comes to rapture theories that I don't think are supported by scripture. The characteristics typical of these discussions of end times prophecy include a 7-year tribulation and a pre-tribulation rapture for the church. Some will also discuss the need for Jerusalem to rebuild the temple… only so the “man of lawlessness” can desecrate the temple in the middle of setting up a 7-year peace deal with Israel? Does all that sound familiar? It will if you’re listening to the online buzz. And of course, there is the recent buzz about the Jewish Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) which has instigated the latest predictions that the rapture would be on September 23rd, 2025.
What else is fueling this speculation. We’ll, the idea that we are approaching the 2000-year mark for Christ’s return is a biggie. The dates are fuzzy, but they usually fall on 2030 or 2032 for Christ’s return. If it’s 2030, the 7-year pretribbers are already scrambling. We’ve missed the rapture and the start of tribulation! If 2032 is the year, then 2025 is when it all is supposed to begin. The cycle every time for rapture date-setters is the same. Predict, it doesn’t happen, regroup, dig into scripture to determine what they missed… Repeat. The problem is that some of these guys have half a million followers! What happens to them when the predictions are wrong. The Bible says very clearly that if a prophet is EVER wrong, they are not of God. There is no room for error. So, the rapture date-setters are careful not to refer to themselves as prophets. They taint their entire ministry or discipleship by doing so.
So, anyway, back to what the Bible actually says. You can argue some of these points if you want but unless I’m convinced otherwise, this podcast is where I sit with rapture, 7-year tribulation and all the buzz around it. This response is very scripture heavy so you can go study it yourself. Don’t listen to me! Open the Good Book. (check the notes)
Jesus said as plainly as you want to hear it. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 15:33).
 
Notes to Why am I still here.
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/why-am-i-still-here/ 

I think we live in a culture of judges... doing so without considering their own inward issues first. Jesus isn't telling you not to judge... which is how Matthew 7:1 is used:
Matthew 7:1
“Judge not, that you be not judged.” (ESV)
 
I'll issue a challenging corollary that is often used: Judge the sin, not the sinner” is not biblical. Scripture commands us to judge both—actions and people—yet with mercy, humility, and the aim of restoration. God alone is final Judge, but we must exercise righteous judgment here and now. (See the notes for a deeper dive into this concept too). 
 
Notes to You Be The Judge
 
Episode Linkhttps://www.rabbitholesandmeditations/you-be-the-judge/ 

We live in a stress filled world. The two keywords in that sentence are "stress" and "world". Imagine your life if you could stop worrying so much about what tomorrow brings? In today's culture that sounds like a tall order. To chill out doesn't mean you have to slow down. It really comes down to the why behind your actions? If you're doing it because you're fearful about what would happen to you if you didn't, you need to consider your misplaced fear. Anxiety can be a trigger to understanding your faith. Pay attention to it and realign yourself with God's purposes. Your entire outlook might change. 
 
Notes for Chill Out Doesn't Mean Veg out
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/chill-out-doesnt-mean-veg-out/ 

This is convicting for a lot of Americans... but it doesn't have to be. God doesn't deny you your wealth. The question isn't about your money but what is it that you're relying on? 
Notes to Heavenly Retirement
 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/heavenly-retirement/ 

Leviticus is a tough book for me to read. It's a book of rules. I've been reading it slowly, in small chunks so my I can stay focused on the text. Well, last night, while I was reading Leviticus 18:24, I woke up! God said, "Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become defiled". The chapter names all kinds of sexual deviancy - much of it happening AND BECOMING ACCEPTABLE in the world today. Big red flag!
Knowing what I know about the Bible, God is about to send Moses to the promised land and Joshua carries the final torch into the land of Canaan. So the question became, what the heck is going on in Canaan? A little voice inside my head said, "look around you. What was happening in Canaan is happening all over again".
So that's our rabbit hole for today. The Seed War. 
Note for The Seed War
 

We're still following Jesus in our Red-Letter journey and Jesus is telling a crowd of followers: warning about hypocrisy, fearing God, confessing Christ and relying on the Holy Spirit and this guy speaks up and suggests to Jesus that He should tell his brother to share his money and inheritance with him. It's almost comical that he doesn't comprehend what Jesus has been saying. Sometimes we read this stuff that is just so obvious... until you start to look at your own heart. Then your smile fades. You bow your head and ask for His forgiveness.
Many treat Christ as a means to earthly gain rather than eternal salvation (cf. John 6:26–27, where people followed Jesus for bread). Question: Do I come to Christ for who He is—or only for what I want Him to fix in this life?
Notes for the Rich Fool
 
Episode Link: https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-rich-fool/ 

I've listened to testimony after testimony. Manyl seem to start the same way. Some sort of abuse, trauma, evil in one's past. And often that is where the focus is. Is that to justify the sin? Very often it appears that way. We take a deep dive into this and uncover some profound truths about how we approach our past. 
 
 
 

In our modern culture, it seems that we are rediscovering the physical benefits of fasting. Unfortunately, how we look in the mirror can take more precedence in our daily lives than how we look spiritually. Yes, there are physical benefits to fasting and even if you focus on the spiritual, you will see the physical benefits. But remember where Jesus words about fasting are in the bible? Matthew 6:16-18 is in the Sermon on the Mount. Fasting spiritually puts you deeper in prayer and provides a deeper recognition of your dependence on the Father.
You know? maybe if prayer itself helped us lose weight, we'd do it more often. But if you did it for that reason, do you really think God would listen? Let's understand the spiritual nature of fasting and reset our why on the Father, not the mirror.
You will find some decent guidelines and fasting plans in the notes if you want to dig deeper. 
 
Notes for Not So Fast
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/not-so-fast/ 

We've seen this in every church - mumbling through the Lord's Prayer. Recited, forgetting it's reverence. Today, we hear from that persistent kid in the room - pestering the teacher (interesting that they referred to Jesus as teacher), looking for answers. Sometimes you want to tell that kid to be quiet... but Jesus want's that very kid in the room. That is when you start following your curiosity and your questions. You forget the adult side of you that wants to act like he knows everything. You humble yourself to the point of asking seemingly stupid questions and get some really profound answers. That's our walk with the Lord's Prayer today. You never know what a kid is going to ask : )
 
Notes to Pray Like a Kid
 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/pray-like-a-kid/ 

When you give a large sum of money to someone or some charity, how does that make you feel? Good right? But ask yourself why? Do you want some credit for giving generously? Do you want to be recognized? Are you doing it so that you'll feel good about yourself? You might want to check your motivations for giving. 
We jump into Matthew 6:1-4 to see what Jesus says about giving. It may be more convicting than you think it is on the surface. 
Notes to Quiet Giving
 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/quiet-giving/ 

We are outside the sequence of the Red-Letter Bible Study here, but I wanted to address this. If you get some of your religious content from social media (especially YouTube), then I'm sure you've caught the rapture buzz. The latest, among many is the feast of trumpets and September 23rd 2025. 
I'm going to go out on a limb (with Bible in hand) and tell you that this prediction is false. Let me go one further. There is not going to be a pre-tribulation rapture! People are not going to suddenly disappear as described by modern rapture theorists. We aren't living in Hollywood!
Yes, there is a rapture... but when? Here's where I would send you to study this out:
Matthew 24:29-31 1 Thessalonians 4:16-171 Thessalonians 5:92 Thessalonians 2: 1-4Revelation 7:14Revelation 13:7Revelation 14:12
Notes to the Rapture That Didn't Happen
 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-rapture-that-didnt-happen/ 

You just bought a big red truck. You loved it. It was new, it was different and nobody else had one! You hop in, drive down the road and all of a sudden, there are big red trucks everywhere! Same model even! Ever had that happen? That's how the eye works. It illuminates what you're thinking about. The eye illuminates what's on the brain; what's in your heart. Let's talk about what Christ means when he says the eye is the lamp of the body. 
Notes to The Big Red Truck
 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-big-red-truck/ 

The Sermon on the Mount was a rollercoaster ride for me. Taken in isolation, Jesus sets an incredibly high standard. I can't possibly achieve what Jesus is suggesting here! It's convicting. I had to sit with the idea that "I'm doomed". I can't possibly live up to this. I need help. And then you realize: "Blessed are the poor in spirit". "Blessed are those who mourn." "Blessed are the meek." "Blessed are those who cry out for righteousness". 
Jesus is setting the stage for your new heart. You're crying out for it. You know you need it. 
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant … I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
 
Notes for Have a Heart
 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/have-a-heart/ 

I know! I made that word up!!! But it fits!(apologies... first version was cut short for some reason. This is now corrected.)
We are on the tail end of the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes in our Red-Letter Bible Study. It occurred to me how foreign the message in Matthew 5:38-42 was and that led me down the Rabbit Hole of "why?". Why don't I connect to this. It feels historical but not relevant. For me, at least, that's a red flag. I'm missing something mightily important. As I dug into this rabbit-hole I thought of a word not in the dictionary: Exemptionalism.
This deep dive explores how America, founded on Christian principles, has in many ways left God at the altar. Our Christian founding has blessed this country so much that we've forgotten that it was God putting food on the table. This may not be all that comfortable. It was challenging to me for sure. I truly admire the culture of American rugged individualism. What Christ is saying eats at my very core of ethical bias. But here we are... and here we go. 
 
Notes to American Exemptionalism
 

Today, we landed on Matthew 5:33-37.
Have you ever lied? Have you ever not done something you said you were going to do? Have you ever sworn to God only not to fulfill the promise you were making. I'm guessing you can't even count the times. Yet this is the standard to which Jesus is calling us. If the Law didn't expose your own sinful nature, Jesus makes it abundantly clear. The whole purpose of the Sermon on the Mount is to raise the standard and expose the problem.
We can't take our sins back. We can't even stop sinning! But we can and should come to recognize the egregious nature of sin and the offence to God. It helps to refer back to Matthew 5:3-6 - the personal level beatitudes. Reflecting on this should help you not only understand the conviction you feel but rest in God's response.
Blessed are the poor in spirit (those are the ones who recognize their need for a savior)
Blessed are those who mourn (those are the ones who have a gut-wrenching response to their own sin)
Blessed are the meek (those are the ones who humble themselves before God)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (those are the ones who see the need for God's intercession)
 
Notes for DWYSYWD - Integrity

We have walked quite a way into the Sermon on the Mount. If it feels convicting, that is good! I think that is the very reason for the sermon. Jesus is basically verbalizing what the law was meant to expose. The legalism that surrounded the law often hid the meaning behind it. People and especially the religious elite were so caught up in the ritual, they lost the meaning. The Torah, the Law, became a book of rules to follow. The WHY behind the rules was lost in translation. 
Addressing Matthew 5:27–32 is particularly poignant because what Jesus is teaching here crosses all cultures, and all people and all boundaries. Straight up, confronting this head on, adultery covers all sexual sin outside the covenant relationship between a man and a woman. It's not comfortable talking about it. But when you go down the rabbit hole you discover a lot. For many, it is the path that leads to addiction. For others, sexual sin can manifest as a result of early trauma and abuse. So, no, it's never pleasant to talk about. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't.
You risk being the "prude" if you discuss this in the open forums of our culture. It's become "normal". Our children now have access to books in their school libraries that make even the worldliest cringe (in the name of education and progressive culture.... really?). And if they don't have the books, they certainly have the internet.  Just about every school aged kid is walking the halls with a smart phone that does not discriminate by age.
Sexual sin is foundational. I think it is a favorite of the enemy. It corrupts the image of God; it destroys covenant at the root, it enslaves, it breeds idolatry and addiction. Look around you. What used to be pictured in the deep pages on the top of the magazine rack are now plastered on the front pages of the magazines on the bottom rack. You can't walk 10 feet through the bookstore without being confronted by sexual idolatry. What used to make one blush is now part of everyday culture. We've stopped blushing.
Jeremiah 6:15:
“Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush.”
 
Notes for Covenant Faithfulness in a Corrupt World - Sexual Idolatry
 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/covenant-faithfulness-in-a-corrupt-world-sexual-idolatry/ 
 

You hear it all the time, John 3:16... whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. But John did not end there. John 3:16 could be the summation at the end of a courtroom scene. John closes with 3:21 "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God."
Abiding in Christ is to understand The Cost. Belief is an ongoing action, not something you did at the altar by raising your hand and saying a prayer. If you are not living out your belief, then you a living in the same hypocrisy that Jesus accused the Pharisees of. Belief is an ongoing action of the heart. Confession without obedience is hypocrisy. Christ is saving you every day... not just the day of your death. Your confession of guilt and turning away from the sin for which you are guilty is the only way Jesus can assume the debt. If you leave the courtroom to simply return to the crime of your confession, nothing has saved you.
Notes to Forgiven - Not Free to Sin
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/forgiven-not-free-to-sin/ 

We never know where the rabbit hole is, but there always is one! Today, quite by accident, we discovered the phrase in Matthew 5:22 - "whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause". "Without a cause" stood out, but why? It just rubbed me the wrong way and made me question the passage in the context of "love your enemy". So, we took the detour until we flushed out the real meaning of the passage. The notes get quite long for such a short section of scripture, but it was definitely worth the deep dive.
 
Notes to Without a Cause
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/without-a-cause/ 

If you ever wondered why we call our podcast, Rabbit Holes and Meditations, today will make it abundantly clear. We are well into our Red-letter Bible study. Jesus has just made the bold statement: "I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill [the Law]"... and then he says "until heaven and earth pass away". On the surface, "Until Heaven and Earth Pass Away" seems like a forever statement. But no! This is the rabbit hole of this passage and we go down it. We discover some really cool nuances to Jesus' statement and wander through the Now, The In Between and only then to the final "Until" part.
 
Notes for Now, Not Yet, Until
 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/the-law-when-is-until/

If it feels like I'm preaching in this, I'M NOT! Producing this podcast was as convicting to me as it might be to you. Part of the reason I do this is the personal journey it sets me on. 
We all are bound to our sin if we don't focus our sight on God. In a world of distractions, in an infinite number of directions to look, there is only one direction that truly matters. I'm sitting at this computer 6-7 hours a day. It's the nature of my job. This huge 50 inch monitor I have in front of me opens up a world of distraction! In your life, there are other distractions too, they are all around us. We constantly need to be asking if what we are doing in the moment is aligned with the will of our Father. 
So, there are two downloads here. First: the notes to the podcast. 2nd: an excerpt from the notes specifically focusing on the prayers and reflections that might help you realign your gaze during the day. 
Notes to Guide Your Gaze
Prayers and Reflections 
 
https://www.rabbitholesandmeditations.com/guide-your-gaze/ 

It's early in Jesus' 2nd year of His ministry. He is speaking to His disciples and tells them: "You are the light of the world!". You might think that's just a nice thing to say. But to the disciples who hear this, the tax collectors, the sinners, the fisherman, the reprobates by world standards, this carries some heavy artillery. Jesus! The creator of light itself just told his followers that they were the "Light of the World!".
 
Notes to You Are the Light of the World
https://rabbitholes.faith/e/you-are-the-light-of-the-world/

Sometimes we get caught up in the topical interpretation of "Salt of the Earth". We dig deeper. Jesus saying this to his disciples carried tremendous weight, and conviction. Salt is not just a flavoring. Jesus, in one simple statement, just redefined the covenant associated with the Old Testament!
 
Notes for Salt - The Weight of the New Covenant
https://rabbitholes.faith/e/salt-the-weight-of-the-new-covenant/ 

The path of Christian discipleship, as illuminated by the Beatitudes and the witness of the apostles and Revelation, is one marked by expected persecution. However, this persecution is not a curse but a profound blessing, an affirmation of belonging to the kingdom of heaven. Whether facing overt violence in hostile nations or subtle pressures in freer societies, the call is to steadfastness, to "lose life" in daily surrender and, if necessary, in martyrdom, in the certainty of finding eternal life and glory in Christ. The victory is not in avoiding suffering, but in enduring it with joy, eyes fixed on the ultimate reward.
 
Notes for Faith Under Fire
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/faith-under-fire/

Two words always bother me. Compromise and Tolerance. I tackled the concept of both of those within the context of this podcast. Peace never comes through brokering an agreement between good and evil (compromise) or simply turning a blind eye to the existence of evil (tolerance). 
If you thinking, OK... who defines good and evil? Well, that would be Christ. So, to even get to this point within the beatitudes, make sure you have a solid foundation. That's why peacemaking comes 8th in the list of the beatitudes. 
Notes for Peace
 
https://rabbitholes.faith/e/peace/ 

Adam walked with God in the Garden. Then, the fall. Since, nobody has been able to see the Holy Father in his full, radiant glory; with the exception of Jesus. Our entire journey is to recover what was lost by focusing on the One and Only who can bring you back. 
 
Notes to The Key to Seeing God
 
https://rabbitholes.faith/e/the-key-to-seeing-god/  

Think mercy is just about giving to the poor? Writing a check? This podcast might have you rethinking where mercy comes from and to whom it should be directed. 
 
Notes for Mercy Triumphs Over Judgement
 
https://rabbitholes.faith/e/mercy-triumphs-over-judgement/ 

I'm a big picture guy. I build a puzzle by looking at the picture on the box. But inevitably, if you look at the picture on the box and you try to build that set shelves that Amazon sent you in a box, inevitably, you get one piece (at least) in backwards! As we walk into the fourth beatitude, we already have the big picture, right? It's Christ! So, we let him give us the instructions, step by step, to walk in righteousness. That's what this podcast reveals with a very clear framework on not just what to do, but how. 
 
Notes for Walking in Righteousness
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/walking-in-righteousness-step-by-step/ 

The Mighty Meek
When we hear meek, we often think weak. But in Scripture, meekness is not weakness—it is strength under control, power surrendered to God.
Jesus said: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5), echoing Psalm 37:11. The meek are not pushovers but those who wait on the Lord instead of grasping for power.
The greatest example is Christ Himself—gentle and lowly (Matt. 11:29), yet mighty enough to submit to the cross. By meekness, He gained the inheritance of all nations.
This is the paradox of the kingdom: the mighty meek—those who trust God’s hand over their own strength—will inherit the earth.
 
Notes to The Mighty Meek
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-mighty-meek/ 

The second beatitude is easy to pass over: "Blessed are those who mourn". We can get tied up in the english translation and blow right past it. The Amplified Bible translation really helps here and it presents a good example of why we should be considering other translations when something doesn't seem to make sense.
Amplified Version: “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].
 
Notes for Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/blessed-are-those-who-mourn/ 

When you are kingdom focused, the entire prospect of what you own, your money, your wealth, the things you have diminish in comparison. Jesus' 1st beatitude helps us frame our lives around the concept of "Blessed are the poor". This podcast might hit close to home for many... we hope so. Definitely grab the notes - there is some very practical advice worth printing and practicing. 
 
Notes to Stewardship - Blessed Are the Poor
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/stewardship-blessed-are-the-poor/
 

In our Red-Letter Bible Study, we almost missed this. Matthew 12:15-21 begins Jesus' 2nd year in ministry. John the Baptist has just been beheaded. Jesus retreats into the wilderness (presumably to mourn and to pray). As Jesus emerges into His 2nd year, He comes with a quiet power that nobody missed... "and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all". 
Verse four then echoes the words of the Father (from Isaiah 42:1-4). In my very humble opinion, these should have been bid, bold, capitalized, red letters! Afterall, it is God the Father speaking. So we stop here, and jump back to Isaiah and unpack what Isaiah was trying to tell everyone. 
I'm not saying I would have been any better at interpreting Isaiah at the time. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. With what we know now, we can go back and read Isaiah with and opened heart and opened eyes. 
 
Notes for The Servant That Israel Missed

We've all seen the example that Jesus gave for how to pray. In our red-letter bible study, we encounter a disciple who asks Jesus to teach them how to pray. Luke 11:1-4. Rather than just go through the prayer itself, we decided to take a different approach. First, why did the Jews see what Jesus was doing to be so noticeable? How did they normally pray? It's helpful to contrast what their prayer routine was so we can see what was so unique about how Jesus prayed. Rather than let Jesus tell us, us he does in Luke 11:1-4, we went on a gospel quest to witness Jesus' prayer firsthand.
 
Notes to "Praying to Abba"
https://rabbitholes.faith/e/praying-to-abba/
 

Ok, this one got away from me, but for good reason. This podcast is more than an hour long but so worth it! We debated putting the podcast here and decided that for those who endure, you'll remember this, you'll see how the red-letter Bible study unfolds into a rich, progressive narrative and you'll be able to make much more sense of it as you follow along. 
While I think this is beneficial for all believers, I retitled the podcast to appeal to Jews wondering about Christ.
"Blind" takes the reader (and listener) through a journey to help understand, beyond simply assuming intentional ignorance, how or maybe why the Pharisees could not or would not see Jesus as not only the Messiah but God in the Flesh. The Pharisees knew the scrolls, yet when it came to very specific scriptures, they either somehow missed them, reinterpreted them or ignored them altogether. The document focuses on Old Testament scripture to show that both the reader and the Pharisees had access to same text. You will no doubt arrive at the conclusion that it was all there! When you see it laid out, it's truly hard to imagine that they missed it... and still miss it today! They are Pharisees! They have this memorized! The reader will see something that the Pharisees would have clearly had access to, and what was right in their own scrolls detailed what happened right under their very noses... in excruciating detail! 
I think, my hope, is that after having listened to this, you'll come away with a more solid faith in the scriptures. 
 
Notes for Blind - You could refer to these notes as Christian Apologetics for Jews. 
 
https://rabbitholes.faith/e/blind/ 

Jesus is in a synagogue, on the sabbath and there encounters a man with a withered hand. The pharisees are there, of course, to make sure Jesus does not heal on the Sabbath. Jesus sets a trap that the pharisees didn't expect. The response is dark.
 
Notes to The Dark Side Emerges
https://rabbitholes.faith/e/the-dark-side-emerges/ 

I've often wondered about this: “It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”  Israel was chosen to be a light to the Gentiles.
This is perhaps a good place to pause on our Red-Letter journey and reflect on something that might have puzzled many. As we walk with Jesus in his journey, we're not exactly encountering the piety of the Jews along the way. So how could Israel be a light to the Gentiles? Let's tackle that question head on.
 
Notes and Study Guide: How Israel Became a Light to the Nations
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/how-israel-became-a-light-to-the-nations/ 

As we continue in our Red-Letter Bible Study, we could be shadowing the Pharisees... they seem to know where Jesus is at every moment! We encounter Jesus and a band of his disciples moving to whatever their next destination is through a corn field and eating some of the grans of corn along the way. The pharisees confront them and accuse them of breaking the Sabbath law. By now, on the Red-Letter journey, we've come to expect that the pharisees are never the object of Jesus' teaching. You can almost hear Jesus speaking up so that all of the disciples in the field will hear what he has to say. Jesus lands on another teachable moment for his disciples, using His response to the pharisees as a launching point. To understand in full, we wander over to Hebrews to break it down even further.
Notes to "Rest in Christ"
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/rest-in-christ-the-sabbath-is-not-a-day-of-the-week/ 

Today's podcast is a little different. The conversation with our A.I. bot went off in a couple of different directions (my fault : ). We started with the very innocent parables of New Wine in Old Wine Skin and patching clothes with new unshrunk cloth. These parables point to the hardened hearts of the Jews and before you think this was only a problem 2000 years ago, it happened that we found in our YouTube Feed (we don't know how), a testimonial of a Jewish family and the conversion to Christianity. It is fascinating and if you have time, the entire video is posted below. (It is an excellent Bible study independent of this podcast). We started the conversion discovering why Jesus was so successful at attracting those on the fringes, the outcasts and we projected that all the way to end times where Israel finds itself marginalized and isolated. This will be the very point when they see Jesus as their Messiah. 
 
Link to a copy of the Actual Conversation with ChatGPT
 
YouTube Video: Stan Telchin Sets Out to Disprove Jesus As Messiah
Episode: https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/two-parables-and-hardened-hearts/ 

Imagine you're out on a date, having dinner, laughing, completely immersed in the moment. Your mom walks in, looks at you and says: "Hey! What are you doing! This isn't a time for fun. You should be ashamed of yourself. You should be fasting!" That's exactly the moment we wander into here. The Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist don't see the reason for the feasting and the celebration. 
Notes for the Courtship Has Begun
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-courtship-has-begun/ 

We're in Capernaum in our Red-Letter bible study and Jesus walks up to this tax collector and just says "Follow Me". Let's dig in here to understand the back-story of why this is so significant. This event sets the vector of Matthews entire gospel.
Notes for "From Tax Collector to Saint"
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/from-tax-collector-to-saint/ 

Imagine the scene, Jesus is in Capernaum. The house his is in is absolutely mobbed. Four men, carrying their paralytic friend on a stretcher are desperate to get this man in front of Jesus to be healed. What happens becomes undeniable proof of Jesus' divinity. 
 
Notes for Undeniable Proof
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/undeniable-proof/ 

This is such an easy passage to gloss over. On the surface it is super simple. And since we’re following Jesus’ words chronologically, there is a nuance in the context that we could miss if we don’t step off the Red-Letter trail a little bit. We intend to do that here to get a better understanding of the full context. It’s the reason we love these Rabbit Holes anyway. The Red-Letter Bible Study is just an anchor, but the line hooked to the boat is quite long!
Jesus was just recently in Jerusalem and in our journey, the last thing he encountered was the expert in the law trying to trap him. Jesus told the parable of the good Samaritan which on a much grander scale was highlighting the whole gospel story.
Our next stop is Bethany, Judea. Jesus is welcomed into the home of Martha and her sister Mary. This is where we get off the Red-Letter train to see what is happening. Luke is very intentional about the order in which he puts things. 
See Notes for Setting Your Priorities
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/setting-your-priorities 

As we continue our Red-Letter Bible journey (chronologically), we come upon a lawyer (one who is well versed in biblical Law) and he attempts to trap Jesus. (Luke 10:25-37). If you've simply read your Bible, this is an easy to understand passage. On it's face, it is pretty straight forward. But, unpack the deeper layers and this parable is the Gospel message. You'll love it more once you get what Jesus just said to the lawyer. The lawyer, of course, doesn't get it. But you will and you will treasure this story forever. I promise.
 
Notes for The Good Samaritan
 

Imagine the court room. Jesus is the prosecutor. The Jewish Religious Elite, who started this as the accusers, become the defendants as Jesus turns the table. This is just an amazing scene that I had to read and re-read. Honestly, I'm still not sure I get it all. You'll see as you listen, there are some deep detours that you can take as you listen to Jesus presenting his case. 
Notes for The Trial
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-trial/ 

In our Red-Letter Bible study we have encountered Jesus healing a man at the pool of Bethesda. Just to quickly recap, Jesus comes into the sheep gate, the northern court of the temple. Don't miss this. Jesus, the Lamb of God, arrives in Jerusalem through the "House of Mercy". He gets the man who has been visiting this place for 38 years to confess his need for healing and to reveal that this system doesn't work (drawing on a much bigger metaphor). Jesus heals the man instantly and tells him to get up, take his mat with him. This raises the eyebrows of the Jewish religious elite who seem more concerned with their own version of Rabbinic law than they are with the fact that this man is able to walk out of the temple after 38 years of clawing the floor to get to the water when it bubbled up... never to even come close to being healed. 
What we witness now is how a hardened heart refuses to see the very God in front of them for which their laws are intended to honor. 
Notes for The Sabbath Showdown at Bethesda
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-sabbath-showdown-at-bethesda/ 

You've read that story at least a few times. There is a man at the Pool of Bethesda; he's been going to that pool for 38 years trying to get healed but never makes it to the pool when it bubbles up. Only the first person reaching the pool can be healed. 
What is John trying to tell you? This is not just a story about a person who can't heal himself. You are (or at least at one point, were) the man at the pool!
 
Notes for "You Are the Man at the Pool"
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/you-are-the-man-at-the-pool/ 

We launch this episode off of the last one, so if you haven't heard that episode, it might be worth listening to. https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/spoiled-little-brats-jesus-rebukes-the-religious-elite-of-his-day/
 
As I sat on this, I kept thinking to myself, would it be any different if Jesus showed up today? He might not be preaching in the Synagogues but instead, at the local churches, maybe even your church. Here is a copy of the parable that we re-read and comment on. I wrote this to help bring the meaning of Matthew 11:16-19 to modern ears. 
The Parable of the Preacher in the Park
There came a man to the city of Cincinnati. No one knew where he came from, and he claimed no church, no seminary, no official covering. But when he spoke, the Word of God burned like fire. He could quote the prophets, rightly divide the Gospels, and speak the truth with love and thunder.
He preached in alleys and abandoned lots. He listened to the addicted, sat with the mentally broken, wept with grieving mothers at crime scenes, and shared food with the homeless without filming it for Instagram or YouTube.
Even without the published attention, Word got out.
Some churches invited him—at first. He gladly accepted. He spoke the same way in the pulpits as in the park: with truth, clarity, and conviction. He said things about repentance. About judgment. About Christ’s return. About forsaking comfort, self, and the worship of reputation.
Soon, fewer invitations came.
He spoke one Sunday at a well-dressed church downtown. A week later, he testified in the basement of the Kingdom Hall. When asked why, he said, “Anywhere someone listens, the truth must be spoken.”
The big mega church uptown gave him a slot—two minutes, right before their rock-band version of Amazing Grace. They told him: “Please say something inspiring that leads into the song. Stay on the stage mark. Lights hit at 10am sharp.”
He thanked them kindly, walked on stage, and simply said:
“Grace is not amazing unless you first know how lost you are.”
It was quiet. Then the band kicked in. And he slipped out the side door.
 
Notes for Would You Recognize Jesus
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/would-you-recognize-jesus-if-he-showed-up-in-your-hometown/ 

Jesus rebukes the spiritual immaturity and stubborn unbelief of His generation by comparing them to children who refuse to respond—whether the message comes in mourning or rejoicing. They rejected John the Baptist for his austerity and Jesus for His mercy, proving that their issue was not with style, but with truth itself. In the face of their slander, Jesus declares that God’s wisdom is vindicated by its fruit—transformed lives. This passage confronts the pride that resists both repentance and grace and reminds us that truth will always be proven right by what it produces.
Notes for "This Generation" 
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/spoiled-little-brats-jesus-rebukes-the-religious-elite-of-his-day/

John the Baptist, now in prison sends his messengers out to ask Jesus a very curious question (especially coming from John).
Notes for Johns Curious Question
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/johns-curious-question

We are about to see why our Podcast is called "Rabbit Holes and Meditations". This one document and corresponding podcast was arrived at via the simple asking of questions prompted by what I read in the short section in Luke about the resurrection of the widows' son (Luke 7:11-18).
I pray that this curiosity is partly what Jesus meant about becoming like little children. We all need to have that sense of wonder and beyond the text we read on the page, we have to ponder the why? and the what if? and the how? and the where? ... what does that mean? what happens here and on and on. Read every line of scripture with a question and you'll end up going down your own rabbit holes. That is where God wants to take you! What's amazing is that for every question, you'll find an answer. 
The document and Podcast: The Resurrection of the Son of the Widow takes you down the rabbit hole of resurrection, what happens to the spirit and the body after we die and deeper. We learn how just this one section refutes the claims of the Muslim religion about Jesus and those of the Jehovah Witnesses. We find out what judgement means for the believer in Christ. We learn a little about the Trinity and what the Jews missed here. Follow us down the rabbit hole.
Notes for The Resurrection of the Widow's Son
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/the-resurrection-of-the-widows-son-down-the-rabbit-hole/ 
 

We have some major advantages over the Jews during Jesus' mission. We have the benefit of hindsight and a better picture of what Jesus was on earth to accomplish. It doesn't hurt to have these fundamentals buried in the back of your mind as you walk with Jesus on his journey through the Gospels.
Every step in Jesus' journey is intentional. It is always worth asking not just the "how" but the "why". Jesus conquered sin and death and Satan. We take a 30000 ft view of what Jesus did in his mission and specifically what the Cross means relative to victory of Sin, Death and Satan.
Notes to The Mission and The Cross
 
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/exploring-with-hindsight-the-mission-and-the-cross/ 

Healing the leper is Messianic. Leprosy was incurable. Jesus demonstrates his power over sin and death and his ultimate command of the law in this compassionate encounter between the leper and Jesus. 
We explore the biblical accounts of Jesus healing a leper, primarily drawing from Matthew, Mark, and Luke's Gospels. It illuminates the severe social, physical, and spiritual implications of leprosy in ancient Israel, emphasizing the leper's isolation and the theological significance of ceremonial uncleanness. The sources highlight Jesus' radical compassion and divine authority through His willingness to touch and immediately cleanse the man, contrasting it with the Old Testament Law's inability to heal leprosy. Furthermore, the text discusses the leper's subsequent disobedience in proclaiming his healing despite Jesus' command for silence, examining the reasons for this instruction and the consequences of the man's actions on Jesus' ministry.
Ultimately, it presents Jesus' healing of the leper as a powerful demonstration of His messianic identity and His willingness to cleanse sin.
Note for Jesus Heals the Leper
https://www.rabbitholes.faith/e/jesus-cleanses-sin-healing-the-leper/ 

Your problems exist inside a moment in the context of eternity. The tipping point in your faith will be when your faith exceeds your needs. Your needs don't even show up on the radar. You look up in awe and reverence, and a deep gratitude for what Jesus did for you on the cross and you forget every other reason you raised your arms up and looked up.
This was part of a longer podcast. The message was so important, that I broke it out here as a separate message... notes will be included in the next podcast when Jesus heals the leper.