The Bible.
It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions. Welcome to Exploring the word. In Matthew 21, we have the story of Jesus coming in Jerusalem riding a donkey. now that may not seem important, but if you were to read Zechariah, you would find out it was very important that he was announcing who he was to the world. And when he was writing, the people said, who is this? Well, we want to answer that today here on Exploring the Word and hope you'll enjoy this. Our, our co Host today is Dr. Jon Bowler. Jon, thank you for joining us today.
It's good to be here again.
Thank you brother Burton, and we appreciate you. Alex is in Detroit, Michigan and he does not have the connection he needs. So we appreciate you coming in.
Yes, sir.
And we have another guest here today. Now, Exploring the Word is not usually an interview program, but when we have something real special that we are saying you need to be a part of, we get them on. So our guest today is Kendra White. Kendra, thank you for being with us.
Thank you so much for having me. I love your program and I love learning with you.
The other day somebody compared you and me together.
Oh, really? I'm honored.
No, not what they say about us. First, we're loud.
Sounds about right.
Yeah.
they was talking about, yeah, we have to do this with Kendra.
And you go ahead and pot us down a little producer because we get excited about God's word around here.
We do, but there's something new. Activate. Kids. Now Activate has been around a while. Even I got some of, they got some of the material I have on that. But now Activate. Kids, tell us what it is.
Yeah.
So Activate is a biblical worldview training course. We started off with adults and we wanted to tackle the issues that AFA talks about all the time because we had listeners calling in and saying, love what you guys teach us to do, but how do we bring that to our communities? And the word activate is literally just we're trying to wake up sleeper cells of Christians to be like, go do what you believe. go practice it. So some of the topics that we discuss is like, marriage and family sanctity, of human life, the Bible and why we can trust it. some of the, that are the most under attack. And so we, as we were doing that adult course I got to work on that project. Super exciting. I immediately knew, I was like, we have to do this for the kids as well so that the entire family can be prepared. Because the thing is, like, God's not going to just look at your kids and be like, you know what? They're so sweet, or, sorry, the enemy's not going to look at them and say, they're so sweet and innocent. I'm just going to wait until they're a little older to try to destroy and ruin their lives. He's going to try to wreak havoc from the very beginning. And, you know, George Barna says that by the time a kid is 13, their worldview is pretty much set.
Wow.
So a lot of these topics parent, you might say, well, wow, you guys are taking on a lot for kids.
The courses for ages in our day, we needed, you have to. Back when I was in the 50s, that tells you how long I've been around, you know, half of this. I didn't know what these words meant until I got in high school, but now they're thrown at it at a very young age.
It's so true. this course specifically, we target ages 6 to 12 and just kind of the way it works because we know, even though these are big concepts for kids to understand, we, really believe that they're able, and need this foundation. So it starts off, they watch a video, about three to 10 minutes, very short, very compact. It's engaging them, and they learn a lesson and then they flip over to, we have like a parent leader guide. And this is what I love.
So it's because parents need some help. Right?
Look, we've had some parents be like, now, do I need a degree to be able to have these conversations? No, we have the answers, parents. If you don't know it, we've got some answers to help help you along. But, really, as long as you have a saving relationship with Jesus, you're going to be able to walk your kids through this course. The information is there. but we want you to be able to do is say, you know what? There maybe were some times in my life that I've had doubts. maybe some things in, in the Bible that I've wrestled with to understand. And just sharing that with your kids and how you've overcome those things really opens up the dialogue. Because, you know, it's not enough to just like give kids a Bible. And we believe this and you should too, because the world's going to come out with, you know, come at them and say, these are just stories made up by people who want to get attention. There are 50 million zillion errors in that Bible. And they're going to throw all these facts and, well, supposed facts. And if they do not know the truth, they will not be able to stand.
You know, how many times I, hear this. College, high school kids with a good foundation head to college and they don't have the answers. Sounds like activates part of giving some of those answers.
It's important answers, but it's also very hands on. So they're not just watching a video and doing like a worksheet. They're having a discussion. And then there's also this do section. So they have like a student workbook where you and your family are gonna go do stuff together. you're gonna make a craft of making papyrus paper and you're gonna learn about how God preserved the word through papyrus and the process that the scribes tediously went through so that the b. Hold, can be in their household today. so There's.
This is 101.
This.
So this is. So.
Yeah, thank you.
Let me back up.
This is the foundation of what everything else is built on.
So we have activate kids is the whole worldview curriculum. We're releasing unit one, which is called the Bible 101. So this unit specifically addresses how did we get the Bible, how, why can we trust the Bible? And a lot of the common, criticisms that kids are going to hear throughout their life. And they actually get to practice. They get to like, act as little characters and interact with their parents and their parents will kind of ask them questions and they get to, to learn to respond to some of those things.
Kendra, this is so exciting. How can people, how can they get ahold of these?
Well, come on.
You mean you have that information?
I do as I pull my sheet up here. but. Activate kids.aca.net it's $40. And again, it comes with like a DVD. You can also stream the videos online that you can get access to. It comes with the, Parent Leader Guide and the student workbook that has stickers and fun activities. And then there's also videos that teach you how to do games with them, object lessons. and yeah, it's, it's $40 for unit one and you can get it now have it in time for Christmas.
Now, what's the age range that you're looking at?
6 to 12 that we're targeting. And again, this is called the Bible 101. Our next unit we're going to be t tackling is marriage and family. We're hoping to have that out right in time for, June, Marriage and family month, as I'd prefer to call it, rather than.
You'll be busy, aren't you?
Yes, yes. We're currently producing that one right now. and yeah, we have our work
cut out for us to Jon here in this. And you being a pastor, you've got young, families in your church. Something that's needed. I mean, we do it from the pulpit. Hopefully they do it in the small group Sunday school. But having this man sounds like it's good for Sunday school, home family discipleship or small groups.
Either way, the workbook and the parent leader guide go both ways.
That sounds like something needed.
Isn't it? It is. A biblical worldview has to be taught because children are learning the other worldview regardless, and we have to teach them right from wrong. And this would be a tremendous study. And how would you, Kendra, how would this difference from another children's study?
Yeah, that's a great question. So I think one is just in the topics and the themes that we take on. So this isn't just, the salvation message, which is awesome. This isn't a Bible study that goes through. This is stuff that you might not know. It's not in your Bible. How was the Bible put together? You know, understanding, inspiration, authorship, all of those topics is kind of, I think, sometimes a hole that gets missed in our worldview teaching. some of the other units that we're tackling, marriage and family. We've had so many parents that are like, we know that the enemy is after our kids on this topic. We don't know how to talk to them about it. And obviously this is a young, very sensitive age. We want to be careful to protect the innocence of our children. We kept that very much in mind, had a lot of parents eyes on this course. But we said, you know what? We need to build a very strong foundation for why one woman and one man is important, why it's so special that God designed you to be, a boy or a girl, and what that means and how to take joy and delight in those roles. So I think AFA is willing to maybe tackle some of those topics that don't get discussed regularly.
Can you believe that AFA would do such a thing?
Some of those questions that Sunday school teachers are like, we're like, okay, we've got to build that foundation. Because, you know, like you said, you know, the Enemy. The minute your kid steps out their door, you can try to gatekeep and keep them from watching things on TV as much as you can, but they're gonna see it at the grocery stor store, they're going to hear about it on the playground, and they need to know what the truth is.
That's right.
Amen. Hey, it sounds like a Sunday school teacher needs to get this so they'll be ready when those kids ask those questions.
You know what?
I learned a lot making this. I really think Sunday school teachers and parents are going to learn through teaching this. If you think I don't know if I can do it, it walks you through it. And I really think it's going to strengthen your faith as you teach children in your.
Okay, Kendrick, one more time. Tell us how they all who are listening say it sounds like something. Tell them how they can get.
Yes. So go to activate kids.aca.net activate kids.aca.net it's $40 and it's ready now. You can go ahead and order it.
Thank you, Ken.
Thank you, fellas, so much. Appreciate y' all and all you do.
Amen. Jon, I'm telling you, afa, and I'm, I know I'm. I, work here and proud of it, but we are trying to help the family. American family, you know, radio, American Family association families. Some way Don Wildmon saw that is important.
I think so. I think so. And you're making an impact, not just locally, but, but literally all over the. All over the country.
Amen. Well, let's jump in. You got just a few minutes here, before we have a break. Chapter 21. Jesus has been making his way from Caesarea Philippi to Jerusalem. Caesarea Philippi is where the first time he would tell them, I've got to go to Jerusalem. Suffer and die and rise again. he told them two more times. So now he's coming into Jerusalem. Let me read that and make comments. That you would. Chapter 21, verse 1. Now, when they drew near to Jerusalem, came to Bethphage in the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples saying to them, go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, the Lord has need of them, and immediately he will send them. All this was done that it might be fulfilled by the prophet who said, Zechariah. 9. 9. Tell the daughter of Zion. Behold, your king is coming to you lowly sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. Wow. Yeah. Now, again, Jesus knows the scriptures. He knows this. This is one of those times that he purposefully and, and it just, he spells it out. I'm fulfilling the scripture.
He is. It's. I mean, you've mentioned it right straight out of Zechariah 9, verse 9. And one of the things I think we often see, or we often maybe are tempted to see in the triumphal entry of Jesus, last week was a Tupelo homecoming parade. And the band's coming down the street and there's a couple hundred people. We think that's the way it was during the triumphal. But this is Passover. This is a couple hundred thousand people, if you can imagine. And Jesus coming in. This was a sight to see. And not only. I love what verse one, just some of these places, but especially the Mount of Olives. And how significant, not only the triumphal entry, but the second coming, the Mount of Olives, that Zechariah also teaches. There is so much that you can connect here, but I want our listeners to know this was. There were people everywhere. And for Jesus to be able to come in and the reaction of the people that thousands upon thousands of people. Hosanna. Hosanna. Welcoming him into the city. It definitely gives you goosebumps, on your, arms.
Hearing you say that makes me think of two things. One is that Jesus would heal. And he said, don't tell anybody. Jesus said, don't tell anybody. But now is the time. He is forcing these people who are wanting to do away with him respond.
That's right.
He's forcing them.
That's right.
And the second thing, and you find this in the Book of Jon. I love this. Up before that, he would say, my hour has not come, My days not come. But when this started happening, guess what? Jon quotes Jesus saying, the hour has come. The hour has come.
The hour has come.
The same thing is going to happen when he comes back.
Amen.
Okay.
Amen.
Amen. This is Bert and Jon, here on Exploring, the Word. And we're enjoying being with you. We're going to continue in Matthew 21 when we come back. And again, it's not going to be all Hosanna. There's going to be some things that are going to be turned over. Hello, I'm Bert Harper. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly Gift of any amount will sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.net give that's afr uh.net give.
This is the story of the coming glory. Can you hear the prayers that people pray? Can you see the skies begin to break? When heaven and earth were face to face oh, how the world forever changed. For God is with us.
Welcome back to Exploring the Word bird and Jon, Dr. Jon Bowler with us today. Again, those of you that usually hear Alex, he's in Michigan. He went to a meeting there and had connection problems and so. But he'll be back tomorrow for Fire Away Friday. And so we're excited about his travels. Pray for Alex. He still travels a lot, speaks to a lot of different groups and people sharing the good news of Christ and speaking on equipping, people, young people and adults for with a biblical worldview. So be praying for Alex. Well, Jon, when we come to Matthew 21, the triumphant entry, what a day it was, he sends them to get this donkey, the mother who has the little colt. Now again, two of the disciples, I wonder who they were. That's one of the questions. I don't know who they were but anyway I don't think I, figure it was one that wasn't a fisherman. You know, they wouldn't know how to deal with the donkey.
That's right.
But they go and get the donkey. And I love what he says the Lord has. Tell them the Lord has needed them and immediately he'll do that. He does the same thing with the upper room.
Yeah, it's almost like hey, I'm going to take your donkey. Well why are you taking it? Well, Jesus needs it, the Lord needs it. And it's almost as if the Lord has worked all this out because these two disciples walking away from Jesus going to get the donkey. I'm not talking to him. You talk to him. I'm not talking to him. We're going to go take his donkey and his colt and. But the Lord's got it all worked out and the donkey and the colt, of course this is prophetic from Zechariah, but the humility, the humility of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords walking into Jerusalem. He's sitting on the disciples clothes is what the Bible says. They put their clothes. So he doesn't have a saddle, doesn't have the proper attire to ride but to sitting on clothes. The savior of the world, I think
sitting on top of those, there's something to that. You know what I mean?
I think so.
He needs to be above us, I'm telling you. And then, ah, what he does, they start cutting branches and just waving and praising. And here's their words. Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Lord save us. There's a lot of different things about hosanna that I was reading, but it does come across. Lord save us.
Lord save us. Save now. Send. Now you, go back to Psalm 118. I believe it's verse 27 that talks about, Lord save us. It's that word hosanna, another prophetic passage. And just to be able to lay down palm branches. The scripture also says that they even laid out their clothes to give Jesus. It's almost. If they didn't want Jesus to walk on the dirt, that's how much they were lifting him up.
Well, this was the common people.
And this is Jerusalem. But a lot of folks that had seen him, quote, minister in Galilee.
That's right.
They've made their way home because it's Passover week. And Jesus selected this time perfectly the Passover lamb and all of that.
I don't see many of the Pharisees or Sadducees in the crowd. I think they're on the background. their glory has been taken away. the crowds have been taken away. And it's just the common folk, like you said, a lot of them who've come from out of town. from four Passover. What's going on? Where's all the people? What's everybody gathering for? And to see this one coming in. It's one of those. I wish I was the fly on the wall. To be able to see what was happening during this time.
So here they come. And when they. Verse 10. When they come into Jerusalem, the city was moved, saying, who is this? Anybody needs a title of a sermon and information. This is a good one.
Who is this?
And just go through and answer who Jesus is. Now here's what they say. They are true. It is actually right what they say. But he's so much more. This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. The m. Information is correct.
That's right.
But it's incomplete.
It's incomplete. This is Jesus. He's the prophet from Galilee. And it's almost. And the Savior of the world, the one who's willingly laying down his life. The things that Jesus has told them numerous times. They got half of it. Right. They got his humanity right, but not the reason why he came.
Okay, there's a break in verses 11 and 12. And when you see the word then. Now in Matthew, that doesn't mean the next hour, it may be the next day, you know. And so if you read all four of the Gospels, cover this from now on. you had the Synoptic Gospels, which is Matthew, Mark and Luke and they interchange and cover the same area. And Jon has been covering mostly the southern ministry and the sans and the conversations, some miracles he had. But from now on it's going to be, you know, more of it, all four of them covering this section. So if you can find a harmon of the Gospels and read it that way, it will help. We're not going to do that. We're going to stay in Matthew's account. But notice what he does in verse 12. Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers, and the seats of those who sold doves. And he said, it is written, my house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. What a statement. What he did. This is the second time he's done that. He did it the first time when he first started.
First started.
And now he's doing it as it comes to the end of the ministry. And it's.
That's right. this is how the ministry needs to start. This is how it needs to end. Because it's about a three year first time he went in with that whip and now it's days before he is to be crucified. And I go back, you can't take away the content. The thousands of people that would have been around and many of them who would have made their way different parts of the temple, they couldn't be a part of all of it but around the temple. And Jesus coming in shortly after his triumphal entry and cleaning house literally to the ones who were probably not at the triumphal entry.
I don't know when they ask, who is this? he's the one that's going to clean up things and he'll clean up our lives again. Now here, this is so important. Where they're setting this up is in what is called the Gentile, the room for the Gentiles. And now the temple was built missionally. Now it was built so they could do the sacrifices and God be glorified, but they had a section. So if there were Gentiles who come in, they could not enter the area.
That's right.
But they had a section set aside so they could hear and know, some of it that's going on. So they would ask what's this about? And if they ask us what it's about, God had given them the information. They could go, but they didn't hate. They had never used it. So what did they do with the court of the Gentiles? They turned it into money making. Now when it first started, possibly, and you have to watch this sort of like the, the Ivy League schools started out training preachers and missionaries, most of them, you know, and teaching the Bible and teaching all that. And look how they've gone wayward. Yeah, I, I really do believe they started out this as legitimate. People would come here and they would make the exchange. It was hard to bring a sheep, a dove all the way, you know, from 100 miles. But they could get there and they could have the exchange and make it. But now it's become into a profit making business, not a service.
That's right.
And I think churches. I'm going to go ahead and say in ministries, we better take a lesson, and keep our business. It's Jesus Christ first and foremost.
That's right. Money can honor and glorify the Lord, but the love of money is the root of all evil, is what the Bible says. And I think you have to be very careful when Jesus. When Jesus during this same time of Passion Week, honors a widow with two little mites, as the scripture says, and rebukes the Pharisees who put in so much more M. The Lord is in control of everything. And you can take that one verse, man. There's a whole sermon series when it comes to our resources, but they belong to the Lord. And when it comes to his house today, our sanctuary is a wooden metal structure, brick. We're the sanctuary and our house. His house.
Put our house in order.
That's right. That's right. It should be a house of prayer. And not to be one drawn to materialistic, temptation, to where we feel like we have to need. We serve the King of kings. He owns it all.
Amen then. I love what you want to do as you're reading this. Keep up with the thens and the nows. they are so important. It says then the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, saying hosanna to the son of David. They were. My conversion says indignant. I guess it's angry.
Angry, mad, angry.
They were. And said to him, do you hear what these are saying? And Jesus said to them, yes. Have you never read out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants? You have perfect, perfected praise. Then he left them and went out the city to Bethany and lodged there. Now again, here they are, indignant and angry.
Angry.
They're religious. The people that were supposed to be the closest, these scribes the word of God, you know, get authority.
Well, the children were there praising Jesus. The children don't have any money. They're not buying, they're not selling. They're in the way. You need to get out of the way because we're here to make money. And Jesus can just read right through them.
The lame, the blind and the children.
And the children.
M. And Jesus has more time for these.
That's right. That's right. He healed the blind and the lame. And then he gives a quotation out of Psalm 8:2 about the mouth of babes and nursing infants, that you have perfected praise. So Jesus turns away the religious folks, welcomes those who can't see, those who can't hear, and those who can't speak for themselves. And that's children. And Jesus is. I mean, what a beautiful picture of the church and who we are to. We're to receive everybody, but nobody's to be turned away. Nobody.
Jesus pays close attention to children in these last days that, you know, the disciples were trying to keep.
That's right.
And he said, don't do that. Don't forbid them. Let them come to me. And he blessed them. Hear the children. I think that says a lot, Jon.
It says a lot in our churches. Children, children cry. Children are messy. Children don't give an offering. Children, may sing louder than you. Children may, dance in the aisle. And Jesus said, let them come. Let them come. They're learning, they are growing. But they need to be at my feet.
I've had the privilege of preaching in a lot of churches. I love it when the children are there. Hey, yeah, nurseries are great, but I've been in churches. They didn't have nurseries. I just suggest they don't have them on the front row when they're trying to train them, because that's hard to get out. But you go into one where there's no kids, man, I'm going to use another. As dull as it can be.
It is. And let me Just say, as a pastor, if. If you've got a young one that cries in the service, let them cry.
Let them cry.
If you've got one that can't be still, the best place they need to be is in that church. If they're dancing in the aisle because they love that song, let them dance. And if anybody gets mad at them, find you another place to sit in the church and let those kids worship Jesus. We just heard that at the age of 13, their worldview is going to already be in their minds. And they're learning that as children. So if you've got young children, bring them into the church. Bring them into the church and let them worship the way they know how. They're still learning.
Amen. I know we have children's church. My opinion of it is this. I want them to be in there in the first part when we're praising the Lord. I want them to see the problem that. I love children's church, so don't get me wrong. I've done it before, and churches do it, and we're part of it, and we've kept training, but to be there in the worship. The only thing that I find. But when they get to be seven or eight, maybe come on out and seeing people respond to the gospel, seeing people going to the altar and kneeling and praying and shaking the pastor's hand or a, pastor's hand and praying together.
That's right.
They need to see. Hey, we need. They, My parents, my grandparents, my friends. They're responding. Yes, we need to respond.
Children need to see mom and dad and grandparents, worshiping the Lord. They're going to be sponges. They do, and they'll embrace that.
So I'm not saying don't have children in church, but having them in there for part of the worship service, I, think is wise. And then have a time when they go out. Now, we may get phone calls on this. That'll be fine. I'm ready for it. But, you know, to be there and dad. And if there's dads out there that can't sing a lick like Bert Harper, just stand there and look and look at your children. Watch you not open your mouth. At least mouth the words like I do sometimes, and let God be praised.
Amen.
Now, real quickly, and we don't have time to go a lot further, it says that he. And I'm just going, yeah, we got two minutes left. I'm going to do this because verse 17, and we'll save the rest for later. About him and the fig tree. But notice verse 17 says a lot. Then he left them and went out to the city of Bethany. He lodged there. Mary. Martha. Yeah. Lazarus.
Yeah.
How would let your home, let your home be the home that Jesus would lodge in?
That's right. Did he go home to commune, with the father? He went back to home like you said. Mary. ah. All those from Bethany. And the Bible just says he lodged there. And then the scripture says the next morning, I think he went there for some quiet time.
Amen.
He went home.
Amen. You're listening to exploring the word. Dr. Jon Bowler is with us today and we want your Bible questions. That number is 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840. give us a call. We would love to hear your question today on Exploring the Word. Friend. We're living in a defining moment today. A woman facing an unexpected pregnancy can order the abortion pill online, often before anyone has the chance to tell her she is loved, she's not alone, or that there is hope. That's why you are needed right now. You were made for this moment. At preborn Network clinics, mothers are welcomed with compassion, practical support, and a free ultrasound. And when she sees her baby and hears that tiny heartbeat for the very first time, fear often gives way to hope. In fact, more than 80% of abortion vulnerable women choose life after seeing their baby on an ultrasound at a PreBorn Network work clinic. That one moment can save a baby's life and open a mother's heart to the hope of Jesus Christ. This is our moment to stand. For those who cannot speak for themselves. Just $28 provides one life. Saving ultrasound. $140 helps rescue five babies. Please don't wait. Dial 250. That's dial pound 250 and say the key word baby. That's pound 250 baby or gifts securely. Preborn.com Bert Harper. That's preborn.com Bert Harper. Together we can save lives one heartbeat at a time.
Jesus, what a beautiful name. Son of God, Son of man. Lamb that was slain.
Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Bert. And Jon Bowler with you today again. Pray for Alex. He's up in Michigan, but he'll be traveling tomorrow, getting back to North Carolina and be ready for Fire away Friday. But we're taking questions today. And if you have a Bible question, it's 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840. We get a lot of questions on versions of the Bible. Again, I'm not asking you what you think of all of them. Do you have a particular one that you refer to and use quite often, or do you mix it up?
I do. I'll answer that question two ways. so my go to now is the new King James. that has been good for me for in depth, word by word. it's very close to the original, but I get asked that a lot. What's your favorite Bible? And I'll tell them the one you'll read.
Same answer. Y' all must have heard somebody say that, because when my son Nathan was being ordained and that question was asked, he said the same thing.
That must be a blue mountain.
It must be a blue mountain.
Yeah. The one you will read. Now, there's translations, there's paraphrase. You can get into all of that. but I will say whatever will get you into the word of God is the one that I would recommend. Now, if you want a deep study, if you want. Just for devotional use, there are different types for that.
let me just say this. A, few years ago, we were introducing the new living translation, nlt, and, we got it and I took it home and Jan said, man, this is awesome. It's got some references in it. It's really helpful. And, I'm a new King James. I know why I do it. It's a good ver. And it's more word for word. if you're going to study, it makes it good. But also, I was old enough. Basically, the King James was the one that was around when I was ancient and learned. And so when I try to read a familiar passage that I had memorized in the King James, and I'd try to read it from something else, there'd be a battle in my brain. Am I going to say the words I see or the words I know? But with the new King James, it changed the vowels and all that.
Even my generation, I grew up King James, started preaching out of the King James. But, I've got a chronological Bible that I read through now. And it's. It's new living and it's.
It is a neat version.
It is really.
We'd recommend it. Well, we've got William from Ohio. William, thank you for calling. Go right ahead, brother.
Thanks for having me.
You bet, man.
Question about seemingly contradictory versus or difficult, verses in the Old Testament. Jeremiah, 29:13, you will seek me and find me when you seek me with your whole heart. However, in Romans 3, 11 it says there is no one righteous, no one is good, no one seeks after God. So is God telling us to do something that we can't do?
Okay, two different. Two different times and two different groups of people. When you find that, Jon, you know, if you're open. Okay, I think using the Pharisees and the common people that we studied today, when those common people heard about Jesus, William, they were seeking him with all their heart. Take the Ethiopian eunuchs coming up from, Ethiopia and finding the word of God and him going back and God opened. He was seeking truth and God. I'm using a paraphrased word, parachutes Philip in there to tell him the truth. The Pharisees, we don't need to know anymore. They weren't seeking God. They felt like they had God in a box. So it's two different times, isn't it?
It is. And, William, thank you for the question. Jeremiah 29:13. Let me read two verses prior to that, because it is one of the most, familiar verses in a lot of the Old Testament. For I know the thoughts I think towards you, says the Lord. Thoughts of peace and not of evil. To give you a future and a hope. The NIV says, for I know the plans I have for you. plans to prosper, not to harm you, to give you hope in a future. This is a promise for, those coming out of Babylon captivity, the 70 years. And if you seek me, you will find me. So that's the, Yes, there can be application, I think, for you and I today, such as Jeremiah 29:11, but also Jeremiah 20:13, Jeremiah 29:13. But when you get over to Romans, like you said, it's a totally different group of people that is there.
And that's not any contradiction. Any seemingly contradiction has an answer or a misunderstanding on our part. like this, talking about when they get to the tomb and there's one angel and then another one too. If there was two. There was one, and one is more prominent than the other. And so the, gospel writer was reporting on that and the interaction with that angel. And the other one was there participating in listening. I've done that quite a bit. I've used the word. I've gone. I'll say, somebody I talked to and a friend was there with me, but I didn't say so. That is common occurrence. And so, William, thank you, brother. I hope. Hope that helps. Let's go to Arkansas. David from Arkansas. By the way, if you. We got lines open. If you've got a Bible question. It's 888-589-8840. But while we're waiting on others, let's go to David in Arkansas. David, go right ahead.
Yes. I was wondering why we say amen as we pray and what does it mean?
Great question. amen. So be it.
So be it.
So be it. And, you don't have to say amen, honestly. It's not a requirement that you say it, but it's kind of like a climax. have you ever had these songs that, the choir will sing and it has it nearly like it stops, but then there is just the pause and then they'll start back up, you know, and, hey, I started clapping for them. I thought I was interrupting their, starting back up. So amen brings it.
So be it. So be it. I agree. You know, when you're praying and you're talking to the Lord, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. Amen. And David, I'll also say you can say amen not just after a prayer, but preachers will let you say amen anytime during a sermon.
That's right.
The preacher to know that, hey, what you're preaching is truth. Amen. I agree. So be it. it's a wonderful. The thing about amen, Amen is nearly the same in every language.
Hosanna, Hallelujah.
so when we travel different places around the world, those are just a couple of words that everybody knows those words, and those are just neat. Amen.
M. Well, Jon, talking about traveling, went to Africa recently, and when he came back, my son Nathan and I that do exploring missions, we did a interview, with him. And you can go to afr.uh.net and look at the podcast, look at exploring missions and go down there and you'll find out. Jon Bowler. And, it was a great trip. And since then, you've been able to equip some more folks. hey, let's take some mission trips challenging Amen. It's great. Okay, let's go to Wayne in Louisiana. Wayne, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Yes, sir. I had a question. In Acts, chapter nine, where Peter commanded Cornelius to be baptized in the name of the Lord. I didn't know if you could give me your two scriptures that could verify why he would do that.
Okay. Hey, listen, let me just say this about baptizing. there's no formula.
That's right after.
After. It's a, it's an action demonstrating. And I Think there's some demonstration to it, because buried and raised, you know, so there's a demonstration before it even became a demonstration. I think it was a prediction of what, you know, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ would be. There's no magic formula that you say to help them, to make it more.
Yeah.
but you give credit to where credit is due when you're baptizing. I remember having a question like this when I was 22 years old. Believe it or not, I was on the radio back then. We had. I, won't go into details, but I've been doing radio for a while. But we had that question, and I remembered my pastor. He, was pastor there. And I said, listen, I believe in it because I want to give credit and praise the ones. I said, God the Father sent the son. Jesus Christ came and paid the price, and the holy Spirit of God convicted me and now indwells me. I want to praise him. Him as one, but also as the Trinity.
That's right. And baptism is a picture of the gospel. And, whether it's Jesus down and rising again or your old life going under, your new life coming up, so what you say is powerful because a lot of people come and witness a baptism. Family members who may not know the Lord. So there is no m. Magic formula. But if there are things that you can say to explain what's happening. I've seen 15, probably in my life, 15 different preachers do baptism just at different times. And every one of them said something different, but it was all very similar. so there's no magic formula, but it is a wonderful opportunity to share what you're doing and why you're doing it.
I remember baptizing our three sons, Nathan, Matthew, and Micah. And, I said, I baptize you, my son that is now my brother.
Yeah.
Isn't that neat to have a double relationship with your children? Not just in father and child, but brother and sister, brothers in Christ?
I baptized my two sons, and there was a water line on the baptistry. But for some reason, when I baptized my two sons, it was a little bit higher. I don't know if I was adding to the water with tears, but what a joyful moment.
Amen. Hey, Brett, do I understand we got a pray or prayer or. Yeah, one prayer request. And then if you want it, I've got a question as well. Dee is asking for prayers, for her cousin Brandy, who had to have emergency surgery after she, had already had a liver transplant. Ooh, okay. That's Brandy, right? Praying for her. Those of you that are prayer warriors, write Brandy out and, and surgery, after liver transplant. Okay. Father, I pray for Brandy, God, right where she is. And I know, man, the transplant surgery had to be difficult, and hard. But now added to that, I pray for her recovery. But God, I pray the witness of your grace would be evident in her life and a, testimony to others. And I pray for that and for success. In Jesus name name, Amen. Okay, let's go to Jeff in Alabama. Jeff, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Hello, Bird.
I love. I've been listening to your program for years and my question is there's, I can't find it right now, but there's a scripture in the NewSong Testament, where it says as many as were appointed unto salvation, believed.
Yeah.
Do you know that scripture?
Jon's looking it up.
It's in the book of Acts. Give me just a second.
And while he's doing that, as many as appointed were saved. Amen. Let me just make a common question or, common statement. The sovereignty of God. If you don't believe in, believe in that and understanding it, you're limited. And if you don't believe in the choice and the accountability of man, you're living in what the Bible says. We may not can understand it completely how the sovereignty of God and the free will of man works out. But wasn't it Spurgeon said, why should friends argue?
Amen.
And they're friends now. We just. And it increases my faith. If I understood everything about God, he wouldn't be the God of the Bible.
That's right. It's, ah, Acts chapter, Jeff, it's Acts 13:48. Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as has been appointed to eternal life believed. I believe if you look at the entire scripture from Cove to cover, there's going to be a lot of passages that lean heavy on sovereignty of God. and there's going to be a lot of passages lean on human, responsibility. If you read the entire Word and you look at it in the context of the entire word, God is sovereign. He gives man an opportunity, to respond or to reject the gospel.
I really do anything other than that. Dr. Adrian Rogers, and we hadn't quoted him this week. We try to make that. It's hard not to quote him. Right. To hear him, isn't it? Right. But he said, you know, believing that man has nothing to do with it. It's just God. That's fatalism. In other words, I don't stand a chance. I can try to understand. I can try, but, you know, if I'm not elected, the Bible doesn't teach that, you know, but it doesn't teach us. Okay, I can get saved anytime I want to. And, you know, it's. No, you better. Today's the day of salvation. If anyone's listening today and you're not saved, I, I just want to encourage you and challenge you. Trust the Lord right now. Repent, turn from your ways and say, God, I'm a sinner. I'm lost. I know Jesus died on the cross. He was buried and rose again. And, Father, I'm asking him to forgive me and take life into my life. M. He'll do it, won't he, Jon? He'll do it. Well, I think we got at least one more, and it's Sandy in Texas. Sandy, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Well, thank you so much. my question is two verses back to back that have always confused me when I read them from the very last chapter of the Bible. Revelation 22, verse 14 says, Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are, the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices lying. That is so confusing to me. Where is that? Who are they talking about?
Okay, we know easily. The dogs and the sorcerers, those are the one that's left out. Now, when we say outside, that doesn't mean just right next door. Outside means left out.
Left out. Left out. And that's been a theme. Revelation 21, verse 8 talks about that as well. Left out. They're not in the new heaven and new earth. They're separated with the Lord. Separated from the Lord for all eternity.
And when you see the tree of life and the gates, paradise restored.
That's right.
Jon Milton had an idea, but God's idea is real.
Amen. Praise God.
Thank you, Sandy. Hope that it really does outside. Those that didn't trust the Lord, thank you for being with us.
It's been a joy. Thank you, brother Bert. Thank you for the opportunity.
Hey, if you're in northeast Mississippi and you're, looking for a church here, close to Tupelo Calvary Baptist Church where you can hear Jon preach, great job, brother. Appreciate you so much. Thank you for listening to exploring the word. Alex will be back tomorrow and it will be fire away Friday where we'll take your question questions the whole hour. So tell someone about this program, but more importantly, tell them about Jesus.
The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family Association or American Family Radio.
The Bible.
It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions. Welcome to Exploring the word. In Matthew 21, we have the story of Jesus coming in Jerusalem riding a donkey. now that may not seem important, but if you were to read Zechariah, you would find out it was very important that he was announcing who he was to the world. And when he was writing, the people said, who is this? Well, we want to answer that today here on Exploring the Word and hope you'll enjoy this. Our, our co Host today is Dr. Jon Bowler. Jon, thank you for joining us today.
It's good to be here again.
Thank you brother Burton, and we appreciate you. Alex is in Detroit, Michigan and he does not have the connection he needs. So we appreciate you coming in.
Yes, sir.
And we have another guest here today. Now, Exploring the Word is not usually an interview program, but when we have something real special that we are saying you need to be a part of, we get them on. So our guest today is Kendra White. Kendra, thank you for being with us.
Thank you so much for having me. I love your program and I love learning with you.
The other day somebody compared you and me together.
Oh, really? I'm honored.
No, not what they say about us. First, we're loud.
Sounds about right.
Yeah.
they was talking about, yeah, we have to do this with Kendra.
And you go ahead and pot us down a little producer because we get excited about God's word around here.
We do, but there's something new. Activate. Kids. Now Activate has been around a while. Even I got some of, they got some of the material I have on that. But now Activate. Kids, tell us what it is.
Yeah.
So Activate is a biblical worldview training course. We started off with adults and we wanted to tackle the issues that AFA talks about all the time because we had listeners calling in and saying, love what you guys teach us to do, but how do we bring that to our communities? And the word activate is literally just we're trying to wake up sleeper cells of Christians to be like, go do what you believe. go practice it. So some of the topics that we discuss is like, marriage and family sanctity, of human life, the Bible and why we can trust it. some of the, that are the most under attack. And so we, as we were doing that adult course I got to work on that project. Super exciting. I immediately knew, I was like, we have to do this for the kids as well so that the entire family can be prepared. Because the thing is, like, God's not going to just look at your kids and be like, you know what? They're so sweet, or, sorry, the enemy's not going to look at them and say, they're so sweet and innocent. I'm just going to wait until they're a little older to try to destroy and ruin their lives. He's going to try to wreak havoc from the very beginning. And, you know, George Barna says that by the time a kid is 13, their worldview is pretty much set.
Wow.
So a lot of these topics parent, you might say, well, wow, you guys are taking on a lot for kids.
The courses for ages in our day, we needed, you have to. Back when I was in the 50s, that tells you how long I've been around, you know, half of this. I didn't know what these words meant until I got in high school, but now they're thrown at it at a very young age.
It's so true. this course specifically, we target ages 6 to 12 and just kind of the way it works because we know, even though these are big concepts for kids to understand, we, really believe that they're able, and need this foundation. So it starts off, they watch a video, about three to 10 minutes, very short, very compact. It's engaging them, and they learn a lesson and then they flip over to, we have like a parent leader guide. And this is what I love.
So it's because parents need some help. Right?
Look, we've had some parents be like, now, do I need a degree to be able to have these conversations? No, we have the answers, parents. If you don't know it, we've got some answers to help help you along. But, really, as long as you have a saving relationship with Jesus, you're going to be able to walk your kids through this course. The information is there. but we want you to be able to do is say, you know what? There maybe were some times in my life that I've had doubts. maybe some things in, in the Bible that I've wrestled with to understand. And just sharing that with your kids and how you've overcome those things really opens up the dialogue. Because, you know, it's not enough to just like give kids a Bible. And we believe this and you should too, because the world's going to come out with, you know, come at them and say, these are just stories made up by people who want to get attention. There are 50 million zillion errors in that Bible. And they're going to throw all these facts and, well, supposed facts. And if they do not know the truth, they will not be able to stand.
You know, how many times I, hear this. College, high school kids with a good foundation head to college and they don't have the answers. Sounds like activates part of giving some of those answers.
It's important answers, but it's also very hands on. So they're not just watching a video and doing like a worksheet. They're having a discussion. And then there's also this do section. So they have like a student workbook where you and your family are gonna go do stuff together. you're gonna make a craft of making papyrus paper and you're gonna learn about how God preserved the word through papyrus and the process that the scribes tediously went through so that the b. Hold, can be in their household today. so There's.
This is 101.
This.
So this is. So.
Yeah, thank you.
Let me back up.
This is the foundation of what everything else is built on.
So we have activate kids is the whole worldview curriculum. We're releasing unit one, which is called the Bible 101. So this unit specifically addresses how did we get the Bible, how, why can we trust the Bible? And a lot of the common, criticisms that kids are going to hear throughout their life. And they actually get to practice. They get to like, act as little characters and interact with their parents and their parents will kind of ask them questions and they get to, to learn to respond to some of those things.
Kendra, this is so exciting. How can people, how can they get ahold of these?
Well, come on.
You mean you have that information?
I do as I pull my sheet up here. but. Activate kids.aca.net it's $40. And again, it comes with like a DVD. You can also stream the videos online that you can get access to. It comes with the, Parent Leader Guide and the student workbook that has stickers and fun activities. And then there's also videos that teach you how to do games with them, object lessons. and yeah, it's, it's $40 for unit one and you can get it now have it in time for Christmas.
Now, what's the age range that you're looking at?
6 to 12 that we're targeting. And again, this is called the Bible 101. Our next unit we're going to be t tackling is marriage and family. We're hoping to have that out right in time for, June, Marriage and family month, as I'd prefer to call it, rather than.
You'll be busy, aren't you?
Yes, yes. We're currently producing that one right now. and yeah, we have our work
cut out for us to Jon here in this. And you being a pastor, you've got young, families in your church. Something that's needed. I mean, we do it from the pulpit. Hopefully they do it in the small group Sunday school. But having this man sounds like it's good for Sunday school, home family discipleship or small groups.
Either way, the workbook and the parent leader guide go both ways.
That sounds like something needed.
Isn't it? It is. A biblical worldview has to be taught because children are learning the other worldview regardless, and we have to teach them right from wrong. And this would be a tremendous study. And how would you, Kendra, how would this difference from another children's study?
Yeah, that's a great question. So I think one is just in the topics and the themes that we take on. So this isn't just, the salvation message, which is awesome. This isn't a Bible study that goes through. This is stuff that you might not know. It's not in your Bible. How was the Bible put together? You know, understanding, inspiration, authorship, all of those topics is kind of, I think, sometimes a hole that gets missed in our worldview teaching. some of the other units that we're tackling, marriage and family. We've had so many parents that are like, we know that the enemy is after our kids on this topic. We don't know how to talk to them about it. And obviously this is a young, very sensitive age. We want to be careful to protect the innocence of our children. We kept that very much in mind, had a lot of parents eyes on this course. But we said, you know what? We need to build a very strong foundation for why one woman and one man is important, why it's so special that God designed you to be, a boy or a girl, and what that means and how to take joy and delight in those roles. So I think AFA is willing to maybe tackle some of those topics that don't get discussed regularly.
Can you believe that AFA would do such a thing?
Some of those questions that Sunday school teachers are like, we're like, okay, we've got to build that foundation. Because, you know, like you said, you know, the Enemy. The minute your kid steps out their door, you can try to gatekeep and keep them from watching things on TV as much as you can, but they're gonna see it at the grocery stor store, they're going to hear about it on the playground, and they need to know what the truth is.
That's right.
Amen. Hey, it sounds like a Sunday school teacher needs to get this so they'll be ready when those kids ask those questions.
You know what?
I learned a lot making this. I really think Sunday school teachers and parents are going to learn through teaching this. If you think I don't know if I can do it, it walks you through it. And I really think it's going to strengthen your faith as you teach children in your.
Okay, Kendrick, one more time. Tell us how they all who are listening say it sounds like something. Tell them how they can get.
Yes. So go to activate kids.aca.net activate kids.aca.net it's $40 and it's ready now. You can go ahead and order it.
Thank you, Ken.
Thank you, fellas, so much. Appreciate y' all and all you do.
Amen. Jon, I'm telling you, afa, and I'm, I know I'm. I, work here and proud of it, but we are trying to help the family. American family, you know, radio, American Family association families. Some way Don Wildmon saw that is important.
I think so. I think so. And you're making an impact, not just locally, but, but literally all over the. All over the country.
Amen. Well, let's jump in. You got just a few minutes here, before we have a break. Chapter 21. Jesus has been making his way from Caesarea Philippi to Jerusalem. Caesarea Philippi is where the first time he would tell them, I've got to go to Jerusalem. Suffer and die and rise again. he told them two more times. So now he's coming into Jerusalem. Let me read that and make comments. That you would. Chapter 21, verse 1. Now, when they drew near to Jerusalem, came to Bethphage in the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples saying to them, go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, the Lord has need of them, and immediately he will send them. All this was done that it might be fulfilled by the prophet who said, Zechariah. 9. 9. Tell the daughter of Zion. Behold, your king is coming to you lowly sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. Wow. Yeah. Now, again, Jesus knows the scriptures. He knows this. This is one of those times that he purposefully and, and it just, he spells it out. I'm fulfilling the scripture.
He is. It's. I mean, you've mentioned it right straight out of Zechariah 9, verse 9. And one of the things I think we often see, or we often maybe are tempted to see in the triumphal entry of Jesus, last week was a Tupelo homecoming parade. And the band's coming down the street and there's a couple hundred people. We think that's the way it was during the triumphal. But this is Passover. This is a couple hundred thousand people, if you can imagine. And Jesus coming in. This was a sight to see. And not only. I love what verse one, just some of these places, but especially the Mount of Olives. And how significant, not only the triumphal entry, but the second coming, the Mount of Olives, that Zechariah also teaches. There is so much that you can connect here, but I want our listeners to know this was. There were people everywhere. And for Jesus to be able to come in and the reaction of the people that thousands upon thousands of people. Hosanna. Hosanna. Welcoming him into the city. It definitely gives you goosebumps, on your, arms.
Hearing you say that makes me think of two things. One is that Jesus would heal. And he said, don't tell anybody. Jesus said, don't tell anybody. But now is the time. He is forcing these people who are wanting to do away with him respond.
That's right.
He's forcing them.
That's right.
And the second thing, and you find this in the Book of Jon. I love this. Up before that, he would say, my hour has not come, My days not come. But when this started happening, guess what? Jon quotes Jesus saying, the hour has come. The hour has come.
The hour has come.
The same thing is going to happen when he comes back.
Amen.
Okay.
Amen.
Amen. This is Bert and Jon, here on Exploring, the Word. And we're enjoying being with you. We're going to continue in Matthew 21 when we come back. And again, it's not going to be all Hosanna. There's going to be some things that are going to be turned over. Hello, I'm Bert Harper. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly Gift of any amount will sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.net give that's afr uh.net give.
This is the story of the coming glory. Can you hear the prayers that people pray? Can you see the skies begin to break? When heaven and earth were face to face oh, how the world forever changed. For God is with us.
Welcome back to Exploring the Word bird and Jon, Dr. Jon Bowler with us today. Again, those of you that usually hear Alex, he's in Michigan. He went to a meeting there and had connection problems and so. But he'll be back tomorrow for Fire Away Friday. And so we're excited about his travels. Pray for Alex. He still travels a lot, speaks to a lot of different groups and people sharing the good news of Christ and speaking on equipping, people, young people and adults for with a biblical worldview. So be praying for Alex. Well, Jon, when we come to Matthew 21, the triumphant entry, what a day it was, he sends them to get this donkey, the mother who has the little colt. Now again, two of the disciples, I wonder who they were. That's one of the questions. I don't know who they were but anyway I don't think I, figure it was one that wasn't a fisherman. You know, they wouldn't know how to deal with the donkey.
That's right.
But they go and get the donkey. And I love what he says the Lord has. Tell them the Lord has needed them and immediately he'll do that. He does the same thing with the upper room.
Yeah, it's almost like hey, I'm going to take your donkey. Well why are you taking it? Well, Jesus needs it, the Lord needs it. And it's almost as if the Lord has worked all this out because these two disciples walking away from Jesus going to get the donkey. I'm not talking to him. You talk to him. I'm not talking to him. We're going to go take his donkey and his colt and. But the Lord's got it all worked out and the donkey and the colt, of course this is prophetic from Zechariah, but the humility, the humility of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords walking into Jerusalem. He's sitting on the disciples clothes is what the Bible says. They put their clothes. So he doesn't have a saddle, doesn't have the proper attire to ride but to sitting on clothes. The savior of the world, I think
sitting on top of those, there's something to that. You know what I mean?
I think so.
He needs to be above us, I'm telling you. And then, ah, what he does, they start cutting branches and just waving and praising. And here's their words. Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Lord save us. There's a lot of different things about hosanna that I was reading, but it does come across. Lord save us.
Lord save us. Save now. Send. Now you, go back to Psalm 118. I believe it's verse 27 that talks about, Lord save us. It's that word hosanna, another prophetic passage. And just to be able to lay down palm branches. The scripture also says that they even laid out their clothes to give Jesus. It's almost. If they didn't want Jesus to walk on the dirt, that's how much they were lifting him up.
Well, this was the common people.
And this is Jerusalem. But a lot of folks that had seen him, quote, minister in Galilee.
That's right.
They've made their way home because it's Passover week. And Jesus selected this time perfectly the Passover lamb and all of that.
I don't see many of the Pharisees or Sadducees in the crowd. I think they're on the background. their glory has been taken away. the crowds have been taken away. And it's just the common folk, like you said, a lot of them who've come from out of town. from four Passover. What's going on? Where's all the people? What's everybody gathering for? And to see this one coming in. It's one of those. I wish I was the fly on the wall. To be able to see what was happening during this time.
So here they come. And when they. Verse 10. When they come into Jerusalem, the city was moved, saying, who is this? Anybody needs a title of a sermon and information. This is a good one.
Who is this?
And just go through and answer who Jesus is. Now here's what they say. They are true. It is actually right what they say. But he's so much more. This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. The m. Information is correct.
That's right.
But it's incomplete.
It's incomplete. This is Jesus. He's the prophet from Galilee. And it's almost. And the Savior of the world, the one who's willingly laying down his life. The things that Jesus has told them numerous times. They got half of it. Right. They got his humanity right, but not the reason why he came.
Okay, there's a break in verses 11 and 12. And when you see the word then. Now in Matthew, that doesn't mean the next hour, it may be the next day, you know. And so if you read all four of the Gospels, cover this from now on. you had the Synoptic Gospels, which is Matthew, Mark and Luke and they interchange and cover the same area. And Jon has been covering mostly the southern ministry and the sans and the conversations, some miracles he had. But from now on it's going to be, you know, more of it, all four of them covering this section. So if you can find a harmon of the Gospels and read it that way, it will help. We're not going to do that. We're going to stay in Matthew's account. But notice what he does in verse 12. Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers, and the seats of those who sold doves. And he said, it is written, my house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. What a statement. What he did. This is the second time he's done that. He did it the first time when he first started.
First started.
And now he's doing it as it comes to the end of the ministry. And it's.
That's right. this is how the ministry needs to start. This is how it needs to end. Because it's about a three year first time he went in with that whip and now it's days before he is to be crucified. And I go back, you can't take away the content. The thousands of people that would have been around and many of them who would have made their way different parts of the temple, they couldn't be a part of all of it but around the temple. And Jesus coming in shortly after his triumphal entry and cleaning house literally to the ones who were probably not at the triumphal entry.
I don't know when they ask, who is this? he's the one that's going to clean up things and he'll clean up our lives again. Now here, this is so important. Where they're setting this up is in what is called the Gentile, the room for the Gentiles. And now the temple was built missionally. Now it was built so they could do the sacrifices and God be glorified, but they had a section. So if there were Gentiles who come in, they could not enter the area.
That's right.
But they had a section set aside so they could hear and know, some of it that's going on. So they would ask what's this about? And if they ask us what it's about, God had given them the information. They could go, but they didn't hate. They had never used it. So what did they do with the court of the Gentiles? They turned it into money making. Now when it first started, possibly, and you have to watch this sort of like the, the Ivy League schools started out training preachers and missionaries, most of them, you know, and teaching the Bible and teaching all that. And look how they've gone wayward. Yeah, I, I really do believe they started out this as legitimate. People would come here and they would make the exchange. It was hard to bring a sheep, a dove all the way, you know, from 100 miles. But they could get there and they could have the exchange and make it. But now it's become into a profit making business, not a service.
That's right.
And I think churches. I'm going to go ahead and say in ministries, we better take a lesson, and keep our business. It's Jesus Christ first and foremost.
That's right. Money can honor and glorify the Lord, but the love of money is the root of all evil, is what the Bible says. And I think you have to be very careful when Jesus. When Jesus during this same time of Passion Week, honors a widow with two little mites, as the scripture says, and rebukes the Pharisees who put in so much more M. The Lord is in control of everything. And you can take that one verse, man. There's a whole sermon series when it comes to our resources, but they belong to the Lord. And when it comes to his house today, our sanctuary is a wooden metal structure, brick. We're the sanctuary and our house. His house.
Put our house in order.
That's right. That's right. It should be a house of prayer. And not to be one drawn to materialistic, temptation, to where we feel like we have to need. We serve the King of kings. He owns it all.
Amen then. I love what you want to do as you're reading this. Keep up with the thens and the nows. they are so important. It says then the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, saying hosanna to the son of David. They were. My conversion says indignant. I guess it's angry.
Angry, mad, angry.
They were. And said to him, do you hear what these are saying? And Jesus said to them, yes. Have you never read out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants? You have perfect, perfected praise. Then he left them and went out the city to Bethany and lodged there. Now again, here they are, indignant and angry.
Angry.
They're religious. The people that were supposed to be the closest, these scribes the word of God, you know, get authority.
Well, the children were there praising Jesus. The children don't have any money. They're not buying, they're not selling. They're in the way. You need to get out of the way because we're here to make money. And Jesus can just read right through them.
The lame, the blind and the children.
And the children.
M. And Jesus has more time for these.
That's right. That's right. He healed the blind and the lame. And then he gives a quotation out of Psalm 8:2 about the mouth of babes and nursing infants, that you have perfected praise. So Jesus turns away the religious folks, welcomes those who can't see, those who can't hear, and those who can't speak for themselves. And that's children. And Jesus is. I mean, what a beautiful picture of the church and who we are to. We're to receive everybody, but nobody's to be turned away. Nobody.
Jesus pays close attention to children in these last days that, you know, the disciples were trying to keep.
That's right.
And he said, don't do that. Don't forbid them. Let them come to me. And he blessed them. Hear the children. I think that says a lot, Jon.
It says a lot in our churches. Children, children cry. Children are messy. Children don't give an offering. Children, may sing louder than you. Children may, dance in the aisle. And Jesus said, let them come. Let them come. They're learning, they are growing. But they need to be at my feet.
I've had the privilege of preaching in a lot of churches. I love it when the children are there. Hey, yeah, nurseries are great, but I've been in churches. They didn't have nurseries. I just suggest they don't have them on the front row when they're trying to train them, because that's hard to get out. But you go into one where there's no kids, man, I'm going to use another. As dull as it can be.
It is. And let me Just say, as a pastor, if. If you've got a young one that cries in the service, let them cry.
Let them cry.
If you've got one that can't be still, the best place they need to be is in that church. If they're dancing in the aisle because they love that song, let them dance. And if anybody gets mad at them, find you another place to sit in the church and let those kids worship Jesus. We just heard that at the age of 13, their worldview is going to already be in their minds. And they're learning that as children. So if you've got young children, bring them into the church. Bring them into the church and let them worship the way they know how. They're still learning.
Amen. I know we have children's church. My opinion of it is this. I want them to be in there in the first part when we're praising the Lord. I want them to see the problem that. I love children's church, so don't get me wrong. I've done it before, and churches do it, and we're part of it, and we've kept training, but to be there in the worship. The only thing that I find. But when they get to be seven or eight, maybe come on out and seeing people respond to the gospel, seeing people going to the altar and kneeling and praying and shaking the pastor's hand or a, pastor's hand and praying together.
That's right.
They need to see. Hey, we need. They, My parents, my grandparents, my friends. They're responding. Yes, we need to respond.
Children need to see mom and dad and grandparents, worshiping the Lord. They're going to be sponges. They do, and they'll embrace that.
So I'm not saying don't have children in church, but having them in there for part of the worship service, I, think is wise. And then have a time when they go out. Now, we may get phone calls on this. That'll be fine. I'm ready for it. But, you know, to be there and dad. And if there's dads out there that can't sing a lick like Bert Harper, just stand there and look and look at your children. Watch you not open your mouth. At least mouth the words like I do sometimes, and let God be praised.
Amen.
Now, real quickly, and we don't have time to go a lot further, it says that he. And I'm just going, yeah, we got two minutes left. I'm going to do this because verse 17, and we'll save the rest for later. About him and the fig tree. But notice verse 17 says a lot. Then he left them and went out to the city of Bethany. He lodged there. Mary. Martha. Yeah. Lazarus.
Yeah.
How would let your home, let your home be the home that Jesus would lodge in?
That's right. Did he go home to commune, with the father? He went back to home like you said. Mary. ah. All those from Bethany. And the Bible just says he lodged there. And then the scripture says the next morning, I think he went there for some quiet time.
Amen.
He went home.
Amen. You're listening to exploring the word. Dr. Jon Bowler is with us today and we want your Bible questions. That number is 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840. give us a call. We would love to hear your question today on Exploring the Word. Friend. We're living in a defining moment today. A woman facing an unexpected pregnancy can order the abortion pill online, often before anyone has the chance to tell her she is loved, she's not alone, or that there is hope. That's why you are needed right now. You were made for this moment. At preborn Network clinics, mothers are welcomed with compassion, practical support, and a free ultrasound. And when she sees her baby and hears that tiny heartbeat for the very first time, fear often gives way to hope. In fact, more than 80% of abortion vulnerable women choose life after seeing their baby on an ultrasound at a PreBorn Network work clinic. That one moment can save a baby's life and open a mother's heart to the hope of Jesus Christ. This is our moment to stand. For those who cannot speak for themselves. Just $28 provides one life. Saving ultrasound. $140 helps rescue five babies. Please don't wait. Dial 250. That's dial pound 250 and say the key word baby. That's pound 250 baby or gifts securely. Preborn.com Bert Harper. That's preborn.com Bert Harper. Together we can save lives one heartbeat at a time.
Jesus, what a beautiful name. Son of God, Son of man. Lamb that was slain.
Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Bert. And Jon Bowler with you today again. Pray for Alex. He's up in Michigan, but he'll be traveling tomorrow, getting back to North Carolina and be ready for Fire away Friday. But we're taking questions today. And if you have a Bible question, it's 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840. We get a lot of questions on versions of the Bible. Again, I'm not asking you what you think of all of them. Do you have a particular one that you refer to and use quite often, or do you mix it up?
I do. I'll answer that question two ways. so my go to now is the new King James. that has been good for me for in depth, word by word. it's very close to the original, but I get asked that a lot. What's your favorite Bible? And I'll tell them the one you'll read.
Same answer. Y' all must have heard somebody say that, because when my son Nathan was being ordained and that question was asked, he said the same thing.
That must be a blue mountain.
It must be a blue mountain.
Yeah. The one you will read. Now, there's translations, there's paraphrase. You can get into all of that. but I will say whatever will get you into the word of God is the one that I would recommend. Now, if you want a deep study, if you want. Just for devotional use, there are different types for that.
let me just say this. A, few years ago, we were introducing the new living translation, nlt, and, we got it and I took it home and Jan said, man, this is awesome. It's got some references in it. It's really helpful. And, I'm a new King James. I know why I do it. It's a good ver. And it's more word for word. if you're going to study, it makes it good. But also, I was old enough. Basically, the King James was the one that was around when I was ancient and learned. And so when I try to read a familiar passage that I had memorized in the King James, and I'd try to read it from something else, there'd be a battle in my brain. Am I going to say the words I see or the words I know? But with the new King James, it changed the vowels and all that.
Even my generation, I grew up King James, started preaching out of the King James. But, I've got a chronological Bible that I read through now. And it's. It's new living and it's.
It is a neat version.
It is really.
We'd recommend it. Well, we've got William from Ohio. William, thank you for calling. Go right ahead, brother.
Thanks for having me.
You bet, man.
Question about seemingly contradictory versus or difficult, verses in the Old Testament. Jeremiah, 29:13, you will seek me and find me when you seek me with your whole heart. However, in Romans 3, 11 it says there is no one righteous, no one is good, no one seeks after God. So is God telling us to do something that we can't do?
Okay, two different. Two different times and two different groups of people. When you find that, Jon, you know, if you're open. Okay, I think using the Pharisees and the common people that we studied today, when those common people heard about Jesus, William, they were seeking him with all their heart. Take the Ethiopian eunuchs coming up from, Ethiopia and finding the word of God and him going back and God opened. He was seeking truth and God. I'm using a paraphrased word, parachutes Philip in there to tell him the truth. The Pharisees, we don't need to know anymore. They weren't seeking God. They felt like they had God in a box. So it's two different times, isn't it?
It is. And, William, thank you for the question. Jeremiah 29:13. Let me read two verses prior to that, because it is one of the most, familiar verses in a lot of the Old Testament. For I know the thoughts I think towards you, says the Lord. Thoughts of peace and not of evil. To give you a future and a hope. The NIV says, for I know the plans I have for you. plans to prosper, not to harm you, to give you hope in a future. This is a promise for, those coming out of Babylon captivity, the 70 years. And if you seek me, you will find me. So that's the, Yes, there can be application, I think, for you and I today, such as Jeremiah 29:11, but also Jeremiah 20:13, Jeremiah 29:13. But when you get over to Romans, like you said, it's a totally different group of people that is there.
And that's not any contradiction. Any seemingly contradiction has an answer or a misunderstanding on our part. like this, talking about when they get to the tomb and there's one angel and then another one too. If there was two. There was one, and one is more prominent than the other. And so the, gospel writer was reporting on that and the interaction with that angel. And the other one was there participating in listening. I've done that quite a bit. I've used the word. I've gone. I'll say, somebody I talked to and a friend was there with me, but I didn't say so. That is common occurrence. And so, William, thank you, brother. I hope. Hope that helps. Let's go to Arkansas. David from Arkansas. By the way, if you. We got lines open. If you've got a Bible question. It's 888-589-8840. But while we're waiting on others, let's go to David in Arkansas. David, go right ahead.
Yes. I was wondering why we say amen as we pray and what does it mean?
Great question. amen. So be it.
So be it.
So be it. And, you don't have to say amen, honestly. It's not a requirement that you say it, but it's kind of like a climax. have you ever had these songs that, the choir will sing and it has it nearly like it stops, but then there is just the pause and then they'll start back up, you know, and, hey, I started clapping for them. I thought I was interrupting their, starting back up. So amen brings it.
So be it. So be it. I agree. You know, when you're praying and you're talking to the Lord, our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. Amen. And David, I'll also say you can say amen not just after a prayer, but preachers will let you say amen anytime during a sermon.
That's right.
The preacher to know that, hey, what you're preaching is truth. Amen. I agree. So be it. it's a wonderful. The thing about amen, Amen is nearly the same in every language.
Hosanna, Hallelujah.
so when we travel different places around the world, those are just a couple of words that everybody knows those words, and those are just neat. Amen.
M. Well, Jon, talking about traveling, went to Africa recently, and when he came back, my son Nathan and I that do exploring missions, we did a interview, with him. And you can go to afr.uh.net and look at the podcast, look at exploring missions and go down there and you'll find out. Jon Bowler. And, it was a great trip. And since then, you've been able to equip some more folks. hey, let's take some mission trips challenging Amen. It's great. Okay, let's go to Wayne in Louisiana. Wayne, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Yes, sir. I had a question. In Acts, chapter nine, where Peter commanded Cornelius to be baptized in the name of the Lord. I didn't know if you could give me your two scriptures that could verify why he would do that.
Okay. Hey, listen, let me just say this about baptizing. there's no formula.
That's right after.
After. It's a, it's an action demonstrating. And I Think there's some demonstration to it, because buried and raised, you know, so there's a demonstration before it even became a demonstration. I think it was a prediction of what, you know, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ would be. There's no magic formula that you say to help them, to make it more.
Yeah.
but you give credit to where credit is due when you're baptizing. I remember having a question like this when I was 22 years old. Believe it or not, I was on the radio back then. We had. I, won't go into details, but I've been doing radio for a while. But we had that question, and I remembered my pastor. He, was pastor there. And I said, listen, I believe in it because I want to give credit and praise the ones. I said, God the Father sent the son. Jesus Christ came and paid the price, and the holy Spirit of God convicted me and now indwells me. I want to praise him. Him as one, but also as the Trinity.
That's right. And baptism is a picture of the gospel. And, whether it's Jesus down and rising again or your old life going under, your new life coming up, so what you say is powerful because a lot of people come and witness a baptism. Family members who may not know the Lord. So there is no m. Magic formula. But if there are things that you can say to explain what's happening. I've seen 15, probably in my life, 15 different preachers do baptism just at different times. And every one of them said something different, but it was all very similar. so there's no magic formula, but it is a wonderful opportunity to share what you're doing and why you're doing it.
I remember baptizing our three sons, Nathan, Matthew, and Micah. And, I said, I baptize you, my son that is now my brother.
Yeah.
Isn't that neat to have a double relationship with your children? Not just in father and child, but brother and sister, brothers in Christ?
I baptized my two sons, and there was a water line on the baptistry. But for some reason, when I baptized my two sons, it was a little bit higher. I don't know if I was adding to the water with tears, but what a joyful moment.
Amen. Hey, Brett, do I understand we got a pray or prayer or. Yeah, one prayer request. And then if you want it, I've got a question as well. Dee is asking for prayers, for her cousin Brandy, who had to have emergency surgery after she, had already had a liver transplant. Ooh, okay. That's Brandy, right? Praying for her. Those of you that are prayer warriors, write Brandy out and, and surgery, after liver transplant. Okay. Father, I pray for Brandy, God, right where she is. And I know, man, the transplant surgery had to be difficult, and hard. But now added to that, I pray for her recovery. But God, I pray the witness of your grace would be evident in her life and a, testimony to others. And I pray for that and for success. In Jesus name name, Amen. Okay, let's go to Jeff in Alabama. Jeff, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Hello, Bird.
I love. I've been listening to your program for years and my question is there's, I can't find it right now, but there's a scripture in the NewSong Testament, where it says as many as were appointed unto salvation, believed.
Yeah.
Do you know that scripture?
Jon's looking it up.
It's in the book of Acts. Give me just a second.
And while he's doing that, as many as appointed were saved. Amen. Let me just make a common question or, common statement. The sovereignty of God. If you don't believe in, believe in that and understanding it, you're limited. And if you don't believe in the choice and the accountability of man, you're living in what the Bible says. We may not can understand it completely how the sovereignty of God and the free will of man works out. But wasn't it Spurgeon said, why should friends argue?
Amen.
And they're friends now. We just. And it increases my faith. If I understood everything about God, he wouldn't be the God of the Bible.
That's right. It's, ah, Acts chapter, Jeff, it's Acts 13:48. Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as has been appointed to eternal life believed. I believe if you look at the entire scripture from Cove to cover, there's going to be a lot of passages that lean heavy on sovereignty of God. and there's going to be a lot of passages lean on human, responsibility. If you read the entire Word and you look at it in the context of the entire word, God is sovereign. He gives man an opportunity, to respond or to reject the gospel.
I really do anything other than that. Dr. Adrian Rogers, and we hadn't quoted him this week. We try to make that. It's hard not to quote him. Right. To hear him, isn't it? Right. But he said, you know, believing that man has nothing to do with it. It's just God. That's fatalism. In other words, I don't stand a chance. I can try to understand. I can try, but, you know, if I'm not elected, the Bible doesn't teach that, you know, but it doesn't teach us. Okay, I can get saved anytime I want to. And, you know, it's. No, you better. Today's the day of salvation. If anyone's listening today and you're not saved, I, I just want to encourage you and challenge you. Trust the Lord right now. Repent, turn from your ways and say, God, I'm a sinner. I'm lost. I know Jesus died on the cross. He was buried and rose again. And, Father, I'm asking him to forgive me and take life into my life. M. He'll do it, won't he, Jon? He'll do it. Well, I think we got at least one more, and it's Sandy in Texas. Sandy, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
Well, thank you so much. my question is two verses back to back that have always confused me when I read them from the very last chapter of the Bible. Revelation 22, verse 14 says, Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are, the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices lying. That is so confusing to me. Where is that? Who are they talking about?
Okay, we know easily. The dogs and the sorcerers, those are the one that's left out. Now, when we say outside, that doesn't mean just right next door. Outside means left out.
Left out. Left out. And that's been a theme. Revelation 21, verse 8 talks about that as well. Left out. They're not in the new heaven and new earth. They're separated with the Lord. Separated from the Lord for all eternity.
And when you see the tree of life and the gates, paradise restored.
That's right.
Jon Milton had an idea, but God's idea is real.
Amen. Praise God.
Thank you, Sandy. Hope that it really does outside. Those that didn't trust the Lord, thank you for being with us.
It's been a joy. Thank you, brother Bert. Thank you for the opportunity.
Hey, if you're in northeast Mississippi and you're, looking for a church here, close to Tupelo Calvary Baptist Church where you can hear Jon preach, great job, brother. Appreciate you so much. Thank you for listening to exploring the word. Alex will be back tomorrow and it will be fire away Friday where we'll take your question questions the whole hour. So tell someone about this program, but more importantly, tell them about Jesus.
The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family Association or American Family Radio.
John and Bert discuss Activate Kids, a new biblical worldview curriculum designed to equip children ages 6–12 with a strong foundation in Scripture and answer common criticisms about the Bible. Afterward, Bert and John dive into Matthew 21, discussing Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, His cleansing of the temple, and His deep care for children and the vulnerable. Finally, the co-hosts answer listener-submitted Bible questions on translations, divine sovereignty versus free will, and the meaning of Scripture in Revelation.
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