Topic > Biblical Studies
Embrace God’s original vision for His sons
How do we shed cultural definitions of masculinity and instead embrace God’s original vision for His sons? Well, today on “Discover the Word,” the group along with author Carolyn Custis James conclude their study called “Malestrom.” It’s a hopeful discussion you won’t want to miss. That’s today on “Discover the Word”!
How did Jesus model true manhood?
When we talk about Jesus, it’s mostly in association with the major events of His life: His birth, death, and resurrection. But what about all those years between His birth and His death? What kind of person was Jesus; how did He live as a man? Today on “Discover the Word,” the group and guest Carolyn Custis James discuss how Jesus often upset preconceived ideas about how a man should act. Discover how Jesus modeled true manhood today on “Discover the Word”!
Cultural expectations of a man
We all have a script we’d like to see work out for our lives. And Joseph of Nazareth likely had one too. But you can be sure his script didn’t include having his teenage fiancée come to him claiming she was pregnant–by God! Today on “Discover the Word,” the group and author Carolyn Custis James continue their study called “Malestrom” by exploring how Joseph battled the Malestrom and his culture’s expectations of what he should do as a man. Join us today on “Discover the Word”!
Being treated like outsiders
Have you ever felt marginalized because of your gender? Well, today on “Discover the Word,” the group continues their series called “Malestrom” by observing that both women and men can be treated like outsiders because of their gender. Today on “Discover the Word,” the group and author Carolyn Custis James discuss how that happens today even in church. Join us today on “Discover the Word”!
Great Sacrifice
W. T. Stead, an innovative English journalist at the turn of the 20th century, was known for writing about controversial social issues. Two of the articles he published addressed the danger of ships operating with an insufficient ratio of lifeboats to passengers. Ironically, Stead was aboard the Titanic when it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912. According to one report, after helping women and children into lifeboats, Stead sacrificed his own life by giving up his life vest and a place in the lifeboats so others could be rescued.
There is something very stirring about self-sacrifice. No…
When power is used to protect
In the story of Ruth, she’s an outsider, a woman, and a non-Jew. In contrast, Boaz was male, Jewish, and a person of power and influence. Today on “Discover the Word,” we, along with our guest Carolyn Custis James, explore this familiar story through the lens of what happens when power is used not to corrupt but to protect the vulnerable. Be part of the conversation today on “Discover the Word”!
The real message behind Deborah and Barak
Many people interpret the story of Deborah, a judge and prophetess of Israel, and Barak, the chief military commander in Israel, to be about gender. One where the male doesn’t “man up” and a woman has to step in. But is this true? Today on “Discover the Word,” the group, along with author Carolyn Custis James, talks about the real message behind Deborah and Barak. Join the discussion today on “Discover the Word”!
The favored son
Most parents try not to play favorites with their children. But that wasn’t true for some famous families in the Bible. Today on “Discover the Word,” we will discuss, along with our guest Carolyn Custis James, how Jacob’s obvious preference for his younger son, Joseph, created a deep father-wound in his son, Judah. It’s an overlooked “side note” in the Bible that’s critical for us to learn from. A revealing conversation today on “Discover the Word”!
How Abraham influences us today
How does the patriarchal world of the Bible impact our modern understanding of what it means to be a man? Today on “Discover the Word,” we continue our study on “Malestrom” with author Carolyn Custis James. And we’ll be going to the story of Abraham to see how one of the patriarchs influences us today. Join us on “Discover the Word”!
The Hollywood Hills Cross
One of the most recognizable images in the US is the “HOLLYWOOD” sign in Southern California. People from all over the globe come to “Tinseltown” to gaze at cement footprints of stars and perhaps catch a glimpse of celebrities who might pass by. It’s hard for these visitors to miss the sign anchored in the foothills nearby.
Less well known in the Hollywood hills is another easily recognized symbol—one with eternal significance. Known as the Hollywood Pilgrimage Memorial Monument, this 32-foot cross looks out over the city. The cross was placed there in memory of Christine Wetherill Stevenson, a wealthy heiress…
Surprised!
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571–1610), an Italian artist, was known for his fiery temperament and unconventional technique. He used ordinary working people as models for his saints and was able to make viewers of his paintings feel they were a part of the scene. The Supper at Emmaus shows an innkeeper standing while Jesus and two of His followers are seated at a table when they recognize Him as the risen Lord (Luke 24:31). One disciple is pushing himself to a standing position while the other’s arms are outstretched and his hands open in astonishment.
Luke, who records these events in his…
The motive behind Jesus laying down his life
Why we do something is as important as how we do something. That’s because motive matters. Today on “Discover the Word,” we talk about Jesus’s motive for laying down His life on the cross. Hebrews 12 tells us that it was “for the joy that was set before Him.” But what was that joy? It’s all wrapped up in the words “It is finished.” Listen to the Good Friday edition of “Discover the Word.”
Three-Word Obituary
Before Stig Kernell died, he told the local funeral home that he didn’t want a traditional obituary. Instead, the Swedish man instructed them to publish only three words noting his passing: “I am dead.” When Mr. Kernell died at age 92, that’s exactly what appeared. The audacity and simplicity of his unusual death notice captured the attention of newspapers around the world. In a strange twist, the international curiosity about the man with the three-word obituary caused more attention to his death than he intended.
When Jesus was crucified, the Lord’s obituary could have read, “He is dead.” But after 3…
The perfect sacrifice completed on the cross
Jesus’s death on the cross appeared to be a failed rescue mission. Yet, His final words, “It is finished,” meant the perfect sacrifice had been completed once and for all. Today on “Discover the Word,” we will explore the ancient Jewish context of sacrifice. It will give you a deeper understanding of Christ’s atonement for your own sins. That’s today on “Discover the Word”!
The Olive Press
If you visit the village of Capernaum beside the Sea of Galilee, you will find an exhibit of ancient olive presses. Formed from basalt rock, the olive press consists of two parts: a base and a grinding wheel. The base is large, round, and has a trough carved out of it. The olives were placed in this trough, and then the wheel, also made from heavy stone, was rolled over the olives to extract the oil.
On the night before His death, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives overlooking the city of Jerusalem. There, in the garden called Gethsemane, He…
