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The Agony and the Freedom - Freedom Current, Episode 12

(Ep 12) Do girls care when boys win at camp games?—Do boys hope they do?—Brock is not on the fence about Portuguese—Jeremiah owns Viking romance novels—The pizza in Mt. Summit is not kitschy—The guys recommend the Jesus stories to Bible newcomers—What “watching” is”—Cup of wrath--Bitterness—Authority figures—The fatherhood of God the Father, the faith of Jesus God the Son—Two kinds of prayer for us to pray ----- Discussion: Brock and Jeremiah read Matthew 26:36-56 where Jesus takes his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane to help him pray before he is crucified for our sins. How do we pray when we recognize that we are facing hardships that God wants us to go through? Jesus shows us! This is a story about agony and prayer and the freedom we have when we submit by faith to God our good and wise Father. If you don't have a Bible to follow along, below is the passage that we are reading: ----- Matthew 26:36–56 (ESV) [36] Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane,
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Depart from me, Lord! - Freedom Current, Episode 11

(Ep 11) The guys start a new year—Brock had a baby—Jeremiah grows as a parent—New pants are discussed—Hot sauce stories are shared—Black holes bend space and time—Simon’s boat sinks but his heart soars—Brock makes a guarantee, and Jeremiah shares a secret, related to the meaning of emptiness—“What would you do if you saw Jesus today?” ----- Discussion: Brock and Jeremiah read Luke 5:1-11, where Peter meets Jesus and is confronted by the awesome glory and amazing grace of God. As the second verse of "Amazing Grace" says, it is grace that teaches us to fear God and then it is grace that then relieves those fears. This is a story about providential emptiness, trusting Jesus, and amazing grace! If you don't have a Bible to follow along, below is the passage that we are reading: ----- Luke 5:1–11 ESV [1] On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, [2] and he saw two boats by the lake, but t
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Withered Hand / Bruised Reed - Freedom Current, Episode 9

(Ep 9) The die is cast differently with far-ranging consequence—Certain music is outside the guys’ budget—Brock knows things, and Jeremiah counts to ten—Bible translations are discussed—Religious neurosis is stressful—What is it like to serve a God whose highest desire is mercy? ----- Discussion: Brock and Jeremiah read about Jesus, his free and liberal mercy with his disciples, and his confrontation with those who disapprove of such mercy. The conflict comes from religious people who claim to have knowledge but cannot really lay claim to a personal relationship with God. If they could, they would have known what Jesus knew: That God desires mercy over sacrifice, grace over performance. Self-righteous is not unique to any one religion or to religion at all. In fact, self-righteousness creates or becomes it's own religion, exalting the self to the level of arbiter, chooser, law-giver, conscience, and god. Jesus is not intimidated by such false gods; it is grace when he confronts
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You Must Be Born Again - Freedom Current, Episode 8

(Ep 8) The guys talk about a conviction they have—Brock steals Jeremiah’s Jeopardy! money—John 3 contains one of the more well-known verses of the Bible, John 3:16, and the guys get excited about it’s context ----- Discussion: Brock and Jeremiah read John 3, where Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, when no one can see. The world around Nic is opposed to Jesus, but Nic is curious. He has an open mind. He wants to hear more. He is not afraid of disagreement or discussion or learning. Jesus encourages him to think more deeply than he is accustomed to thinking and points out that a person cannot change himself, not in the way that will bring him to God. Instead, Jesus notes, a person needs God to change him. Then Jesus talks about how that happens, how you know that happens, and how you can respond to God in faith. This is a story about radical change and the freedom that comes only from God, available to any and all. This is a story about God's love! If you don't have a Bible
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Washing Hands - Freedom Current, Episode 7

(Ep 7) The guys talk about their hobbies outside the box—Brock coins the phrase “GPS for life”—Jeremiah asks, “Why do we want to give directions?”—The guys consider the problems of judgmentalism and the ease of sliding into it—Brock reminds us all, “God’s not mad at you,” if you are in Christ, so fall on the mercy of Christ—They reflect on Jesus’ words about what really defiles us ----- Discussion: Brock and Jeremiah read about washing up from Matthew 15. While some individuals were concerned about ritual hand washing, they never saw that God gave such a ritual as a metaphor, as a way of pointing to regular heart washing, routine conscience examination. Jesus connects the dots for them by noting that hand washing doesn't bring about the spiritual goals they have in mind, closeness with God. Our hearts are far dirtier than our environments, and if we could see with our conscience they way we might see with our eyes, we'd realize that we have some sprucing up to do. The freedom
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From These Stones - Freedom Current, Episode 6

(Ep 6) The guys have been recovering from life, so they have a little catching up to do—Jeremiah does his best comment voice—Brock explains coffee’s goodness, the nature of electrocution, and the reality of the Internet—Jeremiah remembers his grandma—The vicious cycle of guilt and pride is analyzed as counter to the freedom current we have with Jesus ----- Discussion: Brock and Jeremiah read about the sermons of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus from Matthew chapter 3. John offered, commanded, advised repentance, on the authority of God the Holy Spirit, and he said that boasting in ethnicity, lineage, family background or upbringing, etc., is not enough to restore relationship with God. Repentance is actually freely available to any and all. And with repentance comes closeness with God. This is a story about the road to peace with God! If you don't have a Bible to follow along, below is the passage that we are reading: ----- Matthew 3:1-17 (ESV) [1] In those days Jo
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Anxious and Troubled - Freedom Current, Episode 5

(Ep 5) Our coupla guys do not want to disagree with Jesus, so they adapt—How they discuss the topic of task-orientation vs. people-orientation might surprise ----- Discussion: Brock and Jeremiah read two passages from Luke about being anxious. One is a quick episode from Jesus's friendship with sisters Mary and Martha, and the other is an excerpt from some of Jesus's teaching. This is a story about anxiety, but it is also a story about choices. Choose freedom in Christ! If you don't have a Bible to follow along, below is the passage that we are reading: ----- Luke 10:38–42 (ESV) [38] Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. [39] And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. [40] But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” [41]
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