Truth For Youth And An Introduction To Matthew: Matthew 1:1-17

American Family Radio takes your Bible questions live on American Family Radio

>> Bert Harper: 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.

Alex McFarland: If you look at Bible commentary sometimes

Welcome to Exploring the Word.

>> Alex McFarland: If you look at Bible commentary sometimes regarding the NewSong Testament, they'll talk about the four evangelists. The four evangelists. Now if you see that phrase, they're talking about Matthew, Mark, Luke and Jon. Welcome to Exploring the word. Alex McFarland here along with Bert Harper. And we're going to begin a, look at the Gospel of Matthew, the first book of the NewSong Testament. And Bert, I'm very excited about this. And when they speak of the four evangelists, we.

Alex and Bert welcome Tim Todd to Exploring the Word

Let me name another evangelist. We have an evangelist with us today, longtime friend and colleague Tim Todd of Revival Fires International, but also famously the man behind the Truth for Youth Bible. That we just love to give out. And welcome everybody to Exploring the Word and especially our guest, Tim Todd. It's good to have you with us.

>> Rev Tim Todd: Good to be with you. Alex and Bert, appreciate you having me on the program today.

>> Bert Harper: Well, we're certainly glad. We look forward to this and say this Alex, I know you' most of the time. But there's a little extra excitement here at AFR headquarters when we have Truth for Youth Bible Week. It really is. And we're excited about the evangelism, we're excited about the partnership. But the great thing, Dr. Tim Todd makes his way from Louisiana to northeast Mississippi. And we're always glad to have you brother. And that's glad.

>> Rev Tim Todd: We mean that.

>> Bert Harper: We mean that. There's a little extra excitement around here today and we're. What we do during Truth for Youth Bible Week is Revival Fires International and AFR partner together. How important is partnership real quickly and then we'll get to the spiritual.

>> Rev Tim Todd: It is extremely important. And of course, you know, Jesus had a team, and Jesus, when he came to this earth and lived a perfect life and then died on the old rugged cross and was raised from the dead. He has partners now. He's raised up a massive. And they continue to come in to the kingdom of God and partnership is extremely important. Two are better than one. And with the power of the Holy Spirit, with American, fandom, radio and Revival Fires International, I'm thankful we've been able to give away way more than 1 million Bibles to young people all across America.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Isn't that exciting, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, it really is. It really is. And Brother Tim and everybody listening because we want you to be a part of this. you know, I'm at camp right now and we're in our seventh of eight summer camps and we've been for now several years giving away the Truth for Youth Bible. Now this has the NewSong Testament, God's holy word, the NewSong Testament, but it also has what we call a graphic novel and you might say comic book. And it is, but it is so well done. And I will tell you, and I was in Florida week before last, we gave them away. We've got them here in western North Carolina this week too. The kids, the teenagers, they pick up one of these Truth for Youth Bibles and they can't put it down. And this is a great way for them not only to get the gospel in a way they read and relate to, but they give it to their friends. So, Tim, I just commend you and it is a joy and a privilege to urge people to get on board and give the gospel to America's youth through the Truth for Youth Bibles.

>> Rev Tim Todd: Amen. And you know, it's legal for young people to give Bibles away in school. And the way they interpret the law, Alex and Bert, is they say that as an adult, I can't go on the school campus to give a Bible away, but the young people can. So what we do is we encourage the Christian young people to take the truth for you Bible to school and give it to somebody in their school that doesn't know Jesus. And with over a million Bibles that have gone into the hands of young people, we've had more than 30,000 young people that have given their life to Jesus that we know about. And so there's no telling how many that really represents. But I'm an evangelist at heart. I'm in the five fold office of an evangelist, as I know you are, Alex as well. and this is all about reaching these young people with the gospel of Jesus Christ so that they can give their life to Jesus Christ and serve him.

>> Bert Harper: You know, churches are looking for ways to, I would say, infiltrate their community.

>> Rev Tim Todd: Yes.

>> Bert Harper: Isn't this an excellent way? I mean, young people able to take the word of God, which is quick and powerful than any two edged sword, give it to another student that they know or they think they know, that they need Jesus as Savior and they become an instrument of God and I call it an agent of God. Isn't that, isn't that a great term Agent of God. It is.

>> Rev Tim Todd: It is. And I like to call it legally smuggling Bibles into America's public schools. Yes, and. And not just the public school, Christian school.

>> Bert Harper: They need it as well, don't they?

>> Rev Tim Todd: Yes. And private school. And but if, if the listeners. And of course we still have people in the office right now till about 4:30 that are answering the phone, so they can call if they want to, to get one free Bible per teenager per household. And so if they've got five teenagers, Alex and Bert, they can have five free Bibles, five free Truth to Youth Bibles. And all we ask is that the young person gives that Bible away in their school. And so we're making soul winners out of these young people as well as young people that are getting the Bibles. Many of them are giving their life to Jesus Christ. And the icing on the cake. And this is so important. We are able to get the Word of God into school. And if we want to reach America, we have to reach a generation of young people.

>> Alex McFarland: I got to tell you this. And, last summer in one of our camps, and we've been doing summer camps since 1998 with youth camps, and we give out the Truth for Youth Bible. The there was a young man and he accepted Christ. And we begin to explain what is the Bible. Because a lot of these kids, man, they're not familiar with God's word as maybe we were growing up. But last summer, Tim, a young man came up to me with his Truth for Youth Bible. He was so excited. He said, Mr. McFarland, yesterday I was reading the Bible. We get them in the Gospel of Jon. He said, I read my Bible for 45 minutes. He said, I, read 45 minutes in my life. And that might not sound like much, folks. This is huge to make readers out of young people. And I said, that's amazing. Praise God. 45 minutes in the Word of God.

>> Rev Tim Todd: That's wonderful. Wonderful.

>> Alex McFarland: And the Holy Spirit is doing a work in the lives of young people. One fantastic way to be involved, folks, is to support the Truth for Youth program. And Bert, I know, is it 65,000 Bibles that we're praying for?

>> Bert Harper: Yes, it is. 65,000 this week, all the way, starting today through Friday. And you'll hear it each day on just every program that we produce.

All they have to do is call 800-733-4737

You'll hear this promotion. We're wanting these young people, as you and Tim have said, become evangelists in their own rights, you know, by giving the Word of God to people. And it is powerful. It will not return, void. That 45 minutes that that young person spent, I want to tell you, that's equipping him for not just salvation, but

>> Rev Tim Todd: for life, isn't it? Absolutely. Absolutely.

>> Bert Harper: That's the power of the Word of God, isn't it?

>> Rev Tim Todd: It really is. And you know, Alex, for a young person to spend 45 minutes in the Word of God, it gives you a clear picture. They have a hunger and they thirst to be more like Jesus. And that is the way that they'll mature is getting into the Word of God. Now this, all they have to do to get this free Bible to give away in school is right now, the phone lines are open, ready to be answered. If they call 800-733-4737 again, 800-733-4737 between 8:30am and 4:00pm and so the phone lines are open right now. Bert, the phone lines are open right now. Or they can go to t f y.org that's t f y.o r g and help us get the Word of God into school and into the hands of young people all over the nation.

>> Bert Harper: And if you're a parent and you know your children are there, and you may want this for your child who may be wavering. Yeah, they, they go to church. But you're checking that spirit. There's a little bit of reluctance on their part. And you're wondering, oh, man, if they pull away, what would they get into? The. These graphic novels have a message for them about the danger of proceeding in a. And being tempted to go in that direction.

>> Rev Tim Todd: Absolutely. And so those, like you just said, the graphic novels, they deal with things like, cutting and sexting and bullying and suicide and pornography and abortion and homosexuality. They deal with the truth about sexual purity and sorcery, witchcraft, so many things, evolution, so many things that have crept into the lives of young people. So then on the other hand, you've got this Joshua generation of mighty young men and women of God, like Alex is in a, youth camp right now, pouring into these young people. He's equipping them. He's equipping them to fight the battle on the front line. The Word of God is a weapon. The weapon of the word of God being legally smuggled into America's public schools and making an eternal spiritual impact in the lives of the young people that receive these Bibles. It's a win, win when evangelism outreach for our youth.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen.

How long has it been since we taught through the gospel of Matthew

Now, folks, we're going to start, the Gospel of Matthew and, I'M glad Tim is with us. And I got to read a verse in Matthew 4:19. And, we haven't started. Bert and I were going through our notes. Bert has kept fantastic records. How long has it been since we taught through the gospel of Matthew?

>> Bert Harper: 11 years ago we did it. 11 years, yeah.

>> Alex McFarland: now we've done the whole Bible, but in Matthew 4:19, and this is a good verse to start on. Jesus said to them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. You see, Peter and Andrew and their brothers, they were casting nets. They were fishers of fish. But we're called to be soul winners. Fishers of men. And it's great to catch a fish. You know what it's great is when Jesus captures a soul.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Someone is saved, and by many, many means, one of which is the truth for you Bibles. You know, Jon Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, he said of Christians, he said, we have nothing, nothing to do but the saving of souls.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: And it's time that we see God raise up a generation of fishers of men.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. You know, speaking of Matthew, I just thought of this. He was a tax collector. He may have said to him, after he left the, you know, the booth where he was seated and come in, he said, now I'm going to make you a soul collector.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen.

>> Bert Harper: I'm going to coin that, if that's all right.

>> Rev Tim Todd: That's it.

>> Bert Harper: But that's what we're talking about. Jesus Christ, he wants all men to come unto him. the Holy Spirit of God draws them. And when you get the word of God into a heart that is hungry for God, and we don't ever know who that might be, but someone young person, give this new Testament to that person who is seeking and hungry, hungry for God. Great things happened of the 10.

>> Rev Tim Todd: Oh, yes. And you know, God in all of his power and glory, if he wanted to, he could just automatically from heaven, force, young people to, give Bibles away and make the Bible a textbook in school again and everything else. But instead, here's what God does. He chooses to give us a free will, and he uses his people to accomplish what needs to be done. And so these young people that are Christians, as they have tools in their hands like the Truth for Youth Bible, and they take it to school and make a spiritual impact in the lives of the people they come in contact with, that's God's plan.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

Help surround mothers and babies with compassion, truth and hope today

Hey, our guest is Tim Todd. This is National Truth for Youth Bible Week. Here at AFR all week, you'll hear about it. You'll hear different testimonies from time to time what God has done. And if you want to be a part of that, you can go [email protected] TFY.org or you can call at least by 4 o'. Clock. This number, 800-733-4737. Tim. Thank you, brother.

>> Rev Tim Todd: You're welcome. And thank you, Alex. And thank you, Bert. God bless you and thank you for having me on the program.

>> Bert Harper: Right now, more mothers need that moment of Hope. Just $28 sponsors one ultrasound and $140 helps rescue five babies. Your generous tax deductible gift also helps provide mothers who choose life with love and support and care for up to two years. Please don't wait. Help surround mothers and babies with compassion, truth and hope today. To donate dialogue hashtag 250 and say the keyword baby. That's hashtag 250 baby. Or visit preborn.com Bert Harper that's preborn.com Bert Harper.

>> Alex McFarland: From beginning to the m end all my life is in your hands. This whole world may hold me down but it can never drown you.

>> Bert Harper: amen. I was waiting for that line. Brent sets up good songs and we have to time it just right and we try to do that.

Bert and Alex study the book of Matthew. We're glad you are with us

This is Bert and Alex and this is exploring the word. We're glad you are with us. We're going to study the book of Matthew. So I'm going to read chapter one, verse one and then I got a question for you, Alex. Here's this verse and it's m more powerful than you think. I'll just let you know that the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. this is Matthew setting up the purpose for writing this great book. And we'll get to that, after I ask Alex a question.

Eric Metaxas will speak on revival in America this Saturday, August 8

I know you're involved in the youth camps, but you got something else coming up this weekend, do you not?

>> Alex McFarland: We really do. Thank you for asking, Bert. we've been doing for a number of years, we've been bringing speakers, we call it Conversations that matter. And of course last year, in addition to a number of speakers, Jenna Ellis and others, we had Charlie Kirk. but this year at almost the one year anniversary of our visit from Charlie Kirk, we have truly folks, one of the great speakers in the world. It's Rick Metaxas. This Saturday, August 8th. Now we're in North Myrtle beach, the Greg Rolls Legacy Theater. R O W L E S Greg roles fantastic country singer, devout Christian brother. In fact, Friday morning if you're in the mid Atlantic region, I'll be on the Fox News channel with Greg Rolls. But Saturday, seven o' clock and it's free. Rick Metaxas in person. Doors open at six and if you're just within driving distance, you ought to come really to hear him. Complete information is at my website, which is alexmcfarland.com But Bert, I've just always believed that getting the church equipped and confident and frankly motivated to stand strong and pray for truth. Rick and I are going to be talking about revival in America. There will be open mic Q and a this Saturday, August 8th, North Myrtle Beach. Rick Metaxas in person. Berta. He is a seven times NewSong York Times bestselling author. Isn't that amazing?

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: And so, just at my website alexmcfarland.com it's worth the drive. come out and let's get inspired and equipped to have revival in our time.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. We're praying, we're believing and asking.

Why four gospels? Well, each one of them was written specifically

Well, we're in the book of Matthew and I want to. I did research the introduction and I found this quote and I thought it was powerful, Alex. And it sets up again what I call the purpose. Why four gospels? Well, you have someone, said Jesus was so big it took four that was good. But each one of them was written specifically to demonstrate and show Jesus Christ and maybe something about him to, toward a certain group of people. Now here's the one at Matthew and I read was written by a Jew to Jews about a Jew. Now again, I'm a gentile and I get in on the book of Matthew, but I can say, Jesus is presented as the king of the Jews, each one of them. And in Matthew you'll find this term again and again. the kingdom of heaven appears 32 times. It really does. And, and it's the son of David appears nine times, Alex. And it only appears six other times in the other three gospels. Matthew, when you read it, it'll refer back to the Old Testament. It declares how many times in the Old Testament Over a hundred or at least 130 quotations or allusions to the Old Testament. He was trying and doing his best to show the Jewish community that, that Jesus is truly the anointed one, the Messiah. that's the reason you get into Matthew and you see all the Old Testament and how it comes together. It's a beautiful book, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, it really is. It really is. And I'm glad you brought that out. And you, know it begins very famously with genealogies. And Matthew 1:1 begins the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. And you look at all these names and these words, and it might not look all that gripping or something like that. I'm going to read verse 17 of Matthew 1. And Bert, when I read this, first of all, again, Matthew is showing that Jesus is the promised Messiah. But it says, so all the generations from Abraham to David are 14 generations, and from David until the captivity in Babylon are 14 generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are 14 generations. Do you know what I see, Bert? I see a complete orderly, very orderly unfolding of God's plan. And by the way, the number seven, you see it in Genesis 2. a, completeness, a perfection and two sevens doubled, really. Commentators believe that underscores how perfectly how orderly God oversaw history from the promise of the Savior to the coming of the Savior to really the coming of his kingdom. And we read in the Old Testament books like 1st Chronicles 1:3, How Genealogies Were very important and the recording of the ancestors. and by the way, historians, many a historian has just been amazed at the accuracy and the ordering of the ancient Jewish genealogies. So you've got 14 generations, Abraham to David, 14 from David till the Babylonian.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, Alex, he dropped out a moment. I figure he'll be right back. But he is talking about the 14s that we have here in chapter, 1, verse 17. And isn't it significant? Now listen to this. Matthew, a tax collector. That means he dealt with numbers. The book of Matthew has more numbers in it. So, Alex, Matthew recording the genealogy and them him saying the 14 to the 14 to the 14. that's consistent with Matthew and numbers and how he uses them through his gospel, isn't it?

It is.

>> Alex McFarland: It is, very orderly, very precise. Hey, God is right on schedule always, isn't he?

>> Bert Harper: He really is. Now, again, this book is amazing when you see it, he has another name that he doesn't use it himself, but Mark and Luke do. So, and it's Levi. We don't know a lot of the apostles, Thaddeus, Barnabas, they had two names that was used in Simon and then Peter. Jesus called him Peter. So here.

>> Alex McFarland: But it, it.

>> Bert Harper: Levi was another name for Matthew. He had those names. And we find that again in Mark and in Luke, as he would share that with the people. He's also, as I said, I Talked about the nine times he uses the son of David. And again, that's why it's so important in chapter one, verse one to verse 17 that Alex is referring to. Notice what he does. Jesus Christ and then two of the giants, I would say in the Judah and the, Jewish history. David and Abraham, son of David, son of Abraham. And again, it occurs nine times that he says he was the son of David, bringing about what? His kingdom, Alex. His kingdom was not. This wasn't a earthly kingdom at this time.

But.

>> Bert Harper: But it was a kingdom still, wasn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. Absolutely. And in fact, one of the unique things about Jesus is the teaching of the kingdom of God. You know, Bert, last week I had the privilege of being at the Cove the Billy Graham Conference center with Gary Habermas, you know, one of the world's great NewSong Testament scholars. And he, part of his lecture, he was talking about the uniqueness of Christ's message. There's no other figure like this that for one thing gave his life to pay for the sin debt of the human race. Christ died for our sins, rose from the dead. But Jesus talked about the coming of the kingdom of God. And all kingdoms have a king. It's King Jesus, by the way, doesn't it, bless your heart that in these Genealogies of Matthew 1, you've got David, the king after God's own heart, who's referenced of course in 1st Samuel 16 and Psalm 89. But then you've also got a reference to Solomon, the son of David, verse 7. Solomon, you know, David is king of Israel. Under Solomon, the land was at peace. I mean, you see, and by the way, Solomon built the temple in First Kings 8. you see, little snapshots or like the clues to the big picture sprinkled in throughout the, the histories, the genealogies, the lives of God's leaders. And of course it all summarizes in the, the, the true, the king that would come, King Jesus.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

Matthew starts with genealogy of Jews and ends with call for disciples

Now, when we talk about this, this is the genealogy. This is the beginning, okay? That's in the first chapter of the book of Matthew. Now we're going to get there too later, but it's a good time to refer to it. What comes at the very last of Matthew. We know it as the great commission, the genealogy that he started from Abraham to Jesus Christ. Guess what he's talking about? A, genealogy, a spiritual genealogy that, that continues on after Christ's death, burial and resurrection. And it says this, and I think everybody, most of Christians have heard this this is the last verses in Matthew, the book we're studying. Jesus came, spoke to them, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. So you has that as you go. go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Now, Alex, what you have in the beginning of Matthew is the genealogy of the Jewish history. What a history, great history. We praise God for it. But here in the latter parts, he says, I want you guys, yes, I'm still going to use Israel. I'm still got a apple of my eyes, Jewish people. But listen, I want all nations to know. Isn't that great that Matthew would start with the genealogy of the Jews, but end with a great commission saying, go to all the nations of the earth and make disciples, for Jesus Christ. You see the missional purpose here, Alex? It's bigger than just the Jewish culture. It's bigger than just there in Jerusalem. It is to the worldwide. It is for those that need to know Christ. And who is it? It's all the people of the earth.

>> Alex McFarland: Isn't, really is. And you know, folks, the Bible is God's great big salvation story. As, as I scan over really 16 verses. I mean, there's. There's some very famous and beloved names. And you're going to meet these people in heaven. There's these even some names of some kind of rogues.

>> Bert Harper: But, that's funny, Alex, but it.

>> Alex McFarland: Is it really like Rehoboam? Yeah, I mean, you know, in verse seven, Solomon begat Rehoboam, and Rehoboam really split the kingdom up. But you've got Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, just famous beloved people. amminadab. In verse 5, salmon begot boaz by Rahab. Now here is Rahab the Harlot. And yet redeemed in the family lineage of King Jesus, Boaz begat Obed by Ruth. Obed beget Jesse. Jesse begot David the king. David the king begat Solomon by Hur, who had been the wife of Uriah. Verse 6. That's a reference to Bathsheba, who after a very, ah, sad chapter and frankly, you know, illicit activity on the part of David. And yet Bathsheba winds up in the lineage of Christ and Solomon is born. And then you go on down, even old Rehoboam, you read in 1st Kings 12, he caused a split in the kingdom. And you've got Josiah, very famous, all these names. And you can go back and comment on any of them, but you get down, Eliud begat Eliezer, Eliezer Mathan or Matin Jacob. Jacob Begat Joseph, verse 16. Who is Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary, from whom was born Jesus. Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus, but Joseph was a husband of Mary. Bert, aren't you glad that we serve a God that saves, sanctifies and restores and even broken lives, broken things put in the hands of the Master are restored and redeemed and fixed and even woven into God's great redemptive plan.

>> Bert Harper: What a story it is. It's the story of Jesus Christ who came to save sinners. And we are those sinners that Jesus came to save. One real quick comment about this. You see a lot of familiar names all the way through verse 12. From verse 12 on until you get to, Joseph. These are people that were in captivity. These were the people in the interbiblical period that we don't have a record of. But guess who does have a record? Our great God. That's who he is. Well, we're going to be coming back with your questions and that number. If you would call us. 888-589-8840.

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Your Bible questions are welcome. By the way, the number, folks, is 888-888-589

>> Alex McFarland: To trust in Jesus, Just to take Him m at his word. Just to rest upon his promise. Just to know. Thus saith the Lord.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. I just want to tell you, you can trust him. You can trust the Lord Jesus Christ. If you don't know Him. We're praying you would know him as your Lord and Savior. Not about him, but know him in a personal way. that's one of the goals of exploring the Word. So, we're praying that has happened or will happen in your life. Well, Alex is. I know you did fire away Friday last week with Dylan. Appreciate that so much. Are you ready to go to questions for the starting the week?

>> Alex McFarland: Let's do it. By the way, the number, folks, if you have a question, it's 888-888-589-8840. Your Bible questions are welcome. And Bert, where do we begin?

>> Bert Harper: We go to Texas. And it's Peggy. Peggy, thank you for calling. Exploring the Word. Go right ahead.

Oh, thank you for taking my call. I just so appreciate your doing the Bible studies the way that you do. I just. And I've just started reading Matthew, so this is going to be. Be wonderful. I just picked that book to read, so.

Peggy: What is the difference between kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God

And I have a question to ask, but I wanted to make a comment first. Alex, I heard you on David Wheaton's Worldview Saturday on my radio. I was so impressed with how you so succinctly spoke to what's happening in the United States and calling treason treason and everything that you said. I just. You went up a notch. I tell you, not that you had very far to go, because I like you so much. And as far as my question.

>> Alex McFarland: Thank you.

I just wish he'd given you more time, really. But also, as far as my question, what is the difference between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God?

>> Bert Harper: Okay, good question. Let me state this. I have this in my notes. 32 times in the book of Matthew, you'll find the kingdom of heaven. That's where it's talked about the kingdom of heaven. And even in some of the conversations that are transcribed in the other gospels, sometimes it would be in the same conversation. It was the kingdom of God. Alex, do you want to take a stab? Is there any difference or is it the same? Same place, different name?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, do you know, and this is a fantastic question, and you're right, Matthew. And remember, he was writing to Jews predominantly. Although the Gospels are For everybody, Matthew 32 times uses the term kingdom of heaven. Now, Mark, Luke and Jon generally use the term kingdom of God. And these terms really are synonymous. The only thing is, some commentators think out of respect for Jews, because the pious Jews, they didn't like to say the name of God out loud out of reverence, you know, and even I'll see. I get emails and They'll. They'll go G dash D. They don't even write G O D God. But, Bert, do you think it was maybe out of deference and respect for Jewish readers that, they were just. They. They didn't want to be irreverent and use the word God loosely, and they would say kingdom of Heaven rather than kingdom of God.

>> Bert Harper: I think that is a very strong reality and possibility. And because when you read and use compare, there's no difference in the purpose, the location, the spiritual meaning. So I believe that is. And each one of the gospels has a, let me just say this. A target group. Okay? Now, ultimately, it's for everybody, as you said, Alex, but four gospels, God could have said, oh, I just need one for everybody. But no, he said, let's do this specifically, and let's go after this, group so they can know. So, Peggy, that was a great question, and I, think, that is the correct answer. Appreciate you calling. And we agree with you about Alex as well. He is a fantastic Bible teacher, but he has great, great insight on the culture of today. So thank you, Peggy.

Tucker: First Corinthians says we are to judge those inside the church

Let's go to North Carolina and talk to Shari. Shari, thank you for calling. Go right ahead. Shari, are you there from North Carolina?

Yes.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, go ahead, Shari.

In our church, we've been studying Romans for 19 months. We just finished, and at the end, our pastors were telling us about, like, not having division, getting along with other others. And then I'm reading through the Bible, through the gear, and in that, I was reading in First Corinthians, and it says we are to judge those inside the church. So my question is, like, if we have people who say that they are. Say they're Christians, but they support abortion, they support, strongly, loudly support things like transgender. How do we. How do I deal with that? how do I reconcile that?

>> Bert Harper: Okay, Shari, let me set this up. And I want to go back to David being chosen as king of Israel to. To follow, Saul. King Saul. And when. When Samuel went to Jesse's home, he had his sons come forth. And, he saw how good looking they were, how tall they were, how rugged they were. And surely one of these would be a good king. And Samuel said, do you not have another son? I think Jay said, one of these. Not sufficient. Yeah, I got another one. He's so insignificant right now. He's out keeping the sheep. I'm paraphrasing a little bit. And Samuel said, go get him. I will not sit down till he comes. And when he comes, in it says, God looks on the heart. we can only look at outward. Outward things. And some of those outward things. Alex, we can judge a person's words, a person's actions. We can judge their actions and their words and what they mean. But we cannot look where God only can look, can we?

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. You know, Bert, maybe it was about a year ago, you and I did a message that we both researched where we came up with 13 times, where the Bible tells God's people to judge.

>> Bert Harper: We did. I remember that now.

>> Alex McFarland: It's almost. Listen to this. Thirty years ago, one of my mentors, Josh McDowell, Josh, gave a sermon. he said, you know, Jon 3:16 used to be the most famous verse for God so loved the world, but the day is coming where Matthew 7 will probably be the most used verse in not a good way. But judge not that you be not judged. Now, Luke 17:3 tells the church to rebuke sinners. And Jon 7:24, Jesus says, Do not judge by appearances, but judge with righteous judgment. And First Corinthians, chapter 6:2:3 says that God's people will judge the world. Now, here's the thing. we are absolutely to judge and evaluate, use, discernment, but based on God's Word. And, Bert, I know you would concur. None of us has the authority to say, well, in my opinion, you're in the wrong. no, but by God's revealed word, we absolutely are in a loving, redemptive, but in a decisive way, we're to call out truth and expose error. Listen, there is no circumstance, none whatsoever, never where homosexuality will be right. It's just never. Transgenderism, abortion. And listen, so part of the reason I think that we're in the situation we're in is for us cowering in silence and fear. Oh, they're going to think I'm judgmental. No, we're not. But God's word most certainly is in a position to pass assessment on all of us, myself included, through the power

>> Bert Harper: of the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Yes, there is that judgment. And again, we can't look past what only God can do. But there is those discerning. There's that judgment of. Of what is being said, what is being done, and when it's contrary to God's word, we, speak loudly and clearly. Does it mean a church needs to take action on it? Many times it does. In the Book of Corinthians, First Corinthians is a group of people that were not taking action on Something they said they shouldn't have done, and, they were condemned for it. So, yes, there's a time for churches in an individual local group, but also in a larger denominational group to say, this is where we stand, and we stand on God's word. Shari, we hope that helps. Tucker from Oklahoma. Tucker, thank you for calling. Go right ahead. Yeah, thank you.

Donna has a question about reading other religious books as a Christian

I just had a question about, reading other religious books as a Christian,

whether that's okay or not, I guess, just because, I know it's pertinent

>> Bert Harper: to read the Bible first, to have, you know, strong understanding of that, to stand on it. But is it okay to also read other books like Quran or Book of

Mormon, just to understand what others

>> Bert Harper: believe and be able to speak intelligently to them? Okay, I'll put it this way, Alex. I had to do that in school and seminary. I didn't have to read the whole book. Had to read some text so we could have it as we could see and how wrong it is. So, there is some education in that. But not for devotion, is it?

>> Alex McFarland: Right. Right. you know, I've bought, and read lots and lots of heresy. I mean, if you looked at my bookshelf, of all the kinds of books that Angie and I own, you might be concerned. But, I've read Darwin and I've read all the German liberals and, the foundations of worldviews that really fought against Christianity. But, Bert, I've read all that so that I could know and unpack their false arguments. When Paul was at Mars Hill in Acts chapter 17, clearly he had ample understanding of the secular philosophers and philosophies, didn't he? But, I think about Colossians 2. 8, and there's a warning. And let me just say this. I don't mind a Christian reading anything to learn and to familiarize themselves with what the enemy is thinking. But just be careful. Colossians 2. 8 says, See to it that no one takes you captive through empty, deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual. In other words, the rudimentary spiritual powers of this world rather than Christ. make sure you're a mature believer. God's word is the true revelation. The Koran is not a revelation from God and all those other false religious books. Bert, when I was under the great Norman Geisler and people like Josh McDowell, Gary Habermas, Dr. Harold Wilmington, Elmer Towns, I mean, we studied the Bible in minute detail, and we read the falsehoods too, not to believe it. Of course. But to critique it.

>> Bert Harper: That's right.

>> Alex McFarland: I just say, just remember who the real savior is and remember what.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Thank. Yeah. Thank you, Tucker, for calling, and Alex, thank you for responding. Let's go to Alabama, and it's Donna. Donna, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.

Yes, thank you, Alex and Burke, for taking my call.

>> Bert Harper: You bet. Yes, you're clear. Go right ahead, Donna.

Are Canaanite people still alive today? What about their ancestry

Okay, in my Sunday school class, we've been studying the Old Testament at especially Judges, and one of the questions came up that we didn't really know the answer to was about the Canaanites. Are Canaanite people still alive today? And if not, what about their ancestry?

>> Bert Harper: Okay, Alex, when they went into that land, they, you find the Jebusites, the, you know, all those different groups, you know. But were they all part of Canaan land, which would be Canaanites? Is that a fair statement?

>> Alex McFarland: They really were the tribes or sometimes called the people of the land. their ancestors today would be various Arabic groups. You know, I think about the Bedouins and the Houthis, and the names have largely been forgotten to history, but their descendants would be the Arabic Middle Eastern peoples throughout that region today.

>> Bert Harper: It really is. So, Donna, they are.

Alex: Question comes from Stephen in Tennessee about the Trinity

Well, we're going to go real quickly to another question in Steven in Tennessee. Steven, don't have a lot of time, but go ahead and we'll try to answer. I am, calling today, by the way. Thank you for receiving me. but the reason for my call is because I am, currently engaged in a Bible study with a new believer. And, he's voraciously hungry for the word of God. And unfortunately, this has led him into, trying to consume heresies that seem very close to reality, one of them being that the, Trinity is not a biblical concept. And he has presented me with a, I guess a claim called the Yohanin comma, which, it points out a scripture in the book of Jon and claims that it has been proven as a, as a false addition that has been added to the biblical text. And I was just wondering if you were familiar with the Yohanin Kama. Okay, Steven, thank you. I'm interrupting because I want to give Alex at least a minute to respond. Alex, go right ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, and first of all, let me say this, that, in First Jon 5, 7, there's a verse that has been disputed a little bit. Now, Yohanin is a word that means of the apostle Jon. And let me say this. We're going to pick this up tomorrow. some of the early manuscripts don't have first Jon 5, 7. But that's not the only scripture on which the teaching of the Trinity hangs. In fact, in relation to the Trinity, it's a fairly minor verse. Some manuscripts have this one, some have a different render of it. Let's pick this up tomorrow. But in no way does what's called the Yohanin comma, disputed though it is, that doesn't refute the Trinity. Not at all.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, Steven, be sure and tune in tomorrow, and we'll try to get to that. The first thing in the third section. I've got it written down and we'll review it. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Tell someone about this program, but more importantly, tell them about Jesus.

>> Alex McFarland: The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

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