Reflexion, A Spiritual Community

Chuck Smith, Jr
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Christian based teaching from Chuck Smith, Jr

  1. MAR 29

    Palm Sunday

    We’re told this large crowd “had come to the feast” I take that to mean they were not locals, but most likely from the Galilee region where they had followed Jesus' ministry - being visitors to Jerusalem, they “camped” on the mountains around the city • and especially the Mount of Olives, ◦ staying in tents, a lean-to, or sleeping under the open sky - a rumor shuttled through the crowd – Jesus was near Jesus spent the previous night in Bethany, • a small village on the backside of the Mt. of Olives ◦ there had already been speculation, whether he’d show up ◦ many people had been looking for him in and around the temple • a murmur of voices floated down the slopes of the Mount of Olives ◦ breathless anticipation hung in the air - someone, not yet clued-in, felt it and asked, “What’s going on?” she was told the rumor, “We think Jesus is here!” “Where?” “We don’t know yet, but he’s close” - then there was some commotion at the crown of the mountain • a man threw his cloak on the worn path, perhaps hoping Jesus would step on it when he arrived • that triggered a wave of people carpeting the road ◦ some throwing down their cloaks or a palm branch ◦ others cut more branches and preparing to wave them like banners

    42 min

  2. MAR 22

    Sean Kappauf, Galations 5

    Passage: Galatians 5 The Big Question: When did faith become more about the lines we draw than the love we live? We all do the internal calculus: • Can I be friends with someone who voted differently? • Can I worship with people who read scripture differently? • Can I belong here with my doubts, questions, and messy parts? • Can I still call myself a Christian if I don’t fit the mold? “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” Galatians 5:1 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.” Galatians 5:6 “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters… through love become enslaved to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14

    48 min

  3. MAR 15

    Spiritual Cardiology 1 Samuel 7:3

    Samuel enters the Scriptures during a chaotic period of history The best way to understand it, is found in a line repeated in Judges “In those days there was no king in Israel” (Jdg. 18:1 and 19:1) - and again at the very end of Judges, with an added explanation “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jdg. 21:25) - I have a friend who wrote a book on the Kingdom of God • and though I enjoyed reading it and trust him as a serious student of the Bible, ◦ I disagree with his take on this verse ◦ he suggests that everyone doing what was right in their own eyes was a good thing Steve Gregg, suggests that “. . . liberty of personal conscience prevailed, rather than dominated by a human (and therefore corrupt) earthly ruler.” • but that this isn’t what that line means is proven elsewhere ◦ in Moses’ instructions to Israel when they would enter the land, he says, “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes . . . .” (Deut. 12:8-9) ◦ really, all you have to do is read the last three chapters of Judges to see the confusion and tragedy that resulted from everyone doing what they considered the right thing

    52 min

  4. MAR 8

    Church - What are we doing here?

    This morning, we’re going to explore a crucial question: What are we doing here, for heaven’s sake? - answers are scattered through the New Testament, • and it's the focus of Paul’s entire first letter to Timothy • he intended to go over this in person ◦ but here he provides only a summary statement Paul explains how we “ought to behave” “Ought” is not one of my favorite words - Christian preachers, youth leaders, and Sunday School teachers have used it to control and manipulate adults and children • so let’s try to get to the heart of Paul’s concern • Francis Schaeffer, wrote an excellent essay entitled, “The Mark of the Christian” ◦ for centuries Christians displayed their faith with different symbols ◦ “uniforms,” cross necklaces, and annoying bumper stickers

    39 min

  5. MAR 1

    Kingdom Meditation

    I’m not convinced we’ve ever truly understood Jesus At least not as deeply or fully as he intended - not “as deeply,” because we tend to stay on the surface • we read the words and verses without penetrating their depth • we grab at interpretations that make immediate sense ◦ and we settle for simplistic "commentary" explanations - I don’t think Jesus taught in riddles – sometimes, perhaps • he did not teach in a secret code that required deciphering • but it's possible that his intent was that the meaning of his message would be revealed to us ◦ and only then will we be able to live it in truth and deed

    47 min

  6. FEB 8

    Conspiracy Fears - Isaiah 8:11

    I’ll finish reading the verse in a moment, but first we will pause here - every morning when I open my Bible, I don’t jump into it • but at the entrance to the Scriptures, I take a moment to slow my breath, and focus my attention ◦ I bring awareness to God’s presence and let myself hear him say, “at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you to speak to you there" (Ex. 29:42) • so before I even begin reading, I’m already listening to God ◦ and there is always something in my reading worth writing ◦ (though not necessarily worth sharing with others) - yesterday morning, when I began, I felt a familiar frustration • my desperate longing is to actually hear God, ◦ for his voice to be so clearly in my brain, there’s no doubt I'm hearing him ◦ anyway, the first words I read yesterday were, “And the LORD spoke to Moses . . . .” • normally, my eyes would have glided over that phrase, ◦ especially because what follows is long and repetitious ◦ anyway, reading the opening line, I may have felt a twinge of jealousy ▫ but then, like from a small inner voice I heard,  “See, I do speak to you. Wasn't this what you were just now thinking? Desiring?”

    49 min

  7. JAN 25

    Hosea 11-12

    Friday morning, near the end of a long walk,I passed by a mother and her toddler son - he was on a small four-wheel bike, perfectly fitted to him • he was poised to move from asphalt to a dirt slope ◦ I said, “Looks like you’re about to go off-roading,” ◦ more for his mom’s sake than his • he looked at me with the most engaging smile ◦ it was the loveliest moment of my morning - I kept walking, but he didn’t take his eyes off of me • he turned his head as I passed, ◦ so I had to walk backwards to hold his gaze ◦ his mom was quiet, but enjoying her son’s response • if cherubs were small, toddler-looking angels, ◦ he could have been a model for the prototype

    1h 3m

  8. JAN 18

    Hosea 9-10

    As we make our way back into Hosea this morning, Let’s remember the passion running through the entire book - it isn’t what we’re likely to feel when reading the bare words • what it sounds like, is the ranting of an enraged deity ◦ but that is not the correct tone of voice • if God were like one of the pagan deities of mid mid-east or Greece, ◦ he wouldn’t bother to rage at his rebellious people, ◦ he would just annihilate them - this prophetic book, in fact, is the message of a wounded lover • a husband who’s been disrespected, betrayed, and discarded ◦ yet for all that, he continues to try to reason with his wife ◦ he is not ready to give up, and he will not let Israel go • so, we are not hearing the voice of anger, but of heartbreak

    54 min
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About

Christian based teaching from Chuck Smith, Jr

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  • Creator
    Chuck Smith, Jr
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    434
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Reflexion, A Spiritual Community
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    Reflexion, A Spiritual Community

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