Reading Matthew to a two-month-old; 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice'
- What does it mean that Jesus said 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice' twice?
A host tells of reading Matthew aloud to his two-month-old daughter and stumbling over a line Jesus repeats verbatim twice: 'I desire compassion, not sacrifice' (Matthew 9:13 and 12:7). They compare translations on-air -- KJV 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice,' NIV 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' NASB 'I desire compassion and not sacrifice,' NLT 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices' -- and discuss the meaning: not checklist religion and temple sacrifices but a merciful heart. The line becomes an on-air refrain, applied to the homeless man: 'don't harass that poor homeless vet. Show compassion.'
More on Mercy
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What is the actual biblical good news?
- What is the actual biblical good news?
- Is the Sermon on the Mount the good news, or is it something else?
A host opens the show with the question of what counts as the good news: conversations where people call things like jelly beans or general niceness the good news prompted him to sort out the biblical definition.
From No. 450 · Good News of Narrow Focus
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Hosts respond: boldness, the Fust household's encouragement struggle, and powers-and-principalities prayer
- What would a week look like if you went all in with bold faith?
The hosts respond to Boova's message, musing on what a week would look like if they went 'all in' with bold faith — the same mundane week, but with the fruit of the Spirit.
From No. 426 · Confidence in the Holy Spirit
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Dear LFTP: the 83-year-old mother and the unpaid family loan
- Should an 83-year-old mother sue her daughter and son-in-law over an unpaid documented family loan, or forgive the debt?
A host reads a Dear LFTP letter from an 83-year-old mother of four: nineteen years ago her husband loaned her daughter and son-in-law a large sum, documented by a lawyer, to buy a…
From No. 400 · Ineffective Conspiracies and Monday Morning Christians
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Should Christians take people in or refer them out?
- When helping people in addiction or crisis, how much should a Christian personally take on versus referring to specialized ministries?
- Should someone build a local directory website of Christian help ministries so people know who to call?
The hosts debate where personal responsibility ends and referral begins when helping people in addiction or crisis: does mercy mean no earthly consequences, or is mercy an investment toward Jesus?
From No. 382 · And Then I Got High