Observe The Word: Romans With Michael Brent

In Isaiah 13-20, Isaiah begins a new section addressing God's rule over a universal kingdom. This first cycle of five oracles to the nations shows God to be sovereign over all nations both in his just punishment of self-sufficient pride and in his faithful provision for a believing remnant.

In Isaiah 9:8-12:6, Isaiah proclaims a word to Israel that further develops the four themes in his word to Judah, moment of decision, judgment, remnant and glorious hope. We end with an epilogue of praise in 12:1-6.

In Isaiah 8:9-9:7, Isaiah moves from his prophecy of judgment on Judah to identification of a remnant and a glorious hope.  The great light of glorious hope will arise in Galilee. He will be born a human child whose name is somehow also Mighty God!

In Isaiah 7:1-8:8, we consider a moment of decision set before Ahaz King of Judah and a sign from God that affirms the truthfulness of His words. The sign in this case is a baby born to a virgin.

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah experiences the vision of God that becomes the foundation for his lifelong ministry. His call and mission both follow after that vision.

In Isaiah 5, Isaiah concludes the initial diagnosis and prognosis of Judah raising the question, "What is the right response to a people who have taken for granted and abused the gracious gifts of God?"

In Isaiah 2-4, Isaiah continues his diagnosis of Judah developing the idea of sin and election by moving from ideal Jerusalem to actual Jerusalem to present Jerusalem.

In Isaiah 1:10-31, Isaiah performs the role of a covenant lawsuit prophet as he continues to diagnosis the spiritual condition of Judah from both a religious and social perspective.

In Isaiah 1:2-9, Isaiah diagnoses Judah's spiritual condition. We will take time during this first passage to consider three approaches to observing biblical poetry.

Isaiah 1:1 makes a claim to authorship and historical context for the book of Isaiah. In this episode we argue the validity of that claim as an introduction to the series.

In Acts 28:7-31 Paul arrives in Rome preaching the kingdom of God. We have been told Paul must stand before Caesar and the gospel must reach the remotest parts of the earth. How does the ending of Acts provide resolution to Luke's narrative while leaving these crucial events unresolved?

In Acts 27:1-28:6 God's sovereignty over the events of Paul's life reaches a climax as God leads him into a violent storm and brings him safely through, destined to preach the gospel in Rome.

In Acts 25:1-26:32 Paul stands before King Agrippa. Once again he is made the focus of judgment. But Paul does not offer up his own behavior for evaluation or defense. Paul offers to the gathered dignitaries for their consideration his message to the world, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In Acts 23:12-24:27 Paul's gospel is on trial being judged according to its attitude to law and morality with a contrast between Paul's own behavior and the behavior of his opponents.

In Acts 21:17-23:11 Paul's gospel is on trial being judged according to its respect for conscience in relation to the non-essentials of ritual practice and the essentials of faith in Jesus and the resurrection.

In Acts 20:1-21:16, Luke ends the first movement of Part VI with a three-part defense of Paul's gospel ministry: a miracle of resurrection, a speech to partners in the gospel, and prophecies identifying Paul's coming trials as part of God's sovereign plan.

In Acts 19:21-41, Luke begins Part VI the final major section of the letter in which he provides a defense of the gospel by defending the gospel's messenger Paul. Each of the five movements in this part contains a danger avoided, beginning here with a riot.

In Acts 19:1-20, Luke completes Acts Part V with a focus on how the Kingdom of God, being established in Ephesus, clashed with the spiritual forces of darkness in that city.

In Acts 18:1-28, Luke continues to define and defend the gospel as Paul's preaching encounters Gentile culture with an emphasis in Corinth on the particularly new covenant expression of the local community of God's people.

In Acts 17:1-34, Luke uses the gospel's encounter with Gentile philosophy, politics and religion to highlight the Christian beliefs that God is the one true creator God and Jesus Christ is Lord and judge of all peoples.