The staff of Mesa Outpost discuss James 1. Brett hosts while Lindsey nerds out about language and history. Andy and Burk share what it means to persevere in suffering.

Features the song Vienna Beat by Blue Dot Sessions, available under CC BY-NC 4.0.

James 2: Brett, Lindsey, Taylor, and Burk discuss why James speaks so strongly against favoritism, particularly in the church.  Andy is gone because he just got married!

Features the song Vienna Beatby Blue Dot Sessions, available under CC BY-NC 4.0.

James 3: Brett, Lindsey, Taylor, Burk, and Andy discuss "taming the tongue" and how the biblical wisdom of peacemaking differs from zealous actions that are driven by selfish ambition.

Features the song Vienna Beat by Blue Dot Sessions, available under CC BY-NC 4.0.

James 4: Brett, Lindsey, Taylor, Burk, and Andy discuss "unanswered" prayer, godly correction, and why our motivations matter.

Features the song Vienna Beat by Blue Dot Sessions, available under CC BY-NC 4.0.

James 5: Brett, Lindsey, Taylor, Burk, and Andy discuss the tension between pursuing wealth and seeking the kingdom of God and what it means for the prayers of a righteous person to be "powerful and effective."

Features the song Vienna Beat by Blue Dot Sessions, available under CC BY-NC 4.0.

We're talking about some of our favorite things in this bonus episode: movies and why we love them.

Brett: V for Vendetta

Burk: The Empire Strikes Back

Lindsey: The Return of the King

Andy: Bladerunner 2049

Features the song Vienna Beat by Blue Dot Sessions, available under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Features the song Vienna Beat by Blue Dot Sessions, available under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Good News, Everyone! (Part 2)

Brett, Lindsey, Burk, Andy, and Taylor discuss what it means to speak with authority and why healing seems to be a fundamental component of Jesus' ministry!

Mark 1:16-20

• If we're going to be completely honest, what are the things that would be most difficult to walk away from if Jesus called us after him?
• How do we prepare ourselves to say yes if and when that happens?

Mark 1:21-28

This notion of authority bookends this passage. Jesus teaches with authority and works miracles with authority. Quite unlike the teachers of the law, who would often hedge with "As Moses said…" or "as Rabbi so-and-so would say…"

Obviously, we believe that as Christians, we have the same Spirit of God that Jesus had, but we often pray with timidity or fear and hedge our words, much like the old teachers of the law.

• What does it mean to speak or pray with authority?
• How do we grow in our ability to act with authority?

Mark 1:29-34

We often think that Jesus came to teach moral philosophy and then die on a cross and rise again, but healing was obviously an important part of his ministry.

• What do these miracles mean for us today?

Mark 1: 40-45

One of several times Jesus says to tell no one. Here, however, we see it at the tail end of a variety of healings, none of which were given a similar injunction.

Sometimes, when we pray for God to do something miraculous, we feel compelled to take big steps of faith in response: eat some of this, quit taking that, no longer follow the doctor’s orders. But here, we see Jesus order the leper to go to the authorities to verify the healing to ensure that he is able to return to society in a proper way.

• Why? What is this all about?

Features the song Vienna Beat by Blue Dot Sessions, available under CC BY-NC 4.0.