The Shema

Hearing God’s Voice in a Noisy World

By Pastor Vinnie 

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The Tale of Three Problems

Sarah gripped her coffee mug, staring out the kitchen window as the morning light broke through the trees. She felt like she was breaking too. Between juggling her demanding job as an ER nurse and her family’s endless needs, her prayers felt like unanswered emails sent to heaven. Even her closest friends had started to say, “You’re strong, Sarah—you’ll figure it out.” But she didn’t feel strong. She felt stretched thin, with no room for the voice of God to speak peace into her chaos.

Miles was sitting in his room, staring at his bank statement. His dream of becoming a documentary filmmaker had been put on hold—again. He’d spent months hustling freelance gigs, but the money never seemed to be enough to move forward. Worse, he was beginning to question if he even had the talent to succeed. “Why would God give me a dream if He wasn’t going to help me make it happen?” he thought, the bitterness rising.

And then there was Daniel. After his wife’s passing last year, he felt unmoored. The house they had shared for decades was now too quiet, too still. Once a leader in the community, Daniel had withdrawn, avoiding church and old friends. Grief had turned to numbness, and the faith that had sustained him for so long now felt like a distant memory. He wondered if it was possible to hear God’s voice again—or if he had forgotten how to listen.

Three lives. Three different struggles. One timeless answer: the Shema.

The Call of the Shema

The Shema, drawn from Deuteronomy 6:4-9, begins with a simple yet profound invitation: “Hear, O Israel.” But this hearing isn’t passive—it’s active and relational. It’s not just about doing something for God but being present with Him. To shema is to listen deeply, to let God’s voice guide your life, and to love Him with your whole being.

In a world drowning in noise, how do we hear God? How do we make His words more than just commands—how do we let them shape our hearts, draw us closer to Him, and help us live in His love? The Shema offers us a way forward: to listen deeply, to live fully, and to rest in God’s presence.

What Is the Shema?

At its core, the Shema is both a declaration of faith and an invitation to a relationship. It is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and reads:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, NIV)

The Hebrew word Shema (שָׁמַע) carries layers of meaning. It is often translated as “listen” or “hear,” but it encompasses much more than passively perceiving sound. Shema means to listen attentively, to understand deeply, and to respond faithfully. Remarkably, it is also the only word for “obey” in Hebrew. This highlights a profound truth: in the Hebrew worldview, to truly hear God is to obey Him.

For the ancient Israelites, there was no separation between hearing and doing. If you were certain it was God’s voice speaking—if you recognized it as the voice of the Creator—obedience wasn’t just a duty; it was the natural response. Why wouldn’t you trust and obey the One who formed you, the One who knows what is best? To Shema is to recognize God’s authority and to live out His words, not as a burdensome obligation, but as an overflow of relationship and trust.

This prayer, central to Jewish daily life, calls us to center every aspect of our being—heart, soul, and strength—on loving and living for God. It’s not simply about following commands; it’s about being in a relationship where hearing and obeying flow naturally from knowing God’s voice and trusting His love.

Hearing the Shema: A Call Across Time

The Shema is more than a prayer; it is a profound declaration of loyalty and faith that has shaped Jewish life for millennia. Given to the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, the Shema emerged as a rallying cry for devotion in a world of competing allegiances. The words “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” affirmed God’s absolute uniqueness and sovereignty in a polytheistic world, declaring that no other gods could rival the Lord’s authority.

This was not merely a theological statement but also a covenantal commitment. At a time when Israel was surrounded by nations with their own gods, idols, and religious practices, the Shema served as a constant reminder to the Israelites of their distinct identity as God’s chosen people. It was a call to exclusive loyalty, urging them to reject the cultural and religious influences of their neighbors and remain faithful to the covenant God had established with them.

From its inception, the Shema became central to Jewish daily life. It was—and still is—recited twice daily, in the morning (Shacharit) and evening (Ma’ariv), as a core part of Jewish prayer. This rhythm anchored the people of Israel in God’s truth, reinforcing their commitment to Him at the start and end of each day.

The recitation of the Shema was also a family affair. Parents were instructed to teach it to their children, ensuring that each generation would grow up grounded in the faith and values of their ancestors. By binding the words of the Shema to their hands and foreheads and inscribing them on their doorframes and gates, the Israelites surrounded themselves with visible reminders of God’s presence and commandments. The mezuzah, a small case containing the Shema affixed to doorframes in Jewish homes, is still a symbol of this devotion today, serving as a tangible marker of faith and a source of protection.

Throughout history, the Shema has been a source of strength and security for the Jewish people, particularly during times of conflict, persecution, and exile.

Throughout history, the Shema has been a source of strength and security for the Jewish people, particularly during times of conflict, persecution, and exile. When faced with external threats or the pressures of assimilation, the Shema reminded them of who they were and to whom they belonged. In the face of oppression, the Shema became a defiant proclamation of faith in the one true God.

During the Babylonian exile, when the Israelites were removed from their homeland and surrounded by foreign gods, the Shema provided a sense of identity and continuity. It reassured them that, despite their displacement, God was still their Lord, and His covenant with them remained unbroken.

In the Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE), the Shema played a crucial role in uniting Jewish resistance against the Hellenistic ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who sought to impose Greek religion and culture on the Jewish people. The Shema became a battle cry for those fighting to preserve their faith, serving as both a rallying point and a declaration of defiance against idolatry.

Even in the darkest periods of Jewish history, such as the Holocaust, the Shema was often the final prayer on the lips of Jewish martyrs. It served as a profound statement of faith and trust in God, even in the face of unimaginable suffering and death. To recite the Shema in such moments was to reaffirm the unshakable belief that God’s sovereignty and love transcended the circumstances of this world.

A Tool of Resilience

The Shema has been a tool for resilience and loyalty across generations because it ties identity to action. By commanding the Israelites to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength, the Shema called for a love that is total and all-encompassing. It required the people to align their inner lives (heart), their spiritual devotion (soul), and their outward actions (strength) with God’s will.

The Hebrew word Shema (שָׁמַע) means more than just “listen”—it implies a deep, active engagement. It encompasses hearing, understanding, and responding. In Hebrew, there is no separate word for “obey”; to hear God is inherently to obey Him. This reflects the relational nature of the Shema: it is not simply about following rules but about cultivating a trust so profound that obedience flows naturally. In the Hebrew worldview, to hear is to act because the voice of God is authoritative and trustworthy.

This understanding of shema has profound theological implications. Early Church Fathers like Origen saw the Shema as a reflection of God’s unity and an invitation to understand His oneness—a foundational truth that shapes Christian theology. Augustine extended this idea, emphasizing that loving God with all one’s heart, soul, and strength is a transformative act, reshaping our being in response to God’s love.

Jewish thinkers like Maimonides underscored the Shema’s call for exclusive loyalty. In a time of scattered allegiances and external pressures, the Shema affirmed that the Lord alone is God and worthy of absolute devotion. Its recitation was a declaration of faith and a personal commitment to live in harmony with God’s will. R.W.L. Moberly highlights how the Shema serves as both an ethical and theological cornerstone, calling believers to align their everyday lives with the divine reality.

Tim Mackie of The Bible Project notes how the Shema bridges the gap between listening and trusting. To pray the Shema is to integrate faith into every aspect of life. It is a reminder that God’s words are not just commands but invitations into relationship. This is why the Shema commands the Israelites to teach it to their children, to bind it on their foreheads and hands, and to write it on the doorframes of their homes—it is a call to embed God’s presence into the rhythms of daily life.

If you hear God and are certain it is His voice, because you have come to know it, why would you not obey? God only wants what is best for His people.

Jesus and the Shema

When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He quoted the Shema: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:29-30). But many Christians today miss the significance of what Jesus was saying. He wasn’t introducing a new idea—He was pointing back to this ancient and powerful prayer, a way of life central to Jewish faith and practice.

For Jesus, the Shema wasn’t just a theological statement; it was deeply personal. As a faithful Jew, Jesus prayed the Shema every day—morning and evening—as part of the rhythm of Jewish life. When He declared it the most important commandment, He was reminding His followers that everything flows from loving God with all that we are. It’s not just about religious rituals or moral obligations; it’s about a wholehearted devotion that shapes how we think, live, and love.

But Jesus didn’t stop there. He expanded the Shema, adding, “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:31). In doing so, Jesus showed that loving God cannot be separated from loving others. The Shema is not only a call to relationship with God but also a call to reflect His love in our relationships with the people around us.

This connection is profound. The Shema invites us to hear God’s voice, and Jesus, the Good Shepherd, echoes this in John 10: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Just as the Shema calls us to hear and respond, Jesus reminds us that His followers will recognize His voice and respond with trust and obedience.

To pray the Shema is to align our hearts with the God who speaks and calls us by name. To follow Jesus is to live out this truth, hearing His voice and responding with love for God and others. It’s an invitation not just to obedience but to intimacy, to trust that His voice will guide us as we learn to walk in His ways.

How can we, as Christians, forget the one thing Jesus said is most important in all the law? Shema! Hear His voice. [Listen to Vinnie’s Podcast Episode on Shema and Jesus]

Practical Applications of the Shema

For us today, the Shema is still a powerful reminder that God calls us to hear His voice amidst the noise. It invites us to not only listen but to trust and obey, allowing God’s love to shape every part of our being. It is both a theological manifesto and a practical guide for living a life wholly devoted to God. The Shema calls us to take what we hear from God and integrate it into every part of our lives.

For Sarah, it started with her heart. One evening, as her children finally slept, she found a moment of quiet. She opened her Bible to Deuteronomy 6, and the words felt like they were speaking directly to her: “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road.” She realized that God wasn’t asking her to carry the weight of everything alone but to trust Him. That trust allowed her to see the sacred in the ordinary—bedtime stories with her kids, comforting patients at work, and even moments of stillness in her day. Slowly, Sarah found that by inviting God into her everyday chaos, she could feel His love shaping her heart, calming her fears, and giving her strength.

For Miles, loving God with all his soul meant facing the frustration and bitterness he had been holding onto. He’d spent so much time asking God for success that he hadn’t stopped to listen for God’s voice. One evening, he started journaling his doubts and turned to the Psalms, where he read how David poured out his own frustrations to God. The Shema’s call to love God with all his soul became a call to stop striving and rest in God’s presence. As he let go of his expectations and began to trust in God’s timing, Miles started to see his dreams as gifts to be stewarded, not just achievements to chase. His heart began to align with God’s purposes, and in surrendering his plans, he found deeper peace.

For Daniel, the Shema’s invitation to love God with all his strength came as a quiet whisper in his grief. One afternoon, he wandered into the empty sanctuary of his old church, uncertain why he was there. Sitting in the silence, the words of the Shema returned to him: “Love the Lord your God with all your strength.” At first, the idea of loving God with strength seemed impossible—what strength did he have left? But as he prayed, Daniel began to understand that his strength wasn’t measured by his accomplishments but by his willingness to trust God with his brokenness. He reached out to an old friend, joined a grief support group, and slowly began to find healing.

Through these small steps, Daniel discovered that loving God with his strength wasn’t about being invincible but about being vulnerable enough to let God work through him.

Conclusion

The Shema isn’t just an ancient prayer; it’s a call to live in relationship with God, to hear His voice, and to respond with love.

For Sarah, it meant rediscovering the peace of knowing God was with her, even in the chaos. She began to see the small, ordinary moments—like reading bedtime stories to her kids or comforting a patient—as sacred acts of love born from God’s presence in her life.

For Miles, it meant surrendering his expectations and finding joy in simply being with God. By aligning his dreams with God’s purposes, he found that hearing God wasn’t about having all the answers—it was about trusting that God’s voice would lead him, one step at a time.

For Daniel, it meant opening his heart to healing and learning to listen again. He found that loving God with all his strength wasn’t about being invincible—it was about being vulnerable enough to let God’s love work through him, even in his grief.

The Shema reminds us that God is always speaking. The question is: are we listening?

As you reflect on the words, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one,” consider where God is inviting you to love Him with your whole heart, soul, and strength. Maybe it’s in the quiet moments of surrender, the daily acts of trust, or the brave steps of faith to simply rest in His presence.

Will you listen? Will you respond?

Bibliography (Chicago Style)

1. The Bible (New International Version)
   The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011.
2. Mackie, Tim.
   Mackie, Tim. The Bible Project. Accessed at com.
3. Origen. On First Principles. Translated by G.W. Butterworth. New York: Harper & Row, 1966.
4. Augustine. Confessions. Translated by Henry Chadwick. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.
5. Maimonides, Moses. The Guide for the Perplexed. Translated by M. Friedländer. New York: Dover Publications, 2000.
6. Moberly, R.W.L.
   Moberly, R.W.L. Old Testament Theology: Reading the Hebrew Bible as Christian Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013.
7. The Shema and Jewish Tradition.
   Hertz, J.H. The Pentateuch and Haftorahs: Hebrew Text, English Translation and Commentary. London: Soncino Press, 1960.
8. Holocaust Testimonies.
   “Jewish Faith and the Holocaust: The Role of the Shema.” Yad Vashem, accessed online.
9. Historical Context of the Shema.
   Rendsburg, Gary A. Israelite Religion and Biblical Theology: Collected Essays. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2011.
10. The Bible Project: Tim Mackie’s Insights on the Shema.
    Bible Project. Shema: Listen. Accessed at bibleproject.com.

In-Text Citations

• For references to Tim Mackie:
  “Tim Mackie of The Bible Project emphasizes that shema implies a holistic approach to listening…” (Bible Project, 2021).
• For historical context:
  “The Shema was given to the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land…” (Rendsburg, 2011).
• For theological insights from Church Fathers:
  “Early Church Fathers like Origen saw the Shema as a reflection of God’s unity…” (On First Principles, Origen).
• For Jewish tradition:
  “The mezuzah, a small case containing the Shema affixed to doorframes in Jewish homes…” (Hertz, 1960).
• For Holocaust usage:
  “Even in the darkest periods of Jewish history, such as the Holocaust, the Shema was often the final prayer on the lips of Jewish martyrs…” (Yad Vashem).

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Cross Perspectives

The Cross through the Perspective of Pilate, Simon of Cyrene, and The Father

By Pastor Vinnie 

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Pilate’s Perspective

I’d seen many men brought before me—rebels, insurrectionists, thieves—but this one was different. They called Him Jesus of Nazareth. Accused of being a king, a threat to Rome, but as He stood before me, I saw no threat in Him. There was something unsettling about His calm, something disconcerting about His silence.

“Are you the king of the Jews?” I asked, hoping He would deny it, make this easier for both of us (Luke 23:3). He looked at me—not with fear, but with a quiet dignity. “You have said so,” He replied, as if that settled it. I felt an unexpected flicker of respect for Him, but I pushed it aside. I had a job to do.

The priests and leaders outside were relentless, shouting accusations, demanding His death. I sent Him to Herod, hoping to avoid condemning an innocent man. But Herod sent Him back, and soon the crowd was pressing in on me, more furious than before. “I find no basis for a charge against this man,” I announced to them, but my words only seemed to enrage them (Luke 23:14).

I offered a compromise: I would punish Him and release Him. But the mob wanted more than punishment—they wanted blood. “Crucify Him!” they cried, again and again. I offered them Barabbas, a known rebel, thinking they would choose to spare Jesus. They didn’t. The fury in their eyes was unlike anything I’d seen before. How could this man, who seemed so peaceful, be hated so much?

I appealed to them once more, almost pleading. “Why? What crime has this man committed?” But they only shouted louder. In that moment, I realized I had no real choice. I was the governor, but I was powerless against the tide of their hatred. If I released Him, there would be a riot, and that would be on my hands.

Finally, I gave the order. I released Barabbas and sentenced Jesus to crucifixion, hoping that washing my hands would somehow absolve me of this decision. But as I watched Him being led away, a heavy feeling settled in my chest. What if I just condemned an innocent man? Or worse—what if He really was who they said He was? I didn’t know. And that question would haunt me long after that day.

Simon of Cyrene’s Perspective

I had only come to Jerusalem for the Passover. I didn’t know much about what was happening in the city that morning, but I quickly realized something big was taking place. A crowd had gathered along the streets, and in the center of it all, I saw a man carrying a cross. He looked beaten, exhausted, barely able to stand. Blood trickled down His face from a crown of thorns pressed onto His head.

Before I could think, a Roman soldier grabbed me, forcing me forward. “You! Carry His cross!” he barked. I wanted to protest, to tell him this wasn’t my business, but the soldier’s grip was firm. There was no escape. I stepped forward, feeling the rough weight of the wood pressing down on my shoulders.

I turned to look at the man beside me, the one they called Jesus. His face was bruised, swollen, but His eyes—they were steady, almost calm. He looked at me, and in that glance, I felt something shift inside me. He didn’t say anything, but somehow, it was as if He was thanking me, as if He understood my reluctance and my fear.

As we walked, I could hear the crowd mocking Him, calling Him names. “If you’re the Son of God, save yourself!” they sneered. But He said nothing in return, just kept moving forward, step by agonizing step. I felt anger rising in me—anger at the cruelty of it all, anger that they could treat a man like this. Who was He to them? What had He done to deserve this?

When we reached the hill, I laid down the cross, exhausted but strangely connected to this man. I’d come to Jerusalem a stranger, but in those brief moments, I felt like I’d shared in His burden. And then, as they nailed Him to the cross, He looked up toward heaven and spoke words I’ll never forget: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).

Forgive them? Forgive these people who mocked Him, who tortured Him, who were now nailing Him to a cross? My mind reeled. Who had that kind of love, that kind of mercy? I couldn’t comprehend it. Here was a man who had every right to curse those who wronged Him, yet He was asking for their forgiveness.

The Father’s Perspective

From the beginning of creation, I knew this day would come. I saw humanity turn away, again and again, choosing darkness over light, choosing themselves over Me. I knew there was no other way to heal this brokenness, no way to bring my children home unless there was a sacrifice.

Watching my Son carry that cross was a grief deeper than the depths of the earth. He was innocent, yet He bore the sins of everyone—the betrayer and the betrayed, the denier and the devoted, the mocker and the meek. I heard every insult, felt every lash, and saw every wound, but my Son bore them willingly. Love compelled Him, and love compelled Me.

As He hung on the cross, barely clinging to life, He looked up and whispered, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). And with those words, He sealed the promise. He carried their shame, their guilt, their blindness. Even as they rejected Him, He loved them with an everlasting love.

This moment was why He had come—to forgive, to restore, to bring hope even to those who could not see. And I accepted His plea. I forgave them, and through Him, I forgave everyone who would ever turn back to Me.

Epilogue:

For Pilate, those words would echo long after that day. He had condemned an innocent man, yet that man’s final plea was forgiveness. Could it extend even to him? Could forgiveness reach the hands that had signed His death sentence?

For Simon, Jesus’ words became a turning point. He had come to Jerusalem as a stranger, yet he left with a purpose he could not ignore. The man he had helped carry was no ordinary man. Could anyone love so deeply, forgive so freely?

And for the Father, these words marked the fulfillment of His greatest promise. The moment that forgiveness entered the world as a gift, not earned, but given. Through the cross, the world was offered a new beginning—a chance to be known, loved, and redeemed.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” These words reach beyond Golgotha, speaking into every heart, offering a forgiveness that we cannot fully understand but are invited to receive. Can we accept it? And, in turn, can we learn to forgive as He forgave?

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The Surety Of The Eschaton

By Pastor Vinnie

It’s been a dark run. The night has been long, and the promised dawn delayed. Living in the shadow of uncertainty while forced to exist with depleting reserves of stamina is not sustainable no matter how many mornings you get up and tell yourself that you have to do it anyway. You promise yourself that the struggle will soon be over, but that doesn’t make today any more tolerable—nor does it ensure an optimistic forecast for tomorrow.

This is how I felt often during the pandemic. Maybe you did too. Maybe you still do. Maybe you always have, and for you it has nothing to do with the pandemic. Maybe even bringing up the pandemic has soured some of you, because it has reminded you that we are tired of feeling tired, tired of feeling hopeless.

Some days during the pandemic it felt like everyone was divided. Some days we had the misery of the pandemic compounded by community afflictions, like the murder of George Floyd, the anti-vaxxing, insurrection, and nations literally teetering on the edge of World War III.

And those are just a mere few of the shared stressors, without even getting into the individual traumas you may have endured in the last few years.

Yes, I know, you are waiting for me to say, “But it is getting better.” “It’s almost over.” “It won’t be long now.” But that kind of sounds like some sermons I have heard, sermons with vague promises of a better future that are delivered to rally the troops. I am an Adventist pastor, and I understand the power of a well-thought-out “Blessed Hope” or “Signs of the Times” sermon. Preaching about the Eschaton is our a staple in my church. Yet the truth is that Covid-19, like all of our shared stressors—like sin itself—will likely be with us in some form or another until the end.

That doesn’t mean it has to rule over us, but it does mean the effects are going to be with us much longer than any of us dreamed. The long term mental and emotional health damage alone should be one of our biggest concerns. And that’s not even to mention the sociological impact—changes that could represent the biggest cultural shift since the printing press. Our world will never be the same again.

My point is that pain is lasting, not fleeting. Real pain needs more than pie-in-the-sky vague promises to get you up in the morning. Real pain, if it is to be lived through, broken out of, and endured, requires the kind of down payment on hope that will take more than a good sermon series from your pastor (no matter how good he or she is in the pulpit). It takes proof, not just promise.

When I talk about pain, I only bring up the pandemic, because it is the one shared pain point that literally every person on the globe can relate to. But that doesn’t negate all the other pain in the world! Some live in chronic abuse, or struggle with chronic addiction, or trauma, or self-esteem issues. Some strive against their very flesh and nature, while others are the victims of those who are self-centered and don’t care what happens to them. Poverty, oppression, racism, and all forms of injustice thrive on our globe.

The Surety Of The Eschaton…

It’s been a dark run. The night has been long, and the promised dawn delayed.

Living in the shadow of uncertainty while forced to exist with depleting reserves of stamina is not sustainable. That is why the tomb is empty. That’s not a vague promise of a deferred future by a preacher trying to rally the troops. It’s done. It’s happened. It’s paid in full. It’s finished

The tomb is empty, that you may be full. It’s not a promise that it will be empty. The historical Jesus being crucified under Pontius Pilate is as close to a historical fact as history can produce.^[1] We believers take the resurrection on faith—and why shouldn’t we? Because we know He was crucified. The missing bodyHis followers’ consistent testimony, and even His greatest enemies’ claims (even Saul, a blood-hungry persecutor of the church turned believer and witness of the resurrected Jesus) all say He overcame the grave!

The trick to overcoming the ominously gloomy glow of this fallen world and its real lasting pain is not in looking towards what is yet to be completed, but what has already been completed!

Prophecy gives some beautiful promises. Needed promises. Prophecy’s promises are, I believe, true promises. But the promise of the empty tomb is not something we await in the future, or even in the present. It happened in the past, it is present with us now, and it will bring us to the future. That Jesus’ tomb is empty says that Jesus has already overcome the grave.

And that He has overcome the grave is also certainty of the eschaton to come.

It’s been a dark run. The night has been long, and the promised dawn delayed. Living in the shadow of uncertainty while forced to exist with depleting reserves of stamina is not sustainable.

That is why we remember that the tomb is empty.

1. “One of the most certain facts of history is that Jesus was crucified on orders of the Roman prefect of Judea, Pontius Pilate.” — Bart Ehrman, agnostic UNC New Testament scholar ↑

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SIMPLY DEVOTION PODCAST ON DEMAND 

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PODCAST| Convictions From The Mount

[Podcast]

By Pastor Vinnie & Jonathan Martin

Pastor Vinnie and Jon continue the second part in their three-part series on the Sermon On The Mount. The Sermon On The Mount is not only the most popular sermon Jesus preached it is also one of the most hard-hitting. In this episode, we get deep into come of the convictions Jesus is looking to provoke in this sermon.
Jesus is not pulling any punches in this sermon. He wants us to see that high calling He alone can raise us up to embrace. When we grasp what Jesus is saying in this part of the sermon we are forever changed! This is the core message of Jesus from the mount. It’s about conviction, acceptance, and reframing everything you thought you knew about God and the way the world works.

In his famous book on the Sermon on the Mount Dallas Willard explained interacting with the discord of Jesus from the mount like this;

“Recently a pilot was practicing high-speed maneuvers in a jet fighter. She turned the controls for what she thought was a steep ascent—and flew straight into the ground. She was unaware that she had been flying upside down. This is a parable of human existence in our times—not exactly that everyone is crashing, though there is enough of that—but most of us as individuals, and world society as a whole, live at high-speed, and often with no clue to whether we are flying upside down or right-side up. Indeed, we are haunted by a strong suspicion that there may be no difference—or at least that it is unknown or irrelevant.”  ― Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God

As you listen to this episode of the podcast you certainly will be challenged on everything you thought you knew about God and the way he means religion and the world to work. Convictions From The Mount will become more than a title, it will be your experience with Jesus.

Listen on your favorite platforms:

About Vinnie & Jon:

Pastor Vinnie

Vinnie is a full-time Ordained Pastor at Solid Rock Church in Arlington. He is happily married to TinaLynn with an eight-year-old son, Jose. In addition to family life, pastoring, and working on a doctorate at Fuller Seminary, Vinnie shares the Gospel, and his passion to equip others with the power of Jesus in numerous interactive ways through www.SimplyVinnie.com 

Jonathan Martin: Season 2 Co-host

Jonathan graciously agreed to join Vinnie as of Season 2 of Simply Devotion. Jonathan is a full-time follower of Jesus, committed to helping people discover a deep, passionate, and spirited relationship with the Savior. He is currently a Bible teacher at a private school in the Orlando area but has also served as an ordained minister for almost a decade in local churches. Jonathan completed his undergraduate degree at Southern Adventist University and holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary on the campus of Andrews University. He is currently completing a Doctor of Ministry degree with an emphasis in Ministry to Emerging Generations from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Jonathan is married to the love of his life, Raisel Martin, and has two elementary-aged children, Railyn and Josiah. In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys reading, writing, painting, globetrotting, and instigating arguments on social media.
Twitter: pastor_jmartin
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It is all about seeking Jesus on deeper theological levels. 

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The Shocking News At The Final Throne | PODCAST

By Pastor Vinnie

Jesus predicted only two types of people before His throne at that end of the world, however, incredibly unexpected to both groups, is the utterly shocking news neither group ever expected to hear Jesus say to them!

Join us as we bring season one of Simply Devotion to a close with the final parable of Jesus about the end of the world in Matthew 25. Are you ready for the shocking news Jesus gives the those he separates at the end of the world?

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It is all about seeking Jesus on deeper theological levels. 

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Check out my blogs, articles, and spiritual growth material @ www.SimplyVinnie.com 

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Despair Finds Hope – Job & Jesus [Podcast]

With Pastor Vinnie 

The is part one of two in a deep study of Jesus, Job, and suffering! What do you do when your suffering brings you to the point of breaking? This week we explore what Job hoped for! 

It is all about seeking Jesus on deeper theological levels.

Social Media Connections: Find us @ –

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Blogs 

Check out my blogs, articles, and spiritual growth material @ www.SimplyVinnie.com 

All background music is used with permission of www.purple-planet.com 

Occasional background music used by permission of Solidrocksda.com and Pastor Vinnie. 

(c) 2020 – 2025

The post Despair Finds Hope – Job & Jesus [Podcast] appeared first on Simply Vinnie - Unpacking The Complicated.

Wasn’t That A Party? [Podcast]

With Pastor Vinnie 

Nobody loved a party more than Jesus! Join us as we explore the social life of Jesus and why it was such a polarizing factor in his Ministry!

It is all about seeking Jesus on deeper theological levels.

Social Media Connections: Find us @ –

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Blogs 

Check out my blogs, articles, and spiritual growth material @ www.SimplyVinnie.com 

All background music is used with permission of www.purple-planet.com 

Occasional background music used by permission of Solidrocksda.com and Pastor Vinnie. 

(c) 2020 – 2025

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What’s Your Reputation? [Podcast]

With Pastor Vinnie 

What is your reputation like? Do people respect you? Jesus had an interesting way about him that got him noticed. Listen to this episode to find out how to build a reputation the Jesus way!

It is all about seeking Jesus on deeper theological levels.

Check out my blogs, articles, and spiritual growth material @ www.SimplyVinnie.com All background music is used with permission of www.purple-planet.com Occasional background music used by permission of Solidrocksda.com and Pastor Vinnie. (c) 2020 – 2025

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Broken People of Royalty

[Podcast] [Pastor Vinnie]

In this episode, I go deep into the back story of one of the greatest stories in the Bible and find shocking overlooked findings that will leave you on the edge of your seat!

It is all about seeking Jesus on deeper theological levels.

Social Media Connections:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Blogs 

Check out my blogs, articles, and spiritual growth material @ www.SimplyVinnie.com 

All background music is used with permission of www.purple-planet.com 

Occasional background music used by permission of Solidrocksda.com and Pastor Vinnie. 

(c) 2020 – 2025

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Three Thousand Reasons To Live

By Pastor Vinnie MacIsaac

There are three thousand reasons you should live and only one reason to die.

Tony Stark, is also known as Ironman in the Marvel movies, based on the Marvel Comics Avengers franchise. As a fan of the both the movies and the comics, I know well that Tony Stark has always been a man haunted by his own inner demons and flaws. Pride, alcoholism, and attempting to walk in his father’s footsteps have always been chief obstacles for Tony to overcome. But make no mistake, our Tony Stark is a hero and he has repeatedly overcome such existential struggles, to rush in and save us all.

However, in the 2019, Endgame, which followed up the epic fan favorite Infinity Wars, there was, to use a pun, a “Stark” change in Tony. Ever needing to prove himself, Tony has always been willing to sacrifice himself for his team, city, or world, from the very start of it all. Sure he played at being a snarky, boastful, self-absorbed billionaire but we all knew, since the first Avengers movie Tony was willing to give it all up to stop Loki’s celestial onslaught of Aliens from invading New York City and taking over the whole world. If it included stopping the Mandarin, Fin Fan Foom, Whiplash, Crimson Dynamo, MODOK, Justin Hammer or the Bottle itself, fans of the comics and movies could always count on Tony to be up to finding the hidden strength to eventually self-sacrifice for the greater good of all; or at least he was until Endgame.

Suddenly, in Endgame, our hero did not want to die anymore. Whoever heard of a self-sacrificing Super Hero who wanted to stay home rather than die saving the world? All the other heroes were a go! The Hulk, Antman, Captain America, Black Widow, even a grossly out of shape Thor were ready to rumble with time and set the world right again. Tony, however, refused to play. What had changed? Tony has a child. And he loves his child too much to risk erasing her from history, by changing time.

Reading her a bedtime story, he kisses her on the forehead and says, “I love you tons”

But she replies, “I love you 3000.” Tony smiles, but in the smile, you see his pain. You see he knows that one of the two of them is going to have to be sacrificed if the world is going to be made right again. The cost of the “fixing the world” is the separation of child and father. In my mind, I can see that scene in the movie and as a father, it hurts to even think of the pain of not being with your child in all the important parts of life. He does not want it. He does not want to save the world at that moment if this is the cost. He wants to love his daughter back 3000; I can’t blame him. Shutting off the lamp, he looks back at her and says, “3000, that is crazy.” Still, he knows, love like hers deserves to exist in a “fixed” world.

The Garden of Gethsemane is still present on the Mount of Olives. Locals claim that these very trees are from the same roots of the trees from the time of Jesus.

One night, in the Garden of Gethsemane a son had to decide to be “Stark”, and to face what had to be done even though he had 3000 reasons not to do it. He did not want to be separated from his Father. He did not want to lose his connection with God. He did not want to make the sacrifice that would fix the world if it was to cost the breaking up of his family.

“They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” But the disciples could not stay awake; even after being repeatedly awakened. You see, the truth about being a real hero is that sometimes your teammates let you down. Sometimes your teammates can’t cut the sacrifice. Sometimes it has to be you, and you alone, that has to fix the world.

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he cried out, and returning back to prayer he pleaded with his father, “Abba, (that is to say, Daddy) Father,” he said, “Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me.”

But Jesus knew the truth even as he spoke those words. He knew the truth, just like Tony Stark knew the truth as he said, “3000, that is crazy.” You see, crazy or not, there will always be 3000 thousand reasons to live and love. I mean it makes sense. It is not just about survival it is about love, —  love that passes all comprehension. When I think of my child, my son, what would I sacrifice to not have to leave him alone in this world?

I get why Tony Stark can’t let go of his daughter, Morgan, to save the world. Not only do I get it, I don’t blame him. Love is a more powerful motivation to live than simple survival. The Apostle Paul said, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.” It is not easy to give up life, let alone to give up life with real love.

Tony Stark, had 3000 reasons, in his daughter Morgan, to want to go on living. But he only had one reason to die. No one else could pull off time travel, try as they might. And, in the end, no one else could pull off the “snap” that would fix the world. Tony knew, even his love for Morgan was not enough for her, if she had to grow up in a forever- broken world. If he was really going to be her hero, he had to do the right thing. The problem is that in a broken world the right thing always comes at a real cost with lasting hurt.

If the love of a five-year-old daughter for her father is quotative by the number 3000 how much would be the love of God between Him and His only begotten Son?

Jesus, had many more than 3000 reasons to live; but he had only one good reason to die. You.

You won. You mattered. At the end of the day, Jesus confessed, “Not my will, but Thy will,” because the Father knew that even his love for Jesus was not enough for Jesus, without you.

What are you going to do with that love?

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

“3000, that’s crazy!”

Be crazy.

Love like Jesus.

This Deleted Scene is a MUST SEE!

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