Shows
Waveform: The MKBHD PodcastJaguar Cybertrucked Their Cars?This week, Marques, Andrew, and David talk about Cyber Monday for a bit before getting into Spotify Wrapped and the new Jaguar concept car. After that, Andrew has an eBay-based game that was super fun and resulted in the best kind of chaos. Of course, we wrap it all up with some trivia! Enjoy.Links:Verge subscription: https://bit.ly/4in1OzuTesla Apple Watch app: https://bit.ly/3OFPzQOBodanza Disc Golf YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/49qDTv9gm_golf YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/4...
2024-12-061h 30
Adversity on SermonAudioHow To Think About Your SituationA new MP3 sermon from Mission of Grace Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details:
Title: How To Think About Your Situation
Subtitle: This Day and That Day
Speaker: David Bodanza
Broadcaster: Mission of Grace Church
Event: Sunday Service
Date: 8/18/2024
Bible: Daniel 3:1-30
Length: 57 min.
2024-08-2557 minArk of the Covenant on SermonAudioWhen the Glory DepartsA new MP3 sermon from Mission of Grace Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details:
Title: When the Glory Departs
Subtitle: The Life of David
Speaker: David Bodanza
Broadcaster: Mission of Grace Church
Event: Sunday Service
Date: 3/10/2024
Bible: 1 Samuel 4:1-22
Length: 41 min.
2024-04-1441 min
RomansThe Theology of DoxologyEveryone has a theology or an understanding of God, but a Biblical one is the only one that is trustworthy and true. The goal of good theology is doxology. Doxology means "praise saying." Paul uses a praise saying or a doxology to bring his great epistle to a conclusion. The goal of sound doctrine is a heart that overflows with praise to God because that is the reality of things. Paul reminds us that the goal of the gospel is not only our happiness. Certainly, we should be forever happy that God has rescued us from judgment and showered on...
2024-01-2834 minRomansWatch OutEver since the church of Jesus Christ was first established, she has been plagued by troublemakers. These are people who have desired to either see the church destroyed, or to see it shaped to their own will. This should come as no shock. After all, Jesus Himself predicted the rise of troublemakers in the church, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." After 2,000 years the troublemakers are still inside the church! That's right, there are still those within and without the church who work against the mission of God and seek...
2024-01-2140 minRomansPaul's Missionary Heart, Pt 2The apostle Paul was a caring man who loved people. He was not a mere academic nor a male chauvinist. His heart was on fire for the gospel, and he treasured his relationships. Relationships are a gift from God which should be treasured and nurtured. Paul's heart overflowed. If the long list of names and greetings in these verses teaches us anything, it is that Paul had a great love for people. The passage features 33 people, 24 of which were in Rome. What makes this list of those he knew in the church of Rome so amazing is the fact that...
2024-01-1450 minRomansPaul's Missionary HeartThe apostle Paul. His life is cause for amazement and reflection. On one side was Rome, the superpower of the world. On the other side was this little Jew, scarred and feeble and armed only with the "good news." Yet he changed the history of Rome, Western civilization, and indeed our own lives. Paul had a missionary's heart. You may think this message doesn't apply to you because you are not in ministry. But as a Christian, God has given you spiritual gifts that you are to use in ministering for Him. There are no useless or inactive parts in...
2024-01-0739 minRomansWhy We Are HereWhat is the meaning of life? Why are we here? Ask ten people, get ten different answers. Most answers would probably fail to see life from God's perspective. There is more to life than meets the eye, more than the here and now. We are here "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." But how do I glorify God? When I was a young Christian, I didn't know what that meant. You can save a lot of grief in your life if you use a telescope rather than a microscope! Magnify and glorify are very similar in their meaning biblically...
2023-12-1746 minRomansChristian Liberty, Part 2Sometimes we have to make sure that our American mindset doesn't cloud our Biblical worldview. Americans know their rights and insist upon them. They are weary of government intrusions on personal liberty. That is a normal part of our republic. But in the church, we should be happy to give up our rights for the sake of Christ. The strong should not flaunt their liberty in Christ to the detriment of weaker believers, who may be influenced to violate their consciences. The apostle Paul tells stronger believers that love for their brothers should trump their use of liberty. "For if...
2023-12-1043 minRomansChristian Liberty, Part 1A few months ago, I was selecting a jury with a judge and opposing counsel. The time came for any person to say why they couldn't serve on the jury. Did they have an issue? Childcare? Job demands? Disability? One young man said he couldn't do it because "The Bible says, 'Judge not, lest ye be judged'"! If people would keep reading Matthew 7, they would see that in verse 6 Jesus tells us not to give what is holy to dogs and not to cast our pearls before swine. He isn't talking about animals, but about people. Obviously, we have to...
2023-12-0344 minRomansIrresistible ChristianityOur age seeks authenticity but is so easily fooled by its own senses. Perhaps a poignant illustration is a photograph of a battered and bloody Jim Caviezel, dressed like Jesus, sitting with a crew member and smoking a cigarette on the set of The Passion of the Christ. Every visual representation of Jesus is inevitably false. The only wise God went to great lengths not to leave us with any physical description of the physical appearance of His Son lest we fall into the sin of image making. We create an image of Jesus that says more about the Jesus...
2023-11-2642 minRomansThe Government and YouThis is our time. The torch has been passed to us in this relay race we call the Christian life. "From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands." (Acts 17:26) Jesus Christ is the Lord of all of the Christian's life. Christ must be Lord of our political views. That may sound obvious, but it is anything but obvious in practice. The Scriptures teach that government is ordained of God and thus accountable to God. Some groups try to...
2023-11-1940 minRomansLove In ActionDo you love me? How would I know? Actions speak louder than words. What is inside comes to the outside. If it does not come out, it is not within. If there is no fruit, there is no root. Do you love the people that make up your church? Do you want to get to know them better, and do you care about them? Do you have holy love? Long ago, Augustine pointed out that the desire of every human heart is to experience a love that is transcendent. Regrettably for us today, however, there is no word in the...
2023-11-1238 minRomansGifts of GraceWhat's on your mind? If we all revealed our habitual thoughts to one another, it might make for a very interesting time. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny." Our destiny is tied directly to and starts with our thoughts. The Scriptures remind us how important our thoughts are. In Philippians 4:8, the apostle Paul writes, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is...
2023-11-0538 minRomansA Living SacrificeWhy give yourself totally to God? Right here. Right now. Many of you have never done this. You have never yielded yourself totally to God without reservation or equivocation. But that is God's command for every Christian. We should be motivated by mercy to live for the One who died for us. Halfway commitment is irrational. This commitment is an act of the will. It isn't automatic. It's a decision that you must think about rationally and make. No one else can do it for you. This commitment is both initial and ongoing. Living sacrifices have a way of crawling...
2023-10-2943 minRomansAgainst All OddsWe read God's Word to realize who God is. He is who says He is in His Word, and our imaginations are usually unreliable. If you don't read His Word, you cannot know Him as He ought to be known. God said, "I am who I am" not "I am whoever you want me to be." You don't get to make your own personal Jesus, although many have tried to do so. Sometimes a lack of faith, a lack of passion and a lack of surrender arise from a deficient vision of God. We trade the God that is for...
2023-10-2244 minRomansThe Olive TreeI'm so glad that human unbelief cannot thwart God's sovereign purpose! God overrules human sin and weaves it into His sovereign plan to glorify Himself through the gospel. The cross is the greatest example: Evil men crucified the sinless Son of God, and yet they inadvertently fulfilled God's predestined purpose. Paul's subject in Romans 11 is how God used the unbelief of the Jews to take the gospel to the Gentiles, which in turn eventually will lead to the salvation of the Jews. Paul preached the gospel to the Jews first in his missionary work. If they rejected the message, then...
2023-10-1543 minRomansThe Remnant of GraceIf you pay attention to the news, you've probably felt at times that the world is spinning out of control and that evil is winning. You see the horrors of terrorism, war, crime, corruption and natural disasters. The list goes on and on. Sometimes it can be depressing. Some wonder whether God is really in charge of world events. Then you come to realize your own country consists of a bunch of malcontented rich people who are amusing themselves to death. I mean, if you woke up each morning with the concern of starving to death, would you care about...
2023-10-0851 minRomansPreaching and ReachingI love lamps. Putting on a lamp in a dark room after work is so enjoyable for me. It is warm and inviting. It makes me think of my father who used to collect antique lamps with my Uncle Henry. Spiritually speaking, a church is a lamp. Jesus warned the angel of the church in Ephesus, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent." Evangelism is one of the greatest privileges that God gives to...
2023-10-0151 minRomansDon't Leave Jesus BehindA few years back, I had to travel to Concord NH in the early morning to take a continuing education course. Not having been to the particular hotel where the conference was, I put the address in my GPS. This was a few years ago and GPS's were perhaps not as good as they are today. Finally, I got to the address and I looked up and it was an old broken-down barn on a dead-end road in Concord. Not anything close to the major hotel which I was trying to get to. I can imagine an old farmer coming...
2023-09-2449 minRomansIs God Unfair?If you were guilty of a crime and sought a pardon, the pardon would be at the complete discretion of the governor. There is no appeal because there is no right to a pardon. A judge, on the other hand, is responsible to find the facts and apply the law in a just manner. There is an appeal from a judge's decision because you deserve justice. You do not deserve mercy. James M. Boice writes, "It is not justice we want from God; it is grace. And grace cannot be commanded. It must flow to us from God's sovereign purposes...
2023-09-1752 minRomansGod's Sovereign ChoiceThe pastor of a Christian Church is to preach the whole counsel of the Word of God. Scratching itchy ears to get more people in is warned against in the Bible. Yet that is exactly what is happening in the church world today. The doctrine of election, like every truth about God, involves mystery and sometimes stirs controversy. But it is a pastoral doctrine of Scripture, intended to help Christians see how great is the grace that saves them, and to move them to humility, confidence, joy, praise, faithfulness, and holiness in response. We do not know who else he...
2023-09-1055 minRomansMore Than ConvincedThere are two ways to look at stained glass windows. You can examine each piece of colored glass individually, or you can stand in a quiet church and let the sun shine through all the pieces and bring the whole thing to life. Some people get absorbed and preoccupied by whatever is in front of them at the time, but they cannot see the big picture. They ignore God and are ignorant of His Word and His ways. But not the Christian. No, no, no. The Christian knows because God has opened his or heart and mind to know. And...
2023-09-0342 minRomansAdopted by God"If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child, and having God as his Father." (J.I. Packer) Our salvation includes being adopted as sons and daughters of God which is a central benefit of redemption. It includes what it means to be brought into a saving relationship with God as our Father. (R.C. Sproul) Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Our Father . . ." The Apostle Paul noted that every believer has the "Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'"...
2023-08-2739 minRomansLife In The SpiritThis chapter has often been called one of the greatest in the Bible. Godet points out that it begins with "no condemnation" and ends with "no separation." Romans 8 is a place for us to come often. Even though mature believers experience victory over sin, we still struggle daily against the flesh and sometimes lose the battle. So we must understand how to deal with guilt and how to overcome temptation. When we do sin as Christians, the enemy comes in to stir up doubts about our salvation. Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in...
2023-08-2042 minRomansWalking ContradictionsI have a secret to share with you. Something that I came to realize that I never heard in a church until only a few years ago. It would have helped me immensely if I understood it early in my Christian life. I would have been even more effective and even more joyful. The old preachers used to say, "Your problem is that you don't know what your problem is. You think your problem is your problem, but that's not the problem at all. Your problem is not your problem, and that's your main problem." The secret is this: You...
2023-08-1338 minRomansSet Free To ServeBob Dylan wrote a song in 1979 entitled, "You Gotta Serve Somebody." I don't know if Dylan was inspired by the words of Jesus or by our text, but his song certainly reflects the truth of our passage. Paul says that either you are a slave of sin or you are a slave of God (Rom. 6:22). Unbelievers tragically think that they are free when they cast off God and follow their own lusts, but they are "slaves of corruption" (2 Pet. 2:19). God has freed us from sin (Rom. 6:18), but not to live as we please. Rather, He frees us from sin to...
2023-08-0632 minRomansThe Power To ChangeRomans 6 answers questions that people have asked for centuries: Is it possible to change morally? Is it possible to break destructive habits and stop sinning? Can even addicts or habitual liars change for the better? If so, how? How do those of us who are under grace live without being dominated by sin? How are we to live lives of overcoming victory? We know that freedom is not freedom to sin but freedom from sin. We got it so wrong in America today. Do we really think that statesmen worked and soldiers died so we can become bad beyond belief...
2023-07-3041 minRomansA Matter of Life and DeathThe New England Primer was the first reading textbook designed for the American colonies. It became the most successful educational textbook published in the late 1600s in colonial America. It was the very foundation of most schooling before the 1790s. Children learned the letter A with this important theological truth: "In Adam's fall, We sinned all." Yes, in elementary school! Life is so simple. Sin is the pervasive problem and the only solution is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are either "in Adam" or you are "in Christ." We learn that sin and death entered the world...
2023-07-2336 minRomansPeace With GodIf you were shopping for a new house, you might neglect to check the foundation. But the strength of a building lies in its foundation. The main purpose of any foundation is to keep the structure above it standing. On the contrary, a poorly constructed foundation can be highly dangerous to its occupants for obvious reasons. If you were to ask many Christians what words they associate with "doctrine," you would probably hear, "boring." We tend to be pragmatists who view the doctrines of the Bible as something that interests only theologians or seminary students. But we want something practical...
2023-06-2553 minRomansBy Faith AloneThe story has been told of an elderly grandmother who had never flown in an airplane, but she had to make a trip by air. Her kids and grandkids all tried to convince her that it was safer than riding in a car. Finally, with a lot of doubts, she got on board. When she returned safely, the family met her at the airport and asked, "How'd it go, Grandma? Did the plane hold you up?" She reluctantly agreed, "Yeah." But then she added, "But I never put my full weight down on it!" Is your faith in Jesus Christ...
2023-06-1150 minRomansThe Miracle of RighteousnessThe fact that all human beings are under the dynamic of sin presents a dilemma. Divine justice demands the condemnation of mankind, yet divine love wants to reach out to the guilty human race and extend mercy. Today we come to the universally acknowledged turning point of Paul's letter to the Romans: God performs the miracle of righteousness. God's total provision is sufficient for man's total need. We are justified by Christ alone, which is received through faith alone. Propitiation and expiation are two of the most glorious words here. Propitiation means to satisfy the rightful demands of divine justice...
2023-06-0445 minRomansNo One Is RighteousEvery human being is the same in many ways. We are all under sin. We are sinners who have absolutely no excuse before the perfectly righteous one and true living God who created us. Every one of us, whether we believe it or not, will one day stand before God in silence. We do not want justice because we know, or should know, where that will get us. We desperately need mercy. Everyone desperately needs the gospel. Everyone desperately needs Jesus Christ. Only He can remove our sin, give us His righteousness, and satisfy the rightful demands of God's divine...
2023-05-2849 minRomansA Matter of the HeartNothing can choke the heart and soul out of walking with God like legalism. Legalism is the notion that a person is accepted by God on the basis of his law keeping. All human beings are predisposed to it. Many forms of legalism have arisen throughout history. Jesus knows we have bad memories, so He put the whole of the Ten Commandments into two. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." "Love your neighbor as yourself." In contrast, the Pharisees had developed a system of 613 laws, 365 negative commands...
2023-05-2142 minRomansGod's Perfect JudgmentThe sin of moral superiority is so easy to fall into today. Society as a whole is openly committing or condoning flagrant sins. Because we don't commit those sins, we tend to feel morally superior and look with a certain amount of contempt on those who do. We can also get a kick out of discussing how awful the culture around us is becoming. We can be guilty of the pride of moral superiority, and slide right into self-righteous. But no human being can cover up what God will reveal. There will be no possibility of standing before Christ but...
2023-05-0739 minRomansGod Gave Them OverThings are happening so fast today. The societal change in the last 5 years has been breathtaking. What will the next five years bring? Our culture is corrupt and declining. Good is bad and bad is good. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes. The authority of dignified and righteous leaders is scarce. When we look at things, we can come to only one of two conclusions. Either God is not control or it is something else entirely. We know that the one and true living God is supreme in all things. He is sovereign. Nothing happens unless He...
2023-04-3049 minRomansIntroducing the GospelChristians need theological development, now more than ever. Romans contains some of the most profound theological truths in all of God's Word. We need Christian maturity. Hopefully, it will come through your church. It brings stability to your life and the ability to weather the worldly storms and afflictions that we are about to go through as Christians. There will be a whole lot of shaking going on. Figure on persecution. God has used this epistle in the conversion of many. Some say there never was a real revival without Romans being at the bottom of it. The pivotal verse...
2023-04-2352 min
The Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do (Episode 12)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this final episode, we talk about the wisdom of a good relationship with an attorney and also a Certified Public Accountant.
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2020-05-0905 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Dissolution (Episode 11)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we talk about the legal considerations when a church makes the difficult decision to permanently close.
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2020-05-0911 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Divorce and Domestic Abuse (Episode 10)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we discuss the church's response when members experience divorce, and what to do when domestic abuse occurs within the flock.
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2020-05-0908 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Church Conflict (Episode 9)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we talk about the ramifications of church conflict and why a church needs to have a clear church discipline policy in its bylaws.
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2020-05-0912 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Child Safety (Episode 8)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we discuss the establishment of good policies to protect our most precious members -- children.
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2020-05-0911 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Church Security (Episode 7)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we talk about the need for local churches to have well-trained security teams to protect the flock.
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2020-05-0907 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Church Safety (Episode 6)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we talk about the single biggest source of claims against the local church -- church safety.
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2020-05-0909 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Pastoral Compensation (Episode 5)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we talk about pastoral compensation, housing allowances and calculating an equitable salary package.
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2020-05-0917 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Tax Exempt Recognition (Episode 4)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we talk about important tax considerations for the local church, including something some congregations never think about.
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2020-05-0907 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Bylaws and Statements of Faith (Episode 3)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we talk about how a well-written church constitution and bylaws, including a statement of faith, can protect a local church from legal action.
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2020-05-0911 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Articles of Incorporation (Episode 2)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this episode, we discuss the importance of clarity in a church's Articles of Incorporation.
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2020-05-0917 minThe Minister's FriendYour Church and the Law - Introduction (Episode 1)Welcome to a very special package of podcasts where Pastor John interviews pastor and attorney, David Bodanza. David knows both the church and the law well -- he's a practicing lawyer with over 30 years experience specializing in Church Law. In this first episode, we're introduced to David and also hear the wonderful story of how God used him to revitalize a precious New England congregation.
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2020-05-0909 min