Most of us often ask the question; “Why?” It’s only natural to wonder about life. Why did I get a flat tire? Why did my friend get sick, why did I get sick? Our church friends are correct when they tell us to trust in God even though our personal understanding of the situation can’t see past the hurt, pain or just the inconvenience. Usually it is through hindsight that we can get the kind of perspective that leaves us with some sort of understanding. This is what we find in Revelation 22. After a book filled with dragons, beasts and martyrdom we come to the end where we find that for those in Christ it was all worth it. With a gentle reminder our Lord tells us that all of these prophecies will come true. Persecution will come, it must come but in the end we are brought to a place where we find peace, and rest for all eternity.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

The more we understand who we are and who Christ is the more we understand our sin. We realize that even in our best moments we are not without our own sinful desires. However; this should not lead us to believe that all that we ever do is sin. God has saved us to do good works. He even ordained our good works. Of course we look to Christ and give Him the honor and glory but to look to the good things that we do and only see sin is just as fallible as looking at our lives as if we are free from sin. The Christian life must be given over to balancing what we are becoming in Christ to what we are being changed from. Paul uses language of the Old and the New man. What Paul is talking about is our old sin nature and the state of sanctification that our nature is being transformed into. But how does God see us? Do we see God on the edge ready to pounce when we fail, as if He is hoping for an opportunity to ‘get us’? How much do we acknowledge that God is active in our lives transforming us into what He wants us to be? Do we see God as a creator now or is He done with that activity?

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Revelation 20. So much hinges on this passage. Is the Kingdom of God only 1000 years long, are their two or more kingdoms? How can anyone say that Satan has been bound when there is evil in this world? Today we are looking at a passage that has been debated for 2000 years and I don’t believe that we will put an end to that today. However, how we interpret this passage matters and I ask that the listener keep on the forefront of their mind the rest of Scripture. How does the book of Ephesians or John, or the Psalms impact the way we understand this passage? How do you put a chain upon a spirit and where is this vision taking place?

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Jesus used this parable to condemn the Jewish religious leaders. They had rejected the teaching of the prophets, they rejected the teaching the teaching of Jesus and they refused to listen to God. What does this parable have to do with Revelation 19? Why is there an Angel standing in the Sun and what is on the menu of the marriage supper of the Lamb? We will discuss these and other questions today on Theology Simply Profound.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Chapter 17 talked about this Great City that sits upon the many waters. The City we are told is the kingdom of Satan and the many waters we are told are the multitudes of people throughout the earth that worship the beast and the false prophet. This city is said to rule over the kings of the earth which is one way to know that this is not talking about one specific city. This city is called Babylon the Great. The rulers of this world that worship the Beast give over their allegiance to this city so that they will do all the bidding of the Beast. This city is mighty and fills the Earth ruling over the people of the Earth. But this is all of God, just as in Romans 1 God gives wicked people over to their sin so that they might fulfill its desires, and in the end reap the rewards of their wickedness. So to do these people love the city and give themselves over to its sinful purposes. Just as Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery what they meant for evil God meant for good. The rulers of the nations of the Earth give themselves and their nations to the city, yet; they hate the city, they hate the beast. Why? Because sin is self-destructive the more we serve sin the more empty we become. If we give ourselves over to sin fully there is nothing that can satisfy so that all that is left is bitterness.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

I am sure that everyone listening to this podcast has seen the bumper sticker that say “coexist”. Each letter symbolizes a great religion of the world. For many who proudly display this plea there is a reasoning that if they can with their roving auto-witness persuade people from one particular faith to embrace the equal status of all the other religions then peace will ensue upon the Earth. For some this plea is made because they abhor killing and strife that they see in the world and they think that by people accepting each other’s belief as just as valid as their own they will ensure peace. But there is an underlying worldview behind this message—there is no absolute truth. To call for every religion to be placed upon the same level of truth is to either claim ignorance or to declare that all truth is relative to the individual who believes it. Is it possible to coexist in this way? Will all persecution stop if Christians just stop claiming to have the true religion? Should governments hold all religions as the same or should they remain neutral? We will discuss these and other questions today on Theology Simply Profound.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

I am sure that all of us have felt time drag by, as if a second is an hour. All most of us have to do is think back to being a child trying to make it to Christmas morning. You lay there in your bed and you feel like the night will never end. The older we get the quicker times seems to go and we start to long for the days of childhood when an afternoon could feel like days, as we were locked away in our minds imagination. Psalm 90 records a prayer of Moses where this fleeting life is contrasted with the eternality of our own works. To God time is eternal to us our lives are a moment away from returning to the dust. So Moses tells us to ask God to help us number our days so we might make every day count as worthwhile. Moses tries to teach us that what is important are the works that we do that are established by God for eternity. What does this have to do with this passage? What are the bowl judgments all about and what is the battle of Armageddon?

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Most people have heard the name; “Lady Jane Gray”, some will even remember that she was a queen of England, albeit for only nine days. What most people don’t know is that she was a highly intelligent young woman with great faith and a great devotion to the doctrines of the Reformation. In the end she was take to the Tower of London and beheaded. True, part of her execution was political but part was also because of her Protestantism. If we pull back the curtain from this reality we will see a different type of struggle. We will see-as John did, Beasts rising out of the land and sea. We will see a lamb with horns speaking, but we will hear the voice of a deceptive serpent. We will understand that no matter what circumstances lead to Jane’s execution we know it was the war of the dragon against the people of God. How does God look upon a death like this? How should we understand the persecutions we endure and how should we now live?

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

On today’s show, Rob and Bob talk about Revelation 13, the two beasts, the number of the beast (666) and how these things relate to the Christian life.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Steven stood surrounded by an angry mob. They were allowing him to speak out of tradition not because they cared about what he had to say. As he recounted the history of the nation of Israel his words condemned them for not being obedient to the Word of God, just as their spiritual forbearers killed the prophets so too did they betray and kill the Messiah. This angered the mob even more and now they were ready to kill this prophet. What had he done wrong? He had committed the horrible mistake of telling them the truth. All the people saw was a man whom they hated, a follower of the man that they had condemned as a heretic. This was not a private event, the whole of Jerusalem would see and through them the rest of the world would know, anyone that followed Jesus would be treated like this man. But what did Stephen see? His gaze was drawn to heaven. The veil was pulled back and he saw the Lord Himself standing next to the throne. The people were enraged and the mob carried him away to be stoned. It would not take long the stones were plentiful but Stephen was still drawn to his Lord, to the one who would receive his spirit for eternity. As the people continued to throw stones all Stephen could do was to ask Christ to forgive them.

Our perspectives will change depending on our worldview. Hebrews tells us that we are to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Why? Because He is the author and the finisher of our faith and He that began a good work in us will continue it till the end. But this life can be hard and when our perspective is removed from the eternal life waiting for us this life can be unbearable. So look to the one that hides us in the wilderness that seals us as his own that makes us into a holy Temple that He measures to the smallest degree. The Apostle Paul was there at the stoning of Stephen as well, he held the coats of those who were throwing stones, consenting happily. To think years later as he recounted this story to Luke how different his perspective had become.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

As I talk with people of different theological leanings about the Book of Revelation there seems to be one point that they all have in common. They know that the Book of Revelation is Biblical and it is written for God’s people but in the end it is just too weird and so it is better to just leave it alone.

As we continue in our series on the book of Revelation today we are in chapter 11 and a simple reading of chapter 11 would make most people agree with them. It is our hope in this series to help push aside the symbolic wrappings and see the truth that is revealed. Such as in this chapter, how did John end up at the Temple? Does this prove that the Temple is still there at the time of writing? And, are the two witnesses Moses and Elijah or Moses and Enoch?

We will discuss these and other questions today on Theology Simply Profound.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Martin Luther has famously said that even if he knew that Jesus was going to return tomorrow that he would plant a tree today. What Luther was trying to point out was that our lives are to be lived in the day that we are given and we are supposed to be responsible for what our tasks here are now. But what are our tasks? Jesus tells us in Matthew 28 verses 19-20. As we live our lives we are to think foremost about proclaiming the Gospel and discipline others. Is this how Christians live today? It is so easy to be complacent, avoiding even the most obvious opportunities to witness, we believe that Jesus is returning soon but do we live like that. In Revelation 10 we are told that even today the final trumpet is about to blow and when that happens the end comes. Luther’s point was that we have been given work to do by Christ and we are to continue to do it till the moment of His return. How does John set this up in this passage? Why can we not know what the seven thunders say and why do prophets keep eating books?

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

In episode 49, Rob and Bob discuss chapter 9 of the Book of Revelation.

There are many religions in this world and they all claim to offer truth. The Pharisees claimed to be the children of God subjects of His Kingdom but the reality was they rejected both God Himself and His Kingdom. What does this have to do with us today, most of the people that we talk with are not Jewish religious leaders? Why are there locusts being sent out into the world and what are angels doing in a river?

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

In episode 48, Rob and Bob discuss chapter 8 of the Book of Revelation.

There is something that I love about submarines. It amazes me that a metal tube filled with people can dive to depths that try their best to crush them. It amazes me. The captain of a submarine is charged with piloting this machine blind. He has maps, sonar, computers but he still must decide how far, at what degree, when to turn and at what depth he needs to maneuver at. In order to perform these maneuvers, he must tell those who steer the ship at what degree and what angle the sub needs to be at. He will talk with the engine room to change speeds. The sailors that are making these changes never know why they are making them. They can’t see out the window so they don’t know what they are trying to avoid. In the end it is the faith in the ability of the captain that keeps them calm. In Revelation chapter 8 we are given vivid descriptions regarding the judgment of God that He is unleashing on the earth. John must have been terrified. If we go through life and take our eyes off of the fact that the Kingdom of God is being built by King Jesus we will react to disasters with greater fear. We don’t see what God is doing and why He is doing it, but one of the great comforts of the book of Revelation is that we do not need to know why God is doing what He is doing, we just need to be obedient to His word and trust Him. But this passage can still be very troubling. Where did these trumpets come from? Why is blood mixed with incense and do Eagles usually talk?

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

In episode 47, your hosts, Rob and Bob, discuss chapter 7 of the Book of Revelation.

If like most people you are listening to the radio when you drive you know that usually at the top and bottom of the hour there will be a news update. Usually this will bring tension just to hear that familiar opening music. It doesn’t help that the news media know that if they present everything as potentially life threatening they will get your attention, which is why according to the news media everything from your toothpaste to tomatoes is going to kill you. But we are also reminded everyday of every natural and manmade disaster that is taking place around the world. Floods, fires, wars, rumors of wars, provide the negatively fueled news media an ample supply of stories to terrify us with. When Jesus used the example of a tower that had fallen over and killed people He used an example that everyone knew. The fall of this tower was the talk of the town and seems to have been used to teach unrighteous people that unless they repent they will suffer a similar fate. But Jesus redirected the thinking. Instead of seeing this as sinners getting what they deserved, Jesus made it clear that the people who died were just as guilty as the people that He was talking with. Jesus is highlighting to those listening, and to us that we will all die. We all will suffer the same fate. Jesus was pointing to the repentance through Faith that leads to life that is the only way to escape everlasting death. When a volcano explodes or there is a large flood or earthquake not to mention wars where lots of people die, some will be Christians and some will be unbelievers. So how should we look at these tragedies? Were they God’s judgments? Were they persecutions? Was it something that is outside the control of God? Are there only 144,000 people that will be safe from these kinds of events?

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

In Episode 46 we continue our new series on the Book of Revelation.

Your hosts, Rob and Bob, discuss the Book of Revelation chapter 6.

The second vision of the Book of Revelation show us that Jesus is King and reigns supreme over all. The Lord wants his people to know his love in Christ. That, even though there our troubles in varying degrees through the course of human history, he upholds his people in life and in death. In chapter 6, the second vision continues, the seal are opened and the four horsemen. What do these horsemen mean? What is it that they bring to the earth? How do all of these things bless Christ’s church?

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

In Episode 45 we continue our new series on the Book of Revelation.

Your hosts, Rob and Bob, continue to discuss the Book of Revelation chapter 5.

The second vision of the Book of Revelation brings us into the throne room of God where all the realms of creation both in heaven and on earth do nothing but give glory to God day and night. John sees a continual and repetitious act of all of creation demonstrating its reverence for their Creator. They cry out glory, glory, glory to Him who was and is and is to come. And as the elders fall off of their thrones prostrate before the throne they cast their crown before the throne demonstrating that though the church reigns with Christ we are humble before the slain Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. As we work our way through the vision questions remain. What does the scroll and the seals mean? Why does John weep and what role is Christ taking upon Himself?

We will discuss these and other questions today on Theology Simply Profound.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace.

Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

In Episode 44 we continue our new series on the Book of Revelation.

Your hosts, Rob and Bob, continue to discuss the Book of Revelation chapter 4.

The opening chapters teach us that Jesus is still very much involved in ruling over His church. Most churches are a mixture of both good and bad, wheat and tares and nothing will go unnoticed by the One who holds them in His hands. Having looked at the seven churches in the first vision John now receives his second vision. What is the throne room of God like? Will this be where we will be when we die and what is up with all these strange creatures?

We will discuss these and other questions today on Theology Simply Profound.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

In Episode 43 we continue our new series on the Book of Revelation.

Your hosts, Rob and Bob, continue to discuss the Book of Revelation by walking through the seven churches of Revelation chapters 2 and 3.

This episode concludes the seven churches with a discussion of the final four churches.

Each Sunday we get out of bed, put the family in the car and take them to Church. Do we think that by doing this we are triumphant overcomers breaking down the gates of Hell? We should. Gathering as the people of God to corporately worship each week is more than being faithful to the commands of Scripture it is more than just routine preparation for the week. In some sense it is the very battleground of our spiritual life. Each week our faith is strengthened as we worship together through prayer, singing, alms giving, and sitting under the preaching and reading of the Word of God. The seven churches in the beginning of the Book of Revelation are not being judged based on their individual efforts throughout the week. They are being judged based upon their cooperate experience of church life. And the reality is so are we.

We will discuss these and other questions today on Theology Simply Profound.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

In Episode 42 we continue our new series on the Book of Revelation.

Your hosts, Rob and Bob, continue to discuss the Book of Revelation by beginning to walk through the seven churches of Revelation chapters 2 and 3 (spoiler alert: we only make it through three).

In Revelation chapter 1 Jesus is pictured as the very ruler of everything. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. This should be great hope to all Christians because if we are focused on the kingdoms of this earth and how they act without remembering the reality of the current functioning Kingdom of Christ we will easily be lead into despair. What the Book of Revelation does is to pull back the holy curtain so we can have a vision of the very throne room of God, the sovereign rule of the resurrected, sacrificial Lamb. In the Book of Revelation, we are told that a time of great persecution is coming, the time is near but that the Lamb that is a Lion has already won and some day He will return. But what should we do till then? Should we hold up in a bunker with a stash of MRE’s? Should we sell everything we have and wait for His return on a hill in a white sheet, (as others have done)?

We will discuss these and other questions today on Theology Simply Profound.

Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo

Your hosts, Rob and Bob, begin a new series on the Book of Revelation with an introduction to the book as a whole using the opening chapter.

As one of us said somewhere at sometime, “The Book of Revelation has often made people either obsess over the details of the book or else close their eyes, hide in a corner and pretend it doesn’t exist. Should we just shrug our shoulders and wait till we can ask Jesus about it in Heaven? Do we need to devise secret codes in order to break the cipher of the book or is it to be seen as a literal future historical journal?”

We will discuss these and other questions today on Theology Simply Profound.

Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo