Matthew 18 is Jesus' fourth of five major teaching blocks recorded in the book of Matthew. This set of teachings is all about our interpersonal relationships with other believers as we together become the people of God, though Western individualism may cause some of us to miss what Jesus is saying. These first verses form the extended metaphor (becoming like children) that Jesus will use for much of the rest of the chapter. Today we explore this metaphor, and the first implications for our relationships with one another in community.

The Living Water Network is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠decentralized network of relationships⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ unified by a love for Jesus and his Kingdom, an affirmation of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠microchurch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and a desire to reach the hard places in the world characterized by violent conflict, persecution, crushing poverty, and compromised rule of law. This podcast is a place for collected teachings that are useful to those within the network.

What was the strategy Jesus used to overthrow the evil empire of his day? What can we learn from the way of Jesus as we encounter systems of power around us that run counter to the reign and rule of Jesus?

This week, we dive into the nature of power and authority in human systems of control. These insights give us a better understanding of how the fearless death of Jesus on the cross disarmed the oppressive empire of his day. And they help us see that the word of our own testimonies--even when everything around us is going wrong--makes it impossible for our spiritual enemy to win. Our fearless, faith-filled testimonies have the power to dismantle empires.

The Living Water Network is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠decentralized network of relationships⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ unified by a love for Jesus and his Kingdom, an affirmation of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠microchurch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and a desire to reach the hard places in the world characterized by violent conflict, persecution, crushing poverty, and compromised rule of law. This podcast is a place for collected teachings that are useful to those within the network.

Music from #Uppbeat:

⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/roo-walker/over-the-horizon⁠

License code: UJ3RGAPIIJUJ8KWU

How are Christians to respond to evil human empires? What does redeemed humanity look like in the midst of systemic injustice, despotic leaders, and geopolitical instability? For many Asian leaders in the Living Water Network, this is their present reality.

Daniel had plenty of experience with tyrannical kings, unjust systems, and wild geopolitics. His lifestyle is characterized by critical distance, humility, fearlessness, and nonviolence. The Bible holds up Daniel's lived example as an example we can follow as well when the world around us seems to go sideways.

The Living Water Network is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠decentralized network of relationships⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ unified by a love for Jesus and his Kingdom, an affirmation of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠microchurch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and a desire to reach the hard places in the world characterized by violent conflict, persecution, crushing poverty, and compromised rule of law. This podcast is a place for collected teachings that are useful to those within the network.

Human empires set the context for our lives: occasionally for our benefit but often for our harm. How do we maintain a biblical perspective on the empires around us that grows our faith in God? In this teaching, we unpack Daniel 7, the climax of the entire Old Testament. The Old Testament gives us many helpful clues to help us interpret the puzzling imagery in Daniel 7. And in doing so, we find perspective on how to live under the oppressive control of human empires, and hope to see God's Kingdom come in the ways we'd least expect.

The Living Water Network is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠decentralized network of relationships⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ unified by a love for Jesus and his Kingdom, an affirmation of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠microchurch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and a desire to reach the hard places in the world characterized by violent conflict, persecution, crushing poverty, and compromised rule of law. This podcast is a place for collected teachings that are useful to those within the network.

What does forgiveness mean in hard contexts of abuse, violence, and injustice? Does forgiving a perpetrator allow them to escape God's justice? How is it psychologically possible to forgive when the wounds go deep? Many questions surround the topic of forgiveness, and these questions are impossible to ignore when the stakes are high. In this teaching, Scott Williams mines the riches of scripture and draws on stories from the Living Water Network to explore a hard topic that leaders in hard places must wrestle with daily. The lessons these leaders are learning are helpful for anyone thinking about forgiveness when the stakes are high.

The Living Water Network is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠decentralized network of relationships⁠⁠⁠⁠ unified by a love for Jesus and his Kingdom, an affirmation of ⁠⁠⁠⁠microchurch⁠⁠⁠⁠, and a desire to reach the hard places in the world characterized by violent conflict, persecution, crushing poverty, and compromised rule of law. This podcast is a place for collected teachings that are useful to those within the network.

Why should every believer be connected to the global persecuted church? In this teaching we explore the biblical mandate for koinonea relationship with other believers the global church in 2 Cor. 1. We discover that in an age of anxiety and overwhelming international headlines, real relationship with specific believers in hard places can be the antidote to our own anxiety. And connection with overseas ministries can supercharge our own local ministries and give us perspective and endurance.

Want to get started walking alongside real believers in hard places across Southeast Asia? Email info@livingwatermyanmar.org.

The Living Water Network is a ⁠⁠⁠decentralized network of relationships⁠⁠⁠ unified by a love for Jesus and his Kingdom, an affirmation of ⁠⁠⁠microchurch⁠⁠⁠, and a desire to reach the hard places in the world characterized by violent conflict, persecution, crushing poverty, and compromised rule of law. This podcast is a place for collected teachings that are useful to those within the network.

Music from #Uppbeat:

https://uppbeat.io/t/roo-walker/over-the-horizon

License code: UJ3RGAPIIJUJ8KWU

When we feel like our lives have gone off the rails and we are utterly confused, Matthew's Christmas narrative reminds us that Mary and Joseph felt that way too. Matthew uses their confused story to speak to the early Church, where people were still confused about why Jesus left them without addressing some of their most difficult challenges. Yet Matthew also shows us that Jesus did indeed address all of their questions and longings--if they had eyes to see.

Christmas and the Mess: In this Advent teaching series, we unpack the question: "When God moves powerfully, what does it actually feel like for the people involved?" The answer may surprise and unsettle us: It's a lot messier that we'd like.

The Living Water Network is a ⁠⁠decentralized network of relationships⁠⁠ unified by a love for Jesus and his Kingdom, an affirmation of ⁠⁠microchurch⁠⁠, and a desire to reach the hard places in the world characterized by violent conflict, persecution, crushing poverty, and compromised rule of law. This podcast is a place for collected teachings that are useful to those within the network.

We often forget that the Christmas story involved a genocide that made Jesus' parents displaced refugees in a foreign country. But this part of the story mattered to Matthew's audience, who had just gone through their own crimes against humanity in the sacking of Jerusalem. And it matters to anyone living in difficult and chaotic circumstances, wondering if God is still watching, and if he still cares.

Christmas and the Mess: In this Advent teaching series, we unpack the question: "When God moves powerfully, what does it actually feel like for the people involved?" The answer may surprise and unsettle us: It's a lot messier that we'd like.

The Living Water Network is a ⁠⁠decentralized network of relationships⁠⁠ unified by a love for Jesus and his Kingdom, an affirmation of ⁠⁠microchurch⁠⁠, and a desire to reach the hard places in the world characterized by violent conflict, persecution, crushing poverty, and compromised rule of law. This podcast is a place for collected teachings that are useful to those within the network.