🎯 IN THIS EPISODE:
In this Star Wars-laced deep dive into Matthew 8, we explore the surprising faith of a Roman centurion who shocked Jesus Himself and everyone else around Him. What does it mean when the empire bows to the Kingdom?
In this episode we talk about:
Why Jesus was amazed by a Gentile's faith and what it says about insiders vs. outsiders
How sacred authority differs from oppressive control
What a modern-day centurion might look like
Why submitting to Jesus doesn’t erase our identity
What it costs to follow Jesus instead of empire in 2025
Whether our churches look more like the Kingdom… or a sanitized version of it
And how fear might be quietly uninviting people from our tables
⏰ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - What's New with the Gang
08:01 - John Guerra Concert
11:49 - Podcast & Social Media Housekeeping
13:13 - Matthew 8 & Big Idea
15:55 - Roman Centurion Context & Authority
20:48 - Authority, Identity, and Submitting to Jesus
24:14 - Faith of the Centurion vs. Disciples
29:30 - Living by Jesus’ Authority & Faith in Practice
31:12 - Star Wars Metaphors & Real-Life Parallels
36:26 - Cost of Following Jesus & Centurion’s Consequences
38:25 - Radical Inclusion & The Church as the Cantina
42:09 - Boundaries, Fear, and Inviting Others
44:59 - Repentance, Humility, and the Table
47:46 - Centurion’s Transformation & Roman Obligations
49:01 - Where Do We Go Next?
50:07 - Podcast Wrap-Up & Farewell
📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman: "00:10:57"
Check out Jon Guerra! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_WcSIC3l9BlUoBJyyoJtpA
🎙️ ABOUT THE SHOW:
Church services happen on weekends. And that's all well and good until we get to Mondays and find ourselves asking, "Now what?"
Welcome to Between Sundays! Join hosts Tyler, Maron, and Barry every Wednesday as they hang out and catch up on the conversations, sermons, and culture of Grace Church.
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Keywords/Hashtags
Tyler, Maron, Barry, Between Sundays, podcast, sermon, Star Wars, Roman Empire, kids' camp, faith, authority, inclusivity, Black Liberation Theology, Howard Thurman, NBA Finals, church community, early church, Jewish believers, Gentiles, transformation, identity, vulnerability, invitation, repentance, humility, Jesus, Matthew's Gospel, centurion, authority figures, pop culture references, Grace Church, social media, podcast discussions, diversity, unity, Christian faith, boundaries, fear, personal reflection, community engagement, grace, mercy, humility, transformative power, historical context, contemporary life.
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