This episode describes Christ’s birth as the greatest invasion in history—God the Son entering the world to reclaim it as His Father’s Kingdom. While modern people eagerly entertain fantasies about extraterrestrials and “star wars,” they ignore the far greater reality that the true King has come, bringing salvation to those who receive Him and judgment to those who resist His rule. Rejecting the King is the only real tragedy; seeing the world through “dead men’s eyes” blinds us to His peace and joy. Instead, believers are called to let the message of the carols fill their hearts, to draw strength from the joy of the Lord, and to remember that Christ reigns now and forever: His government will endlessly increase, and He will save His people from their sins. Because we belong to this reigning King, every year and every age is “the year of our Lord.” Therefore, the writer urges, rejoice.

This episode confronts worry as a popular yet often unacknowledged sin, because anxiety reflects distrust in God’s promise to work all things for good for His people. Recalling the storm on the Sea of Galilee, the author notes that Jesus rebuked His terrified disciples not only by calming the wind but by exposing their fear as “no faith.” Since Christ has already accomplished the greatest act—our redemption—caring for our daily needs is a small matter for Him. Worrying, therefore, is a refusal to trust and obey. The writer urges believers, when tempted to fret, to remember that Christ has taken them “on board,” likening salvation to an unsinkable ark. To worry in His care is not only unnecessary but sinful, because the central reality is not our problems but the Lord’s steadfast protection and presence.

This episode identifies three subtle but pervasive problems people create for themselves. First—and most destructive—is self-pity, which makes the self the center of all interpretation, inflates expectations of God and others, and inevitably leads to constant feelings of hurt. Second is the habit of giving unasked-for advice, a self-righteous tendency to tell others how to live while refusing correction ourselves, which naturally offends people and accomplishes little good. Third is the mishandling of money—not money itself, but the attitudes of irresponsibility, pride, or manipulation that often accompany it. These three failings lie at the root of many personal troubles, yet people prefer to blame external factors rather than acknowledge how their own sinful patterns contribute to their difficulties.

This episode explains that the common English rendering of “contentment” in 1 Timothy 6:6–8 can mislead modern readers, since the Greek word autarkeia actually means sufficiency or self-sufficiency, not passive acceptance of lack. Paul’s point is not that believers should tell the needy to “be warmed and filled” without help—as James condemns—but that godliness paired with the basic material necessities for independent living constitutes “great gain.” The word for “gain,” porismos, refers to provision, underscoring that Paul rejects any false spirituality that despises material goods. Instead, he affirms that the truly Christian standard is a union of godliness and economic self-sufficiency—having enough to meet one’s needs responsibly while living under God’s rule.

This episode argues that while Christians profess belief in the commandment “Thou shalt not steal,” they frequently violate it through coercion, deception, or unfair expectations rather than overt robbery. Examples include a church pressuring a pastor’s wife to serve as a free organist to cut costs, and Christian schools underpaying teachers while claiming it is “sacrifice for the Lord’s work”—practices the author labels as theft, since they force others to bear burdens for someone else’s benefit. No “good cause,” he insists, can justify taking what rightfully belongs to another. Citing Scripture and the Westminster Larger Catechism, he argues that Christian institutions are obligated to uphold justice, fairness, and a commitment to preserving the well-being of others. When churches and schools themselves engage in theft, they contribute to the moral decay of society. True exaltation of a nation—or any community—comes only through righteousness: faith and obedience to God’s law.

This episode highlights Paul’s strong and often overlooked condemnation of covetousness, which he ranks alongside sexual immorality, idolatry, theft, and drunkenness, even instructing believers not to associate or eat with a professing Christian marked by this sin. Covetousness—envy in action—is widely tolerated today and even encouraged through politics, advertising, and social attitudes that punish the successful and legitimize resentment. Scripture, however, consistently views envy as a mark of a reprobate mind and a form of idolatry, because it places personal desire above God’s will. Paul regards it as a dangerous poison that breeds hatred, disturbs church unity, and destroys brotherly love. Ultimately, the author warns that covetousness is most destructive not when we see it in others but when it secretly thrives within us.

This episode reflects on our tendency to complain about everything—from the weather to the imperfections of others—while expecting perfection for ourselves. Paul counters this attitude by teaching that “godliness with contentment is great gain,” meaning that true richness lies not in getting our way but in cultivating a grateful, trusting heart. Yet the author stresses that contentment never means accepting evil; Scripture does not endorse moral passivity. Like Elijah and Joshua, believers must confront idolatry and compromise, acting in the fear of God rather than the fear of man. Genuine contentment is inseparable from righteousness and obedience, recognizing that even life’s inconveniences come from a God who provides better than we deserve. Thus Hebrews 13:5 reminds us to reject covetousness, be content with what God gives, and rest in His promise never to leave or forsake His people.

This episode emphasizes that when Scripture commands us to “hear,” “listen,” or “hearken,” it is calling for obedience, not mere attention. Drawing from Deuteronomy 18 and its repetition in Acts 3, the author notes that God will “require it” of anyone who refuses to obey the words of the coming Prophet, Jesus Christ. Just as a mother’s “Now listen to me” really meant “Obey,” the Bible uses the term in the same sense: hearing God’s Word is meant to produce action. Preaching, therefore, is not for passive reflection but for life-changing obedience. And if earthly parents discipline disobedient children, we should not imagine God will overlook those who disregard His commands. Because the Father declares of Jesus, “Hear Him,” the passage ends with the searching question: Are you truly listening?