The Crucifixion of Jesus: Why the Cross Matters at Christmas

Join hosts Mike Crump and Pastor Nathan Smith as they turn their attention from the birth of Jesus to the profound significance of the Cross, even during the Christmas season. Discover why Jesus's entire life, from the Incarnation to the Ascension, must be kept in mind to see the fullness of the gospel.

In this powerful episode, we delve into the three parts of the crucifixion narrative:

1. The Humiliation of the Son of God (Matthew 27:27-31)

Reflect on the shocking restraint of Jesus—the "infinite, raw, consuming holiness and omnipotent universe creating power"—as He was mocked, stripped, beaten, and crowned with thorns by Roman soldiers.

Understand the massive significance of the Incarnation: Jesus took on human flesh specifically to give His flesh in our place on the cross.

2. The Crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:17-22)

Explore the setting of Golgotha, the "place of a skull," where Jesus was crucified outside the city walls between two criminals.

Discuss the political tension surrounding Pilate's inscription: "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews," which fulfilled the prophecy that He is the promised Messiah.

Realize that Jesus's life was not taken from Him; He willfully laid it down, humbling himself to die a sinner's death for the forgiveness of sins.

3. The Death of the Messiah (Matthew 27:45-54)

Unpack the theological mystery of Jesus crying out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?". The divine communion was temporarily severed because Christ had become sin for sinners, but He did not cease to be God.

Learn the meaning of the darkness and earthquake, which were emblematic of God's wrath and fulfilled the prophetic "day of the Lord".

Examine the significance of the temple curtain being torn in two, representing that access into the Holy of Holies and to the throne of grace is now freely available through Christ's work.

See the resurrection of the saints after Christ's death as a prophetic "teaser" that resurrection will come through Christ for all who are in favor with God.

Why is the Cross essential for Christians today? Because it is at the cross that the wrath of God is satisfied, and believers receive His righteousness and reconciliation with God.

Next Week: We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus to propel us into 2026 with a great deal of hope.

Find clips and more at focusedonchrist.com.

🤖 Ep 147 AI and the Christian | Focused on Christ Podcast

Welcome to Focused on Christ, where we are passionate about exalting Christ and equipping the church.

In this episode, host Mike Crump and Pastor Nathan Smith dive into a critical, timely discussion: AI and how it relates to the Christian. Is this new technology a good thing, bad, or indifferent? They conclude that it "really depends on how it's used".

The discussion covers:

• Personal Use of AI: Mike and Nathan share their current approaches to AI, from creating videos and pictures to using it for quick information gathering.

  
  

• Defining AI: The hosts clarify that current AI is more like ANI (Artificial Narrow Intelligence)—machine-based systems that simulate specific human-like cognitive functions and are fundamentally mathematical equations—rather than the theoretical, apocalyptic AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) often portrayed in media.

  
  

• AI as a Powerful Tool: Nathan draws an illustration, comparing AI to a "technological Ferrari." It's a tool, but its increasing "horsepower" means the potential for destruction and trouble is exponentially greater than older technologies like books or the early internet.

  
  

• The Demonic and AI: They address concerns about AI being demonic, arguing that while AI is built on God's mathematical laws, the demonic can undoubtedly utilize AI for evil purposes. Furthermore, because AI learns from a "broken and sinful human," it will pick up sinful patterns of behavior and thought.

  
  

• The Church's Opportunity: The hosts express hope that in a world where AI-generated content makes it hard to discern truth, the church can stand as an unmoving "beacon of truth" grounded on an eternal, historic faith.

  
  

• AI in Spiritual Ministry: They tackle questions generated by AI itself, debating whether AI-generated sermons, music, or prayer content can be considered genuine spiritual ministry. They emphasize that Christian ministry is inherently people-on-people service that cannot be replaced by technology, though content can sometimes help.

  
  

• Studying the Bible: The episode concludes with a warning against using AI to "shortcut the research process" for theological content, as theological truth often "hangs on a few words" and accuracy must be verified against scripture to avoid heretical positions.

  
  

Final Encouragement: Regardless of how society shifts with technology, the believer is admonished to remember that Jesus wins the day and his Word and Church will stand.

Next Week: We will discuss the crucifixion of Jesus and its implications for us today.

Betrayal and Denial: Judas and Peter | Focused on Christ Ep 146

Join hosts Mike Crump and Pastor Nathan Smith as they "rewind" the trial of Jesus to focus on two key figures: Judas and Peter.

The discussion explores the similarities and critical differences between these two disciples, both called specifically by Christ. While both were disciples who had their own concepts of the Messiah , Judas was driven by earthly means like money and power, whereas Peter's mindset was more focused on seeing Israel restored.

• Betrayal vs. Denial: The episode compares Judas's premeditated act of betrayal for personal benefit—an exchange of value—to Peter's denial, which was a response of fear, not an active, premeditated evil.

  
  

• The Price of Betrayal: Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver , displaying a horrific lack of value for Christ, and his failure to negotiate suggested his view of Christ was "debased".

  
  

• The Kiss in Gethsemane: The act of betrayal was compounded by Judas using a kiss—a symbol of affection and close relationship—to identify Jesus, doubling down on the heinousness of the act.

  
  

• The Role of Satan: The discussion highlights that Satan explicitly entered Judas, who opened his heart to the demonic and acted as a vessel for Satan's will, yet was still totally complicit and responsible.

  
  

• Remorse and Repentance: A crucial distinction is made between Judas's worldly grief which led to self-destruction and death, and Peter's godly grief which produced brokenness and repentance. Judas never confessed his sin to God, but Peter "wept bitterly," broken over his sin.

  
  

• Christ's Intercession: The hosts reflect on the powerful moment when the Lord turned and looked at Peter after his third denial, suggesting that Christ was interceding for Peter in that moment, demonstrating affection and conviction while holding onto him.

The lives of Peter and Judas illustrate that perseverance shows who a person truly is—their "end" is indicative of who they really were. The great hope is that if we respond to Christ's conviction with repentance, it doesn't matter where we began; it matters where we finish.

Focused on Christ is a ministry of Heritage Baptist Church.

• Connect with us on social media and find more at focusedonchrist.com.

• Next week: Opening the mailbag and answering your questions!

Episode 145 - Jesus on Trial: Authority, Fear, and the Pursuit of Truth

Welcome to Focused on Christ! In this powerful episode, hosts Mike Crump and Pastor Nathan Smith dive into the dramatic and pivotal story of the trial of Jesus. We explore the events leading up to and during Christ's appearances before Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate.

• The Arrest and Peter's Sword: We begin by examining the moment of Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane, including Peter's impulsive act of cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant. Jesus rebukes Peter, emphasizing that His purpose is not to accomplish God's will through violence, contrasting this with the desire for worldly power. Jesus asserts that He could call down "more than 12 legions of angels" (around 72,000) but chooses not to, to fulfill the Scriptures.

  
  

• The Disciples' Flight: We discuss the fear that caused the disciples to abandon Jesus, with one young man even fleeing naked after being seized. This event illustrates the nature of humanity's focus on self-preservation in stark contrast to Christ’s selflessness.

  
  

• The Illegal Trial before Caiaphas: Jesus is led to Caiaphas, the high priest, where an illegal night trial takes place before the council (Sanhedrin). Caiaphas was installed by the Romans, but Annas (related to Caiaphas) was the de facto authority and orchestrator of hostility against Jesus. The council sought false testimony to put Jesus to death.

  
  

• Jesus' Confession and Rejection: When asked directly if He is the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus answers truthfully, referencing the prophecy of the Son of Man in Daniel. The high priest tears his robes, accusing Jesus of blasphemy, and the council declares He "deserves death". The irony is that the thing they rejected Jesus for was the truth: He is the Messiah, the Son of God.

  
  

• The Question of Truth before Pilate: Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, was present in Jerusalem due to the potential for rebellion during the Passover. Jesus tells Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world," and that He came to "bear witness to the truth". Pilate responds with the famous question, "What is truth?". Though Pilate finds "no guilt" in Jesus, he disregards the truth revealed to him.

  
  

This tragic yet essential moment illustrates God's sovereign plan to steward evil for His ultimate purpose of salvation.

Next week, we will continue the story by looking at the actions and ultimate fate of Peter and Judas during the time of Jesus' trial.

Focused on Christ is a ministry of Heritage Baptist Church.

• Connect with us online at focusedonchrist.com.

The Agony and Intimacy of Jesus' Last Hours: Last Supper & Gethsemane (Ep 144)

Join hosts Mike Crump and Pastor Nathan Smith on Focused on Christ as they dive into the profound moments leading up to Jesus' crucifixion during Passion Week. This episode explores the Last Supper (Passover) and the deeply significant Prayer in Gethsemane.

We begin by discussing the Passover—the major redemptive event of the Old Testament—where the blood of a lamb on the doorposts caused the destroying angel to "pass over". This event is a powerful foreshadowing of Christ's sacrifice.

• The Betrayer: Jesus reveals that one of the Twelve will betray him during this sacred meal, highlighting the intimacy of their relationship and the tragedy of Judas. The disciples' confusion shows that Judas was a remarkably good deceiver.

  
  

• Institution of Communion: Jesus links the new covenant in his blood directly to the Passover, identifying himself as the fulfillment of millennia of promise. Taking communion is an outward display of recognizing Jesus as "the one," bonding believers to Christ and to one another.

  
  

• Peter's Denial Foretold: As they head toward the Mount of Olives, Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him three times. This rebuke serves as a kindness, showing Jesus' foreknowledge and his determined plan to forgive and restore Peter, fulfilling the promise that he will lose none of his own.

  
  

The episode concludes in the Garden of Gethsemane, a moment considered one of the "holy of holies of Scripture".

• "Remove This Cup": Jesus prays, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done". This demonstrates Jesus' real volition and obedience to the Father's will, even when the asking is death.

  
  

• Profound Agony: Jesus' distress was so severe his sweat became like great drops of blood. The agony points to a suffering deeper than mere physical pain.

  
  

• Death of the Soul: The suffering involved Jesus laying bare or opening up his soul—the very core, essential, and eternal aspect of his being—to death. His "sole death" on the cross was far worse than the physical death.

  
  

Meditating on these events fuels worship and love for Christ, reminding the church that there is "no higher glory" than reflecting on what Jesus endured to pay our debt of sin.

Next Week: We will eavesdrop on the trial of Jesus before the religious leaders.

Focused on Christ is a ministry of Heritage Baptist Church.

Connect with us on social media or browse our library at focusedonchrist.com.

MailBag: Trinity, the Law, Demonic Warfare, and Divine

Impassibility | Focused on Christ Ep. 143

Welcome to Focused on Christ, where we are passionate about exalting Christ and equipping the church!

Join your host, Mike Crump, and Nathan Smith for a special Q&A episode—we're opening the mailbag to tackle some deep theological and practical questions.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Trinity and the Son's Knowledge: We start by expounding on how Jesus, the Son of Man, could say he did not know the time of the end (Matthew 24), reconciling this with the Trinitarian framework and Christ's shared divine omniscience with the Father and Holy Spirit. We discuss the unity of the divine essence and the different roles/operations of the three eternal persons of the Godhead.

  
  

• Divine Impassibility: What is the doctrine of divine impassibility (that God cannot suffer or feel pain)?. We explore how this is true of God in His base, original state, and how He was willing to step down in human flesh through the Son to suffer and feel genuine grief and pain for us.

  
  

• Upholding the Law (Romans 3:31): Logan asks what Paul means when he tells us to "uphold the law". The simple answer is that Christians uphold the law by pointing to Christ as the completion of the Law. We fulfill the law through faith and obedience to Christ.

  
  

• Wrestling with Demonic Influence: Elisa asks why the devil and demons can repeatedly oppress Christians even after being rebuked with the name or blood of Christ. We clarify that the concept of "claiming the blood" is not rooted in Scripture. Instead, Christians must understand that we still wrestle with principalities and authorities in this sinful world. We deal with this ongoing warfare by putting on the armor of God (faith, the Word, and knowledge of who you are in Christ) and confronting lies with truth.

  
  

• Defining Good Works: Cyre asks how a Christian should define good works and know if their life is pleasing to God. Good works are always an outflow of the Gospel and new heart affections to obey the Lord. We discuss how Christian maturity is marked by a growing awareness of our disobedience, which points us back to Christ's mercy, rather than a feeling of "being done" or fully pleasing to God.

  
  

Next Week: We will be visiting Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and discussing his prayer to the Father.

Connect with Us!

• Submit your questions for a future MailBag episode at focusedonchrist.com.

• Find more episodes and resources at focusedonchrist.com.

Jesus and the End Times: Separating Fact from Conspiracy | Focused on Christ Ep. 142

What goes through your mind when someone starts talking about the end times? For many, the conversation can quickly devolve into conspiracy theories and "newspaper theology". This episode addresses the nervousness and the fascination surrounding the return of Jesus, particularly after a recent viral "prophecy" led to disappointment for many.

Join hosts Mike Crump and Pastor Nathan Smith as they turn to the words of Jesus himself in Matthew 24 to understand the end of the age.

• The Danger of False Prophecies: Why even Christ-loving people can get pulled into unbiblical end times excitement. We look at a recent example of a viral prophecy that predicted Jesus' return on a specific date.

  
  

• The Context of Matthew 24: Jesus' conversation with his disciples begins with a strong declaration that the physical Temple, which they admired as a sign of the Kingdom, would be destroyed. Jesus warns them not to confuse the earthly with the heavenly kingdom.

  
  

• Wars, Famines, and Earthquakes: Are we in the end times? Jesus says these are just the "beginning of the birth pains," and the primary purpose of his warnings is pastoral—to shape their hearts and hope.

  
  

• The Abomination of Desolation: We unpack the meaning of this prophecy, rooted in Daniel, and explore the "near fulfillment" (like Antiochus Epiphanes and the destruction of Jerusalem) versus the "eventual fulfillment" that is yet to come.

  
  

• Why the Son Doesn't Know the Hour: Addressing the complex question from Matthew 24:36. We explain how this is a statement about the Father's decreeing authority within the Trinity, not a limitation of Jesus' divine nature.

  
  

• The Final Judgment: Looking ahead to Matthew 25:31-33, when the Son of Man returns in glory to separate the sheep from the goats—the ultimate final judgment.

  
  

• The Church's End Times Mandate: Jesus gives these teachings so we are not deceived by false prophets and so we are not alarmed when the world is chaotic. We have final confidence in gospel victory—Jesus Christ emerges the victor.

  
  

Tune in to anchor your hope in Christ's return, not in fleeting conspiracy theories!

Focused on Christ is a ministry of Heritage Baptist Church, passionate about exalting Christ and equipping the church.

Host: Mike Crump Guest: Pastor Nathan Smith

Connect with us:Browse our library at focusedonchrist.com Follow us on social media

Next Week: We open up the mailbag and grill Nathan with listener questions!

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree | Focused on Christ Ep. 141

In this episode of Focused on Christ, Pastors Mike and Nathan unpack one of the most misunderstood moments in Jesus’ ministry — when He cursed the fig tree. Was Jesus simply angry or hangry, or is there a much deeper message hidden in this symbolic act?

Join us as we:

🌿 Explore the Old Testament roots of the fig tree as a symbol for Israel.

🏛️ Connect the cursing of the fig tree to the cleansing of the temple.

🙏 Discover what Jesus teaches about true faith, prayer, and forgiveness.

🔥 Unpack the parable of the fig tree in Luke 13 and its picture of God’s patience, judgment, and redemption.

This episode reminds us that fruitfulness reveals true life in Christ — and that real faith produces both love for God and forgiveness toward others.

Article on the Synoptic Problem: https://drbarrick.org/?p=103

📖 Scripture References:

Mark 11:12–25

Matthew 21:18–22

Luke 13:6–9

John 15

🎧 Listen and grow as we fix our hearts and minds on Christ, seeing His glory even in the smallest details of Scripture.

🔗 Connect with us:

Website: https://focusedonchrist.com

Podcast: Focused on Christ – available on all major platforms

Church: Heritage Baptist Church

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