In this episode, host Matthew Castro explores the profound biblical themes of waiting, suffering, and redemption, drawing connections between the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel and the timeless Christmas carol, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.

This episode reflects on the experiences of barrenness and societal rejection faced by Hannah and other biblical women, emphasizing God's sovereignty and grace in their stories. He examines how Hannah's faithful prayer and her eventual offering of Samuel to the Lord parallel Mary's Magnificat and the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises through Christ.

This episode delves into the theological concept of "eucatastrophe"—where darkness turns to light—and highlights how Christ's coming, life, death, and resurrection bring hope and exaltation to the humble and lowly. Join Matthew as he meditates on how the carol's lyrics resonate with the biblical narrative of reversal, comfort, and the joy of God's redeeming work.

Key Themes:

• Hannah's story of barrenness and God's provision.
• Parallels between Hannah's prayer and Mary's Magnificat.
• The carol's reflection on suffering, strife, and ultimate redemption.
• The concept of eucatastrophe in the Christmas story and beyond.

Listen in for an inspiring Advent reflection as we approach the celebration of Christ's birth.

In episode four of our Advent series, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," we explore the themes of redemption and grace through the story of Ruth and Naomi. Inspired by the song "He Who Is Mighty" from Sovereign Grace Music, we reflect on how God lifts our shame and transforms lives through His kindness. Ruth's faithfulness, Naomi's restoration, and Boaz's role as a redeemer beautifully illustrate God's unwavering grace, even amid human failure. We connect their story to the greater narrative of Christ’s ultimate redemption, highlighting how He removes our shame and grants us honor. Join us as we celebrate the hope and joy of a Savior who conquers sin and death, offering us a new identity and eternal joy.

In episode three of our Advent podcast devotion, titled "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus," we dive into the themes of grace and waiting as we explore the story of Jacob from the Bible. Inspired by the Christmas hymn written by Charles Wesley, we discuss how the song's lyrics highlight Christ's kingship and the grace through which we are saved. Through Jacob's tumultuous journey—marked by deception, waiting, and reconciliation—we see the thread of God's unwavering promises and grace, leading to the fulfillment of the ultimate promise in Jesus Christ. Join us as we reflect on the hope, joy, and redemption found in the Christmas story, tracing the line of Judah to the baby born to reign forever.

In Episode 2 of O Come, O Come Emmanuel, we continue our Advent journey by exploring the story of Abraham and Sarah, a narrative deeply rooted in the theme of waiting. Like many stories throughout Scripture, their experience reflects the tension between God’s promises and the human struggle to trust His timing.

Titled after the Sovereign Grace song Prepare Him Room, this episode delves into God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises, even when circumstances seem impossible. Abraham and Sarah’s story demonstrates both the challenges of waiting and the beauty of faith in God’s unwavering commitment to His word. Despite moments of doubt and human attempts to control outcomes, God delivered on His promise, bringing forth Isaac as a sign of His faithfulness and foreshadowing the ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

We discuss how this narrative connects to the broader story of redemption, from God’s promise in Genesis 3:15 to the birth of Jesus, the ultimate offspring who came to crush the serpent’s head. By reflecting on Abraham’s faith, counted as righteousness, we see the power of trusting in God’s promises, a central theme that carries through to the Christmas story and beyond.

As we look at examples of faith from Abraham to Mary and Joseph, we’re reminded that God’s promises are always true, even during seasons of waiting or uncertainty. Their trust in God encourages us to rely on His faithfulness and perfect timing in our own lives.

Join us as we celebrate God’s fulfilled promise in Jesus, the blazing light in the darkness, and the Word of Life for the hungry. Prepare Him room in your heart this Advent season, and rejoice in the faithfulness of the God who always keeps His promises. Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!

Episode 1: "Hark the Herald Angel Sing" Welcome to O Come, O Come Emmanuel, our daily Advent devotional series. In this first episode, we dive into the theme of waiting as we explore the story of God's first promise to humanity in Genesis 3. Following the Fall, God declares to Adam and Eve a future hope: the coming of an offspring who will crush the serpent's head. This promise, often referred to as the protoevangelium or "first gospel," sets the stage for the entire biblical narrative of redemption.

We also reflect on the often-overlooked connections between this promise and the Christmas season, focusing on the theme of waiting and anticipation that runs throughout Scripture. As we journey from the garden to the manger, we'll discuss the significance of Christ as the "snake crusher" and celebrate God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises.

To close the episode, we highlight the classic Christmas hymn Hark! The Herald Angels Sing by Charles Wesley, focusing on a lesser-known verse that beautifully echoes the promise of Genesis 3:15.

Join us as we prepare our hearts for Christmas by reflecting on the ancient promise of Emmanuel—God with us.

Kevin DeYoung, "The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden"

You can also read a blog article from this podcast episode here: Blog Article

In this special Christmas podcast series, Matthew Castro and his wife, Lisa, introduce a 12-episode devotional journey exploring the theme of waiting in Scripture. Reflecting on the experiences of God’s people waiting for the fulfillment of His promises, they’ll share insights from key biblical passages leading up to Christmas.

The Castros discuss their favorite Christmas music, including Oh Holy Night, Sovereign Grace's Prepare Him Room, and Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God, tying in the themes of hope and expectation that resonate throughout Advent.

Starting December 1st, each 10-minute episode will guide listeners through stories of waiting, encouraging reflection and preparation for Christ’s coming. For those who prefer reading, the content will also be available in written form.

Tune in to deepen your Advent experience and focus your heart on Christ this Christmas season!

I. Introduction: Did God actually say?

• Today’s class: not focusing on individual commands on sex, but rather the whole biblical vision for marriage and sexuality

II. God’s Design for Marriage and Sex:

• Gen 1:27-28: Male & female he created them… “be fruitful and multiply”

• Gen 2:22-25 “They shall become one flesh”

• Eph 5:28-32: Marriage as a one flesh union (Song 6:3)

What is marriage? A covenantal, bodily union of one man and one woman, open to the gift of procreation, symbolic of the relationship between Christ and the church.

1. Marriage is covenantal
2. Marriage is bodily union
3. Marriage is a union of one man and one woman

1. Procreation is one of the designed ends for marriage
2. Marriage is a picture of two distinct parties in covenantal union

The lesson? Marriage and sex are mutually interpreting realities.

• True sex vs. counterfeit sex
• Making sense of chapters like Leviticus 18 and 1 Corinthians 6

III. Sex as Fulfillment? The Example of Jesus

• Fulfilling personal desires as the foundation for morality?

• The “sexuality of Jesus”

1. Jesus is a fully human man

1. Jesus took on a body capable of sex

• Jesus’ intimate friendships and real human sufferings

• Matthew 19:12: “Eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven”

IV. Same-Sex Attraction

1. Fallen people have fallen desires (Jer 17:9, Eph 2:3, Titus 3:3)
2. What if someone is “born that way?” (Ps 51:5)
3. All sins make us equally deserving of condemnation, yet some sins are particularly consequential denials of God’s design
4. A posture of compassion and speaking the truth in love

V. Concluding Application

1. We should honor marriage (Heb 13:4)
2. We should honor singleness (1 Cor 7:8)
3. We should cultivate strong friendships in the family of God

Gender Confusion

I. Introduction

1. Gender Dysphoria

1. Transgenderism

II. A Biblical Theology of Gender and the Human Body

A. God created men and women in His own image.

• Genesis 1:27-28, 31 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.... And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”

• Genesis 2:25 “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

• Psalm 139:13-14 “For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

• Christian view: gender includes

1. Physical body
2. God-given dispositions/inclinations
3. Cultural expressions that may vary across time

• Secular view:
  1. Sex = physical body
  2. Gender = psychological identity

B. The fall has distorted us in body and mind.

• Genesis 3:16-19: the curse of death à bodily sickness and abnormalities

• Romans 1:18, 21 à the results of the fall in our hearts ... who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth... they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

• Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

• The reality of fallen self-perception

• The consequences of rejecting God’s design

• Our bodies: not blank canvases, but flawed masterpiece.

• The hope of Christ: Titus 3:3-4 “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray.... But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us...”

C. The resurrection affirms the goodness of the gendered body.

• The resurrection of Jesus as a man

• 1 Corinthians 15 – glorified bodies, yet continuity of personhood

• Transgenderism: psychological identity trumps physical anatomy

• Christianity: we are united, body and soul. The body is good!

III. Loving Our Neighbors in a World of Gender Confusion

A. Seek Wisdom

B. Adopt a Posture of Compassion

C. Speak the Truth and the Gospel in Love

D. Call Others to Realistic Repentance

E. Persevere by God’s Grace