Talmid Bible Study

In the story of Mary and Martha from Luke 10, we see two different responses to Jesus. Martha is busy and overwhelmed while Mary is turning her attention towards Jesus and His teaching. You can live like Martha—be busy, distracted, doing lots of things that feel important. Or you can live like Mary—focused, present, sitting with Jesus. One leaves you feeling overwhelmed and “never enough.” While the other gives you something that Jesus says himself, “will not be taken away from you.” 

I had the wonderful opportunity to lead candlelight at a local revival. We spent the evening reflect on the history of communion and Paul's words to the church of Corinth.

It's Wednesday night of Holy Week. In one house, the religious leaders are plotting to kill Jesus. In another, the disciples are confused by the anointing of Jesus from Mary. The plot begins to unfold as Judas runs away to betray Jesus. Who are you in this story?

What if Jesus isn’t meant to be part of your life, but your entire life? In this message from Colossians 3, we explore the danger of building your identity on things that can fade—success, relationships, status—and the emptiness that follows when Jesus is only added in when it’s convenient. Colossians 3 walks through four movements of real transformation: letting the old life die, removing what doesn’t belong, putting on the character of Christ, and allowing Jesus to reshape every area of your life. This isn’t about behavior management—it’s about heart transformation. If you’ve ever felt full but still empty, or like your faith is just one piece of your life instead of the foundation of it, this message will challenge you to rethink everything. Because Jesus didn’t come to be added to your equation—He came to be your entire life.

Do you like to complain about the Church? Everyone has preferences, but are their critiques of the Church founded in Scripture. Let's find out.

What if you’re doing all the right things, but still missing the point? In Luke13, Jesus tells the parable of The Barren Fig Tree that had everything it needed. It had time, resources, nutrients, and opportunity—but still produced nothing. Eventually the owner of the garden says, “Why should it keep wasting soil?” It’s possible to be around spiritual things, attend church, read your Bible, and still not produce the kind of fruit God is looking for. Exposure to truth is not the same as obedience to truth. Am I producing fruit or just taking up space?

What if the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the modern day Church? What would it say and who would it offend? Well, I had ChatGPT write "a letter from Paul to the modern church." It's comical, accurate, and thought-provoking. I plan to go through each section of this letter in future episodes—but until then—here's a dramatic reading of the letter and my initial thoughts.

In this message we contrast Genesis 3 with Matthew 4. Adam and Eve show us what not to do, but Jesus shows us what should be done. We explore the temptation of Jesus and what it means to live fully engaged in our faith. Discover how Jesus remained alert to the enemy’s schemes, armed with God’s Word, and aligned with the Father’s will. Learn how to spot spiritual deception, stand firm in truth, and follow Christ with wholehearted obedience.

Jesus didn’t call us to be fans—He called us to be disciples. In this sermon from John 1:14, we look at what it truly means to follow Christ in everyday life. We shouldn’t just believe in Him, we should also sound like Him. Our words reveal who we listen to, who we belong to, and who we love.If you’ve ever wondered whether your faith is evident outside of Sunday mornings, this message will challenge and encourage you to speak with grace, truth, and purpose.Your words should be windows that reveal Jesus, not walls that conceal Him.Check out the live preaching sermon here.

I recently had the opportunity to preach at my home church. It was a fun and unique experience. There were five speakers and each of us had five minutes to deliver a sermon. Here's the catch—we were each assigned one word or phrase from a single Bible verse. The church leadership chose Philippians 4:19 (ESV), "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."I was assigned the opening spot, "my God." It was a challenging, yet rewarding experience.Watch the full video here.

In this message from Colossians 3:12–17, we explore what it truly means to become new in Christ—not just by removing old habits, but by intentionally putting on the ways of Jesus. Paul calls us to put on the character of Christ, the relationships of Christ, and the worship of Christ. Rather than trying harder, we’re invited to live differently—allowing compassion, forgiveness, unity, and worship to shape our daily lives and witness. Becoming new is not accidental—it’s a daily, intentional practice of living out the identity we’ve already been given in Christ.

A reflection on James 4:13–17 and the call to live with humble dependence on God’s will. Through my own unexpected vocational journey, I explore how faithfulness in unplanned seasons—especially quiet, ordinary ones—can become meaningful places of growth, obedience, and purpose when surrendered to God.

In Part Two of the Becoming New series, we walk through Colossians 3:5–11 which shows us that real transformation requires putting the old self to death. Paul calls believers to purge old appetites, old reactions, and old identities—because you can’t step into a new life while holding on to old patterns.

Every year I choose a “word of the year.” It's usually a single word that serves as a spiritual north star rather than a list of resolutions. After walking through seasons of discipline and discernment, my word for this year is "available."In this episode, I reflect on the biblical pattern we see in Moses, Isaiah, and others—people who weren’t always ready, confident, or qualified—but who made themselves available to God. Availability, not readiness, is often the posture God uses most.This is a short devotional on what it means to live with open hands, to stop asking “Am I ready?” and start asking “Am I willing?”—and why God has never been limited by our readiness, but consistently works through our availability.

This sermon launches the Becoming New series by showing that lasting change flows from identity, not effort. Walking through Colossians 3:1–4, we unpack what it means to live as people who have been raised with Christ.

This episode marks a new beginning for this podcast feed. After a season of silence and reflection, Curtis shares why the show is changing and introduces Talmid Bible Study, a podcast devoted to Bible-based devotional and teaching content. Moving away from comedy, this feed will now focus on opening Scripture regularly, slowing down to listen, and letting God’s Word shape how we think, live, and love. Whether through devotionals or sermons the heart of this podcast is simple: to help listeners grow as faithful followers of Jesus.