The 66 Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ashville Road Church of Christ
A podcast for students of God’s Word. Our podcast is designed to survey the 66 books of the Bible through a three-step study: 1.Read. First, we read the text and provide a basic outline of the material. 2. Think. Next, we dig a little bit deeper into some key aspects of the passage (i.e. key words/phrases, the historical/cultural/Biblical context, theological implications, etc.) 3. Apply. In the final section of the podcast, we discuss how the Scriptures apply to the Christian life today.
The 66 Podcast is a part of the ministries of the Ashville Road Church of Christ in Leeds, AL. Drew Kizer has been the minister at the Ashville Road Church of Christ since 2000. He is the author of several books, including The Cast of the Cross (available online at Amazon or Barnes & Noble).
Andrew Kingsley has been the youth and family minister at Ashville Road since 2012. Andrew graduated from Faulkner University with a BA in Biblical Languages and is currently pursuing his MA in New Testament. For more info on Ashville Road, Drew, or Andrew check out arcoc.com.
As Paul brings this letter to a close, he returns to the issue of the “idle” (ataktoi). The word means “loafers,” “freeloaders,” “spongers,” “disorderly,” or “unruly.” Having already mentioned them in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, he mentions them three times in 2 Thessalonians 3 (vv. 6, 7, 11).
Persecution wasn’t the only problem plaguing the Thessalonians. They were also facing the problem of false teaching. Misunderstandings regarding the second coming still threatened to shake the church’s spiritual stability. In response, Paul answers five important questions. His answers supplement the teaching from the first epistle and the instruction he gave during his short time with the Thessalonians.
The second epistle to the Thessalonians was probably written shortly after the first. Between the writing of the two epistles, while Paul remained in Corinth with Timothy and Silas, the apostle received another report about the church in Thessalonica (3:11). Among other things, he heard that the persecution Paul experienced in Thessalonica continued to threaten the church that he had established (Acts 17:1-9). Paul’s second epistle to the Thessalonians begins with encouragement to a group of Christians who are facing serious affliction.
Last episode, we discussed 1 Thessalonians 4, where Paul answers the question, "What happens after death?" This week he answers another, similar question, "What will happen at the end of the world?"
Because Paul had so little time with the church at Thessalonica, they misunderstood some of the most troubling questions of reality: questions about death and life after death.
1 Thessalonians 3 shows the results of investing your soul in ministry. During those days when Paul had no news concerning the Thessalonians' welfare, Paul's concerns were "unbearable" (vv. 1, 5; cf. Acts 17:15-16; 2 Cor. 11:28). Was it worth the risk?
Paul discusses the development of the church at Thessalonica in four stages of progression.
The leaders of Israel had failed miserably. Join us as we discuss Ezekiel's prophecy of the days when Israel would be led by a new, capable shepherd.
What would you expect to find in a world without GOD? Sorrow. Falsehood. Pain. Injustice. Selfishness. Indifference to morality. Perhaps it’s a world not too unlike our world today. The nation of Judah was meant to be a light in such a world. In this episode, we cover GOD's HIS judgment on the seven nations who committed adultery with Judah.
A year after Ezekiel's first vision he again sees the glory of GOD. This time Ezekiel will witness idolatry, destruction, and the departure of GOD's glory from the temple.
The Lord gives Ezekiel four parables explaining the plight of the Jews in Babylonian captivity.
Ezekiel begins his life of proclaiming God’s word by acting out four symbols before the people. By the end of chapter five, Ezekiel creates a model of the siege of Jerusalem, lays down without moving for 430 days, starves himself, and shaves his head and face bald - all to depict Judah’s coming punishment.
Nearly five years after being exiled from Jerusalem, a young priest was called by God to serve as the watchman of Israel. The vision that Ezekiel sees is too great for him to handle; he is left overwhelmed for seven days afterward. Join us as we discover what brought this priest to such a state.
Titus 3 combines the efforts of God and man to bring about salvation. In the text we’ll see three things: Christianity has been historically achieved by God. Now it must be affirmed and amplified.
Titus was to "declare these things...with all authority" (Titus 2:15). What things? And by what authority?
A person’s last words are often significant. They measure one’s whole life. 2 Timothy 4 is the last inspired chapter Paul wrote. Writing from the prison cell that served as his final residence, the apostle gave three final admonitions to Timothy.
As Paul draws near to the close of his final address to Timothy, he gives the young minister sound advice for navigating the storms ahead. He warns Timothy that certain people among the congregation in Ephesus will soon begin to reject his gospel. To combat the misguided teachings of others, Paul encourages Timothy to hold fast to the example and to the gospel which he had learned from the apostle Paul.
Paul urges Timothy to be a an approved worker (2 Tim. 2:15). What does it mean to work hard as a minister of the gospel? And what does it mean to be set aside for good works?
The circumstances surrounding Paul’s second letter to Timothy are much different from those attending his first letter. Paul is now enduring his final imprisonment. He knows that the “time of his departure has come” (4:6). Maybe this is why he is so introspective as he begins what has been called “Paul’s Farewell Letter.” In chapter 1 Paul reveals what is going on in his soul.
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In this last chapter of 1 Timothy, Paul explains how Christians should live in the "present age" (v. 17) by keeping the return of the Lord at the "proper time" (v. 15) in perspective.
In the last chapter, Paul encouraged Timothy, saying, “Let no one despise you for your youth” (4:12). Now the apostle turns to the other side of the coin and addresses the respect that should be shown for those who are older: “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father…older women as mothers” (5:1). How should the elderly be treated in the church? Paul discusses three examples so that Christians may learn how properly to respect this valuable group in the church.
The believers in Ephesus had a choice to make: listen to the words of faith from Timothy or listen to the words of deceit, myths, and meaningless debate from the false teachers. In this chapter, Paul encourages Timothy to stay immersed in the words of faith in order to combat the deceit in Ephesus and to win the souls of the Ephesian people.
1 Timothy 3 begins with Paul saying, “The saying is trustworthy.” All of the words the apostle Paul wrote by inspiration are important, but this introductory phrase suggests that he wants his readers to pay close attention to what he is about to say in 1 Timothy 3. Why? Because he is beginning a discussion on the qualifications of elders and deacons, a matter that has a powerful effect on the health and wellbeing of any congregation of the Lord’s church.
Having warned Timothy about the danger of distractions in the church at Ephesus, in 1 Timothy 2 Paul turns to the subject of order in the church. This same apostle wrote that “God is not a God of confusion but of peace” and commanded the church at Corinth, saying, “All things should be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:33, 40). His commands in 1 Timothy 2 are challenging in our libertine, “anything goes” society, but that doesn’t make them less true.
The church in Ephesus was very important to Paul. Paul had spent three years with this church, and now he has left it in the hands of his “true child in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2), Timothy. Paul met Timothy in Lystra on his second missionary journey. Timothy had learned about Christ from his Jewish mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5). Although his father was Greek, Timothy had become a Christian, and Paul was so impressed that he invited him to join him and the others as they continued their mission efforts (Acts 16:1-5). Timothy was a gifted preacher (1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6), but like all of us, he struggled with weaknesses (1 Tim. 4:12; 5:23; 2 Tim. 1:7).At the time of the writing of 1 Timothy, the church in Ephesus was struggling with a lack of focus. In 1 Timothy 1, Paul instructs his young friend on how to stay the course.
The time of the end has come! Join us as we end our study of Daniel in this discussion of one of the most incredible prophecies in the Bible.
Study with us in the only prophecy that uses the term "Messiah" concerning Jesus in the Old Testament.
Having finished the narrative portion of Daniel, we move into the prophecies and visions of the second half of the book.
Having survived the entire Babylonian captivity, Daniel and the rest of the Israelite captives are introduced to a new empire: Persia. Join us as we discuss some potentially unfamiliar themes in a familiar story.
It's the final night of the Babylonian empire. Outside the city, the Persian army prepares their attack. Inside the city, the king of Babylon is having a celebration. Listen and find out what happens to the king of Babylon on his final night.
Standing against an enemy is sometimes difficult, but what about standing against your own people? Check out our episode on the Fiery Furnace of Daniel 3!
In this episode we cover Daniel 2 with Jordan Ware, Youth & Family Minister at the Decatur Highway Church of Christ in Gardendale, AL.
Join us as we begin a new study in the book of Daniel. Our first episode introduces the book and covers the first chapter.
Listen in for our final episode on Romans! In this episode we cover the final three chapters of the book.
In chapter 12, the focus shifts from the doctrine of the gospel to the application of the gospel. In chapter 12 alone we see as many as 21 characteristics of the transformed Christian mind. Join us as we study through the practicality of living out the Gospel.
In our study of Romans 9-11, our main focus is GOD's sovereign ability to choose whom HE will save and how HE will save them.
After proving justification by faith, Paul shows his Roman readers how they have been set free by faith in chapters 6-8. Paul reveals that we have been set free from sin (chapter 6), from the Law (chapter 7), and even from death (chapter 8).
After proving that none are righteous except GOD alone in chapters 1-3:20, Paul moves on to explain the good news of the Gospel of Christ in the following chapters. He begins his explanation of the gospel by making the point that we are justified by faith apart from works of the law (3:28).
Paul’s explanation of the gospel starts off with the need for salvation (or the why). In the case of the cross, the good news is only necessary on account of the bad news.
Often referred to as “Paul’s Gospel,” Romans is Paul's carefully crafted explanation of the good news of Christ.
A short, often overlooked book full of rich, thought provoking content concerning the marriage relationship - "the Song of Songs, which is Solomon's."
The bitter punishment of the nation of Israel had been realized. What was once a radiant light shining from the hill was now nothing more than a flickering glow hidden underneath the ruin of the once-mighty Jerusalem. The “gods” which Israel had chosen to protect them had failed miserably, while the true GOD was preparing to heal the wound of HIS fallen people.
The assassination of Gedaliah began a twenty-six-year period of no rule in Judah. In the absence of an official leader, Johanan does his best to organize the people near Bethlehem. What shall they do? The consensus was to flee to Egypt to avoid Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath. But first, they decided to hear what the Lord through Jeremiah had to say. Jeremiah had described his people as “having eyes but not seeing, having ears but not hearing” (Jeremiah 5:21). The people’s response to his prophecy proves that description to be correct.
2 Kings 24:20 reveals why Jerusalem met its tragic end: “For because of the anger of the Lord it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence.” God’s patience had run its course, and it was time to end his relationship with his people, with most of them anyway.
During Jerusalem’s waning years, the officials of king Zedekiah threw one of the cities’ few righteous men into a deep, dark, ineffective cistern. As it turns out, the cistern that served as Jeremiah’s prison also served as an excellent metaphor for the king’s psychological state. Throughout Jeremiah chapters 37-38, Zedekiah wears a number of “faces,” all revealing his weakness as a leader over God’s people.
How do you know when someone's lying to you? The truth is pretty important, so we must have some way of knowing whether or not a person is lying to us. Jeremiah dealt with liars. They were misleading the nation he was appointed to guide. What did he do to expose their falsehood? In this lesson we will learn the tactics and the demise of those who twist the truth.
Isaiah said, “As with the people, so with the priest” (Isaiah 24:2). Whether the institution is a family, a government, a school, a business, or a church, the people believe and behave much like their leaders. Poor leaders make for an evil nation. Jeremiah reveals this to be true in this lesson.
Discouragement comes in many forms at many times. In Jeremiah 20, discouragement came to Jeremiah in the form of intense public humiliation at the hands of a prominent priest. Jeremiah’s personal doubts and secret thoughts are laid out before GOD after a night in the stocks.
In spite of God’s constant pleading with the Israelites to turn back to Him, the Israelites continued to disregard the commands of their Lord. Israel’s deep betrayal is exposed in a new light in Jeremiah 35 by a living parable of the loyalty of an obscure sect of Kenite people known as the Rechabites.
Evil men have tried to destroy the Word of God since God inspired prophets and apostles to write it down, yet the strategies of these enemies seem to be powerless against the Bible’s eternal words.
The section of Scripture from Jeremiah 7-11 is known as the “Temple Sermon” or the “Sanctuary Sermon.” While chapters 7-11 give the content of the sermon, chapter 26 records the narrative surrounding the sermon. Join us as we explore one of Jeremiah's great sermons.
Jeremiah had scolded his people, saying, “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not” (5:21). Perhaps this is why we see so many object lessons in his prophecy. Jeremiah was a preacher who had a tough audience. He used every means possible to penetrate the stubborn minds of his generation.
The imagery of GOD as the Husband of HIS people flows throughout the Bible (Hos. 1:2; Matt. 25:10-12; Rom. 7:4; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25-32; Rev 19:7). As with all marriages, the description of GOD's relationship with HIS people introduces the potential for love, joy, hurt, and betrayal. Jeremiah 2-6 takes a detailed look at the breakdown of the marriage between GOD and Judah during the early days of King Josiah's reign (609-604 B.C.).
Jeremiah chapter 1 serves as the prologue to a long, difficult life as a prophet for Jeremiah. In this first episode on Jeremiah we cover the text of Jeremiah's call in chapter 1, offer a brief introduction of the time period, the historical figures and themes of the book, and apply the lessons learned from chapter one in closing.
The single most important day in human history: the resurrection of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Recognized by many as one of the most touching chapters of the gospel story, John 17 records our Lord's prayer to the Father on behalf of Himself, His apostles, and all who might believe through His apostles.
John 14-16 records Jesus's final teachings to His apostles before His crucifixion. In this episode, we discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the authority of the apostles, and the relationship between Jesus and His apostles through the gospel story.
John 13 begins the private ministry of Jesus to his 12 apostles. In this episode we discuss the significance of foot washing, questions concerning Satan's role in the betrayal committed by Judas, Peter's continued growth and the foreshadowing of the coming death and resurrection of Christ.
Chapter 12 brings the public ministry of Jesus to a close and introduces the final week of the life of Christ. After raising Lazarus from the dead and departing to the wilderness for a time, Jesus returns to Bethany six days before the Passover. Within the next two days Mary will anoint Jesus, the Jews will want to kill Lazarus, and Jesus will make His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem.
Why would Jesus allow His friend Lazarus to die when He easily could have healed him of his illness? In our episode on John 11, we cover the seventh and final sign of Jesus recorded in the book of John (excluding His own resurrection) as well as the reaction of the High Priest Caiaphas.
It's been nearly three months since Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. The Jews have tried (unsuccessfully) to arrest Jesus twice because of His lofty claims about Himself (per John 8:58). As John 10 beings, Jesus is walking in the Temple in Solomon's colonnade at the time of the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah). The Jews surround Him and ask, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." At the words of Jesus's final reply, the Jews are ready to stone Him once again.
Listen and discover why the Jews did not accept Jesus as their good shepherd.
As far as our timeline in John’s gospel is concerned, John 8 contains the most controversial statement of Jesus thus far in His ministry: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” Why was this statement so controversial among the Jews? Listen and find out! Let us know what you think in the comment section.
By the time we reach John 7, the Jews in Judea are seeking to kill Jesus. With the Feast of Booths approaching, Jesus’s brothers challenge Him to make an entrance at the feast and to show the people His works. Jesus does not make a grand entrance to the feast but He does attend and His teachings cause the Jews to create controversy among themselves. Listen to our episode on John 7 and let us know what you think about the teachings of Jesus from John 7.
John 6 contains two of the signs of Jesus as seen in John’s gospel. In this episode, we discuss the significance of the two signs and their relation to Jesus’ discourse about the bread of life (during which He makes the first “I Am” statement of John’s gospel). Let us know what you think about John 6 in the comments below.
In this episode, we cover the miracle at the Pool of Bethesda in John 5. What exactly was going on with the “stirring of the water”? Does Jesus really claim equality with GOD? We discuss these questions and more in this episode. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think about John 5.
John 3 is nearly evenly divided between two scenes: 1) Jesus & Nicodemus and 2) John the Baptist & his disciples. Studying chapter 3 raises some questions dealing with baptism, the Holy Spirit, and the deity of Christ.
The second chapter of John has been the topic of its fair share of controversy. Miracles, alcohol and righteous anger are issues that are commonly debated when discussing this chapter. In this episode we look into the meaning behind the first of the signs of Jesus in order to shed some light on the debates surrounding this chapter.
Our second episode on John covers 1:19 through the end of the chapter. In this episode we discuss John the Baptist’s connection to Elijah, the baptism of John, the deity of Christ and Jewish expectations for the Messiah.
Our first episode on John covers one of the most theologically significant passages in the New Testament: John 1:1-18. In this episode we discuss the deity of Christ and the impact of His deity on every aspect of our lives.
In this episode, we discuss Paul’s plea for Onesimus to Philemon. Our study of Philemon leads us into Christian humility, the Biblical teachings on slavery, and the organization of the church in Colossae at the time of the writing of this letter.
Joel is an important book of prophecy for students of the Old Testament and New Testament alike. Scriptures from Joel are quoted several times in the New Testament. In this book of prophecy, Joel tells of a locust plague that had befallen Israel, warns the people of Israel to repent from their ways, and promises the blessings of God if the people can turn back to him.
In our final episode on Philippians, we focus on 4:10-23. We discuss what made the Philippians so unique and special to Paul, the “secret” of contentment and the importance of giving.
In Philippians 3:17 - 4:9, Paul gives the Philippians 8 different ways to have a joy that endures.
Philippians 3:1 contains one of the theme phrases of the entire letter: Rejoice in the Lord. Through the next 15 verses, Paul explains why we are able to rejoice in the Lord. In this episode we study and discuss Paul's comments on the flesh, the faith, and the future with regards to our joy in Christ.
Philippians 2 closes with Paul discussing his plans for the near future. Within those plans, we get a glimpse into two of the men that Paul was honored to call "fellow workers": Timothy and Epaphroditus.
In this episode we finish up Paul’s instruction on how to complete his joy (which he began back in 1:27). In Philippians 2:12-18, Paul instructs the Philippians to “work out their own salvation” by stopping their grumbling, living blameless lives, and holding forth the word of life through evangelism.
Our text for this episode (Philippians 2:1-11) contains some of the deepest content in the entire New Testament. In Philippians 2:1-11, Paul encourages the Philippians to maintain unity through Christ-like humility. The picture that Paul paints of the humility of Christ in Philippians 2:5-11 is absolutely staggering.
“Life is 10% circumstance and 90% attitude.” The apostle Paul serves as a near-perfect example of the old adage. Although his circumstances under house arrest in Rome were bleak, Paul chose to focus only on the positives of the situation. In this episode, we discuss Paul’s impressive attitude as it is seen in Philippians 1:12 – 30.
Paul’s letter to the Philippians is full of joy. In this episode, we follow the first 11 verses to introduce the letter by getting into the authorship, date, and background of the letter.
Although often overlooked as an obscure minor prophet, the book of Habakkuk is loaded with applications and lessons for Christians to learn from. The apostle Paul quoted Habakkuk in his letter to the Romans and in his letter to the Galatians. In this episode, we cover the story of Habakkuk and discuss its relevance to Christianity today.
With this episode our series on the Restoration of Israel comes to a close. The final chapters of the book of Esther reveal how honor was restored to the Jewish people after the execution of Haman. Haman's death is not the end of this story.
Our first episode of Esther covers chapters 1-2. Esther will come from humble, sad beginnings to ultimately restore honor to the Jewish people. There is much more to this story than you learned in your Sunday school class as a child.
In our final episode on Nehemiah we cover chapters 8-13. The walls surrounding Jerusalem have finally been rebuilt and now Ezra and Nehemiah will take on an even greater problem: rebuilding the spiritual walls of the people.
In this episode we cover Nehemiah 6:15 - 7:73. Our text for this episode reveals how Nehemiah is finally able to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. We also discuss the practical application of the phrase "the LORD will provide.
Our third episode of Nehemiah covers Nehemiah 2:19-6:14. Nehemiah puts his plan into motion to rebuild the city of Jerusalem but (much like Ezra) Nehemiah is faced with serious opposition.
Nehemiah chapter 2 shows us that Nehemiah knew how to create a vision and how to put together a plan to make his vision a reality. What is your vision for your life? Does it involve GOD? We can all take some cues from Nehemiah in order to learn how to change our envisioned ideas into reality.
Our first episode on the book of Nehemiah focuses on chapter 1. In the first chapter of the book we are introduced to Nehemiah and the problem that stands in front of him.
Ezra leads a group of almost 2,000 Jewish men (along with their wives and children) on a 3.5 month journey to their home - Jerusalem. Once Ezra and his companions arrive in Jerusalem, they are faced with a grave problem.
Ezra himself is introduced into the story of the restoration of Israel. Ezra will ultimately play a large part in restoring the Law of Moses among the Jewish people.
In 538 B.C. the absolute center of Jewish culture was GOD. To the Jew of the 6th century B.C. the presence of GOD dwelt in one place and one place alone- the Temple of Jerusalem. At the beginning of Ezra 3 the very heart of Jewish worship, the once great Temple, lies in ruins. Zerubbabel begins to rebuild the Temple, but opposition is quick to follow.
Our first episode on Ezra covers chapters 1 & 2. The book of Ezra picks up the history of Israel right where the book of 2 Chronicles leaves off. The people of Israel had been exiled from their home and from their way of life. They were on the brink of losing their entire culture. Now, after 70 years of captivity, the restoration of Israel will begin.