Lighthouse Podcast: Recent Episodes
Greenville Church of Christ
Jesus said in Matthew 5:15 that no one intends to put a light under a basket so that it’s hidden. Instead, the light is intended to give light to all who are in the house. Lighthouse Podcast explores Jesus’ teaching as light and hope.
There’s no comparison between Moses and Jesus. Jesus fulfilled Moses’ prophetic agency but did he replace Moses?
Addressing how to become a part of what God is doing in the world. Differences in approach to explaining the idea of covenant and who the father of faith really is.
Cursed? Divine Retribution? Sin of pride? Mutiny? Pyschosis? We explore these comments by Mark.
Moore seems to focus on pride. Thick brush strokes with the narrative of the fall in the garden.
We reflect on the approach taken to define the image of God. Moore considers the different nature of animals first, in contrast to humans. Ty considers the nature of Jesus first in contrast to ancient narratives of other cultures.
Introductory episode. Who created this world? Why did God create this world? How did God restore creation?
Founding Fathers. Declaration of Independence. Constitution. What do these images provoke in the American mind? American Revolution, of course. …Out of Egypt. Baptizing in much water. Temptation in the wilderness. Sounds like Matthew is retelling Israel’s story. Matthew is retelling Israel’s story and it’s fulfillment in Jesus. Now to the mountain…
The class makes a short list to begin conversation, and then discusses the contributions in greater detail.
You’re sitting at lunch with four other colleagues and someone admits that they don’t believe in Jesus or the Bible or that one man could die for the sins of humanity, but they believe they’re going to hell and they still believe in God. They are clearly frustrated. How do you respond? Should you? …In this episode we begin talking about this with a discussion from Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson about the bedrock nature of the Bible.
2 Timothy 1:8-14 discusses honor and shame. Timothy is to not distance himself from Paul because of the cultural perception of imprisonment which is shameful. Paul suffers for the right reason, the real King. Does our world attempt to teach us the appropriate differences between heavenly honor and shame?
Wednesday night class. Beginning discussions on hermeneutics in regard to what the vocation of the church is.
Paul recognizes Timothy’s need to fan into flame the gift he was given. What is Timothy’s gift? What’s your gift, and why do we each have gifts?
What is the church supposed to be doing? How are they to worship and serve? Are there any clues or patterns in Scripture to help us answer these questions and others that follow?
A Samaritan is a hated enemy. Jesus was called a Samaritan and not in a good way. What is going on with this trapping Torah expert? Is he the clean cut Jew with his ducks in a row or does he represent the problem Israel faces in the world in the midst of the nations? What should this passage teach the Church today?
Two major visions for Israel’s way forward meet on the road. One asks who is a neighbor to Israel. The other asks who Israel should be a neighbor to. Jesus, as usual, reframes the Messianic mission for a Torah lawyer. How does he do it? Parable, of course…
What do we say is important about real estate? Location. Location. Location. For the real estate of the Church in the world it’s all about Reputation, Reputation, Reputation. These Virtues the Apostle Paul speaks of in 1 Timothy 3 aren’t spoken of in a vacuum as if he preferred some believers over others. Paul is concerned about the future witness of the Gospel and King Jesus in a world that will look for light as well as love darkness. How should we understand these lists of Paul?
World institutions have created a culture of insecurity and a deterioration of public and private trust. This is a perfect opportunity for the church to create security in Jesus. Who is wise and has understanding among us? Who is capable of leading us to the light of God?
Should the leading of a nation be left to professionals only, where mature but unpaid leaders need not prioritize the development of culture? We all know the answer to this. …In Moses, in Jesus, and in Paul the priority of developing the Word of God remain the top priority.
What does “able to teach mean”? Does it mean “the most able to teach”? Of course not. Paul wouldn’t have sent Timothy to Ephesus if he felt that the priority was to create eloquent speakers. Apollos or another candidate would’ve been more useful. Paul sent Timothy because Timothy was able to reproduce Paul’s kingdom teachings. Timothy wasn’t perfect and didn’t need to be, but Timothy steadily improved and was able to effectively help many. Today, should the priority be better style or more believers reproducing kingdom content?
What is a trustworthy saying? If one aspires to the office of overseer. One who really cares about the brethren, like the apostle Paul cared for the churches…this is what develops in Timothy’s mind as Paul writes regarding proper leaders.
What is an elder anyway? Why are they needed? And what’s the difference between elders and deacons?
Why is it so confusing to talk about Jesus’ return? This episode begins discussing some foundational isms that may clarify some of today’s bigger theological narratives.
God is with us in the midst of the threat of differing world views such as tribal politics. The solutions to sin, hatred, oppression, and division, do not emerge from more of the same but something entirely new. Jesus and the Kingdom of God are always new. Even though religious verbiage is familiar and old fashioned in common thought, Jesus’ teaching is always new-life bringing.
Is the rise of tribal politics a threat to the kingdom of God? That rise certainly is an opponent. Yet, many don’t really understand Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom of God, sometimes (in Matthew’s Gospel) called the kingdom of heaven. Jesus came to kick evil out of this world. You and I are commissioned to make that more and more of a reality. Tribal politics promises new and free identity but the end of such pursuits is slavery in one form or another. The kingdom of God delivers. Let’s discuss how in this episode.
Athletes seem to use this verse of Paul’s more than the rest of us. Why? Is Paul speaking of selfish or personal accomplishment in regard to himself while he’s in prison? Imprisonment would appear to be the opposite of victory. Paul embraces suffering and has learned that the secret of contentment (not satisfaction) lies in following Jesus. Paul is able to cope with life’s roller coaster because Jesus is the model human, not flashy philosophies which dominated his culture and ours. Want to have the power to live through adversity and comfort? Look no further than Jesus.
How does Jesus embody God or is it that other way around? God exalts Jesus as the Scripture promises, but it’s looks much different than what everyone expected.
Thinking like Jesus is counterintuitive. Exalting ourselves is common in our world. Jesus was shamed. How does this help us to be unified in the purposes of God and be holy, though? In this episode, we begin talking about the poem that Paul finds central to the Philippians’ success as Christians. It’s how Christians will effectively live out the truly human vocation which God has given us as well.
Unity is key. Not through compromise of our beliefs in Jesus but through intentional support of the truth of Christ. Unity is key because proper unity creates greater potential for the good news of Christ to be spread and understood and believed.
Paul is imprisoned for claiming that the emperor, likely Nero, is not the real ruler of the world. Astonishingly, Paul tells the imperial guard who oversee his chains. He’s glad about this. Yet, what does this mean for Paul personally? Death? Perhaps. Paul is somehow able to form a different perspective of his circumstances and the circumstances of the little Philippians church. Both are experiencing the same trials that Jesus experienced. They are living out the life of Jesus in the empire and more and more continue to hear the news, whether it’s framed favorably or scandalously.
What could our partnership in the Gospel look like if we modeled the partnership of Paul and the Philippians?
Malcom Gladwell gives a different point of view, perhaps David’s point of view when he triumphs over Goliath. Was King Saul limited to his own belief about how to confront Goliath? Was Saul thinking that the rules of combat were determined by the Philistines? How did David see vulnerability when everyone else saw defeat?
Jesus is the revolutionary King Israel needs but Jesus isn’t going to fulfill typical revolutionary dreams. The one true God is going to rule the nations and Jesus is reassuring the crowds from the pulpit (boat) on the water. Yet, the parables will not sound like conventional revolution. They’ll sound weak and foolish to some. To others who know the promises of the prophets and can glean insight from the parables, they’ll find reassurance that Jesus is no fool.
Another trap is laid. A plan has been made to get rid of Jesus. Some are on a manhunt. How does Jesus flip and spring the trap back onto his opponents? He let’s them go because of a greater priority, to redeem them. The Law is not to be used as a weapon. The Law is to guide us to redemption in Jesus. How does this episode with the woman caught in the act of adultery play out? And, how does Jesus use the trap to reveal God’s redemptive purposes?
Top 3 Likes: John and James come to the forefront as characters, and these brothers are supposed to be taught a lesson about the purpose of the kingdom of God....also, reflecting on John as he supposedly composes his Gospel. Top 3 ?s: Confusingly, Galilee is forgotten rather quickly (why have we moved on into Samaria so quickly without seeing any portrayal of Jesus and the disciples prior), the parable of the Good Samaritan isn’t portrayed as a parable and the Samaritan is actually wicked? And, is it a good idea to flash forward to John composing his material for a Gospel and confusing us as to why they are so sad decades later?
Reviewing John 6 during a class session. Discussing possibilities of what it means to feed on Jesus in a modern context.
How does the Father draw people to Jesus? How did those whom Jesus taught, actually understand God’s drawing them into a covenant relationship? As it was written in Isaiah and Jeremiah, each shall be taught. But by whom? Jesus attempts to help everyone understand and take confidence in God’s activity through Jesus, to bring about the new covenant reality.
Could you compose a book about your great grandparents? How challenging would that be? Would you have plenty of resources? Would others who knew or know your great grandparents disagree with how you portray them? Now, imagine Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as they compose their books about Jesus at least a generation after Jesus ascended into the clouds. Jesus lived and died and lives again. Yet, Jesus lived in died in a radically different world than you and I are likely used to. What did life look like then and why does it matter for us to understand that now? N.T. Wright compels readers to ask good questions before attempting to provide good answers.
The Passover and perhaps Exodus theme is found in John 6. We pause to relocate previous themes floating down the river in John’s Gospel. John seems to push several boats down this river which approaches the cross of Jesus. We are seeing Jesus, not as someone who merely had a role in Israel’s story, but as God who is making Himself known through Israel’s story and will ultimately make Himself known as King in a very unexpected way. Israel’s feasts and institutions provided a foreshadowing of Jesus’ identity and role. How do we accurately identify the Jesus of the Bible from the versions of Jesus we’ve created since Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection? John wants to help us with that question.
Choose four people to accurately describe you. Who would they be? Now, fast forward two millennia and let’s see if there are any myths about you or if any truth about you in the context of your life remains. In this episode, N.T. Wright chooses two postures which seem to categorize believers. Yet, do these postures mischaracterize the Jesus we find in the four Gospels?
We review four Jewish institutions in chapters 2 through 4 in John’s Gospel. Each of the segments correlates to Jesus’ effort to communicate God to this world. He helps us understand who created us, why we were created and which direction we’re all supposed to be headed in. John gives us some clarity about what this heavenly visit from Jesus looks like and how to interpret it.
The vessel, Andrea Gail, was caught out in the Atlantic 500 miles off of the coast in October of 1991 when a perfect storm surrounded them. Wright imagines believers to be in a similar predicament when trying to communicate the Jesus of the Gospels. There are many storms which distort genuine communication of the truth. Western culture can be so powerful as to kill anyone ‘out to sea.’ In this episode we briefly discuss the nature of the challenge for the truth to endure in the midst of threatening storms, or cultural reactions to Jesus that drown out the truth.
In this episode we dig a little deeper into the idea of how exactly God creates faith in someone. Faith has to be in Jesus, and as Jesus says, “They shall all be taught of God.” We all have different versions in our mind as to what God is like. We allow Jesus to teach us what God is like. John helps us connect important dots in Jesus’ story, as we continue in chapter 6.
Jesus’ World, Jesus’ God, Jesus in Charge? These three things we examine from chapter 2. To better understand Jesus we need to know how he thought, how people in his era thought, what was believed, taught, and practiced. People then and now have different understandings of God. Why was Jesus’ God different? Jesus’ behavior was based on who he believed Himself to be, King, the one who’s ultimately in charge, even over Caesar!
The context of the announcement of the kingdom of God is what is explored. We talk about the origin of the Emperor Cult and the strategy of Roman Imperialism, and provide the setting for Mark’s euangelion, his good news or Gospel about Jesus Christ, Son of God.
We discuss three questions: 1. What is the challenging question about Jesus which Western culture seems to avoid? 2. How have churches made Jesus smaller than the New Testament portrait? 3. Why do the Gospels provide a proper place to begin a discovery of Jesus? In this opening chapter, Wright has three sections. The first poses the first question above. The second challenges churches to clear any cultural noise out of their heads and attempt to hear the New Testament message about Jesus more clearly. The third section sees the Gospels as the natural location for Jesus' overarching claim to kingship.
Highly symbolic, Jesus enters the Temple and stops normal activity to teach about the corruption of the Temple and its demise. “Have faith in God” Jesus tells his disciples. But, why? The disciples believe in God. What is different about what Jesus is compelling them with?
We’re there two entries into Jerusalem the day Jesus rode the colt? What kind of tension was mounting between the crowds and the Temple authorities? Was Jesus mocking something before his demonstration in the Temple? It feels like a revolt is probable. I compare it to the seismic shifting of the New Madrid quake in the Midwest in December 1811 through February 1812. The destruction of Jerusalem seems imminent because of clashing kingdoms.
Christmas is sentimental but it often limits the story of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. What does Luke teach us about Jesus’ birth and about the kingdom that being brought into the world? Are we continuing to tell the story of the kingdom or are we content to assume that culture is accomplishing that for us?
The parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 conjures up familiar images. The word Samaritan now has a positive association but it didn’t when the lawyer tested Jesus. Why did the lawyer stand up to test Jesus? Was the lawyer asking about going to heaven? Why did Jesus use a parable to answer or rather, reframe the legal expert’s question?
I briefly comment on the Protoevangelium of James, the mythical birth story of Jesus from 200 years after Jesus. What exactly was Jesus’ manger? What exactly was the inn that had no room for the pregnant couple? How is Jesus’ kingdom distinguished from Caesar Augustus’ kingdom in Luke’s story and such humble birth circumstances? Do the nativity scenes we’re accustomed to symbolize the story behind God’s plan for Jesus to be the Messiah, the Lord, the Savior of the world?
Christmas is upon us! How well are the cultural depictions of the nativity of Jesus being translated today? The manger is a sweet sign for the shepherds, but what was unique about it?