There is a reason the medieval times depicted the Gospel writer Mark with a lion!! The Jesus we meet is on the prowl, ready for battle.As we work through the "Reading the Bible in a Year" I would encourage you, actually, not so much as to read Mark's Gospel, but listen to it. It is meant to be read, perhaps even around a camp fire. You will hear the intensity much more than you will read it. If you only have a limited time, I would read (listen!)Mark 1-6; Mark 15 and 16.Questions:1) Did you grow up in a church or community that spoke about demon possession? How do you think about such passages in Scripture?2) What are things in this world you would say - that is evil!3) Do you find Jesus comforting or a bit scary in the Gospel of Mark?4) Pastor Rob offers that in our postmodern age, the Gospel of Mark might get another hearing, in that the Western culture is being driven more by power-fear than guilt-forgiveness dynamics. Does this make sense?5) Are you comforted or frustrated that the disciples in Mark's Gospel are often forgetful, doubting and prone to stupid conflict?6) Why do you think Mark so emphasizes the death of Jesus on the cross, given the emphasis on the power of Jesus?7) Why is the resurrection account in Mark so unresolved?
The greatest story ever begins with ... a geneaology?As we continue moving through the Bible, we finally get to turn to the New Testament, starting with the Gospel of Matthew. Since we spent the last year reading through the Old Testament, Pastor Rob shows how the Gospel writer Matthew brilliantly weaves together the Old and New Testaments throughout his Gospel, starting with this genealogy of Jesus.If you don't have the chance to read the whole book:Matthew 1 - prologue and birth of Jesus; Matthew 2 - Magi; Matthew 5-7 - sermon on the mount; Matthew 18 - humility, sin and forgiveness in the church; Matthew 25 - parables unique to Matthew; Matthew 28 - resurrection and great commission.Questions for consideration1) Are there people in your personal, communal or national family tree who you would not want shared with the world? 2) Why do you think Matthew includes them? Does he succeed in his intention?3) Does it unsettle you or comfort you that Jesus' family tree had warts?4) How might you respond to someone who said "The God of the Old Testament is angry and mean, whereas Jesus is nice"? How might Matthew respond?5) Is it important to you that Jesus was Jewish?6) Matthew's Gospel reminds us that Jesus was clearly invested in the lives of the poor. Why does our society look down on poor people?7) Do you need to be on the margins, at some point in your life, to receive the Gospel?
Is Jonah a story about a great big fish?Hardly -- it is a story about a great big God and the great big love of that God.Which sounds great, except that God's love is sometimes experienced like ... well... vomit of a fish that puts us back on the right path.We've been working through one book of the Bible each week this year, but we are doing a bit of cherry picking here with the minor prophets. You can definitely read the whole book of Jonah!Some discussion questions1) What did you think of the book of Jonah when you were a child? What about when you shared the story with the next generation?2) Pastor Rob offers that the book of Jonah itself knows it is exaggerating. Does that seem fair to you?3) If the book does contain obvious exaggerations and intends to communicate truth on a more "mythical"/"deep" level does that undermine the story for you? Must this have happened as it said it happened for the story to have power for you?4) In your life, have you ever run away from the call of God in your life? When? Why?5) In your life, has God ever provided sanctuary or protection in a way that gave you the space and time to reflect and even repent?6) In your life, has God have used fish vomit -- something rather gross -- to help you survive or come to your senses?7) In your life, when has God loved others (especially another group) more than you did? Did you begrudge this? Did you feel your heart open to the other(s)?
We finally come to the 12 Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, etc.Does this mean 12 podcasts? Pastor Rob finds a cosmic loop hole to avoid this... we think!This podcast will focus on the anger that often appears in the prophets, including the 12 "Minor" prophets, which we will treat as one book.Suggested readingsAmos 5:1-24 Joel 2 Micah 4:1-5 Micah 5 Micah 6:1-8 Malachi 3 Malachi 4 Hosea 4 (although Hosea 1 and 3 are truly terrifying)Questions for discussion1) Are you someone who tends to be comfortable with anger? In yourself? In others?2) Do you think that God is justified in his anger in the Old Testament? Can you think of times that Jesus is angry in the New Testament?3) Do you think that God is justified in anger against humanity today?4) Do you think that we need to have more anger about our present situation, less anger or redirected anger?5) Do you tend to feel a bit more like Hosea, outraged over the lack of faithfulness to God, or more like Amos, outraged over the lack of concern for the poor?6) When you think of anger in the Bible, does this help you see a God who loves the world? When you think of anger in others, does this help you see them as people who love the world?
"Read the writing on the wall!" From Paul Simon to even Bob Marley, the stories and images from the book of Daniel make their way into pop culture. Yet, this book is rarely studied, especially in mainline or Catholic churches. Why is that? Because it fell victim to the modernist-fundamentalist debates. After some commentary on how we might transcend that (nasty) fight, we look at what the book of Daniel might say to us today, as we seek to live out our faith in a world that doesn't always share that faith.Thanks again for reading through the Bible with us, one book at a time, in the Ponder Anew Podcast this year!
Ezekiel saw 'da wheel, way up in the middle of the sky!As we move ahead in reading the Bible, one book at a time, we come to the great prophet Ezekiel. The book has many harsh words and terrifying images; yet it also has powerful visions of hope and new life, such as the story of dry bones coming to life. How do we move beyond being bewildered though? I offer that knowing the story of Ezekiel opens up some neat and potentially deep connections with this prophet. For he was someone who had to discover God's call precisely when he thought his life's plan was ruined.Seven daily readings to work through this book:1:1-28 (Call) 5:1-17 (Judgment) 10:1-22 (Glory departing Jerusalem temple) 34:1-17 (Promise of shepherd) 37:1-14 (Dry bones) 40 (Vision of temple; any part of it) 47:1-12 (restoration of creation)Questions for discussion1. What are hopes you had for your life when you were a child that have not played themselves out in a disappointing way? I.e., what are the "digging ditches in the mud 500 miles from my home" parts of your life?2. What are hopes you had for your life when you were a child that have played themselves out, but in ways you couldn't expect. I.e., what are the "serving as priest without a temple" parts of your life?3. What are times in life where you have discovered a purpose even when it wasn't part of your plan?4. What are times in your life where you haven't understood what was happening at the time, only later to see how God was working?5. Do you feel you have more of a call in life to be the doom-sayer when people don't see how big the problem is...or to speak a word of hope when people are catastrophizing?6. What did you make of the fact that the book ends with the restoration of creation? What did you make of the fact that before creation is restored, worship has to be restored?7. Do you ever feel that God gives you visions of what the future will look like?
An entire book of...lament!! As we work through the Bible, one book at a time, we come to Lamentations. It feels a bit out of place here, in the midst of the prophets, but we will get into that in the podcast. More importantly, we will learn what this book can teach us today about lament.I have not highlighted parts of the book to read, because you can easily read one chapter a day!Questions for discussion1. What is your first response to hearing that the Bible has a whole book of lament? 2. What are situations in life where you've felt like you didn't know what to say, because there didn't seem like anything could be said? Have you been in situations where people said something to you, but silence would have been far kinder? 3. How might you try to translate the poetry of Lamentations? 4. What are ways in which rituals or written words have provided you with great comfort in times of loss? 5. What has given you permission and access to depth of feelings, especially in times of sorrow, when it comes to a) Novels or stories b) Works of art c) Songs or pieces of music 6. Has writing, making art or making music ever helped you process grief? 7. How do you handle people who believe a situation is their fault, but it really isn't? 8. What is more likely for you to believe -- that God has forgotten you or that there is no God? 9. Have you ever demanded from God either justice or mercy? 10. What has helped open your eyes to the new mercies of God?
Note: The podcast has an extra section after the "last trumpet." This is more historical background on how the book of Jeremiah was formed. This may or may not be for Biblical history buffs.Next up as we walk through the Bible in a Year: Jeremiah. Jeremiah runs high on emotions, as the Word of Lord consumes the prophet. Because this Word brings the deepest judgment and the most too-good-to-be-true hope, people do not listen to Jeremiah. In fact, seek to stifle him. In our age of competing truths and efforts to stifle voices with whom we disagree, we find strange resonance with the story of Jeremiah. It is the longest book in the Bible (by words). Here are some parts definitely worth reading Jeremiah 1:4-10 (the prophetic call and commission) Jeremiah 18:1-10 (Potter's house) Jeremiah 20 (His arrest and lament) Jeremiah 22:1-17 (Jeremiah's prophetic words on what makes a good king) Jeremiah 29:1-14 (God's plans for a future) Jeremiah 31:31-34 (the New Covenant) Jeremiah 33:1-16 (More words of hope that point to Jesus) Questions for discussion 1) Does it surprise you that Jeremiah is attacked for speaking God's Word? 2) When else in the Bible are people attacked for speaking God's Word? 3) Why do you think the temple priests got it so wrong? 4) Are there times in your life where you've had to acknowledge you were wrong -- that a previously held truth no longer made sense? 5) How do you handle people whose understanding of truth is different than yours? Are there people you no longer associate with because their version of the truth is so different than yours? 6) What needs to happen for our culture again to have the capacity to handle people having different points of view? Or do we need to limit what is said? 7) Why do you think that God allows for there to be different interpretations of the truth, even if only for a time? 8) What are truths you hold to because they resonate, not because you can prove them?
"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the LORD..." Talk about an intro!! The book of Isaiah includes many powerful visions, visions that both terrify and inspire. We will do an overview of the whole book, but focus on this vision of the LORD, found in Isaiah 6. We continue working through the Bible in a Year, one book each week. This week we start with the prophetic books of the Old Testament. Admittedly, the prophetic books can be a challenge because they often require (!) a bit of knowledge of ancient history to unpack. The book of Isaiah is also pretty long, so if you are short on time, here are some passages definitely worth reading: 2:1-11 5:1-7 7:1-17 11:1-11 37:1-10 40:1-31 42:1-9 53:1-12 55:1-13 66:1-24 Some discussion questions 1. What did you know of Isaiah before you heard the podcast? 2. What did you make of the fact that Isaiah's prophecies cover centuries rather than a lifetime? 3. Is it illuminating or discomforting to think that books of the Bible maybe the work of a cohort rather than an individual? 4. Do you tend to have more of a cyclical or linear sense of time? Do you feel like history goes in cycles or progresses? What about your life? 5. What events in your life, your community and your nation have rocked your foundation? How did the Word of God speak to you in those times?6. Did the point that prophecy in the Bible isn't like Harry Potter prophecy make sense? Is this helpful way to understand prophecy, namely, as something designed to draw you back to God? 7. Why do you think prophetic passages include images that are unsettling? 8. Are there bible passages, hymns or Christian art that help disorient you from real life and reorient you toward God? 9. Do you think seeing Jesus in this passage is helpful? Coherent? "Kosher"?
"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine!" After a summer break, we pick back up looking at one book of the Bible each week. This week we look at Song of Solomon, which is, well, erotic poetry! Questions for discussion - either in a group or to give me feedback.1) What is your initial reaction to this book, especially if this is your first time reading it? 2) Did it feel "inappropriate"? If so, why? 3) I introduce the idea that the Bible shares stories with other ancient religions, but that the versions we have in the Bible are often "spun" in a unique way. Does this challenge or affirm your faith to think that other cultures have similar stories to the Bible? 4) The Bible employs language of husband and wife to speak of God's relationship to Israel and later Jesus' relationship with the church. Given how we think of marriage today, what is helpful about this metaphor? What is challenging? 5) What might it be like to shift our language from God loves you to "God is IN love with you?" or "I am in love with Jesus"? 6) Do you consider Christianity generally to have a neutral, positive or negative attitude towards sex? 7) What is your reaction to considering how important sex is to the stories in Genesis?
An midsummer update -- what Pastor Rob has been learning and studying that has kept him away from producing the Ponder Anew Podcast this summer. A promise to finish the Bible with you but also an invitation into some pondering with him.
How does one pass on wisdom to the next generation? Can wisdom be passed on at all or must it be acquired by each person?As we work through #TheBibleInAYear, we look at the book of Proverbs. While its primarily a collection of wisdom sayings, there is a deeper purpose, namely, seeking to raise up the next generation to be wise. The last part of the podcast reflects a bit on the role of women in the book; I confess the last three minutes take us to the edge of what I understand about Scripture.
If you only could take one Bible book with you onto a desert island, I would recommend the book of Psalms. It is an invitation to pray with other believers over the centuries, other believers around the world and finally, with Jesus Christ.As we work through #TheBibleInAYear, we look at the book of Psalms, this ancient book of prayers. The focus of the podcast is encouraging and equipping you to pray through the Psalms.
If there ever was a book of the Bible not to cover in a single podcast, it would be Job. The story of unjust suffering deserves -- demands! -- reflection. The podcast this week, which includes hearing God speak from the whirlwind (Job 41:1-11), hopefully serves as a guidebook rather than abridged version. As we work through #TheBibleInAYear, we look at the book of Job. (For this year's Ponder Anew Podcast we are looking at one book of the Bible each week).
Beauty pageants, palace intrigues, genocide and a courageous strong woman! What a story!! As we work through #TheBibleInAYear, we look at the book of Esther. This book tells the (likely known) story of Esther, a woman first known for her beauty, then her bravery and then finally her cunning. Beyond serving as a great story about a strong woman, the book brings up bigger questions, pressing for ancient Jews but increasingly relevant for modern Christians, of how much we can (and should) assimilate into a broader culture that doesn't hold to our religious principles. Note: Sorry for the slight delay in publishing. Some software upgrades slowed down some things on this end. If the sound mixing is off, please let me know.
As we continue reading #TheBibleInAYear, we turn to Nehemiah. This book is very accessible -- it is a memoir of Nehemiah, who took it upon himself to rebuild the walls (and city) of Jerusalem. While the historical person of Nehemiah -- the cupbearer of emperor of Persia who chose to return to his people's native land of Judah to undertake a massive civic construction project -- does not easily map to our lives, the basic story is of a faithful person trying to decide what God would have them do in life. Furthermore, the book delves deeply into the complexities of rebuilding in our lives. It turns out that rebuilding isn't just about physical things, but relationships, communities and institutions.
Homecoming! The people begin to return to Jerusalem, thanks to Cyrus of Persia defeating the Babylonians and ending the exile of the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem. As we work through #TheBibleInAYear, we look at the book of Ezra, which focuses on the efforts of the priest Ezra (and others) who lead the rebuilding of the temple after the exile. The book itself is upbeat and celebrates the construction of the temple. That said, a more careful reading shows the strains of this homecoming and the deep sense that many have that, well, it used to be better. More broadly, we focus on homecomings, memory, nostalgia and how we deal with things when they are no longer "they way it used to be."
Who got the story right? As we continue reading through #TheBibleInAYear, we turn to 2 Chronicles and King Hezekiah. Most of us don't know Hezekiah that well, but it turns out that his story is told in not one, not two, but three different books! So which is right? Today's theme though isn't really simply Hezekiah -- but who tells -- who chronicles -- your life? (Note, the last 2 minutes is an invite to feedback on the podcast)
As we continue reading through #TheBibleInAYear, we turn to 1 Chronicles and ... (wait for it) ... ancient Israelite genealogies! This particular one is from 1 Chronicles 4:1-10. (If you do fast forward, pay attention to the last twenty or so seconds of it!) Yet in these genealogies, I suggest, we discover a surprising answer to the question: What is the meaning of life? The answer is not only compelling, but rather different than the one our culture offers.
Flaming chariots, blinded armies and a meal of mercy. What is going on here! As we continue reading through #TheBibleInAYear, we turn to 2 Kings and the work of the prophet Elisha. As a whole, 2 Kings is a "sad" part of Scripture in which things generally go from bad to worse. However, there are good and even miraculous things along the way, including the stories of Elisha. We will look at one particular story (chapter 6), but move to the broader question of how the God revealed in the Old Testament relates to God revealed in the New Testament.