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Sabbath School From HomeExodus 7 - His heart remained hardTo explore the Plagues, we pull out an episode from the archives.This was published originally on October 1, 2021, and so you may have forgotten a few of the details. It was an episode that we particularly enjoyed, and Cameron shares some interesting insights about the Plagues on Egypt that featured in a sermon he preached.2025-07-2558 minSabbath School From HomeLuke 8 - Don't bother the teacherWe help Cameron write a sermon about responding to people in crucibles.Luke 8 has featured previously (season 2), but Cameron wants to preach on it and so we do an experiment in this episode: can a podcast discussion and sermon preparation be combined into a single activity?2022-09-1649 minSabbath School From HomeMatthew 25 - Do not know the hourWaiting is never easy, but it is often unavoidable.We start with the story of David being anointed king in 1 Samuel 16 David - well before he actually takes the throne. So many of our favourite stories actually come from this long period of waiting. Cameron refers back to Season 2 Episode 8 for some examples of Jesus not wanting to make people wait, and we end up pondering the parables in Matthew 25. It seems important that we should be at least ready for a long wait.2022-09-0938 minSabbath School From HomeRomans 8 - Work together for goodWhat do we say and do for people who have difficulties in life that challenge faith?This episode comes to you from a shack on the north west coast of Tasmania, where Cameron and Lachlan ponder the variety of biblical advice for people experiencing crucibles in life. Christians reach a wide range of conclusions about these situations, and there seems to be an equally varied set of perspectives present in the Bible.2022-07-1531 minSabbath School From HomeHebrews 11 - It was by faithThe "Heros of Faith" chapter at last!Lachlan takes issue with some of the inclusions in the list of Faith Heros, and we explore what aspects of their faith led to them "earning a good reputation". We are intrigued that the resurrection hope is so clearly invoked for characters from parts of the Old Testament where this idea seemed less developed. It is also important to notice the list ends with mention of the many who suffered without becoming famous.2022-03-1156 minSabbath School From HomeHebrews 4 - Enter his restWe rarely pause to recognise that we ourselves might be like those who "failed to enter God's rest".Sabbath inescapably enters this chapter's discussion of God's rest, and the concept is applied with some elegance to the idea of salvation. There's a nicely intricate argument developed here, and the chapter seems to end with a nice recapitulation of the developing themes of the book.2022-01-2126 minSabbath School From HomeHebrews 3 - More glory than MosesThe developing argument moves on to Moses, and we benefit from the previous season's focus on Deuteronomy.One of the key ideas in this chapter is the connection between belief and action, and this poses some valuable challenges. It is obvious that the book of Hebrews is developing an argument, and we anticipate some of the questions posed here will be addressed in subsequent chapters.2022-01-1432 minSabbath School From HomeHebrews 2 - The power of deathWe grapple with how the incarnation might have changed God.Hebrews 2 seems to present almost an opposite argument to the first chapter: namely that Jesus was made slightly lower than the angels in his humanity. There's a clear statement that his death somehow made him better able to minister as our high priest, and we find various aspects of this passage to be slightly uncomfortable - in a good way that prompts conversation!2022-01-0746 minSabbath School From HomeHebrews 1 - Long ago God spokeWe begin a study of Hebrews by wondering how similar we are to the first audience.The SDA Sabbath School lesson is starting a quarter on the book of Hebrews. We are so taken by the coincidence of this book having 13 chapters that we're going to follow along with the Sabbath School themes while going chapter by chapter for each episode of this season.2021-12-3129 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 34 - The Lord burried himThe death (and resurrection) of Moses brings us to the end of Deuteronomy.Jude mentions a slightly curious conflict between the Archangel Michael and the devil over the body of Moses that connects with a greater tradition about Moses' resurrection. This concludes our study of Deuteronomy, and we discuss how our perceptions and appreciation of this book has changed after studying it for 13 weeks.This is the first of some shorter episodes over the holiday season.2021-12-2425 minSabbath School From HomeActs 7 - You stiff-necked peopleWe turn to Stephen's defense in Acts 7 to explore the topic of Deuteronomy in the New Testament.Deuteronomy tells history in order to establish identity, and a similar "big-picture history" approach occurs in a number of the sermons in Acts. Interestingly Stephen focuses on very much the same part of the story as Deuteronomy. How do we tell our collective story, and how much does this change with the passage of time?2021-12-1737 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 31 - A witness against youThe topic of "Deuteronomy in the later writings" realigns us with the SDA lesson for this week.Deuteronomy features in a number of subsequent Old Testament stories, and we look particularly at Josiah (2 Kings 23) and Jeremiah (chapter 7). Blessings and curses feature prominently in these re-engagements with the book of Deuteronomy.2021-12-1041 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 27 - Proclaim a curseIt's time to focus on the curses in Deuteronomy.Some of them seem to make more sense than others, but it still feels a bit strange to read the sets of curses in this part of the Bible.2021-12-0352 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 23 - Family of the UnsandaledHow permanent or immovable are some of the laws in Deuteronomy?Inspired with a changed view of the world after Jesus, the New Testament apostles didn't always follow the letter of the law from Deuteronomy. Even within a few generations of the context of Deuteronomy there are biblical examples of some flexibility. We look at a few interesting examples, and explore what this means for a contemporary engagement with this book.2021-11-2643 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 19 - Show no pity for the guiltyThe cultural inaccessibility gets deep in parts of Deuteronomy 19-21, but we still find value in their contemplation.We're still "wandering in the wilderness" while the SDA lesson remains stuck in the earlier chapters of Deuteronomy. We will be rejoining the lesson topics more closely soon! This week we read laws about warfare, justice, captives, and trouble children. Many of these passages challenge our cultural sensibilities - and often even our Christian charity. There are certainly difficult passages here in Deuteronomy!2021-11-1947 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 17 - You must never return to EgyptIn some specific advice for future kings of Israel we find some useful and relevant ideas.We're still deviating somewhat from the SDA Lesson because it seems a bit stuck around chapter 9. We're exploring the gap of almost 20 chapters that the lesson guide skips, and in this episode we read instructions for "when Israel wants a king". A number of interesting ideas connect this passage to other well-known Old Testament stories.2021-11-1236 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 15 - Never lack for needy personsThis phrase is familiar, but it's true call is often overlooked.We continue our slightly uncharted journey through Deuteronomy (mostly untethered from the SDA lesson this week), but there's so much good stuff to discover! Our conversation explores a call to help the poor, and the profound promise of an ear piercing!2021-11-0538 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 12 - The place the Lord will chooseAn emphasis on "one place of worship" in Deuteronomy 12 becomes the cause of conflict within a generation.The SDA lesson guide dwells on Deuteronomy chapter 10 for a number of weeks, and we've already shared our thoughts on that fantastic chapter. We launch out into some of the chapters that will be overlooked by the lesson guide, and Cameron takes us to a lesser-told story in Joshua that highlights some important issues arising from Deuteronomy 12. There was a mistake with the audio file originally published for this episode (some long sections of silence). This has been f...2021-10-2949 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 6 - The Lord is oneWe each have a different discussion point from Deut 6-10.There are some great parts of these chapters, interspersed with "light genocide" that we still find troubling.2021-10-2253 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 4 - I have taught you statutesIt is remarkable that God describes his Law as having evangelistic effect.This conversation starts with some exploration of current issues arising from COVID-19 vaccinations, and that turns out to be somewhat connected to the themes of Deuteronomy. The focus this week is Deut 4:4-7, where God's Law is anticipated to attract the attention (positively) of surrounding nations.2021-10-1539 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 2 - A race of giantsWe start our journey through Deuteronomy by examining some interesting details in chapters 1 and 2.The lesson this week covers the first 3 chapters of Deuteronomy, but we run out of time after considering a few curious details in this introductory section of the book. It dramatically condenses the story of wandering in the wilderness, and there seem to be some places where Moses exercises exercises "editorial license".2021-10-0845 minSabbath School From HomeExodus 3 - Compelled by a mighty handWe explore hardened hearts in the Exodus story to set the context for a season in Deuteronomy.The story of the Exodus is the direct context for the book of Deuteronomy, and so it's a great place to start a season looking at that 5th book of the Bible. Cameron shares some interesting insights about the Plagues on Egypt that featured in a recent sermon he preached.2021-10-0156 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 11 - Delivers from deathProverbs often speaks of large scale consequences, so how does death relate to rest?The Sabbath School lesson this week is about "The Ultimate Rest", and it is interesting to note that the book of Proverbs typically invokes death as a stern warning of consequences for evil. On the flip side, it speaks of righteousness and wisdom "delivering from death".2021-09-2444 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 14 - Insult their makerWe redress, and then reconsider, the claim that Proverbs doesn't mention Sabbath.This episode begins with a somewhat spontaneous conversation about authenticity, and then we pick up a challenge issued by a listener: Can we write a Proverb about Sabbath?2021-09-1648 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 26 - A scalpel in the hands of a drunkWe try our hand at creating a "modern proverb", but keep finding ones in the bible that are just as relevant!This one is even more tangential to the lesson than normal, but was a whole heap of fun. After looking at proverbs for the last 10 weeks we have noticed some of the structures and word patterns - so we have a few attempts at writing a proverb for today. Have a go at this yourself with friends, and feel free to send your proverbs to us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com.2021-09-0941 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 29 - The rights of the poorSabbath rest has a very particular focus on the poor and disadvantaged.Another lesson exploring the Sabbath presents an excellent opportunity to explore the social responsibilities contained within the 4th commandment. We launch from some verses in Proverbs 29 (v4, 7, 14), and pick out a consistent theme across numerous other parts of Proverbs (17:15, 20:23, 14:31, 17:5, 21:13). Adventists have long held the "7th day" emphasis, and Christians more broadly are rediscovering the "rest" emphasis - but in this episode we consider the "inclusivity and blessing distribution" emphasis of Sabbath.2021-09-0347 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 8 - Before he created anything elseIs rhythmic rest the same as metered rest?The topic of "rhythms of rest" naturally takes us back to the Sabbath, which is something we've explored before (s5ep9, s4ep11, s3ep12, s3ep6). This time we explore a new question about the difference between "rhythmic" and "metered". The book of Proverbs doesn't mention Sabbath at all, but in chapter 8:22-36 there is a fascinating account of wisdom which somewhat subverts the creation narrative of Genesis 1 and describes wisdom predating and underpinning all of creation (including Sabbath). This is called "a delight". 2021-08-2747 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 18 - who can bear a crushed spirit?Rest from sickness and suffering is a powerful idea.This week we bounce around Proverbs a bit looking at verses that speak to the idea of healing. We can't escape the reality of human experience being inseparably in the mind and in the body. Some of the verses we discuss include: 14:13, 3:5-8, 18:14, 15:30, and 12:25.2021-08-2043 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 20 - False weights and unequal measuresIs vengeance the inverse of forgiveness?This week's lesson "Rest, Relationships, and Healing" is focussed on forgiveness, and remarkably that keyword doesn't occur in the book of Proverbs. It has more to say about vengeance and judgement - but that turns out to offer insight about why we forgive. We look in particular at Proverbs 20:22, and then discover somewhat of a theme in this chapter.2021-08-1350 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 19 - A foolish childFamily can be a refuge of rest, or a tremendous burden.Proverbs has quite a bit of comment on family interactions, and we explore how this relates to rest (or the lack of it).2021-08-0648 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 30 - I am weary and worn out"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."Proverbs 30 is an oracle of Agur, who seems to be coming from precisely the state of life and mind that Jesus was thinking of when he promised rest. 2021-07-3043 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 6 - A little more slumberStern warnings about the cost of rest?Proverbs 6:6-11 has been used for centuries to admonish slackers, in-sleepers, bludgers, and lazybones of all varieties. But it specifically mentions resting, which seems to be a good thing in our helter-skelter society. We try to discuss the theme of "the Cost of Rest", but end up coming back to the Cost of Work! As well as pondering the lessons of the ant, we consider what can be learnt from the pygmy blue-tongue lizard.2021-07-2349 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 4 - Restless unless they’re making troubleThe roots of restlessness can be entwined with a desire to do evil.Proverbs 4 paints a picture of "the wicked" with particular reference to a kind of restlessness that comes from a need to "do an evil deed for the day". Not all restlessness is of this kind, but there's a lot of food for thought in this idea.2021-07-1644 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 26 - Wise in their own estimationIt's easy to get caught out when mocking the foolishness of others.Proverbs 26 is amusing in its description of fools, but verse 12 catches us out. Mocking fools is easy, but it's harder to recognise our own foolishness. This connects to the lesson in its exploration of the Israelites wandering restlessly in the wilderness.2021-07-1045 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 1 - At rest from fear of evilThe wisdom of Proverbs leads to an unconventional discussion of rest.We're starting a new season, and the Sabbath School theme is "Rest in Christ". It will cover a range of associated issues that regularly intersect with wisdom and common sense, and so we're launching into the book of Proverbs for a tangential perspective on rest. This week our focus is on Proverbs 1:20-33, which is one of a number of passages that vividly personifies Wisdom.Join the conversation by emailing comments or questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com2021-07-0136 minSabbath School From Home2 Samuel 9 - I intend to show kindnessWhat are our covenant-making obligations as part of living the new-covenant life?The remarkable story of King David and Mephibosheth is a great way to ponder the "New Covenant Life". On reflection, it seems that this way of living in God's Kingdom is not unique to the New Testament epoch. 2021-06-2441 minSabbath School From HomeGalatians 3 - Christ has rescued usMany elements of the new and better covenant seem actually already present in the older covenants.The author of Galatians (and there's similar sentiment in Romans) seems keen to contrast elements of the old covenant with the new life in Jesus. The more we discuss this in the context of 11 previous episodes, the more we see that most of the key features were included in various ways in those earlier covenants. There's still plenty here to teach and inspire.2021-06-1743 minSabbath School From HomeHebrews 8 - A far better covenantNot only does Jesus establish a new covenant, but there seems to be something deficient about the old one which is now "obsolete".Hebrews 8 quotes a chunk from Jeremiah 31 (which we looked at in the previous episode), and so is an excellent follow-on. The author in this chapter seems to be making the argument that there was some "fault", or something deficient, with the old covenant. We ponder what this issue seems to have been, and indeed which "old covenant" is the focus here.2021-06-1033 minSabbath School From HomeJeremiah 31 - Forget they ever sinnedA new covenant is declared in the Old Testament - one that is "not like the old covenant".As we approach the obvious destination of this season it is interesting to encounter a "new covenant" in the Old Testament. Jeremiah 31 speaks of some clear differences compared to the old covenant, but also of some details that are less than clear.2021-06-0350 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 86 - A sign of your goodnessWhat does it mean for Sabbath to be a Sign of the Covenant?The lesson topic turns us back to a contentious comment from earlier this season - the Sabbath is the third of three things identified in the bible as "signs of a covenant". What is a sign for, how does it function, and how can Sabbath be such a sign? This episode poses more questions than answers, and your comments are welcome at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com (as always).2021-05-2641 minSabbath School From HomeDeut 4 - He commanded you to performFinally we encounter "Covenant" intertwined with "Commandment", but what does it mean to perform?The lesson topic "Covenant Law" covers some themes we've already explored in recent episodes (such as the election of Israel). We anchor our conversation in Deuteronomy 4, where it is anticipated that God's "statutes and rules" will cause Israel to become the envy of the world. It is particularly fascinating that the Covenant here is described as something we are commanded to "perform".Yet again technical issues have altered the recording - this week Ken's audio went missing. Editing has restored most...2021-05-2025 minSabbath School From HomeExodus 19 - My kingdom of priestsAfter living in Egypt for generations, God remembers his covenant with Abraham's family.The topic of this week's lesson is Covenant at Sinai, and we meander over from Genesis to Exodus chapter 19. Some remarkable elements of this story intrigue us, and it's an opportunity to reflect on how the quarter so far has expanded an understanding of "covenant".2021-05-1447 minSabbath School From HomeGenesis 32 - Unless you bless meHow does the covenant inheritance work for "Abraham's seed"?"Israel" is a name given to Abraham's grandson before it becomes the name of a nation, and the transmission of blessings across generations is a fascinating theme in Genesis. It is not always a straightforward inheritance! We are left pondering what this means for us who claim to be in some spiritual sense the "descendants of Abraham". In particular, there's a challenge in these stories to celebrate the way God bestows blessings on those different from ourselves.2021-05-0549 minSabbath School From HomeGenesis 23 - A foreigner and strangerWhy was Abraham blessed in the first place?After looking at the Abrahamic covenants in Genesis 15 and 17 last week, we backtrack slightly in the story to explore what God had in mind when He called Abraham. The "call of Abraham" is in Genesis 12, and we end up discussing some intriguing details of Genesis 23. This episode is a slightly disjointed because Cameron's recording somehow vapourised, so you'll need to exercise your imagination about his comments in places. As always, comments are welcome at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com - and bonus marks if you can deduce where Cameron would have...2021-04-2932 minSabbath School From HomeGenesis 17 - The covenant familyAbraham's story features covenants especially prominently.This week's lesson is titled "An Everlasting Covenant", and although this wording is used in Genesis 17 we take a bit of convincing that it correctly describes the Abrahamic covenant. It seems that everlasting might not be the same thing as universal. The "Covenant" theme this season is really making our brains tick and we've ended up with yet another longer episode - sorry!2021-04-2259 minSabbath School From HomeGenesis 9 - All future generationsThe flood story has one of the most universal covenants of the Old Testament.It really should be known as "God and the Flood" rather than "Noah and the Flood" - poor old Noah doesn't even have a speaking role in the story until well after the rainbow. The story is in Genesis 6-9, and there are actually two covenants explicitly mentioned. In fact, there's a lot more to this story than most children's-book retellings would suggest!2021-04-1452 minSabbath School From HomeGenesis 3 - Knowing good and evilWe reluctantly wrap up our exploration of "the fall", and learn a bit about covenants.The lesson this week is a "Covenant Primer" to get us ready to explore this theme through other parts of the Bible. We have some unfinished ideas about Genesis 3 and the story commonly known as "the Fall", but then Ken teaches us some key aspects of covenants. In particular, they are not the same as a contract or agreement - and this is going to be crucial for our ongoing examination of God's covenants.2021-04-0644 minSabbath School From HomeGenesis 2 - It is not goodThis new quarter explores God's Everlasting Covenant, and we start by pondering what happened to require His promise.Obviously "The Fall" doesn't happen until chapter 3 of Genesis, but we take too long to get there and run out of time in chapter 2. However, there's a bit more to this story than is often appreciated!SabbathSchoolFromHome has been going for a full year, and the need to do everything "at home" is not as prominent as it was in 2020. We're shifting to a midweek (Wednesday) release schedule so that you have more opportunity to listen to...2021-04-0254 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 61 - Like a garden in early springJesus invoke this passage as a defining description of his earthly ministry, and it is a superb summary of our study of Isaiah.We've slipped slightly behind the SDA lesson pamphlet, but Isaiah 61 is worth it! Jesus reads from this chapter at the start of his public ministry in Luke 4, and it pulls together many of the important themes that have emerged over the last 12 episodes. As always, contact us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com and share your thoughts or comments on this passage.2021-03-2652 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 59 - Fingers are filthy with sinThis chapter has a strong challenge - God can intervene to save the oppressed, but he's displeased to find his people not striving for justice!The lesson "Desire of Nations" explores the subsequent chapters 60 and 61, but we hold off since Lachlan couldn't join this recording. The themes in Chapter 59 are plenty enough food for thought, and we discuss comparisons with the theme of Sin in Romans.2021-03-1936 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 58 - Doing as you pleaseThe theme of Sabbath comes to the fore as we consider the lesson on "Waging Love".In Isaiah 58 (and the surrounding chapters in fact), the theme of Sabbath is directly connected with images of Salvation and Social Justice. This is a fruitful source of challenges for Sabbath-keeping followers of God in the way of Jesus.2021-03-1246 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 53 - He seemed hardly humanWe reach an unambiguously messianic portion of Isaiah, and discuss seeing and hearing from yet another angle.This week's lesson "Doing the Unthinkable" focuses on Isaiah 52-53 and the remarkable foreshadowing of Jesus crucifixion.2021-03-0546 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 42 - Snuff a flickering candleWhy is the "servant of God" so gentle, while God seems almost violent?The lesson touches Chapters 41-49, but we focus mostly on Isaiah 42. As well as the recurring eyes/ears theme, we notice patterns of flame (flickering candles and consuming fires) and of lands across the sea and islands. God's servant is astonishingly gentle, and this almost contrasts with God Himself. There's a remarkable blending of birthing mother and strongman warrior imagery.2021-02-2650 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 40 - Dust on the scalesSome of the best known bible verses are here, alongside some trickier passages about idolatry and being like grass.The lesson this week is called "Comfort My People", which is the opening of both Isaiah 40 and Handel's Messiah. After an interlude of historical narrative, the book is back to a more poetic kind of writing. We see similarities here to parts of Job and the Psalms.2021-02-1956 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 37 - Sundial of AhazThe "Defeat of the Assyrians" has us grappling with how "God will come with vengeance; he will come to save you"We cover a lot of ground in Isaiah this week. In skipping over chapters 15-35 we pick up many recurrences of the "eyes and ears" theme, but our discussion is focussed on the jolt back to historical narrative that occurs in chapters 36-39. This story of Hezekiah and the Assyrians is very similar (substantially word-for-word in many places) to 2 Kings 20. In particular, we ponder the challenging nature of God's micraculous interventions: killing 185,000 soldiers on the one...2021-02-1253 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 14 - A possession of the hedgehogTime for a Taunt! We're keeping up with the Sabbath School lesson, which this week is on "Playing God". The passage in Isaiah 14 is explicitly a taunt of Babylon, and has some fantastic turns of phrase. We ponder the validity or role of taunts, touch on the state of the dead, and recall the importance of having mercy.2021-02-0542 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 9 - His government and its peaceWe ponder the theme of God's "government", and explore the tension between our individualistic culture and the collective punishments proclaimed in Isaiah.The Sabbath School lesson this week is on the "Noble Prince of Peace", and the verses in Isaiah 9 are well known. In many ways this passage completes some of the more difficult texts we've covered in recent episodes.2021-01-2948 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 8 - The Lord will whistle for fliesThis week's lesson "The Hard Way" looks at Isaiah 7 and 8, and Clansi joins the conversation.2021-01-2240 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 7 - Smoldering stumps of firebrandsWe are slow to reach Isaiah 7 because further reflections force us to revisit the difficult verses of Isaiah 6.The lesson this week explores the message of Isaiah to King Ahaz of Judah. We do get there, but spend most of our time revisiting the tough verses from last week:‘Keep on hearing,[c] but do not understand;keep on seeing,[d] but do not perceive.’2021-01-1543 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 6 - Plug their ears and shut their eyesThe Sabbath School lesson "Crisis of Leadership" focuses mostly on Isaiah 6, and we ponder God saying "harden the hearts of these people".Our focus is particularly on verses 9, 10:And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes.That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears,nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing.” [NLT]Share your...2021-01-0841 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 1 - Eat the good of the landWe're starting a new season exploring the book of Isaiah, and we look for some key themes in the first chapter.This season we'll be staying in sync with the SDA Sabbath School lessons progressing through Isaiah. There are way more than 13 chapters in this book, and so it will be necessary to pick and choose excerpts and themes as we go through each week - otherwise the podcast episodes would end up being many hours long! 2021-01-0134 minSabbath School From Home1 Corinthians 2 - Eye has not seen, nor ear heardThe final lesson of this quarter is Eternal Learning, and we contemplate this topic through a couple of book reviews.Our conversation focuses on "Leaf by Niggle" by J. R. R. Tolkien, and "Pilgrims Regress" by C. S. Lewis, and touches on some other works that help us explore the idea of learning in Eternity.2020-12-2540 minSabbath School From HomeRomans 12 - Renewing of your mindThis week's lesson is on Sabbath and personal development, and so we explore the non-employability value of education.This episode is a direct sequel to last week's discussion about work and employment, so you may want to catch up on that episode (s3e11) first. During today's conversation we dip into Jeremiah 28 and Romans 12.2020-12-1852 minSabbath School From HomeEcclesiastes 5 - God keeps him occupiedAs Christians who work, the topic "The Christian and Work" has us reflect on our own experiences.Contribute by emailing us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com2020-12-1100 minSabbath School From HomeDaniel 1 - Skill in all literature and wisdomThe book of Daniel launches an interesting exploration of "Education in the Arts and Sciences" throughout the Bible.We found more Bible references to this kind of education than we first thought, and this episode touches onDaniel 1Judges 61 Thessalonians 5:21Luke 2Genesis 2Send your comments/questions/suggestions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com2020-12-0443 minSabbath School From HomeProverbs 22 - Train up a childWe explore the difference between Education and Indoctrination for this week's lesson topic "The Church and Education".The conversation turns to Proverbs 22 and Proverbs 2. Feel free to join the conversation by emailing comments/thoughts/questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com.2020-11-2744 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 85 - Righteousness and peace have kissedThe topic "Redemption and Education" provides a great opportunity to talk about Restorative (or "Redemptive") Justice, which increasingly forms the basis for school discipline systems.We're joined by friend and school teacher Clinton Jackson. His school has been using Restorative Practice for some years now, and he shares some of the profound ways that this way of thinking impacts our relationships and theology.2020-11-2051 minSabbath School From HomeGalatians 2 - Christ who lives in meThe lesson this week is on "Worship in Education", and so we asked Ken to educate us about a worshipful poem.Worship often involves music, but in our church tradition it does not feature poetry anywhere near as much. Pondering this wonderful poem makes it seem as though we might be missing something valuable.As Kingfishers Catch Fire By Gerard Manley HopkinsAs kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hun...2020-11-1343 minSabbath School From HomeMatthew 12 - Doing what is not lawfulOne remarkable feature of Masters is that they break the "rules" due to their deeper insight - and Jesus the Master Teacher seems to be no exception!Just like the Sabbath School lesson, this episode continues the theme from last week. We ponder what sort of expertise Jesus would be in the modern world, and discuss the rules he "breaks" as a master - especially the Sabbath!2020-11-0657 minSabbath School From HomePhilippians 2 - did not cling to equality with GodThe lesson on "Jesus as the Master Teacher" opens up a wider conversation about masters and mastery.This week we didn't anchor as closely to a bible passage as we normally do, but exploring the qualities of a master led us to a few references. Philippians 2 speaks of the attitude of Christ, and especially the humility that led him to "not consider equality with God a thing to cling to". 2020-10-3045 minSabbath School From HomeActs 17 - Does not live in templesThis week's lesson is on "The Biblical Worldview", which turns out to be a bit more complicated than it often sounds.The bible was written over enough history that it might be better to think of various worldviews represented in the bible. In the 21st century even followers of Christ see the world through very different eyes to anyone in the Bible. This episode features special guest Clansi Rogers, sharing some of the insights she has from studying ancient history.2020-10-2344 minSabbath School From HomeRomans 7 - I agree with the lawTo discuss "The Law as Teacher" we turn to our resident legal expert, Ken, for a fascinating exploration of law and its ability (or inability) to teach.This episode explores a variety of aspects of the law, and has fairly natural focus on civil law as well as biblical or spiritual law. Romans is an obvious place to turn, and chapters 5, 6, 7 are all brought into the conversation. We enjoy hearing your comments at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com.2020-10-1643 minSabbath School From HomeDeuteronomy 6 - Teach them diligently to your childrenWe turn to aviation and pilot training for an interesting perspective on this week's topic of "Education in The Family".Ken shares a gripping story of having to make an emergency landing after his plane's engine stopped during aerobatics, and it is fascinating to reflect that pilot training is somewhat different to much of the education we experience in life - but perhaps not so different to some of the ways kids learn in families. We're always happy to hear your comments and feedback via email to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com2020-10-0945 minSabbath School From HomeGenesis 1 - Chaos and wasteThis new quarter has the theme "Education", and so we're going back-to-school with our podcast. For a fresh perspective on "Education in the Garden of Eden" Cameron takes us on a wild journey into randomness and meaning - with magic tricks!At one point in this episode we talk about a fantastic pattern created "randomly" called the Sierpiński triangle fractal, which is difficult to explain in a purely audio format. Cameron has created a video animation of the random walk process to produce the Sierpiński triangle fractal pattern (watch on YouTube at https://youtu.be/IT...2020-10-0255 minSabbath School From HomeJames 1 - Let perseverance finish its workAt the end of a quarter on Witnessing, the lesson "A step in faith" has us turning to James 1 for some wise perspectives.Feel free to join the conversation by emailing sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com and we can use your insights and questions to guide future episodes.2020-09-2534 minSabbath School From HomeJonah 3 - God may yet relentThis week's lesson on "A message worth sharing" is quite focussed on the book of Revelation, and we ponder this topic from the perspective of Jonah 3.The Seventh-day Adventist emphasis on the messages in Revelation has certain similarities to the message Jonah preaches against Nineveh. We explore this story to ponder what it might mean for a message to be "worth sharing". Importantly, we discover that sometimes the benefits of the message are actually intended for the messenger!You can send comments to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com - we enjoy hearing from you.2020-09-1849 minSabbath School From HomeActs 18 - Even more accuratelyApollos, who taught about Jesus with accuracy but still needed somethings explained more accurately, is an interesting starting point for a conversation about the lesson "Sharing the Story of Jesus" and the idea of witnessing from authentic personal experience.Apollos is mentioned in Acts 18:24 - 19:7, and also in Pauls writings to the Corinthians. This story offers an interesting perspective on the lesson's claim that "We cannot share what we do not have ourselves", and the episode wanders onto other related topics of conversation. Join the conversation by emailing us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com and we can share...2020-09-1152 minSabbath School From HomeDaniel 2 - And told his friendsThis week's lesson "An Exciting Way to Get Involved" explores small groups, and so we turn to the story of Daniel and his three friends.Small groups have been almost fads in recent church history, but the core idea goes back deep throughout human history. We start with a more general discussion of small groups before focussing on Daniel 2:1-19 as an interesting angle from which to approach this topic. You can share your comments by emailing sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com .2020-09-0447 minSabbath School From HomeJohn 2 - A whip of cordsIn "Developing a Winning Attitude", the lesson this week explores more deeply Jesus’ attitude toward people. It tackles the challenge of speaking the truth in love, which turns out to be quite a can of worms!Our conversation is centered around the story of Jesus clearing the traders from the temple, which is in all four gospels. We discuss the version in John 2:13-22 and discover a few surprises. Join the conversation by emailing us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com and we can share your comments in a future episode.2020-08-2844 minSabbath School From HomeLuke 8 - Go in peaceJesus healing the bleeding woman and Jairus' daughter is a perfect double story to look at in the context of this week's lesson "Ministering Like Jesus".Luke shares some really interesting insights about this story that launch a conversation that reaches back to the Centurion's servant and forward to the present day. We look at the story in Luke 8. Share your comments and questions with us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com so that we can share them with the broader listening community.2020-08-2143 minSabbath School From HomeActs 8 - Do you understand what you are reading?Touching on this week's lesson "Sharing the Word", we start with the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch and end up dwelling on Jesus as The Word.The story of Philip and the Ethiopian is in Acts 8:26-39, and John chapter 1 opens with a delightful meditation on The Word of God. Send comments and questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com so that we can share them with the broader listening community.2020-08-1446 minSabbath School From HomeNumbers 22 - The ability to speakThe lesson this week is called "Unlimited Possibilities", but seems to be about spiritual gifts - and so we turn to the story of Balaam!The story is in Numbers 22, and we focus on verses 21-35. Although the conversation focuses a bit around the gift of tongues, we explore a number of ideas that relate to spiritual gifts more broadly. This episode also highlights the occasionally useful gift of "tongue-in-cheek".Send comments and questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com so that we can share them with the broader listening community.2020-08-0745 minSabbath School From HomeActs 10 - They have received the Holy Spirit just as we didTo explore this week's lesson on "Spirit-empowered witnessing", we turn to the story of Peter baptising the gentile Cornelius and his household.This story is in Acts 10, and we focus on verses 34-48. If you'd like to answer any of our various questions at the end of this episode (or share any other comments), write to us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com2020-07-3140 minSabbath School From HomeLuke 11 - Because of your shameless persistenceThis week's lesson is "Prayer Power: Interceding for Others", and we explore Jesus' teachings on prayer in Luke 11.The passage contains The Lord's Prayer, and then immediately follows it with a somewhat difficult parable about asking persistently. In fact, this is similar to the parable of the Persistent Widow in Luke 18:1-8. If you'd like to answer any of our various questions at the end of this episode (or share any other comments), write to us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com2020-07-2432 minSabbath School From HomeJohn 4 - Why are you asking me for a drink?Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 is an excellent story to explore for this week's lesson "Seeing People Through Jesus’ Eyes". [Abrupt ending is intentional]We're delighted to have Clansi join in again this week with some asynchronous comments. In the interests of time, we didn't read the bible passage in full this week. The core of the story that we discuss is John 4:5-26 culminating with Jesus telling the woman that he is the Messiah. Follow the link to review the story if you're not so familiar with it - it is...2020-07-1841 minSabbath School From HomeLuke 16 - They won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the deadWe find a slightly different angle on this week's lesson "The Power of Personal Testimony" by discussing Jesus' parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.Since it's school holidays and kids are visiting grandparents, Lachlan's wife Clansi joins as a special guest. Luke 16 begins with the parable of the Shrewd Manager, and this turns out to help us explore interesting aspects of the Rich Man and Lazarus. As always, send comments and questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com so that we can share them with the broader listening community.2020-07-1037 minSabbath School From HomeIsaiah 49 - A light for the nationsIt's the start of a new quarter and we explore this week's Sabbath School lesson "Making Friends for God". Isaiah 49:6 speaks of being a "light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth", and this is quoted by Paul in Antioch as a commandment - so what does it mean for us?For Season 2 of Sabbath School from Home we're going to try pulling topics from the lesson study, and this episode centres around Isaiah 49:6 which says (ESV)he says:“It is too light a thing that you should be...2020-07-0338 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 24 - The King of GloryPsalm 24 is full of joyful praise, and we find it to have a wonderful kind of timelessness. It seems nearly as applicable to our Christian experience as it was to the world of the psalmist.We're wondering what to do with this podcast for the next 13 episodes, so write to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com with your comments and suggestions.2020-06-2639 minSabbath School From HomePsalms 22 and 23 - Valley of the shadow of deathIn this second half of our conversation comparing Psalms 22 and 23 we explore more of the messianic aspects and ponder how these famous passages can apply to our everyday lives. Send comments and questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com and we can include them in future episodes.2020-06-1943 minSabbath School From HomePsalms 22 and 23 - Despised by the peopleWe're trying something different, and tackling two Psalms at once! Psalm 22 and 23 appear initially to be quite different in tone, but both have been seen as messianic prophecies. With two Psalms as source material, this conversation will span across two episodes - so keep an eye out next week for the second installment. In this first half we align with the Sabbath School lesson on "The Bible and Prophecy" by exploring messianic themes in these chapters. 2020-06-1248 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 114 - A people of strange languagePsalm 114 uniquely describes the Exodus as leaving "a people of strange language", and we explore some implications for understanding the bible as history.This episode deliberately aligns with this week's Sabbath School lesson. The focus on this Psalm was partly inspired by an interesting essay on Psalm 114.2020-06-0537 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 108 - My heart is steadfastWe enjoy the beginning of this Psalm, but are all slightly troubled by the Old Testament taunts in the middle. After some fruitful discussion we agree that it's more important to be on God's side than to claim He is on ours.In particular, the troubling verses are 7-9:7 God has promised in his holiness: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Valley of Succoth.8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter.9 Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe...2020-05-2945 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 104 - How manifold are your worksPsalm 104 is full of echoes of the creation story, and so our meander through the Psalms aligns this week with the Sabbath School lesson. We tend to agree with the SDA Bible Commentary that this Psalm "is remarkable for the movement and vividness of the images", and "is probably unsurpassed in literature". You can share any answers/thoughts/comments (and any other questions) with us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com.2020-05-2248 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 131 - Wait with hopePsalm 131 is just one verse each for Cameron, Lachlan, and Ken - but there's plenty to discuss. Imagery of God as a mother is explored (a week late for Mother's Day, unfortunately), and we wonder how this Psalm fits with the desire to think about great and marvelous things.Ken poses 2 questions for you to think about beyond this episode: When and how does false humility arise?What is involved in "calming and quieting my soul"?You can share any answers/thoughts/comments (and any other questions) with us at sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com.2020-05-1542 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 127 - The bread of anxious toilWe take a look at Psalm 127, attributed to Solomon. It turns out to have fascinating relevance for our modern world, and our attempts to summarise end up being longer than the Psalm itself.The opening verses of this song are the School Psalm at the school where Cameron works. The subsequent verses about having many children seem surprisingly unrelated, but we discovered some ways to seem the themes united. The essay on prayer that Cameron references can be listened to as an audiobook on youtube.2020-05-0845 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 91 - For He will deliver youCam, Lachlan, and Ken learn from some listener comments, and explore the almost unbearable positivity of Psalm 91.A listener (Ben) shared a fantastic example of a contemporary song that might be similar in some ways to the more raw and dark of the Psalms. You can enjoy listening to Laura Story's song Blessings on YouTube. Psalm 91 contains the verses "He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone." quoted by Satan in the wilderness t...2020-05-0148 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 138 - Give thanks with my whole heartWe discuss Psalm 138, next in sequence from last week but substantially more positive; Cam shares a particularly amusing (and relevant) anecdote about the Disappearing Fire.Luke was otherwise occupied this week and so the conversation is between Cameron, Lachlan, and Ken. Psalm 138 was chosen for this week's topic on the basis that it was different from Psalm 137 (last week) and also simply the next in sequence.For the first time, we conclude with a few questions you might like to respond to:What does this Psalm (especially v7) have to say about experiences of...2020-04-2435 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 137 - We sat and weptWe chat about Psalm 137 and its challenging ending invites us to engage a little deeper, helped by some new ideas emailed by listeners.As always, send in your comments and questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com and we will use them to broaden the conversation.2020-04-1743 minSabbath School From HomePsalm 20 - The desires of your heartCameron, Lachlan, and Ken are joined by a good friend Luke for this discussion of Psalm 20, and Ken gets to unpack one of his favourite verses (v4).Yet again we turn to C S Lewis for some helpful insights, and COVID-19 features in our chat about applying this Psalm to our lives. Send in your comments and questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com and we will use them to reflect a wider conversation next time.2020-04-0544 min
Sabbath School From HomePsalm 46 - Be still and know that I am GodIn this opening episode (audio quality gets better from next episode) Cameron and Lachlan and Ken chat about Psalm 46 and notice a lot of themes relevant to the current COVID-19 situation.This is the very first episode of an attempt to do Sabbath School conversations while isolated due to COVID-19. Send in your comments and questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com and we will use them to reflect a wider conversation next time.2020-03-3028 min