Shows
Unbinding the BibleTHROWBACK THURSDAY: By the Book: The Skeletons in God's ClosetThis week on the podcast I'm re-releasing the conversation I had with Joshua Ryan Butler on his outstanding book, The Skeletons in God's Closet. Our conversation in August 2020 focused on just the first third of his book, The Mercy of Hell. I decided to re-release this episode here on the podcast because of Jesus' words in Matthew 5:21-30 on hell and how important it is to think rightly about what Jesus means when he uses that word.
I know you'll appreciate Joshua's insights, and I encourage you to read his book if you haven't already.
2023-03-021h 20
The Green Room PodcastEp 36: Cannabis BS - the good, the bad, and the ugly. An interview w/ Kristen Yoder, CannaBS Detector Podcast In this episode we interview Kristen Yoder who is a 16-year cannabis industry veteran, media personality, speaker, host of The CannaBS Detector Podcast, and the CEO of the cannabis business firm, Soil To The Oil. In 2005, Kristen started her journey in the cannabis industry as a bud-tender in one of the first dispensaries in Venice, California. Kristen shares how she has become a trusted authority by educating her audience when they enter the cannabis industry. Kristen educates us on how to navigate the difficulties in the heavily regulated Cannabis industry. You'll learn why Kristen is known as the can...
2021-09-131h 05Unbinding the Bible095 - REVELATION: The Harvest is RipeIn this episode, we'll finish Revelation 14, looking at verses 14-20. We'll bring in a few passages from the gospels and the book of Hebrews to help us navigate a rather tricky (and somewhat gruesome) passage. Taking what we know of the way God has chosen to reveal himself, we'll attempt to understand how his judgment works.
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094.
Email comments/questions to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2020-09-1034 minUnbinding the Bible094 - REVELATION: The Hour of God's JudgmentIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 14:6-13. In it we'll see how the coming judgment of God can be considered "good news" by focusing on the way Jesus referred to his own "hour" and the glory he would share with his Father through it. We'll also pay close attention to the language John uses to describe this coming judgment and why these words are given primarily to the church.
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094.
Email comments/questions to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2020-09-0351 minUnbinding the Bible093 - REVELATION: A Feast of Well-Aged Wine*This episode is a sermon I preached January 20, 2019 from John 2: Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana. I'm inserting it here on the podcast because of how it highlights Jesus honoring the bridegroom as well as how the imagery of wine and blood are often connected throughout the NT. As we approach Revelation 14-18, we'll see wine in connection with judgment: how some people's "feasting" came at the expense of others, and how their oppression and violence will be given them to drink in return. Jesus' miracle at Cana will help us think in the right categories...
2020-08-2728 minUnbinding the Bible092 - REVELATION: The Mark of the LambIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 14:1-5, where John describes the community of the faithful. The metaphors John uses to describe those "who follow the Lamb wherever he goes" contrast sharply with the metaphors used in chapter 13 to describe the followers of the beast. Revelation 14:1-5 gives the church tremendous hope and encouragement, especially when considering the union and intimacy they portray between Christ and his Bride.
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094.
Email comments/questions to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2020-08-2054 minUnbinding the BibleBy the Book: The Skeletons in God's ClosetIn this episode, I have a conversation with Josh Butler about his book, The Skeletons in God's Closet: The Mercy of Hell, the Surprise of Judgment, the Hope of Holy War. Josh and I discuss just the first third of his book, The Mercy of Hell. What I love most about Josh's approach is how he emphasizes our need to root our understanding of hell in Scripture's narrative. Too often hell is spoken about from a few isolated verses of Scripture with little or no connection to the rest of the biblical story. Josh avoids this error and then takes u...
2020-08-131h 17Unbinding the Bible091 - REVELATION: The Mark of the BeastIn this episode, we'll focus in on Revelation 13:16-18 - John's description of the mark of the beast and the number of its name. Probably the single most well-known idea in the entire book, we'll look at how John has already been developing this idea throughout Revelation so far. And we'll draw on the OT's most famous passage (at least in Jesus' mind) to help us understand the language John uses in describing this "mark" of the beast.
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094
Email questions/comments to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2020-08-0641 minUnbinding the Bible090 - REVELATION: The Beast from the EarthIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 13:11-18, John's description of the second beast. We'll see how this beast utilizes religion to encourage "those who dwell on the earth" to worship the first beast: the political power of empire. And we'll also see just how deceitful and tempting (not to mention destructive) it is to mix the kingdom of God with the ways of the empire. And as we'll see, John's message needs to be heeded even in our day, especially among Christian churches.
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094.
Email comments/questions to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2020-07-301h 09Unbinding the BibleBONUS 5 - A Kingdom Like a Mustard Seed*The following is a sermon I preached this past Sunday (July 26, 2020) from Matthew 13, where Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed. Jesus' teaching, believe it or not, is intensely political in nature and he wants his followers to think of the kingdom he's come to bring in political terms. What Jesus means, though, is different from what many people in our world today (including Christians) imagine that he means.
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094.
Email question/comments to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2020-07-2840 minUnbinding the Bible089 - REVELATION: The Beast from the SeaIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 13:1-10 and pay particular attention to three things that the dragon gives to the beast: his power, his throne, and his great authority. And then we'll compare how power, thrones, and authority have been spoken about in reference to God and the Lamb. We'll end this week's episode discussing why these oppressive kingdoms are called "beasts" and where we might expect to find other beast-like structures or institutions today.
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094.
Please email comments/questions to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2020-07-2350 minUnbinding the Bible088 - REVELATION: The Dragon's War of FuryIn this episode, we'll finish our look at Revelation 12, paying particular attention to the dragon's rage toward "those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus" (Rev. 12:17). John provides us with incredible explanatory power to understand not only what followers of Jesus can expect in this world, but also the way in which we can persevere in the midst of it.
Unbinding the Bible Video: https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094.
Please email comments or questions to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2020-07-1650 minUnbinding the BibleBy the Book: Soul CareThis week's episode is a By the Book conversation with Rob Reimer, author of the book, Soul Care. Rob and I talk about how identity issues, fears, hurts, and other matters of the soul can be access points for either God or the enemy. We talk about addictions, shame, fundamentalism, spiritual accountability, and confession. The truth is, everyone needs a healthy soul; and Jesus very well may choose to use Rob's book to strengthen your soul, as he has used it to help reshape mine.
Unbinding the Bible Video: https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094.
2020-07-091h 12Unbinding the Bible087 - REVELATION: The Christian Story RetoldIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 12. Drawing on C.S. Lewis's and J.R.R. Tolkien's understanding of "myth" and the power of the imagination, we'll see how John means for us to interpret the Christian story as the greatest "myth" ever conceived. And in a day where Christian "truth" is thought to be primarily cognitive, we'll discover the power that our imaginations play in gripping our emotions and hearts, as well as our minds.
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094
2020-07-0252 minUnbinding the BibleBONUS 4 - Not Peace, But A Sword*This episode is a sermon I preached this past Sunday (June 28, 2020) on Matthew 10:34-39. Simply preaching through the Lectionary, I was surprised at how relevant Jesus' teachings are to our current cultural moment. While I didn't set out this week to address the underlying causes of society's unrest, Jesus' words to his disciples spoke to it anyway. So I decided to share my message on the podcast as a BONUS episode. I offer to you, then, my most recent sermon: Not Peace, But A Sword*.
Unbinding the Bible Video: https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094
2020-06-3029 minUnbinding the BibleBy the Book: Reading Revelation ResponsiblyThis week's episode is a By the Book conversation with Michael Gorman, author of the book Reading Revelation Responsibly. If you've listened to the Revelation series on this podcast, you've heard me reference this book quite a bit. Dr. Gorman and I discuss interpretive approaches to the book of Revelation, the state of the church, the dangers of civil religion, and a Lamb-centered understanding of power. This is a conversation you don't want to miss!
Reading Revelation Responsibly
Cruciformity: Paul's Narrative Spirituality of the Cross
Unbinding the Bible Video: https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094.
Email any questions/comments to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2020-06-251h 00Unbinding the Bible086 - REVELATION: "The Kingdom of Our Lord"In this episode, we'll finish Revelation 11, looking specifically at verses 15-19. In this song of praise, we'll see how the LORD's coming is both faithfulness to his covenant promises for his people as well as judgment on those opposed to God and his ways. And we'll look at how God "destroying the destroyers of the earth" is a fitting way to describe how "the punishment fits the crime" (see Deuteronomy 19:15-21; Psalm 7:14-16).
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094
Email any questions/comments to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2020-06-1840 minUnbinding the BibleBy the Book: Confident HumilityThis week's episode is a By the Book conversation with Dan Kent, author of Confident Humility. Dan and I talk about his book, how Jesus defines humility, how both religious and irreligious people are prone to defining humility wrongly, and what steps we all might take to reorient our lives around reality as Jesus defines it. Dan is a clear and insightful thinker, has a deep grasp of reality, and navigates challenging truths with ease. You can follow Dan on Facebook and Twitter.
Dan has also released a FREE Confident Humility study guide, which you can find here: https://thatdankent.c...
2020-06-111h 28Unbinding the Bible085 - REVELATION: Where is “Babylon”?In this episode, we'll look closely at how the Bible portrays the reality of "Babylon" - the ideologies rooted in the fall and in Babel and how those same ideologies often thrive unchecked in the hearts of religious people.
Unbinding the Bible Video - https://vimeo.com/381235030/868320d094
Email any questions/comments to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2020-06-041h 34Unbinding the Bible084 - REVELATION: Embodying the Pattern of the ChristIn this episode, we'll look at the two witnesses' prophetic message: a way of being that embodies the pattern of the Christ. The word "embody" simply means to give a tangible expression of or a visible form to an idea; in this case, the gospel of Jesus Christ. When Christians embody the pattern of the Christ, the nations see the glory of the gospel and, in repentance, give glory to the God of heaven. What judgments alone failed to achieve, the self-sacrificial, dying-for-one's enemies, embodied love of Christians can bring about the salvation of the nations!
Unbinding the Bible Video
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2020-05-2837 minUnbinding the BibleCOVID & the Apocalypse?Today's episode is a conversation I had with my good friend, Corey, about all things apocalyptic. How should Christians interpret these strange times we're in today? Is the book of Revelation unfolding before us? And what does the word, "apocalypse," mean anyway? We cover all this and more in our conversation. And I hope you'll use our conversation as a launching point to have meaningful conversations of your own.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-05-211h 22Unbinding the BibleBy the Book: The Drama of EphesiansIn this episode, I'm excited to have Tim Gombis on the podcast. Tim is a professor of New Testament at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. On the show, we talk about his book, The Drama of Ephesians, and the power that rightly reading Ephesians should have on the church. We also touch on issues of Christian identity and what the gospel does to free us from fear, insecurities, defensiveness, and control.
You can also read more of what Tim has written and interact with him through his blog, Faith Improvised, through Facebook, or by visiting www.timgombis.com.
2020-05-141h 42Unbinding the Bible083 - REVELATION: “My Two Witnesses”In this episode, we'll walk through the opening several verses of Revelation 11 - the revealing of the contents of the scroll. What the scroll reveals is that the faithful witness and death of Christians - of followers of Jesus - will prove instrumental in converting the nations of the world. Such self-sacrificial witness can, and does, produce repentance among the nations; repentance that judgments alone could never bring about.
Unbinding the Bible Video
Email me any comments/questions: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2020-05-0732 minUnbinding the Bible082 - REVELATION: Eat This ScrollIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 10:1-11. If judgments alone are unable to produce repentance among the nations, what will? The answer to this question forms the heart of the contents of the scroll that 1) the Lamb receives from the one seated on the throne in Revelation 5, and 2) that John is told to eat in Revelation 10. We'll talk specifically on this episode about just what it means to "take into oneself" this kind of prophetic message.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-04-3041 minUnbinding the BibleBy the Book: Intro“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you” (Mortimer J. Adler). Many books over the years have gotten "through to [me]" in profound ways, changing both my thinking and my life. I'd like to share some of them with you. And so with this episode, we're beginning a new series within the podcast called By the Book. Sprinkled periodically throughout the podcast I plan to interview authors whose writings have impacted my thinking, giving you access into other minds...
2020-04-2318 minUnbinding the Bible081 - REVELATION: Idols & DemonsIn this episode, we'll look at the opening section of the sixth trumpet: Revelation 9:13-21. We'll see how intertwined demons and idols become in the hearts of their worshipers and why it is that judgments alone fail to produce repentance in those who dwell on the earth.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-04-1641 minUnbinding the Bible080 - REVELATION: Sheep in the Midst of Wolves*This episode is a sermon I preached June 25, 2017 on Matthew 10:16-33. I'm inserting it here in the podcast because of its connection to the destroyer language of Revelation 9 that we discussed in episode 078. Jesus' words also pull back the veil on what's really going on in the world, particularly as it relates to our calling to be his witnesses - the very point John is at pains to get across in the book of Revelation. Jesus exhorts his followers to be wise as serpents and as innocent as doves, an exhortation we desperately need today, as fear is rapidly...
2020-04-0928 minUnbinding the Bible079 - REVELATION: Exercising Jesus' Authority*The following is a sermon I preached on June 18, 2017 from Matthew 9:35-10:15. I'm inserting it here on the podcast because it helps shape the church's response to the destruction the evil one is unleashing on our world, as demonstrated so clearly through the locust plague from Revelation 9. Rightly understanding what authority means and why Jesus gives his disciples authority "over all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19) will help shape our role as his witnesses in the world, particularly in light of the torment and bondage the world is in outside of Christ.
2020-04-0232 minUnbinding the Bible078 - REVELATION: Locusts from the AbyssIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 8:13-9:12 - the first "woe" directed toward "those who dwell on the earth." We'll spend some time clarifying just who this group of people are and why they are referred to this way in Revelation. Hint: they are contrasted with those who "dwell in heaven" (Rev. 13:6). And using many passages throughout the New Testament, we will also come to see why locusts are such a perfect metaphor for the tormenting and destroying work of the evil one.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-03-2636 minUnbinding the Bible077 - REVELATION: Destabilizing BabylonIn this episode, we'll look at the first four trumpet judgments from Revelation 8:5-12. In them we'll see close connections between Egypt's oppressive rule over the Israelites - and the subsequent plagues of judgment that came as a result - as well as Jeremiah's identification of the judgment awaiting Babylon for its cruelty and oppression. Taken together, both Egypt and Babylon shape John's understanding of the judgment that awaits any nation who sets itself up against God and his ways for the world, seen most clearly in the economic exploitation of the vulnerable in the building of their "great"...
2020-03-1934 minUnbinding the Bible076 - REVELATION: The Prayers of the SaintsIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 8:1-5, as the Lamb opens the seventh seal. In this section, we'll notice that the normally noisy heaven goes completely silent; silent enough for God to hear the prayers of his faithful people. We'll see how prayer relates to God's working in the world and what the relationship is between praying for justice to be done in our world and being just as open to God's work of justice being done in our own hearts.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-03-1235 minUnbinding the Bible075 - REVELATION: Serving & Being Served*This episode is a sermon I preached July 21, 2019 from Luke 10:38-42. In it I address the relationship between being served by Jesus and going out and serving others. The main idea is this: We need to allow Jesus to serve us before we try to serve others. This sermon is closely connected to How Do YOU Read the Law, which I inserted as episode 049 on this podcast. You may want to listen to them together.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-03-0529 minUnbinding the Bible074 - REVELATION: The White-Robed MultitudeIn this episode, we'll finish Revelation 7 by looking at verses 9-17. Using apocalyptic language, we'll clarify just who Christians are as God's people and the power Jesus' shed blood has on our lives. There are few passages in the Bible as beautiful as this one!
2020-02-2731 min
Survivor SanctuaryWhen the Bible is Wielded As A Weapon Against Sexual Abuse Survivors: With Special Guest Joshua YoderOn today’s episode, we have a very special guest: my cousin, Joshua Yoder! Joshua is a minister with a podcast all about the Bible, and on this episode he helps us unravel the truth behind one of the scriptures that gets blasted at sexual abuse survivors by well-meaning (but clueless) Christians. Does “forgetting those things that are behind” mean we shouldn’t ever think about or face our past? And if it doesn’t, then WHY do survivors hear it all the time?
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2020-02-2652 minUnbinding the Bible073 - REVELATION: The 144,000In this episode, we'll look at Revelation 7:4-8 and try to discern what to make of the list of the tribes of Israel. Drawing on themes found in the message to the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia, we'll attempt to understand Israel's relationship to the Church and how Jesus functions as the hinge on which everything swings.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-02-2033 minUnbinding the Bible072 - REVELATION: The Sealed Servants of GodIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 7:1-4, paying particular attention to what being "sealed" means. We'll compare the language Jesus uses with the church in Philadelphia from Revelation 3 along with John's description of the "mark of the beast" in Revelation 13 to help us out, and we'll see why being sealed with the Holy Spirit is some of the best news there is!
2020-02-1329 minUnbinding the Bible071 - REVELATION: "Who Can Stand?"In this episode, we'll look at Revelation 6:12-17 as the Lamb opens the sixth seal. We'll see what appears to be a description of the absolute end of all things, but we'll see that the events being described are simply what happens when the presence of the LORD comes to the earth. This, of course, can be seen as a good or terrible reality, depending on how one sees the LORD.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-02-0629 minUnbinding the Bible070 - REVELATION: How Long, O Lord?In this episode, we'll tackle Revelation 6:9-11 and watch as the Lamb opens the fifth seal. We'll look again at the judgments of God as they proceed "from the throne" and distinguish this type of judgment from the way earthly rulers carry out judgments of their own. And then we'll see how the Lord himself encourages those who have been mistreated for bearing witness to his name.
Unbinding the Bible Video
The Voice of the Martyrs
Email any questions or comments you have to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2020-01-3030 minUnbinding the Bible069 - REVELATION: "Conquering and to Conquer"In this episode, we'll see the Lamb begin to open the first few seals of the scroll. We'll spend the majority of our time talking about the rider on the first horse and what the first four seals communicate to us. We'll compare the destruction that comes from these four horses with the blessings that come from the Lamb, paying attention to these two trajectories:
Beast: Conquest --> Bloodshed (others) --> Famine --> Death
Lamb: Conquest --> Bloodshed (his own) --> Hunger Satisfied --> Life
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2020-01-2339 minUnbinding the Bible068 - REVELATION: "Worthy is the Lamb"In this episode, we'll finish our look at Revelation 5, highlighting once again that the image of the Lamb belongs to the way God rules the world. We'll see that the worship offered to the Creator in chapter 4 mirrors the worship offered to the Redeemer in chapter 5, once again confirming that salvation is best understood as new creation. And we'll end our time comparing and contrasting the ways in which the Lamb's kingdom differs from Rome's.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-01-1634 minUnbinding the Bible067 - REVELATION: The Lion and the LambIn this episode, we'll jump straight into the heart of the gospel itself, the heart of the book of Revelation, and the interpretive lens through which to understand the rest of the book. Revelation 5:1-10 will be our passage, and we'll see the power of apocalyptic language once again push us into new worlds of thinking and just how it is God intends to both judge and save the world.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2020-01-0935 minUnbinding the Bible066 - REVELATION: "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty"In this episode, we'll wrap up our look at Revelation 4, paying particular attention to the repeated adjective "holy" to describe the Lord God Almighty. We'll see why God as Creator is a fitting reason for worshiping the one who lives forever and ever as well as why God alone is at the center of all worship.
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2019-12-1932 minUnbinding the Bible065 - REVELATION: "The One Seated on the Throne"In this episode, we'll continue our look at Revelation 4, noticing all of the images and creatures being described that surround the throne. We'll also look at David's Song of Deliverance from 2 Samuel 22 to consider just what it might mean that lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder are coming from God's throne (Rev. 4:5).
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2019-12-1240 minUnbinding the Bible064 - REVELATION: A Throne in HeavenIn this episode, we'll continue our look at Revelation 4, paying particular attention to its focus on thrones and why the church would find such a vision significant. We'll compare Revelation 4 with Revelation 13 and discuss how both God and Rome lay claim to a throne, to power, to authority, and to the right of worship. The church's success as faithful witnesses depends heavily on who they will choose to believe is really on the throne.
Unbinding the Bible Video
2019-12-0534 minUnbinding the Bible063 - REVELATION: "A Door Standing Open in Heaven"In this episode, we'll look at Revelation 4:1 and address the issue of time as we transition to a new section in the book. John's use of the words "after this" seem to invite a lot of speculation regarding the contents of the next several chapters taking place solely in the future. And so we'll talk about what "after this" means in the context of the Bible as well as discuss the relationship between "heaven" and "earth."
2019-11-2824 minUnbinding the Bible062 - REVELATION: The Poverty of RichesIn this episode, we'll look at Jesus' words to the church in Laodicea from Revelation 3:14-22. This self-sufficient church boasted, "I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing," not realizing that translates all too easily into their not needing Jesus either. The only church not to receive any commendation, the proud Laodiceans are still loved by Jesus and are exhorted to repent of their self-sufficiency and to allow Jesus back into their midst.
2019-11-2139 minUnbinding the Bible061 - REVELATION: Pillars in the TempleIn this episode, we'll look at Jesus' words to the church in Philadelphia from Revelation 3:7-13. Despite their smallness and seemingly insignificant influence, these Christians are deeply loved by the Holy One of Israel himself, Jesus Christ. This week's Unbound Truth: God's protection and blessing come to those who faithfully witness to Jesus.
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2019-11-1433 minUnbinding the Bible060 - REVELATION: Strengthen What RemainsIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 3:1-6, Jesus' words to the church in Sardis. A church that has a reputation for being alive, Jesus labels it as dead. That such an accusation could be leveled against any church leads us to this week's Unbound Truth: The presence of the Holy Spirit is what gives life to a church.
Email me any questions/comments you have @ UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2019-11-0727 minUnbinding the Bible059 - REVELATION: Tolerating JezebelIn this episode, we'll look at Jesus' words to the church in Thyatira from Revelation 2:18-29. Jesus continues clarifying for all of his followers what faithfully witnessing to him truly looks like as well as new difficulties each church will face in their situation.
Following this week's Unbound Truth, that the influence of Baal can be present even in communities that are faithfully loving, serving, and enduring hardship, we'll see that faithful witness to Jesus demands love AND right teaching. We'll end our time exploring just what it might mean for believers to join Jesus in ruling over the nations w...
2019-10-3136 minUnbinding the Bible058 - REVELATION: Dwelling Amidst Satan’s ThroneIn this episode, we'll look at Revelation 2:12-17 - Jesus' words to the Christians in Pergamum, a church mixed with faithful followers and unfaithful ones. We'll see how Jesus addresses both and what that means for our own lives as his followers.
Email me any questions or comments: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2019-10-2432 minUnbinding the Bible057 - REVELATION: Two Eagles and a Vine*This episode is a sermon I preached June 17, 2018 while preaching through the gospel of Mark. I'm inserting it here in the podcast because what we know of Israel's temptations toward trusting in other kingdoms can help shape our awareness of the same things. Jesus' explanation of the kingdom of God is formed in large part from the Old Testament. And understanding that world better helps us understand our own.
2019-10-1733 minUnbinding the Bible056 - REVELATION: Challenging the EmpireIn this episode, we'll take a look at just what Christians are up against in the various Empires in which they live. We'll pay particular attention to the idea of America as a "Christian nation," just what that means, and why it is an unhelpful (not to mention untrue) label in terms of the kingdom of God. We'll end our time talking about why the religious community may end up opposing a true Christian expression of the kingdom of God more than any other group of people.
This week's Unbound Truth: The kingdom of God is altogether different from a re...
2019-10-1039 minUnbinding the Bible055 - REVELATION: "Be Faithful Unto Death"In this episode, we'll look at Jesus' address to the church in Smyrna, what it was like living in that city at the time Revelation was written, and why it was that they faced persecution. We'll end the podcast discussing a bit about what our attitude toward persecution ought to be, according to Jesus.
2019-10-0337 minUnbinding the Bible054 - REVELATION: "Abandoned the Love You Had at First"In this episode, we'll look at Revelation 2:1-7 - Jesus' words to the church in Ephesus. Drawing on Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we'll see the importance that love plays in the life of the church, if we wish to be effective lampstands.
2019-09-2637 minUnbinding the Bible053 - REVELATION: "He Who Has an Ear"In this episode, we'll focus in on the OT origins of Jesus' repeated refrain, "He who has an ear, let him hear." This episode will center exclusively on idolatry, and the subtle ways that our views of God affect the way that we live and the way that we hear. For Jesus to show us the way, he must expose the false ways we've been living. And this applies to his followers even more than to the world.
Scriptures used in this episode: Exodus 32; Exodus 34:6-7; 1 Kings 12:26-30; Psalm 135:15-18; Isaiah 6:9-10; Jeremiah 2:5; Ezekiel 14:1-5; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 24; 2 Corinthians 3:18.
2019-09-1940 minUnbinding the Bible052 - REVELATION: Jesus Speaks to the LampstandsIn this episode, we'll look at a few of the patterns in Jesus' addresses to each of the seven churches. We'll see just how vital it is that believers have a clear picture of Jesus because their witness of him depends entirely on it. We'll also look at how our witness to Jesus - the faithful witness (Rev. 1:5) - may very well embody the "pattern of the Christ" - faithful witness leading to suffering/death leading to vindication/resurrection.
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Email me any questions/comments you have: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2019-09-1229 minUnbinding the Bible051 - REVELATION: "I Have the Keys of Death and Hades"In this episode, we'll finish Revelation 1, looking closely at the first words Jesus speaks and their significance. His message for John and for his church: "Fear not." The hope we have in him not to fear: "I died, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." Jesus has freed us from every conceivable fear we can come up with, but we'll have to face our fears directly if we want to be free from them.
2019-09-0542 minUnbinding the Bible050 - REVELATION: "A Sharp Two-Edged Sword"In this episode, we'll finish our look at Revelation 1:12-16 - the description of the "one like a son of man." In the second half of the episode, we'll dive in specifically to what the sharp two-edged sword protruding from Jesus' mouth represents and how it challenges the way many people think about God's judgment.
2019-08-2937 minUnbinding the Bible049 - REVELATION: How Do YOU Read The Law?*This episode is a sermon I preached July 14, 2019 from Luke 10:25-37. I'm inserting this message here for two reasons: 1) we need to understand that who we are as people and how we approach the Bible very powerfully shapes what we think the Bible says; and 2) we need to embrace this fact as good interpreters of the Bible, especially when we try to interpret John's imagery in the book of Revelation.
So I offer this sermon for your encouragement; a sermon that radically reshaped the way I approach the Bible. And just so you know: I'm a learner right along with yo...
2019-08-2236 minUnbinding the Bible048 - REVELATION: "One Like a Son of Man"In this episode, we'll look at Revelation 1:12-16, paying particular attention both to the way John sees the churches and how he sees Jesus. We'll look at some of the genius of apocalyptic language and a bit about how it works. And we'll learn a lot about the purpose of the church when we see what the lampstand was originally for in Israel's tabernacle.
2019-08-1536 minUnbinding the Bible047 - REVELATION: “Your Brother and Partner”In this episode, we'll look at Revelation 1:9-11 and what it means that John is "your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that is in Jesus." These three verses really propel us forward into the book of Revelation, particularly as its message relates to the circumstances surrounding John's exile on the island of Patmos.
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Email me any questions you have to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2019-08-0829 minUnbinding the Bible046 - REVELATION: "The Alpha and the Omega"In this episode, we'll take a close look at Revelation 1:8 and what the significance is of the divine self-declaration by God that we find there. We'll need the Old Testament to make sense of it, but we'll bring it all back to Jesus before we're finished.
The book I reference, The Theology of the Book of Revelation by Richard Bauckham, can be found here.
Here are the Scripture references this episode addressed: Revelation 1:8, 17; 21:6; 22:13; 1 Kings 18; Deuteronomy 10:17-18; Zechariah 7:9-10; Jeremiah 9:23-24; John 8:57-59; 6:35; 8:12; 10:9, 13; 11:25; 14:6, 9; 15:1; 20:28; Philippians 2:9-11; Isaiah 45:21-23; John 1:1, 14, 18.
Please email any comments or questions you have to: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2019-08-0131 minUnbinding the Bible045 - REVELATION: “He is Coming With the Clouds”In this episode, we'll take a close look at Revelation 1:7, paying particular attention to the OT passage where the phrase, "coming with the clouds" is from - Daniel 7. We'll see how Jesus' kingdom deals with both individuals as well as entire nations. And we'll take a look at what it means to say that "all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him." A lot is packed into this week's episode, but in these opening verses of Revelation, it's important to have in our minds many different themes working simultaneously. While we're not getting very far very...
2019-07-2534 minUnbinding the Bible044 - REVELATION: “Freed Us From Our Sins”In this episode, we'll continue through the opening verses of Revelation 1, paying particular attention to verse 5: "[Jesus] freed us from our sins by his blood." What does it mean to be "freed from our sins"? And how does that work itself out practically in our lives?
John's intention in telling us this is so that we can act most effectively as the kingdom of priests Jesus has made us to be.
Follow me on Instagram: @theunbindingthebiblepodcast
Email me any questions or comments: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2019-07-1833 minUnbinding the Bible043 - REVELATION: “Grace to You and Peace”In this episode, we'll look at the first five verses of Revelation 1. John greets the Christians to whom he writes in the name of their God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We'll see how this view of God is meant to shape the lives of Jesus' followers. Be prepared, though: Revelation also presents us with an alternative three-person "god" vying for our allegiance as well. And an honest reading of Revelation (and of ourselves) will encourage us to examine which "god" we're really worshiping based on the ideals that have most gripped our hearts.
Please follow me on Instagram: TheUnbindingTheBiblePodcast.
An...
2019-07-1136 minUnbinding the Bible042 - REVELATION: Shaking the Heavens*This episode is a sermon I preached December 2, 2018 from Luke 21:25-33. I'm inserting it here because I want you to see how Jesus reshapes our understanding of the "end times." There are few areas in need of clarification more than this one, especially as we approach the book of Revelation. We will get in to the actual text of Revelation 1 soon, but we first need to grasp how Jesus thought about the end and how he understood just what it was he came to do.
Feel free to email me any comments or questions you have to UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2019-07-0433 minUnbinding the Bible041 - THE BOOK OF REVELATION: "Blessed Are Those Who Hear" (Pt 2)In this episode, we'll finish our read-through of the book (chapters 12-22). Take the time to just listen to the flow of the book. You may not understand everything you hear, and that's okay. Just listen and allow what you hear to begin working on you.
And, as always, feel free to email me any questions or comments at UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!
2019-06-2734 minUnbinding the Bible040 - THE BOOK OF REVELATION: "Blessed Are Those Who Hear" (Pt 1)In this episode, we'll take John's words in Revelation 1:3 seriously that those who read aloud the words of this prophecy AND those who hear will both receive blessing. This episode, then, is a reading aloud of Revelation 1-11. Take the time to just listen to the flow of the book. You may not understand everything you hear, and that's okay. Just listen and allow what you hear to begin working on you.
2019-06-2033 minUnbinding the Bible039 - THE BOOK OF REVELATION: Where Do We Begin?In this episode, we'll introduce the book of Revelation. Written as a pastoral letter, a prophecy, and an apocalypse simultaneously, Revelation is a book unlike anything most modern readers of Scripture are familiar with. This, of course, comes as no surprise, considering the many widely varying interpretations of the book. But, using "Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth" (Rev. 1:5) as our interpretive guide, the book of Revelation will come to life for the strengthening of the church.
2019-06-1335 minUnbinding the Bible038 - “Filling Up What Is Lacking”In this episode, we'll look at Colossians 1:24-29 - Paul's understanding of his ministry to the church, an understanding that carries with it potentially offensive, maybe even heretical-sounding connotations. We'll see that this is not the case at all, but we'll examine just what Paul means by the words "in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (Col. 1:24). In seeking clarity at just this point, we'll see an often overlooked but incredibly vital characteristic of the church that we need to see more...
2019-06-0625 minUnbinding the Bible037 - THE Servant Creates ServantsIn this episode, we'll take a look at the book of Acts, paying particular attention to Paul after he meets Jesus on his way to Damascus. We'll talk about the ways Paul refers to himself, especially in relation to the Servant of the LORD descriptions from the book of Isaiah.
In the second half of the episode, we'll talk about how closely connected many of the themes and images are between the way Jesus is described in the New Testament and the way his followers are described. Hopefully your entire perspective on just who the church is will be strengthened.
2019-05-3030 minUnbinding the Bible036 - Opening Doors Without a Key*This episode is a sermon I preached April 28, 2019 on John 20:19-31. I'm inserting it here because of its powerful connection to both setting the captives free and the proclamation of the forgiveness of sins that we looked at in episode 035. Jesus very much wants to meet people in their own places of captivity so that, after setting them free, they can be used by him to set other captives free.
2019-05-2321 minUnbinding the Bible035 - Why Does The Servant Suffer?In this episode, we're going to address one of the gospel's fundamental questions: why does the one coming to restore justice to the world end up suffering? We'll take a close look at the mission of Jesus as well as his offer of (and our need for) the forgiveness of sins.
2019-05-1635 minUnbinding the Bible034 - The Servant of the LORDIn this episode, we'll explore Isaiah's four "Servant Songs" and how they help us grasp a bit about the way biblical prophecy works. We'll then explore how misunderstanding the role of the Servant of the LORD played a major part in so many Jews missing Jesus when he came. Grasping these ideas will also help shape what the Christian life ought to look like for those who wish to follow Jesus.
2019-05-0938 minUnbinding the Bible033 - Born From Above*This episode is a sermon I preached in May 2018 from John 3:1-17 - Jesus' interaction with a religious man named Nicodemus. I'm inserting it here to round out Jesus' teaching on the gospel from episode 032, lest anyone conclude that the way someone becomes a member of God's kingdom is simply by doing the will of God. No, Jesus is not advocating a "do your best" understanding of salvation. He knows that only when we receive life "from above" will we rightly see and understand anything in the kingdom of God.
2019-05-0237 minUnbinding the Bible032 - Who is God's "Family"?In this episode, we'll take a look at Mark 3:20-35 - a clash of kingdoms between Jesus and the religious leaders as well as between Jesus and his biological family. In doing so, we'll discover a unique perspective regarding who rightfully can claim to be part of God's "family."
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2019-04-2533 minUnbinding the BibleBONUS 3 - The Day Death Died*This episode is a sermon I've given on two separate occasions, inviting listeners to experience the reality of the resurrection from a slightly different perspective. I'm inserting it on Easter Sunday as a BONUS episode in the hopes that it will encourage and strengthen you as you celebrate Jesus' resurrection.
2019-04-2121 minUnbinding the BibleBONUS 2 - Bearing the Curse of the World*This episode is a sermon I preached on Good Friday of last year. In it I trace the theme of thorns used throughout Scripture to help us make the most sense of Jesus being forced to wear a "crown" of thorns. I hope this episode encourages you as you celebrate Jesus' death this Good Friday.
2019-04-1914 minUnbinding the Bible031 - Recapitulating the People of GodIn this episode, we'll take a look at the first 5 chapters of Matthew's gospel, paying particular attention to the way Matthew tells the story of Jesus. For many modern readers of the Bible, these subtle connections are easily missed, but powerfully illuminating once you know what you're looking for. Through this episode, I hope you'll come to see how much meaning is packed not only into what Jesus says and does, but into who he is.
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2019-04-1833 minUnbinding the Bible030 - Recapitulating the WildernessIn this episode, we'll continue looking at Jesus' temptation in the wilderness from Matthew 4:1-11, paying particular attention to the connection his temptations have with Israel's temptations in their wilderness experience. What we learn from this recapitulation will help shape vast portions of the Bible, especially how we read the OT as faithful Christ followers.
2019-04-1134 minUnbinding the Bible029 - Recapitulating the GardenIn this episode, we'll look at the meaning of the word "recapitulation" and the significance understanding it has on our lives. We'll look primarily at Jesus' wilderness temptation from Matthew 3:16-4:11 and dig into just what is taking place there.
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2019-04-0431 minUnbinding the Bible028 - Rebuking the Mighty Waters*This episode is a sermon I preached June 24, 2018 from Mark 4:35-41. I'm inserting it here because of its helpful connection with the "representative head" idea introduced in episode 027. This sermon had a profound impact on me, particularly as it related to a passage from Isaiah 17 that I will reference during the message. Jesus invites us to see him as the world's true representative head and also to adopt his stance toward the nations. There's an unavoidable connection with Jonah in this passage (as I hope you'll see); one that demands we consider what makes Jesus better.
2019-03-2828 minUnbinding the Bible027 - Priests in Need of a PriestIn this episode, we'll take a look at Exodus 32 - the creation and worship of the golden calf - and what it shows us about Israel's need for a priest. We'll compare the way Moses and Aaron act as priests and what that teaches us about God and his covenant people, considering the fact that they are called to be a "kingdom of priests." We'll end the episode pondering the kind of priest we would want as well as the kind of priests we are becoming.
2019-03-2132 minUnbinding the Bible026 - Mankind's Story is a QuestIn this episode, we'll tackle the opening chapter in Thomas Foster's fantastic little book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor: For Kids. Through the recognition that the Bible is the greatest piece of literature ever written, we can adopt Foster's observations about "Quest" stories in how we read and understand the Bible, helping us to understand that the revelation of self-knowledge is one of life's most precious gifts.
2019-03-1427 minUnbinding the Bible025 - A Word About RelevanceIn this episode, we'll talk about what it means to say that the Bible is "relevant"? We'll use The Karate Kid to help us answer that question. In the second half of the episode, we'll look at how reading Scripture at not just one but on three levels simultaneously will enable us to understand it's message much clearer. The principles shared in this episode are crucial to any good work of biblical interpretation, so this is an episode you don't want to miss!
2019-03-0730 minUnbinding the Bible024 - How It All Fits TogetherIn this episode, we’ll take a look at the Bible’s storyline from 30,000 feet. We’ll trace the theme of the kingdom of God as one of the clearest ways of understanding the Bible’s message as well as Jesus’ entire ministry. By reading Scripture through this lens, you’ll have a helpful framework for understanding passages from every part of the Bible.
2019-02-2831 minUnbinding the Bible023 - The Freedom of Forgiveness*This episode is a sermon I preached September 17, 2017 while working through the gospel of Matthew (18:21-35). I’m inserting it here because of its connection between Lamech’s seventy times seven justification for revenge in Genesis 4 and Jesus’ words to Peter to forgive seventy times seven. The single greatest antidote to sin ruling over you is to forgive when others sin against you. This sermon explores what forgiveness is, as well as what it isn’t, so that we can experience the freedom it offers.
2019-02-2139 minUnbinding the Bible022 - Justifiable Revenge?In this episode, we'll look at sin's trajectory and how easily mankind finds himself justifying the worst of behaviors. We'll compare this way of living to "walking with God," which will take us one step closer to understanding the way the biblical story takes shape.
2019-02-1431 minUnbinding the Bible021 - "Am I My Brother's Keeper?"In this episode, we'll take a look at life outside the garden (Genesis 4:1-16), paying particular attention to how sin continues its destruction of God's good world. We'll see that, according to the LORD, sin actually takes on the characteristics of a player in the narrative, one that works hard to undo the goodness of God's intentions for his world. We'll end our episode focusing on the mercy and compassion of the LORD, as he once again responds to human sinfulness in surprisingly kind ways.
2019-02-0734 minUnbinding the Bible020 - Do You Begrudge My Generosity?*This episode is a sermon I preached September 24, 2017 while working through the gospel of Matthew. My primary text is Matthew 20:1-16, the parable of the workers in the vineyard. I'm inserting it here because of its close connection to deciding for ourselves what is good and what is evil. The challenge to my congregation was to recognize that good and evil, right and wrong exist as categories outside of ourselves and that life works best when we substitute our way of looking at the world with Jesus'.
2019-01-3131 minUnbinding the Bible019 - Driven Out, East of EdenIn this episode, we'll look at how sin brings about a reversal of creation's ordered blessings. We'll give particular attention to how God's goodness and mercy influence his judgment and why it is actually kind of him to drive Adam and Eve out of the garden.
If you have any questions or comments, please email them to me at: UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!
2019-01-2429 minUnbinding the Bible018 - "Who Told You That You Were Naked?"In this episode, we'll look closely at the LORD God's response to the first man and woman's fall into sin. We'll see what happened to each of mankind's fundamental relationships within a good creation and how the LORD, in his kindness and goodness, deals with them (and us).
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Email questions/comments to UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2019-01-1728 minUnbinding the Bible017 - What Went Wrong?In this episode, we'll look closely at shame and why it is that we hide from God (and others) when we've done what we know is wrong. We'll also look at the pattern that the first man and woman established when committing the first sin and how that pattern still plays itself out in people's lives today.
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Email questions/comments to UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com
2019-01-1034 minUnbinding the Bible016 - The Fall of ManIn this episode, we'll take a close look at Genesis 3:1-7. Taking our cues from many of the themes already explored in Genesis 1-2, we'll discover just what sin is as well as how temptation works. This topic is incredibly relevant in making sense of every one of our lives today, as these same temptations are alive and well still.
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2019-01-0332 minUnbinding the Bible015 - "Naked and Not Ashamed"In this episode, we'll conclude our look at God's good world in the garden from Genesis 1-2. We'll take a close look at marriage, man's perfect relationships with God, creation, one another, and himself, and how the metaphor of marriage perfectly describes God's relationship with his people. We'll finish up by examining shame, and trying to imagine a time when it didn't exist.
People to be Loved: Why Homosexuality is Not Just an Issue - https://www.amazon.com/People-Be-Loved-Homosexuality-Issue/dp/0310519659/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543930120&sr=8-1&keywords=people+to+be+loved+preston+sprinkle
Please email me any questions...
2018-12-2729 minUnbinding the Bible014 - “A Helper Fit For Him”In this episode, we'll look at Genesis 2:18-23, paying particular attention to what "a helper fit for him" means. We'll look at a few of the places where the LORD God himself is said to be a "help" to man, giving us insight into why the man being alone was considered "not good". We'll wrap things up by focusing on the significance of naming things (people, places, even God) in the Bible.
As always, I'd love to hear from you! If you have any comments or questions, please email me at UnbindingTheBible@gmail.com.
2018-12-2027 min
Jesus is Better: Bible Stories with Gospel JoyEpisode 27: Joshua 9-12 God Shows His Power to Joshua and the GibeonitesIn this episode, I share how Joshua is deceived by the Gibeonites into making a covenant of peace, but God uses Joshua to protect the Gibeonites when they are in danger, and how Jesus invites us into a life of working together to proclaim His greatness and show His love. (Images: freebibleimages.org) Discussion with your […]
2018-04-1300 minConsidering the LiliesEpisode 27: Joshua 9-12 God Shows His Power to Joshua and the GibeonitesIn this episode, I share how Joshua is deceived by the Gibeonites into making a covenant of peace, but God uses Joshua to protect the Gibeonites when they are in danger, and how Jesus invites us into a life of working together to proclaim His greatness and show His love.
(Images: freebibleimages.org)
Discussion with your kids: Where have you seen God’s greatness or beauty today?
2018-04-1316 minJesus is Better: Bible Stories with Gospel JoyEpisode 25: Joshua 1-5 God Uses Rahab to Help Joshua’s SpiesIn this episode, I share from Joshua how God shows the Israelites His power as they begin to enter the land He’d promised, and how Jesus leads us in fighting against the powers of darkness in our own lives. Discussion with your kids: Ask, “What is one thing you are scared of or worried about?” […]
2018-03-3000 min