No Church Answers!
372 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★★ - 28 ratingsContact us at www.nochurchanswers.com. We're not pastors, just regular guys. Engaging, deep and often humorous looks at faith in today's world by our panel.
The No Church Answers! podcast began as Man Up a Spiritual Oasis for Men in 2017, launched by Bill Cox, actor and DJ, and four regulars, Steven Titch, Robert Cocheu, Michael Cropper and Earl Lloyd--all from different faith backgrounds. Our focus is on ways men could use their Christian faith to drive their goals, leadership and action. We feel the faith muscle needs regular exercise. The body is like a barrel. The outside is your education, money and health. The inside is your faith and soul. We bring different points of view to a scripture lesson and hash them out in a panel discussion. We strive for authenticity in representing what Christian men are thinking.
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Episodes
Podcast 334 -- Tough Gig in the Decapolis The Chosen Season 3
June 25, 2024 08:17 - 1 hour - 101 MBIn a super-sized podcast before our summer break, we take a deep dive into Season 3 of The Chosen. Jesus’s disciples attempt to live by his teachings, doing their best to speak plainly, forgive and put others first. For some it proves difficult. We talk about the modern overtones in the relationships between Simon and Eden, Mary and Tamar and Matthew and his parents. And , amid the miracles and preaching, opposition is rising from both Jerusalem and Rome, and in places like Decapolis east of...
Podcast 333 -- Are All Sins Equal? James 2:10-11, Romans 6:21-23, 1 John 5:16-18
June 18, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour - 46.4 MBIn a provocative podcast, we talk about whether God makes any distinction in severity among sins. We touch on the Catholic doctrine of mortal and venial sins, and contrast that with Paul's assertion that the wages of sin--all sin--is death. We question why, if adultery is against God's law, why Israel's patriarchs and kings got a pass for multiple wives and concubines, while being judged and punished for other forms of disobedience. And we look at the New Testament teachings on sin, grace and...
Podcast 332 -- Solid Rock or Shifting Sand? Matthew 7:15-28
May 28, 2024 08:00 - 51 minutes - 59.6 MBThe fellows wrap up their look at the Sermon on the Mount with a discussion of modern false prophets inside and outside the church, the touchy topic of whether non-Christians can be true disciples of Jesus and if the principles outlined in the Sermon can be separated from the foundational directive of "seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 331 -- Ready Player One Matthew 7:7-14
May 21, 2024 08:00 - 56 minutes - 64.1 MBIs the Sermon on the Mount analogous to an MRPG strategy guide? The fellows are mischievous enough to suggest it. If our Christian mission is to work alongside God to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, Jesus give us an awful lot of information as to how to do it, beginning with your character traits (the Beatitudes), your role (to be salt and light), information about how best to follow the rules as you navigate levels (turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, surrender your tunic and you...
Podcast 330 -- Wealthy and Worried Matthew 6:19-7:6, 12
May 14, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour - 44.4 MBSeek first the Kingdom of God and all we need will be given to us. This is hard to believe. Yet for Christians it stands as a promise from the Son of God himself and therefore demands to be taken seriously. Material wealth won't last. Worry accomplishes nothing. Judgment leads to hypocrisy. These sections of the Sermon on the Mount get to the heart of its counterculture nature. Join the fellows as they discuss the ramifications of this pointed verses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy ...
Podcast 329 -- It's Awesome To Be Humble Matthew 6:1-18
May 07, 2024 08:00 - 54 minutes - 38.9 MBJesus teaches the Christian approach to religious disciplines of charity, prayer and fasting should be practiced with humility. The fellows discuss the definition of true humility, which lies somewhere between boastful arrogance and self-erasure. We talk about the difficulty of avoiding temptation of making gifts or personal service all about oneself, and try to resolve that with the idea that recognizing the "awesome" value of someone's devotion to others point to a "light" in the darkness. ...
Podcast 328 -- A New Playbook Matthew 5:17-48
April 30, 2024 08:00 - 58 minutes - 62.1 MBThe Sermon on the Mount, as Robert "The Professor" Cocheu notes, sits "at the intersection on faith and real life." We take on one of the chewier sections in an attempt to get to its overall countercultural point -- that in the Kingdom of God, everyone is understood to be made in God's image and no one is expendable. In this framework, does insult equal murder? Does lust equal adultery? And what about the call to love one's enemies? Certainly there must be exceptions. Are there? Would we rath...
Podcast 327 -- Out of the Salt Shaker Matthew 5:1-16
April 23, 2024 08:00 - 51 minutes - 60.7 MBThe Sermon on the Mount is at once an inaugural address, a list of promises and expectations, a mission statement, and a vision for a new type of Kingdom. It seems to set impossible expectations, but suggests these expectations can be met through the power of the Holy Spirit and a spirit-driven community. This week, the fellows begin a comprehensive look at the entire sermon beginning with the well-known series of beatitudes and Jesus' command to be "salt and light" to the world. Hosted on ...
Podcast 326 -- Sandwiched Between Commitments Exodus 20:12, 2 Corinthians 12:14
April 16, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour - 48.4 MBThe Sandwich Generation describes adults from the ages of 40 to 59 who are caught between supporting minor children and aging parents. We focus on the aging parent caregiving part of this and the stress it can bring to Christian households. How do we honor the commandment to “Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12) while at the same recognizing that we have a responsibility to handle our own family obligations well (2 Corinthians 12:14). We examine three phases: 1) When it's time fo...
Podcast 325 -- What Counts is the New Creation Galatians 6:14-16
April 09, 2024 08:00 - 49 minutes - 58.7 MBThe fellows wrap up their study of Galatians with guest Scotty Swingler, Students Pastor at Sugar Land Baptist Church. We talk about how freedom in Christ opens the door to agape love and fellowship, freedom from the cultural pressure to condemn others and fret about what other think of us. But most of all, we are free to put aside "playing church" and act in response to a faith that demands we see others as God sees them--people all made in His image. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...
Podcast 324 -- Restoration > Cancellation Galatians 6:1-10
April 02, 2024 08:00 - 56 minutes - 64.8 MBGrace. compassion and empathy do not come naturally. Just look at the glee people have toward "cancelling" that latest personality who posts an ill-phrased or politically incorrect remark. Paul writes that restoration of sinners should be a principal aim among Christians, who should be first to understand that restoration with God was the undeserved gift of the Cross. Yet many churches today, as director Bill Cox says, "make it easy to join but hard to stay." We talk about Paul's call to "car...
Podcast 323 -- Spiritual Fruit Salad Galatians 5:16-26
March 26, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour - 71.4 MBSurrender to the Holy Spirit and fruit of the spirit--love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control--will follow. So it says plainly right here. Yet do we really believe that? Do we always hedge, depending on some aspect of our fallen human nature as a back-up to grace? Is it even possible to totally surrender to the Spirit? We revisit ways to cultivate the biblical fruit of the spirit and how to apply it, especially to personal, professional and...
Podcast 322 -- Paul's Cutting Remarks Galatians 5:1-15
March 12, 2024 08:00 - 56 minutes - 61.9 MBTo grasp Paul's message it’s essential to understand what he means by “freedom.” In America, freedom means independence and self-actualization. Therefore we must be on guard of replacing slavery of the Law with slavery of identity, nation, culture, career and, most of all, ego. To Paul and the early Christians, freedom was liberation--not just from the Law--but also from barriers created by tradition, culture, class and ethnicity that stood in the way of a radical interdependence. Davey Gibso...
Podcast 321 -- Who Stole Your Joy? Galatians 4:12-20, Psalm 98:4-9
March 05, 2024 09:00 - 57 minutes - 65.7 MBWe are a people claimed by God as children and heirs. The Psalms exhort us to shout for joy. When C.S. Lewis came to God, he was surprised by joy. Yet it seems, going all the way back to the Galatian church in AD 50, that there have been those determined to make Christian life and worship as doleful and dolorous as possible. What is Christian joy? What is the difference between joy and happiness? And how can men, as leaders cultivate and express the spirit of joy in our church and lives? H...
Podcast 320 -- "Why, Then, Was the Law Given?" Galatians 3:15-4:7
February 27, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 74.4 MBIn fulfilling the Law, Paul says Christ freed us to live in faith by the Holy Spirit. So what role does Mosaic Law, from the Ten Commandments on down, have in our Christian lives? We debate one commentator's assertion that, when faced with a moral quandary, "Christians who are seeking God's will do not turn first of all to the Law of Moses for direction." If not there, then where? Has Christ's victory over sin and death really freed us from all Old Testament commands, rules and requirements? ...
Podcast 319 -- The Limits of the Law Galatians 3:1-14
February 13, 2024 09:00 - 51 minutes - 38 MBPaul chides the Galatians for falling into "Christ-Plus" thinking in terms of salvation. Yet even today, We Christians still fall back on expressing our religion through adherence to arbitrary rules extracted from Old and New Testament writings, regardless of the context. Should Christian women wear trousers or cut their hair short? Does the Bible declare medical marijuana off-limits? When does practice of a spiritual discipline morph into pride and stubbornness? Steve brings some case studi...
Podcast 318 -- Blow-Up in Antioch Galatians 2:11-21
February 06, 2024 09:00 - 58 minutes - 65.9 MBPeter visits Antioch and Paul calls him out publicly for eschewing gentile converts and folding to pressure from Judaizers who demand all new believers follow the letter of Mosaic Law. We talk about why Paul was right, but also try to understand what political and religious and cultural forces behind the "circumcision party's" demand for absolute observance of the law. The dispute resonates through the centuries as today's American Christians try their best to embrace an influx of believers f...
Podcast 317 -- "Sometimes You've Got to Stir Up the Water a Bit"
January 30, 2024 14:18 - 1 hour - 89.5 MBThe Professor and the Gambler dive into Season Two of The Chosen, the crowd-funded breakout Christian hit. Amid gathering crowds, bickering apostles, Zealot plots, Sanhedrin politics and a wise-cracking Imperial secret agent, Jesus prepares to launch his ministry with a sermon-as-manifesto. We look at the Christian themes that run through the season, unearth a few Biblical Easter eggs and admire the storytelling risks the producers are pulling off. Also please visit our sponsor Magic Mind a...
Podcast 316 -- The Circumcision Debate Galatians 2:1-10
January 23, 2024 09:00 - 48 minutes - 56.4 MBThat some early Christians insisted that gentile converts submit to the Jewish circumcision rite touched off the early church's first great crisis. Some say Paul just sought to cynically rewrite scripture to dispense with the requirement. We look at the some of Biblical arguments he makes, including his insistence that even in the Old Testament, righteousness came first through faith, not Torah Law or ritual. Does salvation have any prerequisites? The fellows discuss. Also please visit ou...
Podcast 315 -- Saul's Radical Conversion Galatians 1:11-24
January 16, 2024 09:00 - 54 minutes - 39.5 MBTo this day the story of Saul of Tarsus cannot help but seize the imagination. Saul was the brightest of rising stars among the Jerusalem high priests and pharisees and was being groomed for leadership. He proved he could even do the “dirty work” of investigating, arresting and imprisoning and executing Christians as blasphemers. Yet all the changed one day on the road to Damascus. We look at Paul's conversion as he tells it in the Letter to Galatians and, by extension, the conversion expe...
Podcast 314 -- Speak Truth Fearlessly Galatians 1:1-10
January 09, 2024 09:00 - 50 minutes - 43.7 MBPaul gets right to the point: There is one true gospel, he says, and is "astonished" at how quickly the Galatians could be swayed by those who would alter the fundamental message of grace through faith. We often find ourselves scolded by believers and non-believers alike that Christian humility means "go along to get along." Paul's opening in Galatian stands in stark contrast to this notion. In a culture that embraces relativism, what is the Christian obligation to truth? Also please visit ou...
Podcast 313 -- A Working Man's Christmas Luke 2:8-19,20
December 19, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 34.3 MBIn our fourth annual Christmas special, we look at the shepherds -- the working stiffs of the Nativity narrative. Although often relegated the the background, their role is indispensable to the Christmas story. We look at the significance of God's choice of shepherds to be the first recipients of the news of the Messiah's birth and what it can teach Christian men today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 312 -- Advent: What Are We Waiting For? Isaiah 9:2-7
December 12, 2023 09:36 - 52 minutes - 38.3 MBAdvent is supposed to be a time for joyous anticipation of our Savior and King. Yet for most men, it's four weeks of stress and pressure as they try to meet year-end work responsibilities, family demands and church and community needs. Our panelist Mike says it feels like "forcing a size 14 foot into a size 10 shoe." We won't deny frustrations and obstacles increase in the Christmas season, but we do talk about our ways of dealing with them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...
Podcast 311 -- "Get Used to Different" The Chosen, Season 1
December 05, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 68 MBDrop your nets! Lock up your tax booths! Follow us as we journey into Season 1 of The Chosen. We talk about the elements that make this series different both from past attempts at Biblical dramas and more recent independent faith-based programming. Daring choices abound, starting with its adoption of world-building and multi-thread storytelling techniques used in secular shows such as The Wire, Friday Night Lights and Game of Thrones. Then there's its street-level depiction of 1st Century Cap...
Podcast 310 -- Grace and Gratitude Ephesians 4:32, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 2 Corinthians 4:15-16
November 21, 2023 09:00 - 46 minutes - 54.8 MBWith Thanksgiving coming up, the fellows talk about how grace and gratitude are connected. Granting grace--excusing a transgression or forgiving a debt--may be the ultimate act of kindness. Gratitude understands the opportunity for renewal and change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 309 -- What is Faith? Hebrews 11:1-6
November 14, 2023 09:00 - 55 minutes - 66.2 MBWalk into a church service and it's guaranteed you will hear the word "faith" within five minutes. Yet, even long-time Christians can find themselves tongue-tied when asked to define or explain it. We attack the question from a variety of perspectives. Can faith be measured? Can one have too little faith? Is faith only truly expressed in action? Can faith exist alongside doubt? And what about the "sola fide" doctrine?. Is faith the only requirement for salvation? Hosted on Acast. See acast...
Podcast 308 -- Way of the Lord or Way of the World? Romans 12:2
November 07, 2023 09:00 - 59 minutes - 68.7 MBWe're back with three hypothetical scenarios that would force committed Christians to consider whether a course of action suits the Lord's way or merely indulges selfish desires. Never afraid to make gray areas even grayer or take scripture out of context, we debate everyday ethical choices when it comes to responding to queries from insurance companies, problematic directives in final wills and re-selling highly sought-after Lego sets on eBay at twice the retail price. Hosted on Acast. Se...
Podcast 307 -- Christians and Halloween Philippians 4-8, 1 Corinthians 15:54-56
October 31, 2023 08:57 - 43 minutes - 53.3 MBWe debate whether it's appropriate for Christians to participate in traditional Halloween festivities of dress-up, trick-or-treating, parties and games. Is it a harmless secular holiday, or something darker? The fellows talk about the Halloween memories and family traditions, church programs such as Harvest Festivals and Trunk-or-Treats, and, yes, some of the pagan origins that the Church supplanted. Listen and comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 306 -- "On Earth As It Is In Heaven" 1 Corinthians 15:20-24, Romans 8:18-25
October 24, 2023 08:00 - 56 minutes - 68.2 MB“Jesus rules the world?” a skeptic might ask. “Have you looked out the window lately?” In our final podcast on N.T. Wright's Simply Jesus, we examine his assertion that God, through Christ, has established his kingdom on Earth. Wright does not deny that evil still thrives. But his position is that Christians should be doing something about it because Christians, as kingdom people, have been called to participate in the plan. Jesus came to save the world, not trash it. If the Son of God, to th...
Podcast 305 -- "Hold Until Relieved" Acts 1:1-11, 1 John 3:16-18, Ephesians 1:3-10
October 17, 2023 08:01 - 45 minutes - 60.4 MBThe Bible tells us Jesus ascended into heaven and promised to return. Jesus may be in heaven, but his disciples have been commissioned and are at work. According to N.T. Wright, “The whole book [Acts] is the story of how Jesus, exercising his power as the CEO of earth as it is in heaven, sends out his followers as ambassadors to make his kingdom a reality, climaxing with the strange paradox of Paul in chains announcing that the Roman world has a new emperor.” In our penultimate podcast on Wri...
Podcast 304 -- Why Did the Messiah Have to Die? Isaiah 9:6-7, 53:1-6, 10-13; John 19:16-22, 28-30
October 10, 2023 08:00 - 59 minutes - 77.7 MBIn order to defeat sin and death, the Messiah had to battle sin and death, a battle played out on the Cross. In Simply Jesus, even N.T. Wright admits that in human terms, this was "the craziest vocation one could imagine." But these were cosmic terms, not mere human. Calling back to last week's podcast, this was the great Battle and this was how the Temple was cleansed and restored. Join us as we move past the simple church answer of "It was all God's plan" and discuss the divine purpose and ...
Podcast 303 -- Space, Time and Matter 2 Samuel 7:5-7, 11-13; Mark 2:23-28, 4:35-41
October 03, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 79.1 MBWe talk about Jesus re-aligned sacred space, special time and the nature of our physical world. In Jesus, according to N.T. Wright, the concepts of Temple and Sabbath are simultaneusly transformed and fulfilled. We also talk about the significance of Jesus' miracles and the danger when Christians try to explain them away as either exaggerations or pre-Enlightenment misunderstandings. Wright asks provocatively, if Jesus is, as he claimed, the incarnate God breaking into this world, why wouldn'...
Podcast 302 -- Battle and Temple Matthew 4:1-11, 12:22-29, 21:12-13
September 26, 2023 08:00 - 59 minutes - 38.8 MBJesus of Nazareth was just one of many personalities in the ancient Middle East who claimed to the prophesized Jewish Messiah. So why do we, as Christians, testify that he alone is the genuine Savior? Author N.T. Wright says the critical difference is in how Jesus redefined historical, scriptural and cultural expectations as to the enemy the Messiah would battle and consequently, how he would cleanse the Temple. Join us as we continue our study of Wright's Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He...
Podcast 301 -- Jesus and John Ford -- Psalms 118:15-24, Luke 20:9-19, Mark 10:1-12
September 19, 2023 08:00 - 52 minutes - 34.7 MBDare we say it, but the message of many of Jesus' parables has been dulled by repetition. With N.T. Wright as our guide, we revisit several parables aiming to rediscover how provocative and subversive they were to original listeners. Jesus was using the parables to illustrate the nature and order of the Kingdom he was proclaiming and, pointedly, who would be in and who would be out. Repeatedly, we see a picture of a generous dispensation of grace and forgiveness--except to those who don't thi...
Podcast 300 -- Hard to Believe!
September 12, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 90.3 MBIt's been six-and-a-half years since we dropped our first podcast March 29, 2017. Now, 300 podcasts later, we look back on how far we've come, rarely missing a week despite meeting challenges of hurricanes, floods, a pandemic, accidents, surgeries and job changes. Along the way we've produced a TV show, hosted live events and tackled all sorts of Biblical questions, rejecting simple "church answers" in favor of a more complete Christian understanding. Join us as play some clips and add some ...
Podcast 299 -- A New Exodus Matthew 4:23-25; Luke 7:36-50
September 05, 2023 08:00 - 55 minutes - 65.4 MBHow does a new ruler announce he's in charge? In this fallen world, it's usually through a show of force and intimidation -- as in let the purges begin. How did Jesus announced his kingship? Wright points to healing, forgiveness and celebration. All three were omnipresent in Jesus' ministry and, according to Wright, are primary characteristics of the Kingdom of God. We discuss all three and how they fit into our lives as Christians. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...
Men Matter -- Peary Perry, No Name Bicycles Ministry
August 31, 2023 08:00 - 16 minutes - 20.8 MBNo Church Answers! host Bill Cox talks to Peary Perry, a retired Houston police officer who in 2012 launched a prison ministry where inmates repair and refit kids' bicycles for donation. Taking inspiration from Joshua 13:1, Peary speaks to answering the Lord's call later in life and the transformative power that seeing pictures of kids receiving repaired bikes has on convicts. More information about the No Name Bicycle ministry can be found here. Check out Peary's web site here. Hosted on A...
Podcast 298 -- The Perfect Storm Zechariah 9:9-11, Luke 4:16-20
August 29, 2023 08:00 - 42 minutes - 49.8 MBWe begin a study of N.T. Wright's Simply Jesus: Who He Was, What He Did and Why He Matters. We start by introducing Wright's central point, Jesus is God, the ruler of all creation and his overall mission inaugurated that kingdom--on earth as in heaven, and is much more than a distant figure in some ethereal dimension but active in this world today. We begin by looking at the how Christ was the center of a "perfect storm" in 1st Century Judea and Galilee, colliding with the political authority...
Summer Special #3 -- Getting Fired or Quitting
August 08, 2023 08:00 - 26 minutes - 41.1 MBOne can be humiliating, the other humbling. Either way, they can tear at a man's sense of self-worth. Bill Cox, host of the No Church Answers! podcast, has been through both in the past 12 months and talks about the differences in how he felt, how each played out and the role his faith played in seeing matters through. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Summer Special #2 -- Pastor Ezekiel Kayeli, Kahawa Sukari Baptist Church, Nairobi, Kenya
July 25, 2023 08:00 - 20 minutes - 29.5 MBPanelist Steve Titch is on a mission trip to Nairobi, Kenya, where he interviews Ezekiel Kayeli, senior pastor of Kahawa Sukari Baptist Church. Pastor Ezekiel talks about planting churches both in rural Kenya and densely urban Nairobi, confronting political and cultural divisiveness among believers, the wide-scale Christian revival occurring in Africa and the geographical South, and the influence this revival will have on the Church in America and Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...
Summer Special #1 -- N.T. Wright Intensive
July 11, 2023 08:00 - 29 minutes - 18 MBRobert Cocheu ("The Professor") interviews Steve Titch ("The Gambler") on his thoughts and takeaways from a recent four-day deep-dive into Acts by leading Christian theologian and author N.T. Wright. Steve talks about Wright's themes of the radical counterculture the early church introduced to the Roman world and how the first Christians understood the significance of the resurrection and how it demonstrated Christ's dominion and authority over the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...
Podcast 297 -- Jacob's Last Will and Testament Selections from Genesis 48-49
June 27, 2023 08:00 - 53 minutes - 35 MBWe conclude our study of Chad Bird's Limping with God with a discussion of Jacob's last years in Egypt and the final blessings he gives Joseph's sons and then his own sons. We look at the blessing of Judah in particular, which doubles as a Messianic prophesy and discuss what Jacob might be thinking as he looks back on the events of his life and if he could glimpse how they would fit into God's long-range plan for human salvation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 296 -- The Prodigal Family Selections from Genesis 43, 45-46
June 20, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 39.3 MBTwenty years after his son Joseph is believed to have been killed by a wild beast, Jacob discovers his lost son not only is alive but is the top-ranking official Egypt second only to the Pharoah, Amidst a devastating famine, Joseph offers welcomes his family with forgiveness and deliverance. Author Chad Bird calls this a "eucatastrophe" (Google it!). We continue our study of "Limping with God," revisiting the story of Joseph's reunion with his father and brothers from Jacob's perspective. H...
Podcast 295 -- Grieving for a Buried Future Genesis 35:16-27; 37:1-35
June 13, 2023 08:00 - 54 minutes - 43.9 MBLike all men, Jacob must deal will inevitable transitions that come with middle age, although for this patriarch, the pain will run deep. His beloved Rachel dies in childbirth, bearing him his 12th son. His father Isaac dies soon after. What follows is the devastating loss of his favorite son, Joseph, whom his brothers, out of jealousy and hatred, sold into slavery yet told Jacob he had been killed by a wild beast. We look at this well-known story from Jacob's perspective, and discuss the tra...
Podcast 294 -- Whose Honor? Genesis 34-35
May 30, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 39.1 MBWe come to a story of bloody vengeance. Shechem, son of Hamor, kidnaps and rapes Dinah, Jacob’s daughter by Leah. Three days later, Jacob's sons Simeon and Levi slaughter all the men of the city and take Dinah back. The other sons follow and loot what's left. We’ve all heard the criticism from non-Christians: “What sort of God allows wholesale slaughter?” And Christians would rather look past some of the more violent episodes in the Old Testament. We don't. What went wrong here? What are the ...
Podcast 293 -- A Dust-Up with God Genesis 32-33
May 16, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 76.6 MBWe unpack one of the strangest yet most colorful episodes in the Bible—Jacob’s all-night wrestling match with God, who takes on a proto-incarnate form. The encounter will permanently change Jacob, who emerges with a new name—Israel—and a limp to serve as a reminder of the contest. We look at both the literal narrative as well as how it symbolically reflects our own lifelong wrestling with the Lord. Follow along with our study source: “Limping with God: Jacob and the Old Testament Guide to Mes...
Podcast 292 -- Jacob's Fruitful Winter Genesis 29-31
May 09, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 81.3 MBIf you thought Jacob was a piece of work, wait ‘til you meet his Uncle Laban. We look at the 20 years Jacob spends working for his mother’s brother, who cheats and exploits him every chance he gets. Over time, however, Jacob gains both family and wealth, as well as knowledge through hardship. All men deal with career and family struggles at points in their lives. We talk about both the good and bad ways Jacob reacted to his. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 291 -- Stairway to Heaven Genesis 28:10-21
May 02, 2023 08:00 - 55 minutes - 70.4 MBJacob's dream-vision has inspired artists and songwriters for centuries. We examine the symbolism of the dream and what it tells--and foretells--us about God. In the context of Jacob's story, we discuss how it marks the beginning of a gradual change in the patriarch's relationship with God, who will make new demands of him. When stealing Esau's birthright and blessing, should Jacob have been more careful about what he was asking for? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...
Podcast 290 -- The First Recorded Case of Identity Theft Genesis 25:27-34; 26:34-27:46
April 25, 2023 08:00 - 59 minutes - 75 MBJacob steals his brother Esau's birthright and later, his father's blessing. Yet how complicit is Esau in this? How gullible was Isaac? We examine the dysfunction in Isaac's household, where resentments fester, favorites are chosen and used against each other, and to what degree, if any, this was part of a greater divine plan. Do scholars try too hard to justify Jacob's duplicity? Are they too rough on Esau? We also debate whether the long life spans of the patriarchs are literally true, or ...
Podcast 289 -- WWE Smackdown (In Utero Edition) Genesis 25:19-26
April 18, 2023 08:00 - 51 minutes - 66.2 MBWe begin a study of Jacob, scoundrel, cheat, con-man and ultimately God's choice to be founder of the Nation of Israel. We start with his dubious birth and immediate rivalry with his older twin and apparent pre-natal wrestling foe. Sunday school lessons like to focus on the morally virtuous figures of the Old Testament. While some men walk with God, others can only limp. In this series we'll look at one of the most morally compromised Biblical "heroes," and the flaws that make him that much ...