Bible Geeks Podcast

Is it ever okay to judge someone? How do rivers of living waters flow from believers’ hearts? And what does Jesus mean when he talks about eating his flesh? This week, we’re taking on some challenging questions from our reading. We also ask how Jesus can honor the Sabbath, yet never take a day off, and why doing God’s will is the food that sustained Jesus — and can sustain us. All of that plus plenty of nerdy talk about the Feast of Booths, Alfred Hitchcock, and how to “soak your roots”!

The Big Idea: True satisfaction is found in Christ alone.

Weekly Challenge: Meditate on some passage that you may have only scratched the surface of.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 41
• Into the Book Preview - “John 4-8” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Feast of Booths by Ryan Joy(SERMON)

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What does it mean to be “born again”? This week, as we begin reading the gospel of John, we’re thinking about grace, the new birth, and...well, food. We consider how grace is like a stack of pancakes, how bread crumbs lead us forward, and how the Lord’s wine tastes the best (and what that should tell us about everything else he does!). And we dive into the Bible’s most famous verse, John 3:16, and remember what God wants us to do in the world.

The Big Idea: Our transformation is powered by divine grace.

Weekly Challenge: Reboot some aspect of your life that needs transformation and renewal.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 40
• Into the Book Preview - “2 Peter 3, Jude, John 1-3” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)

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How are our lives restored like Japanese vases? And how do our responses to fear and desire reveal our beliefs? This week, a Psalm 14 edition of Poetry in Motion reveals the hope and helplessness of humanity. We find an antidote to anxiety and learn what God says about conspiracy theories as we go Finding Jesus in this week’s reading. And along the way, we learn about Ryan’s awful eyesight, Bryan’s fear of snakes, and God’s exit row, escape hatch. Hope you’ll join us!

The Big Idea: Our choices speak volumes about what we really think.

Weekly Challenge: Sing a song about God’s promises.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 39
• Into the Book Preview - “1 Peter 3-5, 2 Peter 1-2” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• “Let Your Life Speak” by Parker Palmer (BOOK)
• “Broken Things” by Hallal Music (VIDEO)
• Kintsugi (WIKIPEDIA)

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What do you love? This week we look at some of the objects of affection the Bible directs us away from, and which ones it points us toward. Along the way we talk about the Borg and Big Ten Football, long distance relationships and kids finally cleaning their rooms. Today’s Scripture du Jour (1 Peter 1) holds up a mirror. And we find encouragement in some fundamentals of the faith when we go Finding Jesus in this week’s reading, 2 Timothy 2-4 and 1 Peter 1-2.

The Big Idea: What we love propels us toward particular attitudes and choices.

Weekly Challenge: Identify what drives you.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 38
• Into the Book Preview - “2 Timothy 2-4, 1 Peter 1-2” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman (BOOK)

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What do you consider the most “essential workers” on the planet today? This week we set our sites on understanding what Paul says about overseers (1 Timothy 3). What does church leadership look like, and what’s the point of all those qualifications? We also learned some stuff about money from our Scripture du Jour (1 Timothy 6) — both the good and the bad. And we kick things off with Christ’s “good confession” and some reflections on the reason we can happily suffer, in our Finding Jesus segment. Join us for a listen, and let us know any feedback or questions!

The Big Idea: We receive our most important leadership training by apprenticing under Jesus - learning from Christ and imitating him as disciples.

Weekly Challenge: Thank an overseer this week for their love and leadership.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 37
• Into the Book Preview - “1 Timothy 3-6, 2 Timothy 1” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• “More Than Enough WiFi” (EPISODE)
• “Feelin’ Satisfied!” (EPISODE)

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What does it mean to be “sound”? This week we consider what spiritual health and wellness requires, when we look at an important Heavy Word. We ask, “what is the goal of a Bible class?” and “what’s the point of church discipline?” And we go Finding Jesus in this week’s reading — which points to a common need we share with all humanity.

The Big Idea: Teaching that is faithful to the Word of Christ brings spiritual wellness.

Weekly Challenge: Think about Jesus’ standard this week and how your life measures up.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 36
• Into the Book Preview - “Titus 1-3; 1 Timothy 1-2” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Signal Strength and Readability Report (WIKIPEDIA)
• “Want to Be Healthier? Change Your Tastebuds” by Michael Gregor (ARTICLE)
• “Pattern of Sound Words” by Ryan Joy (SERMON)

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This week, we’re going to war! What does spiritual warfare look like? What is the “armor of God” (Eph. 6:10-18) all about? And who is the real enemy? And as we discuss Ephesians 2-6, we find a challenging standard for maturity and a stabilizing love in Christ. Then we talk about sleeping and submitting in an Ephesians 5 edition of Scripture du Jour. And by the way, “Ephesians Week” is as good a time as any to start reading the New Testament with us, just one chapter a day! Either way, hope you’ll join us for a listen and find some encouragement for your walk with Christ.

The Big Idea: God equips us with his own weapons to fight against evil.

Weekly Challenge: Take a moment this week to meditate on God’s love for you.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 34
• Into the Book Preview - “Philppians 1-4, Ephesians 1” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Into the Book - Week 35
• Into the Book Preview - “Ephesians 2-6” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• “Everybody Wins” (EPISODE)

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Programming Note: This week, we're replaying one of our favorite episodes from the past. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode.

This week a listener question about “interceding for others” raises lots of other questions for us. Like, how does it change us when we pray for our families, our enemies, and even strangers? When is it an empty gesture to say, “you’re in our thoughts and prayers”? And where do we get started, when everyone needs our prayers? Bryan sets it all up with a Jesus Said about praying for people who stand against us. Hope you’ll tune in today and then let us know your questions for a future episode!

The Big Idea: Praying for others can make a difference in their lives (and ours!), but it’s not a substitute for helping them in other ways, as we have opportunity.

Weekly Challenge: Help or pray for someone you haven’t before.

Show Notes

• Jesus Said … Matthew 5:43-48
• Six Rules of Prayer by Ryan Joy (SERMON)
• Six More Rules of Prayer by Ryan Joy (SERMON)
• Echo Prayer App (APP)

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This week we’re thinking about thinking (about thinking?), considering, “How do we set our minds above when we’re stuck in life below?” If thoughts are like TV shows in our minds, who has the remote, and how do we change the channel? We’re in Colossians and Philemon this week in the Into the Book Bible reading plan, where we also discover insights about struggling in prayer, quarterbacking conversations, and Finding Jesus in our bosses. Join us for a listen, and feel free to contact us with any comments, questions, or suggested topics!

The Big Idea: God has recreated us for eternity, so strive to choose thoughts and actions TODAY fit for eternal life.

Weekly Challenge: Bring grace and an evangelistic intentionality to your interactions with others this week.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 33
• Into the Book Preview - “Colossians 1-4, Philemon” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• Metacognition (WIKIPEDIA)
• “Iconic” by Ryan Joy (SERMON)

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Ever feel like the cartoon cloud above your head follows you everywhere you go? (Maybe that cloud should be renamed “2020”!) What kind of prayer can meet us in our loneliest, most frustrated times? In a Psalm 13 edition of Poetry in Motion, we learn how David escaped his lowest lows to rejoice in the Lord. We’re also Finding Jesus in strangers, and finding him in Total Command! Then in the Scripture du Jour, we hear Christ’s cry of lament and consider the crazy miracles of that crucifixion day.

The Big Idea: We can strengthen our resolve to stand firm by remembering the watching world and the Adversary who rejoices in our defeats.

Weekly Challenge: Express your confidence in the Lord through prayer this week.

Show Notes

• Into the Book - Week 32
• Into the Book Preview - “Matthew 24-28” (DAILY DOWNLOAD)
• All-In Disciples by Bryan Schiele (SERMON)
• The Day the Sky Went Dark by Ryan Joy (SERMON)
• Psalms 1-72 by Derek Kidner (BOOK)

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