We can pay or manipulate situations to fall into our desired narrative--but God’s purposes will prevail in the end. Just as Balaam’s ass is God’s joke on Israel’s enemies--Jesus the Messiah is God’s joke on the powers of death in the world.

What did Jesus mean by a camel going through the eye of a needle? Did he mean it is impossible or was he using hyperbole to say it’s really hard? Is it bad to be a wealthy Christian? Should Christians shun making money? Aren’t we all saved by Grace? Is Godbiased against the rich? We should be sobered by the reality that we are more prone to idolatry when we have money to rely on instead of God. The rich ruler was missing a relational component which the disciples pick up on. Asking “how?” our weakness and poverty of Spirit, God can do the impossible!

A man should not wear head-coverings in church? A woman should wear head-coverings? Do we still need to do do this today? Man is the image and glory of God but woman is the glory of man? Is Patriarchy defended in the Bible?

We look at different takes on this passage and address some engendered issues in Scripture.

God strangely tries to kill Moses. Zipporah acts quickly, circumcises their son, and God spares Moses. Though Moses has this newfound identity and sense “wokeness” for his people, he has not fully embraced his identity as a follower of Yahweh. He is made right by the intercession of Zipporah.

Who were the Nephilim in Genesis 6? And who were the “sons of God” and “daughters of me?” and how do they relate to these heroes of old? How does this all relate to us?

Elisha and his band of friends were chopping down trees to build a house, when one of the axes broke and sank in the nearby Jordan River. One of the men shouted the ancient equivalent of, “Oh no! The ax wasn’t even mine—I borrowed it.” Elisha just whipped out a stick, set it on the surface of the water, and the axe head miraculously floated to the top. As a result, the man kept his job. WWWhhhaaatttt?

The temple tax collectors ask Peter if Jesus paid the temple tax. Peter immediately answers ‘yes.’ Jesus uses this opportunity for a real live action parable. What’s the message? The moral of the story is not about being good citizens and paying taxes, but it is to point out that as children of God, we are free and exempt from ‘tax.’ On top of this, however, the miracle of the Gold Fish emphasizes that when you act in freedom and love -not under coercion or constraint - God himself works for you in ways you would never dream.

Paul arrives in Rome and is given the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel there. Paul encourages the JEws there that: “God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles. They will listen!”

In every situation Paul is a light and witness to those around him. Here the sailors, soldiers, and prisoners are all in danger. Paul tells all to take courage because God will spare them all. As they cut bait, they only have one hope

Paul’s defense before Agrippa (1-23) covers 3 familiar points: 1. Paul was the most zealous of all Jews as a Pharisee 2. Is it so hard to believe God can raise the dead and 3. Paul’s conversion and vision.

In the ensuing interaction we are given the ‘word’s’ perspective on change and the Kingdom reality of transformative power.