The Apostle Paul is considered a hero in the Christian faith.  He preaches the gospel, performs miracles, and suffers immense persecution as a result.  In a time of grief and despair, Paul receives news of unheralded success. The Thessalonian Congregation is standing firm in their convictions to follow Jesus in spite of suffering.   In this Scripture & Spice Podcast episode, Micah and Curtis discuss Paul’s reaction to this good news.

 

– That’s a pleasant surprise!

– Thessalonians as Paul’s crowning achievement

– Pastoral concerns to grieving families

– What happens to those who die before Christ’s return?

–  Scripture of the Day: 1st Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 4   13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,[d] that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Apostle Paul is considered a hero in the Christian faith.  He preaches the gospel, performs miracles, and suffers immense persecution as a result.  In his day, Paul presented a unique religious perspective; namely, to serve a crucified messiah.  Opponents would have his considered this message foolish. In this Scripture & Spice Podcast episode, Micah & Curtis discuss Paul and his thoughts on the folly of his own beliefs.

 

– Wisdom and Foolishness

– Scandal of the Cross

– Why the message of a crucified messiah is difficult to sell in the 1st Century?

– What does it mean to preach Christ crucified?

– Scripture of the Day: Proverbs 10:14, Proverbs 7:22-23, Proverbs 26:11 & 1st Corinthians 1:18-25

The Apostle Paul is considered a hero in the Christian faith.  He preaches the gospel, performs miracles, and suffers immense persecution as a result. How did Paul handle the possibility of suffering for his faith in Jesus the Messiah?  In this Scripture & Spice Podcast episode, we examine Paul as he stands on trial in Athens.

Also in this episode:

– Ancient Greece gives us Philosophy and Democracy

– The Apostle Paul preaches Jesus in the marketplace and the synagogues

– What is natural theology?

– Paul on trial at the Areopagus

– Scripture of the Day: Acts 17:16-33

The Apostle Paul is considered a hero in the Christian faith.  He preaches the gospel, performs miracles, and suffers immense persecution as a result.  How did Paul interpret his purpose in life?  In this Scripture & Spice Podcast episode, Micah explores Paul’s first missionary journey, and how his experiences helped him to grow as a disciple of Christ.

Also in this episode:

* Calling and Vocation in church

* What was the Apostle Paul’s purpose and mission?

* How did the Apostle Paul come to understand his purpose?

* The missionary Journeys of Paul

* Which US President did not put “President” on his tombstone?

The Apostle Paul is considered a hero in the Christian faith.  He preaches the gospel, performs miracles, and suffers immense persecution as a result.  Paul encountered conflict, not just with opponents of Christianity, but also faced obstacles within the church.  In this Scripture & Spice Podcast episode, Micah acknowledge issues of conflict that plague Paul’s ministry and explores how Paul addresses said conflict.

Also in this episode:

* Hear Micah talk about the first church he served as pastor.

* What was the Apostle Paul’s first ministry assignment

* How should we we address conflict in the church?

* Challenges in Antioch

* The role of compromise when there are disagreements

* Scriptures of the day:  Acts 11:19-30 & Galatians 2:11-21

The Apostle Paul is considered a hero in the Christian faith.  He preaches the gospel, performs miracles, and suffers immense persecution as a result.  How did Paul interpret his encounter with the risen Christ?  In this Scripture & Spice Podcast episode, Micah offers insights into how Paul could have interpreted the Damascus Road experience that would forever change Paul’s life.

Also in this episode:

* Bible characters and why it is hard to understand them

* Why are there so many interpretations to Paul’s letters in the New Testament?

* When did Saul become Paul?

* Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus.

* Scripture of the Day: Acts 9:1-9

The tomb is empty on Easter morning.  Jesus is not there, for he has risen!  How do we interpret the meaning of the empty tomb?  How did those close to Jesus understand his resurrection?   In this Episode of the Scripture and Spice Podcast, we are going to dive into ways to interpret the resurrection of Jesus and the good news of the empty tomb.

Also in this Episode:

– How do Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the Beloved Disciple react to the empty tomb?

– How does Jesus reveal himself to his followers?

– John 20:1-2

20 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

The Cross has been the symbol of Christianity for centuries.  What do we know about Crucifixion from the ancient world? How might these insights help us to understand Jesus’ death better?  In this episode of the Scripture and Spice Podcast, learn about Jesus’ death on the cross, and the political and religious implications.

Also in this Episode:

* What typically happened to the bodies of those crucified?

* What does archaeology teach us about the ancient practice of crucifixion?

* What makes this specific crucifixion unusual for Pilate?

* Scripture of the Day: Matthew 27:11-24

15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”

 

What is the mission of Jesus?

How did the disciples perceive the mission of their master?

These questions are pondered in this episode.

Scripture of the Day – Luke 10:1-12

Your friendly neighborhood pastor, Micah Spicer, finds himself back in the hot seat answering questions about the historical Jesus.  In this episode, Micah and Curtis discuss the mission of Jesus.  How does the church perceive that mission, and how might Jesus have perceived his own mission?  Tune in to find out.