Episode 114 – Being Intentional With God’s Wordi.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-51{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-51:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-51.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Deuteronomy 6:4-9Being intentional with God’s Word is essential to living a deep and meaningful life. In the biblical period, God’s people were called to not only dig into the Scriptures but also to have an ongoing discussion with their friends and family about them. For many of us, our time with God’s Word often stops with reading it and we miss out on the critical responsibility of discussion. In this episode, we explore why it’s so crucial to be intentional about our relationship with the Bible so that it permeates every facet of our lives.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

When was the last time someone spoke into your life in a meaningful way (like the letters written for Brad’s son)?

How would you describe your relationship with the Bible?

How would you describe the difference between devotional Bible reading and digging deep Bible reading?

What are some of the barriers keeping you from discussing God’s Words with others?

What is one way you’d like to grow in becoming more intentional with God’s Word?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further StudyHagah The Text – this is a longer teaching (sermon) that goes into greater detail about the concepts explored in Teaching Series Episode 020

The New Testament uses all kinds of words and phrases to describe Jesus and his kingdom. Savior. Son of God. Gospel. Forgiveness of sins. But these aren’t just poetic, flowery phrases. They’re actually concrete ideas everyone in Jesus’s world was familiar with. But not because of Jesus. They were familiar with those ideas because of Caesar. What the New Testament, and especially Paul’s writings, do is they show us two competing narratives: The gospel of Caesar in which peace is imposed by a sword, and the gospel of Jesus in which peace is offered through a cross. One is strong. The other is weak. One dominates. The other is gentle. Which narrative will you allow to order your world? By the end of this episode, you’re going to hear all those poetic, flowery titles for Jesus through a completely new lens.

One of the biggest problems we have when reading the Bible is familiarity. When we’re too familiar with a passage, we start believing we already know what it means. In doing so, we forget there’s so much more it has to teach us, and we rob it of its explosive power to transform our lives. In this final episode in our series, Rabbis and Disciples, we set Jesus’s famous words about “his yoke” in their historical and cultural context, and discover Jesus making a shocking claim that no other rabbi ever made. By understanding this passage anew, you’ll experience the depth, the audacious challenge, and the compelling nature of Jesus’s invitation to life in him!

Episode 121 – Rabbis and Disciples Pt 5: Having Authorityi.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-28{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-28:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-28.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 21:23-27; Matthew 28:18-20In the Gospels, people were always commenting on Jesus’s authority. It was clear to everyone that he had it. Some marveled at it, while others scoffed at it. The Scribes and Pharisees even questioned it. But what exactly did they mean by authority? How did Jesus understand it? And does that enhance our understanding of what happens with the Great Commission in Matthew 28? Without question! Welcome to an explosive episode where you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Jesus’s biblical authority and how discipleship with Jesus’s authority leads to the life that God desires for us all.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

We’ve all met people who had authority by virtue of their role or position. But who is someone you’ve met that may or may not have had a role or position but nevertheless possessed an unmistakable gift or life-giving presence?

What are your thoughts about the following statement? Most of us have been taught to understand salvation as the finish line rather than the starting line to a life of discipleship.

How do you feel about the idea that Jesus ordained you and has given you his authority?

In what ways are/have you been sharing the depth of the life you’ve received and learned from Jesus with others?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

The New Testament and Rabbinic Judaism by David Daube – p. 206-223

Storms are a guarantee in life. We lose jobs. Relationships end. Money gets tight. All of this can leave us feeling anxious and fearful. Therefore, the reason we feel those things is because storms expose what we really trust. We may say we trust God...

Episode 120 – Rabbis and Disciples Pt 4: Walking On Wateri.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-32{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-32:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-32.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 14:22-31Jesus walking on water is one of the best-known stories in the entire Bible. But we often miss the point because we fail to see the discipleship component at play. When we see it, we learn that the story has less to do with Jesus walking on water and more to do with Peter’s actions and Jesus’s response. But the story isn’t just about Peter. It’s about you and me, and all of the ways we doubt ourselves. By the end of this episode, you’ll have deeper confidence because you’ll know God is with you. You’ll be more willing to face your fears and take holy risks because you know God believes in you. And you’ll grow in your trust that God won’t call you to something and then fail to equip you for it.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

What goes through your mind when you hear that God believes in you more than you believe in yourself?

What are one or two ways God has met you in the place of your deepest fear in your life?

Who is a person that really believed in you, and how did their belief in you make a huge difference in your life?

Where are you doubting yourself right now?

In what way(s), is God inviting you to get out of the boat?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

Episode 119 – Rabbis and Disciples Pt 3: Being Like Jesusi.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-36{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-36:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-36.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 4:18-22; John 8:31–32Most of us love the idea of Jesus as savior. We’re usually less enthusiastic about him being our teacher and reorienting our lives around his. But that’s precisely what it meant to be a disciple. The goal wasn’t to know what the rabbi knew. It was to become who the rabbi was. It meant journeying with him and observing how he spoke, what he noticed, and how he interacted with others. It meant understanding how he made sense of life and then learning to do the same. It’s not the kind of learning that takes place in a classroom. Instead, it takes place on the road and in the experiences of everyday life. By the end of this episode of our Rabbis and Disciples series, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what it means to truly follow Jesus, and you’ll be inspired to follow him more closely in the coming year.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

Ask another person who knows you well this question: What are 1 or 2 ways you’ve seen me become more like Jesus? Then share with your group how you felt about what they said.

If following Jesus was less about the destination and more about the journey, what’s one thing you’ve learned about Jesus during your journey over the last year?

Being covered in the dust of the rabbi was evidence you’d been paying attention and following close on the heels of your rabbi. What kind of evidence do you see in the lives of others that they’re following Jesus closely?

How do you feel about the statement, “We hire Jesus as our savior, but we fire him as our teacher?”

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

Covered in the Dust of Your Rabbi: An Urban Legend? (Article) by Lois Tverberg

New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin – Chapters 2-4

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg – Chapters 4-5

Episode 118 – Christmas Hope in 2020i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-39{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-39:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-39.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Hebrews 12:1-2Christmas is a season of hope. 2020 has been a season of grief. How do we hold hope and grief in creative tension? Because when things get hard, we feel overwhelmed. And when we’re overwhelmed, our tendency is to check out, numb out, and wish the moments or seasons away. But in our confusion, heartache, and disorientation, God is working in subtle and often unseen ways. By the end of this episode, you’ll be inspired to hold the gratitude and grief of 2020 in tension so that you don’t numb out, but instead embrace this season and the God who is with us in it.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

In Brad’s story about Larry, God orchestrated details in such a way that Larry and his family were aware of God’s presence in a challenging time. What’s one story from your life where you felt God doing the same thing for you?

Our human tendency is to only see God in the big, booming, and obvious. But the Christmas story requires us to see God in the small but significant aspects of life. How have you seen God in small but significant ways this year?

What have been some of the highs from 2020 you need to name and celebrate?

What have been some of the lows from 2020 you need to name and lament?

What does it look in your life when you check out and numb out?

What might it look like during this holiday season for you to stay tuned in?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching in this Christmas season?

For Further Study

Teaching Series 013 – Grounded in Gratitude – this episode explores the significance of allowing gratitude to permeate our lives and serve as a foundation for how we live. 

Teaching Series 014 – Blessing God 100 Times a Day – this episode explores a helpful practice for fostering gratitude and awareness God’s involvement in our everyday lives. 

Teaching Series 103 – Grapes in the Desert Pt 3: Lament the Loss – this episode explores the importance of naming the disappointments and losses we experience.

Episode 117 – Rabbis and Disciples Pt 2: Jewish Educational Systemi.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-42{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-42:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-42.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 4:18-22The Jewish educational system in Jesus’s day was astounding. Growing up in that culture was about total immersion in the Scriptures. It was about learning and memorizing God’s Word so that it shaped everything you did. It was also about learning to ask really great questions and debating with your teachers. But much like professional sports, only the best of the best got to keep going and eventually become disciples. Which raises some fascinating questions: What might the Jewish educational system of Jesus’s day reveal to us about his disciples? What might it teach us about God’s intentions for our discipleship? By the end of this episode, you’ll recognize the subtle hints in the Scriptures you’d missed all along and have a deeper appreciation for Jesus’s explosive words, “Come, follow me.”

Note: This is a jam-packed 25-min episode. There’s a lot of information in this one. With that said, our goal was to provide you with the single, best resource for understanding the Jewish educational system in Jesus’s day in its entirety. We think we did it. Enjoy!

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

When was the last time someone spoke into your life in a meaningful way (like the letters written for Brad’s son)?

How would you describe your relationship with the Bible?

How would you describe the difference between devotional Bible reading and digging deep Bible reading?

What are some of the barriers keeping you from discussing God’s Words with others?

What is one way you’d like to grow in becoming more intentional with God’s Word?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

The Jewish People in the First Century edited by Shmuel Safrai and Menahem Stern – Chapter 19

Educational Ideals in the Ancient World by William Barclay – Chapter 1

New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin – Chapter 1

Our Father Abraham by Marvin Wilson – Chapter 14 

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg – Chapter 2

Episode 116 – Rabbis and Disciples Pt 1: Laying the Foundationi.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-45{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-45:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-45.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 23:1-2; Matthew 26:20-25Being intentional with God’s Word is essential to living a deep and meaningful life. In the biblical period, God’s people were called to not only dig into the Scriptures but also to have an ongoing discussion with their friends and family about them. Formany of us, our time with God’s Word often stops with reading it and we miss out on the critical responsibility of discussion. In this episode, we explore why it’s so crucial to be intentional about our relationship with the Bible so that it permeates every facet of our lives.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

In calling Jesus, “rabbi” instead of “Lord” in Matthew 26, Judas was essentially telling Jesus, “I respect you as a teacher, but you don’t get to tell me how to live my life.” What are some of the ways we can be guilty of this same thing?

How does translating the word Torah as “God’s teachings and instructions for life” instead of “law” change your understanding and appreciation of the Hebrew Scriptures?

Having listened to the episode, how would you describe the difference between the Torah, the Mishnah, and the Talmud? Why is it important to know about this Jewish Literature?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg – Chapters 1 and 2 

New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin – Chapters 2 and 6

The Jewish People in the First Century edited by Shmuel Safrai and Menahem Stern – Chapter 19

Everyman’s Talmud by Abraham Cohen – a great book that lays out the major teachings of the rabbinic sages 

Meet the Rabbis by Brad Young – an excellent read that sets Jesus’s teachings within the world of the rabbis