Unbinding the Bible

By Joshua YoderReligion & Spirituality

Unbinding the Bible episodes

December 10, 2021 128 - Every Institution Falls*
The following is a sermon I preached in our church on November 14, 2021 on Mark 13:14-23 - Jesus telling his disciples about the coming destruction of their temple. I've chosen to use the term "institution" because it helps those of us unfamiliar with temples to see that organizations, nations, and even empires fit this category too. Israel had turned their temple (an institution set up by God himself) into an idol. In fact, all idolatry in the Bible is simply the inappropriate association of something created by humans with the one true God. And if Israel could do that with their temple, then there's no telling what other "institutions" people throughout history have inappropriately associated with the one true God. In America, some have even tried to associate the nation itself with the one true God. And it is that idolatrous association that I try to disentangle in this sermon.

37 min
December 02, 2021 127 - An Apocalyptic Advent
On this week's episode, we'll look at Jesus' apocalyptic-sounding words from Luke 21 and discuss why these "end-time" passages kick off the Advent season in many liturgical churches. We'll properly define "apocalypse" and discuss why it calls us to look for Jesus-revealing-God and NOT Jesus-destroying-the-world.
You can email me at: [email protected]
30 min
November 18, 2021 THROWBACK THURSDAY: A Competing Creation Narrative
This week's episode is the first in a new series I plan to sprinkle throughout the podcast. THROWBACK THURSDAY will be replays of past Unbinding the Bible episodes that have generated the most discussion and response or ones that I believe address the most important concepts or themes presented throughout the podcast.
I believe THROWBACK THURSDAY will quickly become a favorite, even reminding you of significant episodes that you've forgotten about!
If one episode in particular was meaningful or beneficial to you, please let me know. You may find it on a future THROWBACK THURSDAY!
41 min
November 11, 2021 By the Book: The #MeToo Reckoning
This week's episode is a conversation I had with Ruth Everhart on her book, The #MeToo Reckoning: Facing the Church's Complicity in Sexual Abuse and Misconduct. This is a topic that is sadly avoided in many Christian contexts. And it's time that changed! This conversation is a great introduction to the entire topic and I'm thankful to be having it with Ruth.
Please consider sharing this episode with a friend or on your social media page. There are no doubt thousands of abuse survivors carrying their pain themselves and struggling through it and this conversation may help them find hope.
www.rutheverhart.com (you can purchase Ruth's book from here as well).
43 min
November 04, 2021 126 - Self-Assertion & Self-Abandonment
On this episode, we'll look at a great book I'm currently reading, The Covenanted Self, by Walter Brueggemann, and what it actually means to "covenant" with both God and our neighbor. Learning to assert oneself as well as abandon oneself are both an integral part of what it means to relate well with others. And for me, this one insight is beginning to reshape the way I understand not only mankind's relationship with God, but also several elements of dysfunction in my own life.
You can buy Brueggemann's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Covenanted-Self-Walter-Brueggemann/dp/0800631765/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1DZXJJPMZM188&dchild=1&keywords=the+covenanted+self&qid=1635963619&sprefix=the+covenanted+self%2Caps%2C863&sr=8-2
42 min
October 28, 2021 125 - The Source and the Shape*
This episode is a sermon I preached in our shared ministry September 12, 2021. Taken from Mark 8:27-38, this sermon focuses on what it means to allow Jesus to be both the source of our salvation as well as the shape of it. This is a challenging message for the church today, but it is vitally important that we get it right!
36 min
October 21, 2021 124 - Law Versus Grace? Some Thoughts
In this episode, I'd like to discuss what the relationship is between the law and the gospel, the letter versus the spirit of the law, and the concept of the old and new covenants. What was Jesus' relationship to the law and how should Christians today think of it for their own lives? I plan to read an entry from a journal of mine where I attempted to work out some initial thoughts to all these questions. I hope you'll find this a helpful look at what has become a rather confusing topic.
34 min
October 14, 2021 By the Book: Power in Weakness
For this week's episode, I have Tim Gombis back on the show to talk about his new book, Power in Weakness: Paul's Transformed Vision for Ministry. Tim was my guest for the very first By the Book episode and, after listening to this episode, you'll understand why I wanted to talk with him again. You will be encouraged, strengthened, challenged, and convicted from our conversation. I highly recommend going out and buying Tim's book! Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Weakness-Transformed-Vision-Ministry/dp/0802871259/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=power+in+weakness&qid=1634142379&sr=8-1.
1 hr 13 min
October 07, 2021 123 - The Message Embodied
In this episode, we'll look at Paul's words to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 5:16-6:10, paying particular attention to the relationship between what Paul calls the "ministry of reconciliation" and the "message of reconciliation." Rooted in the life of Jesus himself, Paul demonstrates how his "ministry of reconciliation" perfectly embodies his "message of reconciliation" and calls the Corinthians "not to receive the grace of God in vain" by failing to see this connection.
Helpful earlier episodes mentioned in this episode:
034 - The Servant of the LORD
035 - Why Does the Servant Suffer?
037 - THE Servant Creates Servants
038 - "Filling Up What is Lacking"
083 - REVALATION: "My Two Witnesses"
084 - REVELATION: Embodying the Pattern of the Christ
Email any comments or questions to: [email protected]
40 min
September 30, 2021 122 - Where We're Headed
Unbinding the Bible is back! And to kick things off, we'll talk about my 3-month break, an old (and new) hobby I'm engaged in, a bit about the Enneagram, and where I'm hoping to take the podcast in the weeks and months to come. It's exciting to be back with you all!
43 min

About Unbinding the Bible

From the publisher's feed

In Luke 24, Jesus told two of his followers that the entire Bible was about him. Yet their reading of the Bible had not actually prepared them for Jesus. Sadly, the same thing is still happening…