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Stories of Hope | A Bible Discovery Podcast

Stories of Hope | A Bible Discovery Podcast

Casey and Amy Jones
Religion y Espiritualidad

Can we truly find hope in the words of the Bible? That's what we want to discover together. Join hosts Casey and Amy Jones as they explore stories from the Bible and the sayings of Jesus.

16 - Hope for the Irreligious
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  • 16 - Hope for the Irreligious

    Is God only interested in religious or good people? Do you have to be religious to please God? In this episode, Casey and Amy explore how Jesus inverts our expectations about who may come to Him.

    This is the second episode in the Stories of Hope Series.

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    Text:Luke 18:9-14 | The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

    The Knowledge Gap:

    Pharisees - 1st Century groups in Israel concerned with keeping ritual purity and protecting the Law of Moses. They looked for a coming “messiah” who would free them from foreign oppression. 

    Tax collectors - The Romans employed locals to collect tribute and allowed them to overcharge. Many became rich off of their kinsmen; regarded as blood traitors; often disowned and shunned. 

    God in the Bible - perfectly eternal, self-sufficient, tri-person Creator God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, together as one; never lonely. God delights in personal relationships with humans based on His merciful love. We see God’s mercy in the Bible culminating in the sacrifice and power of Jesus’ death and resurrection. If we receive the Son, he saves us and adopts us as children of God (John 1:12). 


    Q1 What does this passage say about Jesus/God?

    Illustrates Jesus’ teaching “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).

    God is not Karma (reaping only what we sow) or Fate (once on a path, we cannot leave it). He is a Person who shows mercy to a humbled tax collector, while keeping distant from the proud Pharisee.


    Q2 Is there an example here to follow or to avoid?

    The marginalized are lifted up and forgiven, because they show humility and recognize their spiritual poverty before God. (Also see episode “Hope for the Rejected:” Mary and Simon (Luke 7:36-50)

     

    Q3 Is there a promise in this passage (stated or fulfilled)?

    “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

    Christians forget humility is not “thinking less of ourselves; it is thinking of yourself less” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity). We ask people to look at us and our goodness, instead of God and his goodness. We don’t have to feel like an imposter. The One who made us shows us our true self in Him.

     

    Q4 Is there an instruction to follow?

    Jesus’ story reflects Old Testament teachings to “seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.” (Micah 6:6-8) 

    We start in brokenness, but God made a way for reconciliation. We are reconciled to God by humbling ourselves (Ephesians 1 and 2). When we realize our spiritual reality, we will feel small and inadequate. In that moment we can turn to God. We walk away from “grown-up” pretensions and come to Jesus like a carefree child (who have no problem receiving free gifts) (Matthew 19:14).

     

    Q5 What do we learn about humanity?

    Whether we identify with the Pharisee or the tax collector, both need to get right with God. The flaw is in our heart, and God promises a heart change (Ezekiel 11:19). Our actions and desires then flow from God's abundance, rather than our neediness or scarcity.

    We detrimentally cherry-pick parts of the Bible. The Pharisees had the Bible, but emphasized some parts and ignored others to consolidate power. (After Jesus’ resurrection, many Pharisees saw the truth of Jesus in Scripture and believed.)

     

    Q6 Who would you share this story with?

    Those trying to understand morality or trying to please God. It shows the aim of the Gospel is to bring the spiritually dead to life, not merely make bad people good.

    Those from religious backgrounds that need to do something to gain a deity’s favor to deal with brokenness. It shows that we don’t have to clean up our act before we come to the God of the Bible. Jesus will clean us up when we give ourselves to Him.

    For the irreligious, this story challenges the belief that you need merely to justify or believe in yourself. Therapy, mindfulness, or self-talk are not enough to truly deal with our brokenness. Our Creator meets us there and offers new life.

    Thu, 29 Jun 2023 - 23min
  • 15 - Hope for the Rejected

    Jesus, a woman with a bad reputation, and a religious man meet at a dinner party. What follows turns everyone's expectations upside down. Join hosts Amy and Casey as they explore this story as found Luke 7:36-50. This is the first episode in the "Stories of Hope" series and the inspiration for this podcast!


    ###


    Show Notes:

    Series: Stories of Hope

    Episode 1 - Hope for the Rejected

    Text: Luke 7:36-50 | The Sinful Woman (read here)


    The Questions:

      The Knowledge Gap - Is anything in this story unclear? What do we learn about God here, specifically Jesus? Is there a positive or negative example here? Are there any promises here? Is there an instruction here? Something to do or avoid? What do we learn about humanity here? Who would you tell this story to?


    Knowledge Gap

    This was a banquet in a shame/honor culture. Hospitality was a vital part of life. In this culture, guests of honor would eat together with the hosts. Jesus is seated with honor, but the host Simon showed little honor to Jesus by not offering him the customary cleansing upon arrival. When Jesus allows the woman to touch him and speaks to her, he goes against customs about the separation of genders, as well as possible ritual cleanliness. The woman is named in another book of the Bible as Mary the sister of Lazarus, and after this story she joins Jesus' group of disciples.

    "Sin" in the Bible is not a list of "Do Not DO"s, but rather sin means anything that goes against the Creator or creation. As Jesus says in another place, "the greatest Commandment is to love the Lord your God with all you heart, and the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets come down to these two things (Matthew 22:38-40). It was not Jewish custom for even religious leaders to forgive sin. Only God can forgive sins.


    What do we learn about Jesus?

    He acts with authority and forgives sins. He is acting with the authority of God.


    Is there a positive or negative example?

    The woman (Mary) and Simon the Pharisee are presented as two reactions people have to Jesus/God. On a human level, Simon appears to have it all together, but he acts wrongly. In contrast, the woman has a bad reputation, but acts out of love. Jesus says through the parable and her actions that she is revealing how much forgiveness she's experienced. This is another example of how God looks at the heart, not the outside of a person (an attribute that is mentioned in the Bible in I Samuel 16:7).


    Is there a promise?

    Jesus offers a promise of forgiveness, not for a sin or socially unacceptable sins, but for all sin. We see that forgiveness of our brokenness is connected to our reaction to Jesus. Simon is seen as religious, but he treats Jesus poorly as though he owes him nothing. Mary worships Jesus extravagantly in front of people who look down on her. According to the parable, this means that she has experienced forgiveness from God, and implies that Simon and the audience can experience this promise of forgiveness as well.


    Is there an instruction here?

    The one who receives forgiveness, will love Jesus. Implicitly, Jesus is saying come to me for forgiveness. If we are in Christ, we have peace with him and ourselves.


    What can we do with this story? To whom would you share this story?

    This is a pivotal story that reminds us all that we need to come to Jesus like the woman. Forgiveness allows us to live fully and full of love. We can share with others that Jesus is not some religious leader, but the God who loves them. He is not the church, but the God a person can come to for forgiveness. Jesus is approachable to both religious and nonreligious people.


    This story is a great introduction to Jesus. Jesus was not here to make bad people into good, but he was here to bring the dead people to life. This is the beginning of the gospel.


    If you have any questions or comments, please reach out at faq@bibel-erkunden.de










    Mon, 27 Mar 2023 - 27min
  • 14 - I am the Vine

    What does it mean for a Christian to draw strength from Jesus? Does the Father care? In this episode, Casey and Amy discuss how the Father and Son work together to produce fruit and growth in the life of a Christian. This is the final episode in the "Seven I Am Statements" series found in the Gospel of John The Seven I AMs Series John 11:17-27 - "I am the Vine" Previous Episode: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life For more information, visit www.bibel-erkunden.de To leave us a question or comment, email us at faq@bibel-erkunden.de

    Wed, 05 Oct 2022 - 26min
  • 13 - I am the Way, the Truth and the Life

    Is heaven a place? What does it look like for God to live among his children? Join Amy and Casey as they explore Jesus's claims about going to heaven. This is the sixth entry of the "Seven I AM Statements" from the Gospel of John. The Seven I AMs Series John 14:1-7 - "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" Next Episode: I am the Vine Previous Episode: I am the Resurrection and the Life For more information, visit www.bibel-erkunden.de To leave us a question or comment, email us at faq@bibel-erkunden.de

    Tue, 31 May 2022 - 25min
  • 12 - I am the Resurrection and the Life

    What is the Christian view on life after death? What do we understand a person to be? Join Amy and Casey as they explore Jesus's claims about life after death. This is the fifth entry of the "Seven I AM Statements" from the Gospel of John.

    The Seven I AMs Series

    John 11:17-27 - "I am the Resurrection and the Life"

    Next Episode: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life

    Previous Episode: I am the Good Shepherd


    For more information, visit www.bibel-erkunden.de

    To leave us a question or comment, email us at faq@bibel-erkunden.de

    Thu, 12 May 2022 - 24min
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