In the intro I mentioned I'm not a big podcast person. I can still say I prefer music and a good book to the casts in question, but I can't say I didn't enjoy the expereience or I wouldn't try it again. Actually, I haven't listened to all of them, and I'm the kind of kid who will stuff himself silly to finish everything on his plate, even if he's not hungry anymore. That even applies to podcasts. Except the Bible dramatizations we picked up by accident. Those are just silly.
I can say the most enjoyable messages were those that touched on history, psychology and science while teaching the Bible as well. I like to learn, so the combination made for an enjoyable experience.
At the end, I have to ask myself, would I of enjoyed just one speaker? Probably not. The "conversation" between speakers helped me to focus on the whole picture, rather than latching on to the petty disagreements which is easy to do with just one speaker. Dialogue good.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Podcast Adventure 3
So far, there's been a pattern in my podcast comparisons. This is good, but...and this is good, but... and so forth. Okay, you get the point. There's good and bad in both. This last exercise in dialogue will be a bit different. I hope.
I'm back to Providence and Lamentations, as some good conversations came from those series. Also, they made up a big percentage of what I had on my iPod. Some things are just meant to be.
Anyway, I'll start with Providence and say, I especially enjoyed the two messages I'm using as an example. One was on the writing on the wall and the other was on Moses' escape from being killed as a baby. This speaker has a lot to say about history (Babylon's fortitude and capture) and actually science (the butterfly effect without Ashton Cutcher). I like to learn, and I enjoy the fact that these messages provided an opportunity to do so.
In the case of Babylon, the points were:
a) the wall outside and the city itself was inpenetrable
and
b) By doing what he did the king was basically giving God the finger (my paraphrase).
The point is, God used what happened next to show He was in control and He deserves the glory. In the end, putting confidence in anything less is a bit worse than problematic.
During the time of Lamentations, Israel was in a similar situation, being reminded of who God is. Still, the speakers in Lamentations go from "you deserved it" to showing compassion and later, even frustration and grief at what is happening. The speaker touched on grief and added that change, even good, can have grief. I'm still chewing on that one, but agree or disagree, it's food for thought. In the end, we need to acknowledge and deal with the grief, as well as speak up against injustice. Be the one to address it.
The second message on Providence involved how even the tiniest events have significance. God used Moses, and he used Moses' mom, sister, and even the river itself to ensure his survival.
Another speaker, in his introduction to a message on 2 Peter, mentioned how Christ never rose to a position of political power, yet as the Providence speaker would say, He's the King of Kings.
God loves using the seemingly insignificant, and that will never cease to make me smile.
I'm back to Providence and Lamentations, as some good conversations came from those series. Also, they made up a big percentage of what I had on my iPod. Some things are just meant to be.
Anyway, I'll start with Providence and say, I especially enjoyed the two messages I'm using as an example. One was on the writing on the wall and the other was on Moses' escape from being killed as a baby. This speaker has a lot to say about history (Babylon's fortitude and capture) and actually science (the butterfly effect without Ashton Cutcher). I like to learn, and I enjoy the fact that these messages provided an opportunity to do so.
In the case of Babylon, the points were:
a) the wall outside and the city itself was inpenetrable
and
b) By doing what he did the king was basically giving God the finger (my paraphrase).
The point is, God used what happened next to show He was in control and He deserves the glory. In the end, putting confidence in anything less is a bit worse than problematic.
During the time of Lamentations, Israel was in a similar situation, being reminded of who God is. Still, the speakers in Lamentations go from "you deserved it" to showing compassion and later, even frustration and grief at what is happening. The speaker touched on grief and added that change, even good, can have grief. I'm still chewing on that one, but agree or disagree, it's food for thought. In the end, we need to acknowledge and deal with the grief, as well as speak up against injustice. Be the one to address it.
The second message on Providence involved how even the tiniest events have significance. God used Moses, and he used Moses' mom, sister, and even the river itself to ensure his survival.
Another speaker, in his introduction to a message on 2 Peter, mentioned how Christ never rose to a position of political power, yet as the Providence speaker would say, He's the King of Kings.
God loves using the seemingly insignificant, and that will never cease to make me smile.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Podcast Adventure 2
My next two subjects are a sermon on Lamentations and a topical message on God's providence. More so than the first time, both left me a bit unsettled. Together, well, I'll get to that later. The point is blah blah blah, I was unsettled. Twice.
The message on Lamentations had my hopes up as I'm always up for digging into the Old Testament books, especially the difficult passages. Lamentations is definitely one of those.
The speaker introduces the narator, a warrior, and a woman of ill repute (Israel personafied). While this is a book about asking "how could this happen" with the answer that Israel was unfaithful to God, He is mentioned briefly in the book. Like in Ecclesiastes, there seem to be more questions than answers.
The speaker makes interesting points, like where the woman's name changes for the better, and the other two even weep with her. It's true that followers of Christ need to abandon negative labels and weep with those who weep, especially those who need compassion more than reminders of how bad they are. But there is more hope than that, and books like Lamentations point toward the need for it. It's not specifically mentioned in that passage, so fair enough. Still, leaving it with "there's something divine in listening to others and showing compassion" and leaving it there is true but only partially so. I can't throw this out, but I can't accept it fully either.
The second message was on God's providence, which I believe is true. God is in control, even when we can't see it. However, this message seemed to say "You can see it, and if you think you can't you're wrong." For a moment I wondered, okay, did you even read Lamentations?
The speaker shared about a train wreck he experienced. He was awakened and even flew through the air and hit a wall. He ended up wandering his way out and finding his way with many others to a hospital named (wait for it) Providence. He almost giggled at that point, which is strange in such a heavy story. Still, it's a good point.
People later asked him if this affected his theology any. No, he insisted, it only confirmed what I already know. I have no doubt, and that's great, but isn't something missing from that as well? When he was flying through the air, was he thinking "God is so in control. And by the way, wheee!" Is it so wrong to be honest and say "I panicked (or even [gasp] questioned) for a moment, but in the end God is even greater than our emotions?"
Lack of complete truth is, as I said before, unsettling.
This brings me to a third message, also on Lamentations about what angers God. There's a reason the actions God took leading up to the book had to happen. So what is it? Injustice in word and deed. How we treat others, no matter who they are.
There's a sense of hope in asking God about our role in all of this as well. Yes, He is in control, even when we can't see it. But we can't forget, He has steps for us to follow in obedience as well.
The message on Lamentations had my hopes up as I'm always up for digging into the Old Testament books, especially the difficult passages. Lamentations is definitely one of those.
The speaker introduces the narator, a warrior, and a woman of ill repute (Israel personafied). While this is a book about asking "how could this happen" with the answer that Israel was unfaithful to God, He is mentioned briefly in the book. Like in Ecclesiastes, there seem to be more questions than answers.
The speaker makes interesting points, like where the woman's name changes for the better, and the other two even weep with her. It's true that followers of Christ need to abandon negative labels and weep with those who weep, especially those who need compassion more than reminders of how bad they are. But there is more hope than that, and books like Lamentations point toward the need for it. It's not specifically mentioned in that passage, so fair enough. Still, leaving it with "there's something divine in listening to others and showing compassion" and leaving it there is true but only partially so. I can't throw this out, but I can't accept it fully either.
The second message was on God's providence, which I believe is true. God is in control, even when we can't see it. However, this message seemed to say "You can see it, and if you think you can't you're wrong." For a moment I wondered, okay, did you even read Lamentations?
The speaker shared about a train wreck he experienced. He was awakened and even flew through the air and hit a wall. He ended up wandering his way out and finding his way with many others to a hospital named (wait for it) Providence. He almost giggled at that point, which is strange in such a heavy story. Still, it's a good point.
People later asked him if this affected his theology any. No, he insisted, it only confirmed what I already know. I have no doubt, and that's great, but isn't something missing from that as well? When he was flying through the air, was he thinking "God is so in control. And by the way, wheee!" Is it so wrong to be honest and say "I panicked (or even [gasp] questioned) for a moment, but in the end God is even greater than our emotions?"
Lack of complete truth is, as I said before, unsettling.
This brings me to a third message, also on Lamentations about what angers God. There's a reason the actions God took leading up to the book had to happen. So what is it? Injustice in word and deed. How we treat others, no matter who they are.
There's a sense of hope in asking God about our role in all of this as well. Yes, He is in control, even when we can't see it. But we can't forget, He has steps for us to follow in obedience as well.
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