Partakers Christian Podcasts

Partakers Bible Thought 28 September 2021 – Big Story 06

Partakers Bible Thought

28 September 2021

1 I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
4 ‘I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations.’”
(Psalm 89:1-4)

1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11:1-6)

We are now approaching the climax of the Biblical story: the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. But there is a curiosity here. The ancient creeds of the Christian church say things like: "… born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate …" without a word about his life in between. We, too, give a great deal of attention to Christmas and Easter, but probably not so much to his life in between. Yet, at a rough count, there are only 4 chapters in total in the 4 Gospels about his birth, 14 about his death, but no less than 73 about his life in between. What, in our excitement about his birth as a human being, the incarnation, and his death, for our salvation, are we missing?

Today we are looking at the coming of the long awaited for Messiah, Jesus Christ. We explore together questions such as: Who was this Messiah that the nation of Israel had been told to wait for? What would this Messiah do? What is going to happen to the Kingdom of God? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this part of telling the Bible’s big story and the coming of the long awaited for Messiah, Jesus Christ.

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Partakers Bible Thought 27 September 2021 – Big Story 05

Partakers Bible Thought

27 September 2021

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.
19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”
20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. (Exodus 33:17-22)

1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2 The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying,
“He is good; his love endures forever.”(2 Chronicles 7: 1-)

Most of the Old Testament is taken up with the steady decline of the life and faithfulness of Israel from the high point of the Exodus and their understanding, experience and the closeness of the Lord. To trace that decline we will follow the story of the place where the Lord was: the tent of meeting, the tabernacle and the Jerusalem temple.

Today we are looking at the long and steady decline of Israel away from closeness with the Lord God. We explore together questions such as: We explore together questions such as: How were Ancient Israel to worship God? How would God be present at the middle of His people, Israel? What occurred to show God’s displeasure with Israel’s unfaithfulness? What hope was there still to come?

Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this part of telling the Bible’s big story, the long and steady decline of Israel away from closeness with the Lord God.

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Partakers Bible Thought 26 September 2021 – Big Story 04

Partakers Bible Thought

26 September 2021

3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father,[a] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3:1-6)

8 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.”
10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: 12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said. (Exodus 7:8-13)

The next major action in the Biblical story is the return from Egypt of all the descendants of Jacob/Israel 400 years after Joseph took them there. What are most interesting are not the details of their history but the way in which God, the LORD, reveals himself to them. He does this in 3 ways:

1. He tells them his name
2. He carries out many overt acts demonstrating the power of his activity on their behalf
3. He stations himself in the middle of his people to travel with them.

That is knowledge, action and presence. Today we are looking at how and why God reveals Himself. We explore together questions such as: In what way does God reveals Himself to Moses? Why does God reveal Himself? In what way is knowledge, action and presence part of God’s working with Moses and Israel? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this part of telling the Bible’s big story, God revealing Himself to Moses.

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Partakers Bible Thought 25 September 2021 – Big Story 03

Partakers Bible Thought

25 September 2021

1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you; I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. 9 Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev. (Genesis 12:1-9)

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. (Romans 4:1-5)

Amazingly God’s original plan had not worked out. God had created a perfect world, so perfect that he said it was ‘very good’. Into it he had put a man and a woman and, because they were made in his, God’s, image they had the power of self-will and decision making. And it had all gone wrong. Mankind was unable to relate to God because God was holy and pure and they were neither. What could God do about it – working within his self-imposed limits that it would be done through human beings? What God chose to do was to take a man from whom would come a family, and from that family a nation, and give him the responsibility to turn it all around and make it work. That man was Abraham.

Today we are looking and exploring Israel and Abraham. We explore together questions such as: What is God’s plan now that humanity have fallen into sin? What does God’s promise to Abraham contain? How was Abraham credited with righteousness? Where does Israel fit into that plan and promise? Where do we in the 21st century fit into this plan and promise of God? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this second part of telling the Bible’s big story, Israel and Abraham.

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Partakers Bible Thought 24 September 2021 – Big Story 02

Partakers Bible Thought

24 September 2021

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (Genesis 3:1-11)

19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8 :19-22)

What has been your biggest disappointment? The moment when something really special you had planned, or made, or hoped for did not work out and your dreams came crashing to the ground? It seems rather extraordinary but that seems to be what happened to God, the Designer and Creator of all that is.

He had planned and built the perfect world for Adam and Eve and their descendants, put them in the most perfect garden ever, and they – the two of them – had immediately spoiled it and brought the whole scheme crashing to the ground. I know we say God knows everything including the future but in the introduction to the story of the Flood we read that the LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth and his heart was deeply troubled (Genesis 6:6-7). God was disappointed – whatever the systematic theologians may say are his attributes. Adam and Eve were the first to get it wrong and therefore most at fault.

Yesterday, in our last podcast, we looked at Creation. Today we are looking and exploring what we call the Fall of humanity. We explore together questions such as: What does the Bible say happened in what we call “the Fall”? Is there any hope for reconciliation between God and humanity? Did God really regret making humanity? What is the true nature of humanity? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this second part of telling the Bible’s big story and the fall of humanity.

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Partakers Bible Thought 23 September 2021 - Big Story 01

Partakers Bible Thought

23 September 2021

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. (Genesis 1:1-5)

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. (Psalm 19:1-6)

In His wisdom God has told us about himself through stories, some connected, some disconnected, some big, some small. Quite how we can come to understand something about God this way is not clear but we do. By story I do not mean something that is not true.

The Bible is one huge story, the greatest story ever told. But we tend to read it and hear about it only in small, disconnected chunks and have never heard any attempt to put the most important parts of it together as a big, continuous story. This set of studies aims to put that right! (Even although much modern thinking rejects the idea of big stories, thinking they only function as a method of control. But then perhaps God knows better than the moderns.) at best this story will only partly succeed because the Bible is so infinitely varied everyone sees different, hidden depths in it.

There are 5 major parts to the story which we will explore together over the next 2 weeks. They are: the Creation, the Fall, Israel, Jesus and the Church.

Today, we explore together questions about Creation such as: What does the Bible say the story of this world and humanity begin? How did everything commence? Why was everything started? What does all this mean to us in the 21st century? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this first part of telling the Bible’s big story.

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Partakers Bible Thought 21 September 2021 – Jesus the Christ: So what?

Partakers Bible Thought

21 September 2021

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice
and righteousness from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14)

In the last two podcasts, we looked at Jesus being fully human and then looked at Jesus being fully God. We concluded with a question: “Why would Jesus be fully man and fully God and so what?” Today we seek to engage with that question and answer it, albeit briefly.

One of the Church Father’s, Anselm, wrote that God’s salvation plan for humans’ involved triumphant victory over sin, death and the grave. However no person could be found that was eligible or capable to do this. Because of this, God stepped into the human history, so that this victory could be achieved. This God-man would be fully human, so as to live every feature of humanity, including suffering and death. This God-man would also need to remain fully God, so as to defeat sin, death and the grave. Jesus, being sinless, was this God-man. Why? Because Jesus Christ consisted of two complete natures: the God nature and the human nature. So what does all that mean!

Together we explore questions such as: How can somebody have both natures – the God nature and human nature? What do we mean we say that Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully human? Why would Jesus be fully God and fully human? What does all this mean for us today? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about Jesus Christ: so what?

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Partakers Bible Thought 17 September 2021 – Why is he called Jesus?

Partakers Bible Thought

16 September 2021

Today we are going to ask ourselves, in relation to Jesus, What’s in a name? I wonder what your name means. Parents usually name their children after the hopes and aspirations they have for that child. For example, the name John means “the gift of God”. I know somebody called Grace, and her nature is that of somebody full of grace. My name of David means “beloved” and when my parents named me, it was meant to symbolize the love they had for me.

But what does the name Jesus mean? When Jesus was born, his very name imbued the reason he was born. The name Jesus means “Saviour” or “One who saves or rescues.” The entirety of His birth, life and death was centred on this very role - saving and rescuing all those who would believe, receive and follow Him. We have seen in the testimony of the Apostles John, Peter and Paul how Jesus came to save sinners, to call people to follow, believe and receive Himself! This Jesus who proclaimed He was the only way to God!

Together we explore questions such as: Why was Jesus born? What do we mean when we say: “Jesus is saviour”? Why is our understanding of His birth so important? What does the coming of Jesus have to do with humans having an intimate and personal relationship with God? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about why Jesus is called by that name.

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Partakers Bible Thought 16 September 2021 – Jesus and the Apostle Paul

Partakers Bible Thought

16 September 2021

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20)

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:12-17)

Today we briefly explore who Jesus was, according to the person we know as the Apostle Paul. Paul, who as a Pharisee of Pharisees was known as Saul. Paul who became a follower of Jesus, after encountering him on the road to Damascus. Paul who describes himself as the least of the apostles, former persecutor of the church and the foremost of sinners. Because Paul chose to follow, believe in and receive Jesus Christ, most of the New Testament was written by this man and he sought to serve his master, Jesus Christ. For Paul’s life and ministry, we have much to be thankful to God!

Together we explore questions such as: How does Paul describe Jesus, as he builds up the metaphors? How did Paul describe his relationship with Jesus Christ, despite not meeting Jesus during his earthly ministry? What does Paul say that Jesus has done for him? How does Paul give praise to Jesus Christ? What can we take away from Jesus’ relationship with Paul and adapt into our own life as we seek to follow Jesus? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more concerning Jesus and his good friend, Peter.

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Partakers Bible Thought 15 September 2021 – Jesus and the Apostle Peter

Partakers Bible Thought

15 September 2021

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” (Acts 2:22-24; 32-36)

Today we briefly explore who Jesus was, according to another of his closest friends, the Apostle Peter! Peter, whose name was originally Simon, but given the name Peter, by Jesus (Matthew 16:18). Peter, the great Apostle and some say the greatest Apostle! With John and James, one of the three people closest to Jesus and had seen Jesus transfigured and glowing with glory on the Mount of Transfiguration! Peter, a fisherman, was commanded to go with Jesus with the simple words “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people!” Peter, who several times was severely rebuked by Jesus.

Together we explore questions such as: How does Peter describe Jesus? According to Peter, how did Jesus fit into God’s plan for his people, Israel, and for the whole world? What does Peter say, when comparing King David and Jesus? How does Peter witness about Jesus earthly ministry? What does Peter say about the Holy Spirit and his role in the life of the Christian? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more concerning Jesus and his good friend, Peter.

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