Partakers Christian Podcasts

Pulp Theology 03 - God, Internet Church and You

PulpTheology Book

God, Internet Church & You

During lockdown or quarantine due to the CoronaVirus / COVID-19 Pandemic, Church has moved to using the Internet for its services to the world.  In this little book we seek to answer why the Church is using the Internet, as well as exploring together ways in which we can respond.

Here are some of the questions we will explore together:

• What is Digital Space & the Internet?
• Why should the Church be on the Internet and how?
• Isn't Church on the Internet just a modern form of the ancient heresy of gnosticism?
• Is God able to interact there?
• For the Christian, what are some of the liabilities and virtues of the Internet?
• Could an internet based church be part of the historical church?
• What can a Church service on the Internet look like?
• How can this technology be used, so that you as a Christian, can use your talents and serve God on the Internet in the 21st century?

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Pulp Theology 14 - Glimpses Into Leviticus

PulpTheology Book

Glimpses Into Leviticus

The book we are looking at this week is Glimpses Into Leviticus: a book of Joy (part of the "Glimpses Into" series). Available as Hardback, Paperback and Kindle.

Leviticus is perhaps the most maligned, misunderstood and under-read book of the Bible today.

Andrew Bonar once said: "There is no book that contains more of the very words of God than Leviticus. It is God that is the direct speaker in almost every page; his gracious words are recorded in the form wherein they were uttered."

How are we to read this amazing book? Leviticus does have important things to tell us about God, sin, obedience and holiness. Perhaps most importantly it tells of God wanting to live with His people. Some of the words and phrases we commonly use in the English language, come straight from the book of Leviticus. Come! Let us glimpse into this marvellous book of the Bible together - Leviticus the book of joy! Why do I call it a book of joy? One reason is that it reveals a God who wants to live with His people. For other reasons, you will have to look inside and read it to discover why!

Here is what one Amazon reviewer said: "5 stars! A theological view of Leviticus as opposed to the view it is an archaic 'laundry list'. Whether you agree with some of the conclusions or not, it will help you want to delve deeper, think more deeply about this often avoided book."

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Partakers Bible Thought 6 November 2021 – Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty 6

Partakers Bible Thought

6 November 2021

Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty Part 6
Reflect God – Love Practically (2)

 16 ‘I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Mark 10:16-20)

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:18-20)

In the last podcast, we looked at ancient Israel having to be obedient and faithful to God as evidence of their love of God. We left with a question “How can we love God faithfully and obediently?” Today we look at just two ways in which we as Christians can show our love of God?

Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about God and following Him.

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Partakers Bible Thought 2 November 2021 – Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty 2

Partakers Bible Thought

2 November 2021

Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty Part 2
Who Is God?

23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’ (John 4:23-24)

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

G’day! Throughout the book of Leviticus, God has said “Be holy, for I am holy”. But what is holiness? As we have glimpsed in recent podcasts, holiness is what separates God from all His creation, including humanity. Why? For God alone is holy and full of glory. Remember what Aaron had to do when entering the holy of holies on the day of Atonement? He had to create a wall of smoky incense, so that he wouldn’t glimpse God’s glory and holiness and be struck down dead, like his sons Nadab and Abihu. Holiness is in fact the sum of all God’s attributes. God is holiness and holiness is God.

Today we start looking at who God is from Leviticus 18-19! Together we explore questions such as: What kind of God is this? What are some of God’s attributes? How are those attributes seen in Leviticus applicable and relevant to Christians today? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about God and following Him.

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Partakers Bible Thought 4 October 2021 – Big Story 12

Partakers Bible Thought

4 October 2021

8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
But for Adam[f] no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:8-10; 15-22)

“ 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:1–5)

There is a marvellous unity to the Bible story even though it was written by many different people over many hundreds of years. It began, after the Creation, with the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2) and it ends with a Garden City (Revelation 22). There are two great differences between them: the Garden of Eden had only 2 people in it; the Garden City is full of people, all those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Only God walks in the Garden of Eden, whereas Jesus Christ, the Lamb, walks with him in the city and the people walk by the light of the lamp, which is the Lamb. Wow!

Today we are looking at the Church of the future – the Church to come of which we are a part. We explore together questions such as: In the light of the Church of the future, what should we as Christians be doing? What will the Church of the future be like? What differences are there between the Garden of Eden and the Garden City of Revelation 22? What sense can we the Church today, make of the Church to come? What promises are there for the future Church, which includes the Church today?

Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this part of telling the Bible’s big story, the Temple and what that has to do with Christians today.

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Partakers Bible Thought 3 October 2021 – Big Story 11

Partakers Bible Thought

3 October 2021

1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour;
I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honoured in my sight,
and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” (Isaiah 43:1-7)

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20))

We live in an amazing and very exciting period of church history. There are more Christians of every sort alive today than ever before; in fact, more alive now than all that have ever lived and died; one third of all the people on the earth. This is mainly because of the recent huge growth of the church in Africa, South America and, to a lesser but increasing extent, in Asia. At the same time the old core areas of the Faith in Europe and North America have declined somewhat, so the centre of gravity of the World-Wide Church has moved south and east. 

Today we are looking at the Church of the present day. We explore together questions such as: How is the Church today fulfilling the vision of Isaiah 43? How is the Church obeying the Great Commission as commanded by Jesus Christ? What are some of the questions we should ask ourselves where we need to grow in obedience in faith as the Church today? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this part of telling the Bible’s big story, the Temple and what that has to do with Christians today.

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Partakers Bible Thought 2 October 2021 – Big Story 10

Partakers Bible Thought

2 October 2021

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:41-52)

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. (John 2:13-22)

So far in our Big Story of the Bible, we have traced through the story of the decline of Israel before Jesus appeared. We now pick up the story of the great Temple in Jerusalem in the days of Jesus we find some fascinating things. The extent to which the people of Jesus’ day centred life on the Temple is amazing. We know that Jesus and his family visited the Temple in Jerusalem annually (Luke 2:41). In a mixed family party that was probably 5 days walking each way – a considerable time not to be working and earning.

Life in first century Israel revolved around the Temple building to an astonishing extent. They clearly thought that God was there, and more accessible there, than anywhere else. It was what some people would call a ‘thin place’, that is a place where it feels much easier to get close to God than most places because heaven and earth have only a thin gap between them (which isn’t really the case but it can feel that way if we are somewhere where we have often met with the Lord).

Today we are looking at Jesus and the Temple in Jerusalem. We explore together questions such as: What did Jesus say about the Temple? How much longer after Jesus’ Ascension did the Temple last before the Romans destroyed it? With the Temple gone, what was to replace it? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this part of telling the Bible’s big story, the Temple and what that has to do with Christians today.

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Partakers Bible Thought 1 October 2021 – Big Story 09

Partakers Bible Thought

1 October 2021

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
“Come now; let us leave.”(John 14:23-31)

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)

In our last podcast, we saw that Jesus Christ rose again from the dead and has ascended back to God the Father. You would think that is the end of the story. But it is not an end, but a beginning! The story is not finished. We are ourselves part of it. Mark begins his Gospel by calling it the “beginning of the Gospel” (Mark 1:1). Perhaps Mark was hinting that there was a lot more to come after he had finished writing. If so we are part of the continuation of the Gospel.

The first 20 chapters of the book we call the Acts of the Apostles are devoted to 3 main themes: the giving of the Holy Spirit to all the followers of Jesus; the understanding that the Christian Way is open to all: Jews and Gentiles; and the spread of the Good News round all the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. All these are very important for us. The remaining 8 chapters of the book are concerned with various legal arguments surrounding Paul and his work. These were important to Luke writing to encourage his patron, Theophilus, to follow the Way but are far less important for us.

Today we are looking at the birth of the Church, the body of Jesus Christ. We explore together questions such as: Who is the Holy Spirit? How was the Church born? How did the Romans and the religious leaders react? How is the Church still alive today and why? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this part of telling the Bible’s big story and the birth of the Church, the bride of Jesus Christ.

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Partakers Bible Thought 30 September 2021 – Big Story 08

Partakers Bible Thought

30 September 2021

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark 16:1-8)

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized withthe Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:1-10)

In our last podcast, we saw that Jesus Christ died. The long awaited Messiah, who people were trusting in had died. Was the death of this man, an ending? Or was it a beginning!

The most difficult part of the Big Story of the Bible to talk about is the Resurrection of Jesus. The big question is ‘did it really happen?’ All those of us who live in the modern Western world are in a culture that says it did not. The primary reason for this is that our culture says something is only true if it can be replicated. If an experiment carried out in the USA is true it must be possible to repeat it in Australia for it to be legitimate. And, of course, the return to life of the dead Son of God is the ultimate event that cannot be replicated. The assassination of Julius Caesar cannot be replicated either, but many national leaders have been assassinated in recent times so that is a near enough repetition for that ancient event to be accepted as having truly happened. But the resurrection of a man from death is another matter altogether. How do we get out of this problem?

Today we are looking at the resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ and His ascension back to God the Father. We explore together questions such as: Could Jesus really have risen from the dead? Who were the witnesses to such an event? Are they reliable? What did Jesus’ resurrection from the dead mean and achieve?Where and how does His resurrection fit into the over-all story? When Jesus ascended into the sky, where was he going? What was the reaction of his disciples and followers to all this? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this part of telling the Bible’s big story and the rising from the dead of the long awaited for Messiah, Jesus Christ.

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Partakers Bible Thought 29 September 2021 – Big Story 07

Partakers Bible Thought

29 September 2021

32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
(Mark 10:32-34)

28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” (John 19:28-37)

Jesus Christ died, falsely accused of plotting to destroy the temple, committing blasphemy and threatening insurrection against Rome. None of those things were true – at least in the way those who heard him interpreted them.

Today we are looking at the death of the Messiah, Jesus Christ and look back on the series so far and see how this is part of the culmination of the big story of the Bible. We explore together questions such as: How do the events we have looked at together so far meet at the death of Jesus Christ? What is the glory of his death? What has been achieved through His death? Was Jesus’ death, an end, or was it simply a beginning? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more in this part of telling the Bible’s big story and the death of the long awaited for Messiah, Jesus Christ.

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