Commons Church Podcast

What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ? Why do people need to hear it? How can they experience it? What will it mean for their future? And what does the good news have to do with everyday life? These large and basic questions form Paul’s agenda in Romans—an agenda dictated by a combination of audiences, circumstances and purposes. The salvation issue, with all its various facets, was at the center of the early Christian movement as it sought to defend itself over against both Judaism and paganism. Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians in Rome had very different opinions on these matters. So Paul uses his rhetorical skill to tackle such fundamental theological issues with such a deft touch that it the letter to the Romans it has left an enduring and vital contribution to Christians’ understanding of who they are and what they believe. As Luther therefore said: [Romans] is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. It can never be read or pondered too much, and the more it is dealt with the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes. ★ Support this podcast ★

What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ? Why do people need to hear it? How can they experience it? What will it mean for their future? And what does the good news have to do with everyday life? These large and basic questions form Paul’s agenda in Romans—an agenda dictated by a combination of audiences, circumstances and purposes. The salvation issue, with all its various facets, was at the center of the early Christian movement as it sought to de ne itself over against both Judaism and paganism. Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians in Rome had very di erent opinions on these matters. So Paul uses his rhetorical skill to tackle such fundamental theological issues with such a deft touch that it the letter to the Romans it has left an enduring and vital contribution to Christians’ understanding of who they are and what they believe. As Luther therefore said: [Romans] is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. It can never be read or pondered too much, and the more it is dealt with the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes. ★ Support this podcast ★

Life is good… for the most part that is. Until some intruder, some interloper, called confusion or despair, lament or grief, loss or (gulp) death comes crashing in. And then there is no telling where the mind and heart can travel. Like the proverbial y in the ointment, life’s apparent setbacks can threaten the whole. Has everything come undone? How can I know the meaning of such things? Does life even have a meaning? The ancient book of Lamentations wrestled with just such questions. In daring fashion, it pulls no punches, considers no realm of human questioning out of bounds. Some people are surprised by this. Some assume that faith is thinking happy thoughts, adopting a positive attitude, having con dence that things will turn out well. How could this book of poems be included in our Scriptures? Why is it there? Faith, to be sure, is con dence, but not a false or untested con dence. Faith is willing to expose itself to the full gamut of questions. And that is why we need Lament. In this series we would like to take the wrapper o our cultural tendency to avoid. We want to be more honest about the tougher parts of life, and actually, the Bible tends to rub our noses in the harder parts, because the Bible is a whole lot more honest about life than we tend to be. Lamentations may not provide the complete answer we need, but it does ask a lot of the right questions. In this series we are going to look at some of those questions, knowing with con dence that our faith is better for it. ★ Support this podcast ★

Life is good… for the most part that is. Until some intruder, some interloper, called confusion or despair, lament or grief, loss or (gulp) death comes crashing in. And then there is no telling where the mind and heart can travel. Like the proverbial y in the ointment, life’s apparent setbacks can threaten the whole. Has everything come undone? How can I know the meaning of such things? Does life even have a meaning? The ancient book of Lamentations wrestled with just such questions. In daring fashion, it pulls no punches, considers no realm of human questioning out of bounds. Some people are surprised by this. Some assume that faith is thinking happy thoughts, adopting a positive attitude, having con dence that things will turn out well. How could this book of poems be included in our Scriptures? Why is it there? Faith, to be sure, is con dence, but not a false or untested con dence. Faith is willing to expose itself to the full gamut of questions. And that is why we need Lament. In this series we would like to take the wrapper o our cultural tendency to avoid. We want to be more honest about the tougher parts of life, and actually, the Bible tends to rub our noses in the harder parts, because the Bible is a whole lot more honest about life than we tend to be. Lamentations may not provide the complete answer we need, but it does ask a lot of the right questions. In this series we are going to look at some of those questions, knowing with con dence that our faith is better for it. ★ Support this podcast ★

A chance to look back at the last year and forward toward where God might be leading us. ★ Support this podcast ★

Easter  ★ Support this podcast ★

Palm Sunday ★ Support this podcast ★

Jesus taught primarily in parables. Short pithy stories that surprise us with Jesus unique perspective on life. These parables centre around three main concepts. Kingdom, Grace and, wait for it… Judgement. In this series we intend to face into the hardest parables, those that give us Jesus’ unique perspective on judgement. As Klyne Snodgrass explains: Discourse we tolerate; to story we attend. Story entertains, informs, involves, motivates, authenticates, and mirrors existence. By creating a narrative world, stories establish an unreal, controlled universe. The author abducts us and—almost god-like—tells us what reality exists in this narrative World, what happens, and why. And as we immerse ourselves in Jesus’ narrative world—we hope to be transformed by the experience. ★ Support this podcast ★

Jesus taught primarily in parables. Short pithy stories that surprise us with Jesus unique perspective on life. These parables centre around three main concepts. Kingdom, Grace and, wait for it… Judgement. In this series we intend to face into the hardest parables, those that give us Jesus’ unique perspective on judgement. As Klyne Snodgrass explains: Discourse we tolerate; to story we attend. Story entertains, informs, involves, motivates, authenticates, and mirrors existence. By creating a narrative world, stories establish an unreal, controlled universe. The author abducts us and—almost god-like—tells us what reality exists in this narrative World, what happens, and why. And as we immerse ourselves in Jesus’ narrative world—we hope to be transformed by the experience. ★ Support this podcast ★

Jesus taught primarily in parables. Short pithy stories that surprise us with Jesus unique perspective on life. These parables centre around three main concepts. Kingdom, Grace and, wait for it… Judgement. In this series we intend to face into the hardest parables, those that give us Jesus’ unique perspective on judgement. As Klyne Snodgrass explains: Discourse we tolerate; to story we attend. Story entertains, informs, involves, motivates, authenticates, and mirrors existence. By creating a narrative world, stories establish an unreal, controlled universe. The author abducts us and—almost god-like—tells us what reality exists in this narrative World, what happens, and why. And as we immerse ourselves in Jesus’ narrative world—we hope to be transformed by the experience. ★ Support this podcast ★