24 Minute Bible - A Simple Journey to Understand the Bible

The Book of JAMES -- Episode #113 One wonders what kind of stories James, as the half brother of Jesus and the probable author of the book of JAMES, might have had. Growing up in the same home as Jesus. Eating at the same table. Sharing the same genealogy (at least on his mother’s side). Was there sibling rivalry? Probably? Did he ever tire of hearing ‘why can’t you b...

The Book of HEBREWS -- Episode #112 Don't we all, as children, dream of finding a treasure map.  An old pirate's map leading buried treasure; or the journey of INDIANA JONES to find the Ark of the Covenant; or the brothers searching for the lost History Channel's program-- The Treasure on OAK ISLAND; yes, we all love the thought of discovering an AMAZING TREASURE. So, welcome to the book of H...

The Book of PHILEMON -- Episode #111 The subject, tragedy and types of SLAVERY have been an issue for all of human history.  In the book of PHILEMON Paul writes an intimate appeal to his friend Philemon.  The one who carries this letter to Philemon is none other than an escaped 'slave' (or indentured servant) named Onesimus.  In these 25 verses, Paul appeals to his Friend to accept...

The Book of TITUS -- Episode #110 As one of his PASTORAL EPISTLES (letters), the Book of TITUS is written to a trusted companion who traveled and ministered with Paul and whom Paul sent to the Island of Crete-- with a mission to establish churches and teach Christian doctrine. We don't know a great deal about Titus, but we have included in the Scripture the letter Paul wrote to him called the Book...

The Books of 1 and 2 TIMOTHY Wherever the Apostle Paul went on his missionary travels, he was on the lookout, not just for 'converts', but also for men and women who could CARRY ON the Mission and LEAD the Church as it grew.  TIMOTHY, a young man from the city of Lystra, became one of his closest confidants and students. Paul spoke of Timothy as his 'co-worker'… 'my son whom I love'…..'my Tru...

1 & 2 THESSALONIANS   -- Episode #108 Today’s study books-- 1 & 2Thessalonians— are written to the church at Thessalonica, a city of some 200,000 people that was on a major Roman road know as the Egnatian Way. Paul and Silas spent approximate 3 months there— preaching and sharing with the city about Jesus.  The prominent questions that the Thessalonian Church had concerned t...

The Book of COLOSSIANS -- Episode #107 The KEY CONCEPT of the book of Colossians is the SUPREMACY OF CHRIST!  The newly formed church in the city of Colossae was trying to 'blend' the worship of CHRIST the Savior with the pagan traditions of the city and culture's gods.  This won't work, Paul said!  The work of Christ did away with religious days, observances of special moons, the w...

The Book of PHILIPPIANS -- Episode #106 One word can easily describe the message of the Book of Philippians:  JOY!!  Sixteen times in the four short chapters of Philippians, the word 'joy' or 'rejoice' is used to encourage the church and readers through the ages.  Paul is in prison while writing this letter to the church at Philippi.  There is, however, a JOY that rises ab...

The Book of Ephesians -- Episode #105 The City of Ephesus was home to one of the 7 Wonders of the World.  That 'Wonder' was Artemis, the goddess of Fertility. A shiny, 90 foot tall STATUE of Artemis stood in the harbor (think 'Statue of Liberty' in New York City) and a gleaming TEMPLE of Artemis (450 feet long and 250 feet wide) graced the downtown area of the City, welcoming the sailors, tra...

The Book of GALATIANS Galatia is not a city but a ‘PROVINCE’ or ‘area’. The area was a quiet, backwoods, provincial, sort of place where nothing much changed. Compared to very 'liberal' Corinth,  Galatia was CONSERVATIVE.  Mainly farmers, retired soldiers and pheasants in small villages. The churches in the area had experienced the GRACE and FREEDOM of Jesus through Paul's preaching, but...

The Books of 1 and 2 Corinthians-- 29 chapters-- are ‘instructional manuals’ on how to function as a CHURCH!! Written around 55AD, we learn so much about HOW the church should behave from the ‘mis-behavior’ of the Corinthians. The Gospel Church is NEW to the Greek/Roman world… and has really only been in existence for 20 years. It would be expected that the 'early Christians-- especially new belie...

The Book of ROMANS -- Episode #102 PAUL, for all practical purposes, should be thought of as Pastor to an EMPIRE. God calls some uniquely gifted people to be his messengers. Perhaps none was more UNIQUE than Paul. Paul, the Jewish Radical; Paul the Pharisee; Paul the unlikely Convert to Christianity; Paul the Roman Citizen, Paul the credentialed scholar. All of those attributes and many more cause...

The Book of ACTS (Episode #101) The Gospels are the CONTINENTAL DIVIDE of the Bible. They divide the Bible Story into TWO distinct DIVISIONS.. The whole of the Old Testament was ’looking FORWARD’ (or uphill, if you will) to the coming Messiah and the Cross of Christ. AFTER the Gospels, everything is looking BACKWARDS at the GOSPELS and the Cross. Another way of saying it— the Old Testament is PRED...

The Book of JOHN -- Episode #100 The Apostle John-- author of the Gospel of JOHN-- was the closest human being on Earth to the Savior Jesus. He was called 'BELOVED DISCIPLE' or the 'Disciple Whom Jesus Loved' throughout the Gospel  John’s Gospel can be thought of as an 'insiders tell all’ book…  not in a bad way but in an INTIMATE and EYEWITNESS sort of Way.  John was THERE on the M...

The Book of LUKE  -- Episode #99 When you think about the book of Luke, let this verse help define the premise of Luke's God-called reason for writing: Luke 1:3 'With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,'  The Book of LUKE is the careful, orderly and methodical...

The Book of MARK   (Episode #98) Each of the Gospel writers presents a unique vision of the life of Jesus.  Not DIFFERENT-- just unique as seen through their eyes.  Matthew (the Jewish Tax Collector) presents Jesus as the KING OF THE JEWS.  Mark's Gospel account is different.  Mark is a young man.  A man of action.  He shows a 'Jesus' that is always 'on the...

The Book of MATTHEW  (Episode #97) The Book of Matthew ties together the Old Testament and the New Testament as Matthew reveals Jesus as KING OF THE JEWS. From the calling of Abraham by God to the birth of the Son of God in Bethlehem— there was a plan!! A 2000 year plan, played out in the ’flesh and lineage’ of Abraham. From Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Judah to David to ultimately Jesus. The...

From Malachi to Matthew (The Time Between the Testaments) -- Episode #96 The 400 years of history from Malachi to Matthew set the stage for the COMING of the Messiah.  Perhaps no other timeframe in human history has had more impact-- culturally and spiritually-- on our current western society than this time.  Think about names-- names you recognize-- that lived at this time: Socrates, Ar...

The Book of Malachi  -- Episode #95 The Book of MALACHI-- the last book of the Old Testament-- speaks about an important subject that resonates in today's church as well as the days of Malachi.  The Issue of Worship. Malachi warns the Jews that God the Father was not happy.  Their worship was not real... not genuine... in fact, it was worthless in His sight.   God had glor...

The Books of Haggai and Zechariah (Episode # 94) The Temple is a HUGE PART of the Gospel Story in the New Testament. Which is why the books of Haggai and Zechariah are so vital in the Old Testament. Haggai’s word to the Jews is FINISH the construction of the Temple. Zechariah’s word to the Jews is that a New Mong is coming… a humble Messiah, riding on the back of the donkey into the Temple, with c...

The Books of HABAKKUK and ZEPHANIAH (Episode #93) Zephaniah 3:17  'The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. . He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.'  Above is one of most intimate passages of Scripture in the entire Bible.  Amidst our fears and our anxieties... living in a world of dar...

The Books of MICAH and NAHUM  (Episode #92) The two main messages for most of the Minor Prophets were SIN and IDOLATRY in the Culture! So what was the SIN that upset God so much? It was the treatment of people— especially the poor, disenfranchised, alienated and weak. We see this same message echoed by Jesus in the New Testament. Who did Jesus DEFEND? The sick… like the Leper and the Woman wi...

The Books of OBADIAH and JONAH (Episode #91) 'FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD'… If you know of any verse from the Bible, it is this one—  John 3:16.  From signs at ball parks to t-shirts to preachers in pulpits, it is a very common theme.  And why? Because it is TRUE. While the Bible-- from Genesis 12 to Acts 2 focuses on Abraham and his lineage (because the Messiah Jesus is coming throu...

JUDGEMENT and JUSTICE!  Two important themes throughout the Bible-- and the focus of the Biblical books of Joel and Amos.  JOEL speaks of a coming invasion of 'locusts'.  These 'locusts' may be of the 'bug' variety or perhaps a 'swarming army'.  Regardless, they would be the instrument of JUDGEMENT if God's People did not repent of their sin and return to God. In the book of AM...

The Book of HOSEA-- Podcast #89 God sometimes asks his people to do ‘odd’ things… occasionally ‘irrational’ things… and every now and then the Lord asks a servant to doing something  downright ‘weird and almost offensive’.  Welcome to the Book of Hosea!!  As Jeremiah was Judah’s LAST CHANCE Prophet,  Hosea was the LAST CHANCE PROPHET of the Northern Kingdom known as Israel.&nbs...