Pondering the Bible

Send us Fan Mail Rocky is traveling this week, therefore, Lay Speaker Alan Taliaferro will be filling in for Rocky. We invited Alan to share with us some thoughts from his message. Alan chose the Gospel of John, chapter 20 verses 19:31. The story of "Doubting" Thomas. The sermon for this episode is called "Is the Light On?" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/...

Send us Fan Mail This week we celebrate Easter! Ken and Rocky talk about the timeline of Holy Week, and discuss the various conspiracy theories about the resurrections of Jesus . The sermon for this episode is called "Finishing" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons . This sermon was delivered on Apr.17, 2022. Find us at www.ponderumc.org .  Feedback is welcome: P...

Send us Fan Mail This week we jump ahead a bit to Matthew 21 because this is Palm Sunday. Ken and Rocky discuss the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The sermon for this episode is called "Timing" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons . This sermon was delivered on April 10, 2022. Find us at www.ponderumc.org .  Feedback is welcome: PonderMethodist@gmail.co...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Jesus leaves Capernaum and heads to his childhood home of Nazareth. There he's met with disbelief. The sermon for this episode is called "Say What?" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons . This sermon was delivered on Oct.17, 2022. Find us at www.ponderumc.org. Feedback is welcome: PonderMethodist@gmail.com  Music performed by the...

Send us Fan Mail This week we continue to talk through the parables listed in Matthew 13. We cover the parable of the hidden treasure and the Pearl, and the Parable of the fishing net. The sermon for this episode is called "Define Valuable" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons. This sermon was delivered on Mar. 27, 2022. Find us at www.ponderumc.org .  Feedback i...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we pick up the two parables we skipped last week. The Parable of the Mustard Seed, and the Parable of the Yeast. The sermon for this episode is called "Thy Kingdom Come" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons . This sermon was delivered on Mar. 20, 2022. Find us at www.ponderumc.org .  Feedback is welcome: PonderMethodist@gmail.com  Musi...

Send us Fan Mail This week we have Matthew recalling some of Jesus' parables. This is the "Parable of the Wheat and Weeds". We split up the reading because Matthew tells two more parables before he gets to the explanation of this parable. The sermon for this episode is called "Similar but Different" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons . This sermo...

Send us Fan Mail Jumping back in Matthew from last week, we begin chapter 13. Jesus, having just been betrayed by his family, sits by the lake. Once the crowd shows up, Jesus begins teaching. He relays the "Parable of the Sower".  The sermon for this episode is called "Family Issues" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons. This sermon was delivered on Mar...

Send us Fan Mail We jump ahead a bit  to align with Transfiguration Sunday. Jesus takes three disciples up Mt. Tabor, where Jesus changes (gr. metamorphoo). Moses and Elijah appear to give Jesus a pep talk, and God speaks from a cloud. The sermon for this episode is called "Finish Strong" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons . This sermon was delivered on Feb. 27...

Send us Fan Mail This week, the Pharisees confront Jesus, asking for a sign. Once again, they are looking for a reason to have him put to death. Jesus responds with the "sign of Jonah". Ken and Rocky discuss the story of Jonah, and how Jesus responds to the Pharisees request. The sermon for this episode is called "Proof" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/ser...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we find Jesus poking the bear again, by healing a blind, mute, possessed man. The Pharisees accuse Jesus of working with Satan, trying to execute him with a charge of sorcery. Jesus refutes their claim by explaining that a house divided cannot win. Jesus then lays down a choice for all people; You're either with me, or against me.  The sermon for this episode is ca...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we seen a turn in Jesus' ministry, he's no longer going to try to hide who is is, rather, he's going to start pushing back against the authorities. Jesus apparently deliberately pokes at a group of Pharisees that are watching him. He lets his apostles glean grain from a field, and heals a man's arm on the Sabbath. Jesus turns the tables on them in bo...

Send us Fan Mail This week we finish chapter 11 of Matthews Gospel. Jesus is still talking to the crowd after John the Baptist's Question. Jesus is upset with the local towns who seem to want the miracles, but not the teaching and preaching. He compares these towns to historical towns with very bad history. Jesus explains that his authority comes from God. And if you will just do what God ask...

Send us Fan Mail This week we continue with Jesus addressing the crowd after John asked the question; "are you the one?". Jesus tells the crowd that John is the Elijah promised in Malachi 4:5. And claims that the least in heaven in greater than John the Baptist. Jesus talks about how the authorities react to John and Jesus, and how it foreshadows the coming persecution. The sermon for th...

Send us Fan Mail This week we jump forward in Matthew and pick up Matthew chapter 11. This continues where Rocky left off in Matthew in 2018.   This jump works out well, because last week we had John baptizing Jesus in the Jordan river, now we find John in prison. The sermon for this episode is called "Are You the One?" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons . This...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we talk about the Baptism of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. John the Baptist is thought to have been raised in an Essene monastery in Southern Israel, near Qumran (where we will later find the "Dead Sea Scrolls"). There are four important groups that will come up multiple times in the Gospels; The Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Scribes, and the Pr...

Send us Fan Mail This week we jump backward in Matthew to cover the story of the three wise-men, for Epiphany Sunday. Ken talks about how Epiphany is celebrated differently around the world. Ken and Rocky discuss the legends and mystery surrounding this story. The sermon for this episode is called "What We Know" and can be found at: https://ponderumc.org/ministries/sermons . This sermon...

Send us Fan Mail Rocky and Ken discuss the changes in our Sunday worship service. W'd also love to hear your ideas for an Episode for the week after Christmas (details in the episode). This week we talk about the return of Joseph, Mary and Jesus to Galilee and the terrible story of Archelaus.  We also cover theories of Matthew's prophecy of Jesus being a Nazarine The sermon for this epis...

Send us Fan Mail This week we skip ahead a little in Matthew, as the story of the Magi will be covered on Epiphany Sunday in January. Matthew relates the story of how Herod reacts to learning of a new King being born that threatens his rule over Jerusalem. Rocky fill us in on what a really terrible man Herod is. We discuss the "Flight to Egypt" The sermon for this episode is called &quot...

Send us Fan Mail We continue to work through the Gospel of Matthew. This week we discuss the cultural differences in engagement in the 1st century, and how Mary turning up pregnant before she was married would have affected her, and Joseph. We discuss the prophecy of Jesus in Isaiah 7, and how the English word word "virgin:" was understood and translated/ The sermon for this episode is c...

Send us Fan Mail We begin season 2 in the season of Advent. Rocky and Ken discuss what Advent is, and how it's celebrated. We then jump into the genealogy of Jesus, as listed by Matthew. We only cover the last third of the list. We also compare it to how Luke presented Jesus' genealogy. We get deep into  the names, why some are there, and why some are not. Specifically, why are women lis...

Send us Fan Mail This week we finish up 1st Peter, which also means we end season 1 of the podcast. Peter warns us that the Devil is looking to devour you. Rocky explains that the word Peter uses for the Devil (Anioikos) is a term for the opposing attorney in a legal case, someone who is accusing you. Peter also tells us that you need to stand strong against the devil,  but that God will restore y...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Peter turns his attention to the "Elders" of the Church. Peter passes his commission from Jesus to "Feed my sheep" to the Elders of the Church. Rocky explains that Peter intends this for all Church leaders,  no matter their role. Peter tells the Elders they should serve out of love for God, not from a love of power. Peter also tells those who are not...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we finish chapter 4 of 1st Peter. Peter describes the persecution in old testament language, and how if you're being persecuted, it's proof of your salvation. Peter also uses a unique word in verse 16;  alletriepiskopos. Which we learn is a word that Peter has made up, giving translators a challenge to translate correctly. The word effectively means that someo...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we're in chapter 4 of 1st Peter. Ken and Rocky discuss 4 different theories on how to interpret the second half of verse 1. They also discuss Eschatology,  the study of the end times, and the concept of "Now and not yet". We talk about how the "doxology" (ending) from chapter 11 became part of The Lord's prayer. The sermon for this episode...