Spoken Gospel

Three times in John 6, Jesus retells the story of the Exodus: he feeds a hungry crowd near Passover, crosses a stormy sea, and declares himself the true bread from heaven that came down to sustain his people. Beneath the miracle of the loaves and fish lies a web of echoes—the manna in the wilderness, the bread of the presence, and the tree of life in Eden. David and Christine walk through this den...

Water shows up in nearly every chapter of John's Gospel, and it's almost never simple—sometimes death, sometimes life, sometimes the boundary between them. Having spent the last episode tracing the theme of water through the Old Testament, David and Christine return to John to watch all those waves crash together into one story. They walk through Jesus' baptism, the wedding at Cana, the woman at t...

Water flows through nearly every chapter of John's Gospel. From Jesus' baptism to the woman at the well, from healing beside a pool to walking on the sea, John uses water imagery to describe Jesus' ministry. David and Christine dive into the Old Testament to trace the theme of water through the biblical story and how rescue from chaotic depths and provision of life-giving streams are images that p...

The Gospel of John is structured around seven signs that build toward an eighth—the resurrection of Jesus. To understand what John means by a "sign," David and Christine walk through the biblical story, tracing where and how signs appear in Scripture. From the heavenly lights of creation to the plagues that fell on Egypt, John shows that Jesus' signs reveal that he is God in the flesh who has come...

John opens his Gospel not with a birth narrative or a genealogy, but with a stunning claim about who Jesus has always been. David and Christine walk through John's prologue and talk about how the Word of God appears as a visible divine person over 100 times in the Old Testament, how the logic of creation itself proves Jesus is uncreated and therefore God, and why the incarnation—God becoming flesh...

John's account of Jesus' life and Gospel has long been noted for its uniqueness compared to the synoptic accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In this episode, David and Christine begin the series on the Gospel of John, exploring who John is as a unique eyewitness, his purpose for writing, and the importance of reading John on his own terms to see Jesus as the God who incarnates and fulfills Script...

After nearly seven years of reading through the entire Bible together, Seth Stewart steps away from the Spoken Gospel Podcast to pursue eldership and family ministry full time. In this episode, Seth and David reflect on how seeing Jesus on every page of Scripture changed their understanding of who he is, what it really means to read the Bible faithfully, and why no podcast — including this one — c...

As the gospel continues to spread among the Gentiles, a dispute arises as to whether non-Jewish converts need to follow Jewish customs like circumcision to be included in the kingdom of God. David and Christine explore the depths of the apostles' discussion in Jerusalem surrounding this issue, taking a closer look at how the apostles interpreted the Scriptures in light of Jesus' ascension to reach...

As the gospel spreads from Jerusalem to distant lands, the church lives out Jesus' life on earth through patterns of growth, persecution, and deliverance. In fact, this has been the story of God's people since the very first Passover in Egypt. David and Christine trace the Passover themes in Peter's escape from prison, which showcase Jesus' ultimate Passover that all people are invited into.

What does it mean that Gentiles are made clean? How can the Holy Spirit fill Gentiles supposedly outside of God's Kingdom? David and Christine explore the events surrounding Peter's visit to Cornelius, the implications that Jesus' ascension and worldwide atonement have on the nations, and how the Gentile Pentecost connects to the stories of Ezekiel, Jonah, and even Noah's descendants.

Saul was breathing out threats and murder against the followers of Jesus—until Jesus met him on the road to Damascus. David and Christine explore how this story echoes both King Saul's pursuit of David and Elisha's surprising hospitality to enemy soldiers. Together, they uncover a stunning theme: God saves his people by showing kindness to his enemies.

Stephen was the first person to give his life for Jesus, and his death mirrors the death of Jesus in stunning ways. David and Christine walk through Stephen's brilliant sermon, his vision of the risen Christ, and how his martyrdom set the stage for the gospel to spread and for Saul's transformation into the Apostle Paul.

A wealthy Ethiopian official journeys to Jerusalem seeking the God of Israel, only to find himself excluded from the very temple he longed to enter. David and Christine talk about ancient riddles, the Queen of Sheba, and how Philip's encounter with this outsider shows that the Gospel breaks down every barrier to bring the nations into God's family.

When persecution scatters the church beyond Jerusalem, Philip takes the gospel to Samaria—a region synonymous with religious syncretism and idolatry for centuries. In this episode, David, Christine, and Josh explore how Philip's ministry mirrors Jesus' own work, bringing healing and freedom to a people long excluded from God's family.

Pentecost wasn't just another Jewish festival—it was God's cosmic reset button for all creation. David, Christine, and Josh walk through the dramatic events of Acts 2, where the theophanic cloud that once filled the temple now fills God's people. They explore how Peter's sermon reveals the most scandalous aspect of the Gospel: those who killed God are offered forgiveness, cleansing, and the gift o...

What does it mean that Jesus ascended on a cloud and promised to return the same way? David, Christine, and Josh explore how Acts continues the story Jesus began in Luke's Gospel, showing Jesus as the cloud-riding Son of Man from Daniel 7 who conquers evil empires and shares his throne with his people.

The final five Songs of Ascent (Psalms 130-134) complete Israel's journey from the watery depths of exile to the heights of God's temple. David and Seth explore how these psalms reveal God's plenteous forgiveness, the promises made to King David, and Israel's calling as a kingdom of priests who will bless the nations through the coming Messiah.

The middle songs of ascent (Psalms 125-129) form the climactic high point of these ancient worship songs, with Solomon's temple psalm at the very center. Seth and David explore how these psalms promise that those who trust in God are as immovable as Mount Zion itself, while wicked rulers will never permanently rest in God's land.

The Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134) tell the story of Israel's return from exile. In this episode, Seth and David walk through the first five psalms in this collection, exploring how they capture the journey from the farthest point of exile—surrounded by enemies and word vipers—through the wilderness, and finally arriving at Jerusalem's gates. These songs show us how God comes to us in our exile...

The Songs of Ascent are 15 psalms that form a unique "concept album" within Scripture, telling the story of God's people returning from exile to Jerusalem and the temple. In this podcast episode, Seth and David explore how these interconnected psalms represent a pilgrim's journey from Babylon back to God's mountain, moving through three movements: calling on God from exile, finding safety within t...

The identity of the woman in Proverbs 31 has been debated for generations. In this sermon episode, David reveals how she represents far more than an impossible standard for individual women—she's actually the culmination of the entire biblical story. From the Garden of Eden to the New Testament church, David traces the hope that a wise king would marry Wisdom itself. This hope points directly to a...

Paul's "thorn in the flesh" has sparked countless theories about physical ailments and personal struggles, but the answer may be simpler than we think. Seth and David explore Paul's third heaven experience and show how his thorn in the flesh connects to the pattern of Old Testament prophets and God's power being made perfect in weakness.

Paul spends two entire chapters in 2 Corinthians asking for money, which seems to contradict his earlier insistence that he never charged the Corinthians for his ministry. In this podcast episode, Seth and David explore Paul's teaching on generosity and show how he reframes giving as participating in God's miracle of provision and proving the genuineness of our faith through Christ-like sacrifice.

The phrase "do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers" is commonly applied to Christian marriage, but that wasn't Paul's original intent. Seth and David explore the rich biblical background of this famous passage and show how Paul was actually warning the Corinthians against yoking themselves to false teachers who were leading them away from Jesus and his Gospel.

Everyone in Mark's trial narrative bears false witness about who Jesus is—the religious leaders, the crowds, and even Peter who denies knowing him three times. But Jesus himself bears true witness, revealing that he is the merciful God who dies for those who betray him. In this podcast episode, David explores how this passage completes the story Scripture has been telling since Eden about God's re...