The TMP Podcast

Ryan teaches us how to read books of the gospel.

Precious walks us through Jesus in the books of prophecy in the bible.

In this series we are addressing each of the six genres of scripture and how to approach them. This week, Joel is teaching on the books of prophecy.

Using Psalm 22, Lorelle helps us understand that sometimes the power of written words is larger than the author ever imagined.

Scott helps us see the place of wisdom in life and how these writings have insights that transcend time, location, people and their culture. The Psalms were the well known prayer book of the Jewish people and familiar to and used by Jesus Himself.

Nicole reminds us who Jesus is, how His story is the continuing story of God and human interaction, and how His story is unique in all of history.

What we read in the bible is the story of one people and their interactions of God. We learn from their mistakes, we grow in our understanding of the nature of God. We should practice caution when applying these words.

We encourage people to read their bibles - we have a responsibility to teach them how. In this series we will adress each of the six genres of scripture and how to approach them. This series will serve as a foundation to future teaching. 2 Timothy 3: 14 says, "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and h...

Scripture that falls into the "law" (Genesis to Deuteronomy) category was given by God to the people of Israel at a time when they had lost their identity in their slavery and had lost sight of God who now needs to introduce Himself to them all over again. He does this by providing instructions for how they are to live in relationship with each other and how they are to  live in relation...

The last verse of the Psalm focuses on a big picture of where our Good Shepherd is leading us. The life with our Good Shepherd is a life where God is with us and we “dwell in the house of the Lord forever”. God’s house is the place of refuge, blessing, and wholeness. God’s house is abiding in reconciliation and relationship with our Good Shepherd. It is not only a future reality but something we c...

In the last section of the psalm, the basic metaphor changes to that of a banquet host. We are given three images: A table, anointing with oil, and an overflowing cup. All three images communicate a blessing given from the banquet host to the guests. The guests receive from the host blessings of abundance, satisfaction, joy, and everlasting love. The curious place of banquet blessing occurs in the...

From time to time, shepherds would need to take their flocks beyond the safe confines of familiar pasture and towards valleys and mountains in search of fresh food. This was a yearly practice done towards the end of the summer months to help the sheep prepare for winter. The shepherd would journey with his flock as they faced unfamiliar terrain. In this journey, the sheep would find their deepest...

Sheep are timid animals. The strangest thing about sheep is that because of their very makeup it is almost impossible for them to lie down unless they are free of fear, unrest, and hunger. As anxious creatures, sheep do not naturally want to lie down. Yet the Good Shepherd of Psalm 23 is skilled at causing his sheep to experience peace, rest, and fulfillment. We know as Jesus followers that he is...

“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing”  We might imagine a shepherd only as a sentimental caretaker of sheep. We might picture a Precious Moments bible story where all that shepherds seem to do is lovingly cradle their sheep. The image of a shepherd in the bible, however, is far more encompassing and demanding. A shepherd is “a manager, an owner, a protector, and a provider.” In other words, to...

Easter is the beginning of God’s new creation. We don’t have to wait. It has already burst in. And the whole point of Gospel’s accounts of the resurrection is that we who believe in Jesus are to become, in the power of his spirit, not only beneficiaries of that new creation but also agents. As the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15.58 “So, my dear family, be firmly unshakable, always full to...

The disciples found themselves going back to their old occupations even after they had interacted with the Risen One. In fact, right after a kind of ghostly upper room encounter, Simon, who had been given a new identity as Peter, declared “I’m going fishing…” to which a good number of them said, “We’ll go with you.” This was their old job. They were Fishermen before they became disciples. This is...

Thomas was absent when Jesus first appeared to the disciples in the upper room. Whereas the other disciples exclaimed that Jesus was risen from the dead, Thomas is not so sure. Instead Thomas says, ““Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week passes by where Thomas remains skeptical about the resurrect...

Luke tells a story of two disillusioned disciples walking the Emmaus road away from the holy city, where they had watched their hope die a gruesome death right before their eyes. These two disciples were a part of a reformed movement within Judaism. They believed that Jesus was the one who was going to restore the glory of Israel, mostly by kicking out the Romans and restoring the majesty of a Kin...

Jesus, the Suffering Servant, has called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” With this last cry, Jesus breathes his last and dies upon the cross. Both Isaiah & Luke have repeatedly told us that the Suffering Servant is innocent. He has done no wrong. So why is it then that “it was the Lord’s will to cause him to suffer?” We know that God finds no pleasure in th...

The opening verses of Luke’s account of Resurrection Sunday are full of surprise, astonishment, fear and confusion. There is the shock of the empty tomb. There is  astonishment of the announcement from the angels who proclaim to the women, “He is not here. He is risen.” There is the woman running to tell the others of this good news that Christ is risen. All of this reaches a climax when the Risen...

Jesus begins the week of his passion and death with a series of enacted parables. The first is his Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. Unlike Pilate who entered the city from the west riding a warhorse, Jesus entered the city from the east riding a lowly donkey in a deliberate embrace of Zechariah’s prophecy about a humble king who would come to teach peace to the nations. As he enters the city, the...

In the passion week leading to his betrayal and crucifixion, Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard owner renting out his land to some tenants. Jesus is drawing from the prophet Isaiah, who had also compared God’s creation of Israel to a landowner who planted a vineyard. The vineyard owner eventually sends messengers to collect on what is due. The tenants reject each messenger and send them way. T...

In the parable of the Tax Collector & the Pharisee, Jesus tells the story of two different people who go to the temple to pray. The Pharisee is a good man. He is not a crook, not a womanizer, or a drunk. He faithful to his wife, patient with his children, and steadfast with his friends. He fasts twice a week and tithes on everything. The tax collector on the other hand was one of the most desp...

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is story about a wealthy man who has a beggar outside his gates. The beggar is named Lazarus. He is covered in sores and longs to eat what falls from the rich mans table. Both men die. Lazarus is taken to Abraham’s side and the rich man is in Hades in torment. We should not think that Jesus’ purpose in this parable was to bring a definitive revelation on the...

Jesus speaks a shocking message to a large crowd that was travelling with him. He says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” This is hardly the way to win friends and influence people. It’s a shocking message that would have left many in the crowds perplexed. Jesus explains...