Deep-Grace Diving with Tim Wright and Terey Summers

The story of Joseph is one of the most iconic, gripping stories in all of Scripture. Not only that, it’s filled with insights in the character of God. Genesis 50:15-21 Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?” 16 So they approached Joseph, saying, “Your father gave th...

From the opening verses of the Bible through to the end, God places a high and equal value on men and women. In some segments of Christianity, an unBiblical hierarchy has been imposed where men are superior to women. Today’s story about God’s call of an Egyptian Slave woman, using the same language used to call Abraham, stands as a subversive story of a God who sees men and women as equals, both c...

Isaac is the promised son who will carry out God’s promise to Abraham that he will be the Father of a great nation. But then… inexplicably, God demands Abraham sacrifice Isaac in a sadistic test of faith? Who would want to follow that God? But… once again, this story offers a subversive look at the character of God—a good God who can be trusted. Genesis 22:1-14 After these things God tested Abraha...

God let’s Abraham in on a secret. Sodom and Gomorrah will be destroyed. But why? And what is the storyteller saying about God? And… what about the big elephant in the story? Check out this excellent resource: Reading Genesis , by Marilynne Robinson. Genesis 18:16ff (see also Genesis 19) Then the men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to set them on their w...

After being called to be the Father of the Hebrews, and told that through him all nations would be blessed, Abram and Sarai head to Egypt where, in a huge plot twist, Abram becomes the bad guy and the Pharaoh the good guy. What is God up to? (Check out this excellent book on Genesis: Reading Genesis , by Marilynne Robinson!) Genesis 12:10ff (See also Genesis 20) Now there was a famine in the land....

The first nine verses of Genesis 12 introduce us to Abram, who will be renamed Abraham. Those 9 verses have profound implications for the character of God, Israel, all nations, and for the current geo-political situation in the Middle East. Who knew 9 verses could contain so much? Genesis 12:1-9 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land...

At first glance, this seems to be a story about how languages and people groups came to be. But as is true with the other stories in Genesis 1-11, this story is about the character of God. Genesis 11:1-9 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come...

Building on last weeks’s podcast, Tim, Terey, and Jon go another round with the story of Noah and the Ark, trying to get their brains around what the storyteller is saying, how he’s saying it, and how he wants us to read it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit recklessgrace.substack.com

Is God a genocidal manic who wipes out all of humankind out of anger? All is not as it seems in this favorite Sunday School Story. Tim, Terey, and Jon use this first of this two part look at Noah and the Ark to help understand what the author of the story is up to—and what the nature of God is really like. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And...

Genesis chapter four uses the word, sin, for the first time, in the context of murder. In this episode we take a deep dive into the human condition and God’s response. *** Genesis 4:1-17 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the...

We dive back into Genesis 3, often called the story of the Fall. But what we’ll find is that it’s really a story about grace. *** Genesis 3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3...

It’s known as the Story of the Fall, although the Bible doesn’t use that language. This is an intriguing look into the first part of Genesis Chapter 3 as Terey, Jon, and Tim try to make sense of an often misinterpreted story. Genesis 3:1-8 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in t...

No… it’s not a horror story. It’s a sacred story about the value God places on humankind. Genesis 2:4b-25 In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no vegetation of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground, 6 but a stream would rise from the...

In this week’s Bible study of Genesis we wrap up our look at the first Creation story in chapter 1 by focusing on what it means to be created in the Image of God. Look around, and if this is what it looks like, the Bible really missed it! But, as we saw last week, the first Creation story says something radical about God and, in this part of the story, about us. If you have questions, you can leav...

We start a new Bible study this week, looking at the first book of the Bible: Genesis. Today’s episode looks at most of the first Creation story in Genesis 1: how it was written and what it’s trying to tell us. Don’t forget to check out my weekly “blog post” on this Substack as I release a chapter a week from my (unpublished) book: The Sunday School Detective Club: The Case of the Creation Stories...

Tim and Jon are joined by Daryl Potter , author of the book, Even the Monsters . The book chronicles the birth and raising of Daryl’s daughter, born with severe physical challenges, while at the same time dealing with his wife’s mysterious illness. Through a multi-year study of the Biblical book of Job, Daryl found God’s love is bigger, even than the monsters. This is a public episode. If you woul...

In our final episode (not of the podcast) on Mark’s Gospel we turn to chapter 16, the final, concluding story of the Resurrection of Jesus—normally a story of triumph, awe, wonder, and celebration. But not for Mark. At least not on the surface! Mark 16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very e...

In our penultimate episode in our Gospel of Mark study, we turn to the main focus of Mark’s Gospel—the crucifixion of Jesus and the million dollar question: Why Did Jesus Have to Die? In seven understated verses, Mark shines a light on the reckless love that God has for you. Mark 15 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 At three o’clock Jesus cried ou...

Before Jesus heads to the cross he shares the Passover meal with his disciples—a meal of remembrance, re-experiencing the liberation of the Israelites from enslavement in Egypt thousands of years earlier. But then he dramatically changes the story. Mark 14 12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make...

After three years of following Jesus, hearing him teach, watching him perform miracles, when Jesus needs them the most, they abandon him. Mark 14 10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 When they heard it, they were greatly pleased and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him… 12 On the...

With Jesus just days away from the cross, a woman crashes a dinner party to anoint him with expensive perfume. She is then attacked by the party guests for not giving the money to the poor. But Jesus defends her. But is he dissing the poor in the process? If you haven’t done so, subscribe to recklessgrace.substack.com/ and receive not only this podcast but my weekly post. Free! Mark 14:1-9 It was...

Tim and Jon look at a somewhat confusing passage about a woman who gives away her last penny, and Jesus seems to commend her for it. If you haven’t done so, subscribe to recklessgrace.substack.com/ and receive not only this podcast but my weekly post. Free! Thanks for reading Tim Wright! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Mark 12:38-44 38 As he taught, he said, “Beware of...

The religious leaders set a trap for Jesus, one they hope will pit him either against the Jews or the Romans. But Jesus has a third option—one that can change everything. Mark 12:13-17 Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere and show deference to no one, for you do not regard peopl...

After poking the Roman Empire with his parade into Jerusalem, Jesus now sets his sites on the religious power brokers and the source of power: the Temple. Mark 12:12-19 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it wa...

Holy Week begins in the Gospel of Mark as Jesus intentionally rides into Jerusalem in fulfillment of a prophecy from the Old Testament. The political overtones of his parade will set into motion the events of Holy Week. Mark 11:1-11 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village ahead o...