Spark Podcast

My year at a Glance, Thanksgiving, & The Conclusion of Spark Podcast ’21-’23

Here is my shortest podcast at 15 minutes!  In this episode, I give a quick glance at my year and I let my reading of the gospel of John do some speaking to that.  I end with a short conversation on Thanksgiving and explain the wrapping up of the podcast.

Thanks for following!  Thanks for listening!  & leave me a message through any of the contact links if you would like! Take care!

John 6:1-15: ”Eating Jesus”

Jesus feeds a crowd of 5000 and after declares Himself to be the Bread of Life.  The disciples and the crowd both seem to have conflicts with this miracle and Jesus faces them both in conversation.

 

10 minutes: Podcasting update & my journey in the development of this episode

 

Title: "Eating Jesus"

54 minutes:

>Dangers of bread

Jesus is the Bread of Life.

1. Counting the cost with the disciples

2.  Jesus and the kid

3.  The conflict of the crowd

>The Meaning and blessing of Jesus as the bread

 

This was recorded in my private home studio and it was developed without the use of Lifeway Material.  

 

Additional Verse-Food for thought:

Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."

Intermission Hymns: Sing Hallelujah to the Lord & Amazing Grace

Intermission:  

 

Hymns: Sing Hallelujah to the Lord, Amazing Grace

 

I'm experimenting with music and recording and podcasting equipment as I wait on God for plans to be revealed for the upcoming season and days.  I did not spend a lot of time practicing these but this does introduce my 23 year old keyboard which hasn't had much use.  It is a very different feel from a modern day concert keyboard or a piano.  It has very light keys but it still has great sound and it still works after all this time.  This was a quickie throw together.  Enjoy.  Maybe I can show more music talent in the future.

John 5:1-15

A man encounters Jesus twice.  First on the Sabbath and then in the temple.  Through his encounter with Jesus his resolutions are met!

Season 6, Episode 7

Adapted from Lifeway Lesson Titled: "Resolutions"

Text: John 5:1-15       Date: Jan 15, 2023, recorded January 14 and edited January 15-17.

Place: a private and freely provided temporary studio in Texas

Notes:

I am working with my own exegetical work and a lifeway lesson guide in order to help us understand this passage a little more clearly. 

Special Note: this might be my last one for a few weeks or a while

John 4:11-26

 Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman and offers her living water while trying to get water for himself at a well in Samaria.

Season 6, Episode 6 

Adapted from Lifeway Lesson Titled: "But Whoever Drinks"

Text: John 4:11-26       Date: Jan 8, 2023, recorded & edited Jan 9 & 10

Place: a private and freely provided temporary studio in Texas

Notes:

I am working with my own exegetical work and a lifeway lesson guide in order to help us understand this passage a little more clearly. 

Special Note: see comments in the podcast at the beginning and end on updates to the podcast

John 3:4-18

  Jesus speaks with Nicodemus, a Jewish teacher of the law.  Nicodemus doesn't understand salvation and Jesus tells him he must be born again. He explains new birth by drawing on the illustrations of wind and of a story from the Old Testament that Nicodemus would be familiar with.  Many people have a legalistic understanding of salvation (like Nicodemus) but salvation is for all people and comes only through Jesus Christ.  If God shared Jesus with the world then he also wants His disciples to be ready to share Jesus with others.  Belief is necessary to salvation.

Season 6, Episode 5 (skipped #4)

Adapted from Lifeway Lesson Titled: "Everyone Who Believes"

Text: John 3:4-18       Date: Jan 1, 2023, recorded & edited Jan 3

Place: First Baptist Church, Class: Adult 1 City: Beeville, Texas

Illustrations: New Years

Topics: born again, water, spirit, how to lead someone to Christ, kingdom of God, earthly perspectives vs. spiritual perspectives, Jesus's purpose: worldly condemnation vs. salvation, belief

Notes:

I am working with my own exegetical work and a lifeway lesson in order to teach a Sunday morning class at church.  I am teaching regularly until further notice. 

Special Notes: Recorded from home

John 2:11-23

Jesus gives the first sign at Cana at a wedding.  Then John addresses the temple cleansing in which the Jews demand a sign and in doing so they miss what Jesus has spoken about Himself.  God is looking for worshipers and revealing Himself as Son of God to the disciples and to those worshipers ready to hear the gospel.  

Season 6, Episode 3

Adapted from Lifeway Lesson Titled: "I Will Raise"

Text: John 2:11-23       Date: December 18, 2022, edited December 19

Place: First Baptist Church, Class: Adult 1 City: Beeville, Texas

Illustrations: road signs help us find breakfast places

Topics: wine, signs, water & blood, Jesus as the Son of God, creating stampedes, unholy activity vs God's holy activity, challenges & rebukes, destruction of the temple/body, crucifixion, resurrection, & Jesus' reign

Notes:

I am working with my own exegetical work and a lifeway lesson in order to teach a Sunday morning class at church.  I am teaching regularly until further notice. 

 

This might be my last week.  We are still in prayer over if I will teach coming January or if I will invest my energies into something different.  It has been a really neat year and I'm grateful for everyone who has been checking out our class and/or podcast!  Stay tuned for more in January or for a different podcast or further changes if I do not return to these particular morning episodes.  I hope to stay with it though so be in prayer with me over what God wants to do and if there are any doors he wants to open!  Thanks!

John 1:40-51

Four disciples are called to discipleship.  Two of the four seek out another person who is given an opportunity to encounter Jesus.  Disciples 3 and 4 which are sought out by the first two also both encounter Jesus and 1 of them faces personal conflicts with the belief that Jesus is the Messiah.  As we begin to understand who Jesus is, He is able to impact our life and we are motivated to follow Him and to be disciples ourselves.  Jesus came to be known by these disciples as Rabbi, Son of God, Son of Man, King of Israel, and the Messiah (Christ).

Season 6, Episode 2

Adapted from Lifeway Lesson Titled: "Come and See"

Text: John 1:40-51       Date: December 11, 2022, edited December 13

Place: First Baptist Church, Class: Adult 1 City: Beeville, Texas

Illustrations: buying a product that doesn't live up to its expectations is frustrating

Topics: Disciples: Andrew, Simon, Philip, Nathanael; Jesus' titles: Rabbi, Son of God, Son of Man, King of Israel, Messiah/Christ: Anointed; following Jesus: following Jesus requires changes; false beliefs can keep us from following Jesus

Notes:

I am working with my own exegetical work and a lifeway lesson in order to teach a Sunday morning class at church.  I am teaching regularly until further notice.

John 1:1-14

John begins his gospel much different than the other 3 gospel writers.   John places Jesus' beginning within the context of eternity and recognizes Jesus as the Word who is Creator.  The Word is Light and Life.  He is God who put on human flesh but was rejected by man.  Those who receive the Word become God's children.

Season 6, Episode 1

Adapted from Lifeway Lesson Titled: "In The Beginning"

Text: John 1:1-14       Date: December 4, 2022, edited December 5

Place: First Baptist Church, Class: Adult 1 City: Beeville, Texas

Illustrations: beginnings: my beginning: testimony; Jesus' beginnings in John is contextualized differently than the other gospels

Topics: "in the beginning", God & the Word as Creator, The Word as Life and Light, John's role in Jesus' life, Jesus' beginning includes John, witness, rejecting the light, receiving the light, new birth, the incarnation, God putting on flesh 

Notes:

I am working with my own exegetical work and a lifeway lesson in order to teach a Sunday morning class at church.  I am teaching regularly until further notice.

Micah 7:1-10, 18-20

Many times when we wait, we get lost in the waiting and we get hurt when the waiting does not produce the outcome we want.  God wants us to forgive and to hold on to the salvation that He freely gives us!  Micah concludes his book by stating that he found no godly relationships and fruit among the people.  After describing the broken relationships that had devastated the people, Micah begins to describe how he found victory over his enemies and salvation through waiting on God.  Micah's hope was in God only. No one compared to God who forgives sin and is faithful and compassionate. 

Season 5, Episode 13

Adapted from Lifeway Lesson Titled: "Hope Found"

Text: Micah 7:1-10, 18-20       Date: November 27 edited November 27

Place: First Baptist Church, Class: Adult 1 City: Beeville, Texas

Illustrations: waiting stories

Topics: waiting, relationships, brokenness, enemies, sin, salvation, forgiveness, faith, grace, hope, compassion

Notes:

I am working with my own exegetical work and a lifeway lesson in order to teach a Sunday morning class at church.  I am teaching regularly until further notice.