In this episode we focus on parables that encourage us to make decisions about the Kingdom of God. We explore the confrontational nature of the parables about the sheep and the goats and the barren fig tree, drawing out their emphasis on the importance of what we do – Christian faith in action. We discuss how Jesus used these stories to provoke and challenge his audience regarding their relationship with God and their life choices. We conclude by thinking about the cost of discipleship, highlighting the trials and sacrifices involved in following Jesus.

Timestamps

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:40) - How do parables bring us to a decision?
• (02:45) - How do these parables function?
• (04:45) - The parable of the sheep and the goats
• (07:00) - What does this parable mean?
• (12:00) - What we do matters
• (17:07) - The parable of the barren fig tree
• (19:07) - Ancient views on misfortune and sin
• (22:12) - The patience of God
• (26:22) - Pursuing the right fruit
• (28:42) - The cost of being a disciple

Rooted:
Rooted is our devotional journal that helps make the Bible available to everyone, everywhere. Every other month, you’ll receive a new 80-page journal filled with insightful devotionals, thought-provoking prompts, and lots of opportunities to reflect, journal and be creative. Sign up today to receive your first journal for free.

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Bible Society:

The Rooted Podcast is brought to you by Bible Society, a Christian organisation that translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible. We communicate its relevance and invite people to experience the transforming power of the Scriptures in today’s world. Visit our website to find out more.

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Disclaimer:

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible together. We won’t get everything right, and we won’t always agree! Please be patient with us and join us on the journey.

#Parables #JesusTeaching #KingdomValues #GospelTeaching #GodsValueSystem #KingdomOfHeaven #ChristianLiving #ChristianPodcast

Today we're joined by Liam Thatcher, a church pastor from Oxford and former writer at Bible Society.

In this episode we discuss how Jesus used simple illustrations to convey profound truths about the kingdom of heaven, emphasising the hidden yet transformative nature of these teachings. Looking at the parable of the leaven, we discuss the growth and impact of the kingdom in the world today, highlighting the importance of being active agents of change.

We also explore the parable of the dragnet, emphasising the importance of patience and discernment in church life, the role of teachers, and the need for humility and celebration in our lives.

Timestamps

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:30) - Jesus using short illustrations
• (10:45) - The parable of the yeast
• (14:56) - The scale of the kingdom
• (18:26) - Do Christians need to be in places of power?
• (23:20) - The hidden power of the kingdom
• (25:31) - The parable of the dragnet
• (27:56) - Judgement and justice in the kingdom
• (30:26) - Church discipline
• (35:51) - The parable of the lost coin
• (39:26) - Measuring worth in God's eyes

Rooted:
Rooted is our devotional journal that helps make the Bible available to everyone, everywhere. Every other month, you’ll receive a new 80-page journal filled with insightful devotionals, thought-provoking prompts, and lots of opportunities to reflect, journal and be creative. Sign up today to receive your first journal for free.

Bible a Month
Could you put the Bible in someone’s hands every month with a regular donation of £10 or more? Find out more about how you can share God's word today.

The Rooted Podcast is brought to you by Bible Society, a Christian organisation that translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible. We communicate its relevance and invite people to experience the transforming power of the Scriptures in today’s world. Visit our website to find out more.

Bible Society socials:

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible together. We won’t get everything right, and we won’t always agree! Please be patient with us and join us on the journey.

#Parables #JesusTeaching #KingdomValues #GospelTeaching #GodsValueSystem #KingdomOfHeaven #ChristianLiving #ChristianPodcast

How do the parables reveal the nature of God's Kingdom?

Today we look at the nature of God's Kingdom through the lens of various parables and explore why it was such a big theme in Jesus' teaching. We discuss its countercultural nature and how the reality of the Kingdom was different to the expectations of the original Jewish audience for these parables.

We explore the parables of the sower, the mustard seed and the growing seed, and discuss how these examples reveal the nature of God’s Kingdom. We consider how they would have been understood in Jesus’ day and how we can see the reality of God's Kingdom in our lives now.

Timestamps

• (00:00) - The nature of God's Kingdom
• (02:45) - Why is this a theme in the parables?
• (05:00) - The interior nature of God's Kingdom
• (07:30) - The parable of the sower: Matthew 13
• (09:20) - The context of the parable of the sower
• (10:20) - What is Jesus saying in this parable?
• (22:37) - The parable of the mustard seed
• (25:42) - The pervasive nature of God's Kingdom
• (32:42) - The parable of the growing seed
• (33:27) - God is always working

Rooted:
Rooted is our devotional journal that helps make the Bible available to everyone, everywhere. Every other month, you’ll receive a new 80-page journal filled with insightful devotionals, thought-provoking prompts, and lots of opportunities to reflect, journal and be creative. Sign up today to receive your first journal for free.

Bible a Month
Could you put the Bible in someone’s hands every month with a regular donation of £10 or more? Find out more about how you can share God's word today.

The Rooted Podcast is brought to you by Bible Society, a Christian organisation that translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible. We communicate its relevance and invite people to experience the transforming power of the Scriptures in today’s world. Visit our website to find out more.

Bible Society socials:

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible together. We won’t get everything right, and we won’t always agree! Please be patient with us and join us on the journey.

#Parables #KingdomOfHeaven #ParableOfTheSower #ParableOfTheMustardSeed #JesusTeaching #JesusTeaching #GospelTeaching #BiblicalLessons #ChristianLiving #ChristianPodcast

Why did Jesus speak in parables? What does the parable of the shrewd manager actually mean?

In the first episode of our new series we delve into the significance of parables in the teachings of Jesus. We explore the definition of a parable, their use in other ancient societies and why Jesus chose to use them as a teaching tool. We then look at the parable of the shrewd manager and discuss the context, the audience Jesus was addressing, what it meant for Jesus' listeners and what it means for us today.

Timestamps

• (00:00) - Welcome to our new series
• (01:00) - What is a parable?
• (05:45) - How were parables used in Jesus' day?
• (10:18) - Why did Jesus use parables? (Matthew 13)
• (17:15) - Do we have things too easy today? Being shaped by Scripture
• (20:50) - Are we too familiar with the parables?
• (23:01) - The parable of the shrewd manager: Luke 16
• (25:06) - What is the context of this parable?
• (29:31) - What's the point of this parable?
• (34:53) - What is the result of the parable?

Rooted:
Rooted is our devotional journal that helps make the Bible available to everyone, everywhere. Every other month, you’ll receive a new 80-page journal filled with insightful devotionals, thought-provoking prompts, and lots of opportunities to reflect, journal and be creative. Sign up today to receive your first journal for free.

Bible a Month
Could you put the Bible in someone’s hands every month with a regular donation of £10 or more? Find out more about how you can share God's word today.

The Rooted Podcast is brought to you by Bible Society, a Christian organisation that translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible. We communicate its relevance and invite people to experience the transforming power of the Scriptures in today’s world. Visit our website to find out more.

Bible Society socials:

Facebook
Instagram
X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible together. We won’t get everything right, and we won’t always agree! Please be patient with us and join us on the journey.

#Parables #JesusTeaching #WhatIsAParable #GospelTeaching #BiblicalLessons #ChristianLiving #ChristianPodcast

What do the dreams in Daniel mean and what is the book of Daniel all about? Listen as we demystify Daniel with Old Testament expert Revd Dr Peter Hatton.

In this episode we discuss the dreams and visions in Daniel, looking at the significance of them being set in the context of the Babylonian exile. We also consider the prevalence of divination and astrology in the ancient world.

We explore the rise and fall of empires in the Old Testament and look at the tension between humans trying to gain control and God having ultimate power. We touch on how Daniel confronted evil with prayer and how we should emulate him, finding our ultimate hope in God and not in the leaders of this world.

Timestamps

• (00:00) - Introducing Revd Dr Peter Hatton
• (01:50) - The context for the dreams: Babylonian exile
• (02:00) - Divination in the ancient world
• (08:15) - Ancient Babylon
• (10:30) - Empire: the main theme of the dreams
• (11:50) - The British Empire
• (13:35) - The rise and fall of empires
• (16:29) - Historic events foreseen by Daniel
• (18:44) - All earthly powers fail but God does not
• (21:04) - Is God in control of history?
• (25:19) - Why does God allow suffering?
• (26:29) - Revelation within exile
• (29:14) - The wider spiritual battle
• (31:44) - Praying into spiritual battles
• (34:29) - What is an empire?
• (36:29) - Recessional: Kipling's poem

Rooted:
Rooted is our devotional journal that helps make the Bible available to everyone, everywhere. Every other month, you’ll receive a new 80-page journal filled with insightful devotionals, thought-provoking prompts, and lots of opportunities to reflect, journal and be creative. Sign up today to receive your first journal for free.

The Romans Course
Find out more about The Romans Course, a ten-session programme that will help you discover your place in God’s story as you explore the Letter to the Romans with your small group or as a whole church.

The Rooted Podcast is brought to you by Bible Society, a Christian organisation that translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible. We communicate its relevance and invite people to experience the transforming power of the Scriptures in today’s world. Visit our website to find out more.

Socials:

Bible Society: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)

Disclaimer:

This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible together. We won’t get everything right, and we won’t always agree! Please be patient with us and join us on the journey.

#Empires #DreamsAndVisions #BiblicalEmpires #AncientEmpires #Exile #DanielAndTheLionsDen #BookOfDaniel #BiblicalWriting #Babylon #BibleKings #BiblicalLessons #ChristianLiving #ChristianPodcast

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