Elizabeth. Zachariah. Mary. Joseph. They were good people. They lived ordinary lives in their times.

Can you imagine what it was like to have an angel interrupt and turn the ordinary in to extraordinary?A barren old woman finds out she’s pregnant. A man finds out his bride-elect is expecting, and he’s not the dad. A priest sees God’s angel–in the temple–and doesn’t believe!

This week join Richie G, Richard R, and Matthew as we study the annunciation in Matthew 1 and Luke 1-2.

Prediction is very hard. Especially about the future.

prediction

That’s what makes the predictions we find in the Hebrew Bible about Jesus so impressive. The quantity is staggering; there are hundreds! The quality is even more impressive: many were out of Jesus’ hands, so to speak. For instance, he had no control over where he was born.

This week’s episode takes a look at the scriptures that predicted the coming of Jesus. Join Richie G, Richard R, and Matthew as we consider the prophecies that predicted Jesus.

The Bible begins with the phrase, “in the beginning.” The gospel of John begins the same way.

This week’s show takes place before that–before the beginning. Jesus existed before the foundation of the world. It’s hard enough for us to grasp the endless nature of time. How much more so the beginning-less nature of it!

Join Richie G, Richard R., and Matthew H as we discuss Jesus–before the beginning.

The fourth gopsel: John.

It’s the odd man out, the strange one in the group. Matthew, Mark, and Luke write so similarly that we call them the synoptics (“same” + “view”). John gives us a totally different perspective on the life of Jesus. He assumes that you know all about what Matthew and Mark and Luke had to say.

John makes the unbelievable become undeniable. He writes so that we might have life! Listen in with Richie G., Richard R., and Matthew H. as we discuss this life-giving gospel!

This week, Richie, Howard, and Matthew discuss the first gospel: Matthew.

Matthew’s gospel is the most Jewish of the gospels. He cites the Hebrew Bible constantly and shows Jesus as a figure of Moses. Matthew gives us a glimpse into the preaching of Jesus by recording five main sermons. Listen and enjoy!

If you’ve wanted to see the “word clouds” we’ve mentioned that show repeated words in the gospel, check out the site Sixty-Six clouds.