All tagged Advent

395 Jesus said. . . That?! (10) Those Greater Than John the Baptist

Dismayed in prison and puzzled by Jesus' military restraint, John the Baptist sent an envoy of disciples to ask Jesus, "are you the One or should we look for another?" Jesus answers their question, and then some! (And by his answer we learn still more about the way Jesus thought about himself.) Then Jesus added, "Truly, I say, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he." In my opinion, that's a weird thing to say. Why would Jesus say it? By saying such a thing what was Jesus indicating? What were the other things he said that help us build an answer to why Jesus said we (you and me) can be greater than his own cousin, Baptist John? In this episode I also talk about exegetical method—how to go about studying a biblical text—and reflect still further (for the third consecutive show) on transhumanism. Come think and pray and laugh with me.

129 Advent (1) Prophets and Hope (and Kanye)

Advent celebrates the varied ways that Christ comes to us: past, present, and future. This week of Advent focuses on anticipation and yearning. To unpack that I address the power of symbolism, what it is like to yearn, a weird dream I just had, and prayer. Also spend a few minutes sharing my reflections and concerns about Kanye West's turn to Christ.