Connecting Scripture and Life

Connecting Scripture and Life

by Connecting Scripture and Life

Religion & Spirituality

Episode 106: Jethro - Transformation and Wisdom

In this continuation of our conversation about Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, we explore the interior experience of the Midian priest who hears what God has done for Israel and seeks out Moses in the wilderness. He brings Moses's family and listens to Moses tell the story of how God freed his people from the Egyptians. Jethro makes a pronouncement that of all the gods, the God of Israel is the greatest, and he makes a sacrifice. What is this sacrifice and its meaning? Jethro offers his wisdom to Moses and establishes a "pyramid of hierarchy" that is at once to benefit Moses and the people of God. Then he departs. Please join us as we explore this important character who so briefly enters our story yet leaves a profound and lasting mark.

Episode 105: Jethro: A Guide to the Divine - Exodus 2:10-3:2

Jethro, Moses father-in-law, seems on the surface to be somewhat incidental but in deeper exploration of the pagan priest he is revealed as a non-Hebrew who brings a new perspective to our understanding of Moses's journey to the burning bush. Through Scripture and Midrashim we build a picture of this man who mirrors God in Moses's earthly life, making him a shepherd of sheep that sends Moses into the desert to become the shepherd of God's people.

Episode 104: Redemption is at Our Feet- John 13

This is the beautiful and tense passage when Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, argues with Peter about it, and releases Judas to his chosen fate. All through it is a message of redemption, humility, and love. We see the dichotomy of the betrayer and the denier, one leaves himself beyond healing while the other needs only to have his feet washed because in his heart he is clean and believes in the one who was sent. We are all called by this reading to love one another and do as Jesus did: act with humility in serving and being served and allow ourselves the chance to get up when we fall and know we have been forgiven. It is a story of great love and everyone will know we belong to Jesus in how we live out the love he has given. Easter blessings to one and all!

Episode 103: The Seder Plate

The Passover Seder is a beautiful celebration of freedom. It places the people in the midst of slavery in Egypt and in the place of liberation and hope for the future. This podcast focuses on the Seder plate and each item in its symbolism and significance. We hope you will enjoy this conversation and hope it opens up for Christians a deeper understanding of the Last Supper as well as our own experience of freedom for those things that enslave us. The seder teaches that the past does not hold us. We bring our suffering into the present day in order to transform it into hope for a renewed future. L'Chaim!

Episode 102: Hold One Another Up - Exodus 17:8-16

In this story the archenemy, Amalek, attacks Israel at their weakest point and Joshua and his men go into battle. Moses along with Aaron and Hur climb the mountain and with the rod of God in hand Moses holds up his arms and gives Israel the upper hand. Moses grows tired and as his arms fail so too do Joshua and his men. Aaron and Hur set Moses on a rock and hold his arms up for him leading to victory. This passage tells of the importance of keeping faith in God in the most trying of times and helping each other to keep our arms raised in praise. Who are you at any given time in the story and how do you keep your arms held up to God?

Episode 101- The Timeless in Our Hearts

Ecclesiastes 3 talks about the time for God's purpose under heaven. They seem and perhaps are opposites that come to us over the course of our lives, but they also happen simultaneously. They articulate the mundane experience of human life but within us God has placed the timeless, the eternity in our hearts. We cannot know or guess what is or was but we can feel it. Please join us for this conversation that challenges our notions of human life and Truth.

Episode 100: Choose Love - From the Gemara

This story from the Gemara tells the story of the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. But there is so much more it has to teach us about who we are and how we react to slights and embarrassments. It seems like a negative story on the surface. Underneath it demands we find ourselves in each of the characters and ask the question about how I might react differently. Jesus taught us all about the right way to respond. Choose love.

Episode 99: All you need is Faith, Hope, and Love - 1 Corinthians 13

In this beautiful Episode, Live from the 70th Religious Education Congress, Rabbi Fruithandler and Barbara Murphy explore the beauty of love and its ability to help us through the times of difficulty and joy. When there is love, not merely an emotion, but a commitment to each other we will hope for all things, believe all things and endure all things. Please join us for this special podcast all about faith, hope, and love and the greatest among these is love.

Episode 97: Demonstrate your Works through your Faith - James 2:14-26

This portion of the exhortation from James about faith and works calls everyone who knows God is one to live out this profession of faith. James says he shows his faith through his works and commands each one of us to look toward our neighbor with compassion and service. He uses Abraham obeying God when tested to sacrifice Isaac. In the hardest of challenges faith is put to the test. When we live our faith everyday we grow stronger and will endure all the tests that come to us. James is an excellent 'sermon' to remind us that Jesus came to show us how to live our faith.

Episode 96 - Disunity Shattered – Genesis 45-50

Episode 96 In our final installment of the Joseph cycle from Genesis, we begin with Joseph revealing his identity to his brothers after Judah offers his life in exchange for Benjamine. In is in this moment that Joseph tells his brothers that although they sold him into slavery Joseph now sees that it was God who sent him into Egypt to save his family from starvation in the famine. He is reunited with his father and brings the family to settle in the land of Egypt. When Jacob dies the brothers are still holding onto the fear that Joseph has not forgiven, but he reassures them. Our lives are in this story, those times when we hold onto our pain and let it go. It is in the moment when we realize God at work in us when we learn who we are and disunity of family and self is shattered and we become who we truly are.

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