The Bible Lab

Bible Lab Ep. 25 - Simplifying the Book of Revelation

The book of Revelation is scary and complicated, isn't it? Not so fast! John introduces this book as a revelation given by God to SHOW His servants. It's not meant to hide or confuse! It's a thrilling saga of Jesus' victory over the cosmic forces of evil, and if we will take a step back to understand its big picture imagery we'll find that it's not scary at all, but rather an electrifying source of hope as we live faithfully for Jesus.

Bible Lab Ep. 24 - Discipleship for the Everyman

Discipleship is a word that gets used a lot, almost to a fault. What is it? How can it be possible both to be a disciple and to do discipleship? In this week's episode, we examine Jesus' call to discipleship in Matthew 16:24-26 and learn about Jesus' call for us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.

Bible Lab Ep. 23 - Creating Beautiful Things for King Jesus

One of the most genius parts of God's design for the Church is that the Holy Spirit gives every believer the power to create beautiful things for King Jesus. For generations, Christians were creators of art, music, architecture, and many of the things that shaped the direction of western civilization. What happened? A theological shift that began to convince believers that the return of Jesus was only a year or two away. How do we correct the short-term thinking that's gotten us here? Join Ryan and Jake as they discuss Matthew 24:45-51.

Bible Lab Ep. 22 - Building Bridges, Not Bunkers

When can we expect Jesus to return? According to Jesus Himself, that's a great question. In Matthew 24, Jesus shares the shocking answer that not even He Himself knows. What He does share is that it will be a lot like the days of Noah. In this episode, Ryan and Jake break down the best ways that we can prepare for that day, whenever it may be.

Bible Lab Ep. 21 - Taking Jesus Promises to the Bank

At first glance, the text of Matthew 24 looks like it would make a great end-of-the-world movie. But beneath the cosmic-sounding language is are important messages to His people, if we have ears to hear it. In this episode, Ryan and Jake break down this important passage and tell us why we can take Jesus' promises to the bank.

Bible Lab Ep. 20 - Matthew 23, and a Stone Cold Stunner to Dead Religion

Jesus was never shy about confrontation, and no one was the target of His confronting criticism more than the religious establishment. While many might take his words to be "anti-religion," they're anything but. Jesus doesn't reject ALL religion, just DEAD religion. In this week's episode, Ryan and Jake discuss how Jesus' warnings (woes) to the religious leaders should cause us to take a long look at our own hearts!

Bible Lab Ep. 19 - Taking the Long View

One of the most controversial texts in the Old Testament prophetic books is the 70 weeks passage in Daniel 9. What is God saying, and what does the timeline mean? In this episode, Ryan and Jake explore how we can make sense of this passage with a high view of Jesus at the center!

Bible Lab Ep. 18 - Fear, Fire, and Future

A time, times, and half a time. How do we understand some of the predictions of the future that Daniel's vision reveals? How do we navigate the uncertainty of the future when it may involve suffering? Jesus gives us a hope and a joy that outshines suffering and alleviates our future fears. In this week's episode, Ryan and Jake discuss a confident approach to understanding suffering and God's call to faithfulness under fire.

Bible Lab Ep. 17 - This Isn't The End

It's the end of the world... or is it? Christians have varying ideas about what the Scriptures teach when it comes to eschatology (last things). It can be confusing to navigate to the point that many Christians throw up their hands in frustration. Nonetheless, what we believe about the end matters, because it changes how we approach the present! Join in as we start to explore Daniel 7 and other "apocalyptic" passages!

Bible Lab Ep. 16 - Rembrandt Rights and Rejoicing

Joy is a Biblical command. We're called to it. It's a Christian duty, and one of the ways that followers really are called to be lights in the world. Because of Jesus, we can paint with different colors in a world that's full of black and grays. What does it mean to rejoice always? How do we do that when we constantly struggle to feel joyful? This week, Ryan and Jake talk about joy in Jesus and much more!