Like Stars

Why did Jesus tell his disciples to go buy a sword if he wanted them to love their enemies and turn the other cheek (Lk. 22:36), or that he didn’t come to bring peace but a sword and fighting even among family members (Mt. 10:34)? Was he less of a pacifist than we thought? And what’s more, how should these verses be used in the current debates among Christians concerning guns in our country, the modern-day equivalent to a sword? Yeah, no big deal.

In what will likely be the last and final episode some of you will ever listen to, I completely ignore all good common sense and waltz into the completely not at all contentious, totally-won't-upset-anyone hornet’s nest of Christians and their guns (#prayforpete #RIPLikestarspodcast).

However, my aim is not to give yet another divided political opinion or take a strong stance on the gun debate, but rather to do my best to interpret the Bible properly and seek to wisely apply it to our lives today. And while it would be impossible to keep my opinion completely out of it - I do my best to do so with honesty and transparency - I seek to demonstrate how these passages are in fact NOT supporting Christian violence or weapon stockpiling when rightly interpreted and understood in light of Jesus’ role as judge over Israel, his warning to his followers of coming persecution, and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy regarding the Messiah’s suffering and rejection.

Listen in, but remember, you can disagree with someone and still be their friend! (Unless we are arguing about whether you think running is an enjoyable hobby. It isn’t, you’re crazy, and we simply cannot be friends, sorry.)

**** This episode was updated with a slight edit on 5/28/2023. I felt a comment I made was a bit too flippant and unnecessary so it was removed.

Should Christians take one another to court? The apostle Paul writing his first letter to the Corinthians didn't seem to think so. But is that something that that still applies to us today or was it more related to their cultural context? On this episode we look at what was likely behind that passage and what it might mean for us.

We also look at the ancient practice of casting lots to discern God's will, which was essentially doing a random drawing and trusting God to assure you picked correctly. Is this the best way for us to discover what God wants from us today? We walk through what this looked like for the ancient world and how there is a better way forward for Christians today, specifically by seeking guidance from the Bible, prayer, and the Holy Spirit.

Be sure to rate and review the podcast, as well as share with anyone who you think may benefit from hearing this discussion!

Got a question? Email me: Pete@risecitychurch.com

Have you ever wrestled with all the passages in the Old Testament that appear overly violent and harsh? What are we to make of Scriptures that appear to suggest God was behind some of it? In this bonus episode of a message I gave at Rise City Church, I address the challenging issue of divine violence. While emphasizing the importance of interpreting Scripture correctly, I argue that God's use of violence is not arbitrary but a last resort to eliminate evil, and His wrath is a result of love, not a lack of it. Focusing on God's compassion and willingness to forgive, using the Book of Jonah as an example. We need to start with faith in God's goodness and seek understanding while shining in a world that needs to see that goodness.

Throughout the Old Testament the name of God – Yahweh - is often spoken of as being important and “above every other name.”  But what is such a big deal about His name, and what does the word even mean for that matter? In this episode we dive into the story of Moses first being told God’s name at the burning bush and how “I AM” speaks to far more than just his personal label, but a title that represents his ultimate position and power within the universe at large.

Following on this big idea, we also talk through Paul’s command in Romans to “pray continually”.  How is such a thing even possible?

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review and be sure to subscribe to receive updates on all new releases!

And don't forget you can check out full videos on the Like Stars YouTube channel: youtube.com/@likestarspodcast

On Palm Sunday the crowds hailed Jesus as a conquering hero. Yet just a few short days later many, including one of his closest followers had turned their backs on him and called for his execution. What led to such a massive act of betrayal?

In this message, given at Rise City Church, I examine the ways in which people's expectations of the coming Messiah did not match who Jesus actually was. And how the kind of savior they were hoping for was not the one He turned out to be. What are our expectations of Jesus and what happens when He doesn't turn out to be what we wanted Him to be?

Women should be silent in church. It's disgraceful for them to pray without their heads covered. They can't teach or have authority over a man... what do Biblical statements like these mean for the church today?  If they are meant to be followed, why don't most churches actually follow them?  And even among those that claim to, why do most only follow them a little bit but don't go all the way and actually force women to stay silent and cover their heads.

The question of how we should interpret and understand Biblical passages that seem to limit a woman's ability to be involved in ministry and leadership in the  church is an important one with much disagreement.  So in Part 2 of my discussion on this topic, I break down 3 of the  most difficult New Testament passages on women and the church; 1  Corinthian 11:2-13 that calls for women to cover their heads, 1  Corinthians 14:34-35 that says women are to be silent in church, and 1 Timothy 2:11-15  that appears to forbid a women to teach or have authority over a man.

For each passage, I examine the cultural context of these verses and  what that might mean for our reading today in light of other New  Testament passages that appear to suggest otherwise.  Not to suggest  that ALL scripture should change with culture, but those that are  closely intertwined and directly influenced by an ancient culture  possibly should be.

Finally, I examine the original creation story in Genesis 1-3 and show  how the tension between men and women and the battle for control and  dominance over one another is not part of God's original design, but a  result of sin and human rebellion against His intentions.

Where do women fit within the work and leadership of the Church? This question, along with the much large issue of whether Christianity has been good for women in general, is a fairly hot button topic in many Christian communities.  What's more, the answer tends to vary greatly depending on how one reads certain key Biblical passages about women in both the home and in ministry.  

On one hand, it can't be denied that some verses in Scripture appear, on the surface, to be oppressive to women and diminish their opportunities to lead, subjugating them to the authority of men and perpetuating a long history of patriarchal dominance.  Texts that go as far as to say women should be "silent" in church, not able to teach or have authority over men.  

On the other hand, we see actual real life examples of women leading all over the New Testament and early church.  Elevated and championed by Jesus more than anyone else in history and sometimes, commissioned, empowered and praised for leadership by the very same person - the Apostle Paul - who wrote the most difficultly negative verses about women in the church.  So how are we to understand this issue today?

In Part I of what this 3 part discussion I begin to break down this issue by examining the cultural background of the Biblical world and its general attitude towards women and how that played into certain statements in the Scriptures.  In the Part II, I will go through the 3 most difficult passages in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy, and in Part III there will be an actual discussion with a female pastor who has had to work through these issues in lived experience.  Throughout this entire discussion it will be my contention that women should be free to lead in any avenue they feel called and Biblical passages that appear to say otherwise are simply not being read within their appropriate cultural context.

Wisdom is all about having the insight to properly weigh the options in order to make the best choice possible.  But how do you do that when temptation is constantly tipping the scales the wrong way? We can see in the Scriptures that Jesus did, but was that because He was God, or was his overcoming of temptation something we can mimic in our own lives?  In this bonus episode from a message I preached at Rise City Church, I talk through how Jesus overcame temptation and the way in which we can follow in His footsteps to find freedom ourselves.

How do we respond when Christian leaders fail us?  Whether it's through general moral sin, abuse, or lack of integrity, or maybe even personal hurt or pain we've experienced directly from a pastor or church leader, how are we to move forward?  How do we maintain the ability to keep trusting the church, or even Christianity overall when so many of those who say they have been called by God to lead it fall short of the life Jesus calls us all to?  And how do we keep ourselves from letting the pain and hurt of such experiences warp or distort the truth of God's Word?  

This is something I have had to wrestle a great deal with in my life and so in this - somewhat more personal - episode, I talk through the ways in which God has brought me through such experiences and how I have reconciled what is for so many people a reason they have left the church or given up on Jesus for good.

Have you had a similar experience you'd like to talk about or talk with someone about?  Email me at pete@risecitychurch.com

Is it possible that the best way to understand how the ancient world  thought of the word grace is actually by looking at...the Mafia?  For  many people today, the word grace is a very common, everyday word  associated with Christianity.  But is our use and understanding exactly  how people living in the 1st Century Roman Empire - who wrote and first  heard the New Testament - used and understand it?  Is all grace unmerited and never require anything in return?  Or is it possible we need to better picture of how that word worked back then?  

And, how does that all play out when considering Paul's statement in Ephesians that we  are saved by grace, through faith and not from ourselves or through  works?  Find out on this episode of the Like Stars Podcast!

Predestination....do we have a choice?   A common disagreement among Christians takes place over this question of God's sovereignty and whether or not He decides in advance who will be saved or whether it's a  matter of free will.  Calvinists and Arminians go back and forth about whether Paul's teaching on predestination in his letters to the Ephesians and Romans means that God has already made up His mind about who will actually wind up in heaven or if it means something more like foreknowledge, whereby it's still a matter or personal choice. So which  is it? Or...is it either? 

In this episode of the Like Stars Podcast,  we break down what this word means and context in which Paul used it to offer a different perspective.  

PLUS....listen all the way to the end to hear the Like Stars theme song  in its entirety.

The practice of "tithing" (or giving 10% of your income to church) is common among Christians and often taught as a Biblical command.  But should it be understood that way given it's place in the Old Testament Jewish Law?  What do Jesus and the New Testament say about tithing - and generosity in general?  On this episode of Like Stars, we spend some time looking at the historical roots of tithing, it's place in the Law and what it means for followers of Jesus today.

Also, I offer a slight "correction" from last episode about the purpose of the Law by examining the "purity" or ceremonial laws and their place in the Torah.  And, we talk through a difficult passage in the New Testament where Jesus appears to say that God will not forgive those who do not forgive others.  Does this mean if you fail to forgive one time you are destined for hell?  Listen and find out!

The Old Testament laws are often a tricky topic for Christians to navigate.  Should they be followed and adhered to or completely disregarded?  Or, as what seems to happen more often, should we pick and choose which ones still seem to "fit" and forget the rest?  In this episode, we examine the original purpose of the law, what it aimed to accomplish through the Jewish people, why some of the more odd sounding rules were included, and what it all means for followers of Jesus today.

Were Jesus and the early Christian church communists?  The book of Acts  appears to describe people creating a socialist society.  And yet today, most Western Christians have thoroughly embraced capitalism.  Did we  miss something? 

Plus, where did God come from, was He created by someone or something  else?  Is it stretching the bounds of reasonable belief to accept that  He could have just always existed?  Also, do you need a ceremony to be  married in the eyes of God, or are weddings not really necessary?  And  where is a good place for someone to start reading the Bible?

What does it mean to be made in God's Image?  And why does the book of  Genesis say “let US make man in OUR image?”  Who is “us”?!  In this  episode of the Like Stars Podcast we explore what this statement would  have meant to the Ancient Near Eastern audience who first heard it, a  people quite familiar with this type of language but who would have been  completely unprepared and shocked by its implications.  We look at some  other ancient creation stories to see how being in God's image was far  more than WHAT a person is, but spoke to WHY someone was created, an  incredible purpose that gives value, meaning and tremendous  responsibility to each and every one of us.

Should Christians celebrate Halloween or refrain from being involved in anything that even remotely resembles witchcraft or the demonic?   And to what extent should we understand evil spirits and the devil as playing a role in our failures and mistakes?  In this episode we discuss the danger of going to extremes, both in the over the top fear that the devil is involved in everything, but also the naive and ignorant choice to believe the devil isn't involved in anything.  Wisdom calls us to understand our freedom in Christ and not fear the power of the devil or overreact - and to take personal accountability for our actions - but also to be aware and wary of the lies he tells and the ways in which some things really are evil and possess danger and destructive power.  

Staying with this theme, we also take a look at the odd and confusing statements in Jude and 2 Peter about imprisoned spirits who are being held in chains waiting for judgment.  What is that all about and does it have any connection to the story of the Nephelim in the book of Genesis?  Listen in to hear more!

Was Jesus just another version of an ancient pagan, resurrected sun god?  And were the early Christians actually heliognostics ("sun-knowers" who worshiped the sun as a deity), using Jesus as a metaphor to represent their astrological beliefs?  That's an "idea" floating around the dark recesses of the internet these days, but one with some serious problems.  Mainly, how could such a belief ever make sense of the thoroughly Jewish roots of Christianity?  Listen in as Dr. Pete Goodman breaks down the inherent flaws of such a novel sounding conspiracy and demonstrates how the in initial Jewish movement of Jesus followers would never have bought into such an idea.

Also, how should we make sense of what appear to be "promises" in the Scriptures when they don't happen in our lives - like the book of James telling us if we call the elders to pray for the sick they will be healed?  Is it our fault - do we just not have enough faith?  Or is it God's fault - is He not actually faithful to His own promises?  Or... should we take a step back and seriously examine what is and isn't actually a Biblical promise?  In the second half of this week's podcast, Pete discusses the difference between a Biblical promise and Biblical wisdom; whereby one is something we should count on and trust will always happen, but the other should be seen as ideas that are "generally" true about life but not guarantees.

Genesis appears to tell us God created the earth fairly recently, and in  a way that doesn't quite align well with modern science.  So how do we  explain things like dinosaur bones and other fossil records if the earth  is in fact so young?  Or, is this not even the way Genesis 1 was meant  to be interpreted and the universe could very well be billions of years old?  Listen in as Dr. Goodman explains why he believes a non-literal reading is the most appropriate approach to the this particular passage.  Not because science trumps Scripture, but because such a reading best considers its original audience.

In this episode Dr. Goodman answers some more of your questions, including what is going on with prophets.  Do they still exist today?  How should we understand their references in the Bible.  Also, should all Christians be republicans...yes, politics, yeah!  And what did Paul mean when telling us to not engage in the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner? 

Got a question for the podcast?  Email them in: pete@risecitychurch.com

The entire concept of Like Stars is rooted in the amazing story of Daniel and how his life as a servant in the Babylonian courtroom demonstrates to us what it means for faithful commitment to God to cause one to stand out. In this episode I discuss why and how Daniel captures the heart of the podcast moving forward. 

In this episode we continue to answer your questions, including:

On this episode we look to answer some of your questions

Got more questions?  Send them my way: pete@risecitychurch.com

If there is one thing everyone can agree on, it's that we all want what is "good" (and to avoid what is bad).  But what no one can agree on is what is actually good or bad - who even decides?  This search for the best life is called wisdom and permeates the Bible, starting right from the beginning in Genesis chapter 1.

Of all the words used by Christians, "Faith" may be the most crucial.  And  yet, for many followers of Jesus who claim to have it (and be saved by  it), they don't have a solid and clear answer for what the word actually  means.  Far too often it is simply associated with the English word  "belief", but historically that is not what the Greek word translated as  "faith" fully means.  In this 3 part class, we explore the historical  origins of the word faith, how that affects the way the Biblical authors  used it and what it means for our understanding today.

Of all the words used by Christians, "Faith" may be the most crucial.  And yet, for many followers of Jesus who claim to have it (and be saved by it), they don't have a solid and clear answer for what the word actually means.  Far too often it is simply associated with the English word "belief", but historically that is not what the Greek word translated as "faith" fully means.  In this 3 part class, we explore the historical origins of the word faith, how that affects the way the Biblical authors used it and what it means for our understanding today.