Sparked by Promise

Karena Cruse and Matt Bennett
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Religion
  • Updated Biweekly

Sparked by Promise: NT → OT What if the Bible is more connected than you’ve ever noticed? In Sparked by Promise, we explore how New Testament passages point back to the Old - one short, conversational episode at a time. Each episode is part Bible study, part real-life conversation, as we follow threads, uncover meaning, and pause at the moments that make us say, “Wait… what?” We’re not theologians, just curious people discovering the connections together. Come listen in. Stay curious.

  1. 22h ago

    Episode 22 - From Buildings to Believers

    Imagine being there the day the Temple was dedicated. After generations of waiting, the permanent house of worship was finally complete. Then something incredible happened. In 1 Kings 8, the glory of the Lord filled the Temple so powerfully that the priests couldn't even continue their work. It's one of the most dramatic moments in the Old Testament. God's presence had filled the house. But as we kept reading, we started noticing something surprising. The New Testament begins talking about God's presence differently. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul says: "You are God's temple." Wait... How did we get from a building filled with God's presence... to believers being called the temple? Was the Temple the destination? Or was it pointing toward something even greater? We talk through God's presence, sacred spaces, and the surprising way the New Testament expands what began in the Tabernacle and Temple. We're not theologians. We didn't go to seminary. We're just two ordinary people from Iowa asking questions, noticing patterns, and learning a lot along the way. And honestly... this connection changed how we think about both the Temple and ourselves. Come explore it with us. 1 Kings 8:10–11 1 Corinthians 3:16

    10 min

  2. 2d ago

    Episode 21 - If the Law Was Good… Why Did We Need Jesus?

    When most people think about the Law, they think about rules. Lots of rules. In Exodus 20, God gives the Ten Commandments and establishes a covenant way of life for His people. At first glance, it can feel like a list of requirements. But as we slowed down and looked closer, we started asking a different question: What was the Law actually meant to accomplish? Then we get to Matthew 5, where Jesus says: "I have not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it." And suddenly the conversation gets a lot more interesting. Because if Jesus fulfills the Law... What does that mean? Adding another layer, the prophet Jeremiah speaks of a future day when God's law wouldn't just be written on tablets of stone, it would be written on people's hearts. Was the Law always pointing toward something more? We talk through commandments, covenant, fulfillment, and why the Law may reveal more than just what God expects, it reveals how much we need Him. We're not theologians. We didn't go to seminary. We're just two ordinary people from Iowa asking questions, noticing patterns, and learning a lot along the way. And honestly... this connection helped us see the Law less as a burden and more as part of a much bigger story. Come explore it with us. Exodus 20:1–17 Jeremiah 31:33

    16 min

  3. 5d ago

    Episode 20 - Wait... Was This About Jesus the Whole Time?

    What if one of the most important promises in the Bible wasn't made to Abraham... or Moses... but to David? In 2 Samuel 7, God makes an extraordinary promise. David wants to build a house for God. Instead, God turns the conversation around and promises to build a house for David. Not a building. A dynasty. A kingdom. A throne that would endure forever. That's where we started asking questions. Because as great as David was... he didn't live forever. Neither did Solomon. Neither did the kings who came after them. So what exactly was God promising? Then we get to Luke 1, where an angel tells Mary that her son will receive the throne of David and reign forever. And suddenly a promise made centuries earlier starts sounding very familiar. We talk through kingship, covenant, expectation, and why the New Testament repeatedly points back to this moment as a key part of understanding who Jesus is. We're not theologians. We didn't go to seminary. We're just two ordinary people from Iowa asking questions, noticing patterns, and learning a lot along the way. And honestly... this may be one of the clearest examples we've found of the Old Testament setting the stage for the New. Come explore it with us. 2 Samuel 7:12–16 Luke 1:32–33

    13 min

  4. Jun 11

    Episode 19 - Why Did God Choose a Shepherd?

    Before we jump in, a quick note: Our daughter, Mia, joins the conversation as we explore one of the most famous people in the Bible: David. And honestly, she asks some pretty good questions. In 1 Samuel 16, the prophet Samuel arrives to anoint Israel's next king. One by one, Jesse's sons are brought before him. But the future king isn't in the lineup. He's out in the fields tending sheep. That detail caught our attention. Because throughout the Bible, shepherds keep showing up in important moments. Then we get to John 10, where Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd. And suddenly, David's story feels like more than just the rise of a king. It feels like a preview. Why would God choose a shepherd to lead His people? Why does shepherd language matter so much throughout Scripture? And what happens when the Shepherd becomes King? We're not theologians. We didn't go to seminary. We're just two ordinary people from Iowa (and one curious daughter) asking questions, noticing patterns, and learning a lot along the way. This episode made us appreciate David's story in a whole new way. Come explore it with us. 1 Samuel 16:11–13 John 10:11

    16 min

  5. Jun 9

    Episode 18 - The Strangest Symbol in Leviticus?

    Before we dive in, a quick note: This episode is a little extra special because our daughter, Mia, joins the conversation. You'll also hear a few guest appearances from our dogs in the background. We considered editing them out, but decided it felt more honest to leave them in. After all, this podcast was never meant to sound like a recording studio - it's just a family exploring the Bible together. And honestly, that feels pretty fitting for today's topic. In Leviticus 16, we encounter one of the most unusual images in Scripture: the scapegoat. On the Day of Atonement, the sins of the people were symbolically placed on a goat, which was then sent away into the wilderness, carrying those sins far from the camp. It's a strange picture. But it's also a powerful one. Then we get to 2 Corinthians 5, where Paul describes Jesus becoming sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God. And suddenly we found ourselves asking: What if the scapegoat was pointing to something bigger all along? What does it mean for sin to be transferred? What does it mean for guilt to be carried away? And why does God seem so committed, not just to forgiving sin, but to removing it? We're not theologians. We didn't go to seminary. We're just two ordinary people from Iowa asking questions, noticing patterns, and learning a lot along the way. This episode includes three generations of curiosity, a few dog barks, and one fascinating connection between Leviticus and Jesus. Come explore it with us. Leviticus 16:21–22 2 Corinthians 5:21

    11 min

  6. Jun 6

    Episode 17 - Once a Year... Until Jesus

    What if one of the most important days in Israel's calendar was actually pointing beyond itself? In Leviticus 16, God establishes the Day of Atonement, a sacred day set aside for cleansing, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Every year, the people would gather. Every year, sacrifices would be offered. Every year, atonement would be made. But there was something curious about that. If it had to happen every year... was the work ever truly finished? Then we get to Hebrews 9, where the writer draws a striking contrast. Instead of repeated sacrifices, Jesus enters once for all. Instead of a temporary covering, something permanent is accomplished. And suddenly, this ancient ceremony starts looking less like an ending and more like a signpost. We talk through atonement, sacrifice, forgiveness, and why the New Testament sees the Day of Atonement as one of the clearest pictures of what Jesus would ultimately do. We're not theologians. We didn't go to seminary. We're just two ordinary people from Iowa asking questions, noticing patterns, and learning a lot along the way. And honestly... this was one of those moments where an Old Testament ritual suddenly made a lot more sense. Come explore it with us. Leviticus 16:30 Hebrews 9:12

    10 min

  7. Jun 4

    Episode 16 - God Moved Into the Neighborhood

    What if one of the most famous verses in the New Testament contains a hidden reference to the Old Testament? In Exodus 25, God tells Israel: "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." That instruction becomes the Tabernacle, the place where God's presence would be with His people as they traveled through the wilderness. Then we get to John 1, where John writes: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." At first glance, it seems straightforward. But when we slowed down and looked closer, we discovered that the word translated "dwelt" carries the idea of tabernacling, literally creating a home among people. Suddenly, John's opening chapter feels much bigger. What if Jesus wasn't just visiting humanity? What if He was fulfilling one of the oldest themes in Scripture: God choosing to live among His people? We talk through the Tabernacle, God's presence, and why this connection made John 1 feel more personal and powerful than we had ever noticed before. We're not theologians. We didn't go to seminary. We're just two ordinary people from Iowa asking questions, noticing patterns, and learning a lot along the way. And honestly... this connection made us reread John 1 completely differently. Come explore it with us. Exodus 25:8 John 1:14

    9 min

  8. Jun 2

    Episode 15 - The Rock Was Christ?

    Some Old Testament connections require a little digging. This one? Paul practically hands it to us. In Exodus 17, the Israelites are thirsty in the wilderness, and God tells Moses to strike a rock. Water pours out, and the people are sustained. It's an incredible miracle. But then we get to 1 Corinthians 10, where Paul looks back at that story and says something that made us stop in our tracks: "The Rock was Christ." Wait... what? Not "the rock reminds us of Christ." Not "the rock symbolizes Christ." Paul says: "The Rock was Christ." So what does he mean? We talk through the wilderness story, the need for living water, and why Paul sees something much bigger happening in this moment than we might notice on a first reading. We’re not theologians. We didn’t go to seminary.We’re just two ordinary people from Iowa asking questions, noticing patterns, and learning a lot along the way. And honestly... this may be one of the most surprising connections we've found so far. Come explore it with us. Exodus 17:6 1 Corinthians 10:4

    12 min
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Sparked by Promise: NT → OT What if the Bible is more connected than you’ve ever noticed? In Sparked by Promise, we explore how New Testament passages point back to the Old - one short, conversational episode at a time. Each episode is part Bible study, part real-life conversation, as we follow threads, uncover meaning, and pause at the moments that make us say, “Wait… what?” We’re not theologians, just curious people discovering the connections together. Come listen in. Stay curious.

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  • Creator
    Karena Cruse and Matt Bennett
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Karena Cruse and Matt Bennett
  • Show Website
    Sparked by Promise