Walla Walla University Good Word Broadcasts Walla Walla University Good Word
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- Religion & Spirituality
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Good Word is an invitation. An invitation to explore biblical and theological topics presented in regularly published Bible Study guides. The Bible awaits our continued study and investigation; Good Word provides one way to approach it.
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Worship That Never Ends
Leading Question: What does it mean to bless God? What does it mean to receive a blessing?
Scripture Focus: Psalm 104, Psalm 103, Deuteronomy 6:13, Psalm 96, Psalm 98
The Big Idea: Praise is the beginning, the end, and everything in between in the book of Psalms,
absolutely fundamental to the life of God’s people both individually and in community.
For Discussion:
In Hebrew poetry, when a line is used to start and end a poem, it is called an inclusion. This creates something like a sandwich, holding the meat of the poem inside. Psalm 104, like Psalm 103, begins and ends with the ... -
Longing for God in Zion
Leading Question: WFor you or people close to you, what is a place that is tied to spiritual experiences
or memories of connection with God?
Scripture Focus: Psalm 84, Psalm 125, Psalm 122, Psalm 46
The Big Idea: For many of the biblical writers, Zion, or Jerusalem, was the place where God dwelt and from which God blessed the people.
For Discussion:
The author of Psalm 84 speaks with jubilation and longing about the dwelling place of the LORD. Perhaps most famous is the line in verse 10: “Better is one day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere.” The subtitle of this psalm ... -
Lessons of the Past
Leading Question: What role do stories about the past play in equipping people to navigate life with
all its twists and turns?
Scripture Focus: Psalm 78, Psalm 105
The Big Idea: Knowing where we come from is an important part of knowing who we are. Many of the psalms contain recitations of the long history of the people with God, and these recitations then form the foundation for discernment in the people’s continued journey with God.
For Discussion:
In our ongoing quest to make sense of life’s big questions and situate ourselves within some kind of larger narrative, the ways we remember and recount ... -
Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord
Leading Question: Covenant relationship is a thread that winds throughout the biblical literature, conceptualized in a variety of ways. What does it mean to say humans are in covenant relationship with God?
Scripture Focus: Psalm 89, 2 Samuel 7, Psalm 23, John 10:11-15, Psalm 22, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 7:20-28
The Big Idea: Covenant is renegotiated and reimagined many times in the biblical narrative, the constant being that God initiates and sustains relationship with humans.
For Discussion:
Psalm 89 begins with the phrase, “I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever.” God’s covenant love (ḥesed) is then expounded on by telling the story ... -
Wisdom for Righteous Living
Leading Question: What is wisdom?
Scripture Focus: Deuteronomy 28, Psalm 128, Psalm 90, Psalm 137 and 138
The Big Idea: It is usually books like Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes that are described as “wisdom literature.” But the Psalms also include collected wisdom and even the way the songs and poems are organized invites us as readers into a journey of discernment.
For Discussion:
William Brown describes the book of Psalms as a hymnbook, a prayer book, and a textbook, and argues that the wisdom psalms reveal “points of dialogical contact between Psalms and the wisdom corpus, snapshots of a larger dialogue over what ... -
Your Mercy Reaches Unto the Heavens
Leading Question: When do we as humans need God’s mercy?
Scripture Focus: Psalm 57:9, 10, Psalm 136, Psalm 51
The Big Idea: The covenant loyalty of God is a theme that runs throughout the Bible, and God invites his people to not only see how his covenant love continues forever as the bedrock of existence but also how the invitation remains for humans to partner with God and embody covenant love.
For Discussion:
Discussion question: Psalm 51 is a well-known poem, memorized by many, some of its lines being used a lyrics in modern songs. What is your most vivid memory of this ...
Customer Reviews
Great brief bible study
Excellent pointers to study and grow in the Bible
Great Lesson
Appreciated the lesson thoughts today (May 9) Wish it would go 30 minutes during this period of church closures.
Neil Biloff
Excellent
This is a great podcast. I really enjoy listening to your perspectives on the lessons. It is especially interesting to hear your insights after reading the associated verses and lesson. Please keep up the great work!