“Most people today imagine that the point of Christianity is ‘to go to heaven when you die.’ That’s what most believers believe. It’s what most unbelievers believe. They are all wrong. The point of Christianity is not that we should go to heaven. The point of Christianity is that heaven should come to us.” - God's Homecoming

This sentence is the opening of the new book, God’s Homecoming, by N.T. Wright. This central theme continues a message that Dr. Wright started sharing in Surprised By Hope and continues now with even more fervor and urgency as he focuses in on how understanding this message affects how we read the Bible. He says, “The Bible speaks with one voice of God coming to live with humans. Of God coming to be at home with us humans.” I’m honored today to be joined by N.T. Wright. Dr. Wright is one of the world’s leading Bible scholars, currently serving as senior research fellow at Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University. He is the former Bishop of Durham and author of many books including Simply Christian, Simply Jesus, Paul: A Biography, and the New Testament for Everyone Commentary series. Today I talk with Dr. Wright about this theme of God’s homecoming and the implications it has for how we read the Bible, what we think about God, what we think about ourselves and all of creation, and much more. Plus, stay through to the end as I have Dr. Wright answer some fun speed round questions and you may even get to hear him sing.

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 450 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)

Resources Related to This Episode: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Homecoming-Forgotten-Promise-Renewal

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes:
Navigating the Bible: Romans - https://youtu.be/hQXntME3Goc
Navigating the Bible: Acts - https://youtu.be/u7ujU81hvjU
Navigating the Bible: John - https://youtu.be/0Q8CqUMoTdE
Navigating the Bible: Luke - https://youtu.be/TKp9FbT3J2k
Navigating the Bible: Mark - https://youtu.be/TfD2cHzAFmc
Navigating the Bible: Matthew - https://youtu.be/TopzGlIuhYg
Navigating the Bible: Psalms - https://youtu.be/oZeesooAYUI
Navigating the Bible: Job - https://youtu.be/14jaf2T1eCQ
Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3M
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA
Knowing God Through the Old Testament - https://youtu.be/1IhG2EsPv8c
The Invitation of Confession - https://youtu.be/9be9_2k57VI
The Urgency of Grace in a Worn-Out World - https://youtu.be/kiOQU4TO3QU

Inspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Photo Credit: Ken Sharp

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” Romans 8:31-34

N.T. Wright has called Romans “arguably one of the most extraordinary letters ever written by anyone” and I imagine most people would agree. Romans is the heavyweight of the New Testament - a beautiful and profound look at the gospel message of Christ wrapped up in one letter. From explaining the good news and teaching about God’s anger at sin, to highlighting God’s faithfulness and the centrality of the cross to focusing on righteousness and life in the spirit. From “for the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord,” to “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.” Paul’s message in the book of Romans covers many things but the heart of it all is God’s love for us . . . God’s love for you. Helping us navigate the book of Romans today is Dr. Thomas Schreiner, Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Biblical Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of many books including a commentary on Romans.

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 450 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)

Resources Related to This Episode: https://www.amazon.com/Romans-Baker-Exegetical-Commentary-Testament

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes:
Navigating the Bible: Acts - https://youtu.be/u7ujU81hvjU
Navigating the Bible: John - https://youtu.be/0Q8CqUMoTdE
Navigating the Bible: Luke - https://youtu.be/TKp9FbT3J2k
Navigating the Bible: Mark - https://youtu.be/TfD2cHzAFmc
Navigating the Bible: Matthew - https://youtu.be/TopzGlIuhYg
Navigating the Bible: Malachi - https://youtu.be/Qiwoys1KAa8
Navigating the Bible: Zechariah - https://youtu.be/t3beJht6tZU
Navigating the Bible: Haggai - https://youtu.be/pGFOmTPUgI4
Navigating the Bible: Zephaniah - https://youtu.be/VtKeFsLeG4M
Navigating the Bible: Habakkuk - https://youtu.be/89l0HUQceIw
Navigating the Bible: Nahum - https://youtu.be/USg64a6Kk8w
Navigating the Bible: Micah - https://youtu.be/Tcm3HykhkS8
Navigating the Bible: Jonah - https://youtu.be/PxhIyhLSgJQ
Navigating the Bible: Obadiah - https://youtu.be/jB6W-TM5Y-o
Navigating the Bible: Amos - https://youtu.be/8DqVHu7leDU
Navigating the Bible: Joel - https://youtu.be/Ilg6r300q4U
Navigating the Bible: Hosea - https://youtu.be/nWZ4TuAUSRQ
Navigating the Bible: Daniel - https://youtu.be/bnQ-PioWxfg
Navigating the Bible: Ezekiel - https://youtu.be/hlg6gBYxqsg
Navigating the Bible: Lamentations - https://youtu.be/6rrizlXeYXE
Navigating the Bible: Jeremiah - https://youtu.be/lXPjWl8PdRk
Navigating the Bible: Isaiah - https://youtu.be/NZJLaPkgEgs
Navigating the Bible: Song of Songs - https://youtu.be/Sg0CYlNBVMg
Navigating the Bible: Ecclesiastes - https://youtu.be/-Wr7LCh8F9E
Navigating the Bible: Proverbs - https://youtu.be/DytRT5AsZg8
Navigating the Bible: Psalms - https://youtu.be/oZeesooAYUI
Navigating the Bible: Job - https://youtu.be/14jaf2T1eCQ
Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3M
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA

Inspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

• (00:01) - INTRO
• (03:26) - INTERVIEW
• (06:50) - PRAYER

“So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?’ He replied, ‘The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’” - Acts 1:6-8

There is a lot going on in the book of Acts. Picking up pretty much where the Gospel of Luke left off, Acts follows Jesus commissioning the disciples right before his ascension, the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and then the birth of the church. It’s a book about mission - the mission to spread the good news of Jesus. It’s a book about diversity - the opening of the message to gentiles and the travels set forth by the apostles as they bring the message of Jesus to the world. It’s a book about power - not power as we may think about it but spiritual power. To guide us through the book of Acts today is Dr. Craig Keener, Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and author of 37 books including a, wait for it, 4,500 page commentary on Acts.

Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 450 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).

Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)

Resources Related to This Episode: https://www.amazon.com/Acts-New-Cambridge-Bible-Commentary/

Related Doable Discipleship Episodes:
Navigating the Bible: John - https://youtu.be/0Q8CqUMoTdE
Navigating the Bible: Luke - https://youtu.be/TKp9FbT3J2k
Navigating the Bible: Mark - https://youtu.be/TfD2cHzAFmc
Navigating the Bible: Matthew - https://youtu.be/TopzGlIuhYg
Navigating the Bible: Malachi - https://youtu.be/Qiwoys1KAa8
Navigating the Bible: Zechariah - https://youtu.be/t3beJht6tZU
Navigating the Bible: Haggai - https://youtu.be/pGFOmTPUgI4
Navigating the Bible: Zephaniah - https://youtu.be/VtKeFsLeG4M
Navigating the Bible: Habakkuk - https://youtu.be/89l0HUQceIw
Navigating the Bible: Nahum - https://youtu.be/USg64a6Kk8w
Navigating the Bible: Micah - https://youtu.be/Tcm3HykhkS8
Navigating the Bible: Jonah - https://youtu.be/PxhIyhLSgJQ
Navigating the Bible: Obadiah - https://youtu.be/jB6W-TM5Y-o
Navigating the Bible: Amos - https://youtu.be/8DqVHu7leDU
Navigating the Bible: Joel - https://youtu.be/Ilg6r300q4U
Navigating the Bible: Hosea - https://youtu.be/nWZ4TuAUSRQ
Navigating the Bible: Daniel - https://youtu.be/bnQ-PioWxfg
Navigating the Bible: Ezekiel - https://youtu.be/hlg6gBYxqsg
Navigating the Bible: Lamentations - https://youtu.be/6rrizlXeYXE
Navigating the Bible: Jeremiah - https://youtu.be/lXPjWl8PdRk
Navigating the Bible: Isaiah - https://youtu.be/NZJLaPkgEgs
Navigating the Bible: Song of Songs - https://youtu.be/Sg0CYlNBVMg
Navigating the Bible: Ecclesiastes - https://youtu.be/-Wr7LCh8F9E
Navigating the Bible: Proverbs - https://youtu.be/DytRT5AsZg8
Navigating the Bible: Psalms - https://youtu.be/oZeesooAYUI
Navigating the Bible: Job - https://youtu.be/14jaf2T1eCQ
Navigating the Bible: Esther - https://youtu.be/7RZ7ATWQZuc
Navigating the Bible: Nehemiah - https://youtu.be/Gok4WDgwn5I
Navigating the Bible: Ezra - https://youtu.be/aBC0nEjYeyo
Navigating the Bible: 2 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/OG3rHTgMgEI
Navigating the Bible: 1 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/lQ_Qc4zbfgA
Navigating the Bible: 2 Kings - https://youtu.be/04q9gDhBKTk
Navigating the Bible: 1 Kings - https://youtu.be/aS-KoeQXl2k
Navigating the Bible: 2 Samuel - https://youtu.be/ZbpafGgOW7c
Navigating the Bible: 1 Samuel - https://youtu.be/lY8wPElSFMY
Navigating the Bible: Rute - https://youtu.be/YaH-t-ZzTaM
Navigating the Bible: Judges - https://youtu.be/qNGcOf2o0NU
Navigating the Bible: Joshua - https://youtu.be/hF28aThBtFs
Navigating the Bible: Deuteronomy - https://youtu.be/HzmNgPOM4zU
Navigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxs
Navigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4
Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3M
Navigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasA

Inspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/