No Experts Allowed

Baptism of Our Lord (Year C) - 1/12/25

At Jesus’s baptism, a voice from heaven declared him “beloved.” In Isaiah, God calls Israel “precious.” These special designations about the value of God’s people occur throughout scripture. So, Jonathan and Seth discuss what’s precious to them. They also talk about seeing others as precious and specific, concrete ways to help do that. This theme of preciousness will continue to pop up throughout Epiphany too.

We’re glad you’re with us, as always. We hope life has settled a little from the Christmas season. And we’d be thankful if you’d write us a review or send this podcast to someone you know. It really does help us grow. 

Second Sunday of Christmas (Year C) - 1/5/25

Many people go home for Christmas. Home may look different, but it's home nonetheless. Hence, the Christmas classic "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays." The prophet Jeremiah also describes a homecoming. The scattered, exiled remnant of Israel will return to the land where their descendants lived, cultivated farmland, raised animals, and built homes. Jonathan and Seth discuss homecomings. What is their appeal? How does a promised homecoming give us hope for the future? What does going home look like today?

We hope your Christmas was what you needed it to be, whether you went home or not. And, as always, we're glad you're with us. We know this season is often busy, so if you skipped a few episodes, we're thrilled you're back, too!

Christmas Day Special (Year C)

If you've ever wondered about Jonathan and Seth's favorite Christmas memories, whether they got a gift they still cherish, or if they gave a gift that landed poorly, tune in to find out! We hope this episode gives you a glimpse into Jonathan and Seth's lives, humanizes them, and makes you nostalgic for your own Christmas memories, too.

As always, we're glad you're with us. Email us your favorite Christmas memories; we'd love to read them. Jesus Christ is with us and will be forever!

First Sunday of Christmas (Year C) - 12/29/24

Jesus is lost; his parents take three days to notice and find him. He's in "His Father's house," as if to say, "Where else would I be?!" This snippet of Jesus as a child forms what little we know about Jesus' childhood. Matthew records Jesus' birth, but not the period between his birth and ministry. (Admittedly, some scholars have argued that the Magi reach Jesus when he is older and no longer a newborn.) Mark starts his story later in Jesus' life as well. John, as always, is doing his own "thing" and begins his at the beginning of time. We're left with just this story about Jesus as a child. Why would Luke include it? What can we learn from it? What does it tell us about listening and asking questions and, generally, having a childlike faith? Jonathan and Seth dig up these questions from well-known stories for Advent.

We're glad you're with us! A special Christmas episode will soon appear on your feed. We hope it brings you joy.

Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year C) - 12/22/24

As we've declared on the podcast before, Mary knows. But how is she feeling? What is going through her mind? What does she think about herself when she hears the wonderful news of giving birth to Jesus Christ, the son of God? The text tells us little about Mary's internal dialogue, which is common in ancient texts. What is Elizabeth's role? And what might it tell us about community? Jonathan and Seth discuss Mary, a little about her song, and what Mary might teach us as we, too, wait expectantly for the coming of Christ into the world.

Be on the lookout for a special Christmas episode. We hope you'll listen to that one, too. And, as always, thanks for listening! Please consider leaving us a review; it helps others find us.

Third Sunday of Advent (Year C) - 12/15/24

The "pink" Sunday of Advent has readings that are thematically different than the rest of the season. The Old Testament, response, and New Testament readings are joyful. In his letter to the Phillippians, Paul uses "rejoice" almost as a refrain. The Gospel reading, however, fits the theme of the rest of Advent: preparing for Jesus' coming. How do these readings connect? What does preparing for Jesus' coming look like when it is peppered with praise? What do we have to rejoice about? How can Advent be a balm in a turbulent season? Jonathan and Seth have a wide-ranging discussion this week about Advent that they hope gets you thinking too.

We're glad you're with us. Christmas is obviously coming (That's what Advent prepares us for, after all!). We hope you're experiencing some rest right now, find time to rejoice, and that this season is also a meaningful preparation time for Christmas and the New Year.

Second Sunday of Advent (Year C) - 12/8/24

Advent and Lent have many similarities. Both are seasons of expectation and anticipation, balancing despair with hope. In some churches that use paraments (the ornamental hangings and the funky church attire), purple symbolizes both Lent and Advent. Each season is also characterized by preparation and refining. What does that look like in the context of Advent? Unlike last week's episode, Jonathan and Seth talk a little about the election and how living in a post-election might look different for them. They challenge each other to be as specific as possible and hope it also challenges you to ask how you might have an Advent state of mind each day.

We're glad you're with us during this expectant season. Are you doing anything special for Advent? Do you have a cool Advent calendar? Did you watch Josh Allen run, throw, and catch for a touchdown on Sunday? If so, we'd love to hear about it!

First Sunday of Advent (Year C) - 12/1/24

Although it's the Church's New Year, the lectionary texts focus on Jesus' return at "the end time." They're about Jesus' expected coming and what it looks like to be ready. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul is praying for his letter's recipients. In Luke, Jesus talks about reading the signs of his return. What would it look like to pray for others as Paul does? And how could thinking about the end times help us to pray appropriately for others? Jonathan and Seth discuss these questions and how Martin Luther and Charles Wesley answered questions about their end-time actions in this New Year Episode.

We're glad you're with us. Advent is full of an expectant joy that we hope seeps into your life; it is already starting to do its work on me (Seth, here). We'd love to hear about meaningful Advent practices or your thoughts about the election, which we frankly avoided in this episode, at noexpertsallowed@gmail.com.

Reign of Christ (Year B) - 11/24/24

While this episode was recorded before the 2024 United States Presidential Election on November 6th, the question of who will ultimately be in charge remains relevant. Frankly, it feels even more relevant to me (Seth, here) because the election of Donald Trump to a second, nonconsecutive term means the potential removal of many protections for vulnerable people. Jonathan and Seth, however, find hope in God, who will reign forever, who isn't swayed by changing political winds, who never has to worry about having "a mandate," who cares for the vulnerable's plight. We hope this episode is ultimately hopeful. 

We're glad you're with us! No matter who the president is, we will continue producing podcasts because Christ still reigns. There are more theological questions to be asked. And there is more love needed in the world.

Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Year B) - 11/17/24

Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, have one of the few healthy marriages described in the Hebrew Bible. When she mourns her inability to have children, he asks, "Am I not more to you than ten sons?" (1 Sam. 1:8). No, unfortunately. In the following verse, Hannah goes to the temple to pray for a child. While children are infrequently named in the biblical text, the desire for a child occurs often. So, Jonathan and Seth talk about children in the ancient world and whether this desire for children extends to today. They talk about whether they want to have children, the different ways of being a parent, and the pressure sometimes put on young people to have a child.

We're glad you're with us! You may skip this episode if having a child is an emotional topic; we will not be offended and encourage you to care for yourself. Next week, there will be another episode on Reign of Christ Sunday.