+1, JJ
For maximum viability, make sure the pod is really ripe - if it's supposed to be red, some pods turn orange before they turn red, so be patient and wait for full maturity if it's just barely red. That said, you CAN germinate seeds from a somewhat-ripe pod, but you might have a lesser success ratio. I've managed to sprout seeds from a full-sized green pod, and of course, would likely have an even lower overall success rate with those if I had tried to sprout many.