Teaching & News From Eastgate PCB: Recent Episodes
Rob Woodrum & Others
We recently redid our kitchen – well, we hired someone to redo our kitchen. I remember all the planning and sketches Robbie and I did as we thought up our new space. Then the construction began and the project began to take shape – and it’s quite exhilarating to see a project we’d imagined for so long start to take shape in reality. This Sunday we’ll be reading the last part of Matthew chapter 4 , where Jesus begins his public ministry and we begin to see what the Kingdom of God is like in practice.
In v15-16, Matthew identifies Jesus’ work as a fulfillment of a prophecy given by Isaiah, 600 years earlier. Light dawning on people living in darkness is how the action of the kingdom of God is described. What is your impression of this metaphor? What do you think it means, and how does that inform your understanding of God’s purposes for humanity?
We then read about Jesus’ first disciples. We’ll be unpacking the dynamic of rabbis and talmidim (disciples) on Sunday morning – but succinctly put: if these guys were working in the family fishing business, it was because they didn’t measure up for normal rabbinical activities. Yet Jesus chooses these fishermen to be his close associates who will set out to imitate him. What does that tell us about God’s rule in action? Who is it open to, and what action does he call his disciples to (v19)?
V23-25 provide a summary of the excitement that was building around Jesus. What is it that he is becoming famous and sought out for? What is this revealing about God’s reign in practice – what is the mission of God’s kingdom? In all three of these examples, what is it about this that makes it good news?
Looking forward to this study! Happy Father’s day in advance – I hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We’re coming back to our study in the gospel of Matthew, reading chapter 4:1-11 this Sunday. In stepping into the human experience, Jesus faces temptation to leave God’s intended path for him. In fact, the account of his temptation in the desert is a sweeping overview of the nature of our temptations. Do you ever feel bad for being tempted by things you feel you should have conquered by now? Remember this: Jesus was tempted too. What does that tell us about how we should understand our own temptations? There’s an old saying, attributed to Martin Luther, that states we’re not responsible for the birds that fly overhead, only the one’s we allow to nest in our hair.
The first temptation that is presented to Jesus is found in v1-4. It wasn’t wrong or evil for Jesus to be hungry. He certainly was given power to do miraculous things with bread – he’ll supernaturally provide enough bread to feed thousands of people out in the desert later on in this story. Why was this suggestion to make bread from stones a temptation to sin? Jesus quotes Deut 8:1-3 – read the whole context. Did Israel go hungry in the wilderness? Who provided for them? How does that help us understand what “living by God’s word” means?
Next Jesus is tempted to jump from the highest point in the temple (v5-7). Again, this is similar to something Jesus will do later on – he won’t walk on air, but he’ll walk on water, defying the laws of physics. What is the temptation to sin in this suggestion of stepping out in faith that God will rescue him? What clue do we get from Jesus’ response in v7?
The final temptation recorded in this account is in v8-11. Once again we have the contrast of human kingdoms with God’s kingdom. Worship me, the devil says, and you will be King of kings. Interesting, since that is ultimately what Jesus is called – and the last book of the Bible says in Revelation 11:15 that the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord. Why is this a sin if it’s the fulfillment of his destiny anyway? What does Jesus have to go through in order to be exalted? What sort of King of kings and Lord of lords does it make him when he was willing to die for us?
In each of these temptations there is a forecast of something Jesus will ultimately do. The difference is in how it gets fulfilled, and by whom. Where do we look for our fulfillment as human beings? A lot of things in this world promise fulfillment and wholeness – but Who holds the true source of wholeness? What has your experience been in looking for fulfillment in the things we can grasp for in this broken world? How can that instruct us?
I think this will be a challenging, yet hopeful study! Hope you can join us on Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Remember how, before Hurricane Michael, when the storm season came around we only gave it our mild interest. Post-Michael, I haven’t yet met someone who doesn’t follow Mike’s Spaghetti models with grave intentionality between June and November. Experience and expectation really goes a long way in shaping our responses to the warnings we get from NOAA.
As we continue our study in Matthew this week we’ll be reading chapter 3. We’re going to be introduced to a human GFS model – John the Baptist, who will be announcing the arrival of the Messiah and the launch of God’s kingdom invasion.
As you read John’s message, what does his major theme seem to be? What is he calling people to do? What do you think his instructions meant to a Jewish person living in the first century? What does that mean to us, as 21st Century Americans? What sort of radical changes have taken place in your life as a result of embracing the Good News of Jesus?
The Pharisees and Sadducees show up too, and John doesn’t give them the greeting they are accustomed to. What does he seem to highlight as the problem with these religious leaders? Why does he call them “the offspring of snakes”? Thinking back through the Biblical narrative, do you remember a forecast of “the offspring of the serpent” bruising someone’s heel? There’s going to be a lot to unpack in this section that I’m really excited about!
When Jesus shows up he does something that surprises everyone, including John. He gets in line for his turn to be baptized. John is nonplussed. “You’re the Messiah, come to save us from sin…I need to be baptized by you…what do YOU need to repent of?” It’s a puzzling scene to this day. Jesus said he needed to do it to, in the Greek, “fulfill all righteousness”. In other words – the righteousness, the setting things right that God intends comes through a Messiah who stands in the river with humanity, identifying with them, protecting them in their corrupted, vulnerable state. What does this tell us about what it means to “fulfill righteousness”?
I’m so stoked to dig into this text – Hope to see you Sunday!
Click here to view a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
There’s a famous optical illusion drawing that, depending on how a person perceives the image, shows an elderly woman or a young lady with her head turned away from us.
You can see it here – and what’s fascinating is while one person may see a young lady and another an older person, the image itself is unchanged – only our perception and interpretation of the image.
We’re going to be continuing our study in the Gospel of Matthew this Sunday, and we’ll be reading about some very different reactions and responses to the news that the Messiah King had been born in Israel. It was perceived as either good or bad news, depending on what a person may have felt was at stake in the arrival of a new King.
We’ll be reading Matthew 2:1-23.
The text introduces us to some characters that we’ll have to try and get familiar with.
We’ll meet King Herod (or Herod the Great) who was the Roman puppet ruler over Israel at that time. We’ll also meet the Magi, or Wise Men as our modern translations call them. They are apparently court astrologers who travel from the East because they observed astronomical phenomena that they interpreted as the portent of the arrival of an important King.
We’ll also hear from the religious scribes, the keepers of the Torah. All of these people react to the news of the birth of Messiah – and all of them react differently. What do the Magi state as their intentions? What does Herod say he wants to do compared with what he does? Who is this text portraying in a positive way, and who is negatively represented? What might we infer from that?
We’re going to pay attention the the tension and conflict that emerges as Jesus comes on the scene and consider what that tells us about the world we live in, as well as the condition of our own hearts.
It will be both a challenge and an encouragement! Hope you can join us this Sunday at 10 AM!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday, we will be continuing our study in the book of Matthew. Last week, we studied the genealogy of Jesus and learned just how messy family can be. Thankfully, God never seems shocked by the mess, and he certainly is never stopped by it.
On Sunday, we will read the account of Mary’s pregnancy from Joseph’s perspective. This is not typically the version we read on Christmas morning, but that doesn’t mean it lacks wisdom and insight.
There are several references to the Old Testament in this scripture that we will study together. One mention is the Holy Spirit bringing new life. What other stories from the Old Testament mention the Holy Spirit bringing new life?
There are actually a few references of this happening in scripture, and noting their connection will help us grasp how the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus. I’m looking forward to showing the various ways these stories work together. I hope you can join us this Sunday as we look at the deeper meaning found in the scripture.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be starting a new series in the Gospel of Matthew. I made the commitment a few years back to regularly revisit the story of Jesus, even though I’ve taught through these gospel accounts before. I just honestly believe that Christians need to spend more time with Jesus – meditating on what he taught, considering his example (and what it means for us), and learning to view life through the lens of God’s Kingdom, as Jesus challenged us to do.
Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and it launches us right into God fulfilling the promises he made to Abraham and sending the One the prophets had been forecasting through the ages. The cryptic message is scattered all through the Hebrew Bible: “Someone is coming who will redeem and restore”!
That’s all pretty exciting, until we start reading and realize we get dropped right into a lengthy genealogy. Don’t let it throw you. That’s what we’ll be looking at this Sunday – Matthew 1:1-17 – and we’ll consider what that list of names can actually tell us (and it’s pretty great)!
We’ll also take a look at just what “gospel” means and why it’s associated with Jesus. I hope you can join us as we begin this amazing journey into the life of Christ!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be looking at our last study in the book of Micah. We’ll be reading ch 7:8-20.
For all of the dire forecasts in this oracle, Micah resolves his prophecy on a pretty hopeful note.
There are shades of the Gospel message within these verses – pay attention to the wording and imagine how Jesus could be seen as fulfilling, not just the specifics of the events, but the predicted results as well.
How hard is it for you to feel hopeful when life is pretty hard? What sort of things inspire hope in you? Micah gives us some specific descriptions of God’s character that are meant to keep us from the brink of despair. As you read his words, especially v18-20, what attributes of God does he point to, and how might those attributes inspire hope in your heart?
I’ve really enjoyed this study – I hope you can join us this Sunday as we do our best to land this plane (so to speak)!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Join us as we continue our study in Micah, now in chapter 7.
Click here for a pdf of the slideshow.
“What does God want and how does he want us to live?” That’s a pretty common question posed in the theater of most religions, and our study of Micah brings us to God’s answer to that question with stark clarity. And, spoiler, it isn’t outward religious behavior.
We’ll be reading Micah chapter 6 this Sunday. The scene begins like a cosmic courtroom where God presents his case against his people, reminding them of how often he had been faithful to them. Remembering the blessings we’ve received from God seems to be an important way in which we remain close to God’s purposes. How easy is it for you to forget the ways in which God has been faithful to you? How might we better keep those blessings in view during the trying times of life?
The response from God’s people to his charges is basically to ask “Fine, what do you want from us anyway?”, followed by a list of various religious practices and sacrifices they could attend to.
God’s answer is straightforward. As you read his answer, how do you interpret “do what’s right”? The word that’s used carries a strong social aspect – doing what’s right by others. What are some obstacles we face in doing what’s right by others. The second part of God’s expectations is to love mercy – which means an unqualified kindness shown to our fellow person. How do these two, doing what’s right and kindness, go together? It’s been said that injustice and inequality grow where kindness shrivels. What are some practical ways in which we can start intentionally practicing these two qualities of doing right and being kind?
It’s also very important to recognize that religious performance was summarily brushed aside by God. When it comes to the values we pursue in life, does it seem like God looks at our religion or how we treat others to evaluate our faith?
This study may make us somewhat uncomfortable as the Scriptures probe our deeper motives; however, I promise it will resolve with great hope! I’m looking forward to digging into this together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We all have areas of our lives where we feel pretty secure in our own abilities – places where we feel self-sufficient. There’s certainly nothing wrong with being able to care for ourselves and bear some of our own burdens, in fact, it’s a sign of maturity. That said, the Biblical narrative seems to warn us against assuming we are self-sufficient with the entirety of our lives; especially when it touches the vast areas of life we just can’t control.
That’s an issue the prophet Micah addresses in the text we’ll be reading this Sunday as part of our ongoing study in that book. We’ll be reading Micah 5:5b-15.
God’s people of Israel and Judah had started feeling quite self-assured in the troubling circumstances that were brewing around them. Through political coalitions, military buildup and attempts at predicting the future, Israel and Judah felt they could handle the growing threat from Assyria.
God begs to differ.
In the remainder of chapter 5 God highlights just where and from whom real deliverance comes from. We’ll dig into that on Sunday.
Where do you feel most self-sufficient in your life? Are there areas where you feel like prayer would only be a last resort if your own efforts didn’t succeed? How can we practice being more God-dependent and lest self-reliant when it comes to our overall approach to life?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into the words of the prophet!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in Micah and we will be reading chapter 5:1-5a.
The prophecy in these verses points directly to Jesus and his birth in Bethlehem and paints a beautiful picture of hope and peace. Up to this point, many words have been given by God in desperation and frustration regarding how the Israelites had been ignoring God. The people, the kings, the rich, and even the religious leaders were determined to go their own way and they were cruel in how they treated the poor, widows, and immigrants.
Verse 1 shows us what hardships are coming their way when God’s protection is removed. They are like people in a submarine desperate to open the door underwater and God is no longer stopping them from doing so. The consequences of their actions will be catastrophic.
However, God in his goodness refuses to let that be the end of the story for the Israelites. God in his goodness refuses to give up on us, even when we try to give up on Him. The prophecy we will read on Sunday points to something greater and something stronger. The prophecy points to a future king who is 2,000 years in our past. It points to a king who arrives in a small insignificant town like Bethlehem to rescue his broken people and set things right.
We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we study these verses together.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in Micah – reading ch 4:6-13.
Micah has had some really tough words for God’s people in ancient Israel – but chapter 4 gives respite from that with forecasts of God’s great plan of restoration.
In this passage, we’ll read the promise of the end of suffering and pain – a restoration from pain. We’ll also consider God’s restorative work that happens in the midst of our pain – where we find restoration through suffering. We’ll also consider what God can accomplish in our lives in those times when we face difficulty and pain.
None of it will provide quick or easy answers, but all of it is intended to give us a perspective of hope, which can be one of the most valuable gifts we recieve.
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into Micah’s words and consider how God meets us in our present struggles.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Micah 4:1-5 during our Bible study. Micah has been a fairly gloomy book, with a lot of forecasting judgement on God’s unfaithful people – but the first part of chapter 4 presents a sharp and short pivot. Suddenly, the oracle looks to a future where God will set all things right again.
As the prophecy begins, the language is reminiscent of what the writer in Hebrews 12 said – indicating that the early Christians saw that Jesus was the fulfillment of this hoped for restoration.
As I read this section, I see “now” and “still to come” aspects of what is forecast. In what ways might we imagine that Jesus has already begun fulfilling the restoration aspect of this promise? How have you seen God’s restorative purposes being revealed in your own life? What are some aspects of this prophecy that seem to be something for a future time? Knowing what God’s intent is for our lives and this world, how can we intentionally partner with God’s work here and now?
This will be a deeply encouraging study to dig into together – I hope you can join us this Sunday. We’ll also be hearing a Missions Update from Suzy Zechman about the ongoing work of In Deed and Truth ministries in South Sudan!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
In the 21st Century the analysis of power dynamics became more intentional and far more scrutinized. That scrutiny often revealed that there are both overt and covert forms of power that affect our daily lives, which just underlines the importance of critical thinking and awareness of how power is being used if we want to promote an environment where all lives can flourish. The clinical definition of the power we’re talking about here is the ability to influence or direct the actions of others, usually to achieve some goal. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, in fact, it is usually quite necessary. But, like with many things, it is only a neutral concept until it comes to its application and use.
Power and authority are subjects that come up a LOT in the Biblical narrative – usually spoken of negatively and correctively because we fallen humans are, typically, not good stewards of power.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Micah chapter 3, and God has a lot to say to those who were holding power in Israel and Judah at that time. I’ll warn you, the language is pretty graphically violent. Not gratuitously, but in order to make a point, which we’ll dig into on Sunday.
As you read it, how does God characterize the misuse of power and authority? Whose side does God seem to take, those who hold the power or those affected by its use? How does God say he will respond to the spiritual leaders who are misusing their power? Do you catch any irony in His forecast, and if so, what is it? If you get a chance, read Isaiah 42:1-4 – it gives a beautiful description of how Messiah will use power – and I believe – a template for Messiah’s followers to use in our use of whatever power we may be afforded in life.
This will be a challenging study – I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
The Bible has a unique feature that sets it apart from its contemporaries in ancient literature, in that it tells most of its narrative from the vantage point of poor and oppressed people. That really sets the Bible apart from other ancient documents which largely represent the views and history of the ruling elite.
In our study this Sunday we’ll be continuing through Micah, reading Micah chapter 2.
The first 10 verses of this chapter outline the sins of God’s people, specifically the ruling class who were oppressing common folk by seizing their property. We’ll look at what was happening this Sunday, but suffice it to say, it violated both the 10th commandment as well as other commands from the Torah.
As you read this chapter, how do you imagine God’s attitude toward those who do these things simply because they have the “power to do so”(v7)? Is God in solidarity with the oppressed or the oppressor? We have to realize that oppression still goes on in our world. We sanitize it as best we can, and certainly do our best not to ever talk about it or readily acknowledge the reality of it – but oppression remains a reality in our modern world.
What are our own views on those who are poor or in a weakened position in society? Do we instinctively blame poverty on the individual, or the system, or a little for both? In what ways are those attitudes helpful, and in what ways might they be unfair?
How would you reword v 7 and 11 to represent a challenge to our modern world?
The final verses ring with a hope for the future – a Shepherd who will come and lead us out of exile into a new relationship with God. Who might that Shepherd be, and how can we represent his care in our world today?
This will, again, be a challenging study, but one I believe is well worth it. Hope you can join us this Sunday at 10 AM!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be digging into the first chapter of Micah, the Minor Prophet. We’ve stated before that this book, like all the works of the Old Testament Prophets, contains some difficult and harsh words. I will again be reminding us that we must read any of these prophecies through the lens of the revelation of who God is in Jesus. We’ll talk some about how we go about applying these Scriptures as well.
As you read through this opening chapter, you’ll notice that great, cosmic imagery is employed to reinforce just how serious the situation is. Imagine the opening like a trial, where God calls witnesses to hear his complaint about how his covenant people have been using the freedom they had.
The list of complaints will be extensive as the book goes on – but in the opening salvo, we have a description of high places in Jerusalem. That is our clue that identifies idolatry as the first issue God brings into focus. We’ll talk about idolatry on Sunday – what it means and how it can affect us, even in a modern age where it’s unlikely anyone is bowing down to a carved statue somewhere.
Idolatry is a big issue in the Scriptures – a main source of trouble all through the history of God’s people. If you’ve ever been near a church, you’ve likely heard sermons on this problem before. What’s your natural reaction to hearing that we may have idols still lurking in our lives? If you are warned to get rid of an idol, no matter what form it may take, do you feel encouraged, condemned or something in between?
What if the cure for idolatry wasn’t about getting our act together or trying to be a better Christian? What if it were something deeper, something we need to realize about our identity? I’m persuaded that the first chapter of Micah gives us a clue as to how God can cure “the incurable plague” that has often hounded his beloved people. I hope you can join us as we consider this on Sunday – I think it will be a great encouragement to us all!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll begin a new book series, doing an examination of the Minor Prophet, Micah. I recognize that some may start to squirm in their seats at the thought of reading through the thundering pronouncements of an Old Testament prophet on a Sunday morning – but I can assure you we will not be leveraging these writings to try and scare anyone about God. As a matter of fact, I tend to agree with N.T. Wright who asserts that the promotion of a wrathful, vengeful God is a somewhat pagan initiative, and not representative of the Biblical narrative.
That’s not to say that Micah will be an easy read. Far from it. We will encounter a lot of talk about judgement described on a cosmic scale – but this Sunday we’re going to take a moment to consider what God’s corrective judgement might be telling us about God’s nature. When we think of God’s judgement, what normally comes to mind? What images do we conjure up? It’s fairly important to grapple with our own picture of God and His character as we unfold the words of Micah, because often the things that trouble us are merely the preloaded assumptions which we map onto the text.
If you’re up to it, you may want to read the book of Micah (it won’t take long) before we start in on it in the next few weeks. Let your mind conjure up images of what it described and take some time to jot down who God is confronting and why. We have a modern tendency to personalize sin without taking into account how much attention God pays to how we interact with our fellow human being.
If you can’t manage to read the book, maybe take a look at The Bible Project’s summary of the book – it’s very informative and will point you in the direction we’ll be taking in this study (you can view it at the bottom of this page). I hope you can join us for this study – it will be a wonderful lead up to where we go next!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be wrapping up our study through the book of 1 Corinthians – we’ll be reading all of chapter 16, where Paul closes his letter.
We’ll be focusing on his final instructions in v1-4, where he talks to the Corinthians about gathering funds to support the believers in Jerusalem. Part of Paul’s missionary journey through Asia Minor was meant to raise funds for the poor in Jerusalem. We aren’t totally sure why, but it’s likely that the famine mentioned in Acts 11 played a role in that need.
In the process of giving his instructions, Paul actually provides some important principles for us, as modern readers, when it comes to how we approach financial gifts within the church community. What stands out, if anything, about Paul’s instructions? Does Paul want money to be raised while he’s with them? Why do you think he gives this instruction? How might we learn about generosity from this section?
The rest of the chapter will be dealing with specific greetings and Paul’s closing remarks, which we’ll look at on Sunday.
If you stuck with us through this study, I hope you got something out of it; I know I did. Did anything come to light for you during our reading of this letter? What parts did you find most challenging, and which parts gave you comfort? I’d be interested in knowing, if you have time to put it in the comments.
Hope you can join us this Sunday as we conclude our look at the Hot Mess Church of Corinth!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We’ll be returning to our study of 1 Corinthians after taking two weeks away from it for the holidays. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 15:35-58 – Paul’s concluding thoughts concerning the doctrine of the resurrection.
In the first part of chapter 15, Paul was corrective in his discussion about the resurrection – pointing out how intimately Jesus’ resurrection was tied to our own stories. In Paul’s thinking, Jesus’ experience was a model for what God intended to do for all of his people, hence, the general resurrection was a mandatory belief.
I do find it fascinating how very little time or thought our modern, Western church gives to this idea. N.T. Wright wrote a very insightful book on this topic, called “Surprised by Hope”, which I highly recommend reading.
For the last half of the chapter, Paul points both to nature and the Biblical narrative to make his case for the holistic nature of the resurrection. I really like his argument as it touches nature. What are we witnessing every spring as winter recedes? If God is the author of reality as we perceive it, what might he be trying to tell us in this cycle of seasons?
Going to the biblical narrative, Paul asserts a new Adamic role for Jesus. His logic seems to be, if we all face the certainty of death through Adam’s sin, doesn’t it stand to reason that we all get in on Christ’s resurrection life through Him?
As Paul has elaborated on this subject, has it influenced how you perceive an afterlife with God? Paul finishes on a high note, in v55 he rewords a prophetic poem from Hosea 13, flipping the meaning of that oracle into a forecast of triumph for God’s people. How can we start incorporating a more robust hope for resurrection into our faith worldview?
I’m really stoked about getting into this section of 1 Corinthians – I hope you’re able to join us this Sunday at 10 AM!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I know, I know….you’re thinking: “Rob! It’s almost Christmas, not Easter!” I realize that. But I would also argue that the themes of Easter should be something that resonates with followers of Jesus no matter what time of year it is. As we’re going to be reading in our text this Sunday, the resurrection of Jesus is the very heart of our faith and hope. We’ll be continuing our study in 1 Corinthians this Sunday, reading chapter 15, verses 1-34.
I’ll warn you right off, this is a fairly complex and dense bit of theology that Paul delves into as he comes to the close of his letter. It might behoove you to read the passage in a few different translations – but especially take a look at Eugene Peterson’s “The Message” version – because while it may overly simplify some of the concepts Paul is advocating, it most certainly provides a readable overview of this thoughts.
As you read it over, how important does the resurrection of God’s people seem to be for Paul? Does it match your own passion for that subject? If not, why might that be? How much space does the resurrection of the saints take up in your spiritual worldview? Clearly, for Paul, everything hinged on that idea.
Paul indelibly tethers Christ’s experiences to the future plans for His followers. In Paul’s thinking, our beliefs about what happened in the past have a profound effect on our present and our future when it comes to the resurrection. I’ll be honest, the string of Paul’s logic feels so foreign to me as someone who has grown up in the Evangelical church. Our matrix has always been: “Believe on Jesus and you will go to heaven when you die and avoid eternal punishment in hell.” It just feels like that reasoning couldn’t be further from Paul’s thinking about mortality and eschatology. In fact, how many times does Paul reference “going to heaven or hell” in his presentation of the central core of the Gospel?
That’s really something to ponder for a bit. The more I ponder it, the more I start to ask, “What have we been thinking?”
If you’re really interesting in tackling a big topic, I hope you’ll join us this Sunday at 10 am as we dig deeply into Scripture.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
What should we do when we encounter scripture that makes us uncomfortable? Sometimes I’ve read scripture that leaves me squirming in my seat and unsure if I should continue reading or close the book for good. Maybe it’s when God sends a flood to destroy all of humanity except for one family, maybe it’s the violence we are confronted with in the Old Testament, or maybe it’s the verses that Paul writes about slavery and women.
When this uncomfortable confrontation happens, and I believe it will happen for anyone who reads scripture, we are faced with a choice. Do we close the book for good? Do we pretend we didn’t read that part or pretend those verses are not in the Bible?
We can choose to walk towards God or away from God in our confusion. It seems that walking away would be an easier route. It certainly takes less work and it requires less trust.
Or, do we take the road less traveled? Do we choose to move towards God, even in our confusion?
Personally, I have found God and scripture to be more than capable and strong enough to withstand my questions, doubts, and feelings of confusion. I have also found that when we begin to understand that God is big enough for our questions, something else begins to happen. The uncomfortable scriptures morph from a haunting of unknowns to a mysterious adventure waiting to unfold with God at our side.
This week we will be reading 1 Corinthians 14:26-40, which are famous verses for this exact reason. Read them and you’ll know why immediately. We invite you to step towards the uncomfortable scriptures and join us this Sunday at 10:00AM as we study God’s word together.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Join us this week as we continue our study in the book of 1 Corinthians.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
According to an article on Insounder.org, love is the all-time most common theme of song lyrics, followed by life and death. Love is such an elusive concept for so many people, which is probably why it dominates our thoughts.
Of all the people in the world, I would think that followers of Jesus would have some pretty important insights into the nature and meaning of love. The Bible talks about love around 750 times, depending on the translation, about 300 of those mentions appear in the New Testament. That’s what I would consider to be an emphasis.
Strangely, that emphasis doesn’t seem to carry over into how the church has represented itself throughout history, and especially in our contemporary American culture. I often wonder about that. Why is it such a struggle to keep our eye on this massive target the Scriptures present?
This Sunday we will be reading one of Scriptures most famous, and certainly most beautiful poem about love. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 13, the famous love chapter.
This passage usually finds its way into wedding ceremonies, which is great…but not that’s really the context or point the author was trying to make. The context is one that spills over from ch11-12, how we attend to our services and abilities as the church. As you read v1-3, how much importance does Paul place on having love as a motive for what we do in service to Christ? Do you think Paul would agree that “the end justifies the means”?
V 4-7 Paul describes what love looks like in action. Where do feelings fit in with his descriptions? What sort of lesson can we take away from his picture of love?
Here’s something: we’ve said before that if we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus. Try substituting the name Jesus for the word “love” in v4-7. Does it seem to fit? If so, what do we learn about God’s nature from this?
In v8-13 Paul points out the eternal nature of love. In the NLT v113 says that “three things will last forever” – I don’t think that’s a great translation. Most other translations word it: “three things abide” or “remain” – basically it means stay and wait with us. Faith, hope and love, but the greatest is love. When might faith or hope be completed? What would bring love to its conclusion? Does that give any insight as to why Paul said love is the greatest?
Of all the teachings in this series, I just think this one is the most vital for our day and age. I really hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into Scripture together.
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When I was in high school my teacher brought in a local professional to motivate our class. The professional shared about working hard, going to college and building his own business. He encouraged us by saying that we could have the same future if we worked hard and stayed focused. Then, he finished his motivational speech in a way that I’ll never forget. He ended it by saying, “I know I said a lot, but you know we still need plumbers so everyone shouldn’t do what I did.”
I remember laughing when he said it and then realized he wasn’t joking. Was he worried that his pep talk was too good? Was he worried the entire class was going to graduate college and run successful businesses and then we would end up in a world without plumbers? I can’t say for sure what motivated him to haphazardly tell us that not everyone should follow his example, but I can say that as I’ve gotten older I realized that he’s not wrong.
There is no doubt that our society would fall apart if everyone had the same job, and that is one of the points that Paul will be making in 1 Corinthians 12 this Sunday. The same concept applies to our jobs and giftings within Christianity and the importance of embracing our diversity in such things.
As we review the gifts of the Holy Spirit this Sunday it’s important to consider the different experiences each of us have had in the past that we bring to church with us. I want to encourage everyone who is able, to set aside preconceived ideas or biases regarding the gifts of the spirit and start with a clean slate in studying the verses this week. We will be reading the whole chapter which is a lot of scripture, but it flows together nicely and will hopefully give us some insight as to how we live our lives.
We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00AM. Hope to see you there!
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I heard a well-worn story of a little girl who didn’t want to go to kid’s church, but wanted to join her parents for the main service. It happened to be a Communion Sunday, and when they passed the tray of cracker bits and small cup of juice, her mother noticed she was visibly disappointed. When the service was over her mother asked her how she liked the main service, and the little girl said: “I’m going to go back to kid’s church next week. The snacks are better and you get way more juice!”
She’s not wrong, a nibble and a sip wouldn’t cut it…if snack time was what this ritual was all about. But, for those of us who’ve encountered the One who is behind this ritual, we know it’s far more than just a snack-break in church.
This Sunday we’ll be observing Communion (we put it off from last week because the text was more appropriate for it this week). We’ll be reading 1 Cor 11:17-34 in our study of Paul’s letter.
As you read Paul’s critique, you’ll notice he states his harshest criticisms over this matter. What stands out to you as Paul’s main complaint (you’ll find it spelled out in v22)? Do you notice that the practice Paul describes doesn’t really seem to match up with how we attend to this ceremony today? We’ll look into that a bit on Sunday.
When Paul says to examine ourselves before taking the bread and cup, what do you think he’s wanting us to determine? What do you think eating and drinking “unworthily” might be? If you’re not sure, v33-34 explain it pretty clearly. How might we be able to put Paul’s instructions into place in our own practice of observing the Lord’s Supper?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine this passage together, and join each other at the Lord’s Table.
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This Sunday we are going to be doing a deep dive into what is arguably the most puzzling sections of Scripture we find in the New Testament. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 11:2-16 in our continuing study of that book.
It’s Paul’s instructions for the Corinthians on how they are practicing their public worship service – but I’m telling you, it sounds really weird to us as 21st Century American Christians. I honestly don’t even know what to write here to lead you through the passage – but please do read it. As you read it, take note of how it makes you feel, if it makes you feel anything but confused.
If you’re interested in digging into the cultural history of the people Paul was writing to, you might consider Googling “Clothing in Ancient Rome” – and pay close attention to what you discover about what “citizens” and upper class people wear – because class distinction was an important part of the Roman societal makeup. Considering what upper class and married women citizens wore – think about what Paul is writing and ponder whether Paul was commanding a certain apparel or giving permission for it. Read it both ways in the text – as a command or as a permission, and consider how each reading affects Paul’s words.
As I said – this is a strange and complex bit of Scripture, and we’ll do our best to piece together history and culture to discover what Paul may have intended to communicate, and how we would apply it in our world today.
Hope you can join us Sunday at 10!
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This Sunday we’ll be finishing up chapter 10 in our study of 1 Corinthians, reading ch 10:23-11:1.
Much of what Paul will be doing in this passage is a recap of what he’s been encouraging since chapter 8. It all centers around our freedom in Christ and how we manage that in the best way possible. Verse 24 provides the overall ethic that creates guardrails for our freedom. How might an intentional interest in serving others provide parameters for our Christian liberty?
Once again, Paul addresses food that might have been used in a pagan ritual, urging us to not ask questions about the origins of the hamburger we’re munching. I find that very freeing, don’t you? I’m someone who thinks that same principle can be applied to a lot of different elements of life – if we receive whatever it is from God (this, obviously, means things that are not in conflict with his character), we can forgo worrying about where it came from. In fact, v 31 sums that all up pretty nicely – do whatever we do for the glory of God. What does it mean to you to do something for the glory of God? Does that mean make it religious, or something else?
Paul also included a qualifier that I’m very stoked he included in v29 and 30. You should read it in the Message version – I love it! It just reminds us that caring for our fellow believer doesn’t mean we have to submit ourselves to every person’s intolerance. How do you understand the difference between being careful for someone’s conscience and resisting legalistic expectations? How can we better walk that balance beam?
I’m really looking forward to digging into this on Sunday – I hope you can join us!
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I know we’re all waiting for this hurricane season to conclude…but God alone controls these things, so we’ll put it in His hands. In the meantime, we will be praying for those who suffered loss in the last hurricane, and let’s stay alert as to how we can assist.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing on in our study of 1 Corinthians, reading ch 10:1-22.
The overall theme of the last several chapters has been our freedom in Christ and what we do with it. We’ve been encouraged to see to it that our Christian liberties aren’t used in ways that harm each other, and now Paul draws the circle tighter, reminding us that we want to exercise our freedoms in ways that are safe for ourselves as well.
In the passage, Paul points to Israel’s history to make his point. When they were led into freedom by Moses, they didn’t manage that freedom well. It’s reminiscent of his warning back in chapter 6: “I’m allowed to do anything…but not everything is ________.” Israel fell into idolatry, sexual immorality and complaining – similar things that Paul warned the Corinthians that they were dangerously flirting with. In what ways can we be careful with our Christian freedom so as not to harm ourselves?
There’s a pretty famous passage in our text this week, where Paul says “He will not allow the temptation [we face] to be more than [we] can stand.” – which is often transliterated as “God won’t give you more than you can handle”…which is exactly not what Paul is saying. We’ll unpack that and try to gain a bit more clarity by untangling that verse on Sunday.
Paul finishes the section by contrasting the Lord’s Table (what we refer to as the Communion Ceremony) with the table of demons. He’s talking about a partnering fellowship – reminding us that we can’t go two different directions at the same time. In our time and culture, we aren’t usually tempted to go participate in pagan sacrifices – but what are some ways in which we could find ourselves invested and partnering with forces that are at odds with God’s intent for life in this world? That will be some challenging stuff to ponder.
Hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into God’s word together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we are going to continue our study in the book of 1 Corinthians (Chapter 9:19-27) and we will be reading some fairly famous verses that Paul wrote. The verses start with a statement from Paul where he juxtaposes his freedom, (“with no master”), and his slavery (“to all people”). Those are clearly opposite statements and it leaves us pondering how both can be true.
He goes on to say that when he was with the Jews, he lived like a Jewish person. When he was with the Gentiles, he lived like a gentile person. Some people could perceive this as Paul being fake or disingenuous, but the fact that he proudly shares his choices tells us that this was all for a purpose. Why doesn’t Paul walk into those spaces with the rights and freedoms he possesses to show people how Christianity should look? Isn’t he one of our prime examples of how to live Christianity out?
It’s important to remember that when Paul went to preach about Jesus at the synagogues he was not met with open arms. He knew the risk, he knew the challenges, he knew the outward changes he had to make to be heard, and he knew the feeling of being beaten and bruised by those he once called family. He knew all those things and not only did he continue to share, he looked at the people he was writing to and asked them to do the same.
So where does this leave us in the polarized world that we live in today? In what ways can we exercise our freedom by choosing to be a slave to the people around us? How does this work in our effort to maintain healthy boundaries and remain honest about who we are at our deepest levels?
There is a lot to ponder in these verses and we invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we study and break down these verses together.
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I am equal parts grateful that Hurricane Helene did not damage our area and heartbroken for the people who are now suffering the aftermath of this terrible storm. We certainly want to be praying for those east of us, and keep our eyes, ears, hearts and hands ready to assist as we are able.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing on in our study of 1 Corinthians, reading chapter 9:1-18.
It seems like it’s almost a monthly occurrence, to hear of some celebrated pastor being removed from his position or stepping down due to inappropriate behavior. It could be discouraging. Sometimes I catch a glimpse of the lifestyle many of them live and wonder if maybe that’s part of the problem – living in opulence that silos them from a more common reality. I don’t know. It’s God’s job to figure that out and address it, not mine.
I can’t help but notice the stark difference between what Paul writes in the passage we’ll be reading and how so many famous preachers live. What should we make of that contrast? What was Paul’s motive for preaching and ministering? Maybe that’s a way we can determine the fruit of any given ministry?
The reason Paul brought the subject up flows directly from chapter 8, where Paul encouraged believers to see to it that their Christian liberties and rights were subordinate to their love for their fellow believers. He’s using himself as an example of what it looks like to lay one’s rights aside for the better good of others. If Paul could set aside his right to sustenance, can we surrender our rights for others over lesser things?
This, as this whole book has been, will be a challenging study to dig into. Hope you can join us!
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This Sunday we’ll finally be moving past what were arguably the most uncomfortable passages to publicly talk about…so that’s a relief. That being said, the principles that were being set forth in the previous chapters will still be carried over into our text this Sunday.
We’ll be reading 1 Cor 8:1-13 in our study of that book.
Paul shifts the topic to another question the Corinthians had obviously asked him, concerning eating the leftover meats from animals that had been used in pagan sacrifices. Some clearly took issue with that practice while others did not.
Paul sets up a tension between “knowledge” and “loving God”. Why do you suppose he did that? How do you understand the distinction between those two ideas? What is it that actually strengthens the church?
In v 4-8 Paul gives specific scenarios which describe how the principles of grace could be put into action. The issues in the text are not things we would encounter in 21st Century America – but what could be an example of one person’s freedom and another person’s prohibition? How easy or difficult is it for you to lovingly look past someone else’s freedom or prohibitive conviction? What might help us find a higher ground to relate to each other from?
Paul finishes the section with a reminder that exercising our liberties isn’t our highest goal. Something else overrides our liberty…what is it? How difficult or easy is it for you to not do something you feel the freedom to do, in order to preserve your fellow believer?
This is going to hit home and may hit hard for many of us – but the end result is the best kind of community the earth has ever known. I hope you can join us for this study this Sunday
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This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in 1 Corinthians, wrapping up our examination of chapter 7. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 7:25-40.
As we’ve stated multiple times, we have to always take care in reading an ancient text like this – ancient Corinth was very different, civilly as well as culturally, from our modern American experience. We’ll do our best to unpack what Paul writes and see how the principles Paul provided can direct us in our modern world.
His primary audience is single people. Paul clearly is stoked on the single life. How does that compare to the way the church has presented family values over the last 100 years? Does Paul sound the least bit disparaging of single people?
We don’t know what “crisis” Paul was referring to, but it is likely the growing hostility and outright persecution of Christians throughout the Roman empire. He wrote this about 10 years before Nero burned Rome and blamed Christians for it. That prejudice would already have been at work before Nero capitalized on it. How is being single an advantage in that sort of scenario?
The overall principle that Paul seems to lay out is that “serving the Lord” is our highest priority, and no matter our relational status, we want to pursue an undistracted service to God’s purposes. How might we do that both as married and as single people?
I think this will be an interesting study to ponder – hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We live in a society that has schooled us from birth to be discontent. That’s what makes a consumerist culture go ’round. You can’t be satisfied with your life if you don’t have the latest phone, and you certainly can’t be complete if you use the wrong air freshener. We are coaxed day and night to want more and not be satisfied. The Bible, however, invites us to follow a different direction.
This Sunday we’ll be reading 1 Cor 7:17-24 in our study of Paul’s letter. Paul never uses the word directly, but this section has everything to do with contentment in our relationship with Christ.
V17 provides the header – what reason does Paul give for finding contentment in our circumstances?
Paul talks about circumcision, but his use of that word is actually shorthand for being Jewish. Why might there be a temptation to pretend to be, or hide the reality of being Jewish? What does Paul indicate is more important than religious affiliation?
We’re going to spend some time examining and seeking to better understand v 20-22, which is a troubling bit of Scripture to be sure. How might knowing we have been purchased by Christ’s sacrifice for us lead us toward contentment?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dive in to this intriguing passage of Scripture!
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I heard at least one person had to have the “talk” with their child after last Sunday’s message…so, fair warning: if you’re not prepared to do the same, exercise discretion when it comes to younger children being in the service during the teaching this Sunday (and don’t blame me, it’s Paul who won’t change the subject!).
We’ll be reading 1 Cor 7:1-16 in our study of that book this Sunday. The whole section feels odd to us because it’s written to people in an entirely different culture, time and I would say, eschatological expectations. The Romans understood and approached marriage (as well as divorce) very differently than we do in our present culture – the trick is to discern God’s wisdom in this so that we are better prepared for the choices we have to make in our own lives.
How does it appear that Paul views being married in this text? How does he view singleness? How does it square with our current day views and emphasis’, in and out of the church?
There will be some sensitive issues that Paul covers in this section that we’ll need to examine carefully and definitely through the lens of God’s overarching grace. We’ll do our best to navigate it so that we’re challenged by God without being condemned…because this is, after all, a less than ideal world.
I hope you can join us as we dig into the text this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in 1 Corinthians, and once again, (actually, this warning will hold true until we get to chapter 8), we will be considering topics that are for mature ears – so plan accordingly with your kids. We’ll be reading 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.
Paul continues his corrections of the way the Corinthian Christians are carrying on, and in the section we’ll be reading, he talks about the importance of our physical bodies. He starts out by qualifying (what obviously is) their statement of freedom in Christ. If you were to put this in your own words, how would you say it? What is the main emphasis when it comes to the freedoms we enjoy as Christians? If our spiritual journey isn’t about keeping rules, what could govern our choices?
Paul frames the last part of his argument using temple language and reminds us of our role as the temple of God on earth. What did the temple in Jerusalem represent? How can that be represented in how we live out our flesh and blood lives?
It’s a delicate topic, though one that is very relevant to our present day, and one that deserves our attention and adherence. I hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine this passage together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
So, I again want to let you know that we’ll be dealing with some mature content in our teaching this Sunday – for the next few Sundays, actually. That’s just a heads up so you can plan accordingly.
This Sunday we’ll be reading 1 Cor 6:1-11 in our continued study in that book. The first 8 verses of this chapter almost feel like an abrupt change of subject from the last chapter – but we’ll see that it really stays in suit with the idea of selfish behavior at other people’s expense. We’re going to examine Paul’s rebuke about court cases among believers, drilling down to get at why this was such an important issue to him. As you read it, what would be the underlying cause for going to court against a fellow church member? How do you feel about vs 7-8 of his rebuke; and how likely are you to follow his alternative approach to a dispute?
V 9-11 provide a challenge that, I think, is often misunderstood. Paul lists off behaviors that he describes as “not inheriting the Kingdom of God”. What might that mean? How about this: If you were planning on moving to the desert to live, would learning to snow ski be in sync with that expected environment, or not? If we are expecting to spend eternity in God’s Kingdom – what sort of attitudes and behaviors not be present in that state?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we continue our exploration of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians!
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At the opening of some TV shows or movies, you’ll often see a warning that the subject matter of that particular program isn’t suitable for younger audiences. I need to make that same disclaimer for our study on Sunday. It’s not that we’ll be covering anything graphic by any means, but there’s the possibility of a child raising questions about what is said that you may not want to answer in the moment – so I’m just wanting to warn us all that sexuality will be in view in the passage we’ll be reading this Sunday in our study of 1 Corinthians.
We’ll be reading 1 Cor 5:1-13 as we continue through Paul’s letter. The first four chapters were on divisions – and now the next three will be covering sexual morals, marriage and even singleness. The topics are more broad than just sexuality though – and we need to keep that in mind.
Paul has strong words for a man in a relationship with his stepmom. Paul uses the image of leaven in bread to describe the danger of that situation. What do you think he means by that – how might this situation have an affect on the whole church community?
In the last part of the chapter, Paul qualifies an earlier command by distinguishing between those outside the church and those inside. How would you put v12 into your own words, and how does that match with your own attitude as it touches the culture at large?
I won’t lie – this is going to be a challenging study to undertake – but well worth it in our spiritual journey. I hope you can join us this Sunday.
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This Sunday we’ll be covering 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 in our ongoing study of Paul’s letter.
The theme of the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians deals with division in the church, and Paul’s challenge to unify. Chapter 4, in many ways, serves as a recap of all that’s gone before it.
As you read the chapter, how does Paul’s description of leaders in the church (Paul, Apollos, Cephas) compare with our modern view of church leadership? What differences would you describe between Paul’s experiences sharing the gospel and caring for the church and the most famous among Evangelical pastors?
I wonder what Paul would say to the church in the U.S. if he could critique us directly?
We’ll unpack the various terms for “servant” that Paul uses and consider how we can achieve a family dynamic for the community called church this Sunday. Hope you can join us!
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“You’re acting like a baby!”
If someone were to direct that statement to us, we’d know that it’s not a compliment. I mean, most people like babies – they’re cute and sweet and vulnerable and we instinctively want to protect them. There is, however, a threshold where humans are expected to move beyond the helpless, selfish and demanding behavior of an infant. Humans without mental or physical obstacles are meant to mature.
That same expectation is present in our spiritual lives as well. In the passage we’ll be reading in our study of 1 Corinthians, we’ll examine the idea of spiritual maturity this Sunday. We’ll be reading 1 Cor chapter 3.
Paul returns to his original example of division in Corinth, highlighting the factions they have split into over different church leaders. Division is his chief identification of spiritual immaturity and worldliness. Do you find that interesting? When we consider what a worldly church, or a compromised church might have as characteristics, what things normally come to mind? Where does division fit in your thinking? Does this challenge you to reconsider the priority of unity in the church?
Paul stacks several metaphors together in order to explain his concern about unity in the church – a garden, a building and the temple. What does “garden” imagery bring to mind when it comes to the Bible? What is Paul’s point about those who tend the garden? How does the the modern American church fare when it comes to making celebrities out of church leaders? In what ways can we keep from falling into that pitfall, based on Paul’s words?
What is the foundation of the “church building” (metaphor, remember). How important is a foundation to any structure that is built? What does that tell us about where the focus of the church should be?
The temple imagery sort of wraps his thesis up. What was the temple a representation of in Israel (hint, we talked about it extensively in our teaching on Genesis)? How does it tie in with the “garden” imagery? It’s very important to remember that whenever Paul says “you” in this passage, we should be reading it as “ya’ll” – it’s corporate language; a group of people, not an individual. According to v17, why is it important to maintain the unified integrity of the “temple-church community”?
What do you suppose Paul is getting at when he says “everything belongs to you” in v22? Since the unity of the church is the theme, I tend to read it as a reminder that we don’t need to strive and fight our way to the top of any social structure….when we belong to the Church (at large), we’ve arrived at the best place we can be in God’s scheme of things. Does that mean the church is without problems? Not as long as WE’RE part of it – but it’s where God intends us to be in order to bring out what’s best in us. That alone provides us a life-long purpose and goal, both individually and corporately.
I think this will be an enlightening and still challenging study. Hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
My grandson lost one of his water shoes at our house the other day. We looked everywhere for it – outside, inside, in drawers, under couches…no place left unturned. It appeared to have a yearning to be free because it never showed up. Until a few weeks later, when we weren’t looking for it, it was resting in plain view in our toy room. Had it been there all along? It seems impossible, and yet there it was on the floor for everyone to see. I’ve had numerous experiences like that in life, predominately with our refrigerator. I ask Robbie if we’re out of mustard, and she replies “No, it’s in the fridge”, to which I reply “I’m looking in the fridge and there isn’t any.”; which prompts her to join me at the door of the icebox where she magically reaches in and retrieves the mustard which was right in front of me. She’s a wizard.
Sometimes things are hidden to us even when they’re in plain view. In our study in 1 Corinthians this week, we’ll be considering how the Gospel, God’s great plan for humanity and this world, was something hidden in plain sight until it was revealed by Jesus. We’ll be reading 1 Cor 2:1-16.
Verse two of this chapter is one of my favorite verses. Think back on what we’ve learned about Roman culture, the honor / shame aspect of it. How might a crucified Messiah sound to people in that context? Paul doesn’t seem to mind how out of sync his message is to the prevailing cultural norms. Why do you think Jesus as the crucified One was an important message in Paul’s view? What message does Christ’s crucifixion give us about God’s intent for humanity (hint, look at John 3:16-17). How might Paul’s singular focus on the cross impact our message in the world we live in?
Paul goes on to describe the Gospel as a mystery – which in the Greek means something revealed that was formerly hidden. What aspects of the Gospel were likely surprising to those Paul is writing to? Paul references the “rulers of this world” being in the dark about God’s purposes. Why do you think Paul said that?
As you read his concluding thoughts on this subject (v10-16), how does it appear that the mystery of God’s plan gets revealed to human minds? It’s interesting how readily we will make assumptions about what’s going on in other people’s minds – and here Paul points out that we do that with God as well. However, we can know God’s mind because He has given us His Spirit, who reveals God’s intent to us. What do you think is the primary way in which the Holy Spirit has revealed the mind of God to us?
It’s a rather dense section of Scripture we’ll be tackling, but I know you’re up for it – and I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into God’s Word together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
“Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate.” ~Proverbs 1:20-21
I don’t know about you, but when I think of wisdom, I don’t often imagine it calling out to us in the streets and the busy places we find ourselves. However, from the beginning, the Bible paints a consistent picture of wisdom that is in sharp contrast with the world around us. We see this thought continued in the New Testament with Paul who is writing the church in Corinth. We’ll be continuing our study in 1 Corinthians this Sunday, reading ch 1:18-31. Paul is desperate to remind the church that God’s wisdom should look different than the world’s wisdom. He also reminds them that what the world has to offer, especially in terms of wisdom, is actually quite foolish and insignificant compared to what God has to offer.
So, why is Paul telling the Corinthians about wisdom and reminding them about who is the “smartest of them all”? Well, since the book of Corinthians is a response and not the beginning of a conversation, we have to use context and our imagination to fill in the gaps. Last week’s verses emphasized the importance of unity and this week Paul is emphasizing God’s wisdom above our own. Could Paul be mentioning this because the Christians in Corinth are trying to change the gospel so that it looks and sounds less foolish to the world around them? Or maybe Paul is mentioning this because the Corinthians were using things like philosophy and scholarship to determine who had the highest standing among the Christians in that area? Whatever the reason, I think it’s safe to assume that a lack of humility and an abundance of pride is probably at the center of it all.
Even though it would be oh so easy to judge the “simple” Corinthians for falling into such follies, we want to remember how to hold the scripture that we read. We want to hold this living word up like a mirror to ourselves and see the places in our hearts that God wants to reach. I invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we consider the context and explore this scripture together.
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Has anyone ever had a job that would require regular inspections from outside sources? When I (Janelle) worked in the children’s program at the navy base we were regularly inspected by government officials to make sure our practices complied with their standards.
Sometimes the inspections were planned and sometimes they were surprises. The planned inspections involved a great deal of preparation on our side. We would review the areas that would be inspected, we would re-train staff, and we would clean every last inch of a space that was constantly filled with over a hundred kids. Needless to say, it was a stressful time.
There was always a huge feeling of relief when the inspection was over and we could return to our normal ways of running the center. We could untuck our shirts and be a lot more relaxed about how we ran things.
While Paul was not an inspector for the church of Corinth, he was invested in how they lived out their Christian faith. Even though Paul spent a good deal of time with the church in Corinth and teaching them about Jesus, even from afar, Paul found that it was clear they got sloppy while he was away. We’ll be reading 1 Corinthians chapter 1:10-17, where we’re told that Chloe’s household noticed that they did more than untuck their shirts… they seemed to have forgotten the majority of the way they were taught to live.
From what we understand of the culture at that time, societal standings were built on an honor and shame code. It was like a never-ending game of chutes and ladders where people could move up or down depending on what leaders they followed and who they associated with. Even though they were instructed to flip the board game table like Jesus, they seemed to have fallen back into the same social traps by creating a Christian-themed version of the game.
Paul, knowing and loving this church well, had no patience for this type of behavior and was clear about where he wanted them to go from there. I find it fascinating and heartbreaking that a church’s problems from so long ago and so far away can still relate to us today.
This brings us to Sunday and the questions we must ask ourselves as we study the text. Is this a cycle we are doomed to repeat, like the one in Genesis, or are there different choices we can make? Is it possible that the actions of our small church could make a difference? Do you think the Corinthians heard Paul’s word and changed? Or do you suspect their divisions only got deeper as time passed?
Since we don’t have the Corinthian response to Paul’s letter it means that we get the opportunity to live out the response for them. I invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00 AM as we study 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 together and discover for ourselves the power of Paul’s pleas for unity.
Click here for a copy of the teaching slideshow in pdf format.
So, we finished up Genesis last week, and this Sunday we’ll begin a new series, working our way chapter by chapter, verse by verse, through another book of the Bible.
However, instead of just telling you what we’re going to be studying, I’m inviting you to figure it out for yourself. Follow this LINK, and read the chapter it points to. From that background you should be able to figure out what we’ll be studying. When you are confident that you know, look that book up in your bible or bible app, and read the first 9 verses. Take note of any repeated words or names. Does the author sound kind, or angry? How would you feel if the opening words of that book were directed at you?
That will be a great way to prepare for our study on Sunday. Leave a comment if you know what book we’ll be studying next, and give me your take on the first 9 verses.
Hope to see you this Sunday!
Click here to view the teaching slideshow in pdf format.
Join Janelle Greene and Rob Woodrum as the bring the Genesis series to a close with a great teaching/discussion that covers the main themes from our studies in the first 5 books of Genesis.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
There is no way around it, the Bible presents us with a dualistic worldview. We are continually presented with two paths, two choices, two loves. Middle ground is hard to come by in Scripture. As the Didache says in it’s opening: “There are only two paths; one leads to life and the other to death and there is a world of difference between the two.”
This Sunday we’ll be starting to wrap up our study in Genesis, reading the fallout from Cain’s murder of Abel and the consequences that befell him because of it. We’ll be reading chapter 4:17-26. As we’ve noted before, following Cain’s lineage is sort of like viewing the trajectory of the offspring of the snake.
Cain was banished to the wilderness with God’s provision of a sign which would protect him. As you read the passage, does Cain end up in the wilderness? What might be significant about him building a city?
As we follow his family line, we get to the 7th person from Adam – Lamech. What is first noted about Lamech in the text? How does his taking of two wives reflect on Gen 2:24? How would you describe what is happening in Cain’s family line?
Lamech writes the first song recorded in the Bible – a lovely little tune sung to his wives about retaliatory murder (what a romantic!). Lamech, the 7th human from Adam, sings a song about sevens. In Gen 4:15, God promised to protect Cain by giving a sign that warned of a 7-fold retribution for harming Cain. What does Lamech do with the words of that promise? How does it interact with Jesus’ words to Peter in Matt 18 about forgiveness?
Last week we read about the line of Seth, the son God provided to Eve after the loss of Able. We’ll revisit that again as we consider the other road, the offspring of the woman. How does v26 compare with the lineage of Cain and their actions and attitudes? Who would you rather be?
I’ve really been enjoying getting into Genesis – hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine the two roads for life.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
One of the intriguing puzzles of the Biblical narrative is the amount of detail that is afforded some elements of the story, and the shocking lack of detail given to others that feel like they deserve more. Part of that, I believe, is intentional. There is no better way to draw your readers in than to push their minds to fill in the gaps. Much like an impressionist painting, the story of the Bible has many moments that virtually demand our participation.
One such section is what we’ll be reading this Sunday as we continue our study of the first four chapters of Genesis. We’ll be reading ch 4:1-16, which describes the start of life outside of the Garden.
The structure of chapter 4 is pretty important. It fairly mirrors certain aspects of chapter 3. Re-read chapter 3 after reading chapter 4 – what similarities jump out at you? What does God ask the humans in ch 3, what does he ask Cain? How do the humans respond in ch 3 and how does Cain respond in ch 4? Are you picking up the similarities.
The consequence for Cain’s sin mirrors the consequence of his parents: exile. Something to ponder: the humans are already outside of the Garden, where do you think is Cain being exiled to? What might be the point of this consequence and what could it be describing about humans and their Creator?
Who do you think the “they” could be that Cain is afraid of? We aren’t told what the sign is (there’s that lack of detail) that God gives to Cain – but what is the purpose of it? What does this reveal about God’s character in the face of abject human failure?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we continue examining at the roots of the Biblical narrative in Genesis.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We’re coming to the most tragic part of the Biblical narrative this Sunday – we’ll be reading Genesis 3:8-24 in our continued study in that book. It’s a tragedy that sets up a pattern that gets set on repeat throughout the whole Hebrew Scriptures, leading right up to the Gospel.
As you read about God’s response to human failure, what are some of the images that your mind conjures up? Imagine (and it shouldn’t be too hard) that you’ve messed up royally – how do you imagine God responding to that sin? As you read about God’s appearance in Genesis 3, how would you describe His entrance?
God speaks 7 times and ands 3 questions. What does He ask? More importantly, if God is omniscient, why do you think He asks?
Do the humans come clean and confess what they did wrong right away, asking forgiveness? What do they do instead? Does this seem consistent with human nature as you know it? What message do you think this is trying to give us?
Read the section very carefully. Who or what is cursed by God? Who or what is not cursed? As you perceive it, does that mean anything, and what might it be?
God forecasts a war between the offspring of the snake and the offspring of the woman (we would assume she represents human existence). How do you think this plays out through the Bible and through history? We must carefully note that biology or lineage have nothing to do with who is who’s offspring – it is all in the context of choice – whose voice is listened to. Jesus called someone the offspring of a snake in Matt 12 – do a little digging to determine who he called snake-offspring, and why.
We’ll have a lot we’ll be covering in this teaching – it’s sobering but encouraging at the same time. I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
Have you ever done a diet, say restricting carbs or something? I don’t know if it’s your experience as well, but the moment I decide to cut out carbs the only food I ever think about is full of carbs. “Just don’t think about it, Rob.” – Heh….for me, the moment I’m told not to think about something the only thing I can think about is whatever I’m not supposed to think about. Can I get an “amen”?
I wonder about that forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden – the one tree the first humans were told not to eat from and I wonder if they had that experience too: “All these fruits are great! They’re the BEST!….I wonder what the fruit tastes like on the one we shouldn’t eat?” They were in an idyllic environment, so it’s hard to say if that was a thing, but it didn’t take a very hard push to get them to that tree.
This Sunday we’ll be reading about when everything got ruined – Gen 3:1-7.
How well does a talking snake sit with you intellectually? Is that a hard one for you, and is that easy to accept? I know it’s different for different people. We’ll discuss the nachash, the snake, on Sunday and consider some possibilities.
The text describes the snake as “crafty” – some translations say “cunning” or “subtle”. We usually assign a negative spin on that description, however, a quick word search indicates that it is often used in a positive context, especially in Proverbs. A negative or positive connotation comes down to how that ability is used. What might that tell us about the nature of sin, since the origin of sin is the theme of the text?
In the dialogue that follows, the snake asks a question which the woman answers and the snake concludes the dialogue. Read that exchange very carefully. What jumps out to you, if anything? Read the divine command in Gen 2:16-17 – how does the snake’s quotation match up with God’s words? How do Eve’s corrective quotation match up to the original wording? What do you observe about this – what can it teach us about how we view or interact with God’s words?
The snake suggests that God has been holding out on the humans. He tells them they will achieve something if they take matters into their own hands – what does he say they’ll become? How does Gen 1:26-27 reflect on what the snake was offering? What could that tell us about the nature of temptation?
Read Gen 3:6 with 1 John 2:16 – what parrallels can you find between Eve’s consideration of the fruit and John’s warning about what the world offers?
I’m really looking forward to this study – I hope you can join us. We’ll be observing the communion ceremony after the teaching!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day and coincidentally enough, in our study we’ll be reading about the very first mother, the creation of Eve. We’ll be continuing our study in Genesis, reading ch 2:18-25.
Once again, I want to remind us to manage our expectations when we come to a study like this. Remember, Genesis isn’t a modern science text-book – it is sacred spiritual literature – and we are approaching it to discover its theological truths. We’ll be reading about the creation of a counterpart for the human (Adam), and we’ll consider what this part of the story is trying to tell us. Whole fields of ideology on gender and gender roles have been derived from this section, for good or bad. Issues of gender are in the foreground of the text, but whether or not they’ve been well understood is another matter.
As you read the text, you’ll see we are confronted with another obstacle, maybe even crisis, since it is described as “lo-tov” – not good. What is it? God determines to resolve or eliminate the obstacle by providing a “helper”, which was “just right/suitable” for him.
The word “helper” in the Hebrew is EZER. Now, if you’re interested, click HERE to look at the word and a concordance list of all the times that word is used in the Hebrew bible. As you examine the passages, how might it indicate what an EZER is – that is, is it describing a subordinate who assists, or something else? Does its usage elsewhere inform you about the nature of the EZER God provides for the solitary human (Adam)?
When it describes the EZER who is “suitable” for Adam, that word is NEGED in the Hebrew, meaning “in front of, or opposite of”, like a mirror. Again, does that seem to imply someone inferior, superior, or an equal?
We’ll look at the woman’s formation, and the deep sleep Adam goes into, and consider the significance of that. Adam began alone, then the one became two, for the purpose of becoming one again. While this certainly has the marriage relationship in view, this idea spills over into a variety of relationships, not least of which is the one we have with the church in Christ. There is a pattern being revealed in this – one which carries through the entire biblical narrative, landing at John 17 and arching like an arrow through the NT epistles.
This has the potential of being an intense study – but one that can be inspiring, albeit, challenging to some of our pre-loaded assumptions about the nature of humanity as God has made us. I hope you can join us this Sunday at 10 AM!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Do you remember the old Mad Magazines, how the inside back page was an Al Jaffe cartoon that had an image on it which, if you folded it in, created another image which was a commentary on the first. I used to love those things. In many ways, the book of Genesis, if we metaphorically folded it to touch the book of Revelation, operates similarly. We begin and end in a Garden…and everything in between functions to elaborate on that hope. The imagery of the first few chapters of Genesis unlock the meaning of the imagery used in the rest of the Biblical narrative.
We’ll be returning to our study in Genesis this Sunday, looking at Gen 2:8-17.
In Gen 2 we are introduced to the Garden of Eden, Adam (the human) in connection with it, and the two trees in the center of it.
Most of us have picture book ideas in our heads about the Garden of Eden – an image of an entire world in a tropical paradise setting and nothing unpleasant anywhere around. But the Genesis narrative doesn’t really validate that picture.
For instance, as you read v8; is all the land Eden? Is all of Eden a garden? Was the human “formed” in the garden? All of this implies that there is something outside that paradisical space. Isn’t that intriguing? Eden was an anomaly in the midst of non-paradise. A project begun to which we will return.
On Sunday we’ll look at the significance of the river that comes from Eden, and where it flows to.
What do you make of the trees and the warning God issues to the human? What is the first part of God’s command? Do you find it interesting that God leads with an invitation to enjoy what he’s made? Does that influence your understanding of the warning God concludes with?
If the human was made from dust (stuff of mortality), what does the Tree of Life represent to him? The forbidden tree is not the Tree of Good and Evil- it is something else – what word comes before good and evil? How would you interpret what that means?
We have a really interesting study in front of us – I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into this together!
Click here for a pdf copy of the slideshow.
Robbie and I were watching a movie some time ago. It was a popular film based on an equally popular novel called “Water for Elephants”. When it was over, Robbie quietly said, “I didn’t like that movie. They never gave that elephant water even once!”
“So you felt misled?” I asked between chortles.
“Yes!” she said, “I waited through that whole movie for them to give that elephant water and they never did, they only gave it whiskey!”
“Hmmm, you have a point. Maybe they should’ve titled it ‘Whiskey for Elephants’, or ‘The Pickled Pachyderm'”?
It really illustrates the point that the expectations we have when watching or reading something really play a huge role in informing our understanding of the work. Robbie has very literal expectations based on the title of that film – but the film had other intentions in mind. That’s the real struggle for us when it comes to Scripture as well. It’s very difficult to set our expectations or pre-loaded assumptions about its meaning aside and let the text say what it wants to say. That is never more true than it is for the first book of the Bible, the Book of Beginnings.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in the opening of Genesis, and we’ll be reading chapter 2:4-7.
Verse four is a “hinge” verse – it concludes the happy picture of chapter 1 and opens the story of chapter 2. You’ll notice a reversal of the order of the subject matter half way through the verse. Take a moment to consider why that might be.
In the opening passage (v5-7) we are presented with a new creation narrative. It begins with disorder – but something is different from chapter 1:2 – in both accounts there is a state of disorder, but in chapter one there’s too much of something and in chapter 2 there’s not enough. What is it, and what might be significant about that?
We’ll dig in to why there seems to be two different creation accounts between chapter 1 and 2.
When we come to the formation of Adam (Hebrew for man or human), we really have to work hard at setting aside all the children’s books we’ve read and pictures we’ve seen represent this, and really meditate on what the text is saying.
We’ll contemplate the nature of humanity, based on this text. We’ll consider God’s activity and motives – and I think we’ll find it very encouraging and challenging as well.
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we take a deep dive into the ancient realm of Genesis!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I have a daughter who is 11 now and one of her jobs when she gets home from school is to take her lunchbox and put it by the sink. Then later that night, I’ll wash it and it will be clean and ready to go for school the next day. It’s a pretty simple system, that is I thought it was simple until I realized it was never ever happening. It was like pulling teeth to get this girl to remember the simple job of putting the lunchbox by the sink.
One afternoon, Sammy had a particularly busy day out of the house, and I saw the lunchbox on the living room floor and not in the kitchen like it should have been. Normally I would remind her when she got home, but I thought, eh she’s busy and this would be a nice thing I can do for her. In a rare instant of compassion, I chose grace over nagging. So I got the lunchbox, washed it, and set it up for the next day.
The next morning before school my daughter came into my room and said, “Mom! Look at this!” She showed me her clean lunchbox and how it was where it was supposed to be.
Waving the clean lunchbox around and with a wide smile, she said, ‘The lunchbox is cleaned and ready to go. Aren’t you proud of me?”
Now listen, in my defense, I’m not a morning person. I was hardly awake and I had zero coffee in me. I squinted at what she was showing me, and trying to understand, I said, “What exactly is it that you think YOU have contributed to this situation?”
Still smiling and holding the clean lunchbox she said, “I put my lunchbox away yesterday and now it’s clean today. I finally followed the system!”
Leaning forward and with a sigh, I said, “Sammy, you left it on the floor yesterday and I was the one who cleaned it and put it where it should go.”
She stopped waving the lunchbox and shrugged saying, “Oh that’s funny. I really thought it was me.”
When it comes to our relationship with God, I believe there is often a misunderstanding of what we believe to have contributed to the relationship. We walk around waving God’s gifts in his face and find ourselves confused when God doesn’t applaud us for doing so. Life changes when we realize that the gifts and good things that we have in life are a gift from God and not a result of our sweet, although misguided, efforts.
This Sunday we are going to continue our study in Genesis and we will finish up the creation story by discussing the 7th day of creation and the gift of rest that God models for us to follow. I know for me, taking time off and resting has often felt like an impossible thought. There are too many people counting on me that everything could fall apart if I’m not there every day to complete my work. The idea of rest sounds great, but the Bible has me questioning if it truly is possible for rest to be a reality in such a busy culture and season of life.
The sabbath and the idea of rest is something I began studying years ago and in my study, I have begun to discover the countless amount of times I start the day by waving clean lunchboxes around in God’s face. I invite you to join us this Sunday as we discover if the sabbath is something we should continue as Christians, to what extent, and what we should do when rest feels impossible. Our church service starts at 10AM- see you then!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
One of the things we as human beings struggle with is a sense of value and worth. In our highly technological and celebrity obsessed society, it is very easy to begin feeling unimportant and deservedly marginalized.
I firmly believe that if we truly believed in a Creator God, and the story of human origin we find in Scripture, we would encounter a whole new way of understanding who we are as human beings.
This Sunday we’ll be returning to our study in the first four chapters of Genesis – we’ll be reading ch 1:14-2:4. The last three days of the creation process will be in view, where God sets up the function of those creatures who will inhabit the environments he created in days one through three.
As you read the account of day four, take note of the responsibilities given to those celestial bodies. What do each of those duties suggest to you? Do you find it difficult to set aside your modern cosmology and imagine the universe the way the ancients did, where the sun and moon have agency?
Day five describes the swarmers in the sky and in the sea – fish and birds…as well as some other creatures that are far more intriguing, which we’ll discuss on Sunday. You might want to investigate these creatures yourself before Sunday (hint: whales is a bad translation).
Finally we come to the pinnacle of creation – human beings. What do you think it means to be “created in the image of God”? What function does God describe for the human beings, and how might that inform your understanding of being in God’s image? After each day of creation God saw his work and declared it good. That pattern changes on day 6 – a word is added before good. Why do you think God likes day six so much? What does that tell you about your value from the Divine perspective?
I really love digging into Genesis – I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We’ll be continuing our journey back to the beginning this Sunday, as we read Genesis 1:3-13.
Last week we looked at the start of the narrative in v2 – that while the story begins after there is already stuff – that stuff was chaotic and uninhabited…or formless and void. Over this chaotic stuff, the Spirit of God was circulating as the agent of this new creation in process.
As we read through the first three days of creation, we will have to puzzle through some things. In v3, God declares that there should be light – but what is the light that’s being described? The sun doesn’t get put in place until day four (v16). Notice the names God gives the light and dark – “day” and “night”. What clue might that give us as to what is being described here? Day and night are usually are markers for….what?
On the second day strange things happen…strange, at least, for us as 21st Century readers. What do you think is being described when the text speaks of “the waters of the heavens” and “the waters of the earth” – and where is the space between them? Don’t worry, we’ll be talking about this in detail on Sunday.
Day three gives a bonus creation at the end of it. Dry land emerges as God gathers the chaotic waters into a designated holding place. Then, as a bonus, trees and plants and seed bearing plants begin to emerge. This is likely a reference to the kinds of plants that are used agriculturally for crops that can feed larger numbers of living things.
Everything is set in place – lovingly and carefully. At the end of each act of creation, God sees something. What is it? What does that tell us about God’s attitude toward the creation he’s made? What do we begin to learn about the character of God as we read this account of his careful planning of environments for living things?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we explore this amazing book!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing in our study of the first chapters of Genesis. John Walton shares an illustration that I find very helpful in changing my frame of view when it comes to deciphering the first book of the Bible. He imagines a person coming into a play that’s already begun, and when he sits down he asks the person next to him “How did it begin?” He’s not expecting the person to explain the process of playwriting or casting or how the set was built and from what materials – he wants to know what’s happening in the story.
That may be the issue with us when it comes to Genesis – the book is answering the question of how it began by explaining the setting and describing the characters. We, as modern Westerners, are puzzling over the stage construction.
There is a big difference between the meaning of the universe and the construction of the universe.
How difficult is it for you to try and read Genesis differently? Do you find your modern cosmology trying to take over as you read the text?
I don’t want to alarm you at the pace at which we’re going in this study, but this week we’re only going to get to verse 2 of Gen 1.
As you read over that verse, what would you describe as obstacles to creation that need to be removed? What is the condition of the earth? Read John 3:6-8. Do you see any connection with the imagery from Gen 1:2? Who seems to be the Agent of God’s creative power?
I’m looking forward to this bit of Scripture – I hope you can join us this Sunday as we explore it together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll begin a new series, tackling the first 3 or 4 chapters of the book of Genesis. Genesis has long been considered a dense forest to traverse, and certainly, during the 20th Century it has become a battleground between competing worldviews.
I’ve been really drawn to the chronicle of Biblical origins. I’m recognizing more and more how the Genesis story affects the entire narrative of the Scriptures. The threads of Genesis run straight to the Gospel and the New Testament and provide patterns that help us unlock what sometimes seem like obscure texts.
In Genesis we glimpse the Kingdom of God, and we recognize that our hope isn’t in something that’s never been, but in the return to something we’ve never known, but is how it all began. In Genesis we find out where we started from, and hence can more easily see where we’re going.
This Sunday we’ll begin our study with an introduction and a quick look at the first words of v 1.
If you’re interested in preparing for this exploration – sometime before Sunday, take the time to read chapter one of Genesis. It’s a short chapter – so take your time. Read it, if you can, in several different translations. Take note of words that get repeated (that’s one way to start identifying patterns). Jot down observations or thoughts you have about the text. It’s great stuff to meditate on.
I’m super excited about this study – I hope you can join us, Sunday morning at 10 AM.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Part 2 of a review of what we call “Eastgate Elementals”. This week we review our purpose, values and vision.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
A review of why we are here and what our goals, purpose and objectives are.
This week, we review our views on leadership.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Join us as we give a quick review of the last year’s study in the book of John.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I still remember one of the most often repeated phrases I heard after Hurricane Michael was: “I just can’t wait for things to get back to normal”. It was an understandable sentiment. Whenever we go through times and circumstances that push us out of our regular patterns in life, as when life is hard and confusing, we just want to get back to something familiar so we can try and reorient ourselves. It’s a typical response.
We’re going to be reading about Jesus’ disciples doing just that as come to the final chapter in our study of the Gospel of John this Sunday. We’ll be reading John 21:1-25. Peter and six other disciples don’t quite know what to do with themselves after all of the events that unfolded in Jesus’ execution and then mind-blowing resurrection. They probably had hoped that the skies would rain fire and Rome collapse in a blaze…but none of that stuff happened. Instead, life seemed to just go on and Jesus only seemed to pop in on them sporadically, and I’m sure it all felt really surreal. It makes sense to me that they wanted to get back to what they knew how to do, fishing.
However, now that Jesus is on the loose, things done under their own initiative seem to result in frustration (v3). Have you ever experienced that? Have you ever not known what God is up to and so in exasperation just decided to go back to old habits and patterns you had before meeting Christ? What were the results, and what can we learn from that?
Jesus’ interaction with Peter is, to me, one of the most moving scenes in all of the Gospels. What significance do you see in Jesus inviting Peter to confess his love for Jesus three times? How could this interaction provide a sense of closure to Peter? What can that tell us about our own failures and Jesus’ intent?
Jesus doesn’t just let Peter say words, he commissions him with a way of demonstrating his love for Christ. How does Jesus indicate a love for him is revealed? Is it something we can do in isolation, and if not, what does that tell us about our Christian priorities?
Jesus finishes his instruction to Peter by commanding him to follow. What does it mean to you to follow Jesus? What does it look like for a 21st Century American Christian?
I’ve really loved this gospel. We’ll have one more study after this Sunday where we wrap up all the themes we discovered. I hope it’s not the last time you visit this gospel…we barely scratched the surface of it. I truly hope you go there often, and go looking for Jesus in those words.
I hope you can join us this Sunday at 10 AM!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’re going to be reading John 20:19-31, which finishes up the chapter. This chapter brings us to the end of the Book of Glory, with only the epilogue (ch 21) remaining. In this chapter we’ll be reading about Jesus’ appearance to the rest of the disciples and to Thomas – and we’ll be considering the ramifications of the risen Christ in the midst of his followers.
Jesus shows up in the middle of a locked room. He is obviously present in a new kind of physicality, one that is not hindered by normal obstacles. Think about that locked door and the symbolism of it. What kind of doors do we lock in life…and how effective are they in keeping Jesus out?
The first thing out of Jesus’ mouth is the common greeting: Shalom. It means peace, wholeness, stability of life. John is using this event to convey the meaning of Christ’s presence, which is with us still – and how his presence brings with it wholeness and fullness of life. In what ways have you found stability, wholeness and well being in the presence of Christ?
Jesus commissions his followers to do the same thing he’d been doing. That would be unthinkable if he didn’t follow it up by giving the Holy Spirit to empower us for such a task. How can we start developing habits of following the Holy Spirit’s lead to do good and help the oppressed in this world?
V23 is a strange command. Whole ecclesiological frameworks have developed around the way people interpret what Jesus says here. There’s a conservative interpretation that I’m persuaded by (I’ll share it Sunday) – what do YOU think he’s saying?
The account of Thomas is awesome to me. I love that dude. Do you think Tommy was doubting Jesus, or the testimony of the other disciples? How did Jesus interact with Tom: rebuke, anger, irritation, compassion, care…? What was the first thing he said to him? Do you think that Jesus is angered by our questions or honest skepticism? Do you believe that doubt and sincere searching is debilitating to faith, or can it actually encourage and enhance faith? How might Jesus’ interaction with Thomas inform your view?
I hope you can join us this Sunday, I think we’ll have a lot of good stuff to chew on!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
The creation account in Genesis begins in the dark: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.”. God intervened and spoke light, order and life.
All of that went wrong when a man and a woman stood in a garden and rejected God’s rule. As a result, darkness, chaos and death again captivated the scene.
The gospel of John echoes a lot of those themes in his account of Jesus, and maybe none more so than in the section we’ve come to in our study of John. We’re going to be reading John 20:1-18 this Sunday, the account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
The main purpose of John’s gospel, as he explained in chapter one, is to let us know that all that Jesus did and taught was revealing what God is like and what God is up to – and here in his resurrection we see it in full bloom: redemption; new creation….RESURRECTION!
As you read this account, put yourself in the place of Peter and the DWJL (the disciple whom Jesus loved) – how do you think you would have reacted to Mary’s news? What would you think was going on initially?
V9 says Pete and the DWJL returned to their own home (literally, to themselves). What ways do we turn back to ourselves when we go through dark and confusing times?
Mary was inconsolable. She was on task: find the corpse of Jesus and get it re-buried. She was so miserable and fixated on that problem that she didn’t even realize the solution to her dilemma was standing right in front of her. What can that tell us about how we perceive our troubles – how should resurrection and new creation affect our expectations?
Jesus and Mary are pictured standing in a garden – what does this harken back to? What is this image revealing to us about what has happened in Christ’s resurrection?
If I asked you who the first evangelist, ambassador, teacher and missionary of the gospel was…who would you say? I know who v 18 says it was.
This is the landing place that all of John’s gospel has been leading us to – I really hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig in and explore this passage together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we are going to continue our study in the book of John chapter 19 verses 31-42. These verses are exciting because the Old Testament has been laying bricks on a road that led to this very moment. John has been adding to that by continuing to pave the way with every story and detail he has included in the gospel.
What we find in these verses is a continuation of John wasting no words or adding unnecessary information. There are so many connections to the Old Testament that are linked in this section of verses alone. There are several notes that mention different prophecies being fulfilled, but even beyond that we see a wide variety of stories coming to fulfillment.
In remembering that every word is included for a reason, what do we notice with the time of year that the crucifixion takes place? Do we see significance in that? What about the landscape of the area where the tomb is located? What Old Testament stories come to mind in reading the scenery that is mentioned? What about the fact that both blood and water flow out of Jesus when the spear is thrust into his side? What stories does Jesus mention about his blood? What times does Jesus mention offering water to people?
These should be the most depressing verses found in the Bible, but they’re not. Hope, fulfillment, a plan to make things right, and the inability to fail are written all over this story. We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00AM as we study these verses and find the hope that overflows from these words and into our hearts.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I love it when I’m able to finish a project. I just recently finished up a book cover illustration for a friend of mine, and I experienced a great sense of satisfaction (as well as relief) that the artwork was acceptable. There is something wonderful about bringing a project or a mission to it’s proper close. That being said, I find it so hard to relate those feelings to what I read about when Jesus brings his project to a close, in the passage we’ll be reading this Sunday.
We’ll be reading John 19: 16-30 – it’s the account of Jesus’ crucifixion. It’s not pretty. It’s painful and hurtful and tugs at the heart. There is nothing about it on the surface that indicates victory or success, and yet, at the end of this section Jesus announces “it is finished”. It is an expression of accomplishment.
The question we’ll be asking is: WHAT was finished? Jesus doesn’t say, and neither does John, at least on the surface.
I know that the entire New Testament is fairly dedicated to answering that question, so it’s not as though we are left in the dark. But as far as THIS passage goes, I believe the seeds for the New Testament’s theological garden are planted in John’s account of Jesus’ death.
I’ll give you a hint, and let you parse it out yourself. John identifies the kind of branch they use to offer Jesus sour wine – it’s hyssop. What is significant about that, and how would John use that to interpret what is happening to Jesus?
Jesus tells John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) to look after his mother – to take her in as his own mother – changing the dynamic of their relationship there at the foot of the cross. What could that tell us about what Jesus accomplished on the cross?
Pilate put an inscription above Jesus’ cross which read “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” – it was written in the three dominant languages of the known world. Pilate meant it as an insult, but what if God conscripted his mockery to make an announcement? How would this multinational/multicultural declaration of kingship help us interpret what Jesus finished on the cross?
There’s a lot for us to unpack in this text! I hope you’ll join us as we dig into it together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We’re only a little over a week from Christmas – and we’re also almost done with our study in the Gospel of John. I know that oftentimes I use this week to teach on Christmas themes, but I just feel the section we’re in demands we continue…at least one more week. Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, and we’ll be doing our annual Christmas Eve service during our morning service (make a note!) – so this Sunday we’ll be continuing our John series with the second part of Jesus’ trial before Pilate. We’ll be reading ch 19:1-16a.
My hope is that your Christmas is a joyful time of celebration. I know, though, for many this is a time that simply reinforces the difficulties life has already dished out. That’s one reason I wanted to stick with this passage in John.
Much like the first part of Pilate’s interrogation, the Kingship of Jesus is largely in view. Pilate allows his soldiers to abuse Jesus, and they do so by making him a parody of a king – placing a crown of thorns on his head. It was meant to mimic the wreath crown worn by Caesar – but for those of us who know the biblical narrative, it’s a stunning call back to the beginning of the Bible. For reference, read Gen 3 . Jesus wearing that crown speaks of Him carrying something away on our behalf – and based on Genesis 3, what is it?
Pilate tries to release Jesus but the religious leaders won’t be persuaded – and in the further exchange between he and Jesus, we are given a revelation about who really has the power in this whole scenario (v11). That’s something to really keep in mind.
Things looked dire, even despairing for Jesus and his followers – and yet, through it all, God had not lost control of the situation, in fact, He was using it to accomplish His purposes for humanity and the world. It’s just a good reminder that no matter how dark our days (or holidays) may seem, nothing is going to thwart God’s intention to redeem! Romans 8:31-39 has some encouraging things to say about that!
I think this will be a reassuring text for us to study this Sunday – I hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
At Christmastime we celebrate the birth of Jesus – and that is something that forces a question in most of our minds: why was Jesus born? Most Evangelicals would likely respond that He was born so he could die for our sins and bring us salvation. Jesus, however, actually gives us the answer as to why he was born in the text we’ll be reading this Sunday. We’ll be reading the account of Jesus before Pilate in our study of the Gospel of John, ch 18:28-40.
Pilate was the Roman governor over Judea. History recalls him as a cruel, petty, common-born politician, and I think the gospel accounts of him back that notion up.
When Pilate interrogates Jesus, he is only interested in one thing: is Jesus claiming to be a rival king to Caesar. If so, it will warrant his death. Jesus, as he so often does, turns the tables on this interrogation, so that Pilate is forced to make decisions and provide answers, and he clearly has no interest in doing that.
In the back and forth, Jesus provides some very important revelations as to the nature of God’s Kingdom, the sort of King Jesus is, the mission that he was on and in the last few verses of the section, the way in which the power of God’s Kingdom is revealed.
Jesus declares to Pilate that His Kingdom isn’t from, or like the kingdoms of this world’s system. Then he describes the difference in v36. How do you understand what he’s saying, and how might that be applied in our present day world?
Why do you suppose Jesus never says “yes, I am a King”? How would Pilate define a king? Would Jesus fit that definition?
When Jesus says that the reason he was born was to testify to the truth, what truth do you think he’s talking about?
Pilate offers to release a prisoner in honor of the Passover, so he offers a choice between Jesus, whom he describes as their king, and Barabbas, a lestes, brigand or revolutionary (as the NLT translates it). He wouldn’t have been a Roman prisoner if he hadn’t been guilty of some sort of insurrection activity. Here he is, the one guilty of the very crime Jesus is accused, and innocent, of. Jesus takes the place of the guilty, and the guilty one goes free. It becomes a microcosmic picture of the power of God’s Kingdom. How would you describe that power, and how might it be more powerful than the war-engines of Rome?
This is going to be an important study – I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
At Christmastime we celebrate the birth of Jesus – and that is something that forces a question in most of our minds: why was Jesus born? Most Evangelicals would likely respond that He was born so he could die for our sins and bring us salvation. Jesus, however, actually gives us the answer as to why he was born in the text we’ll be reading this Sunday. We’ll be reading the account of Jesus before Pilate in our study of the Gospel of John, ch 18:28-40.
Pilate was the Roman governor over Judea. History recalls him as a cruel, petty, common-born politician, and I think the gospel accounts of him back that notion up.
When Pilate interrogates Jesus, he is only interested in one thing: is Jesus claiming to be a rival king to Caesar. If so, it will warrant his death. Jesus, as he so often does, turns the tables on this interrogation, so that Pilate is forced to make decisions and provide answers, and he clearly has no interest in doing that.
In the back and forth, Jesus provides some very important revelations as to the nature of God’s Kingdom, the sort of King Jesus is, the mission that he was on and in the last few verses of the section, the way in which the power of God’s Kingdom is revealed.
Jesus declares to Pilate that His Kingdom isn’t from, or like the kingdoms of this world’s system. Then he describes the difference in v36. How do you understand what he’s saying, and how might that be applied in our present day world?
Why do you suppose Jesus never says “yes, I am a King”? How would Pilate define a king? Would Jesus fit that definition?
When Jesus says that the reason he was born was to testify to the truth, what truth do you think he’s talking about?
Pilate offers to release a prisoner in honor of the Passover, so he offers a choice between Jesus, whom he describes as their king, and Barabbas, a lestes, brigand or revolutionary (as the NLT translates it). He wouldn’t have been a Roman prisoner if he hadn’t been guilty of some sort of insurrection activity. Here he is, the one guilty of the very crime Jesus is accused, and innocent, of. Jesus takes the place of the guilty, and the guilty one goes free. It becomes a microcosmic picture of the power of God’s Kingdom. How would you describe that power, and how might it be more powerful than the war-engines of Rome?
This is going to be an important study – I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Prayers can come in all shapes and sizes. Obviously the prayer in the picture above is a joke, but I have to admit that it is not far off from some of the prayers I have prayed myself.
This Sunday we will be reading what is known as the “Farewell Prayer” or the “Priestly Prayer” found in John 17:1-26. By far this is the longest recorded prayer that Jesus has in any of the four gospels. This prayer represents the last words before the religious leaders and Judas arrive to arrest Jesus. Jesus chose to use those precious moments to pray for the disciples who are with him to the end.
Let’s put ourselves in the sandals of Jesus. If you knew that you were about to suffer, what would you pray for? Who would you be praying for? What would you ask God to help you with?
If you do read these verses ahead of time, I encourage you to note the way that Jesus addresses God in this prayer. Is he referring to God as King, Lord, or something else entirely? What are his choice of words meant to teach us about our relationship with God?
We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00AM for our study in the book of John. Let’s see what we can learn from these verses and let’s see what Jesus wants us to hear as He journeys towards the cross.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow
This Sunday we will be reading John 16:16-33, where Jesus tells the disciples about the difficulties they will soon face. However, instead of leaving it as a bleak warning about what is to come, Jesus offers encouragement along with the warning. Jesus tells the disciples they can ask God for help in Jesus’ name, He promises abundant joy, and He assures them of his ability to help. Jesus knows that we will face many trials and sorrows, but he encourages us to hold on and to believe that He is powerful enough to make things right.
Does anyone else feel a sense of relief when they are able to acknowledge that life is hard?
There can be a pressure, especially in our culture, that everything should look perfect once we become a Christian. Certainly, there are many things in my life that are exponentially better than they were before I knew Christ, but that doesn’t mean that Christians are exempt from feeling pain.
Jesus tells us over and over, including in the verses we read this Sunday, that life is going to have challenges. It’s going to have many moments that are really hard to get through.
Wow. This Wonderwhat post is depressing.
I know! I’m sorry! My point is, if we can stick with this blog post long enough, and stick with the verses, we will find a promise of restoration. Jesus encourages us to hold on. He sees us. He knows this is hard for us, and He has promised to rescue us.
Which leaves us, in whatever situation we may find ourselves, wondering if we can trust that Jesus will rescue us? Can we trust that He does hear our prayers? Can we believe that He will redeem our suffering? Can we hold on, in steadfast faith, believing that Jesus has the power to set things right?
No one can answer those questions for us. We are all faced with the challenge of answering these questions for ourselves. We may even find that our answers fluctuate depending on our current circumstances.
We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00AM for our study in the book of John. Let’s see what we can learn from these verses and let’s see what Jesus wants us to hear as He journeys towards the cross.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I heard someone tell a story from his boot-camp days in the military. He said that one day a new recruit got off the bus with water skis and a fishing rod under his arms. Apparently, the recruiting officer told him that the boot camp was on an island (which was true), and that people could ski and fish (which was also true, if by “people” he didn’t mean the recruit, but civilians if they were allowed on the island). The recruit soon found out that skiing and fishing were not on his drill instructor’s agenda – and had he known what really awaited him on that island, he never would have gone.
Sometimes people evangelize people like that recruiter – promising that if we follow Jesus we’ll have out best life now, with plenty of fun and nary a tear….but Jesus didn’t play those kinds of games with us. He wanted us to be prepared for what a life of following him would mean.
We’re going to be reading John 15:18-16:15 this Sunday and Jesus will make just that sort of warning.
The book of Acts plays out Jesus’ prediction here – and the first 300 years of the church’s history is one of cyclical persecution. To this day you can track how Christians are persecuted and hated all over the world through organizations like Voice of the Martyrs, so I think its safe to say that Jesus wasn’t being paranoid in his predictions.
In all fairness, we have to acknowledge the many times in history that the church has been guilty of promoting it’s own brand of persecution against people of other religions or those they have deemed sinners. There is no excuse for it and it is a blight on our history, all we can do is mourn such folly. The Gospel is the final victim of that sort of stupidity.
Nevertheless, the church’s mistakes don’t diminish the reality of social conflict that comes with following Jesus – and it was sort of promised to us by him.
In this passage, in light of the world’s system rejecting the gospel, ch 15:26-27 tells us God’s response and what our intended response is supposed to be. Is it back out of the world? Is it give up and leave them to themselves? Is it to get angry and fight back? What is the response of God and his church to rejection and hatred?
Chapter 16 outlines how the Holy Spirit will interact with this world and with us. Do you get the picture of human ingenuity spreading the gospel… or something else? What picture do you see? Who does Jesus say will lead us into all truth? How would you understand your role, or the church’s role in this activity of God’s Spirit?
I hope this will be a challenging, albeit sobering study this Sunday! Hope to see you there!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be looking at another, very likely familiar, passage from the Gospel of John. We’ll be reading John 15:1-17, Jesus’ famous discourse on the Vine and branches.
In our study last week, we considered how Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come and live in us. In this section we’ll be reversing that, and we’ll consider how we are called to live in Christ. Jesus employs a metaphor that is pretty straightforward to understand the principle of, but a little more tricky to identify how to apply it.
Before digging in to that application, it’s really important that we ground this text within the larger scope of the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament as we’ve called it). Read Psalm 80, Jeremiah 2 and 12, as well as Ezekiel 15, 17 and 19. Also Hosea 5…oh, and don’t forget Isaiah 5. (I linked a few of them…I’ll leave you to look up the rest) The thing is, a grapevine or a vineyard was often employed by the Hebrew prophets to describe Israel and her connection to God.
What might it mean that Jesus is now applying that same metaphor to himself, even identifying himself as the true vine? How might that help us understand how his word pruned his disciples? Does that shed any light on v6, where Jesus warns about not remaining in him. Clearly, Jesus intends a shift in perspective about who God’s covenant people are.
On a more localized level, we can apply this metaphor to our own lives. Still, how do you understand the idea of remaining in Jesus? What do think the practical meaning of bearing fruit is?
Note that v12 and v17 bracket everything Jesus talks about with a repetition of the command he gave back in ch 13. In fact, v9-17 have a repeated word, what is it? How does Jesus describe love in v13? Does this give us any indication as to what a fruitful life might look like?
While this may be a familiar passage, I really believe we can discover a lot in Jesus’ words to us. I’m looking forward to digging into this together – hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Over the years I’ve heard people wish again and again that they could have been alive during the days that Jesus walked the earth. Often this desire is expressed when facing something perplexing about our faith, and the assumption is, if I could just see Jesus and ask him I wouldn’t be confused right now.
That, however, is flawed thinking. One consistent element of all the Gospel accounts is the confusion and misunderstanding Jesus’ disciples experienced. There’s no evidence given in the Gospels that Jesus’ disciples had an easier time of believing than we do. In actuality, maybe just the opposite. Those who were closest to him were so unsure about him that betrayal and denial were still ready options. When push came to shove their lack of certitude about him made it easier for all of them to run and hide rather than stand with him in his arrest.
One could argue that they didn’t start taking shape as solid believers until after he wasn’t with them physically. That’s something to really ponder for a while, isn’t it?
The reason for that may be found in the passage we’ll be reading this Sunday, John 14:15-31.
Notice that Jesus doesn’t say “If you keep my commandments I’ll love you”. The only “if” of this statement is connected to our love for him. Obeying isn’t a condition required in order to be loved…it’s a symptom of a condition of love. How does living by Christ’s teachings reveal love?
Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit to us in this passage. Jesus seems to indicate that our journey with him will be that much more stable because he’s sent the Holy Spirit in his stead. Now, instead of being with the Holy Spirit as he’s operated through Jesus, he will be in us, guiding, teaching and helping us on our way. That indicates a quantum leap in our journey. Think of it – a 24 / 7 Counselor and Friend within us, available to us at all times. He will teach us and guide us and empower us. What of life’s puzzles and dilemmas do you bring to the Helper? How has His presence in you provided guidance for your life?
Just as he’s about to be arrested and crucified – with the launch of the church in view with all of the persecution and turmoil it has faced throughout history – Jesus says he will leave us with peace. How can we understand what he’s saying? How can we be peaceful even when there is turmoil surrounding us?
The characteristics of this relationship with God are profound. God IN us manifests in our lives as love, discovery and peace. For as much as I’d really like to see Jesus, I still think we’re better off where we are right now.
This should prove to be an interesting (albeit heady) exploration this Sunday. Hope to see you there!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
How hard or how easy is it for you to live this encouragement out in real life? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by a troubled world or your own difficulties? Have you ever found yourself frustrated by verses like the one above because, try as you may to believe, your troubles seem relentless? I know I certainly have.
We’re going to be reading John 14:1-14 this Sunday, where Jesus issues the directions quoted above. It is couched in the section commonly called “Jesus’ farewell address to his disciples”. Judas has gone out to betray Jesus to the authorities and Jesus has made it clear that he will soon be gone from them. All in all, the evening has really turned into a bummer. Can you imagine the distress and confusion that is beginning to mount in the midst of this group?
So Jesus gives direction – truth to calm their troubled hearts. His encouragement isn’t given in a promise to make all the troubles go away – but rather, in providing a fresh perspective from which to view the looming wave of adversity.
This section is interesting because it contains three familiar passages that have often been isolated and often misperceived. Something we’ll take a look at as we go on Sunday.
Jesus’ first encouragement is a promise about his Father’s big, big house, with lots and lots of room (if you were a Christian youth in the 90’s, you’re welcome for the ear worm that should be playing in your head right about now). We mostly take this as a picture of heaven, which I think the idea may include, but it has more a sense of the bigger picture of redemption, which is unfolding right now in our lives. How does thinking about the way that God redeems broken things provide a sense of encouragement and assurance in times of trouble?
This section also contains another of Jesus’ clear self-identifications as being united with God the Father. To see Jesus is to see what God is like. To trust in Jesus is to find the way home to God. Jesus actually promotes an intentional trust; “DON’T let your hearts be troubled” – don’t live there, don’t form your identity from your difficulties. Instead, we’re called to trust Jesus in an act of our will. What are some ways we can intentionally trust Jesus when all hell is breaking loose? Can you identify ways in which that intentional trust would promote assurance in your heart?
V13-14 are problematic verses in this section, in that they have inspired a certain level of materialism within one section of the church which tends to leverage Jesus’ words to name and claim good fortune for themselves. What might it mean to ask for something in Jesus’ name? Is that a magic incantation, or the html tag needed to close a heavenly code….or something else entirely? If someone requested something at your workplace in your name, what would that mean? How might the promise of Jesus’ authority on earth bring us assurance in times of difficulty?
I’m looking forward to exploring these verses together – I hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
When a person has on a garnet and gold shirt with a feathered spear emblazoned on the chest, you can get a pretty good idea what college team they root for come football season. Same thing when someone stretches their arms out front, right arm over left and begins moving the arms up and down, you can easily guess what reptilian mascot they pull for. People’s loyalties will often have identifiable distinctives.
But what about a loyalty to Jesus? How can people tell that a person is committed to Him? Some believe that they have to be outspoken about their moral convictions and fight every impure aberration they encounter in order to demonstrate that they are, indeed, a Christian.
Some people are so zealous they could be described as being “in your face” about their faith – all in an attempt to be identified as belonging to Christ. Did Jesus give us any clues about how we could be recognized as his disciples, his followers?
The answer is yes. He told us very clearly, with words that are both ridiculously easy to understand and ridiculously hard to do.
We’re going to be reading John 13:18-38 this Sunday, finishing up the chapter. In this section we have three points – 1) a betrayal is forecast and the betrayer identified, 2) Jesus gives a new commandment, and 3) Jesus forecasts Peter’s denial. Jesus’ command is sandwiched between two revelations of faithlessness – which I believe is intentional to provide a contrast for his command.
When Jesus revealed that someone would betray him, what were the disciples uncertain about? Did they show any predisposition to assume Judas was the betrayer? It seems like Judas blended in with the gang quite well – so with that in mind, how much do you think an outward show of conformity has to do with rightly representing Jesus?
When Jesus told them all he was leaving to a place they couldn’t follow, Pete zealously announced that he would go anywhere – he would die for Jesus. Jesus had some disconcerting news for him about events that would happen later that night. How much did outspoken zeal have to do with rightly representing Jesus?
V34-35 – what did Jesus say would be the identifiable distinctive of his followers? Is this romantic love, or sentimental love, or something else? How easy or hard is it for you to love people who are unlovely – those who’ve hurt you or offended you? How does loving people like Jesus loves us help us understand the process of loving others? This will be a challenging, albeit, hope-filled study – and I hope you can join us for it this Sunday at 10 am!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Imagine you’ve been asked to a dinner party for the small company you work for. As you’re waiting for dinner to be served and people are sitting and chatting, your boss has quietly gone to the corner of the room and stripped down to his underwear and with a jug of bottled water, starts going down the line of guests and begins washing their feet.
Besides being the basis for a huge lawsuit – how would something like that make you feel? Would it unnerve you? Would you protest this action?
We’re going to be readingJohn 13:1-17 this Sunday, and the events described above sort of play out in our text. Sometimes we pass this strange display off as a cultural thing, something that everyone was accustomed to – but there is no evidence that supports that assumption. Actually, just the opposite. Foot washing happened, but by and large, guests at a home would wash their own feet. Jewish servants were not even required to do this sort of humiliating and intimate thing. Only gentile slaves were known to do something like this.
John sets the stage for this event by saying that Jesus had become aware that all things were in his hands…that is, he wielded the supreme authority of God. So, with that knowledge, what was the first thing Jesus did with those hands?
I don’t have a lot of questions to prod you with this week – just that image to ponder. If Jesus is our greatest revelation of God…who IS God as we see him on display in this section? What is this God asking of us, based on the last part of the passage?
This is humbling, challenging and potentially life-altering stuff. Hope to see you this Sunday.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we will be reading John 12:44-50, which contains the very last thing Jesus says to the crowds during his three year ministry before the cross. After this, Jesus’ words will be reserved for the disciples, the religious leadership, and the people who watch him as he is crucified. Various crowds have been following Jesus for the last three years, and he has but a few moments to speak to them for the last time.
Up to this point in the story, Jesus has proven himself through miracles, healing, wisdom, and compassion. If it were me, I would be tempted to tell Jesus not to waste anymore time trying to explain who He is. I would say, if they don’t get it by now, they are not going to get it. Thankfully, Jesus is better than that. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t give up that easily.
With only a few moments left, what do you think Jesus will say to these crowds? Do you think Jesus will retract any of his previous statements? Or do you think that Jesus will reinforce them?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot as I have been preparing my teaching this week. If this was my last time speaking, what would I want to say? What would I want people to walk away believing? Is it really possible to change someone’s mind with just a few words? And how do we make those words count?
We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00AM for our study in the book of John 12:44-50. Let’s see what we can learn from these few verses and let’s see what Jesus wants us to hear before he journeys towards the cross.
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
Have you ever heard an audible voice from heaven giving you direction? I never have – though I know people who have had that type of experience. I used to think that if I could just hear God shouting out of the clouds letting me know he was there that I would never doubt again.
We’re going to see from our passage this Sunday that its really not that simple. Well be reading John 12:27-43. This passage includes a supernatural event like I described above, but it certainly doesn’t have the result one would expect.
As we read this passage let’s consider the reactions of the people towards Jesus. I believe there are some pitfalls we can observe and try to sidestep in our own journey to discover more of God and his ways.
For one thing – there were three distinct reactions to the voice from heaven. One, of course, was John who obviously heard the voice of God clearly enough to record for us what the voice said. What were the other two reactions? What do you suppose made the difference in what people heard in that sound from the sky? I find it interesting that there is often so much ambiguity when we encounter the divine. I think if a person is determined to do so, they can always find a way to rationalize what others perceive as a supernatural event. God seems intent on moving in such a way that he’s easily hidden if someone is determined not to see him. I also think there’s a bit of heart-testing in that ambiguity. How open minded are you when it comes to God encounters?
The other thing that I notice in v34-36 is a doctrinal barrier. In v34, the people don’t actually say “it’s written in the Scriptures“…what do they say instead? How would you explain their problem with Jesus and their understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures? How well do you know the doctrines that you hold to as non-negotiables? What are your doctrinal convictions based on – what is written, or what you’ve learned? In what ways could God get obscured by our doctrines. How can we be faithful to our convictions and still be open minded?
Finally, the last verse of this section (v43) is very telling. How can loving the praise or glory that comes from men (that is, the validation and affirmation that we crave so deeply) end up interfering with our loyalty to God? What measures can we take to prevent that from happening in our own experiences?
Should be an interesting study – hope to see you then!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
After many successful dodges of the authorities, and many hush, hush miracles, this week we’ll see Jesus boldy riding into Jerusalem to claim his throne as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We’ll be picking up in our text this week covering John 12:12-26. We’ll be covering a segment of scripture known as the triumphal entry.
The surprising thing is Jesus doesn’t ride in to town on a majestic war horse dressed for battle, he rides in on a lowly donkey clothed like the poor. What might this suggest about the Kingdom of God? What might it mean for us his loyal subjects?
We see the crowds hailing Jesus as Lord and savior, hoping for a conquering King to finally free them from Roman oppression. Just when they expect to hear a battle cry from their hero, he says something completely opposite. In vs 23-24 He gives a cryptic analogy about a seed dying, and producing many more seeds filled with that same potential. It hearkens back to the garden of Eden. In the garden, the serpent sowed a seed of doubt in Eve’s heart regarding God’s goodness and His intentions for mankind. That seed grew doubt in her mind that led to death, spiritually and physically for all of humanity. In our text this week Jesus offers another seed, his very life offered on our behalf to restore all that was lost in the garden. What does the image of Jesus on the cross reveal about God’s heart for humanity? What difference does the depth of his love for you make in your daily life?
He goes on to explain that a love for our own life in this world will again produce death but that a hate for it will result in life renewed and eternal. The key to this is the phrase “in this world”. Of course he doesn’t want us to hate the life He’s given us. The hyperbole he employs emphasizes his point that nothing “this world” or its systems have to offer should be more important to us than our commitment to Christ. A stark contrast to the commitment to self permeating our society.
The choices we face today are the same ones they faced in the garden. Go our way or go God’s way. At some point we have to realize that Father knows best.
Does the pursuit of possessions or positions (circumstances) dominate your daily life? Do you wake up each day in hopes of being one step closer to that happiness you’ve always dreamed of? What priority does the pursuit of holiness hold for you?
Jesus invites us to follow him to the cross, to embrace a life of sacrificial love, that reveals his unsurpassable love for our neighbors and all of mankind. He says that in portraying his image into this world, we’ll find that full and purposeful life that our heart is truly longing for.
Have you ever experienced a let down or a low after working so hard in pursuit of a possession or position? Does knowing the temporal nature of what this world offers help to dull the draw towards them?
Our last verse holds a remarkable promise. vs 26 says that those who serve Jesus will be honored by the Father. The word honored means valued or prized. Does the thought of being valuable to God, mattering much to the King of the universe inspire different priorities in your life?
It should be a challenging and promising study this week. Hope to see you there!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
History is filled with accounts of royal coronations. Emperors, kings and queens ascend their thrones amid pomp and ceremony, all of it designed to celebrate the new rule and power over people. Sometimes the ceremony is meant to inspire fear, other times there were assurances of peace and prosperity, but all of it was focused on the new ruler’s power. Coronations of kings and priests run as a thread all through the Hebrew bible – and very rarely did the ruler placed on the throne do well with that power.
It all leads to Jesus – the King of kings and Lord of lords. If we had in mind the grandeur of history’s celebrations of new rulers, we’ll be deeply surprised at how this goes down in Jesus’ anointment as King.
This Sunday we’ll be examining John 12:1-11.
The scene that John describes is one that would have been awkward and uncomfortable in our culture to be sure, but in actuality it would have been weird in Jesus’ day too. Back in Luke 10, Mary upset her sister Martha by defying ancient protocol when she sat out with the men to learn as a disciple while her sister conformed to the domestic expectations of the day. Here again, Mary behaves in a way that for some people viewing it, might have cast her in an unsavory light. Letting down her hair to wipe Jesus’ feet, pouring out an entire box of oil when just a dab would have done…these were actions that were out of sync with the expected norm, and it created a reaction.
How do you think you would have reacted to Mary’s behavior? Who reacted negatively to this action? What seems to be the most important issue for him? What seems to be important to Mary?
All of the different characters and all of their responses. Who do we relate to the most in this section? The Chief Priests react with their one-note response…they want to kill someone. Let’s hope you don’t relate to that. Mary sacrificed a very expensive box of oil to pour out on Jesus. She also sacrificed her dignity and reputation. All because she wanted to demonstrate to Jesus her love for him. How much of Mary do you see in your approach to worship? How much of Judas?
Everything about Jesus disrupts and inverts the normal expectations of this world’s system, especially as it touches what it means to reign in power.
This should prove to be a challenging study this week! Hope to see you there!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Have you seen any of those videos that inform you that you are incorrectly attending to some menial task you’ve been practicing your whole life? For instance, most of us tie our shoelaces incorrectly. Or we hold the can opener the wrong way. There’s just a plethora of habits and patterns we’ve accepted in our daily lives that can be proven wrong.
That is a startling truth when in comes to how we, as Christians, carry ourselves in this broken world. There are patterns that the world has which we often adopt without thinking about it – patterns which Jesus and the Gospels challenge us about.
We’ll be continuing our study in John this Sunday, reading ch 11:45-57.
The whole section is the fallout from the amazing miracle Jesus performed in raising Lazarus from four days of death. Instead of rejoicing and seeking God to see what such a miracle meant – the religious leaders begin considering the political ramifications of Jesus’ popularity, and come to the conclusion that he must die.
The motives of those religious leaders mirror the motives of the systems of this fallen world. Their story is a cautionary tale for those who claim Jesus as their Lord. We’ll examine those motives on Sunday and identify the responses that would more likely fit a follower of Jesus.
When the religious leaders discuss their Jesus problem – what is their main concern? Try reading the passage in different translations. Who does it seem like they are most concerned with? To what lengths are they willing to go in order to preserve their positions of privilege? How does that contrast with Jesus’ ministry so far in this gospel – and where we know that it’s going?
What are the possible broken patterns that the church today is following, and how might we change those patterns in our own lives?
These will be interesting things to ponder – I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
It’s the sad refrain of a broken world: “If only”. “If only he’d entered the freeway five minutes sooner…”, “If only I would have kept my mouth shut…”, “If only the lab results had shown it…”, ….. “If only God had heard my prayers…”.
We live in a world that is painful and confusing so often, and for people who want to seek after God, adding to that pain and confusion is the regular complaint that one prayer or another has gone unanswered. It’s very tempting to assume that God has forgotten, doesn’t care, or has no plan at all for us in the vast scheme of things. If you’ve ever felt that way, please know that you’re not alone. Every honest seeker of God will wrestle with this at some point in the journey.
We’re going to be reading a large portion of text this Sunday, John 11:1-44, which begins the revelation of Jesus’ glory and power – but which also sheds a remarkable light on the subject of delayed answers in prayer.
The text plainly says that Jesus loved this family, yet it also says even though Lazarus was sick, Jesus waited two more days to head to Bethany. Does that seem like the behavior of someone who loves someone else? His reasons for delay are somewhat disclosed in v15 – does this give us any clue as to why God sometimes allows our prayers to seem unanswered? How can we view an apparent silence from heaven differently in light of this?
When Jesus arrives both women confront him with “If only you’d have been here”. In answering Martha, Jesus makes another statement of “I am”, calling himself the resurrection and the life. He was revealing that in some mysterious way, the future hope of God’s plan of redemption was reaching back to the present and infusing life with abundant possibilities, beyond what we can see (HT N.T. Wright). But this wasn’t just a theological exercise for Jesus – he isn’t portrayed as a dispassionate observer of human plight. V33, 35 and 38 make that abundantly clear. If Jesus is the fullest revelation of God and God’s heart toward the human race – what does his reaction tell us about God’s heart in the midst of our plight?
What happens next is one of those too good to be true moments. It forecasts what Jesus himself will soon experience and the hope of Easter morning. But it serves also as a parable for us. What are the bleak situations or hopes that have died which we’ve rolled a stone of resignation over? Even though Jesus didn’t respond when we wanted him to, and things don’t look the way we expected them to…can we allow for the possibilities of him bringing new life in ways we never thought of? Have you experienced this already? Have you faced some pain and seeming disinterest from heaven, only to find that God has revealed some new and unexpected life in ways you hadn’t anticipated? What lessons about God, his patterns and his heart toward us can we learn from this text?
I’m really looking forward to this study – hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
My husband Matt loves movies. Last I checked we owned over 1,000 dvd’s. If you don’t know, DVD’s are a disc that has a movie on it and it’s kind of like a CD… which if you don’t know what a DVD is then you definitely don’t know what a CD is. Either way, my husband organizes all of the DVD cases not in alphabetical order, or by genre, but by the color of the DVD case. He does this for me because I really love the look of it all together on a shelf and the way that one color feeds into the next. When we lived in Jacksonville, we came home one night to find that our apartment had been robbed. They took computers, instruments, and anything else they could find that seemed valuable at the time. They also cleared a very large bookcase of DVD’s before they left.
I know, it sounds like a heartbreaking scene for someone like my husband who loves his movies so much.The good news, or great news even, was that my husband never keeps his DVD’s in the case. He keeps them in a large binder stored directly next to the DVD bookcase. This means that there was a point in time when the robbers went through every single DVD case to find absolutely nothing inside. I wonder if they gave up checking after they realized the first few were empty, or if they sat there in a pile of empty cases checking every last one. Either way, the DVD’s and the binder were safe at home and the cases have never been seen since.
There are certain spoken and unspoken rules about how things should be organized in our culture. Books, movies, and files are often organized alphabetically or by genre, and stories are often told chronologically in the order the events happened. John, and several writers from the Bible, played by different rules. Their culture certainly had priorities about how history should be preserved, but chronological order was not always of greatest importance. This Sunday, the verses that we study will jump from one festival to the next. This is because John organized his gospel by thematic events. However, this was not put together hastily or without thought. On the contrary, what we discover is a literary design that is incredibly complex and meticulously structured.
This Sunday we will be reading the second half of John chapter 10. We find Jesus in the festival of Hannakuh and the people are asking Jesus to explain who he is. The verses in the translation I’m using say: “Tell us plainly who you are”,,, but another translation could be “Stop annoying us and tell us who you are.” Jesus responds to the question by not only saying who He is, but who we are as his followers.
Some people do not take the straightforward answer well. Others are intrigued. We invite you to join us this Sunday at 10:00AM to discover more about who Jesus is, the themes John presents to us in the book of John, and where we fit in the narrative.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
One of the challenging things about reading Scripture is trying to figure out the imagery employed from an ancient culture. As the saying goes, the bible was written for us, not to us. I’ll admit that there is not a lot in my life thatWe’ll be reading John 10:1-21 where Jesus gives a discourse that provides a contrast to the corrupted religious system that had just rejected the formerly blind man, and Messiah who went to find him.
The story is the closest thing to a parable that we find in John’s gospel, and it uses imagery that would have been familiar to the first hearers but which is almost totally foreign to us.
He describes a practice of shepherding where there was a common sheepfold used by multiple shepherds. This pen would likely be a circular stone walled enclosure with one gap which would be guarded to ensure the security of the sheep. The shepherds would be known by the gatekeeper, and their sheep would follow them by the sound of their unique call, or whistle, or a tune played on a flute.
This good and proper practice is contrasted with sheep rustlers who sneak over the fence to steal sheep – forcing them to go with them.
Then Jesus changes the metaphor, where HE is a gate for the sheep. This still stays within the shepherd mold as well. Shepherds would sometimes sleep in the gap of the enclosure, as the first line of defense against robbers or predators that might threaten the sheep. He would literally become a door to the pen.
He talks about motives – the motives of hired hands and the motives of a good and true shepherd.
All of this is meant to contrast the values and purpose of the kingdom of God over against a religious system. As you read this description by Jesus,what are the main characteristics of his relationship to his followers? In what ways can a religious system manifest the characteristics of the robbers Jesus described?
Jesus seems to be trying to encourage people like the formerly blind man that religion may reject them, but it doesn’t really matter. Following Jesus is where real life is found. But this begs the question…how do we KNOW we’re following Jesus and not a religious system? How can we discern what or who we’re following by the clues Jesus gives us in this story?
This is an important issue to consider. I’m looking forward to digging into this on Sunday – hope to see you there!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading a familiar but challenging text in our study of John. We’ll encounter a man who was born blind whom Jesus healed – and the miracle of this man gaining his eyesight effectively blinds the religious leaders in the story. It’s another classic “gospel reversal” which we encounter frequently in John’s gospel. We’ll be reading Chapter 9:1-41.
This is honestly an entertaining passage – it reads like a Shakespearean comedy. There is witty dialogue, imbecilic folly, but also pathos and drama. It’s a great story with a powerful message.
The story begins with a stunning miracle performed by Jesus, as well as some insight as to the nature of suffering – but that part is really only the set-up the real point – the reaction from the religious elite.
As we read this passage, it’s easy to identify with the man healed from blindness. It’s the oft repeated theme of the powerful oppressing the weak, and it reveals the absurdity of obsessive rule-keeping. But as members of the church in 21st century America, we need to recognize in the folly of the religious leaders a cautionary tale about the symptoms of religious blindness.
In v14 we find out why the healing of this man is controversial at all – it took place on the Sabbath. No work was to be done on the Sabbath day – and according to the Talmud, kneading was a forbidden work – something Jesus did when squishing his spit together with dirt to make a paste of mud. An activity that required the use of three fingers stirred up an outrage that ended with one man being excommunicated from the hub of Jewish society, the synagogue.
We could wag our heads at these religious leaders and wonder how they could be so blind…but as the modern church, do we have similar blind spots? Can you think of any examples where the rules of what we might consider righteousness have become more important than people? Have you ever witnessed the church pushing the requirements of holiness at the expense of people?
As you think about it, why did John include this story in the good news about Jesus? What do you think his purpose is; what is he trying to reveal about the religious order of that day contrasted with the plan of God as it unfolded through Jesus?
How can we keep ourselves from succumbing to religious blindness? How would you rewrite the Pharisee’s story if they were truly able to see?
Can’t wait to cover this one…hope to see you Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
DNA testing to discover our ancestry has been all the rage for the last several years. People have looked into their histories and found new family members or had surprising results that indicated they were not who they had always thought they were.
In the passage we’ll be reading this Sunday Jesus will be discussing family lineages, though not biological or genetic ones. We’ll be tackling John 8:31-59, the last installation of a very long conversation/argument that Jesus had with the leaders and the crowds while in Jerusalem.
As the discussion opens, what does Jesus point to as our source of true freedom? How does that compare to what most people think freedom is? The Israelites were outraged that Jesus would infer that they weren’t already free people (which is odd, considering that there were probably Roman soldiers standing guard, watching this increasingly argumentative crowd). They considered themselves part of the covenant people simply because they had the right last name and were part of the Jewish race. Yet Jesus equates freedom from sin with adoption into a family – we are freed from our bondage to a broken self will and elevated to the status of family members with God. In other words – being born as a descendant of the people of promise doesn’t automatically make a person part of the family – one must commit one’s self to Christ. How does this play out in our present day church environment? How can people make the mistake of thinking they are secure in God’s family when possibly they are not?
Jesus then makes a sharp delineation between families – indicating that those who are rejecting him and his teaching are showing off the family resemblance – only they’re revealing they’re part of the wrong family. How we respond to Jesus reveals our family traits. How will our lives reflect our response to Jesus?
In the last section, Jesus makes the profound statement “Before Abraham was, I AM.” – equating himself with God and inspiring the crowd to want to stone him on the spot. It’s an awesome thought to me that Abraham looked down the corridors of history in anticipation of Christ’s day and rejoiced…it reminds me that being part of a family with God has always been his design. God wants family, not drones of religion. How can we be inspired to live in a way that shows off the family resemblance? This will be a challenging yet encouraging study – I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
A few weeks ago, I had a friend tell me a story about his elderly cousin that he helps to care for. His cousin lives about an hour away and usually has a list of things for him to work on when he stops by. Recently, she had a light bulb in her kitchen go out. Since she was unable to fix it on her own she had to wait for one of his visits to come and replace the light bulb. My friend went into his cousin’s kitchen and in the dark he could see silhouettes of pots and pans that had been piled up. It had been too dark to care for the space or do dishes since there were no windows. He went in with his ladder, unscrewed the old light bulb, and put in the new light bulb. Can you guess what happened after that?
As the the new lightbulb was put in, he saw rodents scatter everywhere. The room was filled with them and they scrambled quickly to hide back in the safety of the darkness. I gasped in terror when I heard this story while he merely chuckled. I guess he has come to expect this sort of thing.
I think if it were me I would want to unscrew the new lightbulb and back out of the room slowly. In a situation like this, I’d rather not know what is lurking in the shadows. Sometimes, when light exposes things we don’t want to see, there can be a tendency to flip the switch off and say, “I’d rather not know. I’m good with the way things were.”
This Sunday we will be reading John chapter 8:12-30. The first verse will start with the revolutionary declaration that Jesus makes about himself. Jesus says that He is the light of the world and that anyone who follows him will no longer have to walk in darkness.
This confronts everyone who hears this statement with a choice. Do we choose to follow Jesus and follow his light, or are we good with the way things are? Do we want to live in darkness with dirty dishes? I mean yes, there may be rodents, but at least we can’t see them!
Or do we want to follow Jesus and live in the light? Do we want the honest truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be? The gospel is regularly confronting us with this choice and it’s one that we cannot answer for other people. Each one of us must look at our own lives, examine our own feet, and decide which direction to take our next steps.
I’m looking forward to digging into this passage. As always, there is so much beneath the surface that will be fun to unpack and discover together at church this Sunday. Hope to see you there!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading one of my favorite stories about Jesus. In it, we’ll see the Jesus I’ve put my whole trust in and the grace on which my hope is glued.
The problem is…most scholars don’t believe the verses we’ll be reading are from the original manuscript of John’s gospel. Worse…I believe them.
However, that doesn’t mean I don’t count this story as accurate or true. It’s sort of complicated – but we’ll get into it more on Sunday.
We’ll be reading John 8:1-11 in our study of John, the story of the woman caught in adultery – or, as I prefer to call it, the case of spiritual malpractice.
As you read this story, there are some very poignant questions you want to keep in mind. First and foremost is: Where is the man and accusations against him? According to Deut 22:23-24, both parties in this scenario were to be put to death. We assume she was betrothed since death by stoning is only mentioned for engaged people in the Law. Why might the religious leaders not be interested in the man in this relationship?
If the woman were engaged, she lived in a culture where her husband had been picked for her by her father. Have you ever seen Fiddler on the Roof? Do you remember the daughters who had different ideas about marriage than Tevye? It’s a very reasonable possibility that this woman had a young man in her life that she had fallen in love with and they gave in to their desires. I think it’s really interesting that so many paintings and movies depict the woman of this story dressed in red and displaying the stereotypical attributes of promiscuity. I seriously doubt that was the case.
Why do you think the narrator points out that Jesus stooped to draw or write in the dust, but didn’t provide the details of what he drew or wrote? If what was drawn isn’t important, what significance can you imagine would be conveyed by that action?
Jesus’ answer is possibly one of the most quoted passages in Scripture, next to “judge not”. Usually, both are misapplied when used. If Jesus meant that a person had to be sinless in order to carry out the judgements of the Law, nobody would ever have been held accountable. It’s likely that he’s pointing out Deut 13:8-9 which commands the accuser to strike the first blow. He’s also saying something else – theses accusers need to look at their own hearts to determine if they’re in a position to rightly defend God’s righteousness this way. It’s sort of like: “If we’re gonna’ get this serious about defending God’s righteousness, we may need more stones than just for her.”
By saying this, Jesus brings to light the most heinous sin being committed that day. What were these men doing by leveraging God’s righteousness and the Law of Moses in order to get at Jesus? In what way were they using God’s word and their faith? How can we keep from doing the same thing in our own context? Where do we apply God’s truth, first and foremost?
The graceful words that Jesus wraps around this woman are beautiful to me. His final command, to “go and sin no more” has been puzzled over a lot. He said the same thing to the man he healed at the Pool of Bethesda after he had been busted by the religious leaders for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. In both cases where this phrase was used, the context is one where people are being abused by religious authorities. Since going forward and living a “sinless life” was, and is, completely impossible for humans in a fallen world – perhaps he meant “change the trajectory of your life because these guys are looking for a way to get me through you.” I certainly don’t know if that’s the right way to read it, but it sort of tracks.
Either way…that statement is placed at the very end of this story. How many steps can you discern that happened between Jesus’ first meeting this woman until that statement? Did he lead with a command about sin? When did he express grace and release her from condemnation, before or after this command about sin? What might we learn from that?
I’m really, really stoked about this study – I can’t wait to dig into the scriptures together! Hope to see you Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading John 7:25-52 and we’ll be tracking the same themes we looked at last time: a misunderstood Jesus.
It’s not easy to find clarity in this life. Our world is generally a blurry place. There are so many things that want to influence us, but we see so little of the whole picture that it’s very difficult sometimes to make sense of life. That’s one of the things Jesus has come to do in introducing the kingdom of God – he provides a story from which we can start to make sense of the world around us.
In order to grasp that story though, we have to avoid some of the attitudes and reactions that many of the people in this passage had.
In v 25-29 the people draw a conclusion about Jesus based on the rabbinical teachings that Messiah would appear with no origin story. How does Jesus address this misunderstanding? What didn’t the people know? Does that imply anything to us about what we are sure we know about God and his ways?
In v 30-36, and 40-46 the leaders of Jerusalem want to arrest Jesus but the guards they sent come back stunned and empty handed. The leadership thought that they were in control of this situation, but clearly they were not. What do you fear losing control of most – and what can we learn about who is in control from this passage?
The people in power react to the growing support Jesus is gaining in Jerusalem in v47-52. What attitude jumps out at you from their statements? It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture when we start thinking more of ourselves than we should. In what ways can we as the church start to feel superior to others, and how can we counteract that tendency?
The key to clarity is found in the middle of the passage, in v37-38 where Jesus makes an invitation. It’s a powerful moment which we’ll describe in more detail on Sunday. He’s addressing a spiritual hope in Israel, water being a symbol for the end of exile… but it also points to a deep human need – a longing for fulfillment and purpose. Come and drink and then be the conduit by which others have their thirst quenched. How can drinking in Jesus’ words, example and mission be a source of satisfaction and purpose in our lives?
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Have you ever watched talent competitions on TV, like American Idol, and been amazed at how unaware people can be of themselves? There are countless examples of contestants entering these types of competitions convinced that they have what it takes to win the show, only to be shocked when the judges say that they have no business even singing in the shower, let alone in front of people. It’s a harsh reality that some people have trouble facing. While others may be aware of their own lack of ability, there are certain people who are blindly confident in themselves, even when they shouldn’t be.
This Sunday, we’re going to be reading John 7:1-24 and we will be reading about several different scenarios of people whose confidence is misplaced in their own knowledge and idea of who Jesus should be. And while Jesus isn’t a cruel British judge on a panel, he is clear when people aren’t hitting the marks of what his mission is all about. Not only does Jesus confront the misunderstandings, he also continues his mission of exposing the truth of what is in people’s hearts.
Jesus’ brothers are also introduced in the gospel during these verses. They are mentioned in a few other gospels and even some of Paul’s writings for the early church. We can assume they were often around Jesus and we can also assume they weren’t followers (YET). Since they have a close connection to Jesus, they offer some familial advice about how to fix the problems Jesus is facing. I like to imagine them laying on a couch somewhere and interrupting important conversations to share their solutions. “You know what you should do Jesus…”
While it will feel easy to judge the people interacting with Jesus in these verses, it’s important to remember that scripture is meant to be a mirror we hold up to ourselves. What parts of these interactions can we relate to? How often do we dictate, with misplaced confidence, the direction that we want Jesus to go? Where does humility fit within our approach to understanding Jesus? Join us this Sunday at 10:00AM as we read through and discover the answers to these questions together.
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
Have you ever had a fair-weather friend? You know, someone who is happy to be your pal until it may cost them something or it is somehow inconvenient. Then they are nowhere to be found. Jesus had and still has his share of those types of friends, as we’ll see in the passage we’ll be exploring this Sunday – John 6:60-71.
Jesus has gone off the deep end in some people’s estimation, talking about eating his flesh and drinking his blood – a clear violation of Old Testament law. Jesus was speaking figuratively…but even still, it was just too uncomfortable for many of his followers…..so they quit following.
Jesus didn’t soften what he said or chase everyone down and beg them to stay with him. Does that surprise you at all? What elements of the gospel disturb you or rub you wrong? When Jesus says we have to lose our life to find it…or demands that we take up a cross to follow him…or insists that we forgive people who mistreat us? What about where he tells someone to sell everything and follow him? We like to think about miracles and grace and Jesus loving the outsiders….but there is all this other stuff about eating his flesh and dying to self that sometimes makes us want to avoid Him.
So what do WE do in those instances? We may not ever admit to walking away…but do we shut out those hard claims of the gospel on our lives? Through a thousand little choices do we reclaim our lives from Jesus, or do we remain committed to His Gospel?
Peter’s response to Jesus is beyond wonderful to me.
“Where we gonna’ go?” What has the gospel brought to your life that you think you could replace through some other pursuit? How can we remind ourselves of what’s really important when we’re tempted to return to our old lives, piece by piece?
Peter said “we believe and we know you are the Holy One of God.” What do you see as the difference between believing and coming to know? What does this tell you about the nature of following Jesus?
It should prove to be a convicting yet encouraging exploration of the Word this Sunday – hope you can be there!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday Janelle and I will have a conversation which continues our study on the subject of unity in the Body of Christ. The above video from the Bible Project is specifically about justice, but it carries themes that are integral to our understanding of the basis for God’s intention for a united family of faith.
We’ll be looking at Paul’s challenge to the church in Galatians 3, specifically v1-3, 6-9 and 26-29. Consider why his words would encourage us to aspire to unity across the many variations of Christ’s church. I’m looking forward to exploring this text together – see you then! And don’t forget, we’re participating in a Unity Service with Pastors United of Bay County, this Sunday at 4pm at Sharron Sheffield park in Lynn Haven. I hope you can join us as we unite to praise our One God and Father of all!
This Sunday we’ll be taking a short break from our study in John as we prepare for the upcoming Unity Service hosted by Pastors United of Bay County. We’ll begin a two part series that focuses on unity in preparation for that service.
Our text will be Psalm 133 and Acts 2, with an emphasis on the first and last sections of that chapter.
In Psalm 133, the priority of unity among God’s people is presented. We could say, it is unity imagined. There is some strange imagery that the psalmist uses to explain why unity is good – and it’s going to take some unpacking to figure out what it points to….but man, when we see it, it’s going to be amazing!
Not only did God imagine unity for his family, but he brought it about on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church. Obviously, harmony within groupings of human beings is nearly impossible – but through God’s own Spirit, anything can happen, and did!
Look for the connecting points between Psalm 133 and what happened in Acts 2 (hint: oil is often used as a symbol for the work of the Holy Spirit). The first phenomenal event that occurs with the church is what…what barrier is removed, and what might it be pointing to?
I’m really stoked about this study and looking forward to digging into these passages together! I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
One thing we know about Jesus, he was terrible at PR….or at least he didn’t care about it. He makes bold statements that confuse his listeners and causes them to bristle and push back – but Jesus never flinches. He keeps right on pushing an agenda and worldview that completely upended the religious expectations of the day. It’s important that you understand, what Jesus is going to be saying in the verses we’ll be looking at is meant to be shocking. There was no age or culture where his words wouldn’t be weird and offensive. What we really want to consider is why Jesus would want to use such disquieting language.
We’ll be reading John 6:22-59 this Sunday. It’s the famous “Bread from Heaven/Bread of Life” discourse that Jesus gives.
As this section begins, Jesus makes a pretty clear delineation between physical and spiritual bread. What do think an example of spiritual bread is? How was looking for physical bread revealing bad motives for the crowd? When you consider your own relationship with Jesus – what kind of “bread” do you value most in life?
When the people realize that Jesus is describing something more than normal bread, they ask what they must do to work for the bread Jesus is describing. What is his answer? V29 is the key to understanding all the imagery Jesus will use in the rest of the passage.
Jesus ignores the growing hostility of the crowd and takes things even further – describing himself as the bread come from heaven that the manna from the Exodus story was simply foreshadowing. He describes his flesh and blood as elemental food and drink – what does that make us think of immediately? Jesus said that the bread that gives life to the world (v51) is his flesh. What do you believe this is a reference to? In what way can you imagine that Jesus’ flesh gives you life?
The language Jesus uses for eating grows progressively more intense as the discourse goes along. He begins by using a word that simply means to consume, but in the later verses of this passage, he says feed, which in the Greek is the word trogo, meaning to chew, crunch or gnaw. He’s talking about how it is that we believe on him – the intensity of the word he uses is trying to tell us something. What do you think it is?
This will be an admittedly heady study. It’s just the nature of this passage, and we certainly won’t plumb the depths of it by any means. We’ll only scrape the surface, but that in itself is a lot to wrestle with. Hope to see you Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I think everyone here knows this, but I (Janelle) come from a big family. I’m the youngest of four kids and the family of 6 that I grew up in has turned into a family of 17. My siblings and I have all gotten married and we have a combined total of 7 kids
One thing you should know about our family is that we quote from a few movies and tv shows constantly. Seriously, it’s constant. Sometimes it feels like half of our communication is quoting from shows or movies with the other person. This happens so much so that whenever a new person would show up (like someone that was marrying into the family) we would often be tempted to give them a list of movies and shows to watch so they can understand the majority of what we’re saying to one another.
It is especially important to know what we are referencing because we never stop to say what movie we are quoting from, why we quoted it, or how it fits the conversation. My husband says, “It’s real fun” marrying into the Woodrum family. While I know he is being sarcastic, I like to take it literally and say, “Yeah, it IS fun.”
For example, there is a scene in Christmas vacation when the beloved Christmas tree gets burned up in the living room. While Clark Griswold watches helplessly as his most special tree burns to a crisp, a relative walks in the room and callously responds to Clark’s despair by saying, “It was an ugly tree anyway.” Another older relative pipes up and responds, “At least [the tree] is out of its misery.” The unabashed insensitivity makes me giggle even as I write this.
Now, when things break, we quote this line. For example, if a car breaks down we might respond to the situation by saying, “It was an ugly car anyway.” Someone else would likely jump in saying, “At least it’s out of its misery.” At this, the newcomer to the family would probably be confused at our lack of sensitivity to a stressful situation. The truth is, we are not saying the car was ugly, we are just quoting back to a movie line where someone was being insensitive about a difficult situation. My family knows this and they are immediately making the connection without anyone having to stop and explain it.
THIS SAME THING is happening with the Jewish readers of the gospel. They are making all sorts of connections that we today do not easily see. We are the new family members coming into the story and the best way for us to get caught up is not to watch the list of movies that we suggest to the in-laws, but to read the Bible stories. Not just from the New Testament, but the Old Testament too. We might not make the connection as easily as the people who lived 2,000 years ago, but when the connections are referenced we will be able to place the story and the concept in a way that we couldn’t if we don’t read the Bible.
I invite you to join us this Sunday as we read John 6:1-21. I encourage you to read these verses and think through the stories you know from the Old Testament. Are there any connections that jump out to you? Consider the fact that the ancient writers of the Bible did not include unnecessary details. Look at the details of the setting and the time of year that is noted by John. Is he using these details to clue us into connections that the Jewish audience may have understood immediately?
The initial reading of this can spark so many questions within us. Why would John ask Philp how they were going to feed everyone if he already knew the answer? Why would Jesus hide from the crowds who wanted to worship him as king? Why would Jesus send the disciples in a boat that was going to get caught in a storm?
Join us this Sunday at 10:00AM as we work to discover the meaning intended behind this story and the way that it can affect how we live today.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day…so, uh…Happy Mother’s Day!….but we’re going to be continuing in our study of John. Sorry about that. We’ll be reading John 5:16-47 – a fairly long and dense passage.
Jesus finds himself in the midst of a growing hostility from the religious leaders in Israel. The passage we’ll be reading is a long monologue where Jesus is responding to his critics.
This section is where the majority of our Christology comes from, because within this text Jesus makes some bold and startling statements about himself.
It’s a lot to try and unpack in one teaching, much less a short entry like this. Suffice it to say that Jesus is in trouble because the religious leaders rightly pick up what Jesus is laying down – he makes himself equal to God. Jesus never denies that, but instead drives the point home with the force of Scripture. If you get the chance, read Daniel 7 and see if you pick up any similar language being employed by Jesus. The same applies to Daniel 12:1-2.
It seems pretty clear that Jesus is identifying himself as the mysterious Ruler, the Son of Man, whom Daniel foretold.
Jesus points to the witnesses that testify about him in v31-40. He mentions God, John the Baptist, his own good works and teachings, and Scripture. How persuasive would those witnesses be for you? If you had been there when Jesus was ministering, what might have convinced you that He is Messiah? It’s an interesting thought experiment.
Jesus closes his speech with some harsh warnings for his critics. According to v42, what is it that they lack which seems to be the root of their unwillingness to believe Jesus as at least God’s messenger?
I’m looking forward to digging into this text with you on Sunday – hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
What are the plans you had for life – the ones you thought for sure would complete you as a person? Was it a relationship, a career, some possession you wanted to acquire? Did you ever find yourself unable to achieve that plan? Did you ever feel like people not only let you down but even got in your way, which kept you from getting the thing you believed you needed?
If you’ve answered yes, you’re not alone, you know that, right? In fact, there is an account we’ll be reading this Sunday in John 5:1-15 where a guy faced those same type of frustrations but found that what he really needed for a whole life was an encounter with Jesus.
Archaeologists have identified where the pool of Bethesda is located in Jerusalem in 1964. If you haven’t watched The Chosen, the episode which deals with this story is really good – I highly recommend it. You can watch it HERE.
When Jesus meets the man who has been unable to walk for 38 years, he asks if he wants to be healed (or come into existence as a whole person). That seems like such an obvious thing, why do you think Jesus asked the man this question?
What is the man’s response? What do you think he had in mind when Jesus asked him this?
As usual, our perceived solutions for life are in stark contrast with Jesus’. This man had one idea about how to become well, but Jesus had a plan to make him whole. What are the bubbling pools that we stare at, what places are we hoping to get to that we think will change our life for the better? What can we learn about our perceived solutions in light of this story?
If Jesus were to pass by your pool today, what would he ask you? What would he tell you to do? How can we take steps to find our solutions in Christ?
Good stuff to ponder – hope to see you Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We all know the phrase: “seeing is believing”. It’s a saying that communicates the idea that if we see something with our own eyes we will believe it to exist or be true, no matter how unexpected or unusual it may be. On the surface it expresses a willingness to accept a reality that is verifiably evident.
What’s interesting is that the phrase was coined by Thomas Fuller, a 17th Century clergyman, and the whole phrase is: “seeing is believing, but feeling is the truth”. He was suggesting that truth and evidence are sometimes differentiated. Some truths can’t be verified so neatly.
It’s a pretty deep concept, one that is the heart of our study this Sunday as we continue in our examination of the Gospel of John. We’ll be reading John 4:43-54.
Some things to keep in mind as you read: the repeated idea of “seeing” (see, seen). This is a through-line from the last section.
In our text we are introduced to a man of means and position, a government official (likely working for Herod Antipas). He implores Jesus to come to his home and heal his son. Jesus’ response is puzzling on the surface. Who do you think he’s talking to when he says “you”? Why do you think he responded that way? In what ways do you think this man didn’t believe in Jesus?
When Jesus sends the man home, what evidence did that man have that anything had changed for his son? What was the basis for him heading home? What does that tell us about the kind of faith God is looking for from us?
The timing of the boy’s healing and Jesus’ words is highlighted by John. What might it teach us about who Jesus is and what is within his control?
In v53 we are told the man and his household believe in Jesus. How is that a different kind of faith than the believing expressed by the Galileans from v45? How would you describe the deeper faith that we are challenged to in this passage?
I’m really stoked about this section, I hope you can join us for what I think will be a intriguing but very encouraging study!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading John 4:31-43 – which is basically the falling action after the story of the woman at the well.
Once again, we have a situation where Jesus is talking about one thing but his hearers are talking about another. He talked about living water with the woman earlier, but she took it to mean literal water. He tells his disciples he’s got food they don’t know about, and his disciples are looking for the snack machine that Jesus got his stash from. But in both cases, Jesus is talking about something BELOW the surface. He compares his cooperation with God’s plan to rescue people with food. Why food? What does food do for the human body? What is Jesus trying to tell us about the source of fulfillment in our lives?
The question is…how is your diet? If you look at your normal idea of food/fulfillment and compare it to Jesus’ – how do our food groups compare?
Jesus describes wheat that is ripened and ready to harvest. What might his previous conversation with the woman have to do with that? What made the fields ready? What does that mean to us right here and now?
This will prove to be a challenging study for us – but I think it will be well worth it! Hope to see you Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we'll be reading a long passage, John 4:1-30.
It's one of my favorite stories from the New Testament. It's the longest conversation that Jesus has with someone recorded in the gospels. It's delightful to me because it is so outrageously improper and scandalous in almost every detail. The fact that Jesus is talking to a woman in public (something not done and especially by a rabbi) - the fact that she is a Samaritan (the folks North of Judean territory whom the Jewish people hated) - the fact that she has a history of serial marriage and divorce - it's like a perfect storm of cultural and religious taboos which Jesus unhesitatingly dives into.
John's gospel is trying to instruct us that if we want to know what God is like we have to look at Jesus - if we want to know what God is doing we have to look at what Jesus does. This is a startling picture of God indeed. A God who's love is not restricted by any boundaries enforced by culture or religion.
Have you ever felt far from God - ashamed or embarrassed by choices you've made or the lot you find yourself in? Does this picture of God tell you anything about how God views those who are outcasts?
She arrives at the well at noon - in the heat of the day. Most people would do that chore early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun wouldn't be as hot. What does this tell us about her place in the village society? Have you ever felt like her?
Jesus knows all her secrets - by her admission, he knows everything she's ever done. Does he seem mad at her in this conversation? Does he tell her to get her life together or change some things before he offers her the living water of a new life? What does that tell you about God's disposition toward you?
As the church - as those who represent this Christ - do we represent this sort of scandalous grace very well? Who are the Samaritans of our culture and time? What can we learn about how we should be interacting with the world around us in light of what Jesus does in this story?
There's an awful lot of stuff in this passage - layers of stuff. We'll pick out a few gems, but take your time and read this over. Try on the characters for size - the woman, the townsfolk of Sychar, the bewildered disciples who find their Rabbi talking with a strange woman in public. It should be an interesting study - hope to see you there!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Have you ever worked really hard on some idea only to have someone else come along and suggest the very same idea and everyone congratulates that person for such clever thinking? What emotions did you feel in that moment? What are you immediately tempted to do?
The human need to be significant and important, at the very least for recognition, is universal. Ego is a tough wrestling opponent. Yet, as we’ll read in this week’s text, John the Baptist was able to find joy and peace by putting his own ego last and Jesus first.
This Sunday we’ll be reading John 3:22-36 as we continue our exploration of the fourth gospel account.
John’s gospel is the only account that indicates that Jesus and John had a time when their ministries overlapped. Jesus began with John the Baptist’s endorsement, and now, we find that he is present when the first hint of controversy arises. His disciples are jealous at the rising popularity of Jesus and his message. John was very popular, probably more popular than Jesus at this beginning stage…he had all the trappings of what is usually defined as a successful ministry. Yet it was his joy to step aside for the elevation of Christ.
What reason does he give for that in v27?
Does that help you in any struggles you may have in embracing an intentional humility?
v30 is a powerful statement. It sets the tone for the entire church movement. We haven’t always been very successful in remembering who it is that everything orbits around. How do you think you might find joy in allowing the reality of Jesus to increase in your life? What would you imagine might be decreasing in your life as this takes place?
In yet another way, the kingdom of God moves counter to the world’s assumptions, we we find ourselves flourishing through this victorious decline.
Hope you can join us on Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
It’s one of the most famous stories from the Gospels – the story of a religious leader who has a nighttime meeting with Jesus – where Jesus cryptically conveys the scope and power of his plan – where those famous words were uttered: “For God so loved the world…”.
We’ll be reading John 3:1-21 this Sunday.
While v16 of this section is probably very familiar – much of what surrounds that text is pretty mysterious stuff. Nick wasn’t the only one who got confused – scholars have had multiple interpretations about some of the things Jesus says here for more than a thousand years.
It says that Nick is a ruler of the Judeans – which means he’s on the Sanhedrin. That being the case, he must have been well older than Jesus, a respected man in the community as well as the temple, and he must have been a person from a wealthy family. What do you think was going through his mind as he met with this young, homeless Rabbi from the sticks?
Based on what he says, does he seem friendly or hostile to you? By the end of the gospel, he certainly shows signs of being a follower of Jesus, but how do you imagine him this night as he meets Jesus for the first time?
Jesus’ answers certainly don’t fit the paradigm that Nick tries to set up. Jesus talks spiritual rebirth and Nick talks obstetrics…it’s sort of a mess.
In trying to make sense of Jesus’ statements about being born of water and spirit, think about the creation account and the Spirit hovering over the face of the waters – what insight, if any, does this give you about what Jesus may be referring to?
What condition does Jesus put on receiving eternal life? What does this condition mean to you?
Read v17. Read it again. If God’s purpose is not to condemn the world, how do you understand v18-21?
God’s purpose is not to condemn – how well do you think the church has presented that truth? How can we better embody what the gospel message is?
Hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I remember when…we’ll say a friend of mine…pulled the lever on a fire-alarm at my middle school, and the gleeful chaos that ensued as classes were emptied and students gathered outside (this, of course, was in a world devoid of modern security threats and active shooter drills). One little lever pulled and it resulted in the total disruption of normal activities, for a little while anyway.
(I also remember the dire consequences that….we’ll say a friend of mine…suffered as a result of that prank – so that sort of behavior is NOT being approved by sharing that memory!)
It’s hard to fully grasp the events that took place that morning that Jesus walked into the temple grounds in Jerusalem and started throwing people out, but I think it may have been similar to pulling a fire-alarm trigger. That’s the story we’ll be tackling this Sunday as we explore John 2:13-25.
It’s easy for us to immediately assign the guilt in this scene to the people who are crassly selling the accouterments of worship at the temple. How dare they sell sacrificial animals like a commercial enterprise…and yet…there was a legitimate purpose that these vendors served. Imagine living a long ways from Jerusalem and hauling the required sacrifice with you. Imagine that a dog nips at it’s heel along the way, or worse, a wolf takes a bite out of it’s ear. The sacrifice won’t be accepted and the expenditure of time and food for the trip would be for naught. It actually makes sense to provide a way, right at the temple, to buy a pre-approved animal to sacrifice.
In truth, we have no historical evidence or citations that would prove corruption or price gouging in the sale of animals or exchange of money in the temple courts.
There was actually something else going on that morning. Jesus was acting as an Old Testament prophet, staging a protest to momentarily stop the temple system. Why? A disruption and a replacement was being made.
If Jesus was forecasting the end of and replacement of the temple – what are the implications of that as you read it? V19 is a major clue as to what God intends – religious structures both physical and organizational will be replaced by a person. What can it mean to us today, as his followers in 21st century America? How can we prevent our own practice of faith from devolving into consumer ritualism?
This should prove to be a compelling study – hope you can make it!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slidshow.
Weddings are a joyous time in almost any time and culture. There’s always the air of hope and wonder in the formation of a new family, it just overflows with all the possibilities of life.
This Sunday as we continue our series on the Gospel of John, we’ll be reading about a wedding in ch 1:1-12. We’ll be examining the first sign that Jesus did in John’s account, turning water into wine.
For some Christians, this miracle is an embarrassment – it would be a lot easier to explain if Jesus had just invented grape juice (which does not exist in nature, it must be processed) – but that’s not the Jesus we get in this Gospel. (A person may struggle with substance abuse and I don’t mean to be flippant about that – I support all efforts to remain sober and sane in life. That being said, not all people have that struggle, and we don’t want to miss the meaning of this sign in the process of that support)
As you read through this story, in v11, what reason does John give for including this account? What does this sign reveal to you about God’s glory, his nature and power? How does it compare with the way the church represents the kingdom of God – is there a difference?
The water jars were used for ritual purification. Jesus looks at those reminders of human uncleanness and re-purposes them completely. What lesson does this sign teach us about the nature of what God is up to in our lives?
Have there been times in your life when the wine ran out (metaphorically, of course)? How about now? What does this sign encourage you to do about it?
We’ll explore these topics and a few more – hope to see you on Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
What does it mean to follow someone? It really depends on the context, I suppose. If you follow someone on Instagram it simply means you have an interest in keeping up with what content a person posts. If you follow a football team, it basically means you’re a fan – you cheer for them and wear their team logo on your person.
To be a follower of Jesus implies much, much more. Jesus’ first disciples will be the topic of our study in the gospel of John this Sunday. We’ll be reading John 1:35-51.
As you read this account of Rabbi Jesus gathering his first Talmidim (disciples, followers) – what do you observe about following Jesus; what did it meant to them? Did they have questions, and what were they? What was their first order of business after they met Jesus? What significant thing happens with Simon – and what might it imply for him?
As the disciples tell their friends about Jesus – what is the invitation they give?
What would you invite others to “come and see” about Jesus? How has he significantly impacted your identity?
This will be a challenging study, I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
“Who do you think you are?”
We’ve all heard that question asked at one time or another. It’s not a casual inquiry about our identity – it’s a challenge that is asking what right we think we possess to say or do a particular thing.
In our study in the gospel of John this week, John the Baptist will be asked that type of question. We’ll be reading ch 1:19-34 in our study.
When leaders come to investigate John the Baptist’s ministry, they are not trying to get to know him and understand him; it is an interrogation from the start.
They go down a list of possible people God could be sending, asking if he’s Elijah (Malachi 4:5) or “the Prophet” (Deut 18:18-19) – but John Baptist bluntly rejects every suggestion. I think there could have been a temptation to get all cryptic with these guys, maybe drop some hints that suggest a deeper importance to his work. John the Baptist doesn’t do that. If John the Baptist is a witness to who Jesus is, what do we learn about Jesus from the way John Baptist carried himself?
John the Baptist does answer their query – and what does he use to identify himself to them? How might we use Scripture as a basis for our own identities?
The next section, v29-34 has John the Baptist elaborating on his testimony. He describes something he saw happen with Jesus at his baptism, and then he described him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. How does John’s description of Jesus help us to know Jesus better? What do those titles and events tell us about the ministry Jesus as Messiah will undertake? What are the ramifications for us, who believe and accept him – how will it help us in our new lives as children of God (v12-13)?
I’ll tell you, there’s something about this book. I sensed that this was an important study we are undertaking, and that has only grown since we’ve started it. I hope you can join us as we get to know Jesus through John’s gospel!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We live in what has been dubbed the “information age”. It is an unparalleled time where almost any information we want is accessible on the screens of our phones. Some have also noted that having access to information has not necessarily made us any wiser. With all the information there also comes a plethora of voices telling us what to think and do and what the highest good may be.
It’s a challenge to cut through the noise and figure out what’s really important in life.
We’ve started a new series in the Gospel of John which we’ll continue this week, reading John 1:6-18. John wants to make a compelling declaration that of all the voices at work in the world, there is one voice…one Word that can reveal the important matters of life.
John the Baptist is introduced as a “witness” to the Light, who is Jesus. John the Baptist (JB to his friends) was pretty important in the Biblical narrative. Why do you think John the author wanted to make sure we understood his proper place in this account?
V 10-13 actually gives us an overview of the whole story that will unfold. Jesus is rejected by the world and not recognized by his own people, all of which will unfold in chapters 2-12. But for those who do believe in him, what happens? V12 tells us what God’s intent, his heart is. What does he want us to know about ourselves?
V 14 and following are so profound, and maybe the most important words said in Scripture. We’ll get into what is so scandalous about v14 for both Greek and Jewish thinkers in that time and context. There are several hyper-links in this section, pointing back to Moses on Mount Sinai, asking to see God’s glory and being partly refused. The glory now gets revealed, but in Whom?
V 18 tells us that Jesus reveals the Father’s heart to us – the middle of V14 tells us what it is. The one thing humanity needs to know…the most important thing…is what God is like and what He wants. Jesus reveals it, and man….is it ever Good News!
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dive into this amazing section of Scripture. Let’s pray for a fresh awakening to the power of God’s grace at work in our world!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Have you seen the “He Gets Us” ads? I really like them, personally. At first I was skeptical, as I tend to be about these sort of things – but looking into it a bit, it’s really grown on me. I poked around their website ( hegetsus.com ) and deeply appreciated what I read.
One quote that really resonated with me was this: “Throughout our shared history, Jesus has represented the ultimate good that humankind is capable of aspiring to. And though some no longer believe in God, most are still compelled by the idea of a person capable of unconditional love for others despite their differences. But many of us simply cannot reconcile the idea of that person with the way our culture experiences religion today. Whether it’s hypocrisy and discrimination in the church, or scandals both real and perceived among religious leaders, or the polarization of our politics, many have relegated Jesus from the world’s greatest love story to just another tactic used to intensify our deep cultural divisions. “
I think it touched me so because it highlights what I perceive as a deep deficiency in the American Church. We need more immersion in Jesus. We are followers of Christ – His words, actions, priorities and values should dominate our thinking on any current issue we face.
That’s why I’ve committed to God that while I still have breath and a place to preach, I’m going to keep coming back to the story of Jesus.
All that to say…we’re going to start a new series this Sunday, going chapter by chapter through the Gospel of John, and I’m beside myself with excitement!
It is vital that we not approach the Gospel of John like a textbook or a documentary. John’s gospel isn’t intended to educate us as it is to introduce us to….well, to God.
John will, in essence, be saying through his account – “If you want to know who God is, or what He is like, take a long look at Jesus.”
That’s what we will set out to do. Through John’s selected vignettes, we will get a different view of Jesus, and a deeper appreciation for what the Gospel is all about.
This Sunday we’ll be reading John 1:1-5, the prologue. Instead of a genealogy or a jump into the action as the other gospels do, John begins with a poem. And what a poem.
What other famous passage of Scripture starts with “In the beginning…”? What significance might that have for John’s account of Jesus?
John begins by talking about the Word – eternal, creator, light and life. He will later identify the Word as Jesus. The Greek word for…well, word, is Logos – and we’ll get into how both the Jewish people and the Greek world understood what logos meant – it’s pretty interesting!
In just the first few verses of this amazing book, we’ll discover hope and wisdom and strength for life…if we look for it in JESUS! I really hope you can join us for this study – any time we take time to look deeply at Jesus, it will be life-changing!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Last Sunday we finished studying the book of Ephesians. Paul was masterful in the way he was able to take the teachings of Jesus and help the church in Ephesus apply those values and beliefs to their everyday lives. What is even more amazing, is that some 2,000 years later, we are still studying his words and applying those truths in our small church halfway across the world.
Even though we typically follow an expository style of teaching, this week we are going to discuss the Kingdom of Heaven and work to discover what it really means. Next week, on February 12, we will start a new book of the Bible that will follow our normal line by line, verse by verse, format.
The Kingdom of Heaven is a subject that Jesus seemed to emphasize a great deal. With all four gospels combined, Jesus references the subject over seventy times. He describes it through parables, he explains it to the crowds, and Jesus even shares about it with the Pharisees who question Him.
Yet, even though the Kingdom of Heaven is mentioned a lot in the gospels and more by Paul later on, it is something many of us still have questions about. What exactly does it mean? What does it have to do with us? Is it describing heaven or paradise? Is it happening now or later? If it’s supposed to be now, then why are so many terrible things still happening? Why do Chrstians still suffer?
These are legitimate questions when it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven, and hopefully ones we can address this Sunday. Join us at 10:00AM for an honest search for truth regarding the Kingdom of Heaven. Let’s learn what it really means, how it applies to us today, and how it can impact our future.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be finishing up our study in the book of Ephesians. We’ll be reading ch 6:10-24.
Paul will once again dazzle us with some intriguing imagery by challenging us to put on the full armor of God. It’s a familiar passage to many people, and I’m sure we all have a variety of ways in which we apply this encouragement to our own life of following Jesus.
One thing I want to consider this Sunday is the community nature of Paul’s challenge. What does it mean for the church, corporately, to put on the whole armor of God? Furthermore, what did Paul consider the be the threat for which the church should armor up? If we re-read chapters 2 and 3, we get a clearer view of what Paul likely had in mind.
As you read chapter 6, who does Paul identify as a threat? Who does he clearly state that our battle is not with? In what ways can we become more cognizant of the activity of transcendent evil? How do you imagine each part of the armor Paul describes being applied in real life?
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
“What is that out there?” I stood on the beach with other people looking far out to the horizon, trying to make out a strange shape we caught glimpses of at a great distance.
“Doesn’t quite look like a boat, but it’s way out there.” Offered one bystander. It was just a non-descript object that kept flashing in the sunlight. It was just too far away to identify with any certainty.
That’s how I feel sometimes when I’m reading Bible passages that are difficult to understand. I realize that the original authors are so far removed from me, representing cultural ideas that are so foreign to me, it’s easy to get exasperated in trying to figure them out.
That’s part of what’s happening in the section we are studying in Ephesians – and why it’s taken me three weeks to try and lay out how I interpret Paul’s writings concerning the household code of ancient Rome.
We’re returning to the same passage we read last week, because we never really did get into examining the specific instructions Paul was giving to wives, husbands, and children. We did the groundwork to explain that the passage may not be as straight-forward as many have assumed. This Sunday, as we read ch 5:21-6:4 we’ll take a close look at his instructions and see how it can apply to our relationships today.
Janelle is going to join me as we have a conversation about this sometimes-misunderstood passage from the New Testament – and hopefully we’ll all be challenged by Paul’s epic subversion of any culture’s broken dynamics. Paul not only meddles in our lives, he scrambles so many of our concepts of honor and authority, bringing all things into the glorious light of the cross of Jesus Christ!
It should be challenging, informative and hopefully enlightening. I hope you can join us!
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This Sunday we’ll continue our study in Ephesians, covering a section that has become rather controversial in our contemporary culture. We’ll be reading chs 5:21-6:9, a section where Paul appears to discuss the structure of a familial household.
I’m not going to get into this subject too much in this post – but I will say that I consider it really, really important to approach this text without a lot of preconceived ideas of what he’s talking about – at least as much as we’re able. I’ve said before that we have a bad tendency in the Church to impose modern worldviews over these ancient texts and doing so has led us to some strange and unfortunate places.
This section of scripture has been weaponized by some, demonized by others and dismissed more often than not. Our goal in this study will be to get as deep into this text as possible, and to do our best to read it with its historic and cultural context in view. I have been truly surprised in my own study of this passage to find that Paul isn’t always saying what I and many others have assumed he’s saying.
I’ll leave it to you to ponder that implication – but as you read this section, pay attention to how it makes you feel. What words or commands stand out to you? What, if anything, do you find difficult to see replicated in your own relationships? Are there elements you find offensive, and if so, what and why?
I would dare to suggest that all of us should be puzzled and offended by the last part of the section in ch 6. What do we make of the New Testament’s words about slavery? How can we reconcile the larger revelations of the Gospel with the words we read here?
Those will be some of our talking points on Sunday. I hope you can join us for what I hope will be a serious look at a complicated passage of Scripture.
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Join us as we continue our study in Ephesians. This week we will be covering chapter 5:15-21.
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Back in my wilder youth there were a few nightclubs and rock venues I would frequent. Once, I had reason to be inside one of those clubs during the daylight hours. To my horror, what had been obfuscated in the darkness was now on full display in daytime brightness. The place was beyond grody. Not only did I not want to touch anything, I didn’t even want to breath the air in that disgusting environment. It was such a stunning image I couldn’t get myself to go back, even when it all was hidden once again in the shadows.
That’s sort of the line of reasoning Paul is going to be using in the passage we’ll be reading this Sunday as we study Ephesians – we’ll be reading Eph 5:3-14.
Paul sets up another contrast similar to what he did at the close of chapter 4 where he described our move from death to life. In chapter 5 he contrasts darkness with light.
We’re going to take some time to get a grasp of what Paul is talking about when waring about God’s wrath in v6 – but his point is, there was one way we used to live before Christ, and there is another which is the product of our transformation in God’s light. He describes various sins (not an exhaustive list, just what appears to come to mind): sexual sins and greed as well as conversational sin. Why do you think Paul might have lumped these particular behaviors together? He makes it clear: this is who you were, but you are different now. Paul wasn’t setting standards for a new moralism, he was highlighting markers of identity.
How we understand our identity in Christ was of crucial importance to Paul. His plea is for us to pay attention and not just thoughtlessly follow along with cultural moors and ethics. Are there areas you find it challenging to resist cultural expectations that diverge from God’s intent? Based on Paul’s exhortation, how can we be more thoughtful about the behavior and language we engage in?
God’s wrath and inheritance in God’s kingdom are two important topics in this text which we’re going to dig into on Sunday to try and discover what he means when he uses those phrases.
It’s going to be a challenging study, but well worth any discomfort it may bring. I hope you can join us this Sunday!
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This week Janelle continues the teaching series in Ephesians 4:17-5:2.
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This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in Ephesians (ch 4:1-16), and the theme of it can be embodied in the Latin phrase “E pluribus unum” – out of many, one.
Paul’s previous theme of unity will flow easily into chapter 4, where he begins his practical applications of what he described in the first three chapters. We’ll be breaking this into three parts: v1-6 where Paul reinforces the need for us to intentionally pursue unity; v 7-10 where he explains that unity isn’t uniformity and then v 11-16 where he expounds on the purpose of the church and its leadership.
As you read v1-6, take note of how all the character qualities he challenges us to embody all have a social outworking. If you were to turn this around and consider it from the negative, based on these verses – what do you think Paul would say is the biggest threat to the church? In what practical ways can we begin the process of drawing closer to each other as the church?
V7-10 take a brief detour, where Paul qualifies his statement on unity, reminding us that it’s not uniformity, we still have individual gifts given us. He quotes Psalm 68 to support his claim, but it only makes it a bit fuzzier for us as modern readers. We’ll dig into that more on Sunday – but if God has given us each a gift for the sake of the community, what might your gift be? That’s a subject worth praying about – and I think it can be anything from an ability to give a friendly smile to hearing messages from God for the community. Let’s be open to how God wants to use all of us!
When Paul does start describing the gifts God gave the church, he talks about people. I find that fascinating. We’ll talk about how Paul subverts the Greco-Roman ideal of honor and position on Sunday. There’s a lot to consider in this – suffice it to say, these are all job descriptions, not titles of position, and certainly not assumed because of earned status. Gift is the operative word. And who is the gift for?
Paul also describes the reason for these functions in the church – to equip the community for ministry. If that’s the case, where is ministry taking place, in Paul’s thinking? All of us joined together, from the many-one, form a better picture of who Jesus is!
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This Sunday we’ll be returning to Paul’s letter, reading Ch 3:1-21.
The chapter is broken into two parts – in v 1 Paul starts a train of thought…but in v 2 he interrupts himself to give a bit of backstory on his own calling and relationship to the gospel. What he reveals in that digression is fascinating stuff.
V 2-13 show us a picture of what Paul saw the Gospel doing in this present world. He uses the word “both” multiple times, in connection with equality and unification – that is, he saw the division between the Jewish people and all the other nations as nullified in the gospel. For him, that was a demonstration of God’s wisdom at work in this world.
How much does that square with your own understanding of how the Gospel is to be impacting this world? Followers of Jesus come from all sorts of backgrounds, economic situations, cultural perspectives, political affiliations – the list goes on and on. Those things divide us pretty intensely in our modern world – how can we prioritize unity amidst the great diversity of our fellow believers? After reading what Paul writes – how important is unity in the midst of diversity to you?
The next section of chapter 3, v 14-21 has Paul picking back up on his train of thought. There is a word that gets repeated a lot in this section as well – love. Specifically, the divine love showed to us as a community of Christ followers. How might our love for each other help expand our understanding of God’s love for us? How is love demonstrated in a community setting like the church? How can we improve on this aspect of church community?
Our study will be quick but in depth – I hope you can join us!
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One of the things we’ve had to learn in the dawn of the digital age is how to protect against identity theft. It’s certainly something that requires diligence on our part; changing passwords, identifying stop signs to prove we aren’t robots, all sorts of measures are taken to protect our identities.
In our passage this Sunday, Paul is going to reflect on our Christian identities, and he’s going to reinforce some important truths about who we are in Christ. We’ll be reading Ephesians ch 2.
The chapter seems to flow naturally from what Paul was writing about at the end of chapter 1, where he talked about what it meant to our lives to be adapted as God’s children. In ch 2, we’ll be reading a lot of fairly dense theological propositions about the nature of our salvation and the new humanity that we have become in Christ.
There is an emphasized “then” and “now” flow to what Paul writes. What are some of the ways he describes our old lives, the way we were? What are the contrasts, how does he see us now? What do you suppose being dead in sin means? How do you understand who the ruler of unseen powers is? In what way does this inform you about your nature as a believer in Jesus? Does it expand your sense of self?
V 8-10 is considered Paul’s great manifesto on salvation by grace alone. Grace is a free gift, something we certainly didn’t earn. Since good works don’t earn us a place with God, what do you think Paul is getting at in v10 where he talks about the good works we’re ordained for?
In the rest of the chapter, v11-22, Paul describes the inclusion of the gentile people into God’s big plan to redeem the world. Twice he talks about God making a new person (or we could say human) out of the two divided people of Jews and gentiles. This happened when the dividing wall, or barrier of the commands of the Law of Moses were fulfilled in Christ and therefore nullified. If there is no longer any external marker for inclusion in God’s family – what might that mean about the makeup of God’s community, the church? In what ways can we learn to join together as a single temple of God?
This will be a deep, but I believe enlightening study. I hope you can join us!
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This Sunday we’ll keep reading Ephesians together, covering ch 1:15-23. Paul will be moving from singing to praying in the opening of his letter. In the section we’ll be reading, Paul will be praying for his fellow believers – and the import of what he prays for is what we’ll be focusing on in our study.
Once again, the word Apokalupsis is used – a Greek word which means “something hidden that gets revealed”. Paul wants us to have a revelation concerning three areas of our lives effected by the Gospel.
In v15-17 Paul prays that we’d grow in our knowledge of God. What does that mean to you? Do you think he wants us to have a large amount of information stored up about the Divine? What kind of knowledge might he be referring to, and how would it be apprehended in our own lives and experiences? What are some sources we could consider which would provide us a deeper knowledge of God?
V18 is Paul’s prayer that we would be enlightened concerning hope. What does he anchor that hope in at the end of the verse? What inheritance do you believe he’s talking about? Can you think of any important issues of inheritance in the Old Testament that might shed light on what Paul means?
V19-23 provide us with a bold declaration of Christ’s transcendence over every power or authority, in this world or the next. What does he cite as the source of that power? In what way does the resurrection demonstrate God’s power – and what might it be forecasting for this world?
This is a complex bit of Scripture – but I’m looking forward to digging into it together and finding ourselves in a life of ongoing discovery. Hope you can join us!
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This Sunday we’ll be continuing in our study of Ephesians, reading ch 1:3-14. Paul’s opening after his initial greeting is actually a poem in the Greek. Translated to English, it doesn’t come off as poetically – it’s actually one really long run-on sentence.
As you read over these verses – try to take note of repeated words. In v3-5, what does Paul praise the Father for doing for us through Christ? How does Paul describe God’s attitude when it comes to his gathering us into his family? What does that tell you about your value in God’s eyes? Does that differ from your own sense of value? How can we learn to asses our own worth based on God’s determination?
V6-10 provides us with a revelation of God’s great big plan. What does Paul say it is in v 10? How would you explain God’s plan in your own words?
Paul finishes his poem in v11-14. What role does he describe the Holy Spirit fulfilling in our lives? How much are you aware of the Holy Spirit’s activity in your daily life? What are some ways we can become more alert and responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work day to day?
I’m really looking forward to this study – there some very important truths we need to meditate on when it comes to our relationship with God. I hope you can join us!
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This Sunday we’ll begin a new series, exploring the book of Ephesians. I’m really excited about this study mostly because I really enjoy this book. We’ll be starting slowly, only reading the prologue found in chapter 1:1-2.
Ephesus was a major port city in ancient Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). Paul had visited that city many years earlier and planted a church which became a hub of the Christian movement. Paul doesn’t give a specific reason for writing this letter – and we’ll go over that more on Sunday.
As you read the first two verses, think about Paul’s introduction of himself and who his intended readers are. He describes himself as an apostle (a leader in the church) – on what does he base his sense of ministry? How much does God’s will play a role in your own understanding of self?
Who he writes to are described in the NLT as “holy people” – but in most older translations they are called “saints”. What is a saint, in your thinking? Who do you think qualifies for that description? We’re going to talk about that on Sunday because it’s very important that we understand who we are in Christ.
There is a surprising amount of content in the two little verses we’ll be looking at – I hope you can join us as we begin this incredible book!
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Part two of Eastgate Elementals. Join us as we discuss Egalitarian and Complentarian in church leadership.
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A primer on Eastgate’s purpose, values and vision.
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This Sunday will be the 9/11 anniversary – a date we will most likely never forget given the way in which that event has shaped our nation and society since. Yet there was another event, many, many years ago which we citizens of God’s Kingdom remember weekly, and the effect of that event on our lives and in this world has been profoundly good.
We’ll be reading about the resurrection event in our final study in the Gospel of Luke this Sunday. We started this study nearly two years ago, and I hope we’ve grown closer to Christ and gained a clearer perception of what the Gospel is along the way. We’ll be reading Luke 24:36-53.
The two disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus have just finished telling their story when everyone notices that Jesus is standing there among them. That sort of thing happens in several of the resurrection accounts – what might that suggest to us about the nature of our gathering together as Jesus’ disciples today?
What are the first words from his mouth to his followers? What does that tell us about his desire for us in our gathering?
In v 45-49 Jesus, in essence, hands the keys of ministry over to his disciples. What does v45 say happened to them? What is the purpose of that enlightenment based on v 46-48? What does being a witness mean to you? How comfortable are you with that description?
After Jesus ascends back to the Father’s realm, what do the disciples do? How is their attitude described? Does their attitude seem odd to you, given the fact that they no longer see Jesus? How might we understand our own walk of faith in light of that?
I’ve so enjoyed this study – it’s always a bittersweet thing for me to conclude it. I hope you can join us for our wrap up of this amazing Gospel of Luke!
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Matt & Janelle Greene give a scriptural outline for the basis for the baptism ritual.
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Join us this week as we continue our teaching through the book of Luke. The week Janelle will be teaching in Luke 24:13-34
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One of the major changes that took place in the early stages of the church, which set it apart from Judaism was the move from Saturday to Sunday as a day dedicated to God. The seventh day, Saturday, was the day ordained by God in the law of Moses as a day of rest. The post-exilic Israelites held their synagogue services on Saturday, which Jesus and all his disciples did as well.
Why did the church move from Saturday to Sunday? Because of what happened one Sunday morning which changed to course of history and set into motion the advance of God’s Kingdom on earth. The early church began observing their services on Sunday because it was a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
Think of it – every Sunday when the church gathers all over the world, we are celebrating Easter!
This Sunday as we continue our study of Luke, we’ll be reading Luke 24:1-12. We’ll be considering Jesus’ resurrection – more specifically, the empty tomb, which stands as evidence of something unseen.
It’s fascinating that in each of the gospel accounts, nobody is a witness to the resurrection itself – only the events and evidences post resurrection.
In our account this Sunday, we’ll read about the women coming to the tomb to prepare what they assumed would be a corpse for decomposition. When they get to the tomb, it’s empty. Each of the gospel accounts of this event starts this way. What does that empty tomb speak to you about Jesus and the nature of our mission with him?
Two glowy dudes show up and remind the women that this was something Jesus told everyone would happen, but nobody understood what he was saying, and therefore had no anticipation of this occurring. The disciples didn’t understand what Jesus was saying – but how did that affect God’s plans? Does God ask us to understand what he’s up to? What does God look for from us?
When we finally get to the men disciples (v11), their response to the women’s report is less than heroic or faith-filled. Can you really blame them though? Peter decides to investigate for himself – and I believe he takes the first step that countless believers have followed behind him. How difficult is it for you to allow for all the possibilities of God’s involvement in your life or in this world? Following Peter’s example, how can we become more open to God’s possibilities?
I’m looking forward to digging in to this explosively hopeful passage with you this Sunday – I hope you can join us!
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Have you ever done any gardening? From the time I was a kid, I was always intrigued by gardens, planting seeds that would take shape over time, becoming something so delightfully different in form from what was planted.
This Sunday as we continue our study in Luke, we’ll be reading about a different kind of planting – the burial of Jesus. We’ll be reading Luke 23:50-56.
In John’s gospel, Jesus made the statement “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.”
Just like when I was a child, I look at the shape of the seed and wonder what shape the harvest will take. That’s something I believe is forecast in the account of Jesus’ burial. It’s way more than just a connecting passage between Jesus’ death and what’s about to happen (I hate spoiling it for you, but Jesus’ death doesn’t take).
We get introduced to a character named Joseph of Arimathea. He was a member of the Sanhedrin who didn’t go along with their plan to have Jesus executed, which makes him at very least sympathetic with Jesus’ ministry. He asks Pilate for the body to be buried. How might this have been a risky move for him, given what just happened between Pilate and the Sanhedrin during the trial? What does this social, political and even religious risk he takes tell us about the nature of this new life we receive from Christ?
In v 55, who are the followers of Jesus that the narrative focuses on? Do you find it interesting that none of the big names of the disciples are present? In fact, we don’t even find out the names of the women disciples in Luke’s telling of this. A radical upheaval in the order of this broken world’s systems comes into focus here – what do you think it might be?
I think this will be an interesting and encouraging passage to examine together – I hope you can join us this Sunday!
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This Sunday we’ll be reading about the crucifixion of Jesus in our study of Luke. We’ll be covering ch 23:32-49.
What emotions do you feel as you read over this passage? The Gospel accounts are meant to instruct us, but they are also intended to engage us on every level. Some truth has to be felt before we could ever come close to contemplating or embracing it. This section is one of those, I think.
As we meditate on the events, there are things that stand out which help to expand our understanding of what Jesus was accomplishing on our behalf.
I v34, Jesus gives his famous response to the mistreatment he suffered. What do we glean about the intended purpose of this sacrifice from those words?
The sign they affix to the cross declares Jesus to be King. It was meant as a mockery, but the rest of the New Testament expounds on the deeper meaning of this, indicating that this was, indeed, Jesus’ moment of triumph (Col 2:15). Jesus is truly King. But what do we make of a King enthroned on a brutal cross? What sort of kingdom is this?
Jesus then extends mercy and the promise of entrance into God’s realm to the criminal being crucified with him in v42-43. What did the criminal do to merit this welcome? How can his example help us to understand the nature of our own relationship with Jesus?
Why do you suppose the sun went dark? Read Genesis 1:1-3. Do you see any correlation between these two events?
The temple in Jerusalem had a heavy curtain which hung as a divider between the main temple and the Holy of Holies – the place of God’s presence. That curtain was torn in two at Jesus’ death, according to v45. What message does the removal of that barrier send to us?
It is a heavy passage to deal with but filled with so much hope as we meditate on it. I look forward to exploring this passage together. Hope you can join us this Sunday!
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This Sunday is our annual Water Day (formerly called The Great Big Water Balloon Fight of 2022) – so wear beachy kinds of clothing that you don’t mind getting wet and a towel! We’ll be serving hamburgers and hot-dogs (courtesy of Pineapple Willy’s).
The text we’ll be studying together is Luke 23:26-31 as we continue our reading of Luke’s Gospel. We’re in the final stages of the narrative, and Jesus is now headed to the cross. As he is enroute to his place of execution, we are introduced to a new character who, again, isn’t there to advance the story as much as give insight to its meaning.
Simon of Cyrene (modern day Libya) appears in all three synoptic gospels who, like Barabbas, is named; so its intended that we pay attention to him. He is compelled by the Romans to carry Jesus’ cross since Jesus isn’t able to do so. So he takes Jesus’ cross and follows behind him. What picture does that create for you? Who might he represent? Read Luke 9:23 – does it connect with this scene in your thinking?
Jesus then stops to preach what is considered his final sermon to Israel when he speaks to the grief-stricken women on the road. Most scholars believe this is Jesus making a final forecast of the events that unfolded in 70 AD when Rome destroyed Jerusalem. We’ll do our best to unpack that on Sunday.
What stands out to me is that Jesus lets these women know they didn’t need to weep for him. Considering he’s been beaten and bloodied and on his way to be executed, how does that make sense? Why do you think it wasn’t necessary to weep for Jesus? What sort of resolution is before him?
Given Jesus’ outcome – what might that tell us about following Jesus’ way of the cross? How might it encourage us when His path becomes difficult to follow?
I hope you can join us as we explore this text on Sunday!
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Product sample lady at the store: “Try these kale chips! They’re the perfect substitute for potato chips!”
Me: “You’ve never eaten potato chips have you?”
I’m not always a big fan of substitutes – when I was a kid my mom was fully immersed in the fledgling hippie organic health food world. For a while I wasn’t allowed to eat commercial candies, but my mom gave me carob bars from the health food store which she described as a substitute for the poisonous candy I wanted. It tasted exactly nothing like chocolate.
Trying to substitute something good for something bad doesn’t always work – but there is one substitute for which I will be eternally grateful. In this case, the good was substituted for the bad on a cosmic scale, and because of it, we can breathe deeply the air of freedom.
We’re going to be considering The Substitute in our study of Luke this Sunday – reading chapter 23:13-25. The trial of Jesus continues as he is bounced back and forth between Pilate and Herod then back to Pilate for a verdict. Pilate wants to release Jesus after whipping him.
We know Pilate from history as a corrupt, ambitious and cruel leader who was in continual conflict with the Sanhedrin, the Jewish leaders. Factoring in his character and animosity for the Sanhedrin, why might he have wanted to set Jesus free?
Luke gives us no explanation for Barabbas’ appearance – we have to read Matthew 27:15-17 to get that information.
Barabbas appears in all four gospels at this point of the narrative. That means he’s important to the story – at least as a way of telling us about the story. What picture does Barabbas’ release and Jesus’ condemnation present to us? How does it reveal the nature of the gospel initiative?
Put yourself in the sandals of Barabbas. You’ve been brought from your cell into the sunlight and told someone named Jesus of Nazareth will be dying instead of you, and you will now go free. What do you feel? What goes through your mind; what questions would you ask?
The word “release” is repeated five times in this section of Luke. What does that emphasis imply to you? What does it speak about the nature of our lives after being reconciled to God through Jesus?
This is a dramatic section of the story – I’m really looking forward to digging into this text together! I hope you can join us!
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Have you ever noticed how “noisy” it is? Not honking cars or screaming ambulances, but opinion served up as fact. Fact that is rarely precise and often delivered with a self serving side of deceit. Amplified by 24 hour news broadcasts, and social media platforms, the resulting volume is deafening. The effect often times drives one to outrage. We are left feeling hopeless, angry and thinking the world is falling apart. Nothing seems to be going right.
Well, take heart, there is hope for us!
This week we continue our study in the Gospel of Luke beginning the next chapter reading Luke 23: 1-12. In this section we continue to read about the trial of Jesus but this time Jesus will be brought in front of Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas. The Sanhedrin and the Jewish religious leaders are seeking to have Jesus put to death but need Roman approval so they bring Jesus before the Roman court hoping for a guilty verdict.
As we read through the trial in front of Pilate, think about how each participant is this event felt. What was the driving force behind the Council? From who’s eyes did they define justice? Who was being protected by their stewardship of the Jewish law? How involved does Pilate want to be? Is this really a Roman issue or is Pilate being manipulated? Notice the crowd. How important a role do they play? What can we learn form Jesus’ actions or inaction? There is a lot going on here! As we saw last week, there is a great deal of hypocrisy and self serving ego being exhibited.
As the story progresses, pay special attention to the “contrasts” described. Why would Herod look forward to seeing Jesus when Antipas wished to see him go? Notice the crowd’s reactions when contrasted to Jesus. The crowd is in an uproar and Jesus is silent. He refuses to defend Himself at all. Why is that?
This is a convicting and wonderful section. It challenges us and it sets us free. There is some real power in the silence of the Lamb and I’m looking forward to sharing it Sunday. Hope you can join us
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This Sunday as we continue through the book of Luke we’ll be reading ch 22:54-71. Things have taken a dangerous turn in the narrative. Jesus is arrested, beaten, mocked and subjected to an unjust trial. Yet before we get to that, we read an account of Peter who followed Jesus at a distance after his arrest, and who finds himself fulfilling to the word what Jesus predicted he would do that night.
Put yourself in Peter’s sandals. Have you ever been in a situation where hostile people have suddenly turned their attention to you? What did you feel and what did you do in that environment? Peter distances himself from Jesus as a measure of self-protection – have you ever been tempted to do the same? Have you ever thought it might be easier to figure life out on your own with the intention of returning to Christ later? What does Peter’s experience and his response in v62 teach us when it comes to our closeness to Jesus?
Now put yourself in the sandals of the temple guards who were beating and mocking Jesus. Why do you think they felt the need or even the right to do that? Do you see a contrast between the guards and Jesus – and what might that contrast communicate to us about how God’s kingdom operates in this world?
The trial before the Sanhedrin was a master-class in hypocrisy. Many Biblical scholars have pointed out all the ways in which Jewish laws were broken in conducting the trial the way it was. What does it tell us about the religious leaders that they were willing to violate their own laws to accomplish their goal? Jesus makes some strong declarations which we’ll explore on Sunday – but his bold assertion was based on something other than the Sanhedrin’s assessment of him. What perspective did he identify himself from? How might his example lead us to a more stable response when others are hostile towards us?
It will be an intriguing study, I hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I believe that human beings have an innate sense of justice. Nothing can feel more frustrating than when it seems like wrong behavior prevails over what is right. What do we do in those instances, when our sense of integrity is violated and we feel powerless to stop it?
That’s something we’ll be considering in our study of Luke this Sunday, as we continue reading chapter 22, verses 47-53. Jesus has just finished praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and suddenly an armed crowd, led by Judas, shows up.
Judas was one of Jesus’ disciples – we will always puzzle over what changed in his attitude towards Jesus. What should a greeting with a kiss convey? What do you think Jesus’ question means in v48, “…would you betray me with a kiss”? Why would that betrayal be more significant?
The disciples suggest an armed resistance, even going so far as to strike the first blow. What does Jesus say to this, and what does he do for his captor? How should this guide our response in times when it looks like evil has the upper hand?
Jesus turns his attention to the leading priests who were there to supervise his arrest and calls out their hypocrisy. How is their hypocrisy exposed by what he says?
V 53 provides the theme of the passage – what do you think it means that it was the moment that the power of darkness reigns? How do you understand a moment, and what does that tell us about the staying power of evil? How can that help us navigate those times when evil seems to prevail?
I’m looking forward to reading this together on Sunday – I hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in the Gospel of Luke, reading ch 22:39-46. This is the famous account of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The passage is bracketed by a repeated command/warning to His disciples. what do you think Jesus means about falling into temptation? How do you think prayer can head that off in our experiences? Does the fact that Jesus repeats this warning mean anything to you, and if so, what would it be?
When Jesus prays, what does he ask for? How does he qualify his request? What can we learn from his qualified petition about how we should pray?
Compare what Jesus asked for with the answer he did receive. How can that observation guide our expectations about prayer?
I’m looking forward to digging into this subject together, I hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We were driving along and I half heard her say “Let’s get pizza tonight!”
“That sounds so good! From where?” I replied enthusiastically.
“What? From where we’re going now.” she said slightly annoyed.
“What do you mean? We’re going there now or from where we’re going we’ll go there?” I questioned.
“What are you talking about?”
“You said: ‘let’s get pizza tonight’ and I’m agreeing, but from where will we get it?”
“I said at the next street turn right…and you just missed the turn!”
Sometimes communication is hard. It’s easy to completely misunderstand each other when conversing, especially when you’re convinced you know what the other person is getting at.
I wonder if Jesus got exasperated in the text, we’ll be reading this Sunday in our study of Luke. We’ll be reading ch 22:21-38. Jesus will be giving final instructions to his disciples before his arrest, but they certainly seem to misunderstand him.
First he warns that someone in their group has betrayed him, and their response to this is to start arguing about who should be called the captain of the disciple team. What does that tell us about where their focus is? Have you ever considered how much the idea of reward factors into your trust in Jesus? In response to this, Jesus gives a clear picture of what greatness truly looks like. What do we learn about Christian priorities and leadership from his words?
The final section is a bit perplexing – but keep in mind the idea of misunderstanding. Jesus appears to be speaking figuratively and the disciples seem to interpret it literally. Imagine that v38 isn’t an affirmation of amounts, but a blunt termination of a conversation that is clearly going off the rails. We’ll try to dig in to that a bit on Sunday.
Hope you can join us as we think about what our relationship with Jesus will mean in real life.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we are going to continue in the Gospel of Luke and pick up where we left off in Chapter 22. The verses we’ll cover (vs 7-22) begin the story of the (famous) last supper. In this section, we find Jesus proclaiming that this (the bread) is his body broken for them, and this (the wine) is his blood, poured out for them. He tells the disciples who are sitting with him to do this in remembrance of him.
Sometimes it can be challenging to put ourselves in the place of the disciples, especially when it’s a story we have heard so many times. At first glance of reading these verses, we can easily say, “Yep, I know the story, this is where communion started,” and find nothing else of value.
The challenge for us is to look at these verses and find ways to apply it to our daily lives. How our we challenged with a verse and story we have heard so many times? Is it possible for God to reveal himself yet again, or even in a new way, through a familiar story?
I wonder if the disciples, who were sitting down to celebrate Passover with Jesus, thought something similar. This was an event that the Israelite people celebrated every single year. Were any of them restless and eager for this to be over so they could go back to the real work that they were doing? Or were they aware of how world-changing this holiday meal would be?
Join us this week as we look for God in the expected and unexpected places and examine once again, the (famous) last supper.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We’re all familiar with bad religion…not the punk band from the 80’s, but the expression of piety that is neither holy nor helpful, but often downright harmful. I don’t know the percentages, but the gospels deal with bad religion a lot. I mean, it was bad religion that got Jesus crucified
One of the regular sayings I hear is that “Christianity isn’t a religion, it’s a relationship” – and I don’t disagree with that statement. Still, technically, Christianity is a religion – just one that doesn’t place an emphasis on ritualistic performance but rather a dynamic bond with our Creator.
In our study of Luke this Sunday we’ll look at some examples of bad religion and consider why it went bad. We’ll be reading a short section from ch 21:37-22:6.
Everyone was in Jerusalem for the annual Passover celebration – and Jesus was camping on the Mount of Olives with his crew. That’s the setting – but the characters we read about are our focus. While everyone was in town to remember the deliverance from slavery and death that God brought to Israel – what are the religious leaders occupied with? What does that contrast convey to you?
They don’t want to arrest Jesus publicly because of how the crowds might react. Where is their focus, and what does that tell us about how their religious pursuit went wrong?
We aren’t really told what motivated Judas to betray Jesus, except for the phrase that “Satan entered into Judas”. “The satan” means accuser or adversary…an enemy. What is this language telling us about what has happened in Judas’ attitude and intention? How does that clue us in as to the ways in which one’s religion might go sour?
This will certainly give us a lot to think about – I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I love touring ancient structures whenever I get the chance; Mayan ruins, ancient Celtic rock circles, the ruins of Vindolanda – I’ve had the opportunity to see them. What I find so fascinating is to touch those ancient stones and imagine the hands who also touched them so very long ago. At one point, these were thriving communities – now they are curious piles of rock. All things come and go – all things have a limited shelf-life, including humans.
Jesus will be talking about the end of an age in the text we’ll be reading in our study of Luke this Sunday. We’ll be reading ch 21:5-36.
It’s a lengthy section, the heading for which is found in v5-7 – Jesus predicts that the temple in Jerusalem will soon be mere ruins. The disciples want to know when this will happen and what they should look for. The disciples were looking for a fast, cataclysmic end to the temple and the world, simultaneously. He indicates in v9 that time will go on, even without the temple, and that time will be characterized by lots of troubling and confusing things. V8 tells us what we should be cautious of. What does he say and how do you understand his warning; what does it apply to?
V13 tells us something else important about all the troubles and possible persecution. What does he say these troubles provide for us? Is that the direction your mind goes when troubles show up or you’re treated unfairly?
Jesus throws a series of hyperlinks into his speech in V20-28 – we’ll go over those more in depth on Sunday. It’s all language intended to convey how serious the events surrounding the temple’s end will be for the people of Jerusalem. V28, again, tells us what these troubling events actually mean for Jesus’ followers. What does he say this is all leading towards in that verse? How might that effect our attitude when the world seems to spin out of control?
V34 is Jesus’ last bit of instruction about how we should live in light of the finish line. What does he say? How might we be tempted to do the opposite when troubles seem to pile on in this life?
We certainly saw how deeply troubled our world is last week in Uvalde Texas – the senselessness and violence that spills out onto the youngest and most vulnerable among us. It’s so heartbreaking – we, of course, must be praying for those left to try and navigate such a horrible losses…I can’t even imagine….word’s completely fail me. Jesus’ words in v28 of our text take on so much more weight…and seem more difficult to follow, when we’re spattered with the blood of innocents.
God have mercy on us, a sinful, prideful people. May we somehow, someway, hear your voice above the clatter of gunfire, and follow your words to sanity and salvation.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
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I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked for some item in our refrigerator at home and turned away declaring “we don’t have any” with absolute confidence…only to have my wife reopen the door and point to said item on the front of the shelf at eye level (and then walk away muttering something about living with an overgrown toddler).
I’m just sayin’, some things seem to hide in plain view.
The reality is, God is often like that. There are things going on and aren’t too easy to spot on the surface, but given time, consideration and prayer, emerge in a fuller detail. In Isaiah 45:15 the prophet declares “Surely, You’re a God who hides Himself!” and I can’t argue with him on that.
We’re going to continue our study in Luke this Sunday, reading ch 20:41- ch 21:4, where we’ll encounter a few “hidden” things. Jesus will pose a riddle, give a rebuke and make an observation about these somewhat obfuscated things.
In 20:41-44 Jesus has his turn to present a riddle – one that quotes Psalm 110 about the promised messianic King – and Jesus asks why David, the ancestor, makes himself subservient to the descendant, instead of the other way around. What do you think Jesus is trying to communicate in this riddle about His own nature? What might be hidden in the person of Jesus that many were overlooking at the time, and many overlook today?
In v 45-47 Jesus rebukes the religious leaders for making an empty show of their spirituality. What might be hiding out behind an emphasis on outward religious performance?
Jesus is people watching in ch 21:1-4 and makes an observation about something that could easily have remain hidden and gone unnoticed. A poor widow gives to the temple treasury out of her poverty and outgives all those who gave from a fraction of their abundance. Take some time to contemplate the lesson of that observation. We usually hear it taught as an impetus to give more to the church…but there is something deeper going on than that. Refer back to Jesus’ rebuke in ch20:47…who were the religious leaders taking advantage of? Think back to what Jesus did when he first entered the temple in ch 19:45-46. What do we make of this woman’s gift and God’s response to it in light of who the recipient of the gift is? That’s something to really ponder for a bit.
This is an intriguing group of texts we’ll be exploring this Sunday – I hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
We’re going to continue in our exploration of the gospel of Luke this Sunday. We’ll be reading ch 20:27-40.
It’s an odd little encounter that Jesus has with a group of Sadducees. Because the Sadducees don’t believe in an afterlife at all, they pose a riddle that is supposed to show the absurdity of the concept.
They learn the first lesson they needed to learn…never argue religion with Jesus. He dismantles their proposition very simply…how does he do it…how does he indicate to them that they aren’t starting from the right premise?
Is there anything about what he says about relationships in the afterlife that bothers you? Do you think that Jesus was setting out to describe in detail how life will be after this life, or is there a deeper point you think he’s making?
The hope of an afterlife is actually a very meaningful influence on this present life, isn’t it? I would say that the hope of an afterlife will revolutionize our present life. What are some of the positive ways an eternal hope can have on present life…and what could be some negative ways? How can we, as followers of Christ who have a hope of resurrection and redemption maintain the positive influence of that hope, and not succumb to the negative tendencies?
I look forward to exploring this passage together on Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
There is a famous quote, usually attributed to Ben Franklin, though he was actually quoting someone else, that says: “only two things are certain in life….”. I’m sure you know what the quote says. I read a funny Bizarro cartoon that showed the Grim Reaper sitting in an IRS office being audited and the Reaper was saying “I suppose this was inevitable.”. Made me laugh, anyway.
This Sunday as we continue our study in Luke, we’ll be reading ch 20:20-26. In these short six verses we have the makings of a lifelong study. It’s the famous passage where Jesus is asked about paying taxes to Rome, and his answer is both brilliant and thought-provoking.
First and foremost, what do you make of the religious leaders sending spies intending to entrap Jesus and get him in trouble? How does that seem to square with God’s character? What observations might we make about what had happened to the spiritual leaders of Israel?
How do you read Jesus’ answer? He takes an either/or question and turns it into a both/and response. What do you suppose he means to give Caesar what belongs to him? Does that seem to guide us in how we as God’s people understand the role of government, and if so, what guidance does it seem to yield?
The word Jesus used for “image” is significant. It’s the same word the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Jewish Bible) used for Gen 1:26 – “Let us make man in our own image”. How might that weigh into what Jesus is saying, especially the last part of his answer? In what ways can we give God back whatever it is that bears His image? Again, as I said, thought-provoking stuff that doesn’t seem content to produce one answer alone.
I’m stoked about this passage, it’s really a lot of fun to dig into. I hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine it together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Has someone ever taken something that belonged to you – or at least you felt belonged to you? Have you ever been in charge of something, and someone comes along and undermines your decision or takes over entirely? How did that make you feel?
We’re going to be considering something about God’s kingdom along those lines in our study of Luke this Sunday, reading Luke 20:9-19.
Jesus tells another parable that further explains the motivation behind his shutting down of the temple in our last section. The story is about a group of share-croppers – renters who tend to a landowner’s vineyard – who decide to take the vineyard for themselves. The story takes very commonplace circumstances (for that time and region) and exaggerates the nefarious behavior of the renters to the point of being absurd.
It’s a story that grows out of last week’s question: “By whose authority do you say and do these things?”. Jesus sort of expands the scope, asking “Just exactly whose Kingdom do you suppose this is?”
As you read the parable, consider who the renters might be (remember who he’s been in confrontations with). Who might the son be? Who would the landowner represent? Now, consider the event that set in motion the destruction of the renters. What does that seem to indicate to us? How might we read this parable as 21st Century American Christians and understand it’s import for our present life as God’s representatives?
It may prove to be a challenging story for us to read – but well worthwhile. I hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine it together.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Easter was such a wonderful time of remembering the hope we have in Christ through the power of his resurrection. This Sunday we’ll be returning to our study in the Gospel of Luke – even though Easter was a bit of a spoiler on how this story will turn out.
We’ll be reading what may be a familiar passage – what has been traditionally called “the cleansing of the temple”. Our text will be Luke 19:45-20:8. Normally when we hear about Jesus driving out those who were selling sacrificial animals and exchanging money in the temple, we assume his motive is to rebuke commercialism/consumerism within the house of worship. I would say the majority of people read it that way…I know I always did.
This Sunday we’re going to challenge that idea. Jesus was certainly staging a prophetic rebuke…but of what? There is an alternative proposition about what Jesus was doing that I find quite persuasive, and the message if far deeper and heavier than mere consumerism. (Not to excuse a consumer mindset within the sphere of worship – there are other places in Scripture that address that as improper, but I’m not convinced that’s what Jesus was doing in this particular text)
Here’s some homework: read Isaiah 56:6-7 as well as Jeremiah 7:4-6,9-11. These are the passages that Jesus is quoting. If we employ Tim Mackie’s idea of using those references as hyperlinks, what are those passages making a point about? How do they expose what Jesus may be getting at? What might it mean that the temple had become a criminal hideout (den of thieves)?
The next section we’ll read is ch 20:1-8 where the leading authority figures challenge Jesus about his authority to do what he did in the temple. The section is rich in irony, which drives home the point about what the temple had become. When Jesus reverses the question on them, who do they look to for answers? What is it that motivates their response? What does that tell us about their view of authority, and how does that reflect on the temple?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig in to this text together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday is Palm Sunday – and amazingly, our study of Luke just so happens to be the very section that covers the events of that day! I wish I could say that I was smart enough to plan that out way back when we started…but I think we would all know better than that.
We’ll be reading Luke 19:28-44. There are so many things going on with Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. Luke doesn’t mention Palm branches, but John 12:12-13 gives us that detail. This event is pointing back to ancient prophecies about the Messiah, as well as prior historical events, and all of it is meant to create a contrast between the kingdoms of this world and God’s reign and rule.
Do your best to imagine the scene. How intimidating does someone look riding on a donkey? What message is that meant to convey? Why do you think the Pharisees were upset with the crowds singing about a coming King in Jesus’ direction? What do you suppose the significance of the rocks taking up the song if people were to quit?
The section ends on a somber note. Everyone else is stoked, but Jesus is crying…sobbing even. He sees Israel’s rejection of him as King and the consequence of their future path of violent revolt against Rome. What might that warning be speaking to us, if anything? Does it mean anything to you that Jesus speaks this warning through weeping and tears?
We’ll have a LOT of interesting details and puzzle pieces to arrange together on Sunday! Hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
“We don’t do this well” is a phrase you will often hear on Sunday mornings at Eastgate. This well used phrase is meant to be a reminder that we do not participate in a works based salvation system. We are all invited to rely, not on our own abilities, but the consistent grace of God and the sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross. In this understanding, and the secure place of belonging to God, we are able to begin making those positive changes in our daily life.
This Sunday, we are going to be reading Luke 19:11-27, and there we will find a parable that seems to be giving us a job while we wait for Jesus’ return. The snag however, is that in this parable, the King (who seems to be representing Jesus) returns to let his servants know that he has been keeping track of their work and he is angry with the one servant who didn’t do their job well.
In our private reading of scripture we might be tempted to skip over the parts of the text that don’t fit neatly in our narrative, but when we study a whole book together as the church we are forced to confront every word of Jesus that’s recorded. We are forced to ask questions like, “Is it still okay if I don’t do this well even though these verses show a side of Jesus that is angry with someone who doesn’t do this well?” How might we balance this text with the emphasis we find on grace in other parts of the Gospel?
Together, at Eastgate, we will be exploring the context of these verses, and we’ll search for the truth of what Jesus was trying to communicate here… even if it means we find ourselves challenged along the way.
I hope you can join us as we examine this intriguing passage.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Usually when we say so and so was “up a tree”, it’s a bad thing. It’s an old saying that alludes to an animal, like a squirrel or racoon, that will climb a tree in order to flee from an attacker – but once in the tree, they can’t descend because the threat is still present.
In our study of Luke this Sunday, we’ll be reading about a guy who went up a tree, but found his life profoundly altered and expanded by the experience. Not because of the tree, so much, but because of who saw him there.
We’ll be reading Luke 19:1-10 in our ongoing study of that book this Sunday.
In the story, why did Zacchaeus climb a tree? What was obstructing his view? How might we draw a lesson from that about how accommodating we are to those around us who might want to see Jesus? What things in our modern church might hinder someone’s view of a Savior?
Jesus invites himself to dinner, and that is good for Zacchaeus, but bad in the view of those surrounding Jesus and observing it. Why do you think the people murmur at this? Can you think of a lesson for us to learn from their reaction?
Zacchaeus expresses his intention to radically alter his life choices which will result in a radically diminished lifestyle. What did Jesus say or do to precipitate that sort of response? What might we learn about heart transformation from this account?
I hope you can join us for this intriguing look into one man’s encounter with the King.
Click here for the pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
Lately there has been a big push to find alternative sources of energy, I would think especially since gas prices have escalated so much. Beyond solar and wind, there are all sorts of strange ideas being proposed for cheaper and renewable power sources.
We’re going to be reading about a very surprising source of power in our text this Sunday as we continue our study of Luke. We’ll be reading Luke 18:31-43.
The first section of this passage has the 6th prediction Jesus makes in Luke’s gospel about his approaching arrest and execution. The disciples are fairly blind to what he’s saying – but it’s yet another important reminder of where God’s greatest demonstration of power took place. How would you characterize Christ’s death on the cross? In what ways can we see that same power working through us?
The second part of the passage recounts the healing of a blind man outside of Jericho. It’s a story told in all three synoptic gospels – and it’s the very last healing miracle recorded in Luke’s account of Jesus. What does the blind man cry out for? What does that tell us about the nature of God’s mission?
Why do you think the crowds “in front” tell this man to be quiet? What are some of the pressures you face in our society about your value or place? How might Jesus’ response to this man inform us of where we find our true value?
I love this story so much! I’m really looking forward to exploring this on Sunday – hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
One of the consistent and repetitive themes of the gospel is that Jesus’ presentation of God’s kingdom on earth is VERY different from the way the kingdoms of this world work – whether that’s the leaders of Israel or Caesar in Rome or any president in our country.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Luke 18:15-30 as we move ahead in our study of this Gospel.
We’ve seen all through this gospel that what Jesus presented and MODELED in his ministry and teachings was quite different from what people were expecting when God’s will is done on earth like its done in heaven.
This, of course, is the calling of the church – to LIVE this upsidedowness out in our own understanding of self, and how it is we relate to the people around us.
This is what Jesus means when he talks about entering the kingdom –we usually relegate that to “going to heaven when I die” – but that’s just one small aspect of it.
The passage we’ll be reading contains two encounters which highlight the subversive nature of God’s kingdom and identifies ways that we enter the kingdom – that is, how we represent it into our world.
In v 15-17 we find the famous account of Jesus blessing the children. In the ancient world, children were not protected nor given any of the agency many children of our present age have. They were humans of non-status. What might that indicate to us about how we are to represent God’s kingdom to the world around us?
We encounter the rich, religious leader in v18-30, who, according to his own testimony, is a decent guy who cares about the law of Moses. He is the picture of success in any culture, including our own. We’ll go into more detail on Sunday about the interaction between Jesus and this guy– but let’s focus on what Jesus tells him. He has everything going on for him by the world’s standards, and that is the very place where Jesus places the ax in his response. “Here’s what you lack – here’s what you could do to be complete – sell all your stuff and give it to the poor and you’ll have riches in heaven and you can follow me.” That was a bridge too far for that young man.
The Bible has a lot of challenging things to say about wealth and the eagerness for riches. Why do you suppose the young man walked away from Jesus at this point? What would you be afraid of losing when it comes to following Jesus? It’s a tough question, I know.
There will be a lot to consider as we examine this text – I hope you can join us as we do!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
One of the consistent and repetitive themes of the gospel is that Jesus’ presentation of God’s kingdom on earth is VERY different from the way the kingdoms of this world work – whether that’s the leaders of Israel or Caesar in Rome or any president in our country.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Luke 18:15-30 as we move ahead in our study of this Gospel.
We’ve seen all through this gospel that what Jesus presented and MODELED in his ministry and teachings was quite different from what people were expecting when God’s will is done on earth like its done in heaven.
This, of course, is the calling of the church – to LIVE this upsidedowness out in our own understanding of self, and how it is we relate to the people around us.
This is what Jesus means when he talks about entering the kingdom –we usually relegate that to “going to heaven when I die” – but that’s just one small aspect of it.
The passage we’ll be reading contains two encounters which highlight the subversive nature of God’s kingdom and identifies ways that we enter the kingdom – that is, how we represent it into our world.
In v 15-17 we find the famous account of Jesus blessing the children. In the ancient world, children were not protected nor given any of the agency many children of our present age have. They were humans of non-status. What might that indicate to us about how we are to represent God’s kingdom to the world around us?
We encounter the rich, religious leader in v18-30, who, according to his own testimony, is a decent guy who cares about the law of Moses. He is the picture of success in any culture, including our own. We’ll go into more detail on Sunday about the interaction between Jesus and this guy– but let’s focus on what Jesus tells him. He has everything going on for him by the world’s standards, and that is the very place where Jesus places the ax in his response. “Here’s what you lack – here’s what you could do to be complete – sell all your stuff and give it to the poor and you’ll have riches in heaven and you can follow me.” That was a bridge too far for that young man.
The Bible has a lot of challenging things to say about wealth and the eagerness for riches. Why do you suppose the young man walked away from Jesus at this point? What would you be afraid of losing when it comes to following Jesus? It’s a tough question, I know.
There will be a lot to consider as we examine this text – I hope you can join us as we do!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
The opening lines of the Parable we’re reading this Sunday almost sounds like a tired joke: “A Pharisee and a Tax Collector walk into the temple….”. It isn’t a joke though, quite the opposite. We’ll be progressing in our exploration of the Gospel of Luke this Sunday, reading ch 18:9-14.
Interestingly, This is the only place where Jesus uses a religious backdrop for one of his parables. That change of approach should give us pause. It’s always important to remember that parables are never about what they describe on the surface. What might that mean in this case?
We witness another reversal in this story, where the respectable and spiritually minded Pharisee is characterized with less regard than the thieving tax collector. Who are the respectable in our society and who are the pariahs? It’s tempting to insert them into the characters of this story, isn’t it?
It’s important to know that this parable contains a trap – we’ll discuss that on Sunday. Needless to say, try the characters on for size and see what happens.
The idea of being justified is at the heart of this story – that of being declared just or right before God. Compare the two prayers and consider what Jesus is trying to convey to us about humanity’s plight and how that is resolved.
I’m really looking forward to examining this parable together – hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading the parable of the Unjust Judge as we continue our study in Luke, reading ch 18:1-8. Luke introduces it as a parable about prayer, but a surface reading of it actually raises more questions than it does provide answers.
It’s another unusual parable where the title character is a scoundrel – so it’s important that we don’t assume he represents God. What we’ll find is that it is an analogy by contrast. If an unjust judge can be worn down so as to eventually provide justice to a pestering widow, certainly God will provide justice for his children.
Here’s the thing – this is a parable which is dealing with a specific aspect of prayer, not a general treatise on the nature of prayer or how to get any prayer answered. We don’t want to take away an assumption that if we keep pestering God to fire our boss, we’ll finally wear him down and He’ll do it. All things in Scripture have to work together.
Remember the context of the end of chapter 17 – Jesus was talking about the coming of God’s Kingdom, which would restore and redeem this broken world. That is the context in which we need to read this parable. It’s an encouragement to continue in our hope and prayer for a new world to come.
What do you find most challenging about prayer? How often does justice figure into your times of prayer? In what ways might we pray for God’s justice and goodness to invade this earth?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we delve into this intriguing story – and we’ll be celebrating communion as well!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
“It’s the end of the world as we know it….and I feel fine.” ~ REM
Our passage this week is Luke 17:20-37, where Jesus talks about the end! (For the rest of this blog post I dare you not to hum “its the end of the world as we know it” by REM. If you DO start humming, welcome to my world where that has been a constant ear-worm for the last three days)
Jesus is asked about the timing of the kingdom of God’s arrival by the Pharisees. They are questioning his role as a possible messiah. They have things worked out very neatly in their theological training…they’ve probably got charts…and they want to know where all the armies and slaughter of Romans they thought would come with Messiah and the end of the age. Jesus responds about signs…what does he say, and what do YOU take from that?
He next turns to his disciples and warns them that things may get rough…and people will come declaring they know the timetable and location of the end game. How does he say we should react and respond to them? What does THAT tell us about fixating on end-time hoopla?
The next thing Jesus does is compare the end to two different stories of divine cataclysmic judgment in the Old Testament – Noah’s flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. What does he say characterized those days preceding that sudden judgment? Do they read like “signs” of impending doom? What WAS there to tell people in Noah’s day that and end was coming and something new would be in it’s place (hint: two specific characters)? What does THAT tell us about what we should focus on concerning intrigue about the end of history? There is a sign of God’s in-breaking kingdom and it’s the most important one to each of us individually…to see it, look in a mirror.
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine this fascinating passage in Luke!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Last week in the beginning of Luke Chapter 17 we read about Jesus’ strong emphasis about intentional humility. This week, we will see intentional humility played out by the last person anyone (at that time) would expect.
In the passage that we will be learning about this week (Luke 17:11-19) we will witness Jesus’ interaction with 10 lepers. As with most people, the moment they met Jesus, their lives were changed forever.
It’s important for us to realize that before they met Jesus, these lepers lived a life of pain and suffering. Due to a contagious skin disease (we’re not sure exactly which one… leprosy could have meant a variety of contagious skin diseases), they had been cut off from the world they knew and were now forced to live outside the city walls. Instead of working for food, they must beg for food. Instead of hugs, they must stand back and shout “unclean” as others walk by.
If you get the chance, reading Leviticus 13-14 will provide even greater context for the culture that is taking place in this story. These rules that we have the privilege of glossing over, are rules that people were required to live by. When reading through the laws of Leviticus 13-14 picture yourself having to understand and follow those laws.
Imagine waking up to find a rash on your skin one day. Imagine, the rash begins to spread and you realize that this is no bug bite, or something else that would go away on it’s on. Think of the moment you must say goodbye to your family. Why? Because this is the law. This law is meant to protect the very people they love from also being infected. Remember, the Jewish people of the Old Testament were covering their mouths with fabric and quarantining before it was cool.
Having leprosy was not something anyone ever walked away from. Or should I say, leprosy was not something anyone had walked away from YET.
Looking forward to sharing more about this on Sunday. See you there.
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“Humility is not my virtue? False – as per everything else, I excel at being humble.” ~ Dwight Shrute
In our study of Luke this Sunday we’ll be reading ch 17:1-10. We’ll move into a section where Jesus will give a warning, a command, an encouragement and a parable – all with an underlying theme of humility. It’s interesting because the word “humility” doesn’t appear in the text, but the only means of experiencing what he calls us to is by setting our self-will aside for the sake of another.
The warning starts in v1-2, about causing a “little one” to fall into sin. Who do you think a “little one” might be? The word for “sin” in this text is scandalidzo (σκανδαλίζω) – and it means to put an obstacle in someone’s path causing them to trip up. What things might we put in someone’s life that would trip them up in their intent to follow Jesus? We can think of all sorts of temptations in this world – but think also about the Pharisees in ch 15:1-2 – in what ways could those types of attitudes trip someone up? What is necessary on our part to keep from offending our fellow believer?
V3–4 provides a warning and a command – don’t cover-up or dismiss an offense, but be quick and consistent in forgiving the repentant. Humility plays a large role in being willing to forgive – and forgiveness is a really big and nuanced subject, something we’ll be taking some time to consider and qualify in our teaching on Sunday. All of this is in a community context – so what sort of attitude do we see Jesus promoting among his followers?
Jesus also exhorts us to believe God in v5-6 after the disciples start wondering how they’re gonna’ achieve these things he’s commanding. He makes is clear we don’t need a big faith…instead, he implies the opposite. If we had great faith to rely on, what might we be tempted to trust in?
Finally, Jesus tells a parable in v7-10 which sort of wraps up the section. In some ways, the picture the story paints is sort of bleak for a disciple – described as a self-effacing servant of a task master. But remember, parables aren’t meant to be one to one comparisons – he’s making a point. There are plenty of places where our value as God’s children is emphasized in Scripture, that part is supposed to be assumed in this parable. How might this parable prompt us toward humility?
I’m looking forward to this study! Lavished Ministries will be sharing a missions update about the important work they do for an abused and marginalized segment of our society. I hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Have you ever experienced the 20-20 vision of hindsight? I can remember so many times when I’ve looked back on a confusing situation and had a much clearer picture in light of all the things I discovered along the way. What if we could get the clearer picture beforehand – not having to wait until the event is history before knowing the best response? Wouldn’t that be cool?
In our text this Sunday, Jesus will invite us to gain a better picture for our present day lives by reminding us that things are not always as they appear on the surface. We’ll be reading Luke 16:19-31 as we continue our study in the Gospel of Luke.
I’m someone who reads this section as a parable – the reasons for which I’ll delve into on Sunday. As a parable, I believe it sets up a perfect punctuation for everything that’s been said in the whole section which began in chapter 15:1-2. It also helps illustrate what Jesus said a few verses back about how the world honors one thing but God finds it detestable.
In the parable, the curtain gets pulled back to see that statement acted out with all the drama and theatrics of a stage play.
As you read the story, imagine the details and contrasts set up in the first act (v19-21). Who would you rather be in that description?
Act two (v22-23) brings the great equalizer on stage: death. Here we recognize that everything wasn’t as it appeared in life. Who is blessed and who is cursed in this scenario? The interesting thing is, nothing changes about their status or activity during life – which means this state of blessing and curse was present in life, just unseen. (spoiler alert!) That’s a major point of the parable! How does this relate to the Pharisee’s critique of Jesus hanging out with sinners and outcasts?
Acts three and four finish up the section. The unnamed rich man pleads with Abraham for relief and pleads for his five brothers who needed to be warned. Abraham refuses both requests – for relief because there was an irreconcilable gap between them; for warning because they had God’s word that could instruct them, if they won’t hear that they won’t believe someone risen from the dead.
There’s all sorts of nuance here which we, knowing there’s an empty tomb at the end of this gospel, are able to recognize more clearly.
Again, I’m not someone who reads this story as a teaching about the afterlife, but as an exhortation addressing how we live right now. Some questions we could consider from this parable are: Who’s evaluation of us matters most? How should we evaluate God’s word, what impact should it have on our lives? And finally, how should we assess and treat each other in light of Heaven’s tendency to reverse things that seem so obvious to us on earth?
I hope you can join us this Sunday – it should prove to be a challenging yet encouraging exploration of this passage!
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“Great eagerness in the pursuit of wealth, pleasure, or honor, cannot exist without sin.” ~ Desiderius Erasmus
“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.” ~ 1 Tim 6:6There is probably no philosophy or religion on earth that doesn’t contain at least some warning about the dangers of wealth. Jesus’ teachings are no different. The Bible is replete with warnings about money and wealth. Not warnings about the use of money as a means of exchange – but always warnings about money’s effect on our hearts.
We’re going to be continuing our study in Luke this (chilly) Sunday, reading Luke 16:10-18, where Jesus will transition from using money as a parable to speaking about it literally. They will be some of His strongest words about wealth’s potential influence on us.
As you read the passage, what are the contrasts Jesus makes? What would you think is a “little thing” and what would be a “greater responsibility”? What do you think Jesus is trying to emphasize here? Why do you suppose he goes from using money as an illustration of something else to talking about actual money? V 14 may give you a hint.
In what ways can we end up serving money? How might money be able to serve God’s interests? Do you think Jesus’ warnings are limited to wealth? If not, what other things of this temporal world are capable of enslaving us?
V16-18 are difficult parts of this section – they feel like non—sequiturs, but they are in fact related to the topic as a whole. We’ll unpack and examine that on Sunday!
Hope you can join us!
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Have you ever tried to explain something but the person you were trying to inform just could not grasp the idea? This is where this weeks teaching begins. We find Jesus, simply exhausted of trying to have the pharisee’s understand this new upside down kingdom. So, turning to the other part of His audience, the disciples, Jesus tells another parable further explaining how the good news of the new kingdom should look. Keep in mind while the story is directed to the disciples, Jesus knows full well the pharisees, lawyers and scribes are listening. Jesus has not given up on the ‘enlightened lost’.
In this section we read one of Jesus’ most difficult parables, ‘The Parable of the Shrewd Manager ‘sometimes called ‘The Parable of the Dishonest Manager’, or other times called ‘The Parable of the Unrighteous Steward’ or another translation titles it the ‘Parable of Unrighteous Mammon’. As you may notice, there seems to be a great deal of, lets say confusion, over the description of this parable. Is the theme about the overseer’s character? How would you describe his character? Could the emphasis of the parable be about unrighteous mammon (entrusted wealth)? Think about the role wealth plays in this parable. Where does it come from and how is it managed?
As with the previous parable, it is still important to keep the context in which this story was told in view. The prodigal parable makes the point that even when one’s own mismanagement cause separation, a reconciliation is cause for celebration. This story continues the theme adding important detail. As the multitude of titles for this parable suggest, it is about the management of entrusted wealth. You might even see it as an explanation to the brother of the prodigal son, and us, as to the nature of wealth and how it should be utilized.
As we look at this parable we will find three main points. One on accountability, one on self reflection and the last on reconciliation. As we read this parable, pay particular attention to how we feel about the manager when he is accused, when he reflects upon his situation, and when he devises his plan of action. Are our thoughts more in line with the prodigal’s father or his brother? Are we prone to sympathy or skepticism? What about “admiration” for the “dishonest rascal”? How does that fit into a righteous living model? Keep in mind that a parable is hardly ever “about what it is about”. So, if money is not the object of wealth, what is?
This is a challenging parable. It asks us to navigate this world with the entrusted wealth Jesus has offered and to do so in a palatable way. No small task!
I look forward to sharing it Sunday, hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
The holiday season is over, and we’re all finding our way back to our normal routines, and this Sunday we’ll be returning to our study in the Gospel of Luke, reading Luke 15:11-32.
In this section is one of Jesus’ most famous parables, The Prodigal Son. As you’ll have noticed, I’ve re-named the parable to something I think is a bit more appropriate, since the meaning of the word “prodigal” is to spend or give something on a lavish scale.
If you read the passage, it’s very important to keep the context in which this story was told in view. When the chapter opened, Jesus was being criticized by the religious leaders of his day for hanging out and even eating with people whose reputations were less than respectable. To answer his critics as to why he was so casually spending time with sinners, Jesus told a string of parables. The Lost Sheep and The Lost Coin were the first two which we covered in our last study.
In this story, the stakes are raised, but the issue at heart is the same. Something missing is returned and this calls for a celebration.
We’re going to dig into this on Sunday because there are some nuances to this story we could easily miss as modern Westerners looking in on it. There are patterns from Israel’s history that show up here – maybe you can recognize them.
You’ll notice that the parable unfolds in four acts – the first act is the the youngest of two sons asking for his inheritance early and squandering it all in wanton living, far away from home. The second act is his coming to his senses and determining to try and bargain his way back home. The third and most beautiful act is his return and his father’s reaction and response to him. The fourth act is probably the most challenging, and the one addressing the original question of why Jesus is eating with scoundrels.
This parable is probably one of the most stunning revelations of God’s heart and grace. It’s often told as an encouragement for people to repent and turn to God, which it certainly does that – but the real teeth of this story is it’s challenge to God’s people about how we view each other. What are our assumptions about the importance of repentance, and what do we think God is looking for from humanity? What is God’s end goal? If we view the father of this parable as a picture of God, what would we say his goal is?
Try the characters on for size. Who do you relate most to in this parable? Who do you struggle to relate to? The story provides no ending – If you could write the ending, what would it be?
I LOVE this parable – I can’t wait to talk it over with you on Sunday! Hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading two familiar parables in our study of Luke – the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. They are found in Luke 15:1-10.
The first two verses set the stage for the stories Jesus tells. What is at issue, and how do the stories relate to that issue? What is it revealing to us about the heart of God towards humanity?
Have you ever lost something of great value to you? How did you feel when it was missing? What did you do when you discovered it was gone? Do your best to conjure up those emotions and thoughts. Now…can you imagine God feeling that way about you, when he went looking for you?
These stories are usually read with the main focus of finding lost ones – but we also want to remember the context which started this discourse – Jesus is correcting Pharisees who had no interest in lost ones. To properly read these parables, we need to read them from the Pharisee’s perspective – and pose the question to ourselves: “Who do I consider unimportant or undesirable, and am I willing to welcome them and reinforce their value, as Jesus does with all of us?”
Value is at the heart of this passage – and the message these stories are getting across is stunning. I wonder if any of us truly grasp the way God values us.
I think this will prove to be an encouraging, yet challenging study. Hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Luke 14:25-35. It’s another very heavy section, one that’s going to require some careful examination. When we think of Jesus, it’s probably rare that we associate words of hate with him – yet, in the text before us, Jesus speaks directly of hating people as a requirement for being his disciple. How do we sync that with the many places and ways that Jesus represents divine love, and even commands that same sort of love from us?
In what ways might his challenge be an indication of priorities and value? What then, is Jesus calling us to prioritize the most?
How can we realistically count the cost of being a follower of Jesus? What things in life are easy to set aside, and what ones are hard? What might Jesus be saying to us about our commitment to his way of life?
This will be a challenging, yet encouraging study – hope you can join us!
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This Sunday we’ll be having our first ever Post Thanksgiving Potluck – also known as The Great Big Post Thanksgiving Family Holiday Leftovers Potluck – I hope you can join us! It’s quite fitting, given our text this week will be focusing on a meal, with a story about a great banquet. We’ll be reading Luke 14:1-24 this Sunday.
The text will have a repetition of a pattern we’ve seen already – Jesus heals someone on the Sabbath day much to the dismay and offense of the religious leaders. Jesus will make an almost identical explanation as he did back in Luke 13:10-17. Why do you think this is being repeated? What message do you take from that pattern?
From there Jesus goes on to give what seems like advice on dining manners – but it’s really a parable in disguise. In what ways might we assume a place of honor in God’s kingdom? How could that negatively effect our fellow persons, especially if they feel like outsiders?
It all finishes with a straightforward parable about a great banquet where the people who are invited snub the invitation – so the host invites all the marginalized and seeming outsiders to join in. The meaning of that should be obvious – but what can that tell us about our tendencies to make assumptions about who is in and who is out of God’s grace?
I hope you can join us – we’ll be celebrating Communion during the potluck, so please try to attend! See you Sunday!
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Have you ever suffered from inattentional blindness? It’s a real thing. I can remember looking for my wife in a crowd once, and I was pretty sure I knew what color shirt she was wearing. I kept looking for that shirt color, and failed to notice my wife who was nearly right in front of me, simply because she wasn’t wearing what I thought she was.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Luke 13:18-35 and it addresses inattentional blindness in a way. When it comes to the Kingdom of God, if we refuse to adjust our attention, we may miss what God is up to.
In this chapter, Jesus talks about small seeds, the invisible process of yeast, few being saved, a narrow door and the least of people. There’s a message about the nature of how God’s Kingdom works in there…what do you think it is? How might our expectations cause us to miss the work God is doing in and around us? What can we do to temper our expectations?
The whole section finishes off with Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem. Much of this lament is forecasting the events of 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed – but it carries another revelation in it….that God doesn’t take pleasure in judgement. What does his lament for Jerusalem speak to you about God’s character? What does the image of a hen gathering her chicks speak to you about God’s attitude toward humanity?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we explore this fascinating section of Luke!
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This week we’ll pick up our narrative in the gospel of Luke chapter 13:10-17.
We’ll see Jesus heal a woman suffering with a crippling back condition that caused her to be bent in two for 18 years. Not only does he literally stand her up he also stands up for her, pleading her case in the face of legalistic opposition. In our text today we’ll see the high priority Jesus puts on helping the hurting and marginalized in our midst.
In verses 10-13 Jesus is teaching in a synagogue on a sabbath day and catches the woman in his eye. The second he sees her he immediatley stops his teaching to relieve her of her infirmity. Has there ever been a time when you were doing something you deemed important but stopped in your tracks because you saw someone in need? How difficult is it to re-prioritize your plans when faced with an opportunity to help someone? How do you feel if you don’t make time to do so? That can be a real source of heartache or regret but God in his kindness always provides another opportunity for us to act on his behalf.
This is the fourth out of five times in Luke’s narrative Jesus heals on a sabbath day and it’s his last recorded visit to a synagogue…Do you think it’s a coincidence that he chooses to repeat this compassionate act in his last teaching moment with that sort of audience? What do you think that reveals about God’s Kingdom priorities?
In verse 14, unfortunately the synagogue leader continues the trend in misunderstanding and misrepresenting God’s character. Instead of rejoicing with one set free, he responds harshly rebuking and shaming those seeking and needing his help the most. Are there beliefs or opinions you hold that when opposed, cause you to depict a less than loving God? How difficult is it for you to agree to disagree with someone on an issue you’re passionate about?
Jesus responds to the synagogue leaders harsh rebuke in vs 15-16 with a rebuke of his own. He elevates and advocates for the one suffering and secluded, scolding the synagogue leader for his willingness to stand by and do nothing. Have you ever stood up for someone who couldn’t stand up for themselves? Is there a group or cause near and dear to your heart?
Finally in verse 17 we see that overflowing joy is shared by all who see and receive God’s boundless love!
It should be an inspiring study! Hope to see you there!
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This Sunday we’ll be getting a Missions Update from Dr. Kym Rittman who went to Haiti earlier – I’m really looking forward to what she shares with us. We’ll also be continuing our study in Luke, reading ch 13:1-9.
These are some admittedly perplexing sections that we’ve been reading lately.
Tragedies and hardships and difficult times are some of the most confusing things we have to face as people who believe in God. Our most common and reflexive response to them is to look up to heaven and ask “why?”. The why’s of the thing are the biggest wrestling matches we can have in our faith.
Jesus never offers us easy answers. Instead of helping us with theodicy, he warns us about getting a proper focus and right priorities. What do you think Jesus is getting at when he says “And you will perish, too, unless you repent ”? I would like to challenge you to think outside of the box a little on this passage. There is a very common and accepted understanding about the point that’s being made…but are we sure about the point? Think long and hard about the context of meaningless and futile deaths before you answer.
The parable Jesus tells is one that has a lot of interpretations attached to it – one more common than the rest. It’s a tricky story, one that also requires more attention than I think we give it. The themes all through this section are about futility and repentance – with the implied goal being purposeful, fruitful living. How does this parable and the previous section go together on those themes, and how might it impact your interpretation of the parable?
Lots to think about. I hope you can join us this Sunday as we explore it!
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“Burn baby burn!” ~ The Magnificent Montague
While the sentiment behind the deejay Montague’s statement was decidedly anarchical back in ’65 – we are are going to be confronted with a similar statement from Jesus that we’ll have to interpret in our text this Sunday as we study the Gospel of Luke. We’ll be reading Luke 12:49-59.
The passage opens with Jesus making a remark about the world burning and his desire to see that happen. What do you suppose he means? All of Scripture has to harmonize with itself, that’s one of the tenets of orthodoxy. Given Jesus’ other statements about love and being peacemakers, it’s hard to imagine him stirring his followers to chaotic hostility. So then, what is his point? We could look at Luke’s other uses of fire imagery, a statement by John the Baptist and a description of the early church to get a clue.
Why do you think Jesus warns about division? Do you think he’s calling his followers to be divisive, or is it about our expectations as he sends us into the world as sheep among wolves?
Jesus’ rebuke about skills at predicting weather but failing to read spiritual signals is intriguing. It’s similar to our modern phrase “You miss the forest for the trees” – meaning, it’s all right under your nose but you’re failing to grasp the significance of it. In what ways might we miss what Jesus is doing presently in our world?
The closing of the chapter has a dark warning. Who do you think the characters represent in the story? Who would be the accuser, who is the judge, and what might the prison represent? Settling the matter beforehand is the key idea – what do you think that means? What might the “matter” be, and how might it be “settled”?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we delve into these fascinating words from Jesus!
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In my lifetime, I’ve counted 20 different major predictions of a date when Jesus would return. By major, I mean predictions that got a sizeable traction. That averages out to one every three years…that’s a lot of predictions…about something Jesus said “the Son of Man will come when least expected“. It’s enough to get a person discouraged.
We’ll be going over Luke 12:35-48 in our study this Sunday where Jesus warns his disciples to be ready for, we presume, his return.
The overall theme of these verses is that we as Followers of Jesus are supposed to be ready for the end. The end of what…the world? Maybe, the New Testament seems to have that in view at times, but I would say the end can also include our own, individual lives. Either Christ will return, or we will die…either way, we ALL are facing an end of time here. Jesus uses that fact to challenge us to consider how we are living right now. He warns us to live ready.
Some people not only try to live ready, they obsess about the end. Sometimes people feel more ready for the end if they can createelaborate charts that explain when the end will come. Others stockpile food, some hide in the woods. None of those things are things Jesus encourages in this passage though.
As you look at the examples he gives through the use of parable, what do you think living ready means in our everyday life? Knowing that is the key to actually being ready for the end.
I hope you’re able to join us on Sunday as we delve into this fascinating section of Scripture!
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A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work” ~ John Lubbock
This Sunday as we continue our journey through the Gospel of Luke, our text will be Luke 12:22-34 and we’ll be tackling the subject of worry and anxiety. Now, as one who struggles with anxieties, I know that often when this subject is covered in a Bible teaching I usually feel worse because it’s generally stated that “worry is a sin, so stop it!” – which flattens out a very complex subject and ignores all that we’ve learned about the sources for anxiety and its management. I will attempt to avoid that sort of oversimplification while still remaining true to what Jesus is teaching us.
For one thing, the primary lesson isn’t about what to stop, but who to trust, which should have the effect of staving off anxiety. We’ll also note that Jesus isn’t necessarily addressing anxiety overall – but is dealing with the specific issue of worrying over finances and provisions, and he has a specific contrast of values that he’s trying to communicate to us. V23 informs us that our lives are more than just what we eat or wear – what do you suppose he means by that?
In v24-28 Jesus uses illustrations from nature and God’s provision for it. As you read it, what do you believe he’s trying to communicate about God’s view of us, his people? V25-26 provide the basis for our title – the wasted energy of worry when it comes to our security and need for provision. How can God’s care for nature encourage us to trust him?
29-34 shifts the focus – and the contrast is made between the values of those who have embraced salvation through Jesus and the systems of this broken world. We are encouraged towards nobler things than scrambling around this earth trying to secure ourselves in it. How can a trust in God’s provision for us lead towards a more generous lifestyle on our part?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we read this challenging text together.
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This Sunday we’ll continuing our exploration of Luke’s gospel, reading ch 12:13-21.
It’s the parable of the rich fool – and the focus is going to be on what place money and possessions have in the hearts and priorities of Christ’s followers. There is a chance that this may be uncomfortable – but I really believe if we examine what Jesus is communicating in this text, it will actually relieve any discomfort we may feel about how we handle our finances.
The primary objective of this story is to get us examining our own hearts. As you read the parable, what do you think Jesus is getting at? Do you think God is opposed to having extra stuff, be it possessions or savings accounts? If not, what might his issue be – what had the rich farmer put his hope in that made him feel he could take his ease?
What does Jesus identify as foolishness in that attitude? How would you apply this in the context of a 21st Century American Christianity?
I hope you can join us Sunday as we dig deeply into this challenging subject!
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This Sunday as we keep on with our study in Luke, we’ll be reading Luke 12:1-12.
Fear isn’t always a bad thing – it’s actually our natural warning system when danger may be present. But, there are plenty of unhealthy fears we experience as human beings – just look at the plethora of phobias psychology has identified – many of which are debilitating.
Jesus is going to address some wrong, or unhealthy types of fear in the passage we’ll be reading – encouraging us towards a more healthy pursuit of our spiritual goals.
As you read the passage – what type of fear might prompt a person to become hypocritical in their practice of faith. How might we counter that fear?
Jesus identifies the proper place for fear in v5 – albeit, the fear he’s describing is more like a deep respect for a higher authority. How would that idea help curb our tendency to fear what others might think of or do to us?
Then Jesus cuts to the heart, one of the greatest fears most humans face – the fear of worthlessness. How do Jesus’ words make you feel. How hard is it for you to believe that you are valued by God? What steps can you take to reinforce the reality of God’s love in your life?
Hope you can join us this Sunday as we take a deep dive into this passage!
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Join us as we continue our study in the book of Luke. This week Kevin will be teaching Luke 11:37-54.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Join us as we continue our studies in the book of Luke.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Given the great lament we presently have over our highly polarized society, I do cringe at the title of our upcoming study for this Sunday. I mean…I hear it, and I realize there is a great deal of pushback and questioning of binary choices in our present world. Plurality has been elevated to a position of unapproachable sanctity that can teeter on the edge of absurdity, if not plunge in altogether. Understand, as it touches our equal and dignified treatment of our fellow human being, a representation of plurality can be an agent of peace.
As it touches epistemology, however, we are going to be challenged by the declarations of Scripture. It’s my opinion that true plurality is rare, if not downright mythological. Humans historically tend to be attracted to bias. No matter how piously we claim neutrality, our opinions begin surfacing the longer we communicate with each other.
In our study this Sunday Jesus will make a statement that forcefully demands we make a binary choice. We’ll be reading Luke 11:14-28. Read the whole passage together, then go back and linger on v23.
What are the three distinct reactions towards Jesus stated in v14, 15 and 16? The first is contrasted with the next two, indicating one is positive and the others are negative.
What do you make of the “strong man” illustration Jesus uses? Given the context of the miracle that happened, who do you suppose he sees as the strong man, and who is plundering his castle? What might this tell us about Jesus’ mission, and ours by extension? What does it show us about choosing Jesus’ side?
V24-26 is an unusual section, to say the least. We’ll examine that in detail on Sunday – but what do you suppose Jesus is trying to convey here? Is this after-care instructions when being delivered from demonic possession…or is there something bigger that Jesus might be addressing especially in light of v23?
V28 sums everything up. How might we side with Jesus in light of that verse?
I hope you can join us for this fascinating, albeit challenging study this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of this teachings slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Luke 11:1-13, and exploring the model prayer that Jesus provided for us. It’s interesting that guys who grew up in Jewish households would want instruction on how to pray. They grew up with prayers as a major part of their heritage. Why do you think they wanted Jesus to teach them to pray?
As you read Jesus’ guide for prayer, what things strike you about it? What seems to characterize this prayer? If you were to divide it into parts, what part comes first and what comes second (hint: pay attention to the pronouns)?
Jesus gives us a pattern as to what we should pray – then he tells us two stories that guide in how to pray. The first story is one that highlights persistence. Do you think this means that no matter what we pray about, if we are persistent enough, God is obligating Himself to fulfill our requests? What if we want something that is outside of God’s will and intent? If the former isn’t the point, what might his point be concerning persistence?
Jesus drives home the paternal concept of God, not only by inviting us to call God our Father, but then comparing Him to a father giving provision to his children. How might a view of God from standpoint of paternal love affect how we pray?
We need a guide for prayer. Left to ourselves, we tend to make a mess of things as important as this. I hope this Sunday we can gain some insight about the “hows” and “whys” of our communication with God. Hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
I’ve actually heard that women who find themselves busy in life are sometimes called a “Martha” – a sort of put-down for being highly active. I never realized that before – we Christians have our own version of “Karen”… and that’s disappointing. Whatever the lesson to be learned from Luke’s story about Mary and Martha, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t intended to give us fuel for insulting one another.
We’ll be reading that account in our study of Luke this Sunday – reading chapter 10:38-42.
There are some rather startling features in this vignette which we’ll examine in depth this Sunday. The most prominent, and the one N.T. Wright believes is the entire point of the passage, is Mary’s described position. It says that she “sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught”. We don’t want to mistake that as though she were sitting there, gazing up at him adoringly (even though an awful lot of art depicts it that way). To sit at someone’s feet was an idiom, a common expression to describe someone being a student. Paul uses that same expression to describe his studies under Gamaliel in Acts 22:3.
What’s the big deal about that, you ask? Well, in the Talmud (Sotah 21b), Rabbi Eliezer (a prominent and influential rabbi during Jesus’ time) wrote: “Anyone who teaches his daughter Torah is teaching her promiscuity”…sometimes rendered as “to teach your daughter Torah is to teach her foolishness”. In other words, women weren’t allowed to “sit at the feet” of a rabbi and learn to be a rabbi themselves. This scene is nothing short of scandalous.
Martha’s response is partly due to being overwhelmed by the workload, and partly she is scandalized by her sister’s behavior. Behavior, I might add, which Jesus validates and implicitly invites Martha into.
Jesus called what Mary did the “one thing worth being concerned about”. So what was she doing? How would you characterize it, and how would you go about following her example in your own life?
Hope you can join us as we examine this on Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading a very familiar part of Scripture – the parable of the Good Samaritan (albeit, he is never called “the Good Samaritan” in the story, but it’s a designation that has stuck). We’ll be reading Luke 10:25-37.
The story is prompted by a Hebrew Bible scholar who is apparently trying to smoke out Jesus’ heretical views on God’s acceptance of people. The original question, “what should I do to inherit eternal life?”, was a regularly discussed topic among the rabbis of that day. Jesus asks a question in return – which the man gives a fairly standard answer to: Love God and love people. It’s important to note that he’s not really asking how to be saved – the question centers on how a person who is part of God’s eternal life should live.
Wanting to cinch the trap he set for Jesus, the scholar then asks whom Jesus defines as neighbor.
Remember, they are in Samaria, a place and people hated by the Jewish faithful of that day. The answer to that question could pose a problem from both the Jews and the Samaritans.
(If you’d like a more in-depth understanding of the conflict between Israel and Samaria, you might take the time to read THIS.) I’ll be giving a very brief history of the conflict on Sunday morning.
Jesus responds to the test with a story…of course he does. As you read the story – determine who you identify with right away. Do you see yourself as the victim…if so, who are the robbers in your mind? The story gives neither of them any description…probably so that we can fill in those blanks.
The Priest and the Temple assistant pass on the other side of the road from the victim – most likely for ceremonial purity reasons. They have responsibilities after all, which touching someone who may be dead would prohibit them from fulfilling. What not-so-subtle message is Jesus getting across about the prioritization of religious activity? What religious pursuits, if any, do you have that might cause you to “cross the street” in avoidance of others? What does this story tell us about God’s attitude concerning that?”
Why do you think Jesus chose to make the hero of the story a Samaritan? What effect might that have on those hearing it, given the history there?
Jesus finishes by asking yet another question – one that not only didn’t answer the scholar’s question, but which turns the tables altogether. Instead of figuring out who is worthy of being called a neighbor, Jesus puts the emphasis on being a neighbor…to all. How does that instruct us on what God considers our social responsibility to be?
This story has much to teach us – especially in our world where we are so outraged and angry over the smallest of differences. May we have ears to hear. Hope to see you on Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Did you ever see the movie The Blues Brothers? There was a refrain that was repeated all through the adventure: “We’re on a mission from God”. If you think about it, it was that very sense of mission which propelled them along the entire narrative.
As Christ’s Followers, we are people who have been given a divine mission. This Sunday as we continue our study in Luke, we’ll be reading ch 10:1-24. In this section Jesus once again sends his followers out on mission, this time 70 volunteers who are not part of his 12 disciples.
The section is fairly similar to the opening of ch 9. Why do you think Jesus made these emissaries of the Good News strip their supplies down so much?
What do you think it means when he says to bless the house they’re staying at with God’s peace; how might that characterize the mission we’ve been sent on? What do you think it means to have their peace return to them if they are rejected?
Rejection of the Good News about God’s Kingdom seems to carry a serious ramification, according to Jesus. What might shaking the dust from their feet symbolize?
Jesus makes a very clear connection between His own ministry, the Father who sent Him, and those who believe and share in this mission. To accept or reject one is to accept or reject all. That’s a powerful association. What impact does that have on your thinking about your own life as a Follower of Jesus?
The whole section concludes with such joy – joy of those who participate in the mission, and joy from Jesus, reflecting the joy of the Father. What is it that seems to inspire this sort of divine joy from Jesus and the Father?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we examine this text and see how it applies to our lives!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing our journey through Luke – reading chapter 9:46-62.
There is a thematic connection between these verses concerning the nature of our calling to follow Jesus. We call it discipleship. If you read the selection from the link, you’ll notice it’s broken into sections.
The first section contains Jesus’ famous, contradictory words: “the least among you is the greatest”. He used a child to illustrate that hidden reality. In what way might we understand this concept? Do you think Jesus is suggesting that we act in a childish way? What power does a child hold in the world – actually, in the ancient world? What might that tell us about the power dynamics of this world in contrast with the Christ Follower’s attitude toward power and influence?
The second section is one of my favorites – John whines about someone who successfully brought deliverance to a person using Jesus’ name – and he put a stop to it. “How dare you infringe on our trade secrets!”. What does Jesus’ response to John tell us about who we are to consider fellow followers of Jesus?
John gets his brother to join him folly in the next section, where the religious, racial and political tensions between Samaritans and Israelites creates a roadblock for Jesus and his fellow travelers. James and John want to do what all people do when they feel threatened or ill-treated and call for a scorched earth response from Jesus. What does Jesus’ response tell us about our mission as Christ’s Followers?
Finally, things get really intense. Three would-be disciples have very difficult parameters placed on their intentions of being Jesus Followers. Housing, burials and goodbyes seem like reasonable needs to attend to – why do you think Jesus seemed to thwart their intentions concerning them? How does the refrain, “Let me first”, fact or into your interpretation of these encounters?
I hope you can join us for this study on just what it may cost us to claim the name of disciple.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Failure is never fun. I remember as a kid when all my friends were jumping off the high dive at the community pool. It looked like so much fun, and I naturally assumed I would be able to do that with no trouble – however, upon arriving at the top of a ladder climb that felt like it took me through two atmospheric layers, I looked down at the postage stamp sized swimming pool below me…and I choked. I had to do the most shameful thing of all, I had to climb back down the ladder awash in contemptuous looks and laughter. Nobody wants to fail.
We will read, this Sunday, about Jesus’ disciples experience with failure as we continue our study in Luke. We’ll be reading ch 9:37-45.
While Jesus and three of his disciples were on the mountain reveling in the glory of God – the other nine were sweating bullets as they failed miserably to help a young man out who was oppressed by evil. As we think about it – human failure is a regular part of the biblical narrative. In fact, it’s part of what lends it a sense of authenticity – because if I were making up stories about God, I’d paint humans in the best light possible. The Bible, however, does not.
As you read about the experience in the valley, what do you think the 9 disciples were feeling? What are some ways in which you personally, or the church as a whole has failed to properly represent Christ’s power?
What did Jesus do about the situation? What might that tell us about how much our failure impacts God’s efficacy?
The section ends with Jesus again forecasting his capture (and implied death). What connection does the cross have with failure, and what might it remind us about what God can do with apparent failure?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we explore this fascinating section!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Have you ever climbed a mountain, or gotten to a high place from which you can get a vantage point to better understand the world and terrain around you? If so, you’ll understand why lofty spiritual experiences are often called “mountaintop experiences”. We get the idea of something transcendent happening. We’re going to read about a great mountaintop experience, possibly the one that inspired the phrase, as we continue our study in Luke this Sunday. We’ll be reading Luke 9:28-36.
The first section of this event, v28-31, provides the account of the “transfiguration” of Jesus. Jesus takes three of his disciples up on a mountain, and there, his appearance changes in front of them – he is glorious. Why do you think Moses and Elijah showed up? What is it that they represent?
When the voice instructs us to “listen to him“, Jesus, what do you think that means in light of who is on the mountaintop with him?
I find it intriguing that all three synoptic gospels include the detail that Jesus’ clothes started shining like white light. Why do you think that detail is there? Why would his ordinary clothes be affected like this? What can that mean for us?
What do you consider the overall meaning of this transfiguration event and why might it be important?
I’m looking forward to digging into this – hope you can join us on Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Life is filled with crucial questions that we have to answer – from the time we were children we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up. From there the questions become more nuanced and course altering, like “what will you do with your life”. We all face important questions.
This Sunday we’ll be reading one of the most important (in my opinion) questions we must answer. We’ll be continuing through the gospel of Luke, reading chapter 9 vs 18-27. It’s in this text we will be confronted with Jesus’ question to his disciples: “Who do you say I am?” We all have to consider this question as it relates to our life of faith. Who is Jesus to me?
Obviously, the question is rife with Christological implications – but its import is more than just theological.
When Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed King who would save Israel; what was he expecting the messiah to be? What are your ideas about Jesus as Messiah? What do you think a messiah is? That question helps you define what the gospel (the good news) is all about.
One again, as Jesus reveals something spectacular about his mission, he follows with a prediction of his death and resurrection. What does this tell us about how Jesus will be accomplishing his mission?
To make things worse, Jesus informs his disciples (which includes you and I) that we too will have to pick up an instrument of death and find our lives by losing them. None of this sounds much like the way kingdoms win in this world. What might have been going through the disciples minds right then? How do you understand Jesus’ words about losing our lives to find them? Does this sound like minor adjustments to our normal lives, or a radical call to commitment? Does that make you uncomfortable, and why?
This will be a challenging study – I hope you can join us this Sunday!
Click here to view a pdf version of this teachings slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing with our study in the Gospel of Luke, reading ch 9:10-17.
This section is an account of one of Jesus’ more famous miracles. It certainly seems to be important, this miracle and the resurrection are the only events that get recorded in all four gospels.
We’ll be reading about Jesus feeding the 5,000 (men – so potentially more people if there were women and children present, which seems likely).
The disciples come back from their solo mission trip, and Jesus believes it’s time to take a break, so they head off to a remote place to be alone. Imagine yourself in a situation where you’ve set aside some time to rest – how welcome are interruptions to that rest? How do you feel like responding if someone interferes with your plans to relax?
We’re told that people figure out where they are and crash their getaway – and how does Jesus respond in v11? What does he do before he teaches and heals them? What can we learn about our own church culture as we consider Jesus’ response to uninvited guests?
It’s hard to know if the disciples meant well or if they were being understandably selfish when they instructed Jesus to send the crowds away, but his response is the thing that’s supposed to grab our attention. Why do you suppose Jesus tells them to feed the crowds? How might that apply to us as His followers today?
Even in their incredulity they offer him a few sardines and crackers (which John’s gospel tells us they raided a kid’s lunchbox for) – and when it passes to Jesus, incredible things happen. What might we learn about our own resources and how best to use them for God’s Kingdom? Where do you draw the line on what’s possible or impossible for God to use for the good of others? How does this miracle challenge our lines?
The 12 baskets of leftovers are a detail that is included in all four accounts of this miracle. How many disciples did Jesus have? What do you think the leftovers represent, and why would it carry such importance to be emphasized four times?
I’m really looking forward to this study – I hope you can join us as we explore this miracle together this Sunday!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
There are few experiences in life that rival that moment when you hand the keys to the car to your teenage child. I used to have this ritual set of questions I would ask as I presented the keys: “What are you getting into?”
“sigh…A death machine.”
”What’s out on that road?”
”Maniacs, trying to kill me.”
”What are you carrying?”
eyes rolling “Precious cargo.”
”You may go…and also, pick up your sister from softball and stop by the store to get eggs.”
It’s never easy to turn over the reigns of something as powerful as an automobile to the humans you’ve been tasked with protecting and guiding through the formative years of life, but it is necessary.
Jesus will hand over the keys of Kingdom ministry to his disciples in the section we’ll be reading this Sunday – Luke 9:1-9 – as we continue our study in the Gospel of Luke.
What is important about v1 that informs us of where the disciple’s enabling to do this work came from? As we consider our own ministry to advance God’s Kingdom – how can we become mindful of how we are enabled as well?
The disciples were given a specific empowerment to perform supernatural miracles – if we look at that empowering as characteristic of the ministry of the church throughout the ages – how would you characterize the nature of the disciples commission? What connection do you see between sharing the message of the Kingdom and acts of compassion?
Why do you think the disciples weren’t to take any money or travel equipment with them? What significance do you see in shaking the dust off their feet from towns who reject the message of the Kingdom?
I hope you can join us this Sunday as we explore the nature of our mission as followers of Christ!
Click here for a pdf version of this teachings slideshow.
We had a wonderful time last Sunday in our Unity Service at Sheffield Park with Pastors United. It was a beautiful picture of God’s Kingdom – an image worth pursuing, no matter the cost.
This Sunday we’ll be returning to our study in Luke – we’ll be picking back up in chapter 8, reading vs 40-56.
We’ve been in a series of miracles Jesus has done which reveal the nature of his authority – authority over nature, over the spiritual realm, and now in this text, authority over sickness and death. That pretty much covers all the stuff of life.
The account is sort of a Lukian sandwich – where one story is told in between the details of another story.
As you read the text, try to list off all the ways in which the two characters who interact with Jesus are different from each other. For instance, one is a man, the other a woman. Keep in mind the purity code of the Mosaic Law as it concerned this woman. Remember how important the Synagogue was to Israelites in the 1st century.
Once you’ve got a good picture in your mind about how different these two are, start looking at what is the same about them? What is it that unifies them and brings them to the same place…and what is that place?
What can that tell us about those times when we are at the limits of our abilities and strength?
What do you think Jesus meant when he told the woman that her faith had made her well again? What does Jesus say to Jairus when the news comes about his daughter?
What does God seem to be looking for from us in our times of trouble? What does trusting God in difficult times look like to you?
Looking forward to digging into this on Sunday – I hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be finishing up our short, multi-church series “Lord Make Us One”. It all culminates with a special multi-church gathering in Sharon Sheffield Park in Lynn Haven at 4 PM. Be sure to bring a chair and maybe sunscreen…or worst case scenario, an umbrella.
Our final teaching in this series will be from Revelation 21. We’ll be reading v1-4, 9-10 and 22-26.
Obviously, Revelation is a pretty dense book with a LOT of differing views on how it should be interpreted. However, I would say no matter what way a person reads this book, most will agree that it pictures what the world will look like when God is in control. I hope we can all agree that this book reveals the activity and end result of God’s in-breaking Kingdom.
That being the case, ch 21 is sort of the wrap-up. As the chapter begins, in v1-4, note how many times the word “new” is used. V 3 tells us what this whole image is revealing – God’s end goal: “[God] will live with them, and they will be his people.”. God’s end goal is reunification with humanity as his family (v7).
That brings us to the pictures God uses to describe this family – in v9-10, John is told he’ll now see the Bride of the lamb. What he hears about is a Bride…what he sees is a city. Why a city? What are cities made up of? What would the best city of all time look like? How would the people in it interact? This is meant to TELL us something.
John goes on to describe what the city looks like, its measurements and all, describing a cube. There’s a lot of meaning in all of that description, but in our study we’ll focus on the final verses – v22-26. Ask the text some questions as you read – why is it significant that there is no temple? What does eternal illumination speak of? What things happen in the dark? When do our problems and fears feel exaggerated, in the day or the night? What might this be telling us?
The gates will never be closed. Why did ancient cities have gates? What does an ever-open gateway convey?
V26 is something we really need to linger on. All the nations are coming in – meaning God’s family, those whose names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life, is made up of all different kinds of people. This brings us full circle from the promise made to Abraham on the desert plains – “through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed.”
What does it say the nations bring into the city with them?
To speak of the glory and honor of the nations is announcing the uniqueness and beauty inherent to a particular culture. In v24 John says the kings will enter in all their glory. In the ancient world, the king was the representative of the culture he presided over. This is all describing the vast and glorious kaleidoscope of human ethnicity and culture – and God doesn’t seem interested in eliminating those distinctions.
If this is the future we are marching towards in Christ – how should it shape our priorities in the present?
I’m so excited about exploring this passage on Sunday – but I’ll endeavor to stay calm. Hope to see you then – and again at the Unity Service! Oh Lord….make us ONE!
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing in our multi-church series, Lord Make Us One. We’ll be discussing what our calling to unity means and how we can live and maintain this calling. The verses that we are going over are from Ephesians chapter 4
To get a better context for these verses and the overall theme, I highly recommend checking out the Bible project video on Ephesians.
The verses we’re reading on Sunday start with Paul begging us to “lead a life worthy of our calling.” The desperate emphasis on this request is reason enough to pause and make sure we know what our calling actually is. Are we meant to do something beyond receiving God’s love? Has God called each one of us to something different? Or do we all have the same calling?
After Paul begs us to lead a life worthy of our calling, he gives some specific commands that point in the direction grace. He says to be humble towards one another, patient, and to make every effort to move towards peace.
It is in our human nature to read these verses and immediately begin thinking of other people who would really benefit from listening to and living out these commands. However, doing that would not be allowing the Holy Spirit to convict places within ourselves that may need it.
Let’s take a moment to ask ourselves, are there certain people or groups that I find myself glad when they stumble? Are there certain political leaders, activists, or even acquaintances that I use their mistakes as proof for why they are awful? Could I instead be using these possible missteps as an opportunity to provide grace and move toward peace? Where are the places in my life, whether in person or on social media, where I can choose gentleness over judgment?
I believe that taking the time to pause and identify these places within ourselves is the first step towards living out the calling given to us by Christ.
I hope you can join us on Sunday at 10 AM!
Click here for a pdf version of this teachings slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing in our multi-church series, Lord Make Us One. We’ll be reading from what has traditionally been called Jesus’ High Priestly prayer in John 17.
It’s not a bad idea to read the entire chapter – but we’ll be focusing in on v20-23. Jesus specifically refers to us in that section. Jesus has a clear intent in his prayer – unity among all who are his followers. It’s just another reminder that unity is a biblical mandate.
What are some of the things that divide up believers in our world – or lets narrow that down – in our little part of the world here in Bay County? How might we be able to bridge the gaps between us? How often do we even pray for unity, given it’s prioritization in Scripture?
What does Jesus say our unity is based on, according to v20-21? What affect does our unity have according to v22? In v 23, Jesus ties our unity to our witness to the world. Why would unity in Christ be witness – what would it tell the world? If we don’t strive for unity, what might it tell the world?
These are powerful words from Jesus’ prayer – I hope you can join us on Sunday to examine them. Remember to check out the other church’s take on this section!
Click here for a pdf version of the powerpoint slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be taking a break from our study in Luke as we begin a short series called “Lord Make Us One”. We’re participating with Pastors United of Bay County – and several churches will be teaching this same series in their church communities. I’m really stoked about this – one small step towards unifying the church, which in our country, has been segregated for far too long. Let’s join together in praying that God will, by His Spirit, join us together and restore our witness before the world.
Our first teaching will be from Genesis 1:26-28. Unity, especially along racial lines, is a biblical mandate. We see it right from the very first description of the human race. How many times in this passage is it repeated that humanity is made in the image of God? What does that emphasis say to you?
Right on the heels of speaking of our image bearing nature, God commissions us to reign over and govern the created order. What connection can you see between bearing God’s image and reigning over creation? In what way might that help us understand the concept of being made in God’s image?
What responsibilities can you imagine stem from being an image bearer of God?
How might bearing God’s image affect our sense of value and worth? How might it influence our perception of other human beings who have that same value and worth?
As I said – I’m really stoked about this series and what it may mean for the churches of our area. May God truly make us one!
I hope you can join us on Sunday – and I’d really like to suggest that you listen to the teachings done on this subject from the other churches involved. I’ll share their links below.
Brad Friday, Living Waters Ministries
Zach Sutton, Catalyst Church
Jessie Nelson, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church
Luther Stanford, City Church at Northside
Damion Dunlap, Truth Fellowship
Click here for the pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Luke 8:26-39. This is the second in a series of four miracle Jesus does in Luke’s gospel which reveal his authority over every aspect of this fallen world.
In the account we’ll be reading, Jesus is confronted by a demonized man. There is a lot in this text that carries a worldview that is very different from a modern, Western worldview. The bible assumes an unseen realm of spiritual beings that empirically minded moderns do not. There is a lot of mystery in this passage – but I think we’d do well to avoid the hubris of our modern thinking and be willing to accept that there is more going on in this world than we can pin down and dissect.
In our text, demons appear to challenge Jesus and implore him to go away. Does there appear to be a struggle in this from Jesus’ perspective? What can we learn about the power of evil touching us when we are in Christ? This man’s condition reveals the nature of our fallen state through an extreme example. If you were to examine his condition, how might it describe what sin does to humanity?
After the man was delivered, Jesus gave him a mission. What does that indicate about our own lives after Jesus has saved us? What sort of theological training do you suppose this man had? What message did Jesus send him out with? How can we apply his commission to our own lives?
Hope you can join us on Sunday at 10 AM!
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll continue reading through the Gospel of Luke – reading v22-25 of chapter 8.
It’s a very familiar story – one that I believe is meant to teach us not only the nature of this Christ we follow, but the nature of our following him.
Often times when storms arise in our lives, we tend to look around wondering if we’re being punished or corrected about something. However, this story reminds us that things don’t always add up like that. Who’s orders were the disciples following when this storm hit? What might that tell us about storms and chaos we sometimes encounter in life?
When the disciples wake Jesus up, he calms the storm and looks at them with a rather harsh question – “Where is your faith?”. There’s no qualifier there. Faith in what? They seemed to have faith that the storm would kill them…so they did have faith. What (or whom) do you believe Jesus is challenging them to have faith in?
The result is that the disciples have a whole new set of questions about Jesus. What do we learn about the nature of Jesus from this story? What events in life that we can’t control are out of Jesus’ control? What areas of life can we learn to trust Jesus with?
Hope you can join us this Sunday at 10 am!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading a famous parable told by Jesus – the parable of the sower and the soils. We’ll be reading Luke 8:1-21. It’s really interesting to me that Luke places this parable sandwiched between two glimpses of the demographic of Jesus’ followers and Jesus’ radical definition of family. To me, they are all related – the radically inclusive family of God, which the parable explains the formation of.
In the mindset of 1st century Israel, the whole idea of being the family of God was tied to being in the family of Abraham. It was an assumed, automatic right of birth for the Jewish people.
Jesus shows up forming a strange, new kind of family of followers – made up of outcasts and women – something highly unusual for that time and place. Then he makes a statement indicating that genealogical lines were not an indicator of who was in or who was out of God’s family – but obedience is.
This brings us to the parable. Jesus uncharacteristically explains this story to his disciples. The soil represents the state of a heart. I think, given how truly nuanced human beings are, one heart could easily contain elements of each type of soil . What are areas of life are difficult for you to surrender to God’s rule? What areas come more easily for you? How might we tend to the soil of our hearts to make them more receptive to God’s purposes and plan?
Hope you can join us this Sunday at 10 AM as we continue our exploration of this wonderful gospel!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
So…I’d never heard of Barry Bremen. Apparently, he’s Michigan marketing executive who dressed as the San Diego Chicken, an umpire and a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader to sneak into big events. Bremen ended up in the third row at the 1985 Emmy Awards and jumped on stage to accept the supporting actress award for Betty Thomas. Bremen usually got caught and arrested, but he once said he didn’t mind paying bail [source: mercurynews.com].
He seems to have gotten really famous from those stunts.
We’ll be reading about a party crasher in our study of Luke this Sunday, reading Luke 7:36-50. She has been famous for much longer, and for far more noble reasons.
This story in Luke is similar to ones in Mark, Matthew and John – though scholars mostly consider this to be a unique incident, not associated with the others.
A good idea when reading this is to put yourself into the place of each the characters interacting with Jesus. Why do you suppose the Pharisee didn’t see himself as someone who had to be forgiven very much (the point of Jesus’ parable). The woman, on the other hand, seems overwhelmed by the forgiveness she received. Where do you fall on this line – as one who feels they’ve been forgiven little or much? How comfortable or uncomfortable are you in demonstrating your gratitude to Christ in worship? There’s a lot to ponder from this little vignette.
In the parable, what did the debtors have to do in order to be forgiven what they owed? What does that tell us about the nature of our forgiven status? How might a knowledge of grace impact our sense of gratitude to God?
Hopefully you can join us this Sunday at 10 AM as we dig into this wonderful gospel!
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be progressing forward in our examination of the Gospel of Luke – we’ll be reading ch 7:18-35 – be sure to read it over and use your imagination to step into the sandals of the characters.
I imagine the dank, dark cell; hewn from rock under Herod’s desert palace. John the Baptizer has been cold and hungry, but he hasn’t stopped praying and trusting that Jesus will reveal who he is and come deliver him from this miserable place. When two of his disciples show up and call to him through the small hole that served as a window, John askes for news before receiving the bread they brought him.
They communicate to him all the stories they have heard about Jesus’ activity. Hesitantly, they share the latest thing they’d learned. Jesus had healed the servant a Roman centurion, one under Herod’s command.
John unconsciously takes a step back, starring at the messengers in disbelief. His mind shuffles through the memories of the cruel treatment he received at the hands of soldiers under Herod’s orders. Without realizing it, he rubs the scabbed over wounds on his head.
“But….why?” A tear begins tracing a line through the dust on his cheek. “What is he doing?” he says, his voice trailing off.
“Send a message to him…a question.”
That’s the dramatic backstory we need to have in view as we read the passage this week.
As a human being living on earth, you certainly have experienced disappointment at some point. Have you ever experienced disappointment in God, with how God is handling things here on earth? The people of Jesus’ day had high expectations for a messiah who would come and raise a supernaturally empowered army to overthrow their evil oppressors and bring salvation to Israel. When John asks if Jesus is really the Messiah, he’s wanting to know where the army is.
What do we learn about God’s activity from Jesus’ response? What is the focus of Jesus’ activity? What should we be looking for when trying to discern Christ’s activity today?
Even though Herod held John in prison, Jesus elevated him in his commendation, indicating his superiority over the puppet king who held him prisoner. But then he indicated that those who come after John…after Messiah has accomplished his work, would all be greater than John. Read Joel 2:28-29 and Acts 2:1-5 to gain some insight on that. How might this help us understand our place and purpose in God’s kingdom?
We’ll have a lot of interesting things to chew on this Sunday – I hope you can join us as we get into God’s word together!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Join us as we continue our study in the book of Luke
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading the conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, reading Luke 6:39-49. Jesus shoots off a series of parables (NLT translates them as illustrations) – but in reality, they are humorous riddles. Some of the imagery used is intentionally funny, and if you are uncomfortable imagining Scripture with a sense of humor, I don’t know what to do for you.
By starting with a question – can the blind lead the blind? – we are invited into an exercise in self-examination. Who am I following, who am I examining, what is my life producing and on what am I founding my life-choices? These become crucial questions we must ask ourselves to determine where we are on this journey of following Christ.
In what way might we be blind to God’s purposes? In thinking of guides, who can we think of who knows God’s intent more than any other person? How can we use Jesus as a guide and still listen to other teachers?
Is it difficult or easy for you to deal with your own issues before ever trying to correct others? How can we change our habits in this area, if focusing on others is our go-to response?
These are some of the things we’ll be considering in our study. Hope you can join us – in person or online at 10 AM on Sunday morning!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
There’s a famous story of a 100 year old man who was being interviewed for the news on his birthday. The reporter asked the man what he was most proud of during his century-long journey. The man replied with a smile, “I don’t have an enemy in the world.”
The reporter said “That’s so beautiful and inspiring to hear!”
“Yep,” said the man, “I outlived them all!”
I suppose that reflects many people’s approach to an enemy, a hope of outlasting them in the end. It’s only natural, in our present world, to do all we can to ensure we have the upper hand in life, especially against those who may oppose us. Then along comes Jesus, who flips the status quo on it’s head like he’s flipping over tables in the temple.
We’re going to be reading Luke 6:27-36 in our study this Sunday, and I’ll warn you ahead of time, this won’t be easy. Jesus continues his “Sermon on the Plain”. He goes from describing a blessed life in the context of hunger, lack and mistreatment to prescribing an ethos that seems unthinkable. We’ll be digging in as deeply as we can in the limited time we have – touching on what it may look like to speak blessings on someone who curses us…or the dreaded turning of the other cheek.
It appears that Jesus is asking us to become door mats – but as we examine this, we’ll see that isn’t really the case. Much of what Jesus is presenting has to do with themes of how we interact with our fellow persons – how we can re-frame our sense of honor by basing it on something other than our own ego.
A good way to mentally prepare for this teaching would be to imagine the people in your life that have hurt or upset you – then imagine how kindness, generosity and grace might change the way they act. Imagine creative ways in which you could treat them in ways that demonstrate the qualities of Jesus. It’s not an easy thing to imagine, but it will get us thinking in ways that are in harmony with God’s intent for this world. Any good we may do is going to be a work of the Spirit – so we can be praying for God to fill us with the Holy Spirit in ways that help us engage our fellow human with grace.
As I said, this study isn’t for the weak of heart…but, they are Jesus’ words, and therefore the words of eternal life, so it’s worth the struggle that may ensue. Hope you can join us for this teaching!
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Listen in as we continue our series in the book of Luke!
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Julie continues our study in the book of Luke.
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Awhile back I was looking at a first generation iPad that was still lying around our house. Oddly, my brain still classifies iPads as new tech even though they’ve been around for 10 years. The old tablet turned on just fine – but when I tried to open an app, I got a message that it needed to be updated. When I tried to update it, I got a message telling me that only new iPads could get the updated app. This iPad had become a coaster through antiquity. It wasn’t’ that the old iPad was corrupt or even broken…it was just outdated and therefore no longer significant.
That’s similar to a point Jesus will make in our text this Sunday as we continue our journey through Luke. We’ll be reading Luke 5:27-39.
The first part of this text tells us about the calling of Levi, the tax collector. This is very intriguing, given how tax collectors were viewed in that time. “Some of the common terms for the tax collectors were ‘licensed robbers and beasts in human shape.” You can read an article about them here.
What might Jesus’ approach to this socially untouchable person tell us about who God focuses on, and how God’s kingdom treats people? What sort of person in our present time and culture might exemplify a person who is off limits or cancelled? How might Jesus treat that person, based on this text? What sort of culture might we develop around Jesus’ approach to people?
Jesus then goes to a party with a whole herd of hated tax collectors – and of course, the religious elite get their undies in a bunch over it. In response to their complaints, Jesus gives his famous statement – “it’s the sick who need a doctor, not the well”. How might eating with people who are considered sinners by popular standards be spiritually medicinal? What message does it send to those who feel cut off from God? What do we learn from that?
The Pharisees then try to shame Jesus about feasting when John the Baptist and his disciples, as well as the Pharisees were fasting. Jesus’ answer indicates that the reason they fasted was to implore God to invade this world with his Kingdom…and that time had already come through Jesus. The party Jesus attended was a sign of God’s inbreaking reign. Ponder that for a bit.
Jesus finishes off with two illustrations that contrast the living, expanding work of God with that of rigid, immoveable religious structures. Just like with outdated tech – it’s not that the law of Moses or the Hebrew scriptures were wrong or bad – they simply ran their course – and God is moving in new ways through Christ. That’s exciting news…albeit…as the church we have had a hard time retaining that truth. Historically, we have tended to become very rigid in our religious practice and expectations, only to be awakened by reformers, who breathe revival into our midst….only to find that reformation becomes rigid, awaiting yet another reformer to come along. As the church, we’ve proven we’re not very good at this…but that’s okay. God is still on the move.
What are some ways we might be tempted to turn our faith into rigid, religious expectations? How might we counter that temptation?
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On Sunday we’ll be reading Luke 5:12-26 in our ongoing series. We’ll be examining two notable miracles Jesus did during the early days of his ministry. It might be helpful to read Lev 13 to get a bit of an idea of how seriously the people of that time and place took skin ailments. The man who was a leper appeals to Jesus for help – why do you suppose he felt emboldened to take that sort of risk? Jesus responds with an affirmation of his willingness to help the man, but before that it says Jesus touched him. Why is that such a notable detail? Given what Leviticus 13 commands, do you think Jesus was dismissing the Law on this point? If not, why do you think he did this bold thing?
The next miracle describes a man who was paralyzed who was carried to Jesus on a stretcher. Failing to get into the place where Jesus was, they vandalized someone’s roof to lower him in. The morality tearing up of someone else’s roof is dealt with in an entirely neutral way. Why do you think that is? Jesus first declares the man forgiven, which upset many of the religious leaders. How would you have reacted to a statement of forgiveness if you were the friend that lugged this guy all the way to see Jesus? Would that declaration have been what you were expecting?
Jesus explains in v 23-24, why he brought an intangible concept like forgiveness into play. The tangible healing becomes a representation of an intangible reality. How difficult it is for you to believe you are forgiven by God? How might this story help to reinforce your trust in Christ’s provision of forgiveness?
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This Sunday we’ll continue reading and studying the Gospel of Luke. We’ll be starting chapter 5, reading verses 5-11. I love fishing – but I’m no good at it. We’re going to read about Simon Peter’s night of getting skunked, but the amazing things that happen once Jesus has gotten into his boat.
If you read the whole passage over, you know that Simon and his crew had been fishing all the night before. When the chapter opens up, Jesus is teaching on the beach and noticed the empty boats. What does that tell us about Simon and his crew’s reason for being on that beach? Simon then gets his boat commandeered. How would you feel or react if a street preacher just got in your car without asking first and told you he needed a lift? How do you think Peter felt at this moment? Think about this scene and consider: what was Simon’s first act of obedience? What seemingly insignificant things do you do daily that God might be participating in?
More irony builds as Jesus, the itinerate preacher/former carpenter, instructs Simon, the fishing boat owner/operator, how to go about catching some fish. Again, put yourself in Simon’s sandals. How are you feeling at this moment?
No matter what was happening on the inside of Simon, he still continues to obey, and the results are staggering.
Simon’s response tells us something very important about the king of attitude God is looking for in those who serve him. How would you describe Simon’s attitude? Look at Jesus’ response to him; what does he say? What doesn’t he say when Simon confesses his sinful state?
The final verse leaves us with a challenge. The text implies that the fishermen left their boats and the huge haul of fish to rot on the beach as they followed Jesus immediately. Still, that doesn’t exclude the possibility that they wrapped up their affairs before setting out with him. No matter how it went down – the implication is clear. They made it their main priority to follow Jesus as his disciples. What question might that prompt us to ask ourselves about our own lives of faith?
I’m looking forward to exploring this passage with you all!
Click here for a pdf version of the PowerPoint slideshow for this teaching.
As we continue our study in Luke – we’ll be reading ch 4:31-44.
Luke brings us back to Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, a region north of Jerusalem which had a large fishing trade. His narrative jumps around in a different sequence than the other synoptic gospels – but again, Luke presents us with a snapshot of Jesus’ ministry that in many ways sums up what he does all through the story.
As Jesus teaches in the synagogue in Capernaum, what is it that amazes, literally stuns his listeners? On Sunday we’ll talk about how the rabbis of Jesus’ day would teach and what stands out about Jesus’ approach. But there’s a lesson in this as well – what can we learn about where we find authority and whose authority to trust from this passage?
A demonized person lashes out as Jesus is teaching and Jesus sets the man free. What are your thoughts about the supernatural events described in the Bible? How comfortable or uncomfortable are you with that stuff? If the miracles of Jesus are also intended to reveal something about the nature of God’s kingdom and His authority on earth, what does this account teach us?
Jesus then goes on to heal Peter’s Mother-in-law. In the NLT it says after she was better, she made a meal for everyone. In the Greek it just says she served them (that probably means she cooked a meal, but there is a better lesson in this if we keep with the literal translation). How does it make you feel that her first act is to start working? If her restoration prompted her to service, what might that teach us about the purpose God has for us in our redemption?
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I remember going to my 20th high school reunion. It was a strange thing to be back in my home town, marking and observing all the changes that had taken place in my absence. It was also humorously frustrating to try and convince everyone that I wasn’t trying to be ironic or funny when I told them I was a pastor. That calling seemed incompatible with how I had lived when I was with them.
Jesus will have a reunion of sorts in our passage this Sunday as we continue through the Gospel of Luke. We’ll be reading chapter 4:14-30.
Luke places Jesus’ return to his hometown at the beginning of his narrative – this is to set the tone for the larger story. In many ways, what happens in Nazareth is a microcosm of Jesus’ entire ministry. He gets attention, some fairly positive, but in the end he is rejected and attacked.
Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1-2, with allusions to Isaiah 58:6. Intriguingly, Jesus leaves off the last sentence of Isa 61:2 – click the link to read it. Why do you think he leaves that part of the verse off? What does this tell us about the nature of the Good News?
Why do you think the people of Nazareth suddenly get so angry with him after he talks about Elijah and Elisha healing gentiles but not Israelites? What can we learn from their response about our own attitudes when it comes to our hope in God? What sort of Messiah were they hoping for, and what sort of Messiah did they get?
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This Sunday we’ll be looking at Luke’s account of the temptation of Jesus. We’ll be reading Luke 4:1-13. This entire account is rife with symbolism, much of it acting as a hyper-link back to the Old Testament. Remember how we said that the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) basically tell one story over and over? Well, this is the core of it. A human is called to image God into creation, like Adam and Eve were intended to do – but there is a test to determine if they’ll stay true to that calling. Adam and Eve did not, and the result is the world we live in today.
Over and over that pattern is repeated – from Abraham to Moses to Israel to her kings – and each time the choice is made to order things around human wisdom instead of God’s. It all culminates with Israel sent into exile, without form and void.
The Good News is introduced into that repeated pattern – the Son of Man is identified and goes into the wilderness, ready to image God into the world, and he is tested. It is here that the pattern breaks.
Jesus is tempted with three different suggestions from the satan. One thing I won’t be able to get into on Sunday is how each environment correlates with agencies of influence in Jesus’ day. The wilderness was the place of the Zealots and Sicarii who hoped to gain power through an insurrection of outliers. The kingdoms were the realm of the Herodians, who looked to leverage politics to gain power. Then there was the temple, where Israel’s spiritual leaders grasped for power through religion. I find it intriguing that Jesus is arrayed opposite of all of these.
Jesus overcame these three particular temptations. What do you notice about how he did that. To what did he appeal in response to the suggestions? At one point, the satan quotes Scripture. What does that tell us about how Scripture can be used? How can we discern the proper use of Scripture?
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
Join in as we continue or series on the Gospel of Luke.
Click here for a pdf version of the PowerPoint slideshow.
I’m looking forward to getting into the Word together this Sunday – we’ll be continuing our exploration of Luke – reading Luke 3:1-14.
The narrative will skip ahead 18 years, and return to the story of John the Baptist. Luke will locate him in time by listing off all the main leaders of the Mediterranean and Jewish world, but he’ll also be doing that for other reasons which we’ll consider.
Luke also locates John in the context of the larger Biblical story – what his role is in the Messianic advent. We’ll be talking about the implications of his message – and how we gain an understanding of God’s kingdom through it.
His final exhortations drive home the unyielding ethic that permeates both the New Testament and the Hebrew Scriptures – the sacrificial call to treat people well. As you read his instructions to the people, including the government employees (tax collectors and Herod’s soldiers), what strikes you about the nature of God’s kingdom? What do you see as our role in God’s Kingdom activity today?
Click here for the pdf version of the teaching PowerPoint slideshow.
Welcome to a new year! This Sunday we’ll be continuing to study the book of Luke – and we’ll be reading the section of Luke 2:41-52. This is one of the only places in canonized Scripture that gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ childhood.
In this account, Jesus has a “Home Alone” experience – where he gets left behind in Jerusalem after his family had visited to celebrate Passover. There is a lot that this passage reveals, least of which is Jesus’ first recorded words in Luke, and what they reveal about Jesus’ self awareness and specialness of his mission.
In this study we’ll consider who Jesus declares himself to be, and we’ll look at what this story tells us about our own lives as those who follow Jesus.
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Well – we’re almost done with 2020…and I know that it couldn’t come soon enough for many of us.
What’s interesting is…we really don’t know what 2021 holds for us…but we’re anxious to be rid of the last year because we’re HOPING that the next one will be better…right?
We’re going to continue our study in the Gospel of Luke, reading chapter 2:21-40. In this section Mary and Joseph have two prophetic encounters which speak about hopes maintained and hopes fulfilled. We’ll be considering what we can learn about keeping our hopes alive and well after the year we’ve just had.
We’ll also be celebrating communion, so if you won’t be joining us in person, have some symbol of sustenance handy so that you can join us virtually in this celebration.
Click here for a pdf of the slideshow for this teaching.
Christmas is almost here! We’re really getting excited, preparing for our Christmas Eve service – doing all we can to make it special and safe.
This Sunday, still in our study of Luke, we’ll be reading the most famous Christmas passage of all – Luke 2:1-10!
As you read through the text, take note of the power dynamics, and especially the contrasts that they provide. Who holds the greatest power in this section, according to the world’s standards of power? How seems insignificant and small?
God chose to invade this world, not through a spectacular means – not as a mighty supernatural being, wielding a flaming sword. God entered into the mess of this world through the tears of an infant and a baby’s cry.
What does that tell us about power from a biblical standpoint? What can we learn about God’s methods of revealing Himself and what does that mean to us, the ones through whom He continues to reveal Himself?
I think this is going to be an encouraging, yet challenging, study! Hope you can join us – again, in person or online on Facebook or YouTube at 10am!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
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This Sunday, as we continue our journey through Luke, we’ll be reading The Benedictus of Zechariah. We’ll be covering Luke 1:67-80.
It’s a song that celebrates God’s visitation of the earth. The question is, what kind of visitation is it? Should we be afraid or stoked?
One thing I did when reading this great psalm was to go through and underline all the positive words used in this passage; mercy, save, rescued, etc. When you do that and step back from it, you really get the tone of this song. What feelings are inspired in you as you read this?
What is the covenant God made with Abraham? How does that play into this song? Zechariah starts his song very localized – talking about deliverance from Israel’s enemies. The scope changes in v77-79 – what is talked about in those verses?
How might we embody the characteristics of this Divine Visitation this Christmas?
Click here to view a pdf of the teaching’s slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Luke 1:57-66 as we continue our study in the Gospel of Luke.
The narrative will return its attention to Zechariah and Elizabeth in the birth of John the Baptist. To be fully immersed in the story, it might be a good idea to re-read vs 13-20 of chapter one. We’ll be doing that on Sunday as well. It’s important, because Gabriel proclaimed that his words would come to pass – compare v14 with 58. What is the result of believing that God will be faithful to his promises?
The controversy surrounding the naming of the child is somewhat lost on our modern Western society. We mostly pick names based on how they sound to us, but in the ancient word (and in many societies outside our own) choosing a name had profound significance. A name carried on a family legacy – which had an effect on more than just immediate family. Everything goes down according to tradition in the scene, until it comes to the name. Elizabeth usurps the process, at least in everyone’s eyes. What might we glean from this startling break with tradition, as it touches John’s future ministry as well as our own lives lived for God’s purposes?
There will be lot to consider in this short section. I hope you can join us, online via Facebook or YouTube, or join us in person. Please remember to wear a mask.
Click here for a pdf of the PowerPoint teaching slideshow.
I hope everyone had a happy, peaceful and safe Thanksgiving. No matter what, we have much to be thankful for – down to the very breath we breathe.
We’ll be continuing our study in Luke this Sunday, reading Luke 1:39-56.
It is a section traditionally called the Magnificat because that is the word in Latin that Mary exclaims when she breaks out in a song. This whole section, from Mary’s interaction with Elizabeth to the song Mary sings carries the theme of reversals.
Think about all that has been reversed in Luke’s gospel so far. We started the story the story of a man, a priest – but he’s been silenced. Instead, who is now the focus of the narrative? Our first great piece of theology doesn’t come from a priest, but from the mouth of a teenage girl. Think about how that time and culture viewed women. Think about the dynamic between younger and elder people in that time and culture. What reversals are you witnessing in this text?
When Mary sings her song, she is providing the theme of the Good News that Israel had been waiting for. Is this a song about going to heaven when she dies? What is the main theme of this song? What happens to the proud, what awaits the humble? What is anticipated for the rich and for the poor?
Why do you think the theme of reversal is so important to Mary…as she echoes the cry of her ancestors? What implications do these reversals have for us today? In what ways do the trappings of our culture, our politics, even the way we practice our faith run contrary to what Mary sings about here? How would you apply the theme of Mary’s song to your life as a Christian today?
This should prove to be an interesting study.
Also, this Sunday we’ll be celebrating the Communion – if you are joining us online, be sure to have bread or wine or some symbol of sustenance handy – we’ll attend to the ritual at the end of the teaching. If you’re going to be there in person, we are still going to be using the individual pods (longing for the day when we drop the restrictions and celebrate more casually and comfortably). Hope you can join us – in person or online!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
“I wanna be a lion
Yeah, everybody wants to pass as cats
We all wanna be big, big stars
Yeah, but we got different reasons for that…” ~
Mr. Jones, by Counting Crows
Everyone seems to have an innate desire to be significant somehow. There’s nothing more intriguing, it seems, than following someone’s rise to fame from obscurity (think American Idol or The Voice). One thing that the Biblical narrative does is focus in on people who are usually forgotten or unseen, and put them in a place where they can put on display what God’s grace has done for them. It’s not everyone’s story, but it is for a lot of characters.
Mary is one such person. We’ll be reading about her encounter with the angel Gabriel as he brings the annunciation of Christ’s birth this Sunday, reading Luke 1:26-38.
Our main focus will be on Mary – and specifically, what the text leaves out. What I mean is: based on what she is called to be and do in that time and culture is profound. Imagine an honor/shame culture’s expectations concerning fidelity to betrothal vows and moral purity. Imagine trying to explain to people that a pregnancy has happened but not by the normal process. Imagine how normal, reasonably intelligent people would respond to that and what that might mean to her safety, let alone her reputation.
I think it’s very important that we not sentimentalize nor idealize Mary’s commission and her answer to this calling. Luke is providing a glimpse concerning the nature of God’s work in the gospel and what it means to and for us. There are a lot of challenges inherent in Gabriel’s commission of Mary – and much for us to learn from it as disciples who follow in her footsteps of faith.
Hope you can join us this Sunday, online or in person. If in person, please wear a mask so that we can do our part to minimize the risk to others during these demanding times.
Also – if you want a good primer on the Gospel of Luke as we go through it, you should check out The Bible Project’s videos on it. I cannot recommend them highly enough. You can find them here: The Bible Project, Luke / Acts series
Click here for a pdf of the slideshow for this teaching.
When the first Back to the Future movie ended, the words “To Be Continued” popped up on the screen. It was sort of a shock to me back then that a movie was created with the sequel already fully intended. Lord of the Rings was another movie series told in three parts. It felt like such a long time between movies – usually a year or more – but when the story resumed, it was magical.
The Gospels in our Bible are the resumption of the story of redemption which didn’t have a proper ending in the Hebrew Bible (The Old Testament).
Luke picks up very much like an Old Testament writer as he provides us with his thorough account of Christ. We’ll be reading Luke 1:5-25 in our study on Sunday – a section that is traditionally called “The gospel overture”.
What does the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth remind you of from the Old Testament? Why would that be an important connection for Luke to Make?
Read Malachi 3:1 and Malachi 4:5-6 and compare them to what the angel says about John the Baptist’s ministry. What do you think coming in the spirit and power of Elijah might mean? What might the average Israelite have been looking for in the fulfillment of Malachi 4? What can we learn about how God often keeps his promises?
The exchange between Zechariah and Gabriel is intentionally funny. I love how human Zechariah, and all the Bible’s characters for that matter, are.
Zechariah being struck mute served as a sign that Gabriel’s words would come to pass. What else would a sign like that be communicating?
V25 sounds the note which the whole of this Gospel will follow. How would you summarize what v25 is telling us about the nature and purpose of the Good News?
Hope you can join us on Sunday, either in person or online via Facebook or YouTube.
Click here for a pdf of the PowerPoint slideshow for this teaching.
Listen in as we delve into the local history and happenings during the time this book was written, as well as Luke’s opening remarks about the GOOD NEWS…it’s a new series, enjoy !
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Janelle and Matt share about their different struggles with worry and how we can learn to focus on God’s goodness and power as a Christ centered alternative.
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We have come to the final teaching in our study of Galatians – we’ll be reading ch 6:1-18. Often times it’s a temptation to skim the closing words of one of these letters – but that would be a shame to do in this one. Some scholars believe the key to really understanding this book is found in the closing statements.
In his final remarks, Paul quickly restates many of the points he made earlier, but he does so with an emphasis on how the freedom we enjoy in Christ will work itself out in the context of community. That’s what our focus will be on – how we manage both our personal responsibilities in relationship with God, with the mutual accountability we have as the church together.
In v2 Paul says to share each other’s burdens, but in v5 he reminds us of our personal responsibility for how we conduct ourselves. How would you reword those two challenges? How can we share each other’s burdens?
Paul also mentions “the law of Christ” in v2. That’s weird, isn’t it? After declaring liberty from religious laws all through this letter, he urges us to fulfill the law of Christ. What do you think he means by that? How might his words in ch 5:14 help us to understand his thinking?
In v 6-10 Paul talks about the biblical principle of sowing and reaping. How does this principle help to temper the way we use our freedom?
V15 is so powerful to me. All the expectations that get created mean nothing – do them or don’t do them…the only thing that really matters is that our lives are being transformed by God’s Spirit, made possible by Christ’s work on the cross. As you look at your own life, what transformations have you experienced that prompt you to boast in the cross?
I really love this book. It’s my second time teaching it and I really got so much out of teaching it again. That gets me excited about re-teaching other New Testament books! Hope you can join us Sunday, in person or online via Facebook or YouTube (hopefully we won’t have the connection issues we had last week – and by the way, the audio version of last week’s teaching is available HERE if you missed it).
Click here for a pdf version of this PowerPoint slideshow.
Freedom is such an important principle in life, but more important is what we do with the freedom that is granted to us. This is true whether we’re talking about societal freedom or the freedom which is found in Christ.
This Sunday we’ll be reading ch 5:13-26 in our study of the Galatian letter. In this section, Paul will be providing the qualifiers concerning Christian freedom. Freedom, he says, should not become a base of operations for selfish indulgence – which the NLT translates as “sinful nature”, but in the Greek, the word is “flesh”. Flesh means more than just our bodies – it is a word that is signifying entire personhood being lived outside of God’s will or the Spirit’s guidance.
In v14, Paul loosely quotes Jesus in establishing how our freedom is to be lived out. What is the “flesh” action that love is countering, according to v15?
Paul talks about the war that rages in our lives between impulses to do good and impulses to do what’s wrong. The Intruders were teaching the Galatians that the way to win over the yetzer hara, the sinful impulse, was to learn and obey the Torah. In v18, Paul declares a different way – what does he say?
Ancient writers and philosophers seemed to enjoy creating lists of virtues and vices, and Paul falls right in line with that practice through the rest of the chapter. Count how many works of the flesh that he lists. Do you think it’s a comprehensive list or just a few examples? How many of the works are addressing interpersonal relationships? What might that tell us about Paul’s emphasis?
While the flesh has a lot of works, Paul speaks of fruit (singular) of the Spirit. In what ways do the works and the fruit corollate (one countering the other)? What does v25 describe as our part in bearing the fruit of the Spirit? How might we do that in real life examples?
It will be an encouraging albeit challenging study. Hope you can join us, either in person or online via Facebook or YouTube!
Click here for a pdf version of the PowerPoint slideshow for this teaching.
One major fear that gets posed whenever Christian freedom is discussed is the concern that it can lead to an antinomian lifestyle – a life with no constraint, living lawlessly. I’ve heard that fear expressed to me many times over the years. Martin Lloyd Jones, the old Welsh minister, famously said that if we aren’t accused of preaching lawlessness, we aren’t preaching grace the way Paul did. He’s right – Paul got accused of that a lot, and had to qualify his emphasis on grace many times in his letters.
This Sunday we’ll be reading Paul’s great rallying cry that boldly proclaims the main theme of his letter to the Galatians. We’ll be starting chapter 5, reading vs 1-12.
Paul states his main thesis in v1a – We are FREE! That’s a statement that carries a lot with it – first, it assumes that at one point, we were not free. Think back through the letter to the Galatians – what has Paul been emphasizing our freedom concerning? Read ch 1:4 to get one perspective of our rescue. Ch 3:10-13 gives another aspect of what we are freed from.
Freedom is sort of a loaded word. Loaded, I should say, with our pre-determined definitions of what it means. Our country, the United States has freedom as it’s centerpiece. How do we as Americans normally define freedom? How would you characterize freedom based on what Paul says we are free from? What differences, if any, can you identify? Which sort of freedom should take precedence in our lives as Christ Followers?
In v1b, Paul exhorts us in light of the thesis. What does he tell us we must do concerning our freedom?
In vs 2-12 of the chapter, Paul elaborates on how we can go about fulfilling that exhortation. As you read those verses, what jumps out to you as practical advice for living free in Christ? The last part of v6 is terribly important. It’s the way that antinomianism, lawlessness, is counteracted when it comes to our freedom.
What do you believe it means that our faith is expressed in love? Love for whom? What will that look like when lived out in real life situations?
I think this will be a really challenging study – I hope you can join us, either in person or online via Facebook or YouTube. We are no longer requiring pre-registrations – but we are asking that we continue wearing masks during the singing portion of our service.
The danger is still real, as we see in the recent development with our President. Please keep him in prayer for a full recovery.
Click here for a pdf of the PowerPoint slideshow for this teaching.
Hey Eastgate – this Sunday we’ll be celebrating the communion of the bread and cup – so if you are watching online, you’ll want to have some symbol of sustenance ready, like bread or wine or whatever is available to you. I guarantee it will be better than what we’ll be using in the in person meeting – those tiny cup and wafer things that Matt Greene commented were really authentic because they sort of taste like your really drinking blood and eating flesh. I know you’re all excited to join us this Sunday! yay.
We’ll be continuing in our study of the letter to the Galatians, reading ch 4:21-31. Paul is finishing up his argument against Christians being compelled to follow the Law of Moses – and he wraps it all up with a rather strange analogy…or allegory…or maybe a little of both. He points to the story of Hagar and Sarah and the children born to them as images of people of the promise as opposed to people who work things out for themselves. Paul wasn’t trying to insinuate that the story of Hagar and Sarah had it’s real meaning in the end of the Torah age – he simply saw it as a pattern, and he saw God’s purpose revealed in that oft repeated pattern from the Biblical story.
As you read the text and consider the story – you should also become familiar with the source material from Genesis: Genesis 16 and 21.
What was the difference between how Isaac came to be and Ishmael? What do we learn about how God accomplishes his purposes in our lives and in this world?
In what ways will this affect the way we see this world, God’s Kingdom, and our place in it?
I hope you find this study as interesting as I did – hope you can join us, in person or online via Facebook and YouTube.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll continue doing our study of Galatians, reading chapter 4:8-20. Paul will be talking about servitude and freedom, and marking out our clear calling to choose freedom. As you read his very first statement in v8 – what does the natural condition of humanity outside of Christ seem to be? In what ways might we see that principle exampled in our world?
Paul talks about how the Galatians were in bondage to idolatry, then warns them that they are heading right back into the same bondage. They weren’t tempted to adapt paganism again…what were they being compelled to observe? What does that tell us about Paul’s view of adding any sort of religious law or code, no matter how good it is, when it comes to our relationship with God in Christ?
V 19 tells us the reason God has set us free to begin with. Paul compares himself to a pregnant woman in labor (he’s clearly one confident dude) – what is it he wants to see birthed – what does he want for their lives? How can we see this become a reality in our own lives? In what ways might we see Christ developed in the way we live?
Click here to view the pdf of this teaching’s slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in the letter to the Galatians. We’ll also take some time to pray for the people out west who are suffering through those fires, pray for the people of Louisiana who are recovering from and facing another storm. And we’ll pray for our own county since we are on the bad side of this coming storm if it drifts Eastward.
In our Bible study, we’ll be reading Galatians 3:26-4:7. Last week we considered what Paul described as the purpose of the law – as a diagnostic for the human condition, but not the cure. In this next section, Paul will be outlining the purpose of the promise God made to Abraham. He does this by describing the new way in which God’s communities form around his values. Not by coercion, but as mature humans, united with God.
V 28 is a powerful verse, and many scholars believe Paul is quoting from a hymn or liturgy from the early church. The words, and how Paul interprets them are profound. Paul has expanded what the issue was at Galatia, the demand that gentiles live as Jews, to include the radical way in which the Gospel transforms human community. He is undercutting the whole world’s social, cultural and sexual boundary markers. How do the words of v28 affect you? How would you apply this declaration of equality to your own life, or to the church, or to the world around us?
As we get to chapter 4, Paul places a big emphasis on maturation as the fulfillment of the promise. How would you describe the difference between a child who lives under restrictions mean to keep them safe and a mature adult who knows to make good choices? Which would you rather be? That is the essence of Paul’s point.
Hope to see you Sunday, and if you can’t join us in person, tune in on Facebook or YouTube.
Click here for a pdf version of this slideshow.
This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in the letter to the Galatians, reading chapter 3:19-25. Paul has been making his adamant point that the Law of Moses was a parenthesis, not the main emphasis of God’s plan. The question that would naturally come up then, would be: why institute the law in the first place? This will be the focus of this section of the text.
When Paul says, in v19, that the law was meant to show people their sins, what does that mean to you? How does the law accomplish that? How would you describe the difference between a diagnosis and a cure for some disease?
Paul also uses an analogy of a guardian (or tutor or trainer depending on the translation). In the ancient world, a family servant would be assigned the task of educating and corralling a child until he came of age to take his place in the family. The analogy is highlighting the restrictive nature of this time in a child’s life. What analogies from our modern setting can you think of that highlight a temporary restriction until it is safe to lift it?
This section is probably one of the most important passages from Paul’s letters, helping us decipher his thinking throughout all of his letters. It should be an interesting study.
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
There are a lot of things happening in our world – natural disasters as well as the crisis of racism and its resultant disasters, all wrapped in the arms of a global pandemic. I know it’s difficult to navigate these troubled waters, but I know that time spent reading The Book will not be wasted and can bring redemption as we learn to live what we read. So, this Sunday, we’ll keep reading The Book – studying the letter to the Galatians. We’ll be continuing in chapter 3, reading vs 15-18.
In this section, Paul continues to drive home the importance of the promise made to Abraham. It might do some good to become familiarized with that part of the story, since Paul certainly gives it a central place in the meaning of the Gospel. You can read Abraham’s story in Genesis, starting with chapter 12 and continuing on through chapter 24. It doesn’t take that long to read it. The most pressing part of that promise has to do with God blessing the nations of the earth through him, by making them his people. That gives us a clue as to the central import of the Good News.
Paul’s insistence on reading with an emphasis on Abraham and not Moses tells us a lot about the Apostolic approach to reading the Bible. Which begs a question: How do you read the Bible? What do you understand the story of the Bible to be about, and how do the stories of the Hebrew Bible synthesize with the letters of the New Testament? Knowing these things go a long way towards getting in step with the message and values of the Bible. I’m someone who is concerned that average church-goers have drifted quit far from the flow of the Divine Revelation – and a robust (and proper) reading of Scriptures could do a great deal of good for our present day, American Church.
I hope we’ll be encouraged and challenged to start reading the Bible well this Sunday. We’ll be celebrating communion, and if you aren’t joining us in person, be sure to have bread and wine or some other symbols of sustenance handy as we observe this ritual together.
Click here for a pdf of the slideshow.
We’ll be continuing our study in the book of Galatians this Sunday – reading vs 6-14 of chapter 3.
Paul moved from telling his own story to reminding the Galatians of their own story, to now reciting the larger story of God’s covenant people. He goes back to the very beginning – to Abraham himself, making an important point about the basis for Abraham’s acceptance by God. What is the basis? Paul’s point is that a relationship with God by faith predates the law by hundreds of years.
Why would that be an important point? What does that mean about the law – how should it be viewed in light of the Gospel? That is the issue Paul is getting at, and what we’ll be considering as we read through these verses.
This Sunday we’ll also be announcing our current list of Micro-Missions – small ministries that advance God’s Kingdom in a variety of ways. We’re hoping that they are a starting point – to join with or as inspiration to start your own Micro-Mission. We’re excited to see where God takes our church!
Click here for a pdf version of the PowerPoint slideshow.
This Sunday, as we are able to gather together to learn the skills needed to attend to the mission the Gospel calls us to, we’ll be reading Galatians 3:1-5.
Paul continues expressing his dismay at the Galatian church for allowing themselves to be intimidated into submitting to the Law of Moses. He frames his argument around several rhetorical questions. He first demands an answer as to how this journey of faith started for them, through the law or through faith in what Jesus did on the cross. Then he makes a stark contrast between obedience to the Law and life in the Spirit. One thing you may want to do is go through and notice how often a word gets repeated in a section of Scripture. That will often indicate what the writer’s emphasis is. How many times does the Holy Spirit come up in contrast with obedience to religious laws? What emphasis do you discern from this?
Paul also pointed to their own history as evidence of how God is working in their lives. What are the experiences of grace that you can look back on that reinforce the reality of God’s power to change your life? What are some of the turning points you’ve gone through? What were the circumstances around them? It can be a helpful practice to keep a written record of the many ways in which God has shaped and redeemed your life.
Hope to see you or that you can join us online!
Click here for a pdf version of the slideshow for this teaching.
We don’t want to forget the important message we considered last week – about our goal to be an unshakable church in this world. We still want to consider the questions posed then: Is my attendance and participation in a weekly church service the main way that I live out my Christianity? If meeting in a building was no longer an option, what would I be doing instead to show the world around me my hope as a Christian? Does our idea of a church meeting need to be restructured to better match God’s calling for us as Christians? My hope is that we will continue praying about these and seeking God’s guidance concerning our function as a church. We are currently working on a list of the micro-missions that are already happening with Eastgate, and others are beginning to develop, which really gets me stoked! If you didn’t hear the conversation last week, you can find it here: An Unshakable Church, starting at the 28 minute mark. I really encourage everyone to listen to it.
This Sunday we will be continuing our study in Galatians, reading 2:11-21.
In this section of the letter, Paul recounts a confrontation he had with the Apostle Peter…one of the very big names of the early church. Paul had been in Antioch promoting the Good News, which is the message of a new world through God’s grace. Peter’s actions in v12 were undermining that message, and Paul called Peter out on it. In the last part of v12, what is the reason Paul gives for Peter’s behavior? If we want to promote God’s grace like Paul did, what do we have to overcome in order to do that?
Underlying this controversy is Peter’s removal of himself from people who were deemed by others as “less-than”. This is key to Paul’s reaction. What does it tell us about the mission of grace in this world? Who are the “less-thans” we tend to withdraw from? How can an appreciation for God’s grace correct that tendency?
Paul, in V19-20, gets to the heart of his position. Keeping religious laws is not sustainable in order to be right with God. What is his focus then? How can we promote God’s grace by sharing that same focus?
I think this will be a provocative study, and I believe we’ll find useful clues as to how we can go about our mission as the church in this world.
Hey Eastgate – we’re going to continue our study in Galatians this Sunday – and we’ll be reading Galatians 2:1-10.
This section is still part of Paul’s autobiographical statements made in defense of the gospel he preached to the gentiles. One of the major emphasis’ of Paul’s letters is about unity. We have such a propensity to fragment into tribalism as the human race. As you read over Paul’s words – keep the idea of unity in mind. In v 2 we read about Paul submitting his teachings to Peter, who was a big name in the early church. Why does he say he did that, and what do you think this says about Paul? What key to unity can we find in his attitude?
In v4-5 he describes people who wanted to enslave Paul and Titus – what did he see that enslavement as being? Why did he not give in to that according to v5? Who was he resisting for? What key to unity might be seen in this section?
V7 has Peter’s evaluation of Paul. What did they come to as a resolution in v8? How would it encourage unity? How can we follow their example as we interact with believers who hold different traditions from our own?
Hope you can join us online this Sunday at 9AM. Also – it will be another virtual communion – so have your symbols of sustenance ready!
Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
Hey Eastgate – I trust everyone is staying safe. We had a great time last Thursday partnering with A Hand Up ministry and Truth Fellowship for a pop-up food pantry distribution. A lot of people were helped, and God was glorified. We’ll hopefully be doing that again sometime, it was a deeply edifying experience…despite the face-melting heat.
This Sunday we’ll be having our online only service on Facebook and YouTube – and we’ll be continuing our study in the book of Galatians – Libertas Ex Christo, remembering the freedom we have through Christ. This Sunday we’ll be reading ch1:10-24.
All too often the concept of freedom and grace become misconstrued for lawlessness – living with no moral compass and relying on God’s grace to excuse it. But a careful reading of Paul’s letter to the Galatians makes it clear that Paul didn’t live by that notion. In fact, as we read in our text for this Sunday, Paul has quite a bit to say about the difference Jesus made in his life. As you read over the text, what stands out to you about Paul’s pre-Christian life and his life of following Jesus? In what ways can you observe changes in your own life – in terms of values and priorities – that have happened as a result of committing your life to Jesus?
Far from living any old way he pleased, Paul describes a fundamental re-shaping of his life to the point that people were stunned at his reversals. This will prove to be a challenging insight into his example – hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
Hey Eastgate! Been a while since I’ve updated Wonderwhat – but since we’re starting a new series, I thought it would be good to fire this thing back up. We’re going to start a study in the book of Galatians. I realize that I’ve already taught Galatians – but I’ve learned a lot since then and I’d like to pass that along. This Sunday we’ll be reading chapter 1:1-9 for our introduction and first look.
I’d really like to encourage you to watch the Bible Project’s video on the book of Galatians. You can find it HERE. The latest podcasts also deal with how we are to read the New Testament letters and they are super-informative. If you’re a podcast listener, you can find them HERE. I know it seems like I push the Bible Project a lot, but seriously, I consider it the most important thing to be coming from the American church right now.
In our study of Galatians we’re going to be considering the core of Paul’s argument concerning the Good News – what it is and what it aint. I think this letter is going to be powerful and timely, given the state of our world right now. It’s important to get to the basics – and I think we need that right now more than ever.
Jesus Christ….and nothing else. Sounds easy…but it actually becomes a challenge. When you read the first 9 verses, what do you think Paul’s demeanor is? What does his inflammatory language in v6-9 stir in you as you read it? Why do you think he’s speaking so strongly to the Galatians?
As we’ve been doing – our services are going to be online only – streaming on Facebook, and hopefully YouTube at 9 AM. Hope you can join us!
Click here for a pdf version of the teaching slideshow.
Join us as we discuss all things Eastgate and what’s happening during these crazy times!
The continuing story of the Coronavirus and how it has affected all of us and our community.
This is the final study in the book of Job. Listen to hear the conclusion of the fascinating book!
Click here to view a pdf of the teaching slideshow.
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Hey Eastgate – We will be continuing to do our online service at 10 AM on Sunday, streaming on Facebook and YouTube. We are exploring possibilities for how we can meet together in person, we’ll keep you posted as the details of that become more clear. In the meantime, we can be patient, the main thing is to do whatever we do in a way that is safe for everyone and in cooperation with our State guidelines as well as the CDC.
This Sunday we’ll still be studying Job – and we’ll be covering a lot of chapters – chapters 29-27 – but don’t panic, we’ll do an abridged version.
Job has a fourth friend who has been silent until chapter 32 – but he says some things that offer a more nuanced look at the dialogue that unfolded through chapters 4-27. It will be interesting to read – and there are some very timely and thought provoking questions that will emerge from that text.
I hope you are all doing well – I know that we all miss being with each other – but don’t forget, we are connected through Christ, and that connection doesn’t depend on a building or a meeting – it just requires that we stay close to Him. Hope you can tune in on Sunday and be refreshed in God’s word!
Click here for a pdf version of this teachings slideshow.
We’ll be continuing our online services this Sunday – watch at 10 AM on Facebook or YouTube. This Sunday we’ll be reading Job 28 in our study of that book. We’ll also be observing Communion – so be prepared with bread and wine, or juice…or any symbolic form of sustenance. We’ll be sharing that “together” at the end of the teaching.
Job 28 marks a shift in the focus of the book. We stated last time that the case which the Challenger brought against God (that real righteousness doesn’t exist because it comes with a reward, thus making people mercenaries in their pursuit of goodness) was lost when Job confessed a determination to pursue righteousness regardless of reward or cost.
Chapter 28 comes in like an interlude. It doesn’t appear to be Job, nor any of his friends doing the talking, and we’re left to assume it is the narrator, bridging us to the next section with a poem. What is the subject matter of the poem? What does that tell us about how things will resolve from here?
What was the main concern and point of emphasis for Job and his friends (think of the triangle we showed)? How does that differ from the point of this poem?
I really like this chapter and because of its overall context, the message behind it is profound. Hopefully it will inspire some good discussion in the Q/A at the end of the service. Hope to “see” you on Sunday!
Click here for a pdf version of the PowerPoint slideshow for this teaching.
This Sunday we’ll be resuming our study in Job – we’ll be covering an abridged version of chapters 22-27 – but you can read the chapters in their entirety HERE.
This section finishes the three cycles of dialogue between Job and his friends, and contains the climax of those cycles. The main thrust of this section will center on the idea of righteousness for righteousness’ sake, not for reward or benefit. That’s a compelling concept, one we might mentally assent to, but on further introspection, may find difficult to realize fully in our own motivations.
It will be an interesting and challenging study – hope you can join us online at 10 AM, on Facebook as a live event and on our Youtube channel. Hope you are enduring in His grace during these days – I pray for you always.
Click here for a pdf version of the PowerPoint slideshow.
Join us as we discuss all of the changes going on in our personal, work and church lives right now. Easter week updates too!
As you surely know, we will be doing online only services this Sunday – and while I know it’s Palm Sunday, as often happens with us in teaching through a book of the Bible, we won’t be doing a Palm Sunday service but rather we’ll continue our study in Job. I still think it is quite apropos for our situation.
We’ll be reading from chapters 15-21 – an abridged version, though you can listen to the chapters read in their entirety in the audio file above.
We’ll also be doing a Q&A after the teaching, so please post your questions during the service and we’ll discuss them at the end.
What do you notice about Job’s attitude toward God as this second cycle of dialogue plays out? What is happening to his perception of God? How might our own religious assumptions and attitudes lead us to similar perceptions of God? Those are things to ponder in this section.
Tune in on Facebook or Youtube this Sunday at 10 am. Hope to see you online!
Click here for a pdf version of the PowerPoint slideshow.
Hey Everyone – I’m trusting that you’re all hunkered down, staying safe and keeping others safe. This Sunday our meeting will be online only – you can watch on Facebook or Youtube. We’ll be continuing our study in Job, reading chapters 8-14. We’ll be reading an abridged version of all those chapters, but again, the audio file is above and you can listen to the text in it’s entirety there.
We’re also going to do a Q&A session about Job right after the teaching – so as you listen, post any questions you have about the text or it’s application and we’ll discuss it. I really enjoyed that last week, hope you did too!
Hope to see you online – pray for one another – pray for our world, nation, state, county and community. Pray for the healthcare workers and those seeking a vaccine, that God will give the wisdom we need to overcome this threat. Pray for our leaders on every level. Pray for peace and comfort for those who are distressed. Pray for the Good News to have opportunity to be shared.
Click here for the pdf version of the PowerPoint slideshow.
Another crazy week has passed, a lot of disconcerting things have developed, including the closing of our beaches, which I know has a cascading impact on so many people. In times of distress, we remember that God is still God and the One we look to in times of trouble. Take heart, in His love, there is hope for you. As always, we will keep our eyes and hearts open for ways we can lighten the burden for one another.
This week, our services will be ONLINE ONLY, but you can watch on our YouTube channel or on our Facebook page or in our Facebook Group – or just click the link on our website – tune in at 10 am CST.
We’ll continue our very relevant study in the book of Job – and you may be surprisingly comforted by what we discover as we explore those pages. We’ll be covering a lot of ground, ch 4-7 – which I will only read an abridged version of on Sunday morning, so listen to the audio reading of those chapters in their entirety above.
I’m also hoping to do an extended Q&A about Job after the teaching – so if you have any questions about the book, it’s genre, the characters…anything, leave them in the comment section below and we can discuss them on Sunday.
Click here for a PDF version of the teaching slideshow.
Keep your eyes fixed on the God who loves you – allow His grace to settle all fear and uncertainty – be still, and know He is God.