This is our pastor’s next article for the local paper, The Stone County Gazette. As someone brought up as a Southern Baptist, a recent debate taking place within that church body captured my attention. Recently, much discussion has take place on what many call the “sinner’s prayer.” For those of you unfamiliar with such a […]
Revelation, Lesson 4: Chapter 1, “What You Have Seen”
June 24, 2012 by
The First Vision Read Revelation 1:9-11 – Why was John on Patmos? – What does John being “in the Spirit” and receiving what he does “on the Lord’s day” tell about the content of Revelation? Read Revelation 1:12-16 When John turned around, he saw what Daniel and Ezekiel had seen in their visions. […]
1st John, Lesson 2: Love vs. Its Antitheses
June 19, 2012 by
Love vs. Hate Read 1 John 2:1-6 Excursus: Hilosmos Hilosmos: This is the Greek term, which the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) used for the Atonement Cover on the Ark of the Covenant. There, in the Old Covenant, the High Priest poured the blood of the sacrifices on the Ark, covering sin, represented […]
Revelation, Lesson 3: Prologue
June 16, 2012 by
Prologue Read Revelation 1:1-3 – In what way does the information from the visions in Revelation come to us? Is it primarily literal or by way of signs? (vs. 1) – What is the sequence of how the information comes to us in Revelation? – In verse 3, we see a sequence of […]
1st John, Lesson 1
June 14, 2012 by
Introductions Author: The earliest Church traditions we have about the authorship of 1st John is that the Apostle John, the son of Zebedee, is the author. Even more, 1st John is so similar to the Gospel of John in language, style, and theology that few have ever disputed that both books have the same author. […]
James, Lesson 6 (Chapter 5): Warning, Patience, and Prayer
June 7, 2012 by
Warning to the Rich Scripture is clear that wealth isn’t something we are to place out trust in. Of course, this is contrary to the way of the world. Nonetheless, for the Christian, he is to trust in God. For example, King Solomon warns, “The one who trusts in riches, this man will fall, but […]
Revelation, Lesson 2: Numbers and Symbols
June 2, 2012 by
The Poetic Structure and Numbers of Revelation Poetic Forms that Convey Meaning Because the book of Revelation is largely written using Hebraic poetic forms, we can’t fully understand Revelation unless we recognize and understand those poetic forms. Since thinking in such poetic forms is not part of our North-American cultural literacy, we have to gain […]
James, Lesson 5: Church in Conflict (Chapter 4)
May 30, 2012 by
The Problem James chapter four discusses a subject that is as relevant for us today as it was in the first century: quarrels and fights in the Church. St. James ended chapter three by telling his readers, “The harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace” (3:18). Then, “what is the […]
Revelation: Lesson 1: A Rocky History
May 26, 2012 by
Authorship Four times the author of the book of Revelation calls himself “John” (1:1, 4, 9, and 22:8). This John wrote that he was in exile on the island of Patmos when he received his heavenly visions and the instructions to write them in a book (1:11, 19, 2:1). The earliest Christian sources identify the […]
James, Lesson 4: Taming the Tongue (Chapter 3)
May 22, 2012 by
In chapter 3, James does not start a new subject but, instead, develops more fully what he previously mentioned in passing. James 1:19: Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak … James 1:26: If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue, […]
