Most of us don’t realize how much North Africans influenced our Christian thinking. For instance, they became the first to worship in Latin. So, much of western Christian thought came from them, as we in the West later adopted the Latin language. In the first three centuries, a higher percentage of Christians lived in the […]
Unnoticed Connections in Scripture: Lesson 4: Numbers
May 10, 2018 by
Counting in Hebrew The Hebrew language didn’t use numbers. Instead, letters took on the task of denoting numerical values. Like Roman numerals, each letter denotes a value (“I” = one; “V” = five; “X” = 10, and so on). To write a number, one combined different letters. A development, which took place within the languages […]
Acts 1:6-11: Christ’s Ascension Doesn’t Mean He’s Now Trapped in Heaven
May 10, 2018 by
This was our pastor’s sermon for the pastoral circuit meeting (winkel) on Tuesday, May 9, 2018. The book of Acts tells us of the first Christians as they brought Jesus to others in their words and deeds. The Scripture pictures for us the earliest Church, unfolding who the Church is and what she does, […]
John: Lesson 5: Jesus Points the People to His Word (John 4:27-4:54)
May 10, 2018 by
Recap and Intro Like Nicodemus, the woman did not get the “greater” sign (living water). She did, however, recognize Jesus came from God by the “lesser” signs He gave her: Her lifestyle of multiple marriages and living with men outside of marriage. The disciples now return from the village, who went there to buy food. […]
Unnoticed Connections in Scripture: Lesson 3: Blood
May 3, 2018 by
God’s Prohibition In the Old Covenant, God forbade His people to drink blood. After the flood, God commanded Noah, “You must not eat meat with its life, its blood, in it” (Genesis 9:4). Later, during Israel’s wilderness wanderings, God explained more fully why they were not to drink blood or eat meat with the blood […]
Ascension: Jesus is Gone into Heaven. Now What?
April 29, 2018 by
This is our pastor’s article for the May edition of our newsletter. This year, Ascension Day falls a May 3rd. Such a neglected and almost-forgotten festival. Consider how few congregations celebrate this day on Thursday, its actual day. For Jesus going to heaven’s throne almost lacks a sense of the heroic victory of a […]
John 15:5-9: Fed From the True Vine
April 29, 2018 by
The Old Testament often describes God as a gardener or vinedresser, who tends to His vineyards. The vines He cares for, which He planted and tended with loving care, are His people, Israel. The Psalms tell us, “[God] brought a vine out of Egypt, expelled the nations, and planted us into his land” (Psalm 80:8). […]
John: Lesson 4: Jesus’ Early Ministry: John the Baptizer and the Samaritan Woman (John 3:22-4:26)
April 29, 2018 by
Recap and Intro We now explore the fourth sequential section, revealing Jesus as the Fulfillment of the Old Covenant. Jesus provided new wine, implying He surpasses the best Judaism can provide (John 2:10). He showed Himself as the Temple’s fulfillment and what took place there (John 2:29-21). He revealed He, who came from heaven, fulfilled […]
Unnoticed Connections in Scripture: Lesson 2: Water
April 29, 2018 by
The Flood Last week, we looked into creation, God first creating from nothing and then using what He made to finish His creating work. The pattern continues with God using what He made for His purposes. Now, however, we find a contrast with His earlier creation. Read parts of Genesis 6-8 as needed Creation […]
Psalm 23:1: The Lord is My Shepherd
April 29, 2018 by
Most of us understand little about the ways of shepherding and sheep. The few places where sheep wander in the fields are like an alien world to the rest of us. Included in this life are rugged men, who provide for flocks atop the hills and mountains of the American West, hailing from shepherds in […]
