Intro Ignatius Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 AD) was the 3rd Bishop of Antioch. Late in Emperor Trajan’s reign (98-117 AD), he was arrested for being a Christian, chosen because of his status and profile. So, he was taken to Rome under a guard of 10 soldiers to face martyrdom. On the way, Christians gathered to […]
Church History, Lesson 8: The Last of the Apostles’ Students, Ignatius and Polycarp
August 30, 2017 by
Genesis 4:1-15: Sin is Crouching at Your Door
August 27, 2017 by
In the store you are picking up a couple of items and close by a child is throwing a tantrum. Angry words, screaming, the stomping of feet, echoes in every aisle. Nothing the frustrated parent says calms the raging child. Of course, he tries to reason, but to no effect. A few minutes later, an […]
The Apocrypha, Lesson 17: The Wisdom of Solomon, Part 3
August 26, 2017 by
Intro We earlier learned Jesus is Wisdom incarnate. The Church understood the Apocrypha book of Wisdom to foretell Christ’s coming (“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel). Today, we continue exploring what this book has for us to learn. We Make Our False Idols so We Can Do What We Want In Acts 15, the Church’s […]
Church History, Lesson 7: The Beginning of the Rise of Rome
August 25, 2017 by
Introduction History teaches us the Apostle Peter was the first recognized Bishop of Rome, though Paul did precede him as acting bishop while under house arrest. The sources are silent, however, about Peter’s years in Rome, since he only served a short time before being martyred in 64 AD. The first leader to come […]
The Apocrypha, Lesson 16: The Wisdom of Solomon, Part 2
August 25, 2017 by
Intro Last week, we stopped at the end of chapter 6. Today, we pick up, exploring select verses of Wisdom. Wisdom Described and the Christ to Come Remember, “wisdom” is a feminine-gendered word the Greek, so “she” is used to describe “her/him/it” irrespective of whom or what “she” refers. Wisdom 7:23-24, 8:1: 23 Wisdom […]
Luke 19:41-48: The Thresher, the Threshing Floor, and the Temple
August 25, 2017 by
A threshing floor is a violent place, of division and separation. A farmer takes the cultivated harvest and casts the grain stalks on to a compacted floor. Sinewy muscles stretch and strain, beating and separating the seed’s outer bran from the starchy inside. Now, if wealthier, an ox will trudge through this crushing task, not […]
Church History, Lesson 5: The Didache, Pt. 2
August 25, 2017 by
Baptism The Didache now moves into what brings someone into the community (communion) of Christ: Baptism. 7:1 As for baptism, baptize in this way: After explaining all these things, baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in living [moving, running] water. 2 But if you do not have […]
The Apocrypha, Lesson 15: The Wisdom of Solomon, Part 1
August 25, 2017 by
Intro Author: The Lutheran Study Bible Apocrypha writes: “The obvious Greek style and philosophical influences make it clear that the Hebrew king Solomon did not write the book.” Now, this does not mean that what is in Wisdom is not linked in some way to the teachings of Solomon. Date: 30-10 BC. The Church’s Historical […]
The Value of the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments
August 24, 2017 by
This is our pastor’s newsletter article for the September 2017 edition of “The Shepherd’s Voice.” The Value of the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments By Pr. Rich Futrell Today, we have two primary Old Testaments: The Hebrew, called the “Masoretic Text,” and the Septuagint, a Greek-language translation, whose manuscripts predate the Masoretic Text by […]
