Luke #46: The Gospel Upheaval (Luke 12:49-59)

“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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Luke #45: Ready and Waiting (Luke 12:35-48)

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 create elaborate 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!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Luke #44: The Wasted Energy of Worry (Luke 12:22-34)

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.

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Luke #43: What Do We Value? (Luke 12:13-21)

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!

Click here for a pdf of the teaching slideshow.

Luke #42: Unhealthy Fears (Luke 12:1-12)

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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Luke #39: Choosing Sides (Luke 11:14-28)

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!

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Luke #38: Teach Us To Pray (Luke 11:1-13)

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!

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Luke #37: One Important Thing (Luke 10:38-42)

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.

Luke #36: Hello Neighbor! (Luke 10:25-37)

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.

Luke #35: The Good News Mission (Luke 10:1-24)

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.

Luke #34: Following Jesus (Luke 9:46-52)

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.

Luke #33: Failure and A Necessary Grace (Luke 9:37-45)

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.

Luke #32: The Glory Revealed (Luke 9:28-36)

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.

Luke #31: The King Revealed (Luke 9:18-27)

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!

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Luke #30: God's Kingdom In Bread & Fish (Luke 9:10-17)

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.

Luke #29: Mission Expansion (Luke 9:1-9)

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!

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Luke #28: Grace At The Edge of Our Limits (Luke 8:40-56)

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.

Lord Make Us One #4: A Vision of Unity

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!

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