We pick up the second half of the book of Revelation this week.
In chapter 13 we hear about two beasts - one from the sea and the dragon. The dragon usually gets associated with Satan, the beast from the sea was probably the Roman Emperor. These beasts are defeated by the Lamb, which is Jesus.
Chapter 15 has one of the most quoted songs of praise to God. "Great and amazing are your deed, Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, King of all the nations! Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name? for you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your judgments have been revealed."
As you read Revelation you will find lots of little snippets - phrases and paragraphs - that you are familiar with. There is some very beautiful poetry that gets used in our liturgies - particularly the funeral liturgy, but also in hymns and choir anthems.
If you did the Challenge last year, you have now read the whole New Testament, take December off. If you didn't you can read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in December
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Bible Challenge: Revelation
We start on the book of Revelation this week.
Revelation is what is known as apocalyptic literature. The word apocalypse has come to mean the end of the world, but that's not really what it means.
Apocalyptic literature is literature that uses one story to teach a lesson about something else - usually things that it isn't safe to talk about openly.
An example of this is the original Star Trek series. It talked about issues of race relations, the Vietnam War and women's rights, but because it was set in the future it was allowed to be on the air - if they had tried to tackle those issues head on they would not have had as much of an impact. That is apocalyptic literature.
The book of Revelation is talking about the struggles of the first century church with the prevailing culture, and especially the Roman Empire. It wasn't okay to talk about that openly, so the author of Revelation (possibly the apostle John himself) set the discussion at the end of the world.
Revelation is what is known as apocalyptic literature. The word apocalypse has come to mean the end of the world, but that's not really what it means.
Apocalyptic literature is literature that uses one story to teach a lesson about something else - usually things that it isn't safe to talk about openly.
An example of this is the original Star Trek series. It talked about issues of race relations, the Vietnam War and women's rights, but because it was set in the future it was allowed to be on the air - if they had tried to tackle those issues head on they would not have had as much of an impact. That is apocalyptic literature.
The book of Revelation is talking about the struggles of the first century church with the prevailing culture, and especially the Roman Empire. It wasn't okay to talk about that openly, so the author of Revelation (possibly the apostle John himself) set the discussion at the end of the world.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Bible Challenge: Acts part 2
We get the second half of the book of Acts today.
We pick up in Chapter 9 with Saul - the one who consented to the stoning of Stephen and was running around arresting Christians.
He is heading off to Damascus to arrest any of the followers of Jesus he can find there.
While he is on his way he literally meets Jesus in the middle of the road and is struck blind. This is the turning point for the Church. This is where it moves from being a small group of Jews believing they have found the Messiah and becomes a religion that will challenge the Roman Empire. Because Paul (as Saul changes his name to) is the one with the skills and the vision to take the message of Christ into the Roman and Greek world. He preaches at Antioch and around the region and then comes back to Jerusalem to argue that the Gentile believers don't need to become Jews to follow Jesus and then heads out again.
By the end of the book Paul has traveled to all the major cities of Asia Minor and is on his way to Rome to answer to the Emperor himself.
We pick up in Chapter 9 with Saul - the one who consented to the stoning of Stephen and was running around arresting Christians.
He is heading off to Damascus to arrest any of the followers of Jesus he can find there.
While he is on his way he literally meets Jesus in the middle of the road and is struck blind. This is the turning point for the Church. This is where it moves from being a small group of Jews believing they have found the Messiah and becomes a religion that will challenge the Roman Empire. Because Paul (as Saul changes his name to) is the one with the skills and the vision to take the message of Christ into the Roman and Greek world. He preaches at Antioch and around the region and then comes back to Jerusalem to argue that the Gentile believers don't need to become Jews to follow Jesus and then heads out again.
By the end of the book Paul has traveled to all the major cities of Asia Minor and is on his way to Rome to answer to the Emperor himself.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Bible Challenge: Acts
We start this week reading the book of Acts.
Acts is really the second half of the Gospel of Luke. It is written by the same author to the same audience at about the same time. It tells the story of the spread of the Gospel in the years immediately after the resurrection.
In the first 8 chapters of Acts we find the story of the Ascension and Pentecost and the calling of Stephen and his stoning to death and the preaching of Philip.
We also get introduced to this character called Saul who is after the church, approved of the stoning of Stephen and is taking away to prison any of the followers of Jesus that he can find.
From the very beginning of the church we see both the power of God and the reaction to the message of God by those who are being challenged by it.
We will hear more about that Saul fellow next week.
Acts is really the second half of the Gospel of Luke. It is written by the same author to the same audience at about the same time. It tells the story of the spread of the Gospel in the years immediately after the resurrection.
In the first 8 chapters of Acts we find the story of the Ascension and Pentecost and the calling of Stephen and his stoning to death and the preaching of Philip.
We also get introduced to this character called Saul who is after the church, approved of the stoning of Stephen and is taking away to prison any of the followers of Jesus that he can find.
From the very beginning of the church we see both the power of God and the reaction to the message of God by those who are being challenged by it.
We will hear more about that Saul fellow next week.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Bible Challenge: 1, 2 & 3 John and Jude
The Johanine letters are actually teachings from a teacher to what is known as the Johanine community. That is a group of Christians who were more focused on a spiritual Christianity. They are the same community to whom the Gospel of John is addressed.
It is possible that the same author who wrote the Gospel of John wrote these letters. It is also possible that the author was the apostle John - "the one whom Jesus loved"
There is strong warnings about false teachers and a reminder of their central commandment - that they love one another above all else.
This is most clearly seen in 1 John 4:7-8 "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love."
Jude is a really brief warning against people who cause divisions in the Christian community. The exhortations are very general and perhaps it is just to remind people of the threat.
It is possible that the same author who wrote the Gospel of John wrote these letters. It is also possible that the author was the apostle John - "the one whom Jesus loved"
There is strong warnings about false teachers and a reminder of their central commandment - that they love one another above all else.
This is most clearly seen in 1 John 4:7-8 "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love."
Jude is a really brief warning against people who cause divisions in the Christian community. The exhortations are very general and perhaps it is just to remind people of the threat.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Bible Challenge: James and 1 & 2 Peter
James, in spite of its opening sentences, is actually probably not a letter. It is really a series of admonitions. It strongly parallels the wisdom writings in the Old Testament, like Ecclesiastes. It is not clear who James was. Probably not James, the brother of Jesus who led the church in Jerusalem.
There is confusion over the authorship of the Peter letters. The opening sentences claim "Peter an apostle of Christ Jesus" as the one writing. But the closing of 1 Peter claims Silvanus - who was associated with Paul.
In all likelihood the letter was written after the death of both Peter and Paul and the introduction was added later to add to the importance of the letter.
One of the principle focus' of the Peter letters is to encourage Christians who are suffering because following Christ has marked them out as different from the society around them.
There is confusion over the authorship of the Peter letters. The opening sentences claim "Peter an apostle of Christ Jesus" as the one writing. But the closing of 1 Peter claims Silvanus - who was associated with Paul.
In all likelihood the letter was written after the death of both Peter and Paul and the introduction was added later to add to the importance of the letter.
One of the principle focus' of the Peter letters is to encourage Christians who are suffering because following Christ has marked them out as different from the society around them.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Bible Challenge: Titus, Philemon & Hebrews
Titus is the last of the Pastoral epistles. It is written from, in all likelihood, a senior student of Paul to Titus - who was one of Paul's companions.
Titus was a non-Jew who had not been circumcised and therefore it was questioned whether or not he was an acceptable leader for the church. Paul sent Titus to Corinth to try to reconcile Paul to the church there.
This letter is very much like 1 Timothy - it's the 1st century version of a church administration handbook.
Philemon was actually written by Paul - it was to be delivered by a slave who Paul was sending back to his master.
Hebrews is an anonymous letter. It is more a theological essay than the other letters - which are anchored in a particular community and that community's particular issues. It is possible that this letter is written after the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and that is why the author spends so much effort on how Christ's sacrifice is superior to the sacrifices offered in the temple.
Titus was a non-Jew who had not been circumcised and therefore it was questioned whether or not he was an acceptable leader for the church. Paul sent Titus to Corinth to try to reconcile Paul to the church there.
This letter is very much like 1 Timothy - it's the 1st century version of a church administration handbook.
Philemon was actually written by Paul - it was to be delivered by a slave who Paul was sending back to his master.
Hebrews is an anonymous letter. It is more a theological essay than the other letters - which are anchored in a particular community and that community's particular issues. It is possible that this letter is written after the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and that is why the author spends so much effort on how Christ's sacrifice is superior to the sacrifices offered in the temple.
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