A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Class 142

en-usFebruary 08, 2024

A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Evers Bible Class

About this Episode

Trouble in Antioch

Paul and Barnabas are back in Antioch after their missionary journey to Galatia. Peter comes for a visit and mingles with all the new believers--Jews and Gentiles alike.

All is well until some Jewish believers show up from Judea and insist that all Gentile believers must be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses. Even Peter and Barnabas are swayed, but Paul is horrified. He calls Peter out, and Peter returns to Jerusalem.

The believers in Antioch cannot decide what to do, so they send Paul and Barnabas and others to Jerusalem to consult the leaders there. Meanwhile, Jewish believers are making the same case for circumcision to the new believers in Galatia. Paul writes the Galatians a letter, warning them not to fall for this.

We cover

Acts 15:1-35

Galatians 2:1 thru 3:22

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com.

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Wrapping Up Galatians

Paul tries everything he can think of to convince the Galatians not to fall back into the Law. He tries a pretty unique argument, making the distinction between “seed” singular and “seed” plural, saying the singular version in the Abrahamic Covenant refers to Jesus. Interesting idea and we look to see if his argument holds water linguistically.

His point is that God’s covenant of blessing and grace preceded the Law! He tells them the Law was simply put in place to act as a guardian until the coming of Jesus.

And he doubles down by saying those under the Law are slaves like Hagar’s child, Ishmael, while those under grace are free like Sarah’s child, Isaac. These are strong words, worth looking at a little closer.

We cover Galatians 3:23-6:18.

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com.

A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Evers Bible Class

en-usFebruary 08, 2024

A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Class 142

Trouble in Antioch

Paul and Barnabas are back in Antioch after their missionary journey to Galatia. Peter comes for a visit and mingles with all the new believers--Jews and Gentiles alike.

We cover

Acts 15:1-35

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A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com.

A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Evers Bible Class

en-usFebruary 08, 2024

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Journey Thru Galatia

Barnabas and Saul are sent by the church in Syrian Antioch to preach the Good News far and wide. They, along with Barnabas' young relative John Mark, head out for Galatia.

Along the way they meet with great success and with great hardship. John Mark throws in the towel, but Barnabas and Saul persist. Gradually, Saul begins to take the leadership role and from this point on is called by his Roman name: Paul.

A near-death experience leaves its mark on Paul for the rest of his life, including what he later calls his “thorn in the flesh.”

We cover:

Acts 13-14

2 Corinthians 12:2-10

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com.

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Peter and Cornelius

Peter, along with James the brother of Jesus, is the clear leader of the new church. In this story he has an epiphany that leads him to the household of a Roman centurion named Cornelius. Jews aren’t supposed to associate with, go in the houses of, or eat with Gentiles such as Cornelius. But the Lord tells Peter to do all these things.

Peter’s choice shifts Christianity for all time.

We cover Acts 10-12.

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com.

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Saul Sees The Light

Saul is a young, zealous Pharisee, passionate about the Law of Moses and the authoritative oral traditions that now surround it. He sees the folks proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah as a direct threat to everything Judaism stands for. He is passionate about stamping this threat out, and we find him on the road to Damascus with orders in his pocket giving him the authority to capture both men and women and bring them to trial.

Saul’s plans go awry when Jesus shows up in a blinding light. The world, and Christianity itself, will never be the same.

We cover Acts 9.

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The Ethiopian Eunuch

We run into the “Angel of the Lord” this week. The angel of the Lord is not just a regular messenger-type angel. This phrase is used in the Bible to identify the Lord showing up in human form at some particularly important juncture in the history of Israel. Often the angel of the Lord appears as an important man, but sometimes it is just an audible voice. Either way, it is always a significant event.

So why did the angel of the Lord orchestrate a meeting between the disciple Philip and the treasurer of Ethiopia who had traveled 2300+ miles to Jerusalem?

We cover Acts 8.

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The Story of Stephen

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Stephen’s words at his trial take us on a flyover of the story of Israel. His words are worth hearing--both for their content and to honor his courage.

We cover Acts 5:12-7:60.

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com.

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Ananias & Sapphira

The religious leaders are very upset when Peter and John heal a lame man in the Temple and tell the people that Jesus is the Messiah and that he’s risen from the dead. They arrest Peter and John, but they can’t really do much more than that because everyone saw the healing with their own eyes.

Meanwhile, the believers, who have gone from a small group of 120 to more than 5000, are pooling their resources. The rich give enough that everyone has all they need. But then, one married couple decides to keep a little extra for themselves. It does not go well.

We cover Acts 4:1-5:11.

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com.

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Pentecost

The Jerusalem community of 120 believers is filled with joy in the weeks following Jesus’ resurrection. For nearly six weeks, Jesus has walked and talked and eaten with them. Then, suddenly, just a week ago he left! He ascended into heaven, and angels had told them he’d come again the same way he left.

It’s been a crazy week, and now the big festival of Pentecost is here. The believers are gathered in a house when suddenly they hear a mighty wind and what seems like flames of fire descend on their heads. They are filled with words they do not know but cannot keep inside.

As they spill out into the streets, praising God in foreign languages, people from all over the Roman Empire understand them! And this is just the beginning.

We cover Acts 2-3.

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Choosing

In "Pentecost & Persecution" we'll hang onto our hats as the disciples face a whirlwind of blessing and tragedy. The story is told in "Acts of the Apostles" which is Luke’s sequel to his gospel. But do we really know who Luke was? For that matter, do we know who wrote any of the gospels?

The short answer is no. We take a moment in this first class to look at how the books of the New Testament were chosen--who chose them and why they chose the ones they did.

Then, as we begin the story, we catch up with the disciples. Peter is emerging as a leader. They are a person short, so we listen in as they choose a replacement for Judas.

We cover Acts 1.

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com.

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en-usJanuary 19, 2024