A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Chronologically

Jesus’ premise in the Sermon on the Mount is that he is the light of the world sent to bring Good News to all the people--and we are too. This is what all the Law and the Prophets point towards, and we are to help him fulfill every last one of God's wonderful promises.

But we can’t fake it. We have to start by dealing with our junk, specifically our anger and our lust. We also hear Jesus’ teachings on adultery and divorce in this class.

We cover

• Matthew 5:13-32; 19:1-12
• Mark 10:1-12
• Luke 12:57-59

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

Jesus needs help. He chooses a leadership team of twelve disciples from among the many following him. Together they travel throughout Galilee, Samaria and Judea teaching and healing. But these bumbling, eager, and confused disciples need training!

The Sermon on the Mount and Luke’s similar collection called the Sermon on the Plain are Discipleship 101 as taught by Jesus. We'll spend four weeks digging into this gold mine. But first, we'll do a bird’s-eye view of the material to see if we can identify major themes. (We can!)

We cover

• Matthew 5:1-7:29; 19:4
• Mark Mark 3:13-19; 10:1
• Luke Luke 6:12-16, 20-49

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

Jesus turns everything upside-down. All those religious rules? Out the window. Burdens are left behind and blessings take their place.

With one hand he heals and encourages the people until he's dropping from exhaustion, and with the other hand he absolutely skewers the religious leaders. You don't want to argue Scripture with Jesus! He runs circles around those know-it-alls. He embarrasses them so badly they begin plotting to kill him.

And it's all to bring us the good news that God will not judge us. Jesus refuses to accuse us. We are already living eternal life in the pleasure of God. Already. Even back then, before Jesus was crucified.

We cover

• Matthew 12:1-21
• Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-12
• Luke 6:1-11,17-19
• John 4:43-54; 5:16-47

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

Jesus, as the Messiah, brings the good news of God’s incredible, expansive, urgent love. And God provides miracles of healing to prove that Jesus is telling the truth.

Miracles are billboards from God saying, “Believe what Jesus is telling you!”

The people may not all believe, but the demons and unclean spirits certainly do. We talk about this difficult terminology.

We cover

• Matthew 4:23-25; 8:1-4,14-17; 9:1-17
• Mark 1:21-45; 2:1-22
• Luke 4:31-44; 5:12-39

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

Jesus has pupils but it isn’t until after John the Baptist’s arrest and a rather spectacular miracle at the wedding of a friend that Jesus begins his ministry in earnest. His miracles make him famous quickly. He begins to call disciples to help him.

When Jesus goes back to his hometown and teaches in the synagogue, he makes it clear that he’s the Messiah and that God intends to bless everyone, not just the Jews. That just about gets him killed, and he’s hardly gotten started yet!

We cover

• John 2:1-12; 1:37-51
• Luke 4:16-30; 5:1-11
• Matthew 4:18-22
• Mark 1:16-20

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

After his wilderness experience, Jesus begins traveling around Galilee teaching and baptizing, and the disciples of John the Baptist move swiftly to cut off the competition. Jesus’ message is radical and his approach is shocking.

The first person he explicitly tells that he is the Messiah is a woman--and she’s not even a Jew!

Things are moving quickly--perhaps more quickly than Jesus is prepared for. Then disaster strikes. His cousin, John the Baptist, is arrested. Will Jesus be next? How will Jesus respond?

We cover

John 3:22-36; 4:1-42

Matthew 4:12-17

Mark 1:14-15

Luke 3:19; 4:14-15

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

After his baptism Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where he fasts for 40 days and is tempted by Satan. That leads into all sorts of interesting topics like why did he have to be tempted? Why was he fasting? Is there really a Satan personified or is evil just something that people do?

We pull out our backpack tools to answer these questions. Opinions aren’t what we’re after; we want something more objective. Our investigation yields fascinating insights into the purpose of miracles, the tests we set up for God, and the lure of power.

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

John the Baptist: Elijah.

The voice in the wilderness preparing the way for the Lord. The one preparing the people for the Lord’s coming. There’s all sorts of political turnover, in both the local Roman government and in the office of the high priest.

It is a time of unrest. And John the Baptist is definitely a loose cannon. He’s wild and untamed and he shouts at the religious leaders.

But his message for the people is one of tenderness and care, and crowds make daily treks out to the desert of Judea to hear him and be baptized. And soon, Jesus himself comes to be baptized. Why?

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

The Christmas stories of Matthew and Luke are completely different. Both place Jesus in Bethlehem for his birth and both place Jesus in Nazareth growing up, but how and when and why Jesus is in either town is very different.

Matthew gives us the story of the Magi and of the resulting Slaughter of the Innocents by Herod. He tells us how Joseph, Mary, and Jesus flee to Egypt to escape the killing frenzy. They only return when Herod dies.

Luke gives us the tiniest glimpse into Jesus as a preteen--sassing his mom.

And throughout it all Matthew roots the story firmly in subversive messianic prophecies.

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

Jesus is born during the reign of Caesar Augustus. His birth is announced by an angel to a group of startled shepherds. The angel tells them the baby is the long-anticipated Messiah. The shepherds will know the angel is telling the truth if they find a baby in a manger.

When the time comes for Jesus, the firstborn, to be devoted to God and for Mary to be “purified” after childbirth, the little family troops into the Temple carrying the required birds for sacrifice. There they are met by a dying man with some astounding words of prophecy.

A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.