A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Chronologically

Paul is ready for another missionary trip, this third one being more ambitious than either of the other two. He leaves from Antioch in Syria and heads overland through Galatia where he picks up his trusted porter and messenger, Timothy. They wander through Asia Minor until they reach the huge metropolis of Ephesus on the coast of the Aegean Sea.

On the way they either establish or visit many churches, including the seven listed in Revelation. Paul will end up staying in Ephesus for three years. His ministry is powerful there, but as news comes to him about his other churches he dashes off letters--sometimes letters of praise, but mostly letters of correction. We hit the first set of letters today.

We cover

• Acts 18:24-19:10
• 1 Corinthians 1-2; 5:9; 16:12

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

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

The Thessalonians have lots of questions. They’re not feeling particularly sure-footed in their faith. Paul writes to tell them that God wants them to be holy. That’s a tall order! But he goes on to give a list of what that entails, and the list makes a lot of sense.

Then Paul addresses the elephant in the room--the fact that believers, including some of the Twelve, are dying! Where is Jesus? Why hasn’t he come back?

Paul’s answer is, “He is! Any minute now. And the dead will rise to be with us to meet him. But things are not going to go well for unbelievers. Their ruin will fall on them unexpectedly.”

In our breakout groups we wrestle with what happens to unbelievers and where it is that we should stand in all this.

We cover

• 1Thess 2:1-16, 4:1-5:27
• Acts 18:18-22.

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

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

Paul, Silas and Timothy spend a year and a half in Corinth. And while they are there, Paul becomes desperate for news from the new church he left back in Thessalonica. He tries several times to go visit them but is prevented “by Satan” so he finally sends Timothy instead.

When Timothy returns with news that the Thessalonians are thriving, Paul bursts with relief. He sits down and immediately pens a letter to them. And in this letter some of Paul’s theological petticoats begin to show.

In this class we focus on his assertions that Jesus will come “with the holy ones” and that Jesus will “rescue us from the coming wrath.”

We cover 1Thess 1; 2:17-3:13.

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

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

Paul, Silas and Timothy continue down the Via Egnatia to Thessalonica where Paul’s preaching lands him in hot water again. They are smuggled out by night to Berea where Paul still cannot seem to keep his mouth shut. He preaches everywhere, no matter the danger.

This time when trouble hits, they have to split up. Silas and Timothy remain in Berea while Paul is taken to Athens. He has a crazy encounter with the famous Areopagus and then heads to Corinth where he gets a job while he waits for Silas and Timothy to join him. Together they establish a new church of believers in Corinth.

But Paul is worried. Frightened even.

We cover Acts 17; 18:1-18 (and Psalm 91 in the discussion).

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

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

Barnabas wants to take his nephew John Mark along on their second missionary journey, but Paul absolutely refuses, saying J-M “deserted” them last time. They disagree so vehemently they end up splitting up.

Barnabas takes J-M and sets sail to Cyprus, while Paul teams up with Silas and heads towards Galatia by land where they check up on the new churches there.

On their travels, Paul has a vision of a man begging them to come to Macedonia, so they head there straightaway. They find open hearts in Philippi, especially in Lydia, a wealthy businesswoman, and they stay there until Paul loses his temper and gets them in trouble with the authorities.

We cover Acts 15:36-16:40.

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

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

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.

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

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.

Click here for an index of all classes.

More info at PastorintheWild.org.

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.

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

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.

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

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.

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.