A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Chronologically

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.

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 apostles and other leaders such as Stephen continue to be harrassed by the religious leaders in Jerusalem. But things turn ugly now. Apostles are flogged, and Stephen becomes the first believer to be martyred.

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.

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

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.

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

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.

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.

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.

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More info at PastorintheWild.org.

This final class in the "My Time Has Come" series is all about differences. The four gospels writers tell four different stories of the resurrection each including different characters and events.

We look at each one in turn, noticing Mark’s abrupt ending, Matthew’s guards, Luke’s walk to Emmaus, and Peter’s raw responses.

We look at “The Great Commission” in Matthew, the “Ascension” in Luke, and read two different versions of how the disciples receive the Holy Spirit in power. And these aren’t the only differences--Jesus’ resurrected body is definitely different.

We cover

• Matthew 28:2-20
• Mark 16:5-8
• Luke 24:4-53
• John 20:2-10, 18-31; 21

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.

Jesus is crucified the day after Passover. It’s a Friday, and since the Passover Festival lasts a whole week, the next day is a High Sabbath. It is imperative to the religious leaders that the bodies of the men crucified not be left over the Sabbath. They ask and receive special permission to have their legs broken to hasten their death so the bodies can be removed before sundown.

But when the soldiers get to Jesus they don’t break his legs because he’s already dead. This makes a lightning connection in John’s mind with the Passover lamb whose bones must not be broken.

Jesus is quickly entombed and as far as we know, nothing else happens until he is resurrected on Sunday morning. So why do people think Jesus went to Hell in the meantime?

We cover

• Matthew 27:56-66; 28:1
• Mark 15:42-47; 16:1-4
• Luke 23:50-56; 24:1-3
• John 19:31-42; 20:1, 11-17

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 too weak to drag the crossbar of his cross to the hill of execution so a passing traveler is dragooned into carrying it for him. He is stripped naked, and his wrists and feet are nailed to the cross. As the soldiers argue about who gets which bit of his clothing, other people jeer and mock Jesus. “If you are the Messiah, save yourself!”

As Jesus dies, he mumbles the first line of Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It sounds like God has withdrawn himself from Jesus in his hour of greatest need, but using our backpack tools we discover this is not the case at all!

We cover

• Matthew 27:32-56
• Mark 15:21-41
• Luke 23:26-49
• John 19:16-30
• Psalm 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.

It is the early hours just after dawn. The religious leaders have condemned Jesus to death for blasphemy, but for a public crucifixion they need Roman authority. They bind Jesus and take him to Pilate, the governor of Judea.

Pilate can’t find any reason to crucify Jesus, but upon discovering he’s from Galilee Pilate sends him to Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, who is in Jerusalem for the Passover. Herod can’t get a thing out of Jesus either.

Meanwhile the religious leaders are whipping the crowd into a frenzied, bloodthirsty mob. When the religious leaders tell Pilate, “He has declared himself King, and if you do not sentence him you are no friend of Caesar’s!”

Pilate is backed into a corner. He must quell this riot. He must be seen to support Caesar. So he acquiesces and condemns Jesus to death by crucifixion.

We cover

• Matthew 27:1-31
• Mark 15:1-20
• Luke 23:1-25
• John 18:28-40; 19:1-15

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 they finish the Passover meal, Jesus and the disciples make their way to the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives, just across from the Temple gates. There, Jesus tells the disciples to be alert for trouble is coming, but they cannot keep their eyes open.

Jesus prays in agony, wrestling with his feelings about his torture and crucifixion. This is not where he wants to go.

Meanwhile, Judas Iscariot has alerted the religious leaders where Jesus can be found, and they send a contingent of soldiers to arrest him. Jesus stops the ensuing violence and is taken to his trial at the hands of the religious elite.

It is here, finally, that he tells them openly that he is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God. Peter, in fear for his own life, denies ever even knowing Jesus. When the rooster crows he is overcome with remorse, remembering that Jesus had told him he would fail in this exact way this very night.

We cover

• Matthew 26:30-32; 36-75
• Mark 14:26-28; 32-72
• Luke 22:24-30; 35-71
• John 18:1-27

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.