A Gentle Ramble Through the Bible - Chronologically

At the conclusion of the Last Supper, Jesus explains that the disciples can’t do this by themselves. They are like branches on a vine. They have to stay connected to the vine in order to bear fruit. Jesus reviews the really important stuff:

• I am in the Father. You are in me. We have to all stay together.
• You can do this even though I am about to go where you cannot see me anymore.
• Love each other just like I have loved you.
• If you do this, the world will hate you and persecute you.
• But don’t worry, I’m sending you a helper, an advocate--the Spirit of Truth (the Holy Spirit) to guide and teach you.
• And always, always, know you can ask me for anything you need as you go along and I will give it to you, for the Father has given me everything and I freely give it to you.
• Be at peace in this.

And then he prays a blessing over his beloved friends.

We cover John 15, 16, 17.

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.

We are in the middle of the Last Supper. Jesus talks about leaving the disciples, and he says they cannot come where he is going. Peter wants to know why he can’t go too! After all, he’d die for Jesus.

But Jesus tells him, “You’ll disown me three times this very night.” Even though they cannot come with him, Jesus tells the disciples they know the path.

The words Jesus uses to explain all this are based on the "patronage model" of relationship that was prevalent throughout the Roman Empire. We use this lens to unpack some of Jesus’ words.

Then he says, “Don’t worry. I will come back, and in the meantime, my Father will send another Paracleton to you--the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit--to be with you forever. This Paracleton will teach you all things, and will remind you of all I have said.”

We cover

• Matthew 26:33-35
• Mark 14:29-31
• Luke 22:31-34
• John 13:31-38; 14:1-31

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.

On the day the Passover lambs are slaughtered, Jesus and the disciples gather in an upper room where they can share the Passover meal. The disciples are still arguing over who’s the greatest so Jesus takes on the role of the humble foot-washing servant to show them how they must be from now on. He gives them a new commandment: Love one another like this!

It is while they are eating this meal that Jesus passes around some unleavened bread and calls it his body, broken for them. And he has them all drink from a cup of wine calling it his blood, being poured out for many.

Judas is unable to bear it any longer. He leaves to betray Jesus.

We cover

• Matthew 26:1-29
• Mark 14:1-25
• Luke 22:1-23
• John 11:55-57; 12:1-11; 13:1-30

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

Jesus has been crossing verbal swords with Pharisees, Herodians, and legal experts. Now the Sadducees pile on with a trick question about the resurrection. Jesus sends them packing with their tail between their legs.Jesus says, “Don’t be like those guys. Look at that widow who put in the last two coins she had to live on. Her gift is worth more than all the gifts of the rich men.”

Then Jesus sits his disciples down and tells them straight up how bad the situation is. They can expect to be beaten and killed. Jerusalem will be destroyed. Then the Day will come when the “Son of Man” comes in power.

It’s a lot to take in. Jesus tells them he doesn’t know when it will happen--they simply need to be prepared and keep their eyes peeled.

We cover

• Matthew 22:23-46; 23:1-12; 24:1-35; 25:1-13
• Mark 12:18-44; 13:1-37
• Luke 20:27-47; 21:1-38

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.

When Passover pilgrims from as far away as Greece ask to meet Jesus, Jesus suddenly realizes his hour has come, and he experiences trepidation. It is a shock that the time has finally arrived.

He talks about being a grain of wheat, dying so that it might bear fruit. He talks about two sons, noting that doing what the Father asks is more important than just saying you’ll do it. He talks about holding your life and your money loosely--giving what belongs to God to God. And he talks about wicked, greedy vinedressers who rent a property and then kill the owner’s son when he comes to collect the fruit.

Jesus knows what is about to happen to him. And this week we get a glimpse into how he is facing it.

We cover

• Matthew 17:24-27; 21:23-46; 22:15-22
• Mark 11:27-33; 12:1-17
• Luke 20:1-26
• John 2:18-25; 12:20-50

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 pressure is mounting. The people are insisting that Jesus become the Messiah King they expect. Jesus does everything he can to dissuade them from this disastrous course of action. He sets up an almost ridiculous way of riding into Jerusalem to try to make his point.

Jesus is, of course, the Messiah--even the stones under his feet know that. But Jesus knows the people have misunderstood and he weeps over their missed opportunity for peace.

We’ve got another intercalation today! Our backpack tools yield surprising fruit once again.

We cover

• Matthew 21:1-22; 23:37-39
• Mark 11:1-25
• Luke 13:31-35; 19:28-48
• John 2:13-17; 12:12-19

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 people think Jesus’ time has come. They are trailing along after Jesus, waiting breathlessly for the Day of the Lord--the great and terrible day when God comes to avenge Israel and deliver her from her enemies. We hear the story of this Day of the Lord as told through the voices of the Hebrew prophets.

Jesus knows the time has not yet come for these things to happen. He tries to prepare the people (and his disciples) to be faithful servants and workers even if the time grows long. To illustrate he tells what happens when the Day finally comes and the just are rewarded and the unjust are condemned to eternal, fiery torment with the devil and his angels.

What do we do with that? How does that fit with Jesus’ other teachings?

We cover

• Matthew 25:14-46
• Luke 19:11-27

Plus lots of prophecies from the Hebrew Bible:

• Isaiah 2:3-4; 4:2-4; 11 (excerpts); 24:21-22; 65:17-25; 66:15-20
• Jeremiah 30:7-8
• Joel 2:23ff; 3:12-14
• Micah 4:6-7
• Zechariah 12:10; 14 (excerpts)
• Zephaniah 1 (excerpts); 3:8-20

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.

Jesus is trying so hard to teach his disciples to be as humble as servants. He tells a parable about a landowner who hires day laborers throughout the day and gives a full day’s wage to everyone. The ones who worked only one hour get the same as the ones who worked all day!

He tells his disciples, “Don’t resent the blessings of others. Just do your job.” Then he heals a blind man or two--or rather, their own faith heals them.

We wind up this class series with the story of Zaccheus--one of the most amusing stories in the New Testament.

We cover

• Matthew 20:1-16, 9:27-31; 20:29-34
• Mark 10:46-52
• Luke 18:35-43; 19:1-10

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 raises one of his best friends from the dead and thoroughly awes the crowds, which in turn sets off alarm bells for all the powers that be. Fearing that Rome is about to step in and crush the Jewish nation, the religious leaders call an emergency meeting. Caiaphus, the High Priest, declares that Jesus must die so the entire nation does not perish.

There’s just one problem--they have to catch him alone, away from the crowds who increasingly believe he is the Messiah. Jesus calls his disciples aside to give them the bad news (again) that he will die soon.

They, like the people, still have trouble believing it. The mother of two of the disciples even asks Jesus to be sure to give her sons places of honor as soon as he gets to be King.

We cover

• Matthew 20:17-28
• Mark 10:32-45
• Luke 18:31-34
• John 11:1-54

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 teaches a lot about the difference between being self-righteous and actually doing righteousness. “Righteous” in Greek is synonymous with “justice,” so it makes sense that Jesus uses a parable about a poor widow in court.

He warns the disciples not to be proud. He reminds them they are just doing their job. They must not be like the self-righteous Pharisee who prays out loud that he is so thankful he’s not like the sinners in the room!

In fact, Jesus says it is people like the widow who are “elect” and people like tax-collectors who humble themselves to pray for God’s mercy who are “justified.”

This is the first time we encounter these terms, so we begin to unpack some of the baggage many Christians carry over this.

We cover

• Matthew 19:13-30
• Mark 10:13-31
• Luke 17:5-37; 18:1-30

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.