Mark continued in the study of Romans Chapter 5:12-21 addressing the "so-what" question. For example, So what does it mean that Jesus died for me? Mark focuses on looking at the Literary context aspect of the passage reading it from three perspectives:

Reading through the ancient honor and shame culture: people avoided shame; determined social standing, economic opportunities, political influence, and family reputation or boasting rights. Paul turns the boasts upside down by declaring Christian's boast in their sufferings.

Old: death reignedNew: life reigned

Reading through ancient imperial warfare language:

Rome maintained peace through military superiority

Power lived by quick and brutal retaliation

Paul uses military language - the peace treaty was signed by the blood of Jesus

Reading through ancient Chiastic Jewish

Chiasm - language mirror. Emphasized what was in the middle. In this case grace.

Ancient ear was trained to listen for Chiasms

Consider our role as Christians to mean we are part of God’s cosmic to restore creation through Christ.

Points for home

Not honor-shame but grace-security

Not warfare but peace

From individual to cosmic

Listen to Mark show how Paul used honor, shame, boasting in our relationship with the Lord, and the power of military language to show that Christ’s death translates to God loves us. We are part of God’s winning side of grace with hope, power, purpose, and security.

8-31-25 Biblical-Literacy

Mark continued in the study of Romans with a focus on Chapter 5:12-15. He began by sharing that

Paul who had a pastoral heart wrote to help us understand Jesus’ teachings and the inspiration of

the Scriptures. With shovel in hand, Mark proceeded to dig deep in the few verses:

1. Sin's universal entry & reign (verse 12)

Through one man, sin came into the world

Sin is outside of God

Paul personifies sin for our understanding

Death entered the world through sin

2. Reign of death before the Law (verse 13 -14)

Ignorance is no excuse

Still outside the nature of God

3. Greater grace (verse 15)

Where grace is greater than the trespass - the cross

In Christ we can live

Points for home

 Understand reality

 Marvel at grace

 Reject despair and pride

Listen to Mark teach the origin of sin as a universal contamination. One sin led to death, and one

death led to life

8-24-25 Biblical-Literacy

Mark Lanier taught from Romans 5:6-11 asking two questions: what is your “why” for experiencing the class,

and what is God’s “why” we are here? He then divided the passage into three sections to answer the “why” questions

covering the text, a related song and application.

1. Do we find our “why" in Romans 5:6-9?

Text: Christ died for weak sinners, not good people. Christ died in our place, a demonstration and

manifestation of God’s love and who He is.

Song: Elvina Hall wrote, “Jesus Paid it All”

Points for home: God’s love triumphs over human failure

2. Do we find our “why" in Romans 5:9-10?

Text: We shall be saved.

Song: Amy Grant sang, "The Now and Not Yet"

Points for Home: God’s not finished with you yet

3. Is God’s “why” in Romans 5:11?

Text: Rejoice in God through Jesus.

Song: Joseph M. Scriven wrote, "What a Friend We have in Jesus"

Points for home: Lean into your friend

Listen to Mark explain the context of Romans 5:6-11. In Christ we are not yet what we will be.

What is your why? Jesus is always your answer.

8-17-25 Biblical-Literacy

Mark returned to class to relaunch our study on the book of Romans. The class began with a review

then centered on the first verses in Romans 5 followed by application.

1. Let’s remember where we were

Review of past 11 classes.

Paul’s reason for writing the letter to the Romans.

The letter based on Paul’s 4 points in Romans 1:16-17.

2. Look at Roman’s 5:1-5

Putting the community of Roman church believers back together.

Justified by faith in the past with Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection.

We have peace with God today: we are no longer enemies.

Access to God that we have already obtained.

Rejoice in our sufferings and why.

We have hope.

3. Points for home

We have peace with God.

Access to God.

Joy in suffering.

Listen to Mark highlight the previous classes with a historical accounting of the church in Rome.

Gospel is a Pauline word: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Listen to Mark share how our

present relationship with God is based on the past work of Jesus. We have a past, today, and a

future that shape us

8-10-25 Biblical-Literacy

Brent Johnson taught on the 1 Chapter book of 3 John with a focus on being a good ambassador for

Christ. He started with some background:

Author: the elder (John)

Location: Ephesus

Date: A.D. 85-95, end of John’s life (50 years after resurrection)

Purpose: Commendation and Condemnation

Recipient: Gaius

Brent divided the lesson from John’s letter using three areas of focus:

Gaius

John loved Gaius in truth. Encouraged him to continue living and walking in the truth.

Diotrephes

Correct. Rebuke. Restore. Selfish. Ignores church leadership. All about me.

Demetrius

Imitates good. Encouragement in truth and love.

Points for home / Homework

Write notes to someone needing encouragement sharing Truth, Love & Peace.

Listen to Brent’s in-depth teaching on living as citizens in the kingdom with truth and what it means

to walk out truth in our lives

8-3-25 Biblical Literacy

Mark taught a unique class titled Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a Theology of Science / God's tools in human hands. Does artificial intelligence coincide with science and faith? Mark shares in three points:

1. A gift for flourishing

Man has a biblical charge to watch, keep, preserve, and be active.

God does not leave humanity helpless.

God shows us how to survive.

2. The proper relationship between faith and science

God’s word and God’s world show us how to exist.

Science doesn’t diminish faith, it magnifies it.

Science is God’s tool but can be used for good or evil.

3. Wisdom and Discernment in AI’s Power and Potential Danger

The call for biblical wisdom.

Use to enhance not hurt.

Points for home / Homework:

Embrace your role as God’ image bearer

Exercise faithful stewardship

Maintain wisdom and discernment

Listen to Mark provide the history/timeline of artificial intelligence. Theology of science came from God as noted in Genesis and throughout the Bible. AI is a gift of God which can be used to help us solve complex problems encompassing many facets including justice, mercy, truth, stewardship, or love. But it can also be used for evil so we must be wise in its use.

7-27-25 Biblical-Literacy

Dr. David Capes completed the summer series on Philippians with a study of

Chapter 4 and friendship. Our words can be positive or negative.

Chapter 4

1. Paul begins with terms of endearment.

2. Paul is calling the church together to help these women: my true yoke-

fellows.

3. Paul stresses the indicative and the imperative: what we believe indicates

how we behave.

4. Paul encourages rejoicing always. Joy has been a theme throughout the

letter.

5. Paul requests Christians use gentleness/reasonableness in all situations.

6. Paul asks us not to be anxious but pray with thanksgiving.

7. Paul suggests imitating him, not as a model of perfection but to point others

to Christ.

Points for home

 Rejoice in the Lord and praise His name.

 Be famous for our gentleness.

 Pray out our anxieties and don’t forget to thank God for the answers.

 Renew your mind by meditating on the true, the good, and the beautiful.

Listen to Dr. Capes share Paul’s love and concern for the church to be unified,

not just the two women who disagreed but also for the church as a whole

7-20-25 Biblical-Literacy

Pastor David Fleming taught from Philippians 3 - with the theme of Destination - Knowing Jesus. He shared 3 points:

Salvation is a gift - Ephesians 2:8-10

Beware of evil

Grace plus works is not grace

Is Jesus Enough? Did He do enough? Jesus paid it all.

Spiritual growth

Am I putting in the effort and energy?

Am I making progress?

Graduation

Eventually we reach graduation

Our citizenship is in heaven.

How would you like to meet Jesus in Heaven? Older? Better? Closer? More like Jesus?

Points for home

• Where are you now with the Lord?

• What area of your life could use some effort?

• Identify one action step to take today.

Listen to Dr. Fleming share that knowing Jesus is the ultimate of the Christian life and is worth letting go of everything. Religion, ritual, and routine are all works that do not equate to achieving God’s gift of grace.

7-13-25 Biblical-Literacy

Pastor David Fleming led in Part 3 of the summer series on Philippians with a focus on Chapter 2’s

call to Unity.

A call to Unity

1.Unity is not uniformity

2.Unity is more than the absence of open warfare

3.Unity is a common faith and interests and purpose

The Key to Unity... Humility

1.Lowliness of mind

2.Modest and accurate understanding of one’s own importance

3.Thinking of others first.

Examples of Humility

1.Jesus humbled Himself for us

2.Excellent example in Paul

3.Excellent example inTimothy

4.Excellent example in Epaphroditus

Points for Home

1.Unity, harmony ... not options

2.My humility is my responsibility

3.Test (push) the limits of humility

Listen to Pastor David teach that unity in the church requires a key called humility. He provides an

in-depth study of the meaning of humility according to Philippians. The essence of humility is Joy:

Jesus, Others, Yourself.

7-6-25 Bib-Lit

Pastor Brent Johnson continued with the summer series of Philippians. Week 2: “On Being a Good

Citizen” as found in Chapter 1.

Background

Date Written: AD 60-62

Location: Paul wrote the letter while in prison

Purpose: thanks and encouragement

Audience: Romans, Greeks, a few Jews, and slaves

Brent uses passport stamps to illustrate the lesson of Paul’s teachings.

Stamp 1 Prayer - Paul writes of prayer: instruction, response, and confidence in God’s active

involvement.

Stamp 2 Satisfaction - The Philippians are being used to accomplish God’s will. God is sovereign.

Stamp 3 Service - Be worthy of the Gospel, citizens of the kingdom of God, glorify God, and suffer

for Him.

Points for home:

Pray

Be satisfied with Jesus

Serve

Listen to Brent teach about the traits of a good citizen in God’s kingdom, what that meant to the

people of Phillipi, and what it means for us today.