Biblical Literacy Podcast

Mark continued teaching in the series on Revelation in three sections:

1. Two remaining letters to the churches - Philadelphia & Laodicea.

The church of Philadelphia receives commendation.

The church of Laodicea is warned about its lukewarm status.

2. Two different ways to read Revelation:

Timeline reading: Chronological

Vignette reading: Vision, story, ending, and repeat

3. Revelation worship scene as described in Chapters 4 & 5

Not all images are symbols

Never lose focus of the message.

All space all time and all there is has God in the center - Theocentric.

Perfect divine praise in 3’s

Points for Home:

 Take comfort God reigns.

 What are you worried about?

 Pray.

Listen to Mark teach how Revelation comforts the church in its struggles

against the forces of evil then, and now.

Mark interviewed Dr. Alister McGrath from Oxford University in England. Dr. McGrath was born in Ireland. He became an atheist and Marxist as a way to deal with the struggle between Catholics and Protestants during the 60s in Belfast known as The Troubles. He became a Christian soon after starting his studies at Oxford.

Dr. McGrath spoke about the power of story to connect the big picture of life with God. Stories are about people who have experienced change. Dr. McGrath spoke about his conversion and his respect and value of many writings, foremost those of C S Lewis.

Listen to Mark and Dr. McGrath discuss the value and purpose of story in transforming lives and effecting change in people’s lives.

Mark continued in the Study of Revelation with Chapters 2 through 3:4. Today

continued with the study of the letters to the 7 churches. Each church had specific

instructions to strengthen them for their mission.

1. Letters:

The letters are written to the 7 churches structured in 7 parts but for all

churches for all time.

2. Examine the letters to: Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis.

3. Point for home:

Wake up and grow!

Listen to Mark provide insight to the people, culture, political, and spiritual

atmosphere of the churches during the time of the writing of each letter. We must grow past where we are today.

2-18-24 -Biblical-Literacy

Mark continued in the series A Study of Revelation which was a comfort to the church in its struggle against the forces of evil. Christ wins over Satan.

1. Symbolism -a quality or an idea that showed the church how God desires a complete relationship with them. Not all images are symbols. Never lose focus of the message.

2. The Letters -content structured in similar way for each.

The symbolism of the number 7, which means completion.

Ephesus -You have abandoned your first love.

Smyrna -No condemnation but a warning of what the devil will do. Be faithful.

3. Points for home

•Christ is with us

•Love is the key

•Be always faithful

Listen to Mark discuss the symbolism in Revelation and the meaning of the number 7 in the setting and letters to the 7 churches. Listen also to the accounting of Polycarp’s faith through arrest and execution. He was Bishop of the church in Smyrna.

2/11/24. Biblical

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Literacy

Mark continued in The Study of Revelation series with a study of the first chapter in Revelation.

His lesson had three areas of focus:

1.The Exalted Christ is depicted as the Alpha and the Omega. We find that He is

referenced

throughout the Old and New Testaments.

2. The Setting of the Book of Revelation is more than a book John wrote on the island of Patmos,

but it’s an accounting of God who was, who is, and who is to come.

3. Points for home:

a.The Exalted Christ is in the center of life

b.Fear is a liar

c.It’s not over so live the promise

Listen to Mark talk teach how the human mind cannot comprehend the depth of God’s truth, power,

sovereignty, and characteristics. He highlights and expands on various passages throughout the

Bible that link to the Book of Revelation.

02/4/24

Mark continues the study of Revelations by going into detail

about how decisions were made about which scrolls and

writings were to be put into the Bible Library as we know it.

Mark discussed the meaning of Canon and Canonization of the

bible.

Was Canon to Jesus and the Apostles?

Mathew 15:3

Was Canon to the Church?

Mathew 15:6

The Church’s recognition of the Canon.

Acts 15

Mark then discusses the history of the Canon in some detail

Mark reviews in detail:

Symbolism

Use of numbers 3 and 4 and 7 and 12

Angels and Demons

Mark reviews Rev: 1-1-2

Points for Home:

We can rely on Scripture for life

God reaches all of you Rev 1:8

Let's serve our King Rev 1:6

1/28/24 Biblical Literacy

Mark continued with Lesson 3 in the Study in Revelation series setting the stage to dig deeper in

study. He divided the lesson into three sections then share some Points for home:

1. Review of past two lessons: the Bible as a library, the apocalyptic genre, and apocalyptic traits.

2. Approach to studying Revelation: how to understand symbols and how the book flows.

3. Study of first 3 verses of Revelation 1:1-3: an uncovering or revealing of Jesus Christ by Jesus.

Points for home

 God is bigger than I realize

God cares

Let’s enjoy the blessings

Listen to Mark review the foundation of studying Revelation by introducing a literal and symbolic

approach.

Listen to Mark explore the Old Testament and other writings that show the ancient peoples' understanding of apocalyptic writing.

Mark continued with a Study in Revelation sharing a brief review of the foundation class from two

weeks ago. He encouraged the class to not be afraid of Revelation; we have this. The book of

Revelation is apocalyptic, which means it uses

dreams, visions, and symbols. Mark expanded on

typical features of apocalyptic writings both Biblical and non

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biblical writings including those

contemporary with the time of Jesus.

Points for home:

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Christ is the center of life

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Understanding this book co

mes with a blessing

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We rightly praise Jesus as we read and understand this book

Listen to Mark explore the Old Testament and other writings that show the ancient peoples'

understanding of apocalyptic writing

1-14-24 Biblical-Literacy

In today’s class, Mark had Pastor Jarrett Stephens interviewed the highly respected Fred Gray, the civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. and is a young ninety-three years old.

Mark began the interview with a statement about MLK weekend and the

reconciliation of races noting: Regardless of the color of skin, all humans are created in the image of God.

Mr. Gray’s mother told him he could be anything he wanted as long as he did three things:

1. Kept Christ first.

2. Remain in school.

3. Stay out of trouble and avoid the criminal justice system that isn’t

always fair.

Listen to Mr. Gray, also a preacher since the age of twelve, talk about God’s continuous provision throughout his education and career and how he will never stop working against racial discrimination

Mark began the New Year with a new series on The Study of Revelation, a focused study. The book

has varying points of view, but Mark will teach from his perspective after life long study. Revelation is

a part of the apocalyptic genre, a type of writing, that involves discerning divine secrets by dreams,

visions, and/or angelic explanation.

Mark had three points in today’s lesson.

1. Apocalyptic overview: deals with the past, present, and future, and features symbolism,

numerology, warring angels and demons, end times, and new age.

2. Apocalyptic books:

Biblical and pseudepigraphal.

3. Points for home:

a.There are treasures in God’s Word

b.We seek knowledge and understanding

c.God loves you

Listen to Mark begin to explore the apocalyptic genre, what it means, and what we can look forward

to in future lessons.