Mark returns from summer break to dive into Romans 9:1-5, the opening of one of the most challenging and debated sections of the Bible — Romans 9, 10, and 11. After the soaring conclusion of Romans 8 (“nothing can separate us from the love of God”), Paul pivots to a painful question: What about Israel? Did God’s promises to His chosen people fail?

Mark explores three things under the microscope:

Points for Home:

References include Jeremiah 8:18–9:1, Micah 7:1-7, Lamentations 3:22-23, Genesis 22:18, Galatians 3, and John 16:21-22.

The post Session 37 – Romans; Romans 9:1-5: Mark Lanier, 08/16/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy.

In this final lesson of the Familiar Ground, New Light summer series, Pastor Brent Johnson explores the remarkable evolution of the Ten Commandments through three sets of hands — Moses, Jesus, and Paul.

What starts as a covenant between God and Israel becomes something far more demanding under Jesus, and then something even more surprising in Paul’s letters. If you’ve always thought of the Ten Commandments as a checklist, Brent’s lesson will completely change your perspective.

Brent covers:

• The background of Moses and the suzerain-vassal covenant relationship

• Why God gave the law — and what “relationship” really means • How Jesus didn’t abolish the law, but fulfilled and intensified it

• Why Paul says the law cannot save you — and what it was always meant to do

Whether you’re a lifelong believer or just curious about how the Old and New Testaments connect, Brent’s message offers fresh insight into some of the most familiar passages in the Bible.

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What does it mean that Jesus said, “I am the resurrection”, not, “I do resurrections,” but I am? In this message from John 11, Pastor Scott Riling explores the profound shift Jesus makes from future hope to present reality in His conversation with Martha after the death of Lazarus. Scott digs into the original Greek to unpack what Jesus really meant when He said, “Whoever believes in me shall never die”, and why the power of the resurrection isn’t just something we wait for, but something believers are already living in right now.

Scott covers these key topics:

• Why Jesus delayed before raising Lazarus — and what it reveals about His character • The significance of “Jesus wept” even when He knew the ending

• Martha’s faith: a future resurrection vs. an immediate miracle

• “I am the resurrection” present tense, not future promise

• How salvation means you’ve already passed from death to life

• The seal of the Holy Spirit and the security of your salvation

• How resurrection power empowers, sustains, and transforms your life today

Whether you’re grieving a loss, wrestling with doubt, or wondering what your faith means right now — this message is for you.

The post Special Event – Summer Series; John 11:23-27: Pastor Scott Riling, 08/02/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy.

What does the opening of John’s Gospel have to do with Genesis? Everything.

Dr. Chris Kugler explores how John’s Gospel is saturated with echoes and allusions to the Old Testament — from Genesis and Exodus to the story of Adam and Eve, the tabernacle, and the glory of God. We trace how Jesus, the eternal Word who was with God and was God, didn’t just enter history as a generic human being, he took the place of cursed Adam, reversed the curse of sin and death, and launched a new creation.

Chris covers these key themes:

Whether you’re a longtime Bible reader or just beginning to explore Scripture, Dr. Kugler will show you how the Bible’s 66 books are woven together with extraordinary depth and beauty, and why the story of Jesus is the story the whole Bible has been telling all along.

The post Special Event – Summer Series; John 1:19-20: Dr. Chris Kugler, 07/26/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy.

In this powerful class, Rev. Alex Graham III shares a deeply personal reflection on what it means to trust God one day at a time. Drawing from Scripture, including Exodus 16, Matthew 6, Luke 9, and James 4, he explores the biblical foundation for living in daily dependence on God, rather than being consumed by tomorrow’s uncertainties.

Alex opens up about his own journey with Stage 4 cancer and how this experience reshaped his understanding of trust, gratitude, and God’s presence in the present moment. He also reflects on loss within his church community and the fragility of life, weaving in timeless wisdom from Jean-Pierre de Caussade, C.S. Lewis, and the story of Mary and Martha to illustrate the beauty of being fully present before God.

Whether you’re walking through a season of uncertainty or simply need a reminder to slow down and trust God today, this message offers comfort, biblical insight, and practical encouragement.

In this lesson, Alex covers:

A message on trust, grace, and taking life one day at a time.

The post Special Event – Summer Series; Take It One Day At a Time: Rev. Alex Graham III, 07/19/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy.

Are you wonderfully made, or are you a work in progress? Dr. David Fleming explores Psalm 139:13-14 and the tension many of us feel between accepting God’s design for us and pursuing spiritual growth; using Michelangelo’s David as a powerful metaphor for how God shapes and forms us.

David explores why you don’t have to choose between these two truths, the hidden dangers of perfectionism and resignation, and how Scripture (Psalm 139, Ephesians 2:8-10, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 2:12-13, and Philippians 3:12-16) reveals that we are both fearfully and wonderfully made and called to press on toward Christlikeness.

In this lesson, David covers:

The post Special Event – Summer Series; Psalm 139:13-14: Dr. David Fleming, 07/12/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy.

We’ve all seen “Be still and know that I am God” on mugs, tattoos, and wall art — but do we actually know what it means? In this message, Dr. David Capes digs into Psalm 46 and reveals this isn’t a quiet self-care verse about slowing down. It’s a war psalm, spoken into collapsing mountains, roaring nations, and terrified people gripping their weapons.

Through the Hebrew word raphah (to release, to let your hands fall open), David explores what it really means to surrender control in the middle of chaos — and how that stillness isn’t the destination, but the prerequisite for watching God be exalted.

Along the way: a childhood near-drowning story, a look at merch culture built around this famous verse, reflections on natural disasters and war, and a live debut performance of an original worship song based on Psalm 46.

The post Special Event – Summer Series; Psalm 46:10: Dr. David Capes, 07/05/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy.

In this first session of the Summer Series, guest teacher Dr. Todd Still dives deep into Paul’s shortest preserved letter — Philemon. Explore the historical context of Colossae, the identity of Onesimus (whose name means “useful”), and Paul’s masterful appeal for reconciliation between a slave owner and his slave-turned-brother in Christ.

Discover how this 335-word letter speaks to human dignity, the transformative power of the gospel, and the ministry of hospitality, themes as relevant today as they were in the first century.

Topics covered:

• Historical background of Colossae and the Lycus River Valley

• Authorship and dating of Philemon among Paul’s prison epistles

• Word study: Onesimus (“useful”) and splagchna (metaphorical term for your inner most being)

• Paul’s rhetorical strategy of appeal over command

• Martin Luther’s reflection on Philemon as a picture of the gospel

• Application: dignity, hospitality, and reconciliation today

The post Special Event – Summer Series; More Than a Slave: A Study of Philemon: Dr. Todd D. Still, 06/28/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy.

In Mark’s final lesson from Romans 8, he explores one of the most powerful passages in all of Scripture — Paul’s triumphant declaration that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Mark begins with the moving Civil War letter of Union soldier Sullivan Ballou, who reached for a love that death could not silence. Paul doesn’t reach; he announces it.

In this lesson, Mark covers:

• Paul’s great question: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” — and what the Greek word xorìso (to separate) really means

• The real-world list: Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, the sword — Paul names every crushing pressure of life and says none of them can break Christ’s love for you

• The lament Psalm turned inside out: Paul quotes Psalm 44:22, one of the most gut-wrenching national laments in the Bible — and then flips it into a declaration of victory

• Hypernikōmen: Paul may have invented this word — more than conquerors — because ordinary language couldn’t contain the idea

• The cosmic catalog: A merism spanning death, life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come — everything that exists — and none of it can drive a wedge between you and God’s love.

Key takeaway: You are held by Christ’s love, not by your good works. The storms of this life are real, but we are hyper-victors through Him who loved us.

The post Session 36 – Romans; Romans 8:35-37: Mark Lanier, 06/21/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy.

In today’s class, Mark walks through Romans 8:33-34 using a compelling courtroom metaphor drawn from his own experience trying a landmark social media addiction case. With a verdict in hand, he explores what Paul means when he asks, “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” Mark covers these key topics: • The meaning of the Greek word kategoreo — a legal charge filed in court — and how Paul uses it to describe humanity’s final judgment • How the Roman patronus-client system illuminates what it means to be “God’s elect”, and why no accuser can touch you when God himself is your defender • Paul’s four-part answer to “Who is to condemn?” , Christ died, Christ was raised, Christ is enthroned at God’s right hand, and Christ intercedes for you • The two voices that try to condemn us anyway: Satan the accuser (and what Martin Luther said to him) and our own inner critic • Why the case is already closed, the penalty paid, the payment accepted, the divine amen pronounced

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