Teaching by Chad Ragsdale

Week 1: Introduction to the Gospel of Luke - Luke 1-2

Author:
Luke: A companion of Paul (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24; Acts 16:10; 20:5; 21:1; 27:1; 2 Tim 4:11)

Date:
Late 60s AD

Purpose: To give an account of salvation history for those who are seeking God

Outline of the Gospel of Luke
Luke 1-2 - The Miracle of Jesus
Luke 3-9a - The Ministry of Jesus
Luke 9b-19a - The Mission of Jesus
Luke 19b-24 - The Majesty of Jesus

The Chiasm of Luke-Acts

A - CAESAR / ROMAN WORLD - Luke 2:1-2 - Caesar Augustus rules "all the world"
B - GALILEE - Luke 4:14-9:50 - Jesus' ministry expands through Galilee
C - TOWARD JERUSALEM - Luke 9:51-19:27 - "He set his face to go to Jerusalem"
D - JERUSALEM - Luke 19:28-24:53; Acts 1:1-8:1 - Death, Resurrection, Ascension, Spirit, Witness
C' - AWAY FROM JERUSALEM - Acts 8:1-13:3 - "Those who were scattered went about preaching the word" (Acts 8:4)
B' - SAMARIA - Acts 8:4-25 - "Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ" (8:5)
A' - CAESAR / ROMAN WORLD - Acts 25:10-12; 27:1; 28:16, 30-31 - "I appeal to Caesar" - Gospel arrives in Rome

Luke 1-2

Luke 1:1-4: Introduction to the Gospel

Luke 1:5-2: The Fulfillment is Here

Miracle Children - John the Baptist and Jesus compared:

John the Baptist:
- Gabriel announces birth - 1:5-25
- Elizabeth barren - 1:7, 13
- Named John by God - 1:13
- Will be great - 1:15
- Zechariah's song - 1:67
- Born, circumcised, named - 1:57-66
- Grows and becomes strong - 1:80

Jesus:
- Gabriel announces birth - 1:26-38
- Mary a virgin - 1:27, 34-35
- Named Jesus by God - 1:31
- Will be great, Son of the Most High - 1:32
- Mary's song - 1:46
- Born, circumcised, named - 2:1-21
- Grows and becomes strong - 2:40, 52

The Temple and Priest-King
- Zechariah the Levite/Priest from Aaron - Luke 1:5
- Zechariah goes into the temple to pray - Luke 1:8-10
- Joseph the Davidic/Kingly Line - Luke 2:4-5
- Jesus is circumcised and purified - Luke 2:22-24
- Jesus in His Temple home - Luke 2:41-50

The Holy Spirit and the Dawn of a New Age
- The Presence of God will no longer be confined to the temple - Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Joel 2:28-29
- John the Baptist - Luke 1:14-15
- Elizabeth - Luke 1:41
- Zechariah - Luke 1:67
- Simeon - Luke 2:25
- Jesus - Luke 3 - The Holy Spirit descends upon Him - The Holy Spirit is not mentioned again concerning anyone else until the Book of Acts.

Teaching by Josh Clark 

Week 7: Serving in the Land (Ch 22-24)

Structure of Joshua:
Joshua 1-5 - Preparation for entry, "cross"
Joshua 6-12 - Entry into Canaan, "take"
Joshua 13-21 - Allocating Canaan, "divide"
Joshua 22-24 - Keeping Canaan/covenant, "serve"

Chapters 22-24 each start with Joshua summoning the people of Israel (22:1; 23:2; 24:1)

1. Potential Civil War (Ch 22)

V 1-9 Joshua's Charge to Eastern Tribes
- V 2-3 The people have obeyed Moses' and Joshua's commands
- V 4 "the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers" fulfills the condition of Joshua's command in Josh 1:15
- V 5 Joshua commands the people to continue in complete obedience. Gives them 7 things to do
  - "observe" the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you
  - "love" the Lord your God
  - "walk" in all his ways
  - "keep" his commandments
  - "cling" to the Lord
  - "serve" him with all your heart and with all your soul
- V 6-9 The 2 1/2 tribes are blessed and sent to their tents.

V 10-34 The Altar of Witness
- V 10-11 The conflict: the western tribes hear that the eastern tribes have set up an altar of imposing size on the west side of the Jordan river. (Deut 12:5)
- V 12-14 Western Tribes response: Prepare for war & send delegation
  - Delegation consisted of:
    - Phinehas, son of Eleazar the High Priest; see Num 25
    - 10 chiefs, each one the head of a tribe
  - V 15-20 Delegation's message to Eastern tribes:
    - Why are you rebelling?
    - Remember the sin at Baal Peor?
    - If dwelling on the East will cause you to rebel, claim an allotment of the West. Don't rebel or cause us to rebel.
    - Remember Achan?
- V 21-29 Eastern Tribes Response: We are being faithful and unifying the nation
  - V 22 "The Mighty One, God, The LORD!" They start their oath with an appeal to God in his supreme authority and incomparable power.
  - V 22-23 If they are lying and created the altar for unauthorized use, they ask that the Israelites or God put them to death.
  - Reason for building the altar:
    - That the descendants of the Western tribes wouldn't look at the descendants of the Eastern tribes and say they aren't a part of Israel
    - That their descendants don't hear that they have no portion in Israel and worship other gods (V 25)
- V 30-34 The Resolution
  - The Western tribes accept the oath, and worship the Lord because there was no sin.
  - They return home bringing good news and relief that there won't be a civil war because the Eastern tribes have remained faithful.
  - We hear that the Altar is named Witness by the Eastern tribes because it serves as a witness to the whole nation of Israel that there are no other gods but Yahweh.

2. Joshua's Charge to Israel (Ch 23)

V 1-5 God's Deeds for Israel
- Joshua reminds the people how they have been firsthand witnesses to the fulfillment of God's promises.

V 6-11 A Charge to Respond in Obedience
- V 6, 11 Obedience and love are inseparable.

V 12-16 Warning Against Future Disobedience

3. Covenant Renewal and Conclusion (Ch 24)

V 1-13 Retelling of God's Faithfulness Throughout the Generations
- V 1 Shechem - Joshua calls them back to the land where they had previously renewed the covenant in Josh 8:30-35.
  - Fitting that it starts with Abraham because this is where Abraham receives the promise of the land (Gen 12:6-7).
  - Shechem is also where Jacob's household buries their foreign gods (Gen 35:1-4).
- V 2-13 Notice the "I" statements from God.

V 14-28 The Final Charge
- "Serve" appears 20 times throughout chapters 22-24. 15 of those 20 times appear in these 15 verses.
- V 14-15 Joshua's final charge to the people: Put away the idols and serve Yahweh. Serve the true God or serve the gods of the people that Yahweh is driving out.
- V 16-18 The people's response: after all that we have seen Yahweh do we will also serve Yahweh.
- V 19-20 Joshua: You are not able to serve the LORD. He is holy. He is jealous and he doesn't take idolatry lightly.
- V 21 The people: No we will do it!
- V 22-23 Joshua: You are witnesses against yourself. They say we are.
  - Joshua: "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel."
  - Gen 35:2 "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments."
- V 24 The people: We will serve and obey Yahweh.
- V 25-28 Joshua cuts a covenant with the people, writes the words of the covenant in the Book of the Law of God, and sets up a stone under a terebinth tree at Shechem as a witness against them if they don't keep their word.
  - Deut 23:21, also see Ecc 5:1-7

V 29-33 Three Burials
- V 29-30 Joshua
  - "servant of the Lord"
  - Died at 110 years of age which is the same age Joseph died at
- V 32 Joseph
  - Gen 50:25; Ex 13:19; Heb 12:22
  - Buried at Shechem
- V 33 Eleazar the High Priest

4. Christ Connection

- 2 Cor 1:20
- All of the promises of God find their fulfillment in Jesus.

Teaching by Drake Holderman

Teaching by Josh Clark 

Week 6: From Refuge to Rest (Ch 20-21)

1. Cities of Refuge (20:1-9)

- See Num 35:9-34, Deut 19:1-13
- Cities of refuge were set up to:
  - Protect anyone who committed an accidental murder
    - Provide a punishment for the murder - exile from the land
  - Prevent unnecessary violence or revenge from the avenger of blood
    - This highlights the sanctity of life for the victim & accidental murderer
- How did it work?
  - If there was an accidental murder, the murderer would flee to the city of refuge and plead their case.
    - If they were guilty, the avenger of blood could kill them (Num 35:16-21).
    - If they were innocent they had to live in the city
  - Vs 9 The city for anyone in the land
- How long did they have to live there?
  - Until the High Priest died
- Bigger problem found in Num 35:33-34
  - Innocent blood shed pollutes the land
- Land can only be cleansed through death of the murderer (Num 35:33) or death of the high priest (Josh 1:6, Num 35:32)

2. Levi's Allotment (21:1-42)

V 1-3
- Num 35:1-8

V 4-40
- Levitical Allotment:

  Kohathites (Aaron's descendants) - Judah, Simeon, Benjamin - 13 cities
  Remaining Kohathites - Ephraim, Dan, Half-Tribe of Manasseh (West) - 10 cities
  Gershonites - Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Half-Tribe of Manasseh (East/Bashan) - 13 cities
  Merarites - Reuben, Gad, Zebulun - 12 cities
  Total - Throughout Israel - 48 cities

- No portion was given to the Levites in the land (13:14, 33; 14:3-4, 18:7)
- Their inheritance was:
  - The tithes that support the Levites (13:14)
  - The Lord (13:33; 18:7)

3. Promise Fulfilled, Possession Ongoing (21:43-45)

These verses are a great summary of the book of Joshua
- 43 summarizes the land given in ch 13-21
- 44 summarizes the conquest in ch 1-12
- 45 summarizes the book as the theological ideal - God is faithful to his promises.

- Complete or Partial Conquest?
  - 13:1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess."
  - On the east side of the Jordan they failed to drive out the Geshurites and Maacathite (13:13)
  - On the west side they failed to drive out the Jebusites (15:63), the Canaanites in Gezer (16:10), Canaanites in the cities of Manasseh (17:12)

- V 44 "Rest"
  - 2 kinds of rest in the book of Joshua - rest from war, rest of a settled life
    - There are still enemies to drive out but the enemy has been definitively defeated
    - The settling will depend on their faithfulness to God's command to drive out the people. In order to experience the blessings of Eden the people need to obey the God of Eden.
      - Num 33:55-56

4. Christ Connection

- The rest that we find in Joshua was never intended to be the final rest, but always pointed to the greater rest found in Jesus.
  - Heb 3:7-4:13
- As long as it is called "today" (in other words everyday) trust and believe in the Lord. Let faith propel you to act in hope and obedience until you enter his rest.

Teaching by Tyler Bade

Teaching by Josh Clark

Week 5: Inheriting the Promise (Ch 13-19)

Opening Activity: What are specific ways you have seen God's faithfulness?

1. Outline of Chapters 13-19

13:1-7 The Remaining Land (to be conquered)
13:8-33 Moses's Allotment to the 2 1/2 tribes
  13:8-14 Eastern tribes' boundaries
  13:15-23 Reuben
  13:24-28 Gad
  13:29-31 1/2 Tribe of Manasseh
14:1-5 Explanation of Allotment for 9 1/2 tribes
14:6-15:63 Judah's Allotment
  14:6-15 Caleb's Inheritance
  15:1-12 Judah's Boundaries
  15:13-19 Caleb, Achsah, & Othniel
  15:20-63 Judah's Cities
16:1-17:18 Allotment of the Tribes of Joseph
18:1-19:51 Allotment of the Remaining Tribes
  18:1-10 Introduction - Joshua Sends Surveyors
  18:11-28 Benjamin's Allotment
  19:1-9 Simeon's Allotment
  19:10-16 Zebulun's Allotment
  19:17-23 Issachar's Allotment
  19:24-31 Asher's Allotment
  19:32-39 Naphtali's Allotment
  19:40-48 Dan's Allotment
  19:49-51 Joshua's Allotment

2. The Process of Allotment (14:1-5)

- V 1 This is a joint effort between Joshua, Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the tribes
- V 2 They cast lots to discern who received what allotment of land
- V 2b, 5 The land was allotted as the Lord commanded (Num 26:52-56)

3. Caleb's Inheritance (14:6-15; 15:13-19)

14:6-15
- V 7 Caleb was 40 when he went to spy out the land and when he received the promise
- V 8 "made the heart of the people melt" compared to "wholly followed the Lord my God"
- V 9 The promise made to Caleb (Num 14:24, 30; 32:12; Deut 1:34-36)
- V 10 Caleb is 85 years old when he receives the fulfillment of the promise
  - 5 times throughout the passage Caleb refers to what the source of his faith is: God's promise to him (14:6, 10a, 10b, 12a, 12b)

15:13-19 Three Examples of Faith
- Caleb - drives out the sons of Anak
- Othniel - drives out the inhabitants of Debir
- Achsah - makes a bold request for more in faith

4. The Daughters of Zelophehad (17:3-6)

- Num 27:1-11; 36:1-12
- Features of their faith:
  - Request is made before they have entered the land
  - Request was untraditional
- The problem: if Zelophehad's daughters marry men from another tribe, the land they inherited will be transferred to their husbands' tribes, removing it from the inheritance of their father's tribe.

5. Discontentment in the Tribes of Joseph (17:14-18)

- Deut 20:1
- The problem is not that God has not provided an adequate amount of space, but that the tribes of Joseph don't believe God is adequate to lead them to victory
- God's victories yesterday put today's challenges in perspective

6. Shiloh (18:1; 19:51)

- This moment reveals a couple of things:
  - The divine will was made known to Joshua, Eleazar, and the tribal leaders during the allotment
  - With the tabernacle erected at Shiloh, the wilderness period was over and they were making their home in the land
  - God dwelled in the midst of his people

7. Christ Connection

- Just as Joshua, Caleb, Othniel, Achsah, and the daughters of Zelophehad trusted God's promise and received their inheritance, we too receive an inheritance by faith.
- Like the inheritance of Zelophehad's daughters, which could not be taken away through human schemes or legal maneuvering, our inheritance cannot be stolen, revoked, or diminished.
- 1 Peter 1:3-5
- The God who promised the inheritance is the God who preserves his people until they possess it.

Teaching by Josh Clark

Week 4: The Lord Fights for His People (Ch 9-12)

1. Gibeonite Deception (Ch 9)

- V 1 "Heard of this" - indicator of new military campaign beginning
- Observations of the Gibeonites interaction
  - Gibeonites know the Israelites are commanded not to make covenants with the people in the promised land because they will teach them their wicked practices, thereby, leading them into idolatry (Deut 7:1-2; 20:10-18)
  - They claim the reason they came to Joshua and the Israelites is because they heard what God had done in Egypt and to the two kings beyond the Jordan.
  - The Gibeonites are spared because of the consistency of the people's word. The Gibeonites are treated like a people who the Israelites are permitted to make a treaty with (Deut 20:10-11)
- Lesson from the Gibeonites
  - Fear of consequences tempts us to hide, manipulate, or control the outcome. Faith responds with trust in the character of God.
- Lesson from the Israelites
  - Goodness and life are found in seeking the Lord's counsel.

2. Southern Campaign (Ch 10)

- V 1 "Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem" - My Lord is righteousness
  - "Melchizedek, king of Salem" (Gen 14:18-20) - King of Righteousness
- V 6 Gibeonites request to Joshua is the same as Adoni-Zedek: "come up to me/us" and "help me"
  - The one key difference is Gibeon asks for rescue while Adoni-zedek asks for aid in destroying Gibeon.
- V 24 Joshua summons the chiefs and tells them to "put their feet on the necks of these kings".
  - Gen 3:15
- V 42 "And Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel."

3. Christ Connection

- Dawn - a time where God exposes and judges evil symbolizing His victory over darkness.
  - Ex 14:24; 1 Sam 11:9; Isa 37:36; Ps 46:5
  - Matt 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1

4. Northern Campaign (Ch 11)

- V 4 "like the sand that is on the seashore"
- V 6 Comparison of Joshua 8 (Ai) and Joshua 11 (Northern Campaign):

  Joshua 8 (Ai):
  - "Do not fear" (8:1a)
  - Reason: "For I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land." (8:1b)
  - God announces victory before the battle begins. (8:1)
  - Specific military instructions: "You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho... except its spoil and livestock you shall take... Set an ambush..." (8:2)
  - Joshua obeys immediately. "So Joshua arose..." (8:3)
  - The LORD gives Israel victory. (8:18-29)

  Joshua 11 (Northern Campaign):
  - "Do not be afraid" (11:6a)
  - Reason: "Tomorrow at this time I will give over all of them, slain, to Israel." (11:6b)
  - God announces victory before the battle begins. (11:6)
  - Specific military instructions: "You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire." (11:6c)
  - Joshua obeys immediately. "So Joshua and all his warriors came suddenly..." (11:7)
  - The LORD gives Israel victory. (11:8-15)

- V 18 "Joshua made war for a long time" fulfills Ex 23:29-30
- V 20 "For it was the Lord's doing to harden their hearts" - Like Pharaoh, God handed the kings and the people over to their desires and hardened their hearts.
- V 21-22 Joshua conquers the Giants that caused the wilderness generation to rebel (Num 13:22, 33)

5. God's Great Victories (Ch 12)

- V 1-6 Kings defeated to the East of the Jordan River
- V 7-24 Kings defeated to the West of the Jordan River

Teaching by Chad Ragsdale

Teaching by Josh Clark

Week 3: The Ban and the Blessing (Ch 6-8)

• Rhetoric of Herem (“the ban” / “total destruction”)
  • Hyperbole
    • Deut 7:1-4 
  • Merisms- a rhetorical and literary device in which the whole is represented through contrasting and opposite parts.
    •  Josh 6:21
• God is just and has every right to execute judgment on sin
  • Exodus 34:5-6
    • The most quoted OT text within the OT
    • Highlights God’s Justice and His Mercy

• V. 16-25  
  • V. 16 They are to shout because God had given them the city
    • There must be a complete trust in God for the Israelites to have victory. 
  • V. 18-19 Keep these verses in mind as we go into chapter 7
  • V. 22 & 25 Rahab is referred to as the prostitute to show how unsuitable her deliverance may seem. 

V. 2 - 9

• V. 1  Just as soon as they make it into the promised land they sin. 
• V. 5 “And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.”
  • The Israelites are responding the way the Canaanites have (Josh 2:9, 11; 5:1). 
• V. 6-9 Joshua intercedes for the people
  • Joshua does not know that there is sin in the camp
  • V. 9 Joshua appeals to God’s name and reputation

V. 10-26

• V. 11 “Israel has sinned”
  • One man’s sin affects the entire nation. 
  • Achan’s sin leads to the death of 36 men (7:5) and his entire family (7:24)
• V. 12 “I will be with you no more” 
  • Israel is devoted to destruction
• V. 21 “Saw”, “Beautiful” (good), “coveted” (desired), “took” 
  • Gen 3:6
  • Just as Achan’s treasure is in the ground, so Achan goes into the ground. 
    • Being an Israelite alone does not preserve you from herem. 
  • V. 24 Valley of Achor (Valley of Trouble) 
    • Isaiah 65:10; Hosea 2:14 

V. 1-2 

• V. 1 “Do not fear and do not be dismayed” - “be strong and courageous” of chapter 1
• V. 2 
  • “Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves.”
    • (Compare Josh 6:18-19)
  • “Lay an ambush against the city, behind it.”
    • God is the one who is commanding the Israelites. 

V. 3-29

• V. 3-13 Joshua prepares for the ambush
• V. 14-17 The armies of Bethel and Ai respond
• V. 18 God Commands Joshua to stretch out his javelin
• V. 19-27 The Ai-Bethel army is defeated
• V. 28-29 The memorial of Ai
  • Ai burned; The king of Ai is hung on a tree (Deut 21:22-23)
    • A heap of stones piled over his body (compare Josh 4:1-10,19-2; 7:24-26)

V. 30-35

• V. 30-31 “just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses”
  • Deut 27-28
    • Gerizim = blessing; Ebal = curse 
    • Curses shall be read by the Levites and all the people say “Amen”

• Life is found within the boundaries of God's Word. 
  • Israel and Rahab experience blessing through obedience
  • Jericho, Achan, and Ai experience judgment because they reject God's Word
• Jesus came as the perfectly obedient Son who remained faithful where Adam, Israel, Achan, and we have failed
  • The King of Ai was hung on a tree as a sign of God's curse (Josh. 8:29; Deut. 21:22–23); Jesus, though innocent, was hung on a tree and became a curse for us, redeeming us from the curse we deserved (Gal. 3:13)
  • In Christ, the place of judgment becomes a place of mercy, and those who deserve the curse receive the blessing of life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssP-wQv2v5g&feature=youtu.be

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/god-guilty-genocide/