Bible version: NRSVUE (New Revised Standard Version Updated)

The common view of hell is that it is a place of separation from God where the unrighteous suffer eternal conscious torment (ECT) in a fire with no relief and no hope of escape.

Problem 1: ECT contradicts scriptures that speak of the destruction of the wicked, including Gen 3:19-23; Ps 1:6; 37:9-11, 20-22, 28-29, 34, 37-38; 92:7; 145:20; Prov 2:21-22; 12:7; 24:10-20; Is 66:15-16, 23-24; Mal 4:1-3; Mat 3:11-12; 7:13-14; 10:28; Jn 3:16; 5:28-29; Rom 6:23; 2 Thes 1:6-9; Heb 10:26-27; 2 Pet 2:6, 12-13; 3:7.

Problem 2: ECT violates the ethic of proportional justice. Torturing the wicked forever is out of proportion to their crimes. Since we know that Yahweh judges with righteousness and equity (Ps 9:7-8), he cannot also be excessive in his punishment.

Problem 3: ECT implies that God is cruel. If you had a friend who was so sensitive and offendable that he wished to punish his enemies by tormenting them forever, what would that tell you about his character? God is not sadistic; he is loving, gracious, merciful, and just (Ex 34:6-7; Deut 32:4; Jer 9:24).

When the day of judgement comes, the dead will rise and stand before the judge (Rev 20:11-15). Those not in the book of life will be annihilated. In Rev 20:10 (and 14:9-11) John saw a vision of people getting eternally tormented in a lake of fire. In Rev 21:7-8, we learn that the symbol of people getting tormented in a lake of fire actually refers to “the second death.”

Bible version: NASB-95 (New American Standard Bible-95)

We can evaluate God and His actions rightly based upon the parameters He has given in the Scriptures about Himself. When someone says “God did this” or “God did that” we must see if it fits with what we know about God.

Bible version: NET (New English Translation)

Like the ancient texts in The Mummy, God’s “backwards” truths become the key to real victory and transformation.

1. The Bible is not Boring — It’s a Living Adventure

2. The Bible is not Bigoted — It’s Radically Inclusive

3. The Bible is not Backwards — But it is Backwards to the World

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good;

The lost are those who have yet to take refuge in God. They haven’t tasted and seen that Yahweh is good. These are the people we are called to reach.

Luke 19:1-2 Zaccheus was a bad man, engaged in a despicable profession that betrayed and exploited his own people.

Luke 19:3-6 Jesus noticed Zaccheus. He wasn’t so busy or task-oriented that he missed the wealthy man who had climbed the tree. As a high-status rabbi, inviting himself over to Zaccheus’s house was a huge honor to Zaccheus.

Luke 19:7 There will always be critics when you spend time with the lost. Even so, we want to be like Jesus and seek out those who are spiritually hungry.

Luke 19:8-9 Zaccheus repented on the spot. He’s ready to change his life. Love calls for a response. Martin Luther King used to say that love had within it a redemptive power.

Luke 19:10 Jesus came to seek out and to save the lost. If you want to be like Jesus, you, too, should seek out the lost. Those who are lost really need help (Eph 2:12).

Phase 1: The Garden of Eden ( Gen 1:26; 2:17 ) God’s policies were minimal and simple: ( 1 ) have children, ( 2 ) rule the world, and ( 3 ) don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Phase 2: The Old World ( Gen 4:26; 5:22 ) People invoked the name of God. Enoch walked with God, but over time, wickedness and violence spread like a plague resulting in the great reset of Noah’s flood.

Phase 3: The New World ( Gen 9:1-11; 11:6-9 ) God initiated three changes in policy: ( 1 ) humans could now eat meat, ( 2 ) no more global floods, and ( 3 ) capital punishment for murderers. Sadly, humanity rebelled with the result that God confused the languages.

Phase 4: Covenant with Abraham ( Gen 12:1-3 ) After Abraham trusted God, God committed to him and his descendants to be their God, bless them, and give them a land.

Phase 5: Covenant with Israel ( Exod 20:1-17 ) After rescuing Israel from Egypt, God gave Moses laws to write down. In the 40th year, God provided updates and new laws ( Exod 21:2 vs. Deut 15:12-14, 17 ).

Phase 6: New Covenant ( Luke 22:19-20; Jer 31:31-32; Psalm 110:4; Heb 8:13; 7:11- 12, 22; Gal 3:23-26 ) Jesus brought new instruction. His death ratified a new covenant, that opened up a new relationship on the basis of faith not ancestry.

Phase 7: The Kingdom of God ( Dan 7; Rev 21-22 ) When Christ returns, he will resurrect the faithful, establish God’s kingdom on earth, and usher in an age of enduring peace, justice, and love

Fail forward and don’t expect things to work out the first or 20th time. Find your superpower and put it to work in the church.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

A Family Forged in Crisis

Romans 12:4-5

You have to be ready for crisis by belonging and participating in the community of God.

Isaiah 41:10

Revelation 21:3-4

Facing Cosmic Fear Together

Staying in the fold of God keeps us safer together in numbers.

Psalm 78:4-7

Acts 2:39

2 Timothy 1:5

Plant Hope in the Next Generation

Ephesians 2:19

Galatians 3:28-29

A Chosen Family by Grace not by Genes

Acts 4:32-35

Hebrews 10:24-25

Guarding our words in order to build others up and not tear them down

Ephesians 4:29-32

Galatians 5:13-15

Colossians 3:12-14

The works that the man Jesus did, we can do also—because like him, we have been given the spirit and the Word to empower us. Anything God asks of us, He makes possible. His power works in us to carry it out.

John 14:12. Truly, truly – “Pay close attention—what I’m about to say is absolutely certain.” Jesus wants us to be convinced, without doubt, that his works could be continued and even expanded through his followers

Luke 4:18–19. The Gospels confirm that Jesus fulfilled everything Isaiah foretold.

Acts 10:38. What he did was God’s will and God’s work, not his own.

Acts 2:22. God performed through him

Acts 2:22; 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 5:15. It is essential to affirm Jesus’ humanity if we are to believe his words in John 14:12.

Luke 4:1, 14; 5:17. The spirit God gave Jesus enabled him to perform miracles, wonders, and signs. And in the same way, God has given us His spirit so that He may work through us to accomplish His purposes.

Isaiah 61:1-3; 42:1-7. Jesus also had faith in the Scriptures.

John 14:12. We too have God’s spirit, and we too have His Word. As Jesus trusted God to work through him, we can believe that God will work through us.

Love Isn’t Always Easy. Love Costs Something. Love Sees Beyond the External.

Love Isn’t Always Easy

Loving someone can be risky and difficult. It takes vulnerability and can be hard.

1 Cor 13:4-7. Loving someone is easy when people are nice but can be quite a challenge when there is tension, disagreement, or pride involved.

Luke 19:1-10. Jesus’ was judged for his association with people that others viewed as “sinners” and “unclean”.

Love Costs Something

Loving someone often requires sacrifice and giving of yourself in ways that are not preferred (or undesirable).

John 15:9-13, 17. Jesus commanded his followers to love each other as he loved them and to be willing to sacrifice everything.

John 13:1-15, 34-35. The example Jesus left his disciples is to be willing to do the lowest task in serving each other. By loving each other in this way, you will make known to other people that you are Christ’s disciples.

Love Sees Beyond the External

Appearances can be deceiving. What is on the outside is not what is important, but what is on the inside is what matters.

1 Samuel 16:1-12. As humans, we can get caught up with thinking about how things look and miss the more important traits of who a person is.

Romans 2:11. God does not show favoritism but welcomes everyone to come to Him through His Son, Jesus.

John 4:1-30. Jesus’ disciples only saw a Samaritan woman and missed the whole point of what was happening.

The Karate Kid movies and shows have resonated with people for more than four decades. One aspect that draws us to

Mark 6:7-13. After Jesus had spent a little time with his disciples, he instructed them and sent them out. They were to do the same sorts of things that Jesus himself was doing.

Mark 6:30-44. Upon returning from their missionary trip, the twelve reported back to Jesus what happened with great excitement. Jesus continued to challenge and train them. When a crowd of 5,000 men were hungry, he told them, “You give

Mark 9:33-37. Jesus taught them about humility. Rather than seeking to be the greatest, he told them to look to the example of a child.

Luke 14:25-32. Jesus set the bar high for becoming a disciple. Although the call is open to anyone, only those who put him first can be true disciples. People should count the cost prior to following Jesus.

Luke 6:40. The goal of Christian discipleship is to become like Christ. We aim to both follow his words and imitate his example.

Matthew 10:24-25. As they ridiculed and called Jesus names, so they will do to you if you genuinely follow him.

John 8:31-32. Disciples don’t just believe in Jesus, they also continue in his words, living out his teachings.

John 13:35. The most important indicator of authentic discipleship is if we love each other. See also John 15:8-10.

His name is far more than a label—it represents the power, presence, and authority of Jesus Himself. When Peter explained the healing of the lame man, he was essentially saying, ‘It was the very person and power of Jesus, alive and active, that made this man whole.’

John 16:23-27. We pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ.

Acts 3:1ff. In the name of Jesus Christ, the lame man walked.

Acts 3:16. “Name” means much more than a label. It implies Jesus’ power, presence, and authority. Peter is saying: “It is the very person and power of Jesus, active and present, that healed this man.”

Acts 4:1-12. There is no other name by which we can be saved.

Acts 4:17-20. Do not speak in this name.

Acts 16:16-18. Demon was cast out by his name.

Philippians 2:5-11. In the end, everyone will bow to that name.