This week we look at a couple of parables that talk about the paradox between the relatively “unimpressive” beginnings of the Kingdom of God and the extensive influence of the Kingdom. The Reformers discussed this passage in light of the “true church”; we will discuss this in light of woodcut by Lucas Cranach on “The True Church”: https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-false-and-the-true-church-lucas-cranach-the-younger/3gHrD-YpBcBEug .

This week we address the accusation made by some scribes that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of "Beelzebul," which would have been an offense worthy of stoning. We examine the fluidity of "demonology" in the NT era, and the way in which the church fathers in the third and fourth Centuries developed what we could call the concept of "Satan" that is prevalent today.

This week we discuss Jesus' interview with Nicodemus with a view toward looking into the way the NT weaves the theology of trinity into the message. We also look into the history of trinity in the church and the importance of trinity for our lives today.

This week we discuss Jesus’ promise to send the “Helper/Encourager/Mediator,” the “Spirit of truth” who would lead the disciples into all truth and enable them to bear witness to him. We discuss the role of the Spirit in our Christian lives.

This week we look Jesus’ “prayer” for his disciples in John 17 in light of the setting of the Johannine community. Although this is a difficult passage because of the negative image of the “world,” there is a sense in which it seems to echo the idea that Jesus has completed the work the Father gave him to do.

This week we look at the continuation of Jesus’ discourse instructing disciples to “abide in his love” and we learn that “bearing fruit” in discipleship means obeying Jesus’ commands, primarily the command to love one another by laying down our lives for each other.

This week we look at what it means to “abide in Jesus” as the “true vine” and thus “bear much fruit” in discipleship, in the context of John’s Gospel, the theology of the Reformers, and today.

This week we discuss Jesus’ discourse in which he calls himself “The Good Shepherd” who lays down his life for the sheep, and who knows them, because God has “given” them to him. In Christy’s segment, we take a look at a woodcut based on this parable, Beham’s Sheepshed. You can find the image here: https://www.akg-images.co.uk/archive/-2UMDHUWBW90M5.html

This week we discuss Luke’s version of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples, and the unique way in which they respond. Unlike the other Gospels, in Luke it takes more than the empty tomb, and even more than the experience of the resurrected Jesus to awaken the disciples’ faith.

This week we discuss Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances according to John’s Gospel, including his encounter with “Doubting” Thomas. On that basis we talk about the process by which our faith grows.