TASTE AND SEE

AN INVITATION TO READ THE BIBLE

ANNABEL ROBINSON

Scripture Union Canada

Toronto

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of Scripture Union Canada.

Published by:

Scripture Union Canada

An incorporated Canadian Charity (BN 119143279RR0001)

1885 Clements Road, Unit 226, Pickering, Ontario, L1W 3V4, Canada

www.scriptureunion.ca

&

The Canadian Bible Society

An Incorporated Canadian Charity (BN 11882 9647RR0001)

10 Carnforth Rd, Toronto, Ontario, M4A 2S4, Canada

www.biblesociety.ca

This book was produced using PressBooks.com.

Contents

- Acknowledgements

- From the Editor

- About This Book And The Book This Book Is All About

- Why Is There Suffering?

- Life With Purpose

- The Promise

- Freedom!

- At Last, A King!

- The Rest of the Old Testament History

- The Birth!

- Stories That Bite

- Plots And Twists

- Not The End!

- Still With Us!

- No Breakups

- The Goal

- Becoming A Christian

- Epilogue: The Story Isn't Over

- About Scripture Union Canada

- About the Canadian Bible Society

Acknowledgements

All sorts of people have had input into this book. Especial thanks go to Alastair Campbell. I also want to thank in particular members of my family, especially Heather. Thanks also to Esther Wiens, and other members of First Baptist Church, Regina.

From the Editor

Thanks for downloading Taste and See!

The impetus for Taste and See started with us wanting to find a way to ask people who haven’t read the Bible to give it a try. We believe the Bible is a must read for everyone. It is arguably the story that runs deeper than the world’s stories. We don’t say this lightly. Out of our own experiences we’ve discovered how the Bible invites us to evaluate the alternative stories we create, to write ourselves into God’s story, and to embark on a quest . . .

In Taste and See Annabel crafts an interactive prequel to the Bible. Taste and See provides an overview of the main Bible story, identifies the key themes in the Bible, asks questions to open doors of discovery, and encourages the reader to take the first steps in a spiritual pilgrimage.

When you’ve finished reading Taste and See you’re invited to check out other engaging publications from SU Canada. Follow us on Twitter, “like” us on Facebook, download the free SU Canada App, receive the eDaily Devotional via e-mail, read the Bible Engagement blog posts, or find out about the E100 Challenge™.

And now, enjoy Taste and See!

Lawson Murray

SU Canada, 2012

About This Book And The Book This Book Is All About

(not to be skipped!)

The Bible is a book that has changed the lives of many people, and gives hope, encouragement and direction to millions. What you are reading now has been written to introduce you to the Bible, and more than that, to introduce you to God, whom the Bible is all about. To follow this book you will need to have access to a Bible. You can find a Bible online at http://bibles.org, or to order a printed copy visit http://www.biblescanada.com.

If you go into a bookstore or online to find a Bible you will be confronted with a confusing array of translations and editions. At one time everyone in the English speaking world used the King James or ‘Authorized’ version, translated in 1611. But since then language has changed, and we know more about the original manuscripts, so it is a good idea to read a modern translation. Some popular versions include the The New International Version, The New Living Translation, The Contemporary English Version. If you want your own hard copy there are ones available that are very inexpensive.

The Bible consists of many books, (66, actually,) written by many authors in three languages, mostly Hebrew with some Aramaic (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). They are bound together with little indication that they are an anthology. The English Bible is a translation.

The ‘Old Testament’ is the collection of books that tells of God’s dealings with human beings before the birth of Jesus; the ‘New Testament’ tells the story about Jesus’ life and death, and what happened immediately afterwards.

It was written by all sorts of different people, over a long period of time, perhaps from as early as 1400 B.C., to 100 A.D. Although everything in the Old Testament was written before the New Testament was written, the books are not arranged chronologically, either as to the time of writing or the setting of the book.  Unlike most books, the Bible does not lend itself to being read straight through.

Despite the uniform ‘look’ of the pages in a Bible, it is a collection of literature of all sorts, including:

- poetry

- history

- law

- prophecy

- proverbs

- letters

- visions

These are all different kinds of literature, but they all comprise one story. Like most stories, the Bible story has a beginning, middle, and an end. It has plot. It has characters. Part of the story is in the future, so we are living ‘in’ the story. An interesting challenge is to figure out just ‘where’ we are. The answer is not as easy as you might think.

Some people are afraid to read the Bible because they think it will condemn them. This is not true! There is very little in the Bible about hell. There are strong words for people who persist in doing wrong. (Would we want it any other way?) But the God you will read about here is a God of love, who made us, knows us personally, and longs for us to respond to him and experience his love.

There is no consensus about the human authorship of some of the books. But don’t forget that the books of the Bible were written in an era long before copyright (!) and some of the stories in the Bible happened before the era of writing, so they were passed on by word of mouth, and perhaps edited in the telling. When they were finally written down, the writer may have made his own editorial comments [for example, the book of Deuteronomy, which is traditionally ascribed to Moses, ends with an account of his death.]. So the question of authorship is a little different from what it is in a book written today. Consider too that behind the scenes the author of the ‘one story’ is God, as he inspired the human authors. For this reason, Christians often refer to the Bible as ‘God’s Word.’ Sometimes it is referred to as ‘the Scriptures’ (Latin for ‘the writings’), or just ‘Scripture.’

Somewhere along the line someone divided each of the 66 books into ‘chapters’ and the chapters into ‘verses’ to make it easier for people to find their place. Some Bibles printed today leave out some of the verse numbering because it can get in the way of understanding. Verse numbering was not part of the original text.

The Bible:

- is different from any other book

- invites us into another world that is real

- has different parts that are true in different ways.

Some things are historically true, such as the resurrection of Jesus, which has strong historical evidence. Other things, like the poetry, proverbs and visions, are true in other ways. This should be obvious, because we are used to thinking this way all the time in ordinary life. When we say, “The sun rose at 8 o clock this morning” we aren’t claiming that the sun moves round the earth. When we say, “The test was a piece of cake” or “she was head over heels in love” we don’t mean it literally. As you read the Bible you will want to think about this

The selections in this book:

- are chosen from some well-known parts of the Bible

- have been chosen to show the overall theme of the Bible, its main characters and why they are important

- are chosen to represent some different parts of the Bible

- are presented in roughly chronological order, five are from the Old Testament (before Jesus was born into the world) and seven from the New Testament (after he came)

- show the ‘thread’ of the Bible story. Although they were written by different people at different times, you will discover in them a continuous story

How To Use This Book

Read this book as a companion to the Bible. If you are reading online, you will need to be able to toggle between this book and the Bible itself. If you have a hard copy—or printout of the selection—keep that open while you read this book online. Remember: the object of the exercise is to read the Bible itself.

- If you’re eager to see the big picture and get started on reading the Bible, you could work through this book in about two weeks. Ideally, keep a notebook handy or text file open to jot down anything that strikes you or any questions you may have

- You will get more out of it if you take it more slowly. All the Bible stories lend themselves to further thought. There are suggestions for other things to read if you’re interested. You may want to discuss the Bible stories with a friend

- The Bible is written in 3D! There is you, the characters in the story, and there is God, who is longing to speak to you. He is there to help you understand the story, to show you how it connects to today. Take time to listen, to think, and to make connections to your own life.

- There may be Bible stories that you find hard to understand. Live with the ambiguities! and, without suspending your critical judgment, take the biblical story on trust to begin with. Some things will become clearer as you go along.

Tips For Navigating The Bible

At the front of a printed Bible there’s a list of the books in order, sometimes with the page numbers.

An electronic Bible usually has a drop-down box with the books listed.

Genesis (or ‘Gen’)1:1-2 is a shorthand way of writing “Genesis, chapter 1, verses 1-2.” etc.

The Twelve Stories

1. Why is there suffering? — Job 1:1-2:10

2. Life with purpose — Genesis 1:1-2:3

3. The Promise — Genesis 17:1-27

4. Freedom! — Exodus 12:1-14:31

5. At last, a king! — 2 Samuel 7

6. The Birth! — Luke 2:1-19

7. Stories That Bite — Luke 15

8. Plots and Twists — Luke 22:66-23:56

9. Not the End! — John 20:1-31

10. Still With Us! — Acts 2:1-41

11. No Breakups — 1 Corinthians 13:1-11

12. The Goal — 1 Corinthians 15

Why Is There Suffering?

Job 1:1–2:10

Way In

Perhaps you are surprised that this book begins with Job, not with the story of Creation or with Jesus. Yet this is a very good place to begin, because it provides a framework for reading everything else. You’ll find “Job” in the middle of the Bible, before the book of Psalms. “Job” rhymes with “robe.”

Nobody knows who Job was, where the city of Uz was, or when the book of Job was written or who wrote it. It is possibly the oldest book in the Bible, and most likely existed in oral form long before anyone wrote it down. It deals with a question that every one of us asks at some time or another, “Why is there suffering in the world?” or “Why am I suffering?” That question may be as old as the hills, but the “answer” that Job gets in the end is absolutely 21st Century.

FACT: We live in an age of “intellectual property,” and you may have been taught how important it is to footnote your sources. The Old Testament was written before the age of publishing as we think of it, and when a great deal of wisdom and poetry had been handed down orally for generations. Regardless of when the Book of Job was written, the stories in it were probably much older. There is evidence that they contain elements of oral tradition from other cultures of the Ancient Near East, and that the person who wrote them down gave them a particularly Jewish twist.

Summary of Bible Passage With Context

The person of Job is introduced in the first five verses: a good man, fabulously wealthy. It was, and still is, commonplace for people to think that worshipping God brings earthly blessings—things like power and prestige and possessions. In verse 6 the scene shifts to a heavenly court, where Satan (his name means “the accuser”) appears without explanation and accuses Job of being religious only because it pays. “Take away the blessings and he’ll curse you,” he argues. God gives the accuser permission to go ahead.

The core of the book consists of dialogue between Job and his three “friends,” Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, and later (chapter 32) another “friend” Elihu.  “Friends” in quotation marks, because although these men all try to help Job understand why he is suffering, none of their “explanations” begin to answer the questions Job is asking. The “friends” put forward all the usual trite answers (and some not so trite) about why there is suffering, and make the connection to some unconfessed sin in Job’s life. Job will have none of it, and calls his “friends” “miserable comforters.” (Job 16:12)

The book ends with an epilogue that balances the prologue. Finally God appears, and addresses Job (38:1-3). Where was Job when God created the world? What part does he play in the ordering of it all? In chapter 40:1-7, God challenges Job to brace himself and face up to who he is in front of God. Job admits the truth: “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (42:3)

Explanation / Explore

The Bible reading is like the prologue to a play. Job is seen in a wider context, from outside this world, a vantage point which of course, Job cannot see. In this context there is a reason for his suffering. We, the readers, are privileged to be given this perspective. Normally we live our lives, like Job, inside the story.

So there is a reason why Job is suffering, but Job himself knows nothing about it. He doesn’t know why all this is happening to him. It gets worse. God allows the accuser to take away from Job every last blessing except his life. But the accuser’s premise is wrong. The one thing that Job clings to, in the face of everything that appears to contradict it, is that God is all-powerful and God is good. Job has faith.

In all of this, God is not absent or unconcerned. He takes Job’s questions seriously, and does not trivialize them. In the end, Job is given a new and far greater perspective. There are things that a human being cannot do, and that human beings can never understand. But God does, and God sees and God cares. Job passes the final test.

Contrary to what you may have heard, faith doesn’t mean having all the answers. Faith isn’t primarily cognitive. It’s not just a matter of believing facts. It’s first and foremost a relationship with God, as you’ll see. And a willingness to admit that there are things that happen that we don’t understand, in the conviction that one day, some time, everything will become clear.

Application / Growing in Faith

The world we know is full of evil. Good people are not exempt from it. We cry for answers, and they are not always forthcoming. But God is more powerful than evil and though evil is very real at present, God’s way will prevail in the end.

1. For now, there are things we don’t understand, and all we can do is trust God who is in control. This isn’t blind faith. There are reasons for trusting God that will become clearer in future readings. What’s more, our reasons for trusting God grow as we open ourselves up to him. Are you willing to trust God as you begin looking into the Bible? Why, or why not?

2. You will no doubt have lots of questions as you read this. You are meant to! Write down your questions, and even better, find someone you can discuss them with. And don’t let anyone put you off with easy answers. Job didn’t! Asking questions are a good way to approach the Bible. (But you may have to wait to find answers that satisfy you.)Even if you have never done so before, try praying to God, bringing your questions to Him. You don’t have to use any special language or posture. Just talk to God in your own way.

3. Are you, or is someone you know, suffering pain, loss, difficulty or stress at this time? Have these reflections in Job helped you? How?

Further Reading: Read Job 38-42. (“Behemoth” and “Leviathan” may refer to a hippopotamus and a crocodile respectively, or may allude to mythical creatures of the ancient Near East, whose spiritual powers are no match for God.)

Life With Purpose

Genesis 1:1–2:3

Way In

You may be aware that the opening chapters of Genesis have been the source of an immense amount of controversy. At the time Genesis was written, people were not asking scientific questions of the sort that physicists and biologists ask today.  Instead, their interest was in the relationship of human beings to the rest of creation. Part of the problem has been trying to make the Bible answer questions that the original writer was never asking.

Whatever conclusion you come to about this passage, it is the foundation for all that follows in the Bible. What foundational beliefs do you think these stories are trying to communicate?

FACT: The Bible begins, not surprisingly, with stories of how the world began, how it was ordered, and how the world as we know it came to be. In the ancient Near East many cultures had similar stories. There are some striking similarities between these and the book of Genesis, showing that the people of Israel were familiar with the beliefs of surrounding nations, and that people thought in the same imagery all round the Near East. That said, Genesis is unique in its presentation of one God who created the whole universe. He loves what he has made, is deeply interested and involved in every part of it. (That includes you and me.) Things didn’t just happen by chance. God is good, and everything that he creates is good. He is not capricious. Everything that he creates has purpose.The stories that we read in Genesis 1-11 had a long existence in oral tradition before the invention of writing.

Summary of Passage With Context

Without getting caught up in the discussion about creation and evolution, we can make a number of affirmations about what this passage had to say to its original audience, and from there, to us.

- Notice that God was there “in the beginning,” before the universe existed. In other stories of the Ancient Near East the gods emerged within the universe.

- Notice the creative power of God’s words.

- Notice the orderliness of what the passage asserts. Nothing is left to chance.

- Notice the repetition of the phrase “And God saw that it was good.”

- Notice the special position and responsibility given to the human race.

- 2:4-25 gives a slightly different account, with more emphasis on humans.

Explanation / Explore

This passage raises no end of challenging questions. Think about the implications of all this for today, e.g.

- What is the relationship of God to the world?

- What is the position of human beings in the world?

- What is their responsibility? Be careful as you answer this one.

Application / Growing In Faith

1. Do you think of the universe as something that has been created by God? The stars and planets, the earth, rivers and oceans, vegetation, animals and humans? What are the implications for us? Take a moment to reflect specifically on a few particular examples around you of things that God has made. How does the fact that God created them and has given humans the mandate of caring for them affect your relationship to them?

2. You may want to think about how Genesis 1 relates to current scientific thinking about the origin of the universe. A good topic for discussion!

There is room for different opinions here. If you want a challenging book, read Peter Enns The Evolution of Adam: What the Bible does and doesn’t say about human origins (Brazos Press), written by a committed follower of Jesus Christ. Don’t forget that other cultures (such as the one that Genesis comes from) don’t necessarily think or express themselves like 21st Century Westerners.

FURTHER READING: Read Genesis 3, the story of Adam and Eve and the origin of sin. The rest of the Bible doesn’t make much reference back to this story, though it has plenty to say about sin and its effects.

The Promise

Genesis 12:1-7; 15:1-6; 17:1-27

Way In

The story of Adam and Eve is followed by an account of their descendants (Cain and Abel), Noah and the flood (chapters 6–8) and the origins of civilization (culminating in the Tower of Babel, 11:1-9).

FACT: Again there are parallels with other Near Eastern literature of the time, especially the story of the flood. At the time that Genesis took shape people travelled all around the Near East, and it’s not surprising that the stories traveled too.The writer of Genesis probably drew on the suggestive imagery that was common to all these nations, and used it to communicate God’s own word. As with the creation story, the biblical version is unique in significant ways. God is good. Everything he creates is good. There is purpose. He makes a promise to Noah. He is faithful. All this is in stark contrast with the capriciousness of the gods in the pagan versions.

Summary of Passage With Context

Genesis 12 starts a new section which continues to the end of Genesis, and on into the rest of the Old Testament.

The story of Israel begins in Ur of the Chaldees, modern day Iraq, with Abraham, who was originally called “Abram,” when God called him to migrate westwards with his family.  God promised him that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed. But Abram had no children, and according to custom his estate would go to a slave.  In an encounter with God, God promised him that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky (15:6) and made a covenant with him that the land where the Canaanites and other tribes lived would be his (15:12-21). In Genesis 17:4-5 we read how his name was changed to “Abraham,” which means “father of many nations.”

COVENANT: With his promises to Abraham God made a commitment to provide him with numerous descendants and a land, and to watch over these people in faithfulness and mercy. Israel was in turn called to faithfulness and obedience to God. God’s promises were unconditional, even though Abraham’s descendants were faithless time and time again. This covenant was renewed later when David was king, and took on a completely new meaning when Jesus gave his life for us.A covenant is different from a contract, which ceases to hold if either side breaks it. God remains faithful even when we are unfaithful. When we go astray he does not write us off. His final word to us is covenant.

Explanation / Explore

God does not ask us for blind faith. When Abraham believed God it was in response to what he knew of him. Abraham trusted God to do what he had said, although the promise itself was staggering, and there was no indication of how God was going to keep it. Abraham faltered later when he had a child by his slave Hagar and Ishmael was born, but God made it clear that the child of promise would be born to Abraham’s wife, Sarah. When Abraham and Sarah were (seemingly impossibly) old, Sarah became the mother of Isaac.

Genesis 15:6 is a key verse for understanding faith. Adam and Eve had refused to take God’s word seriously and had been punished for it (Genesis 3).When God spoke to Abraham, Abraham believed God and acted on that belief in the face of all other evidence.

God still takes the initiative with each one of us. He never stops guiding us if we choose to listen.

Application / Growing In Faith

1. What does the word “faith” mean to you? Is the idea of faith as trust a new idea? What reasons do you have for trusting (or not trusting) God? God welcomes honest questions. What questions do you have? God respects and responds to doubt. What cuts us off from him is refusal to listen.

2. Because Abraham chose to believe, God confirmed that he was in a right relationship to him. That’s what the word “righteous” means here. (It doesn’t mean “saintly” or “perfect” or “other-worldly.”) The more you read in this book and in the Bible the more you will be challenged to make up your mind. Are you ready to decide now that you will believe? Or perhaps you feel the need to know more and time to think things out.

FURTHER READING: Read Gen. 22:1-19, God calls Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, who had been given to him in fulfillment of God’s promise. What will Abraham do?

Freedom!

Exodus Chapters 12-14

Way In

After Isaac was born, God’s promise to Abraham began to be fulfilled. Isaac became the father of twins, Esau and Jacob, and Jacob (later renamed “Israel”) was chosen to continue the line of the promise. He had twelve sons, who were the patriarchs (“founding fathers”) after whom the twelve tribes of Israel were named. Jacob’s son Joseph was sold into slavery by his elder brothers and taken to Egypt, where he rose to prominence because God was with him. When the king of Egypt, Pharaoh, had troubling dreams, Joseph was able to interpret them. Joseph advised the Egyptians to store the grain they had harvested in years of prosperity, so they had food to distribute in subsequent years of famine. Joseph’s father, Jacob, an old man still living in Israel, came to Egypt with Joseph’s brothers to buy grain. (The story is a lot more complicated than this, full of twists and turns. If you want to read the full version you can find it in Genesis 24-50)

Jacob’s sons settled in Egypt and their families, the Israelites, lived in Egypt for four hundred years. What had happened to God’s promise of the land? Things got worse when a new pharaoh arose who knew nothing of Joseph and, threatened by the numerical growth of the Israelites, oppressed them by enslaving them and making them bake bricks under conditions that were cruelly unfair. Pharaoh then declared that all Israelite males should be killed at birth. Under these conditions Moses was born. Despite the persecution of the Israelites God was working behind the scenes. He had not forgotten his covenant with Abraham. Moses’ mother hid the baby in the bulrushes beside the Nile, where he was found by Pharaoh’s daughter, who rescued him and brought him up in Pharaoh’s court.

Summary of Passage With Context

God appeared to Moses when he was tending sheep, and revealed himself simply as I AM. He told him that he had indeed seen the misery of the Israelites, and commissioned Moses to go to Pharaoh and to lead his people into the Promised Land. Moses was aghast, and offered all sorts of excuses why he couldn’t do this. When he pleaded that he wasn’t eloquent, God was angry, but allowed Moses to use his brother Aaron as his spokesperson. But when they went to Pharaoh with God’s request, Pharaoh simply responded by making the tasks of the Israelites even harder. Moses cried out to God, who reaffirmed his promise.

Pharaoh hardened his heart as ten plagues followed. Each time there was a plague he relented—and then changed his mind. The final plague was the death of all the Egyptian firstborn. The Israelite firstborn were spared because the Israelites did what God told them to do; to make a sign with blood on their doorposts, and eat a commemorative meal of lamb and bread made without yeast—the Passover. For Pharaoh this was the last straw.

After God “passed over” the Israelites and killed the firstborn of all the Egyptians, during the night, the Israelites left. Even then the Egyptians pursued them. At the Sea of Reeds the waters parted to allow the Israelites to cross. The Egyptians followed in pursuit, but the waters flooded back and they drowned.

The story of the Passover and the Exodus (Greek for “way out”) were foundational in the Israelite story. It is foundational for Christians too, as you’ll see when we get to the New Testament.

You would be justified in thinking that this was the end of the story. God had chosen his people, rescued them, and given them a land. But it didn’t work out so simply.

Part of the problem was that the land they had been promised was already occupied by a number of different tribes. The reason the children of Israel had been left in Egypt so long was that God was extending his mercy to these tribes, collectively referred to as the “Amorites.” (see Genesis 15:16). But the Amorites had not responded to God, and the Israelites were commanded to take possession of the land.

Meanwhile, as they traveled in the wilderness, the Israelites built an elaborate tent, the tabernacle, in which to worship, and God assured them of his presence among them. Moses was summoned to the top of Mount Sinai where God gave him rules by which they were to live as his people. These “Ten Commandments” were followed by a detailed law code, which resembles other law codes of that time, but which reflected the very nature of God in its details.

When Moses came down from the mountain he was dismayed at the scene which met his eyes. His brother, Aaron, had caved in to the wishes of the people and had led them in building a golden calf for them to worship. Faced with the hardship of the wilderness they (unbelievably!) craved the lifestyle they had left in Egypt!

The outcome of this act of crass disobedience led to forty years of wandering in the wilderness before they were able to enter the Promised Land. Moses himself died in the wilderness.

Explanation / Explore

Exodus is not just another story of liberation. It is integral to the big story of God at work to bring about his design for the human race. God had promised Abraham that “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” The covenant was not just for the Jews, even though God chose Jacob and the Israelite nation to work through. Similarly, when he rescued the children of Israel from their slavery in Egypt, he was not just acting out of mercy for these people, but rather working his purpose out so that they could proclaim to all the nations of the world what he was like.

In Exodus 12 we read not only of what the children of Israel did on the night before God led them out of Egypt, but also of how they were told to commemorate that event as “a lasting ordinance” (v.14). The command is repeated in v.24, with more detail. The celebration of the Passover became a central feast in the Jewish calendar, and still is to this day.

It is crucial to remind ourselves of what God has done in history. Jesus, whom the lamb prefigured, went to the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Christians continue to celebrate the Passover in a new form when they observe the Lord’s Supper (or Communion, or Eucharist), keeping Jesus’ command to “do this in remembrance of me” when they eat the bread and drink the wine.

The message is for all of us.

SACRIFICE: The people of many religions practice sacrifice, killing an animal and offering it to their gods, believing that this will please the gods. The Jews were no different, except that they understood that what displeases God is our sin and that compensation had to be made. Even so, animal sacrifice is clearly inadequate, at best. We read in the New Testament that the blood of bulls and goats is never enough to take away sin, but Jesus, who was God come as a human being, and who never sinned, died in our place to take away our sin.

Application / Growing in Faith

1. How does the Exodus story fit into the bigger picture of God working out his purpose for the Israelites? How does it connect with his promises to Abraham?

2. What do you read in this story that helps you understand what God is like? How does this apply to your own life?

FURTHER READING: Read The Ten Commandments, Exodus 19:9-20:21. This is the charter for God’s nation in the wilderness and later when they inhabit the Promised Land of Israel. It has been said that to live in community like this is a path to freedom, in contrast to the slavery they had known in Egypt. What do you think? What would it be like if everyone kept these commandments? Can living by rules give freedom?

At Last, A King!

2 Samuel 7:1-29

FACT: There are two books of Samuel because there was too much material to fit on one scroll. Scrolls existed before books. They are rolls of parchment or papyrus. Several books of the Old Testament are divided in this way. In the New Testament we have 1 and 2 Corinthians, but this division reflects letters that were written on different occasions.

Way In

It was Moses’ successor, Joshua, who finally led the people into the Promised Land. After initial success in capturing the city of Jericho, the children of Israel were once again caught up in a series of acts of disobedience. The books of Joshua and Judges narrate the ups and downs of their life under the “judges”, or tribal leaders. Things went from bad to worse, until ultimately they clamoured for a king, like other nations had.

Their first king was Saul, who became insanely jealous of a successful young shepherd boy named David. David proved his courage and his faith by taking on and killing the giant Goliath, who had been threatening the Israelites from nearby Philistia. When Saul died, David became king.

Some of the best known stories:

- David chosen: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

- David and Goliath: 1 Samuel 17:1-54

- Conquest of Jerusalem: 2 Samuel 5

Summary of Passage With Context

Finally, after generations of fighting with the Canaanites, David took Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5) and established his rule over Israel.

David (around 1000 B.C.) was the greatest king of the Israelites. He built a palace, and had plans to build a temple to replace the portable tabernacle of the wilderness wanderings.

At first the prophet Nathan went along with David’s idea, but God intervened to give him a different vision of the future. It would be David’s son, Solomon, who built the Temple. David was given a different role. He was to be the founder of a new dynasty, into which Jesus would eventually be born. The true Temple would not be a building of bricks and mortar, but of people who loved God. Solomon’s Temple, magnificent though it was, was destroyed when the Babylonians overran Jerusalem in 586. The promises which God gave to David were forever.

Explanation / Explore

This passage is about God’s promise to David. This was another covenant. In future years the Israelites broke their part again and again, but God never revoked the promise he made here. David’s prayer is a magnificent response.

TEMPLE: Notice the play on the word “house.” What God had in mind was something far beyond David’s plan for a temple. David was thinking of a building project, but God is patiently building a community of people to dwell among. This theme is picked up in many ways in the Old Testament, and expanded in the New Testament, where the apostles Paul and Peter explain that the “temple” that God dwells in consists of people, Christians. (See, for example, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 1 Peter 2:4-5). That’s us, if we believe!

Application / Growing in Faith

1. Notice how in verses 18-29 David understands these promises as enlarging the covenant made with Abraham. Notice the repetition of the word “forever” (verses 13, 16, 24, 26, 29). David will be the head of a dynasty. Jesus Christ was a descendant of David.

2. God promises that his love will never be taken away from David and his descendants. God’s love is unchanging and utterly dependable because it is based on his covenant. If we have put our trust in him, nothing we do can ever break his commitment of love to us.

FURTHER READING: Read 2 Samuel 11-12, which tells of the tragic events which occurred when David met Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. The story is brilliantly told. Despite all this, David remained “a man after God’s own heart.” Can you figure out why? Psalm 51 gives part of the answer.

The Rest of the Old Testament History

David wrote many of the Psalms, collected in the book of that name. His son Solomon, who started out brilliantly, wrote and collected the proverbial sayings in the book of Proverbs.

Sadly, Solomon’s rule, which began so successfully, ended in disaster. The Bible points to Solomon’s many wives as the weakness that led to his undoing. After Solomon the kingdom was divided when the northern tribes separated (Israel) from Judah and Benjamin (Judah). After years of war and apostasy (abandoning the faith), Israel fell to the Assyrians in 712, and Judah to the Babylonians (who had conquered Assyria) in 586. Both Israel and Judah went into exile. Now what has happened to God’s promise to Abraham?

But God has never left himself without witness. During these dark times there were some isolated “good” kings in Judah (Josiah and Hezekiah). More importantly God continued to speak to his people through faithful prophets who listened to him and spoke his word to the people. The prophet Elijah had a spectacular career with persecution as well as success. But mostly the people didn’t listen. Some prophets, like Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Daniel, prophesied to the people in exile.

PROPHETS: We think of a prophet as someone who tells the future. In the Bible a prophet (the word is from Greek, meaning “one who speaks forth”) was someone who heard and declared the words of God. What the prophets said could be about the present as much as the future. There were false prophets, too, who claimed to know God’s mind, but deluded themselves. People often preferred to hear good news than the truth. What’s new?

The prophets drew much of their message from what God had already revealed in the covenant. And along with their relentless message of doom and destruction there was always hope—hope in the God who never reneged on his promises. Some of the clearest prophecies are found in Isaiah 40-66. In ch. 53 Isaiah foresees with astonishing clarity what the Messiah—Jesus—will do.

MESSIAH: The Hebrew word “Messiah” simply means “the anointed one”, (Greek “christos”) i.e. the chosen one, and some people thought that a Davidic-like person would come and free them from political oppression. Others, like the prophet Isaiah, saw that the deliverer would not be king-like, but a servant. Jesus accepted the name “Messiah” but was quick to point out that Isaiah was correct, that the one who came to save would have to suffer in identification with his people.

Eventually, under the Persian king Cyrus, the children of Israel were allowed to return to their land. Squatters were living there. It was desolate, devastated, and everything needed rebuilding. This was slowly completed under the leadership of Nehemiah and Ezra. But the glory of the days of David and Solomon never returned.

Four hundred years passed. No new word was heard from God. Then, at the right time, when Augustus was Emperor in Rome, the Israelites heard from him again.

The Birth!

Luke 2:1-19

Way In

Christmas, originally the celebration of Jesus’ birth, is a familiar festival in the calendar of the Western world, largely because of its association with gift-giving and the opportunity this offers to retailers. The story, or some version of it, is quite well known. Angels, shepherds, a manger, a star. We know the biblical props, though we also have an odd collection of pagan symbols as well. It has recently become popular to gather together some animals to create a living stable as a kind of outdoor Christmas decoration. It’s a time of family celebration, special food, and gifts.

Our Christmas celebrations are a mish-mash of celebrations from different parts of the world. But what was really going on that first Christmas?

FACT: The story of the “three kings” following a star is told in the Bible (Matthew 2:1-12). They are not specified either as “three” or “kings” but as “magi” or Eastern wise men. The rest of the tradition, including their names (Caspar, Melchior and Balthazaar) seem to have been introduced in the 5th Century.The “Christmas tree” is a pagan symbol of life, originating in Germany. The poinsettia is native to Mexico, and was introduced into the USA as a Christmas decoration because its “flowers” (actually leaves) resemble a star.“Santa Claus” is a corruption of “St. Nicholas,” who lived in Demre, Turkey, in the fourth century. He is credited with many miracles and gift giving. His appearance in North America as a jolly round man in a strange red costume derives from a 1931 Coca Cola commercial!

Summary of Passage With Context

The story is told by the gospel-writer Luke. He is the only Gentile (non Jewish) writer in the Bible.

There is excitement in the air, as the story picks up all the threads of the past. For several hundred years now there had been “a great narrative of hope”[1], that the long-promised Messiah would come to set the people free from political and social bondage.

And then God told the priest Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son. The child was to be called John and his ministry would be to prepare the Jews for the birth of the Messiah by confronting them with the need to turn from their sinful ways and return to the God of Abraham. A few months later an angel visited Elizabeth’s relative, a young teenager named Mary, with the news that she would be the mother of the Messiah, made pregnant not by Joseph, to whom she was engaged, but by the Holy Spirit.

THE “GOSPELS”: The word “gospel” is an old English word for “good news.” The Gospels are four accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry, and stand at the beginning of the New Testament, although they were written later than the letters that come after them in our Bibles. They are a genre unto themselves. They are not really biographies, because they do not attempt to cover all of Jesus’ life, and their purpose goes beyond recording his life. Only Matthew and Luke tell us about the circumstances of his birth. Luke tells us of one incident that occurred when Jesus was twelve years old. After that we hear nothing until he begins his public ministry around the age of thirty. At that time he was baptized by John, and began to preach the good news of the “kingdom of God” (see next box). His teaching was utterly unlike anything people had heard before. He performed miracles, healing and even on occasion bringing people back to life. But he alienated the religious establishment. About a quarter of each of the Gospels is given to an account of how he was arrested, put on trial, and sentenced to death. But that, as we shall see, was not the end of the story. It led to the beginning of a much greater story, to which the gospels themselves point.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD: We think of a kingdom as a place, but when Jesus used this phrase (or “the kingdom of heaven” in Matthew’s gospel) he meant the sphere of God’s influence. With Jesus’ ministry and the subsequent coming of the Holy Spirit, the authority of God broke in on the world in an entirely new way. Jesus’ followers experienced the power of God in their lives and began to live and act with a new energy and purpose. Jesus explained that the power that was at work among them was quite different from the way people normally thought about power—wealth, privilege, coercion, political strength. By his life, teaching and resurrection Jesus showed that real power lies somewhere completely different. A new way of living is now open—to us too. The rest of the readings in this book will point you in that direction.

Joseph was returning to his family town of Bethlehem for the census ordered by the Emperor Augustus. With him was Mary, now nine months pregnant. The best accommodation they could find was in the stable of a first century equivalent of a bed-and-breakfast. The “stable” may well have been part of the house, but it was rough accommodation. And there her baby was born.

FACT: The actual date of Jesus’ birth is unknown—probably between 6 and 1 B.C. December 25 was chosen, at a much later date, to coincide with the Roman midwinter festival, Saturnalia. There is no record of Jesus’ birth date in any secular historical documents.

Application / Growing in Faith

- How would you have arranged it? God is sending his Son to earth with an agenda that not only fulfills all the prophecy of the Old Testament, but will change the whole earth forever. Shepherds were amongst the lowest class in society. It is to these people that God first announces the “good news.” Why is the baby born into circumstances like these?

- Pause and think about God becoming human. What does this tell you about God and his relationship with the human beings he created? Does this say anything to you personally? In the next few readings we will read of some of the things that Jesus did when he was grown up, which may flesh out your understanding of this question.

FURTHER READING: Matthew’s account of the birth of Christ, told from Joseph’s point of view, Matthew 1:18-2:23.

1. N.T.Wright, Simply Jesus, 35↵

Stories That Bite

Luke 15:1-32

Way In

Jesus began his public ministry by taking six weeks to be by himself in the desert and confront evil head on, before embarking on three years of teaching and healing. Jesus chose twelve men to be with him, watching him, and learning from him. It was common for teachers in the ancient Mediterranean to develop a following, but there was something different about Jesus’ disciples, as you will see.

PARABLES: Jesus loved to teach by telling stories. Not any stories, but a particular kind of story called A parable.The meaning of a parable lies under the surface. Parables can spring on the reader like a mousetrap catches a mouse, and often the hearer is trapped into making a judgment, realizing too late that he or she has condemned himself. We discover for ourselves what our hidden attitudes are, and we learn by being caught out. This was one of Jesus’ favourite ways of teaching, and so different from what people were used to that they were amazed.

You might want to reflect on why he taught in this way. Was it to avoid being accused of saying directly what needed to be said? Was it to get people to think and talk about the story? The gospel writer Mark suggests that Jesus taught like this so that only those who were serious about following him would understand (Mark 4:11-12). There was (and is) a secret in his teaching. There is a condition to understanding. It is wanting to understand, and being willing to obey.

Summary of Passage With Context

The context is given in verses 1-2. The Pharisees were Jewish leaders who set themselves up as experts in the law, especially ritual purity. They often appear in the Gospels in conflict with Jesus. Can you feel the tension in the air?

There are three parables in this chapter: 2 short ones and one told in more detail. Three parables, but they have a common point.

The longest story is often called ‘The Prodigal Son’, but we don’t use the word ‘prodigal’ much now. It means ‘wasteful.’ Actually, this is a story about two brothers, not just the wasteful one.

Explanation / Explore

- There is a lot of emotion in these stories. Can you feel what the shepherd, the woman, and the father were feeling?

- Can you see why Jesus goes on to tell what happened with the older brother?

People were amazed at the insight that Jesus had into what God was like. Jesus taught about a God who loved and forgave, a God who saw people as a father sees his children. He did not blame and punish when they turned to him in genuine repentance. He did not confront them with a set of rules, like the Pharisees did. Just the opposite! He welcomed them back with joy. Is this news to you?

Application / Growing in Faith

1. Who is Jesus addressing these three stories to? What do the three parables have in common?

2. Who do you identify with in the story of the wasteful son?

FURTHER READING: For another parable, read about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37); for one of Jesus’ miracles, the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-55); for his teaching read Matthew chapters 5–7, and ask yourself about Jesus, Who is this person?

Plots And Twists

Luke 22:66-23:56

Way In

What had Jesus done to deserve crucifixion? Opposition to Jesus had been steadily mounting during the three years of his ministry. Attitudes to him were sharply divided. Crowds had followed him. People were magnetically drawn to him. He healed and fed them. But the Jewish leaders were incensed at his teaching. It threatened their authority. He violated their principles; teaching about the kingdom of God while associating with the “wrong” people, offering forgiveness of sins (who did he think he was?).

Towards the end of his ministry he confronted the Jewish leaders (“Scribes and Pharisees”) directly, and when they challenged his authority he turned their accusations back at them and embarrassed them publicly (Luke 20). They longed to lay hands on him, but were afraid of his popular support. They also had to be careful to keep on the right side of Roman authority. The Romans were somewhat indifferent to local religious matters, but would not hesitate to put down any uprising in the Empire with brutal force.

CRUCIFIXION: Crucifixion was a barbaric form of execution used by the ancient Romans to make a public display of anyone who threatened public order. It was brutal (death could take several days) and utterly dehumanizing (the victim was left, exposed and naked, to die).

Summary of Passage With Context

In the end the Jewish leaders enticed one of Jesus’ own disciples to betray him into their hands. From their point of view it was a difficult situation. It was the weekend of the Jewish Passover. Jerusalem was full of pilgrims, and the matter could easily get out of hand. When they had arrested Jesus they couldn’t agree among themselves what charge to bring against him. They could not get him to incriminate himself. What was more difficult was that the Jewish court (the “Sanhedrin”) was not authorized to carry out capital punishment, so they had to hand Jesus over to the Roman governor, Pilate.

It was not clear to Pilate why they wanted him sentenced to death. Someone said that Jesus had claimed to be King of the Jews. The word “king” was offensive to the Romans, who had overthrown kingship centuries earlier and instituted first a republic and then an empire. “My kingdom is not of this world”, Jesus replied. Pilate, who was out of his depth in Jewish religious debates, could find no fault in him. Jesus refused to say anything, until he responded that he came into the world to testify to the truth (John 18:37-38) and Pilate famously replied “What is truth?”

All this took place illegally, all through the night. Pilate had Jesus flogged. The Jews shouted that Jesus ought to die because he claimed to be the son of God. A riot was brewing and they began to shout “If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor.” Pilate was now seriously afraid and washed his hands of the whole affair, and returned Jesus to the Jewish leaders to do whatever they wanted with him.

The disciples had fled. Peter had the courage to stay and watch some of the proceedings, but, caught out when one of the servant girls recognized him, denied all knowledge of Jesus. A rooster crowed, and Peter recognized the searing truth of Jesus’ words, that before the cock crowed he would deny the Lord he so loved. Jesus was led away to be crucified by the Romans.

This farce of a trial is recounted in detail in all four Gospels. It is the best attested trial from Roman times.

Explanation / Explore

Notice how Jesus handled himself through all this. To any onlooker he would have appeared an innocent victim, caught up in Jewish religious sensibilities and potentially a threat to Rome because he had spoken of a “kingdom.” Most of the people who had thronged about him during his three years of ministry were now disillusioned. They had looked for a king who would liberate them from Roman rule. Only a few, mainly women, stood by him.

But Jesus was no victim. He knew there was only one way he could accomplish the purpose for which he came to earth. His suffering and death were foretold by the prophets (see especially Psalm 22 and Isaiah 52:13-53:12). He also knew that death was not the end: that he would rise again, reign with the Father, and draw people to himself. Not even the closest of his disciples understood this at the time, even though he had prepared them for it (see John chapters 14-17). After he rose from the dead he opened their eyes and they began to understand.

Application / Growing in Faith

1. Why was Jesus put to death? and (a different question) Why did he give up his life? Jesus said to Pilate that he would have no power over him unless it had been given to him from above (John 19:11). He also said that no one had the power to take his life away from him (John 10:18). The next two questions will also help you think about this difficult question.

2. How could the death of someone 2,000 years ago make any difference to another person’s life? What do you think? If you’re not sure, ask the person who recommended this book or find a Christian who can give you an answer. Have you ever prayed? This would be a good time to ask God, in your own words, to make things clear to you.

FURTHER READING:1 Peter 2:21-25; Isaiah 52:13-53:12. How do these passages help to make sense of what Jesus did?

Not The End!

John 20:1-31

Way In

Even though Jesus had told them he would rise from the dead the disciples did not understand. They were not expecting him to rise from the dead. Ironically, it was the chief priests and the Pharisees who remembered what he had said, and set a guard in front of the tomb. (Matthew 27:62-65)

Summary of Passage With Context

Special people were customarily anointed with spices before burial, but in the case of Jesus this was not done because he had died just before the Sabbath. This task was traditionally carried out by women. Mary Magdalene was one of several women who followed him faithfully and had stood at the cross. She went to the tomb at the first opportunity to anoint Jesus, found that his body was not there, and was distraught. She saw who she thought was the gardener, but he called her by name—and she realized that this was Jesus himself, alive!

Can you imagine what must have gone through her mind?

SABBATH: The Sabbath—the day when God rested after creating the world—was kept by the Jews as a day of rest, and by the time of Jesus was an identity marker of the Jews. There were many prohibitions about what could not be done on the Sabbath. When Jesus rose from the dead on the third day (he was crucified on a Friday and they counted inclusively), Christians changed the day of worship to Sunday.

Jesus’ resurrection was totally unprecedented. Jesus rose with a body that was unlike the body he had had before, yet his friends could still recognize him. He appeared to his disciples on various occasions after his resurrection. The disciples were just as amazed as many of us may be. Jesus showed them in various ways that he was real, and not a ghost. He invited Thomas to feel the holes of the nails in his hands and the gash in his side. He ate and drank with them. But he could pass through closed doors, and he appeared and disappeared. On one occasion he appeared to as many as 500, so there was no room for doubt that he had truly risen from the dead.

In recent times skeptics have said, We know that the dead don’t rise. It’s not possible. On one occasion people called in medical witnesses to declare that it’s impossible. But this is exactly the point. It isn’t possible according to the way the world usually works. Jesus’ resurrection was unique, and it happened because God was at work.

It was not possible for Jesus, who was God, to be conquered by death. What we have here is the beginning of a story that continues in the New Testament in the Book of Acts, of a new world order breaking in on the order that we are familiar with, the beginning of the restoration of the world.

THOMAS: Put yourself into his sandals! I have a lot of time for Thomas! It was no easier for the first disciples to believe in the resurrection than it is for us today. Thomas was like most of us, and wanted some evidence before he believed.Nowhere in the Bible is there any hint that it’s wrong to ask questions, to want evidence, or even to doubt. What’s wrong, according to the Bible, is stubborn refusal to believe in God. So go ahead, formulate your questions and find someone who can answer them.

Application / Growing in Faith

1. He is risen! This is historical fact, rooted in the historical record. During his earthly ministry Jesus had taught about the Kingdom of God. His miracles declared that the Kingdom of God was at hand. What difference will this make to you?

2. Many people think that being a Christian means “going to heaven when you die”. But the Bible teaches that being a Christian is more a matter of knowing the presence of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives—experiencing his welcome and forgiveness, being able to overcome temptations, becoming more and more the people that God wants us to be, enjoying fellowship with God and one another, experiencing his answers to our prayers, being filled with joy under all circumstances, and sometimes seeing miracles. Yet we still know suffering, pain and death. One day Jesus will return to this earth and God’s plan to unite everything under himself will be complete. We live in the “already-but-not-yet” age.

FURTHER READING: The Emmaus road (Luke 23:13-35). This is a favourite Bible passage for many people because they dream about what it would have been like to be with Jesus hearing him explain from the Scriptures the things about himself . . . But wait a minute. We have that conversation, recorded for us in the rest of the New Testament, as those two disciples passed it on! Do you think they would have kept it to themselves?!

Still With Us!

Acts 2:1-41

Way In

In John’s Gospel there is a long account (chapters 13-17) of the time that Jesus spent with the disciples just before his death. When he started to tell them he was going away, and was going to prepare a place for them, they were understandably confused (John 14). He knew they would not be able to understand it all right then, but assured them that when these things happened they would understand and believe (14:29). He was “priming” them for the momentous events that were about to occur. We read of a similar conversation after his resurrection, when for the first time they understood what was in the Scriptures (the Old Testament, of course), and then he told them he would send what the Father had promised. Until that happened, they were to wait in Jerusalem (Luke 24:44-49). After he had said this he was taken into heaven (an event called the Ascension).

Luke recapitulates this story at the beginning of his second volume, the Book of Acts. The disciples were still confused, and still expected Jesus as Messiah to bring about political liberation from the oppression of the Romans (Acts 1:6).

It didn’t happen.

What did happen was the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

When you hear the phrase ‘the Holy Spirit’ what comes to your mind? Write it down.

Summary of Passage With Context

- Read the whole chapter before making any judgments about what is recorded here.

- Who was there?

- Look at what happened to Peter. Is this like the Peter we saw at the crucifixion? How do you account for such a dramatic change?

HOLY SPIRIT: God is not human like us. In Jesus he became a human being and identified with us. But he is also the creator of the universe. Jesus referred to his “Father”. He also works in a non-physical form. Jesus explained to his disciples that after he was gone the Holy Spirit would come and empower them. This happened at Pentecost (Acts 2). So God is in three forms, known as the “Trinity”. If you find this difficult to understand, take courage from the fact that throughout history Christians, while believing in the Trinity, find the concept hard to understand. At the same time we understand that the world was created and is sustained by God, that Jesus lived in history, and that the Holy Spirit is a present reality in our experience.

PETER: Remember how at the time of Jesus’ trial Peter had denied that he ever knew him? In John 21 we read of a significant encounter Peter had with the risen Christ. Only a week or so previously Peter had sworn, cursing, that he never knew Jesus. Before we condemn him let’s remember how much stress he was under, and that he, alone of all the disciples, had followed Jesus, albeit at a distance, to the house of the high priest. The situation was chaotic and terrifying. Jesus had warned him about what would happen, and the moment the rooster crowed, Peter remembered. He “went out and wept bitterly.” (Matthew 26:75) After the resurrection, although Peter had on several occasions seen the risen Christ, Jesus took the time to speak with him on his own. As Peter reaffirmed his love for Jesus, he was restored and forgiven, and realized that there was still great work for him to do—and possibly terrible suffering to face—after Jesus was gone. You can read this for yourself in John 21:15-19.

Explanation / Explore

- Make a list of the things that happened when the Holy Spirit came.

- Why do you think it was important that the disciples spoke in foreign languages

- Who was this gift (the Holy Spirit) for?

The Holy Spirit—God present in our lives today—is given to everyone who believes in Jesus. The scene isn’t usually as dramatic as it was on that first occasion, when 3,000 people were present, but the promise, receiving the Holy Spirit after repentance of sin and turning to God, is the same (Acts 2:39).

Application / Growing in Faith

1. The Holy Spirit is a person, not an ‘it’. He is God himself, come to us after Jesus went back to heaven in a way in which he can be present everywhere at once. He will make the Bible come alive, give you power to deal with the things in your life that do not please God, give you joy and purpose. (just like he did for Peter—and for millions of Christians for the past 20 centuries!)

2. He will enable you to play your unique part in your community. The Holy Spirit will transform you!

Have you revised your understanding of who the Holy Spirit is? How? Write it down.

FURTHER READINHG: The Holy Spirit gives gifts to all Christians, to be used in doing God’s work here on earth. You can read about that in Paul’s letter to the Romans 12:6-8. The Holy Spirit also produces Christlike character, the ‘fruit of the Spirit’, in our lives. See Paul’s letter to the Galatians 5:16-26.

No Breakups

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Way In

I wonder what your experience of love has been. Some of you will have known close and consistent love from your parents. For others, childhood was a painful time of alienation, and many readers will have known the pain of love lost in adulthood. But whatever your personal experience of human love and acceptance, the apostle Paul writes of a different kind of love. The kind of love that God wants us to experience is so different that the Greek language even used a special word for it, agapē. This is the love that God has for us, but also is the love that those who have known the love of God, extend to others.

About the year 33 or 34 AD a Jew named Saul was travelling from Jerusalem to Damascus to search out Christians as he persecuted them to their death—all the while believing that he was acting according to God’s will (You can read about this in Acts 22). On the way to Damascus he was stopped in his tracks by the risen Jesus himself. That encounter completely changed Paul, as he was known afterwards. He joined himself to the Christians and traveled throughout the Mediterranean with the story of Jesus. (His story is told in Acts 11:25 to 28:31). Sometimes Paul stayed for longer periods in strategic places, teaching both Jews and Greeks. Often he was attacked, brutally treated and even imprisoned by Jews. Sometimes he received news of distortions of the Gospel in places where he had made converts, and he was energetic in writing letters refuting their mistakes, and arguing for the message of Jesus.

Summary of Passage With Context

Paul had stayed in Corinth, a major Greek city, for about 18 months. The infant church was plagued by all sorts of problems which Paul addressed in several letters, two of which have survived. It seems, from reading between the lines, that some in Corinth prided themselves on gifts they had received from the Spirit. Addressing the confusion that resulted from their misunderstanding of why the Spirit gives us gifts, Paul wrote to them of “a more excellent way.” The passage has become a favourite with Christians ever since. It is often read at weddings, but it really isn’t about love between man and wife, but about love that comes from God and that those who know God share with others.

Explanation / Explore

- Notice the differences between what Paul writes here and how we would normally describe love.

- The Old Testament had used a Hebrew word to describe God’s love for us. Older English translations called this ‘loving kindness.’

- Notice that “agapē” doesn’t depend on, or start with, the recipient. This is unlike our ordinary human love.

- “Agapē” is listed first in the fruit of the Spirit, described by Paul in Galatians 5:22.

- Nothing that we do can break God’s love for us. Remember David.

Application / Growing in Faith

1. You may have been at the receiving end of 1 Corinthians 13 love. Think about the people who have shown you love (agapē) recently. If you find it hard to believe that their love was unconditional, talk to God about that in prayer.

2. To be able to love like this is a gift from God, and we experience it in the first instance in his love for us. The apostle John wrote: “We love, because he loved us first” (1 John 4:19). Only those who know this can extend agapē to others.

FURTHER READING: Read John 17:20-26. Jesus is praying for you and me here.

The Goal

1 Corinthians 15:1-58

Way In

Paul here sums up the gospel for the people of Corinth. He had been there recently in his travels and had stayed three years, teaching the infant church. He is writing from Ephesus (in modern day Turkey), to correct misunderstandings that have already crept in. This is one of the very earliest parts of the New Testament, written in the early 50’s, before the gospels. People who had encountered the risen Christ before his ascension were still alive and could be appealed to for confirmation.

In the melting pot of ideas current in the Mediterranean at that time there were different theories about what happened after death. Five hundred years earlier, Socrates, in Plato’s Phaedo, had spoken at length on the topic, and Plato’s idea of another world where you could find a perfect replica of everything on earth (including us, when we die) had gained traction. This ingenious “world of forms” was non-material, for according to Plato, it is the physical nature of the world we know that leads to death. Plato’s ideas still hold a firm grip on the thinking of many people today.

But in this passage Paul stresses that the Christian hope for the future is very different.

Summary of Passage With Context

There are two main points in this chapter. First, the resurrection of Jesus Christ can be demonstrated as a historical event. When Christians talk about resurrection they are not speculating or offering a philosophical theory. Secondly, resurrection means that people who have died will be given new bodies—as Jesus was—recognizable but different from what we had before. There is a lot here that remains unspecified, but we can get an idea of God’s plan for us by looking at what happens to a seed that becomes a plant. There is continuity and order, but the plant is quite different from the seed. God’s whole plan will be complete when all of heaven and earth are recreated. In the meanwhile, we have work to do (verse 58). Although Paul soars to spiritual heights in his writing, his feet are always firmly planted on the ground.

Explanation / Explore

This reading will leave you with lots of questions. There is so much that we cannot begin to understand. But there is a lot too that we can understand.

1. The Christian hope is no ethereal idea of a disembodied spirituality. In this early statement there is no picture of playing harps or sitting on clouds. (Those pictures come from the highly poetic and stylized language of the book of Revelation, and are not tied in any way to what will happen to the Christian when he or she dies.) Paul says very specifically that those who are dead will be given new bodies.

2. Death is “the enemy”. There is no pretense that it is painless, or that we should not grieve.

3. This glimpse of what is to come is given for our encouragement.

4. One day heaven and earth will be united, when heaven is joined with the earth, as described in Revelation 21:1-4.

5. Ultimately, this earth will be changed, but will still be the earth—as the Creator intended it to be. The original vision of Genesis 1 will be restored and everything will again be “very good.”

6. We have a taste of this life when we become Christians and share in the life of Christ. We live in the “already-and-not-yet.”

Application / Growing in Faith

1. God has never abandoned his original purpose which we read about in Genesis 1. He designed a world that would be characterized by love and peace. Yet so much that we do (yes, all of us) is destructive of love and peace. What have you learned from this book about how Jesus has acted to turn us around to become part of the solution instead of part of the problem?

2. What do you need to do to become part of God’s re-creation?

FURTHER READING: If you have heard God’s voice speaking to you as you have worked through these readings, and if you are ready to respond, read on.

Becoming A Christian

The world around us is a mess. When we stop to think about it we see we are surrounded by problems that seem insurmountable—the climate, the environment, the economy, wars and conflict, domestic violence, family breakdown… Our politicians make hopeful statements but in reality they don’t seem to be able to get a handle on any of this. We are caught up in many problems that are not of our own making.

But we all know individually what it is to screw up, and how relationships get broken. It hurts, and our natural tendency is to withdraw. We comfort ourselves in the knowledge that this happens to everyone, that we are not particularly worse than anyone else. But that’s not much comfort.

We know too what it means to be disappointed. The sense of entitlement which we have been encouraged to develop does not seem to lead to getting what we want out of life—on the contrary, frustration and disappointment are more the order of the day. We settle for getting by.

If we’re honest, we admit that all of us have contributed in some way to this mess. What we really want is forgiveness, a fresh start, and the ability to get out of the mess we’re in and live a meaningful life. We want a way out. We want a place to belong. We want a clear identity. We want to be part of something meaningful, to have a purpose, to be caught up in something bigger than ourselves where we can play a part, and we want to be valued for that.

Jesus was born into this world to meet all these issues. He quietly became one of us. But he was different. He brought a different perspective. His teaching was different from what anyone else was saying, then and now. It cost him his life. But, as his disciples came to realize, he was in fact God himself. Death could not hold him, and he came back to life. In his death he absorbed all that was wrong. We’re not used to someone knowing what’s wrong with us and loving us just the same. But that’s what Jesus did, and does.

Jesus came to give us freedom, an identity and a purpose. In Jesus we can start again. We can experience forgiveness, a fulfilling relationship with other people, and a fulfilling relationship with God himself. We can know the love of others and of God. We can have joy. All we have to do is to be honest enough to face the wrong we’ve done, to admit that this hurts God as much as it has hurt other people, to ask Jesus to forgive us and to make us new.

That’s a big “all,” and we may have to sort out our relationships with other people and put things right. The cost to Jesus was all he had, and he did it for us. If we cry out to him for forgiveness we can be a part of his “new creation,” and members of a new community, the community of faith. He knows you and me individually, and he is longing for each of us to respond to his love.

There is a way forward. Why don’t you reach out in prayer and surrender to Jesus, right now? Prayer is simply speaking to God. It doesn’t have to be in any special form. All that God requires is that we are honest. God accepts us just as we are, and you can’t pray “wrong.”

You could use these words, or make up your own:

Lord Jesus Christ

I come to you now, just as I am, acknowledging that I have messed up my life. I know that I have done things that are wrong, and that my attitudes are not right. I have not always taken care of the good world you made. I have hurt people out of spite, anger, jealousy or just plain carelessness, thoughtlessness and laziness . . . I want to say sorry.

Thank you for becoming a human being, one of us. Thank you for the life you lived, and the love you showed to all sorts of people. Thank you for dying for me, to take away my sins.

I know that I can’t do anything to save myself, and so I ask for your mercy and your forgiveness. I now surrender myself into your hands, and ask you to re-make me and give me a fresh start as one of your own children, and part of your family.

Thank you for your promise to be with me, always, no matter what.

Amen

Where To Go From Here

If you have responded to the invitation above, have believed and repented, there is one more thing you need to do. Being a Christian means being a member of God’s family – you need to find a church where you can join in public worship and make your faith public by being baptized.

Epilogue: The Story Isn't Over

There are things in the Bible that allude to the future (e.g. 1 Corinthians 13:8-12)—future for Paul and still future for us.

There are loose ends!

There are things that we want God to do that he hasn’t done (yet).

There is still appalling evil in the world and in our lives.

The promises of the Old Testament are not all fulfilled yet.

Jesus will come back.

Heaven will come down to the new earth.

One day everything will be put right and the world will again be “very good,” the way it was created to be.

We will remain individuals.

We don’t know everything about what it will be like, but we do know that there will be:

- no more tears

- no worry

- no cancer

- no war

- no hunger

- no danger

- no insecurity

- no fear

- no guilt

- no purposelessness

- no emptiness

(and mosquito bites won’t itch)

Everyone will acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

The new earth will be Eden restored, i.e. back to God’s original purposes.

And Jesus will reign, forever and ever.

About Scripture Union Canada

Connecting Canadians with Jesus and His Story

Scripture Union began in 1867 when a young man, Josiah Spiers, shared the Gospel with children on a beach in Wales. The first Scripture Union work in Canada dates from 1879, making it one of the founding Christian ministries in the country. SU Canada’s National Headquarters are in Pickering, Ontario. SU Canada is affiliated with a worldwide fellowship of Scripture Union ministries in more than 140 countries. SU Canada connects Canadians of all ages with Jesus Christ through inspirational Bible reading guides, incisive leadership training, and innovative children’s, youth and community sports initiatives.

Many Christian leaders speak highly of Scripture Union:

“I am totally, completely, and forever a Scripture Union man.” - Billy Graham

“I commend Scripture Union; it is Bible centered and worthy of prayer, support and the greatest possible expansion all over the world.” - Luis Palau

“I heartily endorse this ministry.” - Jill Briscoe

“Scripture Union taught me the discipline of daily Bible reading – a discipline I consider indispensable to Christian growth and freshness.” - John Stott

SU Canada

1885 Clements Road, Unit 226

Pickering, ON L1W 3V4 (905)427-4947

info@scriptureunion.ca

www.scriptureunion.ca

About the Canadian Bible Society

Our Story

Two hundred years ago, a Welsh girl named Mary Jones walked 25 miles in her bare feet for one purpose – to acquire a single copy of the Bible. Mary’s story inspired many to expand their vision of the power of God’s Word and the need to make the Scriptures readily available in heart languages around the world. At the Canadian Bible Society (CBS) we know first-hand the impact of Mary’s life since she inspired the creation of the first Bible Society. Founded in 1904 we have been active partners among the 145 national Bible Societies for more than a century. In our native land, CBS publishes and distributes complete Bibles, New Testaments and other Scriptures portions in over 100 languages, as well as 23 Canadian First Nations tongues.

The Word. For Life. CBS exists to reach every man, woman and child with the life-giving Word of God. Some of our recent projects include:

- The Keys to Freedom Bible addresses the huge Bible poverty need throughout the Canadian prison system. It provides numerous helps for those incarcerated with little understanding of the Bible including book outlines, section headings, a dictionary, maps, daily reading guide.

- The Military Bible is designed to encourage our troops to “take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” Ephesians 6:17 (NIV). Based on the conviction that the Scriptures are the best weapon against fear, doubt and despair, this camouflage-covered Bible provides comfort and assurance for soldiers and their families.

- The Word of Welcome Bible was produced specifically to serve as a language textbook for teaching English and French to our nation’s newest citizens. Offered through churches that conduct ESL/FSL classes, this unique Bible immerses language students in the Scriptures.

Canadian Bible Society

10 Carnforth Road

Toronto, Ontario M4A 2S4

(416) 757-4171

info@biblesociety.ca

www.biblesociety.ca