Archive | New Testament

“Want ad for an Apostle…”

By Madelon on March 25, 2019 in Bible Study, Bible Study Groups, Discipleship, Leadership, New Testament, New Testament Letters, Paul the Apostle

The Apostle Paul, from a 4th-century cave painting in Ephesus, Turkey.

If God ever wrote a want ad, looking for an apostle, maybe it would include some of the qualifications below. That may seem like a silly idea, but it was a way to begin to appreciate the remarkable career of someone who changed the course of Christianity forever. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it years ago when I began to realize just what one person had accomplished and the extraordinary qualifications he brought to the work. Many have requested this after hearing it in talks, so I hope you enjoy. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few…” (Matt. 9: 37). Indeed!

Must have a practical trade whereby he can support himself and not be obligated to those he serves.
Must be able to relate to and interact with all classes and types of people, from philosophers (Mars Hill) to tradesmen (Ephesus silversmiths and tentmakers), to politicians, government officials, women, wealthy, poor and slaves.
Must have an ability and willingness for public speaking (including to crowds who don’t like the message) in an articulate, thoughtful, persuasive and heartfelt way.
Must have a working knowledge of Hebrew and know the Scriptures about Me collected by my people, Israel, as well as understand the culture of the Temple and synagogue in which they worship.
Must be able to speak and write Greek, the language that the educated Gentile world uses and understands.
Must have demonstrated the ability to work in My vineyard, study My Law, be obedient to My teachings as best they understand them.
Must be freeborn and have a passport, i.e. Roman citizenship, in order to move freely throughout My world,
Must have significant spiritual receptivity, conviction, courage, and trust in Me, not himself or his own intellect or willpower.
Must have enormous nurturing abilities to express patience, tenderness, and care for those who don’t always get it, who backslide, who need course correcting.
Must have enough life experience that he isn’t fooled by the ways of the tempter, and is able to discern between My voice and that of the carnal mind
Must have the faith and courage to hear My voice in the darkest hours, such as in prison, and to consistently stand against envy, ignorance, greed, and hatred.
Must be on fire with the clarity and truth of the message I will provide along with indefatigable energy to walk, sail, or ride thousands of miles over three decades.

In short, ‘I’m looking for Saul of Tarsus who I will transform into Paul.’

Six Reasons to Celebrate Jesus’ Birth

By Madelon on December 24, 2018 in Bible Study, Bible Study Groups, Discipleship, New Testament, The Gospels

While answers to this question might appear so obvious that it doesn’t bear asking, I invite you to pause this Christmas Eve and actually write down your own answers. They probably won’t match anyone else’s list and that’s just fine. What this simple exercise does is bring the life of Jesus of Nazareth, whose birth over 3 billion people celebrate this Christmas season, into our hearts a bit more.

So as we close another year, it is a joy to share with you, my much-appreciated BibleRoads friends, some of my reasons and hope you will share yours in the comments section below.

First, I celebrate that God loved His/Her creation enough to send the son who would not be fooled by what his senses told him was ‘real’ – leprosy, deafness, blindness, etc. His example in busting through compelling physical evidence remains an astonishing example to follow. And where would we be without it?

Next, I celebrate Joseph, who had the humility to stay on the marriage track with Mary, since he was legally within his rights to have her stoned for a pregnancy that could only be explained through the ‘overshadowing’ of the Holy Ghost.

Mary is almost beyond comprehension as a teen whose spiritual-mindedness was so developed that she was receptive to the angel’s extraordinary message. She is a model of listening on tiptoe and then being obedient, regardless of how much the message stretches us or goes against popular custom and others’ opinions.

Far left end, lower register of the Dogmatic Sarcophagus (before mid-4th cent.): The Adoration of the Magi

The Wise Men are particularly appreciated this season since they symbolize the universal appeal of Christ, the divinity of Jesus’ nature. With today’s technology, we increasingly learn just how interconnected our little global village actually is. I appreciate these insights from a sermon given around 440 CE:

How did it come to be that these men, who left their home country without having seen Jesus, and had not noticed anything in his appearance to enforce such systematic adoration, offered these particular gifts? It was the star that attracted their eyes, but the rays of truth also penetrated their hearts, so that before they started on their toilsome journey, they first understood that the One who was promised was owed gold as royalty, incense as divinity, and myrrh as mortal…and so it was of great advantage to us future people that this infant should be witnessed by these wise men.1

The Shepherds are a lesson in preparation. The qualities their profession demanded – to see that those in their care found enough food and water, that they were well-guarded from wolves or thieves who would carry them off, that the animals wouldn’t be overdriven, that the young ones sometimes needed to be carried, not pushed, counting each animal at night as they passed under their hand – were the very attributes they would eventually recognize in the leadership of Jesus over Israel, willing to die for those in his ‘flock’.

And finally, the foiling of Herod the Great’s scheme to kill off the Christ child before his life’s purpose could be fulfilled. I sometimes forget that the Wise Men journeyed first to Jerusalem and there had that encounter with Herod who thought to use them for his own malevolent purposes. As someone threatened by anything or anyone that would encroach on his power, upend his authority, overturn his sense of reality, Herod is a reverse model for all that we want to rule out of our lives and actions: jealousy, scheming, deception, and the draining ambition of personal power. The Magi’s ‘wisdom’ was never more in evidence than when they wisely did not inform Herod of the child’s location and instead returned to their homes, content to have seen him.

This list is far from complete. Please share what makes you pause this Christmas season in gratitude for all that the Master Christian’s birth means to you.

[1]Sermon by Pope Leo, quoted in “The Magi in Literature”, Robin Jensen, Bible Review, Dec. 2001, Vol. 17, #06.

How to have a ‘wow’ moment in group Bible Study

By Madelon on September 12, 2018 in Bible Study, Bible Study Groups, New Testament, The Gospels

I remember it like yesterday About 15 years ago, a group of girlfriends and I decided to meet monthly in one another’s homes to read through a Biblical book, share insights and enjoy each others’ company. It turned out to be a pretty unbeatable formula as we realized most of us thrive when two basic things occur: creating community and continuous learning. Our Bible Study group accomplished both in spades.

“Christ at the Last Supper” by Harry Anderson (1906-1996)

That Saturday morning we stumbled upon a practice that turned out to be hugely valuable: we staged the Last Supper, one of the New Testament’s most well-known stories. By that I mean we literally tried to recreate the scene by thinking through the seating arrangement John’s Gospel described–although we weren’t really sure what we’d accomplish other than hoping for a clearer understanding of that momentous scene (see John 13:21-30).

We assumed it would have been John on one side and Peter on the other, knowing those were his two special disciples, indicated by events like the Transfiguration where they were the only ones included. But in the prior foot-washing story, we realized Peter is neither first nor last, but somewhere in the middle (see John 13:5,6). When Jesus returns to the table, announcing Judas’ coming betrayal (see John 13:17,18), we read: ^“One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him” (John 13: 23). This is John. The next verse reveals Peter’s distance, not nearness: “Simon Peter therefore motioned to him (John) to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking (John 13:24).

I’ll never forget the moment when we simultaneously realized the text implied it was Judas probably sitting in the other honored seat next to the Master. Could it be that Jesus was providing Judas one final opportunity to make a decision other than betrayal, an opportunity to be a better version of himself? An opportunity to rise instead of fall, to take a stand for what Judas knew was right, rather than surrender to the same evil influence that Jesus had successfully denounced at the launch of his ministry (see Matt. 4, Mark 1:12 and Luke 4).

In seeing that tiny detail of that history-changing night, I realized that love means never giving up on someone, continuing to engage, to stay with them to offer one more opening to make a choice that could change the course of a life. Talk about the opportunity for second chances! You might not initially think such a detail could be helpful, but it has provided a standard of forgiveness and patience that has guided me many times in the intervening years.

Recently I read this statement that confirmed what we glimpsed, written by a Jewish convert to Christianity who wrote extensively on Jewish practices in the New Testament, with emphasis added:

“Jewish documents are explicit in the arrangement of the table. It seems to have been quite an established rule that in a company of more than two, say of three, the chief personage or Head, in this case, Christ, reclined on the middle divan. We know from the Gospel narrative that John occupied the place on his Right hand, at the end of the divans, at the head of the table. But the chief place next to the Master would be to His left. We believe it to have been actually occupied by Judas. It is thought that Peter sat at the head of the table across from John. The rest of the disciples would occupy such places as were most convenient, or suited their fellowship with one another” (from The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim, 1825-1889).

I share this treasured insight gained from a simple Bible Study group moment because I’ve so come to believe in the blessings such study can bestow on everyone who participates in something similar. It’s the adult version of ‘back to school’, with significant spiritual lessons to be gleaned. It’s a joy to watch at least eight new groups start this fall, using one of the eleven (soon to be twelve) BibleRoads workbooks, then hearing of the friendships and insights that grow from such associations.

I was thinking of this as preparation proceeds for an upcoming four day Bible Study at the beautiful Cedars’ Camps in the Ozark’s, on “Mark’s Gospel”. If people have never been to such an event, they might not know what to expect. Just consider any study project where you first prepare on your own by studying and answering provided questions, then think and pray through a text, researching it in various resources. Then benefit from coming together to share those insights with others who also want to dig deeper. Combine that with facilitation providing cultural, historical and religious background, asking key questions, urging people to think more deeply, and suddenly the text comes alive in new, fresh ways.

If this is something you’re interested in, please feel free to be in touch and/or watch a free, short video on some tips that could be helpful. While nothing substitutes for individual prayer and study, there are benefits from being part of group Bible Study:

Getting to know fellow church members and friends at a deeper level
Appreciating the accountability the group demands (don’t show up if you’re not prepared)
Having a deadline (such as monthly or bi-weekly meetings) to ensure Bible study is a priority in busy lives
Learning more about the Bible’s history, culture, politics, religion, and geography — all with the goal of making its stories more understandable, accessible and relevant to today
Learning to speak the same language of the Bible that other Christian friends use vs. employing denominational language that others may find unfamiliar or puzzling
And above all, finding new spiritual insights that are applicable to lives today

On such occasions, one can feel ideas bursting like popcorn in the room. Fresh insights now flood thought and suddenly a familiar passage is illumined in startling new ways. The atmosphere of loving, non-judgmental support surely adds to the clarity and insight participants gain. And most importantly, individuals leave with a sense of how to dig more deeply and thoughtfully into a Biblical text on their own.

We would love to hear your experiences in a group Bible Study, so please take a moment to share any that are meaningful. And happy digging!

What Mark’s Gospel Can Teach Us – Announcing new in-depth Study Opportunity!

By Madelon on July 16, 2018 in Bible Study, Bible Study Groups, Biblical artists, Discipleship, New Testament, The Gospels

Saint Mark the Evangelist, Guido Reni (1575-1642)

While national characteristics can be exaggerated (i.e. ‘all Italians talk with their hands’), the description of Americans as a people of action is born out in hundreds of examples. And that’s one reason why the Gospel of Mark might have special appeal to anyone with a proclivity toward action.

Mark is the Gospel that most depicts Jesus on the move–‘immediately’ on the other side of the lake, ‘immediately’ discerning his critics’ innermost thoughts, ‘immediately’ healing a fever. It also depicts a relentless progression of narrative and events that climax in the Master Christian’s crucifixion and resurrection.

With its lack of an infancy story, and compression of Jesus’ ministry into a single year, Marks gospel is the shortest of the Canon’s four (including Matthew, Luke and John). Yet scholars think it is chock full of eyewitness accounts, conveyed from Peter to his traveling companion, John Mark, who most consider its author. Mark’s focus on Jesus’ identity, explored through numerous characters, makes us ask if we understand his identity as well–who he is in relation to the cross, to the Messiahship, to his ultimate role as the mediator between God and humankind (I Tim. 2:5). The Gospel has much to say about discipleship and one’s faith, causing the reader to ask tough and candid questions about one’s own followership.

These are a few of the many reasons we have chosen it for our annual in-depth study at Cedars’ Camps, October 11-15^th, 2018. Enrollment has recently opened and we hope you’ll consider giving yourself the luxury of four days to go deeply into one of the New Testament’s most descriptive books about Christ Jesus. Please don’t wait too long as this program sells out.

Join us to explore more deeply Jesus’ ministry and how each chapter of Mark’s Gospel builds on the last. A workbook with questions per chapter will be available to participants and afterwards through BibleRoads. All of this study is approached not simply as an academic exploration, but a way to mine new depths of the Gospel’s message to your daily life today. We hope you can join us in this beautiful Fall location in the Ozark’s.

Revelation’s Other View of Christ: Incompatible or Inclusive?

By Madelon on July 3, 2018 in Bible Study, Biblical artists, Discipleship, New Testament, The Gospels

From pastoral shepherd caring for his flock to mighty warrior bent on destruction — here are two New Testament views of Christ so opposite that, on first glance, they seem incompatible. The Gospels and the book of Revelation give both. Why?

Jesus as both Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God.

One of the favorite tourist treasures from a trip to Jerusalem is visiting a shop where wood carvers create all size figurines of Jesus with a lamb over his shoulder. Carved from local cedar, it epitomizes the Jesus we come to know as children first exposed to the Gospel story. Here is the ‘good shepherd’, one of the ‘seven ‘I AM’ statements of powerful self-identification in John’s Gospel. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). And here also is the symbol of Jesus as the Lamb of God, evident throughout the Scriptures.

The good Shepherd portrays the pastoring care-giver that loves little children; heals the leper, the deaf and the blind; patiently nurtures his disciples’ faith and understanding; calmly masters storms; teaches unadorned parables that convey profound lessons; defuses angry crowds by raising their self-awareness, staving off a stoning of an adulterous woman—all through his spiritual equanimity and poise. Each of the four Gospels provide varying stories of these events, reinforcing an image of Christ Jesus that comforts and nurtures our own spiritual growth today.

And then there is Revelation. This last book of the New Testament has confounded readers for centuries, providing the greatest variety of interpretations, frightening some and for others, providing justification for coming Armageddon’s. But what is consistent throughout is a view of Christ as warrior that can provide significant insight.

To get to this view, Revelation first shows it is the critical second part of the Bible’s Alpha and Omega of books. Just as Genesis is the ‘alpha’ and introduces a spiritual view of man in Chapter 1 (“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26), so Revelation is the ‘omega’ story of the need to defend that understanding. What a perfect way to end the New Testament record, based on Christ Jesus’ numerous proofs of man in God’s image.

Crypt of the Romanesque 10th century chapel, Gargilesse, France.

So where does the warrior image of Christ come in? After the Lamb is initially introduced, in John’s first vision when taken to heaven. Here we learn that this Lamb figure is the crucified and resurrected Christ, alone worthy to open the seven-sealed scroll that will reveal the machinations of evil. “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals” (Rev. 5:5).

Here is our first hint of the conquering Christ who prevails throughout the rest of the book, destroying all the ways that evil tries to deceive, terrorize and undermine humanity.

One of the joys of researching and sharing Biblical books like Revelation is seeing the varied styles of art through centuries that capture the ideas Revelation conveys. One example is this depiction from the 10^th century Crypt of the Romanesque chapel, Gargilesse, in one of France’s most beautiful villages in the Loire Valley. Christians cared enough about this image of Christ, destroying evil’s obnoxious efforts to undermine, to create this fresco and worship here through the centuries.

(In addition to the crypt, artists depicted other treasures of Revelation, such as Capitals of the twenty-four elders of the Apocalypse—so meaningful was this final Biblical book to their own spiritual journey.)

Christ as warrior with the sword in his mouth is an image throughout Revelation, from the first chapter to almost the last. “In his right hand he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining with full force (Rev. 1:16).

And “…The rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, the sword that came from his mouth…” (Rev. 19:21), with the ‘rider’ again being the Christ figure.

What a lesson to Christians today, to express both the pastoring and warrior qualities of Christ. Here is the demand to both love and patiently nurture ourselves and others, as well as be ever-vigilant to fight and destroy evil’s aggressive efforts to make one forget who he or she really is, as Genesis and Revelation remind us in their Alpha and Omega roles.

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