Episodit
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6-9-24 Biblical-Literacy
Mark continued with lesson 17 in his Study of Revelation starting with a reference to The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis which shows how Satan instructs his demon with eight ways to shake and destroy our faith. Satan uses the church, ourselves, Christian life, prayer, focus, all to pull us away from God. Mark then expanded on this from Revelation 12 - 14.
1. The Reality of Satan’s Assaults - We learn:
He is real and hides himself.
Can be a frontal attack or more subtle.
We are part of an ongoing war.
The mark of the beast - 666, is the number of man.
2. Placed into Revelation’s Larger Context - We learn:
All the visions and vignettes begin and end with Jesus.
The blessedness of the redeemed.
The warnings of humanity.
The harvest of mankind.
Listen to Mark teach how Satan (Dragon) has been trying to destroy Christ and His people since Christ entered the world and will continue until the second coming. Beware of false teachers and false teachings that are not from God. Anything that puts something other than God on the throne leads to death.
Points for Home:
God keeps all his people.
We sing a new song. -
Mark continued with Lesson 15 in A Study of Revelation. This week’s focus was on the dragon,
the beast, and other things.
The persecuting dragon in Revelation 12-14 shows a spiritual war.This occurs during the age of the church through the second coming.
The dragon: Satan, the deceiver, accuser, devil.Two different beasts are sent to plague the
world: sea and land.
The beast from the sea represents earth's history, nations, and government. The best of the land
represents the mind.
Points for home:
We’ve been made more than conquerors
Be wary of the enemy’s wiles
Endure
Listen to Mark continue with the theme from Revelation: The victory of Christ and His church
over the dragon and his minions. The church is afflicted but not destroyed. Beware of wors
hiping governments instead of God -
Puuttuva jakso?
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05/26/2024 Biblical-literacy
The lesion begins with Mark talking about where we are so far in the book of Revelations and then talks about the persecuting Dragon, which starts in Revelations Chapter 12.
Where are we so far in Revelations?
Revelations was the type of writing that was common 2000 to 2500 years ago that Scholars today call apocalyptic.
The writing was rich in:
Symbolism
An age to come
Peculiar use of numbers
Visions and Dreams
Coming Cataclysm
Angels and demons
Mark singles out one of these writings that is important to us today which is,
Peculiar use of numbers, defining their different uses inside Bible verses and outside the Bible
Example:
The number 3:
Daniel 6:10 – Daniel kneels and prays three (3) times a day.
1 Samuel 3, Numbers 6:24-26, Jeremiah 22:9, Isaiah 33:10
Outside the bible: Pathway of the sun was divided into divisions
each associated with a separate deity.
The number 4:
Genesis 2:10 – The river from Eden was divided into four (4) to
encompass the land. Isaiah 11:12, Acts 10:11, 11:5, Ezekiel 7:2
The Number 7:
Proverbs 24:16 – The righteous fall seven times but get up again.
Exodus 25ff, Matthew 18:21
Outside the Bible: The penitent offered the prayer, My God my sins
are seven times seven, pardon my sins.
Mark then explains the 7 parts of Revelations which are:
Christ In the Lampstands (1-3) (w/7 letters)
Heaven and the 7 Seals (4-7)
The 7 Trumpets (8-11)
The persecuting Dragon (12-14)
The lesson continues with greater detail relative to the persecuting Dragon, referring to Revelations 4-7 and Revelations 8-11, Age of the Church – Vision Span - 2nd Coming
The theme continues with the victory of Christ and his church over the Dragon and his minions.
Revelations 12:1 is discussed in detail relating to “The women is the “Church”.
The lesson continues with discussion of Revelations 12:4 and the conflict between the woman, about to give birth, and the Dragon. Revelations 12:6 sheds lite on the actions of the woman and the results of her actions.
God’s power and rule in our hearts is vindicated! Luke 10:17-20
See Rev 12:17 and see the reaction of the Dragon.
Bottom line, Satan’s wiles against the Church continues……
Points for Home:
We are not helpless paupers!
A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars
The accuser is defeated!
“ the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down”
We’ve been more than conquerors!
“they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb" -
5-19-24 Biblical-Literacy
Mark continued in The Study of Revelation with the 7 visions that happen in parallel construction.
The focus of today’s lesson is the interlude period: the sixth seal and the sixth trumpet prior to the second coming. This age of the church period is a call and a warning for people to repent before it's too late.
Mark also taught about the “little" scroll that the angel of God shows to John and asks him to eat it.
The scroll tastes like honey in his mouth but becomes bitter in the stomach, symbolizing that following Jesus is sweet but the world turns against the Christian.
Points for home:
God is in control
Let us be witnesses
Be at peace
Listen to Mark talk about how God’s justice is coming with a reminder there are things at play in the universe that we don’t understand. Mark shares the biblical meaning of symbols and what it meant to a church who faces persecution then and today. Be encouraged. -
5-12-24 Biblical-Literacy
Brent Johnson taught today’s lesson on the topic of what we should do while waiting on the 2nd
Coming of the Lord. Brent’s primary passage was from 2 Peter 3:11-18. Peter wrote the letter around
64-67 AD. Brent opens by explaining the letter’s purpose: to remember truth, faith supplements, and
be aware of false teachings because time is running out for the Lord’s return.
I. Live Godly Lives
2. Live Gospel Lives
3. Live Growing Lives
Points for home:
Live right - godly and biblical
Share Jesus with everyone
Keep growing
Listen to Brent teach on Peter’s urgency for Jesus’ followers to continue holy and godly lives. -
5/5/24 Biblical-Literacy
Mark continued in The Study of Revelation with a comparison of chapters 4:7 and 8:11
The lesson showed how John’s two visions compare and relate to the people at the time of writing and those
living in the age of the church.
Revelation 4-7: The 7 seals,what each signify and there effect on believers and unbelievers
concluding with Jesus’s second coming.
Revelation 8-11: The 7 trumpets parallel the 7 seals and occur at the same time. Trumpets refer to
warnings and judgment throughout the Bible.
Points for home:
God is in control
Jesus is both our savior and judge
He is our peace
Listen to Mark teach God is always at work and remains in control. There is nothing pretty about evil,
but thankfully Satan’s powers have limits. -
4-28-24 Biblical-Literacy
Dr. David Capes taught a class in the Study of Revelation with a focus on the apocalyptic themes noted by the Apostle Paul.
Dr. Capes reviewed more traits of apocalyptic themes including analysis of the academic definition, literature of the time, and how it encouraged faithfulness for the persecuted believers. In addition, Dr. Capes shared about Paul’s mindset and apocalyptic ideas in his writing: experienced visions, two ages of history (this evil age ruled by Satan and the age to come ruled by God), Jesus came to deliver us from this present age, and how we remain locked in battle with spiritual forces.
Listen to Dr. Capes conclude in sharing a C.S. Lewis excerpt from Narnia and contrasting two kinds of people: living and dead. Where will you be? God wants to rescue you from this present age. -
4-21-24 Biblical Literacy
Mark continued in A Study in Revelation expanding the theme of visions. Revelation replicates the same visions in different ways. Today’s agenda focused on Revelation 8-11: the 7 angels and 7 trumpets, similar to the 7 seals in Revelation 4-7.
We learn that:
1.The visions are happening at the same time.
2.Bible trumpets are the sound of the warning of God’s judgment. God is at work.
3.Many of the trumpets came out of the plagues of Egypt.
Points for home:
1.God is in control
2.Jesus is our prayer partner
3.Heed the warning
Listen to Mark teach God is continually at work in a beautiful but fallen world that is not what it should be. -
Biblical Literacy 4/14/24
Pastor Jarrett Stephens taught the Biblical Literacy class lesson with a focus on
“Remember" that God offers the believer hope. He asked us to focus on these times:
1. Remember your salvation
2. Remember your calling
3. Remember when the Lord first used you
4. Remember when you met your spouse and/or had your first child
5. Remember your toughest trial
Rewards of remembering:
1. Thanksgiving
2. Fuels worship
3. Strengthens faith
God instructs us to remember who He is and what He has done for us. Let’s never forget His
incredible faithfulness. -
4-7-24 Biblical-Literacy
Mark continued in our class study of Revelation with a reminder that what God says is reality. Mark's lesson had three areas of focus:
1. Reading Revelation in time: The reader is encouraged to understand literature during the time of writing Revelation.
2. Deeper study of Revelation 4-7 and the seven seals: We see heaven's perspective of earth. We must remember that God is the center of the universe, all things.
3. Revelation 8-11 can be read as a parallel passage with seven horns. Mark will dig deeper into this study next week.
Points for home:
• Don’t be afraid; God is in control.
• God sees our tears.
• Prayer makes a difference.
Listen to Mark reveal the meaning of the visions and seals in Revelation 4-7. A seal protects against tampering. It marks ownership. Certified genuineness. God has a plan for eternity as shown in Jesus’ first coming, the age of the church, and Jesus' second coming. -
Mark continued the Study of Revelation, Part 10, with a focus of Revelation in Context. Mark begins with an overview of Apocalyptic literature and continues with three points.
1.Revelation in context: type of literature, time of literature, and intense persecution of Christians. Two themes in Revelation: comfort the church in its struggle of evil, and Christ wins over the dragon or satan.
2.Reading Revelation in time: some read the book chronologically. Mark recommends reading it as 7 vignettes or parallel reading, much the way Daniel is read. The Bible teaches us how to read the Bible. Daniel: repeated dreams and visions that show what God is about to do. In Revelation we find three terminal time periods: first coming, age of the church, and the 2nd coming or age to come.
3.Revelation 4-7: God’s plan in history.
Points for home:
1. Do not fear
2. Satan is foiled by his own weapons
3. God will wipe away every tear
Listen to Mark explain how the Bible teaches us to read the Bible by understanding the way God speaks to us through dreams & visions, in history and the future. -
March 17, 2024 Pastor Dr.David Fleming
Revelations
Pastor Fleming opens the class by explaining the effect of how we approach the study of Revelations.
Approaches to the study of Revelations include Views, Genres and Interpretation.
He goes into detail on how we approach the text of Revelations can determine what we see when we get there.
For example, we tend to see what we want to see in the scripture.
He refers to this as Confirmation Bias and discusses the meaning of that in great detail.
The Road map for the lesson:
1.John’s approach to Revelations
a.Looking at Revelations from Rev. 1:1-1:3 and then to
Rev 22: 18-21
b.Influences on our approach
1.Example: The Bible, Holy Spirt, Favorite Author, Pastor
c.Various approaches that others are taking
1. How we read and interpret the text.
a. Example: Linear, Circular Progression, Alternating Pattern
b. How are you interpreting the text
c. How do we organize the events referred to in Revelations
d. Points for home
a. Systematic Approaches are helpful
b. Keep an open mind
c. Jesus is coming again
d. Live with that reality in mind -
Mark continued teaching in the series on Revelation in three sections:
1. Two remaining letters to the churches - Philadelphia & Laodicea.
The church of Philadelphia receives commendation.
The church of Laodicea is warned about its lukewarm status.
2. Two different ways to read Revelation:
Timeline reading: Chronological
Vignette reading: Vision, story, ending, and repeat
3. Revelation worship scene as described in Chapters 4 & 5
Not all images are symbols
Never lose focus of the message.
All space all time and all there is has God in the center - Theocentric.
Perfect divine praise in 3’s
Points for Home:
Take comfort God reigns.
What are you worried about?
Pray.
Listen to Mark teach how Revelation comforts the church in its struggles
against the forces of evil then, and now. -
Mark interviewed Dr. Alister McGrath from Oxford University in England. Dr. McGrath was born in Ireland. He became an atheist and Marxist as a way to deal with the struggle between Catholics and Protestants during the 60s in Belfast known as The Troubles. He became a Christian soon after starting his studies at Oxford.
Dr. McGrath spoke about the power of story to connect the big picture of life with God. Stories are about people who have experienced change. Dr. McGrath spoke about his conversion and his respect and value of many writings, foremost those of C S Lewis.
Listen to Mark and Dr. McGrath discuss the value and purpose of story in transforming lives and effecting change in people’s lives. -
Mark continued in the Study of Revelation with Chapters 2 through 3:4. Today
continued with the study of the letters to the 7 churches. Each church had specific
instructions to strengthen them for their mission.
1. Letters:
The letters are written to the 7 churches structured in 7 parts but for all
churches for all time.
2. Examine the letters to: Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis.
3. Point for home:
Wake up and grow!
Listen to Mark provide insight to the people, culture, political, and spiritual
atmosphere of the churches during the time of the writing of each letter. We must grow past where we are today. -
2-18-24 -Biblical-Literacy
Mark continued in the series A Study of Revelation which was a comfort to the church in its struggle against the forces of evil. Christ wins over Satan.
1. Symbolism -a quality or an idea that showed the church how God desires a complete relationship with them. Not all images are symbols. Never lose focus of the message.
2. The Letters -content structured in similar way for each.
The symbolism of the number 7, which means completion.
Ephesus -You have abandoned your first love.
Smyrna -No condemnation but a warning of what the devil will do. Be faithful.
3. Points for home
•Christ is with us
•Love is the key
•Be always faithful
Listen to Mark discuss the symbolism in Revelation and the meaning of the number 7 in the setting and letters to the 7 churches. Listen also to the accounting of Polycarp’s faith through arrest and execution. He was Bishop of the church in Smyrna. -
2/11/24. Biblical
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Literacy
Mark continued in The Study of Revelation series with a study of the first chapter in Revelation.
His lesson had three areas of focus:
1.The Exalted Christ is depicted as the Alpha and the Omega. We find that He is
referenced
throughout the Old and New Testaments.
2. The Setting of the Book of Revelation is more than a book John wrote on the island of Patmos,
but it’s an accounting of God who was, who is, and who is to come.
3. Points for home:
a.The Exalted Christ is in the center of life
b.Fear is a liar
c.It’s not over so live the promise
Listen to Mark talk teach how the human mind cannot comprehend the depth of God’s truth, power,
sovereignty, and characteristics. He highlights and expands on various passages throughout the
Bible that link to the Book of Revelation. -
02/4/24
Mark continues the study of Revelations by going into detail
about how decisions were made about which scrolls and
writings were to be put into the Bible Library as we know it.
Mark discussed the meaning of Canon and Canonization of the
bible.
Was Canon to Jesus and the Apostles?
Mathew 15:3
Was Canon to the Church?
Mathew 15:6
The Church’s recognition of the Canon.
Acts 15
Mark then discusses the history of the Canon in some detail
Mark reviews in detail:
Symbolism
Use of numbers 3 and 4 and 7 and 12
Angels and Demons
Mark reviews Rev: 1-1-2
Points for Home:
We can rely on Scripture for life
God reaches all of you Rev 1:8
Let's serve our King Rev 1:6 -
1/28/24 Biblical Literacy
Mark continued with Lesson 3 in the Study in Revelation series setting the stage to dig deeper in
study. He divided the lesson into three sections then share some Points for home:
1. Review of past two lessons: the Bible as a library, the apocalyptic genre, and apocalyptic traits.
2. Approach to studying Revelation: how to understand symbols and how the book flows.
3. Study of first 3 verses of Revelation 1:1-3: an uncovering or revealing of Jesus Christ by Jesus.
Points for home
God is bigger than I realize
God cares
Let’s enjoy the blessings
Listen to Mark review the foundation of studying Revelation by introducing a literal and symbolic
approach. -
Listen to Mark explore the Old Testament and other writings that show the ancient peoples' understanding of apocalyptic writing.
Mark continued with a Study in Revelation sharing a brief review of the foundation class from two
weeks ago. He encouraged the class to not be afraid of Revelation; we have this. The book of
Revelation is apocalyptic, which means it uses
dreams, visions, and symbols. Mark expanded on
typical features of apocalyptic writings both Biblical and non
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biblical writings including those
contemporary with the time of Jesus.
Points for home:
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Christ is the center of life
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Understanding this book co
mes with a blessing
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We rightly praise Jesus as we read and understand this book
Listen to Mark explore the Old Testament and other writings that show the ancient peoples'
understanding of apocalyptic writing - Näytä enemmän
