Tag: New Testament

Posted on

Bible Challenge Week 46: The Church – Christ the Center

We have one more month of this series to go!  This week, we move out of the historical record (Matthew – Acts) and into the part of the Bible known as “Epistles,” or letters to the very first churches established in Asia and Europe.  I find it interesting, and significant, that the historical record does not come to a strong, ringing conclusion.  The book of Acts ends with Paul in Rome under house arrest, arguing the claims of Christ with anyone who came to visit   That’s not the conclusion we’re looking for–what happened to Paul, and Peter, and the other apostles?  Where’s the big victory at the end, the soul-stirring, confetti-flinging, music-swelling ending?

What we need to remember is that the story does not end with Acts 28:31,  The story is ongoing.  We are the story now.  The Bible does come to a ringing conclusion in Revelation, which we’ll get to, but that ending is not yet.  We are living in the in-between time, where God’s story is still being written in our hearts and lives.  From that perspective, Romans – Jude are like author notes for the major themes of the story.  What are those themes?  The greatest comes first, and we’ll look at that one this week.

For a printable download of this week’s reading challenge, including scripture references, discussion questions, and family activities, click here:

Bible Reading Challenge Week 46: The Church – Christ the Center

(This is a continuation of a series of posts about the “whole story” of the Bible.  I plan to run one every week, on Tuesdays, with a printable PDF.  The printable includes a brief 2-3 paragraph introduction, Bible passages to read, a key verse, 5-7 thought/discussion questions, and 2-3 activities for the kids.  Here’s the Overview of the entire Bible series.)

Previous: BRC Week 45: The Church – to the Uttermost Parts of the Earth

Next: BRC Week 47: The Church – by Faith Alone

Posted on

Bible Challenge Week 34: Messiah – The Forerunner

This week we turn a page–literally.  And we turn an age.

When we left the Israelites in Babylon, they were no longer Israelites.  Instead they were called “Jews,” a name derived from the last tribe to claim its own territory: Judah.  The Jews were allowed to return to their capitol city and take up temple worship again–as soon as the temple was restored.  Also, they were apparently no longer tempted to combine worship of the Lord with rites for the pagan gods around them.  Malachi, the last prophet, had other complaints to make against them, and after him the Lord was silent for 450 years.

But the last book of the Old Testament ends with a specific promise: the promise of a blazing “day of the Lord” to be preceded by the prophet Elijah.  Does that mean Elijah, first of the prophetic age, would be resurrected to bring about a new age?  450 years of wondering followed Malachi, and 450 years of expectations about what this day, and this prophet would look like.

“For behold the day is coming, burning like an oven . . .” Mal. 4:1

As usual, God kept his word.  But not in the way that anyone expected.

For this week’s Bible Challenge, with scripture passages, discussion questions, and activities, chick below:

Bible Reading Challenge Week 34: MESSIAH – THE FORERUNNER *

*Please note: In the .pdf I mis-identified Herod as a Samaritan.  He was actually an Idumean, or Edomite (descendant of Esau), raised as a Jew.

(This is a continuation of a series of posts about the “whole story” of the Bible.  I plan to run one every week, on Tuesdays, with a printable PDF.  The printable includes a brief 2-3 paragraph introduction, Bible passages to read, a key verse, 5-7 thought/discussion questions, and 2-3 activities for the kids.  Here’s the Overview of the entire Bible series.)

Previous: Week 33: Prophets – Daniel

Next: Week 35: Messiah – Birth & Boyhood