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Like it or not, it's election time again in the United States, which means partisan passions are probably already running hot, sometimes to the point of boiling over into angry arguments. Unfortunately, Christians are not immune to this reality. Our church rolls contain Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, as well as members of other political parties. All of these folks love Jesus. They also love their country and have opinions about how it ought to be run. Not surprisingly, these folks don't always agree with each other. Our political differences, however, must never be allowed to trump our Christian fellowship. Politics and faith are tricky areas for Christians to negotiate. The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees religious freedom for all Americans. Some have argued through the years this means, in part, that people of faith must keep their religious convictions to themselves when participating in public discourse. Such a position not only ignores the rich history of religiously inspired reform in this country (such as the movements against slavery and, a century later, for civil rights), it also results in what Richard John Neuhaus once described as a "naked public square," a morally and intellectually impoverished culture stripped bare of all religious influence. The truth is that Christians are neither called by God to be silent in the public square, nor does the law prohibit us from speaking up and speaking out as guided by the Holy Spirit. Yet still, as Christians who are also citizens, questions abound: How do we know when to speak and when to be quiet? How do we distinguish between faithful and unfaithful forms of civic engagement? How do we give Caesar his due while giving our all to God? God's people have long wrestled with these issues. Fortunately, they've left a record of both their questions and their answers. With the Bible as our guide, then, let's plunge ahead into the often-contested public square as citizens and as Christians seeking to do what is good and right in the name of Jesus Christ.

In the 1986 film, The Mission, Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro play the central characters in a saga about the church, a mission, and a native people. Irons plays Father Gabriel, who is committed to nonviolence. De Niro plays Rodrigo Mendoza, a former warrior haunted by his sin and now a faithful follower of the Church. The film documents their tension-filled yet deep relationship. In the end, both have to make a decision as the mission where they live and work is scheduled for destruction and relocation. Father Gabriel chooses nonviolence to combat the forces of evil; Mendoza chooses to fight for the rights of the natives. Most of us don't need Hollywood to bring the issues of war and peace home for us. As people of faith, we are faced daily with our participation in violent actions, our willingness to allow violence in the world to continue, and our response to violence in our lives. The Bible does not give us an easy answer. Sometimes we hear ancient Israel on its march through the promised land. Other times we hear Jesus unwilling to raise a hand against those who persecuted and ultimately killed him. There are days when we can side with the psalmist, who lashes out in anger against his enemies. Other times, we know Jesus was right that we should not return violence for violence, that we must pray for our enemies, and that we must love even those who do not love us. How can we do these things? Is there a place for war and violence in our faith? As you read, study, and contemplate these sessions, take time to look deeply within yourself. Although it is difficult, self-examination can enable our learning and activate our engagement with the world and our faith.

The first four lessons in this unit draw inspiration from a traditional interpretation of the Advent candles as the Prophets' Candle, the Bethlehem Candle, the Shepherds' Candle, and the Angels' Candle. The final lesson, which occurs after Advent, celebrates the theological meaning of Jesus' birth as described in the prologue to John's Gospel. In the first lesson, taking our cue from the Prophets' Candle, we delve into some of the prophetic words about the Messiah in the book of Isaiah. As we study these Old Testament prophecies, we will ask ourselves, How is God present in my life-yesterday, today, and tomorrow? In honor of the Bethlehem Candle, we move in the second lesson to the little town of Bethlehem, a most unexpected place to serve as the birthplace of the King. Through what unexpected sources might God want to bless us? As we think about ancient Bethlehem, we will ponder this question. The third lesson reminds us of the Shepherds' Candle. Shepherds were considered untrustworthy and irreligious, so it is surprising that God chose shepherds to receive the news of Jesus' birth. We also may sometimes feel unworthy of God's love. The lesson invites us to think about the kinds of people God uses. In the fourth lesson, we focus on the Angels' Candle and ponder the angel's difficult message to Mary. What hard thing might God call us to do? Finally, in the fifth lesson we explore what it means that "the Word became flesh and lived among us" (Jn 1:14). We conclude our study by asking a practical question: How is the birth of Christ relevant to my life? May these sessions help us celebrate with new meaning the birthday of the King.

If we are serious about following Jesus, we will be people of open hearts, open hands, and open homes. In other words, as followers of Jesus we will practice the fine art of hospitality. In this unit, we will study five facets of Christian hospitality. As we do so, we will be reminded that hospitality is "missional." That is, simply by being hospitable, we will be on mission for Christ. In the first session, we reflect on a passage from Job, where Job proclaims his lifelong practice of showing hospitality to strangers. This first session highlights hospitality as a central virtue in both the Old and New Testaments. The second session specifically addresses hospitality to the poor. Our spotlighted passage is from the book of Ruth, where Boaz practically and kindly reaches out to Ruth in her poverty. The third session focuses on hospitality to sinners. We study the episode in John's Gospel where Jesus forgives the woman caught in the act of adultery and use that passage to consider our own response to sinful people. The fourth session focuses on hospitality to newcomers, specifically newcomers in our church. The passage we use in this session is from 1 Corinthians 14, where the apostle Paul encourages the Corinthians to consider the needs of others in their times of worship. We wrap up our study of Christian hospitality by reminding ourselves that all of our hospitality is really hospitality to Christ. The final session in our study focuses on the parable of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25, where Jesus says all of our hospitality is actually done to, and for, him. The good news about hospitality is that it doesn't require us to have money, education, brilliance, fame, or power. It only requires that we open our hearts, our hands, and our homes to the people around us.

It was July 3, 2002. I reclined in a chair on the beach of St. George Island, Florida, reading Numbers: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, by Dennis Olson. I would be willing to bet I was the only person on that beach-okay, any beach-reading that wonderful book. Two college-aged students meandered between the Gulf waters and me. One glanced at the cover of my book and remarked to her friend, "You've got to be pretty bored to read a math book at the beach." Hearing her comment, I replied, "Actually, it's not a math book. It's a Bible commentary." "I rest my case," she retorted and walked away. We rarely read this fourth book of the Old Testament. We use it even less frequently as a source for missions theology. Why? Maybe it's the name. Numbers is not a very exciting title. The name is derived from the Latin Numeri, which is a translation of the Greek title Arithmoi. This title was used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament because a census is taken twice in the book-the people are numbered. In the Hebrew Bible, however, the title of this book is bemidbar, which means "in the wilderness." This is much more provocative and descriptive of the book's contents. In the wilderness, the community of faith-the Israelites-encountered facets of God's character that would define and direct them for generations to come. They would come face to face with the mobility of God, the reputation of God, the mercy of God, and the promises of God. These elements of God's nature kept the mission of Israel alive. These same elements keep the mission alive in the community of faith today. Too often we are tempted to let "numbers" drive missions. How many churches have we built? How many dollars have we raised? How many bodies have we baptized? The book of Numbers reminds us that missions is motivated by something deeper. Missions reflects the heart and nature of God. If we can just get past the math, we can see God's nature clearly in the book of Numbers. . . in the wilderness.

Unfortunately, to many people the word "sin" has lost its edge. We are more apt to hear about sin in reference to a piece of chocolate cake than in its true theological power. Understood biblically, sin is more than merely something that is "naughty but nice"; sin is a destructive pattern of life. It breaks our relationship with God, others, or ourselves. Reclaiming the word "sin" is the first step to reconciliation with God. When we recognize patterns as sinful, we recognize our own desperate need for the saving power of God in Jesus Christ. What exactly is sin? Just as we organize our cupboards and our schedules to make sense of our lives, Christian thinkers have organized sin into a number of categories in order to understand and surrender these patterns to God. The notion of "seven deadly sins" emerged as a way to recognize specific dangers to our spiritual lives. The origins of the list are unclear. Many scholars say that they emerged from a list of eight bad habits created by Evagrius of Pontus, a fourth-century Greek monastic theologian. Some 200 years later, Pope Gregory the Great reduced the list to seven while writing on the book of Job. Throughout the Bible, we read about the struggle between our sinful nature and God's desire to free us from bondage. In the book of Proverbs, we have an anthology of wisdom teachings. These collections were customarily attributed to King Solomon. Most biblical scholars now conclude that the title is honorary. The authors of Proverbs were the "sages, a social class that served as counselors, bureaucrats, and teachers during the Divided Kingdom and as preservers of tradition in the later periods" (Camp and Fontaine, 938). The purpose of the book is to guide people away from sin and into a wise and godly life.

We see in the Passion of Christ our own struggle of faith. Authentic faith is a daily challenge. According to Hebrews 11:1, "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." On our good days, we may reflect this kind of faith. The problem is, we have bad days. Life and the life of faith are not always easy. For this reason, we are encouraged to gather together for fellowship, study, and worship. We find strength and help for faithful living in the context of the church of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, faith seems like a "two steps forward and one step back" proposition. As Frederick Buechner reminds us: "Faith is better understood as a verb than as a noun, a process than as a possession. It is on-again-off-again rather than once-and-for-all. Faith is not being sure where you're going but going anyway. A journey without maps." We need not feel guilty that faith is not always easy for us. Have you ever been traveling in unfamiliar territory? There is no shame in having a difficult time finding your way. Stopping to ask for directions is part of the journey. Heading down the wrong road from time to time is all but inevitable. The question is not whether we will go down the wrong roads in our faith journey. All of us will. The question is whether we will find the resources to acknowledge our failure, turn from it, and learn from it. The four lessons in this unit highlight the faith struggles of the early disciples. In lesson one, Jesus addresses the issues of faith and practice. In lesson two, we meet Judas, who like us, struggled with God's Kingdom and human kingdoms. In lesson three, the issue of temptation reminds us that our faith journey is a constant challenge. Lesson Four invites us to remember Peter's experience of "faith failure." Peter's failure, however, is not the final word. There is forgiveness.

Some five centuries before Christ, the biblical narrative travels east, out of Israel to the kingdom of Persia-modern-day Iran. King Ahasuerus, or Xerxes, ruled the Middle East and the Persian Gulf at the apex of world domination. God's people, the Jews, were in exile, yanked violently away from their homeland. There, in a foreign land, one of the great stories of Jewish deliverance unfolds, precipitated by a beautiful young woman named Esther. The account that bears Esther's name is one of the more enigmatic books of the Old Testament. Once part of the Kethubim or "miscellaneous writings" of Judaism, it was one of the last books admitted into the canon of Scripture, and only then with editorial adjustment. Why the delay? First, a clear candidate for authorship has never emerged. More importantly, God is not mentioned anywhere in the entire volume. This is a unique characteristic of Esther when compared to the other biblical writings. Nevertheless, this appears to be the author's intent, whoever he or she may have been: invoked or not invoked, God is present. The book of Esther is not a record of historical facts as such. Rather, it is a magnificent narrative that refuses to interpret life as being driven by coincidence or happenstance. While the silence of God is all too normative for life, this does not mean God is not nearby or actively at work behind the scenes. In the otherwise unknown characters of Esther, Haman, and Mordecai, we trace the movement of the divine hand as God collaborates with God's risk-taking people to rescue them from the hand of their enemies. At the conclusion of the book of Esther, the reader is introduced to the Jewish festival of Purim. This was a national celebration honoring the Jewish deliverance from extermination. The word Purim means "chance" or "lot" the rolling of the dice. Yet, this escape from destruction was not the accomplishment of a lucky political wager. It was through the providence of God and the courage of the Jewish queen Esther.

For many centuries, visual art, music, literary arts, and drama were closely linked with the people of God. Consider that paintings and sculptures of biblical characters and events are featured in most art museums and play an essential role in art history. Some of the most famous pieces of music are religious, even directly quoting Scripture. Handel's Messiah is just one example. Authors from Mark Twain to William Blake to Flannery O'Connor have religious themes in their work. Many dramas, especially medieval plays, depict the lives of saints and biblical figures. Decades ago, Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell were huge stage hits. Moreover, the Bible itself addresses creative expression. The tabernacle, a work of art made up of hundreds of smaller pieces, was designed by God and crafted by inspired humans. Our first session looks at the tabernacle and the artisans God called to built it in Exodus 31:1-11. Musical arts play a large role in Scripture as well, as evidenced by the Psalms. Young David began his court life as a lyre-player asked to soothe a tormented King Saul (1 Sam 16:14-23). The Bible itself is the word of God and contains hundreds of stories. In our third lesson, we recall Nathan's use of story to confront King David in 2 Samuel 12:1-9. The Bible also considers the use of dramatic arts in acting out a message from God-a kind of "performance art." Ezekiel uses drama and symbol in Ezekiel 37:15-28 to restore hope and imagination to the devastated exiles. God has used artistic expression throughout the centuries to convey truth, offer blessing, and urge believers to deeper faithfulness. In modern life, artistic expression flourishes, from movies to books to music to paintings and photographs. Sometimes artists are intentional about trying to portray God's truths. Other times, perhaps God is working even when the artist is unaware of it. As believers, we may hear and see God at work in many art forms.

Materials Included - 4 Sessions of Learner's Materials - 4 Sessions of Teaching Materials - Handouts Sessions Included 1. The Adultress? 2. The Mourner 3. The Advocate 4. The Intercessor? Scriptures 1. 2 Samuel 11:2-5, 26-27a 2. 2 Samuel 12:15b-25 3. 1 Kings 1:11-31 4. 1 Kings 2:13-25 Brief Description Who was Bathsheba? We know her primarily as the woman with whom David committed adultery. But the biblical text tells us much more. Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam, the widow of Uriah, the wife of David, and the grieving mother of a seven-day-old baby who died tragically. She later gave birth to Solomon and played an instrumental role in claiming and securing the throne on her son's behalf. In this series of lessons, we will observe her transformation. The first lesson, "The Adultress?" considers the familiar story of David and Bathsheba, but it poses the question, "Was Bathsheba a willing participant or an unwitting victim of David's sexual desire?" In the second lesson, we discover that Bathsheba's child is sick and dying, a tiny victim of David's sin. We grieve with Bathsheba and ask "Why?" with her, trying to find comfort, as she did, in the birth of her second baby, Solomon. By the third lesson, Solomon is a grown man. When his brother Adonijah claims the throne, Solomon does not fight for the kingship-Bathsheba does! Finally, in the last lesson, Bathsheba is instrumental in the demise of Adonijah, thereby ensuring that Solomon's throne is no longer contested. Who was Bathsheba? She was a complex figure who developed from the silent object of David's lust into a powerful, vocal, and influential queen mother.

Materials Included - 4 Sessions of Learner's Materials - 4 Sessions of Teaching Materials - Handouts Sessions Included 1. The Adolescent David: Waging Battles of Giant Proportions 2. The Adult David: Dancing Before the Lord 3. The Midlife David: Frustrated and Foolish 4. The Senior Adult David: Passing on a Legacy Scriptures 1. 1 Samuel 17:1-51 2. 2 Samuel 6:1-15 3. 2 Samuel 11 4. 1 Kings 1:1-2:12 Brief Description From the time I first heard of David and Goliath, I've been "hooked" on David. Several elements of his story have caught my attention. First is the huge amount of biblical material devoted to David: the stories about the "human" David (1 and 2 Samuel); the more "idealized" interpretation of David's reign in 1 Chronicles; and the post-Davidic references to David in the books of 1 and 2 Kings. Combine these David stories and references with the numerous psalms attributed to David, as well as the New Testament passages where Jesus is referred to as the "Son of David," and you will see the massive amount of Scripture that is devoted to Israel's second and greatest king. A second element is the high regard biblical writers placed on David and his rule. The overall biblical evaluation of David is "ideal" king (1 Sam 13:14). David's reign was regarded as the "Golden Age"-so golden that the Israelites viewed the coming messiah as one who would be a "son of David" and establish a new Davidic-like kingdom on earth. A third element that lures me to David is that despite the mostly "ideal" treatment David receives, many Scriptures (2 Sam 9-20) offer a candid and human portrayal of him. Adultery, attempted cover-ups, murder, and conflict with his adult children are a few of David's "sins." This "human" description of David relates to a fourth surprising "catch"-namely, God loved and used David in spite of his sins. If forgiveness and hope were available to David, they surely exist for us. John Claypool has helped me notice another aspect of David's story. In the Bible, we catch David in the various stages of the human journey: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and senior adulthood. From the biblical treatment of the stages of David's life, we can land some insights to assist us in better understanding the human journey. So I invite you to join me as we cast a few "lines and lures" into the sea of biblical material about David. Specifically, we'll "fish" a bit in the waters of David's adolescence, adulthood, midlife, and senior adult years. With a little "luck," perhaps we will "catch" enough from David's story to make our own human journeys more successful and fulfilling. May God be with us as the "Lord was with David" (1 Sam 16:18)!

Materials Included 5 Sessions of Learner's Materials 5 Sessions of Teaching Materials Handouts Sessions Included 1. Reassuring the Faithful 2. The Beasts and the Holy Ones 3. Fretting Over the Future 4. Living in the Meantime 5. Giving an Account Scriptures 1. Zech 12:1-10 2. Daniel 7:1-28 3. Daniel 12:1-13 4. Matthew 24:1-51 5. Rev 20:11-21:8 Brief Description 2012 marks the year some believe the ancient Mayans predicted the end of this world. In 2011, American Christian radio host Harold Camping predicted the end of the world would take place that year. The Y2K scare leading up to the year 2000 brought predictions and prophecies of impending disaster. Since the first prophets and soothsayers from the ancient Near East, prophecies and predictions of apocalypse have threaded their way into the human fabric. This was never more true than between the third century BC until the second century AD. This study examines five apocalyptic texts in the Bible--from Zechariah, Daniel, Matthew, and Revelation. With each new year bringing a new prediction of impending doom, it is always a perfect time to get the story straight. Apocalyptic literature does not address the future. It addresses our present. A part of the NextSunday Resources line of adult Bible studies, Apocalyptic Literature contains five lessons for use as individual Bible study or group discussion. Each study contains lessons on the biblical material, combined with additional commentary from an alternate, but complementary, viewpoint.

The Season of Advent is upon us, and we turn to the Gospel of John to move us toward the grand celebration of our Savior's birth. You might wonder why a Gospel that does not contain a nativity story would be chosen to take us through the Christmas season. The answer to this question is quite simple. Although John's Gospel does not say much about how Christ came to earth, it pays very close attention to why Christ came to be among us in the flesh.Each lesson will delve into a portion of the tightly packed and beautifully expressed prologue, which comprises the first eighteen verses of the Gospel. These passages will be connected to an event in the ministry of Jesus that gives further insight into the meaning of the prologue.John the Baptist is a major figure in this study as well. Although the writer of this Gospel does not develop the backstory of this extraordinary character in the way the other Gospels do, the power of the Baptist's message and the depth of meaning it contains are given in dynamic and dramatic style.This unit will take us a bit off the beaten path of Advent studies. With no angels to sing for us and no shepherds to guide us to the manger, we are left to find a different pathway to the overwhelming reality of God's incarnation, the Word become flesh. In this study, the wise men do not lead us to the Christ child. Rather, the one who cries in the wilderness takes us to the water's edge and introduces us to the Lamb of God. We will not be invited to hear the cries of a baby at life's beginning, but to be present with God in the beginning of it all. This study will not ponder a star that hangs over the city of David, but will invite us to experience the reality of a light that shines untouched by darkness.Welcome to Advent and to John's beautiful and bold account of God's incarnation.

Paul left the church a treasure in the letter he wrote to the Christian community in Corinth-the letter we call 1 Corinthians. Sure, Paul was writing with a first-century audience in mind and likely assumed that the second coming of Christ was imminent, but we still benefit from the teachings we find in this letter. By reading it, we gain a rare glimpse not only of Paul's teachings on how to be the church, but also of the difficulties our brothers and sisters of the first century faced.We should avoid the temptation to dismiss this book as merely a record of a church that once was and is no longer. The words of Paul reach across the centuries to call us to repentance and unity. As Paul struggles with his beloved brothers and sisters who have failed time and again in Corinth, we can easily hear how Paul might struggle with us even today. Paul's original audience struggled with divisions, arguments, jealousy, and sin. They debated what to believe and how to live. The church in Corinth was pressed in on all sides. It was fragile and given to quarreling. In many ways, the Corinthian Christians were struggling even to remember the most basic things Paul had taught them about following their Lord Jesus.Yet Paul refused to write off these beloved brothers and sisters. Instead, he wrote them a letter in which he promised his undying love for them, even going so far as to name them as his children. Through all of their failures, Paul refused to abandon them to the world, for in them dwelled the spark of God's love that Paul had seen work miracles in many places. Paul confronted the brokenness of this beloved church in Corinth. It was a congregation that was still worth fighting for.Such a timeless message is fresh and relevant in Christian communities all over the world who are also worth fighting for. With Paul, we learn to confront the brokenness of our beloved church.

One of the most dearly beloved aspects of the Christmas season is the music. From songs on the radio to church cantatas to school holiday concerts, Christmas means music. Some of this music is secular, but who doesn't start tapping their toes to "Winter Wonderland"? For Christians, the most precious songs of the season are those that celebrate the coming of Christ, born as a baby in the little town of Bethlehem.Before any of our Christmas favorites were composed, people of faith celebrated the newborn King through song. In this study, we will explore some of the songs of the season recorded for us in Scripture.We'll begin with one of the so-called "Servant Songs" of Isaiah as we contemplate the mission of Jesus-and us!-to be a light to the nations. Then we'll study the four songs found in the first two chapters of Luke and listen as Mary, Zechariah, the angels, and finally Simeon guide us in praising, proclaiming, and interpreting the meaning of Christ's coming.

On December 17, 1927, the crew of the Navy submarine S-4 trolled beneath the waters of Cape Cod Bay, engaged in routine testing of their vessel. At the same time, the Coast Guard cutter Paulding traveled across the surface. Those traveling on the two craft never saw each other. The submarine broke the surface just in time to receive a death blow from the Paulding. The submarine, with its crew of forty, sank in less than five minutes. It came to rest more than one hundred feet below on the ocean floor.Rescue attempts began at once. Due to inclement weather, it took twenty-four hours for the first diver to descend to the wreckage. As soon as the diver's feet hit the hull, he heard tapping. Survivors were trapped inside. Pounding out Morse code on the hull with a hammer, the diver discovered that six crewmen had survived the collision. With renewed efforts, the rescue crew struggled to reach these men before it was too late. Again, the weather would not cooperate. Every attempt failed. With their air supply dwindling, the six survivors tapped out in Morse code a final haunting question, "Is there any hope?"This provocative question echoes across the craft we call Earth. By our own experience, we agree with the New Testament's words that all of creation groans for renewal and relief. The world hopes for something better. As part of this expectant world, we do the same. We hope for a better future for ourselves, our children, and our families.Hope is the intangible fuel that moves the human spirit along when life appears untenable; when marriages fail; when sickness invades; when we face difficult decisions; or when we encounter inexplicable suffering in our lives and in our world. We need hope to live on this planet the same way we need oxygen in our lungs.In our faith tradition, all hope is fastened to the child we find lying in a Christmas manger. Christians gather in houses of worship and around Advent wreaths to reflect upon the implications of his birth and to anticipate the day when hope will become certainty, when what we can only pray for now will become definite. Advent is a season to remember, but it is also a time to renew our lives of hope in the One born in Bethlehem.

Every Christian is a priest, a minister, and a representative of God on earth. Each of us is an extension of the very life and ministry of Christ in a world that deserves to see his love expressed in the gathered community we call church. More than an institution, the church is a living, vibrant organism whose purpose is defined by God as the place where the divine chooses to manifest the work of grace. The church is the place where, in Christ, the love of God is received, shared, and contemplated in both worship and mission.The sessions in this study reflect on the work of the church in light of the cross, challenging church members to consider how priorities in worship and ministry witness to the wisdom of God, which is Jesus Christ crucified. In his letters to the Corinthians, Paul calls the church to unity of mind and purpose. Yet, perhaps surprising to some, the Apostle's concept of the mind has far less to do with agreement on right doctrine and far more to do with a way of right living in the world. Paul's succinct but profound insight-one that the church has yet to contemplate fully-is this: If God chose to reveal divine love in the cross of the Son, then surely the community gathered in his name would do well to show that same love, both to each other and to the world.What common purpose unifies the church? What strengthens the church? What weakens the church? What are the building blocks upon which our church is built? These are the central questions for the following study that reflect on our call to build a unified church that is resolute in its understanding of the wisdom of God that humbles the great and lifts up the lowly. We long for the kingdom to come where we are one in Christ Jesus, but in the meantime, we also work in the present to make the kingdom happen through our memory of the cross and its message of redemptive love.These sessions challenge the church to make the wisdom of God, which is Jesus Christ crucified, a priority in living. The call is to allow the cross to embrace the church so that each of us can understand anew the heart of God and see all that is aflame with Christ's presence in the world. In the process, we are to be both transformed and transforming through the power of divine love.

NextSunday Resources offers Bible studies designed to help adults studyScripture seriously within the context of the larger Christian tradition and, through that process, find their faith renewed, challenged, and strengthened.We study the Scriptures because we believe they affect our currentlives in important ways. Inside, you'll find a Study Guide and a Commentaryfor each Lesson. For more small group Bible studies like this one, visitnextsunday.com/nextsunday-studies

In this study, we focus on the relationships in Jacob's family.All of us have families. All families have strengths, weaknesses, conflicts, success stories, and unique relational patterns. Thefamily of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Esau, Leah, Rachel, and Laban isno exception. In their struggles, conflicts, and triumphs, we cometo know ourselves. As they overcame, we too can overcome.This is their story. It is our story too. NextSunday Resources offers Bible studies designed to help adults studyScripture seriously within the context of the larger Christian tradition and, through that process, find their faith renewed, challenged, and strengthened.We study the Scriptures because we believe they affect our currentlives in important ways. Inside, you'll find a Study Guide and a Commentaryfor each Lesson. For more small group Bible studies like this one, visitnextsunday.com/nextsunday-studies/

We have a Savior to serve. That is our theme during the season of Lent. Really, though, that is our theme all the time. We are called to follow and to serve our Savior in the same ways that he followed and served his Father. We will find that if our lives are based on following Jesus, we will serve him and we will serve our fellow travelers along life's road. We will also find that it is a very costly and very rewarding way to live.While serving Jesus should be our theme all the time, it is good to have special times during which we can focus on our discipleship. Lent and Holy Week offer special opportunities to do just that. Hopefully, our focus on this theme during this season will inspire us to reflect on it as we live our lives from now on.The lessons in this unit are all based primarily on Mark's account of Holy Week, those days leading up to Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday. So the words Jesus spoke and the actions he carried out in our Gospel texts were spoken and done during a time of great tension, controversy, and danger that called for his great commitment, dedication, faith, and determination.This final week was also a time full of opportunities for Jesus' disciples to learn how to live in times of tension, controversy, and danger, which they would have to do soon enough. They learned their lessons the hard way, through much misunderstanding and failure. We most likely will learn our lessons the same way. Perhaps our study of these texts will give us an opportunity, in the safety of our church and class, to make progress in our commitment to serve our Savior faithfully under the dangerous and trying circumstances that can confront those who follow the way of Christ.We need the Lord's help to make that kind of progress. We also need each other's help.It was a hard journey for Jesus and his disciples. Let's go with them and see where the road leads us.

Spring cleaning is never a pleasant task, but it is a necessary one. Sometimes we can no longer consider a room, garage, or even a house a livable space unless we engage in the practice of deciding what to keep and what to throw away. Only then can the spring cleaner see what needs to be cleaned. Removing the junk has a way of unveiling corners with cobwebs, revealing dust bunnies requiring dispatching, and sometimes finding long-forgotten treasures. The origin of the word "Lent" comes from the Anglo-Saxon "lencten" and literally means "spring." Since the season is one of spiritual preparation-examining our devotion to the Christ whose life, teachings, and ministry should guide and shape us-one approach to these Lent-Easter sessions is to think of them as a sort of spring cleaning.To see Jesus as the Gospel of John sees him, as "the light of the world," means first allowing light to shine into our own selves. To continue with the spring cleaning analogy, the light is able to fill a room more readily if the windows have first been cleaned and the mirrors shined to reflect the light into all corners. So it is with our lives. If we are first prepared to receive the light, then it can be reflected to others and indeed light the world.For centuries, the church has engaged in the practice of "giving up" something for Lent. In its purest form, it is a conscious recognition that not everything we have taken into our lives is necessary. This unit helps us continue that Lenten practice by reflecting on John's portrait of Christ during the time of his Passion, examining the empty tomb, and moving on to the early preaching and ministry of the Christian church. By focusing on all of these Lent-Easter aspects, we can come to a more holistic understanding of Jesus the Christ.To see not only the painful aspects of Jesus' life but the transcendent power and presence gained by his earliest followers is the goal of our unit. The hope is that by engaging in this study and using it to deepen your own spiritual journey, you can usher in spring

Happy New Year! With this greeting, you may be checking the date to see if you skipped a month or if, like Rip van Winkle, you slept through the last five weeks. If you are beginning this lesson on the first Sunday of Advent, you may be saying, "Ha, the publishers and author have made one big scheduling mistake if they think this Sunday is the beginning of the new year." It is no mistake. These lessons are the beginning lessons for the new year, that is, the new Christian Year. Advent, the celebrating of Jesus' first coming as an infant, has for centuries been the holiday signaling the beginning of the Christian calendar.Virtually all of us use some type of calendar to organize and order our lives. So, the question is not whether we use a calendar, but whose we will use. As Christians, the journey we make through a year should first be organized around the same themes of faith that inspired our Christian ancestors. The year should reflect the biblical and historical stories that make each of our days special in their dedication to God. So, it is appropriate to begin our new year with an Advent celebration that takes us on a journey to Bethlehem.During this Advent season, our journey is prepared not only by the Christian calendar but also by the writer of Matthew's Gospel. For any traveler willing to ponder, the Gospel writer has many insights on this journey. The first stop on this journey is Matthew's perspective on the proper balance between living for the future and living in the present. Session two finds us standing on a riverbank listening to John the Baptist: "Repent for the kingdom has come near" (3:2a). John's message is a continual call for reformation and transformation in our lives. The third session on this journey explores John's doubts about Jesus' identity. The fourth lesson brings us finally to the town of Bethlehem where all humanity is challenged by a newborn infant named Emmanuel. Session five is for all travelers who on the journey of faith encounter potholes and obstacles or who, like the character Christian in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, find themselves in the "Valley of the Shadow of Death." It is a reminder that when Emmanuel is with us, there is always divine guidance for the journey.

Many Christian churches use the Revised Common Lectionary [RCL] to determine which Scriptures to read in worship on Sunday mornings. The Lectionary system has informed Christian worship since the early days after the time of Jesus, not only calling believers to passages they might otherwise overlook, but also serving as a means of retelling the miraculous story of God's work. As you probably already know, the Christian year begins with the Advent season. The RCL offers a set of four readings (Old Testament, Psalms, Epistle, and Gospel) for each Sunday of the year, based on a three-year cycle with the titles of Years A, B, and C. The Gospel readings from Year A are derived largely from Matthew, Year B's from Mark and John, and Year C's from Luke.This Advent study will follow Year C, and the majority of readings will originate from Luke's story of Jesus. Generally, the RCL readings for Advent follow this four-week pattern: Week 1, apocalyptic texts, or those that speak of Christ's return; Week 2, John the Baptizer's introduction; Week 3, the announcement to Mary of Jesus' pending birth; and Week 4, a description of John's impact or preaching.Keep in mind, however, that this progression ignores the fact that one of our Gospels, namely Luke's, contains a full account of the events leading up to Jesus' birth. He starts from the very beginning, nine months before John's conception, and in fact, tells his account in full detail. Luke's narrative remembers the story of the angelic messenger who announced the coming of God into our world. Too often we are a people who profess that God lives, yet somehow we still manage to forget that God acts among us. Mary knew that truth all too well. Her willing acceptance of the divine plan served as a means for God to walk among God's people. God's presence in Mary's life birthed an incredible joy that was shared by her cousin Elizabeth. We, too, may share in this joy, especially during Advent as we remember that God comes to us as well. As Luke recounts that the shepherds joyfully told the story of Jesus' birth, he also reminds us that all believers-whether ancient or contemporary-are invited to testify to the joy of Christ. So this study, as we wait for the birth of the Messiah, Luke helps us remember.

The prophet Zechariah ministered during the late sixth century BC. His audience was composed of Jews who had recently returned from Babylonian captivity and were struggling to rebuild their nation under Persian rule.This was a crucial turning point for the people of God. They stood on the threshold of a new beginning. Chastened by decades of exile, how would they use what they had learned about God, themselves, and covenant faithfulness to make a new way for themselves in their ancestral homeland?Like the returning exiles, Christians today often feel led to restore their relationships with God and each other. Perhaps the lessons of Zechariah can help us in that task.

As a college student, I attended a retreat that included a session on "Trust." The leader introduced the theme by asking us to choose a partner. The partners faced in the same direction, a few feet apart, one behind the other. At the leader's signal, the person in front, with eyes closed and arms folded, was to fall backward into the arms of his or her partner. The exercise quickly revealed who in the group had a high level of trust and who did not. Some allowed themselves to fall without hesitation. Others could not resist the temptation to look back. Some were unable to trust the person behind them and refused to participate.The study of Elijah challenges us to explore what it means to trust God. Elijah's story reveals that a life of faithfulness is built on trust in God's care and guidance. When Israel needs a prophetic voice to confront the nation's religious infidelity, Elijah responds to God's call. His first lesson in trust comes when he has to depend on God to survive. His experience will help us examine our own response to economic hardship.Elijah's greatest challenge comes when he stands alone against the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. His actions are bold and unconventional, but he is convinced that he follows God's will. Through this dramatic episode, we will ask ourselves how we can be certain that we follow God's guidance.Immediately after his dramatic victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah experiences a time of spiritual discouragement. In the midst of his despair, he has a profound encounter with God. We will explore how we can trust God to meet us in our darkest moments and offer hope and renewal.As Elijah's time on earth draws to an end, he prepares to pass the mantle of prophetic leadership and his legacy of faithful trust in God to his disciple, Elisha. As we study this final episode in Elijah's life, we will think about our personal spiritual legacies. Elijah's story reminds us that we can face each day with confidence because we know that our future rests in God's hands.Let's get to know this intriguing Old Testament prophet who has much to teach us about trusting God in all circumstances.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul asserts that the message that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and raised on the third day is "of first importance" (v. 3). It is the core of the gospel story and of the Christian faith. Therefore Easter, and Holy Week before it, point to central truths Christians would do well to remember and retell.Rather than looking directly at Gospel accounts of Jesus' death and resurrection, this month's unit will wrestle with key texts from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. In the Apostle's words, we will read some of the church's earliest theological reflection on the meaning of these events. First, we will explore how the church "proclaim[s] the Lord's death" (11:26) in the bread and the wine of the Lord's Supper. Then we will spend three weeks on 1 Corinthians 15, Paul's lengthy defense and interpretation of resurrection faith.No one can claim to understand fully the meaning of Jesus' saving death and resurrection. Paul certainly made no such claim. But as much as Easter is a mystery to contemplate, it is also a hope to embrace and good news to proclaim.

A carol is simply a festive song, often of a dance-like or popular nature. Carol-singing was one of the pagan customs the medieval church adopted, initially at both Easter and Christmas. The earliest English Christmas carol was written around 1350. The period from 1400-1550 was the heyday of the English Christmas carol. However, after the Reformation, some in the church suppressed the custom. Puritans saw it as a pagan activity, and John Calvin promoted singing only metrical psalms in the sanctuary. By contrast, Luther adored congregational singing and wrote several Christmas hymns in the style of folk songs and other popular tunes. Throughout most of the 1700s the only officially permitted Christmas hymn in the Church of England was "While Shepherds Watched." The second carol to be approved, toward the end of the century, was "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing." Carols seemed to have had more success in remote country churches. Over time, carol-singing left the church and became focused in the home, the streets, and the meetings of religious dissenters.Carols were finally brought into the mainstream of Anglican worship in the mid- to late nineteenth century. J. M. Neale published Carols for Christmas-tide in 1853. The cathedral choir in Truro, England, switched in 1878 from singing around town on Christmas to having an evening service inside the church consisting of two Scripture lessons, prayers, and a sermon, interspersed with carols. Two years later, the service was expanded to nine lessons and carols, providing the model used in 1918 at King's College, Cambridge. In this unit, we will explore some of the familiar prophecies, as well as the Gospel birth narratives, through the lens of five traditional Christmas carols. As carols have grown to be a fuller and more meaningful part of our worship and celebration, so too can the stories of Jesus' birth continue to grow within us and enrich our faith experience.

When we hear the word "mission," we immediately think about crossing the globe to spread the Word of God, and we feel helpless. We find ourselves trapped in lives and schedules and commitments that are difficult to change, so we leave the "mission work" for those who do it vocationally. But what does it actually mean to be "missional"? The term "mission" comes from the Latin mitto, which means "to send." God is a sending God, the One who sends all Christians to live in praise and glory of God. Ephesians 1:8b-12 describes our calling this way: "With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of this glory." Many have tried to define the sacred task of being a missionary. Carl Braaten, a Lutheran Theologian, for example, wrote, "Mission is understood as the function of the Kingdom of God in the world's history." W. O. Carver wrote that "Missions mean the extensive realization of God's redemptive purpose in Christ by means of human messengers." These claims certainly encompass what it is to be a "missional" Christian, but my favorite definition is one by friend and former professor of Christian Mission, Dr. Isam E. Ballenger: "Mission is participation in the Trinity. Thus, it cannot be 'defined, ' for definitions will be insufficient; mission breaks the bounds of any limitation. Mission is thus not a program of the church but is fundamental to the nature of the church. It is the life of the church. It begins with doxology and flows from blessings received." According to Dr. Ballenger, we are all capable of missions at all points in our lives, wherever we may live. When we are in Christ, missions is not something we go somewhere else to do; it becomes a part of who we are. Whether we are doctors, lawyers, teachers, storekeepers, fast food workers, stay-at-home caregivers, retired, or unemployed, being "mission-minded" is foundational to the Christian life. In this way, we are all missionaries.

Christian faith emphasizes revelation. As believers, we take seriously the fact that we know about God only because God has chosen to reveal God's self to us. When we stop and think about it, it is amazing that God gives any thought to us at all. But it is even more amazing that God wants to enter into relationship with us. Christians believe that God's ultimate revelation to us is in the incarnation. Jesus Christ, who was God with us and the Word made flesh, came as a sign of God's kingdom breaking into the world. Along the way to Jesus, though, the biblical writers employed many images and metaphors in their attempts to communicate God's revelation. Some of those images are familiar: Father, Shepherd, Judge, and King, for example. In fact, these images are so familiar that we need to revisit them frequently and to ponder their meaning. In this unit we will examine some less familiar metaphors for God from the Psalms and the Minor Prophets: God as Rock, as Storm, as Fire, and as Beast. Each of these vivid images communicates aspects of God's character. As we understand more about God through this imagery, our relationship with God and our faith in God are strengthened. These images are not to be taken literally; God is not literally a rock or a storm or a fire or a beast, just as Jesus is not literally a door or a light. Still, we should take the imagery seriously because we want to know God and be known by God. God knows everything about us, although we can never know everything about God. Even so, God has revealed God's self to us in varied ways. All those ways are gifts that we should gladly and enthusiastically receive.

This unit is partly about how Scripture came to us. Along the way, we will look at how the Bible developed from its roots in oral tradition to collections of written texts and finally to the biblical canon we now have. We will also look at how the Bible came to be translated from Hebrew and Greek into other ancient languages, such as English. We will seek to develop greater appreciation for all the work that was done by the preachers and teachers who spoke the word, the collectors and editors who expanded and organized the word, the scribes who copied, preserved, and protected the word, and the translators who translated the word. We will also seek to develop a greater appreciation for the God who inspired the word. We will also hopefully grow in our appreciation for the God who stands behind and within the word, for the Christ who fulfills it, and for the Spirit who enlivens it. All of that is going on right here and now, so this unit is also about how Scripture comes to us. Its words come to us as we make ourselves available to them by carefully and prayerfully studying them. In those words, we find ourselves drawn more and more into the life of God and into life with God. We are grateful for the great gift of our Bible, but what do we do with that great gift? Do we show our appreciation for it in the amount of attention that we give it? Do we approach it with an attitude of humility, asking God to help us understand what we need to understand, or do we come to it with an attitude of arrogance that assumes we already know what we need to know? Do we read our Bibles through the lens of Jesus, desiring that our study of the Bible will lead us to a life characterized by the kind of love he showed us and that only he can make possible in us? Yes, Scripture not only came to us; it also comes to us. Thanks be to God who made and makes it all possible-and to all the people who worked and work with God to make it all possible!