Courses on God, Scripture, and life from Chris Perrey, Family Life Minister for the Westlink Church of Christ. Current course is 'Next: The Afterlife & This Life.' What we believe about the next life shapes how we live this life.
An incident of sexual violence leads to even more violence. Plus a discussion of the authorship of Genesis.
Jacob meets his match in a powerful metaphor for his relationship with God, as he tries not to be killed by his brother.
Lying uncles and multiple wives sure creates a toxic family situation, doesn't it?
Jacob steals Esau's blessing, but is there actually enough blessing to go around?
The final stories of Abraham, and moving into Jacob's story to reflect on what God's choice does and doesn't mean.
The promise comes true, but then seems threatened by God's command. How should we wrestle with the Binding of Isaac?
The true sin of Sodom is not what you think. And what does it mean for God to be just?
Abraham's story continues with stories of trust and failure. And yet God blesses those we hurt and forget.
After one last Noah story, we move into the transitional story of Abraham, who responds to God's call and promise with faith (mostly).
Let's take a look at the flood story, focusing on how God is affected by and tries to deal with the human inclination toward evil. Does undoing creation really solve the problem?
Human morality declines with stories of murder and self-centeredness. How do Cain and the Towel of Babel illustrate impulses we still face?
Sin has consequences, but should we maintain them or work against them? How is God still working with humanity even after sin enters the picture?
What does it mean to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? What tempts humanity to define right and wrong on our own terms before we're mature enough?
What's the job description for being human, and how do we relate to one another? Genesis depicts everything in harmony, not heirarchy.
What does it mean to be created in God's image, and to be human? And how do we reconcile the two creation stories in Genesis?
Our new series Questions in Genesis begins...in the beginning. How does the Hebrew creation story compare to other ancient creation stories? How is the Creator and creation good?
We come to the end with the final depiction of God making all things new and restoring all things. So who comes into the city whose gates are never shut?
More visions of the end, with a depiction of humanity's reign, and how judgment is more than pass/fail. You are in the Book of Life, and your actions matter.
The visions of the end begin with an often misunderstood symbol of Jesus' word of judgment.
Babylon appears as a symbol of oppressive empires throughout history, and how they're ultimately self-destructive.
The symbol of the bowls helps us consider how God's love, justice, and wrath all fit together. How do we reap what we sow?
Who follows the Lamb, and what does God's fire do?
HandoutHebrew gematria (numbers = letters)Caesar Nero as ultimate evilPerversion of the Shema (Deut 6:4-8)The mark & buying and selling
HandoutThe irresistible beastYou reap what you sowThis session was shorter because I started with a video recap of the first 11 chapters from The Bible Project. It's not on the recording so I highly recommend you check it out.
HandoutCreation careSymbolic meanings for the womanOvercoming evil with goodIn the Wilderness
HandoutMystery, biblically speakingThe bittersweet scrollHow the church witnessesThe world's response to self-sacrifice
HandoutEchoes of ExodusThe locusts and God's use of evil empiresPunishment ≠repentanceRetributive justice vs. restorative justice
HandoutSee and hear patternIsrael and the church
HandoutThe 4 HorsemenMartyrs in heavenThe wrath of the little Lamb
SardisPhiladelphia (the other one)Laodicea20 centuries later, same issues
EphesusSmyrnaPergamumThyatira
HandoutHow do We Understand the Message? Methods of interpretationSymbolismWho, When, and Where? Authorship & Setting
Handout available hereWhat is the message? Themes & PurposeHow is the message presented? Genre
We conclude our study with a look at the end of Revelation and questions from the class.
How do we understand hell in terms of justice and God's nature?
Does hell torture, destroy, or purify? All can be found in Scripture, so let's reconsider what is most consistent with how God will make things right.
What will we do in the afterlife? The answer is found in what we're created to do now.
More on what it means to be 'with Christ' after death and before the resurrection.
Our final hope is resurrection on the new heavens and new earth, but what happens to those who die before then?
Certain passages are brought up to argue against the Restoration of All Things. But these passages that seem to say heaven is our home are still consistent with the biblical view of the New Heavens and New Earth.
BONUS SERMON from my archives, from the series 'Senseless: Trusting God When Life Goes Wrong.' What do we do when God fails to live up to the black and white promises of protection like we find in this Psalm?
God doesn't destroy the earth, God purifies and redeems it (just like with humanity).
If God doesn't give up on humanity, how could God give up on the rest of creation?
Why Paul doesn't stop believing in the resurrection between letters. What the only example of a resurrected body (i.e. Jesus) can teach us.
Paul explains the nature of the resurrection body and how resurrection defeats death. Chris tries to explain Paul's explanation.
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