Evers Bible Class - A Gentle Ramble through the Bible

                               1 Thessalonians (Part 1) Paul, Silas and Timothy spend a year and a half in Corinth. And while they are there, Paul becomes desperate for news from the new church he left back in Thessalonica.  He tries several times to go visit them but is prevented “by Satan” so he finally sends Timothy instead. When Timothy returns with news that the Thessalonians are thriving, Paul bursts with relief. He sits down and immediately pens a letter to them. And in this letter some of Paul’s theological petticoats begin to show. In this class we focus on his assertions that Jesus will come “with the holy ones” and that Jesus will “rescue us from the coming wrath.” We cover  1Thess 1; 2:17-3:13. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                               Thessalonica, Athens & Corinth Paul, Silas and Timothy continue down the Via Egnatia to Thessalonica where Paul’s preaching lands him in hot water again. They are smuggled out by night to Berea where Paul still cannot seem to keep his mouth shut.  He preaches everywhere, no matter the danger. This time when trouble hits, they have to split up. Silas and Timothy remain in Berea while Paul is taken to Athens. He has a crazy encounter with the famous Areopagus and then heads to Corinth where he gets a job while he waits for Silas and Timothy to join him. Together they establish a new church of believers in Corinth. But Paul is worried. Frightened even. We cover  Acts 17; 18:1-18  (and Psalm 91 in the discussion). A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                               The Church at Philippi Barnabas wants to take his nephew John Mark along on their second missionary journey, but Paul absolutely refuses, saying J-M “deserted” them last time. They disagree so vehemently they end up splitting up. Barnabas takes J-M and sets sail to Cyprus, while Paul teams up with Silas and heads towards Galatia by land where they check up on the new churches there. On their travels, Paul has a vision of a man begging them to come to Macedonia, so they head there straightaway. They find open hearts in Philippi, especially in Lydia, a wealthy businesswoman, and they stay there until Paul loses his temper and gets them in trouble with the authorities. We cover  Acts 15:36-16:40. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                              Wrapping Up Galatians Paul tries everything he can think of to convince the Galatians not to fall back into the Law. He tries a pretty unique argument, making the distinction between “seed” singular and “seed” plural, saying the singular version in the Abrahamic Covenant refers to Jesus. Interesting idea and we look to see if his argument holds water linguistically. His point is that God’s covenant of blessing and grace preceded the Law! He tells them the Law was simply put in place to act as a guardian until the coming of Jesus. And he doubles down by saying those under the Law are slaves like Hagar’s child, Ishmael, while those under grace are free like Sarah’s child, Isaac. These are strong words, worth looking at a little closer. We cover  Galatians 3:23-6:18. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                              Trouble in Antioch Paul and Barnabas are back in Antioch after their missionary journey to Galatia. Peter comes for a visit and mingles with all the new believers--Jews and Gentiles alike.  All is well until some Jewish believers show up from Judea and insist that all Gentile believers must be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses. Even Peter and Barnabas are swayed, but Paul is horrified. He calls Peter out, and Peter returns to Jerusalem. The believers in Antioch cannot decide what to do, so they send Paul and Barnabas and others to Jerusalem to consult the leaders there. Meanwhile, Jewish believers are making the same case for circumcision to the new believers in Galatia. Paul writes the Galatians a letter, warning them not to fall for this. We cover      Acts 15:1-35     Galatians 2:1 thru 3:22 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                              Journey Thru Galatia Barnabas and Saul are sent by the church in Syrian Antioch to preach the Good News far and wide. They, along with Barnabas' young relative John Mark, head out for Galatia. Along the way they meet with great success and with great hardship. John Mark throws in the towel, but Barnabas and Saul persist. Gradually, Saul begins to take the leadership role and from this point on is called by his Roman name: Paul. A near-death experience leaves its mark on Paul for the rest of his life, including what he later calls his “thorn in the flesh.” We cover: Acts 13-14 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             Peter and Cornelius Peter, along with James the brother of Jesus, is the clear leader of the new church. In this story he has an epiphany that leads him to the household of a Roman centurion named Cornelius. Jews aren’t supposed to associate with, go in the houses of, or eat with Gentiles such as Cornelius. But the Lord tells Peter to do all these things. Peter’s choice shifts Christianity for all time. We cover  Acts 10-12. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             Saul Sees The Light Saul is a young, zealous Pharisee, passionate about the Law of Moses and the authoritative oral traditions that now surround it. He sees the folks proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah as a direct threat to everything Judaism stands for. He is passionate about stamping this threat out, and we find him on the road to Damascus with orders in his pocket giving him the authority to capture both men and women and bring them to trial. Saul’s plans go awry when Jesus shows up in a blinding light. The world, and Christianity itself, will never be the same. We cover Acts 9. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             The Ethiopian Eunuch We run into the “Angel of the Lord” this week. The angel of the Lord is not just a regular messenger-type angel. This phrase is used in the Bible to identify the Lord showing up in human form at some particularly important juncture in the history of Israel. Often the angel of the Lord appears as an important man, but sometimes it is just an audible voice. Either way, it is always a significant event. So why did the angel of the Lord orchestrate a meeting between the disciple Philip and the treasurer of Ethiopia who had traveled 2300+ miles to Jerusalem? We cover Acts 8. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             The Story of Stephen The apostles and other leaders such as Stephen continue to be harrassed by the religious leaders in Jerusalem. But things turn ugly now. Apostles are flogged, and Stephen becomes the first believer to be martyred. Stephen’s words at his trial take us on a flyover of the story of Israel. His words are worth hearing--both for their content and to honor his courage. We cover Acts 5:12-7:60. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             Ananias & Sapphira The religious leaders are very upset when Peter and John heal a lame man in the Temple and tell the people that Jesus is the Messiah and that he’s risen from the dead. They arrest Peter and John, but they can’t really do much more than that because everyone saw the healing with their own eyes.  Meanwhile, the believers, who have gone from a small group of 120 to more than 5000, are pooling their resources. The rich give enough that everyone has all they need. But then, one married couple decides to keep a little extra for themselves. It does not go well. We cover Acts 4:1-5:11. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             Pentecost The Jerusalem community of 120 believers is filled with joy in the weeks following Jesus’ resurrection. For nearly six weeks, Jesus has walked and talked and eaten with them. Then, suddenly, just a week ago he left! He ascended into heaven, and angels had told them he’d come again the same way he left. It’s been a crazy week, and now the big festival of Pentecost is here. The believers are gathered in a house when suddenly they hear a mighty wind and what seems like flames of fire descend on their heads. They are filled with words they do not know but cannot keep inside. As they spill out into the streets, praising God in foreign languages, people from all over the Roman Empire understand them! And this is just the beginning. We cover Acts 2-3. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                             Choosing In "Pentecost & Persecution" we'll hang onto our hats as the disciples face a whirlwind of blessing and tragedy. The story is told in "Acts of the Apostles" which is Luke’s sequel to his gospel. But do we really know who Luke was? For that matter, do we know who wrote any of the gospels? The short answer is no. We take a moment in this first class to look at how the books of the New Testament were chosen--who chose them and why they chose the ones they did. Then, as we begin the story, we catch up with the disciples. Peter is emerging as a leader. They are a person short, so we listen in as they choose a replacement for Judas. We cover Acts 1. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                            The Resurrection This final class in the "My Time Has Come" series is all about differences. The four gospels writers tell four different stories of the resurrection each including different characters and events. We look at each one in turn, noticing Mark’s abrupt ending, Matthew’s guards, Luke’s walk to Emmaus, and Peter’s raw responses. We look at “The Great Commission” in Matthew, the “Ascension” in Luke, and read two different versions of how the disciples receive the Holy Spirit in power. And these aren’t the only differences--Jesus’ resurrected body is definitely different. We cover      Matthew 28:2-20    Mark 16:5-8    Luke 24:4-53    John 20:2-10, 18-31; 21 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                           In the Tomb Jesus is crucified the day after Passover. It’s a Friday, and since the Passover Festival lasts a whole week, the next day is a High Sabbath. It is imperative to the religious leaders that the bodies of the men crucified not be left over the Sabbath.  They ask and receive special permission to have their legs broken to hasten their death so the bodies can be removed before sundown. But when the soldiers get to Jesus they don’t break his legs because he’s already dead. This makes a lightning connection in John’s mind with the Passover lamb whose bones must not be broken. Jesus is quickly entombed and as far as we know, nothing else happens until he is resurrected on Sunday morning. So why do people think Jesus went to Hell in the meantime? We cover      Matthew 27:56-66; 28:1    Mark 15:42-47; 16:1-4    Luke 23:50-56; 24:1-3    John 19:31-42; 20:1, 11-17 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. Mo

                          The Crucifixion Jesus is too weak to drag the crossbar of his cross to the hill of execution so a passing traveler is dragooned into carrying it for him. He is stripped naked, and his wrists and feet are nailed to the cross. As the soldiers argue about who gets which bit of his clothing, other people jeer and mock Jesus. “If you are the Messiah, save yourself!” As Jesus dies, he mumbles the first line of Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It sounds like God has withdrawn himself from Jesus in his hour of greatest need, but using our backpack tools we discover this is not the case at all! We cover      Matthew 27:32-56    Mark 15:21-41    Luke 23:26-49    John 19:16-30    Psalm 22 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                         On Trial Before Herod and Pilate It is the early hours just after dawn. The religious leaders have condemned Jesus to death for blasphemy, but for a public crucifixion they need Roman authority. They bind Jesus and take him to Pilate, the governor of Judea.  Pilate can’t find any reason to crucify Jesus, but upon discovering he’s from Galilee Pilate sends him to Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, who is in Jerusalem for the Passover. Herod can’t get a thing out of Jesus either. Meanwhile the religious leaders are whipping the crowd into a frenzied, bloodthirsty mob. When the religious leaders tell Pilate, “He has declared himself King, and if you do not sentence him you are no friend of Caesar’s!” Pilate is backed into a corner. He must quell this riot. He must be seen to support Caesar. So he acquiesces and condemns Jesus to death by crucifixion. We cover      Matthew 27:1-31    Mark 15:1-20    Luke 23:1-25    John 18:28-40; 19:1-15 A free  Study Guide  is a

                        On Trial Before The Religious Leaders After they finish the Passover meal, Jesus and the disciples make their way to the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives, just across from the Temple gates. There, Jesus tells the disciples to be alert for trouble is coming, but they cannot keep their eyes open. Jesus prays in agony, wrestling with his feelings about his torture and crucifixion. This is not where he wants to go. Meanwhile, Judas Iscariot has alerted the religious leaders where Jesus can be found, and they send a contingent of soldiers to arrest him. Jesus stops the ensuing violence and is taken to his trial at the hands of the religious elite. It is here, finally, that he tells them openly that he is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God. Peter, in fear for his own life, denies ever even knowing Jesus. When the rooster crows he is overcome with remorse, remembering that Jesus had told him he would fail in this exact way this very night.   We c

                       The Last Supper (Part 3) At the conclusion of the Last Supper, Jesus explains that the disciples can’t do this by themselves. They are like branches on a vine. They have to stay connected to the vine in order to bear fruit. Jesus reviews the really important stuff: I am in the Father. You are in me. We have to all stay together. You can do this even though I am about to go where you cannot see me anymore. Love each other just like I have loved you. If you do this, the world will hate you and persecute you. But don’t worry, I’m sending you a helper, an advocate--the Spirit of Truth (the Holy Spirit) to guide and teach you. And always, always, know you can ask me for anything you need as you go along and I will give it to you, for the Father has given me everything and I freely give it to you. Be at peace in this. And then he prays a blessing over his beloved friends.   We cover  John 15, 16, 17. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class

                      The Last Supper (Part 2) We are in the middle of the Last Supper. Jesus talks about leaving the disciples, and he says they cannot come where he is going. Peter wants to know why he can’t go too! After all, he’d die for Jesus. But Jesus tells him, “You’ll disown me three times this very night.” Even though they cannot come with him, Jesus tells the disciples they know the path. The words Jesus uses to explain all this are based on the "patronage model" of relationship that was prevalent throughout the Roman Empire. We use this lens to unpack some of Jesus’ words. Then he says, “Don’t worry. I will come back, and in the meantime, my Father will send another Paracleton to you--the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit--to be with you forever. This Paracleton will teach you all things, and will remind you of all I have said.”  We cover    Matthew 26:33-35    Mark 14:29-31    Luke 22:31-34    John 13:31-38; 14:1-31 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   ve

                     The Last Supper (Part 1) On the day the Passover lambs are slaughtered, Jesus and the disciples gather in an upper room where they can share the Passover meal. The disciples are still arguing over who’s the greatest so Jesus takes on the role of the humble foot-washing servant to show them how they must be from now on. He gives them a new commandment: Love one another like this! It is while they are eating this meal that Jesus passes around some unleavened bread and calls it his body, broken for them. And he has them all drink from a cup of wine calling it his blood, being poured out for many. Judas is unable to bear it any longer. He leaves to betray Jesus.  We cover    Matthew 26:1-29    Mark 14:1-25    Luke 22:1-23    John 11:55-57; 12:1-11; 13:1-30 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                    Prepare & Keep Your Eyes Peeled Jesus has been crossing verbal swords with Pharisees, Herodians, and legal experts. Now the Sadducees pile on with a trick question about the resurrection. Jesus sends them packing with their tail between their legs. Jesus says, “Don’t be like those guys. Look at that widow who put in the last two coins she had to live on. Her gift is worth more than all the gifts of the rich men.” Then Jesus sits his disciples down and tells them straight up how bad the situation is. They can expect to be beaten and killed. Jerusalem will be destroyed. Then the Day will come when the “Son of Man” comes in power. It’s a lot to take in. Jesus tells them he doesn’t know when it will happen--they simply need to be prepared and keep their eyes peeled. We cover    Matthew 22:23-46; 23:1-12; 24:1-35; 25:1-13    Mark 12:18-44; 13:1-37    Luke 20:27-47; 21:1-38 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. Mo

                   The Time Has Come When Passover pilgrims from as far away as Greece ask to meet Jesus, Jesus suddenly realizes his hour has come, and he experiences trepidation. It is a shock that the time has finally arrived. He talks about being a grain of wheat, dying so that it might bear fruit. He talks about two sons, noting that doing what the Father asks is more important than just saying you’ll do it. He talks about holding your life and your money loosely--giving what belongs to God to God. And he talks about wicked, greedy vinedressers who rent a property and then kill the owner’s son when he comes to collect the fruit. Jesus knows what is about to happen to him. And this week we get a glimpse into how he is facing it. We cover    Matthew 17:24-27; 21:23-46; 22:15-22    Mark 11:27-33; 12:1-17    Luke 20:1-26    John 2:18-25; 12:20-50 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                  Hosanna! The pressure is mounting. The people are insisting that Jesus become the Messiah King they expect. Jesus does everything he can to dissuade them from this disastrous course of action. He sets up an almost ridiculous way of riding into Jerusalem to try to make his point. Jesus is, of course, the Messiah--even the stones under his feet know that. But Jesus knows the people have misunderstood and he weeps over their missed opportunity for peace. We’ve got another intercalation today! Our backpack tools yield surprising fruit once again.  We cover    Matthew 21:1-22; 23:37-39    Mark 11:1-25    Luke 13:31-35; 19:28-48    John 2:13-17; 12:12-19 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

                 Separating the Sheep from the Goats The people think Jesus’ time has come. They are trailing along after Jesus, waiting breathlessly for the Day of the Lord--the great and terrible day when God comes to avenge Israel and deliver her from her enemies. We hear the story of this Day of the Lord as told through the voices of the Hebrew prophets. Jesus knows the time has not yet come for these things to happen. He tries to prepare the people (and his disciples) to be faithful servants and workers even if the time grows long. To illustrate he tells what happens when the Day finally comes and the just are rewarded and the unjust are condemned to eternal, fiery torment with the devil and his angels. What do we do with that? How does that fit with Jesus’ other teachings?  We cover    Matthew 25:14-46    Luke 19:11-27 Plus lots of prophecies from the Hebrew Bible:    Isaiah 2:3-4; 4:2-4; 11 (excerpts); 24:21-22; 65:17-25; 66:15-20    Jeremiah 30:7-8    Joel 2:23ff; 3:12-14    Mi

                There's Enough Mercy For Everyone Jesus is trying so hard to teach his disciples to be as humble as servants. He tells a parable about a landowner who hires day laborers throughout the day and gives a full day’s wage to everyone. The ones who worked only one hour get the same as the ones who worked all day! He tells his disciples, “Don’t resent the blessings of others. Just do your job.” Then he heals a blind man or two--or rather, their own faith heals them. And we wind up this class series with the story of Zaccheus--one of the most amusing stories in the New Testament. We cover    Matthew 20:1-16, 9:27-31; 20:29-34    Mark 10:46-52    Luke 18:35-43; 19:1-10 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

               Lazarus Is Raised From The Dead Jesus raises one of his best friends from the dead and thoroughly awes the crowds, which in turn sets off alarm bells for all the powers that be. Fearing that Rome is about to step in and crush the Jewish nation, the religious leaders call an emergency meeting. Caiaphus, the High Priest, declares that Jesus must die so the entire nation does not perish. There’s just one problem--they have to catch him alone, away from the crowds who increasingly believe he is the Messiah. Jesus calls his disciples aside to give them the bad news (again) that he will die soon. They, like the people, still have trouble believing it. The mother of two of the disciples even asks Jesus to be sure to give her sons places of honor as soon as he gets to be King. We cover    Matthew 20:17-28    Mark 10:32-45    Luke 18:31-34    John 11:1-54 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com

              Justified & Elect Jesus teaches a lot about the difference between being self-righteous and actually doing righteousness. “Righteous” in Greek is synonymous with “justice,” so it makes sense that Jesus uses a parable about a poor widow in court. He warns the disciples not to be proud. He reminds them they are just doing their job. They must not be like the self-righteous Pharisee who prays out loud that he is so thankful he’s not like the sinners in the room!  In fact, Jesus says it is people like the widow who are “elect” and people like tax-collectors who humble themselves to pray for God’s mercy who are “justified.” This is the first time we encounter these terms, so we begin to unpack some of the baggage many Christians carry over this. We cover    Matthew 19:13-30    Mark 10:13-31    Luke 17:5-37; 18:1-30 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

             Rich & Poor, Harsh & Forgiving Jesus tells the story of a rich man and a poor man and what happens to them after death. It’s an old familiar story drawn from the culture of the Ancient Near East, but Jesus gives it a new punchline. Then he talks about how serious it is when we lay traps for other people and for ourselves. This is apparently a VERY big deal to God, with roots all the way back in the Hebrew Bible. Jesus ties it all to the importance of forgiving each other. We talk some more about life after death vs. life now. There’s a lot of meat in here. We cover    Matthew (5:17-20 reprise); 18:6-9, 21-35    Mark 9:42-50    Luke 16:16-31, 17:1-4 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

            A Prodigal Son & A Dishonest Manager Each and every one of us is known by God. We are seen and we are cherished. When the scribes and Pharisees deride Jesus for hanging out with unworthy people, Jesus tells them three parables demonstrating the prodigal love of God (“prodigal” means wasteful, reckless extravagance)! The most famous of these is the story of the prodigal son. As with most parables, there’s more to it than you might remember from childhood stories. Jesus follows this with a really crazy parable directed at the disciples, where he tells them to be more like a dishonest manager. Say, what?!? We cover    Matthew 18:10-14; (6:19-24 reprise)    Luke 15; 16:1-15 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video   version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

           Tell Us Plainly Jesus is very careful never to call himself Christos, the Messiah. In public, he always refers to himself as the “Son of Man.” The Jews understand this is a Messianic title, but the Romans do not, so the religious leaders keep pressing Jesus to be plain--to call himself “Messiah.” What he says in reply nearly gets him stoned. Again. Jesus is the guest of honor at a hoity-toity Sabbath meal with high-ranking lawyers and Pharisees. I bet you can guess that Jesus says some pretty uncomfortable things to them, and he does it with parables. Jesus is down to his last few months. He’s got to get his points across in a way these folks will remember. We cover    Matthew 22:1-14    Luke 14    John 1:9-18; 10:22-42 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

          Before Abraham, I AM The religious leaders are pulling out all the stops to trap Jesus, bring him up on charges (probably heresy or inciting violence or both), and then sentence him to death. First they try to get him to choose between compassion or the very clear Law requiring death for adulterers. They catch a woman in the act of adultery, drag her to Jesus and force him to choose. What do you think he chooses? Jesus completely loses patience with them. The whole rest of the chapter is an “in your face” argument in which Jesus tells the religious leaders that they do not even know God! He winds up telling them, “Before Abraham was born, I AM!” Those are definitely fighting words. They pick up stones to kill him immediately. We cover John 8. A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

          Show Yourself To The World Jesus reaches back into the Sermon on the Mount to talk about going in through the narrow door--but is he really talking about the same thing this time? Once again there are people who miss the path. Jesus says some interesting things about what will happen to them. Jesus’ life is in serious danger. He’s got to go to Jerusalem for Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, but he must play it smart. He needs to stick to the big crowds, but his brothers (mocking him) urge him to show himself to the world!  We catch up with him when he finally does surface in Jerusalem. He’s causing all sorts of confusion. Is this the Messiah? It can’t be--he’s just an uneducated country bumpkin from Galilee. We cover    Luke 13:10-30    John 7 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

          Take Courage And Help Each Other Discipleship 102 gets very explicit and more than a little scary at this point. Some of the disciples may be rethinking their positions.  Do they really want to sell all their possessions, be given the responsibility of sharing God’s love to the people, get arrested, get tried, and probably get beaten or killed? Do they really want to be the ones from whom more is expected? Jesus teaches them what to do when they hurt each other. And he tells a parable to help them remember that when bad things happen to someone it’s not because the people involved are worse than anyone else. Good to know. We cover    Matthew (5:21-26 reprise); 10:19-21,26-34; 18:15-20    Luke 12:1-59; 13:1-9 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

          God So Loved The World Discipleship 102 looks a lot like Discipleship 101. Shocking. Jesus clearly teaches the same thing over and over to the disciples. We focus especially on the new material Luke adds here. The sisters Mary and Martha make their first appearance, but the shocker is when one of the most highly placed Pharisees in Jerusalem sneaks out to find Jesus at night. He’s worried that the religious leaders are getting it wrong. He thinks there’s a good chance Jesus is exactly who he says he is. Jesus talks to him of being born a second time, wind that cannot be seen, the judgment and verdict of God, and…snakes? We cover    Matthew (6:22, 25-34 reprise); 10:29; 12:43    Luke 10:29-42; (11:1-13 reprise); 11:24-28, 33-36; 12:22-34 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

          The Greatest Commandment The religious leaders are pulling out all the stops to trap Jesus, bring him up on charges (probably heresy or inciting violence or both), and then sentence him to death. First they try to get him to choose between compassion or the very clear Law requiring death for adulterers. They catch a woman in the act of adultery, drag her to Jesus and force him to choose. What do you think he chooses? Jesus completely loses patience with them. The whole rest of the chapter is an “in your face” argument in which Jesus tells the religious leaders that they do not even know God! He winds up telling them, “Before Abraham was born, I AM!” Those are definitely fighting words. They pick up stones to kill him immediately. We cover    Matthew 8:18-22; 11:20-30; 18:1-5; 22:34-40    Mark 9:33-41; 12:28-34    Luke 9:46-62; 10:1-28 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

         Transfiguration Things start to get real. Jesus gets explicit with the disciples. Who do you think that I am? Really? What if I tell you I am going to be arrested, tried, tortured, killed, and then after three days, rise again? If you want to follow me, you’ll have to take up your cross and give up your life. Uh, nope. The disciples aren’t ready to hear that. Jesus is the Messiah king who’s going to crush Israel’s enemies, right? Is that what “rise again” means? Jesus tries twice to convince the disciples he’s about to die. Doesn’t work. Peter, James, and John see Jesus start to glow. They see Elijah and Moses talk to him. They hear God say, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him!” Still, they do not understand. We cover    Matthew 10:32,37; 16:21-28; 17:1-23    Mark 8:31-38; 9:1-32    Luke 9:22-45 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .

         More Chiasms Jesus heals a deaf-mute by spitting. We remember we heard this weird technique just a few verses ago. Then he feeds 4000 people with a few loaves. Wait a minute. Are we having deja vu? Could this be a chiasm? We follow Jesus and the disciples to Caesarea Philippi and knock down a popular but faulty myth. We also examine the “sign of Jonah” from a little different angle. It is in this passage that Jesus first uses the word “ekklesia”--later translated as “church.” We cover    Matthew 12:38-45; 15:29-39; 16:1-20    Mark 7:31-37; 8:1-30    Luke 9:18-21; 11:29-32; 12:1-3 A free  Study Guide  is available. A  video version  of the class is available on YouTube. More info at  EversBibleClass.com .