Part 2: Acts and the Epistles

The Jesus Lens

After being well grounded in the stories and teaching of Jesus, we can look at how the early church began to sort out their life in him and their life together. First we'll cover Acts to give us a further sense of their story and then look at the letters roughly in the order in which they were written. This will further help us see that they were not writing the rule book for church order, but continuing on a journey to live deeply in him, to share that life together with others, and extend it to the world.

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Part 3 will be added in the future as we can get the content ready. We appreciate your patience and hope this is a blessing and encouragement to you.

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  • Session 8: Those Early Believers
    Luke-Acts is one continuous narrative that bridges the life of Jesus while he was on earth with the life of Jesus in the early believers. Watch them grow, learn, make mistakes in learning to live in Jesus and share that life with others.
  • Session 9: The Most Dangerous Person in Christianity
    Everyone interprets Scripture on some criteria, the most dangerous ones are those who don't think they do and presume to merely take Scripture literally. These are often those who most want to force their distorted views on others.
  • Question and Answer on Sessions 8 and 9
    After the fourth session Wayne engaged the audience in a dialog about the material already presented.
  • Session 10: The Elliptical Playground
    The truth Scripture describes is not always a linear set of propositions, but an unveiling of two or more seemingly contradictory revelations. The truth is found as both are held in tension inside a relationship with Jesus.
  • Session 11: The Early Letters
    As the believers walked out their newfound relationship with Jesus, issues emerged that required greater clarity. James, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, and Romans were among the first letters written to help people learn how to follow him.
  • Question and Answer on Sessions 10 and 11
    After the fourth session Wayne engaged the audience in a dialog about the material already presented.
  • Session 12: The Middle Letters
    As their individual journeys began to play out in church communities Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and Hebrews were written to help them learn how to live more deeply in God's life as well as to see the church take shape among them.
  • Session 13: The Later Letters
    Paul's later letters - 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus-- along with Peter's two letters and Jude's dealt with false teachers, suffering, and how to stay faithful to the Truth even when others begin to go astray.
  • Session 14: John's Letters and Revelation
    Finally John's three letters and his Revelation provide the last words in the New Testament narrative, both a celebration of his love and our assurance that all of history will culminate in his victory.
  • Question and Answer on Sessions 12 - 14
    After the fourth session Wayne engaged the audience in a dialog about the material already presented.