Prologue: The Beginning of the Gospel

Jim Leffel

Mark 1:1-13

The theme and emphasis of the book of Mark is the Gospel: the good news about Jesus Christ. It is a message with a dynamic power that is centered on the cross. John the Baptist confirms that Jesus will fulfill the expectations and symbols set up by the Old Testament. When Jesus is baptized, he means to communicate his identification with us, his authority, and God's delight in Jesus' mission.

The Branch

Jim Leffel

Zechariah 6:12-13

Jeremiah describes Israel's future King Messiah and likens him to a branch. Jeremiah states this king will be from David's family line - wise and just. He will also be the people's righteousness, meaning that through this king people will have right-standing before God who is perfect. The king is able to be the people's righteousness because he is also their priest. The Messiah is able to extend forgiveness to all people. In this hope through Christ the Messiah, we are able to have freedom, are incorporated into his kingdom, and become spokespersons for God to tell others about this good news of grace.

Vintage Jesus

Gerry Breshears

John 1:1

The Jesus from Bethlehem to Calvary is a unique being. This time period includes the time from Jesus' human birth to his death on the cross. Is he God? If so, does he have the attributes of God? How is it that things could be true of God and not true of Jesus? These questions are addressed and through this discussion we can gain a deeper understanding of who exactly Jesus was and what his relation was to the Father.

The Writings of Brian McLaren

Gerry Breshears

John 1:1

In Breshears' opinion, The Story We Find Ourselves In is THE theology of the emergent church, and exactly what it calls itself - a (fictional) story. The emergent church nobly started as a group of young leaders who wanted to "take Christianity to the streets" in opposition to postmodern spirituality and in contrast to fundamentalism. Today, the emergent church has unfortunately separated itself from the evangelical essentials and stands in stark opposition to the true Gospel of Christ. Instead of critiquing contemporary culture, it critiques the Church, and in the case of McLaren, the critique is not Biblically-based. Breshears exposes McLaren's theology as not taking into account all of Scripture, but rather only certain parts. The only real test of truth is the Word of God, the Bible.\r\n

Spiritual Birth vs. Spiritual Growth

Dennis McCallum

1 Corinthians 15:21-22

What we do arises out of who we are. Adam's disobedience in the Garden of Eden resulted in all of his descendents (us) being born with a sin nature. However, just as spiritual death was brought through Adam, spiritual life was brought through Christ. When one is baptized into Christ, he is given a new identity because he is identified with Christ. It is this new identity that is the key to lasting change and spiritual growth.

The Mystery of Christ Revealed (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

Colossians 1:24-2:5

Paul's wish is for the Colossians to have "complete confidence" in God's plan. Despite the limited understanding people have, they can have experiences, witness miracles, and receive revelations that validate God's trustworthiness. Specifically, prophetic revelations in the Old Testament and layered throughout the Bible point to historical events predicted long before their time, including the death of the Messiah.

The Incomparable Christ

Jim Leffel

Colossians 1:15-23

Paul makes the argument that Christ has the authority and is sufficient to forgive sins. Christ's death on the cross gives the grace that humans cannot earn on their own. Christ is worthy of people's lives, and he is adequate to meet their needs. He is ultimately trustworthy and the only way to be made right with God.

8 Essential Attitudes (Part 5)

Dennis McCallum

Hebrews 13:8-9

One goal of effective Christian living is to represent balanced biblical truth. We are able to accomplish this as we teach what the Bible teaches and emphasize what the Bible emphasizes. Perhaps the most emphasized teaching within scripture concerns God's grace; His unmerited mercy towards us at Christ's expense. Christians who are strong in the grace of God are able to reflect His truth in a real way that separates itself from false and strange doctrines.

Implications of the Finished Work

Dennis McCallum

Hebrews 8:16-10:22

The author of Hebrews argues the sufficiency of Jesus' work on the cross. Four implications of Christ's finished work include: 1) the Old Testament forms are obsolete; 2) no further need for forgiveness; 3) no works based on guilt feelings; and 4) bold access to God. Thanks to what Jesus did, Christians can live in close communion with God and express gratitude through praise and meditating on His Word and how that affects our lives.