Reading: Complete overview of Mark’s Gospel (skim through all 16 chapters) Context: What do you know about the author Mark and the circumstances surrounding this Gospel’s composition? Mark’s Gospel is traditionally attributed to John Mark, a close associate of the apostle Peter, who served as Mark’s primary source for the Gospel content. Early church tradition […]
Read More WIWO: Mark – Episode 1: Introduction and OverviewThere’s much to be excited about Word In, Word Out. There’s the thanks we give God for the successful launch of the series last year. There’s the way it has successfully covered the two books of Timothy and the book of James. There’s the next series we’ll embark on in Mark. That was scheduled to […]
Read More WIWO – Returns in FebruaryDay 12: Review and Integration Reviewing the Notes of the Previous 11 Days Context: Looking back over James’ letter, how do the various themes work together to address the needs of early Christians facing persecution and social pressures? The twelve tribes scattered across the Empire are at risk of succumbing to the pressures outside and […]
Read More WIWO: James The Last Day 12: Review and IntegrationDay 11: The Power of Prayer Read James 5:13-20 Context: How does James’ teaching about prayer serve as both a climax to his letter and a practical response to the various challenges he has addressed? What is James’ teaching on prayer? It’s something we do when we’re suffering. It’s something done for the one who […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 11: The Power of PrayerSome things just feel right. Reading and writing words have felt right to me for as long as I can remember. The opportunity that blogging presents to write words and present them is one that I remain grateful for. Reaching 20 years of blogging has not given me the impression that it’s time to stop. […]
Read More Blog Schedule UpdateI like some of the writing I did in an autobiographical vein. I know – this blog is by me and meant to be about me, but actually it’s mostly around my thoughts about things of great interest to me, but not necessarily about me. So when I write a blog entry that shares a […]
Read More 20 for 20 #5 The Psalm One About Psalm 1Day 8: Submit Yourselves to God Read James 4:1-12 Context: What does James identify as the root cause of conflicts and quarrels within the Christian community? In a stunning summation of all that he’s outlined so far, James identifies the root cause of conflicts as the same divided loyalties he established at the start of […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 8: Submit Yourselves to GodDay 7: Two Kinds of Wisdom Read James 3:13-18 Context: How does James’ teaching about two kinds of wisdom connect with his previous discussions about trials, faith, and the tongue? By this stage, we should be very familiar with what James has outlined in terms of distinctions. There is asking in faith vs wavering. There […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 7: Two Kinds of WisdomDay 5: Faith That Works Read James 2:14-26 Context: Why does James feel compelled to address the relationship between faith and works so emphatically in this section? In a way, he’s been building up to this. He’s had to tell the listeners to ask for wisdom to get through trials and ask for it properly, […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 5: Faith That WorksDay 4: The Sin of Favouritism Read James 2:1-13 Context: What social and economic tensions within the early church might have prompted James to address favouritism so directly? From what James writes both before, in terms of various trials, and here, in terms of the treatment of the poor by the rich, it appears that […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 4: The Sin of Favouritism
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