Virtual Church Consulting

We are in a series called “Sword Sharpening” and looking at how to make the most out of your time with the Bible. This week, we will look at how His Story fits into history. We will also talk about how we deal with Bible verses that seem a little difficult. As you take time to read through the Bible, you will find some passages and verses that are not always easy to deal with. Can we just take the parts of the Bible we like or agree with and ignore the more difficult parts? Another thing to consider is how to handle these verses in a way that is loving.

I said a few weeks ago that one of the things that should be happening as we dig into the Bible is that we become more loving people. We talked about this and we looked at an encounter where Jesus was asked by an expert in the law, “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law”? This was Jesus answer:

Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Bible reading and studying should help us realize how much we are loved, making us more loving. What does it look like to love well in the face of a difficult Bible verse?

This week we will be considering some verses like these:

John 14:6 (NIV)
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1 Timothy 2:5 (NIV)
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

Acts 4:11–12 (NIV)
11 Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

For a Christian, these passages are not all that difficult. But what about people who are not Christians?

I believe we can gain some insight into these verses as we look at how His Story fits into history. I will be introducing you to this flowchart on the weekend.

Make plans to join us in-person or online!

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

This week, as we continue in our “Sword Sharpening” series, we will do a little review to tie the first thirteen parts together and prepare to move further on in the series from here. As we began this series, we looked at a couple of verses. The first was the writer of Hebrews comparing the Word of God to a sword, where we got the idea for the title.

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The second verse was from the gospel of Mark Chapter 12:

Mark 12:24 (NIV)
24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?

The thrust of this series is the importance of learning how to and how not to read the Bible. We looked at four ideas to help us accomplish this.

a) The Bible is pointing to Jesus.

b) The Bible is a library, not just a book.

c) The Bible is written for us but not to us.

d) Context, context, context.

With those four ideas established, we started breaking the storyline of the Bible into eight sections in the hopes that this would help hold His Story together in a memorable way.

The storyline of the Bible (His Story) is presented in eight sections with the main points:

1) Kingdom Revealed – Genesis 1 – 2

Cosmic Temple, Divine Realm/Elohim, Earth Realm/human

2) Kingdom Rebellion – Genesis 3 – 11

The Fall, the Flood, the Tower of Babel

3) Kingdom Covenant – Genesis 12 – 50

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

4) Kingdom Foreshadowed – Exodus – 2 Kings

Ten Plagues, Ten Words, Tabernacle, Temple

5) Kingdom Coming 1 Chronicles – Malachi

The Glory departs, the Exile, the Prophets.

6) Kingdom Incarnate – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Tabernacles, Temple, Cross, Resurrection

7) Kingdom Tension – Acts – Revelation < 21

Now and Not Yet, Temple, One More

8) Kingdom Consummated – Revelation 21 – 22

All Things New, Life After Life After Death

We hope to take what we have learned and see where and how His Story fits into history. Make plans to attend in person or watch line for all this and more at Keys Vineyard Church.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

We are in a series called “Sword Sharpening” and looking at how to make the most out of your time with the Bible. This week we are continuing our look at the storyline of the Bible, which we call His Story, and we will look at the eighth section, Revelation 21 – 22, and call it Kingdom Consummated.

Revelation 21:1-5 (NIV)
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

“I am making everything new!” What a powerful verse. There are two words in Greek for “new”, and they are very different. Neo means brand new “in time.” Like building a “new” house. But “kainos,” (the word used for new in Rev 21) carries a different meaning. It means restored or refreshed or renewed. So, in keeping with the house illustration, it’s taking the house that once was new but now old and re-newing it.

With that said, there are some fiery words about the end of the age that we need to look into.

2 Peter 3:5-7 (NIV)
5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

2 Peter 3:10 (NIV)
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

In these verses, Peter connects to the Flood of Noah’s day as the image for the end of the age: “By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed” (v. 6). Since we know that the planet actually survived the flood, we need to think the same way about the coming fire. The Flood cleansed the earth, renewed it. Noah and his family stepped out of the ark onto a restored earth, to begin again. Peter then turns from water to fire as the element by which the earth we love is cleansed. Fire symbolizes cleansing throughout the Scriptures; perhaps you remember that Paul said our life’s work will be tested in the fire, like gold. The good remains; the rest is burned away.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15 (NIV)
13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

Let’s look quickly at an encounter between Jesus and Peter. Peter asks Jesus this question:

Matthew 19:27 (NIV)
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

Look at Jesus’ response:

Matthew 19:28-29 (NIV)
28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

After sitting with Jesus and taking in His words, Peter concludes his passage on the end of the age with these words:

2 Peter 3:13 (NIV)
13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

The renewal of all things simply means that the earth is restored, renewed, and given back to us. Forever. We will be looking at this and more this weekend at Keys Vineyard Church so make plans to join us in-person or online.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.