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Fireside Room Bible Class

What Happens After Death?

In February, the Fireside Room Bible Class examined the resurrection of Lazarus and the vehement hostility it stirred up among the religious leaders against Jesus.  What was Lazarus experiencing while he was dead? If he was already experiencing the joys of heaven, did he resent being brought back to a fallen world? John’s Gospel didn’t address questions about Lazarus. It focused our faith on the power Jesus has over death. His ability to raise Lazarus is a preview of what He would do Himself on Easter. It was also proof of the resurrection He will give to each of us on Judgment Day. That’s why Christian funerals are solemn celebrations of the power of God to give us life after death by His grace. 

In March, we will address some of the common questions that are raised concerning death, life after death, resurrection and heaven. We will notice what the Bible does and does not say about life after death and heaven. We will identify commonly held myths and clichés about what happens to people after they die and evaluate them according to what the Bible does say. Do babies become angels when they die? Can dead relatives watch what we are doing here on earth? Do the dead communicate with the living? When we die, are we aware of what is happening here on earth? Are we sleeping and not aware of anything?

The Chapel Bible Class:
Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes

After discussing Jesus’ encounter with the Syro-Phoenician woman, we began our consideration of Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well of Samaria. How are these two women similar to each other? Why does Jesus treat them so differently? What does Jesus want us to learn about worship and evangelism? Dr. Kenneth Bailey points out aspects of Middle Eastern culture that would have been taken for granted by Jesus’ disciples. Our problem is what he calls “cultural foreignness,” but with the aid of his “Oriental exegesis,” these familiar stories come to life in new and unexpected ways.

Saturday Morning Men’s Bible Study
Reacting to Acts

The men meet on the first and third Saturdays of each month. This month we resume our study of the book of Acts. The second half of chapter 11 describes the church in Antioch, where Gentiles and Jews worshipped together in harmony. St. Luke wants to introduce us to this congregation because they are the people who will send Paul and Barnabas off on their first missionary journey. But before telling that story, chapter 12 will report on the death of James, the son of Zebedee, and Peter’s miraculous escape from prison in Jerusalem. This chapter helps us to understand how the leadership of the church in Jerusalem passed to James the brother of Our Lord. How did the church in Jerusalem differ from the church in Antioch? How were they able to maintain good relations with each other despite their differences? What can we learn from their experience to help us in our church today? Your comments and questions are encouraged.    

We plan to meet in the Fireside Room on March 6 and 20. We begin at 8:00 AM and try to finish about 9:30. All men are cordially invited to join us.  For more information, contact Todd Readinger at 651-699-7239.

Saturday Morning Women’s Bible Study Looks at a Portrait of Peter in Acts

Our midwinter break is over and we are ready to get back to our regular meetings on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. This month, Lord willing, we will meet on March 13th and March 27th.

In the second half of the book of Acts we want to notice how Paul says and does many things that remind us of what Peter said and did in the first half of the book of Acts. Both apostles preach the same Gospel and they do similar miracles. Why did Luke tell the story in this way?     

We pick up the story in chapter 16. Paul and Silas are just beginning their missionary journey by visiting the churches that Paul and Barnabas had founded on their first missionary journey. Do you suppose some of the people in Derbe and Lystra wondered where Barnabas was? Paul wanted to take young Timothy along, evidently in order to train him to become a pastor. If we take it for granted that Paul had written his letter to the Galatians before he and Silas began their missionary journey, how do we explain the fact that Paul circumcised Timothy? In the second chapter of Galatians, Paul says that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised. Paul insists that it is not necessary to be circumcised in order to be saved. But then when he comes back to Galatia, Paul goes ahead and circumcises Timothy. Why? What can we learn from Paul about how to handle doctrinal controversies in the church today?