Category Archives: Bible

The Bible in Wide Angle: Genesis 1

Posted on January 9, 2022 by salooper57

Enjoy this class on how the Bible ties together. This week, the who and why of creation from Genesis 1.

Posted in Bible, Theology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Wide Angle: Turning over a New Leaf or Turning into a New Person?

Posted on January 6, 2022 by salooper57

ied on a cross, was raised on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will return one day. Those are facts, and without them faith in Jesus is illusory. They form the foundation of the faith. But—and this is crucial—they are not the entire building. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Faith, Spiritual life, Theology, Wide Angle | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Wide Angle: The Kingdom Comes

Posted on January 4, 2022 by salooper57

When we read the Gospels, it is helpful to remember that Israel was an occupied country. Its terror alert was always at red, and that the occupation forces and their collaborators in the government were constantly on the lookout for … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Theology, Wide Angle | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Living Backwards – 1 Peter 1:1-4

Posted on January 2, 2022 by salooper57

This week we begin a new series titled, Strong, Firm, and Steadfast. The first message in this series is a hopeful one – is about hope – and comes from 1 Peter 1:1-4. It’s titled, Living Backwards. Read 1 Peter … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The God-in-the-Box Problem

Posted on January 1, 2022 by salooper57

When our kids were small, we had a Jack-in-the-Box. We would turn the crank, the melody would play on and on until, suddenly, the jester popped out of the box. Our kids wanted us to turn the crank again and again, and it always surprised. But then they turned three, and Jack was no longer interesting. They outgrew him.

d-in-the-Box, the same thing will happen. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Theology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Wide Angle: The Kingdom Arrives

Posted on December 31, 2021 by salooper57

In first-century Israel, there was no king – at least, no king descended from David. But people were looking for such a king to come. Apocalyptic books like the ones I mentioned in the last post had stirred people up … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Theology, Wide Angle | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Wide Angle: Christmas, in God’s Time, in God’s Way

Posted on December 24, 2021 by salooper57

It’s time to zoom out and consider the Christmas story from a wide-angle viewpoint. After four hundred years of radio silence, heaven re-established contact and sent messengers (that is the meaning of the Greek word we translate as “angel”) to … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christmas, Encouragement, Theology, Wide Angle | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Wide Angle: Operation Bethlehem

Posted on December 23, 2021 by salooper57

If you remove the Christmas story from the larger narrative that surrounds it, from the promises of God to rescue and renew his people, you still have a nice story but you may just miss the point. This little child … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christmas, Theology, Wide Angle | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Christmas Through the Wide Angle: The Line Becomes the Point of it All

Posted on December 22, 2021 by salooper57

If you remove the Christmas story from this larger narrative, from the promises of God to rescue and renew his people, you still have a nice story, but you may just miss the point. This little child is the fulfillment of the great promises. He is the king. Bethlehem is not just an inhospitable town; it is an invasion site. Bethlehem ought to be listed with Thermopylae, Troy, Normandy, and Omaha Beach. With the coming of this child the forces of the eternal kingdom have arrived, and the deciding campaign of the Long War has begun. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Christmas, Wide Angle | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Wide Angle: Christmas Broke the Silence

Posted on December 20, 2021 by salooper57

I was flying from Dakar, Senegal, West Africa to Paris. I left Dakar about 11:00 at night, and within minutes the ground below us grew very dark.  We were flying over Mauritania, Western Sahara, and Morocco, where towns and villages … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Theology, Wide Angle | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment