In the Footsteps of Jesus - Pastor's Bible Study

Happy New Year everyone! I have missed being with you so very much. I am sending this article directly to you – it’s up on my pastor’s page on the web, and will go out in an E newsletter...but I wanted to send it directly to you! Hoping to see you this coming Wednesday night. Spread the word. Tell your Sunday School Class! Invite a friend!


In the Footsteps of Jesus:

The Scarlet Threads of God’s Love

Woven throughout the Bible

In the past several of weeks there have been various reports of an ancient house that was uncovered in Israel…in Nazareth! And the most exciting news of all is that this house and the artifacts that were discovered date from the time of Jesus Christ! AWESOME!

I could not help but rejoice at this wonderful news.

As Jesus grew up playing and eventually working in the city of Nazareth, it was a very small village of about 50 homes. Could it be possible that this very house might have been His? Perhaps. But at the very least, whoever else lived there had to be one of His neighbors! Imagine that. The entire village would have been like one large extended family. The families would have known each other very well.

I found this news even more exciting than I ordinarily would have because it was announced as I was in the midst of planning and writing our next Pastor’s Bible Study…In the Footsteps of Jesus: The Scarlet Threads of God’s Love Woven Throughout the Bible.

About 13 years ago, as I would be praying and meditating on the Word of God, I felt an unusual drawing – a growing intense thirst or interest - in studying the Old Testament. Little did I know I was about to embark on a journey that would open up the Scriptures in BOTH the Old and New Testaments like I had never encountered or could have ever imagined. Simultaneously, the archeological finds that validate the Word of God have been happening over the past twenty or so years at an exciting, never-heard-of-before pace. What makes this even more exciting is that some of the archaeologists who have uncovered these artifacts were basically unbelievers who have since come to the knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ because of what they have found!

What so many are now realizing is that the more we study and understand the times in which Jesus lived, the better we understand His ministry and teachings among the people of His day. We also realize that one Testament is incomplete without the other. The Old Testament is the Word of God concealed…the New Testament is the Word of God revealed. The more we understand Genesis, the more we will understand Revelation and every other book in the Bible.

The more we learn about the culture, customs and traditions of BOTH Testaments, the more the ministry and words of Jesus come alive! The more we learn the truer sense of how He was ministering to the people and what He was teaching – the more we can apply what we have learned to live a life of victory in Christ Jesus TODAY – even though our quickly changing world may seem to be falling apart.

That’s what In the Footsteps of Jesus is all about. The scarlet threads which symbolize the saving blood of Jesus Christ are indicative of the deep love of God … these scarlet threads can be found on every page and in every book in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation! Consequently, the more we see these connections, the more deeply we grow in our understanding of how much God loves us, and the more we can live in this chaotic world as victors-not victims, and flourish as His people.

Our first session is Wednesday, January 13, beginning with hymns of faith, and a time of prayer at 6:45 in the Parlor. As we did last year, we will video each session and post it on streamgarden.tv along with access to the Teaching Notes for that session for those who cannot attend the actual Class Sessions. For those who wish, you can access streamgarden.tv on iTunes and download our broadcasts to your iPod. If you want to be added to our email list to receive the Class Notes automatically, just send me a note letting me know (kay@lcumc.tv)

This week we will highlight previously little known facts about the birth of Jesus that will make our basic understanding of the Christmas story even more amazing and meaningful than we could have ever imagined! We will look briefly at how His birth was foretold in Genesis 3 and how every prophecy regarding it was fulfilled to the letter. (Hint: there is far more meaning to the infant Jesus being “wrapped in swaddling clothes” than most of us have ever realized.) These new facts will greatly underscore the infinite grace, mercy, and love of Christ that will bring a greater sense of joy, comfort, peace, and hope to each of us TODAY, regardless of the challenges we are facing.
Relevant! Real Time! Now! At home! At school! At work!

Join us as we walk In the Footsteps of Jesus and receive the blessings He desires for all people.
From My Heart to Yours, Kay