95 episodes
Wisdom from the Word™ with Laura Zielke Laura L. Zielke, MDiv.
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- Religion & Spirituality
The Journey through the Bible podcast is recorded live each week in our adult Sunday School class. We are committed to in-depth, verse-by-verse study of the Scriptures. By studying only a few verses at a time, our slow pace allows us the chance to dig into history, geography, customs, archaeology, and more to gain a clear understanding of the text. Focal passages sometimes overlap due to the fact that the class is interactive and taught in a discussion format. Some weeks we get farther than others depending on the number of questions. We believe that *all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.* (2 Tim. 3:16)
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Acts 11:27-30 ~ Famine Felt 'Round the World
This week we discussed various topics related to the church in Antioch, Syria. We learned the first instance a disciple was called “Christian” was in Antioch. A prophet came down from Jerusalem and predicted a severe famine that would spread over the entire Roman Empire, and we were able to pinpoint almost exactly when this was with the provided information.
The disciples decided to provide help for other Christ-Followers in Judea, sending their gifts with Barnabas and Saul.
We also debunk a myth about the early Christians being poor people, as many were well off.
>> Click to read this week’s passages in KJV, CSB, ESV, NIV: Acts 11:27-30
Acts 11:27-30 ~ Famine Felt ‘Round the World
This week we learn more about the prophecy of a famine and what the disciples in Antioch, Syria decide to do.
* Recorded: LIVE. This audio has been HEAVILY REDACTED for class member privacy, time, and content.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
PowerPoint Presentation:
Charts & Maps:
Map of the Regions
New Testament Chronological History -
Acts 11:19-26 ~ Barnabas and the Hellenists
This week we reviewed the previous lesson about the expansion of the gospel into Phoenicia, Syria, and Cyprus. This section, though less than ten verses, fills in the gap in Luke’s narrative of how Christ followers ended up so far north. This timeline is concurrent with that of the previous three chapters.
From the earliest days of the church, there has been one message uniting people across all human-made divides: love. That’s the core of the gospel. Barnabas was sent to Antioch to make sure they were in compliance with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In other words, Barnabas is sent to check up on a group of Christ followers who were already in Antioch teaching non-Jews about Jesus. We also discussed how Luke coined his own term “Hellenistas” to describe the Greek-speaking Jews who were living in areas far-removed from Jerusalem…or were they Greek-speaking non-Jews? This is a mystery.
>> Click to read this week’s passages in KJV, CSB, ESV, NIV: Acts 11:19-26
Acts 11:19-26 ~ Barnabas and the Hellenists
Barnabas is sent to verify what is being taught in Antioch is accurate.
* Recorded: LIVE. This audio has been HEAVILY REDACTED for class member privacy, time, and content.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
PowerPoint Presentation:
Whiteboard:
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A Map of the Region Discussed
PHOTO CREDITS:
"Ancient Roman road near Tall Aqibrin in Syria," photo by Bernard Gagnon -
Acts 11:19-26 ~ Meanwhile in Phoenicia, Cyprus & Antioch
This week we studied how the gospel spread north beyond Palestine into less Jewish-centric communities including Phoenicia, Antioch (in Syria) and the island of Cyprus. This section introduces us to the city of Antioch which will become the center of Christianity after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and to the church who sends out Paul and his partners on their missionary journeys.
We also discussed how Luke coined his own term “Hellenistas” to describe the Greek-speaking Jews who were living in areas far-removed from Jerusalem.
>> Click to read this week’s passages in KJV, CSB, ESV, NIV: Acts 11:19-26
Acts 11:19-26 ~ Meanwhile in Phoenicia, Cyprus & Antioch
Luke coins a term to distinguish this particular people group
* Recorded: LIVE. This audio has been HEAVILY REDACTED for class member privacy, time, and content.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
PowerPoint Presentation:
Whiteboard:
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PHOTO CREDITS:Banner photo courtesy of the LUMO Project (https://www.LumoProject.com) -
Acts 11:1-18 ~ Clean.
In our final discussion on this passage, we got down to where the rubber meets the road. As we focused on Peter’s defense of his experience in Acts 11, we learned that he had become convinced his vision had nothing to do with food and everything to do with people.
And so the real question is this: Was the message of Peter’s vision limited to the first century and the Jew/Gentile situation? OR does it carry implications for us as Christ followers TODAY in the 21st century? How should we understand and/or apply Peter’s words to our own lives?
>> Click to read this week’s passages in KJV, CSB, ESV, NIV: Acts 11:1-11:18
Acts 11:1-11:18 ~ Clean vs. Unclean*
Modern-Day Implications of Peter’s Vision and Experience with Cornelius
* Recorded: LIVE. This audio has been HEAVILY REDACTED for class member privacy, time, and content.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
PowerPoint Presentation:
There was no PowerPoint this week.
PHOTO CREDITS:Dirty Window with Heart - Gaelle Marcel @gaellemarcel on UnsplashDirty Hands with Light - Riccardo Annandal @pavement_special on Unsplash -
Acts 10:1-11:18 ~ The Core of the Gospel Message (Kerygma)
As part of our continuing discussion about Peter’s speech(es) in Acts 10 and 11, we stepped back to look at how Peter and the apostles adjusted their presentation of the gospel message to each audience based on their knowledge of the Scriptures and Jewish religious traditions.
Through comparison and contrast, we identified key elements of his preaching that were present in each sermon. When everything else is stripped away, what is left? What is at the core (a.k.a. kerygma) of the gospel message?
>> Click to read this week’s passages in KJV, CSB, ESV, NIV: Acts 10:1-11:18
Acts 10:1-11:18 ~ The Core of the Gospel
Common elements in gospel sermons preached by Peter in Acts 1-11.
* Recorded: LIVE. This audio has been edited for class member privacy, time, and content.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
PowerPoint Presentation:
There was no PowerPoint this week.
White Board Notes:
More on Kerygma
In his abstract on Kerygma (below), B. Scott Lewis explains the term and its usage by theologians:
“The descriptive term ‘kerygmatic’ comes from the Greek word kerygma, meaning to preach or proclaim. The term is frequently used by kerygmatic theologians (e.g. Rudolf Bultmann, Karl Barth) to describe the act of preaching that calls for an existential faith in the meaning of Jesus. The term kerygma was used by theologians to denote the content of apostolic preaching which consisted of historical facts about Jesus’ life and ministry (e.g. death, burial, resurrection, and ascension) for understanding the meaning Jesus (e.g. C. H. Dodd). According to kerymatic theologians, when the content of the primitive kerygma is preached today (i.e. Jesus’ death and resurrection) it is understood that God calls upon hearers to believe in God’s act in Christ, so that hearers recognize their judgment of sin and receive grace in the present. In other words, this ‘proclaimed word’ is an existential encounter with Jesus where the saving event of God — as described in the historical content of the kerygma — reoccurs in the proclaiming act in the present. Although less concerned with the historical sources for understanding the meaning of Jesus, kerygmatic theologians understand the proclaiming act to be God calling upon unbelievers to encounter the meaning of Jesus in an existential manner. This kerygmatic theology as articulated by Karl Barth, Rudolf Bultmann, and others became a unified theological position during the 20th century. ”
Banner Photo Credit: Carlos de Almeida @carlosriba on Unsplash -
Acts 10:1-11:18 ~ Everyone Is Welcome. Every. One.
Who is “welcome” to join us in following Jesus? Who is not? Where do we draw the line? Should we even draw one? How do we know?
During the week prior to the Sunday when this lesson was originally taught, American citizens were mesmerized by two very different and highly publicized funerals: John McCain’s in Arizona, and Aretha Franklin’s in Michigan. We spent the first few minutes of class discussing the similarities and differences in the guest list, the funeral services, and how they were covered in the media.
The recording starts there as we observed that the diversity and inclusion in each audience was modeled by Jesus and prompted by the Holy Spirit in Acts. This provided the perfect backdrop to our discussion of Peter’s experience with Cornelius in Caesarea Maritima.
>> Click to read this week’s passages in KJV, CSB, ESV, NIV: Acts 10:1-11:18
Acts 10:1-11:18 ~ Everyone Is Welcome. Every. One.
The good news of Jesus is for everyone—Jew and Gentile alike.
* Recorded: LIVE. This audio has been edited for class member privacy, time, and content.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
PowerPoint Presentation:
There was no PowerPoint this week.
Banner Photo Credit: Katie Moum @katiemoum on Unsplash