Willow Creek Weekend Podcast Willow Creek Community Church

Have you ever overheard a conversation only to realize it was about something completely different? Context is key—in life and in reading the New Testament Letters!

There are a lot of apparent contradictions throughout the Letters, some people point to this as a reason to disprove the Bible. But understanding the context and realizing the purpose of each letter, for the people it was written for at that moment in time helps clue us into the differences.

 What are the Gospels? They are books of the Bible that provide historical narratives documenting the life and work of Jesus and the creation of the early church. It is in Matthew, Mark, Luke,  John, and Acts that we see God come to earth as a human, in Jesus. They also show how, as Christians, we are to live and love others as one of God’s children. 

Last week we learned about the prophecy books of the Bible. This week we see how Jesus came to fulfill those prophecies!

The prophets in the Bible did some pretty strange things to grab the attention of God’s people and bring them back to Him. Understanding the prophetic books can be tricky if you don’t know the historical setting, so let’s use them as a framework for cultivating a relationship with Jesus, not simply religious adherence. 

The Bible lays out fantastic principles for living, but even following them all doesn’t promise a life free from pain. We’ll explore the Wisdom literature to discover how we can seek wisdom, follow it, and find principles for life anchored in Christ.

Did you ever do something you knew you weren’t supposed to? Like, rebel against your boss, your parents, God? How did your boss or your parents respond? Probably not great.

This week Pastor Megan Marshman covers the History books of the Bible: and, more closely, the book of Ruth.

Ruth’s story in the Bible is set during a very dark moment in the history of Israel, where God’s people were rebelling against Him, doing what they thought was right by them. But what Ruth’s story shows us is that God’s plan will prevail. Humans can’t derail the progress of God’s grand design; as much as we might try!

If you’re looking for biblical hope, the book of Ruth offers just that.

So, the Bible is a little long…and overwhelming. And hard to understand a lot of the time. Ever thought: TL;DR?
Same. Same.

So we’re starting a brand new series on the ENTIRE BIBLE. Yep, everything in seven weeks. If you’ve ever wondered “how to start reading the Bible” or what a good Bible study plan is, this is the series for you.

Sound boring? Nah! This will be all you need to show how the Bible points us towards Jesus, even in the Old Testament. And discover how life-changing actually reading the Bible can be for you.

We kick it off by looking at The Law books of the Bible. The first five books of the Bible, also known as the Torah or Pentateuch, can be read like a bunch of rules, but the Law books are so much more than that. They reveal the heart of God and His radical love for people.