This video is the first of a ten-week Bible study series on the Gospel of Matthew. 

We discuss the phrase "the kingdom of Heaven."  What would that mean to those hearers of first-century Israel? 

Over the many years, this phrase has taken on western connotations of a local (Kingdom as a noun) in the future that we call heaven. 

But for the Jews of the first century, the Kingdom of Heaven meant the present reality of God's "reign" (as a verb). 

​The present action of God’s rule here on earth as Jesus teaches us to pray: “your kingdom come, your will be done, on EARTH as it is in Heaven.” 

Join us as we explore this crucial topic.

Week 1 Class Handout:

This week we tour the hometown of Mary the Magdalene - the village of Magdala. 

Magdala was a wealthy fishing village that was famous throughout the Roman Empire for its salted-sardines. 

According to Luke 8:2-3, Mary supported Jesus and the disciples "out of her own means." 

There are many questions about Mary. Does the Bible say she was a prostitute?  Is it possible that she controlled her own wealth? Could her wealth have come from the city of Magdala?

Join us this week as we explore the village of Magdala and the most recent interpretations of Mary the Magdalene. 

Class Handout:

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In Matthew 11: 20-24, Jesus gives a warning to three of the cities that were closely tied to his ministry. 

How are we to understand what is going on in these passages? 

Matthew comments that the reason Jesus was denouncing these cities was that they saw his miracles but did not "repent." 

In this lesson, we explore the concept of "repent" and "repentance." How we conceive these words affects how we understand these passages.
 
Join us to explore the context of Jesus' message and how it can apply to our lives.

Class Handout:

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This lesson was originally recorded in June 2019.

This past (Aug. 2021) week we had to cancel our regular bible study due to Hurricane Ida.

I wanted to get a video posted, and this is one of our favorites but had not been published before.

As Jesus enters Jerusalem, he is very intentional with his actions that publicly declare that He is the King.

One very intentional act is to stop at the village of Bethphage before getting on the donkey.

What is the significance of Bethphage relative to coming "into" Jerusalem?

​Join us as we explore the cultural context of Jesus' actions.

Class Handout:

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In this video, we continue our study of Jesus walking on water - or as I correct myself during the lesson - Jesus walking on the "Sea." 

We attempt to look at this story through the metaphor created by the symbols in the story. God uses metaphor to communicate complex concepts to human beings - such as 'God is a rock' or a 'shepherd.' 

When we view the details of this story through the metaphor, we can see an impactful message for our own faith walk. This message is communicated through the telling of Peter getting out of the boat to join Jesus on the water. 

Join us as we conclude this study of this well-known story. 

Class Handout:

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