Category: Bible Study

Church health check (Revelation 2-3)

Last time, we talked about the pressures that we face which might discourage and even overwhelm us. We saw that the churches, John was writing to were under intense pressure too. They were the minority in a cruel, Godless empire.  They faced opposition and persecution. We will see some of that this week. However, you… Continue reading Church health check (Revelation 2-3)

The Lord of the Church

As we continue to live through Coronavirus, here are two questions to ask ourselves How are we going to get through the year ahead? How do we face A Troubled World – not just with reference to the virus, but the ongoing fear of terrorism, the challenge of Climate Change, a potential economic crisis, tensions… Continue reading The Lord of the Church

Return of the King – How to read and teach Revelation

So we’ve learnt lots about the book of Revelation in terms of its genre, authorship, date and all the different approaches to interpreting it. This is all well and good but could leave us with just an interesting intellectual exercise. “16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true… Continue reading Return of the King – How to read and teach Revelation

Hardening my heart to my own testimony

The theme of Hebrews 3 is that Jesus is greater than Moses. The argument building up through Hebrews is that Jesus fulfils and therefore is greater than all of the Old Testament. He is greater than the prophets, greater than angels, greater than Moses and the Law. In Hebrews 3, we see that Jesus is… Continue reading Hardening my heart to my own testimony

Return of The King – Interpreting Revelation

Revelation has proved one of the most controversial books in the New Testament. One reason for this is that different people have taken different approaches to interpreting i Different Approaches Kistemaker helpfully lists the following different approaches. Preterist “that which has gone past”[1] to do with the time it was written -focusing on the events… Continue reading Return of The King – Interpreting Revelation

Return of the King – Dating Revelation

There are two main options -an early date pre AD70 under Emperor Nero or a later date around about AD90- AD95 under Emperor Domitian. JAT Robinson favours an early date -his book “Redating the New Testament” he strongly argues that the whole of the New Testament must be understood as written prior to the fall… Continue reading Return of the King – Dating Revelation

A Second Blessing? (Sealed With the Holy Spirit part 8)

There have been various movements throughout history seeking to enable Christians to discover a higher life or greater experience of the Holy Spirit. These include: 1. The Holiness movement including aspects of Methodism and the early history of the Keswick Convention 2. The beginning of Pentecostalism at the turn of the 20th Century 3. The… Continue reading A Second Blessing? (Sealed With the Holy Spirit part 8)

Return of the King – What is the book of Revelation?

It is self-identified as “prophecy”[1] in other words, it reveals what God has to say to his people. We may also expect it to include predictions about the future as well as a verdict on what God’s people are doing at a specific time. The genre is usually described as “apocalyptic literature.”[2] This is a… Continue reading Return of the King – What is the book of Revelation?

The Road home (2 Peter 3:14-18)

Throughout Coronavirus, we’ve taken time each day to pray and look at a Psalm together. I’ve been excited not just to see what each individual Psalm is saying but also to get a sense of the themes coming through. The big theme, particularly in the last part of Psalms is on the journey home for… Continue reading The Road home (2 Peter 3:14-18)