People of the Book
by Pastor Rick Nelson
For the most part, the nations and tribes from Biblical times that were of Israel’s size and stature are gone. You’re not likely to run into any Philistines, Moabites, Ninevites, or Amelikites in the course of your day. So, why did Israel survive? Not only survive—how did a tribe of nobodies, nomads, and homeless refugees change the way the world thought and felt?
What distinguished Israel from everyone else? Not power—for most of its history, Israel was under the rule of a greater, more powerful country. Not wealth—Israel never was a major economic power. Not size—Israel was dwarfed by regimes such as Greece, Rome, Egypt, Babylon and Persia. What did Israel have? Certainly, the over arching answer is God—God chose them to be the vehicle by which the world would be blessed. Beyond that, they had a book, a collection of writings we know as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Isaiah, just to mention a few. This collection of writing, as it grew and was assembled through the centuries, is what we know as the Bible.
This book said that instead of little gods, local deities, statuettes, rulers—there was one God who created all things, and planned on redeeming all things; that life was not meaningless—not an endless cycle of repetition and/or randomness; that history was “His story”—God’s story—with a beginning, a crisis, and in a day to come, a climax; that human beings were made by God, are accountable to God, and can know how to live. This book, as we know it today, points to Christ as God’s fulfillment of the promise to save—God’s clearest expression of grace, forgiveness, and eternity.
This book so defined the people of Israel that they were called “People of the Book,” and to help the children of the next generation learn this book was the greatest task and highest calling of everyone in that family of faith. The book shaped them and held them together. It helped form their identity as God’s people.
With some significant additions, and the life, ministry, and salvation activity of “the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jesus), this book has become ours! Now, we are its stewards, its rabbis, prophets, teachers, and hearers. We don’t worship the book, but we believe the book holds the Christ—points to Jesus—as Luther said, much like a cradle that holds the baby. Therefore, might it not be important for us to become acquainted with this Book of Faith? Might it not be vital to our calling, identity, and partnership in God’s mission to the world to handle the book, learn from it, view life through its lens, and become familiar with what it says?
That’s what we’re doing in emphasizing opportunities for adults to learn, explore, and discuss the Book of Faith in increasing ways this year. In addition to small group opportunities, both on and off campus, Sunday mornings during the learning hour (9:45 to 10:45 a.m.) is “prime time” for this effort. Gifted and well-prepared folks will lead sessions almost every week in and around the Bible. Since we remain a “People of the Book,” these opportunities are things you should be participating in!
My first time up as teacher will be these first three weeks in October with a brief overview series called ”A Walk Through the Bible.” We will take a quick look at how our Book of Faith came into being; what it is; how it’s organized; and discover a bit of the red-thread which ties much of it together. Please join me for some groundwork in a sort of “Bible 101” time together and plan to dig in throughout the year, with many others at Central, into the Book of Faith. Yours, mine, and our life and faith will be richer for it!
by Pastor Rick Nelson
For the most part, the nations and tribes from Biblical times that were of Israel’s size and stature are gone. You’re not likely to run into any Philistines, Moabites, Ninevites, or Amelikites in the course of your day. So, why did Israel survive? Not only survive—how did a tribe of nobodies, nomads, and homeless refugees change the way the world thought and felt?
What distinguished Israel from everyone else? Not power—for most of its history, Israel was under the rule of a greater, more powerful country. Not wealth—Israel never was a major economic power. Not size—Israel was dwarfed by regimes such as Greece, Rome, Egypt, Babylon and Persia. What did Israel have? Certainly, the over arching answer is God—God chose them to be the vehicle by which the world would be blessed. Beyond that, they had a book, a collection of writings we know as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Isaiah, just to mention a few. This collection of writing, as it grew and was assembled through the centuries, is what we know as the Bible.
This book said that instead of little gods, local deities, statuettes, rulers—there was one God who created all things, and planned on redeeming all things; that life was not meaningless—not an endless cycle of repetition and/or randomness; that history was “His story”—God’s story—with a beginning, a crisis, and in a day to come, a climax; that human beings were made by God, are accountable to God, and can know how to live. This book, as we know it today, points to Christ as God’s fulfillment of the promise to save—God’s clearest expression of grace, forgiveness, and eternity. This book so defined the people of Israel that they were called “People of the Book,” and to help the children of the next generation learn this book was the greatest task and highest calling of everyone in that family of faith. The book shaped them and held them together. It helped form their identity as God’s people.
With some significant additions, and the life, ministry, and salvation activity of “the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jesus), this book has become ours! Now, we are its stewards, its rabbis, prophets, teachers, and hearers. We don’t worship the book, but we believe the book holds the Christ—points to Jesus—as Luther said, much like a cradle that holds the baby. Therefore, might it not be important for us to become acquainted with this Book of Faith? Might it not be vital to our calling, identity, and partnership in God’s mission to the world to handle the book, learn from it, view life through its lens, and become familiar with what it says?
That’s what we’re doing in emphasizing opportunities for adults to learn, explore, and discuss the Book of Faith in increasing ways this year. In addition to small group opportunities, both on and off campus, Sunday mornings during the learning hour (9:45 to 10:45 a.m.) is “prime time” for this effort. Gifted and well-prepared folks will lead sessions almost every week in and around the Bible. Since we remain a “People of the Book,” these opportunities are things you should be participating in!
My first time up as teacher will be these first three weeks in October with a brief overview series called ”A Walk Through the Bible.” We will take a quick look at how our Book of Faith came into being; what it is; how it’s organized; and discover a bit of the red-thread which ties much of it together. Please join me for some groundwork in a sort of “Bible 101” time together and plan to dig in throughout the year, with many others at Central, into the Book of Faith. Yours, mine, and our life and faith will be richer for it!
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