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BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE Even for long time church members, the Bible can be confusing and something we don’t know nearly as well as we would like or should. Here are some notes to help you in using the Bible in your daily life and in your activities here at St. John Lutheran Church.

The Big Picture THE OLD TESTAMENT consists of 39 books, originally written primarily in Hebrew. They tell the story of God and his people from about 2000 B.C. through about 400 B.C. They are organized into five groupings of books: The Books of Moses, Books of History, Books of Poetry, Major Prophets, and the Minor Prophets. These books comprise the scriptures for the Jewish people. During the lifetime of Jesus, these books were called the Law and the Prophets. They tell of the unfolding of God's covenant with Abraham and with the Jewish people: I will be your God and you will be my people. It is important to see that God is the primary mover in this relationship.

THE NEW TESTAMENT consists of 27 books, originally written primarily in Greek. They tell the story of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. They share the story of the beginnings and spread of the church from the year zero through about 100 A.D. They are also organized in five groupings of books: The Gospels, History Book, Paul's Letters, other Letters, and one book of Prophecy. They tell the story of God renewing his covenant with all people: God so loved the world that he sent His only son, whoever believes in Him, shall not die, but has everlasting life.

OLD TESTAMENT DETAILS - THE HISTORY OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE

BOOKS OF THE LAW - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy These books tell the story of God calling the Jewish people to be His people starting with Abraham & Sarah in about 2000 B.C. The covenant (agreement) was simple: "I will be your God and you shall be my people.” Stories focus on Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his 12 sons and the Hebrew people. Exodus tells the story of the enslavement of God's people in Egypt for 400 years and Moses' call to lead the people to freedom in the Promised Land. Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy tells of the people in the wilderness for 40 years (1500 B.C.) receiving the 10 Commandments, having their faith tested, and preparing them as God's people to enter the land of Israel.

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HISTORY OF ISRAEL - Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther These books tell the story of how the Jewish people conquer and move into the promised land from 1400 to 1200 B.C. Israel is ruled by Judges who settled disputes in accord with God's Laws. From 1030 - 931 B.C. (Golden Age) Israel is ruled by three great kings, Saul, David, and Solomon. Jerusalem is the capital and Solomon builds the Temple as a center for worship. Following his death (931 B.C.) the kingdom is divided with the southern kingdom of Judah and Israel in the north. Israel is conquered by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. and Judah falls to Babylon in 587 B.C. The ruler of Persia allows the Jews to return to Israel in 538 B.C. and they are eventually conquered by the Greeks and Romans.

POETRY BOOKS - Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon These books were written in the Golden Age of Israel around 1000 B.C. Psalms is like our hymnbook. These books of poetry and wisdom literature reflect the height of praise and the depth of despair that Israel felt as they moved back and forth from obedience and idolatry.

MAJOR PROPHETS - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Lamentations The books of the prophets were written when God's people had departed from His ways. The job of a prophet is to call the people to believe in God and follow Him. Prophets assure us of divine blessing upon the faithful and punishment on the faithless. Prophets also bring words of hope at difficult times assuring us that a more enduring relationship will come.

END TIME PROPHECY & MINOR PROPHETS - Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi Minor prophets are just like the Major Prophets, but the books are shorter. They sometimes use dreams or visions to paint a picture of what will come to Israel. The prophets always point out Israel's disobedience and assure us of God's constant love and the eventual restoration of the people of God.

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NEW TESTAMENT RECORDS THE LIFE OF JESUS AND THE EARLY CHURCH

GOSPELS - Mark, Matthew, Luke and John These four books tell us that a Savior has come to all people. They include the story of Jesus’ birth, His preaching, teaching, and healing, and His death on the cross and His Resurrection. They call us to let God be our God and live as His people.

HISTORY - Acts of the Apostles This book tells of the gift of God's Spirit so we would know He is always with us. Acts describes the spread of the Gospel and the history of the early Church.

PAUL'S LETTERS - Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon Paul went on three missionary journeys preaching the Gospel and starting congregations around the Mediterranean. These letters were written to people to share the Gospel, reinforce his teachings and help them deal with congregational problems. They also help the church deal with problems today.

PASTORAL LETTERS - Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John, Jude These letters share the life in the early church and problems they faced in the late 1st century.

END TIME PROPHECY - Revelation This is a prophetic book recording the visions of John as he tells of the end of the world through symbols and images. They assure us of God's presence.

- 3 - HOW DO I PICK A BIBLE TO READ?

I ask everyone to bring their own to worship or make use of the pew Bibles. To help encourage this, we don’t print the lessons in the worship bulletins – we want you to hold, open and read the Bible, either print or on your mobile device. We will be using the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) for all our readings, but feel free to follow along using other translations. Just remember sometimes the words will be different because of choices made by the translators. I personally like having multiple translations for comparison. Remember, translators working from Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek will make different word selections for a variety of reasons. However, I would not recommend a paraphrase Bible for Bible study, at least not as your primary Bible. These would include The Message and the versions of The Living Bible. While they are good for devotions and other uses (I really like The Message for preaching), they are not word for word translations and often veer from the wording of the actual text.

Daily Bible Reading Plans While there are many to be found, I would suggest the free daily reading plans from Ligonier Ministries. There are a variety of lengths and styles to choose from to get you started and you can find them at https://www.ligonier.org/blog/bible-reading-plans/.

Print Bibles NRSV Bibles are easy to find in bookstores and online. The harder search is to find a study Bible, with notes and maps that can help you along the journey. Study Bibles are written from all kinds of perspectives, some not always “friendly” to our Lutheran understanding of Scripture and God’s grace. If you have questions about a certain study Bible and like my opinion, just text, email, or call and I’ll let you know what I think. Here are some study Bibles you might consider.

The Lutheran Study Bible (Augsburg Publishing – www.augsburgfortress.org ) This Bible comes from our ELCA publishing house and is very well done. Good notes and study questions for personal or small group use. Can’t go wrong and comes in hardcover, paperback, and mobile apps.

Other Recommended NRSV Study Bibles (All available on .com): The New Oxford Annotated Study Bible; the Harper Collins Study Bible; and the Discipleship Study Bible.

The Learning Bible – NIV - Recommended The Learning Bible is my favorite for visual learners and was my “go to” Confirmation class Bible for years. Easily the most colorful and most highly illustrated study Bible, the study notes are keyed to categories like a Trivial Pursuit game. If you are new to Christianity, unfamiliar with Biblical history and culture, this is an excellent starter study Bible. Unfortunately, it is only available in the NIV (a CEV translation was discontinued several years ago) and the publisher just discontinued it. I still highly recommend it as a second Bible. It’s available on Amazon.com through used booksellers and worth the time to look for it.

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The Serendipity Bible - Recommended Only available in the New International Version (NIV), the Serendipity Bible is designed for easy small group Bible studies. 60 group discussion guides are included along with study notes, making it a great Bible study leader’s tool. There is a special ELCA version called The Master Builders Bible that was published for men’s Bible study groups. I highly recommend this Bible for anyone interested in doing small group discussions. It’s available on Amazon.com.

The Lutheran Study Bible (Concordia Publishing – www.cph.org) - Not Recommended Published by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, I note it because it has the same title as the Augsburg Lutheran Study Bible. I have one but it’s not on my recommended list, at least not as your only Bible. Good points: Lots of quotes from Luther; excellent cross-references; some good insights into Lutheran tradition/history; lots of digital and print formats. Downsides: Not available in NRSV; comes from a rather stark literal interpretation (every word, story, etc… is factually and empirically true); will criticize harshly other Christians for differing positions (i.e., women pastors).

Bible Apps Most Bible apps for cell phones and tablets have multiple translations rather than just one. Go to your app store, look at reviews via Google and YouTube, check the developers web pages, and decide if you want a free app or one with more options that you have to pay for. Here are some I like:

Bible.is - http://www.bible.is/apps/ Has the most translations available for free, including the NRSV, a sign language version with signers, and it will read to you as well.

Logos Bible Software App - http://www.logos.com/iphone This is what I use on my iPhone. Many translations but also links to my laptop bible program Logos 5, which is a scholar level program ($500+). The app is straightforward and everything is on your phone or tablet rather than needing wireless.

Bible Gateway App by Zondervan This has become a very popular free app that is based out of my favorite web page for Bible translations. Available for Google Android and Apple iOS, this is the easiest app with a variety of tools and translations.

- 5 - Web Resources All you have to do is go on to Google and you will find countless resources for reading and studying the Bible. Here are just few I recommend:

Bible Gateway - http://www.biblegateway.com/ Easiest web page to use and the most versions, its my go to site when not using my laptop Logos software. It has the NRSV, does comparisons, word searches, studies, and group helps. I haven’t really found anything better.

Book of Faith - http://www.bookoffaith.org/ The Bible reading initiative of the ELCA from 2011, this site has lots of links, recommendations and articles well worth checking out.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) - http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe.aspx This link takes you to the ELCA’s statements of belief and doctrine, including a link about what we believe regarding the Bible. Simply put, “this church accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life.” This link will tell you more.

Bible Software and Study Aids Lastly, you can buy Bible software for your computer. These programs have considerably more power than apps and advantages over print Bibles via cut and paste ability and additional reference materials. You can spend well over $1,000 for software aimed at seminarians, pastors or scholars. Some of those products would include Logos 5 (what I use on my laptop), BibleWorks, and Accordance. Unless you know Greek and Hebrew and need a theological library at your fingertips, these programs are all overkill for most people’s needs for personal use or Bible study prep. However, if you really want to hone your Bible skills and have access to Bible study tools like concordances (index to every word in the Bible with definitions); maps; books on history and culture; bible studies and reading guides; and commentaries (verse by verse explanations by Bible scholars), I would recommend the following:

Olive Tree – Bible Study Essentials - http://www.olivetree.com/store/product.php?productid=21066 The basic Olive Tree software is free but for $39.95 you also get the Harper Collins NRSV study Bible and several other very helpful and solid resources. The Essentials can also be ported into your mobile devices as well as or Mac OS X. 4 million users can’t be wrong. Bonus: You can purchase the Augsburg Lutheran Study Bible for $29.95 as part of your Bible collection.

Other Options: Most of the other Bible study software packages do not include the NRSV in their most affordable packages. However, most allow you to purchase it as an add on for about $30. While I would say Olive Tree is hands down the best, Quickverse 10 (https://www.wordsearchbible.com/qv10), and Accordance Starter (http://www.accordancebible.com) are good alternatives.

- 6 - The Augsburg Commentary On the New Testament (www.augsburgfortress.org) Available in both print (individual books) and on the Logos 5 system, these are written by ELCA Lutheran scholars, are very readable, and great helps to gain new insights when studying the New Testament.

St. John Library I would be remiss not to mention our church library near the hall entrance to Schaeffer Hall. Herb Stangland is our resident librarian and we have entire sections of Bible resource books, going back to old classics to recent releases. Go take a look and see what you can find or ask for recommendations.

BIBLE READINGS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Listed below are selected Bible readings that will help Christians to grow in faith by reflecting on what God is saying to his people. The Bible is a hard book for people to understand, so we have prepared this list to help you grow in your knowledge of God's Word.

Start up Reading Suggestions: Begin by reading about the life of Jesus in the Gospels. Mark is the shortest. John has some of the best remembered passages. Luke is the best storyteller. Matthew is the best teacher. Read ‘em all.

Next, you should go on to some of Paul's Letters: Galatians helps us see that Jesus came to set us free because he loves us, not to put us in bondage to a set of rules or laws. Ephesians helps us see the advantages that a believer has in Christ. Philippians reminds us that we can have joy in any situation. James tells believers how they ought to be living.

Next, go back to the Old Testament: Exodus tells how God rescued his people from slavery in Egypt, 2 Samuel tells of the story of King David, Job helps us ponder why people suffer, Proverbs offers advice for every area of life, Isaiah gives both words of warning to God’s People and words of comfort in his book.

- 7 - Other Helpful Passages: ü when there is sorrow read John 14, ü when others fail read Psalm 27, ü if you want to be fruitful read John 14, ü when you have sinned read Psalm 51, ü when you worry read Matthew 6:19-34, ü when you are in danger read Psalm 91, ü when God seems far away read Psalm 139, ü when your faith needs stirring read Hebrews 11, ü when you are lonely or fearful read Psalm 23, ü when you grow bitter or critical read I Corinthians 13, ü for Paul's secret of happiness read Colossians 3:12-17, ü for Paul's idea of Christianity read 1 Corinthians 5:15-19, ü when you feel down and out read Romans 8:31-39, ü when you want rest and peace read Matthew 11:25-30, ü when the world seems bigger than God read Psalm 90, ü when your prayers grow narrow or selfish read Psalm 67, ü for a great invitation and a great opportunity read Isaiah 55, ü when you want courage for a task read Joshua 1, ü how to get along with fellow others read Romans 12, ü when you think of investments and returns read Mark 10, ü if you are depressed read Psalm 27, ü if your pocketbook is empty read Psalm 37, ü if people seem unkind read John 15, ü if you are discouraged about your work read Psalm 126,

Some Great Verses on God's Promises to Us: Jeremiah 33:3, Matthew 21:22, Jeremiah 32:17, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Proverbs 15:8, Isaiah 55:6, James 4:2, Philippians 4:6, Hebrews 11:6, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Mark 11:23, Hebrews 4:16, 2 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Romans 8:26-28, Matthew 19:26, Mark 11:24, Matthew 11:28, 2 Corinthians 1:4, 1 John 1:9, Matthew 28:20, John 1:9, Matthew 8:16, Isaiah 53:5

Some Great Chapters: ü Three stories about God's love - Luke 15, ü Jesus explains being born again and Baptism - John 3, ü Jesus the Good Shepherd - John 10, ü how God deals with sin –Romans 3, ü finding peace with God - Romans 5, ü new life in Christ - Ephesians 2, ü being sure of salvation - 2 Peter 1, ü prayer taught by Jesus - Matthew 6, ü Jesus' prayer for us – John 17, ü Jesus' temptation - Matthew 4, ü Life in the Spirit - Galatians 5.

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