Week 07 - Lazarus, Judgement and Us (2018)

This week John MacMurray outlines the book of John. We talk about the story of Lazarus and why the midpoint of John is significant. We talk about John 5 and the meaning of judgement. We wrap the class with thoughts about what this means in our lives.

Week 06 - Understanding Incarnation and John 2 (2018)

This week John MacMurray talks about the Incarnation and why God is different in Christianity than other religions. He continues with why that is important to us and how this changes everything. John also discusses questions about Jesus on the cross, why Jesus died and what God thinks of sacrifice. We start on John 2 and learn what questions to ask while we read about what Jesus does.

Week 05 - John 1:12 (2018)

This week John MacMurray talks about John 1:12 and how to translate this verse, focusing on ex ousia (out of being/essence). He continues by diving into Jesus’s death and the cause, the meaning of atonement and why Jesus is the perfect representative of God.

Week 04 - Why God Creates (2018)

This week John MacMurray continues talking about the nature of God, what self-love means in the context of the Trinity, and why God creates (out of His nature of self-giving, other-centered love). He also goes into God as a relational being, hell, and what we should look for when we read the Gospel of John.

Week 03 - The Incarnation (2018)

This week John MacMurray continues in John chapter 1. We talk about the choice of the word “Word” in the prologue, what it means that the “Word became flesh” (1:14) and what the Incarnation is. We end by talking about the fundamental truth of God and what's missing from the Catechism.

Week 02 - John 1:1 (2018)

This week John MacMurray dives into the text beginning with John 1:1. We talk about the importance of this verse and the following verses in understanding the entire book, as well as what John is attempting to say in starting his Gospel off with a prologue. We talk about creation, what “The Word” really means and the importance of the trinity and relationship to understanding God.

Week 01 - Introduction to the Gospel of John (2018)

Welcome to Gospel of John class—2018 edition!

This week John MacMurray takes a look at the whole of the Gospel of John. Before we actually dive into the text, it’s important to take note of how the author wants us to see this book. We do this by looking at the narrative structure and the storytelling tools of selection, arrangement and editorial comments. We also learn about the prologue and the importance of John 17.

Week 07 - The Upper Room (2017)

The last class in this year's series, we take a look at the Upper Room Discourse, ch. 13-17.

Week 06 - Break Out Session (2017)

This week we broke out into groups and discussed the Wedding at Cana, Nicodemus, Feeding of the 5000, and the Healing of the Royal Official's Son.
During discussion, we were to look for ways that John tries to show 2 things: first, Jesus coming (mission) is to reveal (explain) the father to us. Why? For this is eternal life. Secondly, John’s mission in writing is to help his readers to continue to believe so that they continue to experience life.

Week 05 - Glory (2017)

“Since God is a community of persons in selfless, abiding communion/relationship, God’s glory is always love-motivated and others-focused. It is not utilitarian, that is, never a means to the end of God’s self-glorification. God’s glory is the essence of his being, which is: the relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit.”

Week 04 - The Importance of the Incarnation (2017)

The importance of the Incarnation can not be overlooked. Literally translated as the "in-flesh-ment", we look to the incarnation as the moment God becomes one of us. As we read through John 1:14, we examine the importance of the Word becoming flesh. What does John mean by "flesh"? What does John mean by "becoming"? In the end, the incarnation takes our “image of God” -ness further, for Christ (the exact likeness of God) becomes human and brings us back into relationship with God.

Week 03 - Exousia (2017)

Why does John use the word “Word” (logos), at the beginning, as a metaphor for God, but then drop it?
The reason can be found in the words function. Much like John uses "sign" for miracles, its the function of the word that makes the difference. Also, what is the mission of the Word in John's story?

Is God the Father to some, or everyone? Can you make God your Father? In verse 12, we look deeper at what is meant by the author's words, looking at the original Greek word of "exousia", interpreted by some translations to mean "the right to become". But is that an accurate translation? Does the word mean something more profound?

Listen to this weeks class to answer these questions.

Week 02 - God Before Creation (2017)

We continue to look at ch. 17 and see how closely the prologue relates and reflects Jesus' prayer in chapter 17.
We also look at the gospel, going chapter by chapter. Starting at 1:1, we see how John begins his story by explaining who God is before creation.

Week 01 - The Structure of John (2017)

We are back with a new series of classes!

As we have done in Week 1 of previous years, we examine the author and structure of the Gospel of John. The structure of a narrative takes into account two main characteristics: selection and arrangement. Selection refers to what the narrator chooses to include in the narrative. Arrangement refers to how it appears in the story, and where it appears. Another important tool John utilizes is editorial comments. Comments made by the author to help explain what is happening, sort of like a narrator interjecting as they tell a story.

For the second hour, we learn the purpose of the author. The author is showing us the connection between the prologue, and Jesus' prayer to His Father in ch. 17.

Week 14 - Upper Room Discourse II (2016)

In the culmination of this year's class, we are looking at the Upper Room Discourse, ch 13-17. Split into two classes, this is the second part. Best not to be explained, but listened to. If you haven't already, listen to Part 1 first.


This will be our last post for this session. We hope you have experienced God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in a new way. Check back next fall for a new session of classes. And please don't hesitate to reach out through email if you have any questions!

Week 13 - Upper Room Discourse I (2016)

In the culmination of this year's class, we are looking at the Upper Room Discourse, ch 13-17. Split into two classes, this is the first part. Best not to be explained, but listened to. You might even read the chapters before listening.

Week 12 - Jesus Interacts with the Pharisees (2016)

As we approach the very intimate Upper Room Discourse between Jesus and his disciples (Chapters 13-17), we look at a few interactions Jesus has with the people and the pharisees in the chapters leading up to it. We watch as Jesus does not condemn, though he has every right; and yet, the pharisees condemn Him and pick up stones (multiple times) to kill him.

Jesus explains that he is the Light of the World, and then he heels a man born blind. This is a small departure from John's structure up to this point. Usually, Jesus will perform a miracle, then explain a characteristic about Himself (and therefore the Father). But here, he explains first, then performs a miracle.

The pinnacle of the story for John is chapter 11, speaking primarily of the structure of his story. Focusing in on the Jesus's conversation with Martha. Take a listen!

The next two weeks, we will focus on the Upper Room Discourse (ch. 13-17) where Jesus explains how much he cares for his disciples. Get ready for that!

Week 11 - John 6 (2016)

After feeding of the five-thousand, Jesus walks on the water and speaks to the people saying "I am the bread of life". Jesus begins to get opposition from the religious leaders and his own followers.

The conversations you'll see from ch. 6 on are no longer between Jesus and individuals around him (Samaritan woman, Nicodemus, etc) but will start to be primarily with the Jewish religious leaders. And we need to start asking ourselves, why? Why did John compose his narrative like this? Why is he saying it here, and why in this way? What does it contribute to the story? How does this explain/reveal the Father and how does this help us grow in trusting Him?

Week 10 - Healing at the Pool (2016)

When Jesus visits the healing pool, John shows us Jesus's third miracle, or as John likes to call them, signs. John calls miracles signs because they point to something. So as we look at this miracle, we have to ask ourselves, "What is this pointing to?"

In the narrative, we look at three key interactions. First, we examine the interaction between Jesus and the paralyzed man, both before and after his healing. Second, we examine the healed man's interaction with the Jewish leaders. And finally, we examine the interaction Jesus has with the jewish leaders. During this exchange, we learn about the roles the Father and the Son have in judgement.

Week 09 - Jesus Talks to the Samaritan Woman (2016)

We skip past all of ch. 3 and move right into Jesus's conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Again, we are trying to see how Jesus explains the Father to us. In this conversation, we see how Jesus takes no part in many prejudices that were part of the culture of the day, as well as our current culture. He moves past race, past gender, past morality, and past religious prejudices. What this tells us is that there is no prejudice in the Father, Son and Spirit.

We also see how God seeks us. Listen and find out. :)

Week 08 - Jesus Clears the Temple (2016)

As we work our way through the Gospel of John, we look at the second half of Ch. 2 where Jesus clears the temple courts. When Jesus turns over the tables, we need to remember who Jesus is and what he knows about the people that He's talking to. Is this just a story of God being justifiably angry? Maybe, but why is He angry? Why is God angry when we do something wrong? We explore this and other concepts in this class.

Week 07 - The Wedding in Cana (2016)

In the first six weeks of this class (Part 1), we focused primarily on John’s Prologue (1:1-18). As was mentioned in one of the earlier classes, the Prologue was like a pair of glasses that John is asking you to view the narrative through. So as we move forward in the next eight weeks or so (Part 2), we will walk through the Gospel of John and read it with the ‘glasses’ that John has given us.

In this first class of Part 2, we look at John 1 - 2:11. In chapter one, after the prologue, John introduces us to Jesus through how other’s see him. John the Baptist calls him the Lamb of God, Simon calls him the Messiah, and Nathaniel calls him the Son of God, the King of Israel.

In chapter 2:1-11, we examine Jesus’s miracle of changing water to wine at the wedding in Cana. We observe many aspects of the event that the text points out to us. And in turn, we see, how Jesus shows the Father to us.

Note: The last few minutes of the class are missing, and the recording stops abruptly. This last portion of the class was very brief and does not affect the overall message of this week’s class. Our apologies.

UPDATE: Radical Relationship Class - Part II

To anyone interested, Part II of the class will be starting on Tuesday, January 26th, 2016, at 7:30. The class will be held in the same location as Part I, Room 201 of Imago Dei Community's Ankeny Building.

You do not need to have come to the Part I to participate in this class. If you'd like to hear Part I, audio from Weeks 1-6 (2015) are posted on this blog. You can find them here. And also on iTunes.

For more information on Part II, or to sign up, please visit the class page.

For questions regarding the class or the audio from Part I, you can email us.

Week 06 - Punishment and Justice and a God who Loves (2015)

In this week’s class, our last of the session, we take a quick look at Jesus on the cross, and explore the Father-Son relationship within the being of God, and the implications of this relationship while Christ is on the cross. Among many other things, we also discuss some final thoughts on justice, punishment and love, and how they are all connected in the hands of a God that love us dearly.

The class will continue in 2016. We will move forward from John’s prologue into the rest of the book. Thank you for listening, and please feel free to use the email on this blog if you have any questions regarding the class.
:)

Week 05 - Children of God (2015)

In this week’s class, we continue to look at John’s prologue. After we recap the previous class’s examination of glory, we examine the challenging translation of verses 12-13 from the Greek. We see how much is gained by the translation of one word. And finally, we read and discuss some unspoken sermons by George MacDonald.

Week 04 - Glory (2015)

In this week’s class, we discover what John says about glory. We look at the Westminster Catechism’s definition of God and see what they may have missed. And we end with seeing how glory and relationship are connected.

Week 03 - The Word Became Flesh (2015)

In this week’s class, we examine John 1:14. We discuss why John uses the word “Word” to describe the son of God before he became flesh. We also learn the importance of and meaning behind the words “flesh” and “became”. This is the incarnation of Christ.

Week 02 - The Importance of John 17 (2015)

In this week's class, we explore why John 17 is so important. The fact that John stops narrating when we get to ch 17, is a huge deal. No editorial comments in jesus’ prayer. None before, during, or after. The big deal is that John is trying to clue us in to something. It's a departure from his normal method of editorial comments for the entire book, up to this point. So why would he do that? Listen and find out.

Week 01 - The Structure of John (2015)

In this first week of the 2015 season, we examine the author and structure of the Gospel of John. The structure of a narrative takes into account two main characteristics: selection and arrangement. Selection refers to what the narrator chooses to include in the narrative. Arrangement refers to how it appears in the story, and where it appears.

And why does John do this? Just like any piece of literature, he has a goal for arranging it how he does. Listen to coming weeks to get a glimpse of what his goal is.

Week 08 - Final Remarks (2014)

In our final class (one of the longest for 2014), we read some of George Macdonald's Unspoken Sermons and go through the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus's discussion with His disciples over passover dinner. We end the final class with a further look at Jesus's prayer in ch. 17.

And through all of it, we see how deep Christ's love is for all mankind, not just his followers.

Week 07 - Encounters with Jesus (2014)

We examine three encounters that Christ has with people: cleansing of the temple (ch. 2), the conversation with Nicodemus (ch. 3), and the woman at the well (ch. 4).

Week 06 - The First Miracle (2014)

In this week's class, we take a long look at Jesus's "first" miracle, changing water into wine at a wedding celebration.

Week 05 - ...And we saw His glory (2014)

In Week 05, we learn more about the glory of Jesus. The glory of something is its essence. So what is the essence of Jesus? As we explore this question we look at the term Perichoresis, why God creates, and why Jesus is called the "Word".

Week 04 - The Prologue (2014)

During Week 04, we explore John's Prologue, verses 1:1-18. We also compare the prologue to John's purpose statement in chapter 20. We also look at the meaning and significance of the Word "becoming flesh."

Week 03 - Eternal Life Through Relationship

In Week 03, we continue to look at what it means to have eternal life through knowing Jesus. That through participation in the Love of the Father, Son and Spirit, we encounter God. And through encounters with God, we know Him; and by knowing Him we experience eternal life. Just as relationships are always in process, so is our relational faith and belief in Christ.

Week 02 - In The Beginning (2014)

In our second week, we revisit Week 01 topics, including John 17, Jesus's prayer. Here we read John define eternal life through Jesus's prayer to his Father and learn how that reshapes evangelism. It's not what you know, but Who you know.

We begin to dig in to the first few verses of John 1. We are introduced to the Word and how important the trinitarian relationship is to the human race. This is how John starts his story. God's trinitarian relationship is the archetype. How they exist and have always existed. It is their essence.

Note: Week 01 audio was damaged during recording. For a similar class recording, see the Week 01 recording from 2015.

Week 00 - Pre Class Conversation (2014)

Before the class begins its study of John, we have a conversation about some of the key aspects of the class.