Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

Ray Vander Laan is the founder of That the World May Know Ministries and creator of the Faith Lessons video series with Focus on the Family. An ordained minister, he holds the chair of biblical cultural studies as a religion instructor at Holland Christian Schools in Holland, Michigan. He and his wife, Esther, have four children and fifteen grandchildren.

Stephen and Amanda Sorenson are founders of Sorenson Communications and have co-written many small group curriculum guidebooks, including the entire Faith Lessons series.

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Filmed on location in Israel, Faith Lessons is a unique video series that brings God's Word to life with astounding relevance. By weaving together the Bible's fascinating historical, cultural, religious, and geographical contexts, teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan reveals keen insights into the Scriptures' significance for modern believers. These illuminating "faith lessons" afford a new understanding of the Bible that will ground your convictions and transform your life. The Faith Lessons video series is ideal for use at home, especially in personal and family Bible studies. Individual believers and families will gain vital insights from long-ago times and cultures through this innovative approach to Bible study.

The five sessions include:

1. Casearea Philippi - Everything to Lose, Nothing to Gain
2. Sardis - The Salt of the Earth
3. Pergamum - Where Satan Lives
4. Ephesus - The Mark of the Beast
5. Laodicea - Hot or Cold

5 sessions; 1 DVD with leader's guide, 130 minutes (approximate).

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Early Church Small Group Edition Discovery Guide

Zondervan

Contents

Introduction........................................................7Session One Everything to Lose, Nothing to Gain.....................13Session Two The Salt of the Earth...................................49Session Three Where Satan Lives.....................................83Session Four The Mark of the Beast..................................119Session Five Hot or Cold............................................153Timeline of Events In and Around Asia Minor.........................187Bibliography........................................................189

Chapter One

EVERYTHING TO LOSE, NOTHING TO GAIN

A short time after Jesus the Messiah ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives, his disciples started to proclaim his message to the world. They began in the familiar lands of Galilee and Israel. Then they pressed on to the far reaches of their world-even to Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), the most pagan and immoral province in the Roman Empire.

What gave Jesus' disciples the passion to endure hardship and persecution in order to share his message in places God-fearing Jews from Galilee preferred to avoid? What inspired them to go where they had nothing to gain for their efforts-indeed, where they had everything to lose, even life itself? How had Jesus prepared them to live out his teachings in daily life and proclaim them so boldly? This DVD segment will take us to Korazin, Caesarea Philippi, and the Mount of Olives-three specific locations where Jesus trained and taught his disciples that will provide insight into what motivated the early Christian disciples.

Like other rabbis of his day, Jesus interpreted the Torah and taught people to apply its teachings so that they could learn how to obey God. But a rabbi was more than a teacher; a rabbi was a living example of how to live life in the way God intended. So a Jewish disciple (talmid in Hebrew) desired not only to learn what the rabbi knew but to act as he acted and to take on the godly character he possessed.

As talmidim, Jesus' disciples had a passionate commitment to be like Jesus in every way possible. They not only taught his interpretation of the Torah, they demonstrated to others how to obey God and live in a way that honored him. Wherever they went, they followed Jesus' example and taught in word pictures, using concrete illustrations of familiar objects that helped their listeners understand the message of the kingdom of God. In stark contrast to the disciples of Greek teachers who were trained to stand alone and be self-sufficient in their own knowledge, Jesus' disciples established nurturing communities of believers who supported, encouraged, and-when necessary-corrected one another as they sought to obey God and live out their faith.

The message Jesus gave his disciples to share was also fueled by their passion and commitment. Just days before his crucifixion, Jesus took his disciples to Caesarea Philippi, a stronghold of pagan worship located at the foot of Mount Hermon. Here, a river of spring-fed water rushed out from a deep cave at the base of a rock cliff more than one hundred feet high. This cave, called "the gates of Hades," was believed to be the entrance to the underworld from which the goat-god Pan returned annually to bring fertility to the earth.

In this seemingly strange location, Jesus had three key lessons for his disciples. The first had to do with their answer to Jesus' question, "Who am I?" Jesus knew his disciples would soon go into places where people worshiped Roman emperors and numerous pagan gods. They would need to remember with certainty that Jesus was the living Messiah.

The second lesson had to do with the "gates of Hades" and the shrines built into the rock cliff at Caesarea Philippi. This pagan worship center represented everything that was disgusting and wrong with the world, yet Jesus wanted his disciples to build his church on top of that rock. He wanted them to replace the pagan values of the culture with his values. In order to do that, his disciples needed to know that nothing they'd encounter in Asia Minor or anywhere else-even the "gates of Hades" itself-could stand against his power.

The third lesson had to do with Jesus' challenge to follow him. He challenged his disciples and the pagan crowd to give up trying to gain meaning, purpose, significance, and value from life and instead to give their lives to other people as he would. He challenged them to never be ashamed of him or his words. Jesus' boldness in teaching them while they were surrounded by pagan worshipers in Caesarea Philippi must have given the disciples courage when they later spoke to hostile kings, priests, and Gentiles in palaces, temples, theaters, and arenas.

After his resurrection, Jesus took his disciples to the Mount of Olives for a final lesson. He commanded them to be his witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Then, he raised his hands to bless them and ascended to heaven while they watched. Within a few years, the Roman emperors' claims to divinity would erupt into widespread emperor worship. But Jesus' disciples had actually witnessed the Son of God-the King of kings and Lord of lords-ascending to heaven to sit at his Father's right hand. They could travel the world and testify with confidence that Jesus, indeed, was the living Son of God.

Opening Thoughts (3 minutes)

The Very Words of God

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

Think About It

The Roman Empire was not an easy place in which to share the message of the kingdom of God. People were free to practice religions of their choice-as long as they honored Rome above all else. If one's religious practices threatened Rome's supremacy or security in any perceived way, however, the consequences could be severe.

Take a minute to think about the opportunities and risks of sharing the message of God's kingdom in your world. Which places, situations, attitudes, and beliefs make it difficult or risky to live out or share your faith?

DVD Teaching Notes (31 minutes)

Galilee-Jesus the rabbi builds a community of disciples

Caesarea Philippi-Jesus asks the all-important question

The Mount of Olives-Jesus delivers an unforgettable message

DVD Discussion (5 minutes)

1. Look carefully at the regions of Israel and Asia Minor on the map of the Roman Empire. What do you notice about the geographic and topographic characteristics of Asia Minor that would have made it a challenging place for Jewish disciples from Galilee to share the good news about Jesus? Consider, for example, the distances and means of travel. Notice the size of Asia Minor in comparison to Israel. And what do you know about the culture of Asia Minor that made it a seemingly unlikely place to find early Christian disciples?

2. Why was it so important for the disciples to know who Jesus was-to know what he taught, how he lived every day, how he conducted his relationships-and to actually see him ascend to heaven?

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