Week 6 - The Gospel of John, The Book of Acts http://www.scribd.

com/my_document_collections/3176820

Journals
If you havent got it in it is overdue and you are losing marks! Generally well done. I am looking for evidence you have listened throughout the whole of the lecture, and that you have done a reflection for each week. Best layout for it is to have a section for your notes, and a separate section for your reflection. Generally speaking the more detail, the better.

Discussion of Life of Brian

The Gospel of John

The Gospel of John is much loved within the church of today.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Indeed, John records for us some of the most memorable sayings of Jesus.

Not only that, John has some of the best stories

In so many respects, John provides us with some very straight up, simply information about Jesus.

The difficulty of reading John: Shallow enough for a child to wade in, deep enough for an elephant to drown.

Reasons for Difficulty

First he is different to Matthew, Mark and Luke

Parables

Exorcisms Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out (John 12:31) Eternal Life - rather than kingdom of God

John has a much greater focus on the way Jesus reveals God to us
The language of the Trinity Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Jesus as the divine Son of God

In John, Jesus deity is much more overt.

Why is John so different?

Week 6 - The Gospel of John, The Book of Acts http://www.scribd.com/my_document_collections/3176820

Getting the Most out of John

Jesus is God

Jesus actions have symbolic reference

Healings
The Symbolism of the Feasts

By pronouncing himself to be the light of the world (8:12; 9:5) and the source of living water (4:1014; 7:38), Jesus claims to fulfil the torchlighting and water-pouring ceremonies which formed part of the feast of Tabernacles. By dying during Passover week, Jesus is revealed as the fulfillment of the Jewish Passover (19:14).

The Book of Acts

1. The book of Acts is written by the same person who wrote the book of Acts a man called Luke, who was a Gentile, a doctor and a companion of Paul.

2. Luke deliberately writes it as the continuation of the story he started in Luke:

(Acts 1:1-2) In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

The basic program of the book of Acts

Acts 1:8 But 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

The whole thing is about showing to you how God is expanding his mission to include people outside of Israel (see Genesis 12)

Week 6 - The Gospel of John, The Book of Acts http://www.scribd.com/my_document_collections/3176820

Luke indicates this focus of his by the constant repetition, indicating the progress of the word by the power of the Holy Spirit Acts 6:7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 9:31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. Acts 12:24 But the word of God continued to increase and spread. Acts 16:5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. Acts 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Therefore, Acts is a story told in six major panels, which together contribute to an understanding of the progress of the word:

1:1-6:7 The Gospel in Jerusalem

6:8-9:31 The Gospel in Judea, Galilee and Samaria

9:32-12:24 The Gospel goes to the Gentiles

12:25-16:5 The Gospel goes to Asia

16:6 -19:20 The Gospel goes to Europe

19:21-28:31 The Gospel goes to Rome

Not a church history.a history of one strand of the Christian mission designed encourage all Christian mission.

We want Acts to be a simple manual for us so that we can say this is how they did it in Acts this is how they we should do it today.

But Luke is not directly interested in those questions.