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The forest for the trees

August 20, 2024

Dear Friends,

Let me introduce our coming Bible Studies beginning this fall! The big focus this year will be the Old Testament. One of the things we have learned as we’ve worked through Revelation on Sunday mornings is just how much the Old Testament is in the background. It’s in the background to what John sees as heaven is opened to him, and it is in the background as Jesus ministers, suffers, dies, rises, and ascends. And that makes it super important. So we should get to know it better!

One of the daunting things about the Old Testament is its size. In my Bible, it’s 1056 pages long. Maybe you could manage a novel that’s so long, but the Old Testament is a little trickier. Although it’s one continuous history, there are all different kinds of writing in it: narrative, prophecy, legal code, poetry, wisdom, apocalyptic visions. And much of it is very unfamiliar because of the distance between us and the times of the Bible both in miles and in years. And so sitting down and reading it through can be challenging.

My hope in our studies this year is that we’ll all come away with a stronger understanding of the big picture. How do all the pieces fit together? The books, the characters, the dates, the events. How can we keep sight of the forest and not lose it for the trees?

With a stronger understanding of the big picture, we should be able to pick up the Old Testament and start reading anywhere and know how it fits in, and that should help us as we listen to Old Testament lessons on Sunday morning, as we read our Bibles at home, and as we contemplate the Old Testament background to the life and ministry of Jesus in the New Testament and in the church today.

I’m looking forward to it! Come along for all of it — Sunday mornings after church and Wednesday evenings at 6pm. You can never have too much Bible!

The whole schedule for our Wednesday evenings is below!

God bless and keep you,

Pr. Buchs

Wednesday Evenings at Concordia
2024-2025

Family Night
When: 2nd Wednesday of the Month (6-7pm with Pizza starting at 5:30pm!)
What: This year’s Family Nights will focus on important people in the Old Testament. 
Who: All ages are welcome, but instruction will be focused towards elementary-age kids.

A Closer Look at the Old Testament
When: Wednesdays (6-7pm), except when there’s Family Night 
What: This 22-week Bible Study will take a deeper look at some of the texts of the Old Testament as we work on gaining a good understanding of the big picture. How do all the stories from the time before Jesus fit together to prepare us for his coming?
Who: This class is for all ages and all levels of experience with the Bible and is meant to be attended as a family.

DateStudyTopic
9/11/2024Family NightAdam – Joseph
9/18/2024A Closer Look at the OTGenesis 3
9/25/2024A Closer Look at the OTGenesis 22
10/2/2024A Closer Look at the OTExodus 1
10/9/2024Family NightMoses
10/16/2024A Closer Look at the OTExodus 24
10/23/2024A Closer Look at the OTExodus 32
10/30/2024A Closer Look at the OTLeviticus 16
11/6/2024A Closer Look at the OTLeviticus 11
11/13/2024Family NightAaron
11/20/2024A Closer Look at the OTNumbers 22
11/27/2024A Closer Look at the OTJoshua 24
12/4/2024A Closer Look at the OTJudges 4
12/11/2024Family NightSamson
12/18/2024A Closer Look at the OT1 Samuel 2
12/25/2024Christmas DayNo Bible Study
1/1/2025New Years DayNo Bible Study
1/8/2025Family NightSamuel
1/15/2025A Closer Look at the OT2 Samuel 7
1/22/2025A Closer Look at the OT1 Kings 8
1/29/2025A Closer Look at the OT1 Kings 13
2/5/2025A Closer Look at the OT2 Kings 5
2/12/2025Family NightDavid
2/19/2025A Closer Look at the OTJonah 3
2/26/2025A Closer Look at the OTIsaiah 52-53
3/5/2025Ash WednesdayNo Bible Study
3/12/2025Family NightElijah
3/19/2025A Closer Look at the OTEzekiel 33
3/26/2025A Closer Look at the OTDaniel 4
4/2/2025A Closer Look at the OTJob
4/9/2025A Closer Look at the OTHaggai
4/16/2025Family NightDaniel
4/23/2025Easter WeekNo Bible Study
4/30/2025A Closer Look at the OTMalachi


COMING EVENTS:

Wednesday, August 21
9:30 am – Chapel
10:00 am – Bible Study
7:00 pm – Vespers

Sunday, August 25
9:00 am – Divine Service
10:30 am – Bible Study

Saturday, September 21
4:30 – 6:30 pm – Pork Chop Dinner