Advance Podcast

How should we approach the Book of Revelation? We look at the book in its original setting, and consider the four ways it is commonly interpreted. The first vision introduces the main character of the book: Jesus (Revelation 1).

Having met our king (Rev 1), John receives messages from the ruler to seven outposts of his kingdom (Rev 2-3). His next vision is of our magnificent sovereign who has the throne and rules of heaven and earth (Rev 4).

God's edicts for earth are bound up, but God has the most astounding solution to restore his reign (Rev 5). The Lamb breaks all evils (Rev 6) and restores God's reign (Rev 7).

God's people proclaim his reign (Rev 8-11). The rebels fight back, but God's reign prevails (Rev 12-13)

God’s government is established (Rev 14–16), and beastly government collapses (Rev 17–18).

Those who acknowledge the Lamb celebrate his victory, while those who resisted him are removed (Rev 19-20). God's government sets everything right; everything he intended in the beginning is fulfilled in the end (Rev 21-22).

Why bother with the Old Testament?
How to do we understand its story?
Genesis: God plants his kingdom.

Exodus: God’s representative kingdom.
Leviticus: God’s holy kingdom.
Numbers: God’s wayward kingdom.
Deuteronomy: God’s on-going kingdom.

Joshua: taking and dividing the land. Judges: theocracy proves impractical. 1 Samuel: Saul’s kingship. 2 Samuel: David’s kingship. 1 Kings 1–11: Solomon’s kingship.

The kingdom splits into Israel and Judah. Assyria destroys Israel, leaving only Judah. Then Judah is crushed by Babylon. Is this the end of God's kingdom?

Is there a kingdom of God after Israel has been destroyed? Covering Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.

Putting the entire OT together as a single story with an amazing plot. Includes Ruth, Chronicles, Job - Song of Songs, and the Minor Prophets.

What’s the significance of approaching God as our Father? Jesus was God’s Son; are we included in that relationship?

Why do we pray for God’s name to be hallowed? What is God’s name? Isn’t it already holy?

What are we praying when we invite God’s kingdom to come? Can you imagine God’s will done on earth as it is in heaven? How can we live like that now, even when people still hurt us?

Does our daily bread cover all my needs? How should I expect God’s provision: so I can stockpile for my future, or so we’re dependent for fresh bread to share for each day?

We know we need God’s forgiveness, but why does Jesus make it conditional on whether we forgive others for the debts they’ve incurred to us? That’s not how the gospel works, is it?

Why do we ask God not to lead us into temptation? Surely God doesn’t want us to be tempted? What are we praying when we ask to be delivered from evil?

A 6 week study of the Gospel of Mark.

Jesus begins his teaching through parables. What could they really mean?

Jesus continues his ministry of healing

What of the Gentiles?

The turning point in Mark's gospel.

The destruction of the Temple and of the Messiah

The church in the first three centuries.

The church in eastern and western Europe, and in Britain.

Jerome and Scholarship, Augustine, Monasticism.

Influences in this period include Leo 1, Gregory the Great, and the Rise of Islam.

Pope Innocent III. Magna Carta. Decline of Papal Power. Results of the Crusades. John Wycliff and John Hus.

Plato and Aristotle. Hebrew thought. Augustine. Aquinas.

What’s the structure and setting of the Book of Acts? Who wrote it? To whom? How does it relate to other books in the Bible? What’s the main message?

The Good News spreads from Judea to Samaria

The Good News spreads from Judea to Samaria

Paul carries the message beyond Jewish boundaries, to places we know as Turkey and Greece.

The good news travels from Asia Minor to Greece.

Paul carries the good news to the rulers of the Gentiles: King Agrippa in Caesarea, and ultimately to Caesar in Rome.

What was the church like at the end of the Middle Ages as the Renaissance approached? We look at key thinkers such as Thomas Aquinas, John Colet, and Erasmus.

The Reformation began with Martin Luther, and took on a life of its own, transforming a wide range of churches and communities.

Europe was forever changed by the Reformation and the scientific revolution (enlightenment). The changes spread from Europe to the rest of the world as well.

The 18th and 19 centuries saw profound changes: awakening and revival on both sides of the Atlantic, and the birth of the modern missionary movement.

Many competing ideologies confront the church in the modern era. How should we respond?

The development Christianity in Australia up to the present day and our own history.

Why is caring for creation an essential part of Christian discipleship and basic to our human vocation?

How significant is the ecological crisis we face? What are the significant threats?

Exploring the spiritual,cultural, structural and systemic issues that need to be addressed in order to make meaningful changes to how we manage the environment as those mandated by God to steward creation.

What is the Biblical basis for environmental theology?

Guidance on how Christians can personally and practically participate in creation care.

Some guidance on personal and practical responses to the call to participate in creation care, engaging engage with the issues relating to the current environmental crisis and help provide solutions.

Ethics (often called moral philosophy) is the study of human morality and the application of that morality to contemporary life. Its concern is not only with what is right (morality) but also with doing what is right (moral application).

Paul's letter to the Galatians is perhapes the beginning of his written thought about the Christian faith. Here he deals with what the gospel really is and how we should live in light of it.

What words stand out in Galatians 1? What was Paul's gospel? What was the conflict over the gospel?

Law, grace, truth, justification, faith/faithfulness: key words in Galatians 2.

What is the relationship between the descendants of Abraham and the wider family of God formed in the Messiah by God's Holy Spirit?

Galatians 4 contains a metaphor about slavery and freedom, law and maturation, the descendants of Hagar and Sarah. How does this story work?

Galatians 5 contrasts the works of our broken human nature (flesh) with what the Spirit produces in us (fruit). Galatians 6 summarizes how we are to live in light of the gospel.

How is the Book of Psalms arranged? What kinds of Psalms do we find (genres)? Is there a central theme to the Psalms? What characteristics do we find in Hebrew songs that will help us understand them?

Psalm 2 introduces the king who represents God's reign on earth. What did this mean for Israel? What does it mean in light of Jesus? What does it mean for us today?

Psalm 8 describes the human vocation of managing creation on God's behalf. Psalm 22 is a lament: things are not running as they should. We look at what these Psalms would have meant for Israel, what the mean in light of the Christ, and what they mean for us today.

Psalms 45 and 89 describe the character of our heavenly sovereign. His character is fully revealed in his anointed ruler (the Christ).

Psalm 137 is a shocking reaction to the horror of the exile. Psalm 108 consists of verses from Psalms 57 and 60 recompiled after the exile into a new theme. We look at what these Psalms meant for Israel, what they mean in the light of Jesus, and what they mean for us today.

Psalm 145 is one of the concluding praise songs. What did it mean for Israel, in the light of Jesus, and for us today?

What is apologetics? Why do we need it? How does it relate to evangelism? How does faith relate to reason? What elements matter in apologetics?

How does the Christian faith answer questions about origins, meaning, ethics, and destiny? What other views do we encounter?

How can there be a God when there is so much evil/suffering in the world? It's a question we have to face. How do you respond?

People find this topic disturbing, but what does the Bible say about hell? We discuss 3 views: Universalism, Eternal Conscious Torment, and Annihilationism.

These topics come up in surveys of what blocks belief among Australians. How should we respond?

How reliable is the Bible? Has it been transmitted faithfully over the centuries? Were the right documents included?

How is the New Testament put together? Who were the people who wrote these books, and what was their background? What are "Gospels"? Why are the first three similar? Who wrote the Gospel of John, and what message was he conveying?

Survey of the Gospel accounts according to Matthew, Mark and Luke.

Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians,

Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus.

Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, and Jude

1, 2 & 3 John, and Revelation

An Introduction to Worldviews, including story, questions, symbols, and praxis

How do Australia's stories shape our worldview?

Contrasts the perspectives of Christian theism versus naturalism

Worldview questions such as: How do we understand the world around us? What is a human being? Why do we think the way we do?

We survey the rise of modernity, and the change from modernity to post modernity. Roman and Jewish worldviews of the first century were so different to ours.

What constituted the first century Jewish worldview? How was this expressed in their story, symbols, and praxis? How did they answer the worldview questions? Why does this matter to us?

What are we talking about when we use the word "cross"? This sessions surveys the New Testament to find out.

What does the cross achieve? Our discussion centres on what it means to be reconciled to God.

How does Jesus' life fit the description of 'According to Scripture'?

Jesus chose the Passover as the time of his death to renew God's saving of, not just Israel this time but the world, from slavery.

What did Jesus say about salvation? What was the gospel Paul preached? Is faith "allegiance"?

How God’s people became slaves (Ex 1–2)
Two realities: God and oppression (Ex 3–6)

Purpose of the plagues (Ex 7–10)

Death and deliverance: Passover, Red Sea (Ex 11–14)

Israel’s new ruler (Ex 15–19)
A nation under divine law (Ex 20)

Laws of the covenant (Ex 21–23)
Committing to God’s kingship (Ex 24–25)

Tabernacle and sacrifices (Ex 26–27)
Servants and furnishings for God’s house (Ex 28–31)

Israel’s unfaithfulness versus God’s faithfulness (Ex 32–34
Finishing what they began: God among his people (Ex 35–40)

Let's explore how what death and resurrection meant to God's people in Bible times, so we understand the hope that Scripture holds out to us.

What do Paul's letters to Galatia and Thessalonia say about the resurrection?

Continuation of what Paul's letters to Galatia and Thessalonia say about the resurrection (same notes as week 2).

What do we discover about the resurrection from the letters to Ephesus, Colossae, and Corinth?