The Bible As Trajectory

The Bible—this library of ancient documents, written over centuries by many authors—presents the modern reader with significant challenges. Inspired by the beauty of a psalm or the mercy of Jesus’ words, we turn the page only to read something that feels violent or backward. How can we hold this text as sacred story when much of what we find in its pages is clearly not good?

In this series, we aim to hold the Bible as a library with a trajectory. As humanity grows and its apprehension of God becomes richer, we see a record of movement forward from sacrifice to gift, from vengeance to mercy, from exclusion to inclusion, from ideas of divine violence to demonstration of divine solidarity. We’ll explore how passages that seem violent to us today, represented a move forward in the author’s time and culture—and how these stories can inspire us to look for where the Divine beckons us forward, today.

Inspired

This sermon series, "Wrestling with Words” intends to consider, ponder and mediate on words that have been overused, misused or used so narrowly that to us they have lost their meaning. Our intention is not so much to perfectly understand or define, but wrestle with these words so their profound beauty and texture and depth come alive to us again.

This week we continue with the word "Inspired." The word used to describe the Bible in 2 Timothy 3 is a combination of two Greek words, God and Breathing—God-breathed. We will explore the blending of divinity and humanity, God's spirit found in human writing, words, lives, hearts.

The Bible Story

As many of us return to more consistent pace and pattern, after summer, it can be helpful to remember and reflect upon why we do what we do. This sermon series therefore intends to remind us of the rhythms that we are intentionally cultivating together and it celebrates our values, which define the fundamental elements of our essence and character.

This week’s sermon is a bridge between two sermon series. By telling the story of the Bible it concludes our three part series titled, Bible Primer. Also, because one of our rhythms at Pearl is to cultivate a sacred story, this sermon will be the beginning of our new series addressing our church’s rhythms and values. 

Biblical Books That Don't Move the Story

It is common to spend time reading particular verses, sections, chapters, or specific books in the Bible. However, this practice makes understanding how the whole Bible fits together and comprehending its larger motifs, difficult to follow. So, this series intends to cover every book in the Bible, in two weeks. Week One will propose a framework for how all of the books of the Bible work together and it will begin to cover the books that do not progress the Bible’s overall story. Week Two will pick up where Week One left off by covering the remainder of the books that do not progress the biblical narrative and then it will conclude by telling the story of the Bible. 

Biblical Framework & Seams

It is common to spend time reading particular verses, sections, chapters, or specific books in the Bible. However, this practice makes understanding how the whole Bible fits together and comprehending its larger motifs, difficult to follow. So, this series intends to cover every book in the Bible, in two weeks. Week One will propose a framework for how all of the books of the Bible work together and it will begin to cover the books that do not progress the Bible’s overall story. Week Two will pick up where Week One left off by covering the remainder of the books that do not progress the biblical narrative and then it will conclude by telling the story of the Bible.