Signs and Wonders Lent Bible Study Lunch
Every Wednesday at 12:15 pm | Columbia Falls UMC
What do you think about miracles? Were the miracles of Jesus true, or sensationalized events, like stories about a big catch where the fish keeps getting bigger and bigger as the story is told?!
The Apostle Paul rarely mentions the miracles of Jesus in his letters. Paul tends to focus on the faithfulness and sacrifice of Jesus. In Mark’s Gospel, 40% of the text references the miracles of Jesus. Everywhere he goes and everything he says leads to wonders and miracles! But Jesus tells everyone to keep quiet! He doesn’t want word to spread. And in Mark, Luke, and Matthew, miracles seem to require some sort of faith.
John’s recording of the life of Jesus is different. In John’s Gospel, miracles are described as “signs,” and witnessing those signs leads people to faith! Faith isn’t usually a requirement in the first place. And John includes just seven miracles. What is John trying to tell us? And why is it different from the other gospels?
Join us this Lent as we offer the worship series “Signs and Wonders: A Beginner’s Guide to the Miracles of Jesus.” Each Sunday we will explore one of Christ’s “signs,” and how it relates to our world today. Each Wednesday, you’re invited to Bible Study Lunch (BYO Lunch!) at 12:15pm to go deeper and learn about the ancient world and Jewish/Roman context of Jesus. Our guide will be Professor Amy-Jill Levine, author of our book. As a Jew herself, and curious and educated about Jesus, she describes herself as an “unorthodox member of an Orthodox synagogue.” Amy-Jill was Professor of New Testament at Vanderbilt Univ in Nashville, and Prof of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford Seminary. She’s a scholar whose writing is accessible and powerful!
This worship series is a collaborative effort of the UMC Young Clergy of Montana. Clergy from Glendive, Columbia Falls, Laurel, Billings, Livingston, Three Forks, and elsewhere have worked together to create a Lenten opportunity. We are a connected church, and this study format reminds us of that important value we hold dear.