Celtic Odyssey

We started this series by taking a glancing look at the Old Testament and saw how the prophets and poets used poetic language that depicted the complete desolation of the cosmos as a symbol of the destruction of various nations. These included Egypt ( Ezekiel 32.2, 7-8, 11-12 ), Babylon ( Isaiah 13.1, 10, 19 ), and, yes, even Israel ( Jeremiah 4.14, 16, 23ff ). With these things in the back of our minds, we now turn our attention to the New Testament.  While we’ll be addressing some of the New Testament passages that refer to eschatology there’s one question that a lot of people don’t ask but it’s just under the surface yearning to be asked—“From where did the New Testament writers get their views on eschatology? What was the basis for their ‘time of the end’ beliefs?” The most obvious answer is the Hebrew Scriptures (our Old Testament). Since (almost) all of the New Testament writers were Jewish, they would have been very familiar with the passages we’ve glanced at (and many...

Matthew 3:1-12 (CEB): In those days John the Baptist appeared in the desert of Judea announcing, “Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of heaven!” He was the one of whom Isaiah the prophet spoke when he said: The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for [Yahweh]; make his paths straight.” John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem, throughout Judea, and all around the Jordan River came to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. Many Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptized by John. He said to them, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. The ax is ...

14 On the Lord's Day 14:1 On the Lord's day, gather yourselves together and break bread, give thanks, but first confess your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure. 14:2 However, let no one who is at odds with his brother come together with you, until he has reconciled, so that your sacrifice may not be profaned. 14:3 For this is what the Lord has said: "For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the of hosts. . . . For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name is reverenced among the nations." Community. Common meal and Eucharist. Reconciliation. Witness. These four things are what this little community was about. By doing the first three, the fourth was achieved. Let’s briefly break these down. Community Notice that there is to be a special gathering of the people of th...