Thursday, December 03, 2015

Discover the Real Jesus This Winter!

You can sign up for this 10-week class in the church lobby or by calling our office - 734-731-1709.



RMS - Discovering the Real Jesus
Class syllabus

Contact information

Jim Collins
734-497-0405

When and where

Ten Sunday mornings, 17 January through 20 March
9-10:15 AM
Redeemer classroom

Course Description

We live in a culture that often misrepresents the real, historical Jesus. The purpose of this course is to raise the level of the students’ Jesus-literacy and experience of Christ. In this course students will:
·        Study about Jesus from the biblical texts, as understood within the historical context in which they were written.
·        Study some of the current real Jesus literature as an aid to understanding the biblical accounts of Jesus.
·        Learn how to distinguish the real Jesus from the fictional.
·        Encounter and experience Christ as an ongoing, living reality.
This will be accomplished through classroom readings, class discussion, and homework assignments.

Goals/Objectives

·        Using scripture and book excerpts:
o   Define who Jesus said he was
o   Define who Jesus was by the things he did
o   Debunk our presuppositions
o   Define our life actions based on the Jesus of the gospels

Our Final Exam is not at RMS

·        1 John 3:1-3 says it all

Class topics

1.     Introduction
Ø Christianity: The state of the art
2.     The gospels: 2000 years old; can we believe what we read?
Ø Truth or public relations?
3.     The incomprehensible trinity
Ø The small try to define the One Ruler
Ø An invitation from the fellowship of God
4.     The Incarnation and birth
Ø Seriously, Joseph and Mary’s son?
Ø What happened to our Christmas story?
5.     The Sermon on the Mount
Ø Unobtainable idealism?
6.     Shock and awe
Ø This Jesus is amazing
Ø This Jesus is crazy
7.     The Messiah: the Jewish hope
Ø Guess who is coming to dinner
Ø The temple is going down!?
8.     Jesus rules!
Ø Jesus is not our candidate
Ø Who made you king, Jesus?
9.      The Kingdom of God
Ø Invert the world and shake
Ø Eschatology for the faint of heart

Very Relevant Books

·         Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew
·         N.T. Wright, How God Became King
·         Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes
·         Richard Bauckham, Jesus: A Very Short Introduction
·         Michael J. McClymond, Familiar Stranger
·         Ben Witherington, The Christology of Jesus
·         Greg Boyd & Paul Eddy, Lord or Legend?: Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma

·         A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy