When the people of God were taken away into exile, they struggled to understand their identity in a new way. They no longer had a land, a temple or a king to define them as a people. As a result, they began to gather, write and center themselves on the stories of God’s interaction with His people, compiling much of the Old Testament during this time.
Today, we are experiencing a similar need to redefine ourselves as the church loses its privileged place in the culture we live in. How do we understand ourselves as citizens of the Kingdom of God while also living as sent representatives of that Kingdom in this place and time? How do we make homes within this culture without losing our distinctive character as Jesus’ people and compromising our primary allegiance to the Kingdom of God?
Listen with us to stories of God’s people in exile as we consider our own situation today. Turn your eyes with us to look at Jesus and find our identity as those made in and being conformed to his image, a Holy people of Faith, Hope, Love, Grace, Truth and Peace.
Reading Plan
Oct. 21-27
Daniel 3
I Peter 3:13-18
Hebrews 6:13-20
Hebrews 10:19-25
Matthew 6:25-34
Oct. 28 – Nov. 3
Jeremiah 31
I Peter 4:8-11
I Corinthians 13
I John 3:1-2, 11-20
I John 4:7-21
Nov. 4-10
Daniel 6
I Peter 5:1-11
John 1:1-18
Ephesians 1:1-14
Ephesians 2:1-10
Nov. 11-17
Daniel 5
I Peter 1:22 – 2:3
Ephesians 4:14-32
John 8:31-59
John 14:6-7; 16:13-15
Nov. 18-24
Isaiah 2:1-8; 9:1-7
Isaiah 48:17-22
Isaiah 54
I Peter 3:8-14
Matthew 5:3-9; 43-48
