TNIV

I broke down and bought one. I'd been putting it off because the last one I bought, the ESV, was a disappointment (although technically fine), and I just didn't want to spend any more money on another version just to be disappointed again. BUT a couple of guys on the BaptistBoard (T.C. and Rippon) kept insisting I wouldn't be, so off to the store I went.

With Matthew under my belt, I can safely say that so far I'm happy. I do wish I hadn't bought the Study Bible though. There is only so much - so many places the notes can go and with several of those already. . . . Well, maybe it's the time of day I read. I'm finding the notes more distracting than helpful.

But so far, I do like TNIV.

Through the Bible in a Year

There are many plans out there if you are interested:

One Year Bible Online

Nice Chart from the ELCA - Aside from their other polity

Now this one is from eword and has a variety of plans for a variety of versions. They range from Chronological to historical to old/new to new/old.

Bible Gateway has one, but it's not in a nice printable form. It does link to the chapters though in NIV.

This is just a start. There are tons of online supplies available to help you read through the Bible in a year.

The Rich Man in Hell

I can't let this go.

We've been studying parables. Typical LifeWay fashion - there was a worksheet with references and titles to match. Such a challenging lesson ;0. So, I picked about a dozen for us to look at more closely.

Most I picked at random. I picked the new wine in old wine skins just so the students would know that not everything is easy to interpret.

This one though, the rich man in hell. It's been bugging me. Every one I've mentioned it to, they remember the part about the rich man wanting Lazarus to place a drop of water on his tongue. They don't remember the part about the rich man asking Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his five brothers about what was in store for them if they didn't believe. Abraham's response? Why would they believe a dead man standing in front of them when they had the words of Moses and the prophets? You didn't believe!

Now the students, they said, "OH, I'd believe a dead guy if he came to tell me about hell!"

"Oh really?" I said, "The Bible clearly says you won't."

One of the counselors gets a remarkable picture in an email. I do wish I had the picture because it was absolutely awesome. Truck driver saved in a wreck. He drops off the road facing in the opposite direction on a sheer incline. He'd have surely died if he'd been facing the other direction, off just inches. It was miles down the cliff. The first response was, "If he didn't believe in God before, he'd have to now."

BUT he doesn't, does he? Because if the Holy Spirit is not working, no event, no person, no words are going to make a difference. The thing is that we don't know on who, at what place, at what time God is at work and our part, our obligation is just to be ready to share.

Translation Debate by Eugene Glassman

We are in Texas to see Brandon in a play. I picked up Translation Debate by Eugene Glassman to read on the way over. He wrote this book in 1981, so many of the current versions are not included, but it is a fine piece of work that is nicely notated.

Glassman gives a brief history of how the modern Bible came to us. He discusses the differences in translation purposes - is the translator going to be truer to the original language or to the receiving language. He is not anti-paraphrase and discusses that all versions are paraphrased to some extent. Glassman does a good job of comparing a single scripture from various scripture to prove his points.

He brought up the Phillips Translation many times. I've got an old one on my shelf that I haven't pulled off in years that used to be one of my favorites to read. I need to go dust it off.

One of my favorite quotes was from the gentleman writing to the American Bible Society wanting to help translate Bibles for missionaries - he asked for a foreign language dictionary and grammar book and promised that in his spare time, he'd get the new testamant translated.

Abortion

OK John Piper two days in a row. Or is it two in one. mmm

Well he's good. I like the clear and concise way he puts things.

Abortion. God makes life. Who are we to take it? When does life begin? Too many opinions. Life is precious because it comes from God.

God is at work. And if he is supreme, you leave his knitting work alone

-John Piper

Glorious Jesus!

Piper's latest sermon arrived in my email box. He's preaching through John. These are the titles for Jesus in just John 1:

1. The Word. Verse 1: “In the beginning was the Word.”
2. God. Verse 1: “And the Word was God.”
3. Light. Verse 9: “The true light . . . was coming into the world.”
4. Jesus Christ. Verse 17: “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
5. Lamb of God. Verse 29: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
6. Rabbi. Verse 38: “And they said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which means Teacher), where are you staying?”
7. Messiah. Verse 41: “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).”
8. Son of God. Verse 49: “You are the Son of God!”
9. King of Israel. V
   Publish Post
   erse 49: “You are the King of Israel!”
10. Son of Man. Verse 51: “You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Those have a new meaning to me since I've worked through them now as a teacher and because we spent quite a bit of time with those in Bible.

Last section of sermon:

God’s Greatest Glory: Dying for Sinners

So you could say that the greatest glory Nathanael, or you and I, would ever see is the glory of the Son of Man, the Lord of heaven, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, lifted up on a cross to die for sinners.

So when you see him this Advent season as Son of God, and as King of Israel, and as Son of Man, make sure that you see him dying to give you eternal life and, therefore, see him as glorious.

-John Piper

Glorious Savior! Who am I that you looked on me? That you care for me, that you died for me? Oh Glorious Savior!

I can't make up my mind!

Bible!

Life of Christ! I was so looking forward to teaching it and it's been such a trial. The text from Lifeway (LifeQuest) is just mediocre. The school did not buy the student texts - probably because they also are mediocre, but the teacher text is based on the fact that the kids have them. There are multiple problems with it:

1. It's an awful lot like what they get in Sunday School and I'd like to go deeper on the factual side.
2. There is the textbook issue.
3. It's meant for 5 1-hour sessions and we only have 4 30-minute sessions (please don't get me started on that!).
4. It's a survey course. This is fine, but some of these kids are really hungry for some deep learning.
   

I've had to essentially write, make, and then copy everything the students have to use. I'm sure the guys in the copy center hate to see me coming, but 8th graders need something in their hands to help them organize themselves.

So, I'm digging around in the book room one day and I see what looks like a set of Twelve Ordinary Men behind some new office furniture. I climb over there to retrieve one of the copies and I read it. Now this is exciting! A classroom set of something that the kids can hold in their hands. I do some research and there is a study guide I can get. The book is on CD, so I can use that intermittently. This can take third quarter planned appropriately - good meaty material!

Except, when the furniture is put in the office, there are only three books, not the classroom set I was expecting. So I send out emails and find that there is indeed a classroom set. At least two teachers have seen it. One has used it in the past. BUT where is it. I send out another email. I get some of the silliest replies about me looking for men, but nothing tangible about the books.

Heavy sigh.

One day in the midst of all this, I get an email from one of my media center suppliers. For purchases of $35 or more - there is no shipping. I check and yes indeed, they do have Twelve Ordinary Men. And what's this? They have hardbacks new for $9.95 a book. A classroom set will cost $250. If I throw in the $100 that the PTF has allotted me, then the school only has to fork over, ahhh spend $150. WHAT a bargain! Email sent to principal in a flash.

No response.

Wait.

Ah, I know, she's just sent the order through the appropriate channels. Let me check that route.

So, principal passes me in the hall. Appropriate channel asked. Ain't gonna happen. Money won't be spent. Now I'm upset. Even if the school spent the whole $250, that's $3.50 per kid on some good material. As far as I can tell, nothing's been spent in quite a while.

So, I'm kicking this around with a friend. And she's got a Piper DVD. I love Piper too. This one is called Blazing Center and is based off of Desiring God. Eight sermons. It's got a study guide which I've now got in my grubby little hands. I could get a could quarter's worth of lessons off of it too. It's good stuff. But it's not exactly directly related to the Life of Christ.

I know - I'm wordy.

My choices:

1. Stick with the LifeWay teacher material and keep working up material for the kids.
2. Use what I have of the Twelve Ordinary Men. Which is a DVD with some re-enactments, an unabridged CD, but NO books for the kids. They are only 8th graders.
3. Use the Blazing Center materials which isn't related to the curriculum.

It's taken me all day to write this and I still don't know what to do. I've no clear guidance.