6:51
The City
Why does the Bible open with a garden as the ideal space but close with a heavenly city? Explore the surprising theme of the city in the Bible.
Reflect
In the ancient world, what key structure made a group of houses into a city? What purpose did it serve?
In Genesis 10:8-10, we see a city builder named Cush conquering people and building cities. For him, what were cities all about? In Genesis 11:1-4, we see another major city project underway. Why were these people constructing a city?
How is the purpose of God’s garden in Eden similar to or different from the purpose of cities operating with the logic of Cain’s city?
We might think that God plans to do away with cities altogether, but there’s a twist. What is the surprise of the biblical story as it relates to cities? Why is this significant?
Read Matthew 5:1-16. Although Jesus does not focus on cities in this passage, he does describe the ethics of God's Kingdom, and he compares his followers to a city on a hill. How is the mindset in Jesus' “city” different from the mindset in Cain's city and/or Babylon?
Take time to discuss other themes, questions, or key takeaways from what you learned about the biblical theme of the city.
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Biblical Themes
3:10
The Mountain
Watch a short video that explains what mountains represent in the Bible. Learn the key role mountains play throughout the unified story that leads to Jesus.
6:43
Heaven & Earth
What does the Bible really teach about Heaven, and what is Heaven’s relationship to Earth? In this video, we explore the surprising biblical viewpoint that Heaven and Earth were meant to overlap and how Jesus is on a mission to bring them together once and for all.
5:48
The Messiah
Explore the mysterious promise on page three of the Bible, that a promised deliverer would one day come to confront evil and rescue humanity. We trace this theme through the family of Abraham, the messianic lineage of David, and ultimately to Jesus who defeated evil by letting it defeat him.
5:46
The Covenants
Despite human rebellion, God continues to make covenant promises to restore humanity to the role they were created for: to be partners with God in ruling creation. Though humans repeatedly fail, Jesus fulfills humanity’s side of the partnership, making right the relationship between God and humankind.
6:35
Holiness
God’s holiness presents a paradox to human beings. God is the unique and set-apart Creator of all reality and the author of all goodness. However, that goodness can become dangerous to humans who are morally corrupt. Ultimately, this paradox is resolved by Jesus, who embodies God’s holiness that came to heal his creation.
6:51
Sacrifice and Atonement
God is on a mission to remove evil from his good world, along with all of its corrosive effects. However, he wants to do it in a way that doesn’t involve removing humans. In this video, we trace the theme of God’s “covering” over human evil through animal sacrifices that ultimately point to Jesus and his death and resurrection.
6:00
The Law
What is the importance of the ancient laws in the Hebrew Bible? Are they even relevant for Jesus followers? Explore how much the laws can teach us about God’s character and the significance of Jesus’ ministry on Earth.
4:50
Gospel of the Kingdom
Gospel is a word that means “good news,” but it’s more than that. It’s a royal announcement, and its use in the New Testament points to the radical announcement of God’s Kingdom coming to Earth through Jesus. The Gospel fulfills the promises of the Hebrew Bible, as we see Jesus bring God’s reign and rule in a way no one expected.
6:17
Image of God
What does it mean for humans to be made in God’s image? In the opening pages of Genesis, we see God create humanity as his co-rulers of creation, but things quickly go wrong when humans rebel and forfeit their role. Jesus comes to set right humanity’s rebellion, opening up a new way of being human through his life, death, and resurrection.
6:02
Day of the Lord
Does God still care about the destruction humans have caused in his good world? The story of the Bible shows us how God confronts human evil, as well as the deeper spiritual evil that is at work on Earth. Ultimately, we see how Jesus responds to the problem of evil by allowing his death on the cross.
4:11
Holy Spirit
In this video, we explore the original meaning of the biblical concept of spirit (*ruakh*) and what it means that God’s Spirit is personally present in all of creation. Ultimately, the Spirit was revealed through Jesus and sent out into the lives of his followers to bring about the new creation.
3:30
Public Reading of Scripture
Reading the Bible aloud with a group of people is an ancient practice. In fact, the origins of the Bible are rooted in public readings among members of the community. Explore the origins and development of this fascinating biblical topic, and see how it offers us a model for engaging the Scriptures in our own day.
6:18
Justice
Justice is a felt need in our world today and a controversial topic. But what is justice exactly, and who gets to define it? In this video, we'll explore the biblical theme of justice and discover how it's deeply rooted in the storyline of the Bible that leads to Jesus.
5:11
Exile
Exile is one of the core, yet often overlooked, themes underlying the entire biblical storyline. In this video, we'll see how Israel's exile to Babylon is a picture of all humanity's exile from Eden. We are all exiles longing for home, and Jesus is the one to open the way back to our true home and the fullness of relationship with God.
8:10
God
The God portrayed in the Bible isn’t easy to understand, but what if we could better understand what it is that we can’t understand? In this video, we will explore the complex identity of God displayed in the storyline of the Bible. This helps us understand the huge role Jesus came to fulfill, one with the Father and distinct as the Son.
5:20
The Way of the Exile
If followers of Jesus are to give their total allegiance to God’s Kingdom, how should they relate to the governments and power structures of their own day? The experience of Daniel and his friends in Babylonian exile offers wisdom for navigating this tension. Following Jesus in our modern age means learning how to live in the way of the exile.
5:51
Son of Man
If you thought Christ was Jesus’ last name or the title he gave himself, think again! The title Jesus most often used for himself is the Son of Man. But what does that mean? In this video, we’ll explore the meaning of this fascinating phrase and see how it invites us into the larger biblical story.
4:41
Temple
The biblical authors describe Israel’s temple as the place where God’s space and human space overlap. In fact, the whole biblical drama can be told as a story about God’s temple: God creates a cosmic temple and, in Jesus, takes up residence in his temple-world. By the end of the biblical story, all of creation has become God’s sacred temple.
5:12
Generosity
In the story of the Bible, God is depicted as a generous host who provides for the needs of his guests. However, humans live from a mindset of scarcity and hoard God’s many gifts. In this video, we explore God’s plan for overcoming our selfishness by giving the ultimate gift of himself in the person of Jesus.
5:27
Sabbath
The Bible opens with God creating an ordered world from chaos in six days before resting on the seventh day. This pattern of seven that ends with divine-human rest echoes throughout Scripture. Jesus embraces this theme in his mission to establish God’s Kingdom on Earth, where humanity and God will finally rest together.
4:52
Tree of Life
In the opening pages of the Bible, God gives humanity a gift that they quickly forfeit: eternal life that comes by eating from the tree of life. Sacred trees are a powerful symbol woven throughout Scripture, culminating in the dramatic climax of Jesus’ death. His crucifixion on a cross transforms a tree of death into a new tree of life for all humanity.
4:57
Water of Life
In the beginning of the Bible, God transforms a desolate wilderness into a garden through a stream that waters the ground and brings life wherever it goes. Water imagery continues to develop throughout the biblical story where we see wells, cisterns, rain, and rivers all become images of God’s creative power.
6:17
The Test
From the garden of Eden to the tempation of Jesus, the Bible shows a repeated theme of testing. Learn more about how God determines the loyalty and trust of his covenant partners as we explore the biblical theme of testing.
5:30
Eternal Life
Jesus offered people eternal life. But what does that mean? Explore the meaning of a phrase that invites us into God’s life now and in the age to come.
5:54
Blessing and Curse
“Blessing” is a religious-sounding word that we use a lot. We say, “Bless you!” after a sneeze, or that we’re “so blessed” when life is good. But what does blessing mean in the Bible? In this video, we trace the theme of blessing and curse in the Bible to see how Jesus defeats the curse and restores the blessing of life to creation.
5:31
The Last Will Be First
In the New Testament, Jesus is called the “firstborn,” a title of authority. While firstborns traditionally received inheritance and power in the ancient world, Jesus redefines this power. In his Kingdom, the last are first, and true authority comes through loving others, even our enemies.
3:20
Anointing
Explore an ancient practice that marks people and places as bridges between Heaven and Earth.
6:51
The City
Why does the Bible open with a garden as the ideal space but close with a heavenly city? Explore the surprising theme of the city in the Bible.
4:08
Chaos Dragon
In the ancient world, the sea dragon was a common symbol that represented death and chaos. But the story of the Bible begins with God demonstrating his power over all creatures. While both spiritual and human forces threaten to pull creation into disorder, Jesus defeats the darkness by trusting God to bring life out of death.