“Jesus of Nazareth: The Essential Man, Message and Ministry”
Many Christians have a sense of the church’s long and complicated path to a theology of Jesus — not what he said and did, but what the church slowly came to claim about the first century Jewish prophet. This is called Christology; it is a different sort of task than discovering what can be known about his cultural and religious background, his family and early life, his essential ethical and theological lessons, and his ministry of healing and exorcism.
LPC Pastor Jim Butler will lead a four-part series beginning Sunday, January 10, aimed at helping us gain a better sense of what many scholars call “the essential Jesus” based primarily on the four New Testament Gospels. The series will cover the cultural, political, and religious environment of first century Roman-occupied Palestine; Jesus’ family history and his religious up-bringing; the influence of John the baptizer and Jesus’ 40-day spiritual transformation in the wilderness; essential theological teachings about the kingdom of God; and his fascinating ministry of emotional and physical healing and deliverance from malevolent spiritual entities.
The series will continue on Sunday, January 17, 24 and 31. The 30-minute videos will be available by 9 a.m. and can be viewed on the LPC website by selecting “Faith Formation Videos” from the “Virtual Ministry” tab at the top of the home page.