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Tag Archives: Faith Lessons
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: “My Yoke Is Easy”
Jesus taught, (Mat 11:28-30) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you … Continue reading
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: “Abolish” and “Fulfill”
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus introduced a large section of his teaching by saying, (Mat 5:17-18) “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but … Continue reading
Posted in Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan, Uncategorized
Tagged All, Faith Lessons, Ray Vander Laan, Sermon on the Mount
8 Comments
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: The Fifth Cup
The Lord’s Supper was instituted as part of a Passover meal. The Passover, of course, celebrates God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. By the time of Jesus, the meal was celebrated with four cups of wine, each reflecting a … Continue reading
Posted in Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan, Uncategorized
Tagged All, communion, Eucharist, Faith Lessons, Lord's Supper, Passover, Ray Vander Laan
12 Comments
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: On the Prodigal Son and Thinking the Eastern Way, Part 2
Now, there’s a much more subtle point that Jesus makes, that the teachers of the law would likely have picked up. In the Psalms, nearly every metaphor used for God is about his power, his strength, and his holiness. But … Continue reading
Posted in Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan, Uncategorized
Tagged All, Faith Lessons, Prodigal Son, Ray Vander Laan
6 Comments
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: On the Prodigal Son and Thinking the Eastern Way, Part 1
The Western mode of thought comes from the ancient Greeks. We think abstractly. We like to take what we learn apart, see how it’s made, and extract the underlying principles. RVL’s students in high school have to dissect a frog … Continue reading
Posted in Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan, Uncategorized
Tagged All, Faith Lessons, Prodigal Son, Ray Vander Laan
10 Comments
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: The Good Samaritan
RVL tells the story of being in class in a Jewish university. The rabbi taught the Parable of the Good Samaritan, as taught by Rabbi Yeshua (Hebrew for “Jesus”), and he declared this the greatest parable ever told! The Jewish … Continue reading
Posted in Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan, Uncategorized
Tagged All, Faith Lessons, Good Samaritan, Ray Vander Laan
8 Comments
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: Crossing the Red Sea
We continue to consider RVL’s lessons on how to think as the First Century Jews thought, that is, with an Eastern point of view. (“RVL” is what his students call Ray Vander Laan and how he often refers to himself.) … Continue reading
Posted in Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan, Uncategorized
Tagged All, Exodus, Faith Lessons, Ray Vander Laan, Red Sea
20 Comments
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: Hagah
A few weeks ago, I attended a seminar taught by Ray Vander Laan near here. I took my new netbook with me and furiously typed notes. Now it’s time to report a few of the lessons to the readers. (RVL’s … Continue reading
Posted in Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan, Uncategorized
Tagged All, Faith Lessons, Follow the Rabbi, Ray Vander Laan
2 Comments
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: Seminar at the North Shelby Baptist Church
I’ve just gotten back from a seminar taught by Ray Vander Laan in south Birmingham, Alabama, at the North Shelby Baptist Church. The seminar began at 6:00 on Friday night and ended about 5:00 today — and it was fabulous! … Continue reading
Posted in Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan, Uncategorized
Tagged All, Faith Lessons, Ray Vander Laan
11 Comments
Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan: Everything to Lose, Nothing to Gain
Jesus came to teach the Torah. The rabbis spoke of “fulfilling” the Torah, which to a rabbi meant to interpret it so his listeners would properly honor it. But in Asia Minor, among the Greeks, there was no concept that … Continue reading
Posted in Faith Lessons by Ray Vander Laan, Uncategorized
Tagged All, Faith Lessons, Ray Vander Laan
2 Comments
