The Year of Jubilee

Old Order River Brethren baptism, Lancaster, PA.

Dear Friends,
I pose a Biblical question to you Biblical scholar:

1. Would the law of the Year of Jubilee found in Leviticus 25 be
workable in the twenty-first century in which we live?
2. Could these principles be used within our OORB brotherhood?
3. What ramifications would implementing such a law have upon our
lifestyle?
4. Can you give me an example were the Year of Jubilee was obeyed in
O.T. times?

I would like your feedback.
The Koinonia Bible Study group will be studying the Year of Jubilee
at a future date.
C. Myron

__._,_.___

Ten questions about God that need answers

Tough Questions About Jesus
Material taught by John Hawbaker
At Manor BIC, July 29,08 , used by permission

EXPLAINING OUR FAITH TO OTHERS
• Every Christian is a Theologian
We have ideas about God, who he is, what he is up to in our world.
• Understand our generation
• Cultivate our relationship to God

Questions:
• Is Jesus the ONLY way to God?
• Isn’t Christianity too narrow? 66% of the worlds population non-Christian
• Can all the other religions be wrong?
• Jesus Christ may be the only Way for you, but how can you claim He is the only Way for everybody?
• Can you prove that Jesus is the only way to God?
Because of these and other questions, people have claimed Christianity cannot be defended logically.

I. Is Jesus the ONLY way to God?

A. If you wanted to know who George W. bush was:
* you could ask others
* you could go to his speeches, find out what he wrote about himself

B. We can go to the Bible to find what Jesus said about himself.
When we do, we find some astonishing things.
• Mark 2:5-12 … forgives sins, Jesus spoke to this man’s spiritual needs first
• John 14:6-9 … I AM the ONLY Way to the Father
• John 3:16-18 … Believers in Jesus will be saved / unbelievers, lost
( Jesus is the Way, Truth, Life )

C. Jesus made bold, exclusive claims. He is unique among all founders of religions.
1). Others said, “follow me and I will lead you to God
2). Jesus said, “ I AM God – now follow me.

D. Jesus presents Himself as the ONLY WAY to God
* Tolerance, the watchword of this generation
The mood of our generation is tolerance – for anything and everything
Jesus said, some things are objectively true, whether you believe them or not. These truths are not subjective, they do not depend on what you think about them.
These things are True for all people, everywhere and at all times.

Yes, the claims of Jesus are outrageous – unless they are true.
Many people like to make Christianity more tolerable, more welcoming by downplaying the claims of Jesus. Remember there is no Christianity without Jesus
C.S. Lewis put it this way. “Many people say, “I am ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher – but I don’t accept him as God.”
However, a man that said the things Jesus claimed would not be a great moral teacher but either a 1). Lunatic or 2). The devil of hell.
You can shut Jesus out as a fool, you can spit on him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. Let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a good man.
Jesus did not let that open to us – He did not intend to.

E. What did Jesus’ good friends and followers believe?
* Acts 4:12
The apostles presented Jesus as He presented himself. The Jesus of the Bible could not be held down by death. He is truly alive today. Take it or leave it!
A story:
A Buddhist man was converted to Christ. Someone asked him, why did you change religions. The Buddhist said
“if you were walking down the road and came to a fork in the road and two men were standing there and one was dead and the other alive, which man’s directions would you follow?”
That is the Biblical message, we are not inviting people to follow a dead Christ, we are inviting them to the eternal son of God, who was dead and is now alive, forevermore.

II. Isn’t Christianity too narrow?
Isn’t all truth narrow?
A man jumped off the Empire State Building. As he passed the 10th floor someone stuck their head out a window and asked, “how is it going”?
The man said, “I feel fine, so far.”
• The Law of Gravity is narrow.
If you jump off the ESB you will not break the law of gravity, it will break you.
• The mathematics table is narrow
• The law of overdraft at the bank is narrow

We are used of strict truth in many aspects of life.
The claims of the Bible are narrow only because they are true. You will not break Jesus and His claims, you will break yourself first.
Lu 20:18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

III. Two thirds of the world’s population is not Christian – can all these religions be wrong?
This question implies a larger question:
Can the majority be wrong?

a).in the year 1,000BC, everyone thought the earth was flat
all religions are wrong when they deny that Jesus was not both man and God.

IV. Some people say, Jesus truth may satisfy your needs but Christianity doesn’t satisfy mine.
Tolerance vs. Truth
Some things are relative, your preferences
• Isn’t that Pit bull cute?
• This hiking trail is going to be easy
• I don’t have a thing to wear
Yes, in some things you are entitled to your own opinion
But Truth IS Truth!

V. We live in a day of science and logic. Can you PROVE that Jesus is God?

That depends on what you mean by proof.
As Christians we invite every person we talk to to examine the evidence themselves.
• Read the gospels and see what Jesus says about himself and see if it makes sense.
• Read a book like Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis
• Pray sincerely and ask God, is this true or only nonsense. Help me to know if it is true.
• We say to our friends, “ I find the evidence compelling, what do you find?
• People don’t come to Jesus because we beat them at an argument, no, Jesus draws them.
• We can either cloud the real Christ or unveil the true Christ.

VI. What about the people who have never heard about Jesus at all?

What about their eternal destiny? If they have not heard they cannot believe.
It seems totally unfair for God to send them to hell.

Q. How do we answer this question?
Ans. You can say to the person, it seems that you have a real sense that God ought to be fair. Where did that sense come from?
God is going to be more fair and just than you can are so you can trust him with this. One thing is sure, no one ca be saved except through God’s grace and atonement through Christ.
How much of this must a person in a remote tribe in New Guinea understand before he can receive salvation? Luke 12:48. God is perfect love and justice and what he does in the end will satisfy even your longing for justice.

Q. I have a question for Christians. What is God going to say to Christians who know Jesus is the only way- yet never talk about it? They never witness, they just enjoy the blessings of God for themselves and hope somehow God will get the message out to sinners.
Q. To a Christian. I am not sure I know the whole answer, lets start with you. What are you going to do with Jesus? Are you willing to come with us and start following?

VII. Isn’t religion a negative thing?
People are fed up with religion. They have been burned by religion, mistreated etc.
Should we tell them to reject religion and just follow Jesus?


It all depends on what you mean by religion.

1. Any system of rules and rituals people use to make themselves acceptable to God

2. New Testament religion is different. It is positive.
N.T. religion is a system of beliefs and practices that people follow sincerely out of reverence and love for God. This describes the N.T. church.

Religion defined: What are the differences?
#1 puts man at the center
#2 puts Jesus at the center.
#1 is about self-effort
#2 puts emphasis on God’s initiative and grace
#1 is all about mans rituals and duty
#2 is about a relationship with Jesus which uses ritual and duty
#1 is all about keeping rules because they are rules
# 2 is all about letting the life of Jesus fill you as you keep his commandments out of a heart of love-service.

Jesus attack and rejected the first type of religion.
He came and died to bring us the second.
The religion of Jesus has changed the world for the better.

When your friends talk about religion and reject it, be gentle. Ask them what has been their past experience and feelings about religion. Talk about these distinctions.

What should be our response to God?
1. Ask God to continue working on sharpening our minds 2.Continue in prayer 3. Live righteously 4. Live a life of love

NEXT MEETING: In the home of Myron and Ruth ... Topic will be Prayer

Koinonia Valentine Celebration

February 14 at 6:30pm held at Country Table Restaurant in Manheim
Those present:
Jay and Rachel, Ric and Kathy, Myron and Ruth, Esther, David, Alvin Hostetter

The accommodations were nice; the food was good at a reasonable price. We spent two enjoyable hours eating and talking.

Romantic Stories:
Jay and Rachel and Ric and Kathy shared their courtship stories. Here they are.

Jay sent Rachel a valentine card on Feb. 14th, 1989. He wrote on the card asking her for a date. Rachel was surprised but wrote back that she would accept a date from Jay. While the card was in transit, the Koinonians met at the home of Jim and Kate Guerra for a fellowship evening. Jay had not receive Rachel’s answer of yes so he said nothing to Rachel. Rachel thought Jay must have received her answer but when Jay said nothing, Rachel was silent also. So there they sat spending a very uncomfortable evening together. Upon receiving Rachel’s affirmative answer the next day Jay lost no time in setting up a date for that Saturday. On their first date they ate at the Country Table in Mount Joy and then toured the Egg Basket.
Rachel shyly ☺ gave Jay a tour thus letting the cat out of the bag to her co-workers that she was dating. Nineteen years later it is quite evident that their first date was a success and has led to many years of happiness. Congratulations!

Now lets hear Rick’s story. and quite a tale it is.
A certain girl was interested in Ric for a long time. She took the liberty of hanging out with Rick’s parents and got to know them well. She persisted even though Ric showed no interest in dating her.

One day this girl came to Rick’s parents home with a friend named Kathy. Ric had been painting the stair steps up to the second floor of the house and had put up an outside ladder so he could get down from the second story. He thought he was safe from the girl.

But no, the next thing he knows is that Kathy has climbed up the ladder and into the room. So Ric gets out paper and pen and begins to play tit-tat-toe. Later Kathy’s friend calls that she is ready to leave and Kathy climbs down the ladder leaving Ric on the second floor. Remember Ric is trying to avoid the girl. Surprise, surprise, Ric looks at
the tit-tat-toe sheet and discovers that Kathy has written down her phone number.

Now I ask you, does Kathy seem this sort of girl? I thought she used to be shy, or was that just a rumor!
Anyway some time later Ric decides to call Kathy for a date. The answer was yes and the rest is history. Yes, years of stories. Want to tell us more Ric?

At next years Koinonia Valentine meal we will hear from Jim and Kate and Myron and Ruth. For you see, we all have decided that our Valentine meal must become a yearly tradition. Right?

Prayer request. Pray for Kate's mother as she prepares for heaven in the next few days. Remember the family as they say good by.

Our next Koinonia Bible Study will be in the home of Ric and Kathy on Feb. 21st. We will view a DVD on the topic of “ten questions people ask about Jesus” Come prepared to be challenged and learn how to answer the questions of seekers.

Be Strong and of Good Courage - Joshua 1:1-9

Koinonia Bible Study #4
2/7/08







Myron an Hector at the Cabin of the Red Earth in Oaxaca,
the home of his deceased grandparent in Mexico.
Picture taken in February,2005

Psalm 37:4-5
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Delight, Commit, Trust
* How we are to claim and possess the delights of our heart.
Receive, believe and act upon the promises found in Joshua 1:1-9

Read Joshua 1:1-9
Note that the phrase; “be strong and of good courage” is repeated three times; Vs. 6, 7, 9
Vs. 6 … the people receive the inheritance that God promised their forefathers.
“it was worth fighting for”
Vs. 7…
1. Study the book of the law continually
2. Meditate upon it day and night
3. Be sure to Obey all Gods principals
4. Only if you do these three things will you succeed

Joshua 1:9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
1. Be strong and of good courage
2. Do not be afraid or fearful
3. Do not get discouraged or depressed
4. Why? … The Sovereign God is with you at all times and in all places.
5. Study Psalm 139
Make the Lord your “security blanket”.

Prayer Requests:
Myron & Ruth going to Mexico/ timing, safety due to crime in Jerez
Ruth's cold
Dan Moyer - flu
David and Tina V. - death of grandson, grieving
Jay and Rachel - healing for Rachel, no surgery
Esther - Michael Shirk discomfort over rods inserted in back
Ric & Kathy - New employment after Ric's job ends on May 1, Kathy's brother Larry; Kathy's involvement with health clients
David F- where to attend church, trip to State College, PA
Norma - health issues, finances, job related

Study held in the home of Esther Shirk
Present: Rick and Kathy, Myron and Ruth, David F, Esther
Next gathering on Thursday, Feb. 14 at a local restaurant to celebrate Jay and Rachel

The Character of God - "Bethlehem Star" DVD

Koinonia Bible study # 3, January 31,08

Presented by Kathy Fogie

Kathy used the first 15 minutes to set the context for a DVD titled, “Bethlehem Star”.
She talked about the basic attributes of God, acknowledging that this was only a brief view.

She divided the attributes of God into two categories:
Incommunicable Attributes
Communicable Attributes

Incommunicable Attributes are those aspects of God we don’t share with Him. These are attributes God has not passed on to us either in ourselves or in creation.
God is:
Independent / Transcendent
God does not need any of his creation for any reason
( Ex.3:14 ; Acts 17:24-25 ; Is. 62:5 )
God does not change in any way
( Ps. 102:25-27 ; Malachi 3:6 )
God is eternal
( Ps. 90:2 ; Rev. 1:8 ; I Pet 3:8 )
God is Omnipresent ( Present everywhere )
Jeremiah 23:23-24

Communicable Attributes are those attributes of God refer to those divine attributes of which we should have some form of personal experience and understanding.
God is:
Spiritual
( John 4:24 ; I Tim. 1:17 ; John 1:18 )
Omniscient ( all-knowing )
( I John 3:20 ; Ps. 139:16 )
Wise
( Job 12:13 ; Rom. 11:33 )
Truthful & Faithful
( Titus 1:2 ; Heb. 6:18 )
Good
( Luke 18:19 ; Ps. 100:5 )
Loving
( John 4:16 ; Rom. 5:8 ; Ex. 34:6 ; 2 Cor. 1:3 )
Graceful
( Rom. 3:23-24 ; I Pet. 5:10 )
Patient
( Ps. 103:8 ; I Tim 1:16 )
Holy
( Is. 6:3 ; Ps. 99:9 ; Lev. 19:2 )
Wrathful
( Ex. 32:9-10 ; Deut. 9:7-8 ; John 3:36 )
Peaceful
( I Cor. 14:33 ; Rom. 15:33 )
Righteous & Just
( Deut. 32:4 ; Is. 45:19 )
Jealous
( Ex. 20:5-6 , 34:14 )
Perfect
( Matt. 5:48 ; Ps. 18:30 )
Beautiful
( Ps. 27:4 )
Glory-filled
( Rom. 3:23 ; Ps. 24:10 )

Myron comments that every person must study and learn “who God is” before they can live a life of victory and be able to witness effectively for God. This is especially important in the life and ministry of a Biblical counselor. The character of God is the place to begin when counseling the terminally ill.

Kathy’s presentation set the stage for the DVD, Bethlehem Star.
The DVD was approximately one hour.
Bethlehem Star is about God’s communication to man using the starry hosts. The lawyer who gave the presentation spoke often about his personal search for how and when God had used the heavenly bodies to speak of the birth of Christ and then tied that birth to the death of Christ.

This was a fascinating, thought-provoking study. One had to diligently focus upon what was being said. I especially liked the fact that many scriptures were used and that the teacher spoke often about his personal faith. The DVD was very graphic. Mathematics, science, history, Biblical text and personal comments were woven into a compelling case. Each viewer, be they Christian or non-Christian, was challenged to consider God’s witness to them using the heavenly bodies as His messengers. Any teacher who can speak without notes for an hour must know his subject well. This man did.

This DVD should be shown to your church group. It is available at www.bethlehemstar.net

Study held in the home of Ric and Kathy Fogie
Attending were: Esther Shirk, David Fry, Myron and Ruth, and Ric and Kathy
Next study in the home of Esther Shirk on Thursday, February 7.
No topic was suggested. We will give time for a brief Bible blurb and spend the rest of
the time in taking prayer requests and praying.

The Character of God - "Bethlehem Star" DVD

The Character of God
Koinonia Bible study # 3, January 31,08

Presented by Kathy Fogie

Kathy used the first 15 minutes to set the context for a DVD titled, “Bethlehem Star”.
She talked about the basic attributes of God, acknowledging that this was only a brief view.

She divided the attributes of God into two categories:
Incommunicable Attributes
Communicable Attributes

Incommunicable Attributes are those aspects of God we don’t share with Him. These are attributes God has not passed on to us either in ourselves or in creation.
God is:
Independent / Transcendent
God does not need any of his creation for any reason
( Ex.3:14 ; Acts 17:24-25 ; Is. 62:5 )
God does not change in any way
( Ps. 102:25-27 ; Malachi 3:6 )
God is eternal
( Ps. 90:2 ; Rev. 1:8 ; I Pet 3:8 )
God is Omnipresent ( Present everywhere )
Jeremiah 23:23-24

Communicable Attributes are those attributes of God refer to those divine attributes of which we should have some form of personal experience and understanding.
God is:
Spiritual
( John 4:24 ; I Tim. 1:17 ; John 1:18 )
Omniscient ( all-knowing )
( I John 3:20 ; Ps. 139:16 )
Wise
( Job 12:13 ; Rom. 11:33 )
Truthful & Faithful
( Titus 1:2 ; Heb. 6:18 )
Good
( Luke 18:19 ; Ps. 100:5 )

Loving
( John 4:16 ; Rom. 5:8 ; Ex. 34:6 ; 2 Cor. 1:3 )
Graceful
( Rom. 3:23-24 ; I Pet. 5:10 )
Patient
( Ps. 103:8 ; I Tim 1:16 )
Holy
( Is. 6:3 ; Ps. 99:9 ; Lev. 19:2 )
Wrathful
( Ex. 32:9-10 ; Deut. 9:7-8 ; John 3:36 )
Peaceful
( I Cor. 14:33 ; Rom. 15:33 )
Righteous & Just
( Deut. 32:4 ; Is. 45:19 )
Jealous
( Ex. 20:5-6 , 34:14 )
Perfect
( Matt. 5:48 ; Ps. 18:30 )
Beautiful
( Ps. 27:4 )
Glory-filled
( Rom. 3:23 ; Ps. 24:10 )

Myron comments that every person must study and learn “who God is” before they can live a life of victory and be able to witness effectively for God. This is especially important in the life and ministry of a Biblical counselor. The character of God is the place to begin when counseling the terminally ill.

Kathy’s presentation set the stage for the DVD, Bethlehem Star.
The DVD was approximately one hour.
Bethlehem Star is about God’s communication to man using the starry hosts. The lawyer who gave the presentation spoke often about his personal search for how and when God had used the heavenly bodies to speak of the birth of Christ and then tied that birth to the death of Christ.

This was a fascinating, thought-provoking study. One had to diligently focus upon what was being said. I especially liked the fact that many scriptures were used and that the teacher spoke often about his personal faith. The DVD was very graphic. Mathematics, science, history, Biblical text and personal comments were woven into a compelling case. Each viewer, be they Christian or non-Christian, was challenged to consider God’s witness to them using the heavenly bodies as His messengers. Any teacher who can speak without notes for an hour must know his subject well. This man did.

This DVD should be shown to your church group. It is available at www.bethlehemstar.net

Study held in the home of Ric and Kathy Fogie
Attending were: Esther Shirk, David Fry, Myron and Ruth, and Ric and Kathy
Next study in the home of Esther Shirk on Thursday, February 7.
No topic was suggested. We will give time for a brief Bible blurb and spend the rest of
the time in taking prayer requests and praying.