Chris's Courses @ Westlink
56 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago -Courses on God, Scripture, and life from Chris Perrey, Family Life Minister for the Westlink Church of Christ. Current course is Revelation: Victory Unveiled, which looks at how this book was relevant in its time and in ours. How does God overcome evil, and is it the type of victory we'd expect?
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Episodes
Violence for Voiceless Victims
January 20, 2022 19:55 - 31 minutes - 35.7 MBAn incident of sexual violence leads to even more violence. Plus a discussion of the authorship of Genesis.
Wrestling with God (Gen 32-33)
January 13, 2022 22:23 - 32 minutes - 34 MBJacob meets his match in a powerful metaphor for his relationship with God, as he tries not to be killed by his brother.
Family Drama (Gen 29-31)
January 12, 2022 21:15 - 29 minutes - 30.7 MBLying uncles and multiple wives sure creates a toxic family situation, doesn't it?
Bless You (Gen 26-28)
December 16, 2021 21:46 - 37 minutes - 40.3 MBJacob steals Esau's blessing, but is there actually enough blessing to go around?
Not Chosen, but Not Rejected
December 15, 2021 22:54 - 26 minutes - 28.3 MBThe final stories of Abraham, and moving into Jacob's story to reflect on what God's choice does and doesn't mean.
God Will Provide (Gen 20-22)
December 02, 2021 17:20 - 35 minutes - 35.9 MBThe promise comes true, but then seems threatened by God's command. How should we wrestle with the Binding of Isaac?
Inhospitable (Gen 18-19)
December 01, 2021 15:55 - 31 minutes - 33.3 MBThe true sin of Sodom is not what you think. And what does it mean for God to be just?
Seeing the God Who Sees (Gen 14-16)
November 04, 2021 16:07 - 34 minutes - 37.5 MBAbraham's story continues with stories of trust and failure. And yet God blesses those we hurt and forget.
Into the Unknown (Gen 12-13)
October 28, 2021 13:01 - 27 minutes - 30.2 MBAfter one last Noah story, we move into the transitional story of Abraham, who responds to God's call and promise with faith (mostly).
God Grief (Gen 6-9)
October 21, 2021 20:19 - 32 minutes - 34.1 MBLet's take a look at the flood story, focusing on how God is affected by and tries to deal with the human inclination toward evil. Does undoing creation really solve the problem?
It Gets Worse (Gen 4-5, 10-11)
October 13, 2021 12:00 - 29 minutes - 31.4 MBHuman morality declines with stories of murder and self-centeredness. How do Cain and the Towel of Babel illustrate impulses we still face?
The Effects of Sin (Gen 3)
October 12, 2021 13:00 - 25 minutes - 27 MBSin has consequences, but should we maintain them or work against them? How is God still working with humanity even after sin enters the picture?
The Causes of Sin (Gen 3)
October 11, 2021 13:00 - 23 minutes - 25.4 MBWhat does it mean to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? What tempts humanity to define right and wrong on our own terms before we're mature enough?
To Be Human (Gen 2)
October 10, 2021 13:00 - 21 minutes - 22.5 MBWhat's the job description for being human, and how do we relate to one another? Genesis depicts everything in harmony, not heirarchy.
In God's Image (Gen 1-2)
October 09, 2021 13:00 - 20 minutes - 46.7 MBWhat does it mean to be created in God's image, and to be human? And how do we reconcile the two creation stories in Genesis?
The Good Creator (Gen 1)
October 08, 2021 13:00 - 22 minutes - 50.8 MBOur new series Questions in Genesis begins...in the beginning. How does the Hebrew creation story compare to other ancient creation stories? How is the Creator and creation good?
Revelation 21-22: New Heavens & Earth
October 07, 2021 20:36 - 27 minutes - 25 MBWe come to the end with the final depiction of God making all things new and restoring all things. So who comes into the city whose gates are never shut?
Revelation 20: Millennium & Judgment
October 07, 2021 20:30 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MBMore visions of the end, with a depiction of humanity's reign, and how judgment is more than pass/fail. You are in the Book of Life, and your actions matter.
Revelation 19: Rider on White Horse
October 07, 2021 20:17 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBThe visions of the end begin with an often misunderstood symbol of Jesus' word of judgment.
Revelation 16-18: The Fall of Babylon
October 07, 2021 20:15 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBBabylon appears as a symbol of oppressive empires throughout history, and how they're ultimately self-destructive.
Revelation 14-16: Harvest & Bowls of Wrath
October 07, 2021 20:13 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBThe symbol of the bowls helps us consider how God's love, justice, and wrath all fit together. How do we reap what we sow?
Revelation 14: Army & Angelic Announcements
October 07, 2021 20:10 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBWho follows the Lamb, and what does God's fire do?
Revelation 13: The Number & Mark of the Beast
April 19, 2021 16:40 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBHandout Hebrew gematria (numbers = letters) Caesar Nero as ultimate evil Perversion of the Shema (Deut 6:4-8) The mark & buying and selling
Revelation 13: The First Beast
April 12, 2021 18:09 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBHandout The irresistible beast You reap what you sow This session was shorter because I started with a video recap of the first 11 chapters from The Bible Project. It's not on the recording so I highly recommend you check it out.
Revelation 11-12: The Woman & The Dragon
April 12, 2021 18:07 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBHandout Creation care Symbolic meanings for the woman Overcoming evil with good In the Wilderness
Revelation 10-11: The Scroll & The Church
March 25, 2021 18:19 - 39 minutes - 36.2 MBHandout Mystery, biblically speaking The bittersweet scroll How the church witnesses The world's response to self-sacrifice
Revelation 8-9: The Seven Trumpets
March 23, 2021 16:54 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBHandout Echoes of Exodus The locusts and God's use of evil empires Punishment ≠ repentance Retributive justice vs. restorative justice
Revelation 7: Multitudes in Heaven
March 23, 2021 16:49 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBHandout See and hear pattern Israel and the church
Revelation 6: The Seven Seals
March 23, 2021 16:46 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBHandout The 4 Horsemen Martyrs in heaven The wrath of the little Lamb
Revelation 3: Messages to the Seven Churches (Pt. 2)
March 18, 2021 16:58 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MBSardis Philadelphia (the other one) Laodicea 20 centuries later, same issues
Revelation 2: Messages to the Seven Churches (Pt. 1)
March 18, 2021 16:50 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MBEphesus Smyrna Pergamum Thyatira
Revelation 1: A Vision of Christ
March 18, 2021 16:43 - 27 minutes - 25 MBHandout - Outline & Symbols
Revelation: Victory Unveiled - Intro, Pt. 2
March 18, 2021 16:40 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBHandout How do We Understand the Message? Methods of interpretation Symbolism Who, When, and Where? Authorship & Setting
Revelation: Victory Unveiled - Intro, Pt. 1
March 18, 2021 16:34 - 26 minutes - 24 MBHandout available here What is the message? Themes & Purpose How is the message presented? Genre
Various Questions
May 21, 2020 15:00 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBHandout available here Recap: resurrection, restoration, and views of hell Revelation 21-22 as summary Fate of the wicked Invitation to life through open gates The nations and kings of the earth Warning and hope together "Do all dogs go to heaven?" Restoration of all things Self-centered salvation Mourning those not in heaven Memory, relationship, and identity Judgment for murderers and philanthropic atheists Matthew 25 and judgment of "the nations" Jeremiah 31 - God's l...
Hell, pt. 3
May 14, 2020 16:00 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBHandout available here "All" passages exercise Which view do we privilege or take at face value? Does God get what God wants? (1 Tim 2:4 & 2 Pet 3:9) Love gives freedom "The doors of hell are locked on the inside." -C.S. Lewis Definitions of freedom, modern vs. classic Sin as ignorance 'Freedom' that's actually insanity The cleansing fire of God - who or what consumed? (Heb 12:29) Hell as unwanted loving presence of God Justice and discipline (Rom 12:19-21) Christian cleansing (Mark...
Hell, pt. 2
May 07, 2020 15:05 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBHandout available here Review: Does hell torment, destroy, or purify? Matthew 25:46 - How to translate and understand "eternal punishment" Give 'em hell! Why we hold on to hell as torment Objections to 'everyone goes to heaven!' Purpose of Punishment Earthly and heavenly parental discipline (Matt 7:9-11) Padeiai, timoria, and kolasis - which does God not use? Retributive and restorative justice Justice = punishment fits the crime In the end, does God change? The Mystery and Co...
Hell, pt. 1
April 30, 2020 16:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBHandout available here What's hell like? What's it for? What if there were no hell? 1 John 4:18, do we focus on fear or love? Greek, Hebrew, and English terms Sheol/Hades - the place of the dead (NOT hell) Gehenna/corr Only 12 occurrences (really 6) Valley of the Sons of Hinnom, place of child sacrifice (2 Chronicles 28:3) Place of judgment by Babylon (Jeremiah 7:31-32) Jesus' use mirrors Jeremiah, with coming Roman destruction Brad Jersak, Her Gates Will Never Be Shut Meaning...
Judgment
April 23, 2020 15:50 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBHandout available here Grace vs. works God's judgment will be perfectly just and perfectly loving Saved by grace - Romans 8:1; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:4-9 Works still matter - Ephesians 2:10; James 2:12-17 Why work for good on earth? NT Wright, Surprised by Hope Build for the kingdom Saved and judged Revelation 20:11-15 - Two sets of books 1 Corinthians 3:8-15 - Buildings tested by fire Heavenly rewards? What is our crown? Unloving Christians won't feel very much at home in heav...
Vocation (What We Do)
April 16, 2020 15:00 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBHandout available here Common views of what we do in heaven Clip from The Good Place "Patty" - The problem of infinite pleasure The Biblical Story of God, Creation, and Humanity Inferior versions of the story (gospel of sin management) Human dominion/responsibility for creation Sin's effect on creation Jesus restores our vocation Scriptures about human rule All good comes from God, sin is not fun Eating and drinking in the afterlife? Restful work Participating in the divine nature (...
Relationships
April 08, 2020 14:45 - 36 minutes - 31.6 MBHandout available here Relationships in the afterlife are unclear, so start with the nature of God The big picture - community Social Trinity - God is Love Not good to be alone (Gen 2:18) Communal focus of Scripture vs. individual focus of American culture Resurrection = you will still be you 1 Thessalonians 4:18 - we will be reunited with Christ and one another Luke 20:27-38 - Marriage and the Resurrection Sadducee's beliefs about death and Scripture No marriage, no more marriage...
Intermediate State, Pt. 2
April 02, 2020 12:00 - 37 minutes - 31.7 MBHandout available here Philippians 1:20-26 Common struggle between going to be with Christ or being like Christ here Self-centered salvation 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Recap on Paul's metaphors for the current and resurrection bodies Away from the Lord now, with the Lord then Acts 23:8-9 & 12:15 Sadducees = no resurrection Angel = spirit = intermediate state of bodiless existence Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man & Lazarus is a parable Focus of parable is wealth (not the afterlife) Pr...
Intermediate State, Pt. 1
March 26, 2020 15:00 - 35 minutes - 30.5 MBHandout available here Recap on our hopes and how they involve heaven Two views of the intermediate state: soul sleep or soul in heaven Resurrection as life after life after death Luke 23:39-43 - Today in Paradise Paradise = Eden = heaven? Jesus between death and resurrection When Jesus comes into his kingdom Two notes on reading Revelation responsibly Revelation 6:9-11 - Martyrs before God's Throne Lamenting but resting Revelation 7:9-10, 13-17 - The Great Multitude Revelatio...
'Heaven is Home' Passages
March 12, 2020 16:10 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBHandout available here Heaven as home concept more from songs than Scripture 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - Coming and Meeting Traditional reading: Jesus comes back and takes us to heaven Not 'The Rapture' Paul's pastoral purpose Left hanging in the air Parousia (royal visit) & apantesis (meeting and escorting the king) Philippians 3:20-21 - Citizenship in Heaven Traditional reading: Citizens of heaven = heaven is home Citizenship in the Roman Empire & Philippi Jesus comes here ...
Nothing Bad (Psalm 91)
March 11, 2020 18:00 - 25 minutes - 25.6 MBBONUS SERMON from my archives, from the series 'Senseless: Trusting God When Life Goes Wrong.' What do we do when God fails to live up to the black and white promises of protection like we find in this Psalm?
The Restoration of All Things, Pt. 2
March 05, 2020 16:25 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBHandout here What we say about the end is what we say about God - destroyer or redeemer? 2 Peter 3:8-13 - Found through Fire Differing translations of v. 10 Textual criticism and New Testament manuscripts "Revealed" better reading than "burned up" Fire as instrument of purifying and revealing "The elements" - powers not periodic table A new heavens and earth was justice happens Romans 8:18-23 - The Redemption of Creation What problem does Jesus’ death and resurrection deal with? Cre...
The Restoration of All Things, Pt. 1
February 20, 2020 18:00 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBHandout available here Implications of resurrection for creation “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In the end God will… Isa 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1; Acts 3:21 Where, and what, is heaven? Two concepts of God The Marriage of Heaven and Earth (Revelation 21:1-5) Who is going which direction? The Incarnation and God's consistent movement Definitions of 'new' (neos & kainos) Biblical concepts with 're-' New Heavens and New Earth (Isaiah 65:17-25) Proph...
Resurrection in 2 Corinthians & Jesus' Body
February 13, 2020 18:00 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBThis class was filmed ahead of time, so if you want to see my lovely face, watch me say all this on YouTube Handout available here How 2 Corinthians sound like Greek Platonism (but isn't) Paul changed perspective because of suffering Resurrection means reunion Outer and inner, seen and unseen Buildings and clothing metaphors Textual variant - take off vs. put on "In the heavens" and champagne analogy Paul being pastoral and discussing preferences (see Phil 1:21-26) Jesus' resurrec...