INVITATION

INVITATION

BIBLE STUDY ON LINE

The Omega Society is an interactive exploration of the Christian Faith as it is described in the Fourth Gospel. The Gospel according to John was the latest of the four Gospels of the New Testament; written in the 80’s or 90’s of the first century of this common era.

Reading and studying this Gospel has been a life changing - uplifting experience for a great number of people over the centuries. You may have a similar experience if you choose to participate in this study.

The name for this course comes from the Revelation where Jesus says “I am Alpha and Omega, “ the first and the last. (Rev. 1:8) This is a clear reference to the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet. The Omega Society then is the last ultimate human society which God intends to be developed where love, peace, and wisdom are the dominate values of life. John’s description of the life and teachings of Jesus offer guidelines on how we can begin to realize God’s ultimate human society in our present life. If that sounds impossible -- take the course and see what happens! Email registration to elgindreamguides@attbi.com.

REGISTRATION:

Name ________________________________

Phone ________________________________

E-Mail address _________________________

INTRODUCTION:

The highest dream of the Christian Community from the time of Jesus to the present is the actualization of the reign of God in human society, the realization of the Kingdom of God -- the concrete experience of a society where love, peace and justice dominate human relationships.

Our understanding of how that dream is to be realized has differed within the Christian Community. Some have expected this to happen as a dramatic action of God at some time in the future. the Christian must hang on, be faithful, and express this kind of hope. (ICor. 15:23-28). On the other hand, many leaders in the Church have expected the dream to be realized Christians make it happen by their acts of obedience and love. This idea of a gradual realization of the reign of god, by people joining with Jesus in establishing such a society, is a recurrent theme in the fourth Gospel, the gospel of John.

The Omega Society is an experiential study of John’s gospel examining the nature of the ideal society God intended for human beings, considering each individual’s contribution to this society and their active participation in moving this world toward the ideals of the Omega Society.

The specific spiritual growth objectives of this program are:

1. To develop in the participants a clearer understanding of the Christian Gospel as a movement of world Revolution. Jesus came and established a revolutionary new social order characterized by love, equality, service and fellowship with God. his followers are changed agents who, while living in this world, are actively remodeling it to fit the pattern of our Lord Jesus.

2. This enable participants to appreciate the unique themes and emphasis in john’s Gospel as interpreted in this program. To provoke thought and discussion by presenting a contrast between the Johannine idea of Christianity and the more traditional Pauline approach.

3. To encourage individual spiritual growth by systematically applying the teaching of Jesus in John’s Gospel to the persona life of each participant. The results of this disciplined practice of Jesus’ teachings are strengthened and enriched by recording these activities in a daily journal and then sharing journal contents with the Internet instructor.

4. To introduce participants to “open ended” or listening prayer. A part of the daily journal will be a prayer in which the person asks for guidance and listens -- writing down the first thought that comes to them. Reaction to this experience will be shared with the Internet instructor.

5. To inspire participants to serve as “changed agents” for Jesus actively working to accomplish the objectives of the Omega Society in their homes, in the church, and in their sphere of social influence.

OUR BIRTH RIGHTS AS HUMAN BEINGS

A key to understanding the Christian faith as expressed in the Gospel of John and in the letters of John is understanding our birthright as human beings. We are the best of God’s creation, endowed by God with the capability of developing an intimate relationship with our creator and sharing with him in the activity of creation.

This view of human value is based primarily on two Old Testament scriptures:

Genesis 1:26-29 - “Then God said ‘Let us make man in our image and likeness to rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the heaven, the cattle, all wild animals on earth, and all reptiles that drawl upon the earth.’ So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase, fill the earth and subdue it, rule over the earth.’” (NEB)

Psalm 8 (verse 3-9 NEB)

“When I look up at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers,

the moon and the stars set in their place by thee,

What is man that thou shouldst remember him,

mortal man that thou shouldst care for him?

Yet thou hast made him little less than a god,

crowning him with glory and honour.

Thou makest him master over all thy creatures;

thou hast put everything under his feet:

all sheep and oxen, all the wild beasts,

the birds of the air and the fish of the sea,

and all that moves along the paths of the ocean.

O Lord our sovereign

how glorious is thy name in all the earth.”

This high evaluation of human beings is an underlying theme throughout John’s Gospel and Letters. Human beings are little less than gods, able to relate intimately with God, intended to exercise dominion over themselves and their environment. They are free persons invited to cooperate with God in the greatest expression of his creativity -- the realization of the messianic age -- the creation of a society dominated by love and justice. They achieve their birth right as human beings by their own free choice to relate positively to God and to achieve their highest potential by being loving persons.

This theme begins in the opening verses of John’s Gospel. the Word of God, God’s instruction, God’s light and love became a human being in the man Jesus. All human beings who welcomed his truth, who follow his teachings, were enabled to know that they were sons and daughters of God. Jesus made God known to all human beings who were willing to learn and he led them into the intimate relationship of love with God which is eternal life. (Read John 1:1-18)

The next passage that highlights our birth right as human being is the very familiar story of Nicodemus coming to Jesus for instruction and Jesus’ advice in John chapter three. As human beings we possess the unique spiritual capacity of participating in eternal life. This eternal life is not a future reward but a present experience that comes to us when we experience fellowship with God. This fellowship with God is the result of a spiritual birth - being born from above. This spiritual birth is very different from human birth. We had no choice in regard to our physical birth. We are, however, active participants in our spiritual birth. As in physical birth labor is involved. But in our spiritual birth it is our own labor. It is our conscious decision and honest effort to walk in the light of love revealed in Jesus that brings us into fellowship with god. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we claim to be sharing in his life while we walk in darkness, our words and our lives are a lie; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, then we share together a common life.” I John 1:5-7 NEB) “Here is the test by which we can make sure that we know him: do we keep his commands?” (I John 2:3 NEB)

Jesus said “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Dwell in my love. If you need my commands, you will dwell in my love, as I have heeded my Father’s commands and dwell in his love.” (John 15:9, 10 NEB) “Dear friends, let us love one another because love is from God. Everyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” (I John 4:7 NEB). Every human being who by practicing the discipline of love demonstrates his commitment to Jesus is born into fellowship with God and participates in eternal life.

When we are born into fellowship with God -- when we experience this intimate relationship with our Creator, we are participating in the ultimate loving relationship. We are one with the Love that is at the heart of the universe. But love by its very nature is creative. Knowing God drives us to loving activity. We see this in Jesus. His love pushes him to heal the sick, to give sight to the blind, to feed the hungry, to be a friend to the outcast, and to share his wisdom with the uniformed. Jesus said “In truth, in very truth I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he does only what he sees the Father doing; who the Father does, the Son does. For the Father loves the son and shows him all his works.” (John 14:12 NEB) Because Jesus loves the Father he did the work of love. Because we are included in that love relationship we are called upon to do the works that we saw Jesus do. In fact we are sent by Jesus to carry on his work just as he was sent by God. Jesus said to the Father in his great prayer in Chapter 17, “As thou hast sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world ..... The glory which thou gavest me I have given to them, that they may be one, as we are one; I in them and thou in me, may they perfectly one.” (John 17:18, 22, 23 NEB) We are sent as God’s agents on the greatest mission in all history to create a world society of love, justice and peace. Jesus said in the Revelation “I am Alpha and Omega -- the beginning and the end.” The end, the Omega, is accomplished when his love, his way of life covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. We are the creators of the Omega society. God is working through us to win the world to the paths of light and truth.

To understand the Christianity described in the Johannine writings of the New Testament one must first recognize who we are as human beings. We are little less that gods, expected to exercise dominion over ourselves and our environment. We are potentially the sons and daughters invited into fellowship with Him through Jesus and commissioned by God to accomplish his greatest act of creation -- establishing the Omega Society.

When these questions and comments are answered, please e-mail to Pastor George at elgindreamguides@attbi.com.

1. In your experience has the church emphasized this positive view of humanity of has it focused more on the negative? Explain.

2. Comment on the idea that we participate in our own spiritual birth.

3. If we, as human beings, are to exercise dominion or control over ourselves and our environment, what are some areas in your lie where you want to have more dominion than you feel you have now? Explain.

4. What are some deeds of love, kindness, or justice that you can do this week to move us a little closer to the “end-time” kingdom of love and light? List at least 5 things you plan to do which had not been planned before this exercise.

JOURNAL ASSIGNMENTS WEEK ONE

1. Read John chapters 1 and 2

2. At least once a day affirm or praise one other person for something.

3. At least once per day affirm or praise yourself to somebody for something you have done.

4. Daily, thank God for being who you are and be open for suggestions for improvements.

JOURNAL ENTRIES (to print: Select the text below, click File/Print and check "selection".)

DAY ONE:

1. I affirmed or praise ____________________ (Name) for _________________________.

2. I affirmed/praised myself to ____________________ (Name) for ___________________.