A story has five basic but important elements. These five components are: the characters, the setting, the plot, the conflict, and the resolution. These essential elements keep the story running smoothly and allow the action to develop in a logical way that the reader can follow. There are some who argue that other components are also critical, like tone, theme, and point of view. But we ask our listeners to accept these initial five as the basic building blocks of any good story.
We use the five components to examine the book of Acts, the fifth book of the New Testament. And we conclude that this book is unfinished. How it ends is up to us. Scriptures referenced include Acts 1:14-39; Acts 4:5-22; Acts 5:1-10; Acts 2:36; and Luke 20:17.
The book of Nehemiah tells the story of Nehemiah, a Jewish cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes I, who was granted permission to return...
In 1 John 3:11-24, the Apostle John emphasizes that love is not just a suggestion but a fundamental command for Christians, essential to our...
We wrap up our study of Numbers with an overview of some of the important themes, some trivia, and questions for study and reflection....
