Four major themes are explored in this year’s commentary. The first theme is “The Christian Community Comes Alive” (September- November 2015), which explores various texts throughout the book of Acts. These lessons focus on the beginnings of the early church in Jerusalem and growth throughout the Roman Empire by the power of the Holy Spirit. The second theme, “Sacred Gifts and holy Gatherings” (December 2015- February 2016), considers different rituals and traditions that honor God in their observances, such as marriage and the Sabbath. These studies come from a variety of texts, including Genesis, Song of Solomon, Hosea, John, Romans, and Revelation, just to name a few. “The Gift of Faith” (March 2016- May 2016) is the third theme, which focuses on the Gospels of Mark and Luke. In these lessons, faith is presented in all of its complexity, from complete devotion to betrayal and many stages in between. Finally, the fourth theme is “Toward a New Creation” (June 2016- August 2016). With lessons drawn primarily from Zephaniah and Romans, these texts consider the work that God does toward the salvation of His people.
