Romans 12:17, 18 Perhaps the most difficult and challenging aspect of Christian duty regarding others has to do with how we are to respond to those who wrong us and to our enemies. It is this area that Paul now begins addressing in this passage. What is the goal to which Paul is moving us in these verses? What does it mean to return evil for evil? What are the two circumstances in which we are categorically prohibited from returning evil for evil? What are some of the difficult challenges we encounter in applying this verse in our daily experience? Why is it important to keep in mind that Paul is dealing here with personal wrongs? What happens when we return evil for evil? When Paul tells us to respect what is right in the sight of all men, is he contradicting what he said earlier about not being conformed to the world? Before we react when wronged, what are some of the things we need to think about? What is my responsibility as a peacemaker? (51 min)

Keywords Evil for evil, Peace, Peacemakers

Romans 5:1-5 Paul now moves us on from consideration of how a person is saved or justified through faith. There are many other things about our life after justification. Yet in moving on, of what must we not lose sight? What does Paul have in mind when he says we now have peace? What is the broader sense of this word? What does it mean that we now stand in grace? How is it that we have come to be in such a position? Can someone cease to stand in grace? What is Paul talking about when he speaks of the glory of God in which we hope? (52 min)

Keywords Peace, Justification, Grace, Glory

Genesis 43:16-25 Joseph, seeing his brothers have returned with Benjamin, now puts into action his carefully measured plan. How does the house steward play into this, and what does he think of it? A dominant motif of the narrative is what Joseph knows and what his brothers don't know. What lesson can we learn from this? When the brothers are brought to Joseph's house, they are filled with dread. What is it they fear, and why are the apparently thinking so much about their donkeys? What is the unexpected word his brothers hear when finally at the threshold of their long festering dread? How is this a picture to us of our God? (48 min)

Keywords Joseph, Fear, Peace, Shalom