Newspaper Column
The Rev. Willis R. Schwichtenberg
Pastor, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Freeport, Illinois 

“March Madness in the Bible” 

(March is the month for basketball’s “March Madness.”  Basketball isn’t mentioned in the Bible, though the Apostle Paul does write about sports and games.  It might not be “politically correct” to use the phrase “madness” to describe people’s lives but we offer this “March Madness” quiz on individuals in the Bible who dealt with extreme physical and emotional challenges.  Check the Biblical reference if you need help.) 

1.     God warns His people about disobedience and the threat of captivity and declares (Deuteronomy 28:34) (a) the sights they see would drive them mad, (b) their leaders would go insane, (c) the women would remain normal but the men would be insane, (d) none of the above, (e) all of the above. 

2.     This man pretended to be insane to confuse Achish, king of Gath, who said, “Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here?” (I Samuel 21:12-15):  (a) Abraham, (b) Moses, (c) Joseph, (d) David, (e) Jonah. 

3.     Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, says that he applied himself to understanding wisdom and folly and (Ecclesiastes 1:18, 2:12) (a) insanity, (b) madness, (c) grumpiness, (d) psychology. 

4.     This nation with high natural stone walls laughed at Israel’s plight and God said, “You too, O Madmen, will be silenced” (Jeremiah 48:2):  (a) Cana, (b) Babylon, (c) Moab, (d) Philistia. 

5.     In an oracle and vision on the final destruction of Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:3-4) Zechariah sees a vision of (a) people injuring themselves, (b) a horse with panic, (c) horses that are blinded, (d) riders with madness, (e) all of the above. 

6.     King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was warned by God about impending insanity because of his wickedness and the following happened to him (Daniel 4:24-34):  (a) he lived with wild animals, (b) he ate grass like cattle, (c) his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle, (d) his nails grew like the claws of a bird, (e) all of the above. 

7.     This group tried to take charge of Jesus because they said, “He is out of His mind” (Mark 3:21):  (a) His family, (b) the Pharisees, (c) the Sadducees, (d) the Levites, (e) the Roman Soldiers. 

8.     In the area of the Gerasenes Jesus healed a man (Mark 5:1-9) (a) who had an evil spirit, (b) who lived in the tombs, (c) who was able to tear chains apart, (d) who cut himself with stones, (e) who called himself Legion, (f) all of the above. 

9.     When Paul talked to this leader, the man said that Paul was being driven insane by his great learning (Acts 26:24):  (a) Felix, (b) Agrippa, (c) Festus, (d) Bernice, (e) none of the above. 

10.This man writes, “The evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19).  What is his name?  (a) Peter, (b) John, (c) Barnabas, (d) Paul, (e) none of the above. 

11.As Paul writes to the Corinthians he says (II Corinthians 11:21-25) (a) he was not one of Abraham’s descendants, (b) he was out of his mind to talk like this, (c) he had never been in prison, (d) he had never been flogged, (e) all of the above, (f) none of the above. 

12.Peter describes this evil Old Testament prophet who was confronted by a talking donkey and speaks about his madness (II Peter 2:1-16):  (a) Gehazi, (b) Balaam, (c) Eli, (d) none of the above.

<ANSWERS:  (1) a/the sights they see would drive them mad, (2) d/David, (3) b/madness, (4) c/Moab, (5) e/all of the above, (6) e/all of the above, (7) a/His family, (8) f/all of the above, (9) c/Festus, (10) d/Paul, (11) b/he was out of his mind to talk like this, (12) b/Balaam> 

SCORING:  12 correct – You win the tournament!; 11 or 10 correct – You don’t need a “bye”, 9 correct – “March” up to the prize table; 8 or less correct – Don’t get mad; you could do better.   

The Rev. Willis R. Schwichtenberg (Pastor Switz) is Senior Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Freeport, Illinois.  His E-mail is wschwichtenberg@immanuellutheranfreeport.com.

“I Am Thankful” 

(This Thanksgiving Day...  What are you thankful for?  Many of the Old Testament heroes, patriarchs and matriarchs had much to be thankful for.  See if you can determine which character is being described.  Use the Biblical reference if you need help.) 

1.     I am glad that God gave us a promise of a Savior after our sinful eating got us kicked out of the Garden of Eden.  Who are we?  (Genesis 3:23-24, 4:1)  (a) David and Bathsheba, (b) Abraham and Sarah, (c) Adam and Eve, (d) Solomon and Sheba, (e) Moses and Zipporah 

2.     I am thankful that even though I killed my brother, God spared my life and gave me a protective mark.  Who am I?  (Genesis 4:9-16) (a) Adam, (b) Cain, (c) Abel, (d) Enoch, (e) Seth 

3.     I am thankful that God rescued me, my wife, my three children and their spouses during the great flood.  Who am I?  (Genesis 6:9, 17-18)  (a) Joshua, (b) Solomon, (c) Enoch, (d) Abraham, (e) Noah 

4.     I am thankful that even though I laughed at the prospect of having a child in my old age, that God still kept His promise to me.  Who am I?  (Genesis 18:11-15)  (a) Eve, (b) Sarah, (c) Rebekah, (d) Rachel, (e) Bathsheba 

5.     I am glad that God stopped my father from sacrificing me, his firstborn son.  Who am I?  (Genesis 22:9-12)  (a) Isaac, (b) Ishmael, (c) Issachar, (d) Isaiah, (e) Isis 

6.     I am thankful that God used Abraham and His angels to rescue me and my family from a sinful city but I’m not very thankful that my wife turned back and became the “salt of the earth.”  Who am I?  (Genesis 19:16-26) (a) Zoar, (b) Abimelech, (c) Lot, (d) Laban, (e) Marks 

7.     I am thankful my brothers sold me into slavery because, ultimately, it was a rescuing my family during a severe famine.  Who am I?  (Genesis 50:19-20)  (a) Benjamin, (b) Issachar, (c) Joseph, (d) Caleb, (e) Jacob 

8.     I am thankful God used me to lead His people out of Egyptian slavery.  Who am I?  (Exodus 3:10-11)  (a) Pharaoh, (b) Moses, (c) Aaron, (d) Joshua, (e) Jeremiah 

9.     I warned the people that they needed to be thankful and not forget me after their stomachs were filled and they were secure in their homes.  Who am I?  (Deuteronomy 8:10-20)  (a) Moses, (b) Baal, (c) Lord God, (d) David, (e) Ezekiel 

10.I am thankful that I got to lead God’s people into the Holy Land after the death of our longtime leader, Moses.  Who am I?  (Deuteronomy 34:9)  (a) Joshua, (b) Aaron, (c) Miriam, (d) Joseph, (e) Noah 

11.I am thankful that I was able to hide the Hebrew spies who were getting ready to secure the Promised Land.  Who am I?  (Joshua 2:1-6) (a) Sarah, (b) Rahab, (c) Hagar, (d) Haggai, (e) Zerapath 

12.I am thankful that my husband, King David, married me despite our questionable first meeting and his subsequent sinful actions.  Who am I?  (II Samuel 11:2-4, 11:26-27)  (a) Sheba, (b) Eve, (c) Rahab, (d) Miriam, (e) Bathsheba 

13.It wasn’t turkey but I am thankful God fed me with bread delivered by ravens.  Who am I?  (I Kings 17:2-4)  (a) Elisha, (b) Jeremiah, (c) Ezekiel, (d) Elijah, (e) David 

14.I am thankful that God kept telling my prophet husband to “buy me back” from a life of harlotry as an illustration of God’s continuing mercy.  Who am I?  (Hosea 1:2-3, 3:1)  (a) Gomer, (b) Bathsheba, (c) Sarah, (d) Leah, (e) Rebekah 

15.I am thankful that God closed the mouths of lions when I was tossed into their den for disobeying an antireligious edict.  Who am I?  (Daniel 6:19-22)  (a) Isaiah, (b) Jeremiah, (c) Ezekiel, (d) Elijah, (e) Daniel

<ANSWERS:  (1) c/Adam and Eve; (2) b/Cain; (3) e/Noah; (4) b/Sarah; (5) a/Isaac; (6) c/Lot; (7) c/Joseph; (8) b/Moses; (9) c/Lord God; (10) a/Joshua; (11) b/Rahab; (12) e/Bathsheba; (13) d/Elijah; (14) a/Gomer; (15) e/Daniel 

SCORING:  15 or 14 Correct – Aren’t you thankful that you took the quiz?  13 or 12 Correct – Aren’t you thankful for the answers you knew?  11 or 10 Correct – Aren’t you thankful that there are reference books to help us learn more about God’s Word? 

The Rev. Willis R. Schwichtenberg (Pastor Switz) is Senior Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Freeport, Illinois.  His E-mail is wschwichtenberg@immanuellutheranfreeport.com. 

Newspaper Column
The Rev. Willis R. Schwichtenberg
Pastor, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Freeport, Illinois 

“Winter and Cold in the Bible” 

(We need no reminder of cold, snow, and the wintery weather of this time of the year.  What does the Bible say about this?  See if you can determine the weather related questions being described.  Use the Biblical reference if you need help.) 

1.     After the flood God promised Noah and the people of the world that the following would never cease (Genesis 8:22):  (a) seedtime and harvest, (b) cold and heat, (c) summer and winter, (d) day and night, (e) all of the “above”. 

2.     When God was speaking to Moses about how he should lead the people Moses put his hand in his cloak and (Exodus 4:6) (a) found that it was white like snow when he pulled it out, (b) fiery red, (c) gnarled and shriveled, (d) none of the above. 

3.     The chilling affects of leprosy in causing skin to be “as white as snow” was not lost on Gehazi as he (II Kings 5:27) (a) was filled with fear and immediately died, (b) received the leprosy that was on Naaman for the rest of his life, (c) prayed and the leprosy was immediately removed, (d) became the famous “leprous prophet.” 

4.     In Psalm 51 (verse 7) King David prays that he would be cleansed with hyssop and that when washed he would be (a) released by the rain and sleet, (b) restored from sickness, (c) whiter than snow, (d) forever forgiven. 

5.     God promises that the rain and the snow that come down from heaven (Isaiah 55:10) (a) do not return without watering the earth, (b) make the earth bud and flourish, (c) cause seed to come to the sower, (d) help to produce bread for the eater, (e) all of the above, (f) none of the above. 

6.     The prophet Daniel had a glimpse of God in heaven and saw that (Daniel 7:9) (a) His clothing was as white as snow, (b) the hair on His head was white like wool, (c) His throne was flaming with fire, (d) He had wheels which were blazing, (e) all of the above.

7.     Jesus talked about not “losing our reward” when we are able to give this to someone (Matthew 10:42):  (a) a snowball, (b) shelter for the winter, (c) a cup of cold water, (d) flakes of new fallen snow. 

8.     Jesus has a major confrontation about His divinity with the rulers and religious leaders of the people in the winter at the following “feast” (John 10:22):  (a) Passover, (b) Hanukkah, (c) Day of Atonement, (d) Unleavened Bread, (e) Dedication. 

9.     Toward the end of his earthly life in His discourses Jesus warned that because of the increase of wickedness the following would happen (Matthew 24:12):  (a) love of most would grow cold, (b) the earth would enter an ice age, (c) the earth would become hot, (d) attitudes would “simmer”, (e) none of the above. 

10.In warning of the end times Jesus says that we should pray (Matthew 24:20) (a) it would not take place in winter, (b) that snow would fall to quench the heat, (c) that sleet and rain would cool the earth, (d) that God would protect us with holy snow. 

11.When the Apostle Peter was confronted by the soldiers after the arrest of Jesus people were (John 18:18):  (a) shoveling snow in the entryway, (b) chipping ice off the stones, (c) standing around a fire because it was cold, (d) sheltering themselves from the rain which was falling. 

12.The clothes of this person at the Tomb on Easter Sunday was as “white as snow” (Matthew 28:3):  (a) Mary Magdalene, (b) Jesus Christ, (c) Simon Peter, (d) Apostle John, (e) Angel. 

13.In his account in the book of Acts (Acts 28:2) the writer Luke talks about the people on the island of Malta (a) staying indoors because of the cold, (b) building a fire because of the rain and cold, (c) swimming in the cold water, (d) using chunks of coal for a brazier. 

14.In his writings to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul says that he (II Corinthians 11:27) (a) often went without sleep, (b) knew hunger and thirst, (c) often went without food, (d) had often been cold and naked, (e) all of the above, (f) none of the above. 

15.To the Laodicean church God spoke and said that they were (Revelation 3:15-16) (a) greasy and curdled, (b) steamy and sweaty, (c) neither hot nor cold, (d) frigid like ice, (e) hot like peppers. 

16.In writing to Timothy Paul tells him that he hopes to see him before (II Timothy 4:21) (a) the fall rain, (b) the snow showers, (c) the winter, (d) the spring.

<ANSWERS:  (1) e/all of the above; (2) a/found that it was white as snow; (3) b/received the leprosy that was on Naaman; (4) c/whiter than snow; (5) e/all of the above; (6) e/all of the above; (7) c/a cup of cold water; (8) e/Dedication; (9) a/love of most would grow cold; (10) a/it would not take place in winter; (11) c/standing around a fire because it was cold; (12) e/Angel; (13) b/building a fire because of the rain and cold; (14) e/all of the above; (15) c/neither hot nor cold; (16) c/the winter. 

SCORING:  16 or 15 correct – You have the warmth and comfort of knowing God’s Word, 14 or 13 correct – You are neither hot nor cold; 12 or 11 correct – Things are a bit chilly but study of God’s Word will warm you up; 10 or less correct – You need to get closer to the fire!

The Rev. Willis R. Schwichtenberg (Pastor Switz) is Senior Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Freeport, Illinois.  His E-mail is wschwichtenberg@immanuellutheranfreeport.com