The Scrolls is a weekly Bible study written by pastors and other leaders at Central Bible Church, based on that week’s sermon topic. Use The Scrolls as a personal Bible study tool, for family devotions, and for small group discussions. You can read part of it below. The downloadable PDF also includes discussion questions, more in-depth commentary, end notes, and a kids’ page designed for families to study the topic together. This lesson goes with the sermon "Fed Up With Sin."
One of the most beloved books in all of English literature is titled The Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan wrote the allegory while in an English jail for preaching without a license from the state church. The Pilgrim's Progress was first published in 1678, after twelve years of jail time for Bunyan. Many scholars claim that Bunyan’s Progress was the first English novel.
“Leland Ryken, now professor emeritus of English at Wheaton College, calls it ‘a Christian classic whose importance is impossible to overstate.’ According to Ryken, ‘For more than two centuries after its first publication, The Pilgrim’s Progress ranked just behind the King James Bible as the most important book in evangelical Protestant households.’ … J.I. Packer states that ‘next to the Bible, John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress is the best-selling Christian book of all time” (J. Edward Glancy, “An Encouragement To Read John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress,” Knowing And Doing, Spring Edition, 2018.)
The tale recounts a dream had by Bunyan about a young man named “Christian.” This young man of faith leaves “The City of Destruction” and makes his way to the “Celestial City.” On his journey he encounters many trials.
One of the most famous creations in Pilgrim’s Progress is “Vanity Fair.” Bunyan writes: “The way to the Celestial City lies directly through this town where this lusty fair is kept. He who will go to the Celestial City—and yet not go through this town, must need to go out of the world. The King of kings Himself, when here, went through this town to His own country — and that upon a fair day as well! Yes, and it was Beelzebub, the chief lord of this fair, who invited Him to buy of his vanities. Yes, he would have made Him lord of the fair—would He have but bowed down” (John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Global Grey Edition, 62).
According to Bunyan’s creation, “Vanity Fair” was a city that had everything for sale. “At this fair are all such merchandise sold, as houses, lands, trades, places, honours, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts, … lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not. And, moreover, at this fair there is at all times, to be seen juggling, cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves” (Bunyan, 61).
Christian made his way through Vanity Fair without buying merchandise there. “They cared not so much as to look upon them; and if they called upon them to buy, they would put their fingers in their ears, and cry, ‘Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity,’ and look upwards, signifying that their trade and traffic was in Heaven. One chanced mockingly, beholding the carriage of the men, to say unto them, ‘What will ye buy?’ But they, looking gravely upon him, answered, ‘We buy the truth.’ At that there was an occasion taken to despise the men the more: some mocking, some taunting, some speaking reproachfully, and some calling upon others to smite them” (Bunyan, 62).
Bunyard’s fictional city was full of emptiness. Rather than bemoaning such a place, many modern authors have celebrated lifestyles of greed, and arrogance using the name “Vanity Fair” as their moniker. Today the popular magazine Vanity Fair describes itself as “the premier publication for Hollywood obsessives, … VF explores the intersection of power and personality, profiling the outsize characters who shape our culture.” John Bunyan would be scandalized to see what modern publishers have done with his original concept.
Bunyan alluded much to Scripture. His description of Christian in Vanity Fair sounds much like the description of suffering found in 1 Peter: “The Pilgrims, being patient, and not answering insult for insult—but rather a blessing; and returning good words for reproaches, and kindness for injuries done—some men in the fair who were more discerning, and less prejudiced than the rest—began to restrain and blame the examiners for their continual abuses to the Pilgrims” (Bunyan, 63).
Vanity Fair as an analogy for temptation seeks to entice and eviscerate all at the same time. Like Christian, we would do well if instead, we were only in the market for truth!
Central Message of the Text:
Like Christ, do the will of God by avoiding reckless human pleasures, anticipating the rewards of eternal life in the Spirit.
Family Talk:
We think reading the Bible together as a family is all rainbows and sunshine. Then, we get to sections of the Bible that challenge and maybe even surprise us. We’re having a nice family time reading through 1 Peter 4 when our child asks, “What’s debauchery/lust/orgies?” Yikes. We’ve got some options here. We might answer with very broad brushstrokes, “It’s when you’re not living for God,” and that would be okay and even appropriate for our youngest kids. You might also consider this an opportunity in which God has made a way for us to talk about the more challenging subjects in life. The door is barely cracked open to share with your kids what God says about Biblical intimacy. Parents, open this door wide and begin the conversation in an age-appropriate way as early as possible. Don’t wait to begin the conversation about purity, Biblical intimacy and living wholly (and holy) for God until they’ve already “learned it” on the playground. You don’t have to give all the details, but this is a perfect opportunity to begin setting a foundation of truth that you and your kids can build on for years to come. Remember that this is God’s truth and our job as parent is to present it as honestly as possible. Before you come to church, before your kids step into the classroom, before the question comes up to your teacher, read the scripture and do The Scrolls together. You have the responsibility and authority to be the first teacher of truth. We’re praying for you!