Actually that Friday was one of great mourning for the first Jesus-followers. Then came Easter Sunday. We now can look back on that weekend in Jerusalem 2000 years ago with a broader perspective. Actually, everyone should. ◊ Even while a woefully… Read More ›
Resurrection
The Larger Story of Christmas
Christmas is only the beginning of the climax of a larger story that goes back hundreds of years before the time of Jesus. Even after 400 years of silence. ◊ We are all familiar with the Christmas Story of the birth of… Read More ›
The Tale of Three Trees
A morality tale that fits the season and provides a thoughtful lesson for those of us who have big dreams, great disappointments, or long periods of waiting and longing. ◊ This past week my wife had the chance to read… Read More ›
The Greeks in ACTS 17
How do you explain God and Christianity to intelligent but curious people? Very carefully and thoughtfully, as Paul does in Athens. ◊ Mars Hill in Athens, Greece (also called the Hill of Ares or the Areopagus in the Bible –… Read More ›
The Conference in ACTS 15
Disputes among Christians in the Church have happened since the days of Paul. ACTS 15 provides record of the first formal conference to set matters straight. ◊ It was only 15 years or so after Christ was killed and then… Read More ›
The Confusion in ACTS 14
The cultural and spiritual divide facing the early Christians was profound. As seen in ACTS chapter 14, there was confusion and even violence. Given human nature, this is actually not altogether surprising. ◊ I heard George Barna, the renowned cultural… Read More ›
ACTS and the Book of REVELATION
Many do not connect ACTS with the Book of REVELATION. They should. The entire Book of ACTS leads right up to the great judgment described in Revelation and which occurred in AD 70. ◊ What most people know about the… Read More ›
ACTS and Daniel’s 70 Weeks
There’s a controversial prophetic timeline in the Book of DANIEL (ch. 9) specifying 70 “weeks” (seventy sevens) or 490 years. I believe these years are consecutive and end early in the Book of ACTS with the decreed desolation of Israel…. Read More ›
The Healing in ACTS 3
The momentum keeps building as the new Christian Way is taking root in Jerusalem months after Jesus was killed and resurrected. Now another amazing miracle occurs with a strong word of explanation. ◊ The Apostle Peter continues to be moved… Read More ›
The Spirit of ACTS 2
Jesus spoke of a coming promise. The promise shows up in the 2nd chapter of ACTS when the Spirit of God becomes manifestly available to all people. As we know now, this changed the world. ◊ We read in the… Read More ›
The Implications of ACTS 1
Jesus founded the real first Christian Church in Jerusalem with repercussions for Jews and Gentiles. Even today the profound implications of ACTS 1 in the New Testament are for all people to consider. ♦ After the four Gospel accounts of… Read More ›