PLEASE READ ACTS 1:1-11
Today, I begin a brief two-part series of blogs about what Luke tells us in Acts, what happened between Passover and Pentecost. This is about the first 11 verses of Acts 1. Here are some bullet points…
Were Not Our Hearts Burning
Denier At the Table
Betrayer At the Table
The Fate of Jesus – Fate of Jerusalem
As we approach Easter, I want to look at one powerful idea that we find, especially in Luke’s narrative of Holy Week. That idea is that the fate of Jerusalem is tied to the fate of Jesus. Jesus will be the willing and redemptive sacrifice by God’s will, but Jerusalem’s leaders will decide their own fate, their city’s fate, and the Temple’s fate, as they decide to have Jesus executed…
The Savior Who Saves
The Son of Man will be Betrayed
Several titles are applied to Jesus. Mark 1:1 starts with two of these titles:
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God … (NIV)
Jesus as the Messiah/Christ, is the most numerous. Christ (which means Anointed One or Messiah) is so often attached to His name, especially by Paul, that it may appear to be part of His name…
The King to His Glory
As we continue our journey to Holy Week, I want to pick up from Last week’s blog. This time looking primarily in Matthew’s Gospel. The theme of Jesus as the Servant of God was heard in the Voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism by John. As you recall, the Voice quoted two passages of Scripture:
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV)
Scriptures Must be Fulfilled
As we move toward the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus, I want to address some of the Scriptures and themes that bring us to the very heart of our faith. The death of Jesus is often presented as though Jesus was the victim of bad luck, the Temple authorities fear of His popularity, or Rome’s intolerance of any figure people might call King…
Jeremiah and Psalm 1
A Light to the World
Betrayal, Denial, and the Lord’s Supper
Breath and Purpose
J.R.R. Tolkien’s monumental fantasy, Lord of the Rings, has an interesting motif. Elves are the elegant, ageless, beings who play a critical role in the story. The recurring motif is that of their journey to the Grey Havens, where they leave Middle Earth, sailing to Valinor and the blissful peace that awaits them in the undying lands…
Journeys With the Spirit
In this blog, I reflect on a passage that may strike us as quite strange. Its perceived strangeness may be a reason, not to ignore it, but to more closely listen to it. Our church family is on an uncertain journey, as we search for a place to come together. The following passage tells us of a missionary journey by Paul, Silas, Timothy, and maybe others. No doubt they were sent out with prayers and with a well-planned itinerary. But now look at what happened in the journey.
