Acts 15-18

If people think they are in a church where disagreements abound, they need to read Acts. The early leaders find themselves in theological and organizational debates. We should be thankful that in chapter 15, they decided that we can be followers of Jesus without following Jewish law. Big step theologically 15.11 "we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will." and also a big step in polity, man are no longer required to be circumcized.

Paul and Barnabus part ways over a disput about John Mark. Each take off with other traveling partners as early circuit riders returning to they home churches they started.

In chapter 16 entire households 16.15 and entire familes 16.33 are baptized on the faith of one person. As Methodists we baptize infants and children based on the faith of the parents and congregation, believing that God works in the life of the child until they can profess for themselves. It appears that happened in the early years of the church.

Paul used every opportunity to share the gospel. At all times even in jail or in Athens with the unknown god, Paul finds way to proclaim the good news.

As a woman it was exciting to read the part women played in the growth of the early church. In chapter 18 we read about Priscilla and Aquilla. Interesting she is named first. Interesting they minister as a team. Interesting that they have to improve a man's theology.

The Acts of the Apostles really helps us see the length, breadth, and depth of God's Spirit working through the lives of people to grow the church. Reading these stories challenge my belief of what faithful living looks like. What do you think?

Joshua 23-24, Judges 1-9, Job 32-38

Joshua 23-24: Joshua continually warns the people of Israel not to promise something to God and not do it. It seems that Joshua realizes the people are fickled. 24:15 Joshua says "now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve.....but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." The people promise to serve God and Joshua warns them not to break the covenant with God. As a pastor and a member of the church who has made promises in worship, I can relate to Joshua. How many people have in front of God and the congregation made the promise to support the church with their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, yet do not followed through? How many have promised to love the LORD, but put others interests first? Do we as God's people take our words and relationship with God so lightly? Joshua is warning us also choose whom you will serve; make your lives match your words.

Judges 1-9: The book of Judges is a warning of what happens when people do whatever they want. The people of Israel have entered the promised land both peacefully and violently. Once they settle, "they would relapse and behave worse than their ancestors, following other gods, worshiping them and bowing down to them." What we read is people experiencing the consequences of doing wrong and not worshiping God only. During the times of the judges there was peace, when they followed their own ways turmoil and persecution. I found the parable in 9:7-15 to be quite interesting. What I read into the parable is we called to be what God created us to be. God has given each of us unique gifts and talents and abilities. God has designed each of us to bear fruit for the Kingdom, to do less is to be less than what God created.

Job 32-28: Elihu, a young man, gets into the dialogue. He criticizes both Job and Job's friends saying they both are mistaken. He informs them and us that age doesn't necessarily make us wise, but the breath of God within us. He does state that justice and judgment are in God's hands. 34:11 "for according to their deeds he will repay them and according to their ways he will make it befall them." Does this statement agree with the Christian message of salvation through faith in Jesus? Is salvation a gift or will we be judged according to our deeds? Finally is chapter 38, God begins to talk. God speaks by questioning Job, who has been questioning God all this time. I wonder are there questions God has for each of us that we are too busy talking to hear? Today might be a good day to stop and listen.

Acts of the Spirit in the Apostles

Yes, I know the book in the Bible is called Acts of the Apostles, but with careful reading one might want to title the book Acts of the Holy Spirit. Through these reading we see lives changed. People willing to face persecution, stoning, death. All for the privilege of following and knowing the risen Christ. It was dangerous to be a disciple(still is in many places in the world). A disciple was putting his/her live on the line for Jesus. I wonder if my faith is that strong. Do I share how God has worked in Jesus and in my life? Do I endure everything for the sake of others who need to hear the gospel? Then I remember that it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that these people acted. The power of the Holy Spirit gives the words, the strength, the passion to be faithful in all circumstances. In Antioch the followers of the way of Jesus were first called Christians. They endured hardship, but the church continued to grow, because they never stop sharing Christ with others. In my community there are still many who need to hear about Jesus yet the challenge is to share Christ even if we don't face hardship and persecution. The challenge is to share Christ even when not our lives but our feelings are on the line. My prayer is for the Holy Spirit to empower me for this challenge in this time.

Joshua continues

Reading Joshua is difficult. It does help me understand the on-going problems in the Holy Land. Land has always been a priority to Israel. "Not one of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass." 21:45. According to the book of Joshua the promises were around land and conquest. I find uncomfortable the stories of fighting, pillaging, and dividing of the land. The God I know in Jesus teaches another way.
I do like the blessing of Joshua to the people, "Take good care to observe the commandment and instruction that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." 22:5 How does the destruction and the blessing in Joshua match your understanding of the teachings of Jesus?

April 24-May 1 Bible study

The readings for this week are Job 25- 31, Joshua 9-22, and Acts 10:34-14

Job continues to defend himself and cry out to speak to God. He believes in his innocence and integrity. Job longs to understand why his suffering continues. Job allows us to struggle with the theology of God blesses with prosperity and curses with suffering, with the theology of the good get blessed and the sinner gets suffering in this life. The cries of Job are surely the cries of many. He feels abandoned by God and does not understand why. How do we share God's goodness with those who are suffering and feeling alone? How do we redefine blessing to not include prosperity?

Job's Woes

Read Job 18-25 today. Job is an interesting book on how people talk theology. Job's friends think that God blesses only the good and punishes only the wicked therefore Job is wicked. Poor Job says no, the wicked prosper on earth so prosperity must not come directly from God. Job feels abandoned by both friends and God. This is also good study in the difference between the theology of prosperity (God wants the faithful to be wealthy) and the theology of abundance (God is able to provide all things necessary for God's work on earth.) I side with Job and the theology of abundance.

New Beginnigs

Some of us have decided to read the Bible in a year. This weeks readings are
Deuteronomy 29-34; Joshua 1-10; Acts 7:1-10:48; Job 18-25.
I read the Deuteronomy passages today. Chapter thirty was the one which has me thinking. Verses 11-14 and 15-20. I was using The Jewish Study Bible. God's instruction has been put in our hearts so we might observe it. God sets before us life and prosperity or death and adversity. God says choose life. Life, blessing, prosperity is loving the Lord, heeding God's commands and holding fast to God. According to the Tanakh this should not be baffling. Today I choose life.