preaching the promise

Good morning friends,
Yesterday Susan noticed that a map would be especially helpful in reading some of the passages we've been reading together. That's certainly true, but I know I don't always open my Bible to look at a map, so let's make it a little easier. I linked a map to the blog (right hand side) to help put Paul's travels together. Paul and others certainly did put some miles on their sandals to spread the good news, and travel then was much harder than it is now.

In addition to Paul's travel, here we see a piece of his preaching in a synagogue. One thing I appreciate about how the apostles preach in Acts is that it's always simple and related to where they are. Today Paul is in a synagogue so he carefully relates the message about Jesus to the promises God gave Israel through David. He talks about Jesus as David's son and the fulfillment of God's promise to send a savior for Israel. In a synagogue this approach makes the most sense. We'll see a little later that Paul can use other ways to talk about Jesus when the situation calls for it.

Paul (and we) can do this because the good news about Jesus has something to say to every person and to every part of our life. One of the most important things we can do to strengthen our faith is to look for connections between scripture and our daily life. When we see life and faith tied together God does amazing things with our abilities.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 13:14-26

14but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading of the law and the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, give it.” 16So Paul stood up and with a gesture began to speak: “You Israelites, and others who fear God, listen. 17The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.

19After he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance 20for about four hundred fifty years. After that he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. 21Then they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. 22When he had removed him, he made David their king. In his testimony about him he said, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes.’

23Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised; 24before his coming John had already proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25And as John was finishing his work, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but one is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of the sandals on his feet.”26“My brothers, you descendants of Abraham’s family, and others who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.