Good morning friends,
I've been unable to post these for a few days due to a problem with blogger. Hopefully we're back on track now. We're jumping around a bit here in the Book of Acts. We were last hearing about how Saul approved of Stephen's death and began persecuting the church. Not long after that Jesus appears to Saul and Saul becomes Paul, the great evangelist. From the fifteenth chapter on, Acts tells the story of Paul's travels to spread the word. We pick up the story with Paul in Athens, the center of philosophy. He's distressed with that city's idolatry but uses not only the synagogue, but also the marketplace to share the good news of God's love in Jesus. Tomorrow we'll read how he preaches to pagans with a philosophical mindset. One thing I appreciate is that even though the gospel is always the same, different settings suggest different ways of presenting the story.
Weekend blessings,
Sam
Acts 17:15-21
15Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left him. 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
18Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) 19So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” 21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.
Showing posts with label travels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travels. Show all posts
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Paul's final journey begins
Good morning all,
After his hearing in front of Festus and Agrippa the two leaders agreed that Paul could have gone free except that he had appealed to the Emperor. So today Paul's journey to Rome begins. Of course in those days getting from the Middle East to Rome wasn't as simple as getting on a plane. In today's reading we mostly learn details of the travel, which gives us a sense for the difficulty of the journey. Since it's a geographical reading I've linked a map of Paul's journeys so we can see what we're reading.
The conclusion of this reading is a nice piece of foreshadowing. Paul warns his captors that their plan isn't a good one, but they continue on regardless. We will see how that choice turns out. Of course, it isn't really surprising that the centurion listened more to the pilot than to Paul, but since we've been following Paul all this time we know that he probably knows more than one would expect.
Blessings,
Sam
Acts 27:1-11
27When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius. 2Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for. 4Putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.
5After we had sailed across the sea that is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board. 7We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. 9Since much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous, because even the Fast had already gone by, Paul advised them, 10saying, “Sirs, I can see that the voyage will be with danger and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.
After his hearing in front of Festus and Agrippa the two leaders agreed that Paul could have gone free except that he had appealed to the Emperor. So today Paul's journey to Rome begins. Of course in those days getting from the Middle East to Rome wasn't as simple as getting on a plane. In today's reading we mostly learn details of the travel, which gives us a sense for the difficulty of the journey. Since it's a geographical reading I've linked a map of Paul's journeys so we can see what we're reading.
The conclusion of this reading is a nice piece of foreshadowing. Paul warns his captors that their plan isn't a good one, but they continue on regardless. We will see how that choice turns out. Of course, it isn't really surprising that the centurion listened more to the pilot than to Paul, but since we've been following Paul all this time we know that he probably knows more than one would expect.
Blessings,
Sam
Acts 27:1-11
27When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius. 2Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for. 4Putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.
5After we had sailed across the sea that is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board. 7We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. 9Since much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous, because even the Fast had already gone by, Paul advised them, 10saying, “Sirs, I can see that the voyage will be with danger and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
seeking eagerly
Good morning friends,
After the uproar in Thessalonica Paul and the others move on to Beroea, where they find a warmer welcome. One of the lines that sticks out to me here is that the good reception for them is that their hearers "Searched the scriptures to see if these things were true." In other words, a good first response to the good news is to examine and see if it fits the scriptures, not "blind" faith. After that diligent search, many Jewish and Greek people did believe.
Unfortunately, even though the reception was friendly and open, opposition followed from the leaders of Thessalonica. Paul is hurried out of the city and taken on to Athens. He waits there for the rest of his team, but as we'll see tomorrow, he doesn't wait passively. I pray the eagerness of the Beroeans for the scripture would touch us as well.
Blessings,
Sam
Acts 17:10-15
10That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. 12Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing. 13But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds. 14Then the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left him.
After the uproar in Thessalonica Paul and the others move on to Beroea, where they find a warmer welcome. One of the lines that sticks out to me here is that the good reception for them is that their hearers "Searched the scriptures to see if these things were true." In other words, a good first response to the good news is to examine and see if it fits the scriptures, not "blind" faith. After that diligent search, many Jewish and Greek people did believe.
Unfortunately, even though the reception was friendly and open, opposition followed from the leaders of Thessalonica. Paul is hurried out of the city and taken on to Athens. He waits there for the rest of his team, but as we'll see tomorrow, he doesn't wait passively. I pray the eagerness of the Beroeans for the scripture would touch us as well.
Blessings,
Sam
Acts 17:10-15
10That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. 12Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing. 13But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds. 14Then the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left him.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Traveling with Timothy
Good morning all,
This morning we meet Timothy, a young leader in the early church to whom Paul wrote two of the letters that ended up in the Bible. We're reading the first of those letters in session as our opening devotion. It's fascinating that after receiving the official word from the leaders in Jerusalem that people don't have to be circumcised to follow Jesus Paul had Timothy circumcised anyway. It seems to have been a strategic decision because Timothy's mother was Jewish (and a follower of Jesus) and his father wasn't, and Paul wanted it clear where Timothy's allegiance lay. I guess the lesson is that sometimes we do what we don't need to do because it will help us achieve our goals more effectively.
Paul and Timothy travel together to spread the gospel and to share the council's decision about gentile believers. Twice we're told that God kept them from going somewhere they had planned to go. We don't know how God communicated this to them, but it's a good reminder that the church's agenda is never its own. This vision of a man calling for Paul's help has been an important image in world mission since that vision. God always calls us to take the word of hope to new places. For many of us that won't be around the world but will be right in our back yard.
Blessings,
Sam
Acts 16:1-10
1 Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2He was well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium. 3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they went from town to town, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.
6They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
This morning we meet Timothy, a young leader in the early church to whom Paul wrote two of the letters that ended up in the Bible. We're reading the first of those letters in session as our opening devotion. It's fascinating that after receiving the official word from the leaders in Jerusalem that people don't have to be circumcised to follow Jesus Paul had Timothy circumcised anyway. It seems to have been a strategic decision because Timothy's mother was Jewish (and a follower of Jesus) and his father wasn't, and Paul wanted it clear where Timothy's allegiance lay. I guess the lesson is that sometimes we do what we don't need to do because it will help us achieve our goals more effectively.
Paul and Timothy travel together to spread the gospel and to share the council's decision about gentile believers. Twice we're told that God kept them from going somewhere they had planned to go. We don't know how God communicated this to them, but it's a good reminder that the church's agenda is never its own. This vision of a man calling for Paul's help has been an important image in world mission since that vision. God always calls us to take the word of hope to new places. For many of us that won't be around the world but will be right in our back yard.
Blessings,
Sam
Acts 16:1-10
1 Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2He was well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium. 3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they went from town to town, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.
6They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
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.
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.
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