Category

THE CALL OF ISAIAH Bible Background: Isaiah the prophet was from the Southern Kingdom (Judah), and appears on the scene in about 738 BC, at a time of major political uncertainty. The superpower, Assyria, was breathing down on smaller kingdoms. Israel (Northern Kingdom) would fall... Read More →

PENTECOST! Bible Background: Acts 2 tells the story of how a Jewish harvest festival provided the setting for the Holy Spirit to appear in force. (Pentecost=50th day.)The original gathering is of Jews from every nation on earth. The Spirit will propel the apostles and the Good... Read More →

ACTS 1:12-26 = REPLACING JUDAS Bible Background: We’ve covered a number of stories in Acts. Now the lectionary sends us back to chapter 1, to get us ready for the Pentecost story-which happens next week! This scene takes place immediately after Jesus’ final... Read More →

GOING DEEPER INTO ACTS 10:34-48 Bible Background: This passage is sometimes cited as “Pentecost for the Gentiles”. It’s where the Jewish believers see and realize that the Holy Spirit is actively bringing non-Jews to faith in Jesus. Caesarea was a modern Roman... Read More →

ACTS 8 = PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH Bible Background: This is not the strangest story in the Bible, but it is crazy-in a wonderful way-how this encounter happens, and how the circle of those following the risen Christ grows bigger and bigger! Philip is one of the 7 deacons,... Read More →

ACTS 4 = BOLD PROCLAMATION Bible Background: Acts is an ongoing encounter between the forces that put Jesus to death and the power of God which raised him to life. This scene is the first conflict between the apostles and local authorities. It follows on the healing of the... Read More →

Acts 3 = Healing and Preaching Bible Background: Luke (author of Acts) shows us a scene-after the day of Pentecost-where Peter and John heal a crippled man and then get to explain how this could happen! The apostles are picking up where Jesus’ ministry left off. They also... Read More →

ACTS 4 = BEING CHURCH TOGETHER! Bible Background: Acts was written by Luke. It’s “Volume 2” of his Gospel. It could be entitled “Acts of the Holy Spirit” because of the amazing spread of the Christian faith and the amazing growth of the church in the... Read More →

MARK, IS THAT ANY WAY TO REPORT A RESURRECTION? Bible Background: Each of the 4 gospels reports the resurrection of Jesus with some similarities and some differences: All report the tomb is empty. All place Mary Magdalene there. All report some understandable confusion. All have... Read More →

MARK 14:1–15:27 THE PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS Bible Background: Each of the 4 gospels tells of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion, with similar and yet different details. Mark especially shows the suffering and silence of Jesus. Because Mark’s account was... Read More →