Category

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. This festival took place 50 days after Passover, which happens to be just about 50 days since the resurrection of... Read More →

GALATIANS 3 “UNTIL CHRIST CAME” Bible Background: Again, Paul is arguing against false teachings that have circulated among churches he helped to found: Namely, that keeping the Law of Moses is the way to win God’s approval. This is really at the heart of the... Read More →

Galatians=By Grace We Belong! Bible Background: We jumped from Acts 15 (new believers do not have to first become observant Jews) to a similar theme of Paul’s in this letter. “Galatia” is a region in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). Paul is adamant that the... Read More →

ACTS 15 = THE CHURCH VOTES TO INCLUDE! Bible Background: Since last week’s reading, Peter (early church leader) has been ‘converted’ in his own thinking about Gentile (non-Jewish) believers. And the leadership council agreed that God was also bringing about... 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 6–7 STEPHEN: CHOSEN, REJECTED Bible Background: Remember that Luke is also the author of ACTS, so this is his Vol. 2 of the Good news! Stephen is the 1st Christian martyr (from the Greek word=witness). He is killed for witnessing unapologetically to Jesus. The early... Read More →

LUKE 24:13f=THE WALK TO EMMAUS Bible Background: Luke alone records this story of the 1st Easter afternoon. Emmaus is about 7 miles from Jerusalem. Two followers of Jesus (two men? a couple?) are getting out of town after an awful weekend of Roman crucifixions. It appears that... Read More →

LUKE’S ACCOUNT OF THE RESURRECTION Bible Background: Luke has approached the story of Jesus as an historian, and he has the most to say about the resurrection of Jesus-because it prepares the way for his 2nd book, the Acts of the Apostles. Digging Deeper: 1. Luke has had a... Read More →

PASSION OF OUR LORD ACCORDING TO LUKE 1. As you know, the stories of Jesus arrest, trial, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection are told a bit differently in each of the 4 gospels. Of the 4, Luke approaches this as a historian, trying to write an orderly, believable account, so... Read More →

LUKE 18:31–19:10 = UNDESIRABLES TOO? Bible Background: Remember, Jesus is still on his way to Jerusalem, and for the 3rd time tells his disciples he will suffer and die and be raised…and they don’t “get” it. A blind man recognizes who Jesus is... Read More →