So, why did Peter choose Joel’s prophecy to explain what was happening? Yes, yes, he was saying what the Spirit was giving him to say. But, why Joel, in particular? Because of who were in that upper room, praying and waiting. Because of who were pouring out into the streets of Jerusalem, publicly prophesying and evangelizing in foreign languages. Women
1 Peter 3, Example of Sarah
Peter pointed to the founding matriarch of the Jewish people as a fine example of what he was seeking to describe, then told Christian -husbands- to do likewise.
Minor Prophets: Malachi, Faithless Marriages
The next two offenses God listed had to do with marriage: marrying outside the faith, and divorce, problems that existed among the priests as well, even in the high priest’s own family.
Acts Wednesday: Chapter 1, Proof of Truth
One of my favorite books opens with the true story of an attempted murder case against a guy named James Dixon. Dixon was arguing with his girlfriend through the front door, so someone called the cops to break it up. When the police officer arrived, the girl’s father came to the door, there was a fight, the officer intervened, … Continue reading Acts Wednesday: Chapter 1, Proof of Truth
Acts Wednesday: Chapter 1, A Segue
By spending about six weeks of intimate goodbyes with them, teaching, comforting, exhorting, relationship-building, and strengthening them for what lay ahead—one might say Jesus gave them, as His gift of leave-taking, one day for each month they had been with Jesus.
Acts Wednesday
More than any other Bible author, Luke had a particular respect for women. Both in his gospel and in Acts, he emphasized the women, their presence, their leadership, and their service.
Guilt
Not all the guilt we feel is ours. Often enough, we feel guilt because it gives us some sense of control over something that seems terrible to us. Then, if can only atone in some way....
Minor Prophets: Malachi, Covenant of Levi
There can be no mistaking the public nature of God’s indictment and discipline. The final piece was being removed from office.
Fragile
Families handled grief in all kinds of ways, but fragile irritability was often the first stop. That is, after numb shock.
Mary of Bethany
We might say Martha brought in the importance of right doing in her service to the Lord, and in right thinking as Jesus’ developed her faith in knowing the truth about His divinity. Now enter Mary, who said few words, but whose passion and practice made a deep and lasting impact on Jesus’ heart and our understanding of discipleship.