Bonus Reading, Luke

Another Genealogy of Jesus          

Today's reading provides a genealogy of Jesus, which is reminiscent of the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew. A quick comparison, though, shows that the two family trees have different names tracing Jesus' lineage to David.  The traditional explanation for this, dating to the early Christian historian Eusebius (who wrote in the early 300s).  He said that the genealogy in Matthew was the genealogy of Joseph.  This genealogy in Luke is the genealogy of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Read Luke 3:23-38  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Luke

The Ministry of John the Baptist         

Today's reading describes the ministry of John the Baptist, preparing for Jesus' ministry.  John was in the wilderness, offering a strong message of rebuke and a call to repentance for fellow Jews.  Even across the centuries, John's words are powerful, calling people a "brood of vipers" and promising God's destructive punishment.

John's prophetic words were so powerful that many people began to believe that he was the messiah, but John consistently said that he was not.  Instead, God's Messiah would come and would offer words and actions more powerful than John could.

Read Luke 3:1-22  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Matthew

Refugees in Egypt           

Today's reading is the sad consequence of King Herod's attempt to kill the newborn messiah by killing all of the male children in Judea.  In light of this, Joseph takes Mary and Jesus and flees to Egypt.  Only after Herod's death does the family return, though instead of living in Bethlehem, they reside in Nazareth -- believing that one of Herod's sons might again go looking in Bethlehem for the young messiah.

Read Matthew 2:16-23  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

New Year's Rest Stop

Godsway 66 is on a break now through the New Year.  The overview for the next book, 1 Corinthians, will be posted on next Sunday, January 3.

This week, there are some extra readings that take place between the birth of Jesus and the beginning of his ministry, drawn from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.  Jesus' time in Egypt as an infant is explained (which for Matthew is another way that Jesus is similar to Moses) and there is a more detailed description of the ministry and prophecy of John the Baptist from Luke.

Merry Christmas!

Today we celebrate again Jesus' birth.  If you haven't,  you should read Luke's famous description of the birth of Jesus (and the angelic response).  May you enjoy a time of love, joy, hope, and peace on this special day.

Godsway 66 is on a break now through the New Year.  The overview for the next book, 1 Corinthians, will be posted on next Sunday, January 3.

Bonus Reading, Matthew

The Genealogy of Jesus          

Today's reading is an appropriate passage for Christmas Eve.  It is the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew, which provides a genealogy of Jesus  from Abraham (when the covenant between God and God's chosen people began).  There are a couple of interesting things here.  First, the genealogy is broken into three lists of fourteen generations: from Abraham to David, from David to the exile, from the exile to Jesus.  This symmetry is meant to prove God's plan throughout history and God's control of history.  Second, there are four women in this genealogy (which is odd in ancient times).  One is an embarrassment to the family tree (the wife of Uriah, Bathsheba), but the others are women of great faith.  Rahab was the woman in Jericho who protected the Hebrew spies in the Promised Land.  Ruth has a short book dedicated to her, showing her loyalty.  And the last, of course, is Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Without these women (and obviously, many unnamed others), our religious history would be very different.

Read Matthew 1:1-17  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Luke

The Birth of John the Baptist         

Today's reading describes the birth of John the Baptist, just a few weeks before Jesus was born.  On the eighth day after his birth, they presented the newborn baby in the Temple -- probably with some extra fanfare, given that he was the son of an aging priest.  After his circumcision, the child's name was announced: John.  This surprised people, because they expected the boy would be named for his father.  However, Elizabeth insisted (probably to the consternation of some there who expected women to keep silent in such public ceremonies) that his name would be John, which his father agreed was true (in writing because he was still unable to speak).  Then Zechariah's mouth was opened, and he offered a prophecy for his son and for the Jewish people, announcing the imminent arrival of a savior, a messiah, a Christ.

Read Luke 1:57-80  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Luke

The Promise of Jesus' Birth             

Today's reading is the revelation to Mary that she will be a mother, giving birth to a son who is chosen by God to inherit David's throne.  Mary is related to Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist.  Having heard of both miraculous pregnancies, Mary travels to visit Elizabeth.  Both women celebrate these miracles together in private, praising God.  (One wonders what they both must have talked about while they were together.)  Then Mary offers a famous prayer, set to music many times over the centuries, known as the Magnificat -- beginning, "My soul magnifies the Lord."

Read Luke 1:26-56  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Luke

The Promise of John the Baptist             

Today's reading is the opening of Luke.  It begins with a dedication to Theophilus, who may have been the patron who sponsored the two-volume Christian history of Luke and Acts.  Then it begins the story with the angelic prophecy of the birth of John the Baptist, who will be born to on aging couple.  John will be like Elijah reborn; he will bring a powerful message of rebuke, trying to encourage people to repent their sins and return to true faith in God.  As such, his father is instructed to raise him as a holy man, without strong drink or wine.  Zechariah is so overwhelmed by the message -- and rather doubtful -- he loses the power to speak until the child is born.

Read Luke 1:1-25  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Christmas Rest Stop

Godsway 66 is on a break now through the New Year.  The overview for the next book, 1 Corinthians, will be posted on Sunday, January 3.

This week leading up to Christmas, there are some extra readings related to the birth of Jesus, taken from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.  They highlight the close relationship (if not between them, between their mothers and in God's eyes) of John the Baptist and Jesus.

Bonus Reading, Mark

A Vision of the End             

Today's reading provides Jesus' warning about all the things that will happen before the end of this world and the beginning of the next.  The Temple is Jerusalem will be destroyed, and people of faith will be persecuted.  After much heartache, Jesus himself (the Son of Man) will return to begin the new world.  God will save the faithful from this world before destroying it and welcoming them into this new world.

Read Mark 13:1-37  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Mark

Mounting Pressure on Jesus            

Today's reading provides a series of events that show the increasing pressure on Jesus once he arrives in Jerusalem.  Both religious and political leaders are anxious about the popular teacher; Jesus tells a parable predicting his imminent unjust death.  Then he responds to questions about taxes and resurrection pointing out that people are focused on the wrong things, when they should worry about loving God and loving each other.  In contrast to their worries and their attempts to jockey for social status, Jesus praises the faith of a simple widow, who shares all her money -- which is almost nothing -- with others who have even less than she does.

Read Mark 12:1-44  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Mark

On Divorce and Children           

Today's reading shows Jesus teaching his disciples to be more generous in their attitudes toward women and children.  First, he deals with a question from the Pharisees about the legality of divorce in God's eyes, explaining that most divorces are a sign of human shortcomings rather than God's will.  Then, contrary to all cultural norms of the time, Jesus takes time to bless children and encourages people to be more like them.  All people, not just adult men, are important and valued in God's eyes.

Read Mark 10:1-16  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Bonus Reading, Mark

Ranking the Disciples          

Today's reading is Jesus' response to the disciples' attempts to become the most important of Jesus' followers.  After reminding them that he would be crucified (hardly a mark of glory to fight over), he then chastises their arguments about which of them is seen as the greatest in God's eyes.  It is more important to serve God than worry about status.  And it is a better use of time to worry about how not to lead others astray than to worry about status.  (Though I wonder how many of Jesus' disciples heard him, then or now?)

Read Mark 9:30-50  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Sermon - "A Struggle Between Life and Death" (Romans)

On Sunday, Rev. Joshua Patty preached on Paul's letter to the Romans, the first of the collection of epistles in the New Testament.  Romans is the longest of these letters, and it also serves an unusual purpose among Paul's letters.  Unlike others which were written to congregations and people that Paul had worked closely with, Romans is a letter of introduction sent by Paul as he journeyed to the empire's capitol city for the first time.

Still, Paul evidently knows things about this young congregation -- especially that there is a conflict between Christians who had been Jews first and those who had not.  Paul felt uniquely qualified to deal with issue, given that he was raised and educated as a Jew and had spent the previous 20 years spreading Christianity among non-Jews.

He writes a lengthy letter telling the Roman Christians to focus on the most important things -- and this issue is not one of them because both Jews and non-Jews need God's forgiveness and salvation.  Instead, they should understand that, through Christ, they have the opportunity to live in a new way, separated from this broken world of death for everyone.  Through their baptism into Christ, they can experience this new life -- this spiritual life -- partially while still living physically in this world before enjoying the new life completely in the next.

Click here to listen to the sermon.

You can also listen to the related Communion meditation and benediction.

Bonus Reading, Mark

Miracles Create Opposition         

Today's reading offers another dramatic story of Jesus feeding a large crowd -- this time, 4000 people -- with just a few loaves of bread.  Despite this and other miracles, some of the Jewish leaders known as Pharisees demanded that Jesus produce other proof -- a divine sign -- that he was a legitimate servant of God.  From this point, Jesus starts teaching his disciples to be afraid of the questions and arguments of the Jewish and political leaders, worried that they might be led astray.

Read Mark 8:1-26  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Rest Stop

Godsway 66 is on a break now through the New Year.  The overview for the next book, 1 Corinthians, will be posted on Sunday, January 3.  The busy holiday season doesn't mean that you should turn away from this study of the Bible.  This week, enjoy some bonus readings from Mark.  These cover some of Jesus' challenges during the later part of his ministry, as opposition increased from Jewish and Roman leaders.  Despite the threat of suffering and persecution, Jesus still has important lessons for his followers about the importance of all of God's children and about keeping their "eyes on the prize," so to speak -- focusing mostly on loving God and loving each other.

Romans, Day 6

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Romans you might have missed.
 Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
Friday

Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

• If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
• Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
• Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on Romans tomorrow at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

Romans, Day 5 Readings

Christian Living for Jewish and Gentile Converts & Paul's Concluding Justification   

Today's first reading offers Paul's more specific details for how the church in Rome should behave toward one another.  Foremost in Paul's mind is the tension between Jewish converts and non-Jewish converts to Christianity.  Jewish converts can draw upon a wealth of laws and traditions about God's wishes, while non-Jewish Christians approach faith from different life experiences and expectations.  Paul stresses that both ways are blessed by God and both types of Christians should be valued members of the community.

Paul tries to alleviate problems by teaching the Roman Christians to refrain from becoming judgmental toward each other and to instead focus on encouraging each other.  Leave judgment to God and instead focus on ways to love each other.

Read Romans 14:1-15:13  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading is a postscript to Paul's lengthy theological essay, justifying why someone who has never been a part of the Roman church -- or even visited it -- can write so boldly about how they should understand the Gospel and its implications.  In some ways, Paul believes himself to be the perfect bridge for this situation -- having been raised a devout Jew, but having been called by God to spread the Gospel among non-Jews.  And, one imagines, Paul hopes to be an influence on the church when he eventually arrives in the city of Rome.

Read Romans 15:14-33  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Romans 14-16 today.

Sermon - "From Peter to Paul" (Acts)

On Sunday, Rev. Joshua Patty preached on the Acts of the Apostles.  This book is a companion to the Gospel of Luke and describes the history of the early church after Jesus' resurrection.  From a small group of faithful (numbering 120 people at the beginning of the book), the church spreads throughout the entire Roman Empire.  At the conclusion of the book, Paul is openly and freely preaching the gospel in Rome.

Like the Gospel of Luke, this is a story about the power of the Holy Spirit.  The main people are guided by the Holy Spirit, given words to speak -- even in the hardest situations -- by the Holy Spirit, and sometimes even given the ability to heal and resurrect people through the Holy Spirit.  When people are aware of the spirit and open to being guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit, amazing things happen again and again.  As such, the underlying message is for Christians to be open to the power of the Holy Spirit, which can still guide us in surprising ways and transform the world.

Click here to listen to the sermon.

You can also listen to the related Communion meditation and benediction.

Romans, Day 4 Readings

Christian Living in the Faith Community & Beyond  

Today's first reading offers an overarching view of how Christians are to live with other Christians.  They are to accept each other and recognize that they may have different roles to play, following God's will.  They are to hold on to love and strive to work through disagreements with each other.  They are not to seek out privileges and ranks among themselves, but rather focus on helping one another and being there for each other.  Paul's description of this life together is beautiful and poetic.

Read Romans 12:1-21  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading extends this vision to how Christians are to live faithfully in the wider world.  Christians are to respect the government authorities, trusting that God allows their power despite the fact that they probably are not faithful to God.  They are to treat their neighbors with love, respecting them and living peacefully alongside them.  And they are to recognize that eventually this broader world will end and a new world -- where everyone is faithful to God -- will begin.

Read Romans 13:1-14  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Romans 10-13 today.

Romans, Day 3 Readings

Christian Living & God's Covenant with Israel  

Today's first reading presents the practical choice that Christians face in how they live day-to-day.  Paul describes this as a choice between living in the flesh or living in the spirit; that is, one can fall back into the life of humans who are faithless and work against God's wishes (flesh) or one can live a new life unhindered by sin (spirit).  After baptism (where Christians receive the Holy Spirit) the can live according to God's promises of life through Jesus Christ.  [Given this, Paul isn't necessarily describing a disembodied experience for Christians, but rather a Spirit-filled experience.]

Read Romans 8:1-17  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading explores the theological dilemma of God's covenant with Israel for Christians.  After all, the Jews had long been God's chosen people, but Paul invited non-Jews to receive God's promises as well.  From his study of Jewish scripture, Paul believed that anyone who was faithful to God could be counted as a descendant of Abraham and thus part of the chosen people.  For Jews who argued that they biological lineage was the basis of God's favor for them, Paul points out that God's favor rests on those who are true to the promises God made to Abraham; far too many Jews had turned away from God, rejecting the covenant (and thus its benefits).  In fact, Paul suggests that this Jewish rejection of God has encouraged God to allow non-Jews to enter into the covenant through faith.

Read Romans 9:1-33  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Romans 7-9 today.

Romans, Day 2 Readings

Sin and Salvation & Baptism into Life  

Today's first reading explores how Jesus' faithful sacrifice is a more than complete antidote to human sinfulness.  If the problem of human sinfulness can be traced back to the first human who sinned -- Adam -- then the hope of human redemption (and life through that redemption) is what the sacrificial death of Jesus accomplished.  In fact, the gracious act of Christ is greater than than the sinful act of Adam because it is an undeserved gift from God for the godless and in this one act many sins can be redeemed.

Read Romans 5:1-21  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading argues that by becoming Christians we can experience Jesus' death and resurrection in regards to our sinfulness.  Here Paul uses lots of life and death imagery.  Ultimately, sin can only lead to destruction and death; however, Christ offers life -- in key ways, this is what Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection is all about.  Jesus unjustly dies a human death -- the consequence (for the rest of us) of our sinfulness; however, he was resurrected to life beyond that sin.  We too, in his name, can die to sin and have new life beyond the sins of this world.  In fact, Paul believes that this is the key meaning of our baptism and he uses the surface of the water to illustrate this.  The person being baptized goes into the water -- a sign of death -- and comes out of the water reborn.  After this moment, Christians no longer owe sin anything else and we can live entirely for things beyond this world.

Read Romans 6:1-23  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Romans 4-6 today.

Romans, Day 1 Readings

Humans Against God & The True Value of Jewish Law 

Today's first reading is the powerful opening of Paul's extensive exploration of the meaning of Christian faith in his letter to the church in Rome.  Evidently, the young congregation was dealing with issues of having both Jewish and Gentile Christian converts.  Paul emphatically says that anyone who has true faith will be saved through Jesus Christ -- in some ways, this is the "thesis statement" of Paul's entire argument in the letter.

After this, though, Paul explores the need for Christian faith.  Briefly, he points out the general ways that human beings have turned against God.  In essence, humans have believed themselves smarter about the way things are than the creator of the universe, God.  From this false assumption, people developed all sorts of bad and sinful habits.  As a consequence of this sinfulness, humans have no claim on God's promise of eternal life.

Read Romans 1:16-32  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading extends the argument in relation to Jewish Torah.  Paul, who was born and educated as a Jew, has extensive personal knowledge of the Jewish tradition.  Many Jews rightly recognize that Torah was a special revelation from God as part of the covenant between God and God's chosen people.  However, Paul stresses that Torah only teaches people right from wrong; they still have to follow the law for it to be effective.  Even more, Paul notes that some people can follow Jewish Torah without knowing that law (basically from learning about God through what later theologians would describe as Natural Law -- revelations about God that can be identified through observation of the created world).

The point of this argument, as will become clearer as the letter goes along, is that both Jews and Gentiles can become faithful Christians.  Instead of judging each other -- and this was especially pointed at Jews who had become Christians and were judgmental of non-Jews who became Christians -- they should focus on obeying the spirit of God's law, which was personified by Jesus Christ.

Read Romans 2:1-29  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Romans 1-3 today.

Romans, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 45 - Romans 

Romans is the first of a lengthy series of Christian letters preserved in the New Testament, one of fourteen attributed to Paul, whose travels and ministries were described in the Acts of the Apostles.  The order of Paul's letters is not random.  They are divided between letters to congregations, followed by letters to individuals and are then sorted longest to shortest.

Romans is a unique letter for Paul (as will become clear as we read the others).  While Paul planted many congregations through his travels, and wrote letters of encouragement and instruction to them, he did not begin the church in Rome.  Instead, this letter was meant to serve as an introduction before Paul arrived in Rome.  This allows Paul to lay out his beliefs in a more systematic way than in other letters.  So the letter to Romans can be read as a theological essay that explores the need for faith, the possibility of faith through Jesus Christ, and the consequences for one's life when one becomes a Christian.

However, this letter also is meant to address a key issue that Paul has heard about (like most people, Paul always has a reason -- a motive -- for writing): friction between Christians who had been Jews and those Christians who had never been Jews.  It seems that there was a lot of controversy about how much of Jewish teaching in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) Christians had to follow.  Some believed that Christians needed to follow Jewish Torah; others believed that Jesus' teaching and example rendered the law unnecessary.

As described in Acts, Paul's ministry was intended to spread the teaching of Jesus Christ to non-Jews (often called Gentiles in the New Testament).  However, he had been raised and educated as an observant Jew.  He values both sides of the controversy, and he repeatedly insists (here and in other letters) that both Jewish and non-Jewish converts are good Christians.  He believes that there are more important things in faith than Jewish Torah -- so while there are good reasons to follow this teachings, they are not necessary to Christian faith.

Paul tries to justify this position throughout his theological essay in Romans.  He explains that all people have sinned and need God's salvation -- and that, through Christ, God offers that salvation to Jew and non-Jew alike.  Paul affirms that God revealed Torah, but says that the covenant of faith exemplified by Abraham is deeper and truer than following Torah.  Instead, Christians must focus on how they live with one another in love, acceptance, and sometimes forgiveness.

Acts of the Apostles, Day 6

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of Acts you might have missed.
 Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
Friday

Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

• If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
• Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
• Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on Acts tomorrow at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

Acts of the Apostles, Day 5 Readings

Paul's Defense to the King & Paul Arrives in Rome    

Today's first reading tells about Paul's argument before Agrippa, King of Judea.  Agrippa was Jewish, and Paul felt comfortable using religious language to justify his actions to the king.  Partially, Paul proves that the charges against him have no political importance except in the eyes of the Jewish high council in Jerusalem.

Paul's argument goes beyond this, though, as he explains to the king how he became a Christian and why he was so passionate in his teaching.  The appeal of Paul's testimony struck a nerve with the king, who seems to personally believe in Jesus because of Paul, asking him, "Are you so quickly persuading me to be a Christian."  This shows that the Gospel is not only spreading around the world, but it is also spreading into the halls of power and influence.

Read Acts 26:1-32  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading is the conclusion of Acts.  Paul, a Roman citizen, demanded that any trial be conducted by the imperial court in Rome.  This legal strategy, however, allows Paul to actively proclaim the gospel in that capital city -- the center of the known world at that time.  Having survived a shipwreck off the island of Malta, Paul arrives in Rome, where he is welcomed by both the Jewish and fledgling Christian community, and where he preaches for two years -- despite technically being under arrest.  (According to tradition, after this period, Paul would be convicted and executed, also becoming a Christian martyr.)

Read Acts 28:1-31  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Acts 23-28 today.

Acts of the Apostles, Day 4 Readings

Confronting Idolatry in Ephesus & Paul Is Arrested   

Today's first reading records the months that Paul spent preaching and teaching in Ephesus.  In that time, while spreading the news about Jesus Christ, he confronted a misunderstanding.  There were a group of Christians who had been baptized, but they had not been baptized in the Holy Spirit -- which they had never heard of.  Instead, they had received John the Baptist's baptism of repentance.  Paul explained the Holy Spirit to them, and they gratefully received it.

While in Ephesus, two issues about idolatry arose.  First, there were some itinerant miracle workers who tried to use Jesus name to cast out evil spirits -- an attempt that utter failed.  This rather humorous episode served as a two-sided lesson -- first, practicing magic is inappropriate and sometimes causes problems for those who would cast spells or charms.  More practically, though, it showed that merely speaking the name of Jesus did not give one power (or, presumably, faith); instead, one needed to be touched by the Holy Spirit -- as these miracle workers were not.

After this, some idol makers became disgruntled at Paul's teaching -- and its effectiveness.  Frankly, they were worried about losing sales, and they tried to prey on cultural anxieties about outsiders to persecute and silence the Christians.

Read Acts 19:1-41  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading marks the beginning of Paul's difficulties with Roman authorities.  After agitating the Jews in Jerusalem, Paul was arrested by the Roman governor -- basically for disturbing the peace.  Paul defended himself against the charges to the governor, who evidently recognized that this was mostly an internal matter between Paul and the Jewish council.  Out of deference to them, the governor kept Paul under arrest, but Paul was granted a number of privileges, including visits by anyone who wanted to see him or bring him food and medicine.  (Astute readers may notice how Paul's trial is both similar to, and different from, the trial of Jesus.)

Read Acts 24:1-27  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Acts 18-22 today.

Acts of the Apostles, Day 3 Readings

Council at Jerusalem & Paul Preaches in Athens 

Today's first reading tells the first big disagreement among Christian leaders -- whether Christians needed to follow Jewish laws and customs, especially regarding circumcision.  This, evidently, was a controversy between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians.

Many Christian leaders met in Jerusalem to discuss the matter.  At one point, Peter pronounced that he felt no one should put God to the test, but rather embrace and celebrate those Gentiles who were becoming Christian without putting additional qualifications for them to meet.  The council then produced a letter announcing this decision to be shared with Christian communities far and wide.

Read Acts 15:1-41  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading provides an example of how Paul approached Gentiles with teaching about Jesus Christ.  Rather than always instructing them about the long arc of Jewish history and prophecy, Paul seems to first want to meet people where they are.  No where is this clearer in Acts than when Paul preached in Athens, where he had passed an altar inscribed "To an unknown god."  Taking this as a sign of great religious fervor, that the Athenians were so eager to please the gods that they had an altar for any god they may have overlooked, Paul gave an identity to this unknown God -- the one true God, who resurrected Jesus from the dead.

Read Acts 17:16-34  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Acts 12-17 today.

Acts of the Apostles, Day 2 Readings

The Conversion of Saul & Mission to the Gentiles 

Today's first reading tells of the conversion of Saul, usually known as Paul because that is how he signed his letters to other churches.  (Both names are the same: Paul is the Latin form of his name, while Saul is his given Hebrew name.)

Paul was educated as a Pharisee, and he was one of the leaders in opposing Christian teaching, even to the point of persecuting Christians.  During this, though, he encountered a bright light while on the road to Damascus, and he heard the voice of Jesus speak directly to him.

After this, Paul was nursed back to health -- first, it took a few days for his sight to return.  He was abandoned by his Jewish compatriots.  Two Christians, with the assurance of the Holy Spirit about Paul's true conversion, reluctantly cared for Paul and introduced him into the fledgling Christian community.  At one point, they even prevented him from being killed by the Jews.

Read Acts 9:1-31  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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The second reading describes the week when the scope of the disciples' mission changed forever.  Until this point, it was believed that Jesus' salvation was only offered to Jews -- a nation with a long covenental relationship with God.  However, one of the main Christian leaders, Peter, after a vision and through the direction of the Holy Spirit, agreed to meet with Cornelius, an Italian soldier who was seen as faithful to God despite not being born a Jew.

In meeting with Cornelius and his household, Peter realized that the story of Jesus, and the promise of Jesus, applied to them too.  More than this, he witnessed the gift of the Holy Spirit upon them, as they began speaking in tongues and he made sure that they became baptized Christians.  From this point on, anyone who believes in Jesus can become a Christian.  This change paves the way for Paul's famous evangelical mission to the Gentiles (non-Jews) around the region.

Read Acts 10:1-48  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Acts 6-11 today.