Week beginning Monday 23rd March 2009

Acts 7

Acts 7 records Stephen’s defence of faith in Jesus before the religious council. Stephen shows his knowledge of teh faith of his people in the story of God through history. There is a common thread that runs through this – the community’s failure to understand God’s action and the faithfulness of God. Faith continues to grow and God continues to move forward with God’s plan to redeem all people. The religious ones get stuck and when things get tough look to themselves for salvation rather than turning to God. Time and time again it happened…so that when Jesus came, and again pointed to God and what God was doing, the religious ones acted consistently with the past and had Jesus killed. Stephen was expecting nothing less but gave witness to the truth he had experienced in Christ.

I/we need to be students of hsitory and the present and acknowledge that I do the same – that is, I want to be comfortable and so I get stuck and look to myself instead of constantly turning to God for life. God is continuing to work to bring all people to Him through the love of Christ. Stephen’s faith is a challenge to all who would follow Christ. My prayer is for all those who are being persecuted for their faith still today – may they know the peace of God in every moment – AMEN!

Week beginning Monday 16th March 2009

Proverbs 11
In this chapter the wise one is outlining a list of do’s and don’ts for us – each of which will either bring us life or destruction. It is all about our being and doing. It is great seeing the list of life-givers all collated in this way – honesty, sommon sense, doing good, doing what is right, being fair, being generous, treating peoplw well. These are all in sharp contrast to lieing, cheating, stealing, holding back from doing good, foolishness. The first bracket wouldn’t sell well in the soapie market of TV but the second is a script for most of the lastest shows. Even to string such words together in a whole chapter felt strange but also powerul – words like honesty – goodness – generosity – fairness. It sounds more than a political ad there is deep truth and life in this chapter iff only would hear it and act in accord to it.

Acts 5
Well here is the story that goes along with Proverbs 11 bith with Ananias and Sapphira as well as the council of the pharisees. Here the writer of Acts highlights the contrast between both individuals and institutions that choose destructive behaviours over the way of Christ – which brings life and freedom. The challenge of both proverbs 11 and Acts 5 is to do as the apostles have done…(Acts 5:42) “They never stoppped teaching and telling the good news that Jesus is the Messiah” [PRAYER - LORD in the face of a world that can be so foolish and violent help me to follow your way of truth, honesty, generosity and doing good - and help me to also never stop teaching and telling the good news that Jesus is the Messiah - AMEN]

Week Beginning Monday 9th March 2009

Acts 3

Peter and John begin share the name and power of Jesus Christ…I often wonder what Peter and John experienced through this episode. The text tells us how the lame man experiences Peter and John – he is healed, amazed, profoundll grateful, and confused. But for Peter and John, was it with absolute faith confidence or with trembling faith that they spoke words of healing to the lame man. You kind of think that Peter was certainly riding a high of boldness following his speech to the Jews and thousands of people coming to faith in Jesus. But we should never presume that the disciples actions were always so confidently bold. I think about Elijah and how after his great defeat of the propehts of Baal he cowered off to the desert in fear for his life, feeling alone and just wanting to hide, or even better, be swallowed up by God Himself. But in the still whisper God spoke and encouraged Elijah with good news – he was not alone. Maybe it was a still whisper that Peter and John spoke to the man who was lame – maybe a whisper and then a touch of his hand to help him up. Hmmm whispers and touches…we can all do that. You see, the power of Jesus is not in our strength but in God’s strength and power – our call is to give what we have…good news about Jesus – alive and touching lives still. [PRAYER - LORD stir me to respond to people with the whispers and touches of you - sharing good news at every opportunity. In Jesus name I pray - AMEN]

Week beginning Monday 2nd March 2009

Proverbs 9
This passage, through a certain amount of poetry, focuses on wisdom and stupidity. I love the fact that the Bible deals with reality. This chapter is an exhortation to common sense and the seeking of understanding and a warning against foolishness and stupidity. I once heard someone say that commonsense is only such if it is in fact common. It would seem that in today’s context of greed and violence and rip offs that maybe we should be renaming commonsense as rare-sense. The truth, as this passage points to, is that the seeking of God is the beginning of Wisdom. Let’s get wise and seek God first before the allure of stupidity. [Prayer - LORD this is one I sure need your help in. I will seek you and I pray that your wisdom and rare-sense follows. AMEN]

Acts 1
God’s plan continues. This is what the writer of Acts wants us to get in their first chapter…
1. God’s plan is revealed through Jesus
2. God’s plan begins locally and goes globally
3. God’s plan has been foretold in history and experienced in history
4. God’s plan will not be thwarted by evil
5. God’s plan is to be shared with others
6. God’s plan is revealed even in the small/chance moments
7. God’s plan is continuous – past – present – future

The writer lays God’s plan out for us as we enter into the Acts of the Apostles. What a great story…that is still happening! [Prayer - LORD as I enter into the story of Your plan unfolding through the lives of your Apostles and teh early church - may I see that I am no less but of the story of ACTS and that you LORD JESUS are with me as you were with your first ones. AMEN]