Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)br...
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Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)
We Christians in the West really have been spoiled. We haven't faced the kind of dangers and persecutions that our brothers and sisters have had to endure at the hand of oppressive governments or religious extremists who are bound and determined to wipe Christianity off the face of the earth.
What keeps them going? Well, their love for Jesus is an obvious answer, but I would wager that another reason why Christians can stand in the face of persecution is the knowledge that our Savior has shared in our sufferings, and indeed, he continues to suffer with those who suffer on account of him. As Jesus said to Saul, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (v. 4).
Craig K.
Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)
Alice did not attend church much while growing up. She occasionally attended with her parents while in elementary school. Once her parents separated she would sometimes go with her mother when she was in middle school. In high school she says she attended youth fellowship because her boyfriend did. Her college years found her making "a few stabs" at going to church but nothing stuck.
One weekend a group of her friends decided to go to New York City, without her mother or any of the parents knowing about it. They drove all night. The next day they were taking in the sights of the city. One of her friends made the suggestion of visiting one of the large churches. The church was very different from the ones Alice attended through the years. She describes this as one of the greatest experiences of her life. "I loved all the ritual and ceremony of carrying in the cross and banners," she remembers. It was at that moment that for the first time she felt the presence of God in her life. When she returned home she began attending church again, this time not out of a sense of duty or wanting to please anyone else but because she wanted to. She enrolled in a new member's class and joined the church.
The apostle Paul experienced the presence of the risen Lord in his life. At the time he was an enemy of the church, "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord." Then suddenly and unexpectedly "a light from heaven flashed around him." Saul the number one enemy of the church would become Paul, the first missionary. Paul would live the rest of his life serving the risen Lord, taking the gospel to new locations.
Tim S.
Revelation 5:11-14
Here is a popular riddle: "What is greater than God, worse than the devil, the poor have it, and the rich want it?" The answer is "nothing." Nothing -- zero. As this riddle shows, "nothing," or zero, is at once the most desirable and least desirable of amounts. After all, zero is nothing. Having zero dollars is not a good thing. Having zero friends, zero food, zero articles of clothing -- not positive assets. But at the same time, zero is our most prized possession. We want to want nothing. The number zero is what allows us to have giant numbers: one thousand, one million, one billion. Without zeros, our one billion becomes just one. Without zeros, we could not have the myriads and thousands of worshipers found in our reading. Like zero, Jesus is at once the greatest and least: the alpha and omega. The beginning … and the end.
Leah T.
Revelation 5:11-14
Sitting in church one Sunday morning a young boy was drawing a picture while the pastor was preaching. Suddenly, out of the blue, a man in one of the pews shouted out, "Well, Praise the Lord!" It frightened the boy! Why would the man say such a thing and what did he mean? Years passed and many, "Praise the Lords" have been shouted out in that old church. The youngster has since understood that "praise" primarily signifies an opinion and in the religious sense, a good opinion, about God … his nature and acts … his character and exhibition through Jesus Christ … his holy splendor.
You may not shout out "Praise the Lord" in the middle of a church service, but how do you shout "Praise the Lord" in the midst of your life? I believe that you do it by sharing the good news of Jesus with another or by reflecting patience and understanding in the middle of an upsetting or perplexing situation at home, in school, or at church. "Praise the Lord" is voiced each time you smile or offer encouragement to someone who is struggling. As people observe your holiness … Godlike character demonstrated in your actions and reactions … they understand the word "Praise."
So go ahead and just praise the Lord!
Derl K.
John 21:1-19
One of the secrets to a healthy marriage is to always look for little things, little ways to show your spouse that you care. Make your wife her favorite meal for dinner, or rent your husband's favorite movie and make the popcorn. It's always good to demonstrate your love because just saying "I love you" doesn't always get the message across.
Jesus asked Peter three times in this passage if he loved him. Every time, Peter answers in the affirmative. But Jesus isn't satisfied with lip service. Jesus challenges Peter after each question to "feed my lambs." Jesus wants Peter (and us) to show our love in our actions, not just our words.
Craig K.
John 21:1-19
After much prayer and discussion it was decided to allow people from the congregation to share their testimonies during the worship service. The first several Sundays people stood to tell how Jesus made a difference in their daily lives. Others shared favorite Bible passages. Several recalled formidable experiences as children attending Sunday school. For others it was a week of summer camp when they were teenagers. A couple of people told of marrying a believer who encouraged them to attend church and in the process discovered Jesus. The idea was a success, people looked forward each week to hearing someone from the congregation share their faith.
What happened next no one expected. Someone shared personal struggles, another week a person asked for wisdom from the congregation in dealing with a personal problem. It was truly amazing that people could stand before their church family and share their personal struggles. People in the congregation began praying for specific people and concerns during the week. This led to more people sharing their personal struggles.
In the midst of this open sharing people meet Jesus. Someone new to the church said that she knew Jesus was real and alive from listening to so many sharing within the congregation.
It is difficult to imagine what the disciples were feeling the weeks following Easter. Were they feeling disappointment, or relief? What about guilt for not standing next to Jesus? The disciples were fishing early one morning when the risen Lord appeared to them. It took them awhile to realize that it was actually Jesus. The work of the disciples was not finished but just beginning. The disciples were given a second chance as Jesus challenged Peter and the others and us as well to, "follow me."
Tim S.
We Christians in the West really have been spoiled. We haven't faced the kind of dangers and persecutions that our brothers and sisters have had to endure at the hand of oppressive governments or religious extremists who are bound and determined to wipe Christianity off the face of the earth.
What keeps them going? Well, their love for Jesus is an obvious answer, but I would wager that another reason why Christians can stand in the face of persecution is the knowledge that our Savior has shared in our sufferings, and indeed, he continues to suffer with those who suffer on account of him. As Jesus said to Saul, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (v. 4).
Craig K.
Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)
Alice did not attend church much while growing up. She occasionally attended with her parents while in elementary school. Once her parents separated she would sometimes go with her mother when she was in middle school. In high school she says she attended youth fellowship because her boyfriend did. Her college years found her making "a few stabs" at going to church but nothing stuck.
One weekend a group of her friends decided to go to New York City, without her mother or any of the parents knowing about it. They drove all night. The next day they were taking in the sights of the city. One of her friends made the suggestion of visiting one of the large churches. The church was very different from the ones Alice attended through the years. She describes this as one of the greatest experiences of her life. "I loved all the ritual and ceremony of carrying in the cross and banners," she remembers. It was at that moment that for the first time she felt the presence of God in her life. When she returned home she began attending church again, this time not out of a sense of duty or wanting to please anyone else but because she wanted to. She enrolled in a new member's class and joined the church.
The apostle Paul experienced the presence of the risen Lord in his life. At the time he was an enemy of the church, "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord." Then suddenly and unexpectedly "a light from heaven flashed around him." Saul the number one enemy of the church would become Paul, the first missionary. Paul would live the rest of his life serving the risen Lord, taking the gospel to new locations.
Tim S.
Revelation 5:11-14
Here is a popular riddle: "What is greater than God, worse than the devil, the poor have it, and the rich want it?" The answer is "nothing." Nothing -- zero. As this riddle shows, "nothing," or zero, is at once the most desirable and least desirable of amounts. After all, zero is nothing. Having zero dollars is not a good thing. Having zero friends, zero food, zero articles of clothing -- not positive assets. But at the same time, zero is our most prized possession. We want to want nothing. The number zero is what allows us to have giant numbers: one thousand, one million, one billion. Without zeros, our one billion becomes just one. Without zeros, we could not have the myriads and thousands of worshipers found in our reading. Like zero, Jesus is at once the greatest and least: the alpha and omega. The beginning … and the end.
Leah T.
Revelation 5:11-14
Sitting in church one Sunday morning a young boy was drawing a picture while the pastor was preaching. Suddenly, out of the blue, a man in one of the pews shouted out, "Well, Praise the Lord!" It frightened the boy! Why would the man say such a thing and what did he mean? Years passed and many, "Praise the Lords" have been shouted out in that old church. The youngster has since understood that "praise" primarily signifies an opinion and in the religious sense, a good opinion, about God … his nature and acts … his character and exhibition through Jesus Christ … his holy splendor.
You may not shout out "Praise the Lord" in the middle of a church service, but how do you shout "Praise the Lord" in the midst of your life? I believe that you do it by sharing the good news of Jesus with another or by reflecting patience and understanding in the middle of an upsetting or perplexing situation at home, in school, or at church. "Praise the Lord" is voiced each time you smile or offer encouragement to someone who is struggling. As people observe your holiness … Godlike character demonstrated in your actions and reactions … they understand the word "Praise."
So go ahead and just praise the Lord!
Derl K.
John 21:1-19
One of the secrets to a healthy marriage is to always look for little things, little ways to show your spouse that you care. Make your wife her favorite meal for dinner, or rent your husband's favorite movie and make the popcorn. It's always good to demonstrate your love because just saying "I love you" doesn't always get the message across.
Jesus asked Peter three times in this passage if he loved him. Every time, Peter answers in the affirmative. But Jesus isn't satisfied with lip service. Jesus challenges Peter after each question to "feed my lambs." Jesus wants Peter (and us) to show our love in our actions, not just our words.
Craig K.
John 21:1-19
After much prayer and discussion it was decided to allow people from the congregation to share their testimonies during the worship service. The first several Sundays people stood to tell how Jesus made a difference in their daily lives. Others shared favorite Bible passages. Several recalled formidable experiences as children attending Sunday school. For others it was a week of summer camp when they were teenagers. A couple of people told of marrying a believer who encouraged them to attend church and in the process discovered Jesus. The idea was a success, people looked forward each week to hearing someone from the congregation share their faith.
What happened next no one expected. Someone shared personal struggles, another week a person asked for wisdom from the congregation in dealing with a personal problem. It was truly amazing that people could stand before their church family and share their personal struggles. People in the congregation began praying for specific people and concerns during the week. This led to more people sharing their personal struggles.
In the midst of this open sharing people meet Jesus. Someone new to the church said that she knew Jesus was real and alive from listening to so many sharing within the congregation.
It is difficult to imagine what the disciples were feeling the weeks following Easter. Were they feeling disappointment, or relief? What about guilt for not standing next to Jesus? The disciples were fishing early one morning when the risen Lord appeared to them. It took them awhile to realize that it was actually Jesus. The work of the disciples was not finished but just beginning. The disciples were given a second chance as Jesus challenged Peter and the others and us as well to, "follow me."
Tim S.
