Monday, February 22, 2010

Yes, I am here.

I can't believe that my last post was February 9th.  I have continued with the daily reading that was my plan to write about, but the lesson plans for the new book we're using in our Tuesday night class, the Mountain Movers, is taking up more time than I realized it would.  It's very interesting and I'm learning alot...wait....wasn't I the one teaching it?....  but I think I'm learning more than the girls.  

We're studying the Bible and how it is translated for all different languages.  But we are also learning that it is God-breathed, if it has mistakes, what it's about, why God gave it to us.  It's actually not a bad lesson plan for adults.  :)   I may do a blog post or two about these lessons (since I'm learning more than I can share with my age group).  

But I think I may try to catch up on Acts first...but now I need to finish my lesson plan. :)

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Acts 14

In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas are traveling and spreading the news of Jesus.

Two things about this chapter one to point out, the other was something I learned while reading my archaeological study Bible.  

You'll notice during Paul's missionary trips that he usually goes to the local synagogue first when he comes to a new city.  When he's met with opposition, he turns to the Gentiles.  He always gives his people, the Jews, a chance to listen to him and believe.

In Acts 14:11 Paul had just cured a man who had been lame from birth.  "When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, 'The gods have come down to us in human form!'  Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.  The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them."  Acts 14:11-13    

Now obviously, Paul and Barnabas stopped this, but there was a reason the people had this reaction.  There is a legend that "Zeus and Hermes once visited the Phrygian hill country disguised as ordinary men. They were turned away from a thousand homes but finally were welcomed into the humble abode of an elderly couple.  The gods turned that house into a temple and destroyed the houses of all who had rejected them."  

I love when pieces of information come together, whether it be from different parts of the Bible or other sources, that make things start to click so I can see the times and activities of the Bible in the big picture.  It's amazing.  But maybe it's just me.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Acts 9

Saul's conversion!  This passage truly makes me happy.  I love reading Paul's letters and the way he came into Christianity - well, was drafted (and wouldn't it be great to be drafted like that!) - just makes it so much more exciting.  I sound like a Paul groupie.  I'm not sure if that's allowed.

This is  a very exciting time in the church though - the Good News is being spread as Christians are moving outward from Jerusalem and it's also spreading from Jews to Gentiles.  How exciting is that!!!  Well, VERY for us!  The persecution that Saul (soon to be Paul) was instrumental in, caused followers of the Way (Christians) to flee Jerusalem, thus spreading the Word as they went.  To have the very man that was persecuting them be directly confronted by Jesus and turned to a life of living for Jesus, how remarkable and awesome! Paul's story really speaks to me, although I think you may have figured that out by now.