365 Reflections

Jesus said follow me. He calls us all into discipleship to become more like Him, our Master, Savior and Lord.  But many Christians avoid a whole segment of Jesus' character because they don't want to stick out, be "offensive" or disturb the status quo. Jesus made waves on regular occasion and no greater evidence of that than in John 2 (ironically after turning water to wine). John 2:14–15 (ESV)   In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. For as much as we do not hear about the "fun" Jesus, we also seldom hear about the violently angry Jesus. And rarely is this  the Jesus many of us seek to emulate. This is the Jesus that is unafraid to take on evil and corruption vocally and with physical demonstrati...

Jesus was not a cosmic killjoy. He was not the guy you avoided having over for a good time. How do I know? John 2:1–2 (NLT) The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. Why would Jesus be invited to a wedding if He didn't know how to have fun? And these weddings were 7 day affairs in which people celebrated and feasted together in joyful communion. If there is one thing I cannot stand it is the stuffy Jesus so many people settle for in the Church. The Jesus who never smiles and never has fun. I don't think that is Jesus at all. While He was serious and straight to the point with some, there is ample evidence Jesus knew how to laugh... Some of his parables had such exaggeration, a first Century Jew would have been in stitches. The thought of a man who owed 100 years wages in Matthew 18 asking for more time to pay it back ri...

John 1:1–5 (ESV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. I love what N.T. Wright says about this Gospel. He talks about how grand it is compared to the Synoptics. How John wants to make sure you're going to get a wide-angle lens shot at the life and being of Jesus. No manger, no census, no magi, no shepherd. One statement every Jew would have immediately recognized. "In the beginning." Wright says, "This book is about the creator God acting in a new way within his much-loved creation." Again and again we are reminded how God works in His world. His activity is through the spoken word. He communicates creation in the heavens and earth and now at last H...

If the book of Acts is a manifesto of the church after Jesus left and studied to see what this movement is all about (as I believe it is), there can be no doubt the one overarching theme is covered from beginning to end. We are called to share the message of Jesus with boldness to everyone. Silence is not an option. Social help is wonderful but not our primary calling. Gathering in denominational "tribes" is not our job. We are here to preach and preach Jesus. Paul finally arrives in Rome. He's going to be tried. When he gets there, the Jews had heard nothing of them and had no charges to bring. So Paul preaches. Some listen, some don't. He moves on. He is given peace for the first time in years. What does he do at the end of the book? He settles into Roman life and preaches Jesus. Acts 28:30–31 (ESV) He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus C...

In Acts 27 Paul was sent by ship from Caesarea to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. Interestingly, the ship comes ashore to an island called, "Crete." The Roman Authorities wanted to get to Rome early and so set sail despite warnings from Paul and the ship would eventually meet a brutal storm costing all the cargo and finally be shipwrecked on the island called Malta. During the hectic voyage, it says this: Acts 27:21  (ESV)   Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. But the interesting thing is how Crete comes into play in the New Testament later on. Something must have happened to Paul on that short stay in Crete. He must have saw a need to spread the Gospel and wanted to do so but wasn't afforded the opportunity. These people would not escape his conscience however, and at some point Paul would make it to Cret...

The apostle Paul was totally convinced that everyone should be a Christian. In his defense while facing King Agrippa, the king asks Paul: “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” (Acts 26:28 NLT And to this question: Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”  Acts 26:29 NLT To me one of the proofs that Christianity is real are statements like these made by the Apostles all through the book of Acts. They suffered, bled and died horrible deaths refusing to let go of their faith in Christ. And to me, there can be no greater statement in this regard than here in Acts 26 by Paul. For after all he is been through, all the riots and brutality, all the plots against his life, all the times he had to run from city to city to avoid those who wanted him dead, Paul still believes that people should come to Christ and experience the Ch...

The Christian faith does not give you an excuse to check your intellect and common sense at the door. These were given to you by God who made you in His image and likeness. Use them, don't disregard them. Paul rarely was miraculously delivered from trouble. Very rarely. Here in Acts 25, after 2 years of sitting in a Caesarean prison, he faces his accusers once again before a newly placed Governor name Festus. Paul again states his defense but knows there's a chance he could be set free only to be ambushed by the Jews seeking his life. Here's Paul's defense: Acts 25:8–11 (ESV) Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have do...