Acts 21:1-14 “When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, “So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”’ Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘What do you mean by weeping and breaking... Read more
Acts 20:17-38 I want to administer a test to you today. You may take all the time you want: in fact, the more time you take the better. It’s an open Book test, and you can look up anything you want. You are on the honor system, and I’ll even let you evaluate yourself! You can ask for answers from others, although it won’t do you much good. In fact, that reminds me of a Woody Allen joke: “When I... Read more
Acts 20:1-16 Paul, as an apostle, is a microcosm of the Church itself. In this relatively unassuming passage, we can see Paul connected to every important ministry which Jesus has entrusted to His Body. What unites this work of Jesus Christ, which is the work of the Church, is the Church’s worship of Jesus Christ. And that is what we find in Ephesus and Troas here in Acts 20 today. The passage begins by Paul encouraging the disciples in Ephesus,... Read more
Acts 19:21-41 Are you a passionate person? No, not that kind of passion! Is there something in your life that you’re deeply passionate about? Something that if it is disturbed or upset or desecrated you get very upset about? Watch people sometime, and you’ll see the things they’re very passionate about. Here’s a list of some of the things I’ve seen people get passionate about: Driving – I’ve had people practically run me off the road because of some minor... Read more
Acts 19:8-20 The Story of Little Suck-a-Thumb One day, Mamma said, “Conrad dear, I must go out and leave you here. But mind now, Conrad, what I say, Don’t suck your thumb while I’m away. The great tall tailor always comes To little boys that suck their thumbs. And ere they dream what he’s about He takes his great sharp scissors And cuts their thumbs clean off, – and then You know, they never grow again.” Mamma had scarcely turn’d... Read more
Acts 18:24-19:7 At the beginning of Acts 18, I talked about the importance of relationships in the Body of Christ and of how God comes to us. If, as I’ve been saying all along, the book of Acts is about the Spirit of Christ in the Body of Christ continuing to teach and do the things of Jesus Christ, then the relationships we have in the Body of Christ are extraordinarily, eternally important. Today, I want to look at the... Read more
Acts 18:12-23 I want to write a book today (along with the other dozen ones in my head) called Silent Saints. It will be a book about people like John Keble who went about the trivial round and common tasks of their lives with great faith, perseverance, and joy, and yet aren’t remembered because they are overshadowed by flashier saints with their miracles and miters. Did you notice Sosthenes in the corner of today’s painting? We’re so used to focusing... Read more
Acts 18:1-11 I can’t believe it! Another amazing success story for the apostle Paul! How did he get so lucky as to be able to swoop into a city, convert a lot of people in spite of persecution, and then leave to the next city to do it all over again? That’s the way it feels, anyway, reading the book of Acts. But is that the way it really happened? We have a tendency in our culture to do everything... Read more
Acts 17:16-34 TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. That was where Paul chose to begin his discourse with the Athenians. TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Now why in the world did Paul begin here? It raises two important issues for the day. First, we are to be in the world but not of it. Second, when bringing Christ to others, begin where they are. First, Paul was a man who was clearly in the world but also clearly not of it. Only someone... Read more
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Wednesday of Trinity 6 – Acts 21:15-26
Acts 21:15-26 “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). This is what Paul says to the church at Corinth which he helped establish, the church at Corinth that we have heard about from St. Luke in Acts 18. What are these mysteries of which we are also stewards? We see it from one angle in... Read more