LC BLOG
We have looked at individuals mentioned in Acts, such as Paul, Barnabas, and Luke, the author of Acts. In this blog, I want to highlight a couple, who are always mentioned together. They are Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:2), or at most other times, Priscilla and Aquila, or Prisca and Aquila. Priscilla is the affectionate diminutive of her proper name, Prisca (Romans 16:3).
As I mentioned in my last post, I intend to address an issue that the writers of the New Testament discuss at great length. I will not, indeed cannot, discuss this at great length in this blog. Yet, I will briefly discuss Luke’s tackling of this reality in Acts, with a glance back to his Gospel, and Paul’s letter to the Romans.
I want to briefly speak of Paul’s encounter with Sergius Paulus, a Roman official, at Paphos, on the Island of Cyprus. Beyond that encounter, I’ll briefly talk about Paul’s other encounters with Roman officials and how Luke frames these encounters to look at the role of the Christian mission with government…
Acts 11: 22 News of [Greeks responding to the Gospel in Antioch] reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Acts 2:44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. (NIV)
Acts 4: 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
My dear friend and mentor, Dr. Ron Tyler, would often say, “the apostles didn’t waste papyri.” Luke was not an apostle, but he was equally not wasteful. Yet, when we come to the last event Luke mentions before Pentecost, the replacement of Judas, a considerable length of papyri is used. Two questions come to mind. Why tell the story at all? Why give it so much space?
I would not like to be remembered throughout history from my most unflattering moment, and I’m pretty sure you would not, as well. Yet, that’s what happened to Thomas, called the twin, who was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. We know him as “Doubting Thomas.” His failure to believe his brother disciples on Easter night when they told him that Jesus had risen, is certainly not Thomas’ best moment! But forever “Doubting Thomas” is both harsh and unfair. Have you ever referred to Simon Peter as “Denying Peter?” Is Paul known to you as “Persecuting Saul?” You might think that the only thing we know about Thomas is his doubting, but that’s not the case…
The clever serpent of the garden told the woman (Adam seems to be right beside her) a deceptive partial truth. Although their eyes were opened, they were opened to the naked shame of their rebellion. In taking the food of rebellion, they would lose the vision of the LORD God’s glory-filled presence—a presence hidden from them East of Eden…
There is a scene in the classic western, “The Magnificent 7,” where Chris, the leader of a small group of men who are good with guns, approaches a character named Harry about joining in an effort to help a small Mexican village defend itself from a large band of bandits. Harry is convinced, however, that this is just a cover for something bigger, such as gold, cattle, or payroll. “Only what I told you,” said Chris. “Sure, never mind. Just tell me when you can,” Harry replied. Exasperated, Chris says, “Harry, please don't understand me so fast!”
In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus warns would be followers to consider the implications of following Him to Jerusalem and the crucifixion that awaited. In last’s week’s blog, we saw that Jesus told the crowd that the call of the Kingdom of God demanded a radical choice of the King and His Kingdom over the closest family relations and duties. Now, we come to the second, and starkest of the three conditions for following Jesus, carry your cross (daily).
As we approach Good Friday and Easter, I’d like to spend the next three blogs looking at one of the most challenging passages in the Gospels, Luke 14:25-33.
The Gospel of Luke takes an important turn in 9:51.
As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51 NIV)
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