David Bahn - Reflections

The disciples prayed for boldness to bring the message of the Kingdom of God to all people. There is an edge to their prayers; an implied desire for God to judge these enemies of the gospel; perhaps even to bring their plans down around their own heads. But the main point of their prayer is that they would be bold messengers of Jesus’ death and resurrection. When it comes time for God to stretch o...

There are those who align themselves against our Lord. There are those who mock Jesus. Some people deride his teachings and ways. People want nothing of his reign and rule. They will chart their own course. They will make their own plans. Jesus is, for them, a non-factor, an interesting religious character, perhaps an example of a committed life, or a pattern of doing good to those in need. In the...

When this man who is 40 years old reports that he has been healed – or when the people see this 40 year old man now walking – they know something really happened. This isn’t a last-minute plant, who  miraculously  gains his sight. This isn’t an insider who is pretending to have won the giant teddy bear at the carnival. They’ve seen this man for years, struggling to get by. He’s old enough not to b...

Praise can prevent further incursions of evil and trouble. That's what happens here when the people's praise prevented the enemies of the gospel from taking further action against Peter and John. When the people saw what God had done for the lame man, they rejoiced and praised God. Did they realize the farther-reaching implications of their praise? Do you, when you praise God and give him...

We don't have quite that level of hearing and seeing. But we have heard the Good News of Jesus' love, grace, salvation, and mercy. We have seen lives changed. We have come to recognize his complete commitment to the salvation of the world and ongoing work in the lives of believers. We've seen prayers answered. We've heard a word of grace and forgiveness. We've knelt at the rail...

A "mic drop" is a gesture indicating that the last word has been said. There is no more need for comment. People have died because they carried the message of Jesus to new lands and people. But it does not stop God from growing his kingdom. It will not keep his people from witnessing to the truth and grace of Jesus of Nazareth. There will be a mic drop to end all mic drops on the great l...

God uses ordinary people for his extraordinary purposes so that we do not boast. It's also so that people will not rely on just one person, or believe that their favorite pastor, teacher, or mentor is the only one through whom God can work.  What distinguished these men was the impact that Jesus had on them. They had been with Jesus and it showed. Want to be extraordinary? Spend time with Jesu...

The Holy Spirit was at work in those days through Peter and Paul, Barnabas and John Mark. But he’s not finished. He has worked to bring you and me to faith through the faithful witness of those who have shared the word of God with us. They shared just the right words with us. Words about Jesus. Words about God’s love and grace. Words that inspired faith. I hope to keep speaking those kinds of word...

No one else prayed that the cup would pass from him (that he would not have to die for the sins of the world), and have that request denied. Either God is a cruel, evil and sadistic God if there was another way than Jesus' death, or there was no other way than Jesus' death for our redemption and salvation. Jesus prayed that God would glorify him with the glory he had before the world was c...

Peter spoke truth to power. He spoke it to the powerful religious leaders of his day. I notice that it wasn’t just the high priest, but his family and a whole entourage of powerful men to whom Peter was speaking. I’d be intimidated. I’m not sure I could have stood up to these powerful men as did Peter. Sure, Peter was inclined to speak first and think later. But still…these are the power brokers o...

Martin Luther wrote in his famous hymn,  A Mighty Fortress, that one little word can defeat the devil. So whenever we experience opposition to the truth of God's word, we must recall the truth of the Bible, the Good News of Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection. God has promised that through faith in Jesus we are justified, forgiven, holy and blameless.  This is the word those early Ch...

So many ways to disbelieve - all way beyond doubt. Against that Peter speaks boldly, reminding the people then and there and us today that Jesus died, rose from the dead, and is at work in people's lives. "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given am...

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses are all great men of faith. They are examples for us, and object lessons of God’s grace, providence, faithfulness, and love. And they all point us to Jesus. For Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of all that God intended for us to be. He is our salvation and life. Just as these men have a legacy of faith that points to Jesus, I hope to leave a legacy of faith that po...

Peter was an impetuous man. He was brash, bold, and outspoken. He acted first and thought later. Same with speaking. But in this case he is clear: He did not do this. Jesus did this. Our great hope is not well founded if it is in our favorite pastor, political candidate, or national leader. And while Peter is somewhat of a celebrity, at least at this moment, he realized that it was not all about h...

Miracles, by their nature, are rare. They are signs of Jesus' reign and rule. They point us to a good and gracious Father. They are testimony of the Holy Spirit's presence and influence. The next time you see a miracle, take note. Be amazed. Be thankful. Believe.

Simply to look at someone, and even inviting him to look at you is no substitute for helping people in need. But when we acknowledge someone we are acknowledging one for whom Jesus died, and if she believes, one in whom Jesus lives. That’s a tiny part of the gospel message, but it is a powerful start. For Jesus’ redemption sets a high value on people (not gold or silver, but his holy precious bloo...

God will heal all who believe in him. He may do it miraculously – like he did with this lame man. He may do it medically: it is no less God’s doing whether it’s through means or immediately. Or he may heal us mercifully, taking us from this veil of tears into the life of the world to come. But in this case the healing was miraculous and the result is the same in any case of God’s intervening. Peop...

The Christian church is growing dramatically in places like Ethiopia. According to one who has been there and seen how God is at work, that's at least partly due to the fact that people have taken God's word seriously and seen themselves as missionaries to their friends, families, neighbors and communities. God makes the waves. We need to learn to ride them! God grows the church. He uses p...

I am thankful to God for those who read or listen to this blog. You are a part of the fellowship that strengthens me. I do this for myself, but hope you are blessed by it as well. I encourage you to look for God's work in the world around you. I urge you to pray and worship, and I will join you whenever I can. I pray that you have friends with whom you can gather for food and fellowship. I hop...

I am thankful to God for those who read or listen to this blog. You are a part of the fellowship that strengthens me. I do this for myself, but hope you are blessed by it as well. I encourage you to look for God's work in the world around you. I urge you to pray and worship, and I will join you whenever I can. I pray that you have friends with whom you can gather for food and fellowship. I hop...

There is great comfort and an urgent calling attached to being baptized. It's clear that God's gifts of life, love, and salvation are mediated in a miraculous way through baptism. We receive those gifts through faith - a work of the Holy Spirit who is also given us in baptism. Behind all those promises, furthermore, is a calling to live it out. Live as though you are redeemed. Baptism isn&...

Who might God call to himself that would challenge your spiritual and religious sensibilities? Is it an ethnic group? Is it someone who smells, thinks, acts, and talks differently? Or is it someone you’ve just written off? You’ve determined that John or Jane is just too far gone. Yet God calls them to himself. The abstract becomes real. Here’s one more: Maybe you’re someone else’s Jane or John. Yo...

Thank God for the example of these earliest Christians. They thought God's word neither quaint or forgettable. They were convinced that they needed to do something in response to this new awareness of their need. Thankfully God provides a way to deal with such moments when we become aware of our sin. Repent and believe. That's a call for us daily, and the way of life for all believers. Wil...

Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. We who hope for heaven must keep in mind that we live our lives this side of eternity and so do our neighbors who need our love and support. The real-life-today blessings of God are only an echo of the eternal blessings of God in Jesus. But they are a welcome echo to those who yearn for his blessings today.

Evil will ultimately and always collapse under its own weight. It cannot sustain itself. Death could not hold Jesus captive. He rose. He lives. He is reigning even now in the hearts of the faithful. And he who conquered death will grant to his own that same victory. We will be forever safe, joyful, and alive. It is impossible that it should be otherwise. It is not possible for God's good, grac...