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Cornelius was a “God-fearer,” a moniker that designated a Gentile who worshiped the God of Israel as the only true God, and who followed the moral code of Israel (while not participating in the ritual sacrificial system). They were not full converts to Judaism, but they did worship on the periphery of the faith. In Acts 8 we hear of the Ethiopian eunuch, who had gone to worship in Jerusalem at the...

Some of the lingering illnesses that people suffer cause us to pity them, pray for them, and reach out to them. Some do not seem to bother us at all. For many, a woman suffering from what amounted to a twelve-year menstrual flow simply does not register as a problem we care much about. After all, people suffer from much more serious ailments which are far more deadly. Embarrassing? Yes. Inconvenie...

The last embers of life were fading out in Jesus. He had endured a sleepless night, celebrating a Passover meal with his disciples before the temple guards arrived with Judas the betrayer leading them. This was followed by an arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, and then to hasty nighttime trials, a transfer to Pilate, the Roman procurator, then to Herod, the Jewish king, and finally back to Pilate...

Acts 27

Jairus, the synagogue ruler, was getting worried. When he left home to look for Jesus his daughter was alive, but just barely. By God’s grace he found Jesus quickly, and with very little effort was able to persuade him to accompany him back to his home, where she was waiting for his touch. Now a woman had stopped their progress by inappropriately touching the hem of the Master’s robe, causing him...

Acts 26

Nathaniel’s doubts were answered in a far more important way on the day he first encountered Jesus. Filled with questions about the dubious background of this new teacher Philip told him about, Nathaniel went to see for himself. Nazareth? Does anything good come from that backwater village in Galilee? But while approaching Jesus he overheard something that changed his doubts to belief instantaneou...

Acts 25

It has been said by some that we never need to say “thank you” to God because God knows everything and therefore already knows that we are thankful. This is likely not the most accurate line of reasoning. Although it is certainly true that God knows everything, to carry this reasoning to its logical conclusion would clearly indicate that we have no need to say anything to God, either in thanksgivi...

Acts 24

Saul was a Pharisee, which means he was a teacher of the Jewish law and a religious leader for the people of Israel. He trained under a famous rabbi of his time, the respected and learned Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). He was born into the powerful tribe of Benjamin, spoke Hebrew as a first language, and according to his own testimony, was “faultless” in his observance of the law. We do not know if he ever...

Acts 23

KNOW: Peter, like all of us, was flawed. He was also transformed by an encounter (and life) with Jesus. What he was, we are. What he became, we can be. DO: Receive the grace and mercy of Jesus. Live like you’ve received them. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that...

Only a few humans can tell a story about life after death from experience. Lazarus was one of them. Jesus and Lazarus were friends, but we do not know when they met nor how they had grown close. We only know that they loved each other, for when Lazarus was on his death bed, his sisters, Mary and Martha, sent Jesus a message telling him, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” Jesus, upon receiving the me...

Not all of Jesus’ disciples were men, there were women who considered him their master and teacher as well. Some of them were with Jesus through much of his earthly ministry, and some of them were responsible for meeting his and the twelve disciples’ financial needs. Jesus’ inner ring of disciples, known in the gospels and the book of Acts as “the Twelve,” were also designated by him to be apostle...

I must admit that there is a tinge of pity in me for Pontius Pilate. He was the Roman procurator, or governor, of Roman Palestine during the ministry years of Jesus. History tells us that he cared little for the Jewish people he ruled and less for their religion and what he saw as its endless trivialities. What he wanted was peace. Not that he abhorred violence, he could be as violent as the next...

Acts 22

A gentle stirring in the night, deep within the maiden’s womb. An overshadowing. In a world unseen by mortal eyes, a knitting together: Bone, sinews, eternal Spirit. That which was from the beginning, eternally begotten, timeless...now conceived. Supernatural hand withdrawn; nature accommodates. Cells divide and divide again. Blastocyst becomes embryo and embryo a fetus. A quickening. Messiah, cra...

Ever wonder what may be the least respected profession in our society? Lawyers get teased quite a bit, but in reality, they are generally well respected. Federal employees also take quite a ribbing, especially those who work for the IRS, but again, many people would love to work for the government. There really are very few jobs in America that pay well that do not have thousands clambering to sec...

Acts 21

Mary was born in the port town of Magdala on the sea of Galilee. She was a disciple and financial supporter of Jesus’ ministry, and one who had been delivered from demonic oppression through the healing ministry of Christ (Luke 8:2-3). We know precious little of her story, but we do know that she was brave enough, along with a few other women, on the Sunday morning after the Passover Sabbath that...

Acts 20

It got chilly at night this time of the year on the east side of the Sea of Galilee—the wind sweeping off the lake and over the rutted hills. The region was known as the Garasenes, but to the Jews it was simply no-man’s land. The Decapolis, Ten Cities, Gadara, it didn’t really matter what you called it, it was filled with Gentile sinners, pig herders, prostitutes, pagans and ne’er do-wells. Tonigh...

Acts 19

There are a handful of recorded instances of Jesus inviting a person to be his disciple. There are also a few recorded instances of a person seeking to be a disciple and being told by Jesus that he/she cannot be his disciple (in the sense of following him at that moment) but should instead pursue a different course. Our reading for today is one of two instances where Jesus invited a person to foll...