Missio Dei: Phoenix

This week’s text shows us three types of faith: a lacking faith, a lying faith, and a liberating faith. The lacking faith is not incorrect, just incomplete. The lying faith is an imposter which needs to be exposed. The liberating faith is a life set free as it is immersed into the identity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

After leaving Athens, Paul traveled to the much different city of Corinth. There he was weary and afraid, likely because of the many obstacles he faced from his travels and even more so from the culture in Corinth he was surrounded by. Yet, God shows up. He provides community for him in Aquila and Priscilla, and Jesus himself speaks words of comfort and encouragement. This allows Paul the strength...

Often, the work God has for us happens during what seems to be interruptions to our life. Paul found himself in Athens alone as a temporary escape from the threats in another city. Yet, God had him there for a purpose. This was a much different crowd, filled with many different thoughts and views on life. Yet, whether he was in the synagogue, the marketplace, or in the seat of philosophers, Paul h...

Acts 16 gives us a snapshot of multiple characters coming to follow Jesus — and the sacrifices they made for others to hear the good news. When we are called to follow Jesus and to share the Kingdom with others, it comes at a cost. The promise is not that it will be easy, but that the King is with us to the very end.

In Acts 15, the council of apostles and leaders of the earliest community of Jesus followers had a question before them: ‘What determines whether a person is in Christ or not?’ Their answer: ‘The grace of God through the work of Jesus, not through our own work.’ This meant that the religious rules they had been taught to follow their entire lives, though they had their place, were not what saved t...

Charlie Meo, pastor of Missio Dei Tempe, visits us with a message from Acts 13:13-52. What happens when we are formed by God, together, but not for the sake of others? This is what Israel looked like. How have we patterned this? Are there any barriers or blindspots we haven’t realized we set up which keep others from coming into the community of God’s people? May we be a people formed by God, toge...

From Barnabas to Bar-Jesus, Acts 13 introduces us to a lot of new names. Each of them has a significant meaning and tells a story. Bar in the Hebrew/Aramaic means “son of”. Barnabas was ‘son of encouragement’ and Bar-Jesus, ‘son of salvation’. One of those characters lived up to their name. What name do you carry? How can you live up to the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit you have been called...

A tale of two kingdoms: King Herod, aligned with the Roman empire, and the Kingdom of God Jesus came preaching. One seems to be oppressed by the other, to have far less power, yet actually holds the power over life and death. While the seemingly powerful kingdom brings death, the Kingdom of God brings rest.

A reflection in Psalm 138

A psalm of lament. A psalm of hope. A psalm of reassurance of the God who sits on the throne. A psalm of Asaph.

From Prosperity. To the Pit. To Praise. Psalm 30. A psalm of David.

A summary of Acts 10 and 11, revealing that nearness to God is available to all people of all nations, everywhere, because of Jesus.

In this scene of Acts we see a community at peace, a man healed, the marginalized cared for, and a woman brought back from death to life. These miraculous things were a preview of what is to come in fullness one day. The works of Jesus, pointing us to the ultimate work he has accomplished at his death and resurrection and we will fully experience at his return. In the power of his Spirit, we too c...

The Spirit of God continues to work through ordinary men and women. Philip is one of those willing participants in God’s work, partnering with the Spirit to bring the message of good news of the Kingdom of God through Jesus, to even the least likely of people. God is building His family and community and gathering people from all tribes, tongues, and nations together, as one.

Acts 8 gives us a snapshot of another ordinary man filled with the extraordinary power of the Spirit of God. Philip traveled to Samaria to bring the good news of Jesus to a people traditionally hated by Jewish men and women. There, he encounters a man named Simon who is using another power to gain control and status in the community. Yet his power is no match for the power of God — so Simon wants...

Stephen was an ordinary man, who was filled with the extraordinary love, wisdom, and power of the Spirit of God. In this love and power, he was able to share good news with many. When he was confronted with those who were angered and threatened by the way of Jesus, the Spirit gave Stephen the words to retell the Story of their faith, and show how Jesus was the culmination of that Story. And when t...

As the good news of Jesus was spreading throughout Jerusalem and forming a new community of people, it was turning life upside down as everyone knew it. For some, they were radically exchanging everything they ever knew for a new way of life, even giving up their possessions in order to share and care for others. For others, it was a threat to their way of life, with the possibility of taking thei...

The story of Ananias and Sapphira is one that often strikes fear and trembling… or sparks confusion. Yet, this story of an event that took place within the very first community of Jesus followers is important to see the holiness of God, the rebellion of people, and the unchanging gracious pursuit of God for His people.

There is no other name by which we are saved. What does this statement claim? What does it mean? How did it radically transform a community of oppressed and scared people? What does it mean for us to carry the name of Jesus with us now? To be immersed into his name? This is what Easter and the resurrection is all about!

In the book of Revelation, we find we are reading someone else’s mail. Jesus sent a message through John to specific churches in Asia Minor. But the Spirit has preserved these words to speak to us still today! The final community addressed was the church in Laodicea. The common picture of a lukewarm church where Jesus stands knocking at the door is found in this letter. Yet, as we look deeper we m...

In the book of Revelation, we find we are reading someone else’s mail. Jesus sent a message through John to specific churches in Asia Minor. But the Spirit has preserved these words to speak to us still today! The community of Jesus followers in Philadelphia was small and had little power. They had been displaced from their home by earthquakes and even when they were able to go back and rebuild, t...

In the book of Revelation, we find we are reading someone else’s mail. Jesus sent a message through John to specific churches in Asia Minor. But the Spirit has preserved these words to speak to us still today! Sardis was a well guarded city positioned against rocky mountain terrain. Because of this, there is only a history of them being attacked two times — both times were because their watchmen f...

In the book of Revelation, we find we are reading someone else’s mail. Jesus sent a message through John to specific churches in Asia Minor. But the Spirit has preserved these words to speak to us still today! Jesus’ first words to Thyatira sound almost as if they are an ideal church, living with faithfulness, love, service, and endurance. Yet, they are caught up in the same traps Pergamum was — g...

In the book of Revelation, we find we are reading someone else’s mail. Jesus sent a message through John to specific churches in Asia Minor. But the Spirit has preserved these words to speak to us still today! His message to Pergamum begins with encouragement for continuing to proclaim the name of Jesus as Lord faithfully in a city hostile to their faith. Yet, they have mixed in idolatrous practic...

In the book of Revelation, we find we are reading someone else’s mail. Jesus sent a message through John to specific churches in Asia Minor. But the Spirit has preserved these words to speak to us still today! Jesus’ message to the church in Smyrna was one of hope. They were a small, destitute church living in poverty and under oppression — for the sake of the Gospel! Jesus reassured them that he...