November 22

Martyrdom of Stephen - Acts 6:8-15, 7:1-60, 8:1

Religious hatred and the cruel will of a crowd continue today. These pictures are from 2007 when a girl was killed in Iraq for dating a Sunni boy. I could have illustrated today's reading with an artist illustration or Lego depiction of Stephen's death. But this photograph far better communicates the true honor and makes more remarkable Stephen's desire that the crowd be forgiven. Forgive us, Lord, that the killing of innocents continues.

The death of Stephen and the introduction to Saul. Stephen, like Peter and John, convicts the Jews of Jesus' death. Why was it Stephen's time to die? Did his testimony and death plant a seed in the heart of Saul? It is impossible to read the mind of God, to know the whys of life and death. Stephen sees the glory of God and Jesus just before he dies. And, like Christ, he asks for the forgiveness of those who slay him.

I want to see the glory of God. I want to see Christ. Before I die.

Lord knows.

November 21

Growth of the Early Church - Acts 3:1-26, 4:1-37,5:1-42, 6:1-7

Ok, so I google image-ded "God's Word" and this is one of the images that came up. Really, it's not just for Skid. I guess it's because the word is God's sword. And wouldn't God's sword be a light saber?

I'm not a scholar or even a really deep thinker or a reader of Hebrew and/or Greek. I can't tell you how the original language of the verse gives you deeper, richer meaning. So if you're looking for that, you won't find it here. Not that I downplay any of those things. It's just not me. I am just a reader and a writer. And I believe the scripture speaks to all ages, all people of all languages. That what you really need, you'll find here without benefit of the wisdom of man. That knowing God isn't a matter of I.Q. or reading ability. It's a matter of the heart. I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and convict us. I believe in miracles. I'll warn you. I tend to see the miraculous in everything. And the few miracles I've been apart of I can't prove beyond a shadow of a doubt. But if doubt didn't maintain its shadow, there would be no faith.

So what you have here is not my studied interpretation of the scriptures. Just my take as a person reading the Bible through in 2008 for the first time.

Here's a verse in today's reading that put to mind all that I've said in my opening above.

"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13

At the end of the day, I don't care how great a scholar or thinker people might think I am. I want them to note that I've been with Jesus.

In today's reading, I see men so changed by the power of Christ's resurrection that they can't contain themselves. Peter and John's preaching comes from the overflow of a joy that I want to know. They are still basking in the glow of the wonder of it all, 40 days with the risen Savior. They can't do anything but preach. And the rulers and elders and Sanhedrin can't stop them. They've barely begun and they already have a congregation bigger than ours at North Boulevard. And no worries about a church building. Ha, they live in a borrowed building.

"The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade." Acts 5:12

How do the religious leaders ignore these miracles? I know they're afraid of this movement and trying to stop it. But do they really want to plot the deaths of the apostles? The crucifixion of Christ didn't turn out so well, did it?

But even with the apostles leading and miracles and signs being done, there is still disagreement in the church. And, instead of being ignored, it is embraced and dealt with. The Grecian Jews felt their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. From it's very first days, service was at the heart of the church.

Lord knows.

November 20

Christ's Church and the Apostles (Ca. A.D. 30-100) Acts of the Apostles - Acts 1:1-5; Power of the Holy Spirit - Acts 2:1-47

Receiving the Holy Spirit...on paper plates.

So why is Luke the only one writing now? Why four gospels but only one Acts?

I love the simplicity of activity among the earliest believers as recorded in Acts:

FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47

Teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, prayer, sacrificing to help one another, doing amazing things, eating together, praising God and so inspiring other people. That's it? That's all we really need to do. I'll go first.

November 19

Jesus' Resurrection and Appearances - Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1-14; Luke 24:1-44; John 20:1-29, 21:1-24; Final Instructions and Ascension - Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:45-53; Acts 1:6-26; Conclusion to the Gospel Accounts - John 20:30-31, 21:25

What I got when I googled the image "John wins the race to the tomb." So I guess there are no pictures.

In contrast to His trial, crucifixion and death, there are some light, heartwarming moments during His appearances among His followers. I think Jesus is having fun now. And, because of Him, shouldn't we all?

Here are some of the moments that I think are fun. It is powerful that the women are the first to see Him risen. There is Peter and John's foot race to the tomb [won by John as he points out]. Jesus walking on the road to Emmaus with Cleopas and another - so he appears to women and non-apostles first - and they don't even know who He is until He breaks the bread [flashback to the Lord's supper]. He appears to Peter alone apparently and there is no descriptive record of that meeting...but you wonder if it was a private moment where Peter confessed his sorrow and over the denial and asked for forgiveness? What would have been Peter's first words to Christ alone?

Then there's His appearances to the whole group - and His moment with Thomas. Then, by the Sea of Tiberias in a sort of a reenactment of the scene when Christ called them years ago to be fishers of men, He tells them to cast their nets on the other side while they are fishing. There are so many fish they can't haul in their nets and Peter knows, "It is the Lord!" Then Jesus has a breakfast of fish cooked over a fire on the shore...what an intimate moment captured with the Christ. Then there is the ascension before many.

Jesus didn't just appear briefly or for a day and then head off to heaven. He appeared over a long period of time - 40 days - to different people in different situations - walking, eating, fishing, locked in a room. He spent time with them. Again, there is not enough detail revealed for my liking. I want to know every, every minute what happened and what people thought when Christ was there. John anticipates me and says the world couldn't contain that book. Yeah, but a few more details would have been nice. I am jealous of those who saw Him and had the faith to follow Him.

Speaking of those who witnessed and followed, what about the selection of Matthias? Why was it so important to have 12 apostles? Just to fulfill prophesy or keep up the symbolism - 12 tribes, 12 apostles? Was there any more practical reason? Because there were witnesses beyond the 12. So what happened to Joseph-Barsabbas-Justus who wasn't selected and what happened to Matthias who was? How would the Gospel of Justus or Matthias read?

Lord knows...and I'd like to, too.

November 18

The Crucifixion of Jesus - Matthew 27:33-56; Mark 15:23-41; Luke 23:32-49; John 19:18-37; The Burial of Jesus - Matthew 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42

This is an image from the Philippines where on Good Friday they issue health warnings for people who will be reenacting the crucifixion by having themselves actually nailed to a cross. No joke. Really, no joke at all. Note: On Google images, if you search the crucifixion there are 277,000 images but if you search Super Bowl, you get 3, 050,000 images.

This is it? I've read thousands of pages leading up to this moment in history only to find little more than 3 pages on his death and burial and tomorrow 6 pages on his resurrection and appearances as the risen Christ?

I ache for more detail.

I read the Old Testament anticipating the New and this moment. And it's over. Now there will be hundreds of pages helping us to understand the implications of His life, death and resurrection. But the moment itself passes so quickly. James Joyce's Uylsses follows one day in the life of Buck Mulligan and it's over 700 pages, depending on the edition. This day in the life of the savior of the world deserves more than a few pages. They were there. They saw it. Why couldn't they give us more? Why so little? But then, as few pages as it is, how many of us have read the full account of his death? There is no Linus on a stage reading about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ for us like there is His birth. So it goes.

I am amazed how much this is the story of the other people than it is about Christ. Christ is at the focal point but the story is filled with people and it is there presence at the cross that, for me, keeps the fantastic, human. How else could we really fathom the death and resurrection of the Son of the Creator without people to anchor us and give us a point of reference. And there are so many people and so many points of reference. There is Pilate and the chief priests arguing over the inscription fastened to the cross. Soldiers crucifying Him and gambling for His garments, piercing His side, announcing that truly this was God's son, guarding the tomb and being paid to lie about His resurrection. The crowd mocking, always there mocking. The two thieves talking with Him - one rejecting and one accepting. The women who were always there - His mother, His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene - at the foot of the cross. John, calling himself only "the disciple whom He [Jesus] loved," I'm not sure out of humility or our of pride, but he is given care of Jesus' mother. Joseph of Arimathea daring to ask for the body and then he and Nicodemus prepare and burying Christ. Why so much about the others and so little in comparison about Christ? Was it too terrible at the time? Did the writers and God avert their eyes? Did they look at the people around the cross rather than stare at the awful scene before them?

But what is here is like poetry, powerful in what goes unsaid, powerful in that a few words serve as many. Seven lines of poetry.

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.

Dear woman, here is your son. Here is your mother.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

I am thirsty.

It is finished.

Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.

November 17

Trial Before Pilate - Matthew 27:2-32; Mark 15:1-22; Luke 23:1-31; John 18:28-40, 19:1-17

Pilate is looking for every excuse not to kill Christ. But he's not a strong leader. Pilate's wife even warns him about condemning Christ. She says she's suffered a dream about Him. Interesting that Pilate's wife should have this kind of premonition. You have to wonder why her and was God speaking to her?

It's interesting to me too that Pilate tries to skirt the issue by sending Jesus to Herod and Herod sidesteps the whole deal by sending Him back to Pilate dressed in an elegant robe. And then this weird little piece of scripture - "That day Herod and Pilate became friends - before this they had been enemies." [Luke 23:11-12] Intriguing. What was their relationship based on? Did Pilate find Herod's dressing Christ in an elegant robe amusing? Does misery like company? Odd that their friendship should be marked by the moment that Jesus is tried. Would they commiserate and talk about the moment of their meeting the Christ?

Lord knows.

November 16

Betrayal and Arrest - Matthew 26:38-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:40-53; John 18:1-12; Trial Before Sanhedrin - John 18:12-27; Matthew 26:57-75, 27:1-10; Mark 14:53-72, 15:1; Luke 22:54-71

The statue purportedly at the place where the cock crowed after Peter denied Christ...three times...six times?

There are so many stories going on here - Jesus and Peter, how Peter deals with his denial of Christ and how Judas deals with his denial of Christ. The reaction of the Jewish religious leaders to their Messiah - their Messiah.

We focus so much on Peter and his denial and watching Christ from afar. What about "another disciple"? "Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside." Who is this other disciple? John is writing this. Is it John? John stays with Jesus if he is the unnamed disciple. He doesn't flee.

The way this chronological reading puts things together it looks like Peter actually denied Christ six times and not just three. He denied Him twice as many times as Christ prophecied. I don't think this is a condemnation of Christ's ability to see the future. Instead, it is an insight into His grace and His desire not to destroy Peter.

The six denials don't seem to be six individual events and not just retellings by the other gospel writers. Let's look at them:

1. Peter is questioned by a girl at Annas' door and Peter says, "I am not [one of Christ's disciples].

2. Peter sets down at a fire in the courtyard at Caiaphas' house and a servant girl says he was with Christ. Peter says, "Woman I don't know him."

3. Then when Peter goes out Caiaphas' gate another girl said he was with Jesus, Peter says, "I don't know the man!"

4. A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." And Peter says, "Man I am not!"

5. About an hour later, still at Caiaphas', people standing in the courtyard say to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." And Peter calls down curses and swears, "I don't know the man!"

6. Finally, one of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenges Peter, saying, "Didn't I see you with Him in the olive grove?" And even to this man who is a specific witness to the truth, Peter replies, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!"

Six times and the cock crows. Peter leaves weeping. Judas when he realizes that Jesus will die, admits his sin and hangs himself. So who truly feels the weight of his sin? Is Peter the better for having been able to deal with his sin than Judas who can't handle the horror of his actions? What makes Peter's story different than Judas'? That Judas' story ends right there? That Peter lives to let repentance work in his life?

Lord knows.