The Promised Gift of the Holy Spirit Today’s passage: Acts 1:4–5, along with Luke 24:49 Focus verse: “John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:5) After Luke concludes his introduction to the book of Acts, straightaway he shares a story about Jesus and his […]
Luke Bible Study, Day 7 Today’s passage: Luke 3:21–38 Focus verse:“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22) When the people ask John if he’s the Messiah, whom the Old Testament prophets foretold, he tells them he’s not, but he’s indirect about it. By way of an answer, […]
The Father Is the Destination and the Savior Provides the Path Jesus tells Thomas, “I am the way.” The only way to get to the Father is through the Savior (John 14:5-6). He’s not a way. He’s the only way. Though many people uphold the Christ as the primacy of the Trinity, we must remember […]
Understand How to Respond to This Perplexing Practice A perplexing verse in Paul’s letter to his friends in Corinth mentions being baptized for dead people. What in the world does this mean? It sounds heretical. Can we be baptized for dead people? Well, I suppose so, but we shouldn’t expect it to accomplish anything. Should […]
Valued friends invite us to visit a church they’ve been going to for about six months. This surprises me: not the invitation part but that they’re going to an organized church and not the house church they’ve been involved with for several years. They now attend both, interweaving their participation as their schedule permits. Gifts […]
As a reference, I share attending our home church on Easter Sunday. This marks the end of 52 Churches and the start of More Than 52 Churches. Though I strive to remain objective in visiting churches, our home church forms the lens I look through. Consider these seven discussion questions about Church #53. 1. I […]
Our journey of visiting fifty-two churches in a year is over. I’m sad and excited at the same time. Our reunion with our home church community looms large. We will be home for Easter Sunday. It’s Easter, and we’re returning to the people we love and have missed. I expect a joyful homecoming and a […]
John Baptizes with Water and Jesus Baptizes with the Holy Spirit The third chapter in the book of Matthew focuses on John the Baptist and makes the transition to Jesus, the star of the rest of the book. This chapter also contains some teaching from John. He quotes Isaiah and calls for the Jewish people […]
Our journey is over. I’m sad and excited at the same time. Our spiritual sojourn of fifty-two churches has ended. Reunion with our home church, church 53, community looms large. Today is Good Friday and our Easter celebration will be in two days, but I can’t wait for Sunday. I desire a preview, a reminder […]
Explore Jesus’s Parting Words A few weeks ago we looked at Jesus’s final instructions as found in each of the Bible’s four biographies of him. Melding these together, we came up with three steps. First is to follow Jesus, second is to wait for Holy Spirit power, and three is to go and tell others. […]