Day 2: Tito

Memory Verse:

"Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel."
-Phillipians 1:12

Leviticus 22

Verse 11 mentions that a slave may eat the food of his master if his master if he falls under the priest's household. This is very interesting, as in the next verse it mentions that not even the priest's daughter is able to eat from the priest's food if she is married and no longer falls under his household. What does this say about the authority of a father over the people of the household. Also, what does this concept parallel?

The priest eats a portion of what is sacrificed in thank offerings. Maybe it is because he is not allowed to eat anything that is unclean. Do you think this can relate to the Last Supper and what we now call communion in some way or another?

Psalm 36

Verses 10-12 are talking about the psalmists enemies again. He prays to God that God's love will continue for those who know God and in a way curses the proud. Just a thought.

Acts 14:6

Paul and Barnabas hear that they are going to be stoned if they stayed in the city. This was right after God gave them the power to perform many miracles and wondrous signs. Why do you think God did not save them from the hands of these people with the same power he used to heal others? I think it has to do with being wise and making a decision-they left.

I wonder how they must have felt to be called gods...it says that they tore their clothes. I feel that we Christians need to be more serious about our reverence of God. To them it was blaspheme...is there anything in our lives that we need to take more seriously and realize the extent of it in God's eyes?

After being stoned...they went back into the cities. I think there is a time and place for everything. They left a city when they had to. By doign that, they made the right choice because as we read in Phillipians "To live is Christ and to die is gain." They lived on to return to the same cities and continue what had begun! Let's be wise in our decisions. We can compare this to our evangelism with people. As Christians, let's not alienate ourselves from non-believers because of one instance/mistake we make...but let us be wise and find the right time to make the greatest impact possible in the name of Jesus Christ!

Day 2: Mac

Psalm 35

Psalm 35 is a cry out for God to bring justice to those who persecute him. He speaks with a voice of reverence to God and he mentions the wickedness of his enemies. verse 26 says "may all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion." in contrast verse 13 and 14 say "yet when they were ill, i put on sack cloth and humbled myself with fasting. when my prayers returned to me unanswered i went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. i bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. Here we see the psalmist take two apparently opposing sides: on the one side he mourns for his enemies and seems to love them like a Christ calls us to. on the other side he asks God to "go get em" in a sense. I have seen this in other psalms as well so the question i raise is: what is the balance between praying for relief from oppression and loving our enemies and what action should accompany loving our enemy.

Acts 13

Acts 13 is an amazing chapter that includes the longest sermon ever recorded by Paul. there are so many questions and profound points that this arises. I'm going to highlight a few of my favorite points and then ask a question. comment on either.

the first point I found interesting was the boldness of Paul. We know that Paul is an amazing leader and an educated man but here he takes a random opportunity to share the word of God with an entire city. It was customary at that time to ask visiting rabbi if he would like to speak. Paul took this opportunity to give the longest sermon recorded.
secondly it brings about interesting questions and statements about the old testament. Paul says "there fore, my brothers, i want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses." this provides insight into the relationship between the new and old covenent.

Finally I would like to comment on the presence and word of God in this chapter. at the beginning verse 2 says "while they were worshiping the lord and fasting, the holy spirit said "set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which i have called them" the audible voice of God is amazing and something i hope i get to experience some day so my question is this. Can we still hear God today. if we can what can we do to prepare our hearts to hear him, in this chapter the believers are worshiping and fasting before they hear the word of God, and Isiah 1:15 -17 says that God will not listen to the prayers of Israel. Isiah tells them to "learn to do whats right! seek justice." could it be that if we truly prepare ourselves for an experience with the Voice of God that we may actually experience communication, or is our communication in the present day limited to what we learn from the bible?

Day 1: Tito

Today was awesome! It's really cool to see how these stories all have something in common. The way I think we should do this is write down a couple of questions that will make good discussion questions. Mac will start today and we will alternate with the questions daily. Everyone will answer and discuss on that same post by clicking reply to post. Mac and I will be alternating the responsibility of asking questions daily.

Day 1

I hope this is as awesome as I think it's going to be!