Shalom Aleichem...
Reflections is a weekly Christian Teaching Ministry. Each week we will talk about the Bible and lessons we can put to use in our daily life. We will try to, on a weekly basis, provide to you stories, thoughts, and just easy ways to live your life on a straight path.
THIS WEEK'S TEACHING....May 13, 2019
We are currently in our study of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. This portion of the Bible shows us how 12 men began the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What started as a small group has since blossomed into a church of over 2 billion world wide. This week I would like to focus on our mission as a church, to step out and share our love for the Lord with everyone we meet.
Acts 1:8, 2:11 – The Mission of the called...
The disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am w/ you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20
I believe the mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity. So with every fiber of my being, through classes, teaching, our C4/Islands Hospice Volunteer Team and Reflections, I hope to lead us to be the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus to others. My prayer for us is that we will step out of our four walls and into the world under the influence of the Holy Spirit to bear witness to others what Jesus has done and is doing in our lives today.
In Acts 1:8 – Jesus told his disciples that when the Holy Spirit came upon them – they were going to become witnesses (people who’d give an eyewitness account of what they had experienced w/ Him) in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world. And this is what the books of Acts is about – it is the story of what happens when the unstoppable force of the Holy Spirit collides with a willing soul who is convinced that Jesus is who He said He was and did what He said He would do to provide forgiveness and mercy to all who would believe and by faith receive His grace.
The heart of these teachings on Acts is built on a promise Jesus made to His disciples that upon His departure, He was going to provide them with an amazing gift – the Holy Spirit. And once they received this gift they were going to initiate an unstoppable movement that would carry the good news of God’s love and Jesus sacrifice into the world.
In Acts 2 – we find the story of this transaction, better known as the day of Pentecost. Pentecost is when all heaven broke loose and God showed up in a powerful way to release His church into an unstoppable movement known as the Great Commission. The Foursquare Church is founded on the Scripture in
Acts 2:4...4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Let us look at the highlights:
The Disciples were EMPOWERED
When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech. Acts 2:1-4
The Gospel was EXPLAINED
But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Men of Judah and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this to you and pay attention to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only (9) in the morning. On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: Acts 2:14-15
Lives were ETERNALLY Transformed
When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles:
“Brothers, what must we do?” “Repent,” Peter said, “and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:37-38
The Church was ESTABLISHED
So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. Acts 2:41-42.
Next Week....We begin to look at just what it takes to move out in boldness, to become the Christians that God wants for His Army.
We are currently in our study of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. This portion of the Bible shows us how 12 men began the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What started as a small group has since blossomed into a church of over 2 billion world wide. This week I would like to focus on our mission as a church, to step out and share our love for the Lord with everyone we meet.
Acts 1:8, 2:11 – The Mission of the called...
The disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am w/ you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20
I believe the mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity. So with every fiber of my being, through classes, teaching, our C4/Islands Hospice Volunteer Team and Reflections, I hope to lead us to be the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus to others. My prayer for us is that we will step out of our four walls and into the world under the influence of the Holy Spirit to bear witness to others what Jesus has done and is doing in our lives today.
In Acts 1:8 – Jesus told his disciples that when the Holy Spirit came upon them – they were going to become witnesses (people who’d give an eyewitness account of what they had experienced w/ Him) in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world. And this is what the books of Acts is about – it is the story of what happens when the unstoppable force of the Holy Spirit collides with a willing soul who is convinced that Jesus is who He said He was and did what He said He would do to provide forgiveness and mercy to all who would believe and by faith receive His grace.
The heart of these teachings on Acts is built on a promise Jesus made to His disciples that upon His departure, He was going to provide them with an amazing gift – the Holy Spirit. And once they received this gift they were going to initiate an unstoppable movement that would carry the good news of God’s love and Jesus sacrifice into the world.
In Acts 2 – we find the story of this transaction, better known as the day of Pentecost. Pentecost is when all heaven broke loose and God showed up in a powerful way to release His church into an unstoppable movement known as the Great Commission. The Foursquare Church is founded on the Scripture in
Acts 2:4...4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Let us look at the highlights:
The Disciples were EMPOWERED
When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech. Acts 2:1-4
The Gospel was EXPLAINED
But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Men of Judah and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this to you and pay attention to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only (9) in the morning. On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: Acts 2:14-15
Lives were ETERNALLY Transformed
When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles:
“Brothers, what must we do?” “Repent,” Peter said, “and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:37-38
The Church was ESTABLISHED
So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. Acts 2:41-42.
Next Week....We begin to look at just what it takes to move out in boldness, to become the Christians that God wants for His Army.
DID YOU EVER WONDER???
Stories like this, always have a way of putting the right perspective on life...
Jean Thompson stood in front of her fifth-grade class on the very first day of school in the fall and told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her pupils and said that she loved them all the same, that she would treat them all alike. And that was impossible because there in front of her, slumped in his seat on the third row, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were unkept and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy was unpleasant.
It got to the point during the first few months that she would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then marking the F at the top of the paper biggest of all. Because Teddy was a sullen little boy, no one else seemed to enjoy him, either.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's records and put Teddy's off until last. When she opened his file, she was in for a surprise. His first-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright, inquisitive child with a ready laugh." "He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."
His second-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy continues to work hard but his mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class. He is tardy and could become a problem."
By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem, but Christmas was coming fast. It was all she could do, with the school play and all, until the day before the holidays began and she was suddenly forced to focus on Teddy Stoddard.
Her children brought her presents, all in beautiful ribbon and bright paper, except for Teddy's, which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a scissored grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents.
Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of cologne. She stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume behind the other wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed behind just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to."
After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and speaking. Instead, she began to teach children. Jean Thompson paid particular attention to one they all called "Teddy."
As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. On days where there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne. By the end of the year he had become one of the smartest children in the class and...well, he had also become the "pet" of the teacher who had once vowed to love all of her children exactly the same.
A year later she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers he'd had in elementary school, she was his favorite. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy.
He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still his favorite teacher of all time.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still his favorite teacher.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still his favorite teacher, but that now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that Spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering...well, if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the pew usually reserved for the mother of the groom. And guess what, she wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And I bet on that special day, Jean Thompson smelled just like...well, just like the way Teddy remembered his mother smelling on their last Christmas together.
THE MORAL: You never can tell what type of impact you may make on another's life by your actions or lack of action. Consider this fact in your venture thru life.
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE...A TEACHING
In our walk through the Books of the Bible, this week we look at the Letter of Paul to the Corinthians...
Who wrote the book?
Paul’s authorship of this epistle is widely accepted in the scholarly community, though it was not the first letter Paul wrote to the Corinthian people (see 1 Corinthians 5:9). We know that the Corinthians misunderstood an earlier letter from Paul (5:10–11), though that letter has not survived. Therefore, it is Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians that we know as 1 Corinthians—the first letter to the Corinthians that God inspired.
Four years prior to writing the letter we know as 1 Corinthians, the apostle had spent eighteen months in Corinth, so he was intimately familiar with the church and many of its congregants. The recipients of the letter must have understood the letter’s significance, not only to their own circumstances but for the church worldwide. In AD 95, Clement, the bishop of Rome, wrote a letter of his own to the Corinthians in which he invoked the authority of Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians. Only a few decades after its origin, this letter to the Corinthians had traveled outside of Corinth and was considered authoritative beyond its initial Corinthian context.
Where are we?
Paul had been in Ephesus for more than two years on his third missionary journey when he received a disturbing report of quarreling within the Corinthian church, a report he received from people associated with one of its members, Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11). The church he had founded so recently (Acts 18:1–17) had already developed deep divisions, a situation that required immediate action. Paul penned his letter in AD 55, just as he was planning to leave Ephesus for Macedonia (1 Corinthians 16:5–8).
Why is First Corinthians so important?
First Corinthians contains a frank discussion of the church and the issues that impacted real people in the first century. The Corinthian church was corroded with sin on a variety of fronts, so Paul provided an important model for how the church should handle the problem of sin in its midst. Rather than turn a blind eye toward relational division and all kinds of immorality, he addressed the problems head on. In his bold call to purity within the Corinthian church, Paul made it clear that he was willing to risk the good opinion of some in order to help cleanse the sin that tainted the church.
What's the big idea?
First Corinthians addresses reports that Paul received from Chloe’s household, as well as a letter he received from the church itself (1 Corinthians 7:1). In this letter to the church at Corinth, Paul covered a number of different issues related to both life and doctrine: divisions and quarrels, sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, marriage and singleness, freedom in Christ, order in worship, the significance of the Lord’s Supper, and the right use of spiritual gifts; he also included a profound teaching on the resurrection.
The line of thought that joins these topics together was Paul’s emphasis on Christian conduct in the local church. The apostle expected that Christian people would live according to Christian ideals, or as he told them, “You have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body” (6:20).
How do I apply this?
Corinth was a large, international metropolis, filled with people from different backgrounds. Idol worship to gods such as Aphrodite was particularly prominent in the city, though Corinth contained numerous temptations far beyond her temples. In this sense, Corinth was very much like a modern urban area, containing unending opportunities to engage in sinful behavior without any apparent consequences.
Such a community clearly had a negative influence on the Corinthian church. But notice that Paul’s instruction to the believers was not to retreat from their city. This was not Paul’s vision for the church then or now. Instead, he directed us to live out our commitment to Christ ever more faithfully in the midst of nonbelievers. Paul expected that we Christians would shine our light into the dark places of their world by worshiping in a unified community that was accountable to one another. He expected that we would settle our problems internally, that we would encourage one another in the pursuit of purity, and that we would strive together by holding tightly to the hope of our bodily resurrection to come.
What can you do within your local church to make this kind of community more of a reality?
HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED WEEK:)
Ho'omaikaʻi ka Pua iā kākou