The Simplicity of the Gospel (Acts 8:26ff)
I love the story of Philip and the Ethiopian in Acts 8. There is so much we can learn about God’s willingness to prepare people for the gospel of Christ. Philip follows the direction of the angel. The Ethiopian had been worshiping in Jerusalem and is now reading from Isaiah 53 when Philip walks up […]
Holy Spirit Part 3: Role in the Old Testament
Role in Creation: In the Old Testament the word for spirit is the same as the word wind and breath (רוּח) which occurs 378 times. From the very beginning the Spirit played a role in creation, “and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Gen 1:2). God’s Spirit not only assisted in the […]
The History of Samaritan-Jewish Enmity
In the New Testament there are several stories that give us a taste for the distaste of Jews for Samaritans in the first century. The two most prominent passages are in John 4 and John 8:48. In John 4, Jesus makes his way to Galilee by way of Samaria. In the city of Sychar he […]
Messianic Expectations
Use your imagination with me for a minute. Let’s say that I told you some details about something that was going to happen in the future: Across the street in your neighborhood there will one day be a change There will be no more houses but something larger than anything else in your town. There […]