“Don’t miss this!”

Urgency and drama have always grabbed the headlines and today’s reading from Acts begs to be shouted out: “Jesus is our Messiah!”

Imagine for a moment stumbling across a game changer about everything in the way you approach life. That’s the shock and awe we find being communicated by Peter as he demands a hearing to explain why the biggest news maker of his audience’s world, Jesus, is no longer dead!

Good News

As Christians, we know all about good news. It’s what we’ve been commanded to share (Mark 16:15). And as spreaders of the Good News, we are helping to bring that refreshing water to the thirsty people who need it. In fact, there is a quote I’ve heard from many a pulpit that says, “Your life may be the only Bible some people read.”

Seeing God’s Glory

In the most dangerous circumstances Stephen sees “the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right side of God” (v 55). It’s as if God is saying to Stephen, “Your testimony is approved and I recognize your faithfulness.” God knows what is about to happen and he lays out the welcome mat for his witness, Stephen.

His claims infuriate the Jewish court and they lynch him.

A Message for Everyone

Paul is passionate about the gospel he proclaims. He recognizes human failure, but that is background only. Against that backdrop he shows how the grace of God has been moving through people’s failures to accomplish his purposes. As Paul finished his sermon he restates the major events in the life of Jesus, and rehearses the ways that people responded to him.

Keep on Keeping on

Some parts of the church give undue attention to the second half of Daniel and speak with great authority about its meaning. As for the rest of us, we are not left to walk totally in the dark.

Read More prophecy, faith, good news, oppression

Because He Lives

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he writes:

God saved us and chose us to be his holy people. We did nothing to deserve this, but God planned it because he is so kind. Even before time began, God planned for Christ Jesus to show kindness to us.