Wayne Grudem Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine
Zack Eswine Preaching to a Post-Everything World: Crafting Biblical Sermons That Connect with Our Culture
The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership Powered Company
Mark Driscoll On Church Leadership (Book You'll Actually Read)
« Wednesday Links | Home | Pastoral Salaries: My Internal Struggle »
Thoughts from Scripture
By admin | April 11, 2007
The Scripture reading plan I’m on spends the first several months tracking the major storyline of the Bible and so right now I am in the NT, Acts specifically (all caught up and current). Here are a few things that struck me as I read Acts 4-6 today.
- Acts 4: I’m struck by how the apostles confidence in Jesus’ resurrection lead them to proclaim the gospel in hostile situations. I was reminded today that throughout Acts the “filling of the Holy Spirit” always, in every situation, leads to bold speech on behalf of the gospel - this in fact is the meaning of the phrase (context always determines meaning). So if I’m not proclaiming the gospel am I filled with the Spirit?
- Acts 4: The believers shared everything with one another, meeting the needs of others “so that not a person among them was needy.” I remembered how many have tried to chalk this up to an understanding of the immanent return of Jesus and therefore we can sidestep it. Shane Claiborne argues that you can’t live at an arms distance from those in need, simply giving money to a charity (I know the passage isn’t about poverty - these are just my random thoughts). Do I live like this - sharing with those in need?
- Acts 5: God used a Pharisee named Gamaliel to speak wisdom on behalf of the apostles: if this is of men it will fizzle if it is from God there’s nothing you can do to stop it. I’m reminded how we need advocates.
- Acts 6: The apostles appoint deacons - ministry assistants - to take care of the practical needs to that they do not “abandon [their] responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God.” First off the question in my mind is what kind of “and” do we have here, what kind of distinction is being made between preaching and teaching. (Might sound weird but the simple conjunction “and” can be used in various ways syntactically.)
- But more than that I am struck by what the apostles have been doing to this point, what their preaching and teaching has looked like. As far as I can tell their preaching and teaching to this point has been very gospel-centered and therefore evangelistic. This is striking because of the way we speak about preaching and teaching today. I don’t want to draw too many conclusions at this point, but it is interesting that their preaching and teaching doesn’t occur in small enclaves of believers “filling them up” to be sent out. No their preaching and teaching occurs in settings where vast numbers submit to Jesus. What does that tell us about preaching and teaching today?
- But also it is interesting, in this context, that their teaching is truly profound - leading to “learning/growth” by believers I’d say - but in the midst of that those far from God are evangelized. That is, the preaching and teaching seem to affect both groups of people - those who are believers and those who are far from God. it seems their mode of teaching was such that both groups were engaged in meaningful ways. What does that tell us about preaching and teaching today?
Some random thoughts from a Wednesday morning.
Topics: Church, Ideas, The Scriptures, Theology |
April 11th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
what plan are you using?
April 12th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Hey Brad, I’m using the plan from the guys who wrote The Drama of Scripture. Here’s the link:
http://www.biblicaltheology.ca/blueclass.htm
Hope that helps.
April 12th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
awesome thanks! i’ve been looking at new bible reading plans and this one excites me. i’m passionate about biblical theology!