Due to our sin, especially pride and idolatry, human beings always create societies which fall short of what God’s desires (Ro 3:12). Jesus, therefore, puts his people into a new kingdom which has a different lifestyle that does honour God
Back from the dead?
Life is full of disappointments – they are to be expected. Paul seems to have faced one of his in Athens. But these dark patches on our journey through life are not a sign that we’re on the wrong road.
Soul nagging
Irritation can rise when another person goes on at us about some part of our life. Yet such nagging can be needed if we are unwilling or unable to see an issue which needs addressing. That’s certainly the case in
Dead idols
Seneca, a Stoic philosopher of Paul’s day, wrote that death is just ‘non-existence’ and hence not something to be concerned about. The apostle, however, thought very differently and tackles such views head-on as he speaks, in our verses, in the
Nobility
Rest is a lovely gift from God and, at times, a very necessary one for our well-being. The city of Berea (modern Veria) becomes a place where Paul, though still working as a travelling missionary, briefly has a more restful
Upside down world
Every person has their own traits and personality. But when people come together – such as in a town or a team – the combined group can have traits and personality too. Luke uses that in Acts as he describes
The sound of silence
Keeping silent can, at times, be more powerful than speaking. Jesus took that approach with King Herod (Lk 23:8,9) and other authorities (Mk 15:3-5). In the proud Roman colony of Philippi, Paul adopts the same technique with its leaders when
Nine step strategy
Philippi was a Roman colony which gave, in Paul’s time, much adoration to the deceased Caesar Augustus. It was also a Macedonian city linked to the earlier emperors of Greece: Philip II and Alexander. So saying ‘Jesus is Lord and
Invasion
Landing on a heavily defended beach is the stuff of nightmares, as soldiers wonder if they’ll ever get off the sand alive. In a similar way, Paul & his team must have wondered how far they’d get when the Lord
Demolition gang
How do you look at history? Through dates? Politics? People? Social change? Local events? World events? We have multiple ways to picture history. For the first Christians, their focus was upon Israel – the nation whom God had chosen (De