Returning to our childhood home can be hard, especially if we have changed in ways which are not clear to those still there. Paul has this on a grand scale as he returns to Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, where he spent
Stop and listen
Moments come in life when we need to listen to others, even when we would prefer not to do so. Many factors about us may hinder that from happening. But we need the humility to remove the blocks and hear
Pulling down walls
‘It is finished’ said the Saviour as he closed his eyes in death (Jo 19:30). To reach the point at which a task is done can be precious to us, especially if it is on our conscience as a duty
Racing towards danger
It can be very helpful to pause and ask ourselves the question: “What matters most to me?”. Or to put it a different way: “What would I want to get right in my life, even if I got everything else
Discipleship
Ephesus was a large city on the coast of Asia Minor (Turkey today). Paul previously visited it when heading home from Greece (Ac 18:19-21). Now he returns and stays for a long period, in order to establish a work which
Ticking clock
We live with ticking clocks in our minds, aware of time passing and of key life-events arriving. In his work, Paul was very conscious of a huge event the Lord had planned and which time was counting down towards. In
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
Ancient rules
James, the brother of Jesus and a pastor of the Jerusalem church, lays out in Ac 15:13-19 why it is acceptable for Jewish and non-Jewish Christians to worship together, without the latter converting to Judaism. However, one problem remains if
David’s big tent
Some disputes look insoluble to us: the two sides just can’t agree! But then, suddenly, a solution appears and it’s such a relief! In our verses, James, a pastor in the Jerusalem church, comes up with a great answer to
Grace abounding
Christians have received grace from God. This means we have been given a gift by God which is the very opposite of what we deserve. We deserve death; He has given us life. And this gift is hugely expensive: His