Our reading challenge for the day is Acts 16-20. I’ll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?
Acts 16 - See how when Paul drives a demon out of a girl and helps her he finds the city turning against him. That situation that looks very bad turns out for good. Not only is the girl healed, which is a good thing, Paul and Silas are released from jail and the jailer and his family are converted. See how quick Paul and Silas are to baptize the man and his household - in the middle of the night when he has first heard and believed on Christ.
Acts 17 - It’s the Jews from Thessalonica who cause Paul and Silas so many problems in Acts 17. I wonder what happened between that time and the time that Paul wrote his letters to the Thessalonians. Paul makes a very eloquent defense of the faith in Athens, but notice there are only a few who believe.
Acts 18 - Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1 that he determined to know only Christ crucified when he went to Corinth. A thriving church was established there, though not one that was without problems.
Acts 19 - In verses 1-7 some people see evidence for re-baptism. But many will see a difference between John’s baptism and Christian baptism. John’s baptism was as a result of repentance. It was a pledge that the believer made by receiving baptism. But Jesus’ baptism seems to be effectual, giving forgiveness, imparting the Holy Spirit. Christian baptism is not a mere symbol. This view is consistent with the supernatural character of God as we see in the remainder of the chapter. It’s this supernaturality of God which causes riots.
Acts 20 - As Paul speaks to the Ephesian elders he gives them commissions to continue to pass the Gospel on from generation to generation. Some churches consider elders as the equivalent of a board of directors rather than as people who engage in shepherding God’s flock. I wonder if we can recapture the idea of biblical eldership?
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