The Only Living God demonstrates his power and glory by creating light in the midst of darkness. In the same way, the Son is sent to light up a world filled with death, decay, and sin. And those who have witnessed his glory, have been commissioned to shine.

With some possible changes on the horizon here at Bethel, today's passage in 1 Corinthians reminds us of the great end of our purpose in all things, and directs us where express rules are wanting.

After experiencing rejection once again from Israel's religious leaders, Jesus retreats for the last time into the region of Galilee to provide his disciples with more instruction. Here he questions his disciples before showing them a snapshot of the King's purpose and plan for his people.

As we read the narrative today of how Jonah finds himself overboard and in the water, let's take a step back from the story and look at some of God's attributes that are relevant in this passage.

After performing another miracle and feeding thousands upon thousands, Jesus is once again brought face to face with conflict. The teachers and religious leaders want proof that Jesus is from God and he rebukes them strongly for it.

Sin brings storms and tempests into the soul, into the family, into churches and nations; it is a disquieting, disturbing thing. It’s the Lord’s mercy that we aren’t consumed at the moment of our rebellion. Rather, the Lord’s is patient with our disobedience and chastises us in love until we submit and turn from our sins.

Sin brings storms and tempests into the soul, into the family, into churches and nations; it is a disquieting, disturbing thing. It’s the Lord’s mercy that we aren’t consumed at the moment of our rebellion. Rather, the Lord’s is patient with our disobedience and chastises us in love until we submit and turn from our sins.

Rebellion. We all know what it is because we all have committed it.

As we begin our study in the book of Jonah today, we quickly come face-to-face with the sin of Jonah’s rebellion (reminding us of our own). The Lord commands and we run the other way.

Today, we come to the close of our story. As we’ve peered into the life of the early church through the eyes of Luke, we have been challenged and puzzled and encouraged. I have grown admittedly attached to some of these characters, and Luke was not particularly concerned with tying up loose ends. Acts 28 ends with no fanfare. There is no finality, no closure. It hardly seems fair to have drawn us into the narrative and then shut the book in the middle of the action.

What will we do with what we have seen? What will we do with our stories in response to theirs?

There is a temptation, I think, to write these men off as heroic, to see their stories as unique and almost other-worldly. That is to have missed the entire point. These men and their circumstances were not fables or fairytales. God didn’t give us His Word to show us how things used to be. He hasn’t changed! The same purpose and power that were available to those early apostles are available to us. Looking to Peter and Paul and James and John, might we be encouraged to live lives of purpose for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ? Looking to the Holy Spirit, might we find the same grace and power that was available to the early church? When it’s His power and His grace that changes us, well, that changes everything.

May the twenty-eight chapters of Acts stir in us a hunger for the Lord who still writes stories for His glory in the lives of those who seek Him.

Today, we come to the close of our story. As we’ve peered into the life of the early church through the eyes of Luke, we have been challenged and puzzled and encouraged. I have grown admittedly attached to some of these characters, and Luke was not particularly concerned with tying up loose ends. Acts 28 ends with no fanfare. There is no finality, no closure. It hardly seems fair to have drawn us into the narrative and then shut the book in the middle of the action.

What will we do with what we have seen? What will we do with our stories in response to theirs?

There is a temptation, I think, to write these men off as heroic, to see their stories as unique and almost other-worldly. That is to have missed the entire point. These men and their circumstances were not fables or fairytales. God didn’t give us His Word to show us how things used to be. He hasn’t changed! The same purpose and power that were available to those early apostles are available to us. Looking to Peter and Paul and James and John, might we be encouraged to live lives of purpose for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ? Looking to the Holy Spirit, might we find the same grace and power that was available to the early church? When it’s His power and His grace that changes us, well, that changes everything.

May the twenty-eight chapters of Acts stir in us a hunger for the Lord who still writes stories for His glory in the lives of those who seek Him.