This week’s text shows us three types of faith: a lacking faith, a lying faith, and a liberating faith. The lacking faith is not incorrect, just incomplete. The lying faith is an imposter which needs to be exposed. The liberating faith is a life set free as it is immersed into the identity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

After leaving Athens, Paul traveled to the much different city of Corinth. There he was weary and afraid, likely because of the many obstacles he faced from his travels and even more so from the culture in Corinth he was surrounded by. Yet, God shows up. He provides community for him in Aquila and Priscilla, and Jesus himself speaks words of comfort and encouragement. This allows Paul the strength to stay in Corinth for a year and a half, speaking good news.

The words of Jesus to Paul are words for us still today.

Often, the work God has for us happens during what seems to be interruptions to our life. Paul found himself in Athens alone as a temporary escape from the threats in another city. Yet, God had him there for a purpose. This was a much different crowd, filled with many different thoughts and views on life. Yet, whether he was in the synagogue, the marketplace, or in the seat of philosophers, Paul had one message to bring: the story of Jesus.

Acts 16 gives us a snapshot of multiple characters coming to follow Jesus — and the sacrifices they made for others to hear the good news. When we are called to follow Jesus and to share the Kingdom with others, it comes at a cost. The promise is not that it will be easy, but that the King is with us to the very end.

In Acts 15, the council of apostles and leaders of the earliest community of Jesus followers had a question before them: ‘What determines whether a person is in Christ or not?’ Their answer: ‘The grace of God through the work of Jesus, not through our own work.’

This meant that the religious rules they had been taught to follow their entire lives, though they had their place, were not what saved them. This also meant the things that had distinguished Jews from the rest of the world as God’s own people were no longer dividing lines. Most of all, this meant that all people were welcome into the Kingdom of God as they recognized Jesus as King.

It is our worship of Jesus that saves us, not our works.

Charlie Meo, pastor of Missio Dei Tempe, visits us with a message from Acts 13:13-52. What happens when we are formed by God, together, but not for the sake of others? This is what Israel looked like. How have we patterned this? Are there any barriers or blindspots we haven’t realized we set up which keep others from coming into the community of God’s people? May we be a people formed by God, together, for the sake of others.

From Barnabas to Bar-Jesus, Acts 13 introduces us to a lot of new names. Each of them has a significant meaning and tells a story. Bar in the Hebrew/Aramaic means “son of”. Barnabas was ‘son of encouragement’ and Bar-Jesus, ‘son of salvation’. One of those characters lived up to their name. What name do you carry? How can you live up to the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit you have been called into?

A tale of two kingdoms: King Herod, aligned with the Roman empire, and the Kingdom of God Jesus came preaching. One seems to be oppressed by the other, to have far less power, yet actually holds the power over life and death. While the seemingly powerful kingdom brings death, the Kingdom of God brings rest.