December 10 - Gentiles & Jesus

Read: Acts 10:34-48

And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. (Acts 10:45 ESV)

If you're reading this then chances are pretty good that you can be classified as a gentile. No, not gentle—well maybe, but a gentile. A person of non-Jewish heritage.

Christianity began with Jews. Jesus was Jewish. He came from a Jewish family, as a descendant of a Jewish King, as an answer to a promise given to the Jewish patriarch Abraham. However, his penultimate charge to his followers was to spread the Gospel to the world. The plan was always that Jesus would redeem all of humanity! All people groups! Not just the Jews.

God does not discriminate. He loves all people, in all places, in all circumstances. He longs for them to return to Him. Instead of being surprised by the differences of the people who come to Him, we should enthusiastically embrace the opportunities for diversity that the Kingdom of God affords our church family.

December 9 - From Persecutor to Proclaimer

Read: Acts 9:20-25

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20 ESV)

The story of Saul of Tarsus is incredible. He first came onto the scene of scripture as a persecutor of Christ's first generation of followers. But after a roadside experience with the resurrected Jesus—Saul was irrevocably ruined as a Pharisee.

No longer could he stomach the jealous hatred that drove his order to dog the early church. He began immediately to demonstrate a powerful understanding for the scriptures from the Prophets and other Old Testament writings. He used his established position as a Pharisee to leverage opportunity to speak in the local synagogues, where he declared Jesus to be the Son of God.

Saul the persecutor became Paul the Apostle. His conversion is even cited as one of the largely held evidences supporting the historical truth of the resurrection of Jesus. He would go on to write the majority of the New Testament, and his disciple Luke would write most of the rest. Not everyone makes the impact in life that he made, but when Jesus saves us we do change.

December 8 - Saul & Jesus

Read: Acts 9:1-19

And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4 ESV)

Saul was on his way to arrest Christians in Damascus. He was hoping to stop the followers of Jesus from spreading their message beyond Jerusalem. But everything changed for him when Jesus intervened.

A blinding light stopped him in tracks. And Jesus Christ spoke to the young Pharisee, charging him with carrying on the very same message he had set out to destroy. Saul was blinded by the light, but carried out the instructions of The Lord and was healed.

Saul's conversion story is incredible. He had an amazing encounter with Jesus—someone whom Saul believed to be dead. But the risen Christ appeared to Saul on the road. And though his journey took him to the same destination his course was forever changed the day that Saul encountered the powerful truth of Jesus.

December 7 - Philip in Samaria

Read: Acts 8:4-8

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. (Acts 8:5 ESV)

After Stephen's brutal murder Christians came under very heavy persecution in Jerusalem. Saul rose up among the Pharisees and led the charge, arresting people in droves and dragging them off to prison and death. In many ways the death of Stephen was a catalyst for the spread of Christianity.

Philip, like many others, fled from the persecutors. He travelled to Samaria and began to preach the Gospel. Lives were being impacted by the truth of his message, because lives are always changed by the power of the Gospel.

But what if Philip had not preached in Samaria? What if he had merely tried to blend in to their culture, avoiding persecution and confrontation altogether?

Philip, like Stephen, like Jesus, and like so many since—simply refused to stay silent about the hopeful message of the Gospel. Philip preached the truth of the Word of God and it changed a city. Where will God use you to declare and demonstrate His love for those around you?

December 6 - Gaze Into Heaven

Read: Acts 7:51-60

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55, 56 ESV)

Stephen preached the truth of Christ in Jerusalem and was shaking up the status quo. Grace and power followed his message. Lives were being changed. The religious elite were not happy—Jesus was gone but his followers continued to proclaim his life and message. They drug Stephen to court, trumped up false charges, and asked him to defend himself.

Instead of defending himself Stephen preached his final sermon. It was an exegetical masterpiece as he wound his way through the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms to declare Jesus as the promised Messiah. He delivered solid truth, unflinchingly, to a mob eager for blood. And it was more than they could handle.

As he drew near to the end of his message he looked up, perhaps for a measure of reassurance and comfort. The power of the Holy Spirit came upon him and he had a supernatural vision of God and Christ there with him. The declaration of Jesus' position was more than the ruling authorities could handle.

Not only was Stephen obviously not going to be shut up, but here he was publicly declaring Jesus alive and well. He was stating outright their powerlessness. They were enraged. They attacked and killed him, stoning him to death.

The truth so offended these leaders that they were willing to forsake everything they pretended to serve in order to justify themselves. The truth of Jesus forces a reckoning. Some will accept it, many will reject it. Stephen gazed into Heaven and saw with supernatural eyes the wonders of God. I pray that the truth of Christ would prompt us all to do a little Heaven-gazing.

December 5 - Full of Grace & Power

Read: Acts 6:8-15

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8 ESV)

Jesus' followers are supposed to be like Stephen. We are supposed to be people who are full of grace and power. People who do great wonders and signs.

Stephen was so impactful as he ministered in the name of Jesus that it bewildered the extremely religious Jewish leadership. So much so that, just as they had done to Jesus, they decided to have Stephen killed. They concocted a phony trial with false witnesses, and they besmeared his reputation through villainous slander.

Stephen remained full of grace throughout. And it was only by the power of God that he withstood their torments. In fact, the whole ordeal only served to better illuminate the power of God at work in Stephen's life.

Today when Christians talk about God's power they are often looking for something supernatural or miraculous. I believe those things can and do happen, but perhaps more often the power of God works in His followers to sustain them through difficulty. Grace and power are fully at work when a lost sinner is made to shine like a saved saint.

December 4 - You First

Read: Acts 3:11-26

God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness. (Acts 3:26 ESV)

Peter didn't pull any punches during his first sermon. He was letting them have it. Both barrels. He recounted the mission of Christ, the life of Christ, the heritage, and the qualification. He turned their murderous actions around on them.

"Jesus was sent to you first!" he declared.

He was not wrong. Jesus showed up in the Judea wilderness performing miracles and preaching repentance. He went to God's people, the Jews, first. Many followed him, while many more rejected him outright.

What if Jesus had come to you first? How do you think you would have responded? How we respond to others now is a direct reflection of our belief about Jesus. Let's strive to serve Jesus by serving each other.

December 3 - In Jesus' Name

Read: Acts 3:1-10

But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. (Acts 3:6, 7 ESV)

Three little words. "In Jesus' name." Where I'm from they are almost the token ending to every prayer I have ever heard, and quite a few that I have prayed. But there is power in Jesus' name. It is a special name.

Peter knew there was authority in the name of Jesus. He had experiential knowledge of the power of Jesus. Also, he had faith—and was emboldened by the Holy Spirit—to proclaim healing for the crippled man at the gate.

The name of Jesus gets thrown around a lot by people who assume that its a magic set of syllables. Too often people wrongly assume that they can declare something supernatural will happen, sprinkle the name of Jesus around—and then POOF, that thing has to happen. That's not how it works. It has never worked like that.

Peter rightly understood that authority rested with Jesus. The power was from the Holy Spirit. And that the combined faith of the parties involved activated the work that God was looking to do in the life of the crippled man. Peter knew that in Jesus' name he had access to God, he had access to power, but he did not have control.

December 2 - Peter Preaches Jesus

Read: Acts 2

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." (Acts 2:22-24 ESV)

By all human accounts and logic, it would seem as though Jesus left the future of human destiny in the hands of eleven men. It would seem. And certainly they each played an epic part. But the apostles are neither the story nor the point of the story—though each were proclaimers of the story.

Peter was a fisherman, who became a follower, who became a leader. He made the eventual transition from fishmonger to fisher-of-men. But there were many bumps on his journey.

Peter made numerous mistakes. He was brash. He was stubborn and dense. He was both an agitator and a coward, a brawler and betrayer. Peter was a tumultuous wreck of a man with only one notable trait among a laundry list of scruples. Peter loved Jesus.

On the day that Luke recorded in the second chapter of Acts, a day often referred to as the Day of Pentecost, Peter changed. Gone was the fumbling disciple and scrambling coward. Peter arose a leader. A preacher. The proclaimer.

Jesus had promised a power would come. And while in person God was with them in limited form, on the Day of Pentecost God revealed himself in a new way. It changed everything. The Holy Spirit emboldened, encouraged, and equipped a once-dull fisherman to stand up before a crowd, in a city full of people that had just murdered his master, and challenge the status quo.

Peter preached Jesus, and thousands responded.

December 1 - The Ascension

Read: Acts 1:6-11

While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51 ESV)

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. (Acts 1:9 ESV)

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19 ESV)

After years of traveling together, teaching, healing, preaching, and working. Jesus was gone. He left. Even death had not kept him from them, his disciples. Impossibly, he had returned to spend another month with them. But as the month drew to an end he encouraged and blessed them one more time, and was then taken away into the heavens. He ascended.

A lot of belief systems talk about an ascension. They talk about the possibility of you or I making our mark on this life in such a way as to gain unfathomable understanding. That through doing so we would ascend. Ascension in these religions is about the power of a person to overcome their limitations. It is a self-serving action devoid of a larger interpersonal purpose.

Jesus ascension was real. He was there, and then he was pulled away into Heaven. People saw it, they talked about it, they believed it, they wrote about it. It happened. It was a true historical event that actually took place.

Jesus didn't ascend under his power, but by the power of the God the Father. He was called away to again be in the presence of God. He went ahead to prepare an eternal home for his followers. And I believe that one day, just as he ascended, he will descend again to gather his people to himself. Jesus ascended not for personal gain, but for providential purpose. Just as he gave himself in life, and in death, he even now he gives of himself in eternity.

November 30 - Cram Session

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3 ESV)

Having been part of university life for nearly half of my life there are certain aspects of collegiate culture that are almost second nature to me. Cramming is something that I hear about all the time, it's not usually called that anymore, it's usually referred to as an "all-nighter" these days, but they mean the same. Both are when someone stays up all night before a big test to spend time studying.

Jesus allowed his disciples one final cram session. It was a 40 day all-nighter. One last shot for them to learn and latch on to the principles and passion that would be needed to steer the burgeoning Christian movement.

The resurrection changed things for them. It invited revelation and understanding surrounding the three previous years the eleven had spent in community with Jesus. It have context for all that Jesus had talked about. And it pushed them out the door toward their final lifelong test.

Jesus had one more season to train, teach, and mentor. He took a little over a month to do it. They learned from the master himself. The test was coming!

November 29 - Witnesses

Read: Luke 24:44-50

You are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:48 ESV)

Jesus appeared to the eleven on Mount Olivet. During his final instruction before he left he recounted the purpose for which he had came. He reiterated the part of the disciples to come. And finally, he stressed to them the uniqueness of their calling.

Many people experienced Jesus during the numerous public appearances of his ministry. An unknown number were the recipients of miracles at his hands. But only a handful of men were chosen to be called witnesses.

They watched, saw, and partook in Christ's ministry in ways that were unique to their experience. They received personal instruction and encouragement from Jesus. And when the torch was passed they were responsible for all that they had witnessed.

What have you witnessed?

November 27 - All Authority

Read: Matthew 28:16-20, 1 Corinthians 15:6

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (Matthew 28:18 ESV)

Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:6 ESV)

Jesus appears to the eleven apostles and five hundred believers on Mount Tabor. He charged them to share his message. He gave them guardianship of the Gospel. And he encouraged them to rely on their representative authority based on his own complete authority.

Jesus is the ultimate authority. Many passages outlined by the Old Testament prophets speak about the ruling servant king, the Messiah. John the Apostle's oft studied Revelations describes the story of the One and Only Jesus returning for his Bride, the Church, and initiating his eternal reign of authority.

On a practical level, we can live, love, and laugh just a little bit freer today knowing that any authority we possess is a gift from our greater authority. Jesus holds the key to the Kingdom of God. He holds the power of the Creator. He holds All Authority.

November 23 - Jesus Sends

John 20:19-23

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21 ESV)

The resurrected Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples as they hid out in the Upper Room. They were afraid of the other Jews, and for a good reason too. The Jews had just held a sham trial and then executed Jesus right in front of everyone.

Jesus appeared to them, and then charged them with the mission of reaching the very people they were fearful of. The journey of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was to begin in Jerusalem and then make its way around the world.

Jesus sent his apostles out to the nations. They carried the message all over their world. What message is Jesus charging you to carry? Where is he sending you?

November 22 - Jesus the Resurrected Man

Luke 24:36-43

See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (Luke 24:39 ESV)

Some pretty incredible events transpired in a room that has came to be known as the Upper Room. First, the Last Supper was held there and it is where Jesus instituted Communion. Also, Jesus appeared to ten of his disciples there following his death and resurrection.

Seeing Jesus was almost more than they could bare. Their minds couldn't take it. It was inconceivable, even to those who had seen Jesus do the impossible time and time again. Some thought he was merely a spirit, and not actually the resurrected Christ. Jesus put that thought to rest by challenging them to see his scars and to touch his skin. He challenged them to experience his resurrected body.

He is still challenging us to experience the resurrection. He beckons us to him to find hope, healing, and forgiveness. Not to just a spirit; but to the resurrected Son of God.

November 21 - Peter Saw Jesus

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:3-5 ESV)

I can't help it. When I consider death I think of the finality of it. It just sounds like an ending. And, in spite of my belief about the afterlife, anytime someone I am close to dies it feels like a forced goodbye.

I think Peter must have felt much the same way about Jesus. The resurrection wasn't something to they were counting on. No one had done it before. And even though Jesus told them exactly what would happen! it seems like they largely missed the point.

So when Jesus began to appear to his disciples I can't imagine how they must have felt. It would have been like seeing something you believed to be impossible happen right before your eyes. Like seeing a fallen leaf fall up or a man flying under his own power.

Death feels certain. And life after death unknown. We believe, and we hope we know, but we don't know for certain. Peter had his conviction steeled the day the risen Son of God appeared to him. The man he loved demonstrate the reality of his deity by returning to life. Everything changed for him he day that Peter saw Jesus.

November 18 - Running to Jesus

John 20:1-10

Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. (John 20:4 ESV)

Peter and John heard that the tomb of Jesus was empty, but they had to see it for themselves. So they ran all way there. John outran Peter, but Peter went in first.

They saw the empty tomb. Jesus was not there. They believed him to be alive, but they didn't yet understand the significance of the event. It was unprecedented.

Today, it is still unprecedented. People don't just come out of tombs. When we run to Jesus we aren't running to the grave. We're running to the grave robber. We're running to life.

November 17 - Alive!

Read: Matthew 28:1-10

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:6 ESV)

Jesus was raised from the dead after three days in the tomb. He had talked about it, predicted it, and then he did it! The authority of Jesus and declaration of his divinity was he resurrection. It is the linchpin of Christianity. Without Christ's resurrection there is no redemption. There is no second chance at a renewed life.

Jesus brought people back a few times during his ministry. Each time was a notable event, but his resurrection was altogether different. When Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb Lazarus was still just a man. He grew old, and eventually he died. The other people that Christ raised all would go on to carry out the natural course of their life. Jesus was different. Jesus didn't lie in a tomb for three days, become miraculously revived, and then go on to die an old man at a later date.

Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, is the inky one to ever be resurrected. His return to life was not temporary—it was permanent. He defeated death, and by his conquering resurrection he has called us into life eternal. He left death behind, and one day so will we.

November 16 - Prophecy: Ressurection

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. (Psalm 16:10 ESV) Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:10, 11 ESV)

For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ (Acts 2:25-28 ESV)

1000 years before Jesus David prophesied concerning his resurrection. About 300 years later Isaiah prophesied the same thing. The Messiah would not stay buried.

The resurrection was the most pivotal moment in all of history. It changed everything. And it was foretold by a couple of guys generations before the birth of Jesus.

November 15 - After Three Days

Read: Matthew 27:62-66

and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ (Matthew 27:63 ESV)

Once Jesus' body had been entombed a group of religious zealots gathered before Pilate. This was the same group that had had Jesus murdered. The same group that had regularly pitched a fit over Jesus performing miracles on the Sabbath were gathering with Pilate on the Sabbath to get someone to seal the tomb.

They remembered Jesus' own words. They remembered his promise to rise again. And they were so blinded by their religious idiocy that they thought to thwart it, proof that they never actually comprehended what was about to happen.

Pilate granted their wish. The tomb was sealed. Guards were posted. The religious goons were satisfied. No one was going to steal he body of Jesus. No one would make false claims about his resurrection.