Apostle Paul is more Popular at Harvard than Bayonce

"Paul, the Apostle" Statue at Cannakale Hotel

It must be the world’s biggest ever Bible course. When Harvard University offered its free online edX course about the New Testament writings of the Apostle Paul this month, it was stunned by the response: 22,000 people from 180 countries registered in just the first week.

Threads slowed and crashed trying to keep up with conversation online about the course. And on his debut day, the first century defender of the faith logged more interest than pop icon Beyoncé.

Read more here

I'm reminded of the Apostle Paul, who when in jail, penned these words: "It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this, I rejoice!" (Philippians 1:15-18)
 

MS and the Kingdom of God - Part 3 in a series

Pastor Hugh (fictitious name) arrived at the home of one of his friends. She was only 45 years old and she had received a nasty surprise at the clinic. Yesterday, she had been diagnosed with MS. The doctor said, "You should plan your life accordingly," and told her of many organizations that could give her support.

As Pastor Hugh rang her door bell, he asked for grace from the Lord to understand how he could help, whatever that might mean. She let him in, and after an hour of explanations and several moments when tears flowed freely, they prayed. Pastor Hugh said, "I'll talk to many people. We'll get all the help you need."

"I can't stay here in this house," she sighed. "The hallway is too narrow for a wheel chair; the bedroom door is positioned in such a way as to prevent me getting in and out easily. The bathroom door is too narrow, and the counters in the kitchen are too high if I'm going to be in a wheel chair." She and her husband had examined all the factors listed in the MS booklet provided at the clinic.

Six months later, Pastor Hugh returned to the home, having been there dozens of times since his first visit. With him were three people from the church; they had formed a committee to widen support for their friend.

Also with them, were several members of the United Way. The committee members from the church were part of the United Way, seeking creative ways to help individuals who might stay in their homes if some restructuring was done. The entire house had undergone a transformation. The hall ways were wider, the doors placed so that a wheel chair could easily move in and out. And at the back, an elevator had been installed so she could lower herself from the patio to the ground, 7 feet below.

The entire project, in which the church made it's needs known in the community had cost $40,000. Through this six month effort, three families who had not attended worship for years had come to know Pastor Hugh and his wife and were now attending worship regularly. One of the fathers was attempting to get his life back together; alcohol had deeply affected his relationships. Another man, who had been living common-law, was attempting to get his life in order. The emotional needs in these homes would require counseling, new circles of friendships and much grace.

Faced with a disease that could gradually take away her God-given abilities, the woman called Pastor Hugh. "Guess what! I've been selected to help our mission with a job I can do from home. It will take three days a week, just right for me."

He put down the telephone and asked himself, "Where was our church in all of this? Where was the Kingdom of God? Thank you Lord, for the privilege of serving in your Kingdom." Looking at his agenda, he sighed. Some young people in high school wanted to talk to him about the Kingdom of God and  abuses in social media. "Help me, Lord," he prayed. "Tomorrow is going to be difficult."

How to get through the dark places

This old cahoot ran in his boots.
Weren’t too many of anybody who believed he could. Read it all

The kids and I read about the old guy one night after supper and the dishwasher’s moaning away, crumbs still across the counter.

How the old guy ran for 544 miles. His name was Cliff Young and he wasn’t so much. He was 61 years old. He was a farmer. Levi grins big.

Mr. Young showed up for the race in his Osh  Kosh overalls and with his work boots on, with galoshes over top. In case it rained.

He had no Nike sponsorship.

He had no wife – hadn’t had one ever.

Lived with his mother. Never drank. Never ran in any kind of race before. Never ran a 5 mile race, or a half-marathon, not even a marathon.

But here he was standing in his work boots at the starting line of an ultra-marathon, the most gruelling marathon in the world, a 544 mile marathon.

Try wrapping your head around pounding the concrete with one foot after another for 544 endless, stretching miles.

They don’t measure races like that in yards – -but in zip codes.

Paul in Philippi - Part 2 - 56 photos to explain the first church formed in Europe

Traditional site of where Paul and Silas stayed in prison

Philippi - a city largely made up or retired Roman soldiers: it was not the place you might think would be the first church would be formed in Europe.

But then, visions and dreams and women at a prayer meeting beside a swift flowing brook aren't the normal combination of events for church planting, either. 56 photos and commentary here

Lydia may have sold her purple cloth in this market place

Add in a wealthy merchant woman who was dealing in purple cloth, and you have a home that would be open to traveling evangelists.

 However, given that Lydia was probably fairly aggressive in her speech and her sales approach in a city full of tough, battle-hardened retirees from the military, and the prospects for a peaceful, loving and joyful church might not have made it onto your number one spot for "10 Most Likely Cities for Beginning a Church".

Remains of an Ancient building in Philippi

Then, there was that pesky young woman who had the unusual ability to tell people's fortune, not to mention a free night in the city jail and the whips used on the evangelists backs.


That should have been enough to stop anyone from singing for joy at midnight. Can't you hear the cat-calls - "You guys in Cell 3! Please keep quiet. For heaven's sake, we're trying to sleep!" (Maybe mixed in with a few Greek swear words, too.)

Then came the earthquake and the Roman jailor and his whole house hold are saved, (1) in the sense of their relationship with the Almighty; and (2) in the sense that none of the prisoners got away, so "Daddy's not going to lose his head".

A very unusual beginning, and a very unusual continuation of the story - "Again - and again - I say rejoice." Paul certainly had a different approach to being joyful in the midst of difficult circumstances. "Oh, yes, just to remind you, keep rejoicing.

There's a good news story in the midst of a lot of hardship.

 

Suffering and the Kingdom of God: "The Joseph Insight"

PART 2 of a series on "The Kingdom of God".

Returning home from his conversation with folk after a service, the pastor decided to talk with some young people about the question he had been asked. He'd poured everything into his sermon, ending with Jesus' words, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all the other things will be added to you."

Six young adults sat with him after school one day. "I simply don't understand a thing about suffering," said a young woman. "My father yells at me. I suffer because of my skin blemishes. My grades aren't good right now and I've lost my part time job."

Three of the others echoed similar sentiments while one guy said, "I don't have any worries."

"Do you think suffering can prepare you for living out God's Kingdom?" asked the pastor.

"No way!" "Like, where's the connection?" "You're totally disconnected!" came the replies.

"Remember Joseph? Sold into slavery? Sent to Jail on false charges?" the pastor asked.

Silence. That little story seemed so far removed.

"No, listen, his life counted, a lot. He was a young guy just your ages when he was sold. Probably, his situation was as bad or worse than those in the movie, '12 Years a Slave'. He had been rejected by family members, those who were supposed to care for him. Now answer me this question: What prepared Joseph to talk to the Pharaoh and interpret those dreams? What feelings do you think he had when he was cleaning out toilets in jail?"

The conversation moved to what Joseph's agony at being wrenched from his family.

He had their complete attention. "I think suffering, in Joseph's life, was closely linked with the Kingdom of God. First, he was sold as a slave to a rich man. There he learned the language of the wealthy aristocracy in Egypt. After that, he could talk with the king, having learned to communicate with the top segment of society. In jail, he learned bad words, slang and low-down stuff. Not a life of ease in that pit. No, he probably had to endure that level of conversation again when dealing with common, poor men as he set up a system for storing grain. He had to motivate tons of people to part with their food - it was a kind of 'taxation' and who knew for sure that seven years of poor harvests were coming. He had the seven good years of harvests. During that time, Joseph needed to know the whole range of Egyptian language, dialects and manners, people from 'up the Nile' and from 'down the Nile' as well."

"You're trying to say the suffering we go through in daily life doesn't just impact our life at church, right pastor? You mean that what we are going through in our families and how we learn to see God in daily situations impacts those around us, right? Is that what you mean by 'living out the Kingdom of God?'" It was the young woman whose father had yelled at her for forgetting to turn off the lights, wasting electricity and his hard earned money.

"Sort of," came the reply with a grin. "Coffee's on me today," the pastor said, pulling out his wallet, as the thought through what he was going to say to the woman just diagnosed with MS, who he was going to meet at the clinic.

Paul in Philippi - Part 1 - 56 photos to explain Paul's Sharing of the Gospel in Europe

Philippi, which Paul visited at the beginning of his journey into Europe, was a strategic city. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of retired soldiers walked through its massive market place.

Paul couldn't find a synagogue, as he usually did when he started to preach, so he went to a creek that runs through the city. Lydia was one of several women who met for prayer. The significance of this site is profound: it was the first place in Europe where people - women in this case, folks - accepted the Gospel. Before long, the city was in an uproar because of the power of the Gospel. Read More

(Many people arrive
from all over the world between May and October to be baptized at the same place where Paul met with those women. The photo shows how the creek has been diverted to provide a place where believers can be baptized, supposedly in the same place where Lydia proclaimed her faith. Behind the small green "island" the water runs too quickly for a safe dip beneath the waters!)

Close by is a restored theater in which plays are performed during the summer months. (See photo).

This is an invitation for you to take a quick tour of Philippi and it's importance to the Gospel in Europe.

These 56 photos may be used in any way - for personal use, in small groups, or for teaching. Photos are free to be used - no charge.
 Read here

What does "Seek first the Kingdom of God" mean?

From Monday to Friday, what does God's Kingdom mean?

Following a service in which a pastor preached on "the family", a woman asked, "That last bit - about seeking first the Kingdom of God, what does that mean in daily life?"

Perhaps it's easy to speak about the "Kingdom of God", yet making it come alive, day after day, month after month,  for my spouse, for my kids - is that easy? And that part about "all these other things (food, clothes, money, relationships) will those really be "added" in? Isn't that a bit counter-cultural?

The pastor was temped to give a quick answer: "Be more faithful in coming to the church, to the youth fellowship for your girls, to the weekend event for your boys and to the mid-week service. Be faithful in giving to the church, the tithe, remember?"

However, he stopped. No, those are activities, not necessarily the "Kingdom". What's the difference?

Going home, he thought about it some more. "What did Jesus do to put 'The Kingdom' first? Of course, he didn't have three boys, like I do, who have hockey practice! And hockey practice on Sunday morning is their best "ice time". When hockey is over, its soccer and baseball... Does putting God's kingdom first mean God will pay for the ever-increasing cost of hockey equipment?

"Ah, Jesus did have time for people. But, constant interruptions - like Jesus walking along to raise a little girl from the dead, and then.... No, I hate being interrupted when I have to get another sermon ready, and this series on husbands loving their wives is challenging. After all, I just don't have enough time for my sweetheart. She's been telling me about that lately...think I'd better listen to her...but all these committee meetings I have to go to!

"Yes, Jesus showed us the kingdom, which let to rebuking others at times. Got after his followers for lack of faith. Hmm, I wonder how long I'd be pastor here if I questioned a few in the congregation - for gossiping, - or for doubting that we can help children of AIDS mothers in South Africa and still make our budget, or for that other guy's clever scheme to wiggle out of paying taxes.

"So, after she left the church building, she hears this all week long  - from the world: 'Follow the culture of our city! Make lots of money! Be secure for your retirement! Make sure the kids - each of them - have the latest technology and phones! Never take a break on Saturday or Sunday - there's too much to DO!' I'm exhausted just thinking how many ads she hears or sees during a week.

(I'll continue this topic... but in the meantime, what do you as a reader say to the question posed by the thoughtful woman at the end of the service. "That last bit - about seeking first the Kingdom of God, what does that mean in my daily life?")

Paul in Tarsus - 100 photos from a fascinating city that's important in church history

Roman road excavated in Tarsus, Paul's 'home city'

Paul in Tarsus - resources for understanding more about where Paul came from, who he was and the influences on his life.

100 photos and comments on each one, showing Tarsus (in present day Turkey), with some historical, cultural and religious understanding of Paul's background.

Read more

Discovering that no one has to go through a priest or teacher

The following comes from a close friend who has had more than dozens of similar experiences - Turkish men and women coming to meet Christ.

ZEYNEP is named after one of Mohammad's many many wives, but she is far from being a Sunni Muslim.  She is from an Alevi or Alawite sect.  She should be nicknamed "uninhibited."  We met her singing in English "Eye of the Tiger," yet she she knows no English.  We cried from laughter.

 Her extended family lives within "rock throwing distance" of the very port where the Apostle Paul set sail on his first missionary journey.   Nevertheless, no one here knows why Jesus was crucified.  Her Mom accepted The Lord Jesus months earlier.

On our second visit to their home we had an extended Bible study, 5 hours, where so many questions were dealt with as prompted by God's Spirit.  When we started to leave before it became darker and more dangerous to drive, ZEYNEP came out
to the vehicle to tell me to inform the volunteer team that none of them had to go through a priest or preacher since Jesus was our Mediator.

She reiterated over and over how wonderful it is that we can directly approach God through The Savior and bring everything to Him as we offer ourselves.

"Please tell them!," she said.  We left smiling because we knew she had been reading Mom's Bible, particularly Hebrews.

She now has every Christian book, pamphlet, music, and film that is available in Turkish/Arabic. She is a brand new born again believer and is telling others immediately about the Good News and even informing us about the "revelation" she has been reading.

You see, all she had ever heard concerned Christian religion, denominations, church tradition, religious men, holidays, ceremonies, marriages, dedications, and ethnic beliefs/superstitions.  May all of  us be uninhibited when it comes to speaking of what Jesus has accomplished.  This is the greatest News in the entire world!  Second to none!  

Tell someone today why Jesus had to die!

Christmas - Examining Dates and Events Through Math and Astronomy

 A doorway in Bethlehem

The emphasis of this blog usually focuses on mission and the effects of the Good News on people's lives. A.S. Haley is a remarkable lawyer who has dipped deeply into mathematics and the astronomy of the skies about 2,000 years ago. A series of blogs written by Haley is worth noting with a bookmark. You'll want to read his careful analysis of the events and may want to use them in conversations with persons who say, "I don't believe that story about Jesus. - It can't possibly be true."

The Nativity and the Star of Bethlehem

When Herod Ruled

The Star of Bethlehem and the  Nativity

Other evidence for the Date of the Nativity

Dating the Nativity - New Considerations

Using the Bible to Date the Nativity



On the Last Supper and the Crucifixion

Dating the Last Supper and Crucifixion