A Chapter a Day Keeps the Devil Away

  The Acts of the Apostles   A CHAPTER A DAY – Read Acts 1. For those of you who do not know Acts is the second book written by the author identified as Luke (a later follower of Paul.) Here at the beginning of the second book, we see a retelling of the story at the end of the first book much as we might see at the beginning of a sequel in a television show or a movie. The two stories are similar but there are a couple differences. Here he points out that Jesus was on earth after the resurrection for 40 days – similar to the time in the wilderness being tempted early on in the gospel and the 40 days of rain at the time of Noah and maybe even the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness by Moses and the Israelites. We will celebrate the Ascension of Christ into heaven 40 days after Easter.    The disciples want to know if now is the time that Jesus is going to “Make Israel Great Again!” I think they are looking for Jesus to take charge and rule as king. But he ma...

  The Gospel of Luke   A CHAPTER A DAY – Read Luke 1. Here we have the first book Luke writes to Theophilus with a well-ordered account of things so that he can have a firm grasp on what he has already been told about Jesus. This is a very long chapter but much of it may be familiar as it gets retold during the season of Advent. Reading it this time I noticed the Holy Spirit being present in more places than just the baby John jumping in his mother’s womb.    The story starts by telling of Zechariah and Elizabeth and though they are older they do not have a child. Later in verse 25 she will comment about having felt disgraced by this in the culture of her day. But here in the telling Zechariah meets the angel Gabriel in the Temple while going about his duties and the angel tells him they will have a child and that they will have joy and gladness. His name is to be John. That sounds much better than disgrace or shame! But Zechariah questions and seems to doubt s...