F. Scott Spencer's reading offers a guide through the book of Acts, charting both narrative features (plot development, character development, and shifting points of view) and cultural scenarios informing the story (honor-shame contests, patron-client relations, and purity-pollution boundaries). Within this "literary-cultural" framework, Spencer maps the time, place, and circumstance of each segments of the Acts journey. The element of surprise is maximized, so that the commentary reads like a first time exploration of the text.
Filled with adventure, the New Testament book of Acts tells of thrilling escapes, people in peril, conflict and intrigue, travel through the ancient world, storms and shipwrecks, and steadfast faith amidst overwhelming obstacles. Join Pastor Ray Stedman in what he calls God's unfinished book, as he brings the history, adventure, and profound but practical meaning of this book to life in readable, everyday language.
Are you truly willing to risk everything? In Believing Jesus, Bible teacher and author Lisa Harper retraces the steps of the apostles in the book of Acts, while throwing in a few of her own crazy adventures along the way. The disciples didn’t have much of a road map after Jesus ascended to heaven, but God’s grace and spirit filled in the gaps as they moved forward. It required their willingness to risk everything to establish a new community that would change the future world. As a regular speaker on the Women of Faith® tour, Lisa has earned a reputation as a true theological scholar and hilarious storyteller—not necessarily in that order! Best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado calls Lisa one of the “best Bible tour guides around.” Believing Jesus will highlight both of Lisa’s strengths as she tackles every chapter of the Book of Acts with biblical wisdom and modern wit. Lisa keeps it real, telling stories on herself and pointing readers back to Jesus, the only one who can truly lead.
Journeying with Luke is the first of four volumes that offer brief and accessible guides to the Gospels for learning and reflection. Following the Revised Common Lectionary, each chapter corresponds to a season of the liturgical year and the Gospel passages read during that season. The reader will find an introduction to the biblical text that looks at historical and literary themes; imaginative new ways to encounter the text in preaching and study, including poetry; and reflections on the text's meaning for contemporary Christian life. Each chapter ends with an action item, questions for reflection, and a prayer. Perfect for sermon preparation, devotion, or group study, this resource will serve as an indispensable guide to the journey of encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Luke.
Journeying with Luke is the first of four volumes that offer brief and accessible guides to the Gospels for learning and reflection. Following the Revised Common Lectionary, each chapter corresponds to a season of the liturgical year and the Gospel passages read during that season. The reader will find an introduction to the biblical text that looks at historical and literary themes; imaginative new ways to encounter the text in preaching and study, including poetry; and reflections on the text's meaning for contemporary Christian life. Each chapter ends with an action item, questions for reflection, and a prayer. Perfect for sermon preparation, devotion, or group study, this resource will serve as an indispensable guide to the journey of encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Luke.
The Acts of the Apostles reveals a God at work. However, what do God's actions reveal about God's character? This question drives the present study, whose ultimate goal is to discover what portrayal Acts constructs of God through God's actions. Aarflot demonstrates how Jesus's ascension and the development of the gentile mission prove key to Acts' distinctive portrayal of God. The study explores what happens to the characterization of God when Jesus's character comes to resemble God through the ascension, noting in particular the effect of ambiguous language that might refer to either God or Jesus on the portrayal of God. It also considers how Acts depicts God through actions in Israel's past in relation to the narrative present. This is done by looking at how God is characterized at decisive moments of Acts' plot. The resulting observations are ultimately synthesized in a final chapter presenting the portrayal of God in Acts. The results of the study have implications for the discussion of the impact of Christology on theology, and furthers the discussion of "God" in the New Testament by delineating a constant, yet developing image of God, and solidifies previous research's observations on the centrality of God's actions to Acts' narrative.
What makes this commentary on Luke stand apart from others is that, from beginning to end, this is a literary analysis. Because it focuses solely on the gospel as it appears and not on its source or origin, this commentary richly and thoroughly explores just what Luke is saying and how he says it.
Journeying with Mark offers a brief and accessible guide to the Gospel of Mark. Perfect for personal reflection and sermon preparation, this inspiring resource follows the Revised Common Lectionary. Each chapter corresponds to a season of the liturgical year and the Gospel passages read during that season. The reader will find an introduction to the biblical text that looks at historical and literary themes; imaginative new ways to encounter Mark in preaching and study, including poetry; and reflections on the text's meaning for contemporary Christian life. Each chapter ends with an action item, reflection questions, and a prayer. Also available: Journeying with Luke: Reflections on the Gospel, Journeying with John: Reflections on the Gospel, and Journeying with Matthew: Reflections on the Gospel.
Think about sin and the cross—the way that salvation changes who we are and how God sees us. It’s a central part of our faith, and yet it’s one of the most confusing and difficult things to teach. Especially to a room full of teenagers. In Taking the Cross to Youth Ministry, Andrew Root invites you along on a journey with Nadia—a fictional youth worker who is wrestling with how to present the cross to her own students in a meaningful way. Using Nadia’s narrative, along with his own insights, Root helps you reimagine how the cross, sin, and salvation can be taught to students in a way that leads them to embrace a lifestyle that chases after Jesus, rather than creating teenagers who just try to “be good.”
