The Message of the Miracle

In Acts 3, Peter takes advantage of the crowd that gathers to preach a sermon. This will become a pattern in the book of Acts: a miracle opens the door to a message. The healing of the lame man draws a huge crowd, a crowd ready to hear the gospel. Peter preaches the gospel, shifting the attention away from the disciples, away from the man who was healed, and places all the attention on Jesus Christ. After he tells the gospel story, Peter focuses on his listeners, confronting them with their sin, and calling upon them to repent and turn backThe…

Posted on Thursday, May 16, 2013 by CJ Bowen

What I Have I Give

In Acts 3, Luke illustrates the summary of church life that he just gave by pointing out one of the wonders that fulfills what we see in Acts 2:42-47. The heart of the story comes when Peter says to the lame man, “What I do have, I give to you.” So what did Jesus give the lame man through Peter and John? Four gifts: dignity, a deliverer, healing, and fellowship.How did they give the lame man dignity? Look at verse 4: Peter and John gave this man dignity by making eye contact. Nobody enjoyed interacting with beggars in the first…

Posted on Thursday, May 09, 2013 by CJ Bowen

Foundations of Community III: Trinitarian Variety in the Church

As we conclude this brief look at the Trinitarian foundations of true Christian community, we are looking at the appropriate diversity within the community. We’ve rooted our need for community in the fact that we were created in the image of a Triune God, a community of persons united in one essence. Last week, we saw that the heart of the Church’s unity we share one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. Since this is who God is, we want our community to bear the unmistakeable imprint of God. That way, we will begin to realize the true and ultimate purposeIf…

Posted on Wednesday, May 01, 2013 by CJ Bowen