So what goes into a sermon? (part 2)

During the pouring over process of the text, I had an unlikely visitor in the person of Conrad Meadows. A rare sighting indeed!! We talked shop and about the desperate straights that our churches are in. We had some really good prayer time and pleaded with God to bring revival. Also, we prayed for a lady in our churches who is not feeling well. The prayer was effective in that while on our way to her house, she passed us going to work. God had answered before we even knew it!!

The book of Acts was written by Luke the Physician and is the sequel to the Book of Luke. Many scholars agree with this accept for a few nut jobs. The internal and external early church fathers' evidences are good for pointing to Luke as the author. Luke was a skilled writer and investigator and was familiar with the Old Testament. He was a Greek God-fearer who was attracted to Judaism. The occasion of the book of Acts is of one showing the fulfilment of God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ and the early Church through the power of the Holy Spirit through reliable eye witnesses testimonies with built in encouragement for ongoing evangelism. No matter how great the opposition, God's word will not fail and their faith can be secure. (I wonder if the Church of today really believed this, how different it would be? )

This is just an overview of all the info I read today and already knew. To get a good idea about Acts 26, one would be wise to read the Book of Acts or at least start at Acts 21 to find out how Paul got in this predicament. This book reads like a who's who. Basically all the trouble started when Paul made a purity vow and was seen in the temple. The people thought he brought in a gentile with him, which brought with it the death penalty. Well, this started an uproar and a mob scene with Paul in the middle feeling like a human wishbone. This incident got the Roman authorities activated with a military intervention. Paul found himself in Roman custody where he would be for two whole years.

The truth was that Paul considered himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I wonder what our first reaction would be if we were thrown in prison for following God? I mean all the guy wanted to do is make peace by making a purity vow. Instead of belly aching, he used this circumstance for an opportunity to witness to everyone he came into contact with; courtesy of the Roman empire. Ya gotta luv it!!