Acts 2:14-41 (spring AD 30) I can’t off-hand think of a bolder or more potentially self-destructive way to conclude an evangelistic sermon than by telling everyone that they killed God. But that’s what Peter did. He was in front of at least 3,000 people, possibly many thousands, preaching from the Old Testament to prove that … More Day 144: Evangelising Murderers
Acts 1:12-26 (spring, AD 30) “Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem…they went upstairs to the room where they were [all] staying…They all joined constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers” (1:12-14) So much was going on for the disciples (now termed ‘apostles’ as Jesus was … More Day 142: Constantly in Prayer
Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11 (AD 30: during the 40 days after resurrection) After his resurrection, Jesus was on earth for forty days before he returned to heaven. He made a number of appearances, including the following, more or less in chronological order (we don’t know when all of them were): Mary Magdalene Peter … More Day 141: The things that Jesus began to do
John 21:1-25 (spring AD 30: during the 40 days after resurrection) Peter denied – three times – that he was a friend of Jesus. The third time he was asked, Peter got agitated and swore angrily. Jesus asked Peter – three times – whether Peter loved him. The third time he was asked, Peter got … More Day 140: Like a dog greeting its owner
Day 137: John 20:19-23 (spring AD 30, Sunday – the final evening of Passion Week, and one week later) “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (verse 23) This verse has led to much confusion, being leveraged by those who seek an unbiblical … More Day 137: God’s forgiveness is granted by God
Matthew 28:9-15 (spring AD 30, Sunday morning of Passion Week) It is truly astonishing that a bald-faced lie – debunked immediately – would still be so popular, but you still hear it: “The disciples must have stolen the body”. Never mind that they didn’t have any weapons, but the 10-20 guards were fully armed. Never … More Day 135: An awkward reality
Mark 15:42-46; Matthew 27:62-66; Luke 23:55-56 (spring AD 30, Friday night to Saturday of Passion Week) Spoiler alert: Jesus rose from the dead, as we’ll see in the next reading. Now we’ve established that, it’s useful to note from today’s verses – regarding events before the resurrection – how the gospel writers inserted important details … More Day 133: God gives us history as well as hope
Mark 15:33-41 (spring AD 30, Friday of Passion Week) To start with a side note, Mark doesn’t expand on it but he does mention the only people left who stuck with Jesus. Not his twelve closest friends, not the biggest beneficiaries of his miraculous healing powers, but “Some women” (v.40). They had been faithfully serving … More Day 132: The Day of Atonement
Matthew 27:26-44; Luke 23:39-43 (spring AD 30, Friday of Passion Week) How did Jesus suffer in these verses? Let us count the ways: Whipped (Matt 27:26) Put a crown of thorns on his head (Matt 27:29) Spat on him (Matt 27:30) Beat him over the head with a large stick (Matt 27:30) Mocked him about … More Day 131: The many sufferings of Jesus
Day 128: Matthew 27:3-10 (spring AD 30, Friday of Passion Week)https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A3-10&version=NIV Remorse is not the same as repentance, regret is not genuine sorrow for sin, and merely feeling bad achieves nothing. Judas Iscariot, a greedy thief during Jesus’ ministry, did what came naturally to him: made money any way he could, no matter the cost … More Day 128: An implosion of guilt
Paul T Reynolds 