Acts 15:1-35 – Gentiles Welcome!

Read Acts 15:1-35

Have you ever been on the ground floor of something new in your community? Our reading today is about one of those early meetings of church leaders to discuss issues facing new believers. Church leadership wanted to be on the same page about what the “new” laws would be. Christ-followers could now be Jew or Gentile, and that whole dynamic was huge in those days.

You’re a Gentile if you’re a non-Jewish person. Jewish believers had to really stretch to allow Gentiles to worship Jesus, too. It’s helpful to know the context here. The issue focuses on tradition and what should be expected of new followers who have no idea about Jewish traditions and laws. For generations, the Jews had done things a certain way according to the law of Moses. Their neighbors, the Gentiles, lived their lives in a totally different fashion. Continue reading “Acts 15:1-35 – Gentiles Welcome!”

Matthew 5:17-48 – How Jesus Teaches

Read Matthew 5:17-48

As followers of Jesus, we trust that what Jesus teaches us is what we should follow. Jesus helps us make sense of the laws God had introduced in the Old Testament under what is called the Old Covenant. Jesus ushers in the New Covenant promises that God made for those who follow Jesus.

As we seek to know how God wants us to live, listening to what Jesus has to say is helpful. Jesus never condemns the law but gives us a new way to understand it. It’s also helpful to remember God gave the law in the first place to help and protect his people. Continue reading “Matthew 5:17-48 – How Jesus Teaches”

Micah 6:1-8 – Be Humble

Read Micah 6:1-8

Micah is another prophet used by God who served at the time of Amos, Isaiah, and others. The message of the coming judgment and pardon available was just that important. God wanted to give his people every possible chance to save themselves. Even though we aren’t in Micah’s first audience, we can glean wisdom from how God addresses the wayward people of that time.

How would you respond if you were asked to state your case against God? Would you think of all the bad things that have happened to you and blame him? Or would you recall all the blessings he has given you, including the love He showed by orchestrating Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for you? Continue reading “Micah 6:1-8 – Be Humble”

Amos 5:21-24 – What Does God Want?

Read Amos 5:21-24

Our reading may seem a bit obscure at first, so it’s helpful to have a little context. Amos was a prophet living in the time of the more well-known prophet, Isaiah, who was used by God to warn the Israelite people of coming destruction. Amos also brought this warning to the people, and just verses before, he was pleading with the people to repent.

Despite being part of a section warning people of the coming judgment, Amos speaks wisdom to us in support of our theme, “Living as God Desires.” What do we see in that regard? Just a few verses earlier, in verses 14 and 15, Amos says this in his cry to repent: “Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people.” Continue reading “Amos 5:21-24 – What Does God Want?”

Psalm 15:1-5 – Living a Blameless Life

Read Psalm 15:1-5

God knows we will all fall short, yet we strive to attain the goals we set out for ourselves. If we limit our goals, we might miss out on what God has in mind for us. The psalmist, David, wants to achieve his goal of being in the presence of God. He asks and answers the question “Who is good enough to worship and enter into God’s presence?”

What exactly is the blameless life God hopes we live? Is there any chance we can pull it off? What sorts of things do we need to change to reach these standards? I like Google’s AI definition of a blameless life. “A blameless life is a life characterized by integrity, innocence, and a lack of wrongdoing, where actions and words are consistent, free from guilt and deceit, and aligned with God’s will.” The psalmist gives us some specifics. Continue reading “Psalm 15:1-5 – Living a Blameless Life”

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