Jesus has many names and descriptions in Scripture. As we move into the Advent season, we're focusing on three each week.
Week 1:
- The Alpha and Omega
- The Lamb of God
- The Light of the World
This week we cover "church history". For years this was my least favorite subject in school... but I was wrong - understanding our history tells us a LOT about our present.
In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul introduces his favorite metaphor for the church - the Body of Christ.
Acts 10 records the story of Peter's vision and the visit with Cornelius. Peter's vision changed not only his attitude, but the direction of the church forever. If Peter doesn't get this right, the Church doesn't grow beyond the Jewish believers of the day.
Link from class: https://careynieuwhof.com/why-the-church-needs-to-decide-on-its-real-mission/
There's a LOT that happens in these chapters. By the end of chapter 5, there are over 5,000 men (plus women and children) who have come to Christ!
Jesus said "I will build my church". When He said that in Matthew 16, He was looking forward to the time the disciples would quickly learn to lead as Jesus intended.
In Acts 2, we take a look at the Day of Pentecost.
One of the most important words Peter uttered before the cross is found in Matthew 16: "You are the Christ (Messiah), Son of the living God."
Jesus goes on to tell the disciples for the first time about the Church and His impending death for them.
As we finish out the book of Nehemiah, we see a familiar problem.
For 12 years, Nehemiah was the governor over Jerusalem before he returned to Babylon to serve the King. We're not sure when he returned (probably around 2 years later), but when he did, everything had fallen apart. The priests, levites and those who took care of the temple had abandoned their tasks. Even the most ardent enemy of Nehemiah had moved into one of the storage rooms in the Temple!
Once the walls were done, Nehemiah turned his attention to restoring the people.
Nehemiah 6 gives us a glimpse into the intense opposition he faced as he completed the task God had given him. With each plot, Nehemiah responded with insight, wisdom and a firm belief in God's revealed plan.