The Story a Last Word

I have enjoyed reading and summarizing The Story with you. I hope you have grown in your trust of our living God. Enjoy this chapter-by-chapter summary of God’s storyline for humanity.

In Jesus,

Randy Russell

1. Creation by God; people in His Own image; selfish sin by humans
2. Abraham living by faith: for a place, a son & becoming a nation
3. Joseph: you meant it for evil, God used it for good
4. Moses drawn out of the water; Israel drawn out of Egypt
5. The Law from God; a golden calf against God; the place of meeting
6. Forty years of wandering; Moses passes the torch of leadership
7. Joshua- the taking of the Promised Land by the exiles
8. Judges- regional rescuers vs doing what is right in their own eyes
9. Ruth makes herself available to be redeemed
10. From regional silos to a national quest for a king
11. David brings a united kingdom
12. As a man after God’s own heart David rebounds back to God
13. Solomon, a promising life unfulfilled
14. The one kingdom becomes two
15. Elijah & Elisha- prophets displaying God and challenging kings
16. A few good prophets in a dying Israel
17. Israel & Judah fall and are exiled to foreign lands
18. Daniel- no serving of foreign gods
19. Returning to the land- there is no place like home
20. Esther- God uses a beauty contest to save the Jewish people
21. Living with boundaries- the Law and the city walls
22. The Gospels- What child is Jesus?
23. Jesus came preaching the good news & healing people
24. Jesus gave an invitation and challenge to enter the kingdom
25. Jesus is more than a man, He is the Son of God
26. Jesus died an intentional, preventable death…but it was God’s will
27. Up from the grave He arose and the resurrection message
28. Acts- Jesus returns through His church
• The gospel goes Mediterranean
• Return mission trips expand the church
29. Pastorals- Paul mentors as he pours out his life as a drink offering
30. Revelation- Our God Reigns

Chapter Thirty-one

The week of August 26


The End Time

There are many differences and much discussion about Jesus' return for His own people. The when and the how are debatable, but the what: that Jesus is coming again to the earth for His people, is certain. When He comes, we go. Various prophesies in the Old Testament and descriptions in the New Testament (like 1 & 2 Thessalonians and the Gospels) tell of this event. In some places it seems like life will be just normal before this happens (people will be marrying and giving others to marry). At other times it seems catastrophic (earthquakes, wars, in-fighting, & immorality).

The Bible ends with the Book of Revelation written by the Apostle John. He wrote to seven churches in the province of Asia (modern Turkey) from his exile on the Isle of Patmos. Much of this is symbolic, but symbolism does have a correlation with the reality of what will happen.

PP 459-62 John wrote on behalf of the One on the throne, Jesus the faithful witness, and the Spirit: Look, He is coming on the clouds. Every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of Him. Spectacular sights and descriptions followed: The Son of Man among seven lampstands (churches), eyes like blazing fire and a voice like rushing waters. These seven churches each received a dictated letter from Jesus through John. Their messages apply to us today.

All the churches had something that was positive: deeds, hard work, perseverance, intolerance of wickedness, testing truth-tellers, not growing weary. They each had at least one thing that was wrong with them: forsaken their first love, did not repent, being dead, neither hot nor cold. These positive and negative qualities also represent modern day strengths and weaknesses of churches. Which of these are most familiar to you?

PP 462-6 John then received the vision of the end of the world as we know it. A vision of the throne of God was multi-sensory and almost too rich for John’s eyes. All of creation, from jewels and colors to thunder and lightning, from angels to elders to four living creatures like nothing we have ever seen, were all worshiping God: Glory, honor and thanks to Him Who sits on the throne and Who lives forever. Why is God awe-inspiring and not awe-ful (or fearful)?

Various seals were broken unraveling the scrolls. The Lamb Who was slain was standing at the center of the throne and received praise and worship from all who were alive, millions of people and angels. A wedding and banquet were about to happen, with Jesus as the groom and those who believe in Him, the church as His bride. Then Jesus appeared on a white horse, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You just have to be there.

PP 266-70 Amidst the revelation of the majesty of Jesus, the powers of the earth and the unseen powers of the heavens connive to take control. This Armageddon takes place at Meddigo in Northern Israel. Sometime before, during, or after the worst of this conflict, Jesus will descend from the clouds to meet believers in the air, first those who have died in the Lord and then those who are still alive. We who believe in the Lord Jesus will be with Him from that point thru forever. Satan will be bound, some say for a thousand years, some say for forever. Those who practiced evil will be consigned to a permanently desolate place.

Death, Hades, mourning, crying and pain will be banished. All things will be brand new. A city, consisting of indescribable beauty, then descended to house the people (in my Father's house are many mansions). God's people live in His presence in the City. Full sustainability is present, which crops and light and life. Why is heaven better than vacation or retirement?

Then Jesus, the Root and Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star, the Alpha and Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and End, offers His free gift of the Water of Life, His very self.

These things will soon take place; Jesus is coming very soon. All we can do is to say with God's people: Amen. Come Lord Jesus.


If you have followed The Story and these weekly comments, you may want to share your insights with us. How has your understanding of God and His Story changed over these 32 weeks? Please send your comments to Randy Russell at RNRussell@att.net

Chapter Thirty

The week of August 20


Paul's Final Days

Paul was hurrying to go to Jerusalem to bring the Jewish believers an offering to help with the drought they were experiencing. He had missed the connection for Passover but was hoping to make it by Pentecost.

Pp 439-440 Paul met the elders of Ephesus and charged them to shepherd the flock well. There was a sense of foreboding. Paul mentioned that none of them would ever see him again. Later in Caesarea the prophet Agabus demonstrably told Paul that he would be bound and handed over to the Gentiles. The people tried to prevent Paul from going but Paul said he would do the Lord’s will, even if it meant his death.

Pp 441-46 Paul then returned to Jerusalem, the scene of his training under Gamaliel, who gave him his aspiration to follow the Law and root out apostasy in his former days as a Pharisee. But now he was a radically changed person.

Rabble-rousers found a great opportunity as Paul had been seen with Greeks at other parts of the city but not at the Temple. So they rioted and partitioned Paul from getting help until the Roman soldiers rescued him. He asked for the opportunity to speak in Hebrew to the crowd. Paul proceeded to explain how he got to Jerusalem, beginning with his conversion in Damascus. When he reached the part of being sent to the Gentiles, bedlam broke out. Paul's Roman citizenship was helpful to him as the Roman legion again saved him.

Paul had further opportunity to tell his own response to the gospel story. He stood before the Sanhedrin and challenged a major difference between the Sadducees and Pharisees. The latter, like Paul, believe in the personal resurrection of each person's body. Again, a great dispute ensued. Paul was ensured the Lord's protection though an assassination trap had been set. Paul was evacuated to Caesarea by night.

Over two years, Paul appeared before the Roman governors Festus & Felix, as well as King Herod Agrippa II. No one could find fault yet no one would release him. Paul, sensing another plot, used his Roman citizenship and appealed to Caesar. And to Caesar he would go.

Pp 447-52 The centurion in charge of Paul and the prisoners took a liking to Paul on the passage to Rome. After some dangerous sailing they arrived at Fair Havens near Crete. Paul tried to forestall moving forward until Spring but he was overruled. The 276 on board were out at sea in the middle of a multi-week storm. Paul was an encouraging man in the midst of this storm, challenging people to eat and that all would be well. All 276 made it safely.

Washed ashore on an island, the local people trusted Paul as he did not die when a snake wrapped itself around him. He performed some healing miracles and wintered there. Finally arriving in Rome, he was warmly welcomed by believers. Paul was under house arrest for two more years. He used the opportunity to boldly preach the kingdom of God.

Pp 452-6 Paul was in Rome with only a little freedom of movement. People would come to him for teaching and encouragement. He also provided these gifts to other places where he had started churches by writing letters. One of those churches was in Ephesus, where he had spent three years.

His opening chapter was a 23-verse praise to God for what He had done in the life, by the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ. Listen to some of the action words: God chose, holy & blameless, predestined, adoption to sonship, glorious grace, redemption through His blood, forgiveness of sins, riches of God's grace lavished on us, the mystery of His will, bring unity in all things, the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, glorious inheritance, raised Christ from the dead, seated at God's right hand, put all things under His feet, the Head of the church, His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all things. Christ's Identity with the Father overflows to us.

We had been estranged from God as sinners and away from His promises as Gentiles. But Christ has brought the two groups together into one new identity. May we understand what that means. He has given us gifts to live out as believers, and when we do we live out the fullness of Christ.

In practical ways we are to live out our callings in the station of life we are in: toward leaders, economically, as men and women in marriage, and as children. When we do so we parallel the honor Christ has for His Father and the love He has for the church. And there is dangerous spiritual warfare out there: so we are to be careful and use our protective armor.

Pp 456-8 Paul was likely released from his arrest and had freedom to travel with the gospel for about five years. He ultimately was incarcerated in Rome, awaiting his death when he wrote 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. These were personal, mentor letters to those whom he loved. He spoke of Timothy's value, suffering, and companionship. He challenged Timothy run the good race and fight the good fight. He reminded how the Scriptures, which nurtured Timothy as a young person, were just as powerful to live out as a maturing adult. They are God-breathed and useful in discipling the believer.

Paul died soon after writing 2 Timothy. He had planted the gospel throughout the northern Mediterranean and this was replicated throughout the known world. He wrote 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament. Others wrote with specialized topics: John about love, 5 books; Peter about action, 2 books; Luke historically, 2 books; and five other writers wrote one book each. Together they gave a picture of Jesus and His ministry (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John), the early church (Acts), practical Christian living (the letters) and a peek into the future (Revelation).

Chapter Twenty-nine (Part 2)

The week of August 12


Paul's Mission, Part 2. PP 421-437

Saul/Paul of Tarsus had been anointed by God to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire. After a crisis conversion and an initial immersion to this task, Paul went on multiple Mediterranean trips spreading the news. As some embraced the good news others tried (like Saul had previously) to obliterate it. But God's message would prevail.

Pp 421-3 Paul stayed about three years in Ephesus. For three months he spoke powerfully about God's kingdom in the synagogue. When the Jews rebuffed him, Paul went to the nearby hall and lectured to the Greeks…for two years. Healing miracles and dramatic personality changes happened to confirm Paul's message. The Name of Jesus became held in high regard.

Finally a silversmith, whose living was jeopardized as the gospel made the local religious trade marginal, began a disturbance that turned into a near riot. Finally a wise city clerk disbanded the crowd, just as the believer's had prevented Paul from being involved. (Is it important to know when to speak as well as to know when to be silent?) Paul was immediately sent on to Macedonia by the believers.

Pp 423-9 While Paul had been in Ephesus, he wrote several letters to the believers in Corinth. While being known for their worldliness, by Paul the Corinthians were addressed as holy people, because, like all believers, they had been set apart as holy by God. Paul called for them to live in unity, not following individual leaders tribally, but the Risen Christ solely. The various teachers had laid a foundation, each doing their part. All were necessary. In a sexually permissive city, the Corinthians were to flee from this antithetical attitude and practice. Since they were called to be holy, they should live that way. Sexual sins ruined the believer's personal body and they ruined the Body of Christ, of which every believer was a part.

The Spirit of Jesus was in each of them and in all of them together. There was no reason to compete with their various spiritual gifts, as every person had at least one given by God and they were all necessary to express the diversity of God's Body and the unity of working together. The same Spirit united the various ethnic and religious backgrounds into the Temple where God lived by His Spirit (1 Cor 12:13). You ARE the Body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it. What God has put together let no one divide asunder. The overarching principle was Love. Nothing makes sense unless the Love by which God reached His church through His Son and Spirit is then cascaded within the church and into the known world. God's Love must prevail (it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres; it NEVER fails).

The Gospel was well-received and the resurrected Jesus was attested by eyewitness accounts among the early believers, up to 500 at one time. His resurrection had validated the hope of the resurrection of all believers until He comes again. Jesus is the Resurrection, the believers who have died are the firstfruits of this as they are raised to join those alive to meet Him in the air. At this consummation of the Age the Son completes His mission in conjunction with the Father. The courage to continue is predicated on the finished work of Jesus.

Pp 429-31 As in any nascent movement, trouble not only comes from without, but from within as members distort truths. The Christian faith had this happen as well. Judaizers, people wanting believers to do practice as work for God, would follow up where Paul had been to distort his words and challenge his authority. Paul had already written to the Galatian churches, in present-day Turkey. He boldly proclaimed the teaching that people need not become Jewish but trust in Jesus alone. Trust led to new identity in Jesus which led to changed perspectives, including hearts that desired to serve the living God (Eph 2:8-10) There was no other Gospel or no other Name by which humans must be saved.

The Law was not the present means of following God but was a tutor to lead people to Jesus, God's fulfillment of the Law. Our religious past or ethnic bearings or gender identity are not who we really are: we are really One in Christ Jesus. We again take off the 'clothing' of fleshly living and put on the clothing of Spirit-likeness. We keep in step with the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Pp 431-7 Paul had not yet made it to Rome, the Empire epicenter, by AD 57, though he greatly desired to do so. An embryonic church had formed, though others had left by persecution (like Priscilla and Aquilla). Paul loved these believers by faith, passing on a love and a clarity of God's work in society that would benefit Rome and the church over the centuries.

Paul declared to the Romans that he was not ashamed of the Gospel for it was the power of God to all who believed. God's righteousness was declared and revealed as the righteous live by faith. God is proven True. Paul went on to share how God had used to Law to declare all people guilty then atoned for if they believed in Jesus. Abraham did not live by the Law; he was atoned by faith before the Law was given.

God has done this by providing the penalty and the cure. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. If He loved us while sinners, won't He still love us while saved? What we were powerless to do, God did. So our sufferings are not a consequence of living against God. It is our training to know what it means to follow God. He causes all things to come together for good. There is No Condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Nothing can separate us from His love. Not even ourselves.

Because of this strong grounding, we are to be alive sacrifices, continually transforming our minds through this new identity. Then we will get along with each other, utilizing our differing gifts in a complimentary fashion. Love begets a heart change which begets action.

The Romans were to know of Paul's love for them and his desire to eventually join them. But he was to first take a love offering to the believers in Jerusalem, suffering through a paucity of food. Paul would reciprocate the love that originally sent him to the Gentiles with a return gift to the mother church.

Paul would eventually make it to Rome. Little did he know the stormy path he would sail.

God tapped Paul to leave his belligerence to Jesus and become a volunteer slave to Jesus. If Paul had resisted, God may have provided a different way. How can God use you to be a light for Jesus in your world? Have you considered that you are God's way.

Chapter Twenty-eight

The week of July 29


New Beginnings

If you were God, how would start a new movement among your people? You had already dealt individually with people at the beginning of human history. You had from one couple already formed a nation that was to represent your values and draw the nations to yourself. You had already sent prophets to call that nation back to you. You had already sent Your Son to dramatically show Who you were and then He was killed on a cross. So…what would you do?

God raised His Son and seated Him at His right side. He then sent the Spirit of His Son to indwell individual people and groupings of people called out (Greek: ekklesia) to live together the life of His Son on the earth. That’s what God the Father through His Son has done in sending His Spirit to the church.

Pp 389-90 The remaining disciples did not know how many more appearances they would have of Jesus. They did not know the times of His restoration of Israel. But Jesus challenged them: they were His eyewitnesses in the ever-expanding circles of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria (remember the half-breed religion) to the ends of the earth (think Greeks and gentiles).

After promising His return, Jesus departed to be with His Father.

Pp 390-2 On the Jewish holiday of Pentecost, fifty days following the time of Passover when Jesus had died then was raised to life, the twelve apostles (one had been added to replace Judas) were joined by over 100 others, waiting on God. The sound of a powerful wind was joined with tongues of fire that rested on all of them. They all began to speak in other tongues, known languages. As they went outside they came across many Jewish people from around the known world. Communication of the gospel was in their own tongue, even though those believer's who were sharing the good news never took lessons.

This multicultural experience raised the question: What does this mean? Peter took the forefront and said it was a prediction of the prophet Joel: The pouring out of God's Spirit on all people. He then proceeded to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ: God had accredited His Son Jesus by raising Him to life. We were all eyewitnesses of His rising and the Holy Spirit now poured out. Jesus IS Lord and Messiah.

And what are the people to do? Peter: Repent, be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And receive this same Holy Spirit. Over three thousand accepted the message, were baptized on the spot, and received the Holy Spirit. This large throng listened daily to the apostle's teaching at the Temple, met together in homes to share food, fellowship and prayer. Many more joined them. God had started His movement in Jerusalem.

Pp 392-7 Peter and John on the way to the Temple were accosted by a crippled beggar. They offered no money, but did offer him the ability to walk. Grasping their hands, the man could immediately walk and jump. The result was a crowd that provided another audience opportunity to preach the gospel. Peter was direct and personal in telling that they (a few weeks earlier) had killed Jesus, God's glorified servant. But their sins could be wiped away if they believed in Jesus.

The priests and other Jewish religious folk could hardly stand it. Jesus kept coming up again and again. Peter and John were arrested and asked for their authority to perform this miracle. Another eyewitness opportunity to preach what they had experienced. Peter: It is by the Name of Jesus Messiah, Whom you crucified (hold nothing back), but Whom God raised from the dead…that Jesus, the rejected Cornerstone, is the Name by which the man was healed and the Only Name by which we must be saved.

Here are these unschooled fisherman, out of their league with the intelligentsia, but powerful in their testimony because they had been with Jesus. Peter was not cowering now. But what can they do to Peter and John since everyone knew the healing had happened. The rulers tried to intimidate them to not use the name of Jesus. Peter and John could not agree; they would only tell of the Jesus they knew.

The encounter emboldened the believers and added new members to God's kingdom. This only brought more contention from the rulers. After all the apostles were arrested, God released them and sent them back to preach at the Temple. So they did. Arrested the second time the apostles presented a united message: We will obey God before we will humans. We saw what happened to Jesus…we were eyewitnesses.

A man Gamaliel intervened before the apostles suffered the same fate as Jesus. He said the council should take heed that they are not fighting God. The apostles were flogged and warned not to preach the Name of Jesus. They rejoiced that they were counted worthy of suffering for the Name and continued to proclaim Jesus as Messiah.

Pp 397-401 Other followers of Jesus bore witness to Jesus. Stephen was accosted by a certain synagogue stating he was against the Temple and the Law. Stephen preached to the high priest and others a chronological sermon about how God had lived in the tabernacle and temple. He said Jesus was in a long line of prophets, all of whom their leaders had not followed. These were the lawless ones, murdering the Righteous One, Jesus. Stephen was stoned to death but even that event was a witness to a young man, Saul, who approved the killing.

This led to a dispersion of the believers to Judea and Samaria (remember Jesus' words). Saul took up the cause to annihilate this message of the Way, securing letters to Damascus to take these people back to trial in Jerusalem. On this journey he was struck blind and knocked off his horse by Jesus, Who was being persecuted by Saul (remember, if a believer is at-risk, Jesus is hurt as well).

Simultaneously, the believer Ananias was alerted that he needed to commission Saul to the gentiles. He was brave to go to meet him. Saul learned from the Damascus believers, escaped from that town and began preaching in the name of the Lord Jesus. Ultimately he went to his hometown Tarsus, where he learned the gospel to the gentiles. He would be of great service to the Lord Jesus in just a few years.

Pp 401-3 Meanwhile, Peter learned through a vision that all animals, and all people, are clean if God calls them clean. He went to the home of a Roman centurion, Cornelius, preached the gospel and baptized the extended family. This was hard to swallow for the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, and much talk took place. Peter gave his explanation: who was I to stand in God’s way? So God was welcoming the unclean gentiles into His kingdom!

Pp 403-5 The apostle James was killed by the sword. Peter was arrested again (a fourth time) and was guarded by 16 guards. An angel walked him out of prison and he went to the home where believers were praying for him. Some kind of answered prayer.

King Herod ordered execution for the 16. However, he too came to an ungracious life-end; God gave him his comeuppance because he took credit as being God, when he evidently wasn't.

Through it all the gospel of Jesus was preached & people came to Him.

Chapter Twenty-seven

The week of July 22


The Resurrection

Jesus, a prophet of hope, had died. Didn't we all think he was the messiah? What good is a dead messiah?

Pp 381-2 Jesus was dead. The crowd knew it. The Jewish leaders saw it. The Roman guard who were experienced at crucifixion knew it. The few remaining disciples worst fears were realized. And the women who had supported him were dumbfounded by it. He was dead.

By dying after such a short time on the cross, Jesus' body did not face the same treatment as the other criminals. While speared on His side with water and blood separating, his legs were not broken because he did not need aid to die. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus ('you must be born again') took his body to the rich man's unused garden tomb and roughly prepared the body for burial (75 pounds of spices supporting wrapped linen, like a paper mache').

The Jews remembered Jesus' prediction of rising again so Pilate ordered a guard set at the tomb. The women mentally marked where the tomb was located. What was the heart-set of that day? Have you felt that low?

Pp 382-4 With the weekly Sabbath concluded on Saturday night these women collected more spices and linen to give Jesus a proper burial, with tenderness. Arriving at the tomb at daybreak, they wondered who would remove the massive stone that blocked the entrance. Little did they expect that the angel of the Lord would come through an earthquake to open their way. As someone has said, the tomb was not opened to let Jesus out, but to let others see He was gone. While the grizzled guards were scared to death, the women obeyed the angel and went to tell the disciples.

The message was for the disciples to go to Galilee to meet Jesus, but Peter and John raced to the tomb. They saw the twirled linen and facecloth, made like a cast of the body, but no Jesus. The disciples then left, surely as confused men.

As Mary Magdalene returned and hung nearby, she asked what she supposed to be a gardener of the grounds 'where he might have taken my Lord?'. The intonation with which Jesus spoke 'Mary' made her cast herself on her Teacher. Jesus prodded her to not cling to Him (He had yet to ascend) but to return to the disciples with the news that she had seen the Lord.

Pp 384-6 That evening two unnamed disciples were going on a seven-mile hike to Emmaus. While discussing the amazing things that had happened, including the supposed sightings of Jesus, they were joined by another Man. Saddened, they told of their hope in Jesus and the events leading to that hour. The Stranger spoke of the necessity for the Messiah to suffer according to prophesy in the Law and Prophets.

Having been asked to join them for dinner, the Stranger broke bread and then disappeared. The two belatedly recognized they had been in Jesus' presence and their minds and hearts were enlightened by His presence. Immediately they ran to tell the apostles in the upper room.

There was disbelief in that lot of men until Jesus appeared in their locked-down presence: Peace be with you. He asked for food, though He did not need any. He showed the nail imprints on his hands, feet, and side. He was not a mirage …He was the risen Christ. His message was what He had predicted: The Christ should suffer, rise from the dead, and have repentance preached for the forgiveness of sins into all of the nations of the world. These men were witnesses.

Chapter Twenty-nine (Part 1)

The week of August 5


Paul's Mission, part 1, pp 407-21

The good news about Jesus has moved from Jerusalem to synagogues throughout the Roman Empire. At Antioch along the Mediterranean Sea the Way formed a safe haven for Jews and Greeks. Leaders of various backgrounds taught the multi-ethnic church. The Spirit set apart, and the church confirmed Barnabus and Saul to take the message to the rest of the continent that would become Europe.

Pp 407-9 Arriving at Cyprus they went to what they felt would be sympathetic listeners, Jews in the synagogue. As with the miracles of Jesus, they used sign-gifts as billboards to show the truth and love of God. A sorcerer opposed them. The sorcerer was thwarted and became blind, leading to others coming to faith. Saul, who began using the Greek name Paul, preached the death and resurrection of Jesus as attested by witnesses. People could be forgiven and made right with God. On ensuing Sabbaths the whole city heard the message. Some Jews who disbelieved the message stirred up trouble and had Paul & Barnabus expelled from the area. This would become a familiar story.

Pp 410-14 On to Iconium the pair traveled, going to the local synagogues and entering into dialogue. The message had a polarizing affect, with some believing and forming a connecting group, while others were opposed and scandalized the duo with the followers.

At Lystra a lame man was welcomed to walk. While the crowd thought they were the Greek Gods Zeus and Hermes. Paul & Barnabus kept them from making sacrifices to them and the issue went South as people turned on them and stoned Paul. The believer's from Lystra prayed for Paul and helped him find shelter.

At Derbe the next day Paul began revisiting all they had found in Christ at the various cities. It had been a journey well-spent and people were eager to hear about Jesus. If you were with Paul, what would you say were the take-homes from the journey?

A serious breach was beginning to form. Did these Gentiles who were responding to Jesus need to become Jews and follow the whole Law, or was there another way? Serious believers were on both sides. Eventually Paul, Peter, and James, the Lord's half-brother challenged the apostles and elders in Jerusalem that grace through faith meant accepting the Gentiles without pre-qualification of law performance.

Unity in doctrine and fellowship does not necessarily mean unity of purpose. Paul and Barnabus 'departed asunder' (KJV), over whether John Mark should accompany them on the second journey. Each group went their own way but it ultimately meant doubling the witness of the gospel. Paul and his interns went through modern Turkey, and ultimately arrived at Philippi in modern Greece.

Without an identifiable synagogue they went to place of prayer at the river. Lydia, a merchant woman responded to Paul's message and was baptized into Jesus, along with others from her home. Another evil spirit was dismissed from a fortune telling/ slavery scheme and the people affected did not like that the had lost their income.

Paul and Silas, his new companion, were beaten and imprisoned. The two responded with prayer and hymns to God; certainly a strange sight. When an overnight earthquake stuck and the prison doors were flung open, the jailer considered suicide because his life was at-risk. After Paul accounted for all the prisoners, the jailer desperately wanted to know what he must do to be saved. Again, circumstances prompt people to accept the message. The jailer and his family believed and were baptized. Meanwhile Paul was beaten without recourse though being a Roman citizen. Paul appreciated the escort he received out of the city.

Pp 414-6 Paul and his entourage ended up in Thessalonica and they went to the synagogue. The results were predictable. Some believed (though present only three weeks, Paul shared the gospel and his very life (1 Thess 2:8), while others created a riot. The same reasoning as the charges against Jesus came to Paul: he says there is another King called Jesus. City officials did not warm up to potential of riots. Paul escaped this and moved on to Berea, receptive thinkers, and Athens, philosophical panderers, always questioning but never believing.

Paul moved on to Corinth. Aquila & Priscilla, fellow tent-makers and Italian evacuees, co-habitated with Paul and joined in serving God's cause, persuading both Jews and Greeks. When the Jews of the synagogue contested the message, Paul left them to work exclusively with the Gentiles. Nonetheless, some Jews were still intrigued and followed Jesus. Paul stayed in Corinth eighteen months and taught the believers from the Older Covenant. Wouldn’t you like to have been a fly on that wall?

Pp 416-9 Paul had begun to write to some of the churches he had started, both to keep in touch and to instruct them, usually challenging erroneous teaching they were facing. We are very fortunate for these letters as we capture the sense of the New Testament church and have the truth of the Scriptures expanded into this new era. Paul, writing from Corinth, wrote his first epistle to Thessalonica c 51AD.

Beyond the foundational teaching and practical application, they were having issues with the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Some had felt it had happened and that they had missed their own resurrection from the dead. Paul assured that this had not already happened and that they should prepare their hearts and lives, alert for the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God preceding the meeting of our Lord in the air. What was it like to receive that letter?!

Pp 420-1 While in Corinth for eighteen months, Paul encouraged believers not to escape their culture but to avoid being overrun by their world-sotten society. And he always preached Christ and Him crucified. Paul was again attacked for persuading people to worship God in a manner contrary to the Law. As he later stated, Paul was attacked both by his own people, the Jews, and the people God was also seeking, the Gentiles. Extracted from the impending skirmish, Paul was sent out of town by the believers and went to Ephesus. Then on to Jerusalem and Antioch, building the believers and encouraging with stories of people turning to the Living God. Paul's reputation was preceding him and would ultimately become his Achilles heel.