This week, we completed our study of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. We discussed the passage in Isaiah that the eunuch was reading, and we talked about this being the first time the Suffering Servant’s identity was applied to the Messiah. We also briefly discussed the eunuch’s response to Philip’s interpretation as…
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This week, we continued our study of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch by investigating what we know (and don’t know) about the eunuch: where he came from, what his place was in society, how he traveled, and why someone from so far away would have made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. We also imagined the story…
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This week, we finished up our study of the interaction between the apostles and Simon Magus. For real. We zoomed in on the final verses of the narrative where Peter apparently ‘curses’ Simon for his attempt to purchase the ability to bestow the Holy Spirit. We discussed the difference between “believing” and faith that leads…
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This week we continued our discussion about Simon the magician and his desire to purchase the ability to bestow the gift of the Holy Spirit (which cannot be purchased). We were reminded that Jesus’ parable of the sower provides a way to understand the difference between an authentic conversion experience and one that has no roots,…
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Guest Teacher: David Pikett This week we continued our verse-by-verse study in Acts. We looked into the historical and religious setting of first century Jerusalem. We learned that in addition to the Temple, there were numerous synagogues in and around the city. We discussed why there might be a need for these synagogues, who would…
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This week we went back to analyze the Old Testament prophecy that Peter quoted (and adapted) during his and John’s first interrogation by the Sanhedrin. We observed that different translations render the verse with slight differences in two of the words: “rejected” and “cornerstone.” We made a list on the board (see below) to compare,…
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