THE JERUSALEM TIMES: NISAN AD 28.  Two men were arrested today in the Court of the Gentiles at the Temple when they proclaimed a lame man had been healed “in the name of Jesus”.  The men known as Peter and John were followers of the former rabbi who was recently crucified under Roman law due to the instigation of an unruly crowd and the betrayal by one of his followers.  According to witnesses Peter and John claimed Jesus had resurrected after his death which came about not through Roman law but because of the rejection of the Jewish leaders, namely the members of the Sanhedrin.  They also claimed that this same Jesus was the reason for the lame man’s miraculous healing.  A preliminary trial followed the arrest and resulted in a warning that this preaching should cease and desist.  However sources close to the Council report we have probably not heard the last of Peter or John.  Peter was quoted as saying, “Judge for yourself whether it is right in God’s sight for us to obey you rather than God.  For we cannot help but speak about what we have seen and heard.”  This reporter will continue to follow the story as it unfolds.  (Acts 4:1-31)

            Sometimes I like to imagine the scenes I read about in the Bible hence the imaginary article above.  The events of Acts 4 may seem foreign to most of us.  We rarely hear of believers standing in public places, preaching about Jesus and testifying about miracles which occur in His name (We think that kind of behavior belongs on the mission field but not in our life!).  It is also uncommon, but not unheard of, to hear of Christians being jailed for such activities.  Some Christians have been maligned in courts for practicing Christian principles in the workplace or concerning their own homes, but SO FAR, these are rare events.  The climate of our country, even most of the world, has been changing over the last decade so we may see the numbers of this type of (dare we say it?) persecution rise in the next 4 years as laws are put into place under the Socialist/Marxist ideologies of those currently occupying the presidential and judicial branches of our government.  Therefore, paying close attention to our faithful predecessors in the Book of Acts can help us not only to prepare for what MIGHT lie ahead, but also to encourage us to be as bold as they were in testifying to what we know is true now.

            Peter and John had been visiting the Temple on a daily basis- after all they were good Jewish boys!  Like the Lord they served they were empowered by their Heavenly Father to preach the Good News and to heal the sick.  In Acts 3 a man who had been lame for most of his life was healed by Peter and the city was all abuzz with wonder and curiosity as to how this could have happened (Acts 3:1-16).  Peter took the opportunity to testify about the “Who” and “how” (Acts 3:17-26).  The message caused concern among the powers that be- particularly the Sadducees, an aristocratic segment of the Sanhedrin whose pedigree and wealth was their ticket to power.  Working alongside the Romans to keep their status in tact was actually their main reason for having Peter and John arrested although they thoroughly disagreed with their proclamation that Jesus had risen from the dead too.  This is emphasized by their inquiry into “whose name”, i. e. whose authority, this miracle and message were being spoken by (Acts 4:7).  Peter’s eloquent and convicting answer surprised them because they assumed he was “uneducated”.  This does not mean he and John were illiterate or stupid.  It refers to the fact that neither Peter nor John had been trained in a synagogue or rabbinical school.  While Peter remains respectful to those questioning them he finishes with a phrase that simply states, “I answer to a Higher Authority, so I decline to follow your rules” (vv. 19-20).

            I take away 4 points from this account.  1) If I truly believe what Jesus has done for me and for countless others, I must not be afraid to speak up on His behalf.  A testimony is just that- testifying to what I know is true for me (v. 20).  2)  I do not have to know exactly what to say.  I should know what I believe and why, but when the time comes to speak, the Lord will give me everything I need to know and the best way to say it (vv.8, 13).  3)  I answer to a Higher Authority.  IF the climate of freedom we as Christians have in this country should become restricted and outlawed in the future, I should be prepared to speak anyway.  While I do not relish the thought that I might be called out for my faith, I would feel even worse to disappoint my Lord by not speaking up for Him (vv. 8-11, 19).  4)  And lastly, humankind, and human power brokers, may attempt to thwart the Lord’s work, but it’s useless.  Peter proclaimed the Gospel to the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:12).  When he and John were released their fellow believers recognized God was at work throughout the entire ordeal (Acts 4:23-31).  He will be at work in whatever happens to me as well (Phil. 2:12-13).

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre
 

            When my son Christopher began playing soccer I became a part of a special group of women- Soccer Moms.  This dedicated group of women spend a lot of time driving to and from practices and games (usually in a minivan or SUV), are experts in energy boosting snacks and are also known for their enthusiasm on the sidelines, sometimes a little too much enthusiasm!  At first I would sit among them at the games and do my part in cheering the team and my son on to victory.  But over time I started to notice that some of the moms were far too vocal about the job the coach or the referees were doing and they would become quite critical of what they felt were their inadequacies and failures especially concerning their the treatment of their children.  If they disagreed with a call they would heckle the ref.  If they didn’t like the fact their son or daughter was on the bench they would speak to the coach afterwards.  That was not my style and I felt uncomfortable being associated with it.  One time I asked Christopher and some of his teammates what they liked to hear coming from the sidelines.  “We like to hear stuff like ‘good job!’ and ‘go team!’ they said.  They were embarrassed by the catcalls and negative cheering.  So I devised a way that enabled me to leave the bleachers without standing out for doing so.  I started taking statics for the team: shots on goal, who took them, how many assists and passes each player had and so on.  The kids loved it, the moms liked the fact their kids could see their improvement and I was able to encourage the team in a positive way.

            If there is any one person in the Bible who is associated with the “ministry of encouragement” that person would be Barnabas.  His actual name was Joseph and he was a Levite who originally came from Cyprus.  He is one of the early “stars” in the Book of Acts as an active member of the early church and earned the nick-name “Son of Encouragement” (Bahr- son of, nuh-buhs- consolation/encouragement) from the disciples because of his generous and supportive nature (Acts 4:36-37).  He welcomed Paul into fellowship when others had reservations about him (Acts 9:26-27), was excited to see God working among Gentile converts in Antioch (Acts 11:19-30), served both as a missionary and relief worker (Acts 13:1-3, 42-43; 14:8-18), took part in the Jerusalem Council on behalf of the Gentile converts (Acts 15:1-34) and took a stand against Paul concerning the status of John Mark (Acts 15:35-41).  I’m sure the decision to separate from Paul weighed heavily on his mind when Paul would not change his opinion, but in the end the Gospel spread further because of it.  I think Barnabas would have been encouraged by that.  (And a satisfying footnote to the story appears in 2 Tim. 4:11.)

            The Scriptures consider encouragement to be a trait all Christians should posses.  We are admonished to fill our speech with grace (Col. 4:6), encourage and build each other up (1 Thes. 5:11), encourage the faint-hearted (1 Thes. 5:14), and to encourage one another to avoid an unbelieving heart (Heb. 3:12-13).  When encouragement is evident in the body of Christ it glorifies God the Father (Rom. 15:1-6; Heb. 10:19-25).  The life of Christ encourages us to strive for humility and unity (Phil. 2:1-11) and Paul considered encouragement to be a major component of his ministry (1 Thes. 2:1-12).  It saddens me when I’m with a group of Christians who have embraced the humor of the world by teasing one another with put-downs and caustic remarks.  Their language is no different than the latest hit comedy and I wonder, “Why do we think this is funny?”  I know most people take it on the slide, but are we really supposed to be making fun of each other this way?  Have we become so immune to this form of sarcastic humor that we don’t even realize we’re doing it?  Is that what we’re supposed to sound like?

            Christopher now coaches soccer at the university level.  While we were visiting once we attended a game.  I was sitting on the bleachers before the game started and noticed that the women’s soccer team who had come to cheer the men’s team on, had a Scripture verse printed on the back of their T-shirts (Heb. 12:11-13).  I knew it had something to do with training and how a person carries themselves on or off the field in this case.  During the game a couple of the women started poking fun at an opponent.  The words were meant to pull his focus off the game and therefore give an advantage to the home team.  While the tactic is typical of any sport, the words were unkind.  After a few cat-calls, another young lady turned around, caught the eye of the hecklers and admonished them to find a better way to cheer for the men’s team.  “Yes Mom!” they joked.  But they stopped.  And that was encouraging to me!  I think if you’re going to put a Scripture on your back, you most definitely want to walk in a manner worthy of the One who called you (Col. 4:6 and 1 Thes. 2: 12 in action) and “Mom” was right to call them out on it!  We should all be that attentive to our speech.  So, I challenge you to take a cue from Barnabas and watch your words this week.  Instead of embracing the humor of today’s pop culture, go against the norm and use your words to be an encouragement to someone (Ps. 19:14; Prov. 16:24; Col. 3:5-8).

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com;Olivetreeann@mail.com;https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            "I need more joy in my life" a friend said to me one day.  She was absolutely certain she had not discovered the way to find joy otherwise she would have more of it evident in her life.  It brought to mind the old adage JOY= Jesus first, Others second, and lastly You.  It makes for a wonderful motto (and it wasn’t the case for her), but it is much harder to live that out in our lives because everything we hear or see today is geared toward ME and I.  I want a new car, good job, pretty girlfriend, the latest fashions, a trip to Hawaii.  My boss should give me a raise, better benefits, more time off, or an extra personal day.  Even some our praise songs tend to put ME and I first (which when I’ve pointed this out, I’ve ruffled a few feathers!) and Christians are known to come to or leave a church because of "what it does (or doesn’t do) for me".  The self-centered focus of our culture has crept into the contemporary church in many ways and sadly no one really seems to be willing to take a hard look at how and where.

            Throughout the pages of Scripture, and especially among the faithful spoken of in it, there is a different focus.  It is not on the individual but on the community.  If you have ever watched an ant colony or a beehive you will have a good image to grasp this concept.  Although made up of many individuals, these insect groups thrive and strive for their colony.  Each member has a goal to help the colony grow and each member continually does their part to reach the goal.  In Old Testament times we can see this characteristic in the way a person noted which tribe and clan they were a member of, particularly when land was concerned (Josh. 13:1-24:33; 1 Ki. 21:1-3).  In New Testament times that association was still true but one’s country of citizenship were also important.  Paul is the most noted example of this aspect of one’s identity in the Roman Empire (Acts 21: 39; 22:22-29; Phil. 3:4-6).  In both Testaments individual were still important, but the prominent marker of who you were came from the community to which you belonged.

            After the birth of the Church at Pentecost in the opening chapters of Acts we can see the early believers approaching their new identity in Christ in the same way.  While many of them came from a variety of places and backgrounds (Acts 2:5-11) they came together as one with one purpose and one goal (Acts 2:42-46; 4:32-33).  In this day and age it’s every man for himself but, in contrast, the behavior of those early believers is truly amazing.  We read in Acts 4:32 that individuals "did not claim anything belonging to him to be his own, but all things were common property to them."  This common property was used to help other believers who were in need.  Two examples follow this passage and are in contrast to one another.  The first example is Barnabas who sells a tract of land and gives all the money to the apostles with very little fanfare (Acts 4:36-37).  The second is Ananias and Sapphira, a husband and wife who sell their land but then lie about the amount they received for it when they present the proceeds to the apostles.  Not only did their actions defraud the community, their lie did not go unnoticed by God either (Act 5:1-10).

            It's not always easy to put others and their needs before our own.  But it was to be at the center of worship at the Temple.  Psalm 133 illustrates this.  As a "song of ascents" it was to be sung as the Israelites made their way through the Judean hills and upward toward Jerusalem.  As they reached Mount Zion and the Temple came into view, the words, "Behold how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity" reminded them that although they came from different tribes, they gathered in Jerusalem to worship God as His people.  In Jerusalem, though they were many individuals they also became one.  The unity that they experienced as a nation under God was a blessing like the beautiful land where they lived and it was pleasing to God (1 Kin. 4:20:-25).  Were the people always successful in working together in unity?  No.  Sadly their leadership failed in maintaining that unity and King Solomon, the second king to rule over the united kingdom was succeeded by his son who was responsible for dividing it (1 Kin. 11:41-12:33).

            The early believers needed to be reminded of this aspect of their faith-community.  But how does a group of individuals come together as one?  John instructed them to "walk in the light" as Jesus Himself did (1 Jn. 1:7).  Modeling our faith after Him produces fellowship with one another.  Paul reminded the Philippians of the same thing when he told them to have the same attitude as Christ (Phil. 2:5-8) who gave the ultimate self-sacrifice when He died on the cross.  When times get tough, as they have in recent months, our first reaction is to hold on to as much as we can and to save what we have for a rainy day.  But the Biblical model is community-minded.  It not only meets the needs of others, it brings glory to God and people to His kingdom.  Times can quickly change from bad to good or bad to worse.  But believers with a community mindset can not only persevere, they can become a testimony of what God does when He brings a wide variety of people together as one (Mt. 5:13-16; Acts 2:46-47).

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre
 

            As some of you may know, I earned my bachelor’s degree at a small college in the northern panhandle of West Virginia.  I did not choose that school because of its academic program, its location, or its resources for life after college.  I chose it because I sensed God was leading me there, and for no other reason!  To say there was a definitive moment which explained why God wanted me there while I was studying there would not really be true.  But 43 years after the fact, I can certainly see some of the benefits from being there, and surprisingly, they are not academic!  Instead, Bethany College probably contributed more to my spiritual life than my professional development.  And the place where that growth took place was in a campus ministry called Agape.  We met on Wednesday evenings with guitars and Bibles, filled the meeting room with song and laughter, and dug deeply into God’s Word with the intent to live out its lessons in our dorms, our classrooms, during our activities and even in the cafeteria!

Agape, like small group Bible studies, youth groups and Sunday school classes are all grounded in the Biblical principal of “koinania”, a Greek word which simply means to share in, fellowship with or participate together.  Since the Old Testament was written in Hebrew we don’t see the word appear there, however, the concept of koinania is present in the relationship between God and humanity.  While in classical Greek this word was used to apply to things held in common, Genesis pictures this aspect in a negative light when it records the rupture of fellowship with God followed by the loss of unity among humans (Gen. 3-4).  Although sin broke the fellowship between God and humans, God's activity in forgiving, saving and preserving did not cease.  Through covenants with Abraham, the people of Israel, and David, God in His mercy bridged the gulf between Himself and humankind.
Since it is written in Greek, one would expect the word koinania to appear throughout the New Testament, but surprisingly, the word koinania is absent from the Gospels.  However it does occur 13 times in the writings of Paul.  Of course the most well known illustration of koinania appears in Acts 4:32-37.  In this passage Luke records a picture of the early church’s practice of sharing their goods among the believing community and their devotion to being together.  We are always impressed by their unity, but we often forget that in Acts 2:42-47 koinania was an essential part of a life of worship.  The unity of their fellowship proved God was in the midst of them.  When Paul uses the word koinania in his letters he never uses this word in a secular sense.  It is always in a religious context.  For Paul koinania refers strictly to the relation of believers who share a faith in Christ (1 Cor. 1:9, 10:16; 2 Cor. 6:14; 8:4; 13:14, 17; Gal. 2:9; Eph. 3:9; Phil. 1:5) and the kingdom activities of those who belong to Him (Rom. 15:26; 2 Cor. 9:13; Phil. 2:1, 3:10; Phile. 1:6; Heb. 13:16; 1 Jn. 1:3, 6-7).

Jesus may not have taught specific lessons on the subject of koinania but He certainly modeled it with the disciples.  Not too long ago it was easy in today’s technologically saturated world to isolate ourselves from one another.  Busy schedules, text messaging, work demands and commuting pulled us away from coming together and we often came up with excuses for not finding the time to be with fellow Christians.  Covid 19 changed all that.  It forced us to recognize how important the mutual support and encouragement that we receive from being together helps us to cope and get through life’s difficulties which were especially prevalent during the initial restrictions and loss of both life and freedom in the early days of dealing with the virus.  Thankfully many churches found creative ways to put the technology that once separated us to work at keeping us together.  More importantly, one of the greatest aspects of koinania is that when we are gathered together, Christ is in the midst of us (Mt. 18:20) and although viewing faces on Zoom or other social platforms was not exactly the same as being in the same room, we still experienced and are experiencing koinania in this way!

At the end of my freshman year at Bethany College, Agape held a picnic.  I told everyone that my mother’s recipe for potato salad was the best in the world and I was assigned the task of making it for the entire group.  I called my mother, got the recipe, and set about making the potato salad.  On the day of the picnic everyone raved about the taste and consumed the entire bowl.  But something was terribly wrong in my opinion.  I’d never seen my mother’s version look so brown, or taste so crunchy.  Yet my friends insisted it was perfect!  So afterwards I called my mother.  I told her I chopped the potatoes, celery, and hard-boiled eggs and put them in the bowl.  I mixed the mayo and the milk and then blended it together.  Why did it turn out so brown and so crunchy?  “Did you cook the potatoes?” my mother asked.  “Oh, you have to cook the potatoes?!” was my reply.  I don’t know if anyone ever figured out I’d fed them raw potatoes, but the sweetness of koinania certainly overpowered their taste buds that day!  Are you in koinania (virtual or otherwise)?  If not, you might be missing out on some awesome potato salad and fun stories to go with it!

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

          Next to the Ascension, the Day of Pentecost as it is recorded in Acts 2 is the grandest event in the Book of Acts.  While some may argue that Paul’s conversion is more important in terms of the spread of the Gospel, I would argue that the amazing turnaround of someone bent on destroying the “Church” overshadows something far more significant- that there was a “Church” at all!  But to understand why this is so significant, one must delve into the Biblical history of this festival.  Pentecost begins in the Old Testament under the name Shavuot.  The commands concerning Shavuot are found in Leviticus 23:15-22.  Along with Passover and Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles), Shavuot is one of the Shalosh Regalim.  These three pilgrimage holidays were the days when all Jewish males would journey to Jerusalem bringing their annual offerings to worship at the Temple.  Shavuot means weeks (Ex. 34:22) and the holiday was so named because the passage of time between Passover and Shavuot was marked in weeks.  By Jesus’ day Shavuot was also known by its Greek name, Pentecost, which instead of signifying weeks, records the number of days between the two holy days (penta=50; cost=days).

          The Temple services for Shavuot followed much the same pattern as that of the Feast of First Fruits (and many teachers/translators incorrectly combine the two) since both days were celebrated with first fruit offerings (Shavuot dealt with the wheat harvest whereas First Fruits dealt with the barley harvest).  However, the offering of Shavuot was unique because it consisted of two long, flat, leavened loaves of wheat bread (Lev. 23:17).  These loaves were not burned as a sacrifice as many other offerings were because the Lord had forbidden leaven on the altar (Lev. 2:11).  Instead they were set aside “for the priest” (Lev. 23:20) to be used in a festive meal.  The loaves, along with two lambs brought as a peace offering, formed a wave offering.  The priest waved them before the altar forwards and backwards, then up and down in recognition that it was the Lord who would provide the coming wheat harvest. 
          
           As the saying goes, “Timing is everything” and when Luke takes note of the “time” or day (when the day of Pentecost had come) of this event, he is actually linking it to two events he wrote of in his Gospel.  The first was Christ’s crucifixion which took place during Passover.  The second was Christ’s resurrection which fell on the Feast of First Fruits according to the Levitical calendar (Lev. 23:9-14).  With two significant events occurring on the two previous holy days, the Lord is about to do something on the third- Shavuot.  Luke records that a noise like a rushing wind filled “the house” and “tongues of fire” were distributed amongst the believers.  Compelled by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the disciples and those gathered with them joined the throng of worshippers in Jerusalem who were amazed to hear Galileans speaking in their native languages.  This gathering included people from all over the Roman Empire; some Jewish and some proselytes, that is Gentiles who had converted to Judaism.  They heard the proclamation of God’s mighty deeds (Ac. 2:11).  The occurrence of wind and fire are linked to numerous times in the Old Testament where these elements represent God’s presence and judgment (Gen. 19:24; Ex. 9:22-26; Ps. 11:4-7; Ps. 18: 7-15; Is. 30:27-30).  The crowd that heard these words understood that connection but they weren’t sure of what it all meant (v. 12).  Although naysayers tried to discredit the event (v.13), Peter explained to them that they were witnessing the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Ac. 2:16-21; Joel 2:28-32) and that the Promised Messiah had come (vv.22-36).  The result of Peter’s skillful and Spirit-led dissertation is the birth of the Church (vv.37-41), which was made up of the unique combination of both Jew and Gentile- a very unexpected twist!
  
          The combination of Gentiles and Jews who came together at the birth of the Church matches the imagery of the two leavened loaves of bread joined together on that day of Pentecost.  While the previous offering of First Fruits was unleavened as Christ was sinless, the Church is filled with finite people who still struggle with sin (Rom. 6:1-14).  But it is also significant that God joined together a body with such far reaching geographical locations.  Track down a Bible atlas and look them up!  God is still working in His Church today in much the same way (Eph. 2:10-22).  It is filled with an amazing assortment of people and when we get to know others outside the faith community and what makes them tick, in essence we are learning their language and hopefully we are bringing the Gospel into their world.  The Christians of Acts 2 carried the Gospel back to their homelands where the Good News took root.  You are called to carry on where they left off.  Where will you take the Gospel so that it can take root (Mt. 28:19-20)?

Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre                                                                                                                      

            Have you ever thought about your life as a book or a series of books?  When I was in elementary school I loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder books.  I read them all and if memory serves me correctly, the first book, Little House in the Big Woods, remained my favorite.  Laura’s story was not complete by the end of that first book.  She and her family had many more experiences and so each place they lived became the next in a series that recounted her life and is now treasured by many.  I don’t know if my life would warrant a series of books but I can think of how it might be divided into segments ranging all the way from my childhood to becoming a grandparent.  Being a grandparent has taught me that life really does have connective tissue even though it’s not a body like our own flesh and bones.  One author who was also strongly aware of life’s connective tissue was Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.  He begins the Book of Acts with these words, “In the first account I composed…” and continues to explain to his reader, “Theophilus”, that the work of Jesus and the authority connected with it was now being transferred from Jesus to the 12 apostles which He had chosen to represent Him (Acts 1).

            The connection of authority lies completely in the role Jesus assigns to 12 of His followers- apostolos- which literally means “sent one” or one who is sent.  What were these men sent to do?  They were to be witnesses, a legal term which was associated with bearing testimony in an event or of a person.  Therefore the apostles were to the ones who would bear witness of Jesus’ life, His death, and most importantly, His resurrection.  In Jewish law, an apostle (shaliach in Aramaic) was a person who had the full authority of the one they represented in business or legal transactions (see Jn. 13:16, 20 or Jn. 20:21 as examples).  Luke recorded this selection in Lk. 6:12-16 as Jesus began His most intimate and intensive training program with them.  Now, within the first verses of Acts, Luke makes note that Jesus has passed on both His mission (establishing the Kingdom of God) and His power to accomplish it on to the “sent ones” (vv. 1-8).  The number 12 is not unusual.  It harkens back to the 12 tribes of Israel whose patriarchs became the initial subset of leadership under Joshua when the nation settled in the Promised Land.  And like those 12 “heads of state”, the apostles would also be entrusted with guiding the new community of believers after Christ’s Ascension.  Talk about tough shoes to fill!  But the apostles are not left blowing about in the wind like a hapless flag.  Jesus promises them the additional help of the Holy Spirit which will come upon them while they are in Jerusalem (v. 5) another aspect of this event which is connected to the Old Testament (Is. 44:3; Joel 2:28-32).

            But there is a slight problem- the apostles are one man short!  Peter takes the initiative to address those who are gathered together and suggests a replacement be named for Judas.  Luke points out that the number of people equaled the number required by Jewish law to establish a community with its own ruling council.  In essence Luke is demonstrating that Jesus has both personally and legally passed on His purpose and mission to this newly formed community.  Peter begins by recalling the somewhat gruesome end of Judas.  Note that Peter does not say Judas is no longer an apostle.  He cannot do that since it was Jesus who appointed that role to Judas.  But in what seems to be a rather unusual process, Matthias is “elected” to fill the vacant spot.  The method of casting lots (rolling dice) to determine God’s will concerning a decision was common in Old Testament times (1 Chr. 26:13 for example).  Prov. 16:33 sums up the mindset behind this stating that God is the one who determines how the dice will fall, not chance.  However the passage is the only time casting lots in mentioned in the New Testament which emphasizes the unique situation but not necessarily endorsing this method as the way to determine what God wants you to do!  Prayer remains the same, but it is the Spirit who guides us now.

            It is important to take note of the historical sequence of the events in the Book of Acts.  While the first chapter has some fascinating glimpses into the early believer’s connections to the Old Testament as seen in the casting of lots and the fulfillment of Scripture, it also has an exciting dose of anticipation with the promise of the Spirit yet to be fulfilled.  How are we connected to this transitional time?  We are the beneficiaries of what is about to happen in Chapter 2- the empowering of the Holy Spirit.  And the work that began under Jesus’ earthly ministry which He passed on to those early believers now falls into our hands.  We too are sent into our homes, our neighborhoods and anywhere else we find ourselves to be a witness as to what Jesus has done in our lives.  Jesus has given you a mission.  How are you measuring up as a witness?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre  

                 Has there ever been an event which took place that you learned about through several sources?  Maybe it was something of a personal note- a birth in the family, a death, good news after someone’s surgery or a promotion.  Every time you heard about that event there was a different nuance because of the source, that is, the person who shared it with you.  The Gospels are like that.  Although there are four of them, and each author has his own distinct purpose, writing style and method, they all proclaim the same joyful message of “Good News!”

                Luke's introduction is unique in the first three Gospels because it is the only place where the author steps out upon the stage and uses the pronoun "I".  Luke's Greek is among the best in the New Testament.  His introduction is done in the same literary style of his fellow historians Herodotus of Halicarnassus, "These are the researches of Herodotus of Halicarnassus" and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, "Before beginning to write I gathered information, partly from the lips of the most learned men with whom I came into contact, and partly from histories written by Romans of whom they spoke with praise".   William Barclay said it this way, "So Luke, as he began his story in the most sonorous Greek, followed the highest models he could find."  But Luke did not stop his account at the end of his Gospel with the Great Commission.  He saw a continuation of Jesus’ work within the faith community and he wrote a second volume to record it; the Book of Acts which shows us how those first believers interacted with their world and how the Gospel spread.

                The openings of Luke (1:1-4) and Acts (1:1-2) make clear that the two books are to be regarded as a single work in two volumes.  Neither uses the specific name of its author, but the "we" sections of Acts (Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-21:18; 27:1-28:16), in comparison with what can be known from Paul's letters about who was with him at various points in his ministry, point to Luke as the author of both.  Several of the early church leaders (such as Justin Martyr) as well as ancient church writings (the Bodmer Papyrus XIV) attribute Luke/Acts to one of Paul’s most loyal companions (Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:11; Phile. 1:24).  It is uncertain how they met, but it appears that they met during Paul's second missionary trip where Luke includes himself in the word "we" for the first time (Acts 16:7-9).   While we do not know all the details of Luke’s life, we do know that he was a doctor by trade (Col. 4:14) and this is shown in his writing as he pays much attention to those with medical issues (Lk. 4:38, 5:12, 8:43).  Many times doctors and those who held similar professions, were slaves who had been educated to service wealthy families.  After earning their freedom they continued to service the medical needs of these wealthy families.  But we do not know if that was the case with Luke.  However, it could indicate a tie-in with the person who was the recipient of these two wonderful books.  Some have thought Theophilus commissioned their writing.

                We know some things about Luke, but we know less about Theophilus whose name literally means “lover of God”.  Luke’s Gospel begins with an address to him (1:3) and many have speculated that he was possibly a non-Christian or a newly Christian Roman official.  The only thing that is clear in Luke’s greeting is that he is a person of high position and wealth (“most excellent”).  Luke's Gospel is the most comprehensive of the Gospels and was written first to help Theophilus to know the "exact truth" (NAS) concerning what he had been taught and then to strengthen the faith of all believers.  Luke’s careful research, orderly compilation and eye-witness accounts attest to the accuracy of his work.  He was not only a believer and fellow evangelist with Paul, he was an historian par excellence.  If Luke were to look at our world today, would he see history repeating itself?  I think he would- which makes his account even more powerful today!

                The relationship between Luke and Theophilus is fascinating.  We could speculate all day as to how they met, how close they were, and whether or not they had a lasting friendship.  But to get caught up in those reveries would be missing the greatest aspect of their relationship and that is, they had one!  How is the Gospel spread?  How is it heard?  It is both spread and heard through the relationships you have and the contact you make with the people around you.  Every day there are opportunities both spoken and unspoken to proclaim Jesus is the answer to the questions people are asking.  Every time you interact with another person, whether it is your neighbor, a boss, a fellow employee, or someone in your family, keep in mind that like Luke, you are making an account of what Jesus has done in your life so that they might know the exact truth about Him (1 Pet. 3:15).  Christians have just as much opportunity to impact culture today as they did when Luke penned his Gospel and the Book of Acts, so it stands to reason there is much we can learn from careful study of his “account”.  Also: take note of how both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts end (Lk. 24:45-53; Acts 28:30-31) as they show the Gospel is a never-ending story and you are a part of that story!
 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

            My friend Judy really knows how to set a table.  She has quite a collection of antique dishes that she enjoys using when she entertains.  One of her favorite sets is called Moonstone.   Once considered “cheap” because it was given away as a sales incentive in laundry soap and cereal boxes, Moonstone now fetches a tidy sum in antique shops from collectors.  With its clear hobnails and milky white edges that look like crescent moons when light passes through the plate Moonstone captures the eye and transforms the dinner table from plain to elegant.  Moonstone has come a long way from its humble beginnings.
 
            Recently a storm that dropped over a foot of snow on the dreary landscape of my backyard has transformed my backyard into a scene of beauty just like those Moonstone dishes transformed Judy’s dining room table.  As children we couldn’t wait for a “snow day” which guaranteed us lots of fun and hot chocolate breaks.  While Moonstone dishes are manufactured in a special way, it turns out that snowflakes are just as special.  Each flake is made up of 2 to 200 separate snow crystals.  There are four basic crystal shapes and the temperature determines which shape the crystal will take.   As the snow crystals grow they become heavier and fall to the earth.  If they spin like tops as they fall they will become perfectly symmetrical when they hit the ground, but if they spin sideways, they will become lopsided.
 
            The purity of winter snow is a wonderful image of a promise God made in the book of Isaiah, “Come let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they be like crimson, they will be like wool” (Is. 1:18).   Have you ever really thought about the words of this verse?  It should be surprising to hear about snowfall in a land that appears to be mostly a rocky desert.  You might be surprised to learn that snow actually does fall in Israel.  Mount Hermon, located in the northern most part of Israel, is 9,000 feet above sea level and sports a white cap throughout most of the year.  I can imagine that when the people heard the words of Isaiah they thought of this beautiful snow-topped mountain. 
 
            If you read the first chapter of Isaiah you will learn that although the people were going through the motions of bringing sacrifices to the Lord, they were short-changing Him in many ways (vv. 10-15).  Why was this?  In verse 16 the Lord reveals the issue- their outward actions did not match with their inmost impurity.  Their hearts were not intent on doing God’s will or following His Law.  Instead of living for the Lord, they gave Him lip service.  Isaiah warns the people that this path will only lead them into judgment.  But if they repented (vv. 16-18), and looked at themselves through God’s eyes (v. 18), He would cause them to prosper once again (v. 19).  If they did not repent, they could not avoid judgment (v. 20).  These words of impending judgment can seem harsh from our viewpoint, but the writer of Hebrews reminds us that discipline is a form of love (Heb. 12: 5-11) and although unpleasant when administered, we benefit from it in the long run.
           
            This may seem to be a strange subject to discuss just after Christmas and right before the New Year.  But in reality, it is quite appropriate.  After all Jesus was not born in order for angels to sing in the sky or for magi and shepherds to take in a baby viewing.  He was not born to become a lawn decoration or passed over for Santa and his reindeer.   Like Moonstone and snowflakes He was born to perform a transformation.  And to perform this transformation He was born to die.  The transformation which made us white as snow took place when He died taking on the judgment (the Lord’s discipline) that was rightly meant for us when He didn’t deserve it.  We may not love “snow days” as much as we did in our youth or have a set of Moonstone dishes to put on our table but those gently falling crystals or a picture of those dishes should always remind us of the Savior (the Ultimate Transformer!) Who was born to make us “as white as snow”.  His birth and death allow us to start the New Year as fresh and as white as the snow.
 
Ann LeFevre, M. Div. 
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

               The synagogue of Nazareth was filled with expectation.  The son of Joseph had come home and was about to read from the Prophets.  Word had spread of the wonderful and intriguing events which had taken place since He left the village.  The people stood anxiously as He ascended the platform and unrolled the scroll.  The words of Isaiah poured out of His mouth and flowed over the people like the Latter Rains on parched ground.  Such a great promise of the Messiah!  He would have God's Spirit on Him, bring good news, liberate the poor, set free the captives, give sight to the blind, and proclaim a year of Jubilee to God's people.  Their hearts, heavy as the Roman rule over them, dared to dream that such a Messiah would come, but the hope of this promised Deliverer, could never be fully torn from them in spite of the Romans' persistent attempts to do so.  They listened and watched Jesus, recognizing that there was something amazingly different about this Man, and not yet understanding what it was.  Jesus completed the reading, rolled the scroll closed and took the Seat of Moses, the place where visiting rabbis would sit and teach.  The room was quiet; not a soul dared to breath.  "Today," Jesus said with authority, "this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."  (Lk. 4:16-21)

            I'm sure we can imagine that a number of reactions were present that day when Jesus spoke those words.  Some may have been amused since they knew Jesus when He was a child and were certain He was delusional by making such a fantastic claim. Others may have been angry thinking ‘how could a commoner like them claim the title of “The Promised One”’?  In fact as Jesus presses the matter of why they are impressed with Him in the first place (the hopes that He will heal the sick in Nazareth as He had in Capernaum) their admiration turns to anger and they attempt to drive Jesus over the edge of a cliff (Lk. 4:22-30)! 

            The hope for a Messiah had a lengthy history in the Jewish mind, beginning with the promise to Eve in Gen. 3:15, on through the calling of Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3, and through the lineage of Judah (Gen. 49:8-12).  The identity and work of the Messiah took further shape and purpose in the words of the prophets, who shared an important connection with the Messiah in that both were anointed.  Like priests, kings and prophets, the Messiah was anointed or set apart for a particular role, life's work and relationship to God.  As God's Servant, He would justify and reconcile God's people, by giving His life in exchange for theirs (Is. 53).  But Jesus told His audience in Nazareth that He would not be recognized as such in His hometown, not even among His own people.  Others outside of “the fold” would recognize the Messiah before them just as others outside the fold were ministered to in the days of Elijah and Elisha.  The indignation that this statement brings forth is hard for us to understand but perhaps that is because we really don’t understand the depth of what the role of the Messiah means.

            There are 30 specific prophecies concerning the first advent of the Messiah.  Some of these prophecies include: that He would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14), that He would be a descendant of Jesse (Is. 11:1-2), that He would be born in Bethlehem (Mi. 5:2), and that He would be God's Son (Ps. 2:7).  When Jesus stood before the congregation in the synagogue that day, He claimed that He fulfilled these prophecies (which He did!).  The Gospel writers believed this to be true.  The Messianic title "Son of God" is used of Jesus frequently throughout each one of them (Mt. 14:33, 16:16; Mk. 1:1, 11; 15: 39; Lk. 1:32, 35; 4:3, 9; Jn. 11:27: 20:30-31 to sample a few) propelling the significance and impact of Jesus’ claim in Nazareth that day to the front of the story and serving as the backdrop to the reaction of the crowd.

            For the author of Hebrews, Ps. 2 figures prominently in proving that Jesus the Messiah, as God's Son, is a King who rules and therefore is to be obeyed (Heb. 1:1-5).  During Christmas it is easy to get caught up in the wonder of the Nativity and to lose sight of this aspect of Christ's life.  But it is a part of who Jesus is right from the beginning.  The angel announced to the shepherds, "Today,  in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, and this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Lk. 2:11-12; Is. 7:14)."  If you truly believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the long-awaited Deliverer, what will that look like as you worship the Newborn King this Christmas?

Ann LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre