The End of Week One Day 7: Acts 4:23-37

Well folks we are a week in. I hope you have found your time reading the bible fulfilling and enlightening.    So, I'm wondering, where have you seen the risen Christ in the words of Holy Scripture this past week?    But also, what have been the frustrations or difficulties you've encountered? There will be ups and downs throughout  these fifty days.  There will be days where God hits you square between the eyes in the something you read.  But, there will also be days where you need to wrestle with the text, struggle to find some meaning buried in a seemingly  incomprehensible passage.  It will be a roller-coaster, embrace it and realize that sometimes the bible feels very much like trying to understand a foreign language.  Enjoy the struggle for that is often where God is found.  

In the Acts passage today, Peter and John have returned from their grilling before the religious authorities.  Immediately Christ's followers come together to offer prayers. Their prayer recognizes that there are earthly powers that come against the purposes of God,  in this particular circumstance Herod and Pontius Pilate.   They conclude their prayer by asking for boldness in speech and for God to work miraculous signs wonders through them.  As the chapter closes, Luke explains how the early church shared the things they owned. Luke attests in verse 34 that because of this practice  "there were no needy persons among them."   Barnabas, a major player in the early church, appears for a first time as Luke tells us he sold a field and laid the money at the feet of the apostles. Tomorrow, we move on to the story of Ananias and Sapphira.