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In more than three decades of my Christian life, I have been blest by 2 types of Daily devos'
(matter not exceeding 500 words) in universal Christian literature. Not only those Devos'
which have a different theme everyday but also the ones which revolve around a certain
theme over a period of time, say a fortnight, have richly edified me. In fact, both
styles have their own inherent advantages. If the former style caters to the varying
spiritual needs of a christian from day-to-day, the latter aims 'to ground'
a child of God in a certain subject in order he derives the full benefits of the
deep insightful study of a certain topic, spread over a fixed span of time.
In my Daily devo page, I have consciously tried to go in for 'a blend of both the
styles' whereby within a constant theme, I would be aiming to focus on different
facets of it which admittedly is a closer imitation of the 'Constant theme' style
than the 'Varying topics' one.
Having dwelt on the topics
- “The Christian journey”
- “ The Conquest of Canaan” and the
- “Lent season”.
in the previous months, now in the months of April and May, considering that
post resurrection of Christ (one of our concluding themes’ you would remember
in the meditations of March, was Resurrection), birth of the Church was a
landmark event in Biblical history, I want to cast the spotlight on the Book of
Acts (which records the birth and growth of the Church). This would ensure to a large
extent continuity of thought albeit under the ambit of new subject.
Once again, let me wish you a happy and an edifying read…
Suresh Manoharan
34th Lent Day
A Bridge
“All Scripture is God-breathed…”–
II Tim 3:16
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In the process of getting our co-ordinates right for the detailed study
of the Book of Acts, today let’s reflect on its “strategic positional”
significance, in the New testament. For the uninitiated the Book of Acts
plays the role of “a Bridge” in New Testament.
Here, let it be stated that New Testament, per se, can be divided into 4 parts
- The Gospels (describing the birth, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ)
- The Book of Acts (giving details of the works’ of Jesus’ disciples now called apostles after Jesus’ ascension)
- The Epistles (21 of them- the letters written by the apostles to the Church congregations’ in different locales)
- The Book of Revelation (amongst others, giving a graphic description of end-times)
Take out the Book of Acts and…at once the Epistles and a part of the Book of Revelation
(specifically chapters 2 and 3 of it) would become incomprehensible to a first-time reader
of the Bible! For instance, for one (a first time Bible reader) who has completed reading the Gospels,
in the absence of Book of Acts, it would be puzzling, to come across the very first verse in the
very first epistle of NT reading thus…
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God”
- Romans 1:1
Now who is this Paul? Is a confusing question which would immediately spring up in the
mind of reader of NT, unless he or she is familiar with the Book of Acts, for only in this
“Bridger of a Book” is there complete information about who Paul was and how he became an apostle,
though he was not ministering alongside Jesus in the latter’s earthly ministry (described in the Gospels).
For that matter the Epistles bearing the titles’ such as “Ephesians” “Philippians” in the
Epistles section of NT would be comprehensible for the first time Bible browser only if he or
she has read the Book of Acts for those are titles ascribed to the Churches founded at Ephesus
and Philippi by Apostle Paul
(Acts 16-19).
Likewise the Letters of Jesus to 7
Churches in Asia minor (modern-day Turkey) in the 2nd and 3rd Chapters of the Book of
Revelation, can only be better-understood, if one knows, how those Churches were established,
in the first place – a result of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus spanning nearly 3 years
(Acts 19,20:31).
As “ALL Scripture is God-inspired”, an orderly reading of it, without bypassing any
portion of it would serve us well. As any building (read study of a Biblical book) is only as
strong as its foundation, in our Act of studying Acts comprehensively, let’s lay one more foundation
stone tomorrow.
Prayer:
Father, we praise thee for giving us ALL Scripture in a way we can logically understand. As we study
it, open up our spiritual eyes to comprehend its rare treasures. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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