As you will hear in the PODCAST, a veritable banquet table of culinary delights, every tasty morsel of which comes courtesy of the Apostle Paul and his original Galatian readers.
Take a deep breath, pull up a chair, make yourself comfortable… and enjoy!
Thank you for listening, and for sharing this message!!!
Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.
As you are about to hear in this PODCAST, we have come to a defining moment in Early Church History—one precious period of time, two events of staggering significance—of which you and I are the direct beneficiaries.
This will explain so much, and put so much into its proper perspective.
Thank you for listening and for sharing this message.
Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.
When we last left our old and dear friend, Peter, he was in Jerusalem, languishing in a Roman prison cell, awaiting what he thought was his certain execution.
As you will hear in this PODCAST, Peter had been held in that prison for up to eight long, arduous days—the week of Passover.
So to help you feel this story—if I may put it that way—I need you to think back to one week ago.
It was exactly one week ago when we—in Peter in HD Podcast #51—met the notorious-King Herod Agrippa.
And I need you to consider two compelling/colliding realities now coming into play as far as Peter’s state-of-mind-and-heart while in prison was concerned.
My dear friends, SO MUCH for us to talk about (please forgive that dangling preposition).
And please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.
Well, truth be told, there are a lot of things that I love about the Bible. Far too many to tell in this PODCAST.
But certainly residing at or near the top of my rather lengthy list is this: The window the biblical writers open to the growth and maturity of its principle players.
Case in point: The Apostle Paul.
Paul did not emerge from his road to Damascus encounter with Jesus a wholly-mature believer. Nor did Paul burst on the scene armed with a fully-formed theology that would become the capstone of his prolific writings. Paul had to grow in his faith as a committed Christ-follower just like the rest of us.
I love that!
Paul moved from a measurably primitive understanding of Jesus to a remarkably profound comprehension of who Jesus was and is and all that Jesus did and accomplished. This growth, this development, this maturity takes place right before our wondering eyes ever to behold in all of its spiritual splendor.
In short, Paul was a person in process, just like us! A process well-documented in the New Testament that as we are about to learn slowly-but-surely took place over many, many years.
Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.
These were exhilarating times indeed for that original company of committed Christ-followers.
In this PODCAST, and in the upcoming weeks, it will be our privilege to relive these salad days of the first ekklesia—in Jerusalem—as we join in a virtual sense these first precious believers, our ancestors in the faith.
Last week, we looked at the four foundational dynamics that characterized this first early church. Foundational for them; foundational for us. You will remember that we considered each of these in some detail—that marvelous biblical blueprint for every local church, both then and now! The elegant simplicity and sincerity of which was breathtaking for us to behold.
Now, we will consider a day in the life of these very first committed Christ-followers. The precious and precarious first hours of this first church’s delicate-if-exuberant infancy.
Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play.
Dewey Bertolini 