NOVEMBER 28 READING…NEHEMIAH 3 & PSALM 122 & ACTS 17
The work begins on the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. In that day a city without a wall was not a city. So, they begin with the wall and the gates. The wall would need many different gates for it function, and for people to have access to the city. Different groups/families took responsibility for the different gates…with all this building being under Nehemiah’s direction. Once the gates are up…the walls between the gates are erected, and in some cases repaired. Psalm 122 is an expression of praise to the Lord for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and eventually the Temple. The people were also tired of war, so the psalmist asks that everyone pray for the peace of Jerusalem. This is something we need to be doing today, as the nation of Israel is once again a place of unrest, and attack by its enemies. We are told that the Paul and his group came to Thessalonica, here again they preached Jesus. They were accused of “turning the world upside down” with their teachings of Christ. Oh, that we would be described in the same way. Paul then goes to Athens where he intentionally meets with the religious thinkers of that city at the place where they venerated their gods…Mars Hill. In the midst of all their statues to their many gods they had placed a monument to the one they called the “unknown god” …this allowed them to feel they had not offended any gods by neglecting to recognize them. Paul took this opportunity to tell them about the God they did not know. He preached the One, true, and only God that exists. Some mocked him, some said they would like to listen to more, and some even believed. That is the way it works when we share the Gospel of Jesus in our world…some will mock you, some will say they are not ready and want to hear more, and others will believe. We are called to share with all people, their response is between them and the Lord. Keep sharing church!
Please share your thoughts.
TOMORROW’S READING…NEHEMIAH 4-5 & ACTS 18
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