Family Bible Reading

Monday, August 25 Acts 26   Commentary           Picking up from the end of the last chapter, Paul now gives his testimony to King Agrippa. Festus wanted Agrippa to examine Paul so they could decide a proper charge against Paul. Paul gives his most detailed testimony yet to Agrippa, who was more familiar with Jewish customs and thus more likely to consider Paul’s message. The apostle gives a sort of spiritual resume that appears impeccable, especially to someone partial to the Pharisees like Agrippa. Paul then narrates his conversion and explains how the message of Christ is the fulfillment of everything Judaism had been waiting for. David Gooding noted that Paul had a key opportunity for the gospel: “At stake and under question was the character of the Christian gospel. Was it, or was it not, treasonable to the emperor? And then, way and beyond that, was it a reasonable gospel, holding out a credible hope for the world? In t...

  Monday, August 18 Acts 20:7-38   Commentary           This passage shows us the hearts of the Ephesian church and the man who served as their primary pastor, Paul. After nearly three years of ministry there, Paul prepares to depart for his next place of ministry. The church gathers on the first day, Sunday, to break bread - a fellowship meal or the Lord’s Supper, possibly both. An interesting detail to note here is that they were gathered later in the day.  Ancient Israel and Rome did not have weekends like we do today. The Romans begrudgingly allowed the Jews to observe the Sabbath practices on Saturdays, but work did not stop for anyone on Sundays. Thus, early churches probably met in the afternoons and evenings. Paul’s farewell speech was so lengthy, surely full of great emotion and wise instruction, that someone fell asleep and toppled out of a window to his death. Paul nonchalantly raises him from the dead, muc...