Something Greater

Repent And Be Baptized "Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:37-38 CUT: "Katanysso", to pierce thoroughly, to agitate violently; from "kata" (down) and "nysso" (to prick) REPENT: "Metanoeo", to think differently, reconsider; from "meta" (accompaniment, "amid", participation) and "noeo" (to exercise the mind, or observe) and "nous" (the intellect or mind) and "ginosko" (to know) BAPTIZED: "Baptizo", to make whelmed, fully wet; from "bapto" (to whelm, cover wholly with fluid, to moisten or stain) FORGIVENESS: "Aphesis", freedom or pardon; from "aphiemi" (to send

Tongues Of Fire "And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them." Acts 2:3 DIVIDED: "Diamerízo", to partition thoroughly (literally in distribution, figuratively in dissension); from "diá" (through) and "merízo" (to part, to apportion, bestow, share) and "méros" (a division or share) and "meiromai" (to get as a section or allotment) TONGUES: "Glossa", the tongue; by implication, a language (specially, one naturally unacquired); FIRE: "Pyr", "fire" (specially, lightning) APPEARED: "Optánomai", to gaze with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable; RESTED: "Kathízo", to seat down, i.e. set (figuratively, appoint); intransitively, to sit (down); figuratively, to settle (hover, dwell); from "kathézomai" (to sit down) and "katá" (down, in place or time) and "hedraîos" (sedentary, immovable) The wor

A Poet of His Word "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only." James 1:22 (ESV) "Doers" of the word, in the Greek, means performers , especially used of poets, from the Greek word "poietes". The Apostle Paul used the same word in direct reference to poets: "In him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring'". Acts 17:28 (ESV) Poets perform their work by speaking to an audience or publishing books. A poem begins with ideas and emotions, feelings and desires and fears, but it is nothing until the poet uses words to create structure and meaning. Until the poem is spoken or sung or written or performed, the ideas and emotions and feelings and desires and fears are impotent and worthless. Even for the poet himself, if the poem remains unworded, unrealized, vague and internal, the poem does not affect or influence or satisfy . But, "doing" the poem br

My Psalm 51 Bend low, God. How dare I even think of saying that to You? Nothing I see around me is of my creation. Even the breath and the blood in my body that enables me to see and think is not of my making. You are Creator, and I am as dust in comparison to You , in all ways. Bend low, God. I am without any power or authority to command you to stoop to my level, to listen to my heart, to hope for favor, to depend upon mercy . Bend low, God. You are the Only Source and the Only God, and I can't reach You. You must come near to me . God, my sin is fresh before my eyes. And behind the sin of today is the sin of yesterday, and the sin of last week, and the sin of last year, and the sin of all my past . I depend upon Your mercy , Your kindly, undeserved favor and Your tenderloving touch. Please take away the guilt of my sin. Erase my debt of rebellion against You. I know You have mercy on those who do not deserve mercy. I know that You provide forgiveness through

Merciful Vengeance "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:19-21 (ESV) AVENGE: "Ekdikeo", to vindicate, retaliate or punish; from "ekdikos" (carrying justice out, a punisher) and "dike" (right, as self-evident, justice) and "deiknyo" (to show) WRATH: "Orge", desire, reaching forth, excitement of the mind, violent passion, punishment; from "orego" (to stretch oneself, reach out, long for) REPAY: "Antapodidomi", to requite (good or evil); from "anti" (opposite) and "apodidomi" (to give away) HEAP: "Soreuo", to pile up; from "

SPIRITUAL POWER "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8 POWER: "Dynamis", force, specially, miraculous power; from "dynamai" (to be able or possible COME UPON: "Eperchomai", to supervene, i.e. arrive, occur, impend, attack, (figuratively) influence; from "epi" (upon) and "erchomai" (to come or go) WITNESSES: "Martys", a witness END: "Eschatos", farthest, final (of place or time); from "echo" (to hold) WHAT DO YOU THINK? To this point the disciples had not experienced the indwelling Spirit of God. Why not? And what would change not many days later when they would? Why would God delay sharing His Spirit? Was there some change required in the lives of the disciples? The primary purpose of the indwelling Spirit of God was to empower Christians to b

RESTORATION "So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?'" Acts 1:6 RESTORE: "Apokathistemi", to reconstitute (in health, home or organization); from "apo" (off or away) and "kathistemi" (to place down (permanently) and "histemi" (to stand) The Greek word for restore meant to reconstitute, a rebuilding of something that once stood. The word carries the idea of placing something that will stand permanently. The early Christians expected Jesus to destroy the ruthless, godless rule of the Romans, bringing the nation of Israel back to its former glory as a world power. WHAT DO YOU THINK? What biblical evidence can you remember that describes the nation of Israel as a world power? The last chapter of the last book of the Old Testament foretells of a day of victory and vengeance by God against all unrighteousness: "For behold, the day is coming, burn

PROVEN ALIVE "He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God." Acts 1:3 (ESV) SUFFERING: "Pascho", a sensation or impression of pain; same as "patho" or pentho" (seen in empathy, pathetic, sympathy) PROOFS: A token, or criterion, of certainty KINGDOM: "Basileia", royalty, rule, or realm; from "basis", a pace (as in walking) WHAT DO YOU THINK? In what ways does the action of walking support the idea of a kingdom or royalty? What proofs do we see immediately after the tomb was found empty? "While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen." Luke 24:4-6 (ESV) "But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stoopin

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15) Families traditionally have honored the first child born to a family , especially the first boy. Is that wrong, right, or just natural? Is it biblical? The Old Testament indicates it was a common custom: Laban (Jacob's uncle) said, "It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. (Genesis 29:26) Reuben (Jacob's son), you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. (Genesis 49:3) Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine." (Exodus 13:2) If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved, then on the day when he assigns his possessions as an inheritance to his sons, he