RUMINATIONS OF A REVEREND

If you're a believer, don't call me a Christian. Now that I have your attention, let me elaborate on that statement. I'm currently reading through a Bible Reading Plan called "For the Love of God" and one of my scheduled readings today was in Acts 11. At the end of Acts 11:26 we read, " And in Antioch the disciples were first called  Christians ." (ESV) Now I've read that verse numerous times, but have you ever wondered why we don't see the label "Christian" used more often in the New Testament? In our world today, we hear that term used all the time, but we find it used only three times in the New Testament: here in Acts 11:26, in Acts 26:28, and finally in I Peter 4:16. In each of those places it is a term used by unbelievers to label disciples of Jesus. In Antioch, the disciples were labeled as Christians by the unbelievers in that area. In Acts 26:28, King Agrippa (an unbeliever) asked Paul if he was trying to persuade him to b

One of my fears about borrowing an item from someone is that I'm going to break it. I've borrowed tillers, tools and even vehicles, and I worry about breaking something and having to tell the owner what happened. Even if the item is older and might break no matter who uses it, I just don't want to have it happen to me. My father taught me to try and return any item you borrow in better condition than what you received it. For the most part, I've tried to live by that principle, and that's probably why I fear breaking something that I borrow. In Luke 19:11-27, Jesus told a parable about a noble man who gave ten of his servants one mina each and ordered them to use this money he loaned them to earn more money. Essentially, they were to return the item back to the owner in better condition than what they received it. When you read the parable, you discover that Jesus is challenging His disciples to be good stewards of the gospel and invest the gospel in the lives of

" For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel !" I Corinthians 9:16 The apostle Paul penned those words almost 2000 years ago in the infancy of the church amidst great persecution and opposition to the gospel. Preaching the gospel was not an easy and acceptable practice in his day. Many of the Jews and Jewish leaders opposed this teaching about Christ and actively sought to destroy it. Some of the Greeks just thought it was foolishness and many of the Roman leaders began seeing it as a threat. Yet, Paul continued to share the message of Jesus Christ the Son of God who became a man, died for the sins of humanity and rose on the third day. And despite the opposition and persecution he endured, he never saw this as doing something "above and beyond" his calling that deserved special recognition. Preaching the gospel wasn't perceived as something that he should boast about