Reflection Guides
Conversion, Culture, and the Core of the Gospel – Acts 10:1-48: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms Caesarea – An influential 1st century port city located about 30 miles north of modern-day Tel Aviv. Caesarea was the Roman capital of Judea and home to the Roman governors over the region. Cornelius – Cornelius was a Gentile (non-Jew) who sought to follow Yahweh, the God of the Jews. He…
Read MorePowerful Participation – Acts 9:19-43: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms The Son of God – An honorific title that by the time of Jesus had become associated with the Messiah. Verse 20 is the only time this phrase is used to describe Jesus in the book of Acts, but would become central to Paul’s theology and teaching (See Ro 1:4 &…
Read MoreWhat is Love? – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms Love (agape) – Unlike English, Greek has several different words for love and the word used throughout 1 Corinthians 13 is agape. This word for love is distinct from romantic love (eros) or friendship love (philia). Agape love has its source in God (1 Jn 3:16, 4:7-8). Tongues, prophetic powers, and…
Read MoreBefore the Face of God – Acts 9:1-19: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms Letters from the high priest – Paul asks for letters from the high priest in an apparent attempt to establish his authority to arrest Christians outside of Jerusalem. The Way – A term used to describe Christians in the 1st century; Luke uses similar terms such as the way of salvation…
Read MoreThe Gospel Confronts and Comforts – Acts 8:9-40: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms Simon the Magician – A man living in Samaria who had gained great recognition for the magic he performed; magicians in the 1st century operated most commonly by illusion, but the NT also suggests that Satan can empower people to perform false magic that distracts from Jesus (Mt 24:24; 1 Thes…
Read MoreA Surprising Way to Advance – Acts 8:1-8: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms Saul (Paul) – Saul, who later goes by Paul, was first mentioned in the book of Acts to end chapter 7 as overseeing Stephen’s execution, and is now responsible for ravaging the church and imprisoning many men and women (v. 3). Paul later goes on to become a Christian, help spread…
Read MoreChristmas Day Reflection Guide
We’ve put together a reflection guide you can use to reflect on the birth of Christ on Christmas morning. We hope this guide will help you focus your heart and mind on Jesus this Christmas. You can download both a print version and a phone version below: Phone Version Print Version
Read MoreAdvent Week Four Reflection Guide
Each week during Advent, we will be releasing a weekly reflection guide to help you and your family prepare your hearts for Christmas. The theme for this final week of Advent is peace. This week’s guide considers how the fourth title given to the promised Messiah in Isaiah 9:6, Prince of Peace, means that as Christians we…
Read MoreAdvent Week Three Reflection Guide
Each week during Advent, we will be releasing a weekly reflection guide to help you and your family prepare your hearts for Christmas. The theme for this week of Advent is joy. This week’s guide considers how the third title given to the promised Messiah in Isaiah 9:6, Everlasting Father, means that real joy is available to us right now…
Read MoreAdvent Week Two Reflection Guide
We hope this reflection guide will help you and your family prepare your hearts for Christmas by taking some time each week to reflect on what Christmas truly means for us and our world. The theme for this week of Advent is love. This week’s guide considers how the second title given to the promised…
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