Come Follow Me with Sam

 Welcome! Une drole d'Eglise Paul shows how the jewish 'church', their ecclesiastical organization and understanding, is in chaos  - the chief priest, guardian of the law is he who violates the law - the different sects are squabbling amongst themselves, in one moment more eager to persecute paul, in the next moment more eager to prosecute their adversaries' contrary ideas - 40 of them straight up swore an oath to murder. This is deeply badness shizam. - they describe the 'quietness' they so desire and that paul is a 'pestilent fellow' interrupting their serenity. Throughout all of this, Paul is guided by the spirit what he must do.

 Welcome! The curious sacrifice of the apostles When most of us picture the gospels, we lean hard on the 'soft Jesus' view - our take-aways are to be kind to one another and love one another and live in peace. This is all certainly true. But the apostles got a lot more out of it than just that. They were compelled to preach the gospel to all the world, as many as would listen, and to take terrible privations, suffering, beating, losing loved ones, losing each other to preach this gospel. That's not just a 'soft Jesus' formula. There is a lot more in there. they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; To the Unknown God See how Paul teaches of the unknown god.

 Welcome! Peter's pork moment there are a few moments where we think one thing is absolute and God changes that in relatively short order. Usually we resist because we think it is a matter of dogma. Most of the time when we are faced with these choices, it is. Some few times when God want to make a big change, He'll teach us something for which we had no prior conception. That is why it is so important to have the spirit with you so that when these moments come, you are neither hardened, nor deceived, but ready to receive. The Jews' gentile moment As above, the traditional Jewish people had a moment where they said 'why them?' Peter's argument was ' the fruits of god are clearly apparent in them; if God has approved them, do you really want to be the ones to raise your hand to protest?' The Apostles Peter moment We can see a pattern for verifying that this comes from God through the way the church leadership looks at the issue. First they think Peter is ...

 Welcome! to be continued one day

 Welcome! I love the acts of the apostles because it shows what people do when they receive Christ. This particular reading focuses specifically on what the new Church of Christ immediately did. It is similar to Mosiah 18 in that we can use this to test churches that claim to be the Church of Christ and see how close they come. The actions and attitudes of the primitive Church of Christ in the dispensation of the gospel of grace The Apostles were immediately focused on the second coming of Christ. The very last question they asked Christ before the Ascension was when his second coming was. The very last closing part of the Ascension was the angels of God confirming the promise of His second coming. In his words at Pentecost, Peter quoted Joel who spoke of the last days. In the second discourse recorded, Peter spoke of preparing for the times of the restitution of all things. The goal of the church from the beginning was to prepare such that they were ready for a Second Coming ...

 Welcome! more fun signs of true worship as shown in the primitive church 1. calling the first quorum of the seventy. Or at least 7 heads to minister the affairs of the church. 2. Stephen seeing Christ (1) on the right hand of God (2) 3. Baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, then Peter and John goes down that they might receive the Holy Ghost. 4. Continuation of the apostolic line through Saul (although there may have been some extenuating circumstances surrounding this move. 5. church walked in the 'fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost' and were multiplied. What are we supposed to get out of Stephens message? When we have interaction between groups like this, it can be helpful to search why the prophet is giving that specific message to that specific audience. Here is the overlying idea narration I am seeing with these groups: "Lets start back to where we both have common ground - with father Abraham. Did God not appear and give him commandments, and d...