I was struck today by something I’ve never noticed before. I know Jesus appeared to the disciples several times after the resurrection, but I read today that at one point he was hanging out and eating a meal with them. Its just one more demonstration to me of how much he loves us. He had done what he came to do and could have easily just gone straight to heaven, but he stayed for a while longer just to spend time with them, love them, and teach them.

What stuck out for me today was the message of hope and forgiveness. The apostles were given grace by Jesus for all the wrongs they committed against Him. They, in turn, offered the same grace to the crowd of people that rejected Jesus before Pilate.

“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.” Act 3:19-20 NLT

Following the death and resurection of Jesus, the faith and abilities of the disciples seemed to strengthen enormously. They spent much time in prayer, after which they were filled with the holy spirit. Faith and prayer together are powerful!

Amazing to me how the disciples changed after the gift of the Holy Spirit. The same boldness Jesus had when dealing with the “religious” folks was evident in Peter. Also noted how Peter used Old Testament scripture (especially prophecy) to make his point when preaching. Good stuff!

The death of Jesus was sobering even knowing it was God’s will. Reading how the Holy Spirit changes lives in bold ways was great!

After reading the Book of Matthew, I already know I’m going to have to read it again after completing the rest of the Books of the Gospel. Comparing the details shared between the books and contrasting the differences is just the start. Learning how the NLT differs from the NIV and other versions will be just as interesting. I would like to understand if some words were used because they were a close translation or simply modernized to make it easier to read.

The days leading up to the crucifixion were indeed gut-wrenching. Although I’ve heard the story over and over countless times throughout my life, it wasn’t easy to read. I couldn’t help but feel sickened by the mockery of the people. The more I read about the Apostles, the more frustrated and disappointed I felt. How privileged were these men to be in the company of Christ and yet fail him so miserably.

However, Jesus had so much patience for the Apostles and even the people mocking, condemning and ultimately killing him. To love people under the worst imaginable circumstances is truly divine. In further reflection, I can only imagine how disappointing and frustrating I must be in the eyes of God. I pray that God has as much patience for me as he did for those that disappointed him during Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.

I just completed today’s reading for Acts. The Apostles redeemed themselves as they underwent a transformation. With Jesus no longer with them, they were empowered to spread the Word and speak with the same confidence and authority as Christ did. It was as if I was reading about different people. However, they were the same common people Jesus had chosen.

“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” – Acts 4:13