Ephesians 2:6-7

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

From Background Notes [BN] for Apr 2nd & 3rd written by Pastor Bob Brown:

This has enormous implications for the Christ community in the present day. As a world-wide communion of saints, but also as individual communities, we ought always to turn our faces to the future, since Christ's finished work has an ongoing task to be lived out by his followers.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

From Background Notes [BN] for Apr 2nd & 3rd written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Spiritual death leads to loss of human purpose and the “abundant life” of which Jesus speaks. A crisis of meaning continues in our world, with the consequential frantic search for political leadership to restore purpose.

Acts 3:19

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 26th & 27th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

When Peter speaks about "sins wiped out" (NIV), the word Luke uses is exaleiphō. Ordinarily, the Greek word means "to wipe off or away" and is applied to a liquid. Tears are "wiped away" (Revelation 7:17).

Acts 3:6

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 26th & 27th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The setting of the story is the Temple, a place to which the apostles directed their efforts until they were eventually denied access.

Acts 1:21-22

Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 26th & 27th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is nothing short of a revolution, and revolutions carry with them strong political implications. Through them the governance of human beings undergoes dramatic transformation.

John 18:36

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 19th & 20th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

What the Romans did not understand was that the Kingdom of God is a kingdom that does not have an army. It is not a kingdom that crushes its enemies. Instead...

Deuteronomy 33:29

Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.”

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 19th & 20th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The real question, however, was "Would God do this again, now, and in our time?"

1 Samuel 8:7

And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 19th & 20th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Who will lead us? The American national debate persistently asks that question. In times of crisis and uncertainty, democracies use the ballot not the bomb to reach a consensus. But as Churchill once noted:

Romans 8:39

Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 12th & 13th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The “B.L.E.S.S.” ministry of oikos liberates us from the adversarial attitude we might easily adopt in relationship to those outside the Christian community.

1 Peter 1:17

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 12th & 13th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Do you feel “at home” in the world?

 

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 12th & 13th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

All our missional efforts need to be bathed in prayer so that the mandate of heaven might become our own and the energy for our work might flow from the Spirit who makes possible the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Acts 10:2

He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 5th & 6th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Just as Jesus is the way into the Father’s oikos, so also are the many divinely arranged connections to people in our lives. Our oikos merges with His household. As Pastor Wangler in our planning notes for this week reminds us:

Acts 2:7-8

Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

From Background Notes [BN] for Mar 5th & 6th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

“What does this mean?” They looked for understanding in the words and actions of the Gospel witnesses, and the context for finding meaning was precisely the community experience afforded by the shared festival.